US households owe a total of $420 billion in credit card debt so it’s no surprise that everyone is looking for an easy solution. Debt consolidation (and debt settlement) companies offer a quick fix but they often cost you a lot, wreck your credit score, and they may even completely scam you without performing any of the promised work. Rather than consolidation and settlement companies, consider the sure route- ‘manually’ consolidating your own debt and, if needed, utilizing loan companies like Lending Club or SoFi- just make sure to do your homework and read the fine print! In the end, make sure you have a plan to keep yourself from taking on new debt- you don’t want to end up back in the same situation! During this episode we enjoyed a Secret Lovers - the Sequel by Wilmington Brewing Company which you can find on Untappd. A big thanks to Naomi for donating this beer to the show! And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts- we’d love to hear from you. Best friends out!   Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Truth About Debt Consolidation #077

Best friends Joel and Matt are the co-hosts of How to Money which is all about providing the knowledge & tools that normal folks need to thrive in areas like debt payoff, DIY investing, and crucial money tricks that will provide continuous help along your journey. We believe that access to unbiased and jargon-free personal finance guidance is more necessary than ever before. When you handle your money in a purposeful, thoughtful way that works for your lifestyle, you can really start living a rich life.

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Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: banks for rednecks, more debt less fun, cruisers standby, frictionless payments, echo housing boom, phantom housing costs, baked rates, turning down a promotion, lotto lies, false jackpots, money dysmorphia, you need less to retire than you think, & advice only advisors.
 
Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. 
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool!
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

 
And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend!
 
Best friends out! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Flight - Banks for Rednecks, Lotto Lies, & the Echo Housing Boom #816

The preconceived notion of the word “retirement” is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome here in the US. Be honest- what do you think of when you hear that someone is retiring? Maybe you think of someone who is a bit older or maybe they’re past their prime. You might not go as far as to say they’re “giving up”, but there’s this idea that they’ve put in several decades of hard work and are now kicking back. And if you attempt to picture yourself in that situation, it’s often so far off into the future that it’s difficult to have any connection to that future version of you. Honestly you probably don’t have any idea of what retirement might look like. Well, HOLD THOSE THOUGHTS, because these are precisely the types of problems that our friend Jillian Johnsrud loves to help folks navigate. She writes over at RetireOften.com, hosts a podcast by the same name, and coaches individuals who are looking to custom build a lifestyle that perfectly reflects their values, passion, and purpose. And while “retiring often” might sound like a luxury reserved for the ultra-wealthy, Jillian is here to point out that it’s more achievable than you think. Today we discuss what constitutes a mini-retirement, how long they should be, the kinds of goals you should set during a mini-retirement, and how to negotiate one with your employer.
 
Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. 
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool!
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

 
During this episode we enjoyed a Grits N Juice by Carolina Bauernhaus! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!
 
Best friends out! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retiring on the Reg w/ Jillian Johnsrud #815

Let’s dive into the week with some fresh listener questions we have lined up for you! And don't just stand on the sidelines- if you have a question you’d like us to answer, toss your voice memo our way. It only takes about 90 seconds to record and you can find a step by step guide over at HowToMoney.com/ask . Regardless of how random or bizarre you might think it is, we want to hear it!
 
1 - Should or shouldn’t I prioritize paying down my student loans with the potential of forgiveness on the horizon?
2 - As a recent college grad, what is the best financial advice you have for me?
3 - Is it worth taking the additional tax hit to prioritize a Roth 401k over a traditional 401k?
4 - Using my Roth IRA as an emergency fund- is this a good idea?
5 - What is the best way to buy out my car lease and is it even a wise move?
 
Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. 
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool!
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

 
During this episode we enjoyed a Wake-n-Bake Coffee Imperial Stout by Terrapin! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!
 
Best friends out! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask HTM - Roth Emergency Funds, Buying Out A Lease, & Financial Advice For Graduates #814

Time for a Friday Flight- our little sampling of the week’s financial news and what it means for your personal finances. There are a lot of headlines out there, but we boil them down to specific takeaways that will allow you to kick off the weekend informed and help you to get ahead with your money. In this episode we explain some relevant and helpful stories like: last minute tax tips, more money vs more time, new job fever, jobs of tomorrow, beware of the neobanks, car wrap scams, repair or replace that appliance, less cashierless stores, fewer discount stores, ‘use by’ dates, & nutrition labels for the internet.
 
Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. 
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool!
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

 
And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money. Have an awesome weekend!
 
Best friends out! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Flight - Last Minute Tax Tips, New Job Fever, & A Food Waste Fix #813

There are three ways to boost your net worth: you can invest more money, but keep in mind that we’re in it for the long haul- it takes decades for compounding to really kick in. You can earn more money which is a ton of fun- who doesn’t like getting promoted or earning a fat bonus at work? But again, this can take years of grinding it out, at the very least months of hard work in order to stand out among your peers. OR, there are changes that you can literally make immediately by cutting your expenses in order to save more money. That’s what we’re discussing with our guest today, Michael Timmerman. Michael writes over at MichaelSaves.com, his YouTube channel has over 25 million views- in part because he's virtually a human guinea pig, working on our behalf to test products and services to make sure we’re getting the best deals possible. And today we have a great conversation centered around the many different scrappy ways that we can save on streaming, cell phones, and more! 
 
Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances:

Knowing your ‘money gear’ is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here. 
Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It’s fun, free, & practical.
Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group.
Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool!
Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile.

 
During this episode we both enjoyed a Buzzfest by Infinite Ale Works! Please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!
 
Best friends out! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Truth About Debt Consolidation #077

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