The Stacking Benjamins Show

Okay, we probably have MORE than 5 things in today's show that you didn't know about buying a car, but that's because we feature the amazing Clark Howard today, who throws out car-buying ideas more easily than a politician hands out compliments and kisses babies. It's amazing to hear Clark deftly show you lots of ideas on buying a new car, used car, and even leases.

Plus, in our headlines segment, we sit down with our social media correspondent, Jamie Wise. BUZZ Indexes had a great year, and we're kicking off January talking to Jamie about what's what in the BUZZ Index as we head into 2018. 

We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to  lucky listener David, who wonders about paying off his debt in a hurry with cash on hand OR stretching out the payments because of his low interest rate. We'll also answer a listener letter from the mailbag and score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more.

Thanks to LinkedIn for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to LinkedIn.com/SB and get a $50 credit toward your first job post.

Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring today's show. Compare, ditch, switch and save on student loans, auto loans and more at StackingBenjamins.com/MagnifyMoney.

How do you pull yourself away from the Los Angeles riots happening in your backyard, and make a life for yourself? Natalie Torres-Haddad tells her story to become the Financially Savvy Latina on today's show. She'll inspire you with her stories about paying off lots of student debt, paying for her last year of college through scholarships (even though the first seven scholarships she applied for denied her), investing in real estate in her mid 20's, starting a non-profit, and more. We'll talk about what books she read, the advice she received, the focus she had to maintain and more on today's show.

Plus, in our headlines segment, we'll cover a tax plan involving NO tax shelters. How does it work? We'll explain. We'll also tackle some of that financial jargon you hear on the financial news shows. Dead cat bounce? Green shoots? Catch a falling knife? What do these and other popular investing colloquialisms mean? We'll also talk about.

We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Brett, who wonders about his 401k. They're ending the program but he's still working at his job. Can he roll it over to an IRA? Of course, we'll still score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more.

Support for Stacking Benjamins comes from TurboTax Live, new from TurboTax. Now you can get a personal review of your tax return with a CPA or EA right on your screen. Talk live with a tax expert as often as you need for tax advice to help you file with confidence. Go to turbotaxlive.com/SB.

Why compromise with investments when you can use an intuitive, easy-to-use, robust platform? M1Finance combines the power of automated investing platforms with the flexibility of do-it-yourself but more expensive brokers. ...and now, it's FREE! Be Invested. Check out M1Finance .

A recent study says that more people making money in the house might NOT be the best route to more money. What if you had fewer people earning...can the math actually work out that you keep MORE money in your pocket? We'll discuss on today's show, featuring our guest contributor, Andy Hill from the Marriage, Family and Money podcast (and of course, the amazing Paula Pant from Afford Anything and hilarious Len Penzo from Len Penzo dot Com). In our headlines segment, we'll also talk about a new zen budgeting method called Kakebo. What's it about? Is it for you? We'll discuss.

In our FinTech Friday segment we chat with Warren Hogarth, from the award-winning Empower app. What's it all about? How can it help you manage money better? We'll talk budgeting, money tracking, and more on this free app on today's show.

We also answer someone's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. On top of that, we'll also answer a letter from another listener, share Doug's trivia, and more.

Thanks to Legal Zoom for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get your SPECIAL saving  by going to LegalZoom.com and entering SB at checkout. LegalZoom, where life meets legal.

Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. 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.

He had $140,000 in debt, a crappy paying job, and a baby on the way. What would Vincent Pugliese do? We ask the award-winning photographer that very question on today's show. He's photographed four Presidents and every major sport's national championship in the USA, but his debt story will have you shaking your head today.

Plus, in our headlines segment, health savings accounts are all the rage, but what's going on with all of this money sitting in cash? We'll address that AND talk about new tax law spurring 401k contributions.

We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Chris, who wonders, "Should a 20 year old hire a financial advisor?" Of course, we'll still score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more.

Thanks toThanks to TurboTax Live for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get a personal review of your tax return with a CPA or EA backed with a one-hundred percent Accuracy Guarantee. Connect with a TurboTax Live expert at TurboTaxLive.com/SB. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring today's show. Compare, ditch, switch and save on consolidation loans, credit cards, student loans, auto loans and more at StackingBenjamins.com/MagnifyMoney.

Marie had BOTH of those problems...lots of debt AND no steady paycheck and she STILL found a way to pay down nearly $50,000 of debt. Want to know how? She'll share what she did and (more importantly) was was IRRELEVANT on today's show.

Plus, in our headlines segment, at age 81 an investing genius is retiring. What should you have learned about your money from him? We'll talk about the effect Mark Mobius has had on investing in our first headline. Then in our second headline....you've heard that maybe the stock market may tank. A popular indicator says that we're going to have another great year? How do we know? What's the indicator? We'll have that AND what it means for your money today.

We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Ty, who wonders if the national debt is at all important with the new tax law, and take a letter from popular blogger Mrs. Groovy from the Freedom is Groovy blog. Of course, we'll still score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more.

Thanks to Legal Zoom for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get you SPECIAL saving  by going to LegalZoom.com and entering SB at checkout. LegalZoom, where life meets legal.

Why compromise with investments when you can use an intuitive, easy-to-use, robust platform? M1Finance combines the power of automated investing platforms with the flexibility of do-it-yourself but more expensive brokers. ...and now, it's FREE! Be Invested. Check out M1Finance .

How do you move money money toward retirement? We answer a listener question on today's show from a man who's shoveling as much money as allowed into his 401k plan and his other retirement plans. What does he do next? Where is the best place to save? We'll tackle that today, on OG's inaugural voyage on the Friday roundtable!

In our headlines segment, we'll talk about what NOT to do if, like Hoda Kotb, you get a big promotion. Also, LOTS of people are failing their resolutions as they read this...we'll help you stop the bleeding. 

We also answer someone's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. On top of that, we'll also answer a letter from another listener, share Doug's trivia, and more.

Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. 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.

Looking to pile your Benjamins FASTER in 2018? OG and Joe crank up their top five ways to make your debt die quicker and your savings grow faster. Want even more? Certified Financial Planner Mary Beth Storjohann joins in the fun adding her top three ways to kick off the new year. Mom promises that you won't be short of ideas when you finish today's show. Plus, in our headlines segment, people are suing their 401k provider for the strangest reason...because they don't like the stable value fund. We'll talk about whether you should use the stable value fund in your retirement plan and review exactly what people are worried about when it comes to these tools.

We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Wendy, who wonders about being able to save while being self employed. When your income bounces around, how can you save consistently? Both Joe & OG will have ideas for Wendy. We'll also take a letter from Beth, who asks about restricted stock units. Should her boyfriend begin selling his restricted stock? Of course, we'll still score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more.

Thanks to Chase Slate for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Learn more about benefits and monthly updates on you FICO Score at Chase.com/slate. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring today's show. Compare, ditch, switch and save on student loans, auto loans and more at StackingBenjamins.com/MagnifyMoney.

How do you score a better credit score? Balance your budget? Upgrade your financial picture in 2018? Farnoosh Torabi, host of the award winning So Money podcast and Chase Slate brand ambassador, stops by the basement to share her best ideas for making 2018 your best year yet.

In our headlines segment we'll revisit the tax law changes. In February employers will begin using new payroll tax withholding schedules, so there's a good chance you'll see more money in your paycheck.

Of course, we'll also throw out the Haven Life line, share some amazing trivia from Doug, who's headed out on a polar bear swim, and more.

Special thanks to M1Finance for supporting our show. M1Finance is now FREE! Congrats to the team at M1.

Looking to learn something about finance? After the show, head to learn.StackingBenjamins.com, where Kathleen has prepared some fantastic courses on saving more money, pinching pennies, and understanding taxes. Use code "Doug Rocks" for a nice discount.

In one of our FAVORITE episodes each year we wonder...will the market perform well in 2018? Will the royal family have a great year? We ask this question to the magic 8 ball AND many others, PLUS we look back at last year. What did the 8 ball say about the Chilean stock market, our S&P500, and more? Did it re-find it's footing?

For those of you new to the Stacking Benjamins show, contributor Len Penzo (LenPenzo.com) brings his 8 ball down to the basement once a year so we can ask it questions. For several years the 8 ball was eerily correct...until last year. This year we'll see if it returns to form.

We also answer someone's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline (new this week to Stacking Benjamins!). This week it's Erin, who asks if she need to open a college savings plan in the same state she lives in or the one where the beneficiary lives. We answer her question and explain just how these plans, called "529 plans" work.

On top of that, we'll also answer a letter from another listener, share Doug's trivia, and more.

Thanks to Thanks to Audible for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Start your 1 month FREE trial of audiobooks by going to Audible.com/SB or text SB to 500-500.

Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. 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.

Need to clean up a debt mess? We've got you covered on today's show, as Nick Clements from MagnifyMoney.com stops by with HUGE and timely advice to help you wipe up your debt issues. Not only will he share the secrets people have used who've been successful at cleaning up debt, but he'll also discuss with us the stumbling blocks people encounter that trip them up year after year when trying to get out of debt unsuccessfully.

Plus, in our headlines segment, have you ever thought about retiring abroad? Kathleen Petticord from LiveAndInvestOverseas.com joins us to discuss the top places to retire in Europe. We'll also share an inspiring story about a couple of teens who are making six figures doing work most people don't think could be profitable. Thinking about starting a side hustle? You'll want to listen to this story!

We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Nick, who wonders about the difference between a 457 and 403b, and take a letter from Stephen, who asks about restricted stock units. Should he sell some extra shares to pay the tax that'll be due? Of course, we'll still score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more.

Huge thanks to Audible for supporting our podcast.  Get a free audiobook with a free 30 day trial at audible.com/SB or text SB to 500-500!