Passive income and credit scores. While they don't entirely rely on each other, having good credit does allow you to build passive income streams far faster. Andrew Brazell learned this the hard way, but thankfully profited big time by making some needed changes. Less than a decade or so ago, Andrew was living in a rat-infested apartment, riddled with credit card and student loan debt, spending all of his money every month. He felt financially hopeless until he struck up a conversation with his Rugby teammate, and BiggerPockets CEO, Scott Trench.

Scott personally helped Andrew dig himself out of a debt hole, start house hacking, and get well on his way to financial freedom. From there, Andrew understood the formula—save your money, buy income-producing assets, and repeat until financially free. Andrew took this lesson to heart, and shortly after paying off his debt, began rental arbitraging his apartment, helping him eliminate his cost of living. That’s when he met Haley Ferguson, his future wife, and a soon-to-be top short-term rental host.

The duo saved their money and bought their first house hack property. And, because of smart landlording, they were able to bring in more than double their mortgage payment in rent alone, allowing them to live at a profit. Now, they’re well on their way to buying even more properties, helping them go from financial fiasco to financial freedom, and finally financial abundance.