Sure, you've rented a car. Maybe your home. But what about renting your clothing, your tools, or even your Christmas tree (if you celebrate the holiday)? Today we talk about an emerging group of people who have taken renting to the extreme. They rent nearly everything. If you decide to rent are you asking to spend more money or is the concept of "ownership" outdated? Today we dissect renting and what it truly means AND how it affects your financial picture. We're excited that CFP Benjamins Brandt (Retirement Begins Today podcast) and Paula Pant (Afford Anything) join OG, Joe and Doug to help you make better rent/own decisions. Plus, of course, at the halfway point of our discussion, we make time for our epic trivia challenge! FULL SHOW NOTES: Add show notes URL here. Please include https://www at the beginning of the 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

We collectively lose MILLIONS because we skim our company benefit package and quickly pick options, or we simply take what we've always had and ignore the rest. Today we'll dive into the changing world of benefits. From tele-health to mental health and gym memberships, perks are looking different at companies than they did ten years ago. We'll share what's new in the world of benefits, what's out, how to pick smarter, and shine a flashlight on some hidden gold in that gigantic pdf most of us receive to make our choices. In our TikTok minute, we share the story of a hated football player and also a valuable money lesson. Do you have haters? Of course you do! Maybe you can learn something about cha-chinging the cash register in a quirky way on today's show! Of course, Doug shares his trivia, but we also open up a fun election-jitters contest. OG will explain, and we hope you participate. Joe will also unveil a new guide from Stacking Benjamins that could help you save thousands. He'll walk you through the details. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/raising-money-smart-kids-1565 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's the most fun way to look at inflation? Well, even though it might not be fun to watch your wallet disappear at the grocery store, it is VERY fun to watch trends in food costs over time. Len Penzo began his annual sandwich study to just prove that packing your lunch is cheaper than buying food at a restaurant. He also wanted to show just how much money you could save to either pay down debt or invest. Instead, many years later, Len's sandwich study is always compared to the classic "Big Mac" study, where they track the price of a Big Mac. We prefer Len's study because making a sandwich is healthier, cheaper, and also maybe a little more fun. So today we'll compare the cost of ten sandwiches and see which one is this year's champion...but more importantly, we'll see if your grocery bill has gone up or down from a year ago. In our headline segment, your home is your castle so it probably holds LOTS of cash value that you may want to tap into during your retirement years. How do financial planners look at home prices that might not rise as quickly in the future as they have in the past? We'll chat about housing, selling your house for retirement, how people navigate selling and "downsizing" in real life, and much more. Of course, we still take a call from a Stacker on our Better Call Saul....Sehy and OG segment. Plus, we always leave room for a helping of Doug's trivia. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/len-penzo-2024-sandwich-survey-1556 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 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

New York Times bestselling author Nicole Lapin is someone (maybe like you, and definitely like me) who wasn't taught money lessons growing up. However, different than many people, she's been able to create and stick to a money plan. She's been recognized two years running as the #1 money guru at site GoBankingRates.com, and now she's with us teaching YOU how to stick to the plan. Even if it's difficult. Even if you don't think you can...she'll talk about money myths, truths, and probably more than a few board games. In our headlines segment we're taking a special look at annuities. Could they be a better option than bonds? One popular financial piece says they are. Plus, in our second headline we're looking at what's going on with the fiduciary rule. Is it dead...or could new rules be on the horizon? Then, after a small break for Doug's trivia we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Jenny, who wants to know what type of investments she should use to live on before the normal retirement age. Similarly, in our letters segment, Andrew and his wife want to retire by 55. What should they be doing to make that happen? Thanks to Emperor Investments for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to emperorinvests.com/sb and select "Stacking Benjamins podcast" when asked how you heard about the show. Thanks to Stamps.com for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a 4 week trial (that includes a digital scale and postage) go to Stamps.com, click on the microphone at the top of the homepage, and enter SB.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you know any kids already bored with summer? Know someone who needs some help breaking down basic finance for the kiddos? You're in luck because today we're talking kids and money. Joining us today, from the National Bank of Mom, is our new friend Maggie. ...and back for another round, from FamZoo, we welcome Bill Dwight. And rounding out our roundtable, from ConnieAlbers.com, we welcome Connie Albers. They'll talk about many ideas to brighten your summer and help your children grasp money concepts at the same time. It'll make a better summer for both them AND you. Don't have children? We thought about you, too, and invited Kate Ryan from TIAA to join us to share tips for grandparents, aunts, uncles, and money savvy friends. We'll talk about everything from sharing money stories to helping a child start a summer business or save a few dollars. Of course, we'll answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline.  Nicole wants to take her family on a vacation. What are the best places to be consider, and what should she be watching out for? Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mail call! Today we're ripping open your letters and answering tons of your questions. We'll share our thoughts on 401k loans, improving your credit, saving money... and much, much more. And during out headlines segment we're looking at Vanguard's 401k changes and... an article about millennial saving habits. It appears that many millennials think they're either going to retire early or not at all. As Joe's mom would say, "that doesn't sound good." It isn't...and bigger problems lie in the details of this story.  Plus we're throwing out the Haven Life line to Heather. With the possibility of Student Loan Forgiveness on the horizon, how much money should Heather be putting towards her loan? And with debt to pay off, what's some good advice for getting on track for retirement? Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Looking for something deeper than what we talk about on the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: The Stacker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Invest there, save here, charge this, spend that... what's behind our financial decision making? We might not personally have all of those answer, but we know someone who does. Coming down to the basement is the head of behavioral science at Morningstar, Steve Wendel. Morningstar has some alarming statistics about retirement, and Dr. Wendel will present eight different ways to solve some potentially big problems in your future. And in our headlines segment... is the market about to take a tumble? We'll discuss why analysts think the market is about to endure a shake-up, and what you should be doing about it. In our second headline we're turning our attention to cryptocurrency. If only 2% of planners seeing the crypto as a viable investment option, should we be paying any attention to it? Then, after Doug's trivia, we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Blake who's asking about "play" money. After someone uses a "sandbox" account, do they replenish the fund? And in our letters segment we answer the question: What should you do with your cash if you're saving for a big purchase in the next year? Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Want that latest news from the basement? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: Stacker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Wednesday we talked about what goes into picking the right financial advisor. You'd want to be sure of the person your entrusting with your financials, after all. But would you trust a financial advisor who's a couple of decades younger than you? We're asking that same question to our wonderful panel of contributors: special guest Shannon Mclay (from Financially-Blonde.com), Len Penzo (from LenPenzo.com), and Paula Pant from Afford Anything. PLUS, in a second Friday headline, living next to a lottery winner makes YOU more likely to go broke. What's up with that? And halfway through the show we're taking a break to talk to Matt Reiner from Wela, the all-in-one budget app. Wela can track your daily spending, group transactions, and the app's AI, Benjamin, can answer any questions you may have about your money. Of course, we'll answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline.  Julianne works on commission... how can she make a useful budget on a variable income? Also, should we be waiting on the market to go on sale before we buy more stocks? Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Thanks to Honey for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Signup for FREE with joinhoney.com/SB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The hardest part of hiring a financial planner? Making sure you pick the right one! That's why today we're welcoming the CEO of Sofia Financial, Stephanie McCullough. She's not only sharing her insider tips on what to look for with the right financial planner, but what to look out for from potentially the WRONG financial planner. In our headlines segment, one start-up blockchain CEO is claiming that Bitcoin isn't the holy grail that people may hope. BUT, he does think that bitcoin, along with their own digital currency, each have their own niche where they're needed. What should you do with your own crypto strategy? We'll tackle that today. Plus, we'll feature a new investment that promises a steady 7% annual distribution rate... what's the catch? We'll dive in during our headlines. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Lee who recently left his job to work for himself. How does that impact his retirement and investment plans? What should he be doing with his 401k now? Of course, we'll also have time for Doug's trivia and answer a listener letter. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Looking for something deeper than what we talk about on the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: The Stacker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you take control of your money and start investing? Danielle Town had a famous dad in the investing world, Phil Town, and didn't want anything to do with her father....to the point that she didn't want to invest money the way he did. Instead, she decided to stick her money in a savings account and hopefully grow it. Today we're happy to have Phil Town with us, to discuss not only the biographical parts of the early book, but about getting brave with your money and learning how to invest. We'll ask about Dave Ramsey's 12% rule, investing like Warren Buffett, and more. In our headlines segment, we'll talk about one expert who has been repeatedly quoted by media outlets. How many times have we heard about what's going to happen to the economy next week according to the experts? As it turns out, one expert in particular has a big secret: he doesn't even exist. What's that all about? We'll dive into what it all means during our headlines. And in lieu of a second headline, we're taking an inside look into what Doug does when he's not on the mic... you might be a little surprised. Plus, we throw out the Haven Life line to Andy, who's wondering what he should do with his extra cash from his recently paid off mortgage. How should he invest his additional funds for a positive gain for further financial independence? Thanks to Honey for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Signup for FREE with joinhoney.com/SB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was your big money epiphany? Was it realizing you were paying for a car that was way too expensive? Or that even though you're cashing in with a nice job you're still living paycheck to paycheck? Maybe, if you're like Doug, you're still waiting on your big money epiphany. Joining us to share their own money epiphanies are our time-tested contributors: Len Penzo (from LenPenzo.com), Paula Pant from Afford Anything, and our very own OG. And halfway through the show we'll take a break and talk to Majd Maksad from Status Money. It's only natural you'll be curious about how other people like you are handling their money, or how far along the financial independence path they are. Status Money will let you compare your finances to millions of people like you. Plus we answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. Dustin has his annual review coming up and wants to provide a solid case on why he should be getting mo-money. Are there any good resources out there he can use? We'll share at least one resource: our experience. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Thanks to Harry’s for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get your Trial Set – go to Harrys.com/sb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Would you move your family to the rough part of Chicago to pay down debt and improve the neighborhood? Coming down to the basement is one woman who did just that...Aja McClanahan. After making the difficult decision to take drastic action, Aja and her family paid off a whopping $120,000 in debt. Think you could do the same? Aja will share her inspiring story about how her family took action and wiped out their debt. In our headlines segment, we'll share one crazy headline about a woman who paid $7,000 for toilet paper. She's gotten her refund... two months later, but how in the world do we make sure that doesn't happen to us? And if it does, what do we do? PLUS, we'll get a special visit from our close friend at Buzz Indexes, Jamie Wise. We'll also throw out the Haven Life lineto Tony. Tony's wife is teaching some classes at the local rec center this summer. How should they handle their extra income? Do they need to set up an LLC? We'll also answer another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia question, and more. Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.comto learn more. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.comfor sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever thought about getting into real estate, but didn't know what to expect? Our featured guest, Dana Bull, has seen just about everything when it comes to acquiring, rehabbing, and renting properties as a real estate investor. She's acquired dozens of properties before reaching the age of 28. We invited Dana down to the basement so she could share all the highs and lows she's experienced along the way. Plus in our headlines segment, we turn our attention to a challenge women face when changing jobs. It turns out, when it comes to small 401k balances, women are much more likely to cash out than man. And in our second headline we're talking to Laura Boylan from Haven Life about the state of the life-insurance industry. The industry is facing challenges in enrolling more families in life insurance, what's the deal? After we get through Doug's trivia question, we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Rob who wants to share his own financial book recommendations. And today we saved the best for last with a letter from David who is complaining about Joe and MoneyBall. Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

Are you frazzled because you still have debt to pay off? Is it because your debt is spiraling out of control, or maybe because it's at a high interest rate? We'll talk about approaching debt on today's podcast. Plus, during our second headline we're packing into a van and hitting the open road. That's exactly what retired NFL player Joe Hawley decided to do after he left the league earlier this year. What's your big plan for retirement? Helping us tackle these headlines, from TheWealthHound.com, is our new friend Jason. Also joining the discussion today are our regular contributors, Len Penzo (from LenPenzo.com) and Paula Pant from Afford Anything. And halfway through the show we'll take a break and talk to David Fanger from Swell. Yes, we need to save and invest for our retirement, but does that mean we have to turn a blind eye to the impact we're making? We'll talk to David about not only investing in ourselves, but investing in companies that are being socially responsible and making an impact. Plus we answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. What's the best way for an interested sixteen year old to jump into the world of finance? Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Thanks to CollegeBacker for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Sign up at CollegeBacker.com/sb and get a $10 match when you start a college fund for your own family or send a gift to kickoff someone else’s college fund. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

She struggled with credit card debt, student loans, and more, but now Michelle Bobrow's not only a money ninja...she'll help teach you how to manage your money better on today's episode. We'll talk about Michelle's early days of spending mistakes (that may sound like mistakes many of us have made), plus lessons she learned while working on Wall Street.  Our first headline covers the one fifteen minute hack one publication says you should implement if you want to manage your money better. Wonder what it is? You won't be disappointed, although it may not be what you think. Also, we'll tackle news that everything is getting more expensive more quickly than before. Ever wonder how inflation actually works? We'll explain that and more on today's show. Plus, we're throw out the Haven Life line to Mollie, who's wondering which insurance plan is better: should they use her plan which has smaller premiums, or her husbands, which has smaller deductibles when you use the coverage? We'll also another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Thanks to Stamps.com for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a 4 week trial (that includes a digital scale and postage) go to Stamps.com, click on the microphone at the top of the homepage, and enter SB.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever think about bringing some exciting new concept to the world, but you're turned off by the seemingly all-consuming WIN WIN WIN attitude some full time business people exude? Today's guest is perfect for you, because Tom Hodgkinson (owner and operator of The Idler) loves the idea of a bohemian business, and will tell us the bare minimum that a lifestyle business owner needs to know to make sure that you can enjoy your life, your art, and also maybe family and friends. In our headlines segment, we turn our attention to a new study that shows female advisors are growing their businesses faster than their male counterparts. Are women better advisors? We'll talk about what people REALLY want from their advisor on today's podcast. Plus, Amazon is offering $5,000 for employees to quit their job. Why would a company offer money for employees to leave? We'll have your answer and what it means for your money on today's show! After Doug's Memorial Day trivia question, we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Michael and answer his question about the best course of action with your money when you have a big purchase coming up in a few years. Of course, we'll still have a listener letter from the mailbag... which today is Sam's question: should he and his wife move their money from a taxable brokerage account to the Roth IRA they haven't been using? Thanks to CollegeBacker for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Sign up at CollegeBacker.com/sb and get a $10 match when you start a college fund for your own family or send a gift to kickoff someone else’s college fund. Thanks to Stamps.com for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a 4 week trial (that includes a digital scale and postage) go to Stamps.com, click on the microphone at the top of the homepage, and enter SB.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking forward to retirement? We make plans so we CAN retire, but have you ever thought about what you'll be doing once you actually get there? We'll discuss how your relationships, and marriage, can be impacted in your post-work life. In a rare second Friday headline, we're continuing the retirement discussion with a look at finding new hobbies and passions during your retired life. When Joe Hawley retired from the NFL he moved into a van and hit the open road, what's going to be your story? Joining us today to share his thoughts on retirement, from YourMoneyGeek.com, is special guest Michael Dinich. Michael will be joined by our (fantastic) regular contributors, Len Penzo from LenPenzo.com and Paula Pant from Afford Anything. And halfway through the show we'll take a break and talk to Bobby Matson from PayItOff. Still paying off your student loans? Wish you could pay the loans off faster? Make sure to check out today's Fintech segment because you'll love our interview with Bobby. Plus we answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. Ethan and his girlfriend are shopping around for car insurance. They're also planning on buying a house and starting a family in the next couple of years. Should he get all the insurance he needs under one roof? Maybe through a broker? Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

Think you have enough money? If you ask our featured guest Matt Manero, lots of people are walking around assuming they have enough (or enough for now) and they couldn't be more wrong. He says there's a good chance that you NEED more money. On today's show we're talking to Matt about protecting your downside, growing your income why you do NOT have to be the boss to get ahead, and more. In our headlines segment, we turn our eyes to Tori Spelling's financial woes. Are you building good money habits? It turns out that no amount of money will ever be "enough" if you don't have a plan behind your money. In our second headline, we're talking to Stuart Ritter of T. Rowe Price. Do people that work in the gig economy pay more attention to their money than people working for "the man?" We'll have the answer to that question and more on today's headlines. We'll also answer another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia question, and answer a Haven Life Line (plus have a bunch of fun while were at it) on today's show. Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Thanks to Lexington Law for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a free credit report summary and credit repair consultation go to lexingtonlaw.com/SB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever think about moving? What if someone PAID you to move? Would you do it? ...and how about having more time in the day? Today we'll discuss cities and towns that'll pay you to relocate AND the secret behind having enough time in your day. We're joined by Rocky Lalvani (from the Richer Soul podcast) along with our Monday/Wednesday co-shot OG. Halfway through the show we'll take a break from our discussion and talk to Dave from Tomorrow. Have you ever got around to creating a will for your family? Tomorrow enables you to create a plan for your family... all through your phone. Plus we answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. Spencer is starting a graduate program later this year. Should he put his extra summer income towards his Roth as usual, or save it and put it towards his loans? Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Thanks to Housecall Pro for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For Free Activation go to HousecallPro.com/SB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're welcoming to the basement the author of "Bozos, monsters and whiz-bangs," Lorraine Ell. Do you have a bad financial advisor story? On today's show Lorraine shares some absolute horror stories with us. Advisors churning accounts? Counselors telling you to sell when the market is in the tank? We'll talk about these and more on today's show (plus what to do if your advisor is dishing out some of this horrible advice!). In our headlines segment, things are getting a wild in the basement. We'll talk about a guy who discovered a bank glitch. Think he did the right thing? We'll talk about how he exploited the glitch to the tune of a few million dollars...and eventually might have learned a valuable lesson (or not). Plus, we throw out the Haven Life line to Bill, who is trying to figure out the various contribution limits for him and his wife. We'll also answer another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia question, and more. Thanks to Housecall Pro for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Waive your $99 activation fee by going to HousecallPro.com/SB. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

Have you ever had a bad job? We'll discuss bad jobs and lessons that you learn while working in a field that might not be ideal or meet your end goals. We'll talk farming, golf caddie, working at McDonalds, and other bad jobs with our special guest Andy Hill (from the Marriage, Kids and Money podcast) along with our regular contributors Len Penzo from Len Penzo dot com and Paula Pant from Afford Anything! And halfway through the show we'll take a break and talk to Natalie Angelillo from OfferUp. It's time to spring clean and OfferUp gives you a platform to buy or sell things from you comfort of your phone and with a photo-first look.  Plus we answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. Rod is investing some of his money for a retirement condo. When he has enough funds for his second choice, should he buy it and rent it out until retirement? Or should he keep investing until he's able to get Condo #1? Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Thanks also to Harry’s for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get your Trial Set – Harrys.com/sb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

We back up the truck and plow through the mailbag today! We'll start off with a question about employee stock purchase plans, work our way into niche real estate, fly through small company stock investing, and dive headfirst into mutual funds vs. ETFs....plus LOTS more. In our headlines segment we'll talk with Ken and Ben from FICO about auto financing. A recent FICO study shows that the move toward shopping online for financing rates isn't nearly as wide as we may have thought. What are the takeaways? We'll ask FICO for some best practices and more on today's show! Plus, are you a Wells Fargo customer? We have more news about claiming your settlements and more on today's podcast. Plus, we throw out the Haven Life line to Ryan, who wants to work in the financial planning field. What advice do we have for him when it comes to talking to others about their money? Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Looking to have your financial product questions answered? Head to MagnifyMoney.com for your credit, savings, student, and auto loan needs. Thanks to LegalZoom for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get special savings by going to Legalzoom.com and using SB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even though he's an engineer by trade, Harry Campbell was excited about the opportunity to earn extra money driving people (and stuff) around town so he tried out Lyft. What happened? Now he runs arguably the biggest website dedicated to ride sharing services AND he'll give you all the secrets about making money in the sharing economy on today's show! In our headlines segment, we tackle a piece about inheritances. Do you know why people don't receive their inheritance? We do, and it probably isn't what you think it is.... Plus, we throw out the Haven Life line to Adam, who wonders about buying property in China. Should he and his spouse spend their money on a home before prices escalate more? We'll also answer another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia question, and more. Thanks to CollegeBacker for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Sign up at CollegeBacker.com/sb and get a $10 match when you start a college fund for your own family or send a gift to kickoff someone else’s college fund. Thanks to Harry’s for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get your Free Trial Set – go to Harrys.com/sb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just starting out with money? Do you know someone just beginning in life, or graduating this month? Dorethia Kelly from The Money Chat joins Greg McFarlane and Len Penzo to tackle exactly that topic and more. We also discuss Uber’s plans to bring auto financing to the masses (and tips to buy a car), plus how to make debt disappear quicker. As we do often, we juggle a ton of topics on this episode! ALSO – with Father’s Day this weekend, maybe you’ve decided that dad has enough ties. What about buying him stock? Dan Schatt joins us on our FinTech segment to tell us about Stockpile, a site where you can give dad shares of your favorite company, an ETF, and more. You can also buy physical gift cards from retailers. Now dad can actually get a gift that appreciates! Griffin the Intern (the "FinTern") is bringing the party on today's rewind episode. Enjoy! You can find the original show notes here: Our Best Advice for Graduates Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jane Blaufus, author of With the Stroke of a Pen, Claim Your Life joins us in the basement to share her very personal tragedy, and how making non-emotional insurance decisions helped her cope in a difficult time. She'll share a refreshing view of insurances that might change your mind about your personal coverage. Matt Becker from MomandDadMoney.com joins Paula Pant from Afford Anything on this week's roundtable to discuss the Zen of Investing. You'll learn some important investing lessons that may change your overall philosophy.  Of course we work to give something away, Joe & OG talk about current financial topics, and tackle reviews of Prisoners and The Spectacular Now....and much much more. Griffin the Intern (the "FinTern") rewinds to when we talked about when things go wrong....and the best time to prep? right now, while things are going well. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Money, it turns out, does bad things to your brain AND to your skin. Author Kabir Sehgal from the NY Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Coined, The Rich Life of Money and How Its History Has Shaped Us joins us in the basement. We also take your letters, talk about Stacking Bordens with a Canadian friend, and more. This episode originally aired November 2, 2015. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking for a better deal on our insurances? We'll tackle a piece today about tracking devices that trade privacy for your data, which will hopefully save you money on your insurance. Would you trade your data for lower costs? We'll discuss this and the many ways you CAN save money on insurances with our special guest Shannon Harvey (author of How To Avoid Financial Disaster), along with our regular contributors OG and Paula Pant from Afford Anything! And halfway through the show we'll take a break and talk to Nic Kopp from online bank N26. After successfully scaling in Europe, this bank is poised to now bring easier mobile banking to the USA. We'll talk to Nic about exactly what N26 has to offer and when you can sign up. Plus we answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. VJ wonders if he should ditch his insurance agent AFTER he helped him find a policy? He feels guilty because even though the agent answered lots of questions and was helpful, VJ found a better price online. What should he do? Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of our most frequently asked questions revolves around the Roth IRA. Should I invest in it? How much should I invest? Why should I invest in a Roth vs. a traditional IRA? That's just ONE of the many questions we answer on today's show, including questions about investing, buying a house, spiking your interest rates on short term goals, and more.  In our headlines segment we'll talk about how financial advisors market their services. Can you tell from an advisor's method of pitching (and her pitch) whether they'll be a good fit for you? Absolutely...and we'll explain on today's show, as we talk about seminars, workshops, Facebook ads, radio shows, and more. Plus, we'll tackle a piece about remodeling your house. Which improvements improve your home's value the most? We'll share all of those on today's podcast. Plus, we throw out the Haven Life line to Eric, who's contributing to a target date fund and wonders if he could do a better job on his own. Can he? Do we like his target date fund? We'll also throw out Doug's trivia question, and more. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Looking to have your financial product questions answered? Head to MagnifyMoney.com for your credit, savings, student, and auto loan needs. Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lillain Karabaic has done everything. From bicycle valet to bookkeeping to radio, she's had just about every job you could imagine (she held over 40 jobs during her 20's!). Today she's sharing advice and stories about grabbing the reins. Think you aren't saving enough money? She'll inspire you with her work ethic. Think you have trouble getting money in the right place? She'll share her favorite tips... and more.  In our headlines segment, we'll share some statistics from Transferwise about banking fees. It turns out that many people are surprised by the fees their bank charges. Overdraft fees? Sure, banks charge those, but how about returned mail fees? We'll share the whole list and ways to reduce fees. We'll also debate a new media piece about retirement planning. Is it time to share the old planning practices out the window? We'll share the authors' tips and also those that OG and Joe advocate, on today's podcast. Plus, we throw out the Haven Life line to Abbey, who wonders about starting a financial coaching business. As a financial planner, is there room to expand into coaching people who don't yet need full-on CFP level support? We'll share some of the reasons you don't see more of these businesses and also ideas for starting one on today's show. We'll also answer another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia question, and more. Thanks to RXBAR for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get 25% off your first order at RXbar.com/sb, Promo Code: SB. Thanks to Lexington Law for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a free credit report summary and credit repair consultation go to lexingtonlaw.com/sb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much do your friends control your fate when it comes to your money? One recent piece contends that your community (including friends) is a HUGE piece in the puzzle toward financial success. Does our panel agree? Here to answer that question we welcome Jen Hemphill, author of the new hit financial book Her Money Matters. She'll join OG on today's show for that AND Doug's amazing trivia (we know you can barely wait....). Plus we answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. Daniel wonders about life insurance. How much should he and his spouse plan on for life insurance for his children? Thanks to Housecall Pro for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Waive your $99 activation fee by going to HousecallPro.com/SB. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why are you saving money? How much joy are you receiving from that "stuff" you own? You may rethink your financial plan after today's show, because our guest is the co-author of the HUGE bestselling book, Your Money or Your Life. Vicki Robin helped shape the financial independence/retire early movement, and she's on her way down to the basement today to talk to us about re-examining your beliefs around your life and your money. Your money or your life, indeed. In our headlines segment we'll talk about student loans with Robert Farrington from The College Investor. He'll talk about how over 3,000 people just took part in an event to pay off a TON of student loan debt. We'll share best practices, how best to apply to lower interest rates on your debt, and how to pay them down in a way that makes sense for your situation. We'll also discuss the new SEC proposed fiduciary rule. Is THIS finally the rule we've been looking for? Will it replace the mostly knocked-down rule from the Department of Labor? We'll review the rule and discuss what you need to know about it on today's show. Plus, we throw out the Haven Life line to Karen, who's contributing to a brand spankin' new health savings account. How should she best use it? We'll share how these plans work on today's show. We'll also answer another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia question, and watch him try to juggle....one ball.  Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Thanks to Lexington Law for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a free credit report summary and credit repair consultation go to lexingtonlaw.com/sb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What 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

What happens when you're booted from your company? Jordan Harbinger found out firsthand. The former host of popular and award winning Art of Charm podcast tells us his story and then we talk about building YOUR network so it's available when you need it. We'll discuss the right (and horribly wrong) ideas, tools, and strategies to use when taking on the challenge of expanding your circle of influence. Plus, in headlines, we'll tackle a recent headline about a big financial company that may have stepping in the same BIG problem twice. What's the problem and how do YOU avoid being a victim of this company? We'll unravel all of that plus another headline about risk. Where do you run from stocks if you've had enough...international bonds?  We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Dom, who wonders what stocks he should buy in his "sandbox" portfolio. How do you evaluate individual stocks and where is the the best place to purchase them? Both Joe and OG chime in with their answers.  But....that's not all! We'll answer answer a letter from the mailbag, serve up some JP Morgan trivia, and more! Thanks to RXBAR for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get 25% off your first order at RXbar.com/sb, Promo Code: SB. Thanks to Housecall Pro for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Waive your $99 activation fee by going to HousecallPro.com/SB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's nearly tax time and we're hearing lots of rumors about tax strategies that just don't work. So we were relieved to read a headline that walked us through several rumors that weren't true. We'll go over them in detail on today's podcast! Plus we get serious about sexism in the financial press. Do pieces aimed at women speak to them differently than pieces aimed at men? Our roundtable will weigh in on men, women, and the differences in the way we talk about money. To talk about these topics, we're joined by our crack regular team of contributors: Paula Pant (Afford Anything) and Len Penzo (Len Penzo dot com), along with our very own OG. We also answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. Steve wants to know if there's any reason NOT to consolidate his many accounts spread all over the place. What's the downside he might not be seeing? Thanks to TurboTax Live for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get a personal review of your tax return with a CPA or EA backed with a one-hundred percent Accuracy Guarantee. Connect with a TurboTax Live expert at TurboTaxLive.com/SB. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when a bestselling money author teams up with an SNL star to talk about financial literacy? You end up with some awesome videos featuring Kate McKinnon and Beth Kobliner! Beth joins us in the basement today to talk about the making of the videos and to share some much-needed financial literacy tips for children. How do you teach kids (or other adults) about money when you don't feel like YOU'RE a whiz with your cash? Beth shares some great tips that you'll be able to use today. In our headlines segment we'll talk about a recent lawsuit about "reverse churning." What does that even mean? We'll talk about why it's important most of the time to do absolutely nothing with your money, and we'll also discuss when you should expect to pay for advice and exactly what you're paying for when you work with an advisor. If you're in a fee-based account, are you paying for trades or for advice from the advisor? We'll debate that question on today's show.  In our second headline we'll talk to Mike Foy from JD Power and Associates. They have a new customer satisfaction survey that also shares LOTS of information about millennials. It appears that millennials are ditching their advisors in droves. Why is that happening? What are advisors missing? We'll ask Mike to dig into the JD Power survey findings on today's podcast...including which firms scored highest in customer satisfaction this year. Plus, as always, we throw out the Haven Life line to Tanaya, who's contributing to her state pension plan and her Roth every year. What's are some other considerations of places she should be contributing? We'll also, we pull out the stops and answer several letters in an effort to get caught up. We'll tackle minimum volatility funds, a confusing advisor recommendation, a listener who actually gets what we're doing with this podcast, and more.   Thanks to Blue Apron for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Check out this week’s menu and get $30 OFF —WITH FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/SB. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder whether individual stock investing is for you? Chuck Jaffe, host of Money Life with Chuck Jaffe, joins us to talk about the differences between investing in individual companies and in indexes or actively traded funds. We'll discuss diversification, learning about companies, the impact of fees, and more. Plus, in headlines, we'll tackle a recent headline about a big financial company possibly faced with a billion dollar judgment. What does it have to do with your money? You may learn a lot about estate planning on today's show. We'll also follow one writer who's decided to go cashless. Is it a good idea to dive into the empty wallet-end of the pool? We'll discuss upsides and downsides on today's show. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Melissa, who wants some advice on how her and her husband should structure their funds inside of their accounts. Without fully knowing their situation, can the guys still give her ideas for her investment strategy? We'll also answer a letter from another listener, score some of Doug's vampire-rich trivia, and more. Support for Stacking Benjamins comes from TurboTax Live, new from TurboTax. Now you can get a personal review of your tax return with a CPA or EA right on your screen. Talk live with a tax expert as often as you need for tax advice to help you file with confidence. Go to turbotaxlive.com/SB. Thanks to LegalZoom for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get special savings by going to legalzoom.com and use SB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've snared a HOT topic! Bloggers online are talking about a recent piece written by Miles Howard, entitled "Is Frugality For The Rich?" It asks many questions about bloggers online and the transparency of how they earn their money. We talk to our roundtable about whether the frugality that's made to sound awesome by bloggers is really something we can all attain. Is any of it real? To talk about that topic, plus a recent study that explores the differences between rich and poor kids, we welcome our special guest Jonathan Mendonza from the awesome Choose FI podcast to the show! Jonathan is joined by our crack regular team of contributors: Paula Pant (Afford Anything) and Len Penzo (Len Penzo dot com). We'll also bring you some cool Friday FinTech on today's show. Thomas Beattie from Voleo.com stops by to tell us how they help investors turn their love of stocks and (sometimes wild) opinions into better informed decisions. The wisdom of the crowd wins again on today's show! We also answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. What should Curtis do with his three HSA accounts? Is there a way to combine them? We'll ask our team that question, and also answer a letter from another listener, share Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks to TurboTax Live for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get a personal review of your tax return with a CPA or EA backed with a one-hundred percent Accuracy Guarantee. Connect with a TurboTax Live expert at TurboTaxLive.com/SB. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

Ever had that time in your life when you just couldn't get ahead? You'd come home after payday, think that you could maybe relax and spend a dollar or two, and then realize, "Oh, $%#!" Kristin Wong has been through that cycle before herself, and she also knows how to dig your way out. She's coming down to the basement today to share her own story and tips to help you better manage your budget. In our headlines segment, we talk about your brokerage account. Do you keep your cash reserve in the cash portion of your brokerage account? A new Wall Street Journal piece tells us that you might be losing lots of money. We'll also discuss guaranteed income strategies. A recent study shows that people want to hear from their advisor about guaranteed income. We'll talk about why people want advice on this issue and why most advisors don't spend a lot of time on this area. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Andy, who's worried about cashing out of his retirement plans. Should he sell off some of his money all at once and leave it on the sideline or should he reverse dollar cost average out of his long term savings and into cash? We'll also answer a letter from another listener, score some of Doug's vampire-rich trivia, and more. Support for Stacking Benjamins comes from TurboTax Live, new from TurboTax. Now you can get a personal review of your tax return with a CPA or EA right on your screen. Talk live with a tax expert as often as you need for tax advice to help you file with confidence. Go to turbotaxlive.com/SB. Thanks to LegalZoom for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get special savings by going to legalzoom.com and use SB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you say goodbye to a long term advisor? Whether it's a financial advisor, CPA, financial coach, or someone in another field, we'll talk about the common practice of "ghosting" advisors. Is it okay to just leave your advisors and not tell them that you're going? If you decide to tell them that you're leaving, what should you say? We'll ask our crack team, including not only OG and Len Penzo, but special guest Mrs. Groovy from FreedomIsGroovy.com.  Plus, we'll also talk about taking time off from your job to begin constructing your ultimate life. How do you begin taking time away? We'll not only review a piece on this topic but also ask our panel for tips on today's podcast. We also answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. What should our listener expect from tax preparation help? How do the fees work? We'll ask our team that question, and also answer a letter from another listener, share Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks to Lexington Law for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a free credit report summary and credit repair consultation go to lexingtonlaw.com/sb Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thinking about placing some of your hard earned Benjamins into investments in China? So have many American investors, yet lots of them don't know how much trouble they might be inadvertently be walking into. Jed Rothstein, Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award winning director) joins us to discuss his new documentary, the China Hustle. How do people get swindled out of millions of dollars while trying to buy Chinese stocks listed on American stock exchanges? We'll hear how the game works and also show you how deceptive it is even though it was all legal.   In headlines today we hear a gut-wrenching story about how an NBA star went from a $61 million fortune to being six figures in debt. We'll also discuss a headline about buying insurance online. There are many questions people should ask when purchasing anything online, and we ask Haven Life CEO Yaron Ben-Zvi to share some tips with us. As always, he gives us lots of ideas to make sure you know what you're buying.   Plus, as always, we throw out the Haven Life line to a listener. Today Win is wondering why her tax refund check is so low. Is it because she recently paid off her student loan? Also, we answer a letter from Nate who wonders about depositing a refund from an HSA expense back into his account even though he's no longer eligible? Of course, we'll have Doug's trivia and more fun on today's show.   Thanks Lexington Law for supporting our show. For a free credit report summary and credit repair consultation go to lexingtonlaw.com/sb Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Women's History Month draws to a close we suddenly realized....we've done nothing to celebrate! Today on the show we make up for that ('in spades," as mom says) by inviting professor Woody Holton down to the basement. He's the author of the book Abigail Adams, for which he won the Bambridge Award and more. He'll describe the amazing prowess of Adams in a time when many women not only weren't investing, but weren't even allowed to participate in their family's financial plan. He'll describe which investments she preferred, why she decided largely against real estate for her portfolio, and how she created an estate plan for herself in a time when many women didn't have that luxury. If you love to learn from historical figures, Abigail Adams is a great role model and Dr. Holton gives us many revealing stories about her prowess on today's show. In our headlines segment, we'll talk to Jamie Wise from the BUZZ Index (ticker BUZ). He'll describe why his strategy and those of some of his algorithm-based competitors seem to be winning in this time of volatility. He'll also share some of the names that the crowds on social media are focusing on to ride the choppy market. Also, with the financial markets all over the place, we'll review a story from Marketwatch that asks whether the market will crash, and if it will, what you should do to buckle up. The advice might surprise you, if you're looking for ways to exit stage left, or are looking for advice that tells you how to exit stage left....or right. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Nelson, who's worried about his parents' financial plan. They have an insurance-company based financial advisor, so Nelson thinks that they should move to different advice. How does he approach the topic with his parents? We also answer a letter from another listener, score some of Doug's spinach-based trivia, and more. Thanks to RXBAR for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get 25% off your first order at RXbar.com/sb, Promo Code: SB. Why compromise with investments when you can use an intuitive, easy-to-use, robust platform? M1Finance combines the power of automated investing platforms with the flexibility of do-it-yourself but more expensive brokers. ...and now, it's FREE! Be Invested. Check out M1Finance . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

Do YOU have what it takes to be a millionaire? We pair three of our listeners with our panelists on today's show for a game show style discussion on the habits of millionaires. We'll talk about whether people are more likely to be a millionaire if they're self-made or come from money, what type of car millionaires drive, their level of education, and more. We also answer Joe's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. He's getting married and wants to change his health insurance, but his human resources department says he can't change. What's up? We'll give him our thoughts, share Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks to RXBAR for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get 25% off your first order at RXbar.com/sb, Promo Code: SB. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're talking money and movies on today's show, as Kiplinger financial writer Tom Blanton joins us in the basement to discuss lessons from ten Oscar nominated films. We'll not only tackle a few films from this year, but many from the back catalog that you maybe haven't yet seen. Whether you're a film buff looking for a walk down memory lane or someone hoping to find some entertaining films that also talk about your wallet, we have you covered on today's podcast.   In headlines today we high five the writer of a new piece who says that the bull market might run another 20 years. Do we agree? We'll share our feelings on today's show. Plus, we dive into a piece that lists all of the financial moves you should make if you die young. What should you make sure is covered now and what can wait? We'll go over all of that and more on today's show!   Plus, as always, we throw out the Haven Life line to a listener. Nick asks about variable annuities. Should he keep his annuity, buy another one, or rip the money out of annuities altogether? Also, we answer a letter from a listener who wonders about holding or selling a property that he and his spouse own. Of course, we'll have Doug's trivia and more fun on today's show.   Thanks to Upstart for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Looking beyond just a FICO score, Upstart also looks at your job experience and education when determining your rate. Checking your rate will only take two minutes and doesn't after your credit. Get your rate now at Upstart.com/SB Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices