Finance Bros

"I got a guy".....we really do! Adam Shelton is our special guest this week. Mortgages, PMI, down payments, interest rates. If you are buying or have an existing mortgage, there's A LOT this cat can help you with. Tune in, and listen to "our mortgage guy."  He is legit.

OPEN ENROLLMENT!....what does that even mean? Ben Clark is back for a second straight week breaking down what you can during this magical season of the year. 

Q&A with ya boy Ben Clark @ Health Markets. Answers to the questions that maybe you dont even know how to ask. You're not above it, and neither are we. Tune in and hear Ben drop bombs. 

Joe Blow across the street has all the toys, the big fire pit, and the Mastercraft. But you've got all the money. Which one you wanna be?

Everybody wants to play the underdog because it's got the biggest payout. Probability outweighs possibility in our world, though. Dont tune out the boring advice. 

The federal reserve is like the Wizard of Oz. Who are the people behind the curtain....and what are they trying to do? America is built on systems that are supposed to allow you to live life the way you want. Check it out! If nothing else, you'll sound smarter at Thanksgiving dinner with your annoying in laws. 

Investing works 100% of the time half the time....right? Be careful when people use words like "never" or "always" when it comes to individual investments. 

There's more to an investment than a rate...and if you believe there isn't and you aren't going to change your mind, then this show isn't for you (or maybe it is exactly for you). Either way, you should listen so we can keep getting more sponsors. Because we own the show, all three of us...and it's an investment...but doesn't pay a rate. See? Easy. Turn on the show!

First guest speaker on the show, Ben Clark, breaks it down, baby! Tax Credits, deductions, premiums, and profits. It all works together to help you, right?? If you're smart enough to hire an expert...the likely answer is yes! If you try and do it yourself, well, you'll probably waste a lot of money and then work with an expert anyway out of frustration. So skip step 1, and call Ben. 

Wylie Coyote was always looking for a way to catch the elusive road runner. Personal favorites of mine include him strapping himself to rockets, rockets to himself, or rockets to his shoes. Not considering the risks....just kick the tires and light the fires, oddly always trying to catch the thing that moved quickly, but never seemed to run off the road. Bonds help balance a growth approach. There's no rocket stock that doesn't come with the possible pitfall of downside. Even it out...and as Jimmy says "keep it between the lines". You'll outrun the coyote if you're smart enough to know it's a bad idea to hang on to a rocket for too long. 

The market is like a house...different systems and structures all working together (most of the time) so everybody can see the benefits of a well thought out house (portfolio). Sometimes the toilet runs (healthcare),the foundation cracks (staples), or the roof leaks (energy)....for example. And it ruins the party for everybody. 

First show of season 2 is fire....literally. Financially Independent, Retire Early.  Nobody wants to wait until they are 65 to finally enjoy a financially secure life without having to clock in and out every weekday. Some people actually fire their day job, fire their old way of thinking, and fire up the grill for lunch on a weekday. Extend your golden years....maybe twofold. 

BIG Thank you to all of the Bros fans across the land. This has turned into something we didn't quite see when we started, and I feel like we had high hopes. Through a couple milestones in our personal lives, a big uptick in new sponsors, and also a bit of a breather....here is part 1 of 2 of our Spring Break mini-series. A little intro to our new partners, a lineup of what's to come, and some changes to the show. Don't worry though...we still believe more money doesn't have to mean more problems! 

Saving and Investing. One is super safe, and one is super risky. Well, at least that's what you're told by your grandparents. While the coronavirus seems to be the new "invisible enemy", inflation was the O.G. when it comes to unseen devastation, especially financially. Long term investing can be the vaccine. We've heard investing be likened to gambling sometimes. Go to Vegas if you want your net worth tied to a river card...If you want to beat the house long term, call somebody like us. 

Tape on the floor telling you where to stand, free delivery where there once was none, and cuttin' down all the red tape just to try and make one more sell. Businesses didn't have this in mind for 2020...but hey, neither did the customer. It ain't all bad though. We can find silver lining just about anywhere. Welcome to the New Age, brother.

You had a good plan for 2020...this was gonna be your year!! Welp...the defense changed. That doesn't mean you can't check out of the play you had. These times create opportunities that you weren't planning on, but if you make the right adjustments you can keep moving the chains. 

Investments are a lot like trying to find the right partner....That's not accurate. But we love this youtube video, and Jimmy likened it to risk. Some investments are a no-go, some you should consider a long term relationship with...and some are just way too good to be true! Check under the hood brother, you want to make sure your getting what was advertised. 

"When all the scared rats are leaving a sinking market, that's when a real entrepreneur steps in -- a true visionary." - Tim Riggins, Friday Night Lights. Probably a bad idea to seek financial advice from Riggs, but the sentiment holds true. Public panic causes assets to change hands. Houses, cars, stocks, land, guns...it's all for sale when the public gets in a frenzy. Prime time opportunity for those who have been in the market for such. 

Pretty self-explanatory. In a world full of negative, be the outlier, the optimist. Oh, and keep that up when things go poorly. It's how you become great, man!

"Give me liberty, or give me death!"...Patrick Henry in 1775. While this is extreme, the truth remains today. There's a constant battle between government and the citizen for control, whether you see it or not. Would you rather be in charge of your economic decisions, or would you rather a government body hold that power? We have a pretty firm opinion on the matter. We think you should, too. Check it out. 

Winston Churchill once said, "You can always count on Americans to do the right thing, after all other options have been exhausted."  So we tried panic, we tried anointing everyone on Twitter a medical degree, and now we are trying laying off millions. Get your head out of the sand, but try being the outlier in the room. Be cool, bro. The storm will pass....how would you grade your preparedness and your attitude after all the is done? 

Your Coronavirus (aka Kung-Flu, Chinese Virus, Flu-Manchu) update from some dudes in TN. The ballparks will be slammed, and the bars will be hoppin'.....not today....but sometime soon. We ain't got a lot, but we got a lot of hope. Great opportunity to be a man. 

Gift cards from Christmases long, long ago....cash or check?....and other types of moo-lah. Are they all the same at the end of the day? How you view each dollar under your roof can cause you to make some strange decisions. It spends the same!....and a lot of times, it also saves the same. Check it out!

If everybody is thinking the same way, then nobody is really thinking at all. You can play the blame game, tell the sob story, or throw your pity party...but none of that is actually going to change your situation. All it does is make you sound like everybody else that isn't happy with where they are. We know there are outliers that didn't have a say in their situation, but the bell curve doesn't lie. Your life is probably full of rewards, setbacks, downfalls, and comebacks...and almost all of them are your fault. Switch it up. Get outta your head, and outta your way. 

You hit it big. Not the $2 scratcher kind of big, either. What do you do now? We don't personally know many big time lotto winners, but you can find all kinds of horror stories if you look. We find the same characteristics with people that didn't exactly hit the jackpot, but they have found themselves with a significant pile of cash. More money doesn't have to mean problems....but unfortunately it does for people that weren't ready for the big decisions. 

Being rich enough to retire isn't about having a lot of money. It's about having a lot of options. In the words of the late, great William Wallace...."Freedom!"We share some stories in this half hour to help you see straight. Turn it on and turn it up. 

Dreamers, big thinkers, self-believers, and money never sleepers...America was built on entrepreneurs, family businesses, and visionaries. If you've got the itch to be your own boss and captain your own ship this one is for y'all! We know a lot of business owners, young and old, experienced and just getting started. You can chase your own dreams, or work for somebody else chasing theirs. 

Yeah, it's a little morbid to talk about, but life insurance is worth a chat. You pay your mortgage every month, your day care expenses for the kiddos, and try and sock some back for your family's future. Life insurance can make sure all of those things are still taken care of, even if you check in to the Sweet By and By a little early. You may have grand plans financially, and life insurance can guarantee they'll all come true no matter what....maybe just don't tell your wife how much you are worth dead. 

Would you rather make bank or be the bank? Most people we know chase the dream job, the six-figure gig, or they are willing to kiss as much tail as possible for whatever pays the most. Rats chasin' cheese for the most part, unfortunately. Next thing ya know - high car payments, upside down mortgages, maxed out plastic, and gray hair, brother! A high paycheck doesn't change your spending/saving habits. It only amplifies them. Fix yourself before you think your paycheck is the problem. It's better to have the money in the bank than having to wait on your boss to send it to you once a month. 

We like to think we're not alone in thinking that taxes feel a lot like punishment. However, being a participant in the greatest government system the world has ever seen...taxes are inevitable. They still sting, though....Roth IRA vs. Traditional IRA. Saving for retirement can offer tax benefits: some benefits are for you to have now, and some are reserved for later. Depends on you how you want it, bro!

Ah, the glory days. Looking back at old pics of yourself, wondering if you'll ever be able to look like that again. As you open that second bag of sour cream and onion chips, prepping for the second half of Monday Night Football...a revelation....No, you realize. There's no chance on the third planet from the sun you'll ever get back to that body. Well my friends...that's inflation. In America, consumer prices continue to rise along the same trending line that obesity does. Your money can't hide from inflation, but it can fight back. Tune in!

Gettin' a little hot in the kitchen on this episode! We are too young to be the curmudgeons of finance radio, however we feel the points made here hold true. Growing your family COSTS MONEY, and for the people in the back one time....that doesn't make it an evil thing to want to do. Insurance, doctors, baby toys, education, diapers, and all the unnecessary luxury items that exist for your little tyke are going to hit your bank statement. Try and prepare for them. Also, don't blow the baby savings account on parties and shenanigans before the baby is even born.  

We won't say it's imperative...but it is somewhat significant to understand how common investments operate. If you're going to move some money into an investment, probably a good idea to be able to answer "why" you did so. ETF's are a popular investment for people looking to put their hard earned dollar to work. We've covered how mutual funds are more "active" in nature. Prop your feet up for this one, and relax. We expose the laid back, "passive" qualities of ETF's.

Working, saving, budgeting, investing.....You've got to unplug for a second, man. Mapping out all of the necessary or, for that matter, unplanned costs of life can distract you from what truly matters....living your life NOW. We love vacations. As a matter of fact, we probably take too many weekend trips to the mountains or the coast. Obviously, being financially responsible is high on the priority list for us, but don't be a square! Go make a memory, just don't run the train off the tracks by renting the penthouse. You've worked hard to earn play time, so play nice. 

We get this one a lot..."What's a mutual fund?"...In our industry, MF is shorthand for mutual funds. Confusing clients with industry jargon is an age old sales trick used by advisors, lawyers, and the like across the country. We're not in that camp. Join the Bros for this half hour episode. We go through all the thick details to help you get to the bottom of what these MF's are all about. 

It's easier than ever to earn a little extra cheddar on the side. Turn your talent into money. We're not talking about quitting your day job and pursuing underwater basket weaving, brother. We talkin' bout that side hustle. Feel like you don't have any talents that you can monetize?? That's fine too. Clint's rule #4: You don't have to be good to hustle. 

First time?...It's okay to be nervous. Seeing the price tag on your first home purchase can freak you out. If you live a halfway normal life, like we do, a home will be the most expensive thing you'll ever purchase. The sticker price isn't the only thing to consider, however. We spend this half hour breaking it all down for you. Get your financial house in order before buying your first crib.