The Stacking Benjamins Show

A new study about online shopping yields surprising results: the allure of cheaper online products might not be as compelling as shopping at traditional retailers. Should you change your shopping habits? We'll dig in to this topic with Paula Pant and special guest Chris Costello from 401k allocation experts Blooom. Plus we'll also tackle automation in finance. Are all of these lower fees across the board for investors fantastic innovation or do lower fees encourage investors to move more frequently than they should and ruin their results? Our contributors will weigh in with great (and surprising) opinions. We'll also talk to Tanya VanCourt from Goalsetter.co. Tired of your children receiving gifts that will pile up alongside other unplayed-with toys? How about the gift of financial education. In time for the holidays, Tanya explains how Goalsetter works and tells stories about helping her own children learn about money and financial responsibility. Besides that, we'll answer some questions from listeners, one via voicemail from Mike, who's planning on going back to school soon. Should he ditch his 401k plan? Our team will weigh in. Plus we'll answer another question AND we'll also bring Doug's trivia down to the basement and serve it up....this week in story problem form. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Thanks to Harry's for supporting our channel. To get a limited-edition holiday shave set while supplies last, go to Harrys.com/SB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Haven't thought much about your retirement? Wondering how to more creatively plan for either FIRE or a normal retirement? We're excited to share the insights of Roger Whitney, CFP, AKA the Retirement Answer Man. He'll talk about being more aggressive in your planning, why old planning methods don't work, and how to attack your retirement plan more boldly than you'd ever thought possible. In our headlines segment, we'll talk about saving at the grocery store. Not into clipping coupons? Kiplinger recently published a piece with LOADS of tips to help you save money on your next grocery bill. We'll talk about the store entrance, how to comparison shop, and what NOT to buy while shopping. Also, we'll detail the story of a wedding photographer who niched down far enough to stand out in a crowded market. Hoping to score bigger with your main job or side gig? This story's for you. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener John, who wonders about selling a major company's stock, score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more. Huge thanks to Roofstock (check out their massive real estate database AND their SPECIAL DEAL through 12/31) and MagnifyMoney.com (when you're comparing financial tools like credit cards and savings accounts) for helping us with today's show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not sure how to manage your life so that you make money faster? David Osborn and Paul Morris are two men who know how to make PILES of money right now. They'll talk about how to avoid money traps and how to accelerate your earning potential on today's podcast. We'll also throw out the Haven Life Line to Derrick. She wants to get into the real estate market and is thinking about using a self-directed IRA. Is this a smart path to go down?He wonders about taxes. His spouse has started a side income job. Should they itemize their taxes or still take the standard deduction? Then we answer a letter from Ashley, who's wondering about life insurance. Should they keep putting money toward their whole life policy or cancel it? Special thanks to M1Finance and Harry's for sponsoring our show! Want deals? Use our "stackingbenjamins" code to score a free year of M1Finance. To get a limited-edition holiday shave set while supplies last, go to Harrys.com/[SB] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We wonder out loud....is buying that insurance that comes with your new phone worth it? Is the insurance for your next vacation worth it? How about insurance on a concert or your rental car? We'll ask that question and answer it on today's show! But that's not all. We'll also talk about delays to the new fiduciary rule. What does the delay of this rule mean to your wallet? Better yet...did you know that there WAS a new fiduciary rule? We'll explain. We'll also talk to Tim Yu from Pluto about gamifying you financial goals. What if there were an app out there that would analyze your spending patterns and savings goals, and then recommend challenges to help you save more and spend less? What if we told you this app already existed? We'll talk to Tim about how the Pluto app works and how to turn your goals into actionable solutions you're saving for, without hardly thinking about it. Besides that, we'll answer some questions from listeners, one via voicemail from Michelle from Oklahoma, whose daughters need to save some money. How does she help make that a reality? Our team will weigh in. Plus we'll answer another question AND we'll also bring Doug's trivia down to the basement and serve it up.... Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Thanks to Casper for supporting our channel. Save $50 on a mattress at http://www.casper.com/stacking code stacking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosting a holiday party? Invited to one? Either way, we've got you covered (as we do every year here on the show!). On our annual holiday party episode, we're joined by party planner extraordinaire Jenni Bost from AWellCraftedParty.com, who'll share fantastic tips on decorations, food, and entertainment when you're hosting a party. She'll also share tips if you're asked to attend a party. In our headlines segment, we'll talk about buying a car. Looking to buy used? A new USA Today piece says that in this current environment you shouldn't rule out the new car lot. We'll explain the advantages on today's show. Also, it looks like companies aren't buying back shares as quickly as they've been in the past. Instead, they're gearing up for mergers and capital expenditures. What does that mean? How does it affect your investments? We'll explain. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Kyle, who wonders about the moral implications of credit cards, score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more. Huge thanks to Roofstock (check out their massive real estate database AND their SPECIAL DEAL through 12/31) and MagnifyMoney.com (when you're comparing financial tools like credit cards and savings accounts) for helping us with today's show. They're awesome companies and if you're not using them, I'm not sure you know what you're missing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you don't know where you want to go, how do you know what to do with your money? Patrice Washington has spent LOTS of time coaching individuals on handling money better, but realized that something was missing....and that was purpose. She'll talk about finding fulfillment in her own life and teaching other people to find fulfillment also. We'll share techniques on how to chase purpose so that you can better handle your money (and live a more purposeful life) on today's show. We'll also throw out the Haven Life Line to Angela. She wants to get into the real estate market and is thinking about using a self-directed IRA. Is this a smart path to go down? Then we answer a letter from Alex, who needs some advice on how to set up a trust for her special needs son. What can she do to make sure he will be taken care of? Special thanks to M1Finance and Casper for sponsoring our show! Want deals? Use our "stackingbenjamins" code to score a free year of M1Finance. To score a deal on Casper, use offer code "stacking" through out link and get $50 off your mattress purchase. A word of caution: we aren't responsible if you're late to work next Monday because the mattress was too comfortable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want great ways to help learn about money and finance? We'll share five ideas on today's show, from the floor of BoardGameGeek.con convention in Dallas, Texas. Joe sits down with Mark Johnson from the Board Games To Go podcast, and they also answer listener questions about games. You'll find some great, inexpensive fun ideas for the holidays on today's podcast. We also talk to Paul Vasey from Cash Crunch Games about his newest product: Cash Crunch Senior. We'll talk about these games created by a teacher to help students grasp money and budgeting concepts, as well. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Thanks also to HelloFresh.com for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Receive $30 off your first week of deliveries when you go to HelloFresh.com and use the offer code stacking30. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wondering where you'll score the hottest deals in tech this holiday season? Bridget Caret, Senior Editor at CNET joins us in the basement to share news on drones, televisions, game systems, home speakers, lights, wearables, and more. She'll not only share the BEST holiday items, but also help you navigate away from a few hot devices that might not end up being the big savings you're hoping to score at the store this Black Friday. Plus, in our headlines segment, we discuss news about a politician who's lying about his net worth. Why is this important? Why would someone lie about how much money they have? What does it have to do with YOUR money? We'll share. Also, we'll reveal which retailer this holiday season is selling WAY over the top merchandise. Need a gift for the person who has everything AND want to spend WAY too much money on it? We've got you covered. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Kate, who wonders what to do with some company stock, score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more. Huge thanks to Roofstock (check out their massive real estate database AND their SPECIAL DEAL through 12/31) and MagnifyMoney.com (when you're comparing financial tools like credit cards and savings accounts) for helping us with today's show. They're awesome companies and if you're not using them, I'm not sure you know what you're missing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How about making $8 MILLION dollars reselling products already found in stores? That's how one man's making money in our headlines segment today. It sounds fantastic until you hear the details. In our second headline we wonder out loud, "Why don't we ever see special rates or sales on life insurance?" Yaron Ben-Zvi from Haven Life joins us to answer that question and share with us more about what's going on in the life insurance industry. But the star of today's show is Brent Shelton from BFAds.net, who'll help us dig in to the deals coming this Black Friday. Hoping to score that unique gift? We'll talk about how this Black Friday will compare to those of former years, where you'll find some of the biggest and quirkiest deals and the biggest door busters. Plus, we'll outline how to plan so you don't get taken for a ride that sounds like a "great deal" but really is the same ol' price you'd pay any other day of the year. You'll hear about everything Star Wars, duck blinds for the office, front yard inflatables, toys, and of course, cars that even the kids can drive. We'll also throw out the Haven Life Line to Doug, who's hoping to use a 529 plan for himself to take classes on cruise ships or vacations. Can you do this? We'll answer his question and talk about the possibility of a Stacking Benjamins cruise in the future...and just how ugly that might end up. Then we answer a letter from Nancy who wonders about paying off credit cards or investing for retirement. Which is the first priority? Special thanks to M1Finance and Hello Fresh for sponsoring our show! Want deals? Use our "stackingbenjamins" code to score a free year of M1Finance on their site while signing up. To grab a deal on Hello Fresh, use offer code "Stacking30" at their site for $30 off your first week of deliveries. Mom thanks you for helping her with dinner! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our listener call today is about mortgages. Is it better to take out a mortgage for law school or find another way? Our panel weighs in on this and of course, they don't agree. Devin Carroll from the Big Picture Retirement podcast joins in the fun this week to help not only answer listener questions about college planning, but also to help with our headlines and take part in our trivia segment. In our headlines segment, we talk about Halloween candy. One dentist recommends forcing kids to sell their candy for money. Is this a great way to teach kids about saving and give them cleaner teeth? Also, we discuss the tiny house trend. Is this a fad, a niche, or the wave of the future? One piece we focus on this week seems to think it might be the next big trend.... Also, in our special guest spot, we'll talk about declutter! If you're wading in old CDs, books, video games, DVDs or electronics, this "lazy man's eBay" might be for you. Want a way to make money and also declutter the house? We'll dive into that today! Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com and Harry's for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Thanks to Harry’s for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get your Free Trial Set – go to Harrys.com/SB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Lisa Phillips made some BIG mistakes when she first invested in real estate. Yet, different from many people, who give up after only one or two attempts, Lisa kept the mind of a scientist and tried different ways of investing until she finally found one that worked for her....low cost real estate. She'll describe her methods on today's show. Regardless of whether you're hoping to buy low cost housing or follow a more traditional route, Lisa will share ideas that'll help you get started on today's podcast! Plus, in our headlines segment, Jamie Wise from the BUZZ Index joins us to talk about online chatter and investments. Especially interesting this month? Social media seems to be abuzz about SNAP. More on that in today's episode. Plus, we'll tackle a headline about the CEO of Blackrock suggesting that companies should turn investing into more of a game to attract millennials. Do you think so? We'll find out what Joe & OG think.... We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Annie, who calls in all the way from Australia, asking about financial independence. If she and her boyfriend are slated to reach FI at different times, are there some ways she can catch up? Should she even try? If not, are there other strategies she should pursue? Plus, we'll answer a letter from a listener and still leave time for Doug's trivia. Huge thanks to Roofstock (check out their massive real estate database) and MagnifyMoney.com (when you're comparing financial tools like credit cards and savings accounts) for helping us with today's show. They're awesome companies and if you're not using them, I'm not sure you know what you're missing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thinking about retiring early but you're stuck in neutral with your debt? Maybe it's time to change your money habits. Deacon Hayes (recent winner of the Plutus' Blog Of The Year award), joins us to tell his personal "getting his money act together" story, that YOU can also use to get out of debt and start on your road to early retirement. Then we talk about retiring early, the topic of his new book. From investing in stocks to real estate and business, we cover MANY avenues you can use to work like Deacon, who's on a path to financial independence in his early 40's. In our headline segment today we'll tackle a story about an icon who just sold nine figures worth of stock. What does this have to do with your portfolio and investments? It has a LOT to do with you, if you're accumulating stock in a single company. We'll also detail a recent shopping trend. How much has online shopping overtaken the Black Friday experience? What does this mean for your holiday shopping this year? We'll discuss it on today's show. We'll also throw out the Haven Life Line, answer a listener letter, and also try to answer a tough trivia question from Doug. That's just the beginning of the fun we're having on today's Stacking Benjamins podcast! Special thanks to M1Finance for sponsoring our show! Use our "stackingbenjamins" code to score a free year of M1Finance! Thanks to Harry’s for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get your Free Trial Set – go to Harrys.com/SB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's your money story? Today we hear fantastic stories from the phenomenal people who attend FinCon...and man, did they not disappoint. The only rule was that we couldn't know who they were ahead of time. So today we met Felicity, who tells us some great lessons about pets, real estate, and more....then we talk to Geeta, who's a high schooler on a WAY different path than most people toward financial independence. Think there's only the college path toward retirement? Geeta will give you a MUCH different approach than most kids. Then we talk to Yinan Du from Beam. Everyone's asking, "How does Beam offer such high interest rates when banks are offering\low rates?" He answers this question AND how Beam operates on today's show. Then we return to the FinCon from to talk to Chris from KeepThrifty. His family moved from a spacious big home to a tiny house. Why? How? He'll explain on today's show (he quit his job recently also...how's he going to afford that?). Finally we talk to financial analyst Dedra Shores, who works with individuals and small business owners to help them decipher their money situation. What SHOULD keep people up at night? Dedra fills us in. It was SO fun meeting these random people at FinCon '17....they have great stories and I can't wait for you to hear them. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com and LinkedIn for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to LinkedIn-dot-com-slash-sb and get a $50 credit toward your first job post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder what financial mistakes your favorite financial gurus have made? Seven time New York Times bestselling author David Bach joins us (Automatic Millionaire, Smart Women Finish Rich) and shares his financial horror stories about credit cards and early life money problems. Plus, he'll tell true stories about borrowing money from his children, asking his dad for money help, and more! In our headlines segment, we discuss the recently deceased lead singer of Linkin Park's will. What should you include in your will? David Bach will help Joe & OG with the answer. We'll also tackle a headline about sharing. When is it okay to share your salary with others? Not surprisingly, your age seems to be a factor in your answer to that question. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to a few lucky listeners in our live audience. We answer questions about stock market risk, life insurance, and paying down your mortgage. Huge thanks to Roofstock (check out their massive real estate database) and MagnifyMoney.com (when you're comparing financial tools like credit cards and savings accounts) for helping us with today's show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emma Johnson was dependent on her husband's income when her marriage fell apart. Left with two young children and little income, she had to learn how to put her financial house in order in a hurry. We'll talk about how she did it on today's show, plus we'll . She realized quickly that she had to become financially independent in a hurry. In our headline segment today we'll tackle the current legislation heading through Congress. Reports suggested that pre-tax 401(k) plans were in the crosshairs. Did they survive? Also, Brynne from FemmeFrugality.com joins us to talk about PTSD and investing. While it's often seen as an affliction of those who've served in the military, that's only about 20 percent of all PTSD cases. We talk about the issues around PTSD including goal setting, risk, identifying that you have it, and how to get treatment. We'll also throw out the Haven Life Line to Scott, who asks about some advice he received from an advisor recently. Do we think that this advisor gave him good advice when she said he should hold off on investing in stocks until valuations lower. Then we answer a letter from a listener who asks about long term care. What do you need to know? It's an important topic and I'm glad we can discuss it on today's podcast. Special thanks to M1Finance for sponsoring our show! Use our "stackingbenjamins" code to score a free year of M1Finance. Thanks also to LinkedIn for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to LinkedIn.com/SB and get a $50 credit toward your first job post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

America’s family financial expert Ellie Kay joins us in the basement with investing tips for beginners. Forget all of the jargon….where do you start? PK from DQYDJ.net drops by to review yet another dumb article found on the internet (who knew there’d be someone saying NOT to invest while you’re in your 20s….). Joe & OG share headlines, and more. This show originally aired in 2015! Hope you enjoy it. See you back on Monday with a new episode of the Stacking Benjamins podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even though yesterday was Halloween, we continue our trek through a graveyard-worth of scary financial stories. On Monday the Fintern brought us the "Top 5 Scariest Investing Tales with Rick Ferri." It was only fitting to keep the Halloween trend going with last year's holiday special, 5 Tales of Financial Horror with CFP Chad Smith. Here's the original description of the show: What money bumps keep you awake at night? Certified Financial Planner Chad Smith knows. On our very special Halloween episode, he reveals FIVE movie-themed horrors and the strategies it'll take to face your fear. In our headline segment the guys contemplate NOT paying off your mortgage early. When is that a good idea? Also, we answer a hotline call from Richie about HSAs and a letter from Russell about investing in the FOREX exchange. Is it a good idea to trade the FOREX? Of course, like always, there's LOTS more fun on today's show....as we keep the Halloween fun alive for one more day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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What's more spooky than an investing story gone wrong? Nothing, if we're talking about your net worth. Today Griffin the Intern (AKA the "Fintern") rewinds to the episode when Rick Ferri dropped by the basement and scared us silly with some absolutely HORRIBLE investing stories. Original show notes: Blood curling tales of horror from CFA Rick Ferri on today's show, as he shares his top 5 investing horror stories. Nick Clements from MagnifyMoney.com also joins in the fun to talk about our recent discussions around technology and pricing structures. Will we see banking get cheaper? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's an age old question...pay off debt or invest? While we could wax philosophical about which is the right approach, on today's show we answer a question from a listener about a specific question around this topic. He and his family have a mortgage, but also need more savings for retirement. Which is the right approach for him? In our headlines segment we'll discuss bad breakups. Should you dive in to "retail therapy" when things go wrong? Statistically, that's what LOTS of us apparently do. We'll also answer a question about freezing your credit from Glen. He's applying for a job and wondering if he should go ahead and freeze his credit or if he should leave it open for when his company completes the inevitable credit check. Also, in our special guest spot, we'll talk about HoneyFi! If you're in a relationship and want a financial app that's been designed from the ground up, you'll want to listen to today's featured FinTech segment. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com and LinkedIn for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to LinkedIn-dot-com-slash-sb and get a $50 credit toward your first job post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever make a financial move because someone else told you it was a good idea and it turned out poorly? Maybe you already apply data to your decisions, but what if it could be better? Today our guests, Stuart Kruse and Sean Brown are both advocates of applying better data to your investing decisions, and we'll discuss how to make that work. Plus, in our headlines segment, we FINALLY hear Joe and OG have a knock down drag out argument about a new Canadian mortgage lending law. Is it a good idea? You'll hear the guys brutal argument on the topic today. Also, we'll discuss how the USA ranks against other countries when it comes to mutual fund disclosures and regulations. What can you learn from a mutual fund prospectus? We'll tackle that, too.... We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Ben, who wonders if he's paying too much in investment management fees, score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more. Huge thanks to Roofstock (check out their massive real estate database) and MagnifyMoney.com (when you're comparing financial tools like credit cards and savings accounts) for helping us with today's show. They're awesome companies and if you're not using them, I'm not sure you know what you're missing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've heard the stories: robots and artificial intelligence are coming to steal our jobs and make us obsolete. Bill Studebaker from ROBO Global has a different outlook. What if automation is going to help us all move faster? We'll talk to Bill about investing in AI in our portfolios and how the new world of work will look in the future as robots help us move the productivity needle even further. In our headline segment today we'll tackle a story about a celebrity who had well over a million dollars stolen from him AND another about students who've left billions of dollars in free money on the table. How do you avoid losing out on free money? What could the celebrity have done better to avoid being ripped off? We'll share tips for both of those scenarios on today's podcast. We'll also throw out the Haven Life Line to Hillary. She's wondering if maybe she can pay her student loans off faster if she puts extra money into a mutual fund instead of directly toward the loan. Is the risk worth the chance of a higher interest rate and then a faster payoff? Then we answer a letter from Alex who wonders if he should continue saving after tax money into his rollover IRA. We'll have LOTS of tips for Alex and anyone else who's thought about trying this strategy. Special thanks to M1Finance for sponsoring our show! Use our "stackingbenjamins" code to score a free year of M1Finance. Thanks also to LinkedIn for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to LinkedIn.com/SB and get a $50 credit toward your first job post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Did your family automatically save when you were growing up? Joe's family didn't. How were you raised? If your family didn't talk about money, don't worry, because we'll give you TONS of great ideas to start your family on the savings path. Today we'll talk about the envelope system and others that have worked for our panelists.... speaking of....today we have a GREAT group of contributors, including Sandy Waters, from the Seven Figures podcast, and Deacon Hayes, from The Well Kept Wallet blog and podcast. We'll also answer a wrong number that luckily ended up on mom's voicemail from Tyler, and also take a letter from Chris....great times on this show! Also, in our special guest spot, we'll talk about Hoot! This is a banking app and awesome debit card all mixed into one. We're excited to be ahead of the game on their launch. Want to save some money on the launch? Here's the link. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com and LinkedIn for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to LinkedIn-dot-com-slash-sb and get a $50 credit toward your first job post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices