Ever celebrate paying off a credit card…only to watch your credit score drop? Or ditch your budget for “simplicity” and find yourself ordering takeout three nights in a row? On this week’s episode of The Stacking Benjamins Show, Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, and Neighbor Doug welcome Paula Pant (Afford Anything) and Jesse Cramer (Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors) to explore why even the “right” financial moves can sometimes lead you straight into a banana peel.

From the hidden traps of credit scores and debt freedom to the way a shiny new credit card reward program can cost you more than you bargained for, this roundtable digs into the ripple effects that don’t make the brochure. We’ll tackle when “optimizing” your plan goes too far, how well-meaning programs can backfire, and why the metric you’re tracking might not be the one that actually matters.

Expect sharp insights, lively debate, and tips you can put into action—without getting tangled in the very strategies meant to help you. Because money confidence isn’t just about making the right moves…it’s about knowing what those moves might do next.

We'll Cover:

Why your credit score might drop after paying off debt—and why that’s not always bad news

How “budget hacks” can turn into budget headaches

The sneaky ways credit card rewards and government programs can backfire

Why tracking the wrong measure can lead to the wrong results

Practical steps to sidestep the unintended fallout from good decisions

Questions to Ponder During the Episode

What’s the most surprising “side effect” you’ve experienced after making a smart money move?

Have you ever optimized your budget or investment plan…only to regret it?

Which metric do you track most closely in your financial life—and is it actually the right one?

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/unintended-credit-score-consequences-1732

Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201

Enjoy!

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