He’s building this from the mission field
Keith* spent almost two years wondering whether to start. He is overseas on mission, and he has skills from his previous career. He wants to use them…
Who told you it wasn’t allowed?
Most people think it’s fine for a plumber to charge for plumbing. Nobody questions a teacher who gets paid to teach, or an accountant who gets paid…
100% Commission Brokerage
When you pass your final exam and get your real estate license, you’re not able to practice real estate until you’ve found a broker who will hold…
Should I Get My Real Estate License?
Should you get your real estate license? I’d typically answer, “ Why not? ” Even if you just found 1-2 family members or friends to help each year,…
Is Your Tentmaking Idea Legitimate?
The legitimacy question tends to go round and rounf rather than resolve itself. Am I allowed to do this? Is this compatible with ministry? Here's a…
What Would You Do For Free?
Here's a question worth thinking about for a minute. If money weren't a factor, what would you still find yourself doing? Not your job description.…
Tracking Your Spending with Monarch
I’ve been using a new app for about 6 months now and I really like it. It’s called Monarch . It costs ~$100/yr and I used a code to get 50% off my…
A Driveway Full of Teslas
A few weeks ago, I wrote a newsletter about my daughter graduating quickly from college . A friend of mine, Roy Moran , responded to the email and…
He was nervous about that conversation
A pastor I know had been worried for months. He wanted to start building income outside his role, but he was dreading one conversation. Bringing it…
The pastors who became better pastors
More and more pastors are discovering something that sounds backwards at first. Tentmaking doesn't make you a worse pastor. It can actually make you…
A College Hacking Update
I wrote a few years ago talking about whether or not college is “hackable.” Here are those two newsletters: Is College Hackable? Is College Hackable?…
Why We Just Spent $780 on Stamps
My wife walked into the post office this week and said, “ I’d like to buy 1,000 stamps .” You can imagine the surprise of the post office employee.…
I tried to help with everything - here's why that doesn't work
A while back I was trying to do three things at once. Preaching training for pastors. Helping people build online coaching programmes. Helping others…
Paul didn't have a side hustle
Paul made tents. Not before he was called. Not instead of his calling. Alongside it, for a good chunk of his ministry. He didn't see it as a…
How Getting Your Real Estate License Can Open Up Doors
I remember years ago as I was pastoring Experience Life that my cousin said to me, “ Chris, you should get your real estate license. You never know…
How Much Are You Investing Each Month?
I think your seriousness about financial freedom can be measured by how much money you invest each month. Dave Ramsey recommends 15% in his baby…
You don't have to become someone else to do this
Nat had a passion and an idea. He wanted to help dads with young kids navigate the pressures of early childhood. He knew the problem. He'd lived it.…
It's here. The 5-Step Tentmaking Blueprint Masterclass.
Chris and I have been working on something and it's finally ready. The 5-Step Tentmaking Blueprint Masterclass. 75 minutes. $17. Here's what we…
Three strangers asked to pay him. In one week.
Neil is an amateur running coach who wanted to turn his expertise into income. He had done all the research. Watched the YouTube videos. Studied the…
A Great Marketing Strategy for a Real Estate Agent
In the last newsletter I wrote about the value of protesting your property taxes each year. If you’re a real estate agent, or thinking about becoming…
$50,000 in Value Saved on Protest
I wrote A Reminder to Protest several newsletters back and I wanted to update you on my progress this year. I had my meeting scheduled with the…
She Just Closed Her 5th High Ticket Client
I got a message this week that made me smile. Erin is a Bible teacher. A few months ago she was struggling to find a way to turn her knowledge into a…
Have You Believed This Lie?
I was working with someone recently who had never sold anything online before. She had the knowledge. She had the experience. She had years of it,…
Where will I even find people?
A few years ago, this was the question that nearly stopped me before I started. I remember sitting with this idea, that pastors and Christian leaders…
A Reminder to Protest
It’s about that time of year again. In many parts of the country, you’ll be getting your Notice of Appraised Value that will be used to determine the…
An Update on Health Insurance for Tentmakers
I wrote in a newsletter a few years ago about possibilities for health insurance as a tentmaker. You can read that here . I wanted to give you an…
You're not doing two jobs
If you’re a tentmaking pastor, it can feel like you’re constantly split in two. Work over here. Ministry over there. Always slightly behind in both.…
From $0 to $6k… while planting a church
I want to tell you about Abi. She and her husband planted a church in the North of England. At the same time, she was: Raising kids Working multiple…
Booking a Dream Trip to the Cayman Islands on Points - Part 2
If you haven’t read the first newsletter in this series, you can read it here . Ok, back to planning a dream trip. So you’ve got your flight & hotel…
Booking a Dream Trip to the Cayman Islands on Points - Part 1
My wife and I just returned from a couple’s trip to the Cayman Islands (the picture above is from our balcony). We went for the first time in 2024…
Leading Well When You’re Not Always Available
If you are a tentmaking pastor, you will never be as “available” as someone paid full time by the church. Good. That is not a weakness to hide. It is…
How to Test a Tentmaking Model Before Going All In
Every pastor thinking about tentmaking faces this tension: “What if this works?” “What if this distracts me?” “What if this fails and wastes time?”…
Lessons Learned after 8.5 Years of Tentmaking - Part 2
In the last newsletter I shared 3 lessons I learned on my tentmaking journey over the past 8.5 years. If you haven’t read that newsletter, you can…
Lessons Learned after 8.5 Years of Tentmaking - Part 1
I started my real estate company in August of 2017 and began a tentmaking journey that continues to this day. I raised support for the first few…
From Intention to Implementation: Your Tentmaking Action Plan for 2026
One of the things I see happen every year is this: People start the year with good intentions to earn additional income … but without a plan or with…
New Year Goals for Tentmaking Pastors: Less Resolution, More Direction
The start of a new year has a way of making us reflective. What needs to change? What do I need to take seriously this year? What can’t be left vague…
Selling Cash Secured Puts for Consistent Income
If you haven’t read the first two newsletters in the “Options Series,” check those out here: Using Stock Options to Earn an Extra $1,000-2,000/mo…
Selling Covered Call Options for Consistent Income
If you haven’t read the first newsletter in the “Options Series,” check that out first: Using Stock Options to Earn an Extra $1,000-2,000/mo…
Using Stock Options to Earn an Extra $1,000-$2,000/mo
Some of you read the title of this newsletter and might’ve gasped in disbelief. Others read it and have no idea what stock options are. Since this is…
Thank You for the Courage!
As we celebrate Thanksgiving (my wife's American so I'm allowed - sort of), I just wanted to take a moment to say a genuine thank you. If you’re…
How to Talk to Your Church Leadership About Your Tentmaking Plans (Without Freaking Them Out)
For many pastors, the scariest part of tentmaking isn’t choosing an income stream. It’s telling their church and leadership team . You might be…
The Importance of Being Invested in Equities
If you had invested a sum of money in US treasuries this year, your money would’ve grown about 4% so far this year. If you had invested that same sum…
Building the plane while flying it (and why that's okay)
"Come on in! If you don't mind helping me build a plane while flying it." That's what Sarah said to Emma yesterday when Emma joined one of my…
Check For Retention Bonuses Before Canceling
My wife’s AMEX Gold card had a $325 annual fee posted to her account today. She got this card last year because it had a great welcome bonus & was…
5 Skills Pastors Already Have (and How to Monetize Them)
If you're a pastor or in ministry and looking to boost your income, you might be sitting on a goldmine without even realizing it. The skills you use…
Too Busy to Start Tentmaking? Think Again!
I hear it regularly from pastors and church leaders: "I'd love to start a tentmaking business, but I'm just too busy." I get it. I really do. Church…
The AI Trap Every Tentmaker Needs to Avoid
AI is everywhere right now. Course creation in minutes. Business plans generated instantly. Marketing copy that sounds like you hired a pro. It seems…
The Hidden Missional Advantage of Tentmaking (That Most Pastors Never Consider)
A few years ago I met a pastor who runs a small business on the side. He was apologetic about it. "I'd love to 100% be focusing on ministry," he…
Earning American Airlines Platinum Status
My latest Travel Hacking pursuit has been earning American Airlines Platinum Status primarily with spend on a credit card & shopping through their…
Stuck Dreaming About Your Business? Here's What's Really Holding You Back
If you're interested in launching your first online course but don't know what to teach, I've got something special for you. My brand new free course…
I Created a Thing (And it Might Help you with Your Tentmaking Income Idea)
Over the summer, my daughter got married! 🎉 So wonderful to have time to celebrate her and her new husband and get them settled in Winchester…
A 6 Month Life Hacking Update
What I typically characterize as “Life Hacking” on this blog is any way you earn extra money that’s not in a specific business or skill. It could be…
A 6 Month Agent Hacking Update
I want to continue my “6 Month Update” series today and share what we’ve been up to with Agent Hacking . Agent Hacking is using a real estate license…
How God Called One Tentmaker to Tear Down Barriers
My dear friend Amy knew she needed spiritual depth before entering her career. Like the Apostle Paul, she sensed God preparing her for tentmaking…
The $25K eBay Store I Shut Down (And What It Taught Me About True Freedom)
I want to share something with you that might sound crazy - I once shut down a profitable $25K annual revenue business. On purpose. Let me explain…
A 6 Month Flip Hacking Update
I’m continuing my 6 Month Update series today with an update on Flip Hacking. I’ve written over the past few months about Travel Hacking & House…
The Surprising Way Real Estate Became My Mission Field
I'm excited to introduce you to Jim Britts , a pastor-turned-real estate quick flipper who's living proof that tentmaking can transform both your…
The Guilt Factor: Overcoming Shame About Making Money in Ministry
Picture this: You're at a church gathering, and someone asks what you do for work. You mention your business or side hustle, and immediately feel the…
How I Got Started in Travel Hacking (and Unlocked $40,000+ in Free Travel!)
Ministry is incredibly rewarding, but let's be honest about the financial reality many pastors face. Recent research shows that one-third of pastors…
The Secret Funding Model Behind the Early Church
I've been diving deep into some fascinating research about how ministry was funded for the early church lately, and I stumbled across something that…
A 6 Month House Hacking Update
I recently shared a 6 month update on Travel Hacking and wanted to continue that theme today by sharing a 6 month House Hacking update. We haven’t…
A 6 Month Travel Hacking Update
It’s been 6 months since I’ve given an update on my tentmaking adventures, so I wanted to start with an update on Travel Hacking. I’ve planned some…
The Surprising Impact of Tentmaking Ministry
When the Apostle Paul made tents to support his ministry, he established a powerful model that's increasingly relevant today. As someone who leads…
A New Partnership
It's such an honor to be joining Chris in shaping tentmakingpastors.com! I'm Simon Holley. I lead King's Arms Church in Bedford, UK, and oversee the…
Back from a Break
I’m back! Actually, we’re back! I took a 6 month break from writing these weekly newsletters & I’m going to resume again with help from my friend…
Is College Hackable? Part 2
In the first email of this series , I shared a number of ways to “hack” a college education to reduce the price. I invited newsletter subscribers to…
The Tax Benefits of a Donor-Advised Fund
I was listening to a podcast last week and the host was talking about the benefits of using a donor-advised fund for your charitable giving. I had…
Is College Hackable?
College can cost a small fortune these days. Tuition prices are sky rocketing. Add the cost of room and board if your child chooses to leave for…
Chase Ultimate Rewards vs American Express Membership Rewards
Chase vs American Express. Honestly, both are fantastic! I recommend people start with Chase cards first because of the 5/24 rule . But once you’ve…
Health Insurance for Tentmakers
If someone becomes a tentmaker, how are they supposed to get health insurance? This is especially concerning if their tentmaking activities don’t…
Our Family’s Chipotle Hack
Our family eats at Chipotle nearly every Friday night. Sometimes we pick it up & sometimes we eat there. We like that everyone can choose what they…
Ensuring You Pass the First Time
A few weeks ago I decided to pursue my real estate broker’s license. My wife has been a broker for a long time, but I thought it would be beneficial…
An Update on our 500,000+ Points Journey
I wrote a newsletter a few months ago talking about the opportunity to earn over 500,000 points in just a few months. Chase was running an all-time…
An Exciting Merger for Points Enthusiasts
A merger between Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines has been in the works for awhile. Everyone was unsure whether or not the merger would make it…
Finding Houses to Flip
I was on a coaching call with a Flip Hacking student last week and we talked some about simple ways to find your first few houses to flip. I reminded…
Renting Out An Airstream on Airbnb
If you’ve been reading this newsletter for awhile, you know that we enjoy “ house hacking .” That is, finding ways to reduce the costs of our home by…
Meal Kits Delivered For Nearly Free
Everyone likes free food, right? My Dad used to say it tastes better when it’s free! 😂 I’ve recently entered the world of online meal kits. Not so…
I Got Denied Twice And Then This Happened
I’ve been talking a lot about the all-time high Chase Ink Business Preferred bonus ( here & here ). Apparently, everyone else is too because I get…
How to Meet a High Minimum Spend
As I shared a few weeks ago , we’re working hard to rack up as many points as we can with this amazing welcome bonus on the Chase Ink Business…
3 Free Nights in Las Vegas with Points
This past Spring, I asked my wife & both daughters to plan a trip they wanted to go on over the next year. My wife chose the Cayman Islands where we…
Booking The Best Business Class Seats In The Sky
The airline that won the Skytrax award for Best Business Class Airline in 2024 was Qatar Airways. And the most sought after business class seat on…
$2,500 and $325 Bank Bonuses
Wells Fargo is offering some great bank bonuses right now if you’d like to make some extra easy cash over 90 days. And, who wouldn’t? They are…
I Was Losing $300/mo
While I keep most of our long-term money invested in index funds and short-term money invested in treasuries/money markets, I still keep cash in my…
Why Cars Often Delay Financial Independence
I drive a 2012 Toyota Tundra with 140,000 miles on the motor and I love it! I sent my Dad a video the other day of a Toyota Tundra that made it to…
The Potential For 500,000+ Points!
My email has been flooded over the past few days. Many of the travel hackers I follow are sending out red hot alerts about this new card bonus. And…
Fleeing a Hurricane
I wrote a newsletter recently about our upcoming summer trip to the Cayman Islands . Well, if you’ve been watching the news, you’ve probably heard…
Cheap Medical Insurance for Travel
Our family is excited to be leaving the country soon for a summer trip to the Cayman Islands . Often, when people spend quite a bit of money on a…
Why I Like Vanguard
Vanguard is the largest provider of mutual funds in the world. And their index funds are world-renowned. In fact, it’s commonly said that the first…
50k —> 85k Welcome Bonus Increase
The Southwest personal cards have been sitting at a 50k welcome bonus for awhile now. The reason I know is because one of our host daughters from…
A Problem Solving Business
When I first started flipping houses, my mentor would say, “We’re not in the real estate business, we’re in the problem solving business.” Over the…
I Booked 2 Free Vacations Last Week
My wife and I had been talking about booking a summer and winter vacation this year but we were undecided on where to go. Then we got an email from…
Two Great Books on Financial Independence
Most people I talk to are interested in financial independence. And most of them would like to be financially independent before retirement age. They…
Big Bonus on One of the Best Cards
One of the best travel rewards cards on the market is the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. The welcome bonus is typically 60,000 points after $4,000 in…
What is Your Freedom Number?
Do you know your Freedom Number? This is an important metric to track on your journey toward financial independence . Your freedom number is the…
Don’t Forget to Protest
For many of us, this is the time of year when we are receiving our appraisal notice from the property tax authority in our area. And it probably…
Is a $695 Annual Fee Worth It?
I was just approved for the American Express Platinum card last week. The annual fee is $695. Am I crazy? Maybe a little - haha! For me, as I…
Does Applying for New Cards Hurt Your Credit Score?
Many people think if you apply for too many new cards, your credit score will suffer. That’s simply not true. In fact, new cards add new accounts to…
How Should I Get Started in Real Estate?
The title of this newsletter is a common question. And the answer is really simple. It doesn’t matter. Huh? I tell people this all the time. How you…
Retirement Account Investing Order
In what order should you invest your retirement savings? Which account should you max out first, then second, and so on? I’ll share with you my…
Building Your E-Mail List
One of the first steps in starting an online business is to build an e-mail list of prospective customers that you can serve. Perhaps the best way to…
List One House in 2024
I recently sent out a newsletter entitled, “ Flip One House in 2024 ,” helping you to break down flipping a single house into bite-sized pieces.…
Barriers to Getting Started Flipping Houses
When I talk to pastors/missionaries about flipping houses, they will often share similar barriers to getting started. I’d like to go through each of…
A Great Resource for Pursuing F.I.R.E.
I’ve written several newsletters about pursuing F.I.R.E. (financial independence, retire early). Today I wanted to share a resource that I’ve found…
Pay For Professional Photos
Remember this when you get ready to put your house on the market. The price you’ll pay to get professional pictures taken of your home is almost…
Big Purchase? Choose A Card Strategically!
We recently found a gas leak at our house. When the plumber came out, he found another one. And then another one. And then… you get the idea. No fun.…
Should You Invest 15% Into Retirement Accounts?
Investing 15% of your income into retirement accounts is Dave Ramsey’s Baby Step 4 . Is that a Baby Step worth following? Absolutely, but with a…
How to Attract More Clients
One of the ways you can make additional income to support your ministry is through getting a real estate license & representing a few family…
Flip One House in 2024
The thought of consistently flipping houses for income is likely intimidating to many people reading this newsletter. It’s easy to get overwhelmed…
When to Cancel Your Credit Card
I’ve written quite a bit about how to apply for credit cards, but not as much about when to cancel them. And canceling them at the right time is very…
Is Tentmaking a Distraction?
Many of us grew up in a church context where the pastor was paid full-time. Some of us even grew up in churches were many of the staff were paid…
Why You Should Never Get a Credit Card
You probably did a double-take when you read the title of this newsletter. How can the guy teaching us about travel hacking using credit cards tell…
Starting an Online Business
Do you know anyone making money online? More and more people are starting to earn money this way. Many of them have a blog, or a newsletter, or a…
Best Card for Grocery Spend
Like most people, we spend a lot of money on groceries. Most cards don’t have great redemptions for grocery spend. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is 1…
How Long Does It Take to Become a Real Estate Agent?
Answer: Not long. Many different licenses can take a long time to get. A Real Estate License is not one of them. If you move quickly, you could…
Treat Making Money As a Hobby
I once heard an investor say this & it has stuck with me ever since. “ Treat making money as a hobby .” For most of us, we don’t think about making…
$6,000 Profit - Student Deal Highlight
Every few months I highlight one of our student’s deals in the Flip Hacking Course & Mastermind . I’m hoping these highlights give you an idea of how…
How to Pay Back Your Student Loans Quickly
A few weeks ago, student loan payments resumed after a significant pause due to the pandemic. I’m constantly amazed by how much student loan debt is…
Why We Try to Live Near College Campuses
The last two houses we’ve lived in have been right down the street from a major university. This was strategic for 2 reasons: Many of the major…
Best Offer For These Business Cards
If you want to earn more points to travel free, you’ve gotta check out these new card bonuses. I just applied for one & was approved! These are…
Making Offers on the MLS
In our real estate investing business, we’ve bought all of our properties to flip off-market . Meaning, they were not listed on the MLS (Multiple…
Why You Should Own a Business
Do you own a business? I’d guess that most pastors, missionaries, and Christian leaders do not. I’d like to give you 10 reasons why I think you…
Finding a Niche as a Real Estate Agent
Chances are your market has a TON of real estate agents. And they’re all vying for the same clients. And many of them are working full-time at it.…
One Deal Can Change Your Financial Life
Real Estate Investing is unique in that you don’t get paid for your time, you get paid for the value you add. You could work 100 hours and make…
My Favorite Index Funds And How to Invest In Them
I’ve written about index funds in the past & encourage you to start with that article here: Why You Should Invest in Index Funds That article spoke…
Using Google Flights to Find Discounted & Mistake Fares
Have you used Google Flights before? It’s a game-changer! In this one place you can see multiple airlines, routes & prices to the places you want to…
My Daughter Helped Us Make $16,000
Our real estate flipping business was originally built on direct mail & it’s still our most profitable marketing channel. We send postcards and…
How to Fly Business Class at Over 90% Off
Let’s say you booked an economy ticket overseas with points. You’re taking your spouse on an anniversary trip and you’d love to splurge on business…
Always Check Partner Airlines For Better Redemptions
Most airlines are part of some kind of an alliance with other airlines. This benefits you because you can sometimes get better airline award…
Ministry Mom Just Made over $15,000
A pastor’s wife & stay-at-home mom in our real estate brokerage wanted to make a little bit of extra income each year to supplement her husband’s…
Get Up to $700 When You Fund a New Account
I recently funded a JP Morgan (Chase) Self-Directed Investing Account and plan to earn the bonus in a few months. Here’s the link:…
Sam’s Club and Costco Are Your Friends
As I’m writing this, my wife is about to leave for a Sam’s Club trip. She used to go to Costco. Where she goes just depends on which one is closer to…
Take the In-Flight Brochure
You know how sometimes on your flight the flight attendant comes around with a brochure to apply for one of their credit cards? And you know how no…
Add These 4 Streams of Income Easily
I’ve talked extensively in this newsletter about the wisdom in pursuing multiple streams of income . I want to share 3 streams of income you can…
Do Deals in Real Estate Still Exist?
You may have heard people say, “ Real estate deals just don’t exist anymore .” I’m living proof that’s not true. It’s a numbers game. If you talk to…
You Can Get a 5%+ Conservative Return
Just a few years ago, achieving a 5% “conservative” return on your investments was laughable. By “conservative” I mean government-insured or…
80,000 + 15,000 Points On Our Favorite Card
I wrote a few weeks ago about the 90,000 in-branch Chase Sapphire credit card offer . My wife applied, was approved, & we’ve already earned that…
How We Made Over $40,000 By Having a Real Estate License
We just moved… again! Probably not too surprising if you’ve read this newsletter for awhile. We lived in our previous home almost 3 years and we…
Protest Your Taxes
Chances are you recently received an appraisal notice from your property tax authority. In that notice, they told likely told you your…
$81,500 Profit - Student Deal Highlight
Every few months I highlight one of our student’s deals in the Flip Hacking Course & Mastermind . I’m hoping these highlights give you an idea of how…
Great In-Branch Offer on Top Card
Readers of this newsletter know that I regularly recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred card as one of the best cards to get started on your Travel…
Run Your Personal Finances Like a Business
This mindset is key to increasing your income, decreasing your expenses and investing more toward financial freedom (passive investments covering…
5 Nights in Washington DC for Free
Our family just got back from our Spring Break trip to Washington DC. We had a blast. Neither me, nor my wife, nor our daughters had been to DC & we…
Max Out Your IRAs
It’s almost tax time. And, believe it or not, the government is giving you a little extra time to do something very wise. As you know, most…
$50,000 Profit - Student Deal Highlight
Every few months I highlight one of our student’s deals in the Flip Hacking Course & Mastermind . I’m hoping these highlights give you an idea of how…
How to Get All of Our Courses Free
I’ve had quite a few conversations with pastors recently who are wanting to make extra money with real estate. I tell them I’m glad to help. Then, I…
How I Booked a Two Week Trip to England With Points
My wife and daughters have been asking to go to England for years. And I’ve always wanted to take my Mom to Wimbledon (we’re a tennis family). We had…
Our House Made Us $9,918 in 2 Bookings
Is your house making you money? If you’re like most people, probably not. Houses usually don’t put money in your pocket each month, they take money…
6 Simple Ways to Get Started in Real Estate
Real estate can be intimidating. Some of the common misconceptions of getting stated in real estate are: I need to go into lots of debt I need to…
How Spending More Money Can Save You So Much More
I’m sure the title of this newsletter makes absolutely no sense. And it didn’t make sense to me the first time I heard it either. I read about this…
How to Make $1,000+ Each Month Online
Online Business is becoming more & more popular. Courses. Coaching. Communities. There’s so many ways to make extra money online. Millions of people…
Free Flights for 2 Years for 2 People
Southwest Airlines notified me in early January that I had earned 163,000 new Southwest points & a Companion Pass for the next 2 years. Jackpot!…
How to Save Thousands When You Sell Your Home
If you’ve been reading this newsletter for long, you already know my preference for how you should go about selling your house so you make the most…
$23,637 Profit - Student Deal Highlight
Every few months I highlight one of our student’s deals in the Flip Hacking Course & Mastermind . I hope these highlights give you an idea of how…
10 Advantages of Tentmaking
While some might see being a tentmaker, bi-vocational, or co-vocational as less than ideal, there are actually many advantages. So many, in fact,…
Pay Yourself Back for Airbnb Stays
Our family is in the process of planning and booking a family trip to England next summer for nearly free using points! Because we plan to stay for…
How I Came Off the Church Payroll in 3 Years
On February 17, 2017, I sent a letter to our Board of Elders asking them to cut my salary $25,000 effective immediately. I told them my desire was to…
Get More Cash Back With Rakuten
Have you heard of Rakuten ? I just recently heard about it from a blogger that I follow. It’s really cool! You get cash back at many of the stores…
How My Neighbor is Making an Extra $2,500/mo
My wife and I enjoy keeping track of the houses in our neighborhood that are going up for sale. We live in a historic neighborhood so we like to see…
How to Make Your First $1,000 Tentmaking
A few weeks ago I talked about how you can overcome the fear of tentmaking. You can read that blog here . I encouraged you to focus on just making…
$26,000 Profit - Student Deal Highlight
Every few months I’m highlighting one of our student’s deals from the Flip Hacking Course & Mastermind . I hope these highlights give you an idea of…
Overcoming the Fear of Tentmaking
The thought of tentmaking scares a lot of pastors, missionaries and others in ministry. Many of them have never worked outside of ministry and they…
How to Live on One Income
I meet so many pastors who wish their families could live on one income because their wives would rather stay home with their kids. They just say…
Free Access to the Travel Hacking Course (Limited Time)
A friend of mine who is a pastor in New York emailed me a few weeks ago and said this: Another friend who is a pastor in Kansas sent me a video of…
3 Ways To Increase Your Commissions
Once you start making commissions as a real estate agent, you can increase those commissions in several ways. The first way is the most obvious and…
4 Ways to Reduce Your Property Taxes
Spending some time working to reduce your property taxes is worth the effort. Here are some benefits: It reduces the property tax portion of your…
$13,000 Profit - Student Deal Highlight
I wanted to highlight another deal from a student in our Flip Hacking Course & Mastermind to give you a better idea of how this income stream could…
4 Reasons I Started Tentmaking
Why did I begin a tentmaking journey? It’s a good question. I certainly didn’t “have” to. I was paid full-time by our church and the elders were glad…
My Favorite Bank
This will probably not come as a surprise to many of you because of how much I write about the credit cards this bank issues. But, after using many…
Getting Started with Travel Rewards
Free travel? Sounds too good to be true, right? My family and I have been traveling “nearly” free for years now. We’ve earned tens of thousands of…
5 Reasons NOT to Become a Real Estate Agent
Since I mostly give reasons why you SHOULD become a real estate agent, I wanted to give some reasons today it may not be a good idea. You don’t like…
Why Everyone Should Have an Airbnb
If you’re looking to make extra income to support your ministry, one of the easiest and cheapest ways to do this is to have an Airbnb on your…
How to Sell Your Home Without Paying Huge Commissions
Some friends called me recently and said they were ready to sell their home and wanted my advice on how to maximize their profit. Here’s what I told…
$140,874 Profit - Student Deal Highlight
I want to start highlighting deals from students in our Flip Hacking Course & Mastermind to give you a better idea of how this income stream could…
5 Myths About Tentmaking
Many people don’t understand tentmaking & have never tried it themselves, so myths can circulate in their minds regarding what it’s all about. I want…
A 2.5% Savings Account Return
I shared with you in July 2021 about HYSAs (High Yield Savings Accounts). I told you that one of my favorite HYSA was the Marcus account by Goldman…
Family Ski Trip to Colorado
Last year, because we had accumulated so many travel rewards, I gave each of our daughters the opportunity to plan a trip anywhere in the US. My…
Extra Income for a Stay-at-Home Mom
My wife always dreamed of being a stay-at-home mom. I shared her dream and we’ve always lived on one full-time income. As the kids started growing…
Don’t Forget This When Selling Your Home
One tip to sell your house for more money the next time you’re ready to sell is to have it staged. Staging is the process of furnishing and…
A Triple Dip Investment
What if I told you there was an investment vehicle where you could contribute pre-tax, it grows tax free, and you can withdraw it tax free when used…
Do You Need a Real Estate License to Quick Flip?
Short Answer: No, and it could actually be a disadvantage starting out. Longer Answer: Retail real estate and investment real estate are two…
How to Begin a Tentmaking Journey
Maybe you’ve thought about doing some tentmaking on the side but you’re not sure where to begin. I’d love to help. By tentmaking, we mean earning…
Couples Trip to Broadway in NYC
When our family heard that Hugh Jackman was starring on Broadway in the classic musical, The Music Man, our family members started booking tickets.…
Finding Buyers for Your Quick Flips
An important step in building a flipping business is to find investor buyers looking for off-market, discounted properties that need work. I…
A 9.62% ROI Virtually Risk-Free?
Most interest-bearing checking accounts return less than 0.25% on your money. My High Yield Savings Account is at 0.7% right now. Getting better but…
Avoid Buying Now If You Can
Warren Buffet once said, “ Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful .” I’ll give you one guess which situation the…
Should You Buy Long-Term Rentals?
You may be thinking, “ Chris, you talk a lot about flipping real estate on this blog, but what about long-term rentals? Isn’t it even more important…
Don't Forget About Business Cards
If you are serious about racking up travel rewards, you definitely don’t want to miss the big bonuses often offered on business cards. Many people…
Do You Really Need An Emergency Fund?
I mean, after all, you’ve never had a big emergency so far, right? And the likelihood of a future emergency is also low, right? Why save up all that…
The Costs of Getting a Real Estate License
Getting a real estate license is much less costly than you might think. And it’s a great way to get started in real estate. I’m going to share the…
$68,000 and $1,200/mo
House Hacking is a great way to supplement your ministry income! You can use it to make extra money and also reduce your monthly expenses to nearly…
The Power of Knocking on a Door
There’s almost nothing more powerful in buying houses (either personal or investment) than having face to face conversations with homeowners who have…
Easily Earn Thousands of Extra Points
Did you know there’s a way to earn thousands in travel rewards each year without applying for any new cards? I love earning points this way! It’s…
Should You Listen to Dave Ramsey?
I love this question because it is hotly debated online. I’m guessing most of the readers of this blog have heard of Dave Ramsey. And perhaps many of…
Why Are You Still Spending Money On That?
When is the last time you evaluated all of your recurring monthly expenses? Many of us are aware of our monthly expenses, but we haven’t evaluated…
Understanding Closing Costs
Whether you are an agent representing a client, a house hacker buying and selling every few years, or a flip hacker flipping houses regularly,…
Running a Business in 2-3 Hours Per Week
If you’re in ministry, flipping houses is great, but not if it takes you a ton of time. Most of us want extra income for our families, but we want it…
The IRS Home Sale Exclusion
I want to share with you a benefit of owning property in the US that has allowed us to generate so much extra income over the years! *Note: This blog…
Couples Trip to Charleston in the Fall
A few years ago as our travel rewards started to accumulate, I asked my wife if she wanted to go on a Fall trip. I bet you can guess her answer. We…
The 4% Rule
If you keep up with the Financial Independence community online, you’ll hear a lot of talk about “The 4% Rule.” When I was first introduced to…
$53,806 Extra Income On the Side
At the end of each year, my wife & I generate 1099s (like W-2s but for independent contractors) for the Realtors in our brokerage. These forms…
The Power of Direct Mail
Whether you’re looking to buy a house for your family off-market or you’re looking to buy houses to flip, direct mail can be a powerful tool. Direct…
House Hacking & Afghan Students
Honestly, when we decided to buy our current "house hack," we never could've dreamed we'd have this current opportunity. I shared in a recent blog…
More Companion Pass Perks
This blog post is a continuation of the last post. You can read that first here if you haven't already: The Holy Grail of Travel Rewards . The…
The Holy Grail of Travel Rewards
I want to give you an introduction to the most sought after travel reward out there. It's so sought after that I've heard it called the "holy grail"…
Get Out of Debt & Stay Out
There is almost nothing that will impede your financial progress more than debt. This shouldn't surprise us. Solomon said, " The rich rule over the…
Making Money with Referral Fees
Believe it or not, you can make money in real estate without doing any "real estate" at all. Let's just assume you don't want to Flip Hack , House…
Our 1st Quick Flip
I recently posted a blog entitled, The Story Behind Our 1st Flip . This was about the first flip we had ever done. It was a Cosmetic (or Lipstick)…
Why My Wife Loves Older Homes
My wife definitely loves older homes. I often joke that unless the home is older than 1970, my wife probably won't like it. Haha! She'd tell you that…
Your New Favorite Airline
I posted a blog recently called, Your New Favorite Hotel . In that blog I talked about the difference in point values between several hotel chains.…
Introduction to the F.I.R.E. Community
The people I want to introduce you to belong to a community online called the F.I.R.E community. F.I.R.E. is an acronym for Financial Independence…
How to Find a Flat Fee Broker
If you get your real estate license, finding a flat fee broker is essential (also called 100% Commission Brokerages). A flat fee broker keeps a flat…
Is Flipping Houses Really That Easy?
Flipping Houses is simple, but not easy. The process to flip a house is simple. Find a property off-market that's in need of some work Buy direct…
Christmas in New York City
When our 2 daughters were young, my wife told me that she wanted to take them to NYC for Christmas one day. She had been with her mom & sister to NYC…
How To Sell Your Home For Top Dollar
If you're wanting to use your house to make extra income, you'll want to sell it for top dollar every single time! Forgive me for stating the…
Why You Should Invest In Index Funds
Let me start with a disclaimer. I'm not a licensed financial advisor (which may be a good thing for this blog post). I'm neither a CFA (Chartered…
Earning Extra Income with Live-In Flips
House Hacking is essentially using your house to make extra money & live nearly free. I talked about the “living nearly free” part in a recent post…
The Key to Passing Your Exam the First Time
The final exam to become a real estate agent is known to be tricky. In fact, many people don’t pass the first time and have to sign up to take it…
Your New Favorite Hotel
There is one hotel chain where your travel rewards often go further than any other. If you listen to travel rewards discussions online, you'll hear…
Q&A About Our 1st Flip
I'm sure after reading The Story Behind Our 1st Flip last week, your mind may be filled with questions. I want to address some of those in this post.…
The Story Behind Our 1st Flip
We've flipped over 100 houses through the years, but I want to go back to the very beginning and tell you about our first one. Prior to this story…
A Great Tool for Tracking Your Financial Progress
I want to introduce you to a tool I've used for many years to track my financial progress. It’s not really an every day tool like a budgeting app.…
What If I've Never Filled Out a Contract Before?
Perhaps you’re wanting to sell your home FSBO (For Sale By Owner) to save on real estate commissions but you’re worried about filling out the…
How I Went From a 0 to 800+ Credit Score
When I started Travel Hacking, my credit score was essentially 0. Yes, you read that right, zero. I didn't have bad credit, I just had no credit.…
How Tentmaking Challenges Our Paradigms
“ After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his…
One of My Favorite High Yield Savings Accounts
Conventional financial wisdom says it's important to have an emergency fund. Most recommend you start out with a few thousand & then grow that to…
How Realtors Make Money
Believe it or not, many people don't fully understand how Realtors make money. If that's you, I want to explain it in this post. I think…
How to Identify a Distressed Property
One of the keys to flipping houses is to get really good at identifying distressed properties. You see these properties around you every day, but you…
A Closer Look at Our Latest House Hack
We moved into our current home about a year ago. One of the reasons we chose this home is because we knew we could live here for free. You're…
Highest Welcome Bonus Ever For This Card
It wasn’t long ago that I told you about the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card and how it’s often regarded as the best travel rewards card out…
Always Buy Off-Market If You Can
Here's the truth. You'll get a better deal on your next house if you bypass Realtors and buy off-market. That's going to be controversial with your…
How I Booked a FREE 9-Night Trip to California
The kids are out of school and our family is ready to travel! We have enough rewards points that I’m allowing each of my kids to pick a trip this…
How to Convince a Spouse that Tentmaking is Legit
Perhaps the thought of tentmaking excites you. But… You’re worried about your husband or wife’s reaction. “It’s too risky!” “We need financial…
The Best Places to Get Your Real Estate License
Having a real estate license is a great way to make some extra income on the side! And it's something either you or your spouse can do. I even know…
Don’t Get Any New Credit Cards Until You Read This
If you’re serious about pursuing travel rewards & traveling nearly free (aka Travel Hacking), this caution is for you. Some of the best credit card…
You Make Your Money When You Buy
Even if you haven’t invested in real estate before, you’ve probably heard this saying. You make your money when you buy. What does that even mean? It…
The Value of Multiple Streams of Income
Do you have more than one stream of income? While most financial advisors would recommend having multiple streams, I’ve found that too often…
The Best Credit Card for Travel Rewards
Without a doubt, the card that consistently ranks at the top of best cards to have for travel is... The Chase Sapphire Preferred card This is my…
Take Advantage of Checking Account Bonuses
Did you know that banks often offer checking account bonuses to open new accounts with them? It’s true. And sometimes they are very generous. Chances…
How to Reduce Your Primary Housing Expenses to Nearly $0/mo
Your primary housing expenses each month are your: Mortgage payment (principal + interest) Property Taxes Homeowners Insurance #2 & #3 are often…
3 Ways to Flip a House
When you hear the word “house flip,” what comes to mind? Usually it’s something along the lines of what you see on HGTV. A couple like Chip & Joanna:…
How to Pay Off Your Mortgage in 6 Years
You heard me right! You can pay off your mortgage fast , in as little as 6 years. Maybe even in 4 years if your mortgage is less than average. I know…
Is It Really Possible to Travel Nearly Free?
Short answer: Yes! If you’re paying a lot to travel, you don’t have to anymore! Our family has been traveling for several years now for nearly free.…
Earn an Extra $10k in Only 10 Hours Each Year
You’re probably wondering, “Is that even possible?” Well, it is! And you can do it in your spare time. We’ve done this ourselves many times and…
15 Ideas for Level 3 Tentmakers
A Level 3 Tentmaker is looking to earn a full-time income. Ideally in flexible ways that support their ministry schedule. Needed: ~$60k+ Ways to make…
15 Ideas for Level 2 Tentmakers
A Level 2 Tentmaker is looking to earn an extra part-time income. Ideally in flexible ways that support their ministry schedule. Needed: ~$20,000…
15 Ideas for Level 1 Tentmakers
A Level 1 Tentmaker is looking to earn just a little bit of extra spending money, often to take their family on vacation or get away with their…
The 3 Levels of Tentmaking
“ After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his…
Free Hawaii Trip or $1,200 Cash
The title sounds like click bait, right? Too good to be true? Thankfully, it isn't! I want to start posting more regular free content to help…