One Less Thing

Why does it matter if you live in a high cost of living (HCOL) vs. a low cost of living (LCOL) area? With the rise of remote work, the proximity of family and the price of everything from gas to a gallon of milk on people's minds, it can matter a lot. But just because you can afford a mansion in West Virginia doesn't mean you should move there right away. In this episode we talk about what you really want out of the place you're going to live, why it makes sense to put down roots when you have a family, and how you can use living in a HCOL area to your advantage.What is HCOL, VHCOL and LCOL? by the White Coat InvestorCost of Living Index by StateCost of Living Calculator by NerdWalletThe Number of People Primarily working from home Tripled Between 2019 and 2021 by US CensusNearly 30 percent of work remains remote by The HillMore than Half of Americans live within an hour of extended family by Pew ResearchMortgage Rates Forecast for 2023 by ForbesCost of Living Adjustments by Indeed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here we go with part 2 – What's the kid's responsibility and what's the parent's responsibility? How much do we need to tell our kids, and how to gauge whether to say something to our kids ("is it true/kind/necessary and will it help your child feel secure?"). We talk about stories from Kim John Payne's book, including the story of a mom going to a new park with their 2 year old, and how a group of parents in New York fell into the "peer-parenting" trap. We talk about how to stop a kid from interrupting, from making unreasonable demands, and  how to ultimately recognize the best in our kids instead of pointing out things we don't like.Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne

Join me as we discuss the power in Simplicity Parenting, a way to streamline your life and family values so that you can raise kids to be "calmer, happier and more secure". We'll talk about ways to increase rhythm and regularity in the home, how to deal with media and marketing to children, how kids actually do better with rules, and even tips on how to help your kids not watch too much tv.This book is filled with so many great ideas that I'll be doing a second part next week, so stay tuned!Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne

How many kids do you want in your family? It's only been in the past 100 years or so that women and partners have even been able to ask this question of themselves. Today we're going to talk about some of the reasoning why people may want or not want to have children and 4 key tips to figuring out how many kids you want to have. We'll talk about the majority of family's "ideal" number, and how their own upbringing can effect their choice.Please reach out if you have any comments or questions - or better yet, share with a friend. As always you can contact me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com!A Timeline of Contraception by PBSWhat Number of Kids Makes Parents Happiest? by the AtlanticOne Baby or Two? Study by UPenn

What does it mean to pace yourself with your goals? It's knowing your limits, avoiding overwhelm, and taking action when necessary. But it's also knowing when to unplug from the things that are causing you to worry. Much like a guitar amp being left plugged in, our sources of stress are unconsciously making it harder to focus. If we set smaller, automatic goals into our routines, then we'll free up our minds to be less burdened by stress.Let me know if you liked this episode by leaving a rating or review! And thanks for listening!Tiny Habits idea of Shine by BJ FoggProfit First by Mike MichalowiczWhat is Financial Burnout? by ExperianHow are Americans Coping with their Financial Burnout by TearsheetHow Many Calories Can a Brain Burn by Thinking? by Livescience

Is it ever a better financial choice to be a stay-at-home mom? Aren't two incomes always better than one? Today we talk about the top insights from "The Two Income Trap" by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi, both powerhouse working mothers who detail why the post 1980s era has been worse for the average family's finances. Basically, the fixed costs in a family's budget have increased while the income gains have been nonexistent, which means that even with two parents working its harder to get by. And what happens when one of the working spouses loses a job? Many times it's falling off a financial cliff, leaning on credit cards and assuming bankruptcy.But what if you could make it work on one income and a spouse stays home? Then, in the case of an emergency, you could switch childcare and working roles to tide you over. Although this is becoming less and less feasible, with proper planning and alignment in financial goals and values, having a stay at home mom can be the ultimate insurance policy.The Two Income Trap by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren TyagiStatistics on the share of household chores and childcare by Fatherhood.orgSen. Warren to Wells Fargo CEO on Youtube

What's the antidote for wanting to buy something? Today I'll give you a 2-step approach to making buyer's desire go away without paying a cent. We talk about why people buy when they do, how to sit with uncomfortable feelings and get at the root problems we're trying to address.  5 Overwhelming Desires That Can Urge You to Buy MoreThe Growth of Online Ordering

What does it take to NOT spoil your kids? In today's age of materialism, consumerism and overspending, that can be a hard question to answer. Today I'll summarize my favorite points from "The Opposite of Spoiled" by Ron Leiber, a financial columnist at the New York Times and father himself. We'll discuss the key things that define a kid as spoiled (hint: it's not all about money!), how to avoid spoiling as much as possible, and ways we can get our kids involved in the process. So join me as we make your kids a little stronger, a little more financially resilient, and a lot more well-rounded and grounded.The Opposite of Spoiled by Ron Leiber

Yay! Your kid is going to college! Now, how are you going to pay for all this?Today we discuss college costs, including room and board, and how to save money by getting scholarships and financial aid for tuition. We'll talk about how prevalent a college education is, how many high school grads go to college and what other avenues might be available. From Pell grants to the $100 million of unclaimed sholarships, we'll get you and your kids closer to signing up for less (or no!) student debt in the first place.If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or family member. This podcast relies solely on your support and I'd love your help in getting it out there to more people. Thanks!The Ultimate Guide to Scholarships on RedditCollege Enrollment Statistics in the US by Best CollegesCollege Enrollment Rates by National Center for Education StatisticsWhat Percentage of High School Students go to College by AdmissionlyAverage Cost of College and Tuition by Education Data Initiative$3.6 Billion of Financial Aid Goes Unclaimed Every Year by Fastweb

Yikes! College is expensive! Surprise! Well, maybe not that big of a surprise. Now the question is, how do I save to pay for my kid's college education?If you've decided you want to pay for some or all of your kid's education expenses, now is the time to get started. In this episode I'll talk about how we plan to pay for our kid's college in a 529 plan, how much we saved in the beginning and how much we plan to save per month to reach our goal of $150k for the 3 of them. We'll talk about the tax advantages of using a 529 plan, how to figure out how much tuition will be in the future, and what tools I've used to come up with that monthly contribution. I'll walk you through how to come up with your own magic number as well.Join me next week as we talk about ways to decrease the cost of college!And as always, feel free to reach out to me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com or DM @kaeliwood on instagram. I'd love to hear from you about your own college saving plans!College Cost Projector by VanguardCompound Interest Calculator by Investor.govWhat is a 529 Plan by Saving for CollegeHow Much is Your State's 529 Plan Deduction Really Worth? by Saving for College

Decluttering and the organization movement is an admirable ideal that can seem really hard for young families to apply. The more people in the house, the harder it is to contain everything and keep it from spilling out the closets. But I'm here to tell you that it can work in even a "small" house like ours. Many times, it takes some foresight into what you actually use and putting it where you need it WHEN you need it.In this episode I share my favorite spots for things and how you can simplify without breaking the bank. I hope it's helpful in sparking some initiative and making organization easier for you and your family!As always, I love to hear from you! Please leave a rating or review, or email me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.comHow Many People in the World Have Dirt Floors? by World HabitatMy Favorite Glass Bowls from the Container Store

We all compare ourselves. It's human nature! In this episode we learn about the social comparison theory made famous by Leon Festinger in 1954, how to compare ourselves in a less judgmental way, what it means to make temporal comparisons and how we can learn from the comparison tricks people use with money.  Instead of trying to stop the comparison tide completely, this episode is about using our natural ability to compare in a way that is more helpful for you and your finances.As always, I love to hear from you! If you like this episode or others, please share with a friend, leave a rating or review, or email me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks!3 Reasons to Stop Comparing Yourself by Psychology TodayDebt Statistics How to Stop Comparing YourselfWhat is Social Comparison TheorySocial Comparison Theory Defined

Ever wish you had a plan for your financial future? But it seems impossible to even start? Here's a quick rundown of how to get started – beginning with your values and visualizing your life in the future.  We'll go through the spreadsheet I use to make sense of where and how to save, what our top goals are right now, how that will likely change in the future and how we're trying to front load our savings to hit coast FI, semi-retirement and retirement.As always, feel free to reach out by leaving a rating or review, or email me at onelessthing@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!

Are you a planner? Do you wish you were? I'm here to tell you that planning can be powerful for your family, and as simple as writing out the values that you want to guide you and and your family. We'll talk about a child centered vs. value centered home, who makes the decisions, and how you can make decision overload less burdensome for your kids. We talk about value trade-offs, how your season of life will change your family's priorities and time focus, and what to do when your kid is having a meltdown in the Target shoe department.Join me next week to talk about making a family financial plan! As always, I love to hear from you with a rating or review. Thanks!Simplicity Parenting by Kim John PayneWhere Love Is performed by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Morgan Housel is a New York Times contributor who's written about finance since 2008. In 2020 he wrote the book, The Psychology of Money, which has sold over 2 million copies. In this summary, I detail out the main points of what he writes are the top 20 reasons we don't do well with money. Many times there's a difference between what we know we should do with our money and what we actually do, and here's why.If this review piques your interest, be sure to check out your own copy here or at your local library.As always, I love hearing your feedback! Feel free to get in touch at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com or DM me @kaeliwood on instagram. Thanks!

Today we're talking about the power of language in our self talk. Whether you have one big goal for the year or lots of little tiny ones, you'll benefit from using this trick to shift your self talk. With saying "I don't" you make the choice yourself and cultivate who you want to be. By saying "I can't" it makes you feel at the mercy of some other force or rule, even if it's self-imposed.As always, you can reach me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com,  or leave a rating or review. Thanks! The Amazing Power of I Can't vs I Don't by ForbesIdentity Based Goals by James Clear

Here are the ways I've been making the holidays more simple, so I can enjoy more Christmas magic with my kids. Key word is simple! We've kept and added to our family traditions, but tried proactively to not overwhelm ourselves. While this time of year can feel like financial burnout, in this episode we talk about opportunity costs, working with a holiday budget, simplifying your workload by delegating to other people, and helping your kids get involved in charitable giving. Hopefully this infuses your holidays with more fun and purpose! As always, feel free to reach out at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!Kid's Chef Knives on AmazonBright Kids Charity to help kids with disabilities in UkraineRisalamande recipe for Danish rice puddingWorld Vision to donate chickens and goats to kids

Ever heard of a Favorite Things party? This is one for your finances! I'll take you through my favorite things that I wish more people knew about and took action on. We talk about how to save for your kid's college, how to freeze your credit, where to fund retirement accounts even if you don't work a full-time job, and some ideas for fun family dates.Have your own favorite financial things? Please let me know! Any and all comments are welcome by leaving a rating or review, or send me an email at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.comSpousal Roth IRA (Investopedia)Parents Worried about Paying for their Kid's College (Businesswire)Compound Interest CalculatorExperian Identity Theft Statistics (Experian)Freeze Your Credit (Experian)Freeze Your Credit (TransUnion)Freeze Your Credit (Equifax)

In the past 20 years online shopping has gone from being a sketchy ebay purchase to one of the pillars of commerce. And it's only going to get more intrusive. Here are some ways to stay ahead of the game, especially with holidays right around the corner. Whether you're shopping on a computer, or your phone, or directly through social media, the easy road is not always the best. Online Shopping and E-commerce - Pew Research Study, 201610 Online Shopping StatisticsThe Pandemic has Changed Online Shopping BehaviorHow Many People Shop Online?The Great Consumer ShiftMichigan Mom says kids used Alexa to buy $700 worth of toys on her credit cardHoliday Cost Statistics 2022US Holiday Shopping 2022The Global Glut of Clothing - Bloomberg

It's that time of year when a lot of families want to look their best in front of the camera. But how do you do that? And why is someone always crying? Well, I can't fix everything, but as a family photographer for the past 7 years I've learned a couple things. These 20 tips will help the most amateur parent and the family paying for the top-tier photographer understand how to take better pictures. For more picture examples, poses and general info, feel free to visit my work on instagram @kaeliwoodphotography.As always, I'd love your ratings and reviews. They mean so much to me and I'd really appreciate a quick 10 seconds of your time to make the show better. Happy Thanksgiving!

Life can be uncomfortable. The car breaks down, our kids make a mess (only about 100 times a day),  we never seem to have enough time, money or satisfaction. The remedy? Do something hard!In this episode, we talk about the Japanese concept of Ikigai, how we can derive meaning from being uncomfortable, challenging ourselves and discovering what we love. We talk about the many health benefits to ikigai, feeling okay with boredom and even the secret to life! It might have something to do with hard work

If you've ever been so confused by investing that you've never wanted to start, this is the one episode you should listen to.  What do you do when you have a little extra money in the budget? Should you spend it all or put a little towards the future? In this episode I go through the steps of opening a taxable brokerage account and tell you my story of why that was so influential for our family 6 years ago.  We talk about picking a brokerage, picking a low cost index fund and automating your investments. It takes 15 minutes but it's a small price to pay for changing your financial future!As always, please get in touch by leaving a rating or review, emailing me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com, send me a DM on instagram @kaeliwood. Thanks!

Budgeting will change based on your goals, income, spending and saving. When you know there's a big expense coming up, like saving for a trip or down payment, I call that expectant budgeting. When there's not as much income coming in but you still have the discipline to stick to a budget (go you!) I call that a lean spending budget. And when you know that saving can be kicked up a notch to achieve a big goal, I call that a full savings budget. So let's figure out which one you're in!We also discuss why budgeting is only part of the equation, and how we can keep our spending in check by remembering worldwide incomes. Spoiler alert, Norway has a pretty high average income.Please get in touch by emailing me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com, send me a DM @kaeliwood or leave a rating or review! Thanks!

How do you make budgets fun? Sometimes budgeting can feel like a drag and budget burn out is a real threat to your financial future. But oftentimes we just need a quick refresh as to the who, what, when, where, why of budgeting to keep us on the budget bandwagon. In this episode we'll talk about 3 ways I've made budgets more fun. We talk about annual vs. monthly vs. daily budgets, why I don't expense every dollar, and some ideas for family fun budgets.As always, feel free to reach out by leaving a rating or review, email me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com or send me a DM @kaeliwood on instagram. Thanks!

Budgets can make anyone feel uncomfortable but they are one of the best tools to getting your spending under control. I'm here to tell you that budgets don't need to make you feel claustrophobic, but can actually give you more breathing space when it comes to your money! In this episode we'll discuss how to budget more effectively, 4 different budgeting methods, and why budgeting doesn't have to mean tracking every penny.As always, please feel free to reach out by leaving a review, emailing me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com or send me a DM me on instagram @kaeliwood. I'd love to hear from you!The 50/30/20 Rule Zero BudgetingWhy We Spend More When We're Tired

Tools can be helpful, powerful, dangerous - money is the same. But if you focus more on how to use the tool safely and effectively, you have less room to focus on how scary, or unknown something is.Too often we seem to forget our plan. Or we don't even make a plan in the first place. That's where money becomes overwhelming and we come at our finances from a place of stress.In this episode we talk about Morgan Housel and Harold Pollack's advice about The Index Card, and how financial expertise can be boiled down to some concise, key points. The basic principles are to 1) Not pay someone else to use your money, and 2) save in the best way possible. As always, please feel free to reach out to me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com or DM me on instagram @kaeliwood. I'd love to hear from you!"The Index Card" Financial Advice by Harold Pollack, interviewHere's What to Do if Your Bad with Money by Ramit SethiThe Index Card, book by Helaine Olen and Harold PollackA Financial Plan on an Index Card by Morgan Housel

Ever had the thought that money is too intimidating to get started? That it's someone else's job or too complicated to understand? I used to think that too. This episode, I'll show you how using The Model from life coaching can apply to financial coaching too. It's a powerful tool to figure out why you might be thinking, feeling and acting the way that you do, and getting the results you have. We'll talk about what it might look like when you're "good with money", how those thoughts can get in the way of progressing financially, and which thoughts you can lean on instead. Join me next week as we tackle ways to be "good" with money!As always, please feel free to reach out to me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com or DM me on instagram @kaeliwood. I'd love to hear from you!What is the Self Coaching Model by Brooke Castillo

How do you get your toddler or preschooler interested in money? Chances are, they already are! Most kids will consciously or unconsciously assume your attitudes and beliefs about money. This is your chance to help them learn great money management skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.We'll talk about how to introduce your kids to money with piggy banks, cash registers and counting money, to how to increase their "patience muscles" with delayed gratification and the infamous Stanford marshmallow experiment, to allowance and how they can start "money thought work", not take things for granted, or shy away from conversations about inequality and ways to give. As always you can reach me at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com or DM @kaeliwood with any money questions. Thanks!How Many Cars are There in the World? Urban Guide (2018)Stanford Marshmallow Experiment Wikipedia15 Ways to Teach Kids About Money Ramsey Solutions

Today I'll walk you through how to save on your mortgage payment by getting rid of pesky Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). We'll talk about why banks use PMI, how it can affect your mortgage payments, and how to use home improvement projects to strategically increase the value of your home. So whether you own a home already or want to some day, I'll give you the tips we used to get in the door to our first home (spoiler - we didn't put 20% down) and how we've been able to drop PMI to decrease our spending.As always, please reach out to onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com or DM me @kaeliwood. Or I'd love to hear from you in a rating or review!Mortgage Payoff Calculator from exampleWhat is PMI? by Consumer Finance

Many times we're too afraid to set big goals because we're afraid to fail. We think everyone else must have an easier time than us and that we don't have the time, natural ability, resources, whatever to make our goals a reality. But I'm here to tell you that big goals are meant to encourage you – not discourage you – in your progress. The key is to judge whether a goal is right for you based on its achievability, challenge and enjoyment.Here are some of the lessons I've learned training and running a marathon, half marathon and triathlon – and how the same lessons from these big goals apply to your financial goals!I'm also excited to tell you about the Soaring Mothers Summit by my friend Jessica Jackson at the Thriving in Motherhood podcast. You can have free access to the summit when it airs Monday, September 19th and the option for the All Access Pass here. See you there!

In this episode, we run through 8 things to keep in mind as you use credit cards, from freezing your credit to keeping track of annual fees. Many times people are too scared to use credit because they're afraid it will get out of control. But in this episode, we'll talk about how to responsibly use credit cards to earn points for family travel and take advantage of all the perks like fraud protection and money back.As always, if you want to get in touch, or send your own credit cards tips, please send me a DM @kaeliwood on instagram or send an email to onelessthingpodcast@gmail.comFreeze your credit here:ExperianTrans UnionEquifax

Here are my top 10 go to meals for crazy, busy nights. Or just for regular nights when I'm feeling lazy. Or just ANY night because these meals taste so good! When you're in charge of feeding a family, your food budget can balloon out of control. But with some simple tips and tricks that make meal prep easier, you can drastically decrease how much you eat out and add some routine to your life.As always, feel free to reach out with questions, comments, ideas by sending me a DM on instagram @kaeliwood, or onelessthingpodcast@gmail.comArtisan Bread (bucket bread) RecipeEasy Tzatziki sauceNew York Times Pizza dough recipe

Would you rather have $100 now or $100 in a year? The answer is explained with the Time Value of Money, inflation, and having the discipline to invest. In this episode, I share 2 ways that have helped me have the discipline to keep investing, however small that amount may be, and how to see big returns by putting your money to work.Time Value Money explained by Khan AcademyMath Equations by the Motley FoolHow Much Milk Costs in each state by the USDAUS Inflation Reports by BloombergWarren Buffet Explains Why Over Time Stocks Go Up by ForbesFuture Value Calculator

Here I discuss how to pay tithing with stocks, called donations in kind. I'm surprised it's not more well known since it can save you a lot of money by avoiding the long-term capital gains tax of 15%! I'll discuss how and why we want to model charitable giving to our kids, some charities we like to support (Charity: Water and Watsi), where to find unbiased reviews of charities (Charity Watch  or Charity Navigator) and what tithing is. Links to tithing and humanitarian aid by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/article/what-is-tithinghttps://www.latterdaysaintcharities.org/https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/2/14/21133740/mormon-church-finances-billions-presiding-bishopric-ensign-peak-tithing-donations-byu-real-estateLinks to donations in kind:https://philanthropies.churchofjesuschrist.org/gift-planning/what-to-give/assets/securities/procedure-for-donating-securitieshttps://tech.churchofjesuschrist.org/wiki/Donations_in_kindhttps://support.vanguard.com/triage/coo/926106C5https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc506Please feel free to send any questions my way at onelessthingpodcast@gmail.comor DM @kaeliwood on Instagram

Airline travel with kids can be expensive, cumbersome and just flat out difficult! In this episode I share all the tips I've learned over the years; traveling while pregnant, traveling with young kids, and traveling as a solo parent with kids. I also share some of our airplane travel horror stories and how to survive when a flight gets cancelled or delayed. Hopefully it doesn't happen to you, but in case it does I'm here to help!

Here's my recipe for building wealth – make sure your Basic Needs are met, and then invest the rest! I'll discuss what I believe basic needs are, where you should invest, how much you can invest into tax-advantaged accounts each year, and the best ways to invest early so that you and your family are set for life.I recorded this episode in May 2022, and since then the markets have gotten even crazier! But rest assured that as long as you're patient, persistent and disciplined, you can stay the course and achieve some pretty amazing results for your financial future.

Finances aren't solitary – they effect so many aspects of your life. This awareness can help you figure out your own relationship with money, what you're grateful for and what you take for granted. In this episode I'll list 100 things I love about where my financial life has taken me, my personality when it comes to money, and how, at its core, finances can be less intimidating.

#9.  Here are my favorite ways to be productive - including getting clear on your values and prioritizing your schedule. The goal is to make decision making as frictionless as possible, because we've all had little ones clamoring for our attention! Rather than getting stuck in the day to day, these tips will jumpstart your productivity and free up time so you can focus on what's most important.Some recommendations in this episode:Thriving in Motherhood planner by Jessica JacksonWhen by Daniel Pink, with an interview at LifehackerWhen No is Better than Yes with wisdom from Brene BrownWired's book excerpt of Irresistible by Adam Alter

#8: Vulnerability is a tricky topic, but one that should be discussed as it relates to finances. We'll talk about how moms can use vulnerability to give themselves and others permission to do what's right for them, how long the average user uses social media a day (surprise – it's a lot!), why I stopped going on social media and why it's so important to grapple with your own feelings of financial vulnerability. We'll talk about the best ways to ask someone if they want to talk about something, where in the world real estate costs almost $1000 per sq ft and how financial scarcity can affect your mindset.As always, please reach out by emailing onelessthingpodcast@gmail.com or send me a DM @kaeliwoodSources:How gossip helped Homo Sapiens form larger and more stable bandsHow gossip allowed homo sapiens to conquer the earthUS millennials internet usage and online shoppingHow much time do people spend on social mediaHow to be vulnerableCost of living in Pleasanton, CADifference between compulsive and impulsive shoppingOnline consumers purchase decision behaviorWipeout - by Sebastian Maschat & Erlend Øye

As an Airbnb host for 5+ years, I've got my fair share of crazy stories. However, it also made SO much more possible, including funding family travel, keeping us financially afloat while my husband was in grad school,  and allowing me to stay home to raise our kids. While many short-term rentals are managed by property managers, Airbnb is unique in that anyone can rent out any space they own (subject to local laws). That means it's a totally viable option for moms, as long as they're willing and able to put in the work and deal with some discomfort.In this episode, we cover:Questions you should ask yourself to see if Airbnb hosting is a good fit for you and your familyHow you can make the best match between your space and your ideal guest's needsWhy keeping your listing detailed and honest is incredibly importantThe tools I used to get realistic pricingWhat to do 1) Before listing, 2) Before the guest arrives, and 3) After the guest leaves, to make the whole transaction as headache-free as possible

Parents shouldn't be made to feel as if their contribution to society doesn't mean anything unless they are actively earning a paycheck. In this episode, we discuss cognitive dissonance, the American Time Use survey, getting into a "flow state" and why that's especially hard when you're constantly caring for young children, self-referential thinking, why you should think of your work as a calling, and how you're probably doing a much better job at motherhood than you think you are.I'll be honest, I recorded this episode and had  second thoughts about letting it out into the world. But I think every mom who's chosen to stay home and raise their kid, for any amount of time, can relate at least a little bit.Disclaimer: I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must be to have to work because of differing circumstances than my own. But my hope is that one day there will be enough programs in place so that every mother can at least have the choice to stay home to raise their own kids if they want to.

Let's talk about debt. Dave Ramsey listeners want to get out of debt quicker than quicksand while Rich Dad, Poor Dad believers think real estate debt is the real path to wealth. But what do debt and wealth mean to you?Kaeli got married when she was 19 (almost 20!) and Sam was 22. From college scholarships, to Pell grants, to paying yourself first, they've used the principles Kaeli learned from her BYU photography teacher to always pay cash for a car and never get into recurring credit card debt. I'll walk you through our first couple live-in flips, remodels, being persistent with asking for financial aid, and lucking out in a crazy housing market.In this episode, we cover:How do you feel about your relationship bank accounts? (7 Habits for Highly Effective People,  Steven Covey)Time is your most valuable asset (Your Money or Your Life, Vicki Robbins)

Did you know that you can retire before age 65? Yes! I'm looking at you, stay-at-home mom! Whether you aren't fully-employed (in the "occupation" sense), have part-time work, work nights and weekends, or are taking a year (or more!) off to raise your kids, you too can reach financial independence. All it takes is a basic understanding of Financial Independence (FI for short), supporting your working spouse or partner, and some hard-work, sacrifice and creativity. All things you're doing anyway, right?

Groceries are a household staple – and the bigger the family, the more people eat! Here are some of our strategies we've used to cut our grocery budget: including buying less meat

Every situation is different, but when it comes to taxes you only want to pay as much as you need to. In this episode, we cover:Different types of taxes (including car tax!)Sales tax, property tax and state income tax, according to different statesWhy I do my taxes early and how I prepare for a tax appointmentBasic vocabulary explained: W-2, 1099, AGI, gross vs. net income, dependents, standard deduction, EIC, tax credits, tax deductionsQualified business expenses for freelancersOur tax mistakes and how to avoid them!

A quick introduction of Kaeli, a San Francisco Bay Area native who grew up as 1 of 7 kids in a single-income household. Teaching stay-at-home moms financial how-tos has been a passion of mine for a long time. We have so much stuff to do, so many things to worry about, that we barely seem to have time to even look up at the night sky. So this is my quest – empowering women and mothers to check something off their financial to-do list, get one step closer to financial independence, and have one less thing to worry about.

Come join me as we tackle our financial to-do lists! Being a mom is hard work – just, without a paycheck. But that doesn't mean you can't take money off your list of worries. Every week I'll be doing a deep dive into money tasks and give you actionable, authentic ways to take the stress out of finance. Let's do it!