Commuting to work sucks! It’s likely one of your least favorite things to do everyday assuming you’re an individual commuter, driving along in your own metal box that costs you thousands to own and operate. It’s stressful dealing with traffic and not to mention our cars encourage us to be lazy and perpetuate the lifestyle of excess and consumption. I mean does it really require a $15,000+ luxury vehicle that weighs over 4,000 lbs to transport a single individual to work and back?! In this...

Investing advice is the number one reason why people hire financial advisors, and we're here to tell you that you're wasting your money!!! Certainly a financial advisors could help you with other things like financial goal setting and managing cash flow, but ultimately it still comes down to you doing the hard work yourself (plus, we've already covered those topics on previous episodes, have a listen)! The biggest reasons why you don't need a financial advisor is because financial advisors...

Asking for a discount isn't something that most people enjoy doing, but we'd be willing to wager that you don't ask for discounts enough. It's your money after all- hang onto it! In this episode we discuss haggling, rejection, and some reasons why asking for a discount should be a healthy part of your financial life. We also go through some practical steps we take when asking for a discount and share a few stories of when we've gotten that sweet discount or when we've had to say 'thanks for...

Transportation costs are American's highest monthly expense (aside from housing of course), so how you buy a car can be a financial game changer! There is clearly a smart and legit way to buy a car and that's what we're talking about in this episode. Don't accept that you have to get a new car because yours is 'old'- avoid cultural and advertising driven spending and try and minimize the money you spend on cars! Listen to the episode to find out why and how everyone should be buying used...

Community is so incredibly important! In a culture today that values self-sufficiency and where it's every man for himself, we felt it was necessary to spend an episode covering one of the key fundamental values in our lives: community. Specifically we discuss how community can save you money, how it can help you out in a pinch, and how it contributes to a healthy and balanced life. Even though we love to talk about saving money, there are things you just can’t purchase that community...

Purchasing a home is always a good idea... right?! And renting is a huge waste of money- or at least that's what you've heard. In this episode we address these two huge assumptions and cover the benefits of renting and buying a home. There are a lot of things to consider like geographic mobility, financial flexibility, housing stability, and creative freedom! Listen to the full episode to hear why either renting or buying a home might be a good idea for you.A quick tip for now though: make...

Credit cards can be a double-edged financial tool, and in this episode we cover how you can use them like a pro. Do you find yourself carrying a balance from one month to the next? Or are you tempted to overspend when you know you can just put it on credit? If so, then credit cards are NOT for you. For everyone else there are awesome benefits like earning cash back and scoring huge sign up bonuses, not to mention it's easier to track your expenses (which is an important step when creating a...

Cutting your monthly bills is a big deal - they add up! You could save hundreds of dollars a month which might even be enough to fully fund a Roth IRA. In this episode, we talk about some general strategies on how to cut your monthly bills, but then we dive into some specific bills like our cell phone, internet, cable, and the online streaming subscriptions like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon.We also enjoyed a bottle of Boulevard's Grand Cru, which you can find and learn all about on Untappd. A...

Spending money is OK- as long as that spending aligns with your values! In this episode, we cover the challenging topic of: the big why that’s behind money. Why do we spend and save? All too often, we go through life doing the things that we're 'supposed to do' without actually considering whether or not those things bring us joy and align with our values. We find ourselves living stock lifestyles as we mindlessly subscribe to the spending patterns that we see around us- STOP! Instead let's...

Spring is here, so it's time to clean out your home and sell the junk you no longer use! We all have too much stuff in our lives and not only does it take up space in our homes, but it clutters our minds. Why not sell or even give it away? You won't regret it, plus you might end up with some extra cash in the bank. In this episode we cover minimalism, rules that help us decide what to get rid of, the best platforms for selling your unused items, and we also have a few tips to help you create...

You heard it here: Dave Ramsey is wrong and your credit score is way more important than you think! In this episode we cover what is a credit score, why you need good credit, and then specifically we discuss how to improve your credit score. There are some key factors that you need to know since they make up your credit score.The 5 factors that make up your credit score:Payment history, 35%Credit utilization or amount owed, 30%Length of credit history, 15%Credit mix, 10%New credit, 10%And...

Investing for your retirement is way simpler and easier than you think- and I'm going to prove it. Do these 2 things and you'll be a millionaire by the time you retire (I'm not even exaggerating one bit!):1. Open your retirement accounts:401k – If your employer offers a retirement plan like a 401k, especially with a match, start contributing immediately!!! Since a ton of employers offer a 50% match, you won't be able to find a better return on your investment anywhere. At the very least...

Finally, an entire episode that is only about the beer... and saving money of course! Joel and I spend this episode talking about how we get a deal on craft beer and we also touch on what we're NOT willing to do in order to save a buck. Is it worth it to brew your own beer at home? Do you know what styles of beer to avoid if you're shopping the discount shelf? Are any of the beers at Aldi good? Have a listen to find out as we dedicate this episode to getting a deal on craft beer.At the...

Traveling and going on vacation doesn't have to break the bank. In this episode we spend most of our time talking through some tips that will help you save money the next time you book some travel. But first, we want you to think about the aspects of travel that you enjoy the most, and then center your trip around that (like breweries and the outdoors- a couple of our favorites!). March to your own drum! Don't give in to the pressures of taking the touristy route or doing the activities that...

We spend this entire episode covering what you should do with your tax refund! First of all, you shouldn't be receiving a big refund when April 15th rolls around- if you are, talk to HR and have your tax withholding decreased so the IRS is taking a smaller bite out of your paycheck. We would rather see you proactively do something with that money on a regular basis as opposed to waiting on that 'windfall' once a year. So do that first. Next, here are the top 5 things you need to be doing with...

Embrace the dorkiness, strategy board games are here to stay! Nerdy board games are a big part of our lives and for good reasons: they're fun (duh), they teach us to think strategically when it comes to managing limited resources, and of course they can help you save money by keeping you from going out and blowing through your entertainment budget! Plus, when was the last time you sat down face to face with your friends for some old fashioned analog fun? In this episode, Joel and I cover the...

This episode is all about investment properties: what are they, how did we get started with our first rentals, and some rules of thumb that will help you when it comes to purchasing your own! After our last episode on Airbnb we knew we needed to address investment property broadly, as they’re a pillar of our future financial security. We’ll have more episodes where we’ll get more specific and discuss things like return on investment (ROI), insurance, and screening tenants. But for now, we’re...

Finding a sweet place to rent and spend the night is easy enough on Airbnb, but how easy is it to be a host? What are the pros and cons of hosting our very own Airstream or apartment? Am I actually going to dig out 2 feet of dirt in my basement to make room for a private apartment? In this episode Joel and I discuss the different options we're each considering and whether or not we're cut out to be Airbnb hosts. And at the beginning of this episode we popped open a Rodenbach Alexander which...

Everyone needs to be on a budget! A personal budget may not be the sexiest topic to discuss, but it's one of those things that needs to be talked about more. In this episode Joel and I cover our different approaches to budgeting to make sure that we're on track with our money every month - especially spending, whether on groceries, electronics, etc. You need to have a plan for your money every month, and at it's core, that's all a budget is. And this episode's beer is Tweak by Avery which you...

We love biking. Anyone who knows Joel and myself knows that bikes are a big part of our life- but why? In this episode we talk about how biking saves us money, keeps us in shape, and puts us in touch with our community; all while having fun! During our discussion, we were enjoying a Backwoods Bastard by Founders which you can find and learn all about on Untappd. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.For specific links and...