Simple Money, Simple Life: Recent Episodes
Matt Erickson
This is a podcast dedicated to exploring how simplicity beats complexity, especially in money matters. We explore how to save and invest as well as how living a simple life is a joyful life.
Have you traveled internationally? Was it a good experience? Are you considering an international trip? Today I discuss some important things to consider.
Have you ever used a bidet? After listening to this episode you’ll want to get one. Plus, 11 other cost savings strategies.
It’s all about kicking debt to the curb and finding peace and financial freedom. This episode teaches you how.
Today I cover the basics you need to know to get started in investing. It’s an episode that will give you the tools necessary to get started and dominate!
Today I share an awesome quote about why we should avoid debt. I talk about some recent medical issues. Then I explain why being an urban trekker is an amazing choice. Lastly, I share 13 simple living tips.
Today the topics covered are diversifying your identity, dangers of workism and FOMO vs JOMO.
To end the year I go over some ideas about the market, investing, building systems and pouring into your health and relationships.
Frugality is cool, being cheap isn’t. Today I discuss some creative ways to be frugal and win. I also discuss a recent take by Dave Ramsey that one can withdraw 8% per year of their portfolio in retirement.
We review Dave Ramseys baby steps, The Money Guy’s financial order of operations, and How to Money’s money gears.
Are you a natural spender or a natural saver? Are you more frugal or extravagant? Do you have a hodgepodge portfolio or a simple portfolio? Today we tackle the importance of knowing yourself and implementing a plan to be successful no matter what natural tendencies you have.
The age old question: does money buy happiness? Today we explore that question. This episode was inspired by Jonathan Clements, a wonderful man and personal finance writer.
Today I share why good enough is often better than “the best.” www.theyinyhouseofhappibess.com
We went to Costa Rica again. I share about our trip and then discuss how decluttering can help in our mental health journey.
Remember!! I am not a financial advisor. I am just a guy who is interested in investing. This is not financial advice, rather helpful hints and education. In this episode I answer a listener question on how to invest for a 10-year-old niece and nephew. I also discuss 6 cool portfolios for an all equity investor.
Have you heard of the fading affect bias? Today I share how this applies to happiness and share a few core principles to bring more happiness and fulfillment into your life.
Does traveling stress you out? In this episode I share some cool tips to make your next travel adventure epic and less stressful.
Many are wondering where to stash cash these days. I explore some great options in this episode. I also spend time talking about the most common financial and life regrets and what we can do to prevent having these regrets.
Most of us complain way too much. Today we learn how to complain less. This episode was inspired by Joshua Becker. becomingminimalist.com
Today I discuss what this statement really means as well as share information about finding satisfaction in life. I also share an experience of how we saved $1,000.
Today I share about my trip to Kauai. I also share differences between the zero based budget and the anti-budget. I also share some tips on getting out of debt.
In today’s episode I explore the paradox of wealth. I also have 12 ideas to consider regarding your investment strategy as we close out 2022.
Today I share some things to consider at the end of the year including tips on Roth IRA’s and index funds. I also recap a recent trip to Colombia.
In today’s episode I share some experiences about living now versus saving for later. I also share some ideas from a book I’m reading called Die With Zero by Bill Perkins.
Today we discuss a Swedish term, Lagom, and how to apply it to your life. https://bigthink.com
Today I discuss things to consider when deciding if minimalism might be for you as well as 14 practical tips to get started.
In today’s episode I share how very small decisions can mean everything and I give some practical examples of micro decisions you can apply today.
- Today I discuss the importance of measuring twice and cutting once. I also discuss the importance of reinvesting dividends and how to make sure you’re doing that.
Today I talk about ideas to consider and whether or not digital minimalism might be for you.
Today I share 20 tips to consider that will help you live a simpler, more fulfilling life.
In todays podcast I walk you through some great takeaways from a great book by Morgan Housel titled The Psychology of Money
Today I share several tips to Declutter effectively. I share an article from a blog on not following the crowd. Next I share an email from a listener and talk about current market conditions. Lastly I share thoughts on a letter I received from an “investment advisor.” I share some thoughts on what to watch out for.
Today I share my experiences from my trip to California and Disneyland. I also share thoughts on investing in a volatile market. Lastly I talk about how too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
Today I review an article written by Tavian Jean Pierre (tavianjp.medium,com). I discuss how living an ordinary life can be a very happy life.
Today I share a book suggestion, Happy Money, and discuss some really cool concepts from the book.
Today we dive into what status symbols are and explore if we might be falling prey to them.
Today we discuss what truly brings satisfaction as well as answering a listener question on international index funds offered through Fidelity.
Today we discuss the differences between being frugal versus being cheap. I also discuss the Rule of 72, and talk about why I left a high paying job. https://acrazyfamily.com/six-signs-too-frugal/
Merry Christmas all! 🎄In today’s episode we explore the amazing benefits gratitude can bring to our lives and how that applies to investing.
In today’s episode I educate on The Endowment Effect. Much of the information comes from Louis Chew’s blog, Constant Renewal.
In this episode we explore how a morning routine can dramatically improve your life. ‘Goodbye Things’ by Fumio Sasaki
In today’s episode I talk about why now is the best time in the history of the world to invest. I also answer a listener question.
I’m today’s episode I take a deeper dive into investing concepts including the 72T rule, the rule of 55, Roth conversions, back door Roth’s and Donor Advised funds. If this is all a bunch of mumbo jumbo to you give the episode a listen and learn something new!
In today’s episode I dive into some fun ideas about how minimalism might be for you and how it’s ok to pick and choose portions that resonate with you.
In this episode I discuss what the Great Resignation is and factors that are contributing to it. I also share some personal news about my own resignation.
In today’s episode we go through a fun checklist to see if you’re living within or beyond your means.
In today’s episode I dive into how to know if we are playing it too safe in life and in investing.
In today’s episode I discuss a listener question about 401k’s, reflect on my trip to Alaska and discuss ways to bring calm to our lives.
In this episode I tackle a listener question and then dive into different strategies we can use to inflation-proof our life.
In today’s episode I present a compelling case as to why lazy investing is a superior way to invest.
We get to dive into how clutter affects our lives as well as discuss a friends investing portfolio. https://www.lifespleasuresandstruggles.com/2020/10/14/the-real-cost-of-clutter-in-your-life/?fbclid=IwAR0fOuVklLp7heIwxw0deIqnd-_86HJhK-wsrX3FUtZdVfjJp9rqzPyHilk
Have you heard of Dunbar’s number? Take a listen to this episode and learn what it is. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar%27s_number
Today I talk about the many parallels between keeping a yard beautiful and keeping our personal finances looking great.
In today’s episode I talk about stoicism and how we can use this philosophy to live a richer life. https://www.holstee.com/blogs/mindful-matter/stoicism-101-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-stoicism-stoic-philosophy-and-the-stoics
Are you feeling spent, stressed or burned out? Today I tackle how to avoid burnout in the workplace as well as in life.
In today’s episode I talk about four credit cards that you could consider using. These cards offer great rewards to those who are eligible, especially those hoping to do some travel in the cheap.
Do you sometimes wonder why you do everything you do and why you’re so busy? If so this episode is for you. We explore why busy is not necessarily always a good thing and how to reclaim your schedule and your life.
Have you ever believed that if you could make just a little more money you’d be happier or if you could have more material possessions life would be easier? More isn’t always better and in this episode we explore why.
Today we answer a listener question from Andrew on the difference between index funds and ETF’s. We then dive into explaining 401k’s, 403b’s, Roth IRA’s, Traditional IRA’s, SEP’s, 457’s, HSA’s, and Solo 401k’s,
In this episode I answer a listener question from Dan as well as discuss 7 options for budgets.
In today’s episode I dig into two listener questions submitted by Boyd and Leo. I then discuss some important things to think about when getting an inheritance.
Diversification can save your bacon. In this episode I explain why that is as well as answer a listener question on whether or not to include international funds in your portfolio.
Do you hate paying more for things than you should? If yes, than this episode is for you! I discuss why index investing is supreme to active management.
Have you heard of the Pareto Principle? In this episode we take a deep dive into how this principle applies to your life!
Have you ever been sold whole life insurance or an annuity? In this episode I give my opinions on these products as well as discuss investing and insurance.
Perfection should not be the goal. Keeping investing simple provides outstanding results as illustrated in this episode.
We just returned from Costa Rica. I watched ants and sloths and discovered some interesting things. I discuss them in this episode.
Are you up to your eyeballs in debt? Are you debt-free? Are you somewhere in between? In this episode I give a clear explanation as to why debt is very lame and how living financially free is the way to go.
In this episode I give a book recommendation (We’re Talking Millions by Paul Merriman) and also share some findings from the book The Millionaire Next Door by Dr. Thomas Stanley and William Danko. I share the traits of these “silent millionaires” and discuss how we can achieve these same results.
In this episode I answer a listener question on actively managed mutual funds in his 401k. I provide a book recommendation (the Bogelheads Guide to Investing). I also share information from the SPIVA report comparing actively managed mutual funds to index investing. I then talk about financial independence and why saving for freedom is amazing. Lastly I share JD Roth’s 6 stages of financial freedom (getrichslowly.com). You’ve got to tune into this episode!
In this episode I answer listener questions from Joe and Dan about penny stock “investing” and dollar cost averaging versus lump sum investing. I then discuss the things you really need to know about an emergency fund. https://investor.vanguard.com/emergency-fund/. https://www.prudential.com/financial-education/6-emergency-fund-benefits
In this episode I share my reasoning behind my choice to invest my portfolio 100% in stocks. I also answer a listener question on how to transfer funds from one brokerage to another.
In this episode I share a personal experience we had with middle son that taught us many life lessons including the importance of enjoying life in the moment. I also discuss the importance of finding a balance between preparing for the future and living in the moment.
In this episode I dive into some of Dr Thomas Stanley’s work about happiness and money. I talk about the links that bind wealth and happiness. I also review a insightful article by Joshua Becker about judging based on physical appearance. “Stop Acting Rich” by Thomas Stanley; “Don’t Judge by External Appearance” by Joshua Becker
In this episode I discuss different examples of how too many choices actually reduces happiness while fewer choices can increase happiness.
In this episode we explore why I prefer index investing over day trading and buying individual stocks. I also explain the craziness in the market regarding GameStop and what it means to sell a stock short. I also explain why I don’t like Robinhood.
In this episode we take a deeper dive into simple and effective ways to save money and create margin in our lives.
In this episode we dive into the pros and cons of having credit cards. We also explore how a credit score is calculated.
In this episode we take a deeper dive into learning about tilting a portfolio and the Target Date Fund. https://investor.vanguard.com/investing/how-to-invest/impact-of-costs https://repository.upenn.edu/prc_papers/573/ www.fidelity.com www.paulmerriman.com
In this episode we dive into ways to avoid lifestyle creep. @personalfinanceclub www.money guy.com
Today’s episode is a fun one. We explore Dave Ramsey’s philosophy versus mine. We agree on most things but not on all. Check out this podcast to find out our similarities and our differences!
In this episode we explore some cool tips around keeping stress low during the holidays and making sure we don’t break the bank.
In this unique episode I share some life hacks that have enriched my life including some financial and some non financial. www.personal capital.com
In this episode we dive into my favorite investing vehicle, the Roth IRA. We discuss how to fund and manage a Roth as well as rules to be aware of. Most importantly we discuss the importance of setting up and funding a Roth IRA today!
In this episode we take a look at the relationship between psychology and money. We explore cognitive biases and processes that can be pitfalls to our success as investors.
In this episode I talk about three different kinds of financial advisors. I explain what a fiduciary is and why it matters. I discuss how to think about whether or not to have a financial advisor. I also explain the costs and fees of having a financial advisor and how that could impact your long term financial success.
In this episode we learn from our good friend Alexa about how to get rich. We discuss 7 keys from Alexa. This episode was inspired by my friend Fritz Gilbert who blogs at: theretirementmanifesto.com Keys to a Successful Retirement by Fritz Gilbert
In this episode we explore the enough curve, fulfillment, and understanding how to gain joy through what you have instead of always wanting more. Many of the concepts in this episode were gathered from reading the book titled “Your Money or Your Life” by Vicki Robin.
In this episode Rachel joins me again for a fun conversation about navigating money in a marriage. We discuss budgets, enjoying money now versus saving for the future, whether or not to combine finances and more!
In this episode we discuss the process of buying a home and what details to consider. My lovely wife Rachel joins me to help us understand what we need to know when considering home ownership.
In this episode we dive into how to construct a simple and fantastic investment portfolio. We define asset allocation, standard deviation, tilting, diversification, and hedge funds. Resources:
https://www.businessinsider.com/forgetful-investors-performed-best-2014-9 (Fidelity Study) JL Collins: The Simple Path to Wealth www.bogleheads.org Fama and French Study: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/famaandfrenchthreefactormodel.asp My portfolio: large cap index, mid cap index, small cap index, total international index fund
In this episode we explore the Financial Independence Retire Early movement. Find out what it is and what parts of it might be right for you! Resources: ssa.gov. mrmoneymustache.com. jlcollinsnh.com. affordanything.com. Four Percent Rule: William Bengen. Average car payment:$554 (Experian.com)
In this episode we explore the Diderot Effect and how it plays out in our day to day lives, especially with financial matters. Additional Resources: jamesclear.com businessmellow.Wordpress.com
In this episode we explore market capitalization and why that matters in investing. We also explore total market index funds and target date funds. We discuss 6 keys to successful investing as well.
In this episode we dive into investing basics including understanding stocks, bonds, mutual funds, IRA’s, and 401k’s. I hope you enjoy the episode and share it with a friend!
In this episode we dive into exploring 11 useful strategies to keep our finances simple and on track. This are strategies that can be implemented and used immediately. Enjoy the episode!
In this episode we explore the “why” behind this podcast and set the stage for future episodes.