The College Investor Audio Show

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How To Make $1,000,000 – The Math And Strategies That Work Sep 13, 2018

Show notes

Sorry, this isn't going to be a get rich quick post, but I do want to show you how to make $1,000,000 and have that nest egg for when you retire!

I'm a firm believer that individuals of most income levels can afford to save and invest to have over $1,000,000 by the time they retire. After doing some math, which I will share with you below, I was pretty surprised about how possible it is.

I've run several different simulations, based on different market returns and savings amounts, and I'm showing you below. Then, we'll talk about different strategies and tactics you can use to get there.

Let's break it down.

5 Tips To Make Paying Off Your Student Loans Easier On Your Budget Sep 13, 2018

Show notes

Student loan debt is not fun to have. While it may have been necessary to pay for school, now that you’re graduated, it’s time to think about ways to pay off your student loans faster.

If you’re looking at your repayment plan options - even the shortest term is usually around 10 years. That can seem like forever!

At the same time, looking at these long time frames could also motivate you to see what you can do to get out of student loan debt fast. Luckily, there are a lot of ways to get out of student loan debt fast - it just takes a solid repayment strategy and knowing your options.

We’ve put together a list of ten of the best ways to help you formulate that plan. Remember - this is about paying your student loans faster. Getting aggressive with your student loan debt. These ideas might not work for everyone, or at least not today.

It’s always important to assess your own situation, and then layer in these tactics as you’re able to.

Zipcar Review - A Good Alternative To Owning A Car Sep 05, 2018

Show notes

If you’re like most college students, you’re always looking for a good way to trim a few bucks off of your spending. From crowding four (or more) people into a two-bedroom apartment, to joining every campus club for the free food, students know how to save money in college.

But such frugality can be a huge pain, especially if you’ve decided to forgo car ownership in favor of public transit, bumming rides off friends, and biking. Is there a way for college students to forgo car ownership without surviving exclusively on public transit and other people’s kindness?

Zipcar, a shared car rental service promises to deliver the benefits of car ownership without all the costs. However, it’s not clear that it delivers. We’ll explain how Zipcar works, and when it makes good financial sense to join.

The Best Ways To Invest On A Low Income Sep 03, 2018

Show notes

Most people struggle to build wealth, even if they have a high income. People with low incomes face an especially difficult challenge when it comes to building wealth.

If you’re scraping by on a low income, you probably can’t prioritize saving a huge portion of your income. That means that every dollar you manage to save and invest needs to go to its best possible use.

The following are the six places people with low incomes should consider investing to maximize their long-run wealth-building potential.

Chase You Invest Review Aug 31, 2018

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Chase You Invest is now J.P. Morgan Chase Self Directed Investing.

How To Make Money Driving Your Car Aug 30, 2018

Show notes

If you have access to a reasonably reliable car, then congratulations! Making money driving is one of the best side hustles!

A decent car is the biggest asset most Americans own, other than their houses. And there are a lot of ways you can make money driving or with your car! In fact, I've seen some people try to raise fast cash by selling their cars.

But what you might not realize is that there are a lot of other ways to make money using your car. If you have a car and don't mind driving it around, then you're well on your way to earning hundreds of dollars on the side every month.

This has been true for decades — a paper route or a pizza delivery job has always meant using your own wheels — but the app-based gig economy and the Internet generally has vastly expanded the ease of getting paid to drive your own car. Without further ado, here are some of the best ways to start making money driving your car today.

If you want other money making ideas, check out our Side Hustle Ideas post.

The Best Brokerage And Investing Bonus Offers Right Now Aug 29, 2018

Show notes

Investing platforms and brokerages are fighting for your business by offering competitive investing bonus offers and promotions.

It took me a while to start investing because it seemed so complex. Not only did you have to decide what stock to buy, but you also had to figure out how to buy it! Since you can't deal directly with companies, that means a "broker" — a middleman from whom you can buy any companies' stock or mutual funds that combine a lot of stocks into one basket.

Nowadays, there are a lot of brokers out there, ranging from old-school companies like Charles Schwab where you have a relationship with a local office and a person, to slightly newer behemoths like Vanguard and Fidelity, to upstarts like Betterment that aim to totally automate the process. Plus, there are all the free investing apps out there.

But how do you choose which broker to go with? Since many of these companies are well known and trustworthy (that is, they won't run off with your hard-earned money the way Bernie Madoff did), you need some way to distinguish them.

In my opinion, if you're trying to distinguish between trustworthy companies, there are three things to take into consideration:

What kinds of fees do they charge? Can you invest for free?
What kinds of services do they provide?
What kinds of incentives do they offer to get you to choose their company rather than their competitor?

The Internet age is really making the third factor shine! Practically every month new offers come out as brokers try to entice people to move their investments, or to begin investing for the first time. This is a great time to be thinking about opening a new investment account. Because it's so easy to research fees and offers, many of the big brokerages are matching each other's prices and offers, making the environment better and better for customers.

How Much Does It Cost To Study Abroad Aug 23, 2018

Show notes

A semester abroad can look affordable on a brochure. Then the extras show up. Program fees often cover tuition and sometimes housing, yet families quickly face spending that is not obvious at sign-up: passport and visa applications, required health insurance, residence permits, course materials, local transit, foreign transaction fees, and the cost of a last-minute flight home if plans change.

Typical budgets vary widely by destination and program model. Third-party providers that arrange housing and logistics often quote total semester prices between about $15,000 and $22,000, depending on location.

Direct enrollment at a foreign university can be much cheaper on the tuition line, ranging from a few hundred dollars per semester in parts of Europe to well over $10,000 in places like Australia and New Zealand. The tradeoff is support. Families taking the direct route typically have to handle their own tasks such as housing, course registration, and visas.

Financial aid can lower costs, but not in every scenario. Financial aid is more likely to flow to exchange or direct-enroll programs tied to your home university’s academic year. Aid is often limited for short winter or summer sessions. And it's important to note that study abroad may not always be a qualifying 529 plan expense.

Many third-party programs charge higher fees and may not accept federal aid in the same way your campus exchange does, so the net price depends on the structure your student chooses.

Google Pay And The Best Mobile Wallet Alternatives Aug 20, 2018

Show notes

Here are the best Google Wallet alternatives.

Earnest Money: What You Need To Know And How Much Is Enough? Aug 16, 2018

Show notes

When purchasing a home, earnest money is a key factor in determining if you’ll get the home before the deal closes.

Earnest money is different from a down payment and often a lot less. It’s basically a good-faith gesture and says to the seller that you are serious about purchasing the home.

There are a number of factors that go into ensuring your earnest money satisfies the seller and that you get it back if things don’t work out. In this article, you’ll learn what earnest money is, how much you should put up and how to ensure you get it back if the deal doesn’t work out.