The Stacking Benjamins Show

What do YOU look forward to when it comes to building and implementing your financial plan? If you're the average person online, you may think that a financial plan is all about building portfolios and managing investments. When you hear our top 5 favorite parts of a plan, you'll realize just how broad planning truly is and how many great opportunities you have in front of you. We'll share under-used strategies and tactics that you can implement immediately to have a big impact on your financial future.Of course, that's not all. In our headlines segment, we dive into the Chinese stock market. Chinese stocks have been on a tear and we'll share what's going on in this market and how to use these gains to your advantage while building your portfolio. Of course, we'll also throw out the Haven Life line to a lucky Stacker and Doug will share his trivia.FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/top-5-things-we-love-about-financial-planning-1306Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tired of thinking, "Other people have money...how come I can't get any?" Candy Valentino has been there. She was born into poverty, but luckily also into a can-do family. She joins us today to tackle how YOU can go from nothing to money by applying your best attributes. She'll discuss the importance of education, of paying attention to your surroundings, of investing in others, and more. You're going to learn a TON about life on today's show.In our headlines segment, many employers are actually HIRING right now (not what you're reading in the news). How do YOU get yourself ready for your next big opportunity? We'll share. Of course, we'll also throw out the life line to a lucky listener and we'll share some of Doug's amazing trivia.FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/candy-valentino-1305Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we take our first dive of 2023 into the real estate pool with an episode on the basics: how CAN you purchase properties? We grabbed a piece from RealEstateInvesting.com, asked our friend Crystal Hammond from SewSoFab.com (and a real estate investor herself), and gathered our regular contributors OG and Len Penzo (LenPenzo.com) for a discussion about owning properties.At the midway point, we turn to health and wellness expert Angelo Poli from MetPro to help us kick off the new year on a high. He answers questions from Stackers in our Basement Facebook group on LOTS of different topics.FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/crystal-hammond-1304Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Often we're asked, "Should I chase a career I love or follow the Benjamins?" It turns out, according to two researchers, you may not need to choose. At the very least, our guest, Dr. Myra Strober, professor Emeritus from Stanford University, will share a guide to making a choice that's much closer to optimal than many people perceive when they worry about love vs. money.Earlier in the show, we'll speak with James Martielli from Vanguard Investments about planning your portfolio during inflationary times. He'll peer into Vanguard's crystal ball to look into what they expect for 2023 and then share tips to optimize your portfolio.Of course, we'll also throw out the Haven Life line to a lucky listener and also share Doug's astronomical trivia.FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/myra-strober-1303Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to be rich? Harvard's Dr. Robert Waldinger says more money won't necessarily make you happier. Fame? Yeah, that doesn't do it, either. Today we dive into the TRUE keys to happiness with the man who heads up the world's longest research study on the topic. He'll share the data and what you can do to transform your life into a much sunnier place.There was also BIG new legislation late last year. With wide-ranging changes impacting retirement withdrawal rules, retirement saving amounts, accounts and eligibility, college fund rollovers, and more. We'll walk through a laundry list of new opportunities and share some ideas on how to use them best.Of course, we'll also throw out the Haven Life line to a Stacker with a question AND share some of Doug's amazing trivia.FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/robert-waldinger-1302Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every year we ask a magic 8 ball that Len Penzo purchased at Walmart to predict the future. In the early years the ball was spot-on. Lately...not so much. But we do learn a lot about not falling into "current thinking" traps and about not worrying so much about what's top-of-mind in the moment. The truth tends to have a longer shelf life.So, we'll spend the first half of the show with Len, OG, and a mystery guest diving into last year's predictions and reliving some of 2022. Then we'll spend the second half prognosticating 2023. It's a lot of fun and we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed recording it.FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/magic-8-ball-1301Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It feels like yesterday we were fastening the string between two tin cans in mom's basement to make a podcast...but now we've actually reached 1300 episodes. We've spent lots of time talking about the guests and special events that have shaped our little basement-based money literacy project, but we haven't talked about some of the big headlines we've covered. So today, we've picked three out of the 1300 to focus on that represent much of what we've covered over the last nearly twelve years.But that's not all. In our headlines segment, Adam Carroll joins us to talk about shredding your debt in 2023. While other Americans are busy opening up new credit cards, we'll challenge you to swim upstream and instead join the Stackers who are focusing on slashing not just their payments but also the amount they owe to other people. You'll love the feeling of freedom being debt-free gives you.FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/episode-1300Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If there's anything we've become great at, it's committing too much of our time, money, and lives to things we don't care about. Today we'll help you start the new year on the right foot by learning to commit to ONLY those important things and take control of your time. Dr. Don Davis joins us to tackle this vital topic that'll help us frame the rest of this year in the right light.But that's not all. We kick off today's show with a headline to help you ramp up your retirement savings. Then we'll share an ugly TikTok minute about a recent crypto implosion. And, of course, we'll also throw out the Haven Life line to answer a Stacker call for help.FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/don-davis-1299Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Magic 8 Ball is back. Ahead of our show next week where our regulars will ask the Magic 8 Ball their questions for the coming year, we're going back to the predictions made last year. We take a look at the questions asked of the Magic 8 Ball and find out how many it got right.Take a look at the original show notes and full Magic 8 Ball predictions for the year here.Find the full show notes at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/magic-8-ball-1298.Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it take to be a great leader? David Gergen served four US Presidents (from both parties) and believes that our youth have the potential to be great leaders in society. To round out our week of most inspirational guests, we bring back our conversation with David. He talks about leadership, service, and how you can help motivate and inspire others around you.Take a look at the original show notes here.Find the full show notes at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/david-gergen-1297.Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices