1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to How the Money. I'm Joel and I in 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: Matt and today we are answering your listener questions. Listener questions. Baby, 3 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:28,639 Speaker 1: you know what, man, this is our listener question Monday. 4 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: You dick fightal. I don't even know who that is. 5 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,199 Speaker 1: It sounds like a sports announcer and he let me 6 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:39,959 Speaker 1: guess football, No basketball, basketball, he's quite famous for his babies. 7 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: Oh really, Yeah, I gotta look this guy up. Maybe 8 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: we are soul mates. Maybe. Now we've got listener questions 9 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: lined up for folks today. We've got five great ones, 10 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: including one about a listener who's thinking about renovating his 11 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: home to generate some income. We've got an investing question, 12 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: and we might be getting behind some single stock investing. 13 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:01,959 Speaker 1: I'm sure folks are like, wait, shut up, guys, y'all 14 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: are such hypocrites, because I know y'all don't single stock 15 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: invention as there are always specifics and nuances that you 16 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: have to take into account. We're gonna get to to 17 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: that one. Uh. And then we've got a listener as well, 18 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: who's wondering what she can do about her rent going 19 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,039 Speaker 1: up significantly. We've got a few tips for her in 20 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: some ways to keep that expense and check. Plus to 21 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: other questions that we're going to get to today. But uh, okay, 22 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: I got a quick story for you. Ready. So we 23 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: mentioned a couple of weeks ago we are going to 24 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: be selling our house, and okay, now we've been doing 25 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: a bunch of different little projects around the around the place. 26 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: You know, you live with certain things for a while 27 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: and then all of a sudden, you put like some 28 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 1: different goggles on and you see it for what it is, 29 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: and you're like, oh my, oh my gosh, we live 30 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: like slops. This was nice, but this house, but in 31 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: reality it's not a turn. But like, there's a few 32 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: things that you live with that you just ignore until 33 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: you kind of look at it from from a different perspective. 34 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: One of those things in one of the showers in 35 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: our house. In one of the bathrooms, we've got two 36 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: different shower heads, which is totally fine, but they're both 37 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: kind of crusty. One of them had kind of like 38 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: this weird, kind of gangly adjustable arm thing that didn't 39 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: really adjust. Uh, And so we thought, you know what, 40 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 1: let's get a couple new shower heads. They'll match. They 41 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 1: look nice. And when these things showed up. When I 42 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: went to stick them on, I saw that you could 43 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: remove the the water flow restrictor on them, and so 44 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: it belinks it's a legal requirement for these shower head 45 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,679 Speaker 1: companies to place it in there, but it's not illegal 46 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: for you to itself as an individual of it. And 47 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: obviously they stick them in there to help you to 48 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 1: save water. But I thought, I wonder what it's like 49 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 1: to take that thing off, like, like, what is it 50 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: like to shower under a shower head that's like, you know, 51 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: full throut. And so I tried it out, and dude, 52 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 1: I've got to say, it is really really nice. Especially 53 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:49,640 Speaker 1: I mean I've still got my long hair, which means 54 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 1: that's a lot of shampoo, a lot of conditioning to 55 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,919 Speaker 1: rinse out. Uh. It was incredibly awesome just to get 56 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: my have my scout blasted by the Atlanta City water. 57 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: But it got me thinking about whether or not it's 58 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: frugal or cheap to remove those things, because on one hand, 59 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,799 Speaker 1: you leave the restrictor in, obviously you're saving uh it's 60 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: it's less water is coming out, but you might be 61 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: taking longer to shower. So in my case, it literally 62 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: does take a while for me to rinse all that 63 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: shampoo that like, I have to shower with a brush 64 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: and I brushed my hair in the shower. It's it's 65 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:22,399 Speaker 1: something I gotta do now. On the other hand, now 66 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,079 Speaker 1: that we're going full force with the water, I think 67 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: that I'm able to get out of that shower and 68 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: a much shorter period of time. Not to mention, it 69 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,079 Speaker 1: feels nice. I really I just like how that feels 70 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:34,639 Speaker 1: on the scout. But what do you think, because on 71 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: one hand it could be good, on on the other hand, 72 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: it could be bad. What are your thoughts. So when 73 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: we recently renovated the shower in our new bathroom, our 74 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: new master bathroom was is great, but the shower head 75 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: was like, it's like it's leaving something to be desired, 76 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 1: Like it's just not the water pressure is just it's okay. 77 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: And so yeah, I talked to my buddy Brent, and 78 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 1: he was like, well, you don't even bullet a little 79 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: joker out and test it out. And so similarly, I 80 00:03:57,520 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: just I pulled it out with some needle nose fiers 81 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: it's and it was this is like so a much 82 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: better experience. And so I ripped it out and I'm 83 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: not going back, which is funny because I have at 84 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: different times in the past I have put low flow 85 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: devices on a sink or a faucet or put in 86 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 1: a low flow shower head in order to curb water consumption. 87 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: So I think it's one of those things that it's 88 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:23,279 Speaker 1: if it if it helps you to take your shower 89 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: more quickly, and you're kind of it's kind of negligible, 90 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: then take it out. Or if it just makes it 91 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: more enjoyable, take it out. But if it if it 92 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: doesn't make a difference, if you haven't noticed up until now, 93 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: probably leave it in there. Because it's saving you money 94 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:36,919 Speaker 1: by saving you water. Yeah, you probably will see a 95 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: difference in your water bill if you're not getting any 96 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: enjoyment or if it's not saving you any time. Right, 97 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 1: if I get in the shower and I'm taking just 98 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:45,719 Speaker 1: as long as a shower, well there's no water saving, 99 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 1: you know, like there's no trade off there. I'm just 100 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: wasting more water. It is just going down the drain. 101 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: But if I'm able to get in that shower down 102 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: literally it might just be a wash. Keep these going, 103 00:04:57,960 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 1: but yeah, just something to keep in mind. Something I'm 104 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: this is something that y'all have have dealt with recently 105 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: as well, just briefly on the topic of low flow 106 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:08,119 Speaker 1: water devices lowflo toilets. Actually, though I've gotten really good, 107 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: there's no reason if you've got one of those old 108 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 1: school toilets that takes like what like three gallons per 109 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: flush versus like was it like one point to Yeah, 110 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: some and someone have the dual flush where it's less 111 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: than a gallon per flush for for number one, um, 112 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: and so I would suggest definitely switching up to upgrading 113 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 1: to a newer toilet that is low flow. Oftentimes the 114 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,720 Speaker 1: water department will basically pay you to do that. Those 115 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: rebates baby, exactly. So that's another baby. Okay, take fine, 116 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 1: tell but so yeah, So I would say, yeah, maybe 117 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: not worth it in the showerhead, at least for me. 118 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 1: Maybe it is for some, but when it comes to 119 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: the toilet, worth it for basically everyone. Yeah, there's no 120 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:49,239 Speaker 1: enjoyment I get by seeing more water flush the toilet exactly. 121 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 1: So all right, man, let's move on. Let's mention the 122 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: beer we're having on this episode. This one is called 123 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: White Tie. It's by Westbrook Brewing Company, and Tie as 124 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: in Thailand, not as in like um, tie, that white 125 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: top white bow tie. That is not what this beer is. 126 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: This is this is a classic. And I also think 127 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: that most anyone listening to this episode, we'll be able 128 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: to find this beer at whatever major grocery store is 129 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: close to them carrys craft beer. I don't know. I 130 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 1: don't know how far Westbrook distributes. Really, yeah, I hope 131 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: they do. I guess around here, I always see them 132 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 1: on the shelves. It's it's kind of like one of 133 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: those goes because they're based out of South Carolina, right 134 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 1: up the road from News. But I didn't think about it. 135 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: If you never mind, if you can find this beer. 136 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: But let's move on. Let's get to the subject at hand. 137 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: We're answering listener questions, and if you have a question 138 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: that you want Matt and had to tackle on an 139 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: upcoming episode, we would love to hear it. Just go 140 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,360 Speaker 1: to how to money dot com slash ask. There are 141 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 1: simple instructions there for how you can submit your question 142 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: to be featured on an upcoming ask htm episode. But Matt, 143 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 1: let's get to this first one. This one is about 144 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:49,280 Speaker 1: the conundrum that so many renters are facing right now. Hey, 145 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: Joel and Matt, this is Sabrina from Hoffmann Estate's Illinois. 146 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 1: I'm a huge fan of the How the Money podcast. 147 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: If you guys have helped me learned so much on 148 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: my journey to financial independence, so keep up the good 149 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 1: work and looking forward to new episodes. My question for 150 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: you guys is currently at my one bedroom, one bath apartment, 151 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: I'm paying twelve sixty one a month. My lease will 152 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: be up in July. The leasing office has provided me 153 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: a list of new rental rates if I want to renew. 154 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: For instance, for a new twelve month lease, they've increased 155 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: the rent price by as much as thirteent that would 156 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: increase my rent by a hundred and seventy dollars a month, 157 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: or for a nine month lease would increase by sixteen 158 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: percent or two hundred and six dollars more a month, 159 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: just as an example. I'm having a hard time justifying this. 160 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: What is your advice? Should I renew at the rates provided, 161 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 1: try to negotiate, or look elsewhere for a new apartment. 162 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: I always pay my rent early and was looking to renew, 163 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: but I'm shocked at the increases they are providing. Any 164 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: advice you have would be awesome. Thanks so much, and 165 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: have a great day, Sabrina, thank you for your question. 166 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: We are sad to hear that you're having the expense 167 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: go up in your life, especially he mentioned how you're 168 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: on the path to financial independence, to financial freedom. Having 169 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: an expense go up when you are not going to 170 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: receive any additional benefit, that sucks. And you can just 171 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: see the dollar signs increase on your monthly budget within 172 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 1: your expenses. But you know what's happening to you, it's 173 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: it's happening to almost everyone out there. You're not alone. 174 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: I'm not actually sure if that makes you feel any better, 175 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: but misery does love some company. And actually, before we 176 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: dig in with our own best answers here, we wanted 177 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: to mention we actually covered this topic in depth with 178 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: Justin Pogue. That was back in episode four sixty nine. 179 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: He had a smorgasborg of great insights for negotiating your rent. 180 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: It's worth listening to and he's coming at it too 181 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: from the side of the landlord. He managed hundreds of doors. 182 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 1: He was the guy that you would be talking to 183 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 1: when it comes to negotiating your rent. It's always nice 184 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: to hear from someone on the inside. He was like, no, 185 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,079 Speaker 1: no rent decrease for you, guy, um. But he had 186 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 1: some really good insights, and he talked about the landlord's 187 00:08:57,520 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: dilemma and kind of how you know what the land 188 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: lord is going through so that you can actually negotiate properly. 189 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: And and so that is one of the things actually 190 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: that Sabrina mentioned was should you be negotiating And we 191 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: would say yes, it's you might not be in an 192 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: amazing position to negotiate right now in the current climates. 193 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 1: Given these current circumstances, there's a decent chance that your 194 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 1: apartment complex isn't going to budge at all. But we 195 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: would say your best negotiation tactic is to offer to 196 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: sign a longer term lease. So if if you plan 197 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,559 Speaker 1: to stay put in this apartment complex for a couple 198 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 1: more years, then if I were you, I would offer 199 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: to sign a two year lease, which might get you 200 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: a better rate. And that's because vacancy is one of 201 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: those landlord dilemmas. It's one of those things that costs 202 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: landlord's money. Having that apartment unoccupied for a month or two, 203 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: it's going to cost them more than being able to 204 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 1: cut you a great tenant a little bit of a 205 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: break on your rent right now. And I would suggest 206 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,439 Speaker 1: this to Sabrina. It's also helpful to have market data 207 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,079 Speaker 1: for what other apartment complexes in your area are offering 208 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:04,679 Speaker 1: for similar units, because if something nearby that is very 209 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:07,319 Speaker 1: much in the same vein as the apartment that you're 210 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,560 Speaker 1: in right now, it's running for a hundred dollars less 211 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: than what your complex is demanding from you, that data 212 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 1: can help your case, and it might convince the management 213 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: company maybe to meet you in the middle, so you 214 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: can avoid having to move annoyingly, but that you can 215 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: at least maybe avoid the full wrath of the rain 216 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 1: increase that they're currently proposing. Exactly. It helps you to 217 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 1: deflect it a little bit. I would also suggest at night, 218 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 1: just pulling the fire alarm, uh, and so then all 219 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 1: the kidets are upsets. Just do that a few nights 220 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: in a row, and then folks will choose not to renew, 221 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: and then all of a sudden the demand has dramatically decreased. 222 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:44,439 Speaker 1: Just start slashing tires in the parking lot. And vandalism 223 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: is always the way to get what you want, Matt. Obviously, 224 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: that's a great way to go if you're looking to 225 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 1: make a lot of enemies, and maybe also not even 226 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:55,319 Speaker 1: actually saving money, um, but Sabrina, maybe just landing in 227 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: a jail cell. Yeah, it's important to note we're in 228 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: an era of apidly rising rents, but it's important to 229 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 1: keep in mind that, you know, you might find some 230 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: bigger discrepancies between what different apartment complexes are charging. Some 231 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: property managers are more in tune with what's happening in 232 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: the market than others. And then it could actually be 233 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: even more helpful to look at other properties that are 234 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,840 Speaker 1: managed by smaller mom and pop landlords. You might find 235 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: the carriage house, you can find an a d u 236 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 1: or even a duplex. By snagging that you could potentially, 237 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,839 Speaker 1: you know, lock in some lower rent for years to come. Yeah, 238 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: I think it's a really good suggestion, Matt. Sometimes mom 239 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: and pop landlords are their mortgages locked in. They're less 240 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 1: in tune with market forces and and so their rent 241 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: prices are pretty stable, and maybe they go up with 242 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: taxes every year. But but they might not be quite 243 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: as keen to raise rents thirteen to thirty seven percent 244 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:48,959 Speaker 1: the marine is experiencing for some folks. It just it 245 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 1: may not be as much of a business as opposed 246 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 1: to just like well, we like having somebody, you know, 247 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: in the garage apartment, and we want to keep somebody 248 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: back there helps keep an eye on the property. Things 249 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 1: like that, where they think of it as mitigate their 250 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 1: mortgage to a certain extent, not as this like profit 251 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 1: motive and must yeah, must yeah, not that they're not 252 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: for profits or anything like that, but that they are 253 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: looking maybe more at lifestyle than actually just the numbers. Well, 254 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: and that reminds me exactly of kind of the position 255 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: that we were in when the house that we're currently in, 256 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 1: when we first moved in, it was a duplex and 257 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 1: we rented out the back half for four and a 258 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: half years, and we charged below market rent, and for 259 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,080 Speaker 1: that entire length of time, we never raised the rent 260 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: on our tenant because she ended up becoming a friend 261 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: and she was literally living in our house like under 262 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:32,679 Speaker 1: the same roof, and so there are other things at play. 263 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 1: She got a better deal than most people are in 264 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: our neighborhood. Couldn't find a unit similar to that for 265 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: the same price she was paying. Um. But because that 266 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: landlord and tendant have more of a direct relationship when 267 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 1: they live under the same roof, sometimes I can have 268 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: a beautiful impact on what you actually end up paying for. Yeah, totally. 269 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:51,840 Speaker 1: I mean it makes me think too, like consider a 270 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: place that may not be like quite as nice, or 271 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:56,319 Speaker 1: or like maybe a place that's a little bit smaller 272 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: than what you're currently like where you're currently not ingesting, 273 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 1: like rat infested? Are you definitely not? I mean, but like, 274 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 1: like so she's living in a one one, but like, 275 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,080 Speaker 1: could you find something that's a little more affordable that 276 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 1: happens to be like a studio apartment? Right? I think 277 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: one of the ways to fight inflation and these rising 278 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: costs of rent is to maybe just change your expectations 279 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 1: for what you want out of your place. It could 280 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 1: almost be a game of sorts to lock into a 281 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: dollar amount that you're wanting to spend and then just 282 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:23,119 Speaker 1: see what steps you can take, you know what, what discipline, 283 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: what pain that you know you might be willing to 284 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 1: endure to ensure that you're not going to pay more 285 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 1: for rent you want to. You know, in this way, 286 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: you're kind of like maintaining your costs and you're decreasing 287 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 1: your expectations. It makes me think about how I feel 288 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 1: like over the years, we've sort of done that with 289 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 1: our food budget, where we've tried to keep it locked in, 290 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 1: and we have seen the price of food go up, 291 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 1: and we've kind of we are no longer doing the 292 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:49,199 Speaker 1: one dollar per meal per person uh model anymore. We 293 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:51,679 Speaker 1: were all basically physically impossible. We were all that trained 294 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: for I mean over a decade, like literally for years 295 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:56,960 Speaker 1: and years, and as we added more folks, as we 296 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:00,320 Speaker 1: had more kids, we still adhered to that general principle, 297 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,839 Speaker 1: that general philosophy. It was a way for us to 298 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 1: try to lock in our food costs, but it forced 299 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 1: us to be more creative and to find some different 300 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 1: ways to uh cook food for ourselves that was still healthy. Yeah. Well, 301 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: I think it's important to mention too that moving comes 302 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 1: with a cost, right and and so so you can't 303 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: just think about the price of rent. You have to 304 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,960 Speaker 1: think about the price and the hassle of moving down 305 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: the street. And so if you know that you can 306 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: save twenty bucks a month, are you are you going 307 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: to move for twenty bucks a month? Probably not? Probably? 308 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: Probably not. Are you gonna Are you gonna move for 309 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 1: a hundred fifty dollars a month? Probably? But so much 310 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: of that too depends on how much stuff you have, 311 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: whether you're living kind of that minimalist lifestyle. How much 312 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 1: it's gonna cost you to move? Are you gonna hire 313 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: some sort of fancy professional moving company where it's gonna 314 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: cost you a thousand bucks? Or are you going to 315 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: rent a U haul and move your own stuff and 316 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 1: spend eighty bucks? Um? It just so much. Yeah, I've 317 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 1: got a Ford Explorer and I can fit all of 318 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 1: my possessions into my vehicle and make one trip. The 319 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: easier it is to move, that's the case, Yeah, the 320 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: more likelier to do it, because for like for for us, 321 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: now in a bigger house with three kids and all 322 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: the stuff you accrue over years of just life, it's 323 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 1: moving becomes a little more daunting. So I would just 324 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 1: suggest be sure to to factor in all of the 325 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: costs associated with moving, not just the difference in monthly rents. 326 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: And again, it is a tough environment out there for 327 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 1: tenants in most of the country, and while you don't 328 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: have tons of leverage, you still don't have to take 329 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 1: massive rent increases. Lying down, there are things you can do, 330 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: and I think Matt your suggestion in particular to look 331 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 1: to those smaller landlords, to look to a d U 332 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: S and carriage houses and stuff like that. I think 333 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 1: that is often where the best deals can be had. 334 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: So I'd be scouring Zillo if I were you, Sabrina, 335 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 1: I would be looking every day to see what pops up, 336 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: and not just on the actual listings, but just asking around, 337 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: like ask within your personal network, just like, hey, do 338 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: you happen to know anybody who has an a d 339 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 1: U S, somebody who has the basement that I can 340 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: rent out, someone who has an extra room over their garage, 341 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: that kind of thing, because sometimes those opportunities, don't you know. 342 00:15:58,040 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 1: I feel like if you go through all the steps 343 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: where you are actually gonna list it on Zelo, maybe 344 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: you've taken a few photos. At that point you're like, well, shoot, 345 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: I want it to be worth it as opposed to 346 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 1: going and finding the opportunity. Uh, And you're making life 347 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: a little bit easier for the landowner. Yeah, So alright, 348 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: best of Lex Sabrina. We hope you find a great 349 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: deal on a place, or you're able to at least 350 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 1: negotiate with your current landlord and get that rent increase 351 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: at least mitigated in some former fashion. But Matt, we've 352 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: got more questions to get to including the next question 353 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: is going to be about real estate, about creating a 354 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 1: rental unit of their own, and we'll get to that 355 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 1: one the flip side of questions exactly this is who 356 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: Sabrina is actually looking for, is a landlord that's going 357 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: to create a space for to live in. I don't 358 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 1: think they live in the same city though, But we'll 359 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: get to that question and more right after this break. 360 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: All right, we are back from the break. We're taking 361 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: listener questions, and let's hear from a listener who is 362 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: looking to renovate his house. Hey, Matt and Joel, this 363 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: is Joe from Fairfax, Virginia. My wife and I recently 364 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,399 Speaker 1: bought our first single family house that was built in 365 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:09,679 Speaker 1: the nineties sixties with down payment. I noticed that a 366 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: neighbor who has the same model house as us dug 367 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 1: out their crawl space to build a one bedroom, finished 368 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:19,199 Speaker 1: basement apartment. The county we live in recently revised their 369 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 1: zoning laws to allow what they call additional living units 370 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:26,159 Speaker 1: such as this. Your podcast has got me interested in 371 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: real estate investing, and my wife and I have started 372 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: casually talking about whether it would be a good idea 373 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,639 Speaker 1: for us to take on this type of project. I 374 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 1: haven't done any research into the cost of this project 375 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 1: versus potential rent, but I had a general question about 376 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 1: how and when we might pursue a similar renovation. Specifically, 377 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: we're interested in your thoughts on best ways to finance 378 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 1: something like this and where we should be financially before 379 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: taking it on. We are thirty years old and currently 380 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: have about four months of expenses and savings, a hundred 381 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 1: thirty thousand dollars the roth Ira and a hundred thousand 382 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: dollars in a mix of other workplace for one case 383 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: and pensions. My wife does have a car loan of 384 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,400 Speaker 1: about eight thousand dollars, which is our only outstanding debt 385 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: besides the mortgage. Thank you so much for all the 386 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 1: valuable education you have provided me. Matt. Do you remember 387 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: that time you're gonna dig your own basement out in 388 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: my hands? I think you even talked about it on 389 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: the show. I was so close, yet so far away 390 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: from that actually doing that. I love to dig, It's 391 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 1: no joke. Anytime we go to the beach, I like 392 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: to bring along my shovel dig holes that are way 393 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: too deep. But no, Ultimately, in the end, I I 394 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 1: left that to the pros bulldozer to take care of. 395 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: Let's tell Joe that if if he pays for your 396 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 1: your bus ticket up to Virginia, that you'll help him 397 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:45,840 Speaker 1: dig out his basement. You know, it's funny that you 398 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:47,639 Speaker 1: mentioned that, because we do have a friend who what 399 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:50,159 Speaker 1: does Carl call it? He calls it like, uh, like 400 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: construction tourism, Like he'll go and visit his friends and 401 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,159 Speaker 1: help them work on work on their house, to install 402 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 1: some solar panels or you know, build a shed something 403 00:18:57,760 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: like that, and he might spend a week with them. 404 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,440 Speaker 1: They're like hanging out, enjoying themselves, but also actually doing 405 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,640 Speaker 1: some work at some point, most likely when we're empty dusters, 406 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: when maybe I've got some fewer responsibilities, I would like 407 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: to do something like that. I will read the bus 408 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 1: for the time being. The you Joe to build out 409 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:14,640 Speaker 1: your basement, Joe's gotta figure it out on his own. 410 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 1: And and Matt did end up digging out the basement, 411 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 1: I mean not himself, like he had somebody else do 412 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:23,119 Speaker 1: it because he's quite um lay so, uh, you're I 413 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: don't see you digit holes on the fature. But I 414 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 1: never said I was going to either, Okay, I never 415 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: promised and then under delivered, but ended up being a 416 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 1: smart movement because that is actually currently the space we 417 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 1: are in recording this, where we're sitting right into life 418 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: a podcast. And and here's the thing though, these these renovations, 419 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: they don't necessarily pay off right away. And so what 420 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: I mean is that if you were to sell Joe 421 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 1: immediately after completing this work, it's not like you're gonna 422 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 1: get every dollar back upon resale. So it's really important 423 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: to think about your timeline. If this is a property 424 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: that you plan to own for a number of years, 425 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: and the cash flow numbers make sense, I really like 426 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: where your head is at, because then you're turning your 427 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: property from a money rain into a money generating asset. 428 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: That's something we can get behind. Improving your property to 429 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 1: make it more of an income property is something that 430 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 1: we love. Yeah, especially too if you are able to 431 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 1: slightly increase that maybe the utility that you're able to 432 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: get out of your house by digging out the spaceman. 433 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:17,399 Speaker 1: I know, when we finished out the space above, we 434 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 1: we finished out a dining room which connected our dining 435 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 1: room to our kitchen. It gave us a lot more 436 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: usable functional space. Though Joe, from what you said, you 437 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,440 Speaker 1: said you've got a nineteen sixties home, which sounds like 438 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: a ranch in my mind, and I know a lot 439 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:31,680 Speaker 1: of those ranches kind of have some of those like 440 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: walk out terrorists level basements. So for you, it may 441 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 1: be less about the utility that you would be generating 442 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 1: for yourself, and it would be more about the actual 443 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:42,879 Speaker 1: cash or the income that you'd be able to generate. 444 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 1: And so that's something that you've got to pay attention to. 445 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 1: You've got to look at the numbers, and specifically you 446 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 1: want to get some firm numbers on what it would 447 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: cost to perform this renovation, but you also want to 448 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: know what sort of rent that you would be able 449 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: to collect for a finished basement apartment. A good rule 450 00:20:56,840 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 1: of thumb that we'd like to keep in mind, the 451 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:01,160 Speaker 1: one percent rule. Let that be a guiding here, because 452 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: for instance, if you can finish this apartment out for 453 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 1: maybe a hundred thousand dollars, then you you'd likely want 454 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,919 Speaker 1: to be able to collect something close to a thousand 455 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:11,440 Speaker 1: dollars in rent each month. You know you might not 456 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: be able to hit those numbers exactly, but you want 457 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: to be in the ballpark. So For instance, if it 458 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 1: would cost you like two hundred thousand dollars and you'd 459 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: only be able to snag yourself like six hundred bucks 460 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: a month and rent, you know, you might want to 461 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: go in a different direction. This probably isn't a great 462 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,399 Speaker 1: financial move. As you're looking at the numbers, there's a 463 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 1: few things you want to keep in mind. But as 464 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 1: you're looking at the numbers, keep that in mind. Yeah, 465 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: and Joe said that his neighbor did this exact same thing. 466 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: That's the perfect person to ask, Like walk down the 467 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: street and say, hey, can I take a look your apartment? Hey? 468 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 1: Who did you have to the work? Hey? How did 469 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 1: it cost? How's it going? How's it going? Do you 470 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: have a tending in there? Can I can I see 471 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,440 Speaker 1: the space? Those are the kind of things like there's 472 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 1: somebody right down the street who did exactly what you 473 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 1: want to do. I would go pick their brain and 474 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 1: learn from how they did it. And when we talk 475 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:57,679 Speaker 1: about financing, we have to ask the question, too, are 476 00:21:57,680 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 1: you financially ready to do this? I think in a 477 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: lot of ways you're getting close because you put down 478 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 1: in your home like a smart guy, and you've got 479 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: almost no debt on hand, which is which is excellent, 480 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 1: And this is a great way to get started in 481 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 1: rental real estate by doing it at the home that 482 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 1: you already own, and it's it's just less complex than 483 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 1: buying a fourplex or something like that right off the bat, 484 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: right trying to get started by by buying an apartment complex. 485 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: You probably don't want that to be your first deal. 486 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:27,439 Speaker 1: So then the question is where do you get these 487 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 1: funds from? And I'd hate to see you take money 488 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: away from your retirement accounts to fund this project. You 489 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 1: don't want to be taking four one K loans necessarily 490 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:36,920 Speaker 1: in order to get this, uh, this job off the ground. 491 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 1: Contributions to your roth IRA would be the only source 492 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 1: of retirement funds that I'd even consider, and and even 493 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,439 Speaker 1: then it's not ideal. So I think saving up more 494 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,160 Speaker 1: money and looking to home equity are the best options. 495 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:51,399 Speaker 1: We talked about that last week on the show for 496 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: a bit. But here's the thing though, since you just 497 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: purchased the home, it just might be too soon for 498 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: you to try and tap home equity. There might not 499 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 1: be enough there. So sounds like saying just kind of 500 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 1: how you're gonna have to fundness or maybe he has 501 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:07,680 Speaker 1: seen increase in the past, maybe, but we we would 502 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: recommend saving up cash. But Joe, like, I love your 503 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:12,479 Speaker 1: goal here, this is a great one. You've been doing 504 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:14,680 Speaker 1: a great job saving for retirement. It sounds like y'all 505 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: are in a solid financial position. Now is a great 506 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 1: time to figure out how much you'll need to amass 507 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 1: the funds to get this real estate investment off the ground, 508 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: but then figure out how long it's gonna take you 509 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: to get there, not only from a financial standpoint, because 510 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 1: it's you know, obviously it takes time to build up cash, 511 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: but it takes time to build a home and to 512 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 1: to finish up property out as well. Uh, there is 513 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 1: a lot of demand for folks who are adding onto 514 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:38,919 Speaker 1: homes or building homes, and it could be it might 515 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: take you a little bit maybe to get the drawings 516 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,640 Speaker 1: or the permitting and lining up the contractor. And so honestly, 517 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 1: even though right now mentally you might want to pull 518 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 1: the trigger on this renovation, and reality it might be 519 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: another nine to twelve months and by then you might 520 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: actually have saved up the right amount of cash that 521 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:55,920 Speaker 1: you need on hand. And so when we shall the 522 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:57,639 Speaker 1: best of luck and hopefully this is something that is 523 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:00,400 Speaker 1: going to to serve you and your family. Well, yeah, 524 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:02,119 Speaker 1: and one last thing I'll say is we need more 525 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,439 Speaker 1: housing density in this country. So I think these are 526 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: the kind of things, These are the kind of projects 527 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 1: that ultimately are good because we're in a housing shortage 528 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:11,959 Speaker 1: in this country. We need more rental units, we need 529 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:15,120 Speaker 1: more like single family homes, we need more town homes, 530 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 1: we need everything. And so Joe building out this unit 531 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: to how somebody actually is going to be better overall 532 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 1: for us as a society. So Joe solving some problems 533 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:27,239 Speaker 1: for em exactly. Joe, You're a regular problem solver. So uh, 534 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: let's get to the next question though, Matt. This one 535 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 1: is about credit scores and wait, can they actually go 536 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:35,119 Speaker 1: down if you pay your debt off? Hey guys, Sarah 537 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:38,879 Speaker 1: from Iowa here new fanical podcast. I was listening to 538 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,920 Speaker 1: you on my walk yesterday and was listening to the 539 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 1: episode on Myths about your credit score. And as somebody 540 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 1: who has been trying to pay down some debt over 541 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 1: the past several years, I have noticed that my credit 542 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,160 Speaker 1: score has been dropping when I've gotten some loans paid off. 543 00:24:55,960 --> 00:25:00,440 Speaker 1: So I'm currently down to thousand left in debt that 544 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 1: I have a plan to pay off by September of 545 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:06,719 Speaker 1: next year. But I'm also planning on hopefully moving out 546 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 1: of state and buying a house with my boyfriend within 547 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 1: the year. So my question to you now is, I 548 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:15,920 Speaker 1: have two credit cards and two personal loans. I'm doing 549 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: the death snowball. My first loan to pay off is 550 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 1: a personal loan, followed by two credit cards, followed by 551 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 1: another personal loan. So my question to you, do I 552 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:30,879 Speaker 1: pay off the credit cards first or the personal loans 553 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:33,399 Speaker 1: or well, it doesn't matter. I have done my research 554 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 1: and I'm planning on just continuing as is, and I 555 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: guess if my score drops, hopefully my credit report will 556 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,399 Speaker 1: show what I'm trying to do. I just want to 557 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: know what your thoughts are. Thank you all right, Sarah, 558 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 1: Congrats I'm paying off your debt. I love that you 559 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 1: that you've got a plan here to pay this off 560 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 1: by sounds like fall of next year. It sounds like 561 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:53,919 Speaker 1: you've you've got a lot of financial priorities on your 562 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:55,920 Speaker 1: plate at once, and we want to just encourage you 563 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: that this is something that you can do. You've got 564 00:25:57,680 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: a plan, you've got some goals in mind. You can 565 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 1: do this and since you you know, you've got some 566 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: of these bigger goals on the horizon, like buying a house. 567 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: I love that you're paying attention to your credit now, 568 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 1: your credit score now, because as long as you have 569 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: some time, you can take some some pretty clear steps 570 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 1: to make sure that your credit score is in a 571 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 1: healthy uh place down the road, because the worst position 572 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 1: to be in is when you say, like, okay, I 573 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 1: want to buy a house now it's time, but you 574 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: haven't been paying any attention to your credit score, because 575 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 1: then you could easily be paying well over what the 576 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: average more mortgage rates are, or even get denied altogether 577 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: if your credit scores and sad shape. Just generally speaking, 578 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 1: here a great job on proactively tackling this and starting 579 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 1: to look ahead. Yeah to me, it's like, hey, I 580 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 1: think I'm gonna run a marathon tomorrow, But that's really 581 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 1: what it's like. That's like that, at least for me, 582 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 1: that would not end up very well. You know, it's 583 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,680 Speaker 1: puking on mile seven. So it's a good idea to 584 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:48,680 Speaker 1: to make sure that you've actually trained for that and 585 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 1: that you've been proactively uh paying attention to how many 586 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 1: miles you can actually run. And and slowly building up 587 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:58,720 Speaker 1: your ability to run further and further distances in that 588 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: that takes months and months, and it takes a similar 589 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: amount of time often to raise your credit score, ahle 590 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 1: seven to be like mile three for you. You're probably right, 591 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 1: I overestimate my own abilities, but yeah, when it comes 592 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:13,439 Speaker 1: to Sarah, she mentioned her her credit score drops as 593 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 1: she pays off certain debts, and it is a weird thing, 594 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 1: but it does happen. We talked about that in that 595 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: episode that Sarah referenced that sometimes you pay off a 596 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:25,040 Speaker 1: loan and the credit bureau says, oh, no, no, no, no, 597 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:29,359 Speaker 1: We're gonna give you a point drop because we actually 598 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:31,880 Speaker 1: kind of liked that debt in your credit mix. It's 599 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 1: it's part of the somewhat a logical way that the 600 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 1: credit scoring model works. So let's talk about whether Sarah 601 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 1: should pay off personal loans or credit cards first. We 602 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: would typically suggest paying off your credit card debt first, 603 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 1: and it's partly because those come with a higher interest rate, 604 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: often by a pretty big margin, and so I think 605 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 1: that's the best course of action for Sarah. Here too, 606 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 1: right that this approach would squarely fall under the debt 607 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: avalanche approach, which is not what Sarah's currently doing, where 608 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:01,160 Speaker 1: you're you're solely focusing on the interest rate that you're 609 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 1: paying and you're ignoring the balance that you're carrying on 610 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:06,200 Speaker 1: those loans or credit cards. And I think this is 611 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:09,440 Speaker 1: actually like good for multiple purposes, but the main one 612 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 1: is really to make sure that you're eliminating the highest 613 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 1: interest rate debt first. Yeah, exactly. It's it's really important 614 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 1: to note here that she did say that she's doing 615 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 1: the dest snowball, and so Sarah, what's really important to 616 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:22,160 Speaker 1: keep in mind is why are you doing the debt 617 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 1: snowball approach versus the debt avalanche where you are focusing 618 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:28,440 Speaker 1: higher probably wants that psychological boost paying off one debt 619 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:31,440 Speaker 1: more quickly, but that could be the to the detriment 620 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 1: of what she's like the long term things achieve exactly. 621 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 1: And so if you are going to start losing momentum 622 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 1: because you're not receiving those psychological winds, then maybe it 623 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: doesn't make sense for you to focus on the credit cards. 624 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: Maybe instead you focus on whichever balances are the smallest, 625 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:48,959 Speaker 1: which is what the debt snowball is. However, it does 626 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 1: sound like that you were on a roll that you 627 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:53,719 Speaker 1: are in control, that you're in charge of the situation. Uh, 628 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:55,680 Speaker 1: it sounds like you've got a plan, you're sticking with it, 629 00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: you've seen some progress, You've got these further goals down 630 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 1: the road, and so in your case, it sounds like 631 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:02,440 Speaker 1: maybe like you might kind of be able to switch gears, 632 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 1: like like you were doing the debt snowball, but now 633 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 1: maybe you've advanced to the l right, I am no 634 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:10,480 Speaker 1: longer controlled by my emotions. I am a robots. I 635 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 1: will do whatever I have written down that I'm gonna do. 636 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:14,880 Speaker 1: If that's the case, then it kind of does come 637 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: down to the numbers as opposed to the psychology. Well, 638 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:19,280 Speaker 1: especially because Sarah has this bigger goal in mind, which 639 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: is to buy a house. And it's important to point 640 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 1: out that paying off a personal loan is more likely 641 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:26,720 Speaker 1: to dent your credit score than paying off credit card 642 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:29,720 Speaker 1: debt because of again that oddball methodology that the credit 643 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 1: cauros us. So focusing on those credit cards first, eradicating 644 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 1: those from your life quickly, well, then you can turn 645 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: your focus to the personal loans, because when you pay 646 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: off the credit card debt, it's it's not going to 647 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 1: in all likelihood impact your score in any meaningful way, 648 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: but paying off a personal loan could actually create a 649 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 1: short term dent. So yeah, keep in mind, even though 650 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 1: you're going to eliminate the balances that you're carrying on 651 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 1: those credit cards, you don't actually want to close those 652 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: credit cards because of course you want to have that 653 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 1: credit available for you to use, and closing it could 654 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:00,479 Speaker 1: impact your score, hurting your ability to get that mortgage. Um. 655 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 1: This is doubly true if these are accounts that you've 656 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:05,880 Speaker 1: had open for a while, because the length of credit 657 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: history is so important in that mix. Two. So yeah, 658 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: for instance, if these are your first two credit cards 659 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 1: that you opened, let's say when you graduated from college 660 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 1: or when you set off on your own, you want 661 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: to keep them around. You don't want to ask them 662 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 1: when once you're done, you know, paying off the debt, 663 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:22,080 Speaker 1: even if there's an annual fee, right like, maybe that's 664 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:23,840 Speaker 1: an annual fee that you can pay for another couple 665 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 1: of years until you've got that mortgage secured, at which 666 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 1: point you will likely see your credit score really boost 667 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:32,200 Speaker 1: because then you're going to have that new installment loan 668 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: on your credit report. And Sarah, especially since you'll need 669 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 1: to have that top notch credit score. In the not 670 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:40,320 Speaker 1: statistant future, there's a lot more on the line, and 671 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:42,280 Speaker 1: so in order to not damage that score, you'll want 672 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 1: to make sure that you also develop a plan to 673 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 1: stay out of debt. You know, we talked about this 674 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 1: in detail back in the episode four sixty seven, but 675 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: we want you to make sure that you never go 676 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 1: back into credit card debt again. We want that behind you. 677 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 1: That is not who you are anymore. But let's offer 678 00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 1: a couple of other ideas to help Sarah boost for 679 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 1: her at score, maybe like ten fifty points, because that 680 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: could potentially snag you a lower rate on a homeland 681 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 1: saving you thousands of dollars. So this is a big deal. 682 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,240 Speaker 1: But check out self dot ink. This is the cheap 683 00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 1: way to incorporate another loan that will help you to 684 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:16,560 Speaker 1: boost your credit score. And also, now that by now 685 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:19,160 Speaker 1: pay later companies they're starting to report to the bureaus, 686 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 1: consider buying something that you would have purchased anyway via 687 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: some one of these different companies like a firm uh 688 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,600 Speaker 1: Clara after pay, but pay of course, pay that item 689 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 1: off as agreed, and if you do, that can potentially 690 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 1: boost your score a bit as well, But you want 691 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:35,640 Speaker 1: to make sure that you do both of those things 692 00:31:35,920 --> 00:31:39,240 Speaker 1: at least six months before you start applying for home loans. 693 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:40,880 Speaker 1: These aren't the kind of moves that you want to 694 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: make as you're also shopping shopping, you know, to get 695 00:31:44,280 --> 00:31:47,640 Speaker 1: prequalified or to get a letter from a lender or 696 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:50,479 Speaker 1: something like that. And again, you are looking far off 697 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 1: into the future, and so you have time to make 698 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 1: some of these moves that might temporarily ding your score slightly, 699 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 1: but over the long haul, over the course of months 700 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:00,600 Speaker 1: and years, you're gonna see your score in a much 701 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 1: healthier place. That's right, So, Matt, more than they think. 702 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 1: It sounds like Sarah's on the right path. Just need 703 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: a few little tweaks here and there to ensure that 704 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: she can achieve both the goal of paying off that 705 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 1: she knows what's in buying this house. She's got to 706 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:13,320 Speaker 1: play and she got it all right. But Matt, we 707 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 1: got more questions to get to, including one about single 708 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 1: stock investing and an instance in which it's actually a 709 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:20,440 Speaker 1: great thing. Well, we'll get to that and more right 710 00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 1: after this break. Al Right, we are back from the break. 711 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 1: Let's continue on with our listener. Questions Joe. Before we 712 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 1: get to that single stock investing question, let's hear from 713 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:42,640 Speaker 1: a listener. He has a question about commuting on two wheels. Hey, 714 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,560 Speaker 1: Matt and Joel, this is Wayne from Philadelphia. I had 715 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 1: a question for you about bikes. I'm hoping you can 716 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:52,280 Speaker 1: help me out. Recently, my job moved, and due to that, 717 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:54,640 Speaker 1: I am now only a half an hour away via 718 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:58,280 Speaker 1: bike to my new job. However, I don't know anything 719 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,480 Speaker 1: about bikes. This is where you guys come in. I'm 720 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 1: hoping that you can lend some of your expertise to me. 721 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:05,800 Speaker 1: A little Bertie told me that you guys know a 722 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 1: thing or two about bikes. All right, let me drop 723 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 1: some facts. So I'm about five miles away from my employer. 724 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 1: The roads between me and there are all paved and 725 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: mostly bike paths or bike lanes, so I'm not too 726 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:24,360 Speaker 1: worried about traffic. Also, it's mostly flat terrain, so I 727 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:26,600 Speaker 1: don't have any hills that I have to really worry about. 728 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:29,760 Speaker 1: All right, let's get into the money side of things. 729 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:32,600 Speaker 1: So my workplace is offering us a hundred and five 730 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:36,400 Speaker 1: dollars to help with the travel expenses to the new office. 731 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:40,360 Speaker 1: I have to use of that to get a gym 732 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:45,040 Speaker 1: membership so my co workers don't hate my new bike habit. 733 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,080 Speaker 1: So at the end of the day, I'm actually netting 734 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 1: money after I purchased the bike and hopefully once it 735 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:54,120 Speaker 1: pays for itself. But that's where you guys come in. 736 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 1: I don't know anything about bike brands. You could tell 737 00:33:57,320 --> 00:33:59,600 Speaker 1: me that I need a Huffy with pegs and I 738 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: would leave you. I'm a complete neal fight at this 739 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:04,960 Speaker 1: so any information that you can give me would be 740 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:07,360 Speaker 1: a great help. Thank you so much for taking time 741 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:10,200 Speaker 1: to answer my question. We're really looking forward to hearing 742 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 1: your answer, and also thanks so much for the podcast. 743 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:15,239 Speaker 1: I love all the things you guys do. Keep it up. 744 00:34:15,560 --> 00:34:18,040 Speaker 1: I'm at the answer to this question. It's very simple. 745 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:19,840 Speaker 1: For ye Yeah, it's it's a healfy with pegs. I 746 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:21,960 Speaker 1: think he he already knew, and yet he still asked 747 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:24,200 Speaker 1: the question, did you ever have a bike with pegs 748 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 1: on it where you could do like the BMX Dray 749 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 1: I didn't. I definitely so did not either. Next question, Matt, 750 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:32,360 Speaker 1: please please your next que Just kidding so way, Wayne, 751 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 1: don't don't go down that path. You you want to 752 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:37,200 Speaker 1: buy something a little bit nicer, right, legit, we'll give 753 00:34:37,200 --> 00:34:40,000 Speaker 1: you hopefully are some some good opinions on that's And 754 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:42,200 Speaker 1: I just want to say, like, hooray for now being 755 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:44,960 Speaker 1: within biking distance of your job. Five miles is a 756 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 1: delightful little commute. That's not even that's perfect. Yeah, that's 757 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:50,279 Speaker 1: not gonna wind you to too much, especially without having 758 00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:52,880 Speaker 1: too many hills. Sadly in Atlanta usually there we live 759 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 1: in a hilly place, and so when you're when you're 760 00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:56,520 Speaker 1: going five miles here, you get a little or winded 761 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:58,400 Speaker 1: because you're going up and down a whole lot um. 762 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:01,640 Speaker 1: But bike paths, bike lanes or flat is is wonderful, 763 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:04,000 Speaker 1: And uh yeah, it sounds like the perfect setup to 764 00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:07,400 Speaker 1: be biking regularly. And I hope that this becomes a 765 00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:10,359 Speaker 1: habit for you, Wayne, because incorporating this into your life 766 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 1: on a regular basis means you're gonna be just incredibly 767 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:16,000 Speaker 1: fit by doing this basically every day of your life. 768 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:18,240 Speaker 1: I just can't think of many things, Matt that surpassed 769 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:21,880 Speaker 1: bike commuting in terms of efficiency and just getting that 770 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:25,440 Speaker 1: workout regimen in without having to necessarily go to the 771 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:28,160 Speaker 1: gym and like hop on a stationary bike, which always 772 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 1: I don't know, it seems crazy to me. Yeah, man, Yeah, 773 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:33,239 Speaker 1: I totally agree. Actually, I was recently messaging with a 774 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:35,880 Speaker 1: listener who happens to be a personal fitness coach. I 775 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:37,279 Speaker 1: was kind of picking his brain a little bit to 776 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:39,799 Speaker 1: see like what sort of exercises would be the best, 777 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:42,400 Speaker 1: like which one had the best bang for its buck essentially, 778 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:45,360 Speaker 1: And you know, the top bit of advice that he 779 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 1: had was that whatever you choose, it needs to be something. 780 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:50,800 Speaker 1: It needs to be a workout, or it needs to 781 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:54,879 Speaker 1: be an activity that you could easily sustain. And yeah, Wayne, 782 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:56,319 Speaker 1: so if you're able to keep this up, you're going 783 00:35:56,360 --> 00:35:58,800 Speaker 1: to have an incredible impact on your fitness. This is 784 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,000 Speaker 1: one of those side benefits that you're going to experience 785 00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:04,240 Speaker 1: that is worth mentioning. And so, not only are Wayne's 786 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:06,919 Speaker 1: legs gonna get swull, but so's his bank account because 787 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:09,960 Speaker 1: especially with gas prices where they are right now, and 788 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:13,359 Speaker 1: just just driving your car less. We haven't really mentioned 789 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:15,120 Speaker 1: this in a long time, but typically if you drive 790 00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:19,080 Speaker 1: your car fewer than a year, your insurance company will 791 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:22,960 Speaker 1: provide you a discount for being a low usage driver. 792 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:25,840 Speaker 1: So all of these things can factor in to saving 793 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: you money while you're getting fit Wayne, and over the years, 794 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:31,120 Speaker 1: you're gonna be able to save a ton. But we 795 00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:33,960 Speaker 1: gotta say, uh, for anybody who is considering taking this 796 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:36,839 Speaker 1: leap to starting biking to work, it's definitely a good 797 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:39,120 Speaker 1: idea to try it out on the weekend first. That 798 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:41,880 Speaker 1: way you don't have the pressure of making sure that 799 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 1: you're arriving to work on time and that you're not 800 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:47,040 Speaker 1: ridiculously overly sweaty um. You know, try it out with 801 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:50,239 Speaker 1: like a leisurely Saturday ride just to kind of get 802 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:52,560 Speaker 1: your bearings and make sure that you have the best 803 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: route and make sure that you know how long the 804 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:57,080 Speaker 1: commute is actually gonna take and you'll have a realistic 805 00:36:57,160 --> 00:37:00,360 Speaker 1: expectation moving forward. Um. And even before you take that 806 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:03,640 Speaker 1: first ride, Google Maps does a great job with giving 807 00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 1: you good bike routs. Check out a few options to 808 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 1: find what works best for you. I'm pretty sure I've 809 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:09,239 Speaker 1: mentioned this on the show before. And I tell you 810 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:12,680 Speaker 1: about a friend and he hit his idea for an 811 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:16,000 Speaker 1: app for bike commuters was He's gonna call it flat, 812 00:37:16,080 --> 00:37:18,640 Speaker 1: so it's sort of like fat so but like flats, 813 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:20,480 Speaker 1: And it was going to find the route that was 814 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:23,080 Speaker 1: the that had the least amount of smart elevation game, 815 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:25,480 Speaker 1: don't You're like, yeah, that's great, So if nobody has 816 00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:27,880 Speaker 1: already done that, if you're listening, you should do that. 817 00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:31,040 Speaker 1: But let's get to the heart of your question. Wayne. 818 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:33,560 Speaker 1: This is maybe the more fun part where you get 819 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:35,600 Speaker 1: to buy stuff. It's the fun part for a lot 820 00:37:35,640 --> 00:37:38,640 Speaker 1: of folks at least, But you are asking specifically about 821 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:40,759 Speaker 1: what kind of bike you should get, And honestly, it 822 00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:43,560 Speaker 1: really depends because there is no clear could answer here, 823 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:46,560 Speaker 1: because it's going to depend on what your priorities are 824 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 1: and then sort of what kind of writing that you 825 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:51,800 Speaker 1: might be doing when you're not commuting to work. So, 826 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:55,000 Speaker 1: for instance, someone might naturally make the recommendation that you 827 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:57,120 Speaker 1: should totally get a road bike. You know you're gonna 828 00:37:57,120 --> 00:37:59,680 Speaker 1: be on paved roads the entire time. You mentioned bike 829 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:02,719 Speaker 1: lane bike paths. You are one lucky dude to be 830 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:04,759 Speaker 1: on bike lanes or bike passed the whole time. You know, 831 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:06,840 Speaker 1: as you're biking five miles to work, that is awesome. 832 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:09,680 Speaker 1: But if you see yourself spending the weekends driving to 833 00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 1: a trailhead somewhere and riding on some single track, uh, 834 00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:14,880 Speaker 1: then you might want to consider a mountain bike, you know, 835 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:18,120 Speaker 1: or at least a gravel bike. But alternatively, if the 836 00:38:18,239 --> 00:38:21,880 Speaker 1: idea of riding super fast, throwing down some series mileage 837 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:24,200 Speaker 1: as quickly as possible, if that sounds exciting to you, 838 00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:26,359 Speaker 1: then you know, maybe in that case you should get 839 00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 1: a road bike after all. Yeah, So I I personally 840 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:31,439 Speaker 1: like my road bike. It's a lot of fun, Matt, 841 00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:33,279 Speaker 1: You've got more of a gravel bike, and they're both 842 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:35,880 Speaker 1: good for different things, and the road bike is best 843 00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:39,279 Speaker 1: for longer commutes, especially if there is more elevation change 844 00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:41,359 Speaker 1: with the flatter ride. You have probably a few more 845 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:45,239 Speaker 1: options at your disposal because in either way, virtually any 846 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:48,000 Speaker 1: bike you have you can get five five miles exactly, 847 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:49,719 Speaker 1: you know, like I feel like it's twenty miles. And 848 00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:51,320 Speaker 1: then you're like, well, probably want to stick with the 849 00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:53,160 Speaker 1: road bike. Yeah, it's like the knobby tires not so 850 00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:55,279 Speaker 1: great on the on the on the road. Yeah, not 851 00:38:55,400 --> 00:38:57,560 Speaker 1: not for that long of a commute. And I think 852 00:38:58,200 --> 00:39:01,200 Speaker 1: where you're going to purchase this bike, there are a 853 00:39:01,320 --> 00:39:04,360 Speaker 1: few options there too. Normally we'd recommend for folks to 854 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:07,480 Speaker 1: check out bikes over at bike's direct dot com, but 855 00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:10,680 Speaker 1: it sounds like maybe when you're a total nube when 856 00:39:10,680 --> 00:39:14,000 Speaker 1: it comes to biking, which is totally fine, But I 857 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:17,000 Speaker 1: think going to a local bike shop makes a lot 858 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:20,520 Speaker 1: of sense when you don't have almost any experience and 859 00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:23,000 Speaker 1: when you don't know what you're getting into. And not 860 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:25,319 Speaker 1: only can they help you find a specific bike that's 861 00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:29,480 Speaker 1: gonna work for the biggest variety of circumstances for how 862 00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:31,520 Speaker 1: you're going to be riding, but this way you won't 863 00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:33,320 Speaker 1: have to figure out how to put it together what 864 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:35,600 Speaker 1: you'd have to do if you ordered good bike online. 865 00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:38,680 Speaker 1: And since the local shops oftentimes specialize in a few 866 00:39:38,719 --> 00:39:41,279 Speaker 1: specific brands of bikes, when the time comes to get 867 00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:43,439 Speaker 1: it tuned up or if you need something repaired, they'll 868 00:39:43,520 --> 00:39:45,960 Speaker 1: know exactly what to do. The customer service that you're 869 00:39:45,960 --> 00:39:47,960 Speaker 1: gonna get from a local bike shop is going to 870 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:50,880 Speaker 1: be vastly superior, almost always from what you're going to 871 00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:53,359 Speaker 1: receive when you buy it online. Yeah, they like seeing 872 00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:55,800 Speaker 1: their own bikes show back up at the shop for 873 00:39:55,880 --> 00:39:57,520 Speaker 1: them to work on it right. Sometimes they only got 874 00:39:57,560 --> 00:39:59,480 Speaker 1: their own little sticker on their maintenance and stuff like that, 875 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:00,759 Speaker 1: kind of like a when you buy a car from 876 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:02,600 Speaker 1: a place where like free oil changes for the first year. 877 00:40:02,840 --> 00:40:04,600 Speaker 1: It can be similar to that with a bike shop. 878 00:40:04,840 --> 00:40:06,680 Speaker 1: One other good place to look at bikes I think 879 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:10,840 Speaker 1: it's r I because they often include tune ups or 880 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:13,080 Speaker 1: they have cheap maintenance options. If there's an ari I 881 00:40:13,160 --> 00:40:15,000 Speaker 1: near where you live, I think that's a good major 882 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:18,560 Speaker 1: retailer where you can find good bikes with good customer service. 883 00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:20,680 Speaker 1: But a local bike shop is is definitely one of 884 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:22,880 Speaker 1: the best places to begin looking where they can provide 885 00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:24,880 Speaker 1: some helpful advice, help you hone in on the right 886 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:26,560 Speaker 1: bike for you, and at the same time kind of 887 00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:29,759 Speaker 1: provide the maintenance know how to totally And depending on 888 00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:31,640 Speaker 1: who's there, I mean, you might come across somebody who's 889 00:40:31,640 --> 00:40:34,160 Speaker 1: a total bike nerd and they could really get you 890 00:40:34,360 --> 00:40:36,560 Speaker 1: set up, like they can get you fitted to a frame, 891 00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:38,120 Speaker 1: and there's there's a lot more that goes into it 892 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:40,840 Speaker 1: than just Okay, what's your what's the standover heights? You know, 893 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,600 Speaker 1: like how tarlow you that kind of stuff. Some guys 894 00:40:43,640 --> 00:40:45,279 Speaker 1: can can really nerd out and it really does have 895 00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:48,880 Speaker 1: an impact on how comfortable a bike can be for you. 896 00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:51,799 Speaker 1: But Wayne, if you're looking to save as much money 897 00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:54,600 Speaker 1: as possible and if you're down to you know kind 898 00:40:54,600 --> 00:40:56,759 Speaker 1: of d I Wyatt and learn about how to maintain 899 00:40:56,800 --> 00:40:59,040 Speaker 1: a bike. Then bikes Direct it really is one of 900 00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:02,200 Speaker 1: the best options online because you're you're ordering straight from 901 00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:04,560 Speaker 1: the manufacturer, so there's no markup and you can get 902 00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:07,440 Speaker 1: some fantastic bikes from them in that sort of what 903 00:41:07,560 --> 00:41:09,120 Speaker 1: I feel is is the sweet spot is like the 904 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:12,960 Speaker 1: four hundred seven price point. I've done that myself, and 905 00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:15,640 Speaker 1: then when it comes up putting it together, it's really 906 00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:18,520 Speaker 1: already like put together, it's it's not too difficult to 907 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:20,840 Speaker 1: do the rest, and you can learn everything there is 908 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:24,240 Speaker 1: to know about ongoing maintenance just from YouTube. But ultimately, 909 00:41:24,320 --> 00:41:26,000 Speaker 1: though like we don't want you to overthink it. Here, 910 00:41:26,040 --> 00:41:28,600 Speaker 1: you can literally commute to work again, you know, on 911 00:41:28,719 --> 00:41:32,040 Speaker 1: virtually any bike, even a Huffey with pegs, though we 912 00:41:32,040 --> 00:41:34,359 Speaker 1: wouldn't recommend that because bikes like you know that are 913 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:37,560 Speaker 1: sold at local superstores are are pretty much garbage, like 914 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:39,839 Speaker 1: even Schwinn. Like back in the day, Shwin bikes were 915 00:41:39,920 --> 00:41:42,279 Speaker 1: were pretty solid, but I'm pretty sure they sell them 916 00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:45,160 Speaker 1: now at Walmart and the quality has gone downhill. That 917 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:46,839 Speaker 1: is not the direction you want to go in. It's 918 00:41:46,840 --> 00:41:48,919 Speaker 1: just such a bummer too. When you ride a bike 919 00:41:49,160 --> 00:41:53,440 Speaker 1: that is clunky, that squeaks, that's too heavy, and just 920 00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:56,200 Speaker 1: ill fitted fifited all those things. Yeah, if you don't 921 00:41:56,239 --> 00:41:58,560 Speaker 1: have a bike that works for you, you're probably not 922 00:41:58,600 --> 00:41:59,799 Speaker 1: going to stick with it. And so this is one 923 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:02,080 Speaker 1: of the things where your employer is helping fuit the 924 00:42:02,120 --> 00:42:04,759 Speaker 1: bill get something good that's going to last you for 925 00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:07,279 Speaker 1: a long time. This is um I hate to use 926 00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:09,880 Speaker 1: the term investment for any sort of consumer purchase, and 927 00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:13,080 Speaker 1: this is the only time I ever I ever remember 928 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:15,200 Speaker 1: maybe this like a hundred episodes ago, but I was like, 929 00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:18,120 Speaker 1: I'm almost gonna say that with bikes, it almost is 930 00:42:18,320 --> 00:42:20,720 Speaker 1: because it's saving you money on in these other areas, 931 00:42:20,760 --> 00:42:22,560 Speaker 1: it's getting you fit, and it is one of those 932 00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:26,320 Speaker 1: things where a good bike doesn't really drop precipitously in value. 933 00:42:26,600 --> 00:42:28,840 Speaker 1: Having a great mike, having the right mike is going 934 00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:30,279 Speaker 1: to make such a difference in your life and just 935 00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:32,719 Speaker 1: in the level of joy you get from hopping on 936 00:42:32,800 --> 00:42:34,799 Speaker 1: it every day. So, yeah, this is one of those 937 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:37,120 Speaker 1: cases where you don't want to cheap out, especially if 938 00:42:37,160 --> 00:42:38,680 Speaker 1: you think you're going to use it as much as 939 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:40,600 Speaker 1: it looks like you're going to. That's right, man, All 940 00:42:40,920 --> 00:42:43,359 Speaker 1: great points, all right. Finally, we're getting to that last 941 00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:46,800 Speaker 1: question that we've teased to, the question about investing in 942 00:42:46,920 --> 00:42:49,920 Speaker 1: single stocks, and we actually might be really excited to 943 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:52,560 Speaker 1: do that in this situation. Let's hear this question. Hi, 944 00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:55,840 Speaker 1: man Joel, my name is Dakota and I live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 945 00:42:56,280 --> 00:42:59,320 Speaker 1: I work for Malina Healthcare, which has recently become a 946 00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:02,360 Speaker 1: fortune of hundred company. I to leave, and they offer 947 00:43:02,520 --> 00:43:06,880 Speaker 1: an employee stock purchasing plan option where they can withhold 948 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:09,919 Speaker 1: up to fifteen percent of my paycheck for six months, 949 00:43:10,120 --> 00:43:12,319 Speaker 1: and then they will take that money and buy as 950 00:43:12,400 --> 00:43:15,120 Speaker 1: much stock as they can with it at the lowest price, 951 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:17,839 Speaker 1: whether it was the first day of that six month 952 00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:20,960 Speaker 1: period or the last day, whichever one's lowest, they'll buy 953 00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:24,600 Speaker 1: it at a discount. Now, if it were you, and 954 00:43:24,680 --> 00:43:26,520 Speaker 1: I know you guys are not a fan of single 955 00:43:26,600 --> 00:43:28,520 Speaker 1: stock options, but I feel like this is a really 956 00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:31,799 Speaker 1: good deal given that you're saving you know, you're getting 957 00:43:31,800 --> 00:43:36,680 Speaker 1: a r o I of at least now. Would it 958 00:43:36,719 --> 00:43:39,600 Speaker 1: be the safest option to just or safest or best 959 00:43:39,680 --> 00:43:42,279 Speaker 1: you know option to sell it right away and get 960 00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:45,959 Speaker 1: hit with that short term capital gains tax or would 961 00:43:46,040 --> 00:43:48,520 Speaker 1: you hope for the best hope that the stock doesn't 962 00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:51,399 Speaker 1: tank and just keep it for at least a year 963 00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:53,800 Speaker 1: and then maybe sell it, uh, so that you have 964 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:56,640 Speaker 1: the long term capital gains. I know that you know 965 00:43:56,880 --> 00:43:58,680 Speaker 1: stocks can fluctuate and it's kind of a gamble. But 966 00:43:58,719 --> 00:44:01,160 Speaker 1: if it were you, what were you doing? Thanks by 967 00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:03,480 Speaker 1: all right, Matt, this is this is a great question. 968 00:44:03,640 --> 00:44:06,120 Speaker 1: It's something that's a really good question. We've actually before 969 00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:07,719 Speaker 1: on the show, but it's been it's been a minute, 970 00:44:07,719 --> 00:44:10,840 Speaker 1: so it's definitely time to revisit. Talk about ees pps 971 00:44:11,000 --> 00:44:13,080 Speaker 1: and and the code. You're right, this what you've got 972 00:44:13,160 --> 00:44:16,040 Speaker 1: access to is a great deal. We did talk about 973 00:44:16,160 --> 00:44:18,600 Speaker 1: not investing in single stocks recently on the show. That 974 00:44:18,680 --> 00:44:20,640 Speaker 1: was just I don't know, a month ago, and we 975 00:44:20,840 --> 00:44:24,000 Speaker 1: didn't have many positive things to say. And it's actually 976 00:44:24,040 --> 00:44:26,440 Speaker 1: even more risky to buy stock in a company you 977 00:44:26,520 --> 00:44:29,200 Speaker 1: work for. So you might think we're gonna be like no, no, no, no, 978 00:44:29,600 --> 00:44:31,960 Speaker 1: hold up, don't do this. But here's the thing. Because 979 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:34,000 Speaker 1: you are, you're putting more eggs in the same basket. 980 00:44:34,080 --> 00:44:36,680 Speaker 1: Not only are you putting your your income eggs, but 981 00:44:36,800 --> 00:44:39,480 Speaker 1: now you're talking about your investment eggs. It's right, that's right. 982 00:44:39,640 --> 00:44:41,759 Speaker 1: There's a lot of consolidation happening here, It's right, a 983 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:44,080 Speaker 1: lot of eggs too. Right. So when you get a 984 00:44:44,120 --> 00:44:47,800 Speaker 1: special deal like this, though, Dakota, it actually mitigates a 985 00:44:47,920 --> 00:44:50,600 Speaker 1: lot of the risk that we're talking about. Getting the 986 00:44:50,719 --> 00:44:54,120 Speaker 1: lowest price plus fifteen percent off is a killer perk, 987 00:44:54,360 --> 00:44:57,640 Speaker 1: and this is a situation where you'll likely want to 988 00:44:57,719 --> 00:45:00,920 Speaker 1: take full advantage of this offering. But there are some 989 00:45:01,080 --> 00:45:03,399 Speaker 1: caveats that we have to throw in there. That's right. Yeah. 990 00:45:03,480 --> 00:45:06,239 Speaker 1: E spps, which are employee stock purchase plans, there are 991 00:45:06,239 --> 00:45:09,680 Speaker 1: a great perk that lots of folks should consider if 992 00:45:09,719 --> 00:45:12,560 Speaker 1: that's a benefit that their employer offers. Da coda. However, 993 00:45:13,120 --> 00:45:15,880 Speaker 1: you also want to create a process to prevent you 994 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:19,920 Speaker 1: from acquiring too much company stock where you're ramping up 995 00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:22,239 Speaker 1: that risk level, and so selling that this kind of 996 00:45:22,280 --> 00:45:24,960 Speaker 1: stock that you've acquired sooner rather than later is what 997 00:45:25,040 --> 00:45:27,000 Speaker 1: we'd suggest, sort of like what you're saying here. For 998 00:45:27,120 --> 00:45:30,680 Speaker 1: qualified ESPP plans, that means selling the stock at least 999 00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:33,799 Speaker 1: a year after the purchase date and two years after 1000 00:45:33,920 --> 00:45:36,000 Speaker 1: the offering date, and that's going to allow you to 1001 00:45:36,520 --> 00:45:38,879 Speaker 1: not hold onto it for too long while still making 1002 00:45:38,960 --> 00:45:42,560 Speaker 1: sure that your earnings receive a more favorable long term 1003 00:45:42,800 --> 00:45:45,080 Speaker 1: capital gains tax rate. Yeah, true, you could. You could 1004 00:45:45,080 --> 00:45:47,880 Speaker 1: sell that stock even sooner and pay more in tax 1005 00:45:48,120 --> 00:45:50,920 Speaker 1: on the gains if you wanted, right the short term 1006 00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:53,040 Speaker 1: compital gains rate, which which means that your profit is 1007 00:45:53,040 --> 00:45:56,320 Speaker 1: going to be taxed at ordinary income tax rates. And 1008 00:45:56,719 --> 00:45:58,440 Speaker 1: that's not a bad way to think about it either, 1009 00:45:58,480 --> 00:46:01,600 Speaker 1: because paying a little more in tax on free money, well, 1010 00:46:01,680 --> 00:46:03,640 Speaker 1: that's that's not the worst thing in the world, right, 1011 00:46:03,760 --> 00:46:06,080 Speaker 1: But yeah, that's more of a personal decision with how 1012 00:46:06,160 --> 00:46:08,640 Speaker 1: comfortable you feel holding onto that stock because you don't 1013 00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:11,840 Speaker 1: know what is going to happen with the price of 1014 00:46:11,960 --> 00:46:13,680 Speaker 1: that stock. Even though they might be a great employer. 1015 00:46:13,719 --> 00:46:15,520 Speaker 1: You might have a great boss, what is the actual 1016 00:46:15,600 --> 00:46:17,759 Speaker 1: company stock going to do? Who knows exactly. And it 1017 00:46:17,840 --> 00:46:20,000 Speaker 1: also depends on how much money you've built up in 1018 00:46:20,080 --> 00:46:23,480 Speaker 1: your other retirement accounts. It also comes down to what 1019 00:46:23,760 --> 00:46:27,480 Speaker 1: risk and volatility you're comfortable with. But here's another thing. 1020 00:46:27,520 --> 00:46:29,520 Speaker 1: It also comes down to what tax bracket you're currently in, 1021 00:46:29,760 --> 00:46:31,840 Speaker 1: because if you're if you're a higher way journer and 1022 00:46:31,920 --> 00:46:34,240 Speaker 1: you're in the thirty two or thirty five percent tax bracket, 1023 00:46:34,480 --> 00:46:36,879 Speaker 1: then you might be more willing to roll the dice 1024 00:46:36,960 --> 00:46:39,160 Speaker 1: holding onto that tax longer, making sure that you get 1025 00:46:39,200 --> 00:46:42,080 Speaker 1: into the long term capital gains tax rate because there's 1026 00:46:42,120 --> 00:46:44,719 Speaker 1: a huge difference in the amount of tax you're gonna 1027 00:46:44,760 --> 00:46:47,120 Speaker 1: pay on the gains. There's just a lot to consider. 1028 00:46:47,160 --> 00:46:49,719 Speaker 1: There's a lot of moving parts, but ultimately this is 1029 00:46:49,960 --> 00:46:52,920 Speaker 1: a great offering, and Dakota could score a sweet deal 1030 00:46:53,000 --> 00:46:55,040 Speaker 1: on company stock that she's able to profit from from 1031 00:46:55,480 --> 00:46:58,080 Speaker 1: UH in the short term with with not too much risk. 1032 00:46:58,120 --> 00:46:59,960 Speaker 1: I don't think exactly well. And the thing is too 1033 00:47:00,120 --> 00:47:02,680 Speaker 1: she's talking about how that she can set aside of 1034 00:47:02,880 --> 00:47:05,000 Speaker 1: her paycheck as well. That's something that she could slowly 1035 00:47:05,080 --> 00:47:06,839 Speaker 1: ramp up as well. So you can kind of start 1036 00:47:07,200 --> 00:47:09,200 Speaker 1: like wading into those waters. You don't have to go 1037 00:47:09,360 --> 00:47:11,880 Speaker 1: full bore all in. But this also reminds me one 1038 00:47:11,880 --> 00:47:14,319 Speaker 1: more suggestion we need to share with Dakota. She asked 1039 00:47:14,400 --> 00:47:16,719 Speaker 1: what we would do if we were in her situation, 1040 00:47:16,840 --> 00:47:19,000 Speaker 1: and you know, we would totally take advantage of this, 1041 00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:21,680 Speaker 1: but only as long as we were just crushing it 1042 00:47:21,920 --> 00:47:25,279 Speaker 1: with our other money, with our other personal finance goals. UH. 1043 00:47:25,360 --> 00:47:27,680 Speaker 1: And so it's important to assess, Dakoda, whether or not 1044 00:47:27,960 --> 00:47:31,120 Speaker 1: you are saving and investing like Gangbusters already, or if 1045 00:47:31,160 --> 00:47:33,600 Speaker 1: you're out there listening and you have access to your 1046 00:47:33,760 --> 00:47:36,960 Speaker 1: corporate employer and they've got a stock that's publicly traded 1047 00:47:36,960 --> 00:47:39,080 Speaker 1: as well, this could be something that you should consider, 1048 00:47:39,320 --> 00:47:41,000 Speaker 1: but you need to keep in mind what is going 1049 00:47:41,080 --> 00:47:43,680 Speaker 1: on within your own house. And if so, if you're 1050 00:47:43,680 --> 00:47:46,600 Speaker 1: doing a great job this you know ESPP. If it's 1051 00:47:46,640 --> 00:47:48,520 Speaker 1: the cherry on top, then we would want you to 1052 00:47:48,640 --> 00:47:51,120 Speaker 1: take full advantage. But if it's not, if you don't 1053 00:47:51,160 --> 00:47:53,440 Speaker 1: already have your your financial house in shape, if you 1054 00:47:53,440 --> 00:47:56,120 Speaker 1: don't have an emergency fund, different things like that, we 1055 00:47:56,160 --> 00:47:59,160 Speaker 1: would want you to focus on those areas of your 1056 00:47:59,200 --> 00:48:01,359 Speaker 1: money first. Yeah, it's like trying to go from first 1057 00:48:01,400 --> 00:48:03,759 Speaker 1: gear to fourth gear. You're gonna start sputtering. You want 1058 00:48:03,800 --> 00:48:05,480 Speaker 1: to make sure you get those money gears in order. 1059 00:48:05,600 --> 00:48:08,839 Speaker 1: And ESPP is something that that happens further down the line, 1060 00:48:09,040 --> 00:48:11,120 Speaker 1: after you've gotten the full company match in your four 1061 00:48:11,160 --> 00:48:13,720 Speaker 1: one K, after you've really been crushing it for a while, 1062 00:48:13,960 --> 00:48:16,880 Speaker 1: saving and investing for your your future. If you're already 1063 00:48:16,960 --> 00:48:19,120 Speaker 1: kind of in fourth gear and this is the fifth gear, man, 1064 00:48:19,200 --> 00:48:21,839 Speaker 1: this is like ramping up into an even even faster speed. 1065 00:48:21,880 --> 00:48:24,040 Speaker 1: For Dakota. Then this is great. Then this is something 1066 00:48:24,080 --> 00:48:26,600 Speaker 1: you definitely want to get into, but it's it's hard 1067 00:48:26,680 --> 00:48:28,920 Speaker 1: to start off the line though in fifth gear. That's right. 1068 00:48:29,200 --> 00:48:30,839 Speaker 1: Just don't let it derail you from your other goals, 1069 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:33,400 Speaker 1: thinking like, look at the discount I gotta get, I 1070 00:48:33,440 --> 00:48:35,759 Speaker 1: gotta take advantage of this, when there are other less 1071 00:48:35,840 --> 00:48:38,360 Speaker 1: risky things you should be participating in. First, it probably 1072 00:48:38,360 --> 00:48:41,320 Speaker 1: depends on how susceptible you are to the sales. If 1073 00:48:41,360 --> 00:48:43,320 Speaker 1: you find yourself drawn to sales, then this might be 1074 00:48:43,400 --> 00:48:45,320 Speaker 1: something you have to be a little more careful of. 1075 00:48:45,800 --> 00:48:47,800 Speaker 1: You don't want to be persuaded into buying something that 1076 00:48:47,800 --> 00:48:50,760 Speaker 1: you don't necessarily need at this point in your life. Yes, exactly, 1077 00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:52,919 Speaker 1: all right, Matt, that's gonna do it for a listener. Questions, 1078 00:48:53,000 --> 00:48:54,160 Speaker 1: Let's get back to the beer that we had on 1079 00:48:54,239 --> 00:48:57,320 Speaker 1: this episode. This is called White Tie. It's by Westbrook 1080 00:48:57,320 --> 00:48:59,479 Speaker 1: Brewing Company. What were your thoughts on this wheat ale? 1081 00:48:59,800 --> 00:49:01,879 Speaker 1: That right, it's a wheats also known as a wit 1082 00:49:02,360 --> 00:49:05,960 Speaker 1: in Europeans speak. But this is so it's a Belgian style, 1083 00:49:06,239 --> 00:49:09,240 Speaker 1: which means it's got those some of those Belgian yeasts 1084 00:49:09,360 --> 00:49:12,279 Speaker 1: and flavors going on. This is the kind of beer 1085 00:49:12,600 --> 00:49:15,400 Speaker 1: that if if you're looking to enjoy a beer with pizza, 1086 00:49:15,960 --> 00:49:18,520 Speaker 1: I can think of no better beer than a than 1087 00:49:18,600 --> 00:49:20,600 Speaker 1: a Belgian white or like I'm thinking enough, Ala Gash. 1088 00:49:20,680 --> 00:49:23,240 Speaker 1: They've got Ala Gash White that is a very similar 1089 00:49:23,280 --> 00:49:25,120 Speaker 1: style beer to this. So if that's the one that 1090 00:49:25,160 --> 00:49:28,480 Speaker 1: you've enjoyed, I would recommend checking out Westbrook Ruining Company. 1091 00:49:28,520 --> 00:49:30,360 Speaker 1: But truly, I feel like I should have a slice 1092 00:49:30,400 --> 00:49:32,880 Speaker 1: of spicy pizza because that is what this is what 1093 00:49:32,960 --> 00:49:35,200 Speaker 1: you want to be drinking. If you're enjoying something like that, Yeah, 1094 00:49:35,239 --> 00:49:37,880 Speaker 1: this would definitely cut some spice and it's got just 1095 00:49:38,000 --> 00:49:41,920 Speaker 1: like refreshing qualities for sure. And this one is different 1096 00:49:41,960 --> 00:49:44,600 Speaker 1: than Ala Gash White because it doesn't have like that coriander, 1097 00:49:44,680 --> 00:49:46,640 Speaker 1: those some of those traditional white beer flavors. They kind 1098 00:49:46,680 --> 00:49:48,840 Speaker 1: of they gotta tweaked it just a little bit and 1099 00:49:49,120 --> 00:49:51,279 Speaker 1: it comes through nicely. Um with with some of those 1100 00:49:51,360 --> 00:49:55,520 Speaker 1: thie spices lemon, grass and stuff. You can totally you 1101 00:49:55,560 --> 00:49:57,960 Speaker 1: can totally get that. And so I don't know, I 1102 00:49:58,080 --> 00:50:00,839 Speaker 1: like pretty much everything Westbrook makes and this is one 1103 00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:03,919 Speaker 1: of their older, more classic beers. So just to enjoy 1104 00:50:04,000 --> 00:50:05,719 Speaker 1: to have a good Westbrook beer on the show, yeah, 1105 00:50:05,760 --> 00:50:08,640 Speaker 1: it's it's it's a bit brighter than like ali ash White, 1106 00:50:08,880 --> 00:50:11,600 Speaker 1: like like the Belgian singles like that, they tend to 1107 00:50:11,680 --> 00:50:13,840 Speaker 1: be a bit heavy, I feel like, whereas this is 1108 00:50:14,239 --> 00:50:17,000 Speaker 1: nice and bright. Certainly a great beer to be enjoying 1109 00:50:17,200 --> 00:50:19,719 Speaker 1: this time of year. But that's gonna be it for 1110 00:50:20,040 --> 00:50:22,600 Speaker 1: this episode of How to Money. Listeners can find our 1111 00:50:22,600 --> 00:50:24,480 Speaker 1: show notes up on our website at how to money 1112 00:50:24,560 --> 00:50:26,879 Speaker 1: dot com, and we'll make sure to link to any 1113 00:50:27,239 --> 00:50:29,879 Speaker 1: of the different resources that we may have mentioned during 1114 00:50:29,920 --> 00:50:32,000 Speaker 1: this episode. Begin of resources, we've got to how the 1115 00:50:32,040 --> 00:50:34,160 Speaker 1: Money Facebook group that you should join because if you 1116 00:50:34,200 --> 00:50:35,840 Speaker 1: go on Facebook every once in a while and you 1117 00:50:35,920 --> 00:50:38,920 Speaker 1: want actually helpful information instead of people arguing, and you 1118 00:50:39,160 --> 00:50:41,360 Speaker 1: don't want to feel like dog dookie and after someone's 1119 00:50:41,360 --> 00:50:43,160 Speaker 1: like trying to tear you down, that's right, Well, How 1120 00:50:43,200 --> 00:50:45,279 Speaker 1: the Money Facebook group is a great place to spend 1121 00:50:45,360 --> 00:50:47,239 Speaker 1: at least a little bit of your time on the 1122 00:50:47,320 --> 00:50:50,040 Speaker 1: internet because people are helping each other out and you're 1123 00:50:50,040 --> 00:50:53,120 Speaker 1: gaining knowledge and information to help you in your quest 1124 00:50:53,200 --> 00:50:55,800 Speaker 1: towards financial freedom. Right, all right, Matt, that's gonna do 1125 00:50:55,880 --> 00:50:58,759 Speaker 1: it for this episode. Until next time, Best Friends Out, 1126 00:50:58,800 --> 00:51:01,920 Speaker 1: Best Friends Out. M