How to Money

Nobody ever wants to be called cheap- it’s an insult and brings all sorts of negative connotations with it. However, being frugal is a badge of honor and something worth striving towards. There is a temptation to become cheap when you are looking to get your finances in order, but instead we would encourage frugality over being a cheapskate. In this episode we break down the differences between th...

Over half of Americans don’t have a will- and this is a huge problem. You might think you don’t really need a will, but if you have any assets, a spouse, or kids you most definitely do. Wills aren’t just for old people! Most often people feel that they can always put it off until a little bit later, but the best time to go ahead and create a will is right now. It can be an unsettling topic as most...

Imagine that you have a well paying job but otherwise it sucks and you wish you could leave. And now imagine that an amazing opportunity comes along for you to start your dream business- that thing you’ve always wanted to do, but the problem is that you know you won’t be able to pay yourself for a solid year. What you need is peace out money to keep you afloat! Or maybe some family or health issue...

Most folks are paying more than twice as much as they need to for cell phone service! The biggest reason for that is because they haven't shopped around- they're blindly paying the overpriced plans from 5 years ago. The average monthly cell phone bill is $73 and by the end of this episode, you’ll know how to get that down drastically- closer to the $25 per month mark which is the new golden standa...

The newest iPhones that were just released are anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500 - that is a ton of money!!! With all the different functions and duties that our smartphones are able to perform, it’s no surprise that the prices are continuing to climb but don't pay full price! Regardless if you’re getting the latest and greatest iPhone release, or if you’re buying last year’s Moto, you want to be get...

After the Equifax data breach where 148 million people’s personal information was compromised, it's especially easy to see how vulnerable we are as consumers. So now more than ever, is the time to freeze your credit! A new federal law has made it completely free to freeze and thaw your credit, so you don't have any more excuses. In this episode we talk about why this is so important, we cover what...

You feel rich! The stock market is up and you might be wondering if now is the time to sell. Even if you don’t keep up with any financial news, you’ve likely heard how we’re in the longest running, bull market in US history. Your investment portfolio is looking pretty fat because you’ve purchased low and now it’s time to sell high- that’s how the old adage goes right? Or at the very least maybe yo...

Let's talk about lesser known credit card benefits! Did you know that with a credit card you might already use, you have access to $600 worth of cell phone insurance that is already baked into the card? Or that some credit cards will reimburse you up to $500 if something you purchased drops in price and you make a claim within 90 days? There are countless hidden benefits that credit cards offer- a...

Who doesn’t want to earn more money?! In a time where we’ve seen wage growth stagnation, workers want to make more or in some cases, they can’t seem to get out of the cycle of living from paycheck to paycheck. Side hustles are the answer! There are lots of pros and cons which we cover, but not all side hustles are created equal. In our new sharing or gig economy, oftentimes the default response to...

Americans spend WAY too much on groceries! After housing and transportation, we spend more money on food than anything else- close to 15% of our expenses. On a recent episode Matt mentioned how his family eats on $1 per person per meal, and so we figured it was time to spend an entire episode discussing how you can cut your grocery bill like crazy! If you’re not really into cooking we give some ve...

Financial independence - what does that even mean and should you be pursuing it?! Chances are you've heard us mention it before on the show, but we finally dedicate an entire episode to what financial independence is all about. We also discuss what it's NOT all about. For instance, is retirement the same thing as financial independence? Be sure to listen to the entire episode and you'll be able to...

Nobody ever talks about life insurance, so naturally, we’re doing an episode on it! While likely the least sexy aspect of personal finance, it’s incredibly important- especially if you have loved ones who are dependent on you, and the income you earn. This week we’re answering a listener’s question as he specifically asks if he has enough life insurance in place, as well as how important is his ag...

We talk a lot about real estate investing on the show. However, if that’s not your thing then don’t worry about real estate- it is not necessary to build wealth. Just be sure that you’re investing somewhere, in something, and it’s so important that you invest in what you know! In this episode we cover some alternative ways to invest your money, as a way to get you thinking creatively and strategic...

“Don’t rent, you’re just throwing away money. Buy a house instead, it’s a great investment!” - says almost everyone who purchases a home. It’s often accepted as a gospel truth that purchasing a home as a primary residence is always a great investment. This is just not true. We promise you, unless you’re house hacking, chances are your house makes an awful investment. It could possibly be a good li...

Micro investing apps- you know they exist but now its time to learn what they're all about and whether or not you should be doing it. These apps are amazing in that they can get people investing and saving money in mere minutes. But then there are the downsides. For instance, is the accessibility and ease of use of these apps worth the risk of reacting to financial news and what the market is curr...

The only way you can save MORE money is by either earning more, or by spending less- and spending less (aka frugality), is a much smarter decision! Don’t be tempted to just work harder and earn more money, because as soon as you stop working, your income stops! Frugality is the better answer. It isn’t restricting, keeping you from spending money on the things you love to do. Instead it’s freeing,...

Not all rental properties are created equally- and we’re not just talking about how well they’re built! There are a number of factors to keep in mind when you’re considering purchasing different properties as potential rentals. In this episode we talk about finding a good deal on a property and then we cover our favorite criteria that we like to use to filter out those good deals. We also spend so...

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This is our first ever listener question that we've addressed on the show - from Mark: “I was wondering about your thoughts on saving for a child’s education. My wife and I both work at colleges (she’s a professor, I’m a counselor) and we’re actually not sure what college will look like in 15 years and what the value proposition will be. Also will our kid(s) even want to go to college? We haven’t...

You’ve worked hard for your money, so you should be able to keep every, single, penny. Right?! Well, aside from taxes, you have every legal right to keep your money- however, we’re here to tell you that you would be better off giving a portion of your money away. Whether that means a simple year-end charitable donation or taking the steps to set up a donor advised fund, there is room in your budge...

Talking about money with your partner can be extremely hard! We’ve all heard funny stories and countless anecdotes of money fights within relationships, but the fact remains that these disagreements often end in broken relationships. This week we have an honest and revealing conversation with our wives about how we talk about and handle our finances as couples. We also had some great questions tha...

Conventional wisdom tells us that getting out of debt is smart. And while generally that might be true, we're here to explain how that approach may not be the best decision for you! Oftentimes keeping low-interest debt around while you're able to invest and maximize your returns elsewhere will easily make the most sense when you're looking at the numbers. In this episode we cover the characteristi...

Nearly half of Americans wouldn't be able to easily handle a $400 emergency! This is financial insanity. Considering the lack of any sort of margin in our lives today, it shouldn't be a surprise that Americans treat their money any differently than they treat their time. There just never seems to be enough, and any disruption (of money or time) brings a myriad of problems that must be addressed. L...

Commuting to work sucks! It’s likely one of your least favorite things to do everyday assuming you’re an individual commuter, driving along in your own metal box that costs you thousands to own and operate. It’s stressful dealing with traffic and not to mention our cars encourage us to be lazy and perpetuate the lifestyle of excess and consumption. I mean does it really require a $15,000+ luxury v...

Investing advice is the number one reason why people hire financial advisors, and we're here to tell you that you're wasting your money!!! Certainly a financial advisors could help you with other things like financial goal setting and managing cash flow, but ultimately it still comes down to you doing the hard work yourself (plus, we've already covered those topics on previous episodes, have a lis...