How To Money

Goldman Sachs has predicted paltry market returns over the next decade. Should we listen to them!?  Ask HTM: What to do with the proceeds from the sale of a rental property? Groundbreaking news: If you work more, you'll earn more money. Shocking, right!? Still, the goal isn't to work as much as humanly possible.  Ask HTM: Anthony wants to know if he should keep trying to buy a home in this crazy h...

Home equity is at record levels. And homeowners are tapping into it. Be careful! Ask HTM: Kandis wants to know about shopping around for utilities. Can she save money? Most homeowners don't have enough insurance coverage. That can put you at risk. Double check yours!  Ask HTM: Andrew's car insurance rates are skyrocketing. How can he combat it!? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The FTC is implementing a 'click to cancel' rule. This should make it much easier for consumers to cancel services they aren't getting enough value out of! Ask HTM: How to help a friend who is going through significant financial struggles? Car loans in the USA are getting even more out of control. Far too many folks are taking out 84-month loans and find themselves underwater on their vehicle fina...

Is it ok to reuse halloween costumes? Consider Facebook Marketplace or making your outfit at home. Ask HTM: Kip wants to retire early. Does he need a long-term care insurance policy? Luxury goods prices are rising rapidly. But people are still buying!  Ask HTM: Catherine wants to know why we hate big banks. There are so many reasons! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experian has a debit card product that sucks.  Ask HTM: listener Ryan is still donating plasma and is using those funds to pay for his vacations! Also, are index funds in a bubble? Americans continue to start small businesses at a rapid clip. This is great news! Ask HTM: Scott wants to make Roth conversions and minimize the taxes he pays See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arbitration agreements can be a nightmare for consumers.  Ask HTM: Christian asks about underrated ways to save money Americans would rather talk about politics than money. That’s absurd!  Ask HTM: a couple is behind on retirement savings. How to catch up!? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When to book holiday travel to save the most money + Southwest's new seating plan. Ask HTM: Daniela wants to know if she should use her home equity to invest in a property. Is it really free to trade stocks on Robinhood? It actually might be one of the most expensive places. Also, a new ruling just came down about student loan forgiveness.  Ask HTM: Raphael wants to rebalance his investment holdin...

Beware of using fintech apps as your main bank.  Ask HTM: how can I start saving and investing for my nephew!? Should Matt put in an expensive pool? Prices have gone up significantly since Covid!  Ask HTM: Who should folks follow for stock tips? Hint: Probably no one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

USA Today had a story about folks raiding their 401ks. It is true that you can access a portion of your 401k before retirement. But don't do it! Also, watch out for shady financial advisors. Ask HTM: A listener is having extreme issues with his car. He might qualify for help under his state's lemon law! Watch out for scams on payment apps like Zelle. You have less recourse when you pay that way. C...

Car-free communities are en vogue these days. We love it!  Ask HTM: Does it make sense to become a landlord and rent his condo out? ATM fees have gotten out of control. But there are ways to eliminate those fees from your life! Ask HTM: what to consider before moving back in with her parents?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What the Fed cutting rates means for your wallet. It's not great for savers and potentially beneficial for borrowers.  Ask HTM: Mike wants to use 529 funds for private elementary school. Is that a good idea? 529 funds are becoming more popular than ever. But should you stick your hard-earned money into them? The answer depends on how much progress you've made in your other financial endeavors.  As...

If an engagement is broken off, who should get to keep the ring!? Also, how to avoid burnout at work - limiting notifications. Ask HTM: Orlo asks about 'buy now pay later' problems.  Amazon is calling employees back to the office. We talk about how you should think about the migration away from WFH in a cooling labor environment. Also, coffee prices are going UP. That's bad news for caffeine addic...

Matt and Joel are testing out US Mobile. It's been great and could save you big bucks!  Ask HTM: How much is the right amount to put down on a home purchase? Great news! There are more 401k millionaires than ever, according to Fidelity. You too can grow a million-dollar net worth via your tax-advantaged retirement accounts. Ask HTM: How to close credit cards properly? See omnystudio.com/listener f...

More Americans are being tempted to take out a HELOC so they can keep spending. Don't do it! Also, why shrinkflation isn't as bad as politicians want you to think. Ask HTM: Will he interrupt the compounding process by opening up a separate IRA account?  Do parents of college students need dorm insurance? Likely not. Also, Apple's new airpods can double as hearing aids. Pretty incredible!  Ask HTM:...

More retailers are charging you if you opt for cash back. So much for the ol' stick of gum approach to snag $20! Also, we should abolish the penny. There's no need for it in 2024!  Ask HTM: Should this listener buy a condo and do some house hacking? Is the American Dream dead? It's at least becoming more expensive. Ask HTM: Should I ditch an indexed universal life policy?  See omnystudio.com/liste...

People with a higher EQ earn more money. Soft skills are just as important as hard skills in the job market. Also, the Oasis dynamic pricing kerfuffle shows just how awful Ticketmaster is. Ask HTM: More businesses are adding credit card fees to the tab. Is this the end of using credit cards to earn stellar rewards!? Watch out for home title lock insurance pitches. It's not insurance at all and it'...

Car-free communities are en vogue these days. We love it!  Ask HTM: Does it make sense to become a landlord and rent his condo out? ATM fees have gotten out of control. But there are ways to eliminate those fees from your life! Ask HTM: what to consider before moving back in with her parents? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should boomer parents be providing the down payment for their kids!? Ask HTM: What to do with excess savings!? Phone locking rules could be changing soon. That's actually not a big deal. The key is to find a cheaper cell phone service, paying less each and every month!  Ask HTM: how to leave a job if your employer is paying for an advanced degree!? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

There are lots of economic proposals flying around right now from the Presidential candidates. Take them with a grain of salt! Are you better off renting or buying? Depends on what item we're talking about!  Ask HTM: Should I take an expensive online course to learn how to invest in real estate? Going into debt for Disney (or for a vacation in general) is a bad idea!  Ask HTM: A listener wants to...

The ludicrous headline of the week comes from Morning Brew and it's about how sports gambling is preventing many homes from traditional investing. That's really bad news! Also, having a good credit score is now considered 'sexy.' Ask HTM: creating a will when you have young children Another day, another data breach. The best response is to freeze your credit.  Ask HTM: A listener just completed a...

Concerts are more expensive these days. But the secondary costs of concert merch or buying popcorn and soda at the movies will really get you! This spending is leading to increased credit card debt too.  Ask HTM: A listener wants to know if he should sell his home even though he's only owned it for a year. It's typically a bad idea! Buying used will almost always save you money over buying new. Bu...

USA Today had a story about folks raiding their 401ks. It is true that you can access a portion of your 401k before retirement. But don't do it! Also, watch out for shady financial advisors. Ask HTM: A listener is having extreme issues with his car. He might qualify for help under his state's lemon law! Watch out for scams on payment apps like Zelle. You have less recourse when you pay that way. C...

We lead off the show talking about the difference between being frugal or cheap. It's an important distinction that needs to be made.  Joel and Matt discuss the downsides to buying an EV from a fledgling startup. There's real risk that companies might not continue to be able to support the vehicles they're selling! And small cars are getting more love as the prices of trucks and SUVs continue to c...

The media coverage over the stock market decline early in the week was completely nuts. We discuss how normal folks should respond to stock market declines. Ask HTM: How should a pension factor into saving and investing for retirement?  Also, watch out for the too-good-to-be-true online courses. Then we discuss ways to make extra money from the home you already own. Ask HTM: How should a single fe...

Streaming the Olympics. And the negative consequences of more uninsured motorists on the road. Paying by the mile might be a way for you to save on car insurance!  Ask HTM: buying a house with a friend. Young folks are worried about the future of social security and are taking matters into their own hands.  Ask HTM: Invest or save for an upcoming car purchase!? See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...