The Stacking Benjamins Show (StackingBenjamins.com | Cumulus Podcast Network)

Today, the FinTern rewinds to one of our favorites episode when Farnoosh Torabi visited the basement to answer your letters. She answered far better than we could have without her.  Here's the original show description: We try to stump the amazing Farnoosh Torabi of So Money podcast fame with your letters….but she’s too amazing and answers FOUR of them with little help from us. Should you start a house flipping business with friends? What assumptions should you make in a financial plan? How do you fast forward podcasts? We also talk about the MOST SHOCKING way to get rich….you’ll have to hear it to believe it….AND PK tackles the most expensive years you’ll have during your lifetime. Thanks to SoFi and MagnifyMoney for sponsoring our podcast! This episode originally aired Jun 24, 2015. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's on your bucket list? Do you talk about your list or have you actually sat down and drawn one up. If not, why not? Today's guest, Karen Cordaway, discusses bucket lists in detail with us. Why you should have one, how to begin, what to avoid, and how to stick to your list are just a few of the topics we'll cover. Even if you're knee deep into building your list (or working through one), there's something for everyone today! And in our headlines segment... how prepared are you to tackle unexpected expenses? We'll cover a piece by the Motley Fool that describes one bill that would bankrupt most Americans, but don't worry, we'll also give some methods on getting ahead. In our second headlines, we'll give our two cents on 10 rules one publication says that you should follow for financial success. We'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Sanjay, who's thinking about putting all of his cash in a single index fund like the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund. Long time listeners of the show probably know where this one is heading. And don't worry, we'll still have time for some of Doug's trivia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Where do you start when planning your money? Cortney McDermott, author of one of this year's hottest self help and business books, joins us in the basement talk about starting out. If you don't know what you want, how do you know where to go? Yet, most of us don't ask ourselves the right questions to even begin the journey. Plus, we'll also share headlines from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to a lucky listener, score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more. Huge thanks to Roofstock (check them out for real estate) and MagnifyMoney.com (when you're comparing financial tools like credit cards and savings accounts) for helping us with today's show. They're awesome companies and if you're not using them, I'm not sure you know what you're missing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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FIRE, FIRE, FIRE! While we'll never disparage the basic goals of the #FIRE movement: becoming financially secure and having the option to retire early, we still have to ask the question, "Is fully subscribing to FIRE lifestyle naive?" Are we putting too much emphasis on the "Retire Early," and too little on "Financial Independence"? We ask our contributors: is it time to put the fire out? Our awesome roundtable team today includes: Don McDonald from the Talking Real Money podcast, Paula Pant from the Afford Anything podcast, and our very own OG. Plus, are you wondering how to teach your kids about money? Do you know someone (maybe YOU) that needs foundational knowledge about how finances work? After our FIRE discussion we'll take a break from the roundtable to introduce the new Stacking Benjamins Money Club! Aaron Velky from Ortus Academy is our head instructor at the Money Club, and he joins us to share how it all works. When we swing things back around to our roundtable, we'll break out the results of our question to the parents in our audience: how are you with finances and your children? Do you open the whole book to your kids? Do you give them basic financial advice? We'll see what the parents had to say PLUS hear a thing or two from our roundtable with their personal strategies.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How has that phone in your pocket changed the course of finance? It turns out, a TON. Today we talk to Dan Simon, who chronicles the birth and growth of FinTech for us on today's show. We'll discuss the early iPhone and how it became the center of development. We'll then highlight some of the early players and how their interest wasn't so much around banking, trading, or even finance, as it was a way to solve a very specific problem they had. We'll also discuss the future of FinTech. Dan's opinion may surprise you. We'll also shine a light today on the student loan crisis. Good news for borrowers: there was something in the latest government aid package for you. We'll detail many of the helpful provisions with the help of CFP Ryan Law and Certified Student Loan Counsellor Andrew Pentis. Plus, if you're one of the over 6.6 million people who lost their job two weeks ago, we also have some help for you. We wish it was a new job...but instead it's just some financial tips. That's not all! We'll of course throw out the Haven Life line in the funniest way possible AND save time for Doug's totally artistic trivia. Thanks for hanging out with us! If you're helping keep the economy moving during all this...special thanks to YOU! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our featured guest coming down to the basement has two kids... and he still kicked his job to the curb and made the jump to the self-employed route. Why did he do it? And HOW did he do it? Lee Huffman will tell us the story today. Plus, in today's headlines, USAA's Director of Life and Health Insurance, Sean Scaturro will walk us through open enrollment and health insurance, which can be a pretty daunting thing to take on. In our second headline, what are the hidden costs behind Amazon's recent wage hike for their workers? You might be surprise at what's REALLY going on. Later we'll throw the Haven Life Line to Ethan, who has a few questions on backdoor Roth conversions. Plus we'll answer a letter from Elizabeth, who's a little late to the financial game. What should her investing focus be... and what are some good financial tips for someone who got into the game later on? Of course, we'll still take some time for Doug's trivia. Thanks to LinkedIn for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to LinkedIn.com/sb and get $50 off toward your first job post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What should be the number one priority on your retirement planning list? That answer is going to be different for everyone, and on this roundtable episode our contributors gave their take on one list's "most' urgent items. You can find the original show notes from 2016 below:  What are the most important moves to make in retirement? Harlan Landes (Adulting.tv, Plutus Foundation) joins Paula (AffordAnything) and Len (LenPenzodotcom) to tackle a recent Wisebread piece that claims to give us the MOST urgent items on your retirement planning list. Does our panel agree? You'll find out on today's show. Also, we mull over real estate home improvements (where do you get the most bang for your hard-earned dollar?) AND dream about what we'd do if we could get unlimited points/miles. Heck, even ChiChi's gets a mention on today's show. You know it's going to be a wild one when we're talking ChiChi's. In our FinTech segment we talk to Jamie Wise from Buzz Indexes(BUZ) about their index and ETF. Hedge fund managers have been following the wisdom of social media crowds...now Jamie and his firm are bringing the same technology to the average investor. Thanks to MagnifyMoneyand SoFi for sponsoring our podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's show we're mixing the ghoulish past with the horrific NOW. Chuck Jaffe from Money Life with Chuck Jaffe joins us to share how he's scaring his neighborhood kids this year into better money habits AND then we rewind (this is our rewind week!) to Sandy Smith sharing how she spent just under $5000 on her wedding and had the ultimate experience for herself, her husband, and their friends. It's a great now/rewind episode of Stacking Benjamins (plus we share an AWESOME event coming up for all Stackers on 11/10...join us!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can you actually manufacture "luck"? Have you been hoping for your fortune to change? Do you feel like you've failed often lately? What if we told you that you COULD change your luck? , Today we tackle the recipe on luck with the man who actually co-wrote the book on the topic, Gay Hendricks. Between setting yourself up for success and being ready when opportunity comes knocking, Gay Hendrick has a wealth of information on how you can begin to operate your life, investments, savings, and budget with the power of the world on your side. Plus, has the current situation left you scrambling to pay rent? Or maybe you're a landlord still waiting on checks from struggling tenants? During our headlines we'll ring up rental real estate expert Justin Pogue for some advice on what you should do if you're stuck in a bad situation either way during these difficult times. In our second piece we'll cover some secondary effects of the troubled economy: teenagers across the country are finding out their usual summer jobs won't be waiting for them this year. Later, we'll answer the question: does the law of supply and demand mean that stock prices are currently artificially inflated? Caller Jay left a voicemail on the Haven Life Line and notes that the number of publicly traded companies have halved since 1996. Wouldn't supply and demand dictate that these companies stock prices go up (more demand, fewer shares), regardless of their performance? It's another fun show with much, much more. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's show we're pulling out all the stops for Joe's 50th birthday! We spend most of the podcast discussing 18 products people shouldn't buy if they want to stop wasting money. Think you can save a few bucks? Then today's show is for your! We also answer Marissa's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. She's wondering about buying a house today vs waiting until the current housing bubble pops? What should she do? On top of that, we'll also share Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks to Legal Zoom for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get your SPECIAL saving by going to LegalZoom.com and entering SB at checkout. LegalZoom, where life meets legal. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've already failed at working out, eating healthy, drinking less coffee, and not using the word "groovy" in 2022, this episode is for you. Let's get 2022 off on the right track with the perfect guest, Ramit Sethi from I Will Teach You To Be Rich. He's helped thousands of people take control of their finances and set themselves up for success. To start the new year, he'll share his top tips to start the year on the right foot. How much do you need to retire? Much of that depends on where you live, and today we'll dive into the huge disparity between cities that'll require stacks ON your stacks of Benjamins and those that can help you retire on less. Is moving worthwhile? In our headlines segment, we'll look at a piece that dives into how much you need to retire depending on where you live in the United States. Can you guess the most and least expensive metros? Who needs a financial planner? We'll answer Matt's question about finding a financial advisor during our Haven Life Line call and later, you can count on the fact that Doug's kicking off a new year by sharing some trivia. We're back and ready to help you roll into a new year! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Struggling with debt? Today we dive into how to create the perfect winning conditions so that you not only pay off your debt, but you STAY out of debt for good. Debt solutions expert Erin Skye Kelly (author of the book Get The Hell Out of Debt) joins us to help you make debt a thing of the past. She has not only great tips but also the keys to controlling your mindset so that you create a plan and stick with it. We'll also look back at 2021 investment performance during our headlines segment to see how best to tweak your portfolio for success in 2022. What were your best and worst-performing assets? Why? We'll follow the results of a recent Wall Street Journal column to teach you how to create an investment policy statement for the new year. Then, we'll throw out the Haven Life line to Stacker Ramon, who wonders about infinite banking. Is it as great as proponents say that it is? And of course, we'll save time for Doug's trivia. Enjoy! You'll find all of the links, including Joe's updated book tour schedule (now beginning in March), at http://stackingbenjamins.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wish a cheap plastic toy from Walmart could tell you the future? We sure do! And we try every year. It's our annual Magic 8 Ball episode today with Paula Pant, Len Penzo and OG. Each year, we ask the Magic 8 Ball (yes, really, the one you can buy at Walmart) riveting questions for the upcoming year then reflect back on those questions at the end of the year. Today, we run through the answers to our questions from last year and ask new questions for 2022. How will the Magic 8 Ball perform this year? We'll find out! In the middle, Angelo Poli from MetPro also joins us to share the best tips to get -- and stay -- in shape in 2022! Many of us have tried a new diet or exercise program but rarely stick with it long-term. Angelo explains why and offers tips to help overcome that struggle. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you have too many priorities and not enough time in the day to tackle them all? Struggling to get motivated for 2022? Help is on the way today from Dr. Joseph Cardillo, who'll help you build better muscles in your brain. He's an expert on motivation and attention and shares the reasons behind some of the successful habits we all practice now every day. Have you ever been driving and suddenly realized you zoned out for a few minutes? It's pretty common, and actually uses the same mechanisms we use for all of these successful auto-pilot moments throughout our day. He'll share how to reset your mind and use habits to your advantage to be more productive. In our headline segment, we'll talk all things inflation. Is this latest price balloon transitory or here to stay? We'll share our thoughts and how you can combat it with your investment portfolio. We'll also answer Tusk's question about his fixed income allocation and Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! You'll find complete show notes and links at http://stackingbenjamins.com and in our newsletter The 201: http://stackingbenjamins.com/201 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you been caught in a scam? It happens more than you may think! When we think of the biggest financial scandals, Bernie Madoff comes to mind but there was an even bigger scandal that happened to an entire country. In the United States, we suffered in 2008 during the financial crisis but another country saw its stock market tank even more than ours. Which one? Iceland. Jared Bibler worked for one of the major Icelandic banks and quit just days before the collapse. He then worked with Icelandic regulators to uncover the reasons behind the collapse and it's a scenario that even he didn't see coming. He shares it all today and tells his view of what happened. During our headline we're talking about retirement savings. Oregon implemented an automatic savings plan for people without access to a company retirement plan. Is it working? Is it the best plan out there? Joe and OG share their differing views! Then we answer Deb's question about high yield savings accounts and Doug shares his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you get overwhelmed by conflicting investment advice? It can be hard to determine fact from fiction with so many opinions. Today our roundtable debunks common investing myths to help you get your investment strategy on track. Brian Feroldi, Paulette Perhach and Len Penzo make up our roundtable today and they are sharing their thoughts on common investing myths and tips to be better with your money. Doug will also share some of his amazing trivia! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is your personal or professional life not where it should be? While you may think that "creativity" isn't essential to success in life, today's guest will vehemently disagree. He's the former CEO and now Executive Vice-Chairman of the Board of the legendary company Cirque du Soleil. Today he will share why creativity is crucial to professional and personal success and shares his own journey with Cirque du Soleil to improve in every area of his own career. During our headline, we'll pull the cover off of a new crypto scam. This time, celebrities allegedly endorsed a crypto coin, only to dump their own holdings after prices skyrocketed. Of course, this left investors with--reportedly--next to nothing. What can we learn from this? Joe and OG share their thoughts, which might not be what you expect. We also help answer Micah's question about how to further his personal finance education. Doug will also share his trivia. Enjoy! You'll find full show notes at http://stackingbenjamins.com You'll find our deeper dive into ALL of the topics we discuss today in our 201 newsletter (always free) http://stackingbenjamins.com/201 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Your boss offers you a several thousand dollar raise, do you turn it down? Probably not! Yet, one of California's top real estate agents says that home buyers and sellers both regularly leave thousands of dollars off the table. That's why today we're talking about better real estate transactions with Marin County, California's top real estate pro, Tracy McLaughlin. She'll share strategies from her new book, Real Estate Rescue, for staging, updating, and pricing a house so that it sells both for more money and more quickly. We're also diving into why financial advisors are losing faith in planning software tools. With plenty of highly-rated software on the market, should you be worried that your advisor is disregarding fintech? We'll jump into the "why" during our headlines AND cover why so many Americans had to dip into their retirement funds during the pandemic. Plus, could refinancing your home loan actually end up costing you more in the long run? During our Haven Life Line we'll answer a question from Niranjan, who heard on the show that because of the way amortization tables are structured, it might not always be a good idea to refinance a mortgage. He asks us to explain this a bit more in detail, and of course, Joe and OG oblige. During the segment, we'll explain financing, interest rates, amortization tables, and more. We'll also carve out some time for some of Doug (who seems to be acting a little suspicious today... more on that later) and his trivia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you struggle with good money habits? Even people who know money mess up all the time. We all have those days or weeks where we overdo lunch at a restaurant or forget about our long-term goals. Jessi Fearon is someone who has a background and degree in financial topics and was messing up her financial life in a big way. She joins us today to share her story, how she climbed out of a debt and bad-budget hole. She'll also share how different money personalities deal with money, which is the first step in building a better future. She also shares tips to help you build a solid foundation and create a budget that aligns your values and personality. For our headline segment, we're diving into student loan debt. One company is in hot water for steering borrowers to costly repayment plans instead of cheaper options, but there's good news. They're forgiving some borrowers' debt! Is yours included? We'll share what you need to know. We also throw out the Haven Life line to Brian who has a question about taxes in an HSA account. Not sure how an HSA account works or why you'd want one? We'll dive into why this is one of the BEST ways to save for many on today's show. Of course, we'll also save time for Doug to also share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you striving to form better habits? Start with small, daily changes that can turn into larger habits. Today we discuss a piece from the Becoming Minimalist blog that lists seven daily habits to change your life. Our roundtable includes Paula Pant, Doc G, and OG to share their thoughts and daily habits they have. Doug will also share his amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, we'll discuss the pitfalls of overly conservative retirement planning and how it could delay your financial independence and retirement dreams. In this show which was originally aired on our "brother" show Earn & Invest, Doc G, and guest Jesse Cramer from the Best Interest podcast delve into the importance of finding a balance, exploring the impacts of stacking conservative assumptions related to social security, investment returns, and inflation. Jesse shares practical tips on re-evaluating your retirement assumptions, emphasizing the significance of flexibility and ongoing adjustments to avoid unnecessarily prolonging your work life. RUN OF SHOW Introduction and Topic Overview The Cost of Being Too Conservative Interview with Jordan Grumet and Jesse Kramer Workplace Benefits Guide Announcement Earn and Invest Podcast Begins Jesse Kramer's Background and Career Shift Conservative Assumptions in Retirement Planning Introduction to Conservative Retirement Assumptions Guest Introduction: Jesse Cramer The Impact of Conservative Assumptions on Retirement Strategies to Avoid Overly Conservative Assumptions Revisiting and Adjusting Retirement Plans The 4% Rule and Its Implications Balancing Conservatism and Aggressiveness in Retirement Planning The Consequences of Overly Conservative Planning Practical Tips for Retirement Planning Exploring the 'Die With Zero' Philosophy Dealing with Loss Aversion Anxiety Conclusion and Final Thoughts Post-Interview Discussion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How's the clutter around your house? Too many Amazon boxes laying around to count? Good news, we are sharing ways to help both the environment, your ability to focus, and your wallet today. Tara McKenna joins us to share her journey to living a largely zero-waste lifestyle. It wasn't always easy, but she found some surprising results, and you could too with just a few simple changes to your lifestyle. She shares tips to be more aware of the trash you create and ways to reduce the unnecessary "stuff" you have laying around. Consuming less leads to less spending, and she shares easy ways you can get started on the journey toward your own zero-waste lifestyle. During our headline segment, we're diving into the reasons behind Peloton's recent stock price drop. Is the Peloton era coming to an end? We'll share our take and recent news Peloton announced about their products. We'll also answer VJ's question about the 4% rule. How do taxes impact this? And of course, we'll leave time for Doug to share some nearly misguided trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You asked for details on Joe's son's real estate adventure, and today you get it! This episode takes you to CampFI Midwest, where Joe's 29-year-old son, Nick, shares his journey toward financial independence through real estate investment. Starting in 2020, Nick began buying and renovating properties, primarily in Detroit, while living in Seattle and working at Microsoft. Learn about his strategies, the challenges he faces, and the importance of diversification in building a solid financial plan. The episode includes insights on finding deals, managing properties remotely, and the significance of making and learning from mistakes in the path to financial independence. Introduction to Greatest Hits Week Introducing Camp FI and Nick's Journey Nick's Real Estate Empire The Stacking Benjamins Podcast Vibe Nick's Detroit Real Estate Adventures Nick's Real Estate Strategy and Challenges The Importance of Diversification Concluding Thoughts and Advice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Has any well-meaning rich person told you to "follow your passion" when it comes to achieving your goals? Also, how comfortable are you with getting out of your comfort zone? Do you actually need to leave your comfort zone to succeed? Today's guest believes both of these ideas aren't true, and she has a Tedx talk that was watched by over 7 million people and a new hit book to prove it. Terri Trespicio joins us today to share how to reframe the idea of your comfort zone and talks about why the idea of having just one passion in life is overrated. During our headline segment, we're tackling the great resignation. An average of 3.9 million people quit their jobs each month in 2021. Why? And where are they going? Laura Troyani from PlanBeyond joined us to share her research. We're also throwing out the Haven Life line to Chris who wants to know where to keep cash that he needs for a home purchase. Doug will also share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever buy something just because of the advertising? I think everyone has at one time or another. Marketing affects our purchases. It's almost like advertisers know what we need before we know! Today we're looking at the marketing tactics behind a staple food...eggs. How does egg marketing relate to our finances? Our roundtable wasn't sure at first either but they have some great advice! Brittany Greene, Len Penzo, and OG sit down to talk about how marketing impacts our financial decisions. With tons of financial advice floating around the internet, people have come up with catchy phrases that sound smart but really mean nothing. Our roundtable shares their experience and how to tell the good egg from the bad. Diania Merriam is filling in for Doug today while he's off at the IHOP buffet so she will share some trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather Jacks has done it all. She's created a new job to work for Howard Shultz, facilitated wine and bourbon tastings, ferried pigs for a guy, lived in the outback, and slept full-time in a bus named Bubba. Also? She writes travel stories for Fodor's and other outlets, while also keeping a blog. ....and she's modeled. ..and she's been a teacher. ...and....the list goes on, but we're excited today to talk to her about how she's found a way to put together diverse skills and barter her way across the USA. Think you don't have enough money to travel? She'll share tricks she's used and stories from the road on today's wide-ranging (to put it mildly) discussion. LOTS of people are having debt forgiven because of COVID-19, but some are in store for a surprise. We'll share who's showing up with their hand out when you write down debt during our headlines segment. Also, the new Social Security cost of living increase has been announced, and....it's not pretty. We'll talk inflation, the stock market, and setting up your investments to win. Of course we'll also throw out the Haven Life line to a lucky listener and leave some time for Doug to share some of his mind-bending trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did the founding fathers of the United States make a living after the Revolutionary War? Believe it or not, they had to make some choices similar to ones you may have had to make when struggling with money. Washington took a job just because it paid well. Franklin juggled many "side gigs" to bring in money. Sound familiar? Today is our 10 year podcasting anniversary, so we are throwing it back to Ben Franklin himself (well, not really him, but someone who can tell his story!) and learning from his career. He, along with George Washington, worked hard to find new ways to make money after the Revolutionary War. Willard Sterne Randall is a writer-turned-historian who'll share the stories of Washington and Franklin. We ask him to dive into the success and failures of each and share lessons we can all take away. During our headline segment, we dive into the stock market. What should you do when there's a drop in the stock market? While the initial reaction might be to panic, we'll share sound advice for keeping your cool. We look to Reddit today for an ugly letter to share during our Haven Life line portion of the show. One young investor made several HUGE mistakes trading options and SPACs and he turned to the internet for advice. We share our advice on how to avoid the same mistakes he made. And of course, Doug will share his Stacking Benjamins-themed trivia for our 10 year anniversary. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever feel stuck? Here's a question: How do you stop thinking about doing something important in your life/career/money and actually get started with the hard tasks? This week our roundtable regulars share how they motivate themselves to press "go" more quickly each time, and how to keep pressing "go" more often. We'll talk about fighting fear, making decisions, and working your plan on today's show. After our group is done sharing how they motivate themselves to NOT click the "still watching" option on Netflix, Joe will ring up Lauren Minches from Blueprint Income. They've recently partnered with AARP on a new annuity hub. First, we'll dispel some common annuity myths and also talk about why some annuities get a bad rap (spoiler: it's sometimes deserved). Then we'll discuss how different annuities work. If you're new to lifetime income options, Lauren will walk us through it together on today's show. We'll round out our Friday with a Magnify Money question from caller Jordan, who has spent a lot of time as a DIY investor. Now that Jordan is planning on possibly bringing on an advisor, he asks us: what are our thoughts on drawing on an investment policy statement? Is there anything Jordan should know? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're chucking the expensive flowers and chocolates that go right to your hips this Valentine's Day. Instead, let's share the love by bringing on the Benjamins! Are you looking to up your finance game? Maybe you have debt you'd like to pay off, an expensive soon-to-be ex-spouse, or you're looking to just be more intentional with your money. On the love side of the equation, Anjie and RJ from the hit new Rich by Intention podcast join us to share their incredible story of debt payoff, teamwork, and negotiation. They paid off over $100k of debt in just one year on salaries of less than $100k each. They negotiated raises of over 15% each, and they lowered their rent payment. How? They'll share all their strategies and how you can get your finances in order too. During our headline segment, Kelly Frawley and Emily Pollock protect your downside, by joining us to talk about lessons we can all learn from some recent celebrity divorces. What's more romantic than that for Valentine's Day? They'll share problems with prenups and how to know if you might need one or how to make sure it works. But that's not all. We'll also answer a Haven Life line question about 401k investments, and Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking for a few quick money wins? Personal finance, and developing a complete financial plan can be overwhelming, but you don't have to start by climbing that mountain. Today Joe and OG are sharing their top five easy money tips. They talk about automating your financial life, writing down your debts, reviewing subscriptions and our favorite, HSA accounts. They're giving you easy tips to get started that can help change your mindset and get you on track to reach bigger goals. During our headline segment, we look at USA Today's Super Bowl ad winner. Anna Kendrick and a dream house took the top spot this year, with a segment all about this ultra-hot real estate market. Will the easy wins continue? We'll also answer Matthew's question about opening a brokerage account and Doug will share his sticky bun-themed trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's an age old question...pay off debt or invest? While we could wax philosophical about which is the right approach, on today's show we answer a question from a listener about a specific question around this topic. He and his family have a mortgage, but also need more savings for retirement. Which is the right approach for him?  In our headlines segment we'll discuss bad breakups. Should you dive in to "retail therapy" when things go wrong? Statistically, that's what LOTS of us apparently do. We'll also answer a question about freezing your credit from Glen. He's applying for a job and wondering if he should go ahead and freeze his credit or if he should leave it open for when his company completes the inevitable credit check. Also, in our special guest spot, we'll talk about HoneyFi! If you're in a relationship and want a financial app that's been designed from the ground up, you'll want to listen to today's featured FinTech segment. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com and LinkedIn for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to LinkedIn-dot-com-slash-sb and get a $50 credit toward your first job post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What financial mistakes could you have avoided? Most of us learned personal finance the hard way, by stumbling through life without training and learning from our mistakes. Unfortunately, most schools don't have a personal finance class that teaches students about budgeting, saving, or what the word "taxes" actually means. Peter Lazaroff is chief investment officer at Plancorp and a CFP® who shares our passion for personal financial literacy. He's here today (don't tell OG, he might get jealous) to share his first experiences with money AND how you can make money topics more simple for yourself and those around you. He also shares some of the golden personal finance basics we should all familiarize ourselves with, and dishes out resources to help us all further our own financial education. During our headline segment, we dive into ETFs. A seasoned firm is entering the game (better late than never!) of ETFs years after their competitors. We talk about active vs passive funds and the future of the ETF industry. We're also answering Dave's question about reward credit cards. Are they really as good as they sound? And of course, Doug will share his amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you been waiting for us to answer your letter? It's your lucky day because we're dedicating today's show to answering your questions. We're covering diversification, retirement, investing, Fintech, dividends and everything in between on our special letters episode. Before we get to your letters, In our headlines segment we're taking a look at emergency funds and long-term care dollars. Are you thinking about cutting corners and that maybe you can get by day-to-day without some sort of emergency fund? That could spell some bad news down the road. And in our second headline we'll spend a few minutes talking about proper planning for long-term care. The costs can pile on quicker than you think, and deciding your strategy isn't easy. Plus, it's National Cheesecake Day! Doug's all excited, and so are we. Plus, in honor of Henry Ford's birthday, we'll have some Ford-related trivia that even if you aren't a car buff, you JUST might know the answer to... Thanks to Stamps.com for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a 4 week trial (that includes a digital scale and postage) go to Stamps.com, click on the microphone at the top of the homepage, and enter SB.  Thanks to Emperor Investments for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to emperorinvests.com/sb and select "Stacking Benjamins podcast" when asked how you heard about the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How important is spending less on what you don't need? Today our guest will share why you may want to rethink your laisse-faire attitude about minimalism. We'll tackle a big a-ha for savers with a tax strategy you haven't heard, plus, it's Joe's birthday, and he's looking to be inspired. So today, we're excited to hear from YOU and some of the great things you all are working on. We have three great guests for you today: the Stackers who host the Fat and Broke podcast are celebrating a huge milestone, Maggie, a travel blogger will share some tips for national parks jaunts, and TJ, a leadership blogger, will share a homeowners story for the ages. Let's just say that we won't be asking him where to place our bonfire. It's all Sean Mullaney, the FI Tax Guy, sharing tax planning tips for this year, inspirational stories and we'll round out the show by including Doug's famous trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We haven't talked about market timing at all on the show lately, so the Fintern thought it was about time to reach back in the archives and find an old episode on the topic. This eshow is from a Wednesday back before we changed our format. OG sounds like he's in a tin can, to a degree, but if you can get through that, the show itself is a really great collection of letters from you. Here's the original show notes from 2015: Today the star of the show is YOU! You ask us about market timing, diversification and risk…and we deliver the goods. Plus PK is back in the basement to argue with Joe about emergency funds. When is it the right time to save into your emergency fund? Is it best to save BEFORE you pay down debt or AFTER? PK says AFTER and Joe says BEFORE….you’ll hear the epic debate on today’s show! As if that weren’t enough, today’s headline is about China’s recent move to regulate their stock market volatility. Is that good or bad for investors? We also review the film Focus with Will Smith and Margo Robbie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will more money make you happier? If you've never heard the phrase 'more money, more problems,' today's episode is for you. Money CAN buy you independence, but only if you know how to use it. Nicole Lapin is a New York Times best-selling author and joins us to talk about being intentional with our money. Having loads of cash is great but it goes bye-bye quickly without concrete goals and values. She shares how to set yourself up for success to meet your financial goals. During our headline segment, we're talking about robots taking over the world! Or, in this case, a gigantic brokerage firm swallowing a robot (I'd love to see that TikTok). We're talking robo advisors today. They've gained massive popularity in the last decade and now one, Wealthfront, is being acquired by UBS. We discuss what this might mean for robo advisors moving f. We'll also answer Jay's question about the rule of 55 with 401k distributions and Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you prefer in-person interactions or using apps for things like banking and personal finance? We're giving you both sides of the coin today. Banking has evolved and apps give us almost the same capabilities as walking into the bank, so do we still need physical bank branches? Our roundtable today shares their thoughts on banking and what banks can do to excel in this world of technology. Harlan Landes from the Plutus Foundation, Paula Pant and Len Penzo make up our contributors today. They talk about online apps, customer service and more in the banking world. Don't you worry, we also saved some time for Doug's trivia contest! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wish there were small changes you could make that would have big impacts on your money situation? We've heard the big ideas such as start a side job or max out your retirement accounts, but what if that's just not in the cards? Today our roundtable is lining up a bunch of ideas that aren't huge, but that collectively can help you get the ball rolling with your financial picture. They discuss a piece from The Penny Saver about small ways to make an impact on your finances. It's our gameshow episode, so we're putting our contributors to the test, asking them to guess which tips are mentioned in this piece. Because they share lots of not-listed ideas as well, you can be sure you'll find out some great and not so great savings strategies. Our roundtable is made up of our regulars today: Paula Pant, Len Penzo and OG. The winner of our gameshow will earn an extra point in our year-ling trivia challenge. Speaking of, Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you seen -- or used -- those popular buy now, pay later apps? They seem to be on almost every website as an easy way to split your purchase into several payments, all interest-free. As tempting as it may be, the downsides might hurt your wallet in the long run. While paying in installments with no interest might work out for the best for some purchases, it can also lead to a habit of overspending. Today our roundtable discusses a piece about these popular apps. Our roundtable consists of Tom Cock from Talking Real Money, Paula Pant from Afford Anything, and Doc G from Earn & Invest. They share their thoughts on buy now, pay later, and offer advice to skip these all together. Diania Merriam is filling in for Doug and she's sharing her spectacular trivia today. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you have a family money philosophy? A money philosophy can simply be an idea of what you do and don't value. Or it can be as complex as a charitable giving strategy or a very specific spending plan. There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to a money philosophy. Today our roundtable is sharing their money philosophy and they talk about mapping goals, spending based on values, how they taught their kids about money, and more. Listen in to hear Chelsea Brennan, Len Penzo, and Doc G share their thoughts. Doug will also share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you ever feel like you just don't have much influence over others? Not in a negative way, but in a way where you wish people would truly hear you. Sometimes we just need to take a step back and re-evaluate what we are trying to accomplish. Zoe Chance is an expert in influence, the author of the new hit book Influence Is Your Superpower, and also teaches the most popular class on the topic at Yale. She joins us today to share her secrets to positive influence and happiness. She talks about the power of 'no', charisma, and my favorite, the Kindly Brontosaurus technique. During our headline segment, we dive into longevity in financial planning. As people start living longer, what adjustments need to be made to financial plans? We talk about retirement planning and allocations as it relates to living longer lives. We also help answer Jenna's question about saving or spending HSA dollars and Doug shares his influential trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you looking to spring clean your finances? Get organized and on the right track to crush your goals this year. We've got Gary Burnison here to help you clean up your resume and land your dream job. It's the start of our rewind week, and this episode originally aired in 2018, so ignore any mention of current giveaways or events. See our original show notes here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Less stress, easy overhead, and being debt-free... those are three fantastic reasons to chase financial independence. For a growing number of investors the top reason to save and live frugally has become a chance at early retirement. But, what type of freedom does early retirement bring? Is the freedom gained from early retirement worth it? We'll ask our contributors their thoughts on early retirement, and explore the concept of not retiring FROM something, but TO something on today's show. Assisting us in today's discussion is Rocky Lalvani from the Richer Soul podcast, Len Penzo from LenPenzo.com, and OG, from our very own Stacking Benjamins podcast. Halfway through the show, we'll hit the pause button on our discussion while Joe talks to Kevin Kidd, Roush Fenway competition director. You might be thinking, "WAIT, that's not FinTech! what does that have to do with finances?" As it turns out, there are a few financial lessons to be had from a professional racing team. Plus, after we finish a few laps around the track, we'll answer a voicemail from Rosie during our Magnify Money segment. Rosie's parents are retired, and she's recently learned her parents have been charged some crazy fees from their financial advisor. She wants to move them over to some low-cost index funds, but doesn't want to lose all their money in the process. What should their asset allocation look like? Thanks to Experian for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Boost your FICO score instantly for free. Boost is only available at Experian.com/sb Thanks to MetPro for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get a complimentary Metabolic Profiling assessment and a 30-minute consultation with a MetPro expert at metpro.co/sb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you're hoping for financial freedom, Grant Sabatier is maybe the perfect man to hear speak. At one point he was down to less than ten dollars in his accounts, and within a short time went from broke to a millionaire. How did he do it? He'll share his story (which includes how he made money), but also share how to drastically cut your expenses so that you can build your own fortune. In our headline segment, we'll talk to JJ Kinahan about financial independence. TD Ameritrade recently commissioned a study about the Financial Independence Retire Early movement. It turns out that many people chasing financial freedom have different ideas about "FIRE" than you may have heard in the past. We're also throwing out the Haven Life Line to Kody, who doesn't fully trust in the public service loan forgiveness program. He's going to be investing money into a taxable account so he'll be able to pay off the loan if needed. What do we think of him investing the amount instead of sticking it into a savings account? Plus, we'll be throwing out a letter to And don't worry... we'll still take some time for Doug's trivia. Thanks to Omax Health for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Visit Tryomax.com/sb for your free box of Omax3 Ultra-Pure with your first purchase. Thanks Audible! Get Power Moves by Adam Grant for free when you sign up for a free Audible trial at Audible.com/sbpower or text sbpower to 500 500.           Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You'd never fall for it, right? Scams can look so obvious from the outside. "How could they have let that happen?" we ask. Reading about Bernie Madoff or some of these other big "scammers" from history, it's easy to think of how gullible the victims must have been. Being in the midst of it, though, leads to the true, deeper, and disturbing story. Radhia Gleis knows how scams work because she was in a cult for over 20 years. Today she shares the story of how she sunk deep into a con and then also explains the pain and immense disappointment she experienced when she realized it was all a lie. It's a fascinating story about searching for meaning and how scammers maintain their power. We'll help by giving you tips to avoid being scammed as well. During our headline segment, we dive into another troubling situation: the current situation in Ukraine. While there are far more important aspects of this conflict than your money, the only one we're qualified to comment on is the effect on your portfolio, so we'll do that today. Market volatility has ticked up again and we talk about while it signals some horrible events happening in the world, why this might not be as bad as it sounds for your investments. We'll also answer Lacey's question about saving for nieces and nephews (what should she use to save some money for them?) and also, Doug will share his amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've said for awhile that the fee game is a "race to the bottom," and last week....we reached the bottom. Fidelity dropped some big news in the financial world last week: not only did they slash a bunch of fees, they also introduced two no-fee mutual funds. What does it mean? How does these new funds work? We've got you covered. First, we'll talk to the VP of Retirement for Fidelity, Ken Hevert, for more information on the company's latest move, and later in the show, OG and Joe will break down what this might mean for you and your money. PLUS, during our headlines segment we'll dig into a Wall Street Journal report covering how one big bank is still finding new ways to surprise their customers... and not in a good way. And during the Haven Life Line we're talking to Colin about Roth and Traditional 401ks. What's the best way to use them so he can retire early? Don't worry, we'll still have time for a Doug's trivia and to answer a listener letter from Kurt. With a baby on the way, what should Kurt and his wife be doing to be financially prepared? Thanks to Away for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to Awaytravel.com/sb and use the promo code sb to score $20 off your next suitcase! Thanks to Harry’s for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get your Trial Set – go to Harrys.com/sb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How would your life be different if you spent more time designing and less time winging it? Would you be where you are now, or would you be working on more fulfilling projects? Today on our show we talk with Kevin Bethune, the author of the new book Reimagining Design: Unlocking Strategic Innovation. He has reimagined and redesigned his career a few times over, going from working in nuclear power, to heading back to business school, to working at Nike on shoes, and then on to many other projects. We'll draw strong correlations between his work in corporate design and your work building a better life. Joe and OG discuss a piece from a very popular investment house about the value of human advice vs. robots. I think you'll be surprised when you hear not only what firm commissioned this study, but also our discussion about the future of financial advice...much more of a fusion of humans and robots than one or the other. And also, with most of us losing an hour of shuteye this weekend, Doug gives us some good tips in his trivia about taking a nap. We'll also (of course), save time to throw out the Haven Life Line on whether or not you should be available to your boss 24/7 even on vacations? Should you? Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Think of a money mistake you made early in your adult life. It might have been getting into trouble with credit cards or not saving into -- or even knowing about! -- your company's 401k plan, or maybe you didn't know how to budget. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself to avoid those sticky situations? Our guest today is passionate about helping the next generation become better with their money. From learning about taxes and investing to setting a budget, Bobbi Rebell has been through it all with her kids. She shares the money lessons she taught her kids to avoid making the same mistakes she once made. She shares how you can help others, too. Even if you don't have kids, these tips can apply to anyone. During our headline segment, we dive into Roth IRAs. The stock market decline to start this year has had many people wondering if they should take advantage of a Roth conversion. We discuss the tactics of this strategy and give you things to think about if you are considering it. We'll also answer Mattie's question about sinking funds, and to top it all off, Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Think of the best manager you've ever had. Now think of the worst. What's different about the two? It might be their management style, or it could be their general personality. But is it something more? Do leadership and trust come to mind? Great leaders are more than just managers. They know how to inspire and motivate people and can adapt to change as the environment shifts. But even without a manager, you can be a leader in your own life. Stephen M. R. Covey believes that leadership is a choice, and it's processes that are managed, not people. People are inspired and taught to be trusted. True leadership is about creating better decisions and relationships to further our lives and goals. Today he joins us in the basement to share how we can all be better leaders in our personal and professional lives. During our headline segment, we'll dive into the right time to switch up your financial plan. We'll focus first on a piece from Investment News which tackles tax planning for new retirees, but will widen the discussion quickly to all areas of your life and when it's time to reboot your plan. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Sasha who has a question about buying a business. And to round out all of the madness, Doug will also share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever been overwhelmed by all the choices that come with employee benefits? From health insurance to retirement savings, child care and an HSA vs FSA, there's can be no shortage of benefits to choose from. Amanda Lannert joined us to share the details on some popular employee benefits. This episode aired in 2020 so be sure to ignore any mention of current giveaways or events. See our original show notes here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you checked in with your health lately? Stacking those Benjamins is awesome but it means nothing if your health holds you back from doing the things you enjoy in life. Our guest today shares an incredible story of the scary moment she realized she was constantly running at full speed ahead. Dr. Amy Shah joins us to share that story and her journey to better overall health. She explains how hormones, sleep and overall gut health contribute to every aspect of our lives. During our headline segment, we talk to Dr. Brooke Struck from The Decision Lab about consumer spending habits, specifically millennials. Are millennials' spending habits different from other generations and what struggles do they face that other generations might not have? Dr. Brooke Struck shares his research findings. We also answer a question from our basement Facebook group about HSA's and Doug shares his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever looked at your futon in your kitchen and thought, "Hey, I think I will rent that out to a stranger?" Believe it or not, our guest today, Avery Carl, has some friends who did exactly that. It gave her the idea to invest in short-term rentals as a stepping stone to building a more extensive real estate portfolio. Joe and Avery discuss having an income to support lending criteria, the pros and cons of property management, and how she strategically invested in mature vacation rental markets to scale her portfolio. Worried about scams? Today in our headline segment, Joe and OG discuss a piece about a former car salesman who allegedly got caught in an elaborate scam buying back leased cars. Also, they discuss a Netflix documentary about the Tinder Swindler and how he thinks his scam was a "successful business." We throw out the Haven Life line to Amanda and congratulate her on paying off her debt. And, of course, we will enlighten your day with Doug's famous trivia.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do women and men think about finances differently? Absolutely. Women, sadly, are more likely to lack confidence in their financial approach, to delegate the "leading" of families to men, and to take a backseat role. As the Chief Knowledge and Learning Officer at Pitcairn, Amy Hart Clyne studied 40 women to better understand their money habits, philosophy, and behavior. She shares some surprising findings and some powerful lessons for both women and men when it comes to handling wealth-building, family, and creating a legacy. Pitcairn, a multifamily office serving ultra-high-net-worth clients. During our headline segment, we'll focus on the forest fire happening in tech stocks. They've had a great run-up the last few years, but is this downturn a sign that it's all coming to an end? We discuss two pieces that ask some difficult questions about the sector and about being a long-term investor. We also discuss disability insurance during our Haven Lifeline. Many people don't realize how important it can be, so we'll point out when and why you might consider this coverage option. And of course, we'll leave time for Doug to share his credit card-related trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How often do you feel bored? So many of us are busy with work, family, and life that we forget to slow down. We don't leave ourselves time to do nothing and to experience the magic that is being bored. Celeste Headlee was on a personal journey to find happiness when she started researching the history of work in America. What she found was a treadmill that we're spinning faster and faster. She found that most of us don't have time to do nothing, yet we need that time for reflection and rest. Celeste shares her findings and why doing nothing can be so important to achieving the goals you truly want in life. During our headline segment, we take a look at investment fees. Eye roll, I know, but fees play an important role in our overall investment portfolios and can vary greatly. We talk about the fees you should and should't care about. We also answer Colton's question about selling and buying a house. He wants to know how much to put down on the new house given recent interest rate rises. And don't worry, we will leave time for Doug's amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Picture this: You and your friends are taking a road trip. You get off the highway and pull up to the third gas station of the day. You cut the ignition, take a look around the car and everyone avoids your gaze. You've paid for gas during the last two stops and no one is jumping up at the grand opportunity to fill the tank the third time around. What's your next move? Answering questions presented by one financial story which shines a light on situations like this and more today is our originals roundtable group: Paula Pant of Afford Anything, Len Penzo of LenPenzo.com, and OG from our very own Stacking Benjamins podcast. Halfway through the show, we'll take a break from our discussion on all things awkward while Joe sits down with Zohar Steinberg from Token. With privacy concerns and stolen credit card information constantly in the news, Zohar came up with a solution: unique credit card numbers for each transaction or service. Something goes wrong with one of your transactions or services? You'll have the peace of mind that the rest of your account is safe. Interested in knowing more? Joe will dive into the product with Zohar and learn all the ins-and-outs of Token. Plus, after we get through with Doug's trivia gameshow, we'll answer a voicemail from Lynn during our Magnify Money segment. Lynn will have about $5-7k left over after she pays off her travel expenses from long-term work trips. What should she do with the money? Should she focus on debt or investing? Our roundtable will give their 2 cents and provide Lynn some solid options on what to do with her money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can you tell if someone is rich or poor? It's not as simple as looking at what someone buys or where they live. Being rich is about more than the size of your wallet. To round out our rewind week, today our roundtable discusses this topic. They share their thoughts on what it means to be rich and what that really means. This episode originally aired in 2019 so ignore and mention of giveaways or current events. See our original show notes here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why haven't you scored a raise recently or grabbed that next bar on the better job rung? Well, your wait is over, because Gary Burnison, author of Lose the Resume, Land the Job, joins us to help you increase your income potential, enjoy your career more, and rock your next raise! We'll talk about how a skunk helped Gary realize many of the dilemmas facing people, and how NOT to answer questions during your next interview...and of course, much more. In our headlines segment we'll throw a surprise your way. An age group you don't expect is conned more often on the phone than any other...and it isn't the group you think. How do you make sure you aren't taken advantage of by scammers? Jonathan Sasse from First Orion joins us to talk about how to figure out that someone is really secretly after your wallet instead of the person they pretend to be. We'll also cover a recent spring cleaning story. While you're cleaning out the attic and the garage...what about your wallet? What should you clean and what should you keep? We'll discuss that on today's show. Plus, as always, we throw out the Haven Life line to Talha, who wonders about the best ways to start investing if you just entered the workforce? Should you diversify or crank up the risk since you're just starting out? Also, we answer a letter from Shawn, who wonders about moving money from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA? What are the rules? Of course, we'll have Doug's trivia and more fun on today's show.   Thanks to Blue Apron for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Check out this week’s menu and get $30 OFF —WITH FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/SB. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many people call finding more cash the name of the game, but today's guest, rapper Dee-1, goes further, discussing how passion, courage, and confidence can give you the strength to find your purpose...and then find more money. He'll also talk about mentoring, his new album, and more, on today's show. Bitcoin is back in our headline segment again, as people are financing their house to jump into the deep end on block chain investments. Should you cash in everything and put it in bitcoin? We'll discuss. Plus, we'll tackle how a "min-Madoff" escaped from prison, and also how you can protect yourself from a Madoff-like scandal. Of course, we'll also throw out the Haven Life line, share some amazing trivia from Steve, who's filling in for a mysteriously (and suspiciously) missing Doug. Special thanks to M1Finance for supporting our show. M1Finance is now FREE! Congrats to the team at M1 for that big announcement last week. Thanks also to our friends at HelloFresh for sponsoring the podcast. Receive $30 off your first week of deliveries when you go to HelloFresh.com and use the offer code stacking30. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You've probably been told to live in the present at some point in your life but does that do more harm than good when it comes to your finances? Splurging on that purchase today might feel good in the moment but is it going to make 'future you' happy too? Thinking about ourselves in the future is hard. Our roundtable today discusses this topic. Jason Hallonquist, Paula Pant and Len Penzo join our roundtable to talk about how thinking about your future self is beneficial for your finances. And don't worry, we left time for Doug's trivia! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In every household there are a few items that you purchase once and then never purchase again. For some of us, our goal is to find as many of these as possible so that we can invest our money in other ways. It turns out that investing in quality, guaranteed equipment that's more expensive up-front can actually pay huge dividends later. We'll ask our roundtable team of OG, Len Penzo (LenPenzo.com), and Paula Pant (Afford Anything) what their "forever" items are. Hopefully we'll be able to help you figure out which household expenses are better to splurge once on, and which are better to spend as little money as possible on. We'll also share mistakes we've made along the way with "forever" or cheap spending. And of course, we will save time for Doug's amazing trivia challenge. The battle continues! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are your favorite money moves that pay huge returns with little time and effort from you? It could be getting your company 401k match or saving early and investing to get the benefits of compound interest. Today our roundtable discusses their favorite asymmetrical money moves. Four-time olympian Lauryn Williams joins Len Penzo, and OG on our roundtable and share it all. From paying off a mortgage to reviewing insurance and investing, they give some great tips. Doug will, of course, share his trivia too. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much do you really know about investing in stocks? You may have heard that it's hard to beat the market, but could you do it? How does the stock market actually work, and how do you do the right homework to find a good stock to buy? You're in luck because today Brian Feroldi joins us to talk about his own stock buying process, breaking it down into easy steps. He also shares why the stock market rises over time and why it's harder for a fund manager to beat the market than an individual investor. During our headline segment, we'll talk about covering your bases with insurance. Recent news articles involving celebrities show that you never know what tomorrow will bring. Having the right risk management strategy and maybe the correct insurance policies in place can make all the difference. We'll also answer Jordan's question about spending down his portfolio in retirement. And Doug will share his amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's officially summer for us when Robert Niles (from Theme Park Insider) drops by for our annual look at theme parks around the country. Going on vacation this summer? We'll have all the answers about fantastic deals, making the most of your money, the best new rides... and of course, rides and locations that you would do best to avoid. Our first headline may give you second thoughts before you decide to "take advantage" of company benefits. We'll cover how 200 workers were fired from Fidelity for abusing company benefits. Ouch. In our second headline we're asking the question: "How would you like to slash the length of your 30-year mortgage?" We'll tackle one writer's (convoluted) idea. Plus, we're throw out the Haven Life line to Alan, who wants to know the pros and of cons of having a simple IRA over a solo 401k. Should he switch? We'll also another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Thanks to Lexington Law for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a free credit report summary and credit repair consultation go to lexingtonlaw.com/SB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's the key to success with investing? This game is actually far easier than many think it is. Nick Maggiulli is known as the Dollars and Data guy on Twitter, but today he talks about how more data actually nearly sank him as a new investor. It turns out that over-optimization might hurt you in the long run. He shares the top 3 reasons why you should invest and even gives ideas on how to increase your income so you can save more. During our headline segment, we're talking about the important f word...fiduciary. What is it and why is it important? And why is Robinhood in hot water because of it? We'll explain it all. We'll also help answer Chris' question about sharing bank accounts with your spouse. And Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are your investment aligned with your values? Did you know that you can screen for (or against) certain industries or sectors within funds? The terms ESG (environmental, social, governance), SRI (socially responsible investing), and impact investing encompass this thought process. Larry Swedroe joins us to explain this type of investing, its growing popularity, and how you can invest in a way that aligns with your values too. He also dives into why the performance for this type of fund differs from other indexes. During our headline segment, we take a look at the impact of increasing gas prices. Your wallet might feel a little slim after filling up at the pump and delivery drivers are feeling the heat too. We talk about what this might mean going forward and how you can save money at the pump. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Amanda who has a question about Roth IRA contributions. We'll also leave time for Doug's most amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why are so many relationships (especially marriages) broken easily? Nate and Kaley Klemp know from personal experience how hard it can be to stay on the same page when fairness becomes the center of an argument. Instead of a 50/50 split, they believe you should focus on 80/80. What does that mean? We'll share today! If the heart of your money gathering is truly about fostering better relationships, you're going to love our discussion on how to give more to experience more happiness. During our headline segment, we take a look at I bonds. Recent interest rate gains make this investment look like a slam-dunk investment, but is it? We'll share. We'll also talk about the relationship between risk and return when it comes to various investment types, AND answer Alex's question about positions within mutual funds. Of course, Doug will save time to enlighten us with his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're dedicating today's show to all of your burning financial questions. Will the fact that Anna's parents are opening up a 529 plan for her daughter create unintended financial consequences down the road? What should Keith do with a $50,000 inheritance and no job? What should ANYONE do when they receive $50,000? Jessica is a new investor. What platforms should she be looking into when trying to invest? After our David McKnight interview, Ryan is focusing on more money in his "tax-free" bucket. Does the SB team have any good tips on tax savvy financial moves? Of course we do! And in our headlines segment, there's BIG news in college scholarship land. It turns out that a couple of schools are reducing their tuition to FREE. Who is it? Should you consider changing your college plan? In our second headline, while owning your home is a great financial position to be in...if you want to get rich one publication insists that you should own somebody else's home. We'll dive into rentals and real estate on today's show. Plus, in our Haven Life Line, Heather wants to know if she can do a backdoor Roth conversion AND make contributions to a spousal IRA. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins! Thanks to LinkedIn for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to LinkedIn.com/sb and get $50 off toward your first job post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How happy are you, truly, with your job and life? Many people go through the motions in a job they don't like, never taking the leap to do something they actually enjoy. The average life expectancy is 79 years. How many of those years are you willing to waste doing something you don't love? Jason Tartick is well known for being on The Bachelorette but his story is much deeper than what we saw on TV. He was secretly having panic attacks at work and was stressed beyond belief. Instead of digging deep to find the reason why, he initially tried to mask and ignore the emotions. He's here today to share his story and how he ultimately restarted his life and career to do what he loves. During our headline segment, Rita Assaf from Fidelity Investments is here to share the results of Fidelity's State of Retirement Planning survey. She shares the biggest concerns on investor's minds and the impacts the pandemic has had on our financial confidence. We'll also answer Kevin's question about an excess Roth IRA contribution. And, of course, Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

401k plans, Roth IRAs, Coverdell IRAs, separately managed accounts, and more. What do they have in common? YOU asked about all of these and more on today's show! Our letters episodes are some of our most downloaded podcasts and today we'll fill empty the mailbag by answering SEVEN of your questions to the podcast. In our headline segment we kiss the MyRA goodbye. Why did it fail? While we don't know the reason for sure, the guys discuss what might have gone wrong and if you were hoping to use the MyRA, what some great alternatives might be. We also talk to Mike Brown from LendEDU about their recent credit cards and millennials survey. Wait until you see what SOME millennials think happens to your credit score when you miss a payment. You'll be shocked.... We'll also throw out the Haven Life Line, feature some hair-raising trivia from Doug, and more. Special thanks to M1Finance and Tiller for sponsoring our show! We couldn't do any of this without the support of this awesome company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did Ben Franklin change his will two months before he died? Instead of leaving money to his family, he made a big bet on two cities that meant a lot to him, Boston and Philadelphia. Michael Meyer wrote a fascinating book about Ben Franklin's life -- and death -- and he joins us today to share part of the story. Ben Franklin had specific wishes for his gifts and Michael explains how the two cities handled it differently. In our headline segment, we're talking about mortgage rates. What do rising rates mean for your budget and how worried should you be? We'll give you all the details. We're also answering Steven's question about moving to a higher cost of living to save more. And we'll leave room for Doug's amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's time to get down and dirty! Did you think financial experts agree on everything? OG has his boxing gloves on for this episode because today we're wrestling with topics financial experts can't agree upon. Fighting with him today from the amazing podcast Afford Anything, we welcome Paula Pant, and from the compelling podcast Earn and Invest, (formerly What's Up Next?), we'll also say hello to the Doc G. It's a great crew and we think you'll love the conversation they discuss as they wrestle with today's topics. We know it's fun to hang out in the basement, but Peak Money makes saving money look like fun no matter where you are! Today during our Friday FinTech segment, Joe will talk with Jonathan Yagel and Michael Brooks from Peak Money about how they're able to help people save more money toward their goals. It's an exciting journey that most of our listeners want to pursue. Who doesn't want more money toward their next vacation? I rest my case. And finally, during our Magnify Money segment, OG really hits it hard with the punches but Paula and Doc pick up the slack. They answer a question about what category a 401k savings plan should be in, when filling out a spreadsheet. Is it an expense or saving? We'll get our team's cracking answer on today's show! As always, of course we'll quiz our contributors with Joe's Mom's neighbor Doug's amazing trivia. How much did the first Barbie cost? It's all exciting questions and answers on today's show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you need life insurance? Not everyone does and before you start deciding what type of policy you need, there's a whole list of questions you should ask yourself. Joe and OG are taking center stage today and sharing their top five considerations before buying life insurance. Starting the conversation around risk management and planning, not the product, will lead you to the best solution for you and they tell you how. During our headline segment, we're talking about advisor fees. With multiple fee models out there, is one better than another? The guys share their thoughts on why each model works and why there might not be a right or wrong way to do it. We'll also answer Jen's question about paying off her mortgage early. Doug will also share his super exciting insurance trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you love someone’s chocolate cake, you’d ask them for their recipe without question. It’s not stealing, it’s taking something and making it your own. If you ask the author of Steal Like An Artist (which is celebrating its 10th anniversary!), he’d say we don’t take inspiration from others enough. Austin Kleon wrote the book 10 years ago that still rings true today about creativity. He says that taking inspiration from others and “stealing” ideas to create something yourself that is different is a true show of love and respect. He’s here today to talk about how to be more creative in your life and how to find inspiration. During our headline segment, we’re talking about crypto and the stock market. Are they becoming more aligned? We’ll dive in and share the specifics on the returns for each. Then we’ll Magnify Matt’s money and talk about grocery store and gas rewards programs. Do you share a grocery reward number with others? Matt does and he asked our Facebook group, the Basement, for their thoughts. We’ll share some of those answers. And don’t worry, we didn’t forget about Doug. He’ll share his amazing trivia in the middle of the show. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ready, set, SHOP! If you have to shop (and we're fairly certain you're like us and aren't in love with the idea at all), why not make it more fun by saving tons of money? Whether you're looking for clothing, tools, kitchen aids, furniture, or just something quirky, we've got you covered. Today we're talking to Sarah Hollenbeck from BlackFriday.com about the best deals available this holiday season. In our headlines segment we'll share another great deal that has savers everywhere cheering. The IRS announced recently that they're raising tax limits on all kinds of different retirement plans in 2019. What plans are getting a bump? Should plan to stash away more cash next year? We'll tackle that. Plus, we'll continue our Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping theme by making sure you don't get caught buying a "deal" that isn't really a deal this holiday spending season. We'll sit down with consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch about this year's holiday scams and not-so-great deals to watch out for. Plus, today we're throwing out the Haven Life Line to Jeremy. Jeremy has been looking into Life Insurance Retirement Plans after our interview with David Mcknight, but it's a brand new field for him. Any tips on navigating LIRPs? And during out letters segment, we're answering Michelle's question about HSAs and FSAs. With their employers only offering FSAs, should they be looking elsewhere? And don't worry... we'll still take some time for Doug's trivia. Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How often do you think to yourself there just aren't enough hours in the day? Between busy work schedules, duties at home and a social life, life can be pretty freaking busy. There's no surprise then, that relaxation is important to regroup and recharge. Today's roundtable will help you with new ideas to relax and offer their thoughts on why it's so important to your life and finances. Our roundtable guests are Andy Hill from Marriage Kids and Money, Len Penzo from lenpenzo.com, and our very own OG. Even better, the piece they discuss today is from Len Penzo's blog. We didn't tell him it was his own piece and you'll get a kick out of his reaction when he figured it out. To round out the show, Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's a money topic you're embarrassed to talk about? Don't want to share with people the insane amount of money you spend at the penny arcade just to miss the big prize by one ticket, or better yet, the amount of debt you got into only because someone told you it will increase your credit score? Our roundtable today talks about embarrassing money topics and how to make them less uncomfortable. It's strange, our regulars didn't show up as themselves today. It must be Doug with his April Fool's pranks again. We've got Gwen Merz, Paul Ollinger, and Bob Wheeler standing in and they share some great advice. We'll also leave time for Doug's riveting trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's your calling in life? The answer to that question comes instantly for some, and for others, there's nothing but cricket sounds. Today our roundtable guests are talking about finding your calling and why it's ok if you haven't found yours. We have our regulars, Paula, Len, and OG, on our roundtable today so you know they'll fill you in with good advice and tips. And, of course, we left time for Doug's most amazing trivia question ever. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've all made mistakes with our money. Whether it's not budgeting for a large expense or something larger like pulling money from a retirement account early, mistakes happen. Our roundtable discussion today centers around financial no-no's and how to reframe your thinking around some of these. Naseema McElroy, Paula Pant, and Len Penzo join our roundtable today to talk about their financial no-no's. They discuss everything from the illusion of frugality to budgeting tips today to help you avoid common mistakes. And of course, Doug will share his trivia with the group for our year-long trivia challenge. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are your favorite life lessons you've learned? Today, our roundtable discusses a piece from Joseph Wells' blog about 30 lessons he learned by age 30. He couldn't keep it to 30 so it's actually closer to 40 lessons he shares. Ashley Patrick from BudgetsMadeEasy, Paula Pant from Afford Anything and our very own OG share their favorite lessons from the list and add a few of their own. And don't you worry, we left time for Doug to share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder how an insurance company would look at some of your favorite movie and television series characters? We might be nerds (who are we kidding...we're huge nerds), but that's exactly the question we wanted to ask Haven Life's Brittney Burgett, who gives us some really enlightening answers. Not only do we find out information about how insurance companies view cartels, money laundering, and 1950's office spaces (all funny and not shocking), we also talk frankly about contestable periods, health ratings, professional considerations, and more. If you've ever wondered how insurance companies think about you, this is a fun way to start.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you looking forward to summer travel this year? We sure are! Heck, we're pretending we're on vacation now while we get this rewind week started! To kick it off, we've got two-time Emmy award-winning host of Travelscope, Joseph Rosendo, to share everything you need to know before making those summer plans. This episode aired in 2021, so be sure to ignore any mention of current events or giveaways. Take a look at our original show notes from the episode here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you searching for that next step in your financial independence journey? With so many books and resources available, it's hard to narrow down exactly what you should be doing -- and when -- to meet your goals. Today's guests created an app to help with that exact problem. Grant Sabatier and Logan Leckie created Topia, an app geared toward helping you reach financial independence. With clear steps and action items, you can crush your goals. They explain how it works and why it's so revolutionary. During our headline segment, we dive into tech stocks, specifically Netflix. Tech stocks have dominated the market for the past few years. What's next for them? We give our thoughts and point to stock buybacks and stock splits in today's market. We'll also answer Ray's question about the top fundamental things to know in personal finance. And Doug will share his Billy Joel themed trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever wondered how others are navigating their financial journey? Sharing tips, tricks, and mistakes with others can be super helpful, and having a community of like-minded people around you on any journey makes it less scary. As Joe travels across the country on his book tour for Stacked, he’s hearing from fellow Stackers about their money story. Thanks to Million Stories for partnering with us on this Instagram video series called A Million More Stories. We’re highlighting four of the interviews today, and they talk about money lessons as kids, money mistakes, and where they are now. We’ll also throw out the Haven Life line to Mike, who wants to know what courses and resources are available to help family members learn about financial management. And, of course, Doug will enlighten us with his real estate trivia. Enjoy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gearing up for summer travel? Not only is summer fun about saving money; it's also about ensuring that the dollars you spend are worth it. What theme parks are actually worth your money? Today we help you kick off your summer because Robert Niles from Theme Park Insider joins us for his 8th annual survey of what's new/what's hot/what's undervalued in vacation travel. He shares the newest rides and attractions at various park across the country and offers tips to get the best bang for your buck. During our headline segment, we dive in to a piece that says investing in the stock market "won't make you rich," and then (of course) offers some alternative "best" places to invest instead. There's legitimate alternative investments out there, and many that are highly recommended, but this list might fall slightly short. We'll have opinions. We also share what you should look out for before investing. We then answer an anonymous caller's question on the Haven Life line about retirement survivor annuities, and of course, Doug also shares his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maybe you’ve had a nagging feeling that things just aren’t right. Your partner is either acting strange, or money is gone from accounts and you aren’t sure why. It’s time to get a better handle on your cash flow. So how can you make sure your money is protected during the worst of times and how can you also ensure your partner isn’t hiding money from you? Today we welcome Tracy Coenen, a forensic accountant, to talk about what to do if you're faced with financial infidelity. She’s created a 10 step guide to controlling your finances and protecting yourself during a divorce and we’ll dive in to a few of the steps. She shares what to look for on social media accounts, how to handle and organize documents, and what to look for on bank statements. But we don’t stop there! In our headline segment we dive into mortgage rates. Where are rates today compared to recent years? How can you make sure you get the best rate possible? We'll tell you. We also talk about some big mortgage industry news as a whole. We also Magnify Linda's Money question. She wonders about 529 withdrawals. And of course, we’ll leave room for Doug's trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to brush up on your negotiation skills before that next job performance review or vacation? No matter the setting, great negotiation can make or break a deal, literally. Today we're listening back to our interview with Mori Taheripour where she shares how to be a master negotiator. If you haven't checked out Stacked yet, Joe and Emily highlight her interview there as well. This episode aired in 2020 so be sure to ignore any mention of current events or giveaways. Take a look at our original show notes from the episode here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The most fulfilling relationships are the ones where each person can be their true selves. Many times though, selfish goals are put above selfless ones. Vincent Pugliese admits he used to put his own goals above all else, but when he never reached the true happiness he was seeking, he changed his mindset. He's here today to share why character is important for building a true connection and why character and charisma are not interchangeable. During our headline segment, we dive into financial planning as a career. A recent piece shows that financial advisors are staying in the role well past the typical retirement age. We share why that is and give you all the details on what it takes to become a financial advisor. And, of course, Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mail Call! Today we're answering your questions about IRAs, tackle how to calculate a rate of return, dive in to Vanguard's new factor based funds.... and much, much more. In our headlines segment we turn out heads to secret millionaires. Why do people keep their millionaire status a secret? Would you? In our first headline we'll talk about how one secretary (and others) hunkered down and kept their investments a secret. Plus, are HSA enrollments stalling? We'll talk numbers and the big takeaways on today's podcast. Thanks to CollegeBacker for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Sign up at CollegeBacker.com/sb and get a $10 match when you start a college fund for your own family or send a gift to kickoff someone else’s college fund. Thanks to RXBAR for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get 25% off your first order at RXbar.com/sb, Promo Code: SB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sell, sell, sell! Buy, buy, buy! No, panic trading is not the answer when the market dips, but the news certainly can makes it sound like the end of the world. So what should you do during a down market? It turns out there's money-saving magic in avoiding selling everything to cash. Today, Joe and OG share their top 5 things to do during a market downturn. They talk about rebalancing, turning off the TV, rewinding history, and more. After this show, your investment policy statement, will be cleaner and more efficient than ever! During our headline segment, the guys dive into some quirky trends to follow in the stock market. South Park and Build-a-Bear (of all things) are making headlines in a recent Reddit thread. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Amanda who shares the strategies they used to pay off debt. And Doug will panic while he shares his panic trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A million and one money decisions in a day...how the hell do you make the right one???? Between social media and the internet, f--- me, there are countless tips and "advice" from strangers on how to manage your money, but absolutely ZERO are really tailored to you. In the basement, we know that information can be powerful if used correctly, and that's exactly why we invited Jean Chatzky and Kathryn Tuggle here today. In their new book (it's geared toward women, but everyone can benefit from it), they talk about the power of information and making informed decisions for our present and future selves. They talk to us about pillars of success, and how you can finally feel more empowered out in the open about your money decisions. During our headline segment, we'll answer the burning question: "why does my advisor never text me?" It's not because they don't like you. FINRA, one of the two major regulatory agencies, doesn't allow it. We talk about why and the opposite effect it tends to have from the rationale behind it. We also answer Katie's question on the Haven Life line about where to save additional money each month. And Doug will share his amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've all made mistakes but learning from them is the important lesson. Investing mistakes can cost you actual cash and we want to help you minimize that as much as possible. Our roundtable today looks back to an interview we did a few years ago where we talked about common investing mistakes and how you can avoid them. This episode aired in 2019 so ignore any mention of current events or giveaways. Take a look at our original show notes from the episode here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you have sticker shock at the grocery store or gas pump? Inflation is high and there's no doubt it's impacting spending ability. The good news is there are ways to help combat inflation and even help you earn more. Our roundtable today includes Andy Hill, Paula Pant, and OG, and they're tackling the inflation issue to give you tips and tricks to save money and earn more. They talk about raises at work, side hustles, and small ways to make a difference with your finances. And Doug will share his McDonald's trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you in the career you love? If not, what's stopping you from making a change to that job you've been dreaming of? Changing careers (especially if that means becoming an entrepreneur) isn't always as easy as it sounds, which is why our rockstar roundtable panel today is ready to help you find your way. Entrepreneurial coach Sylvia Moe Inks, Paula Pant, and Len Penzo discuss pivoting your career. They share their own stories of career changes and starting their own businesses. Of course, Doug will also share some flight-themed trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While we're usually not crazy about jumping in the cryptocurrency Kool-aid, a new type of crypto just being birthed called Kinesis caught our eye. This emerging crypto is based on gold and silver...so already it sounds a little different, right? To learn more about Kinesis and just how a new cryptocurrency is birthed, we invited CEO of Kinesis, Thomas Coughlin down to the basement to give us the fundamentals. What makes them different? Why launch a new one when so many others already exist? How do you keep your crypto-money from being stolen? We'll ask these questions and many more today. Then, in our headlines segment, Vanguard's Chief Investment Officer responds to Fidelity's new no-fee funds. While his answer might not surprise you, how we think this correlates to you and your money just might be a surprise. In our second headline, Wells Fargo has beat back another lawsuit...this one having to do with target date funds. Of course, we'll still have time for not only Doug's trivia, but also to answer a voicemail from John, who wants to know what advice we'd give someone who isn't sure how to crystalize their long-term goals. Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Thanks also to Nutrafol. Get your first month supply with a subscription plan for $10 nutrafol.com and promo code SB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of the top reasons couples argue is because of money. We always say that personal finance is personal and it's true that every person and couple have different views on money but coming together as a couple to share those goals is key. But even before most couples combine their finances, they have a wedding to stress about. Our roundtable today talks about couples and money and they dive into wedding registry gifts. Elle Martinez from Simplify and Enjoy, Len Penzo, and OG make up our roundtable team today and they share their thoughts on cash vs. gifts on registries and how couples can come together to crush their financial goals. Diania is also here today and she shares some amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Know those horrible situations where everyone's fighting at work -- or worse, at home? Talk about a horrible investment: being invested in a rotten environment can overshadow even the best portfolio returns. Good news, though. It turns out, there are two types of conflict: the kind that allows us to grow and produces a positive outcome and the kind that's downright toxic. To help us find a way toward healthy conflict, Gabe Karp joins us. He talks about why it can be hard to see the other side of an argument, how to turn bad conflict into good, and how to move toward a healthier working environment by even maybe fighting more (but in a healthy way). But before that, we speak to Lamine Zarrad from Stellar about credit and the current economy. What happens when interest rates continue to rise and you need a new loan that you can't afford? Lamine created a company called StellarFI, which was built to help people build their credit through paying bills on time. We'll talk about credit issues, the economic slowdown, and how you can protect yourself. And of course, we'll share our TicTok minute AND Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Remember the phrase 30-and-out? That was what people said when they'd sign up to work for the same company for their entire working lives. Since the days of single-job employment, working thirty years has become a standard idea. But why? Kiersten and Julien Saunders are the brains behind the new book Cashing Out, where they throw 30 years to the curb. Instead, they advocate focusing on 15 years. We'll dive into that, saving more effectively for your goals, the FIRE movement, and more, in a wide-ranging conversation with this dynamic duo (they also are the team behind the popular rich & REGULAR blog, podcast, and more. In our headlines segment, credit company Transunion is out with a new study asking the question, "How are you holding up during this era of massive inflation?" Charlie Wise from the company joins us to talk credit and some worrisome trends that you should hear so that you can avoid overstepping your credit lines. Of course, we'll also share an UGLY TikTok minute about life insurance, ask you a tough postal service trivia question from Doug, and more. ...just another Monday at the Stacking Benjamins show! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Buffie Purselle is a tour-de-force. She started her own business at 19. She's been featured on not ONE but TWO reality television shows. She's helped hundreds of budding entrepreneurs begin businesses. So to celebrate Juneteenth we're helping empower YOU with the woman who believes that you have to "crawl before you ball." She'll share stories from her own upbringing and early jobs that you can learn from to fast-track your own success. She also shares the dark moment when she realized things were headed in the wrong direction, and she needed to change her ways if she wanted to be successful. That's not even CLOSE to all of our topics, though. In our headline segment, we discuss some of the scandal behind meme stock trading: selling order flow. Wheels have been in motion since the meme stock craze began (remember Gamestop and AMC Theater stock?). Right now the SEC is trying to make some changes, and we'll share what it's all about. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Melissa who wants to find a fee-free HSA account. Why pay fees when there are great accounts out there with zero maintenance fees? We share how to find those free accounts. And we'll leave time for Doug's trivia AND our fairly gross TikTok Minute. Just another Federal holiday in Joe's mom's basement. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why aren't you saving more? How about $15,000 a year more? Our guest today just organized her financial picture and saved a TON of money. Anna Davies saved by doing the little things that people talk about all the time. Today's topic isn't about "have you heard it." It's about "have you done it?" We also have time to throw out the Haven Life line, bring on Doug's trivia, share some bad jokes, and lots more.... Huge thanks to Roofstock for helping us with today's show. New to real estate or a seasoned investor looking for a better partner? Check out Roofstock! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices