The Games of Life

What if a board game could explain why most people are caught off guard financially? In this episode of Games of Life, Ambar Reddekopp uses the cooperative board game Pandemic to explore how financial preparedness really works. She draws clear parallels between managing a global outbreak and managing personal finances — where early preparation, boring but necessary steps, and the ability to absorb shocks make all the differen...

Setting goals is just the opening move—staying in the game and winning takes strategy, resilience, and adaptability. In this episode, Ambar Reddekopp digs into the psychology of goal setting, from playing the long game to spotting wild cards and learning from setbacks. Discover why discipline means choosing what you want most over what you want now, how to pivot when life blocks your path, and the importance of finding the ri...

Ever played Sequence and thought it was just luck? Turns out, winning—at games and in life—is all about strategy, patience, and connecting the right moves at the right time. In this episode, Ambar Reddekopp reveals how goal setting for retirement and beyond mirrors the twists and turns of a board game. Learn why small, consistent steps beat giant leaps, how to adapt when life blocks your path, and why your financial jou...

Scammers have a new secret weapon—artificial intelligence. In this episode, Amber Reddekopp reveals how AI is transforming fraud, from voice cloning and deepfakes to convincing chatbots and fake online deals. Discover real-life examples, learn why “trust but verify” is more important than ever, and get practical tips to protect yourself in a world where nothing is as it seems. If you’ve ever wondered how to ...

What if the next person trying to scam you isn’t a stranger, but someone you know—or even a computer? In this episode, Amber Reddekopp exposes the most common frauds targeting retirees and families, from investment clubs and identity theft to romance scams and tech support traps. Learn how scammers use urgency, secrecy, and “too good to be true” promises to trick victims, and discover practical red flags to ...

What happens when your Medicare decision locks you in—and your health takes a turn? In part two of the Games of Life Medicare series, Ambar Reddekopp unpacks the complexities of Medicare Advantage. From alphabet soup plans to hidden co-payments and county-specific coverage, this episode explores how your health history, budget, and location shape your options. Learn why timing matters, what long-term care isn’t covered,...

Feeling like Medicare is a game of Operation? One wrong move and—buzz! In this episode of Games of Life, host Ambar Reddekopp, president of Journey Financial Group, sits down to dissect the complexities of Original Medicare. From navigating Parts A through D to avoiding costly prescription pitfalls and understanding optional coverages like dental, vision, and hearing, this conversation is packed with insights that demystify t...

Ambar Reddekopp of Journey Financial Group discusses how she helps people better their credit scores. Ambar shares the different types of credit and how managing each properly can slowly raise the score, but also how closing and opening accounts too rapidly is a bad move. Ambar also explains the difference between having debt and using credit and how the latter is a great way for people to keep a good score. And Ambar describes sit...

Ambar Reddekopp of Journey Financial Group discusses the moving target that is credit scores. Ambar shares how the way they are graded has changed over the years and is confusing and then she explains what comprises them. Then Ambar shares five factors that move credit scores and why paying one’s bills on time is the most important. Ambar also emphasizes that people should not feel guilt about carrying debt and that she works...

Ambar Reddekopp of The Journey Financial Group explains the methodical process for people that want to get out of debt. Ambar discusses the agenda for meeting new clients and simply finding out how bad their debt is and what their APR rates are. Then she shares three different keys – debt rollup plan, consolidated debt, and bankruptcy – and how each affects one’s credit score and why a financial advisor is very im...

Ambar Reddekopp of The Journey Financial group relates being in an escape room to one of the most cumbersome and dangerous parts of people’s financial health: debt. Ambar explains how amortized debt is structured to make paying it off hard and for big companies to profit. She also defines the difference between APR and interest and shows how people can get stuck paying mostly APR and not principal. Ambar also talks about good...

Ambar Reddekopp relates the strategy and duties of pieces in the game of chess to the trickiness and gravity of estate or legacy planning. She shares how one’s documents are like pawns – the first line of defense. And Ambar shares how wills, trusts, taxes, and the entire plan itself fit onto the chess board. She also shares how an advisor is like a football coach and a lawyer is like one of the players in the game of es...

Ambar Reddekopp finishes up the game of Trouble in retirement with a discussion on long-term care. Ambar explains the who, what, when, where, and how of the subject. She shares examples of how the “when” – as in when to stop driving or to move out of one’s home – and the “how” – especially how to pay for this expensive care – can be very tricky to initiate. Ambar shows how advis...

Ambar Reddekopp begins a two-part series on two major trouble spots in any budget, especially in retirement. She talks about the trickiness of taxes and the biggest lie told about taxes in retirement. Ambar explains how required minimum distributions can become a sneaky burden and why people should use a financial advisor for tricky maneuvers, such as Roth conversions.

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Ambar Reddekopp talks about more facets in the retirement game of Risk. She explains what “comfy accounts” are meant for and the types of places to hold them. Then she explains “growth accounts” and how Journey Financial can help people determine the proper amount of risk with their money. Ambar also talks about how whacky Colorado weather is, as spring comes into full bloom.

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Ambar Reddekopp discusses what people should consider when creating their retirement paycheck plans. Ambar talks about the importance of determining monthly needs and the sources to pay, along with filling the gap between what people have and what they need. She also talks about why money should have its job and stick to it.

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Ambar Reddekopp discusses retirement budgeting and planning enough income to last people for 30 years. She talks about “three territories” in retirement: steady paycheck, long term care, and legacy planning. And she talks about the differences between a paycheck account, a comfy account, and a growth account. Ambar also talks about her recent trip to Disney World – without kids.

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Ambar Reddekopp compares retirement to the strategy of Risk, especially in gaining control of territories. She explains the five psychological stages of retirement and how she and the Journey Financial Group team help people to come up with a strategy to get through each. Ambar also shares the four things retirees should plan for and how only one of them is finances.

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Ambar Reddekopp and co-host Doug Turnbull talk about how people misunderstand and get discouraged when they are asked about how much they need to retire. Ambar explains why this indeed is the biggest question for retirement and why people are actually further along than they think in their savings. And she describes how one’s psychology about spending and saving really matters and how she and the team help people account for ...