What really derails retirement dreams? Spoiler alert: it’s not always the stock market or your 401(k). Sometimes it’s sneaky habits—like leaning too hard on your house as a retirement plan or ignoring how long you might actually live—that quietly gnaw away at your financial future. In this episode, Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, and Neighbor Doug dig into the most common middle-class retirement killers and how you can sidestep them.
But this isn’t your average checklist of “don’t do that.” The team dissects questionable advice floating around internet forums, debates stock splits and diversification, and even finds time to unravel why owning a cat might make you a magnet for gangster-level problems. Add in Doug’s trivia about a famous singer’s real name, and you’ve got an episode that’s equal parts practical and delightfully unpredictable.
Whether you’re worried about stretching your retirement savings or just looking for sharper ways to think about financial advice, this episode offers both reassurance and reality checks. So grab your favorite mug (or maybe your cat), settle into your seat, and get ready to learn how to protect your retirement from the biggest threats—while laughing at the absurdity along the way.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
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The habits that quietly sabotage retirement plans (and what to do instead)
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Why your house may not be the slam-dunk retirement strategy you think it is
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The risks of living longer than you expect—and how to plan for it
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How to sniff out sketchy financial “tips” before they lead you astray
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The surprising traps behind stock splits, diversification myths, and overconfidence
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Why even well-meaning advice can backfire if you don’t look at the big picture
Questions to Ponder (or Debate in the Basement Facebook Group):
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Which retirement habit do you think trips people up the most—and why?
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If you had to choose, would you rather rely on your house equity or a diversified portfolio to fund retirement?
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What’s the worst financial “tip” you’ve ever heard online (or maybe even followed)?
FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/habits-that-destroy-middle-class-retirement-dreams-1736
Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201
Enjoy!
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