1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to how the money. I'm Joel and I am Matt, 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: and today we're answering your listener questions. You know what, buddy, 3 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: this is our listener question Monday episode, where every other 4 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: Monday we answer listener questions that folks send our way 5 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 1: via voice memo. Would you like it if we were 6 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: talking to people live, old school radio, and we're taking calls? 7 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 1: We're like, all right, Tommy and Sandy, we see it 8 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: on the line. You've done that before. I have done 9 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: that before. Keep paying it on the line for us 10 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 1: and we'll get back to you here right after this break. Now, 11 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: I think I'd be a lot of fun if we actually, 12 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: when we do get to engage with listeners, like we 13 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: just talked about on Friday, how we went to Finn 14 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: Con and a bunch of nerdy financial personal finance folks there, 15 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: and actually, when we landed at the airport work, we 16 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: ran into a listener. Gosh, I'm trying to remember what 17 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:04,559 Speaker 1: his name was. It was such a quick, quick hang 18 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,479 Speaker 1: for twelve seconds. Took a quick picture, but really, as 19 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 1: we're hopping into our Uber, yes, I know, I wish 20 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 1: we had gotten more time, but literally, are Uber was 21 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 1: pulling up, but it's it's one of those things where 22 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 1: those interactions like energize me, and so if we got 23 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: to do them, even just digitally or over the phone, 24 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 1: I'll be down. You just want to be a celebrity, 25 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 1: you just want you want your face blastered on, trust me, 26 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: Milk Carton's. Now that's not when I'm into. Yeah, you 27 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 1: don't want to get abducted, but I'd like that. That's 28 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:27,759 Speaker 1: when your face is on the milk carton. But when, 29 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:31,320 Speaker 1: when you hear from here, from listeners via email, when 30 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: we get to hear their voices or get to see 31 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: him in person like that is more exciting to me 32 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: than having my face on a billboard. Absolutely no, I 33 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: completely agree, especially hearing from listeners who have made changes 34 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: to their lives. And so we don't always get around 35 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: to responding to every single email that comes our way. We, 36 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: I would say, we get back to like, I don't know, 37 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: maybecent of them, but those, somehow, the people who don't 38 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: get fun and sort like, what's wrong with me? Man? 39 00:01:57,520 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: I guess sometimes they just sad. You having put any 40 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: numb is that sometimes we slip through the gate and 41 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: then you just got some busy days. That doesn't mean 42 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: we don't love you anyway. I don't know how we 43 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: got on talking about that, but we've got five awesome 44 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: listener questions we are going to get to. Uh. We 45 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: have a listener who is considering a creative way to 46 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: lower her mortgage payment. We're gonna get to that one. 47 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: Another listener. He's got a solar panel dilemma that he's facing, 48 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: as well as somebody else who's considering forfeiting some I 49 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: bond interest. We'll get to those three, plus a couple others, 50 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: right after this. I like it all right. One thing. 51 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 1: It made it sound like we' about to take a break. No, 52 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: I wanted to. I want to mention real quick that 53 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: I just started reading matt the brothers Karamasov, and it 54 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: is a I've never read it. It's wait a minute, 55 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 1: that's that's supposedly the best novel of all time. That's 56 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: a Russian book. I can't. You're like a turncoade over here. 57 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: You can't be reading Russian literature. No, the the Russian 58 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,359 Speaker 1: authors are still some of the best, especially from from 59 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: that era. You're about to get canceled. Now. Everybody, like, 60 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: almost everybody like. If you, if you, if you, like 61 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:58,799 Speaker 1: looked up a list of best books of all time, 62 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: this book would be on there, but I've always been 63 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: reticent to tackle it because it's like a thousand pages. Yes, 64 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 1: it's super thick, and so I'm like, I'm more like 65 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: the three page book kind of Guy. And but I 66 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: realized I just have to finally read this book because 67 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: if it really is one of the best books ever written, 68 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: I can't let the fact that it's humongous get in 69 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: my way and prevent me from reading a masterpiece. And 70 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: so I decided like, okay, how do I do this? 71 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: I'M gonna do it one by at a time, one 72 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: chapter at a time, I'm gonna get into so I'm 73 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: trying to read one chapter a day. That's my goal, 74 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:30,799 Speaker 1: and it might take me like four or five six 75 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: months to read this book. How many chapters are there? 76 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: So that I don't know exactly how many chapters there are, 77 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: but there's like a chapter ten, ten page chapters, and 78 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: it's about a thousand pages. Six months. So okay, so 79 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: it's probably like three and a half month, let's right. 80 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: Is it likely likely how long I feel like it's 81 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: taking me that loan. So, so you're reading a long book. 82 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF WARREN BUFFETTS auto biophy, not autobiography. 83 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 1: I think it's the only biography that was officially approved 84 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: by by Warren Buffett, but it's something like that. I 85 00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: think it's it's over eight hundred pages and it's taken me, Oh, 86 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: all time to get through this. It is a beast 87 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: but also really interesting. So wait, how how far into 88 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: yours are you? So I'm like a hundred fifty pages. 89 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: I'm of the way through, enjoying it so far. Enjoying 90 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: it so far. Learn anything? UH, yeah, for sure. It's 91 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: just it's really well written. I'm so glad. I mean, 92 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: I'm reading it and I think one of the most 93 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: popular sub stacks out there is people who are literally 94 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: reading Frankenstein like a few pages at a time or 95 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: something like that, if you just get it in box 96 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: every day. And I thought, well, that's so cool, little 97 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: snippets every single day. Yeah, and like that's how that's 98 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: how you can get the job done, and I think 99 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 1: the same thing can be true sometimes if you're maybe 100 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: I have a lot of financial hurdles, obstacles in your way. 101 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 1: You feel like you're making progress slower than you want 102 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: to take that one bite at a time approach, like 103 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: you can't do it all in one day. You can't 104 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: do it all in one fell swoop. It takes time 105 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: to get your to get your money together, just like 106 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 1: it takes time to read a freaking thousand page books. 107 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: So Um, hopefully that is encouraging to how the money 108 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: listeners out there and I will report back when I 109 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 1: finish this book in three months time. Check back in 110 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: around Christmas. Uh Nights Man. All right, let's introduce the 111 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: beer that we are going to enjoy during this episode. 112 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: This is a German chocolate cake, another beer that's a 113 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: part of the guilty pleasures series over at wicked weed. 114 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to enjoying this one. We will share 115 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 1: our thoughts at the end of the episode. All right, 116 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: let's get to our first question up. By the way, 117 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 1: if you have a question for us, you can submit 118 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 1: yours at how to money dot com. Slash ask. Super 119 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 1: Simple directions there, and we love to hear your lovely 120 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 1: voice on the next ask htm episode. But this one 121 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: comes from a Listenermott, who wants to know about recasting 122 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:32,280 Speaker 1: a mortgage, which isn't something we've talked about very much. Hi, 123 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: Matt and Joel, this is Rachel from Minneapolis. My husband 124 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,279 Speaker 1: and I are currently in money gear seven and recently 125 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,359 Speaker 1: purchased our second home, where we hope to be for 126 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: at least the next ten years, at a purchase price 127 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: of four hundred and eighty thousand, with a thirty year 128 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 1: mortgage at four point nine interest and ten percent down. 129 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: Once the sale of our first home is complete in 130 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 1: a couple of weeks, we'll walk away with enough equity 131 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 1: to pay down the mortgage past so we only carry 132 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: P M I for one month and also refill some 133 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 1: savings buckets we used to buy the new home. Once 134 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: we pay down the new mortgage, we have the chance 135 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 1: to recast the loan, since it will be within the 136 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: first sixty days. This means they would keep our interest 137 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: rate the same, but it just our monthly payments to 138 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: be based on the new loan value of around three 139 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 1: four K over thirty years versus the original Fot k 140 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 1: over thirty years, our monthly payments would go down about 141 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,359 Speaker 1: four d our question is this, is it better to 142 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: recast the mortgage that we have a lower monthly payment, 143 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:28,719 Speaker 1: or would it be better to leave it as is 144 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: and just appreciate that paying down the mortgage a big 145 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: chunk right away means paying off the mortgage sooner than 146 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: thirty years. As a side note, we have a friend 147 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: who rents one of our spare bedrooms currently. He is 148 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:41,239 Speaker 1: moving with us and renting the basement of the new place, 149 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: so he'll be paying part of that mortgage when he 150 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:45,720 Speaker 1: moves out. Someday. The new basement will be used as 151 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: an AIRBNB and a guest space. Thanks, guys. If you're 152 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 1: ever in Minneapolis, let us know and we'll take you 153 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: to our favorites of the thirty plus Craft Breweries. Uh, 154 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: plus craft breweries. I had no idea there are that 155 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 1: mini breweries up there in Minnesota. Did she said this 156 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:04,039 Speaker 1: in Minneapolis, our Minneapolis. So that's that's a lot of brewers. 157 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:06,279 Speaker 1: I Guess Minneapolis is. It's bigger than I think it's. 158 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: It's a decent well, it's got the Minneapolis Saint. Paul 159 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: Combo Right, that's true. It's like a dual city. I 160 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: have never been there, so we will visit there one 161 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: of these days. But Rachel thinks. So much for your question. 162 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: And you mentioned too that you are in money year 163 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 1: number seven, which I wanted to highlight, because that means 164 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: you have a ton of flexibility. Uh, and that also 165 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: means that you have worked really hard to get where 166 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: you are currently. By the way, if you don't know 167 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: about the money years, it's basically our financial order of operations. 168 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: You can find those at how the money dot com. 169 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 1: If you click the start here button, you can kind 170 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: of see you follow along and figure out which money 171 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: you're you're ine. That's right. Yeah, and also, Rachel, she 172 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: didn't say this in her voice memo, but in her 173 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: email she told us that she actually recently quit her 174 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: job as a civil engineer in order to work part 175 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: time at a local coffee shop and to launch her 176 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: own etsy business. So we know that she has been 177 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: working really hard and now she's kind of on more 178 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: of that coast slash Burrista fire a path. Yeah, I 179 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: love that, because we know that civil engineers make more 180 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: money than Barissa's just just almost all the time, right 181 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 1: across the board. Yeah, I can pretty much guarantee that 182 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: that's like. But to be able to do well enough 183 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: with your money to where you can make that decision 184 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: consciously and say I just like working in the coffee 185 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: shop more than I like this other job. I think 186 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 1: that's so cool and that's the kind of power you have, 187 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: that you achieve as you handle your finance as well, 188 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: like Rachel has. And it sounds like to Matt that 189 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: that Rachel, that she's letting her financial choices be determined 190 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: by and informed. Why? We talked about that a lot, 191 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: but it's crucial in order to ensure that your money 192 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 1: gets funneled into the most helpful places for you personally. 193 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:38,199 Speaker 1: So let's talk about mortgage recasting here, Matt, because it's 194 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: it's like I said, it's not something we've talked about 195 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: a lot, but there are some real parks for at 196 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: least some folks to doing a mortgage recast, and it's 197 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: very different than a refinance, which is typically the thing 198 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: you hear about. But the thing about refinancing is that 199 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: it's expensive, as everyone knows. It's gonna cost you thousands 200 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 1: of dollars to to refinance your mortgage, and doing a 201 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: refinance is a major pain. You gotta provide all of 202 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: your information, your paste dubs, your tax documentation like there's 203 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: just there's a lot of paperwork involved in approved for 204 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 1: a giant loan again, that's right. Yeah, yeah, and in 205 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: addition to that, doing a refinance right now it doesn't 206 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: make much sense because rates have gone up. You don't 207 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:16,839 Speaker 1: want to go from a three and a half percent 208 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: rate to a seven percent rate. That's just dump. But 209 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: but if you can do a recast with your current 210 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: mortgage provider, you can pay a lump sum and you 211 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: can lower your mortgage payments for years to come. It 212 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: basically it reambortizes the loan, which can be a pretty 213 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: cool option. If that is what you're after, if that's 214 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: what works for your situation, that's right. Yeah, so when 215 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 1: you pay a lump sum to your mortage provider without recasting, 216 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: you will lessen the overall life of the loan because 217 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 1: you're paying down that principal balance, which means you will 218 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: run out of balance to pay down, basically, but you're 219 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: not going to reduce how much you owe every single month. 220 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: You'RE gonna pay off the mortgage sooner, but your payments 221 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:55,959 Speaker 1: will stay the same. But when you do opt to 222 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: do a recast, you you can actually lower that monthly amount, 223 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: that mortgage amount, while key being those other terms in place. 224 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: You're able to keep the number of years you have left, 225 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 1: you're able to keep your mortgage rate locked in place. 226 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: Hopefully that rate is lower than than more things currently 227 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: are and you would want to hang onto it. And 228 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: if there is a fee, if it does cost you 229 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 1: some money, it is going to be so much less 230 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: than what you pay for maybe a couple hundred bucks. 231 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: But the range I saw out there, it's sometimes free 232 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 1: up to at most maybe five hundred bucks, which is 233 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: a fraction of what you're looking to pay when you 234 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 1: are looking at a refinance. And again, this is particularly 235 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: advantageous in Rachel's case because not only will it lower 236 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 1: the monthly mortgage amount, that will also eliminate that Pesky 237 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: P M, I. That private mortgage insurance, saving her a 238 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 1: ton of money for years to come. So, you know, 239 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,959 Speaker 1: for these reasons, it sounds like this is a great decision. 240 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: This is a slam dunk yes from us to take 241 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: advantage of this recast opportunity. And and again, Matt you 242 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,320 Speaker 1: started off by talking about the fact that Rachel is 243 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: in money year number seven, which means the world is 244 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: her oyster. She is basically at this point of financial 245 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 1: independence where she can make moves for a lot of 246 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: different reasons that make just sense to her. Right that 247 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 1: because she's got just ultimate flexibility over her finances at 248 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 1: this point and and this this might not make quite 249 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: as much sense, though, for for some folks who haven't 250 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: made quite this much progress to their finances. For example, 251 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:17,959 Speaker 1: if you were like just getting started your money gear 252 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:20,199 Speaker 1: number two or three, you're saving up that fund, you're 253 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: trying to get that that company match in Your Four, 254 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:24,680 Speaker 1: O one K, it would probably makes sense for you 255 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 1: to use that lump sum of money to get a 256 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 1: company match to make sure you're fully taking advantage of 257 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: that perk, or to pay off higher interest consumer debt. Like, 258 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:34,680 Speaker 1: instead of opting to put a lump some down on 259 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,439 Speaker 1: that mortgage, you might instead want to pay down credit 260 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: card debt that you still owe. Yeah, definitely. Yeah, like 261 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,320 Speaker 1: that would mathematically, of course, make the most sense, which 262 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: is why I think it's important that Rachel pointed out 263 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: the fact that they are on money gear number seven, 264 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:49,199 Speaker 1: because when it comes to some of those other things, 265 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: those are steps that they've already eliminated. Yeah, if you 266 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: if they were much earlier, long in their in their 267 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 1: personal finance progress, we would say, I don't know, you 268 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: want to hold off, you want to achieve some other 269 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:00,680 Speaker 1: things first. You might want to prior ties, putting your 270 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,679 Speaker 1: funds elsewhere before you recast this mortgage and put a 271 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 1: lump sum into it. But we just want you to 272 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: take into account all those different variables. But for Rachel, 273 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: definitely take advantage of this recast offer. Yeah, I will 274 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 1: say so. Like what we kind of talk through some 275 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 1: of the math, like the mathematical reasons for her to 276 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 1: make sure to have accomplished those other things right, like 277 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 1: eliminating high interest rate consumer debt, that kind of thing. 278 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:22,439 Speaker 1: But there are like personal reasons to not pay this 279 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:24,680 Speaker 1: lump sum to wants her mortgage as well. And so, Rachel, 280 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 1: This wasn't something you mentioned in your voice memo or 281 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 1: anything that you shared with us, but if you had 282 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: some other goals that y'all wanted to see happen sometime soon, 283 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: that also might be another reason to potentially consider not 284 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: doing the recast right. Like you could see this lump 285 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,599 Speaker 1: sum of money as seed money, say you wanted to 286 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 1: start your own business and it was going to require 287 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: some upfront capital. That would be a great reason to 288 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 1: not necessarily take all of this money and then dump 289 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: it into your primary residence. It sounds like it's going 290 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,319 Speaker 1: to keep those other goals in mind as well. Agreed. Yeah, 291 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: it sounds like even though after they do this recast 292 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:57,959 Speaker 1: and get rid of P M I, they'll still have 293 00:12:58,000 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 1: maybe some money left over from that home so, which 294 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: I think is best of both worlds, because you and 295 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 1: I we don't really like P m I. It's kind 296 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 1: of feels like throwing money away every month then, and 297 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: so to be able to get rid of it through 298 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: this recast is a brilliant move. And so, Rachel, it 299 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 1: sounds like that's probably the best move for you and less, 300 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 1: like Matt said, you've got some killer business idea that 301 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: you just got a fun right away. So, Rachel, we 302 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 1: wish you guys the best of luck moving forward. You 303 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 1: guys are already already crushing it. Matt, we've got more 304 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: questions to get to, including a frugal or cheap when 305 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: it comes to buying a board game. We'll get to 306 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 1: that one right after this. All right, we're gonna get 307 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: to that I bons question here in in a minute, 308 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: but first let's get to that one from a listener 309 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: who has a frugal or cheap for us. Hi, Matt 310 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: and Joel, this is Wayne from Philadelphia. I have a 311 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 1: frugal or cheap? I'd like to hear your opinion on 312 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 1: a day ago, I bought a board game from Amazon. Today, 313 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:00,560 Speaker 1: when checking the same listing, I noticed that was nine 314 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: dollars cheaper. Yes, still sold by Amazon, so not a 315 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: different seller. This board game hasn't even been shipped yet, 316 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 1: so I figured, Hey, Amazon probably will give me the 317 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: nine dollars. It should be a pretty simple interaction. So 318 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: I contact their support and I say, Hey, guys, nine 319 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: dollars cheaper. Could you just give me the difference? Amazon 320 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: apparently has a policy where they just don't do that. 321 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: The solution I was provided with was to set up 322 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: a return and then bring it to a coal's or 323 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: whole foods, which is very possible and I guess I'm 324 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 1: happy to do that, but it just doesn't make a 325 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: lot of sense to me. Why would you push support 326 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 1: to have your customers waste their time and energy to 327 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: return an item when you're already going to have to 328 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 1: ship out the same item to that same customer? And 329 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: what makes it even more ridiculous is that I've already 330 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: purchased the second board game and both of them will 331 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: be delivered tomorrow. So I will have to take one 332 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: of those two coals and or whole foods to get 333 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 1: my full refund. So my question. Nine dollars. Am I 334 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: being frugal or cheap making such a big deal over that? 335 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 1: And then, on top of that, am I crazy, like, 336 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: wouldn't this just be easier if they just go oh, yeah, 337 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 1: nine dollars cheaper, it's yours, because we know you're just 338 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: gonna cancel the item and return it anyways, you have it. 339 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 1: Are they relying on people being lazy, or are they 340 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 1: just so big that they don't see the inefficiencies of 341 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: their own company? Yes, that's right, I'm criticizing Amazon. Come 342 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: at me, Bezos. Let me know what you think, guys, 343 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: and have a good one. All Right, Matt. First off, 344 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: I think we have to tell Jeff bezos this is 345 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: Wayne here speaking, not not us. I don't want to 346 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 1: get attacked. That guy's really muscular. We can even he's 347 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: really strong. We can send bezos Wayne's email and his 348 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: home address. Wayne, you're on the hook for this, not us. No, 349 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 1: I'm just kidding, but uh, I just want to say 350 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 1: to Matt like that the first offer was on to 351 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 1: hear that Wayne is buying board games because board games 352 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 1: are basically the best hobby in the world for Frugal 353 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: folks that disc golf. I don't know. We like we 354 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: like to talk about like cool hobbies that don't cost 355 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: you very much money. Board Games is one of those. 356 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: It's one of those things. That's how we roll man 357 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: by one time and you can play endless amounts of times, 358 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: right and and you know what? You and I, we 359 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: don't really play as much as we used to, sadly, 360 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 1: but we we played every night on our annual beach 361 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: vacation this past this past summer, didn't we? It just 362 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: goes to show that we have lots of other things 363 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 1: going on in our day to day lives, but when 364 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 1: we go off in vacate, specifically, we UH. Like the 365 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 1: past few years we've been playing acquired it's such a 366 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: good game and I don't know what's going on, but 367 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 1: my wife destroys, but it never used to be the case. 368 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: We could always count on her to bring in the 369 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: rear for us and and one of us. We played 370 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: like five nights in a row, sometimes multiple games per night. 371 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 1: Did you win once? I think I didn't. I think. 372 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: I think. I think. I only want like once. Maybe twice, 373 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: but the rest of the entire rest of the trip 374 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: she just totally mopped the floor with this dude. I 375 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: don't know if she was cheating or what she had 376 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: going on, but but yeah, if you're in prostgate for 377 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: dominating in a choir, if you're a budding real estate investor, 378 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: acquire might be a fun board game to check out because, 379 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: my gosh, it's so good. Well, it's not just real estate, 380 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 1: but it's it talks. I mean it incorporates shares and 381 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: so it has like this investing elements. It's fantastic. I 382 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:16,919 Speaker 1: think that's probably that's why we like it so much, 383 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 1: because it kind of combines investing and real estate all 384 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 1: in one, although we like other ones to like. Viticulture 385 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 1: is a good one about like, but once the last 386 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: time you play vinticulture over the past three years, the 387 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 1: number of times you've you've played a choir versus some 388 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:31,719 Speaker 1: of these other a lot more. Acquire has definitely been 389 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: at the top of the list, even though the version 390 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 1: that we have is terrible, like the design of the game. 391 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 1: Every time we play it we complain about it and 392 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 1: maybe will actually like by one of the old school, 393 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 1: like vintage versions of the game. The game was just 394 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,640 Speaker 1: laid out better than yeah, yeah, exactly. But let's get 395 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: to Wayne's questions. He's asking if this is a frugal 396 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:52,880 Speaker 1: or cheap move, and we're gonna say that it depends, 397 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:57,160 Speaker 1: because there are obviously a number of factors involved in 398 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: a decision like this. Um First of all, Wayne, I'm 399 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: glad you reached out to customer service, because that's a 400 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 1: great first step. It'll often work out for you to 401 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: to get your money back. Sadly not in this case. 402 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 1: But you know, now you've got to figure out how 403 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 1: much your time is worth. We talked about this actually 404 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: back in episode nine, and you know, if that whole 405 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 1: foods uh, if that return site or the coals, if 406 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: that's on your way to work, for instance, or if 407 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 1: it's just a walk or a bike ride away, then 408 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 1: we would say typically, Hey, this is totally worth it. 409 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 1: That's something that you're already gonna do right, that you 410 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 1: can incorporate into your life. But if we're talking about 411 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 1: it like a fifteen minute drive, it's less likely going 412 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: to make sense for you. Although now that you've already 413 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:38,720 Speaker 1: ordered the new one, now that you have to showing up, 414 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: YOU'RE gonna be out more than is nine bucks if 415 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 1: you don't make that return. is a different question. Before 416 00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: he ordered the second one because it's but now that 417 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 1: you've ordered the second one, it's like you're gonna be 418 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,879 Speaker 1: out forty something dollars instead of just nine dollars. Yeah, well, 419 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:53,120 Speaker 1: he could hang onto that second copy of it, maybe 420 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:55,439 Speaker 1: give it to a friend if if you really likes it. 421 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 1: But I will say too, I mean that's something. Well, 422 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 1: we've never talked about this, but since we moved out 423 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:02,959 Speaker 1: to the BURBS, drawl y'all definitely took advantage of the 424 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 1: free ups Amazon pickup at your front door. Right. Yeah, 425 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 1: we've done that back in the day, but they don't 426 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: do that out here in the burbs, and so we 427 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:11,680 Speaker 1: actually do have to save up our packages, if we 428 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 1: do have returns, and take them back to the up store. 429 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 1: But the good thing is like a formative drive. But 430 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,640 Speaker 1: it's still not well and it's directly across from the Costco. 431 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:23,119 Speaker 1: It's like right there. So that's a visit that we 432 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 1: do make fairly off right. Well, and the reality is 433 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: too for Wayne and for everyone else out there that 434 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: I don't know. Prices are changing constantly online. So if 435 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:34,120 Speaker 1: it's not like there's a static price and it changes 436 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:36,480 Speaker 1: and there's a sale once a month or anything like this. 437 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:41,440 Speaker 1: Like sometimes dozens or more times in a single twenty 438 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 1: four our period, a price can fluctuating. So the likelihood 439 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:46,120 Speaker 1: that there is a price drop from what you paid 440 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:49,359 Speaker 1: an hour ago is just higher than it's ever been before, 441 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: and that makes it more difficult to know whether or 442 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 1: not you're getting a great deal because of just how 443 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: opaque prices have gotten. And so we would say camel, camel, 444 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,080 Speaker 1: camel and honey are great browser plug ins tell you 445 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 1: see what the price has been over the past ninety days. 446 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:04,159 Speaker 1: That's just a quick way to see at a glance, 447 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:05,920 Speaker 1: like okay, cool, is this? Is this a good deal, 448 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:08,360 Speaker 1: or or should I be waiting? You can kind of 449 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: tell at a glance whether or not you're getting a deal, 450 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: and that, maybe, combined with a search on a site 451 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:16,360 Speaker 1: like slick deals, can help you buy with confidence, knowing 452 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: that you're not overpaying. And it's it's you're not always 453 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 1: gonna get the lowest price, like this is gonna Happen, uh, 454 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:24,440 Speaker 1: and it might be annoying, but, and you know, it's 455 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: always worth just a quick query to a customer service, 456 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:30,479 Speaker 1: but it might not always be worth hopping in your 457 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 1: car driving ten minutes to to save nine bucks. It 458 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:36,120 Speaker 1: just so much depends on the situation and how community 459 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 1: it is for you. Totally. Yeah, and he was saying 460 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 1: like is Amazon just counting on on people being lazy? Yeah, this, 461 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:43,399 Speaker 1: I feel like this is an example of Amazon like 462 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 1: just not being cool. Uh. Some credit cards, especially capital 463 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 1: one credit cards, like the quicksilver card, and we just 464 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: look this up, it'll give you the price difference if 465 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:55,359 Speaker 1: the price drops. That Quick Silver Card specifically gives you 466 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: a one twenty day window, which is pretty great. That's 467 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: a long amount of time for the price of dropping 468 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 1: for you to get some money. That's the easiest way 469 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,199 Speaker 1: to kind of get that money back in your pocket 470 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: without if the retailers kind of being stubborn. They got 471 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:09,680 Speaker 1: your back. We'll link to that card in the show 472 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:12,199 Speaker 1: notes Um. And so that's credit cards who offer that 473 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: price protection. But then some stores will offer protection as well, Costco, 474 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: for instance. We just mentioned them, but they do that. 475 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:20,400 Speaker 1: They give you a thirty day window, and so it's 476 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 1: really easy to go up to the counter. You get 477 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,399 Speaker 1: a small refund thanks to that item. Now being on sale. 478 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: But the thing is, again, we go to costco all 479 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 1: the stinking time. What I make a separate trip two 480 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: coals to call nine dollars back? Well, you know, it 481 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: depends on the number of things. Again, it depends on 482 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 1: how much free time I've gotten and what else I've 483 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:40,160 Speaker 1: got going on. I definitely hate to waste money. It's 484 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 1: you know, it's difficult for Frugal folks like us to 485 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 1: leave even nine dollars on the table. But I've also 486 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:46,920 Speaker 1: come to the point where I'm not necessarily gonna jump 487 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:48,880 Speaker 1: through a bunch of hoops pour a bunch of time 488 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 1: into calling just a few bucks back. Makes me think 489 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:55,400 Speaker 1: about like anytime I left something on facebook marketplace, one 490 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 1: of the questions I ask myself is will I be 491 00:21:57,240 --> 00:21:59,120 Speaker 1: able to sell this at least for twenty bucks, because 492 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 1: if it's less than that, I'm going to be more 493 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: likely just to put it out on the curb, do 494 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 1: a curb alert, even donate the item. But if it's 495 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 1: more than twenty bucks and I think, Oh, you know, 496 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:08,480 Speaker 1: there's a chance I might get even thirty, thirty five 497 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:11,360 Speaker 1: for this, at that point I'm definitely willing to list 498 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: the item. Yeah, because it's just not worth all the 499 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 1: Hass all the back and forth, your time, people not 500 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 1: showing up if it's if you're gonna sell something for 501 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: eight dollars right. And so, yeah, your your personal financial 502 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 1: threshold for how much hassle you're willing to endure for 503 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:28,399 Speaker 1: that money is. I mean really, it's up to you. 504 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 1: It's a personal thing. And Yeah, I guess basically Amazon 505 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 1: is counting on you being lazy, like you said, Wayne, 506 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: that's that's exactly. That's exactly what they're expecting out of you. 507 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,360 Speaker 1: They're expecting on you not to return that item. And 508 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:42,399 Speaker 1: and whether or not it's lazy, whether or not it's 509 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: frugal or cheap, is probably in the eye the beholder, 510 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 1: depends on your personal circumstances and, like we said, proximity 511 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 1: to the return site. So I would say take your 512 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: own personal situation into accounts and then act accordingly. So 513 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,119 Speaker 1: best of luck making a wise decision. And, Matt, I 514 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:57,720 Speaker 1: don't know if we have like a list by the way, 515 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,160 Speaker 1: of our favorite nerdy board games, but if we don't, 516 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: we should totally put a list together. We could name 517 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 1: a bunch more right now, but uh, nerdy board games again, 518 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:08,160 Speaker 1: still just a fantastic pastime and I hope Wayne, hope way, 519 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 1: you got a good one. That's right. Yeah, Wayne, I 520 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 1: hope you enjoyed both of those board games if you 521 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: happen to take the UH, if you don't end up 522 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:16,159 Speaker 1: taking that second board game back, but I'm pretty sure 523 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: you're going to. He's gonna Waste Way too much money 524 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,120 Speaker 1: if he doesn't take it. The other one back in exactly. Well, again, 525 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 1: I think he could totally give it as a gift. 526 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: He's like, I enjoyed this game so much that I 527 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:26,679 Speaker 1: wanted to gift you with it as well. Our next 528 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 1: question comes from a listener and he is asking. He's 529 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 1: he's asking about the interest that you're gonna lose were 530 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: he to pull his money out of this investment a 531 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:39,719 Speaker 1: little too early. Let's hear that question. Hi, guys, this 532 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,199 Speaker 1: is Scott from West Bomb Beach. Enjoy the PODCAST. My 533 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: question is about I bombs. My wife and I own 534 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:50,679 Speaker 1: three ten thousand dollar I bombs, all less than five years. 535 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: I know you've mentioned in the past that if you 536 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: withdraw all are part of an I bond before or 537 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 1: five years is up, that you for or fit one 538 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 1: quarter of interest. So my question is which quarter of 539 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 1: interest do you forfeit? Since we have a large variance, 540 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: starting under three all the way up until now we 541 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 1: have nine and a half percent. Do you forfeit the 542 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: most recent quarter of interest, the earliest quarter of interest or, unlikely, 543 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 1: can we choose our own quarter that we forfeit? Anyways, 544 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,640 Speaker 1: look forward to your answer. Thanks a lot, Matt. If 545 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:33,400 Speaker 1: only it were that simple and it was to choose 546 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: your own adventure and you could forfeit the quarter in 547 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 1: which you got paid the least amount of interest, I 548 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:40,640 Speaker 1: would say that that would not be simple. That would 549 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,359 Speaker 1: be more complicated, and we know the government can't handle that. 550 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,720 Speaker 1: We're gonna take whatever steps necessary to avoid any more complexity. 551 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:51,400 Speaker 1: So just personal story here. Trying to pay quarterly taxes 552 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 1: the other day. We was funny. The website is so 553 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: beyond broken for for doing that, especially for it's like 554 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:00,720 Speaker 1: you have your pin, which is what you lost. I 555 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:03,439 Speaker 1: lost my pen. But even the state website is just 556 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 1: so much better than actually site the Georgia Tax Center. Yeah, 557 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 1: recently there must have updated their site, because it works 558 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 1: much more. Yes, it does, and right. But right as 559 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: I was trying to pay my quarterly taxes, the this like, Hey, 560 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:17,479 Speaker 1: take a survey now, let us know what you think 561 00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 1: about the site. And it looks like something from two 562 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:22,240 Speaker 1: and I don't even know if they had websites back then, 563 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 1: but it looks like it was from a pre website 564 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:27,400 Speaker 1: era Ms Doss, just a flashing green box. I still 565 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:28,919 Speaker 1: didn't have time to take the survey and tell them 566 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 1: how much I loathe their website. But let's get to 567 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 1: Scott's question and Matt, let's set the table here for 568 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,719 Speaker 1: a second first and just talk about I bonds for 569 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 1: a second, because maybe it's been a minute. We love 570 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: talking about I bonds and and they remained. We've done 571 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 1: strong there for a couple couple of weeks several months ago. 572 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:46,359 Speaker 1: But it's time to revisits, time to let folx know 573 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: the beauty of the I bond. They're still stands for inflation, 574 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 1: by the way. Yeah, they they're inflation index bonds and 575 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 1: they're still a stellar deal for anyone who has medium 576 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: term savings that they want to sock away or, in 577 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:00,679 Speaker 1: a decent rate, to return on. But they're not like 578 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 1: necessarily just want to stick it on the market because 579 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 1: they could lose their capital right in a short order 580 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:08,359 Speaker 1: and so, uh, if it, it has to be money 581 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 1: that you don't need for at least a year and 582 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 1: you want it back in your hands, likely within a 583 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,640 Speaker 1: few years. Five years is optimal because that's you don't 584 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:19,360 Speaker 1: forfeit any interest. But there's just no better storage facility 585 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:21,159 Speaker 1: for that money than I bonds right now, and that 586 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:25,439 Speaker 1: is because inflation continues to be just nasty, like we 587 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: talked about on Friday, I bonds are a federally guaranteed 588 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: way to make sure your money is keeping pace with 589 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:33,119 Speaker 1: the actual rate of inflation. And the current rate that 590 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: I bonds are paying is nine point six two percent. 591 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:39,639 Speaker 1: Compare that to your trusty savings account, even if it's 592 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:42,960 Speaker 1: one of the better online savings accounts. It's a lot better, right. 593 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:45,680 Speaker 1: And and that rate is likely going to reset downward 594 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: by just a bit on November one, although it might 595 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 1: not drop by too much. And and even if rates 596 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,239 Speaker 1: go down a little bit, they're still top notch. are 597 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:55,439 Speaker 1: still one of the best places to save money in 598 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,639 Speaker 1: the current moment. That's right. It's a fantastic place to 599 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:01,359 Speaker 1: to soccer ways in thousand dollars. Uh. And, like Scott said, 600 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 1: you gotta keep any I bonds that you purchased for 601 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,960 Speaker 1: at least a year. You you just can't get that 602 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:09,439 Speaker 1: money back if it's been less than a year, like 603 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 1: a lockbox you can't touch. Yeah, but it's true that 604 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 1: if you don't keep each I bond that you purchased 605 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 1: for at least five years that you're gonna be forced 606 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 1: to pay a penalty. Essentially, you're you you have to 607 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,520 Speaker 1: forfeit one quarter of interest, and so Scott wants to 608 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:26,920 Speaker 1: know about which interest rate that he's gonna be losing 609 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 1: out on if he opts to cash those I bonds 610 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:31,639 Speaker 1: out early. It's a great question, and it's not easy 611 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:35,159 Speaker 1: to see actually on the Treasury Department's website, again, largely 612 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 1: because that website also looks like something like a website 613 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:40,359 Speaker 1: that was put together in the eighties. Yeah, I'm sensing 614 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 1: a theme here, Matt, that for some reason federal government 615 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: websites are poorly constructed. Most of them are. But the 616 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 1: short answer, Scott, is that you are going to lose 617 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 1: the most recent quarter of interest. So that means it's 618 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: gonna be a little more gut wrenching actually to cash 619 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 1: in your I bonds right now, since you'd be forfeiting 620 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 1: most likely the highest return that you've been been able 621 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 1: to score. You've been doing this for a number of 622 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:03,159 Speaker 1: years now, and you're thinking, I don't know, not, just 623 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: most likely, unless he's had an I bond that's fifty 624 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 1: years old. It's like literally the highest rate of return 625 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: we've seen in a long time exactly, and so it 626 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 1: makes it a little more painful in order to pull 627 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:15,879 Speaker 1: that money out. But again, you're you're talking about a 628 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 1: quarters worth of interest and if you you have other goals, 629 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:19,719 Speaker 1: if you have other things that you want to do 630 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:22,680 Speaker 1: with that money, it could make sense for you, and 631 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:24,560 Speaker 1: I think I would just want to hold on as 632 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: long as I could so that I didn't lose any 633 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:28,960 Speaker 1: of those higher earning months. That's ideal, right, unless you 634 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,159 Speaker 1: legitimately have something like much better to do with that money. If, 635 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,160 Speaker 1: let's say, you're wanting to invest in a more long 636 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: term way, that might be worth it. But but who 637 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: wants to really lose out on an interest rate of 638 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 1: nearly ten? Not Many folks are like, yeah, let me 639 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:44,280 Speaker 1: get let me give that up because it's a good deal. 640 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 1: And you know we're gonna keep talking about I bonds, 641 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 1: Matt on the show, as rates change and as the 642 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 1: value proposition shifts because a year from now, uh, you 643 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: might not be giving quite as much of a return 644 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 1: if inflation gets tamed quite a bit. But yeah, the 645 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:00,080 Speaker 1: reality is, Scott, that titching those I bons right now 646 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 1: unless you've got a much better place for that money 647 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:05,240 Speaker 1: or you just absolutely have to have the money you've 648 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 1: stuck into I bonds back in your life immediately. I 649 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: bonds are not the path to riches in most circumstances, 650 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 1: but they have just been a good short term haven 651 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:16,960 Speaker 1: as of late. Investing regularly in the stock market is 652 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:19,680 Speaker 1: still going to be your best path to building wealth, 653 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: but the resurgence of I bonds and the healthy rates 654 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 1: we've been able to to see attached to those has 655 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: been has been kind of cool to watch. Definitely it's 656 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:28,880 Speaker 1: been encouraging, to say the least. All right, we've got 657 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: a couple other questions we're gonna get to right after 658 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 1: the break. They're both gonna have to do with homes. 659 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 1: Listeners asking about solar panels and another is thinking about 660 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 1: becoming a first time landlord. We'll get to those right 661 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:51,560 Speaker 1: after this. All right, Mat that that landlording question we're 662 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:54,120 Speaker 1: gonna get to in just a second. Is An interesting 663 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 1: one because this landlord doesn't plan to be in that 664 00:29:57,320 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 1: location for very long. We'll get to that in just 665 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 1: a second, but first let's get a question about using 666 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 1: the sun to provide energy if your home. Hi, man 667 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: and Joel, my name's Scott and my wife and I 668 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 1: just bought a home down here in Greenville, South Carolina, 669 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: and we were approached about adding solar to the roof 670 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 1: and I wanted to just ask your girls opinion on 671 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 1: solar if it's worthwhile. Um, the pitch the guy gave 672 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: me sounded really nice and send it like it made sense. However, 673 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:36,400 Speaker 1: I feel like I would just be exchanging a loan 674 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 1: payment for what I would pay monthly in electricity. I 675 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:44,600 Speaker 1: would just be switching those two payments out for the 676 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:48,080 Speaker 1: next twenty five years. Um, I would love to hear 677 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 1: your opinion on it. UH, yeah, look forward to it. 678 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 1: Thank you. Greenville. That's uh, that's where my in laws lift. 679 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:56,239 Speaker 1: It's a little town I like to visit every now 680 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: and then. I went to college just outside of Greenville 681 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:00,040 Speaker 1: for two years and I will say you're both of 682 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:02,240 Speaker 1: it's a phenomenal little town in the south. I like it. 683 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 1: I would they oh, Manos to a lot of good 684 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 1: outdoorsy stuff. Oh Yeah, they've got that going on, and 685 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,200 Speaker 1: they've got is an eighth state. That's a brewery that 686 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 1: has some some fantastic beer from before. It really does 687 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: have it punches above its white class for craft beer. Totally. 688 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: That's right. But okay, Scott, one of the first things 689 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 1: we wanted to mention, uh, is that, like, you said 690 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:24,959 Speaker 1: that you were approached. Uh, you said that you got pitched. 691 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:29,040 Speaker 1: These are phrases that we that kind of like put 692 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,240 Speaker 1: up the red flags and reminds sense when we were 693 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: listening to your question. We have mat we you know, 694 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:38,240 Speaker 1: how the money send. The reality is that sales folks, 695 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: they can make anything sound awesome, but you are gonna 696 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 1: want to do a lot more due diligence before you 697 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: decide to move forward on an expensive project like this 698 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:49,960 Speaker 1: or before you you opt to work with this company directly. 699 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:52,640 Speaker 1: We want you to, you know, to basically do more research. 700 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 1: You'RE gonna want to know how much money will will 701 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:58,040 Speaker 1: getting solar on your home cost? How much will it 702 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:00,880 Speaker 1: actually save you overtime? You know, gaining some of this 703 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 1: real data, getting some hard numbers, is what we want 704 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 1: to encourage. You to do. Uh, and then after that, 705 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 1: getting multiple quotes is going to be key to making 706 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:11,800 Speaker 1: the smart decision here, is not just going with the 707 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 1: first guy that happens to walk up. I I'm not 708 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:17,040 Speaker 1: going to speculate here, but like I would be surprised. 709 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 1: Maybe I am speculating by saying this, I wouldn't be 710 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 1: surprised if there are now financing companies and they're basically 711 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:25,240 Speaker 1: selling solar on behalf of the different installers because, like, 712 00:32:25,280 --> 00:32:27,040 Speaker 1: it makes me think about retail, right, and how they're 713 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:29,880 Speaker 1: always pushing the credit cards. So often the tail can 714 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:33,120 Speaker 1: wag the dog. I don't want to be overly skeptical 715 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: or pessimistic here, but I would definitely be wary of 716 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: somebody coming door to door talking to you about solar. Yeah, 717 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 1: I don't want anyone coming to my doormat to tell 718 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:44,360 Speaker 1: me religion or whatever. You know, like that's just typically 719 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 1: what coies okay, Al Right, I won't turn them away, 720 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:50,760 Speaker 1: but usually when someone comes to your door, mudgeon over there, 721 00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:53,960 Speaker 1: get off my lawn. Uh. No, I love talking to 722 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 1: my neighbors, but usually when someone comes to your door 723 00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 1: to sell you something, it's not the best thing for you. 724 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:01,320 Speaker 1: Right or you would have pursued it on your own. 725 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 1: And so let's talk about what that due diligence involves, 726 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 1: like where, where Scotch should start researching. We really like 727 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 1: the site energy stage dot com. They've got a solar 728 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:12,959 Speaker 1: calculator that can help you run the numbers before you 729 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: take just like a random salesperson's word for how much 730 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:17,840 Speaker 1: money it's gonna save you. You get the type in 731 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: your address and they take take things like your roof configuration. 732 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:25,160 Speaker 1: They incorporate shade data, so the tree coverage basically at 733 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: your house, and then your specific electricity bill. They look 734 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,400 Speaker 1: at all those things, they take it into consideration and 735 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:33,320 Speaker 1: then they'll show you what the likely PAYPA period is 736 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:35,720 Speaker 1: going to be, like how long it's gonna gonna take 737 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 1: you to pay off that solar system. And one caveat, 738 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 1: by the way, that they spit out is how much 739 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 1: it's going to increase your property value. And it's kind 740 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 1: of true. Some of the stats show that homes that 741 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:48,880 Speaker 1: have solar that if you sell that home, that it 742 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 1: is going to be worth more than your neighbor's house 743 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:53,960 Speaker 1: who doesn't have solar. But you take it with a 744 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 1: grain of salt because your house isn't gonna appreciate like 745 00:33:57,240 --> 00:33:59,240 Speaker 1: overnight because you just stuck the solar system in there. 746 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 1: But the cool thing is energy stage is also going 747 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:03,560 Speaker 1: to help you get a few quotes at the same time. 748 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 1: It's kind of this like one stop shop place and 749 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 1: and I would say also like take a look at 750 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 1: that website, but also picked the brain of a neighbor 751 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:12,279 Speaker 1: or two who might have solar panels on their home. 752 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:15,440 Speaker 1: They might have recommendations or insights. That would be helpful. 753 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:18,000 Speaker 1: If you know somebody down the street who just had 754 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 1: a project like this done, ask them who they went with. 755 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 1: Was the final cost the same as the estimate they 756 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:24,440 Speaker 1: were given at the beginning? How was it working with 757 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:26,919 Speaker 1: this solar installer? I mean you can learn a lot 758 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:29,840 Speaker 1: just from a quick minute conversation with with the neighbor 759 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:32,120 Speaker 1: who's done the same thing you're looking to do. Yeah, 760 00:34:32,160 --> 00:34:34,719 Speaker 1: and in particular that side is fantastic. Actually entered our 761 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:36,920 Speaker 1: new address into there to see kind of what kind 762 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:38,600 Speaker 1: of data it would it would give me, and I 763 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:42,600 Speaker 1: think I've been contacted already by four different UH solar installers, 764 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 1: and so the quotes have ranged, but that side alone 765 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:47,640 Speaker 1: is going to be phenomenal. And you being able to 766 00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 1: get multiple points of data very easily. And Scott, you 767 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:53,279 Speaker 1: also mentioned getting a loan, or you said that you 768 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:54,959 Speaker 1: might be paying on a loan for the next twenty 769 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,879 Speaker 1: five years to get these solar panels. We would want 770 00:34:57,920 --> 00:34:59,759 Speaker 1: you to be really careful in that front, because that 771 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 1: can increase the cost by a decent bit. How much 772 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 1: depends on the specific terms of your financing. It's typically 773 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:10,680 Speaker 1: better to finance that with a helock instead of directly 774 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:14,319 Speaker 1: with the solar install company or whatever Financi here is, 775 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:16,880 Speaker 1: you know, working on you know, on their behalf. But 776 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:19,200 Speaker 1: either way, what happens if you move before you are 777 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:22,400 Speaker 1: done paying your solar panels off right like? If that 778 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:23,759 Speaker 1: were to be the case, you might have to make 779 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: a lump some payment on those, and so we would 780 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:29,840 Speaker 1: rather see you save up and pay for those panels 781 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:32,640 Speaker 1: in cash. That way, all of the savings are going 782 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:34,960 Speaker 1: to be going directly to you, and the main thing 783 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:37,279 Speaker 1: that you want to avoid, no matter what uh like, 784 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,440 Speaker 1: by far the worst option is if you were to 785 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:42,839 Speaker 1: lease a solar system. Seeing almost anything is a bad 786 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:45,440 Speaker 1: idea typically, but especially when it comes to solar panels. 787 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:47,760 Speaker 1: You're talking about TV, a couch or even solar panels. 788 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 1: Or that's right, but those are the the trickiest arrangements. Uh. 789 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 1: And by leasing you're gonna miss out on one of 790 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:56,640 Speaker 1: the biggest financial perks to installing solar on your home, 791 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:00,759 Speaker 1: which is the pretty enormous federal tax credit. I'm glad 792 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:03,000 Speaker 1: you brought that up, Matt, because a lot of people 793 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:05,560 Speaker 1: already know this. But the additional perk of installing solar 794 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:08,319 Speaker 1: panels is that additional tax break that you're gonna going 795 00:36:08,360 --> 00:36:11,400 Speaker 1: to receive. The United States federal government, in its kindness, 796 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:13,640 Speaker 1: has said if you install solar panels on your house, 797 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:15,759 Speaker 1: we will pay for almost a third of that bill. 798 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:19,240 Speaker 1: And and because of the recent Um so called inflation 799 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:21,560 Speaker 1: reduction act that was signed into law, the tax credit 800 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:23,959 Speaker 1: for installing solar is not going to remain at thirty 801 00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:26,480 Speaker 1: for the next decade. It was supposed to phase out 802 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:28,279 Speaker 1: starting next year, but that's no longer going to be 803 00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:29,960 Speaker 1: the case. So that was kind of lighting a fire 804 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:31,960 Speaker 1: under a lot of people's butts to get solar put 805 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:33,440 Speaker 1: on their on the roof. It was dropping down to 806 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:35,879 Speaker 1: this year. Next year it was gonna be dropping down. 807 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:40,239 Speaker 1: Is gonna keep dropping down until it was phased out. Well, well, 808 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 1: now it's gonna stick around at thirty four a while 809 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:44,200 Speaker 1: to come. So I don't know that that should make 810 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:46,800 Speaker 1: this process a lot less hectic. You've got more time 811 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:49,760 Speaker 1: because the federal government will continue for the next decade 812 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:53,520 Speaker 1: plus to pay that much towards your solar installed bill. 813 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:55,560 Speaker 1: So we would say take the time to shop around 814 00:36:55,960 --> 00:36:58,800 Speaker 1: and make an informed decision that's best for your overall finances. 815 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:00,840 Speaker 1: There's just no need to rush into this. There's no 816 00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:03,239 Speaker 1: need to do it a sap or anything like that. Um, 817 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:05,359 Speaker 1: and that being said, if someone else is is listening 818 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:07,359 Speaker 1: and they already pulled the trigger, this year you are 819 00:37:07,400 --> 00:37:11,000 Speaker 1: eligible for the full thirty percent tax credit. Just make 820 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:13,920 Speaker 1: sure that your accountant knows or that your tax software 821 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:16,200 Speaker 1: that you plug it incorrectly. So do you see that 822 00:37:16,239 --> 00:37:18,400 Speaker 1: tax credit come your way? That's right. You want to 823 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:20,920 Speaker 1: make sure you've got that two version of the software, 824 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 1: not that doesn't have I mean, I can't imagine that 825 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:27,680 Speaker 1: any software that folks are using is like software that 826 00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:29,879 Speaker 1: you actually install onto your computer like a via via, 827 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:32,400 Speaker 1: a disk. Remember the people used to do that? Right, 828 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:34,560 Speaker 1: you go to the store and you buy a CD ROM. 829 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 1: I don't think people do that anymore. It's all over 830 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:40,480 Speaker 1: the web, baby, Um. And the other part. Two to 831 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:42,800 Speaker 1: keep in mind is, I think the reality is that 832 00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:44,680 Speaker 1: the price of solar panels, it's going to continue to 833 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:48,920 Speaker 1: drop as we see more solar installations taking place. Economy 834 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:50,840 Speaker 1: is a scale like. They are at play here and 835 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:53,160 Speaker 1: they're going to benefit you. And not only that, but 836 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:57,080 Speaker 1: just advances in solar technology could dramatically reduce the costs 837 00:37:57,080 --> 00:37:59,359 Speaker 1: as well. For instance, I was reading that engineers are 838 00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:03,160 Speaker 1: using a shoal nanoparticle inc in three D printers that 839 00:38:03,239 --> 00:38:07,239 Speaker 1: allows them to make super thin and flexible solar film, right, 840 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:09,920 Speaker 1: like this crazy thin film, rather than like the super 841 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:13,520 Speaker 1: thick and stiff solar panels that were used to uh 842 00:38:13,520 --> 00:38:15,920 Speaker 1: and so, basically like fat heads, remember those? So you 843 00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:17,040 Speaker 1: could like stick the when you're well, they were like 844 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:20,880 Speaker 1: cutouts of NBA players and football players and okay, it 845 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:22,920 Speaker 1: sounds like that. Maybe it's like a thicker and you 846 00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:24,400 Speaker 1: can just like stick it directly to your roof. Is 847 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:26,399 Speaker 1: that what we're talking essentially, like you can roll them out. 848 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:30,320 Speaker 1: I pictured them like x Ray screens for film or whatever. 849 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:34,440 Speaker 1: That's how I envisioned it. Um, actually there's some some researchers, 850 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:37,239 Speaker 1: researchers down in Australia that we're using these things to 851 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:40,200 Speaker 1: drive their tesla all the way around the entire continent. Really, 852 00:38:40,239 --> 00:38:42,040 Speaker 1: they just like put it all around the outside of 853 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:43,680 Speaker 1: the vehicle. They would drive all day and then they 854 00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:45,360 Speaker 1: had like a huge roll of it and that and 855 00:38:45,640 --> 00:38:46,920 Speaker 1: once they got to wherever they're going, they would just 856 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:50,480 Speaker 1: unroll it and it would just recharge the Tesla. Okay, 857 00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:52,920 Speaker 1: that's cool, evidently. Yeah, but the bottom line, though, is 858 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:56,560 Speaker 1: that with the financial incentives, with the widespread adoption as 859 00:38:56,600 --> 00:38:59,600 Speaker 1: more and more folks install solar uh and with panel 860 00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:01,600 Speaker 1: innovation and all of these things are going to continue 861 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:04,080 Speaker 1: to drive the price down year after year, and so 862 00:39:04,120 --> 00:39:06,560 Speaker 1: we don't necessarily want you to be in a rush 863 00:39:06,640 --> 00:39:09,000 Speaker 1: to do this, especially when that rush means that you're 864 00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 1: financing it, which means you're paying more than you need to. 865 00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:14,160 Speaker 1: I know I'm definitely excited about the possibility of solar 866 00:39:14,239 --> 00:39:16,560 Speaker 1: and what it could mean for us moving forward, but 867 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:19,239 Speaker 1: it's you know, when you're an early adopter, a lot 868 00:39:19,239 --> 00:39:22,200 Speaker 1: of times you get stuck with the oldest, most inefficient 869 00:39:22,239 --> 00:39:24,960 Speaker 1: technology and, dude, it makes me think about remember the 870 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:27,040 Speaker 1: giant satellite dishes you would see on people, like at 871 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:29,640 Speaker 1: People's houses, especially when you're driving out in the country, 872 00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:32,640 Speaker 1: and like literally it's a satellite dishes that's like twelve 873 00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:36,680 Speaker 1: ft across or something like that. They're huge. And how 874 00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:40,080 Speaker 1: many years later was it before folks had that were 875 00:39:40,120 --> 00:39:41,759 Speaker 1: like only a foot across that would go on the 876 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:43,600 Speaker 1: corner of Your House? And I'm sure those folks who 877 00:39:43,640 --> 00:39:47,000 Speaker 1: had the big ones are like Dang it, which we 878 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:49,719 Speaker 1: wouldn't have been the early adopters out here, even though that's, 879 00:39:49,760 --> 00:39:51,319 Speaker 1: you know, that's how they were able to watch the 880 00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:53,040 Speaker 1: news and do whatever. There's gonna be a lot of 881 00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:55,760 Speaker 1: ingenuity in this space and it is going to drop 882 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:58,120 Speaker 1: the cost, like you said, and it's gonna make it 883 00:39:58,200 --> 00:40:00,080 Speaker 1: less of an ice or in all likelihood, to you 884 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:02,920 Speaker 1: install solar on your roof, for in your yard, and 885 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:04,400 Speaker 1: especially if you don't have the money to pay for 886 00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:06,799 Speaker 1: it yet. And now we know that the federal tax 887 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:10,000 Speaker 1: incentive is going to be robust for years and years 888 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:11,759 Speaker 1: to come. Why I rush? Yeah, there's just no reason 889 00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:13,919 Speaker 1: to rush into it, but it's Scott, best of luck 890 00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:16,120 Speaker 1: in your shopping solar panels. It's one of those things 891 00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:18,920 Speaker 1: to matt that that buying it can ultimately, over time, 892 00:40:19,239 --> 00:40:21,279 Speaker 1: save you money. So, Um, I think if it I 893 00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:23,400 Speaker 1: do like that. Maybe not quite as an investment, but 894 00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:25,440 Speaker 1: kind of sort of. So it's it's in the van 895 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:27,719 Speaker 1: at least, so it's got good luck on that one. But, Matt, 896 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:29,920 Speaker 1: let's get to our our last question for this episode. 897 00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:33,000 Speaker 1: This one is about becoming a landlord when you move 898 00:40:33,040 --> 00:40:36,040 Speaker 1: all the time. Hey, guys, this is a hunter from Logan, UTAH. 899 00:40:36,520 --> 00:40:38,759 Speaker 1: So in December I'll finish up Grad school and then 900 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:41,520 Speaker 1: I'll start my first full time job. In January we'll 901 00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:43,480 Speaker 1: be moving across the country and we're starting to think 902 00:40:43,520 --> 00:40:46,680 Speaker 1: about buying a house in that new location. However, we 903 00:40:46,719 --> 00:40:48,319 Speaker 1: know that we'll only be living there for a year 904 00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:51,240 Speaker 1: or two before relocating and that that's likely the pattern 905 00:40:51,280 --> 00:40:53,200 Speaker 1: that the first six or eight years of my crew 906 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:56,399 Speaker 1: will take, knowing that we'd want to rent out those 907 00:40:56,440 --> 00:40:59,200 Speaker 1: houses that we buy in each place after leaving. But 908 00:40:59,680 --> 00:41:01,880 Speaker 1: I don't know enough about being a landlord to consider 909 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:04,879 Speaker 1: all of the difficulties of doing it remotely. What kind 910 00:41:04,920 --> 00:41:07,080 Speaker 1: of things should I be considering and one of my 911 00:41:07,120 --> 00:41:09,440 Speaker 1: best options, if we do decide to go down that path, 912 00:41:10,280 --> 00:41:12,400 Speaker 1: I love your show and my wife has also recently 913 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:15,279 Speaker 1: started listening. We love how discussing episodes can help us 914 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:18,040 Speaker 1: talk about our goals and our opinions about personal finance. 915 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:20,960 Speaker 1: As a bonus question, we'd love to know what you 916 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:23,800 Speaker 1: guys consider your greatest hits or the best five or 917 00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:26,799 Speaker 1: six episodes for a new listener like my wife, to 918 00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:29,200 Speaker 1: serve as a basic introduction to some of the most 919 00:41:29,239 --> 00:41:32,880 Speaker 1: important aspects of personal finance. Thanks for taking my questions 920 00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:35,719 Speaker 1: and for making a great podcast. All right, hunter, thank 921 00:41:35,719 --> 00:41:37,319 Speaker 1: you so much for your question and, by the way, 922 00:41:37,360 --> 00:41:39,319 Speaker 1: I love that you are listening to the show with 923 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:41,759 Speaker 1: your wife. Just makes me happy, like literally kind of 924 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:43,640 Speaker 1: makes me smile, thinking that like you two are kind 925 00:41:43,640 --> 00:41:46,000 Speaker 1: of sitting there listening to Joel and I talk about 926 00:41:46,040 --> 00:41:49,400 Speaker 1: you now. Not only are we talking about personal finances, 927 00:41:49,520 --> 00:41:53,480 Speaker 1: but we're talking about you and and your money right now. 928 00:41:53,480 --> 00:41:55,239 Speaker 1: Can you believe it? I hope they're like smoking a 929 00:41:55,239 --> 00:41:57,799 Speaker 1: pipe by a fireplace with like the tweet jacket on. 930 00:41:58,320 --> 00:42:01,959 Speaker 1: Why does like like a like a fireside chat? Exactly. Yeah, 931 00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:06,720 Speaker 1: you're like really fun of the Olden Radio Days. But Hunter, 932 00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:10,520 Speaker 1: congrats on being like almost done with Grad School. But 933 00:42:11,000 --> 00:42:13,040 Speaker 1: when it comes to buying a house. We almost never 934 00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:15,040 Speaker 1: want folks to buy a home if they only plan 935 00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:17,439 Speaker 1: on living there for just a year or two. If 936 00:42:17,600 --> 00:42:19,680 Speaker 1: that were to be the case, wrenching. It's almost always 937 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:22,240 Speaker 1: going to be a better option. Uh. The only exception 938 00:42:22,360 --> 00:42:24,279 Speaker 1: is if you plan to then keep that home and 939 00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:27,160 Speaker 1: rent it out, like you're thinking. Uh. And even then, though, 940 00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:30,279 Speaker 1: it's not always going to be a slam dunk. But yeah, 941 00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:31,800 Speaker 1: we'll go ahead and give you our thoughts, though, and 942 00:42:32,120 --> 00:42:34,319 Speaker 1: you know how to know whether or not it's going 943 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:36,040 Speaker 1: to make sense for you and your wife. That's right 944 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:39,279 Speaker 1: when it comes down to Matt Really, when it comes 945 00:42:39,280 --> 00:42:41,480 Speaker 1: to real estate investing in general, if you were to 946 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:43,920 Speaker 1: say what's the most important thing, I think there's a 947 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:46,400 Speaker 1: couple most important things. It's it's hard to nail it 948 00:42:46,440 --> 00:42:48,759 Speaker 1: down to just one thing, but buying right is, in 949 00:42:48,760 --> 00:42:51,560 Speaker 1: all likelihood the most important thing to get right, and 950 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:53,520 Speaker 1: that's because, you know, most folks, when they're buying a 951 00:42:53,520 --> 00:42:56,680 Speaker 1: primary home in particular, they're thinking about through whether or 952 00:42:56,719 --> 00:42:59,040 Speaker 1: not it fits into their budget, which is obviously an 953 00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:01,880 Speaker 1: important consideration, but they're also thinking about a slew of 954 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:05,439 Speaker 1: other things, paint colors, fixtures, curb appeal, but what never 955 00:43:05,520 --> 00:43:07,319 Speaker 1: really crosses your mind is whether or not it's going 956 00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:09,040 Speaker 1: to make a good rental. That is not a question 957 00:43:09,080 --> 00:43:12,840 Speaker 1: most homebuyers actually ask, like well, if, if I decided 958 00:43:12,840 --> 00:43:14,640 Speaker 1: to rent this out in a couple of years, would 959 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:16,560 Speaker 1: the numbers make sense? But that is going to need 960 00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:19,919 Speaker 1: to be a lynch pin consideration for hunter, because, and hunter, 961 00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:21,520 Speaker 1: you're gonna want to find a property that suits you 962 00:43:21,560 --> 00:43:24,160 Speaker 1: well for living in but that also has the ability 963 00:43:24,239 --> 00:43:26,759 Speaker 1: to cash flow for years to come. That means doing 964 00:43:26,800 --> 00:43:29,160 Speaker 1: some market research to find out what the rent amount 965 00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:31,200 Speaker 1: is likely to be on the place that you're buying 966 00:43:31,520 --> 00:43:33,239 Speaker 1: and what your mortgage is likely to be too. And 967 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:36,279 Speaker 1: as an investor, you're gonna be hoping for appreciation as well. 968 00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:39,520 Speaker 1: That's understandable. But while that home going up in value, 969 00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:41,400 Speaker 1: it can help build your network. Think of it as 970 00:43:41,440 --> 00:43:43,279 Speaker 1: kind of the Cherry on top, not something to to 971 00:43:43,360 --> 00:43:46,120 Speaker 1: bank on, but buying right to buying the right house, 972 00:43:46,160 --> 00:43:48,359 Speaker 1: not a house it's just you can afford and it's 973 00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:50,480 Speaker 1: going to make sense for you to live in for 974 00:43:50,719 --> 00:43:52,800 Speaker 1: the time being. You want to make sure the numbers 975 00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:55,080 Speaker 1: on that house makes sense from a rental, from a 976 00:43:55,120 --> 00:43:57,360 Speaker 1: landlord perspective, when you're crunching the numbers, you want to 977 00:43:57,400 --> 00:44:00,000 Speaker 1: make sure that you're looking at all of the different expenses, because, 978 00:44:00,080 --> 00:44:03,759 Speaker 1: is owning any property, but especially a rental property. It's 979 00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:05,600 Speaker 1: not going to be cheap because of course you're gonna 980 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:08,600 Speaker 1: need to set aside money for repairs and you'll inevitably 981 00:44:08,719 --> 00:44:11,080 Speaker 1: need to have the added expense of hiring a property 982 00:44:11,120 --> 00:44:14,160 Speaker 1: management company to help you to run that rental when 983 00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:17,000 Speaker 1: you leave like that's something that you need a factor in. Uh, 984 00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:18,600 Speaker 1: you know, you like you might be able to self 985 00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:22,160 Speaker 1: manage from far away, but that's likely going to be difficult, 986 00:44:22,360 --> 00:44:25,520 Speaker 1: especially if you're planning to do this, I mean house 987 00:44:25,560 --> 00:44:27,960 Speaker 1: after House. Like I like the idea. I like that 988 00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:30,000 Speaker 1: you're thinking that there's a chance that I might be 989 00:44:30,080 --> 00:44:32,720 Speaker 1: able to own some investment properties and some very promising 990 00:44:32,719 --> 00:44:36,200 Speaker 1: neighborhoods and cities all across the country. I like the diversity, 991 00:44:36,280 --> 00:44:39,439 Speaker 1: I like the potential there, but that also might be 992 00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:43,360 Speaker 1: quite difficult. But either way, the typical property manager is 993 00:44:43,360 --> 00:44:45,640 Speaker 1: going to take a typically a ten percent cut of 994 00:44:45,640 --> 00:44:48,160 Speaker 1: the monthly rent amount and they'll Alston take half, if 995 00:44:48,200 --> 00:44:51,239 Speaker 1: not all, of the first month's rent for finding a 996 00:44:51,239 --> 00:44:54,319 Speaker 1: new tenant Um and so it's certainly possible in many 997 00:44:54,360 --> 00:44:57,160 Speaker 1: markets to still find a profitable rental even with all 998 00:44:57,200 --> 00:44:59,880 Speaker 1: of these different expenses factored in, but you want to 999 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:02,480 Speaker 1: make sure that you are are assuming those costs before 1000 00:45:02,520 --> 00:45:04,640 Speaker 1: you pounce. You need to calculate all of those expenses, 1001 00:45:04,960 --> 00:45:07,760 Speaker 1: because if that property can't make money even with those 1002 00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:10,560 Speaker 1: costs factored in, uh it is not going to be 1003 00:45:10,640 --> 00:45:13,239 Speaker 1: worth it. You need to basically go into this with 1004 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:16,160 Speaker 1: your Eyes Wide Open. Agreed, Matt. There's a lot of 1005 00:45:16,239 --> 00:45:18,640 Speaker 1: calculations to run, a lot of due diligence that's required 1006 00:45:18,680 --> 00:45:22,280 Speaker 1: on hunter's part before starting to make offers and finding 1007 00:45:22,280 --> 00:45:23,839 Speaker 1: the House that he wants, that he wants to live 1008 00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:25,680 Speaker 1: in for the next couple of years, because he has 1009 00:45:25,719 --> 00:45:27,759 Speaker 1: to make make sure it makes sense for the long haul. 1010 00:45:28,160 --> 00:45:30,960 Speaker 1: And I would also suggest that that hunter gets creative, 1011 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:33,480 Speaker 1: because he'll likely be able to increase the likelihood that 1012 00:45:33,520 --> 00:45:36,879 Speaker 1: this is a goodbye if he purchases a multifamily home 1013 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:40,080 Speaker 1: instead of a single family home. Or if you attempt 1014 00:45:40,080 --> 00:45:42,560 Speaker 1: to buy a home that needs some extra fixing up, maybe, hunter, 1015 00:45:42,760 --> 00:45:44,800 Speaker 1: that you don't mind doing while you're living there, something 1016 00:45:44,840 --> 00:45:46,759 Speaker 1: that is a little more beat up. It's not as 1017 00:45:46,800 --> 00:45:49,200 Speaker 1: good looking. By doing that, you're you're gonna be able 1018 00:45:49,239 --> 00:45:52,160 Speaker 1: to force some appreciation into the property, improving it in 1019 00:45:52,280 --> 00:45:55,279 Speaker 1: order to increase the value and increase the amount you're 1020 00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:57,320 Speaker 1: gonna be able to charge for rent in the future. 1021 00:45:57,360 --> 00:45:59,600 Speaker 1: So if you don't mind living in kind of a 1022 00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:04,080 Speaker 1: constant workspace for while you're living in that home, you're more, 1023 00:46:04,160 --> 00:46:05,600 Speaker 1: much more likely to be able to get a much 1024 00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:08,480 Speaker 1: better deal. And the sweat equity you pour into that house, 1025 00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:10,799 Speaker 1: he's going to help make the numbers work even more 1026 00:46:10,840 --> 00:46:13,279 Speaker 1: in your favor. Exactly. Yeah, the more that you can 1027 00:46:13,280 --> 00:46:15,520 Speaker 1: think outside of the box when it comes to real estate, 1028 00:46:15,560 --> 00:46:17,319 Speaker 1: the greater returns you can generate. It makes me think 1029 00:46:17,360 --> 00:46:20,120 Speaker 1: of our friends Carl and Mindy Jensen. They do what 1030 00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:22,560 Speaker 1: they what they call live and flips, where they buy 1031 00:46:22,560 --> 00:46:25,479 Speaker 1: a home, it's their primary residence. They do a lot 1032 00:46:25,560 --> 00:46:28,120 Speaker 1: of work on that property, on that house while they're 1033 00:46:28,120 --> 00:46:30,880 Speaker 1: living in it Um and because it was their primary 1034 00:46:31,040 --> 00:46:33,279 Speaker 1: they don't have to pay any capital gains once they sell, 1035 00:46:33,360 --> 00:46:36,800 Speaker 1: all of that appreciation flows to them tax free Um. 1036 00:46:36,880 --> 00:46:38,839 Speaker 1: And so the last part of your question their hunter. 1037 00:46:38,840 --> 00:46:41,799 Speaker 1: You're asking about the greatest hits, which we don't necessarily have. 1038 00:46:41,840 --> 00:46:44,719 Speaker 1: The greatest hits. We have five sixty eight episodes as 1039 00:46:44,760 --> 00:46:47,839 Speaker 1: greatest hits. Hunter like, honestly, I think for most folks 1040 00:46:47,880 --> 00:46:49,440 Speaker 1: who are like, well, how do I start listening to 1041 00:46:49,440 --> 00:46:51,080 Speaker 1: the show? Just I would say just start listening to 1042 00:46:51,160 --> 00:46:54,640 Speaker 1: it because every episode I don't think we're necessarily building 1043 00:46:54,680 --> 00:46:57,239 Speaker 1: on previous episodes so that it's required that you have 1044 00:46:57,320 --> 00:46:59,760 Speaker 1: to go back and be able to listen to previous episodes. 1045 00:47:00,120 --> 00:47:02,239 Speaker 1: For back to episode. We're for back, but we we 1046 00:47:02,320 --> 00:47:04,840 Speaker 1: typically explain what it is that we're talking about, hopefully 1047 00:47:04,880 --> 00:47:07,960 Speaker 1: in a way that somebody who's never heard anybody talk 1048 00:47:08,000 --> 00:47:10,640 Speaker 1: about personal finance before can sit down and start listening 1049 00:47:10,640 --> 00:47:12,279 Speaker 1: and learning right off the bat. It's our goal. We 1050 00:47:12,280 --> 00:47:15,040 Speaker 1: won't always do it well, but let me try. But 1051 00:47:15,080 --> 00:47:16,640 Speaker 1: thanks to a question from a couple of weeks ago, 1052 00:47:16,640 --> 00:47:20,040 Speaker 1: actually we we did pick a top ten list of 1053 00:47:20,160 --> 00:47:23,040 Speaker 1: episodes to listen to. If you are newer to the 1054 00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:25,600 Speaker 1: personal finance uh, it is up on our website and 1055 00:47:25,600 --> 00:47:28,120 Speaker 1: you can easily access it from the start here button. 1056 00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:30,640 Speaker 1: But but yeah, let your wife know that we are 1057 00:47:30,719 --> 00:47:33,480 Speaker 1: appreciative of her listening and we wish you guys the 1058 00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:36,920 Speaker 1: best of luck starting your journey into becoming landlords. Uh, 1059 00:47:37,080 --> 00:47:38,320 Speaker 1: you just you have to do it. You have to 1060 00:47:38,320 --> 00:47:40,400 Speaker 1: think about it in a way that most other people 1061 00:47:40,440 --> 00:47:42,920 Speaker 1: are not thinking about it. It means buying a house 1062 00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:46,560 Speaker 1: that you are not necessarily super proud of. Like like 1063 00:47:46,600 --> 00:47:48,160 Speaker 1: it may, it might not be in love with the 1064 00:47:48,160 --> 00:47:50,520 Speaker 1: House exactly, it may not have that curb appeal right 1065 00:47:50,520 --> 00:47:52,040 Speaker 1: like you invite your friends over and they're going to 1066 00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:54,720 Speaker 1: be like, Oh, this is where you live, it's cute, 1067 00:47:55,200 --> 00:47:58,080 Speaker 1: I love the exposed food paneling that's been UN painted 1068 00:47:58,120 --> 00:48:00,840 Speaker 1: for years. But then just make sure they give you 1069 00:48:00,920 --> 00:48:03,200 Speaker 1: a solid thirty minutes, at least an hour, to where 1070 00:48:03,239 --> 00:48:05,160 Speaker 1: you start sharing with them what your plan is to 1071 00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:08,399 Speaker 1: do with that property and then additional properties down the road, 1072 00:48:08,520 --> 00:48:10,440 Speaker 1: and they're going to be coming to you with all 1073 00:48:10,480 --> 00:48:13,279 Speaker 1: their financial questions. Building wealth is not always beautiful, it 1074 00:48:13,640 --> 00:48:18,040 Speaker 1: is not always easy, and, especially when you're looking into 1075 00:48:18,120 --> 00:48:20,640 Speaker 1: rental real estate, like it's going to take doing some 1076 00:48:20,680 --> 00:48:22,920 Speaker 1: things that are uncomfortable in order to make the numbers work, 1077 00:48:22,960 --> 00:48:25,560 Speaker 1: in order to grow your bottom line. So hopefully you're 1078 00:48:25,600 --> 00:48:27,560 Speaker 1: willing to do that, hunter, and if so, then I 1079 00:48:27,600 --> 00:48:30,319 Speaker 1: think you can be successful in this endeavor most off. 1080 00:48:30,360 --> 00:48:31,879 Speaker 1: All right, good luck to you guys. Matt, let's get 1081 00:48:31,880 --> 00:48:33,399 Speaker 1: back to the beer we had on this episode. This 1082 00:48:33,560 --> 00:48:36,239 Speaker 1: is called German chocolate cake and it is by a 1083 00:48:36,280 --> 00:48:39,239 Speaker 1: stout by wicked weed brewing. What were your thoughts on 1084 00:48:39,280 --> 00:48:41,239 Speaker 1: this beer? Yeah, I'm glad we actually were able to 1085 00:48:41,280 --> 00:48:43,640 Speaker 1: share this because I read in the past two weeks 1086 00:48:43,680 --> 00:48:47,160 Speaker 1: this is the second German chocolate cake stout that I had. 1087 00:48:47,600 --> 00:48:49,400 Speaker 1: I had one of those when when we're down in 1088 00:48:49,400 --> 00:48:51,960 Speaker 1: the Orlando add a little pub that you and I 1089 00:48:52,040 --> 00:48:57,040 Speaker 1: popped into. But yeah, it's got those big dark roasty flavors, 1090 00:48:57,320 --> 00:48:58,920 Speaker 1: I guess, all the kind of flavors that you think 1091 00:48:58,920 --> 00:49:00,960 Speaker 1: of when you're thinking of a German chocolate k a 1092 00:49:01,000 --> 00:49:03,960 Speaker 1: little bit of coconut, a lot of chocolate, kind of yeah, 1093 00:49:03,960 --> 00:49:06,200 Speaker 1: one of those Dessert Beers for sure, that are becoming 1094 00:49:06,239 --> 00:49:09,080 Speaker 1: more and more popular and in particular, as the temperatures 1095 00:49:09,080 --> 00:49:12,520 Speaker 1: are starting to drop, man like I am totally getting 1096 00:49:12,560 --> 00:49:14,279 Speaker 1: an Itche to have some of the some of these 1097 00:49:14,280 --> 00:49:18,320 Speaker 1: bigger wintertime beers. It's totally fine and okay to enjoy 1098 00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:20,440 Speaker 1: big dark beers in the middle of the summer, but 1099 00:49:20,560 --> 00:49:22,680 Speaker 1: now that it's like the evenings around here at least 1100 00:49:22,719 --> 00:49:24,800 Speaker 1: are they've been a lot cooler you biked up the 1101 00:49:24,840 --> 00:49:27,160 Speaker 1: mountain yesterday with your son. When I wrote in this 1102 00:49:27,239 --> 00:49:29,160 Speaker 1: morning I was just like, oh my gosh, that the 1103 00:49:29,239 --> 00:49:31,719 Speaker 1: Christmas that you feel in the air, in particular when 1104 00:49:31,719 --> 00:49:34,600 Speaker 1: you're riding on, riding on the bike. It is unbeatable 1105 00:49:34,960 --> 00:49:37,680 Speaker 1: and it makes me just want to curl up, have 1106 00:49:37,920 --> 00:49:42,320 Speaker 1: that that smoking jacket with a tweet, sitting fireside a pipe. 1107 00:49:42,440 --> 00:49:45,040 Speaker 1: It's it's that whole vibe all over again. But Yeah, man, 1108 00:49:45,040 --> 00:49:47,080 Speaker 1: I'm glad you and I got to enjoy another one 1109 00:49:47,080 --> 00:49:50,360 Speaker 1: of these wicked Weed Beers today on the podcast. But 1110 00:49:50,480 --> 00:49:52,040 Speaker 1: that is going to be it. Will make sure to 1111 00:49:52,160 --> 00:49:54,359 Speaker 1: link to any of the resources, anything that we may 1112 00:49:54,360 --> 00:49:56,920 Speaker 1: have mentioned during this episode, up on our show notes, 1113 00:49:57,160 --> 00:49:59,160 Speaker 1: up on the website at how the money dot com. 1114 00:49:59,239 --> 00:50:01,520 Speaker 1: That's right and by away. Our newsletter is only getting 1115 00:50:01,520 --> 00:50:03,520 Speaker 1: better and better. If you have not subscribed to how 1116 00:50:03,520 --> 00:50:06,080 Speaker 1: the money newsletter, I feel like it's been fire recently 1117 00:50:06,160 --> 00:50:08,440 Speaker 1: and this thing is free. That's not gonna cost you 1118 00:50:08,440 --> 00:50:11,319 Speaker 1: a time. It's gonna give you a good laugh, some 1119 00:50:11,440 --> 00:50:14,680 Speaker 1: entertainment and some personal finance insights every Tuesday morning. Just 1120 00:50:14,680 --> 00:50:16,960 Speaker 1: got to how to money dot com, slash newsletter and 1121 00:50:17,120 --> 00:50:19,479 Speaker 1: sign up right there. We appreciate all of you guys 1122 00:50:19,520 --> 00:50:22,200 Speaker 1: being a part of the how to money community. All right, maw, 1123 00:50:22,239 --> 00:50:24,359 Speaker 1: that's going to do it for this episode. Until next time, 1124 00:50:24,719 --> 00:50:26,880 Speaker 1: best friends out, best friends out