BiggerPockets Money Podcast

Many FIRE chasers want to know how to stop overspending. But maybe the solution to overspending is simply knowing about it in the first place. For many Americans, credit card debt, exuberant living, and buying more than what they need are ongoing problems. And even for money masters like Carl and Mindy Jensen, it’s no different. As two leaders in the personal finance space, they understand why people overspend and how to stop it. But, as they’ve found out this year, giving advice can be easier than putting it into practice. As many listeners know, Carl and Mindy have been publicly tracking their household spending. They’ve tried their hardest to stay within the limits they set for themselves, but some months' bills creep up on you more than others. In this monthly budget review, Carl and Mindy talk about why they’ve overspent, how to become more “money conscious”, and how to stop yourself from living a “money rich, lifestyle poor” life. Editorial Correction: On a previous episode of the "BiggerPockets Money" podcast, we stated that gains in a 529 Plan account would be forfeited if not used for educational expenses. This is incorrect and we apologize for the mistake. If you’d like to know more about the 529 Plan rules and regulations, please visit this blog post. Thanks to our wonderful BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group members for pointing out this error! Happy investing! In This Episode We Cover How to budget and expense track the right way (stay up to date on your inputs!) Umbrella insurance and how to get better insurance coverage for even less Why many millionaires choose not to use a budget Carl and Mindy’s newest live in flip project purchase May’s budget busters and how buying quality goods can save you more in the long run How to stay “money conscious” while living a proactive (not reactive) life And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget 529 Plan Rules - Nerdwallet article Food Spending Eating Away at Your FI Plans? Here’s How to Eat for Cheap Carl and Mindy’s Spending Summary: Why We Went $1,000 Over Budget…Again 1500 Days 1500 Days YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to work less and make more? With a forty-hour workweek, it seems hard to imagine a reality where you can do less but still get the same results. How can you fit an entire week’s worth of work into only one day’s working hours? Jason Wojo and Peter Kolat, hosts of The Lifeonaire Show, argue that it’s easier than you think to cut out much of your workday, enjoy your life more, and reach financial freedom faster. Both Jason and Peter grew up in troubling financial environments—raised in households where fighting about money was the norm. As Jason and Peter grew up, took on careers, got married, and had families, they saw themselves falling into the same traps as their parents—taking on debt, overspending, and working far more than they had liked. After hitting “rock bottom”, they decided to take a step in the right direction and change their financial future. With the help of a financially-free “vision”, Jason and Peter now live lives almost unrecognizable to their pasts. They now help others find their passions, chase their dreams, and achieve financial freedom with ease. So, if you’re tired of the grind, the stress, and the financial anxiety, you may want to consider becoming a “Lifeonaire” like Jason and Peter. Links from the Show Why healthy finances are key to keeping a family (and marriage) in-tact Hitting “rock bottom” and climbing out of credit card and consumer debt Building a rental property portfolio debt-free and how you can do it too The four core tenants of money philosophy and why everything starts with your “vision” The 80/20 Rule and why working less can help you make more money Calculating the cost of financial freedom and why it’s probably less than you think And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Mindy's Twitter Scott's Instagram Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets How to Get Financial Freedom So You Can Do What You’re Meant to Do Lifeonaire Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you want to invest in real estate, you’ll need a few things: a property, an income source, and some cash. If you’ve got all three, you should be able to finance your way to owning a rental property, but this becomes a little more challenging when you’re someone with fluctuating income. Entrepreneurs, especially those without a consistent client base or consistent schedules, have a seriously hard time tracking, budgeting, and saving their income which changes every other month. Chelsea and Wade feel this way as well. They’re both entrepreneurs, but, as a filmmaker, Wade has far more fluid income than Chelsea does. Some months Wade will bring in tens of thousands, while other months, nothing. Chelsea can subsidize the household budget with her more regular income, but even then, the couple needs to keep a strong safety reserve to ensure they’re never going too over budget without their bank account being refilled. Thankfully, Chelsea and Wade are very good at managing their money and may actually have too much of it. They’relooking to dive into real estate investing to start building a path to financial freedom. With a serious amount of safety reserves, they’re thinking of buying a short-term rental as their first investment property. But, does their inconsistent income threaten their vacation rental plans? In This Episode We Cover How to manage emergency funds and safety reserves when self-employed Retirement accounts vs. rental property investing and which is best for early FI Saving for your child’s college and why a 529 plan may limit your child’s future choices Self-employed health insurance and whether or not getting a job is worth the lucrative benefits The most important metric to look at when investing in short-term rental properties Whether or not your cash position is too conservative for your investing goals And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget How to Find Free Money to Finance Your Education & Avoid Extensive Student Debt Is College Worth the Cost? This 30,000 Variable Study Says “Sometimes…” Why 40% of Master’s Degrees Aren’t Worth It (and Which Are) w/Preston Cooper 529 Plan Rules - Nerdwallet article Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before you quit your job, you will need to prepare yourself not just financially, but mentally. If you’re thinking of leaving your W2, and you're not at retirement age just yet, odds are you have a side hustle or even an entire small business. As the side hustle begins to grow, you may be torn between spending time at your job and putting in the hours to scale your business. This is doubly true if you’re like Daniella Flores from I Like to Dabble, who is at a high-paying, fully-remote job with a solid share of benefits. Before she decided to scale down her full-time work, she had to come up with an action plan that would allow her to slowly slip away from corporate life, so she can avoid the instant shock of being an overnight entrepreneur. Daniella has some helpful tips for anyone who thinks their time at a job is close to the end. She has spent the last year or so planning for the departure, so when she leaves her job, she doesn’t need to search for a new one! Now, she can spend more of her time writing, designing, and building something that will truly set her up for long-term financial (and time) freedom. In This Episode We Cover The importance of having a side hustle (especially when you’ve been working for a while) Job hopping and negotiating more than just salary at your new or current job Prioritizing yourself in your company and the downside of saying “yes” too often Building a stable reserve fund so you can quit with confidence Self-Directed 401k and other retirement options that self-employed individuals have Self-employed health insurance and how to keep your benefits as you step away from full-time work And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Mindy's Twitter Connect with David Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets I Like to Dabble Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a strange time for student debt. On one hand, many college graduates are electing not to pay their student loans while they sit in forbearance. On the other, some debtors are choosing to take advantage of the zero-percent interest period as a way for them to pay down their loans faster. While neither of those choices is inherently wrong, they may also not be right. Today’s guest, Colton, finds himself in this position with a good $300,000 worth of student debt. This number encompasses both Colton and his wife’s student loan payments. A good portion of their loans can be forgiven over twenty years, so which loan balance should he handle first? Thankfully, with Colton’s sizable take-home pay, he has options that many wouldn’t think of. Scott and Mindy debate on whether or not paying off debt early, waiting for forgiveness, or investing instead would be the best course of action for Colton. Regardless of whether you have student debt, a car loan, a medical loan, or any other type of timely payment due soon, this is a calculation worth performing. Scott and Mindy also take a look at Colton’s diversified portfolio of assets, arguing that diversification could be leading him down a long path to FI, instead of helping him gain financial footing. In This Episode We Cover How over-diversification can set you back from reaching your financial goals Why the “grind to FI” doesn’t have to destroy the life you love Real estate investing as a hedge against large amounts of personal debt Student loan forbearance and forgiveness, plus when to start paying back your loans Private mortgage insurance and the multiple options you have to get rid of it Live in flip tips and how to keep your sanity while renovating your primary residence And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget Student Loans Update: Repayment, Refinancing, and Potential Forgiveness w/ Robert Farrington Finance Friday: Using Student Loan Forgiveness to Catapult FI w/ Sammie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You may have seen mortgage tips posted throughout the forums or in the BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group, but rarely do you get preapproval tips straight from a lender themselves. As the housing market stays hot and interest rates continue to rise, it may seem harder and harder to get approved for the amount, or the interest rate, that you want. Now, instead of guessing what you can do to increase your financeability, you can get answers directly from the source! Joining us today is Jon Lallande, former mortgage lender, now real estate investor. Jon has helped close tens of millions of dollars in mortgages and has funded homes across the US. He’s on today to help us separate the wheat from the lending chaff so you can have a smoother preapproval process. Jon touches on the different types of lenders, how to increase your credit score before you apply for a loan, getting around lender “overlays”, and how tax deductions can be dangerous for self-employed professionals. No matter your qualification query, Jon probably has an answer to it. Listening to this episode may just give you the steps you need to finally lock down that first deal, primary residence, or next investment property! In This Episode We Cover The easiest way to make yourself “attractive” to a lender Lender overlays and how to get around them so you can get preapproved The easiest way to raise your credit score so you can get the best loan possible The upside of PMI (private mortgage insurance) and how to purchase properties with low money down Why many investors put themselves in mortgage fraud territory and how you can stay out of it How to get a mortgage as a self-employed individual and when NOT to take deductions And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Finance Friday: Building Your Financial Runway Even with Irregular Income w/ Eric Dunn Finance Friday: Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Early or Invest? Ginnie Mae Website Credit Karma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Almost every age group wants to know how to retire in ten years. Whether you’re in your teens, your mid-thirties, or your mid-fifties, retirement can seem like an eternity away. Those who retire early and find financial freedom tend to do so through a combination of smart investing, early saving, and a tenacity for budgeting (without giving up everything they love). But what if you don’t have time on your side? What if you’re still paying off debt? Is it still possible to retire? Thankfully for today’s guest Rik, and all you listeners at home, we can safely say that retirement is in reach, even if you feel like you’re a little off track. Rik has three degrees and as a result, is strapped with some moderate student debt. He wants to retire in five to ten years and realizes that it will take some work to get him in that position. Thankfully, he has some hands-on real estate investing experience—owning a duplex and performing a live in flip on his primary residence. Rik is more than willing to get his hands dirty in his pursuit of early retirement, whether that means doing remodels himself, limiting his booze budget, or simply living a little leaner. With some smart investments under his belt, he’s been able to set himself up in a good position to take on more projects, have smarter debt, and keep more cash. But, Rik will need to take care of a few things first before he can continue building this retirement runway that’s already underway. In This Episode We Cover Student loan debt forgiveness and how to pay off your debt in the smartest way possible House hacking, live in flipping, and turning your home into a cash-flowing machine or equity check Building a strong cash position/safety reserve and having the funds to invest faster HELOCs (home equity lines of credit) and using them to pay off renovations Whether to rent or sell a property in these high-interest times Building a retirement nest egg that allows you to travel, take time off of work, and creatively invest And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel MintMobile.com Amazon Prime Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget Rookie Reply: Cash Out Refinances vs HELOCs | Which Should You Use? Finance Friday: How to Avoid the “Middle Class Trap” When Building Wealth Finance Friday: How Do I Get Out Of This Cash Flow Crisis? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Asking for a prenup (prenuptial agreement) can be an exceedingly scary ask. To your partner, a prenup may seem like a way of telling them that you’re planning for a future divorce. But, in reality, it could be the thing that secretly saves your marriage. The everyday American knows very little about the prenuptial agreement and has gotten most of their information from movies, reality TV shows, and hearsay from friends and relatives. We wanted to know the truth about prenups, so we invited attorney Aaron Thomas on the podcast. Aaron Thomas has a wide range of experience in family law, divorce law, and anything that comes from legally joining (or separating) a couple. He knows how difficult divorce cases can be and saw the same mistakes repeated by couples. The lack of communication over finances, minimal planning (if any at all), and wishful thinking led to more and more couples seeking separation shortly after marriage. Now, Aaron and his team work with couples to form strong prenuptial and postnuptial agreements so that they have a rock-solid financial foundation to stand on when dealing with the daily joys and struggles of marriage. Aaron argues that the prenup may be the most important step in mitigating a divorce and that the protection of a prenup goes far beyond wealth. If you never thought about getting a prenup or postnup before, you definitely will after this episode! In This Episode We Cover Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements explained and what they protect Added stipulations in a prenup that most couples don’t know about The optimal way to combine finances as a couple and how to split uneven paychecks How to bring up a prenup or postnup to a partner who’s feeling averse to one The cost of divorce vs. a prenup and why you DON’T want to leave a legal separation up to state laws Which couples shouldn’t look into signing a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget ATL Aaron Thomas Law BiggerPockets Money Podcast 24: Getting Financially “Naked” with Your Significant Other — With Erin Lowry Prenups.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve heard of middle-class money traps before. Like spending your whole paycheck on rent, not paying yourself first, and the sneaky seduction of obsessive eating out. Today, we’re talking about a far less known type of middle-class trap, the type that keeps your wealth growing but limits the amount of “freedom” you feel in the process. Oftentimes, savers can find themselves in a position with a big cash surplus but hold tight to it to feel “safe” instead of feeling flexible. Today’s guest, April, falls into this category. She’s done a phenomenal job at building a millionaire life, keeping large cash savings, and diligently investing in retirement accounts. She’s in a favorable position, but it’s not the position she wants to stay in. April wants to feel a true sense of financial flexibility, with the option to leave her job or decrease the amount of time she spends working. But, to do this, she’ll have to confront her limited “cash scarcity” mindset and chase other investing options. Scott and Mindy guide April on exactly how to do this, walking through various types of investment options that she (and you at home) can use to maximize a lifestyle for freedom, not just wealth. Even a financial powerhouse like Mindy struggles with these same issues, and you might too once you hit millionaire status! In This Episode We Cover Whether or not you’re overinvesting in retirement accounts (and how to find out if you are) Converting from a scarcity mindset to money abundant mindset to truly take worthwhile risks Investing in passive income streams like rental properties, syndications, and dividend stocks How much to keep in your cash position and when to start investing your excess capital HELOCs (home equity lines of credit) and how they can combat a low-cash position Whether or not to pay off your mortgage early (or your car loan!) And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget BiggerPockets Money Podcast 243: Ramit Sethi's Money Advice for Couples: Live a Rich Life, Together BiggerPockets Money Podcast 260: Finance Friday: How to Hit $10M Net Worth in 10 Years (Or Less) BiggerPockets Money Podcast 18: Accessing Retirement Funds Before Age 59½ with The Mad Fientist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Budget meals, cheap eats, and deliciously discounted recipes are all in this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast. As many of you financial freedom chasers know, one of the biggest monthly expenses on your budget tends to be food costs. Whether that be going out or grocery shopping to feed yourself, your spouse, your kids, and anyone else in your family— eating well isn’t cheap…or so most people think. Beth Moncel is here to tell you that the preconceived notion of good food = expensive food, isn’t exactly right. Beth started her blog, Budget Bytes, over a decade ago during the great recession, when many families struggled to put food on the table. With a degree in nutrition, Beth knew that she could scientifically design recipes that not only filled up her family but helped her do so on a budget. If you’re constantly going over your food budget, this is the episode to listen to. Beth gives a masterclass on food budget savers vs. sinkers, pantry staples and go-to recipes, meal planning, eating out, and whether or not you should shop on an empty stomach. Prepare to upgrade your dinner time while keeping more cash in your pocket! In This Episode We Cover Common mistakes budgeters make when trying to plan weekly meals The biggest budget busters you’ll find in your local grocery store and what to buy instead Beth’s go-to recipes that also act as pantry clean-out meals for less food waste Meal planning and how to start with simple, filling recipes you won’t get tired of Shopping without coupons and why the best ingredients are often the cheapest Calculating the exact cost of your meals and tweaking recipes for frugal shoppers And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget BiggerPockets Money Podcast 251 with Preston Cooper Flipp.com Website BudgetBytes.com Connect with David Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stock market crashes aren’t common, but when they happen, they often catch you by surprise. Thankfully, we’re not in the middle of a stock market crash, but this current correction or “dip” we’re riding has got some early retirement and FIRE chasers feeling a little anxious. Carl and Mindy Jensen, real estate and index fund investors, have seen a twenty-five percent drop in their portfolio just over the past six months alone. What effect does that have on their future financial plans? Welcome back to this month’s episode of Carl and Mindy’s Spending Summary, where we finally get to see an under budget month! Thanks to some family frugality, Carl and Mindy were able to shop pretty light this April, even while going over budget on some essentials like groceries and medical expenses. This may be the last under budget month for a bit as some upcoming trips may prop up their expenses as we roll into summer. Carl and Mindy have also been keeping an eye on the stock market and how its performance is affecting their portfolio and future retirement plans. When Carl decided to step away from work five years ago, he had the tailwinds of a strong stock market at his back. But, with recent drops in stock valuation, it begs the question: would Carl still be able to retire early if the market conditions mirrored today? In This Episode We Cover The budgeting and expense tracking “slog” that helps you spend less and keep more Expensive summer trips and how to account for future travel in your monthly budget The Nasdaq’s rough month and what to do when stock indexes start to fall The 4% rule and how rough market conditions could hurt your early retirement plans Whether or not you should still retire during a market crash/correction And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget Hear Our Interview with 4% Rule Creator, Bill Bengen Michael Kitces’ Interview on FIRE and the 4% Rule The “Mile High FI” Podcast 1,500 Days to Freedom Connect with Carl on BiggerPockets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The idea of college comes with a lot of questions—but there is one question that isn't usually asked: is college worth the cost? Most would say yes, but the honest answer is sometimes. Today’s guest, Robert Farrington, the College Investor, answers college questions in a detailed manner to help you make profitable decisions on your higher education choices. Robert goes over how to look at college as a business decision rather than a necessity. A deciding factor in any college decision should be profitability. Is going to college going to make you more valuable in your field? Will the salary you make post-grad outweigh the student loans you took out? What financial resources are available to you to minimize debt and out-of-pocket expenses? How can you leave college debt-free? When you start asking the right questions, each decision gets easier. And in today’s episode, Robert gives you the right questions to ask. He also goes over different ways to pay for college, including FAFSA, grants, and scholarships, and how each of them work. College requires a lot of informed choices, and this episode contains the knowledge to equip you to make those choices. In This Episode We Cover Looking at college as a business decision and determining whether a college education is financially worth it for you (or your child) How to finance college through loans, grants, financial aid, and scholarships 529 plans explained and why it's an ideal way to save for college Saving yourself by using the “Yes Model” to save for college FAFSA vs. scholarships and how to apply for both Cutting your college expenses in half with government-sponsored programs And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget Here's What I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Racked Up $180,000 In Student Loan Debt How To Pay For College How To Save For College Ultimate Guide To Military And VA Education Benefits Taxable Scholarships Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-297 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone has experienced negative cash flow. If you have a troublesome rental property, you may experience negative cash flow. If you have a low income but an appetite for expensive eateries, you may also experience negative cash flow. But, more common than most, if you’re in the early stages of building your small business, negative cash flow may be a harsh but hard to mitigate reality. Chris is feeling the sting of sinking purse strings every month. At the start of 2020, Chris left his old job as an engineer to start working for himself. He hired a couple of employees and started taking on more and more work. But, he’s spending too much time training his junior engineers and not enough time locking down high-value contracts, leaving him in the red every month. Surprisingly, more business owners face this problem than you would think. Scott puts on his CEO hat to dive deep into the finances of Chris’ business and gives some challenging, yet reasonable, advice on how he can immediately improve his financial situation. With suggestions from both Mindy and Scott, Chris may have a better picture of how he can go from cash flow negative to very comfortable with highly positive cash flow in the near future. You may not be in Chris’ position now, but if you ever plan on starting a business, or have already, this episode is a MUST. In This Episode We Cover Cash savings and why it’s always important to keep a strong safety reserve (especially as a business owner) How to break down your negative cash flow situation to find the most costly expenses Starting a business vs. continuing to work at a job and why entrepreneurs should be prepared for risk (and loss) How to establish whether or not an employee truly brings value to your company KPIs, goals, and getting on the same page with your team and employees Executive assistants and why high per-hour earners may need them the most And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget 6 Steps to Improve Your Financial Situation 15 Things Every Newbie Needs to Know About Starting a Business How to Know When to Hire Your First Employee 10 Challenges to Seriously Consider BEFORE Quitting Your Day Job Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-296 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early retirement was a goal for today’s guest, Antoinette Munroe, the moment she started making money. Her money journey started in second grade when she sold her Halloween candy for extra cash. By high school, she graduated to selling a wide variety of different things and even started her own distribution network with her cousins at their respective schools. By the time she got to college, her main focus was staying out of trouble, avoiding debt and saving. It wasn’t until her last semester of grad school that she had to take out loans. After graduation, her priorities shifted, and she got a job to pay off her debt. Starting with her first check at her new job, she laid out her budget ABCs. Her ABCs follow a simple principle; automation, balance, and consistency. And after two years, she paid off her $27,000 debt! In 2015 she decided to start looking for a home, and by the end of 2015, she purchased one. She did a complete rehab on the house while also adding an addition in hopes of getting rid of her expenses to achieve her ultimate goal of not having to work. She put the finished addition on Airbnb, and it now cash flows and pays her expenses. After she realizing the power of real estate investing to build net worth and generate wealth, she did this three more times and now owns four cash-flowing properties. She is now retired and lives the free life of leisure she always envisioned for herself. In This Episode We Cover The importance of saving money and the freedom that comes with it How to make an efficient and realistic budget & how to stick with it The Budgeting ABCs & how to simplify your budget (and your life!) Creative financing and using it to buy deals when you don’t have the cash How to create and maintain a cash-flowing asset And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-295 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Index funds and rental properties are at opposite ends of the investing spectrum. On one side, you have highly diversified, almost entirely passive index funds. On the other, you have cash-flowing, yet far more hands-on, rental properties. Both of these beloved types of investments belong in (almost) every investor's portfolio, but how much should you have of one or the other? Today’s guest Cecilia has built a strong net worth while keeping her income high and expenses low. She bought at the bottom of the market in Southern California, so while home prices rise all around her, she’s sitting comfortably with her rock-bottom mortgage payment. Thanks to all the housing expense-related savings, Cecilia has been able to dump a lot of her extra cash into the stock market. But, she’s longing for a more travel-focused life, where she can take sabbaticals in any corner of the world she chooses. Part of her plan to wealth-gaining greatness is buying a short-term rental in a city she loves, so she can still vacation on the cheap. In order to do this though, she may need to sell off some of her investments or swap her strategy entirely for cash-flowing rental properties in cheaper parts of the United States. Which path will set Cecilia on a fast track to FI? In This Episode We Cover How much to have in your safety reserves and what to do when you have too much cash Index funds vs. rental properties and when to focus on which asset Long-term rentals vs. short-term rentals and the cash flow that comes from both Building the perfect investment plan that will coast you to the life you love Automating your business and spending less time on repeatable tasks Whether or not early mortgage payoff is a good idea in low-interest times And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-294 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A master’s degree shows quite simply that you’re a master (at least to some extent) in a certain subject. For decades, getting a master’s degree has been seen as a financially savvy move to open you up to higher pay, better job opportunities, and golden networking connections. But times have changed, and as more students see college as an inferior option to working, it begs the question: is a graduate degree worth the price? You can’t know the answer unless you compile tens of thousands of pieces of data. Thankfully, we didn’t have to do that, we just invited Preston Cooper on the show to explain the research he and his team at FREOPP did. You may recognize Preston from his previous episode on the BiggerPockets Money Podcast where he mapped out which undergraduate degrees were worth it. Now, he’s back to show which master’s degrees have the highest (and lowest) ROI. You’ll hear Preston answer questions like when is the right time to go back to school, which master’s degrees are fatal for financial freedom, and how students should go about choosing a degree or a combination of degrees. So, whether you’re pondering going back to school to get a degree in underwater basket weaving, horse training, or law, Preston has the data to help you make that decision! In This Episode We Cover Why different schools can have dramatically different degree ROIs The best (and worst) master’s degrees to pursue How degree combinations can help you make more money in a related career When is the right time to pursue a graduate degree (after college or after working)? The common misconception about MBAs and why most graduate business degrees aren’t worth the cost The future cost of college tuition as admission rates drop and inflation continues to rise And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Hear Our Previous Interview with Preston on Episode 251 Check Out Preston’s Grad Degree and Bachelor Degree Study: More FREOPP Higher Education Resources FREOPP Is A Master’s Degree Worth The Pay Raise? Connect with Dave on BiggerPockets Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-293 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Financial independence is not a new concept to Carl and Mindy Jensen. For as long as they’ve been together, Carl and Mindy have been open and upfront about their financial situations. When they learned about the FIRE movement, they knew they had an all-time goal to hit. Fortunately for them, they hit it earlier than they needed, but has their current spending forced them to recalculate what it takes to hit financial freedom? Welcome back to Carl and Mindy's Spending Summary, or as we’re naming it this month, March Money Madness. Carl and Mindy had a few big-ticket items on this month’s expense tracker, namely things like a lovely trip to Seattle and a brand new couch (Mindy bought something new!?). As the months fly by, Mindy has noticed an “over budget” trend, forcing her to either recalculate her FI number or get back into budget mode. If you’ve gone over budget like Mindy this month, don’t fret! Tracking your expenses and keeping up to date on your budget will still help you achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself. Just be extra mindful in April! In This Episode We Cover Frugal vacations vs. relaxing retreats and how to plan for added travel spending Gas prices, utility bills, and using solar to lower your cost of living The benefits of budgeting and how expense tracking keeps you frugal Having “money respect” for your partner when sharing finances Accounting for big “one-time” purchases like furniture or trips How to save money on next month’s grocery bill (look in your pantry!) And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-292 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

eBay flipping isn’t something new. You’ve probably bought something on eBay that was sold by a reseller. Maybe a type of makeup you liked got discontinued. Maybe your favorite pair of jeans from a nationwide chain suddenly disappeared. For eBay resellers like today's guest, Tom Brickman (The Frugal Gay), it’s all about finding the products that people love but can’t get a hold of anymore. Tom is a master of frugality. Raised by a real estate investor, he knew what cash flow could do to a nine-to-five worker's life. So, at age twenty-one, Tom cashed in some company stock to buy his first multifamily. He inadvertently house hacked and was living in his own place for a whopping $138 per month! From there, he moved from his native Ohio to Texas where he got a full-time job, built his eBay flipping business, and never stopped reinvesting into rentals. As a side-hustle addict, Tom shares numerous stories about how he made (and lost) large sums of money by reselling on eBay. He even bought an entire house on eBay at auction, which came with bullet holes included. Talk about a deal! Now, retired well before sixty-five, Tom lives a life he loves with his partner, thanks to financial frugality! In This Episode We Cover Why frugality at a young age can compound into massive wealth-building benefits ESPP and reinvesting your paycheck so you can use investments to buy cash flow What makes a great eBay flipping product and how to find the best deals around Commercial real estate investing and rehabbing properties for enormous equity gains Buying homes at auction online and why you shouldn’t solely trust the zip code a house is in Paying off credit card debt quickly through hard work and smart money management And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! 5 Frugality Myths Americans Believe That Would Make Ben Franklin Cry A Beginners Guide to Hack Your Housing and Live for Free How to Pay Down Bad Debt—Fast! Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-291 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Renting vs. buying a home, debt payoff, and the best investments of 2022 are just a few of the topics discussed in this week’s Finance FAQs. That’s right, we’re here with a new segment where Scott and Mindy take your questions directly from the BiggerPockets Money Facebook group and give answers so you can make smarter investing, saving, and life-changing decisions. In this episode, we get into questions from a range of different financial situations. We have questions about debt payoff schedules, whether to sell stocks and invest in real estate, why “safe” investing may not be smart investing, and what to do when three-quarters of a million dollars are given to you. Scott and Mindy not only answer these questions the best they can, but they also give the “why” behind the financial decision so you can be better equipped when situations like this come up in your own life! If you want to ask a question or give us feedback about this new format, you can do so on the BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group or leave a comment on the BiggerPockets Money YouTube channel. We’ll try and round up the most commonly asked questions so Scott and Mindy can keep the wealth-building wisdom coming! In This Episode We Cover The safest investment vehicle in 2022 (and why safest doesn’t always mean best) Whether to pay off student loans or invest in retirement and real estate Which debt to pay off first so you can coast to debt-free freedom Renting vs. buying in today’s hot housing market and how to decide for yourself Funding home renovation projects (even when contractor costs are high!) House hacking and using it to lower your expenses, grow net worth, and build financial runway And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Follow Along Mindy’s Live Budget Tracking BiggerPockets Money Podcast 35 with Craig Curelop (House Hacking) BiggerPockets Money Podcast 267 with Robert Farrington (Student Loans) Does It Make More Sense to Rent or Buy in Today’s Real Estate Market? A Beginners Guide to Hack Your Housing and Live for Free Pay Off Debt or Invest? Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-290 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Real estate and early retirement go hand in hand. Most people think that it’ll take years (or decades) to build up enough cash flow to simply break even on your monthly expenses (lean FI). Those people probably aren’t thinking as big as today’s guest, Hugh Carnahan, who retired in only three years thanks to speed, diligence, and a courageous amount of risk-taking. You’d probably assume that to retire in three years, Hugh had to be a very financially adept person. Well, you’d be 100% wrong! Hugh struggled for years with his finances and committed almost every cash flow cardinal sin in the book. He made great income, saved almost none of it, then saved way too much of it, and thought that his path to financial freedom was through getting solar panels on his house, NOT buying houses. When a local business owner set him straight, he consumed as much real estate investing content as he could. He listened to the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast religiously and after 386 episodes, decided he should invest in real estate. So Hugh went and bought a nice single-family home, right? Nope. He did something much different—and he’s financially free because of it. In This Episode We Cover How to NOT practice the “pay yourself first” principle of investing and saving Lifestyle creep and how it can eat away at your wealth, even as a high-earner ESPP programs and the benefits of getting discounted company stock The BRRRR strategy and using it to force equity on your rental properties Commercial and portfolio loans, plus how they differ from residential mortgages How to leverage cash-flowing real estate to hit financial freedom (fast!) And So Much More! Links from the Show Follow Along with Mindy’s 2022 Budget Make Your Own Free Mobile Expense Tracking App in 30 Minutes BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-289 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Passive income is a must, especially if you’re trading your life in America to start living in Portugal. Why Portugal? Besides the climate, coastline, and comfortable cost of living, Portugal allows today’s guest, Brandy, to live abroad with a passive income visa. Brandy already works remotely, but will be giving up a significant amount of her income once she makes the move. Brandy has multiple streams of income—her contract work, her eBay business, her rental portfolio, and her husband's job. In total, this comes out to a handsome $300k per year, and that’s on top of the million dollars worth of equity that sits between her vacation rentals and her primary residence. But what’s the point of so much equity if you can’t use it? This is the main topic of today’s discussion! Brandy is wondering what will make the most sense for her life abroad—keeping the rental properties or selling and investing in stocks? In order to offer suggestions, Scott and Mindy take a look at Brandy’s entire financial picture, where she stands in terms of retirement, how high her expenses are, and what she can do before her journey to start on the best financial foot possible. In This Episode We Cover Building wealth after bankruptcy, failed businesses, and financial mistakes Quitting corporate and coming back in a more flexible, entrepreneurial role Short-term rental investing and the big profits (and costs) that come with it What to do if you have too much home equity as part of your net worth? Backdoor Roth IRAs and retirement investing for self-employed individuals Calculating rental property profits and pitting them against other investments And So Much More! Links from the Show: BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums How I Used Real Estate to Pay for My Newborn Daughter’s College Education Backdoor Roths, Mega Backdoor Roths, and Roth Conversion Ladders Equity Rich and Cash Poor? Calculate Potential Airbnb Earnings on Your Short-Term Rental How I Live Overseas & Still Manage My U.S. Rentals Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-288 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you know how to ask for a raise? If you’re like most people, you probably think that we’re asking a rhetorical question. If you think it’s as easy as simply walking up to your boss, asking for more money, and leaving, you probably haven’t ever asked for a raise before. Behind every pay raise request is a clammy-handed employee, hoping that they’ve done well enough to justify that salary bump. Maybe you’re nervous to talk to your boss, maybe you feel unprepared, or maybe you just find it hard to talk about money. On today’s show, Kassandra Dasent, program manager and wealth advocate, touches on how every employee can prepare to get the raise they deserve. Despite what most people think, you should NOT prepare for your salary review days before it happens. Kassandra has a simple timeline that allows employees to maximize their raise potential throughout the year. So, when it finally comes time to talk numbers, most of the discussion is already done. This type of strategy has not only helped Kassandra but numerous listeners of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast. But, what if you can’t get a raise? What if your boss says no? What if there’s no budget left for you at the end of the day? Don’t fret, Kassandra lays out the exit strategies you should plan for when career hiccups happen (which they inevitably will). In This Episode We Cover Building your “success folder” and using it as your greatest tool in a salary negotiation Taking initiative on pay raises and not letting your boss control your career Mitigating the fear of talking about money and using your goals to ask for a raise with confidence How job-hopping really looks to employers and how it will dictate your career path Strategizing your raise and negotiating for more than just money How often you should update your resume (even if you’ve been at the same company) And So Much More! Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-287 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's not uncommon to have irregular income as a business owner or self-employed individual. But with different amounts of money coming in every month, how can you budget, invest, or plan? Some months you’ll make a killing, while other months may have huge burn rates. How do you gain financial clarity when running multiple businesses with multiple income streams? What about becoming debt-free? Is it possible with such inconsistent income? This is how Eric Dunn has been feeling lately. After paying off a significant sum of debt, Eric has seen his income slowly rise and needs help ironing out his finances before he can invest in real estate. Eric has numerous businesses that haven’t been given the accounting love they deserve. Not only that, Eric has been trying to get his safety reserve up to hold himself over during the lean months of self-employment. Mindy and Scott work with Eric to build a financial framework that allows him to scale simply and with minimal effort. They also talk through self-employment tax, financial planning, safety reserves, renting vs. buying real estate, and more. If you’re a regular listener, you probably have more than one stream of income (or will in the future) making this advice worth its weight in gold so you don’t make some of the mistakes Eric is trying to avoid! In This Episode We Cover Paying off consumer debt and using it to propel forward your financial position Separating business and personal expenses so tax time is headache-free Financial planning and analysis, plus using it to model and predict future income Self-employment taxes and quarterly tax penalties that you can avoid as an entrepreneur Whether to rent or buy a home in today’s hot housing market (and strategies for both) Why your emergency fund is meant to be spent on the right things And So Much More! Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-286 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When most people think of JL Collins, they think of smart stock and index fund investing. In his classic, The Simple Path to Wealth, JL lays out the foundational path that investors can follow to secure financial freedom simply, easily, and without a ton of stress. So it may come to many FI chasers’ surprise that JL has written a new book on real estate investing, and not index funds, the stock market, or our current state of high inflation. In, How I Lost Money in Real Estate Before It Was Fashionable, JL lays out, quite candidly, how not to invest in real estate. And before you get mad about that type of advice on a BiggerPockets Podcast, please note that JL isn’t saying to NOT invest in real estate, but to invest in real estate in a smarter way than he did. JL is the first to admit that real estate is a phenomenal way to build wealth, create passive income, and retire early. But, if you haven’t fulfilled your 250+ hours of real estate investing education, you probably shouldn’t be purchasing income properties. In today’s show, you’ll hear JL explicitly list out all the mistakes he made when investing, and how you can mitigate these risks and come out profitable instead! In This Episode We Cover “Stagflation” and how 2022 is looking more and more like 1979’s burdensome economy How following the herd mentality to buy real estate may cost you time and money The biggest home renovation mistakes and how to manage contractors correctly Staying cautious when buying in a hot housing market and making an offer based on the fundamentals of real estate investing Capital gains taxes and preparing for depreciation recapture when selling a property The biggest real estate mistakes rookie investors can avoid when getting started And So Much More! Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-285 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travel budgeting, sky-high gas prices, and “free” utilities are coming up in this month’s episode of Carl and Mindy’s Spending Summary. Like many Americans, Carl and Mindy didn’t have the easiest time sticking to their March budget. With rising food, gas, and utility prices, it may seem that your budget is squeezing you more and more as the months go on. This month, Carl and Mindy touch on their biggest budget busters and wins, plus why budgets are meant to be adjusted when life permits. Carl and Mindy have been publicly tracking their budget and have found it to be a little trickier than they originally thought. That being said, both of them agree that if you have the financial means to do something you love, it’s probably worth the extra money for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you’ve felt strained while expense tracking and budgeting throughout the start of 2022, just know that two of the most respected voices in the financial space also stumble from time to time. If you make a mistake, overspend, or forget to track your expenses, get back on track, hit your goals, and keep chasing financial freedom! In This Episode We Cover What happens when a big expense bursts your budget early Optimizing your budget so you have breathing room when prices go up Offsetting your electricity bill with solar and siphoning off some free natural gas Downsizing your costs and reviewing utility bills so you only spend on what you need Travel budgeting and keeping extra money to build life-long memories Conferences where you can find Carl and Mindy in 2022! And So Much More! Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-284 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multiple streams of income are a must if you’re trying to hit financial independence, retire early, and have the luxury of time brought back into your life. While most people simply rely on one stream of income, their W2, others want more than one leg to stand on when it comes to their financial wellbeing. How would you feel if every day you had eight (or more) income streams flowing into your bank account? Tiffany Grant from Money Talk with Tiff spent over a decade building the income streams that would eventually set her free from the golden handcuffs of corporate life. But, that road wasn’t made easy for her. Tiffany unexpectedly became a teen mom, forcing her to pivot her journey from aspiring chef to community college business student. Thankfully, her natural knack for anything related to money allowed her to advance quickly through college and later the corporate world. She was making good money, she enjoyed her job, and she was saving almost all of her income. Tiffany knew that her real dream was to own her own business, grow her wealth, and build the life she dreamt of. So, thanks to her smart money management, Tiffany was able to leave corporate, build over eight streams of income with one business, and regain control of her time. If you’re looking to do the same, then definitely don’t skip out on what Tiffany teaches in today’s episode. In This Episode We Cover Building credit at an early age and disputing false claims on your credit report Fighting income/lifestyle creep as soon you begin to make more income Quitting corporate life and having the emergency reserves to support yourself Strategizing your current position so you can make more and work less Building multiple income streams from a single business and how anyone can do it Investing in yourself and doing whatever it takes to stay on the path to financial independence And So Much More! Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-283 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Passive income is the name of the game when it comes to real estate investing. While equity can help you build wealth, passive income is what can get you on the road to financial independence. But what if you got a late start in your investing career? With so many millionaire twenty-or-something-year-olds on the internet, it seems like you have to start investing at age eighteen to hit financial freedom. This couldn’t be more wrong. Even if you feel like you’re a late bloomer when it comes to investing, you’re probably only a few years away from hitting FI—if you make the right decisions. This is the quandary that today’s guest, Nicole, finds herself in. Nicole has recently gone through a divorce and lost a good chunk of her net worth thanks to it. But, she’s poised on investing in real estate so she can hit financial independence sooner rather than later. Thanks to her service in the military, Nicole has access to the ever-so-helpful VA loan, allowing her to purchase homes with little (or no) down payment. She also has a military pension that will kick in soon, allowing her to mitigate her cost of living even more. So, does Nicole have enough time to build her rental empire and enjoy the Floridian beaches on her time off? In This Episode We Cover Why it’s never too late to start investing for your future Using VA loans to purchase house hack properties with little to no money down Short-term rentals, medium-term rentals, and other rental property strategies Generating more income through side hustles, job-hopping, and more The 2022 housing market and the risks/benefits of buying in today’s hectic atmosphere Whether or not to invest in retirement accounts when your main goal is cash flow And So Much More! Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-282 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inflation can be a detriment to any early retirement plan. At first, you may think you only need a certain amount of money to retire, and maybe you’re adjusting for inflation when you do these calculations. But what happens when inflation runs more than triple the average or crosses into double-digit numbers. How does your investment strategy change? How does your “dream retirement” come true when it costs ten percent more than you originally accounted for? These are all questions that average Americans are asking themselves: when can I retire? Can I retire? How can I afford food or gas or pay my bills? Although we can’t solely blame high inflation on the Federal Reserve, we can see how their policies lead to the situation we’re in now. Someone who stood up against the policies of quantitative easing and massive stimulus packages, is former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Tom Hoenig. Tom was in favor of quantitative easing back at the start of the great recession, but as this power to pump more money into the economy started to get abused, he rallied against the choice of the fed. Today, Mindy and Scott use this episode to ask Tom the hard-hitting questions that average investors want answered so they can make the best financial moves possible while still building wealth. In This Episode We Cover The rampant inflation of the 1980s and how it affects Fed policy to this day Quantitative easing explained and how it artificially inflates asset prices How asset values and price inflation go hand in hand The goal of the Federal Reserve and how many of their policies have backfired Whether or not the 4% rule still stands true in an inflationary environment What a “good” unemployment rate looks like and how it maps the health of the economy How investors can prepare to take advantage of times of economic uncertainty and high inflation And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! What Every Investor Should Understand About Inflation How the Unemployment Rate Affects Us All (Yes, Even the Employed) The Fed’s Doomsday Prophet Has a Dire Warning About Where We’re Headed Tom Hoenig on Wikipedia Check the full show notes here: https://biggerpockets.com/blog/money-281 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Investing in real estate is a proven way to build wealth, produce more cash flow, and retire early. But, not everyone is cut out to do every type of real estate investing. Some strategies take dramatically more time and effort than others. House hacking may be perfect for investors or couples without kids, live in flips could work best for those with some rehab experience, and BRRRR investing is reserved for those with proven investing experience. While some of these strategies are as simple as buying a house and renting out a side, others require far more of a time commitment—time that many investors, like today’s guest Jeff, may not have. Jeff is already an established investor, currently living in a house hack that’s helping him offset his mortgage. But, he wants to expand into more return-focused real estate like live in flipping and BRRRRing. But, with a high-paying job and lots of money in the bank, Scott and Mindy ask the question, “is real estate investing even worth it for Jeff?” Should he be sticking to stocks or does a labor-intensive rehab clearly outweigh the costs? If you’re wondering whether or not you should choose the real estate investing path to FI, make sure you hear out the arguments in today’s episode. In This Episode We Cover Whether or not PMI (private mortgage insurance) is worth it on a low down payment loan How to make moves to buy a rental property in today’s hot housing market Active income vs. passive income and which yields greater benefit Live in flipping and the benefits of doing your own work on a rehab What to do when you have too much cash on hand in an inflationary environment Rolling over your 401k to maximize your non-taxable retirement income And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health insurance for early retirement? Is that even a thing? If it is, it doesn’t seem self-evident in the United States. For most early retirees within the USA, you have a couple of options for healthcare—make a low enough income to qualify for government-subsidized healthcare or pay an exorbitant amount of money to either buy healthcare upfront or pay out of pocket any time you get sick. But, that’s not a terribly safe way to live, especially when you’re working with a (relatively) fixed income. Throughout their world travels, Amy and Tim from GoWithLess have had to learn this the hard way. They were originally insured on a healthshare plan but found it far riskier than they would have liked. Now, as they travel throughout the United States, Mexico, and the world, they’re making sure they’ve covered all bases so a random surgery or two doesn’t force them back into the working world. Early retirement health insurance is one of the biggest reasons that financial independence-chasers stay at their jobs, so if you’re itching to get your post-work-life travel on, listen to this whole episode. In it, Amy and Tim drop gems about finding health (and auto) insurance when retiring early (or abroad). They also discuss the best questions to ask a healthcare provider or broker, what to look for in a healthcare plan, and how to save money with digital nomad insurance. In This Episode We Cover How Amy and Tim’s post-pandemic travel plans unraveled in 2020 and 2021 House-sitting, dog-sitting, and other ways to creatively lower your travel costs “Quick traveling” and the time/mental energy it takes to be a full-time nomad Roth conversions and using resident-specific tax benefits to convert more The top questions to ask a healthcare broker when choosing health insurance Car insurance as a retiree and how to pay less to be more protected And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you want to know how to save money, just look at your expenses. Odds are, if you’re like most people, you aren't budgeting or tracking your expenses to a tee. But there’s no need to be so hard on yourself, even our money mages themselves, Scott Trench and Mindy Jensen don’t always write down every cent spent. That being said, if you’re planning for a big trip, different expenses, or a sudden life change (like leaving your job), there is no better time than NOW to start tracking your expenses. Today’s guest, TJ, knows this all too well. TJ makes a phenomenal income and already has a multi-million dollar net worth. But, he still suffers from money anxiety and not knowing how much he’ll need to step away from full-time work. Not only that, TJ is planning to take his children on a two-year-long expedition around the globe, all while TJ and his wife aren’t bringing in their regular high incomes. But he isn’t just relying on his salary for monthly cash flow. TJ has also invested in rental properties as well as real estate syndications—both of which are providing him thousands a month in passive cash flow. But, after the globe-trotting ends, will TJ have to find himself another job or can he happily ski his way to early retirement upon re-arrival? In This Episode We Cover Retirement accounts, private pensions, and setting your future self up for financial success Cash savings and emergency funds, plus who needs them (and who doesn’t) Rental property investing and real estate syndications for passive cash flow Reducing spending and building a “future budget” that forecasts future spending Money anxiety and how to mitigate it even if you have a high income and net worth The 4% rule and using it to easily map out your date of financial independence And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Hustle culture” has been a term for the past decade or so. It somehow became a badge of honor to prove that you’re working the hardest, longest, and most stressful job around. You can handle it, you’re making money, putting in the hours, but what do you have left at the end of the day? This constant grind is what Mindy likes to call the “death race to FI” due to its unnecessary harshness on your free time, relationships, and mental health. Pete McPherson foresaw this “hustle culture” taking over his life when he quit his sixty-hour week accounting job and decided to start his own business. This wasn’t the first, or second, or fiftieth time Pete had started a business, and he was driven to never set foot in an office again. He wasn’t making phenomenal money the first year, but he made enough to provide for his family, and that was enough for him. Mindy and guest host Sarah Putt from OT 4 Lyfe talk with Pete about the rarely discussed downsides of chasing early retirement and financial independence. Make no mistake, even if you decided to work twenty hours a week, like Pete, you can still make plenty of money all while being able to watch your favorite movies in the middle of the day or spend time with your kids! In This Episode We Cover The detriment of “hustle culture” and why working hard doesn’t mean burning yourself out The importance of having an available safety reserve in case you get let go from a job Jumping into entrepreneurship and developing the grind to make it work Learning from your mistakes and seeing every failure as a lesson Picking your “good enough” number and living life on your terms Why time freedom is the ultimate goal of FI, not exorbitant wealth And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emergency funds, frugal experiments, free photons, and “thoughtful spending” were just a few things that came to light during Carl and Mindy Jensen’s January 2022 budget recap. If you didn’t know already, Mindy has been publicly tracking her expenses and budgeting for BiggerPockets Money listeners (and the world) to see. But of course, as soon as Mindy shared her public budget, things started to go awry. Nothing says “let’s start the month off right” like car repairs, furnace replacements, and sky-high gas prices. But, Mindy isn’t a quitter! Even with some big emergency expenses, she and Carl have managed to stay within budget for most of their costly categories in spite of life's fun financial curveballs. Carl and Mindy discuss their January “frugal experiment” including hotels and air fryers, how “dry January” became “moist January”, and why this financial powerhouse has opted out of the traditional emergency fund. If you’re starting this year with a few budget busters like Carl and Mindy, don’t let it keep you from hitting your overall 2022 spending goals. Track it, stick with it, and shoot for FI! In This Episode We Cover How expense tracking inadvertently stops you from overspending Using money in the most efficient way possible so you can increase your “thoughtful spending” Budgeting wins (and challenges) that Mindy and Carl faced this January Preparing from unexpected budget busters and whether or not an emergency fund is necessary How to allocate large bills throughout the year so you don’t go over budget Splurging on things you truly enjoy while keeping everyday costs as simplistic as possible And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lifestyle creep, budget hesitancy, and cash scarcity are problems you’d likely hear from someone just getting into the realm of financial independence/literacy. But, funnily enough, these wealth woes aren’t coming from newbies—they’re coming from two asset-stacking veterans, Mindy Jensen and David Pere from The Military Millionaire Podcast. While on the outside David and Mindy may look like squeaky clean financial figures, they’ve realized recently that they have to tighten up their systems to maximize wealth. Mindy has seen a slow and steady lifestyle creep, and although her income can support her, she still wants to have a strong sense of strategy when it comes to budgeting and expense tracking. David has tried time and time again to budget, but it’s never really gone to plan. He also is feeling a bit stressed at times due to his “cash poor, asset rich” lifestyle that has allowed him to build so much wealth. Our two hosts serve as financial therapists for one another other in this episode as they dive deep into how each other can re-strategize their financial situations. Even the gurus don’t always get it right! In This Episode We Cover How to turn budget hesitancy into expense-tracking mastery Stocking up your emergency reserve so you (and your business) can survive life’s hiccups Entrepreneur income and why you should go lean on your business spending, without compromising quality Lifestyle/income creep and how to fight it so you can save and invest more Why everyone (even our money gurus) make mistakes from time to time And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rental properties can be a phenomenal second source of income for the majority of us who work at regular jobs. One or two rental property purchases every year or so can slowly, but surely, build a strong foundation for financial independence, sometimes within only a few years. Today’s guest Connor has taken this approach to wealth building and now sits on six rental units, splitting some of the profits with his partners. Connor runs a lot of the operation for these rental properties. He has a background in construction management, making him an integral piece of any future BRRRR, flip, or rehab project he and his partners decide to take on. But, could these real estate partnerships be slowing down his personal wealth growth? And if so, how does he mitigate the risk of being an independent investor in a cash-intensive business? Aside from his real estate portfolio, Connor also wants to simplify his personal portfolio, plan for future baby expenses, maximize his retirement, and get a better handle on his financial situation in total. Scott and Mindy leave Connor with some clear action items that may help him achieve financial freedom in his five to seven-year time horizon! In This Episode We Cover Real estate partnerships and establishing the value that you bring to them Generating more income (and reducing expenses) through live in flips and house hacking Land contracts and seller financing on rental properties that allow you to scale faster Student loan repayment, deferral, and when you should plan on starting up your payments again Shopping for a baby as frugally as you can so you can invest for their future And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The poverty cycle is a hard one to break out of. For some people, it is near impossible to climb yourself out of the hole that society, family, or unfortunate circumstances have placed you in. But sometimes, through sheer willpower alone, those who break through can crush this cycle and bring their families up with them. Someone who’s done this (and much more), is Dr. David L. Rhoiney from surgiFI. Dr. David is a renowned “robot surgeon”, operating on patients using the finest precision that modern technology has to offer. He holds two degrees, has two homes, and invests heavily. You’re probably assuming he was raised in a family that taught him the worth of hard work, education, and investing early. You wouldn’t be more wrong. Dr. David’s childhood consisted of a combination of living in cars, homeless shelters, sleeping on friend’s couches, and surviving completely on the edge. After being accepted into the US Naval Academy, he knew that he had to do everything he could to never return to that life. He has been told “no” thousands of times, that he wasn’t good enough, didn’t look the part, or simply that he wasn’t worth it. He proved every doubter wrong and has had the last laugh as he and his family now are on the path to a phenomenal financial future. In This Episode We Cover Growing up and poverty and using it as fuel to strive for something greater Why you should always choose the “hard path” and pursue something others would fear Medical student loans and going debt-free through intelligent financial decisions House hacking and using rental properties to propel your net worth higher Affordable housing and what real estate investors can do to help those in need Giving yourself no other choice but to succeed, even when all bets are against you And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ahh, the age-old question: pay off your mortgage early or invest? It’s no wonder so many members of the financial independence community have strong feelings about one or the other. With a paid-off mortgage, you’re less in debt, with more free cash to invest or spend on things you love doing. But, there’s another side to that cash flow coin. If you’re paying off your mortgage early, you’ll have less money to invest, leaving you with less compound interest. If you’ve been asking for someone to answer this question for you, be sure to thank today’s guest, Javier. He’s been doing a phenomenal job paying down his mortgage as quickly as he can, especially at such a young age. Javier has a respectable net worth and works not only at his W2 but also as a real estate agent on the side. Javier is struggling to find where to best put his extra $1,300/month once he pays off his primary residence. And while this is a BiggerPockets Podcast episode, Scott and Mindy do not immediately vouch for real estate investing. Instead, they take a look at his overall risk tolerance, personal finance situation, and work backwards from his goals to find what he really wants out of early retirement, instead of just grasping for cash. In This Episode We Cover Setting up your “bare-bones emergency fund” so you can invest with confidence Whether or not you should pay off your mortgage early When the right time to leave your W2 job is and pursue your side income streams How to pay for healthcare when you’re self-employed or without work subsidies How much to allocate towards taxes per month as a self-employed individual When real estate investing does and does not make sense for your lifestyle And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You Need a Budget is the expense tracker/budgeter that requires no introduction…but we’ll give it one anyways! In 2004, Jesse Mecham launched this ground-breaking software, allowing money masters and novices alike to easily track their money and plan for a financially stress-free future. Jesse may have been the perfect person to build a product like this—he started tracking his expenses at age sixteen for fun! As Jesse grew older, he continued to track his expenses regularly, allowing him to have a tight hold on his money and fight back the urge to go into debt. When his wife decided to take a backseat on working and have children, Jesse started to work harder at converting YNAB from a simple spreadsheet to a full-blown business. He was so conservative that three years into the business when he was making twice as much as his accountant salary, he continued to reinvest almost every cent of profit so he could have a strong financial foundation behind him. Now, some eighteen years after launching, Jesse still holds the principles that he started YNAB with. He lives a simple lifestyle, enjoying “parlor time” with his seven children, keeping a strong emergency fund, and investing in a very, very conservative manner. Take it from someone like Jesse who has “made it”—budgeting can change your life. In This Episode We Cover Why budgeting and expense tracking are important at an early age How simple expense tracking allows you to save and invest more while starving off debt The four money rules that will change the way you think about your finances Where to keep the money that you’re saving for emergencies, down payments, and more How to know it’s the right time to quit your job and pursue your passions Running your real estate business through YNAB’s intuitive budgeting Why Jesse refuses to invest in high-risk assets while building his business And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Financial flexibility is one of the hidden stages along the path to financial independence. When you hit financial flexibility, you have far more choices than you did before. You can invest more, spend more, save more, and work less if you choose to do so. But, this type of lifestyle can only be achieved by being mindful and proactive about where your money is going, as today’s guest Kevin, knows very well. Kevin’s story was posted on the BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group, where he relived the horror of his credit card being declined at his girlfriend’s birthday dinner. This struck Kevin, since he made a decent salary and was relatively responsible with his money. He contributed to retirement accounts and kept a lean emergency fund, so where was all his money going? In today’s discovery, Scott and Mindy walk Kevin through which parts of his budget need a tune-up, and whether or not aggressive loan paydown is worth it for optimal financial flexibility. So where can you tweak your budget to maximize flexibility while minimizing credit-card-induced stress? In This Episode We Cover How to pay off bad debt fast and work your way to debt-free status Achieving “financial flexibility” before financial independence and the steps to get there Tracking your expenses and budgeting for spending (every single month!) How to cut food and eating out spending so your stomach and wallet stay happy What to do with extra income once you’ve paid off all your debt The importance of a strong emergency fund and always having a safety reserve And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest, Jennifer Grimson, is a prime example that every problem has a solution. Jennifer has always been a hard worker so she had no problem working through college as she aspired to be a foreign service officer, but her life took a turn when she fell in love and married her (now) ex-husband. Her dynamic with money completely changed as he spent money frivolously while she spent conservatively. When things ended poorly 8 years later he sued her 25 times, not including when he sued her mother and brother, and left her with $500,000 worth of attorney fees. At this point, she was left with nothing and had two children to raise on her own. While most would be completely devastated, Jennifer focused on finding a way out. Jennifer had never been scared of a little hard work so she found a job with a steady paycheck and filed for bankruptcy to help with her attorney fees. She continued to file for bankruptcy and start from scratch until she could build herself back up financially. She was then able to rebuild her credit through various methods and gain financial autonomy. Her overall goal was to experience financial peace— but she didn’t stop there. She started building small pockets of wealth and always had at least three streams of income at all times. Once Jennifer found out about short-term rentals, she saw an opportunity and started buying houses to convert into Airbnb properties and turn a profit. After 4 years she created an astounding $1.4 million in income-producing assets! In This Episode We Cover How to properly intertwine money and romantic relationships (and how to protect your personal wealth) Filing for bankruptcy and how it can be your saving grace from future lawsuits Borrowing against a 401k and investing with retirement funds Rebuilding your credit from scratch (and even bankruptcy!) Short term rentals, passive investments, buying land and other ways to build long-lasting wealth Cost Segregation and how to greatly reduce your tax burden And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Expats and rental portfolios go together like peanut butter and jelly. It’s no surprise that a fair amount of retired globetrotters owe their freedom to real estate investing. While many real estate investors are looking to retire themselves and their families in the US, today’s guest Paul has other plans. Paul thoroughly enjoys his full-time job in Utah. He gets paid well, has access to some phenomenal benefits, and isn’t planning on quitting anytime soon. That being said, Paul has had the itch to live as an expatriate abroad, hopping from country to country, enjoying world travel. But, in order to do this, Paul has to create an income stream that can support him and his partner along their travels. Of course, as a smart investor, Paul has already been building this extra income in the background. Since starting his rental property investing journey only a year and a half ago, Paul is already at five doors, with a sixth closing soon. He needs to be at ten doors to have enough rental income to cover his expenses in the US, but how much farther could that money go abroad? In This Episode We Cover Why rental properties are perfect for those planning on retiring abroad Keeping your expenses low as your income grows so you can retire early When to transition from traditional retirement accounts to real estate investing Roth conversion ladders and turning pre-tax retirement accounts into post-tax savings Out-of-state investing and leveraging your high income to invest in low-cost areas Using a HELOC (home equity line of credit) to fund real estate purchases And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Student loan forgiveness was a hot topic during the 2020 election cycle. With so many outstanding student loan payments, will the government step in to wipe out the debt? While many theorize about this, Robert Farrington takes the opposite angle, urging those who have student loans to prepare for repayment, rather than cancellation. This way, even if your student loans get forgiven, you’re put in a financially advantageous spot. Robert runs The College Investor, a website dedicated to investing and personal finance for millennials. It comes as no surprise that the biggest thing on millennials’ minds are student loans, especially after two years of repayment moratoriums. So, how does someone strapped with student loans prepare for repayment, especially when so many variables are up in the air? Well, according to Robert, there are some simple steps you can take to make sure you’re paying on time and with as little stress as possible. Episode note: This episode was recorded prior to the new student loan pause, set to expire on May 1st, 2022. Mindy and Robert record a special intro to update listeners on the new dates set by the Biden Administration. All other topics discussed in the show, especially around repayment strategy, are still viable and accurate for those who have student loans. In This Episode We Cover The most recent student loan repayment moratorium update The difference between federal and private student loans and which are preferable Refinancing your student loans and why most people shouldn’t Student loan forgiveness and whether or not it will come to fruition this year Steps you need to take NOW to ensure you don’t miss a payment or accrue extra interest Which repayment plans work best for your lifestyle and allow you the most financial flexibility And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bad debt is more common than it seems. Many people you know have a car loan, personal loan, credit card loan, or some other form of high(er) interest debt. If you find yourself with bad debt, the first thing to do is formulate a plan to get rid of it, unless you want your savings and potential investments to suffer the consequences. Today’s guest, Stephanie is in a financially solid position, but she has some bad debt to take care of. She’s on her way to financial freedom by forty after already owning a home and having some retirement investments growing in the background. But, her $13,000 window loan at ten percent interest is causing leakage of investable cash flow. Yet, Stephanie may be in a better position than she thinks. Since buying her house, she’s seen a big increase in her property value, which may enable her to secure some lower interest financing to pay off her window loan. Scott and Mindy also help Stephanie develop an expense tracking plan, debate whether or not whole life insurance is worth it, and put her in the driver’s seat to become a cash-flowing landlord only a few short years down the road! In This Episode We Cover The importance of tracking your expenses and why every dollar needs its place Good debt vs. bad debt and how to know whether or not an interest rate is too high HELOCs (home equity lines of credit) and using them to pay off bad debt Whole life insurance vs. term life insurance and which makes more sense for you Whether or not that bathroom upgrade will have a positive ROI Becoming a financial expert slowly through podcasts, books, and enjoyable education And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Home insurance isn’t the sexiest topic, but in the world of financial independence, predictability is quite an attractive trait to have. That’s why money nerds across the world value insurance as a natural hedge against catastrophic wealth-ending disasters. Whether you’re a homeowner, a renter, or a landlord, home insurance could help you rebuild quicker after the unexpected happens. Recently, a large fire broke out around the Denver, Colorado area, affecting families in Mindy’s home city of Longmont. Thankfully, Mindy and her family are safe, but many didn’t share the same fate. Hundreds of households were left without homes, while they watched their old neighborhoods turn to ashes and embers. This prompted Mindy to invite her good friend and insurance expert, Steve Longenecker, onto the show to discuss how you can financially protect your family when disaster strikes. Are you underinsured thanks to rising home prices? How much will your insurance company pay you if your home is destroyed? How are renters protected during natural disasters? And who should you contact to make a claim? All these questions (and more) are answered in today’s bonus episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast. In This Episode We Cover How home price appreciation greatly affects your insurance coverage Checking to make sure you’re not underinsured or overinsured “Binding restrictions” and how insurance companies use them during disasters Tips for homeowners on getting the most appropriate insurance policy for their needs Renters insurance and how renters can stay protected as well How to submit and process a claim with your insurance agent And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Death and finances can arguably be called the two things that people hate talking about most. Unfortunately, these are two topics that cannot be kept in the dark, as we all must deal with loss, both emotionally and financially over our lifetime. What can the average person do when they’ve just received the heartbreaking news that a loved one has died. Even worse, what if it’s their partner? This almost unimaginable shock came to Allison Nichol Longtin when her husband passed away six years into their marriage. Not only did Allison have to carry the emotional burden of losing her partner, but she also had to deal with the financial fallout of his death. She spent over a year carrying around a portfolio of papers, proving to numerous different entities that she indeed was the new owner of her husband’s accounts. Allison admittedly made some mistakes in not preparing for the unexpected, but she’s since then made a strong case that every couple should do what she overlooked. Today, Mindy and Allison go through the top steps that every couple (married or unmarried) should take in order to keep their financial burden as minimal as possible during an unexpected death. This was a very difficult episode to record (due to the subject matter at hand). We wholeheartedly thank Allison for coming on and giving advice that will benefit every couple listening to this episode. In This Episode We Cover How to prepare for the unexpected death of your spouse or partner The importance of creating a will and estate planning Why having joint bank accounts is an often overlooked financial failsafe Having a plan in place to share passwords and login information for financial accounts Defeating your money anxiety and becoming less avoidant about finances How to have a money date with yourself or your partner And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Can I retire yet?” If you’re today’s guest Jenn, then the short answer is a resounding “yes”. And if you aren’t Jenn, you’ll probably want to be in her position upon retirement. Jenn has a lot of income options: a military pension from her spouse, a great full-time income, real estate syndication cash flow, and a LOT of assets. Jenn’s net worth has reached the height of around $4 million, with more than a million alone in retirement accounts. If Jenn is so set, why is she coming on the Money Podcast to talk with Scott and Mindy? Well, Jenn has a pretty large amount of expenses: somewhere in the ballpark of nine thousand dollars a month. She wants to know if she has enough passive income and investable assets to continue living life the way that she sees fit. Her family will also be moving to Europe for the next year or so, making it even more crucial that she has enough to enjoy traveling. This show talks about some pretty high-level concepts specifically around real estate equity and syndications. Even if you’re not an accredited investor, this information will be worth its weight in gold to you as you scale your income and net worth. Soon, you could be in a position just like Jenn! In This Episode We Cover Military pensions and how to value them for retirement Spending less than you earn and joint vs. separate bank accounts for couples Building (and then selling off) a high-value real estate portfolio Investing in real estate syndications and the tax benefits that come with it How to avoid “one more year” syndrome when thinking about retirement Maximizing your portfolio’s income and calculating your return-on-time And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people assume wealth is built from a singular source, but the most successful people have multiple streams of income. 2020 was the year of the side hustle. People started to find ways to monetize their hobbies, create services, and capitalize on their talents. While some people are just now catching on, today’s guest, Jannese Torres-Rodriguez, was ahead of the curve. It all began with a food blog she started for fun that has turned into passive income for her $320,000 salary composed solely from her various “side hustles”. Before the start of her money journey, Jannese was on the traditional path to what most would consider the ideal type of success. She not only graduated from college but got her master's in pharmaceuticals and landed a job that led to her dream, a six-figure salary. Despite this, she was still unhappy and soon realized she was unaligned with the power of money. Over time, she made several lifestyle changes and started learning about financial independence. Using what she learned, Jannese finished paying off her $57,000 student loans and became debt-free in February of 2020. After 5+ years of accruing income from her food blog, Jannese discovered she could make her side hustles a full-time business and finally be fulfilled by the work she was doing. She began a podcast about financial independence that aims to help people of color learn more about financial freedom. She also does virtual workshops, digital courses, and brand partnerships as well as several other services that contribute to her salary. Jannese is a perfect example that you don’t have to give up what you love to make money, you just have to capitalize on it. In This Episode We Cover How to find financial independence, even if you’re in a lot of debt How to minimize excessive spending while still enjoying your money Becoming a full-time entrepreneur and managing the struggles of being self-employed Outsourcing work and its importance especially when you’re stretched thin Dealing with Imposter Syndrome and overcoming shyness The value of diversifying your income and why it’s becoming more popular Finding your niche target market, even if you don’t think you have one And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mindy may seem like a financial superhero to most listeners of the Money Podcast, but she’s nothing without her financial education inspiring partner, Carl Jensen. Carl is known quite well around the personal finance community as co-host of the Mile High FI podcast and writer over at 1500days.com. Carl and Mindy are just closing in on their twentieth anniversary, so there’s no better occasion to have them both on the show than right now! Surprisingly, Carl and Mindy didn’t talk about money for a significant time once they started dating. Mindy credits her faith in Carl’s money skills by how he acted more than how he spoke. Carl was driving around a used car, he lived in a house he inherited from his grandmother, and he used a coupon on their first date (smart move, Carl). Now as a financial and romantic powerhouse, they both share thoughts on prenuptial agreements, protecting your wealth, 401k investing, and questions to ask a potential partner. Whether you’re single, dating, married, or a money-hoarding hermit, this episode sheds light on twenty years worth of money lessons learned so you can live a happier, more FI-focused life! In This Episode We Cover When a prenup is worth having and whether or not it will protect your wealth The telltale “context clues” of dating someone who has a frugal mindset Frontloading your retirement accounts so you can build wealth faster The importance of tracking your expenses and regularly updating your FI number Margin loans and getting low-interest debt on your stock portfolio When to start talking about money with a potential partner And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Building wealth takes decades with some serious hard work and many, many mistakes along the way. The problem? Most financial independence chasers see themselves as having to be perfectionists. Every investment must be perfect, every dollar spent housed within a budget, and at no time can money become something fun or playful. Joe Saul-Sehy and Emily Guy Birken rightfully see this type of “serious money attitude” as a mistake that should be avoided at all costs. Every financial guru, expert, or leader in the field has made money mistakes, stressed about money, and finally overcame to accomplish greatness. This is exactly what Joe and Emily want you to accomplish through their new book Stacked: Your Super-Serious Guide to Modern Money Management. Joe and Emily threw out the old-fashioned mentality about money having to be a serious subject. Instead, they littered their new book with humorous anecdotes, financial innuendo, and lessons that will allow you, your child, your spouse, or your best friend to succeed. If you’re tired of stressing about money and want to start stacking it instead, preorder the new book today! In This Episode We Cover Why most personal finance books tend to miss the mark on being entertaining and informative Risk management and how it goes far beyond simply buying insurance The importance of having a financial plan in place NOW before disaster strikes 401ks vs. Roth IRAs and the future tax implications of retirement accounts Tax brackets and the simplicity of calculating yours Why Joe needed to “fire” his own mother from working on his book And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stocks vs. real estate is a regular feud among many financially savvy forums on the internet. While some investors love the passive aspect of stocks, other investors love the tax savings and flexibility of real estate. Regardless of your preferred asset, it’s better to stick your hard-earned money in something that makes money for you, instead of spending it or letting it sit. Our guest today, Madison, is having trouble deciding which asset class she and her husband are best suited for. They have high-income jobs, a great net worth for their age, and just moved from the expensive San Francisco Bay Area to far more reasonable Texas. They’ll have a lot more money to stash away without the high rent, gas prices, or child care they had in California. But neither Madison nor her husband have plans to retire early, so should they even plan for early retirement? Scott and Mindy walk Madison through her multiple different investing options, along with giving her the structure to formulate a three, five, and ten-year plan for wealth building and financial freedom. We may hear back from Madison very soon on the progress she’s made! In This Episode We Cover Why relocating to another state can be a massive savings lever Understanding when you want to retire and how your assets play a part in retirement Putting in your “500 hours” to any asset you truly have an interest in Turning your primary residence into a rental property after you upgrade Stock investing vs. real estate and the pros and cons of both Reducing your spending so you can save (and invest) much more And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices