The Investing for Beginners Podcast - Your Path to Financial Freedom
727 episodes — Page 2 of 15
Why I Quit Swing Trading to Build a Long-Term Portfolio (And a Huge Podcast Announcement!)
Have you ever felt the urge to just trade a stock because you were bored, or felt like you had to "do something" to make money? In this episode, we address a major transition for the Investing for Beginners podcast and introduce a new co-host, Stephen Morris. We dive into Stephen’s personal journey, the "gambler's fallacy" in trading, the power of a company's "moat," and why sometimes the best action in your portfolio is no action at all. We discuss: The Big Announcement: Addressing Dave's departure from the podcast and Sather Research, and Stephen stepping up to the mic. The Day Trading Trap: Stephen shares his grueling 11-hour days trying to day trade after retiring from the Army, and the massive stress it caused. The Gambler's Fallacy: How doubling down on a losing trade can completely wipe out your portfolio. Scratching the "Itch": How to manage the psychological need to trade without risking your core long-term investments. Circle of Competence: How Stephen used his military background to successfully evaluate General Dynamics (GD). Timestamps 02:23 Introducing Stephen Morris as the new co-host. 04:48 Stephen’s journey into day trading after retiring from the Army. 14:23 Andrew explains the "gambler's fallacy." 16:49 Why long-term investing is a more scientific and stable approach. 17:40 Understanding the importance of a company's "moat" (featuring Casey's). 25:46 Applying the "circle of competence" to General Dynamics (GD). 32:28 The most beneficial lesson learned: Patience and knowing "it's okay." Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How to Invest in the "Core" of AI, Crypto, and Real Estate in 2026 with Dan Daly
Want to get our best investing ideas each month? Join the Value Spotlight newsletter here: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Are you maximizing the equity in your assets, or is your wealth just sitting "under the mattress" losing value to inflation? In this episode, Andrew is joined by entrepreneur Dan Daly to discuss his journey from evaluating stocks in the Wall Street Journal to launching a massive private equity fund in Europe. Dan unpacks his "observational investing" thesis. He also breaks down his "lightbulb" moment with real estate. We discuss: The concept of observational investing and owning the "core of the onion" for major economic trends. Why the massive power demands of AI data centers make nuclear energy and uranium a foundational investment. Leveraging home equity tax-free to acquire cash-flowing real estate assets rather than holding dead equity. The advantages of buying short-term rentals in high-tourism European. How the Portugal Golden Visa. Timestamps 01:13 - The childhood paper route lesson. 03:51 - Finding investment ideas by observing daily life. 05:48 - The "core of the onion" investing philosophy. 07:26 - Why the electric grid can't handle data centers. 16:04 - Looking at crypto platforms as the new toll roads for the financial system. 21:00 - The "Rich Dad Poor Dad" lightbulb moment. 22:40 - Pulling tax-free equity from a primary residence to buy three European properties. 27:32 - Why Dan chose Portugal over crowded US markets for short-term rentals. 34:28 - Launching a $25 million private equity fund for boutique hotels in Portugal. 34:48 - Breaking down the 5-year process of securing a Portugal Golden Visa. Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Dan's Real Estate Fund: https://globalipllc.com/ Daniel Daly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-daly1/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR38: How to Maximize Cash Back and Build Credit from Scratch
You can download Evan’s free budgeting framework here https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Are you missing out on free money because you're afraid of credit cards, or are you falling into the debt trap of complex point schemes? In this episode, Evan pulls back the curtain on his highly transparent, personal credit card strategy. He shares the exact four cards he keeps in his wallet, why he completely avoids complex reward points, and the simple habits he follows—like paying off balances weekly and auto-claiming cash back—to safely build credit and get paid for everyday purchases. Key Topics: The biggest mistakes beginners make with credit cards, including using them as emergency funds and only paying the minimum balance. Evan's exact four-card setup and the distinct purpose of each. Why chasing complex point schemes and sign-on bonuses often causes you to lose money. The massive hidden benefits of credit card purchase protection and fraud security. How to safely build credit from scratch, including the power of secured credit cards and authorized users. Timestamps: 01:50 The danger of using credit limits as spending limits or emergency funds 05:51 Why playing complex point games usually doesn't work out 07:35 Evan breaks down his personal four-card setup 12:56 The hidden benefits of purchase protection and security 16:42 Credit mindsets: Paying balances weekly and auto-claiming rewards 21:58 Why sign-on bonuses can be a dangerous trap 29:17 Exactly what to look for when choosing a new credit card 34:18 How to build credit from scratch using a secured card Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Email Evan: [email protected] Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Hidden Goldmine of Stock Spinoffs with Rich Howe
Want to get our best investing ideas each month? Join the Value Spotlight newsletter here: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ When a massive company splits and spins off a smaller business, the market often completely ignores it. But what happens when that ignored, newly spun-off company is actually a hidden goldmine? Today, Andrew sits down with Rich Howe from Stock Spinoff Investing to break down one of the most overlooked, yet profitable, corners of the stock market. We discuss exactly what a stock spinoff is, why parent companies decide to do them, and the weird "forced selling" dynamic that often causes these new stocks to trade at a massive discount right out of the gate. Key Topics: What exactly is a stock spin-off and why do companies do them? The "Index Fund Effect" and why forced selling creates artificial discounts. How to analyze the management team and debt of a newly spun-off company. The changing landscape of the investing industry and building direct relationships with subscribers. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction and welcoming Rich Howe to the show. 01:00 - What exactly is a stock spinoff and why do companies do them? 06:44 - How Rich got started with spinoffs and Joel Greenblatt's book "You Can Be a Stock Market Genius". 12:49 - Concentrated vs. diversified portfolios, position sizing, and sleeping well at night. 16:37 - How to research spinoffs using the Form 10 information statement. 19:30 - Prompting ChatGPT to help analyze business models, comparable companies, and risks. 28:22 - Serial acquirers, spinoff machines, and analyzing the Danaher and IAC examples. 32:09 - Where to find Rich's free calendar, blog, and premium newsletter. Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Stock Spinoff Investing Newsletter: https://stockspinoffinvesting.com/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bird's Eye View: Inside GEICO & The Insurance War
Want to get our best investing ideas each month? Join the Value Spotlight newsletter here: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Warren Buffett calls it his "Crown Jewel," but how does a company that started by mailing checks to government employees become an insurance giant worth billions? In this Bird's Eye View episode, Dave and Andrew break down the history and business model of GEICO. They discuss the legendary story of a 20-year-old Warren Buffett banging on the company's doors on a Saturday, the "secret sauce" of insurance float that powers Berkshire Hathaway's investments, and the fierce battle for market share between GEICO, Progressive, and Allstate. We discuss: The Origin Story: How GEICO started in 1936 and Buffett’s 1951 discovery. The Gecko: The $1 billion mascot that was created by accident during a strike. Insurance 101: Understanding the "Combined Ratio" and why 100% is the magic number. The Float: How Buffett uses your premium dollars to buy stocks like Apple. The Turnaround: Why GEICO struggled in 2022 and how Todd Combs fixed the "telemetry" gap. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Why GEICO is Buffett’s "Crown Jewel" 02:20 – History: The Day Buffett Banged on the Door (1951) 08:14 – The Origin of the Gecko (It was a mistake!) 11:15 – Insurance Metrics: The Combined Ratio Explained 15:00 – The "Faucet" Analogy: Growth vs. Profitability 20:00 – The Turnaround: Todd Combs & The Tech Lag 24:00 – GEICO vs. Progressive vs. Allstate 30:00 – The Secret Sauce: What is "Insurance Float"? 38:00 – Why Boring Businesses Make Great Investments Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR37: Why Chasing "The Number" is Hurting You
You can download Evan’s free budgeting framework here https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ We all see the headlines about the ultra-wealthy, but is becoming a billionaire a realistic—or even healthy—goal for your financial life? In this episode, Evan and Andrew strip away the glamour of the "three comma club" to discuss why chasing an arbitrary number might actually be sabotaging your wealth-building journey. They break down the staggering math of becoming a billionaire, the toxic side of hustle culture, and why treating wealth like a high score in a video game often leads to burnout, not happiness. We discuss: The Math of Billionaires: You have better odds of winning the lottery (1 in 100 million) than becoming a billionaire. Hustle Culture Trap: Why grinding 24/7 is often less productive than taking a break. The "Why" Factor: Moving beyond a number on a spreadsheet to finding what that money actually buys. Tangible Steps: How to transition from dreaming about billions to building a realistic plan that actually changes your life. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro: The Billionaire Discussion 03:00 – The Societal Role of Billionaires: Are they the problem or the goal? 07:11 – The Odds: You are 1,000x more likely to win the lottery than become a billionaire 08:21 – Improving Your Finances (Even if you never hit a billion) 11:58 – Wealth as a Tool vs. Wealth as a Scoreboard 14:08 – The Dark Side of Hustle Culture 22:14 – The First Step 26:12 – The 4% Rule & Calculating Your "Enough" Number 29:35 – Excel vs. Google Sheets (The wrong way to track net worth) Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Email Evan: [email protected] Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Share Classes Explained: Class A vs. Class B & Voting Rights
Want to get our best investing ideas each month? Join the Value Spotlight newsletter here: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Most investors buy a stock and assume they own a piece of the company. But do they actually have a say in how it’s run? In this episode, Dave and Andrew break down the often-overlooked world of Share Classes (Class A vs. Class B) and what they mean for your rights as a shareholder. Inspired by a listener question, the guys explain why companies like Berkshire Hathaway, Google, and Meta split their shares, how founders maintain total control even with minority ownership, and what "Activist Investors" like Bill Ackman actually do to force change. We discuss: Economic Rights vs. Voting Rights: Who is actually driving the bus? The "Founder Control" Model: How Mark Zuckerberg controls Meta despite owning less than 100% of the company. Berkshire Hathaway: Why Warren Buffett created a stock that costs $715,000 per share. Google's Tickers: The difference between GOOG (no vote) and GOOGL (voting). Red Flags: How to spot a "captured board" in the Proxy Statement. Activist Investors: How funds buy their way onto a board to fire the CEO. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro: Does your vote count? 01:18 – What are Share Classes? 03:40 – The "Bus Driver" Analogy: Voting vs. Economic Rights 08:53 – Why Founders Want Control 13:18 – Berkshire Hathaway: Class A vs. Class B Explained 17:12 – The Huge Red Flag: CEO Compensation Committees 20:03 – Google’s 3 Tickers (GOOG vs. GOOGL) 22:04 – Elon Musk & Tesla’s Share Structure 31:15 – What is an "Activist Investor"? 36:02 – The Investor’s Checklist: How to read a Proxy Statement Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The 5 Steps to Wealth: How to Build a Financial Foundation in 2026 (w/ Andrew Giancola)
Want to get our best investing ideas each month? Join the Value Spotlight newsletter here: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Most people think financial freedom requires a lifetime of strict budgeting and misery. But what if the secret isn't cutting coupons, but building a system that manages your money for you? In this episode, we break down the exact roadmap to automating your wealth. Andrew sits down with Andrew Giancola, host of the Personal Finance Podcast and founder of Master Money Academy, to discuss his "Wealth Builder Journey." They dive deep into the 5 phases of building wealth, from establishing a rock-solid foundation to optimizing your portfolio for early retirement. Andrew shares his "1-3-6" method for emergency funds, his favorite ETFs for long-term growth, and why your savings rate matters more than your investment returns. Key Topics: The 5-Phase Wealth Builder Journey The 1-3-6 Method Automation is King ETF Strategy The Retirement Number Timestamps: 00:00 Intro: Welcome back Andrew Giancola 06:05 The "Wealth Builder Journey" Explained (Foundation Phase) 08:52 The 1-3-6 Method for Emergency Funds 10:07 Why You Must Calculate Your Retirement Number Annually 17:41 The Blueprint Phase: Reverse Budgeting vs. Zero-Based Budgeting 20:10 Automating Your Money (The "Easy Button") 27:39 Andrew’s Favorite ETFs & Portfolio Strategy 32:00 The Simple Math Behind Early Retirement 35:28 The Power of Community in Building Wealth Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ The Personal Finance Podcast: https://thepersonalfinancepodcast.com/ Master Money Academy: https://mastermoney.co/ Monarch Money (Budgeting Tool): https://www.monarch.com/ Social Security Estimation: https://www.SSA.gov Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR36 - (How) Do Hobbies Fit Into Financial Success?
You can download Evan’s free budgeting framework here https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ We all have passions that cost money. In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt and Dave Ahern dive into the "Coffee vs. Wine" complexity debate and break down exactly how to fit expensive hobbies into a healthy financial life. They cover the "Trade-Down" method for enjoying luxury on a budget, why you must account for "ongoing costs" (like maintenance and beans), and the horror stories of what happens when you go into debt for your passions. Topics Covered: The Great Debate: Dave calls "BS" on coffee having more complexity than wine. The "Rich Life" Mindset: Why cutting out all joy is the fastest way to fail at budgeting. The "Trade-Down" Strategy: How to find 90% of the quality for 20% of the price. Hidden Costs: Why the espresso machine is just the down payment. The Golden Rule: Never, ever go into debt for a hobby. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:58 Dave calls BS on Coffee vs. Wine complexity 06:22 Why you NEED hobbies to sustain a budget 11:07 The "Trade-Down" Strategy (Getting value for less) 16:08 Don't forget the "Ongoing Costs" 25:22 Hobbies that can earn or save you money 27:29 The Golden Rule: No debt for hobbies Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Email Evan: [email protected] Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How to Find the Best Stock Ideas in 2026
Want to get our best investing ideas each month? Join the Value Spotlight newsletter here: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ How do you find the next great stock idea in 2026? Is it through a complex screen, a tweet, or just walking through the mall? In this episode, Andrew and Dave discuss their favorite strategies for sourcing investment ideas. They cover how to utilize podcasts for deep dives into business models, curating a social media feed for high-quality analysis, and the "Peter Lynch" style of observational investing. They also debate the value of stock screeners versus cloning super-investor portfolios. Key Topics Covered: Using podcasts and founding stories (e.g., Shoe Dog) to understand industries. Curating social media (Twitter/X) to follow quality analysts. Reading 10Ks, earnings calls, and "boring" materials for insights. Finding ideas in everyday life (Build-A-Bear, Lululemon example). Stock Screeners: Fiscal.ai vs. Finviz. Cloning portfolios and tracking super investors. Timestamps: 00:42 – Podcasts as Idea Sources 03:42 – Finding Ideas on Social Media 11:53 – Reading & Research 16:52 – Observational Investing (Everyday Life) 22:22 – Stock Screeners 26:16 – Cloning Portfolios Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Back to the Basics: 8 Simple Metrics That Beginner Investors Should Know
Want to get our best investing ideas each month? Join the Value Spotlight newsletter here: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ When you first look at a stock quote on Yahoo Finance or any financial app, it can feel like reading a foreign language. What is a "Beta"? Is a high P/E good or bad? And does a high dividend yield actually mean you'll make money? In this episode, Andrew and Dave demystify the most common financial metrics you’ll encounter as a beginner. They break down the "Big Three" valuation ratios (P/E, P/S, P/B), explain how to assess a company’s size and volatility, and reveal why the Dividend Payout Ratio is often more important than the yield itself. Key Topics Covered: The "Big Three" Valuation Metrics: Understanding Price-to-Earnings (P/E), Price-to-Sales (P/S), and Price-to-Book (P/B). Dividend Yield vs. Payout Ratio: Why a high yield can be a "trap" Market Capitalization: How to quickly judge the size and stability of a company Beta (Volatility): Using this metric to understand how much a stock might move Context is King: Why you can't look at these numbers in isolation Timestamps: 02:15 – Why financial jargon feels like a barrier (and why you need to learn it) 04:30 – Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio: The most popular metric explained 10:15 – Price-to-Sales (P/S) Ratio: Valuing companies that aren't profitable yet 15:45 – Price-to-Book (P/B) Ratio: When to use it (banks/insurance) vs. when to ignore it (tech) 21:10 – Dividend Yield: The "interest rate" of your stock 25:50 – The Payout Ratio: The crucial safety check for dividend investors 31:20 – Market Capitalization: Understanding the difference between a giant and a startup 36:05 – Beta: Measuring risk and volatility relative to the S&P 500 Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR35 - Fluctuations in Income: How to Adapt
You can download Evan’s free budgeting framework here https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Income changes are coming—positive or negative. In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt and Andrew Sather break down how to handle income fluctuations (raises, bonuses, commission swings, job changes, and pay cuts) without blowing up your plan. They cover what to do when income goes up, what to do when income goes down, and how to plan ahead if your income is unpredictable. They also talk through how to handle income changes as a couple, including proportional contributions and communicating real numbers fast. Topics Covered: How to handle raises without lifestyle creep How to handle income drops with a “minimum viable budget” Why writing down your budget is the highest ROI 30–45 minutes you can spend How to handle income changes in a relationship (proportional contributions) How to budget for fluctuating income with a buffer + predetermined buckets Timestamps: 00:35 What counts as income fluctuations (raise, bonus, commission, layoffs) 01:43 The goal: flexibility instead of prediction 03:05 Andrew’s “double raise” story + lifestyle creep (truck) 07:33 Delay spending changes after a raise (2–3 months) 08:58 Spend only a set portion of the raise (ex: $30–$40 of $100) 10:52 Handling decreases as a cash flow problem (not personal failure) 14:57 Minimum viable budget: strip down to needs 17:23 First budget setup time estimate (30–45 minutes) 21:56 Don’t “cut cold turkey” without a plan 26:20 Budgeting as a couple + budgeting framework link 38:36 Budgeting for fluctuating income: lowest reliable income + buffer + buckets Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Email Evan: [email protected] Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Life of a Stock Picker and What Andrew Learned After Years of Investing
Want to get our best investing ideas each month? Join the Value Spotlight newsletter here: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ In this solo episode, Andrew shares the story behind a major shift: stepping down from actively running the investing newsletter and handing stock picking off to someone he trusts. He explains why he made the change, what he learned from years of stock picking, and what he wishes he understood earlier in the journey. Andrew frames the episode as “The Life of a Stock Picker,” laying out 10 principles meant to help listeners think clearer, stay persistent through tough markets, and avoid common mental traps. He talks about approaching investing with a clean slate, learning from different strategies without getting dogmatic, and sticking with it when bear markets make you question everything. Key Topics Covered: Why Andrew stepped down from active stock picking and newsletter management Principle 1: Approach investing with a clean slate Principle 2: Find the good in every strategy (don’t get dogmatic) Principle 3: Keep going through bear markets and drawdowns Mastering emotions, avoiding bias, and staying humble enough to ask for help Timestamps: 01:10 – Why he stepped down and what led to the decision 03:58 – Principle 1: Approach with a clean slate 07:47 – Books as a “life hack” 10:19 – Principle 2: Find the good in every strategy 14:51 – Principle 3: Keep going (bear market lessons) 17:29 – “So much red” and how demoralizing drawdowns feel 20:19 – Don’t sell at the bottom and miss the recovery 24:00 – Principle 5: Seize the day (don’t worship the number) 27:54 – Master your emotions 32:05 – Quit taking this so seriously 35:19 – Swing for the fences 41:02 – Don’t overthink it (analysis paralysis) 44:25 – Be humble and ask for help Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
3 Peter Lynch Principles That Can Make You a Better Investor
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. Andrew and Dave break down three Peter Lynch principles from Beating the Street and how they apply them in real investing decisions. The focus is on avoiding “rearview mirror” thinking, building conviction in great businesses, and finding opportunity where nobody’s paying attention. They cover examples like Nike and HP (past success doesn’t guarantee future results), Microsoft’s turnaround under Satya Nadella, and the psychology of “averaging up” into winners like Google. Key Topics Covered “You can’t see the future through a rearview mirror” Nike and HP as cautionary examples Microsoft’s turnaround under Satya Nadella “The best stock to buy may be the one you already own” (averaging up) “When even the analysts are bored, it’s time to start buying” Timestamps 01:29 – Principle 1: rearview mirror thinking 02:13 – Nike (going direct, slowing growth) 06:18 – HP & innovation pressure 11:23 – Microsoft turnaround (Ballmer → Nadella) 15:52 – Principle 2: best stock may be one you own 16:13 – Averaging up & anchoring bias 19:40 – Google (buying again at higher prices) 21:46 – Social media narratives and contrarian thinking 23:57 – Principle 3: buy when analysts are bored 24:21 – Danaher & spinoff return distortion 28:16 – McKesson & boring businesses vs hype 30:33 – More boring winners Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR34-Part 2: What is Trust
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. This episode is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice—please consult an attorney for guidance on your specific situation. In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt is joined by fan-favorite guest Dave Ahern for a follow-up to AAR31—because trusts are often the bigger, more protective “umbrella” when it comes to estate planning. They break down what a trust is, how it differs from a will, what probate can look like if you pass away (or become incapacitated) without anything in place, and why this isn’t just about you—it’s about protecting the people who depend on you. Topics Covered: Trust vs will: what each one does What probate is and why it can be a financial disaster for families Pros/cons of wills and trusts Revocable vs irrevocable trusts What can go wrong Timestamps: 01:55 What is a trust vs a will? 03:58 What happens if you die or become incapacitated without either? 06:28 Probate timelines (and why it can wreck a family financially) 08:46 Pros and cons of a will 10:20 Pros and cons of a trust (and why it can be expensive/complex) 12:23 How trusts control who can access assets (and when) 16:39 Why trusts can include restrictions (age, graduation, etc.) 18:46 Revocable vs irrevocable trusts (core differences) 22:09 Banks can’t give legal advice—start with an attorney 27:50 What can go wrong with a trust (be specific + choose trustees carefully) Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Email Evan: [email protected] Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bird's Eye View of GE Vernova
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. This episode is a Bird’s Eye View breakdown of GE Vernova (ticker: GEV), a newer standalone company spun out of General Electric. Andrew and Dave walk through what the business is, how it makes money, and why it’s showing up in investor conversations—especially around electrification and power demand. They cover GE Vernova’s three operating segments and explain why electrification is the most exciting long-run opportunity. The conversation then shifts to the power segment and the AI/data center demand story, including how gas turbines are being positioned as a practical solution for stable, sustained power. Key Topics Covered: What GE Vernova is and why it was spun out of GE The 3 segments Backlog as a runway indicator AI/data centers and the demand for sustained electricity Valuation & execution risk Timestamps: 00:15 – Bird’s Eye View on GE Vernova (GEV) 01:38 – What is GE Vernova and how does it make money? 02:46 – “Energy to change the world” 07:07 – $26B and what backlog means 08:12 – Book-to-bill style thinking 09:43 – AI/data centers driving demand for stable power 13:37 – Capacity booked out to 2028 & building more capacity 16:21 – Small modular reactors (SMRs) and why they matter 18:51 – Revenue growth context & profitability trend 24:05 – Balance sheet strength 34:32 – Oracle comparison 35:19 – Other electrification demand drivers Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter Bird’s Eye View of Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) with Adrian of Stratosphere: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/birds-eye-view-of-brookfield-asset-management-bam-with-adrian-of-stratosphere-podc/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Financials Demystified: Long Term Liabilities Explained
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. This episode continues the Financials Demystified series with a practical, beginner-friendly breakdown of long-term liabilities on the balance sheet. Dave and Andrew focus on what these line items actually mean, why they matter, and how to use them to understand a company’s real financial risk. They start with operating lease liabilities, what leases represent, why context matters, and how investors can compare lease obligations to profits, revenue, and even per-store economics. Then they move into tax liabilities, explaining the difference between deferred taxes and longer-term tax obligations (often tied to uncertain tax positions). Key Topics Covered Long-term liabilities basics and how they show up on the balance sheet Operating lease liabilities and how to think about them Deferred taxes vs long-term tax obligations Long-term debt and why “laddering” maturities matters Practical metrics to evaluate liabilities and debt risk Timestamps 01:44 – Operating lease liabilities explained 04:00 – Putting lease liabilities in context with profits 10:26 – Restaurant metrics: revenue, labor costs, and food costs 13:09 – Deferred taxes and long-term tax liabilities (Microsoft example) 18:42 – Long-term debt “peel the onion” (Danaher example) 20:10 – Debt maturity schedules and why staggered maturities reduce risk 24:49 – What debt details reveal about management and capital allocation 27:33 – ROIC vs cost of capital and why the spread matters 32:49 – Key metrics: debt-to-equity and net debt to EBITDA 35:21 – Quick checks: cash vs total debt and interest coverage ratio Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR33 - Times Are Changing: Here's How to Get Ahead
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt and Andrew Sather dig into the four big reasons it feels so much harder to get ahead financially in 2026: housing is way less affordable, wage growth has stalled, personal debt is at record highs, and savings rates have plummeted. They share stats that put today’s money struggles in context—and then get practical, with concrete moves you can make to survive (and even thrive) in this new reality: from budgeting and side gigs, to leveraging your network, getting transparent about money, and avoiding the debt traps that are everywhere. Topics Covered: Why housing is so much less affordable than it used to be Stagnant wages: why most people’s income hasn’t kept up The debt trap: how credit cards and easy financing make things worse What’s behind plummeting savings rates (and how to fix yours) Actionable strategies: budgeting, side gigs, investing, and using your “village” Timestamps: 01:44 When was money “easier” — nostalgia vs reality 05:52 Housing affordability 09:16 How to make buying a home possible 13:50 Why budgeting is still the first step 18:00 Wages: why they’ve stalled, and how to actually get a raise 21:00 Side gigs, skill-building, and leveraging your network 25:19 The “village” approach 29:09 The debt trap 32:26 How wealthy people use debt 36:42 Should you pay off debt early? 40:42 Savings rates: why they’ve dropped, and how to build yours back up Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Email Evan at [email protected] Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Warren Buffett Steps Down: The End of an Era for Berkshire Hathaway
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. In this episode, Dave and Andrew mark a major investing milestone: Warren Buffett stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. They use the moment to walk through the biggest lessons Buffett taught them as investors—why staying away from Wall Street noise can be an advantage, and why simple, common-sense thinking often wins. The conversation covers core Buffett ideas like the “power of doing nothing,” staying inside your circle of competence, and treating Mr. Market as a servant—not a guide. They also dig into how Buffett built conviction, why reading and learning compounds over time, and how durable moats can drive long-term returns. Key Topics Covered Buffett stepping down: why his legacy matters for everyday investors The “power of doing nothing” and ignoring market noise Circle of competence & saying no to stay focused Mr. Market: using volatility as opportunity, not direction Moats & margin of safety Timestamps 01:20 – Buffett steps down as CEO 02:41 – “Guy in Nebraska” vs Wall Street 06:03 – People expected the “elephant gun,” but he did nothing 07:33 – Ignore analyst reports 09:05 – Circle of competence 12:06 – Mr. Market is “psychotic” 13:48 – American Express salad oil scandal 16:48 – Reading and learning 22:33 – Buffett evolving: cigar butts to quality businesses 24:03 – Moat durability = longer runway for better returns 25:21 – Price awareness 28:12 – Margin of safety: “heads I win, tails I don’t lose much” 30:34 – Resources to learn more Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Three Listener Questions on Coke vs KO, NVIDIA vs Big Tech, and Selling at a Loss
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. This episode answers three listener questions to kick off the new year. First, Dave and Andrew break down the difference between Coca-Cola (KO) and Coca-Cola Consolidated (COKE)—why the brand/business model matters, what makes bottling and distribution a different kind of investment, and what to look for before assuming a “price drop” is automatically a buying opportunity. Next, they tackle a common beginner question: how to think about NVIDIA compared to Apple and Google. Finally, they discuss why they sold Crown Castle (CCI) in the Real Money Portfolio—what changed in the thesis, how to think about selling at a loss, and why opportunity cost and ego can quietly wreck long-term returns. Key Topics Covered KO vs COKE Why distribution can be a moat NVIDIA vs Apple/Google: valuation, expectations, and forward returns Crown Castle sale Selling losers Timestamps 00:01:32 – KO vs COKE 02:06 – What COKE actually is 03:22 – Capital intensity + ROIC differences 005:11 – COKE’s dividend changes + what’s driving the improved numbers 07:19 – Distribution matters: Celsius/Pepsi example + why moats can be distribution-driven 09:41 – How to think about analyzing distribution businesses 16:06 – KO growth expectations vs looking deeper at COKE’s recent performance 18:01 – Brand vs distributor over the long run 22:27 – Apple/Google vs NVIDIA 23:05 – Great company, but priced for huge expectations 29:34 – Valuation risk 30:17 – Why NVIDIA gets the warning vs Apple/Google 33:35 – Why they sold Crown Castle (CCI) 37:48 – Selling at a loss Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR32 - Listener Q&A: How to Calculate Your Real Savings Rate
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. In this listener Q&A episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt answers two practical questions from Keaton: how to estimate the after-tax value of 401(k) contributions, and how to save for unpredictable big expenses like car repairs and home maintenance. First, Evan explains why 401(k) dollars can’t be compared directly to normal spending or savings—because they’re pre-tax. Then he shifts to emergency funds: where to keep them, what they should cover, how much to aim for. Topics Covered: Why 401(k) contributions aren’t apples-to-apples with normal spending A simple method to estimate your effective tax rate and convert 401(k) contributions to an after-tax equivalent Emergency funds What emergency funds should cover Timestamps: 00:59 Welcome back 02:14 Keaton’s questions: after-tax 401(k) 03:41 Why 401(k) money can’t be compared directly to other dollars 05:34 What this “after-tax equivalent” is for 06:21 Step 1: find taxable income on your last federal tax return 07:32 Step 2: estimate effective tax rate 09:10 Step 3: reduce 401(k) contributions by that rate (apples-to-apples 12:23 Emergency fund basics 14:29 Why a credit card is NOT an emergency fund 21:33 How much to save Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Podcast survey: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey/ Email Evan: [email protected] Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Liquid I.V. is a super easy way to stay hydrated—grab yours at https://www.liquid-iv.com/ and use promo code INVESTING at checkout. Upgrade your everyday essentials with Quince—get free shipping on your first order at https://www.quince.com/beginner. Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Where to Put Money When the Market Feels Risky with Dave and Friends
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. In this episode, the Pitch Team (Tyler, Brandon, and Constantin) gets into a practical conversation about what to do when your portfolio feels “too hot” and you’re worried about a downturn. The group talks through how risk tolerance, time horizon, and having an actual exit plan matter more than trying to time the market. They also dig into what “defensive” really means in real life—comparing sectors like real estate, healthcare, utilities, energy, insurance, and banks—and why even “safe” areas can still drop when the overall market sells off. Key Topics Covered Reducing concentration risk and thinking in portfolio allocation terms “Don’t fiddle” vs making smart adjustments as your timeline shortens Defensive sectors Dividend thinking Comparing “defensive” companies Timestamps: 00:00:58 – Retirement portfolio feels overexposed 00:03:01 – “Climbing the wall of worry” 00:04:51 – The real question: if you sell and the market keeps going up, how will you feel? 00:05:10 – Brandon trims QQQM and reallocates 00:10:36 – “Have an exit plan” 00:14:00 – Conservative mindset & Buffett rules (“don’t lose money”) 00:15:04 – Time horizon matters 00:16:28 – “Don’t fiddle” 00:19:08 – Defensive sectors 00:23:34 – Real estate & REIT framing 00:26:52 – Walmart vs Amazon as “defensive” plays 00:30:31 – Costco enters the debate 00:36:21 – PayPal as a dividend payer 00:38:35 – Regulation risk 00:41:18 – DRIP vs conviction 00:44:01 – UnitedHealth: “too big to fail?” 00:47:05 – Are banks defensive? Exposure matters! 00:53:04 – PayPal vs Nubank 01:03:29 – “Bet the house” Resources Mentioned The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Finding Value Stocks that 3X w/ Samit Umatiya from UIG Funds
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. In this episode, Andrew sits down with Samit Umatiya, Managing Partner at UIG, to talk about how he went from day trading to running a value-oriented investment fund. They dig into what “value” actually means in practice, how Samit thinks about free cash flow, and why qualitative factors like management alignment matter just as much as the numbers. The conversation also covers biases like sunk cost fallacy, how to fight FOMO, and what Samit looks for when deciding whether a stock is truly worth buying. Key Topics Covered: Samit’s shift from day trading to value investing What “value” means Free cash flow Qualitative analysis Biases and discipline: sunk cost fallacy, FOMO, conviction, and buying right Timestamps: 01:21 – How Samit got started 04:06 – “Less activity, better returns”: compounding and long-term mindset shift 05:00 – What “value” means (subjective) 11:16 – Avoiding Wall Street noise 13:09 – VEON thesis 15:37 – Valuation = quantitative + qualitative 18:32 – How to start reading statements 20:04 – Management alignment: track record, equity ownership, background, incentives 24:02 – Sunk cost fallacy 33:01 – Why under $2B market cap can be a sweet spot 34:31 – Why he avoids MAG7/AI hype 39:07 – Fighting FOMO 42:22 – Is WSJ/Bloomberg worth it? Quality journalism as an investment 45:39 – “If it isn’t really obvious, don’t buy it” 46:58 – Buy point matters most; sell can be imperfect if you bought right Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Follow Samit Umatiya on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/samitumatiya UIG (Umatiya Investment Group) https://www.linkedin.com/company/uig-funds/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR31 - Part 1: What is a Will?
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt and Dave Ahern break down the basics of wills—what they are, why they matter, and how they can save your loved ones months of stress if something unexpected happens. Dave shares why he set up his will after a health scare, plus a real story from his banking days that shows how messy things can get when someone passes without a plan. They also walk through practical options for creating a will, why you should keep beneficiaries updated on your accounts, and how to store and share your documents so your family can actually find them when it counts. Topics Covered: What a will actually does The real-world mess that happens when someone dies without a will How to get a will Storage & access The 3 tiers Timestamps: 00:00 Why this “boring” topic matters 01:45 Why Dave got a will (health scare) 02:33 What a will is & what it covers 04:41 Why wills prevent confusion and family conflict 06:40 Real story 09:05 Why this is about protecting your loved ones (not you) 11:15 Leaving money to a charity 12:50 Where to get a will: DIY, attorney, or LegalZoom 15:35 The “bare minimum” step 17:55 What banks may require 20:40 How to store your will safely 24:30 The 3 tiers explained Resources Mentioned Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Intelligent Investor in 2026: Outdated or Timeless?
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. In this first episode of 2026, Dave and Andrew revisit The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham and explain why it’s still worth your time—even if some parts feel dated. They break down the timeless principles Buffett has praised for decades, especially the ideas that help you stay rational when the market (and your emotions) get loud. They also get practical: what “investing vs. speculating” actually means, how to learn a business if you’re serious about picking stocks, and why inflation quietly erodes your buying power. Key Topics Covered: Why The Intelligent Investor still matters (and why Buffett points to Chapters 8 and 20) Investing vs. speculating How to learn a business (10-Ks + Investor Relations) and why reading matters Inflation: how it erodes buying power and affects investors and businesses Mr. Market & margin of safety: Timestamps: 00:33 – Why The Intelligent Investor is still timeless 01:38 – Why it’s a “foundation book” for mindset and emotional control 02:32 – Investing vs. speculating 03:48 – Analysis/business = investing; price movement = speculating 06:21 – How to learn a business 08:12 – Investor Relations pages 08:41 – If you don’t like reading 09:22 – Index funds/ETFs as a legit alternative 11:35 – Inflation basics 14:15 – Risk/return ladder 16:11 – Inflation’s “double-edged sword” for businesses (revenue vs margins) 19:01 – Pricing power example 21:36 – Declines are normal and volatility is part of the game 25:33 – Mr. Market explained 33:34 – Margin of safety Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025 Stock Market WRAPPED
Want to help us make the Investing for Beginners Podcast even better? Take our quick listener survey at https://einvestingforbeginners.com/podsurvey and you’ll be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card next month. Bonus: the first 100 respondents also get free IFB swag. In this episode, Dave and Andrew run through a 2025 stock market year-in-review, using the “Spotify Wrapped” idea as the framing device. They cover how the major indexes performed, why the year felt weird depending on where you were invested, and how the AI boom shaped returns across the market. They also dig into the investing psychology behind FOMO, chasing winners, and dealing with volatility—especially when the broader market is up but your portfolio (or specific holdings) might be down big. Key Topics Covered: 2025 market returns (S&P 500, NASDAQ, Dow) and what they imply going forward The AI boom, NVIDIA’s dominance, and the “you might be early” lesson from the dot-com era Sector winners and why energy/infrastructure matters for AI FOMO, chasing top performers, and how to approach cyclical industries Volatility, expectations, and what to do when a stock is down big Timestamps: 00:19 – Intro: 2025 stock market year in review 01:07 – Index performance 02:48 – The big themes of 2025: AI boom + profitability questions 04:18 – Should you buy NVIDIA now? 07:35 – Getting AI exposure without owning NVIDIA 11:57 – Sector winners 14:11 – Stocks that doubled 19:16 – How to handle cyclicals 21:20 – Normalizing margins to value cyclical businesses 24:10 – Volatility “panic attacks” and why zooming out matters 29:27 – What to do when a stock is down big: fundamentals first 38:30 – Podcast Spotify Wrapped: 3M minutes listened 41:29 – Wrap-up: see you in 2026 Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR30 - How When You Start Investing Matters
You can download Evan’s free monthly budgeting spreadsheet here: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt is joined by Andrew Sather to talk about something most investors don’t realize is shaping their decisions: the market environment you “grew up” in. Andrew shares what it was like starting to invest in 2012 in the shadow of the Great Financial Crisis—when fear was high, bonds were still considered “prudent,” and energy stocks dominated the conversation. Together, they break down the pros and cons of starting in an up market, down market, or flat market, how recency bias and herd mentality mess with your judgment, and why the best antidote is simple: more education, consistency, and automation. Topics Covered: How your “starting market” imprints your investing mindset (up, down, or flat) Andrew’s 2012 investing experience vs. Evan’s late-2021 experience Recency bias, herd mentality, and why fear/greed can flip your decisions Practical ways to stay grounded: education, consistency, and automation Avoiding “next big thing” FOMO (AI hype, NVIDIA chasing, Buffett comparisons) Timestamps: 00:00 Why your investing “timeline” matters 01:03 Andrew’s first stock purchase 02:35 Post-GFC mindset 04:30 2012 market vibe 05:30 Why Andrew stayed frugal but kept investing 07:05 Evan’s late-2021 start 08:35 “This is easy” mindset—and the warning from a mentor 10:25 The moment it flipped 13:45 Three market “start” scenarios 16:05 Down-market cons 18:30 Greedy vs. fearful 24:50 Practical takeaways 29:15 Andrew’s advice for new investors today 33:00 Closing Resources Mentioned: Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Email the team: [email protected] Email Evan: [email protected] Have questions for Evan or Andrew about getting started (or staying consistent no matter what the market’s doing)? Comment below or email Evan—he’d love to hear from you. Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Financials Demystified: Current Liabilities & What They Tell You About Cash Flow
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Value Spotlight Newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this episode of Financials Demystified, Andrew and Dave continue working down the balance sheet by breaking down current liabilities—what they are, why they matter, and what they can reveal about how a business funds operations in the short term. They also connect current liabilities to working capital management, showing how things like accounts payable and deferred revenue can impact cash flow and business quality. To make it practical, they use examples like Campbell’s, Adobe, GameStop, and Netflix—highlighting how the same “category” can look totally different depending on the business model. Key Topics Covered: What current liabilities are Accounts payable and what it reveals about working capital and cash flow Common current liability line items Deferred revenue (why it’s a “liability” that can actually be a positive) Days payable outstanding & the working capital cycle Timestamps: 00:00:15 – Financials Demystified continues 00:00:48 – Definition: current liabilities 00:01:38 – What current liabilities can reveal 00:04:39 – Example: Short-term borrowings, dividends payable, taxes payable 00:08:13 – Deferred revenue: what it is and why it’s not like “real” debt 00:11:28 – Netflix deferred revenue “weird tidbit” 00:13:32 – Income taxes payable 00:17:20 – DPO formula 00:20:24 – Working capital cycle formula 00:35:46 – Wrap-up Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Blog post: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/free-cash-flow-yield-daah/ Infographic: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7406343606875140096?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAD4eKMMBf-41eiJkuqE7j8nT8vhR0cxiYKE Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Santa’s Stock Wishlist: Companies We’d Love to Buy (If the Price Was Right)
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Value Spotlight Newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this Christmas Day episode, Dave and Andrew play a fun “Santa wishlist” game: what stocks (and even a couple private companies) would they love to see under the tree—if the price was right. These are high-quality businesses they admire, but most are too expensive at today’s valuations, so they’re watching and waiting. They run through a mix of consumer brands, software, finance/data businesses, industrial compounders, and a few “wish it were public” names. Along the way, they talk through what makes each company attractive (growth, margins, moats, culture, capital allocation) and what would need to change for them to buy. Key Topics Covered: “Santa wishlist” investing: great companies, wrong price (for now) Growth vs. valuation: waiting for quality to become “buyable” Moats and execution: why some businesses keep winning Capital-light compounders: margins, cash flow, and pricing power Private-company dream picks + what an IPO could mean Timestamps: 00:00 – Stocks Santa should bring us” 03:08 – MercadoLibre (LATAM leader, 30%+ growth, pricey) 06:29 – Wingstop (franchise scale story, valuation still rich) 09:31 – Intuit (QuickBooks, elite margins, always expensive) 11:28 – Cadence (semiconductor design software “industry standard”) 16:05 – Fastenal (steady industrial compounder, valuation stays high) 18:45 – FICO (credit score moat + regulatory/competition risk) 30:04 – Old Dominion Freight Line (LTL leader, cyclical but elite) 39:11 –Reddit (attention + monetization potential, “lottery ticket”) 46:07 – Wrap-up Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR29 - How I Track Financial Progress
You can download Evan’s free monthly budgeting spreadsheet here: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt walks through the exact system he uses to track his personal financial progress—without obsessing over every transaction or living on extreme “never spend money” rules. Over the past few years, Evan has nearly quadrupled his net worth using boring (but powerful) fundamentals: consistent saving, simple investing accounts, and heavy automation. Evan breaks down his monthly financial check-ins, how he reviews whether he actually stuck to his budget, and how he tracks net worth over time using a simple spreadsheet. He also explains what he includes in net worth (including the controversial stuff like car value and home equity), why tracking trends matters more than a single number, and how a quick monthly update can help you catch problems early and stay motivated. Topics Covered: Why tracking financial progress is motivating Monthly financial check-ins Evan’s automation-first approach Building a simple net worth tracker Why Evan includes car value & home equity in net worth Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:30 Evan’s results & why “boring” fundamentals work 02:30 Free budget sheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ 04:55 Why tracking progress matters 09:40 The two-part system 12:35 Monthly budget check-in 14:10 Automation approach 15:10 Setting up a net worth spreadsheet 18:20 Including car value & home equity (and why Evan does it) 20:40 Tracking debt as negative values 24:00 Graphing net worth over time 27:05 Closing Resources Mentioned: Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Email Evan: [email protected] Have feedback on the solo episodes (good or bad) or want Evan to share a simpler version of his net worth tracker? Comment below or email him—he’d love to hear from you. Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Warren Buffett & Sun Tzu: The Ancient Strategy for Avoiding Ruin with Tobias Carlisle
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Value Spotlight Newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this episode, Dave and Andrew welcome Tobias Carlisle—Principal and CIO at Acquirers Funds and co-host of the Value After Hours podcast—to discuss his book The Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu, and the Ancient Art of Risk Taking. The conversation centers on one big theme: avoiding ruin. Tobias explains why “survive first” is the foundation of long-term compounding, how Buffett’s discipline shows up in what he doesn’t do, and why frameworks, selectivity, and understanding conditions matter as much as valuation math. Key Topics Covered: Who Sun Tzu was (and why the text stands on its own) Defensive investing first: debt, fragile business models, and position sizing Wu-wei / effortless success and investing with tailwinds vs. headwinds Moral law, reputation, and why honesty matters in management Via negativa / inversion: avoiding dumb mistakes vs. trying to be brilliant Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 01:16 – Who Sun Tzu was 05:18 – Why The Art of War clicked in 2020 06:11 – Ergodicity: why avoiding ruin matters more than “winning” 12:41 – Seasons, cycles, and tailwinds 15:11 – Buffett’s discipline in COVID 21:21 – Munger’s influence 29:48 – Derivatives as “weapons of mass destruction” 32:15 – What Buffett doesn’t do 35:02 – Avoiding bad actors 38:15 – “Don’t go where you’ll die” 40:10 – Codifying management analysis 41:48 – Why small/value matters 46:12 – ZIG and DEEP 47:05 – Sign-off Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Acquirers Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/4XKvjmFiZLxWZ58vBfT4v9?si=81f548cf76d94325 The Soldier of Fortune (book): https://a.co/d/ib7E08v Acquirers Funds: https://acquirersfund.com/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Back to the Basics: A Starter Guide for New Investors
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Value Spotlight Newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this episode, Dave and Andrew share a practical “back to basics” starter guide for new investors—focusing on the foundational decisions that matter before you ever pick a stock. They also cover the big beginner considerations—time horizon, risk tolerance, and fees—plus the most common starting paths like ETFs/index funds, 401(k)s (especially if there’s a match), robo-advisors, and eventually individual stocks. The throughline is simple: start small, stay consistent, and don’t interrupt compounding. Key Topics Covered: Start with your “why” so you don’t quit when motivation fades Think long-term: volatility is normal, time horizon is everything Risk tolerance matters more than “the perfect pick” Fees quietly destroy compounding (and add up fast) Simple starting paths: ETFs/index funds, 401(k) match, and easing into individual stocks Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 01:55 – Why invest: savings accounts vs. stock market returns + inflation 04:34 – Lifestyle inflation 05:24 – Compounding 07:16 – Volatility short-term vs. growth long-term 09:01 – Risk tolerance 11:36 – Don’t chase returns 12:24 – The “hole in the boat” that kills compounding 15:39 – Open a brokerage account (it’s easier than ever) 19:13 – 401(k) match: “free money” 20:45 – Robo-advisors: convenience vs. control 27:24 – Best time to start 29:08 – “Stock market is a casino” fear 32:42 – Final push Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR28 - Confident Investing w/ Sean Tepper
You can download Evan’s free monthly budgeting spreadsheet here:https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt sits down with Sean Tepper, CEO and founder of TYKR, a platform designed to simplify stock analysis and help everyday investors buy and sell with more confidence. Sean shares how the 2008 crash became his wake-up call, why most beginners get stuck in analysis paralysis, and how TYKR’s “traffic light” system turns a mountain of data into a simple signal: on sale, watch, or overpriced. Sean also breaks down the “4M Confidence Booster” (math, meaning, moat, management), what signals can help you decide when to sell, and why long-term wealth is built by staying disciplined—especially when the market gets volatile. Topics Covered: The traffic light system: on sale (green), watch (gray), overpriced (red) Why analysis paralysis stops new investors from taking action The “$100 a week” investing mindset and consistency over time Reducing risk with the 4M framework: math, meaning, moat, management Individual stocks vs. index funds/ETFs depending on your timeline Timestamps: 00:00 Intro: Evan welcomes Sean Tepper 02:12 From investing frustration to building TYKR 02:56 The “traffic light” concept: simplify 100 data points into a decision 05:00 Analysis paralysis and why beginners freeze 07:00 From Excel stock analysis to software 08:30 Investing vs. trading (and why trading usually loses) 12:17 Treat investing like a “mandatory bill” 15:06 The 4M Confidence Booster: math, meaning, moat, management 20:16 Wealth building (10–15 stocks) vs. wealth protection (funds near retirement) 22:34 Dividend strategy in retirement 24:05 “Easy things get complicated” + staying disciplined 25:29 Why “never skip a month” matters (especially in volatility) 28:58 Recency bias vs. long-term market history 32:02 Where to find Sean + closing Resources Mentioned: TYKR (T-Y-K-R): https://tykr.com/ Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Email Evan: [email protected] Have feedback or ideas for Evan? Comment below or email him at [email protected]—your suggestions help shape future episodes. Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Earnings Smackdown: Snowflake, MongoDB, Salesforce, and the Rise of Discount Retail
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Value Spotlight Newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this episode, Dave and Andrew break down the latest earnings from top SaaS and discount retail companies—Snowflake, MongoDB, Salesforce, CrowdStrike, Dollar Tree, and Five Below. They dig into cloud migration trends, SaaS valuation metrics like the Rule of 40, stock-based compensation, and the impact of economic shifts on discount retailers. Key Topics Covered: Snowflake, MongoDB, Salesforce, CrowdStrike, Dollar Tree, Five Below earnings Cloud migration and SaaS business models Rule of 40 and SaaS valuation Discount retailers’ performance in the current economy How to avoid chasing hot industries Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: episode overview and earnings call focus 00:00:48 – SaaS breakdown: Snowflake, MongoDB, CrowdStrike, Salesforce 00:01:21 – Snowflake’s earnings and cloud migration 00:03:24 – Data growth and Snowflake’s niche 00:04:27 – Stock performance and IPO context 00:06:01 – Salesforce: revenue, margins, CRPO 00:07:04 – Rule of 40 explained 00:08:00 – Salesforce’s AI products 00:09:51 – Acquisitions to profitability 00:12:03 – Management credibility and strategy 00:13:45 – Stock-based compensation 00:15:01 – MongoDB’s cloud shift and AI 00:18:35 – Growth, profitability, sector momentum 00:20:07 – CrowdStrike earnings and ARR 00:22:03 – CrowdStrike’s modules and platform 00:24:37 – Retail: Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Five Below 00:26:09 – Discount retailer performance 00:29:41 – Dollar General, tariffs 00:31:35 – Five Below’s growth and strategy 00:36:01 – Comparing sectors and metrics 00:41:05 – Avoiding hot industry chasing 00:41:58 – Closing thoughts and sign-off Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Semiconductors Demystified w/ Nick Rossolillo: Supply Chain, Cyclicality, and Top Chip Stocks
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Value Spotlight Newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this episode, Dave welcomes Nick Rossolillo from Chip Stock Investor for a deep dive into the semiconductor industry. They break down what semiconductors are, how the supply chain works, why the industry is so complex, and the critical companies powering technology today. Nick also shares why “semiconductors are not the new oil,” what’s driving industry growth, and how investors can avoid common mistakes. Key Topics Covered: What is a semiconductor? Why the industry is so complex and collaborative The AI boom, accelerated computing, and industry growth Moore’s Law, 3D stacking, and industry disruption How to track supply chain trends and avoid valuation traps Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Nick from Chip Stock Investor 01:00 – What is a semiconductor? 03:00 – The chip supply chain explained 05:30 – Key companies: Synopsys, Cadence, ASML, TSMC, Nvidia, AMD 10:00 – How much tech do you need to know as an investor? 13:00 – Industry complexity & collaboration 16:00 – AI, accelerated computing, and industry growth 20:00 – Cyclicality, valuation traps, and supply chain signals 30:00 – Moore’s Law, 3D stacking, and future disruptions 40:00 – Investing lessons, capital allocation, and staying power 45:00 – Where to find more from Nick & Casey 47:00 – Sign-off: Invest with a margin of safety Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Chip Stock Investor (Nick & Casey’s research): https://chipstockinvestor.com/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/ Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR27 - How do I decide how much to save?
You can download Evan’s free monthly budgeting spreadsheet here:https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt breaks down the practical process of deciding how much to save, spend, and invest—using a clear, percentage-based system that works for any income. Evan walks through the 50-30-20 rule (and how he tweaks it himself), explains why percentages matter more than dollar values, and shows how to use a real-world budget outline (grab the free sheet here). You’ll learn where to start, how to handle must-have savings like 401k matches and HSAs, and how to prioritize Roth IRAs and high-yield savings accounts with any leftover funds. Topics Covered: Why percentages matter more than dollar amounts The 50-30-20 rule (and Evan’s personal tweaks) How to find your true net income for budgeting The power of maxing your 401k match and using an HSA Using credit cards only as payment vehicles (not for emergencies) Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and why this topic matters 02:00 The problem with flashy dollar amounts—percentages are what count 04:30 How to use the free budget sheet 06:00 Setting your target percentages (50-30-20 and beyond) 09:00 Calculating net income and why it matters 12:00 Breaking down “needs” and why debt payments go here 15:00 Must-have savings: 401k match, HSA, home equity 18:00 Planning for big goals (cars, houses, etc.) 20:00 Prioritizing Roth IRA and high-yield savings accounts 24:00 Tracking and adjusting your “wants” 27:00 What to do with leftover funds 29:00 Final tips: avoid regular savings accounts, use credit cards for rewards only, and keep things hands-off with index funds 31:00 Wrapping up and how to get started Resources Mentioned: Free budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Roth IRA basics: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/rothira.asp High-yield savings accounts: https://www.nerdwallet.com/best/banking/high-yield-online-savings-accounts Vanguard VOO ETF info: https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/voo Have feedback or ideas for Evan? Comment below or email him at [email protected]—your suggestions help shape future episodes. Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Warren Buffett’s Four Pillars: The Ultimate Guide to Smarter Investing
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Value Spotlight Newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this episode, Dave and Andrew break down Warren Buffett’s legendary Four Pillars of Investing, sharing strategies to help you become a better investor. They explore how to find quality information, why consistent earnings growth matters, how to build your own investment style, and the importance of management in long-term success. Key Topics Covered: Warren Buffett’s Four Pillars: quality of information, consistency of earnings growth, investment style, and management The dangers of relying on bad sources or viral info How to vet information and why annual reports matter Evaluating management: using 10-Ks, earnings calls, and incentive analysis Lessons learned from mistakes and the importance of qualitative research Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Buffett’s Four Pillars 01:10 – Pillar 1: Quality of Information 05:00 – Avoiding bad sources & social media pitfalls 10:20 – Using annual reports & direct sources 12:00 – Pillar 2: Consistency of Earnings Growth 15:10 – Compounding and durable earnings 18:30 – Moats and business strength 22:20 – Pillar 3: Investment Style & Circle of Competence 27:00 – Balancing narrative and numbers 31:00 – Pillar 4: Importance of Management 35:00 – Evaluating management: 10-Ks, calls, podcasts 38:00 – Incentives and compensation 40:00 – Final thoughts & Buffett’s timeless lessons Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ What We Can Learn from Warren Buffett’s Four Pillars of Investing (blog post): https://einvestingforbeginners.com/what-we-can-learn-from-warren-buffetts-four-pillars-of-investing/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Emerging Moats, Oscar Health, and Kraken Robotics – with Brett Schaefer
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Value Spotlight newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this episode, Dave and Andrew welcome Brett Schaefer to talk about “emerging moats” and showcase his new research service. Brett breaks down why he’s focusing on companies with growing competitive advantages, and shares deep dives into two off-the-beaten-path stocks: Oscar Health and Kraken Robotics. The conversation covers what makes these businesses unique, the risks and rewards, and how investors can spot the next wave of winners outside the usual tech hype. Key Topics Covered: What is an “emerging moat” and why it matters Kraken Robotics: defense tech, contracts, and growth runway Oscar Health: ACA market, tech disruption, and scaling up The risk and reward of dilution, contracts, and regulation How to spot scalable competitive advantages What Brett looks for in small/mid-cap stocks The long-term opportunity in individual health insurance Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and Brett’s new research service 03:00 What are emerging moats and why focus on them? 07:00 Kraken Robotics: tech, contracts, and defense industry growth 13:00 Oscar Health: ACA, tech, and the innovator’s dilemma 26:00 Risk, reward, and scaling up 40:00 How Brett researches and what’s next for Emerging Motes 50:00 Wrapping up and links to research Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Emerging Motes Newsletter & Research: https://www.emergingmoats.com/ Chit Chat Stocks Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chit-chat-stocks/id1437766060 Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR26 - How to Use Insurance to Build Wealth w/ Kim Butler
You can download Evan’s free monthly budgeting spreadsheet here:https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt sits down with Kim Butler—founder of Prosperity Thinkers, host of the Prosperity Podcast, and bestselling author of Live Your Life Insurance—to break down how life insurance can be used as a tool for building wealth (not just protecting your family). They dive into the mechanics of whole life insurance: how it works, how you can borrow against your cash value, and why it’s more flexible than most people realize. Kim covers the pros and cons, compares insurance to other savings vehicles, and highlights the importance of control and flexibility in your financial life. Topics Covered: Why saving comes before investing How whole life insurance works (and why it’s not just for death benefits) Borrowing against your policy: what really happens Pros and cons vs. high-yield savings, bonds, and the stock market Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and Kim’s financial awakening 03:00 Lessons from 4-H, cows, and early entrepreneurship 06:00 The real role of life insurance and why people misunderstand it 10:00 How to use whole life insurance as a savings tool 15:00 Borrowing against your policy: mechanics and benefits 20:00 Pros, cons, and comparisons to other savings options 25:00 Flexibility: loans, skipping premiums, and paying yourself back 30:00 Building control and opportunity into your financial life 33:00 Kim’s special resource for listeners 35:00 Where to find Kim and final thoughts Resources Mentioned: Kim Butler’s Website: https://prosperitythinkers.com/special/ Prosperity Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0T5efslEuybSsGH6rlp1nn?si=6ca2f4a7256a40dc Live Your Life Insurance (Book): https://a.co/d/9YF1lAf Kim’s Website: https://prosperitythinkers.com Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Have questions or feedback? Email Evan at [email protected] or comment below—your thoughts help shape future episodes. Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What Company Earnings Are Telling Us About Today’s Economy
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Value Spotlight newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this episode, Dave and Andrew take a stroll through the latest earnings reports from some of the world’s biggest and most influential companies to get a pulse on the real economy. They break down what Walmart, Shopify, Netflix, JPMorgan Chase, McDonald’s, Home Depot, Uber, and UnitedHealth are revealing about consumer behavior, business trends, and economic health. They also dig into the economic signals hiding in credit data, consumer spending, and even the return of the McDonald’s dollar menu. Key Topics Covered: Walmart’s strong growth and what it says about consumer spending Netflix’s ad business, content hits, and streaming dominance McDonald’s slowing growth and menu changes Uber’s explosive growth in rides and delivery UnitedHealth’s revenue, profit squeeze, and the impact of ACA subsidies Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and episode overview 01:00 Walmart’s earnings and what they reveal about consumer trends 06:00 Shopify’s numbers, AI tools, and international growth 10:00 Netflix’s revenue jump, ad platform, and content wins 13:00 JPMorgan’s earnings, consumer credit, and economic signals 17:00 McDonald’s sales slowdown, menu changes, and consumer pinch 25:00 Uber’s ride and delivery growth, and what it means for the gig economy 34:00 Wrapping up: what these companies collectively say about the economy 39:00 Listener feedback and how to get in touch Resources Mentioned: The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Buy and sell your next car the easy way with, Carvana—no haggling, no hassle, just click and drive. Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are Bonds Missing from Your Portfolio? David Stein Explains Why They Matter
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Value Spotlight newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this episode of The Investing for Beginners Podcast, Dave and Andrew bring back David Stein—author, co-founder of AssetCamp, and host of Money for the Rest of Us—to demystify bonds. David also breaks down the difference between investment-grade and high-yield bonds, how spreads signal fear (or complacency) in the economy, and why today’s higher yields make bonds more interesting than many investors realize. Finally, they discuss practical ways to own bonds—ETFs, bullet ETFs, TIPS, and CLOs—and how to think about your allocation as you get closer to retirement. Key Topics Covered: What bonds are, how they work, and why the bond market is so big How rising interest rates push bond prices down (and vice versa) Investment-grade vs. non-investment-grade (high-yield) bonds and default risk How bond spreads signal fear, recession risk, and investor sentiment Using bonds for near-term goals like a house down payment vs. long-term retirement Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and welcoming back David Stein 01:00 What are bonds and how do they differ from stocks? 03:00 How coupon rates, yields, and maturities work in practice 13:00 High-yield bonds, spreads, and what they tell you about recession risk 18:00 Defaults, diversification, and why most investors use bond ETFs 25:00 Using bonds for house down payments and near-term goals 29:00 How rising rates crushed bonds in 2022—and what that means going forward 33:00 Yield to maturity and duration: the two numbers that matter most 37:00 Modeling bond returns and recovering from price drops over time 41:00 Why valuations in stocks vs. math in bonds can change your allocation 44:00 Final thoughts on bonds as a tool for confidence and stability Resources Mentioned: Money for the Rest of Us (David Stein’s podcast) AssetCamp (institutional-grade research tool) Have questions for David? Email him at [email protected] Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Buy and sell your next car the easy way with, Carvana—no haggling, no hassle, just click and drive. Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR25 - How to Make Smart Purchasing Decisions
You can download Evan’s free monthly budgeting spreadsheet here:https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt and Andrew Sather dig into how to make smart spending decisions without living like a hermit or constantly feeling guilty every time you buy something. They push back on the extreme “never spend money” advice that goes viral online, talk about how both of them have swung between over‑frugality and overspending, and explain why the real goal is a sustainable middle ground you can actually live with. You’ll hear how to make sure a purchase truly fits your budget, why automation and separate accounts (or “vaults”) make life easier, and how to avoid lifestyle creep and sneaky “buy now, pay later” or monthly‑payment traps. Topics Covered: Why extreme “never spend money” advice backfires How guilt and anxiety can wreck your spending decisions What it actually means for a purchase to fit your budget Using automation and separate accounts/vaults to simplify money Planning for annual/irregular expenses (holidays, birthdays, clothes Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and “have you ever bought anything?” 01:00 Extreme frugality trends and why they’re not sustainable 04:30 Swinging from super‑frugal to overspending (and back) 11:30 What it means for a purchase to truly fit your budget 15:00 Automation, separate accounts, and “vaults” for big goals 19:00 Lifestyle creep, furniture financing, and Amazon payment plans 28:30 Making sure you can still afford your needs after a purchase 36:00 Planning for holidays, birthdays, and other irregular costs 40:00 Willpower vs. systems, and final takeaways Resources Mentioned: Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet:https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Have questions or want to share how you handle big purchases? Email Evan at [email protected] or comment below—your stories and questions help shape future episodes. Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence. Have questions? Send them to [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Q&A from Bruno: Should You Trust Your Analysis, Buy Quantum ETFs, or Borrow Against Your Portfolio?
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Value Spotlight newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this episode of the IFB podcast, Dave and Andrew answer a thoughtful set of questions from listener Bruno about building confidence as a long-term investor, using ETFs like the S&P 500 and a quantum-themed ETF, and whether it ever makes sense to leverage an investment portfolio when buying a home. Dave and Andrew share practical ways to narrow the universe of stocks using simple filters like the price-to-earnings ratio, plus how checklists and focusing on a single industry can make decisions easier and less overwhelming. They discuss why knowing “what’s under the hood” is critical, how position sizing matters, and why most investors are better off treating thematic ETFs as small, speculative slices of a portfolio. Finally, they address Bruno’s question about using an investment portfolio as collateral for a home loan, sharing their concerns about leverage, black swan risks, and why this is usually a high-net-worth, advisor-level conversation. Key Topics Covered: How to build confidence reading fundamentals and financial reports How investing checklists help you avoid blind spots and repeatable mistakes Focusing on one industry at a time to compare a small set of competitors Pros and cons of broad ETFs like the S&P 500 for long-term investors The risks of using your portfolio as collateral for a home loan Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and Bruno’s email with three big questions 01:00 Struggling to trust your own analysis and fundamentals 06:00 Decision overload, restaurant menus, and narrowing your choices 09:30 How a checklist can build trust in your process 18:00 Question 2: Thoughts on ETFs like the S&P 500 and a quantum ETF 20:00 Why broad S&P ETFs are a “set it and forget it” core holding 22:30 Looking under the hood of a quantum ETF and its holdings 28:00 Question 3: Using your portfolio to help buy a home 37:00 Final thoughts on planning, margin of safety, and Bruno’s questions Resources Mentioned: The Vale Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/ At Any Rate with Evan Raidt https://open.spotify.com/episode/1KSDP3QV8VnLLL9Bz03Hi7?si=a1aa66569c2b4148 Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence. Buy and sell your next car the easy way with, Carvana—no haggling, no hassle, just click and drive. Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Financials Demystified: Long‑Term Assets on the Balance Sheet Explained
Want to go deeper on real companies with simple, long-term investing guidance? Subscribe to the Investing for Beginners newsletter, where Dave and Andrew share stock ideas, valuations, and lessons from real businesses straight to your inbox. In this episode, Dave and Andrew continue their Financials Demystified series by breaking down long‑term assets on the balance sheet and why they matter so much for long‑term investors. They walk through real companies to show how different business models leave different “fingerprints” on the balance sheet. Martin Marietta Materials illustrates a classic capital‑intensive business, with huge investments in machinery, equipment, and mineral reserves. NVIDIA shows the opposite: a capital‑light designer that outsources manufacturing to TSMC, runs with massive current assets, and converts that into high margins and free cash flow. The guys also dig into Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and others to explain goodwill, equity investments, reverse acqui‑hires, operating lease assets, and how all of these choices flow through to reported earnings and risk. Key Topics Covered: What long‑term assets are and how they differ from current assets How property, plant, and equipment (PP&E) works in capital‑intensive businesses Goodwill and equity investments at Amazon and Alphabet (Rivian, Anthropic, Character.ai Deferred tax assets, intangibles, and “other long‑term assets” on the balance sheet Operating lease assets and what they reveal about owning vs. renting locations Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and Financials Demystified series setup 02:30 What are long‑term assets? (vs. current assets) 06:30 Real‑world examples: Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and leases 18:30 Martin Marietta example: machinery, equipment, and mineral reserves 24:00 NVIDIA example: capital‑light model, cash, and high margins 30:00 Amazon and Alphabet: equity investments, Anthropic, Rivian, Character.ai 34:30 Goodwill, write‑offs, and what they say about capital allocation 38:30 Ratios and metrics: PP&E vs. revenue, goodwill vs. total assets, ROIC 36:30 Operating lease assets, Texas Roadhouse, and store ownership vs. renting End Why the balance sheet is underrated and how to practice with real companies Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB This message is sponsored by Greenlight. Don’t wait to teach your kids real-world money skills, start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at greenlight.com/investing. Have questions? Send them to [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR24 - Credit Cards: Tool or Trap?
You can download Evan’s free monthly budgeting spreadsheet here:https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt and Dave Ahern tackle one of the most misunderstood tools in personal finance: credit cards. They open with real-life horror stories—from a $20,000 cash advance to chase a “hot stock tip” to a college student stacking cards to upgrade his truck—and use them to show how easy it is to slide into crippling debt. Evan and Dave also walk through the emotional and behavioral side—why points and 0% APR offers can push you to overspend, and why your credit limit is not your spending power. But it’s not all doom and gloom. They outline the right way to use credit cards: as a tool to build credit, get fraud protection, and earn cash back—without ever paying a dime in interest. You’ll hear practical tactics like weekly or automatic payoffs, keeping utilization low, consolidating high-interest debt with a personal loan, and even how parents can give their kids a head start by adding them as authorized users. Topics Covered: How credit cards actually work (revolving credit, hard pulls, limits) The dangers of “free” points, perks, and 0% APR offers Why your credit limit is not your budget Consolidating card debt with a lower-rate personal loan Fraud protection: credit vs. debit in real-life examples Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and credit card horror stories 03:25 How credit cards really work (applications, hard pulls, limits) 06:40 Interest, fees, and why minimum payments are a trap 11:20 Average American credit card debt and compounding math 15:05 Why points and 0% APR can push you to overspend 18:40 When to consider a personal loan to wipe out card debt 20:20 Using cards to build credit and help your kids’ credit 23:10 Fraud protection: why Evan and Dave prefer credit over debit 26:20 Building a healthy routine: budgets, autopay, and utilization 30:35 Warren Buffett’s “bad” credit score and final takeaways Resources Mentioned: Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet:https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/ Have questions or a credit card story to share? Email Evan at [email protected] or comment below—your questions help shape future episodes. Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Buy and sell your next car the easy way with, Carvana—no haggling, no hassle, just click and drive. Have questions? Send them to [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Recreating a Billionaire's Stock Buying Checklist
You can read the full blog post “Mohnish Pabrai’s Stock Buying Checklist” here: In this episode, Andrew and Dave walk through a stock-buying checklist inspired by Mohnish Pabrai and his book The Dhandho Investor. Instead of reading all 34 questions, they “draft” their favorites like a fantasy football team, using each pick to highlight a key principle of smart, long-term investing. They discuss how to think about a company’s future prospects, why understanding how a business actually makes money is non‑negotiable, and how to identify key risks before you get too attached to a stock. They also dig into moats, capital allocation, balance sheets, and valuation tools like DCFs and reverse DCFs—always tying it back to practical ways individual investors can avoid big mistakes and focus on quality businesses. Key Topics Covered: Understanding how a company makes money (and why that’s rule #1) Identifying key risks before you “drink the Kool-Aid” Using ROIC to spot great businesses and efficient capital allocation Earnings growth history and what’s really driving it (revenue, margins, divestitures) Independent thinking in management vs. following the industry herd Timestamps: 00:00 Intro: Checklist episode and fantasy draft format 00:24 Background on Mohnish Pabrai and the stock-buying checklist 01:14 Andrew’s first pick: future prospects of the business 03:36 Dave’s pick: how the company makes money 06:48 Identifying key risks and avoiding blind spots 09:44 Does the company have a durable competitive advantage (moat)? 12:27 Using ROIC to measure efficiency and moat strength 14:44 Capital allocation as job #1 for the CEO 18:28 What pain does the business solve for the customer? 21:40 Assessing the strength of the balance sheet 25:36 Has the company grown earnings above the market average? 29:08 Calculating intrinsic value with different valuation methods 36:28 Does management have a plan, and do they communicate it? 39:50 Where to find the full 34‑item checklist blog post and closing thoughts Resources Mentioned: Mohnish Pabrai’s Stock Buying Checklist blog post:https://einvestingforbeginners.com/stock-buying-checklist-daah/ Digging into Semiconductors: Analyzing Skyworks with Tyler Nash:https://einvestingforbeginners.com/digging-into-semiconductors-analyzing-skyworks-with-tyler-nash/ Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Buy and sell your next car the easy way with, Carvana—no haggling, no hassle, just click and drive. Have questions? Send them to [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Recent Stock Crashes: What the 🤯 Just Happened
You can find more resources and tools at einvestingforbeginners.com. In this episode, Andrew and Dave break down the recent volatility in the stock market, focusing on why certain stocks are crashing after earnings releases. They dig into the stories behind big drops at companies like Fiserv, Chipotle, and Duolingo, exploring whether these moves are justified and what investors can learn from them. They also debate the impact of AI on business models, the importance of understanding a company’s core strengths, and why sometimes the market’s harsh reaction is warranted. Topics Covered: Why stocks are crashing after earnings releases The story behind Fiserv’s 40% drop How to spot “empire building” and why it’s risky Lessons from PayPal’s struggles and turnaround attempts Chipotle’s earnings miss and the restaurant industry landscape What’s really happening with consumer spending at restaurants Duolingo’s growth, profitability, and AI “threat” How to evaluate young, high-growth companies (and their management) The role of “moat” and competitive advantage in long-term investing Is the AI narrative overblown for some businesses? How to keep your cool when stocks drop 20%–40% Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: Why are stocks crashing? 01:39 Fiserv’s 40% drop and business breakdown 04:10 What Fiserv actually does (banking tech & payments) 09:00 Empire building, PayPal parallels, and management mistakes 12:00 Key metrics: revenue, margins, ROIC 17:00 Excuses vs. reality: beef prices, consumer spending 24:00 Broader economic signals: layoffs, Visa/Mastercard data 30:00 Duolingo: growth, profitability, and AI worries 33:00 Capital allocation and management track record 36:00 AI: threat or opportunity for niche apps? 42:00 How to evaluate conviction, moats, and long-term outlook 45:00 Wrapping up: learning from market reactions and avoiding panic Resources Mentioned: Visit einvestingforbeginners.com (for calculators, tools, and more) Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast! Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB This message is sponsored by Greenlight. Don’t wait to teach your kids real-world money skills, start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at greenlight.com/investing. Have questions? Send them to [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AAR23 - How to Get the Best Deal on a House
You can find Evan’s home buying calculator at einvestingforbeginners.com/home. In this episode, Evan Raidt is joined by Andrew Sather to answer a listener’s question about how Evan was able to secure a 4% mortgage rate in today’s market. They break down the process of finding below-market rates, discuss the pros and cons of new builds versus resale homes, and share personal experiences and tips for anyone considering buying a home. They cover the details of FHA loans, builder incentives, the value of a good realtor, and why some traditional home buying advice may be outdated. The conversation is packed with practical advice and actionable insights for anyone navigating the current real estate landscape. Topics Covered: How Evan got a 4% mortgage rate in a 6–7% market What is a “Red Tag Event” and how to find builder deals The difference between FHA and conventional loans Pros and cons of new builds vs. resale homes Fixed vs. variable interest rates explained The true upfront and ongoing costs of homeownership The impact of private equity on affordability Why a good realtor is worth their weight in gold Navigating dual-party realtors and buyer representation Outdated home buying myths and modern realities Using calculators and tools to make smart decisions Resources Mentioned: Home Buying Calculator Monthly Budget Tool Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Listener Question 02:12 How Evan Got a 4% Mortgage Rate 04:10 What is a Red Tag Event? 06:44 Builder Incentives and Lower Rates 08:40 Fixed vs. Variable Interest Rates 11:00 Why Choose a New Build Over a Resale Home? 14:00 The Real Costs of Remodeling and Maintenance 17:05 Comparing Price Per Square Foot: New vs. Resale 19:30 Location, Timing, and Market Surprises 21:24 How Market Timing Helped Evan Get a Deal 23:10 The Impact of Private Equity on Home Affordability 24:06 Using the Home Buying Calculator 25:41 The True Upfront Costs of Buying a Home 27:06 Why Upkeep and Repairs Matter 28:55 The Value of a Good Realtor 31:00 How to Find Builder Deals Like Red Tag Events 33:56 Navigating Dual-Party Realtors 35:42 Why Not Everything Is About Money 37:01 Final Thoughts and Recap of Listener Question 39:04 Resources and How to Reach Out 40:09 Outro Have questions or want your story featured? Email Evan at [email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the show! Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate—we’ll see you next time. Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. This message is sponsored by Greenlight. Don’t wait to teach your kids real-world money skills, start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at greenlight.com/investing. Have questions? Send them to Evan at [email protected] If you’d like to discuss sponsorship or advertising opportunities, shoot us an email at [email protected]. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stock Market Nerd’s Guide to Investing
In this episode of the Investing for Beginners Podcast, Brad Freeman from Stock Market Nerd joins the discussion to provide his insights on various investment strategies and the importance of understanding financial statements. Brad shares his journey into the world of investing, the critical factors he considers when evaluating stocks, and the role of strong leadership in company success. He also dives into specific sectors like cybersecurity and explains his cautious approach to AI and bubble markets. Brad discusses his meticulous research process, his valuation techniques, and the influence of international investments on his portfolio. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:35 Why Choose Stocks? 03:10 Developing an Investment Framework 05:34 Learning from Mistakes 11:29 Research Process and Tools 25:20 Identifying Investment Opportunities 28:36 Evaluating Rubrik's Competitive Landscape 30:36 Building a Wishlist of High-Quality Companies 31:50 The Importance of Trusting CEOs 38:35 Valuation and Investment Strategies 42:46 Market Cap Preferences and Geographic Considerations 47:38 The AI Bubble and Investment Caution 54:19 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. More from Brad: Stock Market Nerd X: @StockMarketNerd Instagram: @thestockmarketnerd Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB This message is sponsored by Greenlight. Don’t wait to teach your kids real-world money skills, start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at greenlight.com/investing. Have questions? Send them to [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Some of the Biggest "Lightbulb Moments" of Our Investing Journey
In this episode of the pod, Andrew and Dave discuss pivotal 'light bulb moments' from their investment journeys. They explore essential insights including company growth's impact on valuation, the importance of understanding a business before investing, differentiating between types of stock dips, and critical lessons learned from investment mistakes with companies like Intel, Crown Castle, Starbucks, and GameStop. The hosts also share valuable knowledge gained from reading notable investment literature and shareholder letters, emphasizing key concepts like financial statement connections, the role of ROIC and WACC, the power of scale economies, and more. Through their experiences, they illustrate how these revelations have shaped their approach to analyzing and selecting stocks. 00:00 Welcome to Investing for Beginners 00:29 Andrew's Light Bulb Moment: Growth and Valuation 02:48 Dave's Light Bulb Moment: Learning from Mistakes 04:49 Understanding Business Models and Competition 13:52 The Importance of Financial Statements 20:12 Valuation and the DCF Model 25:31 Lessons from Investment Masters 32:42 The Power of Scale Economies 34:43 Wrapping Up and Listener Engagement Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB This message is sponsored by Greenlight. Don’t wait to teach your kids real-world money skills, start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at greenlight.com/investing. Have questions? Send them to [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices