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StackingBenjamins.com | Cumulus Podcast Network
Named 2023 Best Personal Finance podcast by Bankrate.com, The Stacking Benjamins Show has a light and friendly tone. Hosts Joe Saul-Sehy and OG aim to make financial literacy fun for all as they sit around the card table in Joe's Mom's half-finished basement and talk with experts about personal finance, saving, investing, and important money trends. As Fast Company once wrote, the Stacking Benjamins podcast "strikes a great balance of fun and functional." So join Joe and OG every Monday, Wednesday and Friday as they read your letters, discuss major headlines, and throw in some trivia and laughs for free.
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The Simple Math of Wealth (SB 1507)

The Simple Math of Wealth (SB 1507)

Join us today as we dive into the core principles of building a sustainable financial future with marketing professor, author and investor, Scott Galloway. We explore the essential formulas behind his book Algebra of Wealth, discussing purposeful living, effective retirement planning, and the emotional aspects of investing. Our headline today is all about AllianceBernstein 401k lawsuit that was dropped by New York US District Court. During our Better Call Saul-Sehy and OG, we unravel the complexities of early retirement, delving into specific IRS rules for accessing retirement funds. Plus, Doug wraps it all up with some modern history trivia! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/investing-with-a-life-mission-1507 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:07:1424/04/2024
Make Better Investment Decisions - Our TOP 5 Building Blocks to Constructing a Better Portfolio (SB1506)

Make Better Investment Decisions - Our TOP 5 Building Blocks to Constructing a Better Portfolio (SB1506)

Today we're all about the factors to help you build a better investment portfolio. Joe and OG break down their thoughts as they dole out their top five building blocks to constructing a better portfolio. Be sure to bookmark this evergreen episode, as it contains universal truths that will help you in the years to come! In our headlines, we talk about what's the best way to prepare for unexpected financial shocks, and when to get started (spoiler alert: how about now?). We dive deeper into how to protect your downside in the event of black swan events. Our TikTok Minute is all about how to get 90% of the way to your health goals by using one simple trick. Stick around for Doug's US currency history-related trivia. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/top-five-investment-building-blocks-1506 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
57:0922/04/2024
We Dissect The 4 Main Paths To Becoming A Millionaire (SB1505)

We Dissect The 4 Main Paths To Becoming A Millionaire (SB1505)

Let's talk about what it takes to become a millionaire in today's day and age. We are thrilled to bring you a special roundtable episode with three outstanding contributors: we welcome CEO of BFG Financial Advisors, CFP® Eric Brotman; the force behind the website Yes, I am Cheap, Sandy Smith, and our resident doctor and host of the Earn & Invest podcast, Doc G. In the first half of the discussion, we cover two of the primary ways to reach millionaire status: saver/investor, and passion-based activities (starting a business, reaching celebrity status, etc.) In the second half of our discussion, brought to you by DepositAccounts.com, our roundtable dives into 2 more ways that people achieve millionaire status: the company-climber path and the virtuoso path. Plus, our year-long trivia game continues, with none of our roundtable regulars. Which sit-in will bring home the W for Paula, Len, or OG? Tune in to find out! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/4-paths-to-become-a-millionaire-1505 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:13:4119/04/2024
Our Primer On Making Better Insurance Decisions (SB1504)

Our Primer On Making Better Insurance Decisions (SB1504)

Today's episode is all about a very important, topic that's sure to arouse interest at personal finance get togethers: risk management. Specifically, Joe and OG jump into their Top 5 risks that people don't think about enough - and what you should do ahead of time. In our headline segment, we dive into a popular personal finance website's piece about what to keep in mind when aging. Our TikTok Minute features unfathomable consequences that one might experience if living near a certain sporting location. And finally, Doug brings it all home with his trivia that's loosely related to insurance (but not really). Classic Doug! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/all-about-better-insurance-choices-1504 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
58:3417/04/2024
A Story About Money That is So Good It Probably Isn't True

A Story About Money That is So Good It Probably Isn't True

If you've ever wondered if there's more in life and your career waiting for you than your current job, then today's mentor is someone you want to listen to! On today's show, we welcome Michael Balter to the basement to discuss his career path and how he pivoted in a big way! In our headline segment, we see some shocking (eye-roll) news about one store's credit card and how they are going to make up the lost revenue that they can charge in late fees. OG is not surprised. And, finally, stick around for Doug's trivia loosely tied to April 15th. It's a stretch, but he's going with it. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/career-pivots-for-the-win-1503 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:16:3715/04/2024
Why You Should Retire at 62 (or Before) (SB 1502)

Why You Should Retire at 62 (or Before) (SB 1502)

How do you know when the time is right to walk away from a career? Do you even want to? Can you afford to? Our roundtable discussion centers around thinking about retirement and how to prepare yourself financially so you can stay retired. We welcome Founder/President of Capital City Wealth Management, CFP® Benjamin Brandt, to join Paula Pant and Len Penzo. How do you factor paying for health insurance into your early retirement planning? What about debt payments? When you retire, there will be greater spending in some areas that you may not think about while still working. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/why-you-should-retire-by-62-1502 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
58:5512/04/2024
Strategies on Allocating Windfalls, Plus Does the Government Owe You 2K (SB1501)

Strategies on Allocating Windfalls, Plus Does the Government Owe You 2K (SB1501)

Did you recently come into some money? Are you expecting to in the near future? How have you treated "found money" in the past? With millions of Americans receiving their income tax refund, today we discuss what smart Stackers do with "found" money. Not only that, but we also dive deeper into tips for how to decide ahead of time what you will do with any windfalls that come your way throughout the year, so you don't have to worry about blowing investing the entire amount on a brand new El Camino. Be sure to stick around for Doug's this-day-in-baseball-history-themed trivia question! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/what-to-do-with-your-tax-refund-1501 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:03:3710/04/2024
The Important Role of Kindness and a Little Math When Stacking Benjamins (SB 1500)

The Important Role of Kindness and a Little Math When Stacking Benjamins (SB 1500)

How can simply being kind (and using math) bring more Benjamins into your life? Today we explore the topic of how changing your outlook towards others can attract more abundance and wealth in life when Joe sits down with our mentor, the brilliant James Rhee, MIT professor and author of the hit book red helicopter: a parable for our times: lead change with kindness (plus a little math). In our headline, we talk about the recent cutback in spending on lavish weddings, and how much is too much to expect to spend on your nuptials? Plus, how do you get out of budget for attending a wedding you've been invited to? Stick around for Doug's wandering trivia! You're sure to not feel any older after his knowledge! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/kindness-math-and-benjamins-1500 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:12:2608/04/2024
Party Like It's 1499 (SB 1499)

Party Like It's 1499 (SB 1499)

Today's episode is our 1499th episode! On today's celebratory show, we dive into some of your success stories! Plus, ever wonder how you achieve anything big in life? Just get started! On today's episode you'll get a behind the scenes look at the evolution of Stacking Benjamins. We go into what lessons we've learned along the way and how we strive to keep improving. Stacker Christine from Seattle calls in to share her story, and how listening to the show inspired her to change her social circles and the conversations she was having with others. We dive into best practices for building your business as an entrepreneur and how to build your network and reputation. Stacker Derek calls in to express his gratitude for the show and all of the regular contributors. Lambo calls in to share how listening to and learning from the show has helped him improve his financial life. Stacker Billy from San Francisco called in to give a shoutout to us and express gratitude for the help in making positive changes in his financial life. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/past-present-future-of-sb-episode-1499-celebration Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:03:1405/04/2024
Simplifying Your Investment Strategy While Lowering Fees (plus a primer on ABLE Accounts) SB1498

Simplifying Your Investment Strategy While Lowering Fees (plus a primer on ABLE Accounts) SB1498

The word is out on using low-cost investments over complex Wall Street strategies (and if you don't believe us, we'll quote SIGNIFICANT studies on today's show). Yet, new expensive products are built every day promising better/faster/more wealth. What do you need to know to simplify your strategy and stay the course? In today's headline segment we'll dive into diversification and keeping your portfolio simple. We'll share why it's important to question more complex strategies, and discuss solutions that wealthy investors truly are using to increase future income streams while keeping things low cost. We'll also shine a light on a popular investment manager who's working directly opposite the trend that we're suggesting, Cathie Wood of ARK Investments. We'll share the wild ride up and our thoughts on her recent issues and disastrous returns. We'll also take a call from James, wondering about ABLE accounts. These are wonderful tools for people with special needs who are diagnosed early in life, and can help individuals avoid significant taxes. How do they work? What do you need to know? We'll share. Of course, we'll also dive into Doug's amazing trivia question of the day, which shines a light on a high cost investment option: hedge funds...while saving time for a TikTok minute you won't want to miss. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/all-about-fees-and-you-1498 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
44:1803/04/2024
How To More Effectively Rearrange Tasks: Manage Your Energy and Time with Google's Productivity Expert Laura Mae Martin - plus an appearance by former President Barack Obama (SB1497)

How To More Effectively Rearrange Tasks: Manage Your Energy and Time with Google's Productivity Expert Laura Mae Martin - plus an appearance by former President Barack Obama (SB1497)

Busy does not equal productive. In fact, how often have you watched as someone who was too busy to reach the important items on their mile-long list? Sadly, we're addicted to the to-do list but not addicted enough to processes that actually increase our happiness, creativity, or effectiveness. True productivity begins with CALM, according to today's mentor, Laura Martin. She created the productivity expert role at Google, and joins us today to share hints and tips to make you not only more relaxed, but also a fountain of productivity, no matter what you want to do. Beyond that, we have an amazing headline, Joe & OG share the biggest laughs of their lives, and Doug FINALLY gives maybe his best advice ever. Oh, and former President Barack Obama stops by. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/more-productivity-less-guilt-1497 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:00:2601/04/2024
We List the Biggest "Gotchas" in Popular Financial Products (SB 1496)

We List the Biggest "Gotchas" in Popular Financial Products (SB 1496)

One of the most frustrating moments in any investor or saver's life is when you figure out that you fell prey to a "gotcha" you didn't expect and either lose money, opportunity, or both. Even if your favorite financial tool, strategy or advisor doesn't mean to inflict a "gotcha" on you, because we often don't know what we don't know, we use tools or people inefficiently, causing damage to ourselves we didn't expect. Today we talk about intended and unintended "gotchas" in financial products with three people who know and who've seen many problems firsthand. All of them are Certified Financial Planners, and all three are hosts of great podcasts. Shannah Game (Everyone's Talkin' Money), Roger Whitney (Retirement Answer Man), and our very own OG debate and discuss many of the nuanced (and sometimes not-so-nuanced) "gotchas" in investments, insurances, financial planning, and more. That's not all though. Of course we take a break halfway through for our weekly trivia contest between our contributors. Today? Doug's building bridges! You'll have to hear it yourself and maybe guess your answer. Can you beat our contestants? FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/person-finance-gotchas-1496 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:01:1429/03/2024
Are You Ready for a 30-Year Retirement? Plus, Velocity Banking and Shoelace Patents (SB1495)

Are You Ready for a 30-Year Retirement? Plus, Velocity Banking and Shoelace Patents (SB1495)

If you plan on living a long life (and who doesn't want that?), you'll need to create over thirty years' worth of cash flow. Studies show that the average person wants to retire at the "normal" age of mid-60s but also plans to live to reach the century mark. If that's you, you're in luck because today we're joined by the CFO of one of the country's greatest comedy clubs and a guy who's a professional comedian himself, Bob Wheeler. Bob joins the guys for the entire show to talk about longevity and planning and maybe share a few laughs. We also spend some time talking about two controversial approaches to paying down debt and banking: Velocity banking and Infinite banking. We describe both concepts and share the good, bad, and unfortunately, the ugly. That's not all. Doug is partying hard because it's the anniversary of the date the shoelace was patented! There's nothing like a basement-based party with a top comedian, your money jokes, and discussions of annuities, longevity, and getting started. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/make-your-money-last-30-years-bob-wheeler-1495 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:00:1727/03/2024
Simplifying Complex Money Ideas, Offsetting "Home Bias" Investing, and Better Retirement Strategies (SB1494)

Simplifying Complex Money Ideas, Offsetting "Home Bias" Investing, and Better Retirement Strategies (SB1494)

Our mentor today is one of the foremost thinkers and practitioners in the financial planning space. Peter Mallouk joins us to dispel the myth that the stock market is like the stock market, that the bond market is still dangerous (a year later), that AI is coming for our jobs, that you'll find safety in a savings account, and that gold is a great investment. It's a dynamic discussion with the man who wrote a financial book with Tony Robbins a few years ago, who owns the Kansas City Royals baseball team, and who is one of the top financial planners in the country. In our headline segment, we do something we often don't engage in: philosophy. But today, philosophical discussion meets behavioral finance (much more our strong suit), in a Wall Street Journal piece about passive investing and capitalism. Is passive investing killing the stock market, and then by extension, capitalism? While we probably won't solve the world's problems or "fix" the stock market, we will discuss the basics of passive investing (positives and negatives), the problem of (and also the advantages in) not knowing what's going on with the companies in which you've invested, and the importance of diversification, balanced portfolios, and avoiding recency bias. Of course, Doug shares a trivia question fresh out of Scotland. He'll use an important marker of today's date in history (Robert the Bruce's birthday) to shine the light on one of the most iconic pieces of real estate in the world, Robert's castle. We also help a Stacker who said, "I'd better call Saul...Sehy and OG!" He wonders about becoming a financial planner when you don't have a college degree. Is it more difficult to gain experience? FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/getting-your-financial-plan-right-1494 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:15:5425/03/2024
Passive Investing: Is Active Investing (finally) Dead? (SB1493)

Passive Investing: Is Active Investing (finally) Dead? (SB1493)

Is the battle between index funds and actively managed funds finally over? Total assets invested in index funds and ETFs recently passed assets invested in active funds for the first time ever. But is going all index funds the right move for you? Joining us is CFP and President of Bona Fide Wealth, Douglas Boneparthe. Also joining us is Crystal Hammond, host of our sister show, Stacking Deeds. And finally joining us from his bunker deep under Los Angeles is the creator of the award-winning blog lenpenzo.com, Len Penzo. We dive into the difference between active and passive funds, break down the history of each, and pontificate on where we think the investment world is heading. Plus, what are the risks of cap-weighted index funds? In the second half of the show, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we dive into the industry secrets and their smoke-and-mirrors tricks. Be sure to stick around for our ongoing year-long trivia competition. Doug brings us some diminutive French leader-themed trivia. You won't want to miss it! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/active-vs-passive-fund-debate-1493 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:08:4522/03/2024
Career Forward: Shine at Work by Focusing on What Matters (SB1492)

Career Forward: Shine at Work by Focusing on What Matters (SB1492)

Grace Puma and Christiana Smith Shi have been where you're trying to go. Puma was the COO of Pepsico, one of the largest brands on earth, and Smith Shi was the President of Nike Consumer Direct after over twenty years at a little consulting firm called McKinsey. Today they join us in the basement to help you reimagine your career and focus on the big picture while still doing a great job at the position you're holding now. How can you be both strategic AND focused? They'll share. Plus, they'll talk about the value of changing jobs (or employers), how to polish your resume, and how to lead yourself through organizations to find the top. In our headline segment we're visited by another star....this one in the tax planning world. Ed Slott is back, and he's fired up about your retirement accounts. His take: stop saving into pre-tax 401k plans and IRAs! Why? Here during tax season Ed joins us to dive into what we SHOULD be focusing on this tax season....and reminding us what we should ignore. But that's not all. We also answer a call for help from a Stacker who's wondering about the latest Robinhood promotion. Even though we're not fans of the company, should he take the free money? Of course, we also save time for Doug's trivia question, and much, much more. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/career-forward-grace-puma-christiana-smith-shi-1492 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:17:5920/03/2024
Nail The Money Basics (Even If You Think You Can't) SB1491

Nail The Money Basics (Even If You Think You Can't) SB1491

Anne Lester knows money. She helped develop target date mutual funds at JP Morgan, headed retirement programs, and knew her stuff. But Anne, like many of us, is a spender at heart and has had to trick herself into great saving habits. How? We talk about the basics, which do NOT include skipping lattes or shaming yourself into saving more money. In fact, the truth about saving more money is hiding in plain site, and we dive in so you can finally begin or accelerate your journey TODAY. Before that, though, in our headline segment, the United State government is cracking down on credit card late fees. The Biden administration has passed a cap on fees at eight dollars, and has also foreshadowed that overdraft and other bank fees may not be far behind. Is this legislation going to help you save more money? We'll dive into what we love, don't love, and what we're cautiously optimistic about, assuming that YOU take action on your plan and tighten up your banking practices. That's not all. We also answer a question from a Stacker who said, "We'd better call Saul...Sehy and OG for help!" Of course, there's Doug's trivia segment as well, and much, much more. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/mastering-financial-basics-anne-lester-1491 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:16:3518/03/2024
The Most Overrated Ideas, Concepts, and Beliefs About Money (SB1490)

The Most Overrated Ideas, Concepts, and Beliefs About Money (SB1490)

Admittedly, we finance nerds tend to obsess a lot over topics that may or may not be super relevant to the general public. But what are some things that are overrated in personal finance? That's what our panel dives into in this special roundtable discussion. Joining us we welcome back financial educator and author, Brian Feroldi. He joins Paula Pant, creator of Afford Anything, and our resident CFP®, OG. On the second half of our discussion, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we debate more of what the most overrated concepts in personal finance are. And finally, our year-long trivia contest continues as Neighbor Doug whips out some charity-related trivia.  FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/the-most-overrated-ideas-concepts-and-beliefs-about-money Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:04:4615/03/2024
Stackers Gone Wild (Our Community Members Share Success Stories) SB1489

Stackers Gone Wild (Our Community Members Share Success Stories) SB1489

Stackers in the wild are amazing creatures. We're quitting the job we don't care about and spend more time in our community because we've built emergency funds (Mike and Melissa share this story). We're becoming enrolled agents, a job that many can use as a side hustle to pay down debt, retire early, or build a better life (Jordan shares his tale passing these three tests). We're retiring early because we did the work and created surround sound to bounce ideas off of other people (Chris shares how he left his job at age 50). There are so many cool people all around you doing awesome things and today we share just THREE stories from YOU. But first we have a pair of disturbing headlines. One says the market is poised to continue upward, while the other cautions that we're nearly 100% certainly headed for a downturn. The problem? These two pieces were both found on the SAME reputable website, one right under the other! Huh?!? So, which is correct? We talk about both predictions and what we think YOU should do when you read either of these prognostications. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/stacker-community-episode-taxes-fire-flexibility-1489 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:10:5113/03/2024
Security, Hackers, and Your Money (Threats and Solutions w/ Kurt Long) SB1488

Security, Hackers, and Your Money (Threats and Solutions w/ Kurt Long) SB1488

Kurt Long used to launch rockets for NASA, but lately, he's been worried about your money (and your health). Kurt is the co-founder and CEO of security and privacy firm BUNKR, and has worked with some of the largest financial and healthcare institutions to keep your data private. We discuss where the biggest threats are coming from, what to ask advisors, what you should do to protect your health care records, and more. By the end of today's episode, you should have a clear idea of when your financial information is at risk and when you're safe. But before that we dive into a headline about timeshare exit fraud. If you've ever heard the commercials offering to help you get rid of your timeshare, you may have some idea what a huge industry it's become, and also now full of scammers trying to "help" you...or maybe just help themselves to your money. We talk timeshares, scams to get you IN and unfortunately, now also scams to get you out. How do you steer clear of all of this? We'll share ideas Of course, we'll also take a question from a Stacker who said, "I'd better call Saul....Sehy and OG!" and we leave time for Doug's trivia question, that we're sure you'll be sharing around the virtual watercooler later today. Our 1500th episode is coming! If you've changed your financial life at all because of the show or the SB community, call in and celebrate with us. Tell us how you've made some positive changes and we'll help motivate other Stackers to get rolling on their financial plans! Go to http://stackingbenjamins.com/voicemail and leave us a message sharing something you've done as a result of the show. Thanks for helping us build this coming episode! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/secure-your-life-kurt-long-1488 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:13:1911/03/2024
How Do You Spend Money Wisely? We Have Thoughts. (SB1487)

How Do You Spend Money Wisely? We Have Thoughts. (SB1487)

What role does spending money play in your life: as a tool to live a better life or a yardstick of status to measure yourself against others? Our roundtable discussion centers around this, as we're lucky to be joined by the dynamic duo Kitty and Piggy from the award-winning Bitches Get Riches podcast and blog. They join up with OG and Len Penzo to form the roundtable for this epic episode. Joe's mom's cousin Diania Merriam, founder of the EconoMe Conference, takes over MC duties for Neighbor Doug. In the second half of the roundtable discussion, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we dig into each of our contributors' favorite entry on Morgan Housel's list. Stick around for the next installment of our year-long trivia contest. Diania brings a Gillian's Island-themed trivia to our panel. Will the Bitches use their advantage in numbers to take home the W for Paula? Will Len's first-hand knowledge of Gillian's Island, having actually been around for the pilot episode, give him the upper hand, or will OG use his superior financial planning skills to bring home the W? FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/kitty-piggy-roundtable-1487 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:13:5408/03/2024
Forget "Think Different," Think Remarkable for Results (with Guy Kawasaki) (SB 1486)

Forget "Think Different," Think Remarkable for Results (with Guy Kawasaki) (SB 1486)

Were so worried about the Benjamins, the job, the success ladder, and getting "the things" that sometimes we forget to live. Guy Kawasaki was in the room when the iconic Apple "Think Different" campaign was created. He believes that "Think Different" isn't enough today. In his words, "You can be different and still suck." It's time for a higher target, and that target is "remarkable." But how do you get there? We'll detail everyting from the findings of Carol Dweck to the work of Jane Goodall to parse what "remarkable" truly means. In Guy Kawasaki's world, it means surfing. It means questioning your beliefs. It means learning how to ask better questions. Before that we cover a disturbing headline: FinTech company Chime and company-with-a-reputation-of-dishonesty Robinhood are better regarded than products which compete against them offered by big names like Vanguard and Fidelity. Why are younger investors and savers trusting these names over the heavyweights? That's good news, right? Maybe. We'll share what we think this means and also what you should do about it when thinking about where to park your hard-won dollars. Of course, we'll also take a question from a Stacker in need AND share Doug's trivia question! On the back porch, we also announce some new meetup dates. Come out and join us! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/how-to-live-your-best-life-best-self-guy-kawasaki-1486 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:09:5406/03/2024
Start Your Side Hustle/New Business The Right Way (SB1485)

Start Your Side Hustle/New Business The Right Way (SB1485)

So many new businesses start every year, only to fail weeks or months later. Sadly, many of the missteps these would-be business owners made could have been presented if they'd followed some fairly simple steps. CPA Michele Cagan not only owns her own small business, she counsels many business owners with their taxes and their business plans. She joins us today to share some of the most essential nuggets new business owners and side hustlers need to know, from her new book, Starting a Business 101. In our headline segment, Capital One has acquired Discover. What does this mean for Discover and Capital One cardholders and clients? We'll dive into all of the details and what experts are predicting will happen to the benefits cardholders of each company can expect. Good news no matter whether you're a Discover or Capital One customer...experts seem to believe things are looking up across the board. Of course, we'll also share a TikTok minute AND discuss backdoor Roth IRAs, mega-backdoor Roth IRAs (aka - "Doug's Mom IRAs"), and much, much more. Of course, we save time to wander out to the back porch and share our favorite films and television shows...and others we don't care for so much. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/how-to-start-a-business-101-michele-cagan-1485 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:16:0904/03/2024
Crypto vs S&P 500 Index Smackdown - (Earn & Invest REWIND SB1484)

Crypto vs S&P 500 Index Smackdown - (Earn & Invest REWIND SB1484)

We round out Rewind Week with an episode from The Earn & Invest Podcast. This is a current events/community Thursday episode featuring an Earn & Invest community member Ian Kist. We are also joined by Joe Saul-Sehy from The Stacking Benjamins Podcast. Today we discuss current articles about Crypto and Indexing that seem to be diametrically opposed. Who is right? This show originally aired on January 25, 2024, so ignore any mention of current events. To see the original show notes, visit Community Episode: Crypto vs S&P 500 Index Smackdown — Earn & Invest (earnandinvest.com). Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
57:1301/03/2024
When Do You Reboot Everything? (with Jason Tartick) - (REWIND SB1483)

When Do You Reboot Everything? (with Jason Tartick) - (REWIND SB1483)

We continue Rewind Week with an episode where interviews Jason Tartick. How happy are you, truly, with your job and life? Many people go through the motions in a career they don’t like, never taking the leap to find something they actually enjoy. The average life expectancy is 79 years, so here’s a question: 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 as a banker 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 joins the fun to share the results of Fidelity’s State of Retirement Planning survey. She shares the biggest concerns on investors’ minds and the impacts the pandemic has had on our financial confidence. Later, we’ll also answer Kevin’s question about an excess Roth IRA contribution. And, of course, Doug will share his amazing trivia. This show originally aired on April 6, 2022, so ignore any mention of current events. To see the original show notes, visit When Do You Reboot Everything? (with Jason Tartick) » The Stacking Benjamins Show. Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:14:2228/02/2024
The Inquisitive Investor: Vickey Barron on How Asking Questions Elevates Your Game – (Stacking Deeds Greatest Hits Rewind SB1482)

The Inquisitive Investor: Vickey Barron on How Asking Questions Elevates Your Game – (Stacking Deeds Greatest Hits Rewind SB1482)

We kick off our Rewind Week with an episode from our sister show, Stacking Deeds. Asking questions is the key to making connections, and today we connect with top Manhattan real estate broker Vickey Barron! She'll teach YOU how to ask the right questions to buy the right properties and build the right team. In our headlines, scams are on the rise....so what are some of the biggest real estate scams? We'll share. And speaking of share...I'll share some trivia that travels coast to coast. This show originally aired on August 15, 2023, so ignore any mention of current events. To see the original show notes, visit The Inquisitive Investor: Vicki Barron on How Asking Questions Elevates Your Real Estate Game (stackingdeeds.net). FULL SHOW NOTES: http://stackingbenjamins.com/sb-rewind-stacking-deeds-vickey-barron-1482 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:09:3626/02/2024
Filthy Rich or Miserably Wealthy? (SB 1481)

Filthy Rich or Miserably Wealthy? (SB 1481)

Over the course of your life, would you prefer to feel special or happy? If you can only choose one in your life, which one would you choose and feel like you made the most of it? That's the topic for our roundtable discussion today. We're joined by our very special guest Dana Anspach, CFP®, RMA®, Kolbe Certified™ Consultant, and Founder & CEO of Sensible Money, LLC. She's joined by our in-house sourpuss OG and Len Penzo, creator of the award-winning blog lenpenzo.com. Our panel discusses whether achieving "happy" or "special" is necessarily an either/or decision, or if there's some middle ground between the two. Joe goes on to clarify that the author's definition of "special" centers around addiction to professional success: addicted to being hardworking, successful, and wealthy. We tackle why many success-focused people are actually "miserably rich." Do you have to sacrifice your happiness in order to achieve professional success, or is there a way to have the best of both worlds? In the second half of the discussion, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we dive into how to overcome workaholism, so you avoid being miserable and wealthy. Is shedding materialism in favor of simplicity the secret to maintaining a healthy balance between success and happiness? Stay tuned for Doug's amazing big-money question. Will Dana propel Paula into a 3-way tie for first place or will OG or Len take sole possession of the lead? FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/balancing-success-and-happiness-1481 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:12:5023/02/2024
How to Become a Supercommunicator (SB1480)

How to Become a Supercommunicator (SB1480)

What are the most difficult skills you can master to create more Benjamins? Among the top must be "communicating effectively." The term "rainmaker" exists because people who can bring in more connections, networks, and also business into an organization are generally among the highest paid employees. The most valuable people in any organization are those who can simply and effectively share thoughts that move the needle. But that's only at work. Communication is also a huge part of making and keeping friends, building a family, or negotiating with neighbors, contractors, or community members. In short, being a supercommunicator pays in every possible way. That's why Charles Duhigg (bestselling author of The Power of Habit) joins us again to discuss how YOU can communicate more effectively. He'll talk about the different types of conversations people have, techniques to improve your skill when talking with others, and how to find common ground more often so that you can all handle the tasks of the day. But before that, we share a headline about the insurance industry. Things are a-changin', as they say, and it turns out...insurance is pretty boring. But will it always be boring? And what does that have to do with your money anyway? We'll share details on what's happening in the insurance industry and why you might want to evaluate your coverages to decide if it's time to move to better risk management techniques. Of course, we answer a question from a Stacker who thought, "I'd better call Saul....Sehy and OG!" He wonders about dividend paying stocks, taxes, and more. Plus, we'll also crown this podcast with Doug's amazing trivia question, the next round of our 2024 Math Joke Off, and more! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/charles-duhigg-1480 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Today's takeaways: 1) Check with your insurer to see that you're getting all the discounts possible AND check with other insurers to see if they're more competitive than your current offering. Talk to agents to ensure you have the right amount of coverage as well. 2) Ask, "What type of conversation are we having" before engaging too much in any discussion. Taking just a moment to do so can yield great opportunities. Learn to overshare so that others feel comfortable, and meet the person where THEY are, versus where you want them to be. 3) While dividends are great, a high dividend also means the chances for appreciation lower. If you're in a low tax bracket you may pay little (or no) tax on dividends...but a high dividend paying stock still may not be your friend. Also, if the dividend is really high, check to see if the company is organized as a partnership. If so, that may mean you'll have tax complications, including possible tax on dividends (even inside of an IRA), and additional reporting through a K-1 document...which often arrives very late in the tax season. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:02:3421/02/2024
Every New Skill Begins By Perfecting a Microskill (SB1479)

Every New Skill Begins By Perfecting a Microskill (SB1479)

Why aren't you making those big strides you're hoping for in your career, personal life, or with your money? Today we talk about the building blocks of success, which contrary to popular belief, isn't being "special" or taking a "big leap." It's getting the little things correct. Dr.'s Resa Lewiss and Adaira Landry join us to dive into tweaking some of the skills they've found can give you the largest boost with the least amount of effort, to increase your income, experience life more, and ultimately not just stack more Benjamins, but stack more worthwhile moments. Before that we share a headline that could save you thousands of dollars in taxes. One popular tax expert looks at the thousands of layoffs recently and finds some lemonade in the job-loss lemons of life. We explore one tax strategy we haven't discussed in a long, long time...and it could be your biggest tax break ever. Of course, we also share a great idea in the TikTok minute, Doug's amazing trivia, and more! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/micro-changes-for-big-results-1479 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:18:2819/02/2024
Apple Vision Pro vs Your Goals: Our Review (SB1478)

Apple Vision Pro vs Your Goals: Our Review (SB1478)

Have you heard about the new Apple Vision Pro that was recently launched? Are you an early adopter, or are you waiting for the price to be cut and the kinks to be worked out? Here to discuss the new world reality of augmented reality and virtual reality, we're joined by Certified Financial Coach and co-host of the hit couples' finance podcast For Better & Worth, Ericka Young. She is joined by Doc G of the Earn & Invest podcast and our very own OG. Is this amazing new technology worth its $3,500 price tag? Is there room in your budget for it? Or is it a justifiable "I'll figure it out later" type of expense? We discuss the pros and cons of being on the cutting edge, when it's acceptable (or not) to pull the trigger on a big, not-totally-necessary expense. Plus, stick around for our latest installment of Doug's year-long trivia game. Will Doc G make Len proud, will Ericka put Paula Pant on the board, or will OG take this week's prize? In the second half of the show, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we dive into why the fact that the Apple headset is so good it is actually a problem. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/spend-or-save-priorities-ericka-young-1478 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:05:0416/02/2024
Improve Your Relationships AND Your Portfolio this Valentine's Day (SB1477)

Improve Your Relationships AND Your Portfolio this Valentine's Day (SB1477)

Love is in the air! Today we're talking about relationships with two fantastic people - our guest of honor today is the host of the Optimal Finance Daily podcast and also the woman behind the EconoMe Conference, Diania Merriam. Diania and Joe talk about relationships, money, and that the whole idea of "relationship" doesn't start where many people think it does. We especially focus on money's role in a relationship and how focusing on the wrong aspects of "love" can end up helping out OUT of a relationship instead of getting closer with your "soulmate." Before that we have some fun talking about investing strategies with guest co-host, comedian Paul Ollinger. Paul rides along with Joe, OG, and Doug through a fun discussion on the fact that advisors are getting away from "boring" allocations of exchange traded funds and instead moving to separately managed accounts. What IS a separately managed account and why would an advisor do that? We get NERDY on today's show and shine a light in an area that advisors may not want you to look. Of course, we take a call for help from a Stacker AND Doug regales us with his amazing trivia, which we're sure you'll LOVE. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/2024-econome-conference-diania-merriam-1477 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Grab some candles and cuddle up with a loved one for this one! It's an epic episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:30:3214/02/2024
How (and When) to Break Up With Your Financial Advisor (SB1476)

How (and When) to Break Up With Your Financial Advisor (SB1476)

Breaking up is hard to do...but what if your money is at stake? You don't want to be in a horrible relationship with a financial advisor that you can't trust, don't like, and who doesn't make your wallet go all a-flutter. That's why we called in Chris Mamula to kick off "relationship week" on the podcast. He's a guy who was anti-advisor for a long time and now IS an advisor. How would HE tell you to break up when you're in a bad relationship? He'll share great tips AND his personal experience from behind the advisory veil on today's show. Plus, in our headline segment, millennials are struggling with credit card debt. How do they begin to dig out? We'll share both strategies and motivators for you, whether you're a millennial or not. Of course, we have a brilliant TikTok minute from a Stacker who's making the most of a Hallmark holiday by making money instead of spending it. If you're spending Valentine's Day working, you'll LOVE this edition... Of course, we'll also share Doug's fantastic trivia question AND Joe's review of Poor Things on the back porch. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/find-a-financial-advisor-you-love-1476 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:15:3612/02/2024
How To Unlock Your Edge In Work And life (SB1475)

How To Unlock Your Edge In Work And life (SB1475)

Are you looking for a way to get and keep an edge over your competition? Want to dramatically improve your results and are willing to think big? We're joined by our friend Lacey Langford from the MILMO Show to tackle that subject. She's joined by Len Penzo of the award-winning LenPenzo.com and our very own Drill Sargent, OG. If you're looking to set yourself apart in your field, be sure to tune in as we discuss ways you can achieve an edge. Be bold and take risks, as these are ways to truly learn and put yourself out there. On the second half of our show, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we dive deeper into how you can find your edge. Should you cast a wide net when searching for people who will help you achieve your edge, or should you limit your search to just those who have already traveled the same path that you're on? Finally, be sure to stick around for Doug's inheritance-related trivia question! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/how-to-get-ahead-financially-1475 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:03:2309/02/2024
Here Are Your Best Tax Software Options (SB1474)

Here Are Your Best Tax Software Options (SB1474)

Ah, the distinct smell of tax time. All that sweating...sweating out deductions, college expenses, rental income, and maybe even side-hustle write-offs (what exactly is a write-off again?). There are so many options for software to help you, where do you turn? Today we're diving into the College Investor's annual list of best in class software with Mr. College Investor himself, Robert Farrington. We won't share just ONE choice, but will walk through all of the different areas of your life where you might need one particular program over another. Before that, though, we share a headline about one popular columnist who disappeared last year to write a book, and missed out on all of the ups and downs of the stock market. What did he learn? We'll share. Plus, we're finishing up round one of our Stacker Joke-Off...and we'll share four new math jokes AND unveil the winners of last week's matchup. All of that, Doug's trivia AND more on today's episode! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/best-tax-software-2024-robert-farrington-1474 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
53:0407/02/2024
Could YOU Become a Market Wizard? SB1473

Could YOU Become a Market Wizard? SB1473

Have you ever dreamed about beating the stock market? Money in your pocket and a lifestyle beyond compare? Sure you have! Here's a surprise...there are people out there who HAVE beaten the stock market, and the man who's written a series of books detailing HOW they did it joins us today! Jack Schwager is the mind behind the Stock Market Wizards series, and today he joins us again to detail a couple more wizards. We walk through lessons we can glean from them about how to invest our own portfolios, using case studies from the best and the brightest traders as a guide. Jack's last appearance was a huge it for us, so if you missed that one, you definitely do NOT want to miss today's show. In our headline segment, we dive into the new "hot" budgeting trend: LOUD budgeting. Surprisingly, loud budgeting has nothing to do with screaming while using your budget app...it's a trend around financial wellness. We talk about loud budgeting, how to join the trend, and maybe help you feel less alone if you're actually hoping to be more responsible with your cash. Of course, we also have a TikTok minute that's inspirational (you're closer to Elon Musk's net worth than you may think!). Doug also shares his wizardly trivia, and more! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/lessons-from-stock-market-wizards-jack-schwager-1473 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:07:4705/02/2024
5 Things You Should Know Before You Retire (SB1472)

5 Things You Should Know Before You Retire (SB1472)

What do the happiest retirees share in common? What are some of the steps you can take to get ready for retirement before you actually reach your number? On today's special roundtable discussion, we welcome Wes Moss from the Retire Sooner podcast. He joins Crystal Hammond from our sister real estate investing show, Stacking Deeds, and Len Penzo from the award-winning blog LenPenzo.com. Stick around for Doug's DIY-themed trivia! Don't worry, no effort is required on your part. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/friday-roundtable-countdown-to-retirement-1472 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:05:4502/02/2024
Building Wealth and Purchasing a Home on a Dime with Kimberly Hamilton (SB1471)

Building Wealth and Purchasing a Home on a Dime with Kimberly Hamilton (SB1471)

Ever wonder HOW to afford a house? Already own a home but hoping to save money through better financial habits and hacks? Today we delve into the intricacies of buying a house while maintaining financial stability and building wealth. Joining us is Kimberly Hamilton, a financial educator and FinTech pro, who not only bought one house, but who also now has turned that house into a rental home and is buying a second home now for her family to enjoy. She'll not only help you develop better money skills, but also share tips on what NOT to do. ON today's Better Call Saul....Sehy & OG, we take a question from Stacker Chris who wants to continue making contributions to a Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) but is uncertain if he can. How does he make a Roth IRA work? OG answers Chris' question in what we all admit is the worst way possible, while still accurately helping Chris and our Stacker community know how to use a Roth IRA better. But before all of that we cover a headline from the Wall Street Journal about the state of the economy. It seems that defaults on loans are going up, yet Wall Street believes there's more room for Americans to borrow cash. But does this mean we should worry about the market? Worry about our own financial stability? Or should we worry at all? FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/stack-benjamins-on-a-dime-1471 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:08:3431/01/2024
Tales From The Dirty Underbelly of Financial Management - with Shannon McLay (SB1470)

Tales From The Dirty Underbelly of Financial Management - with Shannon McLay (SB1470)

Shannon McLay is on a mission to clean up the dirty end of the financial planning pool. The Financial Gym founder has seen it all - advisors offering whole life policies to young savers with no children, and people just beginning saving thrown into annuities over a 401k at work. Today we talk about what to look out for in the financial world, how some of the popular buzzwords like "fiduciary" won't help you much anymore, and what to ask a potential advisor so that you know you're headed in the right direction. Before that we share a big headline about the Chinese stock market. Things haven't been going well in China, while the US market is roaring. Is it time to maybe look overseas with some of your money? How do you think holistically about buying low? We also share a TikTok minute sharing a new way to look at student loans. But of course, that's not all. Doug throws out a great trivia question and we take an interesting call from a Stacker in need. FIVE great topics on today's episode! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/financial-fitness-with-shannon-mclay-1470 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:16:3029/01/2024
Eliminate "The Suck" and Maximize Life's Upside (Plus your health and wellness questions answered!) SB1469(SB1469)

Eliminate "The Suck" and Maximize Life's Upside (Plus your health and wellness questions answered!) SB1469(SB1469)

We've all heard that you have to take on risk in order to reap the rewards of investing. Are there any ways you can achieve the rewards without taking on additional risk (in life as well as investing)? We tackle this conundrum on today's roundtable episode with Paula Pant of the Afford Anything podcast, Doc G of the Earn & Invest podcast, and our very own OG. In the second half of the show, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we talk to Angelo Poli, founder and CEO of MetPro, who comes back to talk about health and wellness as we enter 2024. How do you stick to your New Year's resolution throughout the year and stick to your health and wellness goals year-round? From exercise and strength training to caloric intake and protein needs to the efficiency of vitamin supplements to the effectiveness of HIIT workouts to extreme dieting and fasting, Angelo answers our Stackers questions. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/finding-your-optimal-risk-reward-in-life-1469 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:07:3526/01/2024
Every Decision You Make Matters - with Brian Klaas (SB1468)

Every Decision You Make Matters - with Brian Klaas (SB1468)

Brian Klaas has an interesting backstory...to say the least. He owes his existence to a woman who murdered her family. Because she did it--and took her own life, he was born. This complete fluke is the catalyst behind Brian asserting that your decisions matter more than you could possibly think. While planning is important, Brian emphasizes that it's even more important how you respond to all of the flukes in your life. We'll talk about the weird falling of dominos and how we're all more interconnected than we'd like to believe (and more) with Brian. Before that we take on a difficult headline; a HUGE number of advisors say they're going to retire in the next ten years. What do you do if your advisor says they're going to retire before you do? How do you change advisors...and how do you even broach the topic of retirement with your advisor? We talk all things retirement and THEIR retirement on today's show. Plus, we're continuing the first round of our Great Math Joke Off. Four more Stackers see their jokes go head-to-head for a chance to win a couple of books AND possibly more if they continue winning. We also share trivia from Doug and take a call from a Stacker who'd Better Call Saul....Sehy and OG. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/everything-you-do-matters-brian-klaas-1468 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:11:0324/01/2024
Navigating Family, Goals, Culture, and Good Money Habits (with Gigi Gonzales)- SB1467

Navigating Family, Goals, Culture, and Good Money Habits (with Gigi Gonzales)- SB1467

What’s important to you? Owning a car? Family time? Retirement? No matter what your goals are, they’re always intertwined more with the goals of those around us than we may think. For Gigi Gonzalez, culture was everything when it came to working toward her goals. When she began shoveling money toward her own non-family goals, it created rifts in her family. Did she think she was too good for them? Was she losing her cultural identity? While that’s not at all true, what is true is that balancing reaching her goals and working with her family was an important middle ground that Gigi needed to find as a first generation American AND that she passes on to others. She also helps us with our budget, car buying strategy, and more. In our headline segment, check writing is in the crosshairs of one popular New York Times columnist. We’ll talk about why YOU probably want to eliminate checks once-and-for-all from your financial life. In our TikTok minute, we talk about maybe the BEST diet AND wallet saving food on the market. We also help a Stacker who had to Better Call Saul (Sehy & OG). Of course, you can wash it all down with some awesome trivia from Doug. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/cultura-and-cash-gigi-gonzalez-1467 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:12:3122/01/2024
Does Wealth Care Where You Live? (SB1466)

Does Wealth Care Where You Live? (SB1466)

Ever wonder how where you live and work could affect your ability to reach your financial goals? More specifically, is living in a big city making you poor? Here to discuss this topic on today's special roundtable episode, we're happy to welcome Maggie Tucker from the Inside Out Money podcast. She joins Len Penzo and OG to tackle this important topic and extract key lessons that Stackers can apply to their own lives. In our second half of the show, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we dive into what are ways that Stackers can save money despite living in a big city? Be sure to listen to the show, as you won't want to miss these tips! Be sure to stick around for the continuation of our year-long trivia game. Doug has a doozy of a question with a literacy charity-related theme. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/is-city-living-making-you-poor-maggie-tucker-1466/ Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:00:3219/01/2024
Finding Your People, Extinguishing Negative Self Talk, and Finding Peace (with Amy Minkley) SB1465

Finding Your People, Extinguishing Negative Self Talk, and Finding Peace (with Amy Minkley) SB1465

Amy Minkley is a woman on a mission. Sometimes, she admits, the mission is WAY over her head. She's an overachiever by nature, coming by her work ethic out of a need for independence when her dad left the family when she was young. From that beginning (which she says she's grateful for), Amy has gone on to big things, including creating the FI Freedom Retreat in Bali. Amy joins us for a wide-ranging episode on being okay with imperfection, finding like-minded people, and on intentional living and more. If you're feeling stuck, this is the perfect episode for you. If you're an overachiever and perfectionist, this is also the episode for you. Amy isn't the only awesome guest on today's show, though! Comedian and show writer Lisa Curry joins Joe, OG and Doug to dive into the rest of the show. In our headline segment we tackle long term care (and again the need for community when it comes to caring for our elders). Lisa offers a solution we may or may not dismiss while also being slightly fearful about it. In our new Better Call Saul (Sehy) segment, we take a question from a Stacker wondering about the Coverdell ESA. We dive into how to best plan for education, which usually doesn't include using a Coverdell. In this episode we discuss: Camp FI FI Freedom Retreat Long Term Care insurance Inflation Elder care in general Coverdell ESA accounts 529 plans ...and more! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/building-your-fi-community-in-bali-amy-minkley-1465 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:20:3817/01/2024
Tricks to Rethink Your Budget w YNAB's Jesse Mecham (SB1464)

Tricks to Rethink Your Budget w YNAB's Jesse Mecham (SB1464)

The founder of one of the nation's most loved budgeting tools says he dislikes the term "budget." Why? Because most of us see a budget as restrictive and limiting. The good news? Jesse Mecham from budgeting program YNAB to dive into how to make your money go further and align with your goals. We'll share thoughts about giving every dollar a job before you earn it, "aging" your money like a fine wine, the struggle every app builder has with interfacing with banks, and much more. If you either have a budget, a "kinda" budget, or are looking for a budget that works, this show is for you! But before that, in our headline, long time bond manager Bill Gross says that bonds may be overheated in this current market. What does that mean? What does it mean for your long term money? We take some time to talk through the not-so-simple idea of tying your funds to the timeline you've built to spend that dollar. If you need a long term investment strategy, you'll especially want to listen in to our headline. In today's TikTok minute, consumer finance guru Clark Howard discusses pricing schemes at both Costco and Sam's Club. Is that deal your scoring really a deal? Is it as budget friendly as they make it seem? Some deals are great and others aren't, and both of these retailers hide their strategy in plain site. Think that's all? Oh, of course we have more! This week we debut a NEW call in segment for the show. No more life line...today we'll share how we are going to handle YOUR call when you need some help with your money? Have a question? Head to stackingbenjamins.com/voicemail and you may hear yourself on the show! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/master-your-2024-budget-jesse-mecham-1464 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:11:5915/01/2024
24 Smart Money Moves for 2024 (SB1463)

24 Smart Money Moves for 2024 (SB1463)

What are some rules to live by to make your 2024 the best year ever? Our very own OG, Paula Pant from Afford Anything, Len Penzo from LenPenzo.com, and Jonathan Clements' article served as the inspiration for today's topic. New year, new you, amirite? We dive into mantras whose adoption could benefit you for the long term, not just until you lose your New Year's resolution motivation. We touch on our top three best pieces of advice. During the second half of the show, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, our panel runs down their next favorite picks from the list. Be sure to stick around as our year-long trivia contest kicks off! Doug has a racy trivia question that will leave your head spinning. Which one of our three regular contributors will pull out in the lead with a W? FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/24-life-tips-for-2024-1463 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:09:3912/01/2024
We Ask Chat GPT How To Solve Our Debt Problems (SB1462)

We Ask Chat GPT How To Solve Our Debt Problems (SB1462)

Maybe the holiday season got away from you. Maybe it's been a bigger, longer issue that you've been trying to solve. Maybe you have manageable debt, but you'd love to see it gone. Even less likely, maybe you have no debt, but wonder how to counsel those around you to help them pay off their loans. No matter, today we go to the overlords--AKA the computer--to ask AI how to solve debt issues. Chat GPT sprang on the scene just over a year ago and already has a checkered relationship with the truth. Can Chat GPT answer our debt questions? We ask it LOTS of different questions and receive some great answers and others that are...suboptimal. No matter, we spend this issue diving into how WE think you should look at your debt and solve your own debt issues. In our headline segment, one popular money management firm is in the news because rumors are swirling they're for sale! What happens if YOUR money is at a firm that is sold? We ask OG for the insider look into money management and what happens if your advisor or the place your money is parked changes, even though you didn't make a move. Is your money still safe? Is there something you can do to protect it? We dive in. And of course, we also feature some empire building trivia from Doug and much, much more. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/chatgpt-and-your-finances-1462 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:05:1610/01/2024
World Record Holder Jenn Drummond on Planning, Resilience, and Goal Setting (SB1461)

World Record Holder Jenn Drummond on Planning, Resilience, and Goal Setting (SB1461)

Last week we were all about focus and goal setting. Today? We'll teach you how to tenaciously grip those goals when times get tough. Jenn Drummond knows what it takes to work through adversity. She was the first woman to scale each of the Seven Second Summits, the second tallest mountain on each of the seven continents. These mountains are considered more technical as a group than the Seven Summits (tallest on each continent), and also are harder because there are far fewer resources to help you scale them. We'll walk through Jenn's adventures in Antarctica, Asia, North America, and more, as she negotiates adversity around every corner. From dreaming to planning, climbing and celebrating, we cover it all. If you want big goals in 2024, Jenn will speak directly to you. In our headline segment, some disturbing news on employment: it was harder to find a job in 2023 and 2024 doesn't look like it's going to be easier. We'll help you build a to-do list of tasks to make sure aren't on the outside looking in when it comes to your next job opportunity. Our TikTok minute features MORE 2024 predictions...this time from Professor Scott Galloway and another from Dan Yang. Both are great predictions (Galloways is slightly better), and we'll talk about home ownership extensively today. Of course, Doug will still help you become king of the virtual watercooler with today's trivia challenge AND we'll answer an interesting question from Christian who calls all the way from Germany! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/climbing-your-next-mountain-jenn-drummond-1461 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:20:5808/01/2024
We Ask a Walmart Magic 8 Ball To Predict the Future (SB 1460)

We Ask a Walmart Magic 8 Ball To Predict the Future (SB 1460)

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 2024. How will the Magic 8 Ball perform this year? We’ll find out! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/yearly-8-ball-predictions-1460 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:21:5305/01/2024
Make Goal Setting FAR Easier in 2024 (with Jon Acuff) - SB 1459

Make Goal Setting FAR Easier in 2024 (with Jon Acuff) - SB 1459

Many of us struggle with goals. Maybe it's the words we use around them, like "legacy" and "purpose" that freak us out. For whatever reason we look into the future... ...and we freeze. Jon Acuff was one of those people. After struggling through college with "purpose" and spending lots of time wondering "what am I supposed to do next?" he found a solution. The solution worked. Today he dives into how to create goals in a manner that's not only easier, but also more fun and rewarding. Yes, you read that correctly - the process itself is rewarding and fun. We'll share exactly how it works on today's episode as he mentors us toward successful Stacking. Before that we share a headline that's also instructive. A popular money manager (Jeffrey Gundlach) took out his crystal ball and look at 2024. We'll share his predictions (our own will come on Friday's episode) and then we'll of course offer you our guidance about whether you should follow them. But that's not all. Doug shares some incredible trivia AND we answer a benefits-related question from a Stacker. ...all that and more! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/start-2024-right-with-goals-jon-acuff-1459 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:10:3503/01/2024
Lesson: Learn to Focus in 2024 (plus, how BNPL companies are killing you)

Lesson: Learn to Focus in 2024 (plus, how BNPL companies are killing you)

So many distractions. You can't even read this title without thinking about your social media accounts, can you? That's okay. Neither can we. So, to help ourselves AND our Stacker community, we invited Eric Qualman to join us. He embarked on the Focus Project where he just tried focusing on ONE THING for two hours a day. How'd it work out? We'll share all, including his tips on New Year resolutions and how to block time for the important things on today's show. Plus (and before we discuss focus), we'll dive even more into the topic as we talk about Klarna and Affirm, plus companies who've done the same thing over the last thirty years. Should our Stacker not go with the BNPL company? We'll discuss winning strategies. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/increase-your-focus-in-2024-erik-qualman-1458 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01:18:5001/01/2024