How to Money

Your birthday comes around every year- and you never forget because it’s something that you look forward to! But we’d argue that there are certain financial tasks that we should also revisit at least once a year, but we’re less than enthusiastic about knocking them out. This neglect is compounded by the fact that our finances have gotten more complicated than ever. You likely have accounts everywhere: you might have multiple 401ks, savings accounts, credit cards- it might feel like there’s too much going on as you juggle more logins than you can keep up with. Now these are tasks that don’t need to become ongoing obligations, but we do think they will help you make your personal finances more manageable. Whether it’s something as straightforward and practical as making some tweaks to your budget or if it’s the beginning of a season of reevaluating your life goals, we have a number of tasks that will allow you to spring clean your finances. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a classic: Saison Dupont by Brasserie Dupont! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it mean to be rich? I think very few folks feel rich, even if they are doing really well for themselves. And oftentimes that’s due to the hedonic treadmill as we’re constantly moving the goalposts as to what it is that we think will make us happy. Most folks rarely feel like they simply have enough. But guess what- a lot of folks would be surprised to find themselves in the top 10% of earners in the US. And when you make a lot of money, or at least hope to, it takes a different approach to how you should handle your finances. That’s why we’re excited to be joined by Rachael Camp, owner of Camp Wealth, who is on a mission to help her clients build and preserve their wealth. As a Certified Financial Planner, Rachael not only knows the right moves to make with her money, but she’s actually doing it- she’s designed a financial life that allows her to prioritize the things that are important to her like a matcha tea ritual and snowboarding, by minimizing other expenses, all while advising clients who make upwards of seven figures. Listen as we discuss Rachael’s history with the FIRE movement, delayed gratification, financial mistakes of higher earners, and much more! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed an All Citra Everything by Other Half Brewing. Please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s dive into the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Should I execute a Roth conversion during a sabbatical year from work? 2 - How do I remedy an out of control car loan that’s worth less than what I owe? 3 - Do y’all think I can withdraw more than what the 4% rule says is safe? 4 - Can I use HSA funds to pay for healthcare premiums? 5 - Is it time to use a 0% balance transfer card to get us out of some unexpected debt? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Hop Showers by Other Half Brewing! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: tips for raging against the machine, pervasive shrinkflation, dupe destinations, a case for timeshares, part time retirement, easiest way to save, 401k leakage, MVNOs to save, the best dating advice, & attractive CDs. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Think about any great relationship that you have- whether that’s with your partner, a friend, or even a boss. In each of those examples, there’s a really good chance that you’re both really good at talking and relating to one another. At the core of any healthy relationship is the ability to feel heard and understood, and that’s why communicating is so important! That’s why we’re pumped to be joined by Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author known for his profound insights into productivity, habit formation, and the science of success. Charles is the author of the new book Supercommunicators, where he explores everything from how marriage counselors teach couples to hear what goes unsaid, to how NASA psychologists look for astronauts who are emotionally intelligent. Deep, meaningful connection to others is vital to living a fulfilling life, but practically speaking, it’s also really important when it comes to discussing money with a partner, which is just one of the many topics we discuss today. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Triple Mosaic Daydream by Other Half Brewing. Please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s dive into the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Is it better to rent or sell my home when the time comes to move? 2 - Do I have to pay old credit card debt that I have with Capital One? 3 - Frugal or cheap: bringing my own food for my kid when we go to a restaurant? 4 - What’s so bad about buy now pay later if I have the money on hand to make the payments? 5 - Who should I turn to for affordable home security? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a saison – Burden In My Hand by Piedmont Brewery! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: personalized retirement plans on the rise, armchair stock picking, Disney/Hulu/ESPN+ password sharing crackdown, “I’m great but everything is terrible”, are you rich?, money stress, payday lending on steroids, unethical Costco customers, you’re going to want uninsured motorist coverage, and reward redemption restraints. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The job market is HOT right now! Unemployment is basically at all time lows sitting at 3.7% with a surprising 353,000 jobs added last month. But that doesn’t mean everyone is happy with their jobs- a recent poll showed that about 60% of workers were planning to leave their jobs by the end of the year! And regardless if it’s because they’re not getting paid enough, or because the work isn’t a good fit, we’re excited to be joined by career coach Eliana Goldstein. She brings a deep understanding of both the personal and professional challenges individuals face in their careers. Eliana works to empower her clients to discover their true potential, guiding them through personalized strategies to achieve their career goals. Today we discuss the red flags that signal it’s time to start looking for a new job, how frequently you should consider job hopping, THE number one source for finding a new job, a few answers you should always be prepared to answer during an interview, the best ways to make yourself visible when working from home, and much more! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Boat Drinks Volume 7 by Piedmont Brewery. Please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s dive into the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - How do I know if my portfolio leans too conservative? 2 - Frugal or Cheap… what’s the best way to teach my students the difference between the two? 3 - I’m behind when it comes to investing so should I borrow money in order to jumpstart my retirement? 4 - What’s the best affordable cell phone that won’t break in 2 years? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a tart saison – This Is The Day by Piedmont Brewery! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: best sources for discounted travel, credit win for renters, interest rates x home prices, fake free filing, garbage furniture, second guessing your spending, teen jobs, another WFH tradeoff, employee compensation, & employee stock purchase plans. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s episode is all about getting out of debt as we talk with our new friend George Kamel! And it’s a good time to have this discussion as well since consumer debt, in particular credit card debt, has been on a tear over the past several years- we’re over the $1 trillion mark folks! And we’re lucky to be joined by George because not only has he personally climbed from a negative net worth himself, but he’s also a personal finance expert at Ramsey Solutions! George co-hosts the Ramsey Show as well as the Smart Money Happy Hour podcast in addition to over 16 million views on his YouTube channel. And to prove that he knows how to rock more than a microphone, George has a new book “Breaking Free From Broke” that came out earlier this month. We’re excited to get to know George and his story, how he got started at Ramsey, the normalization of debt, keeping tabs on lifestyle creep, his biggest wealth hack, and plenty more during this episode. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And we actually recorded this episode early in the morning, so no beers today! Please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s dive into the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - As I’m mapping out my financial future, what kind of returns should I expect from the stock market? 2 - Do I actually need life insurance if I don’t have a partner or kids? 3 - Should I pay off a debt or invest that money if the rate of return is the same on both? 4 - Is day trading a career choice that I should consider? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Color Decay by Piedmont Brewery! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: 1% Robinhood match with no caps, investing at all-time highs, active vs passive investing, more income ≠ more happiness, ‘new’ collar jobs, loud budgeting, $125 envelopes, rampant financial infidelity, employer student loan benefits, and bad bank behavior. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most folks have no problem spending their money. I hate to say it, but shopping is basically an American pastime! It certainly drives production as data shows that consumption is responsible for ⅔ of our economy. But not everyone indulges in retail therapy- hopefully the majority of listeners to the podcast are less likely to mindlessly spend. And there’s a certain subset of folks who actually struggle with the opposite problem: they mindlessly save. We frequently discuss Financial Independence Retire Early, and we’re excited to be joined by a recovering member of the FIRE movement, Gwen Merz. Gwen has been a part of the community for years. She’s the creator behind the blog Fiery Millennials and was recently featured in multiple Business Insider articles. And now she’s working on a book documenting her FIRE journey!- here’s a quote from her book proposal: “Supersavers will improve the quality of their lives by shedding maladaptive behaviors and emotions…”. It turns out that the habits that lead to more savings and investments, may not be the same ones that lead to happy and fulfilling lives. Listen as we discuss Gwen’s introduction to FIRE, how far she pushed her savings rate, a failed attempt at investing in real estate, her spending experiments, and more! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Georgia On My Mind Wholesome Wave Collab by Piedmont Brewery! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s dive into the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - How should we tackle our HELOC after getting laid off? 2 - What are the best credit cards to consider for our honeymoon? 3 - If we don’t plan to stay in our new condo for the next 30 years, does it still make sense to make extra payments? 4 - Are 529 accounts the best way to save for my kids? 5 - Is it frugal or cheap to buy a used Tesla from a car rental agency? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Nelson No. 3 by Piedmont Brewery! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: canceling Peacock & Prime, career cushioning, earning more in-person, AI in the warehouse club, no bait and switch car lots, selling 1k pounds of stuff, pushing back on lifestyle creep, overdraft fee elimination, and unnecessary title insurance. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over here at How To Money, we’ve experienced a lot of life over the years and typically the way the podcast works is that we share our firsthand account of something personal finance related. Save up 3-6 months of living expenses for an emergency fund? Of course. Investing in real estate and becoming a landlord? We’ve achieved that many times over. Pursuing entrepreneurship by scaling a podcasting sidegig into a full-fledged business? You’re listening to it! But when it comes to going on a cruise, we’re total noobs! Neither of us have ever been on a cruise before, and so we figured it made sense to bring on a pro. We’re joined by Ilana from Life Well Cruised which is a cruise and travel blog, and she also has a YouTube channel where she has around 45 million views, which is incredible! But it shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the helpful content she’s publishing over there. Ilana shares why she loves cruising so much, how to get the best deal during wave season, the difference between some of the major cruise lines, excursions, choosing a room, sea sickness, and plenty more! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Last Will and Testament by Monday Night Brewing- a big thanks to Ryan for sharing this one with us! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s dive into the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - What’s the point of sticking money in a Health Savings Account? 2 - Does it make sense to lease a car since I’m so dependent on my vehicle for work? 3 - Should I consider small cap value funds in order to maximize investment returns? 4 - Am I too well off to snag free items from a Buy Nothing group? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Sundog by Monday Night Brewing- a big thanks to Ryan for donating this one to the pod! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: BTC for the masses, blending work and life, what are you optimizing for, a slowing job market, WFH fairness, Roth 401k revamp, IRA matches, MrBeast’s debt dystopia, do-or-die insurance ordeals, & keeping lifestyle creep at bay. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our brains are hardwired to relentlessly believe that we don’t have enough. Michael Easter, our guest today, calls it the scarcity brain which is also the name of his recent book. And even though we know it’s definition, scarcity is likely a concept that few folks listening to this podcast have much experience with. At least in our modern age, we have enough food, shelter, and clothing on hand that the vast majority of folks haven’t felt the true impacts of real scarcity. In fact most of us have plenty of the things needed for survival, plus the countless cardboard boxes of stuff that we’re duped into purchasing on a whim. So why spend an episode talking about a shortage of resources? Well it’s because problems arise when our minds are programmed to operate in a world of scarcity, but in reality we’re living in an age of abundance. Michael has traveled the world, he’s observed tribes in the jungles of Bolivia, studied addiction in bombed out hotels in Baghdad, and spoken with the top researchers of psychology in order to understand the mind and how we form good and bad habits. We discuss the scarcity loop, gambling addiction, our incessant buying of stuff, gamification, and more during today’s episode! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Nelson Double IPA by Ever Grain Brewing- a big thanks to Rhiannah for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s dive into the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Does it make sense to buy a house with 5% down to avoid paying rent? 2 - What financial tasks should I cross off the list for my 18 year old daughter? 3 - The Rule of 55 allows me to tap a 401k early, but do 401k rollovers also qualify? 4 - How can a small business start offering retirement benefits on the cheap? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Violent Green by Ever Grain Brewing- a big thanks to Rhiannah for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: pennies and coinstar gift cards, fat 401k accounts and the wealth effect, 2024 is the year for student loans, 529 flexin, Christmas returns, new year new gadgets, leasing used cars, BNPL IRL, & whether ARMs are the answer. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No matter how much dough you're raking in, there's always the chance you'll blow it all and end up at the month's finish line with a barren bank account. Studies show that 45% of folks who are high-wage earners, so we’re talking about individuals making more than $100,000 annually, that they’re living paycheck to paycheck as well! Sure, some financial situations could be solved with a higher income, but more often than not, we are the problem. We’re our own worst enemies as we move the goalposts of what we think will make of happy, and continue to buy ridiculous amounts of stuff! And that’s why we’re excited to be speaking with our friend Liz Chai, author of “How To Buy Essentially Nothing For A Year” where she chronicles the personal challenge that has grown into a larger movement. We discuss Liz’s history with collectibles, why she recommends taking the hardcore path, the many benefits of buying less stuff, getting reluctant partners on board, and more! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Dead On DIPA by Hidden River- a big thanks to Rhiannah for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s dive into the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - What is velocity banking and should it be something I consider doing? 2 - Are index funds too risky as my net worth has grown? 3 - Should I take advantage of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan as I consider saving for retirement? 4 - How do I get out of a car lease? 5 - Does it make sense to use a digital platform like GoHenry to teach my kids how to handle their money? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Remain Restless by Hidden River Brewing- a big thanks to Rhiannah for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enjoy a recent convo Joel had with Paco de Leon over at the Weird Finance podcast as they discuss how investing in relationships impacts your finances! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some folks will swear that taking a nap is bad for you. “It’ll throw off your circadian rhythm!” or “You’re being lazy- maybe it’s time to be more productive with your time!”. And of course, like many things in life, you could take it too far. For instance taking a nap while your friends are visiting or climbing in bed for 3 hours in the middle of the day will likely lead to poor outcomes- there will be negative downstream effects. But the reality is that a well-timed nap can bring a lot of benefits for many folks- it can boost your memory, increase your job performance, and ease your stress levels. Well, in the same way that naps are misunderstood, so is debt. Indiscriminate use of naps or debt could easily create a mess. But the strategic use of debt is an incredibly nuanced topic that we’re venturing into. Today we discuss how you can determine if you’re using debt strategically by looking at your finances holistically, how folks use debt as a crutch, why it’s important to understand opportunity cost, evaluating your own personal debt tolerance, and much more! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Milk and Cookies by Wicked Weed! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Think about the last novel you read that included a dangerous quest. If it’s a fantasy like the Hobbit, there might be giant spiders, goblins, and dragons- but in the end, it’s worth it because of the unfathomable treasure and riches that await them. The thing is, when we’re talking about investing in single stocks, the chance that this perilous journey ends up with a happy ending is much less likely, but folks continue along in their quest. Why? Maybe it’s because of the sophisticated tools that we have at our fingertips, or because it’s more accessible than ever with apps like Robinhood where you can buy and sell for free, or maybe you just think you’re smarter than everyone else. And sure you’ve heard of individuals who have crushed it by investing with a company like Tesla, but we’re still not fans of this type of approach. So in this episode we tackle some of the most common arguments advocating for investing in single stocks, why we ultimately disagree, and how you should invest your money instead. Single stock investing is unnecessary and can often be problematic. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a classic: Trappistes Rochefort 10 by Brasserie de Rochefort! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You know you can’t believe everything that you read on the web, right?! There are all sorts of myths, half truths, and straight up lies that can not only make us look foolish were we to believe them, but they can also separate us from our hard earned money and cause us financial harm. And it turns out there are a number of myths that pervade how many think about their credit scores. Some of this confusion has to do with the fact that different lenders reference different scoring models, so it’s tough to know exactly what is going on underneath the hood. But in addition to that there is flat out wrong information floating around that has an impact on how we view these mysterious three digit numbers- our credit scores. Listen as we tackle some popular credit score myths head on, and explain what you actually need to do in order to maintain a healthy credit score. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Hello World! by Spyglass Brewing - a big thanks to Gary for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: Home Grown Comfy Chicken, leaning into divergent spending, asking for rent concessions, boarding house startup, comfy cash, abandoning the internet, boutique fitness bankruptcies, resale resurgence, affordable prescription drugs, & geographic arbitrage for kids! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you a neat freak, or do you prefer to simply wing it? Here’s a thought exercise: How would you feel if your partner said, “We’re going to The Container Store!”? If you’ve never been before, it’s pretty self-explanatory; basically, a retailer dedicated to organizing everything from Christmas decorations to tools in the garage and shoes in the closet. But last I checked, they didn’t have anything specific to organize your personal finances. That’s why we're lucky enough to be joined by the woman behind The Organized Money, Alaina Fingal. The Organized Money is an incredible resource – it’s a site, a blog, and Alaina creates a ton of videos on YouTube where she has nearly 200,000 subscribers. Her goal is to help folks build wealth by organizing their money. As a certified financial coach and author, Alaina is on a mission to help folks find financial peace by utilizing different systems that work for them. We discuss how Alaina developed her organizational prowess, going with analog strategies to help you stay on target, how her weekly meeting keeps her from busting her budget, organizing your time, and much more during today’s episode. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Missile Toad by Ever Grain Brewing – a big thanks to Rhiannah for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends outSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a year that could be dominated by headlines of derailed trains, wildfires, and global conflicts, we think it’s important to focus on some of the good things that happened this year – and we’re not just talking about The Eras Tour! Not only do we share our financial wins from this year, but a massive number of How To Money listeners have been able to make significant strides with their own money. We love creating this episode, hearing what y’all have been able to accomplish, and sharing it with your fellow listeners. We hope that it’s as inspiring and motivating to y’all as it is to us! Listeners were able to do everything from negotiating hospital bills, to pivoting careers in order to drop commutes, to maxing out IRAs, to buying new homes, to launching new businesses… we could go on. Hopefully we can all learn something from each other today and we’re also hoping that this episode might be the spark for some epic 2024 money wins. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Chronic Happiness by Frog Rock Brewery- a big thanks to Joe for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: a $700 million contract, deadly debt, housing crash hopes, irritating institutional investors, meager housing supply, stock market predictions, the expensive “American Dream”, & entrepreneurship to build wealth. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To everyone who has decided to ‘take a break’ from your Zillow or Redfin apps: we applaud you! Whether you did it to cut back on your screen time, or simply because of sheer frustration as you’ve sensed that something was broken in the housing market, home affordability seems to be at all time lows. As you scroll through listings, there's this dark cloud of overwhelm, courtesy of the real estate starship we find ourselves strapped to. And even if prices taper off some- how are folks going to handle their mortgage payments considering where rates are sitting? There are a lot of big unknowns when it comes to the largest financial decision that many of us will make, but luckily, we’re joined by Lance Lambert. Lance is the nation's foremost data journalist and beat reporter in the residential real estate space. He’s been the real estate editor over at Fortune Magazine, and he’s recently launched ResiClub to help folks to stay informed on the US housing market. We discuss why home affordability has deteriorated so quickly, specific cities that will continue to see prices increase, key indicators to help you know where your market is headed, the most important consideration before you buy a home, and much more! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Juice Lovers by Other Half Brewing- a big thanks to Jason for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s dive into the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - We’re planning to have a baby! How do we financially prepare and what other advice do you have for us? 2 - Should I sell my home in California and move to Arizona? 3 - How aggressively should I invest within my new daughter’s 529 college savings plan? 4 - My son starts at his first job this weekend – how can I encourage him to invest a portion of his paycheck? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed an Austell La Vista Mexican Lager by Frog Rock Brewery- a big thanks to Joe for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: Disney+ with ads, affordable Christmas lights, EV apathy, the best time to buy an EV, drill baby drill, green tax credits, penalties on tax estimate shortfalls, at fault inflation, gifting appreciated securities, curated tchotchkes, & financial literacy 101. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don’t believe long-term tax planning is crucial? Here’s a new way to think about it: picture having a slow leak in one of your tires. Well if you just noticed your tire looking a bit flat, then of course head to Costco for some free air, get that tire back up to pressure, and move on with your day – it's a quick and effective short-term solution. But also keep in mind that you’ll have to eventually figure out a permanent solution, whether it’s a plug or a new tire that’ll last you for years. You could keep kicking the can down the road and opt for the quick top-off, but eventually that shortsighted fix will cost you more in wasted time than addressing the problem at hand properly. Similarly, if you’re only looking for ways that you can pay as little tax as possible for this year alone, then you’re missing the forest for the trees. We’re pumped to be talking with our friend Sean Mullaney about minimizing tax liabilities on the podcast today. Sean, a fiduciary financial advisor who writes at FITaxGuy.com, will be delving into both year-end moves and longer-term tax strategies, discussing when he prefers traditional over Roth, upcoming changes to 401k accounts, the best retirement accounts for solopreneurs, and much more! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Petit MC by Monday Night Brewing – a big thanks to Ryan for donating this one to the pod! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out! The discussion is intended to be for general educational purposes and is not tax, legal, or investment advice for any individual. Joel, Matt, and the How to Money podcast do not endorse Sean Mullaney, Mullaney Financial & Tax, Inc. and their services. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s dive into the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - What is the best high yield business account that also pays the highest rate of interest? 2 - How can I use a financial calculator to project my finances if I have a variable income? 3 - As rental property owners, what are your favorite ways to find and screen tenants? 4 - Should I pause my retirement investing in order to more quickly save up a home down payment? 5 - I’m sick of giving folks meaningless stuff around the holidays. Ideas for incorporating nontraditional gifts? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Green Flowers by Other Half Brewing- a big thanks to Jason for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: Spotify wrapped gratitude, good IRS news for gig workers, happiness ain’t cheap, formerly FIRE, bougie babies, fast food inflation, a tipping game plan, avoiding airfare fees, & student loans aren’t a foregone conclusion. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we're diving into the dollar-saving-world of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as the FAFSA (which has seen some significant changes this year). Other than the cost of a hospital visit, nothing has skyrocketed in price like college tuition and fees over the past 20 years. You think your house or your new car is crazy expensive? Nope, just wait until your kid starts looking at colleges- that’s when the real sticker shock kicks in! And that’s why we’re excited to be joined by Tina Steele who is known as The FAFSA Guru. Tina is an expert when it comes to financial aid- she has decades of experience whether she was directly working for different public and private universities, leading a statewide initiative in Maine helping disadvantaged students to pursue college, or creating incredibly valuable videos for her YouTube channel. Today we discuss the critical changes to the FAFSA, who those changes helped and who they hurt, costly mistakes that divorced parents make, the best strategy for appealing a financial aid offer, and other tactics for curbing college costs. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Blue Crab Special Reserve by Other Half Brewing- a big thanks to Jason for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - With Mint shutting down, do y’all have any recommendations for new budgeting software? 2 - Should I convert my primary residence into an investment property as I’m moving out of town? 3 - As a contract worker, what are the benefits of opening a solo 401k in order to achieve my investing goals? 4 - How much should I spend on a new car and what’s a good strategy for saving up for it? 5 - Is it worth switching banks for an extra 1% in interest? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Green City by Other Half Brewing- a big thanks to Jason for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: two years of flying for free, Black Friday flaws, return policies and travel deals, Hyundai “Add to Cart”, commuting alternatives, micromobility and the wrong EVs, sports betting infecting college students, easier to compare financial aid offers, overpriced cell phone plans, inflated insurance, 401k fails & hardship withdrawals. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here on the podcast we're always on the lookout for the biggest bang for our buck. Picture this: you, in the grocery store aisle, pondering the cosmic significance of toilet paper prices and whether the fancy stuff is going to be worth it! Or maybe you’re weighing a couple job offers: you're not just negotiating salary, you're out there considering the 401k match, turning job hunting into a strategic sport! We're all about optimizing our lives for maximum value, but are we extending this same strategic approach to the dollars we give to charity? Maybe... or maybe not! That's why we've roped in the philanthropic virtuoso, Elie Hassenfeld, co-founder of GiveWell, a nonprofit committed to finding charities that perform life-saving and life-improving work without breaking the bank. It’s financial optimization meets world-saving wisdom. Listen as we discuss the founding of GiveWell, the ways some charities have fallen short, SBF and his impact on effective altruism, Elie’s rule of thumbs for how much to give, if it’s OK to give locally even if it doesn’t have the biggest impact, and plenty more! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Chonk-ibal by Other Half Brewing- a big thanks to Jason for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - Is tax loss harvesting more trouble than it’s worth or am I missing something? 2 - Should I take out a HELOC on my mobile home that has experienced a tremendous amount of growth in equity? 3 - How can I help a family member who has struggled with medical debt to regain their financial footing? 4 - Is opening a 529 account at my local credit union a good idea? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Broccoli by Other Half Brewing- a big thanks to Jason for sending this one our way! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: why NOW is the time to apply for a Southwest Rapid Rewards card, chasing the market, actually investing your HSA dollars, ADU financing options, free refinances on the horizon, slippery slope of credit card use, ridiculous Ramsey rants, stalling on Social Security, Vanguard passing on BTC, & higher standard deductions! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hold on to your holiday hats because Americans are gearing up to break the spending records this holiday season! Deloitte reports an expected 14% increase in spending compared to last year, with the average consumer spending just over $1,600 on gifts and goodies. We’re entering peak shopping season and who doesn’t want to make sure they’re getting the absolute best deal possible?! That’s why we’re excited to be speaking with Julie Ramhold who is a consumer and senior staff writer for DealNews. With nearly a decade of deal-hunting expertise, Julie ensures we all part with as little cash as possible while still getting the stuff we want. Listen as we discuss the secrets of price matching, unveil the items to steer clear of, explore the world of refurbished products, dive into Julie's gift card wisdom, and much more in today's episode! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Hazy Dry Hopped Sunset With Yuzu Fruit by Tumbleroot Brewery- a big thanks to Bob for donating this one to the pod! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - How do I go about creating a budget with a highly variable income? 2 - As new parents we want to start saving money into a 529 plan but how much should we aim to invest? 3 - Avoiding capital gains when selling a primary residence? 4 - Should most folks have long term disability insurance? 5 - Taking advantage of “3 paycheck months”! Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Malpais Stout by La Cumbre Brewing- a big thanks to Bob for donating this one to the pod! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: the most affordable eyeglasses around, pressure to go paperless, learning from buyers remorse, the shopping social network, #dupe, BNPL for travel?, the rise of Apple Pay Later, 8 figures needed for financial freedom?, the subprime tax, a priceless privacy app, & holiday shopping stats. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aside from the fact that cryptocurrency has lost its luster in recent years, it also has a host of other problems. First of all there’s the climate issue since crypto requires a ton of energy. Then there’s the trust issue because without trust you don’t have widespread adoption and what good is crypto if there isn’t a critical mass of users? And then on top of that you add the recent developments of Sam Bankman-Fried’s conviction of stealing billions of dollars from customers at FTX. Knowing that money laundering and wire fraud were being committed… that doesn’t build trust! Every transaction seems like a scam waiting to happen, and few folks know this better than our guest Zeke Faux. We’re lucky to be joined by Zeke as he has documented the rise and fall of crypto over the past few years in his new book Number Go Up, which took him everywhere from El Salvador, to Cambodia, and ultimately SBF’s penthouse in the Bahamas. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Desert Fog by Marble Brewery- a big thanks to Bob for donating this one to the pod! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re kicking off the week by answering your listener questions! And if you have a question that you’d like for us to answer on the show, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask , send us your voice memo. Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it! 1 - What are the tax consequences of selling a single stock within my Roth IRA? 2 - How do I shift my mindset from saver to spender as I enter my retirement years? 3 - I’m getting close to making too much money to qualify for a Roth- how can I avoid that income threshold? 4 - Will closing a bank account that I’ve had since my teenage years hurt my credit score? 5 - Are Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) worth the hassle? Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. During this episode we enjoyed a Blood Orange Double Wit by Ponderosa Brewing- a big thanks to Bob for donating this one to the pod! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: higher 401k and IRA contribution limits, the eternal war against consumption, financially fasting, pumping the brakes on credit limit increases, top tier gas, when to splurge for ethanol free gas, airfare hacks leading you astray, higher credit scores and higher levels of debt, credit freeze failures, realtor fees revolution, legacy banks making bank, & bad news for budgeters. Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend! Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.