The Stacking Benjamins Show

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

We know how the war began. You may know many of the battles. Of course, you know how it ended because you're celebrating the end today if you live in the USA. But how was the war paid for? Today we dive into answering that question with historian Thomas Schachtman. He'll share stories about our founding fathers, their fortunes, and what was at stake if the revolution had gone differently, from both a personal and financial perspective. That's not all! Of course, we'll share a headline ripped from the news when this show first aired, answer a listener question, and dive into Doug's trivia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is this the worst possible time to retire (or to make ANY big financial move)? Inflation is SLIGHTLY up. The stock market is SLIGHTLY down. This could feel less like retirement and more like falling into a deep, dark chasm. Yet, our panel today is here to provide a flashlight and some safety equipment for your goals. Kyle Landis-Marinello joins us (author of Personal Finance and Investing), along with Paula Pant (AffordAnything podcast), and our own OG. We'll dive into the problems associated with making big moves right now and one-by-one work through all of the problem points. By the end of the show, we hope you'll have a much clearer path toward still achieving what you want, when you want, with your money. But that's not all! Doug also will orchestrate another chapter in our year-long trivia challenge, as OG fights to pass Len for first place and Paula hopes to regain the fight for the world's worst trophy. It's all that and much more! Come join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Instead of focusing on what you're going to do today, how about deciding "what am I NOT going to do?" That's one of many pieces of productivity advice that Oliver Burkeman brings to the basement table today. He's studied productivity over his long career and has now written a new hit book on the topic. Oliver shares lessons from Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management For Mortals on today's show. In our headlines segment we address a recent Wall Street Journal piece that calls the bottom of the recent stock market downturn. When will the ugliness end? We'll also ask OG's opinion. Plus, it's Gary Busey's birthday, so Doug will help us with some non-sequitur trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a popular refrain: evaluate your life to reduce time pressure and the resulting stress. But what if this approach wasn't as useful as you'd initially thought? We went from driving to a store to purchase closing to "one-click" ordering on Amazon to save time, but what did we lose in the process? Are we making poorer decisions because we're moving at the speed of light, all propelled by brands working hard to get you to buy more. When you save time, do you actually feel less stressed (hell, do any of us feel less stressed than we did ten years ago?) What if adding friction was the answer, rather than decreasing it. Soon Yu joins us today to talk about why friction may not be all bad, and why it can actually help keep more Benjamins in your wallet. He shares stories about a 20-minute coffee process, baking cakes, and how we can manipulate our dopamine levels to reduce unnecessary spending. But wait, there's more! In our headline segment, we talk about Social Security benefits and the misinformation to watch out for. You expect to get correct information when you call the Social Security Administration but some agents are handing out incorrect information by mistake. We'll tell you what to look out for and how to check your Social Security benefits before you retire. We also answer Jake's question about receiving a gift from his mom and Doug shares his TV trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much do you love your current job? Some studies show that more than half of people are unhappy with their job in some way. Finding your calling and a career you don't regret can be tough but our roundtable today will help you think about the right questions to ask yourself and tips to not regretting your career. We welcome Doc G from Earn & Invest, Len Penzo from len penzo dot com and Paula Pant from Afford Anything to share their career mistakes, regrets, and tips to finding your calling. And of course we have another round of our trivia challenge today with Doug's super serious trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You've probably heard of having skin in the game, but what about having soul in the game? Having soul, in whatever game you choose, brings purpose and meaning to life. Our guest today learned about putting his soul into his work and finding true purpose from his parents. Vitaliy Katsenelson grew up in a small Russian town and saw the struggles and sacrifices his parents made to give him and his siblings a great life. Vitaliy shares the lessons he learned and why money is secondary to finding purpose in life. That's not all for today though. In our headline segment, we're brining up Gamestop stock again, but not for the reason you might think. The SEC is holding the magnifying glass to a little term called payment for order flow which became its own scandal during the Gamestop stock craze. We share what it means and why it matters. We also answer David's question about helping his mom find new work after an injury and Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Buffie Purselle is a tour-de-force. She started her own business at 19. She's been featured on not ONE but TWO reality television shows. She's helped hundreds of budding entrepreneurs begin businesses. So to celebrate Juneteenth we're helping empower YOU with the woman who believes that you have to "crawl before you ball." She'll share stories from her own upbringing and early jobs that you can learn from to fast-track your own success. She also shares the dark moment when she realized things were headed in the wrong direction, and she needed to change her ways if she wanted to be successful. That's not even CLOSE to all of our topics, though. In our headline segment, we discuss some of the scandal behind meme stock trading: selling order flow. Wheels have been in motion since the meme stock craze began (remember Gamestop and AMC Theater stock?). Right now the SEC is trying to make some changes, and we'll share what it's all about. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Melissa who wants to find a fee-free HSA account. Why pay fees when there are great accounts out there with zero maintenance fees? We share how to find those free accounts. And we'll leave time for Doug's trivia AND our fairly gross TikTok Minute. Just another Federal holiday in Joe's mom's basement. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did you know that when at a fine dining restaurant, you should never lift your menu from the table? ...or that you should sip your drink from the exact same spot on the glass each time? On top of that, definitely do NOT announce to the table that you're headed to the bathroom. What does any of this have to do with money? Besides the fact that if you're interviewing or networking at a restaurant and you could stand to gain a few Benjamins from the experience, there are also some money rules that many people don't know or follow. What are they? Our regulars today dive into their favorites: Paula Pant from the Afford Anything podcast, Len Penzo from Len Penzo dot com, and our co-host here OG. They all share solid advice and awkward stories, everything from sharing salaries to making assumptions about other people's money. As usual, right in the middle of it all, Doug will share his trivia to continue our year-long competition among our regular contributors. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You start that amazing new job and the boss hands you a giant stack of paperwork. Does that sound familiar? One of those forms is most likely a crucial piece of your financial picture: your 401k enrollment. How much should you contribute? How do you choose investments? Today, Joe and OG share the top mistakes they see people make with their 401k, so you can learn from others' mistakes and avoid your own future headache. You're welcome! From not contributing enough to choosing the wrong investments, they share it all. In our headline segment, we're diving into one group who seemingly predicts the market better than most analysts. How do they do it and who the heck are they? Oh, we'll explain! And it's probably not a group you'd expect. Then, of course, we let Doug share his auto-themed trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Remember the phrase 30-and-out? That was what people said when they'd sign up to work for the same company for their entire working lives. Since the days of single-job employment, working thirty years has become a standard idea. But why? Kiersten and Julien Saunders are the brains behind the new book Cashing Out, where they throw 30 years to the curb. Instead, they advocate focusing on 15 years. We'll dive into that, saving more effectively for your goals, the FIRE movement, and more, in a wide-ranging conversation with this dynamic duo (they also are the team behind the popular rich & REGULAR blog, podcast, and more. In our headlines segment, credit company Transunion is out with a new study asking the question, "How are you holding up during this era of massive inflation?" Charlie Wise from the company joins us to talk credit and some worrisome trends that you should hear so that you can avoid overstepping your credit lines. Of course, we'll also share an UGLY TikTok minute about life insurance, ask you a tough postal service trivia question from Doug, and more. ...just another Monday at the Stacking Benjamins show! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can you be idle and still get ahead in the game of life? In some cases, this is absolutely the best answer. Our contributors to today's roundtable discussion dive into their answers to the question, "Can doing nothing benefit you in life and with your money?" Our special guest today from Sensible Money is Certified Financial Planner Dana Anspach. Joining Dana are our regular contributors, Len Penzo (LenPenzo.com) and our co-host OG. That's not all! We will round everything out with neighbor Doug's famous trivia! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It only takes a moment watching the news to learn what David Gergen already knows: our current leaders have failed us. In some ways, it isn't their fault; growing up during the Vietnam conflict, many of our leaders grew up in a deeply partisan country and have led from that divisive position. However, Gergen, who served not one but FOUR US presidents...from both parties (Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton), believes that our youth CAN be great leaders. How? We'll chat with him today about leadership, service, and how you could be the person who helps many around you stack more Benjamins. In our headline segment, both Jamie Dimon at JP Morgan Chase and Elon Musk are clanging the warning bell that bad times are ahead. Should you be worried? OG has opinions...and it probably isn't what you think. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line and tackle some of Doug's amazing trivia. Just another average day (you know...with a dude who's overseen and advised the making of The West Wing...) of the Stacking Benjamins Show. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Know those horrible situations where everyone's fighting at work -- or worse, at home? Talk about a horrible investment: being invested in a rotten environment can overshadow even the best portfolio returns. Good news, though. It turns out, there are two types of conflict: the kind that allows us to grow and produces a positive outcome and the kind that's downright toxic. To help us find a way toward healthy conflict, Gabe Karp joins us. He talks about why it can be hard to see the other side of an argument, how to turn bad conflict into good, and how to move toward a healthier working environment by even maybe fighting more (but in a healthy way). But before that, we speak to Lamine Zarrad from Stellar about credit and the current economy. What happens when interest rates continue to rise and you need a new loan that you can't afford? Lamine created a company called StellarFI, which was built to help people build their credit through paying bills on time. We'll talk about credit issues, the economic slowdown, and how you can protect yourself. And of course, we'll share our TicTok minute AND Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's time to get vulnerable and break down the barriers. As we always say, 'personal finance is personal' which makes money talk hard (and embarrassing) at times. Our roundtable is getting vulnerable about their money and career and sharing ways to talk about money with others. Jeff Underwood, Paula Pant, and Len Penzo join our roundtable to discuss a blog piece about being vulnerable with your money. They talk about clever ways to save money when out with friends, times they were vulnerable about their own money situation, and how you can navigate the tricky waters of talking about money with others. And of course, we saved time for Doug's amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was your last interaction like with a flight attendant? The friendly skies weren't always as friendly to flight attendants as they are today. Actually, the term 'flight attendant' wasn't coined until stewardesses won a long battle against the airlines. To tell the fascinating story that has affected change on so many workplaces, Nell McShane Wulfhart joins us today. She talks about the strict requirements stewardesses faced in the 1960s and the "Charm Farm" training program they went through. As the name suggests, it was more about appearance than anything else. As the years went on, stewardesses joined together to fight back against the sexist job requirements and standards. There's more from the friendly basement crew in our headline segment. We're talking about the problematic news headlines that invoke fear in investors. The market is down this year but that most likely doesn't mean you've lost all your money. We share our thoughts on the market and how the news portrays it. For our Haven Life line, we share our opinions on a Reddit post about manipulating family members with money. And Doug will round out the show with his flight attendant trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices