The Dough Roller Money Podcast

It’s instructive and even inspiring to look back over the last year to see how you’ve lived. Reflecting on the good times and bad help us learn, grow and improve. So I was grateful to receive this email from a reader named Neil: Are you going to do a Best of 2014 show? I know […]

The post DR 140: The Best of 2014 appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_140-Best_of_2014_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:39am EDT

The 3% mortgage is back. After years of turmoil in the housing market and recriminations on whose to blame, the low down payment mortgage has surfaced again. The 3% mortgage will mean more flexibility for homebuyers, and in some cases, for those looking to refinance as well. Until now, borrowers had a choice between conventional […]

The post DR 139: 3% Mortgages Are Back – Is This a Good Thing? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_139--3_Mortgage.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:25pm EDT

Wealthfront is the largest and fastest growing automated investment service, with over $1.6 billion under management. And it all happened in just three years! I had a chance to interview Wealthfront CEO, Adam Nash. He shares his insights on the platform, and on investing in general. His educational background is in software and design, but […]

The post DR 138: Interview with WealthFront CEO, Adam Nash appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_138-Wealth_Front.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:35am EDT

When people talk about early retirement, they often mean at 50 or 55 – and sometimes as early as 45. But today’s podcast interview is with Todd Tresidder, a fascinating guy who managed to get out of the rat race at 35. I interviewed Todd about his life before retirement, what he’s been doing since, […]

The post DR 137: Interview with Todd Tresidder, a Former Hedge Fund Partner Who Retired at 35 appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_137--Todd_Tressider.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:29am EDT

As robo advisers grow in assets under management, more people are beginning to ask if using one is the right strategy. My last podcast on robo-advisors brought this email from a reader named Steve: The other timely podcast was the robo-advisor one. I’m in the process of helping my mom move her accounts from Morgan […]

The post DR 136: 5 Reasons Robo Advisors are Worth the Cost appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_136-5_Reasons_Robo_Advisors_Are_Worth_the_Cost.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:21am EDT

Imagine going to college while raising a young child. Imaging graduating from school with more than $200,000 in student loans. Imagine starting a new career as a single mom raising three children. Imagine tackling more than $15,000 in credit card debt. I give you Christa Miller. In today’s podcast she shares her story. We talk […]

The post DR 135: How a Single Mom of Three is Achieving Financial Freedom–Interview with Christa Miller appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_135-Christa_Miller.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:47am EDT

Since starting my small business in 2007, I’ve used a business card for several reasons. My business credit card easily separates personal expenses and business expenses. I use GoDaddy’s online bookkeeping tool. It automatically imports all the charges from my business credit card, so these expenses are exceptionally easy to track. This makes preparing annual […]

The post 10 Top Small Business Credit Cards of 2016 appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_134-Best_Business_Credit_Cards.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Email is a real pain. Most of us have multiple email accounts. The inbox can easily pile up with junk, often resulting in important email getting lost or forgotten. For many, inbox zero is nothing but a pipe dream. This hit home for me recently.  I have four primary email accounts that I monitor.  One […]

The post DR 133: Inbox Zero–A Simple Strategy to Conquer Your E-mail appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_133--Inbox_Zero.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:31am EDT

The first so called Robo Advisor I recall is Betterment. Several years ago I met its founder, Jon Stein, and recently interviewed him for the podcast. Since then I’ve used or evaluated Motif Investing, Acorns, Wealth Front, Future Advisors, and JemStep. I’ve also used extensively the free Financial Dashboard offered by Personal Capital. It was […]

The post DR 132: Robo Advisors–The Pros and Cons appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_132--Robo_Advisors_Part_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:40pm EDT

One of the biggest surprises for me as a blogger was the retirement plan options available to a small business owner. While a 401k maximum contribution is $17,500 (as of 2014) and an IRA is $5,500 (as of 2014), as a small business owner I can sock away more than $50,000 a year. It almost […]

The post DR 131: Retirement Plan Options for Small Businesses–An Interview with Fidelity’s Brian Hogan appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_131--Small_Business_Retirement_Plans-Fidelity.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:19am EDT

The many ways to save money are limited only by our imagination. That’s why I asked the readers of the Dough Roller Newsletter their #1 money saving tip. In past weeks they have given some great replies to other questions: What is your favorite book about money? Where do you keep your emergency fund? What […]

The post DR 130: The #1 Way to Save Money Is . . . appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_130-The_1_Money_Saving_Tip.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:03pm EDT

I‘ve struggled with productivity for years. Give me a deadline and I can work like a rented mule. Leave me to my own devices, however, and I’m as productive as carefree summer day at the beach. This really came to light for me when I started working from home. With no supervisors and few hard […]

The post DR 129: 5 Simple Strategies to Stay Productive Working from Home (bet you never thought of #5) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_129-How_to_Be_Productive_Working_From_Home.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:29am EDT

With a son and daughter now grown, I often wonder how well I prepared them to handle finances. While they are both now in their early 20’s, the truth is that their financial education is far from over. I continue to work with them on everything from budgeting to investing. And that’s why Rob Pivnick’s […]

The post DR 128: What All Kids Should Know About Saving & Investing–An Interview with Author Rob Pivnick appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_128--Rob_Pivnick.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:28pm EDT

Robo-advisors are all the rage today. These online tools help automate investing, from picking an asset allocation plan to buying the mutual funds or ETFs to rebalancing. What they don’t do, however, is help us with broader financial planning tasks. Enter iQuantifi. Founded by Tom White, a former financial planner and investment advisor, iQuantifi is […]

The post DR 127: iQuantifi–Interview with its Founder Tom White appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_127--iQuantifi.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:05am EDT

In last week’s newsletter I asked the following question: What is your favorite book about money. Some of the responses listed popular books. Some mentioned books that were new to me. Each of the books offers some real insight into personal finance and investing. Arguably the best thing we can do to improve our finances […]

The post The Most Popular Personal Finance Books appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_126--Favorite_Money_Books.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:50pm EDT

It was bound to happen sooner or later. It started with an innocent email from a listener of the Dough Roller Money Podcast. They asked if I would dedicate a show to talking about . . . me. For better or worse, they wanted to know about the guy behind the mic. Do that triggered […]

The post DR 125: A Podcast Listener Interviews . . . Me appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_125--Interview_of_Me.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:33am EDT

Where do people stash their cash for emergencies? That’s the question I asked more than 18,000 subscribers to the weekly Dough Roller newsletter. The common wisdom is to keep emergency funds in an FDIC insured bank account, preferably one that pays a high yield. But with interest rates at historic lows, are people taking on […]

The post DR 124: Where Do People Keep Their Emergency Fund? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_124-Budgeting_and_Emergency_Fund.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:52am EDT

I met Joshua Sheats earlier this year at a blogger conference. In the span of 30 minutes we talked about everything from budgeting to investing to careers to podcasting. A certified financial planner, among other things, Joshua spent many years in the business. Recently, he hung up his calculator and started a podcast full time […]

The post DR 123: Interview with Joshua Sheats, CFP, of Radical Personal Finance appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_123-Joshua_Sheats-Radical_Personal_Finance.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:59pm EDT

A lot has been written about good debt vs bad debt. As the names suggest, the idea is to avoid bad debt and embrace, at least to a point, good debt. But what do these terms really mean, and how can they help us make sound financial decisions? Like so many financial rules of thumbs, […]

The post DR 122: Good Debt vs. Bad Debt appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_122-Good_Debt_vs_Bad_Debt.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:00pm EDT

Imagine you’ve worked hard and saved for retirement. You have assets in taxable accounts, traditional retirement accounts, and Roth retirement accounts. When you retire, which accounts should you withdraw from first? That’s the question I posed to Stuart Ritter of T. Rowe Price. In the interview that follows, Stuart does a great job of discussing […]

The post Which Retirement Accounts Should You Withdraw From First? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_121-Stuart_Ritter_of_T_Rowe_Price.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:56pm EDT

Prioritizing financial goals is one of the hardest things to do.  And it comes into play in so many different ways. How much would you save for an emergency fund while you’re paying off all your debt? Which debt should you pay off first? Should you pay off all your debt before saving for retirement? […]

The post DR 120: Should You Save for Retirement or a Home? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_120-Save_for_a_Down_Payment_or_Invest_for_Retirement.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:11am EDT

One of the most important and confusing decisions retirees must make is how and when to claim social security benefits. There are countless things to consider including age to start taking benefits, whether you’ll continue to work, spousal benefits, and full retirement age. For that reason, I asked Social Security benefits expert Marc Kiner to […]

The post DR 119: Advanced Social Security Benefits Strategies–Interview with Marc Kiner appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_119--Social_Security_Benefits_with_Mark_Kiner.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:18pm EDT

It’s advice we hear time and again–stick to your asset allocation plan. Whether the stock market is reaching new highs are new lows, don’t change your investments apart from rebalancing. It’s the kind of advice that is simple to understand, but difficult to follow. In fact, a lot of investors don’t follow this advice. In […]

The post DR 118: 9 Actionable Tips to Help You Stick to Your Investment Plan appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_118-How_to_Stick_to_an_Investment_Plan.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:52am EDT

The release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus raises an important question–is the iPhone 6 worth the cost? While nobody can answer that question for you, I decided to pull together as much information as I could on how to find the best deal on the 6 and 6 Plus. What a headache. […]

The post Cheapest Place to Buy a iPhone 6 appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_117-iPhone_6.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:55pm EDT

This is the third article in an ongoing series on dividend investing. In part 1 we started with an introduction to dividends. In part 2 we examined how dividends work in conjunction with mutual funds. Today we are going to look at dividend growth. My goal for this article and podcast is to convince you […]

The post DR 116: Dividend Investing (Part 3)–Dividend Growth appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_116-Dividend_Investing_Part_3-Growth.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:55am EDT

In many families, one spouse handles the investments. As for the other spouse, he or she often has little interest in understanding mutual funds, ETFs, asset allocation, or retirement accounts. Yet what would happen if the one handling the investments were to die or incapacitated. How would the non-investing spouse handle this important responsibility? The […]

The post DR 115: How to Prepare Your Spouse to Invest When You Are Gone appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_115-How_to_Prepare_Your_Spouse_to_Invest_When_Youre_Gone.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:32am EDT

Tracking your net worth is an essential step to managing your finances. In a single number your net worth can measure your financial progress, whether you are climbing out of debt, building an investment portfolio, or both. We’ve covered how to track your net worth in the past. Recently I received an email from a […]

The post DR 114: 3 Tools to Track Your Net Worth appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_114-Tools_to_Track_Your_Net_Worth.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:08pm EDT

How should you invest money in a 529 plan? These college savings plans present some unique investing challenges. On the one hand you want the money to grow to at least keep up with the rising cost of college. On the other hand, there is a limited time horizon. Assume too much risk and the […]

The post DR 113: How to Invest in a 529 Plan appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_113-How_to_Invest_in_a_529_Plan.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:08am EDT

Have you ever paid off a debt only to find that it caused your credit score to drop? That’s exactly what happened to Lakisher, a listener who graciously sent me the following email: “I have a question. I think I know the basics of my credit and credit report but I recently paid off my […]

The post 7 Things that Cause Your Credit Score to Fluctuate from Month-to-Month appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_112-Why_Do_Credit_Scores_Fluctuate.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:24pm EDT

What should you do with your 401k or 403b when you leave your job? This is a question that confronts more and more people. According to the Department of Labor young Baby Boomers held on average 11.3 jobs from age 18 to 46. So it was no surprise when I received the following email from […]

The post DR 111: What Should You Do With Your 401k When You Leave Your Job appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_111-What_should_you_do_with_a_401k_when_you_leave_a_job.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:08pm EDT

Recently two readers emailed me about cash back credit cards. Their questions prompted me to put this guide together to help readers better understand, compare, and choose a cash rewards credit card. First let’s look at the emails. From a reader named Pop: You have a great post on a strategy to use cash back […]

The post DR 110: The Complete Guide to Cash Back Credit Cards appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_110-Cash_Back_Credit_Cards.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:00pm EDT

The 5-year rule on Roth IRA distributions comes in two flavors. The first applies to earnings from Roth IRA contributions. We covered the rule in Podcast 105. The second aspect of the rule applies to distributions of Roth IRA conversions. That’s what we’ll look at today. Listen to this Article 1. The Two 5-Year Rules […]

The post DR 109: The 5-Year Rule on Roth IRA Conversions appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_109-5_Year_Rule_on_Roth_IRA_Conversions.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:52pm EDT

Imagine you’ve just inherited some money. The amount just happens to match the outstanding balance on your mortgage. Now you have a decision. Do you pay off the mortgage or invest the money for retirement. That’s the question facing a podcast listener named Shelly. Here is her email to me: Great job on your podcasts. […]

The post DR 108: Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage or Invest for Retirement? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_108-Pay_Off_Mortgage_or_Invest_for_Retirement.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:49am EDT

It’s time for our monthly investment portfolio update. In each update I run through the tools I use and the results of my investments. I show you the good and the bad. We’ll even cover some mistakes I’ve made and what I’ve learned from those mistakes. Let’s start with the tools and a high level […]

The post DR 107: Monthly Investment Update–September 2014 appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_107-Monthly_Investment_Update_September_2014.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:33pm EDT

It’s not an overstatement to say that budgeting is the foundation upon which all lasting wealth is built. That’s true whether you make $40,000 a year as a teacher or $40 million a year as an entertainer. If your cash flow is well managed, you can build wealth on any income. If it’s not well […]

The post DR 106: 8 Black Belt Budgeting Tips appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_106-8_Tips_for_Black_Belt_Budgeting.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:54am EDT

The Roth IRA was established by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 and named after its chief legislative sponsor, Senator William Roth of Delaware. The Roth IRA enables individuals with earned income to contribute after-tax (nondeductible) money to the retirement account. If the rules are followed, the money grows tax free. Unlike a traditional IRA, […]

The post DR 105: The 5-Year Roth IRA Rule for Contributions (breaking the rule is costly) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_105-5-year_rule_roth_ira_contributions.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:30am EDT

Is it possible to build $1 million in net worth in 10 years starting from scratch? In today’s interview with Alan Corey, author of A Million Bucks By 30, we’ll learn exactly how one man did it. I learned about Alan and his book from a listener named Natalie, who I had the pleasure of interviewing […]

The post DR 104: Rags to Riches and Back Again–Interview with Million Bucks by 30 Author Alan Corey appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_104-Million_Bucks_by_30_with_Alan_Corey.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:19am EDT

If you’re a small business owner – whether you have employees or not – the thought of setting up a retirement plan can be overwhelming. 401ks and even SEP-IRAs are swimming in rules and regulations. What business owner really has enough hours in the day to deal with it? For that reason, I asked Chad […]

The post DR 103: The Small Business 401k–Interview with CEO Chad Parks of The Online 401(k) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_103-The_Online_401k_with_Chad_Parks.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:03am EDT

One of the best retirement savings tools is often overlooked. The tool can save you thousands of dollars in taxes and sleepless nights if you made a mistake with your IRA. And yet according to a 2010 study by Fidelity less than one-third of investors are aware of this tool. I’m referring to what’s called […]

The post DR 102: 4 Times Recharacterizing an IRA Conversion or Contribution Can Save Your Bacon (Literally) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_102-IRA_Recharacterization_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:24am EDT

Should you use a Health Savings Account (HSA) to save for retirement? That’s the question a listener to the Dough Roller Money Podcast asked recently. Here’s Mike’s email: Hi Rob, I have a question about my HSA at work. I have about $14,000 in it. I have not used it at all in the past […]

The post Should You Use an HSA for Retirement Savings appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_101-Using_an_HSA_as_a_Retirement_Account_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:01am EDT

To commemorate the 100th episode of the Dough Roller podcast, I pulled together 100 ways to improve your finances. Let’s get started. 1. Balance your checkbook: Balancing a checkbook helps you focus on where you’ve spent your money and it ensures your bank hasn’t made any mistakes. With the help of budgeting tools such as […]

The post 100 Ways to Improve Your Finances (Most in Under 10 Minutes) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_100-100_Ways_to_Improve_Your_Finances.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:08pm EDT

A reader we’ll call Frank recently emailed me about his advisor (we covered part of his email about dividends here). She had placed him in A shares of American Fund mutual funds. This told me he was working with a commissioned-based broker, as these mutual funds charge a sales fee of 5.75% to compensate the […]

The post DR 099: 5 Gotchas with Commissioned Based Brokers appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_099-Fee_Based_Advisors.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:22am EDT

We began our series on dividend investing by examining the ins and outs of dividends. Today we continue the series by looking at how dividends work with mutual funds and whether the yield on a fund should be a key consideration in our investing decisions. This topic came to light from an email I received […]

The post DR 098: Dividend Investing (Part 2): Mutual Funds and Dividends appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_098-Dividend_Investing_with_Mutual_Funds.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:44pm EDT

The Fair Isaac Corp., better known as FICO, has introduced three major changes to its secret credit scoring formula. The changes relate to items referred to collections, medical debt, and consumers with limited credit history.  Believe it or not, these changes may result in higher scores for many consumers. Here are details on the three […]

The post DR 097: 3 Key Changes Just Made to the FICO Credit Scoring Formula appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_097-FICO_9.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:39pm EDT

One of my favorite aspects of investing is receiving a dividend payment. Each month I look to see how much I earned in dividends, and I track this amount yearly. In fact, dividends play a significant role in my investment policy related to individual stocks. With the exception of Berkshire Hathaway, every business whose shares […]

The post DR 096: Dividend Investing (Part 1)–What are Stock Dividends? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_096-Dividend_Investing_Part_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:02pm EDT

Photo: Phil Romans Saving to buy a home is both exciting and overwhelming. When my wife and I were saving to buy our first home, I thought we’d never have enough for the down payment. But somehow we came up with the money. One of the keys to our success was saving the cash in […]

The post DR 095: 5 Places To Keep Your Down Payment When Saving to Buy a Home appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_095--Where_To_Stash_Your_Down_Payment.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Most of us use a lot of tools to manage our money, budget, investments, and so forth. So I thought I’d pull together a list of the tools I use nearly every day. Hopefully you’ll find some options here that will help you make the most of your money. Investing 1. Personal Capital: Without question […]

The post 22 of the Best Tools to Manage Your Money (most are totally FREE) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_094--Best_Money_Tools.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

In the world of tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts, there are plenty of options. But the two most commonly-used options are the 401(k) and the IRA. Both come in traditional (save taxes on contributions) and Roth (save taxes on withdrawals) options. While there are many similarities between a 401k and an IRA, there are also some […]

The post DR 093: 401(k)s vs. IRAs: What are the Pros and Cons? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_093-401k_vs_IRA_Retirement_Accounts.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 5:43pm EDT

It all started with a simple question about dividends and mutual fund fees. A listener to the podcast named Stephanie wanted to know if a fund’s returns were after fees and dividends. (They are.) After I learned more about Stephanie’s finances and career through several email exchanges, I popped the question. No, not that question. […]

The post DR 092: How One Doctor is Learning to Invest Like a Pro appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR092-Interview_with_Stephanie_on_Investing_1_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:20am EDT

If you have self-employed income in addition to your regular job, can you contribute to a SEP IRA even if you have a 401k at work? This question hit home for me a few years ago due to the income generated from this website. To get right to the point, the answer to the question […]

The post DR 091: Don’t Make the Same $100,000 Retirement Mistake I Just Made appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_091--SEP_IRA_Leasons_Learned.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

It’s without a doubt the most frequent question I receive from readers of this blog. People want to know whether they should put their retirement savings in a Roth vs traditional IRA or 401k. I’ve written a lot about these retirement options. If you are new to retirement accounts, I’d suggest you start by reading […]

The post DR 090: Roth vs. Traditional IRA or 401k: The Math Behind This Important Decision appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_090-Traditional_vs_Roth_Retirement_Accounts.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:44am EDT

We face countless personal finance decisions every day. They range from the seemingly trivial (should we go out for dinner) to the more impactful (how much should we spend on a home). Yet each of these decisions work together to over a lifetime to define our finances. Over the course of running this blog since […]

The post DR 089: 12 Keys to Making Smart Financial Decisions (#7 is a Doozy) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_089-12_Keys_to_Making_Smart_Financial_Decisions.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 5:54pm EDT

Recently a number of listeners to the podcast have asked about evaluating real estate investments. They want to know how much rent they would need to charge for a specific property to make it a “good” investment. The good news is that evaluating the numbers is really simple. Today we’ll look at 3 key ratios […]

The post DR 088: 3 Key Ratios to Evaluate Real Estate Investments (#1 is All You Really Need) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_088-The_Key_Ways_to_Evaluate_a_Real_Estate_Investment.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:10pm EDT

You’ve probably heard a lot of stories recently about new graduates with mountains of student loan debt. It’s not uncommon to hear of students with $100,000+ in school loans. Today I wanted to share a success story with you that bucks this trend. This story is about a young woman who made different choices when […]

The post DR 087: How Natalie Graduated Debt-Free, Paid Cash for a Car, and Bought a Home (She’s Only 24!) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_087--Interview_with_Natalie_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:58am EDT

Recently I’ve started receiving the Morningstar Portfolio Monitor. It’s a monthly pdf that Morningstar puts together for premium members who track their portfolio using Morningstar’s Portfolio Manager. Simply put, it’s an amazing look into an investment portfolio. In this article we’ll walk through a detailed review of the Portfolio Monitor (including screenshots). At the end […]

The post DR 086: How to Spy on Your Own Investment Portfolio appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_086-Morningstar_Portfolio_Monitor.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:21am EDT

Many people keep some form of a budget. We use our favorite budgeting tool, YNAB. Others use a spreadsheet or pen and paper. Whatever the approach, a budget helps you understand your income and expenses. Fewer people track their net worth. A net worth statement tracks your assets and liabilities. It’s the scorecard of personal […]

The post DR 085: How Your Budget and Net Worth Statements Work Together to Build Wealth appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_085-Budget_and_Net_Worth_Statements.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:00pm EDT

It’s a good problem to have. You’ve maxed out your 401k and IRA contributions for the year and you still have some more cash to invest. What are your options? That’s the situation a reader named Harout recently emailed me about: I am a little obsessed with your podcasts. I listen to about one a […]

The post DR 084: Where To Invest When You’ve Maxed Out Contributions To Retirement Accounts appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_084-Where_to_Invest_After_401k_and_IRA.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Have you ever wondered how professional bloggers get started and make a living? Blogs don’t just spring up overnight. They take months – even years – of hard work. But the work can be well worth the rewards, if you do it right. The best way to learn about starting a blog is to talk […]

The post DR 083: How to Blog for a Living – An Interview with Bob Lotich of ChristianPF appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_083--Bob_Lotich.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:50am EDT

Exactly how much should you be saving for retirement? It seems that everybody has an opinion on this deceptively simple question. Actually, it is simple to answer, so long as you understand the implications of your choices. To address this question, we are going to look at the standard rules of thumb on retirement savings. […]

The post DR 082: How Much Should You Be Saving for Retirement? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_082-How_Much_Should_You_Save_for_Retirement.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:25pm EDT

Do you have student loans? Do you know someone who does? If you answered “yes,” then check out this interview with Andrew Josuweit, one of the founders of Student Loan Hero. It’s an excellent tool to help graduates organize their student debt, manage payments, and – hopefully – get out of debt faster. Topics Covered […]

The post DR 081: Take Control of Your Student Loans with Student Loan Hero (An Interview) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_081--Student_Loan_Hero.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:37am EDT

It’s official. Credit scores are the most confusing aspect of personal finance. The FICO formula remains largely a mystery. And don’t get me started on the multiple versions of credit scores out there. By one account, you may have 49 different FICO scores, not to mention dozens of credit scores calculated using non-FICO formulas. So […]

The post DR 080: How to Build Credit When You Are Just Starting Out (the Smart Way) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_080-How_to_Establish_Credit_the_Right_Way.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:03pm EDT

If you are in the market to buy your first or next home, a HUD home could potentially save you tens of thousands of dollars on the purchase price. While buying a HUD Home can save you a lot of money, there are some things to watch out for. In this article we’ll cover the […]

The post DR 079: HUD Homes–Saving Big Money with HUD Foreclosures appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_079--Buying_a_HUD_Home.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

As regular readers know, I’m a big believer in DIY investing. One of my goals for this site, my free weekly newsletter, and the podcast, is to arm investors with the information they need to invest on their own. Some folks, however, will still want some help. For these folks, my goal is to promote […]

The post DR 078: Are Low Cost Investment Advisors a Myth? [Interview with Mitch Tuchman of Rebalance IRA] appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_078--Mitch_Tuchman.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:01am EDT

One of the great things about producing a podcast are the emails I receive from listeners. Recently a listener named Kate emailed me about the 50-20-30 budget. One thing led to another, and now Kate and her fiancé Trevor are guests on the show. Kate and Trevor’s story was so inspiring that I wanted to […]

The post DR 077: Teamwork for Your Budget – An Interview with Listeners Kate and Trevor appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_077-Kate_and_Trevor_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:50am EDT

It’s a hotly debated question. Is it better to buy or rent? We covered this question in detail in Podcast 59. Many argue that buying is best because on average homeowners have a higher net worth than renters. Rather than looking at averages, however, today we are going to look at an actual case study. […]

The post DR 076: Is a Home a Good Investment? The Numbers Will Surprise You appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_076-Is_a_Home_a_Good_Investment.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:15pm EDT

Recently I reviewed what Dave Ramsey calls his Endorsed Local Providers (ELPs). As I was doing research for that review I learned of Dave’s view that historically the S&P 500 has returned 12%. I also learned that he believes it will continue to do so over the long run. This was curious to me for […]

The post DR 075: The Reality of Dave Ramsey’s 12% ‘Reality’ (and why it really matters) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_075-The_12_Reality.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

Many have said that Robert Kiyosaki’s ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ book is a piece of fiction. Apparently, he never had a rich dad and a poor dad as described in his book, or at least that’s what many believe. But I did. My parents divorced before I was two, and both remarried. My father, who […]

The post DR 074: My Real Life ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_074-Rich_Dad_Poor_Dad.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Next to the tax code, differential equations, and why Gilligan and the other castaways could never get off the island, annuities are really difficult to grasp. Frankly, any time you mix insurance products with investing products the result is ugly. Yet annuities can be a smart way to save for retirement and to generate income […]

The post DR 073: Annuities 101–Interview with Tim Holmes of Vanguard appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_073--Annuities_with_Tim_Holmes_of_Vanguard.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:14pm EDT

When it comes to mortgages and credit scores, there are two really important questions to ask: What credit score do I need to qualify for a mortgage? What credit score do I need to get the lowest interest rate on a mortgage? These different but related questions are important if you are looking to buy […]

The post DR 072: What Credit Score do You Need to Buy a Home? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_072-Credit_Score_Needed_to_Buy_a_Home.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:00am EDT

I‘ve always been suspicious of dollar-cost averaging. With DCA, rather than investing the cash you have all at once, you invest chunks of it over time. For example, you might invest $12,000 over the course of a year, $1,000 each month. In contrast, with lump sum investing, you’d put the full $12,000 to work right […]

The post DR 071: Dollar-Cost Averaging Versus Lump Sum Investing–Which is Best? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_071-Dollar_Cost_Averaging.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Several years ago I met Betterment’s founder and CEO, Jon Stein. At the time, Betterment was just getting started, and we had a chance to talk about what Betterment offered investors. Since then Betterment has grown significantly, with over $500 million under management. To find out what is new and to learn more about Betterment, […]

The post DR 070: Investing Made Easy – An Interview with Betterment Founder Jon Stein appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_070-Betterment.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:29am EDT

Dave Ramsey may have helped you climb out of debt, but should you now follow his investing advice? His views on investing have come under fire lately. From his claim that stocks return 12% annually to his love of growth mutual funds, professional advisors have not been shy about their criticism. (Save Like Dave Ramsey. […]

The post DR 069: Are Dave Ramsey’s Investing ELPs Good for Your Wealth? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_069--Dave_Ramsey_ELPs.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:58am EDT

How can the numbers 50, 20, and 30 help you manage your finances? Today, we’re going to talk about the 50-20-30 rule of budgeting. A company called LearnVest popularized this rule of budgeting recently, but it’s been around long before them. I’ve seen many financial experts write about it, as well. The bottom line is […]

The post Is the 50-20-30 Budget a Good Rule of Thumb? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_068--50-20-30_Budget_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:39am EDT

We’ve been getting lots of reader questions recently on student loans – what to do with them, how to pay them off, and whether or not to consolidate them. Luckily, I was recently contacted by a relatively new company, SoFi. This company specializes in consolidating and refinancing student loans, and it could offer a great […]

The post DR 066: How to Refinance Your Student Loans – Interview with Dan Macklin of SoFi appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_066-SoFi_with_Dan_Macklin.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:35am EDT

What happens to your Facebook account if you die? And would your relatives be able to access your online bank accounts, should the worst happen? What tools can you use to manage all the login credentials for these online accounts so that you can easily get them to the right people at the right time? […]

The post DR 065: How to Pass Your Digital Assets to Your Loved Ones When You Die appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_065--Digital_Assets.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:31am EDT

What can we learn from a man who has blogged about personal finances for over 8 years? Quite a lot as it turns out. JD Roth has much to say on how to make better financial choices, and about what personal development has to do with personal finance. Topics Covered in the Interview How JD […]

The post DR 064: How to Manage Your Money Like a CFO–Interview with JD Roth appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_064--Get_Rich_Slowly-JD_Roth.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:22am EDT

I recently read an article by John Bogle, the founder of Vanguard. The article, The Arithmetic of “All-In” Investment Expenses, is a very detailed piece about investing costs over and above what’s reflected in the expense ratio of a fund or ETF. There are four “hidden” mutual fund fees that aren’t captured in the expense […]

The post DR 063: The Four Hidden Fees of Mutual Funds (This Could Save You 33%!) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_063--The_4_Hidden_Fees_of_Mutual_Funds.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 6:01am EDT

I‘ve received several emails recently about the topic of hiring an investment advisor. This is a very important question, and I suspect many wrestleg with this issue. Whether you’re just starting out and trying to figure out how to invest, or you’re nearing retirement with a decent nest egg, you may be thinking about this […]

The post DR 062: 3 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Financial Advisor appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_062--Should_you_hire_an_investment_advisor_to_manage_your_investments.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:16am EDT

Why does the excitement of a pay raise wear off in just a few months? Why does the “shine” of your new gadget or gorgeous new home wear off so quickly? The answer is hedonic adaptation. Some people also call it the hedonic treadmill. It sounds philosophical, but it’s really relevant to how we make […]

The post DR 061: 6 Ways to Harness the Power of Hedonic Adaptation appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_061--Hedonic_Adaptation_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:20am EDT

What are dividends, buybacks, and stock splits? Are they good or bad for investors. These things have a big impact on investors, but many investors don’t really understand them. So we’re going to talk about what these three things are in the context of a popular, well-known company – Apple. Recently, Apple announced its second […]

The post DR 060: The Basics of Dividends, Stock Splits, and Buybacks appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_060--Stock_Dividends_Buybacks_and_Splits.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:47am EDT

Is renting or buying a home better? How do you determine which is right for you? Is there a basic rule of thumb you can use to make this decision? A reader named Joe recently wrote in asking if it’s better for him to rent or buy. This is a timely question, and it’s one […]

The post DR 059: Should You Rent a Home or Buy One? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_059--Renting_vs_Buying_a_Home_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:19pm EDT

A reader named Aaron sent me an email recently asking about gold and silver. He wanted to know if they should be a part of a diversified portfolio. He writes: Hi, Rob. I enjoy reading your tips, and I’ve put a lot of them in place for our retirement savings. My question is: what is […]

The post DR 058: 6 Reasons Gold is a Terrible Investment appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_058--Is_Gold_a_Good_Investment_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:34am EDT

In the most recent State of the Union Address, President Obama unveiled the myRA – My Retirement Account. Another retirement savings option? Yes. In addition to 401k, 403b, IRA, Roth IRA and a host of other types of retirement accounts, later this year we can add the myRA to the list. In this article we’ll […]

The post DR 057: 9 Things to Know About the myRA appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_057--myRA_Accounts_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 1:07pm EDT

How can you budget like a Zen master without tracking every dime you spend? How do you budget for those oddball expenses that pop up from time to time? As someone who goes in budgeting spurts, I’ve learned the hard way how to make our budget work. Recently, this has been at the forefront of […]

The post 7 Ways to Budget Like a Zen Master appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_056--7_Ways_to_Budget_Like_a_Zen_Master_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:33am EDT

A great success story can be very motivating. And that’s exactly what Beverly Harzog brings us in today’s podcast. Beverly describes how she sunk into $20,000 of credit card debt, maxing out all seven of her cards. But her story doesn’t stop there. She then shares with us how she climbed out of the debt […]

The post DR 055: Beverly Harzog: How She Paid Off $20,000 of Credit Card Debt in 2 Years appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_055--Credit_Junkie_with_Beverly_Harzog_2.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:14am EDT

A number of new ways to make investing easier have launched over the past few years. One is Motif Investing, which I reviewed some time ago. It’s a fascinating way to approach investing, combining low costs and tremendous flexibility. It such a unique option that I invited Motif’s Vice President of Investment Products, Tuhin Ghosh, […]

The post DR 054: Motif Investing: Interview with Tuhin Ghosh, Vice President of Investment Products appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_054--Motif_Investing.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

Recently, a reader named John wrote in asking about leasing vs. buying a car. Here is John’s question: I was wondering what your input is in regard to buying vehicles? For example, I’m in the process right now of selling a vehicle for a good buck. Would you suggest reinvesting this money in a used […]

The post DR 053: Should You Lease or Buy a Car? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_053--Lease_vs_Buying_a_Car_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 3:15pm EDT

In the last podcast, we talked about why rebalancing your investment portfolio is important and how to create a rebalancing plan. Today we are going to walk through step-by-step how to actually rebalance your retirement and other investments. As we discussed in the last podcast, you can rebalance your assets based on frequency, threshold, or […]

The post DR 052: A Step-by-Step Guide to Rebalancing Your Investments appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_052--Rebalancing_Your_Investments--Part_2.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:54am EDT

Rebalancing your investment portfolio is an important part of managing your money. Having carefully selected your asset allocation, rebalancing ensures that your investments stay in line with the allocation you’ve chosen. In this article (and podcast) we cover creating a rebalancing plan. We’ll cover topics such as how often to rebalance (frequency) and what to […]

The post DR 051: Rebalancing–How to Create a Plan to Easily Rebalance Your Investments appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_051--Rebalancing_Your_Investments--Part_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:03am EDT

Are you ready to retire? Have you done all of the things you should have in the few years leading up to retirement? These are the questions our guest today has answered in her comprehensive book on retirement readiness, The Five Years Before You Retire. I had the pleasure of interviewing author Emily Birken to […]

The post DR 050: How to Prepare as You Near Retirement [Interview with Author Emily Birken] appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_050--Emily_Birken.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

In the 31-Day Money Challenge, we covered the basics of asset allocation. Today we are going to focus more specifically on how much to invest in stocks and how much in bonds. The stock/bond allocation is the most important piece of asset allocation. The question of stocks vs. bonds is much more important than the […]

The post DR 049: How Much of Your Retirement Nest Egg Should You Invest in Stocks? appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_049--Stocks_vs_Bonds.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:08am EDT

The four letter word of personal finance is debt.  Most of us have it; none of us wants it.  I’ve written a lot about how to get out of debt.  Today I’m excited to have Liz Weston, author of Deal With Your Debt, on the podcast. We cover a lot of questions about debt, credit, […]

The post DR 048: How to Deal with Your Debt–An Interview with Author Liz Weston appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_048--Liz_Weston.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

I recently started collecting coins. I only have a handful right now: mainly Morgan silver dollars. I tend to just pay $40 or $50 for a nice coin, and I don’t have a particularly valuable collection. I just enjoy collecting them. One of my coins is a Morgan silver dollar from 1878. It’s an S […]

The post DR 047: How to Value a Coin Collection appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_047--How_to_Value_a_Coin_Collectin_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

What do retirement planning professionals from Vanguard have to say about retirement topics like the 4% rule? In today’s podcast I interview two investment analysts at Vanguard with over 35 years of combined experience – Maria Bruno, CFP and Colleen Jaconetti, CFP. We talk about everything from the 4% rule to portfolio balancing issues to […]

The post 4% Retirement Withdrawal Rule–An Interview with Vanguard’s Maria Bruno and Colleen Jaconetti appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_046--Retirement_Planning_with_Vanguard_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:47am EDT

New investors face unique obstacles. There’s the learning curve. Clear that and there’s still the hurdle of having little money to invest (although there are easy solutions to that one). And then there’s the question of executing an asset allocation plan when you have little capital. That’s the question a reader named Daniel recently asked: […]

The post DR 045: How to Diversify Investments When You’re Just Starting to Invest appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_045--Asset_Allocation_with_Little_Money.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:23am EDT

A reader named Kathleen recently emailed me with a lesson she learned with balance transfer credit cards: Hi Rob, I just rolled over one of my credit cards to another at 0%, which has been very successful for me at paying off credit card debt. But I realized in retrospect that I did not do […]

The post DR 044: 10 Tips on Using Balance Transfer Credit Cards to Get Out of Debt appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_044--10_Tips_on_Balance_Transfer_Cards.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:59pm EDT

I encountered a big problem when I first started investing. Maybe you’ve encountered it, too. I would read a lot of books on investing. Two of my favorites are Rick Ferri’s All About Asset Allocation and William Bernstein’s The Four Pillars of Investing. These books cover asset allocation, and in All About Asset Allocation, describe […]

The post DR 043: How to Compare Mutual Funds in Under 60 Seconds appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_043--How_to_Compare_Mutual_Funds.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:20pm EDT

The formula thet generates a FICO credit score is made up of several components. Some of these components you would expect to see, such as paying your bills on time. But there is one component that takes a lot of people by surprise: credit inquires. A credit inquiry is a record of every time somebody […]

The post DR 042: A Complete Guide to Hard and Soft Pull Credit Inquiries appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_042--Does_checking_your_credit_report_hurt_your_credit_score.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:30pm EDT

Excerpts from Warren Buffett’s letter to Berkshire Hathaway investors have been released. In the latest excerpt, Buffett talks about investing in mutual funds, of all things. Specifically, in his will he leaves money to his wife in trust. He has provided guidance on how he thinks the trustee should invest these funds. Think he wants […]

The post DR 041: A Rare Glimpse into Warren Buffett’s Asset Allocation Plan (including the mutual fund he would pick) appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_041--Warren_Buffett_Asset_Allocation.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:41am EDT

Even if you exceed the income limits for contribution to a Roth IRA, you may still be able to take advantage of this excellent additional retirement account option. You can work through what’s called a “backdoor Roth,” which basically means that you convert traditional IRA contributions into a Roth IRA. The process gets a little […]

The post DR 040: How Best to Use a Backdoor Roth IRA appeared first on The Dough Roller.

Direct download: DR_040--Backdoor_Roth_IRA.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:59am EDT