When 80% of folks report that they’re living paycheck to paycheck, it’s clear that this lack of margin in our lives is a major contributing factor to why we have some much stress in our lives. It’s true of our money and it’s true of our time as well. And with it being the new year, it’s easier to believe that a new and better narrative is possible- and it is! We have the power to change our previous negative money associations and to start handling our personal finances better this year. In this episode we’ll cover why margin is so important, some of the different things that keep us from having more of it, as well as some practical steps that we can take in order to create more margin in our lives.

During this episode we enjoyed a Visible World by Modern Times Beer - a big thanks to our friend Craig there at the brewery! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to spread the word to get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

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This week on the podcast we’re answering your questions! 1 - Should I consider renting out a furnished spare room, and do I go about to vet possible roommates? 2 - How diversified are index funds? 3 - Can I use funds from a car loan to pay off some high interest credit card debt? 4 - When should I transition my side hustle to a legit small business and how do I start deducting my expenses come tax season? 5 - Should I invest in my 403b with pre-tax or post-tax dollars?

And if you have a question for us, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask/

During this episode we enjoyed a Farmhouse Pale Ale by Oxbow Brewing Co - a big thanks to our friends there at the brewery! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to spread the word to get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

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Merry Christmas and happy holidays! In the midst of all the festivities, now is a good time to ask ourselves: “Buying new stuff makes us happy, right?” Well if you have a need that is now being met, there is certainly some value that item is now providing. But value isn’t the same as happiness. Hedonic adaptation, or the hedonic treadmill, helps us understand the effect of consumption. Coming to grips with that can help us end unhealthy cycles of mindless consumerism and set us on a path to a healthier way of thinking about money, spending, and saving for the future. Listen to the full episode to learn how hedonic adaptation can be terrible, how it can actually be a good thing, and then finally to learn how to hack it and truly control how happy you really are.

During this episode we enjoyed a Mangifera Flux by Marz Community Brewing- a huge thanks to our buddy Andrew for bringing this beer all the way back from Chicago. And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to spread the word to get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

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Our guest today is Keith Schroeder who began working in the backwoods of Wisconsin on a family farm fixing silo unloaders- not the kind of job most of us had growing up! But his passionate distaste for that work led him to file tax returns on the side and that hustle led to Keith being able to retire at age 22 however he didn’t stay retired for long. His tax preparation business exploded into a full on accounting firm where at his busiest, he was serving over 2,000 clients. He started his own blog in 2016 called The Wealthy Accountant to inspire people to “live life well” and also help them not screw up their taxes. In this episode we’ll cover Keith’s thoughts on the best tax advantaged retirement accounts, whether your side business should really be a hobby, and some important considerations as you begin to get your 2019 tax forms together!

During this episode we enjoyed an Alpha Abstraction Vol. 9 by Wild Leap which you can learn all about on Untappd! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to spread the word to get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

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How we pay for things has a LOT of implications. Chances are whether you use “cash, debit, or credit” is more a result of habit than a thoughtful approach to your spending. “I use my check card because that’s just what I do- and it’s easy!”. But it’s important to note that some payment methods are more secure than others, while others provide better rewards, peace of mind, or might even cause you to spend less of your money. So how do you know whether you should be pulling out your debit or credit card? Or should you stick to using cash? We’ll discuss the pros and cons and why how you pay is so important.

During this episode we enjoyed an Oro Negro by Jackie O's Brewery- a big thanks to Art, Mackenzie, and all of our friends there at the brewery! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to spread the word to get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the podcast we’re answering your questions! 1 - Should we go with a cash out mortgage refinance in order to pay off student loans? 2 - Can I contribute to a self employed retirement account while also contributing to my employer sponsored plan? 3 - What does it take to be a HUD landlord and how do I balance community renovation with gentrification? 4 - We have a lot of available credit through our credit cards, but we never use it. Should we keep those cards open or close those accounts? 5 - Considering the stock market is hot and a correction is imminent, is dollar cost averaging or lump sum investing a better approach for me?

And if you have a question for us, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask/

During this episode we enjoyed an Ogee by Jackie O's Brewery - a big thanks to Art, Mackenzie, and all of our friends there at the brewery! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to spread the word to get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fees are a major pain and they’ve worked their way into so many different industries! We recently talked about travel lodging and discussed the annoyance of the countless fees that might get tacked on: resort fees are some of the most confusing, but parking and WiFi fees abound too! With fees becoming so prevalent across our financial lives, we need to be aware of how and when we encounter them so we can be vigilant and intentional to avoid them whenever possible. While we understand and will readily admit that certain services and products have a cost, we really don’t like it when those fees are hidden until the last minute or when companies go about adding them in an underhanded way.

During this episode we enjoyed a Bourbon Barrel Dark Apparition by Jackie O's Brewery- a big thanks to Art, Mackenzie, and all of our friends there at the brewery! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to spread the word to get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On average, we lose 3 hours of productivity every single day due to distractions! There are countless ways that we’re distracted in our lives today, and these distractions are keeping us from doing the things we truly need to do. MAYBE YOU’RE CURRENTLY DISTRACTED RIGHT NOW. It is very easy to allow ourselves to be constantly barraged by notifications, social media, or by email and these distractions are keeping us from being good friends and family members at home, and they’re keeping us from being productive and engaged at work. This is why we’re stoked to be talking with distraction expert Curt Steinhorst today. Curt wrote the book Can I Have Your Attention? Inspiring Better Work Habits, Focusing Your Team, and Getting Stuff Done in the Constantly Connected Workplace. We often talk about ways to save money but today’s conversation will focus on how we can do a better job earning money by focusing our attention on what matters most.

During this episode we enjoyed a Quatrefoil by Jackie O's Brewery- a big thanks to Art, Mackenzie, and all of our friends there at the brewery! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to spread the word to get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When 99% of American companies are small businesses, it’s no exaggeration to say that these businesses are the backbone of our country. These startups have been responsible for almost all new job creation over the past 3 decades! And not only are small businesses important to our economy but they’re important to us on a personal level as well. These are the storefronts and people who make up our communities and neighborhoods- they’re a part of our identity! However as technology marches on, small businesses also need to adapt and utilize this innovation to continue to reach their customers where and how they want to be reached. We’re going to cover some of our favorite ways that small businesses are able to use technology to stand out in really cool ways and contribute to their local community.

During this episode we enjoyed a Double Purple Chroma by Other Half Brewing. Since we recorded this episode live in NYC, we were excited to enjoy a local craft beer from the borough of Brooklyn. And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to spread the word to get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the podcast we’re answering your questions! 1 - Should I close a credit card that has a $40 annual fee? 2 - As a minor with my first job, where should I save and invest my money? 3 - How do I get my spouse on board using one of the budgeting apps? And with those apps are there any security concerns? 4 - I have a chunk of money that I plan to live off of in the coming years- where should I put it? 5 - Should I consider financing a car in order to keep my credit score high?

And if you have a question for us, we’d love for you to submit your own via HowToMoney.com/ask/

During this episode we enjoyed a Chance IPA by Wild Leap Brew Co which you can learn all about on Untappd! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to spread the word to get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.