Derek Mazzarella at Gateway Financial Partners

05/26/2026

Financial influencers are seemingly everywhere and they can say whatever they want.

Often, the biggest influencers give the worst advice. This week on Millennial Money Matters, Kelly Turner and I tackle some of the most common pieces of investing advice and let you know our thoughts.

"Never have debt." "You need 20% down." "The stock market is basically gambling."

Here are a few of the topics we covered and our thoughts:

1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝟮𝟬% 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘆 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲: Disagree. PMI isn't the monster people make it out to be. Having cash in your pocket often beats a lower monthly payment.
2. 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗱: Disagree. Debt is a tool. Every wealthy person you know has it. The problem isn't debt, it's not understanding the debt you're taking on.
3. 𝗣𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 : Disagree. The math almost never works in your favor. Mortgage rates are relatively low for many and liquidity matters.
4. 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: Disagree. Most of the time, getting better at your actual job pays more than your Etsy store will.

Full episode is live now. https://smartlink.ausha.co/millennial-money-matters/it-s-getting-financially-hot-in-here

What's a money "rule" you've heard that never sat right with you?

05/16/2026

05/12/2026

You generally have no idea what you're getting into when you buy your first home.

You can prepare as much as possible, but it's still challenging. Yes, you'll know your tax rate, you monthly mortgage payment, your insurance costs, but after that, good luck. You'll get an inspection and where the warts are, but that's not a guarantee either.

This week on Millennial Money Matters, Kelly Turner and I look at the hidden costs of owning a home and what you can do to best prepare for it, because your mortgage is just the start.

We review:

• How to best understand your new utility costs

• Moving from a smaller home/rental to a larger home

• Planning for real estate taxes

• Establishing an oops fund

• Getting a handle and documenting the potential lifespan of your appliances/HVAC system

What was the biggest surprise cost you had with your home?

Here is the full episode:
https://smartlink.ausha.co/millennial-money-matters/baby-don-t-hurt-me-with-this-utility-bill

04/28/2026

Just buy the S&P 500

It's one of the most common pieces of advice out there on the internet. While the S&P 500 has its merits, there is often more to the story as well.

Turner and I break down the S&P 500 on this week's episode of Millennial Money Matters and here are a few items we touch on:

• Is the S&P 500 really diversified? Yes, it's made up of 500 companies, but a few dominate the index.

• Markets go in cycles. We discuss the lost decade.

• There are tax questions to evaluate when investing in one fund.

The S&P 500 is a great core investment. Low cost, consistent long-term track record, simple. There's a reason everyone recommends it.

It just probably shouldn't be the only thing you own.

New episode is up. Link in the comments.

What do you think? Is "just buy the S&P 500" good enough advice, or does it need more context?

04/14/2026

A real estate agent described the current housing market with one word...

Chaotic.

This week Turner and I sat down with real estate agent Archer (our most listened-to guest, back for round two) to break down the CT housing market right now.

A few things that came out of the episode:

• Are people really moving back from Florida to Connecticut?
• Why West Hartford is one of the hottest housing markets in the US
• One new trend to making a competitive buying offer
• The constant shift in mortgage rates
• How important your agent's reputation is to getting a deal closed
• How the new commission law actually impacted realtor commissions

Jonathan also gives one of his longest tenured pieces of advice for homebuyers.

Check out the full episode here:

https://smartlink.ausha.co/millennial-money-matters/you-can-t-sit-with-us-why-your-home-offer-keeps-losing