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Join Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench (from BiggerPocketsMoney.com) weekly for the BiggerPockets Money Podcast. Each week, financial experts Mindy and Scott interview unique and powerful thought leaders about how to earn more, keep more, spend smarter, and reach financial independence.
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Why do so many in early retirement struggle with happiness? We know you’ve told yourself, “Once I hit FIRE, I’ll be living the dream! Every day will be like a vacation.” This is what Mindy was telling herself for years before becoming financially independent, and once she hit her goal, she realized life’s same problems still exist. If you’re FI already, this may sound familiar. So, how do you enjoy the path to early retirement so that when you reach your financial goal, the party doesn’t stop?
Jordan Grumet, AKA Doc G, practiced full-time medicine for years but wasn’t completely satisfied, even with financial success. After reflecting on his “purpose,” he found that hospice medicine brought him true fulfillment. Through conversations with patients on their deathbeds, Jordan uncovered a common thread: most regrets stemmed from not living a purposeful life, regardless of financial achievement.
In his new book, The Purpose Code, Jordan walks you through exercises that uncover your view on purpose, success, financial freedom, and what it means to truly “win” in life. His goal? Make sure you enjoy every day on the path to financial freedom so that when you get there, you know exactly how to live the life you love. If you want to reach FIRE happy, less stressed, and full of energy to live your early retirement life, we’ve got what the doctor ordered.
In This Episode We Cover
Why even the wealthiest people in the world are still so unhappy (and what they’re missing)
Why money is NOT the only tool you can use to find lifelong happiness
The four “anchors” you can use to find your life’s purpose before it’s too late
How to enjoy the path to financial freedom without burning out or pushing through unhappiness
The number one thing in life that leads to humans being happy (it’s completely free)
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Email Mindy: Mindy@biggerpockets.com
Email Scott: Scott@biggerpockets.com
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Land More Off-Market Deals with Crucial Property Owner Contact Information from DealMachine
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
The “Deathbed Toolkit” That Makes Building Wealth Much More Enjoyable w/Doc G
(00:00) Intro
(04:39) The Comparison Trap
(06:38) You're Getting "Purpose" Wrong
(10:16) How to Start Enjoying Life
(14:07) The Reason So Many Aren't Happy
(23:30) The Huge Impact of "Little" Purpose
(29:10) Purpose Exercises
(30:52) Finding Your Community
(33:54) Connect with Jordan!
(34:27) Find Purpose BEFORE FI!
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-601
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Are you building wealth but feel like you can never enjoy it? Do you struggle with money, fearing you carry the same poor financial habits as your parents? Whether you’ve got a lot of money or a little, many of us face the same mental financial challenges—anxiety, shame, and stress—but it doesn’t have to stay this way.
Today’s guest is living proof that change is possible. After completely turning his financial life around, from maxed-out credit cards, a rock-bottom credit score, repossessions, and empty bank accounts, to achieving financial success, he now teaches others how to do the same.
Steven Hughes, a money therapist, focuses on uncovering the financial beliefs shaped during childhood. Steven recognized that the negative money mindset affecting him in his youth also impacted countless others. To address this, he founded the non-profit “Know Money” to help people cultivate a stress-free, anxiety-free, and guilt-free perspective on money, empowering them to achieve true wealth—both mentally and financially.
Do you feel like, even though you’ve got money, you’re constantly worrying or unable to keep a cent in your bank account? Steven provides practical tools to help you finally break free from an unhealthy money mindset.
In This Episode We Cover
How to find the “root” of your money fears and address it once identified
Why some people with extraordinary incomes struggle to save money
Healthy vs. unhealthy financial emotions and ways to stop feeling guilty about success
Tools to manage your emotions around money so you can truly enjoy your wealth
The “family fund” that empowers you to give generously without being taken advantage of
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Email Mindy: Mindy@biggerpockets.com
Email Scott: Scott@biggerpockets.com
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Land More Off-Market Deals with Crucial Property Owner Contact Information from DealMachine
Grab Your Copy of “The Richest Man in Babylon (BiggerPockets Edition)"
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
How to Use Your Financial Fears to Build Wealth Better
(00:00) Intro
(01:13) 7 Maxed Out Credit Cards?!
(05:56) Teaching Others to Avoid His Mistakes
(07:34) Identifying Your Money "Root"
(10:08) Getting Out of Debt
(11:55) Financial Therapy
(16:28) Mental Money Challenges
(18:53) Healthy vs. Unhealthy Money Emotions
(22:24) What to Do AFTER FIRE
(25:46) Tools to Manage Money Emotions
(32:34) Family Asking for Money?
(38:34) Connect with Steven!
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-600
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Is it a good time to invest in real estate? Yes, and we have proof that real estate may be underpriced, even as we hover around the most expensive average home prices in history. How can real estate be undervalued when prices are at historic highs? Dave is sitting down with Scott Trench, CEO of BiggerPockets, who has condensed ten hours' worth of research into one episode to prove to you that, without a doubt, real estate will be winning over the next few years. Plus, he’s about to make a BIG financial bet on it.
We’ve been talking a lot about entering the “upside” era recently—the new cycle of real estate investing—and wanted Scott’s take on it, too. He has invested in real estate for over a decade, reached financial independence through rental properties, and has been openly critical about multiple sectors of the real estate industry over the past few years.
Today, Scott makes a compelling case for real estate as a better investment than stocks, crypto, or gold. Some specific real estate niches could see prices drop even more, making 2025 (and 2026) phenomenal opportunities to buy. Make your choice: tune into this episode and build wealth while others sit on the sidelines or wish you had done so in a few years.
In This Episode We Cover
Why residential real estate may actually be undervalued in 2025
One sector of real estate with enormous buying opportunities nobody is noticing
Scott’s MASSIVE real estate bet and why he’s selling much of his stock portfolio
Where interest rates will be in 2025 and whether they could rise even more
Rental housing demand and the almost irrefutable case that rent prices will rise
Why Scott believes Bitcoin will be going to $0 in the long term
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Email Mindy: Mindy@biggerpockets.com
Email Scott: Scott@biggerpockets.com
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
S&P 500 Ten-Year Returns vs. S&P 500 P/E
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-599
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From over $300,000 in debt to a millionaire in just eight years?! No matter where you’re at, it’s never too late to get on the path to financial freedom. This entrepreneur is proof that a little discipline, frugality, and creativity can radically change your financial trajectory!
Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Today, we’re speaking with Bernadette Joy, founder of Crush Your Money Goals. In 2016, Bernadette had dug herself a six-figure hole—a combination of student loans, credit cards, and mortgages—simply by listening to bad money advice. But in just THREE years, she paid off all of her debt and has since built a net worth of $1.8 million! How did she create such an enormous swing in less than a decade? In this episode, she’ll show you the exact steps she took so that YOU can do the same!
Want to accelerate your journey to FIRE? Bernadette has all kinds of budgeting tips, debt paydown strategies, and side hustles that will help you reach your financial goals much faster. Stay tuned to learn how to wipe out your debt as quickly as possible, save for retirement, and even make an extra $100 a day alongside your nine-to-five job!
In This Episode We Cover
How Bernadette paid off $300,000 in debt in just THREE years
Making an extra $100 a day with side hustles (while working a W2 job)
The three-bucket, zero-based budget that balances frugality and freedom
Using the “snowball” method to pay off student loan debt faster
Whether you should keep a large cash position (or invest it!)
How to manage financial anxiety on the road to financial independence
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Email Mindy: Mindy@biggerpockets.com
Email Scott: Scott@biggerpockets.com
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Grab Scott’s Book “Set for Life”
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
BiggerPockets Money 586 – Average Net Worth by Age (How Do You Compare?)
(00:00) Intro
(00:59) Getting Into $300K of Debt
(04:52) The Zero-Based Budget
(14:00) Starting Side Hustles
(18:33) Making an Extra $100/Day
(24:44) Bernadette’s Portfolio
(37:47) Connect with Bernadette!
(39:16) Crush Your Money Goals!
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-598
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“Do I have enough to retire?” is a question most people in the FIRE community grapple with, but today, we’re sharing a FREE tool that will help you put this issue to bed! If you’re concerned about running out of money later in life or developing “One More Year Syndrome,” you won’t want to miss this episode!
Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Software engineer Lauren Boland has developed a FIRE calculator that predicts whether your nest egg will be able to support you in retirement. This powerful tool takes dozens of key data points—such as your financial independence number, retirement age, annual expenses, portfolio mix, and historical returns—to simulate multiple retirement scenarios. In this episode, Lauren, Scott, and Mindy are going to walk you through this powerful tool, step-by-step!
Does the four-percent rule still work in 2025? How much do you really need to save for retirement? Whether you’re just starting your quest for FIRE or looking to tweak your investment portfolio as you approach retirement, cFIREsim will show you where you stand and what you might need to adjust to meet your retirement goals!
In This Episode We Cover
A step-by-step walkthrough of Lauren’s FREE cFIREsim tool
How much money you actually need to retire early
Reverse-engineering your financial independence number
Whether you can still retire on the four-percent rule in 2025
How to ensure that your money not only lasts but also grows in retirement
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Email Mindy: Mindy@biggerpockets.com
Email Scott: Scott@biggerpockets.com
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Social Security Administration
Get to FIRE Faster with Scott’s Book “Set for Life”
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
How Much Do You Need for Early Retirement? (How to Calculate Your FI Number)
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-597
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Ramit Sethi, the money and couples’ finances expert, is back! This time, he’s teaching you how to have life-changing money conversations with your partner so you can build a “rich life” together and even FIRE faster! You may know Ramit from his popular book, I Will Teach You to Be Rich,or his Netflix series How to Get Rich, but today, he’s sharing brand new insights, techniques, and lessons from his newest book, Money for Couples!
If you’re a FIRE freak like us, you may have a partner who’s having a tough time getting on the same financial page as you. You see their eyes glaze over as you pull up spreadsheets, talking about compound interest and the savings from switching to non-organic broccoli. We’re sure it’s well-intentioned, but this could be doing more harm than help.
If you want to enjoy getting “rich” with your partner, have more time to do the things you love, and build your wealth as a partnership instead of constantly persuading your other half, this is the episode to catch! Ramit shares his “script” for having crucial money conversations, diagnoses which “money type” you fall into, and gives the steps to escape the “Middle-Class Trap”!
In This Episode We Cover
How to start a “money conversation” with your partner (EVEN if they aren’t into FIRE)
The money dates you must have to get on the same page
The four “money types” and how knowing yours can strengthen your relationship
What the FIRE movement gets wrong about money (it’s not all about dollars and cents!)
Escaping the “Middle-Class Trap” of not being able to retire EVEN when you’re wealthy
The most surprising thing that Ramit has learned about money in most relationships
Why Ramit rents and has NO INTEREST in buying a house!
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Email Mindy: Mindy@biggerpockets.com
Email Scott: Scott@biggerpockets.com
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Grab Scott and Mindy’s Book, “First-Time Home Buyer”
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
BiggerPockets Money 243 - Ramit Sethi’s Money Advice for Couples: Live a Rich Life, Together
BiggerPockets Money 73 - Ramit Sethi Will Teach You to Be Rich!
Hear Ramit Interview Mindy “We achieved FIRE with $4.3M. Why can’t we enjoy it?”
(00:00) Intro
(01:01) Ramit is Back!
(03:49) The Money Conversation "Script"
(09:50) What Couples Should Do
(12:28) Your Money "Type"
(19:06) Hard Money Talks
(24:32) Do You Do This?
(30:17) Escaping the "Middle Class Trap"
(42:43) Most People DON'T Know This!
(46:29) Renting vs. Buying a House
(59:52) STOP Caring What Others Think
(1:03:07) Grab Ramit's Book!
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-596
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Want to know how to make $100 a day in 2025, all while working from home? We brought the queen of side hustles, Jackie Mitchell, back on the show to share how her money-making journey has been going. Jackie set a goal to make $100 a day to save up for a down payment. She did just that, making close to $11,000 in total in her one-hundred-day side hustling stretch. Now, she’s bought a house, still side hustling, and saving a TON of money. How’s she doing it?
Jackie reveals the easiest and most profitable side hustles from her $100-a-day challenge. Some side hustles made her $500 for just three hours of work, while other more casual tasks paid her anywhere from twenty to twenty-five dollars per hour while she was hanging out at home. But what has she done with that extra money?
Today, Jackie shares the huge money moves she’s made to put herself in a FIRE position early on in life. She’s got a big goal: pay off her new house in her thirties! Can she do it? With these side hustles, it’s looking likely. Plus, she shares how she pays for trips, holiday gifts, and more with her easy work-from-home side hustles anyone can sign up for.
In This Episode We Cover
The $100-a-day work-from-home side hustles you can do entirely online
One side hustle that paid Jackie over $100 per hour and how she found it
The time-consuming side hustle that is NOT worth the money
Paying off your mortgage early vs. investing and why Jackie is going against FIRE advice
Budgeting hacks Jackie and her husband use to spend just eighty dollars a week on groceries (seriously!)
Why Jackie DOESN’T want to retire early (but WILL still reach financial independence!)
And So Much More!
Links
BiggerPockets Money 590 w/All the Hacks’ Chris Hutchins
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-595
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Calling all couples! You and your partner may be on the same page financially or off in two different directions; regardless of where you’re at, it’s a great time to start having money dates!
In this episode, Mindy and Scott are going solo, talking through why money dates are such a crucial part of any healthy relationship. This isn’t just talk, both Mindy and Scott are adamant about money dates, they do them often with their partners as well!
If you’re an individual listening to this episode, you may feel a bit intimidated by the concept of a money date. Do you just sit down and talk about index funds and taxes for an hour? No! A money date can be a perfect time to be alone as a couple, talk about the future, make some positive changes, and hold each other accountable for being the best version of yourselves.
If you have a partner who may be a bit averse to the concept of a money date, have no fear. Mindy and Scott have perfected their plan for setting up a successful money date and how to make it enjoyable when you’re in it.
With the new year coming up very soon, this is the perfect time to plan a money date with your special someone. You won’t regret it!
In This Episode We Cover
What is a “money date”
What to do before you suggest a money date to your partner
How to make the money date successful and what topics to bring up
Following up on your money date and setting up systems for success
The importance of keeping your ideas simple in a money date
How to present the idea to a partner who may not be too keen on finances
Why money dates help create healthier, happier relationships
And So Much More!
Links
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-594
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Got debt to pay off? You might relate to Leo, a personal finance journalist who’s focused on financial stability over FIRE—at least for now. With six figures in student loans and credit card debt, Leo found themselves in a tough spot after being laid off with no safety net. Determined never to end up in that position again, they began chipping away at their debt, working toward financial peace of mind instead of a relentless grind to early retirement.
Leo shares why their approach to financial freedom is different. While they don’t want to wait until sixty-five to retire, they’ve crafted a “wealth plan” that balances paying off debt, building a safety net, and creating a better life today.
In this episode, Leo dives deep into budgeting tips, debt repayment strategies, and the unique financial challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals. Tired of the all-out grind to FIRE and want “financial stability” instead? Leo has just what you need!
In This Episode We Cover
Why financial stability can be just as important as the FIRE grind
Leo’s practical strategies for budgeting and paying off six-figure debt
How to create a wealth plan that supports your life—even while tackling debt
The sacrifices worth making (and the ones that aren’t!) in your financial journey
Why an “accountability buddy” is a cheat code for achieving your financial goals
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Email Mindy: Mindy@biggerpockets.com
Email Scott: Scott@biggerpockets.com
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Get Your Finances in Order with “Set for Life”
Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area
How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt FAST
00:00 Intro
03:41 Serious Credit Card Debt
06:26 Feeling Financial Shame?
08:40 Paying Down Six-Figure
10:33 Wealth "Planning"
13:37 Budgeting Their Debt Payoff
15:52 Financial Stability > Independence
20:06 Does FIRE Change You?
22:10 Best FIRE Advice?
26:23 Connect with Leo!
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-593
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If you want to retire early, the Mad Fientist is your guide. For over a decade, Brandon, more commonly known as the “Mad Fientist,” has been running simulations, experiments, and exercises to discover which road to early retirement is the fastest. Now, in his forties, Brandon has time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and his regrets on the sprint to early retirement and financial freedom. And he’s also got a new update that’ll make your early retirement journey smoother.
After tinkering with the beloved and rarely challenged 4% rule, Brandon decided it was time to sit down and calculate how much you really need to retire early. For decades, financial freedom chasers have been breaking their backs, trying to have as much stashed away as possible to enjoy their well-earned time off from work. But, it turns out that this number might be overinflated, and you can retire with much less than you think. That means your early retirement timeline just got a LOT shorter.
In this episode, Brandon will describe why the 4% rule may be a bit too rigid, how to ensure you’ll have enough during early retirement, what to do during a market crash or correction, and why spending thousands of dollars on a coffee machine isn’t such a bad idea. If you want to maximize enjoyment in early retirement, instead of building a big bank account you probably won’t use, stick around!
In This Episode We Cover
Early retirement rules of thumb you MUST know when on the path to FIRE
The 4% rule and why you DON’T need to follow it to a tee
Retirement withdrawal rules and how much to spend during a crash/correction
The skill of spending and what Brandon regrets most from pre-FIRE life
Tracking your expenses and why knowing your costs is CRUCIAL to early retirement
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Email Mindy: Mindy@biggerpockets.com
Email Scott: Scott@biggerpockets.com
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
The Problem with the 4% Rule (and Why You Could Retire Even Sooner)
Try Baselane, the One Platform for All Your Property Banking & Finances
Get to Early Retirement Faster with "Set for Life"
Find Investor-Friendly Lenders
BiggerPockets Money 18 - Accessing Retirement Funds Before Age 59½ with The Mad Fientist
Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-592
Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com
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