CASH KID

A lot of people think that when wanting to build wealth, it means that you're greedy. But what if it actually means that you're being wise? Today's episode flips the script with the idea. We're talking with a mom who's built her family's financial future from the ground up, and she's doing it with purpose, faith, and generosity at the core.But before we dive in, be sure to like, follow and subscribe to the Cash Kid Podcast so you don't miss out on more episodes that help you learn how to earn, save, and invest money earlier in life. Alright, let's get started. The Cash Kid podcast is underway. So you've got some cash maybe from an allowance or that money your grandma gave you for your seventh birthday.Here you go, sweetie. Woo hoo. Thanks Grandma. Whatever it is, what are you gonna do with it? Spend it hide of the way or maybe invest it. Let's start learning how to make that money grow. Time to learn how to be a cash.Today's guest is on a mission to equip families, especially homeschool families, with the tools, mindset, and biblical foundation to build lasting wealth and raise kids who are financially confident, generous, and wise. Stephanie is also known as the Wealthy Homeschooler on Instagram is a first generation multimillionaire, a devoted wife and a mom to four kids, and the creator of the Finance Blueprint.It's a parent led opening go system designed to teach kids how to earn, manage, and grow their money through real life applications at home. She shares her real life journey from going to survival mode to strategic wealth building. All while homeschooling her kids and in keeping her faith at the center of it all.Stephanie, welcome to the Cash Kid podcast and first off, tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.Stephanie: Yeah, thank you so much for having me. This is so fun. So my name is Stephanie. I'm a mom of four. I live in the Maryland Baltimore area with my husband Ryan and our four kiddos. They are 10, 8, 6, and four.We do homeschool. It'll be our sixth year coming up this fall, which is wild. But my background is in elementary education. I taught for eight years in second and third grade. Then I moved into real estate. I grew a really successful real estate career. But when COVID hit a lot of things shut down, especially here in Maryland, and it got harder to take my kid with me.On all of my appointments, which I usually did, I incorporated them a lot into my life. And so I switched gears. We decided to stay home and homeschool the kiddos, and I put my real estate license on hold and started building some online businesses and opportunities to supplement that income and started the Wealthy Homeschooler page.Gosh, it'll be two years this upcoming February, just sharing our journey.Cash Kid: That's really amazing in how you took something and allowed it to become part of your life. So you currently have 162,000 followers on your Instagram page. Oh, at Wealthy Homeschooler. So why did you start this page and what was your mission?Stephanie: Yeah, so I started this page really to share our journey with building generational wealth and using multiple streams of income to do really hoping to inspire others and hold ourselves accountable too. It's morphed as it's grown and become far more than just a finance piece. We now look at wealth building throughout our entire lives and really living intentionally within how we parent and how within our marriage and within our finances, our faith, our health.And we share now a variety of different tools for people to use systems within their home that we use here within our home too. To help us build that wealthy life.Cash Kid: And I really love that your tagline let's build a wealthy life. And you describe your family as a first generation multimillionaire, homeschool family.What does that mission look like in a daily life?Stephanie: Yeah, that's a great question. Wealthy life for us looks like living intentionally in all aspects of your life. And so whether that be in how you handle your finances or how you are, building that relationship with your children or your spouse you know what you're, the focus that you're putting into your health and your faith.And so we really, for us, that looks a lot of systems that we're putting in place. We have four kids, so life is crazy. And so it's a lot of trying to navigate this busy life while staying really intentional and on a path of purpose and a really purpose driven life.Cash Kid: So you often share that your wealth built building journey is rooted in biblical principles.Can you explain how your faith has shaped your views on money, work, and stewardship?Stephanie: Yeah, absolutely. Money tends to be taboo to talk about for a lot of people, especially if you're a Christian. But we believe that God owns it all and we are just stewards, right? So we trust him with the process.And that means that we're working hard. We're making sure that we're using our wealth building as a tool not just for ourselves, but for others, to be generous. And teaching our children to do that too. And faith really keeps us focused on our purpose. And when you look at it from that lens.You really start to understand how God is at the core of everything that we do. And he gives us food that we need in order to live the life that we want.Cash Kid: Yeah. And going off of what you just said, there is a common misconception that being wealthy and being godly don't go hand in hand. What do you say to the people who feel uncomfortable with the idea of Christians pursuing financial abundance?Stephanie: Yeah, that is a big one. I get that question a lot. Wealth isn't bad. The love of money is. If you make that your sole focus, that is when it becomes bad. Wealth is biblical. It's a tool to bless others. And I actually did a post on this the other day because I've gotten so many questions about it and I shared some of my favorite scripture that aligns with this.And so I'll share a few with you. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children. That's Proverbs 13:22. But remember the Lord your God for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth in Deuteronomy. You'll be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.That's in Corinthians. So there's a lot in the Bible, there's a lot within scripture. He just wants to make sure that you're using it in the right way and that your focus doesn't become solely on money. So I think when you look at it from that perspective it starts to make sense and you start to see it as a tool and that he's given us this opportunity to do good with it.Cash Kid: Yeah, no, I really like how you set that into the words and use scripture to help you. So in your content, you make it clear that it isn't just about money, it's about legacy and impact. How does your faith play into the kind of legacy you're building to your kids and your community?Stephanie: Okay. So for us faith is at the foundation of our legacy.None of it matters without our faith. So we wanna raise kids who love God who serve others and who live boldly and who understand that wealth is a tool, it's not the goal. And so that's really what we try to communicate through our page, through our products that we share, and how we teach kids to manage money and how we teach them to steward it in a way that is following their purpose.That God set forth for them.Cash Kid: So tell us about your finance blueprint, like the course that you sell, and how can it help families start this journey to building a wealthy life?Stephanie: Yeah it's our newest product, the Finance Blueprint, and it is a step-by-step guide to teaching kids about money management and wealth building.But in a way that's really super kid friendly and easy for parents to communicate, even if they maybe are not as knowledgeable about certain aspects of finances and wealth building. And it came about because my husband has, he's a CFO so finances are his jam and he loves talking about them and hestarted having little conversations with our kids at the dinner table about what is an asset and what is a liability and precious metals and all these different conversations. And then he was like, I wanna sit down and I wanna start meeting with them like once a month. And teaching them about some money management concepts.And he had this idea for this thing called Pigs, which is an acronym for personal investing, giving and savings. And that's the foundation. Money management. And so we developed this little monthly finance meeting with our kids and started teaching them how to earn some income around the house. Not through chores, but through like extra jobs, like, vaccuming out the car or cleaning out the basement or some of the bigger things.They could earn income and then they would take that income and they would, choose where to put it each month, how much are they putting in investing, how much are they putting in giving in their savings? And then how much do they want for personal spending? And then we started paying them a penny on every dollar they were investing in that, teaching them compound interest.And so it grew into this awesome monthly meeting with our kids in this cool like blueprint for them. And we've been doing it for over a year now. So we turned it into a guide specifically for families. And it tells you exactly what to do during a meeting, how to set up, how to set it up how to pay your kids, why to pay, why, to teach them how to pay themselves first.What cash flow is. And it just goes into some of the core foundations of money management and wealth building.Cash Kid: Yeah. And I think that is so important because what we talk about a lot on the podcast is that a lot of reasons that like kids and other people were so behind is 'causeas you said earlier, money was kinda like taboo and it wasn't really talked about amongst families and it really could set people back 'cause they didn't know what they were getting into. So I really like how you guys set down one day outta the month and literally like talk about it, teach 'em about it, and then give them ways that they can do more with it.Because I think that's super important, not only for your kids, but just to help them in the longer run. Homeschooling and family finance can both feel overwhelming. How do you design your system to feel fun and approachable for both parents and kids?Stephanie: Yeah as a homeschooling parent, I know there's not a lot of room for anything extra within our days.Sometimes just getting through language arts and math can be a lot. So we wanted to make it a system that was easy for parents to implement and that kids would really enjoy and would be something that, wouldn't stress everybody. Yeah. So it made it very simple visual. It's fun, it's interactive.We actually, you, while they're working on their income throughout the month, you know you're not really meeting, you're not meeting until the end of the month just once. It's very doable for anybody out there. But we use these pigs, we. Each category of personal investing, giving and savings has a little pig character with a poem and a story about the pig and that talks about them.So there's like Stanley to saver and there's Ivy the investor and Ivy waters her little tree and it grows, and her apples grow on her tree, and that's her interest that the kids are earning. And so they get to color it in and it's really interactive and easy for kids to digest even at a younger age.Our 4-year-old does it too. And while she may not pick up as much as our 10-year-old does yet than just hearing those little bits and pieces, she starts to understand it. So we tried to keep it as simple and visual as possible for kids.Cash Kid: Yeah. I think that's really important because sometimes there's lots of like really tough aspects to comprehend when it comes to investing, and I feel like setting it down to a standard that other people can understand and helping them have a chance to like actually know how it's working and like what stuff does, but down to like how they can understand it is really important to help them grow financially in knowledge as well.So you emphasize creating multiple income streams as part of your family's approach. Could you share with us what those streams look like and how much you involve your children in the process?Stephanie: Yeah, absolutely. So we started realizing the importance of multiple streams of income in our early thirties, which is a little late, to be honest.We wish we had known sooner but we read a book called Rich Dad Poor Dad. Sure. You right?Cash Kid: Yeah.Stephanie: I've read it's, yep. So good. Recommended all the time and it really opened our eyes up to the importance of multiple streams of income in this life that we wanted to build for our family. And I had just gotten into real estate, so it was the perfect opportunity for us to start looking into investing in some long-term rentals.So we do have five long-term rentals, and then we have a short term Airbnb. We bought that one. This will be three summers ago. That one is really fun because we purchased that one and it's in another state. It's in North Carolina. So since we homeschool, I moved myself and all the kids down for three months and we lived in the beach house and put it all together and they were 100% a part of the process, which was really cool for them to experience.So we bring them in as much as we can. When we go rent, when we go hunt for properties, we're bringing them in when we're analyzing a property to see if it's a good return on our investment, my 10 year old's sitting there looking at that spreadsheet with my husband. So we have real estate as some of our streams of income, obviously our brokerage accounts.We're actually about to open our son's first brokerage account. He has over 500 in his investing pouch in the finance blueprint. So he's ready. So we're debating whether it's gonna be some Bitcoin or a, a normal brokerage account. But we'll see. And then we also have obviously some online income with digital marketing and affiliate marketing with our digital products and then our normal brokerage accounts.So we've really tried to diversify as much as possible and we're teaching our kids to do the same. Now we incorporate them into our business so they, when you go on the Wealthy Homeschooler page, you will see them in my video. I don't like to show their faces, but I do, their bodies are in there and you can hear their voices.And since they're a part of it, we can pay them. So we pay them through our business. And then that goes into a Roth IRA for them. And that's how we started incorporating them. But they're really a part of every conversation we have. We don't hide any money or business conversations from our children.They're, we always have them out in the open with them or invite them in to just listen and interact and give us their opinions too.Cash Kid: Yeah, I think that's really smart incorporating them with everything that happens. And also you said that your 10-year-old started is, has $500 now to start investing open the brokerage account.Yeah, so I actually started investing when I was 10. And I think $500 was the exact amount I had 'cause as a 10-year-old and like whenever I was younger, I get my money from like the birthday and Christmas and stuff. I just never spend it. I'm, that's just like personal preference. I was just, I hold onto my money as long as I could.And so I had $500 saved up in my wallet. And when I found out about investing and I really liked it, I really got my parents to open me up a green light account. I started investing, I set my $500 in. It really is helpful 'cause you have a savings and a spending, a giving and a investing account and it gives you a debit card.And so it really helped me manage my money and see how everything was going. And now I have helped open one up for my younger siblings now who are 10 and seven, and they both, they don't have it on like as much of a scale as I do, but they have both started investing and they have really started to see the impact.And for families starting from scratch, no wealth, no financial education, what's the pivotal step, first step that you encourage them to take?Stephanie: Oh, okay. Make the decision to be the catalyst of change. It has to start somewhere. And it only takes one generation to completely transform the future of a family.It takes one person. So I, that is my probably biggest piece of advice is it doesn't matter where you come from, whether you come from, wealth or not. You need to make the decision that you want to do it, and then you need to act. Start small doesn't have to be a lot. Like you said, you started with $500 and you're investing and you just saved that up over time.And you don't have to know everything to begin. You can learn along the way. There are so many tools and resources available right in our fingertips now to learn everything that we need to learn about finances. Make the decision to be the catalyst of change,Cash Kid: Part of finance, sure you have to have knowledge and stuff, but another part of it is you have to be mentally aware of it and know how that you have to change.Especially as like Dave Ramsey and stuff and lots of other people, when they talk about people in debt, it, they tell them that you are gonna have to change the mindset of how you act around, and so you have to changeand be the catalyst of change, as you just said. And so I think that's really important.Before we close, is there anything that we haven't asked you that you would like to share with our audience?Stephanie: I really just think that, I just wanna stress that you don't have to come from wealth to build wealth. You don't have to come from wealth to be the reason why your family gets on a completely different financial path.Like you just said, it's a mindset. Wealth is totally a mindset. And that's the most important place to start. And like we said, to just start small. Even if that's just taking a look at how you're spending and seeing where you can cut something out. Even if it's just that coffee run that you're going to get.I love a good coffee run. I had to cut my coffee run out recently. So if you need to cut out your coffee run in order to be able to put that money towards something more important like a new path for your family, like adding to your 401k starting a new brokerage account or starting a 529 for your kids, whatever it might be.You need to make that decision and do it. And just because you didn't come from wealth does not mean that you cannot, that you can't build it. Yeah. Yeah,Cash Kid: exactly. And that's one of the points that's pointed out in Rich Dad, Poor Dad, it doesn't take wealth to have wealth. You can come from anything.Stephanie: It does misconception for people that they think we have to come from a financially stable family to have a great future, and that's not the case.Cash Kid: Stephanie, we really appreciate your time and your expertise. Thank you for joining us on the Cash Kid Podcast and boosting the financial knowledge of fellow Cash kids everywhere.Be sure guys to go follow Stephanie on Instagram @wealthyhomeschooler. If you like this episode, be sure to share it with someone today and help us as Stephanie's tagline states to build a wealthy life. Remember, anyone can be a cash kid. You just have to learn how to become one. Cash kid out!Disclaimer: The information presented represents the views and opinions of the guest. This podcast is not intend to provide personal investment advice. This content has been made for informational and educational purposes only to make a full and informed investment decision. We advise you to speak with a financial advisor and for kids, definitely your parents first before investing.

Episode 55:The Top 5 Money Lessons Parents Fail to Teach Their Kids... Kids, what have your parents taught you about money? And adults, what did your parents not teach you that maybe you wish you’d had a heads up? In today’s episode, we tackle the top five money lessons parents fail to teach their kids. Hey everyone! Welcome back to the Cash Kid Podcast — where we teach kids, teens, and even some adults how to earn, save, and invest money. I’m your host — the Cash Kid — and today, we’re diving into something that’s been on my mind for a while... The Top 5 Money Lessons Parents Fail to Teach Their Kids... (and don’t worry — if you’re a parent listening — this isn’t about making anyone feel bad. It’s about all of us learning how to be better and set up the next generation for success.) So let’s get into it! 🎯 #1: Not Teaching the Value of Money and Hard Work One of the biggest mistakes I see is when parents just give kids money...without connecting it to any effort. It sounds awesome, right? Free money! But the problem is, it teaches kids that money just appears...without work. Now, I’m not referring to money they get for a birthday or holiday. It’s the scenario of them asking for money and you just freely handing it over. It’s like if a teen knocked on your door, said they would mow your lawn for $50 bucks. You pay them and then they just walk away. You just lost money and still need to mow your lawn. How can we fix that? Tie money to chores or responsibilities around the house. Encourage us to earn money through side jobs like mowing lawns, dog-walking, or babysitting. And share stories about your own work! Kids learn a lot by hearing how you make and manage your money. When kids understand that hard work equals rewards...we start respecting money and ourselves a lot more. Plus, we’re less likely to be willing to give up or spend our money on unnecessary items as we know how hard it was to earn that money in the first place. 🎯 #2: Not Talking About Budgeting and Saving You hand a kid twenty bucks...and 10 minutes later it's gone. Sound familiar? That's because budgeting and saving don't come naturally — they have to be taught. Here’s a simple fix: Teach us to split our money into "Save, Spend, and Give" jars. Help us set real savings goals — like saving up for a bike or a cool gadget. And most importantly...explain the difference between "needs" and "wants." We need food. We want the latest new OnCloud shoes or clothes. There’s a big difference! Greenlight is an app I use to set up save, spend, and give categories. It’s all digital and easy to move money from one bucket to the next. Parents and kids both have access to it to monitor it and help reach the goals together. Budgeting isn’t boring when you turn it into a challenge or a goal we’re excited about. 🎯 #3: Avoiding Conversations About Debt and Credit A lot of parents think, "My kid doesn’t need to worry about credit cards yet." But here’s the thing — by the time we do get a credit card, if we don’t understand how debt works, we can get into serious trouble. A better way? Start small. Let your kid "borrow" $5 with the promise to pay it back with a little interest. Talk about how credit scores work and why they matter. And share real stories from your life — like how you bought your house, your car, or even mistakes you made with debt. Money mistakes happen...but learning early can help us avoid some big ones later. One of the tried and true measure is when a teen turns 16 they can be made an authorized user on their parents credit card and have them only use it to buy gas and pay that back every month. It helps to build their credit and experience in how credit works… and that it’s gotta be paid back… or you’re in debt. 🎯 #4: Not Encouraging Entrepreneurship and Investing Saving is good — but growing your money is even better. And guess what? Kids can totally understand investing and entrepreneurship if someone takes the time to explain it. What are some ways you can help: Introduce simple concepts like stocks, bonds, and ETFs. Support our business ideas — like selling bracelets, mowing lawns, or even running a YouTube channel! And point us to real success stories of young entrepreneurs who started early. You never know — the next Elon Musk or Oprah Winfrey might be sitting at your kitchen table! Don’t be the one to discourage them. Find a way to help them expand on their business mindset in a educated way. 🎯 #5: Not Setting a Good Financial Example Parents, we’re watching you — even when you think we’re not! If you’re always swiping credit cards, shopping online, or arguing about money...that’s what we learn. Here’s what helps: Be open about money. Let us see the family budget. Talk about savings goals you're working on. And let us be part of little decisions, like picking cheaper groceries or planning a budget-friendly family outing. The more we see smart money moves in action, the more likely we are to copy them! And be honest with us. If you’ve made bad financial choices before and feel we could learn from it, share so we can avoid those same mistakes. And if you don’t have the answer, help them find the right one. Make it an activity to do together. [Closing Thought] At the end of the day, parents don’t have to be perfect about money to raise financially smart kids. It just takes honesty, a little guidance, and making money talks normal — not scary. Kids WANT to learn. We want to be independent and successful with our money. So whether you're a parent, grandparent, or a kid tuning in — remember: it’s never too early (or too late!) to start learning about money. 🎙️ CASH KID (closing voice): Thanks for hanging out with me today on the Cash Kid Podcast! Be sure to hit "Subscribe" so you never miss an episode. And hey — if you liked this one, share it with a friend or parent who could use a little money motivation too. See you next time. Remember, anyone can be a Cash Kid. You just have to learn how to become one. Cash Kid, out!

Hey Cash Kids! Let me ask you a big question... What if I told you that you could be a millionaire one day just by saving a little bit of money each year starting NOW — even as a teen? In this episode, we’re talking to Adam Bergman, a retirement expert who’s helped over 17,000 people invest using self-directed IRAs — including his own kids! He’s going to break down how YOU can start investing in things like Bitcoin, real estate, and even small businesses... yes, even as a teen. We’ll talk about: ✅ The secret power of Roth IRAs ✅ How compounding returns make your money grow faster ✅ Why starting early gives YOU the biggest advantage So if you're serious about building real wealth and taking control of your financial future — you do NOT want to miss this. Before we dive in — don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave us a review if you're loving the podcast. Your support helps us reach more future millionaires just like you! Alright, let’s get into it. (intro tease) Cash Kid: Hey Cash kids. Welcome back to the Cash Kid Podcast and today we're doing an interview with none other than the Adam Bergman . He's the founder of IRA Financial Group And IRA Financial Trust, which are the leading providers of self-directed IRA plans and 4 0 1 Ks. He's helped over 17,000 clients make alternative asset investments with their self-directed plans. Adam has published nine books on retirement plans and Taxation is a frequent contributor to Forbes and has been quoted in over 250 major publications. He's passionate about educating Americans of self-directed investment plans and passionate about my generation and learning about these types of investment strategies earlier in life. I'm excited to learn from Adam today. So hey Adam. Welcome to the show, and first off, tell us a little bit about yourself. Adam Bergman: Well thanks so much for having me. Really excited. So I was a tax lawyer and um, for eight years in New York City. Really, um, always wanted to be an entrepreneur. Didn't really know what I wanted to do. And I had the pleasure of being able to help a client who wanted to use his IRA to invest in what's called a hedge fund. Right? It's, a more advanced way to invest. So I was asked to research how he was, able to use his IRA to invest in a hedge fund, and I was totally blown away because. I couldn't imagine myself, always thought of myself as a really, you know, smart guy. I was a tax lawyer of a master's in tax law and I had no idea that you can use your IRA to do alternative assets like real estate or gold or hedge fund. So I quit my job and started IRA Financial about 15 years ago. Cash Kid: you have adults save retirement and really like unique ways. So can you explain just like what a self-directed plan is, but in a way that a kid or teen could understand it? Adam Bergman: Sure, sure. So I'll, let me double click on that and just give a little bit of history and make it easier to understand. So in 1974, IRAs were created Not a lot of Americans got to save for retirement. Right. It was mostly if you worked at big companies like Ford or GE, you had a defined benefit plan, otherwise you just didn't have a chance. So the government created ERISA, which created the IRA and the 401k, which are the two most common ways to save. So what is the foundation? What's an IRA or an individual retirement account? Basically anyone that has some income that works, that has a job, could open an IRA. So you can be a lifeguard, you can be a basketball coach, you can work at the grocery store. You can do chores for a neighbor, as long as it's really not a parent paying you. You can have income and you can put money into an IRA. And what's the advantage? Well, there's two big advantages. One is you get a tax deduction for what you put in. Meaning if you make $20,000 and you get a $5,000 tax deduction, you only pay tax on 15,000, which is good. It's less money goes to the government. And the second is the most important. It's called tax deferral. That means you don't pay tax when your money is invested in an IRA. So here's a simple example. If you take a hundred dollars and buy Bitcoin, okay, or or Tesla stock, and it goes to $200 in an IRA and you sell it, you don't pay any tax. If you did that in a non IRA account, you would pay income tax on that gain. And if you did that for the next 10, 15, 20, 30 years, you're gonna have a lot, lot less money if you saved in a non IRA. Cash Kid: Right. Yeah. And I feel like that's a big factor, and that's part of one of the reasons that we really wanted this interview is so we could teach people the different, like investment strategies or different ways that you could invest through different platforms. And so being able to show like the unique benefits, I think would be really beneficial for us at our age. So thank you. And, uh, third of all, why do you think it's important for people even young people like us to start thinking about money for the future now instead of waiting till we're adults. Adam Bergman: Yeah, so being young, you have the biggest advantage. I have a 14-year-old and 11-year-old, and they both have Roth ira, so lemme just. Discuss that real quick. So I talked about the traditional IRA where you get a tax deduction. There's something called a Roth IRA, which is an after tax IRA, meaning you do not get a tax deduction, but once you're 59 and a half and the Roth's been open at least five years, you pull out everything tax-free. You never, ever, ever, ever have to pay income tax again on what you save. So here's an example. I like to give examples because I think they make the most sense. So let's take an easy example. How about someone's 15 years old? Okay. And let's say they have a job at the grocery store, and let's say they wanna save a thousand dollars a summer, right? They're gonna spend some money and do some stuff with it. But let's say they just wanna put away a thousand dollars a summer, which is possible, and let's just say for argument's sakes, that from age 15 to 70 years old, okay? So even if they go to college and make more money, the individual just puts away a thousand dollars a year. Starting from 15 to age 70, and let's just say they get an average rate of return of 8.5%, which is pretty good, but not great considering. If you look at like the S&P 500, the largest index in the stock market, it averages over 10%. So if you did that 15 to 70 a thousand dollars a year, eight point a half percent rate of return at age 70, you'd have a million dollars. Okay, so here's how about this, instead of 15, let's say you started at 25. Okay? Instead of 15 years old and you started 25 a thousand dollars, guess what? You only have $450,000. So this is so important. That's why I'm so excited to be on this podcast. If you are young, you have the biggest advantage, and that's time. And the way the retirement system works is the more money you put in and the more time you have, the richer you become. Cash Kid: Yeah, and I think that's one of like one of our main like factors and things that we're trying to get people to do. So I, at my school, I was given the opportunity to give a presentation, so I made a financial presentation about how to make money and what to do with it, and in it, I really hit on the like big impact that, uh, starting early is like one of the biggest benefits you could possibly have because I did the same example I said if you started at 16 and then you started at 26 and the difference is basically almost half as you just explained. And so it really just shows like the important and beneficial factor of starting early. And that's why we like to say it's never too early to start. So what's the difference between regular investing and alternative investing, and could you give us another fun example? Adam Bergman: Yeah, absolutely. So. When IRAs were created back in 1974, the, the IRS did not distinguish between an IRA that bought stocks, which is traditional investment, anything that's publicly traded, right, like stocks or exchange traded funds, mutual funds, and then alternative assets, which are non-publicly traded, like real estate, uh, gold, hedge funds, private equity, private businesses, lending your friend money. Even Bitcoin is considered an alternative. So it's, it's anything not traded on a public exchange, anything that's not a stock. Cash Kid: So basically, uh, you just, instead of traditionally buying a stock, you'd set it into like maybe a Bitcoin or like a house that's just like not as like publicly traded, is what you're saying. Adam Bergman: Exactly. it's exactly right. So the reason why the government wants us to invest not just in stocks, but in real estate or Bitcoin or gold or private businesses, is because they want us to diversify, right? The idea is that if you put all your eggs in one basket and something happens to the stock market, you don't just lose 30% of your net worth in one day, which has happened. So like for me, my best investments I ever made and my kids as well, was Bitcoin. I got into Bitcoin over 10 years ago. I started buying Bitcoin for my kids five years ago and that has far exceeded anything they've been able to generate in the stock market. So if they just stuck with stocks, they would've done fine, but they would've missed out on a lot of opportunity. Cash Kid: Yeah. Yeah. And I feel like that's like really true about a ton of things. 'cause I mean then again, like real estate prices are constantly going up. And so when I was first like looking into you and like thinking about other stuff, I really saw how it was just like another way to diversify. 'cause when I talk, I always talk about diversifying in your stocks. But then again, talking about this alternative investing, you can really diversify into. Like make, having stocks, having real estate, having Bitcoin, and having all the different, like other factors, uh, which is like another way to diversify, which I had never really thought about before. So, can, uh, kids and teens actually start investing in alternative things like real estate or small businesses, or is that like just for adults? Adam Bergman: No, it's, kids can do it too. the key is the money, right? So some alternative assets like real estate, you may need, you know, some significant money to, to invest. Like you wanna buy a house, it's gonna be hard to do that with $7,000. So there are alternatives you can do for less money. Like there's bitcoin, like gold, like private businesses, right? There's crowdfunding stuff where you can invest in a startup with just $5,000 at $10,000. So there's a lot of fun stuff that you can do that could potentially really, really maximize your returns, and you don't need a whole lot of money to do it. Cash Kid: Right. Because I feel like that's another like factor. 'cause when I'm talking to kids my age, they're like, I don't have enough money to start. It's not really gonna make an impact. But then again. Just starting early and like just setting in that money and getting in there and continuing to set money in there, it will help grow your money. . But then again, as you just said, maybe you only need like a thousand to $5,000 and you just set it in some gold and stuff. Well that is still gonna go up in price over time. And so I think that that's really important that every kid needs to think about. It's, you don't have to have. A ton of money to start. 'cause you can start by investing with literally just a dollar. Like you in some, uh, investment portfolios. fractional shares. So a dollar is all you need. Even though it might not give you as much, you are still setting money in and can get a return. So just as you said, maybe a thousand, uh, 5,000 or a hundred dollars, it doesn't really matter because you can still grow your money. Adam Bergman: Right. So let, let me just, uh, kind of, um, discuss this one term that's very important to understand. Probably the most important thing, a child or a young investor needs to learn, and that's something called compounding returns, right? I'm sure you've talked about that before. Compounding returns means your money doubles every eight years, assuming a 9% rate of return. It's the power of 72. Albert Einstein said compounding returns is the eighth of the world. You know, Albert Einstein, the smartest guy ever. So what is compounding returns? It makes sense, right? Your money is gonna grow faster when it's not subject to tax. So if you take the two features of being a kid. Meaning you're young, which is an amazing advantage over someone, that's older, and the power of the retirement system, which allows you to invest and generate returns without taxation. If you marry those and put those two together, you have almost a guaranteed way to generate significant, real wealth, real money for your future, for your life, tax free. Cash Kid: So you started IRA Financial and now you have helped manage over $4 billion. Did you always know what you wanted to do with money when you were a kid? Adam Bergman: I was lucky. I had a really smart dad and my dad was really into investing, so we would watch at that point, like CNBC, and he would teach me and I would learn, but the most important thing he taught me was the term compounding returns. And he always said, you wanna save, you wanna start young. The biggest advantage you have is being young, your age. So I started my habits. It's all about good habits, right? Good habits isn't just about eating or health. It's also about investing. And good habits means starting, even if. It's a dollar a day, a dollar a month, a dollar, a quarter, a year. Just start saving, open an IRA, put money in, start investing. You're gonna see your money grow and there's nothing that's gonna excite you more than success. So as your money grows over time, you're gonna say, Hey, this is really cool. This is working. You're gonna put more money in. And I guarantee you it's guaranteed 'cause it's math, it's just, it works. The more money you put in, the more time, the more you invest, the more you diversify you will be. Very, very, very rich. When you're older, it's guaranteed. Cash Kid: I got started by playing a stock market game and I figured out what all I could do with it, and here I am over like three and a half years later from the first time I did that. And I'm talking about it and I think it's just super cool. So do you think that school should teach more about money and investing? And if you could design a class for kids, what would you include in it? Adam Bergman: Yeah, I, that's my passion. That's my dream, is to actually teach these courses. Yes, we are doing such a disservice to our young generation, and I'll give the example of me. I obviously went to school, I went to university, a really good university. I went to law school. I even have a master's in taxation, so I was in school till I was like 25 years old. I worked at some of the largest law firms in the world, and not once did I learn about compounding returns. Not once did I learn about retirement saving. So yes, we should be teaching kids probably starting in eighth or ninth grade about the power of investing, how it works, what stocks how do you look at a balance sheet? How do you make a decision on an investment? What's an IRA? What's a 401k? Yes. We are really hurting our young generation and it's a crime. Cash Kid: Yeah, because I have talked to a lot of adults and they talked about, like how you just explained that, um, they don't, they were not taught anything. My mom, her senior year was given a pamphlet and was taught how to write a check, and that was all of her financial education all the way through high school. And that was it. I mean. I've seen some better improvement, like how, uh, now it's required in some states that you do have to take at least one financial course, we interviewed someone else and she said that the benchmark for financial education is the fourth grade, which means that we really need to start getting in there and start learning early, and I think that that is, again, one of our passions on the podcast is that we can earn save and the invest money earlier in life. And so we hear a lot about Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. What should our generation know about these kinds of investments and how do you think that they could impact our future? Adam Bergman: Yeah, so I've been, I wrote a book on cryptos. I'm very bullish on Bitcoin. I've been investing in cryptos for over 10 years, without giving people investment advice. I think it's important to gain exposure to emerging asset classes, new technology, whether it's AI, whether it's cryptos, whatever's next, right? It's important as an investor to allocate, and that's why diversification is so important. it's not just important to buy Tesla versus Google versus Apple. It's important to say, you know what, if I have a thousand dollars. I want to allocate that thousand dollars to different investment classes like gold, like Bitcoin, like stocks, like real estate. So you're well covered. So if one asset really goes up, great. If one asset really goes down, it doesn't impact your whole portfolio. So yes, I think young people should get access to cryptos. I mean, that's up to you, depending on your risk profile, how much you wanna put in. But whether it's a dollar or a hundred dollars, I think it's important to learn about the technology and to gain some exposure to it. I think the biggest piece of advice I would say is if you're young, take chances. You have the best opportunity to take risks in you're investing because you're young, so you can make up for mistakes. Where if you're a grandparent, right, and you're in your sixties or seventies. You can't take risks because you're gonna need the money to live, to help pay for your lifestyle 'cause you may not work forever, but if you're young, you can take risks. So that's why I think it's really exciting to invest in alternative assets like cryptos or private businesses, because yeah, there may be some chances that you may not be successful, but that's okay because you have a lot of time to make up for those losses versus when you're older. Cash Kid: You've written eight books about money, and if a kid wanted to learn from one of your books, which one would do you think that would be like the most beneficial for them to start with and why? Adam Bergman: I actually wrote a ninth, but um, so I think it's this one. it's called Seven Figures by 70, and I wrote this, it's a couple hundred pages. I wrote this maybe five years ago, but the principles stay the same. It's all about what we talked about today, that basically if you do these three things, you're gonna be rich, and here they are, start early. That's why being a kid, you have a huge advantage as long as you have some income coming in. Start early, opening a Roth IRA. Be consistent. Number two, right? Get good habits. Even if you can't put in a lot of money, you need to save it for other things, or you need to help your parents out with stuff. That's cool. Put a dollar away. Just keep your good habit. And then third, the most fun. Trust the process. Be patient. Watch your money grow. You do those three things, you're gonna be rich. It's guaranteed, it's mathematics, it's compounded returns. Cash Kid: Mr. Bergman, where can people go to learn more about you and your services that do you offer through IRA Financial Trust and your other business features? Adam Bergman: yeah, call me. Yeah, it's Adam. So, um, definitely check out the website, ira financial.com. But I think YouTube, like, I always send my kids, uh, they're always on YouTube or TikTok, but. YouTube's probably better in this case. And there's thousands of videos, some long, some short, some boring, some fun, I don't know. But you can have fun with it and kind of pick and choose what you wanna learn about. Um, and it, you don't have to read a boring book if you don't want to, but at least you can learn about the principles. I would focus really on the idea of what's a Roth IRA. The advantage of saving tax free and then the power of compounding returns. Understand it. It's not that complicated. You're doing a great job explaining it, and by the way, what you're doing is so important because if you can just hit your target audience to get kids focused on saving, like we can all be tax free millionaires, all of us. It's not a zero sum game. The retirement system, right? Every one of your friends could be rich. It's not like, oh, only 30% of my friends could be rich in their IRA. No. You all can have millions of dollars tax free. They gotta listen to your podcast though. Cash Kid: Thank you. And so if you wanted to direct people to where they can invest through your IRAs, where do you think that they should go? Like what website or how should they look you up, Adam? Adam Bergman: Ira financial.com is the best place, um, to go. You can learn all about the business. Me. Um, you could learn about an IRA, a self-directed ira. There's tons of great info there and, uh, it's not super intense. So it's pretty short and easy to understand. So one of your listeners can call in and be like, Hey, I'm 16 years old. I have a summer job. I wanna put a thousand dollars away. You know, what can I do? And my team is amazing. And they'll for free, they'll talk to you. Cash Kid: Thank you so much Adam. We really appreciate your time and your expertise. Thank you for joining us on the Cash Kid Podcast and boosting the financial knowledge of fellow cash kids everywhere. And remember, anyone can be a cash kid. You just have to learn how to become one, cash kid out. ​Disclaimer: The information presented represents the views and opinions of the guest. This podcast does not intend to provide personal investment advice. This content has been made for informational and educational purposes only. To make a full and informed investment decision, we advise you to speak with a financial advisor—and for kids, definitely your parents—before investing. EndFragment

Who can be a millionaire? Can I? Can you become one? Hey guys, welcome back to The Cash Kid Podcast! Today, we’re talking about something that most people think is impossible… but actually isn’t. You don’t have to be born rich. You don’t have to be famous. You don’t even need to have a six-figure salary. But what do you need? That’s what we’re going to talk about. My mom and I recently both read Everyday Millionaire by Chris Hogan, and we’re going to break down exactly what makes a millionaire. The best part? Almost anyone can do it—it just takes smart financial choices, patience, and the right mindset. I learned a TON from this book. It actually shocked me how wrong most people are about who millionaires really are. And trust me, after reading this book, I realized that anyone can do this. No lottery tickets, no trust funds—just smart habits, the right mindset, and patience. Remember, the Cash Kid Podcast is here to teach my generation how to earn, save, and invest money earlier in life. We are going to bust some millionaire myths today. Let’s get started. [music interlude] Segment 1: What is a Millionaire? Cash Kid: Alright, so let’s start with the basics. Before we dive into how to become a millionaire, we should probably define what a millionaire actually is. Most people think a millionaire is someone with a million dollars in cash just sitting in a bank account. But that’s not what it means! A millionaire is someone whose net worth is at least $1 million. And net worth is just a fancy way of saying: everything you own, minus everything you owe. Let’s break it down real quick: Say you own a house worth $300,000, but you still owe $200,000 on it. You also own a car worth $75,000, and you’ve paid off $55,000 of it. That means the total value of your assets is $375,000. But when you subtract what you still owe ($255,000), your net worth is $120,000. And to be a millionaire, that number has to be in the millions! Segment 2: Who Actually Becomes a Millionaire? CASH KID: Okay, now that we know what a millionaire is, let’s talk about who actually becomes one. Chris Hogan interviewed over 10,000 millionaires for this book. What surprised me the most was who these millionaires actually are Honestly? I thought most millionaires would be people making six figures or more—big CEOs, athletes, or tech geniuses. But in reality, the majority are regular people! They’re teachers, engineers, small business owners… even people working in everyday jobs. Most of them never made over $100K a year! That blew my mind. The idea that it’s not about how much you make, but how much you keep is huge. So many people think they have to have some crazy high-paying job to build wealth, but it’s really about spending smart, saving consistently, and avoiding debt. There’s a myth about millionaires that Chris Hogan debunks in the book and it’s the thoughts that millionaires always lived flashy lives—you know, fancy cars, designer clothes, huge houses. And for my generation, because of social media nd movies that’s what’s drilled into our heads. We feel and see that’s we have to look and live that way to be rich. But according to the book, most millionaires actually live pretty normal lives. They drive used cars, live in modest homes, and don’t waste money on things they don’t need. Chris Hogan calls it the Millionaire Mindset. They don’t care about looking rich—they care about being rich. Big difference. Most people think that millionaires come from rich families or inherit their money. But that’s so wrong. Did you know that: 🔹 79% of millionaires received no inheritance at all? 🔹 Only 21% inherited anything, and of those, only 16% got more than $100,000. 🔹 And get this—8 out of 10 millionaires came from families that were at or below middle-class income levels. So basically, most millionaires didn’t start rich—they built their wealth from scratch. That’s a HUGE myth-buster! In Chris Hogan’s book he highlights a lot of stats. One of those is that 1 in 3 millionaires never even had a six-figure income in a single year. And only 7% of them made over $200,000 per year. That means you don’t need a fancy job to get there! So what does that tell us? It’s not about how much you make—it’s about how you manage what you make. I think we all are guilty of thinking well those who work lower salary jobs will just never get ahead or be able to reach millionaire status. But he gives examples of teachers, farmers, construction workers all reaching millionaire status. Segment 3: The Millionaire Mindset Okay, let’s talk mindset. One thing that stuck with me from this book is that millionaires believe they’re in control of their own destiny. They don’t sit around waiting for someone to make them rich. They take control, make smart decisions, and stick with them for years. That’s a big deal. If you tell yourself, “I’ll never be rich,” guess what? You probably won’t be. But if you believe you can, and you put in the work, you’ve got a real shot. Millionaires also don’t blame others for their money problems. They don’t rely on luck or wait for someone else to fix things. They take responsibility and work towards their goals. Segment 4: Smart Money Habits of Millionaires Alright, let’s get to the good stuff. If someone listening wants to be a millionaire someday, what are the habits they should start practicing right now? What do you feel you learned from the book Everyday Millionaire that could affect the habits of your generation? Here are the big ones: 💰 Live below your means – Millionaires don’t spend every dollar they make. They budget, they save, and they avoid debt. 💰 Plan for big expenses – 95% of millionaires plan and save for major purchases, while most people just put things on credit cards. 💰 Invest early and often – Investing is the ultimate wealth-building tool because your money works for you. And I love to talk about investing. Yes! Investing is huge. The stock market will go up and down, but over time, it grows your money way more than just saving alone. It doesn’t take a ton of time. You just set it and let it grow. Sure, there will be recessions and dips, but in the long run, the market always bounces back. Final Segment: How to Get Started Now Alright, let’s wrap it up. What’s the first step someone should take if they want to become a millionaire? Step one: Start saving and avoid debt. Credit card debt will keep you stuck, so don’t use it for things you don’t need. Step two: Live below your means. If you get $20, don’t spend $20—spend $15 and save $5. Step three: Invest early. Even if it’s just a little at first, get started! And most importantly—remember that anyone can do this. It’s all about time, discipline, and smart choices. OUTRO: Call to Action Alright, that’s a wrap! If you liked this episode, make sure you subscribe to The Cash Kid Podcast so you don’t miss our next episode. And if you’ve read Everyday Millionaire, let us know what you thought! DM us on Instagram @CashKidPodcast or leave a review. Remember—anyone can be a Cash Kid! You just have to learn how to become one. Cash Kid out!

Have you ever had a GREAT idea to make money—like selling something cool, offering a service, or turning a hobby into cash—but then, something gets in your way? Maybe you don’t have enough money to start, or you feel like no one would buy from you. Maybe you're thinking, "I'm just a kid, how do I even start?"I get it. I’ve been there. And guess what? So has every successful entrepreneur EVER. The difference between them and everyone else? They didn’t let obstacles stop them.So today, I’m going to tell you the 5 biggest roadblocks that stop kids and teens from starting a business—and exactly how to break through them.By the end of this episode, you’re gonna feel PUMPED to take action. No more waiting. No more excuses. Let’s go!Hey, Cash Kids! Welcome back to the Cash Kid Podcast where I’m on a mission to teach my generation (and some adults) how to earn, save, and invest money earlier in life. This season we’re focusing on kid and teen entrepreneurs. If you aren’t already, please subscribe to our show and share with a friend. Leave a comment from wherever you are listening and head to our website to purchase some Cash Kid merch to help fund our show. This is the best way for us to continue to grow and change the financial direction of the next generation.Alright, now let’s get into the top roadblocks we face in starting a business. Let’s break it down starting with number 1.Roadblock 1: Not Knowing Where to StartOkay, let’s be real for a second. Starting a business can be overwhelming. With so many options, it’s tough to know where to begin. You might think, “Should I sell cookies? Or start a tutoring business? Or maybe create a YouTube channel?” It can feel like there’s just too much to choose from.Here’s the thing—I’ve been there, too. I spent weeks thinking about what I should do, and then I realized that the best place to start was with something I already loved. Do you have a hobby or a skill you’re passionate about? It could be anything—from baking, drawing, or even gaming! The key is to build your business around something you already enjoy. Trust me, that passion will make it so much easier to stick with it when things get tough.And listen, don’t overthink it. I know it sounds like a lot, but sometimes the best business ideas come from the things you already do every day. Do people ask you to help with their homework? Maybe you could start tutoring! Do you love animals? Maybe it’s time for a dog-walking business. The key is to solve a problem—whether that’s helping someone with their homework or providing a service people really need.Rockblock 2: Not Having Enough Money to StartNow, let’s talk about something that trips up a lot of young entrepreneurs—money. It’s true that many businesses need some upfront costs, whether it’s supplies, marketing, or tools. But here’s a secret: you don’t need to spend a ton of money to get started.Let’s use the classic lemonade stand business venture. Most kids who set these stands up don’t have much cash or budget. But they figured out they could use things they already had at home: cups, a table, some lemonade mix, and a pitcher. That was it! They didn’t need fancy branding or a high-end website—just a simple idea and a little bit of effort.If you want to start a business that requires almost no money, consider service-based businesses like tutoring, babysitting, or offering to do yard work like raking leaves. These kinds of businesses have zero startup costs, and you can start making money right away. And once you earn some cash, you can reinvest it into your business to make it even better.Also, if you need a little extra cash to kickstart your idea, don’t hesitate to talk to your parents. Maybe they can help with a small loan to get you started—or even help promote your business to family and friends!Roadblock 3: Not Having Enough TimeI know this one all too well. Between school, sports, hanging out with friends, and just trying to enjoy your free time, finding time for a business can seem impossible. Trust me, I’ve had days where I felt like there was no way I could run my business AND do everything else I love.But here’s the trick: treat your business like any other important commitment. That might mean setting aside just one hour a week to work on your project or business. Maybe it’s after school or on the weekends… I mean… we filmed this episode on the weekend. So, use your time wisely and take advantage of time away from school to work on your business. Do whatever works best for you. The important part is making time for it regularly.You can spend one hour a day wasting time sitting in front of a TV or one hour a day focused on a ways to improve your skills in an area. That equates to 30 hours of progress after one month or 30 hours more of well… nothing. Think about it!And don’t feel like you have to go big right away! Start small and build from there. Maybe you only take on one or two clients at first, or you offer just one product. As you get better at managing your time, you can scale up your business. This way it doesn’t become overwhelming and you quit not long after starting. Roackblock 4: Not Knowing How to Market the BusinessOkay, so you’ve got your business idea, and now it’s time to let people know about it. But how do you actually get people to buy your product or use your service? This is where it gets fun—marketing is like the secret sauce to making your business stand out!First, social media is your best friend here. You can use platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or even Facebook to share what you’re doing and get the word out. But before you go posting all over the place, make sure to talk to your parents about the best way to go about it safely. You don’t need to have your own account—maybe your parents can help you post for you! You can create fun, engaging content that shows off what you’re selling. And, if you’ve got a cool product, don’t be afraid to show it off in action!Word of mouth is also super powerful. Ask your friends, family, and neighbors to help spread the word, and offer special deals for first-time customers to get them excited to try your product or service.Roadblock 5: Fear of FailureAnd now, the big one: What if I fail? What if I make a mistake, or no one likes what I’m doing? Believe me, that fear is totally normal. But here’s the thing—everyone makes mistakes, even the most successful entrepreneurs. And guess what? Those mistakes are where you’ll learn the most!Instead of worrying about failing, I want you to focus on learning. Mistakes aren’t failures—they’re just lessons in disguise. Start small and take manageable risks. Test out your idea with a few people, then see what works and what doesn’t. And if things don’t go as planned, that’s okay! It’s just part of the journey.Find a mentor, too—someone who’s been through it and can give you advice when things get tough. It could be a parent, a teacher, or even another Cash Kid! Sometimes, having someone to talk to can make all the difference in building your confidence.Starting your own business is a challenge, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to learn, grow, and even make some money! Every entrepreneur faces obstacles, but if you push through, you’ll come out the other side stronger and more confident than ever.So, Cash Kids—are you ready to tackle these so called “roadblocks” and start your own business? Whether it’s tutoring, pet-sitting, or selling crafts, I know you’ve got what it takes. And remember, if you ever feel stuck or need advice, the Cash Kid Podcast is here to guide you every step of the way.Make sure to subscribe to the podcast, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube @cashkidpodcast, and stay tuned for future episodes.Remember anyone can be a cash kid, you just have to learn how to become one. Cash Kid, Out!Disclaimer: The information presented represents the views and opinions of the guest. This podcast does not intend to provide personal investment advice. This content has been made for informational and educational purposes only. To make a full and informed investment decision, we advise you to speak with a financial advisor—and for kids, definitely your parents—before investing.