The Stacking Benjamins Show

So many distractions. You can't even read this title without thinking about your social media accounts, can you? That's okay. Neither can we. So, to help ourselves AND our Stacker community, we invited Eric Qualman to join us. He embarked on the Focus Project where he just tried focusing on ONE THING for two hours a day. How'd it work out? We'll share all, including his tips on New Year resolutions and how to block time for the important things on today's show.

Plus (and before we discuss focus), we'll dive even more into the topic as we talk about Klarna and Affirm, plus companies who've done the same thing over the last thirty years. Should our Stacker not go with the BNPL company? We'll discuss winning strategies.

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/increase-your-focus-in-2024-erik-qualman-1458

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

Enjoy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We wrap up our Best of 2023 week-long extravaganza by revisiting our first roundtable episode of the year, where Len Penzo's Magic 8-ball made some bold predictions...take a listen for yourself.

Every year we ask a magic 8 ball that Len Penzo purchased at Walmart to predict the future. In the early years the ball was spot-on. Lately…not so much. But we do learn a lot about not falling into “current thinking” traps and about not worrying so much about what’s top-of-mind in the moment. The truth tends to have a longer shelf life.

Please disregard any mentions of current events. This episode originally aired on January 6, 2023. You can see the original show notes here.

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/best-of-2023-magic-8-ball-1457

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

Enjoy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us today for a very special installment of our Best of 2023 Week!!!

Crypto? Huge profits? Taking advantage of people? Has that ever happened before? It turns out that it has, in the wild, wild west, which roped in celebrities like Wild Bill Hickok and many others. Today, we’ll tell their stories and rope the lessons around to today with master storyteller and host of the Legends of the Wild West podcast, Chris Wimmer.

Please disregard any mention of current events, as this episode was originally broadcast on June 12, 2023. See the original show notes here.

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/best-of-2023-chris-wimmer-1456

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

Enjoy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's special "Best of 2023" episode, we revisit a conversation Joe had with Dr. Julia DiGangi. How much of your own emotions and energy go into your financial decisions? Dr. Julia DiGangi joins Joe to chat about how to master your emotions and maximize your energy. She teaches us how to recognize stress triggers so you can control your emotions and energy before they get out of hand. What proactive steps can we take to master our emotions?

This episode was originally released on September 27, 2023, so please disregard any mention of current events. You can see the original show notes here.

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/best-of-2023-dr-julia-digangi-1455

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

Enjoy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's best of 2023 episode, we revisit an exclusive interview that Joe had with superstar runner Kara Goucher who shared her experience of abuse while on the elite Nike running team.

This episode originally aired on March 15, 2023, so please ignore any mention of current events.

For the original show notes, visit Kara Goucher on Abuse, Money, and the Elite Nike Running Team

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/best-of-2023-kara-goucher-1454

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

Enjoy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In our inaugural Best of 2023 episode, we revisit a Top 5 episode all about moves to make to win at the money game. Joe and OG dive into their top five moves to become a champion at all things money. We’ll talk about everything from motivation to tactics during our feature segment.

This episode originally aired on February 8, 2023. Disregard any mention of current events.

The original show notes can be found at Top 5 Plays To Win The Money Championship Game

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/best-of-2023-top-5-1453

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

Enjoy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's special roundtable episode, our panel members share what money lessons we should have learned in 2023. Joining us on the year-ending roundtable are Paula Pant from Afford Anything, OG, and .....NEIGHBOR DOUG. What are some of the most important things that happened in 2023?

From Taylor Swift to Charlie Munger to inflation and rising interest rates, we cover the year's hottest topics in today's episode and dissect them into lessons you can apply to your life in the coming year(s).

We'll touch on lessons in appreciation and gratitude, lessons in building systems, lessons in the importance of team building, lessons about the convergence of career and financial success, the life and lessons of Charlie Munger, the concept of "enough," how retirement (or FIRE) isn't just about accumulating a huge stack of Benjamins and then stopping work altogether, how recent inflation has impacted how we handle our money and where we go from here, the wisdom of waiting to buy a new home, AI, the fallacy of short-term thinking, and more.

Since our year-long trivia competition's winner was locked in by Len Penzo last week, Joe unveils a new twist on the trivia game: deciding who goes last in our first trivia episode next year by playing a little game called "Benjamin in Your Box" (insert 12-year-old snicker here). Will Paula or OG win the advantage of going last?

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/year-end-recap-roundtable-1452

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

Enjoy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

LOTS of incredible events happened this year. What should we have learned from a big bank collapse? From Bitcoin resurging? From the stock market moving up (along with interest rates)? We asked about all of these and more to Today Show Money Editor and host of the Her Money podcast, Jean Chatzky. Jean shares great tips on your budget, investments, money in bank accounts, and more.

But that's not all. In our headline segment we share some of the recent moves in interest rates. Now with rates beginning to fall again, are there moves we should have made? We also throw out the lifeline to a Stacker who needs help AND Doug shares his best trivia ever.

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/year-end-recap-with-jean-chatzky-1451

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

Enjoy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One snowy Christmas Eve in Texarkana, Neighbor Doug settled into bed in his snazzy Superman Footie PJs (Amazon affiliate link), still buzzing on Joe's Mom's eggnog... Today's special holiday episode recounts a completely original tale of Doug and the money lessons learned when he's visited by three ghosts—past, present, and future.

Make peace with your past, clean up your past mistakes, and learn from them

Especially when it comes to past credit mistakes, what's done is done. Whatever method works best for you (debt snowball or debt avalanche), do that one. Come to terms with your bad money habits and realize that you can't outearn them. It's on you to fix the bad money habits of your past. Focus on what's current and fix what needs fixing today.

Live in the present

Don't get caught in the trap of lamenting your past nor only planning for the future. Our only truly limited resource is time. Balance living for today with planning for the future. Remain in the present - especially when spending time with your loved ones - while keeping a vision in mind for your longer-term future plans. Be intentional about your plans and actions today and timeline what you want to achieve in what time you have remaining.

Plan for the future

Communicate on a regular basis with your "team" (loved ones) about your financial goals, progress, and situation. We recommend scheduling a weekly Family Budget Meeting. Automate as many of your financial decisions as possible today so you never have to think about them again in the future. Commit to paying off that mortgage early, ramp up those retirement savings contributions, stack those Benjamins for your kids' college savings. Decide where you want to be financially in the future; face reality of where you are currently (we like our sponsor, Monarch Money, to track where you are); and take the necessary step to make that future a near certainty.

Takeaways

Remember that time is the one commodity that's finite for all of us. Value your time and experiences while staying responsible to your present and future self. Remember and learn from the sins of your past to build on your strengths; focus on living in the present and building your financial foundation; and head into the future with more confidence that Joe's Mom's Neighbor Doug during the annual Sun's Out; Guns Out El Camino Competition at the Sizzler.

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/doug-and-the-three-ghosts-1450

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

Enjoy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is retirement, as we know it, dead? Should the idea of retirement itself be retired, and should we all aspire to be like Betty White? Will all those decades of toiling away for The Man (and dutifully contributing to your personal retirement savings accounts, as well as you and your employer throwing in 6.2% each of your salary to the payroll tax, a.k.a. Social Security) pay off in the end when you reach the end of your working career? Is it worth postponing "happiness" during your working years in the hopes of living a life of leisure when you're older? Joining us for this special conversation, from The Personal Finance Podcast, we welcome Andrew Giancarlo; Betty White wannabe, Afford Anything's Paula Pant; and our resident Betty White fanboy, OG.

The concept of reaching an arbitrary age and stopping work cold turkey may be an illusion for many aspiring retirees, as many recent retirees find their lives lacking purpose, meaning, and (in some cases) sufficient Benjamins. The FIRE movement isn't necessarily about ceasing all productive activities, but rather achieving financial independence so that you are in control of how, where, and with whom you spend your time. We also dive deeper into how you can make up for any potential retirement savings shortfall and examine the pros and cons of Barista FIRE that can be used to supplement income needs after retiring. We'll also discuss how altering your lifestyle can affect the amount you'll need to save for retirement.

In the second half of our discussion, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we jump into the solutions to solve the big retirement savings gap problem. What actions can you take to improve your retirement savings and quality of life, even if you're approaching retirement age? What actions can you take today that your future retired self will thank you?

Finally, be sure to stick around for the next thrilling installment of our year-long trivia competition. Will Andrew help Len seal the deal for this year's W, will OG stay alive, or will Paula throw a monkey wrench in the plans?

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/retirement-planning-mistakes-and-solutions-andrew-giancola-1449

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

Enjoy!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.