I have a listener who wrote to me and asked me how they can increase their income when it's been decimated by a cancer diagnosis.

I do my best to help.

Joshua

• Please sign up for the #IncreaseIncome course today! Price goes up $100 tomorrow. http://www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/increaseincome

Today we do live Q&A on career-related questions. Listen to the show and, if you think I give decent advice, sign up for my new Career & Income course here: http://www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/increaseincome Buy now if you want the best deal! (Price goes up by $100 on Wednesday, May 16!)

Topics include:

• How to Increase Profit from a Consulting Business
• How to Build an Advice Business
• How to Maximize Revenue from a Construction Company
• How to Transition Careers

Joshua

• http://www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/increaseincome

Today, a few quick announcements and a discussion of how I went from confident and focused to frazzled and weak in about 3 hours...because I logged on to Facebook.

Announcements:

• If you're a Patron and are missing your coupon code to sign up for the #IncreaseIncome course, email me.
• I'm hosting a live Q&A call for you (as long as you have a question related to your career and income) on Monday, May 14 at 3pm Eastern. Call in number is 561-440-7362.
• Email me if you have questions about the course! Or, email me and let me know what you'd like to talk with me about if you were to have lunch with me.
• Please sign up for my new course! www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/increaseincome

Two good articles on Facebook:

• http://www.salimvirani.com/facebook/
• https://stallman.org/facebook.html

On today's show, I talk to you about your income goals. Specifically, I lay out some sample budgets given various incomes and discuss with you the specific amount of income I believe you should target.

Enjoy!

Joshua

• Please sign up for my course! Price goes up this Tuesday, May 15, so sign up now for the best deal! www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/increaseincome

Many people think that saving more money is going to mean they have to live like a pauper. But it doesn't have to be like that. There is another way...a way to save more money and live a fancier lifestyle at the same time!

Joshua

• Please buy my #IncreaseIncome Course! Price goes up on May 15, so buy now for the best deal. (30-day money-back guarantee) www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/increaseincome

I'm back!

More soon,

Joshua

I recently worked with a consulting client who had this problem: because of a previous (serious) cancer diagnosis, he is unable to qualify for life insurance. How can he protect his family in case he dies soon?

I thought it a really interesting challenge. And since I've thought a lot about this particular problem, I thought I'd go ahead and share my thoughts with you.

Enjoy!

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron 
• Episode 204: High Risk Life Insurance Underwriting
• Art Robinson's story

Today on Radical Personal Finance, we celebrate Tax Day in the United States (April 17, 2018).

As we all reflect on the actions of the government we US Americans have just supported with our tax money, I thought it would be a good day to read to you a very helpful essay called, The Law.

The Law was written in 1850 by Frédéric Bastiat, a French economist.
If you haven't previously read this essay, be fo

rewarned that the first third is fast-moving and the last third is fast-moving, but the middle drags a little.Hear it through, though. You'll be glad you did.

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron
• Written version of The Law: http://bastiat.org/en/the_law.html

On Episode 466 of Radical Personal Finance, I discussed the idea of the US Government's certain default on its stated obligations and commitments by referencing Professor Lawrence Kotlikoff's Congressional testimony on this subject.

After that show, my friend David Stein (host of Money for the Rest of Us) emailed me to tell me that I was wrong. :)

So, I invited him on the show to debate it with me.

Enjoy!

Joshua

• Here's the previous show on Kotlikoff's work: https://radicalpersonalfinance.com/the-usas-long-term-fiscal-gap-and-why-it-matters-to-you-americas-fiscal-insolvency-and-its-generational-consequences-by-professor-laurence-kotlikoff/
• Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

It's Friday! Today we discuss:

• Should I use an HSA account to pay for my medical expenses?
• What tools can I use to figure out a new career after unexpectedly coming back from foreign missions?
• Should I participate in my companies Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation program?

Enjoy the show!

Joshua

• This is the David Watson book I referenced.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's death on April 4, 1968, I thought you might enjoy hearing some of the audio from his last public sermon. This talk is entitled "The Drum Major Instinct."

This sermon was preached in the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church, about two months before King's death.

The sermon was an adaptation of the 1952 homily ‘‘Drum-Major Instincts’’ by J. Wallace Hamilton, a well-known, liberal, white Methodist preacher.

NOTE: I have clipped off King's introduction and started the audio of this recording at the point where he begins speaking about personal finances.

To hear the full audio or to read a transcript of the entire speech, use this link: http://kingencyclopedia.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/multimediaentry/doc_the_drum_major_instinct/index.html

Enjoy,

Joshua

p.s., there are a few clipped pieces of audio...these are a fault of the original recording. You can read the missing text in the transcript.

Today, a prelude to a discussion of how to lease a car. In this show we discuss a rational analysis of new car vs. used cars.

Enjoy,

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon! www.radicalpersonalfinance.com.patron

It's Friday and it's time for a live Q&A show! If you'd like to call in next week, please sign up here: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Today, we discuss:

• Transitioning from PC to Mac
• Enhancing a Personal Website By Helping Others
• Financial Advice for an 18-Year-Old Rockstar
• Major Financial Influences on Joshua

Enjoy!

Joshua

p.s., remember...I'd love to talk to you next week! www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/joshua

On today's show we go back 250 years to see what lessons for wealth we can learn from Benjamin Franklin. This show is an audio recording of Franklin's essay, "The Way to Wealth."

Enjoy!

Joshua

• Here's a text version of Franklin's essay: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/coretexts/_files/resources/texts/1758%20Franklin%20Wealth.pdf
• Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

It's Friday! Today I'm interacting with your comments on recent episodes of the show.

We discuss:

• Correcting an error on real estate basis
• Radical financial plans vs traditional plans
• What happened to SudoPay
• And more!

Joshua

• Book a consulting call with me. (It's on sale!) www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/phonecall

This show rounds out some friendly advice to help any interested listener who wants to put together a well-equipped home armory to do so in a thoughtful and financially prudent way.

Today, we tackle the AR15 rifle. The AR15 is a wonderful rifle. It's not the best at any one thing, but it is truly good at many things.

I'd love for you to have one if you don't already.

So I thought you might appreciate some advice on how to get a good deal on one.

Enjoy!

Joshua

p.s., In the show I referenced a statistic of police officers in a northeastern state not turning in their rifles after a ban. That particular story I referenced was actually a satire site that I stumbled over without realizing it. I got duped. I have no doubt that the thrust of the story is accurate, but the specifics I cited were flat wrong and untrustworthy. Sorry.

p.p.s., My guest in today's show referenced the AR15 as stemming from a military firearm first. The AR15 was developed for the civilian marketplace first, then the military bought the plans for it and started producing it for their soldiers.

It's Friday! Today we cover:

• AirBnB Business Deductions
• Deductibility of Losses on a Personal Rental
• How to Get Great Podcast Guests

If you'd like to join next week's Q&A call, do so here: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Joshua

Today, some ideas on how to save money by spending a little more than strictly necessary to insulate yourself from unnecessary temptation.

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon! www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

It's Friday! That means Q&A! Today, we cover:

• How to establish a will and trust when you plan to be living internationally for an extended period of time.
• How to plan ahead to pay for kids' college when you anticipate that the college may lose its accreditation.
• How to properly title your life insurance policies in order to protect a vulnerable spouse.

Guns are great investments.

Well, perhaps I should say that it's possible for guns to be great investments...and at the worst, they are a decent store of value.

If you've never owned a firearm, I'd like to share with you a thoughtful, reasonable path into gun ownership that will help you to make good decisions and get the most bang for your buck.

In today's show I lay out for you a sensible approach to gun acquisition that will help you to construct a useful home armory that will allow you to have the tools of defense and offense that will cover most situations you could conceivably ever face without making bad financial decisions.

Enjoy!

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon! www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron
• You shouldn't fear a school shooter...they don't happen very much. You should be concerned about being murdered by government agents. 262,000,000 were in the 20th Century. Look into the data here: http://hawaii.edu/powerkills/welcome.html

Friday Q&A today! We cover:

• How can I protect myself from the risk of disability without getting disability insurance?
• How can I make sure that future, unknown risks are adequately covered today?
• What financing option should I use to buy a piece of land?
• Will my credit score be messed up by shopping for a mortgage?
• How can I adjust content for different audiences?

I'd love to have you call in next week! Details here: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

Joshua

This is the audio recording of an essay published in the Fall of 1993 in The Public Interest magazine.

The essay is titled: "A Nation of Cowards" by Jeffrey Snyder.

You can access a text version of this essay here: http://rkba.org/comment/cowards.html

I'm publishing this essay for you as a thought-provoking defense of the morality of your being well-armed.

In today's political climate where critics are drawing a moral equivalence between mass murderers and an average armed citizen, I think this moral defense is warranted.

The facts and names of the essay are dated. The arguments are not.

As you consider this essay with 25 years of hindsight, do some research into how well the arguments have weathered the test of time.

Joshua

The tagline of RPF is "...living a rich life now..." But it's hard to LIVE a rich life if you're dead.

So I'd like to help you--and others--have a higher potential of staying alive.

I have looked and looked for practical responses to the recent school shooting and have found very few.

This is my best effort to help you with some practical solutions to the problem.

I did my best in today's show to keep it free of politics and free of guns. (To be fair, I think it's best to say it's politics-lite and gun-lite.)

Give it a listen. Even if you are frustrated by the current gun debate, I think you'll find some useful, practical ideas to help you defend your own life and the lives of others--even in a non-permissive environment.

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

As a--ahem--more practical follow-up to yesterday, here is my advice for a listener on how to buy a used car.

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

Flipping through my feed and I cannot believe what you just did. You idiot!

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

Today we answer this question: "I have accumulated $6,000 in credit card debt from a period of unemployment; should I use some of the $10,000 I have in my 401(k) to pay it off?"

Enjoy,

Joshua

• Please support the show: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

If you want happy-go-lucky, unicorns-and-balloons-in-the-sky Joshua, skip today's show.

If you want angry Joshua to opine on his disgust with the US American politicians' lack of fiscal restraint and the long-term catastrophe that is the US American budget, then you'll enjoy today's show.

Enjoy.

Joshua

• David Stockman: The Night of Fiscal Infamy http://davidstockmanscontracorner.com/the-night-of-fiscal-infamy/
• Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Obama Definitely Was Not the Biggest Spender of All https://danieljmitchell.wordpress.com/2017/10/16/mirror-mirror-on-the-wall-obama-definitely-was-not-the-biggest-spender-of-all/

Love isn't primarily a feeling. Love is an action. Love does.

You can show love with money in many ways, but a massively powerful way is by giving.

Here are some ideas and thoughts to encourage you to build more love in your life by giving more.

Joshua

I thought you might be interested in some behind-the-scenes discussion of how we recently bought our rig for an intended full-timing RV trip around the USA this summer.

We did some things well and made some big mistakes. I hope you learn from both!

Joshua

Mrs. RPF and I are excited to announce some of our plans for a nation-wide tour during 2018.

Details in the show!

Joshua

In today's show I'm going to teach you one simple technique that will help you get more stuff for free.

Try it and see!

Joshua

• Please support Radical Personal Finance on Patreon! www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

Feeding yourself (and especially children!) on the road can utterly destroy your budget.

Here are some tips and tricks I've learned that will be helpful to you.

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron
• https://cheftessbakeresse.blogspot.com/

This is an essay that has been deeply influential on my life. I hope you find it insightful and thought-provoking.

"Isaiah's Job" by Albert Jay Nock was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1936.

The written text of the document may be found here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/radicalpersonalfinance/Isaiahs_Job_by_Albert_Jay_Nock.pdf

Joshua

Money is important. But it's not #1.

Joshua

• On the Importance of Putting First Things First by JD Roth
• Support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Social Peer Pressure is significant. And it affects most of us with regard to our spending.

Here are three strategies I think through when considering how to combat it.

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

It's Friday! That means we do live Q&A. Today:

• Should I Front-Load my 401(k) Contributions?
• Should I Fire My Financial Advisor For Lack of Value?

Enjoy!

Joshua

• If you'd like to join for a future Q&A show, please sign up here: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Your financial tracking system is there to serve you. Make sure it's serving you effectively. Here's how!

Joshua

p.s., I use YNAB. Sign up for a free trial here: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/YNAB

Also please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

One of the simplest and most effective tools you can employ to help you save money on the things you buy is a price book. In today's show, I share with you what a price book is, how to use it, and some tips and tricks to turbocharge your results.

Enjoy,

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon! www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

It's Friday! That means Q&A time. Today we cover:

• Should I Use my 401(k) Money to Invest in Real Estate with a Self-Directed IRA
• What Questions Could a Client Ask their Financial Advisor for a More Productive Relationship
• Do I Risk the Wrath of the IRS by Moving From Sole Proprietor to S-Corp
• When Is the Right Time to Hire a Tax Accountant Instead of Doing it Myself?

If you'd like to join for a future Q&A show, sign up here: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

Joshua

Today:

1. Which expenses matter the most?
2. The value of variable expenses instead of fixed expenses.
3. The importance of developing skill and resilience.

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

You need to know.

Joshua

• www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/YNAB
• www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com.patron

Today we cover the three basic methods to save money:

1. Buy it cheaper
2. Make it last longer
3. Use it less

Any one of these strategies is useful. But the real power comes when you implement all three of them.

Listen to the show to understand why!

Joshua

• The examples in today's show come from the peerless frugality book "The Complete Tightwad Gazette: Promoting Thrift as a Viable Alternative Lifestyle" by Amy Dacyczyn.
• Start tracking your money with YNAB: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/YNAB

It's Friday! And it's time for Q&A. Today we cover:

• Should I Move From My Apartment and Buy a House in the Suburbs
• How do I Set Up a Solo 401(k) So I Can do a Mega Backdoor Roth IRA
• Should I Work as a 1099 Contractor or a W2 Employee

If you'd like to join for a future Q&A show, sign up here: www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/Patron

Joshua

Here's today's end-of-year wrapup for 2017!

• Joshua's thoughts on tax reform...
• ...and bitcoin...
• ...and your financial tracking systems for 2018...
• ...and a good year-end cleanse...
• oh, and Merry Christmas!

Talk to you next year,

Joshua

(My interview starts at 7:30 into the show.)

I recently gave an interview to the Complete Privacy and Security Podcast on the topic of financial privacy. I think it was a really good interview.

This interview was originally published on December 8, 2017 here: https://operational-security.com/cps-podcast-e058-financial-privacy-security/

--

SHOW NOTES

INTRO
Motherboard Guide to Not Getting Hacked

MAIN TOPIC
Joshua Sheats of Radical Personal Finance joins us to discuss:
– Why being financially stable (and ideally independent) is an important component of personal privacy
– Joshua’s Stages of Financial Independence, and what each of them means:

Stage 0: Financial Dependence
Stage 1: Financial Solvency
Stage 2: Financial Stability
Stage 3: Debt Freedom
Stage 4: Financial Security
Stage 5: Financial Independence
Stage 6: Financial Freedom
Stage 7: Financial Abundance

– How to pick make an accountant or financial planner who respects your financial privacy & security – Episode 459 of Radical Personal Finance: Don’t Trust Your Financial Advisor!
– How trusts and LLCs can impact your finances and privacy
– How much cash you should have on hand and where you should store your emergency fund – Episode 481 of Radical Personal Finance: Where Should I Keep My Emergency Fund?
– Which precious metals you can sell in any amount without reporting the sale to the IRS
– Joshua’s thoughts on investing in precious metals, Bitcoin, and other alternative assets
– What you need to do right now to begin achieving financial independence

Be sure to check out Radical Personal Finance – it’s one of my favorite podcasts!

OFFENSE/DEFENSE
No Offense/Defense this week.

LISTENER QUESTIONS
1. How secure and/or private is Paypal.com? Do you recommend using Paypal?
2. If my bank doesn’t offer two factor authentication, what else can I do to protect my account?

Today, I'd like to interrupt the personal finance content with a show on podcasting. After recording over 500 episodes of Radical Personal Finance, I feel like I have some valuable lessons to share with other podcasters and with my listeners who are considering starting a podcast.

Enjoy,

Joshua

• Visit www.HelloFresh.com and use "RPF30" to save $30 off your meal delivery.

If you enjoy learning how common financial instruments can be used to achieve incredible results, you'll enjoy this show.

Joshua

Today I have a replay for you of Episode 121. This episode was originally released December 17, 2014 and the information should be as relevant today as it was then.

Notes are here: https://radicalpersonalfinance.com/last-minute-tax-planning-ideas-to-save-you-money-rpf0121/

I really hate it when I see people bullied. And I especially hate to see debtors bullied by unethical debt collectors.

In today's show I share with you some tools, tactics, and techniques and knowledge to help you stand up for yourself in the face of an onslaught of bill collectors.

I hope these help you.

And, if you don't need this type of help, I hope these ideas help you to help someone else who does.

Joshua

• Try Hello Fresh! www.HelloFresh.com and use coupon code "RPF30" to save $30 on your first week of deliveries!
• Text of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
• Recommended book: "Solve Your Money Troubles: Strategies to Get Out of Debt and Stay that Way" from NOLO press
• Consumer Credit Counseling Services https://www.credit.org/cccs/

Today's episode is an interview I gave for the "In The Rabbit Hole" urban survival podcast.

This episode was first released October 30, 2017 here: https://www.intherabbithole.com/e232/

Joshua

Today we continue our discussion of how you can achieve financial freedom in 10 years or less with an analysis of a business I thought my way through recently: that of working as a mobile RV repairman/mechanic.

I think this business (or skilled trades with similar career profiles) has a huge amount to offer the aspiring financial freedom fighter.

Listen to today's show for analysis on the specifics of this opportunity and the parallels you can draw to other careers to help you become financially independent in 10 years or less.

Joshua

• Part 1 of this series was: 476 – Pathways to Financial Freedom (in 10 years or less): Expediter Trucking (and other live-on-the-job opportunities)

I've had today's show in my head for the last few weeks as I've watched Hollywood--and the world--rocked day by day with allegation after allegation of sexual abuse by major, major stars.

I've watched careers destroyed, movie premiers canceled, and marriages torn asunder.

I've thought again and again about the financial destruction being wrought by these allegations against so many men. Not only the loss of careers, the mega-million-dollar settlements, but the financial destruction of forthcoming divorces and the emotional distress leading to lost productivity.

To me, it seemed like an important topic to discuss with regard to finances.

But I held back, because I felt as though I would be picking on ideological opponents when they're down and I don't want to be one who rejoices in another's time of distress.

Until yesterday.

When the allegations came out via the Washington Post against Judge Roy Moore in Alabama, I felt I couldn't stay silent any longer.

And so, today, here are my thoughts on how men can protect themselves from sexual scandal.

Joshua

I'm working on some back-office work this week and hustling to finish delivering the Radical Personal Finance Guide to Career and Income Planning before the Thanksgiving holiday, so today you get an "Out & About" interview!

This episode was released as Episode 37 of the Masters of Money Podcast on August 30, 2017. https://ptmoney.com/masters-money/

Today's show is very special. Together, we celebrate 500 episodes together! The show is centered on your voices and your feedback.

This is a very meaningful milestone for me. When I began RPF, I committed myself to recording 1,000 episodes, even if no one listened. 4 years later, I'm half finished with that commitment! And I'm so honored that thousands of you do listen. Your feedback in this episode is so encouraging to me.

Thank you,

Joshua

• The Politicization of Motherhood - Wall Street Journal (if that link doesn't work, use this one)

Lots of people wind up living in their cars out of extreme financial stress. But today, I'm going to share with you a few of my strategies for living in your car for fun.

I've never lived in my car for a long period of time, but I have done it for up to two weeks. And, living (or more accurately staying/camping?) in your car can be:

• fun
• easy
• comfortable
• frugal

You should seriously consider it. And I'm here today to tell you why and how to do it well.

Joshua

I recently took a friend of mine (who is super broke) through a grocery store and shared with him some of my strategies to fill your tummy when you're flat broke.

This should help you save some cash...or at least help you teach someone else who's hungry how to eat cheap.

Joshua

• Today's show is sponsored by Warby Parker. Get really nice and fashionable eyeglasses shipped right to your door for you to try on and save a ton in the process! www.WarbyParker.com/RPF

After reading hundreds of listener emails this week, I've become very clear on the #1 mistake of the Radical Personal Finance audience.

Here's my attempt to help.

Joshua

No, that title isn't clickbait. There really is risk created by paying off debt too quickly.

Details in the show.

Joshua

Today, we handle this interesting question from a listener:

"In talking about Samaritan to a pastor-friend he threw out the scenario that your middle school age son is injured in an accident while riding in a friend's car, and the police find marijuana in the car--what happens?

When I asked a Samaritan rep about it he said their board would carefully review the situation and if they deemed that your son wasn't responsible for/aware of the pot then his injury would be covered; if he was responsible/aware then he would not be covered.

While my kids are all under 8 right now and this scenario is a ways off as a possibility for us, I'm concerned that when they reach middle/high school age I may need to look into alternatives for a couple reasons: (1) I'm not fully convinced of an investigatory board's ability to discern for sure in such a scenario what was going on and (2) while I'm teaching my kids to obey their parents and the civil authorities, they are still sinners and, growing up being a learning process, I'm concerned that if one of my kids made a stupid choice as a 14 year old it could significantly haunt the whole family for a long time.

What are your thoughts on medical-sharing plans and this sort of scenario? (Obviously this is just one example of the many ways a child could make a sinful and stupid decision while still under their parent's care that could have long-term ramifications.)"

Enjoy!

Joshua

• Sponsor: www.HelloFresh.com and use the promo code RPF30 to save $30 off your subscription!
• If you decide to join Samaritan Ministries, tell them Joshua Sheats sent you over! That gets me a discount on my share next month. :) Thanks!

Erin writes in and says: "I love listening to your podcast- I know you've had a few episodes recently in reaction to current events. As a resident of the Bay Area I hope you could do an episode in relation to wild fires (if there isn't a past episode I am overlooking)."

Erin et al, here are my suggestions for you!

Joshua

• Sponsor today: Bombfell. Visit www.bombfell.com/RPF
• Tons of important information on preparing for wildfires: www.firewise.org
• Firescaping: Creating fire-resistant landscapes, gardens, and properties in California's diverse environments

Fun question today for our Friday episode...comes in from Chris:

Joshua,

Looking to see if you have any insight on emotional/psychological decisions versus logical decisions when it comes to finance.

Back story -

I have a paid for 20 year old Harley. I have not ridden it in three years, I spend $200/year on an insurance policy, each spring I do maintenance on it which costs about $30, and living in Minnesota, we only really have 6 months or so of decent riding weather. I have a big garage so storage is not an issue, apart from each winter when I have to move it around in and tell myself I'll sell it in the spring.

I can make the logical argument to myself that I need to sell this. It is a depreciating asset, costs money to maintain and insure, and it really brings no value to my life.

However, I can not bring myself to sell it. I have no pressing financial obligations so the $5-6k that I would get from selling it would really not do much to improve my life. About the only thing that I would do with the money is put in a taxable brokerage account (through a RPF link tradeking account, of course).

I have told myself I am going to sell this bike for years now, but I still can't figure out why I still have it.

Any insight would be helpful, and as always, thanks for the great show!

I thought about simply calling today's show, "On Hammers."

You pick the title you prefer...but recognize the truth: tools are tools and their usefulness depends not on their inherent attributes but on their appropriate application.

Joshua

• Please support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Today's show rounds out a special series of live Q&A shows. Today we cover:

• 1:20 Should I put more money into my retirement plan or buy a house?
• 18:45 Can I use a donor-advised fund as a smart way to get a bigger tax deduction for my contribution to my local church?
• 32:30 Should I move from a commission-based job to a salary job which also means a salary cut?
• 39:10 Should I buy a joint universal life insurance policy to protect my new baby?
• 1:10:00 Should I keep an India-based whole life insurance policy now that I'm a US resident?

Enjoy the show!

Joshua

• Please support Radical Personal Finance on Patreon! www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

I've been doing a live Q&A series...today we cover these:

• 1:24 - Can I Pay for My Seminary Degree with Early Distributions from a Retirement Account?
• 13:30 - Can I Still Become Financially Independent if We Move to Paradise First?
• 25:45 - Should We Sell our Rental House Two States Away or Plan to Move Back to It In Order to Get the Tax-Free Gains on a Future Sale?
• 37:45 - Are Healthcare Sharing Ministries Like Samaritan Ministries Any Good?

Joshua

• Ph.D. for under $15,000 https://americanvision.org/6383/b-a-to-ph-d-for-under-15000-how-i-did-it/
• Healthcare Sharing Ministries https://radicalpersonalfinance.com/health-care-sharing-ministries/
• Support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

As we all watch and process the mass shooting in Las Vegas this weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to share a few lessons learned.

I always try to process an event like this with an eye towards the lessons I can learn.

The tactical situation in Las Vegas was impossible. I don't think you could imagine a worse situation to be in as a concert-goer. An absolute nightmare.

But, I do have a few thoughts that I think can help. And since I don't hear anyone sharing anything practical, here are my suggestions.

If you have additional practical, actionable ideas, I'd love to hear them.

Joshua

• The flashlight I use is the FourSevens Mini Mark II. It's awesome. http://amzn.to/2fMdtNM

I'm hosting a special Q&A series this week which is open to the entire listening audience.

Today we tackle:

• What Should I Do With a Large Bonus?
• How Can I Counsel a Young Lady Who Is Using Her Earnings to Support Her Poor Mother?

If you'd like to call in for tomorrow's show, here are the details you need to know.

Joshua

On Friday's, we do Q&A for our Patrons! Today, we cover:

• Should I Use a Whole Life Insurance Policy as My Retirement Bridge?
• Should I Concentrate All of My Investment Accounts With One Manager?

Joshua

• I forgot to mention at the end of the discussion...if you sign up for a free Personal Capital account with this link, I get a small commission. www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/personalcapital
• IRS instruction on avoiding the early distribution penalty: https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-tax-on-early-distributions
• Here are the call-in instructions for next week's special call-in shows. httpshttps://twitter.com/JoshuaSheats/status/913854177721376768://twitter.com/JoshuaSheats/status/913854177721376768

I feel like I owe it to you to keep you semi-current on the state of tax policy in the USA. But, it's too early to have any serious details about the current Republican proposals.

I thought instead we could have a useful philosophical discussion about taxation. My challenge to you today is to answer these questions, for yourself.

• Do you believe that a civil government has the moral right to tax an individual's income? Why or why not?
  • Do you believe that the US civil government has the constitutional right to tax an individual's income?
• If you believe that a civil government does have this right, how much of a person's income can they claim? What's the right number and how would you know?
• Do you believe that everyone should be required to pay income taxes?
• Do you believe that some people should be treated differently than others and so be ordered to pay a different rate of income tax than others? Why or why not?
  • If so, how would we determine who should be treated differently and how much of a difference there should be?
• Do you believe that government tax policy should be used to incentivize certain behaviors or to dis-incentivize other behaviors?
  • If so, how would we know what behaviors should be incentivized and which ones shouldn't?
• Do you believe that tax policy should be used to give some people special benefits because of certain behaviors?

Joshua

Today's question involves a generous financial gift from an in-law. How should this listener handle it to make sure it's a blessing and not a curse?

Joshua

• Support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

I'm just wrapping up a week and I've been off the mic for all of it due to being sick.

Wanted to share with you a short motivational monologue to encourage you to keep pressing forward in the challenges you're facing today.

This too shall pass.

Joshua

I've been sick most of the past week and am especially struggling with my throat/voice. When Joshua no speak, RPF no happen. (And of course that's a good reminder of the value of disability planning!)

So, in light of the Equifax breach, I'll issue this replay for you. If you skipped this episode when it originally aired as Episode 461, don't skip it now.

Enjoy.

Joshua

Today we tackle the Equifax security breach. This is the most damaging release of personal information ever. And you need to take it seriously.

You must assume that you have been affected. At this point, I see no reason to even trust the official Equifax website. Here's why.

• Clark Howard's excellent credit freeze guide: http://clark.com/personal-finance-credit/credit-freeze-and-thaw-guide/
• Another excellent one by the Justin Carroll and Michael Bazzell: https://privacy-training.com/CreditFreeze.pdf
• I forgot to mention this on the show, but here's a link for those of you who are readers of the resources. The IRS seems to use social media to find people committing tax fraud.
  Source: http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2017/08/the-irs-is-mining-taxpayer-data-on-social-media-in-violation-of-federal-privacy-law.html
• The official Equifax response website: www.equifaxsecurity2017.com
• Why the Equifax breach is possibly the worst leak of personal information ever.
• What should you do if your data was hacked?
• The novel I mentioned: True Faith And Allegiance, a Tom Clancy novel by Mark Greaney

I was inspired to do this show by watching a recent conversation thread in the RPF Facebook Group about where to store your emergency fund.

I thought it'd be fun to share with you the things I think about with regard to emergency fund storage.

Enjoy the show!

Joshua

• www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Hey Radicals!

Thank you to so many of you who have inquired of our health and safety following Hurricane Irma.

Here's my personal report for you!

Short version: we are well. :)

Joshua

I've been busy today preparing for Hurricane Irma here at the Radical Personal Finance Global Headquarters.

At the moment, the National Hurricane Center forecasts the eye of the storm to pass squarely over HQ.

So, I thought I'd record a podcast and share a few things with you:

• Based on watching the Hurricane Irma frenzy, I'm convinced that "societal collapse" scenarios are plausible. I learned this at Costco yesterday.
• I'm also convinced we live in the greatest time to be alive and that there are so many tremendously powerful companies who are laser-focused on serving their customers. I learned this at Costco today. And from reading this article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/inside-story-what-took-keep-texas-grocery-chain-running-chip-cutter
• The final 20 minutes of the show involves an off-the-cuff discussion of practical hurricane preparation if you decide to stay put through a storm.

Gotta run! Lots to do...

Joshua

It's Friday! On Fridays we do a live Q&A show. Today we cover:

• (2:30) What Should a New Expatriate Do With Their Investment Money?
• (18:30) What To Do With an Old Pension?
• (26:40) How Should a Newlywed Approach the Rent or Buy Question?

If you'd like to join me for a future Q&A show, sign up to be a Patron at www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Joshua

Whenever there's a natural disaster, we have various articles on price gouging's lamentability, to wit, its harmfulness and illegality.

But, is it really bad?

I say not.

"Price gouging" (or, more accurately stated, the adjustment of market prices to meet changing demand) has tremendous utility for the well-being of all involved and is absolutely upright, moral, and ethical.

Of course, this guy says it's wrong, morally and economically. I deal with his "arguments" in the show.

Joshua

• Support RPF on Patreon: www.radicalpersonlfinance.com/patron

I've been watching the #HoustonFloods this weekend and considering the lessons I can learn for my own disaster planning.

Today, I share some useful ideas for you about how to plan for events like the Houston Floods.

Joshua

• Episode 381 - Simple, Cheap, Practical Tips to Help You Prepare for a Coming Hurricane
• Episode 347: Disasters Happen – Make a Plan Now to Ensure You Have Plenty of Money Available to You to Solve the Problems Money Can Solve

Yesterday I was watching the solar eclipse (up north in the 100% band) and I happened to have breakfast with an expediter.

Not sure what that is?

Basically, a truck driver who drives a van. (More in the audio show.)

As we ate, I tried to lay out a few paths on how he could become financially free based on his current work.

And, I promised him a show on the topic.

So, you get to listen in as I tell him--and you--how any normal person can use a live-on-the-job opportunity as a trampoline to bounce them into the upper tiers of financial abundance.

Enjoy!

Joshua

• The novel I mentioned is Enemies Foreign and Domestic by Matthew Bracken.

Time for Friday Q&A! If you'd like to join for a future show, sign up here: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Today, we cover:

• 2:00 Should I refinance my credit card debt by moving it to a HELOC?
• 34:10 Do you have passion for a job before the fact or do you become passionate about it after you're good at it?
• 42:30 Should I drop the military's Survivor Benefit Plan for my pension in favor of buying a 10-year whole life insurance policy?

Enjoy!

And remember! I have 27 seats remaining for the new Radical Personal Finance Guide to Career & Income Planning. If you're interested, I'd love to have you in the class. Join here: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/career

Joshua

As I celebrate the opening of the registration page for the beta launch of the new Radical Personal Finance Guide to Career & Income Planning, I intend to share with you a few simple lessons related to career and income.

Today, we begin with the philosophical fundamentals: the interplay of human capital and financial capital. We all start with what we have (human capital) and use it to create financial capital, which we ultimately work to have in surplus. Once we have surplus, we get to decide what to do with it.

Enjoy!

Joshua

• Try Hello Fresh to get awesome, pre-measured fresh ingredients delivered right to your front door! Save $30 off your subscription with code RPF30! www.hellofresh.com/rpf30
• If you're interested in joining the beta launch of my new Guide to Career and Income Planning, I've got 65 seats left. Registration closes either on 8/20 or when I sell out the seats, whichever comes first. More details here: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/career

I've had a tough summer. I have nothing to complain about. I've been richly blessed and, in almost every way outside of Radical Personal Finance, life has been sweet. But, RPF hasn't been so great for me. And, if it hasn't been so great for me, it might not have been so great for you either.

I thought you might appreciate hearing the explanation and the story.

It's important to me to share the good and the bad--the heights and the lows--with you in order to help you understand that we all share common struggles and trials.

That said, I don't think it's helpful to talk about problems unless I can also suggest a solution. And, thankfully, I've worked out some solutions to my problems. So, now I'm ready to share the problems with you!

I've figured out what's wrong with Radical Personal Finance. And [I think] I've figured out how to fix it!

Here's the story...

Joshua

• The book I read from is called "Out of the Ashes: Rebuilding American Culture" by Anthony Esolen http://amzn.to/2v69tLh

On Fridays we do a live Q&A which is open to Patrons of the show. Become a Patron at www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com/patron

Today we cover:

• Can I Have Both a SIMPLE IRA and a Traditional IRA
• What Personal Finance Books Does Joshua Recommend
• What Three Investments Would I Buy To Leave Alone for a Decade
• What Are the Rules of Thumb for Who Should Buy Long-Term Care Insurance
• And more!

Joshua

On Fridays, I host a Q&A call. Patrons of the show are invited to call in and ask any question they want!

Today, we cover:

• (1:57) What's the best type of retirement plan for my wife's side business? (SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Solo 401(k)?)
• (16:45) How can I help my sister-in-law who is asking me for financial advice?
• (30:20) Should I pay off my debt as fast as possible or save up and pay it off in large chunks of money?

Joshua

• Become a Patron of the show and gain access to future Q&A shows here: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

There's been an interesting switch in the world of personal finance wherein some people are building financial plans based on extremely low spending projections. In essence, some people assume that if they can live on an extremely low budget per year today, they can build a long-term financial plan predicated on maintaining that spending forever.

I think this is a dangerous assumption. And, in today's show, I explain why.

Joshua

• Earn up to 8.5% return on your money by financing solar energy projects with Wunder Capital. www.WunderCapital.com/radical

Welcome to another Friday Q&A Show! Today, we cover:

• Is It Legit That You Can Find Missing Money That's Still Unclaimed
• Should I Take Free Housing With a Longer Commute
• How Do I Deal With Massive Medical Bills
• Do I Need a Personal Insurance Agent
• What Three Books Would Joshua Take to A Desert Island?

If you'd like to join me for a future Q&A show, become a Patron of the show at www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Joshua

• Save $30 off a new subscription for awesome food at www.HelloFresh.com using coupon code: "RPF30" Give it a try!

Friday Q&A is back! Today:

• How does an LLC Protect My Liability and Help Me Save on Tax?
• How Can I Lower My Tax Bill on the Sale of My House?

If you'd like to participate on a future show, sign up here! www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Joshua

I've long struggled to know how to advise people with regard to debt. On the one hand, the use of debt can dramatically increase the financial returns of an investment. On the other hand, debt can have a dramatic negative impact on the lifestyle of the borrower when everything goes wrong.

So, how do we reconcile these two things?

I've come to see that they're two entirely different scales. Because they are two totally different scales (think: how do kilograms and degrees Fahrenheit interact with one another), it's hard to simultaneously factor in both.

Enjoy the show,

Joshua

• Sponsor: www.wundercapital.com/radical Invest in commercial solar projects and earn up to 8.5% on your money. Start with as little s $1,000.

I've alluded to my long-term guess that the US Government will default on many of its current promises.

But, I've never really supported that argument.

I thought I'd kick that support off today by sharing with you a succinct and coherent description of the problem by reading Professor Laurence Kotlikoff's testimony to the Senate Budget Comittee in 2015.

Enjoy,

Joshua

• America’s Fiscal Insolvency and Its Generational Consequences: Testimony to the Senate Budget Committee http://www.kotlikoff.net/sites/default/files/Kotlikoffbudgetcom2-25-2015.pdf
  
• Support Radical Personal Finance on Patreon! www.radicalpersonafinance.com/patron

I've never invested in raw land. My #1 reason? Since raw land has no utility, there's no way to pull income from it. And at this stage of my life, I value income-producing assets.

But, my guest on today's show has a great system for solving that problem.

He has parlayed raw land into a very helpful income stream leading to his own financial freedom.

Enjoy my interview with Mark!

Joshua

• Mark's website is: https://www.thelandgeek.com/
• Please support Radical Personal Finance on Patreon! www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Today's episode is Part 2 of a mini-series on the seasons of life.

The world of work is changing rapidly. We find ourselves pressed on all sides to do more work and different work.

And yet in personal finance circles, the focus of our conversation is quite frequently how to get out of work.

I believe work is a blessing and not a curse. And that to run from work is the wrong answer.

And yet how can we adjust our relationship with work so that it feels more meaningful and less ephemeral?

Part of the answer is in learning to work with the natural seasons of life.

Enjoy,

Joshua

• Please visit www.HelloFresh.com to get awesome food, delivered right to your door. Save $30 when you subscribe with promo code RPF30. Thanks!

Poverty is hard. Money helps to make life less hard. But, in our modern world, it's hard to figure out how much money is enough.

As you go through the seasons of your life the usefulness of money will wax and wane.

Money comes with a cost: time, labor, risk, attention.

You need to think carefully about the season of your life you're in and consider the unique value of money during this particular season.

Joshua

• Did you find value in this episode of Radical Personal Finance? Please sign up to support the show on Patreon: www.radicalpersonalfinance.com/patron

Today I have an interview for you with Ben Higgenbotham, a funeral director who's also well in tune with the Radical Personal Finance philosophy.

He's here today to share the inside scoop on how to effectively work with a funeral director so that you can get the funeral experience that your family desires without losing your shirt.

Enjoy!

Joshua

p.s., If you didn't hear it, you might want to first go and listen to Episode 409, "How to Get Yourself Put 6 Feet Under Dirt Cheap!". https://radicalpersonalfinance.com/cheap-burial/

That show was the "radical" approach; this discussion was intended to be a bit more mainstream. This interview was recorded almost immediately after that show was released, but I misplaced the file and neglected to get it into the schedule! Sorry, Ben!

What do dentists who shoot lions, publicists who make jokes in poor taste on Twitter and Indiana pizza makers have in common? Their lives were suddenly and irrevocably changed for the worst while doing something that they could never have predicted would lead to it.

Avoiding catastrophe is an important pillar of the wealth building strategy that I promote through Radical Personal Finance. As personal finance enthusiasts, we are one of the most prudent groups of people on this planet: we build our emergency funds, insure against negative events, diversify our investments and make careful choices about our spending.

Radical Personal Finance is, however, about going beyond the obvious and into the territory of things less commonly considered, but just as important. I want you to be prepared to deal with a hurricane, becoming a refugee, dealing with food scarcity or even the possibility of getting arrested.

In my experience as a financial advisor, it has often frustrated me with how little care is sometimes taken to ensure the client’s financial security, despite the good intentions of most people in the industry. But why is this possible? The answer is that most people care even less about their data.

It’s shocking to discover how vulnerable we actually make ourselves by not taking simple security measures when using bank accounts, email and social media - vulnerable not only to a loss privacy but potentially to a very real financial loss.

I’ve taken an interest in this subject a while ago, and have been really impressed by the book The Complete Privacy and Security Desk Reference which stood out in a field where information is often cursory or out of date.

That is why I invited co-author Justin Carroll to Radical Personal Finance to talk about real, actionable ways in which you can become more secure and protect your privacy. This article contains some of the best tools mentioned in our discussion, though for a more complete picture I recommend that you listen to the episode above and purchase the book itself.

But This Won’t Happen to Me

I often get this objection: “I’m not doing anything wrong - why should I be concerned about privacy?”. Here’s an analogy that I’ve found helpful in explaining why I promote these ideas:

Do you remember the time when every phone call was a party line? Anyone in the household could pick up another receiver and there was very little one could do about it at the time. Now, however, you do have a choice - do you want to make everything you search for, consume, talk about as well as access to all of your accounts and purchase history a party line?

Complete privacy and security are very difficult to achieve, but some very simple steps and tools can protect you from most of the headaches in the future.

Another thing to consider is this: You may not be a target right now - but you may become one in the future as your wealth increases, you endorse unpopular political or religious perspectives or just live your life the usual way, as the stories at the beginning of this article illustrate.

This may be a decade from now, but to prevent it you must build the skills and the mindset starting today, because you don’t know what circumstances you will face in the future through no fault of your own, and you can’t control things after the fact.

Some simple tools and habits that have a great impact:

Accounts and Passwords

You are at great risk if you use the same or the same few passwords for all of your accounts. You will see this warning often and for good reason when creating new accounts: it only takes one company to be breached (who didn’t store your data properly) and an attacker gains access to all of your accounts. Alternatively, it’s often enough if they just gain access to your main email and phone account (which isn’t very difficult) and that opens up everything else. Using a different strong password for every account mitigates some of this risk.

Less often mentioned, but equally important is using different and random usernames. Is your email address firstandlast@gmail.com? You’ve just given away an important piece of the puzzle to would-be attacker.

The problem often is safely storing and remembering all of these account names and passwords - that’s where a password manager comes into play. Using LastPass (more convenient) or KeePass (more secure) can make the process a whole lot easier and secure.

Two-Factor Authentication

Nowadays you can often see a website offering (or requiring) you to enter a code from a text message in addition to your password. This is a form of two-factor authentication: an attacker job is made more difficult since he needs access to both your account name and password as well as your phone number. Unfortunately, phone numbers are often accessed by social engineers (who exploit human psychology) or accounts are simply hacked into, making this method not particularly secure.

What I recommend instead is that you use Authy or Google Authenticator on your smartphone. This works in a similar way, but you need actual physical access to your device (as opposed to just the number) which significantly enhances your security.

For even more security, you could purchase a YubiKey, which is a special piece of hardware dedicated entirely to two-factor authentication.

Encrypted Communication

Even though we rarely send long and heartfelt email anymore, there’s still a lot of important information that someone can gain from reading the emails that you send and receive. The same is true for instant messaging and phone calls.

I encourage people who own an iOS to use Facetime Audio instead of calling and to use Signal (iOS and Android) for instant messaging - both of which are encrypted.

Setting up email encryption used to be somewhat difficult, but tools such as Proton Mail offers end-to-end encrypted communication. You can also encrypt sensitive documents with a password using Adobe Acrobat Pro (Windows) or Preview (Mac).

Don’t Trust Your Financial Advisor (or Your Bank)

Just because someone is in the financial industry, it doesn’t mean that they take good care of your information. Bank accounts sometimes have worse-than-average security - make no difference and use the same tools and principles that you would with any other account.

The same is true with financial advisors, accountants etc. Your information is not always stored appropriately - sometimes physical copies are kept that are not secured, sometimes administrative staff has access to digital documents, sometimes your information may be shared between financial advisors at the same firm.

Make sure to compartmentalize information: think carefully if that person or organization really needs this or that particular piece of information, and try not give a complete picture whenever possible. This way, if there’s a breach at a particular firm, that information alone will not be enough to impersonate you or access your other accounts.

Use Cash Whenever Possible

Show me your bank statement, and I’ll tell you who you are.

How much could I learn about you knowing where you shop, where you get your morning coffee, where you fill up your car, where you eat your lunch and what kind of shops you visit? All this information can paint quite an accurate picture of you - there’s no reason to offer it up on a silver plate.

Use cash whenever you can - it’s not so hard to get used to (again).

Maintaining Privacy in Online Payments with Burner Credit Cards

Sometimes you can’t get around using a card - but by sharing your bank-issued credit/debit card details when making purchases, you are losing control over the transaction. Most of the time, everything stays win-win, but in contentious situations it’s often a problem if the merchant has all of your details. In addition, unauthorized spurious charges have been known to occur, sometimes in foreign countries, which drain your time and energy to deal with.

Using services such as Privacy.com, SudoPay (connected with Apple Pay) and Blur you can create credit cards that work only for one transaction, or are used for only one merchant. This also means that you don’t have to use your real name or address when making these payments, protecting you from when (often inevitably) the merchant’s database gets compromised.

In addition, you can also set up additional email addresses and phone numbers - this way, for instance, you can share one virtual number with friends and family, and another virtual one to important accounts, that way your accounts stay safe even if your actual phone number is compromised.

Act Now

The tools here are some of the lowest hanging fruit available to you right now to ensure that your assets and your information stay safe. I’ve gone into even more strategies with Justin in the podcast episode that this article was based on - including owning a car and a house as well maintaining a mailing address as privately as possible.

You can find our discussion above this article, or in iTunes. I also wholeheartedly endorse Justin’s and Michael’s book on the subject, as well as their podcast.

Proper prudent planning beats trying to fight the fires after the fact. Take the steps today to protect yourself so you aren’t caught off guard in the coming decade!

I am available if you’d like to have a phone conversation on this subject.

Here are all the resources mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Justin Carroll’s and Michael Bazzell’s podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-complete-privacy-security-podcast/id1165843330?mt=2
• Justin Carroll’s and Michael Bazzell’s book: https://www.yourultimatesecurity.guide/books.html
• Encrypted PDFs on Windows: https://acrobat.adobe.com/uk/en/acrobat/acrobat-pro.html
• Encrypted messenger: Signal
• Encrypted email: https://protonmail.com/
• Password manager: http://keepass.info/
• Password manager: https://www.lastpass.com/
• Two-Factor Authentication: Google Authenticator
• Two-Factor Authentication: https://authy.com/
• Two-Factor Authentication: https://www.yubico.com/products/yubikey-hardware/
• Buying car privately with New Mexico LLC: https://jjluna.com/Resources-LLCs
• Defense against private investigators: JJ Luna How to Stay Invisible https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250010454/
• Secrets of Super Thief https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Superthief-John-MacLean/dp/0425056457/
• True Faith and Allegiance https://www.amazon.com/Clancy-True-Faith-Allegiance-Novel/dp/0399176810
• Open Source Intelligence Techniques: https://inteltechniques.com/book1.html
• Credit Freeze: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0497-credit-freeze-faqs
• Credit Freeze: https://radicalpersonalfinance.com/credit-score-management/
• Virtual Credit Cards: https://privacy.com
• Virtual Credit Cards, Phone Numbers and Email Addresses: https://sudopay.com/
• Virtual Credit Cards, Email Addresses: https://dnt.abine.com/

I frequently get this question: "Joshua, what should I invest my money in?"

Well, that's a hard question to answer. I'm not you, so how should I know?

But, here are the factors I think you should consider in answering that question for yourself:

1. time
2. money
3. knowledge
4. skill
5. temperament
6. timing
7. opportunities
8. tools

Joshua

p.s., did I miss any important factors? If so, let me know in the comments.

Many people are far too free with their personal financial information. This can be very dangerous.

You cannot expect your financial advisor to keep your personal information private, secret, and secure.

You've got to take steps to protect yourself.

Joshua

I'm not sure how to explain this one to you via text...perhaps it's just better if you hit play and listen!

:)

Joshua

I'm a big fan of Cal Newport's work and I stumbled across this TEDx talk that he gave on the topic of social media.

Consider his points and see how they might relate to your personal social media usage.

It'd be a shame to look back at the end of the year and recognize an alternative use for the hundreds of hours that most of us use in social media activities. Always think about the opportunity cost...

Joshua

• Original video: https://youtu.be/3E7hkPZ-HTk