1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to How the Money. I'm Joel and Dine Matt 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: and today we're discussing investing hamsters, free money for college, 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: and bottled water sucks. I can't believe we are actually 4 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: gonna be talking about hamsters during this episode. It makes 5 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: me think of two things. First, the Kia Kia Soul 6 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: hamsters exactly what I was thinking on. But did you 7 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 1: ever have a hamster as a kid, as like a pet? No? 8 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: Fortunately not, ill fortunately No. Hanscers are awesome. Really yeah. 9 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:44,639 Speaker 1: They put them in the little balls and they run 10 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:49,520 Speaker 1: all over the house and p everywhere. I'm good, I'm 11 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:51,599 Speaker 1: okay if I go my whole life never owning a hand. 12 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: Hamsters are are cute. Mine met a tragic end that 13 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: we're not gonna get to during this episode, but maybe 14 00:00:57,920 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: one of these days. But we are going to talk 15 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: about the stories you mentioned, Joel, plus a bunch of others. 16 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: This is our Friday flight where we tackle from the 17 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 1: different headlines that we've come across this week. Uh and 18 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 1: we specifically want to talk about how they impact our money. 19 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: But first man, we wanted to mention that last Friday 20 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 1: we had a listener hangs there in Austin, Texas there 21 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: out of brewery, and dude, it was so much fun, 22 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: didn't you think? So it was so great, and I 23 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 1: gotta say, just there's something really really enjoyable about spending 24 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: time with folks that listen to the show and hanging 25 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: out with them. And so we gotta do this more, Matt, like, 26 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: we gotta get across the country and just hang out 27 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: with people, because yeah, it was so much fun just 28 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 1: to be in an awesome brewery and they were so 29 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: down to earth Austin listeners, so big thanks justin or 30 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:43,400 Speaker 1: even nearby. We had some folks like when one guy 31 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: drove up from San Antonio, which was like kind of baffling. 32 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: I'm like, yeah, we're not just zoom called in or something, man, 33 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: But big thanks to everybody who came out. Was it 34 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 1: really was a lot of fun. Yeah, I mean we 35 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: hang out, We talked about investing in real estate, everything 36 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: from that to just like more personal stuff like training 37 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: for runs, like races that we've got coming up. Of course, 38 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: we had to touch on craft beer. You can't hang 39 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: out with Matt and Joel and not talk about some 40 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: craft beer. But may one of the reasons I think 41 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: it was so great too, is because first of all, 42 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: like you and I, we're like the luckiest dudes alive, right, 43 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 1: I mean, we get to work with each other, we're 44 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 1: best buds, we get to talk about personal finance, but 45 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: we also we know that we get to help people. 46 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 1: As we sit here and record this, we know that 47 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 1: this is good information that's hopefully helping folks who are 48 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: out there. But I think a lot of times when 49 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: we're sitting here removed from individuals, it just it's sort 50 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 1: of like we have this faceless listener base, right, Whereas 51 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: when you go in person and you meet somebody and 52 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: you hear their story, like their money origins story, you 53 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: hear the different things are struggling with or you know, 54 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 1: the different things that they've accomplished, it completely shifts from 55 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:47,959 Speaker 1: something that we know to be real to it's something 56 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: that we can truly experience. Uh And for me, I 57 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 1: know that was just really impactful. It's sort of this 58 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: third element of what we do, the actual listeners who 59 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:58,639 Speaker 1: obviously make the show possible, but it's it's something that 60 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: I mean, you and I both talked about how encouraging 61 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: it was to see individuals and to know that we 62 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: are impacting their life for the good, just fun. They're 63 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: cool people. There are kind of people. I was like, man, 64 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: if we moved to Austin, like we'd hang out with 65 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 1: the hang out you all be our friends, right exactly So, 66 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: and then I ran into another listener like earlier this week, 67 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,519 Speaker 1: who lives in Atlanta actual, and so I promise you 68 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: Atlanta folks will get a hang on the calendar in 69 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: the near future, maybe even later this month. So stay tuned. 70 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,079 Speaker 1: But Matt, let's move on. Let's get to the Friday flight. 71 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: The stories we found interesting this week in the personal 72 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: finance space. Let's start with student loans. Federal student loan 73 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: payments are still on hiatus, of course, until early next year. 74 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: But yeah, there's still news happening in a big way 75 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: in the student loan arena. The enormous student loan service 76 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: or Navigant, they just filed to stop servicing student loans. 77 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: They want to transfer their business to another student loan company. 78 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: They're like, listen, we're washing our hands of this, we 79 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: don't want any part of it, and we're done with 80 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: the federal government exactly. So, yeah, come February when those 81 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: payments resume. If Navigant has been your student loan servicer. 82 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: You might be getting a letter from the Department of 83 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: Education notifying you that Maximus, which is the likely company 84 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: to take over these payments, maybe somebody else is the 85 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: new company that you should be directing your payments towards. 86 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: Don't trust anything else that. I bet there could be 87 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: some scam emails flying around about this. Yes, I'm sure 88 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:21,840 Speaker 1: those are gonna pop out of the woodwork. We'll talk 89 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 1: about those in a couple of months, right, Sure, they 90 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: will come up exactly, So, Department of Education, that's what 91 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: you want to pay attention to when you get something 92 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: in the mail from them. Uh, this shouldn't be a 93 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: big deal, really, it should have minimal impact. But make 94 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: sure you know your current loan terms and the balance 95 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: that you currently owe and you have a record of 96 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: it just in case something does happen during the switch. 97 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: I would say, screenshot or print your records now to 98 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: protect yourself in case something gets buggled along the way, 99 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: which when we're talking about millions and millions of student 100 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: loan records getting transferred to another service, or that's possible. 101 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: So yeah, if you're set up for those payments to 102 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: get auto taken out of your checking or say these 103 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,039 Speaker 1: account monitor them closely during the switch. I'm sure we'll 104 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: be talking about this story again, but it is something 105 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:05,720 Speaker 1: you should keep your eyes on most definitely. And since 106 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,479 Speaker 1: we're talking about student loans, today is actually the first 107 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: day to apply for federal student aid for the school 108 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 1: calendar year. I feel like we need to clap sound. 109 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 1: I mean, so, what's crazy about this is I think 110 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,279 Speaker 1: a lot of folks might be thinking, like, WHOA, this 111 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: school you're just starting. And while that is true, it 112 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: is important to note that a lot of programs award 113 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 1: money based on a first come, first serve basis. So 114 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: what that means is the sooner you get that in 115 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: the better. We'll actually link to the government site that 116 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: has both federal and state deadlines listed out. But you 117 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 1: don't want to miss out on potential aid just because 118 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: you waited to file. Yeah, in this case, procrastination could 119 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: leave you in the lurch without access to some of 120 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 1: the those aid dollars that you otherwise be able to 121 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: get if you were on the ball. It's sort of 122 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: like this, Yeah, we've talked, we talked about the domino 123 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: effects of things, and this is sort of one of 124 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 1: these instances where from the very beginning. The the college 125 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: students who are go getters, who are going to fill 126 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 1: out the facts that today are going to be the 127 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: ones who see a lot of money ordered to them, 128 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:09,160 Speaker 1: so that means they're less likely to take out more 129 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 1: student loans down the road, which means down the road 130 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: they're also going to be in a healthier financial position. 131 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 1: It's just this cascading compounding effect. And so we want 132 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: you to be on the winning end of the stick 133 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,239 Speaker 1: Charlie Sheen style winning. Right. Uh, Now, let's talk about 134 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:26,679 Speaker 1: something that's less awesome. Free money for college is great. 135 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: That's as good as it gets today. That's all. Everything 136 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: else is gonna say. It's all downhill from here. Now, 137 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:33,479 Speaker 1: there's some other good stories in here too, but this 138 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,720 Speaker 1: one is one for anybody who is a renter. Are 139 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: currently this is not good suck story? Right exactly? Rents 140 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: have been increasing at shocking rates around the country, and 141 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: we we briefly discussed the likelihood that rents were starting 142 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: to head up back in July. Well, now we're in October, 143 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,840 Speaker 1: and new statistics show that rents have increased considerably in 144 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 1: just a short period of time. There's almost like when 145 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: you look at the chart a hockey stick style curve 146 00:06:57,839 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: and just shot up. That's great if you're looking at 147 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: your investments. Not so great if you're looking at the 148 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: price you're paying to rent a home or an apartment, 149 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 1: And yeah, it's it's worse actually, if you live in 150 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: certain cities in the states of Georgia, Florida, and Washington. 151 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 1: Some year over year increases in those places have reached 152 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: the cent mark, which out that hurts and the increase. 153 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 1: And ask anyone Matt who's trying to move back into 154 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: New York City right now, rent prices are skyrocketing there. 155 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: And now that COVID has kind of calmed down, it's 156 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: it's not quite as bad as it has been. And so, yeah, 157 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: rent prices, they can't and they won't increase at this 158 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: rate for much longer. But if you're a renter, it's 159 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: important to know that the market has changed, and if 160 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: your lease is almost up, there are some things you 161 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 1: need to know ahead of that conversation with your landlord 162 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: so that you don't end up paying the highest rates around. Yeah, 163 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,239 Speaker 1: it makes sense that rents have increased as a single 164 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 1: family home prices have similarly skyrocketed. At least we're seeing 165 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: some signs of rent price increases slowing down. But what 166 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: can you do about it? Right? Like, that's the big 167 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: question on so many minds these days. Uh. And there 168 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: are a few options that you're disposable. First of all, 169 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: make sure you're a good tenant, make sure that you 170 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: obviously pay your rent on time. But then think through 171 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: some of the different requests you've made to your landlord. 172 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: For instance, the more you ask your landlord to replace 173 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: things like light bulbs, I'm thinking, the less likely they're 174 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 1: going to be to be flexible when it comes to 175 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: rent in the future. They're probably gonna roll their eyes 176 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: be a little annoyed exactly. Um. As a renter, if 177 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 1: I was in that position, I would also offer to 178 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: to sign a longer lease because vacancy time uh. And 179 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: you know, finding another great tenant those are real concerns 180 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: for landlords and the ability to lock in someone great 181 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: as a perk and that could potentially lead to some 182 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: reduced rent for you. And then your third option two 183 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 1: is just consider moving elsewhere. If your landlord won't budge, 184 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 1: it might just be time to move on. But the 185 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: thing is, no what the current market conditions are wherever 186 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:52,079 Speaker 1: you're considering moving before you part ways. Well priced rental 187 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: units are going quickly in many markets. Uh and plus 188 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 1: keep in mind too that moving it's just a huge 189 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 1: pain in the butt. It's gonna cost you money. If 190 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,319 Speaker 1: you can't score a signalificant savings, you might have to 191 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 1: bite the bullet and pay a little bit more. And 192 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: one final tip, downsizing, that's another way that a lot 193 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,719 Speaker 1: of winners out there can save more. I feel like 194 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: most folks are actually going in the opposite direction, right 195 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:12,839 Speaker 1: with more folks working from home. Folks are kind of 196 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: looking for that place with an extra room for them 197 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: to have as an office. But if that's not you, 198 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: if that's not your situation, maybe considered moving down to 199 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: a smaller spot where you're gonna be able to save 200 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 1: every single month. Yeah. I haven't seen any stats on this, 201 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: but my guess is that something like a studio apartment. 202 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:29,319 Speaker 1: I bet the rent hasn't caught up nearly as much 203 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: as it has for two bedroom apartments because to right, exactly, 204 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: because the need for people want more space right now, 205 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: studio apartments probably less desirable. So yeah, if you can 206 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: move in that direction to save money, then that might 207 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: be a good way to go about handling these rising rents, 208 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: which are I know, a pain in the butt. But 209 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: let's move on, Matt, let's talk about healthcare. It turns 210 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: out more costs of COVID treatment are being borne by 211 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: individuals these days. Like, if you get COVID and you 212 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: have to go to the hospital, you might get a 213 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 1: bigger bill than you would have let's say, uh, eight 214 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:06,559 Speaker 1: months ago, ten months ago, this time last year, right, 215 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 1: the Washington Post reported that most of the major health 216 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 1: insurers in each state have stopped waving co pays and 217 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: deductibles when it comes to receiving treatment for COVID. So, yeah, 218 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: with all the uncertainty around COVID last year, it was 219 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:22,479 Speaker 1: it was a really great thing that insurers were voluntarily 220 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: stepping up and they were taking care of their customers. 221 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 1: There wasn't any federal mandate that required them to do it. 222 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: They were just actually doing something nice, which they're doing 223 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 1: the right thing, right, surprising, but it happened every now 224 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: and the blind squirrel can find a nut too, exactly exactly. 225 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: And some states like Vermont and New Mexico, well, they 226 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: still require insurance companies to cover all the costs associated 227 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: with treatment of COVID. But if you live in a 228 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: state without those mandates, which is from what I know 229 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,079 Speaker 1: at least all the other forty eight states, it's important 230 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: to know that these costs are increasingly falling on you. 231 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: And so hopefully all our how the money listeners staying safe. 232 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,079 Speaker 1: Hopefully they're not getting sick, Matt. But but if they do, 233 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 1: it could have a real financial impact. That's right. And uh, yeah, 234 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: so I think this might be a good time for 235 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:10,199 Speaker 1: folks to revisit your emergency fund, maybe to make sure 236 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:12,679 Speaker 1: that you have enough money set aside to cover any 237 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:16,199 Speaker 1: deductibles or any maximum out of pocket costs. Vaccines are 238 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:20,079 Speaker 1: are obviously making these expensive overnight hospital stays more rare. 239 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: But the experts like they've made it clear that COVID 240 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: it's now endemic, you know, it's it's here to stay, uh, 241 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: and we should plan accordingly. COVID is no longer in 242 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 1: the special category of a health expense that we no 243 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,719 Speaker 1: longer have to bear the full brunt of. And one 244 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: other thing. If you didn't get a chance to listen 245 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: to our conversation with Marshall Allen, this was episode four 246 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,840 Speaker 1: or nine. Definitely go back, give that one to listen. 247 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: He had so much great information about Lauren, the cost 248 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: of healthcare in your life, how to fight back if 249 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 1: you do get a ridiculous bill for treatment. So again, 250 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 1: listen back to that episode four oh nine, which, by 251 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 1: the way, have you ever used four or nine like 252 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: the surface cleaner? Um? Yeah, I think so, it's been 253 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: a while, so I say that. That's like I'm in 254 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: charge of cleaning the kitchen and I love four or nine. Uh, 255 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 1: And lately Kate pop this Amazon kind of like lavender stuff. 256 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 1: It's not cutting it for me, man, I want to 257 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:11,079 Speaker 1: go back to the name brand stuff. This is one 258 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: area where I'm willing to splurge a little bit to 259 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 1: make sure our our counters are nice and clean. There 260 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: there are certain places where a name brand item makes 261 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: a difference. We're all for store brands and for generic goods, 262 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: but there's not not in every case. That's not sure. 263 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: I like the smell of it too. But I really 264 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 1: did love that episode with Marshall, and like he's been 265 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: writing about this stuff for so long, and he had 266 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: so much good, like practical information. If you get an 267 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,439 Speaker 1: outrageous bill, whether it's for COVID treatment or for anything 268 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: else from a hospital where you where you had a 269 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 1: procedure done. You're gonna want to make sure you follow 270 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 1: his steps because they are going to work out for 271 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: so many people in so many cases. And then yeah, 272 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: he even mentioned the nuclear option that you could pull 273 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:54,199 Speaker 1: out if you had to. And I won't reveal it now, 274 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: but it's a good one. It's a good one. So 275 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: we've got a few more stories see it too in 276 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: today's Friday Fly, including literally two stories about animals doing 277 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:06,199 Speaker 1: interesting things. Well, we'll get to that right after this break. 278 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: All right, we are back from the break, and it's 279 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 1: time to get to the ludicrous headline of the week 280 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,319 Speaker 1: of the week, and this is also our first animal 281 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: related story, number one of two. The headline reads like this, Matt, 282 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: this hamster's cryptocurrency portfolio is beating the market. It was 283 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: actually a much longer headline. I had to conduce it. 284 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:36,960 Speaker 1: It was so long. I'm gonna say, this isn't the 285 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: actually headline. No, it got a little ridiculous just how 286 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:42,560 Speaker 1: long it was. But this particular story was sent by 287 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: listener Crystal. It was published on Business Insider, and it 288 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 1: was actually this story made the rounds this week and 289 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 1: in multiple publications, but this one is actually funny and 290 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 1: a little confusing. From the initial headline, read one, Matt, 291 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:55,959 Speaker 1: I want to know how did this hamster get money? 292 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:58,959 Speaker 1: Hamsters don't work for money, like they're just like they're 293 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 1: on the wheel each day and they don't get paid 294 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 1: for that stuff. They can get get an allowance, you know, 295 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: if you're on that family doll Maybe maybe so maybe 296 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,200 Speaker 1: so maybe maybe it's allowance money. But because they're those 297 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 1: free monsters, they're obviously unemployable. But two, they don't have 298 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: opposable thumbs. So yeah, I don't know. Maybe I slept 299 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 1: through biology class and they do. But wouldn't that make 300 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:18,680 Speaker 1: it tough to to click a mouse or download an 301 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: app and transfer funds? I mean, I'm just you know, 302 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: upon initial viewing of this article, I was like, I 303 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 1: don't know, this one doesn't doesn't hold water. But it 304 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: turns out that's not what's happening. But it's got a 305 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: lot more scientific with it. Yes, this isn't a fully 306 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: evolved hamster, but this hamster's name was Mr Cox and 307 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: he actually he was put in a cage by his 308 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: owners and to buy and sell decisions were being made 309 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 1: based on which tunnel he decided to run through each time. 310 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 1: So there's a by tunnel when he goes through that 311 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: every time they buy, and there's a cell tunnel, and 312 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: anytime he goes through that tunnel, that's when they sell 313 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: the crypto exactly. And his instincts apparently are to make 314 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 1: his owners better than average returns, because yeah, he and 315 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: his owners are beating the and PE five percent in 316 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: what like a two month period. So yeah, in other news, 317 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: I'm definitely gonna get a ferret in a special cage 318 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: and see if I can outperform Mr Cox because farets 319 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: have to be more impressive than hamsters. Get you that money, jewel. 320 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: But this is also the nature of cryptocurrencies. You know, 321 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 1: it's a much more volatile space. There are gonna be 322 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: massive run ups, but they're also going to be huge 323 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: sell offs as well. Uh, it's you know, it's not 324 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 1: unlike individual stocks. You should expect to see much more 325 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 1: volatility in individual stocks and cryptocurrencies compared to investing in 326 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 1: the total stock market, which is what we recommend. But 327 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: the fact is that, yeah, if you're looking for short 328 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 1: term gains, you probably have as gould of a chance 329 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: at picking the winners with a hamster or a ferret 330 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: jewel in your case. If you want to go that route, 331 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: then than the pros do on Wall Street. Or even 332 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 1: if you were to randomly throw darts at a dartboard 333 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 1: to pick individual stocks, you would have a great chance 334 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: of beating in the pros, because this is exactly what 335 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 1: the Wall Street Journal did a few years back. Uh, 336 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: and the dart throwers won the competition. They just randomly 337 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: through dart side of dartboard, and that's how they picked 338 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: their individual stocks. Uh. And it turned out that they 339 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 1: beat the pros, And so we wanted to share this 340 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 1: because listening to the quote unquote experts is it's usually 341 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: a bad move when they are attempting to predict the future. 342 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: And so yeah, keep that in mind because when someone 343 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: tells you that they know what is going to happen 344 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: next month in the market, you want to avoid them 345 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: runaway fast. Instead, we want you to invest in something 346 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: like index funds, like the SMPI index or the Total 347 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 1: Stock Market Index exactly. Matt, And you mentioned people predicting 348 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: the future or the near term future, predicting stock crashes. Well, 349 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 1: speaking of that, I've actually never read the book Rich Dad, 350 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 1: Poor dad, I think that might make me like it's 351 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 1: a classic, that's like a personal finance. No, no, to 352 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: not have read that book, but I just never got 353 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 1: around to it. Didn't feel compelled to. But you know what, now, 354 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 1: I think I'm gonna keep putting it off because Robert Kiyosaki, 355 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: the author of that he uh, he has been predicting 356 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: market crashes basically at the rate that you and I 357 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: drink craft beer. He the responsibly a few times a week, 358 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 1: got it, But he's been more irresponsible with with his viator. 359 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: And he tweeted this week that market the market is 360 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 1: ripe for a nose dive in October, so this month, 361 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: all right, are we gonna crash? He says? Yes? Could 362 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:20,400 Speaker 1: he be right? Yeah, of course yes, he could be right. 363 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: But the problem is he makes predictions like this on 364 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 1: basically an annual basis, and like, how has the market 365 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 1: performed after each successive tweet? Well, unfortunately, somebody else on 366 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: Twitter did did the research, and it turns out the 367 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: market has done pretty darn well. Actually, after he tweets 368 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 1: out crazy stuff like this like historically, well, and so yeah, 369 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: my guess is that maybe Mr Kiyosaki adopted Mr Cox, 370 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 1: the Hamsters, maybe inferior sibling, and these are the results 371 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:51,120 Speaker 1: of his predictions. But yeah, just remember that even people 372 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 1: who have written influential books or have a massive following 373 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: on social media. I think that dude has like one 374 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 1: point seven million Twitter followers. You would expect that they're 375 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: all following him because he knows what he's talking about. 376 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:05,120 Speaker 1: But even those kind of folks with real clout can 377 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 1: be prone to this type of behavior. But yeah, our response, 378 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 1: what we would tell you to do with these sorts 379 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:14,439 Speaker 1: of predictions is to tune it out, take it with 380 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 1: a grain of salt, for sure. Well, and here's the 381 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:18,680 Speaker 1: thing you kind of presented as like, oh, I can't 382 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 1: believe that even with all those followers that he's given 383 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: crappy advice regularly, right, But like I would argue that 384 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: it's not a bug, it's a feature. Like like, this 385 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: is how he has so many people because people want 386 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: to have somebody who they feel like has a pulse 387 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 1: on the market. Uh, someone who they feel like has 388 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 1: the inside track. And I'm gonna listen to this guy, 389 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 1: and that's how I'm gonna get rich. Um, it's all 390 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: I mean, that's how they're gonna get the opposite of 391 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: rich exactly, and it's it's just all marketing, and they're 392 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: just taking advantage of the media system that we have 393 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: in place where the most extreme views on one side 394 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: or the other is. I mean, that's what's gonna typically 395 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 1: make the headlines. Here. We are even right now talking 396 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,640 Speaker 1: about him ourselves. But all that to say, don't follow him, 397 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 1: don't listen to us investing advice, and instead take the 398 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:04,199 Speaker 1: not extreme view of just like investing in the whole market, 399 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: approach it with a very level head and make reasonable decisions. Yeah, 400 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: I think that that doesn't sell right, be reasonable people, Yeah, 401 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: that really sells well in our economy these days, are 402 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:15,120 Speaker 1: really just in our society in general. I will say 403 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: the best tweet I think was Ben Carlson's tweet friend 404 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: of the show. He's been on the show before, and 405 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 1: he said rich Dad, poor readers, And I'm like, he's 406 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: spot on with that. Under sent man. Okay, uh so 407 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: we're talking about investing on a not insane investing note. 408 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 1: Vanguard they one of our favorites. They are slashing their 409 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:37,360 Speaker 1: fees on their target date funds by quite a bit. 410 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 1: This is great news, especially for target date fund investors. 411 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 1: So the average expense ratio was between point one two 412 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:48,920 Speaker 1: and point one five. But as a February of next year, 413 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: all target date funds will have an expense ratio of 414 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: point zero eight percent. For some that's close to a 415 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: fift cut in the fee that they will be charging 416 00:19:57,400 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 1: moving forward. This is huge. This alone is going to 417 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 1: save investors almost two hundred million dollars in two alone. 418 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: Uh and so yeah, we wanted to This is a 419 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:08,240 Speaker 1: little bit of we had some crappy news for folks, 420 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 1: but this is definitely some of the good news. Target 421 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 1: day funds are the best pick, we think for a 422 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: lot of folks because of the diversification, the simplicity that 423 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 1: they offer. But that being said, you know, costs have 424 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: been a small problem in many of these funds. So 425 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: we're glad to see Vanguard taking the lead and continuing 426 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 1: to lower the price when it comes to getting into 427 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: some of these investments. And since their inception, Vanguard has 428 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,880 Speaker 1: just been saving investors an incredible amount of money. We're 429 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: glad to see that trend continuing. Yeah, and anything that 430 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: Vanguard does, like they make a big footprint and other 431 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: people trying to follow. Right, So when they lower fees. 432 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: Other people start looking at their own fees and they're like, 433 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 1: who is everyone gonna leave us for Vanguard, and so 434 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: they start to lower fees. So it's a big step 435 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: for anybody who does invest with Vanguard, but you know 436 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 1: it's gonna have ripple effects on the industry as a whole. 437 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: And target Dave funds. Like you said, Matt, we like them. 438 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: They're great for a whole lot of people. Sometimes the 439 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:02,440 Speaker 1: cost and some of these funds, with some of these 440 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 1: companies is just it's a little too high, and so 441 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:09,119 Speaker 1: I hope for what it is exactly exactly exactly. All right, 442 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:12,400 Speaker 1: let's talk about side hustling for a second. Map Uh, 443 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: I really want to get to our second animal story 444 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: of this Friday Flights. I didn't realize until this week, 445 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 1: but apparently animals can be influencers now and they can 446 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 1: make more money than lots of humans. So we're figuring 447 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 1: out that animals are really adept at building wealth. But 448 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:32,919 Speaker 1: I'm gonna replace you with a llama, I guess, so 449 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: you probably be better off. But there was there was 450 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,040 Speaker 1: an article in the New York Post about a duck 451 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: who's making viral videos on TikTok The duck's name is 452 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 1: Duncan Ducks and he is adorable. But I'm still not 453 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 1: sure how I feel about this kind of new world 454 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:51,880 Speaker 1: that we're living in. I think, more than anything, this 455 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: story and then just our recent trip to Austin and 456 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: going to Finncon, which is this financial media conference that 457 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: we were at, it just makes me realize there are 458 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:04,360 Speaker 1: so many different ways to earn money, specifically online, and like, yeah, 459 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: like we may met people who like literally they built 460 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,359 Speaker 1: up their Instagram and that's how they make money, or 461 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: their email newsletter whatever. There's there's so many different ways 462 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: online to make side hustle money and then eventually turn 463 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: it into your your day job. And yeah, I mean 464 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: I'm not suggesting that people go out there and adopt 465 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:25,080 Speaker 1: a duck or a llama and see if you can 466 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 1: make money that way. What if you already have a 467 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:28,880 Speaker 1: pet though, because you've got a couple of cats. Yeah, 468 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 1: maybe my cats could become influencers and they could bring 469 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 1: me in some some side money. Uh. Yeah. It's just 470 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: kind of interesting because the Internet obviously has its downside 471 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:39,479 Speaker 1: it like draws our attention away lots of times, but 472 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:43,439 Speaker 1: it also has basically limitless opportunity as well. And so 473 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 1: for any of our listeners who are out there and 474 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:46,920 Speaker 1: they're like, man, I really want to start something. I'm 475 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: not saying that you need to get your your animal 476 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: um social media account, but get creative online and see 477 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,120 Speaker 1: what you can do to build a business there because 478 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 1: the world is your oyster, and use your skills in 479 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 1: a different way to reach an audience. That's right. Yeah, 480 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 1: So anybody out there, if you've got that fancy feast connection, 481 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 1: we will be in touch. Okay. On a consumer related notes, 482 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:15,200 Speaker 1: bottled water is the complete worst. Stats show that bottled 483 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 1: water consumption is currently at an all time high, and 484 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: this is a bad thing. First of all, it's not 485 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:22,720 Speaker 1: great for the environment, right just think of all the 486 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 1: insane amounts of plastic bottles and landfills. But second, it's 487 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 1: not great for your your money. You know, even if 488 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:31,200 Speaker 1: you don't care about taking care of the earth, which 489 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: you should, come on, but if you consistently drink bottled water, 490 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 1: you are wasting money and oftentimes too. This is really 491 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:41,679 Speaker 1: a needless expense because, as David Lazarus wrote in The 492 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 1: l A Times this week, most of the major bottle 493 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: water brands are just putting filtered tap water into these bottles. 494 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 1: Get with it, folks, bottled water, it's not better for you. 495 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 1: So don't you know, buy into the advertising. Don't pay 496 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:56,440 Speaker 1: extra for that Fiji water. Um, although this Fiji maybe 497 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 1: actually come from somewhere special, I don't know, but it 498 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,880 Speaker 1: comes out I guess is not big that it comes 499 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:03,119 Speaker 1: out of a tap somewhere. Uh. When you when you 500 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 1: look at the bat you can see it'll tell you 501 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:08,119 Speaker 1: municipally sourced from this for such a place, And it's like, 502 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 1: why am I paying for this again? Exactly, you're buying 503 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 1: into the advertising, and we would recommend for you to 504 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 1: not do that. Just get a get one of those 505 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 1: reusable water bottles. Honestly, you can just buy a disposable 506 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: bottle of water and then just keep that plastic bottle, 507 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: you know, as long as you possibly can. I think 508 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:26,119 Speaker 1: that's probably the most affordable way to hydrate yourself. Just 509 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:27,919 Speaker 1: keep refilling that. Do what you did the one that 510 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: you've got rocking right here on on the podcast recording table. 511 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 1: You've got on the side of the road, didn't you. 512 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 1: So No, Okay, so we were talking about Fincon earlier. 513 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:39,239 Speaker 1: Do you remember I got this at Fincon. We were 514 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:41,679 Speaker 1: helping a friend clean up after a party and everyone 515 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 1: just left all their trash, and so we were cleaning 516 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,280 Speaker 1: things up. The hotel staff was getting ready to swoop in, 517 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 1: and we're getting ready to throw all the stuff away, 518 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: and we were asking folks were like, hey, who's whose 519 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 1: red water bottles? It's what what is it? Takia or 520 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 1: something like that. It's one of those insulated fancy water bottles, 521 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: and nobody would claim it, and so I grabbed it. 522 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: I was, I mean, rescued it from the landfill. And 523 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: I've been rocket. I literally use this thing every single day, 524 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 1: and uh, it's that's a fun story. So the moral 525 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 1: of the story here is just look out for free stuff. 526 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 1: Because you don't have to necessarily go out of your 527 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 1: way and spend thirty forty bucks on one of the fancy, 528 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:16,680 Speaker 1: really nice insulated water bottles. Maybe you can just use 529 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 1: what you have on hand. Just keep your eyes open. Yeah, 530 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 1: and tap water is just find in most parts of 531 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: the country unless you live in Florida. I've been down there. 532 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,439 Speaker 1: Your tap water is terrible, and I get it. I 533 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 1: get why you go buy water somewhere else if you 534 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 1: live there. I'm also gonna argue that the tap water 535 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: here in Atlanta is better than in Austin. Oh yeah, 536 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: it was. You're right, you're right. So there we were 537 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 1: just biased. But I was happy to come home and 538 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:38,400 Speaker 1: you know, have the freedom to fill up my water 539 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 1: bottle from the fridge, which is filtered, by the way, 540 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,920 Speaker 1: so it's your own filter. If you really want filtered water, 541 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 1: which I personally don't care about what my wife does. Like, 542 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: you can get a jug that has filters in it. 543 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 1: You can replace them, like they sell those at all 544 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:54,240 Speaker 1: the even Yeah, find your own thing to to filter water. 545 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:56,880 Speaker 1: Oftentimes people are throwing those things away. Come get mine 546 00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:59,639 Speaker 1: from my house because my wife might be mad if 547 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: I give it way. But still, yeah, don't drink bottle water, 548 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:05,680 Speaker 1: or at least only drink it in those rare circumstances 549 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 1: where you actually need to take just like one of 550 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: those disposable throwaway water bottles with you. But all right, 551 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 1: that's gonna do it for today's Friday flights. If you 552 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 1: guys want show notes links to the stories that we 553 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 1: mentioned in this episode, you can go to our website 554 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 1: at how to money dot com. By the way, I 555 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 1: wanted to let you know that our listeners, they send 556 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,320 Speaker 1: us stories sometimes, like listening Crystal did send the sending 557 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:26,720 Speaker 1: the ludicrous headline of the week. If you come across 558 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:30,520 Speaker 1: an interesting, head scratching personal finance story this week, send 559 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:32,679 Speaker 1: it our way to How the Money Pod at gmail 560 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 1: dot com and hopefully we can feature it in next 561 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: week's Friday Flights Right. And if you don't have a 562 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 1: story to send us, but maybe you have a question 563 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:41,880 Speaker 1: for us, we would also love to receive those via 564 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:44,919 Speaker 1: voice memo. That's our ask How the Money episodes, And 565 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:46,679 Speaker 1: actually we've got one of those lined up for you 566 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 1: on Monday, so you can look forward to that one 567 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 1: showing up here in a couple of days. We hope 568 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:53,399 Speaker 1: you have a great weekend and Joel, until next time, Buddy, 569 00:26:53,480 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 1: best friends Out, Best Friends Out,