The Stacking Benjamins Show

What if your time management system was actually holding you back? Richie Norton learned the hard way that most time management systems help you complete more tasks but do nothing to help you improve your life. He created the anti-time management system out of necessity. After losing a child and a brother-in-law, he needed to focus on living more rather than just "doing" more. Today he'll teach us key ideas to help you live a fuller, richer life. But that's not all! In our headline segment we dive into a new product on Wall Street...the single stock exchange-traded fund. Do you need to add this to your portfolio? How does it work and who is it for? We'll answer all of those questions...along with a question from a man from Australia (or not), who wonders about what to do with 529 funds AFTER his children have finished college. Can he just take the money out and spend it? Of course, we'll also share Doug's amazing trivia, and so much more. You'll find show notes for this episode at www.stackingbenjamins.com/richie-norton-1253. Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are on our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does your professional, personal, or financial life sometimes feel out of control? Us too, which is why we wanted to chat with Bola Sokunbi, creator of Clever Girl Finance and author of a new book, Choosing To Prosper. To improve her financial and personal life, she endured a 3-hour commute, planned two weddings, and navigated the tough decision about when to have children. It's an exciting and empowering discussion about taking control of your finances and career. Even if you've done a good job saving for retirement, we have headlines you'll want to hear. A recent Wall Street Journal piece explains why your planning job should be about far more than the money. We talk about mindset and values around your retirement goals. We'll also answer Marisa's question about what to do with her old 401k account, and of course, Doug will share his trivia. You'll find show notes for this episode at www.stackingbenjamins.com/bola-sokunbi-1252. Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are on our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's your biggest money concern right now? Rising prices are putting strain on people's wallets. Others have transitioned away from the corporate world and are trying to navigate a new way to earn an income. Whatever stage you are in, there are other people in the same boat. To help, we're diving in to some of the top concerns among people today and sharing our advice. We're live from Podcast Movement in Dallas, Texas with a rockstar roundtable. Mindy Jensen (BiggerPockets Money), Lacey Langford (Military Money Show) and Allison Hare (Culture Changers) join us to share the biggest concerns among their listeners. They talk about the housing market, finding fulfillment in your life and career, the importance of mentorship, and more. You'll find show notes for this episode at www.stackingbenjamins.com/podcast-movement-1251. Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are on our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do so many people focus on managing time, and yet so few achieve a rich life? What exactly does a rich life mean to you, and are you building a bridge toward it? Ramit Sethi's book, I Will Teach You To Be Rich, is a huge success and he now joins us to share lessons from a new journal he's releasing to accompany his bestselling work. He'll walk us through how to actually envision that rich life and how to take steps to achieve it. He also dives into the psychology behind building a life you love, why numbers and math aren't everything, and how to create your money vision. In our headline segment, we take a deep dive into Best Buy's recent earnings call. Not necessarily because of the numbers they reported, but for how they are controlling the controllable. We'll explain. We also answer Paul's question about moving overseas once he retires and Doug shares his trivia. You'll find show notes for this episode at www.stackingbenjamins.com/ramit-sethi-1250. Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are on our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everyone is on their own path toward their financial goals. Your job, income, lifestyle, and values all play a role in that. Where are you on your journey? In a job you dislike or looking for ways to make big moves with your finances? Sam Dogen is the force behind Financial Samurai. He's been in the finance industry for decades, starting his career at Goldman Sachs. He quickly realized it wasn't the job he envisioned and he set out on a path to financial independence. He's here today to share his top money lessons and tips from his career. He talks about how to evaluate your net worth, how to think in probabilities instead of absolutes, why winning isn't the same as not losing, the importance of continuing to show up, and more. In our headline segment, we dive into the truth behind "buying the dip". What does it mean and does it work in the long run? We'll explain why it's popular but doesn't always work like people hope. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Jess who has a question about her health insurance plan. And of course, Doug will share his trivia. You'll find show notes for this episode at StackingBenjamins.com/sam-dogen-1249. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Life can come at you fast. Sometimes quick decisions are necessary but when it comes to your finances, is faster better? Impulse purchases, trading on short-term news, and making decisions without thinking about tomorrow can hurt in the long run. Our roundtable today talks about decision-making when it comes to your finances. They talk about when it's ok to move fast and when to slow down. Amy Blacklock (Women Who Money), Len Penzo (len penzo dot com), and OG join our roundtable. This episode originally aired in 2019 so be sure to ignore any mention of current events. Check out the original show notes for this episode. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do rules of thumb and finance "rules" leave you confused? Even better, some contradict others. We've got a great throwback for you today to help you avoid bad advice around rules of thumb. Joe and OG share their top 5 dumbest rules of thumb and why you shouldn't follow them exactly. They share what you should focus on instead to get ahead on your finances. This episode originally aired in 2015 so ignore any current events or giveaways. Check out the original show notes here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

(See our note on sound quality below...this is below par but an EXCELLENT episode). Happy Labor Day, Stackers! We're kicking off fall with fantasy football, pumpkin spice lattes, and some good ol' retirement planning. There's no time like today to get your financial plan in order. Emily Guy Birken not only co-wrote Stacked with Joe, she's also written several other books AND came on our show a few years ago to bust retirement myths. We start our rewind week with a look back at this episode with her. She shares why some common retirement tips might not work as well as they sound. This episode originally aired in 2015 so be sure to ignore any mention of current events. Check out the original show notes here. Enjoy! Note from Joe: In 2015 we decided to make BIG changes in the podcast and experimented with EVERYTHING. We had JUST changed the format, the sound settings...literally everything, and we lost a third of our listeners. Within two months we'd rebounded to garner accolades across the internet. From Kiplinger to Art of Manliness, everyone loved what we were doing. This episode was lost in translation. The material is great....so today we bring it back using as much modern tech as possible to make the audio quality better. You can hear the raw beginnings of what we were aiming for with Stacking Benjamins, AND there's good advice inside of this episode). So...I hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trying to cut back on spending? Now that vacation season is coming to a close and it's back to school for many people, lots of us are thinking of ways to tighten the belt. Today, our roundtable discusses proven ways to save money. Everything from drinking coffee at home to automating your savings to cancelling subscriptions are discussed. Headed into a holiday weekend we decided to make it Game Show Time! so you know it's going to be a ton of fun. To put more Benjamins in your wallet we're joined by savings expert, newspaper columnist and Certified Financial Planner Sarah Catherine Gutierrez (Ladysplaining Money and Aptus Financial). She'll take on our own contributors Len Penzo (len penzo dot com), and co-host OG to see which money saving pro can turn you on to MORE exciting ways to save a buck (or more!). Who do you think will guess the most answers that show up in the piece we reference? The challenge doesn't stop there. Doug will share his trivia. Can OG pull even farther ahead of the group? Enjoy! You'll find show notes at StackingBenjamins.com. Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are on our newsletter, The 201, available at StackingBenjamins.com/201. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's cooking this holiday weekend? Labor Day picnics are just around the corner and tons of people like you are planning festive weekend fun. Not sure what food to prep? Not great with the grill? We've got you covered. Chef Marie Saba joins us with not only LOTS of puns from her hilarious new book, but she also shares some delicious and easy recipes to make your Labor Day picnic or get-together a success. We also chat about her career, because one of Instagram's most famous chefs didn't start out in the kitchen. She'll inspire you with how she pivoted careers to focus on what she loves. We're continuing the food theme in our headline segment. One 27 year old spends $1,000 a week eating at restaurants. Wow! We'll share the rest of the piece on how they allocate the rest of their food budget. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to an anonymous caller who wants to know how to find the right financial advisor for them. Doug will also share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When life gets you down, it's easy to fall into a death spiral of negativity. The harder choice? Figuring out how adversity makes you stronger and picking yourself back up for another round. Twila True was born into the Lakota tribe, in the poorest county in the United States. From a young age, she knew she wanted to find her own way and not rely on another person for financial stability. Today she'll share how she pulled herself out of the cycle of poverty, and into ownership of multiple successful businesses. Both Entrepreneur and Success magazine have honored her with top honors in 2022, and now she'll walk through the steps she took. Target date funds are back in the news. In our headline segment, we're talking about another lawsuit over excessive fees in investment accounts. We tell you what happened, what you can do to protect your accounts from excessive fees, and why we don't love target date funds. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Nick who has a question about wash sales. And Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every year the personal finance community comes together for the Plutus Awards, an annual ceremony that shines a light on some of the best and brightest brands in our space. If you're looking for new podcasts to listen to, new blogs to read, videos to watch, or social media to follow, you're going to love today's show. We start off this special episode with a simulcast of the actual award reveal, which happened on YouTube a couple of weeks ago. Miranda Marquit represents the Plutus Awards and joins Joe to share this year's list. (Because of the live nature of the show, there is some wobbly audio in this segment of the presentation). Then, in our second segment of the show, Joe is joined by a cast of financial commentator to walk through nine of the categories and comment on the various brands. Athena Lent (Money Smart Latina & Slate PF columnist), joins freelance writer/podcaster Eric Rosenberg, and podcaster Chris Browning (Popcorn Finance and This is Awkward). Who's probably going to win each? Who do our panelists want to win? How are these creators different? What are the trends in personal finance media today? We'll dive into all of that in our longest (by far!) episode of the year. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does your dream retirement look like? One popular blogger had high expectations for retirement, and now, four years in, reviews some WOW unexpected changes in his life. If you've ever fantasized about how you'll spend your retirement days, today's show is for you. What if it doesn't go as planned? Our regulars (OG, Paula Pant and Len Penzo) are back for Paula's last episode for the next 10 months while she's off at Columbia University for an amazing business journalism fellowship. They talk about retirement expectations vs. reality, planning for retirement, and what to think about now, even if that's long before retirement. And of course, Doug will share his amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ON a recent Money Rehab podcast episode, financial commentator Nicole Lapin brought up some pretty explosive reactions to words said by talk show host Dave Ramsey. On today's show, we ask the basic question, "Do commentators attacking each other hinder their efforts to spread financial literacy?" But, we also zero in on exactly what language Ramsey used that Lapin objects to. We invited her on the show to explain, and we're delighted that she took us up on the offer! Today she dives into her sometimes very personal reasons why she objects to what Ramsey says. We question her about how we treat each other as humans, the usefulness of commentators checking each other, the role of religion in financial discussions, and more. But, that's not all. Bed, Bath and Beyond is in the news, and it's partly because of Gamestop! What's the connection? We'll share and also help you with some tips about individual stock trading. We also answer a Haven Life Line question from Jeremiah, who's wondering about buying a home vs renting. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, Joe and OG are answering YOUR questions, and man do we have some good ones. They explain deflation in more detail, dive into dollar cost averaging, talk about shifting your investment allocation, and talk about the importance of keeping your accounts safe online. In our headline segment, we talk to Ken Tumin from MagnifyMoney about their recent saving index survey. Are Americans saving more or less now than they did a year ago? What age group is saving the most? Ken will share the results. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Dan who has a question about his employee stock purchase plan (ESPP). And of course, Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are the grocery store and gas pump killing your Stacked vibe? While tightening the budget belt is one way to control your finances, you can't shrink your way to greatness. Today we'll present another option: increasing your income! Today we'll share lots of ideas on how to make money...so many that in fact, we hope you'll finish this show realizing that a future side hustle idea is closer than you think. Cody Berman is an expert side hustler and also the host of the popular FI Show podcast. Today he joins entrepreneur Paula Pant (Afford Anything), and our very own OG, with thoughts on some of the popular ways people try to bring in some extra cash. They'll share how to get started, what to avoid, and common mistakes and misconceptions, so you're off and running in the right direction and without any messy situations. And you know we can't forget about our trivia competition. Today? Doug's sharing some delicious, jello themed trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Where do your best money habits come from? As a kid, did you have chores and earn an allowance? Were you told all debt is bad? Or maybe your family never talked about money growing up? Our guest today grew up with family mantra that she can still recite perfectly today, a "repenting bench," and a chore list that required bidding and negotiation. Paige Cornetet learned awesome lessons from her father as a kid about money AND life. He taught Paige and her three siblings in a way that was fun and engaging. Paige shares some of those lessons today and ways to help teach your own family, friends, or yourself about money. In our headline segment, we're breaking down the Inflation Reduction Act. How can it help you save money on energy costs? We'll share! We also answer Rachel's question about when and why to sell her investments. And of course, Doug will share his amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you have a dream that hasn't yet been achieved? Are you fascinated with the sinking of the Titanic? If so on either account, you aren't alone. The Titanic's demise is one of the most famous shipwreck stories that has been told over and over again by survivors, and dreaming? Well, that's natural. We all want better. So how do these two ideas mesh? While some dreamt of riches bringing the ship back to the surface, it took decades to find the wreck. Not one or two, but many people had grand ideas of how to locate and preserve the ship. The stories of the Titanic and MANY other shipwrecks are documented in today's guest's new book. Daniel Stone has been fascinated by shipwrecks since he was a kid. He's here today to share shocking facts about shipwrecks and how several people have made it their life's work to find and preserve the Titanic. In our headline segment, we're talking about active vs passive investing. Is one better than the other and why the recent push toward active management? Joe and OG talk about what steps you should take with your own portfolio. We also answer Sheri's question about taking social security benefits. And we can't leave Doug out so he'll share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Game of Thrones tells us that "Winter is coming." While we're not sure about that, we DO know that fall is just around the corner, vacation time is over, and it's time to get serious again about work. So how do you hit reboot and get in gear to hit September running? If the end of summer is making you anxious, we've got you covered today because our roundtable is sharing tips and tricks to staying productive and getting back to tackling your tasks. We are joined by Paula Pant (Afford Anything), Len Penzo (len penzo dot com) and OG. They share everything from how to organize your email inbox, what order to respond to emails in, and how to organize your day in a way that makes you more productive. To make this day even more productive, Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you looked through your closet lately? Have you closely examined the people around you? Today's guest's father married the two once, when he told her, "Your friends are like the clothes in your closet." Jen Principe is a stylist for the stars, whose passion for fashion started at a young age. While now her life seems perfect, Jen's childhood was a horrible mix of abuse, alcohol, getting kicked out of school, and more. Still, it was fashion that saved her life and to use her words, her "soul." She's here today to share her story and the personal and professional lessons we can use to brush up our wardrobe. During our headline segment, we share some sad news about Robinhood, and their announcement that they're laying off a large part of their staff. While the CEO said it's his fault (which doesn't help the employees who were let go), there's still much to sort out. The guys talk about what to do if YOU are ever laid off and how to cope. We also answer Joe's question about downsizing from two trucks to one and Doug shares his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tired of the constant talk about inflation? Don't tune out yet because we are back with the MOST interesting and fun look at the cost of rising prices....Len Penzo's annual sandwich survey. He's on the 14th year of his iconic survey and he's here today to share this year's results. Will the BLT remain the most expensive sandwich of all that he follows? Will bologna stay at the bottom? Len shares the average cost of a sandwich based on his findings, how it compares to the cost of a school lunch, and ranks 10 sandwiches from least to most expensive. During our headline segment, we take a look at a leaked memo from Bank of America that says they hope Americans will be in a worse financial position in the next year. You read that right. One of the biggest banks in the country is hoping people are worse off with their money. Why? Bigger profit. Joe and OG dive in and share how to be better with your banking. We'll also answer Michelle's question about inflation and deflation and Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How organized is your financial life? Is it a jumble in your head? How much complexity is a good thing...diversification, accounts at different institutions... and how much complexity is truly just disorganization? To help attack the complexity problem and create a simpler, more fluid financial life, today we welcome CFP Dawn Dahlby to chat with financial writer Paulette Perhach and Len Penzo. They'll address ways to reduce the dashboards you use, crystalize your thinking, and streamline your financial life. From consolidating accounts to streamlining your investments and debunking rules of thumb, they share their tips to help you better manage your money. And of course, Doug shares his trivia as we continue our year-long trivia challenge. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you truly living? Following your passions, doing what you love and finding purpose in life? The balance between living for today and saving for the future can be hard. How do you fulfill both sides of the equation? Jordan Grumet, aka Doc G, is a hospice doctor who takes care of patients at the end of their life. He's witnessed both sides of the spectrum: people who died with immense love and purpose surrounding them but very little money, and people who died with more money than they could ever need but lacked true connection and purpose in their life. Jordan is here today to help inspire you to live for today without sacrificing your needs in the future. He shares stories from his time as a physician and the lessons his patients taught him. During our headline segment, we're looking at risk vs. reward when it comes to your investments. One study shows that most people don't understand the trade off between risk and reward and we dive into why. We also share how you can find bigger opportunities to save more without risk by sharing a video clip from Sarah Catherine Gutierrez about student loan forgiveness. We'll also answer Steve's question about 401k withdrawals in retirement and Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever feel stuck? Are you sometimes suspicious that maybe what's in standing in between you and goals goals is...you? Today's guest knows that our brain does a great job of tricking us into thinking we can't accomplish something. Colin O'Brady not only summited Mt. Everest twice, he's also the first person to trek across Antartica solo, unassisted. He shares how limiting beliefs restrict us from chasing our dreams, how to get out of your own way, and why a 12-hour walk might be exactly what you need to truly recharge (and why it's not as daunting as it sounds). In our headline segment, we're sharing some frustrating news about an app we once loved. You can find a subscription for just about anything these days and Stockpile is now moving to a subscription based fee model too. We'll also answer Robert's question about allocating his 401k contributions between pre-tax and Roth and Doug will share his Mt. Everest wedding trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is your wallet feeling the HUGE pressure of rising prices? Groceries, autos, travel...nearly everything costs more today than it did a year ago. If you're feeling the budget crunch, we've got you covered with hacks and tips to keep costs down. Our roundtable today is discussing a piece on hacks to fight inflation and they talk about everything from the value (or not?) of Costco memberships, buying used, tracking expenses, DIY and more. Katie Brewer (Your Richest Life Planning), Len Penzo (len penzo dot com) and Doc G (Earn & Invest) make up our roundtable today. And of course we saved time for Diania's trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices