Index Investing 101: Stop Picking Funds and Start Building the Mix That Actually Works (SB1834)

Invest Like the 1%? What to Steal, What to Scale, and What to Skip (SB1836)

You've seen the ads. Invest like the ultra-wealthy. Get access to what the 1% does. But what does the 1% actually do -- and how much of it should a normal person try to copy? Joe, OG, comedian and finance educator Roxanne Duckels, and Jesse Cramer run every popular "rich people investing" idea through a simple filter: steal it, scale it, or skip it. The answers will surprise you -- especially the one where OG wants to delete an entire asset class from existence. What You'll Walk Away With * Why long-term thinking is the one habit the 1% has that every Stacker should steal immediately -- and the short-term execution piece most people miss when they try * The tax strategy obsession that the wealthy genuinely use -- and why Jesse ranks it seventh on his list of financial priorities, not first * What paying for advice actually means when you're smart enough to do it yourself -- and why the wealthiest people surround themselves with even smarter people anyway * The alternative investment marketing trap hiding inside every "invest like the rich" pitch -- and OG's case for why most people have no business touching any of it * Why the accredited investor designation protects almost no one -- and what the real risk is when you lock up money in illiquid investments chasing slightly better returns * The leverage conversation that exposes a contradiction hiding in plain sight for every real estate investor * Why Roxanne's path to financial independence started with filling her gas tank all the way up -- and what that tells you about long-term thinking at any income level * The one question that should precede any alternative investment conversation: does the expected return actually beat what publicly traded equities already offer? * What the trivia competition scoreboard looks like heading into the back half of the year -- and whether OG's historic lead is as safe as it looks * Why rich habits and "what the 1% does" are two completely different things -- and which one is actually worth chasing Why This Matters Now In a noisy market environment, the "invest like the wealthy" pitch gets louder every time volatility spikes. Private credit, non-traded REITs, leveraged real estate, alternative assets -- the marketing machine never stops. For Stackers in their 40s who've built something real and don't want to blow it chasing a category that mostly benefits the people selling it, this episode is a useful reset. The habits worth stealing from the 1% turn out to be remarkably unglamorous. From the Basement Joe, OG, Roxanne Duckels from Finance Rox, and Jesse Cramer run the "invest like the rich" playbook through a steal-it-scale-it-skip-it framework -- and nobody agrees on everything, which is exactly what makes it useful. Doug arrives with Mayday trivia about the origin of the distress call and the year it was coined, which turns into one of the cleaner trivia finishes of the season. Whether the basement scoreboard moved in OG's favor or Jesse closed the gap is a question best answered with your earbuds in. Resources Mentioned * Finance Rox -- Roxanne Duckels on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@financerox] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/financerox/] @FinanceROX * Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors [https://bestinterest.blog/personal-finance-for-long-term-investors/] -- Jesse Cramer's podcast, wherever you listen * Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- recent issue: brokerage vs. UTMA/UGMA vs. Trump accounts for kids; stackingbenjamins.com/201 [https://stackingbenjamins.com/201] * Stacking Benjamins Vault -- stackingbenjamins.com/vault [https://stackingbenjamins.com/vault] * Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement [https://stackingbenjamins.com/basement] * Stacking Benjamins Meetups -- stackingbenjamins.com/bad [https://stackingbenjamins.com/bad] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Mrs. Dow Jones on How to Become a Future Rich Person (Without Giving Up Your Life) SB1835

Haley Sacks didn't grow up knowing what a 401k was. She was nannying for a kid named Winthrop on the Upper East Side, doing comedy at night, and getting paid cash under the table. Then she sat in an HR meeting and her eyes glazed over -- and she decided that was the last time she'd be caught unprepared with her own money. Today she's Mrs. Dow Jones, with millions of followers and a new book. The basement finally got her in the chair, and she did not hold back. What You'll Walk Away With * The "future rich person" framework -- what separates people quietly building wealth from everyone else performing it * Why the biggest wealth trap isn't overspending -- it's the psychological pull of looking rich before you are * How automation is the real secret behind Haley's path to millionaire status -- and why willpower alone was never going to get her there * The action movie analogy that finally makes the debt-versus-investing debate make sense -- and which one you tackle first * Why your fixed expenses might be the actual problem -- and the two levers you can pull when the math doesn't work * The "money date" habit that keeps Haley on track -- and how to make it something you'll actually do every month * What a mise en place approach to your finances looks like -- and the four accounts every future rich person needs in place before anything else * Why cutting spending has a floor but earning more doesn't -- and how to think creatively about your income ceiling * The mortgage volatility conversation hiding in this episode -- including OG's take on where rates actually belong historically and why "date the rate" might be the most useful three words in real estate right now * Why comparison is derailing more financial plans than bad investments ever could Why This Matters Now If you're in your 40s and you still feel like the millionaire milestone belongs to someone else's story -- someone who started earlier, earned more, or just had better instincts -- this episode is a direct challenge to that belief. Hailey Sacks didn't have better instincts. She had a glazed-over HR meeting and a determination not to be caught unprepared twice. The foundation she built after that moment is exactly what she walks through today. From the Basement Mrs. Dow Jones herself -- Haley Sacks -- finally makes it down the stairs and does not disappoint. Joe and OG close the episode with a Wall Street Journal headline on mortgage rate volatility and what it actually means for anyone trying to buy, move, or refinance right now. OG lands what may be the cleanest take of the season: when should you borrow money? When you need to borrow money. Doug arrives with Dow Jones trivia about the longest-tenured company in the index, which turns out to have been added in 1932 and is hiding in plain sight on every household shelf. Whether the basement scoreboard had anything to do with Procter & Gamble is a question best answered with your earbuds in. Resources Mentioned * Future Rich Person by Haley Sacks (Mrs. Dow Jones) -- pre-order with $700 in bonuses at mrsdowjones.com/book [https://mrsdowjones.com/book]; releases May 12th * Mrs. Dow Jones on Instagram and YouTube -- @MrsDowJones * Mrs. Dow Jones podcast -- Financial Therapy * Wall Street Journal mortgage volatility article by Veronica Dagher and Ben Eisen -- linked at stackingbenjamins.com * Stacking Benjamins Vault -- stackingbenjamins.com/vault [https://stackingbenjamins.com/vault] * Stacking Benjamins Meetups -- stackingbenjamins.com/bad [https://stackingbenjamins.com/bad] * Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement [https://stackingbenjamins.com/basement] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Index Investing 101: Stop Picking Funds and Start Building the Mix That Actually Works (SB1834)

Most investors spend their energy asking the wrong question. It's not which fund is best -- it's which combination of funds gets you to your actual goal at a cost and complexity level you'll actually maintain. Joe and OG break down the full index investing playbook: where to start, when to add complexity, what Wall Street calls indexing that really isn't, and the one number that should change how you think about your entire portfolio. What You'll Walk Away With * Why the real argument for index investing isn't that nobody beats the market -- it's that you can't predict who will do it next * The crockpot principle of index investing -- and why the self-cleaning oven analogy might be even better * Why the S&P 500 and the total stock market index are closer than most people think -- and which one Joe is increasingly favoring for the long run * The $100,000 turning point: what changes about your investment strategy when the portfolio gets big enough to get scientific * The first two additions most Stackers should consider beyond their core index -- and why OG would actually add more than two * Why mixing index funds from different companies can quietly undermine your diversification without you ever knowing it * How to replace the word "index" with "list" to instantly identify whether a product is actually doing what you think it is * The buffered ETFs, factor ETFs, and active ETFs that call themselves indexes -- and why most Stackers should walk right past them * Why you're not racing against the index -- you're on a road trip -- and what that shift in framing changes about every investing decision * The season one recap from OG and Anna's financial planning basics series -- plus the free workbook that ties all seven episodes together Why This Matters Now In your 40s, the portfolio is finally big enough to matter -- and that's exactly when the temptation to complicate things gets strongest. New products, new strategies, and new buzzwords show up constantly, each promising a smarter approach. The investors who come out ahead aren't the ones who found the best fund. They're the ones who built something simple enough to maintain, scientific enough to optimize, and sturdy enough to hold through the moments when everything feels like it's falling apart. From the Basement Joe and OG dig into the full index investing playbook -- from the first fund a beginner should buy to the asset class combinations that actually improve long-term outcomes once the portfolio gets big enough to warrant it. OG and Anna close out their seven-week financial planning basics series with a full recap and the surprise release of a free downloadable workbook at stackingbenjamins.com/basicsguide. Doug arrives with Nolan Ryan trivia that connects strikeout records to index investing in a way that only the basement could pull off. Whether the analogy fully lands is a question best answered with your earbuds in. Resources Mentioned * The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins [https://amzn.to/48nPxaG] -- referenced as the foundational text for beginner index investors * Prior interviews with JL Collins: Interview 1 [https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/the-simple-path-to-contentment-with-jl-collins-1685/] and Interview 2 [https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/jl-collins-959/] * Paul Merriman's annual asset class research [https://www.paulmerriman.com/best-in-class-recommendations] -- referenced for data on adding small cap value and international to a core S&P portfolio; paulmerriman.com [https://https://www.paulmerriman.com/best-in-class-recommendations] * iShares [https://www.ishares.com/us] -- referenced as an example of a consistent index fund family worth staying within * JP Morgan Guide to the Markets [https://am.jpmorgan.com/us/en/asset-management/adv/insights/market-insights/guide-to-the-markets/] -- referenced in prior episode; available at jpmorgan.com * Stacking Benjamins Basics Guide -- free seven-episode workbook at stackingbenjamins.com/basicsguide [https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/basicsguide] * Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- weekly investing hot takes from Kevin Bailey at stackingbenjamins.com/201 [https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201] * Stacking Benjamins Vault -- stackingbenjamins.com/vault [https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/vault] * Stacking Benjamins Meetups -- stackingbenjamins.com/bad [https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/bad] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

How to Find the Money Leaks Hidden in Your Financial Statements (SB1833)

Most people glance at their balance and move on. Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, Paula Pant, and Jesse Cramer argue that's exactly where the money quietly disappears. This week they go statement by statement, credit card through brokerage, and share what actually deserves your attention and what you can safely ignore. In this episode: The one thing on your credit card statement that trips up even careful spenders, why focusing on your 401k rate of return is the wrong move, the underinsured coverage gap most homeowners and drivers don't know they have, and the tax planning opportunities hiding inside your brokerage account. Biggest takeaways: Sort your credit card transactions highest to lowest. The leak with a comma in it will find you faster than you'll find it. Your 401k contributions matter more than your returns. Contributions are within your control. Returns aren't. Check that your payroll deductions are actually landing in the account, because the IRS does not look kindly on companies that miss that. Check your homeowner's insurance rebuild value every few years. Labor and material costs have changed dramatically. If you bought your policy when you bought your house and never revisited it, there is a good chance you are significantly underinsured. In a taxable brokerage account, understand whether you're holding short-term or long-term gains before you make any moves. The difference in what you'll owe can be substantial. Also in this episode: Jesse Cramer previews an upcoming episode of Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors on why target date funds may be underperforming by more than you think. Resources mentioned: * Jesse Cramer's podcast: Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors [https://bestinterest.blog/personal-finance-for-long-term-investors/] * Paula Pant's podcast: Afford Anything [https://affordanything.com] * The Stacking Benjamins scorecard: stackingbenjamins.com/scorecard [https://stackingbenjamins.com/scorecard] * The Vault: stackingbenjamins.com/vault [https://stackingbenjamins.com/vault] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Bitcoin, Blockchain, and the Stuff Nobody Actually Explains (SB1832)

Blockchain. Stablecoins. Wallets. Staking. Halvings. If you've spent the last few years nodding confidently through crypto conversations while quietly hoping nobody asks a follow-up question -- this episode is for you. Retired anesthesiologist and trading veteran Joe Duarte went from crypto skeptic to informed pragmatist, and today he brings the plain-English breakdown that most crypto content assumes you don't need. No hype. No moon talk. Just the vocabulary, the mechanics, and the honest risks. What You'll Walk Away With * What blockchain actually is -- stripped of the jargon and explained in one sentence that actually sticks * The real difference between Bitcoin and Ethereum -- and why understanding those two unlocks everything else * What a stablecoin is, why it exists, and the one comparison that finally makes it click * The three crypto exchanges worth knowing -- and why starting with the big names isn't just convenient, it's genuinely safer * Hot wallets, cold wallets, and mobile wallets explained -- and which one makes the most sense if you're just getting started * What staking is, what mining is, and why neither one is your first move as a beginner * How crypto actually moves -- the liquidity connection most investors miss entirely * The tax trap that catches crypto beginners off guard -- and why your record keeping has to be airtight from day one * Why ETFs might be the smartest way for most Stackers to get crypto exposure without the operational headaches * The long-term care reality hiding in this episode -- and why 80% of people will eventually face a cost their current plan doesn't account for Why This Matters Now Whether you've been crypto-curious for years or you've actively avoided the conversation, the landscape has changed enough that staying completely uninformed carries its own risk. Regulation is arriving, major brokerages now offer access, and the vocabulary has leaked into mainstream financial planning. You don't have to become a believer -- but understanding what you're looking at puts you in a much better position to decide whether any of it belongs in your financial life. From the Basement Joe Duarte joins Joe and OG to translate the crypto dictionary for everyone who's been faking it at dinner parties for the last decade. In the headline segment, Joe and OG dig into a sobering new AARP report on long-term care costs -- and the conversation gets uncomfortably real about what most retirement plans are quietly missing. Doug arrives with trivia about the Bitcoin halving process, which turns out to have a name that required approximately zero creativity to invent. Whether the basement scoreboard reflects informed decision-making or something closer to Doug's personal net worth is a question best answered with your earbuds in. Resources Mentioned * Cryptocurrency 101 by Joe Duarte -- available wherever books are sold, with deals currently running on Amazon * Coinbase -- coinbase.com, recommended starting point for US-based crypto beginners * Kraken -- kraken.com, noted for advanced trading tools alongside beginner access * Binance -- binance.com, largest global exchange; noted history with US regulators worth researching * NFCI Index -- Chicago Fed's National Financial Conditions Index, useful for tracking crypto-correlated liquidity at chicagofed.org * Genworth Cost of Care Study -- annual long-term care cost data by state at genworth.com * AARP Long-Term Care Report -- linked in show notes at stackingbenjamins.com * Stacking Benjamins Scorecard -- stackingbenjamins.com/scorecard * Stacking Benjamins Vault -- stackingbenjamins.com/vault * Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com * Hegemony board game -- referenced by Joe post-show; details at hegemonyproject.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].