About this episode
Don and Tom tear into Kiplinger’s roundup of “best money advice,” separating the genuinely useful from the obvious, the flawed, and the downright silly. They agree that core principles like living below your means, automating investing, and seeking qualified fiduciary advice still reign supreme, while pushing back on oversimplified takes about debt, life decisions, and self-auditing. The conversation reinforces a familiar truth: personal finance isn’t about clever hacks—it’s about consistent behavior, smart systems, and avoiding the many ways people sabotage themselves. Listener questions cover fund-of-funds expense ratios (no stacking), high-yield savings tradeoffs, and the real cost of chasing slightly better interest rates.0:05 Chasing the “best money advice of all time” (and where it definitely isn’t)1:44 Kiplinger roundup sparks review of popular financial advice3:10 Dave Ramsey basics—simple, correct, and incomplete4:29 The myth of easy money and cultural obsession with getting rich quick5:18 Getting help from professionals (and why most aren’t actually professionals)6:07 “Good vs. bad debt” debate and the problem with vague advice7:32 Aligning money with values… or just saying something that sounds nice7:39 “Marry wisely” as financial advice (yes, really)9:02 Automating finances as one of the most effective strategies10:40 Why friends and family are often terrible sources of financial advice10:53 Should life decisions be based on money? (spoiler: they usually are)12:33 Self-audits vs. professional guidance—can you really judge yourself?13:42 The foundational rule: spend less than you make14:31 Most people don’t know what they actually spend15:00 Listener question: AVGE / AVGV expense ratios—no fee stacking17:50 PI Bank high-yield savings—rate vs. usability tradeoffs19:25 Wire transfer fees and when higher yields actually matter21:31 Practical ways to manage savings movement costs22:17 Don’s Financial FYSICS book—pricing, Kindle version, and Amazon quirksQuestions? Comments? Click!