DNA SHOW Podcast
Hosted by DJ Willngham aka DJ Sneakerhead. This podcast covers sneakers, real estate investing, life journeys and most importantly entrepreneurship.
DNA SHOW Podcast
The Millennial Dad Blueprint: Juggling Family, Work and Building Wealth (Jaques Montgomery) EP 29
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Every day you wake up, every day's on everything's on the line.
SPEAKER_01Every day?
SPEAKER_00So it's no there is no difference. It's more so you have to be so confident in the research you've done that you're just taking a gamble on yourself. Right. My daughter's four. She can use a debit card. She can like she'll she can like you know she can go pay at the till. Like, you know, like so I'm ingraining it to it early so that way money's not a taboo topic.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And then then also you're not, you don't go to that like it, I could just waste the stage. You know, like you're gonna value it because it's been ingrained in you for so long. It's scary, like, oh, this is my you know, last $10,000, last thousand dollars, whatever, who gonna risk it for you.
SPEAKER_04Alright, you guys, we're back with another episode. And if you guys remember, we had JQ on here from the past. So go ahead and introduce yourself real quick.
SPEAKER_00I'm Jaquez. Everybody calls me JQ. Just uh the people's people person, I guess, you know, know everybody, know a little bit of everything.
SPEAKER_04Okay, so he's uh gonna be very humble throughout, but we're gonna show you guys how extraordinary he is and what he does and manages a life of being a millennial dad, working a job, having you know, creating stable uh income and discipline with investing, real estate, style hustles, uh delayed gratification, long-term thinking, and not really having like gimmicks behind it, right? These are like staple sound mindsets that you've implemented over the years, and even from last time we spoke on the podcast to now, like there's been a lot of change from then to now, right? You know what I'm saying? Just over the past few years. So we gotta start quick for those that don't know the backstory. What was the initial uh mindset around money and your environment when you were a kid? And then where did that take you to thinking, you know, growing up in high school and middle school and college and everything? Like, I want to either maintain this life or I want to change my whole life and create something different for my for my future.
SPEAKER_00So money as a kid, it was it was it was interesting. It was, you know, it was it was ebbs and flows. There were seasons when we went with a lot, and there were seasons where we had to scale it back. And so I understood um I understood it at an early age, just out of necessity. But uh I would say, as I grew up, I just, you know, funding, you know, like when we started buying our own shoes and just started doing our own thing, like it was just it was my responsibility.
SPEAKER_04It wasn't, you know, so I just So you had to like cop your own kicks like in middle school and stuff, or like after like when you got to high school, when was that like level?
SPEAKER_00It was high school and college, it's like once I really started paying for my own stuff. Like my brother would always give buy me shoes and stuff, but for me, I started paying like what I wanted in high school versus what I would just get, you know, like if he gave him something grateful. But if I wanted something, it was on me. And then um, but yeah, so I'd seen it, you know, and then going to college, even having a scholarship, you know, all little things like so I got a full ride, so then you know, money was important, but it was.
SPEAKER_04Is it more of a necessity to get the full ride or without a doubt?
SPEAKER_00So it wouldn't that that it was crazy, like getting that scholarship, it it just had to happen because I didn't have no backup.
SPEAKER_04So if you didn't get the scholarship, what was gonna happen coming out of high school, going to college? There's probably no more, no college.
SPEAKER_00I don't know, probably not.
SPEAKER_04So you're like everything is in right here. I have to get this scholarship.
SPEAKER_00Because I'm thinking business by that point already. And so it would have just been figure out the path to get go get money. Okay. You know, above board, obviously, like going build a business or whatever that looked like. But but that wasn't the case. So then going to college and then getting internships that pay really well. It it changed how I seen money because now I'm 19 making more than you know, a lot of people, perspectively. But it was, you know, it just showed me like, you know, age doesn't equate to like how much money you could get.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00And then it like it was just those short stints that showed me, like, you know, just those couple of summers that I worked in college. Like, okay, like it kind of set the floor. Like, you know, you like, okay, like if I've made this before, then that means I can come out of here and have a baseline because I've actually made it, you know, like it I'm not just asking for this, like I've actually and it just so happened that when I came out of college, I was making more than what I was making, obviously. But it just it just turned like you know, getting into the career of it, it was like it was a stable income already that was above average.
SPEAKER_04So was that a job that you like wanted, or was it kind of just like you saw the opportunity and you're like, shit, I'll take it. This looks cool, like we'll figure it out from here. It's got some solid benefits.
SPEAKER_00Nah, well, I didn't know about it until the first internship when I went to go do the test run of like just figuring out I didn't had no idea what it existed. And so then leaving college, it was like, well, on the end of college, it was like I really enjoyed working, you know what I'm saying? Like the environment and everything, like, and so I was like, okay, like, you know, like I could go out here into the free world and go find something that I don't know what the what it's like, or I can go back and you know, see if they'll have me back and you know, see if I can grow in there. So I went back on a temp intern, like a like a temp right after graduation for three months, and then I ended up getting offered the full-time position. And so that, you know, that came with another level of income because it came with an increase, and you know, so it just, you know, as as life progressed, I just it just took me to new levels to understand money from that level, you know.
SPEAKER_04So with that, um, like we're all in college, we're all doing the stuff, but like sometimes people are getting out of college and they still don't got it figured out, or a lot of times, right? And when did you kind of realize like people don't have their big picture figured out?
SPEAKER_00I would say um the fact that we travel so much and see so much of the world, it gave us a big picture to start with, you know. Like so, like seeing these other countries and seeing other how people lived and seeing, you know, you see the extremities on both sides. Like we've seen poverty and poverty, and we've seen, you know, the rich and famous and everything in between. And so seeing everything, both ends of the spectrum, it helps put put things in perspective. Okay. So it was like, okay, like I knew like after college, it would just get to it. It wasn't no like take some time off and figure, you know, like take my summer. No, it was like like we left, remember leaving graduation to go look at the apartment that I ended up moving into? Yeah. Like, and then that Monday, I literally graduated on like a Saturday. We went to go check out the apartment that I moved into that same afternoon after graduation, and then that Monday I started work. So I didn't take, like, and I've been working every, you know, so it's like from the day I walked across the stage, it was like hit the ground running. It wasn't, you know, like let me figure it out.
SPEAKER_04So in that time, what was some of the biggest mistakes you made financially uh, you know, during that high school college era before you got into like, you know, hitting the ground running, working?
SPEAKER_00See, like in those eras, I wasn't I didn't make enough to make enough big mistakes, you know, like the big mistakes don't come until you really start to see, you know.
SPEAKER_04Right. So it was like But then the moment they feel big. Oh, like if that's the case, like well the thing is you got the perspective now, but then it was like this shit is you know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_00I mean like buying fakes and stuff like like that, like uh hundreds of thousands, just on stuff that you know, like that kind of stuff, and but I mean buying, you know, buying a lot of things that didn't hold value, because I mean, if we go back, I could have just bought Bitcoin. Right. I mean, but I'm not saying I, you know, but like all I'll just put it in perspective, like, yeah, that you know, even having limited money at the time, it probably could have spent it better. But you know, when you don't, you don't have any framework, like you're we were building it as we went, you know, and we're like, don't get me wrong, like there are people that gave us, you know, input, but this we were just a whole new generation, and like life was just different, you know. Like we was flipping the shoes and making, you know, Buku, you know, like all the stuff that came with it. And so it's like, okay, well, you know, I can hear what you're saying, but this is a whole different, you know, walk of life out here than when you were out here, you know. Don't get me wrong, the lessons still apply, things don't change, but it's more so like we have more moving parts. We have the internet, we had social media, we had forums, we had all the things that like like when you think about business and everything around money, like we have the tools they didn't have. So, you know, like we could we could take it further.
SPEAKER_04That makes sense. So when you got out, you got the apartment, but what was the timeline on getting the house? Was that in mind already? Did you have to like use your focus on building up uh you know work taxes and everything? Like, where were you at with that?
SPEAKER_00None of that. I I really got an apartment and I was like, okay, this is my own spot. You know, like so I was really cooling, and then I like working in as like in the real estate, like around appraisal and all of that, and like I was seeing houses, and I'm like, oh okay, like that's cool. You know, like I'm like, because I it was this is 2015. Well I graduated in 2014, so this is 2014, 2015, and the houses are still affordable comparatively, you know, like my first house was 230, you know, like yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04You can find houses in the 200, low 200.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and so like and but at the time it was more so like I was I was intrigued by the houses, but had no, like I wasn't saving for no down payment or nothing. Okay. It was more so like I want a house, but how how can I do this? Like, you know, like how I bought the house, I didn't plan that out all the way. It just happened to work out that way. But I think because I took the action and started looking was kind of what you know, and then going to the home buyer class with AJ. Like we like we just randomly went to the homebuying class, and that changed everything. Like when I heard him say zero down, I said oh, I said, Oh, hell no. And then, you know, so like it changed. Like, I was like, okay, so I found a way to get the money, I've now gotta go find the house. Okay, and then I kind of gotta bridge it by breaking you know, like kind of bringing it together.
SPEAKER_04So it wasn't like an aggressive start coming out, right? Like you're like figuring out on the right path, not like taking steps back, but you was like kind of getting to it, and then eventually, you know, because when did you get your house 2016, 2017?
SPEAKER_00Yep.
SPEAKER_04So, you know, it wasn't a long period of time after, year and a half, something like that.
SPEAKER_00Like, I think I renew my lease one time, so like a two years probably.
SPEAKER_04Okay. So it wasn't a too big of a gap of like eight years, ten years, nothing like that. So during that as well, you didn't you weren't married yet? No, didn't have kids yet. Nope. Um, and you were staying at the apartment. So were you into stock investing, doing all that stuff? Were you aggressive with it? Did you know about that side of the game where you build another blueprint of life insurance and all the other stuff happening? Was this something that was on your radar? Did that come later? The only thing I had established was have you been posting, staying consistent, trying all the strategies that you've heard online and still not making the consistent money that you need? It's not because you're not working hard enough, it's because someone hasn't helped you build a plan that works for your specific situation. You know that Sunday night feeling when you close the tabs and you're like, I feel like I'm further behind than when I started. It's like everyone else is building something real, and for some reason, I'm the problem. I can't get to where I want to be. Don't worry, you're not. I've helped people go from zero side income to multi-six figures, from no audience to 600,000 followers, and from complete beginner to sold-out product using the same repeatable frameworks that every one of my members gets access to. In my private investors club, you get access to the consistent cash flow system, a structured video training, weekly live QA calls with me personally, and a real community that holds each other accountable. The goal is simple: your first consistent $1,000 a month. I kept this VIP group at 50 members, and not for scarcity, but to actually make sure I give you guys the exact attention that you need. And if you show up for the first four calls and don't make any measurable improvements in the first 30 days, I'll work with you one-on-one until you do or give you a full refund. This founding member's price locks in for life and will go up after the cohort closes. Click the link in my bio to join the VIP group in the investors club, and I'll see you guys on the inside.
SPEAKER_00The only thing I had established was credit. Okay. Like, so I I've had credit since college, and then like you know, just having lines of credit and all the you know, credit history and age and all that stuff. But I didn't outside of that, in my investments, uh, when I started working, it just auto-invested, like, you know, just where it just takes it out and puts it into retirement, retirement accounts. But everything outside of that, not really. I mean, not really until like that first crypto phase, like when a Bitcoin, you know, not 2018, something like that. That was like, so yeah, I was some years out before I started really looking.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00And then that I just learned about that on a graveyard shift working a job, and I'm like, so that's when I started buying like these altcoins need and all of that.
SPEAKER_04So you're working your main job in a different job?
SPEAKER_00This was yeah, for like a few, like literally like a season. Okay. I was working graveyard at the gym. Okay. It's like literally, it was like a few months.
SPEAKER_04But it at uh what made you pick that up?
SPEAKER_00I don't even I honestly I think they needed employment, and it was more so like, I'll take the extra money here. You know, like I'm not, you know, I didn't have as many responsibilities, you know. It's like we're like, okay, like this time it I'm not using this time, not any better, but you know, like, but it was great that taking it because now that I have to stay up. I'm like listening to these podcasts, I'm listening about crypto.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it's like you getting paid to learn damn near.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I'm setting up like my all my Coinbase, all the stuff that I just learned in that era. So then that kind of transpired over in like stocks, and then when the pandemic happened, that was when it was like, okay, it had like I had some feet because I understood it. Yeah. It wasn't like I was creating anything from the beginning.
SPEAKER_04That makes sense. I like that, I like that. So um, just based off of what you know now and what you're going through then, what would you have done to accelerate your process? Whether it was like in college or fresh out of college?
SPEAKER_00I don't think I could have done anything differently, only because it's like it was all learned. You know, like I didn't there was no blueprint, none of this was mapped out.
SPEAKER_04So maybe just learning earlier, like trying to get more aggressive and learning sooner at like 19 or 20 while you're in college too?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean for sure. It it would have benefited, but I think the lessons of blowing through the money helped me more.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_00No, yeah, I feel that like I feel like sometimes people can not go through that stage and then get large lump sums and then go through it at a later stage in life when it's more pivotal than when you're younger and you got some recoup, you know, like us being 20 and 21 and spending all, you know, like traveling, doing all that stuff. Like I would spend that money again before I would invest that money because of what I took from those experiences. It's like it's not monetary, but it's more like you know, it shapes how you see life. Right. And so it's like I don't, you know, so I mean I could have put all of that in the SP and it could be up, but you know what? But it's like, you know, those experiences matter more than you know what I would have made in gains because I can make it, I can make that now, plus I got the experiences, you know.
SPEAKER_04Right. Uh what do you think people underestimate the most about having a nine to five, right? So I disconnect with that because I never had a nine to five. I just you know worked a little bit at the restaurant in high school and that was it. So that's why I got you here to tell me. You know what I'm saying? I don't think it's bad.
SPEAKER_00I don't, I mean, no, it's not. Especially with the the number one reason it's not bad is if you can get a job with benefits, it gives you a level of security.
SPEAKER_04So, what do you mean by benefits for the people?
SPEAKER_00Even just like health insurance. Like if you get health insurance, retirement, all of that stuff, that's a bonus. But just health insurance, like, and it's not it's it's a um for you and the family. Yeah, well, yeah, it covers everybody and it covers everything, like, especially depending on where you work, but like if you can get good a good benefits package, even if you have to contribute to it, it's way cheaper than the open market rates.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00And so it's like, you know, like as you're just progressing through life and life happens, it's like, you know, like it's a it's it's a you know, peace of mind. And so I think that's the that and then like a work environment that you actually like being in. You know, like if if you're at work and they're degrading you and this is just not, you know, like there is no there's no room for growth, you're not, you know, you're you can't you know see the end and like then that's a whole different environment, which is you know, not also I feel like with your work you can also like be done with work for the day and not be having to work until the next day. Oh yeah, no, it's you know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_04Like it's like I'm clocked out, I'm clocked out. Like it's not like oh I'm working and then I'm still working when I get home or doing some other stuff on the weekend or whatever.
SPEAKER_00Like, yeah, no, it's a it's a like a light switch, you can just flick it.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_00And I think that that matters too. But it's also like if you if you like your work environment, you go, you know what I'm saying, like you like the people you work with and all that kind of stuff, it is different. Like, so when you wake up, you're not like oh I gotta go, you know, like it's not like a drag versus like okay, like I don't like the you know this place, I don't like, you know, whatever the you know the whatever the situation is. It's like now you wake up and you don't even have the energy to get you know get to it. So it can be a drain, but yeah, just if if that's your reality. Yeah, but it was like mine just so happened to be that it worked in my favor that I you know I like it and it and I like the people and I like what I do, and you know, I I've been there so long, you know, you learn all these things and get to just develop stuff. So it's like you know, that's my difference. But I mean, if you don't like the job, it makes and you don't get any benefits and there is nothing, you know, like I can, you know, it can be a problem.
SPEAKER_04So, okay, we got a little bit about the backstory, we got an understanding of that, kind of where the mindset was at and where it was going. Now it's like let's talk about the money, let's talk about the bag, let's talk about creating the security, let's talk about all those things, right? Like, that's what a lot of people are gonna get from this as well. So the biggest thing, which I also think is like a superpower to the nine to five, is like consistency on income with a salary or whatever it may be. If you got regular income, using that with taxes and everything, going the traditional way. Uh, you didn't really have too many issues with that. That gave you a lot of confidence when it comes to like lending and everything. At that point, it's like, yeah, come up with the down payment cash or not, or whatever the scenario is, but it makes it a lot easier and a smoother ride on that part.
SPEAKER_00And even getting like pre-approved. Typically, like they'll say they want you to have two years' tax returns. I was only a year working, but because I had gone through college when I graduated from your internship. We well, so when I graduated from college, okay, they let me use that as my year, additional year I needed for like that plus my year of work. Okay.
SPEAKER_04So like those as a student year. Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_00I got you. But they they let me count that to qualify for the loan. So I was pre-approved a year out. Okay. It just took that time to figure, you know, like to find the place, the extra half a year to kind of get it all together.
SPEAKER_03Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_00So it's like, but yeah, no, it's it for sure. I mean, it it's definitely it helps. I mean, don't get me wrong, like getting a loan and finance and all of that stuff, it's a hurdle.
SPEAKER_04You know, you know, like what are uh some common hurdles that you see or experience from yourself or have heard from other people when it comes to like getting their first property, uh, especially like in their 20s?
SPEAKER_00Never seeing your credit report. I mean, like you can see your credit karma, which tell you a little bit, but it's not enough. So it's like not telling you your mortgage scores, it's not telling you like you know, I always download the FICO app.
SPEAKER_04You gotta pay like 20 bucks a month or something like that, but you only need it for like a few months, and you just cancel the subscription. Yeah, but when I do that, it's a lot closer and more accurate when it's like time to make the moves. That helps you get like all the ratings um for like what you need, depending on the type of loans and everything, and it updates better faster on there. So for me, that's what's been helping along the way when I've done stuff in the past of like, oh, where am I exactly at? Where do I need to be?
SPEAKER_00But but most people look at credit karma and just assume that that's gonna get them in, and like then you realize their score is completely different, and yeah, they got things on their credit, so it's like you gotta know where you're at first before you you know can go anywhere. Because you got some stuff to clear up. Like it's it's it's oftentimes like, okay, like you know, even if you paid this stuff, it's like you need to go prove this so now it's not against you because that now it affects how much you can go get for a loan, it affects all of that kind of portion.
SPEAKER_04So it's like and it's not immediate, like if you were to clear up something, it might take 30, 60 days, 90 days for something to like bump your score to get it where it needs to be at. And that might like slow your process down. You're trying to buy a house, but now you can't because you're waiting to get the right rate that you want to make the right payment, and you're so hyped about this home, but then it's a hot home. So it sells in that meantime while you're waiting, and now you gotta go look for another one.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that happens often. But I mean, but if you if you can do all of this work on the front end before you go look at houses, right, now you're not missing out on the opportunity. So it's like, you know, that's why you you get your credit pooled, you figure out where you're at, you figure out, you know, you get what your lender to find out what they want you to do, what what they want you. Your DTI to be like your debt to income and how much debt they want you to pay off and what your payments could be. So you go you go do that research before you look at any house because it's like to find a house that you really love and not to even be pre-approved is it's going to do you a disservice, especially if it's the first house.
SPEAKER_04So speaking of that, find a house that you really love, you're ready to go, but you're now in this mindset of big picture before you even bought the house, or is it why you after you got the house then the big picture came? Because I feel like you knew that wasn't gonna be your forever home. Yeah. Right. So, but the question was like, how big of the picture did you see then compared to once you got in?
SPEAKER_00I think that you see the bigger picture once you feel equity. Okay, like once you once it's like equity's not tangible until you cash out, but it's like once you once you can look at the numbers and your appraisal comes in and you got equity on paper. Now you start to see like coming in, it's it's like okay, this is you know it's big because it's your biggest purchase in life most times. Right.
SPEAKER_04You're like, I just signed a document that 30 years longer than I've been alive. For sure. Right.
SPEAKER_00But but like now, so on the flip side of it, it's uh, but once you get in there and now you've been there a few years, you've updated some stuff, did some cosmetic work, whatever it may be, or even just you know, the home start selling even higher, you know, they just start to uh go up in price every year in your area. Now you have this equity that it doesn't exist. I mean it exists on paper, bank sees it, we all see it, but you can't touch it unless you go get a loan against it or unless you sell the home. Right. Or you know, do something of that nature. So I think just once you get into that point, and like because mine was a condo and I sold it because I didn't want uh HOA, like I it would have worked as I could have rented it out, but it just I didn't want to deal with with them. It like just you know, as a small board, and you know, I didn't uh we didn't see eye to eye. And so it's like, you know, am I trying to sign up, you know, in this structure? And so I got rid of it, but it let me, you know, buy my next place. But doing that is where you see the bigger picture because it just it's just an an evolution of like, okay, you know, I got a nice place to, you know, starting out, and I have a nicer place. But it's like okay, like, you know, there's nicer, so it's like you could see the thing.
SPEAKER_04Level up for a little bit, go somewhere else.
SPEAKER_00Precisely, yeah.
SPEAKER_04So also during this time, you're in a position where um you got disposable income, but it's not like I got enough cash to go be buying three new cars and doing crazy stuff, and you know, having $10,000, $15,000 trips and stuff, but it does give you the room to still go on vacations, still buy the hot drops, the new sneakers that was coming out, like all this stuff, and be selective about that. What was your mindset behind managing uh the extracurricular activities and the unnecessary sneaker pickups and all the other stuff, but still you wanted it for your own, you know, sentimental reasons or whatever. How did you like balance that and create like you know, I don't know how do you explain it, but you know, how'd you balance that?
SPEAKER_00I didn't. It just uh before I got well now I do, but before it just you you find the extremes of well, I found the extremes of how far I wanted to take it. Okay, and then once I got to that point, I was killed back. So like I would go buy all the shoes I wanted, and then one day I would just stop and I just wouldn't buy another. And so it's like it's it's like I would just flip the switch. So like it's like, you know, then it's like okay, I can travel as much throughout the year as I want to, but now I, you know, flip the switch, and now it's okay, now I have to plan this and not, you know, it's like it just puts, you know, like it turned from a point of like how far does this go? How far can I take this where I'm at with the bandwidth now? And then, and that's in all the areas. So once I've discovered, like, you know, this is my my fence line of how far to take it, yeah, I reeled it back, and then you know, okay, I now I can, you know, I can go in any direction because I know how you know, and I can go farther now, obviously, but I I know what it looks like.
SPEAKER_04Okay, so it wasn't like I'm going all in spending my last dollar, but at the same time I'm gonna spend a little extra copying the new drops or getting whatever I need or you know, whatever it is that you buy your Louis bags or whatever, you know what I'm saying? Stay fresh. Yo, DNA fam, I know you guys are into sneakers, so I'm gonna assume that you're into investing as well, which means you're probably also interested in leveling up your life. I think you definitely need to check this out. I just launched my DNA show community inside. I've dropped my entire hobby to hustle program, and I've helped tons of people turn their passions into profit. This is gonna be a place where sneakerheads can connect, share game, and grow together. So don't wait, hit the link down below in the description to get instant access, and I'll see you guys on the inside so we can run it up. Now you have the first house, you then remodeled it, sold it, moved to the next house, and you're building equity in that right off rip once you remodeled that one too. And then how are you seeing the next part of the picture in the play with now rolling in, getting married, having kids, still in your 20s, later mid-20s at this point, right? All this stuff is rolling in. What is causing what's your mindset as the dad, the father of the household, the all the experience of you've seen from growing up in the 90s and early 2000s, and what you want to change and be an example as?
SPEAKER_00I would say uh the biggest, so I would say for me the biggest thing, the shift is it goes from you being responsible for you to then you to be responsible for other people.
SPEAKER_04And you know you and fiance, you and wife.
SPEAKER_00But and then like the kids and then kids come after it. So like that the level every time you feel like, okay, like I feel like I'm super being responsible right now, it just gets deeper. So it's like, oh wait, because like wait, when you like when you got married, like now, like you have a responsibility to provide with the things your wife needs from you, right?
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00But that's she's an adult, and she, you know, like she can function and do everything, you know, so you got some assistance in getting there.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00But when you bring kids into the picture, it's like, okay, nah. It's like it's okay, this from scratch. Like they don't have no, like, okay, they can't help shit.
SPEAKER_04Like, all I gotta do is help them, plus, do other, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so then you that part of it, the protection side to provide, to teach, and all of that. But then the monetary side is where you know I learned about all these accounts, like just you know, watching my podcast and everything. And so, like, okay, I'm like, okay, well, I don't want that college to be uh, you have to get a scholarship, you know, like how my situation was, it was like do or die.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. It's like I'll be able to take care of it when your time comes. For sure. So that's or whatever we've invested in.
SPEAKER_00That's why I'm like, that's why I went and got a 529 account. So I'm like, okay.
SPEAKER_04So explain to people what the 529 account is and when you like how you set it up.
SPEAKER_00So the crazy part is I opened a lot of different accounts through different brokerages at different times in life. So I would spread out through six or seven different brokerage, like five, probably six, maybe, of like, you know, Fidelity, like like M1, all these different places where the money, because they all I would find out about it, I would find out who got an easy brokerage to, you know, that I can use, and I would go open it with them. Okay. So like whatever I felt like they were, whatever I felt like they were good at, I would go use them for that. Okay. And so, like when I got the 529, it's an education account. So like right now, I can go buy an ETF. I can go buy VU. And I can go buy it, and let's say I'm buying it every every month for 18 years.
SPEAKER_04You can put ETFs in regular stocks or just ETFs?
SPEAKER_00It's a brokerage account.
SPEAKER_04So it's but if it depends on who you go through.
SPEAKER_00Because if some brokerages make you buy like their, you know, specifically. Exactly. But if you have like an open one, like you can buy.
SPEAKER_04Okay. So you picked the open one that gave you options?
SPEAKER_00Exactly. So like I can buy VU every month for 18 years.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_00And then anytime while I'm buying it, all of the profits or all of the money in there, like the profits and the money, I can take draws out of it and use it towards educational expenses for anyone in my household that I make at like pretty much the because you essentially you assign the 529 and it can cover everybody. They're just all like the um, I can't even think of the term right now, but essentially not payes, but they're they're all covered within it. So like they're dependents of of the 529.
SPEAKER_01I got you.
SPEAKER_00So like if my wife wants to go to school, she could.
SPEAKER_04And we can just take money out if I but it's in, so it's okay, I got you. But it's not in one person's name.
SPEAKER_00No, it it can, you get if you only have one kid and nobody else wants it, okay. You could do that. I got you. Or you can put everybody on it and then even like housing expenses, so like if they get to college, you can take withdrawals on your profits to pay for like, you know, the housing.
SPEAKER_04Okay, and then the tax side of that?
SPEAKER_00I haven't got to that point yet in like realizing it. So it's like the kids are so young that and also it can change. Like the rules can change every but but what it realize what I realize is it's like it's you're it's a tax advantage to do it this way because how it's currently structured, it's like you're you're not paying, you're like the profits you're taking as long as you're allocating them to that, you're not paying like a capital gains on a full profit of it.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00Like, so like if I go to my brokerage account and take my profits out, then I have to pay those capital gains taxes, like you know, with taxes, but this way, it's like you essentially are taking profits and allocating it to education or the betterment of, you know, so it's like a way to use your profits for what you was going to use it for anyway, but it just has to be a direct correlation between.
SPEAKER_04And this is like even valid for like if you wanted to put them in like a private school and grade school, middle school, high school, whatever.
SPEAKER_00Yep.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_00And like computers, anything that's school related.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_00Like you want to take and so it's like and you just like submit a receipt or something? So it's it's essentially like you as you take it when you for do all your filings, you have to put it all together to show Oh, okay, for later for taxes. Exactly. So you're because you're gonna say, well, yeah, like they'll s they'll still send you like, you know, your tax paperwork, but you're just showing that it was, you know, what you did with it and how it applies. And okay. And also your brokerage might make you submit the documents to them, right? Showing so that way they don't charge you for it. Okay.
SPEAKER_04Makes sense. So you got that set up. Yep. First childborn. Did you have like how do you do that? Did you do you put monthly do you put money in there monthly? Did you just put a lump sum initially? Like, what's your strategy behind that?
SPEAKER_00Just monthly. Uh I just let them take draws.
SPEAKER_04And so and what is uh a realistic number that somebody should shoot for to do monthly for something like that that you can still afford with your lifestyle and everything?
SPEAKER_00I started with $50.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_00And it was just more. And it was because I I had that like my daughter also had a brokerage account, just like a traditional stock account. Right. But it's like, so essentially it's it's an Upma account, and so it's her account, but I'm the per overseer. And then once she turns 21, it becomes fully hers. Like 21, not 18. 18, she'll have access. Joint. And then 21, I would like step off of it, and like this is like, you know, your that's your decision, or that's what the rules are on the it's it's state to state. Like so, like, so she'll have at 18, she can have access to it.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_00But like it's just more so like whatever state you're in, and like the whatever it could change.
SPEAKER_04So also that was my you know, I was just talking about this the other day. When do you plan on teaching the kids? Like, what age do you plan on teaching the kids about like we've been building this up for you, and this is how it works, and when you turn 18, this is what you'll be set up for. Or is it gonna be like uh they find out when they turn 18? Like, I feel like there's multiple ways to look at it because like some people then bank on that when they get older, and then they don't do nothing for the whole time until they turn 18, and then they're just kind of like blowing it off and tricking it and not really like putting themselves in a position to like hit the ground running, more of like it's a crutch.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and you and the thing is is it you I mean, one you you know your kids, and so you can decide what you know would work bet because what works one for one won't work for all. But how I look at it is I we're having money conversations. It's like my daughter's four. She can use a debit card, she can like she'll she can't like you know, like she can go pay at the teal, like you know, like so it's I'm ingraining it to her early so that way money's not a taboo topic.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And then then also you're not you don't go to that like it, I could just waste the stage, you know, like you're gonna value it because it's been ingrained in you for so long. And like, so and then you know, so she'll know what she has because like if you want to go work a summer job, you can contribute to it. You can do so. It's like well, I'm I'm still gonna, you know, whatever it looks like, you know, it I feel like the more comfortable you are with money before it comes, okay, the the more when did you become comfortable with money? Probably 26, 28.
SPEAKER_04Okay. So that's honestly, I feel like a good age. Yeah. I feel like some people still in their 30s or even 40s are not truly like comfortable understanding it, managing it, and seeing the the picture.
SPEAKER_00You know what I'm saying? Yeah, it's perspective. I mean, you know, when we've seen so much, it gives you like, you know, you got some you got some understanding. Like, you know, when you go, you're talking to somebody and they show you the brokerage account and it's a million dollars in there. It's like, oh, okay. So like it exists. You know, like you know, so it makes it so tangible that you're like, okay, like even if your everyday life doesn't look like that, you still know it exists. Like you, you have like you got the secret, you know, you got the cheat code, like you're sitting here and nobody else knows this. I mean, they know it, but yeah, they don't get they didn't see it.
SPEAKER_04They don't, you know, they don't, you know, so like that helps definitely key, like getting around people and being in the right rooms alone to know that that stuff is real, because again, it's like everyday people that are doing this stuff that can build out a solid brokerage, that can build a portfolio, that can have a side hustle that's making some decent bread, that can do all this stuff, and they're not some like big person on the internet doing it that you see and you're like, oh damn, I'll never be able to do that. You know what I'm saying? So that's why I'm saying I I feel like you have a lot of value to be here talking about this and explaining it from your perspective because you naturally relate with a lot more people that's watching this video.
SPEAKER_00And it's more so like if you don't if you don't want to get rich offline, then like getting rich offline by accident is one thing, but if it's like your intention and it's like it's your only sole focus of income, it's extremely hard.
SPEAKER_04Especially, yeah, if you don't know what you're doing and you're not putting yourself in the right spot, like you know, so like and even like there's so many people that will not make it, it's crazy. It's actually crazy.
SPEAKER_00But like I just learned it like watching you, like in a maneuver through the year. So it's like the like having having, don't get me wrong, having faith in what you got going and your motion and all of that, that's one part of you need that. But like sink or swim sometimes that works for some people, but it doesn't work for everybody. No, and so I think that when you when you realize like, okay, like you can actually live a comfortable life, a good, great life outside of social media, is when like that was for me.
SPEAKER_04Like, I don't, you know, like you consume a lot of social media, but you don't like post to be an influencer or anything like that, or get brand deals or anything, more just like connection based with people. Is it more of like connecting with people that you know, or you're trying to build a network through social media and business side of it? Like, where is your what's your perspective on how you approach social media?
SPEAKER_00So social media is one a tool. I don't see you know, like I, or you know, like oh, I see it, but it for me, there's it, you know, and like for business and work or whatever, it it's not the daily need, you know, like I'm not, I don't, and also I'm I'm not a for everybody person kind of business. You know, like I'm not like I'm not, it's just not for everybody. So like traditional marketing where people need social media, you need to get out in front of people. You gotta you sell them material items or you sell them like like it's a necessity, so I completely get that. But for me, I like built my life around not needing it. So it's like I can go on there and post nothing, or I can go on there and post whatever I want to, and I don't, I'm not thinking about like, you know, I need these views, I need these, like, I need this, like I gotta exactly. And so like, because and I mean that's it's like it's the opposite of what most people do on social media right now. Like, you know, but for me, because I took that pressure off myself, like as I grow and ascend in life, and I let's say I go more onto social media, and it if it does happen, it does, but if it doesn't, it's like, you know, I'm not I'm not putting that as like, you know, I'm not putting social media as a retirement package for me, you know. Like it's like, okay, but if but you know, if life changes and things, you know, it's like I would gladly be welcome to it, but it's not like I'm not I'm not even putting it in my thought process because it's like so you just mainly be on Instagram and Facebook? Yeah, I get on threads, I get on watch YouTube, yep.
SPEAKER_04But yeah, not TikTok. Nah, no TikTok. And then I mean I'm on Snapchat.
SPEAKER_05I'm on whatnot F Tow. No, but uh this man is a sponsor.
SPEAKER_00But no, but yeah, so it's like you know, I think it's uh it where you're at is really like you know, it's dependent on I mean everything's dependent on where you're at.
SPEAKER_04Hey, sorry to interrupt, just wanted to let you guys know we have a special deal going on with Apothecary now. So if you use the discount code DNA show, that's gonna get you guys a discount on all your orders from their website. Also, I'm gonna have everything linked down below underneath the video and in the pinned item section where you can purchase directly from this video as well. One thing that I love about the apothecary socks is they have the ISO weave material and it is so good, it has a great comfort, flex, and even good for me at a size 13. So, again, use the discount code DNA show. And if you ever plan on rocking any socks, make sure you guys tag me on Instagram. What kind of life? This is like we're talking about more than that. What kind of life are you trying to create for your kids that you see, you know, the going into high school, becoming adults, like how they are um, you know, going into the world?
SPEAKER_00The goal is is to help them become the best version of themselves.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00So the the best thing they could do for the world is to be the best version of them and give it to the world.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00And so I see it as like I aid you in that as you discover what that is for you.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_00And so as you figure out, you know, and even with what does school look like in 18 years, you know, like what is college gonna be like? What is what is AI gonna do? What is all, you know, so it's so many, it's so but for me, it's like if I set this, if I plant the seeds now and the tree isn't needed at the time when it comes around, I'll just reallocate the investment.
SPEAKER_04So y'all doing sports already?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, like so she does gymnastics and all like and all that kind of stuff. She does play soccer, and and so she's into that, but how is that?
SPEAKER_04Like, she likes going?
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_00But for me, that's another thing. Like, I want her to be involved in all of that, but it's not the only out. You know, where we felt like we had to make it and something, you know, like carrying that kind of pressure, like I it's like, you know, it it's going to be if this is what your passion is, we pursue it to the fullest extent.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00But don't feel like you gotta save us with this passion, you know.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're not, you know, just do it out of 100%.
SPEAKER_00Like, do it out of the fact that this is what you want to do, not like you gotta get us out the hood.
SPEAKER_04So as a father and see what's going on, um, being married, the statistics of all that stuff and staying together, being a black man in America, like all that stuff combined, right? There's a lot of pressures and stereotypes and everything, right? Uh, what do you think men in general are struggling with the most right now that are uh, you know, in that same category? That our fathers trying to figure it out.
SPEAKER_00You know, I think it's uh it's inflation.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00So if you let's say you have this uh this burden to decide or want to provide and be all of that, it all comes at the highest price point that it's ever been in our lifetime in you know in the States. So it's like it's it's uh so then that comes with added pressure. And then you look at like, you know, stagnant wages. So it's like, okay, like you want to go work the job, to go make the money, to do all of that stuff, but now you have to work double the hours to even, you know, meet the bare minimum sometimes to then not be able to even enjoy any of it, you know.
SPEAKER_04And that's where I think for me, you know, I'm pretty solid with implementing systems and strategies to optimize the time, the payout, and compounding whatever it is you get in return from it. Because if you don't have that in place and you do have to do those things, the extra things to still get by, like now you're still running on the hamster wheel. And I feel like that's where a lot of people are stuck in that spot and they can't, like you said, you took $50. That's not a big ask. Can you give me $50 a month and start this investment? Can you give me $100 a month and start this investment? If you have enough money to cover you buying one or two pairs of shoes a month, are you willing to sacrifice one of those pairs of shoes this month to put yourself in a better position in life? So I feel like that's a great definition of it. And there's like now the mindset behind it. Like, where are your priorities fully? Like when you really look at the bigger pictures, and I know it's like a lot with right now with what people want. And you're like, well, I've been working hard, I've been busting my ass to try to do all this stuff, so I need to like get something there to reward myself. And then it's like slowly hurting your future.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_04Not by a lot, but like with compounding, it can be a lot.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00It's all of it actually. It's like you you can still do, you could be doing that knowingly and and still do it. Like you're like, okay, like I know the small compound effect of what it is, but I've just thought of like I go through periods where it's like, is this helping my future self? So it's like whatever I'm doing, is it like, you know, is this helping what I'm playing for? Like the end goal and all of that.
SPEAKER_04So whenever you spend money on anything, is that what you're thinking of? Or is it kind of like periods of time?
SPEAKER_00Today, yes. It used to be periodically.
SPEAKER_04Okay, so when did it go from periodically? When did periodically start? Because a lot of people don't even get to that point where it's periodically, and then where it goes to the phase of like everything I spend, I'm thinking about this.
SPEAKER_00So periodically it is like, okay, like like it's when you get like you get married. Okay, like I I can, you know, like I'm periodically checking in because I have, you know, other people to consider now. Right. Or another person to consider. So now it's like, okay, like I got you have like, well, you don't have to, but you become aware if you're looking to in that state where it's like, okay, like I'm active, like, and this is not everybody. Some people are aware from the very beginning.
SPEAKER_04Right. But like, if you're not, you're like, okay, like But then there's also again being aware and then not doing nothing about it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but yeah, but I mean, just just but even just to be aware, it at least it'll start chipping away at you. You know, like now you can consciously, you know, but then it's like once you start to have like a family and you start to expand and you start to, you know, get assets, all the stuff, now you become fully aware. You should want to.
SPEAKER_04Okay. Because now you're like, okay, this is where it's like So you would say like the past like five years, maybe like since the pandemic.
SPEAKER_00I would say leading into it.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_00And then that just, I mean, that lets you get hyper-tified everything. 100%. And then like with all the investments and the low home interest rates and all the like stuff that was going on, it just amplified how quick I had to learn it. Like, okay, it's something new every day. Like, and so I'm like, how do you maximize this timeline? Because you know, like the stocks returns. That's when I was buying, I started buying stocks every single day. Like, I would just wake up like and buy every single day.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I remember you had that for a while. You was like, bro, I'm just buying stock every day. Yeah, and it's like I'm not spending a crazy amount, just buy buy a little bit, buy a little bit, buy a little bit.
SPEAKER_00But I was just using it as like reserves, like it was like, and then I'm like, the returns are so crazy, it's like I would rather, I would rather put my rainy day money here.
SPEAKER_04Because it bro, it becomes so much more. I swear it's like a down there, like a video game, bro. That's what I've been saying before. Like, as you unlock these parts of your mindset and everything, it's like literally adding a piece to your character in a video game, and you unlock that skill, and then you like level that character up and rank it up to get it to 99 or 100. And it's like when you start seeing that compound effect of like consistency and getting into the market and building that stuff up and giving it time, even like six months, like yeah, just seeing that, bro. I you know how I always do my thing where I throw a hundred bucks on like a stock that I'm like interested in so it doesn't go out of sight out of mine, yeah. But then I typically like find a lot of good stuff.
SPEAKER_05So now I just looked at one that I bought last two weeks ago and it's up a hundred and sixty percent. And I only put a hundred bucks on it, and I'm like, bruh. It's a good 220. But you know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_04But it's still cool because I'm like, I'd rather learn through that and then say, okay, now I can invest more into it or whatever, or like see, is this the top or whatever? But I'm putting myself out and at least putting something in it. Sometimes I'll put $10, you know, but usually I was like, my $100 is my threshold. I want to get to the point where I'm like, which there's way too many stocks. But like, if I'm like, okay, I'll throw at least a thousand on it. That way, like, okay, now we bubble up a little bit more or do something. But makes a difference. I think uh, yeah, just finding that consistency in that and understanding when you know what's right and you know what's wrong, and you still choose the wrong, and if you can eliminate the wrong or the less right, whatever word you want to call it, as much as possible, it will then compound faster on the other side, which is crazy. Like, even if you're going 50-50, doing it right, doing what's wrong, or 60-40, like even that 10% shift can make such a drastic change.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and it makes a difference because it's like even with the investing side, it's like it wasn't because I was investing, I wasn't spending my money too. It was like I'm paying myself first, and then I'm spending all the rest of the money and allocating it where it has to go, and you know, spend where, you know, so it's like when you start seeing it, like, okay, well, I'll just like I started I I put it in perspective. I'm like, okay, you got a power bill right for your house. I'm like, every single month you pay them hundreds of dollars. Do you feel like they should get paid before you get paid out of the work that you, you know what I'm saying? So like I'm not saying go late on your bills, but I'm just saying if you allocate money towards yourself and the investor in your family or whatever, you'll figure out how to pay the bill. But if you don't, you you may pay the bill, but you won't figure out how to, you know, like most people don't figure out how to do the investing on the back end because they paid all the bills. But if you pay all the, if you pay yourself first and then start paying bills, you'll figure out how to make up the difference and whatever that looks like. But now at least you're getting something in the market, opposed to like, I'll I'll start, you know, investing when I can get forward to. It's not prices aren't going to right.
SPEAKER_04It's just gonna get worse. And that people always say that, and I'm like, there's no way you're telling me as a grown adult you can't find a way to get $100 to get something started and just see how it works. Well, and it's like it's sometimes you got so many material items around your house alone. Just sell something that you have sitting around that hasn't been touched in years. Like that's everybody has that. We grow up in America. I mean, come on.
SPEAKER_00But I think what it is is it's exposure. Yeah. So it's like if you if you live in an environment where you've never seen a brokerage account and you lit and then no one's not even encouraging you, just no one's not even, you know, just not a conversation. Now, now it feels like an unknown gamble. So if it's a gamble, you know they'll take it. But since it's unknown, now it's okay, well, what does that come with? And what does that look, you know? And it's like there's a million and one questions, but it's like, you know, if if it was an everyday conversation and all of everybody talked about it around you, and it felt weird not to have a brokerage account, or it felt weird not to be, you know, like you know, it's like, okay, now now you become the outlier, but when you're the outlier for the good side of it, it makes it, you know, it's like it's hard to take that leap.
SPEAKER_04So I'm looking it up right now because this made me think about it. 39% of black households are invested in the stock market. And almost 70% of white households are invested in the stock market.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And I mean, it's exposure. Right. And and it's also it's like when you look at it, you're looking at like it's it's it's so many combined issues that it's like, okay, it just trickles up to like now. I don't even have time to get exposure because I'm, you know.
SPEAKER_04And then you get discouraged as you get older because you feel like you're too late, but then you forget that like you're trying to build this legacy for something that's bigger than you.
SPEAKER_00Well, not everybody. And that's what I realized. You got that's one realization I had. Not everybody has the bigger picture as as their care or focus. Some people are for them and them only. And they'll forever be that way, I guess. Yeah, and so and I mean, and are they right or wrong? Who am I to say? Right. But but for me, being a legacy person and thinking bigger picture, and it you be you have to sacrifice it.
SPEAKER_04But but coming from a family man perspective, I'm like, how do you just be for yourself at that point?
SPEAKER_00Like, why do you ask people like that all the time?
SPEAKER_04Like, why do you get married? Why do you have kids?
SPEAKER_00It's a that's a great question. Uh, but and I can't speak for them, but I I think it's like it who knows, but I I do know that it exists, and some people don't like it, and and it it's it's it's for me, it just doesn't make sense because it's like I took a I did this and took on the responsibility I came with it and wanted more.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00Like I've seen more for us, so I couldn't see it the other way, you know. Like I don't I don't see how you could see it, but it happens.
SPEAKER_04So so what does paint the picture of legacy? What does that look like?
SPEAKER_00It looks like something outliving you. There's a quote that says, like, you know, you plant the seed today, but you'll you'll you may not live to see it, you know, at its fullest potential. And that's what it is. It's more so like, okay, I have children who someday may have children, if not, whichever, you know, but it they it'll continue on, like who whatever I put into the world. So it's like, okay, like I show them who I am, they show me who they are, you know, they become who they are, and now they live out their lives, and then they they affect all the people. And so it's like it's it's an it's the seed that grows. So it's like it's just the seeds that I planted through them and through the world and all these other things. And then, you know, having some money makes it last. So it's like that's it's as unfortunate as it may sound, you just if you want it to, you know, if you want to keep it sustaining and you want to create something everlasting, you need some money behind it. And so that's that's where you tie it in. It's like you know, have a mission that you stand for and what you want it to be about, and then put the money behind it.
SPEAKER_04So there's always a teeter in line of people that want to be like financially secure and they're okay, and there's other people that's like trying to get wealthy, right? Which one are you on? And what does wealth look like to you?
SPEAKER_00I am I would say I feel like impact and uh responsibility and all of those things are the big are the big and driver factors, not like a dollar amount. And so it's like uh even like control, like you know, and and it sounds kind of weird, but like a lot of things we go through, we have to go through other people because they control industries and control these things. And so how much control can I can I you know get to for the betterment, you know, like how can I okay, if you know you have to do something, like you know, whatever it is, right? It's like okay, how do I get some control to that industry or whatever that looks like and have some impact? So now all of those barriers that we dealt with, we could just go be the change. Right. So it's like so I think that's it, but I mean, the more I feel like I embark on that, the more that comes with it.
SPEAKER_04So then, you know, so it's like you know, I don't I don't have more responsibility with other exterior people that's not in your family, taking care of environments, communities, whatever.
SPEAKER_00For sure. But I feel like, and I realize like the more I do of that, the more the money comes.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_00And so it's like, you know, I don't I don't even want to cap what it can be because I may need these large large amounts because I have so much, you know, to be responsible for.
SPEAKER_04And so, you know, I don't want I don't put a cap on it, but it's like, you know, I'll I'll live accordingly, you know, as I how do you uh normalize the thought of a million dollars and explain to people that a million dollars is not a lot?
SPEAKER_00I guess it depends on if we're talking what the million is for, you know, if it's you gross a million, you net a million, you inherit a million, you know, like you you add a million tax-free, and it's just it's like I think that all plays a factor, but it also it's where you're at in life. So if you know, it in like you know, you can live, if you live in a small town in you know, the Midwest and homes are still thirty thousand dollars, that million will last your lifetime. You could you could depend on how you live. I mean, but I mean, you know, what could you think housing is your most expensive place?
SPEAKER_04Their mortgage might be like in the 2000s. But I'm but I'm saying just pay it all. Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_00Like so, like just pay taxes and facilities, all that's you can get a new construction for a hundred thousand dollars. Yeah. And you got 900 tax-free that you could just, you know, live off of. So, but but here, you know, it's not the same. You know, obviously the house is gonna cost you 600,000, 500,000 just to even, you know, get your get your entry-level starter home, right? And so now, you know, but it's I think it's perspective on like where you're at. So like, but for for here, I think it's it's a great, it's a great goal to uh put on the you know board if that's what you see fit, but it I wouldn't let it stop you from going for you know from more efforts, you know, bandwidth.
SPEAKER_04It says average household in America spends $6,500 a month, $78,000 annually. But if you break it down by a household, if you do a single person, it's like close to $5,000. And then a family is usually around $8,800 to $10,000. So we'll say $10,000 a month for life experience expenses. So that's $100,000 a year. This is on average around America. So if you had $100K a year that you had to spend plus actually, that's more than that. That's $120,000 a year, right? So that's not even 10 years that you could live off the million. But if you didn't have investment, you didn't have other stuff, right? Yeah. So like putting in place all that stuff and just living regular, even if you inherited a million dollars, it don't, it's not a lot, it don't last. Like you have to make it work, you have to put stuff in position. For sure. But I think people see it as like, oh, this is a lot of money, and it's like, but really it's not.
SPEAKER_00Well, and I think it's it we're skewed by city living, but you know, most of the most of the country is country.
SPEAKER_04And so, you know, like that's what I'm saying. That's a minor that's a uh opposite. You know, that's why you go with the average of that. I think I think like the because I'm not gonna talk about somebody living in a country on a forum that got paid off house, granddad started, he built it with his hands and they don't gotta pay nothing.
SPEAKER_00Like that's not gonna but I think like I think we have in the country we have so many high city costs like living that excuse the lower, cheaper, like the the mid-tier. Like, so I think like there's a lot of people who who who live in a mid-tier living cost, it's expensive to them per se, but when you relative, you know, it's not you know a San Francisco rent price. And so it's like I think if if you're in that middle tier, I think the middle tier below, you can make a million last. But I think if once you get to any type of, you know, like we're you know, like traditional with or without investing. I mean, if you do the 4% rule, you can put the million in and get your 40,000. So I mean, with that, right? So, but I but I I mean also how old are you? That's another question. Right. So if you know you're 20 and you gotta make a stretch, they're gonna make it stretch. I mean, are and all it's it's all these like nuances, like are you working or are you just gonna take that and I do nothing? And so it's like it's all the little things, but yeah, no, I mean, granted, you know, I I just don't want to belittle a million, but I also want to show that you know it it it you have.
SPEAKER_04You have to use it correctly. The money has to be a tool at the end of the day, no matter how much it is. For sure. But I think for some reason there's this thing around 100k, a million, 10 million, 100 million, and then a billionaire, right? Like those are like the numbers that most people talk about, right?
SPEAKER_00Typically they fall in some category, right?
SPEAKER_04You know what I'm saying? Oh, you make a hundred K a year, trying to make a million a year or be a millionaire or uh on the road to 10 million, now I'm gonna go to scale to 100 million. Yeah. So I feel like those are the things, but a lot of people are in that the vast majority, right? Are going from that trying to get the first 10k, trying to get to 100k, and then there's that gap trying to get to the mill, doing all that stuff, and then that's where everybody has the struggle. They fall off, whatever, they don't understand how to implement it, where to put it. Like you said, like you follow this rule. Like, what is the 4% rule? Explain that to the people, like they may not know.
SPEAKER_00So even like what the 4% rule is, is if you take a million dollars, invest it, and you live off the 4% that is paying annually, which would be the 40,000, and then you your principal of a million never leaves. So you would essentially just be living off the interest limit. And so that that's the I mean, but like I was saying, 4% is uh like a high yield savings.
SPEAKER_04Well, high yield savings. So I would recommend putting that into a dividend stock that has opportunity to grow. Maybe like SCHD or something like that. That way you're getting uh that's like three and a half percent. It pays out every 30 days. Yeah, you get your monthly dividend off of it, and you got one or two options reinvest it, which and let it compound, or live off of that, and you're basically getting what inflation is. So you're like getting nothing in return. You're actually gonna be losing more in the long run when you run the math because inflation is gonna be beating that every year. And people always talk about that too, which I was just talking about somebody else the other day. I'm like, people are like, oh, I gotta high- I'm I'm not a fan of high-you's savings accounts accounts at all. Because I'm like, bro, you could park the money in there for a bit, like if you got, you know, if you're in between plays or something, maybe a couple months, six months max, but like I wouldn't put all my money into a hold in there. That's not investing. It's literally competing with or losing to inflation alone.
SPEAKER_00Oh no, you're investing, they're just you're not receiving a benefit. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04So I'm like, You're giving the bank the money to invest.
SPEAKER_00They're taking it, they're putting it out there, getting 20%, 15% on these credit cards, whatever they're doing with the money, and you get four. And so, yeah.
SPEAKER_04And they'd be like, I'm winning. I'm like, no, look at the inflation rate. It's the same thing.
SPEAKER_00It's like it's tangible cash, and it's high yield next. So it's like if you got a store values of money, it's like okay, if you have cash in your safety deposit box, that one you're losing the most on. And then so then if you go, if you go 4%, at least you're you know, you're almost covering it. So now you're not losing the full inflationary rate to your money.
SPEAKER_04So it's like it's like you're like breaking even, basically.
SPEAKER_00It's like if you need to have, you know, like like okay, you want to have you feel comfortable having some cash on your own.
SPEAKER_04But that's also breaking even without spending the money.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Because if you spend the money, then you're losing.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure. But this is true. But I think it's like, you know, if let's say, let's say it hits the fan, right? Like it just goes crazy, right? And they freeze our brokerages. Well we'll say like, so you know, it's like Yeah, this digital world's crazy. That's I mean, yet again, the high yield probably gonna freeze too.
SPEAKER_04So that's and then you're only protected for what 250,000?
SPEAKER_00If it's FDIC covered. And so, I mean, I don't know, I don't know if every, you know, every institution isn't, so you can, you know, there's only be protected.
SPEAKER_04But all yeah, which is you need to go look at your bank and understand if it is or not, because there's limits on that, and people think that they can have a bunch of money in there and then it's not even fully protected. So if something happens, especially like fintech, you get up to a certain amount.
SPEAKER_00Like fintech companies that got the bank accounts and stuff, some of them aren't. So then it's just like you know, you just trust in them. But that's what I'm saying. So it's I don't know. I mean, yet again, if it it's always these like what if scenarios that you think about. But if it's like, okay, like I want six months' reserves, tangible cash, I mean a high yield is not terrible, but especially if you have your money invested and you're already, you know, it's like if you're making these crazy returns or these returns at all, it's like okay, like it's essentially like dollar cost average.
SPEAKER_04You're like, okay, I'm I wouldn't put my most in there though. No, and I wouldn't use that as a thought or form of investing in any sense. Like I would use that as like you said, if it was some rainy day bread that you left out and it's a very minimal part of your portfolio, you know, like literally under 10%, probably I would be.
SPEAKER_00Even if it's like a tax payment account, okay. You you gotta have, you know, so it's like there's there's there's ways you could utilize it to where it's like, okay, like I have to pay these things out, so at least I, you know.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, let it park here and do its thing. Exactly. Yeah, I feel that. Um, okay, I have some other stuff I wanted to ask before we get out of here. What's the harsh truth that men's need to hear right now?
SPEAKER_00Unfortunately, it ain't getting no easier. Look, I wouldn't even lie to you. It's but it doesn't mean you still can't win and it, you know, it won't work out for you. It's just societal and everything around it. I just I don't see how, you know, it's gonna there's not gonna be handouts, there's not gonna be, you know, like, and so you really gotta lock in, like, you know, mm and really put your best foot forward.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And it's like there's no yeah, there's no s saving grace right now, uh, that's you know, coming to so you know somebody that's listened to the
SPEAKER_04They're in that position, new dad, about to be a dad, millennial, got a job, trying to figure it out, Matty just got married, maybe just bought their first house, whatever. Kind of in that same similar scenario you're in. But don't got it figured out all the way. What's the blueprint that you would give them? Like, all right, this is the first year. You're trying to flip the switch. What are the things you're gonna tell them?
SPEAKER_00I would start with a quote and I would tell them, stay small enough long enough, you'll be big enough soon enough. Which means learn to live below your means as quick as you can. And that doesn't mean like find your means and then trickle that line of like, all right, this is you know, it's like I'm I'm okay, I'm safe, I'm okay, but I'm nowhere near, you know, like what I could afford right now.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_00Because once you start there and you're in your living expenses and your cost of living isn't consuming you, you can see clear. You can see what a different, you know, so that might mean you got a kid on the way, but you gotta move into a studio for the year. Okay, you might gotta, and it's and you make more, you can go, but you don't know what it looks like to provide for someone else while also trying to provide for you, while all, you know, so it's like so you gotta give yourself some buffer space.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00Because expenses are gonna come, things come up and all of that. And so, like, if you can operate without a sense, you're urgent because you want things to happen for you, but you're not desperate.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00Like, if you don't have to get, you know, like if you can, you're like, okay, like I wasn't expecting that bill, but okay, it ain't it ain't cleared out.
SPEAKER_04It ain't gonna hurt me because I'm ready for it. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00100%.
SPEAKER_04And then when I feel like you should have that unexpected buffer for whatever your monthly expenses is, maybe like 10-15% prepared for every month, just in case something happens, blowing out tire, whatever it may be.
SPEAKER_00And it even if it's really just it's really starting with that rainy day money, because then that goes over everything. It's like, oh wait, the bill is double this month, and we don't got it. It's like, okay, so it's like you just really create that that cushion of whatever's comfortable for you, and then you're not operating out of like like you sick, but you can't call out of work because you can't afford, you know, I'm saying like you're you're sick, sick, and you're like, I gotta get paid. I gotta go. Like, but thinking about like, oh wait, we're okay for today, like I could take, I can actually, you know, or you know, like in a like missing events that you, you know, you're like, well, I gotta work because I, you know, and it's like, don't get me wrong, work comes up all the time, you gotta miss miss whatever. But it's like, you know, if you had the option and the work wasn't the reason, you know, like that dollar that you were gonna get or money you're gonna get from them, yeah, wasn't the only incentive, would you go and over this, you know?
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So I think that's it. It's it's really like you gotta you gotta stay low, keep it, keep your overhead low. As low as can be, as expensive as it's ever been. But you keep it as low as it been, and then you come out of that with a savings, you come out of that, feeling more, you know, you get some pay increase, you start making more money, you do more sales, whatever your industry is. Now you feel okay, now you can increase your expenses because you you get you know, you know what things cost. You know, you know, like to the extent of like, okay, I I feel comfortable, I've been paying rent for this long. I know I get, you know, like you get some comfort under you, and you get some savings under you, and you know, and if you even if you put a couple dollars in investments, that helps you get some comfortable.
SPEAKER_04I think the investment is mandatory.
unknownFor sure.
SPEAKER_04And but like there's three pillars to it. When you got extra money coming in, you need to either be preparing to invest into a new property, you need to be either putting money into the stock market or investing into your business to make more money from your business. And whenever you have any excess cash that's left over each month, it has to go into that and aggressively be trying to build that up, paying down credit. But I think even if you had an extra hundred dollars, I would like focus on, yeah, I need to pay down credit, but also I gotta at least take 20 or 30 bucks from this and put it into the market too. Yeah, and eventually it will pass the other one. You're aggressively paying something down, but you gotta be working on the stuff. I think a lot of people go for this, pay off all my credit, do all this stuff, or get my debt cleared, and then, but they're not building the other stuff on the side, and they don't account for what $20 can do, what $50 can do, what $100 can do, how it can compound. Like it's crazy to see. I literally put $100 in one of my brokerages, uh, just because I wanted to set up a different one and to see what happened. And I had put it in for a year, it was $100 a month, and then I'd stopped after that like a year and a half in, and that was a few years ago, and it's already close to $4,000 now. Yeah, and it was like some random thing I was doing in the background, and it's like when you create that security, yeah, it just helps so much more. So it's important to get all that stuff done that you're saying, and I also think it's important to focus on getting invested into something, building your business or getting another property, whatever it is. And people just underestimate how much a little can do. Like it's so like when you have nothing in the market, when you have nothing invested into real estate and other assets, you're gonna get nothing in return. You're gonna just keep doing what you're doing. But sustaining, sustaining, sustaining.
SPEAKER_00It's a um, it's uh it's an effect of you know the system. You know, it's like, okay, well, if everyone's doing well, everyone's doing well, but someone's not, you know, like and so it's it it's it's not for no reason, but I think um with with all the tools at hand, social media, ai, and all these things, it's like you just have to actively not want to no more.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah, like it at a time of your face.
SPEAKER_00At a time it was it we were boxed out. We couldn't, you know, go to school. It was all the things that we couldn't do. Yeah, but now it's like okay, you can independently go do this. Like there's nothing, like, there's nothing out there that you want to do. I mean, as far as like whatever the industry is, whatever it is you're trying to do. Like, you can go find out about something.
SPEAKER_04Like you used to have to call somebody and figure out them purchasing the stocks for you and doing all the stuff. Now you could just click and swipe up on the phone and like have an order go through and have automatic payments directly coming from your account every month to create dollar cost averaging.
SPEAKER_00Like, I mean it can literally happen in seconds, and that's what I mean by like paying yourself first. So, like, if you like I said, like if you make it automated, so if you know you get paid on the first and 15th, and if you make it automated, now you say, okay, like the day the check comes out, the withdrawal comes out, so I don't even recognize it. Right. And you don't so part of my new norm. You can't miss something you don't have. And it's not like you don't have it, it's just going to a different bank account that happens to be paying potentially better.
SPEAKER_04And then that's what so that's what I always tell people. You need to race to a hundred thousand on a portfolio, right? That's the first step, and then it'll scale faster past that to get to a million.
SPEAKER_00But uh I think that first thousand is important.
SPEAKER_04The first thousand for sure.
SPEAKER_00Like I because most people, you know, like yeah, and that's what I tell people.
SPEAKER_04Okay, raise to a thousand. You got shoes in your collection, right? Let's assume $200 a pair of shoes. Just sell five pairs, put it in the market, let it grow, do its thing, work in the background. You still got 20 pairs in your collection. Who's it gonna hurt? Nobody. You're gonna be happy later. You're gonna get more addicted to doing that than buying the shoes.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, especially, I mean, especially if you invest into like these known companies and ETFs and things that are like you know, safer.
SPEAKER_04It's like that literally companies use for their own retirements with their own employees. So it's like the the best, safest route, the strongest. Yeah, and uh anything's a risk, and I get all that, same old shit. But at the end of the day, you gotta invest in something. You gotta take a risk if you want to level up.
SPEAKER_00I mean, yeah, and I mean honestly, you gotta you you gotta put it in perspective. Like, let's say stocks plummet. Buy more. Well, no, no, like let's say, let's say it all one day we wake up and it all wipe out, right? Right, it affects your daily life in so much that you're not even gonna realize, like your TV's not gonna cut on, the power, like everything that you're about. Your daily life, your car, like bro, what the stock plummets, that means the business goes out of business. That means, you know, my my computer system, my car won't cut on.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_00Who's there to so it's all these like, so it's like it's what I call it, it's a hedge on life. Because if you have to live and pay everybody, you pay all these bills, right? And so they're getting paid a few different ways. So it's like, okay, well, the bills are gonna get paid. And if let's say, like, even if it all goes belly up, my stocks is the last of my worry. My quality of living is gonna be number one. Yeah, for sure. Like what do I wake up to every day and what do I have to live like? What is this? Yeah, and so like that, so it's like the stocks is just a hedge, really. It's not like I'm I'm I'm banking that because I know how you know no one wants to fold and how the system works, and how, you know, okay, well, you keep getting bigger because of you know all of this stuff. So, okay, well, like, I don't want to miss out on that, but I you know, like if it goes completely out the you know, it's like, okay, well, like, how's my quality of living though?
SPEAKER_04So that's why you're because at that point you're like, how do we live off grid? We ain't got no lights, we need solar panels, like trying to figure it out.
SPEAKER_00If the top 10 stock companies go to zero, right, we all got problems.
SPEAKER_04iPhones cooked, everything. Bro, what we can all the computer chips, you damn it.
SPEAKER_00So it's yeah, so that's what I'm saying. So it's like, and and that's why like even I pick a few individual stocks, but I don't like if they're not pivotal to our necessary, like if Microsoft goes, oh, we got an issue. Right. If Google leaves, right, bro, like okay, now you know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_04So it's like Google's popping right now, by the way, for the people that are uh feeling like you're late to the party, trust me, they still got some room to grow.
SPEAKER_00But yeah, like so it's it's it's like I'm I'm hedging with these industries that where it's like it affects our daily life so much if they if they go out that you know that's the hedge. It's like okay, I'm hedging that we're gonna stick around because you matter to so many households in this country and this world.
SPEAKER_04That's all yeah, but it makes sense. Um yeah, I feel like does that you feel like we covered enough for the millennial dad life?
SPEAKER_00I mean, it's ever evolving, but I mean, yeah. I mean, I think you just you you really gotta you gotta be willing to learn. Because it's like this, it's a whole new era, it's a whole new, you know, everything's so different right now that it's like you gotta learn by trial and error, you gotta take some advice, but most of it's just really gonna go figure, like trying, trying to get because it's like, you know, like don't be scared.
SPEAKER_04And I also oh man, I hear a lot of men tell me this when I'm talking to them, like in the community and stuff. Everything's on the line. I can't afford to make a mistake. I'm scared to invest because of that. So they're right there. They may or may not know what's going on, but that is what I hear a lot.
SPEAKER_00This is the thing. Every day you wake up, every day's on everything's on the line.
SPEAKER_01Every day.
SPEAKER_00So it's not there is no difference. It's more so you have to be so confident in the research you've done that you're just taking a gamble on yourself. And so if you, you know, it's like if you you have to be willing to gamble on yourself, your education, and better in you to be able to make that jump. Because, you know, like I said, no one's coming to save you.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00And it's not getting easier. And so, like, that's so it's like, I know it's scary, like, oh, this is my you know, last $10,000, last $1,000, whatever, but it's not gonna get you that far anyway. Right.
SPEAKER_04I mean, as far as like, you know, like and they can teach you what you needed to then unlock the last piece of the puzzle.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and it's even even if you're just getting in the market with that money, yeah, or you're just doing small investments just to understand it, it's like something beats nothing because now you can, you know, you put ten dollars in and it went down a little bit and it went up, and then you know, okay, like I get it.
SPEAKER_04You can see how it works, it's so much different than watching somebody else doing it and all that stuff. Like, you gotta get in there and see how it works. So whenever I always tell people, yeah, whatever you're willing to lose, and they'll be like, I can't lose nothing. I'm like, well, then you're not gonna make nothing either. Yeah, but whenever you're willing to lose, like, that's what you're paying the cost of entry to get into the whatever it is that you're doing. And then obviously, you know, we're here to help guide people through that so they don't make those same mistakes we made and can get there faster and not have as many bumps in the road along the way.
SPEAKER_00But losing some money will teach you something.
SPEAKER_04For sure. So that's you gotta do it. Oh man, I've lost so much money.
SPEAKER_00But and I mean, and that I think that's it. It's it's like losing money and then not being the end of the world. Don't get me wrong, like it's it's sometimes it's tragic. Like it does hurt. But if you got air, you got action. That's what somebody always says.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so it's like, if you if you you literally can wake up the next day and it'd be the day to change everything for you.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so it's like, but you just gotta keep putting that best foot forward and actually trying. You know, like what is it, you know, what does that mean for you? Who knows? You figure it out. But it's like, okay, like I'm actively, you know, it's like, so you start where you're at, you take that and you know, learn something with it, and you know, better you and better, and it's like be the best version of you.
SPEAKER_04If you if you're the best version of you, you gotta be willing to take a risk at some point. I mean at the end of the day, you gotta be willing to take a risk. Yeah, everything's a risk. So risk it on yourself.
SPEAKER_00For sure.
SPEAKER_04I mean, that's it. Risk it for the biscuit. That's what we always say.
SPEAKER_00Who's gonna risk it for you?
SPEAKER_04Man, ain't nobody else. The brother's gonna be there anyway, so you're gonna go ahead and figure it out. Hop into the community. I know JQ's in the community too. He'll never be showing up in there though. I gotta get him to pop in.
SPEAKER_00You don't know that. I'm I'm gonna fly on the wall.
SPEAKER_04If you have been there watching, okay. So uh yeah, hop in the community. He's also in there if you want to ask him some questions. We gotta get you out. Well, maybe we could do a live event in there and we can do a QA. That'd be good. Um, we do those with the community every month. So uh hit that subscribe button, hit that like button, hit that follow button, leave me a five star review on the podcast and platforms. I'll see you guys in the next one.