Stacking Benjamins: Your Gateway To Money And Personal Finance

While everyone else fights over whether this year or next is the beginning of a new decade, we'll help you focus your attention on the REAL issue: how awesome you'll plan to be in 2020 and beyond. Bestselling author and TED speaker Neil Pasricha joins us today to tell us stories about his amazing mother's search for awesome, his own lessons from past failures, and best of all, the history of the ellipses. They're hopefully the inspiration you'll need to kick off the Roaring 20's with a bang. What are your New Year's Resolutions? We'll share some that were recently featured in a top publication during our first headline, plus some ideas from our team about how you can make them actionable (the most important part of any plan). Of course we'll save time to throw out the Haven Life Line AND save some time for Doug's incredible Roaring 20's trivia. We all hope you're as excited about a great New Year as we are here in the basement! Mom sends her love! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc

We're ending 2019 with a fantastic look back at our interview with James Clear, author of Atomic Habits. One of the best thing you can do for yourself this next decade is building great habits and STICKING to them. Whether it's in your career, finances, relationships, or otherwise personal life, you'll find that developing great habits will be the best present you can give yourself moving forward. It's been a blast this past week, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Happy New Year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jill Schlesinger gave us her top money lessons at the end of 2018, and we still think they're pretty great lessons to keep in mind a year later. We'll start the episode with a special open, and then dive into our show with Jill. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jean Chatzky gave us some fantastic lessons that we should've learned in 2017. Those financial lessons are still applicable two years later. We'll give the show a special open featuring Joe and OG, and then take a listen to our show with Jean. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back in 2016 we sat down with NYT Bestselling author David Bach to ask, "What should we have learned in 2016?" He had some great answers that still apply here at the end of 2019. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CBS Business Analyst and host of the wildly popular Jill On Money Show, Jill Schlesinger joins us in the basement to recap 2015. What should we have learned? She'll have five lessons from events of the past twelve months. Joe & OG share headlines and take your letters, including one asking about "too big to fail" and another asking about multi-level marketing schemes. Should our listener take a "free" plan from an MLM company rep?   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to day 2 of our look back at the lessons we've learned from the past decade. This year we took a special look at credit and family finances, take a look at our original show description below: There are TONS of takeaways from 2014, and Rod Griffin from Experian joins us in the basement to tackle his top five that had to do with your credit and family finances. You'll be surprised how easily Rod takes current events and shows you what impact they have on your financial picture. Fidelity may be creating their own robo-advisory arm? Joe & OG share that headline plus others. PK gives some of the BEST advice you've heard during 2014 during his segment. Doug gives the gift of trivia, and much, much more. Thank you to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring our podcast. Have a careful and safe New Year everyone! Thanks for being part of the SB family in 2014!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the end of the decade quickly approaching, we decided to mix things up a bit. Leading up to our first brand new show of the year on January 1st, we'll be releasing each of our special "what should we have learned" episodes. It's not only a look at how our financial focus has changed since 2013, but also how much our show has changed! You can read the original show notes below: Top advisor Scott Tiras (Barrons top 100 independent advisor list) joins us with five lessons we should have learned from 2013. What are some ideas we can glean to avoid mistakes next year?  PK goes contrarian in this episode. Doug sneaks downstairs to borrow mustard. Len, Paula and Greg ask the magic 8 ball important questions about 2014....and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've got the best linens out and mom's favorite table settings because Liz Weston is FINALLY headed down to the basement today to help us put a cap on all of the lessons we should have been learning this year. We'll say a HUGE welcome to our last Monday show of the year, as we wrap up another year of podcasting. We'd like to thank you for joining us in what we consider our biggest year yet. We've made some big changes to how we put this show together, and we'll continue to do so as we continue to grow and improve, which is only possible because of your continued support. We recognize that we live in a fast-paced world with a thousand distractions, so we remain humbled that you CHOOSE to listen to us time and time again. Thank you. On today's show, we're taking a look back at 2019 to ask the big question: what should we have learned this year? While there is timeless investment advice, each year also brings some unique lessons for the future. Sitting down with us today to distill the big financial lessons

What have you learned from the past 10 years? We'll do a deeper dive on today's show with our roundtable gang...who (not surprisingly) have some takeaways from the last ten years that we can all learn from. On today's show we welcome special guest Doc G from the What's Up Next podcast, Paula Pant from the Afford Anything podcast, plus from Len Penzo from LenPenzo.com! Plus, at the halfway mark of today's episode we'll talk about a FinTech company who's figured out a more cost-effective and quicker way to put non-traditional investments in your self-directed IRA or solo 401(k) plan. We'll all get an introduction to Rocket Dollar, as we talk with Dan Kryzanowski from the company in today's Friday FinTech segment. And during our Magnify Money call we'll hear from our new friend Tyler who wonders how to maximize his savings. As always, of course we'll quiz our contributors with an epic gameshow finale question by our neighbor, Doug. All that and more on today's show! Hope you can join the fun! Learn

What were your favorite moments of 2019? Today we'll lay our cards on the table and show you ours, plus what we learned from each of these stellar guests. From composers to chefs, and from iconic investors to artists, today we're going to actually learn something...and from LOTS of different types of personalities. We're very proud of the wide range of topics we covered in 2019, and today we'll take a glimpse of just a few of them with you. That's not all...of course, we'll leave time for Doug's trivia! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Money used to be easy. Go to the bank, make a deposit. Maybe you had a pension. Nearly everyone in America had Social Security. How did money become dangerous? We'll sit down with Chris Varelas, the man responsible for brokering some of the biggest mergers and acquisitions in finance. Between working as the head of Citi's technology, media, and communications, and co-founding a private equity firm in Silicon Valley, Chris has acquired a special insight into just how the money game has changed, and his role in some of the biggest financial moments of the last 30 years. What problems will you encounter on your journey toward financial independence? We'll cover many of those during our headlines. While financial headwinds like expenses, loss, and taxes are roadblocks to a bigger portfolio, we'll key into the main problem nearly everyone will face: YOU standing in the way of your own success. Plus, in our second piece, we'll examine how one rogue broker singlehandedly took down his whole firm. Now THAT is dan

How do you not only survive the holiday season but thrive during it? Today our roundtable team rolls out their very best holiday survival ideas. We'll talk shopping to family to mindset and fun...plus maybe sprinkle in a laugh or two. Calling in today is Paula Pant from the Afford Anything podcast, plus Len Penzo from LenPenzo.com, and who can forget OG from our very own show! Plus, at the halfway mark of today's episode we'll talk about flexible spending accounts. What do YOU need to know before the year is up? Maybe a lot. Hopefully we save a few people a LOT of money because they listened to today's podcast! Helping us by calling dad's shortwave from all the way over in Europe, we'll welcome back Suzanne Lucas, aka the Evil HR Lady from evilhrlady.org. And during our Magnify Money call we'll hear from our good friend Santa and he gives us his tip for not getting so tipsy this time around the world on his sleigh. As always, of course we'll quiz our contributors with an epic gameshow question by

It's the time of year when you're talking to more people AND making more impressions than any other time of year. How do you put your best foot forward and make your best impression? How do you tell that story that makes everyone laugh and wish they were you? How do you endure the party if you're an introvert? We'll cover ALL of those scenarios and more with master communicator Carmine Gallo on today's podcast. Plus, what if you could lower your fees by HALF? we'll discuss why that might not be the offer you think it is AND deliver some better financial advice...plus we'll throw out the Haven Life line and save time for Doug's amazing trivia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether for holidays, office events, or social get-togethers, December feels like the official month of parties. If you've ever thought about hosting your own event, whether this month or any other, you can feel the need to break the bank so that your guests feel special. But what if you could host a better event without emptying your wallet? That's why today we're thrilled to help you create your best event with the help of an extra special guest: celebrity party planner David Tutera. We'll talk invitations, decorations, food, activities and games, plus parting gifts and LOTS more. You'll feel better prepared to be a great host after today's show! Plus, during our headlines, Fidelity Investments is out with their look at 2020. What are savers hoping for in the New Year? We'll help you jump start your New Year's Resolutions with the help of Maura Cassidy, Vice President of Retirement & Small Business at Fidelity Investments about the takeaways. You may be surprised by some of this year's findings AND some

Is there advice you wish you'd had when you started investing? Wish you could go back in time and tell yourself to do something differently? With the end of the year almost upon us, we thought this would be the perfect time to reflect on lessons learned... and hopefully help out some new investors so they won't make the same mistakes we did. Experienced investor or not, we'll share some great advice during today's roundtable discussion among seasoned investors. Calling in today for our roundtable is our good basement friend, Ryan Inman of the Financial Residency podcast, plus Paula Pant from the Afford Anything podcast, and OG from our very own show! Plus, at the halfway mark, we'll take a break to learn about Titan, an online app and website that helps people invest like a hedge fund. We'll learn all about it from co-founder Clayton Gardner. Looking for some good investment help? We'll explore what Clayton and Titan are doing to help investors get a bigger bang for their dollar. During our Magnify Mo

What lessons can you learn from an entrepreneur in technology who was hired just after the turn of the century to lead one of the biggest exchanges on earth? A ton, it turns out. We talk to Former NASDAQ CEO Robert Greifeld about making tough choices, developing leaders, listening, debating, and more. He'll also share stories about his interactions with CEOs like Bill Gates, Howard Schultz, and Jeff Bezos, and his view of the 2007-2008 financial crisis from his front row seat. You'll learn a ton from today's show whether you lead a company, department, club, or your family. Plus, during our headline segment, wealth advisors give clients high marks for understanding some tax rules and for saving money. However, there are some glaring weaknesses they see among clients. Do you have the same weaknesses? We'll explain what worries financial advisors and how to correct course. In our second headline we'll wave the warning flag on an IRS rule that many people violate, and regret later. We'll show you HOW to avoi

Visit any online forum and you'll find someone complaining about their health insurance costs. While lots of people complain, our guest today says that the answer may have nothing to do with all of the political rhetoric around the topic. Scott Heiser visits the basement to teach you how to become a better "health" consumer. Changing the healthcare system is one thing, but making proper, well-informed choices about your personal health is another (and one that we can all handle--and also use to bring down the cost of your care). We'll discuss everything from comparison shopping your professionals, insurance options, medical tourism, HSAs, and lots, lots more. Plus, during our headline segment, there's huge news in the financial brokerage space. Charles Schwab is buying TD Ameritrade! With Schwab acquiring another 12 million client accounts, and over a trillion dollars in assets, what's this mean for the bigger financial landscape? Could more mergers be on the horizon? We'll tackle the big questions before

Wondering if there are any good games you can play about money or economics? Long time Stacking Benjamins fans know we have one non-financial event that gets us just as excited (if not more) than any other event all year: our annual board game episode! Today we'll fly with Joe to Dallas, Texas, and the BoardGameGeek.con convention, where he catches up with the star of the YouTube show Game Night!, Lincoln Damhurst. They'll not only talk about a whole host of cool games about money and company-building, but they'll also dive into some light, fun games that you can play with the family over the holidays. Before you waste money on a game that nobody will like, check out this episode and make a better buying decision. Plus, replacing our usual Fintech segment (is it boardtech now?), we're talking to co-creator of a new site called FindYourMeeple.com. Jeremiah Cole-Kelly will walk us through how this new tool can help you find a cheap evening's entertainment (and even a weekend's worth, when it comes to game c

What are the hottest deals in tech this holiday season? What should you avoid? Back for her annual visit to the basement, Bridget Carey from CNET shares the highs and the lows this year. There are LOTS of deals you'll want to avoid, and she'll name names. But don't worry, if you're thinking about televisions, computers, game consoles, kitchen gadgets, audio equipment, or security, we've got you covered! Worried about the financial tasks you need to accomplish before year-end? Maybe you should be. Today we'll also share a laundry list of important items you'll want to check off your list before the new decade begins in just over a month. Plus, we'll also share some advice about gift giving. Since we're diving into shopping season, how do you give a gift that won't be returned? After a little dose of Doug's trivia, we'll wind up the show by throwing out the Haven Life line, as always. It's just another fantastic, money-saving episode of Stacking Benjamins on tap! Enjoy. Learn more about your ad choice