When it comes to money, you name it, she’s done it.
From buying her first house at 25, a growing retirement account, a healthy nest egg in savings. To losing it all—almost overnight—once the Great Recession hit. (And a financial scam that left her with $35K in credit card debt, just for good measure.)
However, a decade later, “America’s Favorite Financial Teacher” Tiffany Aliche has come full circle.
A bonafide money master, Tiffany’s become one of the best-known financial experts in the country, racking up media hits—from CNBC to Good Morning America—like zeroes on her bank account.
More importantly, through her company The Budgetnista and the Live Richer Academy, her online school, Tiffany’s helped almost 1M women save over $100M and pay off $75M in debt.
Now that we’re effectively in another recession, here are five gems from The Budgetnista on how to handle money.
Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche. thebudgetnista.com
1) The importance of being cash strong…
“Debt-free does not equal wealth. First things first, in a recession, you want to be cash strong. Normally I’m like, get really aggressive with paying down your debt. That’s great, but if you don’t have savings, and you’re debt-free, and an emergency comes up, you’re going to use debt to help you do that emergency.”
2) Budgeting during pandemic…
“Number two: I would say your budget is gonna be your best friend at this moment in time. We’ve always been talking about living below your means and leaning into frugality, at least to some extent. And now, more than ever, that needs to happen.”
3) Prioritize your bills…
The most important step you can take if you’re worried about your income is to prioritize what you’re spending on, Tiffany told CNBC Make It.
To figure out which bills and expenses to pay first and which to delay, Tiffany recommends asking yourself two questions:
“ If I don’t make this payment, will I be unhealthy? If I don’t make this payment, will I be unsafe? If the answer is yes to either of those, pay that bill as best as you can.
“If you haven’t already, look into many of the assistance and payment deferment programs that utility companies, cell phone providers, lenders and landlords may be offering.”
4) Recessions make millionaires…
“I would lean into learning how to invest. The last recession caught me unaware. I was a pre-school teacher at the time and I lost my job and I lost my home that I bought for $220K.
“It ended up being sold for $150K. I wish I had been in the position then to invest, but I didn’t have the knowledge, the acumen or the money.
“I told myself, ‘I’m not going to be in that position again,’ so I have been preparing for this day. I am ready to invest because recessions make more millionaires than any other time in history.”
5) “Living under your means:” Maintaining fixed expenses…
“Managing your fixed expenses is absolutely the key to living under your means. I think the reason why folks have a hard time with living under their means is they don’t see the purpose behind it.
“The purpose of budgeting is not to budget for budget sake; it’s so you have excess savings. The purpose of savings is not to save for saving. Save it so that way you can invest. The purpose of investing is to grow wealth.”
Gold is often seen as a safe haven during times of economic uncertainty.
As a tangible asset, it can provide a hedge against inflation and currency fluctuations. During a recession, the price of gold may rise as investors seek a safe haven for their money.
READ: 3 Ways To Invest In Gold (In 3 Minutes Or Less)
3. Real Estate
Real estate can be a good investment opportunity during a recession. Especially if you are looking for a long-term investment. (Hence why NYCE exists.)
While property values may dip during a recession, they tend to recover over time. In addition, rental properties can provide a steady stream of income, even during a recession.
After all: Real estate has created more millionaires than any other asset class.
4. High-Quality Bonds
High-quality bonds, such as U.S. Treasury bonds, can be a safe investment during a recession.
These bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, which makes them less risky than other types of bonds. (Though this has become less safe today than in the past.)
They may not offer the highest returns, but they can provide stability and protection during a recession.
5. Consumer Discretionary Stocks
Consumer discretionary stocks are those that are tied to consumer spending, such as retail, travel, and entertainment companies.
During a recession, these stocks may suffer as consumers cut back on non-essential spending.
However, if you believe that the economy will recover, investing in consumer discretionary stocks can be a good bet.
6. Healthcare Stocks
Healthcare stocks tend to perform well even during economic downturns, as people still need healthcare services regardless of the state of the economy.
In addition, the aging population in many countries is driving demand for healthcare services, which can provide long-term growth opportunities for investors.
7. Technology Stocks
Technology stocks can be a good investment opportunity during a recession, as many companies in this sector have strong balance sheets and cash reserves.
In addition, the shift towards remote work and online shopping during the pandemic has increased demand for technology products and services.
8. Emerging Markets
Emerging markets can be a good investment opportunity during a recession, as these countries may be less affected by the economic downturn than developed countries.
In addition, emerging markets often have higher growth rates than developed countries, which can provide long-term growth opportunities for investors.
9. Dividend Stocks
Dividend stocks can be a good investment opportunity during a recession, as they provide a steady stream of income even during tough economic times.
Look for companies with a history of paying dividends and a strong balance sheet.
10. Cash
Finally, cash can be a good investment during a recession, as it provides flexibility and liquidity. Having cash on hand can allow you to take advantage of investment opportunities as they arise.
In conclusion, while a recession can be a challenging time for investors, it can also present opportunities for smart investment decisions.
By identifying the top investment opportunities during a recession, you can position yourself for long-term success.
He appeared on popular TV shows and even wrote a book about his success. The pet rock craze died down after a year, but Dahl had already made his fortune.
After the pet rock craze died down, Gary Dahl continued to work in marketing and advertising.
He also tried to launch other novelty products, such as “sand-breeding kits” and “mood rings,” but none of them achieved the same level of success as the pet rock.
“I think that’s one of the things that is wrong with business today. People are so serious, they forget to have fun,” Gary Dahl said.
The success of the pet rock shows that sometimes the most unconventional ideas can lead to great success.
The story of Gary Dahl and his pet rock is a testament to the power of thinking outside the box. Sometimes, it’s the seemingly ridiculous ideas that can lead to the biggest successes.
Dahl’s story is not only inspiring, but it’s also a reminder to keep a sense of humor and not take ourselves too seriously.
In business, it’s easy to get bogged down in strategy and analysis, but we should never forget the importance of creativity and fun.
The success of the pet rock is also a lesson in the power of marketing.
Dahl’s packaging and instruction manual turned a simple rock into a desirable product. It’s a reminder that sometimes it’s not the product itself that’s important, but how it’s presented to the world.
So if you’re feeling stuck in your business or just need a little inspiration, take a cue from Gary Dahl and his pet rock.
Keep an open mind, don’t be afraid to take risks, and don’t forget to have a little fun along the way.
Who knows…you might just come up with the next big thing.
About author:
wealthlab is a platform for hustlers, doers, entrepreneurs and investors to do epic s&%. Our mission is to create 100M new investors worldwide. Join our academy here.*
I was looking around Google for an old article on tax strategies and this five-year old video of myself happened to pop up.
I’m interviewing a tax expert about how real estate investors avoid paying taxesin perpetuity—AND how everyday citizens can do the same thing.
(Real estate—our TEMPLE I and TEMPLE II projects included—has a number of tax benefits savvy investors have capitalized on for years, including Opportunity Zone breaks and 10-year tax abatements.)
There’s the 1031 exchange, of course, which I’ve shared with you guys before.
Just to refresh your memory, the 1031 Exchange allows you to roll over gains from your last project into a new property TAX FREE—as long as said property is worth the same or more.
But there’s ANOTHER TAX LOOPHOLE that can take your portfolio to an entirely new level by splitting your capital gains into MULTIPLE properties.
PS: In our next update, I’m going to break down how real estate moguls get paid from their properties…tax free. 👀 PPS: If you want to learn how to implement generational wealth strategies like this one, you can join our NYCE wealth academy (TRIBE U) here.