163. Disney’s Ichabod & Mr. Toad: Money Lessons on Impulse Buys, Greed, and Choosing Better Counsel

In this fall Movie Money Mashup, we unpack Disney’s The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad to reveal timeless money principles. From “motor mania” to the Headless Horseman, we connect impulse, greed, and fear to real-life choices like credit cards, co-signing, and rushing big purchases—plus how wise friends and patient plans keep you out of trouble.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why unchecked desire + no discipline = financial chaos (Toad’s “manias” in real life)
• How impatience and status-seeking fuel debt—and what to do instead
• The role of community: choosing counsel like Mole/Rat/Badger (and avoiding “weasels”)
• A simple filter for big buys: want vs. readiness vs. long-term security
• Practical swaps for the season: cash-flowing holidays without credit cards

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Transcript

Laura: 0:01

Welcome to the Money and Movie Mashup. Where your favorite nostalgic films meet real life money lessons. I'm Laura Sexton here with my friend, coach David Gibbs, and we're diving into the. Iconic movies of the nineties and two thousands to unpack what Hollywood accidentally taught us about money, mindset, and meaning. It's fun. It's a little nerdy, and we want you in on the conversation, so grab your popcorn and let's roll.

David Gibbs: 0:28

Hello everybody. Welcome to another movie Money Mashup. This is our first fall edition, which I am very excited about. There are certain fall movies that have been traditions in my household, so my mom is good. I'm, I'm very sad that my mom doesn't get to see this live this time, but she will have the link and I'll, I'm sure she will comment for those following what she likes to comment. And today we are doing. And Mr. Toad and this there's actually some history about this. Laura, have you I don't know if you knew this, but in the 1940s, Disney started doing package films and this is one of the last package films that they did. Did you know that

Laura: 1:12

I have seen multiple package films, but I did not know where this fell in the lineup. Now, yeah,

David Gibbs: 1:17

there's fun and fancy free, there's make mind music, all those where bunch of different cartoons are in one. Do you know why they did that?

Laura: 1:23

Because it costs a lot to put things on film, and they wanna do it all at once.

David Gibbs: 1:27

Well, a couple things, but you're on the, it was because of World War ii. They were doing a bunch of stuff that they had to do for World War II films, and so doing those, you know, the you know, Pinocchio and all that stuff, mm-hmm. It cost a ton of money to make, and they didn't have a bunch of money, so it cost less. And they were experimenting with all these different films, just, oh, let's try this one, let's try this one. They were able to experiment and not spend a bunch of money as well as. Take care of everything they were doing for the US military at the time. And so IBA and Mr. Toad is the last of the package films from that era. And after this they went back to full feature films, which was Cinderella was the next one.

Laura: 2:08

Oh, well that's fun. Hey, thanks for bringing that. That's awesome.

David Gibbs: 2:14

Yeah. And so, and this is, I would say of all the packaged films, this is my favorite. And, you know, and I, for those who don't know, this is the story of Wind in the Willows and Sleepy Hollow. So there's not much to say about that. And so yeah. So what would you say? Well, this is what,

Laura: 2:33

this is 1946.

David Gibbs: 2:36

Is it? I don't remember it. Is it I don't, no. 1949.

Laura: 2:42

1949. Okay. So I knew, I knew it was around there somewhere. So this is, it's crazy if you think about it. So I, I did, I did like thinking about how old this story was and, and it's part of, it's part of older lore that's even older than that because it's from a, a different type of storybook. Right. So, but the fact that there are pieces of it that still relate to us today. Is astonishing. And I think that what I'm finding is that human nature does not change. No, no. We're all you know, there's a reason why Mrs. Mrs. Potts sings tale as old as time. Yeah. Because it's all the same story, just rewritten again. So it's part of the hero's journey. There's only so many journeys you can go on. I think, I think on this one there's some really, there's some really fun pieces and there's the scary pieces. I'm, I'm a weenie when it comes to scary movies, so I was not excited about Ike bod. I'm still not excited about it, but I love you. And so we're doing this one, and this is what our. Fans voted on. So fans keep voting. We are doing this for you, obviously. It's not for me. So,

David Gibbs: 3:52

and for those of you who aren't following Laura, how do they follow you on Instagram so we can get more fans? You're so

Laura: 3:57

very

David Gibbs: 3:58

sweet.

Laura: 3:58

I'm on Instagram at Accelerate Your Legacy and I need people voting in my polls.

David Gibbs: 4:03

And for the first time for this one, people finally voted in her polls and we need more. If you love this show, go follow her and vote in the polls.'cause I'm getting votes. I don't know what's going on over there, but she needs votes.

Laura: 4:16

What happens when I don't ever post anything? People are like, what?

David Gibbs: 4:19

Well, let's break these down. Alright, let's do it. Let's talk about Mr. Toad first. Okay. And truly there is a theme through both of the stories and truly, you know, there's that nursery rhyme feel to this. Like, these are lessons that we all need to learn and lessons that, yeah, like you said, transcend time, transcend people. So, I'd love to hear first Yeah. Your thoughts on, on Mr. To, because she. She is familiar with this, but in general, she hasn't watched this in at least a long time. Yeah, yeah,

Laura: 4:49

yeah. I

David Gibbs: 4:50

did, I do watch, Mr. Toad reminds me of me.

Laura: 4:53

Oh, how interesting. Okay. I did not, I did not read that through. Okay. You need to do the synopsis though. Do you wanna start with a Mr. Toad synopsis? Okay. Yeah. I'll,

David Gibbs: 5:01

Mr. Toad. Okay. So this is about Mr. Tell and, and I, and I'll tell you actually, I'm, I'm gonna. I want to be like Mr. Toad, but I'm actually a lot more like rat. Just so you know, I'll, I'll admit, I'll admit. But Msho, he is this crazy guy. He's got a bunch of money and he has manias that come and, and he gets just freaked out about whatever the newest thing is, and he is got some friends, so. He basically gets on a new mania, motor mania. Hoo. And he, his friends are not able to stop him and he gets himself into trouble. And then we learn how he gets out. And then we also, I mean this is, there's so many things this we learn about friendship, we learn about,

Laura: 5:45

mm-hmm.

David Gibbs: 5:46

So many lessons, but yeah. Gets himself into trouble going after motor mania and we have to see how he gets himself out. Yeah, that's generally the synopsis. And he's crazy and he's awesome and he is an adventurer. And I love, I love adventure. I love freedom. I love, you know, people going after it. I love crazy friends. It, I just, I love it all. So, yeah,

Laura: 6:07

that's why we're friends. You love crazy friends. I think, I think that this movie, just, again, the fact that this is in the 1940s and it feels so relatable to how people are today. There are. Certain stereotypically there are men in their midlife crisis that go after a new car because that's what they see as the pinnacle and they have to have it. And so

David Gibbs: 6:31

did you say, did you say midlife crisis men? Is that what you said? Yes. Oh, it can happen to anyone.

Laura: 6:36

It can happen to anybody. Has not happened to me yet. So thankfully I think that means I'm not at midlife. I should be fine. But I, I think I, I just think it's funny that there's so many pieces of this movie that feel like they're part of today. One of the themes, and this is not one that, this is not one of the positive themes, but it's a negative thing. Don't go into business with weasels. Yep. Just don't do it. You should have known that they're weasels.

David Gibbs: 7:06

Yeah. I mean, there is this,

Laura: 7:08

is this where the stereotype comes from? It comes from Mr. Toad. This is where Weasels come from.

David Gibbs: 7:13

I mean, I would think so. Who knows? Yes. It probably came from before then, you know, but I mean, and, and who knows about bartenders? Either Mr. Winkie.

Laura: 7:21

Yeah.

David Gibbs: 7:22

Yeah. You know, I, I think it's a good when, when you look at the theme of that is he wanted something, he wasn't ready for it. You know, and he trusted people. He just jumped. He did. I want that. Whatever it takes to get that. And for us, that could be, you know, when it comes to going to college, we got the parent plus loans. We're just forcing something to happen because we want it, you know? That's a

Laura: 7:48

good way to say it. Yeah.

David Gibbs: 7:49

Getting someone to be a what's that called? Where they're a backup rider on your loan? What is that? Co-signer? Yeah. Co-signer on stuff because we're not taking the time to do it ourselves. We're just. Forcing it to happen. And what's kind of funny about Toad is he had the money to do it and he could've just go, he went and bought. He could have bought this, but he traded his home to do it instead. We didn't even have to do that, but he just wasn't thinking through, he wasn't taking the time and taking the steps to do it properly. And he's just like, oh, I just happened to be at a bar with Winkie and I just want that car and, and I don't wanna put in the patience to do it the right way.

Laura: 8:31

Yeah. Friends don't make impulse purchases when you've been drinking. Just don't, you don't do it the smart way. You don't,

David Gibbs: 8:39

and a toad, I wouldn't think a toad can hold his liquor very well.

Laura: 8:42

He just has to be next to the liquor and it gets him drunk.'cause that's how they absorb the moisture through their skin. They're just like, ha, somebody threw it on him. He's drunk. And he didn't even do it on purpose. I think I, I actually, I was listening to the Ramsey show earlier this morning. Because weirdly, that's how I calm myself down. I'm like, okay, let me listen to somebody else's problems for a little bit. And there was a guy on the show that just really wanted to buy a cabin. He really wanted a cabin in the woods we're not doing that movie. He really wanted a cabin in the woods and he really wanted, he wanted it now. And he was like, look, I can cash out my TSP and I'll have all the money for it. And Dave was like, but then you'll have no money. You don't, you don't actually have the money to do this. You think you do, but because you're borrowing it, even if you're borrowing it from yourself, like you're lying to yourself, and somebody told it to me this week, they said, it's like gambling. You were spending money assuming that you're going to win, but there's a reason why the house always wins. Like there's a reason why the casino has nicer furniture than you do. The, the house is always gonna win. So we, we can't just jump into things and assume it's all gonna work out because that's not reality. Yeah.

David Gibbs: 10:01

By the way, are you timing us?'cause I have no idea when we started and how long we're in, because I wanna make sure we're on task. No. Alright, well, we'll just however long it's, but the next thought is about who you surround yourself with. Yes. And, and Toad. He actually, he has some friends that are actually helpful and some friends that are not. Because he has mole rat and badger who actually are thinking best for him and are there for him when he counts. But guess what, Cyril, the horse actually isn't that great of a friend, is he? Because he goes in, gives him a freaking disguise to escape from jail, and that's not the greatest friend in the world. And he's the one who's all like, yeah, I'll be your horse. Let's go everywhere. So. So there's a good juxtaposition of real friends who at the end of the story are with him and go into hell into the weasels house to save what they're trying to do when they realize, oh, these guys are tricking him. Versus Cyro, who, of course he was there for him ish, but. He was not there in a healthy way.

Laura: 11:07

Yeah. Well and that happens to all of us. Sometimes we are like, oh, this is our friend, so they must have our best interest at heart. And we have to be discerning and realize that we need a multitude of counsel. It can't just be one person because one person could be well-meaning, but completely off their rocker. Like the life of the life of a fugitive is no life to live. That's not where we actually wanna live, wanna be. So having. The other friends to say, actually, that's a little crazy. We're gonna help you out and we're gonna do this the right way. We're gonna go, you know, get your deed back or Yeah. Yeah. The deed. Yeah. Okay.

David Gibbs: 11:46

We got to get the deed to total. It sounded,

Laura: 11:49

it sounded very wrong in my brain. I was like, that's not right. A deed. Yes. Okay. So they were, that's what they were after and it's so, it's so important to. Be wise about the people you surround yourself with because, and, and it, and it's okay. It's okay to have a multitude of friends and a lot of people around you, but it's who you bring into your inner circle that you rely on. Those are gonna be the most important people in your life.

David Gibbs: 12:15

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. So would you go into a scary mansion in the middle of the night and help me fight some weasels? Is that where we're at? Or?

Laura: 13:36

What are we fighting over? Like if it's over your kids? I will, I will bring all the, the ammunition or I'm

David Gibbs: 13:42

gonna go to jail. So that's technically gonna be from

Laura: 13:44

jail. That's fine. I got you. Okay,

David Gibbs: 13:46

cool. Cool. I just wanna know, I just wanna know where we're at. I

Laura: 13:48

mean, if it's your kids, I'm there. If it's the deed out thing. Yeah. Probably. Well, I mean,

David Gibbs: 13:52

but it's either I get the deed or I go to jail, which will, yeah. Okay,

Laura: 13:55

then Yep. Then I got, then I gotta be your backup.

David Gibbs: 13:58

Yep. Yeah. And so, so I think but overall for both of these stories, there is a little bit of an issue in greed, blinding us. Yes. Wow. That that was over both of them. So talking about Toad and then we will start talking about iBod here. Well then, yep.

Laura: 14:17

So if I'm, and I will just be completely honest with everybody. I did not watch iBod, but I know the story of Sleepy Hollow, so if I'm correct, you know, he has this, IBA has this, this greedy desire, right? And it's. There's like a blinding element where like, I can't see anything except for this thing that I want. But what I realized between Mr. Toad and Iba together, the two of them, the two characters they let their unchecked desires lead them into a bad place. So without discipline. Desire because there's nothing wrong with desire, right? Desire can be a good thing, but without discipline, a desire can destroy the very security that you're trying to build for yourself. Yeah, that was my, that was my third, my, my through line with sleepy Hollow There. Wow.

David Gibbs: 15:11

Yeah. So talking about Sleepy Hollow a little bit. Yeah. Old Icky, which is narrated by Bing Crosby. Bing

Laura: 15:18

Crosby. Yes.

David Gibbs: 15:19

It's so good,

Laura: 15:20

such a good voice. And,

David Gibbs: 15:22

and as, as anybody didn't know this too Mr. Toad was narrated by Basel Wrath Bone, who was one of the, the greatest like swordsmen and all those like Errol Flynn movies. He always played the bad Guy in all the Errol Flynn movies. FYI. But but yeah, aba, he, you know, in the cartoon version, he is after Katrina van Tassel and he likes her, but he's also after her father's money because her father's rich and all that. Well, she's

Laura: 15:47

a very wealthy Dow dowry there.

David Gibbs: 15:50

Yeah, she does. And so that, that's really his focus. But what's interesting is Iba, at least in, in this movie,'cause I will tell you this, I am uncultured swine. I have not read the actual book of Sleepy Holiday myself. Okay. So I've seen, I don't think you're

Laura: 16:04

missing much. It's not my favorite.

David Gibbs: 16:06

It's not my favorite. Yeah. But through this movie, he's after like just his basic desires. He's after food all the time. He's always after food. Very hungry. Yeah. Yeah. They show this one part where this kid, he's in trouble like drawing a picture of him and then he's about to like get in trouble and he looks at the all the food coming outta the kids like lunchbox. He is like, oh, okay. And then it just shows him in the kid's house and his mom's. Feeding him. Like this guy, his entire mission is, I want good food. I, I want all the women to be into me and I want all the money. That's what his mission.

Laura: 16:37

Glut fella.

David Gibbs: 16:38

Yeah, gluttonous. But but as he's going through. He ends up going to this party because he gets in the battle with bra bones over Katrina's affection. And so he goes to the party and he's kicking butt. He's like the one dancing with all the women and stuff and, and battling it out and like it seems to be. A nice just, you know, a regular two guys going after a girl battling it out kind of thing. But then Bron Bones tells the story of the headless horseman who would get a little scary. Be okay though. He tells the story of the headless horseman and kobad, you know, you have to get across the bridge and that's the way you'll be safe, you know? And so, and actually. This sequence of kobad, he leaves this Halloween party and he's going through the forest. This is suppo, supposedly the scariest sequence that Disney has ever made, like voted on by everybody, that this is the scariest thing and I can't wait for you to tell me when you watched it. And so, and the headless horseman starts chasing him, and it's this crazy chase scene. It's awesome. And what I think about that going towards money is he. Gets himself to a point where he has bad transportation. He's on like this donkey, this, this crappy horse who's like a plow horse and he can't go very fast. So when that's horse was chasing him, he just was like easy to catch up to him. He gets himself to where he's at this party for so long trying to get Katrina to like him and trying to win that. It's. The darkness of night, and it's so cool. They actually have hands going over the moon. I've always loved, like it's kind of a cool,

Laura: 18:16

oh,

David Gibbs: 18:17

and so he's going by himself through the forest, gotten himself into a bad situation, going over just the desires of his heart, blinding him, getting himself into a bad situation to where he deals with the headless horsemen and supposedly he gets killed. Now, of course some people say he might be a rich guy out there hidden. He might something else, but other people know better that the headless horseman got him. So, yeah, it's scary. So decide let's, it's

Laura: 18:47

just, do you think it was just, do you think it was just what's his name? Brom just wanted Katrina and so he like took out his competition.

David Gibbs: 18:55

Well, later on he does end up marrying her. Well, okay. So it could be, it could be either one, you know, but I, I think it was the headless horseman.

Laura: 19:05

Wasn't Bram the one that told the story of

David Gibbs: 19:07

the headless horseman? I know, I know, I know it leads to him. But, but I think that's really the big thing is getting yourself with your desires, impatience, searching, being greedy. Getting yourself into a bad situation financially. So give me, what would you say is a good example of that real world? You know, we have

Laura: 19:26

real world.

David Gibbs: 19:26

Real world. Great example. Yeah. Real world example of getting yourself into a bad situation.

Laura: 19:33

I mean, the cabin that I mentioned earlier is probably a really good one. But for every day, for everyday people, your credit cards. Your credit cards are a good example of when you get greedy and you need things. I, there's a weird dog making weird Howe noises outside. It sounds like a werewolf out there, so this is great. He's in it for the Halloween. I don't know if you can hear him or not there, I think. I think your credit cards are the epitome of greed. In America, it's, I don't care that I don't have enough for it right now. I'm willing to get myself into a precarious situation so that I can have this. And sometimes we couch it as well. It's not me being greedy. I want to give something to somebody else. Well, why do you wanna give them something that you can't actually afford? Because you want them to see you with something that you're not. There's a greed there. And a pride, neither of which are good. Both of which are part of his seven deadly sins. And you have to, you have to sit there and look and go, okay. And then you're not paying them off. So is that sloth as well? Are we just really into the seven deadly sins at this point? I am not saying that debt is sinful, obviously that is not where I'm, what I'm getting at here, but I Do you

David Gibbs: 20:49

hard on people or atg.

Laura: 20:51

Yeah. Well do better. No. I, I think, I think that it's really important to look at our motivations behind things. And a lot of times we don't, a lot of times we're just in the, in the moment of it, right? We're in the dance and we, we see the object of our desire and we just wanna pounce on it. Instead of taking time. If, if he had taken time to Woo Katrina, he may have gotten her in the end, but to be greedy and to jump on it and be like, I'm gonna make her lust for me. We're just all the seven deadly sins at this point, you know? Then I'm going, I'm really, I'm really trying. Hold on, let me get to'em. I think, I think that that is one of those things where, if you look at it, what is the desire of your heart when you are going after an object and you're willing to make payments, pay penalties, AKA, you know interest on, on the desires of your heart right now, because that's. I think if we look at what we want most, this thing that we're willing to put ourselves into debt for right now would seem silly and insignificant.

David Gibbs: 21:56

Yeah, absolutely. Well, these are, you know, two of my most favorite movies and, and, and I really think, what, it's funny, I, I keep wanting to say this. I don't remember. What are the story, the name of the stories that teach life lessons? What does that parables? I wanna say parables, but that's not quite it. Hmm. But parables is pretty good.

Laura: 22:23

Why? What are you, what are you trying to say?

David Gibbs: 22:25

Well, I don't remember. That's what I'm saying. I don't remember. No, but

Laura: 22:29

give me a a definition. Oh, I mean the, like

David Gibbs: 22:31

fairytales, they are what they teach this, it's a word for that. And, and I think these two stories go into that arena as well. Are you chat, GPT unit it, Uhhuh, uhhuh,

Laura: 22:43

Didactic stories that teach moral or life lessons? Well, moral fables. Fables. Fables. That's the word you're looking for.

David Gibbs: 22:50

Yeah, that's exactly what I wanted. Fables

Laura: 22:52

often feature animals with human traits. Oh, and always end with a clear. Moral parables are human centered stories.

David Gibbs: 23:00

Oh, interesting. So truly we kind of have a fable and a parable. Mm-hmm. Here because iBod is human. Yeah. Okay. And tote is, you know, a toad. So yeah, these stories are classic and I'll tell you everybody, you know, go in if you haven't watched this movie, perfect Time of the year to do it. If you haven't read the books. They're both great books. And yeah, I think that's it for me and. I love it and it's a little different. This, we're pre-recording this because I will be on my wedding anniversary trip on the live, so I believe the next live after the 19th is October 3rd. Am I correct?

Laura: 23:36

Yes.

David Gibbs: 23:37

Right. So everybody be on the lookout. Let us know what you would like to watch. I'm gonna just kind of force it. I want it to be a Laura fall pit.'cause my polls keep winning and, and I feel bad. Like I don't want it to be Just don't you,

Laura: 23:50

don't you dare feel bad. I'm going to go with I don't know if you wanna do the, a Halloween themed one for the next, for October 3rd, or if you wanna do Halloween for, I would love like

David Gibbs: 24:00

the next three to be fall related.

Laura: 24:02

Okay,

David Gibbs: 24:03

like this was one, and then let's do two more full.

Laura: 24:06

Well, we have one on the 31st, which we'll probably need to prerecord because I will have jogathon and a family picnic and

David Gibbs: 24:14

Halloween. Okay, so we'll, well on that note, on that note, folks, these prerecorded ones, you can find them and we'll link it on Facebook and all that. But you can find them on my YouTube. So Coach David, it'll be there and then it'll be on your podcast. So make sure you follow her podcast. How do we do that?

Laura: 24:32

The podcast is called Money and Career Mastery, and you can find it anywhere. Podcasts are given away for free. And what

David Gibbs: 24:39

previous episode did you just put on

Laura: 24:41

the last one? I, the last one I did was Freaky Friday. Did went, went back a little bit.

David Gibbs: 24:46

Alright. All right everybody. Well thanks so much for watching and yeah, make sure you're following both of us so you can vote on the next poll. I wanna see more on Laura's polls. Okay.

Laura: 24:57

All right guys. We'll see you next time. Woo.