The Stacking Benjamins Show

The most fulfilling relationships are the ones where each person can be their true selves. Many times though, selfish goals are put above selfless ones. Vincent Pugliese admits he used to put his own goals above all else, but when he never reached the true happiness he was seeking, he changed his mindset. He's here today to share why character is important for building a true connection and why character and charisma are not interchangeable. During our headline segment, we dive into financial planning as a career. A recent piece shows that financial advisors are staying in the role well past the typical retirement age. We share why that is and give you all the details on what it takes to become a financial advisor. And, of course, Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you searching for that next step in your financial independence journey? With so many books and resources available, it's hard to narrow down exactly what you should be doing -- and when -- to meet your goals. Today's guests created an app to help with that exact problem. Grant Sabatier and Logan Leckie created Topia, an app geared toward helping you reach financial independence. With clear steps and action items, you can crush your goals. They explain how it works and why it's so revolutionary. During our headline segment, we dive into tech stocks, specifically Netflix. Tech stocks have dominated the market for the past few years. What's next for them? We give our thoughts and point to stock buybacks and stock splits in today's market. We'll also answer Ray's question about the top fundamental things to know in personal finance. And Doug will share his Billy Joel themed trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've all made mistakes but learning from them is the important lesson. Investing mistakes can cost you actual cash and we want to help you minimize that as much as possible. Our roundtable today looks back to an interview we did a few years ago where we talked about common investing mistakes and how you can avoid them. This episode aired in 2019 so ignore any mention of current events or giveaways. Take a look at our original show notes from the episode here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to brush up on your negotiation skills before that next job performance review or vacation? No matter the setting, great negotiation can make or break a deal, literally. Today we're listening back to our interview with Mori Taheripour where she shares how to be a master negotiator. If you haven't checked out Stacked yet, Joe and Emily highlight her interview there as well. This episode aired in 2020 so be sure to ignore any mention of current events or giveaways. Take a look at our original show notes from the episode here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you looking forward to summer travel this year? We sure are! Heck, we're pretending we're on vacation now while we get this rewind week started! To kick it off, we've got two-time Emmy award-winning host of Travelscope, Joseph Rosendo, to share everything you need to know before making those summer plans. This episode aired in 2021, so be sure to ignore any mention of current events or giveaways. Take a look at our original show notes from the episode here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are your favorite life lessons you've learned? Today, our roundtable discusses a piece from Joseph Wells' blog about 30 lessons he learned by age 30. He couldn't keep it to 30 so it's actually closer to 40 lessons he shares. Ashley Patrick from BudgetsMadeEasy, Paula Pant from Afford Anything and our very own OG share their favorite lessons from the list and add a few of their own. And don't you worry, we left time for Doug to share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you love someone’s chocolate cake, you’d ask them for their recipe without question. It’s not stealing, it’s taking something and making it your own. If you ask the author of Steal Like An Artist (which is celebrating its 10th anniversary!), he’d say we don’t take inspiration from others enough. Austin Kleon wrote the book 10 years ago that still rings true today about creativity. He says that taking inspiration from others and “stealing” ideas to create something yourself that is different is a true show of love and respect. He’s here today to talk about how to be more creative in your life and how to find inspiration. During our headline segment, we’re talking about crypto and the stock market. Are they becoming more aligned? We’ll dive in and share the specifics on the returns for each. Then we’ll Magnify Matt’s money and talk about grocery store and gas rewards programs. Do you share a grocery reward number with others? Matt does and he asked our Facebook group, the Basement, for their thoughts. We’ll share some of those answers. And don’t worry, we didn’t forget about Doug. He’ll share his amazing trivia in the middle of the show. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why are so many relationships (especially marriages) broken easily? Nate and Kaley Klemp know from personal experience how hard it can be to stay on the same page when fairness becomes the center of an argument. Instead of a 50/50 split, they believe you should focus on 80/80. What does that mean? We'll share today! If the heart of your money gathering is truly about fostering better relationships, you're going to love our discussion on how to give more to experience more happiness. During our headline segment, we take a look at I bonds. Recent interest rate gains make this investment look like a slam-dunk investment, but is it? We'll share. We'll also talk about the relationship between risk and return when it comes to various investment types, AND answer Alex's question about positions within mutual funds. Of course, Doug will save time to enlighten us with his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've all made mistakes with our money. Whether it's not budgeting for a large expense or something larger like pulling money from a retirement account early, mistakes happen. Our roundtable discussion today centers around financial no-no's and how to reframe your thinking around some of these. Naseema McElroy, Paula Pant, and Len Penzo join our roundtable today to talk about their financial no-no's. They discuss everything from the illusion of frugality to budgeting tips today to help you avoid common mistakes. And of course, Doug will share his trivia with the group for our year-long trivia challenge. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you need life insurance? Not everyone does and before you start deciding what type of policy you need, there's a whole list of questions you should ask yourself. Joe and OG are taking center stage today and sharing their top five considerations before buying life insurance. Starting the conversation around risk management and planning, not the product, will lead you to the best solution for you and they tell you how. During our headline segment, we're talking about advisor fees. With multiple fee models out there, is one better than another? The guys share their thoughts on why each model works and why there might not be a right or wrong way to do it. We'll also answer Jen's question about paying off her mortgage early. Doug will also share his super exciting insurance trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are your investment aligned with your values? Did you know that you can screen for (or against) certain industries or sectors within funds? The terms ESG (environmental, social, governance), SRI (socially responsible investing), and impact investing encompass this thought process. Larry Swedroe joins us to explain this type of investing, its growing popularity, and how you can invest in a way that aligns with your values too. He also dives into why the performance for this type of fund differs from other indexes. During our headline segment, we take a look at the impact of increasing gas prices. Your wallet might feel a little slim after filling up at the pump and delivery drivers are feeling the heat too. We talk about what this might mean going forward and how you can save money at the pump. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Amanda who has a question about Roth IRA contributions. We'll also leave time for Doug's most amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's your calling in life? The answer to that question comes instantly for some, and for others, there's nothing but cricket sounds. Today our roundtable guests are talking about finding your calling and why it's ok if you haven't found yours. We have our regulars, Paula, Len, and OG, on our roundtable today so you know they'll fill you in with good advice and tips. And, of course, we left time for Doug's most amazing trivia question ever. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did Ben Franklin change his will two months before he died? Instead of leaving money to his family, he made a big bet on two cities that meant a lot to him, Boston and Philadelphia. Michael Meyer wrote a fascinating book about Ben Franklin's life -- and death -- and he joins us today to share part of the story. Ben Franklin had specific wishes for his gifts and Michael explains how the two cities handled it differently. In our headline segment, we're talking about mortgage rates. What do rising rates mean for your budget and how worried should you be? We'll give you all the details. We're also answering Steven's question about moving to a higher cost of living to save more. And we'll leave room for Doug's amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's the key to success with investing? This game is actually far easier than many think it is. Nick Maggiulli is known as the Dollars and Data guy on Twitter, but today he talks about how more data actually nearly sank him as a new investor. It turns out that over-optimization might hurt you in the long run. He shares the top 3 reasons why you should invest and even gives ideas on how to increase your income so you can save more. During our headline segment, we're talking about the important f word...fiduciary. What is it and why is it important? And why is Robinhood in hot water because of it? We'll explain it all. We'll also help answer Chris' question about sharing bank accounts with your spouse. And Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How often do you think to yourself there just aren't enough hours in the day? Between busy work schedules, duties at home and a social life, life can be pretty freaking busy. There's no surprise then, that relaxation is important to regroup and recharge. Today's roundtable will help you with new ideas to relax and offer their thoughts on why it's so important to your life and finances. Our roundtable guests are Andy Hill from Marriage Kids and Money, Len Penzo from lenpenzo.com, and our very own OG. Even better, the piece they discuss today is from Len Penzo's blog. We didn't tell him it was his own piece and you'll get a kick out of his reaction when he figured it out. To round out the show, Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How happy are you, truly, with your job and life? Many people go through the motions in a job they don't like, never taking the leap to do something they actually enjoy. The average life expectancy is 79 years. How many of those years are you willing to waste doing something you don't love? Jason Tartick is well known for being on The Bachelorette but his story is much deeper than what we saw on TV. He was secretly having panic attacks at work and was stressed beyond belief. Instead of digging deep to find the reason why, he initially tried to mask and ignore the emotions. He's here today to share his story and how he ultimately restarted his life and career to do what he loves. During our headline segment, Rita Assaf from Fidelity Investments is here to share the results of Fidelity's State of Retirement Planning survey. She shares the biggest concerns on investor's minds and the impacts the pandemic has had on our financial confidence. We'll also answer Kevin's question about an excess Roth IRA contribution. And, of course, Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much do you really know about investing in stocks? You may have heard that it's hard to beat the market, but could you do it? How does the stock market actually work, and how do you do the right homework to find a good stock to buy? You're in luck because today Brian Feroldi joins us to talk about his own stock buying process, breaking it down into easy steps. He also shares why the stock market rises over time and why it's harder for a fund manager to beat the market than an individual investor. During our headline segment, we'll talk about covering your bases with insurance. Recent news articles involving celebrities show that you never know what tomorrow will bring. Having the right risk management strategy and maybe the correct insurance policies in place can make all the difference. We'll also answer Jordan's question about spending down his portfolio in retirement. And Doug will share his amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's a money topic you're embarrassed to talk about? Don't want to share with people the insane amount of money you spend at the penny arcade just to miss the big prize by one ticket, or better yet, the amount of debt you got into only because someone told you it will increase your credit score? Our roundtable today talks about embarrassing money topics and how to make them less uncomfortable. It's strange, our regulars didn't show up as themselves today. It must be Doug with his April Fool's pranks again. We've got Gwen Merz, Paul Ollinger, and Bob Wheeler standing in and they share some great advice. We'll also leave time for Doug's riveting trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How often do you feel bored? So many of us are busy with work, family, and life that we forget to slow down. We don't leave ourselves time to do nothing and to experience the magic that is being bored. Celeste Headlee was on a personal journey to find happiness when she started researching the history of work in America. What she found was a treadmill that we're spinning faster and faster. She found that most of us don't have time to do nothing, yet we need that time for reflection and rest. Celeste shares her findings and why doing nothing can be so important to achieving the goals you truly want in life. During our headline segment, we take a look at investment fees. Eye roll, I know, but fees play an important role in our overall investment portfolios and can vary greatly. We talk about the fees you should and should't care about. We also answer Colton's question about selling and buying a house. He wants to know how much to put down on the new house given recent interest rate rises. And don't worry, we will leave time for Doug's amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Think of the best manager you've ever had. Now think of the worst. What's different about the two? It might be their management style, or it could be their general personality. But is it something more? Do leadership and trust come to mind? Great leaders are more than just managers. They know how to inspire and motivate people and can adapt to change as the environment shifts. But even without a manager, you can be a leader in your own life. Stephen M. R. Covey believes that leadership is a choice, and it's processes that are managed, not people. People are inspired and taught to be trusted. True leadership is about creating better decisions and relationships to further our lives and goals. Today he joins us in the basement to share how we can all be better leaders in our personal and professional lives. During our headline segment, we'll dive into the right time to switch up your financial plan. We'll focus first on a piece from Investment News which tackles tax planning for new retirees, but will widen the discussion quickly to all areas of your life and when it's time to reboot your plan. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Sasha who has a question about buying a business. And to round out all of the madness, Doug will also share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are your favorite money moves that pay huge returns with little time and effort from you? It could be getting your company 401k match or saving early and investing to get the benefits of compound interest. Today our roundtable discusses their favorite asymmetrical money moves. Four-time olympian Lauryn Williams joins Len Penzo, and OG on our roundtable and share it all. From paying off a mortgage to reviewing insurance and investing, they give some great tips. Doug will, of course, share his trivia too. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do women and men think about finances differently? Absolutely. Women, sadly, are more likely to lack confidence in their financial approach, to delegate the "leading" of families to men, and to take a backseat role. As the Chief Knowledge and Learning Officer at Pitcairn, Amy Hart Clyne studied 40 women to better understand their money habits, philosophy, and behavior. She shares some surprising findings and some powerful lessons for both women and men when it comes to handling wealth-building, family, and creating a legacy. Pitcairn, a multifamily office serving ultra-high-net-worth clients. During our headline segment, we'll focus on the forest fire happening in tech stocks. They've had a great run-up the last few years, but is this downturn a sign that it's all coming to an end? We discuss two pieces that ask some difficult questions about the sector and about being a long-term investor. We also discuss disability insurance during our Haven Lifeline. Many people don't realize how important it can be, so we'll point out when and why you might consider this coverage option. And of course, we'll leave time for Doug to share his credit card-related trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Think of a money mistake you made early in your adult life. It might have been getting into trouble with credit cards or not saving into -- or even knowing about! -- your company's 401k plan, or maybe you didn't know how to budget. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself to avoid those sticky situations? Our guest today is passionate about helping the next generation become better with their money. From learning about taxes and investing to setting a budget, Bobbi Rebell has been through it all with her kids. She shares the money lessons she taught her kids to avoid making the same mistakes she once made. She shares how you can help others, too. Even if you don't have kids, these tips can apply to anyone. During our headline segment, we dive into Roth IRAs. The stock market decline to start this year has had many people wondering if they should take advantage of a Roth conversion. We discuss the tactics of this strategy and give you things to think about if you are considering it. We'll also answer Mattie's question about sinking funds, and to top it all off, Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In every household there are a few items that you purchase once and then never purchase again. For some of us, our goal is to find as many of these as possible so that we can invest our money in other ways. It turns out that investing in quality, guaranteed equipment that's more expensive up-front can actually pay huge dividends later. We'll ask our roundtable team of OG, Len Penzo (LenPenzo.com), and Paula Pant (Afford Anything) what their "forever" items are. Hopefully we'll be able to help you figure out which household expenses are better to splurge once on, and which are better to spend as little money as possible on. We'll also share mistakes we've made along the way with "forever" or cheap spending. And of course, we will save time for Doug's amazing trivia challenge. The battle continues! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever looked at your futon in your kitchen and thought, "Hey, I think I will rent that out to a stranger?" Believe it or not, our guest today, Avery Carl, has some friends who did exactly that. It gave her the idea to invest in short-term rentals as a stepping stone to building a more extensive real estate portfolio. Joe and Avery discuss having an income to support lending criteria, the pros and cons of property management, and how she strategically invested in mature vacation rental markets to scale her portfolio. Worried about scams? Today in our headline segment, Joe and OG discuss a piece about a former car salesman who allegedly got caught in an elaborate scam buying back leased cars. Also, they discuss a Netflix documentary about the Tinder Swindler and how he thinks his scam was a "successful business." We throw out the Haven Life line to Amanda and congratulate her on paying off her debt. And, of course, we will enlighten your day with Doug's famous trivia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices