BiggerPockets Money

One of the most frequently asked questions in the BiggerPockets forums is "How can I start investing in real estate with no money and bad credit?" The answer? You can't (Well, to be more accurate, you probably shouldn't). You need to fix your "No money and bad credit" situation and invest from a position of financial strength. Co-hosted by BiggerPockets' Scott Trench and Mindy Jensen, this podcast provides the education you didn't get in school. You'll get tips for getting your financial house in order and actionable advice from guests who have been in your shoes - and found their way out.

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Previous Episodes

May 27, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 74: Making Money From a Legitimate Side Hustle With Mark Wills

Side hustle is a big topic on BiggerPockets. But finding the right one—and one that isn’t a scam—can be difficult. Today’s episode focuses on not only a legitimate side hustle, but also one that involves real estate AND can be as much or as little as you want it to be. Best of all, the most popular time to use this side hustle is at night and on the weekends. Signing agents work when their clients don’t—meaning they’re busiest at night and on the weekends—perfect for an actual side hustle. Startup costs are extremely low. They hover around $1,000. Working four to six jobs will pay off your initial investment! Mark Wills shares what you need to get started and how to find jobs once you’re all ready to go. If you’re looking to generate extra income, this episode is right up your alley. ... show more

May 20, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 73: Ramit Sethi Will Teach You to Be Rich!

Ten years ago, Ramit Sethi released his groundbreaking book I Will Teach You to Be Rich. Now he’s back, with an all-new, updated version, delivered with the same authority and enthusiasm as the original. But wait, there’s more—MUCH more! Ramit has completely revamped this book. There’s over 100 brand new pages of content! Mindy and Scott talk to Ramit about his take on the FIRE movement, what “rich” means to him, and his opinion of real estate as an investment. When you’re looking for excuses to not get started repairing your finances and living your best life, you’ll find them everywhere. But when you’re ready to get your financial life in order and grow your wealth, Ramit’s book will not only help you define the term “rich,” but will also give you the tools to get there—without the guilt, without the B.S. It’s just a six-week program that works. ... show more

May 13, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 72: Increasing Your Income Through Commissions With Dawn Brenengen

Dawn Brenengen’s money story begins a bit differently than most. Dawn’s parents shared their finances with her. She knew what things cost, she knew her parents worked hard to pay off their mortgage, and she saw her mother writing checks to pay bills every month.She went to college and graduated with relatively little debt—around $21,000 in student loans and credit cards combined. After graduation, she stayed at her low-paying college job until her father suggested she get a real estate license. Dawn completed the work for the license and got a job making almost the same money, working for a builder and selling their new homes. But she was the assistant to the agents who were making the BIG BUCKS, and she knew that’s what she really wanted to be doing.At the time, real estate agents were eligible to take the test to open up their own brokerage simultaneously with the licensing test, so she did that. While working as an assistant, she laid the groundwork to strike out on her own, eventually ramping up her income to multiple six-figures—with virtually limitless potential.Here Dawn share her story of how hard work and determination paid off tenfold—and all in just four short years! ... show more

May 6, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 71: 5 Years to Financial Freedom Through Real Estate Investing With Sarah P.

Like so many of our guests, Sarah P. did not grow up understanding how money works. She wasn’t bad with money, she just wasn’t very good with it. She learned about financial independence through Mr. Money Mustache and completely revamped her finances, incorporating frugality and minimalism with investing to completely fund her lifestyle. Her goal was security, and financial freedom made a lot of sense.Real estate was intriguing, and Google kept directing her to BiggerPockets. She started buying real estate, eventually accumulating 14 units in three states over the course of four years.Sarah cemented her success by having a large cash cushion to shield her from the surprises that real estate throws at you—a trait most successful real estate investors have.Making smart, money-conscious decisions allowed her to retire at the age of 30 from traditional work, so she can now spend time doing what she loves without regard to how much it pays. Sarah and her husband are truly living their best lives because passive real estate investments fund everything they do. ... show more

April 29, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 70: 7 Tips for Successfully Investing in ANY Market Condition With J Scott

J Scott is a successful real estate investor (to say the least). But he’s also a student of the markets—and his studies have shown him that we are teetering near the top of this current real estate cycle.In this week’s episode, J shares three reasons why he believes we’re at or near the peak based on past market cycles, and he details seven things investors should be doing to prepare for a softening market. His number one piece of advice? Educate yourself!J brings his A-game in this episode, just like he does with every other podcast he's featured on. And make sure to stick around until the very end of the show for a special BiggerPockets announcement you'll definitely want to hear! ... show more

April 22, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 69: From Near Death To Debt Free With Liz from Chief Mom Officer

Liz has always been a frugal gal and self-proclaimed personal finance nerd. Discovering The Wealthy Barber as a teen cemented her course down the financial independence path, even if there wasn’t a formal name for it at that time. And it’s a good thing for her family that she was so frugal - a botched surgery for her husband turned a routine procedure into a nightmare that involved a coma, a month in the hospital and years of recovery. Without her financial savvy, her family could have been financially ruined! Now, 7 years later, she has paid off her house and replenished her emergency fund using a Tiered Emergency fund that allows her maximum liquidity while also maximizing her earnings on those funds. Her unique plan combines online savings with CD ladders, savings bonds and money market funds. Liz explains just how important it is to her family to have the peace of mind a paid-off mortgage can provide, and how planning for unforeseen events is truly the best course of action. ... show more

April 15, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 68: Hacking Your Military Benefits to Become Financially Free With J Grayson

J Grayson grew up poor. But with food on the table every night, he didn’t realize it. Then his sister tragically passed away from brain cancer, financially ruining the family. J fell into a pattern: skipping school, drinking, and doing drugs. A few years of this and he realized he needed to make a change. J joined the military when he turned 18 and went to boot camp before his high school graduation ceremony. The military is where his poor money habits really took shape. Living on base means housing and food is covered, so he spent his income on anything he wanted—at one point having FIVE CARS despite only being able to drive one at a time. He stayed in the military for five years and knew enough to go to college when he got out. What the military didn’t cover, the Yellow Ribbon Program did, so he left college debt-free (at least in terms of student loans). However, J did manage to rack up $30,000 in random debt by the end of college. J eventually settled into a government job. By year two, he had discovered the concept of financial freedom. This week’s episode focuses on hacking—house hacking, GI bill hacking, per diem hacking—taking these benefits and using them in ways that are advantageous. If you’re a member of the military, a government employee, or even just an employee who travels regularly, this episode is for you! And if you know someone who fits that bill, share this episode with them. ... show more

April 8, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 67: How Living An Intentional Life Led to Financial Freedom With Steven Donovan

Steven Donovan graduated from high school and went to college—because that’s what you do. He graduated from college but got cold feet when it came time to get a “real job.” So, he bounced around random jobs with no plan and no focus. Despite his degree in finance and about $60,000 in student loan and credit card debt, he returned to the golf course that he’d been working at throughout high school and college. He also regularly played poker at a local casino, all while deferring and avoiding making any payments on his debt.Eventually he got his first "big boy job" at a bank; however, he still wasn't making much headway on his debt. In fact, he just kept adding to it. He ended up buying a Mercedes, quitting his job, and moving to Florida to be near his long-distance girlfriend.But Florida didn’t work out, so he moved back home. He went back to the golf course until he found another job at a bank, moved into the city, and sold the Mercedes—at a loss, of course. Once he got married, he began to tackle his debt. Slowly at first, bringing lunch one day a week, then two, and eliminating takeout coffee. He started "frugaling" his way out of debt, adopting a rock bottom budget in order to finally rid himself of the burden.Steven paid off his debt in five years, in fact, while house hacking a Chicago triplex and renting his wife’s house in Florida. They’re now debt-free, and they achieved it in a completely repeatable way, which is what makes this episode so great! ... show more

April 1, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 66: Investing, Freelance, & Morning Routines With Paula Pant

Paula Pant has seen it all and learned a thing or two... thousand. Today, we sit down and chat with her about, well, everything. Paula shares her habits, her take on journaling, and her morning routine. We delve into her fascinating backstory with money and her foresight to start investing in herself right out of college—when she was only making $21,000/year!Paula hasn't stopped since, and her choices have allowed her to lead a pretty spectacular life. For one thing, she discovered freelancing, and learned that it's possible to generate income outside a W-2 position. Freelancing led to entrepreneurship in the form of a marketing agency, which led to a six-figure income. But true happiness came when she stepped back from the agency to focus full time on her passion, her website, which she dubbed AffordAnything.com.No topic is off limits in this candid chat with Paula. We even talk about her now-famous podcast episode where her guest, personal finance guru Suze Orman, had a lot of (not so great) things to say about the FIRE movement. ... show more

March 25, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 65: Getting Your Family on Board with Financial Freedom with Jacqueline Burch

Jacqueline Burch got married and did what all newlyweds do, spent time with her husband. They continued down the road of "things you’re supposed to do"—had dinners out with friends, purchased a home, and had a baby!After her first son was born, she returned to work and he went to daycare. She knew she needed to invest for her future, but wasn’t quite sure how to do it. Aimlessly investing didn’t yield the results she wanted (shocker!) and upon realizing she was pregnant again, Jacqueline decided to get her finances in order. She and her husband cut all extraneous spending, paid off their outstanding debt, and even found a way to reduce childcare from $77/day for one child to $65/day for two.Jacqueline became an expert is optimizing her family’s finances —and a master at turning “we can’t afford that” into creative ways to accomplish anything. Her ingenuity includes teaching ski lessons as a way to afford skiing for her family of six, rehabbing a short sale house to live in, and continuing to live in a 932-square-foot house even after her fourth child was born.Jacqueline absolutely embodies the mantra "when you have the desire, you find a way, and when you don’t, you find an excuse.” This woman makes no excuses and always finds a way.If you are looking for a repeatable path to financial freedom, this is a can’t-miss episode. ... show more

March 18, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 64: Scholarships and Other Ways to Pay for College with Zach Gautier

Zach Gautier oversees academic and college counseling at a Denver-area high school. He reached out to us, and proposed a show to share creative ways to fund college tuition—and blew us away with the depth of his knowledge!This episode is for anyone who has children who have not yet graduated from college. And if you know someone else who can benefit from this information, please share it with them, too!This show includes tips that apply to kids of every age, from elementary school to middle school to high school students. We cover multiple ways to reduce higher education costs, such as transfer credits, AP courses, and CLEP tests, along with early college programs and dual credit options. We also discuss work-based scholarships and military options, as well as preparation for high school that starts in grade school. Zach shares his advice on taking the ACTs or SATs and also ways to decide which one to take (and whether to retake if you get a low score).This episode can help shave tens of thousands of dollars off your child’s college expenses! ... show more

March 11, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 63: Financial Freedom With 5 Kids IS Possible with Jordan Klint

One of the most common misconceptions of financial independence is that you can’t do it with kids. But Jordan Klint doesn’t listen to what other people say. He became financially independent with kids—and not just one or two of them. He did so with five children. Oh, and did I mention he’s only 33 years old?Jordan and his wife started flipping houses soon after they began dating and haven’t stopped. They’re now teaching their five children the value of investing, as well as how to be landlords and make repairs. They do this all while home-schooling them and continuing to find and purchase new properties.Jordan also shares how he was prepared to quit his job outright but his employer begged him to stay for special projects, allowing him to continue to work as an engineer. It's something he loves but is now doing on his own terms.Jordan’s story is 100 percent repeatable! In this episode, he lays it out in such a way that you can both be inspired and apply his strategies to your own life. ... show more

March 4, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 62: Taking Advantage of ALL Opportunities Life Throws at You with Anna Li

Anna Li moved to America from Uzbekistan when she was 22. On today’s episode, she shares the opportunities she’s been presented with—and taken advantage of—from an opportunity to learn at the first non-government university in Uzbekistan that partnered with an American College (essentially allowing her to earn the equivalent of an American degree) to picking up and moving to a new country to start a new life. Though she was a financial analyst in Uzbekistan, the language barrier prevented her from getting a job in her field in her new country. Newly married, she took a job at a shoe store while her husband delivered pizzas. Finally, she was able to secure a position in finance with Vanguard. It took five years to work her way up from analyst to team lead. She switched firms and is now a director for an international pharmaceutical company. After every opportunity, she thought, “I’ve made it.” But instead of sitting there comfortably, she continued to pursue more—a better job, a promotion, a transfer. When her husband’s last company closed, instead of finding a new job, they took this as an opportunity to begin investing in real estate. Her job offered a transfer to Switzerland—a three-year stint that came with a hefty raise and almost all expenses paid by the company, allowing them to ramp up their savings to pay for more houses. Plus, her husband flips long distance with her dad, another source of revenue. Anna also shares a few unique tips for paying for child care and college—and you’re going to want to stick around for those! This episode is packed with information, and Anna’s journey will inspire you. ... show more

February 25, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 61: The Repeatable Path to Financial Independence with Reshawn & Rob from Learn Hustle Grow

Reshawn and Rob got married nine years ago, joining their lives, families and bank accounts. Premarital counseling revealed two different views on money—and they knew if they wanted to stay married, they needed to get themselves on the same page. Reshawn and Rob implemented a modified version of Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps program to get themselves out of debt so they could start investing. Their team approach to their finances, focusing not on who’s debt it is but instead focusing on paying it off together strengthened their marriage and their desire to attain financial independence. They stepped away from the corporate world to pursue passion projects, Rob in real estate and Reshawn in travel planning. Are you looking to get your spouse on board with your financial independence plans? Listen to this episode together. ... show more

February 18, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 60: Rejecting a Scarcity Mindset and Going All-In on Apartment Investing with Gino Barbaro

Gino Barbaro was a chef, working hard every day. He made good money and had no debt, but never seemed to be able to save more than 10%. He started dabbling in real estate investing, and after closing his fourth deal worth $11 million, he decided he wanted to leave the restaurant business for good. He retired from his restaurant two years ago. While he could have lived off the passive income from it, he wanted to focus on his passion—real estate. After 25 years in the restaurant business, he had created just one restaurant, but in five years of real estate investing, he’s accumulated more than 1,000 units. Gino shares how his net worth has increased AFTER retirement—and has no plans to slow down. If you’re thinking big or want to be inspired to think big, Gino’s story is a can’t-miss episode. Click here to listen on iTunes. ... show more

February 11, 2019

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 59: Playing with FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) with Scott Rieckens

Scott Reickens was raised in a Navy family. He lived on base or shopped in the commissary which gave him a rather skewed sense of what things really cost. Fast forward to adulthood, and he knew heshould be investing, but he wasn’t sure what to do. With no outstanding consumer debt, he was ahead of his peers, but his savings rate was miniscule. Both he and his wife were contributing to their 401(k) plans - a great move. But they missed out on some pretty massive growth by investing in the Money Market Account instead of the stock market. Then one day… Scott queued up the latest Tim Ferriss podcast episode and heard the story of how a guy and his family lived on $25-$28k/year - some Colorado guy named Mr. Money Mustache - and his life was transformed. Financial Freedom became his new passion, and though it took some time to get his wife on board, they’ve now completely reset their lives. If you’re looking for ways to talk to your spouse about Financial Freedom, THIS is an absolute MUST-LISTEN episode. ... show more

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BiggerPockets Money

Previous Episodes

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 74: Making Money From a Legitimate Side Hustle With Mark Wills

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 73: Ramit Sethi Will Teach You to Be Rich!

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 72: Increasing Your Income Through Commissions With Dawn Brenengen

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 71: 5 Years to Financial Freedom Through Real Estate Investing With Sarah P.

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 70: 7 Tips for Successfully Investing in ANY Market Condition With J Scott

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 69: From Near Death To Debt Free With Liz from Chief Mom Officer

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 68: Hacking Your Military Benefits to Become Financially Free With J Grayson

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 67: How Living An Intentional Life Led to Financial Freedom With Steven Donovan

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 66: Investing, Freelance, & Morning Routines With Paula Pant

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 65: Getting Your Family on Board with Financial Freedom with Jacqueline Burch

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 64: Scholarships and Other Ways to Pay for College with Zach Gautier

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 63: Financial Freedom With 5 Kids IS Possible with Jordan Klint

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 62: Taking Advantage of ALL Opportunities Life Throws at You with Anna Li

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 61: The Repeatable Path to Financial Independence with Reshawn & Rob from Learn Hustle Grow

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 60: Rejecting a Scarcity Mindset and Going All-In on Apartment Investing with Gino Barbaro

BiggerPockets Money Podcast 59: Playing with FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) with Scott Rieckens

BiggerPockets Money

Previous Episodes

BiggerPockets Money

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