How to Money

Who doesn’t want to earn more money?! In a time where we’ve seen wage growth stagnation, workers want to make more or in some cases, they can’t seem to get out of the cycle of living from paycheck to paycheck. Side hustles are the answer! There are lots of pros and cons which we cover, but not all side hustles are created equal. In our new sharing or gig economy, oftentimes the default response to just go drive for Uber or Lyft, or even charge Bird scooters- but we argue that these are dead end ‘hustles’ and aren’t much better than punching the clock at a traditional job. Listen to the entire episode as we list some options and discuss what a better, scalable side hustle looks like. And at the beginning of this episode we enjoyed a Tears of My Enemies by Monday Night Brewing which you can find and learn all about on Untappd. A huge thanks to the guys over at MNB for donating this beer and supporting the show! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Americans spend WAY too much on groceries! After housing and transportation, we spend more money on food than anything else- close to 15% of our expenses. On a recent episode Matt mentioned how his family eats on $1 per person per meal, and so we figured it was time to spend an entire episode discussing how you can cut your grocery bill like crazy! If you’re not really into cooking we give some very easy and helpful tips that you can start trying out today, but we also talk about some more advanced and cost savings ways of putting meals together if you’re ready to take it to the next level. And at the beginning of this episode we enjoyed a Darkness by Surly Brewing Company which you can find and learn all about on Untappd. A huge thanks to listener Mike in Minnesota for donating this beer and supporting the show! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Financial independence - what does that even mean and should you be pursuing it?! Chances are you've heard us mention it before on the show, but we finally dedicate an entire episode to what financial independence is all about. We also discuss what it's NOT all about. For instance, is retirement the same thing as financial independence? Be sure to listen to the entire episode and you'll be able to easily calculate when you'll be financially independent. And at the beginning of this episode we each enjoyed a Wind in the Willows by Wild Mind Artisan Ales which you can find and learn all about on Untappd. A huge thanks to listener Mike in Minnesota for donating this beer and supporting the show! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Nobody ever talks about life insurance, so naturally, we’re doing an episode on it! While likely the least sexy aspect of personal finance, it’s incredibly important- especially if you have loved ones who are dependent on you, and the income you earn. This week we’re answering a listener’s question as he specifically asks if he has enough life insurance in place, as well as how important is his age when it comes to his annual premiums. These are some awesome questions (thanks Josh) so listen to the entire episode to hear our thoughts on life insurance! And at the beginning of this episode we each enjoyed an Intergalactic Juice Hunter which you can find and learn all about on Untappd. A huge thanks to listener Carl for doing a beer trade with us! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

We talk a lot about real estate investing on the show. However, if that’s not your thing then don’t worry about real estate- it is not necessary to build wealth. Just be sure that you’re investing somewhere, in something, and it’s so important that you invest in what you know! In this episode we cover some alternative ways to invest your money, as a way to get you thinking creatively and strategically when it comes to investing so that you can earn over 10% while feeling more fulfilled at the same time. Listen to the full episode to get inspired! However, if you find that you don’t currently have the time or ability to take on these alternative methods, at the very least you can start with traditional investing which you can easily learn all about in Episode 9: Retirement Investing is Simpler than You Think. And at the beginning of this episode we each enjoyed a Plank’d by Avery Brewing Company which you can find and learn all about on Untappd. A massive thanks to Avery for donating this massive beer and supporting the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

“Don’t rent, you’re just throwing away money. Buy a house instead, it’s a great investment!” - says almost everyone who purchases a home. It’s often accepted as a gospel truth that purchasing a home as a primary residence is always a great investment. This is just not true. We promise you, unless you’re house hacking, chances are your house makes an awful investment. It could possibly be a good lifestyle choice, maybe a great decision for you and your family, or perhaps you're getting a great deal, but that doesn’t mean you should consider it to be a great investment. In this episode, we cover all the different reasons why your primary residence is an awful investment, and then we also give some tips to consider to make your home a ‘less bad’ investment. And at the beginning of this episode we enjoyed a Rueuze (2015) by Bruery Terreux which you can find and learn all about on Untappd. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Micro investing apps- you know they exist but now its time to learn what they're all about and whether or not you should be doing it. These apps are amazing in that they can get people investing and saving money in mere minutes. But then there are the downsides. For instance, is the accessibility and ease of use of these apps worth the risk of reacting to financial news and what the market is currently doing? Listen as we discuss some of our favorite apps, go over the pros and cons, and cover who we think would benefit the most from micro investing apps. And at the beginning of this episode we each enjoyed a Wandering Blues by Orpheus Brewing which you can find and learn all about on Untappd. A huge thanks to Orpheus Brewing for donating this amazing beer and supporting the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The only way you can save MORE money is by either earning more, or by spending less- and spending less (aka frugality), is a much smarter decision! Don’t be tempted to just work harder and earn more money, because as soon as you stop working, your income stops! Frugality is the better answer. It isn’t restricting, keeping you from spending money on the things you love to do. Instead it’s freeing, and it is all about consciously deciding to not spend money on the things you don’t love, in order to give you the ability to spend money on the things you do love to do, whether now or off in the future! At the beginning of this episode we popped open a Drie Fonteinen Oude Kriek, which Joel picked up during his recent trip to Europe. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Not all rental properties are created equally- and we’re not just talking about how well they’re built! There are a number of factors to keep in mind when you’re considering purchasing different properties as potential rentals. In this episode we talk about finding a good deal on a property and then we cover our favorite criteria that we like to use to filter out those good deals. We also spend some time talking about the 1% rule and if we feel it’s even still relevant in a hot housing market! At the beginning of this episode we both enjoyed a beer by Borg Brugghús called Garún Nr. 19, which is an Icelandic Stout. This beer was donated by listeners, so a special thanks to our friends Michelle and Jenn for supporting us! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

This is our first ever listener question that we've addressed on the show - from Mark: “I was wondering about your thoughts on saving for a child’s education. My wife and I both work at colleges (she’s a professor, I’m a counselor) and we’re actually not sure what college will look like in 15 years and what the value proposition will be. Also will our kid(s) even want to go to college? We haven’t made decisions on a 529 or other account but starting to have the discussion. Thanks, fellas!” Mark is asking all the right questions and this was a great excuse for us to cover an important topic. In this episode we cover some of the pros/cons of 529 plans, discuss how you should prioritize saving for your kid's college in relation to saving for your own retirement, cover some alternative views on college, and then we share whether or not we're planning to save for our own kid's college. At the beginning of this episode we popped open and enjoyed a Champs de Fraises by Firestone Walker, a barrel aged wild ale fermented with strawberries, which you can learn all about on Untappd. A special thanks to our friend Josh for donating this beer and supporting the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

You’ve worked hard for your money, so you should be able to keep every, single, penny. Right?! Well, aside from taxes, you have every legal right to keep your money- however, we’re here to tell you that you would be better off giving a portion of your money away. Whether that means a simple year-end charitable donation or taking the steps to set up a donor advised fund, there is room in your budget to be a giver. And even if you’re not able or willing to set aside a percentage of your income towards giving, you could start with giving away some of your time. Be a volunteer! In this episode we cover the important topics of why you should always be giving money away, some benefits of giving, and then we discuss some practical steps on how you can more effectively start donating your time and money, now! At the beginning of this episode we popped open and enjoyed a beer called Consecration by Russian River Brewing Company, a barrel aged sour ale which you can learn all about on Untappd. A special thanks to our friend Mr. 1500 for donating this beer and supporting the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Talking about money with your partner can be extremely hard! We’ve all heard funny stories and countless anecdotes of money fights within relationships, but the fact remains that these disagreements often end in broken relationships. This week we have an honest and revealing conversation with our wives about how we talk about and handle our finances as couples. We also had some great questions that were posted in our Facebook group- some specific ones we get to are: Any advice for newlyweds in handling finances together? (from Chelsea)What was our biggest financial disagreement? (from Katy)Do we agree on the goal of financial Independence? (from Connor)(plus a bunch of other embarrassing and funny stories!) And since we recorded while at the beach down in Jacksonville, it was fitting that we stumbled upon a fantastic new local brewery! At the beginning of this episode we each cracked open and enjoyed a Bulletproof Denali by Southern Swells Brewing Co. which you can learn all about on Untappd. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Conventional wisdom tells us that getting out of debt is smart. And while generally that might be true, we're here to explain how that approach may not be the best decision for you! Oftentimes keeping low-interest debt around while you're able to invest and maximize your returns elsewhere will easily make the most sense when you're looking at the numbers. In this episode we cover the characteristics of good debt and bad debt, and then we talk through some helpful pointers on how to manage your current debt. Remember this one thing: somewhere around 7% is the magic number that separates low interest debt from high interest debt. That's the interest rate that acts as a divider in our current market. Anything higher than that you'll want to pay off sooner than later, and anything lower than that, there is a good chance you can take those extra payments and invest to make a big enough return to make it worthwhile. Listen to the entire episode to hear us break it down because it's a very nuanced topic! At the beginning of this episode we each cracked open and enjoyed a beer called Infusion A - Coffee Porter by Hoppin' Frog Brewery, a peanut buttery porter which you can learn all about on Untappd. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Nearly half of Americans wouldn't be able to easily handle a $400 emergency! This is financial insanity. Considering the lack of any sort of margin in our lives today, it shouldn't be a surprise that Americans treat their money any differently than they treat their time. There just never seems to be enough, and any disruption (of money or time) brings a myriad of problems that must be addressed. Living paycheck to paycheck has unfortunately become the norm and it's a problem that needs to be addressed. The answer is to create an emergency fund! Having an emergency fund allows us to weather these small storms, and most importantly reduces stress. In this episode we discuss what an emergency fund is, what it is for (and not for), and how to get started on your own- including where to put that money! Listen to the entire episode to learn what steps you can take today, regardless of your financial situation. At the beginning of this episode we each cracked open and enjoyed a beer called Liliko'i Kepolo by Avery Brewing, a Belgian-style white ale which you can learn all about on Untappd. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and review us in Apple Podcasts, Castbox, or wherever you get your podcasts! For specific links and additional information about this episode, head over to our site: HowToMoney.com . Best friends out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com