The Personal Finance Podcast

Every Halloween week Andrew digs into the scariest financial statistics of the year, and 2026 delivered plenty. This round covers financial infidelity, childcare, abandoned retirement accounts, delivery apps, subscriptions, credit card balances, sports betting, buy now pay later, and a car debt situation that has quietly gotten worse than most people realize. 👉 Want personalized help from Andrew? Join Master Money Academy at https://www.skool.com/mastermoneyacademy/about 👉 Join Andrew’s FREE Investing for Beginners Masterclass: https://event.webinarjam.com/q05p7/register/0o8z9io?webinar_id=21 👉 Live Call Registration Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqIw5xncfn5tZbGG_U22iZ3BUmyHe9fPvBQaC1vW_x1D7bJA/viewform 👉 One-on-One Coaching Application Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12UHo5Zmu1AyY_G4Gmbrcx9vThIZhxqFnaJ5dIihZL24/edit What You'll Learn in This Episode Why nearly half of people in committed relationships know nothing about their partner’s money What childcare actually costs now compared to rent, and the one lever that solves it The $2.1 trillion sitting in forgotten 401(k)s, and your three options for an old one How much more you pay for delivery versus pickup, broken down by how often you order Why people underestimate their subscription spending by about $133 a month The real cost of a $10,000 credit card balance at 24% interest What sports betting is quietly doing to household investment contributions Why first-time homebuyers are now 40, and what insurance costs have to do with it The negative equity numbers on pickup trucks that make the 20% down rule non-negotiable Start Here Join the community built to help you master your money, stay accountable, and reach financial freedom. 👉 Try Master Money Academy FREE for 7 days today! https://mastermoney.co/join/ 👉 Join Andrew’s FREE Investing for Beginners Masterclass https://event.webinarjam.com/q05p7/register/0o8z9io?webinar_id=21 👉 Join The Master Money Newsletter where you will become smarter with your money in 5 minutes or less per week Here! https://expert-hustler-605.ck.page/6aa7bb9a79 Partner Deals Hostinger → Build your website step by step at https://www.hostinger.com/ and use code PFP for 10% off Indeed → Get a $75 sponsored job credit at https://www.indeed.com/podcast Wayfair → Shop thousands of products for every style and budget at https://www.wayfair.com/ Leesa → Get up to 30% off mattresses plus an extra $50 off with promo code PFP at https://www.leesa.com/ Policygenius → Compare life insurance quotes for free at https://www.policygenius.com/ Monarch Money → The all-in-one financial tool + Get 50% Off at http://www.monarch.com/PFP DeleteMe → 20% off with code PFP https://joindeleteme.com/PFP20/ Resource/s Car Insurance https://secure.money.com/pr/gc43ce394da5 Best HYSA https://secure.money.com/pr/r453ecf4d190 Stock Brokerage Accounts https://secure.money.com/pr/v8d06f8de92c Best IRAs https://secure.money.com/pr/oe09b73d1952 Favorite Travel Credit Cards https://milevalue.com/best-credit-cards/?aff=mastermoney Episode/s Mentioned How to Master Your Student Loans with Robert Farrington https://youtu.be/t146LJRUc0o 19 Strategies to Pay Off Debt (FASTER!) https://youtu.be/WAnf4Z7PHjs How to Buy a Car And Not Get Screwed (in 2026!) https://youtu.be/II-PzXfYUdk Buying a House VS. Investing In the S&P 500 (Which Is Better?) https://youtu.be/6iwf_4iQz0c Is the American Dream Dead? (With Freddie Smith) https://youtu.be/3Ivz8Ts9J2o Tool/s Mentioned Total Cost of of Ownership Calculator https://mastermoney.co/total-cost-of-ownership-calculator/ Watch Next Do You Think You'll ACTUALLY Be Able to Retire? https://youtu.be/oT_mCCD9MpI 5 Ways to Go BROKE (By AGE!) https://youtu.be/1xm23NnneJM How to Evaluate a Stock Like Warren Buffett with Brian Feroldi https://youtu.be/posnNC99UFQ 12 Reasons You Need to Stop PLAYING SMALL with Money https://youtu.be/qFz3_-pLapg 19 Strategies to Pay Off Debt (FASTER!) https://youtu.be/WAnf4Z7PHjs Connect with Andrew Instagram → https://bit.ly/Skool-Instagram TikTok → https://bit.ly/Skool-TikTok Facebook → https://bit.ly/Skool-Facebook Podcast → https://bit.ly/Skool-Podcast Youtube → bit.ly/Skool-Youtube Newsletter → https://bit.ly/Skool-Newsletter Website →⁠ https://mastermoney.co ⁠ X → ⁠https://x.com/mastermoneyco LinkedIn →⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-giancola-45027b340 ⁠ Question for you: What number surprised and scared you the most this year? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people decide whether retirement is possible for them without ever doing the math. Andrew runs the numbers on all three goals Americans say they want most, and the answers are better than the headlines suggest. 👉 Want personalized help from Andrew? Join Master Money Academy at https://www.skool.com/mastermoneyacademy/about  👉 Join Andrew’s FREE Investing for Beginners Masterclass: https://event.webinarjam.com/q05p7/register/0o8z9io?webinar_id=21  👉 Live Call Registration Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqIw5xncfn5tZbGG_U22iZ3BUmyHe9fPvBQaC1vW_x1D7bJA/viewform  👉 One-on-One Coaching Application Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12UHo5Zmu1AyY_G4Gmbrcx9vThIZhxqFnaJ5dIihZL24/edit  What You'll Learn in This Episode The confidence gap between what Americans want financially and what they believe they will get How to calculate your retirement number, and why to redo it every year What $500 a month becomes at 25 versus 35, and the million-dollar cost of waiting The checklist to clear before buying a house, including the one rule most people skip How to prioritize three goals competing for the same dollars The order of operations when a bonus or windfall lands The withdrawal sequence for retiring at 50 while staying under the ACA subsidy cliff How to find a flat-fee advisor to review your plan without handing over your assets A long-con dating app scam that ends in a fake investing platform Start Here  Join the community built to help you master your money, stay accountable, and reach financial freedom.   👉 Try Master Money Academy FREE for 7 days today! https://mastermoney.co/join/ 👉 Join Andrew’s FREE Investing for Beginners Masterclass https://event.webinarjam.com/q05p7/register/0o8z9io?webinar_id=21 👉 Join The Master Money Newsletter where you will become smarter with your money in 5 minutes or less per week Here! https://expert-hustler-605.ck.page/6aa7bb9a79 Partner Deals Hostinger → Build your website step by step at https://www.hostinger.com/  and use code PFP for 10% off Indeed → Get a $75 sponsored job credit at https://www.indeed.com/podcast  Wayfair → Shop thousands of products for every style and budget at https://www.wayfair.com/  Leesa → Get up to 30% off mattresses plus an extra $50 off with promo code PFP at https://www.leesa.com/  Policygenius → Compare life insurance quotes for free at https://www.policygenius.com/  Monarch Money → The all-in-one financial tool + Get 50% Off at http://www.monarch.com/PFP  DeleteMe → 20% off with code PFP https://joindeleteme.com/PFP20/  Resource/s  Car Insurance https://secure.money.com/pr/gc43ce394da5  Best HYSA https://secure.money.com/pr/r453ecf4d190  Stock  Brokerage Accounts https://secure.money.com/pr/v8d06f8de92c   Best IRAs https://secure.money.com/pr/oe09b73d1952  Favorite Travel Credit Cards https://milevalue.com/best-credit-cards/?aff=mastermoney  Episode/s Mentioned  The 1-3-6 Method For Building & Managing Your Emergency Fund https://youtu.be/rGdII_Z0hnw  Buying a House VS. Investing In the S&P 500 (Which Is Better?) https://youtu.be/6iwf_4iQz0c  Tool/s Mentioned  Total Cost of Ownership Calculator https://mastermoney.co/total-cost-of-ownership-calculator/  Master Your Money Goals https://www.skool.com/mastermoneyacademy/classroom/f1e5f000?md=5db7fc1e56a1474fbbded14211cff084  The Stairway to Wealth https://mastermoney.co/the-stairway-to-wealth/  Watch Next 5 Ways to Go BROKE (By AGE!) https://youtu.be/1xm23NnneJM  How to Evaluate a Stock Like Warren Buffett with Brian Feroldi https://youtu.be/posnNC99UFQ  12 Reasons You Need to Stop PLAYING SMALL with Money https://youtu.be/qFz3_-pLapg  19 Strategies to Pay Off Debt (FASTER!) https://youtu.be/WAnf4Z7PHjs  How to Build a Portfolio If You Are Worried About An AI Bubble https://youtu.be/NhfJVhSTedA  Connect with Andrew Instagram → https://bit.ly/Skool-Instagram  TikTok → https://bit.ly/Skool-TikTok  Facebook → https://bit.ly/Skool-Facebook  Podcast → https://bit.ly/Skool-Podcast  Youtube → bit.ly/Skool-Youtube  Newsletter → https://bit.ly/Skool-Newsletter  Website →⁠ https://mastermoney.co ⁠ X → ⁠https://x.com/mastermoneyco LinkedIn →⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-giancola-45027b340 ⁠ Question for you: Rank the three goals for yourself: home, debt freedom, retirement. Do you believe you will retire comfortably?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every decade has its own way of quietly breaking your finances, and most people never see theirs coming until it already happened.  👉 Want personalized help from Andrew? Join Master Money Academy at https://www.skool.com/mastermoneyacademy/about  👉 Join Andrew’s FREE Investing for Beginners Masterclass: https://event.webinarjam.com/q05p7/register/0o8z9io?webinar_id=21  👉 Live Call Registration Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqIw5xncfn5tZbGG_U22iZ3BUmyHe9fPvBQaC1vW_x1D7bJA/viewform  👉 One-on-One Coaching Application Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12UHo5Zmu1AyY_G4Gmbrcx9vThIZhxqFnaJ5dIihZL24/edit  What You'll Learn in This Episode Five ways to go broke in your teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s What waiting ten years to start investing actually costs you The 20/4/12/10 rule for buying a car without going backwards Why a house is a lifestyle decision more than a financial one, and the total cost nobody runs The business risk in your 40s that can force you to start over Catch-up contribution amounts available at 50 and again at 60 Why paying for your kids’ college before your own retirement works against both of you The one thing to protect in each decade, from your time to your freedom Start Here  Join the community built to help you master your money, stay accountable, and reach financial freedom.   👉 Try Master Money Academy FREE for 7 days today! https://mastermoney.co/join/ 👉 Join Andrew’s FREE Investing for Beginners Masterclass https://event.webinarjam.com/q05p7/register/0o8z9io?webinar_id=21 👉 Join The Master Money Newsletter where you will become smarter with your money in 5 minutes or less per week Here! https://expert-hustler-605.ck.page/6aa7bb9a79 Partner Deals Hostinger → Build your website step by step at https://www.hostinger.com/  and use code PFP for 10% off Indeed → Get a $75 sponsored job credit at https://www.indeed.com/podcast  Wayfair → Shop thousands of products for every style and budget at https://www.wayfair.com/  Leesa → Get up to 30% off mattresses plus an extra $50 off with promo code PFP at https://www.leesa.com/  Policygenius → Compare life insurance quotes for free at https://www.policygenius.com/  DeleteMe → 20% off with code PFP https://joindeleteme.com/PFP20/  Resource/s  Car Insurance https://secure.money.com/pr/gc43ce394da5  Best HYSA https://secure.money.com/pr/r453ecf4d190  Stock  Brokerage Accounts https://secure.money.com/pr/v8d06f8de92c   Best IRAs https://secure.money.com/pr/oe09b73d1952  Favorite Travel Credit Cards https://milevalue.com/best-credit-cards/?aff=mastermoney  Episode/s Mentioned  The 1-3-6 Method For Building & Managing Your Emergency Fund https://youtu.be/rGdII_Z0hnw  The System to Pay Cash For Cars (and NEVER Have a Payment Again!) https://youtu.be/kgmjjQEN3Xs  Tool/s Mentioned  Total Cost of Ownership Calculator https://mastermoney.co/total-cost-of-ownership-calculator/  The Wealth Builders Matrix https://mastermoney.co/wealth-builders-matrix/  The Portfolio Pyramid https://event.webinarjam.com/q05p7/register/8mz7rho?webinar_id=23  The 1-3-6 Method https://mastermoney.co/the-ultimate-guide-to-managing-your-emergency-fund/  Watch Next How to Evaluate a Stock Like Warren Buffett with Brian Feroldi https://youtu.be/posnNC99UFQ  12 Reasons You Need to Stop PLAYING SMALL with Money https://youtu.be/qFz3_-pLapg  19 Strategies to Pay Off Debt (FASTER!) https://youtu.be/WAnf4Z7PHjs  How to Build a Portfolio If You Are Worried About An AI Bubble https://youtu.be/NhfJVhSTedA  The Millionaire Money Rules (Get to $1M Faster!) https://youtu.be/CNeIBcfXtUA  Connect with Andrew Instagram → https://bit.ly/Skool-Instagram  TikTok → https://bit.ly/Skool-TikTok  Facebook → https://bit.ly/Skool-Facebook  Podcast → https://bit.ly/Skool-Podcast  Youtube → bit.ly/Skool-Youtube  Newsletter → https://bit.ly/Skool-Newsletter  Website →⁠ https://mastermoney.co ⁠ X → ⁠https://x.com/mastermoneyco LinkedIn →⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-giancola-45027b340 ⁠ Question for you: Which decade are you in, and which of those five are you guilty of right now? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You cannot judge a three-year-old by their SAT score, and you cannot judge a young company by its P/E ratio. Brian Feroldi explains the five phases that tell you which numbers actually matter.  👉 Want personalized help from Andrew? Join Master Money Academy at https://www.skool.com/mastermoneyacademy/about  👉 Join Andrew’s FREE Investing for Beginners Masterclass: https://event.webinarjam.com/q05p7/register/0o8z9io?webinar_id=21  👉 Live Call Registration Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqIw5xncfn5tZbGG_U22iZ3BUmyHe9fPvBQaC1vW_x1D7bJA/viewform  👉 One-on-One Coaching Application Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12UHo5Zmu1AyY_G4Gmbrcx9vThIZhxqFnaJ5dIihZL24/edit  What You'll Learn in This Episode Why Buffett skips the spreadsheet math entirely, and the bridge analogy behind it How the "too hard" pile works, and what belongs in yours The five phases every business moves through, from startup to decline Which metrics matter in each phase, and which ones are meaningless Why Amazon was genuinely cheap at 100 times earnings The two conditions that have to be true before the P/E ratio tells you anything How to compare a company's multiple against its own history in about a minute Why some businesses are cheap at 30x and others are expensive at 10x A free tool that sorts any ticker into its phase for you Start Here  Join the community built to help you master your money, stay accountable, and reach financial freedom.   👉 Try Master Money Academy FREE for 7 days today! https://mastermoney.co/join/ 👉 Join Andrew’s FREE Investing for Beginners Masterclass https://event.webinarjam.com/q05p7/register/0o8z9io?webinar_id=21 👉 Join The Master Money Newsletter where you will become smarter with your money in 5 minutes or less per week Here! https://expert-hustler-605.ck.page/6aa7bb9a79 Partner Deals Hostinger → Build your website step by step at https://www.hostinger.com/  and use code PFP for 10% off Indeed → Get a $75 sponsored job credit at https://www.indeed.com/podcast  Wayfair → Shop thousands of products for every style and budget at https://www.wayfair.com/  Leesa → Get up to 30% off mattresses plus an extra $50 off with promo code PFP at https://www.leesa.com/  Policygenius → Compare life insurance quotes for free at https://www.policygenius.com/  DeleteMe → 20% off with code PFP https://joindeleteme.com/PFP20/  Resource/s  Car Insurance https://secure.money.com/pr/gc43ce394da5  Best HYSA https://secure.money.com/pr/r453ecf4d190  Stock  Brokerage Accounts https://secure.money.com/pr/v8d06f8de92c   Best IRAs https://secure.money.com/pr/oe09b73d1952  Favorite Travel Credit Cards https://milevalue.com/best-credit-cards/?aff=mastermoney  Stock Simplifier Phase Tool  stocksimplifier.com/phase Episode/s Mentioned  Warren Buffett: How To Calculate Intrinsic Value https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knetdlviyDE  Stock Valuation Lecture: How We Value A Business https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_1TNv246A0  A Masterclass on Investing in Individual Stocks with Brian Feroldi https://youtu.be/gfh5i4H5MG8  Why YOU Have an Advantage as a Small Investor with Brian Feroldi https://youtu.be/iJFbVFMc05E  The Most Underrated Way to Build Wealth with Brian Feroldi https://youtu.be/c8vlvc3FEmw  How to Use AI to Research Stocks (With Brian Feroldi) https://youtu.be/WeaXVgQcpu8  Watch Next 12 Reasons You Need to Stop PLAYING SMALL with Money https://youtu.be/qFz3_-pLapg  19 Strategies to Pay Off Debt (FASTER!) https://youtu.be/WAnf4Z7PHjs  How to Build a Portfolio If You Are Worried About An AI Bubble https://youtu.be/NhfJVhSTedA  The Millionaire Money Rules (Get to $1M Faster!) https://youtu.be/CNeIBcfXtUA  The EXACT System I Use to Manage Every Paycheck https://youtu.be/o-URBMRnItU  Connect with Brian Feroldi Website → https://www.brianferoldi.com  Newsletter → https://www.longtermmindset.co/newsletter  Stock Simplifier → https://stocksimplifier.com  YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@BrianFeroldiYT  X → https://x.com/BrianFeroldi  LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianferoldi  Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/brian.feroldi/  Connect with Andrew Instagram → https://bit.ly/Skool-Instagram  TikTok → https://bit.ly/Skool-TikTok  Facebook → https://bit.ly/Skool-Facebook  Podcast → https://bit.ly/Skool-Podcast  Youtube → bit.ly/Skool-Youtube  Newsletter → https://bit.ly/Skool-Newsletter  Website →⁠ https://mastermoney.co ⁠ X → ⁠https://x.com/mastermoneyco LinkedIn →⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-giancola-45027b340 ⁠ Question for you: What metric do you look at first when you open up a stock, and is it the right one?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you spending hours trying to save a few dollars while overlooking the financial decisions that could transform your future? Building wealth isn't just about cutting expenses. It's about increasing your income, making smarter decisions about housing and cars, reducing investment fees, investing in yourself, and consistently putting money toward your financial future.  In this episode of Master Money, Andrew Giancola explains why focusing on small savings can distract from the bigger opportunities that actually move the needle. Learn how to identify your highest-impact financial decisions, increase your earning potential, evaluate purchases based on return on investment, and build wealth through consistent, long-term investing. The goal isn't to spend recklessly or chase overnight success. It's to stop playing small with your financial future and start making decisions that give you more freedom, flexibility, and control over your time. 👉 Want personalized help from Andrew? Join Master Money Academy at https://www.skool.com/mastermoneyacademy/about  👉 Join Andrew’s FREE Investing for Beginners Masterclass: https://event.webinarjam.com/q05p7/register/0o8z9io?webinar_id=21  👉 Live Call Registration Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqIw5xncfn5tZbGG_U22iZ3BUmyHe9fPvBQaC1vW_x1D7bJA/viewform  👉 One-on-One Coaching Application Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12UHo5Zmu1AyY_G4Gmbrcx9vThIZhxqFnaJ5dIihZL24/edit  👉 Master Money Wealth Building Strategy Call: https://calendly.com/irene-mastermoney/master-money-wealth-building-strategy-call?month=2026-09  Start Here  Join the community built to help you master your money, stay accountable, and reach financial freedom.   👉 Try Master Money Academy FREE for 7 days today! https://mastermoney.co/join/ 👉 Join Andrew’s FREE Investing for Beginners Masterclass https://event.webinarjam.com/q05p7/register/0o8z9io?webinar_id=21 👉 Join The Master Money Newsletter where you will become smarter with your money in 5 minutes or less per week Here! https://expert-hustler-605.ck.page/6aa7bb9a79 Partner Deals Hostinger → Build your website step by step at https://www.hostinger.com/  and use code PFP for 10% off Indeed → Get a $75 sponsored job credit at https://www.indeed.com/podcast  Wayfair → Shop thousands of products for every style and budget at https://www.wayfair.com/  Leesa → Get up to 30% off mattresses plus an extra $50 off with promo code PFP at https://www.leesa.com/  Policygenius → Compare life insurance quotes for free at https://www.policygenius.com/  DeleteMe → 20% off with code PFP https://joindeleteme.com/PFP20/  Resource/s  Car Insurance https://secure.money.com/pr/gc43ce394da5  Best HYSA https://secure.money.com/pr/r453ecf4d190  Stock  Brokerage Accounts https://secure.money.com/pr/v8d06f8de92c   Best IRAs https://secure.money.com/pr/oe09b73d1952  Favorite Travel Credit Cards https://milevalue.com/best-credit-cards/?aff=mastermoney  Watch Next 19 Strategies to Pay Off Debt (FASTER!) https://youtu.be/WAnf4Z7PHjs  How to Build a Portfolio If You Are Worried About An AI Bubble https://youtu.be/NhfJVhSTedA  The Millionaire Money Rules (Get to $1M Faster!) https://youtu.be/CNeIBcfXtUA  The EXACT System I Use to Manage Every Paycheck https://youtu.be/o-URBMRnItU  The 7 Habits of Great Investors https://youtu.be/TxI_S5rP9X4  Connect with Andrew Instagram → https://bit.ly/Skool-Instagram  TikTok → https://bit.ly/Skool-TikTok  Facebook → https://bit.ly/Skool-Facebook  Podcast → https://bit.ly/Skool-Podcast  Youtube → bit.ly/Skool-Youtube  Newsletter → https://bit.ly/Skool-Newsletter  Website →⁠ https://mastermoney.co ⁠ X → ⁠https://x.com/mastermoneyco LinkedIn →⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-giancola-45027b340 ⁠ Question for you: What is one big financial decision you could make this year that would have a greater impact on your wealth than cutting small expenses? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices