11 Lessons Every Investor Needs to Know with Ben Carlson

11 Lessons Every Investor Needs to Know with Ben Carlson

Author: Chris Hutchins September 4, 2024 Duration: 55:15
#191: Grow your wealth and build a resilient portfolio by making smarter decisions with these 11 investing lessons. Financial advisor Ben Carlson and I share actionable insights on managing risk, overcoming psychological barriers in investing, and the power of simplicity and diversification to ensure long-term, fulfilling financial success. Ben Carlson is the Director of Institutional Asset Management at Ritholtz Wealth Management and the author of four books on investing and personal finance. He runs the popular blog A Wealth of Common Sense, where he shares insights on financial markets and investing strategies. Ben also co-hosts Animal Spirits, one of my favorite podcasts. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/ben-carlson-money-lessons Resources Mentioned Ben Carlson: Website | Animal Spirits Podcast | X 20 Lessons From 20 Years of Managing Money My All-Time High in Savings You Probably Need Less Money Than You Think For Retirement Wealthfront Risk Parity Fund | What is Risk Parity? JP Morgan: S&P 500 Market Concentration Chart Fractional Vacation Homes: Pacaso Paula Pant’s Podcast: Afford Anything Safe Withdrawals: Free DIY Withdrawal Rate Toolbox | Safe Withdrawal Rate Series Study: Spending Habits of Retirees ATH Podcast Ep #41: Beating Inflation, Alternative Assets, and Simplifying Your Finances with Ben Carlson Ep #59: Save Money, Build Wealth and Just Keep Buying with Nick Maggiulli Ep #91: Die With Zero: Net Fulfillment Over Net Worth with Bill Perkins Ep #117: Navigating a High Rate Market: Buying a Home, Preparing for a Recession and Where to Put Cash with Ben Carlson Ep #168: Building an Investment Portfolio to Grow and Protect Your Wealth with Chris Doyl Ep #180: Stocks vs. Real Estate: What’s the Best Investment to Build Wealth? Ep #186: 25 Money Rules (and When to Break Them) with Brian Feroldi Ep #189: Beyond the 4% Rule: Smarter Strategies for Financial Independence with Karsten Jeske Join our Newsletter Follow & Review on Apple Podcasts Email us for questions, tips, deals and feedback Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (02:30) Experience in Investing Is Not the Same as Expertise (03:24) Intelligence Doesn’t Guarantee Investment Success (05:42) No One Lives Life in the Long Term (07:32) Experiences Shape Your Perception of Risk (10:12) The Biggest Risks Are Always the Same yet Different (13:29) Optimism Should Be Your Default (20:03) There Is No Such Thing as a Perfect Portfolio (22:31) Overthinking Can Be Just as Debilitating as Not Thinking at All (24:30) How to Think About a Simple Portfolio with International Exposure (26:17) Less Is More (30:17) Ways to Reduce Overthinking (32:02) Tax Loss Harvesting vs. Direct Indexing (39:02) Why Ben Wrote a Post on 20 Money Lessons (40:11) Lesson #10: There Is a Big Difference Between Rich and Wealthy (43:37) The Reason Ben and Chris Invested in Holiday Homes (48:27) What's a Reasonable Amount to Save? (51:29) You Probably Need Less Money Than You Think for Retirement (56:47) The Final Biggest Takeaway Connect with Chris Newsletter | Membership | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever feel like there's a smarter, more efficient way to navigate your finances, your travels, and your daily routines? That's the core question driving All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life. Hosted by Chris Hutchins, this podcast is built on a simple, powerful idea: maximizing value doesn't mean sacrificing enjoyment. Instead, it's about the strategic choices that free up resources-both money and time-for what truly matters. Chris approaches life as a series of systems to be optimized, drawing from his own experience saving millions through meticulous analysis. The conversations here are practical and wide-ranging, moving seamlessly from credit card points strategies and investment philosophies to the less tangible hacks for personal fulfillment. You'll hear from a diverse roster of experts and icons, including Tim Ferriss, Tony Hawk, Codie Sanchez, and Gary Vaynerchuk, who all bring their unique perspectives on building wealth and designing a compelling life. Each episode feels like a focused workshop, offering actionable advice you can use immediately, whether it's planning a luxury vacation for a fraction of the cost or rethinking your approach to career and leisure. This isn't just about frugality; it's about unlocking freedom and excitement through smarter decisions. Tune in for a consistently insightful blend of tactical moves and deeper conversations that challenge the conventional trade-offs between spending, saving, and living well.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life
Podcast Episodes
The Custom Everything Era with Kevin Rose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:14
#275: Chris and Kevin dig into how they're actually using AI tools in their daily lives right now. They explore real-world AI use cases, the tradeoffs of sharing personal data, the collapse of trust online, and what all…
The Surprising History of Points and Miles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:25
#274: Chris walks through the complete history of points and miles and breaks down the $140 billion machine behind them, so you can get more out of every point you earn. He covers the legal accidents that made credit car…
Stop Overthinking and Start Deciding with Derek Sivers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:11
#273: Learn to stop overthinking and make better decisions. Chris and Derek discuss how optimizing can go wrong, a coin flip trick for making decisions, journaling as a superpower, how your actions might reveal what you…
My Process for Booking Travel with Points & Miles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:29
#272: Learn how to turn your points into significantly better travel experiences by following a simple, repeatable system. We cover how to plan, find award availability, choose the right tools, and decide between portals…
How to Actually Live the Life You're Optimizing For with Sahil Bloom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:41
#271: Learn why over-optimizing your life can quietly destroy the things you actually care about. Chris and Sahil explore the doorman fallacy, why big life decisions should happen fast, how to use AI as a thinking partne…
Ski Trip Mishaps, AI Interior Design, Reflecting on Life and More [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:15
#270: Chris and Amy discuss lessons from three ski trips with kids, using AI to redesign rooms on a budget, their favorite new gadgets, navigating high-deductible health plans, and more. Link to Full Show Notes: https://…
Credit Cards: What's in My Wallet for 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:45
#267: Chris reviews his credit card lineup for 2026, sharing which cards he's keeping and canceling and why. He also covers how to evaluate annual fees, the best cards across major spending categories, and the apps he us…
Why Change Is Hard and How to Make It Your Advantage with Maya Shankar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:22
#266: Chris and Maya break down the science-backed tools that make change easier and more intentional. They explore why most people misunderstand change, how to anchor your identity to your deeper “why,” and practical to…