Welcome to Brown Ambition. We are both finally back in the same country.
Same country. Yes, do you know how far away India is?
Ah? Yes, isn't it? In like a nineteen hours? I forget how far my long life flight was, but it was brutal.
Listen, let me remind you it. My trip home is actually longer than the trip there because every flight was like an hour and a half longer because I guess you're going against the windstream or something scientific. So I was traveling for twenty seven hours. What, yes, And that was eighteen hours in the air, and then you had the hours in between flights and stuff because I had
two layovers. When I tell you, I was destroyed, Like yeah, destroyed because I couldn't sleep, and then by the time I got tired, I wanted to force myself to stay awake so that when I actually got to JFK, it was night time and I could just go to sleep so I could get back on a normal sleep schedule. But it was so it was so hard.
Yeah, I think I had straight flights each time, so in like nineteen hours. I don't I don't know. Did I stop.
You must have stopped?
Well, I don't know.
It depends on where your destination was. I was going to like a smaller city in India, so there wasn't I had to like, I had to stop a couple of times. But anyway, it was an amazing trip.
It is.
I digested it. I had a really good time. It was the weather was really nice. And now the snow is happening right now, and I kind of want to go back.
I'm like, is it it's not snowy in Jersey yet?
No, way, it was. It was snowing all today.
Really not at all because I I.
Mean, I don't think it's sticking, but it was just, you know, pretty pretty polite snow.
So oh so I was speaking with someone and I realized because I was like, oh, you know, me and Superman will be you know, walking down the court House aisle soon. So I wasn't going to sign up for health care until I got a gentle reminder. You know, healthcare they're like stalkers, but I love them though. The Healthcare dog go They call you, they email you, they text you, yeah, and they are like that's cute, Tiffany.
But just know this.
If you don't sign up by the fifteenth, you're gonna be you will not be covered in January. So if you like, even if I get married in January, I won't be covered. So I'm like, ugh, so but I didn't realize that. So that's just something I just wanted to put out there because I just assumed that, like, oh, you know, I can, I can be covered in January. I'll be fine. So if you don't sign up by December fifteenth, you will not be covered for health care
in January. And if you don't sign up by January fifteenth, you will not be covered for healthcare in February. And by the thirty first of January, if you don't sign up, you won't be covered for the year.
So don't wait. I know, like it's such a pain.
This is for Obombacare.
Yes, for Obombacare, I'm sorry. So, like, if you have health care at your job and stuff, you know, you know, good for you. But for Obamacare, I'm sorry should have been but it's just that for us self employed people or people who maybe you don't work enough hours in order to qualify for healthcare at your job, you know, this is you're you're gonna want by the fifteenth to you know, to go, So there's this. Have you ever used Policy Genius.
Before, man, Yeah, yeah, I have. Actually I think I wrote about them once.
Yeah, so I I know policy I've only known them for they have like some sort of like life insurance thing.
But I used it to sign up for, or at least not to sign up for, but to whittle down which healthcare provider I was gonna go with because my current one United Healthcare, or at least my current plan is phased out, which I'm like, great, I didn't want to have to think about it, and so I'm just like, so I like that tool, and I know there's some other tools you can use, because honestly, healthcare dog of I love you, my beautiful black President Obama, but that
website is a nightmare. And so it's good to find a tool that will help you choose without you having to like because honestly, every year I just sit on the phone with them for two hours and figure it out. But with at least a Policy Genius tool, it helped me to like plug in what I wanted and then kind of spit out three or four. And there's another one too, if I can remember, I'll say it later, like there's another tool where it kind of does the same thing.
But yeah, I honestly just tell older people like, if you don't feel comfortable with technology, I'm like, just call them, yeah on the phone, and it's gonna suck. But they have healthcare navigators like.
And they're nice, really nice, are they Okay?
Yeah? I mean I've called twice, like twice two years in a row. I've called and they were you know, they were really patient. They walked me through each It's just that you literally have to so they're like, so let me read you what this plan is, and then let me read you with this plan.
The only problem is that there's so many.
So that's why I say, I like those tools that kind of aggregate the plans for you based upon what you need so that way, because it was just so many, I just got overwhelm. Because they're reading the plans, I'm like, wait what was the other one before that? And then wait what was the other one? And so you're on the phone with them for a while. But I mean, it's if you're older and tech you're not tech savvy,
then definitely do that. But if you're you are, you know, can you can use the computer you don't need to be tech savvy for for tools like a like policy genius, and there's another one. I'm gonna find it that like kind of like I said, you plug in your name, your doctor, where you live, that kind of thing, and it says, hey, here are six plans that might fit you based upon what you want to pay. Is the.
Ah I frail all America.
It's I forget.
I feel like I had a name when rolling it, so maybe it wasn't roll America.
But basically I'm saying use those versus healthcare dot gov because their healthcare dot Gov can be very hard to navigate. But I just want to put that out there because I didn't realize that, Like, you know, if I didn't sign it about the fifteenth that oh well for you if you get preggers.
Oh yeah, that's important.
Is your health plan?
Has it gotten more expensive? A lot of people are, well, New York and Jersey are I guess a little bit more lucky because a ton of insurers haven't exit at the market like in other states like Arizona there's only one or two providers now, so their prices went up one hundred and sixteen percent.
What But honestly, I don't know if it's gonna go up just because I my same plan is no longer available.
So I was just like, great, I don't so yeah, So.
I don't even know, like if it's like, what I'm gonna get is I'm trying to get something that's comparable to see, like you know what it's gonna cost.
But it's a it's a grip. I'm not gonna lie.
You know, I pay a few hundred dollars a month for the for the privilege of, you know, not dying in these streets. Go ahead.
I was gonna say, my little brother, bless his heart, should have listened to big sister. I hope he doesn't listen to this because he's probably like, but he got his first job after college. He's a salesman for a big company. And you know, he was really proud of himself and wanted to be cheap and get the cheap healthcare plan which costs barely nothing and came with a huge deductible, I think five thousand dollars or something like that. And that's what happens when you choose the cheapest plan.
And so poor guy, all year long, every time gets a cold or has to get a prescription. It's out of pocket, out of pockets. And just recently he was at a concert and I don't know all the details, but all I know is that someone Stave Jo Stave, dived off the stage and kicked him in the head and he had a concussion and had to get a ct And he's like, bandy, my bill from the er is three thousand dollars, yikers. So I told him to try.
I think he can negotiate it, especially when you have a high deductible plan, especially with hospitals too, because CTS, MRIs those kind of like run of the mill procedures that hospitals do. They charged just like it's like you go to one place and it's three thousand dollars. You get on the street it's five hundred. It's so random how they choose what to pay. And that dollar sign on that on that bill isn't always the final word. And yeah, especially we have to pay out of pocket.
I don't know.
I don't know how it worked, how he's if he's done it or not, but he needs to call and tell them, you know, I'm paying out of pocket. Can you, you know, settle for less or give me some sort of discount because he can't afford three thousand dollars. That's insane.
That is insane.
Yay, the kid who kicked.
Him should be paying, is it? It should be like a car accident, you know, like the people who hit you, their insurance pays. I don't know how that works within health insurance, but I'm like, he's just very tall.
It's not his fault, right, You're like pay you, hey, you I need your card. I need your concert card, you know, like your insurance concert insurance card. It's like your car insurance card. So my car insurance actually, speaking of, just went up. I was like, oh, remember I got into that accident with the Ford vehicle that was loaned to be Yes, yeah, yeah, within like the first couple of days.
So I just knew.
So I had assurance, and because I drive the oldest car in America, my assurance. I think I was paying like sixty two bucks a month you know, for like whatever basic coverage covers. And so now I'm paying seventy five bucks a month. I'm like, oh, I know, so I'm trying to see I'm gonna do something though, no it's not, but you know, like so it's not as bad. As I thought it was gonna be. So I'm not, you know, because I really thought that it was going
to go up tremendously. But I guess they were like they, you know, did the detail my car, and they were like, honestly, it's a ninety nine toory to camera with the muffler that many can attest to because we were on the phone with the muffler.
That's louder than a crying baby struggling.
Oh my god. That's why I was like, I was on mute. You're like, people are like, tivity, can you hear me?
I'm like, I can just barely over this muffler.
Sounds like you're riding a jet ski or something.
Oh but you know what, though, when I get my house, then I'm gonna get the car.
That's okay, okay, but having a car does not mean that you can and have a house.
It's alms no, no, I know. But I'm just I don't.
Know, you know, just one big thing at a time, maybe exactly.
There's so many choices to be made.
I'm just you know, sometimes you just lay in bed, You're like so many things, the things that need to be done. Like I had called my sister, my baby's sister, Lisa, And I said, Lisa, if I pay you like fifty bucks, if I post on my Facebook page that I'm looking for an in person assistant and for them to post their stuff in the comments, can you just like go through them and find somebody for me, because like, even that is a lot of work.
Like if I post, hey.
I'm looking for this person, then I might get like, you know, fifty people in my comments saying hey, you know I do that, which is cool, but then I have to go through them. I just don't have the time for that right now. And she's like, I'll do you one better. I was like what She was like, I'm not working during the week right now. She only works weekends. She's like, I'll do it.
And I was like, okay, I said, without attitude. She was like, we'll see.
Yeah. But you know what, though, I'm actually really happy about it because some of the stuff that I need is a little bit sensitive. Like I was still gonna have to do my own money things like but now I can be like, hey, here's my ATM card, go to the bank and give me this money, and then you know what I mean, Like I can my sister. You know, she's she can.
Do that and I don't have to, but I remind her exactly.
But I wouldn't do that obviously with a new admin, to give them like sensitive information, but with her, so I'm like so happy.
And then Drina, my my.
Publicists who we share in office, she was like, wait, can we share her? And Lisa was like, the more the merrier.
So I'm also Lisa the stylist or is that Tracy.
That's Tracy Tracy's I know I'm having just like the whole team. And so I'm super excited because one, like, you know, she's the baby, so I don't see Lisa's like the super I don't know, sophisticated, like New York bound like, so I don't really see her that much, you know. We talked maybe like I don't know, maybe like once a week or something, but I don't see
her in person that often. So this will be nice because it'll be it'll force her to see my face every day, well not every day, but at least once a week, so like stuff like you know, going to the mail. So I figured just once a week, I'll make a list of everything I need done, like going to the mail, picking this thing up, dropping this thing off,
dry cleaning. I'll see if I can trust her to go food shopping even because honestly, I don't even wanna do that anymore, and like pay her, like I don't know, fifteen bucks an hour and you know, I don't know. So we'll see. But I'm just excited because I'm like, yeah, I don't have to do those things anymore.
That's exciting. Yeah, we hadn't had an update on you looking for your admin yet, so I.
Think that And I was like, Lisa, how long are you gonna be out of work? She's like, well, I was like, must be nice, like what like because I guess her weekend job pays her. M Lisa lives very humbly, like she's got a really nice apartment in Jersey City.
Actually ooh, so when you know.
When you guys come, you guys can't come visit. She's got a studio, but it's fairly inexpensive, and she lives.
She she brought her car and in cash.
I taught her how to do that save and water, so she doesn't have that bill and so as a result, she doesn't have to make a whole lot in order to maintain her lifestyle.
Oh so she can just like not work during the week.
That's nice, I know, that's what I said. And I'm like, she's like starting to she wants to start a business, so she wanted to leave her week free. But you know, this would be like, you know, some extra coin for her to make without having to really stress herself, because Newark is not far from Jersey City.
Yeah, it's thanks for keeping it in the family, keeping the mind on the family.
Look at look at God.
But let's let's go back to what you said about January in a courthouse. Is that happening so soon?
I think so, honestly, because if nothing else but for the insurance purposes, I mean, because we're getting married anyway, So we want to do a spring at least, I said, we I want to do a spring wedding. Girls, like, he actually really does want a wedding. If it was up to me, I would probably just do the courthouse. But he actually would like a wedding. So I said, okay, well, let's do something in the spring, something like a Sunday brunch, something cute and pretty and you know, but low key.
But let's officially, you know, get married in the new year, because honestly, he doesn't really want to wait.
If it was up to him, we would have went yesterday.
But I was like, well, wait, there's some some things that I wanted to to get in place before officially.
Wait, he doesn't want to wait, but he wants a wedding, wedding.
Yeah, he doesn't want to wait meeting for us to to go to the you know, officially just as the piece, he doesn't want to wait for that, But the wedding wedding he doesn't mind waiting for because he doesn't want to get a house first.
So yeah, I don't know.
He's just like like, you know, let's get married now, let's go to justice the piece tomorrow. I'm like, well, let's let's make sure we have some things in place first, and so you know, now that they are in place, are going.
In place, then you know, now we can move forward.
But I wanted to wait, Like, I'm like, you know, let's let's have a real conversation about finances and what we're doing. I mean, we always talk about money, but I wanted to have a super official conversation about that.
You know, we're talking pre up here or what.
Yeah, I know, I was trying to dance around it.
Basically, I was trying to I'm like, what is she's saying some things in place.
I know, And I'm like, cause he's not. I mean, he's to the chase. I'm not eve gonna talk about it much because I'm like, I'm sure his cousin's listening. He's not all that like happy about it, Like you don't trust me. I'm like, well, no, of course that's not it. But like to me, I always I'm thinking to myself that I have things that are not just me.
You know, as I grow there are people who all they do is just work for me, and I want to just make sure that should anything happen that I don't you know, I'm not putting other people's lives in jeopardy, you know.
Yeah, it's just he'll he'll come around. It's a smart decision. One of my friends just got married and and they she was well, she took it a step further. She like posted their prenup on Instagram. I was like, okay, miss Lauri and posted like the picture with the lawyer. She was real happy about it.
I mean, I don't even to me, are like, you know what we decided is like what to be common sense stuff like, hey, if he's actually starting a business, you know, know when we buy these houses because it's his money, you know, his credit scored the houses and his name, you know, but and it'll he'll start an LLC to put these homes, you know, these multi family homes in his name. So the for us, it's just simple.
It's like whatever business that you create is yours, Like that's just you as yours and whatever we do together is ours. So that that's all it really says. You know that I wanted to keep it real simple, like the budget eastend. If I make a business or whatever those are, those things are mine and your you know, your real estate development business or whatever, that'll be yours. And if we do projects and things together where we join our money together, then that's fifty percent mind fifty
percent yours. So nothing crazy, but just at least that it's official, you know.
Yeah, because it's in Jersey, a communal property state where if you get divorced without a prenup, that's fifty to fifteen no matter what I think.
So and also too, it's also a what is that thing called when you like live common law state where if you live together for a certain.
Amount of time, you're you're married in the eyes of the law.
So well, I think people too get like there's a well there's a stigma of the prenap but then there's all so people don't really like what do you put in it? And I'm like, you just put whatever you want in it. It's you know, it's for you. It should be tailored to what you want. And meanwhile, I don't. I haven't even thought about one.
I mean, I always think it depends. I mean like if my if I was a preschool teacher, still, honestly, I wouldn't even think about it. I wouldn't have I would have been like, okay, Or if I had a
regular job, honestly, I wouldn't think about it. But because I own two businesses and I'm like, okay, especially one in particular where most of my employees and I'm starting to bring on more full time people, and I just want to make sure that because you know, I feel like there are things that are bigger than me, and I want to make sure that if anything should happen, that that that show can still go on without any hindrance. You know, Yeah, I hear you. Yeah, yeah, Like it
wasn't a fun coman. The thing is, I'm one thing I am good at is that we have we've had we had that conversation months ago, and I have purposefully brought it up. I would say every other month, like we just do like a brush up on it, like so, and then when it came down, but you know, once you come down to the nitty gritty, then it's like and I think he didn't fully get like, I don't know why.
I'm like, maybe it's TV.
But I was like, oh, so you know, I'm gonna go see the lawyer today. Lawyer. I'm like, well, that's who does it. He thought I was just gonna write it, he was gonna sign it.
I'm I'm like, that's not how text you.
So then it became like that that was a little bone of contention because then it's like, lawyer, you know, that sounds so official and you know a document so yes, and it's just like, oh gosh. So that was not a fun conversation. And then even having to ask even though I know all his financials, but there were a few things I didn't know, you know, someone even asking, no, what do you need that for and I'm like, uh, for the for the document? Why am I what does
my stuff have to be in there? I'm like, well, because it's we just have to establish this is where we are. And so that way, it's just such a ugh because yeah, I do so.
You met with the lawyer, but is it something that you guys sit down together and do or did you do it? And then you're like, oh, here you go.
Well no, no, it's something that we discussed together about, like so what should be, how should it go? You know, and so so but I'm the one who went to the lawyer because ultimately, when you when you do a prenup, it's it's one person that's looking for like he like he would have to create his own totally if he wanted to, that's fine, you know, but honestly, like we did it in a way where it was it was even so even though it was it was me that initiated it. It's the way it's written. It gives us
equal power and value. I'm not like Donald Trump or I'm like, hey, you know, if we're married for one year, you get nothing. You get married for five years, you know, you get a thousand dollars a month, like, none of that. It was just literally, like, you know, if you build something and I don't put any finances or whatever into it, it's yours. If we build something together, it's fifty percent
mind fifty percent yours. But that's something that we discussed. So, you know, I just wanted, Like I said, I just wanted something because I've just seen too many people say I wish I would have had something in place. Obviously, you know, you don't anticipate I don't anticipate the getting divorced. I've known him for so long and I love him and I can't imagine myself with anyone else. But at the same time, I'm like, you know, yeah, it was
not an easy choice to believe. There's plenty of times when I was like, Tiffany, don't even do it.
But then I'm like, Tiffany, it's a no brainer. Come on, it's a no especially when you both have significant assets and you've got your business. Yeah, I think you're doing You're doing the right thing. But it's easy because you know, I think you're right. It's like TV and like pop culture will villainize, Yeah, are not villainized, but just make it seem like a selfish thing to do, or it's about not trusting the other person.
Yeah, that's what he came down to, like, oh yeah, so I mean, but I say for women and men and whoever, if you're you know, thinking about it, it should be a conversation to me anyway that it shouldn't be something that you create and it's the secret thing. No, it should be like, okay, so what do you think? What do you feel? You know? And so you know, he was just like, well, if that's what we're doing,
that's what that's what we do. Anyway. I'm like, well, you'd hope so, but I always heard that the person you marry is not the person you divorce, and so you know, not like I said, not that and then you hate to think that, like what am I planning for a divorce?
And I'm like, well no, I mean no.
But at the same time, you just put yourself in a position anyway, I don't want to talk about anymore.
Just get the ugly stuff, buyt of the way, and it's smarted. It was smart of you to start the conversation early and then keep That's what I do too, and I know that's something that's going to be difficult. I just mentioned it, and it's like, okay, take the band aid off, and then you sow you know.
You and mentioned it and add a little bit more, a little bit more detailed. And then finally the day comes and it's not as bad as it would have been, but it's it's never easy, certain certain conversations.
Oh adulting, but oh so exciting. It's spring wedding.
I now, So I mean I'm thinking, like, like I said Sunday Brunch, I'm thinking under a hundred people, but you know, who knows I might be a tot little bridezilla and be like, oh my god, I want it all, but.
I definitely want to pay for everything.
Like we're already after this house is bought, we're already going to start like, you know, like the wedding fund because we have a joint savings account already. And so that was like, you know, at first I tricked him into creating one for quote unquote vacations, but in my mind I was thinking, like, hey, this will be something bigger.
We know what's best for them, even if they don't.
Exactly, we should have a vacation fund wedding.
So yeah, so yeah, so we'll see I just don't want I don't like event planning. It's just too stressful. And I know a lot of people are like, i'll do it for you, but you even if you have an event planner, you still have to do planning.
Oh yeah. What's crazy is this is the four month mark for us until the wedding. And I had a stress stream about it last week when I got back from India. It was a weird stress stream. It was a dream where like I, you know, we're paying for the wedding ourselves. We worked hard to save up for and all this kind of stuff, and we're proud of that. And my dream was that the wedding happened and we weren't there, and that we're gonna have to pay for a whole other wedding and ask for more money and
like borrow money for this second wedding. And I was like hysterical. I don't know what that. I don't know what to read into that other than like I think I'm feeling like, holy crap, it's four months away. It's starting to get starting to creep up on us. But honestly, part of me is just like and where's the stress that, Like, I'm not really.
Yeah, that's good, really feeling.
I think the you know, I have my best friend right now is also engaged, and bless her heart, she's dealing with some difficult family members and I won't say which side of her face if it's her family or his, because you know, people listen. But and I and that's you know, and it hurt. They're not even getting married til next you know, next fall, so she's really stressed.
And I'm just I'm like, thank God for my mother and my mother in law because they've really all they bugged me about is like what color dress should I wear? And you know, the bridal shower that you know, like nothing crazy, like they're not really that involved, and you know, we're just chilling. But who knows.
It's good.
I know it could be a different story I was saying, right, I don't.
Know, Like Superman's mother unfortunately passed away in his twenties, so she's no longer here, but I hear that she was like super awesome.
His father's still alive.
I mean, they're not super close, so go I'm assuming he'll come, but meaning that there's not this energy on the other side of him that's gonna be like, and Tiffany, we want you to do this.
This there's really not that there.
You know. He's cool with his twin obviously, and his sister is really nice. So but I don't anticipate them being like this is what we see.
I don't know. I just I just don't like, like I said, planning.
I mean, in my mother and my father, I think they've already had the two big weddings from two of my sisters. So and they know me very very well enough to be like, you know what, We're just happy Tiffany's getting married and not running away with the circus.
So you're inspiring people. Because my reporter, Brittany, who actually listened to the show, is like I was telling her about something I like bridesmaids gifts I was buying, and she's like, man, you're having a big wedding. I'm gonna be like, Tiffany, I'm gonna go to that. And I'm like, go ahead, then be like, Tiffany, leave me alone right out.
I'm the serious. I'm just like, because I just don't want. I rather buy homes, like I know we have like a home buying question later. But I went shopping this morning with superman like we've been looking. So he got pre approved within like twenty minutes. It was like, you know how, you're just like when you have one of those I told you so moments with fiance Bud, like mm hmm, listen to me a kid, I'll take you places.
That kind of moment.
After doing all the work of showing him how to save, raising his credit score, like really getting him on a tight budget, all of that kind of stuff, it took about two and a half years, so you're like get
him rocking and rolling. When it came to time to like really talk about buying a home, and I was really like trying to convince him I really think that multi family house is a way to go, but he wasn't interested because for for housing where he worked, he kind of does that and he's like it's not my favorite. But I was just like, no, but this will be
a stream of income. Let's work more money. So finally he said okay, and we went for their pre approval process and literally it took I called like I asked a friend for like a referral called the guy. Guy was like, give me, you know, send me over your information. I sent it over to him. Within ten minutes. The guy calls me back in ten minutes and says, okay, pre approved for three hundred thousand dollars.
And to say, is this a loan officer works for the bank or who's the guy?
So he's he's a loan officer. It's just like, so what I loved about it though? And I said, is it typical for people to be pre approved so quickly? He said no, But honestly, he was like he had all of the right check marks, like one, he's been at his place of where he's worked, you know, well over ten years. Two you know he has a significant amount of money saved. Three he's got a great credit score, so he had all of the things you know. And five he has honestly no debt. So the approval process
for Superman was super fast. But it's something I'd pre planned almost from the moment that we started dating, because I thought to myself, hmmm, he works for housing. He flips apartments like the floor, the wall. Basically when someone moves out, he prepares the space him in like a squad of like guys prepared the space for the new tenant.
So basically a landlord, so he knows how to fix like everything, and even like some basic construction stuff, and what he doesn't know how to fix, he knows the guy because he works with the guys, you know. Yeah, And I thought that this is like the perfect leeway into being a landlord. And he was like, I'm not interested, and I'm like, okay, well, let's have a vacation account and let's get your credit score ready, basically setting him
up for the eventual you'll see my way soon. And that took about two and a half years and he finally sees in my way and I after doing the maths with him, and so his pre approval was so fast because of laying that thound foundation. So I called a friend of mine. I said, you know, I'm looking for a loan officer, and she gave me a great referral and I called him. He said, okay, send all your stuff over. So we sent it over within like ten minutes, and ten minutes later he called and he
was pre approved for three hundred thousand dollars. That's what we asked for, Like we're looking for a multi family house, no more than that. And the reason why, you know, he was pre approved so quickly without any issue at all. Is because one, he has an excellent credit score, so anything over seven forty you get the best rates for a home. He has a seven fifty two. He has no debt whatsoever. I mean, no car loan, no student loans. He has like you know, maybe like a he has
a Macy's card. He just brought a suit, so I think he has two hundred dollars on that. But that's something he's going to pay off this month. But it's unheard of, honestly as an adult, to have literally no debt.
He has no debt. Three, he has money saved. So he's been saving since then, since when I first met him, and I showed him how to open up an online bank and can we use ally, and so he's been saving automatically from his paycheck there and three and four he has worked at his job for nearly I think over twenty years. No, not over twenty years, but like over ten yeah, over ten years. And so all of those things combined make him like this really super safe
person to lend money to. And so but all of that was after, you know, people ask me all the time, you know, like, oh, Tiffany, you know, I want to buy a house what are the things I need to get in order? And those really are. It is like get your credit score right, get your savings up, get rid of that debt, you know, and if you're working somewhere, you know, stay where you are for now because they don't want to see, Oh, I just switched jobs, you know,
three months ago. And so yeah, he got preapproved, and we've been house shopping. We went this morning. So here's our plan. So we're looking for a multi family house. And I've done the math. So no, if it's a four family, our cap is three hundred thousand. If it's a three family, our cap is two fifty. If it's a two family, our caps like one fifty seventy five. So I'll give you an example. We saw this house,
really cute. It was a newer It's a two family house for one hundred and fifty thousand with all the you know, we put our twenty percent down and with the current interest rate, our mortgage would be about a little over seven hundred dollars a month. One of the units rent for a little over one thousand, the other unit rents for a little over one thousand. So let's just say two thousand dollars. Is the is how much the it's how much the income it's going to produce.
And then we pay seven hundred dollars out for tax, insurance and mortgage, So that leaves us with thirteen hundred dollars profit if we don't live there, and if we live there then it's you know, it's like three hundred dollars profit or whatever. But see, I want us to set set ourselves up for financial success and then you know,
we get the next one and the next one. And so that's the plan, is to buy a multifamily house that yields at least at minimum one thousand dollars a month in an income after expenses.
Well, let me interrupt you so I can read our question of the day because it's actually related to your investment property. Okay, mission adventure. So this comes from Amy, who's actually an old friend of mine who just had a baby. She's like, we're actually friends, you know me. I'm like, yes, I know you, Amy. So Amy wants to know specifically for Tiffany, you mentioned your quest to
purchase an investment property. Can you talk a little bit about your journey in this in terms of setting up an LLC finding a lawyer slash accountant slash real estate agent, doing your due diligence, etc. And how did you identify the right market to invest in? Will you manage yourself or hire a property manager? I've read some books on the topic, and I work in real estate accounting, but I'd love some specific tips on how to get started.
So one, you want to get your finances into in order first, like I said, before getting getting rid of your debt, getting your credit score, like if you have a seven thirty, wait until you have a seven forty, because the difference in interest is gonna it's gonna matter. So get yourself to a seven forty. You're better, like
you know if you can. Also, you know, get your savings up because they're also what they're gonna look at is they're gonna see have you been consistently saving, So they don't want to see three months ago you had this random lump sum of twenty thousand dollars put into your account because it looks like a friend of yours.
Let you hold twenty thousand.
It's gonna take it back, but you just want to show you have money, So start your savings. And two, if you're at a place of wherever you work, stay there because they're gonna want to see that you can consistently have income coming in if you work there for a while. So that's the back end stuff and the as far as choosing a market, we chose Newark because one, we're really familiar with Newark. I mean I've lived here maybe like five or six years. Superman has lived here
his whole entire life. I mean he has lived I think, basically in every section of Newark, so he knows every block. Like when I read off the blocks to him, he's like, oh no, no, no, no, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, wait it depends between sixteen and seventeenth Avenue or between seventeen and eighteen. So one, you know, we're going with this knowledge because here's someone who quite honestly used to
run the streets, so he knows all of them. But you know, because I feel really comfortable because Newark can be a very scary place. Newark is like Brooklyn before the gentrification, so it could be a very scary place to invest as an investor because you know, it's it's still very much up and coming, So there are a lot of neighborhoods where it might look okay now, but it's only because it's cold. And then during the summertime the block is live and people are dealing drugs and
people are stealing cars, and you didn't know that. So we chose Newark because it's a place that we're both really familiar with, and two because it is up and coming, and you could tell us up and coming, like the kind of businesses that are being attracted here. Panasonic now has their headquarters here. There's a whole food coming to downtown Newark, all foods. What is it called. Starbucks just moved here, not their headquarters, but like we have a Starbucks.
So there's certain things that are coming that makes it very clear that it's after literally fifty years of being in one type of way, it's starting to come up. And you could tell even because as we're starting to buy and try to buy multi family houses, some of them are being bought so quickly, so it's on the market one day and then a cash investor will come in, and so that's a sign too, like people are starting to buy these homes cash, meaning investors are starting to
see it's time to buy in Newark. So that was it too, and too you want to to to google your area to see if there's any grants. Like Newark, if you are going to be owner occupied, there's a five thousand dollars grant for down payment, and there's also twenty five thousand dollars grant if you're fixing up the property, so potentially thirty thousand dollars that we can qualify for to put into the property.
So they're that's through the housing.
Uh, Newark has that just in the housing department, so like the city has it. You know, the city has like the health Department, the Housing department, the So I just googled, like Newark grants for home buyers, So wherever you're looking, Brooklyn grants for home buyers. So wherever you're looking, just look into that. And also too, if you speak to a real estate agent. So the best thing to do is to get referrals for the people that you need.
So if you speak to a real estate agent or you know, asking them, are their grants because sometimes they'll know the exact name and you could google for yourself and find them. So my real estate agent is actually is the one who told me about the grant, and I dug a little deeper. So yeah, you want to look into that too, just to see if there's some free money out there.
Oftentimes, if you're if you're investing.
In an up and coming area, there is free money because they want people to invest here. And the people you need on your team, I'm gonna try to remember all of them, but your real estate agent, you need your your either your mortgage broker or your lender. You need your lawyer, you need your uh what is that person called the inspector? And I'm trying to think who else do we have? So these are all people that
we asked for a referral. So I asked just either people that I knew personally or like you know, you ask a friend of a friend, who did you use, why did you like them? And then from there, you know, you kind of do your own little interview and see if one you're looking for people who move quickly. The first mortgage person that I was interested in, I'm not gonna say his name because we ended up like letting him go because I emailed him on a Saturday, and
real estate agents work on Saturday. They're showing homes. I mean, I called, I submitted his paperwork, I called, and I emailed I didn't hear back.
I didn't hear got it.
I called and emailed on a Monday, and then Tuesday I called and I text him, and I called and finally I emailed him on that Tuesday and said, you know, we're gonna move in a different direction, And within like ten minutes they wrote back, oh, oh, you know, I'm so sorry. And I told him like, yeah, we're just looking for someone who's going to be more timely, and then he wrot me back a sassy ass text saying like, oh, well, you know if you just submitted on Saturday, so I
don't know who you think it's going to move faster. Well, the guy who preapproved us in twenty minutes. That's what I'm looking for, because if we're looking at a house, I don't have two or three days to wait for you not to pick up the phone. So you're looking for people who are gonna be timely, and they don't.
They want to get paid. I know they get paid if they help you find a house exactly.
So I don't know why he was like, you know, I'm like, don't be mad because you didn't pick up and you know you lost that deal. Also, what you don't want to do. Is this this is key? Remember this, my dad would say, he who pays the piper determines the tune. So basically, if you pay the DJ, they have to play your song. So if you whoever is getting paid by you is the one they're gonna be, that's who they're gonna be loyal to. So don't get a referral from your real Your real estate agent is
going to have a referral for everyone. You don't want it because if the the mortgage person, if the inspector of all these people come through the real estate agent, they are going to be loyal to the real estate agent and not what's best for you. So you want everybody basically to be a stranger. They might know each other, but they're working for you, because if not, then everyone's like working for the best interests of the sale and not the customer. So you just want to remember that too.
That was like something. And then also to take a first time home buyers class. I took one when I bought my first home when I was like twenty five. It was invaluable. They're free take one. It was like three weeks, three saturdays in a row. But I learned so much about the process.
It's also through HUD housing and urban development.
Yeah, you can, but they have I mean banks have them. You know, banks have them because they're like soft upsales. So like I took one through like a City National Bank in Newark when I was twenty five, and basically, you know, the bank is there because they're hoping, like you're taking this course and you'll get a mortgage through them. I didn't, but it was a great free class, so
definitely want to take that. I made well. I went with Superman to take the class, and so because I mean, I want you to, I want you to know the process. And at first he was kicking and screaming, but then afterwards he was like, oh, and yeah, the LLC is super simple. With the LLC, you just you can go online and do your you know, go to Google whatever state you live in and register for LLC. If you're nervous about it, you can go to your local bank.
Oftentimes the banks will walk you through because they want you to open up the bank business bank account with them, So bring your laptop and say, hey, I want to open up a business bank account. I want to, but I need help, like you know, doing my LLC. Can you help walk me through the process, And some banks will do that for you, so that way you know you have your LLC and when you all of your expenses can be written off, All of your home expenses
can be written off. So I'm super excited because to me, this is like the leap toward wealth for Superman. You know, this is like the there. So there are a few ways to leap toward wealth. You have your regular job, and then you make the leap through either investing in real estate, owning some sort of business, or really getting into stock investing, not just for retirement's sake, but for wealth's sake. So those are one of the few ways, the three ways that you start to make the leap
towards next level of wealth. And for him, this is right up his alley. So yeah, I hope I answered that question.
Yeah, I'm actually reading through it, just making sure, just making sure. Oh, the last one was, well you kind of already answered this while you manage it yourself or hire a property manager.
So at first I think, yeah, I think at first we're gonna have well, I think. So I was speaking to a friend of mine and he said, he there's a. He's going to manage the property, the physical property himself.
But as far as collecting the rent, we're going to hire likely hire a company to collect the rent because they'll pay to this company, and if they are a certain number of days late, this company triggers, like, you know, the eviction process, because I don't want people to come personally to us and say, oh, I'm so sorry, I'm late.
It's because no, no, no, no.
That's a very impersonal part of the process, the financial part. But as far as keeping up the physical property, he'll do it until we have maybe like two or three and then you know, maybe hiring some like property manager, maybe depending on whether he wants to continue. But that's how in my mind, that's how I'd like to proceed forward. That he takes care of the physical, but the financial we have somebody doing that.
And how did you arrive at the goal of having a property guest generating at least one thousand dollars? How did that become the benchmark?
I don't know. I just said it. I just said, you know, I want to make at least about you know, because I thought to myself, I know how much Superman makes a month, and I thought to myself, Okay, this would make this would make sense, This would make a
significant boost for him, you know. So I'm like, okay, if we do that, then then I cause really I did the math of how many properties like this do we need before if he wanted to quit, he could not that he will, you know, but if he wanted to quit, and so I was like, okay, so by the time we get to like three or four properties, you know, he's if he doesn't want to, you know, work for where he works anymore, he can and if he does, he has double his income coming in, you know.
So that's how I kind of came to that conclusion because I in my mind, a thousand dollars just seems like, Okay, that seems like because I'm in two three hundred, it's like that's a lot of work a month, you know, potentially for two or three hundred dollars. So in my mind, a thousand just seems like it's worth it to go through, like you know, fixing things and things break.
Yeah, that's all exciting. Well you're gonna I'm gonna learn drough you like everyone else is. Because I've been skirting around the idea of getting an investment property. The problem with us is that I want an investment property, but Fancee Bou wants a house, and it's just sort of like which comes first, And I'm I'm actually pushing to
buy something in Atlanta. That's my sort of type dream because I know it's up, and I mean it's already coming, but it's there are some areas that are definitely you can still find great deals on single family homes in Atlanta, and I'm just I really want to just snap one up. It seems like, you know, it seems like a smart thing to do. I mean, my little brother could just live there if I wanted him to.
Exactly, and I would say, go for at least a two family because here's why two family is not that difficult. Like people think to themselves, Oh it's too much work to upkeep it thinks yeah, or just like you know, sometimes you just sometimes the two families like one on top of each other. Sometimes you're side by side. And even like if for your first home, like if we haven't decided, it depends where the area is if we're going to live in it.
If it's in a decent area, we will.
If it's not then we won't because I'm not trying to live someplace where I don't feel safe. But it doesn't mean it's a difference. But I say at least the two family because at the very least, you know, if your first home that you buy together, you get a two family one, you get to learn the ropes without overtaxing yourself about because you know this is right next door to you. You're like, Okay, things need to be fixed. We're here, you know, like the boiler breaks.
We don't have to challenge. Just if I buy in Atlanta, I won't be there. I'd be trusted you take care of it.
This is true. And so it's easier too, I mean, and just knowing like how many like rooms, So we're looking for obviously at the very least two bedrooms a unit, ideally three, just because you can get more, you know, more rent that way. Yeah. And it's a look about the math because at first I was dead set on a four family, but they're very difficult to come by in Essex County, very difficult.
And then when I did the.
Math, it doesn't a two family could yield fifteen hundred in a four family can yield fifteen hundred, but for more work. So if you do the math of you know, and there's a great website like homes dot com that's what I've been using. You can look up the property that you're interested in. Like usually my real estate agent will send me a property, but I'll look it up at homes and homes will actually tell you this is a tax rate for that area. This is how much
if you put down a certain percentage. This is how much your mortgage is gonna be with taxes insurance even PMI. PMI is an insurance that you have to pay if you don't put down at least twenty percent and this is what you're gonna have to pay. So you can actually see what your mortgage is gonna be. So that
way I can now do the math. I'm like, okay, my mortgage is gonna be this, And then on that site for that property it say it'll say unit one, it's already rented at one thousand dollars a month, Unit two, one thousand, Unit three six hundred. Okay, So if your mortgage with everything included is a thousand, and all the units collectively are running for renting for twenty six hundred, that's a thousand, six hundred, so I can quickly do
the math on what makes sense. And that's what made me switch from saying I have to have a four family too. You know what, we can make just as much money with the two family if you buy it right.
Homes dot com.
Yeah, homes dot com is super simple. Just yeah. So I want everybody to be wealthy. I'm telling you, I'm like, stick with me, kiddy, You're gonna be.
It's gonna be the gospel now as soon as you start doing it to be Like, let me tell you about real estate investing.
I know, I just you know what it is is that investing can I'm not gonna lie. Socks still scare the heck out of me still, and it just I just don't get it. I'm you know, like, although I teach financial education, I'm always really transparent that I don't know what the heck I'm talking about when it comes to stocks, but when it comes to you know, owning
a business, obviously this is what I do. And then real estate it's tangible to me, so I can understand it more So, I always say, if you're gonna invest, invest in what you are willing to seek knowledge in and what you can learn to understand.
And even if you don't get it, try to get it, because you know it's you don't want to be in a situation where you're going in, especially if you're buying it with a partner or spouse where they know everything, but then you don't and then something happens to them, you know, or you break up and then you're kind of like out in the cold, or you don't know what to do. I think it's funny too. That's there
are your approach, Superman. You know, early on opening up that tribal account quote unquote fiance bou it was it was or very early on letting him know how much I hated debt and just had it and hated it and like, M yeah, that credit credit, the student debt. I was fine with the credit card debt, you know, I was worried about and I wasn't like naggy about it. But he got the message and where he was more comfortable using credit for a lot of things that you
saw that slowly, slowly, slowly solution. And you know, I and before we got engaged, I was I made sure. I was like, I do not want you going into
debt for this engagement ring you you know, save. I was like, you know, open this Capital one three sixty account, you know, and start, you know, suggesting that's a good place to save and save a little beat each month and auto deposit, and like when you bought the ring, I felt really good because I knew he wasn't putting himself in debt, because I always had it in my mind, I'm going to marry him. His debt's my debt.
I don't want his debt exactly. It's so funny we're so much alike in that way because same thing. I was like, you know, Superman, you know, don't I want you to pay cash if you're gonna get this ring? And I was just so proud. I heard him bragg into one of his boys, like on the phone, like I guess his boy's gonna ask this girl to marry him.
And the guy was saying how.
He's like what, na, man, don't finance just say it. That's what I did. I stayed and I brought it him food. I was like, yes, I'm mean bragging, Like what you need to do is because my biggest thing is allocation that whenever I get paid anything, I allocate my funds twenty five percent for saving and investing and retirement, twenty five percent for taxes, five percent for travel, ten
percent forgiving. So whenever I get paid, I'm always like, oh, I'm gonna go upstands, baby, I'm gonna do some allocating. And so like to hear him like reiterate that with like his brother and his friends, like you need to allocate, you know, I'm gonna sit down to show you, and I'm like, I'm look, who's the budget needs to in your friends' lives? You know? But yeah, like having the
right person, they like me. Yeah, I ain't know right, I was just thinking that, but I wasn't gonna say it's like they are, but honestly having the right person though, my sister told me that my sister's married, I don't know, five years now, and her and her husband, and her husband is a doctor and she's a scientist. So they make heligwop and but they live off of one whole income. I mean collectively, they save like over one hundred thousand
dollars a year, one hundred thousand dollars. She's like, yeah, I think we're gonna buy our house in cash in cash. People think I'll bludge and the stuff like it really does run in the family and so and she said, like, I mean, my sister drives, like you know, her car is not terrible, but she paid for it in cash. But it's not a brand new car. And you would never think scientists and doctor you know, they live simply a nice apartment, but simply right outside of Chicago. And
what I love is that, she said. She's like, you know, be very mindful of who you pick in all aspects. So you want to be spiritually aligned. You want to be you know, like you know, aligned as far as like what you like to do, but you also want to be aligned financially. She's like, because he and I were able to talk, not to say that you're the person that you're with has to and have perfect finances, but you have to be on the same page for wanting better. They might not know how to get there,
but they have to want better. And so Superman was not terrible financially, but he certainly wasn't great, but he just didn't know like, oh this is how you go about that I didn't realize. And so yeah, so just having that because it's just gonna make all the difference. Like, honestly, Mandy,
I want to be I'm thirty seven. I want to be told him, I'm like, you know, I want our net worth to be well over a million dollars by the time we're forty, and not for the million dollars stake, but so we can be a beacon for our families.
You know, his family for a long time struggled, and.
I said, wouldn't it be great if you're able to say, you know, I can pay for my nephew's college fund, don't worry about it, or like when he graduates high school, I got his first car, or like, you know, if somebody needs something, we are here to be able to provide it because we both are really simple. And so that's really what the money means to me. It means that I'll be able to really be of help to
those people are really care about that. If a financial situation arises, then I can say, Okay, you know, I don't I might not have it all, but I've got enough that we don't have to worry.
Heymen's sister friend.
I know I thought a lot of it.
This is a Tiffany show. Actually, it's just I felt like I was sitting around the horst. Just listen to it, listen to Tiff tell stories. Well, we only have time probably just for wins, because I have to run. I'm actually hosting. I'm not hosting, giving myself a bigger title, but my best friends having engagement party tonight because that's what everyone's doing. So she's actually planning my bridal shower bachelorette, and then I've been helping her with their engagement party.
So it's just it's just all happiness, okay, But yeah, I have to go pick up her dessert. And I think I did a damn good job. I just got five dozen cupcakes and I got them to put their faces on them, like Georgetown cupcakes. A good cupcakes.
Oh I'm not trying to think. Have I had one?
Okay, but you need to get thee there. They're so good there.
What's your win? Is that your win? No?
What was my wing going to be?
Oh?
My win?
Oh?
I finally I made my second higher. I hired a new reporter this week and he just started and I was really really afraid because he's like two and a half times my age and it's my first it's my first time as a manager in general. But you know, my first reporter is younger, and you know that's it's
just it feels a little bit more natural. But it's my first time working with someone who has way more just older, but he also has way more experience than me, which is why I picked him as a higher But he started and saying he's great, and he's really he's going to be, you know, awesome reporting some excellent personal
finance investigative stuff for Magnified Money. So I guess that's my win, just taking that, you know, not letting my own insecurity as a manager sort of get in the way of hiring who I think could be one of the best.
Look at boss lady. I'm gonna call you boss lady.
Mandy, I'm his first thing. I'm like, an, here's everything I want to do, Thank you very much. By I'm really naturally all that worry, you.
Know, right, You're like, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to hello you over here now, oh wait, no, that's dope. Though I could see you as like a good boss, so I see you as you know. It's so weird. It's not like when we're on the phone
because sometimes Mandy and I are professional. Worlds collide, you know, like outside of this and then we're on the phone, like when we had the phone conversation like me, you magnify money and my COO like I was so waiting, like it took everything for me not to be like hey girl, Mandy even though I because I'm so used to that side, and Manny was very like, yes, this is done. Yes, that's been completed. Again, I'm like, who's that. Oh that's right, this is good. No, it was good.
But it's just so crazy to see like the other side, like, oh, Manny's she's professional me while I'm over there like hey.
Yeah, girl, you and nick I know you and girl left alone, don't.
You forget it? Me and nick I was like, let's just get off the phone. I'm just I'm gonna hang up. Yeah, we're That's why we have the Manni's in the Sierra's because Sierra reminds me so much of you, my coeo, Like she is like about that business, like, Okay, this is done.
Okay, guys, talk to you later.
I said, look at this, so yeah, you guys allow us to be the creatives that we are.
Yeah, I'm excited to talk more about the partnership too, maybe honest on the next podcast, because it's launching where you're You're starting next week right with the Livery.
Challenge, so it's perfect timing.
So we'll tell you guys more about that next week. About the exciting the excitings Magnify, Money Slash, Budget Nesta mostly Budgetiesta Part.
Well, I'm gonna my my quick win is that I'm always looking for a new podcast and sometimes, you know you, some of them are great and some of them are not. So I listened to Tim Farissist podcast, so I love his book The Four Hour work Week and hate his podcast. Sorry Tim, me too, thank you. It is the world. I'm like, what is happening? It's so boying.
I hate a lot of the the popular business ones. I don't know, I.
Don't know what it was the worst, But I did find one that I did like. It's called Making Oprah, and it's just a three part series podcast where they kind of like bring you from the beginning and when she first started to like how to her you know, obviously her her rise to fame and wealth and fortune and all that kind of stuff. But it's like really interesting. They actually get a chance to interview Oprah and those people who were there first working with her from the
very beginning. So if you're just looking for like a quick it's like it's it's just a three part series making Oprah. So that's my win because I'm sold.
Yeah, I'm miss her. I know, I don't get the own network. I don't see her anymore.
Really, you know, I don't really watch TV much. But yeah, so that's my win because I was like, yes, I was listening to it today, like, yes, this is good, especially off the heels of the terrible Tim Ferris podcast. I'm sorry, I mean, and I love the four hour work where you I love his blog, but honestly, I'm like, brother, you need some background music something.
I mean, different strokes are different folks. That's why it's great. There's so many different flavors of podcasts out there. And you know, I'm glad that you know, we're still on I got to give a shout out to iTunes. Really, we're still on the main iTunes page under their Black Voices in Business category, and that's been up there for months and it's just great that they're taking notice of the fact that people want different voices, you know, same
subject but different spins on it and different types. But personally, I don't listen to any personal finance podcasts. I listened to. I love storytelling podcasts. I love all the Ted the Ted Radio Hour podcasts, and I love he just started a new one, guy Guy Raz, who hosts the Ted Radio Hour on NPR. He started a new one called How I Built This, which is similar to kind of what it sounds like the Oprah one is each episode is talking to a different like person who built the
company or built the brand. He said, yeah, it's good. He had La Reid, he had the guy who made Airbnb. He had who's the other girl. It was like a cosmetics line that I forget, but really good and really interesting because you get to hear the story behind the company and not just all the splashy like and then I was a billionaire.
Okay, I want to listen. I love stuff like that because it gives you hope, like okay, like, oh sometimes it does suck. I'm not just messing up, okay.
And for me it's like, hm, maybe I should start a business, but back to my day job, all.
Right, I know her like end, it's always awkward, like so yes.
It's really fun talking to you same time next week.
Yeah yeah I think so.
Like I'll call you or you can call me, you know, text whatever.
Enjoy your your your bridal shower.
And yeah I'm mad I have to go outside. It's too cold for this. Nice this stuff not me.
I'm in my pjs.
I have a good night. I ran happy shopping for the house.
Thank you, okay, bye bye, all right,