Ever find yourself interested in freelance writing? Today we talk with Paulette Perhach from The Finishing School about building a writing side hustle or possible career. In this episode we discuss not only how to make money, but also how to go viral.

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Today we talk with Ryan Doolittle of the Happiest Retirees Podcast about what it takes to truly enjoy retirement. We also delve into what a modern version of retirement looks like and debate whether making money makes a difference.

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The last time I had Jean Chatzky on the show was to discuss the "shecession" in 2020. Now, four years later, we discuss the state of her money coming in to 2025. What progress has been made, and where are we still lagging as a country. We lightly touch on politics but concentrate on economics.

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There is very little disagreement in the personal finance world about the emergency fund. We generally hold mostly the same views. Today's guest, however, Miranda Marquit, says that we should be investing our emergency funds. Take a listen and delve into this particularly controversial viewpoint.

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Clifton Corbin helps parents teach their kids about money. He set off on an epic journey to update personal finance classic The Richest Man in Babylon for modern times. We chat about the timelessness and simplicity of financial advice and building wealth regardless of what era you grew up in. (Rewind)

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In this rewind episode we talk with Ken Honda author of Happy Money: The Japanese Art of Making Peace with Your Money. Have you ever differentiated between happy and unhappy money? Ken says that money should flow in as well as flow out. He equates it to a form of energy that can both sustain and drain us. We discuss his five steps to happy money.

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While one never knows what a new administration will bring, that doesn't stop any of us from worrying. In this community episode we discuss an article from US News and World Report about the possible consequences of the proposed Trump tax cuts. What do you think will happen and how will it affect you?

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Are you a creator or a consumer. While many think that the simple path to wealth involves frugality and careful spending, today we discuss the path to abundance through creation. Craig Stephens was a government contractor before he set off on his own as a blogger. His blog is Retire Before Dad.

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We discuss with Adam Kol his transition from a lawyer to a financial therapist. His new book provides a financial checklist for couples looking to merge their lives as well as their money. How do we smooth out the bumps of financial intimacy, listen to today's episode to find out.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Monarch Money: Monarch is the top-rated, all-in-one personal finance app. It gives you a comprehensive view of all your accounts, investments, transactions, cash flow, net worth, and more. Plus, create custom budgets, track progress toward financial goals, and collaborate with your partner. And now listeners for this show will get an extended thirty day free trial when you go to monarchmoney.com/EARN.

Fundrise: Right now, high-interest rates have crushed the real estate market. Prices are falling and properties are available at a discount, which means Fundrise believes now is the time to expand the Fundrise Flagship Fund’s billion-dollar real estate portfolio. You can add the Fundrise Flagship Fund to your portfolio in minutes by visiting Fundrise.com/EARN.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn isn’t just a job board. LinkedIn helps you hire professionals you can’t find anywhere else, even those who aren't actively searching for a new job but might be open to the perfect role. In a given month, over 70% of LinkedIn users don’t visit other leading job sites. So if you’re not looking on LinkedIn, you’re looking in the wrong place.

NordVPN: Grab the exclusive NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/earninvest and get extra subscription time. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Thanks to NordVPN for sponsoring our show.

Incogni: Use promo code EARNINVEST to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/earninvest.

Climatize: Climatize offers potential investors a platform where they can choose to invest in solar energy, battery storage, and other renewable energy projects across the United States. Interested in learning more? Go to climatize.earth/earn and use our referral code EARN25 to get $25 in free credit once you complete your onboarding process.

Here are a few simple ways to support the podcast that would mean the world to us. And guess what? They don’t cost a cent.

Please subscribe to the podcast on Apple, or Spotify.

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I was born with a learning disability. While my friends eagerly devoured their beginner readers, I sat in the corner coloring. Even then, I couldn’t keep my crayon marks between the lines.

My school noticed the problem immediately. In kindergarten, I was always the last one to reach the playground. While everyone else slipped on their shoes and ran outside, I sat there, struggling to remember how to tie my laces.

Neuropsychological testing revealed that I was of average intelligence—not below. But I struggled with visuospatial orientation and reasoning. I was anxious, my memory faltered repeatedly, and I was consistently underperforming compared to my peers.

Then, several life-changing events happened all at once. My father died suddenly of a cerebral aneurysm while rounding at the hospital. One moment he was with us, complaining of a severe headache; the next, he was brain dead.

At the same time, unbeknownst to me, my parents had placed an offer on a new house in a neighboring Chicago suburb. They’d planned to hold me back a year in school and believed staying in the same district would be too disruptive. They were moving—for me.

After my father’s death, something miraculous happened. My reading improved. My teacher began placing book after book in front of me, and for the first time in my life, I read. Faster and faster, the words poured out of my mouth. My classmates paused their own reading to watch me in awe.

It would still take years for me to catch up. In high school, I wavered between A’s and B’s. By college, I had become a near-perfect student and eventually made it to medical school.

For these reasons, writing a book feels not only like a Herculean feat but also like the achievement of a lifetime. I was never supposed to read, let alone craft sentences into something logical and appealing. I was never supposed to be a doctor, a poet, or a writer.

Yet here I stand, writing these words for you.

The years of work, the incredible circumstances, and the relentless striving that brought me here—to this moment, as the author of The Purpose Code—are difficult to express. How can I distill a lifetime of yearning, failure, triumph, and self-discovery into words that convey what this book means?

My book delves deeply into building a life of purpose. But if the words themselves don’t resonate, I offer my life as an example. This is me, on purpose. This book represents everything I’ve worked toward my entire life: living intentionally and becoming the person I want to be by doing the things that define that identity.

This book is the closest expression of my pure, unadorned self. When you buy it, you’re buying a piece of me.

So here it is—the hard sell. I’m asking each of you to buy at least one copy now during presales. I know it’s a big ask. I know you come here for ideas, not products. And I know I’ve crossed into the realm of self-promotion.

Guilty as charged.

But if I want to continue on this path as a traditionally published author, I need to sell—a lot of books. Not for money, but for the prestige and momentum necessary to secure the next manuscript.

As a thank-you for your support, I’m offering a few bonuses for those who buy multiple copies:

• 5 copies: A free one-hour coaching session (a $350 value).
• 25 copies: A virtual presentation on purpose for your book club or community (a $5,000 value).
• 100 copies: An in-person presentation and Q&A session (you cover travel and accommodations, a $10,000 value).

I’m also looking to fund free copies of my book for attendees at my favorite financial independence conference, CampFI. If you’re interested in donating $100 or more, please reach out to me directly.

Thank you for supporting my journey. This book is more than a project; it’s a testament to what’s possible when we live with purpose.

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Are goals bad? Although I have railed against them in the past, I decided to bring Dustin Heiner, The creator of Master Passive Income and Successfully Unemployed, to talk big audacious, hairy goals. Who is right? Or are we both?

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Monarch Money: Monarch is the top-rated, all-in-one personal finance app. It gives you a comprehensive view of all your accounts, investments, transactions, cash flow, net worth, and more. Plus, create custom budgets, track progress toward financial goals, and collaborate with your partner. And now listeners for this show will get an extended thirty day free trial when you go to monarchmoney.com/EARN.

Fundrise: Right now, high-interest rates have crushed the real estate market. Prices are falling and properties are available at a discount, which means Fundrise believes now is the time to expand the Fundrise Flagship Fund’s billion-dollar real estate portfolio. You can add the Fundrise Flagship Fund to your portfolio in minutes by visiting Fundrise.com/EARN.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn isn’t just a job board. LinkedIn helps you hire professionals you can’t find anywhere else, even those who aren't actively searching for a new job but might be open to the perfect role. In a given month, over 70% of LinkedIn users don’t visit other leading job sites. So if you’re not looking on LinkedIn, you’re looking in the wrong place.

NordVPN: Grab the exclusive NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/earninvest and get extra subscription time. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Thanks to NordVPN for sponsoring our show.

Incogni: Use promo code EARNINVEST to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/earninvest.

Climatize: Climatize offers potential investors a platform where they can choose to invest in solar energy, battery storage, and other renewable energy projects across the United States. Interested in learning more? Go to climatize.earth/earn and use our referral code EARN25 to get $25 in free credit once you complete your onboarding process.

Here are a few simple ways to support the podcast that would mean the world to us. And guess what? They don’t cost a cent.

Please subscribe to the podcast on Apple, or Spotify.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices