The Stacking Benjamins Show

If you're like most people during the big holiday season, it's not really a question of IF you go over your budget, but WHEN--and how badly. With another "can't miss" deal around every corner who can keep themselves from doing a little splurging when shopping this month? Believe it or not, studies show that we plan for all of those expenses....it's the fact that the muffler sometimes drag behinds the car or another emergency expense happens which sends the budget into a tailspin and your credit card debt soaring. To solve that problem, today we'll talk to Michele Cagan, author of Budgeting 101. You'll be happy to hear that Michele doesn't think you need to track every penny. There's a better (and easier) way to make sure you get ahead without devoting your whole life to spreadsheets and money tracking programs.Then, in our headlines segment...what would you do if you found a $7.5 million stash of someone else's cash? One lucky guy bought a storage unit on the cheap and found a life-changing amount of money hiding inside. Would you invest it, or maybe dash out of the basement and jump on the first plane to Tahiti? We all have our ideas... but this story probably isn't going to turn out how you're expecting. We'll share the rest of what happened during our headlines segment.In our second headline, Sallie Mae has a new study detailing how people pay for college. Taking a pit stop in the basement to help us make sense of how people save for college, pay for it, and then pay off loans, we'll talk to Rick Castellano from Sallie Mae.Of course, that's not all. We'll throw out the Haven Life line to Nick, who's been having some issues with his budget. What can Nick do to cut costs on his operation?And don't worry... we'll still take some time for Doug's trivia.Looking for something deeper than what we give you on the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: The Stacker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How can you really follow a financial plan when absolutely nobody knows what's going to happen to the economy or in their life in a couple of years? What happens to your financial plan if you lose your job or have a medical emergency that wipes out your savings? Helping us understand how to manage money and finances during the fog of life is a writer you know from the F*ck Off Fund, AND who you've read in the New York Times, Elle, Slate (and more)... Paulette Perhach. She'll be joined by Paula Pant from Afford Anything, and OG from "this here" podcast.Halfway through today's show our panel will be taking a little break while Joe talks to the founders of Digs. Saving up enough cash to buy your first home can be a long, difficult process. But... what if you had a 401k that you could save into for the big purchase? The guys from Digs are breaking down just how they're setting out to help people like you and me on today's FinTech segment.Finally, we'll maybe do our best job of answering a letter this year, when we help Aaron, who needs to know on how to get couples on the same note. Of course, we'll still save some room for Doug's amazing trivia.Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How will YOU become the next millionaire next door? Believe it or not, it's been 23 years since The Millionaire Next Door shook the foundation of what people thought about wealth. You mean LOTS of people built their wealth in other ways than inheriting a bunch of money or working in huge income jobs? ...and that just because you LOOK wealthy doesn't mean you ARE wealthy? Today we talk to Dr. Sarah Fallaw (researcher and also the daughter of Thomas Stanley, author of the Millionaire Next Door) about how YOU can set yourself up to join this elite group. We'll discuss your friends, where you live, financial advisors, and more.Plus in our headlines segment, the results of a new survey are out about investor expectations, and they aren't good. Many investors have...maybe unrealistic ideas about their investment strategies. We'll explain on the show. Plus, one company has created a new credit card that will help you save into your 401(k) plan every time you save. Too good to be true? We'll answer that question on the show.Then we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Jon, who wants us to shed some light on the difference between a Roth 401k and an after tax basis employee savings and stock ownership plan.Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Recently there have been LOTS of headlines about FIRE. Good? Bad? Ugly? We invited David Bach down to the basement to ostensibly ask him about the 20th anniversary edition of his Smart Women Finish Rich book. While we cover that in detail, we also asked him about HIS thoughts on the FIRE movement....and let's just say that he was more than happy to share.In our headlines segment it's time for tax loss harvesting and year end tax planning. What should you do? An Investment News piece details a few strategies and we'll talk about our favorites (and maybe not-so-favorites) on today's podcastOf course, that's not all. We'll throw out the Haven Life line to listener Rachel, who has some BIG life decisions to make. Should she stay in her townhouse or pursue her dream of moving to the mountains, even if it means a much longer commute to work, new debt, and probably some unforeseen consequences.And don't worry... we'll still take some time for Doug's trivia.Looking for something deeper than what we give you on the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: The Stacker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you're like me, holiday parties are a mix of sheer terror, the threat of being stuck in a corner in the world's second most boring conversation, and hoping that you don't accidentally stick your foot in your mouth. So, to help us all not only navigate the holiday party scene but to crush it, we're asking all of our party conversation strategy questions to Vanessa Van Edwards, author of Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People. Whether you're usually the "life of the party," or you're an introvert who's anxious just THINKING about an office party, Vanessa has simple, effective strategies that will change the way you think about office parties.Plus, instead of hosting a party where guests stand with glasses and talk, how about a better solution that'll make you the talk of your circle of friends for the next year? Today we're talking to the founder of Blendtique, Billy Dimm. Whether or not you saw Bill on Shark Tank, we think you'll love this idea of a wine-blending party. You and your friends enjoy an evening of laughing, chatting, and creating your own perfect vino blend.After we talk to Billy we'll take some time to not only answer Doug's trivia, but also answer a question from Mike about credit card payment discrepancies. Mike's "pay in full" payment option left a $111 balance on his account. The bank then charged Mike interest, which he got reversed. What's the deal, is the bank being misleading?Looking for something deeper than what we give you on the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: The Stacker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ever think that you need to take decisive action to bring your investments under control? Ever wonder exactly what moves you should make the next time the market moves up or down? We've got you covered, because Dr. Daniel Crosby joins us to talk about how to avoid getting in your own way with your investments. We'll discuss exactly why decisive moves might not work, why your brain is horrible at investment decisions, and more. As always when we talk to Dr. Crosby, it's a fun, fast paced, and (shocker) educational interview.Plus in our headlines segment, if you're an army reservist trying to get into the financial industry, we'll look at one company, LPL Financial, who's teaming up with the Army Reserve to give military members an opportunity to become financial advisors. Then, in our second headline, what's in store for the future of HSAs? We're taking a look at MorningStar's newly released report on the Health Savings Account landscape.Then we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Chuck. Can Chuck take out a Roth IRA loan if the rental home is in the Roth IRA? After we give some advice to Chuck, we'll still have time to answer a letter from Brooke. With a yearly raise of $1200, should Brooke put that money to their debt, which will be paid off in 18 months, or take advantage of their employer match?Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If anyone knows about fighting fear, it's Akshay Nanavati. While fighting overseas with the Marines, Akshay lost people close to him and subsequently suffered PTSD. He'll share his story of overcoming his own paralyzing fear, fighting demons, and achieving some HUGE goals on today's show. Whether you're afraid of asking for a raise, of starting a workout program to feel better (and earn more money), or to get started saving, investing, or paying down debt, there's something for everyone on today's show.In our headlines segment we'll talk about HSA myths. What do you believe about HSAs that might not actually be true. Or, as HSAs become more prevalent, what do you need to know about them. Even if you're already well versed on HSAs, you'll find something new on today's show (even WE found a myth that we didn't know!).In our second headline, we'll talk to Beverly Harzog from US News and World report about the new ultra FICO scoring system. Who will this help? How do you ask to have your credit re-scored? What credit basics should you know? We'll talk to Beverly about all of the above on today's podcast!Of course, that's not all. We'll throw out the Haven Life line to listener Rachel, who has some BIG life decisions to make. Should she stay in her townhouse or pursue her dream of moving to the mountains, even if it means a much longer commute to work, new debt, and probably some unforeseen consequences.And don't worry... we'll still take some time for Doug's trivia.Looking for something deeper than what we give you on the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: The Stacker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While everyone else is standing in Black Friday lines hoping for the best deals, we're kicking back in the basement enjoying some board games. Eric Summerer from The Dice Tower joins us to talk about his favorite games about money, economics, and business. And then, as an added bonus, he'll stick around and share four ideas for frugal holiday gaming fun. Want to spend some time with your family laughing and enjoying your time together? Take these recommendations from the co-host of the biggest board game podcast on earth.And halfway through the show we'll focus specifically on one brand new game that was made to teach basic financial concepts and money management. Australian based Life Sherpa Vince Scully joins us to talk about his new board game, also called Life Sherpa. Exploring how money and happiness interrelate, and how different personalities want to make different decisions throughout life, Life Sherpa has a fun, lightweight design to show how you can turn your money and time into value and happiness.Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ready, set, SHOP! If you have to shop (and we're fairly certain you're like us and aren't in love with the idea at all), why not make it more fun by saving tons of money? Whether you're looking for clothing, tools, kitchen aids, furniture, or just something quirky, we've got you covered. Today we're talking to Sarah Hollenbeck from BlackFriday.com about the best deals available this holiday season.In our headlines segment we'll share another great deal that has savers everywhere cheering. The IRS announced recently that they're raising tax limits on all kinds of different retirement plans in 2019. What plans are getting a bump? Should plan to stash away more cash next year? We'll tackle that. Plus, we'll continue our Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping theme by making sure you don't get caught buying a "deal" that isn't really a deal this holiday spending season. We'll sit down with consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch about this year's holiday scams and not-so-great deals to watch out for.Plus, today we're throwing out the Haven Life Line to Jeremy. Jeremy has been looking into Life Insurance Retirement Plans after our interview with David Mcknight, but it's a brand new field for him. Any tips on navigating LIRPs? And during out letters segment, we're answering Michelle's question about HSAs and FSAs. With their employers only offering FSAs, should they be looking elsewhere?And don't worry... we'll still take some time for Doug's trivia.Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Every year early adopters worry about one thing....technology. What's the hottest new thing? What's the flop that we should avoid? How expensive is the latest do-dad going to cost? Should I buy last year's do-dad to save some cash? We're super excited because joining us to talk all things technology on our special pre-Black Friday show, we welcome CNET Senior Editor Bridget Carey.  Plus in our headlines segment, social media is changing how millennials invest. Is that good or bad? Plus, in our second headline we'll ask Jonathan Walker from NewMiddleClass.Org about some of the amazing statistics his group aggregates about the holiday shopping season. How does he think YOU are going to overspend this holiday season? (It isn't how YOU think you'll overspend...which is why you'll want to listen).Then we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Evan. He and his wife have a baby on the way. Would it be the smart money move to use savings to pay off their car, or should Evan hold on to the money and use it as needed when expenses arise? We'll also field a letter from Steve, who just inherited a sum of cash. Steve has no idea how should enter the market... so he asks the guys for some good advice to kickstart his investment portfolio.Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings.Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.