Money Unplugged with Chris Hill

He Gave Himself a PhD in Investing — One Audiobook at a Time (Brian Feroldi)

Brian Feroldi grew up in Rhode Island as a born saver — the kind of kid who hoarded his lunch money candy rather than eating it, just to watch his collection grow. His dad was a CFO. His mom raised money for the ALS Association. Nobody sat him down and explained how investing worked. That part he had to figure out on his own.A financial educator, YouTuber, and author of the book Why Does the Stock Market Go Up?, Brian joins Chris Hill to talk about the long road from money-illiterate college graduate to one of the most-followed investing educators on the internet. He shares:- Why he chose his college major purely to save $5,000 a year in tuition — and why the classroom demographics sealed the deal- How 40,000 miles a year on the road became an unlikely PhD in business and investing, while his coworkers listened to Howard Stern- What Charlie Munger understood about incentives that most investors still get wrong — and why stock-based compensation at most public companies is completely broken- Why he regrets his MBA (and it’s not because of the money it cost)What is something you bought that makes you happy? Tell us at info@moneyunpluggedpod.com.Find the best stocks and speed up your investing analysis! Try TIKR for free at tikr.com/unpluggedOpening clip – “Neal Brennan: 3 Mics”

He Cashed Out His 401(k) to Pay for a Round of Golf. He Understands Compounding Now. (Jason Hall)

Jason Hall grew up in rural Georgia watching his dad treat money the way most people treat a hot potato — get it and spend it as fast as you can. Nobody talked about saving. Nobody talked about investing. The plan, such as it was, was to fix up a beat-up old truck his grandfather gave him, pulling parts from the junkyard ten miles down the road, and figure the rest out later.Co-host of the Investing Unscripted podcast and a contributor to The Motley Fool for over a decade, Jason joins Chris Hill to talk about the long, expensive road from that junkyard to genuine financial clarity. He shares:- Why dropping out of college to sell electronics at Circuit City felt like the smart move — and how money locked him into a career path he never planned on- The moment his girlfriend's savings account and an unauthorized speaker purchase nearly ended their relationship before it really began- How he cashed out his 401(k) to pay for a round of golf with two guys whose names he can't remember — and what that decision is worth in today's dollars- The conversation he had with his wife before walking away from a six-figure sales job to write about investing for half the payWhat's the last thing you splurged on? Tell us at info@moneyunpluggedpod.comGo to ilovemarmar.com and use the promo code “MONEY” to get 10%.Opening clip – “Nate Bargatze: Hello World”

What Do You Actually Want Money to Buy? (Tyler Gardner)

Tyler Gardner grew up eating Cheerios from a bag on a Vermont ski slope while other kids bought hot chocolate. That early lesson about money — absorbed more than taught — sent him on one of the more unconventional paths in personal finance: from stealing grocery money as a kid, to Andover on financial aid, to teaching English at prep schools for a decade, to becoming a financial advisor who thinks most people are asking the wrong question about wealth.The right question, Gardner argues, isn't how much can I accumulate — it's what do I actually want money to buy? For him, knowing the answer changed everything.Chris Hill talks with Tyler about:- Growing up in a household where money was never discussed — and the ski slope memory that first made him realize it mattered- Attending Andover on financial aid and getting his first glimpse of generational wealth on a spring break trip to Palm Beach- How a disastrous retirement fund presentation pushed him out of the classroom and into financial advising- The one thing he wishes he'd understood at 15 that he still has to explain to 60-year-olds todayWhat's the last thing you splurged on? info@moneyunpluggedpod.com.Brew Markets is the best wrap-up of the day on Wall Street.Sign up for free at BrewMarkets.com/moneyOpening clip – “Landman”

From $28K Salary to $1M Net Worth: What I Got Wrong About Money (Andy Hill)

Andy Hill hit a million-dollar net worth — and the first thing he did was sell part of his brokerage account and buy a Ford Mustang. It's the kind of decision that makes more sense once you understand how he got there.The host of the “Marriage Kids and Money” podcast and the author of Own Your Time, Hill grew up in Michigan learning early lessons about saving, investing, and building wealth. Guided by a mother who emphasized frugality and a father who built a career from the ground up, he developed a strong financial foundation — even as investing mistakes and market swings tested his path to financial independence.Chris Hill (no relation) talks with Andy about:- Buying a house at 22 with money he'd saved and invested — and why breaking even a decade later still stings- Falling in and out of love with investing, from tech mutual funds to a WWF stock purchase he'd rather forget- What he and his wife got wrong about money early in their marriage — and how 16 years later they're still figuring it out- The one investing move he wishes he'd made earlier — and why it requires almost no skill to pull offWhat's the last thing you splurged on? info@moneyunpluggedpod.com.Want to instantly improve your cooking? Go to dizzypigbbq.com and use the promo code “MONEY” to get 10% off your 1st order. Opening clip – “Grand Canyon”

I Fell for a Ponzi Scheme in My 20s. Here’s What It Taught Me About Investing. (Laura Adams)

Getting burned on a bad investment early in life can do one of two things: swear you off investing forever, or teach you exactly what kind of investor you want to become. For Laura Adams, it did the latter.Host of the Money Girl podcast — one of the longest-running personal finance podcasts in the world, with more than 1,000 episodes — Adams  grew up in Charleston, SC, in a household where money was never discussed. That silence may be exactly why she became obsessed with it. Her earliest money memory involves sorting coins into paper wrappers for her father's business. Her first checking account came at age 12, when she begged her mother for one just so she could balance it.Chris Hill talks with Laura about:- How falling for a Ponzi scheme in her twenties turned her into a committed index investor who doesn't look back- Buying a struggling flooring business with her husband knowing nothing about flooring — and selling it four years later at a profit- The 2-year plan she and her husband made to eliminate their credit card debt as newlyweds, and why paying it off felt better than she expected- Why the money rules that help you build wealth can actually work against you when it's time to spend itWhat is something you bought that makes you happy? Tell us at info@moneyunpluggedpod.com.Want to find the best stocks and speed up your investing analysis? Try TIKR for free at tikr.com/unpluggedOpening clip - "Succession"