The Stacking Benjamins Show

On Monday we gave you a list of top Black Friday deals and today we are continuing the deals with all things tech! Bridget Carey from CNET joins us again this year to share the hottest tech items and deals you can find. Everything from TVs to Fisher-Price phones (yes, like the one a lot of us had as kids). During our headline, we talk about Theranos and its founder Elizabeth Holmes. She is currently on trial for fraud and we break down what we can all learn from her company's downfall. Then we'll throw out the Haven Life line to Doug who wants to know where to invest his funds. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's on your holiday wish list this year? Are you planning on running out on Black Friday to snag some deals? Lucky for you, we are making your holiday shopping a little easier. Regina Conway is back to share insights and deals for this Black Friday. She shares all the hottest deals and biggest discounts she is seeing to help narrow down your list. Do you have an FSA account? Here's your reminder to spend those funds before the December 31st deadline (but that could be changing for some). Shawna Hausman from FSAstore.com helps us during our headline segment by breaking down the changes coming to FSA accounts and give tips to help spend those funds wisely. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever received money advice that made you scratch your head in confusion? I was once told that I should buy a new car every few years because it would save on maintenance costs....I think the person giving me that advice forgot how much it costs to buy a car. Good news for you, our roundtable today discusses top money myths and how you can avoid making these same mistakes. Our regular contributors, Paula Pant, Len Penzo, and OG give their take on these top myths and share some of their own as well. And you don't want to miss Doug's trivia! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much thought do you put into where your food comes from and how the employees at your favorite restaurant are treated? If you're like most of us, probably not much. Corey Mintz is a former cook turned food writer and he is pulling back the curtain on some of the most pressing issues facing your waistline, your wallet, and the health and wallets of restaurant employees. How can we be more informed and spend our money more wisely by choosing restaurants that align with our values? Corey is here to help point us in the right direction! Good news for some savers! During our headline, we'll give you the deets on retirement plan contribution limits for 2022. The IRS updated some, but not all, contribution limits and we'll break it down. We'll also answer Tabitha's question about selling items on Ebay. Will she be taxed on the gains from the sale? We'll share! And Doug will enlighten us with his trivia question. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Change. It's something most of us struggle with, but when it comes to money and building your plan, change will always be necessary. James Conklin is an author and consultant in organizational change and joins us today to share some of the most effective ways to navigate change that we've ever heard. How can we better adapt to change personally and professionally? And how can people and organizations affect change in a productive way? He shares it all with us today. But before that, during our headline segment, we talk about federal student loans with Amanda Hahnel from Fidelity Investments. Federal student loan payments will resume in 2022 and she shares some tips on how to be prepared. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Stan who has a question about real estate and Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we're packing the show full of holiday survival tips! From shopping to family gatherings, our roundtable shares their favorite tips and tricks for not just surviving, but surviving without completely emptying your wallet. This episode originally aired in 2019 so check out the original show notes here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zillow is in the headlines recently, because they're real estate purchase program hasn't worked as expected and they're dumping properties purchased only months ago. Many of these properties are selling for less than the purchase price. Is this a sign of another real estate crash or just a bad business move on Zillow's part? The next few weeks will be telling, but if you are thinking of buying more real estate, we have a great show for you today. David Greene from BiggerPockets is here to help you grow your real estate empire. This episode originally aired in 2019 and you can see our original show notes here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Man, that time change is always hard. It's getting dark earlier and starting to feel more and more like winter. There's nothing the time change blues can't fix like an episode on managing time and how to make our days feel longer and more efficient. Ashley Whillans joins us to help us work through that never-ending feeling of not having enough time during our day. Where is your time really going? She will help work through that! Today's episode kicks off another rewind week and you can see our original show notes from 2020, here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be? Maybe it's to take more chances or say adios to the boss that treats you horrible or maybe it's just to live life to the fullest and not worry about what others think. Today our roundtable discusses a blog piece from Ryan Holiday about mistakes he's made and advice he would give himself. Caleb Gulliams (Better Wealth), Paula Pant (Afford Anything), and Doc G (Earn & Invest) join our roundtable and talk about advice they'd give their younger self and the mistakes they've made. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our brains are complex and in charge of our emotions, memories and behaviors but just how connected are our brains and decisions about money? Maybe more than you realize. Dr. Paul Zak joins us to talk about our brains and money. Studies have shown that different parts of our brain light up on MRI scans when faced with different money decisions and purchases and this research can be used to predict how people will spend their money or feel about money. Using that knowledge and gamification, we can build better money habits. Video games and even games on our phones can help build better habits by encouraging saving and investing. During our headline, we talk about company retirement plans and savings rates in the U.S. Many companies don't offer 401k plans for employees, but should they? Joe and OG will give you their take but the real problem facing many Americans is that savings rates aren't nearly where they need to be. We'll break down those numbers too. Then we'll throw out the Haven Life line to William who is getting ready to sell a rental property and has questions about the capital gains tax due. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Board games date back almost 5,000 years to the Egyptians but our games today look very different. Modern board games and video games have exploded in popularity and one of the most popular games in history is Dungeons & Dragons. Its history is long and full of success and turmoil as the founders faced legal and personal struggles. Jon Peterson is an expert in gaming and joins us today to share the story of D&D and how it became the game that nearly 50 million fans around the world know and love. During our headline, we are back with more cryptocurrency news as the first bitcoin ETF was approved recently. What do you need to know and how does it differ from buying bitcoin directly? We have all the details! Then we'll hear from Matt who wants our advice on his investing strategy. When is the best time to buy and what should he do? We'll let you know our thoughts! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most of us have made mistakes with money in our lives. What's your money horror story? Ever gotten caught up in a Venmo scam or been asked to pay the IRS in gift cards for taxes due? Sounds fishy but it happens to the best of us. Our roundtable today shares their scary money stories before the Halloween weekend. Our regular contributors, Paula Pant, Len Penzo, and OG share times they or someone they know has been caught in a sticky situation with money. Halfway through, Doug will share some of his toothbrush (?) related trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You might retire, but how do you retire happy? How do you imagine spending your time in retirement and does pre-planning make you happier? The host of the nation's longest-running financial radio call-in show, Wes Moss joins us to share his research on what makes for the happiest retirees. He'll share many secrets including those about hobbies, kids, and what workout even is best, on today's show During our headline, we welcome back Chuck Jaffe for his annual Halloween trick-or-treat money lessons. He's known in his neighborhood for a crazy personal finance game where he offers kids candy or a chance at some money when they trick-or-treat at his house. What will he do this year?! He'll share and give you tips on organizing your own game. Then we'll Magnify Steve's money and answer his question about retirement contributions and debt payoff. Should he save or eliminate the bills? And Doug will also share some beer-related trivia since today is, of all things, National beer day. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you find success? Today, we'll help..."shine a light" on the path to a better work life (we're so, so clever!). Chesapeake Bay Candle has seen tremendous success and today founder Mei Xu joins us to share her secrets. Whether you're looking to climb the corporate ladder or create your own company, there's something for everyone in today's interview. During our headline, we welcome back Steve Kerber to share fire safety tips with us since October is fire safety awareness month. Fire spreads fast and seconds make all the difference when the flames are blazing. Then we'll magnify Dave's money who wants to know when you have enough for retirement. We deep dive into the idea of "enough," and you won't want to miss it. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mummies, pineapples, and board games (Joe's favorite!). What do these all have in common? They've all been seen as status symbols at some point in time. Today's status symbols might be fancy strollers, nice cars, or how many followers you have on Instagram. We see these everywhere and it's hard to ignore and not spend money on the same things. Our roundtable today discusses a piece about strange status symbols throughout time and how status symbols in general influence our spending. Paul Ollinger (Crazy Money podcast), Paula Pant (Afford Anything), and Len Penzo (Len Penzo dot Com) join our roundtable to talk about status symbols they've noticed and the impacts on our finances and life. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We went campin' (well, Joe and Doc G did) and dug up some inspiring and amazing money stories from fellow campers. We are live today from Camp FI (financial independence) and Joe and special guest co-host Doc G (Earn and Invest) hear from four people about their journey to financial independence. One couple didn't start saving for retirement until age 50 and retired at age 60, one woman has been living abroad for 20 years after initially thinking she'd be there for 1 or 2, and two women share their massive debt payoff stories. These are sure to inspire and motivate you in your own journey and it was a blast talking to each of them. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you thought the days of crazy lawless activity left when the wild west was won, think again. The spirit of the Wild West continues in cryptocurrency. From the early investors, new coins and even some legal trouble, there's still lots to be uncovered in the world of crypto. Ethan Lou joined Doc G to talk about his experience with cryptocurrency and the major unknowns to still be uncovered with crypto. Is there still opportunity to buy into crypto and make loads of money like the early adopters? Ethan shares his take! During our headline we talk about the month of October in the stock market. It's no secret that October has seen some ugly stock market returns (1929, 1987, 2008 to name a few) but is it really as bad as we think? Robert Gilliland joins us to share his take on the market and give us some stats on the market as a whole. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Jennifer who wants to know how to fund her grandchild's education. And Doug will share some Bitcoin trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When did you start really thinking about, and maybe even stressing over, retirement? In your 50s, or 40s, or maybe even your 20s? Our discussion piece today, written by our friend Eric Brotman, talks about the increasing number of people in their early working career that are stressed about retirement. From stressing over saving enough money and comparing yourself to others (thanks, social media!) our contributors give their take and some tips they've learned over the years. Krista Edwards (Ready to Roth), Paula Pant (Afford Anything) and Len Penzo (len penzo dot com) join our roundtable and share the ways they've reduced their stress about retirement. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's a chance you've heard the words "passive investing", "index funds" or "ETF (exchange-traded fund)" but the history behind these is much longer (and more interesting!) than you probably imagined. Passive investing is extremely popular with investors today but that wasn't always the case. Robin Wigglesworth joins us today to talk about the history of index funds and ETFs and the key players that paved the way. During our headline, we talk about long-term care and the exponentially rising cost of care. Nursing homes are expensive and many people would prefer to have care in their own homes. We talk through some of the options and costs associated with those. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Jason who wants to know what to do with a business cash account that has accumulated a large balance. Doug will also share some Vanguard-related trivia since we are talking about passive investing today. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you wanted to start a business but something is holding you back? Not enough time, resources or money? And maybe some fear as well. Today we talk to Shark Tank shark and real estate and business mogul, Barbara Corcoran about starting a successful business. She shares tips she's learned over her career and shares what you should (and shouldn't) focus too much of your time on. Those traditional business plans might not be all they are cracked up to be and she shares a different approach that has proved to be more successful. During our headline segment, Google tried (and failed) to start a banking program. They aren't the only company that has tried reinventing the banking industry over the last several years, and they won't be the last either. Then we'll throw out the Haven Life line to an anonymous caller that wants advice on how to fund fertility treatment. And Doug will share his trivia! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Investing can feel like a rattlesnake hunt if you don't know what you are doing. Scary, surprising, and sometimes painful if you aren't careful. Our roundtable today discusses a piece comparing the world of investing and our emotions to a rattlesnake hunt (a real thing in the small town of Sinnemahoning, PA). Bob Wheeler (Money You Should Ask), Paula Pant (Afford Anything) and OG talk about how emotions play into our investing decisions and ways we can try to separate the emotion from the math. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Human emotion makes us, well, human. While it's much more fun to feel happy, excited, or optimistic, there's no denying that we also feel sad, confused and frustrated at times. Helen Russell joins us today to talk about why feeling those negative emotions is important and how it can actually make us happier in the long run. She talks about validating the sadness and finding ways to cope and move forward to a happier life. During our headline, our friend Dave from Tennessee is in the news, but not for good reason. A former advertiser on Dave Ramsey's show is in hot water for deceptive business practices and we dive in. Then we talk about the in's and out's of required minimum distributions during our Haven Life line call. And Doug will include some of his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to find more happiness? Think bigger than your own goals. We've said this a TON lately on the podcast, so today we look at how to make it happen. Sadly, as Lisa Greer has experienced, charitable giving can be much more difficult than we'd hoped. Lisa joins us to share her less-than-ideal donating experience and what questions you should ask to make the biggest impact with your money. During our headline we talk about how COVID and work from home has changed productivity and work hours. Some employees have found ways to significantly increase their income working from home, but there's a catch (as always). And Doug will deliver some of his amazing charitable-giving related trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does retirement mean to you? Is it traveling, sitting on the beach or playing golf? Or maybe taking on a volunteer project? Or something completely different? Our roundtable today talks about what retirement means to them and what we can all watch out for when planning for retirement. We are joined by Wendy Mays from House of FI, Len Penzo and OG as they give us their take and tips to think about before retirement. Doug will also share some of his amazing CD trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Between the stock market, soaring housing prices, and the strive for financial independence, what's been top-of-mind for you lately? Maybe you are getting ready to retire and thinking about how you will spend your days or planning your jet-setting adventure around the world. Or maybe you are intensely focused on saving as much as possible in the market. Today, we are live from FinCon in Austin, Texas, with OG, Paula Pant (Afford Anything), Diania Merriam (EconoMe Conference) and very special guest Julien Saunders from Rich & Regular, to see what their audiences are most concerned about right now. We talk about everything from the stock market to risk management to marriage and family. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices