BiggerPockets Money Podcast
By BiggerPockets
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Subscribers: 1609
Reviews: 2
Nov 18, 2018
Love This Show! A Must-Listen
Aug 21, 2018
Scott and Mindy do such an amazing job covering so many great approaches to financial freedom and excellence, starting from so many different vantage points, methodologies, investment and cost cutting tactics, it's such a breath of fresh air for the world of financial podcasts!
Description
For those who have money… or want more of it!
Join Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench (from BiggerPockets.com) weekly for the BiggerPockets Money Podcast. Each week, financial experts Mindy and Scott interview unique and powerful thought leaders about how to earn more, keep more, spend smarter, and grow wealth.
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188: Finance Friday: Is A Master's Degree Worth The Pay Raise?
00:55:12
Being strapped with student debt isn’t easy. It creates a whole new obstacle to hitting financial freedom, but it can be mitigated. So does it make sense to invest on the side and pay the regular monthly payments on student debt, or go all-in and pay off huge chunks of student debt at once? Today’s guest, Robyn, has this exact question (which many of you may have as well). Robyn lives in the Bay Area, one of the most notoriously expensive housing markets on the planet. That being said, she is paying very low rent, under $700 a month, split with her partner. Robyn has student loans and a small car loan, but wants to go back to school to get her master’s degree so she can hit her career goals. There would be a pay raise after she got her master’s and she loves her job, so she’s keen on staying in her sector for awhile. Scott and Mindy go through a few examples where it may be best for Robyn to go more heavy on investing, instead of paying off the student loan aggressively. This is especially true now that the government has given the option of 0% interest payments on student loans for many students (including Robyn) until at least the last quarter of 2021. So what makes more sense, get rid of debt or go in on investing? In This Episode We Cover
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Apr 16, 2021 |
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187: Tiffany Aliche's 10 Financial Components to Become 'Financially Whole'
01:25:51
Tiffany Aliche is back for her third appearance on the BiggerPockets Money Show! We’ve talked to her about how to teach your children about money and climbing out from financial rock bottom, now we talk to her about making millions! If you haven’t heard from Tiffany before, we’ll catch you up on her backstory. Tiffany was doing well with money up until her mid-twenties, then she hit a few snags, and even got scammed out of $35,000 from who she calls “Jack the Thief”. She was living with her parents in her thirties and had a lower net worth at thirty than she did a sixteen. This is what she refers to as hitting her financial rock bottom. Thankfully, she had some friends who helped pull her out of her financial shame. She then went on to work hard, started putting away money in savings and investments, and now she’s running businesses making 7-figures, every month! That is no small accomplishment, but Tiffany doesn’t want to go small, she wants to go BIG! Big retirement accounts, big businesses, and big dreams! Tiffany’s current goal is to hit $10,000,000 in retirement savings by fifty, but thinks she may be able to do so before she turns forty-five. This is all accomplished through creating big visions, setting the pace for the rest of her financial life, prioritizing tasks in her life, and farming out her profitable skill sets. Tiffany’s friends say that everything she touches turns to gold, but Tiffany says “I only touch gold!” You can get Tiffany’s new book Get Good with Money today! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow187 |
Apr 12, 2021 |
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186: Finance Friday: Using Student Loan Forgiveness to Catapult FI w/ Sammie
01:01:58
Today we talk to Sammie, a physician assistant out of the San Francisco Bay Area. Sammie makes a great income, around $140,000 a year, but is strapped with a very big $160,000 student loan debt. The good news? She’s eligible for public service loan forgiveness within only a few years, all she needs to do is continue paying her loan payments while keeping her job, and the debt will be wiped away! This is fantastic for Sammie, because she wants to start investing more into assets so she can hit financial independence within the next decade.This should be more than possible seeing as she used to be spending a lot on her rent in San Francisco, but decided to move back home with her parents two years ago to not only help them, but save money. Sammie has some options to work more hours at her job, invest more aggressively, or buy some rental properties. She has a good amount in cash savings and would be comfortable looking into rentals starting next year. She also has a $200,000+ investment portfolio, so not only does she have a positive net worth, when her student loans get forgiven, she’ll be sitting on a lot of money she’ll be able to play with! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow186 |
Apr 09, 2021 |
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185: “I DON’T Want to Retire Early” with Investing Expert Barbara Friedberg
01:15:55
Barbara Friedburg wasn’t always the savvy investor and saver that many people know her as, but her background helped get her there. Born to parents of the great depression, Barbara had the traits of frugality and modesty instilled into her from a young age. Money was an open subject of discussion in Barbara’s household, unlike most households today. Her parents taught her to value money, not waste it, and be smart when you spend. Barbara’s innate financial intelligence was clearly shown when she met her husband. Within two weeks of them getting together, Barbara had already taken over her future husband’s finances and got his money into a retirement account. This led to them having a very financially healthy relationship, never spending more than they needed to, and putting a substantial amount of their income into savings and 401(k) accounts. Barbara then went on to become a financial planner, investor, consultant, and author. In a time where the market is so overvalued, she advises young people to be smart with their income and understand that wealth is built in the long-term, not through quick gambles. Save your money, invest it consistently, and get off the hedonic treadmill. “Don’t covet your neighbor’s BMW” is what she told us! Barbara also gives us an inside look into her current investments, and why she heavily favors passive index funds over single stock picks. She goes into short, medium, and long-term money, and the uses for each. For young people who haven’t gotten a grip on finances yet, this is a great episode to hear from someone who has done it successfully for decades! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow185 |
Apr 05, 2021 |
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184: Finance Friday: Is Your FI Number Overly-Conservative?
00:44:18
Saving up for financial independence can take some time, but if you’re earning a high salary, keeping your exSaving up for financial independence can take some time, but if you’re earning a high salary, keeping your expenses low, and heavily investing, FI can come quicker than you think. Today, we talk to Kristine, an estimator in the mechanical engineering and plumbing industry. Kristine and her fiancé make a sizable amount of money. Even better, they spend very little for their income bracket and invest in long-term index funds. Kristine and her husband are thrifty, they pay only $600 a month to rent a room in a house and are just now about to purchase their first home. They’re putting 20% as a down payment and are ready for a large shift in disposable income. They’re also planning on having kids in the future, and want to be sure they can retire on their terms so they can spend time with their children. Originally Kristine wanted about $3.1 million dollars in assets to hit a $100,000+ per year withdrawal allowance (using the 4% rule), but Scott and Mindy argue that this could be more aggressive than needed. Kristine may be over-budgeting for future children and other expenses, without realizing that her sizable amount of assets could compound quicker than she thinks. Will Kristine be able to retire far earlier than she plans? Listen to find out! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow184 |
Apr 02, 2021 |
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183: Mini Millionaires: How to Set Up Your Children for Financial Independence with Rob Phelan
00:53:21
Those who are part of the FI or FIRE movement know how important it is to set yourself up on the right path in your youth. For parents, how do you get your kids excited about pursuing financial freedom? How do you talk to your kids about taxes, retirement accounts, saving, investing, and real estate without them falling asleep? This was Rob Phelan’s question when he started working to build the Choose FI Foundation. The foundation’s goal is simple: help kids achieve financial literacy before they leave high school, let them break free from debt, build towards retirement, and live happier, more secure lives. Contrary to many parent’s beliefs, when children are presented with education regarding them becoming rich, they actually perk up. Rob stresses that a child’s relationship with money is more important than things like amortization schedules and interest rates. Different age groups learn about money in different ways. For example, elementary school children may learn through broad concepts and simple planning, middle school children are ready to learn about retirement and taxes, and high school children can ask the big questions like “what will make me a successful adult?” as well as developing saving and spending habits. Rob created different programs and projects such as his “meal planning” project where he asks kids to plan a week's worth of meals and compare their incomes against their expenses. He talks to high school students about house-hacking and creating cash flow so they aren’t stuck in a job they hate. He also runs The Simple Startup, where he teaches children how to start their own business for free! If you’re a parent or teacher, you can access the Choose Fi Foundation’s full curriculum for free, and get your kids onto a great start! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/moneyshow183 |
Mar 29, 2021 |
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182: What if My Career Gets Phased Out? Finance Friday with Mike
01:01:14
Mindy and Scott don’t often get stumped on the Money Show, but it happens once in a great while. What do you do when you have a multi-million dollar net worth, appreciating properties, a maxed out 401(k), and a solid safety reserve? That’s exactly the question that today’s guest, Mike, has. Mike has worked in the music industry for years, moving all around the US to do his job. As technology has evolved, Mike is predicting an end to his specific role over the next decade, and is wondering what he should do next. He doesn’t have a lot of interest in starting a business or buying more real estate, but wants to squeeze out more money or savings if he can. He has rental properties that have highly appreciated, but are having cash flow problems due to COVID-19. One, located in San Francisco, has netted close to $700k in equity since its purchase 12 years ago. That’s massive! Mindy and Scott go through Mike’s options, such as selling and putting the leftover profit into cash-flowing assets, or 1031 exchanging into a more diverse real estate investment. Mike is one of the best examples of smart investing we’ve seen on the show, but there’s always more room for improvement with finances! In This Episode We Cover
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Mar 26, 2021 |
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181: A Slow, Steady, and Sustainable Way to Buy Rentals with Julie
01:15:25
You may hear of 20 year olds with $1,000,000 in real estate, or a novice flipper doing 50 flips a year, or even a wholesaler who made six figures on one deal. What about the everyday investor who slowly grinds and acquires a steady stream of passive income all while building hundreds of thousands in equity overtime? Those are the real people in real estate, and that is a success story worth sharing. Julie, software engineer and former BiggerPockets employee bought her first house after realizing that a mortgage would be cheaper than her rent. After getting together with her (then) boyfriend, they decided to buy a bigger house. As her first house sat on the market, she waited for an offer, and then made the decision to rent it out. A few months after buying her second home, she broke up with her boyfriend. Problem? They were both on the title and mortgage. Julie had enough money in her cash reserve to buy him out of the property. Now the property was all Julie’s and she rented out a room to help her pay off the mortgage. Now Julie has 7 properties, spread out across Iowa, Tennessee, and Kentucky. All with very interesting stories, and all pay her passive income, every month. Julie is proof that with some financial restraint, you can slowly build a real estate empire, without even trying to do so in the first place! In This Episode We Cover
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Mar 22, 2021 |
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180: So You’ve Reached Millionaire Status, What’s Next? Finance Friday with Brian Blask
01:10:37
What do you do once you’ve hit millionaire status? You have rental properties, brokerage accounts, and a good amount of cash on hand, so what’s next? This is the question that today’s guest, Brian Blask, has. Brian has done everything right so far: he doesn’t spend frivolously, he invests heavily, he isn’t overleveraged in his rental properties, and he has a high income. Often when you reach such a high point of financial intelligence, you want to make bigger investments for bigger returns. Brian is debating whether or not he should buy more rentals in the cash flowing market of upstate New York, or buy a short-term rental in his new home state of North Carolina. Both markets are different, while one favors cash flow, the other favors appreciation. Brian is also debating whether or not he should take a truly passive role and invest in real estate syndication deals. Many people don’t know that to become an accredited investor you (often) need to have a net worth of $1,000,000. This is why Brian is debating whether or not he should put money into syndications. Although they can be more hands off, it’s incredibly important to do your homework and look at the track record of a syndication before diving in. With the liquid assets that Brian has on hand, he has a number of great options to follow up with. Keep the cash flow in New York even with little appreciation, try his shot at an AirBnb in North Carolina that could both cash flow and appreciate, or have more time with his new baby on the way and put money into a syndication. What should he do? Listen to find out! In This Episode We Cover
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Mar 19, 2021 |
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179: “The Guy Who Did Everything Wrong But Still Figured it Out” with David Pere
01:05:58
Being in the military opens you up to an array of benefits for a financially abundant life. You have access to VA loans, a tax-free housing allowance, and a pension (if you stick around long enough). That’s why it’s of the utmost importance to start saving and investing while you’re young and in the military. But, that wasn’t exactly what David Pere (From Military to Millionaire) did when he was first enlisted. David grew up with frugal parents, who never splurged on much. So when he joined the Marine Corps in 2008, he was ready to catch up on the spending he never was able to do. As he describes it, he spent his first salary on “a truck, tattoos, and drinking”. Not the best way to set yourself up for financial freedom! It wasn’t until a few years later when a friend gave him a copy of Rich Dad Poor Dad that David discovered he could be doing A LOT more with his money. He bought a duplex with an FHA loan for $81,000 and house hacked it so his tenants were paying a majority of the mortgage. When he was shipped off for duty, he ended up leasing out the other side of the duplex and cash flowing an extra $300 per month. He then went on to buy a 10-unit with just 5% down and also got in on a small syndication in South Carolina. Everything was looking good, until David decided to partner up on a 40 unit, mixed-use building with a sizable amount of leverage. Some things happened and the deal turned sour, now David is in a legal battle to get his money out of the deal. Even with this massive deal not going through, David pushes the importance of scaling, but not too fast. Scaling to an amount where you aren’t overleveraged but at the same time pushing yourself to accomplish more is the sweet spot! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow179 |
Mar 15, 2021 |
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178: Finance Friday: From $33k in Debt to $100k+ in Net Worth Through House Hacking & Smart Saving with Budget Girl
01:12:58
Last time we talked to Sarah, AKA Budget Girl, she was on Episode 6 of the Money Show. If you haven’t listened to that episode, here’s a quick recap. Sarah was $33,000 in debt from student loans, but she was able to pay it off while making less than $30,000 year! For most people, this would have taken decades to pay off, but Sarah was able to crush her debt in only a few years! Now it’s time to check in on Sarah, and see what she’s been doing since clearing herself from debt. Currently, Sarah has a net worth of over $100,000, she took some advice from the BiggerPockets community and bought a duplex to house hack! She purchased the duplex within the “path of progress” around Texas A&M University. She’s seen some solid appreciation over the past 10 months and cash flows a small amount off the property. She’s not only living for free, she’s getting paid to live in her own property! Sarah has also hoarded a serious sum of cash and investments sitting on the side. She has retirement accounts, brokerage accounts, and a large surplus of cash that is slowly building so she can buy her next property. Sarah is able to do this by keeping her expenses very low, while making money from her full-time job and her side hustle as Budget Girl. She proved that even with a low income, you can get out of debt and hit financial milestones! In This Episode We Cover
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow178 |
Mar 12, 2021 |
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177: Putting Yourself in the Best Financial Position as a First Time Home Buyer with Scott and Mindy
01:15:07
It’s hard being a first time home buyer, especially if you don’t have any experience with real estate, property values, or market appreciation. You may be wondering how you’ll be able to buy a home that will help increase your net worth, or at least, not shrink it. Scott and Mindy are on today to tell you how to make the best first time home buying decision possible. We’ll go through the most common myths that first time home buyers tend to get caught up in. Myths such as:
If you’re interested in gaining some appreciation with your first home purchase, Scott and Mindy also walk through the most common exit strategies and how you can prepare to use them. You’ll also hear some great advice on how to find a good deal in your area. And no, a good deal doesn’t just mean a deal that is lower than market average! Want to know more about how to successfully buy your first home? Scott and Mindy’s new book First Time Home Buyer can be ordered now! In This Episode We Cover
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Mar 08, 2021 |
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176: How to Grow Retirement Accounts Before Having Kids | Finance Friday with Steve
00:59:10
Most listeners of the show will know that a cash cushion is always great to have and should be mandatory for almost everyone. Having a cash reserve of 6-12 months can help you cover unexpected expenses or life events like a sudden medical bill or losing your job. That being said, sometimes you can have a cash cushion that’s too big for your lifestyle. Today we talk to Steve, who has been paying off his mortgage quickly with the help of his wife. They both have respectable salaries, retirement accounts, and a large cash cushion. Steve wants to know whether or not he should move some of his cash out of his reserve and into retirement accounts or real estate. Since Steve has such a large cash cushion to rely on, he could take out a fraction of it to use as a down payment on a rental property and still have tens of thousands left over! Scott and Mindy walk Steve through the different options he has, such as paying off his primary mortgage then buying real estate, pausing his mortgage prepayments and going all in on real estate, and other strategies. Steve is in such a secure position that it makes it hard to criticize his current standing. That being said, he could be using leverage to springboard his investment property portfolio and be on the path to financial freedom sooner! In This Episode We Cover
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow176 |
Mar 05, 2021 |
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175: Staying Flexible in Early Retirement with A Purple Life
00:51:36
Last time we talked to Purple from A Purple Life, she told us about her plan to retire at the end of 2020. If you haven’t listened to that interview, you can listen to it here to get the full scoop on Purple’s journey from a $5,000 net worth to hundreds of thousands within only a few years. Like many financially savvy early retirees, Purple put a lot of time into planning, saving, and investing her capital in order to retire in her early 30s. Well, she did it! As of October 2020, Purple is financially independent and retired! So, how’s it going so far with financial independence in Purple’s world? Purple talks about her hobbies, interests, and most importantly, how the final month of her employment went with her former employer. She also gives some great insight on taking advantage of her employer’s health insurance for the last month of work, making sure that she was able to keep her quarterly bonus, and how she ended up breaking the news to her boss. It’s all worked well for Purple, but she did have some big plans to cancel. Purple had lined up 4 months worth of travel that all had to be canceled when COVID-19 hit and shutdowns began. She would have been snorkeling in Australia and scootering in Thailand right now! Thankfully, Purple has been able to adapt and take advantage of this off time to assess her financial situation and what she wants out of early retirement. In This Episode We Cover
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Mar 01, 2021 |
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174: Finance Friday: Reaching Semper FI (Financial Independence) Before Retirement with Fabio
01:11:32
Real estate investors are known to have their hands in 20 different pots, this is doubly true for Marine and real estate investor Fabio. Fabio is a Captain in the Marine Corps and has been in service for the past 21 years. He has at least five years left before he wants to retire, but is poised to hit his “freedom number” (or what others call their financial independence number) soon. Fabio has rental properties throughout the country: a duplex in San Diego, a house in Arizona, a BRRRR currently in the rehab stage in St. Louis, and his residence in Illinois. The problem? Some of these properties aren’t cash flowing as much as Fabio would like. He also has a high interest hard money loan on the BRRRR property he is rehabbing, plus a loan taken out against his retirement account. This presents a handful of different options: should he sell some of the houses that aren’t cash flowing in order to pay back some of the high interest loans or wait to refinance? Which debt should be taken care of first? How can he leverage his current assets to help him build a bigger real estate portfolio. If you’re a long-term real estate investor, you’ve probably been in a dilemma like this before. Stick around for all the lucrative options Fabio can use! In This Episode We Cover
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Feb 26, 2021 |
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173: Bringing in The ‘Dough’ with Brent TheFoodTruckCEO (Part 2)
00:58:39
Welcome to episode 173.5! Yesterday you heard from Brent, a former registered nurse who paid off over $100,000 in debt and started a mobile pizza truck! Brent’s original interview was recorded back in January or 2020 and was scheduled to be released right around the time that the pandemic hit and shutdowns began. Since it was released yesterday we thought it’d be a great idea to have him back to talk about all his progress since then! Since we last spoke to Brent, he’s added a whole other food truck to his business and has hired on more staff. Now he’s cooking up (and selling out) pizzas wherever he goes. He even has a new social media handle, he’s TheFoodTruckCEO! Brent talks through the challenges he’s faced this year, the wins he wasn’t expecting, and advice he’s given to young entrepreneurs just starting their business. As you heard in the last episode, Brent paid for his first pizza truck with savings he had, allowing him to finance the business debt-free. A year later, Brent still agrees this was a good idea, as has less stress and far more creative freedom being able to make decisions without having to worry about paying off a large amount of debt. What are the profit margins of pizza and food trucks? Brent shares his margins, his pricing, and success stories, showing that regardless of how profitable your product is, you’re always going to have to put in the work to get it to where customers are willing to buy. Brent manages a very tight ship and is still learning the best ways to hire, manage, and make delicious pizza (without burning it)! In This Episode We Cover
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow173-5 |
Feb 23, 2021 |
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173: Leaving "Soul Crushing" Corporate to Chase Food Truck Dreams with Brent TheFoodTruckCEO (Part 1)
00:59:26
What does the average person do in their 20s? For most people, it means going into student debt, getting a car loan, getting a mortgage, and treating yourself. These are the “average financial decisions” that put many Americans into debt and stuck at jobs they only dream of leaving. That’s how Brent aka TheFoodTruckCEO felt when he and his wife realized they had over $100,000 in consumer debt. Brent and his wife didn’t make any crazy decisions, he merely did what society said is the right thing to do. He and his wife had student loans to cover nursing school, both had car loans, and racked up around $13,000 in credit card debt alone. This doesn’t even include a tractor Brent decided to buy for a future business purpose! Both Brent and his wife were bringing in solid money every month from their nursing jobs, but as soon as the money came in, it somehow flooded right back out. This annoyed Brent, he felt like he wasn’t in control of his money and his life. He went to work on debt, adding up everything they had spent over the past few months and realized he and his wife were eating out far more than needed, wasting groceries they were paying good money for, and jeopardizing their future with random purchases. They cut up the credit cards, started snowballing their debt, reduced their eating out, and stopped shopping at the big box stores. They attacked their debt! Within 5 years, they paid off $109,000 in debt, and started to save up for investments every month. As time went on and Brent got promoted to a more corporate role, he realized that he put himself in a terrific financial position to leave and start his own business. He had accumulated $100,000 in cash, started investing in his business, and now runs a mobile pizza truck, serving delicious woodfired pizza and doing what he loves. In This Episode We Cover
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Feb 22, 2021 |
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172: Finance Friday: Why You Don’t Need to Sacrifice Everything to Hit Financial Freedom with Jeff
01:26:24
Jeff, like many listeners, feels as if there is enough money coming in every month, but somehow it’s slipping out, not allowing him and his wife to hit financial independence. A big reason this could be happening is simple: not enough income and expense tracking. This is why Mindy and Scott are always so adamant about having a budget (and sticking to it). Jeff owns his home, and it has appreciated a favorable amount since he bought it; he also owns a duplex in his home state of California, and a rental property in Memphis. But that’s not all, Jeff owns another type of property...one he isn’t too proud of. A timeshare! Jeff wants to get rid of his timeshare so he can put more money into growing wealth. He also has HELOCs taken out against homes which are burning holes in his pockets on top of the bills he and his partner already have to pay. While Jeff is happy with his line of work, his wife wants to be able to leave her job. With so many factors at play, it can seem difficult to reach financial independence and grow wealth, while also being happy at work, but with some financial intuition, it’s possible! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow172 |
Feb 19, 2021 |
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171: Putting Happiness Over a Bigger Paycheck with Brandon Richard Austin
00:58:38
Most people would consider $80,000 a year a respectable salary, but what if you were making that much during college? That’s what today’s guest, Brandon Richard Austin, made in his sophomore year. As a journalism major, he started doing freelance writing work, and a client of his ended up offering him a remote position on the team. So there Brandon was, making $80,000 a year, working 12 hour days, all while juggling school at the same time. Thankfully, Brandon wasn’t a big spender. He didn’t go out and buy a new car, a new watch, or even move out of his parents’ house. Brandon was able to start investing in index funds and early cryptocurrencies, netting him some pretty stable returns (at least from the index funds). After completing college and still having a very low cost of living, Brandon asked himself if the job was worth all the stress. He decided it wasn’t and voluntarily chose to take a pay cut to work somewhere else where he was happier and had more control of his work. Brandon still lives at home and advocates doing the same for people his age. Not having a housing cost (or having very low housing costs) is one of the best ways to put yourself on the path to financial freedom. This low cost of living situation has allowed Brandon to be on the path to financial independence while still valuing his happiness. In This Episode We Cover
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow171 |
Feb 15, 2021 |
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170: Finance Friday: Trading Debt for Cash Flow and Liquidity with Teacher Erik
01:13:31
Erik and his wife have three big debts to tackle: their mortgage on their primary residence, their mortgage on their rental property, and a HELOC (home equity line of credit) taken out as the down payment for their rental property. So, which debt should they tackle first? As two school teachers in New Jersey, Erik and his Wife made smart moves earlier this year by closing on a rental property, in order to have another stream of income coming in. They already have well paying jobs, pension plans, IRA accounts, and other ways of setting themselves up for the future, but how can they streamline their debt payoffs and maximize their cash? First, Mindy and Scott walk through budgeting, and put an emphasis on why you should separate out your business expenses and personal expenses, and make sure they don’t intertwine. Then they go on to tailor a plan of action for Erik and his wife, giving some great examples of leveraging low-interest debt in order to pay off higher interest debt and fill emergency funds. Whether it’s personal or business debt you’d like to tackle, this is a great episode going through the pros and cons of paying off debt quicker! In This Episode We Cover
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Feb 12, 2021 |
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169: Breaking the Taboo of Talking About Money with Friends, Family, and Bosses with Erin Lowry from Broke Millennial
00:59:07
It’s not always comfortable talking about money, especially with close friends, family members, partners, or even bosses. How did salary, savings, and investing become such a taboo subject to talk about? With us today is Erin Lowry aka Broke Millennial, you may recognize her voice from episode 24 and 81 of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast. Erin paints a picture that many of us can relate to: you’re at a birthday dinner and you order a small side and a water while the rest of your party orders $60 sushi rolls and $70 steaks. At the end of the night, what always happens? The bill gets split evenly. Now you’re stuck with a $60 total (and tip) when you only ate $10 worth of food. So what do you do, throw a temper tantrum and leave? Of course not! It can be hard to match spending habits of friends and family if they make more than you (or are just more casual with their spending). Having frank conversation with these important people in your lives can not only help foster a healthy relationship, it can also put you in a position where you don’t feel resentment in the future. Don’t know how to have these conversations? No worries! Erin has a template for you! You’re not just talking about money with your friends and family, you’re also talking about it with your coworkers and bosses. How often should you ask for a raise, when is a raise earned, how do you ensure that you’re rewarded for your hard work? These can all be very tricky questions to answer. Through some research, metric tracking, and proper planning, Erin shows exactly when to go to your boss to ask for a raise, how much is reasonable, and how to assess your value within the company. In This Episode We Cover
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Feb 08, 2021 |
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168: Finance Friday: Budgeting Expenses While Living on The Road with Renewable Energy Worker Clayton
01:03:09
A big piece of advice given by many wealthy people and real estate professionals is to simply “get started when you’re young”. This is exactly what our guest has done today. Clayton, a renewable energy worker, travels around the midwest for work, living out of an RV with his partner. His company grants him a company car, a company phone, a food stipend, a handsome 401(k) match, and a comfortable salary. Clayton has taken advantage of these big perks by maxing out his Roth, buying a rental property, and using his primary home as a house hack. He’s checking all the boxes at just 26 years old, with a TON of potential to do more. Clayton is close to having the big 3 things in life paid off: housing, transportation, and food. With extra income coming in every month, what can Clayton do to put himself in an even stronger position than before? First, he’ll need to start budget and expense tracking. This is something many guests find challenging at first, but can really help alleviate any fears of where money is going. Next, he can start adding a bigger chunk of money to his rental property reserves, that way the mortgage is always being paid (even if someone misses rent). Last, he can start looking for another house hack and another rental property. Tune in to hear Scott’s ingenious way of looking for properties even if you’re on big sites like Zillow, Trulia, or even the MLS! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow168 |
Feb 05, 2021 |
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167: From Fired to FI Couple in 2 Years with Josh and Ali
01:39:36
Most people are told the same thing growing up, “go to college and take out a loan, get a car and take out a loan, live in a nice apartment even if it’s expensive”. This is exactly what Josh and Ali, AKA “The FI Couple”, did in their 20s. They racked up over $100,000 in student loans, had two car payments, and lived in an apartment outside of their means. Josh grew up without much money, causing him to not have much of a financial foundation when he reached adulthood. Ali grew up middle class, but didn’t have any financially savvy role models to look up to. As they started dating and later got married, they realized that they had to take care of debt soon, or they’d be swallowed whole by it. Josh stumbled upon a book that changed his financial view forever. A book one of our hosts is VERY familiar with. It was Set for Life, by our very own Scott Trench! After Josh read through it, he knew he had to share the information with Ali, but it took him time to find out her specific “financial language” and the best way for him to get her excited about financial independence. After they were both on board for FI, house hacking was their next stop. As you’ll hear in the interview, they acquired four units in a short amount of time, paid off a big chunk of their student loans, and now have passive income rolling in, every month. Talk about a rags to riches story! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow167 |
Feb 01, 2021 |
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166: Are You Burning Out from Over-Saving? Finance Friday with Firefighter and Teacher Couple Nathan and Kristen
01:11:47
Having too much money in investment accounts seems like a good problem to have, but it’s a problem nonetheless. Today we talk to firefighter Nathan and teacher Kristen about their income, expenditures, and investments. Nathan and Kristen own their home and multiple rental properties as well. Collectively they bring in a respectable income, but are being stretched thin due to time restraints. From 24 hour shifts as a firefighter, making cornhole game pieces as a side hustle, and taking overtime, Nathan is working a lot, while Kristen has her hands busy as a remote teacher and taking care of their kids at home. Between the two of them, they’re contributing a generous amount to their investment accounts, but still want a solid emergency fund (or as Scott likes to say a “financial runway”) to help them sleep better at night. Aside from that, they are donating heavily to charity and fostering one child while in the process of adopting another. Although this philanthropic couple has all the right things going for them, they still need some downtime to enjoy the fruits of their labor. In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow166 |
Jan 29, 2021 |
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165: How 'Finance Ninja" Daniel J. Mills Started at $30k a Year and Grew a US Rental Empire from Japan
01:19:34
While living abroad, it can be very difficult to invest in assets in your home country, especially if you’re an American. Daniel J. Mills found this out early in his professional career. As a English teacher living in Japan, he had to jump through a sizable amount of hoops to find a way to invest in American stocks, index funds, and later real estate all while overseas. Growing up in southern California, Daniel knew that there was money to be made through entrepreneurialism. He saw his father grow a business that was profiting millions each year, only to see it later become liquidated. Daniel didn’t really think too much about money or growing his personal wealth until years later. After college, Daniel moved to Japan and became an English teacher making a salary of around $30,000 (USD) a year. He met his wife, settled down, and bought an apartment in an appreciating part of the city (contrary to many other parts of Japan). Daniel was saving around $1,000 a month, and realized he didn’t want to be making $30,000 a year forever. So, he started investing in index funds and stocks, which grew his net worth and allowed him to invest in other asset classes, like real estate. Daniel even shares a tax loophole that allowed him to write off 100% of his 6-figure income while he was in Japan (solely from real estate depreciation)! Flash forward to today, Daniel has rental properties in Idaho, Alabama, and Tennessee with partners from Japan and the United States. Daniel agrees with many other real estate professionals in the fact that you need a tried and true team in cities where you’re investing. Living in Japan, he doesn't have much to worry about in the US, thanks to his fantastic property managers, handymen, partners, lenders, and real estate agents. In This Episode We Cover
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow165 |
Jan 25, 2021 |
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164: Attacking Your Fixed Expenses & What You Can Do to Boost Cashflow: Finance Friday with Kyle and Sarah
01:20:55
Kyle and Sarah are in a great position. Kyle owns a mechanic and repair shop while Sarah works a regular 9-5. Combined, they’re both bringing in a solid amount of cash flow each month, but it may be getting offset by their expenses. With monthly expenses going into the 5-figures, it’s been hard for Kyle and Sarah to get the cashflow to start their real estate investing. A few months back Kyle and Sarah began tracking their expenses, and like many people, they were shocked at what they found. Some takeout food here, some shopping there, and other random expenses were really adding up, so they started to reduce their costs. Kyle and Sarah both have made significant contributions in their retirement and investing accounts, but they could be investing a lot more and getting a lot of write offs! Scott and Mindy walk through the main expense categories that Kyle and Sarah have, breaking down what can be improved, reduced, and left alone. Like many people, Kyle and Sarah have found that with some fine-tuning to their budget, they'll be able to increase their investments, by a lot! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow164 |
Jan 22, 2021 |
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163: Taxes, Backdoor Roths, Options, and How to Max Out Your Childrens’ Roths with Steven Hamilton
01:26:48
Have tax questions for your upcoming 2020 taxes? Stick around then! We have a mind-blowing episode with enrolled agent Steven Hamilton from Hamilton Tax and Accounting. Mindy and Scott throw a lot of high-level, hard-hitting questions at Steven, so seriously, bring a pen and paper to this episode because you’re going to get some amazing tax strategies for 2020! How do you lower your income on your taxes if you have a W2? How do you add to your roth if you’re over the contribution income limit, and what’s the best way to get your kids to max out their retirement accounts (even if they’re only teenagers). Steven answers all these questions, plus a lot more! Whether you’re self employed or a W2 employee, you have options on contributing to retirement, AND options on leveraging those retirement accounts to fund investments. As always, it’s best to talk to your CPA, enrolled agent, or tax preparer on the best strategy that works for you. As Steven puts it, you need to have a plan for where your wealth is going and how you’re going to distribute it. Since 2020 was such a crazy year, many real estate investors are planning to double down on investments, up their contributions, or leave their W2 jobs. This all needs to be done with a plan and a strategy so you can maximize your investments and distributions. Steven helps spell out the best ways to do these (and more) through a number of different (and interesting) strategies. In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow163 |
Jan 18, 2021 |
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162: Finance Friday: High Salary - But Nothing to Show For It. Cutting Unnecessary Expenses with Engineer Tracy
01:25:21
As you go further along in your career, you should (hopefully) make more and more money, but does that justify spending more money? Most times, it doesn’t. We’re joined by Tracy, experienced engineer and retirement super saver to go through her budget, expenses, and investment portfolio. Tracy has had a bit of a struggle with spending and expense tracking. A purchase here, some grocery shopping there, and by the time she added up her payments, she was consistently overspending by close to a thousand dollars, every month! Scott and Mindy have some great strategies to limit this type of random spending, and put your budget in the driver’s seat! Tracy is also interested in acquiring a rental property in mid/late 2021, but she doesn’t have the cash savings she needs to do it. That doesn’t mean Tracy lacks money. Quite the contrary, Tracy has a very respectable amount of money stored between her different retirement accounts. She was lucky enough to take advantage of her company’s 15% 401(k) match (seriously, 15%)! Now the question is: does she limit her contributions so she can save up for a rental property or does she continue to max out her retirement accounts so she has a big cushion when she decides to stop working? This is a very common question we get from listeners and members of the BiggerPockets community. You may be in the exact same position, all we can suggest is to tune in to hear what Mindy and Scott have to say! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow162 |
Jan 15, 2021 |
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161: Backdoor Roths, Mega Backdoor Roths, and Roth Conversion Ladders with The Mad Fientist
01:31:07
He’s back! Today we’re joined by a friend of the BiggerPockets podcast network, Brandon “The Mad Fientist”. Brandon walks us through advanced retirement account strategies you may have heard of, such as the Backdoor Roth, Roth Conversion Ladder, and the coveted Mega Backdoor Roth. While these strategies may sound intense at first, they’re quite simple in practice, as Brandon shows us! Many FI (financial independence) followers constantly ask the question “What’s the best retirement account to contribute to that will help me optimize my early retirement?”. While this can be answered a handful of ways, it often overlooks something very important: regular retirement. While chasing FI, it’s still possible to grow your traditional retirement accounts so you’re even wealthier later on in life! Brandon doesn’t just give various examples of each strategy, he’s tested them and has even ran experiments on his site, such as the Guinea Pig Experiment, which pits various early retirement strategies against each other. We also tackle common questions like: what should I contribute to if I have a low/high income, should I opt for a lower deductible on my healthcare plan to optimize my HSA (health savings account), how HSAs and FSAs differ, and what the contribution limits are for retirement accounts. Even if you’re not chasing FI, you’ll still be able to take advantage of Brandon’s advice. After all, he’s the Mad Fientist! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow161 |
Jan 11, 2021 |
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160: 6 Income Streams with a W2 Job and 4 Kids: Finance Friday with Cort Johnson
00:55:07
Many listeners of the BiggerPockets Podcast network are resourceful when saving and earning money, but maybe not quite as resourceful as Cort Johnson. Not only does he have a full-time engineering job, which he uses to support his family, he also has 5 other streams of income on the side! From contract welding projects, to dropshipping, renting out his trailer, and even raising rabbits (seriously!), Cort has done almost everything under the sun to build up his assets. The main problem: some income streams are taking up too much time, while providing too little in return. This is a constant problem that entrepreneurs and FIRE members face, too many options! Mindy and Scott go through Cort Johnson's income, budget, expenses, and general finances to see where he should allocate his time for maximum return. This episode goes deep on the importance of scalable income and following your passions to develop side income streams that you enjoy. Cort dreams big about starting his own business, investing in multifamily property, and living financially free. As you’ll hear in this episode, he’s not far off! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow160 |
Jan 08, 2021 |
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159: How to Financially Thrive in Marriage (Even if You or Your Partner is In Debt!) with Talaat and Tai from His and Her Money
01:18:26
What happens when you get married and find out your partner has debt? A lot of debt...That’s a question many young couples have, shortly after finding out their significant other’s full financial picture. While it may seem scary at first, working together to solve financial problems and gravitating towards financial freedom can bring you closer together. That’s exactly what happened to Talaat and Tai McNeely from His and Her Money. Both were raised in frugal houses, but like many frugally-raised people, they split in financial directions. Tai was busy putting herself through college, debt free! On the other hand, Talaat went into the military and started spending his pay on consumer goods. The cars, the clothes, and everything in between. Tai later learned that Talaat had around $30,000 in consumer debt! So what did she do, walk away from him? Of course not! She worked with Talaat and put together a plan where they both could work hard to get out of debt. Shortly after, Talaat was debt free, so what did they do next? They bought their house, and came up with a plan to completely pay it off in 5 years (Yes, 5). Now Talaat and Tai run His and Her Money, helping other couples work together to reach their financial goals. Talaat and Tai have 7 key tips to staying happy and secure in a marriage where the finances are shared, and how to stray away from the “2-Income Trap”. In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow159 |
Jan 04, 2021 |
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158: Are You Under Leveraging? Finance Friday with Investor and Agent Wayne Loux
00:55:41
Happy New Year! With the first 2021 episode of Finance Fridays, we take a look at Wayne Loux’s investments, income streams, and overall finances. Wayne is like many of our listeners: working a W2 job, but also supporting himself and his family by having 1099 income from being a real estate agent. On top of that, Wayne has over 10 rental units, spread throughout different multifamily properties. He also has solid retirement savings and cash on hand. With all this income, Wayne wanted answers on whether or not he should lessen his time at his W2 job, take more cash out from equity in the multifamily properties he owns, and other common real estate investment questions. Scott and Mindy go through different strategies that can help Wayne grow his portfolio. From 1031 exchanges, to setting up self-directed IRAs, and cash-out refinancing to build an out of state portfolio. These are questions we hear from many investors on the BiggerPockets forums, so stay tuned because Scott and Mindy just might answer a question you’ve had! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow158 |
Jan 01, 2021 |
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157: The Money Date: What You Should (And Definitely Should Not) Do to Align Your Finances as a Couple
00:55:24
Calling all couples! You and your partner may be on the same page financially, or off in two different directions, regardless of where you’re at, it’s a great time to start having money dates! In this episode, Mindy and Scott are going solo, talking through why money dates are such a crucial part of any healthy relationship. This isn’t just talk, both Mindy and Scott are adamant about money dates, they do them often with their partners as well! If you’re an individual listening to this episode, you may feel a bit intimidated by the concept of a money date. Do you just sit down and talk about index funds and taxes for an hour? No! A money date can be a perfect time to be alone as a couple, talk about the future, make some positive changes, and hold each other accountable for being the best version of yourselves. If you have a partner who may be a bit averse to the concept of a money date, have no fear, Mindy and Scott have perfected their plan for setting up a successful money date, and how to make it enjoyable when you’re in it. With the new year coming up very soon, this is the perfect time to plan a money date with your special someone, you won’t regret it! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow157 |
Dec 28, 2020 |
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156: The Conservative Money Cool Kid: Buying 20+ Houses in Cash with Richard Carey from Rich On Money
01:19:58
Most real estate investors get into real estate to get rich quick. If you’re looking to make a million dollars within your first year of real estate, this is the wrong podcast! But, if you’re looking to build a sustainable portfolio of cash flowing rentals while reaching financial independence in a very lucrative position, this is the episode for you! Richard Carey, AKA the “Conservative Money Cool Kid'' started out in the military, not knowing that real estate was the place where he would create his wealth. He started with a duplex and slowly began building his real estate empire, even while overseas. He even took a 10 year break from real estate, and was still able to grow his position to an impressive level! Real estate wasn’t the only way that Richard was investing. He was maxing out his IRAs and employee retirement accounts, investing in index funds and watching them grow more and more as he upped his contributions. Richard is a fantastic example of why you want to start investing as early as possible. While most real estate investors champion loans and leveraging as much as possible, Richard thinks differently. He finds a position of strength by not overleveraging, owning rentals outright, and having a solid safety net to depend on. Richard now sits in a great position, early in life, with a lot ahead of him! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow156 |
Dec 21, 2020 |
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155: Retired at 35: How Robert from Stop Ironing Shirts Achieved FI Even During The Great Recession
01:02:26
Robert from Stop Ironing Shirts has had quite a lucrative career path. Starting out as a bank teller in college, he learnt that he really enjoyed math that had dollar signs attached to the numbers. From there, he launched his career forward, first as a commercial banker, and later becoming a well-paid top executive. While he had a great job and a partner who was also bringing in a solid paycheck every month, he slowly started to get tired of the corporate bureaucracy, politics, location dependency, and long hours. Robert has made some mistakes on his path to early retirement. He lost money on a few real` estate deals and he even bought a brand new car (gasp!). None of this stopped him from still living below his means, siphoning off a large portion of his income for investments, and capitalizing on special programs such as the 409a plan. Robert now lives life on his schedule. Whether that be spending copious amounts of time shopping at Costco or surfing at the beach, Robert has a life where he decides what he wants to do, everyday. Thankfully, it didn’t take him 30+ years of working to get there! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow155 |
Dec 14, 2020 |
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154: Confessions of a Former Spender: How Allison Baggerly Paid off $110K in Loans on a Teacher’s Salary
01:12:33
Ever had a card declined when trying to buy the basics? That was the start of Allison Baggerly’s journey into budgeting and saving. As a big spender in college, Allison didn’t see a real reason to save instead of spend. She would take herself on frequent trips to the mall to treat herself when she aced a test, or make herself feel better if she flunked one. It wasn’t until her first son was born that her and her husband realized they wouldn’t have enough in the budget to pay for childcare costs, and thus, the Inspired Budget was born! After a few years of limited spending and frequent budget analyzing, Allison and her Husband paid off over $110,000+ in debt and are now on their way to financial abundance. Allison talks about the importance of giving yourself spending, investing, and saving allowances and how you don’t need to sacrifice everything to become financially safe! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow154 |
Dec 07, 2020 |
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153: Bill Bengen (The Inventor of the 4% Rule) Talks Retirement, Past Crashes, and How You Can Withdraw Even More!
01:02:37
He really is the man who needs no introduction (but here’s one anyways). Bill Bengen, the inventor of the 4% rule (and personal finance hero of Mindy & Scott) stops by the Money Podcast to talk about how he calculated his famed 4%, how he managed his client’s portfolios, and how the 4% has aged throughout the past three decades. In his Original Article from the Journal Of Financial Planning, October 1994, Bengen outlined a groundbreaking calculation: a 4% withdrawal rate from your retirement accounts is all you need to comfortably retire (if enough is saved up). Bengen was hit with praise and criticism, but is still applauded to this day for having such a simple yet crucial metric for knowing how & when you can retire. Using over 200+ retirement account portfolios spanning decades of time as research, Bengen still says with confidence, the 4% rule is a winner! He has the proof and we couldn’t agree more. Whether you’re a few years or a few decades away from retirement, this episode features life-changing advice from one of the leaders in financial research. This is an episode you won’t want to miss! In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show |
Nov 30, 2020 |
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152: Reaching Financial Independence Despite a Very Late Start with Baby Boomer Super Saver
01:06:03
To say that Kathy from Baby Boomer Super Saver had a difficult journey ahead of her is an understatement. She was $70,000 in credit card debt, with a big mortgage, and a spouse that had a medical emergency. So how did she make her way to the millionaire retirement level? Through financial management communities like the FIRE movement, she was able to correct her spending faults, earn more, and invest most of her income into retirement accounts. Kathy put in the work to change her mindset about money as a whole, and reach for abundance instead of just survival. Now, Kathy teaches others how they can reach their retirement goals (even if they’re behind where they want to be) on her Baby Boomer Super Saver blog. Whether you’re just starting your career, or are a few years away from retirement, Kathy has some incredible tips on money management, maxing out retirement contributions, and being intentional with your money and your journey. In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow152 |
Nov 23, 2020 |
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151: From Single Dad w/ $61K in Student Loans to Financially Savvy Real Estate Investor with Tony J Robinson
01:08:17
You may know Tony J Robinson as the co-host of the Real Estate Rookie podcast, but you probably don’t know his backstory. As a single dad working his way through college and student debt, Tony knew that he needed to have a plan in place to pursue his goals and find financial freedom. He also knew he didn’t want to repeat the same real estate mistakes as his parents. He went from an engineering student, to owning a small tutoring business, to marketing, and finally landed a sweet gig at Tesla! After paying off debt, creating a healthy reserve fund, and divvying his money into over 20 different checking accounts (yes, 20+), he was able to reap the rewards of smart financial management and chase down freedom through real estate. If you’re trying to consolidate debt, find ways to make more money at a job, or leverage creative funding to finance your next deal, Tony has a solution to your problem. In This Episode We Cover
Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow151 |
Nov 16, 2020 |
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150: From Childhood Homelessness to Financially Confident with Cristina Livadary
00:58:22
Cristina Livadary immigrated to the US when she was 6, and less than a year later, her father left, leaving her stranded with her mother and sister. She didn't speak the language, had no money, and lived in hotels until her mother was able to find steady work as a chef. She grew up without much in the way of financial education, but did secure a water polo scholarship to Bucknell. Until a rotator cuff injury lost her the funding at the beginning of her third year. She left college with $100,000 in student loans and a burning desire to find a high paying job to live out her Carrie Bradshaw dreams of living in NYC. She spent two years in New York, working hard and spending harder. She moved to LA to run a division covering California and Hawaii, and decided she needed to make a big change. Cristina stopped spending lavishly on things that didn't matter, started focusing on what made her happy, and now helps others manage their finances to get money out of the way and live their best lives. Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow150 |
Nov 09, 2020 |
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149: Listener Finance Review: Knocking Out Debt to Start Investing
00:55:27
Nick Groover is 25, with a young daughter and a fiance, looking to make changes to his finances so he can start married life off on the right foot. He has some debts he'd like to knock out so he can start investing in real estate, and potentially start a business. He just got a promotion and a raise, and on paper is doing pretty good. But Nick needs to start budgeting, because a dollar here and five dollars there is eating up his overage, so there is very little to save. In today's episode, Scott and Mindy sit down with Nick to go over his current financial situation and use their life experiences to suggest easy wins to help pay down his debt, start saving for future real estate purchases, and start investing for retirement. Nick's in a good place right now, but following Scott & Mindy's suggestions should help him get money out of the way so he can go on to lead his best life! Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow149 |
Nov 02, 2020 |
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148: How to Become an Everyday Millionaire with Chris Hogan
00:59:43
Chris Hogan joins Scott and Mindy today to chat about becoming an everyday millionaire. Chris and his team interviewed more than 10,000 millionaires to hear how they did it. Hard work, determination, spending less than you make, investing wisely, and eliminating debt. Chris shares how to discuss your finances with your spouse - and how to bring them on board when you have differing views about money. He talks about the emotional journey that debt paydown can take you on - and how to handle that so you come out on top! Chris also reveals his feelings about FIRE - and how there is too much focus on the RE and not enough on the FI. He wants you to become Financially Independent but also wants you to enjoy your journey. Chris firmly believes that anyone can become debt free and start to build wealth to become an Everyday Millionaire. Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow148 |
Oct 26, 2020 |
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147: Pursuing Financial Independence on Her Own Terms with Cathleen Hutchins
01:23:28
Cathleen Hutchins grew up in Hawaii. She come over to the mainland for college, but Hawaii kept calling her name, so she moved back home. Hawaii is an expensive place to live, and Cathleen knew she'd need a plan in order to reach financial independence if she was going to live there for the rest of her life. So she saved. She invested. She made smart decisions about her money and is continuously looking for ways to generate passive income to help fund her retirement. She has also sacrificed some comforts and norms to get to where she is today. She and her husband lived apart for a while, both living where there was a job for each of them, not always in the same state! But her sacrificing and saving has allowed her to move home to Hawaii, buy a house, and continue to pursue financial independence in a high cost of living area. Cathleen is well on her way to Financial Independence and her story is just another example of how following the proven path, you can get money out of the way so you can lead your best life. Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow147 |
Oct 19, 2020 |
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146: Saying Goodbye to Gambling & Finding Financial Freedom with Ambus Hunter
01:19:24
Ambus Hunter grew up with a fair understanding of how money works. He received a partial scholarship to play drums in college, and graduated with a small amount of student loan debt. His first job was with the Department of Defense, making a decent salary for someone who had just graduated from college. He started saving his money, like a good FI-devotee does, but his story takes a sharp left turn. Ambus discovered gambling. At first, he was winning. (That's how it goes with gambling, right?) But then his "luck" changed. Because that's also how it goes with gambling, right? Ambus chased his losses, and ended up wiping out his entire savings account. That was when he knew he had to stop cold turkey. He then threw everything he had into building his savings back up, taking on extra jobs, living with roommates, and cutting out everything unnecessary in his life. In one short year, working nights and weekends, spending as little as possible, and throwing every dollar into his savings, he made it all back. Now Ambus helps guide others on their own path to financial literacy through volunteering and through his own coaching programs. Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow146 |
Oct 12, 2020 |
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145: From Hedge Fund Manager to Smart Money Mama with Chelsea Brennan
01:14:44
Chelsea Brennan was a hedge fund manager for several years - until her second pregnancy when she ended up in the hospital with sever complications brought on by the stress and emotional toll her job took on her. She and her husband looked over their savings and investments, and decided that she'd leave her job in order to focus on her health and her kids. Her baby was born healthy, but their income went from six figures to zero figures, and she needed a way to bring some money in. She looked back on her love of teaching, and decided to start a website devoted to teaching women - and moms specifically - how to handle their money. Chelsea is truly passionate about teaching the power of financial independence and being in control of your life. Are you struggling with your finances? This episode is a cannot miss! Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow145 |
Oct 05, 2020 |
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144: Alternative Investments: How to Determine Which Option(s) Are Right For You with Kirk Chisholm
01:11:06
Kirk Chisholm is a fee-only investment advisor with a secret passion - finding new and different ways to invest money. Kirk shares his Big List of 75 Alternative Investments with us today - and more importantly, how to vet the investment vehicle to see if it's right for you. Not everything is a great fit for every person, and you certainly don't have to choose everything on the list. Play to your strengths when choosing investments and don't discount passion for an idea. If you HATE the thought of learning more about that investment vehicle, you won't put forth the correct amount of effort necessary to master it. Kirk also dives into how to sell these types of alternative investments - including at significant discounts if it's an illiquid asset that you need to liquidate fast. Secondary markets exist for all asset classes, and there are ways to pick up a good deal on the secondary market as well. If you're looking to diversify your portfolio, today's show is a can't-miss episode! Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow144 |
Sep 28, 2020 |
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143: How to Pay Off $160k in Debt in 3 Years While Making $90k
01:09:26
Shannon Gauthier discovered the debt she and her husband had gotten themselves into when a debt collector caller her at work and she started asking questions. Shocked to discover $30,000 in unpaid debts, she quickly found herself a single mom as her husband left. She tried to pay them off as best she could, but found herself somedays deciding whether to buy a gallon of milk or a gallon of gas to get to work. Fast forward a year, and she met a new man who brought significant debt with him to the relationship - to the tune of $60,000! Each of their divorces added more debt to their pile and at the height their debt totaled $160,000. Their income trailed this debt at $65,000 and they knew they'd have to do everything in their power to knock out this debt. They moved in with his parents to pay lower rent and have someone to watch the kids while they worked. They couponed and did free things with the kids to be able to throw every single dollar they could at their debt. This approach paid off, because by the end of the year, they will be completely debt free and be able to start saving and investing and working toward financial freedom. If you're in debt and see no way out, this episode will show you there IS a way to paying down your debt, that it isn't always easy, pretty or fun, but it CAN be done. Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow143 |
Sep 21, 2020 |
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142: Ask Us Anything: Questions From the Audience with Scott & Mindy
00:55:56
Scott & Mindy sit down today to answer questions sent in by listeners. They address topics all over the board - from student loan repayment and early retirement account withdrawal under the CARES act, to the best high-yield savings accounts, and planning for the gap between early retirement and traditional retirement age when you can access your retirement accounts penalty free. Scott & Mindy also discuss different investing platforms as well as retirement planning, taxes, and even how inflation might affect your retirement future. They take a couple of calls from listeners to chat about the best current use of retirement funds. This episode will help clear up some of the questions you may be having on your road to early financial independence. Links from the Show
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow142 |
Sep 14, 2020 |
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141: How to Graduate College Debt-Free and Pursue FI Before 40 with 4 kids!
01:12:08
Blake Nielson is a college professor whose wife stays home to raise their four children. Despite having only one income - and six mouths to feed - they have paid off their home and are on the path to early financial freedom. Blake currently loves his job and has no plans to stop working - but still wants the freedom that financial independence gives. So how did he do it? He started off debt free from college, a HUGE leg up in life in general. Blake details just how he accomplished this feat, from college selection to funds available, scholarships and even working during the school year and especially during the summers between. Blake even shares a Solid Gold tip for finding out about scholarships that aren’t well publicized! Blake also strategically chose where he lived during his college years. He specifically chose a rental that was priced significantly lower than the “college” rentals in town - but still close enough to walk to school. There is no secret to Blake’s success. He put in the work at an early age and is on track to hit lean FI by age 40 and Fat FI by 45. Spend less than you earn, invest wisely. Blake shows you can live the FI life with four kids and one income. In This Episode We Cover:
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Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow141 |
Sep 07, 2020 |
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140: How to Get Financial Freedom So You Can Do What You’re Meant to Do with Belinda Rosenblum
01:28:18
Belinda Rosenblum is a CPA, a certified coach and her clients include Harvard Business School, Harvard University and the SEC. She’s worked for Arthur Andersen and L3 Enterprises. She’s got money all figured out, right? Well, she does now… On today’s episode, Belinda shares her biggest money mistake - ignoring a giant pile of mail as she cared for her recovering father. Once she cleared that up, she focused on her own finances, growing her net worth to more than $1 million by the time she was 33. She quickly realized that her trajectory was NOT taking her where she wanted to go. So she pivoted. She took a new job with a huge bump in pay and rode out their boom and subsequent layoffs, taking a package to leave and using that opportunity to travel to India, a life-changing experience. When she came back, she realized she didn’t need all the things, didn’t need the stress that came with the big corporate job, and struck out on her own, filling a need she saw in her own friends - financial education. Belinda parlayed her financial knowledge into a multi 6-figures company, pivoting again last year to helping businesses strategically and consistently generate income. This episode is for anyone who has made a money mistake, anyone who has gotten past one, or anyone looking to start their own business to truly live the life they want. In This Episode We Cover:
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Aug 31, 2020 |
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139: Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Life Insurance (But Absolutely Need To) with Joe Saul-Sehy
01:14:26
Life Insurance is the most exciting topic on the planet! Just kidding. But just because it isn’t a super exciting topic doesn’t mean you don’t need to know about it. Today, Joe Saul-Sehy, host of the Stacking Benjamins podcast, joins Scott and Mindy to talk about Life Insurance. Joe comes from a background as a financial planner and was licensed to sell every type of insurance product available. Joe is here today because he understands how life insurance works - how it's priced, how you can use it, the pros and cons of the product - but he has no skin in the game whether you buy life insurance or not. He's the perfect person to explain this product from a factual standpoint and let you make the decision of what type - if any - is best for you, based on facts, not commissions. Joe walks us through the basics and shares how life insurance actually covers you - from term, to whole, to universal life. There's no bad product, only different ways of paying out. If you're struggling with how to figure out what life insurance policy is right for you, this episode can't be missed. In This Episode We Cover:
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Aug 24, 2020 |
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138: Financial Blunders to Financial Buff: How Farnoosh Torabi's Money History Grew Her Career
01:14:53
Farnoosh Torabi grew up talking about money. Her parents are from the Middle East, and in her culture, they “never miss a moment to talk about money.” As the go-to girl for finance advice among her friends, imagine her surprise when she sat down and looked at her financial situation to discover tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt! Farnoosh realized that paying for everything with a card, then paying the minimum balances didn’t lead to debt free life. Not wanting to continue a life of debt - mainly so she wouldn’t have to tell her mom - she hustled during school. Taking class notes and selling them on her school’s notes system, babysitting, bird sitting, anything that would generate income so she could throw money at her debt and pay it off. Graduation took her to New York City and a stroke of luck found her a shared apartment with a married couple for $500 a month. Definitely less than she could find on her own. She started off making very little, and strategically increased her income to offset the fact that she “isn’t a good saver.” Farnoosh has parlayed her own financial knowledge into a career teaching others how to manage their own finances. From books, to podcasts, to television, Farnoosh is everywhere, educating this oh-so-important skill so that others can work toward their own financial freedom. In This Episode We Cover:
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Aug 17, 2020 |
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137: Engineering a Path to Financial Independence with Felicity Freedom
01:01:15
Felicity’s story to financial independence is going to be similar to listeners of The BiggerPockets Money Podcast. She got a good paying job, spent less than she earned, intelligently invested in Index Funds and is now financially independent at the age of 30. Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy. Except, it’s NOT that easy, actually. She lives in America, and for much of that time, she lived in a very high cost of living city, Boston. Felicity rented a 250 sq ft apartment with her husband, Fergus, while he was in graduate school - because he didn’t want to live above his means, and he was making less money than she was at the time. In fact, Fergus is leery of the 4% rule, and would be much more comfortable if they were only pulling 2%-2.5% of their retirement funds every year. Their story illustrates the point Mindy makes so frequently in this podcast, “personal finance is personal.” Their story also illustrates the path one must take to get to financial independence. Spend less than you earn. Intelligently invest. Stay the course through the tough times. This too shall pass. In This Episode We Cover:
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Aug 10, 2020 |
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136: Secrets of a Money Savvy Family with Doug Nordman and Carol Pittner
01:22:01
Doug Nordman wanted to teach his daughter about money. But he knew that to get it right, he’d have to start when she was very very small. So he did. First, he taught her how to count, then he taught her how to add, then he showed her what she could do with money by using cash in transactions. As Carol got older, she was able to handle the cash herself, learning how to make change, count change, etc. Carol started “earning” her own money, through allowance and jobs - which could only be done after her (non-paid) chores were complete. Doug’s common-sense approach to teaching his daughter about money is actually quite brilliant. She starts learning about money - and making money mistakes - when the stakes are low. Your 8-year-old making a $20 mistake is far better than your 20 year old making a $10,000 mistake because he or she never learned how to manage money. Carol joins her dad to talk about how these teachings affected her life - and how she is planning on teaching her own daughter about money and finances. Carol and Doug have combined their recollections of this time together and written a book called Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence, and it is the blueprint for exactly how to raise children who are ‘good with money’ and how to prepare them to be adults who are great with money. If you’re struggling with how to teach your children about money, this is a must-listen episode. In This Episode We Cover:
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Aug 03, 2020 |
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135: Building Wealth through Real Estate... without Tenants or Toilets! with Seth Williams
01:11:29
Seth Williams invests in real estate in a way you may have never heard of before. He buys and sells land. And no, he’s not a developer. He literally buys a piece of blank dirt, and then sells it—frequently within days of buying it—for fairly high margins. And he does this without taking out loans for the purchase. How? He’s paying hundreds of dollars for this land, as opposed to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a piece of land with a house on top of it. He turns around and sells it quickly, frequently realizing a 300% profit—or more! Even better? Deals are EVERYWHERE! Land is literally everywhere, and deals can be found very easily. (We discuss several ways to find absentee vacant landowners, many of whom just want to be rid of the property!) Seth shares what to look out for in a deal so you minimize your chances of getting burned and what makes a deal great. He shares different ways to find these deals and even gives guidance for doing your homework so you know exactly what you’re buying. If you’d like to get started in real estate but may not have the funds or simply don’t have the time or desire to run a flip, land may be your way in. In This Episode We Cover:
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Jul 27, 2020 |
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134: Paying Off Debt - And Avoiding Debt Relapse with Chris Browning from Popcorn Finance
00:58:15
Chris Browning had dreams of creating movies for Pixar - until he started art classes in college and realized that wasn’t his calling. He was also taking a personal finance class and thoroughly enjoyed it, so he changed his major to finance and never looked back. Chris should have perfect finances, right? Well… Chris found himself in debt after graduating in 2009 and working as a bank teller, trying to impress his girlfriend (now wife). He took control of his finances, telling his girlfriend that they needed to reign in their spending so he could pay off debt. But once his debt was gone, he started saving in earnest for an engagement ring, spent everything he had on that, and found himself in debt again when they started planning their wedding. Life happened, debt continued to stack up until they realized they were $27,000 in debt, with salaries just over that amount - all while living in Southern California. Living paycheck-to-paycheck makes it hard to throw extra money at your debt. Chris and his wife reviewed their spending and were shocked by what they were spending on. Once they knew where their money was going, they were able to drastically reduce their spending and throw more money at their debt. It turns out, tracking your spending and sticking to a budget are both excellent pieces of advice that can help anyone turn their financial situation around and start down the path toward financial independence. In This Episode We Cover:
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Jul 20, 2020 |
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133: Retiring Early Doesn't Have to Be All-or-Nothing: "The Art of Subtraction" with Doc G
01:30:38
Doc G wanted to be a doctor since he was eight years old. He went to medical school, started his career and quickly realized he actually didn’t like all the parts about being a doc - and didn’t know how to leave the profession. Something he’d wanted for 20 years suddenly wasn’t so awesome anymore. Cue The White Coat Investor. He’d written a book and asked Doc G to read it and review it for his medical blog - and suddenly Doc G saw a way out! This way out didn’t have the expected results, however. Instead of jubilation, Doc G was thrown into a spiral of anxiety and depression. Something he’d wanted his whole life, this thing he’d identified with so strongly for so long, and the thought of walking away from such an enormous part of his life was terrifying because now he had a way to do it and it was suddenly real. Having always saved at least 50% of his income, Doc G went to his accountant - who was unfamiliar with early retirement and sort of threw out a number he needed to save to retire. His financial advisor was a bit more helpful, asking questions like, "how much do you spend in a year?" Not knowing, Doc G threw out a number, which turned out to be really close to what his accountant said he needed. But he was still unsure. So he did what anyone in the FIRE community would do - he started reading. Everything and anything he could get his hands on. He realized he had enough money to stop doing those things he didn’t like, so he started practicing what he calls "The Art of Subtraction." He removed the things that did not make his heart sing, so that he could focus on those things he DID enjoy. And his plan worked. He now can spend his working hours doing the things he loves to do, and does not have to do the things he doesn’t. He has focused more time on non-doctor side projects like writing and podcasting - where his enjoyment runs sky high even though the paychecks do not. As his side projects bring more joy, walking away from the physician thing gets easier and easier. Making plans for retirement is great, but today Doc G shares how to plan your transition into retirement which can be even more important! In This Episode We Cover:
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Jul 13, 2020 |
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132: Financial Independence Without a College Degree with Marquez Griffin
00:51:55
Marquez Griffin graduated from high school but did not feel that college was his path. His uncle worked in a sheet metal shop, and was able to get him a job there. He quickly learned that taking a bit of action with regards to his sheet metal training would catapult him higher in his earnings, so he enrolled in trade school and alternated between work and school to learn the trade faster. His earnings rose as he completed coursework, but Marquez found himself unexcited about his path and started looking for more. Moving in with a friend and his dad turned out to be a real-life Rich Dad event, with his friend’s father introducing him to the concept of saving and investing. Marquez started listening to audio books and podcasts while working in the shop, looking for information about a better life. This self education led him to Scott’s book Set for Life, and then to BiggerPockets where he discovered that House Hacking, real estate investing and that he could marry real estate with a career and go from salaried trade work to commission based agent work where the sky was the limit with regards to earnings. He further discovered the job of Signing Agent and has now incorporated that into his work schedule as well. (For more information about Signing Agents, check out our episode 74 at www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow74.) Marquez knew college was not his path, so he followed the path he was meant for and is reaching for Financial Independence on his terms. In This Episode We Cover:
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Jul 06, 2020 |
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131: Investing Made Simple with Kevin Matthews II
01:04:09
Kevin Matthews II started paying attention to finance way back in 6th grade - because his parents said they wouldn’t buy him any more video games, he’d have to buy them himself. Kevin’s parents telling him no propelled him into a lifelong planner - saving up for purchases rather than buying and figuring out how to pay it off later. And he parlayed his planning skills into a career as a financial advisor, eventually being named one of Investopedia’s Top 100 Advisors in 2017. Kevin is passionate about teaching people - specifically millennials - how to manage their money. In fact, he’s SO passionate about teaching people how to alter their financial lives, he almost missed the birth of his first child in order to make a video about how $2,000 can turn your kids into millionaires! (Spoiler: He made it back to the room in time.) Kevin wants you to know how to invest, how to manage your money so that you can further yourself down the path to Financial Independence. Kevin has an excellent video called Three ways to get started investing that discusses three ways we’ve never heard of! Kevin credits consistency in investing with his client’s financial successes. He also believes that patience is the number one thing investors need - a point that’s been hit home so clearly in the past few months - and that a lack of patience is the biggest mistake investors are making today. Kevin also shares tips for teaching your children about investing to get them used to seeing ups and downs, so they don’t lose their patience when they start investing with real dollars. In This Episode We Cover:
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Jun 29, 2020 |
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130: Refusing to Retire at 65: How a Couple in their 40s Managed to Hit FI in 12 Years with Susan and Norm
01:23:53
Susan and Norm got married a little later in life. They started off basically flat, with debts equalling assets. Neither wanted to have the debt, and focused on paying it off and building an emergency fund. Then they discovered that they could retire early if they put their minds to it. So they jumped in with both feet, paid off the mortgage, bought an investment condo, paid it off, and aggressively saved to buy the second condo. From the time they met until the time they were ready to retire, starting with basically a $0 net worth, was 12 years. Starting at age 43. The one constant in their journey is their partnership, their commitment to each other and the end goal, and their desire to “be in this together.” Susan and Norm have a very clear respect and love for each other, never keeping score, never trying to hide a mistake from the other, always recognizing that they’re building their life together. When starting on the journey to Financial Independence, it can be difficult to say the course - especially when your journey starts later than most. Susan and Norm and an excellent example of what CAN happen when you make a goal and aggressively pursue success. This episode is for anyone who is struggling in their journey to FI, have hit a setback they feel is insurmountable, or anyone who is just getting started on their journey a little later in life. In This Episode We Cover:
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Jun 22, 2020 |
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129: How to Teach Your Children About Money with The Budgetnista Tiffany Aliche
01:02:53
Today, we welcome back the Budgetnista, Tiffany Aliche. When we spoke to her way back in episode 8, we heard her story of an investment gone wrong and how 2008 really threw a monkey wrench into her life plans. But instead of allowing that to deter her, Tiffany committed to teaching people how to budget. Since we last spoke, she has expanded her original, uber-successful Live Richer Challenge (www.livericherchallenge.com) into a savings edition, a credit edition, a net worth edition, and a homebuying edition—all free and all designed to teach you the things you never learned about money and finance. Tiffany is SO PASSIONATE about personal finance that she worked tirelessly for more than two years to get a bill passed in New Jersey, mandating financial literacy education for middle schoolers. (Want to duplicate her success in your state? Here’s a video that details how she did it: How to Get a Law Passed with Assemblywoman Angela V. McKnight. But she’s not done! Tiffany has combined her love of budgeting with her love of teaching children in her new book Happy Birthday Mali More, and on today’s episode, she shares her top tips for teaching your children the fundamentals of managing money properly. If you have children, this episode can help you figure out the age-appropriate lessons you should be teaching them to help them grow into financially responsible adults. In This Episode We Cover:
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Jun 15, 2020 |
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128: Pay Off Debt Fast With These Smart Money Moves From Whitney Hansen
01:20:59
Whitney Hanson is one of six children. Growing up she watched her father start a business, watched it fail, and watched him turn destructive, eventually leaving her mother to raise six kids on her own - all while making $7.25 an hour. Whitney has seen the ugly side of money - and what can happen when you have none - and decided she wanted no part of it. Money equals options, and she wanted as many options as she could get! She began to research how to build wealth, because she did not want to perpetuate the cycle of poverty. She knew she wanted to go to college, but also knew she’d have to find a way to pay for it. Rather than taking out tons of student loans, Whitney went through a 3-month cosmetology program starting the day after she graduated high school, and used the money she made as a nail technician to pay for college. Because she values financial stability over everything else, she bought a house when she turned 19 - and house hacked by renting two rooms to friends to help with the mortgage. Upon graduating college, she realized she had taken out $30,000 in student loans that now had to be paid back. Rather than allow it to rule her life, she cut out everything and worked a second job in order to knock out her debt - in 10 months! Whitney knew she had figured out how to lead a healthy financial life - and was eager to help others solve their own financial struggles. She started a coaching program to help financially empower people, and help them navigate the beginning stages of their financial journey. Whitney’s story is 100% repeatable for anyone listening. She came from nothing, and made it on her own. In This Episode We Cover:
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Jun 08, 2020 |
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127: Planning for the Unexpected: Being Financially Ready to Take Advantage of Opportunities with Ramit Sethi
01:15:32
Ramit Sethi from I Will Teach You To Be Rich is back again to chat with Scott & Mindy about money, unexpected events, and taking advantage of opportunities by being prepared. Ramit does not hold back with his advice that the Coronavirus should be a financial wakeup call to you. A crisis like this WILL happen again (maybe not viral) and NOW is the time to prepare yourself. He’s increased his recommended Emergency Fund to one year of expenses. If you’re struggling right now, you should be making minimum payments because “money in your pocket now is worth more than money in your pocket later.” Start crafting your emergency plan even if you don’t think you’re going to need to use it. Panic is bad, but overreaction is good. Don’t worry about looking stupid. One of the reasons you save is to be prepared for the worst. So prepare. If you’re financially stable and strong, Ramit also has some tips for taking advantage of this crazy time we’re living in. Have you ever wanted to start your own business? While it can seem counterintuitive to start a business in these uncertain times, it’s actually a fantastic time to start. Your target audience is WAITING for you to fill the need they are having RIGHT NOW. Even better? Ramit and Mindy discuss Mindy’s pain points regarding homeschooling - and Ramit comes up with 3 6-figure business ideas on the spot! Scott & Mindy also discuss Dollar Cost Averaging, finding a new job now, and paying down debt. Looking for more options in the coming months? This episode can’t be missed. |
Jun 01, 2020 |
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126: 16 Money Skills They Didn't Teach You In High School with Scott & Mindy
01:01:09
Financial Education is so important - but so many people are graduating high school without the basic skills to make informed decisions. Today, Scott & Mindy sit down to share some of the big money moves you should make - as well as some of the big money mistakes you should avoid. These are the tips you didn't learn in high school. From choosing a major wisely (or even deciding if college is truly the right choice for you) to paying for college, to truly understanding just how much it will cost you to pay back your student loans, the decisions you're making now, entering college, are going to affect your financial future for years to come. They also discuss relationships, and how those can also have a huge impact on your finances. Other big decisions you need to consider include how and when to get a first credit card - and how to use it properly to improve and increase your credit score. Scott & Mindy also dive into just exactly what a credit score is - and how its far-reaching influence can affect your job and housing. Scott also shares his unique views on wants and needs - and how to minimize the costs of the needs so you can afford a few wants. This episode is a great intro to financial education for young adults who are eager to make excellent financial decisions and put themselves on the path to freedom. In This Episode We Cover:
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May 25, 2020 |
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125: Ready to Retire: The Ultimate Pre-Retirement Checklist with The Retirement Manifesto
01:28:20
In today’s episode, we speak with Fritz Gilbert from The Retirement Manifesto and go through his checklist to ensure a smooth transition into your new life. Fritz speaks from experience and wrote the checklist during his own transition, starting five years out. Oh yes, FIVE YEARS. If you want a smooth transition, you’ll need to plan ahead. Scott and Mindy go through the checklist with Fritz, starting at five years before your retirement date. (They even touch on what to do BEFORE five years out.) Fritz’s list is extremely thorough and includes things you’ve most likely NOT even thought about. From paying down debt to checking in with a financial planner to transferring all that personal stuff you currently have on your work computer or in your work email, we cover the obvious. But more importantly, we also touch on the “Oh man, I totally forgot to do that” stuff, which can be the difference between a seamless transition and one filled with “I wish I had done things differently.” Fritz is such an expert in retirement planning that he wrote a new book about it: Keys to a Successful Retirement: Staying Happy, Active and Productive in Your Retired Years. In this book, Fritz shares 24 keys to a great retirement—once you’ve made sure the transition goes well. If you are on the path to retirement, this episode is NOT to be missed! In This Episode We Cover:
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May 18, 2020 |
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124: Starting from $0 at Age 35 as a Teacher and Becoming "The Millionaire Educator"
01:13:02
Gerry Born is a teacher who is married to a teacher. He started his financial independence journey when he was 33—with a wife, $45,000 in college debt, and a job in Saudi Arabia teaching English as a second language (ESL). He knocked out his debt in two years, then threw everything he could into savings. The ESL job provided everything but internet and phone, so he really didn’t need to spend much money if he didn’t want to. After 9/11, they moved back to the United States and got jobs teaching—and you know what kind of salaries teachers make! Unhappy with that particular school, they moved on to a different one and discovered the magic of the 457 plan. A 457 plan is an additional retirement savings vehicle available to teachers and some public employees. It has the same contribution limits as a 401(k) but can be immediately accessed penalty-free as soon as you separate service from your employer. Gerry uses this to fund his life while reducing his taxable income to as close to zero as possible. If you’re starting late—or if you’re a teacher or public employee—this episode provides tips for funding retirement that will blow your mind! In This Episode We Cover:
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May 11, 2020 |
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123: Carefully Crafting Financial Independence Through Passive Income with Avery Heilbron
01:00:59
Joining us today is Avery Heilbron, a listener on his way to financial independence through real estate investing. But Avery isn’t going all out and buying up every property as fast as he can. He’s making calculated purchases that allow him to live for free - and also cashflow while he’s there even though he lives in a high cost of living area. Once he moves out, that cashflow increases even more! Avery is also thinking ahead, and mitigating his risk of non-payment of rent by using the Section 8 rental assistance program to help guarantee rent payments. Oh, and Avery is 25. He went to college on a soccer scholarship, worked through school, studied hard and graduated with ZERO student loans and a great job. Do you have high school or college students in your life? This episode can help give them direction and encouragement that a little careful thought can have a HUGE impact on your future financial situation. In This Episode We Cover:
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Check the full show notes: http://biggerpockets.com/moneyshow123 |
May 04, 2020 |
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122: Getting Back to Financial Independence Basics - Using Lockdown to Reset Your Finances
00:54:28
Scott and Mindy have focused on Coronavirus for the last few episodes - talking to experts about how the virus has affected the stock market, the 4% rule, and even early retirees. They’ve interviewed Financial Planners to get tips for using the current market conditions to their advantage, as well as chatted with a mortgage broker to determine the best time to refinance. In this episode, Scott and Mindy talk about lifestyle creep - and how they have both been affected over the last couple of years. They revisit the basics of Financial Independence, spending less than you earn, increasing your income, investing wisely, creating multiple sources of income, and living your best life once money has been taken care of. Using their lockdown spending as a guide, Scott and Mindy go through the steps they’ve taken and the changes they’ve made to their expenses - including what they will add back once the world reopens and what expenses they don’t miss. This episode will help you get back to your Financial Independence basics, too. In This Episode We Cover:
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Apr 27, 2020 |
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121: Should I Refinance Or Wait For Better Rates? How Coronavirus Is Impacting The Mortgage Market with Seth Jones
01:05:09
In this episode, Mortgage Broker Seth Jones talks about the current mortgage market. We discuss mortgage forbearance - how it affects your credit and why it's NOT a good idea to go into forbearance if you can still make your mortgage payments. We also talk about mortgages - how to apply for a new loan or refinance, what lenders are looking for and how to get the best rate on your new loan. We'll also dive into comparison shopping and how to choose the right lender. Lending is tightening up, while rates are dropping. We chat with Seth about what that looks like for a qualified borrower - and how to decide if now is the right time to get a new loan. We also discuss different types of funding, primary loans, second home loans and investment properties. We also clarify what mortgage fraud is - and how that can affect you. While it may seem like no big deal, it's actually a very big deal. Seth even shares a mortgage checklist below. If you need more information about the mortgage process, this episode is a must listen! In This Episode We Cover:
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Apr 20, 2020 |
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120: Are FIRE Naysayers Bad at Math? Yes. with Michael Kitces
01:17:34
Michael Kitces joins us today to talk about Early Retirement - and how the recent stock market movement affects the FIRE Community and the 4% rule. We spend a lot of time on the 4% rule - including this graph which illustrates what Michael discusses - basically, there is an ultra-high probability that you will come to the end of 30 years with MORE money than you started out with, and an extremely LOW chance you’ll spend it all. In fact, only one time does the retirement fund hit zero - and even that isn’t until year 31! Since the FIRE Movement is based on the 4% rule, we wanted to hear from Michael, the Research Nerd Supreme, what he feels about it. “...historical safe withdrawal rates aren’t based on historical averages. They’re based on historical worst case scenarios.” Yes, we’re seeing some pretty big movement in the market, and yes, it can make you think. This episode provides some pretty powerful reassurance that “every little thing, is gonna be all right.” If you are worrying about your financial future, if you have money or want more, this powerful episode is a can’t miss, absolutely-must-listen edition of BiggerPockets Money. In This Episode We Cover:
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Apr 13, 2020 |
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119: Coronavirus: Is it Time To Give Up On Financial Independence?
01:44:23
In this week’s episode, Scott & Mindy bring back four previous guests (and introduce a brand new–and future–guest) to talk about retirement, the stock market, and how this current environment is affecting their spending, saving and investing. Andy Hill last joined us for Episode 34 - and boy has his life changed! He left formal employment in January (and shares some surprising info about his income & investing prospects. Amy & Tim discuss their House Sitting & Travel Hacking plans, and how they are on hold during this unprecedented travel lockdown. Kristy & Bryce share how their Cash Cushion and Yield Shield strategy is working out (spoiler: just fine!) and how they are taking advantage of lower rates on AirBnB rentals to offset their now-postponed geographic arbitrage plans. The Mad Fientist is continuing to stay the course - but with a surprise revelation that he was a bit freaked out for a moment, too! And we introduce Doug Nordman from The Military Guide to our listeners, to hear his voice of reason and experience and offer encouragement during these crazy times. These five experienced retirees are here to reinforce the fact that Financial Independence IS worth pursuing, it DOES work, and the math IS accurate! Is it time to give up on Financial Independence? Nope, not even close! In This Episode We Cover:
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Apr 06, 2020 |
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CARES Act: Everything You NEED to Know About the Coronavirus Stimulus Package
00:38:53
This Bonus Episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast is to help keep you informed of the Stimulus act that Congress is putting into place to help Americans with the Coronavirus and unprecedented shutdown of most of the economy. Joining Mindy today is Natalie Kolodij, who last appeared on Episode 112. Today’s episode was recorded on March 28, and we are fully expecting additional clarification and guidance from the federal government on these provisions. Congress just passed a 2.2 TRILLION dollar bill to provide relief for Americans in the face of the Coronavirus. While the bill does provide for monetary help, there’s a lot of other benefits that may not be getting the same press. OF COURSE we talk about the checks: How much, Who is eligible, When does it arrive? We also go a bit further and answer if it’s taxed, do you have to pay it back, is it a loan? If you have a 401(k), IRA or even a Roth IRA, there are additional provisions for you to consider like extended loan limits and penalty-free distributions. There are benefits for already retired people such as no RMDs this year if you haven’t already taken them. We discuss the student loan interest rate freeze and how to take advantage of their no payment option. We even touch on the additional provisions to employers such as IRC Section 139 changes that allow employers to help their employees out during this time of crisis, payroll deferment, sick leave, employee retention benefits and extended unemployment benefits. If we have our financial ducks in a row, now could be a great time to make some tax-advantaged moves. In This Episode We Cover:
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Apr 02, 2020 |
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118: Retirement Planning During (and After) The Coronavirus with Kyle Mast
01:00:40
Kyle Mast is a Certified Financial Planner, back for his third episode to answer YOUR questions about our current market conditions. We ask him the questions YOU had on your mind, including rebalancing your portfolio, staying the course, and trying to time the market. We take a deep dive into the retirement planning system, including weighing the benefits of Roth plans vs a traditional plans, and even discuss whether converting pre-tax retirement funds into post-tax funds during this down market is the right choice for you. While this episode focuses more on the state of the stock market, we do discuss real estate investing, and considerations for whether you should jump in or hold back. As always, consulting your own tax advisor and financial planner is advised, but Kyle brings up some very interesting ideas to take advantage of this down market. In This Episode We Cover:
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Mar 30, 2020 |
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117: Coronavirus Q&A with Scott & Mindy
01:11:42
Today, Scott and Mindy discuss the biggest news story of the century: Coronavirus or COVID-19. This episode covers a wide range of topics both money and real estate -- with a guest spot from Brandon Turner, who answers the number one question on every real estate investor’s mind: What do I do if my tenant(s) can’t pay rent? You'll also learn what resources are available for people whose incomes have taken a hit, and get answers to questions such as: should I continue with the purchase of a property I have under contract, and should I continue to pay down debt or take advantage of this current market? These are scary times, and it can be easy to cut and run or throw out your carefully-laid plans in favor of an instinctive reaction. So now is a good time to detach, assess your options, and chart a course forward. If you have Coronavirus fears, you’re not alone. Scott, Mindy, and the entire BiggerPockets Money Community are here to help you weather this storm. In This Episode We Cover:
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Mar 23, 2020 |
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116: Long-Term Investing: Coronavirus Changes Nothing with JL Collins
01:08:36
The stock market is up, then down, then down, then up. What is an investor to do? Today we bring JLCollins from JLCollinsNH.com back to the show to calm our fears and help us understand what is happening with the stock market. The market is falling. Or maybe today it’s rising. It’s SO VOLATILE, it can be scary to stay invested - especially if you’ve never been through a market downturn. JL expertly explains what’s going on - and his recommendations for the best course of action - based on 40 years of investing in the stock market (and making a boatload of mistakes along the way.) Long story short, stay the course. 105 years of historical stock market data says this too shall pass. While JL is an expert on the stock market, he doesn’t invest in real estate, so Scott and Mindy share their views about the real estate market and what this current stock market volatility might mean for real estate investors. They also share ways to hedge your bets in rental property investing through fully funded reserves. If you’re freaking out about the stock market, this episode can help calm your fears and keep you on the right course to give you the most chance for financial success. In This Episode We Cover:
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Mar 16, 2020 |
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115: Growing an Empire From Nothing with Felipe Mejia
01:02:12
Felipe Mejia’s relationship with money started at an early age - when his parents divorced and his world turned upside down. His mother introduced him to the power of real estate by fixing up the basement and renting it out to generate income. His mother further influenced his money story by creating her own cleaning company and introducing Felipe to a client who hired Felipe to clean up his job sites. Felipe put his own spin on that by hiring the work out for a slightly lower rate than he was getting. Real estate became Felipe’s main source of income, generating enough that he does not have to work a traditional job any longer. Felipe Mejia, along with Ashley Kehr from Episode 114 are the hosts of BiggerPockets newest Podcast, Real Estate Rookie. Together, they share stories of real estate successes - as well as encouragement to get started investing in real estate. The Real Estate Rookie show is for anyone interested in investing in real estate - and needs a little encouragement. The Real Estate Rookie Podcast airs on Wednesdays wherever you get your podcasts. In This Episode We Cover:
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Mar 09, 2020 |
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114: Paying Off Debt Through Conscious Spending and Real Estate Investing with Ashley Kehr
01:12:34
Ashley Kehr married a dairy farmer. With a dairy farm comes farm equipment. And with farm equipment comes farm equipment loans—to the tune of around $169,000. Three years ago, she read Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, and it CHANGED. HER. LIFE. Ashley knew she needed to get rid of their debt, but her husband wasn’t totally on board with the plan. So she tackled her student loan debt first—and proved to her husband that this was the right financial plan for their family. She quit the job she didn’t like and transitioned into property management, which introduced her to her current love of real estate. Real estate started providing a very generous income stream to help supplement her family’s income. When she didn’t have her own money to invest, she partnered with someone who did. When she didn’t have experience to do the project at hand, she partnered with someone who did. Ashley’s story is a delight to listen to. She walks us step by step through the process she took to find these partners, find these properties, and generate this income stream for her family. If you’re thinking about getting into real estate as a source of passive income, this is a must-listen episode! In This Episode We Cover:
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Mar 02, 2020 |
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113: Single Hourly Employee with No College Degree and STILL FI by 40 with Bianca DiValerio
01:21:14
This week we sit down with Bianca DiValerio, a flight attendant who makes an hourly wage, has no college degree, experienced THREE short sales during the economic downturn, and yet is STILL financially independent—all before turning 40. How did she do it? She saved her money. She didn’t spend it on things that didn’t matter to her. There is literally NO secret sauce to her story. In fact, she thought she had her future planned out! She had purchased three rental properties to provide a stream of passive income—only to lose them to short sale when unexpected special assessments of $5,000 each became too much for her to afford. And yet, she saved her money. She didn’t spend it on things that didn’t matter to her. And she dug herself out of the financial hole that the short sale pushed her into. She pulled herself back up and started her nest egg over, saving enough to pay cash for a unit in the same building, so she’d never lose her home again. She’s turned that into a rental, lives in a caboose five months out of the year (yes, a TRAIN CABOOSE), and while she has enough money to never HAVE to work again, she enjoys her job, can literally choose when she works, and is living her best life. Bianca is proof that you can recover from an unplanned financial catastrophe, thrive, and STILL reach financial independence—all before you turn 40. You just have to follow the proven path to financial freedom. In This Episode We Cover:
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Feb 24, 2020 |
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112: Choosing the Right Tax Professional for YOUR Specific Needs with Natalie Kolodij
01:08:44
Natalie Kolodij is a tax strategist. (You’ve probably seen her in the forums!) With April 15 looming around the corner, we’re going to chat about ways to choose the RIGHT tax professional who can best serve YOUR specific needs. Natalie also shares a few red flags about potential tax preparers, as well as specific things your tax pro should be asking for—and what it means if they do not. She’ll also share some common missed deductions that can cost you BIG and how to prepare and organize your documents so your tax pro can process your returns quickly, efficiently, and with the least amount of time billed to you. Looking for that seemingly-elusive real estate professional status? Natalie explains in detail how to qualify for this lucrative benefit. She even shares how long you can depreciate a kangaroo! If you’re a taxpayer, this show can help you save time and money. If you’re a real estate investor/taxpayer, you can’t afford NOT to listen to Natalie’s advice! In This Episode We Cover:
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Feb 17, 2020 |
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111: Starting Late? Early Retirement Is STILL Possible with A Purple Mom
01:00:03
On episode 110, we interviewed A Purple Life. As she was sharing her story of financial independence, she casually mentioned that her mother didn’t start investing until later in life, and STILL managed to retire at age 55! So this week, we’re talking to her mother - who has her own amazing story of early retirement which she was able to accomplish even though she didn’t START investing until she was 40! Momma Purple shares her pragmatic approach to money in general - buying what you need, trying to make repairs instead of buying something new, sticking to a budget and banking bonuses instead of spending them. Momma Purple is also a big advocate for having multiple, passive income streams like rental properties and a pension. Hear her story of weathering TWO market crashes during her investing journey, taking immediate action when she discovered her money was in the wrong investment, and how fabulous her life is now, after retirement. In This Episode We Cover:
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Feb 10, 2020 |
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110: Systematically Increasing Income and Intentionally Decreasing Spending with A Purple Life
00:57:15
Purple graduated from college and got a job in New York City making $35,000 a year. And spending $35,000 a year. Her net worth was a whopping $5,000. Her partner shared the concept of financial independence with her, but she wasn’t interested. Two years later, her net worth had grown considerably, but she was still not tracking her spending or paying attention to much of her finances. So, she took a good look at her money situation and discovered that there were places she could make cuts—yet not really feel them. She moved across the country, she changed jobs, she asked for raises. And she saved and invested her money. And her net worth grew to the point that she is retiring before the end of the year and traveling the world—all because she looked at her financial situation and said, “I can do better than that!” Listen in to hear just how she increased her income and decreased her spending to craft the life she wanted! In This Episode We Cover:
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Feb 03, 2020 |
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109: Attacking Debt and Tenaciously Pursuing Financial Freedom with Airman Mildollar from Military Dollar
00:54:30
This week, we sit down and talk with Airman Mildollar, from Military Dollar. (Spoiler Alert: Despite the name, Airman Mildollar is a woman!) Airman Mildollar shares her story of college debt, car loans and rapid payoff to start building her wealth to become financially free, despite not being married, having kids or working in tech. In fact, she’s an officer in the Air Force. She shares her systematic goal setting and goal reaching strategy that allowed her to pay off her debt ahead of schedule - including stretching her military benefits to cover more than just food or housing. She started reading finance blogs and books and starting putting money away. Moving in with a friend reduced her rent payment, and she began investing in a Roth IRA, opened up a TSP (Military version of a 401k) and also invested in individual stocks in after-tax accounts, saving about 20% of her pay. Every time she received a raise, she committed to put at least 50% of that raise into her investments. In 2011, she bought a rental house as she was deploying, put tenants in place and then went overseas for one year, returned home and bought another property for herself to live in. Originally intending to live there for a year then rent it out, she ended up staying for two years then selling to realize HUGE tax-free gains. 2013 is when her Financial Independence journey really hit its stride as she read Your Money or Your Life, and she took a much closer look at her budget, finding another thousand dollars to put into her investing. MilDollar shows that you CAN become financially independent on your own, without working in an ultra-high-paying job, when you diligently pursue your goal. In This Episode We Cover:
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Jan 27, 2020 |
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108: Starting Early & Finishing Strong with Real Estate with Kristi Tanner Smith
00:52:45
Kristi Tanner Smith considers herself privileged—she was an only child in a big house with lots of toys. But Kristi’s mom was diagnosed with a fatal disease and given six months to live when Kristi was five. While her mom did beat that estimate, she ultimately lost her battle when Kristi was 12. During her mom's final years, she tried to teach Kristi about money: "Save up and pay cash for purchases. Be responsible with your finances." Her father was the opposite. So Kristi was able to see both sides of the coin and recognize that being responsible was the better way to go. Kristi lost her father to a freak accident in 10th grade, and she used the insurance settlement to pay for college, where she studied Criminal Justice. Kristi’s husband worked at Nike; they paid for his entire college tuition once he went full-time with the company. (Pro tip: If you need your college tuition paid for, look for a company that offers tuition reimbursement!) After college, she took a job in the Probation Office. She didn’t like it. To make matters worse, on her honeymoon, she discovered they were looking to replace her! She knew she didn’t want to be dependent on someone else for money, so she turned to real estate. She discovered BiggerPockets, ChooseFI, and the concept of financial independence—this became her new focus. She started with the home she inherited from her mother, then bought a home from the MLS, followed by a primary residence, then another MLS purchase, and a cabin in the mountains. Her cash flow on these few properties covers her monthly living expenses, freeing her to pursue her passions. Because when you take care of the money part, you can pursue your dreams and live the life you TRULY want! In This Episode We Cover:
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Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow108 |
Jan 20, 2020 |
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107: Choosing Side Hustles (& Happiness!) Over Full-Time Employment with Financial Panther
01:05:38
Financial Panther (Kevin) went to law school, graduated from law school, and took a job as an attorney. Attorneys make a lot of money, right? So, with all this income potential, why is he doing side hustles that pay him significantly less? Happiness. Being an attorney didn’t make Kevin happy. In fact, it made him decidedly unhappy. He changed jobs several times but in the end decided being a lawyer simply wasn’t for him. So, he left the field to pursue fun things that he liked doing. Kevin loves to be outside. He lives near a university in a large city. He loves dogs. Put that all into a shaker, and out comes Kevin 2.0. Kevin 2.0 takes dogs for walks during lunchtime. He gets out of his downtown office (he makes himself go to a co-working space so he accomplishes things every day) and delivers meals to office workers who can’t get away. Kevin walks dogs around the downtown area for their owners who can’t get away at lunchtime to take them out. Kevin charges scooters overnight, and on his way home, he delivers even more meals. Best of all? Kevin gets to spend time outside almost every single day. He does what he CHOOSES to do, regardless of what it pays. Financial freedom isn’t about quitting your job. It's about living your best life, which Kevin 2.0 is now doing. In This Episode We Cover:
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Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow107 |
Jan 13, 2020 |
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106: Planning For Your Future Wealth with Megan Gorman from The Wealth Intersection
01:01:34
Megan Gorman started learning about money very early – at age 5 she begged her parents for a Little House on the Prairie Dress. Her parents said we’re not buying it for you, but you can save up for it yourself. 18 months later, she was the proud owner of a new dress – and a bonus bonnet from her parents who were so proud of her for saving up and being so determined. Fast forward to high school, and she got a job at a vacation resort during the summer high season. Her father made it clear she was to save some of her earnings to contribute to her college tuition, and she was able to save $5,000 a summer. Her experiences with money were empowering up through college, but she ended up with credit card debt and eventually had to negotiate with the banks on a payoff. She took a year off between college and law school, choosing a state law school to keep her costs low. Megan graduated from law school, got a job, and had to navigate adulting – getting an apartment, buying a work wardrobe, starting her adult life on very little funds, again trying to not incur more debt after having so recently paid off her credit cards. Megan’s student loan story is different from others we’ve heard on the Money podcast – while she aggressively paid down her private loans, Megan actively chooses NOT to pay off her public loans because they have such a low interest rate. She feels she can make a better return in the S&P 500, so she leverages her debt and is comfortable with her decision. However, Megan readily admits this strategy is NOT for everyone, and you definitely need to be comfortable with the decision to continue to carry debt. Once her private debt was paid off, she started investing in a Roth IRA and 401k to grow her assets. And because she’s from Generation X, Megan bought a house when she got a HUGE promotion. She watched the value of her home soar, then sold to move to California. She bought in 2007 in CA, and watched that price drop, then rise again. Location location location. Megan now advises high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals manage their money, because no matter how much money you make, everyone struggles with expenses. And today, Megan shares excellent advice with us for strategically thinking about our money for the present as well as planning for the future. In This Episode We Cover:
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Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow106 |
Jan 06, 2020 |
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105: Budgeting Yourself OUT of Debt and Into a Fantastic Life with Jen Hemphill
00:59:01
Jen Hemphill was born in Colombia and lived there for the first eight years of her life. The economy was really bad, and her earliest memories were of a scary time when her educated father did whatever he had to do to make money. Her redheaded dad stood out in Colombia, and it wasn’t a safe place for him to be. So, they moved to the U.S. Jen remembers being embarrassed for not having money, knowing her friends had it. She attended the same college where her mother was a professor. Discounted tuition coupled with scholarships and a bit of parental help allowed her to graduate with no debt. She bought a car, paid it off quickly, and felt very proud of herself for doing so. Then, she met and married her husband. They took 15 years to pay off his $40,000 in student loan debt. She thought they were doing great, but a deeper look at their finances about 10 years in revealed a huge mess. Thinking back to her childhood, she realized she needed to make big changes in order to get ahead. Her family went on a budget, cutting out all unnecessary spending to focus on paying off the debt. Jen uses a series of labeled bank accounts to ensure they stick to their budget and now saves for purchases rather than raiding the emergency fund to pay for things. Jen took what she learned and became an Accredited Financial Counselor, knowing that there are so many others who need to be pointed in the correct direction. She calls herself a Money Confidence Coach, because when you have confidence in your money management skills, you can tackle any problem. In This Episode We Cover:
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Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow105 |
Dec 30, 2019 |
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104: Cash-Flowing a Series of Mini-Retirements with Steven & Lauren from Trip of a Lifestyle
01:14:34
Lauren and Steven met in high school and attended the same college. After undergrad, Steven was accepted into the Ph.D. program at UC Irvine. During the first year, he decided he didn’t really want a Ph.D. in Physics, but he really enjoyed working with students. They moved back to Florida so Steven could get his master’s in Education, while Lauren worked her first “real” job. But after two years, they were burned out from working full-time. After learning about financial independence and achieving an incredible savings rate—to the tune of $100K in two years—they decided to take a break. Their “break” was a six-month trip to Hawaii, paid for up front by their big savings account—but repaid by a series of side hustles in Hawaii. While most people spend lavishly to go on a tropical vacation for one week, they ended up $1,000 positive while spending six months there. Re-energized, they returned to Florida for a full-time job for Lauren and a continuing tutoring job for Steven—making more money than before they left for Hawaii. Increased income meant increased savings rate for these two, having lowered their expenses by purchasing a three-bedroom condo, periodically renting out an unneeded bedroom. But after about three years, they felt burned out again. This time their “break” was a trip around the country to visit every national park—all 61 of them—in seven months. Again, they wanted to pay for the trip with income generated during the trip. They cut expenses by buying a compact cargo van and sleeping in it for the majority of the trip. They continued working about 10 hours a week during the trip, rented their condo for seven months, and hit the road. Each time they return from their mini-retirements, they are refreshed, re-energized, and ready to jump back into work with both feet. Their end goal isn’t early, permanent retirement, but several small mini-retirements to enjoy their journey. In This Episode We Cover:
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Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow104 |
Dec 23, 2019 |
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103: Budgets Really ARE Sexy! with J. Money
01:11:46
J Money wasn’t necessarily BAD with money, but his first home purchase - made because everyone else was doing it - prompted him to seek out advice about money. He stumbled upon the blogging world and was enthralled with the transparency. Here were real people talking about real issues they were facing - similar to what he was going through himself. He started his own blog called BudgetsAreSexy, and soon was approached by someone who wanted to buy an ad on the site. A new source of income generation! His blog success brought attention from national news sites, and traffic grew exponentially once they started sharing his articles. But as traffic grew, so did his time commitment. As he became more entrenched in the blogging space, he discovered that people buy and sell blogs - so he started flipping web sites. Another source of income generation. When it came time to choose between his full time job and his side hustle, he discovered the decision was made for him when he was called into his manager’s office and let go. (The company later went out of business.) Thrust into entrepreneurship, J buckled down with his spending, and discovered that Budgets really ARE sexy, and they can be the key to your financial success. Topics:
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Dec 16, 2019 |
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102: Understanding How Your Personal Money Story Shapes Your Financial Future with Jean Chatzky
00:47:08
Jean grew up in a family where money wasn’t a big issue. Her parents saved for big purchases like vacations, but frugality was part of her everyday life. She graduated from college without any debt, and soon found a job - that she immediately regretted accepting. She moved quickly to change course, and ended up in a job that paid less than half of that first one - but was so much better for her. A freelancing side job to supplement her income evolved into a full-time Journalism career with Smart Money magazine, which led to a 25+ year stint with the Today Show as their financial editor. But Jean wanted more. She created HerMoney, a place for women to learn about how to properly handle their finances. Jean knew that your money story is the root of your relationship with money. She created a place and space for you to recognize your money story - and figure out how to apply deep-seated lessons learned consciously and subsconsiously - to lead your best financial life! In this Episode We Cover:
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Dec 09, 2019 |
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101: Building a Life of Financial Independence, Starting From Less Than Zero with Sunitha Rao
00:51:35
Sunitha Rao remembers a childhood of scarcity. Born to immigrant parents, some of her first memories are of her home being broken into, and her things being stolen. The only money lessons she was taught as a child were frugality and saving, because you never knew what was going to happen. Her father had grand tennis plans for her, and pushed her into tennis. By age 9, she was playing tennis six hours a day. School was so low on the priority list she dropped out in 6th grade to pursue tennis full time. She turned pro at age 14, but all the money she made went back into her career: coaches, travel to events, more training. When Sunitha retired from tennis, she had nothing left. She estimates she “maybe had $1000 in the bank.” Her relationship with her father was so abusive, she sought a restraining order against him and started over, rebuilding her life at age 23. Starting off at community college, looked up endowment programs in Boston because she liked the city, and reached out to colleges that offered scholarships. Finishing college she got a corporate job, which was her goal - until she started working there. She realized her corporation didn’t have any loyalty toward her, so she started looking for ways to generate income outside of her salary and discovered real estate. She now owns multiple units in the midwest, and is on the path to financial independence, starting with nothing but a 6th grade education at age 23. If you’re thinking you started too late, Sunitha’s story shows that financial independence is possible - at any age. In This Episode We Cover:
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Dec 02, 2019 |
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100: From Financial Disaster to Real Estate Master with Brandon Turner
01:29:27
You probably know Brandon Turner from the BiggerPockets Real Estate Investing podcast. On that show, he sounds like he’s got his life all together. But before he discovered the RIGHT way to do real estate, he made mistakes. LOTS of mistakes. Today, Brandon shares everything he did wrong - from financing rehabs with a credit card to accumulating six figures in debt on properties he couldn’t sell. But the most important thing Brandon did was learn from his mistakes. He read Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey and put the lessons learned from that book into action, paid off his debt and started living the life he truly wanted. The episode is for people who’ve made mistakes, who are in debt or struggling to find a path to financial freedom. Brandon shows you that it’s OK to make mistakes, you CAN recover, and the life you want is within your reach. In This Episode We Cover:
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Nov 25, 2019 |
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99: Life After FIRE - Four Case Studies with Scott, Whitney Hansen, and Doc G.
00:46:53
On today’s episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Co-Host Scott Trench teams up with two personal finance superstars in Whitney Hansen and Doc G of Diversefi.com. Together, they hear four “life after FIRE” stories, each completely different, each extremely powerful. We talk with a business owner struggling with millions of dollars in debt who was able to sell his business, re-write his career (he is now a business coach), and get a new handle on his time. Another guest retired with her husband in 2012 and together, they took on adventures and traveled the world together. Financial independence made all the difference for them in allowing them to experience as much of the world as possible, as her husband passed away a few years following early retirement. A third couple left their high paying jobs at the height of their earning potential to travel the world together, and they could not be more thrilled with their decision or excited about life. And finally, we interview the CTO of ChooseFI, William, who was able to retire early, overcome the loss of his wife, and use his financial freedom to pursue the job of his dreams with a great company, and provide for his children. These stories highlight the importance of achieving Financial Independence and using it to make the most of our lives. In This Episode We Cover:
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Nov 18, 2019 |
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98: Change Your Money Mindset, Change Your Life with Vicki Robin
01:12:34
You know Vicki Robin as the author of Your Money or Your Life, but on today’s show, we dive MUCH deeper into her story and her background. Growing up without a lot of money, she learned how to use her resources to appear as though she had more. With limited funds, her mother taught her that she could use them all at once on one thing, or she could stretch them further by shopping at a discount store. Vicki carried these lessons through her adult life, moving into homesteading and while, technically living under the poverty line, she never felt the pinch of not having all the trappings of the modern world. In fact, it wasn’t until she met Joe Dominguez, learned the foundation of what would later become Your Money or Your Life, and started teaching others about how to handle their finances that she realized that the gap between what she had and what others had was quite vast. She knew she had to appear prosperous, so people wouldn’t reject her message simply by her appearance. Her message has reached more than one million people, and has changed the lives and financial futures of countless more. Vicki herself has been able to focus on her passion - environmental issues - and has the freedom to pursue her passions due to her fully funded retirement at such an early age. In This Episode We Cover:
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Nov 11, 2019 |
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97: Intentionally Choosing the Path to Financial Independence with Financial Mechanic
00:54:32
Financial Mechanic wanted a puppy - and her parents told her she could have one when her little sister turned her age (in four years). When she asked how much puppies cost, she was told $100. So Financial Mechanic started saving. Everything! Birthday money, Christmas money, anytime she received a dime, it went into her puppy fund. Fast forward 4 years, and she tries to hand over the $100 - to her parents shock. “No, you keep that, we’ll buy the puppy.” For four years she had been saving, so she just continued. By the time she graduated high school, she had $8,000 in savings. Her parents paid for her college education, and she knew she wanted options. She studied Mechanical Engineering which led to programming, which led to a 6-month assignment overseas. Upon her return, she discovered mass layoffs - and that she was significantly underpaid! In this episode we talk about how to prepare for an interview, how to negotiate salary, how salary isn’t the only thing you can negotiate, and how intentionally pursuing a goal can help you achieve it faster and easier. In This Episode We Cover:
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Nov 04, 2019 |
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96: Speaking Fluent Finance with Wilson Muscadin
01:00:42
Wilson Muscadin grew up knowing how to handle money. His father assigned him “book reports” rather than simply giving him an allowance. But the books he read were personal finance books, like Rich Dad, Poor Dad, The Millionaire Next Door and Think and Grow Rich. Unsurprisingly, Wilson learned a lot from reading these books. Well played, Dad Muscadin. Wilson handled his finances intelligently through high school and into college, where he saw so many friends making ridiculous mistakes with their money. Things like charging pizza and gas - and not paying off the credit card bill at the end of every month! He graduated with very little undergrad debt and worked in corporate insurance, but always wanted to teach people about finance. Back to school for an MBA at Duke - and more than $100,000 in student loan debt!!! Wilson’s path to teaching people how to fix their finances was cemented when a random Facebook post about paying off his student loan debt (4 months after his first son was born) garnered more comments and questions than the post about the birth of his child! Wilson paid off his debt, now has two sons, moved across the country and is dedicated to helping more people understand how money works, and break the cycle of paycheck-to-paycheck so they can become financially free. In This Episode We Cover:
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Oct 28, 2019 |
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95: The House Hacking Strategy with Craig Curelop
01:00:45
One of the most commonly asked questions in the BiggerPockets Forums is “How do I get started investing in real estate with no money?” Craig Curelop has the perfect answer to this question - House Hacking! Craig shares his own story of three house hacks - and counting! We dive into the numbers, look at what makes a good property to house hack, and even talk about the different ways to hack your housing. Craig also shares ways he dealt with people who didn’t understand what he was doing - including his family and most of his friends. Craig even shares his biggest house hacking mistake - how not following his tenant screening protocol led to a terrible experience. If you’re thinking about jumping into house hacking, this episode lays it all out. In This Episode We Discussed:
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Oct 21, 2019 |
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94: 18 Options for Healthcare in Early Retirement with Lynn Frair
01:04:13
The absolute MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED question I get about Early Retirement is “What do I do about healthcare?” Without going into too much detail, we’re all aware that healthcare costs are fairly ridiculous in America. Not properly planning for healthcare can be catastrophic - one unexpected event can literally wipe you out. Lynn Frair from FIHealthcare.com joins us today to share the results of her intense research into the options available to early retirees. She has found 18 different healthcare options and shares them with us. She also has created a crowdsourcing database for other options. (If you’ve got a different way to procure healthcare, she’d love to include it in her database!) If you are on the path to financial independence, you NEED this episode. In This Episode We Cover:
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Oct 14, 2019 |
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94: LIVE from BPCon2019: Ask Us Anything!
01:19:34
All the BiggerPockets podcast hosts on stage in one place! This bonus episode was recorded at the BiggerPockets Conference 2019 on October 7th in front of a live audience of more than 1,000 people at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn. We turned the mics over to our members, who fired a bunch of great questions at Scott Trench and Mindy Jensen, Brandon Turner and David Greene, Joshua Dorkin, and J and Carol Scott. Our panelists covered some nitty gritty real estate topics, like tackling vacancy and how to invest IRA funds, as well as big-picture concepts like motivation, marketing, and teaching family members the importance of investing at an early age. Also, everyone reveals which animal they would be if they had to choose, and a member of the audience challenges David Greene to produce an analogy on the spot. Listen to find out whether he performed under pressure! Our first conference in seven years was a big success, and we’re so thankful to everyone who came out to learn, network, and have a great time. Download this bonus episode, and be sure to subscribe to all three shows BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast, BiggerPockets Money Podcast, and BiggerPockets Business Podcast so you won't miss an episode. |
Oct 13, 2019 |
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93: Financial Mistakes and How to Avoid Them with Scott & Mindy
00:56:15
Financial mistakes can have a HUGE impact on your future retirement savings - the opportunity costs can be enormous! In this episode, Scott and Mindy discuss some of the biggest mistakes you can make financially, and ways to avoid them so you can give yourself the highest potential for financial independence. Mindy and Scott move past previously discussed mistakes such as housing and transportation, and dive deep into relationship money mistakes, travel, spending, retirement planning and tax issues that can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in your retirement accounts. Scott and Mindy shed light on some of the “low-hanging fruit” money missteps as well as touching on spending and lack-of-planning issues that can have an even larger impact on your financial future. This episode truly is for anyone who has money AND wants to have more. In This Episode We Cover:
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Oct 07, 2019 |
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92: An Introduction to Financial Independence with Chris Mamula, Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa
01:16:27
Personal finance is easy, right? You read a blog or listen to a podcast and just follow everything they did. Easy, Peasy, Lemon Squeezy. Except that’s not how the world works. What brought success to one person may bring misery - and ultimately failure - to someone else. Personal Finance is P-E-R-S-O-N-A-L! Of course that said, there are some general principles that apply to everyone:
Chris Mamula, Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa are the authors of ChooseFI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence, a new book for ChooseFI Publishing. They join us today to share the basics of Financial Independence, and to remind us that Financial Freedom is available for everyone. Topics:
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Sep 30, 2019 |
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91: Debt is NOT a Death Sentence with Melanie Lockert of Dear Debt
01:15:09
Melanie Lockert joins us today to share her story of student loan debt and her subsequent inability to find a job when she graduated into one of the worst job markets America had ever seen, and her spiral into depression and shame over her debt. Melanie is not alone - as of 2018, more than 44.2 MILLION borrowers owe more than $1.5 TRILLION! (link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_debt) September is National Suicide Prevention month - and Melanie hosts a Suicide Prevention Blog Tour every year due to the sheer number of people who find her blog when they search "I want to kill myself because of debt". Melanie advocates sitting down and figuring out exactly how much your debt is costing you per day, which was both a big source of shame as well as a HUGE motivator for her to pay it off. She also shares her journey out of debt - and out of depression through therapy. Melanie also shares resources for people feeling overwhelmed. Find counseling options at www.openpathcollective.org, talk to someone through text by texting HOME to 741741, which is the Crisis Text line or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. In This Episode We Cover:
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Sep 23, 2019 |
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FinCon Bonus Episode: Improving Financial Education with Billy Hensley from NEFE
00:20:11
Mindy sits down with Billy Hensley from The National Endowment for Financial Education to talk about Financial Education in America, and how NEFE is working to improve student and adult access to this oh-so-important information. They discuss state-mandated financial education courses and the success rates for students in these states. Billy also shares his take on the mandates, and how YOU can get involved if your state does not yet have this requirement. Billy also details how parents can get involved and bring this education into their children’s schools, where this is so desperately needed. This shortened episode of BiggerPockets Money is especially important for parents who are trying to teach their children how to handle money. In This Episode We Cover:
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Sep 21, 2019 |
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90: From Unplanned Pregnancy to Financially Free with Melissa from Traveling Wallet
01:02:31
When Melissa found out she was pregnant, she was a sophomore in college. Her counselor gave her a pretty alarming statistic: a frighteningly small number of women who get pregnant in college actually end up graduating. Melissa threw herself into her studies, and prepared as much as she could for the birth of her son. And while her plans may have been changed by this unexpected addition, she pushed on and beat the odds - in more ways than one! Not only did Melissa graduate on time, she graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering while working an internship in California and attending school in Michigan. Melissa’s story shows that bumps in the road of life do not have to define your path and that financial independence is STILL achievable even if life throws you a curveball. In This Episode We Cover:
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Sep 16, 2019 |
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89: Retire Before Mom & Dad, with Rob Berger
01:01:39
Rob Berger grew up literally with Rich Dad, Poor Mom. While his mother almost lost her house after his parents divorced, his father was filthy rich, picking him up in a Rolls Royce for weekend visits. Throughout high school and college, he spent every dime he made, and graduated with around $55,000 in debt - and a wife. Upon graduating law school, he felt that “If I don’t save something, it would be a missed opportunity - even if it was $100 a month.” Keeping up with the (lawyer) Joneses took him in a big way - fancy car, fancy watch - and it wasn’t until he started listening to Dave Ramsey and hearing all those people scream “I’M DEBT FREE!!!” that it clicked. He didn’t want the fancy things anymore, he wanted to be debt free. He started saving in his retirement accounts, while simultaneously paying down debt because “it would be insanity to forgo contributions to your 401(k) so you could pay off your 6% student loan debt or credit card debt you can transfer to a 0% card. Even if you don’t have a match, you only have that one year to contribute. When the year is gone, that opportunity is gone.” Rob discovered that small changes in his daily habits didn’t have a very big impact in his daily life, but these small changes had a HUGE impact in his net worth. As he turned down opportunities to spend money, he saw his net worth skyrocket, until his money was making more money than he was! Rob has taken everything he learned on his own journey, and put these tips into a book aimed not at Early Retirement, but Financial Independence - encouraging everyone to attain the freedom to pursue their best life. In This Episode We Cover:
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Sep 09, 2019 |
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88: Consciously Choosing to be Debt Free with Ashley Likely
00:49:54
Ashley Likely grew up with parents who provided everything she needed, but not necessarily everything she wanted. They were able to pay for her housing in College, but not for much else. So (spoiler alert) she graduated college with $77,000 of student loan debt. A conversation with a ‘preachy’ coworker showed her the light of paying down debt, saving aggressively and starting to invest. They started encouraging each other at work, learning about investments, contributing to 401(k)s, listening to podcasts and doing research. Ashley stumbled across a blog post written by Scott Trench where he shared “Reducing your debt is similar to increasing your income.” She had $56,000 in student loan debt at the time she read this article and says “Scott’s post changed my life.” She thought, if I could eliminate the student loan, what could that do for me mentally and financially? As a speech language pathologist, she has the opportunity for overtime, which she took every chance she got. Her naturally frugal ways kept her from going into further debt with car loans, vacations and all the trappings of “adulthood” by simply avoiding them. Avoiding these debt traps allowed her to bust out her debt and prepare for her future as a real estate mogul! In This Episode We Cover:
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Sep 02, 2019 |
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87: How to Save Money For Your Downpayment with Scott & Mindy
01:04:51
In Episode 83, Scott and Mindy discussed how to buy your first property. And they were peppered with questions about the buying process after it came out, but the top question they got was “How do you save for your downpayment?” In today’s episode, Scott and Mindy dive deep into the process that happens BEFORE you start looking for a property. Things like getting your credit score as high as possible, getting your taxes in order, and the TRUE cost of closing. They also explore PMI - when it makes sense to pay it down and when it’s OK to continue to pay. They even share a story from a listener who was able to buy out his $100 a month PMI payment for $1500. If you’re looking to buy a house, but not sure where to start, this episode will definitely put you on the right path. In This Episode We Cover:
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Aug 26, 2019 |
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86: Choosing the Right Investment Type for Your Goals with David Stein
01:08:08
David Stein reached out to us after Erin Lowry’s Episode 81, where we talked about the basics of investing. He really liked that episode, and wanted to dive a little further into the different TYPES of investments you can choose from. In this episode, we explore asset classes we haven’t really discussed before: Closed End Mutual Funds, REITs, Mortgage REITs, and the different types of stock you can buy. (Yes, there is more than one!) We even touch on Gold and Cryptocurrency! Investing isn’t limited to stocks, bonds and real estate, and David introduces these ideas so you can start investigating the asset classes that appeal to you and works best for your financial goals. David also shares his Investing Principles and his top tip is so simple, yet such an EXCELLENT piece of advice: Be able to describe in detail what you are investing in. If you can’t, you’re not ready to invest in that just yet. If you’re looking for different asset classes, better returns or even just to diversify your portfolio, this episode is a must-listen! In This Episode We Cover:
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Aug 19, 2019 |
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85: From Financial Disaster to Financially Free with Jacob Wade from I Heart Budgets
01:18:14
Jacob Wade knew nothing about money growing up. Any money he made at his mall jobs was instantly blown on mall food and silly teenage expenses. His father passed away when he was 4, leaving him an inheritance of $100,000 when he turned 18. Jacob quickly spent it on a truck, customized to the hilt. He soon had nothing to show for it, and at his lowest point, had to move in with his girlfriend’s mother, because he had no money to pay rent. Enter Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover. Jacob devoured this book and of course, lightbulb! Jacob did what most new-to-FI people do, he cut out everything! He started tracking his spending and preaching to everyone who would listen. Finally fed up with his constant preaching, his wife said “I don’t want to hear about this anymore - go start a website!” And I Heart Budgets was born, where Jacob could preach to his heart’s content. Jacob and his family are now on a year long road trip around America, a mini-retirement to spend time with their young children before school starts, taking advantage of their financial position. Later in the episode, Jacob drops a knowledge bomb on Mindy & Scott, sharing the existence of the “Spousal IRA,” a way for non-working spouses to contribute to an IRA. Thinking you made such a big mess of your finances that you won’t ever recover? Jacob’s story shows that it’s never too late to start, and that poor financial choices don’t have to define you. In This Episode We Cover:
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Aug 12, 2019 |
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84: Traditional Retirement: Social Security, Market Conditions & Managing Expectations with Kyle Mast
01:18:15
Kyle Mast first visited us on Episode 41 of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, and he BLEW US AWAY with his suggestions, ideas, tips and tricks for early retirement. Kyle is back again today to talk more to traditional age retirees - those of us who are retiring at or near age 65. Retiring now can seem scary - the market is near all-time highs and has been so for a very long time. Markets are cyclical and unpredictable. Kyle shares how to ride out the storm with strategies to manage both behavior and emotions. He’s a big fan of Retirement Fund Dates - but not of putting all your retirement eggs into one fund-date basket. Kyle also looks at Social Security and covers several scenarios to help you decide when to start receiving your benefits. Kyle is a fee-only Certified Financial Planner - and this episode shows time and again just how valuable a consultation with a CFP can be. If you’re nearing traditional retirement age - and you’re not quite sure what’s next - THIS episode is especially for you. Topics:
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Aug 05, 2019 |
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83: Buying Your First House with Scott & Mindy
01:18:26
Buying your first home - either an investment or a primary residence - can be scary. This is a HUGE purchase, and no one wants to mess that up. But buying a house doesn’t have to be scary, if you’re properly prepared. This week, Scott and Mindy sit down and talk about the process - what you need to consider BEFORE you even start looking at houses and what to REALLY look for when you’re looking at houses. They also talk about different funding options, different purchasing strategies and even different ways to hack your housing to live for free - or make big money when you sell. If you’re in the market for your first property - or second or third - or you’re just starting to think about buying a house, this is an episode you cannot miss! In This Episode We Cover:
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Jul 29, 2019 |
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Money Dates, Prenups & Combining Finances with Aditi Shekar
00:35:41
Talking to your partner about money can be very difficult - especially when you’re bringing up the conversation for the first time. Today, we’ve brought Aditi Shekar back to discuss finances from a couple’s point of view. Yesterday we heard Aditi’s personal money story, and today she shares tips for speaking to your partner about your finances. How to go on a Money Date, all about her $20 prenup and why she feels everyone should have one, her guide to combining your finances. In fact, Aditi is so passionate about personal finance in general, and couples finance specifically, she created an app to help you share and discuss finances with your partner! Zeta is a personal finance app designed for couples to help you stay on top of your finances, together. Looking for a way to talk about money with your partner? This episode was made especially for you. In This Episode We Cover:
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Jul 23, 2019 |
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82: Early Money Lessons Create Healthy Money Experiences with Aditi Shekar
00:55:51
Aditi Shekar learned entrepreneurship at a very early age - when she asked her father for a toy and he said no, make your own money. She’s been creating businesses ever since. Her father’s advice wasn’t the only great money management tips she received early on. In college, a finance professor did two entire classes on personal finance, sharing the benefits of starting early to save for retirement. Her financial independence journey was kickstarted when her apartment burned down - and she had no renters insurance. “I don’t want more stuff. I just want to figure out the life I want to lead.” Aditi and her husband took a roadtrip to discover where they wanted to live, and ended up in two separate cities, visiting on the weekends. Time apart made them realize they wanted to be together, so she moved to him, and started the life she truly wanted. In This Episode We Cover:
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Jul 22, 2019 |
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81: The Basics of Investing with Erin Lowry from Broke Millennial
00:53:52
Erin Lowry last joined us on Episode 24 of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, where she talked about getting Financially Naked with your partner. She’s back today to talk about investing - and all the things many people don’t really know. Erin shares the basics that so many articles and podcasts gloss over - but that are so important to know in order to be financially successful. She also has a new book out: Broke Millennial Takes On Investing: A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up Your Money, where she tackles investment basics. If you’re new to investing, or just having trouble figuring out all the terminology, this episode is right up your alley. In This Episode We Cover: Where Erin started investing The importance of educating yourself On setting financial goals What a time horizon is Her take on insurance What to think about when it comes to investing Her take on retirement The easiest way to start investing for retirement What a target date fund is Two different ways to think about investing What are the difference between Traditional IRA and Roth IRA How to start investing when you still have debts Credit card debt versus student loans How powerful compound interest is Important thing she wants people to take away from this episode about investing And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums Getting Financially “Naked” with Your Significant Other — With Erin Lowry NerdWallet MagnifyMoney Bankrate Investor.gov Vanguard Fidelity
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Jul 15, 2019 |
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What’s Your Why of FI?: Recorded Live at CampFI
00:47:50
This Bonus Episode of The Money Podcast was recorded live at CampFI, a financial independence retreat for people on all parts of the journey to Financial Independence. Scott Trench was celebrating his mom’s birthday, so Mindy Jensen is joined by Paul Thompson and Paula Pant, asking attendees of CampFI why they are on the path to Financial Independence, and hearing a bit about their stories. Answers range from spending more time with kids, to lifestyle, health, and simply being able to retire at all. If you feel like you’re the only one on the path to financial freedom, this episode shows that you’re not alone, this journey IS possible, and you CAN do it!
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Jul 13, 2019 |
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80: Managing Money: How a Saver & a Spender Are Living Happily Ever After with Rich & Regular
01:00:25
Kiersten and Julien came from two very different money backgrounds. She’s the naturally spendy one, and he’s the natural saver. Their money views came to a head on their first vacation, when she put everything on a credit card—not to earn reward points—because she didn’t have the money to pay for it. The ensuing argument caused them to have some pretty tough money conversations very early on in their relationship. But it also set them up for early financial freedom. Kiersten decided her old, spendy ways weren’t what she wanted out of life. She started shedding her "things" so that she could pay off her debt and start investing. They researched and discovered a hole in the FI community. There just weren’t many blogs devoted to the African American community that focused on tips about money and early financial freedom. So, they started their blog, Rich & Regular, to bridge this gap. Investing in real estate helped create enough passive income for Julien to leave his corporate job, and for the couple to start living the life they truly want. Plus, don't miss when Julien casually drops one of the best paying-for-college tips that's ever been shared on this show. If you’re struggling with spending too much money or reconciling your frugal ways with that of your partner, this is a must-listen episode. In This Episode We Cover: Julien's money journey Frugality as part of his everyday life On feeling he needed different ways to earn income On his job right after college How Julien and Kiersten met Kiersten's money journey On her sales and retail experience How Kiersten had a problem with spending Julien’s hack to pay $25 per semester in college Reason Kiersten got into debt Talking about their relationship journey and how they fixed their money problems Went on a saving spree after paying off all his debts Didn’t get into investing together until after marriage Their philosophies on buying properties On their investment properties How their careers have progressed since marriage And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums Getting Financially “Naked” with Your Significant Other — With Erin Lowry FinCon Financial 180 Mint CampFI
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Jul 08, 2019 |
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79: Financial Freedom Through Decades of Hard Work and Hustle with Carol Scott
01:05:00
Carol Scott has a successful real estate investing company that she runs with her husband, Jay. They have two children, live where they want, and just in general enjoy life on their own terms, free from the stress of having a “real” job, a boss and all the time constraints that come along it. But it wasn’t always this way for her. Carol grew up without having a lot of money. Her financial journey really begins at age 9, when her mother told her if she wanted to have nice shampoo, she had to figure out a way to earn money to buy it. Enter Carol’s hustle. Whenever Carol wanted to buy something, she started a new entrepreneurial endeavor. Face painting, caligraphy - anything related to art was fair game for young Carol. At age 15, she hopped onto her bike and rode up to the convenience store, all but demanding a job. She graduated college into a job where she had regular access to the C-Suite - and mentorship opportunities abound. Carol’s focus turned to learning - and she picked up tips from every person she encountered. She’s here today to share many of these tips with you, and to inspire your journey through her own. This is a tale of never giving up, and not being satisfied with what life throws at you. Go out and grab the bull by the horns. In This Episode We Cover: Carol's background with money On starting her financial independence and entrepreneurial journey at age 9 The importance of having a work ethic Did calligraphy, face painting, signs, and artsy stuff to earn money What she did with the money she earned On her college journey The big transition which occurred between her freshmen and sophomore year On the first internship she got Coming out of college with $35k in student loan debt and $40k in credit card debt Exposure to C-level people How growing up with no money influenced her behavior How she began making lots of money Taking leadership courses her companies pay for Moving to Franklin Covey 8 years into her career Her advice to those who are looking to get into a job that offers a high salary What’s urgent versus what’s important How she began managing her money How she handles her investments What she does post-career at eBay The importance of being resourceful The importance of spending time with the family And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums eBay FranklinCovey BiggerPockets Money Podcast 70: 7 Tips for Successfully Investing in ANY Market Condition With J Scott
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Jul 01, 2019 |
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78: How to Talk to Your Parents About Money with Cameron Huddleston
01:04:55
Parents are supposed to know everything, and talking about money is impolite. So how do you make sure your parents are taken care of and that their wishes are followed throughout their golden years? Today Scott and Mindy sit down with Cameron Huddleston, author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations With Your Parents About Their Finances, who shares her story of the journey through her mother’s finances pre- and post-Alzheimer's. Cameron also shares the documents your parents need to have—the documents YOU need to have—to be able to help them navigate their finances as they advance in age. She offers encouragement for continuing the conversation after parents initially say, “That’s none of your business.” She explains everything from the perspective of someone who has been through the more difficult times of parental financial navigation. BiggerPockets Money guests have typically focused on their own journey to financial freedom. But this episode provides guidance for starting challenging conversations with your parents. Use Cameron's advice to sit down with them and make sure their wishes are followed. In This Episode We Cover: Cameron's journey with money Got $1 a week and saved money to buy model horses How she fell into the world of personal finance writing Worked as a reporter before transitioning into the personal finance field Learned about money once she started writing about personal finance The importance of having a will How she reconciled the shift with her parents How to start the conversation with your parents Scenarios to open the door to more conversations with your parents What you can do if your parents say their finances are none of your business or don't want to share any information with you Overview of key things to have in place as far as what your parents should have Legal documents—a will or a living trust Power of Attorney Document Living will or advance directive Long-term care insurance Resources people can go to to get professional help The importance of meeting with an attorney Where people can find an estate planning attorney Some of the fights that occur when there is a lack or prep and how to avoid this The difference between old people’s home and retirement community Mistakes to avoid as parents go into retirement or begin to age And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums Kiplinger
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Jun 24, 2019 |
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77: Entrepreneuring Your Way To Financial Freedom with Pete Mockaitis
00:54:57
Pete Mockaitis grew up in the cheapest place to live, Danville, IL. He watched his mother work her way up the local credit union ladder from teller to CEO, simply by doing more than necessary, repeatedly. His mother strongly discouraged debt, having seen so many of the credit union’s customers declare bankruptcy and have their entire bank accounts wiped out. As a kid, he saw firsthand that hustle pays off. He helped his brother with his paper route for a quarter, only to learn his brother was making $1.80. After high school, he got into college on a full ride scholarship, and graduated into his dream job with Bain & Company. He saved money by skipping the little things like taking a cab when he could walk, having roommates instead of living alone, and drinking water instead of ordering drinks when he was out. Pete’s true calling was entrepreneurship. To prepare for the jump to self employment, he figured out his burn rate - and discovered it was a lot lower than he originally thought. By figuring out how much he was spending, and computing the value of his pre and post tax time, Pete optimized his path to Financial Freedom, and is now enjoying the fruits of his labor. In This Episode We Cover: Pete's journey with money Lessons he learned from his mother How he applied the lessons he learned in his approach to early financial freedom How he pursued early financial freedom On growing up frugal Why it took him 3 years to save a year’s worth of living expenses His advice for people who would like to try the entrepreneurial route The importance of being smart with your savings On being real and quantitative On tracking recurring and non recurring expenses and breaking it down into dollars per day On his revenue generation His advice on building revenue On investing And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums How to Become an “Overnight” Success in 10 Short Years with David Greene How To Be Awesome At Your Job Episode 386: How to Earn More, Spend Less, and Build Wealth with Mindy Jensen BiggerPockets Money Podcast 73: Ramit Sethi Will Teach You to Be Rich! BiggerPockets Money Podcast 56: Change Your Personal Finances (& Your Millennial Money Mindset) with Paychecks & Balances Podcast Movement
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Jun 17, 2019 |
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76: How to Talk to Your Partner About Money With the Debt Free Guys
01:15:00
John and David didn’t have "the money talk" right away. They both worked in the financial industry, and each thought the other would be great with money. About a year and a half in, they discovered they were both AWFUL with money. Both had lots of debt with no real plans to pay it off. Enter the spreadsheet. David is a self-professed numbers nerd. He entered every expense from the last 12 months into a spreadsheet and discovered some shocking spending habits in several categories. These were places they could easily cut their spending so they could start paying down their debt. And like everyone else who finally figures out money, they hit it hard—planning menus, making grocery lists, and clipping coupons. (They didn’t buy anything they didn’t have a coupon for!) Rather than the debt snowball or debt avalanche methods, they approached their debt paydown with a new method: the debt lasso. They gathered up all their debt—mostly credit card—transferred it to 0% interest cards, and hit the payments hard. In the process, David and John discovered that no one is talking about money in the LGBTQ community. So they set out to change that, opening up the topic to help their community stop being fearful of money and start aligning their spending with their values. In This Episode We Cover: David and John's journey with money How they amassed such a huge debt Having a "money" conversation in regards to their expenses The importance of having a conversation about what their life goals are Cut about $30,000 of food spending a year Using the spreadsheet and looking at their net worth each month Paying off the smallest loan and gaining momentum Debt Snowball versus Debt Avalanche Their investment approach after their paying off their debt Built up emergency savings of $1,000 Ways to get yourself out of debt (by spending less than you make!) Why people are afraid to talk about money And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums Waffles On Wednesday BiggerPockets Money Podcast 07: How Breakfast Food Motivated Financial Freedom with Mr. and Mrs. Waffles on Wednesday BiggerPockets Money Podcast 11: Financial Freedom in Less Than Five Years with Joel from FI 180 Financial 180 BiggerPockets Money Podcast 73: Ramit Sethi Will Teach You to Be Rich! Dave Ramsey
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Jun 10, 2019 |
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75: The Most Efficient Path to Financial Freedom With Justin From Saving Sherpa
00:59:21
Justin grew up without a lot of money in a small town. His parents divorced when he was eight, and his mother eventually quit her job to attend school. Necessity is the mother of invention, and a year of no income led to some very creative ways to squeeze more value out of every dollar. This "invention" stayed with Justin for his entire life, and he applies it to every facet of his finances. From his very low rent (in a high rent area) to his ridiculously low grocery bills to collecting travel rewards points, Justin gamifies every cent he spends. Today we hear how Justin actually made money from his college scholarships and military stipends, how he negotiated a smoking deal on his rent, and how his five tenets of grocery shopping pay off. Justin calls this "the lazy path to financial independence," but really he’s just being incredibly efficient with his resources. If you’re looking to cut expenses, listen to this show with a notepad handy. In This Episode We Cover: Justin's journey with money The idea of squeezing the amount of a dollar and cutting something out of your life Joining the military through the ROTC program and getting free tuition from the government What a career starter loan is and what his decision-making process was What his position looks like after going to college The moment he got serious about creating wealth The reason he is still very unhappy after achieving his goals The first investment he made On his expenses How he lived on $24,000 a year in Boston What's inside his sacred freezer The importance of getting to know your specific local grocery store His commandments on groceries On saving $69,000 a year Investing in real estate On retirement How he found his apartment And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Money Podcast 26: Graduating College on Track for Financial Independence with Cody Berman BiggerPockets Money Podcast 71: 5 Years to Financial Freedom Through Real Estate Investing With Sarah P. Mr. Money Mustache BiggerPockets Money Podcast 03: Cutting Your Grocery Bill in Half with Erin Chase from $5 Dinners BiggerPockets Money Podcast 57: Financial Freedom, House Sitting & Travel Hacking With GoWithLess
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Jun 03, 2019 |
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74: Making Money From a Legitimate Side Hustle With Mark Wills
00:48:01
Side hustle is a big topic on BiggerPockets. But finding the right one—and one that isn’t a scam—can be difficult. Today’s episode focuses on not only a legitimate side hustle, but also one that involves real estate AND can be as much or as little as you want it to be. Best of all, the most popular time to use this side hustle is at night and on the weekends. Signing agents work when their clients don’t—meaning they’re busiest at night and on the weekends—perfect for an actual side hustle. Startup costs are extremely low. They hover around $1,000. Working four to six jobs will pay off your initial investment! Mark Wills shares what you need to get started and how to find jobs once you’re all ready to go. If you’re looking to generate extra income, this episode is right up your alley. In This Episode We Cover: What a notary signing agent is The only requirement to become a signing agent How he became one What signing services exist for Biggest skillset you need to be a notary signing agent Startup cost when doing appointments On doing 10 to 15 appointments a day Who are not ideal candidates for the position The importance of paying attention to details On getting a notary commission The importance of taking a course to become a notary signing agent Other ways to make money through notary commissions outside of loan signing Kind of salary for signing appointments Attorney states versus escrow states And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Money Podcast 03: Cutting Your Grocery Bill in Half with Erin Chase from $5 Dinners BiggerPockets Money Podcast 04: Eliminating Over $30,000 in Debt Through Extreme Organization with Former State Trooper Rosemarie Groner Newsletter Signup - I Will Teach You To Be Rich The Jerry Springer Show Bogleheads forum Bogleheads Investing Advice and Info
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May 27, 2019 |
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73: Ramit Sethi Will Teach You to Be Rich!
01:30:32
Ten years ago, Ramit Sethi released his groundbreaking book I Will Teach You to Be Rich. Now he’s back, with an all-new, updated version, delivered with the same authority and enthusiasm as the original. But wait, there’s more—MUCH more! Ramit...
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May 20, 2019 |
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72: Increasing Your Income Through Commissions With Dawn Brenengen
01:08:31
Dawn Brenengen’s money story begins a bit differently than most. Dawn’s parents shared their finances with her. She knew what things cost, she knew her parents worked hard to pay off their mortgage, and she saw her mother writing checks to pay bills every month. She went to college and graduated with relatively little debt—around $21,000 in student loans and credit cards combined. After graduation, she stayed at her low-paying college job until her father suggested she get a real estate license. Dawn completed the work for the license and got a job making almost the same money, working for a builder and selling their new homes. But she was the assistant to the agents who were making the BIG BUCKS, and she knew that’s what she really wanted to be doing. At the time, real estate agents were eligible to take the test to open up their own brokerage simultaneously with the licensing test, so she did that. While working as an assistant, she laid the groundwork to strike out on her own, eventually ramping up her income to multiple six-figures—with virtually limitless potential. Here Dawn share her story of how hard work and determination paid off tenfold—and all in just four short years! In This Episode We Cover: Dawn's background with money How she grew up in a financially literate household The debts she accumulated during and after graduating college How she paid off her debts Is it possible to invest your student loan? What happened after she got her real estate license How she got serious about making money and building her financial position Having a goal to get a job where she was making a bulk of the commission Started her own brokerage business on 2010 People she recommend to hire out on starting a business How much time and money needed on starting a business The benefits of having a business partner Applying all the money she makes in terms of her wealth building philosophy Dawn's investment approach Private lending on her surplus cash What a private lending is Her annual spending and her income And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums Mr money Mustache Frugality as a Muscle - Mr. Money Mustache BiggerPockets Money Podcast 26: Graduating College on Track for Financial Independence with Cody Berman
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May 13, 2019 |
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71: 5 Years to Financial Freedom Through Real Estate Investing With Sarah P.
01:07:02
Like so many of our guests, Sarah P. did not grow up understanding how money works. She wasn’t bad with money, she just wasn’t very good with it. She learned about financial independence through Mr. Money Mustache and completely revamped her...
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May 06, 2019 |
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70: 7 Tips for Successfully Investing in ANY Market Condition With J Scott
01:24:35
J Scott is a successful real estate investor (to say the least). But he’s also a student of the markets—and his studies have shown him that we are teetering near the top of this current real estate cycle. In this week’s episode, J shares three reasons why he believes we’re at or near the peak based on past market cycles, and he details seven things investors should be doing to prepare for a softening market. His number one piece of advice? Educate yourself! J brings his A-game in this episode, just like he does with every other podcast he's featured on. And make sure to stick around until the very end of the show for a special BiggerPockets announcement you'll definitely want to hear! In This Episode We Cover: Reasons J believes a market crash is coming On the 33 case studies of what economic cycles look like Talking about the last 2 recessions J Scott's analogy with economy to the seasons Phases of the economic cycle and indicators he knows the market is on the peak What a yield curve and GDP is The reason why the price drops in the market How can someone who is considering jumping into the real estate market invest with confidence What might happen in the next recession of the market How does a newbie investor get affected by the potential of being on peak phase of the economic cycle What should people be doing now in preparation for the next phase The importance of building credit and paying your debt on time His recommendations for someone who is investing right now The biggest mistake he sees people make And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast BiggerPockets Bookstore J Scott's Books on Amazon Using the Power of Goal-Setting to Fundamentally Alter Your Financial Path with J Scott (episode) BiggerPockets Forums Mint Credit Karma Annual Credit Report TransUnion Equifax Experian
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Apr 29, 2019 |
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69: From Near Death To Debt Free With Liz from Chief Mom Officer
01:02:57
Liz has always been a frugal gal and self-proclaimed personal finance nerd. Discovering The Wealthy Barber as a teen cemented her course down the financial independence path, even if there wasn’t a formal name for it at that time. And it’s a good thing for her family that she was so frugal - a botched surgery for her husband turned a routine procedure into a nightmare that involved a coma, a month in the hospital and years of recovery. Without her financial savvy, her family could have been financially ruined! Now, 7 years later, she has paid off her house and replenished her emergency fund using a Tiered Emergency fund that allows her maximum liquidity while also maximizing her earnings on those funds. Her unique plan combines online savings with CD ladders, savings bonds and money market funds. Liz explains just how important it is to her family to have the peace of mind a paid-off mortgage can provide, and how planning for unforeseen events is truly the best course of action. In This Episode We Cover: Liz’s background story On being smart with money throughout her 20s and 30s What happened after her husband's surgery On her work and immediate debt consequences while working towards financial independence On having the mindset of saving for retirement, for college, and for an emergency fund Having various accounts: Flexible Spending Account, High-Deductible Health Plan, Health Savings Account, & Health Reimbursement Account Learning financial independence through the book "The Tightwad Gazette" How she cuts off their expenses and the free entertainment they did Paying off their house for financial security The importance of not depending on stocks Tiered emergency plan On the concept called college compact Her philosophy on paying his son's college Financial independence retirement elective And SO much more! Links from the Show Mad Fientist HSA - The Ultimate Retirement Account BiggerPockets Money Podcast 64: Scholarships and Other Ways to Pay for College with Zach Gautier Harvard Business Review - Case Study BiggerPockets Podcast
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Apr 22, 2019 |
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68: Hacking Your Military Benefits to Become Financially Free With J Grayson
01:19:34
J Grayson grew up poor. But with food on the table every night, he didn’t realize it. Then his sister tragically passed away from brain cancer, financially ruining the family. J fell into a pattern: skipping school, drinking, and doing drugs. A few...
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Apr 15, 2019 |
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67: How Living An Intentional Life Led to Financial Freedom With Steven Donovan
01:11:38
Steven Donovan graduated from high school and went to college—because that’s what you do. He graduated from college but got cold feet when it came time to get a “real job.” So, he bounced around random jobs with no plan and no focus. Despite...
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Apr 08, 2019 |
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66: Investing, Freelance, & Morning Routines With Paula Pant
01:31:00
Paula Pant has seen it all and learned a thing or two... thousand. Today, we sit down and chat with her about, well, everything. Paula shares her habits, her take on journaling, and her morning routine. We delve into her fascinating backstory with...
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Apr 01, 2019 |
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65: Getting Your Family on Board with Financial Freedom with Jacqueline Burch
01:13:36
Jacqueline Burch got married and did what all newlyweds do, spent time with her husband. They continued down the road of "things you’re supposed to do"—had dinners out with friends, purchased a home, and had a baby! After her first son was born,...
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Mar 25, 2019 |
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64: Scholarships and Other Ways to Pay for College with Zach Gautier
01:31:31
Zach Gautier oversees academic and college counseling at a Denver-area high school. He reached out to us, and proposed a show to share creative ways to fund college tuition—and blew us away with the depth of his knowledge! This episode is for anyone who has children who have not yet graduated from college. And if you know someone else who can benefit from this information, please share it with them, too! This show includes tips that apply to kids of every age, from elementary school to middle school to high school students. We cover multiple ways to reduce higher education costs, such as transfer credits, AP courses, and CLEP tests, along with early college programs and dual credit options. We also discuss work-based scholarships and military options, as well as preparation for high school that starts in grade school. Zach shares his advice on taking the ACTs or SATs and also ways to decide which one to take (and whether to retake if you get a low score). This episode can help shave tens of thousands of dollars off your child’s college expenses! In This Episode We Cover: How Zach paid for college The CLEP test Systematic approach to transform college options The best financial choices that somebody can make Interventions that are very effective for your child to learn and figure out their love for school On helicopter parenting Things parents need to do when their children are pre-high school and high school age to save for college 529 plans as the biggest avenue that needs to be considered Brandon Turner's approach for his child college education 3 ways to fund college Dual credit program How much does SAT and ACT prep cost How to apply scholarships Two college batches when it comes their application review process His perspective on brand name college Things that people should be looking for in a school Ways to save money on college application process Other avenues to approach prior to entering college to get excess funding What is a loan and a grant And SO much more! Links from the Show Paychecks & Balances Khan Academy BiggerPockets Money Podcast 56: Change Your Personal Finances (& Your Millennial Money Mindset) with Paychecks & Balances Fastweb Cappex Scholarships.com BigFuture - The College Board Scholly BiggerPockets Money Podcast 22: How to Pay Off 6-Figure Student Loans While Pursuing Financial Independence with Travis Hornsby BiggerPockets Forums
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Mar 18, 2019 |
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63: Financial Freedom With 5 Kids IS Possible with Jordan Klint
01:19:24
One of the most common misconceptions of financial independence is that you can’t do it with kids. But Jordan Klint doesn’t listen to what other people say. He became financially independent with kids—and not just one or two of them. He did...
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Mar 11, 2019 |
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62: Taking Advantage of ALL Opportunities Life Throws at You with Anna Li
01:29:01
Anna Li moved to America from Uzbekistan when she was 22. On today’s episode, she shares the opportunities she’s been presented with—and taken advantage of—from an opportunity to learn at the first non-government university in Uzbekistan that...
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Mar 04, 2019 |
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61: The Repeatable Path to Financial Independence with Reshawn & Rob from Learn Hustle Grow
00:57:08
Reshawn and Rob got married nine years ago, joining their lives, families and bank accounts. Premarital counseling revealed two different views on money—and they knew if they wanted to stay married, they needed to get themselves on the same page....
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Feb 25, 2019 |
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60: Rejecting a Scarcity Mindset and Going All-In on Apartment Investing with Gino Barbaro
00:50:58
Gino Barbaro was a chef, working hard every day. He made good money and had no debt, but never seemed to be able to save more than 10%. He started dabbling in real estate investing, and after closing his fourth deal worth $11 million, he...
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Feb 18, 2019 |
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59: Playing with FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) with Scott Rieckens
01:14:21
Scott Rieckens was raised in a Navy family. He lived on base and often shopped in the commissary. It gave him a rather skewed sense of what things actually cost. Fast-forward to adulthood. He knew he should be investing, but he wasn’t sure what to...
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Feb 11, 2019 |
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58: Optimizing Every Channel to Achieve Financial Freedom with Grant Sabatier
01:12:46
Grant grew up knowing his parents didn’t have much money. He recognized their constant stress about finances throughout his childhood, and one of his first memories was his dad telling him, “Money is freedom.” Graduating from college in the...
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Feb 04, 2019 |
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57: Financial Freedom, House Sitting & Travel Hacking With GoWithLess
00:57:07
Tim and Amy were frugal—or so they thought. They spent less than they earned, so they figured they were doing it right. Then one day, they happened upon the concept of financial independence. Turns out, they had a LOT of room in their budget to cut...
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Jan 28, 2019 |
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56: Change Your Personal Finances (& Your Millennial Money Mindset) with Paychecks & Balances
01:05:53
Rich Jones and Marcus Garrett are the men behind Paychecks and Balances, a podcast aimed at helping Millennials figure out their finances. And they should know a little on the subject—both Rich and Marcus made some pretty epic money mistakes in their youth. From Rich just not looking at his bills to Marcus actively going into almost $30K of debt in 72 hours (NOT a typo!), they know what owing money to someone feels like. Marcus details his D.E.B.T. plan so you can pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and pay off your debt for good. Are you looking to be debt-free in 2019? This episode can help you formulate a plan that works for your specific situation, with tips for staying out of debt once you arrive. In This Episode We Cover: Marcus and Rich's money journey How Marcus spent $26K in just one weekend How Rich optimized his budget around things he wants versus the things he needs The concept of the debt snowball Rich's hybrid approach to tackling his debt The purpose of an emergency fund Advice for being financially responsible The importance of focusing on priorities first Their advice for people on paying debts The importance of being conscious about your decisions, especially when it comes to paying debt Building responsible habits And SO much more! Links from the Show FinCon Podcast Movement Mint Annual Credit Report Bankrate Paychecks & Balances Podcast - How I Reached Six Figures in My Trading Account ft. Jason Brown- PB105 Uber Lyft We Read the 15 Best Personal Finance and Investment Books and Summarized the Action Items From Each That Will Make You Rich - Paychecks and Balances
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Jan 21, 2019 |
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Testing Your Portfolio BEFORE Retirement with Millennial Revolution
00:36:53
A little over halfway into BiggerPockets Money Podcast episode 55, Bryce dropped a bombshell: “We had three years of runway before we actually pulled the trigger.” What he meant is that they tested their portfolio for three years before quitting...
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Jan 15, 2019 |
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55: How to Quit Your Job and Travel the World with Millennial Revolution
01:04:00
Kristy Shen grew up poor. Knowing her parents couldn’t help her financially, she gave up her dreams of being a writer, and went to school to make big bucks as a software developer. She even graduated on the five-year program with an internship to...
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Jan 14, 2019 |
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54: 6 Ways to Reduce Your Taxable Income with Eric Brotman
01:04:24
Preparing For Retirement By Reducing Taxable Income & Saving More. In today’s episode, we chat with Eric Brotman, CEO of BFG Financial Advisors, who discusses his top 6 ways to reduce taxable income. Eric dives deep into each of these 6 methods,...
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Jan 07, 2019 |
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53: 2018 Financial Freedom Lessons With Scott & Mindy
01:10:55
2018 Financial Freedom Lessons Today, Scott and Mindy go guest-less to recap and review the things they’ve learned over the first year of podcasting. Topping the list—and surprising no one—is tracking your spending. But we did learn some new things this year too, like how money dates are a great way to bring your spouse on board. Looking for change your financial situation in 2019? THIS is the episode that can start you down the path to financial freedom. In This Episode We Cover: What Scott and Mindy's goal is The most important thing that their guests have done for their success in achieving their financial goals A discussion on tracking your spending Why relentless self-education is so vital How to get your spouse on board with money dates Why there's no secret sauce for making more money How past money mistakes do not dictate your future money life How to apply intelligence and work ethic to earn more income How real estate helps people to pursue financial independence The four major categories people spend on: Housing Transportation Childcare expense Healthcare And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Podcast BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets Money Podcast 07: How Breakfast Food Motivated Financial Freedom with Mr. and Mrs. Waffles on Wednesday Waffles On Wednesday: Make Your Own Free Mobile Expense Tracking App in 30 Minutes Mr. Money Mustache Blog BiggerPockets Money Podcast 04: Eliminating Over $30,000 in Debt Through Extreme Organization with Former State Trooper Rosemarie Groner The Busy Budgeter BiggerPockets Money Podcast 10: Designing a Frugal But Luxurious FI Life by Age 32 with Liz Thames Frugalwoods BiggerPockets Money Podcast 24: Getting Financially “Naked” with Your Significant Other — With Erin Lowry Broke Millennial BiggerPockets Money Podcast 03: Cutting Your Grocery Bill in Half with Erin Chase from $5 Dinners 5 Dollar Dinners BiggerPockets Money Podcast 39: From “Bad with Money” to Intentional Saving and Spending with Jamila Souffrant BiggerPockets Money Podcast 32: Financial Freedom Through Small Life Changes and a Modest Real Estate Portfolio Planting Our Pennies BiggerPockets Money Podcast 08: From Financially Perfect to Rock Bottom (and Back Again) with Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche The Budgetnista BiggerPockets Money Podcast 11: Financial Freedom in Less Than Five Years with Joel from FI 180 FI 180 BiggerPockets Money Podcast 49: Wealth Transfer—How to Financially Prepare for Inheritance Money with Hari Mix BiggerPockets Money Podcast 50: Rebuilding Your Financial Life After Bankruptcy with Patrice Washington BiggerPockets Money Podcast 12: How to Become an “Overnight” Success in 10 Short Years with David Greene BiggerPockets Money Podcast 01: The Surprising (Scientific) Truth Behind What Makes You Successful with Mr. Money Mustache BiggerPockets Money Podcast 02: An All-Out Approach to Financial Independence at an Early Age with Scott Trench BiggerPockets Money Podcast 05: Jump Starting Your Early FI Plans by Live-in Flipping with Mindy Jensen BiggerPockets Money Podcast 09: Financial Independence at Age 30 (by House Hacking + Side Hustles) with Drew from Guy On Fire Guy on FIRE BiggerPockets Money Podcast 16: Financial Security Through Passive Income with Joel Larsgaard BiggerPockets Money Podcast 21: How Losing 265 Pounds Spurred Job & Investing Success with Tony Gayden BiggerPockets Money Podcast 19: The Ultimate Real Estate Retirement Plan with Chad Carson BiggerPockets Money Podcast 35: Hacking Your Life to Live for (Almost) Free with Craig Curelop BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Money Podcast 22: How to Pay Off 6-Figure Student Loans While Pursuing Financial Independence with Travis Hornsby BiggerPockets Money Podcast 48: Breaking the Impulse Shopping Twitch to Embrace Minimalism with Anthony Ongaro Turo Airbnb BiggerPockets Money Podcast 29: From $200,000 in Student Loan Debt to $150,000 Net Worth in 3 Years with Nick and Alyssa Paros BiggerPockets Money Podcast 38: Getting Serious About Paying Off Debt with Phillip Taylor from PT Money BiggerPockets Money Podcast 18: Accessing Retirement Funds Before Age 59½ with The Mad Fientist
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Dec 31, 2018 |
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52: Creating a Life Worth Living Before Retirement With Roger Whitney
00:52:43
Finding Financial Freedom Before Retirement Roger Whitney learned early on that your life doesn’t always cooperate with your plans. The passing of his mother - who had always worked hard and saved for ‘later’ made him realize that ‘later’ doesn’t always happen. So he set out to create a life he loves - and NEVER wants to retire from. But first, he made a bunch of money mistakes. His free-wheeling 20’s gave way to his more responsible 30’s, where he cleaned up his debt and got serious about his finances. Now he’s living his best life, and shares tips for having the conversation with your partner to allow you to live your best life, too.
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Dec 24, 2018 |
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51: Using Financial Freedom to Prioritize Family with Crispy Doc
01:17:39
Prioritizing Family with Financial Freedom Carlos Fuego is an emergency room doctor with a superpower—the ability to realize that money doesn’t buy happiness and family time is far more important than the status of being a doctor. He realized that...
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Dec 17, 2018 |
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50: Rebuilding Your Financial Life After Bankruptcy with Patrice Washington
01:07:51
Patrice Washington was flying high in 2006, the multi-million dollar real estate company she had started with her husband was practically printing money. But 2007/2008 came, and things went south fast. A high-risk pregnancy finally pushed her over the...
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Dec 10, 2018 |
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49: Wealth Transfer—How to Financially Prepare for Inheritance Money with Hari Mix
00:58:20
Hari Mix figured out money in grad school and started saving for his future before he graduated. He became an assistant professor at Santa Clara University—and then, his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and his whole focus shifted. Today, Hari shares his experiences with his mother’s passing and how discussing it before she died made it easier for him to manage her estate afterwards. He shares some REALLY great tips for ways to handle an estate, including having all your documents in order and having a will. This episode gets pretty deep into topics that no one ever wants to think about, but that everyone will have to deal with, both with their parents and for their children. Having a will is a great first step, but there are lots of other things you can do to ease the financial transfer burden—and things you need to know before making any moves. The more prepared you are, the easier this process will be during one of the most difficult times of your life. If you’re in a position to inherit wealth from a parent or transfer wealth to heirs upon death, this is an episode you cannot miss. In This Episode We Cover: Hari's journey with money Why prioritizing saving and long-term goals for retirement is so vital The steps he took to handle his mother and grandfather's financial affairs How he ended up creating his own estate plan The importance of being open and honest with your family about financial affairs Steps for approaching your loved ones' financial affairs How to avoid the probate process How he fielded the discussion with the other heirs in his grandfather’s financial affairs The importance of talking to a professional The right time to contact an estate planning attorney Tips for investing an inheritance His written investment policy statement How he came up with his investing plan What he did after his mother died His idea of inflating his lifestyle The checklist you need for when somebody dies Peculiarities of inheriting money and IRAs And SO much more! Links from the Show Mr. Money Mustache American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys LegalZoom Nolo.com Bogleheads Investing Advice and Info
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Dec 03, 2018 |
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48: Breaking the Impulse Shopping Twitch to Embrace Minimalism with Anthony Ongaro
00:50:39
Anthony Ongaro had a habit. Every time he had a bad day, every time life wasn’t amazing, he opened up his online shopping site, and One-Click purchased something. Anything. It didn’t matter. He didn’t need it, it didn’t matter what it was, but...
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Nov 26, 2018 |
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47: Big Money Wins—Unique Ways to Save & Use Cash Efficiently with Jim Wang
01:18:04
Jim Wang has been sharing his views on money for more than 14 years—more than enough to earn him the title of Great Uncle of Personal Finance Blogging. And he’s learned a LOT about money in those 14 years. Today, Jim shares his "big money...
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Nov 19, 2018 |
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46: Engineering Passive Income Streams to Fund the Life You Want with Financial Samurai
01:17:59
This week’s episode features Sam Dogen from Financial Samurai. After one month working for a top investment firm, Sam knew 70-hour workweeks were not the life he wanted. So Sam took action immediately. Instead of fancy cars and dinners out, Sam shared a studio apartment with a friend and socked away HUGE sums of money—50% of mediocre starting salary. He invested in real estate (shocker), stocks, and bonds—and continued his massive savings rate. Taking advantage of the economic downturn, Sam engineered his layoff and an enormous payout. Sam now lives the life he wants, having set up multiple passive income streams during his working years. He spends time with his family every day and embodies the concept of financially free. He no longer trades his time for money; his money just simply reproduces itself and does all the heavy lifting. This episode is a great look at how a little upfront discomfort can lead the your best life. Links from the Show Craigslist PayPal BiggerPockets Jobs Why Households Need To Earn $300,000 A Year To Live A Middle Class Lifestyle Today (blog) Don't Quite, Get Laid Off Instead (blog)
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Nov 12, 2018 |
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45: The Truth About Entrepreneurship with Matt Giovanisci
01:14:13
Matt Giovanisci is a serial entrepreneur. He decided early on that “working for the man” was not in his cards, and set out to never have to do that again, creating side hustles that generated income so he could be his own boss and do everything on...
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Nov 05, 2018 |
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44: DIY Your Way to FI with Tinian Crawford
00:59:39
Tinian Crawford went to college - and took 6 years to complete his Associates Degree in Graphic Design. College just wasn’t for him - he didn’t enjoy it and didn’t get much out of it. He knew he needed a job, but wasn’t sure what he wanted to...
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Oct 29, 2018 |
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43: Using the Power of Goal-Setting to Fundamentally Alter Your Financial Path with J Scott
01:13:41
You’ve probably heard J Scott’s real estate story (spoiler alert—he’s killing it!). But he’s never really told his money story that led up to this massive real estate success. Today, we talk to J and discover that in his 20s, he knew nothing...
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Oct 22, 2018 |
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42: How to Invest in Real Estate with Joshua Dorkin & Brandon Turner
01:19:16
Real estate is a hot topic right now, and who better to talk about the subject than BiggerPockets founder Joshua Dorkin and BiggerPockets Real Estate Investing Podcast Host Brandon Turner? No one, that’s who. So we went to these experts, and grabbed some excellent real estate advice. We get a brief history of their experiences with money and chat about their new book, How to Invest In Real Estate. Buy the book at www.biggerpockets.com/investinre This fun episode also includes tips for managing your money while you save for your first investment, Josh’s inverted funnel analogy and Brandon’s Harry Potter references. Thinking about adding real estate investing into your portfolio? This episode will educate and inspire. Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums FinCon BiggerPockets BiggerPockets Podcast (to find all shows mentioned) BiggerPockets Blog BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Webinar Bitcoin is a Stupid, Horrible Thing to Invest In! Scott's Email
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Oct 15, 2018 |
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FinCon Bonus Episode: Debt Free in Three Years With Zina Kumok
00:25:10
Zina Kumok’s parents immigrated to the United States, with no money education and completely unprepared for the consumer society they found themselves in. They quickly got into credit card debt in order to have the lifestyle they “deserved.” An avid listener of Dave Ramsey, Zina quickly determined she did not want to ever be in debt. However, she graduated with $24,000 in student loan debt and made it her mission to pay that off as soon as she could. Every single extra dime she found, she threw at her debt until it was all gone. So once the debt is gone, Zina realized that she needed to ramp up her investing. Not one to just ‘show up and wing it,’ she set about learning how to invest properly. Zina’s story illustrates that you CAN pay off debt while making a lower salary, you CAN pursue financial independence while self-employed, and that your past does not define you. Links from the Show FinCon Dave Ramsey’s Podcast Behavior Gap (Carl Richards) BiggerPockets Money Podcast 35 with Craig Curelop
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Oct 13, 2018 |
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41: How to Find the Best Possible Certified Financial Planner (CFP) for Your Needs with Kyle Mast
01:37:23
You’re on the path to financial independence—but you’re not sure what to do with your money. Index funds sound great, but your total financial situation doesn’t end with index funds. Today we sit down with Kyle Mast, a Certified Financial...
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Oct 08, 2018 |
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40: Taking Command of Your Finances by Understanding (& Controlling) Money with Joe Saul-Sehy
01:33:12
Today we chat with Joe Saul-Sehy from Stacking Benjamins. Joe shares his money story, which starts off with him figuring out how to get into debt, then discovering he didn’t like being there. He learned that you can’t diagnose what’s wrong with...
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Oct 01, 2018 |
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39: From “Bad with Money” to Intentional Saving and Spending with Jamila Souffrant
01:07:08
Jamila Souffrant grew up watching her mom struggle to provide for her. She decided early on that she wanted to be a millionaire, her solution to not having enough was to simply make a lot of money. She saved like crazy, but didn’t have a plan for it. A good student, she attended college and got into an internship program that places minority students with Fortune 500 companies and pays them well. During college, she saved 80-90% of her salary - but was still considered herself “bad with money,” buying luxury items she doesn’t remember. Internship led to employment, and Jamila changed her focus from IT to the real estate department. But her finances stayed the same. She contributed to her 401(k), but not even enough to get the full company match in her 20s. The switch flipped in her 30s, after an exceptionally bad commute home. She discovered FI through podcasts and blogs, and finally understood this could be her reality, too. Jamila and her husband kicked their savings into high gear and started investing. Jamila went from “bad with money” to saving $169,000 in two years! This episode shows it’s not too late to start your Financial Freedom journey, too. Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums Mad Fientist Mr. Money Mustache The Millionaire Educator Podcast Movement Mindy's Twitter Profile
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Sep 24, 2018 |
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38: Getting Serious About Paying Off Debt with Phillip Taylor from PT Money
01:11:21
Phillip Taylor studied to be a CPA in college, just like his dad. He graduated with some debt and decided to add to it by buying a house. In order to afford his new house, he didn’t max out his 401k—he didn’t even contribute enough to get the...
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Sep 17, 2018 |
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37: Paying Off Student Loan Debt with a Median Income and Two Kids in Northern California with Kyle Renke
00:58:54
Kyle Renke graduated from college and hopped right on the American dream bandwagon. He started off with a starter house, added a couple of kids and moved onto a bigger, better house—one that he could barely afford. He then went back to grad school, tacking on another $40k in student loans. Kyle and his wife spent money left and right, never seeming to be able to get ahead. Finally, he got sick and tired of being sick and tired. Kyle read books and connected with friends in a better financial position. He sold the big house, threw everything at the student loans, and rented a smaller, MUCH less expensive place. Kyle’s story shows that you CAN make big financial mistakes, change your course, and work toward financial freedom—even with children.
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Sep 10, 2018 |
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36: From Childhood Poverty to Financial Freedom by Age 32 with Jillian Johnsrud
01:20:45
Jillian Johnsrud grew up lacking the privileges that many of us take for granted. Jillian Johnsrud grew up poor, with an abusive step father and a mother unable to leave due to lack of funds. She emancipated herself during her junior year of high school, living in a camper in high school, waiting tables after class. Still, she managed to save $8,000 by the time she graduated. She married young, and medical debt and student loan debt put her family in a tough starting position. From there, however, Jillian began building wealth. In adventures that span tons of different states and even a stint in Europe, Jillian was able to eliminate her debt and achieve financial freedom—all while never earning more than a median income. Hear Jillian’s story of investing when everyone thinks you’re crazy, adopting a group of siblings, and “creating a life that is such a perfect fit she never wants to retire from it.” Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums Simplify Your Budget with Fun Money Accounts (Blog) Museum Pass Ultimate National Park Road Trip (Blog) Camp FI
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Sep 03, 2018 |
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35: Hacking Your Life to Live for (Almost) Free with Craig Curelop
01:05:48
Graduating from college, Craig Curelop had amassed an impressive $25,000 savings account - AND $85,000 in student loan debt. Conventional advice is to pay off your student loans BEFORE investing. In this episode, we hear how Craig ignored this advice...
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Aug 27, 2018 |
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34: The Low-Stress, Surprisingly Simple Way to Pursue Financial Freedom with Andy Hill
01:03:12
On today's show we discuss the highest-probability way that a family can move toward financial independence—without stress and worry—while enjoying incremental freedoms along the way. We’ll also talk about all-cash real estate investing, where...
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Aug 20, 2018 |
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33: From Debt to Financial Freedom While Active Duty Military with Stuart Grazier
01:02:04
Stuart Grazier joined the military and immediately went into debt. A chance encounter with Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University showed him how to manage his finances, and he returned from his stint overseas with his more than $40,000 in debt...
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Aug 13, 2018 |
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32: Financial Freedom Through Small Life Changes and a Modest Real Estate Portfolio
01:08:21
Today we sit down with Mr. and Mrs. Planting our Pennies, or Mr. and Mrs. PoP for short. Mr. PoP never wanted to be anchored to an inflexible job. Mrs. PoP never wanted to be financially insecure. A reward trip to Hawaii after a good sales year at his...
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Aug 06, 2018 |
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31: How to Boost Your Income & Investments for a Faster Route to Financial Freedom
00:59:54
Continuing where we left off from last week’s episode, this show discusses increasing your income by recognizing existing opportunities and making your own opportunities through side hustles. The show progresses through investing basics, both...
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Jul 30, 2018 |
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30: How to Cut Expenses for a Faster Route to Financial Freedom
01:00:57
We’ve interviewed more than 30 people for the BiggerPockets Money Podcast over the course of this year — and we’ve got a LOT more people to interview! We’ve heard from so many listeners: “I’d like to get started on the path toward financial freedom, but I don’t know where to begin." Today, Scott and Mindy share EXACTLY how you get started with tracking your spending, and how to make SIGNIFICANT cuts in your budget to move you down the path faster. Looking to become financially free? THIS is the episode you need. Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums Mr. Money Mustache Mad Fientist Biggerpockets Money Show Waffles on Wednesday Mint Personal Capital Bureau of Labor Statistics Envelope System ChooseFI – Episode 09: Travel Rewards BiggerPockets Money Podcast 01: The Surprising (Scientific) Truth Behind What Makes You Successful with Mr. Money Mustache BiggerPockets Money Podcast 02: An All-Out Approach to Financial Independence at an Early Age with Scott Trench BiggerPockets Money Podcast 05: Jump Starting Your Early FI Plans by Live-in Flipping with Mindy Jensen BiggerPockets Money Podcast 07: How Breakfast Food Motivated Financial Freedom with Mr. and Mrs. Waffles on Wednesday BiggerPockets Money Podcast 29: From $200,000 in Student Loan Debt to $150,000 Net Worth in 3 Years with Nick and Alyssa Paros BiggerPockets Money Podcast 27: How to Get Even MORE from Your Travel Rewards Credit Card with Lee Huffman BiggerPockets Money Podcast 03: Cutting Your Grocery Bill in Half with Erin Chase from $5 Dinners BiggerPockets Money Podcast 25: Raising a Family While Seeking Financial Freedom with Chris and Debbie Emick BiggerPockets Money Podcast 06: Fearlessly Paying off Massive Student Debt on $30,000 per Year with Sarah Wilson
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Jul 23, 2018 |
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29: From $200,000 in Student Loan Debt to $150,000 Net Worth in 3 Years with Nick and Alyssa Parros
01:13:11
Nick and Alyssa were high school sweethearts, who went to college where their family attitudes toward money came to light. Nick’s “save up for it” mindset saw him graduate with around $50k in student loan debt, while Alyssa’s more spendthrift attitude towards the college lifestyle had her graduating with $80,000 in debt—and her graduate degree piled another $60,000 on top of that. They got married and quickly discovered their vastly different views on money. Through budgeting, communication, spreadsheets and more spreadsheets, they are now on the same page and working toward financial freedom. Their curveball pregnancy didn’t derail them—it strengthened their resolve to get to FI through real estate and traditional investments. Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Money Podcast 22: How to Pay Off 6-Figure Student Loans While Pursuing Financial Independence with Travis Hornsby Brandon Turner’s BiggerPockets Profile BiggerPockets Podcast BiggerPockets Forums Do Ask, Do Tell article Yahoo Finance GroVia
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Jul 16, 2018 |
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28: How Anyone Can Easily Make Extra Money Using Side Hustles with Nick Loper
01:10:29
Side hustle is a huge buzzword in the FI community. Make extra money on the side doing something fun, something you love, or even just something that pays really well. Today we bring in Nick Loper, Founder of Side Hustle Nation, to share his expertise...
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Jul 09, 2018 |
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27: How to Get Even MORE from Your Travel Rewards Credit Card with Lee Huffman
01:13:30
Open up a credit card, earn miles, get a free plane trip or hotel room. Sounds great, right? But what if you could exponentially increase your travel rewards? Fly free every time. Never pay for a hotel room again. Lee Huffman travels the world in...
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Jul 02, 2018 |
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26: Graduating College on Track for Financial Independence with Cody Berman
01:16:52
Cody Berman: Remember that name because this kid is going places. Currently traveling in Australia, Cody began his journey into personal finance and intentional living as a child, when his dad taught him about compound interest and the power of saving...
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Jun 25, 2018 |
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25: Raising a Family While Seeking Financial Freedom with Chris and Debbie Emick
01:05:45
Chris and Debbie Emick have two daughters—AND are well on their way to financial independence through a combination of local and long distance real estate investing coupled with frugality and conscious spending. Chris and Debbie are everyday Joes...
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Jun 18, 2018 |
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24: Getting Financially “Naked” with Your Significant Other — With Erin Lowry
01:07:15
Erin’s parents taught her about money from a very early age. She paid for half of everything she wanted, which helped her figure out financial prioritization. When it came time for college, she decided against her dream college to avoid significant...
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Jun 11, 2018 |
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23: A Mini-Retirement Road Trip in Your 20s with Becky & Noah
00:54:48
Becky and Noah are in the first half of their gap gear, a pre-FI road trip around America. They didn’t grow up rich, but they carefully planned out their life to avoid student debt. Both earned the same Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship to Purdue...
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Jun 04, 2018 |
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22: How to Pay Off 6-Figure Student Loans While Pursuing Financial Independence with Travis Hornsby
01:08:05
Student loan debt is a HUGE problem facing millions of people - and it continues to grow every year. Today we are joined by Travis Hornsby from Student Loan Planner who shares several options for paying back your student loans, including loan...
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May 28, 2018 |
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21: How Losing 260 Pounds Spurred Job & Investing Success with Tony Gayden
01:13:59
Tony Gayden grew up in a lower middle class household where money and finance were not discussed. He sought comfort in food, eventually reaching 476 pounds and drowning in debt. In this episode, Tony shares his weight-loss journey and how he...
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May 21, 2018 |
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20: The Simple Path to Wealth—Index Funds Explained with JL Collins
01:16:00
Jim Collins has literally done it all. From busboy, produce, clerk, and gas station attendant, to ad agency founder, sales trainer, radio co-host, and publisher. He is a prolific world traveler, having visited more than 30 countries on five continents via motorcycle, car, train, plane, boat—and even elephant. Jim has lived a very good life. And along the way, Jim has learned that money is a tool that can offer the freedom to live the life you want to live. He’s also figured out that there is a very simple path to wealth. While you can make money picking individual stocks, the index fund is a very easy way to grow your wealth in the stock market without spending time researching companies. This episode truly is the show for anyone who has money or wants to have more. Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums How I failed my daughter and a simple path to wealth (Article) Stock Investing Series - Part XXXII: Why you should not be in the stock market (Article) Stock Investing Series - Part III: Most people lose money in the market (Article)
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May 14, 2018 |
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19: The Ultimate Real Estate Retirement Plan with Chad Carson
01:09:11
Chad Carson has never had a “real job.” Instead, he has parlayed his experience helping with his father’s rental business into his own real estate rental business. Now, Chad owns enough real estate that he’ll never have to work at a real job. In fact, when we spoke to Chad, he called us from Ecuador — where he’s been living for a year in order to submerse his children in the Spanish language. His rental business ran itself while he was away. He was able to take an extended vacation and truly delve into the area — and now his children are bilingual! Chad’s take on “mini” retirements is very interesting. He obviously loves what he does, but he also enjoys spending time with the people who matter most: his family. Real estate provides him the opportunity to work at his own pace. This episode gives you an alternate look at early retirement — it doesn’t have to be permanent. Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums FinCon BiggerPockets Money Podcast 12: How to Become an “Overnight” Success in 10 Short Years with David Greene
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May 07, 2018 |
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18: Accessing Retirement Funds Before Age 59½ with The Mad Fientist
01:31:28
Early retirement is a goal many people have. Diligently saving for retirement age to fund your life after you stop working is great, but the same programs that help you avoid taxes while saving come back and hit you with taxes AND penalties if you...
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Apr 30, 2018 |
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17: Building a Lean Business With (Almost) No Capital with Alan Donegan
01:08:34
On this week’s episode of the Biggerpockets Money Podcast, we chat with Alan Donegan. Alan Donegan watched - and helped - his father run a super-successful sportswear company, until the economy shifted and they lost everything. Determined to not...
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Apr 23, 2018 |
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16: Financial Security Through Passive Income with Joel Larsgaard
00:57:10
As a kid, Joel Larsgaard watched his parents work jobs they didn’t like to pay for things they didn’t need. They missed out on some of the priceless moments that life has to offer, culminating in bankruptcy when Joel was 12. We discuss how that...
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Apr 16, 2018 |
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15: The Pillars of FI, Pt. 2: Designing the Life You Want with Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa from Choose FI
00:47:06
This is the last half of the epic interview with Brad and Jonathan from Choose FI. Continuing where we left off from last week, we finish up the Pillars of FI conversation, including beginner level topics you can be doing such as frugality and index fund investing but also touch on more advanced topics like tax optimization and travel hacking. If you have not yet listened to part one, you can find that here. This episode - along with last week’s part one - is a must-listen for anyone on the path to FI, or just getting started. Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums Richmond Savers Mr. Money Mustache Articles Listen to the episode on BiggerPockets
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Apr 09, 2018 |
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14: The Pillars of FI: Designing the Life You Want with Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa from Choose FI
00:58:40
On today’s epic show, we speak with Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa from Choose FI. Brad and Jonathan share their pillars of financial independence — the 10 things you need to do in order to achieve FI. We cover beginner-level topics such as...
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Apr 02, 2018 |
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13: Achieving FI Before 40 Despite Breaking Every Financial "Rule" with Tanja from Our Next Life
00:47:06
Tanja reached financial independence (FI) and retired from her full-time, high-stress job at age 38—despite not being a natural saver, having purchased two brand-new cars in the past, and not maxing out her 401(k) in the beginning—pretty much breaking every FI “rule” out there. Tanja was not focused on early retirement or financial independence when she met Mark, but quickly got on board. Her 60-hour-per-week job took up all her time and "brain space,” and more than 100 plane trips per year made it very easy to increase her savings rate to be able to achieve her goal. Hear how she reached financial independence and parlayed that into early retirement in today’s episode of The BiggerPockets Money Podcast.
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Mar 26, 2018 |
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12: How to Become an “Overnight” Success in 10 Short Years with David Greene
01:00:20
While David Greene is a long-time real estate investor, best-selling author, and one of the top real estate agents in California today, his career started in the most unlikely of places—as a busboy at a restaurant. Learning how hard work and hustle,...
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Mar 19, 2018 |
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11: Financial Freedom in Less Than Five Years with Joel from FI 180
01:12:26
Joel and his wife were barreling down the wrong financial path - saving nothing and spending more than $100,000 every year. A freak car accident literally changed the direction of their lives by causing them to re-evaluate and decide on what was truly...
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Mar 12, 2018 |
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10: Designing a Frugal But Luxurious FI Life by Age 32 with Liz Thames
01:03:33
In March, 2014, Liz and her husband made the conscious decision to stop their big city, big spending lifestyle, and adopt a frugal mindset in order to realize their new goal of moving out of the hustle and bustle and into the woods. Their 180 turn took them from dinners out every night to 66 acres in the woods of Vermont, where they happily raise their daughters and live the life they want - with no stress, no financial strains and ultimate financial freedom in just over two years, by May 2016. This is a must-listen episode for anyone curious about what it takes to make this lifestyle change. Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums Americorps How To: Cheap Homemade Seltzer with a Modified Sodastream (Article) Frugality Is A Compounding Game (Article) Your Last Chance To Join The Uber Frugal Month Challenge And Revolutionize Your Finances Mad Fientist Check the full show notes here.
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Mar 05, 2018 |
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9: Financial Independence at Age 30 (by House Hacking + Side Hustles) with Drew from Guy On Fire
00:53:53
What would happen if someone had early financial independence in mind right out the gate, upon graduating college? Imagine the amount of money that person could stockpile... Today’s guest had exactly that in mind, and made the kind of decisions that will allow him to retire early (maybe even in his twenties!!!). Meet Drew, the “Guy on Fire.” At age 27, he has already accumulated four properties with seven units in the hot Washington DC housing market. He makes the numbers work, and work well, and is reaping the financial rewards of some sweat, self-education, and side-hustles so he can exit the workforce and live the life of his dreams. Don’t miss this inspirational and totally-repeatable episode with Drew!
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Feb 26, 2018 |
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8: From Financially Perfect to Rock Bottom (and back again) with Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche
00:52:38
Tiffany Aliche grew up talking about money. Her dad was an accountant, her mother actively engaged the children in grocery shopping and other areas of finance. She was a teacher at a private school and had just bought her first house. Then she met a “friend” who convinced her to invest in his get-rich-quick scheme. Promised future returns led to foolish spending. The economic downturn led to a lost job, and in turn a lost home. Bouncing between family members, Tiffany had a revelation: “I need to take responsibility for my past actions, and turn my life around.” Tiffany took the necessary steps to repair her finances, and then started teaching others how they could fix their finances, too. She’s turned her financial courses into a network of financial resources - including a 350,000+ member facebook group where you can ask and answer questions or get support during your journey. This show is for anyone who is sick of making bad financial choices, and wants to turn their life around. Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Podcast Facebook Group Dream Catchers Live Richer Challenge Full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshow08
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Feb 19, 2018 |
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7: How Breakfast Food Motivated Financial Freedom with Mr. and Mrs. Waffles on Wednesday
01:07:11
Mr. and Mrs. Waffles on Wednesday (WoW) were doing everything wrong. They ran up ridiculous tabs at a local restaurant/bar just ‘hanging out,’ while getting abysmal returns from their financial planner - and paying 1% for this terrible advice....
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Feb 12, 2018 |
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6: Fearlessly Paying off Massive Student Debt on $30,000 per Year with Sarah Wilson
00:30:57
Are you tired of hearing success stories from folks who are earning $60,000, $80,000, or even $100,000 or more paying off debt and moving toward financial freedom? Where’s the inspiration for the folks out there that do not earn above average incomes? Look no further than today’s guest for that inspiration. Sarah Wilson paid off $33,000 of student loan debt. Why is this a big deal? Because she did it while making less than $30,000 a year! Not even considered a “living wage” in most places, Sarah was able to save more than most people in general EVERY YEAR for several years while she ferociously annihilated her debt. If you want some serious motivation to get out of debt and start building your net worth regardless of salary then this is the show for you. Fair warning: This approach is not for the faint of heart. From the floor of FinCon 2017, we are excited to bring you, Sarah Wilson a.k.a. “YouTube’s Budget Girl.” Links from the Show BiggerPockets Forums FinCon How the Debt Snowball Method Works Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/moneyshow06
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Feb 05, 2018 |
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5: Jump Starting your Early FI Plans by Live-in Flipping with Mindy Jensen
00:50:19
Mindy was born in a small town, and then she moved and moved and moved. In fact, moving doesn’t phase her at all, which plays right into the core component of her investment strategy -- The Live-In-Flip. Mindy moves every two years to take advantage...
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Jan 29, 2018 |
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4: From Disorganized to Debt Free Through Budgeting and Routine with Rosemarie Groner
00:54:57
Rosemarie Groner was a State Trooper - a good, recession-proof job. Chronic disorganization led to more than $30,000 in consumer debt when she made the decision to quit her job to stay home with her first child. In this episode of The BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Rosemarie shares how she cut $23,000 out of her spending, paid off her debt in less than 4 years, and grew her income to the point that her husband could also quit his day job. Rosemarie gives you actionable tips for establishing routines that will help get you organized so you can focus your energy on your budget - not your day to day tasks.
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Jan 22, 2018 |
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3: Cutting Your Grocery Bill in Half with Erin Chase from $5 Dinners
00:51:48
As a mom of (then) two, Erin Chase found herself shopping for groceries without a plan, picking up things that sounded good, but no idea what she’d do with them once she got them home. They made their way into the refrigerator, then on to the trash after they rotted. She knew she had to significantly cut her grocery bill if she wanted to get ahead. In this episode of The BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Erin shares how she cut her grocery bill in half - while adding two more kids to the mix. She gives actionable tips for significantly reducing your grocery bill - without clipping coupons! Don’t miss this awesome episode with Erin! Links from the Show Checkout 51 King Soopers Favado Coupons.com Albertsons Safeway
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Jan 15, 2018 |
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2: An All-Out Approach to Financial Independence at an Early Age with Scott Trench
01:00:49
Scott Trench wanted something more out of life, so he grabbed it by the horns and pointed it in the direction HE chose. By accumulating a large financial runway through a 50% savings rate on a median income, he gave himself the courage to take...
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Jan 08, 2018 |
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1: The Surprising (Scientific) Truth Behind What Makes You Successful with Mr. Money Mustache
01:00:43
On this first episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, we speak with Mr. Money Mustache (AKA Pete) about what truly makes you a happy person. (Hint! It isn't money, and it isn't material possessions.) We'll talk about shifting your mindset to pursue financial freedom, how to live for free, tips for living a frugal life, and how to surround yourself with like-minded people. Since this is BiggerPockets, real estate comes up, too. Don't miss this inspiring episode with one of the founders of the Financial Independence movement!
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Jan 01, 2018 |