Money For the Rest of Us

David shares nine lessons a listener followed to become a millionaire. Topics covered include: The benefit of underspending on housing What rate of return and how much would you need to save to grow a portfolio to one million dollars Why historical studies of the S&P 500 returns are misleading David's recent portfolio mistake Sponsors Delete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% off NetSuite ...

SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI are all going public. Why now? And what will their weight be in index funds? What other U.S. ETF options are there if you don't want to have such a high concentration in stocks tied to AI. And finally, if you do buy SpaceX, what would need to happen to earn a reasonable return on your investment? Sponsors Delete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% off NetSuite  Reti...

We explore the free dividend fallacy and how it applies to option income strategies. We break down the return drivers of covered call ETFs and examine the long-term performance record and volatility. Finally, we explain why it's better to own a single stock than a single-stock covered call ETF, such as MSTY, NVDY, or TSLY, offered by YieldMax. Show Notes The Dividend Disconnect - Samuel M. Hartzma...

Why we have to navigate investing, business, and life with a compass rather than a GPS. David also provides an update on what he has learned from hosting live portfolio cohorts and letting AI analyze his portfolio trades over the past 12 years. Sponsors Square - Get up to $200 in hardware Delete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% off Insiders Guide Email Newsletter Get our free Investors' Checklist...

I share five business practices that have carried me through asset bubbles, financial crises, business pivots, and now the rise of AI. Topics covered include: Recommended note-taking app and practices Recommended periodicals How to get better ideas Why we need to understand the probabilities when pursuing a new course The latest insights on AI, prediction markets, and other topics Sponsors Square...

Please attend our live webinar on portfolio construction and rebalancing scheduled for Thursday, April 30th, at 12PM Eastern, 9AM Pacific time. I will cover the five steps to constructing and rebalancing a portfolio. I will also answer your questions. You can sign up for this special webinar at  https://moneyfortherestofus.com/webinar/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Calif...

Why portfolio construction is messy, personal, and never perfect. We compare the pros and cons of several portfolio strategies, including target-date funds, risk parity, and role-based portfolios. We conclude with three AI-related fallacies that will help us better navigate the current moment. Sponsors Square - Get up to $200 in hardware Delete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% off Live Portfolio C...

In this mini episode, I share some examples of how I am using Claude Cowork and other tools to boost my productivity and build investment portfolio analysis tools. I also share more details on the live portfolio cohorts we will be holding next month. You can learn  more about our live portfolio cohorts here. Show Notes I Saw Something New in San Francisco - Ezra Klein - New York Times See Pri...

How the Iran conflict and other developments could lead to another major financial crisis. What is different today from 2008? Why trying to seed a revolution is so risky. And finally, what can we do to prepare ourselves for the next financial crisis? Sponsors Delete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% off Live Portfolio Cohort - May 2026 Insiders Guide Email Newsletter Get our  free Investors' C...

When is good enough actually good enough? AI is reshaping how I work and live. And a member with a portfolio that's beaten an all-in-one Vanguard LifeStrategy fund for ten years asks whether the complexity is worth it — or whether it's time to simplify. Sponsors Masterworks - Invest in multimillion-dollar artwork offerings Delete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% off Insiders Guide Email Newsletter...

How historical and expected returns for university endowments can guide us in setting reasonable return expectations. We also analyze managed futures strategies to see how they work, how they have performed, and how to use them in your investment portfolio. Insiders Guide Email Newsletter Get our  free Investors' Checklist when you sign up for the free Money for the Rest of Us email newslette...

In this episode, we look at asset location, how to decide which investments belong in taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free accounts, how where we live shapes the opportunities available to us, and how capital ultimately expands our choices. Sponsors Gelt - Taxes Done Right Masterworks - Invest in multimillion-dollar artwork offerings Delete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% off Insiders Guide Email...

A new ETF allows individuals to earn income by insuring against natural disasters through investing in catastrophe bonds. We break down the historical returns, risk, fees, and structure of this intriguing investment opportunity. Topics covered include: What types of natural disasters are increasing How insurance companies use reinsurance and cat bonds to protect against extreme losses Why home ins...

We explore the forces likely to shape financial markets in 2026 and how to make better decisions as you pursue your goals this year. Topics covered include: The difference between intentions and resolutions Key behavioral biases and how to overcome them The cautionary tale of a private real estate fund that went public Is the affordability crisis real? The big test for AI in 2026 The financial and...

Should you borrow money to magnify returns in your 401 (k), IRA, or other tax-deferred retirement account? We examine Basic Capital, which allows investors to leverage their retirement account investments. We also explore how the wealthy don't use debt to generate wealth but to manage it.  Sponsors Gelt - Taxes Done Right Insiders Guide Email Newsletter Get our  free Investors' Checklist...

As Baby Boomers continue to retire, some analysts expect financial markets to feel the strain. We examine whether demographic shifts truly shape stock and bond returns, or what other factors matter more. Topics covered include: Will retiring baby boomers lead to lower stock prices or higher interest rates Some earlier demographic predictions and how they worked out How do natural interest rates re...

David converses with best-selling author David Bach about preventing burnout through sabbaticals, moving to another country, why retirees should take Social Security as early as possible, and Bach's idea of a flat tax on IRA distributions. Insiders Guide Email Newsletter Get our  free Investors' Checklist when you sign up for the free Money for the Rest of Us email newsletter Our Premium Prod...

Can you really make money sports betting on low-risk, high-probability events? Topics covered include: The growing size and influence of the U.S. sports betting market Recent sports betting scandals How sports betting odds work An intriguing low-risk approach to sports betting Why the low-risk sports betting approach is still gambling with a negative expected return Behavioral biases that encourag...

What’s the difference between hoarding and investing? There’s a reason markets built on productive assets—like stocks and bonds—are far larger than hoarding markets such as gold and cryptocurrency. In this episode, David explores why that is, and shares why he recently bought Zcash, and how it’s both similar to and different from Bitcoin. Email Newsletters Get our  free Investors' Checklist w...

How AI gets simple finance wrong, and how to make it work for you, not mislead you Topics covered include: How AI ignores the time value of money A detailed example of ChatGPT misleading by making a simple math mistake Some examples of opportunity costs and sunk costs when making financial decisions Understanding how AI works can help us use it more effectively Sponsors Claude.ai -   Sign up...

Are gold and silver up more than 50% in 2025 because investors fear currency debasement, or is this rally just the latest meme trade? In this episode, we explore the supply and demand forces behind gold and silver, discuss investing strategies, and outline what to watch to see if investors truly are worried about debasement. Sponsors Money for the Rest of Us Plus Claude.ai -   Sign up for Cla...

How to decide when to invest in municipal bonds versus new tax-efficient bond ETFs that don't invest in munis. We analyze several newer ETFs that earn bond-like returns while avoiding paying taxable income distributions. Sponsors Claude.ai -   Sign up for Claude today and get 50% off Claude Pro Delete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% off Investments Mentioned Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTE...

This week there isn’t a regular  Money for the Rest of Us  episode, but David shares an update on what’s happening behind the scenes. He previews an exclusive Plus member livestream on the forces shaping the next decade, explains why there won’t be a new episode next week, and highlights fresh content available on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Substack. David also reflects on consist...

What happens when the money supply grows too slowly or too quickly?  From gold-standard deflation to QE-driven inflation and inequality, we trace the lessons of monetary history, and what we can do today to protect ourselves in an age of infinite money. Topics covered include: How is the money supply measured, and why is it a subjective exercise What is an example of a negative money shock Wh...

From salmon leaping along the Vancouver Island coast to fake bands on Spotify, this episode explores the divide between the physical and digital economy, and what lumber markets, managed forests, and everyday life teach us about staying connected to the real. Topics covered include: How timber investing works and why it is reflective of how industries evolve What percent of economic output is phys...