
About this episode
We're hopping in the time machine and re-airing one of our most popular episodes.
In this episode, we share our opinion on some of the biggest money topics.
While this episode originally aired in 2019, our views have remained largely the same.
These tips have helped us grow our combined net worth to over $3.5M! So don't sleep on the fundamentals.
Some of the major topics include:
Credit Card Balances
We discuss why you should ALWAYS be using a credit card
The need for setting up autopay to pay off the full balance
Neither of us recommends carrying any balance
Rent vs Buy
Keep in mind closing costs, HOAs, insurance, etc
It’s much more complicated than just comparing a mortgage to your rent
If you can go beyond and do things like house hacking, then buying is certainly a great option
New vs Used
Justin recommends buying a car that’s 5 years old on a deal
Then keep that car for two to three years and try to sell it before you hit 100k
Good vs Bad Debt
Obviously, there is some debt that’s terrible such as credit cards with 15% interest
Then there is a middle ground where it’s debt that doesn’t earn revenue but allows you to invest more
Going to College
Going to a community college first isn’t a no-brainer
It's so important to be intentional
Many trades and technical skills don’t require a college degree
Filling Up Savings Accounts
Inflation can be destructive
Many people have avoided investing during uncertain times
Buy and hold
Life Insurance
What kind should you get?
Does whole life insurance ever make sense?
What do the experts say (our episode with Sa El)
Financial Advisors
There's value to using a tax specialist but most don't need a financial advisor
It may be a good idea to pay a one-time fee for an advisor to help set up a plan you’re comfortable with
These advisors often charge at least 1% which can really add up
You can see how much these fees are costing you by using Empower’s Fee Analyzer tool.
We truly believe these fundamentals can radically change your life regardless how far you are into your journey.
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Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)
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