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