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Leean Hernandez

It’s been five months since we joined Budgetdog Academy, and the impact has been incredible. While the market is currently down and we’re not focusing on our net worth right now, we’re proud to share that we’ve still invested $23,000 into our retirement accounts during this time. 🎉💪
Here’s what’s changed in just five months:
✅ Before: We had stopped contributing to our Roth IRAs due to income limits.
After: We learned about the Backdoor Roth strategy and have now maxed out both 2024 and 2025 contributions!
✅ Before: A large chunk money was just sitting in a high-yield savings account.
After: We opened a Fidelity account, learned about Index Funds and ETFs, and put that money to work in the market.
✅ Before: Very few bills were automated.
After: We automated everything, found savings in automating.
✅ Before: We were unknowingly invested in mutal funds with high fees.
After: We became fee-conscious and moved our investments to low-cost, self-directed Fidelity funds.
✅ Before: I wasn’t contributing to my HSA and didn’t realize my employer was funding it.
After: We learned the power of the HSA triple tax advantage, maxed out our contributions for 2024, and are already on our way for 2025. Previously we had only used my husband’s HSA—not realizing we had another one just sitting there, uninvested. Now it’s fully invested and working for us.

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Daniel and Rosie Burnett

We are thankful for Brennan, Tom and the entire BDA team and community here! I cannot think of being part of a better community during this time especially with all of the economic turmoil going on in the world right now!
This evening, I stopped to reflect for a moment how different would my response have been had we not been part of this program? How would we be navigating the headwinds going on in the world right now had we chosen NOT to take the leap of faith and join this program? Our faith in God and His grace to see us through would/will be there regardless. However, my lack of education and understanding in managing finances, particularly in the area of stocks might have caused me to panic. Maybe I would have re-allocated some things and made some unwise decisions. Being in this program, having the Q&A calls, being able to ask questions and receive guidance during this time is proving to be an invaluable resource both practically and psychologically! Despite having losses in our 401k, we are confident that things will rebound and in fact are excited about the opportunity that is arising with these downturns in the market! Despite everything going on, we are confident in the financial plan and where we are headed!
Again, thank you Brennan, Tom and the entire BDA team and community here! We feel very fortunate, blessed, well supported and grateful to be part of this program during these challenging times! 🙏🏿

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Elizabeth M

Just completed my 1Q net worth review. After joining BDA in January 2024, I've been able to shift my financial picture quite dramatically, and right now my net worth increase in those 15 months is an increase of $340,692.
All my debt is paid off save some back tax debt which I am hacking away at.
I am socking away money to buy a house in my HYSA, continuing to invest in my Solo 401k (which looks a little scary this morning but whatever, we stay the course!), and continuing to invest in my taxable brokerage.
The biggest and most surprising difference though is what the experience of BDA has done for me as an entrepreneur. My little company doubled its revenue in 2024. My personal income almost doubled in that time as well. I've also made additional investments in myself in terms of business growth programs that I never would have been able to afford previously, and that have allowed me to take my business to the next level without sacrificing my time or my mental health.
I'm not anywhere near my financial freedom number yet, but I have figured out that if I can just get 6-7 new clients a month, I will be on track to have $5m in the bank in the next ten years (and I plan to do it a lot faster than that). I'm 53 and grateful to be in this position. Wish I knew it all sooner of course, but life brings wisdom!
So yeah. Life-changing.

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Amie Lands

Since joining BudgetDog Academy 2 days ago, I have:
1. Found $300+ in "missing money" that my husband and I didn't know existed (and would have never known to check our state website)
2. Opened and funded a HYSA (even if it is later decided to transfer to pay down debt, at least it will be earning interest until that point)
3. Started the closing process for several bank accounts that are repetitive & unnecessary (so we can more easily and better organize our money)
4. We will now be saving bank fees by reorganizing these accounts!
This is the exact clarity and direction I need to prompt my motivation! A confused mind says no...or in my case, I was paralyzed and have hope that I am now learning what to do!

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Jeff Stewart

Okay guys so I started BDA back at the end of November and I’m usually quiet on here. But have looked forward to making this post since the beginning after reading of so many other wins on here. So here we go.
-HYSA set up and automated
-IRA set up last month and maxed out 2024 and automated for 25
- Brokerage acct set up and automated
- None of those accounts would be set up if I didn’t wipe out $37K of credit card debt!!! Which has me debt free except mortgage. I’ve learned so much in such a short time! I give myself such a hard time for not knowing this 10 years ago but I can’t change that & my mindset has changed so much and I will attack this thing relentlessly for the next 10 years and on!💪

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William Orr

Kendall and I were able to meet with @Heather Brito a few Saturday's ago, and it really opened our eyes to where a lot of our fears around money come from. When speaking with her it was easy to be open and honest about our upbringing and where our thoughts came from that trigger these negative emotions. Alot of the things we went over we've been addressing on our own in our weekly therapy sessions. It's amazing how our childhoods and how we were raised can be so impactful into our adult lives. I hope everyone has a chance to meet with her and see amazing she really is!

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Sarah Killgore

I have a Budgetdog win to report today. As I've been going through and updating our budget from last year (which we didn't stick to very well), I realized that we needed to generate more monthly cashflow. I started looking at side gigs and additional part time work and realized as I looked at job listings that I have been earning less than market. So I negotiated a 12% pay increase, which was finalized today. I wouldn't have noticed the compensation issue had I not been going through this process!🎉

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Charm and Josh

I (Josh) am the last person to willingly attend any type of counseling session. However, my experience with Heather was incredibly helpful and eye opening, and highly recommended! We had such a great session with her!

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Celine Gershuny

I got rid of 2 storage unit that accounted for 15% of my monthly rental cost.
I reduced my grocery bill in half by buying in bulk and freezing my price for 3 years.
And I finally took the leap and put the pin in a toxic relationship with the father of my child. I’ll be moving in with my sister for the summer saving me 10k at a minimum.

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Taylor Caleb

Progress made
✓ Completed 3 month look back (SHOCKED) and created new budget. Found an additional $917
leftover!
✓ Set up HYSA with Ally
✓ Explored Taylor’s check from her employer and found she didn’t have allowances deducted, so we should be getting more income per month
✓ Create a joint checking account after 6 years of marriage!!
✓ Redirected all bills to the joint checking
✓ Created our LLC for side businesses
✓ Husband had his first handyman gig as part of our side business
✓ We each donated plasma for side hustle

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Jessica Bair

I finally got approved for life insurance for me and my son, and was also able to get a decent plan that not only worked for my budget but also gives me a great peace of mind. I honestly thought due to pre-existing health conditions/age that I was either going to be denied or charged exorbitant fees, but I was able to get a reasonable rate and it feels like such a win! Hopefully we will never need to use it but it’s nice to know my son will be taken care of if the worst happens.

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Pardeep Gill

I am not a big sharer but this I felt like I needed to because it just goes to show how well systems taught in the Academy work! Just did my Networth check. I was due to submit this to my classroom account like 2 weeks ago but I didn't want to calculate it in the fear it might not have changed. Yep, that mental block around finances was kicking in again). Life has just FELT so expensive lately BUT numbers don't lie: Networth increase by 28K since starting the academy 4 months ago.
To some, that may not be a big change but the fact it's a positive change is putting a smile on my face.
Moral of the story: systems make you AWARE. Being aware of where your money is going is so important. Given the automation, everything was getting done on investing/saving/paying off debt by itself. I became aware of the frivolous spending and somehow managed it better than I have before.
I used to have serious anxiety about the future and how I was preparing for it. Now, there is a calm.
Also, my disability guy tried to sell me way more insurance than I needed, I told him exactly what I needed instead of just freaking out about future and getting whatever he suggested. He was so impressed by my knowledge of my needs compared to the last 7 years of us working together 😃

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Heather Ann Brauer

Wow—these past few months have been a whirlwind. From navigating personal medical challenges and a cancer scare, to managing an emergency surgery for my aging parent across the country, to facing foster care hurdles with my little ones—and all while weathering major shifts in the global health field I work in—life has thrown some serious curveballs. Through it all, automation has been a lifeline.
What I’ve learned over the past 6+ months in the BDA program has been nothing short of transformative. Despite the chaos, I’ve made incredible strides toward financial freedom, intentionality, and peace of mind. This community continues to inspire and motivate me, and I’m so excited to keep learning and growing with you all.
Here are some of my BIGGEST WINS:
I’ve paid off more than $25K in debt since the end of 2024 and am on track to be completely debt-free (except for my mortgage) by early Fall 2025.
My net worth is just shy of $1M, and I’m on pace to cross that milestone this year.
I’ve deleted all shopping apps and blocked retail sites on my devices to help make more intentional spending decisions.
I’ve cut my monthly budget by thousands, making it easier to tackle remaining debt.
I pay my credit cards in full every single week—a habit that brings confidence and clarity.
Most importantly, I’ve developed a calm, structured approach to money in times of crisis, which has made all the difference.
A huge thank you to the BDA team for your guidance, support, and encouragement along the way. I couldn’t have done this without you! Excited for what comes next! 😁

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Kirk Hepker

Just updating my net worth and realized after a million it goes fast. I just crossed the 1.57 M mark. This community and the BDA staff are amazing and make you realize being financially free is not a pipe dream it’s possible as hell. So buckle up for the ride and know you made the right choice joining this community.

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Stephanie Erby

I posted my first AirBNB property online in mid April of this year. This month the house is paying for its own bills and could do so for the next month as well.
This is what I have been waiting for. We are on the road to being debt free.
Thanks BudgetDog family for always supporting and always being there. It’s a comfort knowing that I have community who have similar goals and we have access to knowledge that can help us along the way.

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Elinor Faedo

As a busy mom working full-time, it's tough to find time for financial goals, but this course has been a total win!!
I wanted to share some of the small wins that have happened over the past few weeks:
I sold my car and cut my monthly payment from $720 to $392. I had a lease and realized it just wasn't worth the cost, so I opted for a slightly used car with 15,000 miles instead.
My daughter is starting a new school, which will save us roughly $1,060 a month in tuition!
We lowered our car insurance bill by $35.
I honestly wouldn't have looked into any of these things if it weren't for the Budgetdog team. I'm so grateful for them and this community.
I've become much more vigilant about where our money goes and better at distinguishing between our needs and wants.

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Melissa Johnson

Celebrating a win today! One of our credit cards is paid off in full today! Thanks so much for the support in getting us here! :)

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Mandy Gloyeske

I know this is about personal finance, but when you and your spouse are entirely self-employed, business finances 100% impacts personal finance. All that to say, I’m happy to share that we paid off the last of our business credit cards today. We’ve carried high balances for years and just haven’t been able to catch up. Since joining BDA, I’ve been heavily focused on paying those off because that will free up cash flow to be able to pay ourselves more and invest back into the business, hopefully leading to more growth. Big win in my book. Now we just have student loans and mortgage to pay off, but those are long term goals.

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Danni Shannon

Your continuous inspiration & motivation helped push me to achieve goals I’ve always dreamt of ,but never thought possible!!!
I wrote a book eeek !! (Thank you Brennan for your guidance)
As a hospice nurse, granddaughter, and mom, I often found myself searching for meaningful tools to help children understand what they were witnessing during the dying process—and how to cope with the emotions that follow.
My hope is that this book will help children navigate death, dying, and grief with compassion, clarity, and connection.💛

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Patricia Pedrezzetti

I wanted to take a moment to update you on our progress since joining the academy. Here are some of our achievements over the past 15 months:
Increased our net worth by $144K
Opened 529 and brokerage accounts for each of our kids and contributed to them monthly
Made monthly investments to reach our FI number
Contributed to our emergency fund
Tracked our expenses and stayed on budget
Decreased all our debts
Created a sinking fund to change our vehicles next year
And most importantly, continued investing in our personal growth
Thank you, Budgetdog Team, for all your support and encouragement along the way.
We're excited to continue this journey and achieve even more ... 💪

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Jessica Bair

I joined BD about 2 years ago, but it took me wayyyyy longer than 6 months to finally complete all modules and get my finances on track. Today, I finally completed the program! I now have a solid financial plan with clear goals for the future. I no longer have to guess where my money is going (nearly 100% automated) and I no longer feel stressed/hopeless about the future. I am nearly debt-free after years of being tied down, and my net worth will continue to grow significantly. My toddler son is now on the way to becoming a millionaire. I am on track to have over a million saved by retirement. This program and the community will forever hold a special place in my heart. I could not have done it without the support and patience of the team! 😁

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Ana Karina Montilla Rangel

There’s so much valuable information, and for the first time, we’re truly digging into our numbers and understanding exactly where our money has been going.
After analyzing our expenses over the past 3 months, we realized we were overspending significantly. But in just 2 weeks, we’ve been able to create a budget that will allow us to save an extra $2,000 a month. That alone already makes the investment in this program 100% worth it.
I’m excited to keep moving forward, stay accountable, and share our wins along the way. My expectations are high—and so is my willingness to do the work. This program is turning our finances into a strategy game, and honestly... I’m loving it!

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Isabel Carrion

I joined BDA back in April. I'm not sure how Brennan starting popping up on my Instagram feed, but everything he said resonated with me and my desire to get out of the financial rut I've been in all my life, something I had been thinking about for years but became so much more important after my son was born.
I started my BDA journey super excited, made it to week 4 and passed my budget plan "exam" with flying colors. I was FINALLY on my way to doing something about my finances, understanding the game and putting a target on my financial freedom.
But two weeks later life hit HARD. My family was split up and in the blink of an eye 1/3 of my household income disappeared and I had over 10K in legal fees. I remember talking to my sister and her saying "and just when you were getting all your finances in order". And that's when the financial reality of it all hit. I've had many moments of asking "why me?" And in the month following I went through shock, denial, pain, guilt, anger, depression and acceptance more times than I can count. My initial instinct was to keep going with BDA despite it all but after a week the whole situation finally took its emotional toll and I went into freeze.
I reached out to Tom and Brennan and they of course were extremely understanding and supportive and told me to take whatever time I needed and also advised me to focus on saving my cash flow. This hit hard cause I was so determined to kill my debt and get after my financial goals but this was not to be and it was the hardest piece to accept. I won't lie when I say I would pop into the Academy and see everyone's wins and just want to throw in the towel and scream into the void.
But I didn't. And that was the first win, the one I took for granted.
After the shock and pain subsided and the depression turned into reflection I reminded myself of my word for the year: RESILIENT. And so I picked myself back up and said f*** it, there's nowhere left to go but forward. I went back to my BDA coursework and began to stack up some wins:
Reworked my budget multiple times to ensure that I can cover all household expenses.
Using Policy Genius, secured an over 4K annual savings on my auto and home insurance (with better coverage for my home).
Called my husband's business credit card company and worked out a payment plan for a fixed monthly sum I can afford at a much lower interest rate.
Went back to my BDA coursework, completed and submitted my investment plan, which was approved.
Based on the plan, I updated the allocations on my 401K to significantly lower fees and maximize return.
Researched and determined that opening a 529 through Vanguard for my son would be my best option, especially if I leave my current state - a possible scenario depending on what happens over the next few months - and have begun the process of transferring the money from my existing account.
Started investing in my HSA, which is basically free money as my employee contributes to match the health plan's deductible.
Got a modest raise at work and a small bonus that took care of a couple of things.
Received money I was not expecting from my wonderful sister to help cover the costs of my husband's storage unit because we used it to store everything we brought back from Puerto Rico after selling my mom's house last year.
My net worth saw a small increase thanks to my continuing retirement contributions.
Since creating my new budget, despite the setbacks, I have not been close to red once - and let me tell you that used to be a regular occurrence.
Am I on track to pay off my debt by end of year as I originally planned? Absolutely not and now I have even more debt and less income. Have I been able to build my emergency fund? Not a chance. Do my financial goals still feel realistic or attainable? Depends on the day. Do I feel like I'm winning? Not particularly.
But you know what? Turns out I have won in small ways and these are the wins that we tend to brush aside and forget about cause they're not flashy and impressive, but they are the ones that count the most; they are the ones that keep you going.
I wish I could say I've made it to the other side of this whole situation, but that is far from true. Right now my family is in limbo and while there is some hope, there are no guarantees and I expect it's going to be a while before we have a resolution and life gets on track again, and even when that happens things will probably look a lot different. But thanks to BDA I have financial tools now that I didn't have before and that is already making a huge difference.

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Mandy Gloyeske

Sticking to the budget has been the hardest part of this process for me, but nothing fuels my motivation more than seeing my accounts grow $$ 🤑 . My HYSA is growing rapidly with some short term goals that I plan to pay cash for (huge for me because I’d just slap it on a CC before). And my investments continue to grow each month without any thought 🙌

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Kristi Swann

Wins:
- Took care of legal forms for our 18 year-old thru Mama Bear
- Helped him set up his ROTH IRA – He already set up a HYS with Ally and he is saving 20% from his lifeguarding job and his entire check for his second job is going to his Ally account. The big kicker… he has AUTOMATIONS set up from Ally to go to his ROTH! Woo Hoo! These are small, and bi-weekly, and teaching him the value of setting it up automatically- - he doesn’t even miss the money! He starts Junior College and Water Polo in a few weeks and won’t be working during polo season… he has also already saved his payments for the months he won’t be able to work! I can only hope to help him understand more and more the importance of automation and consistency! Both our boys get screenshots of compounding examples on the regular... just little re-inforcers that are quick, but powerful!
- We are also using Mama Bear to temporarily handle some legal forms for us until we can get our estate plan and trust set-up. We are currently on a 6-9 month waiting list for the highly recommended and sought after trust attorney who specializes in estate planning for special needs and tax law in California, so this will help give us a tad more peace of mind in the meantime. We have some complicated things to consider and waiting for this attorney feels right. (We actually started this process over ten years ago and struggled to make the decisions necessary to execute things. This time we feel more prepared and feel much better about the attorney choice.)
- Started a sinking fund to pay for the attorney fees!
- Revamped and upped my life insurance for another 20 years - through age 71. (We have to consider care needs for our daughter in the event we pass before her.) John also applied. Unfortunately, he landed in underwriting and it could take 4-6 weeks. Crazy thing is, he is healthy. And for a man (no offense, not generalizing, but I guess I sort of am!) he is really good about listening to his body and takes really good care of himself. Good news is we already have coverage, we just need to increase and extend it.
Lesson here… This was a bigger process and undertaking than I expected. Crazy how much our rates went up from when I got estimates prior to either of us turning 50 (I’m 51 and he is 52). We have existing policies that end in 2028 and 2031. This was to replace those.

Photo of AleksAlejandra Gecevski

AleksAlejandra Gecevski

Finishing up week 2 and looking for places to cut fat from our budget so we Just got rid of an old car that hadnt been driven for a few months. Called Cash for Cars, free tow away and $293 cash in hand (mind you,for a car that was purchased for $1k 2+ years ago) I'de say, Money well spent! Frees up $40 a month in insurance payments and putting that $293 towards paying down credit card debt. Gonna go through the garage this weekend to see what else we can sell and keep the wins rolling. Also a win for the neighborhood as they no longer have to see this 2007 POS Saab sitting outside my home looking sad.

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Herman Turner

Currently I’m 4 months into the academy! Exactly 26 days ago, I shared via community post how I separated from my financial advisor, transferred my ROTH/Traditional/Ind Brokerage to Vanguard and within two weeks, I witnessed a $15k performance return; since that day my performance return has increased to $35k; low cost index funds/etf on automatic in roth/brokerage!!

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Iftekhar and Usra Bhura

happy to announce that we paid off our house this week and are officially debt free across the board!! 🥳🥳 We are now going back and reviewing all the great material provided by Brennan and team to maximize financial growth and hopefully retire early one day. 🤞🏼 Thank you BudgetDog Academy!

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Kristi Swann

I paid off two short-term, zero interest debts that have HUGE payments, have been messing with our cash-flow, and would have continued through November. Instead, they are paid off and I just freed up over $2k/mo in cash flow. I immediately logged into Fidelity and adjusted our automations to max our Roths out by 12/31 instead of the initial 3/31 we had been scheduled for. Maybe sort of a small win, but it feels huge.

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Stephen and Shana Spinnato

Getting a clear understanding where your money is going is definitely eye opening. Now working to get everything fully automated so that we can have true control of our finances. Thanks BDA!

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Justin Goshtigian

I wanted to share a few wins in my 4 months:
-Everything is automated: I am maxing my Roth IRA and work 401k. I have my student loans and Brokerage automated and have been easily able to edit the amount going towards each spending on what my current goals are
-Student Loans: in 4 months I have been able to pay down 13k in student loans. 23k left to go! Budgeting has allowed me to find extra cash
Net Worth: I am up 50k net worth in 4 short months!!!
All in all the system works and it’s really all about keeping it simple! With us putting in offers for homes, my budget and world will change but the foundation is built and I am excited for the future!!! 💪🏻

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Kirk Hepker

All my net-worth went up 44k in the last couple weeks, $33,500 was all market growth. Feed the beast and keep investing it gets fun.

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Daunmonique McCloud

This program really does work! I’m very grateful for my small wins. I’ve learned so much and again, I’m very grateful. Besides the financial clarity I’ve gained, I’ve also been consistent with my health and fitness goals. And I can attribute that to this program. The mindset shift alone was worth it! Wishing you all the best!

I finished Brennan’s class last Summer and it was worth every penny! I would love to do his continuing Ed classes soon!

Brennan and his team were top-class. From the client success team to the coaching modules, I feel like I truly have the foundations to my finances. Highly recommend!

Extensive financial information taught in a way anyone can understand. The Budgetdog Academy literally sets you up for life, and you can use its tools forever. As an accountant, I recall more information from this than my collegiate courses in accounting, Brennan is the real deal.

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Robert Oliver

Working with Brennan was so fun! He makes finance simple no matter what stage of the game you are at. When I first saw him online, I was naturally hesitant. The second I began working with him, it was so clear. Why didn’t I do this earlier?! I was able to shed $24k of debt in 6 months, begin investing for myself (which I have never done before), and ensured I had a bulletproof financial roadmap. HIGHLY recommend.

Albert Santos

I have been a member of the budget dog family for 2 1/2 months. In that short amount of time I have been able to clear a fog that’s been our finances for decades. We have been able to balance our budget, clear misconceptions about enjoying your life and truly understand what it is to invest. Brennan and his team are available 24/7 which I don’t truly understand how that’s possible but no question goes un-answered. I have an abundance of material, all of which is instructor based when needed. One small adjustment has made a huge impact in my life and I owe that to the Budget Dog Academy.

Amanda Johnson

I wish I could give more than 5 stars! Brennan is absolutely amazing, so knowledgeable and approachable. I've tried numerous classes, blogs, people that claim to help but tell you that you have to sell all of your possessions to make it work, etc. This is finally the first program that has actually made a huge difference and is something that I can continue after the course and teach my children. We have paid off over $4k in debt and counting thanks to a manageable budget plan, have life insurance policies to protect our son, and are creating a will; next step is investing! The program doesn't tell you to not ever have fun, not ever go on vacation, not ever buy anything. Instead, it takes all of those things into account and you budget accordingly based on your goals and needs. Best and last program I'll ever need!

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Kirk Hepker

Brennan and his team offered me a top notch experience to take control of my finances and life. I will be forever grateful for the time they took to help me get to where I am today. I highly recommend reaching out to these extremely knowledgeable people to get on track. Thank you guys I’m now in control.


Brennan's program provides all the financial information I wish I was taught in school. Tons of stuff on getting the basics and more advanced info for day to day finances. Highly recommend.

David Walker

The company has changed the trajectory of my family's financial future! They are teaching me the things that my education and my family failed to teach. Couldn't be happier with the tools and resources. I will see the pricing was a little expensive and I didn't like how they asked about my financial status prior to quoting me a price for the program? All in all, I am happy with my decision to join and would recommend it to anyone without the confidence they are doing finances correctly.

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Gandessa

Budgetdog Academy has been LIFE CHANGING! It encompasses everything I've always wanted to learn when it comes to finance.

I'm a US expat living in Australia. The fundamentals taught at Budgetdog Academy is universal and foundational in terms of budgeting, paying off debt, saving for future expenses, investing (for ourselves and children), creating a retirement plan, and protecting our assets.

I am currently halfway into the program and some of the things I've been able to achieve are the following:
- We are projected to pay off our 30 year mortgage in less than 2.5 years.
- We've increased our net worth by $34k.
- We've created a early retirement plan. (I never thought it was possible to retire early, but we used the lessons and tools to create an achievable a pathway.)

What's even more incredible and holistic is that the program ends with a behavioural psychologist to ensure we continue to maintain what we've learned and ensure ongoing success post-graduation.

Not only is the content comprehensive, Brennan and the amazing team he has employed are incredible! They are responsive (available 24/7 no matter the time zone difference!), encouraging, and happy to answer as many and all questions!

What's even better is that Brennan walks the walk and talks the talk. Whatever he teaches, he demonstrates with full transparency how he also embodies it in real life - it makes learning from him that much easier and inspirational.

As a result, he's also created a community that holds each other accountable, lifts each other up when we fall off the track, and cheer each other on with our wins.

I can go on with raving reviews on many aspects of Budgetdog Academy, but the proof is in the pudding. By signing up, you're making an investment on yourself. Your future self will thank you!

Jacob Schultz

Best educational decision I’ve ever made. I was 36 and lost financially with no real goal other than to retire with my unions plan at 65. Seeing the current world and economy’s potential horizon I knew I needed to figure out how to be financially literate and learn all the things they don't teach you at school. I didn’t know where to start and stumbled across a few peoples strategies but there was no substance until I came across budget dog on instagram. His message hit home and checked all the boxes of what I was feeling, so I messaged him. Everything he told me about his program was everything I wanted to learn. He talked about it being a six month commitment and that a couple hours a week needed to be set aside, which seemed so daunting with work, a toddler, wife and daily chores consuming all my time. But I was willing to put in the work. The only real hesitation for me was the cost which I was not prepared for , but it made sense that this was an investment in a education that was unattainable for me and was so valuable over the course of a lifetime, that I could use and pass it on to my own family. Worth every penny and wish I could have taken this course before going to college which would have steered me in an entirely more useful direction. The course is bite sized each week and the seemingly complicated subjects are broken down into easy to understand lessons and philosophy giving me the confidence to truly take my life’s finances and future by the horns. The administrators are easily accessible and very knowledgeable and friendly. The community is amazing as everyone shares their wins and losses, strategies and over all questions. Questions that don't even have anything to do with personal finances like how to start a small business or other side hustle strategies or if someone lost their job the community was giving them references and potential hirings. The weekly zoom calls with experts in all kinds of different financial fields and the big group meet where you can ask any question live with Brennon is very informative and helpful. This academy is amazing and worth your consideration as I have felt so lost financially and now feel solid with a strategy to create the future I want rather than dream without knowing where to start. Thanks budget dog

Nick Matti

Budget Dog is a fantastic program with great people. I thought I was pretty knowledgable on finances coming in and I learned so many new things that have really changed the game for me. I feel confident in managing all of my investments on my own and know when/how to hit financial independence. Fantastic investment here, definitely join this if you are on the fence at all.


Aubree Hutchinson

Highly recommend budgetdog if you need any help or guidance with your finances and how to invest. Brennan and his whole team are awesome to work with and you learn a ton! So many great resources that you have access to as well. Can’t recommend them enough!

Frankie J

Within 7 - 10 days of joining BDA - I didn't look back on the "WHAT HAVE I DONE"
There is not a SINGLE course out there that will spoon feed you information and challenge you at the same time. Be it you're doing horrible or don't know where you stand and want to have better confidence of your life with regards to current and long term finances or literally just had a kid and don't know if you are maximizing every single dollar to hit those goals. This addresses it. At the time of this review I'm about 13 weeks in and money matters don't make me flinch one bit - the surprising bonus is the community that you are a part of and the hands on approach without delays from academy itself. If I know I've made one right choice where I thought its a leap of faith, it was this one and I would do it over and over again just to feel that feeling of relief of knowing - its not that bad and educating yourself with regards to finances and money is a plain simple power move. I hope if you read this - it motivates you to do it. But commit completely and don't half ass it. NO regrets here!

Andrew G

This program has made us more confident in managing our finances. What used to be a hard topic to talk about has now turned into almost daily discussions in our lives. It has been life changing to have more concrete financial goals and we are excited to grow our money in ways we never thought possible.


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Ronin Fitness DFW

Sign up with these folks and change your life for the better. I wish everyone knew about this. Our country as a whole would be better if we all had this kind of education.


If you're here reading the reviews, then I know you are probably feeling on the fence about whether or not this would be "worth it". Well I'm here to say it is BEYOND worth it! BDA changed my life forever within just a few short weeks and the amount of gratitude I have cannot be measured in words. The clarity, confidence and support you gain from becoming part of the community is unmatched! You are constantly surrounded by like minded people who only want to see everyone win, all while being coached by the amazing BDA team. Also, Brennan is VERYYY active in the group, he is not just a "face" for the brand. His financial intelligence, constant drive and passion to help others transfers onto the students in BDA and makes you feel unstoppable! I promise, you will not regret making this investment for yourself and your future. I hope to see you at BDA soon! :)


James Browning

The academy is a great educational program for learning more financial literacy and helping with investment strategies. Wether you have no background or a strong financial foundation there is still information to be gained here. Brennan and the team do a great job of being attentive and answering questions. The community and guest speakers are great as well.


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Devin Aracena

I’m a HENRY. High Erner Not Rich Yet. I own 3 businesses that generate into the millions. I have CFO’s, advisory boards, lawyers on retainer etc. you would think with this kind of wealth and knowledge surrounding me - that I would be set up in my personal financial life. I WASN’T. The more my businesses grew the more desperate we grew to obtain the financial literacy on our own. I’ve hired “wealth managers” and “financials coaches” and truthfully, I think they got me in worse shape than they did good. My husband and I consumed BDG content on the socials for a few years before life got real for us (2 kids) and we decided - WE are the only way out of this, WE need to learn - not hire. I was reluctant, surely one of my advisors could me right? No. I needed to financially and emotionally commit to learning. I’m a tough critique, like really really tough. I have truly been impressed in the structure of this course. I can’t recommend it enough and want anyone reading this to know that they have so smartly built this program that it services the compete novice to the complete expert. Just be aware - like everything in life, you get what you put in here - make sure you dedicate very intentional time in your life schedule to do this. The community inside is your wave to a brighter financial shoreline. SURF IT!


Caroline T.

I know what most people think, it’s scary to deal with your finances but honestly it’s helped me and my hubby really have a new perspective on our finances and how we look at money. We are only 2.5 months in and we already payed down 10k of debt and increased our net worth by a bit over 40k. It’s structure. What most people struggling with money lack. And if you are to proud to admit your wrong then good luck because this isn’t for you. You really gotta be humble enough to admit your way is wrong and there is better out there. The team is super engaged and always nudging when you haven’t checked in or have not been active in the community. So many people on there with so much knowledge and everyone is willing to help or ask a tough question. The weekly call ins with guest finance experts help tremendously and have opened my eyes to possibilities in real estate and investments in general. It’s not a get rich promise in a week type thing so if that’s what you want this isn’t it. It’s a process and it takes time to break old bad habits and get re trained with healthy new ones. If you can hang through the growing pains then go for it. Would I spend the money to do this again, hell yes, Because maybe I could have learned on my own by doing tons and I mean tons of research but I don’t have the years it takes to collect all this info and put it to work on a trial by fire action. I’m tired of guessing. I finally found what works for me.

Monee Peebles

The BudgetDog Academy has helped to bring clarity to my financial goals by providing the necessary structure, support, and knowledge needed to achieve them. The coaches serve as an extremely valuable resource as they are there to hold you accountable and provide timely feedback to your questions so you never feel you are going at it alone. Also The Budgetdog Community provides a positive environment to share experiences among the members which helps to keep you motivated and focused throughout the journey. This course not only teaches you how to achieve your financial goals but it forces you to take a deep look into the why. This has helped me to realize what’s truly important and stay the course when things get tough. I love it here and highly recommend this course for anyone looking to get their financial life in order and willing to do the work to make that happen!


Chris L.

I spent more years than I care to remember carrying credit card debt and other types of debt. I kept telling myself I could manage it and it was just a question of time before I cleared my debt and got serious about investing. I finally owned up to the fact I couldn't manage my debt on my own and sought help. That was the biggest step. Signing up for the budgetdog academy (BDA) was the best decision I ever made. I was interested in learning how to invest--that was the hook--but the program is much more comprehensive. It teaches you how to budget properly. I though I knew how to budget, but I quickly learned that I was just managing cash flow with no system in place or accountability mechanisms. BDA teaches you a relatively simple approach to budgeting that allows you to predict how much extra cash flow you have every month for investment. then you learn how to invest properly: what accounts, what brokers, what types of investments, how much, and how to automate everything. Then, once you have that in place, you learn how to protect your investments but optimizing your tax strategy, drawing up wills and trusts, and getting the right type of insurance.
You are part of a community of like-minded, high-earning, but otherwise struggling individuals and couples (you can join on your won or with your spouse/significant other), which makes the experience less lonely, more supportive, and encouraging.
It has exceeded all my expectations. I started funding an IRA and changed my 401K portfolio to align my investments with my risk profile and long term goals, I made prudent changes to my life insurance policies. I budget more systematically in a way that reflects how I really want to spend my money on what matters to me, and cut back on expenses that were not essential. As a result, I have generated extra cash flow to pay off debt faster. I have increased my net worth by 50% in three months and will be debt-free 18 months earlier than planned. This 6-month program has paid for itself in less than 3 months. I highly recommend it, no matter if you are 25, 35, or 45. Tip: the earlier you start educating yourself about teh basics of budgeting, investing, and wealth building, the easier it is because you have time on your side to allow your investments--even if it is just $100 a month--compound over time.

Alexander Fantaci

Budgetdog offers the perfect balance of education and accountability. My wife and I have always been "okay" at personal finance but realized after signing up for the Budgetdog Academy that we still had so much more to learn! We are 90% of the way through the Academy now and have made major strides forward financially. We've increased our net worth by over $30k within 3 months and have a MUCH better for our financial future. 10/10 would recommend!

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Eric Blumberg

You get out of it what you out into it. Good system. Good people. Help is there when needed. Would recommend. If you are in the fence about whether to enroll, this course will walk you step by step through its process.

Wendy Freedman

I was really hesitant about joining but decided to invest in myself and so glad I did. I was fortunate and didn't have debt, but lost a job and went through a lot of my savings. I realized I could have been SOO much more efficient with my money and make it work so much harder for me (kicking myself for not doing it sooner)! In the few short months with what I learned I increased my net worth over $60K and the program fits all aspects of life. From building an actual budget, to health insurance, investing (what I needed the most help with), estate planning, etc. It's the kind of class I wish I took when I was a teenager and with the knowledge can set you up for life! Definitely worth it - only wish I did it sooner

Stephanie Goodman

This company has been great to work with. It is a well structured program, established on a timeframe, to keep you highly motivated and on track for correcting and excelling with your personal finances and growth. They will hold you accountable, but nicely. Which is different from many plans. Their goal is not to make you feel bad about your financial decisions but to meet you where you are and help you correct it or grow it.


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Heather Ann Brauer

The Budgetdog team is incredible! I have done so many different finance programs over the years. Growing up with minimal financial literacy, I have invested a lot of time and money in my adult life towards creating a better struggle for financial planning. This program is different, completely transformative. Both in terms of learning and managing money from a new perspective. The team holds you accountable, reviews your personal situation, celebrates your wins, and guides you through the tougher moments. The community of people who come together through this program are remarkably positive and team oriented. Looking forward to being a member of this community for years to come!

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Mandy Gloyeske

I joined Budgetdog Academy so that I could have individualized coaching on my personal financial situation, not just generalized money advice. Now, I’ve been a part of many online courses and communities throughout the years, and this one surpasses any of them by far. The material is laid out in a slow but steady format so that you do not get overwhelmed and you have action steps to follow each week. From the get go, the community is extremely supportive and encouraging. The coaches check in on members weekly to make sure that they are not falling behind and to make sure that all questions are answered. It truly is structured to set people up for success if they are willing to put in the work. I highly recommend it if you are serious about changing your financial future!


Levi Mills

Nervous and skeptical at first but with all the support, structure, organization of the program helped us over come our thoughts. We were able to streamline our finances and set our selves up for success.

Joining Budgetdog Academy has been amazing. My only regret is that I watched on the sidelines for too long and should have taken this step a long time ago! The learnings are detailed and mapped in a progression that makes them easy to follow and you have access to support from coaches at any time. And, the coaches respond you to very timely! I've gained so much confidence in the way I'm now managing my money and making smart decisions, making me well positioned for retirement and a debt free future. Best decision ever!

Very hands on learning. Every coach is willing and excited to help. I think they genuinely want people to succeed and you can feel it.

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Krystle Jaimes

Coming in to the program, I knew I needed clarity and direction on how to attack debt and plan for the future. The Budgetdog program literally walked me step by step to do everything, from finalizing my budget, creating a plan to be debt free, and setting my financial priorities. For lack of a better way of saying this, the program literally holds your hand through each step, which I needed. The coaches are also incredibly encouraging and supportive! Money can be an overwhelming and emotional topic, and they have supported me the whole way so far. I still have 4 months to do, and I am so grateful for the information and resources that this program offers. 10/10 recommend!

Lindsey

Everything about Budgetdog has been fantastic. The quick response to questions, the looking at documents when we are confused, all of the easy to use forms we got, all the information! It was all fantastic! I can’t thank Budgetdog enough for helping us learn all about finances. We’ve grown stronger as a couple and our money is working for us!!

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Ashley Tropea

We are 4 months through the Academy and it has been an amazing experience. If you are looking to take control of your finances and be on a journey to educate yourself on your financial future, Budgetdog is the community you want to be a part of. The team is incredibly passionate about helping people be educated and confident to create a journey towards a future you want based on your goals. They never make you feel like you need to do something a certain way, but also have facts and experience on items you may be curious about. They present that and allow you to make the best decision for you and support you in it. We’ve already been paid back our investment and will see it only increase over time.


Sidney Guillory

The tools are incredible. The community is positive, encouraging and supportive. The knowledge and guidence is phenominal. Budgetdog goes the extra mile in teaching you how to be your own master of your finances.


Jessica

So far the program is very informative! The team is responsive with any questions I have and they are consistent with the zoom calls they have every week. These meetings give great insight on any and all topics students bring up and it gives a greater knowledge on topics that you may not necessarily be learning that specific week. I am halfway through the program and just getting into the investing portion. Everything leading up to it has given a strong foundation on financials and budgeting which is crucial for success.

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Isabel Carrion Geigel

I joined Budgetdog six weeks ago with the goal of getting my finances in order, getting rid of debt and gaining financial freedom. Within the first month not only did I create a new budget, developed a debt payoff plan, defined a list of cash goals and a clear roadmap to achieve them, I also freed up almost a $1000 in cash flow and am feeling so confident in my ability to become financially free. And I still have 4.5 months to go!

This is an amazing program, so well designed and laid out and the support I’ve received, both from the community and the coaches, is bar none. I am beyond excited to keep going and i know that everything I am learning will be with me forever. Brennan and his team are amazing and I am in awe of what they have created.

This was a total leap of faith and one of the best financial decisions I have made.

Kristi S.

It's really hard to write a condensed version of what is done right... there is so much. The first thing I'd want someone who is thinking of joining the BudgetDog Academy to know is that they are getting far more than they can imagine with their course fee. The community itself is quite remarkable - - like-minded people with the same goals, but at varying stages of life and with varying experiences, who all truly draw inspiration from each other's wins and support the struggles. Second, the wealth of knowledge and resources you gain is beyond anything that you can imagine. The coaches are accessible, offer so much insight, they are patient with however many questions you ask, and encourage more and more so that you leave no stone unturned as you learn and grow through the program. I haven't ever been "excited" about our finances, but over the last couple of years, had started learning from various sources on socials, etc., never knowing if I was implementing in a smart way or not because I didn't truly understand everything there is to understand. This has been incredibly eye-opening and is pulling everything together and teaching from the base of things to the end. It's work... hard work... especially in the beginning, especially if you do due-diligence for yourself. But for the first time, I am excited when thinking about our financial future; I am excited realizing our financial independence is not actually as far out of reach as I thought. We are intentional with our spending and our goals, but still very much living our life and rolling with the punches knowing we have a plan in place. Having control of our own money, having intentionality with how we spend and where we invest, and building a solid roadmap to reach our goals are all major gifts we have given ourselves by making the decision to join BudgetDog Academy. We will forever be grateful and will always be active in this incredible community.

Tania Ureta

I recently completed the program and it was incredibly effective in helping me take control of my finances. It taught me how to create and stick to a budget, understand the basics of investing, and take important steps to protect my assets. The lessons were clear, practical, and easy to apply in real life, and the coaches were always supportive, knowledgeable, and available to guide me through the process. I now feel much more confident managing my money and planning for the future.

Brandon Richards

I have been searching for the secret to help manage, grow, and protect our money. I’ve read blogs, watched videos and read books and while I learned some interesting and somewhat helpful things it still wasn’t [the] information I needed.

I came across Budgetdog on Instagram and the posts were hitting the head on the nail for me. I knew there was something in this that could help me in my search.

My wife and I, after looking into the company, decided to join up. We are so thankful we did. We are well on our way to paying off most of our debt in less than an year and have gained control of our money flow.

There is so much to this program. It’s not just someone managing your money and taking a fee. It’s a team of knowledgeable and dedicated individuals who are teaching us to manage and invest our money!

We can’t wait to see what the future holds… but we have a good idea what it will look like… it is a lot of winning 🏆 thanks to Budgetdog!


Rafa Ordaz

Budget Dog has provided a set of tools that have significantly changed our financial mindset. It has been an eye opener and the coaches have always been there along the way for any questions we may have! Very glad we joined!

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Ashley Holdheide

The program is intense with a lot of information! My husband and I considered ourselves somewhat financially savvy but are learning so much more. We finally feel like we have a REAL plan for our future and our kids future!

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Jessica Bair

Great coaches, great clear guidelines to map out budget and financial planning for kids, personal goals, retirement, and so much more!

Tiffanne B

This program is amazing! The Budgetdog coaches are absolutely incredible. They are so diligent in how they have prepared the classroom lessons in a step-by-step system that make it easy to digest and understand.

The open Q&A meetings have been so helpful so far to hear what other students are asking and learning. Every question I’ve had the coaches are quick to respond and give such great feedback.

We are only 7 weeks in and our knowledge of investing has already increased so much, and we are getting control of our financial future in ways I never thought possible. We are so grateful we found Budgetdog Academy!

Brittany

The community has made the experience great as well as having great leaders! I feel supported, inspired, and motivated.

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Ashley Mcfarlane

Budgetdog Academy offers valuable tools and resources that can help individuals optimize their savings, manage their expenses more effectively, and achieve long-term financial goals. You gain access to expert guidance and community support, empowering you to build financial stability and confidence for the future!


Carley McCulloch

I was definitely eerie about joining but finally just did and so glad I did!! On the right track to be financially free

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Nate Otis

This is hands down the best financial education program I’ve come across.
It’s not just about the education—they provide the tools, community, and support you need to make long-term financial success a reality.
The goal isn’t to do it for you—it’s to empower you to succeed on your own.
For me, this program gave me the foundation and confidence I needed to take control of my financial journey and actually see real results. The investment was WELL worth it.

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Jeremy Johnson

I joined Budgetdog Academy a month ago on my Birthday and it has been an incredible gift to myself! I had followed Brennan for several years on social media and honestly wish I had reached out sooner. Brennan, the Coaches, and the community provide support, positive energy, education, access to ask any amount of questions (I've asked quite a few) and provide so much knowledge to improve your financial health all in one place. I actually have some debt I've wanted to pay off for years but I couldn't seem to understand the budgeting process to even have cash flow to pay it. But I've recently submitted my financial plan to the team and I have more peace, confidence, clarity on my financial future--this feels great!!I If I could give advice to anyone thinking about joining this great community, I'd say don't waste another day, month, or in my case years to sign up. It's completely worth it and you will be glad you did!

Simran Arora

I’ve been working with Budgetdog to get my finances in order, and it’s been a game changer. Their team made budgeting and investing much less overwhelming, and I finally feel like I have a clear plan for reaching my goals. They broke everything down step by step — from building a solid emergency fund, to saving for a home, to structuring my retirement strategy.
I’ve learned a lot and finally feel in control of my money. Highly recommend them to anyone looking to get their finances on track.

Melissa Tapia

BudgetDog is amazing! So much knowledge and a well-rounded approach to finances. A lot of it is mental and that gets addressed in the program as well. This program empowers you to understand and take control of every hard earned dollar you have.

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William Orr

Kendall and I were able to go through all of the videos and put together all of our spreadsheets. While it took a lot of work I feel so much better after watching the videos and going through everything step by step. While I don’t think we got everything correct the entire team was so helpful and I can’t wait to hear their feedback. Good or bad I know we made the right decision to take this class and get a hold of finances. We have our meeting set with Heather this Saturday and I’m looking forward to the next steps.

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Kirk Hepker

I’m dialing in a couple new deals that will earn me an other 5k a month in semi passive income. I still credit BDA for these accomplishments. Biggest thing I got was a new mind set and continuing to self educate. Invest in yourself and you will win!💪

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Christie Esquivel

We started Budgetdog in January and have already made so much progress- simply looking at our spending/budget has allowed us to identify a lot of extra money that can be utilized more productively. On top of increasing (and automating) our savings and investments, we have been prioritizing extra car payments. We paid an extra $5000 on our car during the first quarter and last week decided to pay off the rest ($15k) which frees up a considerable amount of money each month. We live in CA so housing prices are outrageous and we had almost given up on the possibility of purchasing a house, however we are now in a position where we have a path to purchasing, which is truly life changing for our family! Thank you Budgetdog!

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Nicholas Corbi

This month was a lot of effort that I haven't put myself through in regard to finances before. I have always been passively investing for retirement traditionally - but now I am ready with a new mindset on money and how I can put myself in a great position over the next decade with a plan and knowledge I am confident in.
Thank you to the support and resources throughout this community.

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Lindsay Bain

We have been here for amost 3 weeks and are just finishing up week 2!! Just from combing through our spending We have already found at least $2000/month in unnecessary spending, and much more!! 🤦🏼‍♀️😳🎉

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Justin Goshtigian

My girlfriend and I are embarking on our 1st home purchase so I couldn’t miss out on this opportunity! Kirk answered my questions IMMEDIATELY and went into such detail that I was blown away. Truly so appreciative to you Kirk for your kindness and knowledge! To be honest when I signed up I really hoped I made the right decision. I had high expectations but those expectations have been surpassed so far in my first 3 weeks! Super happy to be here and LOVE the community aspect! With that said I want to give back just as Kirk has done. I am a Talent Acquisition Manager for a tech company. If anyone needs any advice about the job market, is looking for work, or needs some resume/interview advice, I am here to help! I am also a certified personal trainer so if you have any questions about fitness goals, I’d be happy to help!!!!! 💪🏻

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Isabel Carrion

Finished my coursework for Weeks 1 and 2 today and after a few late nights working on my look back analysis, the personal budget template, the debt amortization and the balance sheet I have come to the conclusion I’m in much better shape than I thought but I just need to get my sh*t together and stop overspending, and most importantly start making smart financial moves. Clearly, I’m now in the right place to do this.
After poring through the numbers, eliminating subscriptions and other expenses I don’t need (and some I didn’t even know I had 🤦‍♀️), and making a choice to put contributions to my son’s 529 on a temporary hold, I found an extra $650 in my budget. This will allow me to pay for my health and fitness coach (which is a major priority for me right now) rather than throwing it on the credit card, and still have some extra money to start paying off CC and loan debt. I also realized that a loan I had against my 401K will be paid off end of June so that means an extra $600 will show up on my paycheck starting in July, which I can also allocate to my CC debt. Annual bonuses are coming up in July so that’ll take me a step closer to eliminating the debt so if all goes I can be CC and loan free by November and can hopefully start building my currently nonexistent emergency fund.

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Daniel and Rosie Burnett

We had our meeting with Heather over the weekend and it was amazing. We got to see how our subconscious plays a huge roll in how we handle our finances. We also saw a different side of each other that we don't see very often and it was refreshing. The call not only helped us see how our mind thinks about money but, in many other areas in life like marriage, friendships, goals, etc. We left the call and immediately embraced one another as we both shared very openly during the call.
Heather was so kind, open, personable, and hilarious! The meeting went by so fast that I wish we had more sessions with her. Please do yourself a favor and book your appt. You will not regret it.

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AndyNatasha Kelleher

We joined budget dog after finding out are family was growing and we were unexpectedly going to add another baby! We were so eager to pay off debt and get our finances in order so we could set our family up for real success!
Sadly, we lost our sweet boy at 22 weeks. On top off that my husband has had multiple hospital stays, a car accident - through all of it, budget dog and my sweet husband have kept us on track and the community and team here has encouraged us tremendously, even when we haven’t felt like sticking to our goals!!
Since January we’ve been able to pay off $4,000 on cc debt, lower the amount of credit cards we have, and updated vehicles - in a smarter way than what I think we would have before!
We are sincerely grateful for all the help we’ve been given, the community here that continues to encourage us and looking forward to more goals met in the future!

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Brittany Holland

So I have met some challenges with using Avery and getting everything to populate correctly.. needless to say I got a little behind.. I'm catching up now but in the meantime I have paid off a $2200 debt. All I have left are interest free debts (not counting mortgage). Oh and I also checked my paystub and found out they owe me retro pay from November!😲🫣🤑

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Aeriell Earleywine

Joining BDA has hands down been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Not just for me, but for the future of my family too.
1) After completing my 3-month spending analysis, I found an extra $1,500/month hidden in my habits... That is $18,000/year I was unknowingly letting slip away while i was racking up CC debt.
2) I mapped out a full debt payoff plan, including my car, and created an amortization schedule that has me at $0 debt in just 13 months.
3) I also built a zero-based budget that keeps me focused and frugal, while still making room to enjoy life. (yes, you can be responsible and still have fun!)
4) For the first time, I calculated my FI (Financial Independence) number and I can actually visualize a real timeline for retirement.
One of the biggest mindset shifts was realizing that if I tackle one of my largest debts first, even if that means pausing investing for just 3 months, I will free up enough cash flow to transition to a 50/50 split between debt payoff and investing for the final 10 months, all while staying on track to be completely debt-free in 13 months.
This community, this system, this mindset… it is a game changer. Onward!

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Sarah Ford

I just completed my 3 month look back and new budget and HOLY MOLY! When everything was actually all written out and I could see just how much money I was spending was not only eye opening but somewhat embarrassing…no wonder there was no money for savings/investing! 🤦🏻‍♀️
Now with the new budget, I was able to cut expenses way down without much pain just by eliminating subscriptions that I wasn’t using, trimming back on the mindless spending (that I’m now aware of after seeing it on paper) freeing up almost $2K/month in savings! If I had any doubts about whether or not this was the right decision that just made it clear and it’s only my 2nd week!

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Ryan and Lisa Allen

Week 10 is completed and our investment plan is approved! It was more intimidating than we anticipated and took us longer to complete, so we thought it was a good time to share some highlights that could motivate others and remind us of what we’ve accomplished so far!
1) Meal planning and prepping weekly. Prior to BD, we were eating out 85-90% of the time. We realized how much money we spent on food during the 3 month look back and were shocked! Since we’ve been consistently eating at home, we’ve increased our monthly surplus by $750! We’ve been much better at finding recipes that include ingredients we already have vs. blindly shopping. Keeping an ongoing grocery list has been a time snd money saver too!
2) Prioritizing our social outings vs. saying yes to everything. This has been one of our biggest mindset shifts because we have FOMO. Again our 3 month look back identified over spending in this area that we were surprised by. We now look at our calendars at the beginning of the month and determine if there are events we need to cut to ensure we stay on track with our budget. This task has gotten easier month after month as we are overcommitting less and saving more! One big outing we removed was a Disney trip for 7 in October. We realized this optional and the timing was not ideal. This is an approx $20k savings!
3) We have shared the BD budget spreadsheet with two of our kids who are living on their own. They are getting better at incorporating this consistently and feeling more comfortable about budgeting in general. This has also included discussing investing which our son has already been doing! These topics have led to hours of communication and we feel even closer to our kids. Our youngest, who is 14, is getting more acclimated with the terminology as well.
4) We have increased our net worth by approx $15k and are able to allocate more than initially planned to investments. We will max out our Roths in 2025, which we’ve never done.
5) We have said the phrase “what would Budgetdog do” more times than we could count and it makes us stop and think vs. being reactive or frivolous. It’s wild what this Academy has done for us subconsciously!
6) We are more comfortable with spending money. We were irresponsibly spending pre BD and then we got nervous to spend at all after the 3 month look back. Being so restrictive is unrealistic and actually caused us to regress a bit. Now we’ve found a more happy medium and have a healthier relationship with money. We have gone over budget in some areas each month, but it’s not a complete surprise, which is empowering.
7) We learned we handle money differently so being on the same page has brought us closer as a couple. We both avoided anything budget pre BD. Budgeting had a lot of negative feelings for us, so we thought if we do not have to budget, we were financially secure. Understanding the budgeting and investing fundamentals and putting them into action consistently has been more empowering than expected. We talk about money regularly and are FI motivated!
8) We shopped for life, auto and homeowners insurance to ensure we were paying a competitive rate. We confirmed we were for auto and homeowners, but we increased our homeowners deductible, which saved approx $700 yearly. We know we will not file a claim unless we have a large issue and we have our deductible money saved as part of our emergency fund. We switched brokers for life insurance as we could save approx 50% on monthly premiums. This results in $600 savings per year!

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Kelly Safrit

What a first quarter with two MAJOR wins to share! While currently setting up an arbitrage Mid-term rental due to launch June 1st, an offer to purchase on a second house for a Short-term rental was accepted yesterday! I'm grateful for the speakers we have in the academy, such as Ron Caruthers, who is an ACE with strategy and helped me write off over 70K on my 2025 taxes resulting in a monster tax return to use for my second property down payment. I now get how this process works, and THANK YOU @Brennan Schlagbaum for this knowledge. Without being a part of BDA, I wouldn't have the connections that are propelling me to my real estate goals. You're seriously the GOAT!

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Kristi Swann

If you’re not a fan of therapy, I promise this is different. (I’m a fan of what therapy can do and what it can be when done right, but not personally a fan based on less than stellar experiences over my adolescent years and into my mid-late 20s.)
Heather is easy going, relatable, no BS, and so efficient and effective. (So much so that I am considering contacting her privately to help me break down some (non-money) “stuff” that never was dealt with way back when and some trauma since. And, as usual, I digress!)
Heather was able to quickly pinpoint some things that I hadn’t even linked to money. She is awesome and if it’s out of your comfort zone, try anyway… you’re here, it’s free, and the whole point of this academy is to grow, right?!

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Justin Goshtigian

I have not been as active the last month because work has been bananas! There were a few rounds of lay offs. Luckily, I am still employed, but it's a great reminder how quickly things can turn upside down - having my investments automated and emergency fund has me feeling much better! With that being said I finished up my FIRST FULL MONTH utilizing the budget and amortization sheet. Some BIG WINS and some things to work on below:
Met with the amazing @Heather Brito my fellow BOSTONIAN! If you haven't signed up for a session with Heather yet...DO IT. She is so easy to talk to and she does an amazing job getting right to the source in your subconscious.
AUTOMATION - this started in my first few weeks, but EVERYTHING is now automated. I have Direct Deposit going to - 401k, Roth IRA, Brokerage, Checking, and my HYSA. June will be my first month contributing to my brand new Roth and Brokerage. I have budgeted $1000 a month for the next 7 months to still MAX out my Roth IRA this year! Also, I will be setting up auto stock purchases on my Brokerage. I am only contributing a small amount at this time because Debt pay down and saving for a home purchase are my MAIN goals
LOAN PAYMENT INCREASE - Since starting BD in Mid-April I have upped my School Loan payment from $398 to $900 and I now have it auto budgeted at $1300 for the month of June and beyond! Since April, I have paid off $8000 and got my school loans below 30k. I have cut down my 10 year payment schedule to 3 years!!!! Every dollar extra has been going here. I can't wait to be debt free!
SIDE HUSTLE - I have been selling anything and everything I do not use. I was able to make about $1000 on items and I sold my truck since I work from home and my girlfriend and I only need 1 car! Also, I signed up for Uber Eats and made $1500 extra in the month of May! I never thought I would be doing Uber or enjoying it, but I must admit I really enjoy it after work or early morning on weekends! This is allowing me to pay down debt faster and start my brokerage investments!
BUDGET - So I joined in Mid April and I did start my budget and tracking expenses in April...let's just say it was not pretty - like $5000+ in the red. Fast forward to May and I am happy to report that I was -282. Even though I was in the RED it was a HUGE step forward. I was able to pay off $5700 in debt and still invest $5000 for my home savings. Now there is some work to be done because I was $700 over on my fixed expenses. My Gas budget was way off since I joined Uber Eats mid month. Also, I had a friend in town and let's say I did splurge one weeked to have some fun. Admittedly, I was bummed I spent a little more than I wanted to, BUT my mindset changed to account for that expense and make up for it.
For June, I have adjusted by budget and I feel really good about where my money is going and not having to worry since it is automated. I am excited to keep learning about Investing this week as well! The NUMBER one thing I am noticing is my Mind Set shift. It feels so good. I feel much more knowledgable and in control. Meeting with Heather was amazing, because I am starting to notice things I am feeling and I go back to my conversation with Heather. There were times I felt guilty about spending, but there were also times I felt amazing about splurging a bit, because I was ACCOUNTING for that expense. I am so thankful for the coaching team @Brennan Schlagbaum @Tom Monahan and community.

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Brandon and Holli Richards

We have laid the foundations of our debt reduction goals. After completing week 2 we have found close to 3k in our budget. We hope to increase that with some adjustments to subscriptions, debt reduction, and side hustles. We are both excited to see what the next weeks, months, and years have in store for our financial world!

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Ben Arthur

The financial investment in this was totally worth it. I was completely blown away by the thoroughness and the detail of the program from the very beginning — from the classroom content, weekly calls and the terrific student success team. There’s literally no excuse to not have every question you have answered. This has *easily* been the best online program/community I’ve ever been a part of. A big thanks to @Brennan Schlagbaum , @Tom Monahan and the rest of the BDA team!

Here’s a quick snapshot of mine. I think the biggest thing I’ve done is set a firm foundation as someone approaching his 30s (and expecting to have a family in the not-too-distant future). Nothing flashy, but something I feel is priceless for the long haul and future generations of my family, which has had generational issues with money. I’m looking forward to sharing what I’ve learned with my loved ones.
Before: $17,808 net worth
After: $29,232 net worth ($11.4k jump in 6 months as a 20-something feels incredible!)
Before: No life insurance
After: Secured a $1 million term life insurance policy, providing financial protection to my girlfriend and immediate family if I were to pass early
Before: Uneducated investor pouring into target date funds, including Vanguard fund holdings in my Fidelity investment accounts (😬)
After: Informed investor that has established personalized asset allocation for all my investment accounts, suitable to my risk tolerance; have also opened a taxable brokerage account
Before: Disorganized budgeter who obsessed over minute details
After: established zero-based monthly budget with minimal time commitment
Before: No long term disability insurance
After: approved for multi-year disability insurance
Before: Vague financial goals
After: clear picture of the specific FI and retirement number I’m aiming for (!)
Before: Unclear about debt payoff timeline
After: Clear picture of the exact date my debts will be paid off -- and how to speed up the timeline in accordance to my goals

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Herman Turner

I’m on week 13 but Earlier this month, I divorced my financial planner, dropped that 1.5% advisory fee, transferred my traditional/roth/individual brokerage to vanguard where I’m self-managing and established automatic contributions!! In past two weeks, I have witnessed my total investments increased by $15k!! Facts!! Low cost index funds or etf on automatic.
Also, I decreased my deferred comp (457b) expense ratio from 3.7 to .7 and noticed financial increase as well!!
Salute 🫡 to the BDA team and community for motivation and accountability!! 💪🏾

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Kristi Swann

Q2 Net Worth Increase = $26,935. A win is a win, so I will take it, especially amongst two very expensive months (May and June) that landed us in the red overall with unexpected costs to include home repair, a new (to him) vehicle for our oldest son, and caregiving costs for my FIL. Feeling very grateful that we had been building the emergency fund because that is what has taken the hit to cover the negative cashflow.
The bulk of the gain is unrealized in retirement accounts and a small amount of non-mortgage debt paydown totalling about $3600. We definitely have work to do - - will be re-evaluating our budget again using our first three full-months in BDA to do another three month look back at the beginning of August and re-evaluate our cash flow goals to align with that budget.

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Patricia Pedrezzetti

Since February 2024, our net worth has seen quarterly increases: 5K, 46K, 28K, 16K, 48K, and 23K.
When we first joined, we were eager to learn and grow, but we never imagined the profound impact this program/community would have on our financial journey. Through diligent learning, strategic investments, and the inspiring messages and posts from each member, we have been able to achieve financial milestones that once seemed out of reach.
This journey has taught us the importance of perseverance, continuous learning, and the power of a supportive network. Remember, every small step you take today is a building block for a prosperous future.

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Nichole Willink

I didn’t update our net worth at the end of Q1 because we’ve been in a holding pattern with things trying to determine next steps on our current home. Today, I decided to update after watching Brennan’s video and we’re up much more than I anticipated by $83k! During the first half of the year we paid off a vehicle and purchased a piece of land in cash.

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Kirk Hepker

This program helps us get our financial lives in order, but that’s not all it does. Because I took the steps to better me and my family I was also able to help someone in their time of need. I have a tenant at one of my rentals that recently was laid off and she has a couple kids that she needs to take care of so I was able to give her a couple months rent free and gave her a job where she now makes more than the one she lost. The feeling I felt knowing I could help someone when they needed it most gave me goose bumps as she thanked me. But I don’t think she realizes what that did for me too. Moral of the story this program changes lives and you all are a part of it. You all already made the choice to be apart of it so let’s go💪

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Michelle Cohen

Started BD in Dec 2024. Started strong with budget and a debt pay down plan. Over 1st-2nd qtr, all of this work led me to look at where my priorities were and making sure my money went where I wanted it to. I started to realize that I was paying for a much larger home than I needed or even WANTED for that matter! So, I sold my home and downsized. In the month since my move, I couldn’t be happier with my decision! Not to mention, I am now 100% debt free!! Student loans that had 8 years left of payments, done. Car and all consumer debt gone. Leftover gains invested. Now that I’m settled from the move, I have started investing all monthly cash flow and ensuring it’s all automated. Now I know not everyone can sell their house to expedite the plan, but the moral of this story is that this course helped me evaluate my financial priorities and this was the best move for me. 8 months in and I’m feeling on fire and on my way to being financially free! Started at 44. The time to start is always right now.

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Ali and Justin Martia

We increased our net worth over 60k from Q2 to Q3
We are halfway there to joining the millionaire club. With our current trajectory created from the automated money plan we developed here in the academy, we will be there in no time!!
Through a recent opportunity starting next month we are able to put a good amount of money to additional principal payments on our mortgage. We have already set up the automation to take this extra amount out every month. The additional payments will get us to pay off the mortgage on our house in 4-5 years!!!! Saving over 20+ years in payments.
The best part is we will be able to do that without pulling from our current investments.
It’s crazy to see how far we’ve come and can only imagine where we will be next quarter. We are so grateful for this academy and community here, it has changed our lives.
It’s so great to be apart of this community and hear of all the wins and the great things you are all doing, it’s inspiring.

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Rafa and Andre Ordaz

Wanted to share a win that is very personal to us and something that goes along what the Budgetdog Academy is all about! It's the magic of compounding interest! Last year, in about July, we closed in our current home. In order to make this move, I had to pull about $8K from our Taxable Brokerage Account. Well, now it has been a little over a year, and we were able to (almost) replenish the full $8K with the beauty that we have not deposited nowhere near that amount! We have had this account for a while, so that is living proof of the beauty of making your money grow!

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Joshua and Cherise Ruskiewicz

We just received our lease renewal today and learned that our rent/utilities will be decreasing by $500 a month starting in November! (Seriously, when does that ever happen?!?) Which means we will be debt free 3 months earlier than we anticipated. We just paid off two small credit cards at the beginning of August, so this month is starting off fabulously!

Chris Zivalich

Motorcycle then sons braces and I’ll be down to just mortgage.

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Kevin Lau

I just checked this morning and our networth has increased by $240k+. I just finished funding both our 2 months and 6 month emergency savings and have way more peace of mind. Thanks BDA team!

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Jesse Nieman

We've officially paid of the first of our credit cards and have never felt more financial momentum that we do today! Thanks to the team for helping us get organized and on the right track.

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Briana Charlton

My big win this week was that I took ACTION!🎉 I’m committed to celebrating every win, big or small:
🏆 Opened an Ally HYSA and set up my savings buckets🙌🏽
🏆 Streamlined credit cards (went from using 4 credit cards to 1)🙌🏽
🏆Spent less than $100 on weekly groceries by shopping online🥳
🏆 Changed mobile plans reducing my bill from $201 to $30/month ($171 savings)🥳
Excited to make these money moves and free up more cash flow! With every adjustment I make, I do it with this in mind:

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Brandon and Holli Richards

Will have our 1 month of budget saved and will be paying off our high interest and most of our low interest debt. That’s about $40k!
We had some money in an annuity that was doing nothing for us. We will be investing the rest.
This will shave a little more than a year off of our 2 year plan to pay off debt!

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Brandon Lundberg

Just crossed the $1M net worth threshold!

Our year-on-year net worth, as of 6/30, increased by just over $181K. We started the BD Academy about a year ago. Grateful for the clear orientation and tools Brennan and team provided to help reach this point. 💪🙌

I finished Brennan’s class last Summer and it was worth every penny! I would love to do his continuing Ed classes soon!

Apryl Woods

Thank you Brennan, the Budgetdog Academy was a breath of fresh air in a world of IG entrepreneurs. Joining the academy taught me and encouraged me to put things in motion. You helped me realize that I actually have money left over at the end of the month I just had to write it out and figure out where to put it. I paid off multiple credit cards during the 6 months and started dumping extra money on my car. My credit score finally reached the high 700s, I maxed out my IRA, opened up a brokerage account, that’s growing beautifully I must say, and I’m starting a 529 for my newborn grandson🥰 You and your admin team encouraged me to put all of those things in action, and answered all my 1000 questions. I loved that the Academy was like real life school with assignments, homework and accountability. The weekly Q & A and guest speakers are greatly missed since I graduated. I appreciated your continued additions, efforts and upgrades to the platform it shows that you are really out to help the people not just make money off them. I can truly say I received so much more than I paid for and I’m eternally grateful for the foundation you laid for me and in turn my family!
I miss you guys can I come back? I know it’s only gotten better!!! Thank you for everything❤️

Cris & Pau

We’ve been following BudgetDog (Brennan) for a while now and it’s amazing all the information he provides weather that is on his Instagram account (for free) or 1:1 meetings. We also joined the BudgetDog Academy and so far we have paid off one card, a few CC and we have a plan moving forward! The academy offers so so much but it’s his way of being so transparent and so honest with everything he says that makes a whole difference for us. Him and his team show that they care and truly feel we have someone in our corner supporting us 100%. We are thankful for that and very excited for the future!


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Robert Oliver

Working with Brennan was so fun! He makes finance simple no matter what stage of the game you are at. When I first saw him online, I was naturally hesitant. The second I began working with him, it was so clear. Why didn’t I do this earlier?! I was able to shed $24k of debt in 6 months, begin investing for myself (which I have never done before), and ensured I had a bulletproof financial roadmap. HIGHLY recommend.

Albert Santos

I have been a member of the budget dog family for 2 1/2 months. In that short amount of time I have been able to clear a fog that’s been our finances for decades. We have been able to balance our budget, clear misconceptions about enjoying your life and truly understand what it is to invest. Brennan and his team are available 24/7 which I don’t truly understand how that’s possible but no question goes un-answered. I have an abundance of material, all of which is instructor based when needed. One small adjustment has made a huge impact in my life and I owe that to the Budget Dog Academy.

Amanda Johnson

I wish I could give more than 5 stars! Brennan is absolutely amazing, so knowledgeable and approachable. I've tried numerous classes, blogs, people that claim to help but tell you that you have to sell all of your possessions to make it work, etc. This is finally the first program that has actually made a huge difference and is something that I can continue after the course and teach my children. We have paid off over $4k in debt and counting thanks to a manageable budget plan, have life insurance policies to protect our son, and are creating a will; next step is investing! The program doesn't tell you to not ever have fun, not ever go on vacation, not ever buy anything. Instead, it takes all of those things into account and you budget accordingly based on your goals and needs. Best and last program I'll ever need!

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Kirk Hepker

Brennan and his team offered me a top notch experience to take control of my finances and life. I will be forever grateful for the time they took to help me get to where I am today. I highly recommend reaching out to these extremely knowledgeable people to get on track. Thank you guys I’m now in control.


Rita Campbell

Budget dog has helped me create a realistic budget, pay off debt quickly and have a financial plan for my future to help me retire early. I highly recommend his courses! The amount of knowledge I have gained was worth every penny.

David Walker

The company has changed the trajectory of my family's financial future! They are teaching me the things that my education and my family failed to teach. Couldn't be happier with the tools and resources. I will see the pricing was a little expensive and I didn't like how they asked about my financial status prior to quoting me a price for the program? All in all, I am happy with my decision to join and would recommend it to anyone without the confidence they are doing finances correctly.

Brennan holds your hand and walks you through a clear strategy to take hold of your financial future. Highly recommend!!

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Stephanie Ann

If I could give more stars, I would! I am a teacher with a master’s degree, and have been enrolled in many educational programs. This, by far, is one of my favorites! The whole experience, from talking with Brennan about joining the academy, to now actually going through the program, has been great.

I was one who waited at least 3 months to join. I was hesitant at first, to try something new. Now I wish that I would have done it sooner. I am on my way to financial freedom, and it feels great.

I am forever grateful to Brennan and BudgetDog Academy.

Nick Matti

Budget Dog is a fantastic program with great people. I thought I was pretty knowledgable on finances coming in and I learned so many new things that have really changed the game for me. I feel confident in managing all of my investments on my own and know when/how to hit financial independence. Fantastic investment here, definitely join this if you are on the fence at all.


Mike and Sam

This program is awesome!! The info is taught in a way that is very simple and absorbable… it never really feels overwhelming. And the process just works! Shoutout to Tom, who is ON it when it comes to answering questions and helping… the access to him makes it worth it alone!


Great content week in and week out. Any question you may have about the world of finance can be answered here. The growth my fiancé and I have experienced has been exponential and we have only been in the academy for 10 weeks! I recommend to all no matter your situation.

Andrew G

This program has made us more confident in managing our finances. What used to be a hard topic to talk about has now turned into almost daily discussions in our lives. It has been life changing to have more concrete financial goals and we are excited to grow our money in ways we never thought possible.


BudgetDog is a phenomenal academy and more importantly a community of learners. Everyone is there to help everyone out. You will find so many resources and no matter what level you end up at, come away ahead. I have been slow in my program and you absolutely get what you put in. IF you are wanting financial independence, join BD - this is a community worth investing in - they are authentic, sincere and care!

Patricia

One of the best investments we made as a family, as it provided us with the essential foundation to enhance our financial skills, which were initially very basic, if not non-existent.
Today, we have a clear understanding of our expenses and investments, and we know exactly where every dollar that comes into the house goes.
We no longer fear the word INVEST.
This is a journey of continuous improvement, with no shortcuts or magic formulas. Follow the program step by step, and the results will come from the commitment you put into the work. If you’re looking to change your financial habits and improve your situation... this is the right program for you.

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Haimanot Kifle

Budgetdog Academy means a lot to me and my family. We have been living from paycheck to paycheck despite making above average for far too long. We were not budgeting or had a good retirement plan. The academy provided us with the knowledge we need to take control of our finances and set us up to become financially free. The coaches are every supportive and answers our questions promptly. The community is full of amazing people from different background who help, learn and encourage one another.
we highly recommend this academy for families, new grads, really for anyone form any stages/walks of life.

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A & G Izarra

Worth the investment! My wife and I found Budgetdog at a key point in our financial decision-making lives. We had just started leaning into different forms of investing and had a lot of first-time questions on how to go about certain scenarios the right way. This course educated us and got us in the right frame of mind to think differently. It's helping us find our own answers to the bigger financial questions in our lives -- which is something everyone can benefit from! If you've ever thought to yourself. Take the course to lay the groundwork for your own financial freedom!


Edward Lorico-Minchin

Genuine strategic coaching and guidance throughout the course. So happy I became part of the BDA family.

Zoryana Smikh

Brennan and his team of coaches are like none other. They are 100% transparent about everything. The knowledge they shared with us about retirement, budgeting (and no it’s not a scary word), stocks, savings plans of all sorts, investments and so much more does not compare to anything else out there. It’s not a “get rich fast” type of deal. It’s more of a, here’s all the tools and knowledge you need to set yourself up for financial independence and freedom and you make your own decisions about what you want to do with that knowledge (although if you need help along the way, they will help you for sure). They hold you accountable and give bite sized portions of information each week to continue the learning process. The 6 month program is completely life altering and extremely eye opening.

Kelly Lutz

I cannot say enough good things about how budget dog has changed my life….i track my money now and have been able to start paying off my car loan faster as well as saving for my children’s college and investing…. It has changed my life so much for the better, i feel more in control and have a much better attitude about my financial future. It is 100% worth the investment into this course!


I am currently on week 8 of the Budgetdog Academy and have already gained so much knowledge, clarity, and peace of mind regarding my financial situation. It is so wonderful to have everything laid out step by step so that you can simply follow along at a manageable pace. You end up realizing that you can get your finances in order without all the struggle and indecision. I cannot say enough about the availability and willingness to help about the whole team. I have felt very supported throughout the entire process. I cannot recommend this course enough. Even just 8 weeks in I have more peace of mind, I feel more confident about my financial decisions, and I know that I will reach all of my goals. I could not recommend the Academy more!

Consumer

Why I say I thought it was a scam at first is I thought Brennan was really pushy. But after taking the risk it paid off. He is not pushy he is sooo passionate about what he does because if you follow his template hold yourself accountable you too could be a millionaire. Increased are net worth by 337k in six months and that was not by getting rid of any debt. If your skeptical don’t be and if your young you better pull the trigger like yesterday. Time is your most valuable asset.👊🏻 thanks budget dog

Carla Hill

Budgetdog has been an amazing opportunity for me to learn and build on what I thought I understood. Thank you to the team for all the help and support. I have been consistently investing for over a year now. My investment portfolio between the taxable brokerage, Roth, and kids investments is now at 150,000. That is insane to say!! Our net worth has jumped to over 560,000
I paid off my car and the only debt we have is our mortgage. We are working to pay that off while investing aggressively.
The thing I am most proud of is the knowledge I gained and what I can do with it. Yesterday my 17 year old received his first paycheck. I was able to sit him down and show him how to zero base budget his pay. I taught him how to pay himself first and invest 20% of his income. We opened a Roth, a youth taxable brokerage account, and a CD for his emergency fund. Setting him up and teaching these skills is the best gift I received! Thank you


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Pam Plascencia

This is exactly what I was looking for! I always wanted to begin investing but I was very nervous as I had 0 clue where to start. I didn't want to rely on someone to invest for me. This has been such an educational and empowering journey. The team breaks down finances step by step. The team is super knowledge and the wealth of knowledge within the academy is insane.


customer Karen M Curtin

Enrolling in Budget Dog was such a benefit for me as well as our money. I wasn't sure if I could trust the entire process, I am also at an age where I tend to question everything. I honestly wish I had found Budget Dog years ago.
I am finally taking control how our money needs to work and grow. I understand all of the things I was afraid to even look at 4 months ago. Just ignoring your money issues will set you up for disaster.

Thanks to Budget Dog I am continuing to become more confident in budgeting and knowing where every $ goes. The only way to move forward.

The idea of not learning about money and how to use it in our school system should end. It puts us all at a disadvantage.
Trust the process you will not regret it. It's never too late to take control.


Kendall

Budgetdog has been the best financial experience. We are currently in the program and have learned so much! This program is made for anyone in any circumstance. Budgetdog goes over all scenarios that a person might be in. The team at Budgetdog has been great with any questions or concerns. They have also been fantastic with reviewing all financials that we turn in. Their response times have been great as well. You can tell they all care and take pride in their work. They genuinely care about you and want to see you succeed in whatever your goals are. We couldn’t be happier for choosing this program and we are excited to achieve financial freedom.


Brooklyn Creech

The Budgetdog team has far exceeded my expectations. While life may get in the way, they are there to keep you on track and motivated. Their willingness to help is vocalized any time they are in contact with you. I know I could not do it without having my hand held through a lot of it! So excited for my future with the help of this program.


Kyle & Parrin Tholo-Parizek

Budgetdog has been very helpful with providing framework to understand, plan, and execute financial goals. They're very thorough with ensuring that our financial literacy is solid and allows us to budget in a realistic manner that is achievable. The support system and accountability has been crucial for our financial wins.

Ali & Justin

We love Budgetdog Academy. Joining has been life changing. The knowledge gained has been so eye opening, and the support from the coaches and community has been wonderful. Being a part of this community is like having a second big family, everyone helps each other out. The coaches are there with you every step of the way and they explain things in a way that is easy to understand and implement. There are no questions that go unanswered and the community is there to help as well. We were a little uneasy about the cost at first but found it’s worth every penny and has more than paid for itself for the value you get from the academy. The greatest part is you have access to the content and community for life. Budgetdog has changed our lives and put us on track to reach our financial goals and set a path to financial freedom. We are so grateful to be a part of the academy and so glad we joined.

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Jackie Roberson

I can’t say enough good things about my experience with Budgetdog Academy. If you’re serious about taking control of your finances, gaining financial knowledge, and building wealth, this program needs to be on your radar.

From day one, Budgetdog breaks things down in a way that’s easy to understand, practical to apply, and actually works. It’s not just another course full of generic advice—it’s a full roadmap to financial independence, backed by real strategies and support.

I’ve gained confidence in managing my money, investing smartly, and building a plan for my future that feels solid. And the best part? The accountability and community that comes with it. You’re not just learning—you’re transforming the way you think about money.

Huge thanks to the team behind Budgetdog Academy—you’re helping people change their lives one step at a time.

Troy Wahl

After just getting married and expecting a little in a couple months, my wife and I knew we needed to start getting a financial plan in order. Once we saw Budgetdog on social media we booked a call. They were able to show us how we can get the right budget in place for our lifestyle, start investing for our family's future and how to protect our assets. The academy is a game changer for understanding all the seemingly overwhelming financial topics and mastering them. Highly recommend!!!!

Budgetdog Academy is for anyone looking to learn how to better manage their money, understand the importance of tracking where every earned dollar goes, and how to grow it passively for their future. As a current student in the program, I highly recommend it to ALL young people. The information gained will literally free your mind from worry because of how they educate you in small incremental ways. The group is very supportive, helpful, and accessible. The community is made of up really great people who are looking for that financial freedom. It does take time each week to learn, but it's worth it. I was worried I wouldn't have the time, but I've been able to carve out a couple of hours a week to just do the lessons, watch the videos, partake in the weekly meetings, and so far been able to keep up with it. My worries have definitely subsided because the small steps add up and you can feel the progress. This program should be taught in high school and college without a doubt; then so many people would have financial freedom for their future. It is an investment, but is honestly worth it.


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Patrick Mikaio

Budgetdog has been a great course that helped me get my finances in order. I had close to zero financial literacy before I joined the program. Now I learned how to budget, track my spending, I have a financial plan and one of my favorite subjects within the academy.....INVESTING. I've learned so much and am able to give back to my siblings who have the same financial literacy background as me. I'm monitoring my finances and I'm investing in my family's future and also teaching my daughter all that I've learned. I'm breaking the family cycle of poverty. Thank you to Brennan, Tom and the whole Budgetdog staff. I'm very grateful.

Awesome community, practical curriculum, endless knowledge, transparent conversations, accountable leaders/team that desires to see you achieve overall financial goals!!

Andy and Natasha

The information is taught very clearly, the coaches truly care about you and your wellbeing and are very accessible, plus the community helps each other out immensely and it’s for life!

Seriously, we were skeptical as well but took the chance. Now we feel like we have a plan to get out of our insane amount of debt and even have a plan to retire.

Top notch program. Walks you thru A-Z when it comes to making you financially unbreakable. Definitely worth the investment and highly recommend.


Melissa Tapia

BudgetDog is amazing! So much knowledge and a well-rounded approach to finances. A lot of it is mental and that gets addressed in the program as well. This program empowers you to understand and take control of every hard earned dollar you have.

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Jamee Vesga

Budgetdog Academy makes finance simple. They break down complicated topics into easy lessons with real examples that actually make sense. You learn how to budget, invest, and protect your money without feeling overwhelmed. Brenann, Tom, and the coaches are friendly and always ready to help, and the community is really supportive. I’ve picked up useful tips every step of the way. This program gave me the confidence to handle my money and start growing my wealth. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to get their finances on track.

Budgetdog has built a great platform, it educates and equips - but the most important piece is holding people accountable. It sets everyone up for success. In my experience, this is where people fall off, they get overwhelmed and stop trying. Well done!!

Budgetdog provided a roadmap for me to handle my finances. The content is broken down in a simplified way that makes it easy to digest.

Anthony

In the early stages, I did not understand what money is, its value, or how it impacts you. To now, where I understand the outcomes of what money can do to you with the way you treat your money, build the mindset, and continue to grow.

Rebecca Abramo

I can’t say enough about Budgetdog. The system Brennan has created works incredibly well when working with those who are determined to make a change in their lives. The core values he teaches are something we have carried with us over the past 2 years since we joined and has changed our lives. We have been able to go from drowning in debt to making a plan and executing that plan. All while living and enjoying our lives and not letting life circumstances derail us.

Brennan and Tom are very active in the academy. They consistently reach out and ensure your questions are answered. The fellow students are also highly engaged, creating a strong sense of community. We are a month into the academy and have really enjoyed how the course is structured, as well as the weekly calls. If you are hesitant about joining, I suggest listening to Brennan’s livestreams on social media. Both Brennan and Tom are the real deal, and we are excited that we took the leap and joined.


Sarah Killgore

The Budgetdog program is so thorough and well thought-out! The team is super supportive, responsive, and eager to help you understand the material and how to practically apply it to your own finances. Additionally, the community is expansive and chances are good that if you have a question about anything finance related, somebody has experience with it and is happy to provide insight. 10/10 recommend!

Great resource for people who are interested in learning about finance basics, want to establish a good budget, create good financial habits, and get a head start at the stock market without fear of making something wrong.

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Lauren Collette

We are loving our journey with Budgetdog! You can tell Brennan, Tom and the team want everyone to be successful, but also want you to learn so you can stay that way for life! We started because we had some money saved and no debt besides our mortgage, but were paralyzed on what to do with that money and where to allocate it. After joining the program and putting in the work, we now know how much a month we can contribute to savings, investments, debt pay down, sinking funds, etc. and are learning about the vehicles in which that money will grow. Had we not joined the program we would be losing money while it sat in a regular savings account with a mediocre interest. Now we know better and it’s all thanks to Budgetdog!

Akilah Pratt

BudgetDog Academy was literally life changing! I came in wanting to learn more about finances and the process of generational wealth. Little by little, my accounts have grown dramatically, despite not yet being a “high earner”. Once you do your part and put in the work, you’ll really build healthy budgeting habits and at the end you’ll find that you’ll never be caught off guard with an unexpected expense.

Simran Arora

I’ve been working with Budgetdog to get my finances in order, and it’s been a game changer. Their team made budgeting and investing much less overwhelming, and I finally feel like I have a clear plan for reaching my goals. They broke everything down step by step — from building a solid emergency fund, to saving for a home, to structuring my retirement strategy.
I’ve learned a lot and finally feel in control of my money. Highly recommend them to anyone looking to get their finances on track.

Leydi Gallardo

I think Budgetdog offers a solid program packed with valuable content and practical templates that truly help you organize your finances. But what really sets them apart is the level of support and responsiveness. This isn’t just a “watch a video and figure it out” kind of program — they hold you accountable with homework, follow-ups, and prompt answers to your questions.
If you’re looking to get serious about managing your money, understanding how to invest (401K, Roth IRA, HSA, S&P 500, real estate opportunities, etc.), and building long-term wealth, I truly believe Budgetdog is a great investment.

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Amy Guthrie

While I don't have significant wins (yet), it's good to note that slow and steady wins the race. I've had nothing but setbacks since starting the program, but this program is my security blanket which keeps me grounded from making mistakes that cost more in the long run.
Reduced debt balances
Review my budgetsheet weekly - I used to keep it all in my head and just assume I knew what $$ was in/out
I can now see payoffs between 11-15 mos instead of 2-3 years!
My emergency savings is growing rapidly
I learned that the "advisor" I pay in my employee-sponsored 401K (to manage allocations) is charging me $2228/yr - now that I know how to do this myself, I turned off that program!
I have auto-investments setup in my HSA
Have looked into LTC and have a plan to get this in place
Cheers,

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Jackie and Chris Roberson

I just want to take a moment to express my appreciation for the incredible impact BudgetDog has had on our financial journey. From the moment we joined, it’s been a masterclass in taking control of finances, smart investing, financial literacy, and long-term wealth building.
This team truly knows what they’re doing— with clear guidance, real strategies, and a community that actually supports one another. This program meets you where you are and gives you the tools to level up. For all the newcomers - you’re in the right place!
Here’s a list of some wins that we have had over the last few months. We have:
-stuck to our budget that was finalized in week 4!
-increased our income consistently by $2K or more a month
-decreased our small debts by $7K, including paying off one of our vehicles
-invested our minimum amount monthly to reach our FI number
-increased our Net Worth by almost $10K at the end of Q1.
-opened each of our kids a 529, and contributed to it monthly
-continued to enjoy life by purposefully utilizing our slush fund for skiing this season, and hitting the slopes 2-4 times each month! 🤙🏼
Not to mention, we are far more confident in our financial decisions and conversations with friends/family and have a clearer roadmap of our future and early retirement goals 🤩
Thank you BudgetDog team- we couldn’t have done this without you all!
#gratitude #slay

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Nicole Vella

We just sat down to do our Q1 net worth summary. Since January we increased our net worth by $10,532!
We took one high interest credit card balance and the taxes we owed and put them on a 0% interest credit card that we are aggressively paying. We scheduled an appointment with a CPA to plan better for our taxes going forward.
A small win was $70.98 gained in interest since switching to our HYSA (as compared to the $3.38 we gained in a full year with a traditional BOA savings account). We plan to switch our children’s savings over by summer as well.
A big win for our family was going away for our first family vacation overnight that we paid for in cash, thanks to the sinking fund method!
We are still behind on the lessons but after seeing these wins we feel really motivated to keep going!

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Lindsey Gurley

We are currently on Week 13 and are LOVING IT! Here are some of our wins thus far:
Made the budget/kept up with the budget! Found extra cash and made a plan to use that cash to pay off my car.
With are cashflow plan we should be able to pay off my car in ONE YEAR! (We have 4 years left to pay)
Met with Heather, and it was amazing what she told us! We are using her strategies to help us everyday.
Even with all the turmoil with the Stock market, we feel very confident in investing and growing our money. We are not in a panic thanks to everything we learned
My husband and I are openly talking about money and making plans. It's so great!
Automating EVERYTHING!
We have cut out impulse purchases and saved close to 2,000 each month (since January) that is being put to better use. (debt pay off, investing, 529's)
We are no longer going to be HENRY's (High earner, not rich yet) 🤣 We finally have a plan for our money to work for us!

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Katy Otte

This past month has been incredibly eye-opening. I feel stronger, more grounded, and clearer about my financial situation than ever before. Since it’s lucky Week 4, here are four big wins to celebrate:
Teamwork upgrade! My husband and I have had more open and productive conversations about money than in our entire 8 years of marriage—and we finally set up joint accounts. Goodbye, endless Venmo transfers!
Savings level-up. We moved our emergency funds into a high-yield savings account. Hello, interest!
Free money find. Discovered an unexpected $1,500! We used part of it to chip away at a credit card balance and the rest to help cover upcoming MRI costs.
Mindful spending check. A 3-month lookback revealed some unintentional overspending—lots of dining out and maybe too much fun. It’s prompted us to be more intentional and aligned with our values moving forward.

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Ellen Henry

Finally opened HYSA and love the goal buckets! I read other people mentioning them and had to check it out. Being a visual person I find this to be a very cool feature and prompts me to want to fill the dollar goals I set. Can't wait for the funds to be transferred to them.
I also opened a Rollover IRA and rolled over 1 of 3 old 401k's of my husband's and was able to do it all online myself. The other 2 I will probably use Capitalize.
I realized I bought an EFT a few months ago that was Schwab when I should have picked the Fidelity, because the brokerage account is with Fidelity. Noticed it charged me $50 - would not have known that if I hadn't listened to the videos in the homework! Happy to have learned each brokerage has equivalents, again something I would not have learned unless watching the videos! Will be fixing that on Monday.

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Chaya and Shaya Gorkin

We paid off 100k of debt this month! So far we've paid off over 120k in debt since we started with Budgetdog in September of 2024. Looking forward to being debt free and financially independent!

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Cori and Patrick Kearney

We've learned so much and are looking forward to automating our investments and moving on to protect our progress. Some earlier wins include
mostly keeping up with our budget and continuing to learn and tweak each month
combined our checking accounts
automated our emergency fund in our HYSA to reach our goal by EOY, if not sooner
opened 2 Roth IRAs and already maxed out one of them while the other is automated to max out by EOY
set up our mortgage for bi-weekly payments plus additional cash flow toward principal each month to pay off 7 years earlier
in process of rolling over a few old 401Ks into an IRA and opening a 529 for our toddler
still married😅

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Rachel Duits

I played one of the recorded educational sessions while I was meal prepping and there was a word Brennan emphasized that triggered a realization - that word was intentionality. When I was rounding the corner from 2024 to 2025, I made a commitment to myself that 2025 was not just my year of change, but my year of intentional change. Hearing that word pop up (and I know I've heard him use it in other sessions as well) and making the connection to my commitment just further confirmed that I'm in the right place. Looking forward to all that 2025 will bring!

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Ashley Eddie

What a month it has been! I have been away from the family for 3 weeks helping my grandmother recover from a liver transplant while Eddie held down the day to day life with the boys. We were still able to stay caught up on our class work here until the week I got home. Then it was returning from leave from work getting my annual training for work so studying and passing test to be able to continue to work it was a whirlwind! BUT we stayed the course finished week 10 a week late but now are all caught up! & best part of it all we stayed on budget while being apart and still were able to keep our goals in mind! I'm beyond proud of us and so thankful for this class!

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Austin Shirey

Since starting BDA, I had been paying $500 extra per month, bringing my total monthly payment to $1,100, trying to sink it faster. Finally was able to pay off the remaining $4,700 yesterday to get rid of all auto debt. Not only did this buy back 4.99% interest, it freed up $1,100 of cash flow that I will now invest, bringing that to a net ~13% gain on that same money!
Our house is the only debt we have, and it’s got 10yrs left at 2.625%, so I’m not sweating that one.

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Thomas Tolan

After pouring over my financial plan, I finally came up with one that suits my goals AND my risk tolerance -- and with the help if the BDA team, I've got all of my pertinent accounts opened, with allocations ear marked or in some cases bought in (for my ROTH 401K and my backdoor IRA). I have a taxable brokerage account opened and awaiting my allocations (when the time comes that makes sense for my family); I have my retirement accounts consolidated and stream lined, and MOST importantly I have all of my funding fully automated, so I don't even notice/feel it when the money comes out of my account biweekly and goes right where it's supposed to. I don't have to stress of think about what my money is doing -- it's like a well oiled machine now, which is EXACTLY what I was hoping to achieve with my enrollment in the academy. My understanding is much deeper now, so my confidence in investing on my own, as well as working with my tax preparer, is in a much more comfortable place!

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Archana Verma

Just a little story: My husband and I are both big foodies!!! When it's time to try food or go to a restaurant or takeout, our hands are open. We do not hesitate 😋😉. We are very much in control, now, but here and there, we both slip. We aim to eat at home as much as we can, but there are some loose ends. :D We are still working on it.
On my way home today, my husband called over the phone and asked me to bring an In-N-Out Burger, fries, and a vanilla shake. I heard my son say from the back, "Mom, do not bring food from anywhere. We should cook food at home and eat it. INVEST THAT MONEY IN S&P 500, AS BUDGETDOG ACADEMY BRENNAN SAID. YOU WILL GET MORE MONEY BACK." I was surprisingly and happily shocked to hear this from him. He is 13 years old.
@Brennan Schlagbaum I just wanted to let you know that you are not only making us aware of our finances and helping us grow, but you are also making the next generation ready and making them finance savvy! He never attended your class or sat with me, but I guess my son is a passive listener. When I attend any Budgetdog session or discuss finance with my husband. He must have been listening to all the conversations in those sessions.

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Elizabeth M

Old timers here know I entered BDA with an enormous amount of debt in January 2024, and worked extremely hard not just to grow my business but also to pay off literally all of my consumer debt within six months.
I then set out on a savings and investment plan per the BDA curriculum. I have seen my net worth increase by almost $300k since I started here.
So, the latest good news: as of last week, I have an accepted offer on a house for me and my kids, with $150k cash saved for the down and closing costs, at a price being within the budget parameters @Brennan Schlagbaum talks about in his Seventeen Rules of Budgeting.
This took a lot of doing, but it gets even better: the house just appraised at 90k above our accepted offer, so I will have instant equity.
We are scheduled to close on 7/31 assuming everything goes according to plan.
Eighteen months ago I was afraid of being homeless in my old age and worried about paying rent. Now we are on the verge of buying a beautiful home where my kids will grow up, and better yet with a plan to pay off the mortgage early while still saving for retirement.

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Angela Hubbard

I completely forgot to update my W-4 for the additional child tax credit for my son that was born in 2024! And I didn't realize this until I watched @Brennan Schlagbaum Tax Calculation Video! It's a small Win - but I'll take another $2K in my pocket this year vs. giving a free loan to the government!😀

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Lindsay Bain

Today we paid off $54,000 of debt all in one glorious swoop!! Included 2 car loans, and 2 1/2 credit cards!
Holy crap it feels good!!! 😊 thanks to everyone in this community and especially the team! 🎉

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Mami Stanton

Congratulations! You graduated!
That's the message I received today! I am so proud of myself (lol) for all the hard work I put in.
The only regret I have is not starting this earlier. But like we say in French, "Mieux vaut tard que jamais".
Let me tell you what happen during these last 6 months:
My net worth went up $90K
I opened both a Roth IRA and a Brokerage account with automated monthly deposits (Vanguard)
I open a HYSA with direct deposit straight from my paycheck (CIT)
Almost all Bills are paid automatically (Cannot figure out how to automate the water bill yet)
Biweekly Bitcoins buys (River)
Paying Mortgage biweekly (paying a little bit more too in order to pay it faster)
Signed up for HSA at work (Inspira)
Paying off credit card debt faster than ever (Consolidation)
Reviewed and revamped all insurances where necessary
Created a living trust
Became a strategic buyer
more and more valuable resources and encouragements from DBA.
Thank you so much for all the support and for creating this tool for all of us who were not financially savvy and or were just lost. Thanks, Brennand and Tom: You guys are the GOATS!

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Ali and Justin Martia

We are close to graduation and just wanted to share how great it’s been working through this academy and how much it’s changed our lives putting our family on a track to financial freedom. Our money is constantly working for us, we are paying down debt, continually growing our investments all automatically without having to worry or think about it. Because of that we get to spend more time with our family without worry, doesn’t matter what’s going on in the world or what’s on the news, we know our money is constantly automatically working for us and in the long run no matter what happens in the world we will be set up and fine. This was the best decision we’ve made!!
And the Bonus: We have lifetime access to all of this invaluable information and all of you in the community (a second family).
So thank you to the Budgetdog team for what you taught us and gave us, and thank you to the community for your support!!!

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Kenneth Whitney

For those who remember, we (Ken and Kim) run a small farm where we rescue animals, including farm animals and give them a place to live out their lives. We currently have 16 animals in total. During the course of our academy experience we had the following personal experiences: one of our horses experienced a major injury, two of our dogs require surgery, one of our cats got a catastrophic illness and passed away, we (the humans) had unexpected medical expenses, including an outpatient surgery, a small tornado blew down an outbuilding on our farm that had to be replaced and we suffered an unexpected personal loss of a friend of 29 years due to a health crisis.
The reason I wanted to start with that is because during the process, watching everyone winning, these things can feel defeating. Life some times happens and we have to ride through it. Thanks to the budget dog we were set up, our savings, bill payments and investments were all automated and continued working in the background for us during times when our focus and energy was on survival. We managed to continue improving our situation, paying down debt and growing our investments and retirement. That's the real gift we received.
We paid off over $20,000 worth of debt, and still going strong and grew our networth by over $65,000. We are setting up our kids for success and have a clear path forward. These gains are not the monumental gains some post here, but they are an indication that if you're dealing with things that seem hard, if your circumstances seem like "no one else is going through this". just remember, you can still see progress, and we are proof of that.
Thank you to Brennan and the team for giving us the roadmap and skills to keep moving forward. We are so grateful, not even a tornado can wipe out a budget dog!

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Marina Lam

I realized I could purchase a property and still feel confident that I have enough for emergency expenses after taking this class. Because of this, I've started taking steps towards home ownership. Something I've only dreamed about the past 10 years. Thank you guys for giving me the informed reassurance that I can move forward. ❤️ I'm really excited to build on the next big step - investments!

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Austin Shirey

Let's GO! This $131k increase since March 31st represents a nearly 9% increase in total Net Worth. I have literally done NOTHING since the spring, because my system is automated.
That being said, The Lord has really blessed my business this quarter; I was able to take $17,500 in Owner Distributions today to close out Q2. This overage will be put to work in the same investment vehicles I'm currently autodrafting into with my normal income.
From here, not much will change other than continuing to grow my business, as we are debt-free other than our 2.62% mortgage on our house. Not worried about that one.
Thank you BudgetDog for setting my finances free!

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Kristi Swann

Yesterday I had to call Verizon (something I avoid at all costs) and learned during the call that if I switched my autopay from my bank (e-bill received by bank and paid automatically) to Verizon directly, we would save $5 a line. That’s $20 a month! WHAT?! That simple. Check with your carrier!

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Amber and Alexander Zlatopolsky

We are one month down of BDA and we are thrilled with our progress so far. The three month look back analysis was very eye opening to us and helped us recognize where our weaknesses were in our spending/budget.
Community wins: We were able to pay off our student debt completely totaling $12K. We consolidated all of our credit cards down to one to simplify tracking our spending. This small change has helped tremendously!!!! July is our first month of implementing our new budget and we have already put $750 towards our savings for this month & it’s only the 12th — woohoo!!!
We are ready to attack the “grow your money” portion of BDA!! Let goooo!

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Daunmonique McCloud

Hello everyone!! Wanted to share a small win that has made a huge difference for me financially. Since creating the new budget, I have been able to save more money, enroll my boys in extra curricular activities and not touch my long term savings. That’s huge win for me and I’m so thankful to this program!!

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Gayle Beese

Paid off the rest of my private student loan today! Still have my federal student loans, but I'm eligible for PSLF in less than 3 months! (fingers crossed that still happens/doesn't take forever lol)
That's over 73k in debt gone total since joining the academy!

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Joe Fornwalt

Great value in yesterday's weekly meeting with guest Speaker Jaren Sustar! I am only week 3 into the academy but can see how these sessions and guest speakers could provide infinite value beyond the actual coursework within the academy's 6 months.

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Katlin and Nasstassia Lionakis

In July, two huge milestones happened:
✅ We paid off our car
✅ My $130,000 student loan was completely forgiven 🙏
For the first time ever I have a positive net worth and an amazing credit score to match! July was an amazing month!

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Rebecca Abramo

When we were planning to get pregnant, we were nervous about the cost of daycare, so we set up automatic savings transfers that totaled the cost of a monthly daycare payment. Doing that for 18 months taught us how to live on less so it wouldn’t be such a shock when we start paying for daycare.
On top of paying off that amount of debt, we have a fully funded 3 month emergency fund, which is something I never thought we would have. My husband and I are both able to take off 3 months and nearly 6 months, respectively, to bond with our newborn son without it impacting our emergency fund!
All of this to say, BDA works. The methodology is impeccable.

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Nate Otis

I started my Budgetdog journey on Feb 1st of 2025 at -$9k in net worth. I just hit $55,702 today.

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Hannah Reiner

My sister and I finished month one of the academy! We both started our first ever job this year, and so we created a budget that allows us to focus on our main goals of savings and investing. We are super grateful to start our financial journey debt free and at the academy where we have a better picture of our goals and where our money is going. As time goes on, we are getting a better picture of what a realistic budget looks like as more expenses start coming i.e car insurance, groceries, etc.

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Atiya J

Net Worth Increase by 54K within Three Months!
Totally amazed as I've been in the academy for just three months. Excited for what's to come. Stay the course even if things don't check off on the timeline as scheduled or as you'd like. Still waiting for an investment to transfer over but this increase has definitely inspired me! I used to think that I needed a financial advisor to help me get to where I'd like to be but with all that's being taught here - no longer see the need!🙌

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Kelly B

Our family of 4 was averaging 3k/month between groceries and eating out.
First month on BDA and grand total for August (as long as I don’t go insane over the next two days) is $1300!

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Dina Bowers

cant believe im a graduate its been a quick 6 months and a lot of learning
before : no budget
after : assigned every dollar a job
before: wasnt aware of networth
after :106 thousand net gain in 6 months
before: no life insurance nor even considered one
after ;purchased term life 30 yrs
before;no understanding of investements
after : roth IRA no profesional fees because I am doing own
before: no savings account
after : systematically saving
before: no clear plan for retirement or financial future
after : clear goals and set plan
So blessed to have found and trusted myself to try this academy! thank you so much for this opportunity with your guidance to gain this crucial knowledge. your coaching is changing lives and I am greatful! thank you so much

Charlie Mostow

The Budget Dog experience was so powerful! I’m more than 6 months out of the academy and have a consistent budget and investment plan that I’m going to use for the rest of my life. We learned to set up a SYSTEM for tackling any personal finance challenge we might come up against. I’m totally confident and feel completely in control of my finances. Plus Brenan is so personable and all the other students in the academy were great. 10/10 experience. So glad I chose to invest in my future with Budget Dog.

Apryl Woods

Thank you Brennan, the Budgetdog Academy was a breath of fresh air in a world of IG entrepreneurs. Joining the academy taught me and encouraged me to put things in motion. You helped me realize that I actually have money left over at the end of the month I just had to write it out and figure out where to put it. I paid off multiple credit cards during the 6 months and started dumping extra money on my car. My credit score finally reached the high 700s, I maxed out my IRA, opened up a brokerage account, that’s growing beautifully I must say, and I’m starting a 529 for my newborn grandson🥰 You and your admin team encouraged me to put all of those things in action, and answered all my 1000 questions. I loved that the Academy was like real life school with assignments, homework and accountability. The weekly Q & A and guest speakers are greatly missed since I graduated. I appreciated your continued additions, efforts and upgrades to the platform it shows that you are really out to help the people not just make money off them. I can truly say I received so much more than I paid for and I’m eternally grateful for the foundation you laid for me and in turn my family!
I miss you guys can I come back? I know it’s only gotten better!!! Thank you for everything❤️

Cris & Pau

We’ve been following BudgetDog (Brennan) for a while now and it’s amazing all the information he provides weather that is on his Instagram account (for free) or 1:1 meetings. We also joined the BudgetDog Academy and so far we have paid off one card, a few CC and we have a plan moving forward! The academy offers so so much but it’s his way of being so transparent and so honest with everything he says that makes a whole difference for us. Him and his team show that they care and truly feel we have someone in our corner supporting us 100%. We are thankful for that and very excited for the future!


Aaron Teer

After 7 years of marriage, my wife and I rarely talked about money and when we did it was always a chore. I had an idea of what I wanted to do with the extra money we had but we had no plan or direction and the two of us trying to make a plan or discuss it had gone nowhere since we've been together. I had started to see Brennan on IG and after following him for a few months I decided he wasn't like the "get rich quick" posts you see (at all). I noticed he kept saying things like, "this doesn't happen overnight", "slow and steady over time", "I'll teach" . . ."teach this", "teach that", "teach", "teach", teach". After messaging him back and forth a few times we took a leap of faith and we're both so happy we did.
From the moment we joined, the "community" has been nothing but welcoming and positive. It is filled with other people like us who are trying to better themselves by learning the proper way to handle their finances and we were blown away by the amount of support we've received from not only Brennan but also his team. Positive vibes hit you from every direction.
My main goal with this was for my wife and I to be able to communicate about our finances and we've gone way beyond that. Brennan keeps it simple and you take small steps at a time that amount to life-changing behaviors that last forever. When we began my wife said "I just want to know about the budget (which she has become a rockstar at) and you can handle the investment "stuff""). Now she is asking me if we're putting enough into our son's 529 plan and wanting to know more about index funds . . .it is absolutely incredible.
The resources they provide are almost endless and the only reason this won't work for you is if you don't put in the effort . . .which is truly minimal considering the changes it brings. We also got way more than advertised as the quality of weekly speakers and experts was not expected. Did you know there is such a thing as a Financial Therapist? I didn't either and that is included with your experience!
I highly recommend BudgetDog to anyone considering a change in their financial life FOREVER! They really do TEACH ideas and principles and the program (subtly) forces you to learn not only about different financial topics and how to handle them but it also teaches you about yourself. This should be a class taught in high school!

Irene Vogelsong

As I am approaching my 50's (yikes), I knew that I could not afford to waste another day without getting organized around my spending, savings, investments, and retirement. I needed a plan, and I did not know where to start. My career has been in the creative business industry, finances only in the form of sales and project management. When I attended a few of the free educational seminars Brennan offered through his BudgetDog Instagram account, I knew that joining the academy was the best investment I could make to ensure I was on the path to achieve my retirement goals. There aren't enough word to describe everything I have learned, and how easy Brennan and his team make it so that I actually UNDERSTAND it. A huge part of this is his approach to transparency, I TRUST Brennan and I KNOW that he cares deeply about those of us that are working with him to ensure our financial success. I don't know where anyone would find that combination of education, resources, content, accountability, trust, transparency, care, and most importantly, all the outcomes and WINS that come from doing the work. I truly wish I had access to this level of coaching in my early 20's, do not hesitate if you are interested - JUST DO IT.

Lindsay Stamp

I had the best experience in Budgetdog Academy! Brennan and his staff are the most down to earth, genuine bunch of people that I have been around. His financial plan is individualized based on your current position and future goals and he never makes you feel less than for asking questions or not understanding something. Throughout my time in the Academy I had the opportunity to learn about debt payoff, investing, portfolio allocation, real estate syndication, starting a business, and countless other topics. Me and my wife were able to pay off the remainder of our consumer debt and increase our net worth by almost $80k. I cannot recommend this program enough and truly feel like anyone who joins is in good hands!


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Marty Axelrod

Brennan and the rest of the Budgetdog team have been nothing but amazing. From the onboarding process, to the weekly zoom calls, through the end of the course, Brennan is there 100% of the way to ensure you are getting as much value as you possibly can. To anyone looking to get their finances in order, (or improve them greatly) I cannot recommend this course more. Thank you for all your help Brennan!

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John Harris

Budgetdog has been a financial and life game changer for me. Budgeting made easy. I paid off 2 credit cards and have a fully funded emergency fund in 8 months. I know where every penny of my money is going thanks to the zero based budget strategy.

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Juliana Botero

Brennan has given me direction and a vision on how to properly structure our spending, savings, investments, and therefore our retirement! I wish I had found this level of coaching in my 20's. I will be forever grateful for the positive change BudgetDog made in our lives.
Brennan and his team care deeply about your progress and are always very responsive, approachable, and supportive. The program is very easy to follow and the community is amazing. I wish I could stay in the academy forever!

Kenneth Hacker

100% recommend taking this course if you are committed to getting your finances in order. Everything is organized and laid out perfectly to educate you and move you through the steps to accomplish your goals.

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Juan José Sagastume

BDA has helped me and my fiancé to be not only conscious about money but intentional.

All I have been able to learn in the academy are things I was not given on school. Things that look simple but they are not the most simple but not complex either or at least when Brennan or Tom explains them to us.

I like their feedback and their close follow up type of support they give you at any time. They are always checking on you but without making you feel trapped whatsoever.

Best school ever and open mindset in regards of there is nothing to hide. They show you their portfolios and their keys to build wealth so you can replicate the model.

Really appreciate of being part of the academy.


Brianna Abrams

We’ve wanted to educate ourselves about finances and investing for years, but felt too overwhelmed, didn’t know where to start, or what resources to trust! Our friend referred us to BudgetDog Academy and we are all learning so much! Not only
are you getting full spectrum lessons in finance management and investing, you have access to professionals and a community of students who are all eager to help and are so passionate! This course has been exactly what we’ve been looking for all these years! We finally feel that we’re learning what we’ve wanted to and are feeling confident in our financial journey thanks to BudgetDog Academy! If you are on the fence at all, just commit! You will not regret it!!

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Natasha L

Attending Budgetdog's 6-month finance academy was truly a transformative experience that exceeded all my expectations. As someone who was looking to master finances and gain a deeper understanding of personal finance management, this program turned out to be the best educational investment I've ever made.

From day one, Brennan's passion for empowering individuals to take control of their finances was evident. His expertise as a CPA, coupled with his genuine desire to see his students succeed, created an environment ripe for growth and learning. Tom's unwavering support and guidance complemented Brennan's leadership, ensuring that I felt seen, heard, and valued throughout the program.

What truly sets Budgetdog apart is their unwavering commitment to practical, real-world application. Under Brennan and Tom's mentorship, I not only gained a deeper understanding of personal finance concepts but also learned practical strategies that I could immediately implement in my own financial life.

Whether it was mastering budgeting, understanding the intricacies of investing, or planning for retirement, Brennan and Tom were there every step of the way, offering invaluable insights and personalized support.

The Skool platform provided by Budgetdog was not just a portal for accessing course materials; it was a vibrant community where students came together to learn, grow, and support each other. The camaraderie fostered within the Budgetdog community, facilitated by Brennan and Tom's leadership, made the learning journey all the more enriching and enjoyable.

Thanks to Brennan, Tom, and the entire Budgetdog team, I now feel empowered and equipped to navigate the complex world of personal finance with confidence and clarity. The impact of this program on my financial well-being—and honestly, general life well-being—cannot be overstated, and I am forever grateful for what I gained during this process.

This is the best investment we’ve made in a long time! We were sceptical at first as we’ve had experiences with previous programs who didn’t deliver on their promises. Budgetdog over delivers in value, and the best part is they truly do provide the care and HUMAN support that they promise! No generic responses here. Brennan and Tom is outstanding, the course content and training is delivered in manageable chunks for people with busy lives and it is clear and concise. We have been looking for help to educate us on financial planning and investing for so long, and this is exactly what Brennan and Tom delivers. It is a program about financial education, but during the course of the program, so many more pieces fall into place because of their encouragement, the culture of the team and community and the motivation that is generated through seeing and experiencing results.
Since joining, we now have a clear path, with actionable steps to make financial independence a reality for us, to be debt free for the first time in 20 years, and to sleep soundly with no more stress about our money affairs and financial future! Wish we have found you 20 years ago and could not be happier that we pulled the trigger and joined your program!!


Zachary E

Super helpful, confidence boosting experience. Forever grateful to Tom and Brennan. It’s the education I always wanted and never received. Massive stress reliever. Thank you guys for everything. Financial freedom is on the horizon finally.

Michael Valentin Jr

If you are on the fence... DO BDA! I'm only 11 weeks in, but this is the best investment I have made for my family! The coaches are amazing, the material is practical and simplified, and the community is the best. I struggle with opening up but through this program I'm letting down that barrier and I'm getting more out to the academy! Early on, have been able to save an additional $2,600 a month. Looking forward to growing my net worth and becoming financially free!

Kristina

Budgetdog Academy is the BEST investment I've made in and for myself as well as for my family. The knowledge I've gained, the connections I've made, it's truly priceless! Brennan, Tom, Angel, Wendi, the Sucess Team is truly that... compassionate, knowledgeable, attentive and invested people that are always there to aid you with everything you need. I'm on the path to financial freedom because of Budgetdog. I couldn't recommend this Academy or this group of people in a higher regard. Join now, it will change your entire life!


Kassadi Rinehart

We have absolutely loved our time in Budgetdog! We were unsure of taking the leap to invest in ourselves because we already had a lot of knowledge, but we wanted to learn more about investing and that’s what made us take the leap. We have learned a tremendous amount and feel much more confident in our financial plan. The things we already knew, were only solidified for us which gave us confidence we were on the right track but then it opened our mind to new things we could implement that we hadn’t yet thought of. We specifically have loved the new method of budgeting that we learned and frankly feeling empowered on how our investments work for us and learning the real cost of investing. We have so much more to learn as we’re not finished with all of our programming yet but the only thing we regret is not starting or finding Budgetdog sooner!

Andrelle Jeffers

The coaches are supportive, there is a lot of knowledge to be gained. Since joining the academy. I have been able to grow my network as a much faster past than I was able to before.


Misleading advertisement. “Free” subscription for a year but they ask for a credit card and say they will charge you monthly

The problem here is the fine print on the check out page says: By submitting your order using the button above, you agree to a the monthly Millionaire Club subscription and consent for your subscription to auto-renew monthly at the regular rate of $47. Cancel anytime!

10/28: I appreciate his response and free service. that's great. But he did block me after I raised my concerns and pointed out a regulation to him. He needs to work on his professionalism, the 'lol' and 'trust me' does not translate well to me. Best of luck. I've changed the stars to 3 instead of 1 based on his response.

Zoryana Smikh

Brennan and his team of coaches are like none other. They are 100% transparent about everything. The knowledge they shared with us about retirement, budgeting (and no it’s not a scary word), stocks, savings plans of all sorts, investments and so much more does not compare to anything else out there. It’s not a “get rich fast” type of deal. It’s more of a, here’s all the tools and knowledge you need to set yourself up for financial independence and freedom and you make your own decisions about what you want to do with that knowledge (although if you need help along the way, they will help you for sure). They hold you accountable and give bite sized portions of information each week to continue the learning process. The 6 month program is completely life altering and extremely eye opening.

Collin Fales

Created and run by a team that practices what they preach, and genuinely strives to see their community members grow and improve - and I say community members, not customers, because it’s certainly a different level of care and expertise . The program covers all aspects of money, including the psychology of money (from a licensed professional). Spreadsheets/templates, worksheets and a thorough curriculum created by experienced professionals, who are transparent in all aspects of their experience and own current financial practices - wins and losses. Aside from the program itself, the access to the community is invaluable - like minded people, all sharing, supporting and seeking to growth in their finances. Highly recommend for any individual or couple seeking to expand and grow all aspects of their finances.

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Rae Howell

Becoming a part of Budgetdog helped me to finally make a whole of the fragments of information I had about my finances. In becoming a part of the academy, I was able to use the awesome tools provided to take actionable steps towards goals I only dreamt of before. The hands on coaching, live classes and supportive community make me believe I am finally going to get it (my finances) right :). My wins and motivation are already amazing after less than two weeks of being a member.

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shila maninji

Tremendous success
The amount of work we have been able to do in 5 weeks is amazing. So grateful I joined this wonderful family

Carina O

I had been following Brennan for awhile (6 months) on Instagram and had discussed joining the program then ghosted because of the cost. I kept watching his videos and finally decided to buy his book from Amazon, which I found very helpful. I was skeptical on investing in the program because I was trying to pay off debt and wasn't ready to start investing. I finally took the leap and spoke to Brennan again because I knew that I had to invest in myself to learn as much as I could for when I finished paying off my debt, I would be READY to invest with the knowledge I didn't have at the moment. When I started the course, it was an eye opener as to budgeting and how I was using my money. I learned a lot from the budgeting alone that I thought I had under control. I'm now in the investing portion of the course and have learned a lot of very good information many people don't know. I come from a poor family, so when I succeeded in my education and career I was left in many unknowns of the financial world. I recommend this course to anyone who needs help on getting a financial plan and for investing. I greatly believe that knowledge is power.


Brandi Pinder

My husband and I signed up in June of 2024. Budget Dog gave us the tools and framework to get control of our budget, spending and goals. This has been an invaluable process for us. The team is thoughtful, kind and professional. Everyone has been so supportive and positive. Having lifetime access to the tools is fantastic.

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Kaitlyn Filimonchuk

Self-paced class where you get as much out as you put in. Awesome templates and coaches are there to help you around the clock. My husband and I learned so much that we will continue to use every day. Highly recommend!

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Jennifer Mahedy

Supported , organized and well thought out program tons of free resources ! Haven’t been able to get through all of it yet but I know it’s avail for life so I can always refer back!

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Knicole Guthrie

BUDGETDOG has been amazing. I have learned so much within a very short period of time. The team is extremely knowledgeable and responsive. Any question that may come to mind, I have received an answer for. I am happy to have found them and excited about my future with all the knowledge I have gained. If you or anyone you know is struggling with budgeting, investing, starting a business or anything finance, please do yourself a favor and join the team. I promise you won’t regret it :)

Thanks to Brennan, Tom and the BUDGETDOG team for all the support!

Sam Petrich

I've learned a ton from Budgetdog. We've paid off debt, created accounts for our kids, and continue to learn more each week.

We are a little over 1.5 months into the Budgetdog Academy. Since we weren't struggling financially, I was a little hesitant on if we needed to go through something like the academy. But after talking with my husband, we decided to go all in and try to make the most of it. I am SO glad we did. Starting out with budgeting seemed so basic and "not necessary" but, wow, really diving into where you spend your money, where you can cut back and what that extra money can do for you was SO eye opening. Then we actually sat down and talked about our goals, our hopes and dreams and put the pen to the paper on HOW to make those actually happen. Crazy that we had never really laid out what we wanted or thought about the steps to make that a reality. Now we are diving into investing, and I have no doubt my mind will be blown on what I learn here as well since the investing and growing portion was all we "thought" we needed to begin with. The one-on-one help, the other students who are sharing their journey and cheering you on is also such a plus. It is unlike any other environment you have been a part of. No one is judging or shaming you, we are all on the same journey and cheering each other on. If you are on the fence, I get it, it is a big financial and time commitment. But I promise this will change the trajectory of your life (no matter where you are starting from) if you give it a chance. Say "yes" and watch some amazing things happen!

Michael Howell

My partner and I joined Budgetdog about 6 weeks ago and about 5 weeks ago we concluded it was one of the best investments we've ever made in ourselves and our financial future. When we had our very first meeting with them, I was skeptical. But as they began to layout the framework and the detail of the program we decided to give it a try. Then we actually started and were absolutely amazed, not only at how thorough the program was, but also by how involved, engaged, and supportive the entire Budgetdog team really is. They really care about your financial success and they constantly finding ways to offer support. The community is also incredibly supportive!! You get the sense that we're really all in this together. We couldn't be more happy with our decision to join.

The coaches on Budgetdog were very responsive and provided helpful information along the way! Brennan is extremely transparent and real about situations annd suggestions…it’s much appreciated and relatable! Each week guides you through key financial topics and breaks down the reasons behind. Looking forward to applying the information as we progress with our finances!

Nate and Julie Wriston

Excellent course for budgeting and investing. The coaching staff are great. They always promptly answer any questions and the instruction is very easy to understand. The course curriculum always seemed to answer our questions the further we got into the course. The curriculum and flow of the course is very well laid out. We were hesitant to join Budgetdog academy because we had done things like this before, but we are glad we joined BDA. They are totally different from any finance courses we have ever done. We are glad we joined. The tools that BDA provided helped us see how to properly track every dollar and to properly budget. Thank you Budgetdog Academy!


This is what the people need. But it's what "they" don't want you to know, so you stay stuck in the system!

Don't hesitate and wait any longer. I wish I found this sooner. This is an investment that will change your life and how you handle your money!

Easy to follow and understand. The team checks in on you randomly, they are always available to answer questions. This is not just a check the box program. This is an action item program. You have things to complete in a timely manner. If you want reaults and knowledge then this is what you need!

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Lindsay Lancaster

I'm 2/3 of the way into the program and from the first 24 hours that I was enrolled until now I've learned so much and have been thoughtfully supported along the way by the BDA team. From learning financial frameworks, systems and foundational knowledge (that I applied straightaway), to having a supportive community that helps me retain and learn key strategies to assist me now and in the future, it's been a game-changer for me.


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jaime Brooke Smith

The Budget Dog was really good, and I learned so much from them. One of the things I tell my friends and family is how nicely they explain everything. Sometimes when I hear people talking finance I am like "Huh" but not with them. Everything always made sense. I had Vanguard for over 10 years and never understood what the heck I was even doing until I started their academy. Now all my investments make sense to me, and it is so much more rewarding. I have learned so much from them and I highly recommend checking out their academy.

Justin Goshtigian

I was skeptical at first since there are so many courses and classes promising this and that. BudgetDog there is no fluff. They give you the tools and the knowledge to start your journey to financial freedom starting in WEEK ONE! From mindset change to taking a deep look at finances, budget, and investing, BudgetDog allows you to set and forget it with a heavy emphasis on automation. The greatest part of the course is the amazing coaching staff AND the community! I have had at community members answer questions and point me in the right direction for investing, real estate, brokerage accounts, etc. I am so happy I joined the BD fam! Thanks Brennan!

Leydi Gallardo

I think Budgetdog offers a solid course packed with valuable content and practical templates that truly help you organize your finances. But what really sets them apart is the level of support and responsiveness. This isn’t just a “watch a video and figure it out” kind of program — they hold you accountable with homework, follow-ups, and prompt answers to your questions.
If you’re looking to get serious about managing your money, understanding how to invest (401K, Roth IRA, HSA, S&P 500, real estate opportunities, etc.), and building long-term wealth, I truly believe Budgetdog is a great investment.

As someone who was feeling overwhelmed by financial decisions—between budgeting, saving, and trying to understand investing—Budgetdog provided the clarity, structure, and confidence I needed to take control of my money. I was following Brennan on instagram for 6+ months before joining budgetdog and this is the best decision I made.

From the start, they took the time to understand my unique financial goals. Whether it was creating a realistic and sustainable budget, helping me map out a plan to hit my short- and long-term goals, or educating me on how to begin investing smartly, Budgetdog offered step-by-step guidance that was easy to follow and tailored to me.

What really sets them apart is their focus on education. They don’t just give you a plan—they teach you why it works and how to stick to it, which is incredibly empowering. I now feel more confident about my finances than ever before.

If you're looking for a practical, approachable, and trustworthy resource to help you manage your finances and build long-term wealth, Budgetdog is the real deal. Working with them has been one of the best decisions I’ve made for my financial future.

Highly recommend Budgetdog to anyone who is looking to secure their financial future as well as take steps to plan ahead for any major expenses in life.

Kristin C

The program is comprehensive, breaks everything down, easy to follow, and very simple and clear. They meet you exactly where you are and help you prioritize based on your individual circumstances with appropriate prioritizations. It can be a bit repetitive at times but if you're a complete beginner, this isn't the worst thing. The support team is very responsive and have taken the time to individually address my questions. This will help you to help yourself, I highly recommend it.

Julia Gallardo

"This is a great program for anyone who doesn't know much about finance or where to start. The budgeting tools are very helpful, and the community support is outstanding

Jake Lilly

My wife and I have made a huge financial turnaround in 6 months. I've learned how to budget/allocate funds in a manner that doesn't take a lot of time each month, and also how to automate my investments. We are finally confident handling our finances and planning for the future.

Kelly Foster

The system works, most importantly. Otherwise what are we doing here? It works. I’m only a month in and I’m a different person than I was this time last month. More disciplined and thoughtful, more locked in on my goals because I actually see a path forward. Second - but so important because it keeps me going through the tougher parts of the program - the coaches and support team are the kindest and most helpful people I’ve encountered in any kind of program for literally anything. I feel like I joined a really great, healthy, family with each member working toward the same fundamental goal: Max out on your money education and implementing your goals for freedom - freedom from the debt cycle, freedom for your family, freedom to do whatever you were really called to do without money dysfunctions holding you back. Worth every penny. Do it, and do it now. Future you will love past you for this gift to yourself and your loved ones.

Aleksandar Gecevski

BDA, a proven way to become the best version of your financial self, 1 step at a time.
Only a few weeks into the course, and we are already seeing results. The knowledge and support that the Academy provides has been the difference between being stuck in the same place spinning our wheels and finally taking action. Baby steps turn into giant leaps when you have the confidence of a proven system and the support to push you through inaction and stagnation.

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Amy Guthrie

This is a life-changing program, not only to get on track with your financial goals, but to be ahead of your goals! The community here is contagious, supportive, motivating, and turns into your family. This is the best program you will ever do for yourself.

I highly recommend you stop trying to do it yourself and join BudgetDog Academy. The founders truly care and are patient answering any questions through online sessions and there is a specific program to follow. There is SO much to learn and apply and the community members are some of the most supporting new friends you could have hoped for.

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Daniel Visconti

This program is absolutely life-changing! It’s not just “great” — it’s a complete step-by-step blueprint for managing, growing, and protecting your income with total confidence. If you’re serious about leveling up financially, this is the real deal.

Yes, it takes effort on your end (because nothing worthwhile comes without sacrifice), but the results are 100% worth it. What blew me away most is the level of support — the team responds within HOURS, every single time, with clear, actionable answers.

If you’re on the fence, stop hesitating. This program is hands-down one of the best investments you can make in yourself and your future. Don’t miss out!

A Campbell

This program is what I’ve been looking for. Learning how to properly manage your money and grow wealth the right way. Very pleased with all of the knowledge and resources that’s shared. Also being surrounded by be like minded individuals is a definite bonus. Thank you Budgetdog Academy!

Emily Sutter

Love Budgetdog this program has taught me so much even just starting at the basics of budgeting and now into learning about investments. They are always keeping me on track and kindly following up and checking in. I appreciate the accountability and just the care they show. Thank you!

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Mandy Gloyeske

Sharing my small Q1 wins after watching Brennan's video:
Net worth growth since joining BDA in January: $23,243!!!
Found $900 missing from my IRA when I switched from Ally to Vanguard in November
Investment dividends: $47.89 😆 (tiny I know, but I have not been able to invest much until this Q)
Airbnb side hustle is thriving
Everything is automated now, so I'm looking forward to seeing big progress at the end of the year!
Still struggling to maintain our monthly budget, but we are 3 months in so still tweaking it some. My goal is to lock in on that this month.

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Jenifer Cruz

Even for someone like me who is very behind on the lessons due to work, I've managed to work on keeping budget updated and my net worth is up just a little over $75k!
I'm hoping I can get back on track with lessons after tax season is over (am currently working 12-14 hour days 😔), and cant imagine how much more I will learn and implement once I can finish the course.

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Erica and Conner Richardson

Since starting BDA, we have had a total mindset shift in how we allocate funds and prioritize goals and are stoked to share some wins:
Paid off one vehicle, accounting for $18k in debt gone since January.
Decided that we didn’t actually need the brand new vehicle, so traded for something older that meets our needs and reduced our liabilities by around $13k, in addition to vehicle insurance dropping by $200 monthly.
Allocated our savings from the above decisions to prioritize getting rid of the rest of our debt by year end.
Set goals to set our future children up for success when they are 18.
We are very excited and thankful to be a part of the academy.

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Justin Goshtigian

Joined up last Friday and it's amazing how much I have learned from Week 1, watching supplemental videos and the COMMUNITY! Greatly appreciate you all. Some Quick wins below from Week 1:
I used the find free money link (33 years old and assumed there is no way I have property/money lost) and I found $8 from an old PayPal account 😂 I will take it!
I opened up a HYSA through Ally and started with $1000 in it. I also built buckets for Emergencies, Home, and Vacation. I plan to assess what I have in my checkings (17k) and allocating money to these buckets. End goal is to have a few months worth of pay in my checking and automate payments into these buckets
Downloaded the RocketMoney App and holy crap. Spending gone wild! I have already implemented a few things to save money - canceled 2 gym memberships (only need 1 😂), canceled rarely used subscriptions, and stopped ordering takeout every Thursday. We cook on that day now!
I adjusted my 401k from 12% contribution to 7% contribution (company matches 7). This will be short term. I'd like to tackle some debt (student loans) and this is a easy way to pocket some extra money while also investing into my retirement!
I paid off $5,800 in credit card debt in one payment! I have some money in my checkings (little under 20k) and it was tough to pay this off because my girlfriend and I are saving for our 1st house. Looking at our timeline of fall it made the most sense to pay this off now. With me now budgeting and finding $1000's of future dollars from this practice, we will make it up before we are ready to make offers!
Setbacks 😪
Before joining BudgetDog Academy, I had my mind made up it was time to make a change and start doing right by my money. I had 8k left on my truck payment, but since I worked from home and my girlfriend plan to move to Florida with 1 car, it made sense to sell. I paid off that 8k and I am getting ready to sell the truck for 18k-20k! Of course when I get ready to sell the Truck starts making funny noises and is now in the shop! Fingers crossed they go easy on my wallet!!!!
In the end I have had a lot of money fly out of my account towards debt over the past week. I use to have the fear of I can't pay this off because if I do there goes my money for a House. It is uncomfortable, but once it is done I started gathering my emotions and budgeting to find I will be in a good spot in the near future!

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Mandy Gloyeske

Just as everyone has said, meeting with @Heather Brito was super informative. My husband joined the call too and he was surprised at how quickly she got to the root of those negative beliefs around money. I also thought it was cool she picked up that we both have “helper energy” without even knowing what we do for work. That totally matches what we do and I thought it was really insightful.
I am looking forward to doing the work surrounding this session and think it is really going to help our relationship + money mindset.
Schedule your call with her now if you haven’t yet!

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Devin Kelly


Currently, going through some hectic times at work staying busy and potentially getting promoted to manager at my firm. Thru all of that, I was able to get my retirement Roth IRA set up thru fidelity, moved about 80% of my cash position for my down payment into a high yield savings account with Wealthfront, and a taxable brokerage account with WeBull. Despite being busy, the small wins is doing the little stuff like setting up these accounts for the future successes!

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Marissa Houston

We had a series of big financial hits in the beginning of 2024 when I was working through the last few months of this program. My husband lost his job, my car died and we had a few other unexpected financial hits.
Luckily we had paid off over $8k in debt and had our emergency fund intact before these hits happened. We were living off my income and side consulting gig for a few months while he was on the job hunt. We had to dip into our savings and paying off our debt was put to halt. I was completely discouraged and felt like we were back to square one drowning in bills and daycare costs.
Flash forward a few months later and my husband found a new job paying almost double his previous salary. Just in time to find out I was expecting our second child. We spent this last year working together to build back up our savings and chipping away at the debt before the arrival of our little girl in January. As of yesterday we are down to only $1500 of credit card debt after starting the program with nearly $15k.
Just wanted to say how thankful I am for what I learned early on in the academy or else our situation this last year may have looked very different. Having an emergency fund saved our behinds and that initial debt payoff lowered our monthly CC payments to be way more manageable. We have a lot more work to do and need to tackle these hospital bills and some student loans next, but I am more motivated than ever to stay the course and start investing for our new family of 4!

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Jen Koerlin

Wow, we just finished up week 12! It has gone so quick, and we have learned SO much! Here are a few wins
-Totally rewired our mindset of "not needing to budget" and the power that comes from knowing what you have left each month and knowing exactly where to put that money!
-Calculated our net worth for the first time ever. lol
-Sat down and talked through financial goals and put a plan together instead of just "winging it"
-Reallocated current investments to better fit our risk profile.
-Added extra funds to 529s and other accounts to help hit those financial goals we finally set
-Opened new investments NOT through our financial advisor
-Got a much better understanding of what we are paying in advisor fees. Currently in the process of "breaking up" with our financial advisors. haha
-Purchased extra investments with confidence when the market tanked!
We think the biggest win so far is the knowledge gained and the empowerment that brings today and for years to come.

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Colombe C

Just a few wins to report:
First and foremost my financial mindset is completely and forever changed. The tools here are UNMATCHED and I now know that Financial Freedom is well within reach if I stick with my plan. I actually sleep better now having this peace of mind and this absolutely trickles over to other areas of my life.
I’ve created a budget and have been intentional with my spending by making sure every dollar aligns with my goals. In February when I joined, I was over budget by ~$1k, March over budget ~$50, … and April zero-dollar budgeted win!!! I’m in love with all the spreadsheets and the sheer excitement this brought me is unreal…
I’ve refinanced my insane federal student loans with interest rates from up to 6.21% down to 3.74% (with autopay deduction of course). The company was probably stoked when they saw my large, outstanding loan balance and salivating over all the interest they’d make off me, but joke’s on them… I now know what an amortization schedule is, have thrown almost $20k at it, and will have this paid off in 2 years instead of 5 years.
Jokes on mortgagor too… an extra $1k principal payment per month and this will be paid off in 13 years instead of 27 years!
I’ve broken up with my financial advisor and reclaimed control of all my investments and retirement accounts. WEEK 10 WAS A BEAST!!! However, my investment portfolio is completely set up with broadly diversified, low cost ETFs, in the most tax-appropriate accounts as possible. In just my employer 403b&457b accounts alone, by selecting my investments instead of using their recommended allocations, my overall expense ratio dropped from 0.757% to 0.035%… so much more money in my pocket!!! This week being completed has been so freaking empowering!!!
automation of all of my bills, debt pay down, and investments!!!! The headspace that has been cleared is crazy!!!
simplification and streamlining of all my accounts… I’ve mentioned in different posts that I can now update my balance sheet in about 3 minutes… and y’all….. beyond ecstatic to report that my NET WORTH HAS INCREASED BY $47k!!!
I’ve finally embraced the power of AI and have been using it to help with meal planning and keeping up with macros, home workouts, home maintenance and improvements, and ideas to increase RVUs at work.
Had some FOMO on the most recent syndication deal but realized and decided not to participate until my student loans are completely paid off as it would not be in line with my financial goals currently. Although sad on missing out on this opportunity, happy that I’ve stuck to my plan and have a clear vision of my goals.

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Amanda Zander

I started my journey in BD in 2023. I was trying to get my husband on board but he never liked talking about money or the future. I tried many times to get him to see the bigger picture. He is from South America and has had a very hard childhood. So he felt that he already won the lottery being alive. But I am soooo happy to say I finally got him to see the light!!! Also, being a DACA person it’s sometimes hard opening accounts for him. Vanguard wouldn’t accept him but Fidelity would. He is now a proud owner of a Roth IRA and we got to max him out for 2024 and 2025 already. Lastly, looks like I got him sold on the syndication and this might be number two! 😊

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Jessica Bair

I did a brief review of my finances, and realized I have increased my net worth by $60,000 in one year. I never would have been able to conceptualize any kind of growth, especially with numerous and major life challenges and huge financial hits since joining BD. On top of getting rid of nearly $40k in personal and medical debts. And the financial journey is only getting started. What a great feeling after a really hard week! Have a great weekend fellow Dogs!

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Jesse Nieman

We just got rid of one of our larger monthly expenses and I got a big pay bump so starting in June we’ll have $2,100 in new cash flow that we didn’t have this month! This is going to help us pay down debt so much faster.

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Holly Forrest

I got paid today and Immediately paid off a dedicated amount $1517 to my last debt I had from my previous marriage! If you saw my intro post you would have read that we like racked up 30k worth of debt. Well ive been diligently paying it off since he left and controlling my spending and when I went to pay it today. The balance was actually lower than I remember! I thought I was at 8k but really I was at like 7550! So now I'm down to just over 6k. With just 4 more pay checks I'll be fully debt free! And maybe even sooner since I'm still in week one and building my budget!

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Colombe C

May and October in 2025 are the “3 pay period months” for me… and I’m happy to report May’s “extra funds” translated into a direct net worth increase by allocating these funds to my top 2 financial goals at the moment:
1) student loan pay down
2) sinking fund (sitting in my HYSA) to offset my budget in 2026 when I’ll be contributing to an HSA after open enrollment this fall!
Prior to joining BDA, I definitely would’ve unintentionally blown this money with more emotional, superfluous spending … “treat yo’self”.

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Ashley Eddie

Since joining the academy our net worth went up $65k! Huge win here in such a small amount of time. So thankful for Brennan & this academy!

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Nicole Vella

We are officially joining the group of Budget Dog Academy Graduates!! What a ride! We learned so much along the way and had to learn to go with the flow as life threw us some curveballs during this process. We have a lot of financial wins as far as numbers, but the biggest wins for us are the lifestyle wins and the confidence we have built!!
Before: Not consistently tracking our spending
After: Follow a Zero based monthly budget and track each dollar
Before: $11500 in savings with no idea how much we should really keep in savings.
After: $22500 in savings and a clear plan of how much to keep in savings and how to get to that number.
Before:$31K of high interest debt and another $20K for car loans
After: Paid on $11K in the high interest debt and transferred the remaining high interest debt to a 0% interest credit card for 12 months. We have a clear plan on how to pay off all of these debts before the 12 months!!
Before: Net Worth $275,463
After: Net Worth $295,064 ($20K increase in six months!!!)
Before: Traditional checking and saving accounts
After: High Yield Checking and Savings Accounts (earning us more in one month of interest than we earned in an entire year with traditional banking)
Before: No side hustle plan of how to earn money or what to do with it when we have extra income
After: Established regular side hustle with selling our kids gentle used clothes and shoes on facebook marketplace and poshmark. Also currently establishing my husbands hobby of woodworking as a business to use for the tax benefits
Before: No CPA, filing taxes on turbo tax and ended up owing $9k for the 2024 tax season
After: Met with a CPA and reviewed our taxes. Came up with a plan for 2025 taxes and adjusted our contributions appropriately. Planning to meet quarterly over the next year.
Before: No vacation fund
After: Paid for our first vacation as a family of four in cash!
Before: HENRY's and we didn't even know it! Making two great incomes, but constantly feeling restricted and living paycheck to paycheck
After: Knowledgeable about our budget, financial goals and plan to achieve them. We don't feel as restricted because we have money budgeted for the types of lifestyle we want to live
Before: Working jobs that we thought provided a better "work-life"balance, but still feeling frustrated with the grind and always trying to keep up with the Jones'
After: Sean quit his summer job as a lifeguard to stay home with our boys for the first summer ever! Nicole transferred from a FT nursing job to travel nursing to pay off some of the high interest debt quickly. We have a plan to continue with travel nursing for ~6 months when we can pay off all high interest debt and Nicole can work per diem allowing more time with the boys!
Before: Blindly contributing to our employers 401K and 403B's without any knowledge of what is happening with our money.
After: Confidently contributing to our employers retirement options and knowledgable about how to manage these investments.
Before: Wanting to invest, but absolutely no clue were to start
After: We made the choice to defer further investing until our Savings is full funded and all high interest debt is paid off. We plan to revisit week 9 and 10 lessons in March of 2026 OR SOONER when these accounts are paid off and develop our investment plan with the knowledge we have learned in the community here.
I hope some of you read these a feel encouraged to keep pushing. These line items seem simple, but took hours of persistence, lots of phone calls, big life changes and some hard conversations as a couple. I still stay if it was easy, then everyone would do it. I am so grateful for the knowledge and confidence we have gained from this community. I felt so frustrated as some points during the process, but here is always someone to reach out to for support and an encouraging friend to chat with!

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Morgan Chavez

Brief list of wins in the last few weeks: more productive and positive $ talks with the hubs, passed along some newly gained financial knowledge to my 10-year old and 5-year old kids and my 70-year old mom!, $8K saved for 2nd house downpayment (1st house turned into a rental), and $8K invested in retirement in the last two months!

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William Orr

After completing our quarterly financial review, we've successfully paid off two of Kendall's 6% student loans. With no interest accruing on the remaining loans until August 2026, we plan to keep paying an additional 3k a month towards student loans while also investing 4k a month into our different investment accounts. (401k, Roth IRA and Taxable Brokerage account) We also have 6 more remaining payments on Kendall’s car that has 3.2 percent interest rate. (Since this has such a low interest rate we kept investing instead of paying this off)
Additionally, I just updated the Personal Balance Sheet, which I originally created on March 18. Over the past three months, we've increased our net worth by $86,237.
We were able to complete all of this while Kendall was in the hospital and completing this manually! Next steps our week 10 and setting up our automated investing so we can set it and forget it! This all thanks to the Budget Dog team and everything we’ve learned in the classroom and on the weekly calls.

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Jessica Bair

I managed to stay on track after multiple huge hits in Q1, but then racked up significant debt due to medical expenses, car expenses, and self-investment education for my side hustles in Q2. However, instead of panicking and making more stupid impulsive choices that would make things worse, I took a beat, stayed the course, and reallocated my funds. Now for the Q2 wins-managed to shave off another year of my auto loan in 5 months (5 years down to 3 years, goal to pay it fully off in 1-2 years); wiped out another $15k in debt, and have 1 loan at 0% interest that I will try to pay off in less than a year, now 1/3 of the way to rebuilding the emergency fund (goal to fully replenish by end of the year) after massive hits in Q1, got a revocable living trust set up as well as life insurance, made my first real contributions to my sons TB and 529 accounts from Q1 bonus money, and I’ll rebuild my TB while also increasing my side hustle income. And best part-despite all the hits, I didn’t have to readjust my budget and I’m still on track to max out all my retirement accounts by end of the year. LFG!! 🤑🤑🤑

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Marc Reynolds

Just entered our balances in the Balance Sheet and we went from $59,143 in Q1 to $106,148 Q2. Super excited.

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Karen Michna

With my BDA skills I am prepared to handle the ups and downs of life. Finally, in the spirit of tracking long term growth, I compared my balance sheet from July 2023 to now as we head into July 2025 and I am up $124k.

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Jake Lilly

Hey all! As I wrap up the budget academy and look at the past 6 months, I am very grateful to have found this community. Since joining, my wife and I have made huge financial strides. Here are some of our wins over the course of the last 6 months:
Started/followed a monthly financial plan
Increased our Net Worth by $32k
Took control of our Roth IRAs from Financial Advisor
Learned how to allocate our Roth IRA investments as well as our kids' 529s (3 children)
Started investing our HSA funds
Started investing in Bitcoin
Started a taxable brokerage
Started paying off credit cards every week
Started paying myself from rental income
Started sinking funds for vacations, b-days, and Christmas
Started to plan for paying off primary home with amortization schedules
I believe everyone, no matter what you make, can benefit from learning how to budget, track, and allocate money. Budgetdog has provided a framework of education that not only does this, but also builds a more positive mindset around money. Sure, it is still what I think about A LOT of the time, but in a much more confident manner.
Thank you all for being a part this community.

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Emily Sutter

Seeing our 3 month look back was shocking and so humbling. We were over spending. My husband and I never talked about money we spent whatever we wanted and never tracked. Don’t judge. I know it’s a recipe for disaster. We were never taught anything about money from our parents or anyone. So here we are 19 years into marriage. Discussing for the first time , money goals, budgeting , expenses. For the first time in our marriage I feel like I have my husband on the same page with me able to tackle money situations together. I’m really excited about the future. I also said no to something we were invited to do but it didn’t sound like something we wanted to spend our money on. In the past we would have said yes bc we love being with our fiends but now…we spend our money first before others did by getting to a zero based budget. I’m so thankful

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Mandy Gloyeske

A little backstory:
I had followed Brennan on social media for a couple of years and spoke with him back in 2023, right before I had my 3rd baby. At the time, I was in the middle of transitioning careers, and our debt-to-income ratio was extremely high. It was a pretty bleak financial picture if I'm being honest. Brennan straight up told me not to join the academy at that time, but he said to reach back out once we started making more money. That lit a fire under me, and I was determined to figure out a way to increase our income in 2 years.
I hustled. With 2 kids under 2 and a kindergartener at the time, I worked whatever spare time I could find doing things like random jobs on Upwork, built websites for friends, wrote blogs/articles for companys, sold things on ebay & marketplace, rented our house on Airbnb, doordashing at night, etc. all while transitioning into a new job and opening my 2nd business in 2024. Felt like we were never making headway. Until we did. At the end of 2024, we managed to pay off $9k of credit card debt and reached a new level of income where we could finally breathe a little. So I joined the academy in January of this year with hopes of coming up with a solid financial roadmap to getting out of debt and saving for retirement/future.
We still have a long way to go to get out of the red in our net worth, but we are making really good progress. It's just a matter of time.
We hit lots of roadblocks: unexpected car repairs, medical bills, and a really tough family financial situation. But we continued following the guidelines here. I'm stoked to see where we will be in another few years.
Many thanks to Brennan & Tom for the guidance!

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Will and Megan Hay

We just finished up week 4 in the academy and had our first HUGE win! After looking at all our financials, we were able to pay off an 8% interest student loan with a balance of $24,000!!

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Lauren Balsley

I just finished up week four and starting on week five. I have already increased my net worth by $6k just following the program and finding missing assets.
Wanted anyone who is just getting started or feeling discouraged to know! I personally was feeling a bit discouraged but working through week four helped me a lot and reminded me I am not the only one in the position I am in and we can all get to our goals!

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Paul Broyhill

Paid off credit card and moved $300 to savings. Maybe start with $300 extra a month from now on haha. Trying to play it smart this month 👍 I’ll be helping my family manage bank account more from now on, and practicing awareness for charges. I also called spectrum to lower bill and they gave me a free cell phone line so I can cancel Verizon.

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DavidandElena Schutt

We are now debt free! We paid off both of our cars after utilizing a sinking fund since the end of last year. It feels good to not be paying interest to anyone else and focusing on growing the money that we do have. The only direction is up!

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Austin Shirey

I’m very happy to report, that I’m up exactly $100,000 in my cumulative investment accounts since I decided to finally break up with my FA. I’m up $100k. I Learned a lot about trading/buying/selling inside my retirement accounts, by having to simplify my investments into all low-cost Vanguard and Fidelity ETF’s. Now on auto-draft.
Thanks to the many members of the community here who kept posting their positive gains upon FA breakup, and thanks to Brennan and the team for sticking to the script!
I’m writing this from our vacation home, and my money is working for me. For ME, and not my old advisor. I attached some pics of “advisory fees” that I sent the BD coaches several months ago.

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Taylor Olsher

I started the academy in April 2024. I’ve always been good about saving money, but didn’t really know what to do when it came to investments. I had been “working” with a financial advisor and was feeding into my 401(k), but didn’t quite understand what I was doing…
Fast-forward 16 months later after starting the academy, I just updated my net worth. I’m so excited to see that I’m up over $650,000 in net worth since our first day. 😭
My mind is absolutely blown, and I’m so grateful to see all the progress my husband and I have made!

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Starla Lohr

My husband and I were not looking forward to our new budget but after a month we are winning! We have been stronger together and so far working on this weekly has been something we actually look forward to. With a plan to pay off debt and save for a house, we feel like we’ll have no problem investing ASAP. Thanks Budget Dog for making it so simple!

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Jennifer Kuklock

I knew I had a mess and a MOUNTAIN OF DEBT, but I didn't really have any clue what was really happening and where my money was going. I am not longer going through life "willy nilly" hoping it all works out, I have a plan. As painful as it has been to sit down and face it all, I no longer feel like I am out running a storm, I am ready to kick it's a**!!!!
The biggest wins I have had thus far are immeasurable.
I now have a PLAN. A clear picture of where I am and where I am going.
I now operate with INTENTIONALITY.
I have huge GOALS and DREAMS and a clear path to achieve them.
I have a BUDGET (for the first time in 45 years.)
I have had an entire shift in mindset.
Despite my mess, I have a positive net worth way larger than expected.
I know this is just the beginning and there are many great things coming!!

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Dawn M. Stark

Finally taking the time to check back in and plug in all of my numbers. My net worth has grown $50,500 since joining Budgetdog in early 2025...it's great to see it in black and white! Halfway to the millionarie club! Committed to get there.

Charlie Mostow

The Budget Dog experience was so powerful! I’m more than 6 months out of the academy and have a consistent budget and investment plan that I’m going to use for the rest of my life. We learned to set up a SYSTEM for tackling any personal finance challenge we might come up against. I’m totally confident and feel completely in control of my finances. Plus Brenan is so personable and all the other students in the academy were great. 10/10 experience. So glad I chose to invest in my future with Budget Dog.

Nick Yanakas

Brennan cares deeply about what he does and it shows. I came to him as a healthy income earner looking for a roadmap to deploy it and he provided that to me. Thanks Brennan!


Ethan K

While my wife and I used a budget and had a financial plan, we utilized Budgetdog, LLC to cement our family's financial success. We have restructured our budget and have found ways to save/invest even more, thanks to Brennan and the Budgetdog team! While we did have a plan, we viewed Budgetdog, LLC as an investment to make sure we don't make mistakes along the way. Even though life events happen, we are confident in our financial plan to weather any emergencies that will come our way. Whether you are at a loss with your personal finances or have a plan, Budgetdog, LLC is a great investment and you won't regret joining!


Aaron Teer

After 7 years of marriage, my wife and I rarely talked about money and when we did it was always a chore. I had an idea of what I wanted to do with the extra money we had but we had no plan or direction and the two of us trying to make a plan or discuss it had gone nowhere since we've been together. I had started to see Brennan on IG and after following him for a few months I decided he wasn't like the "get rich quick" posts you see (at all). I noticed he kept saying things like, "this doesn't happen overnight", "slow and steady over time", "I'll teach" . . ."teach this", "teach that", "teach", "teach", teach". After messaging him back and forth a few times we took a leap of faith and we're both so happy we did.
From the moment we joined, the "community" has been nothing but welcoming and positive. It is filled with other people like us who are trying to better themselves by learning the proper way to handle their finances and we were blown away by the amount of support we've received from not only Brennan but also his team. Positive vibes hit you from every direction.
My main goal with this was for my wife and I to be able to communicate about our finances and we've gone way beyond that. Brennan keeps it simple and you take small steps at a time that amount to life-changing behaviors that last forever. When we began my wife said "I just want to know about the budget (which she has become a rockstar at) and you can handle the investment "stuff""). Now she is asking me if we're putting enough into our son's 529 plan and wanting to know more about index funds . . .it is absolutely incredible.
The resources they provide are almost endless and the only reason this won't work for you is if you don't put in the effort . . .which is truly minimal considering the changes it brings. We also got way more than advertised as the quality of weekly speakers and experts was not expected. Did you know there is such a thing as a Financial Therapist? I didn't either and that is included with your experience!
I highly recommend BudgetDog to anyone considering a change in their financial life FOREVER! They really do TEACH ideas and principles and the program (subtly) forces you to learn not only about different financial topics and how to handle them but it also teaches you about yourself. This should be a class taught in high school!

Irene Vogelsong

As I am approaching my 50's (yikes), I knew that I could not afford to waste another day without getting organized around my spending, savings, investments, and retirement. I needed a plan, and I did not know where to start. My career has been in the creative business industry, finances only in the form of sales and project management. When I attended a few of the free educational seminars Brennan offered through his BudgetDog Instagram account, I knew that joining the academy was the best investment I could make to ensure I was on the path to achieve my retirement goals. There aren't enough word to describe everything I have learned, and how easy Brennan and his team make it so that I actually UNDERSTAND it. A huge part of this is his approach to transparency, I TRUST Brennan and I KNOW that he cares deeply about those of us that are working with him to ensure our financial success. I don't know where anyone would find that combination of education, resources, content, accountability, trust, transparency, care, and most importantly, all the outcomes and WINS that come from doing the work. I truly wish I had access to this level of coaching in my early 20's, do not hesitate if you are interested - JUST DO IT.

Nathan F

Budgetdog made the complicated become easy. By easy, I don't mean without work and effort, but Budgetdog provides a straight-forward and process-driven approach to budgeting and planning your financial future. His availability and promptness is second to none. For couples, the program also helps you get on the same page about money and money values - crucial to any marriage. Ultimately, Budgetdog gave me peace of mind that we know where our money is going (or not going) and gives us confidence in our financial future.


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J Marin

Thanks for the Budgetdog course, my finances are the clearest they've ever been. I paid over $15k in unnecessary high-interest debt and have actual sinking funds (savings) for major events coming up in the next year. I feel in control of my financial future for once in my life! Brennan's material is clear and concise; he is available when you need him and is very hands-on with all the help. I would stay in the academy forever if I could! Brennan is one of the best and few well-intentioned, dedicated financial educators out here! 10/10 recommend.

Monica Williams

I joined Budgetdog to learn how to invest and prepare for retirement. What I received is so much more than I had ever known that I needed! Brennan, Budgetdog owner, is one of the kindest people you will meet. He has a true passion for sharing all things financial related with his students in the program. He makes videos and resources that allow you to understand complex financial things broken down into simple formatting and explanations. This program teaches you to be honest with yourself about money and your goals. Through this I learned to be more honest with myself in all areas of life and have a much more fulfilling and fruitful marriage and life as a result. This investment in myself and my financial knowledge was such an unexpected blessing. I highly recommend this program to everyone. I think any person, no matter their financial level of knowledge or experience can learn from this robust 6 month program. I am forever grateful to Brennan for creating this financial program.

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Rashid Williams

Brennan has put together a program that is essential to understand the basics of personal financial budgeting, planning, and investing. The platform setup through Skool is an interactive community that provides the opportunity to communicate with other people in the program to learn about their wins, challenges, and questions. The encouragement and support from the Budgetdog team and community members serves as a source of accountability. The material can feel heavy but the way the weekly modules are setup breaks it down in simple terms that are straightforward.

Savannah meginnis

I truly wish I could give Budgetdog Academy, and Brennan himself, more than 5 stars. This was a lifechanging move for me. I'd been struggling with almost 40k in debt for the last few years. I was attempting to pay it off, but I had no actual plan. I was also ashamed of it. Budgetdog Academy had all the answers! Its cliche, but this program will only work if you do! It took a lot of drive and commitment to get here. But, I am officially debt free going into the new year- ALL THANKS to Brennan and his team. It lays down the foundation for finances for the rest of your life truly. At the start of this academy, I couldn't imagine being debt free, and having my money be my money again. Not only am I going into 2024 debt free, but I'm able to invest and plan for the future in a way I didn't even know was possible. Brennan takes the nuances out of investing, and presents the material in a digestible way. The space he created also feels safe and encouraging. There are other likeminded individuals who are there to cheer you on. In addition to all the great information on budgeting, debt pay off, protecting your money, and investing your money, he also has experts of different avenues (from real estate, to side hustles, etc) that join weekly. Honestly, I wish I paid more attention to some of the people he had on weekly but I didn't often join. But, truly, there is a plethora of information at your fingertips. While you certainly have to be proactive and doing the work, you are by no means alone. Brennan himself and his team are great. They're responsive and help you navigate every step of the program. Brennan really truly cares about people and wants to see everyone win.

Sarah M.

You might be asking yourself, "Is it worth it?" Or "Why not use a financial advisor instead?" If you're the type of person who likes to understand the why behind things, would rather figure it out than passively pay a "professional" a percentage of your earnings (which add up over your lifetime in a BIG way!), and genuinely wants to make a difference with your wealth-- then BudgetDog is for you!

Not only does the BudgetDog team care about you as an individual, but they also spell everything out in a very simple, clear step-by-step process through an easy-to-use platform. If you thrive on structure and organization, you will be impressed at how they have crafted this course. Take the plunge and bet on yourself! Start educating yourself so you can take control of your finances and pass it on to the next generation! You will not regret it!


David Bernardini

Budgetdog is exactly what I needed to elevate my personal finances to the next level. I had been trying to navigate my investment strategy with some self taught strategies prior, now I have a clear picture with target dates and amounts that I can reach. Access to the Budgetdog community has been a big bonus and I enjoy associating and learning with the group.

Anonymous

Honestly, this program doesn’t have any flaws. Customer service is exceptional, education is really top tier and up to date. The budgedog team keeps you abreast to what’s going on in the world right now. You’re not getting old outdated information. If I had to just find something, it would be I would like to have access to the team after the 6 months.


Karen Michna

The Budget Dog Academy is SUCH a well rounded program! Apart from scheduled classroom lesson work to learn and accomplish, weekly meeting replays, numerous instructional videos are available... the community is top notch sharing all our experiences and feedback so you know you are not alone. The search feature allows you to pinpoint specific subjects you want to read about to streamline learning. Brennan is such an enthusiastic teacher you can't go wrong here. He has a dedicated team for answering questions and leaderboard tracking helps keep everyone engaged and participating in the group. I'm so glad I made the decision to join- truly life changing!


Kristopher J Voorhees

Budgetdog Academy is the most effective and easy to understand financial system out there! Brennan does an incredible job of breaking down terminology and different strategy so that you can feel empowered and confident to create your own portfolio that will stand the ups and downs of the market! The course is well thought out and thorough. The team behind this academy (Brennan, Tom, and others) are prompt to respond and actually care about your personal success! I can't say enough accolades about this course and the Budgedog team! Don't let the upfront cost deter you. That cost is literally a fraction of a fraction of a percent compared to the wealth you will generate over a typical investment period! This academy and this team is incredible, and even after graduating, they still check in to ensure all systems are running smoothly. Even the community inside the academy is so supportive and helpful in ways beyond just finances. I love BDA and you will too!

Johnathon Nolen

Budget Dog Academy has been amazing. They are excellent at helping you become self aware of your finances, then work on helping you maximize your finances. Once maximized, they’ll help automate so you don’t have to think about it. Early on in the program their guidance helped me have a little mindset change on budgeting and it has been tremendous. Additionally- there is such incredible value add with the specialists they have come through and discuss about options you have out there- from investing, to taxes, and generational wealth. I could be happier with this investment


Nick Player

My experience in BudgetDog academy has been excellent. A 6 month education that catapulted my financial knowledge, confidence, and practical skills by 10x. In just 3 months I've gone from have a loosely formed retirement and investment "plan" and paying a broker 1% AUM fees to being 100% in control of all my investments and retirements with a very strong plan. The fee of admission to BDA was already recouped in the first 2 months just through budgeting and make smart, informed financial decisions. Knowing that I will be financially independent and not relying on advisors to invest MY money, is priceless. Second only to paying off my student loans ($120,000), this is the best financial decision I have made.

Annie Kendricks

This class has been great when it comes to learning how to better understand money from every aspect. It has really opened our eyes and lifted a huge burden off our shoulders just by learning how to work with, budget and plan with money, and be around an amazing group of people who are always looking to be better.

Austin Shirey

Budgetdog academy has changed my life, and my family’s financial future. You don’t know what you don’t know, and I’m so thankful for Brennan and the coaches breaking this down into bite-sized pieces, in a timeline that’s easy to follow. Knowing where ALL my money is going, and having a clear roadmap for even my kids future money.. now that is valuable!

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Anna Anderson

Fantastic program. To the point information but extremely thorough. Love that it's extremely individualized. The resources (like spreadsheets) are incredible. Something I could never dream up myself.
Only a few months in and already have a plan for financial independence, retirement, and how to most efficiently allocate our income.


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Riley Barrow

Great Course, Coaches keep you determined but course work still allows for flexibility
The course is tailored to keep you motivated and engaged but also allows so flexibility to where you're not overwhelmed during the week.

So far, so good. I've learned a ton about best budgeting practices and investments thus far. I was skeptical about the initial payment, but I'd say this will be well worth it in the end. Just go to focus a put the time in.


joseph ferretti

Before joining BudgetDog, I was looking for the best ways to invest my money in the stock market and simply block out the rest of the noise.

Since graduating the academy and joining the seven figure club, I have been able to CONFIDENTLY invest in the market as well as explore other ventures. In just under 2 years with the academy I was able to eliminate over $40,000 of student debt, start my own vending business and close on my second property. There is truly no limit to what you can achieve once you have your financial fundamentals set and a framework to help you like BudgetDog Academy!!

Robert B.

We recently completed our 6 month coaching with Budgetdog Academy and to say that it’s been a transformative process is an understatement. We went from having limited experience even making a budget and being unsure we’d be able to retire to having fully automated bill pay and investments and having a plan in place to retire earlier and more comfortably than we’d previously thought possible. Brennan, Tom and the rest of the team are skilled at distilling complex financial information to make it understandable and relatable. Rather than simply focusing on investing, BDA instead utilizes a holistic approach with the intent of putting systems in place to track your money, grow your money, and ultimately protect your money. They also provide access to experts in psychology, insurance, etc. to help you make the most informed decisions along the way. An added bonus of the program is a growing online community where both new students and past graduates can continue to grow their financial literacy and take the necessary steps to prepare themselves and their families for the future. We highly recommend BDA to anyone looking to take control of their financial outlook.

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Jacob Auringer

The Budgetdog Team is very attentive to your needs and is very knowledgable to direct you in your specific situation. Would highly recommend Budgetdog Academy if you want to be confident in your ability to make your money work for you!

Anthony Licitra

This Academy is life changing. The financial education they provide is something clients will benefit forever from.

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Tyler Brown

I’ve done a couple of online coaching/mentorship programs and Budgetdog Academy stands alone because of the amount of support offered by coaches, and because the coursework is digestible in small weekly bites but is also incredibly thorough. You are given literally every tool and resource that you need to succeed. Brennan and the coaches legitimately care about their students and it shows in their constant involvement and encouragement in the Skool platform and on the weekly calls. We tell all of our friends about it. I cannot recommend this program highly enough.

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Janis Ramirez

Absolutely not worth the money. I have so many regrets for signing up. Before I joined they were very communicative but after it was difficult to get much. They have many videos for you to watch and it’s difficult to navigate. If you are 40 or over, it’s definitely not for you. After signing up I have learned of other options at 1/3 of the cost. Nothing they give you is different than what info you can get online for free. Spend the $ with a cpa instead.

Sonya W

I joined the BD Academy in January after deciding enough is enough- this needs to be my year! After only one month I feel empowedered. I now have a plan - and it’s one feel confident I can follow and stick to! The resources provided have been invaluable! The personal and
community based feedback is top notch! I have no regret and can’t wait to dig into the next chapters of the Academy! Millionaire status here I come!!!


Laura Basting

Budgetdog has been an incredible experience over the last ~5 months. Each week’s course tasks are easily laid out so there’s really not much to think about except how you can apply the information to your own financial situation. The course content is also laid out so well week-to-week, starting with getting organized about your finance situation, setting up systems to keep yourself organized with as little effort as possible, and then educating on how to grow your wealth. Along the way, there is also a team of coaches who support any questions we’ve had, and even develop unique videos to show us how to approach a task or answer a question if we were having trouble on our own. We feel so well-positioned now to reach goals like early retirement, and even own a second vacation home, that might not have been possible without the education and support from Budgetdog. Highly recommend!!

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Thomas Tolan

I have been under educated in matters of finance, and have been ableto skirt by without ever understanding anything about my money. But I knew this was borrowed time. I followed Brennan on instagram for a couple of years, and found myself always stopping on his posts, as he would share information in a way I could actually digest it. So I took the step to join Budgetdog Academy, and it has been so incredibly eye opening. At 43, I have finally (within one month of starting the course) gotten a handle on my finances; where my money comes from, where it's going, where I WANT it to go and how I want it to work for me, and soon I'll be learning about how to protect it and keep it organized and ear marked for my children to access someday. The BDA team really holds your hand the ENTIRE time, and checks in regularly to ensure you are doing okay, to send motivational word to keep you going, and best of all NEVER make you feel vulnerable for not knowing about your finances. It's why we're all here - and they really work to garner and keep your trust. I feel like they're in my corner, with issues that affect MY money specifically -- and doesn't feel at all like a one sized fits all, "spam it out there" rules of finance course. It is very tailored, and they help you find your confidence in your own assets, for whatever you unique goals my be. I'm so glad I swallowed my fear and sent that initial DM. It's been amazing.

SUNMI LEE

I'm currently seven weeks into the Budgetdog Academy program. Before this, I had never paid anyone or any institution to learn about finances, but I took a leap of faith—and I’m so glad I did. There were a few key reasons behind my decision.

First, the program is structured into three clear sections, guiding you from understanding your financial situation to setting yourself up for financial freedom. Very few programs offer such a comprehensive and well-organized approach. Plus, the Budgetdog team is available every single day to answer any questions—even the ones that might seem silly. Financial terms were unfamiliar to me at first, but they patiently addressed every doubt I had.

Second, the team is incredibly professional and radiates positive energy. They push you to stay on track and keep going, even when the tasks feel overwhelming. Managing money requires deep reflection and calculations, which can be daunting, but having their support makes all the difference.

Third, the team understands not just the numbers but also the psychological side of money. The program fosters an incredible community of current students, graduates, and leaders who actively support each other. Even if you sign up alone, like I did, you never feel alone. The mental and emotional boost from this community is invaluable.

I’ve never felt more confident about my finances. I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to take control of their financial future. I truly believe that our relationship with money mirrors other relationships in life—when you get your finances in order, the positive effects ripple into every other area.

Christie S

We started Budgetdog in January and have already made so much progress- simply looking at our spending/budget has allowed us to identify a lot of extra money that can be utilized more productively. On top of increasing (and automating) our savings and investments, we have been prioritizing extra car payments. We paid an extra $5000 on our car during the first quarter and last week decided to pay off the rest ($15k) which frees up a considerable amount of money each month. We live in CA so housing prices are outrageous and we had almost given up on the possibility of purchasing a house, however we are now in a position where we have a path to purchasing, which is truly life changing for our family! Thank you Budgetdog!

Gayle Beese

I was a little nervous before joining the academy, but I can honestly say it’s the best decision I’ve made! I paid off over 55k in debt, have zero credit card debt, and have a solid plan for investing in my families future. When unexpected expenses come up, I no longer have to stress about how we are going to pay for it.
Before joining the academy, investing intimated me. Now I’m confident in investing and we have taken control of our finances.
Not only that, but the community within the academy is amazing! Brennan and his team bring in guest speakers every week to help us learn on so many important topics, and everyone really takes the time to answer any questions I’ve had along the way. The academy definitely got me thinking much bigger in terms of my goals! And finances no longer stress me out!

Megan J

Budgetdog has been a life saver to say the least over the last couple of months of being in the Academy. My husband and I had been trying to figure out our budget as we plan to welcome our first baby into the world in June. We had ideas of what might work and were tediously tracking transactions for a couple of months which was fine but definitely took time and we hadn’t been able to find a system that worked for us. We had also been praying for guidance on how to invest our money or save it, for our daughter’s future, unsure of the best way to do this or if we even had money to spare for it.

Enter Budgetdog!!! We had only been following Brennan for two weeks or so on Instagram, finding his reels about paying off debt inspiring, so we reached out to the team at Budgetdog for more information. After a couple interest calls where we discussed not only our financial goals but our life goals as a family, we knew the Academy was what we needed. And so far, it’s delivered so much more than we anticipated!

Brennan and the team at Budgetdog care sooo much about each and every student and their unique circumstance. They reach out at least twice a week to check in on us individually to see how we’re doing progressing through the 6-month Academy, asking us if we have any questions, answering questions promptly, and checking in on how we’re feeling as well (bc it can be a lot!). In addition to personal check ins, they are fully available and engaged in the twice/three times weekly virtual group discussions. Always willing to answer questions, explain things, and offer new content. They go above and beyond to make sure you’re getting the most out of these 6 months and I’m incredibly appreciative of this, I know my husband and I are in a far better position now than a couple months ago and we’re feeling incredibly confident in our goals and steps it’ll take to get there as we welcome baby girl in June.

Not only are Brennan and the team amazing, but the content of the Academy is so rich. It’s full of educational material, historical Q&A sessions and other topical videos, a community of others to lean on, and actionable to-do lists that correspond to each week’s lessons which I find the most helpful because we struggled with just what to do next and how to legit achieve our goals!

We couldn’t be happier, and plus in just two months, we already made back the money we spent on the Academy in the first place using the team’s advice within the budget portion of the Academy! Sooo worth it to invest in yourself for your future self!!!

This is for those who are ready to put in the work and face themselves in order to reach their goals. This course is designed with EVERYTHING in mind, it teaches in every angle so that all types of learners can absorb the material. The support from the coaches is beyond great and the community is just something else. It’s wonderful to see so many people coming together for a common goal and rooting for each other. The cherry on top is becoming that better version of yourself through the challenge. Highly, highly recommend adding this to your financial education.

Jacquelyn De Armas

Highly recommend! I came into the course not knowing anything about investing and left with so much knowledge and confidence to make big moves for my future. I had help and a community along the way. You can do as much or as little as you want to get get out of it what you need but it’s an amazing resource that I would recommend to everyone I know

Lisa Allen

We joined Budgetdog Academy in January 2025 to help us start the year on a growth path. What we have gained from this experience in a short amount of time has far exceeded our expectations! Not only has our budgeting and investing knowledge increased, our confidence is higher than ever knowing we will achieve financial independence, our marriage is stronger, our kids are learning through us along the way and our goals are more aligned than ever! We’re unstoppable and it feels amazing being in more control of not only our money, but our lives overall. If you are wondering if you should join this community, do it now! Your life will forever be changed in more positive ways than you can imagine!


Archana Verma

Budget Academy has been instrumental in providing us with the financial knowledge we previously lacked. Although we were saving money, we had no long-term vision for our finances, including retirement planning, and we tended to overspend. I joined BudgetDog Academy in August 2023, and unfortunately, I lost my job in October 2023. It could have been a disastrous situation for my family if I hadn't prepared my finances by attending BudgetDog Academy and learning the financial structure through courses and weekly meetings. I was unemployed for seven months, but thanks to the support from BudgetDog Academy, we had emergency funds to rely on during that time. We didn't have to ask anyone for financial help, and we avoided foreclosure on our house or canceling my son's classes. We were able to navigate this tough period in peace.

Through the guidance of the BudgetDog Community, I gained financial knowledge and learned from the various guest speakers they invite to our weekly meetings, covering topics like real estate investment, syndication deals, insurance, and other investment opportunities. Since joining BudgetDog Academy, our income and savings have tripled.

Before joining, financial terms were foreign to me, but now I am actively involved in independent deals and can negotiate effectively. What once felt like a dream is now a reality for us!

Most importantly, we are preparing the next generation with the knowledge they need to build financial wealth. BudgetDog Academy helps us build generational wealth, and our children are becoming financially savvy. Instead of discussing where to go for movies or dining, they talk about building wealth, contributing to the community while earning money, and investing in the S&P 500 instead of spending on material possessions.

We've far exceeded the value of the BudgetDog fees and received much more than we anticipated—over 100 times our investment in their courses. This isn't just another financial coaching course; it's a collaborative program designed for families who are often juggling multiple responsibilities and striving to thrive.
BudgetDog Academy Coaches are with us every step of the way and ready to answer any question we have, no matter how small or how many we ask.

No matter what I say about this program, it will never fully capture its impact because BudgetDog Academy is truly amazing!

Every family should JOIN this program!

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Brooklyn Jenkins

This is one of the best course I’ve bought. They really make sure you can see the light at the end of the tunnel no matter what your financial situation looks like when you start. I would 10/10 recommend this course for anyone on the fence.

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Mami Stanton

BDA is the best community I’ve been part of. The coaches are so patients and literally walk you through each step of the way.
You do not have to be financially savvy to excel in this program. You just need to stay focused and follow instructions. Will 100 recommend.


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Kim Whitney

The tools and information we gained from Budget Dog changed the way we live. We have a clear path for ourselves and our children to financial freedom. The ability to live life knowing you are not burdened by debt and have the capacity to take care of yourself is life changing. The hardest decision we made was to start, I wish we'd done it sooner.

Cristina

This program, and its use of the Skoool platform, is fantastic! It is really easy to navigate and from an instructional perspective, really well executed. It is clear and manageable, providing the appropriate scaffolds, while still allowing Budgetdog students to access their zones of proximal development (totally geeking out as a teacher on this course’s instructional design). My husband and I, even though life has thrown us a lot these six months and we are super behind, have found it incredibly useful to get a realistic perspective on our finances and what it will actually take to get to where we want to be. Already, we have made the decision to move and downsize apartments when our lease is up in July because we saw how much we were spending on rent in comparison to everything else. Once that is done, we now have the tools to know how to manage our money for our goals.

Katheryne Kahlig

The course is set up in a way that makes it easy to follow and easy to navigate. It’s also work at your own pace, so when I didn’t feel like everything in week 6 clicked for me, instead of moving onto week 7, I spent that week rereading the chapters until I felt like I understood them, and then moved on. The team does not believe that any question is dumb. They are there for any and all needs and respond to questions so quickly. It’s a phenomenal program!

We have a great handle on where our money is going and how to budget better. This is giving us the foundation to make decisions on where to put our money to achieve our goals.

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Luke Cachia

Getting me on the right track!

I was really confused with my finances. Still early on, but I'm making headway.

If you are willing to put in some work, you can get your finances in order overall. I like that the program revolves around Tracking, Growing, and Protecting your money.

Vincent Dioguardi

I went through budget dog academy last year and did phenomenal, i did not stick to the plan however and went on a several month hiatus. I ended up starting my own company and have grown through leaps and bounds. Now that I have changed my income dramatically, my monthly, weekly, and yearly budget has changed quite a bit. I am humbling myself and going back to square 1 and starting this process all over again, not because it doesnt work, but because it only works if you work it. Excited to get back on track with you all.

Our family needed a financial plan. Then we needed structure, accountability and community in order to create and execute this plan, and we got it from Budgetdog! The heart behind the Academy is palpable in every interaction, and if you're feeling lost in your finances, you not only SHOULD start here, but you NEED to start here!

marc reynolds jr.

It’s an incredible lifetime academy, worth the one time investment considering all of the things and opportunities you get from this academy. If you’re ready to take action, do it, I highly doubt you will be disappointed.

Daniel Burnett

Budgetdog Academy, BDA, was an amazing community to be a part of. The coaches were not only extremely available, but they took time to reach out to ensure we were on the right track. The lessons were so easy to follow along because they made sure they started from a beginner level. This has not only shown us a great way to budget and helped us increase our net worth (and income) but it has shifted our mindset and has transformed us in all areas of life to make better decisions based on our goals. I was very hesitant to join BDA but, it has been the best financial decision we have made. I encourage you to go for it and begin transforming your life!

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Joe Ferretti

After a difficult 2023, I told myself that I would do whatever it takes to have a great 2024. With that being said I was able to to rack up a few major wins last year by using the framework that we learn here within Budget Dog Academy!
In 2024 I was able to pay off my student loans of $42,000 completely!
I started and grew my vending machine business to 3 locations all while adjusting to the bumps that come with it 🤣
Lastly, in the back half of 2024 I worked day and night to finally secure my second property which I will be moving into and renting out my first property!
I also made huge financial and personal leaps in 2024, my net worth from 2023 to 2024 had increased nearly $134,000 and since beginning BDA my net worth is up nearly $190,000!
2024 showed me that hard work and consistency will always be the keys to success! Often times this road can feel lonely, especially for someone my age, but having a community like this to share both the good times and bad times makes all the difference!

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Jessica Bair

I had a fully paid off Jeep and planned to drive it to the ground. Long story short, 250k miles later, total engine failure and defective air bags, which would have cost me over $15k to replace engine. Decided it was time to look at certified pre owned used cars and put that money into a safer car with far less mileage and functional air bags (easy choice as I have a 2 year old and safety is KEY). Because I have spent the last 1.5 years saving for an emergency fund and preparing for this inevitable expense, I was able to get a new used car within days, with a great rate, a reasonable down payment, and 4 year loan, all without wrecking my finances. I’ve also used another portion of those emergency funds to automate my car loan payments for the next year, so it doesn’t derail my budget now and gives me a little breathing room to recalibrate my budget and replenish the funds. I feel like the universe was looking out for me since I got a vehicle before tariffs hit! But if it wasn’t for BDA, I would be in a VERY bad spot. Instead, I took the hit like a Dog and came out ahead. The loss was actually a huge win of Q1!

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Adam Chase

Back down to zero on all high interest CCs, refi’d student loans down from 15 to 5 years and saved roughly 14k in unneeded interest, all brokerage and IRA buys automated again.
Time to get the rest of the debt outta here! Caught up on everything in the program and ready to chip away. Car payment up first!

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Jessica Bair

I recently wrote about my revelation with how to make my son a millionaire. Part 2-I just happened to be at a work lunch and randomly started chatting with a colleague who I didn’t know-turns out she’s a mom to a toddler too and she works full time. She is also eligible for the same bonuses as me. Total fluke. I told her about my plan to use the bonuses for 529/TB and when I told her our sons have a legitimate path to millionaire status, she was so grateful and she was going to discuss the same idea with her husband. Pay it forward! Never would have happened if it wasn’t for BDA helping open my eyes to a new financial future.

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AshleyAnthony Tropea

We started in Jan and we are moving through our weeks slowly, but we are making progress and really trying to understand everything. We are starting to feel much better about where we are going and how our money is being allocated 🙌🏼 I’m probably missing some things, but here’s what I have:
Anthony started a new job which has increased our income and allowed us to open a new Roth 401k for him along with being educated choose our own investments there
New job also allowed us to choose a high deductible insurance plan to open an HSA (allocating investment options soon!)
Switched our savings to Ally for the HYSA option and created goal buckets (sooo wish I would have known about HYSAs sooner 😅)
Finally moved my 403b retirement account that has literally been sitting uninvested or contributed to for 6 years into a Rollover Traditional IRA! It is all moved and invested as of yesterday and I’m already up $200 😂🙌🏼
We have always used a budget sheet but I have enjoyed the Budgetdog sheet and definitely love the breakdown and graphs- very helpful in motivating us to put our money in the various buckets and be more detailed with each dollar.
Just updated our balance sheet since our Jan one and we’re up 38,384 in net worth 🎉
Best of all- we have had ZERO financial arguments because our mindset has shifted together and we are clear on what we want. We’ve had tough discussions but to move forward together those are needed 🎉
Thank you to everyone because we have used and used all the resources, posts & videos here and that has truly been life changing for us

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Nate and Julie Wriston

Julie and I are just finishing up week 10 but wanted to post our quarterly review...we had some big wins. We paid off 2 credit cards and one car totaling $47,454.94. We made a big payment on our new HVAC system for a total of $9000. We have doubled our daughter's car payment to $670 per month. Our total debt paid off in Quarter 1 was $57,124.94. Thank you Budgetdog!

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Morgan Chavez

My husband and I had our Money Mindset coaching session with Heather yesterday and it was amazing! She is so kind and friendly (and funny), and made it so easy to talk to her. She also got right down to business, so it wasn't a slow, painful session like a lot of other therapy/coaching I have done. (Which a type A person totally appreciates 😂). She was very positive and made us feel like we are totally normal in our money challenges (no guilt, judgement, or shame). Every minute of the session was extremely insightful and valuable. 10/10 recommend!!

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Mandy Gloyeske

I was stressed because every month we’ve struggled to stay on budget since joining in January. Lots of random expenses for kids sports and car repairs popped up unexpectedly so I was feeling down. Plus we live entirely on variable income so it’s hard to predict every month. But turns out we stayed within budget in April. And thanks to sinking funds, we had the money for car repairs so it wasn’t as bad as it felt in the moment. So that’s my win - finally staying within the budget, in month 5 of this process 😂🎉

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Ashley McFarlane

1. I'm excited to share my wins from the first week! I checked for Unclaimed Property to see if there was any extra money out there, and while I didn’t find anything for myself, I did come across some for my family! I uncovered $767.71 for my father-in-law, $430 for my mom, and $50 for my sister. I consider this a definite win!
2. I also successfully settled my last credit debt/personal loan. Although this decision has a temporary negative effect on my credit score, it was the best choice for my circumstances. I had a personal loan for $20,000 with a 19.10% interest rate, which I managed to settle for $13,500 over the next three months. Money will be tight for a little while, but my only remaining debts will be my mortgage, student loans, and car payments. Overall, I saved $6,500!
3. Lastly, I used to donate plasma but paused when I became pregnant. Now that I'm back in a focused mindset, I’ve started donating plasma again! This will bring in an extra $400 a month. It feels great to earn additional income while also helping others—definitely a win-win!

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Griffin Dunn

I’m happy to share that I have fully paid off all of my credit cards and managed to pay off an additional 15k of my student loans over the last several months! Still a ways to go, but I am happy that I have a start to becoming financially free! I wouldn’t have been able to even get this far without the guidance from the course.

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Jacquelyn De Armas

This course has been so significant in so many ways and I can't believe I actually made it to the end!! I joined the academy as a high earner with low expenses and no clue what to do with my extra income. I had about 15k of student loans left that I felt I had responsibly and aggressively paid down thanks to 0 interest during covid, but it had 7.5% interest leaving me at least 5 more years of payments. I have a rental property that earns about 1k per month where the money was just going into a HYSA. No knowledge whatsoever on strategy and/or stocks and it was all just so overwhelming so I stuck it in an HYSA and figured at least it's gaining some money there. Since joining BDA, I:
-OFFICIALLY PAID OFF ALL MY STUDENT LOANS years early!!
-took a really deep dive into what I'm spending and found about 2k in additional savings per month.
-increased my 401k contribution
-rolled in an old 401k for a job I left 10 years ago that was just sitting in an account - something I have been attempting to do for at least 5 years but I didn't know what to do with it- Tom suggested I roll it INTO my current 401k which felt like such an easy solution I had never even heard of
-opened a backdoor Roth IRA and purchased investments for the first time - something I didn't know I could do and just thought I wasn't eligible to open a Roth IRA
-opened a taxable brokerage account and started automating
-switched my mortgage payments on my rental to bi-monthly after learning I could save over 30k doing this!
-increased my life insurance policy - something I was blindly paying for previously
-all the while i'm planning my wedding and dishing out deposits left and right, I feel totally secure on our ability to pay for our dream wedding and still have that emergency fund set up.

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Mayline Torres

We Just Paid Off $57,000 in Credit Card Debt & Lowered Our Mortgage by $1,000/Month
My husband and I just took a HUGE step toward financial freedom—and it feels incredible to say this out loud:
We officially paid off $57,000 in credit card debt and made a $10,000 principal payment on our mortgage, requesting a recast with our lender.
The result?
Our monthly mortgage dropped by over $1,000, instantly freeing up more cash flow to reinvest, save, and breathe easier every month.
This didn’t happen overnight. We followed a plan, tracked every dollar, prioritized high-interest debt, and made sacrifices most people don’t see behind the scenes.
But it was worth it. The peace of mind is priceless—and we’re just getting started.
If you’re staring down your own mountain of debt, don’t give up. A clear plan, the right guidance (shoutout to BudgetDog Academy), and a whole lot of discipline can change everything.
Let’s normalize couples talking about money, making moves together, and building the life we actually want.

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Anthony Licitra

I want to thank all of the coaches - this course has been life changing and I’m confident the progress I made in these past 6 months will continue to compound as time goes on. Forever grateful for the education and guidance provided and I will look back on this as what changed my financial life. Wins below:
👉🏼 $59k net worth increase in 6 months
👉🏼 paid off all bad debts ($16k in CC debt)
👉🏼 paid off wife’s car ($18k loan)
👉🏼 went from $1mm to $2mm in term life
👉🏼 non restrictive budget for first time ever
👉🏼 eliminated lots of unnecessary spending
👉🏼 opened Roth IRA, rolled over old 401k
👉🏼 automated all investments (back door Roth, brokerage, two 529 plans)
👉🏼 child daycare ends next month, will be increasing investments by $2k per month
👉🏼 fully funded emergency fund in HYSA
👉🏼 my wife and I are finally on the same page about our finances and goals, thus improving our relationship
👉🏼 plan to pay off my car and wife’s student loan in less than 2 years (mortgage will be only debt remaining)
👉🏼 confidence to continue investing and not panic during market downturn
👉🏼 clarity on my family’s financial future and confidence in early retirement
👉🏼 motivated to continue increasing income to accelerate goals
👉🏼 joined a golf & pool club for the summer with confidence that I know where my money is going and excited to see my family enjoy it
Lots of work to do still but I’m excited to check back with everyone every 6 months or so 🙏🏼
Anthony

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Edward Lorico-Minchin

After closing out this months expenses I chose to check my networth results and am stoked to have finally broke the $100K barrier!!!. Sitting at $103,061 and staying regimented to the end of month expenses review, these last few months have been in the green and I am continuing to develop the habits taught and learned in the academy.
Now owning $1M life insurance for my kids security. I just bought a 2019 super efficient run-around second car for $7K with savings, and for my 16year old son's drivers permit and education. No debt .
Still sitting on a fat 6 month Emergency fund and slowly increasing the retirement investing outside of a Roth IRA. The house downpayment has been started witha 5 year plan!
I'm in constant reflection of gratefulness, that all this came from taking a chance on @Brennan Schlagbaum s IG and the leap of faith to pay and learn something about finance just last August, with -$8000 networth.

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Rachael Caines

Paid off all my debt today.

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Mandy Gloyeske

My almost 8-year-old has an entrepreneurial spirit and earned over $100 this week with a homemade lemonade stand. She has been so excited about this. Without any prompting, she told me that she wants to donate a small portion to the Children’s Hospital, put a portion in her investment account, and save the rest for a new bike. It made me very happy to hear this 🥹. She is learning about finances already at a young age & I hope she carries this with her as she gets older. Kids are always listening!!

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Amie Lands

Well it took me 8 weeks to complete everything but after (several) mini meltdowns, I finally hit submit on my week 4 paperwork. I got held up because my numbers aren't "perfect" and I didn't want to make a mistake but finally realized, that's why I am HERE! I need the help and I am so thankful to have it.
THIS WAS HARD, but so necessary. It definitely shined a light on "missing money" and opened up really good conversations with my husband. We made a plan how to handle our cash income and he even commented last week how nice it was to be on the same page to create a financial plan that we both feel good about. Oh, and meeting with Heather was INCREDIBLE, so make sure you get on her calendar!

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William Orr

As I sit here today, preparing to rejoin the classroom and listen to Matthew Farris on tonight’s call, I feel deeply grateful for the entire Budget Dog Team.
Kendall and I were just about to finish Week 9 of the program when she suddenly lost her ability to walk due to severe lower back pain. By the grace of God and with the help of incredible doctors, we were able to get her into surgery. I decided to pause our coursework to focus entirely on her care and avoid making major financial decisions during such a stressful time. On May 9th, she underwent a discectomy that was expected to be an outpatient procedure. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. We ended up staying at Houston Methodist for 10 days before she could stand with a walker and finally return home. That was just the beginning of her recovery—she required round-the-clock care for weeks.
Now, 38 days later, I’m thrilled to share that Kendall is walking again, and we’re ready to reengage with the academy.
Life happens. When I reached out to the Budget Dog Team to explain our situation, they were incredibly understanding. They allowed us to pause the course and checked in on us regularly, offering support in every way possible. We often hear Brennan say that life comes up, and it’s clear he leads with integrity, which is one of the reasons we signed up for the Academy.
Thankfully, we had already set up our Master Spreadsheet, so we knew exactly where our finances stood each month. That preparation helped us stay on track financially and keep saving, even with the unexpected medical expenses. We’re excited to resume our journey, continue building our investments, and reconnect with this amazing community.

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Katy Otte

I love seeing everyone's wins and wanted to share some coming out of the past few weeks. ☺️
Opened a 529 for our 6 year old, and we’re planning to open one for our youngest once she's out of daycare and our cash flow increases.
Opened an HSA for my husband—turns out he has a high-deductible health plan and I had no idea until now! I also had no idea what an HSA was before BDA. 🙃
Cut my 401(k) weighted expense ratio in half—from 0.073% with a managed target date fund to 0.036% with the custom allocations I selected and ditched the 1% management fee. Did the same for my husband’s!
Increased Roth IRA contributions to reach annual max.
Increased monthly deposit to our HYSA.
Paying off high-interest credit card #1 next week! The balance isn’t huge (just under $4K), but we’ve been chipping away at it. With extra commission coming in from my husband, we’ll be able to wipe it out and redirect that monthly payment towards other debt/savings.
Everything is automated!
And a “win-in-progress”…We’ve had a tough time sticking to our monthly budget—unexpected expenses (multiple appliances decided to break at once), summer camps, and pre-BDA planned travel have thrown things off. It honestly feels like the universe is testing my resolve. But I’m staying motivated and committed to the plan. That, in itself, feels like a win!

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Aaron and Tiffany Teer

I told @Brennan Schlagbaum I would do this, but I wanted it to be official first. As of two weeks ago, we can no longer contribute to our retirement accounts for 2025 (excluding brokerage accounts).
March 21st - Aaron and Tiffany Roth IRA's maxed ($14,000)
April 25th - HSA maxed ($8,550)
May 23rd - Aaron 401K maxed ($23,500)
Total contributions=$46,050
We've also made sizable contributions to our brokerage account as well as a brokerage for our son. We're beyond blessed and forever grateful for our time in the academy and for all the knowledge we gained during this process.
If you're new here, I promise you this program works IF you work it! Some parts can be frustrating. But when you get through it all, you have the keys to a beautiful tomorrow. If you're here, you're in the right place. We love seeing all the progress everyone is making. Keep crushing!😉

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Steven and Lauren Collette

We just finished week one! After getting married a little over a year ago, we have not fully combined our finances yet. Luckily Steven is a “saver” and I’m a “tracker,” but we haven’t been maximizing those skillsets. Getting on the same page and seeing just how much we spend together was eye opening to say the least! We weren’t getting in debt, but we also were spending A LOT in some categories! We have already canceled two subscriptions and signed up for budget billing on our electricity/gas. We also see the areas we need to cut back on. Excited for week two where we learn to actually budget (not just expense track)! Baby steps, but we are confident those will compound!

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Kelly Wood

We have just finished week 2. I can say without a doubt the academy is exceeding my expectations. This is such a dynamic group and very inspiring. The excitement is contagious!!!
Our week 2 accomplishments. Some may be small but will add up in a big way.
*Moved payments to another account to reduce the number of checking accounts.
*set up more auto payments
*FOUND $2,000 that I have been blowing. 😳
*set up HYSA
*Set up automatic deposits to HYSA
*Increase debt payoff by $500/mo (probably will be more but scared to do too much)
*Stop credit card usage to improve tracking (Avery can not pull this card)
* Lots of communication between us regarding finances. Probably more than we ever have totally combined in our relationship.
I can not wait to see what is next!!!!!

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Austin Shirey

As we all know, not everyone's journey to financial freedom is exactly the same, and I've justified not having an emergency fund for years because my income comes in weekly and strong... That being said, when I began BDA last year, I knew this wasn't a smart way to live, so I began stacking away $1,000 a week into an interest-bearing liquid account.
This past Friday, I'm happy to say that I've fully funded a 3 Month emergency fund into that account, so that if all sources of my income were to stop immediately, I could pay all my monthly expenditures for 3 months without worry. Or, more likely, I'm now better prepared for unexpected expenses like an HVAC unit fail, or a massive roof leak, etc etc.
The best part is, now that I don't feel the need to throw $1,000/wk at this account, I can now re-purpose that $1,000/wk into funding my wife's new solo 401k and/or her new Roth IRA. Thanks to my accountant for suggesting we make my wife a silent 49% partner in my business, we can now open and fund accounts for her!

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Gandessa Orteza

On my two year anniversary of joining BDA, I decided to begin teaching my child about money. This was also my desperate attempt to make numbers fun since she’s not all that into them. She’s only 4 years old.
Her allowance is $4. When I asked if she’d like to be paid every two weeks or monthly, she said “two weeks.” 👍
She must put some money in three categories: Spending (wallet), Savings and Investing.
When I noticed she only put $1 into her wallet, I reminded her that the usual things she buys are around $5. When I asked her what she’s going to do. She shrugged and said “Make more money.”
And sure enough, she did! She was excited to “go to work” and recycle cans and bottles. She made $14!! I told my coworkers and friends about this and now they donate their cans and bottles to me so my little one has income 😆
It’s been a joy having casual conversations about money… Money conversations that are drastically different to what I remember from childhood.

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Kristi Swann

It seems poignant and really monumental that we are here at this point in our BDA journey on this day. We talk a lot in this community about how life keeps life-ing and how we respond is the true test, so I thought it fitting to share this. And, even though it’s more “life” than “finance,” they truly do go hand in hand.
It was a beautiful day… an absolutely gorgeous wedding… a super fun reception that went by way too fast… and an after party that we didn’t want to end… but that was just the day.
What we proclaimed were vows - vows that we take seriously. The “in sickness and in health” has taken us to our knees and left us breathless more than I care to think about; and we’ve felt the roller coaster of “for richer or poorer” too many times to count.
What we’ve built is a foundation stronger than we could possibly have imagined that day… one that we’ve built brick by brick, and one that has withstood all the trials and tribulations that come over the course of 26 years. And we’ve had way more than our fair share.
But what we’ve been missing is the piece and peace we are finding here within the BDA community. And that is better than any gift we could give each other this year - - it is one that will continue to give to us and to our children and so on. And that is something to celebrate.

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Amanda Preston

Amanda Preston

I just found a little over $1K of unclaimed property (thanks Brennan Schlagbaum for the exact link because I also live in TX)… this is actually hilarious and amazing all at the same time. Now I’m looking up friends and family because I’m a creeper and want them to know THEY HAVE $$ OUT THERE 😍🤣#blessed

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Beau and Anna Sandage

We are excited at the end of our first week! We paid our car off and can’t wait to keep the debt snowball rolling.
We are embarrassed to admit we discovered we’ve been triple charged every month for a carwash membership and never noticed! The transparency of the 3 month look back has been clearly much needed!

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Carley Esposito

Since joining BDA, our net worth has increased by $92,481 in just 11 months!!!!! This is just FUELING the fire, hungry for more! The limit will be endless when we finally get all our debt paid off!

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Ashley McFarlane

Four years ago, I took out a personal loan to consolidate my debt and pay off all my credit cards. Unfortunately, two years ago, I lost my job and maxed out all my credit cards again, leaving me with a personal loan of $26,000. After months of dedication and with the help of Budgetdog, I am proud to say I’ve made my final payment on the personal loan and have paid off over $40,000 in credit card debt! Eliminating this financial burden has brought me immense peace. I realize this is just the beginning, but it’s encouraging to know that debt freedom is possible and that I can see a bright financial future ahead. I’m excited about the many more milestones and growth to come!

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Amy Mandel

Currently on Week 10, started out w/money in different places, long story short, from the courses and support from BDA allocating money in different areas, as of now, I will be having $25,980/year passive income, will continue to grow, as I will continue to invest each month, and currently have no debt. I'm looking forward to how much more it will go to, including how much more I will be learning, & creating lifelong relationships. I appreciate BDA and the Community VERY Much!!

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Isabel Carrion

As an intro, I scrapbook and every year I participate in a project called December Daily. Every August they release a new line of products and there's a lot of excitement and anticipation leading up to it. As much as I try to limit myself, I always get caught up in the excitement and end up buying more than I plan for. However, I finish my album every year and I use up a lot of what I buy and donate whatever I don't use but due to poor financial planning, the DD expenses always seem to take me by surprise and end up on a credit card that doesn't get paid right away along with a generous serving of guilt. Not this year! Today was the launch but I've had the money earmarked in the budget sheet since I started the program in April so I made my list without limiting myself, ended up not buying everything on it, and paid with my debit card.
And while the obvious win is not using my CC and paying for it outright, the real win is making the big spend without an ounce of guilt. That to me is financial freedom.

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Georgia Patsiopoulos

I started in BDA in April and net worth has increased by $120k! So easy to calculate with all the tools and sheets that have been provided to track everything.

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Elizabeth M

Long story short, since joining Budgetdog in January 2024, my net worth has increased by $640,516 as of today.

The even better news is that I am currently $148k in the green. This is the first time I have had a positive net worth in my adult life (yes this means I came in with an enormous amount of debt). I have a written goal of hitting the seven figure club by December of this year, which may be a longshot, but you never know!

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Tim Fus

My experience with Brennan was great! He took time to hear my concerns and questions. He helped me put together a plan for my circumstances, helped me
Implement it, and is continuing to help me see it through.
His genuine care to see me succeed is a breath of fresh air in todays day and age. Can’t recommend him enough.

Law Harmon

I has/have a great Experience with Budgetdog and Brennan. I learned a lot from him and his school. It kind of sucks I have to work more to get out of the debt I created for myself, but Brennan made it easy to see the big picture and a way to dig myself out of that hole. I’m forever thankful for him and BudgetDog. It’s definitely worth every penny to be apart of BudgetDog Academy!

Jared Walden

Fortunately, I had escaped debt in my early 20's; however, I was not confident in how to manage beyond just a budget for income and expenses - my investment portfolio was lacking and I kept trying to read as much as I could about what to do regarding investing (outside of just my company 401k). I didn't want to make the wrong decision. I found Budgetdog, and now I truly feel confident in managing my family's finances. In a very structured and welcoming environment, I was able to go through the budgeting part of the academy, and then dive into growing my money and protecting my money! The weekly educational lessons are great too, and Brennan has always seemed to be prompted and enthusiastic about helping others with their financial questions! I'm very tight with how I spend my money and the sense of relief and confidence I have now has been worth it.

Tatiane & Rodrigo

My husband and I decided to join the program about 2 months ago. What I can say is that I have learned so much in 8 weeks than in the past 8 years. The program is very easy to follow and the community is amazing. You have full support from the BudgetDog team all the time and you can search anything within the community through posts, lessons and videos with Q&A and experts. Brennan made this program so practical and easy to follow. You have to put the work and it is worth every penny. This is a life changing program and I can't wait to build the best future for my family thanks to Brennan and the BudgetDog team and community!

Joseph Swanson

I first saw BudgetDog on instagram and signed up for the initial phone call. I spoke with Tom and I am so glad I did! Tom was not pushy which I really appreciated and he promoted a “family” like program that will get you to financial freedom. After the call my wife and I signed up. Then we met Brennan, the Budgetdog, he is amazing. The program is AWESOME! Great investment and these are skills, principles, and tools I shall have and use forever. This is 110% worth it, Brennan will not lead you astray and did I mention he’s a CPA so he knows the loopholes. Very smart and a great mentor/teacher.


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Sebastian Gonzalez

This place really changed our life. All the info, resources and help that Brennan and his team give is priceless! Every class, live call, email, post, literally everything, adds up to an amazing and totally recommended learning experience. I hope many more people can give this Academy a try, they won't regret it!

These days, it feels like everybody has a 'get rich quick' mentality in ads all over social media. If you're like me, I was skeptical at first when I discovered Budgetdog Academy because of that. I have always saved and managed my money well as a young adult working a 9-5 out of college, but in the back of my mind, I worried if I was putting enough money away for future retirement. How much I needed to invest and the types of investments I should look into were all knowledge I was lacking while managing a budget.

After following Brennan's Instagram page for months with quick and helpful posts, I finally took a chance and had a one-on-one call. Brennan was attentive and knowledgeable about my personal financial situation and was confident that his program could get me where I needed to be.

From the educational video modules to the community where you can learn with others in similar situations, along with Brennan actively answering all of my questions almost instantly during the program, it gave me the confidence I needed to set up the rest of my financial plan for meeting my goals.

I can't recommend Brennan and his financial course enough! His program stands out from the rest.

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Jaci Clawson

When I came across your Instagram account six months ago, I was intrigued by the information you were sharing, as well as your challenge to get financially healthy. I was recently divorced after 30 years, starting over with very little money and beginning a new life of supporting myself for the first time ever. There had been so many financial issues during the entirety of my marriage that caused me to have severe trust issues. I was on the verge of finding a financial advisor to help me, but I just didn't feel good about it. I kept going back to your Instagram account and watching your videos and I found so much honesty and integrity in the things you were talking about. But I was so afraid to make any major decisions. The one choice I felt confident making was to talk to your team and get more information. During that facetime call I learned that your academy wasn't about you telling me what to do with my money, but instead you teaching me how to do it on my own - and with confidence and support! I was assured that if I followed the steps you would teach me and be totally committed to the lessons, I would more than make up for the cost of the course within the 6-month schedule. And sure enough I DID!! I appreciate the way the course is run...there are so many foundational teachings that I would have never thought of. The beginning workshops made it easy to understand the more complex subjects, and I ended up feeling so good about the knowledge I gained that I couldn't help but tell anyone who would listen to me about everything I was learning! At month four when we completed our 2nd quarterly Income Statement, I was shocked to see that my net worth had gone up 125% because of the teachings I had put into play. I have now automated my bills, investments, and budget, while occasionally reviewing my accounts to verify all is well. Thank you so much for a well-planned academy, for being available to me anytime I had a question, for your bi-weekly Zoom calls, and your continued support. I am especially grateful for your integrity in keeping your promise about the quality and results of your work, and for making this the easiest, most no-nonsense approach to conquering a budget and helping me set and meet my investment / retirement goals. Thank you!

Nat Paradis

11/10 recommend BudgetDog Academy to anyone who is ready to get serious about their financial freedom and future! With Brennan’s support and guidance, we took the course to heart and implemented more discipline and planning. Over the last 12 months leveraging BudgetDog’s roadmap, we’ve been able to grow our net worth by $100K! We’re on track to now hit millionaire status in two years instead of 20. 😤💪 Huge thanks and gratitude to Brennan for his patience, tough love, mentorship, humor, and his selfless desire to help others. Don’t sleep on this - it will change your life.


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Dominick Iaconis

This class has put me in such a better mindset about my future than I could have ever imagined. The meat and potatoes of the class were great and helped put me in this mindset but it is the mindset for me that makes me extremely happy with this course. When I paid for the class, I was very hesitant with buyer's remorse. However, I knew something needed to change as nothing changes, if nothing changes. This class was by far the best class I have ever taken. The nights spent analyzing your spreadsheets to make sure I was 100% accurate to plan out my future was invaluable. I have learned so much. I'll be honest, I have not done ALL of the asks 100% yet. However, this is by design. Some of the things you talk about, just don't apply to me just yet but I know they will eventually. There are some other things I need to smooth out and then I will be starting the class from Day 1 all over again once my ducks are in a row. This way, the repetition of doing these things again, not only sticks, but hopefully, I will need to make some significant changes in my goals, income, and projections. Thank you again for changing my life!

Fantastic course to go through and the client support and access to Brennan and Tom. They are always there to help along the way!

David Bernardini

Budgetdog is exactly what I needed to elevate my personal finances to the next level. I had been trying to navigate my investment strategy with some self taught strategies prior, now I have a clear picture with target dates and amounts that I can reach. Access to the Budgetdog community has been a big bonus and I enjoy associating and learning with the group.

Chris Miethke

Best investment I've ever made in myself! I was following Brennan for a few months on twitter and consuming his free content before attending one of his webinars and then enrolling for the BudgetDog academy in January, 2024. What really stood out to me was that there wasn't a single mention of a get rich quick scheme like 99% of what I saw online. Instead Budgetdog teaches you the fundamental skills to track, grow, and protect your money over time with a blueprint to build generational wealth.

I felt that my financial situation was pretty strong before entering the academy but I quickly learned how it can be supercharged through the course content, the community, intros to CPAs / tax strategies, and the weekly guest speakers that give overviews of how they built their wealth.

Within 2 months I already have a crystal clear picture of what financial independence really means for me and my wife and the different vehicles we can use to got there. For anyone on the fence, I can't recommend the program highly enough! my only regret is that I didn't find it sooner.

Brennan, Tom, and Angel answer any questions within minutes typically and you get 6 months of dedicated time with this team to set you on your way to financial freedom. The course content you retain access to for life which is another huge perk!

Thanks Budgetdog!

Karen Michna

The Budget Dog Academy is SUCH a well rounded program! Apart from scheduled classroom lesson work to learn and accomplish, weekly meeting replays, numerous instructional videos are available... the community is top notch sharing all our experiences and feedback so you know you are not alone. The search feature allows you to pinpoint specific subjects you want to read about to streamline learning. Brennan is such an enthusiastic teacher you can't go wrong here. He has a dedicated team for answering questions and leaderboard tracking helps keep everyone engaged and participating in the group. I'm so glad I made the decision to join- truly life changing!


Kristopher J Voorhees

Budgetdog Academy is the most effective and easy to understand financial system out there! Brennan does an incredible job of breaking down terminology and different strategy so that you can feel empowered and confident to create your own portfolio that will stand the ups and downs of the market! The course is well thought out and thorough. The team behind this academy (Brennan, Tom, and others) are prompt to respond and actually care about your personal success! I can't say enough accolades about this course and the Budgedog team! Don't let the upfront cost deter you. That cost is literally a fraction of a fraction of a percent compared to the wealth you will generate over a typical investment period! This academy and this team is incredible, and even after graduating, they still check in to ensure all systems are running smoothly. Even the community inside the academy is so supportive and helpful in ways beyond just finances. I love BDA and you will too!

I was nervous joining Budgetdog Academy. I am so glad I made the purchase. The community is so helpful and everyone is just so nice. I have learned so much and I am only in the beginning stages. 7 weeks in and we have paid off so much debt, with Budgetdog's simple tools, it's crazy. They just keep you focused and motivated to change your financial path. No regrets! This program is amazing!

Joshua W.

Budgetdog takes away all fear of investing and carves out a life path to financial freedom through budgeting, debt-payoff and smart money moves. I recommend this course to my family and friends!

Rich Mednick

Okay BudgetDog, round 2 of our honest review. Seems like budgetdog doesn’t like honest reviews here and flag it as defamation. If you are legitimately a beginner and don’t know what you are doing, read “I will teach you to be rich” that’s really all you need for a basic understanding of getting control of your personal finances and investing. There’s a lot of other financial programs that will provide the same services for cheaper. Our experience with them was not good from the initial call. There’s a whole bunch information out there for free or under $100. Maybe some people need the more personal intervention idk, but that’s my 2 cents. His lack of reviews and people talking about how their life has changed in the last year are just out of touch. This is our honest review and opinion and we do not recommend BudgetDog. Hope they can accept the 1 star review. Seems like it hurts when they see the honest truth.

Danielle Johnson

Budget Dog Academy is worth every penny and in the long run you will save so much more by having the knowledge to be able to invest and control your finances wisely. This course is educational and gives you the power to control your financial future. The coaches give great advice to help you make your own decisions. The community of people in the group is motivating and encouraging. I highly recommend and highly trust this product / financial roadmap course.

I’ve had the pleasure of attending BudgetDog Academy, and I cannot recommend it highly enough! The curriculum is both comprehensive and engaging! The coaches are very passionate and helpful! The academy provided exceptional value for the quality of education offered! The sense of community here is incredible! My time here has been nothing short of transformative. I have gained not only knowledge but also the confidence to make good financial decisions.

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Dawn Stark

I have invested in personal development for years but never with finances. This Mastermind is incredible. The team is so helpful. The posivitiy of the community is amazing. I am learning so much and can't say enough good things about Budetdog Academy. I am grateful I took the leap of faith.

Happy customer

I had an incredible experience with Budget Dog! The course was truly eye-opening and helped me gain control over my finances in a way I never thought possible. The content was clear, practical, and easy to follow, making it simple to apply to my own financial situation. Brennan, is phenomenal—he’s knowledgeable, approachable, and genuinely cares about helping his clients succeed. I felt supported every step of the way, and I’m now more confident and secure in my financial decisions. Highly recommend this course to anyone looking to improve their financial health!

Robert B.

We recently completed our 6 month coaching with Budgetdog Academy and to say that it’s been a transformative process is an understatement. We went from having limited experience even making a budget and being unsure we’d be able to retire to having fully automated bill pay and investments and having a plan in place to retire earlier and more comfortably than we’d previously thought possible. Brennan, Tom and the rest of the team are skilled at distilling complex financial information to make it understandable and relatable. Rather than simply focusing on investing, BDA instead utilizes a holistic approach with the intent of putting systems in place to track your money, grow your money, and ultimately protect your money. They also provide access to experts in psychology, insurance, etc. to help you make the most informed decisions along the way. An added bonus of the program is a growing online community where both new students and past graduates can continue to grow their financial literacy and take the necessary steps to prepare themselves and their families for the future. We highly recommend BDA to anyone looking to take control of their financial outlook.

Steven Rice

I’ve been on top on by personally finance pretty strict over the last 10 years, but through the last few years I felt like I was spinning my wheels. BDA has helped me relook some items and has me on the path I was hoping for! We know have a new found direction of our financial path and exciting to continue the training. Be engaged, ask questions and this program be be HUGE for anyone.


Kristin Hooks

Brennan and his team are great at following up and making sure you stay on track! The course gives you plenty of knowledge to be able to feel comfortable in investing! They are always open to answering questions! I would highly recommend budgetdog academy for anyone looking to invest and feel comfortable doing so! They really break things down to make sure you understand!

Danni S

My husband and I started the program because we felt stagnant & wanted to gain more knowledge to build a better future for our family. Budgetdog made it easy for us to gain incite into our personal finances, they do a fabulous job creating a comfortable learning-environment (multi demensional learning) and a plus to be supported by such a great group of people. We are extremely happy to have made the decision! Like many new things, it is nerve wrecking and stressful
to take the initial step to join ,but it’s completely worth it! In such a short period of time we have paid off both vehicles, have a plan we feel confident in to execute our current finances and future finances. Don’t walk… to sign up… RUN!

Ash F, CA

Life changing! I feel truly empowered to manage our investment accounts on my own for the first time in my life. Highly recommend this for anyone who wants to feel truly in control of their financial future.

The BDA is very well organized. Each week you know exactly what is required and expected of you. The coaches are attentive to your needs and eager to assist in any way. The environment is welcoming, friendly, and supportive. I joined at the beginning of the year and have already noticed a significant increase of my finances. Well worth it!

Amanda Snow

I can’t say enough great things about Budgetdog! From the very first lesson, I was able to understand my goals, challenges, and financial habits. They provided clear, actionable steps that were easy to follow and tailored to my situation.

Since starting the academy, I’ve gained confidence in managing my money, paying off debt, and building savings. What I love most is that they don’t just offer advice—they empower you with knowledge and strategies that create lasting financial success.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just want to take your financial future to the next level, I highly recommend Budgetdog. Their expertise, encouragement, and personalized approach make all the difference. Thank you for helping me achieve financial peace of mind!

Jackie LeFebvre

My husband and I didn’t have a system in place to manage our finance and experienced so much stress around it. Budgetdog changed our lives after week 4! Understanding how to budget, seeing where our money was going and having tools to organize our finances was a game changer! Month 2&3 empowered us to feel confident investing without a financial advisor and to make sure our money was working for us. Budgetdog gave us the framework, tools, support and community to make these changes and set ourselves up for a successful financial future! We are forever grateful.

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Angela Hubbard

If you've been following Budgetdog online now for sometime, just go ahead and save yourself some time and sign up. I was following Brennan for about a year before I decided to commit, and I am kicking myself now for waiting to sign up because I could have put myself in a much better, more knowledgable position one year earlier. His course structure is simple, easy to understand and realistic. He and his team have the tools and resources to help you get to a better place financially if you are ready to start taking the right steps to get there. You don't have live on a meager budget to start saving, you just have to be mindful and know where your money is going each month and make it work for you and your unique situation.

We are currently in the program and everything we have learned so far has been valuable in helping us better our financial situation. You have to put in the work to get results, but it is definitely worth it. The support you receive from the coaches and the community is incredible.

WORTH IT! Honestly, I was so nervous to take the leap and join the academy—but I’m beyond grateful that I did. My only regret? Not joining six months ago when I first started following Brennan’s content.

I’m just one month in and have already learned more than I ever expected. My husband and I are having the most open, productive conversations about money we've ever had in our 8 years of marriage. We're becoming more intentional, more aligned, and already seeing real wins just four weeks in.

And the BDA community? Absolutely everything. I can't wait to see what’s ahead!


Randi Lynn Dauoheuang

Budgetdog is thorough with the material they teach you, and they give sooo much support! They are frequently checking in with you to make sure you do not have any questions and kindly holding you accountable when it is needed. When messaging the team any questions, their responses are prompt and thoughtful. They encourage you to ask questions and are always eager to help.


Marissa Houston

I will recommend Budgetdog Academy to anyone and everyone I know who is wanting to invest in their financial future and put in the work. I think people from all different financial situations can get something out of this program and continue to learn from Brennan, his team and the wonderful community they have built. I was skeptical and apprehensive at first to take this leap. The thought of taking a deep dive into my financial situation was overwhelming at a minimum and I was uncertain if anything could help me. After much contemplation my husband and I decided to make this investment for our future and it was the best thing we could have done for our family. I am sharing our story for those who may have apprehensions about this program and am here to tell you if you put in the work and stay the course through the ups and downs you will absolutely succeed!

Upon starting the academy we took a deep dive into our finances and were able to find extra money through budgeting to start chipping away at our debt. A few months into the program my husband was laid off, my car died on me and we got hit with a few other unexpected bills. I was completely discouraged at this point and felt like we were back to square one.

Luckily, thanks to the tools we learned through the academy, we had paid off over $8k of our credit card debt and had our emergency savings intact. After a few hard months of living off my incomes and dipping into our savings there was light at the end of the tunnel. My husband found a new job just in time for us to find out we were expecting our second child.

We spent this last year working together to build back up our savings and chipping away at the debt before the arrival of our little girl in January. As of today we are completely free of credit card debt. In a year and a half we paid of $15k of debt despite hitting some rough patches.

I am incredibly thankful for what I learned early on in the academy or else our situation this last year may have looked very different. We are more motivated than ever to continue to put in the work with the goal of financial freedom one day. For anyone who is on the fence about Budgetdog Academy, I highly recommend you take that leap, stay intentional, and strive for those wins. This community rocks!

Devin Kelly

I think the coaching staff and the lessons are very well made and orientated! Each lesson is easily digestible and done so for a purpose. Also, even if you are busy with work and fall behind, Brendan and company are very understanding and accommodate for each individuals circumstances.

The academy helped me level up significantly. This is the stuff we should have been taught in high schools all around the country. Digesting this information is certainly better sooner rather than later but better late than never.

Sarah F.

BudgetDog Academy has been a game changer and an eye opening experience for me so far and I’ve only just started! I was always afraid of my finances and now I feel like I’m in the right place to get the proper education and support to help guide me to financial freedom! The coaches have been amazing and super responsive in answering all my questions whenever they come up. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me!

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Daunmonique McCloud, MBA

Life changing! You may be hesitant but trust me, just do it. There’s no better time than now to invest into yourself.

What has made my experience so great is the unmatched financial education that is then tailored to you. Also, having access to a community of individuals who are all focused on bettering their financial future is both motivating and encouraging. The academy combines education with mindset, even providing an opportunity to speak with a professional about the psychological piece. That really pulls everything together to help you become more aware of your specific habits.

Renee Alcorn

The coaches are great. So much good information and support.

My experience here at Budgetdog Dog has been nothing short of amazing!. This academy has provided me with a blueprint which has allowed me to create a short-term plan to execute and bring me closer to financial freedom and stability for me and my family. I now have clarity and precision on how to achieve my longterm goals too! With much encouragement and support from this family has given so much joy!!

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Marina Lam

I realized I could purchase a property and still feel confident that I have enough for emergency expenses after taking this class. Because of this, I've started taking steps towards home ownership. Something I've only dreamed about the past 10 years. I owe a lot to the team at BudgetDog for giving me the informed reassurance that I can move forward. ❤️ Can't wait to apply all that I will be learning about investments to knock out my second goal - Retirement!

Anonymous

this program is great and deeply informative. it goes at a weekly steady pace to help with knowledge retainment and several tools are provided to help any individual realize their free cash flow, set up a budget, and keep track on debt paydown toward achieving financial independence. the investment in this program is well worth the cost. one has to realize that being debt free will take time but the program emphasizes staying on track with the processes that are taught within the program. the budgetdog academy coaches reply promptly to questions within hours to a day depending on your timezone. the coaches will also check in on you periodically. essentially you are not left to figure out things on your own but rather have a team that will guide you in the process. before joining this program i had no idea on how to approach my debts and did not have any plan toward paying them down. the budgetdog program has definitely helped me plan for this!


Travis Godden

Brennan, Tom and team are top notch and completely genuine in their quest to help people get their finances fixed, then proactively maximizing your moneys ability to work for you! Great team…if you’re hesitating…just do it! Your 15-20 year older self will be very thankful!!

Nicholas Williams

First and foremost, the team is completely committed to getting you where you need to go. And that is probably the most important thing to me. To know, without a doubt, that Brennan and Tom (and everyone else!) are not only dedicated, but pumped, to help us however they can? That’s gold. And yes, the course so far has been enlightening. And I can tell that it is a winning formula.

Jennifer Ayure

For busy parents juggling and it seems impossible to squeeze one more thing in, this for you. For your future, for your family’s future because investing in you is the most important decision you will ever make. It’s the small steps that start to add up. You fall off for a week because the kids are sick or too much going on at work, that’s okay just keep moving. It doesn’t mean it’s over. It’s so interesting to see what you can do for your future. Get excited!

Joe Fornwalt

They preach consistency, and they consistently show up. They cant make you put in the effort or do the work, but they provide the framework and community for you to be successful. I would describe it as guidance, because the program enables you to go through the steps, take action, and understand it yourself.....which is ultimately what it is going to come down to in the long run. It truly has been more of a process than a destination, but somehow I am starting to see how the one will lead to the other.

Stace & Bash

Joining Budgetdog Academy has been one of the best investments I’ve made in myself. In just one month, I’ve gained clarity and direction on my financial journey that I’ve never had before. The content is practical and easy to follow, the coaches are knowledgeable and genuinely invested in your success, and the community is incredible—supportive, safe, and real.

What I appreciate most is that it’s not just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it’s about building confidence, creating habits, and having a team of people who are all cheering you on. Even within my first few weeks, I started celebrating meaningful wins and finally feel like I have a clear path forward.

If you’re ready to get serious about your financial future, this is absolutely worth the investment.

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Stephen Spinnato

We have recently enrolled into the Budgetdog Academy program as we were tired of making good money and not reaching any financial goals. Wow, weeks 1-4 were intense, but in a good way. Getting a clear understanding of where our money was going was definitely eye opening. Now working to get everything fully automated so that we can have true control of our finances. The plan is simple to follow, and the support is amazing! Thanks BDA!

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Danielle Johnson

Doing my quarterly balance sheet update, and I updated based on today’s date of 04/05/2025 as the market has changed since Mondays 3/31/2025. Despite the current market turbulence I am up $+85k in net worth since the prior year 03/31/2025. I’m also excited to buy some assets at a discount today and continue to dollar cost average! Stay the path! Work the steps!

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Ali and Justin Martia

Just want to thank the coaches and this community for all the support.
During the last few weeks we’re had of wins we are grateful for and excited to share:
1. I received a 3% raise and bonus at work, we used the extra money to pay down debt and put towards contributions to our investment accounts.
2. We paid off one of my student debts of $4800 which was such a relief. Also, my credit card will be paid off by then end of next week when my last automated payment goes through. The extra money from tackling those debts will be put towards my remaining student loans and our mortgage to pay them down sooner.
3. We both maxed out our Roth IRA accounts for 2024. My wife maxed out her Roth IRA for 2025 and I set up my automated contributions to max out mine by the end of the year.
4. We will shortly have our sons 529 set-up with auto investments and will also roll our daughters 529 over to the state plan through Fidelity which will drastically reduce our expense ratio on those accounts and provide us with the state deduction benefits available here in our state.
5. Lastly, our biggest win yet is the mindset change we have gained since joining the academy. The confidence and the piece of mind we have now from everything we’ve learned here and support we have here, is priceless. With all the volatility going on currently it’s nice to know we have a solid financial plan and amazing support network where we don't have to worry, where we know we can weather the storm, where we are confident that we will not only get through it but we will thrive and come out better on the other side.
Just wanted to thank the Budgetdog Coaches for everything they do. You really change lives and we are grateful for the tools and knowledge you have bestowed upon us. Thank you to all of you in the community for your support and encouragement and sharing all your experiences, we learn so much for each other and it’s wonderful. We are so grateful and blessed to be a part of this family!!!

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Jessica Bair

I’ve been wanting to create 529/taxable brokerage for my 2 year old. I was really stressing that I wasn’t going to be able to contribute after my budget expenses/savings/life costs at the rate of inflation etc. for the last 2 years and it has made me feel like a bad mom. Well-Just wrapped up my Q1-$40k networth increase in last 9 months; fully paid off credit cards, new used car with emergency funds previously set aside for the vehicle and now contributing regular to my investments/savings. But I was still stressing about my son. Then I had an AHA moment. I now am eligible for bonuses every quarter at my job. I’ve decided to take those quarterly bonuses and fund the 529/TB all without changing my budget at all! For context-I will get anywhere from $2k-$4k quarterly. I’m going to fund both accounts and he will have a minimum of $10k in his accounts by end of 2025, assuming my job is intact and I get bonuses, which I will! So that has been a huge relief knowing I can now create generational wealth for him off one source of variable income. He is on track to become a millionaire in a few decades! And I wont have to adjust my budget at this time! 🤩

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Gayle Beese

This week we finally became free of all credit card debt! And have made huge moves on other debts as well in the process. There have been moments where I felt my pace wasn’t fast enough, I had to slow down when we had our second baby, and I can get frustrated wanting those immediate results. My mindset has shifted, and even when random unexpected expenses come up, I’m reminded that we are in a place where those things don’t set us back anymore. And while I’d usually rather not spend the money there, at least we have it without adding to our debt or stressing about where we’ll get the money. I remember the basics even when it gets tough, and continue to stay the course!
You never know what life can throw at you, so being debt free is important to us. Planning and investing for our future and our kids future is important to us. I always say I wish I started this journey sooner, but not letting anything stop us from reaching our goals.

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Lindsay Bain

I don’t know about anyone else, but going into this I was definitely worried that we were going into a situation where it was just another “online course “ that someone created to make an extra buck. Signing up & paying for a coarse from an online influencer is a SCARY thing! I Worried that this would be something that we would be all amped up about at the beginning, but would lose momentum after a couple days and the money would be wasted. (We’ve all been there)
However, Never have I been so EXCITED & motivated about something like this in my entire life! It’s to the point now, where I literally wake up excited to work on our budget & to learn more. I look forward to live calls at 8pm after putting kids to bed …The amount of money we have discovered & saved pays for the course tenfold and we are only beginning week 4!
Thank you to Brendan and the TEAM of people for being SO great with communication.
By the way, nobody asked me to say this or for this post and no one offered anything to me for it! 😊 Just feeling grateful!

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Jessica Bair

I recently opened up my toddler son’s 529 and a taxable brokerage for him (in my name) and I just made my first S&P 500 ETF purchase for him. Wealth building for the future junior millionaire starts today! Growing wealth one toddler step a day!

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Galia Perez

Just read one of Brennan’s emails, “money is emotional” … YUP! I read this email as I had just finished paying off a loan this morning. I followed it by also making another big payment towards my car loan. I realized that I had the ability to make these payments but I was holding on to that money and creating unnecessary stress. (And losing money to interest!) Well, it’s done now and it feels great!! I’m grateful for this community 🙏🏼 have a great day y’all! 🫶🏻

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Morgan Chavez

For the first time, in probably our 24 years married, we were under our grocery budget!!! Costco for the win 😁.

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Sunmi Lee

I’m three months into the BD Academy, and I’m actively knocking out the multiple debts I accumulated over the past few years. I just paid off one account this month, and things will pick up speed through December. By August, I’ll have cleared half of them, and from there, I’ll be paying off one account each month. I’m also revisiting my spreadsheets regularly to see if I can accelerate the timeline.
Checking Account / HYSA Emergency Fund – in motion!
Investment Automations – not quite there yet, but my calendar is set with the dates.
Insurance – Signing up shortly ✔️
I am addressing the negative cognitions that surfaced during my session with Heather, and speaking positive affirmations DAILY. Sometimes I feel unsure if it's "working" but I just do them.
With the end of my debt journey in sight, I’ve also decided to channel this momentum into finally pursuing my business endeavors—something I hadn’t been able to fully commit to before due to financial uncertainty and my own lack of clarity. Currently figuring out some timeline and a long list of to-dos. Now, everything feels aligned, and I know exactly where I’m headed! I found many, many helpful tools here in the academy.
Thank you, Brennan and BD Academy 🙏

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Sandy King

I have been feeling discouraged because I should have completed the academy by now. I am going really slow and sometimes I feel stuck. I avoided looking at things for a week and after refocusing, I realized I paid off my credit card! $6500 of debt gone! That feels pretty good!

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Ali and Wesley Patek

This week, we paid off $90K in high-interest debt with the sale of our boat and freed up an additional $1,000/month in cash flow. 🙌
It was a bittersweet sale, but a necessary move that puts us in a much stronger position to reach our retirement and investment goals. Now, we’re ready to start applying everything we’ve learned thus far in Budgetdog and start making some REAL money moves. 💰

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Colombe C

What’s something that has changed in your life, mindset, etc. since you’ve joined BDA? I’ll start…
Pre-Budgetdog: my stomach would kinda sink when I saw or heard chatter about a dip in the market… panic spiral🤮
Now: smile with a little pep in my step knowing my automatic investments are getting ETF buys on sale🤙🏼

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Devin Kelly

So one goal I had this year was to actually budget out for vacation properly. I got to the point I hit my goal, so was planning setting up plane tickets, rentals, etc. But when discussing life updates with one of my senior managers, he told me about a program our firm has where you can get up to $1,000 reimbursed for vacation expenses. So now, rather than spending what I thought I would need on vacation, I’m maybe only spending 30% of it and get to reallocate those funds elsewhere. Cool thing about budgeting, when you know where you’re money goes, once a nice little things like that happens, you can move it to another goal without any stress!

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Jessica Bair

I am in week 13 now and have set up a call with KKO Lawyers for a trust estate plan. When I spoke with them, they said they are running a once-yearly special with up to $300 off if you get one of their estate plans-I believe it ends after this week so if you havent scheduled a call yet, highly recommend it. I consider it a win because not only am I saving money on setting up a trust (it was thousands of dollars less than what I had saved up for--I was thinking CA-inflation prices when saving up to get a trust plan), plus $300 off the estate plan, and it will get me set up for the next business ventures that I plan to do with rental properties and a digital marketing business and get everything set up for my son to inherit my assets without dealing with probate/massive taxes. WIN!!

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Jami Majewski

Just paid off 6 credit cards around $5k total and put them in the shredder. 6 down only 9 more to go 😭
I'm using the debt snowball method to get some small wins out of the way. We have another 28k to put towards debt and save some for an emergency fund. Luckily instead of feeling like money flying out the window, we're finally able to put a huge dent into our debt after being at a standstill for the last 6 months. Also got a job promotion at the school I work at with a $50k income increase for the 2025-26 school year; finishing up $5k teaching contract that will pay me in July; my husband started a pool cleaning business as a side hustle to his firefighter job that did about $1k of revenue last month; I'm restarting my coaching business back up so we have 2 side hustles that will help generate more income. Have been super bummed that I started strong end of December and we got hit with crazy expenses over the last 5 months, but that's okay. This is good momentum and a test of patience. Goal is to start some automating small investments other than our pension contributions by the time my 6 months is up at the end of June. All this to say your journey might not look perfect and you might get hurdles thrown at your but all the small choices will add up! Oh and also planning on redoing our net worth at the end of June and actually looking forward to it!

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Rafael Daniela

Phew month 2 is already down! But have learned a ton from course! We are focused on paying off our $9K and $2.5K credit cards, thankfully not accruing interest, and saving up for a home down payment. So far we have paid it down to $5K on those cards, $2.5K and another $2.5K on the other card. We have saved $11K for the down payment.
We cannot wait to what lies ahead!

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Jeff Daniels

Only wrapping up my week 1 items but feeling very motivated and focused! Took the initiative to CANCEL all the subscriptions I found in my spending that weren't serving me, renegotiated a bunch of my bills with my providers, established flat billing on utilities, and even switched insurance providers for my home and auto (cut $250 monthly switching to progressive from State Farm). Wanted to share this as a win because I'll be honest, I always thought I could out work / earn my poor financial habits, and it was a big hurdle to come to Jesus on my finances. But the poor habits end now! Excited to continue through the journey and I will keep you all posted on my progress.

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Hyun Park

It's been almost 4 months since I joined the BDA and I have been on and off on taking courses. I have been prioritizing to build up my emergency fund since I created my budget plan and total $7000 added to my emergency fund. My stock porfolio went up by $6000. We got a new term life insurance because we were underinsured and now we are better protected. My changes are not so dramatic like other people in this community but we're definitely moving in the right direction. My husband's car recently broke down so we're in needing of buying a new car. I decided to downgrade my car to more economic option and find other areas we can save up to offset the increased payment. I am making better choices and all thanks to Budgetdog team!!!!!!

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Alice Aljoe

just paid off 2/5 high interest rate credit cards and reduced the balance on the highest APR by $5000. Yippee!!!

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Tina Mulkey

When we did our first balance sheet in September 2024, our net worth was just over $100K. We started following the plan, broke up with our financial advisor and instead invested in ETFs we’re comfortable with, worked hard to get a good bonus and used it to further goals that we had already agreed on, and kept working the plan as best we could. And then we had to push pause. But our assets didn’t push pause, they kept working. And when we saw volatility in the market, we knew we just needed to ride the wave and we would come out better for it.
Today, our net worth is up 21% from Q1. And what is so incredible to us is that we have now doubled our net worth to $207K since joining the Academy. All in nine months!
There is still a lot for us to do to optimize our plan, invest for our kids, etc. We’ll get there. In the meantime, we sure are grateful that the Budgetdog team has helped get us to where we are today, and we’ll enjoy watching our plan continue working for us as we continue to build it. Do what you can do, as much as you can do, because it works.

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Nicole Ryan

I worked with a company wo help with all the college stuff because I found it so overwhelming. I ended up working for the company to help others in my situation. What they taught me was truly incredible. Just like this group...life changing. As far as my budget....Brennan said something to me when I went through this course that really stuck with me. I had spreadsheets for years before Budgetdog but Brennan pointed out I was tracking my money but not budgeting my money. He totally hit the nail on the head. I have fallen back into that the past few months and I'm going to dive back into some of his trainings here to get motivated to get back on track. Thank you so much Brennan!!! Even though I have spent and haven't been budgeting like I should be our net worth has increase by $184,207 in just under a year of working with the amazing coaches here. Also, my portfolio of investments is looking pretty good too. :)

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Kelsie and Michael Christensen

After four years of carrying a balance, we finally paid off our Capital One credit card today! 🙏🏻 I honestly lost track of the total amount over time, but just this year alone, we’ve knocked out $13,000 of it.
We still have $6,700 left on another card, but we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel — and it feels like I can breathe again.
The biggest game-changer? Automatic weekly payments. That small shift created massive momentum.
Between my husband and me, we’ve been working two jobs each — it’s been a grind, but so worth it. We don’t have high incomes (yet!), but we’ve made every dollar count, and we’ve still been able to:
Give our tithe consistently ❤️
Save regularly 💰
Contribute to retirement 📈
If you’re still in the trenches — don’t give up. Progress might feel slow, but it is happening.
In about 6 months, we’ll be in an entirely different financial place. Forever grateful for Budgetdog — just a random guy I found on Instagram a few years ago 😂 — and the community here that keeps it real and encouraging

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Kelly Foster

It was brutal to hold up the mirror to myself and see the math on my chronic overspending. It made me angry with myself - a great motivator for change for me. Now I’m going as fast but as thoroughly as I can toward catching up on the homework for the rest of month one because NEVER AGAIN. The overspending era is over. And that is a huge win for me. A small win also happened during my look-back - I found two erroneous charges to my credit card that I was able to get reversed and fixed permanently from happening again, so my credit card payment went down by a smidge. I’ll take it!

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Brittany Holland

*Finally got new tenants in one of my rentals!
*Sold my motorcycle for a chunk of cash!
* Had my meeting with Heather which was amazing!
*Found out my net worth is almost half a mil! (If I calculated correctly 😬)
*Ready to start my first LLC and Trust!
Grateful for this community to stay inspired and motivated💜✨

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Luke Cachia

Great news is in the last 4 months, just following the budget dog take home numbers, we have been able to knock out $15k in credit card debt. No more credit cards!

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Stacy Veit

I’ve been putting in the work, and it’s already making a difference:
✅ Paid off two credit cards and brought them down to a zero balance – officially debt free!
✅ Closed seven other credit cards – simplifying everything and removing the temptation.
✅ Found about $2,800 in annual savings just by canceling or managing subscriptions and other non-essential expenses.
✅ Opened a high-yield savings account to start building up my sinking funds.
✅ Locked in a new side hustle – I start next weekend and I’m excited to add some extra fuel to my financial goals!
This was about more than just money – it’s about clarity, peace of mind, and a fresh start. I feel so much lighter, more in control, and motivated to keep going. Here’s to momentum, discipline, and giving every dollar a job!

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Devin Kelly

Well, that was definitely an interesting 6 months! In all honesty, there was a lot in this academy that I benefited from. The continued support from the coaches and fellow students/members, the lessons, the reinforcement of knowledge I had but never acted on, and more importantly having a better understanding of what it means to control my own personal finances.
Thanks to the lessons and reinforcement, my net worth increased from approximately $120,000 to $140,000 over the last 6 months which is not something I would have ever thought possible. I'm diligent with budgeting right on the month, automated investments for my taxable brokerage, Roth IRA, and crypto investments (not as much as I have planned but we'll get there), and gained a more solid understanding of how I need to view money as a tool to get to where I would like to be in life.
I know I still have a long way to go, and even still am trying to figure out purchasing my first property/home, but these lessons gave me the confidence to try and make the best decisions possible in order to ensure success in the future. So starting next week, we continue to look at homes and potential apartments with the idea of giving me the room I need to with my money to continue to build out my future the way I see fit.

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Tiffanne and Jamarr Becks

We paid off one card that used to have a 24% APR! We transfered both of our credit cards to new 0% APR cards. So we aren’t paying interest while we pay off debt. We will never go back to CC DEBT!

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Amanda Preston

It’s wild how much I was overpaying for services because I just never really asked. I had Geico for over 12 years and just assumed the rates went up everywhere… wrong! Switched and saved over $150 per month for the exact same coverage (wild!). Also had AT&T forever and just changed to t-mobile saving a little over $100 per month PLUS they paid off my AT&T phones, gave us new phones, AND let me keep my old phones (which were honestly fine and in great shape). I’m confused honestly how they are even making money because I don’t need insurance if I have an extra phone, which I probably will sell because the FMV are like $800… walked out of T-mobile with a $100 in monthly savings and I didn’t even spend money because the taxes on the new phones were more than offset by by selling my husbands phone (off market). Finally, looking into new internet which will probably save about $30 each month. Pretty great! PRAISE!

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Will and Megan Hay

Can’t believe we have already finished 2 months of the program. We have already had some big wins. We have paid off $24,000 in student loans AND increased our net worth by $30k, all while Megan has been finishing up her maternity leave. Megan goes back to work next week (part time as a hospice RN) where we’ll really be able to start focusing even more on debt paydown!
We also very recently found out our 4 year old daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. We are thankful for the academy giving us the tools needed with making our budget so that we’ve been able to make adjustments to make our household a safe, gluten-free household!

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Jen Koerlin

I finally have had a chance to calculate our net worth. Loved seeing that since we started Budgetdog 2/2025-8/2025 our net worth went up almost $200k!! Had to come back to write about our win. I already knew it to be true, but for those who are just starting or feeling down right now, the process works. Give it time and trust the system!!

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Alex Hill

i just completed week 2 of Budgdog Academy, and after much overwhelm, i've found so much relief in the fact that a budget isn't restrictive at all - i actually feel LIBERATED. i knew i was wasting money but to see the numbers and graphs of where my money has gone & create a doable POA to put a leash on this and allocate my money intelligently and with purpose moving forward is a game i'm eager to play.
the resources and tools so far are super addicting to use. SOOOOO glad i took the plunge to join this incredible academy. looking forward to what's next. 💪

Brennan helped me set a plan for myself and most importantly goals that were realistic for my situation. I took his academy course and this was the most beneficial financial education I ever received. He taught us about various saving accounts and retirement accounts plus how to reach our goal and invest. He is very kind and takes the time to help you. Even answered all my questions which were a lot. Don’t hesitate just do it

Kyle Gilbert

Having worked in the financial industry before, I thought I knew many of the concepts covered here, but there was always a big disconnect with actually applying what I knew into our own financial situation. Brennan and the Budgetdog Academy helped us get to the root of our recurring issues, pay off massive debt, and have a workable budget/wealth building/protection plan in place that has quickly given us hope and potential we didn’t think was possible. The support and accountability to finally follow through has been a game-changer. Brennan is the best I’ve ever seen at teaching complex financial topics in ways that anyone can understand which has given us so much more confidence to be able to manage all of our financial picture moving forward. That freedom and peace of mind has transformed our marriage, communication, and family’s financial future. So grateful to have found Budgetdog!!

Law Harmon

I has/have a great Experience with Budgetdog and Brennan. I learned a lot from him and his school. It kind of sucks I have to work more to get out of the debt I created for myself, but Brennan made it easy to see the big picture and a way to dig myself out of that hole. I’m forever thankful for him and BudgetDog. It’s definitely worth every penny to be apart of BudgetDog Academy!

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Robert Oliver

Working with Brennan was so fun! He makes finance simple no matter what stage of the game you are at. When I first saw him online, I was naturally hesitant. The second I began working with him, it was so clear. Why didn’t I do this earlier?! I was able to shed $24k of debt in 6 months, begin investing for myself (which I have never done before), and ensured I had a bulletproof financial roadmap. HIGHLY recommend.

Albert Santos

I have been a member of the budget dog family for 2 1/2 months. In that short amount of time I have been able to clear a fog that’s been our finances for decades. We have been able to balance our budget, clear misconceptions about enjoying your life and truly understand what it is to invest. Brennan and his team are available 24/7 which I don’t truly understand how that’s possible but no question goes un-answered. I have an abundance of material, all of which is instructor based when needed. One small adjustment has made a huge impact in my life and I owe that to the Budget Dog Academy.

Joseph Swanson

I first saw BudgetDog on instagram and signed up for the initial phone call. I spoke with Tom and I am so glad I did! Tom was not pushy which I really appreciated and he promoted a “family” like program that will get you to financial freedom. After the call my wife and I signed up. Then we met Brennan, the Budgetdog, he is amazing. The program is AWESOME! Great investment and these are skills, principles, and tools I shall have and use forever. This is 110% worth it, Brennan will not lead you astray and did I mention he’s a CPA so he knows the loopholes. Very smart and a great mentor/teacher.


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Sebastian Gonzalez

This place really changed our life. All the info, resources and help that Brennan and his team give is priceless! Every class, live call, email, post, literally everything, adds up to an amazing and totally recommended learning experience. I hope many more people can give this Academy a try, they won't regret it!

Brennan's program provides all the financial information I wish I was taught in school. Tons of stuff on getting the basics and more advanced info for day to day finances. Highly recommend.

David Walker

The company has changed the trajectory of my family's financial future! They are teaching me the things that my education and my family failed to teach. Couldn't be happier with the tools and resources. I will see the pricing was a little expensive and I didn't like how they asked about my financial status prior to quoting me a price for the program? All in all, I am happy with my decision to join and would recommend it to anyone without the confidence they are doing finances correctly.

I can't recommend joining the Budgetdog Academy enough! Having zero financial education, Brennan does an amazing job at explaining things in layman's terms. He is extremely patient and meets you exactly where you are at with your financial situation. My husband and I feel so confident in our family's financial future because of the resources and education we received in the Academy!

Jacob Schultz

Best educational decision I’ve ever made. I was 36 and lost financially with no real goal other than to retire with my unions plan at 65. Seeing the current world and economy’s potential horizon I knew I needed to figure out how to be financially literate and learn all the things they don't teach you at school. I didn’t know where to start and stumbled across a few peoples strategies but there was no substance until I came across budget dog on instagram. His message hit home and checked all the boxes of what I was feeling, so I messaged him. Everything he told me about his program was everything I wanted to learn. He talked about it being a six month commitment and that a couple hours a week needed to be set aside, which seemed so daunting with work, a toddler, wife and daily chores consuming all my time. But I was willing to put in the work. The only real hesitation for me was the cost which I was not prepared for , but it made sense that this was an investment in a education that was unattainable for me and was so valuable over the course of a lifetime, that I could use and pass it on to my own family. Worth every penny and wish I could have taken this course before going to college which would have steered me in an entirely more useful direction. The course is bite sized each week and the seemingly complicated subjects are broken down into easy to understand lessons and philosophy giving me the confidence to truly take my life’s finances and future by the horns. The administrators are easily accessible and very knowledgeable and friendly. The community is amazing as everyone shares their wins and losses, strategies and over all questions. Questions that don't even have anything to do with personal finances like how to start a small business or other side hustle strategies or if someone lost their job the community was giving them references and potential hirings. The weekly zoom calls with experts in all kinds of different financial fields and the big group meet where you can ask any question live with Brennon is very informative and helpful. This academy is amazing and worth your consideration as I have felt so lost financially and now feel solid with a strategy to create the future I want rather than dream without knowing where to start. Thanks budget dog

A few months ago, I stumbled upon your Instagram and stared following you, listening to your podcasts. Everything you said really resonated with me. I've always been a stubborn person who thought I had it all figured out. But after attending a three-day webinar and using the spreadsheets provided, I decided to track all my expenses from the past year. I was shocked to see how much I was spending on bank fees for all my accounts, especially considering I had a promotional zero percent interest rate on my credit cards. It made me realize how much money I was wasting on unnecessary things like iPhone apps that I can live without. And 12 month interest free it’s just a time trap …

After crunching all the numbers, I made a bold move. I paid off over $28,000 of credit card debt, even though it was on zero interest for 12 months . Being credit card debt-free is a huge accomplishment for me. Now, I've completely committed to changing my budgeting habits. After paying my mortgage and car payment, I can invest the rest without the burden of credit card debt looming over me. I used to justify unnecessary purchases by telling myself I make good money and can always pay it off later. But now, I understand the importance of being financially responsible.

I am truly grateful for the impact your content has had on my life. You are making a positive difference in the lives of so many people, including mine. So, thank you for everything.

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Sarah Bennett

Make the leap and take the course!! I started the Budgetdog Academy in Nov2023 with some hesitation. I considered myself somewhat knowledgeable in budgeting and thought I was spending my money wisely, but I had a lot of questions about investing and how to get to early retirement. After just one month, I was shocked about how much budgeting strategy I learned. After 2 months, I was shocked again when I learned how to analyze my investments just to realize I was paying crazy fees. By the third month I had turned my budget upside down, and completely changed the way I invested. By the fourth month, my net worth had increased by $30,000!!!! Join the Academy and see how it can change your life!

I've been fighting fear, uncertainty, and lack of discipline and guidance regarding my finances for years. I finally had enough and sought help after finding BudgetDog on social media. The message given resonated and seemed pure. I still was hesitant to join. There is cost for the academy as there should be, but I deem it fair and what I have learned over the past few months has been truly motivating and extremely needed. The team assembled is very supportive, caring, and also involved. There is a good energy from members. I still have work to do but I am thankful I found this group. Thank you!

Andrew G

This program has made us more confident in managing our finances. What used to be a hard topic to talk about has now turned into almost daily discussions in our lives. It has been life changing to have more concrete financial goals and we are excited to grow our money in ways we never thought possible.


Signing up for Budgetdog was the best decision ever. It has been an eye opening experience for our finances and family's future. The Budgetdog team has been an absolute pleasure to work with and they are not only knowledgeable in their field but also dedicated to providing top-notch service and support. They took the time to understand our unique needs and situation whenever we needed them to and provided a detailed solution that exceeded our expectations. I cannot recommend Budgetdog highly enough for anybody seeking financial independence and a secure future for their family. You will gain a wealth of knowledge into your personal financial situation and how to invest in your future. I will 1000% recommend Budgetdog to anyone and everyone! Thanks for all you do Brennan and team!! :)

Successful Diligence

Joining BudgetDog Academy was one of the best things I have done for me and my family and our financial future. When I joined I had a negative net worth, had just bought a house and changed jobs, had no clue how to track my money, and was ignorant to many financial concepts and strategies to build wealth.

Going through the program I found a budget system that works for me (less than 30 min a month after set up), have a positive 5 figure net worth, have increased my income by over $30,000, have learned how to strategically build wealth long and short term, have learned a ton of concepts that help me have financial literacy and competence and most of all have an amazing community of like minded people who are supportive and bring great ideas and perspectives.

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Jacob Orona

For my wife and I the 3 biggest benefits we got from BDA was the value, support, and community. The wealth of financial advice, tools, tips & tricks, etc are abundant. So much good stuff. And it's very applicable right away. They don't fluff anything and get straight to it. The support also is incredible with all of their team three to answer questions via chat as well as a dedicated weekly Q&A. The community is also very cool to be a part of. It's a much better version of what a social media I think tries to be.

Royce Alioto

When it comes to getting ahead financially, there isn't a more practical course with a "gaurantee" for success!
If you're looking to get into investing or small business or are just scared of personal finance, best place to start is BudgetDog!

The road map is well structured and the course offers additional surprise support different than anything else I've seen from courses I've taken.

The education gained is life-changing in record time! The return on investment is faster than any course teaching a new skill or business. Truly believe no one can fail from joining this community!


Lauren H.

Joining the academy was a transformative moment for my family and one of the best decisions I've ever made for our future. I discovered Budgetdog through social media, but it took me months to commit. I hesitated to buy a course from someone I found on Instagram, concerned about potential scams. Yet, every day, I was inspired by Brennan's posts and felt the pressing burden of our financial situation. I worried we might never retire comfortably or support our children's financial futures.

After several conversations with Brennan, I finally decided to take the leap. Within four weeks of joining, we gained clarity on our goals and financial potential. In just three months, we eliminated our credit card debt and expanded our investment accounts from one to eight. We learned how to budget in a way that made sense for us, allowing for accountability without feeling restricted. I am confident that we’re building wealth, on track to retire with a seven-figure portfolio, and well-positioned to support our children. Now, I no longer experience financial anxiety; instead, I feel empowered and SO free.

The Budgetdog team and the community of like-minded individuals are incredibly responsive and knowledgeable. The diversity within the community enriches the learning experience, exposing us to new ideas, networking opportunities, and investments we wouldn't have discovered otherwise.

I genuinely believe the academy can benefit anyone, regardless of their financial background—whether you’re starting from scratch, a business owner, involved in real estate, or have experience in the market. Brennan and his team will empower you to improve your financial situation. For us, the investment quickly paid for itself because we were willing to put in the work—and it wasn’t as hard as I expected. Do this for yourself!

I’ve had the pleasure of attending BudgetDog Academy, and I cannot recommend it highly enough! The curriculum is both comprehensive and engaging! The coaches are very passionate and helpful! The academy provided exceptional value for the quality of education offered! The sense of community here is incredible! My time here has been nothing short of transformative. I have gained not only knowledge but also the confidence to make good financial decisions.

I did it y'all!!!!! :) I am walking across the "virtual stage" $63k wealthier, debt-free, financially organized and most importantly on the road to financial freedom! I can't thank Tom and Brennan enough as in full transparency I came in skeptical, but Budgetdog far exceeded my expectations.

For 6 years I had been trying to save for a downpayment on a home and literally gained what took me 6 years in six months through this academy by becoming aware of my expenses, firing my former advisor and cutting investments that frankly were liquidating me in market fees and taxes. Now I am on my quest to conquer the next financial goal on my list! Super grateful and sending blessings to everyone on their journey to financial freedom! Success is yours

Budgetdog has been the best investment I've ever made for my financial future. Growing up, I didn't receive any financial education, and our school system didn't fill in the gaps. While I had some basic knowledge and common sense, it wasn't enough to navigate the complex and often conflicting world of personal finance.
I followed Budgetdog for a while before signing up, and I'm so glad I did. This program exceeded my expectations. From day one, I was learning and implementing new strategies, and I saw measurable improvements throughout the entire process. The Budgetdog team was incredibly supportive, answering all my questions and providing personalized guidance. If you're looking for a comprehensive, effective, and personalized financial program, Budgetdog is the answer. It's not a one-size-fits-all approach; you will have a tailored plan that will set you on the path to financial freedom.


Justin Watts

We are learning so much with this academy. So many resources to fall back on and the course helps keep you accountable as you go through it. We thought we had a handle on our financial status, but clearly we had some holes and education to catch up on. We feel more confident in our journey, and we are only through week 7.

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Brenden Metz

Honestly I was very skeptical to join and even at the start of the course. Only halfway through I’ve already gotten my money’s worth and then some!
The course is fantastic and even as a finance major in college and having thought I knew it all. I was very wrong.

The automated systems, knowledge on fees, budgeting tools and the community that budget dog provides is the best out there. I would highly recommend to anyone looking to boost their financial knowledge and path to financial freedom.
My wife and I are so happy with our immediate results and knowing that we can do it all ourselves saving tons of money for years to come.
Beyond this, now have the knowledge and tools to set up our daughter for life.

Budget Dog Academy was a game-changer for me. Their guidance helped me take a deep, honest look at my finances and get everything in order. I realized that my current income wasn’t sufficient to sustain my mortgage while also building long-term wealth. With their practical advice and strategies, I made significant changes in my life. I sold my house, moved up north, and secured a new job with a higher position title, earning over $37K more this past year than I did with my previous employer. Thanks to Budget Dog Academy, I now feel more financially secure and empowered to continue building my wealth. I highly recommend them to anyone looking to take control of their finances and unlock their potential!

Michelle

The information and learning material is so easy to follow and feels more realistic than any other budget courses I’ve taken in the past. I would 100% recommend BudgetDog if you’re considering focusing on your finances and future!

Mario Morales

First and Foremost, The Knowledge I've gained and been gaining has been phenomenal! Like I know for a fact I could have continued life and not have gained the resources, and knowledge I've acquired thus far. Another thing I've LOVED is our super awesome community! It's just been GREAT and I'm so glad I decided to take a HUGE leap of faith and get serious about growing my knowledge around finances, and better practices with them. I'm so thankful I stumbled across just 1 video while scrolling on my IG, then another, then seeing a LIVE and following my curiosity to tune in I think maybe 2 or 3 times till I pulled the trigger!

The things I have been able to learn in this Academy when it comes to my spending, how to budget... what to look for when choosing what to invest in! I have never been able to really learn all this on my own and figure it out. I now have an investment plan that will help me get to Financial Freedom and I am so grateful for the coaches and always being available to answer all my questions!

Drishya Ramkumar

BEST DECISION EVER! - Extremely thoughtful, supportive and helpful team. Their soul mission and purpose is to help folks figure out their finances and do everything they can to help them achieve their financial goals. They are available to answer questions at any time and provide a safe space to do so. They also provide a large number of extremely detailed and well structured resources to help everyone throughout the process. All in all, I cannot recommend them enough!

THANK YOU Budgetdog!

Sage Costa

The team and resources really know how to drive and push you to become the best. Their inspirational real life experiences allows you to know things can change for the best and the goal you want to reach are obtainable.

William Orr

I've followed Brennan and the team for over the last year and really enjoyed the free content/lifestyle that he and his wife were able to enjoy. I did not have any financial education and I knew that we needed some help to set ourselves up for the future. My wife and I signed up for the course and dove in head first. Everything is laid out for us and structured to make things easy as can be. The entire has been so helpful and responsive while helping guide us through the first month, which is where most of the work needs to be completed. We just finished up our first month in the Academy and we've had so much support from others in the community. It's been really rewarding to see where are finances are and what we need to do to ensure our future is secure. My wife and I want to be taken care of but also love to travel and spend time with our family. The Academy's unique approach to this will allow us to continue doing this while also automating our investments so we don't need to worry manually keep up with everything and can enjoy more quality time with each other!

pamela p

If you are making a decent money but are still struggling with money, Budgetdog will be great solution to your problem. I'm in my 2nd month in and going through the program was a great eye opening for me. I finally understand why I felt like my money was leaking and where it was leaking. After going through budgeting process, I can now create my budget and better understand about personal finance. All of the coaches are there to assist you with any (literally any silly questions I've had) question you have and they are so quick on getting back to you. Highly recommended!

Kris Blackwell

BudgeDog has been a game changer for us. We were skeptical going in because of the price tag but in just 4 months, our net worth has increased more than the initial investment. The curriculum is thorough and digestible but the online community is unlike anything we have been a part of. The amount of resources available that this team has curated is nothing short of impressive. I don't know anywhere else where you can get the level of support and interaction around your personal finances than through BudgetDog Academy.

The coaches are approachable and always readily available to answer my questions and offer guidance, even when I am not sure what I am asking. The abundance of resources that are provided are unbelievable.

Celine G

Budget Dog provides an easy step by step process to get your finances in order to help propel you to the next level.


Luis Barraza

This was our best decision ever. a lot of information never seen before and the good thing that they help you during the process.

Mayline Torres

Working with BudgetDog has been one of the best decisions my husband and I have made for our family’s future. We were overwhelmed with debt, unclear on how to move forward, and constantly worried about cash flow. Their framework helped us pay off over $57K in credit card debt, strategically recast our mortgages, and finally feel in control of our financial path.

The course materials are clear, actionable, and empowering — no fluff. What really sets them apart is the ongoing support and community. Brennan and the team genuinely care and show up for their members. We’ve not only improved our finances, we’ve redefined our entire money mindset.

Highly recommend if you’re serious about building wealth and getting intentional with your money.

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Priscella Maria

I have been a slowly but surely student. This courses and guidance have been awesome alongside the community. The lifetime access does it for me too. If you truly put in the work, and ask questions you can really take advantage on all of these.
Brennan and the team are truly understanding and will help you as much as they can. But always remember YOU have to put the knowledge to work. We cannot go anywhere if we dont put in the work.

Kathy Lenz-Portu

They make you feel right at home. They’re eager to help answer any questions every step of the way. Highly recommend Budgetdog if you want to learn how to track your money and invest in your future!

Benjamin Arthur

Well worth the investment. The best online community I've ever been apart of. Extremely supportive/engaging members. BDA is thorough and detailed with the personal finance information/education provided, and has an incredible student success team to boot that will literally answer every question you have. Couldn't recommend enough


JEAN ARENAS

The BudgetDog academy have made a change in our financial life since week 1, we are currently on week 8. All the information and resources are easy to understand and the support from the team is excellent always available to help you with any questions. The Q&A are great to learn from others that may have a situation similar to yours. Our session with Heather Brito was awesome and allows to have a different point of view of your self against money.

Rylie Gittins

The BD Team is one you can’t top! They keep you accountable, push you to be your best, do your best, all while encouraging and empowering us “everyday” people to achieve our goals. They have helped me realize I don’t need to keep saying to myself “one day I’ll build a house”, “one day I’ll be able to go on that vacation”. That day can be today!! With the tools and resources provided, they make it SO easy to take hold of your finances and your financial future. I’m grateful every day for this program and team!!

Kelly Wood

Budgetdog academy is life-changing. I am only in week 3 and have learned so much! If you follow the program and stick to it, you will win with your finances! The energy in the group is contagious. The BD team really cares and wants you to win!!!!

Enrolling in Budgetdog Academy has been totally worth the investment for me! I've learned and applied many principles related to my finances and I'm looking forward to continuing to learn and develop as I continue in the academy.

I knew I needed structure and discipline with my finances and I'm super pleased with the lifelong skills I've learned to date!

I LOVE ALL of it, b/c. of how caring & helpful Brennan and Tom are, very knowledgable, organized way of thinking, they keep you and the community updated on changes & updates related to finances, followed by how they communicate everything, etc. They go above and beyond to help you!! The community is very great too!! I would give this rating more than a 10 if that option was available. - Out of all my life decisions I have made this past year, signing up with BudgetDog Academy was my Best Decision...I signed up for several other finance courses, I regret those, I do NOT regret this one...Infinitely Grateful for them!!! <3

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kara ward

We’ve loved everything about the program so far! We’re on week 9 and we have learned so much. We’re both feel much more confident about our goals now. We have a solid plan to move into in the next few weeks with automating our investments. We started feeling like we were really far behind and we quickly discovered we just needed to refocus and prioritize some things and we are on track to crush our future goals! Thanks Budget Dog!

Briana Charlton

When I started Budgetdog Academy, I was really anxious about having an income deficit and very overwhelmed with the numbers I was looking at. But after completing the first 2 weeks, the problem that I thought was so big is very easily fixable with the resources provided here.

I have so much more peace and confidence than I did when I started! My first win is that I now have full CLARITY on my financial picture and I know what I need to work on.

Some other wins:
✅My new budget reduces my spending by almost $5k/month
✅Projected overall annual savings $57k
✅Currently negotiating an off-cycle promotion and raise on my current job
✅I have a plan to redirect excess funds that were just sitting in my checking and savings accounts towards paying off credit card debt and loans faster

Sometimes we are so focused on money problems that we don’t see the solutions right in front of us. Budgetdog Academy is full of SOLUTIONS! As I move forward in this program, I’m moving in the understanding that every financial solution I need is available and accessible to me!

The coaches are constantly in communication with me, checking on my progress, sending me resources and answering any questions I have. The community is full of like-minded people who are working to improve their finances and seeing results. You constantly feel the accountability and support here - it’s truly amazing!

If you’re on the fence about joining this program, please take a leap of faith and do it! The payoff far outweighs the investment. Rest assured that if you do the work and apply the strategies being taught, the only way you and your finances can go is up!

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Nas Lionakis

I can't express how grateful my wife and I are to the Budgetdog family! We’ve hit some huge milestones recently, and it’s all thanks to their incredible support and guidance.

✅ We paid off our debt & our car!
✅ My $130,000 student loan was completely forgiven! 🙏
✅ We maximized our 401k & TSP

For the very first time, we have a positive net worth and an amazing credit score to match! We are completely debt-free and feel empowered to allocate our finances where they truly matter. Retiring early is now an option!

We loved the Budgetdog team for their patience, kindness, and transparency. They truly care about us and our financial journeys. Their amazing financial management software, Avery, has made tracking our finances super easy. It’s user-friendly and has been a game changer for us.

What I love most about Budgetdog is the lifetime support they provide. It feels more like being part of a family than just another financial education company. If you're looking for a way to transform your financial situation and your life, we highly recommend Budgetdog.

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Taylor Olsher

There are a lot of programs out there and not all of them are for real. The Academy with BudgetDog has been such a game changer and I can’t recommend it enough. I learned so much throughout this program that I can carry with me through my lifetime and pass on generationally. I hope to change my family tree, and BudgetDog gave me the confidence and the tools to do it! I found $ I would have never found if it wasn’t for this program that were 7x what I paid for it AND not to mention all the $ made by simply following the system. Thank you BudgetDog!

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Jennifer Debra

Joining Budgetdog Academy has been the best decision I have made for my finances. The program doesn’t just provide top-notch information (which it absolutely does)—it completely changes the way you think about money. The mindset shifts I’ve experienced have been priceless and have given me so much more clarity and confidence in managing my finances.

Brennan and Tom are extraordinary humans whose work is genuinely changing lives. They truly care about you, your story and your success!

I also love the supportive community they have created. Everyone is encouraging, helpful, and genuinely rooting for each other’s success. It feels amazing to know I’m not alone in this journey, and that I have access to both incredible resources and people who understand and care.

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