BiggerPockets Money

Your 20s can be the best time to take risks, but knowing which risks are worth taking can make all the difference in reaching financial independence. In this episode, we break down how to take smart risks with your money, career, and lifestyle to build wealth faster. Learn how to invest for long-term growth, negotiate a higher salary, start a side hustle, use house hacking to build wealth, and protect yourself with insurance and an emergency fund. 

We also cover the risks to avoid, from high-interest debt to speculative investments, so you can pursue financial independence without p...

How do you go from financial mistakes and debt to financial independence? On this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Kelley Long shares her journey from money struggles in her twenties to reaching Coast FI and building a life with more flexibility and financial freedom. Kelley discusses paying off debt, changing her money mindset, investing for long-term wealth, and spending intentionally without sacrificing the things she loves. 

If you're pursuing Coast FI, early retirement, or financial independence, Kelley's story offers practical lessons for creating a financial future on your own terms.

To go beyond the p...

How can you have a $3.8 million net worth and still have zero cash available? In this episode of BiggerPockets Money, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench help a couple navigate a financial puzzle involving wealth tied up in real estate and retirement accounts, significant medical expenses, and a cash flow shortfall. They explore strategies for accessing money early, including Roth conversions, the 72(t) rule, and real estate sales, while considering healthcare costs, ACA subsidies, and tax implications. 

If you're planning for early retirement, this case study shows why having a high net worth isn't always the same as h...

Is the massive investment in AI worth the cost? In this Best of BiggerPockets Money episode, Aswath Damodaran breaks down the trillions being poured into AI infrastructure, the revenue needed to justify that spending, and the risk of an AI investment bubble. Learn how to evaluate AI stocks, understand Big Tech valuations, and manage investment risk without trying to time the market.

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What would we do if we were 25 years old and starting from $0? In this episode of BiggerPockets Money, Mindy Jensen and Evan Lawler break down a step-by-step plan to build wealth and reach financial independence from scratch. Learn how to track your spending, build a $1,000 emergency fund, pay off high-interest debt, and make the most of your 401(k), Roth IRA, and HSA. 

Whether you're just starting your financial journey or trying to get your money on track, these practical steps can help you build a strong financial foundation and put compound growth to work early.

T...

How do you build a $2 million portfolio and retire at 54 without earning an enormous salary? Mike shares how 25 years of consistent saving, basic investing, and real estate helped him reach financial independence. In this episode of BiggerPockets Money, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench explore his simple investing strategy, including the three-fund portfolio, tax-advantaged retirement accounts, and the importance of paying yourself first. 

Mike also explains how he’s preparing for early retirement, from managing healthcare costs and ACA subsidies to planning portfolio withdrawals. His story shows how living below your means and sticking to a boring, long-term inv...

What if you had $1 million invested for financial independence at just 36, but still worried that buying a home could derail your early retirement plans? Cheryl and her family have two young kids, a $1 million FI portfolio, and big goals: reach Coast FI and potentially work part time within five years, while ultimately retiring with $3 million by age 59.5. But after buying a primary residence, Cheryl wants to know whether she’s made a major financial mistake or if she can make homeownership, part-time work, and financial independence all work together. On this Finance Friday episode, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench br...

How much can you safely withdraw in early retirement, and is the 4% rule still a good guideline? Ben Felix breaks down portfolio risk, asset allocation, bonds vs. stocks, flexible spending, and the psychological side of investing in retirement.

To go beyond the podcast:

We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matt...

Is house hacking still a good strategy for reaching financial independence in 2026? Scott Trench and Evan Lawler break down a real house-hacking opportunity, looking at mortgage costs, cash flow, market conditions, sold properties, and how to systematically find real estate deals that can help you build wealth. If you're considering house hacking, real estate investing, or using rental income to accelerate FIRE, this episode offers a practical framework for evaluating the numbers and knowing when to act.

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How much do you actually need to retire, and once you get there, how do you turn your portfolio into income without running out of money? In this episode, Christine Benz from Morningstar joins us to talk about one of the biggest challenges of early retirement: decumulation. We get into how much you can realistically withdraw, what to do when markets are expensive or take a downturn, and how to build a portfolio that can support you for decades. Christine also explains why you don’t need a perfect portfolio or an overly complicated strategy to retire successfully, and wh...

What is happening with inflation, interest rates, energy prices, and the economy, and what does it mean for investors? In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench welcome back J Scott to break down the current economic landscape and explain how inflation, Federal Reserve policy, energy costs, housing, interest rates, money supply, and geopolitical events can affect your finances and investments. 

They discuss why inflation still feels high, how rising energy prices impact the broader economy, why mortgage and borrowing costs can remain elevated, and whether investors should change their portfolios in r...

What are the best careers for reaching financial independence? In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Mindy Jensen and Evan Lawler explore careers that can accelerate your path to FI. They break down how income potential, flexibility, pensions, benefits, variable income, and lifestyle can affect your ability to build wealth and reach financial independence faster.. They also discuss side hustles, managing inconsistent income, and why choosing the right career can be just as important as saving and investing when you're working toward FI.

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How do you go from nearly $1 million in debt to building a $1.3 million net worth? In this BiggerPockets Money episode, hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench sit down with Naseema McElroy to hear how she rebuilt her finances through intentional money decisions, strategic debt payoff, disciplined investing, and strong financial systems. Naseema shares how selling a home helped her eliminate debt, how she learned to control major expenses, and why boring, consistent investing became the foundation of her wealth. 

She also opens up about navigating real estate setbacks, life transitions, and the path toward financial independence. If y...

How do you go from $18,000 in debt to nearly $1 million in just six years? On the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench sit down with Kate to unpack the money decisions that completely changed her financial trajectory. She shares how she tackled debt, curbed sneaky spending, built an emergency fund, grew her income through career moves, and began consistently investing in low-cost index funds. 

More importantly, Kate explains how aligning her spending with what she actually values helped her build wealth without feeling like she was constantly depriving herself. If you're working toward financial independence, p...

Lifestyle inflation can quietly derail your path to financial independence, but does spending more as your income and life change have to be a bad thing? Scott Trench and Evan Lawler break down how spending changes through different stages of life, what the data says about future expenses like housing and childcare, and how to build a realistic financial independence or Coast FI plan. They also explore the FI community’s shift away from extreme frugality and how to use data, flexibility, and better spending expectations to build wealth without sacrificing your quality of life.

To go be...

In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench sit down with Eli Breece from Dividendology to unpack dividend growth investing and how it compares to traditional index fund investing. They discuss sequence of returns risk, dividend sustainability, free cash flow, valuation, bear markets, and how to evaluate dividend growth stocks. 

Eli also explains why he believes dividend investing can be a powerful approach to building long-term wealth and creating retirement income, while Mindy and Scott bring their own skepticism to the strategy.

To go beyond the podcast:

In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench explore how you can use AI to make better financial decisions and move closer to financial independence. They share practical ways to ask better questions, give AI the right context, stress test your financial plan, and even develop an investment thesis. Plus, they talk about where AI can help and why you still need to double-check its work.

To go beyond the podcast:

In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Mindy Jensen and Evan Lawler take a closer look at Coast FIRE and what it really means to stop aggressively saving for retirement while still working toward financial independence. They talk through what could go wrong, from market downturns and rising expenses to lifestyle creep and unexpected changes in your life or career. They also discuss how much flexibility Coast FIRE can give you, how to build in a little margin, and what to think about when deciding whether Coast FIRE or traditional FIRE makes sense for you.

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In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench sit down with Professor Aswath Damodaran, one of the world’s leading experts on valuation and a professor of finance at NYU Stern School of Business, to unpack whether the massive excitement around AI is justified by the numbers. They explore the billions being invested in AI infrastructure, how much revenue AI companies would need to justify today’s valuations, the risks of overinvestment and an AI bubble, and how investors should think about mega-cap tech stocks in an AI-driven market. 

Aswath also breaks down...

Two years ago, Alex Preziosi came to the BiggerPockets Money Podcast with one big question: should she quit her W-2 job and go all-in on real estate? Fast forward to today, and she's left behind her brutal commute, grown her real estate business, added another rental property, gotten married, and built a net worth of more than $1 million, all before 35! 

But here's the twist: Alex is now just $50,000 away from Coast FI and wondering if she can finally take her foot off the gas. Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench catch up with Alex to talk about quitting y...

In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, Scott Trench is joined by Alex Smereczniak of Franzy to break down  how to buy a franchise, what franchises actually cost, who is best suited for franchise ownership, and how to evaluate the risks and rewards of buying a franchise business. They also explore real-world franchise success stories, passive income potential, and how franchising can fit into a broader financial independence strategy.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Franzy. BiggerPockets Money may receive compensation if you choose to work with Franzy. As always, do your own r...

In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, Scott Trench is joined by Alex Smereczniak of Franzy to break down  how to buy a franchise, what franchises actually cost, who is best suited for franchise ownership, and how to evaluate the risks and rewards of buying a franchise business. They also explore real-world franchise success stories, passive income potential, and how franchising can fit into a broader financial independence strategy.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Franzy. BiggerPockets Money may receive compensation if you choose to work with Franzy. As always, do your own r...

In this episode, Ashley Kehr and Tim Delaney share their very different experiences owning and operating liquor stores, from starting a business during COVID to buying an existing store and dealing with the realities of employees, cash flow, inventory, suppliers, and day-to-day management. They break down what it takes to build a profitable liquor store, how to source rare bourbon and whiskey, why standard operating procedures are critical, and the costly lessons that can come from poor financial oversight and business management. 

Whether you’re interested in buying a small business, starting a liquor store, entrepreneurship, retail bus...

In this episode, Ashley Kehr and Tim Delaney share their very different experiences owning and operating liquor stores, from starting a business during COVID to buying an existing store and dealing with the realities of employees, cash flow, inventory, suppliers, and day-to-day management. They break down what it takes to build a profitable liquor store, how to source rare bourbon and whiskey, why standard operating procedures are critical, and the costly lessons that can come from poor financial oversight and business management. 

Whether you’re interested in buying a small business, starting a liquor store, entrepreneurship, retail bus...

In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Nic Morales shares how his experience working for the NFL led him into real estate investing and ultimately to managing a $50 million portfolio. He reveals the challenges, financing strategies, operational demands, and hard lessons behind scaling a large real estate business.

To go beyond the podcast:

We believe fina...

In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Nic Morales shares how his experience working for the NFL led him into real estate investing and ultimately to managing a $50 million portfolio. He reveals the challenges, financing strategies, operational demands, and hard lessons behind scaling a large real estate business.

To go beyond the podcast:

We believe fina...

In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Dave shares how he and his family went from no real savings to building more than $1 million in net worth in just seven years while raising five kids on a median income. Dave explains how he used side hustles, aggressive saving, minimalism, DIY skills, and strategic investing to dramatically improve his family’s finances. 

Dave also shares how paying off the mortgage, investing in tax-advantaged accounts, controlling major expenses, and having regular money conversations with his spouse helped transform their financial trajectory. His story offers practical lessons for anyone try...

In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Dave shares how he and his family went from no real savings to building more than $1 million in net worth in just seven years while raising five kids on a median income. Dave explains how he used side hustles, aggressive saving, minimalism, DIY skills, and strategic investing to dramatically improve his family’s finances. 

Dave also shares how paying off the mortgage, investing in tax-advantaged accounts, controlling major expenses, and having regular money conversations with his spouse helped transform their financial trajectory. His story offers practical lessons for anyone try...

In this episode of The BiggerPockets Money Podcast, we explore how someone starting from zero at age 50 can build wealth and potentially reach a $1 million net worth by 65. We break down a realistic 15-year wealth-building strategy, including aggressive saving, living at the bottom quintile of expenses in your area, increasing income through jobs and side hustles, eliminating bad debt, and maximizing tax-advantaged retirement accounts. 

We also explore how real estate strategies like house hacking and live-in flips can accelerate wealth creation, along with the importance of disciplined spending, smart investing, community, and continuous learning. Starting at 50 presents u...

In this episode of The BiggerPockets Money Podcast, we explore how someone starting from zero at age 50 can build wealth and potentially reach a $1 million net worth by 65. We break down a realistic 15-year wealth-building strategy, including aggressive saving, living at the bottom quintile of expenses in your area, increasing income through jobs and side hustles, eliminating bad debt, and maximizing tax-advantaged retirement accounts. 

We also explore how real estate strategies like house hacking and live-in flips can accelerate wealth creation, along with the importance of disciplined spending, smart investing, community, and continuous learning. Starting at 50 presents u...

In this episode of The BiggerPockets Money Podcast, hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench are joined by special guest Carl Jensen to explore the bull and bear cases for megacap stocks, the future of AI, and what rapid technological advancement could mean for investors and the broader economy. They break down tech valuations, surging AI investment, market concentration, the potential for AI to transform the labor market, and the risks of overpaying for future growth.

To go beyond the podcast:

In this episode of The BiggerPockets Money Podcast, hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench are joined by special guest Carl Jensen to explore the bull and bear cases for megacap stocks, the future of AI, and what rapid technological advancement could mean for investors and the broader economy. They break down tech valuations, surging AI investment, market concentration, the potential for AI to transform the labor market, and the risks of overpaying for future growth.

To go beyond the podcast:

How do you choose the right financial advisor? Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench explain what to look for when hiring a financial planner, including AUM vs. flat-fee vs. hourly compensation, CFP credentials, fiduciary status, advisor qualifications, questions to ask, and how to prepare for your first meeting.

If you're considering working with a financial advisor, this episode will help you understand how advisors are compensated, identify potential conflicts of interest, prepare your financial information, and get more value from professional financial planning.

To go beyond the podcast:

How do you choose the right financial advisor? Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench explain what to look for when hiring a financial planner, including AUM vs. flat-fee vs. hourly compensation, CFP credentials, fiduciary status, advisor qualifications, questions to ask, and how to prepare for your first meeting.

If you're considering working with a financial advisor, this episode will help you understand how advisors are compensated, identify potential conflicts of interest, prepare your financial information, and get more value from professional financial planning.

To go beyond the podcast:

How do Scott and Virginia Trench actually run their household, set big financial goals, and build toward financial independence together? In this episode, Scott and Virginia pull back the curtain on the systems and conversations that keep their family, finances, and future moving in the same direction.

They talk about their approach to goal setting, weekly household and financial check-ins, dividing responsibilities, and making sure their money decisions support the life they actually want to live. They also dive into their investment strategy, including real estate, stocks, portfolio diversification, and how they adjust their investments as market...

How do Scott and Virginia Trench actually run their household, set big financial goals, and build toward financial independence together? In this episode, Scott and Virginia pull back the curtain on the systems and conversations that keep their family, finances, and future moving in the same direction.

They talk about their approach to goal setting, weekly household and financial check-ins, dividing responsibilities, and making sure their money decisions support the life they actually want to live. They also dive into their investment strategy, including real estate, stocks, portfolio diversification, and how they adjust their investments as market...

REITs have underperformed for 25 years, but could the next decade be different? Jussi Askola joins us to look at where REITs stand today, how they are valued, and where investors may find the best opportunities.

We discuss how to value REITs using NAV and FFO, why management quality matters, and which sectors look most attractive, including data centers, cell towers, multifamily, retail, and office. We also compare public and private real estate and explore what could drive REIT returns over the next 10 years.

To go beyond the podcast:

REITs have underperformed for 25 years, but could the next decade be different? Jussi Askola joins us to look at where REITs stand today, how they are valued, and where investors may find the best opportunities.

We discuss how to value REITs using NAV and FFO, why management quality matters, and which sectors look most attractive, including data centers, cell towers, multifamily, retail, and office. We also compare public and private real estate and explore what could drive REIT returns over the next 10 years.

To go beyond the podcast:

Can a 29-year-old couple with a $1.7 million net worth become work optional by age 40? In this Finance Friday episode, we break down their financial plan after inheriting two rental properties and explore the biggest decision they face: keep investing in real estate, leverage their equity, or shift toward index funds?

We analyze their rental property cash flow, portfolio allocation, tax strategies, and long-term investment plan to determine the smartest path toward financial independence.  Whether you're pursuing FIRE, building wealth through rental properties, or deciding how to invest an inheritance, this episode offers practical insights for making thoughtful l...

Can a 29-year-old couple with a $1.7 million net worth become work optional by age 40? In this Finance Friday episode, we break down their financial plan after inheriting two rental properties and explore the biggest decision they face: keep investing in real estate, leverage their equity, or shift toward index funds?

We analyze their rental property cash flow, portfolio allocation, tax strategies, and long-term investment plan to determine the smartest path toward financial independence.  Whether you're pursuing FIRE, building wealth through rental properties, or deciding how to invest an inheritance, this episode offers practical insights for making thoughtful l...