Does The American Dream REALLY Costs $5 Million? (SB1741)

The Stacking Benjamins Show

Joe Saul-Sehy and Josh ‘OG’ Bannerman, CFP

Personal Finance, Financial Planning, Education, Retirement, Investing, Cfp, Business, Money

4.4 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 29 September 2025

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Think the American Dream is slipping out of reach? Think again. In this episode of The Stacking Benjamins Show, Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, and Neighbor Doug tackle one of the biggest financial questions of our time: how much does it really cost to live the life you want — and is it still possible? Spoiler alert: it is, but it takes more than a paycheck and a Pinterest board. We break down fresh research from Investopedia, the rising price tag of everything from healthcare to college, and how smart planning (and a little basement wisdom) can keep your dreams from turning into financial nightmares.

But this isn’t just another numbers game. Along the way, the gang shares stories from the road — including Joe’s brush with baseball’s most entertaining team — and digs into the strategies that can help you fight inflation, outsmart rising costs, and make compounding interest your best friend. Plus, we tackle big listener questions, from how to choose the right financial advisor to the best ways to set young adults up for success in a tougher economic landscape.

And because life isn’t all spreadsheets and savings goals, we round things out with some binge-worthy TV and movie picks for when you’re off the clock. It’s part money masterclass, part basement hangout — and all about helping you take real steps toward your version of the American Dream.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why the “American Dream” isn’t dead — but why it may look different today.
The real costs behind homeownership, healthcare, education, and retirement (and how to plan for them).
Strategies for budgeting, saving early, and building systems that make your money work harder.
How to vet a financial advisor and what red flags to watch out for.
Smart ways to guide young adults toward financial independence.
The power of compounding interest and how to use it to your advantage.

Questions to Consider (and Discuss with Fellow Stackers)

What does the “American Dream” mean to you — and has that definition changed over time?
Which costs (housing, healthcare, college, etc.) feel most overwhelming right now, and how are you tackling them?
What’s one piece of financial advice you’d give to someone just starting their journey?

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/the-rising-cost-of-the-american-dream-1741

Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201

Enjoy!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	It's Monday. I just spent the weekend guys.
0:03.0	Wrong.
0:04.0	Boney. Guess where I was this weekend?
0:06.0	Doug's mom's house. I don't know.
0:09.0	I was visiting, of course.
0:13.0	At the second best place. Yes. Saying hello.
0:16.0	Don't you visit other people's moms from times of time?
0:18.0	Savannah bananas game in Houston.
0:20.0	Yes. So I sat next to that
0:23.2	dude on a flight and tried to score tickets like five separate times and he was not having it.
0:28.5	He's never had that happen before. I'm sure. Well, I wasn't begging for tickets. I was like,
0:33.1	oh, hey, are you affiliated with the team? And, you know, he's wearing a big yellow top hat,
0:38.6	all in yellow pants and yellow shirt. He goes, yeah, I'm the owner. And I'm like,
0:43.4	were you in a curious George story? That's what I wanted to say. But he was, he was not in a great
0:50.5	mood. I could tell like something was, you know, because you see him on TV and he's like, you know, he's like on, right? He's like got this huge personality. And I could tell he was not in the mood for chatting. Jesse Cole is his name. I said that I'd hope to catch a show one day. My kids were big fans and we weren't able to get tickets in the Dallas show. And he goes, oh, okay, well, keep trying.
1:12.8	Yeah, dude, you're in first class.
1:13.9	I think you can afford tickets.
1:28.5	You don't need me to give them to you. I think that's what was going through. It's not affording them. They're actually fairly inexpensive, right, Joe? They are inexpensive. They're hard to get, but they're very inexpensive. That's the stick. he doesn't charge ticket fees and he keeps every i think the most expensive ticket that he sells is 60 bucks or 65 or something
1:31.3	thing dick he doesn't charge ticket fees and he keeps every i think the most expensive ticket that he sells is
1:28.5	60 bucks or 65 or something but yeah that's the thing but they all sell out and they go to ticket brokers
1:35.5	and you know he hates that 300 which he's trying to also curtail that as much as he possibly can
1:41.4	yeah but anyway great show recommended to, which is why I obviously.
	...

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