The Stacking Benjamins Show

If you listen to the news (or see the carnage around you), you know that recessions are a time of hurt. Companies downsize or go bankrupt. People lose their jobs, their homes, and in a stock market decline, their ability to meet goals. But are recessions actually good for us? One recent financial piece says that they are, and our collaborator and friend Doc G at our award-winning sister show, Earn & Invest, dives into it today. He's asked two people from his community plus Joe Saul-Sehy to a panel discussing the possibility that just maybe...behind all of the tears and horror, a recession might be healthy. Find the original show notes here: https://www.earnandinvest.com/episodes-8/are-recessions-good-for-you Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever look at yourself in the mirror? Of course, you have! How often have you had to tell that person looking back at you to get out of the way? If you’re like us, A TON. Mel Robbins discovered that one simple gesture in the morning can make all the difference in our decisions. She’ll share details of her own journey to success after financial hardship and how five seconds and high-fives changed her outlook. High fives aren’t just for big accomplishments or a way to communicate with friends. You can (and should) give yourself a high five every day for all the successes in your life, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Mel dives into the science behind how these small habits changed her life and how they can change yours, too. We are back teaching you about annuities during our headline, and one annuity company is pleading to independent financial advisors to give their products another shot. Annuities aren’t always painted in the best light, and we’ll hear what this company is doing to change that. During our Magnify Money voicemail, Roy wants to pick Joe and OG’s brains about their asset allocation. And, of course, we’ll include some of Doug’s trivia. This show originally aired in September of 2021, so please ignore any mention of current events. You can find the original show notes here: How To Get Out Of Your Own Way With One Simple Tool (with Mel Robbins). Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the secret to investment success all about making your decisions as if you were a 50-year-old woman? We tackle that take on today's roundtable discussion. We're joined by one of the best voices who gives investing advice online, Brian Feroldi. He's joined by the lady who knows all about making wise investing decisions, no matter your age, Paula Pant. And finally, we also feature the advice of our in-house financial planner (who happens to have the temperament of a 50-year-old woman), OG. In the second half, brought to you by DepositAccounts.com, we continue down the list of how to win by investing like a 50-year-old woman. And, finally, be sure to stick around for Doug's sky-high stock-institution trivia. It will surprise you! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/invest-smarter-think-like-a-50-year-old-woman-1537 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 During our conversation, you'll hear us mention: Sticking to your investment plan, even in times of market correction. Why "this time is different" is a dangerous mindset. Weighing the long-term risk-reward relationship. The benefit of indexing. Investing according to your time horizon and risk tolerance. The fallacy of trying to time the market. Dollar-cost averaging. How to resist the temptation to tinker with your investments. How to trick yourself from reacting to every piece of news. How to avoid FOMO. Why you shouldn't care about what others think. Stop comparing yourself to others. Allowing yourself to allocate a small amount of your portfolio to taking outsized risks. Investing in individual stocks if it works for you. Allocating a limited amount of time to making investment decisions. How to distinguish between sound advice and not-so-reputable salespeople. Use good judgment when deciding whose advice to follow. Finding the investing style that works for you. Learning from failure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Time to revolt! Tired of thinking everyone else is in control when it comes to your money? The grocery store, utilities, retirement plans and their fee structures...everyone wants a piece of you, don't they? Well, today, that all changes. We're burning down ideas like high-interest debt (or debt at all), kids eating your entire budget, needing a million dollars to retire, and other tired ideas. We'll swap these and other ideas out for useable tips and ideas to help you revolt and build your own financial freedom. Our headline today features a top economist who says the idea of retiring with a million is too much. You can retire on much, much less. We'll share why we agree today, but do you really want less? Our TikTok minute is about budgets. Who can afford the fresh produce area of a grocery store? The Better Call Saul... Sehy and OG segment features Dave, who wonders about credit card reward points. Should he begin taking advantage of them? FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/how-much-do-you-need-to-retire-1536 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you think, "I've made it once I reach financial independence?" Douglas Tsoi has been "retired" for over ten years and will tell you, "Not even close." For all of us, a new journey begins once we reach financial independence. What does this look like? How can we prepare? Today, Douglas sits down with Joe Saul-Sehy to dive into the five stages we all experience after reaching what many think of as the finish line. In short, we'll discuss: The fallacy of "I'm done" The reason why people are afraid to retire, even though they may say otherwise The darkness phase of "is this all there is?" and how to fight it The joy of finally realizing that, after the emotional journey, you can flip into a new, gratifying state. In our headline, we'll share a story about two executives in court because their investment scheme was "built on lies." This company promised eight percent returns without volatility. What's wrong with that? We'll walk through: How companies make money and why volatility is always EXPECTED with an eight percent return. Historical returns for asset classes, including the much-maligned international and emerging markets asset classes. Will they ever outperform again? We'll share several ways people try to even out returns to ATTEMPT, including what these alleged scammers said they could do (and couldn't). But that's not all. Of course, we'll also share Doug's amazing Formula One trivia question and much, much more. FULL SHOWNOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/emotional-stages-after-financial-independence-douglas-tsoi Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are the biggest fifteen items on most budgets that can derail your spending plan? One blogger, our friend Allison Baggerly at InspiredBudgets.com, made a list. Today we use that list as the basis of a game show episode! Paula Pant (AffordAnything), Doc G. (Earn & Invest) and our own OG go head-to-head in a match to figure out which items made Allison's list. The best part? Even when their guesses are wrong, they bring up MANY budget busters that can help all of us do a better job fixing the holes in our spending plan. Topics we cover: Gifts Taxes Auto maintenance Pet care Holiday spending Medical deductibles/costs ...and much more. We also share MANY solutions to plug the holes in your budget. AND if that weren't enough, we pause at the halfway point of our conversation for our normal trivia competition (a competition inside of a competition? Meta!) FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/budget-gotchas-1534 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even if you only have $500 in your emergency fund, today we reveal why having this money in the right place can yield BIG dividends. If you have your $500 in an account paying the average rate, you'll make around $2.50 in interest per year. Yet, by moving these Benjamins to a well-structured emergency fund, you could earn around $22.50. Doesn't sound like much? Assuming this takes 30 minutes, we're talking about earning $40 an hour! That's a GREAT rate of return on your time invested. Episode Overview Why Your Emergency Fund Matters More Than Ever: Ever wondered where to stash your emergency fund for the greatest benefit? With rising interest rates, it’s a discussion worth your time. We’ll cover: How much should you keep in your emergency fund? Avoiding common pitfalls. Understanding the differences between money market accounts, high-yield savings accounts, and other options. And yes, we clarify all this mumbo-jumbo so you can actually understand it! (What are YOUR thoughts on emergency funds? Share with us on Instagram or on Facebook!) Segment Highlights: TikTok Minute: What’s “guy math”? We’ll dive into this fun trend and how it compares to “girl math.” This guy applies girl math to his tool collection. What could go wrong? New Segment Debut: Sometimes, online advice needs a second opinion. Hear OG’s take on some questionable financial tips. Today, we open with Sammie, who is asking for help with her 401k. As you can imagine, any time you ask for advice on the internet, it goes downhill quickly from there. If you see horrible advice in a financial forum, send it to us! (joe at stacking benjamins dot com) Doug’s Trivia: Test your knowledge with Doug’s latest trivia question and much more! Today, he dives into Federal holiday trivia to celebrate Juneteenth. Join the Community: For deeper dives, curated links, and exclusive discussions, subscribe to our newsletter, The 201. Join the Stacking Benjamins community and let’s achieve financial success together! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tax planning in June? Of course! Why would you wait until next year, when you can't make ANY financial moves that save you money, to start figuring out how to cut your tax bill? Right now, at nearly the halfway point of the year, we'll dive into how to understand your taxes and make cuts with our tax planning mentor, Hannah Cole. Hannah will walk us through tax savings ideas for everyone, and then we'll focus on those people who have either started a side hustle or who are entrepreneurs and share some great tips for business owners. Even if you're just dreaming about having a business or "working for the man," we've got you covered. Plus, in our headline segment, two brothers woke up one day this spring and found themselves disinherited, losing out on approximately one million dollars! How did that happen? It could have all been avoided, and YOU can avoid this problem too. We'll walk you through HOW to make sure your beneficiaries receive the funds you've decided should go to them. We'll also explain how wills and trusts work, and get you started toward building a better "estate plan." Of course, Doug brings his awesome trivia challenge AND we answer a question from a Stacker in need. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/tax-planning-year-round-1532 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How are you preparing for retirement? Have you looked at all of the dimensions to ensure you have a successful, long runway of money always available? On today's special roundtable episode, we dive into a piece that claims there are seven things you need to do in order to be prepared for retirement. Joining us are: Don McDonald from the Talking Real Money podcast, Paula Pant from Afford Anything, and OG. In the second half of the show, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we dive into risk mitigation, the importance of maintaining adequate cash reserves while in retirement, and keeping a historical context of current events. Be sure to stick around for the yearlong trivia competition with Doug's baseball-themed trivia. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/moves-to-make-before-retirement-1531 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s another lawsuit brewing in the world of retirement planning. This time, participants in a 401(k) plan in California are raising concerns about how Qualcomm is handling the money forfeited when employees don’t complete their vesting schedules. Vesting schedule? What’s that all about? Today, we'll break down everything you need to know about vesting schedules, so you can navigate your job benefits with confidence. Whether you’re dealing with a vesting cliff or a staggered vesting schedule, we’ve got you covered. We’ll explain how they work, the taxes involved, how to plan around them, and how to think about any money that isn’t fully yours yet. Plus, for business owners, we'll discuss how to balance keeping talent with implementing vesting schedules. Get ready for a fun and informative session on one of the trickier aspects of financial planning! In our TikTok minute, we’re sharing a clip from Fox News where a contributor predicts what will happen to the stock market if Trump is convicted after his recent trial. Spoiler: He was convicted. Let’s see if his prediction came true and how it might impact your money. We also have a note from a fellow Stacker who thought, "I better call Saul...Sehy & OG." He’s worried about contributing to a Roth IRA because his income is too high. We’ll discuss strategies like backdoor Roth contributions, Roth 401(k) plans, and some of the tricky rules around Roth IRA conversions that can trip people up. And of course, we’ll share a fun trivia question from Doug, sit on the back porch, and so much more! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/all-about-vesting-1530 For deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions, check out our newsletter, The 201, at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unlocking the FinTech Disaster: What You Need to Know You might not know it, but a huge number of people have their money trapped in a recent FinTech crisis. When the middleman company Synapse went bankrupt, it froze funds in many popular FinTech apps, including Yotta, a sweepstakes app that makes saving money fun. Will Yotta and other affected FinTech companies be able to return their users' money? What does this mean for the future of FinTech? Is more legislation on the way to prevent this from happening again? While new updates are rolling in daily, we’ll break down what we know and how it impacts your finances. The Fascinating History of Banking Later in the show, we'll dive into the history of banking with our mentor for the day, Paolo Zannoni. Paolo is the deputy chairman of Prada, a historian, and the former head of operations for Goldman Sachs in Russia. He'll reveal that while today's FinTech issues might seem new, they’re part of a repeating historical pattern. Learn how modern banking originated in Pisa, the relationship between banks and credit, how minting money sped up the creation of banks, and how banks and governments have collaborated for centuries. Better Call Saul... Sehy and OG: Setting Savings Goals In our Better Call Saul... Sehy and OG segment, a Stacker mom seeks advice on helping her twenty-year-old daughter set savings goals. The young woman is great at saving but isn’t sure what to save for. We always say, "Begin with the end in mind," but what if you don't know what "the end" looks like? We’ll discuss practical steps to find and set meaningful savings goals. Plus... Don't miss our memorable back porch discussions, Doug's always-entertaining trivia, and much more! Join the Conversation For deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions, subscribe to our newsletter, The 201, at stackingbenjamins.com. Enjoy the Show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why aren't all big-money ballers able to pile up massive stacks of Benjamins? How come some average Joe earners can build significant wealth? On today's special roundtable episode, we dive into a blog post listing the top six reasons people who make big money can't save. One of the Top 100-rated financial planners by Investopedia in 2023, Elaine King, joined us. She's not alone, though. We also feature the creator of the award-winning blog Afford Anything, Paula Pant, and our own resident CFP, OG. In the second half of the conversation, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we'll explore the actual benefits of relocating to save money. Stick around for our year-long trivia competition inspired by our special guest, Elaine King's, home country of Peru. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/top-six-reasons-youre-not-rich-1528 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Open AI recently survived a brutal firing/rehiring of their CEO and a complete board resignation. In the past, we've heard extensively from Sam Altman, the CEO of Open AI, but we haven't heard from the board. Today we use the words of a board member who's speaking openly for the first time to ponder the question, "Should YOU have a board of directors for your personal financial life?" We parse the words "board of directors" to determine what that really means, and we dive into how these relationships truly work. Should we except "hostile" advice from strangers? Should we consider our friends to be on our board casually? We explore all of these options and more on today's extended Wednesday headline discussion! Of course, we feature a TikTok minute that you won't want to miss as one young woman discovers the true trap that taxes are on your ability to build wealth. Doug also supplies his amazing trivia, and of course, we also answer a call for help from a Stacker who thought, "I'd better call Saul...Sehy and OG." FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/create-your-board-of-directors-1527 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much of your life is controlled by programming? If you're looking to make more money you have to look at what's blocking you today and transform yourself into an earning machine. It turns out that the key to earning more is right between your ears. Brandon Epstein works with top professionals (athletes, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and high-level executives) to help them achieve even more. You've heard us say many times that great people surround themselves with amazing individuals. Brandon IS that maker of amazing talent. He doesn't create talent. He teaches you how to tap the talent you know is waiting to be deployed. We'll talk about mental blocks, societal programming, identifying those blocks, and how to break free of them on today's podcast. But before that we ask the question, can you trust online reviews? We not only walk through how many of your favorite sites are manipulating their review systems, but we also give you a better method to find and keep talented people around you (or amazing companies that you should work with). We also take a call from a Stacker who wonders how to invest money she's rolled over into her IRA, AND we dive deep on Doug's incredible trivia question. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/break-through-mental-blocks-achieve-success-1526 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maybe the key to achieving happiness doesn't lie in being perfect (financially-speaking). Today we dive deep into striking the balance between channeling your inner Warren Buffett/Jack Bogle/Scrooge McDuck hybrid and channeling your inner Neighbor Doug at the special Summer Slam-Bingo-Ladies Night down at the Sizzler. Joining us on today's special roundtable discussion are: the woman who’ll help you get out of being miserably in debt, award-winning author, Erin Skye Kelly; the guy who helps people be responsible with their future money, the host of the Inspired Money podcast, Andy Wang; and the Scrooge McDuck of this here podcast, OG. In the second half of the show, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we dig into how to make money a fun topic. Does being a mega tracker bring you anxiety? If so, maybe you should focus on putting savings first and then spending what's left over. Finally, be sure to stick around for Doug's Benjamin stack-related trivia. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/how-to-maintain-happiness-and-be-good-with-money-1524 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today high yield bonds are in the spotlight. A recent Wall Street Journal piece details how you can get eight percent currently in the bond market (which is a rate most stock investors would be happy to lock in). Why may this NOT be a good deal? Well, first you have to understand how bonds work. So, we'll explain that. Second, you'll have to understand the difference between buying a bond fund and a single bond. So, we'll also explain that. Third, we'll have to explain how many investors lose money because they don't understand concepts such as "risk premium." So, happy, we'll show you what that means. It's all things bonds on today's show! But that's not all. Stacker Tom asked a GREAT question in the Stacking Benjamins basement the other day, because it's SUPER complicated. He asks about IRMMA, RMDs, and Medicare. Huh? We LOVE this question because it shows the depth of knowledge you'll need to have to get everything right...but also shows you how you do NOT need to know everything today/right now/immediately. We'll explain all of these terms on today's show (and also illuminate how frustrating the world of financial terms can be during our TikTok minute). FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/bonds-hidden-risks-1524 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learning a new language is difficult, and the language of money is no exception. Brian Preston from The Money Guys has created shortcut words and phrases like "financial mutant" to help you focus on what's important and ignore the rest. We'll discuss how to get started, the key moves to reach long-term goals, how to avoid making costly mistakes, and more. Whether you're someone just beginning your journey or a seasoned investor, there's a little something for everyone every time we speak with Brian. In our headline segment, a publication decided to ask AI (Chat GPT) how to beat the stock market. The AI responded with advice, which we'll dive into thoroughly to see if this is the wave of the future. Even better news: beginning this week, we'll track this AI driven portfolio to see if it truly is a better way to invest than a collection of index funds (or just one index). But that's not all. We also answer a question from a Stacker AND Doug shares his amazing trivia. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/become-a-financial-mutant-1523/ Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to a very special roundtable edition of the show! On today's show, we're talking about debt, and how to use it (or avoid it) as part of your financial plan. We're joined by Afford Anything's Paula Pant; the host of The Personal Finance Podcast, Andrew Giancola; and the host of the Earn & Invest podcast Doc G! In the second half of the show, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we dive into the possible positive effects that having a large amount of debt can have - in terms of constant motivation to make progress. Be sure to stick around for Doug's mind-blowing trivia question about debt. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/the-role-of-debt-in-your-financial-plan-1522 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A recent major media outlet reports that people earning less than $50,000 per year aren't eating at restaurants as often as they did a year ago, and that eating away from home is becoming a trait increasingly more for the wealthy. Today we talk about not only this trend but others as we help you grab a firm hold on your wallet. One of the "big three" expense categories is food cost, and cutting your restaurant tab can be an effective way to sock more money toward financial independence. We'll share tools, strategies, and anecdotes from people who've successfully navigated the restaurant game on today's show. Plus, we share a TikTok minute from one creator who's more than a little worried about homeowners and renters insurance. You'll hear why and how to make better decisions around these policies. Then we look at other communities online and answer random questions we've seen on the web that we think haven't been answered very well. We talk CD rates, driving for DoorDash, and more. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/state-of-restaurants-2024-1521 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nothing says summer more than a trip to your favorite regional theme park. Whether with friends, family, or alone, a trip to a theme park can be either super expensive and tiring or a blast. So that's why our friend from Theme Park Insider, Robert Niles, is BACK to help us all kick off summer on the right foot, spending money wisely on experiences that will be memorable and fun. Not only will he help you save some money, but he'll also share tips on the hottest parks and attractions around the country. We'll talk about food (best food AND deals), thrill rides, family attractions, and more. In our headline, OG and Joe dive into the exchange-traded fund (ETF) craze. People are pouring money into ETFs, but are they doing it wisely? In many cases, no. We'll share how exchange-traded funds work, which types are the best to choose from, and how to avoid getting caught investing in something that sounds great...but truly is not. Of course, we'll also share Doug's trivia question about the biggest stock market drop of all time and FINALLY wrap up our 2024 "Joke Off." It's another day of fun on the Stacking Benjamins show. As always, thanks to our sponsors, and enjoy another show where we're ad-free the ENTIRE second half of the show (as always!). FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/theme-parks-summer-2024-1520 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the end of the day, stacking Benjamins is all about living a better, happier life. But how can you achieve greater happiness while still on your stacking journey? That's what we're all about on today's special, all-about-happiness episode. We're joined by our special guest, host of the Best Interest Podcast, Jesse Cramer; a lady who knows plenty about the intersection of money and happiness, Paula Pant; and our own rainbow and unicorn ray of sunshine, OG! In the second half of our discussion, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we dive into more of our favorite ways to improve your happiness. Be sure to stick around for the ongoing year-long trivia competition as Doug brings a rainbow/magical wizard-related trivia question. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/how-to-achieve-happiness-1519 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Robinhood seams to always be in the news, and usually not for a good reason. Today Joe and OG discuss Robinhood crypto potentially being sued be the SEC. Crypto still seems to be the wild wild west. Is the SEC trying to put some regulations around crypto but then again isn't that the whole purpose of crypto? Our TikTok is all about following the prospectus and whether Doug starts his fire with those? We answer a question from Stacker, Damon, about whether or not he can help out his kids fund their Roth IRAs? FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/choose-the-right-broker-1518 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Schulz is the PERFECT mentor to teach us how to negotiate because, in his own words, he's not a natural negotiator. Today he proves that you don't have to be a natural to find better deals on your credit card interest rates, prescription, rental cars, hotel rooms, and more. He'll walk us through the common misconceptions around negotiating and help us learn to ask politely for more for ourselves. In our headline segment, small company stocks are struggling to keep up with the S&P 500. Why would someone stay diversified when large companies are doing so well and other stocks are not? We'll walk through the science of diversification and why it's a mistake to bail on underperforming asset classes during down periods. Of course, that's not all. We'll share some of Doug's trivia, answer a question from a Stacker about emergency fund interest rates, and more! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/negotiate-everything-with-matt-schultz-1517 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Personal finance education in schools is finally getting some attention, but the best financial education starts at home. On today's special prelude-to-summer-vacation roundtable discussion, we're joined by three experts in the field of kids and money. Joining us today are John Lanza from The Art of Allowance podcast, the founder of the Wealthy Kids Investment Club Maya Cobic, and money educator Rob Phelan. In the second half of the show, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we talk about how to teach kids about money in the digital world. And you won't want to miss Doug's toothy finance-related trivia question! FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/your-kids-and-money-1516 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new CBS report shows that the average person's perception of how much they'll need for retirement has changed dramatically versus four short years ago. Do you think the number is higher or lower? We'll not only share that, but we'll also dive into this idea of calculating the correct amount to save. When is it truly important to begin working on your retirement vision? When should you be more scientific about your overall asset allocation toward your goals, and when does it make sense to just save money? Today we'll share all of those milestones and more as we help you calculate a retirement number that's better geared toward your personal goals AND that's only created when it actually makes sense to have a goal. In our TikTok minute, there are property owners all over the world testing their insurance premiums. We'll share how. We also take a call from Stacker Collin, who wonders which option to take for health insurance (pronounced IN-surance), since it's likely he and his spouse will be working for the same company. Of course, we have some fun out on the back porch talking all things television, and more. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/calculate-your-retirement-number-1515/ Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices