Radical Personal Finance

Friday Q&A today! We cover: How can I protect myself from the risk of disability without getting disability insurance? How can I make sure that future, unknown risks are adequately covered today? What financing option should I use to buy a piece of land? Will my credit score be messed up by shopping for a mortgage? How can I adjust content for different audiences? I'd love to have you call in next week! Details here: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron Joshua

This is the audio recording of an essay published in the Fall of 1993 in The Public Interest magazine. The essay is titled: "A Nation of Cowards" by Jeffrey Snyder. You can access a text version of this essay here: http://rkba.org/comment/cowards.html I'm publishing this essay for you as a thought-provoking defense of the morality of your being well-armed. In today's political climate where critics are drawing a moral equivalence between mass murderers and an average armed citizen, I think this moral defense is warranted. The facts and names of the essay are dated. The arguments are not. As you consider this essay with 25 years of hindsight, do some research into how well the arguments have weathered the test of time. Joshua

The tagline of RPF is "...living a rich life now..." But it's hard to LIVE a rich life if you're dead. So I'd like to help you--and others--have a higher potential of staying alive. I have looked and looked for practical responses to the recent school shooting and have found very few. This is my best effort to help you with some practical solutions to the problem. I did my best in today's show to keep it free of politics and free of guns. (To be fair, I think it's best to say it's politics-lite and gun-lite.) Give it a listen. Even if you are frustrated by the current gun debate, I think you'll find some useful, practical ideas to help you defend your own life and the lives of others--even in a non-permissive environment. Joshua Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

As a--ahem--more practical follow-up to yesterday, here is my advice for a listener on how to buy a used car. Joshua Please support RPF on Patreon: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

Flipping through my feed and I cannot believe what you just did. You idiot! Joshua Please support RPF on Patreon: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

"The philosopher Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king. Said Aristippus, 'If you would learn to be subservient to the king, you would not have to live on lentils.' Said Diogenes, 'Learn to live on lentils, and you will not have to be subservient to the king.' " – from "The Song of the Bird" by Anthony de Mello Please support RPF on Patreon: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

Today we answer this question: "I have accumulated $6,000 in credit card debt from a period of unemployment; should I use some of the $10,000 I have in my 401(k) to pay it off?" Enjoy, Joshua Please support the show: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

If you want happy-go-lucky, unicorns-and-balloons-in-the-sky Joshua, skip today's show. If you want angry Joshua to opine on his disgust with the US American politicians' lack of fiscal restraint and the long-term catastrophe that is the US American budget, then you'll enjoy today's show. Enjoy. Joshua David Stockman: The Night of Fiscal Infamy http://davidstockmanscontracorner.com/the-night-of-fiscal-infamy/ Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Obama Definitely Was Not the Biggest Spender of All https://danieljmitchell.wordpress.com/2017/10/16/mirror-mirror-on-the-wall-obama-definitely-was-not-the-biggest-spender-of-all/

Love isn't primarily a feeling. Love is an action. Love does. You can show love with money in many ways, but a massively powerful way is by giving. Here are some ideas and thoughts to encourage you to build more love in your life by giving more. Joshua

I thought you might be interested in some behind-the-scenes discussion of how we recently bought our rig for an intended full-timing RV trip around the USA this summer. We did some things well and made some big mistakes. I hope you learn from both! Joshua

Mrs. RPF and I are excited to announce some of our plans for a nation-wide tour during 2018. Details in the show! Joshua

In today's show I'm going to teach you one simple technique that will help you get more stuff for free. Try it and see! Joshua Please support Radical Personal Finance on Patreon! www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

Feeding yourself (and especially children!) on the road can utterly destroy your budget. Here are some tips and tricks I've learned that will be helpful to you. Joshua Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron https://cheftessbakeresse.blogspot.com/

This is an essay that has been deeply influential on my life. I hope you find it insightful and thought-provoking. "Isaiah's Job" by Albert Jay Nock was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1936. The written text of the document may be found here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/radicalpersonalfinance/Isaiahs_Job_by_Albert_Jay_Nock.pdf Joshua

Money is important. But it's not #1. Joshua On the Importance of Putting First Things First by JD Roth Support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Social Peer Pressure is significant. And it affects most of us with regard to our spending. Here are three strategies I think through when considering how to combat it. Joshua Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

It's Friday! That means we do live Q&A. Today: Should I Front-Load my 401(k) Contributions? Should I Fire My Financial Advisor For Lack of Value? Enjoy! Joshua If you'd like to join for a future Q&A show, please sign up here: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Your financial tracking system is there to serve you. Make sure it's serving you effectively. Here's how! Joshua p.s., I use YNAB. Sign up for a free trial here: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/YNAB Also please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

One of the simplest and most effective tools you can employ to help you save money on the things you buy is a price book. In today's show, I share with you what a price book is, how to use it, and some tips and tricks to turbocharge your results. Enjoy, Joshua Please support RPF on Patreon! www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

It's Friday! That means Q&A time. Today we cover: Should I Use my 401(k) Money to Invest in Real Estate with a Self-Directed IRA What Questions Could a Client Ask their Financial Advisor for a More Productive Relationship Do I Risk the Wrath of the IRS by Moving From Sole Proprietor to S-Corp When Is the Right Time to Hire a Tax Accountant Instead of Doing it Myself? If you'd like to join for a future Q&A show, sign up here: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron Joshua

Today: Which expenses matter the most? The value of variable expenses instead of fixed expenses. The importance of developing skill and resilience. Joshua Please support RPF on Patreon: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

You need to know. Joshua www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/YNAB www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com.patron

Today we cover the three basic methods to save money: Buy it cheaper Make it last longer Use it less Any one of these strategies is useful. But the real power comes when you implement all three of them. Listen to the show to understand why! Joshua The examples in today's show come from the peerless frugality book "The Complete Tightwad Gazette: Promoting Thrift as a Viable Alternative Lifestyle" by Amy Dacyczyn. Start tracking your money with YNAB: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/YNAB

It's Friday! And it's time for Q&A. Today we cover: Should I Move From My Apartment and Buy a House in the Suburbs How do I Set Up a Solo 401(k) So I Can do a Mega Backdoor Roth IRA Should I Work as a 1099 Contractor or a W2 Employee If you'd like to join for a future Q&A show, sign up here: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/Patron Joshua

Here's today's end-of-year wrapup for 2017! Joshua's thoughts on tax reform... ...and bitcoin... ...and your financial tracking systems for 2018... ...and a good year-end cleanse... oh, and Merry Christmas! Talk to you next year, Joshua

(My interview starts at 7:30 into the show.) I recently gave an interview to the Complete Privacy and Security Podcast on the topic of financial privacy. I think it was a really good interview. This interview was originally published on December 8, 2017 here: https://operational-security.com/cps-podcast-e058-financial-privacy-security/ -- SHOW NOTES INTRO Motherboard Guide to Not Getting Hacked MAIN TOPIC Joshua Sheats of Radical Personal Finance joins us to discuss: – Why being financially stable (and ideally independent) is an important component of personal privacy – Joshua's Stages of Financial Independence, and what each of them means: Stage 0: Financial Dependence Stage 1: Financial Solvency Stage 2: Financial Stability Stage 3: Debt Freedom Stage 4: Financial Security Stage 5: Financial Independence Stage 6: Financial Freedom Stage 7: Financial Abundance – How to pick make an accountant or financial planner who respects your financial privacy & security – Episode 459 of Radical Personal Finance: Don't Trust Your Financial Advisor! – How trusts and LLCs can impact your finances and privacy – How much cash you should have on hand and where you should store your emergency fund – Episode 481 of Radical Personal Finance: Where Should I Keep My Emergency Fund? – Which precious metals you can sell in any amount without reporting the sale to the IRS – Joshua's thoughts on investing in precious metals, Bitcoin, and other alternative assets – What you need to do right now to begin achieving financial independence Be sure to check out Radical Personal Finance – it's one of my favorite podcasts! OFFENSE/DEFENSE No Offense/Defense this week. LISTENER QUESTIONS 1. How secure and/or private is Paypal.com? Do you recommend using Paypal? 2. If my bank doesn't offer two factor authentication, what else can I do to protect my account?

Today, I'd like to interrupt the personal finance content with a show on podcasting. After recording over 500 episodes of Radical Personal Finance, I feel like I have some valuable lessons to share with other podcasters and with my listeners who are considering starting a podcast. Enjoy, Joshua Visit www.HelloFresh.com and use "RPF30" to save $30 off your meal delivery.

If you enjoy learning how common financial instruments can be used to achieve incredible results, you'll enjoy this show. Joshua

Today I have a replay for you of Episode 121. This episode was originally released December 17, 2014 and the information should be as relevant today as it was then. Notes are here: https://radicalpersonalfinance.com/last-minute-tax-planning-ideas-to-save-you-money-rpf0121/

I really hate it when I see people bullied. And I especially hate to see debtors bullied by unethical debt collectors. In today's show I share with you some tools, tactics, and techniques and knowledge to help you stand up for yourself in the face of an onslaught of bill collectors. I hope these help you. And, if you don't need this type of help, I hope these ideas help you to help someone else who does. Joshua Try Hello Fresh! www.HelloFresh.com and use coupon code "RPF30" to save $30 on your first week of deliveries! Text of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Recommended book: "Solve Your Money Troubles: Strategies to Get Out of Debt and Stay that Way" from NOLO press Consumer Credit Counseling Services https://www.credit.org/cccs/

Today's episode is an interview I gave for the "In The Rabbit Hole" urban survival podcast. This episode was first released October 30, 2017 here: https://www.intherabbithole.com/e232/ Joshua

Today we continue our discussion of how you can achieve financial freedom in 10 years or less with an analysis of a business I thought my way through recently: that of working as a mobile RV repairman/mechanic. I think this business (or skilled trades with similar career profiles) has a huge amount to offer the aspiring financial freedom fighter. Listen to today's show for analysis on the specifics of this opportunity and the parallels you can draw to other careers to help you become financially independent in 10 years or less. Joshua Part 1 of this series was: 476 – Pathways to Financial Freedom (in 10 years or less): Expediter Trucking (and other live-on-the-job opportunities)

I've had today's show in my head for the last few weeks as I've watched Hollywood--and the world--rocked day by day with allegation after allegation of sexual abuse by major, major stars. I've watched careers destroyed, movie premiers canceled, and marriages torn asunder. I've thought again and again about the financial destruction being wrought by these allegations against so many men. Not only the loss of careers, the mega-million-dollar settlements, but the financial destruction of forthcoming divorces and the emotional distress leading to lost productivity. To me, it seemed like an important topic to discuss with regard to finances. But I held back, because I felt as though I would be picking on ideological opponents when they're down and I don't want to be one who rejoices in another's time of distress. Until yesterday. When the allegations came out via the Washington Post against Judge Roy Moore in Alabama, I felt I couldn't stay silent any longer. And so, today, here are my thoughts on how men can protect themselves from sexual scandal. Joshua

I'm working on some back-office work this week and hustling to finish delivering the Radical Personal Finance Guide to Career and Income Planning before the Thanksgiving holiday, so today you get an "Out & About" interview! This episode was released as Episode 37 of the Masters of Money Podcast on August 30, 2017. https://ptmoney.com/masters-money/

Today's show is very special. Together, we celebrate 500 episodes together! The show is centered on your voices and your feedback. This is a very meaningful milestone for me. When I began RPF, I committed myself to recording 1,000 episodes, even if no one listened. 4 years later, I'm half finished with that commitment! And I'm so honored that thousands of you do listen. Your feedback in this episode is so encouraging to me. Thank you, Joshua The Politicization of Motherhood - Wall Street Journal (if that link doesn't work, use this one)

Lots of people wind up living in their cars out of extreme financial stress. But today, I'm going to share with you a few of my strategies for living in your car for fun. I've never lived in my car for a long period of time, but I have done it for up to two weeks. And, living (or more accurately staying/camping?) in your car can be: fun easy comfortable frugal You should seriously consider it. And I'm here today to tell you why and how to do it well. Joshua

I recently took a friend of mine (who is super broke) through a grocery store and shared with him some of my strategies to fill your tummy when you're flat broke. This should help you save some cash...or at least help you teach someone else who's hungry how to eat cheap. Joshua Today's show is sponsored by Warby Parker. Get really nice and fashionable eyeglasses shipped right to your door for you to try on and save a ton in the process! www.WarbyParker.com/RPF

After reading hundreds of listener emails this week, I've become very clear on the #1 mistake of the Radical Personal Finance audience. Here's my attempt to help. Joshua

No, that title isn't clickbait. There really is risk created by paying off debt too quickly. Details in the show. Joshua

Today, we handle this interesting question from a listener: "In talking about Samaritan to a pastor-friend he threw out the scenario that your middle school age son is injured in an accident while riding in a friend's car, and the police find marijuana in the car--what happens? When I asked a Samaritan rep about it he said their board would carefully review the situation and if they deemed that your son wasn't responsible for/aware of the pot then his injury would be covered; if he was responsible/aware then he would not be covered. While my kids are all under 8 right now and this scenario is a ways off as a possibility for us, I'm concerned that when they reach middle/high school age I may need to look into alternatives for a couple reasons: (1) I'm not fully convinced of an investigatory board's ability to discern for sure in such a scenario what was going on and (2) while I'm teaching my kids to obey their parents and the civil authorities, they are still sinners and, growing up being a learning process, I'm concerned that if one of my kids made a stupid choice as a 14 year old it could significantly haunt the whole family for a long time. What are your thoughts on medical-sharing plans and this sort of scenario? (Obviously this is just one example of the many ways a child could make a sinful and stupid decision while still under their parent's care that could have long-term ramifications.)" Enjoy! Joshua Sponsor: www.HelloFresh.com and use the promo code RPF30 to save $30 off your subscription! If you decide to join Samaritan Ministries, tell them Joshua Sheats sent you over! That gets me a discount on my share next month. :) Thanks!

Erin writes in and says: "I love listening to your podcast- I know you've had a few episodes recently in reaction to current events. As a resident of the Bay Area I hope you could do an episode in relation to wild fires (if there isn't a past episode I am overlooking)." Erin et al, here are my suggestions for you! Joshua Sponsor today: Bombfell. Visit www.bombfell.com/RPF Tons of important information on preparing for wildfires: www.firewise.org Firescaping: Creating fire-resistant landscapes, gardens, and properties in California's diverse environments

Fun question today for our Friday episode...comes in from Chris: Joshua, Looking to see if you have any insight on emotional/psychological decisions versus logical decisions when it comes to finance. Back story - I have a paid for 20 year old Harley. I have not ridden it in three years, I spend $200/year on an insurance policy, each spring I do maintenance on it which costs about $30, and living in Minnesota, we only really have 6 months or so of decent riding weather. I have a big garage so storage is not an issue, apart from each winter when I have to move it around in and tell myself I'll sell it in the spring. I can make the logical argument to myself that I need to sell this. It is a depreciating asset, costs money to maintain and insure, and it really brings no value to my life. However, I can not bring myself to sell it. I have no pressing financial obligations so the $5-6k that I would get from selling it would really not do much to improve my life. About the only thing that I would do with the money is put in a taxable brokerage account (through a RPF link tradeking account, of course). I have told myself I am going to sell this bike for years now, but I still can't figure out why I still have it. Any insight would be helpful, and as always, thanks for the great show!

I thought about simply calling today's show, "On Hammers." You pick the title you prefer...but recognize the truth: tools are tools and their usefulness depends not on their inherent attributes but on their appropriate application. Joshua Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Today's show rounds out a special series of live Q&A shows. Today we cover: 1:20 Should I put more money into my retirement plan or buy a house? 18:45 Can I use a donor-advised fund as a smart way to get a bigger tax deduction for my contribution to my local church? 32:30 Should I move from a commission-based job to a salary job which also means a salary cut? 39:10 Should I buy a joint universal life insurance policy to protect my new baby? 1:10:00 Should I keep an India-based whole life insurance policy now that I'm a US resident? Enjoy the show! Joshua Please support Radical Personal Finance on Patreon! www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

I've been doing a live Q&A series...today we cover these: 1:24 - Can I Pay for My Seminary Degree with Early Distributions from a Retirement Account? 13:30 - Can I Still Become Financially Independent if We Move to Paradise First? 25:45 - Should We Sell our Rental House Two States Away or Plan to Move Back to It In Order to Get the Tax-Free Gains on a Future Sale? 37:45 - Are Healthcare Sharing Ministries Like Samaritan Ministries Any Good? Joshua Ph.D. for under $15,000 https://americanvision.org/6383/b-a-to-ph-d-for-under-15000-how-i-did-it/ Healthcare Sharing Ministries https://radicalpersonalfinance.com/health-care-sharing-ministries/ Support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

As we all watch and process the mass shooting in Las Vegas this weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to share a few lessons learned. I always try to process an event like this with an eye towards the lessons I can learn. The tactical situation in Las Vegas was impossible. I don't think you could imagine a worse situation to be in as a concert-goer. An absolute nightmare. But, I do have a few thoughts that I think can help. And since I don't hear anyone sharing anything practical, here are my suggestions. If you have additional practical, actionable ideas, I'd love to hear them. Joshua The flashlight I use is the FourSevens Mini Mark II. It's awesome. http://amzn.to/2fMdtNM

I'm hosting a special Q&A series this week which is open to the entire listening audience. Today we tackle: What Should I Do With a Large Bonus? How Can I Counsel a Young Lady Who Is Using Her Earnings to Support Her Poor Mother? If you'd like to call in for tomorrow's show, here are the details you need to know. Joshua

On Friday's, we do Q&A for our Patrons! Today, we cover: Should I Use a Whole Life Insurance Policy as My Retirement Bridge? Should I Concentrate All of My Investment Accounts With One Manager? Joshua I forgot to mention at the end of the discussion...if you sign up for a free Personal Capital account with this link, I get a small commission. www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/personalcapital IRS instruction on avoiding the early distribution penalty: https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-tax-on-early-distributions Here are the call-in instructions for next week's special call-in shows. httpshttps://twitter.com/JoshuaSheats/status/913854177721376768://twitter.com/JoshuaSheats/status/913854177721376768

I feel like I owe it to you to keep you semi-current on the state of tax policy in the USA. But, it's too early to have any serious details about the current Republican proposals. I thought instead we could have a useful philosophical discussion about taxation. My challenge to you today is to answer these questions, for yourself. Do you believe that a civil government has the moral right to tax an individual's income? Why or why not? Do you believe that the US civil government has the constitutional right to tax an individual's income? If you believe that a civil government does have this right, how much of a person's income can they claim? What's the right number and how would you know? Do you believe that everyone should be required to pay income taxes? Do you believe that some people should be treated differently than others and so be ordered to pay a different rate of income tax than others? Why or why not? If so, how would we determine who should be treated differently and how much of a difference there should be? Do you believe that government tax policy should be used to incentivize certain behaviors or to dis-incentivize other behaviors? If so, how would we know what behaviors should be incentivized and which ones shouldn't? Do you believe that tax policy should be used to give some people special benefits because of certain behaviors? Joshua