
The Inforium
Thomas Frank and Martin Boehme discuss productivity, personal finance, their weird llama obsession, and other interesting things. New episodes every other week.
Latest episodes

Aug 20, 2018 • 53min
How Much Owning a Home Will ACTUALLY Cost You (Ep. 225)
Buying a home is already a big enough decision. You don't want to be surprised the first time you see the bill. We talk about the real cost of owning a house.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 83 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.
Todoist: If you're a student or educator, you can get Todoist's awesome Premium features - like project templates and automated reminders - for 50% off at https://todoist.com/education
Things mentioned in this episode:
College Info Geek Discord Server
College Info Geek Merch
Thomas’ budget modeler
Zillow
A Master Class on Buying a Car - Part 1 (Ep. 69)
A Master Class on Buying a Car - Part 2 (Ep. 70)
How to Buy Your First House, Pt. 1: The Research Process (Ep. 205)
Listen Money Matters
PMI chart
Credit Karma (iOS | Android)
How to Budget Your Money Without Cutting Coffee (Ep. 174)
Insurance.com
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:04:40 - Determining the cost of a house and its monthly mortgage payments
0:25:15 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:27:19 - Sponsor: Todoist (Managing your tasks)
0:29:49 - Dealing with PMI (private mortgage insurance)
0:38:05 - Property taxes, homeowners insurance, monthly repair costs and maintenance
0:47:39 - Recap and conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Aug 13, 2018 • 1h 7min
How to Grow Your Social Media Following (Ep. 224)
Social media doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon. In this episode, we're talking about how to grow your following so you can make the most of it.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Hover: Hover: Your personal brand is important, and it starts with your domain name. Get 10% off your first domain name purchase by going to hover.com/cig.
Todoist: If you're a student or educator, you can get Todoist's awesome Premium features - like project templates and automated reminders - for 50% off at https://todoist.com/education.
Things mentioned in this episode:
College Info Geek Discord Server
Gary Vaynerchuk
So You Want to Start Your Own Blog (Ep. 125)
How to Build a YouTube Channel (Ep. 134)
How to Start Your Own Podcast (Ep. 133)
How to Become a Published Author (Ep. 102)
How to Give a Killer Speech (Ep. 212)
Martin's Nighttime Flower photo
Martin's Ant photo
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland, by Catherynne M. Valente
Ansel Adams on Wikipedia
Ira Glass on Wikipedia
This American Life podcast
Study Advice From a Medical Student (Ep. 26)
Weapons of Influence #1: Reciprocation (Ep. 186)
Charisma on Command on YouTube
Charisma on Command's The Rock video
Charisma on Command's Chris Pratt video
Matt Shirley on Instagram
Lewis Howes on Instagram
Display Purposes
Anti Parallali on Instagram
Taylor Swift on Instagram
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:05:09 - Why grow your social media following
0:19:24 - Bad ways to grow you following
0:29:34 - Thoughts on posting daily and maintaining quality
0:35:15 - Sponsor: Hover (Buying a domain name)
0:37:48 - Sponsor: Todoist (Managing your tasks)
0:39:25 - Doing behind the scenes and over the shoulder content
0:40:25 - Celebrating your wins and interacting with your audience
0:43:16 - Figuring out which hashtags to use in your posts
0:52:00 - Understanding how the social media algorithms work
0:53:48 - Asking people to follow you and what makes us not follow someone
0:59:11 - Interacting with other people and being patient
1:01:50 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Aug 6, 2018 • 58min
5 Questions: New Semester Prep, Self-Esteem, and What We're Bad At (Ep. 223)
In this five questions episode, we talk about getting ready for college, starting your own business, building your self-esteem, and more.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Audible: Get a free audiobook download and a free 30-day trial by going to audible.com/CIG or texting “CIG” to 500-500 on your phone.
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you're one of the first 83 people to use this link, you'll also get 20% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
Thomas on Instagram
Thomas on Twitter
Martin on Instagram
Martin on Twitter
Thomas on Wisecrack’s THE SQUANCH: A Rick & Morty Podcast
Thomas' budget modeler
Why You Aren't Successful Yet (Ep. 219)
How to Set Goals You'll ACTUALLY Stick To
Delivering Happiness, by Tony Hsieh
Zappos
Principles: Life and Work, by Ray Dalio
Powlyglot
Audio Technica AT2035 Microphone
Complexly
Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface
Listen Money Matters
Shure SM7B Microphone
SAARA on YouTube
Audio Technica ATR2100 Microphone
Charisma on Command's Chris Hemsworth video
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:04:22 - Going to college in the United States
0:13:10 - Growing a business from scratch
0:25:30 - Building up your self-esteem
0:29:48 - Sponsor: Audible (Listening to audiobooks)
0:32:20 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:34:14 - The value of helping people in person rather than remotely
0:39:01 - Recommendations for audio recording gear
0:48:21 - What Thomas and Martin aren't that good at
0:56:04 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jul 30, 2018 • 1h 10min
An Interview with YouTuber Sara Dietschy (Ep. 222)
Taking a bit of a break from the norm, here's part two of a conversation between Thomas and fellow YouTuber and podcaster Sara Dietschy.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Setapp: A new way to try and use over 120 best-in-class Mac apps for one low monthly fee. Get a 7-day free trial by signing up at https://stpp.co/cig - and if you sign up with a .edu email address, you'll unlock a 50% student discount!
Things mentioned in this episode:
Sara Dietschy on YouTube
The Creative Exchange on YouTube
The Creative Exchange on Apple Podcasts
The Creative Exchange on Google Play
The Creative Exchange on Spotify
CaseyNeistat on YouTube
Adobe Creative Residency program
Becky Simpson
Gary Vaynerchuk
Flume
Mosaic
Unibox
CGP Grey on YouTube
Focus
Squarespace
Nerdwriter1 on YouTube
Peter McKinnon on YouTube
yungtown on YouTube
John Hill on YouTube
Emma Chamberlain on YouTube
David Dobrik on YouTube
Liza Koshy on YouTube
Tim Ferriss
TierZoo on YouTube
Primitive Technology on YouTube
Steve Carell on Wikipedia
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:01:38 - Being a part of the Adobe Creative Residency program
0:14:48 - Don't strive for the bare minimum
0:17:40 - Being independent and making a career out of YouTube
0:32:29 - Sponsor: Setapp (Suite of Mac apps)
0:35:40 - Don't stress yourself by trying to do too many things
0:40:34 - Sustaining the YouTube career as a full-time job
0:49:55 - Reaching out and forming relationships
0:59:59 - Finding your creative niche
1:06:35 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jul 23, 2018 • 1h 11min
10 Apps We Can't Live Without (Ep. 221)
If we're going to be stuck walking around with our phones all day, we might as well put them to good use. Here are ten apps worth unlocking your screen for.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you're one of the first 83 people to use this link, you'll also get 20% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
Evernote (iOS | Android)
Scanbot (iOS | Android)
Scannable (iOS)
Daily Budget (iOS)
Daily Budget alternative for Android
Mint (iOS | Android)
Qapital (iOS | Android)
Digit (iOS | Android) - Requires a monthly payment
Dashlane (iOS | Android)
LastPass (iOS | Android)
1Password (iOS | Android)
KeePass
How to Not Get Hacked: 9 Tips for Securing Your Digital Life (Ep. 187)
Authy (iOS | Android)
Google Authenticator (iOS | Android)
Brain.fm
The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor, by Gabriel García Márquez
RecUp (iOS)
Smart Recorder (Android)
Yousician (iOS | Android)
Scrivener (iOS)
Martin's Ant Photo on Instagram
Strava (iOS | Android)
Tom’s budget modeler
Habitica (iOS | Android)
Greenshot
ScreenFloat
Just 6 Weeks (iOS | Android)
FitBod (iOS)
Fitocracy (iOS | Android)
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:06:44 - Scanning documents with Scanbot
0:10:59 - Tracking expenses with Daily Budget
0:20:56 - Managing your passwords with Dashlane
0:29:43 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:32:13 - Focusing and relaxing with Brain.fm
0:36:27 - Recording your thoughts with RecUp
0:39:34 - Apps for doing creative work
0:42:27 - Tom's budget modeler
0:57:42 - Tracking your habits with Habitica
1:00:08 - Taking screenshots with Greenshot
1:03:44 - Working out with Just 6 Weeks
1:07:09 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jul 16, 2018 • 1h 1min
8 Ways to Improve Your Diet (Ep. 220)
Nutrition research can be overwhelming, but that doesn't mean you can't start eating healthier today. Here are some less confusing tips to get you started.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Hover: Personal brand is important, and it starts with your domain name. Get 10% off your first domain name purchase by going to Hover.com/cig.
Things mentioned in this episode:
Our Exercise Habits and Fitness Goals (Ep. 216)
Staci Ardison on Instagram
Blue Apron
Freshly
Freshware Meal Prep Containers
Leangains
James Clear's Intermittent Fasting article
Nerd Fitness's Intermittent Fasting article
How to Get Into Tea (Ep. 207)
Slowcooking subreddit
Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain
Good Calories, Bad Calories, by Gary Taubes
Great Depression Cooking on YouTube
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:01:12 - Cut out sugary foods and beverages as much as possible
0:18:16 - Making smoothies
0:26:41 - Preparing meals ahead of time
0:28:53 - Sponsor: Hover (Buying a domain name)
0:31:29 - Preparing meals ahead of time (continued)
0:34:00 - Trying out intermittent fasting
0:37:50 - Getting into tea
0:40:14 - Don’t aim for a perfect diet
0:47:32 - Using a slow cooker
0:50:19 - Learning to cook with basic ingredients
0:56:53 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jul 9, 2018 • 1h 8min
Why You Aren’t Successful Yet (Ep. 219)
It's easier than ever before to feel like a failure. Anywhere you look, you can find scores of people half your age but twice as successful. What happened?
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you're one of the first 83 people to use this link, you'll also get 20% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
Sara Dietschy on YouTube
Learned Helplessness (Ep. 99)
Learned Optimism, by Martin Seligman
Collection of Short Works (inc. Harrison Bergeron), by Kurt Vonnegut
Weapons of Influence #2: Commitment and Consistency (Ep. 189)
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdini
Steve Carell on Wikipedia
Breakthrough Advertising, by Eugene M. Schwartz
16 Personalities Test
Derek Sivers on Wikipedia
The Dip: How to Know When to Quit (Ep. 202)
The Dip, by Seth Godin
5 Questions (Ep. 218)
Music Theory 101, by Marc Schonbrun and Brian Boone
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:02:24 - Success is often circumstantial and being more optimistic
0:28:26 - Try to be patient and keep striving for success
0:31:32 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:34:07 - Being more selective with your ideas and sources of information
0:39:48 - Blaming the wrong things for your lack of success and being envious of others
0:51:38 - Giving up too early and not finishing your projects
0:56:38 - Defining what success means to you and putting effort into it
1:02:40 - Recap and conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jul 2, 2018 • 1h 1min
5 Questions: Video Game Addiction, Time Blocking, and 14-Hour Work Days (Ep. 218)
In this five questions episode, we talk about video game addiction, time blocking, 14-hour work days, living off campus, and finding your purpose.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Hover: Personal brand is important, and it starts with your domain name. Get 10% off your first domain name purchase by going to Hover.com/cig.
Things mentioned in this episode:
Listen Money Matters
Freedom
How to Make Your Life Seem Longer (Ep. 217)
Cal Newport's Time Blocking article
Timeboxing: Elon Musk's Time Management Method
Gary Vaynerchuk
The Dip: How to Know When to Quit (Ep. 202)
The Dip, by Seth Godin
The Naked Roommate, by Harlan Cohen
Nerd Fitness
The Smart Passive Income Blog
Internet Archive: Wayback Machine
CGP Grey on YouTube
CGP Grey's Time Management video on YouTube
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:09:08 - Quitting a video game addiction
0:18:42 - Not being able to finish something that you planned
0:22:42 - Being very productive is not always a good thing
0:25:38 - Sponsor: Hover (Buying a domain name)
0:28:09 - Survivorship bias and looking at what successful people do
0:34:34 - Getting more work done and persevering when it gets hard
0:41:54 - Making it easier to attend classes and events
0:48:37 - Making progress on your goals
0:58:24 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jun 25, 2018 • 51min
How to Make Your Life Seem Longer (Ep. 217)
Time flies when you're having fun. Also when you're not. We talk about how to slow things down and fit more life into the one you have.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Mack Weldon: High-quality clothing basics for guys, featuring premium materials and smart design. Get 20% off your first order when you use the promo code ‘CIG’ at checkout.
Things mentioned in this episode:
Tom on Instagram
Tom on Twitter
Martin on Instagram
Martin on Twitter
BBC - Why does walking through doorways make us forget?
Tom's Impossible List
Why You Shouldn't Tell People About Your Goals
A Darker Shade of Magic, by V. E. Schwab
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland, by Catherynne M. Valente
Tor.com
How to Find Books That are Actually Worth Your Time
The Story of the Human Body, by Daniel Lieberman
Notion (iOS | Android)
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:03:57 - The different ways we perceive the passing of time
0:10:51 - Making your daily commute more compelling
0:15:29 - Trying to live more in the moment
0:23:10 - Sponsor: Mack Weldon (Premium men’s clothing)
0:25:07 - Setting smaller challenges instead of big, overwhelming ones
0:29:39 - Documenting your accomplishments and ways travelling can motivate you
0:45:01 - Make sure you’re not neglecting your health
0:48:58 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jun 18, 2018 • 59min
Our Exercise Habits and Fitness Goals (Ep. 216)
Someday we'll all have cool cyborg bodies, but until then we should probably take care of the ones we have. Here's how we've been trying to stay in shape.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you use this link, you'll also get 20% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
How to Create an Exercise Routine... and Stick to It (Ep. 158)
Morning Routines (Ep. 208)
Evernote (iOS | Android)
Notion (iOS | Android)
Asana (iOS | Android)
Trello (iOS | Android)
Airtable (iOS | Android)
How to Build Strong Habits (Ep. 214)
Essentialism: How to Do More by Doing Less (Ep. 171)
Starting Strength
Kinobody
Bodybuilding.com
FitBod (iOS)
Strava (iOS | Android)
Fitocracy (iOS | Android)
Habitica (iOS | Android)
Yes4All Deluxe Chin Up Bar Doorway
Fitness subreddit
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:13:05 - Martin’s simpler workout
0:24:13 - Tom’s fitness goals
0:32:26 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:34:59 - Tom's more complex workout
0:45:18 - Aspects that complement the main workout
0:52:24 - Recap and conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.