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Explore the BiggerPockets Money podcast.
571 episode pages available here on taxes, FIRE, and financial independence. Search titles and summaries, or browse by topic.
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Start Here
15 episodes
Popular Episodes
13 episodes
Scott & Mindy Picks
9 episodes
Healthcare for FIRE
6 episodes
Drawdown
12 episodes
Finance Friday Episodes
12 episodes
House Hacking & Real Estate
12 episodes
Side Hustles & Extra Income
10 episodes
Investing 101
10 episodes
Debt Payoff
13 episodes
Family & Kids Finance
12 episodes
Start Here (15 episodes)
Start Here
New to BiggerPockets Money? Begin with these essential episodes.
Popular Episodes (13 episodes)
Popular Episodes
Popular interviews and practical guides from the archive.
Scott & Mindy Picks (9 episodes)
Scott & Mindy Picks
Hand-picked favorites from Scott and Mindy.
Healthcare for FIRE (6 episodes)
Healthcare for FIRE
Navigating health insurance and reducing healthcare costs on the road to FIRE.
Drawdown (12 episodes)
Drawdown
How to spend down your portfolio in retirement without running out.
Finance Friday Episodes (12 episodes)
Finance Friday Episodes
Real money makeovers from listeners with Scott & Mindy.
House Hacking & Real Estate (12 episodes)
House Hacking & Real Estate
Rentals, house hacks, and building wealth through property.
Apr 25, 2022
295: Fueling Early Retirement at 36 with Just 4 Rental Properties w/Antoinette Munroe
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Side Hustles & Extra Income (10 episodes)
Side Hustles & Extra Income
Earn more outside the 9-to-5.
Investing 101 (10 episodes)
Investing 101
Index funds, brokerage accounts, and retirement basics.
Debt Payoff (13 episodes)
Debt Payoff
Wipe out debt with proven strategies.
Family & Kids Finance (12 episodes)
Family & Kids Finance
Teaching kids about money, college, and family planning.
521–530 of 571 shown
Archive — page 53
293: Why 40% of Master's Degrees Aren’t Worth It (and Which Are) w/Preston Cooper
A master’s degree shows quite simply that you’re a master (at least to some extent) in a certain subject. For decades, getting a master’s degree has been seen as a financially savvy move to open you up to higher pay, better job opportunities, and golden networking connections. But times have changed, and as more students see college as an inferior option to working, it begs the question: is a graduate degree worth the price? You can’t know the answer unless you compile tens of thousands of pieces of data. Thankfully, we didn’t have to do that, we just invited Preston Cooper on the show to explain the research he and his team at FREOPP did. You may recognize Preston from his previous episode on the BiggerPockets Money Podcast where he mapped out which undergraduate degrees were worth it. Now, he’s back to show which master’s degrees have the highest (and lowest) ROI. You’ll hear Preston answer questions like when is the right time to go back to school, which master’s degrees are fatal for financial freedom, and how students should go about choosing a degree or a combination of degrees. So, whether you’re pondering going back to school to get a degree in underwater basket weaving, horse training, or law, Preston has the data to help you make that decision! In This Episode We Cover Why different schools can have dramatically different degree ROIs The best (and worst) master’s degrees to pursue How degree combinations can help you make more money in a related career When is the right time to pursue a graduate degree (after college or after working)? The common misconception about MBAs and why most graduate business degrees aren’t worth the cost The future cost of college tuition as admission rates drop and inflation continues to rise And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Scott's Instagram Mindy's Twitter Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets Hear Our Previous Interview with Preston on Episode 251 Check Out Preston’s Grad Degree and Bachelor Degree Study: More FREOPP Higher Education Resources FREOPP Is A Master’s Degree Worth The Pay Raise? Connect with Dave on BiggerPockets Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-293
Browse episodes
Financial independence is not a new concept to Carl and Mindy Jensen. For as long as they’ve been together, Carl and Mindy have been open and upfront about their financial situations. When they learned about the FIRE movement, they knew they had an all-time goal to hit. Fortunately for them, they hit it earlier than they needed, but has their current spending forced them to recalculate what it takes to hit financial freedom?
Welcome back to Carl and Mindy's Spending Summary, or as we’re naming it this month, March Money Madness. Carl and Mindy had a few big-ticket items on this month’s expense tracker, namely things like a lovely trip to Seattle and a brand new couch (Mindy bought something new!?). As the months fly by, Mindy has noticed an “over budget” trend, forcing her to either recalculate her FI number or get back into budget mode.
If you’ve gone over budget like Mindy this month, don’t fret! Tracking your expenses and keeping up to date on your budget will still help you achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself. Just be extra mindful in April!
In This Episode We Cover
Frugal vacations vs. relaxing retreats and how to plan for added travel spending
Gas prices, utility bills, and using solar to lower your cost of living
The benefits of budgeting and how expense tracking keeps you frugal
Having “money respect” for your partner when sharing finances
Accounting for big “one-time” purchases like furniture or trips
How to save money on next month’s grocery bill (look in your pantry!)
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
BiggerPockets Forums
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Scott's Instagram
Mindy's Twitter
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Podcast Talent Search!
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-292
eBay flipping isn’t something new. You’ve probably bought something on eBay that was sold by a reseller. Maybe a type of makeup you liked got discontinued. Maybe your favorite pair of jeans from a nationwide chain suddenly disappeared. For eBay resellers like today's guest, Tom Brickman (The Frugal Gay), it’s all about finding the products that people love but can’t get a hold of anymore.
Tom is a master of frugality. Raised by a real estate investor, he knew what cash flow could do to a nine-to-five worker's life. So, at age twenty-one, Tom cashed in some company stock to buy his first multifamily. He inadvertently house hacked and was living in his own place for a whopping $138 per month! From there, he moved from his native Ohio to Texas where he got a full-time job, built his eBay flipping business, and never stopped reinvesting into rentals.
As a side-hustle addict, Tom shares numerous stories about how he made (and lost) large sums of money by reselling on eBay. He even bought an entire house on eBay at auction, which came with bullet holes included. Talk about a deal! Now, retired well before sixty-five, Tom lives a life he loves with his partner, thanks to financial frugality!
In This Episode We Cover
Why frugality at a young age can compound into massive wealth-building benefits
ESPP and reinvesting your paycheck so you can use investments to buy cash flow
What makes a great eBay flipping product and how to find the best deals around
Commercial real estate investing and rehabbing properties for enormous equity gains
Buying homes at auction online and why you shouldn’t solely trust the zip code a house is in
Paying off credit card debt quickly through hard work and smart money management
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
BiggerPockets Forums
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Scott's Instagram
Mindy's Twitter
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Podcast Talent Search!
5 Frugality Myths Americans Believe That Would Make Ben Franklin Cry
A Beginners Guide to Hack Your Housing and Live for Free
How to Pay Down Bad Debt—Fast!
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-291
Apr 8, 2022
290: Finance FAQs: Renting vs. Buying, How to Pay Off Debt, & Creative Real Estate Closings
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Renting vs. buying a home, debt payoff, and the best investments of 2022 are just a few of the topics discussed in this week’s Finance FAQs. That’s right, we’re here with a new segment where Scott and Mindy take your questions directly from the BiggerPockets Money Facebook group and give answers so you can make smarter investing, saving, and life-changing decisions.
In this episode, we get into questions from a range of different financial situations. We have questions about debt payoff schedules, whether to sell stocks and invest in real estate, why “safe” investing may not be smart investing, and what to do when three-quarters of a million dollars are given to you. Scott and Mindy not only answer these questions the best they can, but they also give the “why” behind the financial decision so you can be better equipped when situations like this come up in your own life!
If you want to ask a question or give us feedback about this new format, you can do so on the BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group or leave a comment on the BiggerPockets Money YouTube channel. We’ll try and round up the most commonly asked questions so Scott and Mindy can keep the wealth-building wisdom coming!
In This Episode We Cover
The safest investment vehicle in 2022 (and why safest doesn’t always mean best)
Whether to pay off student loans or invest in retirement and real estate
Which debt to pay off first so you can coast to debt-free freedom
Renting vs. buying in today’s hot housing market and how to decide for yourself
Funding home renovation projects (even when contractor costs are high!)
House hacking and using it to lower your expenses, grow net worth, and build financial runway
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
BiggerPockets Forums
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Scott's Instagram
Mindy's Twitter
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Podcast Talent Search!
Follow Along Mindy’s Live Budget Tracking
BiggerPockets Money Podcast 35 with Craig Curelop (House Hacking)
BiggerPockets Money Podcast 267 with Robert Farrington (Student Loans)
Does It Make More Sense to Rent or Buy in Today’s Real Estate Market?
A Beginners Guide to Hack Your Housing and Live for Free
Pay Off Debt or Invest?
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-290
Apr 4, 2022
289: How to Retire in 3 Years (After MANY Mistakes) with Real Estate w/Hugh Carnahan
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Real estate and early retirement go hand in hand. Most people think that it’ll take years (or decades) to build up enough cash flow to simply break even on your monthly expenses (lean FI). Those people probably aren’t thinking as big as today’s guest, Hugh Carnahan, who retired in only three years thanks to speed, diligence, and a courageous amount of risk-taking.
You’d probably assume that to retire in three years, Hugh had to be a very financially adept person. Well, you’d be 100% wrong! Hugh struggled for years with his finances and committed almost every cash flow cardinal sin in the book. He made great income, saved almost none of it, then saved way too much of it, and thought that his path to financial freedom was through getting solar panels on his house, NOT buying houses.
When a local business owner set him straight, he consumed as much real estate investing content as he could. He listened to the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast religiously and after 386 episodes, decided he should invest in real estate. So Hugh went and bought a nice single-family home, right? Nope. He did something much different—and he’s financially free because of it.
In This Episode We Cover
How to NOT practice the “pay yourself first” principle of investing and saving
Lifestyle creep and how it can eat away at your wealth, even as a high-earner
ESPP programs and the benefits of getting discounted company stock
The BRRRR strategy and using it to force equity on your rental properties
Commercial and portfolio loans, plus how they differ from residential mortgages
How to leverage cash-flowing real estate to hit financial freedom (fast!)
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Follow Along with Mindy’s 2022 Budget
Make Your Own Free Mobile Expense Tracking App in 30 Minutes
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
BiggerPockets Forums
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Scott's Instagram
Mindy's Twitter
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Podcast Talent Search!
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-289
Passive income is a must, especially if you’re trading your life in America to start living in Portugal. Why Portugal? Besides the climate, coastline, and comfortable cost of living, Portugal allows today’s guest, Brandy, to live abroad with a passive income visa. Brandy already works remotely, but will be giving up a significant amount of her income once she makes the move.
Brandy has multiple streams of income—her contract work, her eBay business, her rental portfolio, and her husband's job. In total, this comes out to a handsome $300k per year, and that’s on top of the million dollars worth of equity that sits between her vacation rentals and her primary residence. But what’s the point of so much equity if you can’t use it? This is the main topic of today’s discussion!
Brandy is wondering what will make the most sense for her life abroad—keeping the rental properties or selling and investing in stocks? In order to offer suggestions, Scott and Mindy take a look at Brandy’s entire financial picture, where she stands in terms of retirement, how high her expenses are, and what she can do before her journey to start on the best financial foot possible.
In This Episode We Cover
Building wealth after bankruptcy, failed businesses, and financial mistakes
Quitting corporate and coming back in a more flexible, entrepreneurial role
Short-term rental investing and the big profits (and costs) that come with it
What to do if you have too much home equity as part of your net worth?
Backdoor Roth IRAs and retirement investing for self-employed individuals
Calculating rental property profits and pitting them against other investments
And So Much More!
Links from the Show:
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
BiggerPockets Forums
How I Used Real Estate to Pay for My Newborn Daughter’s College Education
Backdoor Roths, Mega Backdoor Roths, and Roth Conversion Ladders
Equity Rich and Cash Poor?
Calculate Potential Airbnb Earnings on Your Short-Term Rental
How I Live Overseas & Still Manage My U.S. Rentals
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-288
Do you know how to ask for a raise? If you’re like most people, you probably think that we’re asking a rhetorical question. If you think it’s as easy as simply walking up to your boss, asking for more money, and leaving, you probably haven’t ever asked for a raise before. Behind every pay raise request is a clammy-handed employee, hoping that they’ve done well enough to justify that salary bump. Maybe you’re nervous to talk to your boss, maybe you feel unprepared, or maybe you just find it hard to talk about money.
On today’s show, Kassandra Dasent, program manager and wealth advocate, touches on how every employee can prepare to get the raise they deserve. Despite what most people think, you should NOT prepare for your salary review days before it happens. Kassandra has a simple timeline that allows employees to maximize their raise potential throughout the year. So, when it finally comes time to talk numbers, most of the discussion is already done.
This type of strategy has not only helped Kassandra but numerous listeners of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast. But, what if you can’t get a raise? What if your boss says no? What if there’s no budget left for you at the end of the day? Don’t fret, Kassandra lays out the exit strategies you should plan for when career hiccups happen (which they inevitably will).
In This Episode We Cover
Building your “success folder” and using it as your greatest tool in a salary negotiation
Taking initiative on pay raises and not letting your boss control your career
Mitigating the fear of talking about money and using your goals to ask for a raise with confidence
How job-hopping really looks to employers and how it will dictate your career path
Strategizing your raise and negotiating for more than just money
How often you should update your resume (even if you’ve been at the same company)
And So Much More!
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-287
Mar 25, 2022
286: Finance Friday: Building Your Financial Runway Even with Irregular Income w/ Eric Dunn
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It's not uncommon to have irregular income as a business owner or self-employed individual. But with different amounts of money coming in every month, how can you budget, invest, or plan? Some months you’ll make a killing, while other months may have huge burn rates. How do you gain financial clarity when running multiple businesses with multiple income streams? What about becoming debt-free? Is it possible with such inconsistent income?
This is how Eric Dunn has been feeling lately. After paying off a significant sum of debt, Eric has seen his income slowly rise and needs help ironing out his finances before he can invest in real estate. Eric has numerous businesses that haven’t been given the accounting love they deserve. Not only that, Eric has been trying to get his safety reserve up to hold himself over during the lean months of self-employment.
Mindy and Scott work with Eric to build a financial framework that allows him to scale simply and with minimal effort. They also talk through self-employment tax, financial planning, safety reserves, renting vs. buying real estate, and more. If you’re a regular listener, you probably have more than one stream of income (or will in the future) making this advice worth its weight in gold so you don’t make some of the mistakes Eric is trying to avoid!
In This Episode We Cover
Paying off consumer debt and using it to propel forward your financial position
Separating business and personal expenses so tax time is headache-free
Financial planning and analysis, plus using it to model and predict future income
Self-employment taxes and quarterly tax penalties that you can avoid as an entrepreneur
Whether to rent or buy a home in today’s hot housing market (and strategies for both)
Why your emergency fund is meant to be spent on the right things
And So Much More!
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-286
Mar 21, 2022
285: The Difficult Path to Wealth: Losing Money on Your First Real Estate Deal w/ JL Collins
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When most people think of JL Collins, they think of smart stock and index fund investing. In his classic, The Simple Path to Wealth, JL lays out the foundational path that investors can follow to secure financial freedom simply, easily, and without a ton of stress. So it may come to many FI chasers’ surprise that JL has written a new book on real estate investing, and not index funds, the stock market, or our current state of high inflation.
In, How I Lost Money in Real Estate Before It Was Fashionable, JL lays out, quite candidly, how not to invest in real estate. And before you get mad about that type of advice on a BiggerPockets Podcast, please note that JL isn’t saying to NOT invest in real estate, but to invest in real estate in a smarter way than he did.
JL is the first to admit that real estate is a phenomenal way to build wealth, create passive income, and retire early. But, if you haven’t fulfilled your 250+ hours of real estate investing education, you probably shouldn’t be purchasing income properties. In today’s show, you’ll hear JL explicitly list out all the mistakes he made when investing, and how you can mitigate these risks and come out profitable instead!
In This Episode We Cover
“Stagflation” and how 2022 is looking more and more like 1979’s burdensome economy
How following the herd mentality to buy real estate may cost you time and money
The biggest home renovation mistakes and how to manage contractors correctly
Staying cautious when buying in a hot housing market and making an offer based on the fundamentals of real estate investing
Capital gains taxes and preparing for depreciation recapture when selling a property
The biggest real estate mistakes rookie investors can avoid when getting started
And So Much More!
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-285
Travel budgeting, sky-high gas prices, and “free” utilities are coming up in this month’s episode of Carl and Mindy’s Spending Summary. Like many Americans, Carl and Mindy didn’t have the easiest time sticking to their March budget. With rising food, gas, and utility prices, it may seem that your budget is squeezing you more and more as the months go on.
This month, Carl and Mindy touch on their biggest budget busters and wins, plus why budgets are meant to be adjusted when life permits. Carl and Mindy have been publicly tracking their budget and have found it to be a little trickier than they originally thought. That being said, both of them agree that if you have the financial means to do something you love, it’s probably worth the extra money for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
If you’ve felt strained while expense tracking and budgeting throughout the start of 2022, just know that two of the most respected voices in the financial space also stumble from time to time. If you make a mistake, overspend, or forget to track your expenses, get back on track, hit your goals, and keep chasing financial freedom!
In This Episode We Cover
What happens when a big expense bursts your budget early
Optimizing your budget so you have breathing room when prices go up
Offsetting your electricity bill with solar and siphoning off some free natural gas
Downsizing your costs and reviewing utility bills so you only spend on what you need
Travel budgeting and keeping extra money to build life-long memories
Conferences where you can find Carl and Mindy in 2022!
And So Much More!
Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-284
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