Taking a sabbatical from work requires a few things: time, money, and the willpower to do some soul-searching. Most people think that they can’t take any more than two weeks of the year off work. They rack up excuses, blaming timing, too many projects, and everything in between. But what if taking a sabbatical, gap year, or any other type of long-ish break was the key to building wealth faster and being a happier, healthier you?
Today’s guest Cindy, left a high-paid, stable job to take some much-needed time off. And after doing so, she’s urging you to do the same. Cindy, like most Americans, hasn’t taken time off since starting her working career. Besides the regular vacations and holidays, there never seemed like a good time for Cindy to take a break, recollect, and ask herself what she truly wanted. After taking a mini-sabbatical, she built up the courage to leave her job and hop off the grid for a bit.
Surprisingly, Cindy’s net worth didn’t dwindle during her time off—it grew! This positive push from the markets and her newfound clarity allowed her to discover new passions, try self-employment, and later snag a much better job while continuing to work towards early retirement. If you’ve been debating taking some time off, this episode will give you all the tips you need to do so!

In This Episode We Cover
Building your list of “alternative careers” to widen your job possibilities
Branching out far beyond your job title and doing more than what your degree is in
How to sample a sabbatical to see whether or not you could handle the real thing
Quitting your job during turbulent times and how to temporarily prepare for life without work
Funding life with a job and what to do before you quit
Planning out your passions so your sabbatical isn’t put to waste
How employers look at applicants who just took a sabbatical (it’s not what you think!)
And So Much More!

Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
BiggerPockets Forums
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Mindy's Twitter
David on BiggerPockets
David’s Site From Military to Millionaire
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Podcast Talent Search!
Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel
Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets
Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget

Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-
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346: Finance Friday: How Sabbaticals Make You Happier, Healthier, and Wealthier

For those who have money… or want more of it!
Join Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench (from BiggerPockets.com) weekly for the BiggerPockets Money Podcast. Each week, financial experts Mindy and Scott interview unique and powerful thought leaders about how to earn more, keep more, spend smarter, and grow wealth.

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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 everything changed.
Jackie was getting divorced, forcing her to rely on herself fully for her financial future. In true Jackie fashion, she took this as a challenge and began educating herself as best as she could. Through smart saving, spending, and life-changing investing decisions, Jackie built her wealth in record time, reaching financial independence just ten years after finding the FIRE movement—all without any advantages!

In This Episode We Cover
How to reach financial independence without a high salary, inheritance, or advantages
Stock investing 101 and how intentional investing can explode your net worth
Why you must max out THESE investment accounts to be richer in retirement
How Jackie spends just $40,000 per year owning her own home and raising her daughter
Why you DON’T have to follow all the traditional FIRE rules to retire early
And So Much More!

Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Join BiggerPockets for FREE
Mindy on BiggerPockets
Scott on BiggePockets
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Podcast Talent Search!
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
Find Investor-Friendly Lenders
Money Podcast 154 - Bill Bengen (The Inventor of the 4% Rule) Talks Retirement, Past Crashes, and How You Can Withdraw Even More
Email Mindy for the Full 4% Rule Article!
Money Podcast 344 - Rethink Social Security: Myths, Benefits, and Clearing Up Misconceptions
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
Better Investing
Root of Good
Mr. Money Mustache
Mad Fientist
1500 Days

00:00 Intro
01:14 FIRE at 49!
02:50 Making Money in Retirement 
06:11 Early Years, College, and Getting Divorced 
11:21 Working Her Way Through College
15:06 Getting Hired After College
15:50 Starting to Learn About Stocks
20:02 Finding the FIRE Movement
26:54 Spending and Saving
36:01 Jackie's Podcast and New Book!
38:20 Connect with Jackie!

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-527

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com
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527: Retired at 49 on an Average Salary after Getting a “Late Start” to FIRE

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 calculate it in seconds! We’ll explain this common money metric early retirees love to use and whether or not it still works in 2024. If you’re close to early retirement, should you start selling your investments to fund your financial freedom? We’ll share why most early retirees never need to sell their stocks, and speaking of stocks, we’ll also get into how to pick stocks and when to sell them!

In This Episode We Cover
The beginner money questions that you must have answers to if you want to build wealth
How many bank accounts do you REALLY need, and Scott’s 3-account-setup
Beginner and expert strategies to start investing in real estate (even with little money)
The 4% rule explained, and how much money you actually need to retire
How to pick stocks and whether or not index fund investing is a smarter move to make
Withdrawing money from your accounts when you finally reach financial freedom 
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Join BiggerPockets for FREE
Mindy on BiggerPockets
Scott on BiggePockets
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Podcast Talent Search!
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
Find Investor-Friendly Lenders
Grab Your Copy “The House Hacking Strategy”
Past Episodes Mentioned in Today’s Show:
BiggerPockets Real Estate 136 - Shawn Holsapple
BiggerPockets Money 35 - Craig Curelop
BiggerPockets Money 120 - Michael Kitces
BiggerPockets Money 151 - Tony J Robinson
BiggerPockets Money 153 - Bill Bengen
Forbes: What Is The 4% Rule For Retirement Withdrawals?
Secret IRS Rule 72(t)! | Eric Cooper Shares Early Withdrawal Hack!

00:00 Intro
01:14 How Many Bank Accounts? 
07:04 Ways to Invest in Real Estate 
16:25 The 4% Rule Explained
23:36 Selling Investments to Retire Early?
30:28 How to Pick Stocks 

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-526

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

526: Personal Finance for Beginners: Bank Accounts, Real Estate, and Retirement

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 real estate, hear out Scott’s argument.
Scott will explain the case for Bitcoin and why its end goal is actually quite altruistic. However, five fatal flaws will stop Bitcoin from ever becoming a world reserve currency or replacing fiat money. Besides its fatal flaws, Bitcoin isn’t a foolproof cryptocurrency by any means, and we’ll prove it! Finally, Scott gives his Bitcoin price prediction and his recommendation if you do want to hold some Satoshis.

In This Episode We Cover
The rational investor’s case against Bitcoin and why it’s NOT an investment
The reasons why Bitcoin could change society for the better (but probably won’t)
Five fatal flaws of Bitcoin that will stop it from ever taking over fiat currency
How adopting Bitcoin could lead to a crashing economy with no growth
The blockchain’s big problems and proof that the world isn’t ready to adopt cryptocurrency
Scott’s long-term Bitcoin price prediction that will shock Bitcoin maximalists
And So Much More!

Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Join BiggerPockets for FREE
Mindy on BiggerPockets
Scott on BiggePockets
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Podcast Talent Search!
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
Find Investor-Friendly Lenders
BiggerPockets Money 371 - Bitcoin: Investing Fad or Final Bullet to Fiat Currency? w/Saifedean Ammous
Everyone’s Talking About Cryptocurrencies. Should You Invest?
4 Reasons Cryptocurrencies & Blockchain Technology Are Poised to Transform Real Estate

00:00 Intro
02:16 The Case FOR Bitcoin 
09:51 5 Fatal Flaws of Bitcoin
14:29 Bitcoin is NOT a Perfect Crypto 
21:46 The Blockchain’s Big Problems
26:58 Bitcoin Price Prediction 
28:48 What if Bitcoin DOES Take Over?

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-525

Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com.
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525: The Rational Investor’s Case Against Bitcoin

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 fee! But this taught Marc how the system worked and eventually led to him landing a job at every FIRE chaser’s favorite place, Vanguard!
Once Marc started helping the rich manage their money, he looked in the mirror and asked, “Why aren’t I doing these things?” Thus, he began imitating the investing tactics of the rich, budgeting for financial freedom, and investing everything he could, even if it meant a slower path to being debt-free. Now, Marc runs BetterWallet, helping everyday people start building generational wealth, no matter their circumstances.

In This Episode We Cover
How to copy the rich so you can build wealth no matter your upbringing
Student debt, side hustles, and how to make it through college with little money
Why you MUST save a large emergency reserve before you start working for yourself
Investing vs. paying off debt and why the unconventional choice may be the best one
Budgeting for your business and ensuring you have enough money before leaving your W2
And So Much More!

Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Join BiggerPockets for FREE
Mindy on BiggerPockets
Scott on BiggePockets
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Podcast Talent Search!
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
Find Investor-Friendly Lenders
BiggerPockets Money 329 - From Extreme Poverty to DIY Wealth and 2 Full-Time Incomes w/The She Wolfe of Wall Street
BiggerPockets Money 485 - How to Start Thinking, Acting, and Investing Like the Rich w/Vivian Tu

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-524
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

524: Lessons From the Rich That Took Me from $0 to a $1,000,000+ Business

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 retirement reserves to buy your first primary residence? Is this a smart money loophole or a move that could cost you in the long run?
How much do you need to retire? According to Americans, the figure is close to $1.5M, but is this actually how much a smart saver or spender would need? Plus, we talk about the one generation on a surprisingly great track to wealth in retirement (it’s NOT the boomers!). Finally, are you fed up with guilt tipping? Don’t want to pay an extra quarter of your bill every time you go out to eat? Join the club because we’re discussing how tipping is getting out of control.

In This Episode We Cover
Whether or not a $100K/year income is enough to achieve the “American Dream”
Using retirement funds to pay for your primary residence (when NOT to do this)
How much Americans need to retire, and ways to retire with even less
The one real estate investment ANY young American should be making today
Why younger generations are on track to retire rich and achieve FIRE
Tipping culture and what percentage we press when the payment screen turns around
And So Much More!

Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Join BiggerPockets for FREE
Mindy on BiggerPockets
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Podcast Talent Search!
Money Moment
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
Find Investor-Friendly Lenders
Grab the Personal Finance Classic, “Rich Dad Poor Dad”
BiggerPockets Money Podcast 344 - Rethink Social Security: Myths, Benefits, and Clearing Up Misconceptions
Articles from This Episode:
$100K/Year
Withdrawing from Retirement
How Much to Retire
Gen Z’s House Hacking
Guilt Tipping

Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-523
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

346: Finance Friday: How Sabbaticals Make You Happier, Healthier, and Wealthier

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