Let's talk about something a lot of us have been quietly researching — cosmetic procedures. Whether you've gone down a TikTok rabbit hole on facelifts or you're seriously considering something, the money side of this decision matters just as much as the medical side.

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Ruslan Zhuravsky — board-certified facial plastic surgeon and founder of Z Face Plastic Surgery in Aventura, Florida — to break down the real economics of cosmetic surgery. We're talking about why bargain procedures can end up costing you way more in the long run, which procedures are actually worth the investment, and what to look for (and run from) when choosing a provider. This is the informed, empowered conversation you need before spending a single dollar on your face. Let's get into it.

WE GET INTO:

00:00 — Introduction: Why plastic surgery belongs on a personal finance podcast

01:22 — Dr. Z's background: from art and architecture to facial surgery

04:03 — Why he chose a boutique practice over high-volume centers

05:23 — Building a practice from scratch: loans, word-of-mouth, and the grind

08:07 — The economics of cosmetic procedures: price vs. value

09:34 — The danger of over-filling: why "cheaper" treatments compound costs

11:05 — Real patient story: years of med spa treatments vs. one surgical solution

13:04 — How to evaluate if a quoted price is fair

15:11 — Going abroad for surgery: real talk on risks and rewards

17:31 — The three pillars of aging: laxity, volume loss, and skin changes

20:48 — Where to invest first if you have a limited aesthetic budget

22:44 — Botox 101: cost, longevity, and what can go wrong

24:46 — Med spas vs. surgical practices: what's actually different

26:52 — Skincare myths and social media trends to be skeptical about

28:22 — Retinol: is it worth the hype?

29:45 — Best long-term value procedures vs. worst investments

36:27 — Facelifts and Ozempic face: what GLP-1 users need to know

36:55 — The honest surgeon test: red flags to watch for in consultations

39:05 — What a good consultation actually looks like

41:13 — When the right answer is NOT to have surgery

43:11 — How to verify credentials and board certifications

46:18 — Dr. Z's money lesson: let your money work for you

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

– Cheap treatments aren't just less effective — they can make future surgery harder and more expensive

– The three pillars of aging are laxity, volume loss, and skin changes — each requires a different solution

– Board certification is the bare minimum, not the finish line — do your research beyond that

– Rhinoplasty is often the best long-term investment because a quality one is one and done

– Neck liposuction and buccal fat removal are frequently bad investments — most patients don't actually need them

– Good consultations take time — if a doctor is rushing you out, that's your sign

– About 30% of patients Dr. Z sees are told not to have surgery at all — an ethical surgeon will tell you the truth

– Skincare basics (sunscreen, moisturizer, microneedling) are the highest ROI foundation before any procedure

– Always get multiple consultations — even Dr. Z encourages his own patients to shop around

CONNECT WITH DR. Z

• Instagram
• Website

TAKE THE NEXT STEP:

• Download the FREE Dinero Guide
• Read my book, Financially Lit!
• Book a Call with Jannese

This episode of Yo Quiero Dinero was produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode is basically my love language: multiple income streams. I'm joined by Meghan Lim, AKA Meghan Makes Money, who went from a $78K corporate finance job to building a six-figure creator business with 160K+ followers, all in about two and a half years. We're talking side hustles, affiliate marketing, brand deals, pricing your worth, and why "selling" isn't a dirty word.

WE GET INTO:

00:00 Intro: Meghan's journey from corporate finance to content creator

00:49 Meghan's origin story: childhood side hustles and the layoff that changed everything

03:48 Money messages from a Filipina immigrant household

05:38 Switching her major to finance (and why it didn't teach her personal finance)

07:30 Stepping into the creator economy as a Gen Z creator

11:47 The viral paycheck breakdown video that changed everything

13:07 Side hustles worth your time (and which ones are a scam)

17:05 How Meghan actually makes money now: affiliates, brand deals, coaching

18:45 The disconnect between followers and revenue

21:45 What to have in place before pitching brands

25:49 Favorite underrated monetization method: affiliate marketing

29:33 How content creation has changed Meghan's life (six figures, comped trips, free LASIK)

32:35 The Cartier ring story: rewarding yourself and abundance mindset

36:48 Navigating the pressure to choose stability over risk

38:18 Redefining success after leaving corporate

39:55 Biggest financial mistake (and the lesson behind it)

42:14 The #1 skill every creator needs to learn

42:46 What's next for Meghan Makes Money

44:20 Final advice: you don't need permission to make money

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Multiple income streams beat relying on one (especially brand deals, which can be inconsistent)
• You don't need to be "the expert" or already have results to start sharing your journey
• Documenting > performing — people want to follow along, not just see the finished product
• Reframe selling as serving: your product or service genuinely helps someone
• It takes 14-17 touchpoints before someone takes action, so don't be afraid to repeat yourself
• Affiliate marketing in the finance niche is one of the most underrated income streams
• Reward yourself for milestones — it's not just about ROI, it's about breaking scarcity mindset
• Surround yourself with people doing what you want to do; proximity changes your mindset

CONNECT WITH MEGHAN:

• Meghan's Instagram: @meghanmakesmoney
• Meghan's Website: https://www.skool.com/money-makers-circle-8363

TAKE THE NEXT STEP:

• Download the FREE Dinero Guide
• Read my book, Financially Lit!
• Book a Call with Jannese

This episode of Yo Quiero Dinero was produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Guardian recently featured my plan for how I'm raising my toddler to become a millionaire and it got me fired up about something I've been sitting on for a while. Today I'm calling out the financial patterns that Latino parents normalize that are actually keeping our community from building real wealth. I'm not talking about our elders who came here with nothing and survived on grit. I'm talking to us — the millennial parents with smartphones, podcasts, and investing apps at our fingertips — who still aren't doing enough differently. We'll talk about why spending $20K on a quince but skipping the 529 is a problem, why your child is NOT your retirement plan, and the five mindset shifts that need to happen so we can stop breaking generational cycles and start building generational wealth.

This is a tough love episode, mi gente, but I think you're ready for it.

WE GET INTO:

00:24 The Guardian feature + Jannese's toddler wealth plan

02:53 Who this episode IS (and isn't) for

04:18 Problem #1: Spending on appearances, skipping financial foundations

06:03 Problem #2: Treating your children like a retirement plan

08:01 Problem #3: Preaching education without a financial plan for it

10:30 College vs. retirement — why you must always choose retirement

14:07 Problem #4: Shaming kids for wanting more

16:12 Problem #5: Dismissing financial tools as "too much" for kids

18:30 When it's not that there's no money — it's that there's no mission

19:20 Action steps for Latino parents (talk about money earlier, stop saying you don't know)

20:32 Action step: Open the accounts — 529, brokerage, Roth IRA

20:44 Action step: Redirect family gifts to the college fund

21:50 Action step: Plan for your own retirement + money tools resource

23:45 The $4 trillion spending power problem — and what we need to build instead

24:49 The vision: celebrate AND invest

26:44 Closing + how to get The Guardian article

27:23 Outro — Stay Poderosa

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Spending on appearances while skipping financial foundations isn't tradition — it's a decision
• Your child is not your 401k, your emergency fund, or your exit strategy
• Preaching education without a financial plan for it is setting your kids up to drown in student loan debt
• If you have to choose between saving for college or retirement, choose retirement — every single time
• Wanting more does not make you ungrateful. Sometimes it's how you honor where you came from
• Silence is the most expensive thing you can give your children when it comes to money
• The most generous gift you can give your child is a financially free parent

Read: A finance podcaster plans to make her daughter a millionaire by 18 – here’s how

TAKE THE NEXT STEP:

• Download the FREE Dinero Guide
• Read my book, Financially Lit!
• Book a Call with Jannese

This episode of Yo Quiero Dinero was produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.