Couple Money Podcast

Are you looking for a way to stay motivated with your goals for the year? Michelle Jackson walks us through how vision boards can help you achieve more!  How to Use Vision Boards to Achieve More t's the second day of the 2017 and I'm betting that you're probably flooded with a ton of goal setting tips, hacks, and trips. On one hand, I think taking a step back and having some clarity on what you want to accomplish is a wonderful first step, but I'm not a New Year's Resolutions woman. Whenever you decide to build your marriage and wealth, go for it. However with so many people's attention focused on goals I think now's a good opportunity to jump-start things. So for today's episode we're going to be focused on that first-step – defining your what and why for the year. And my guest for today is Michelle Jackson, host of Girl Gone Frugal, creator of Colorado Love Hub, and Shop My Closet Project. She's also the co-founder of the New Year, New You Financial Summit. We're going to talk a little about how you can achieve more using Vision boards. Today Michelle Jackson, creator Michelle is Money Hungry, is here to discuss: what vision boards are and how they can help you how to create a productive vision board setting yourself up for success Resources for Vision Boards and Goals Want to learn more about building up your finances so that it fits you and your goals? Here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab a copy of my book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Reach Your Money Goals with my FREE course: 5 Days to $5K How To Create A Vision Board Stay the Course If you'd like to chat about your money moves for this year, you can join us in the Thriving Families Facebook community. We're a fun and supportive group. We swap ideas, questions, stories, advice. When we try to help one another out with our family and financial goals. We'd love to see you there!

Stressed and overwhelmed by debt? Learn how you can rebuild your finances and life. Miss Mazuma shares how she overcame $500k of debt, short sales, and found happiness!   Rebuild Your Finances It's the beginning of a new year and while so many right now are all jazzed up about knocking down their debts, saving more, or spending less, that enthusiasm will die down. And if you still have a huge amount of debt or just a big goal you want to tackle when that happens, you can discourage. And in some cases, understandably depressed. It's normal. But what do you then? How can you stay focused and climb out? Today's guest, Miss Mazuma, is kind and brave enough to share her story. In this episode we get into: how she got into so much debt, have a look into the painful and frustrating process of a short sale see how she work through this and came to a healthier spot Her story is both encouraging and real. If you want to hear from someone else who has dug out from a mountain of debt, please check out my interview with Toni Husbands. She shares how she and her husband got on the same page and paid off over $100,000 of debt. Resources for Paying Off Debt Want to learn more? Here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab a copy of my book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Reach Your Money Goals with my FREE course: 5 Days to $5K The Rise and Fall of My Empire…and How I Struck Back (Pt 1) The Great Debt Dump: Running Toward Financial Freedom with the Power of Community Attacking Debt: Which One First? Which Debt Payoff Method Is Right for You? If you'd like to chat about your money moves for this year, you can join us in the Thriving Families Facebook community. We're a fun and supportive group. We swap ideas, questions, stories, advice. When we try to help one another out with our family and financial goals. We'd love to see you there!  

Looking for a less stressful way to handle your business' finances? Learn what mistakes to avoid and the tools that will help you master money even if you're a busy entrepreneur! Small Business Finances Around 27 million working-age Americans began or are running a business you may be one of them. I remember when I started freelancing it was a supplemental income. Eventually, though, it transitioned into my main work. I knew I needed to step it up and run it like a business. So I took care of the paperwork and started educating myself. There are days those deadlines get tight and I'm stressed but I enjoy doing the work I'm doing and spending more time with my family. Win-win in my book. Whether you're freelancing, doing a side hustle, or launching a business, it will take work. Not only do you have to work on the front end- so to speak  – producing the product or service you're selling, but you also have to be smart about the back end stuff. One key component? Finances. Quite simply getting the money squared away makes sure you're actually running a business and not an expensive hobby. I shared a little bit of my story in past episodes, which I hope gives a glimpse of what to expect. However, it's limited to my own business which may be different from yours. I know someone who has the breadth and depth of skills and can show you the ropes. Today small business coach and author Sylvia Moe Inks is on the show to share her knowledge. We're going to discuss: the biggest mistakes small business owners make (& how to avoid them) creating a system to make taxes much easier a tool to cut down on the back and forth of emails Hope you enjoy! Resources for Business Finances If you two are ready to start or grow your business, here are some resources to check out to make sure your money is best used wisely. Connect with Sylvia: SMI Financial Coaching | LinkedIn Small Business Finance for the Busy Entrepreneur: Blueprint for Building a Solid, Profitable Business 

Are you two stressed over money? Do your talks more often than not end up in fights? Learn how money dates can be effective and fun way you get on the same page and talk about money! The Money Talk vs Money Dates One of the most popular questions I get is, when should we talk about money? Having THE money talk is not only intimidating but unproductive. Find out a better, less stressful option in today's episode. In this episode, we'll get into: why talking about money matters how you two can make money talks less stressful how money dates can help you build up your marriage and money Let's get started! Resources to Make Managing Money Together Easier Want to stay on top of your money without stressing over the small stuff? Here are some key resources and tools to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Honeyfi, and Zeta Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money How to Talk About Money Without Starting a Fight We're going to discuss the ins and outs building your credit in our private Facebook group over at Thriving Families. It's free and fun – please join us! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere and Logan from Music for Makers in this episode.

Ready to take a last minute getaway or weekend trip? Use these travel apps and get the best deals! Going away for the weekend doesn't mean you break your budget. With a little planning and the right resources, you two can score some nice trips and still save money. So if you're looking at getting away from it all for a few days, save this post. Travel Sites to Bookmark for Your Weekend Getaways There are more sites than ever for travelers. Besides snagging last minute deals on popular tourist spots, you can also discover some awesome destinations. Airbnb: If you want to live like a local, Airbnb can help you find a bed or whole house for your next trip. We used the site when we went away for an anniversary trip and had a beautiful riverfront apt in Wilmington, NC for a fraction of the price of a hotel. Priceline: I'm a huge fan of their Name Your Own Price feature, which has helped us score plane tickets, hotel rooms, and car rental half off the advertised prices. Better Bidding: Speaking of bids, there are forums and sites online that can help you figure out what it will take to your bid accepted. ou might also want to keep an eye for flash deals with airlines like Southwest where you can score huge discounts on flights for select cities. Apps to Help Score Great Deals and Keep Organized With smartphones everywhere, apps have been developed to help travelers. Download these apps to help you get the best deals and explore your destination. Localeur: (iOS only) Locals share some of their favorite spots in 14 major U.S. cities. TripIt: With two kids in tow, I love have one app to handle and organize all of the travel arrangements. Hopper: If you like to double check the deals on flights, Hopper is great. The app analyzes tons of flight prices and can suggest when it's a good time to purchase ticket. Even though you might not think of it as a travel app per se, GasBuddy can tremendously helpful if you're taking a road trip. Thoughts on Weekend Getaways I'd love to hear your ideas and stories. What has been your favorite getaway destination? What has been your most recent travel deal you've taken? What travel apps are your favorite for planning?

Merging families and finances can be especially tricky with blended families, but you two can succeed and thrive. Get tips on how you can make this big transition go a lot smoother!  Blended Families and Finances Anytime you're merging lives, there are so many things to talk about and discuss. When you're blending your families that's another layer of complexity. If you have kids, you two are figuring out what the house rules apply now with things like curfew, chores, that you're under one roof. But you also have your exes. They may have rules which are completely opposite of yours. As you're juggling things as a family, it can be tricky navigating things. And finances can be just as messy. Thankfully, Melissa Brown, creator of Blended Family Podcast, is on the show today. She going to discuss her own family's transition and how they manage things plus offer practical tips to make the transition smoother. Hope you enjoy! Special thanks to Melissa for coming on and share her thoughts and story! Please reach out her on Twitter or join her Facebook group to hear from others in the blended family community. If you're looking tips, stories, and advice to make merging finances easier, here are a few to check out! Resources on Merging Finances Special thanks to Melissa for coming on and share her thoughts and story! Please reach out her on Twitter or join her Facebook group to hear from others in the blended family community. If you're looking tips, stories, and advice to make merging finances easier, here are a few to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom How to Win Your Spouse Over When They Hate the Budget Getting Your Spouse to Save More How to Encourage Your Spouse to Start (and Keep) a Budget If you're looking for a community to swap ideas and encouragement, please join Thriving Families on Facebook! 

Tired of your debt restricting your options? Learn how Claudia & Garrett from Two Cup House dumped $200k in two years by simplifying their lives and moving into a tiny house! Achieving Financial Freedom By Dumping Debt Whenever I hear neighbors, friends, and family talk about their debt, there are a couple of reactions. Some are frustrated being trapped with certain things because of debt. Maybe they'd love to switch jobs to start a new career, but can't because they got bills to pay. Others kind of throw up their hands, accept debt as a part of life. “You'll always have a mortgage.” And then there's this third group. They're are sick and tired, but they are ready to do something. That's where Claudia and Garrett were two years ago. On April 7, 2015 the Penningtons started the journey lead them to eliminate all their debt last month. The grand total? Just over $200,000! Simplifying Finances and Lives  You've probably seen tiny homes in magazines, online, or maybe on TV (thank you HGTV!). Those small spaces are popular for some couples. For one, less space typically means less house to maintain. Right now the median size of size home over in the Northeast, where the Penningtons live, is about 2300sq ft.

Ron Lieber,  NYTimes columnist and author of The Opposite of Spoiled, discusses how to raise money smart kids who are generous.  Talking About Money with Our Kids Whether we plan to or not our kids will pick up their financial habits based on what we say and do around them. We can look back at our parents and get an idea of how they shaped us. So how can we make sure we're giving our kids a good start with money? In this episode Ron Lieber, NY Times columnist and author of the newly released The Opposite of Spoiled, will share the latest research to help parents raise kids who generous and smart about money. As a bonus, Ron offers listeners a special opportunity to make a difference and show your kids the power of giving. The first 20 listeners who purchase his book and email him a copy of the receipt to ron@ronlieber will get a free $27 DonorsChoose gift card. Resources and Links from the Episode If you want to learn more, I highly recommend that you check out The Opposite of Spoiled as it does a thorough job of tackling some of the trickier situations of raising a financially savvy kid. You may also want to check out: Too Young for Finance? Think Again – Elmo and Lieber discussing the difference between needs vs wants Lieber's columns at the NYtimes Why You Should Tell Your Kids How Much Money You Make Thoughts on Raising Money Smart Kids I'd love to hear from you – what are some of your child's biggest money questions? How have you talked to them about your values and money?

We're doing a listener Q and a, and we're answering two big marriage and money-related questions: finding better banking options and how to decide whether or not to loan money to friends or family! Answering Your Marriage and Money Questions Last Q&A we covered getting back on track with financial goals, raising credit scores, and jumpstarting your financial cushion.  So what's on your minds now?  For one, it looks like you're looking for a better banking option. That's a smart move as many of us realize how key our checking and savings are in family finances. Getting hit with needless fees not only is draining your account, but most times it's not for your benefit, but instead about growing their profit.  We'll also look at how to help out a friend financially without hurting your own finances. We got a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Tackle Your Money Together Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Should We Loan Money to Family? How to Master and Maximize Your Bank Accounts Together Join Our Thriving Families Community on Facebook Thanks to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. See how Coastal can help you with your mortgage needs and Daymark Realty has a fantastic team ready to help find the perfect house for you in the Triangle area!  Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.    Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more.  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit of an IRA is choosing how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start to finish – for FREE. And yes, that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple , Spotify, or Audible. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

Ever dream of getting away from it? Learn how to prepare and plan your own adventure as Mike shares how he and his wife took their family on an RV trip across the Americas! Family Adventure: How to Plan for an Epic RV Trip We've been talking in a series of episodes about travel all this month- how to plan these different types of trips for your family that you'll enjoy and remember for a long time. But have you thought about doing something bigger?  Something where you don't just go away for a week on a vacation or a cruise, but actually take a break from your job, your house, and explore a different part of the world for a while? Sounds pretty crazy, right? I think most people would have a few things. That immediately come to mind about why it wouldn't work. How would we pay for this? Would we be able to find a job after we return? Could we sell your house? If you have kids, how would they deal with things? They're normal questions and concerns to have. I'd take it as a sign that you're someone who thinks things through. But wouldn't it be fun to shake up things a little? Mike Heroux of Dividend Guy is on the show to help you go from dream to reality by sharing his story and take on things. He and his wife are wrapping a trip they took as a family five through the Americas. In this episode, we look into: how they prepare their finances and themselves for their RV trip dealing with difficulties on the road how you can start building some income on the side for your own adventure Hope you enjoy it!   Resources to Travel More Thinking about traveling more this year? Here are some resources to check out to get you up and running with travel hacking: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money How to Be a Travel Hacker Credit Cards and Airline Miles – Can You Really Get Free Flights? Finding Great Deals on Hotels Debt Free Vacations – How It Works for Us How to Travel to Exotic, Expensive Cities on $50 a Day Don't forget to send in your marriage and money questions for our upcoming listener mailbag episode! Thanks to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. See how Coastal can help you with your mortgage needs and Daymark Realty has a fantastic team ready to help find the perfect house for you in the Triangle area!  Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more.  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit of an IRA is choosing how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start to finish – for FREE. And yes, that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple , Spotify, or Audible. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!                       

Want to see more of the world, but are limited by budget? Learn how one couple used travel hacking so their entire family could take fantastic trips!  Travel Hacking as a Family While, I know many families are eager to get out there and traveled to summer. I also know that one of the holdups they have is their budget. Whether you're flying, renting cars. Staying at an Airbnb hotel. Everything has gotten more expensive. Traveling as a couple can be pricey, but still feasible. But it can be a financial challenge when you add kids to the mix. That's why I want to share from the archive and interview I had with Dan Miller, founder of Points With a Crew. Dan's managed to score some wonderful deals on his trips including getting plane tickets for his entire family to lake Tahoe and a cross country train ride. Did I mention they're a family of eight? Hopefully we'll show how you can keep more money in your pocket and still have your family seeing the world around them. In today's episode he shares: how to choose the right credit cards to maximize rewards staying out of debt while staying on top of their credit cards tricks and tips on getting kids ready for traveling Hope you enjoy!   If you're looking for more travel tips from a couple with kids, please check out my interview with early retiree Justin from Root of Good. Travel Hacking Resources and More Want to learn more about travel hacking? Here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Connect with Dan: Points with a Crew| Twitter How to Be a Travel Hacker Budget vs Luxury Hotels for Families Hotels with Free Dinners Credit Cards and Airline Miles – Can You Really Get Free Flights? Finding Great Deals on Hotels Debt Free Vacations – How It Works for Us 17 Travel Hacking Tips for People Who Value Their Time and Sanity  How to Master Life, Language, and Travel Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. See how Coastal can help you with your mortgage needs and Daymark Realty has a fantastic team ready to help find the perfect house for you in the Triangle area!  Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf. Support the Podcast Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple , Spotify, or Audible. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! This episode was originally released in April 2015. Show notes have been updated in May 2022.     Find out how and get started today!

Want to Take Cross Country Road Trip Together? How many times have you guys thought about traveling? Not just a weekend getaway or a vacation, but really seeing another place? What's stopping you?  These last few years with the pandemic have been..well, alot. We've had lockdowns, restrictions, and having to adjust work for the norm. On top of that, if you have kids, school looked completely different.  While we're understandably cautious and keeping an eye on things, I believe many of us are also hoping not just to travel like before but want to try something different.  That Trip Advisor survey I mentioned last week about travel trends highlighted that more people wanted to explore different locations. It was less about visiting tourist traps and more about embracing their destination's uniqueness. That's why I'd think you enjoyed my interview with Derek and Carrie Olsen. Years ago, they, along with their then toddler, took a cross-country trip with their trusty travel trailer.  Even now, it's one of my favorite interviews. They're a sweet couple but they also had some fantastic tips and thoughts on how to simplify things and have a true family adventure.  So whether you're thinking about taking an epic trip or pivoting in your career or life, I think you'll enjoy this chat.  In this episode, we get into:  how Derek and Carrie prepare for this trip how you can purge and shed your stuff to either get rid of the clutter or make some money  how you stay motivated so you can achieve your goal  I hope you enjoy! Resources to Have a Memorable and Affordable Trip  Here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Travel Hacking Essentials How to Travel Like a Rock Star on the Cheap Travel Hacks: Couples Edition Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. See how Coastal can help you with your mortgage needs and Daymark Realty has a fantastic team ready to help find the perfect house for you in the Triangle area!  Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! pport the Podcast Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple , Spotify, or Audible. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! This episode was originally released February 2016. Shownotes and episode were updated May 2022.  

Want to get out and travel more this year without breaking your budget? Learn how you can use travel hacking as a couple to get great deals on your trips!   Travel Hacking Together As we move into May, I'm hearing more and more couples talk about travel. With better weather and after an unprecedented - yeah I said it - two years, many are looking for a change in scenery.  According to Trip Advisor, 68% of Americans are looking to travel domestically and 29% are considering a trip abroad. Travel can be a fantastic way to shift our perspectives and rest a bit.  Because many in our community are trying to work toward financial goals as well, it's even more important to find ways to get deals on vacations.  That's why I want to pull from the archives and share an interview I had with Peter and Ruby, from  A Journey We Love. They had some wonderful travel hacking tips on how to keep your trips low stress, fun, and affordable.  During our chat, we got into:  their process for finding deals with their trips how they budget during their travels tips for first-time travelers Hope you enjoy it! Travel Hacking Resources and More Want to learn more about travel hacking? Here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Travel Hacking Essentials How to Travel Like a Rock Star on the Cheap Travel Hacks: Couples Edition Pro Travel Hacks for Every Aspect of Your Next Trip Best flight search tool: Google Flights Quick Money Tips for Travelers How To Find Mistake Fares And Fly For Cheap Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. See how Coastal can help you with your mortgage needs and Daymark Realty has a fantastic team ready to help find the perfect house for you in the Triangle area!  Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.    Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple , Spotify, or Audible. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! This episode was originally released in January 2017. Show notes have been updated April 2022.

Thinking of selling your house? Today we'll go over how to prepare your place so you can get the best price for it! What You Need to Know to Sell Your House for More So far this month, we've been focused on buying a house. We looked at mortgages last week, discussed how to find some hidden gems in your city, and what mistakes to avoid during your house hunt. Now we're looking at the other side: selling your place.  Right now in Raleigh, it's a seller's market. On the plus side, houses are selling faster and for more. Still, it can feel overwhelming, especially if you're also trying to find your next place at the same time.   So how can you prepare your place to maximize your sales price? Which updates can attract more interest and which can hurt? Is there a good time to list your house? These are a few questions that can pop up so that's why I'm thrilled to share from the vault an interview I had with Mariella Guillama is here today. She's an award -winning Real Estate Broker at Daymark Realty. We used Daymark when we sold our first home and for buying our current place. We're super happy with the experience.  In this episode, we'll get into: finding the best price to list it  what mistakes to avoid so you're not wasting time or money how to prepare your place so it wows potential buyers and you get top dollar offers  We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Get Top Dollar When Selling Your House Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Free 5 Days to $5K Course Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Quick and Essential Guide to Sell Your House for More Money Real Estate Agent, Broker, Realtor: What's the Difference? Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. See how Coastal can help you with your mortgage needs and Daymark Realty has a fantastic team ready to help find the perfect house for you in the Triangle area!    Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple , Spotify, or Audible. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! This episode and show notes have been updated April 2022. Music Credit Our theme song is from Staircases. Additional music by various artists from Audiio.

Buying a house is typically the biggest purchase couples make so you want to have your numbers line up with your goals and budget. Learn how you can find the best mortgage rates when you house hunt!  Finding the Best Mortgages Rates Are you two getting ready to start house hunting? Congratulations! When we were looking for our now current house, I remember the excitement of visiting and touring places. I also remember the other side of the house hunt: getting paperwork for the preapproval letter, running the numbers to figure out our budget, and reviewing mortgage documents.  At the time, it was a bit intimidating. Knowing that this was a huge purchase, we really wanted to get it right.  Thankfully we had a great team that answered all of our questions. Now years later, we are still happy with how things turned out. We have a home that we love that's also affordable enough that we can take care of other goals and dreams. I want you to feel the same way about the home you buy and a key part of that is finding the mortgage option for your family's budget.  This is why I'm thrilled to pull from the archives an enlightening chat I had with Wendy Dawson. She's the Vice President of Mortgage Lending over at Coastal Credit Union. She decodes a lot of the jargon and gives some fantastic tips on finding the right mortgage. In this episode we get into: what mistakes to avoid as a first-time homebuyer typical costs of being a homeowner (beyond the mortgage payment) what exactly are Mortgage Interest Rates, APRS, Origination Fees, and Points Hope you enjoy it!   Resources on Getting a Great Deal on Your Mortgage If you're looking to buy, here are some resources to help you find a great deal with your mortgage Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Free 5 Days to $5K Course Basic Mortgage Terminology Buying a House: Explore Interest Rates Buying a House: Loan Estimate Explainer Understand Mortgage Loan Options   Buying a Home: From Contemplation to Closing Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. See how Coastal can help you with your mortgage needs and Daymark Realty has a fantastic team ready to help find the perfect house for you in the Triangle area!  Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with?   One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.    Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple , Spotify, or Audible. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Find out how and get started today!                           

Looking to buy a house you can comfortably afford? Today we're going over how you can find a hidden gem and not a money pit!  How to Find and Buy a House You Can Afford I don't know how things are in your area, but here in the Triangle, the housing market is hot. Prices have shot up. The median price of homes currently listed in Raleigh is $379,000.  To give you some context, a townhouse on our street went for more than double what we paid for our single-family house a few years ago. Just the other week, I caught a story on the local news about how unaffordable the Raleigh Durham area is getting.  If you want to buy a house you have to be a savvy house hunter.  Now you may have heard that you can snag a deal with a fixer-upper, but how do you know which houses are diamonds in the rough and which ones are money pits?   If you're thinking of or are planning on buying a house soon, you may be facing these same questions and challenges. That's why I'm pulling from the archives my interview with  Louis Guillama.  He's the Vice President of Real Estate Operations over at Coastal Credit Union. He has decades of experience with the real estate agent side as well as home renovations.  In this episode, we're going to discuss: the differences between buying new construction versus resale  spotting great (and still affordable) neighborhoods, and then  finding a fixer-upper instead of a money pit We have so much to cover, so let's get started!  Resources on Buying a House If you're looking to buy, here are some resources to help you find an affordable place you love! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money My friend was about to buy a million-dollar house with no research What You Need to Know About Mortgages Buying a Home: From Contemplation to Closing Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. If you need an agent, Daymark Realty has a fantastic team ready to help find the perfect house for you in the Triangle area!  Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process– for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple , Spotify, or Audible. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere. This episode was originally released in July 2019. Shownotes have been updated April 2022.

Are you house hunting or about to start? Learn how you can buy the right house for you and your budget.  Mistakes Home Buyers Make Buying a house is usually one of the biggest purchases you can make and the financial paperwork of getting a mortgage gets complicated quickly.  Besides having a down payment ready, you have other costs like  Home inspection Lender fees Appraisal Title search and insurance fees And so forth If you're buying a $300,000 home, you're looking at paying anywhere from $6,000 to $15,000 in closing costs. If you're living in an HCOL area, those numbers leap up.  It's really important to make sure you're ready for this leap before you signed the papers. You rush into it and you're stuck with a mortgage you can't comfortably afford, making your home a burden, not a blessing.  If you live in a hot real estate market it's even more of a challenge. You're dealing with multiple bids, some of them being much higher than the listing price. Here in Raleigh, it's not uncommon to be competing with all-cash offers.  In the middle of 2020, my mom moved to be closer to us in Raleigh and we helped her with the home buying process. It was stressful because there were so many more buyers than houses. It took some patience, reflecting on what features she needed and truly wanted, and honing in on the budget, but thankfully she bought a great place for herself.   Whether you're a first-time buyer or not, my advice is to detach yourself emotionally from the process. That's easier said than done.  That's why I want to share from the archives an interview I did with Jonathan White. He's the author of A Tale of Two Houses: Our journey of buying a home the right way after buying one the wrong way.  As you can guess from the title, Jonathan understands some of those house-buying traps many of us fall into. He made In this episode we get into: Some of those home-buying myths that can get you into trouble Unexpected expenses that come up as a homeowner Why you need to run your own numbers Are you ready? Let's get started!  Resources on Getting a Great Deal on Your Mortgage If you're looking to buy, here are some resources to help you find a great deal with your mortgage Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money What You Need to Know About Mortgages Understand Mortgage Loan Options Free 5 Days to $5K Course 9 Questions to Ask Before Buying a House Is It Better to Rent or Own a Home? How to Snag a Great Deal When Buying a House Buying a Home: From Contemplation to Closing Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. See how Coastal can help you with your mortgage needs! Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.     With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Avoid House Fever and Myths Even though had a background in accounting, Jon wasn't immune to house fever. Jon kept hearing from his friends how great home ownership was. Many comments he heard matched what we used to hear too. Some of my ‘favorites' include: “Renting is throwing away money.” “Home ownership helps you build equity.” “Real estate is an investment that will pay off.” While it may be well-intentioned or based on their personal experience, these comments may not be true for your circumstances. You have to really look at the costs before you buy a house. Besides the obvious, there are expenses that homeowners may have that renters don't. Taking care of your own maintenance is a big one. Depending on where you live, you may find yourself buying property that is a part of an additional expense – a home association. Before you buy a place that's a part of a home association: Know the bylaws. Check with residents. See if they're happy or not. Ask about fees over the last few years. Have they been increasing? Why? See what are the HOA's responsibilities and which would be yours. Jon found out the hard way when he was hit with $5k special assessment! Taking Time to Buy the Right House Fast forward a few years, Jon got married. He and his wife used the principles and baby steps of Dave Ramsey to build their finances together. Eventually they became parents and that's when they began to consider selling the condo and getting another house with some more space. Seeing where things went wrong, Jon was determined to not let the same thing happen with their next house. He and his wife started with running the numbers themselves. Knowing what they could afford proved to beneficial as they were tempted with one house during their search. While they didn't get that one, they did find a house that suited their family and was within their budget. Now years later, they're both happy with where they are. If you want to be better prepared for your house hunt, please check out Jon's new book,  A Tale of Two Houses. Jon goes into detail about the mistakes he made when he purchased his condo in 2006 and what he and his wife did right with their current home! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher or Audible.  Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Become a Patron.  Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Come check out artists over at Audiio!

Carla Titus shares the realities of running a profitable business from home and how she and her husband created a system that fits their goals and family life! The Realities of Starting a Side Hustle from Home Nowadays it's become more common for couples and families to diversify their income. Whether it's because they looking to knock out some debt, save up for a house or another goal, or they want to pivot their career, couples are looking at side hustles.  We've had several episodes about the essentials of starting a side business, but one of the biggest struggles many have is sustaining it.  Whether it's working around your family or day job, the reality is you only have so much time. How do you make it work? How can you start and build a business?  Carla Titus is on the show today to share her expertise and her story.  She is the CEO of Wealth and Worth where she uses her over ten years of corporate financial planning, analysis, strategy, and startup CFO experience to help entrepreneurs take control of their finances and level up their business. In this episode we'll get into: Finding not that balance, but the flow between family and your side hustle When to outsource  how to get the pricing right – many entrepreneurs struggle with this Hope you enjoy! Resources for Launching a Side Hustle Here are some fantastic resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 5 Days to $5K  Wealth & Worth Within How to Diversify Your Income with Side Hustles Being Productive as a Work from Home Parent Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher or Audible.  Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Become a Patron.  Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Come check out artists over at Audiio!  

Feeling trapped by debt? Get the strategies, tactics, and resources to help you pay yours off faster!  Using Side Hustles to Pay Off Your Student Loans and Other Debts Faster Depending on where you are with your financial journey you may be dealing with debt. In some cases, a mountain of it.  Right now people are keeping an eye out on student loans and understandably so. It's been estimated that 62% of college seniors who graduated from nonprofit colleges in 2019 had student loan debt. It's a burden on many budgets and can feel even heavier if you have other debts like car payments and credit cards. Did you know that the average payment for a used car is over $400?  It may be that earning more is a necessity if you're trying to get out of debt as soon as possible.  This is why I wanted to share from the archives a discussion I had with Kevin, attorney, side hustler, and the creator of Financial Panther. Years ago, he used side hustles to pay off $87,000 in student loans in less than 3 years! In this episode we'll get into: what motivated him to pay them off ASAP the real work involved with different side hustles  how your phone can help you earn cash Hope you enjoy! If you want to get the ins and outs of repaying your student loan, please check out my interview with Jay Fleischman. Resources to Pay Off Debts Faster If you're ready to dump your student loan debt, here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 5 Days to $5K  How I Paid Off $87,000 Of Student Loans In 2.5 Years The Secret To Paying Off Debt  Consumer Help Central – If you're having a hard time keeping up with your student loan payments, Jay Fleischman is THE resource. Student Loan Show – Jay's podcast on student loans. Knocking Down the Student Loan UberEats: Deliver with Uber Eats and earn on your own schedule Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast!  If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word. If you have friends who could boost their savings, please share this episode with them on social media or just email the link!   Leave a review. Every review helps! Please share your honest feedback on Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or Audible.  Become a Patron. 

Looking to balance work and family? LaTisha Styles shares her take and story on being a happily married entrepreneur! Entrepreneurs + Marriage One of the ways the pandemic has reshaped things is by seeing how many more people are working from home.  I've seen different reports and estimates give ranging from 25-32%.  Working from home offers many benefits, but has its challenges. I've been working from home for years and had a flow. When my husband went full-time remote and the kids did the virtual academy with school, we knew we had reconfigured a few things to make it work.  We created spaces for school and work and had to adjust our schedules and routines. As working parents, we have to be careful that work doesn't spill over to family time.  It's especially hard as an entrepreneur, where you have a huge impact on your business's bottom line.  This is why I'm pulling from the archives an interview I had with LaTisha Styles. She's the Founder & CEO of You've Got Clients®, a marketing consultancy. When I first met her she created Young Finances to help millennials build better habits with their money.  During our chat, Latisha shared her thoughts, experiences, and tips on being an entrepreneur and being fully engaged with her family. In this episode we get into:  what made Leticia start her own business creating boundaries for her family and business how she and her husband support one I hope you enjoy it!  Resources to Help You Launch a Side Hustle If you're ready to make the leap, here are some more resources to help you build another income stream. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 5 Days to $5K  Launch by Jeff Walker The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich Launching a Business as a Creative Entrepreneur Developing a Money Making Hobby Starting and Building a Side Hustle with Fiverr Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast!  If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word. If you have friends who could boost their savings, please share this episode with them on social media or just email the link!   Leave a review. Every review helps! Please share your honest feedback on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  Visit our Couple Money Toolkit for more info on available apps, tools, and services to master your money together. Become a Patron.  This episode was originally published in November 2016. Show notes have been updated March 2022.

Looking to boost your income? Learn how to find and launch a side hustle so Are you thinking of starting a side hustle, but you're afraid of burnout? Learn how you can have the best of both worlds – diversify your income and earn money on the side while keeping it sustainable and fit around your schedule! Boost and Diversify Your Income All this month we're focusing on ways to earn more.  The concern though is about the time and effort involved with building up another stream of income. Most of us are busy and we're not looking to take on a second job at night or the weekends, especially if we have other responsibilities, including kids. This is where a side hustle can be a practical solution. First, though, let's talk about some of the worries people have about starting a side hustle. Type in ‘side hustle' on the web and you'll get some pretty ridiculous claims. Too many times it's this empty promise of getting rich quick. Or it's all about the grind, where people brag about the crazy hours they put in. When I say side hustle, I'm referring to part-time entrepreneurship that is built around your schedule. I know there are those who push the grind, but I'm not interested in sharing ways you can burn-out. I want you to find and launch a sustainable business on the side. Today's show is designed to help you figure out if this is the right option for you.  From the vault, I found a gem of conversation with Nick Loper. He's the creator of Side Hustle Nation and author of multiple books.  One thing I respect about Nick is how open he is about when things work and when they don't. If you decide to pursue a side hustle, I want you to have a clear view of challenges that can come up and resources that can make things easier.  In this episode we get into: Why it's important to diversity your income give you some tips on how to be productive How to use your side hustle money to speed your way to financial freedom Are you ready? Let's get started! Resources to Help You Launch a Side Hustle If you're ready to make the leap, here are some more resources to help you build another income stream. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 5 Days to $5K  Being Productive as a Work from Home Parent WORK SMARTER: 500+ Online Resources Today's Top Entrepreneurs Use to Increase Productivity and Achieve Their Goals The Side Hustle Path (4 Book Series) Stacked Book Tour 

Want to make extra money to help you pay down debt or explore a new career? Chris Guillbeau shares how to launch a profitable side hustle in 27 days! Want to Launch a Side Hustle? One of the biggest hurdles I see and hear from couples in the community about why they're not able to pay down their debt, save or invest more is that they don't really have a lot of buffer in their budget. They just don't have that extra cash to put towards their goals. Typically, when you look at the numbers, there are a few ways that you can optimize your budget and cut down on some expenses, maybe negotiate some better deals on some bills. Sometimes, though, it isn't just a spending issue. It's an income issue. After your worked a full-time job, Most people I know aren't necessarily looking to take on a second one and being tied down to another fixed schedule for so-so pay. Is there a way for you to earn more, maybe on the side, that caps into one of your talents and can you use that income to either grow your emergency fund, knock out some of, knock out some or all of your debt, and explore a new career? If you've been online for any amount of time, you've probably heard the idea of starting a side hustle. But I'm not talking about what you see typically in social media where people are practically bragging about how many hours they are putting in. If that works for them. Great. Today I'm going to be talking about starting a side hustle that is sustainable. That means that you're not focused just on the hours you're putting in, but you're thoughtfully planning out the process so that you're making an impact, building some income, and still have a life. Which is why I'm so happy to pull from the archive in interview I had with Chris Guillebeau. He's a serial entrepreneur, host of the Side Hustle School Podcast, and author of several books. In this episode, we get into how you can figure out what a good side hustle would be for you. The process of starting one and launching in about a month. And how has sustainable side hustle? Can also help you build your legacy. Are you ready let's get started In this episode we get into: why a side hustle can be a wonderful option how you can start one in less than a month why and how a sustainable side hustle can also build your legacy Hope you enjoy! Resources to Launch a Profitable Side Hustle If you're looking to start or build a side hustle, here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 5 Days to $5K  Being Productive as a Work from Home Parent Developing a Money Making Hobby Launching a Business as a Creative Entrepreneur Starting and Building a Side Hustle with Fiverr Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast!  If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word. If you have friends who could boost their savings, please share this episode with them on social media or just email the link!   Leave a review. Every review helps! Please share your honest feedback on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.  Visit our Couple Money Toolkit for more info on available apps, tools, and services to master your money together. Become a Patron.  Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere and Logan from Music for Makers in this episode.  

oday we're answering your marriage and money questions – choosing financial goals, raising credit scores, and how to start an emergency funds! Answering Your Marriage and Money Questions Welcome to another community mailbag episode, where we tackle your marriage and money questions. And we have some great ones today. These past two years have been challenging for many in our community because of the uncertainty. For some couples, the big goal is to get back to their financial goals because they've hit the pause button for a while. Not getting any worse with their finances, but not making the progress that they want to. Today, we're going to focus on how to get back on track by honing in on key goals to tackle this year. We also have some couples looking forward to buying a house in the near future so something that they want to do now is to raise their credit scores to hopefully qualify for uh, competitive mortgage rate. Finally one lesson that's really sunk in these days is the importance of having a financial cushion. The first step with that is getting a starter emergency fund up. How do you jumpstart that process? We have so much to cover today. So let's get started! Resources to Win with Your Money Want to go ahead and tackle your big marriage and money goals? Here are the resources we mentioned in today's episode along with some extras! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 5 Days to $5K  Annual Credit Report: Free way to review each of your credit reports Credit Report Dispute Templates Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts!   Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast!  If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word. If you have friends who could boost their savings, please share this episode with them on social media or just email the link!   Leave a review. Every review helps! Please share your honest feedback on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.  Visit our Couple Money Toolkit for more info on available apps, tools, and services to master your money together. Become a Patron.  Special Thanks!  The music today was provided by various artists over at Audiio.

Want to retire early, but your spouse isn't ready? Learn how Jamila and her husband got on the same page with financial independence and saved over $80,000 last year!  Getting on the Same Page with Financial Independence Wouldn't it be fantastic if the two of you were instantly on the same page with your finances? Even though we're at a place where we're on the same page with major goals, there's still times where we have to sit down and figure out the details about how to go about. We try to find solutions that we're both happy with.  It could be one of persuading the other or it could be putting together a third option. In other words, don't be surprised when two of you aren't instantly on the same wavelength.  I believe that's a strength with marriage – you two are seeing and testing ideas out from different perspectives.  That's why I really connected with what Jamila said at the top of the show. You can sometimes be enthusiastic about tackling your debt, saving more, or investing towards retirement and your spouse….ehh..not much.  Since you're in this together, how do you get your spouse on board, especially when it's a huge shift with your finances?  That's why I'm excited to share from the archives an interview I had with Journey to Launch creator Jamilia Souffrant since she's been down this path. She has gotten her husband on board with drastically increasing their savings so they could pursue financial freedom and independence. In this episode, we get into: how she and her husband first handled their money and paid down debt discovering financial independence and winning him over how they work together with money and created a system that respects both their styles Hope you enjoy!  Handy Resources for FI Couples If you're looking to get ahead with your finances as a family, here are more resources to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Manage Your 401(k) Easily: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Simplify and Enjoy: Financial Freedom for Families Retire Early By Rethinking Your Priorities How We Saved $85,000 Setting Up Your Retirement with the Right Tools The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement Build Your Marriage & Wealth with Money Dates Send in Your Marriage and Money Questions here! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today!                  

Fast rising rents can break a couple's carefully planned budget. Learn six strategies that can help lower your rent and keep more money in your pocket!  Getting a Deal on Your Rent One of the biggest expenses for couples is housing, especially when it comes to renting in a high cost of living area. According to Realtor.com's Monthly Rental Report, on average the cost of rent was 10.1% higher in 2021 than in 2020.  Living in the Triangle area of North Carolina, we're seeing rents rise fast. We've heard from multiple friends how quickly their rents have jumped.  There have been plenty of news stories about it. Rents in Durham 20.1% and here in Raleigh going up 22.1%. Since our theme this month is about saving you money, I'm glad to highlight my chat with Justin Pogue. He's an asset & property management professional and the author of Rental Secrets. Justin shared with me some strategies that can help you get a better deal on your rent and save some serious cash.  In this episode we get into: Six strategies to lower your rent Biggest mistakes he sees renters make  What to look to for when apartment hunting Are you ready? Let's get started!  Resources to Boost Your Savings Rate Want to start boosting your savings rate? Here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint 5 Days to $5K: It's my free weeklong course to show you how to find, save, and make extra money so you can dump debt and save more!  17 Money Saving Strategies We Used to Triple Our Savings Rate Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast!  If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word. If you have friends who could boost their savings, please share this episode with them on social media or just email the link!   Leave a review. Every review helps! Please share your honest feedback on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.  Visit our Couple Money Toolkit for more info on available apps, tools, and services to master your money together. Become a Patron.  Special Thanks!  The music today was provided by various artists over at Audiio. 

Looking to hit your money goals faster? Today we'll share one couple's best tips that allowed them to save half their income!  How to Save More Than Half Your Income Did you know that ‘saving more' was one of the top three goals for finances for 2022? Actually as I've been reviewing the data from Fidelity's Financial Resolutions Study, I've noticed it's been there for several years.  Understandably so because there are plenty of goals families are saving up for.  You have specific goals: an emergency fund, vacations, down payment for a home or money to start a business. You could be stashing away money towards your 401(k) or IRA so you can have something for retirement. Or you want to help out your kids with college or wedding expenses.  Wait, maybe 50% isn't enough.  Sometimes it does feel that way.  Hopefully it does highlight why it's so important for all of us to get into the habit of saving.  The good news is all this month we're going to examine different stories and ways you can not only save money, but still have a life.  By looking at how other families manage their money, you can test them out and see which ones work best for you.  Which is why I've pulled this conversation I had with Matt of Distilled Dollar from the archive. He's definitely someone I'd consider a super saver, but that wasn't always the case.  As you'll hear he and his now wife had over six-figures of student loan debt.  In our chat, Matt breaks down what motivated him to pursue financial independence and become a super saver how they approach their spending (it's not a traditional budget) some hacks they do to keep their expenses low living in Chicago Are you ready? Let's get started!  It's not your typical millennial money story.   Hope you enjoy!   Elle Martinez          How to Save More Than Half Your Income with Distilled Dollar           How to Save More Than Half Your Income with Distilled Dollar                             If you're looking additional ways to save half your income, please check out my interview Joe and Kathleen of Stacking Benjamins. Resources to Boost Your Savings Rate Want to start boosting your savings rate? Here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom 5 Days to $5K: It's my free weeklong course to show you how to find, save, and make extra money so you can dump debt and save more!  17 Money Saving Strategies We Used to Triple Our Savings Rate How We Went From Earning a Living to Building Wealth, Together 3 Money Tips to Best Afford Luxuries Millennial Money Minutes Podcast Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Join the Community & Get Your Free Money Toolkit! Quickly & easily set your money up to hit your goals faster!  Join our community to get the free toolkit and newsletter! Get Instant Access We never share your information with third parties and will protect it in accordance with our Privacy Policy Find out how and get started today! Getting Out of the Paycheck to Paycheck Cycle Back in 2014 Matt and his now wife were carrying a ton of debt. He was 24 and she was 23 and between the of them, they had around $150,000 in student loan debt.  This huge amount of debt was affecting their relationship.  We were obviously heading in the wrong direction. I mean we wouldn't fight about money but there was this underlying current strife and turmoil associated with paying off our loans. Matt – [2:05] What's amazing is that they have gone from being deep in debt to becoming financially free.  They dumped all of their $150,000 of student loans in four years!  It wasn't an easy process, but it's doable. Matt shared the strategies and tactics that pushed them to save 60% of their income.   Financial Freedom, Not Deprivation No matter how you look at it, a 60% savings rate mean there is a serious drop in spending.  Now you might be thinking that this means you deprive yourselves of fun, but that's not the case.  Many times as you define clearly what you want (financial freedom), you begin to see that there are opportunities to dig deeper to still have fun without the needless expenses.  Here are some of their big money wins: Live tiny, save big. By skipping out on the extra bedroom and strategically hunting for a place that was close to work, they were able to save about $12,000/year.  Skip the car. Tied to finding the place for them, by focusing on a location where walking was a viable option allowed them to dump the car and all of the associated expenses. That meant they could save over $8,000/year.  Meal plan like a champ. Matt saves a ton of time and money with this one. Lunches out with coworkers can quickly add up. Matt thinks they easily save $5,000/year by cooking more at home.  Seek low-cost entertainment. Eating out and going to the movies can be a fun and expensive way to relax. they now watch most of their movies at home and explore free events around Chicago when they want to have a night out together. They estimated about $300/year saved with just the movies at home switch.  So with these five changes, they saved over $25,000 a year! Do you see how focusing on big wins can speed up your timetable?  If you want more ideas on how you can save, I created a free course – 5 Days to $5K – that will take you step by step on having big wins without spending a ton of time. Most of my tips can be implemented in about 20 minutes.   Implementing Instead of Just Reading Matt admits that it wasn't an issue of not understanding personal finance that was keeping them in this cycle of debt. He estimates that at that point he had read over 100 personal finance books! Those books made no difference until he started implementing them. As they started seeing those wins (some big, some small), they were encouraged to keep pushing on.  As you read some of the big wins they had, did any jump at you? Remember implementation is the key here.  I don't expect all of them to apply to you, but you two should be able to track out one or two of them and see how it goes.  You may not save as much as they did, but you can still have some huge wins under your belt (and extra cash in your wallet).  If you don't know where to start, my suggestion is to first be very aware of your money. do you two know exactly how much is coming in and going out?  There are some fantastic apps and more that will help you keep tabs on your money. some of my favorites out there include Tiller, Personal Capital, and  Mint. You can also review the Couple Money Toolkit for more ways you can slash your bills, grow your money, and invest wisely.  Support the Podcast!  If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word. If you have friends who could boost their savings, please share this episode with them on social media or just email the link!   Leave a review. Every review helps! Please share your honest feedback on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.  Visit our Couple Money Toolkit for more info on available apps, tools, and services to master your money together. Become a Patron.  Special Thanks!  The music today was provided by various artists over at Audiio. This episode was originally released January 2017. Shownotes and podcast have been updated Febraury 2022.                                    

Want to pay off your mortgage early, but don't know how? Learn how you can find the money so you can own your home free and clear! Pay Your Mortgage Off Early? Have you ever wondered how it would feel to be rid of your mortgage payment to own your house free and clear?    Even though we got a really good deal on her place, I would love to not see that huge chunk of money leave our accounts every month.   Right now, we're on a plan to knock out our mortgage early and we're excited about the process. Of course, this isn't an overnight thing, so something what's been motivating and encouraging is listening to others share how it felt to get rid of that debt. I think that's going to be the frustrating piece for everybody. Who's thinking they're gonna pay off their mortgage early. That there's going to be some big parties, Guess I'll just send that payment online and celebrate at home, noted.  By the way, that's Steve Stewart. He's the talented editor behind some of fantastic podcasts like Stacking Benjamins, ChooseFI, and Financial Grownup.  A few years ago, Steve and his wife went to their lender with cash and paid off their mortgage. Today, we're pulling from the archive my chat with Steve about hitting that huge milestone.  In this episode, we'll get into: Why Steve and his wife chose to focus on paying off their mortgage Building momentum and payments How you can create a mortgage free plan that fits your goals and budget Are you ready? Let's get started!  Resources to Dump Your Mortgage Faster If you're looking to dig in deeper on mortgages, here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint YNAB

Do you feel frustrated with how slow things are going with your debt free plan?  Maybe you have credit cards, it seems like you're barely making a dent on them.  Today we'll go over ways the two of you can have more wins with your money and knock out your debts!  Dumping Debt with Popcorn Finance Nothing is more demotivating than putting a lot of effort into something and not seeing any real results.  For many families, debt – especially credit cards – can be especially stressful. Judging by some reports, it's a big financial issue. Bankrate recently surveyed thousands of Americans and they found that the balance of 42% of U.S. adults with credit card debt have increased since the pandemic started.  One huge hurdle is how high the interest rates tend to be with credit cards. Now if you have an excellent credit score 13% while those who have fair credit care looking at an average just under 23%. It's almost like being in quicksand unless you're making some significant payments. This is why I'm happy to share from the archive, my chat with Chris Browning. He's the creator and host of Popcorn Finance is on the show to share how he and his wife “K'” had to work together to pay off their debts.  We get into: how they got into $14k of credit card debt the system they use to budget and knock out their debts Handy books to motivate you to become debt free faster Hope you enjoy!   Elle Martinez          Working Together to Dump Debt and Save with Popcorn Finance           Working Together to Dump Debt and Save with Popcorn Finance                             Resources to Dump Debt and Save Together Want to make talking about money less stressful? Here are some fantastic resources to motivate and nudge you to debt freedom faster! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Zeta Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Total Money Makeover Free Debt Snowball Template Trim: With Trim, you can cancel subscriptions and negotiate your bills. Billshark: They contact your service providers and negotiate the best price on your behalf. 5 Books to Motivate and Guide You to Become Debt Free Faster What's Your One Page Financial Plan? Our $27,000 Debt Story How to Successfully Budget as a Couple Listener Goals on Popcorn Finance If you want to chat some more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips please join us over at Thriving Families on Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Connect with Chris and Popcorn Finances Chris Browning is the creator and host of the award-winning Popcorn Finance Podcast. His goal is to break down and discuss finances in the time it takes to make a bag of popcorn. If you haven't already, give his podcast a listen and subscribe! Discovering Personal Finance Elle Martinez: Do you mind sharing your story? I think a lot of people that he had interpersonal finance if they're not advisors or coaches or whatever they start off from a personal space that they had to fix something with their finances. Was that the case with you? Chris Browning: Yeah. You know for me it was kind of a combination of things because I did go to school for personal finance.   I originally was planning on being a financial advisor and found that I didn't really care for the job that I was interviewing for a lot of sales jobs. So I have a little background in finance but for me, it really was getting into a ton of debt that really made me kind of focus and change things around for myself because I mean once we got married we kind of had to cover everything ourselves. And at that point we didn't have any debt but because we didn't really have much in savings. And even though we tried to make the waiting as like you know I guess inexpensive as possible we set it up. I think paying around fourteen thousand dollars for the wedding and ended up all going on credit cards because we didn't have any cash. That's kind of where the debt spiral kind of started and you know you getting a cycle of OK. Why did I make my payments? But then we didn't have anything saved so I kind of just kept perpetuating the growth of our debt. Every year. Things with them like school expenses doctor's visits emergency room stuff. And next thing we know it was like twenty-seven thousand dollars in debt. And that was kind of like the turning point for me for sure where I was like I got to do something about this I've got to get serious. Elle: Yeah. I think a lot of people can relate to getting into debt and especially with weddings. I mean at least it's cheaper than the average. I heard that's like $35,000. Well I'm kind of curious like with your wedding I know there are so many things that are special about it but was there one expense you're like, ‘We knew that we had to have this in our wedding because that was important to us'? Chris: I'm probably the wrong person to ask. I know I wasn't one of like. Do we have to buy this is this part? But I would say for sure it was, I think it was the venue we ended up going with. That was a really nice church. And Dana Point California it's kind of like a coastal like southern coastal part of California. OK. And it was up it wasn't extremely expensive. I mean I don't know what expensive it is for your church. I think we ended up paying like twelve hundred dollars. That's a lot of money. I did but I don't know if that's expensive or not. But it was a really beautiful location that was like up on a hill you could see the ocean from there. So that was really nice. Elle: With weddings, there are so many different ways you can go I know my husband was concerned about food like that was his thing like make sure we have like good food options. I think we ended up having like three on our menu. So nice. Yeah. So you said you realize like at a certain point something had to change. Was that something maybe you started your wife or were you both kind of feeling that at the same time I would say because we've even talked about it before. Chris: I think I was the most stressed out about it I think because because I did have a background in finance I knew what I should be doing and it was things like you know you shouldn't be doing these things but you're doing them anyways. Yeah. It just it's you can't beat yourself up about it. It was just getting really stressful. I just think about it all the time the fact that you know where these debt payments and they weren't shrinking because we weren't making any progress we were still using credit cards and so forth to pay it off at the same time which isn't an effective strategy at all. Elle: So did you decide to do like either a debt no more or an avalanche. How did that go for you guys. Chris: So we had our debt spread out over I think was about three credit cards and I went with the snowball method. I was paying off. I think I would think the right one as you about the lower balances. Yeah yeah. I guess I started with that method to pay off the smaller ones in that way. The minimum payment from that could move over to the bigger cards. And I was actually doing this is this thing where I don't know where and where I heard about this but because we had some higher interest cards I would kind of look around for the longest like zero interest promos credit cards that I would sign up for those and then do a balance transfer and I would say well you know a three or five percent fee to transfer it is better than the 20 percent interest I would pay if I didn't do this. It's got a boy that I like when I used to try to avoid some of the interest charges and kind of keep keep things afloat as we get the debt down to a smaller more manageable amount. Their System for Handing Money Elle: That makes sense. That makes it so are you. I'm assuming but I don't want to. Like when you handle your finances are you the one that comes out with the how-to part of the plan when you guys talk about it or do you and your wife go back and forth like she handles some of the bills and you handle others? How do you guys manage your money together? Chris: I think maybe because I just came into the relationship with more of a budget background. I kind of the I'm the one who takes charge with it at least so I have an excel spreadsheet where I like you know put our budget together and then I'm the one that puts all the data into the apps that we use and then we got a meetup and discuss it that way. She's more hands-off on the planning side but you know get her input. So you know I'm thinking about doing this. What do you think and it should say yes it's a good idea or no. Or maybe she has some other ideas she has in mind so I make more hands on. But then she provides some of the ideas and the feedback I'm talking about. Elle: Every couple kind of has their own method to the madness I call it. Do you guys do monthly check-ins or how do you handle monthly budget or do you do it like maybe paycheck or weekly? Chris: We both get paid bi-weekly so we budgeted a two-week basis so we can lay everything out for the two weeks. It's relatively I guess it's a consistent speech paycheck. We kind of have similar bills. I think for one paycheck of the month we have certain set items we pay in the next paycheck. It's another set or bigger items like our rent or I split it between the two. So we try to keep it fairly consistent but I've been working on looking at it I guess a month to month basis to kind of see it as anything coming up because I've talked to a few people that's kind of what they do they'll look at their month they'll say okay we have a birthday coming up this month or we have this event we're going to go to and they plan it that way which I'm like that's a good idea instead of having like a static budget which is what I kind of do right now. Elle: We kind of do that with our budget because it seems like I'd say eighty-five percent of our bills are the same. But then there is like next month my cousin's getting married so we have some trip expenses. You know we're gonna be eating out while we're there in Denver seeing some family and so forth. So we're cutting back this month to make sure you know there's a little buffer in there and adjusting as it goes. I'm always curious about how other people to it. You mentioned apps, do you have any favorite apps? Chris: we talked a little while ago and you told me you tried to like a ton of apps and I think I'm the same way I like I'm searching for the perfect app and everyone is a little bit different. So it's kind of hard but I think I've always go back to Mint. That's the one I've been using for probably I don't know eight years but once I started out with what I needed what I was looking for something to put my budget together and track my expenses I found them that they've been good so far. You know there are times where those features I want. But it's a solid platform and it works every time. So I'm like I don't want to mess with it too much and I haven't found anything that's really been able to replace it for me yet. But that's so far as my favorite one. Elle: So you've paid off your debt right. And what goals are you working on together as a couple? Chris: our next biggest goal was establishing an emergency fund because that was always like one of the things I worried about the most was that we didn't really have a ton in savings because so focused on paying down the debt. And I was always worried like somebody would come up and throw us back into debt. So for sure, that was one of the biggest things for me was putting together we were going with six months of our expenses for our emergency fund. And so that's the next big thing that we're working on and hoping to have finished up this year. Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

Feeling trapped at a job because you're dealing with debt? Find out how you can pay off your debt faster. Whitney Hansen shares how she eliminated $30,000 in less than a year!  Feeling trapped at a job because you're dealing with debt? Find out how you can pay off your debt faster. Whitney Hansen shares how she eliminated $30,000 in less than a year!  So financial independence in the truest sense is for me when you are officially at a point where you don't have to work anymore, you're officially retired if you so choose. But the goal of that is, is that you can start to have a lifestyle that kind of mimics financial independence earlier on. If you're very careful and you are paying off debt and you're intentional with your spending, and if you're not letting it get out of control, I think you can actually live some of those benefits sooner. And so that's kind of what I what I believe is that you can have this really cool life if you are willing to do the hard work. Now, you can actually have that life sooner than 65 years old. Whitney Hansen Paying Off Debt Faster I've been noticing a shift lately when the topic of money and paying off debt comes up. I hear from friends, family, neighbors and work buddies is this idea of having more options. It's not about a specific amount in the bank or retiring by a certain date. It's about being drawn to financial freedom because people to want to be stuck at a career they don't like or in a situation because they are just overwhelmed with debt. My guest today, Whitney Hanson, knows all about that desire to have more options and less debt. My guest today, Whitney Hansen, knows all about that desire to have more options and less debt. Today we'll get into: why motivated her to fast track paying off her student loans how she was able to get rid of $30,000 in less than a year what first steps she suggests if you want to be debt-free sooner than later Hope you enjoy! [smart_track_player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/More_Options_Less_Debt_Paying_off_30k_in_10_Months.mp3" ] Want to hear more from Whitney? Connect through her awesome podcast The Money Nerds, Twitter, and Instagram!  Resources to Help You Dump Debt and Start Building Wealth Tired of being in debt? Here are some resources to help you dump it and start saving more! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Attacking Debt: Which One First? Crush One Debt: Money Workshop The Great Debt Dump: Running Toward Financial Freedom with the Power of Community Which Debt Payoff Method Is Right for You? Knock Out Your Credit Card Debt If you want to chat some more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips please join us over at Thriving Families on Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.  And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

Looking to dump your debt faster? See how you can find a community to support you on your debt free journey! The Power of Community with Dumping Your Debt Faster This month is all about paying off debts. Instead of talking about debt snowballs and avalanches, apps or sites, we're going to look at the community; specifically the support network you may or may not have and how it can affect your success.  Toni Husbands is joining us today. She's the creator of debt free divas and author of the book, The Great Debt Dump: Running Toward Financial Freedom with the Power of Community. Besides knowing the stats and studies about getting out of debt. Toni has personal experience with becoming debt free. If her voice sounds familiar it's because Toni was on the podcast before when she shared her family's story of dumping six figures of debt. She had an added challenge because her husband Colin wasn't on board at first. So if you're in a similar boat, I think you'll enjoy this conversation where Toni discusses how to find and build up a community to support one another with dumping debt! Resources to Dump Your Debt Faster Tired of being in debt? Here are some resources to help you dump it. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Debt Free Charts Attacking Debt: Which One First? The Great Debt Dump: Running Toward Financial Freedom with the Power of Community Which Debt Payoff Method Is Right for You? 5 Books to Motivate and Guide You to Become Debt Free Faster If you want to chat some more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips please join us over at Thriving Families on Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Rollover Your 401(k) Easily with Capitalize We're grateful for wonderful partners like Capitalize. Not only do they support the podcast, but they help make managing your money so much easier.  Did you know that it's estimated that there are currently over 24 million “forgotten” 401(k) accounts? In fact, the average American changes jobs every 4 years.    And because of the Great Resignation, you or someone you know might be changing jobs even more  It's an extreme case of out of sight and out of mind. Is your old 401(k) in there somewhere, left behind at a job you're no longer with? One huge benefit with an IRA is you get to choose how your money is invested, not your old employer.  If you want to consolidate your old 401(k) and have more options with how you invest, it may be time to roll them over into an IRA.   With Capitalize, they handle the process from start-to-finish – for FREE. They handle the process from start-to-finish, and yes that includes calling the 401(k) provider on your behalf.  Find out how and get started today!  Key Takeaways Before we wrap up, I want to share a few takeaways from the discussion with Toni, I think would be really helpful for your own debt free journey.  Accountability can be a huge boost. Develop systems and habits to help you overcome those tough times.  Short term goals can build momentum and motivation. Of course there's so much more that we can get into, including the ins and outs about finding the best methods of paying off your debt. So, if you want to get the latest episodes, tips, and videos to help you pay off your debts faster, save more. And invest better. Please sign up over at couple money slash join to be a part of our VIP community. It's free and you'll get weekly emails sent to your inbox with all that information sent to you for your convenience. I want this year to be an incredible year for you and your family! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money.  Music and Photo Credits Music in this episode was provided by artists from Audiio. Photo by Helena Lopes from Pexels

In today's bonus episode, we're diving into hitting your money goals while still having fun!  Ready to Stack Some Benjamins in 2022?  Welcome to this end of year bonus episode!  As we're winding down and wrapping things up for 2021, one of the best things we can do is setting things up to make it easier to achieve our family and financial goals. For us, it's doing a review of the numbers to see what's worked and what's not. We're also spending time now deciding on what we really want to do in 2022 while of course keeping some flexibility because COVID is still a thing.   A big challenge many families face is creating and sticking with a plan that allows them to pay down their debts, save for priorities, and invest more.  Today's episode has something that I think will be a huge help.  I had the pleasure of chatting with Joe Saul-Sehy of the award winning Stacking Benjamins and personal finance author Emily Guy Birken about their new book, Stacked: Your Serious Guide to Modern Money Management.  Which is a mouthful of a title, but I got to tell you, the thing that jumped out at me about the book was how fun it was to read! Joe and Emily do an incredible job not just explaining key financial points, but they weave it in with game references (Oregon Trail, Tetris, and Monopoly are included in the first few chapters), but they have inside jokes, comics, and more.  It's all about making personal finance accessible and well, not boring.  So if you're looking for a reset, reboot, whatever you want to call it, I think you'll enjoy our conversation!  Stacked Giveaway To celebrate having an incredible 2022 and the release of Joe and Emily's book, we're hosting a giveaway! I'll be doing a random drawing to reimburse 5 listeners who pre-order Stacked as well as give them Amazon gift cards! Just enter here! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Music in this episode was provided by artists from Audiio.

Today we'll go over key steps on how to make and achieve your big family financial goals for next year!  How to Set Up (And Achieve) Your Family's Financial Goals As 2021 winds down, now is a great time to set up some pieces with your finances so you can knock things out of the ballpark in 2022.    Last week I went into how we've done year end reviews. They've been a wonderful way for us to get a snapshot of the progress we made and identify areas where we may want to adjust.    Most of the numbers reviewed are automated. There are some fantastic options out there like Personal Capital, Mint, Tiller, and You Need a Budget that can pull the numbers from your accounts into one neat dashboard.    However a year end review is just that - a review. If we want to level up for the next year, we have to have some blueprint or plan.    Here's where it's key for us to create our family financial goals. They give us a guide on how to allocate or prioritize our money for the year.    Today I want to walk you through some critical parts of that process so you can craft a game plan for next year and beyond.    In this episode, we're going to look at how you can tackle some major hurdles families have with creating and reaching their financial goals. We'll discuss: Creating better family and financial goals by taking the three most popular money goals families set and turning them into SMART goals Crafting a plan so you develop key habits that make it easier to hit your goals Finding time to adopt these new habits and systems Are you ready? Let's get started!  Resources to Build Up Your Family Finances Together Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Join Our Thriving Families Community on Facebook Tiny Changes with Big Results The Power of Habits Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. 

Get a peek into how we did with our goals for this year and see how you can do your year review and set yourself up for an incredible 2022! Why You Need to Do a Year-End Review with Your Money It's November, aka the time of the year where I usually start winding down.  As you may or may not know, I take December off from the podcast to recharge and rest things. We also have our anniversary then. With those things in mind, these last two episodes of the season are focused on helping you set things up for a fantastic year in 2022 and beyond. Besides our monthly money review, one of the things we do is a year end review. It's a way for us to review the numbers, celebrate wins, and see what we need to work on.  We then take that information and use it to plan out the next year.  Today I want to walk you through the process. We'll go through our goals we made for the year, finding the money to reach them, and whether we're on track with them or not.   Next week, we'll then look at how to create goals in a way so you can make progress.  Are you ready? Let's get started! Resources to Build Up Your Family Finances Together Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Join Our Thriving Families Community on Facebook Mortgage Free Master Plan Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. Find out more about what Coastal offers here! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

Today we're going to look at three common and awkward arguments married couples have around money  and how you can tackle them together!  Awkward Money Conversations When You're Married Marriage and money isn't always easy. Chances are the two of you have different personalities and approaches to finances.  Those differences can be a wonderful thing as you two can lean on each other's strengths and shore up weaknesses.  But finding your financial footing as a couple is not automatic. If you don't have some way to work on it, it can hurt your marriage and money.  One of the first things to realize about why couples fight or argue over money is how frequently it's actually NOT about the money. Seriously.  From personal experience, writing and speaking about this for over a decade, the most common reason couples fight about money is that they are not in sync with each other in either their expectations, values, or priorities. Usually it's a combo of them.  While you two aren't always going to see eye to eye on everything – again those differences can be fantastic- there are some ways you can work as a team and use those differences to your advantage.  Today we're going to talk about how you can use that knowledge to untangle some awkward money conversations that can come when you're married.  In this episode we'll get into questions like: figuring out what counts as a big purchase whether to loan money to family coming clean about debts Resources to Build Up Your Family Finances Together Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Join Our Thriving Families Community on Facebook Her Dinero Matters Podcast His and Her Money Show How to Loan Money to Family (and Not Regret It) How to Deal with (and Overcome) Financial Infidelity 7 Common Money Arguments in Marriage Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. Find out more about what Coastal offers here! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

How happy are you with your current banking situation? Are you getting real value out of your checking and savings accounts? Or do you feel like you're getting nickeled and dimed?  Today we'll go over how to find a better banking option and how to seamlessly move your money!  Why It Matters Where You Bank These are all important to your financial health and making progress on your goals, however we left the biggest piece of the puzzle last – your day to day bank accounts.  Your check and savings accounts are the backbone to your family's financial system, but for most of us, it's almost like an afterthought. Much of this goes back to how we chose our accounts in the first place. For my husband and I, with our first accounts, it was based on who we were already banking with. And at the time we had bank accounts with two of the major banks, we had opened student checking accounts. When I say they were basic accounts, that's exactly what they were. Honestly, we just settled with it for way too long. After getting frustrated with the horrible customer service, ridiculous fees. And not seeing any real progress with our financial goals. We decided it was time to change. We moved our money to an online bank and credit union and i have to say we are so much happier for it. We feel that our banking partners are actually partners that they're helping us reach our financial goals faster. And make our lives easier with managing our money. So if you feel that way about your bank or credit union, fantastic. However, there are plenty of families that feel like they're banking options are hurting them rather than helping. According to a recent Magnify Money survey, 68% of consumers are frustrated and feel like their savings isn't growing. When you consider that 18% of those said they get less than .05% APY, it's understandable. What makes it worse are those minimum balances and fees added on their accounts.  Bankrate reported that the average maintenance fee on a checking account that earns interest totaled $196.20/year.  So if you're feeling squeezed, you probably are. That doesn't have to be the case though.  With 2021 winding down, now is a great time to set the pieces up for you to have an incredible year in 2022. In this episode, we'll go over:  What to look for in your next bank or credit union How to move your money and switch accounts (and deal with a reluctant spouse) How to set up your new accounts for your best year ever Are you ready?  Let's get started!  Resources to Easily Manage Your Money Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Join Our Thriving Families Community on Facebook Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. Did you know that Coastal offers a Health Savings Account? If you have a high deductible health plan, you need to take advantage of an HSA. Find out more about what Coastal offers here! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photo by Adrien Olichon from Pexels

Get a sneak peek at how we handle our money system and our accounts. So that we are working towards our goals, even if we have more pressing or urgent things to take care of on the family front or with work! Easy Way to Manage Your Money A financial system that requires you to constantly check and worry about your money isn't going to cut it for most families. It doesn't for us.  With two kids, work, hobbies, and friends, we have a full life and we love it. Quite simply we see money as a tool, not the goal. It's to help us to care of our kids and lother loved ones,  So while I respect those highly detailed spreadsheets with line by line breakdowns of every cent, I save that for quarterly reviews. Instead, budget monthly and do weekly checks on Fridays that usually are five minutes just to make sure everything is running smoothly.  It took some time, but we're grateful to have a financial system that allows us to focus on the big stuff. We love even more considering these past 18 months.  If you're looking to make managing your money much easier, while still hitting your family's financial goals, this is your episode.  Today, we're discussing: Quick overview of how our financial goals and system shifted to fit the season of life we're in What principles give the framework to our financial system so we can hit our goals How to keep lifestyle inflation in check while still enjoying some fun Are you ready? Let's get started!  Resources to Easily Manage Your Money Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Join Our Thriving Families Community on Facebook Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. Did you know that Coastal offers a Health Savings Account? If you have a high deductible health plan, you need to take advantage of an HSA. Find out more about what Coastal offers here! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

For most couples, their 401(k)s are an important part of their retirement plans. Learn how you can avoid making big mistakes and make the most out of your 401(k)! Making the Most of Your 401(k) It's just there's a huge information overload and it's easy to get caught in the mess and not be sure how to actually do it. Today we're going to give you a leg up. Usually during this time of year, I pull in the experts like certified financial planners where we dive into the nitty gritty details of the different benefits and options that may be available.  I'm grateful for those experts who took the time to share some of their knowledge and will have those episodes up on the homepage so you can listen to them because much of it is still incredibly helpful.  Today, I'm doing what I did last week, which is to go over those FAQs that typically come up. Again, these questions are the ones I see on my side, from discussing through the newsletter, in the Facebook group  Thriving Families, or those Google searches.  In this episode we're discussing: The biggest mistakes couples make with their 401(k)s Figuring out how much you need to contribute What to do with your 401(k) at your old job Are you ready? Let's get started! Resources for Smarter Investing If you want to learn more about investing and staying on top of your money, here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money How to Start Investing: A Simple Guide for Busy Couples How to Maximize Your Retirement with Your 401(k)s How Much Should We Contribute to Our 401(k)? Master Your 401(k): Optimizing Your Investments Join Our Thriving Families Community on Facebook Capitalize: 401(k) Rollovers made easy Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. Did you know that Coastal offers a Health Savings Account? If you have a high deductible health plan, you need to take advantage of an HSA. Find out more about what Coastal offers here! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

It's that time again... open enrollment season and with it, a lot of decisions to make for the upcoming year. Today, we're going to go over how you can maximize your benefits, especially when it comes to health, dental, and disability insurance! Choosing Your Health Insurance, Dental, and Disability If there's one area of finances where families have a hard time -either they're not maximizing or they misunderstand it- it's open enrollment season. It's that time of year where HR sends you a packet of information about your benefits. One of the big things that I want families to focus on- especially busy ones- is going for the big wins. Yes. It is beneficial to get better financial habits and cutting those unnecessary expenses, maybe five or $10 here and using that money towards more impactful family and financial goals. But going for the big wins means that for a little bit of time and effort, you can have reoccurring winds or see a significant drop in your expenses or increase your savings. This is where open enrollment fits in. For this limited window that you get this information, you're going to be making some significant financial decisions for the upcoming year. The biggest one for most families, health insurance. What makes us extra challenging is we're doing this in the midst of still dealing with COVID. All this week and next, I want to make things easier for you so that you can focus on the key discussions you need to have so you can make the best choices for your family's particular needs. I'll be releasing on the site previous episodes where I've talked with certified financial planners about the ins and outs and details about your options. Today we're going to focus more on a Q and a style approach. Based on your feedback, along with what I'm seeing on my side with Google search in the community chat, I'm going to go over those questions that families often have as they're sorting through the paperwork. Our focus today will be on: weighing the pros and cons of health insurance plans why disability insurance doesn't get the credit it deserves how tax advantage accounts like HSAs and FSAs can help you save a significant amount of money Are you ready? Let's get started! Resources to Save serious Money Are you looking for more help with maximizing your benefits and saving more money? Here are some resources: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Zeta, HoneyFi, and Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Work Pants Finance 4 Tips to Make Filing Your Taxes Easier How to Find the Best (and Affordable!) Health Insurance Plan for Your Family How to Maximize Your Retirement with Your 401(k)s Insurance Coverage Families Needs with Matt Becker Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. Did you know that Coastal offers a Health Savings Account? If you have a high deductible health plan, you need to take advantage of an HSA. Find out more about what Coastal offers here! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

How are you feeling about your progress this year with your financial goals? Are you frustrated because you're not hitting them as fast as you had hoped? Do you feel like managing money is a chore? Believe it or not, these problems are connected. Today, I'm going to break down and show you how to build a flexible financial system that will get you to your goals faster! Keeping Your Budget Flexible and Fun Recently I had a chat with rich Jones for the  Paychecks and Balances Podcast. The theme of our discussion was managing finances when undergoing a life transition, but it quickly widen out and scope. After my chat with Rich, our discussion stuck with me. Having written about personal finance for 12 years and podcasting, a little over half that time, I noticed a certain rhythm with people in their interests and finances. Beginning of the year, it's all about setting up these big goals, paying off debt, saving up for a huge house down payment. For some, it truly is the beginning of an awesome year. They get these new habits set up. They have their systems in place. Others though, they're already having a hard time keeping up those habits, part of it is life shifts. Between January and to about April when I look on my side of things with site traffic, And Google searches, that's when people are most interested in their finances. Further into the year, no matter what camp you're in the seasons change and life rolls on. With September zooming by and the last quarter coming up. I find it's another point in the year where we reflect. We have this many awareness that the year's wrapping up. We're reviewing how much we've accomplished. Now on top of the regular seasonal changes in the year. We still have the COVID pandemic that we're dealing with. Rather than fight the seasonal shifts or craft these perfect on paper budgets, but they fall apart during real life pivots, we have to address a fundamental issue -building a sustainable and flexible system for handling your finances so that you can live your life and if something happens adjust as needed. Instead of chasing money as the target or the goal really should be using it as a tool. In this episode, we're going to break that down so that you can create a financial system that is easy to maintain and adjust and have a sustainable budget that's flexible and fun. Are you ready? Let's get started! Handy Tools to Build Your Financial System Quickly and Easily Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Join Our Thriving Families Community on Facebook Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. They have wonderful customer service along with competitive rates to make saving easier! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

Are you frustrated with your debt and feel like you're stuck in this rut? Today we're going to see how you can negotiate your debts to lessen the stress and get you closer to your debt free goals!  Dealing with Debt Collectors Paying off debt is usually one of the top three goals people make for the year, but struggle to achieve. Depending on where the pandemic caught you on your financial journey, you may have had an extra harder struggle. Perhaps a drop in income meant slowing down or even pausing your debt pay off plan.  That can be a real burden on a marriage because those balances are lingering, or worse growing.  If it makes you feel better, you're not alone. Debt is weighing down a lot of families.  According to Experian, 90% of adults in the US have at least one credit card on their report, and of those, 75% carry a balance month to month. The average balance for that group is $5,315. Then consider that the average balance on a car loan is $19,703. Then you have student loans. In 2020, the average balance was $38,792. While there is some relief for federal loans with the pause in payments, if you have private loans, you're still dealing with them on top of everything.  Hopefully things have improved, but you're not trying to figure out how to jump back in, which debts to tackle first, what payment makes the most sense.  Which is why I'm happy to have attorney Taylor Kosla be a part of this episode. Taylor is a partner at Agruss Law Firm, a team that's focused on helping people deal with debt collection.  In this episode we'll look at: Ways to work with and negotiate with your debt collectors Protections available to you through the Fair Debt Collections Act How you can get have an attorney assist without you paying out of pocket Are you ready? Let's get started!  Resources to Dump Your Debt Faster If you're looking to create a debt free plan that fits your family, budget, and timeline here are some helpful resources to review.  Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 5 Days to $5K How the Debt Lasso Can Help You Pay Off Your Credit Cards Faster The Great Debt Dump Which Debt Payoff Method Is Right for You? Join Our Thriving Families Community on Facebook Sample Letter Disputing Errors on Credit Reports Paying Off Debts: Staying Motivated and Knocking Them Out Faster Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!      

Today we'll go over how you can set up your finances so you'll have more options and time for the things people and projects you love!   Pursuing Financial Independence on Your Terms As a kid one of my favorite genres of books to read was those choose your own adventure stories. Remember those? You always began the same, but based on the choices you made, you could find buried treasure. Or your plane crashes. (Wait, not sure that was a thing in a kids book. Anyways…) Fast forward and now my absolute favorite type of video games to play are RPGs. Why? Because you have room to craft out your own adventures. Guess some things don't change. What does this have to do with financial independence? Glad you asked! I feel like financial independence is just like those books and games – you decide on how you're going to go through it. You have flexibility to make it fit you and your family. But it doesn't always feel that way. There's this narrative that gets pushed that there's a certain way to FI. Specifically as fast as possible. If you've been turned off by that segment of FI or you want to have more flexibility with your plan, I think you'll enjoy today's episode.   And to help me out is Diania Merriam. She's the founder of EconMe who knows firsthand the joys of and challenges of carving out your own FI path. In this episode, we're jumping into: how Diania paid off $30k of debt and jump started her FI path how FI opened up options and allowed her to take risks how you can create a plan that fits your and your family Are you ready? Let's get started! Resources to Craft Your FI Path If you're looking to get ahead with your finances as a family, here are some resources to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Retire Early By Rethinking Your Priorities Setting Up Your Retirement with the Right Tools The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement The New Family Financial Road Map Want to be a part of EconMe this year? Sign up for your ticket! Because you're a listener, Diania was kind enough to pass on a discount code. Type in SIMPLIFYENJOY to save 10% on your ticket! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. They have wonderful services and accounts to make saving easier including their competitive money market accounts! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music by various Artists from Audiio.  Photos by Elizabeth Zernetska and Dio Hasbi Saniskoro from Pexels

Can parents pursue financial independence with kids at home? Today we'll go over the five biggest myths and show how to enjoy parenthood and FI! Are Financial Independence and Parenthood Compatible? Even before we were familiar with the term financial independence, we were intrigued about this idea of gaining flexibility and freedom. When we were first married, we had two immediate financial goals – getting rid of the car loan and building our emergency fund. Our car payment wasn't a huge burden, but seeing that money going out month after month..ugh.. Not having that weighing our budget down was one benefit, but then there was also this what if. What if we used that money for things we actually enjoyed and really wanted – travel, a house, or starting a business? So I started digging into personal finance blogs and found books like Total Money Makeover, Automatic Millionaire, and The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke. Taking what I learned, we came up with a plan to pay off our debts and grow our financial cushion. Don't get me wrong, seeing our net worth go from negative $30,000 to the positive side felt great. The real pull for us, though, was not how much money we can stash away or how fast we can hit. We loved being in a position of having options. Like leaving a bad job. Becoming an entrepreneur. During this time, we discovered financial independence, with that classic book – Your Money or Your Life. There are some wonderful benefits with discovering the FI community. Many in the space love swapping ideas about what's worked for them. Hopefully like you're doing now, we listened to stories and picked a few ideas to try out. Some worked really well, some needed to be adjusted for our circumstances, and some didn't work. Either our situation was too different or honestly, we didn't enjoy it. The ones that didn't resonate with us usually came from this segment in the community who had very specific ideas about financial independence. Both with what it was and what it wasn't. One complaint I kept seeing was how hard or in some cases impossible for parents to hit FI. I believe that belief is not just discouraging to parents, but really misses the actual resource financial independence is about – time.   Finances are the tool to help you get there, not the goal. We were more focused on quality of life and having options. So today I want to wrap up this series of episodes before our summer break and discuss how you as a parent can work towards your FI goals while enjoying the journey with your kids. In this episode, we'll get into the five biggest myths around financial independence and parenthood. Are you ready? Get Your Free Love & Money Guide Learn the ice breakers and conversation starters to make talking about money easier!   Join our community to get the free toolkit and newsletter! Get Instant Access We never share your information with third parties and will protect it in accordance with our Privacy Policy Let's get started! Resources for Parents to Pursue Financial Independence If you're looking to get ahead with your finances as a family, here are some resources to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Retire Early By Rethinking Your Priorities Setting Up Your Retirement with the Right Tools The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement The New Family Financial Road Map Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. They have wonderful services and accounts to make saving easier including their competitive money market accounts! Slash Your Phone Bill with Republic Wireless! If you're looking to hit your family's financial goals faster, optimizing your expenses is the way to go. Chances are you're paying too much for your smartphone and not getting the value you deserve.   Same thing happened to me years ago. Wanting to become debt free faster, I switched to Republic Wireless and saved big time.  Nationwide coverage, fantastic phone options like the Samsung Galaxy and Moto g, plus seriously affordable prices (plans start at $15/month!) make it a smart choice for families looking to save without sacrificing value.  See all they have to offer at Republic Wireless!  Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Our theme song is from Staircases. Additional music by various artists from Audiio.  

Real estate investing can be a way to build up a passive income, but is it the right move for you? Learn about some of the different options you have and what you need to discuss before jumping in!   Is Real Estate Investing Right for Us?  We've been talking a lot this season about building and diversifying your income streams.  Part of it is in reaction to the past year or so we've had. With some industries being hit hard with job losses and hours cut, having another source of income – even if not full-time- can soften the blow.  We spoke about working from home with Modern Frugality creator Jen Smith. We also talked about entrepreneurship and building a portfolio of income streams with author Michelle Jackson. Today we're talking about another opportunity to build an income stream – real estate investing. If you've ever watched shows on HGTV or followed DIY influencers on social media, it looks fun and exciting, right?  These transformations can be dramatic and then when they go ahead and sell those houses, sometimes those numbers look tempting. Or the idea of owning properties and having rental income looks like a passive way to earn more.  But is that really the case? What does real estate investing really involve? How can we get started? How can we be smarter with how we invest?  I'm happy that Rachel Richards is joining this episode. She's an author and real estate investor with over 30 properties. With the income their properties are generating, she and her husband are able to be financially free.  In this episode we get into: different ways to invest in real estate Understanding what's really involved with investing and finding properties A peek of how one couple got into investing and how they grew it  Are you ready?  Let's get started!  Resources on Real Estate Investing Are you thinking about getting started with real estate investing? Here are some handy resources to get your finances in shape and learn more about it! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Passive Income Starter Kit from Rachel Richards Passive Income, Aggressive Retirement by Rachel Richards The Book on Rental Property Investing How to Invest in Real Estate Afford Anything Podcast by Paula Pant Buy and Hold by Steve Chader Bigger Pockets Podcast Key Takeaways Before we wrap up, I want to share a few key takeaways I got from speaking with Rachel and preparing this episode. Find a way to diversify your income streams.  Research and discuss how active or passive you want to be with real estate investing. How does it fit in your big picture and financial plan? Run the numbers. You have to be really objective with real estate. What down payment can you afford? What cashflow do you expect (and need)?  We really just scratched the surface today so if you want to discuss this more – ask questions, swap ideas, and talk about your progress for the year– don't forget to join us in the Thriving Families group on Facebook. We're all about helping one another out with our family and financial goals.  Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. They have wonderful services and accounts to make saving easier including their competitive money market accounts! Slash Your Phone Bill with Republic Wireless! I'm so happy to announce our new sponsor Republic Wireless. If you're looking to hit your family's financial goals faster, optimizing your expenses is the way to go. Chances are you're paying too much for your smartphone and not getting the value you deserve.   Same thing happened to me years ago. Wanting to become debt free faster, I switched to Republic Wireless and saved big time.  Nationwide coverage, fantastic phone options like the Samsung Galaxy and Moto g, plus seriously affordable prices (plans start at $15/month!) make it a smart choice for families looking to save without sacrificing value.  See all they have to offer at Republic Wireless!  Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Our theme song is from Staircases. Additional music by various artists from Audiio.  

It's June. The year is halfway over. Now is the perfect time to hit pause and do a midyear review to see how you're progressing with your goals and make sure that your accounts are moving in the right direction! Why Financial Reviews Matter While we automate much of our finances, especially the tedious parts. It really does pay to have these times where you sit down. In review the numbers. And having a financial checkup mid year is a fantastic opportunity. Not just to look at your day to day accounts, like your checking and savings but your investments. Having these more in-depth conversations. Can be beneficial to both your marriage and finances. For us, this is an opportunity to hit pause and to really sit down and talk. I don't know how this year has gone for you but it really has flown by for us. In overall, it has been good, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been some struggles and challenges that we face. Second, it gives us a chance to talk about what's been working and what's not working with our family finances. Life comes up and maybe we had to shift some things for a month or two. This is a pause where we can see. Is this a trend that we should start planning for, or is this. A one-time deal? Knowing that ahead of time can relieve the stress going forward. Finally, it's a great reminder to reflect on the big picture. What are we really working towards and how are we aligned towards that? And yes, it does involve looking at the finances, but also schedule wise work choices that we make. Time with the girls, all these things are connected to each other. Having a set period where we can reflect on that big picture is a huge help. This past year and a half can be especially challenging for families as we are navigating through this unprecedented time. Which is why I'm glad Kevin Matthews is a part of this episode. He's a former financial advisor and a number one bestselling author. He just had a new book from Burning the Blueprint that's out that you should definitely grab. Today, we're going to be talking about that connection between your family and financial goals and making sure that your investments are moving in the right direction. In this episode, we'll get into:  Community & Get Your Free Money Toolkit! Quickly & easily set your money up to hit your goals faster!  Join our community to get the free toolkit and newsletter! Get Instant Access We never share your information with third parties and will protect it in accordance with our Privacy Policy why investing matters and how you can come up with a plan that reflects your goals how to do a financial review for your investments? making sure that they're aligned with your priorities and goals. Are you ready? Let's get started! Resources to Stay on Top of Your Money  If you're looking to build up your finances, here are some handy resources we mentioned in the episode plus more!  Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money From Burning to Blueprint: Rebuilding Black Wall Street After a Century of Silence Why Knowing Your Net Worth Matters Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. They have wonderful services and accounts to make saving easier including their competitive money market accounts! Slash Your Phone Bill with Republic Wireless! I'm so happy to announce our new sponsor Republic Wireless. If you're looking to hit your family's financial goals faster, optimizing your expenses is the way to go. Chances are you're paying too much for your smartphone and not getting the value you deserve.   Same thing happened to me years ago. Wanting to become debt free faster, I switched to Republic Wireless and saved big time.  Nationwide coverage, fantastic phone options like the Samsung Galaxy and Moto g, plus seriously affordable prices (plans start at $15/month!) make it a smart choice for families looking to save without sacrificing value.  See all they have to offer at Republic Wireless!  Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Our theme song is from Staircases. Additional music by various artists from Audiio.  

Cryptocurrency is part of the mainstream conversation and in the news, but should it be a part of your investment plan? We decode the terminology and go over the difference between speculation and investments.  Should We Invest in Cryptocurrency? We're talking about a topic that's been popping up all over – cryptocurrency.  Just this year alone, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others are on a roller coaster ride. Coinbase went public just this April.  I've gotten questions first about exactly how these currencies work and second, if it's something to invest in. In some cases, one of you is all excited to jump in this new opportunity while the other is skeptical or against it.  Like any major decision, it's important for your marriage and money to discuss your options and see if it fits in with your goals and financial plan.  In this episode, we get into:  the essentials about blockchain technology, NFTs, and some of the biggest currency Why you should  what to consider as you two discuss whether crypto currency is right for you We got plenty to cover so let's get started! Resources to Learn More About Cryptocurrencies and Keep Tabs on Your Money Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System by Satoshi Nakamoto Ethereum.org Ethereum Whitepaper by Vitalik Buterin DogeCoin NFTs, Explained Blockchain and Money – MIT Open Courseware Like it or not, you should probably start paying attention to bitcoin The blockchain catalyst for change How blockchain can solve the payments riddle Bitcoin Losers Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today.   We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. They have wonderful services and accounts to make saving easier including their competitive money market accounts! Slash Your Phone Bill with Republic Wireless! I'm so happy to announce our new sponsor Republic Wireless. If you're looking to hit your family's financial goals faster, optimizing your expenses is the way to go. Chances are you're paying too much for your smartphone and not getting the value you deserve.   Same thing happened to me years ago. Wanting to become debt free faster, I switched to Republic Wireless and saved big time.  Nationwide coverage, fantastic phone options like the Samsung Galaxy and Moto g, plus seriously affordable prices (plans start at $15/month!) make it a smart choice for families looking to save without sacrificing value.  See all they have to offer at Republic Wireless!  Get Your Free Love & Money Guide Learn the ice breakers and conversation starters to make talking about money easier!   Join our community to get the free toolkit and newsletter! Get Instant Access We never share your information with third parties and will protect it in accordance with our Privacy Policy Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Our theme song is from Staircases. Additional music by various artists from Audiio. Key Takeaways on Crypto Before we wrap up, I want to share a few key takeaways I got from preparing this episode. Invest in educating yourself about the tech behind cryptocurrency. Crypto, blockchain – these aren't going away.  Make sure that crypto is aligned with your goals and risk tolerance before jumpin in.  Focus on investing, not speculation. There's a lot of hype and volatility to sort through so  If you want to discuss this more – ask questions, swap ideas, and maybe discover your strategy– don't forget to join us in the Thriving Families group on Facebook. We're all about helping one another out with our family and financial goals.  Hope to see you there!

Learn how you can protect your family’s finances and open up more opportunities by diversifying your income!  Why You Need to Diversify Your Income Diversifying income is something every family should consider. It can not only give you a bigger safety net, but it does give you some more options no matter what stage you are in your financial journey.  Here are a few scenarios where diversifying and increasing your income can be helpful. We're still not out of the woods when it comes to the financial impact of COVID. In April, 9.4 million people reported that they were unable to work because their employer either close or lost business due to this pandemic. As you can probably guess the more income you get, the higher your chances of saving. In 2019, the median bank account balance for American households was 5,300. What's interesting is when you break it down by income, how drastically that changes. For a family that's in the 40 to 59 percentile of income, the median savings was 4,400. You moved to the next bracket, 60 to 79%. You're looking at 10,000. The next one 20,000 and then finally 69,000. Having income to take care of essentials means you can then take that so-called extra income and put it towards financial goals, including savings. Finally, if your family is on the financial independence path. Then increasing your savings rate can speed things up for you when you'll hit your FII number. For example, if your savings rate is 15% then you have 43 working years until you retire. If you bump that up to 30%, then that drops down to 28. You move up to 45% and it becomes 19 years. You're literally buying back your time when you're increasing your savings rate. So hopefully it’s clear why you need to diversify your income. The question is now about finding the right ones for your family.  Side hustles are a popular recommendation, especially online, but they're not your only option. Which is why I’m so happy to have Michelle Jackson on today. She’s an author, podcaster, and entrepreneur.   Not only has she developed these business and income streams, but she’s found a bit of balance with juggling them.  In this episode, we get into: different types of income you can earn Pros and the cons of them how to decide which income path is right for you Let’s get started! Resources to Build Up Your Income If you’re looking to boost your income, here are some helpful resources to earn more money and manage it better!  Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Finding the Best Side Hustle as a Married Entrepreneur How to Build Income Streams to Knock Out Your Money Goals Faster Brand Building Lab Make Money with e-books Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. We’ve been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. They have wonderful services and accounts to make saving easier including their competitive money market accounts! Slash Your Phone Bill with Republic Wireless! I'm so happy to announce our new sponsor Republic Wireless. If you’re looking to hit your family’s financial goals faster, optimizing your expenses is the way to go. Chances are you’re paying too much for your smartphone and not getting the value you deserve.   Same thing happened to me years ago. Wanting to become debt free faster, I switched to Republic Wireless and saved big time.  Nationwide coverage, fantastic phone options like the Samsung Galaxy and Moto g, plus seriously affordable prices (plans start at $15/month!) make it a smart choice for families looking to save without sacrificing value.  See all they have to offer at Republic Wireless!  Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Our theme song is from Staircases. Additional music by various artists from Audiio.  

We're all looking to reconnect and have fun this summer. Today, we're going to go over ways to enjoy family barbecues, give some ideas on great outdoor ventures you can go on, and offer tips on how to grow your savings this season! Make This a Fun Summer of Savings For many families, summer is the season. Especially after the year we had in 2020, many of us are eager to embrace the warmer weather and be outside and go on vacation. As we mentioned last week, it's possible to have fun and still save. Today, we're going to dive in with how you can have a wonderful and memorable time this summer, while still building up your stash. In this episode,  we get into: Leveling up your barbecue game Exploring the great outdoors is perfect for your happiness and wallet 10 ways you can boost your savings  Let’s get started!  Handy Tools to Boost Your Savings If you’re looking to get ahead with your finances as a family, here are key resources to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Frugal and Fun Summer Activities for Your Family How to Double Your Savings Rate Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. Slash Your Phone Bill with Republic Wireless! I'm so happy to announce our new sponsor Republic Wireless.   If you’re looking to hit your family’s financial goals faster, optimizing your expenses is the way to go. Chances are you’re paying too much for your smartphone and not getting the value you deserve.   Same thing happened to me years ago. Wanting to become debt free faster, I switched to Republic Wireless and saved big time.  Nationwide coverage, fantastic phone options like the Samsung Galaxy and Moto g, plus seriously affordable prices (plans start at $15/month!) make it a smart choice for families looking to save without sacrificing value.  See all they have to offer at Republic Wireless!  Key Takeaways Before we wrap up, I want to share a few key takeaways I got as I was preparing this episode.  If you want to discuss this more – ask questions, swap ideas, and maybe get a debt-free strategy set up – don’t forget to join us in the Thriving Families group on Facebook. We swap ideas and tips because our goal is to help one another out with our family and financial goals.  Hope to see you there! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Our theme song is from Staircases. Additional music by various artists from Audiio.

We’re all looking to get the best value, but how can you balance saving money, hitting your financial goals, while still having fun? Today we’ll go over how you can master the art of being frugal! Can Being Frugal Make You Rich? Whether you’re pursuing a debt-free path, financial freedom, or independence, there’s one skill that can help you hit your goal faster – being frugal.  I’m not talking about being cheap.  I’m talking about living a rich life without spending a ton of money. When I say frugal, I’m talking about living a rich life without spending a ton of money. It’s about maximizing your dollars for the best value.  I’m going to talk about three areas where you can do this – budget, tech, and travel. To help show the ways you can live well while spending less, I have two guests.  First off,  Joel Larsgaard from How to Money is sharing ways couples can work together so they’re spending on what matters to them. Second, we have Joel Kades of Republic Wireless. We’re going to look at how technology opened up some options so you can get an affordable smartphone plan. Finally we’ll wrap things up with how to make frugality fun with tips on how to save on travel. We got a lot to cover so let’s get started! Resources to Maximize Your Dollars Being frugal is really about optimizing your expenses so you’re getting the best value. Here are a few resources to help you significantly save without    Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Republic Wireless Root of Good: Justin retired at 33 and just this year, his wife joined him. He lays how a frugal lifestyle helped them. Your Money or Your Life – One of the first personal finance books that I read that showed the possibilities of a frugal lifestyle. The Millionaire Next Door – If you're curious to see how millionaires really live, this book is for you. It highlights that looks can be deceiving. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. Slash Your Phone Bill with Republic Wireless! I'm so happy to announce our new sponsor Republic Wireless. If you’re looking to hit your family’s financial goals faster, optimizing your expenses is the way to go. Chances are you’re paying too much for your smartphone and not getting the value you deserve.   Same thing happened to me years ago. Wanting to become debt free faster, I switched to Republic Wireless and saved big time.  Nationwide coverage, fantastic phone options like the Samsung Galaxy and Moto g, plus seriously affordable prices (plans start at $15/month!) make it a smart choice for families looking to save without sacrificing value.  See all they have to offer at Republic Wireless!  Key Takeaways Before we wrap up, I want to share a few key takeaways I got as I was preparing this episode. Prioritize which expenses matter most to you. Focus on big wins and low hanging fruit. Redefine what frugal means to you.    If you want to discuss this more – ask questions, swap ideas, and maybe get a debt-free strategy set up – don’t forget to join us in the Thriving Families group on Facebook. We swap ideas and tips because our goal is to help one another out with our family and financial goals.  Hope to see you there! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Our theme song is from Staircases. Additional music by various artists from Audiio.      

With credit card fraud and identity theft happening more frequently, we all have to step up our game. Learn keys ways to protect your finances and identity! Fraud Protection I hope you never have to deal with identity theft, data breaches, or fraud but chances are you will. There were 4.8 million identity theft and fraud reports received by the FTC in 2020, an increase of 45 percent from 2019. The Ascent from Motley Fool reported that credit card fraud was the most common type of identity theft last year – over 270,000 reports. Another unfun stat – identity theft doubled from 2017 to 2019. Finally in 2019 almost 165 million records containing personal data were exposed through data breaches. The point?  Cyber crimes aren’t going away anytime soon. In fact last year, I got it.Twice. The first one, I received a call from Coastal about suspicious activity on my card. Thankfully that was quickly resolved.  Second time, I discovered it when doing my monthly review. I saw a $140 charge from California. I called and explained this wasn’t me.  It took a month of back and forth, but I got it cleared. I was a headache. One I hope you avoid.    Which is why I’m so glad Joe Mecca is back on the show.  In this episode we get into: Practical ways we can protect our finances when you're offline or online What you need to do if your card is compromised Hope you enjoy it! Resources to Protect Your Finances If you're getting more proactive with protecting your identity and money, here are some handy resources to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money IdentityTheft.gov Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft Annual Credit Report: Free way to review each of your credit reports LastPass Easy Ways to Prevent Identity Theft Report reveals data breaches that could affect millions of Americans 

Around 82% of Americans said their finances were affected by the pandemic and the fallout according to a recent Fidelity survey. If you’re planning on retiring in a few years, that can be a really scary thing. Today I want to share a resource that can help you get back on track with your retirement plan!  The 5 Years Before You Retire: Retirement Planning When You Need It the Most How comfortable do you feel about your retirement?  You’re not alone if you’re worried about it.  36% of Americans are more concerned now than at the start of the pandemic on their ability to maintain a nest egg in retirement.  The good news for most of us is that there is time to get back on track. Today’s bonus episode is focused on helping you reset things and worry less about retirement.  Thrilled to have Emily Guy Birken on. She is a former educator, lifelong money nerd, and a Plutus Award-winning freelance writer who specializes in the scientific research behind irrational money behaviors. She’s also the author of several wonderful books including End Financial Stress Now and The Five Years Before You Retire, which has been updated and released today. I got an advanced copy and really enjoyed it. I actually ordered a copy for my mom. Emily covers everything you need to do in the next five years to maximize your current savings and create a realistic plan for your future. During our chat, we get into: The two biggest mistakes people make when it comes to retirement planning How to assess where you are with your finances now Understanding social security  Hope you enjoy!  Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and helps gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Our theme song is from Staircases. Additional music by various artists from Audiio.