Money, Property & Investing
168 episodes · 2018–2021 · 74 debates · 120 pieces of advice · 130 stories · 154 quotes
The Daily Talk Show — Australia’s daily podcast, hosted by Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen — discussed money, property & investing across 168 of its 1,022 daily episodes between 2018 and 2021. This page collects what was actually said: 154 verbatim quotes, 120 pieces of advice, 130 stories told on air, 74 on-air debates, each linked to the exact moment in the episode and on YouTube.
Where they stand
Moments where the table disagreed, straight from the transcripts.
Believes bulk buying of non-perishables can be a smart, cost-effective way to use cash if you have the storage for it, citing Mark Cuban's advice.
Agrees it can save money but is more skeptical about practicality, noting storage limitations (e.g., needing to keep a doona in a tin shed) and questioning whether it suits his own lifestyle.
Finds value in it, saying it puts your own financial situation into perspective and that's why the content is compelling even if people watch partly to feel better about themselves.
Says the finance content itself isn't fun for him, but he enjoys the format and presentation style, like imagining himself hosting calls from a cockpit-like desk.
Says he's drawn more to the fun and process of work like Dude Perfect's, not the money itself, though he acknowledges money enables that fun.
Argues that chasing money/fame as the primary goal is often a distraction or 'hiding' from the real work, and that Josh has evolved away from a rich-and-famous mindset he had a few years ago.
Questions whether the random queue number system makes sense and seems unfair since arrival time doesn't matter.
Agrees it's unfair but explains the mechanics of the pre-sale waiting room and random assignment, accepting it as just how the system works.
Has always distrusted light-green-skinned avocados compared to dark-skinned ones, and remains skeptical even after his friend defended them online.
Suggests light green avocados might just be an 'average all the time' variety and, after tasting, says the sample avocado was actually good.
Cautious — says it's not recommended to buy at ~$74,000 unless you have spare surplus money that wouldn't affect you if lost.
More open/curious — references people's 'to the moon' mentality and considers getting on Binance and SelfWealth himself.
Leans toward safer long-term bets like index funds (NDQ) over speculative single companies, citing Warren Buffett's philosophy, though he admits to getting drawn into speculative thinking about companies like Oliver's.
Questions whether high-growth companies like Airbnb are even profitable relative to funding raised, and is skeptical of chasing stock bets like Kogan given how founders profit from IPOs while share prices later drop.
Regrets not buying Bitcoin early and has recently bought into Polkadot partly for fun, acknowledging he's a late 'gronk' follower in the space.
Is wary of the hype and 'dick swinging' around investing talk, feels like a wanker discussing stocks/tax, and prefers sticking to simple long-term index funds rather than chasing trends.
Matt D'Avella
Supports the FIRE movement's goal of giving people optionality and financial security, considers himself close to that position, but doesn't see himself ever fully retiring because he loves making videos too much.
Frames FIRE as primarily about removing financial stress and gaining optionality over one's time.
whether entrepreneurs get a double standard on 'recklessness' compared to average people
Ep 967▶ 32:51Believes society puts entrepreneurs on pedestals, celebrating risky/reckless financial behavior (like Tesla's near-collapse) as 'innovative,' while an average friend or family member doing the same thing would be criticized as reckless.
Agrees, adding that the freelance/entrepreneurial lifestyle is often romanticized (e.g., taking a Friday off) while the hidden costs—working weekends, no annual leave, constant uncertainty—go unacknowledged.
Favors regulation so that substances like marijuana are produced to a safe standard rather than being unregulated.
Argues marijuana is statistically less dangerous than alcohol and it's ridiculous that it isn't broadly legalized and regulated.
Points out the absurdity of people being jailed in places where marijuana use is illegal while it's legal elsewhere, comparing it to alcohol prohibition.
Josh
Torn between detachment/contentment with current apartment life and a strong pull toward owning a large property with acreage, a studio, and space for hobbies like a barbecue.
Tommy
Acknowledges the same tension, framing the 'sexy' goal of acreage/property against the less glamorous but more important basics of financial security like superannuation and savings.
Advice from the show
all 120pieces →What was actually said, attributed and linked to the moment.
Should you buy cryptocurrency during a market dip?
Tommy admits he considered texting Jess during a crypto crash to say it was a good time to buy, but acknowledges he doesn't actually know if that's true and is 'just making shit up,' suggesting caution about assuming dips are good buying opportunities without real expertise.
How can buying in bulk save money?
Josh suggests that if you have spare cash, it can be cost-effective to buy non-perishable items like toothpaste or toilet paper in bulk, as referenced via advice attributed to Mark Cuban about investing cash into bulk purchases.
What should you consider before buying in bulk?
Tommy and Josh note that bulk buying only makes sense if you have adequate storage space at home, otherwise it becomes impractical even if it saves money.
When can you clean or swap your golf ball during a round?
Josh explains that while putting on the green, you're allowed to mark your ball's position, pick it up to clean it, and place it back down, and you can also swap to a fresh ball once a hole is finished.
Should I quit my job to pursue my passion project?
Tommy says this kind of advice is inherently privileged and context-dependent; he discusses a real conversation where someone wanted to reduce hours to pursue a passion project, noting that generic advice like 'just quit' ignores individual financial runway and circumstances.
How much financial runway do I need before taking a risk on a business or passion project?
Tommy argues that standard startup advice (having months of savings/runway) isn't realistic for most people, and that this advice can become an excuse to avoid pursuing dreams; he notes he and Josh started their business with just $2,000 each and no computer.
How should a beginner get into cryptocurrency investing?
Have a friend who already understands it help set up an account and start with a minimal, low investment amount to build curiosity and learn by doing rather than trying to understand everything upfront.
How can you tell if a supermarket avocado is actually ripe?
Check by touch, and look toward the bottom of the display pile, as the ripest, softest avocados are reportedly placed there by the store.
How do you balance spicy Mexican dishes?
Pair hot chilli heat with cool ingredients like avocado, sour cream, or cheese to act as a 'fire blanket' against the spice.
Is it a good idea to buy Bitcoin right now?
Tommy advises against buying Bitcoin unless you have surplus money you wouldn't miss, pointing out that even owning a full coin or two at ~$74,000 is a small stake relative to the risk, and that you shouldn't buy with money you need.
How should you approach booking travel/accommodation when life circumstances might change?
Focus on controlling the controllables — book affordable accommodation in advance when prices are low, even if upcoming life changes (like a new baby) make timing feel uncertain.
What's a sound long-term investing strategy for beginners?
Rather than trying to time the market or bet on single companies, invest for the long term in index funds (such as one tracking top NASDAQ companies), following Warren Buffett's approach.
How much should you invest in speculative assets like crypto?
Don't invest anything you're not okay with losing, and don't bet the house — treat speculative investing as something you can afford to lose entirely.
How should an everyday person approach long-term investing without chasing hype?
Consider index funds/ETFs that buy into a broad basket of companies and hold them for a long period, paying a small management fee, rather than chasing individual hot stocks or trends.
Should you buy cheap new furniture or old furniture?
Tommy says he'd rather buy a good quality old item for cheap than a cheap new mass-produced item, since cheap new furniture often looks good in photos but turns out to be low quality.
How should you respond to an unwanted telemarketer call?
Josh suggests you can turn it into a game by giving minimal yes/no answers and asking odd follow-up questions to see how long you can keep the caller on the line before they lose patience.
How can couples keep track of whether their relationship is balanced across different areas?
Use a 1-to-10 scorecard covering categories like finance, respect and sex; as long as scores are spread out reasonably across the board (not multiple simultaneous lows), the relationship is considered healthy.
What should you do to prepare for digital legacy planning (passwords, domains, accounts)?
Josh suggests proactively telling partners where important passwords and account details are stored so that if something happens to you, they can access critical accounts, referencing the real-world case of someone losing access to a large crypto fortune.
Should a startup invest heavily in trademarking early on?
Trademarking can be very costly and isn't always worth it; competitors can often get around protections anyway, so it's often better to focus time and money on strengthening your own brand rather than fighting every potential infringement.
How do you communicate an evolving business vision to investors?
Maintain constant, close communication with investors, revisit your original vision regularly to check you're on track, and recognize that investors are betting on you and your story as much as the product.
Should you trust sensational headlines about public figures?
Read beyond the headline and check what evidence the article actually provides before forming an opinion, since headlines can imply wrongdoing that the body of the article doesn't support.
How can you protect an idea before you've fully developed it?
George suggests informal 'poor man's copyright' methods like writing the idea down, dating it, emailing it to yourself, or mailing it to yourself with a postage stamp to create a timestamped record.
How do you avoid having your business ideas stolen or copied?
Josh argues that merely talking about an idea doesn't give you ownership of it — until you actually execute the idea, it's hard to claim it as yours, so spending too long just discussing something is risky.
Should you buy or rent a beehive if you want to harvest your own honey?
Mason suggests renting an urban beehive (around $600/year) rather than owning one outright, since a provider handles maintenance every 4–6 weeks and you avoid the risk of the hive 'getting out of hand,' though it requires having a backyard or land.
Stories told on air
Tommy describes waking up at 3AM while still affected by alcohol during a crypto market dip and transferring money to buy more, panicking when the transfer didn't go through immediately, then falling back asleep and finding it had completed by 4AM.
told by Tommy Jackett
Tommy describes ordering separately from his partner Amy at a self-serve McDonald's kiosk to compare costs, discovering that a family box with far more food cost the same as two individual meals.
told by Tommy Jackett
Tommy reads through a real list of venues visited by a Sydney man before testing positive for COVID-19, nicknaming him 'Barbecue Bob' for visiting multiple barbecue shops across the city in one outing.
told by Tommy
Josh describes former guest Jeff Jowett, whose ad/marketing company Body Trip did $100 million in sales through his copywriting skill, but who struggled with drug and sex addiction and alcoholism at the time; Josh notes Jowett is now a calmer person with less money who enjoys horses and golf.
told by Josh Janssen
Tommy stayed up late with his dad trying to buy into an exclusive CoinList sale for the Mina Protocol token, describing the randomized queue system and how he ended up too far back in line (57,000+) to get any tokens, while a friend 'Conspiracy Jimmy' got in with queue number 12.
told by Tommy Jackett
Tommy scheduled automated wage payments for Easter Monday, a public holiday, assuming it would process normally, but the transfer was delayed. He and Amy ended up with only $1.70 accessible while in a country town, had to borrow $60-$80 from Amy's sister for petrol, and spent an anxious period calling ING to find out what went wrong.
told by Tommy Jackett
Josh describes how his partner Amy bought two avocados from their local fruit shop after the shopkeeper assured her they'd be ready to eat that night; Josh suspected the fruit shop man knowingly offloaded bad produce, leading to an on-air taste test of both avocados to determine if there was actually a 'case' against him.
told by Josh Janssen
George explains he paid off a large tax bill last weekend that exceeded his bank's daily transfer limit, so he had to use BPAY to push the payment through without visiting a branch.
told by George Martin
Tommy recounts how his best friend ran a Bitcoin business and began buying coins around 2011 at $200-800 each; Tommy nearly bought in back in 2016 but backed out, and has now bought a small amount of Polkadot on his friend's advice, while acknowledging he's the 'gronk' latecomer to crypto.
told by Tommy Jackett
Tommy recounts a small, old car dealership called Tiny Town that refused to sell its corner lot despite major redevelopment around it, and now reportedly profits from billboard rental income.
told by Tommy Jackett
Matt explains starting out with six figures of student debt, paying it off within four years through freelance filmmaking, then building retirement savings to a point where he could stop contributing and still retire comfortably.
told by Matt D'Avella
Tommy and Josh recount a story about Jason Calacanis, a long-time friend of Elon Musk, who learned Tesla had only days of payroll runway left during the 2008 financial crisis while developing the Model S. Calacanis wrote two $50,000 personal checks to help fund the car's development and ended up as the first official Model S order.
told by Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen
After the unprofitable LA trip led to a cash crunch at the end of 2019, Tommy and Josh had to have a hard conversation and borrow money (around $10,000-$20,000) from Tommy's parents to keep the business afloat.
told by Josh Janssen and Tommy Jackett
Josh describes deliberately stringing along a crypto telemarketer with minimal answers, getting into an argument about Google versus Yahoo, until the caller said 'I don't have time for this' and hung up.
told by Josh Janssen
Jack Post explains he sold much of his Bitcoin holdings to fund a home renovation and even paid an excavator contractor directly in Bitcoin after discussing cryptocurrency with him on-site.
told by Jack Post
Tommy describes using a drone to fly over Scott Pape's farm and spell out '500K' with copies of the Barefoot Investor book to celebrate a sales milestone, inspiring Pape to later buy his own drone.
told by Tommy
Josh recounts a YouTube documentary about the Quadriga Bitcoin exchange founder who died while traveling in India, taking the only access keys to roughly $190 million (reported as ~$143 million USD) in customer funds, leaving 115,000 customers unable to recover their money, with online conspiracy theories suggesting he faked his death.
told by Josh Janssen, Mason Lauder
Jess recounts switching from a Catholic primary school to a private school in Bendigo, then deciding to move to a Catholic college for her final year because the private school's house system felt too cliquey for her social personality.
told by Jess Lucas
In their words
“You don't make money or lose money until you take it out.”
“Well, you see why, um, it can be very cost-effective to buy in bulk.”
“If you were super well off, would you be commenting about yourself in—”
“I mean, I wouldn't mind to have the, uh, 12.79 billion views and the money that got and the fun that they're having.”
“That was a terrible switching moment. That was some of the worst switching.”
“So, I was number 57,000 waiting at the meat shop to get my salami.”
“We're in a country town with $1.70 in our accessible bank account.”
“People who cook avocado are fucking tweaked.”
“Because it's at $70,000.”
“Warren Buffett's whole thing is don't try and time the market, go into an index fund, do that, and you'll do better than trying to fucking buy and sell.”
“well, for any investor, you can't bet the house.”
“Yeah, I think gambling is a great word for it.”
“It's, it's so underrated to say this stuff out loud.”
“I'd, I'd much rather produce a video, um, that I made $5 from but got heaps of views, everyone loved it, versus getting paid $10,000 and doing something that no one watched and everyone hated it.”
“He said to me, "I don't have time for this," and he hung up on me, which I appreciated.”
“How ridiculous is it that there's people in jail in states of in states of America for something that is now legal in states.”
“There's no correlation around like having cash and being happy. I think that's like the problem.”
“I'd have $4 trillion potentially. It's huge. It's massive when you put it that way.”