149: Listener Finance Review: Knocking Out Debt to Start Investing

527: Retired at 49 on an Average Salary after Getting a “Late Start” to FIRE: Think it’s too late for early retirement? Do you feel like just because you’re in your late thirties, forties, or fifties, FIRE doesn’t make sense for you? Well, think again because today’s guest defied the odds by retiring over fifteen years early, all while raising her daughter on her own and without a six-figure salary to sail her swiftly to a million-dollar net worth. Plus, she did all of it with no investing experience. If Jackie Cummings Koski can do it, so can you! Jackie grew up in a single-parent household. Her father worked hard to support her and her five siblings. This instilled a strong work ethic in Jackie and made her realize that running towards hard things, not away from them, was the true path to success. She figured out college on her own and, shortly after, landed a corporate job that took her far away from the small town she grew up in. She got married and had her daughter, but then ever by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

47 min listen

526: Personal Finance for Beginners: Bank Accounts, Real Estate, and Retirement: Personal finance doesn’t have to be complicated. Saving, investing, and retiring early shouldn’t be a stumbling path to wealth, but many Americans feel this way. So, to clear up some of the money misconceptions, we’re doing personal finance for beginners FAQ episode, where we take some of the most common money questions and answer them for you so you can start building wealth and get closer to financial independence! Many of these questions come directly from the BiggerPockets Money Facebook page, where you can ask your money questions 24/7! First, we answer, “How many bank accounts should you have?” and walk through exactly how we split up our money. If you’re looking to start building wealth, we touch on the numerous ways to invest in real estate, from basic beginner investing strategies to purely passive income-generating expert tactics. How much money do YOU need to retire? With the 4% rule, you can by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

48 min listen

525: The Rational Investor’s Case Against Bitcoin: Cryptocurrency enthusiasts can’t fathom why Bitcoin will fail. If you tell them that you’re not investing in Bitcoin or other cryptos, they look at you like an uneducated investor, a sheep following the crowd without thinking for yourself. The promise of Bitcoin is so great that you’d have to be an outright fool to deny it, and anyone who refutes the future golden age of a decentralized society is simply mistaken and is only coping with the oncoming collapse of fiat currency and Western civilization. The problem with that theory? None of it is grounded in reality. Today, BiggerPockets CEO Scott Trench is going to prove it. After years of research on Bitcoin, the blockchain, and cryptocurrency as a whole, Scott has come to a simple conclusion: Bitcoin isn’t worth it. In fact, Bitcoin may be worth, unsurprisingly, nothing! But before all you Bitcoin maximalists come out of the woodwork, claiming we’re forever bullish on index funds and by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

38 min listen

524: Lessons From the Rich That Took Me from $0 to a $1,000,000+ Business: Want to be a millionaire or build a business that brings in seven figures? Want generational wealth and to be debt-free? Want to know that you have enough money to take big risks while still keeping your bank account safe? If so, you need to start thinking like the rich to begin building wealth the same way they do. “That may be easy for you to say, you host the BiggerPockets Money Podcast!” Well, don’t take it from us; take it from Marc Russell. Marc grew up without advantages. He was in foster care for as long as he could remember, bouncing from house to house until finally, at age thirteen, he was adopted by parents with a strong, valuable work ethic. When Marc went to college, he had no money to pay for it, so he fought tooth and nail with the financial aid office to find scholarships, loans, or anything that could help him graduate. He was even kicked out of school once over not being able to pay a $900 fe by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

48 min listen

523: Americans Say THIS Is How Much You Need to Retire (More Than You'd Think): Is a six-figure salary enough to achieve FIRE? If you’re working towards financial independence, you know that any extra money at the end of the month can help propel you to your goals faster, but with inflation eating away most, if not all, of your paycheck, what do you do? If you want to reach early retirement, do you need a massive salary to save you from the high cost of rent, food, gas, and other everyday essentials? Or, can you easily retire with a $100K/year incomeif you make the right moves? Let’s find out! Today, Scott and Kyle are reviewing some of the hottest headlines in the world of personal finance and giving you their honest opinions. First, we talk about whether or not a six-figure salary is enough to achieve the “American Dream,” and if it isn’t, what YOU can do to make the most of that money. Then, we venture to a debate that everyone has an opinion on: should you withdraw from your retir by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

41 min listen

522: How to Get PAID to Live in an Affordable City & Fast-Track Financial Freedom by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

40 min listen

521: Full-Time FIRE and Traveling the World…All Thanks to Rentals!: Could real estate investing help you reach financial freedom much sooner than you thought possible? Today’s guest had his world turned upside down by one tragic incident, but he was able to quit his W2 job, pivot to real estate, and fast-track his journey to FIRE! Today, we’re chatting with technology instructor turned full-time real estate investor Keith Nugent. After a skydiving accident rendered him unable to perform his previous job duties, Keith knew he needed a new path to financial independence. Fortunately, he discovered real estate at the perfect time. Taking advantage of the fallout from the 2008 housing market crash, Keith started loading up on rental properties—often buying them for pennies on the dollar. In just twelve years, he had not only achieved his goal of thirty cash-flowing units by 2020 but also added an additionalten units to his portfolio! Thanks to real estate, Keith now has a career that ful by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

44 min listen

520: The BEST Side Hustles You Can Start in 2024 (Outside of Real Estate!): The best side hustles can put some extra cash in your pocket, help you leave your W2 job, or even launch you toward FIRE. If you’re looking to make money in ways other than real estate investing, you don’t want to miss this side hustle special! Nick Loper, founder of Side Hustle Nation and host of The Side Hustle Show, has been building businesses since he was a teenager. From lucrative digital assets to service-based ventures, Nick has done it all, and today, he’s bringing some fresh ideas for you to try. As you’re about to learn, these fledgling businesses come in all shapes and sizes. Some take years to nurture before you reap any reward for effort, while others allow you to start earning immediately. In any case, you need to choose one you’re interested in and stick with it if you want to see results! In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, Nick dives into some of his favorite side hustles—man by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

48 min listen

519: HSA vs. FSA and When to Drain Your Emergency Fund to Pay Off Deb by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

39 min listen

518; Shrinkflation: How to Outsmart The Grocery Stores’ Rising Prices: Whether you know it or not, “shrinkflation” is costing you. You’re paying more for less, as manufacturers boast record profits. Your paycheck is getting eaten away faster and faster every month, but you’re left with the same amount of stuff. How did this happen, and when is it going to stop? Phil Lempert, AKA the “SupermarketGuru,” has been analyzing consumer behavior, marketing trends, and the retail landscape for over two decades. Now, he’s sharing thetricks manufacturers use to get you to spend more while expecting less. Shrinkflation has become such a severe problem that even the president of the United States has recently mentioned its damaging effects on the American household. Phil gives us the inside scoop on why prices are rising while sizes shrink, how retailers are actually fighting back to get customers the savings they deserve, and which products are seeing the most shrinkflation today. Phil also shar by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

47 min listen

517: Everything You Need to Know Before You Buy a Business: Buying a business? Maybe you’ve thought about it before. You could own a laundromat, self-storage facility, plumbing business, or landscaping service. It doesn’t sound glamorous, but these types of businesses can make you millions of dollars and lead you to financial freedom. And, with so many baby boomers retiring, tons of small businesses with built-in customer bases are for sale, just waiting for YOU to come and make money from them. But before you buy, there are some things you should know. Elliott Holland, an expert in acquiring small and medium-sized businesses, helps aspiring business buyers uncover whether a business is worth the price. Elliot’s team specializes in business due diligence, making sure that YOU don’t buy a business that’s worth less than what the owner/broker told you it was. Trust him; he’s saved many new entrepreneurs from making million-dollar mistakes. So, before you buy a business, listen to this by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

48 min listen

516: Jaspreet Singh: Getting Rich Slowly and Why Some People STAY Broke: Want to know how to get rich but fear it could be too late? Perhaps you’ve got responsibilities, bills to pay, and a family to feed. How can you possibly get ahead? Jaspreet Singh’s message is clear: you can still build wealth, but you’re going to have to be intentional with your money, just like every other rich person. There are no shortcuts! Today, Jaspreet is a serial entrepreneur, real estate investor, licensed attorney, and host of The Minority Mindset Show. But growing up, his parents wanted him to become a doctor. Despite the immense pressure to fulfill their wishes, Jaspreet found himself gravitating toward entrepreneurship. He started several businesses throughout adolescence and young adulthood—from playing drums at weddings and planning college parties to building ecommerce stores. He lost a TON of money along the way, but taking these risks early on paid off. Eventually, he discovered his true passi by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

45 min listen

515: How I Paid Off $150K in Debt and the 5 Factors That Boost Your Credit Score: Want to know how to get out of debt for good? It’s not as easy as it sounds! The more you chip away at that number, the harder it becomes to resist frivolous spending. But by fostering a healthy money mindset, building credit, and using credit cards the right way, you can stay out of the red! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Ashley is a business owner and rental property investor who is well on her way to financial independence. But only a few years ago, she had racked up tens of thousands of dollars in debt on not one, not two, but THREE occasions. In this episode, she shares why she struggled to break free from the snare of consumer debt and why a drastic mindset shift was needed to climb out of a $150,000 hole. Ashley also takes a deep dive into credit history and touches on each of the five factors that impact your credit score. Along the way, she offers several personal finance tips by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

46 min listen

514: How to “Travel Hack” Like a Pro and Get FREE Flights, Hotel Stays, and More! by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

48 min listen

513: The “Red Flags” of Investment Fraud from a Former $3.8M Ponzi Scheme Manager by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

55 min listen

512: Unemployment Inches Up, Inflation Returns, & Serious News for Student Loans: Has the job market finally flipped? Throughout most of the pandemic, it seemed that any and every worker was a hot commodity. Job-hopping was the new norm as businesses outbid each other to get the best talent. Now, thanks to rising interest rates, a slower economy, and a return to the office, it seems that employees don’t have the same negotiating power they did just a couple of years ago, and the new jobs numbers are showing this. Welcome to a new type of format on the BiggerPockets Money podcast—a headlines show! We’re taking some of the top news stories from the world of personal finance and the overall economy and giving you our takes so you can make better money decisions. First, a strong jobs report comes in, but unemployment still rises as Americans find it harder and harder to get the job they want. Are employers back in control after years of workers owning the market? Then, we’ll touch on the by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

34 min listen

511: Pay Your Rent and Level Up Your Home with THIS Creative Side Hustle: Could one side hustle help you pay rent, save money to invest in real estate, or reach financial independence? Today’s guest picked up the perfect hobby that combines his background in art and love for home décor. The best part? It allows him to make extra money each month! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Because Kyle William earns a modest salary in an expensive city, there’s no room for new furniture and décor in his budget. However, he has found a way to not only fully furnish his apartment without paying top dollar but also turn this passion into a profitable side hustle. In his spare time, he scours the web for items that people no longer value, uses his artistic eye and do-it-yourself (DIY) skills to restore them to peak condition, and then flips them online for a hefty profit! Could you turn your own passion into a money-making side hustle, too? Whether you’re interested in flipping furn by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

41 min listen

510: Morgan Housel: Financial Lessons From History Anyone Can Use to Get Rich: Morgan Housel’s ground-breaking book, The Psychology of Money, changed how many Americans thought about saving, spending, and investing. Through a collection of financial lessons, Morgan opened up new thought patterns for many of us, showcasing that getting rich isn’t as complicated as you might think, but staying rich can be the actual challenge. Now, this personal finance powerhouse is back with a new book, Same as Ever. In Same as Ever, Morgan doubles down on what has, and most likely always will, work in the personal finance world. By showcasing some of the most commonly repeated financial events of the past, we can better shape our understanding of what will happen in the future and use history to our advantage to build even bigger wealth, enjoy our lives even more, and not repeat our past mistakes. But this episode goes much deeper than that. We talk about why so many Americans will die without build by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

52 min listen

509: How to Build, Grow, Scale, and SELL Your Online Business: If you want to make money online in 2024, good news: it’s easier than ever! Just ask today’s guest, who had to bootstrap his online business before you could launch a business with little to no startup costs. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and need a little inspiration to get your next business idea rolling, this episode is for you! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Today, we’re joined by serial entrepreneur Omar Zenhom from The $100 MBA Show. For many years, Omar worked as a full-time educator while nurturing his fledgling businesseson the side. Naturally, many of them didn’t work out. But rather than letting these failures deter him from entrepreneurship, Omar applied each new lesson to his next business venture. Eventually, he struck gold with WebinarNinja, a software company he scaled to 30,000 users before selling his business and enjoying the spoils. Want to achieve financial freedom without be by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

41 min listen

508: Budgeting Tips for Families Living on ONE Income by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

39 min listen

507: The Path to Early FI, Transferring 401(k) Funds, & Wiping Out Bad Car Debt: Everyone wants to reach financial independence as soon as possible. But if you really want to get on the path to early FI, you’ve got to start making savvy money decisions TODAY. And we’ve got a few tips, tricks, and tools that will help you out! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! In this episode, Mindy and Amanda Wolfe are fielding questions from the r/PersonalFinance subreddit and delivering their best money tips for scenarios that YOU could easily find yourself in. First, we get into 401(k) accounts and some of the different ways to transfer funds when you leave your employer. We also go over some of the different strategies for budgeting, investing, and saving money that will help you reach financial freedom early. But that’s not all! If you live in an area with a competitive housing market, we discuss whether you should ever waive a home inspection to help sweeten your offer. We even t by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

44 min listen

506: How to Use Your Money "Archetype" to Address Your Biggest Financial Burdens: After tremendous research, the “MoneyType” quiz was finally released. All you need to do is answer some basic questions, and in a matter of minutes, you’ll know your biggest financial strengths and burdens, the money traps you could fall into, and how to use your own money “gift” to make your life, and your loved ones’ lives, even better. But before you write off the MoneyType quiz as just another personality test, we can tell you from personal experience it’s shockingly accurate. And there’s no one better to talk about the MoneyType process than the co-founder of HerMoney and co-creator of the MoneyType personality quiz, Jean Chatzky. Jean’s team tested the MoneyType process on hundreds of people, uncovering the core personality traits that could make you a producer, visionary, nurturer, independent, or connoisseur, and what to do once you know what MoneyType you are. In today’s show, Mindy and Scott s by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

42 min listen

505: Need a Financial Advisor? Start Here!: Most financial advisors aren’t what they seem. They paint themselves as stewards of your financial security, carefully analyzing every investment they put your money into. But that’s far from the truth. Many financial advisors simply use you to make a quick buck, leaving you worse for wear when it comes to retirement. So, how do you find a financial advisor who will actually help you build wealth without filling their own pockets at your expense? We’re about to give you the roadmap to finding the perfect financial advisor. We’re back with Jeremy Schneider, the bootstrapped founder who became an overnight millionaire thanks to a decade of tough decisions. This time, Jeremy shares about the world of financial advising, ranking the types of advisors from worst to best and sharing why that life insurance policy might be a BAD financial decision. If you’re struggling to find financial advice from a neutral third party who truly wants the best fo by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

29 min listen

504: Early Retirement at 36 by Doing What EVERY Entrepreneur Should: If you want to reach early retirement, especially in your thirties, you’ll need to take some big risks. Today’s guest turned down what would have been a dream salary to many people, choosing to work for himself while making close to a third as much as a job would have paid him. He put in the time and sweat, making just enough money to survive for over a decade, living as frugally as he could so he could roll everything back into his business. Then, overnight, he became a multimillionaire. And guess what? You can, too. One day, at the age of thirty-four, Jeremy Schneider found himself $2,000,000 richer than he had been the day before. He had successfully sold a company he’d been building for a decade, making him, his family, and his employees wealthy in the process. Then, he did what every burnt-out founder does: travel the world, play volleyball and video games, and get some much-needed rest. But soon after, he decid by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

41 min listen

503: How to Keep MORE of Your Inheritance From the IRS (Avoid These Tax Mistakes!): With solid tax planning, receiving an inheritance could provide an enormous boost on your journey to financial freedom. One misstep, on the other hand, and you could be lining Uncle Sam’s pockets. Fortunately, we’ve brought on a tax professional to help you keep as much of your newfound money as possible. There are two certainties in life: death and taxes. In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, we’re combining them. Sean Mullaney, The FI Tax Guy, returns to the show to lend his expertise on inherited investment accounts. Whether you’re the spouse, child, or sibling of a loved one who has recently passed, you’ll need a plan for managing these financial assets. Otherwise, a huge inheritance “tax bomb” could be waiting for you down the line! Sean discusses the four “buckets” of assets you can inherit and the steps you should take in each scenario. You’ll also learn about the “step-up in basi by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

44 min listen

502: The Money Apps, Habits, and Productivity Hacks That Helped Us Find FI: These personal finance apps, tools, products, and habits helped us reach financial independence, and they can do the same for you. If you’re on the road to FIRE or have finally made it to financial freedom, ANY of these tools can help you save, invest, and learn more along the way. But we’re not just sharing the FIRE toolkit we love; we’re also sharing the products we’re ditching, plus what we’re replacing them with for a brighter financial future! If you’re already feeling lost with your financial New Year’s resolutions, worry not because these personal finance apps, tools, products, and habits are here to help! Mindy and Scott will walk through every tool they love, what they can live without, and what helped them reach financial independence. We’ll talk about budgeting and money management apps, goal-setting processes that’ll help you achieve even your wildest dreams, how to learn faster than ever, and the“ by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

33 min listen

501: Finance Friday: When to STOP Investing and Start Saving Cash Instead: Do you have a cash flow problem? You’re not alone! Dan invests in real estate, has a great W2 job, and maxes out his investment accounts. He wants to hit financial independence by forty, but his lack of cash is making things difficult. Something’s got to give, and Mindy and Scott are here to help! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Dan has done an amazing job investing for the future and house hacking throughout his 20s. But now he’s got a MAJOR problem on his hands. Although he and his wife earn around $200,000 per year, they have little to no cash available. With real estate debt, hospital bills, and new baby expenses, Dan is starting to feel the pressure. That extra cash he was able to accumulate only a few years ago? It’s not so easy to find anymore. In this episode, Mindy and Scott take a deep dive into Dan’s finances to help solve his cash flow problem. Should he follow his real estate drea by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

50 min listen

500: FIRE Advice from Codie Sanchez, Ramit Sethi, Money with Katie, and More!: After 500 BiggerPockets Money episodes, we’ve learned a thing or two about financial independence. But, for this special episode, we wanted to find some of the best advice we’ve ever received on the show—advice that changed our lives as much as it did yours. So, we’ve lined up a few of our favorite clips from the past 500 episodes with top-tier guests like Codie Sanchez, Ramit Sethi, and more. If you’re a new listener of BiggerPockets Money, this is just a TASTE of what you’ll hear on future episodes. We’ll touch on a “financial awakening” one of our past guests had, finding that many of us live a “broken” life without even realizing it. Then, a spending hack that lets you live in frugal luxury while slashing your expenses. We talk abouthow to escape your nine-to-five and buy a business that helps you achieve true financial freedom. Finally, the “worry-free number” you MUST calculate unless you want to expe by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

45 min listen

499: How to Make Money as an Artist: Most people pursuing financial independence own businesses or have stable jobs, working as hard as they can to make any extra dollar, throwing their money into the stock market or real estate, and betting on the economy to take them to higher and higher levels of wealth. But what about those who AREN’T chasing every dollar or dedicating their lives to the pursuit of passive income? Can creatives, musicians, writers, or anyone wondering how to make money as an artist still find FIRE? Today, we’re talking to Paco de Leon, business owner, musician, podcast host, and author of Finance for the People: Getting a Grip on Your Finances. Paco’s world involves working with other creatives who rarely speak or think about money, helping them link their creative work with cash flow so they can continue doing what they love while building wealth for the future. Paco knows the system we live in isn’t perfect but recognizes that simply not participating isn’t an by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

46 min listen

498: Paying Off $118K of Debt in 2 Years and Buying Real Estate (16 Units!): Real estate investing is a popular path to financial freedom, but if you’re not careful, bad debt can get in the way. Before today’s guest could buy rental properties, she had to deal with the mountain of debt that stood between her and wealth. But thanks to aggressive saving and new money habits, she became debt-free in just TWO years! Sarah King has been thrown several curveballs on her journey to financial independence. Just when she had managed to pay off $118,000 of debt and buy five properties, her marriage ended in a nasty divorce. Forced to liquidate her and her husband’s assets, Sarah was back at square one. Rather than giving up on her dream of reaching FIRE, she overcame her shaky financial situation and found creative ways to buy real estate. Within a few months, she was back on her feet, and today, she owns sixteen units across ten properties! In this episode, Sarah offers some crucial advice fo by BiggerPockets Money Podcast

44 min listen

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149: Listener Finance Review: Knocking Out Debt to Start Investing

149: Listener Finance Review: Knocking Out Debt to Start Investing

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