The Stacking Benjamins Show - podcast cover

The Stacking Benjamins Show

Joe Saul-Sehy and Josh ‘OG’ Bannerman, CFPart19.com

Named Best Personal Finance Podcast by Bankrate.com and Kiplinger — and the only podcast the Plutus Awards retired from competition after winning twice — The Stacking Benjamins Show is personal finance that doesn’t put you to sleep.

Hosts Joe Saul-Sehy (former 16-year financial advisor, ex-WXYZ-TV “Money Man”) and Josh “OG” Bannerman, CFP (Certified Financial Planner, Bannerman Wealth) sit around the card table in Joe’s mom’s half-finished basement in Texarkana and talk money with the smartest guests in personal finance, investing, and behavioral economics. As Fast Company wrote, the show “strikes a great balance of fun and functional.”

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: expert guests, real headlines, listener questions, and Doug’s trivia. Topics include investing, retirement planning, budgeting, real estate, behavioral finance, taxes, and financial independence — for anyone who wants to be smarter about money without being talked down to.

Subscribe to The 201 — the free newsletter that goes deeper than the show — at stackingbenjamins.com/201

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Episodes

How Is a New Cryptocurrency Born?

While we're usually not crazy about jumping in the cryptocurrency Kool-aid, a new type of crypto just being birthed called Kinesis caught our eye. This emerging crypto is based on gold and silver...so already it sounds a little different, right? To learn more about Kinesis and just how a new cryptocurrency is birthed, we invited CEO of Kinesis, Thomas Coughlin down to the basement to give us the fundamentals. What makes them different? Why launch a new one when so many others already exist? How ...

Aug 13, 20181 hr 2 min

How Hardcore Are Your Money Habits? (plus an intro to CNote!)

Are you known as the "frugal" friend in your circle? Think you're 100% on board when it comes to managing your finances? You'll have a chance to put that to the test today, because our roundtable is discussing (and sharing their own stories on) hardcore money decisions. Helping us out today is special guest from The PhysicianWealthServices.com , Ryan Inman... PLUS two of our basement favorites: Paula Pant and Len Penzo. Then, in our Fintech segment, we're super excited to talk to Catherine Berma...

Aug 10, 20181 hr 11 min

She Paid Off $18,410 Of Debt In 7 Months

We LOVE success stories, and today we're talking to one woman with a great one. She set out to pay off over $18,000 of debt in a single year. But what happened? She actually did it in just over half that time: seven months. Sounds good? We thought so too, so we called up Jenni Zepol to see just how she did it. The great news? Many of you may be able to follow her tactics and do it also. Plus, in our headlines segment one whistleblower claims she was fired for raising red flags about her employer...

Aug 08, 201855 min

Fidelity Drops TWO Zero Fees Funds Into the Market

We've said for awhile that the fee game is a "race to the bottom," and last week....we reached the bottom. Fidelity dropped some big news in the financial world last week: not only did they slash a bunch of fees, they also introduced two no-fee mutual funds. What does it mean? How does these new funds work? We've got you covered. First, we'll talk to the VP of Retirement for Fidelity, Ken Hevert, for more information on the company's latest move, and later in the show, OG and Joe will break down...

Aug 06, 20181 hr 1 min

How Not To $#&* Yourself When Taking Out A Loan (plus an intro to Current)

Most people borrow money at some point, but how do we pick out good loans from bad loans? To help us figure out which loans are best, we're bringing down our usual suspects: from AffordAnything.com , Paula Pant; from our very own basement, OG; and from LenPenzo.com ... Len Penzo. And halfway through the show we're talking to the founder of Current, Stuart Sopp, who's setting out to help parents teach their kids about money and the dangers of using plastic. We'll also answer a student loan/invest...

Aug 03, 20181 hr 4 min

Your Favorite Money Podcasters LIVE From Podcast Movement

We're coming to you (mostly) live from Podcast Movement! Joe caught up with some of our favorite podcasters and friends and interviewed them live right from the event floor. We have an action-packed episode featuring Gwen Mertz in our headlines, and then interviews from Jordan Harbinger, Phillip Taylor, and Vincent Pugliese, plus an awesome roundtable segment featuring Mindy Jensen from Bigger Pockets, Joel Larsgaard from Pour Not Poor, and Chris Browning from Popcorn Finance. Thanks also to Mag...

Aug 01, 20181 hr 21 min

How Do I Build a Stream of Retirement Money?

Have you been waiting for us to answer your letter? It's your lucky day because we're dedicating today's show to answering your questions. We're covering diversification, retirement, investing, Fintech, dividends and everything in between on our special letters episode. Before we get to your letters, In our headlines segment we're taking a look at emergency funds and long-term care dollars. Are you thinking about cutting corners and that maybe you can get by day-to-day without some sort of emerg...

Jul 30, 201851 min

Do I Have an Unhealthy Relationship With Money? (plus an intro to Zeta)

There are many ways to have a not-so-great relationship with the fuel that helps you reach your goals. You can spend too much, never spend anything...and much more. What IS a healthy relationship, and what does it look like? There are a lot of warning signs, but that doesn't mean it's an easy problem to fix. On today's show, our contributors, Jen Smith from the FrugalFriendsPodcast.com , Roger Whitney (the Retirement Answer Man) from RogerWhitney.com, and Paula Pant from AffordAnything.com , wil...

Jul 27, 20181 hr 16 min

Investing In Your Vices (with Jordan Waldrep)

You've probably heard of impact investing, but... have you heard of vice funds? The concept is similar to impact investing, but instead of good causes, vice fund invests in those other sectors of the market....like cigarettes, gambling, and alcohol. Interested yet? We hope so, because today, to talk more on vice funds, mom's invited the guy that's right in the middle of this sector to share ideas, stories, and his investing strategy, Jordan Waldrep. Then, in our headlines segment, we'll call our...

Jul 25, 20181 hr 14 min

Doing Well By Doing Good...with Real Estate (with Eddie Lorin)

At least one real estate investor is doing his best work by bringing affordable real estate to the masses. From ImpactHousing.com , we welcome Eddie Lorin, who'll share how you can purchase and create real estate opportunities that in his words, "do well by doing good." We'll also talk about real estate in different areas of the country and about trends in real estate investing and rehabilitation. Whether you're a seasoned real estate investor or a newbie, there'll be something for you to like. ...

Jul 23, 201859 min

What Do Money Bloggers Owe Their Audience? (plus a BIG update from Tiller)

Should financial bloggers and financial podcasters who tout that they're "retired" share the WHOLE story with their audience? Plus, if they're managing a successful blog or podcast, how "retired" are they actually? Additionally....does it matter to a reader or listener if the writer/podcaster is actually retired, if their information is on point? We'll tackle a great article on this topic from Tanja Hester from the Our Next Life blog with our special guest, CFP Dana Anspach from SensibleMoney.co...

Jul 20, 20181 hr 27 min

Welcome to Stacking Hamiltons! (w/ Rosemarie Groner)

And you thought you knew us! WELCOME TO THE STACKING HAMILTONS SHOW!!!! According to Doug's crazy holiday calendar we're celebrating National Hamilton's Day. It's your lucky today because today we're bringing you a show stock full of tips on how to save Hamiltons fora rainy day. Rosemarie Groner from BusyBudgeter.com , stopped by the basement to hand deliver 10 tips to save $10 in 10 minutes minutes or less. PLUS, during our headlines segment, we're talking to the COO of popular money and budget...

Jul 18, 20181 hr 17 min

How I Retired Early: A Case Study w/ Fritz Gilbert

Do you ever find yourself sitting around wondering how someone retires early? Good news... we've been wondering the same thing. To answer answer all of our (and your!) questions about early retirement, we invited the man who has not only done it himself, but has been teaching other people to do it too, from TheRetirementManifesto.com , Fritz Gilbert. Speaking of wonder....have you wondered how you can win that "free" luxury car in the mall? Ever think about writing down your information for a ch...

Jul 15, 20181 hr 19 min

Answer These 3 Questions About Money To Enrich Your Life (plus an intro to eBlocker)

It always pays to start with the end in mind, which may seem difficult, but one recent piece suggests that answering a few questions will help you crystalize your goals. For example, do you know what you'd do with your life if money wasn't an issue? What would your life's goals and aspirations be? What would change? To help answer today's big questions we invited Crystal Hammond from the SophisticatedSpender.com to join us, along with regular contributors Paula Pant from AffordAnything.com and L...

Jul 13, 20181 hr 6 min

How To Slash Your Investing Risk (with Chris Cook)

Investing can be scary, especially if you're just starting out. What if your money evaporates overnight? What if some unforeseen event happens and my investments are wiped out? And with most of us relying on our investments to get us through retirement years, to pay for college, or other goals, it's natural to be worried. While we can't totally eliminate investment risk, we can do a pretty good job reducing risk... if you know how. That's why we're bringing the author of Slash Your Retirement Ri...

Jul 11, 20181 hr 11 min

Fun & Games and Wiping Out Your Student Loan Debt (with Michael Torpey and Natalia Abrams)

A game show made to wipe out student debt? That's right...coming to Tru TV is a new game show that's made specifically for that reason. If you're anything like millions of other people, you've probably had (or still have) the pleasure of dealing with student loans. Between ongoing bills and wallet stretching emergencies, it may seem like there's never enough money to go around. So what do you do? Coming to the basement to discuss the student loan epidemic, and to help YOU pay off some of your de...

Jul 09, 20181 hr

Starting Your Rental Real Estate Empire with Brandon Turner (SB RWD 79)

Looking to jump into real estate? We're rolling back the clock to the time we talked to Brandon Turner from the award-winning real estate site, Bigger Pockets . He'll talk about purchasing, managing tenants and building wealth. We'll also cover a couple of headlines about some hacks to make your life easier, and the deadly financial sins to avoid if you're not keen on handing your money over to crooks. Of course, we'll also answer some letters, get a dose of Doug's trivia, and much much more. Th...

Jul 04, 20181 hr 7 min

Rocking Your Debt Cleanse with Nick Clements, Mandi Woofruff and Tiffany the Budgetnista (SB RWD 78)

Griffin the Intern (the "FinTern") takes us back to our debt-curing discussion with MagnifyMoney CEO Nick Clements and MagnifyMoney Executive Editor Mandi Woodruff. Still in the wake of the holiday buying season, Nick and Mandi shared some good strategies on paying down debt. We also take your letters, learn French with Matilda and Devin Carrol , and get a surprise visit from Tiffany the Budgetnista . Of course, it's a full episode of the show....so there's much, much more! Enjoy! You can find t...

Jul 02, 20181 hr 21 min

Make Mistakes and Still Find Financial Independence (plus an intro to Mason)

When you've made some mistakes in your past, how do you get back on track for financial independence? Is there ever a "too" late? Is financial independence out of reach for those of us who started late? Helping us answer those questions and more is special guest Gwen Mertz from the FireDrillPodcast.com . Also rounding out our contributors for today is Len Penzo, of LenPenzo.com fame, and our very own OG. And midway through the show we'll take a few minutes to stop and talk about seniors selling ...

Jun 29, 20181 hr 7 min

Kiné Corder on the Relationship Between Money, Happiness, and Your Personality

Kiné Corder joins us to tackle some of the biggest money issues...our own money personality. Mom says all the time to "know yourself," and Kine will help you dive into your money traits so that you can rely more on your strengths and cover your weaknesses. We'll discuss spenders, blamers, artists, presidents and more on today's show! In our headlines segment, how would you feel if you had to skip important medical care due to high costs? That's what almost HALF the diabetics in the USA are facin...

Jun 27, 20181 hr 10 min

You CAN Stick To The Plan (with Nicole Lapin)

New York Times bestselling author Nicole Lapin is someone (maybe like you, and definitely like me) who wasn't taught money lessons growing up. However, different than many people, she's been able to create and stick to a money plan. She's been recognized two years running as the #1 money guru at site GoBankingRates.com, and now she's with us teaching YOU how to stick to the plan. Even if it's difficult. Even if you don't think you can...she'll talk about money myths, truths, and probably more th...

Jun 25, 20181 hr 15 min

5 Fun Ways To Teach Kids About Money (Plus Advice From TIAA for Grandparents, Aunts, and Uncles)

Do you know any kids already bored with summer? Know someone who needs some help breaking down basic finance for the kiddos? You're in luck because today we're talking kids and money. Joining us today, from the National Bank of Mom, is our new friend Maggie. ...and back for another round, from FamZoo , we welcome Bill Dwight. And rounding out our roundtable, from ConnieAlbers.com, we welcome Connie Albers. They'll talk about many ideas to brighten your summer and help your children grasp money c...

Jun 22, 20181 hr 19 min

What's Not To Like About a 401k Loan? (Your Letters)

Mail call! Today we're ripping open your letters and answering tons of your questions. We'll share our thoughts on 401k loans, improving your credit, saving money... and much, much more. And during out headlines segment we're looking at Vanguard's 401k changes and... an article about millennial saving habits. It appears that many millennials think they're either going to retire early or not at all. As Joe's mom would say, "that doesn't sound good." It isn't...and bigger problems lie in the detai...

Jun 20, 20181 hr 4 min

When Retirement Seems Impossible (with Dr. Steve Wendel from Morningstar)

Invest there, save here, charge this, spend that... what's behind our financial decision making? We might not personally have all of those answer, but we know someone who does. Coming down to the basement is the head of behavioral science at Morningstar, Steve Wendel. Morningstar has some alarming statistics about retirement, and Dr. Wendel will present eight different ways to solve some potentially big problems in your future. And in our headlines segment... is the market about to take a tumble...

Jun 18, 20181 hr 3 min

Why The Joneses Will Bankrupt You (plus an intro to the WELA app)

On Wednesday we talked about what goes into picking the right financial advisor. You'd want to be sure of the person your entrusting with your financials, after all. But would you trust a financial advisor who's a couple of decades younger than you? We're asking that same question to our wonderful panel of contributors: special guest Shannon Mclay (from Financially-Blonde.com ), Len Penzo (from LenPenzo.com ), and Paula Pant from Afford Anything . PLUS, in a second Friday headline, living next t...

Jun 15, 20181 hr 13 min

How To Avoid the Wrong Financial Planner (with Stephanie McCullough)

The hardest part of hiring a financial planner? Making sure you pick the right one! That's why today we're welcoming the CEO of Sofia Financial, Stephanie McCullough. She's not only sharing her insider tips on what to look for with the right financial planner, but what to look out for from potentially the WRONG financial planner. In our headlines segment, one start-up blockchain CEO is claiming that Bitcoin isn't the holy grail that people may hope. BUT, he does think that bitcoin, along with th...

Jun 13, 20181 hr 2 min

Getting InvestED (with Phil Town)

How do you take control of your money and start investing? Danielle Town had a famous dad in the investing world, Phil Town, and didn't want anything to do with her father....to the point that she didn't want to invest money the way he did. Instead, she decided to stick her money in a savings account and hopefully grow it. Today we're happy to have Phil Town with us, to discuss not only the biographical parts of the early book, but about getting brave with your money and learning how to invest. ...

Jun 11, 20181 hr 4 min

What Was Your Money Epiphany? (plus an intro to Status Money)

What was your big money epiphany? Was it realizing you were paying for a car that was way too expensive? Or that even though you're cashing in with a nice job you're still living paycheck to paycheck? Maybe, if you're like Doug, you're still waiting on your big money epiphany. Joining us to share their own money epiphanies are our time-tested contributors: Len Penzo (from LenPenzo.com ), Paula Pant from Afford Anything, and our very own OG. And halfway through the show we'll take a break and tal...

Jun 08, 20181 hr 9 min

Taking Drastic Action to Pay Down $120k of Debt (with Aja McClanahan)

Would you move your family to the rough part of Chicago to pay down debt and improve the neighborhood? Coming down to the basement is one woman who did just that...Aja McClanahan. After making the difficult decision to take drastic action, Aja and her family paid off a whopping $120,000 in debt. Think you could do the same? Aja will share her inspiring story about how her family took action and wiped out their debt. In our headlines segment, we'll share one crazy headline about a woman who paid ...

Jun 06, 20181 hr 8 min

The Highs and Lows of Real Estate Investing (with Dana Bull)

Ever thought about getting into real estate, but didn't know what to expect? Our featured guest, Dana Bull , has seen just about everything when it comes to acquiring, rehabbing, and renting properties as a real estate investor. She's acquired dozens of properties before reaching the age of 28. We invited Dana down to the basement so she could share all the highs and lows she's experienced along the way. Plus in our headlines segment, we turn our attention to a challenge women face when changing...

Jun 04, 20181 hr 3 min
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