Cammie Doder (00:04):
Welcome to Money Tales, where money gets personal. I’m Cammie Doder. And I’m Sandi Bragar. What happens when a mother and her two daughters sit down for an honest conversation about money? In this episode, musician and singer songwriter Neda Patra joins us with her daughters, Parmita and Patris, to explore the family stories, values, and experiences that have shaped their relationship with money. From spirited debates over spending versus saving, to competing over who gets to pick up the restaurant bill. They share how culture, upbringing, and life experiences influence the way each generation approaches financial decisions.
Sandi Bragar (00:48):
Here are three money conversations this episode will help you navigate. First, why financial independence starts long before adulthood. Neda explains how a modest allowance, clear boundaries, and letting her daughters make their own spending decisions became practical lessons in budgeting and responsibility. Second, the gap between what schools teach and what teenagers actually need to know. Parmeeda and Patris share why learning about budgeting, credit, jobs, and managing money has become just as important as anything they learned in the classroom. And third, how families can talk about money without making it uncomfortable. This conversation shows how open discussions about spending, generosity, priorities, and different approaches can prepare the next generation for real life. Now it’s our pleasure to bring you Neda, Parmeeda, and Patris’s Money Tales.
Cammie Doder (01:48):
Welcome Neda, Patra, and your daughters, Parmeeda and Patris, to the Money Tales podcast. It’s a real treat to have the three of you with us today.
Parmeeda (01:59):
Thank you so much.
Patris (02:00):
Thank you. It’s a
(02:00):
Lot.
Cammie Doder (02:02):
Before we kick off, I wanted to share with our listeners that Sandi and I have decided we’ve been underway with Money Tales for many years, and we’re hitting a pause right now. We’re going to take a little hiatus and we’re going to spend some time looking at the podcast, analyzing how can we best serve our community of listeners. Really passionate. I mean, this is hard for us to take a break. We love what we do, don’t we, Sandi? We
Sandi Bragar (02:28):
Love Money Tales.
Cammie Doder (02:29):
Yeah. So we’re open to suggestions. We’re evolving. We want to make sure it’s really a valuable podcast for those who give us their time and attention. So feel free if you’ve got ideas, email Sandi and I. Either connect with us on LinkedIn or email us at podcasts@experient.com.
Sandi Bragar (02:50):
It’s been a lot of fun. We look forward to doing more in the future, and we’re so excited to have the three of you here with us today on this final episode for now.
Cammie Doder (02:59):
Neda, would you kick us off? Why don’t you, as the matriarch here, why don’t you introduce yourselves?
Neda Patra (03:05):
Sure. My name is Neda Patram and I am a musician, also singer, songwriter, and I have a wonderful family. I have two beautiful daughters, and we are trying to live our life the way we love it.
Cammie Doder (03:23):
That’s a great goal. Is that the family mission statement?
Neda Patra (03:26):
Yeah, that’s it.
Sandi Bragar (03:28):
How would you describe that today?
Neda Patra (03:30):
Well, at one point in my life, I figured out whatever I was doing, I was doing it for others. So I don’t know what hit my brain. All of a sudden I paused and I said, “Listen, it’s either I live my life for others or I just get it together and just try to enjoy the very short time I have and do things that I really always wish to do.” At one point, I was a pre-med and wanted it to go to medical school or dental school, but meanwhile, I knew that music is with me. And obviously parents always want you to make money in future. And it was all about the security of how you can support yourself. So right along with my studying as a pre-med, I started taking classes that I like to actually live my life and get myself surrounded with.
(04:34):
So at one point after I graduated getting my master’s, I figured out, you know what? I’ve done what they wanted it to me. From now on, I’m going to do what I want to do for my life. Which sometimes I go back and I’m like, “Maybe I should have just done this when I was 17, when I was 18, when I was my daughter’s age, to basically focus on the things that I really love.” But it’s never too late.
Cammie Doder (05:03):
It’s never too late.
Neda Patra (05:05):
I love to travel, as you guys know. And that’s part of my mission in life to whatever I do, I have the traveling going. I’m trying for these two to kind of get at a tradition of once a year traveling.
Cammie Doder (05:22):
We always love these backstories of understanding where we learn about money. And it sounds like your parents were encouraging you, Neda, to pursue a more, I’ll call it traditional, become a doctor. That was a pretty common conversation in our family and no one became a doctor. Tell us about the conversation you had with your parents when you decided to become more focused on music.
Neda Patra (05:47):
Yeah. Well, I lost my dad when I was 16. So prior to that – I’m sorry. And I entered college when I was 16. So I started realizing prior to that because my dad’s family and my mom’s family, they were all engineers and doctors. We had some artists in my mom’s side family that were very focused and they were great musicians, but the focus was we need to get the tradition of education going and we need to pass it on. And
(06:25):
That’s the way it kind of works. I remember when I was 18, I kind of believed in what they said because they constantly were talking about that and how capable I am. I knew I’m capable, but I was afraid if I pursue more going to dental school or to medical school, then I will lose my passion of what I’m doing because then I have to be really focused and that’s not an easy field to be in. I kind of started feeling that by the time I was, I think 18 years old, but it was too late. I was already in the middle of my college. I’d taken so many different classes and units. I didn’t want to give it up and start all over. So I just continued with that. Around 18, I knew when I was Parmeeda’s age, I kind of knew what I want to do really.
Sandi Bragar (07:19):
Parmeeda, how does it feel to hear your mom talking about her story? And how are you thinking about money right now in your life?
Parmeeda (07:25):
Well, to start, I grew up in a very fortunate environment. My mom, my parents worked very hard to get to where they’re at. So obviously I didn’t have as many struggles or challenges that she had to go through, which I’m also very grateful for. And to be honest, I didn’t understand the concept of money until very recently. So especially now that I’m going to college, I’ve started realizing that money’s actually really important and it’s not something to just be like, oh, 20 bucks is nothing. No, 20 bucks is something. And I’m kind of navigating that as my transition period goes on.
Cammie Doder (07:58):
Oh, that’s good, Parmita. Did you come aware with it because through conversations with your family or how did you start thinking?
Parmeeda (08:06):
Yeah, but I think now, because I’m also trying to apply to jobs for experience and everything, and applying to jobs are very difficult because no one wants to hire. But yeah, now I’m kind of realizing, I’m like, okay, this is a little harder than I thought. So I mean, the conversations did help, but actually doing it and putting the action myself really kind of gave me an eye-opening to –
Cammie Doder (08:29):
It really helps, doesn’t it? Yeah.
Parmeeda (08:31):
Yeah.
Sandi Bragar (08:32):
And what about you, Patris? How are you thinking about money as a teenager?
Patris (08:37):
I agree with Parmita. We did grow up very fortunate, thank God, but I want to actually be a doctor. I want to go three bed route. But also I’ve been inspired with that side from my dad. So I want to follow in his footsteps.
Cammie Doder (08:55):
We need more doctors, of course. We need all sorts of people. Medical school, it’s long and hard and expensive. That doesn’t deter you. You feel like this is your right path? Or how do you think about it? If
Patris (09:11):
I could go through it without going to the
Cammie Doder (09:13):
Medicine on
Patris (09:14):
That, I would. But I’d rather go through that because I know it’s not just the money that I’m doing it for.
Cammie Doder (09:22):
Absolutely. For both you girls, when you’re with your friends and enjoying life, do you talk about money?
Parmeeda (09:31):
Not really.
Cammie Doder (09:32):
No. No? Okay.
Patris (09:34):
It depends.
Neda Patra (09:34):
They just spend money when they’re around their friends. They don’t talk about money.
Patris (09:39):
It depends. When I have closer friends, sometimes we enter those conversations, but lighthearted friendships, not really.
Sandi Bragar (09:46):
How do you make decisions about money when you’re out with your friends?
Parmeeda (09:50):
So the Persian tradition, usually when you’re out with friends, the tendency is you pay out of kindness. I don’t know how to explain it. Yeah. So if you go out to have food or something, we’re always like, “I’ll pay, I’ll pay.” And it’s like our culture.
Neda Patra (10:06):
Well, yeah, we’re kind of Americanized, so we’ve got the best out of the culture. And one of the best that’s out there is generosity towards friends and loved ones. So money doesn’t really matter when we all go out. One person always insists to pay.
Sandi Bragar (10:26):
So there’s no sharing.
Neda Patra (10:27):
And no sharing. They insist. Sometimes they aren’t – They
Parmeeda (10:31):
Make a scene with you. They can make a scene like a mom.
Neda Patra (10:34):
Yeah. At the restaurants, it’s pretty embarrassing because everyone gets loud to compete to pay. Everyone is looking at you. People think
Parmeeda (10:42):
That they’re literally fighting.
Patris (10:44):
Really
Neda Patra (10:45):
Bad. We’re like, “No, no, no, no, no. One of us is trying to win to pay.”
Patris (10:49):
We have strategies. My mom will slide the cart under the table to me. I’ll go say I’m going to the bathroom and then I’ll go and give it. It’s a whole thing. Yeah.
Sandi Bragar (10:57):
But there’s effort. A lot of effort. Yeah, but
Patris (11:01):
It’s
Neda Patra (11:01):
A
Parmeeda (11:01):
Lot.
Neda Patra (11:01):
At the end of every time, every evening that we dine out, sometimes right at the beginning, I’m saying nobody touches their pockets. And they’re like, “Oh, okay, okay.” And then once it gets to the deal, everyone is competing again. So it doesn’t matter what you say. But one thing about it is when they all go out, I always teach them, give the other person a chance to, because it is very pleasurable to pay for your friends and family. But if you do that all the time, that loses its value. Think of the other person wants to feel the same way and let them always get that good feeling of treating loved ones.
Cammie Doder (11:47):
I think it’s beautiful. And I love this idea of it’s a mindfulness around, I can’t always take the good of this generosity. I need to share that feeling. Neda, tell us about raising these two amazing girls and demonstrating and also talking about your family’s values and particularly around money and this generosity. Would you share some stories with us?
Neda Patra (12:19):
Sure. I always worried about their lifestyle because pretty much every time they, from when they were very little, sometimes they didn’t even ask for toys and we would just buy it because we wanted them to have that toy. So it got to a point that we were like, our kids don’t. When we would take them to Toys R Us, they wouldn’t cry or demand a toy because they had things that they didn’t even want. So at one point they were full filled with all these toys. And at one point I told my husband, I’m like, “I don’t know if what we’re doing is really. It can be good in ways because they’re not looking to be superficial in future, hopefully. But at the same time, they are going to get to a point that might not be able to buy things for themselves in future or have anything that they want.
(13:17):
And we’re putting them in a bad position. They need to understand the world. It’s not all about material and things that it’s around us. We’re all great consumers, especially in United States where you get outside of this country, you see how people are calculating every penny where we are just spending as if we spend our money before we earn it. This is our culture. This is how we got it. So I got to a point when they were in middle school, I started giving them some sort of an allowance and not too much to the point that if they want to grab something to eat with their friends and if they want to, not their, for instance, necessarily I told them I would buy your things that as a parent, I need to buy it for you, but the rest of the stuff you need to budget your money and start purchasing your own goods.
(14:23):
So from middle school, they started to learn how to manage their money. And sometimes they would come and say, “Oh, my friends have this much money and that much money and we don’t have our allowances, very little compared to the rest of the kids.” And I’m like, “Because they probably have to use the whole budget for everything, but you guys were still helping you guys.” I never kind of budged into giving them more money. And I kept them that way. And I think they did a pretty good job. I have to be honest, the little one more than the older one because she’s not a smart shopper. She tends to buy everything full price. And my little one is actually a smart shopper because that’s what I do. Because I learned this when I was 16, I used to work and go to school and take care of myself.
(15:24):
I was completely independent. And that’s how I learned to this day, no matter how much financial comfort we have, we need to be smart in how to shop and value money for what the way. I mean, we earn it, but it’s not easy to earn money. We have to work hard for it. Therefore, we need to value our spendings and what we need.
Sandi Bragar (15:53):
So let’s talk about that for a moment because it’s not uncommon to see siblings who have different behaviors around money. There’s a lot of different theories on how to spend money. So I’m curious, let’s start with you, Patris. When you’re spending money, when you find something you like, what’s going through your mind and how are you deciding if you’re going to make the purchase or not?
Patris (16:16):
When I first find something, if I really, really like it, I have to love it for me to buy it. And then I have to think logically, am I going to wear this in the future or am I going to use this a lot? But also I think because our parents, we had so much growing up, to me, material is not that important. It’s not one of those long-term goals for me. I feel like I’ve learned to have different priorities rather than buying this handbag or that pair of shoes.
Sandi Bragar (16:43):
To carry that on for a moment, what are your priorities? What’s most important to you at this moment in your life?
Patris (16:50):
Right now, just doing as best I can in school and living in the moment. I don’t really care that much about what I’m buying or what I’m wearing or how expensive my clothes, how expensive they are.
Sandi Bragar (17:05):
Sounds like preparing yourself for your future is kind of where
Patris (17:08):
You
Sandi Bragar (17:09):
Have your mind. And what about you, Parmeeda?
Parmeeda (17:12):
Priority-wise, yeah. I also focus on school, but when it comes to spending, don’t leave me in a shopping center for too long or I’m going to buy the entire shop. I like a lot of things. I don’t know. I’m more like the money waster.
Cammie Doder (17:27):
That’s got judgment to it. We aren’t going to put any judgment on it.
Parmeeda (17:31):
Yeah, I’m not going to lie. I spend the credit card more than I should.
Sandi Bragar (17:35):
Yeah, say more about that. What is it about spending that makes you happy?
Parmeeda (17:39):
If something makes you happy, I don’t know, it helps. I’m not saying go buy everything, but my perspective is changing more the more that I have to do things on my own as well. So I’m like, wait, maybe I took this a little too much for granted. I don’t know. Usually when I go in shops, if I see something I love, I don’t even care about the price. I just grab it. But other than that, the more time that I’m trying to do things on my own and get jobs and trying to make my own money, I’m doing little side hobbies is a lot harder for me. So now I’m kind of being more resourceful. So I’ve gotten a little better on that. That’s
Cammie Doder (18:09):
Great.
Neda Patra (18:10):
Yeah. She’s starting to control her desire of purchasing. Because at one point I always told her, I’m like, “You need to have a limit. You have to put some sort of, you have to draw a line for how much money you need to spend.” Because once you get this, you’re like, “Oh, now I want this one too. Oh, it would be so cute if I have that pink shoes as well, that pink purse. Yeah, you can just go on and on and on and it will never stop.” So she’s trying to work on herself to draw that line. And I think I’m going to let her be more independent. She’s going to college. I told her it’s best for her to find a job and I won’t actually pay her for some of her needs. She needs to make that money. I mean, it can be food.
Sandi Bragar (19:00):
So there’s a graduation of this idea from high school maybe or when you were younger of having an allowance. Now you have more skin in the game in terms of your spending. And how does that feel to you?
Parmeeda (19:13):
It’s more humbling, I would say. Also in general, I think the healthiest relationship with money is when you can enjoy without being controlled. I don’t know. If you spend money on things you genuinely like, you should have limits. I’m kind of balancing both. I need to have limits also. I enjoy it, but I need to draw a line. But I do realize that now that I’m actually stepping foot into the real world and how hard it actually is. And me taking everything for granted, I should be a little more appreciative.
Neda Patra (19:47):
And I’m going to share something we just recently went through with her when we were out on a trip. At one point she was like, “I’m not like your mom. I’m not like you, mom.” And I’m like, “What?” You go and you go shop around, find a better price and best price. I don’t waste time on doing that. I’m like, “And what do you do?” It’s like, “I buy three, but I go get the best quality and the most expensive. You can go buy.”
Parmeeda (20:19):
Okay. I think quality is also important. That’s what I’m getting at. Obviously, I don’t want to waste my money. I’d rather spend more to get a better quality, longer use, longer term item. I would much rather spend my money on that than something that’s made of 100% plastic and it’s going to get old within five months.
Neda Patra (20:39):
Yeah. Just for an example, when we were coming back from our trip, the whole luggage, we had an extra luggage for all four of us that me and Patris. And her purchase were four or five purchases, but it was the most expensive purchase of the whole luggage. The entire luggage. We’re just sitting there and we’re like, she’s like, “I only bought five things. You guys bought so many things.” Yeah, that five things actually took the whole luggage price up.
Cammie Doder (21:16):
I have to share that my husband and I were just this past weekend talking about what you just brought up, Parmita, and this idea of buying quality. And there’s this balance. I mean, this is life. I tend to more go for the lower cost item, but then it falls apart on me. And I know I’ve got some things that I did spend some money. I take better care of it and it lasts longer. And so my husband and I were just talking about this balance of maybe we don’t need to overspend, but investing in these items that do last longer. And we talked to a guest who had been in Italy and she was sharing that that’s a cultural thing. Spend money, but you don’t have to buy this trendy item. It stays with you. So I’m curious though, this is such a great story as you three are talking about your experiences.
(22:10):
From growing up, I’m just curious, do you feel you learned through your schooling how to budget, how to think about money, how to invest money? Did they talk with you in a traditional sense of education?
Parmeeda (22:25):
Honestly, our school did not teach us much about financials and everything, which I think is not good.
Patris (22:32):
I wish they did.
Parmeeda (22:33):
Yeah. I wish that they taught more about how to live your life outside of after high school and how to budget. Because I’m coming out of high school not really having much knowledge on it. And I think it’s really important.
Patris (22:45):
They never taught us how to write a check or how to do anything. You’re doing history, you’re
Parmeeda (22:50):
Doing science, you’re doing math, but some of those subjects end up not really matter. They don’t really matter after high school. So I would’ve rather had those real life lessons and classes about how to live your life properly and not go into debt or go into any sort of money issues or anything rather than learning the. I wouldn’t say they’re unnecessary. Obviously it’s important to be educated, but I think that at the same time they should also prioritize a lot of life learning and a lot of how to live your life properly and be successful. Well,
Neda Patra (23:27):
Especially as we all know, schooling here, if you want to go to college, it’s expensive. And it is a lot of money that they need to pay off at the end of the, once they’re working and they’re able to make money. And if they don’t learn that management and how to manage that, it would be difficult afterwards.
Cammie Doder (23:51):
That’s right.
Sandi Bragar (23:52):
How are you guys learning in that if it’s not happening at school?
Parmeeda (23:56):
Mostly our parents. My mom’s been teaching me about bank accounts and budgeting and net income gross and all of that.
Cammie Doder (24:04):
Good job,
Parmeeda (24:05):
Mom.
Cammie Doder (24:06):
Good job, mom.
Parmeeda (24:07):
Yeah, I’ve been watching some YouTube videos as well.
Cammie Doder (24:10):
Great.
Patris (24:11):
I think the budgeting thing, the allowance thing that she does also help because we’ve only been doing that. Great
Sandi Bragar (24:16):
Experience, right?
Patris (24:17):
Yes. We’ve only been doing that for a few years, but within those few years, our perspectives have completely shifted.
Cammie Doder (24:25):
Yeah.
Sandi Bragar (24:26):
Neda, how do you and your husband think about having money conversations with your girls as they are making that leap from teenage years into becoming full-fledged, independent adult women?
Neda Patra (24:38):
Yeah. Well, my husband is not the perfect role model for that. As far as money management goes, he’s out the door. He’s just very. Parmita and my husband are very similar when it comes to spending. And I feel like Patris is very similar to my thought of dealing with money. So when it comes to having conversation with the girls with my husband, I’m the one who’s talking to three of them. So that’s how we do it. And again, I really appreciate my past and being independent because whatever I’m trying to teach my girls, even my husband is because I was fully 100% independent and tried to. I grabbed my success with my own hard work.
Sandi Bragar (25:38):
That’s great modeling and congratulations again on having these conversations. Not all families are able to talk about money and it’s so, so important. And that makes me want to ask each of you our final question, which is what is your next money conversation going to be and who will it be with? Let’s start with you, Patris, and we’ll go to your mom and then to Pormina.
Patris (26:01):
Hopefully getting a job or getting some kind of job that I can get more exposure in the field that I want to go into and hopefully start to get paid. So that conversation with whoever I’m in an interview with.
Cammie Doder (26:14):
Important conversation.
Parmeeda (26:17):
I think my next money conversation will be with my parents about college spending and how I’m going to spend my money when I’m in college and on my own. So I think that’s the next few months or maybe two months or even a month from now. But yeah.
Neda Patra (26:35):
And obviously my money conversation is always going to be with the husband. And definitely my focus is more with Parmita since she’s entering a different level of life and it’s a more difficult stage of life. I’m hoping that we can have more conversation. I try because with social media and all the information out there, I try to let them know that I am as experienced as all these influencers and social media people. Because sometimes I experience that I say the same thing to the girls, but when the social media is talking about the same thing, then they’re getting it then. And so I’m like, “I’ve been telling you for years about the same subject.” So hopefully we have more trust into sharing experiences when it comes to financial. So that’s my wish.
Cammie Doder (27:41):
Neda, Parmita, and Patris, you all are amazing. Thank you. Before we let you go, Neda, would you share, I believe you have an Instagram handle. Could you share where it’s a good place for people to follow you on Instagram? Oh,
Neda Patra (27:54):
Sure. Thank you for asking that. It’s just Nedapatra, N-E-T-A-P-A-T-R-A. So it’s @Nedapatra and it’s Nedapatra official.
Cammie Doder (28:06):
Wonderful. Thank you. We’ve never done this before. And now reflecting back on our opening where we talked about evolving Money Tales, I want to do more of these family conversations. You’ve really shared so much with us and I’ve learned a lot through you and really appreciate you sharing on Money Tales.
Neda Patra (28:25):
Thank you for having us on your show. And also, I know your followers and your listeners, they just put their heart into your program. And we are very lucky that we’ve been on your program and hopefully we wish the best for the program.
Sandi Bragar (28:44):
Thank you so much.
Cammie Doder (28:45):
Thank you.
Sandi Bragar (28:53):
What a fun and delightful conversation with Neda, Parmeeda and Patris.
Cammie Doder (28:58):
Sandi, we’ve never done this before.
Sandi Bragar (29:00):
We haven’t. And we didn’t talk about it on the show, but they came to us in a very special way. So for listeners’ benefits, because you know this already, Kami, a friend had reached out and asked if we would donate a Money Tales recording session to a charity that she was helping raise money for. We did that and it was part of a gift basket with other financial education books and materials. Neda had bid on that particular basket, and that’s how we were introduced to her and had such a great conversation with her and her two daughters.
Cammie Doder (29:37):
I’m so thankful she did bid on it. I remember when we were putting it together, I though, “Gosh, does it translate? Would someone actually want to do this?” And I’m inspired that they said yes. And there we had this incredible conversation like we do with clients, but we got to do it on the pod.
Sandi Bragar (29:56):
That’s right. Just so wonderful that their family who recognize It raises the importance of money conversations and money education, not just verbally giving lessons, but providing money for the girls to experience and to be able to learn what it’s like to make money decisions on their own.
Cammie Doder (30:17):
When I’m sitting listening as both a host and then a mom, I’ve got both hats on. And as the mom, I was thinking about my daughter’s some similar characteristics where I have one who more comfortable spending and one who’s really good at saving. And I appreciated that then you got to handle both differently. And I thought that having an allowance and an allowance that wasn’t too large, but it also was an opportunity for them to start touching money and realizing that it’s finite, not infinite, and making some important decisions.
Sandi Bragar (30:54):
And learning about themselves too, I’m
Cammie Doder (30:55):
Sure. Yes, I think they did, aligned with their values. Anyway, it was really an incredible seeing it in real life, how it impacted these young women.
Sandi Bragar (31:06):
Yes. And the focus on generosity when it comes to meals too.
Cammie Doder (31:10):
Sandi. Really fun. Oh man. I love that.
Sandi Bragar (31:14):
So Kami, we’re taking a break from Money Tales for a bit, and we want to make sure that our listeners continue to have productive money conversations when they’re not listening to us. There is a whole host of other Money Tales episodes, so feel free to dig into the archives while we’re away. Otherwise, we want to encourage you to have these money conversations and we’ll leave you with three tips on how to do that. One, be curious, vulnerable, and a genuine listener.
Cammie Doder (31:44):
I love that.
Sandi Bragar (31:44):
Money conversations require all three of those things, curiosity, vulnerability, and the true desire to listen to what the other person is saying as opposed to listening for your opportunity to jump in and speak.
Cammie Doder (31:58):
I love that,
Sandi Bragar (31:59):
Sandi. Tip number two, Cami’s favorite. This is not a one and done situation. Take the pressure off. We build money conversations over time.
Cammie Doder (32:10):
Chip away at them. The beauty lies beneath. Just chip away.
Sandi Bragar (32:14):
Absolutely. And tip number three, if you’re not sure where to start, start with the other person’s backstory and go deeper and deeper to learn how their young experiences with money have had an influence on their lives.
Cammie Doder (32:31):
Important stuff, Sandi. Thanks for that reminder.
Sandi Bragar (32:34):
Everyone wants to talk about money.
Cammie Doder (32:36):
And they do.
Sandi Bragar (32:36):
Even if they think they don’t.
Cammie Doder (32:38):
Sometimes it doesn’t even come in the word money. It comes through other words. It’s so important. What a treat. Thank you, Sandi. This is just a break and we look forward to picking back up in the future.
Sandi Bragar (32:51):
Yes. Thank you, Kami, and thank you to our listeners. We hope you enjoyed this Money Tales conversation. If you did, please make sure you share it with friends and other people who would benefit from it.
Cammie Doder (33:07):
Thanks for listening to the Money Tales podcast. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, share it with someone you think would benefit from listening and leave us a review on your favorite podcasting platform. Your ratings and reviews help more people find our podcast. If you’re inspired to gain clarity and peace of mind about financial matters, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Aspiriant. Go to Aspiriant.com/startadialogue, or you can email Sandi and me at podcasts at Aspiriant dot com. See you next time.
When should parents start teaching kids about money? How do you raise financially independent children without making money a source of conflict? And what are the most important financial lessons teenagers wish they had learned sooner?
In this episode of Money Tales, musician and singer-songwriter Neda Patra joins her daughters, Parmeeda and Patris, for a candid family conversation about money, financial literacy, and the values that shape lifelong financial habits. Together, they explore how culture, parenting, allowance, budgeting, generosity, and open communication influenced each generation’s relationship with money. Through honest stories, playful disagreements, and shared perspectives, they reveal how talking about money at home can help children develop confidence, responsibility, and financial independence long before adulthood.
Whether you’re raising young children, parenting teenagers, or simply reflecting on the money lessons passed down through your own family, this episode offers practical insights into building healthy financial habits and creating more meaningful family conversations about money.
Neda Patra is an international singer, songwriter, actress, and performer whose career spans music, television, and theater. Inspired from an early age by artists such as Madonna, she developed a love for a wide range of musical styles, including Persian, Kurdish, Turkish, pop, hip-hop, and R&B. She began singing and dancing at just five years old, laying the foundation for a lifelong passion for the performing arts.
Throughout high school and college, Neda immersed herself in drama, theater, dance, and choir while continuing to pursue her artistic ambitions. After graduating from high school, she attended California State University and, at 18, moved out on her own. While building a career in the financial industry, she continued to develop her work as a singer, dancer, and actress.
Neda’s talent has earned recognition across the international entertainment community. She was featured by Javanan Magazine for her performance in the play Forbidden Chess and later as a rising recording artist. She also appeared on the magazine’s cover multiple times between 2018 and 2021 in recognition of her growing success as an international pop artist. Her work has also been featured in interviews on television networks including Manoto, ITN, OTIN, and TIN.
In addition to her music career, Neda hosted Patra’s Show, a successful television program that aired for a year before she chose to focus her full attention on creating music and performing.
Follow Money Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Music for more real stories that inspire thoughtful, intentional decisions about money.
with with Neda Patra
with Anne Lester
with Lindsay Jurist-Rosner
with Margaret Andrews
with Bobbie LaPorte
with Uday Wagle
with Caroline Gaynor
with Dr. Charles Eckhart
with Jane Bond
with Denise Dunning
with Sandi Bragar and Cammie Doder
with Uma Viswanathan and Johann Berlin