Episodes

  • The Realistic, Repeatable Path to Investing for FIRE in Your 20s

    The Realistic, Repeatable Path to Investing for FIRE in Your 20s
    Sep 27 2024
    Young, old, or in between, you need to hear this episode! Today’s guest paid off over $80,000 of debt, grew her net worth to $100,000 and did it all just years after graduating from college without a sky-high income. How did she make such quick progress, and what’s her secret to skyrocketing her net worth early in her career? She’s sharing it all in this episode, and you (no matter your age) can follow her repeatable path, too! Want to see your net worth leap so you can fast-track your road to FIRE? Anna Foley is the person you should listen to. Through common-sense smart spending, diligent investing, and salary-increasing career pivots, Anna and her partner went from $80,000 debt to debt-free and finally hit six-figure net worth status. The best part? They did all of it WITHOUT giving up what makes life enjoyable, and they still sport a phenomenal savings rate! Anna is sharing how she saves a significant portion of her income every month, why she decided to rent (not buy) a house, how “paying yourself first” can get you debt-free before you know it, and why she does NOT follow the traditional advice of chasing a “FIRE number.” In your twenties? Copy Anna’s plan! Closer to retirement? Follow Anna’s smart saving and investing tactics, and you can get there faster! In This Episode We Cover How to become debt-free and achieve a six-figure net worth before you’re thirty! Why Anna decided to rent a house, not buy one, to maximize her savings What Anna invests 100% of her income in (it’s not real estate!) The “middle-class trap” to avoid when maxing out your retirement accounts Why you DON’T need a FIRE number, and why Anna’s more achievable goals work better Boosting your income and why job-hopping can explode your income-generating potential And So Much More! Links from the Show Mindy on BiggerPockets Scott on BiggerPockets Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place Join BiggerPockets for FREE @five20money on Instagram PassivePockets BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Money 97 - Intentionally Choosing the Path to Financial Independence with Financial Mechanic BiggerPockets Money 110 - Systematically Increasing Income and Intentionally Decreasing Spending with A Purple Life BiggerPockets Money 558 - How to Start Investing for Retirement: 401(k), IRA, Roth? BiggerPockets Money 560 - Dude ACTUALLY Withdraws From His 401(k) and Retires at 47 Email Your Savings Rate to mindy@biggerpockets.com! Support Today’s Show Sponsor, BAM Capital, Your Path to Generational Wealth with Premier Real Estate Investment Opportunities Reach FIRE Faster with “Set for Life” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area See Mindy and Scott at BPCON2024 in Cancun! Finance Friday: How the “Middle-Class Trap” Stops Your Early Retirement Connect with Anna (00:00) Intro (01:10) Investing Right After College (03:00) Rent, Don’t Buy! (08:58) Paying Off $80K in Debt (12:42) Investing for Financial Independence (16:16) Saving a TON! (21:11) Better Than a “FI Number” (25:27) Boosting Your Income (27:19) Do This FIRST! (29:11) Connect with Anna! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-567 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    37 mins
  • FI With 5 Kids and Debt-Free in Just Over a Decade!

    FI With 5 Kids and Debt-Free in Just Over a Decade!
    Sep 24 2024
    Does FIRE seem impossible while raising a family? We’re about to prove that you CAN have it all. Emily and Joel are financially independent while raising five kids and still have the money to travel the world, take plenty of vacations, and sleep in without worrying about a job. They reached FI in just over a decade and did it without EVER having a high income. How’d they do it? One “financial superpower” allowed them to do what most people won’t. Emily and Joel started with $150,000 in student loan debt. Their accounts dwindled at the end of every month, so they began to pay off their loans with the “debt snowball” method. Fast forward a few years, and they were debt-free, but now they had a new challenge: building their net worth! Today, they’re sharing the incredible journey they took to go from personal finance zeros to heroes, the “why” behind achieving FI at such young ages, and how they did it all (including keeping expenses SUPER low) while raising not one, not two, but FIVE children. Think FI isn’t possible for you? Think again—copy Emily and Joel’s plan! In This Episode We Cover How to pay off debt FAST with the “debt snowball” method Minimizing your expenses and how spending less gets you to FIRE way faster Why you DON’T need to cut out travel/vacations on your path to financial freedom The “financial superpower” you must cultivate if you want to retire early What 100% of Emily and Joel’s portfolio is in and the simple path to building wealth Starting side hustles that pay for your life and why working while FI is NOT a bad thing And So Much More! Links from the Show Mindy on BiggerPockets Scott on BiggerPockets Kyle on BiggerPockets Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place Join BiggerPockets for FREE 50+ Rentals After Starting in Her 50s and How “Late Starters” Can Get Ahead From 150k in Debt to FIRE in Their Mid-30s (With 5 Kids!) ISI Team Camps Reach FIRE Faster with “Set for Life” Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area See Mindy at BPCON2024 in Cancun! The Simple Path to Wealth—Index Funds Explained with JL Collins (00:00) Intro (01:07) Six-Figure Debt and Dave Ramsey (05:58) "Snowballing” $150K in Debt (08:27) $1,000,000 FI Number (14:06) Financial Superpowers (15:27) The “Why” Behind FI (18:37) Serious Side Hustles (29:29) Did They Retire? (34:11) Connect with Emily and Joel Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-566 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • Is Refinancing Worth It with Today’s Falling Rates? (+ How Much It’ll Cost)

    Is Refinancing Worth It with Today’s Falling Rates? (+ How Much It’ll Cost)
    Sep 20 2024
    When should you refinance your mortgage? Is now the time since interest rates have finally fallen? Or will refinancing down to today’s rates not be worth it when, six months from now, interest rates could be substantially lower? We brought on an expert mortgage loan officer to walk through the cost-benefit analysis of refinancing in 2024 and when a refinance is NOT worth the money. Greg Roller has closed over a billion dollars in loans, but surprisingly, he’s very cautious with homeowners about WHEN to refinance. Mortgage rates have already dropped significantly but could be trending down even more in 2024 and 2025. Is now the time to refinance? Greg discusses how much a refinance costs in 2024, how to know it’s worth it to refinance, what you’ll need to qualify, the differences between cash-out refinances and rate-and-term refinances, and why falling for a “low rate” could cost you in the long run. Plus, Greg shares some tips to help your refinance go as smoothly and quickly as possible, as well as how you can refinance for FREE with a rate option most people have zero clue about. In This Episode We Cover Refinancing explained and how much the average refinance costs in 2024 When to refinance and the rule of thumb that highlights whether or not it’s worth it The low-rate trap that inexperienced borrowers get caught in (you’ll get hit with hidden costs!) Refinancing multiple properties and how to do this the RIGHT way The easy method to see where mortgage rates are headed and whether they’ll rise or fall How to refinance for free by asking your loan officer for a “rate stack” And So Much More! Links from the Show Mindy on BiggerPockets Scott on BiggerPockets Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place Join BiggerPockets for FREE Support Today’s Show Sponsor, BAM Capital, Your Path to Generational Wealth with Premier Real Estate Investment Opportunities Still Looking for Your First Home? Grab Mindy’s Book “First-Time Home Buyer” Find Investor-Friendly Lenders See Mindy and Scott at BPCON2024 in Cancun! With Mortgage Rates Falling, When Should Investors Refinance? Connect with Greg Work with Greg OptOutPrescreen.com (00:00) Intro (01:57) What is Refinancing? (03:24) When to Refinance (04:31) Lower Rates = Time to Refinance? (11:42) How Much Do Refinances Cost? (15:13) Refinancing Multiple Properties (17:13) When NOT to Refi (21:21) Tips for Homeowners (25:11) The Low-Rate Trap (26:47) Do This NOW! (29:27) Work with Greg Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-565 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • 564: How to Make Truly Passive Income with “Syndication” Real Estate

    564: How to Make Truly Passive Income with “Syndication” Real Estate
    Sep 17 2024
    Visit PassivePockets, your resource for passive investing with syndications. Passive investing is most people’s goal, especially if they’re trying to achieve FIRE. They don’t want to be weighed down by managing a dozen rental properties, an active business, or a complicated stock portfolio that requires constant check-ins. Instead, many of us want that “mailbox money,” with checks coming in without us having to do the work ourselves so we can focus on doing what we love. Sounds enticing, right? Then “syndication” real estate investing might be perfect for you. We’re thrilled to have the newest member of the BiggerPockets podcast network, Jim Pfeifer, host of PassivePockets, on today to talk about this one investment type that changed his life. Jim has invested in over 100 syndications and has been able to reap the significant rewards of passive income, massive tax benefits, and diversification through real estate syndications. Today, he gives a beginner-friendly breakdown, touching on what a syndication is, why it’s an excellent investment for FIRE, how to vet a syndication BEFORE you invest, questions to ask a syndicator, and the unbeatable tax benefits you can get from sitting back and collecting passive income checks! Ready to make real estate returns without all the work? This one’s for you! In This Episode We Cover Welcoming PassivePockets, the newest BiggerPockets podcast network show! Real estate syndications explained and why they’re such an unbeatable investment How to vet a syndication operator and the questions you MUST ask before you invest The two barriers to entry for syndications and why you DON’T need to be an accredited investor to get in the game Tax benefits galore and how Jim is paying $0 in taxes on his syndication profits How much a syndication can make YOU (and why it might beat owning rental properties!) And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Join BiggerPockets for FREE Mindy on BiggerPockets Scott on BiggerPockets Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Find Investor-Friendly Lenders BiggerPockets Money Group BiggerPockets Forums BiggerPockets Money 456 - The Harsh Reality Real Estate Syndicators (and Investors) Face in 2024 w/J Scott Grab the Book on Syndication Real Estate Investing, “The Hands-Off Investor” Property Manager Finder See Mindy at BPCON2024 in Cancun! Syndications: Everything You Need to Know BEFORE You Invest w/ J Scott 01:01 Syndications Explained 03:30 Better for FIRE? 07:19 How to Vet a Syndicator 13:45 Questions You MUST Ask 21:28 Interest Rate Risks 24:16 Can Anyone Invest Passively? 28:27 Passive Retirement Investing 31:00 Advice for Investors Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-564 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    41 mins
  • 563: Why Aren’t More “Normal” People Achieving FIRE?

    563: Why Aren’t More “Normal” People Achieving FIRE?
    Sep 13 2024
    Has BiggerPockets Money become too focused on FIRE (financial independence, retire early)? For the past seven years, we’ve been bringing you shows highlighting the journeys of those who left their jobs to enjoy early retirement.Some of these guests did it faster than others by making more money, increasing their frugality, investing smart, or building a business. But the question many of our listeners are wondering is: Is this even possible for the average, “normal” person? Today, we’re taking a hard look at the show’s future and asking ourselves whether or not focusing on FIRE is still the right path forward. Should we shift topics to help the everyday American get a financial leg up, or is continuing the FIRE-focused path the best way to help YOU, our listener? This isn’t a rhetorical question; we genuinely want to know! After this episode, join the BiggerPockets Money Facebook group thread, and let us know which stories YOU want to hear the most! In This Episode We Cover Why the BiggerPockets Money Podcast rarely brings on “normal” guests achieving FIRE Can anyone achieve FIRE, and if so, how do they get there? The four financial levers you can pull to put you on the path to financial freedom The advanced financial tactics BiggerPockets Money teaches you to grow your wealth What to do if you feel like you can’t make any progress towards early retirement And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Join BiggerPockets for FREE Mindy on BiggerPockets Scott on BiggerPockets Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Find Investor-Friendly Lenders BiggerPockets Money Group BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group BiggerPockets Money 63 - Financial Freedom With 5 Kids IS Possible with Jordan Klint BiggerPockets Money 130 - Refusing to Retire at 65: How a Couple in Their 40s Managed to Hit FI in 12 Years w/Susan and Norm Episode 560 - Dude ACTUALLY Withdraws From His 401(k) and Retires at 47 w/Eric Cooper Get on the Path to Financial Independence with “Set for Life” See Mindy and Scott at BPCON2024 in Cancun! What Is the FIRE Movement? 00:00 Intro 02:16 Talking Too Much About FIRE? 08:59 FIRE Isn't For Everyone 11:53 What is FIRE? 16:27 Can You Hit FIRE Being "Normal"? 22:42 Who Should Listen to BP Money? Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-563 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    35 mins
  • 562: Police Officer Surpasses $10K/Month FI Goal w/Out-of-State Sober Living Investments

    562: Police Officer Surpasses $10K/Month FI Goal w/Out-of-State Sober Living Investments
    Sep 10 2024
    Achieving your FI number in just four years? If you want to do it too, you must try something different. This couple found a niche within a niche, allowing them to hit the coveted “1% rule” in real estate, skyrocketing their cash flow and passive income and allowing them to make more than almost any other landlord in their area. So, how did they do it, and what was the investment that got them there? David and Morgan Stanhope weren’t real estate investors five years ago. They didn’t come from investor families and had zero real estate investing experience. One day, at his job as a New York State Police Investigator, David met a mentor who would change how he thought about money, financial freedom, and passive income. This was perfect because David and Morgan were already in a great place to invest—Upstate New York. But David chose NOT to invest in his home market, and for good reason. They went south to a state known for higher home prices and crushingly high insurance costs. There, they found acreative rental property investing strategy, allowing them to make much more cash flow than regular rentals. Four years later, they’ve surpassed their $10,000/month FI goal. Now, they’re on track to hit an even bigger achievement: $70,000 per MONTH. Today, we’re talking to them about exactly how they’re getting there with investment properties you’ve probably never heard (or thought) about. In This Episode We Cover How to hit real estate’s “1% rule” with creative, high-cash flow rentals Borrowing from your 401(k) to fund your first real estate deal Making real estate cash flow EVEN with eight percent mortgage rates (yes, it’s possible) Why David WON’T quit his job, even though he has already hit his FI number Finding contractors and vendors when out-of-state real estate investing Using other people’s money to invest in real estate (and why you may want experience before you do) And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Join BiggerPockets for FREE Mindy on BiggerPockets Scott on BiggerPockets Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Find Investor-Friendly Lenders BiggerPockets Money Group Stanhope Capital Start Investing with “The Book on Rental Property Investing” See Mindy and Scott at BPCON2024 in Cancun! Socially Conscious Investing: How to Start a Sober Living Home 00:00 Intro 01:17 Early Financial Education 05:13 Finding a Money Mentor 09:06 Hitting the 1% Rule in...Florida? 17:31 Current Cash Flow Numbers 20:41 $70K/Month Goal!? 24:09 Is Sober Living Investing Stable? 29:11 Borrowing Money to Invest 32:04 How Much Time Does It Take? 34:46 Connect with David and Morgan! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-562 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    43 mins
  • 561: What Happens if High Expenses Extinguish Your FIRE?

    561: What Happens if High Expenses Extinguish Your FIRE?
    Sep 6 2024
    You did it; you achieved FIRE! After over a decade of hard work, you’ve reached financial independence and can retire early. You’re making more money than you spend from passive income, work-optional, and life is good. But your dreams are starting to change. Maybe you want to spend more on experiences, build your dream house, or move to a higher-cost-of-living area. Now, your expenses are starting to creep up, and your FIRE is about to burn out. What do you do, and is it wrong to return to work? Caitlin Muldoon has had to ask herself these questions. After grinding for fifteen years, she finally reached her FIRE goal—$10,000 per month in passive income. In her current lifestyle, she’s saving money every month, but as she moves into her dream house and expenses start to rise, her passive income may not be enough. Does this mean that Caitlin is no longer financially independent? Today, Caitlin is sharing her full FIRE story with us. How she went from one house hack and a HELOC to a six-figure generating real estate portfolio, the struggles she had with leaving her job, realizing that her expenses would jump after her husband quit, and why retiring early isn’t always the end goal. Support today’s show sponsor, BAM Capital, your path to generational wealth with premier real estate investment opportunities! In This Episode We Cover What to do if rising living expenses are about to extinguish your FIRE Turning your primary residence into a passive income-generating portfolio by using HELOCs How intentionally saving money can massively propel your wealth and get you to FIRE much sooner Why you DON’T need to quit your job, even after you reach your FIRE number Advice for anyone who wants to build a rental property portfolio with today’s high interest rates And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Join BiggerPockets for FREE Mindy on BiggerPockets Scott on BiggerPockets Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Find Investor-Friendly Lenders BiggerPockets Money Group BiggerPockets Forums Market Finder Rising Femme Wealth See Mindy and Scott at BPCON2024 in Cancun! Do You Know Your FIRE Number? Here’s What That Means 00:00 intro 01:56 Starting Salary and First Home 04:01 Rental Investing and Finding FIRE 07:13 Thoughts of Quitting 08:05 Real Estate Portfolio Timeline 13:58 Savings Rate and Reinvesting 15:47 Using HELOC to Buy Rentals 20:31 Achieving FIRE, But... 24:07 Rising Lifestyle Expenses? 31:55 Advice for FIRE 36:32 Connect with Caitlin! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-561 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    47 mins
  • 560: Dude ACTUALLY Withdraws From His 401(k) and Retires at 47

    560: Dude ACTUALLY Withdraws From His 401(k) and Retires at 47
    Sep 3 2024
    Did you know you can use your 401(k) to retire early? Yep, it’s possible. And today’s guest, Eric Cooper, is doing it atage 47! Most FIRE chasers search for how to withdraw from a 401(k) early but know that doing so will hit them with substantial penalties. The best way around this? The 72(t) rule—which is precisely what Eric has been taking advantage of. Eric uses the 72(t) rule’s “substantially equal periodic payments” to take early withdrawals from his 401(k) of $30K per year, starting at age 47. But how does it work? Eric comes on the show to describe exactly how this early withdrawal rule works, how much you can take out, the regulations to follow so you avoid penalties, and why early retirement may be much closer than you think. But this isn’t the only early retirement income Eric has got. We’ll review his substantial real estate portfolio and detail Eric's almostunbelievable tax savings from combining tax-advantaged rental properties with rule 72(t). Plus, Eric shares how he built a multimillion-dollar nest egg by his mid-forties and why those starting young on the path to early retirement can repeat his strategy to be much richer in retirement. Do you have money sitting in retirement accounts that you’re ready to use? The 72(t) rule might be just what you need. In This Episode We Cover How to access retirement funds early with the often overlooked 72(t) rule Escaping the “middle-class trap” that stops you from retiring on your terms Avoiding 401(k) penalties and using retirement accounts to actually retire early The rules and regulations you MUST follow to withdraw penalty-free How Eric amassed such a massive retirement account balance (and how you can, too) Early retirement healthcare and how to lower your taxable income to greatly reduce premium costs And So Much More! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums Finance Review Guest Onboarding Join BiggerPockets for FREE Mindy on BiggerPockets Scott on BiggerPockets Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show Podcast Talent Search! Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area Find Investor-Friendly Lenders BiggerPockets Money Group How to Access Retirement Funds Early 72(t) Calculator See Mindy and Scott at BPCON2024 in Cancun! How the “Middle-Class Trap” Stops Your Early Retirement 00:00 intro 01:14 What is Rule 72(t)? 05:30 Avoiding Early Withdrawal Penalties 11:12 Building a BIG Nest Egg 17:14 Retiring Early at 47! 18:00 Different Investment Accounts 21:41 Why Withdraw Early? 24:52 Rental Income and Healthcare 30:44 Selling the Rentals? 32:54 Calculating Your 72(t) Income 38:40 Advice for Early Retirement 41:18 Connect with Eric! Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-560 Interested in learning more about today’s sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 mins