Are you ready to get intimate? Really intimate? Bare it all and totally expose yourself with your partner? We're jumping into financial bed with Erin Skye Kelly to learn about the relationship-saving power of scheduling regular "naked money meetings." Rather than sliding the uncomfortable conversations under the rug, Erin shows us how to confront the topic and overcome you and your partner's money blocks and win together. Take Erin's Naked Money Quiz for free to get real with yourself and face your money blocks. In our headlines segment, we hear about the next best thing since sliced bread...or not...in the form of a spot Bitcoin ETF, possibly coming soon to a broker near you. Bitcoin is an incredible world-changing technology, but does a Bitcoin-based ETF deserve a place in your financial portfolio? We dig in. Doug brings the heat with his old-school gaming-themed trivia question. And Stacker Zachary ("Stackery"?) has a question for us about the worst advertisements ever. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/getting-financially-intimate-with-erin-skye-kelly-1407 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

On today's evergreen Friday roundtable rewind episode from August 21, 2020, we dive into doing financial fitness exercises to build better money habits with the Financially Savvy Latina herself, Natalie Torres-Haddad. Also joining us is Richard Simmons, showing us all the Financial Fitness exercises, opps no it is the creator of the award-winning blog lenpenzo.com, Len Penzo; and our co-host-with-the-most and CFP, OG. You'll want to tune in to reinforce the importance of integrating good money habits (aka the financial fitness exercises) in your life. Plus, our friend, the Evil HR Lady Suzanne Lucas joins us to talk about how to use your vacation days guilt-free. The show originally aired in 2020 so ignore any mention of current events. Check out the original show notes here. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins/friday-roundtable-financial-fitness-rewind Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions about all things financial fitness are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder how real estate investors reach the summit of success? Our friend and regular Friday roundtable contributor, Paula Pant, joined Joe and Crystal Hammond on the most recent episode of our sister show, Stacking Deeds, Building a Strong Real Estate Foundation: Tips for Novice Investors with Paula Pant. Paula opens up to Joe to share her journey from the early days of starting in real estate investing to where she is today. All Stackers can learn valuable lessons about smart real estate investing by tuning into this special rewind episode. Paula's real estate investing course for beginners, Your First Rental Property, is now open for enrollment for a limited time! Take the first step in your real estate investing journey by signing up for Paula's course through our exclusive link, stackingbenjamins.com/paula to get access to Joe's special "Sherlock Holmes sheet," which can help you find extra money in your budget. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/rewind-paula-pant-real-estate-journey-1405 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

Join us for a special Rewind Week edition as we check in with Crystal Hammond and our sister show geared toward real estate investing, Stacking Deeds! She sits down with the best carpenter in the remodeling business, Mark Ellison, to dive into not just real estate topics, but key takeaways about the importance of relationship-building that you, our Stackers, can apply to your own lives. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/stacking-deeds-020-rewind-1404 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

Are your household finances running like a well-oiled machine? Does each member of the household know his or her role(s) in reaching your own financial planning strategies? Who's your family's CFO? Who's got the COO role? Joining our roundtable to discuss financial planning strategies, we welcome Lacey Langford from the Military Money Show, PLUTUS award-winner Len Penzo from lenpenzo.com, and our own guy who knows how to run efficient systems, OG. In the second half of the show, our panelists share some of their favorite tools and strategies for maintaining harmony with their partners. What financial planning strategies do they talk about during their family meetings? I mean... they're experts, aren't they? What do THEY do that we can emulate? And finally, you won't want to miss the latest addition to our ongoing year-long quest for trivia supremacy. Sure it may not be financial planning strategies that you'll hear, but WILL be a race to the golden end-of-year trophy. Will Lacey's return be history in the making by helping Team Paula take sole ownership of first place? Will seniority reign supreme in the form of Len reclaiming the lead? Will OG continue his improbable ascension from the depths of the cellar? Three will enter; only one will emerge victorious! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/family-money-roles-1403 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

Ever wonder what personal finance topics worry everyone else? You're not alone. We all wonder if our view of the world (and personal finance, by extension), are the same that other people hold. That's why today we're live from the floor of the 2023 Podcast Movement Conference with two other great podcasters: Shannah Game from Everyone's Talkin' Money and Paula Pant from Afford Anything. Both Shannah and Paula, along with our own OG share their take on how our audience worries have changed this year. We tackle every personal finance topic from inflation to employment to interest rates...and more. But that's not all of the personal finance fun. We kick it back to Doug, who's holding down the fort in mom's basement for us, with a trivia question that you just might get right... Truly the takeaway from this year's version of what's become an annual episode for us? It's that while personal finance is truly personal, it turns out that the one constant is that the world always is changing, and if something seems like a "sure thing," it's sure to become unsure at some point. In one discussion, the conversation moves to inflation, which three years ago wasn't even on the radar as a hot topic. Today, inflation is driving many of the worries that we have, from interest rates to real estate prices. It's true that the world of personal finance only has a few topics to master, and yet, staying on top of them so that you make better decisions is always more challenging (and yes, sometimes even fun!) than you may think. FULL SHOW NOTES: Add show notes url here. Be sure to please include https://www at the beginning of the show notes url that makes it clickable on YouTube 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

Is the secret to achieving your financial independence in taking a never-ending sabbatical? We're thrilled to have sisters Sammie and Michelle Varghese to discuss what they've learned about financial independence and how taking time off work can lead to greater things in your life. In addition to financial independence, what other life and/or career goals do you have? How did discovering the FIRE ("Financial Independence, Retire Early") change Sammie and Michelle's trajectory, what can you do to reach financial independence earlier, and what are the benefits to doing so? And how can you get on the fast track to financial independence from only your 9-to-5 job? In our headline segment, we'll help you get closer to the financial independence you seek by sharing some best practices on how to ask for a deferred compensation arrangement - and demonstrate how it's in your employer's best interest to work with you. And in our Haven LifeLine segment, OG's self-restraint skills are put to the test when he answers a Stacker's request for backup to help his friend's mother respond correctly to a financial advisor's questionable recommendation. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/never-ending-sabbatical-Sammie-and-Michelle-Varghese-1401 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

Does a hard life automatically mean you're destined to struggle with finances? On today's show, we're all about mindset and how adopting the right mindset can set you on the path to financial success—and how having the wrong money mindset can hinder your financial progress. We're honored to invite Tiffany Grant down to the basement to share her real-life experiences and struggles, and how having the right mindset helped her overcome the early disadvantages. Doc G from The Earn & Invest Podcast joins us to share his formative-years experiences with a hard life, and how his mother's scarcity mindset affected him. And our resident gold bug, Len Penzo joins us to explain why he insists on preparing for economic doomsday by hoarding gold and cash. We discuss the role habits play in mindset formation, as well as the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people and influences. In the second half of the discussion, we dive into how you can make the necessary changes in yourself to improve your life situation. Spoiler alert: gratitude plays a big role in your quality-of-life. And finally, Doug brings the heat with some trivia about a well-known budget-friendly food. With two of our regular contributors MIA, will Len use that to his advantage and inch ahead of Paula Pant? Will our guest of honor flex her budget-friendly food knowledge and give her soul-sister Paula the lead for the first time, I think, ever? Will Doc G throw OG a lifeline and the impetus to start a 4th quarter rally to emerge from the cellar? Three enter, only one will emerge victorious (unless there's another tie). Tune in and find out what everyone many a few nerds will be talking about until next Friday. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/fri-roundtable-mindset-tiffany-grant-1400 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

How much is enough? Enough money, enough status, enough possessions, enough leisure? We are happy to welcome Manisha Thakor to the basement to discuss some of the revelations she learned after experiencing what she calls the "cult of never enough." How do we disconnect our personal lives from our work lives? Is a cool $5 million enough to retire on in America? In our headline, we take a peek into the retirement lifestyle of the top 0.1% of households. And in Doug's trivia, he might leave you scratching your head with his question about a symbol that can't be pronounced. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/getting-zen-with-your-money-Manisha-Thakor-1399 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

What lessons have you learned from the silver screen? Today we dive into LOTS of great lessons about finance from our favorite films. Joe and OG both prep their top 5 and do not share them with each other until they hit record. Will your favorites make the cut? You're about to find out! Plus, in our headline segment, if you work from home we may have some good news; most companies plan to continue their current work-from-home policies, according to a recent study. What does this mean for your "work-life balance" and about scoring the next raise? We'll share tips to help your career. Of course, we'll share a TikToker with a great idea AND Doug's incredible trivia, and more! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/top-5-movie-money-lessons-1398 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

Where do YOU turn for true financial advice? Your family and friends? A CFP professional? Your bridge club crew? TikTok??? On today's special Friday roundtable episode we're thrilled to have an all-CFP lineup to each give their two cents on where to look for true financial advice. We're happy to welcome back our friend CFP Michael Kitces after a long hiatus; we also welcome back the queen of Sensible Money CFP Dana Anspach; and finally, our in-house CFP OG joins the gang. In the second part of the discussion, our panel shares their take on the positives and negatives of joining a good financial Facebook group; the pros and cons of signing up for financial webinars and masterclasses; and how psychology plays into the right financial plan for you - even when the pure math doesn't make sense. Plus, we dive into the value of surrounding yourself with the right team by creating your personal financial "board of directors." Be sure to stick around at halftime for Doug's trivia all about the business of basketball. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/friday-cfp-roundtable-personal-advice-1397 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

As we buckle up and prep for fall we think "curriculum." What lessons do we need in our life? What lessons do our children need from us? Whether you're headed back to work or back to school, we're diving into helping those around you do better with money. John Lanza, host of the Art of the Allowance podcast joins us to talk families and money...and even if you don't have a family OR money, there are LOTS of lessons in this discussion. In our headline segment we remember that HOW we pay can sometimes be as important as WHAT we are buying. Fraud is through the roof, so we discuss the different ways you can settle up with a merchant, so you have smooth transactions. Of course, we answer a (very creative) Haven Life line call for help AND Doug also spoon feeds us some trivia. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/allowances-and-raising-money-smart-kids-john-lanza-1396 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

If you've been wondering HOW to get where you want to go. If you've been wondering WHY you aren't getting the results you want. If you wonder WHERE you should look for better ideas, Peter Atwater has you covered on today's show. We recorded this podcast two weeks ago and we have already referenced it in SO MANY other situations…Peter Atwater joins us to talk confidence when investing, when managing, when leading…and generally when living. At first, we didn't understand why this was the breakthrough idea, but the longer we sat with it, the more we referenced his idea. But that's not all. In our headline segment, 401k balances are rising, but 401 hardship loans are through the roof. What's going on? We'll share ideas (and solutions if you're borrowing from your 401k). Plus, we also have our TikTok minute, throw out the Haven Life line to a lucky listener, and more. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/creating-stories-to-find-confidence-peter-atwater-1395 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

Believe it or not, where you hold your investments can have a big effect on how much money you actually keep - even if you don't touch them! On today's special Friday roundtable, we're talking tax efficiency, and what account types are best suited to maximize your after-tax returns, as well as the tax implications of different types of investments. And how to position your investments to maximize their after-tax returns? We are overjoyed and honored to have Christine Benz, the Director of Personal Finance at Morningstar (yes, that Morningstar) join us. Also joining us is a lady who knows a thing or two about getting the most bang for her investment buck: from Afford Anything, we welcome Paula Pant. And finally, none other than the man who has been helping his clients dodge taxes in his years as a practicing CFP, our very own OG brings his wisdom. In the second part of the conversation, our roundtable tackles execution - when it makes sense to change your investments, and how to strategically reposition your investments for best tax efficiency - and where to take distributions from first, when selling your investments. Stay tuned for Doug's Airbnb-themed trivia. Will Paula shock the SB World and pull into a tie for first place with Len? Will Christine flex her knowledge base and assist Len in keeping ahold of first place? Will OG take the first step to ascend from the cellar? Tune in to find out! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/fri-roundtable-christine-benz-1394 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! (..and by the way, we HAD TO create a title with a colon in it). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our annual look at inflation is back...by looking at the price of a sandwich! Award winning blogger Len Penzo joins us to reveal his look at ten different sandwiches and how their prices have changed since a year ago.  What's REALLY happened to the price of eggs? (hint: it's not what you think) Is a baloney sandwich still the least expensive? What sandwich ingredient went up the most? How does a sandwich compare to McDonalds or buying from work? We'll dive into ALL of the details on today's show. But of course, that's not all. In our headline segment, US debt was downgraded last week. What does that mean for your money? We'll explain. Plus, we'll answer a question from a Stacker about what to do if you have money you need now but it's in a volatile spot? Should she move it now? Wait because it's going up? Which is best? All of that, Doug's amazing trivia, and more on today's podcast! Enjoy! 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

Thinking about a better future? Maybe look at what happened to you during your childhood and learn lessons that can help you grow. That's what today's guest, Charles McCarrick did. He took important lessons from some hilarious, educational, and sometimes disturbing moments from his childhood growing up the next-to-youngest of five brothers (and one sister!). Charles shares stories that made him the scientist, entrepreneur, and thinker that he is today, and that can also help you either build your own business or grow inside of the business where you work. We have a guest co-host today! Stephen Baughier from CampFI joins us for our headline, TikTok minute, Haven Life line, and more. He'll share stories from the popular FIRE movement camps, and help us build good lessons from today's show. He also shares what's happening at the upcoming Texas Camp FI, where Joe will be a speaker! In our headline segment, one popular crowdfunding real estate platform has had some trouble. We'll share the details AND what it has to do with your money. Of course, we'll also save time for Doug's trivia! FULL SHOW NOTES: https:www.stackingbenjamins.com/creating-entrepreneurs-and-camp-fi-1392 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

In today's roundtable, we dream the same dream that millions of lottery ticket buyers dream week in and week out: what would you do if you pick the right six numbers in the correct sequence? Beyond the lottery, how do you effectively manage any lump sum of Benjamins that may appear in your account? Our elite 3 roundtable panelists dive into the deep end when it comes to taxes, inheritance, and expected/unexpected windfalls. Joining us today is a lady who knows a little something about managing money efficiently. Paula Pant; the man who probably has the winner's phone number on speed dial, Len Penzo; and the CFP extraordinaire who may or may not have worked with lottery winners in the past (but he won't tell us), OG! Then we hear a heartwarming story of another winner who fulfilled his promise that he had jokingly made with his stepdaughter by letting her know that; unfortunately, she would have to start paying her phone bill - as a result of her reaping the $200,000 prize. The disappointing part of this story is that she plans to spend it all on a combination of home improvements and splurge on a big family vacation, with no mention of anything being saved or invested. Have you made a plan of what you would do if/when you come into a big sum of Benjamins? Let us know in our Facebook group, The Basement! In the second part of the show, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we put our money nerd hats on and talk about how we'd invest a huge sum of money. Plus, stick around for Doug who tries to lift our spirits by bringing some bubbly trivia. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/lottery 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

Advisors aren't all created equal. Besides charging different fees and performing vastly different services, some just aren't very good at their job. So today we give you our top five clues that your advisor might not be right for you. By the end of the episode, you'll have a much better idea whether the team you've hired or are looking to hire is up to the task of helping you make better decisions. Before that, we dive into a headline about investors who are too bullish. How do good advisors help you rein it in? We'll share some of the best practices one piece has to share and add in our own. Plus, we'll throw out the Have Life line to a lucky caller AND we'll also dish out some of Doug's delectable trivia. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/top-5-financial-advisor-red-flags-1390 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

No more pushbacks. No more reprieve. If you have student loans, interest begins again in September and payments resume in October. That means you need a plan TODAY. That's why we invited debt expert Leslie Tayne to the basement to help you create a plan to change your budget, crush your student loans, and get on with your life. We'll chat about other legislation working through Congress, how to think about repayment options, and what to do if you can't repay your debt. In our TikTok minute we present an experience that many in relationships can relate to...it seems like possibly a great use of money! You'll hear exactly what magic this TikTok'er is suggesting just before we dive into our headline about index funds. It seems that a couple of your favorite indexes are in the process of rebalancing. What does that mean to you and your investments? We'll share. But that's not all. We'll share more diversification tips with today's Haven Life line caller, who wants to know how exactly the efficient frontier works. We'll dive into that AND into Doug's delicious trivia question...and maybe even more (of course)! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/debt-resolutions-with-leslie-tayne-1389 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

How does using your retirement plan as a path to a cool million sound to you? Are the existing tools that are currently available to most of us enough to get us there, or do changes need to be made to update the rules around what investments are accessible to the masses? Joining us to tackle this important issue, we welcome Stephanie McCullough from the Take Back Retirement podcast. Also, we're happy to welcome back our friends who are ready to talk retirement at the drop of a hat, Paula Pant and Len Penzo. We also dive deeper into actionable best practices for Stackers who are just starting out by addressing the question of how to be aggressive without overdoing it on the risk. Plus, stick around for Doug's constructive trivia question! Will Len extend his stranglehold on the lead? Will Paula demonstrate that she deserves to remain squarely not-in-last-place? Will Stephanie do OG a solid and lift him out of the sole cellar-dweller spot? For full show notes go to https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/all-about-401ks-roundtable-1388 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

What a rare look we bring you today "behind the curtain." Credit unions are owned by members and serve (in most cases) a community of people. In theory, they should be your go-to resource for financial matters. So why are they often your second resource (if you think of them at all) behind banks? Banks, owned by shareholders and not at all beholden to customers (Bank of America said out loud during an earnings call last year that they don't pay more on savings because customers aren't demanding it!). There's good news on the way, though...Joe was emcee of the relEVENT Conference at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas a few weeks ago, and while there, he found out SO MANY innovative ideas from leaders in the credit union space. Not only are they already leading the way in individual communities...they're also working hard to get even better. Today we'll share short interviews with a number of experts at the conference about the future of credit unions, what leaders are thinking about, and what's available now that you may have not known. It's a mega-episode at over 75 minutes...but certainly a rare look at the other side of the table at what "they're thinking" while they're trying to help you with a car loan, mortgage, savings account, or other services. Thanks to Jeff Klein and Choice Creative Solutions for asking Joe to emcee. Need maybe the world's greatest emcee for your event? Head to joesaulsehy.com. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/credit-union-relevent-conference-live-1387 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

You may not know Jeff Smulyan's name, but you know what he's done. The creator of New York's famous The Fan radio station and the former owner of the Seattle Mariners baseball franchise joins us today to talk about lessons learned during his tumultuous career. Experience teaches you to learn from your mistakes and Jeff isn't afraid to share his (along with, of course, the huge wins he's had that shape an incredibly successful career). We'll talk about managing talent like Don Imus and trying to manage people double your age when you're leading in your twenties. It's a wide-ranging, thought provoking interview. In a rare treat, you'll also get TWO headlines today. First, an antiquated payment system is finally (maybe) being taken out to the trash. What is it? We'll share news from the Federal Reserve today...along with a second headline about your estate plan. The government has quietly changed the game around sheltering money in your estate. How does it work? We'll share that as well, plus steps you should take right now to make sure your estate is handled as you wish. Of course, we still will throw out the Haven Life line to a lucky Stacker, dive into a TikTok minute, and let you ponder Doug's trivia question about a huge hit song that was released (and that earned lots of Benjamins) on today's date back in 1984. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/entrepreneurship-rollercoaster-lessons-jeff-smulyan-1386 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

What are some of the most valuable lessons in money that you've acquired over your lifetime? Money education is a lifelong process. Today, our weekly roundtable reviews one popular author's list of money lessons, and we'll add a few of our own. We also welcome co-host of the Talking Real Money podcast and the owner of one of the smoothest voices in the industry, Don McDonald. Joining us from NYC, recent Columbia graduate and host of our sister show, Afford Anything, Paula Pant. And the roundtable panelist who has the most life experience of our regular panelists - by a long shot - we welcome back creator of the award-winning blog LenPenzo.com, Len Penzo. In the second half of the show, our panelists add their own life money lessons. Doug dazzles us with a piece of head scratching NYC-related trivia. Will Paula be able to make the most of her homefield advantage to pull out the win? Does Don have an ace up his sleeve with some inside knowledge? Will Len extend his lead and bring home the dub? FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/money-lessons-roundtable-1385 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

Today we hear from our amazing community...and you will never be more motivated than after hearing their stories. First, we were excited to begin with TJ because so many of us live in an area a coach of ours calls "the gap." That's the state of mind where you're always thinking about how much more you have to do, how far behind you are, and how nothing in life is the way you want it to be. Yet, for most of us, it's actually far better to think about our successes. TJ celebrates earning money, among other cool things. Today he shares how he realized he'd earned a million dollars...and then how he threw himself a party to mark that big moment. Plus, he chats about some of the other cool milestones he tracks. Then we turn to Annette, who takes full advantage of a community resource that we'll bet 99% of you have available, and that every study shows is underutilized. It can save you THOUSANDS of dollars and also help clean up the clutter at home. What is it? You'll have to listen to find out! And finally (but definitely not least!) we talk to Skyler who climbed a mountain many never reach: he's created 100 episodes of his podcast, Money Talk with Skyler Fleming. He tells us why he started a podcast (and the lessons YOU should take from this), plus discusses some of the incredible conversations he's had and lessons learned from the first 100. We know how hard it is to make ONE episode, so to make 100 is an incredible accomplishment. Today we have a special co-host, Kate Younkin, who leads our social team along with mom's friend Gertrude, and who helped us pick these special stories from a list of hundreds of cool things you're all doing. She shares why these are so worth sharing and what we can glean from all three of these Stackers. Of course, we still saved time for Doug's trivia...and so much more! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/community-episode-1384 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

Ready to kick your credit game into high gear, even if you come from a less-than-ideal credit background? We go straight to Christina Roman, who lives and breathes credit as part of her job as Consumer Education and Advocacy Manager at credit bureau Experian. She shares a ton of wisdom about the importance of maintaining a stellar credit report - and what steps to take to improve your credit score. Listen up, especially Millennial and Gen Z Stackers! In today's headline, we dive into the topic of "periodic retirement." Why wait on pins and needles until you're completely done with your career, only to experience disappointment with retirement reality? Plus, what's guaranteeing that we'll be able to even live long enough to enjoy the fruits of our labor in retirement years? Doc G from Earn & Invest joins Joe, and Doug and brings his unique perspective as a hospice doctor to this very personal topic. Plus, we throw out the Haven Lifeline to Jay, who has a question about replacing bonds in his IRA with CDs. Add to that Doug's frosty-themed trivia! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/Millennials-Gen-Z-Credit-Clinic-with-Christina-Roman-1383 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

Are you ready to supercharge your productivity and unlock your full potential? Today, we're diving deep into the world of productivity and sharing some of the best practices to help you find your stride. Get ready for a spirited roundtable debate featuring our esteemed roundtable contributors: Doc G from Earn & Invest, Paula Pant from Afford Anything, and our very own OG. In the first part of our discussion, we'll review a compilation of 50 top productivity hacks. Prepare for a rigorous debate as we weigh in on the effectiveness of these hacks. From time management techniques to prioritization strategies, we'll explore it all. But that's not all! In the second part of the discussion, our roundtable contributors will reveal their personal go-to productivity hacks. Learn from the experts themselves as they share their secrets for staying focused and getting things done. And be sure to keep up with our ongoing weekly trivia duel! This week, Doug brings a French twist to the party. Which panelist will emerge victorious, and will they all keep their heads? Jouir! (Enjoy!) FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/productivity-hacks-friday-roundtable-1382 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

Is it really human nature to believe what we're told at first pass, but then start to doubt after the conversation ends? Should we be more doubtful from the get-go? Today we welcome to the basement two men who want to share how to avoid getting sucked into false promises, hoodwinked by snake oil salesmen, and bamboozled by smooth-talking neighbors who have a sweet El Camino: Doctors Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris. In today's headline, we question the legitimacy of the advice given by a more off-the-beaten-path new source. This gives us a chance to put our critical hats on and have a larger discussion about vetting your news sources, how to spot red flags that raise eyebrows, and a few telltale signs that the piece was, at least in part, probably written by ChatGPT. We throw out the Haven Lifeline to Lucas who wants our take on how to correctly calculate the tax basis on shares of stock that were purchased at a discount through an employee stock purchase plan ("ESPP"). And Doug has some explosive trivia! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/deception-code-Daniel-Simons-and-Christopher-Chabris-1381 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

Trish Hunt had no idea that one phone call in her late twenties would change her life. This call, for most of us, might stop us in our tracks forever, unable to function or move past events she had no control over. Yet, in that moment, she decided that she had to move. She had to take control. She had to become, in her words, "Unstoppable." Today we'll share her story and her advice for those times in life when you're simply "in the weeds" (up to your armpits in tasks going nowhere) or you're truly dealing with some huge life events that are difficult to restart from. It's a great reminder during our first show of these eight weeks that life moves, whether we do or not...so it's time to start paddling. In our headline segment, we'll help you paddle around some rocks the podcasting world has thrown your way. One company is shutting its doors. We'll not only help you continue to listen to your favorite shows without it (including, hopefully, this one!)...but we'll talk about what happens when you find out your employer might be closing their doors. What do you do to move forward? OG, Joe, and even Doug will have some timely advice. Of course, we'll also throw out the Haven Life line to help a lucky Stacker with life's money problems and Doug will step in with his amazing trivia. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/from-stuck-to-unstoppable-trish-hunt-1380 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

Fun with taxes! Riveting, isn't it? On this 2017 roundtable powwow, Paula, Len, and Greg McFarlane flexed their obscure tax knowledge. The show originally aired in 2017 so ignore any mention of current events. Check out the original show notes here. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/len-paula-greg-taxes-roundtable-rewind-1379 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

Don’t miss our podcast rewind episode where we interview the head of behavioral science at Morningstar, Dr. Steve Wendel, on the topic of some potentially big problems in retirement - and he dishes out eight possible ways to improve your retirement readiness. The show originally aired in 2018 so ignore any mention of current events. Check out the original show notes here. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/dr-steve-wendel-from-morningstar-rewind-1378 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tired of paying retail for everything? David Pogue (of NOVA and CBS Sunday Morning fame) joins us to talk money-saving hacks. How much can you save just by buying at the right time, using the modern version of coupons, and shopping at the right stores? We'll talk about Best Buy, Amazon, Retail Me Not, and more on today's show. That's not all. Rob Berger from Dough Roller joins us to discuss the new Betterment offerings. Is this a company on the attack or one that's been forced to be defensive? We also throw out the Haven Life line to Matt, who asks about the right time to rebalance and take a letter from Rick, who has comments about RFID and also debt cleansing. Of course, Doug still brings home the trivia and much more. The show originally aired in 2017 so ignore any mention of current events. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/money-hacks-david-pogue-rewind-1377 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is real estate the best investment for first-time investors? Today's roundtable discussion is a special one - our panel shares their thoughts, experiences, and opinions about real estate as a viable investment for beginners. We are thrilled to welcome the co-host of our sister show, the Stacking Deeds podcast, Crystal Hammond. Of course, we couldn't have a real estate roundtable and not invite the real estate maven herself, Paula Pant. And, just to bring a little of the opposing viewpoint, we bring on Len Penzo, from Len Penzo dot com. We also dive into the Top 4 Ways to Invest in Real Estate, (and Paula puts Len in his place after he runs his mouth). If you're thinking about dipping your toe into real estate investing, you won't want to miss this! Be sure to stick around for the continued year-long, nerd soap opera that is our trivia contest - all about the infamous Tunguska Event. Will Len extend his trivia dominance another week? Will Crystal do OG a solid and close the gap with Len? Will Paula shock us all and bolt out of the tie for last place? Tune in... the results will shock you! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/real-estate-roundtable-1376 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

How do you improve your credit, your real estate savvy, your knowledge of taxes, your ability to budget and save, and more? You listen to shows like SB, watch YouTube, read books, and surround yourself with great people! A new series from Million Stories gives you ALL of those topics AND combines them in a humorous, fun, introductory way, and today we go behind the scenes to see how they made it! We speak to host Andini Mankosinski who is NOT a money expert herself, so the series features her learning alongside off of the viewers. We'll share clips, talk about trying to make the often-dry topic of money exciting and fun, and more. In our headline segment, we share some new data from Vanguard Investments on 401k plans. How many people are using them? We'll dive into that AND help you get started using yours.  Of course, we'll also share Doug's trivia, answer a call from help to the Haven Life line, and more. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many think that the people who write about money on the internet were either born with a special "saving and investing" gene, or they had to grind their way to the top. The good news? Our guest today, The Humble Dollar's Jonathan Clements (and former Wall Street Journal Personal Finance columnist) shares tales from some of the top writers on his site and how they stumbled their way to victory. We talk about paying down debt, investing wisely, rent vs. buy, and much, much more. In our headline segment, a new study shows what product mix changes financial advisors intend to use with clients in the next twelve months. Can their tweaks help you with your own money? We'll share. Plus, in our TikTok minute, two creators have found a way to get rich quick: rob a bank...but creatively! You'll hear it here. Of course, we'll also share Doug's mind-bending trivia and much, much more! Enjoy! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/jonathan-clements-1374 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you have assets in a previous employer's retirement plan? Would it be easier to consolidate all your retirement assets into one place? Today we're all about rollovers: what they are, how they work, and why you should care. We welcome Dana Anspach, CFP, the force behind Sensible Money, a financial planning service focused on clients who are nearing/in retirement, to help make sense of what rollovers are and if it makes sense to do one. Joining Dana is, Paula Pant, who has more knowledge about rollovers than pop culture, as well as our in-house CFP, OG. Dana also shares some of her experiences about rollover horror stories - and what steps you can take to avoid mistakes - and the potential tax consequences that may ensue. Paula chimes in with her experiences and thoughts on the rollover process, and OG imparts his wisdom on what scenarios may make for a more difficult rollover process. Doug brings the heat with some fast-paced this-day-in-history travel-themed trivia. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/friday-roundtable-401k-rollovers-1373-2 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

Rosalia Gitau is a force of nature. Don't take our word for it...Monday's guest Michael Gilmore, creator of the prestigious Money Awareness and Inclusion awards, said that to US when we interviewed him. That's when we knew we needed to talk to Rosalia. We're super glad we did and you'll be happy you sat in to listen, because in this interview performed LIVE on the Fireside app, we dive into: Her upbringing in poverty as an immigrant and an orphan How she found early success, including a mentor Her path to success (not nearly close to finished!) How she used her grandfather's success secret to create her own success How she dove into what women DO and what women WANT to create a financial space for them with Bixie You'll learn all of this and SO much more on today's show. No trivia today. No headline. No Haven Life line....just us and Rosalia on this VERY special interview episode. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/Bixie-app-women-investors-risalia-gitau-1372 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does picking the right investments, avoiding debt, or saving for goals stress you out? To most of us -- even the best savers -- stress is a reality, and just part of the "game" of money. Michael Gilmore, the Seven Dollar Millionaire, says that it doesn't have to be that way. Today he's on the show to teach us how Zen philosophy can help us relax, unwind, and still reach our financial goals (and maybe while living a better life). In our headline segment, there's LOTS of money sitting in cash right now, according to new data out. We'll share why sitting in cash might be a huge mistake, and also why trying to time "the right investment" is equally as dangerous. Plus, in our TikTok minute, we'll share a video shared by a listener about ONE financial measuring stick you might not have considered. Would it make sense to pay more attention? We'll share. Of course, Doug shares trivia and there's much, much more. Hope you're able to join us on today's show RUN OF SHOW: Introductions Headline: Trillions sitting in cash TikTok Minute: A new financial index? FEATURED GUEST: Michael Gilmore, the $7 Millionaire Haven Life Line Community Calendar Credits FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/find-your-money-zen-with-michael-gilmore-1371. Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Father's Day weekend, and thanks for joining us! In honor of Father's Day, our all-dad roundtable tackles the topic of what are some important life lessons that they learned from their dads about money, work, and life. We're happy to have Brad Barrett from the ChooseFI podcast join the other two dads who frequently our Friday roundtables - Len Penzo of the award-winning blog, lenpenzo.com, and our very own OG. These three dads will share their fatherly wisdom with us. Plus, we top it all off with some dad-approved trivia about a shoe brand that's popular with many dads. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/friday-roundtable-fathers-day-1370 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

Mindset. The one thing you can change instantly is to find more opportunities, attract more dollars, and win new income streams. OG and Joe both share their top 5 best mindset quotes and dive into why they believe this outlook is key to winning with your money. Our goal? You'll hear a few old favorites and several that you've never heard before, to set you up for more success tomorrow. Plus, in our headline segment, we speak with Karl Brauer from iseecars.com about two recent studies they completed. Their researchers looked into which cars were the best value for the money (a combination of long-lasting and discount priced), and cars which are most likely to last for more than 250,000 miles. We also ask him about the new car vs. old car debate. Which is better to try and buy now? Karl has opinions and the latest news. Of course, that's not all. We have some trivia from Doug about price fixing (by the government!) and much, much more. Just another great day in mom's basement! Come join the fun! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/Joe-OG-Top-5-Mindset-1369 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Crypto? Quick stock trades? A timeshare in a swamp? Huge profits? Taking advantage of people? Has that ever happened before? It turns out, that it has, in the wild, wild west, which roped in celebrities like Wild Bill Hickok and many others. Today, we'll tell their stories and rope the lessons around to today with master storyteller and host of the Legends of the Wild West podcast, Chris Wimmer. In today's headline, many of the day traders are bemoaning the "June swoon," thinking that there's some magic that's holding up their results. We'll share the data around the June swoon in the past. Plus, we'll also share our TikTok minute, with some BRILLIANCE from a TikTok creator. Of course, we'll also share some goodness from a Stacker who's called in to our Haven Lifeline. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/wild-west-chris-wimmer-1368 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you really get what you pay for? Are some things just worth it to pay more for? We're beyond excited to welcome the one and only Paula Pant back to the roundtable. She's joined by Len Penzo of the award-winning blog lenpenzo.com and our very own high roller, OG, to carry on the year-long competition by guessing which items are on a top 20 list of things that aren't worth the money. (Number 14 will shock you!). Doug also brings some eye-opening trivia about one of America's biggest vices. Be prepared to be blown away when you hear what it is! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/friday-roundtable-1367 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

Imagine growing up in a neighborhood where everyone is on government assistance, and still pulling yourself up onto your feet enough to attend one of the most prestigious colleges in the USA...only to find yourself deep in credit card debt and struggling. That's a small sliver of Yanely Espinal's story (you may know her as Miss Be Helpful on YouTube). She joins us today to help you figure out how to pay down debt, fix your credit, but most of all, to just get started. In our headline segment, Wells Fargo (that bad-boy bank out west) is in the news again, and NOT for a good reason. We'll share why AND what you should consider doing with your money if you're with one of the big banks. We'll talk credit unions, online banks, and the world of FinTech to help you make a swap to more friendly shores. Of course, we'll also throw out the Haven Lifeline to a Stacker in need AND challenge you with Doug's Miss Helpful trivia. Remember the Miss Helpful books? They made TONS of Benjamins for the author AND helped people to be a little kinder to each other. Show Rundown: Open/Introductions Headline - Wells Fargo Executive Paying a HUGE Fine Doug's Trivia Featured Guest - Miss Be Helpful, Yanely Espinal Haven Lifeline - Help a Stacker with their money Community Calendar/What We Learned Today FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/personal-finance-education-yanely-espinal-1336 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Itamar Mirani had to control his emotions while working as a spy for the Israeli government. The way he worked through emotions, mental blocks, and more, though was not at all what you'd expect. Today he shares his process for working through deep blocks so that we can make better financial moves, bold career advancements, and take part in more of life's great moments. It appears many small investors may be about to lose money on real estate, and thousands already have. Alan Corey from our sister show Stacking Deeds joins us to walk through a recent Wall Street Journal story about investments in the sector suffering from recent interest rate hikes. Are there more to come? How do you find out if you may be affected? We'll share. Of course, we have an "amazing" TikTok minute sent to us by a Stacker, as well as an answer to another Stacker who called our Haven Lifeline. We're glad to help. Show Flow: Open Headline - Thousands of small real estate investors suffer from a housing bust TikTok Minute Itamar Marani on mindset and busting down mental blocks Haven Life line Community Calendar What we should have learned today FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/itamar-marani-mindset-1365 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mom always said, "You can do more with less," but is that really true? Another popular line is, "problems are always more fun to show up to in a limo!" Today we'll clear up the clutter from your life, talk about how to determine what is "enough," and see what chasing too many "things" can do to your spirit. It's true: less truly often IS more and we're going to help you cut away. It's a sad day on the show because contributor Paulette Perhach is ending her nine-month run of filling in for Paula Pant, but we make the most of Paulette's expertise, along with that of the woman behind Simplify and Enjoy, Elle Martinez. Elle's a pro at teaching people how to do more with less and she helps our team help you today...along with the amazing Len Penzo from award-winning blog Len Penzo dot com. Of course, at the halfway mark of today's show, we'll continue our year-long trivia challenge between our contributors. Can Paulette leave tied for first with Len? Can Len pull ahead? Can Elle help OG get back into the race? You'll find out today. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/elle-martinez-1364 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

Ric Edelman has opinions, and they're both well-researched and timely. We pick his brain on annuities, crypto, central bank digital currency, and the future of money. Ric's book, The Truth About Money, was a revolutionary and even-handed look at money way back in 1996. We're sure you'll find his take on modern money as riveting still today. Plus, in our headline segment, what's going on with your credit? A new study from Tranunion shows that credit scores are a-changing. How? We'll share. Of course, we'll save time for Doug's trivia and more! FULL SHOW NOTES: www.stackingbenjamins.com/ric-edelman-1363 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You've heard the term "get rich slowly"? Today we're inspiring you to jump in the race! Martinus Evans was told, that as a 300 pound-plus man, that he was too heavy to run marathons. His doctor laughed in his face. Today he's been on the cover of Runners' World, sponsored by Adidas, and leads one of the country's largest running groups, the Slow AF Running Club. If you aren't inspired to jump over your fear, lace up your budgeting shoes, and get moving toward your goals today, I don't know how much more we can do to help! He's that inspiring. Plus, in our headline segment a recent blog post from a popular blogger rubbed us the wrong way. We'll dive into why you should maybe think differently than THIS blogger AND differently than most other people. Of course, we have an AMAZING TikTok minute that'll show you how the world truly (probably) was built, throw the Haven Life line out to Jon who goes on and on about Doug's mom…and more! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/martinus-evans-1362/ Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get ready to unleash your inner life designer and make every day a vacation! Join the inspirational Heidi Dusek from the Ordinary Sherpa podcast as she takes you on a journey to craft the life of your dreams. Plus, we've got the retirement guru himself, Len Penzo from LenPenzo.com, engineering his way to an epic retirement from his secret bunker. And let's not forget about OG, the mastermind behind designing other people's retirements. But wait, there's more! We'll spice up the show with Doug's mind-blowing Trivia, where he'll dazzle you with fascinating facts about the iconic Model T cars. And for all our USA Stackers out there, buckle up and get ready to have a happy and safe Memorial Day Weekend like never before! FULL SHOW NOTES: www.stackingbenjamins.com/friday-1361-design-your-life-with-heidi-dusek 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

Mignon Francois was down to her last five dollars. Her power had been turned off and she flipped on a generator only at night so her kids would have some "normal" in their life. But things weren't normal then, and would be even less normal as she flipped that last five dollars into a cupcake empire. She'll share the story today that'll make you realize that you CAN do that thing that's been frightening you. First, though, in our headline segment Social Security is in the news. It turns out that some Americans don't receive any of America's largest social program benefits. What does this have to do with your planning, even if you DO qualify? We'll share. Of course, Doug's ready with some cupcake empire trivia AND we'll also throw the Haven Life line all the way "across the pond" to the UK, where James has a question that our Stackers around the world probably have all asked themselves before. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/Made-from-scratch-with-Mignon-Francois Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices