The Dough Roller Money Podcast

Think of the last personal finance book you read. What did you get out of it? How did it change your life? What are you doing differently today with your finances as a result of reading the book? These are some of the questions I started asking myself as looked through my large collection of […] The post How to Read a Personal Finance Book the Right Way appeared first on The Dough Roller.

The Department of Labor released its final regulation on what’s known as the Fiduciary Rule. The rule requires those offering paid financial advice on retirement accounts to put their client’s interests first. While at first glance the rule seems anything but objectionable, it raises some concerns. One key concern is cost. While fee-only advisors promote the […] The post Finally, Investment Advice That Won’t Rob You Blind appeared first on The Dough Roller.

In many families one person handles the finances. In our case, I handle everything about our money from budgeting to investing. My wife has no interest in taking over this responsibility. And that presents a potential problem. What would my wife do should I get hit by a truck? How would she handle our investments? […] The post The Money Binder: How to Prepare Your Finances For Your Death appeared first on The Dough Roller.

We recently received the following question from a reader named Sam: My question: As a first time home buyer, is it possible to leverage retirement accounts as a down payment? Is this a good idea? Does it matter whether its a TSP, Roth IRA, IRA, etc? I seem to be finding conflicting opinions/statements. The answer is not […] The post Can You Use Retirement Accounts to Buy Your First Home? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

We look at YNAB 5, the new budget software, and evaluate both the good and bad changes to this excellent money management tool. We also talk about the 2015 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders and how you can get an estimate of your future social security retirement benefits. The post Review of YNAB 5 from You Need a Budget appeared first on The Dough Roller.

In this podcast we look at repayment plan options for those with federal student loans. Picking the best plan can lower your payments, and potentially save you a bundle. The post How to Pick the Best Student Loan Repayment Plan appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Recently I had the chance to speak with Brad Lawler and Jason St. Peter, founders of DraftApp.com. This app enables investors to evaluate the asset allocation of their portfolio and compare it to other portfolios of like-minded investors. Think of it as crowdsourcing your investment portfolio analysis. As described by the company, “The app allows […] The post Interview with Founders of Investment Portfolio Analysis App–Draft appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Cable TV costs a fortune. According to Leichtman Research Group, Inc., the average household pays $99.10 a month for TV. This represents at 39% increase over 2010 figures. With streaming options growing, however, many families have started to cut the cord. We even wrote a guide on how to get rid of cable while still […] The post Cutting the Cord – How to Get Rid of Cable appeared first on The Dough Roller.

How did you do financially in 2015? It’s a curious question to ask entering a new year, wouldn’t you say? But only by measuring your progress in the most recent year can you get yourself mentally and financially prepared for progress in the year that’s now upon us. For that reason, we’ve prepared a 2015 […] The post 2015 Annual Financial Checkup appeared first on The Dough Roller.

If you enjoy writing, starting a blog is a fun way to meet new people and release some of your creative energy. It can also be a great way to make a little money on the side. While few bloggers are able to turn their hobby into a career, most of them are able to earn a little […] The post How to Start a Blog and Earn Extra Money appeared first on The Dough Roller.

My wife and I opened a donor-advised fund several years ago. We chose Vanguard because it’s fees are some of the lowest available anywhere. Having made our charitable contributions through the fund, including donating appreciated stock and mutual fund shares, I thought it was time to cover this unique way to make donations. In addition, […] The post Is a Donor-Advised Fund Right for You? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Building wealth isn’t rocket science. Sure it can be hard to spend less than you make. And investing can be a bit overwhelming at first. But the math behind wealth is really simple. It only has three ingredients. And that’s true whether you’re Warren Buffett or a school teacher. It doesn’t matter how much you […] The post The 3 Ingredients to Building Lasting Wealth appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Income investing in retirement has a lot of initial appeal. Rather than selling shares of a mutual fund or stock, one can instead live off of dividends from stocks and interest from bonds. This approach feels much safer than actually selling part of your investment. The reality of income or dividend investing, however, is not […] The post Income Investing in Retirement — The Pros and Cons appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Here is one of the most frequently asked questions in all of personal finance: “How do I get out of debt?” At one level, eliminating debt is simply about following a few steps: Stop going into more debt Spend less than you make Pay off debt with the difference If you follow these steps, eventually […] The post 23 Powerful Tips and Tools to Eliminate Debt appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Everywhere you look, experts are telling you to contribute to your retirement accounts. Whether it’s advice from newspapers, blogs, financial planners, or friends, any advice that is worth taking must include planning for retirement. Why? Because it’s that important! Over time, setting aside a small portion of your monthly income can mean the difference between living a comfortable retirement and […] The post Maxing Out Retirement Accounts: How Rich Could You Be? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Retiring early is a dream held by many, but few people understand what it takes to make it happen. Even worse, many people don’t realize how much money they’ll need to retire early, so they hold out hope when their chances are slim. Still, it’s important to note that early retirement is absolutely achievable. With a commitment […] The post Is Early Retirement Still Achievable? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

When it comes to credit reports and credit scores, the term “credit utilization” is a popular yet mysterious term that is thrown around frequently. If you have spent much time reading about credit, you probably have at least a vague concept of what credit utilization is. What is Credit Utilization In simple terms, credit utilization […] The post All About Credit Utilization appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Taking care of your money can be exhausting. Budgeting, paying bills, and making deposits takes time, and it all adds up. It isn’t uncommon to spend several hours each week sorting through your bills and monthly statements. And if you’re like most people, it just causes you stress and takes up time that would be […] The post The Complete Guide to Automating Your Finances appeared first on The Dough Roller.

According to credit behemoth Discover, 82% of U.S. customers used online banking in the last 30 days. But they aren’t just using a standalone computer for their banking needs; they’re turning to smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices to get the job done. In fact, according to recent data, the number of people banking on […] The post Online vs. Traditional Banking: Which is Better? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

The stock market has been on a roller coaster ride this month. Just over a week ago the S&P 500 fell from over 2,100 to below 1,900, a drop of more than 10%. Then it recovered to finish last week at just under 2,000. What a ride! The financial press had a field day. Here […] The post 3 Reasons to Cheer a Stock Market Crash appeared first on The Dough Roller.