The Stacking Benjamins Show

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

We all have a money story, and today we're sharing some of YOUR most inspiring ones. What makes personal finance really awesome is when we can come together and share stories to inspire and motivate others. Today we talk to three stackers who have done incredible things with their money and learned lots of lessons along the way. Katie was deep in debt for years before paying it off and entering herself into a savings competition at her local credit union. She won the 8-month long challenge by saving 78% of her income in that time! Josh and Alyssa moved from California to Texas without ever having set foot in the city beforehand. They worked to track and cut down on expenses in the year leading up to the move and they share how they did it. Last, Joe's son Nick set himself up so he won't be stuck in mom's basement by owning 11 rental properties at the age of 27! He talks about his strategy, how he got started, and why he dove headfirst into real estate investing. We also left time to throw out the Haven Life line to Brian and answer his question about the 4% rule with a pension. And of course, Doug shares his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Being part of a cult isn't something you'd normally want to flaunt, but today's guest leads a "cult" in the FIRE community that you'd love to be in, because you value saving money, finding your "why" in life, and seeking financial independence. Even if you aren't part of the FIRE community, you'll recognize today's guest. Pete Adeney, aka Mr. Money Mustache, sat down with Joe to talk about family money values growing up, multiple income streams, real estate and the current stock market. Pete shares how the blog started and shares some of his recent posts as well. In our headline segment, we dive into online security. How secure are your passwords, especially for financial accounts? 'Password' is still one of the most common passwords and we share some of the other top passwords according to one list. The guys share tips to keeping your accounts secure and share one scary story of a 401k hacker. Then we answer Lynn's question about opening a 529 for herself and Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you planned for late summer or early fall travel at the beginning of the year (or heck, even the beginning of summer), your budget now looks ugly. Although gas prices have retreated, they're still significantly higher than only a few months ago. Airline fares are sky high, and hotel pricing plus rental car fees have also seen inflation. Today we're coming to the rescue of those travel plans, ditching our normal roundtable format to bring you some hacks and tips to save you money and keep more of the fun when you vacation. Chris Hutchins from the All The Hacks podcast joins us to share travel tips that could save you tons of time and money. Then George Igoe from the popular Million Stories series George Goes Everywhere shares fun ways to spend less but get the same enjoyment out of your travel experiences. He travels around the country visiting various cities for a weekend on a measly $100 budget. He shares how he does it and how you can too. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1940's mutual funds helped the average investor achieve what rich people had known for a long time: that diversification can save your net worth from ruined. In the 1990s exchange traded funds began to trade in serious volumes, with the pace only accelerating. Where do we go from here? Rich Compson, the Head of Managed Accounts at Fidelity Investments joins us to share a solution he and others have been working on. It's a revolutionary way to think about your investment portfolio, offering insane personalization and the ability to be more proactive with tax planning and management. Is it the next thing? We don't know, but we DO know that Rich joins us and shares all the details. In our headline segment, we start by talking about popular "finfluencers" on social media and how their messages help bring everyone to the discussion of personal finance. But how much should you rely on the advice of these online "experts"? We share a few examples of how things can go very wrong and what to look out for when taking financial advice. We also answer Annaliese's question about beneficiaries on her 401k and Doug shares his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you're "winning" at work it's easy to double down and think, "I'm going to work even harder and the results will multiply." This is the first move in a long, painful set of lessons for most people who learn the hard way that working harder doesn't always equal working smarter. Jodi Katz sees this mistake often in the rough-and wild world of beauty. The popular podcaster and beauty media company CEO spent her early years working for several large brands before setting off on her own entrepreneurial path. She's here today to share how she finally found success, and some of the missteps and strategic moves she made along the way that led her to important lessons. In our headline segment, we look at two big publications, each citing a different major bank with a polar-opposite opinion on the economy than the other. What do you do when even the biggest names can't figure out whether we're headed for more pain in this market? The guys share it all AND give you tips on how you should think about your own financial plan during these times. We'll also answer Marco's question about permanent life insurance and Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How many times have you told yourself that you really, really needed to buy something and acted on emotion? If you bought, did it wreck your credit, your savings, or your budget? Did you feel huge regret after the purchase? Spending is emotional and emotion drives a lot of our spending - and investing - decisions. Our roundtable today talks about emotional spending and how it relates to your overall financial plan. Paula Pant from Afford Anything, Len Penzo from len penzo dot com and our very own OG discuss a piece about emotional spending decisions. They share their emotional spending decisions and help you with tips on how to keep emotions out of big decisions. That'll do it for this Friday roundtable but don't worry, we left time for Doug's trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wondered what an "authentic" real estate fix-up story sounds like, instead of the magical rehab stories that make things look way-too-easy on television? Good news, Carl and Mindy Jensen have done everything from house hacking, fix-and-flip, and buy-and-hold real estate investments. They are here today to share their real estate investing successes and horror stories, Carl's final 1500 day countdown to retirement, and some practical tips if you are thinking about diving in yourself. In our headline segment, we look at a business case study that clearly shows the problem around rising interest rates. Between the pandemic, rising rates, and a threat of recession, corporations are feeling the hurt. We dive into one industry's debt, show you what this means for YOUR money, and share our tips to help you navigate the current economy. We'll also answer David's question about retiring with unused sick days and vacation time, and of course, we even left time for Doug's trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever wondered how your life might be different if you'd decided to take that gap year instead of attending college? Or maybe you decided at the last minute to change the course of your life by talking to a stranger? Laura Schroff backtracked into an unlikely meeting with an 11-year-old boy who was panhandling on the streets of New York City in the late 1980s. After initially walking by the starving child, something made her reverse course a few blocks later. That day turned into a lifelong friendship, creating lessons for both Laura and the boy (Maurice) over the years. She's here today to share tthe powerful tale, as her book that describes the story--An Invisible Thread--celebrates its 10th anniversary. AND as usual, we have more surprises...including a special guest co-host! BiggerPockets CEO and co-host of the BP Money Podcast Scott Trench joins in the fun. He helps us with our headline segment, which brings the conversation back to crypto but it's probably not what you think. Some stars and athletes have asked to be paid in crypto. How's that turning out for them? Joe and Scott dive into why it might not be the best idea. We'll also discuss Tyrell's question about non-compete agreements in our Haven Life line. And we can't forget Doug. He'll share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How's your summer going with the family? Had a money discussion yet? We know that it's hard. Talking about money can be awkward and difficult when trying to explain concepts to kids. We're helping out today by sharing tips and strategies for talking to kids about money. Our roundtable consists of Doc G, Pam Andrews, and our very own OG. They share their tips for talking about money with family and kids. This episode originally aired in 2021 so be sure to ignore any mention of current events. Check out the original show notes here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You think your credit score is a jumbled mess now? Luckily, the three major credit bureaus just stopped counting most medical debt into your score. But it used to be that credit was based on so much more (and less), because the credit "bureaus" were run by people who could be paid off or who could raise or lower your credit just because they liked you. Or they didn't. Dr. Josh Lauer joins us today to continue our dive into American financial history, helping us understand the early days of credit in our country. We'll chat about how it worked, the interesting nuances of your "score," and more. Plus, on this rewind episode from 2017, Mandi Woodruff from the Brown Ambition podcast joined us as our special guest co-host! She'll help us with a couple of headlines, answer a question on the Haven Life Line, and much more. This episode originally aired in 2017 so be sure to ignore any mention of current events. Check out the original show notes here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices