Simplify and Enjoy is a podcast and community focused on helping families have less stress and more options through minimalism and financial independence!
Not happy with the service you're getting from your bank? It may be time to switch. Learn how credit unions work and see if they're a better banking option for you! Move Your Money to a Better Banking Option Where you bank matters. For most families, their checking and savings accounts are the foundation of their financial system. When it's not working, it just makes everything harder. We know because we've had some really bad experiences with a few of the big banks. Whether it was poor customer service, needless fees, and minimum balances requirements (even though the interest rates they were offering were abysmal), we just felt like it was a headache and chore dealing with them. Years ago we decided to move our money to where we could get great service and get perks like better rates with savings. One of the places we picked was a credit union, specifically Coastal Credit Union. We've been happy with switching over, but the focus today is not on us, but on you. It doesn't matter to me whether you choose a community bank, credit union, online, or yes, one of the big players. I just want you to be happy where you bank. Seriously. Which is why I'm happy to have Emily Nails, VP of Cooperative Strategies and Executive Director of the Coastal Credit Union Foundation on the show today. Not only are they a sponsor of this podcast, but they've also been our credit union for over ten years. In this episode, we'll get into: how credit unions work the benefits that credit union members can enjoy how credit unions benefits their communities Let's get started! Resources to Easily Manage Your Money Your money should be working as hard as you, but managing it should be easy. Here are some of my favorite tools and resources to stay on top of your finances! Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Coastal Federal Credit Union
Open enrollment season is here and I want you to be prepared. Learn what you need to know so that you can choose an affordable healthcare insurance plan that covers your family's needs! Finding Affordable Health Insurance How would you like to help set up your finances for this next year so that it runs smoother and that you are gonna be hitting your money goals faster? That might very well be the case if you take time to carefully to go over your options with Open Enrollment. I know it might not seem like the most exciting thing when you get that packet, but you can have a huge and significant win with your finances if you take the time to really research your options and make sure that you're maximizing your benefits. With open enrollment, there are going to be so many Health insurance is typically the biggest decision families worry about, and understandably so. Health insurance can be expensive. A recent health employer benefits survey found that the average premium for family coverage is $22,463 per year. That includes what your employer pays. However, most only a percentage. On average, employees are paying $6,106 year for premiums for their family plans. Now you add in copays and your deductible and it can be pricey, well you can see how important it is to find the right health insurance plan for you. You might feel like we did – trying to strike a balance. On one hand, handing over that much money month after month when we basically use it for annual well visits seemed like such a waste. But we didn't want to be under covered either. Have you've seen those bills from the doctor's office or hospitals? If you're fortunate, your HR department will have prepared a side by side analysis, comparing the major components of your different options. Still, depending on your family's particular needs such as dealing with a chronic health issue, you may have dig through that digital or paper packet to find answers about whether or not a specific things is covered. So how do you sort through things? Today we're dive into some of essential things you need to know so you can work together as a family and find the best option for you. In this episode we discuss: exactly how copays, coinsurance, deductibles, and more work so you know what coming out of your pocket and what's covered compare how typical base plans work versus high deductible health plans the ins and outs of health savings accounts We have a lot to cover so let's get started! Resources to Build Better Family Budgets If you're looking to start or revamp your budget so you can reach your family and financial goals faster, check out some of these resources below! Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Are High Deductible Health Plans and Health Savings Accounts an Affordable Option for You? How to Maximize Your Work Benefits During Open Enrollment Send in your family and financial questions here! If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. 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. 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!
Teaching kids about money doesn't have to be boring! Discover how to make learning about finances fun and engaging for your children! Teaching Kids Smart Money Habits As parents we want to prepare out kids so when they decide to go off on their own, they're equipped with not just the essential life skills, but also have wisdom on knowing when and how to use those skills. Believe it or not, part of showing them the ropes is teaching them about money. Because if we don't, they'll have a much harder time pursuing their goals because they'll be weighed down by the consequences of bad money habits such as carrying a massive amount of debt. Sadly carrying debts seems to the case for many Americans as I was reviewing some numbers from The Motley Fool about average debts. Average credit card debt $5,733 Average personal loan debt $11,281 Average monthly new car payment $736 Average monthly used car payment $523 That's a lot of baggage to carry Here's the thing, though – how do you start those lessons? It really is a family project. We have a big role as parents, but others in our circle can also be a wonderful help with getting our kids smarter with their money. Paul Vasey is on the show to talk about how. He's financial educator and the creator of Cash Crunch Games which is all about helping families have a fun time learning about finances through games. He also recently published a book – Raising Money-Smart Grandkids. As you can guess from the title is focused on the grandparents, but most of those topics apply to parents as well. In this episode we get into: the power of conversations and games in shaping your child's financial mindset how to navigate discussions about budgeting, saving, and making choices within a limited budget creative ways to engage your kids in hands-on experiences that make learning about money fun and relevant to their lives We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Build Better Family Budgets If you're looking to start or revamp your budget so you can reach your family and financial goals faster, check out some of these resources below! Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Cash Crunch Games Raising Money-Smart Grandkids Nuts and Bolts of Creating a Budget That Works Cashing Out: Creating a Flexible Financial Plan That Fits Your Family How to (Actually) Make Managing Your Money Fun FamZoo Kids and Money: How to Teach Them About Bank and Investing Accounts Financial Wellness: Tracking More Than Just the Numbers Send in your family and financial questions here! If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!
Are you a parent trying to juggle your family's budget while still enjoying life? We're going to walk you through how to find a balance with raising your kids, managing your money, and have fun! Parenting on a Budget: Strategies for Juggling Kids, Money, and Happiness When you're a parent, it can sometimes feel like there are so many demands on your finances and times. As we raise our kids, we may have to deal with daycare, school trips, extra curricular activities, family vacations, saving for college or trade, the list goes on and on. Oh wait, you're also expected to save for your own retirement. It feels like a lot, right? The pressure we feel from others or that we put on ourselves can make it seem like the price of parenthood is too much. While we do have more responsibilities as we raise our kids, there are some real joys with it. The trick is find a way to identify your family's particular priorities and manage your money in a way that balanced and fits the particular season of life you're in. Which is why I'm so glad Melissa McCollough from Coastal Credit Union is here to join us. Not only is she the Digital Marketing Manager behind Coastal's blog, but she's also a mom who knows firsthand the juggling act of parenthood. I love someone in the trenches chatting with me about making this work well. In this episode we get into: common challenges parents and families face when it comes to budgeting, and how to get through them effective strategies for saving money on kid-related expenses without sacrificing quality or experiences tools and resources, both online and in your community, that can make it easier to stay on top of your money so you have more time with your kids So, whether you're a parent looking to navigate the complexities of family finances or simply curious about the art of budgeting, this podcast episode is a must-listen. We have a lot to cover, so let's dive in! Resources to Build Better Budgets If you're looking to start or revamp your budget so you can reach your family and financial goals faster, check out some of these resources below! Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Finding the Best Paying Side Hustles for You Why and How You Need to Diversify Your Income 18 Money-Saving Challenges To Save More Money! Send in your family and financial questions here! If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!
Are you looking to have some fun while saving up for your goals? We'll explore ten monthly money challenges that you and your family can try out! Taking On Monthly Money Challenges As I mentioned last week, there's a wonderful opportunity for you to reset things with your finances and have a big win with your family and financial goals. There's three full months or 15 weeks, depending on how you want to look at it left in the year. You can knock out some really big goals in that time. One thing that can help you out with that is monthly money challenges. We got a variety of challenges that we're going to cover today that can help you develop new habits and routines. You can use that money to put towards whatever goal you're working on. There are some great challenges you can do throughout the year like the 52-Week Savings Challenge and the 365-Day Nickel-Saving Challenge, which I'll include in the show notes. There are also wonderful weekly challenges you can take on too. However for this episode, I want to focus on monthly goals. I feel like that's a big enough chunk of time where you can effectively knock out something. And it gives you enough flexibility that if you're having a bad week, you can still finish up on a high note. In this episode, I'm going to cover: the psychology monthly money challenges go over the different types of money challenges you can take on highlight ten money challenges We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Build Better Budgets If you're looking to start or revamp your budget so you can reach your family and financial goals faster, check out some of these resources below! Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Where Can I Find the Money to Build Emergency Savings? Send in your family and financial questions here! If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. It's a group Andy, Andrew from Family Money Plan, and myself run as a team. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photo Credits: Othmar Vigl
Today we'll go over five steps on how to reset and achieve your big family money goals for before the year wraps up! How to Reset and Reach Your Family and Financial Goals It's the first full week of September. How are things going of you this year so far? Looking back at 2023 so far, it's honestly been a year of ups and downs for us. Summer break for example had us taking two family trips around North Carolina which we certainly needed. Unfortunately my mom was in the hospital in the first part of July so our focus was on her for a few weeks. Thankfully she's doing better now. Honestly, though, I cut back on projects and some work I had planned here on the site and podcast. I also feel a bit weird saying this on the podcast, but yeah, I wasn't as diligent as I usually am with finances. Here's the thing though – for the most part we're still on track for our goals. How? As we have tackled our family and financial goals like saving down debt, saving for emergencies, and investing, we've developed habits and a financial system that has made it easier to stay on our goals. Cause I really do believe that there are times you need to give your family attention. If you have your financial system up, you can feel less stressed and better able to handle life's curveballs. I'd like to show you some ways you can manage your goals if you ‘re in a similar situation, where your focus hasn't been on your finance because of family obligations. The good news? You still have sixteen full weeks before this year is over. There is still plenty of time for you to make progress on your family and financial goals! Resources to Build Better Budgets If you're looking to start or revamp your budget so you can reach your family and financial goals faster, check out some of these resources below! Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Where Can I Find the Money to Build Emergency Savings? Send in your family and financial questions here! If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. It's a group Andy, Andrew from Family Money Plan, and myself run as a team. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photo Credits: George Milton, Taryn Elliott, and Max Andrey
Are you curious about real estate investing? Today, we're going to hear from two people who have made that leap and started building up their income streams through real estate! Getting Started in Real Estate Investing in real estate can be profitable and exciting, but it can also seem daunting, especially if you haven't got started yet. One of the favorite things I like to do, here on the podcast is to share stories from people in real life. What was it like to achieve their financial goals? Real estate investing is no different. I've had already done some interviews through the years. Even this year, I've shared stories from Alan, Crystal and Rachel about their own financial journeys into real estate and they each had different avenues that they took that were successful for them. Today I want to add two more stories to that list. Toni from debt-free divas and Aja from principles of increase are going to be discussing each of their journeys into real estate. In this episode, we're going to get into: how they acquired their first properties the mistakes they made with real estate investing and the wins that they've had with their properties their advice they would give now for those looking to jump into it. We have a lot to cover so let's get started! Resources on Real Estate If you're looking to buy, here are some resources to help you find an affordable place you love! Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Debt Free Divas The Great Debt Dump: Running Toward Financial Freedom with the Power of Community Principles of Increase How to Talk Money With Our Daughters Roofstock
Today we're going over essential house hunting tips so you can find your dream house! The Dos and Don'ts of House Hunting: Expert Advice from a Real Estate Agent Welcome back! These past few weeks, we've been focused on our home buying series. We started off with preparing finances to handle becoming a homeowner and building your credit. Next, we got the inside scoop on what lenders are looking for to make it easier to get a great deal on your mortgage. Now we're talking about the last key step – house hunting. For many this both the fun part of the process, but also the most stressful, especially if you're buying in a market. One concern families have is trying to find that hidden gem of place and avoid getting with a money pit. Which is why I'm happy to have Real Estate Agent/Broker Liz Mary Caban from Daymark Realty on. She's sharing her expertise to make the process easier. In this episode we get into: how to navigate with your house hunting and find your dream home how to be prepared to move quickly while still staying objective and within your budget what red flags to watch out for when you're checking out homes We have a lot 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: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Daymark Realty | Work with LizMary Caban Buying a Home
Are you thinking of buying a home soon? Get the inside scoop on what lenders are looking for so you can get a great deal on a mortgage! How to Find the Best Rates for Your Mortgage It's home buying season and depending on where you live, it could be a hot market. It's certainly that here in Raleigh, NC. As a buyer that can be additional pressure on finding the right place for you, but if you're prepared and you snag a great deal on your mortgage, you'll have a leg up. This is why to have Wendy Dawson on the show today. She's the Vice President of Mortgage Lending over at Coastal Credit Union. She'll be sharing her expert insights on how to shop around and snag a great deal on your mortgage. In this episode we'll get into: What lenders look for when assessing a potential borrower's financial position potential down payment assistance programs for first-time homebuyers how to stay level-headed during your house hunt your new place is a blessing and not a burden We have a lot 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: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Buying a Home
Buying a house can be overwhelming. Learn how to get your finances ready for homeownership so your new home is a blessing and not a burden! Preparing Your Finances to Buy a House Buying a house is a huge personal and financial milestone for many families, but it can also be a stressful and complicated process. One part of the stress is buying a house that's affordable. You want to be financially prepared There's plenty of advice on buying a house and not all of it is good. Have you heard ‘buy as much house as you afford'? I mean sounds good on paper, but the reality is if someone is telling you that you're probably pushing your house budget in a direction that could be a huge problem once you sign those papers. Or how about the suggestion of building your credit by getting a credit card? I don't want you to fall into a trap where your finances are so tight that the house you buy makes your miserable. Today we're going over some key areas of where you needed to pay attention and prepare your finances so that when you a buy a house, it's a blessing and not a burden. Which is why I'm happy to have Steve Stewart on the show today. In this episode we're going to look at: preparing your finances so you can comfortably buy a house the role credit scores play and how to raise it building credit without accumulating debt with alternative ways to report credit history to lenders We have a lot 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: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Buying a Home
Are you looking to have a true vacation where you can relax and enjoy, but are afraid it's going to break your budget? Learn how to score amazing deals and travel hack on your next trip! Finding the Best Family Vacation Deals During the last two episodes, we talk about building a better budget. We wanted to see how you can create a budget that allows you to pay the bills, but balances your future financial goals with some fun here and now. We've found that you're more likely to stick to your budget if you include room for things and experiences you enjoy. For many families, travel falls into that category. It does for us. Actually we recently took a trip to Florida and had an incredible time relaxing and catching up with some loved ones in the area. I know some families though are worried about the rising costs of trips. I just saw recently that rental cars have skyrocketed over 20%! Then you factor in service industry staff issues, it also almost seems like you're getting less, but paying more. However, with some planning you can take a wonderful vacation affordably. I'd like to share a few of the highlights so you can see how you can snag some travel deals for your next vacation. I'm also happy to have Zac Hood of our partner Travel Freely on the show. He's going to share how travel hacking works and how to approach searching for the right rewards card for you. We have a lot to cover so let's get started! Resources to Optimize Your Travel Rewards and More Looking for ways to save on your next family getaway? Here are some fantastic resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Travel Freely Simple Family Travel Tips and Tricks How We Do Low-Key Travel with Kids 17 Essential Tips for Finding the Perfect Airbnb If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photo by Pixabay and Julia Kuzenkov
Are you ready to start building a budget that works and you actually love? Learn the nuts and bolts on how to quickly and easily make a flexible family budget! Creating a Budget That Actually Works for You Last week I mentioned that one report found 73% of millennials are living paycheck to paycheck. When you're in that situation you can be an added weight on shoulders because if one thing goes wrong – and it will- it can make a mess of your finances. For this week, I want to go from the big picture view we took on the potentials with budgets and get into the nuts and bolts. How do you build a budget? Which is why I'm happy to have Warren Murray on the show today. Warren works Financial Well Being Manager over at Coastal Credit Union where he and his team help members live better by managing their money more efficiently. In this episode we'll get into: why having a financial snapshot your finances is important and how to do it how building your budget around financial wellness is more efficient and sustainable creative ways to include fun into your budget while still working towards your financial goals We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Build Better Budgets If you're looking to start or revamp your budget so you can reach your family and financial goals faster, check out some of these resources below! Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Where Can I Find the Money to Build Emergency Savings? If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. It's a group Andy, Andrew from Family Money Plan, and myself run as a team. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photo by Karolina Grabowska
Budgets don't have to feel like deprivation. Learn how to create a flexible family budget that fits in what you love while hitting your financial goals! Why Your Family Needs a Flexible Budget Raise your hand if the first time you made your budget it was exactly what you needed and was a perfect for your situation. Yeah, I don't personally know anyone who got their budget right the first try and there's a few reasons for that. Chances are what you put down on paper doesn't match real life. Either you have a money leak you're not aware of or like what you just heard in the teaser, you get thrown for a loop. It's enough to make you just want to trash the ideas of budgeting, but that would be a mistake. Right now more families are living paycheck to paycheck. I was reading a recent report from Lending Tree which highlighted overall 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Millennials, though, seem to be in worse shape as that number jumps to 73%. That can be pretty scary. One hiccup or an emergency can totally throw off your finances. If you ready to break the cycle then please listen in. Personal finance author and podcaster Allison Baggerly from Inspired Budget is not just sharing her story, but some fantastic tips on how to create a flexible budget that works for your family's unique needs and circumstances. In this episode we'll get into: how shifting her mindset about budgets transformed her finances and life why having a flexible budget is key to long-term success and financial stability practical tips on how to get started if you hate budgets We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Build Better Budgets If you're looking to start or revamp your budget so you can reach your family and financial goals faster, check out some of these resources below! Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Inspired Budget Allison's Book: Money Made Easy Getting Good with Money and Dumping Debt If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. It's a group Andy, Andrew from Family Money Plan, and myself run as a team. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!
We've brought back the listener's mailbag. Today we're answering your family and finance questions about keep your grocery bills manageable, deciding on how to travel with kids, and getting started with real estate! Listener Mailbag: Spring 2023 One of my favorite parts of creating Simplify and Enjoy is the community. While I'm happy to share our journey as a family, it's fun when you chime in with your wins, stories, and questions. Today we're going to be diving into your family and finance questions. First, we'll look at how to save money on your grocery bill. Next, we'll talk about how to adjust or if needed, revamp your budget. There's still plenty of time to have some big wins with your family and financial goals. Finally, we're following up from last week's episode about different options in real estate. There are so many different paths. Which is why I'm so glad to share a fun and informative conversation I had with Stacking Deeds Podcast Hosts Crystal Hammond and Alan Corey. We get into their own journeys and they have advice on what to consider if you'd like to get started with real estate investing. We have plenty to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Stay on Top of Your Money If you're ready to jump into the year and knock out some of your health and wealth goals, here are a few of my favorite resources and includes what we covered in the podcast. Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Stacking Deeds Podcast Connect with Crystal: Twitter Connect with Alan: Twitter Alan's Books: A Million Bucks by 30 |House FIRE [Financial Independence, Retire Early] If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!
Are you interested in getting started in real estate investing but don't know where to begin? We'll uncover some opportunities and niches out there that could be a good fit for you! Adventures in Real Estate Investing In our community we have families at different points in their financial journeys. This year we have some who are focused on knocking out debts that have been weighing them down. We also have families who building up their financial cushion or saving up for a huge goal including starting a family, maybe starting a business, or buying a house. Then some, including us are in the CoastFI phase of things. That foundation is in place and we're considering options that can give us more flexibility with our schedule while still producing income. Real estate investing can be a great way to be a solid path towards that and financial freedom. By investing in a property, you can generate passive income through rent. However there's more to it than what you see on HGTV, Magnolia, or those real estate flip channels on YouTube. Buying property takes money and finding good tenants and contractors takes time. You may also worry about being trapped with a money pit. Which is why I'm happy to have Rachel Hernandez on the show. Rachel is an award-winning mobile home investor with over ten years of experience and author of several books about real estate including Adventures in Mobile Homes. In this episode we'll get into: her journey into real estate investing and what made her choose to hone in with investing in mobile home different options out there besides flipping and buying holding property an honest look at the good and the bad with real estate so you have a clearer idea of what to expect Hope you enjoy! Resources If you're ready to achieve your family and financial goals and want to explore real estate, here are a few of my favorite resources, including what we covered in the podcast. Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Mobile Home Gurl Connect with Rachel : Twitter | Instagram Adventures in Mobile Homes and Rachel's other books on real estate investing If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photo by Mikhail Nilov
Do you want to start a garden this year, but are you worried that you can't keep the plants alive? I'm going to share how you can create an easy to maintain garden that's fun! Learning to Grow a Garden Before we get into gardening, I want to be upfront about something- I used to be the person who kept cacti around because it was the only plant I could keep alive. It's true. I am not someone who naturally has a green thumb. This is something that I had to build up from and learn. Good news, though, is now I'm hunting through seed catalogs each season, picking out what we're going to grow. I enjoy seeing how much of our own food we can grow from the garden. Obviously, this was not an overnight process, but surprisingly, it wasn't as hard as I thought. A key part of me enjoying gardening is by starting off small and going with easy to grow plants. With some small, but powerful wins I was motivated to dive into this new hobby that I love. The good news is if I can do it, you can do it. If you are thinking of starting a garden, but you're worried about your skills or if it's gonna be a lot of work, I want to help you out. I want you to have an incredible and awesome year of gardening without a ton of hassle. So in this episode, we're gonna get into how to design your garden so that it's productive. Yet easy to How to decide which plants to grow. And some of my favorite garden tips to get you started on the right foot. We have a lot to cover. So let's get started! In this episode, we'll get into: how to design your garden so that it's productive yet easy to maintain how to decide what to grow some of my favorite garden tips to get you started on the right foot Hope you enjoy! Resources to Easily Jumpstart Your Garden If you're ready to start growing your garden, here are a few of my favorite resources and includes what we covered in the podcast. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 20 Easy Plants to Grow in Your Food Garden Frugal Foodie: How to Level Up with Homebrewing and Gardening 4 Keys to Maximizing Your Food Forest or Permaculture Garden's Productivity Permaculture Gardening: How Companion Planting Helps How to Start a Garden in 2023 Organic Gardening 101: Building Up Your Soil with Wood Chips Stunning TINY Permaculture Backyard Kitchen Garden (With 30 Fruit Trees!) Simplify Gardening: How to Start a Compost Pile Send In Your Family and Finance Questions for the Listener Mailbag episodes HERE! If you'd like to chat more your family and financial goals, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photos by Huy Phan and cottonbro studio
Want to have more work-life balance in your life? Today we'll explore how the principles of FI can help you make the transition to part-time work! Finding Work-Life Balance as Parents Work- life balance can be a struggle for parents, especially if your kids are young. You wand to have this time with them, but you also have to take care of the essentials like bills. Or maybe you have a job you really enjoy, but it's very demanding of your time. You want some flexibility so you can work, but still be there with your little ones. What if you want to work, but just not the traditional full-time? Our culture and the way office work is structure makes that difficult. Family first employers can be hard to find. It's an all or nothing approach. Part-time work is regulated to lower paying work, which may not be viable for families. It's almost easier to just have one stay home while the other works full-time. If you want something different, in most cases, you have to carve out your own path. We had to do that and so have other families. Which is why I'm thrilled to have Marriage, Kids, and Money creator and my buddy Andy Hill on the show. Andy and his wife Nicole have carved out that path of family and work that's flexible and allows them to work part-time and hang out with their kids. In this episode we get into: conversations you two need to have create a plan you're both happy with how to use principles from FI to build flexibility so you can switch to part-time work key financial milestones to help prepare you for the transition Hope you enjoy! Resources to Pivot Your Career If you're ready to jump into the year and knock out some of your health and wealth goals, here are a few of my favorite resources and includes what we covered in the podcast. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Marriage, Kids, and Money: Andy's fantastic podcast and site dedicated to building family wealth and happiness. Part-Time Work at 40 (Our Mortgage Free, Worry Free Plan) Living On One Income: How Families Can Make the Switch Send In Your Family and Finance Questions for the Listener Mailbag episodes HERE! If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. It's a group Andy, Andrew from Family Money Plan, and myself run as a team. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!
Learn how you can get back into the swing of things and effectively network! Effective Networking Tips for Busy Parents For better and worse the pandemic has shifted how we work. For some families, working from home has now become an option. That's blessing for sure. Some companies have shifted how they communicate, with in-person meeting being replaced with chats, emails, and video conferencing. However, there's benefits for in-person events like conferences and team strategy sessions for a big project or to connect with coworkers. With in-person events opening back up, you may feel a bit rusty with essential skills like networking. Whether you're an entrepreneur, remote worker, or back full time in the office, it's vital that you That's why I'm thrilled to have Michelle Jackson on the show today. She's an author and content creator and the founder of The Brand Building Lab where she helps entrepreneurs dial in and design a profitable and authentic business that positively impacts their community. I've known her for probably 10 years now and I can tell you she has a gift for connecting with people and networking. In this episode, we'll get into: why the old model of networking doesn't work where and how you can organically connect with people how to develop a strategy that's a effective and fun Hope you enjoy! Resources If you're ready to jump into building your career and finances, here are a few of my favorite resources that we covered in the episode plus more. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money The Brand Building Lab Connect with Michelle: Twitter Small Business Finance for the Busy Entrepreneur: Blueprint for Building a Solid, Profitable Business Finding the Best Paying Side Hustles for You How to Master Your Small Business Finances Career Advice from Conan O'Brien If you want to chat more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips, please join us at Thriving Families on Facebook. We'd love to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!
Want more flexibility with your budget and life? Learn how master your cash flow brings you closer to financial freedom! How to Have More Options with Cashflow FI It can be a challenge to break out of the paycheck to paycheck cycle. One recent survey found that 64% of Americans are in that cycle; that's nine and half million more than 2021. You might be thinking that it is because of income and for sure that's a major issue, but your income is only part of the equation. Fortune reported that over half of Americans earning $100,000 or more are living paycheck to paycheck. Again there are various reason why people are struggling even with a healthy income and we'll cover a few of them here in future episodes, but one big factor is they haven't taken the time to prioritize their spending. Whether you're looking to pursue financial independence or something in the more traditional time frame, you have to master your cash flow. When you have a gap between what you're spending and earning while still enjoying life, you're giving yourself more options and flexibility with your budget and schedule. It's not automatic though, it's skill you have to learn. That's why I'm happy to have Cody Berman on today's show. He's the co-founder of the Financial Independence Show and the co-founder of Gold City Ventures. In this episode, we'll cover: why financial independence is more than just leaving the rat race diversifying your income in a way where you're not trading your time for money why Cody is focused on cash flow FI vs waiting to hit a more traditional FI number We have a lot to go over, so let's get started! Resources to Hit Your FI Number Faster Ready to knock out your debt? Check out these tools and resources to easily manage your family's finances! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, 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 Cody's Podcast: The FI Show Gold City Ventures Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris Mr. Money Mustache Root of Good: Another fantastic FI blog Frugalwoods If you want to chat more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips, please join us at Thriving Families on Facebook. We'd love to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!
Do you have a huge financial goal you're chasing, but you're not sure how to fit it in with everything you have going on right now? Learn how you can be happy with your money and your life! Finding a Healthy Balance with Your Money and Your Life I find one of the biggest challenges when you're working on family and financial goals is finding that balance. It can be easy to go from one extreme to the other without even realizing it. Before we started knocking out our debts, I wouldn't say I gave much attention to finances. However there's this other extreme where you're completely focused on your financial goals. It can get to the point where you say, ‘We're going to do this when we pay this debt off, or have this much invested, or XYZ‘, you get the idea. This approach can rob you of joy of the journey and can add undue stress to your family. Taking care of your family and financial goals can be enjoyable and fun. It can also be more holistic, where you also improving different areas of your life including being more social, mental health, and more. That's why I'm thrilled Jason Vitug is on the show today. He's the author of You Only Live Once, and his new one one, Happy Money Happy Life. In this episode we'll: look at finances through a holistic lens share how you can make sure that you're enjoying the journey how to take care of yourself and your family We have a lot of cover, so let's get started! Resources to Find More Balance with Your Health and Wealth If you're ready to jump into the year and knock out some of your health and wealth goals, here are a few of my favorite. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Jason's Books: Happy Money Happy Life and You Only Live Once Connect with Jason: Twitter and Instagram Start with Your Why Noom Weight: Unlike other programs, Zoom's psychological focus uses small goals to help users create lasting habits and lose weight for good. You'll get fitness tips, recipes, a coach, and more to stay motivated. What's the #1 habit Peter would suggest every person add to their daily regimen? If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photos by Daniel Torobekov and Tatiana Syrikova:
How do you translate your wish list into an actual to do list? Learn how you can create an everyday bucket list and an incredible year! Why You Need an Everyday Bucket List for Your Family One of my hopes for you and other families listening is show you how pursuing your financial goals doesn't mean you have to put your life on hold. There is a certain amount of intensity you need in that initial phase to knock out things like high interest debt. That doesn't mean you completely sacrifice fun in your schedule. There are ways you can enjoy trips, achieve some personal goals, and just have fun while you're working towards those financial goals. It takes some creativity, but it's not overly complicated. Everyday Bucket List author Karen Cordaway is on the show to show us how. As a busy working parent, she spent years struggling to find free time for herself. Karen figured out how to reclaim her schedule and infuse more exciting bucket list experiences into her family's everyday life. In this episode, we'll get into: how you can create your everyday bucket list creative ways to travel more without breaking your budget strategies to help you Let's get started! Resources to Create and Knock Out Your Everyday Bucket List Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Everyday Bucketlist The Ultimate Language Learning Guide If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you live in the Triangle area of North Carolina and you'd like someone to work with you on your goals, you really want to check out Coastal's Wealth Management team. They'd love to help you start investing for retirement and more!
Has the last few years been a much for you and it's taken a toll on your health? Today we're focusing on how you can have a rich life by getting fit! The Challenge: Fit at 40ish These past three years have been quite the ride. The pandemic has definitely affected me. Nothing dramatic, but when you put it together I can see how things have shifted. Good and bad. I have family and friends who are vulnerable to COVID because of health issues they already had, so I've been more cautious and that's translated to me worrying a bit more. On the plus side, I knew that social isolation wouldn't be good for me or my family we started meeting up with others outdoors. I believe that was real helpful with keeping in touch with our friends and getting that fresh air. Same thing with eating. On the plus side we cooked and ate more at home, but looking at the meals we picked, comfort foods topped the list. Again, nothing crazy, but you stack these together for a few years and it starts. I see it on the scale, with my energy levels, and more. So I'm turning that around this year and I'm prioritizing my health. Because I think it's a core component to that rich life we talked about last week. I want to enjoy hanging with our kids, become more active, and maybe find a new activity or hobby. Besides the obvious physical benefits of getting fit, there's also a mental and an emotional boost when you're taking care of yourself that spills over to other areas of your life. Which is why I'm thrilled to have Rich Jones on the podcast. He's the award-winning creator founder of Find More Balance and the Mental Wealth Show where he discusses holistic health for high achievers. A few years ago, Rich had his own transformation. By focusing on his mental and physical, Rich had some incredible personal and professional wins. In this episode we'll get into: Rich's amazing journey of sobriety to becoming a national track champion healthy habits you can adopt to have meaningful improvements to your health how to take and make your health goals into reality We have so much to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Get Healthy If you're ready to jump into the year and knock out some of your health and wealth goals, here are a few of my favorite resources and includes what we covered in the podcast. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money The Mental Wealth Show: Rich's podcast focused on holistic wellness for high achievers How I FINALLY Found Some Balance in My Life: Hear from Rich about his journey with finding balance. How to Keep a Gratitude Journal for Self-Care & Mental Health: This habit can be an eye-opener and a way to reset how you view things What's the #1 habit Peter would suggest every person add to their daily regimen? If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you live in the Triangle area of North Carolina and you'd like someone to work with you on your goals, you really want to check out Coastal's Wealth Management team. They'd love to help you start investing for retirement and more! 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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!
Ready to rest and fresh your family and financial goals? This year we're exploring how to have a rich life! The Challenge: Make 2023 A Rich Life Okay, that's a pretty bold statement – have a rich life. Let first back track on how I came up with this theme for the season and then we can talk about what a rich life looks like. Even before we wrapped up this last season in November, something had been nagging me about the podcast. Besides Simplify and Enjoy, I also write and run Couple Money which is focused on helping married couples get on the same page with their finances. I've really loved it. As we were paying off debts, stashing and growing our financial cushion, and eventually becoming a CoastFI family, it's been fantastic to hear from you and other families on the milestones you're reaching. Between the two, I've been writing and or podcasting about personal finance for over 12 years and it's been incredible. However as important as getting your finances squared away, it's just one piece of the puzzle. So I took time off throughout last year including one in October where I just disconnected from the work. I allowed myself to explore and read other topics besides finances to see if I could add something to this podcast that would help you and other families have not just an amazing year with your finances, but really allow you to enjoy things. The first think that clicked for me was a quote from Cal Newport. It served as a jumping-off point for me as I looked at 2023 and what I wanted to do. Do less. Do better. Know why. Instantly, I knew I wanted to dig into this. Initially, I thought about how it would in with podcast. Do less. Families are stressed out because they're doing so much. There's always this list of a million things you need to do to get your money straight. Or here's how you work, be a FT parent, and have a side hustle. It's too much noise and nonsense. I want to keep things simple and flexible so you can build and design your life as needed. Do better. With time and energy freed up because we're no doing a ton of things, how can we use that to create something special? Let's put energy into building up our relationships, levelling up on skills with work, and taking on a projects and hobbies that are meaningful to us. Know why. Productivity culture almost elevates being busy like it's a virtue, but the real challenge is having and knowing your purpose for what you're doing. This definition can then be used so you can gauge when you have enough. Resources If you're ready to jump into the year and knock out some goals, here are a few of my favorite resources and includes what we covered in the podcast. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money More on Cultivating a Deep Life: Mindset Our Financial System That Help Us Hit CoastFI How Reading – Not Scanning, Not Scrolling – Opens Up Your Mind If you'd like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. Hope to see you there!
Is pursuing CoastFI a smart move for families? Looking for the best personal finance book for you? We dive into these questions and more in this mailbag episode! Listener Q&A: CoastFI Questions and More We're wrapping up this season of the podcast by focusing on one of my favorite parts of Simplify and Enjoy: our community. While I'm happy to share our journey as a family, it's fun and inspiring to hear your stories, ideas, and questions. I usually come away with something to explore and I hope you do too. In this episode, we'll get into Which personal finance books to read Whether or not CoastFI is a good goal to pursue Which numbers should you track We have so much to cover, so let's get started! Handy Tools to Start Your FI Journey If you're looking to get ahead with your finances as a family and look at pursuing financial independence, here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money How to Find the Best Personal Finance Books for Your Family How Your Family Can Become Financially Free Coast FI: A Better Path to Financial Independence 10 Lessons Learned from Accidental Slow F.I.R.E. How Much is Enough Money? The Levels of Financial Autonomy 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 live in the Triangle area of North Carolina and you'd like someone to work with you on your goals, you really want to check out Coastal's Wealth Management team. They'd love to help you start investing for retirement and more! 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 Spotify, or Apple. 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 nappy
With the year wrapping up soon, now is a wonderful time to do a year-end review of your money goals and set yourself up for an incredible year ahead! Reviewing Your Money Goals for the Year It's that time of year again! Besides our monthly money reviews, one of the things we do is a deeper dive year-end review. It's a way to review the numbers, celebrate wins, and adjust our system as needed to achieve our goals. Everyone has their own system, but the bones of the process are usually the same. We start by pulling up the goals we made for the year. We review all our accounts – top to bottom – to see where we stand. We discuss what worked and what didn't for us. We then take that information and use it to plan out the next year. On paper, it's a fairly straightforward process, but believe it or not, it can be fun and empowering, which may sound a bit crazy to you, but I hope to show how you can enjoy it. In this episode, I want to: take you through a high-level view of how it works point out ways you can make the review run smoothly so you're not scrambling to see all of your accounts talk about how you can use your review to set things up for big wins next year I hope you enjoy! Resources to Easily Stay on Top of Your Family's Finances Money Apps to Track Your Progress: Tiller, Personal Capital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Pay Your Mortgage Off Faster: Mortgage Free Masterplan Financial Independence with Kids: Figuring Out Your Path Why You Should Design Your Life Before Reaching Financial Independence 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 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!
Data breaches and identity theft are becoming a regularly part of our lives. Learn how you can protect and secure your personal information! How to Secure Your Info from Data Breaches Identity theft, data breaches, and scams are something that many of us are dealing with way too frequently. Recently, I got a letter from the medical system that we use for doctor's appointments and, it, went a little, something like this: Dear Valued Patient: We're committed to improving the health and well-being blah blah blah Earning and maintaining the trust of our patients is paramount and reflected in demonstrating transparency, accountability more stuff to soften what we have to admit In support of these principles we are writing to let you know that information related to your use of our health portal may have been transmitted to a completely different and unrelated company in error. Ooops Crazy thing is this isn't the first or worst notification we received about our data being possibly compromised or shared. If you've ever shopped at a Target, been a T-Mobile user, or used Facebook, chances are you got notified about one. I just named a few big ones, but basically you can check out sites like Wired to find what new data breach is in the news. Protecting our personal information and identity is getting harder. You have scammers, and identity thieves getting smarter going beyond phishing emails. They could be using skimming devices when you shop. Then there are hackers breaching company's databases or an employee illegally accessing and dumping data like with what happened with Capital One. It's a lot to worry about. While nothing is foolproof and guaranteed, there are relatively simple steps you can take to make it harder for them to steal your information. In this episode we'll get into: how you can secure your information offline protecting yourself online resources to help you if you're a victim of identity theft Alright, let's get started! Resources to Protect Your Personal Information and Finances If you're looking to stay on top of your money and protect your personal information, here are some helpful resources to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money IdentityTheft.gov Annual Credit Report: Free way to review each of your credit reports LastPass How to Spring Clean Your Digital Clutter to Protect Yourself 10 Biggest Data Breaches in Finance OptOutPrescreen: Submit a form to get out of the junk mail Identity Theft & Credit Card Fraud: How to Protect Your Money For freezing your accounts or putting an alert you need to contact the credit bureaus. Equifax: 1-888-766-0008 Experian: 1-888-397-3742 TransUnion: 1-833-395-6938 If you want to chat more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips, please join us at Thriving Families on Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! 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! 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! Photo Credits: Markus Spiske and Mikhail Nilov
Are you frustrated with your bank? Are you getting hit with needless fees? Or feeling like you have to fight to get some good customer service? Today, we're going to look at credit unions and we're going to see why they may be the right option for you. Why Where You Bank Matters One of the most important decisions you can make with your money is choosing where you bank because it's the foundation of your family's finances. Ideally, you want a banking system that allows you to take care of your essential bills, save up for important goals, and set aside something for fun, like vacations. As you heard in the teaser, though – that can be difficult when your bank is working against your best interest. The good news is that those banks that are on the news aren't your only option. You can get better services and competitive rates by moving your money. One overlooked option that can give you both is switching to a credit union. Joe Mecca from Coastal Federal Credit Union and I are discussing and answering some big questions families typically have about credit unions. Now, if you've been a part of this community, you already know Coastal Credit Union is a sponsor. However, you may not know that we have been members of Coastal years before they came on board here. I'll include a link so you can hear the details, but a very long story short, we had been burned and were frustrated by our old bank, which happened to be one of the big banks. I'm almost embarrassed at how long we waited, but finally, we had enough, so we looked for other options. Eventually, I discovered Coastal and yeah, it's been like night and day. We've been happy with their service. I'd like you to have the same win. Whether you're in this area and you use Coastal, some other credit union, or a different banking option, the key thing is I want you to review your finances and make sure you're happy with whoever you decide to bank with. In this episode, we'll get into: How credit unions work Benefits of being a credit union member How Coastal works for the community We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Easily Manage Your Money Your money should be working as hard as you, but managing it should be easy. Here are some of my favorite tools and resources to stay on top of your finances! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Coastal Federal Credit Union
Open enrollment season is here and I want you to be prepared. Learn how you can avoid some of the biggest mistakes and instead maximize your workplace benefits to their fullest potential! Open Enrollment FAQs How would you like to help set up your finances for this next year so that it runs smoother and that you are going to be hitting your money goals faster? That might very well be the case if you take time this weekend to go over your options with open enrollment. I know it might not seem like the most exciting thing when you get that packet, but you can have a huge insignificant one with your finances if you take the time to really research your options and make sure that you're maximizing your benefits. With open enrollment health insurance is typically the biggest decision families worry about an understandably. You're trying to strike that balance of getting the best coverage for your family at an affordable price, which can be a struggle. However, that's just one piece. There are other benefits that I want to make sure you are maximizing as much as possible. How do you know where to start and which workplace benefits you should focus on? That's why I want to share a discussion I had with Matt minor awhile ago about which areas to give your attention to and what essential conversations you should be having as a family to get a clearer picture of optimizing your workplace benefits. Matt is a fee only fiduciary advisor with Miner Wealth Management and he specializes in helping families make sure that their finances are aligned with their goals, priorities, and values. He's also the creator and host of the work pants, finance podcast. In this episode, we're going to be covering: some of the most common and biggest mistakes families make when they go through open enrollment with their benefits how disability insurance works and why you should consider it, even if you are young and healthy what to look out for for other possible benefits and keeping an eye on your 401(k) Hope you enjoy! Resources to Maximize Your Family's Finances Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab a copy of my book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Build Up Your Travel Fund Faster with my FREE course: 5 Days to $5K Making the Most of Your Workplace Benefits Insurance Coverage Families Needs with Matt Becker If you want to chat more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips, please join us at Thriving Families on Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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 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! 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!
Traveling as a family can be a fantastic way to connect and to experience new things together. If you have little ones, it can also be stressful. Today we're going to go over some travel tips and hacks that parents can use to make things less stressful and still snag a great deal on your next family trip! Taking a Trip with Children Are you guys planning to travel this season? We are. These past few years, we've developed a rhythm where we travel to catch the changing of the leaves. I will say with the girls now 11 and 7, trips are a lot more fun. We get to have some great conversations in the car. We explore new places to eat or hike together. My kids have gotten really good with recording pictures and videos of our trips. Now rewind a few years, and things felt different. We still enjoyed traveling when they were babies and toddlers – got the pics to prove it – but it was a little challenging. Vacations were a bit of work at that stage and maybe you feel the same. The good news is that there are different tricks that can make family vacations more enjoyable for everyone. We're about to enter a busy season of travel, so today I want to help you save money and have fun together as a family. In this episode, we'll get into: Travel tips if you have young kids to make it less stressful Snagging last-minute deals Some ideas on affordable and fun family trips this season Alright, let's get started! Resources for Affordable Family Vacations Looking for ways to save on your next family getaway? Here are some fantastic resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab a copy of my book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Build Up Your Travel Fund Faster with my FREE course: 5 Days to $5K Check Out the Best Rewards Card Offers Out Now on Travel Freely Travel Hacking Your Family Vacations: Discovering Epic Deals Travel Hacking Your Family Vacations: Credit Card Rewards 11 Essential Tips For Flying With A Toddler 7 Big Mistakes To Avoid When Renting A Vacation Home 17 Expert Travel Tips for Families Traveling With Toddlers & Babies 3 reasons “budget” hotels DESTROY nice ones Can You Really Get Free Flights? Travel Hacking Essentials 5 Rules for a Really Good Trip With the Kids If you want to chat more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips, please join us at Thriving Families on Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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 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! 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!
Not sure how to start talking to your kids about money? One mom shares how she's teaching her teens about budgets, investing, giving, and more! Guiding Your Teens with Finances One of parenthood's joys (and responsibilities) is guiding your kids and teens into adulthood. We all want them to live happy and meaningful lives. That's a huge goal to work towards, and it takes all 18 years (and then some!) to build them up. One essential skill set they need to get a handle on is their finances. We know money isn't the goal, but it is a handy tool to help them take care of their bills, save up for big goals, and yes, have a bit of fun. The huge question, however, is where do we start? How do we teach our kids, especially teens, about finances? How do we show them the ropes of budgeting, investing, and giving? How can we help them feel comfortable with handling finances and make wise choices? This is why I'm glad Aja, creator of Principles of Increase and author of How to Talk Money With Our Daughters. She's also a mom of two teens. In this episode, we get into: When to begin those conversations and ways you can make them meaningful and interesting Introducing teens to investing whether it's funds or real estate Involving them with the finances so they'll be prepared and confident with their skills Let's get started! Resources to Teach Your Kids about Money If you're looking for ideas and resources to prepare your kids to be money-savvy, here are some to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Join Our Community and Get Free Our Newsletter! FamZoo How to Teach Your Kids About Money (w/o Being Boring!) The Opposite of Spoiled: Teaching Kids about Money (and More) Cash Crunch Junior: Have fun while learning about money with this board game! Goalsetter: Rally your family and friends together to support your kids' gifts. Goalsetter allows them to give meaningful gifts that support their dreams! If you want to chat more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips, please join us at Thriving Families on Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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 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! 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. Become a Member. Photo Credits: Karolina Grabowska and Vanessa Loring Related
Want to maximize your money? Find the best time in the year to buy electronics, other big purchases, and find travel deals! The Best Time to Buy Even though autumn has just started, we're taking a bit of time and looking ahead to next year. We've found that approaching it in smaller chunks makes it easier to manage our money and hit our family and financial goals. Good news - this doesn't mean pulling out the spreadsheets and running projections for the next five to ten years. Instead, you can build enthusiasm for planning next year's budget by looking at things you're excited about, such as trips, new tech, or home improvement projects. Because these are typically big purchases outside your regular budget, you want to start saving ahead of time to keep your cash flow smooth. You can also try to time things to have the money ready to buy when it is on sale. I want to help with both sides of the planning. After scouring resources like Consumer Reports, Wirecutter, NerdWallet, and more, I've compiled a list of the best times to buy things for the year. In this episode, we'll get into: Each season and month so you know when a good time to snag a deal Tools that can help you get rebates or find the lowest prices How to make room in your budget for those big purchases We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to to Stay on Top of Your Money Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Consumer Report's Best Time to Buy Things What to Buy Every Month in 2022 20 Money Saving Tips The Best Time to Buy Flights CamelCamelCamel The Best Time to Buy Anything If you want to chat more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips, please join us at Thriving Families on Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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 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! 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. Become a Member. Photo Credit: cottonbro and Sam Lion
Financial infidelity is more common than you think. Learn red flags to look out for as well as how to become more proactive with your finances! Why You Need to Talk About Money Openly Marriage and money aren't typically something that people love talking about, but if you want to have a strong relationship you have to find to communicate with each other that's transparent, productive, and respectful. I was looking at a survey, and one had recorded 39% of adults just avoid even talking about the numbers. Think about it for a moment. We're not even talking about hiding anything. We may think we're avoiding a fight by brushing off or keeping chats about money superficial, but that's not usually how it works. Finances, money, budgets – they're necessary topics, and the more comfortable we get about it, I think that actually leads to a better relationship, a better marriage. That's Tracy Coenen who you also heard at the top of the episode. She's on the show today because she's quite familiar with how things can unravel those financial issues can snowball into something much bigger. Tracy has seen that happen in her work. She's a forensic accountant and fraud investigator with Sequence Inc where she investigates embezzlement, securities fraud, divorce, white collar criminal defense, insurance fraud, and civil litigation matters. But let's look at that side- financial infidelity. How would you define it? “Financial infidelity is hiding financial information, financial transactions, from your partner in a situation where you have a reasonable grasp of knowing what they want to know,” said University of Minnesota law professor Jill Hasday. “And, keeping the information is harming them.” A study from the Journal of Financial Therapy, found 76% of married couples involved in financial infidelity say the experience negatively impacted their relationship, and 10% got divorced over it. One reason why it can cause such damage to your marriage is that it breaks trust, which is such a critical piece in your relationship. It's hard to rebuild that trust. It takes time. I hope you never have to deal with financial infidelity, but if it happens, how would you know? In this episode, we'll discuss: Causes or underlying issues behind financial infidelity and red flags to look out for Ways to start working as a team to either prevent or repair the damage How to financially protect yourself We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to to Stay on Top of Your Money Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money How to Deal With and Overcome Financial Infidelity in Your Marriage Dealing with Awkward Money Conversations as a Couple Ask the Readers: Hiding Money from Your Spouse Divorce Money Guide If you want to chat more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips, please join us at Thriving Families on Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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 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! 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. Become a Member. Photo Credit: Photo by Milada Vigerova and Karolina Grabowska
Today we're going over 5 major money mistakes families make and how you can pivot things to hit your financial goals faster! 5 Major Money Mistakes Families Make (and How to Fix Them) It's funny how we perceive time and seasons. Like right now, we're moving towards autumn, which means the year will technically wrap up in a few short months. However, fall is also a bit of a reset or a do-over for many. Maybe it's because we're in back-to-school season, and we see kids preparing and gearing up for classes. Or we're excited about the upcoming breaks and trips we've planned to see family and friends. Either way, over these past 13 or so years I've been writing about finances, I've noticed that September seems to be when people get a bit of a second wind. Which is great and I want to be right here to cheer you on. I like to embrace the energy and use it, so you have a win or two with your family finances before the year finishes. To start off, I want to discuss some ways we sabotage ourselves when reaching our money goals. How we approach finances almost always fails because it's either – let's be honest – boring. Or, it's so rigid you immediately want to escape because life happens as these past two and half years prove. Of course, there are many ways it can go wrong, but in the 13+ years I've been writing and covering family finances, I see some mistakes come up again and again. I want to go over these five major mistakes and cover habits and strategies that speed things up if you're doing well or can help turn things around if you're not happy with your current strategy. In this episode, we'll get into: The five major money mistakes families make What you should be doing instead that will make managing your money so much easier Share a few tips on how to make it a lot more fun. Seriously So much to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Manage Your Money Easier Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money How to Hack Your Habits to Achieve Your Financial and Fitness Goals Inaction is a Slow Death If you want to chat more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips, please join us at Thriving Families on Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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 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! 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. Photo Credit: Guy Kawasaki
We've brought back the listener's mailbag. Today we're answering your family and finance questions about saving up for multiple goals, revamping your budget, and travel planning tips! Family and Finances: Better Budgets and More One of my favorite parts about Simplify and Enjoy is the community. While I'm happy to share our journey as a family: the projects that we're taking on, the goals we're trying to reach, it's always fun to get your take on things to hear your questions, stories, and celebrate your wins. Today, we're going to wrap up this set of episodes by answering three questions from you. First, we're going to get into how to save from multiple goals. This is a challenge for a lot of families because not only are they trying to save for retirement, maybe put aside something for their kids, college expenses. They also have to make sure there's enough money to replace the cars, take family vacations, get gifts for others and so forth. So, how do you juggle it all? Next we'll talk about how to adjust or if needed, revamp your budget. We're halfway through the year. So I knew a lot of families are looking at things that are working and what's not. They want to finish this year strong, so they want to redo their budget. We'll go over some tips on what you need to adjust and surprisingly, some things to avoid when working with your budget. Finally we'll examine how to plan and budget for family vacations. I think it's something that we all need, and many of us are excited about getting back to. And at the same time, we want to stick with some of our other financial goals and keep that on target. I'm going to share some tips that have helped us manage family vacations and still stay on budget. We got a lot to cover today. So let's get started! Resources to Manage Your Money Easier Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Living On One Income: How Families Can Make the Switch Getting Good with Money and Dumping Debt How to Easily Create a Flexible Financial System How to Snag a Great Deal When Buying a House Travel Hacking Your Family Vacations: Discovering Epic Deals Flexible and Affordable Family Vacation Ideas for This Year If you want to chat more about creating better money habits, questions, or share your own tips, please join us at Thriving Families on Facebook. Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus. 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 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! 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. Photo by Torsten Dettlaff
Cryptocurrencies, NFTs, DeFi, seem like they're quickly becoming part of our conversations, but what's behind it all? Today we'll look at how crypto works! Should We Get Into Crypto? In the last episode, I mentioned that I did a money experiment. If you're subscribed to the newsletter, you got a sneak peek of what we're talking about: cryptocurrencies. While crypto isn't anything new. In the last few years, especially within the last year. I've just noticed a dramatic shift in promoting them. I've also noticed that there's been a lot more noise and big promises and not much in the way of education. I see companies spreading the word about crypto focused on how revolutionary it is and how we can close the wealth gap. But I don't see enough discussion about the underlying technology behind it, and how it actually works. I'm a big believer in educating yourself and understanding things before you go invest in them. Based on the feedback I've been seeing with you guys in the community. I see that some of you are dabbling in crypto, but you wanna know more. I decided I was going to do six-month experiment to learn a little bit more about the ins and outs of crypto. This isn't the first time I learned about cryptocurrency. But it is the first time I dedicated myself to sitting down reading the articles, and talking within the community to understand how the technology works itself. I wanted to learn how easy was it to buy, sell and mine the crypto coins. Man, what a time I jumped in! Just in the past six months, we've seen: cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana have their value slashed by over half Fidelity announced that its customers could add Bitcoin to their retirement accounts just recently Terra stablecoin collapsed So there were a lot of things happening, but for me, this was an opportunity to understand the pros and cons up close. Even with everything down and people questioning whether crypto is here to stay, there are plenty of people who are saying now is a great time to get into it because it's so cheap. But is that really true or is it just hype? That's why I made this episode. It's not a deep dive into crypto but instead, it's meant to give you a lay of the land. So you can decide if it's something that you want to explore further. In today's episode, we'll get into: How exactly do cryptocurrencies work Decoding crypto terms that are thrown about How you can buy, sell, and yes, mine some We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Understand Crypto If you're looking to explore crypto and the tech behind it, here are some really helpful resources to learn and stay on top of your money! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Crypto Series
Worried about how your investments are doing right now? We'll look at how to do a investment portfolio review so that you'll not only feel less stressed but take productive steps to help you invest better! Why Investment Portfolio Reviews Are a Smart Move If you've been following the news, especially finances. It can be pretty scary right now. It seems like all the headlines are focused on high gas prices, how inflation is affecting basic goods, and how volatile the market is right now. We're in a bear market, which if you're not familiar with the term means that there's been a decline of 20% or more from recent highs. While staying on top of the big threads of what's going on is good, being too tuned into the news can backfire. Look, I've been writing about personal finance for almost a decade and a half and I can still get a bit anxious about it. This is where doing a portfolio review can help. When we're doing our monthly reviews for our money dates, we get a snapshot of what's going on with our accounts to make sure everything's moving along well. But a few times a year. Around once a quarter for us. We'll also look at our investments more closely. It's like a financial checkup. That's beneficial for finances for sure, but believe it or not, our marriage. For us, this is an opportunity to hit pause. Just sit down and really talk about what's been working and what's not working with our family finances. We can also take a step back and discuss the big picture about what we want to do in the near future and then longterm. It's a low key, but productive way for us to stay on top of things. And I want to show you how you can do it too. In this episode, we'll dive into: why less is more when it comes to portfolio reviews what questions to ask to make sure you're on track things you can do to improve your portfolio We have a lot to cover. So let's get started! Resources to Stay on Top of Your Investments Whether you're new to investing or looking to level up, here are some resources to get your there faster! 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 How to Avoid 4 Bad Investing Habits That Can Destroy Your Nest Egg Unconventional Success A Fundamental Approach to Personal Investment The Simple Path to Wealth What Happens When Stock Markets Become Bears Your 5-Step Guide to Navigating a Scary Stock Market Don't forget you can always send your questions in either through private voicemail or the form here for an upcoming episode! 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. 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! 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 becoming 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. Buy me a cup of coffee!
Looking to pursue financial freedom on your terms? See how Rich and Regular founders Kiersten and Julien Saunder's new book Cashing Out can help you lay out a path! Why Your Family Needs a Financial Plan When I mention this idea of having a financial plan, people tend to imagine is only for those who already have some money. But that's not true. There are many families that can benefit from creating a financial plan. Here are a few that come to my mind: you're feeling under-appreciated and underpaid at work you want to have flexibility, leverage, and options when it comes to how you work the pandemic really threw your finances for a loop and you're looking to get back on track you're sick and tired of the opportunities (or really the lack of them) that are out there for your family the idea of financial freedom and independence is something that excites you because it means you'll have more time for the people and projects that matter most to you These are all situations where having a flexible financial plan makes sense. The trouble is that financial plans seem complicated, unattainable, and well, boring. Here's the thing – you can create one that reflects you. Your situation, your priorities, and your goals. Kiersten and Julien from Rich and Regular are on the show to share some thoughtful points and stories from their new book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away. It offers a framework and path based on key principles in financial independence and retiring early on how to build your family's finances in a way that opens up options. In today's episode, we get into: Why money matters and how to use it in a meaningful way for your family The challenges and triumphs of changing financial habits and mindset Aligning your finances to your priorities Hope you enjoy! Resources for Families Interested in 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 Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away Rich and Regular Money on the Table Which Financial Independence Path is Right for Your Family? Crafting Your Family's Plan for Financial Independence Retire Early By Rethinking Your Priorities Join Our Thriving Families Community on Facebook to chat with other families and swap tips and stories about working towards financial independence. 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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. 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! 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 becoming 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. Buy me a cup of coffee!
Want to help your kids get comfortable and confident with managing their money? Today we'll talk about giving them a head start by opening up bank and investing accounts with them! Helping Your Teen Open a Bank Account and Invest Do you remember your first bank account? I think I was in 6th grade and there was a program with a local bank where they would come in every two weeks or so and open up a school branch in the library. Different grades were assigned a time slot and if your parents had opened an account for you, you could go in to deposit, withdraw, or just check the balance. It was super basic, but let me tell you, everyone was excited. Why? Because it was their money. Later when I started working, my mom and I went to her credit union – she's a teacher – and I opened my checking account. Each paycheck, I set aside something for savings, something for my checking, and kept the rest for fun. These early lessons didn't involve a ton of money or anything complicated, but they gave me confidence when it came to finances. Earlier this year we had an episode about essential financial lessons to pass on to your kids. This time I want to move a bit forward from those initial conversations to giving them tools to practice their financial skills such as having a bank and investing account. Today we'll dive into how to help your kids become financially savvy. In this episode, we'll dive into: Why your kid should have a bank account and when to get them started Three types of accounts you can use to help your kid get started with investing Essential investment lessons to pass on Hope you enjoy it! Resources to Teach Your Kids About Money If you're looking for ideas and resources to prepare your kids to be money-savvy, here are some to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money How to Teach Your Kids About Money (w/o Being Boring!) The Opposite of Spoiled: Teaching Kids about Money (and More) Cash Crunch Junior: Have fun while learning about money with this board game! FamZoo: The family money management system we use Goalsetter: Education-based banking for the whole family UTMA vs 529: What is the Difference and Which One is the Best? Can My 16-Year Old Contribute to a Roth IRA? Investing For Kids: How to Give Them a Head Start 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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! 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 becoming 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. Buy me a cup of coffee! Photos by mentatdgt and Monstera
It's house hunting season, which can be an exciting and yes, stressful time. Living in a sellers market, it can seem like an incredible challenge. Today we'll go over how to financially prepare and give you a map on finding a place that you love that's still within your budget! Home Buying Tips for a Hot Market If you're thinking of buying a house, you have to be prepared. Besides being a huge purchase, you have rising interest rates and hot markets that can make it difficult to find a place you love that's still affordable. If you're a first-time homebuyer or it's been awhile since you've had to house hunt, I want to lift some of the burden. Today I'll give you a high-level view of the buying process so you'll have an idea of what to expect along with some tips and resources to keep you on track with your big financial picture. In this episode, we'll dive into: Ways you can prepare your finances What to look for during the house hunt so you're finding a hidden gem and not a money pit Explain what to consider with your offer and the closing process We have a lot 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 Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 5 Days to $5K: Free email course on how to find, save, and earn extra money! How to Snag a Great Deal When Buying a House What You Need to Know About Mortgages 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! 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 becoming 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. Buy me a cup of coffee! Photo by Daniel Frank
Today we'll see how you can streamline your finances and easily manage your money! Simplify Your Finances With summer unofficially starting this weekend, I can understand if you're ready to switch gears and go into vacation mode. However, if you're willing to set aside an afternoon or evening, you can streamline your finances to have much more time to relax and focus on the big picture. How? Last week Bob and Linda shared a framework that I think could be incredibly helpful for busy families. This week I want to break things down so you can go through your finances fairly quickly and arrange things to make it easier to manage for the rest of the year. I'm also happy to have Gaurav Sharma co-founder and CEO of Capitalize, here to explain how you can have your old 401(k)s work for you. In this episode, we'll dive into: An easy and effective way to manage your money Tools that can help you How to get the most out of your investments Resources for Families Interested in Simplifying Their Finances 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 Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Don't forget we have the free course 5 Days to $5K. It's a week-long email course designed to help you find, save, and earn extra cash so you can reach your family and financial goals 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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! 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 becoming 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. Buy me a cup of coffee!
Learn how one couple came together to pay off $400k of debt, become financially free, and give over $1 million! Simple Money, Rich Life Let's start off with some good news: You don't need a complicated plan to achieve financial independence or freedom. In fact, that's probably either slowing down your progress or keeping you from even starting. I've seen and personal experiences how a simple plan can be an effective way to keep you moving in the right direction. Bob and Linda Lotich are on the show today to explain how. They're the creators of SeedTime and the authors of Simple Money, Rich Life: Achieve True Financial Freedom and Design a Life of Eternal Impact. Linda and Bob are coming on the podcast to discuss how families can reset things and have a rich life. I had a chance to read their book and loved how it had s money great takeaways. I thought Bob and Linda did a really good job of balancing the head and the heart with this. You have this story of getting out of debt and showing the bits and pieces, but more importantly, those conversations they were having about the purpose behind this journey. Besides working towards financial freedom, the book also examines doing something meaningful with the money, especially on the giving side. In this episode, we get into: how Bob and Linda synced up with their finances and goals tactics and strategies they used and recommend to pursue financial freedom creating an easy to manage financial system that allows them to live debt-free and be generous givers Hope you enjoy! Resources for Families Interested in 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 Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Connect with Linda and Bob: Seedtime Simple Money, Rich Life Why We Began Giving Our Age As a Percentage Should You Have a Giving Fund? Retire Early By Rethinking Your Priorities Setting Up Your Retirement with the Right Tools Mortgage Free Master Plan The New Family Financial Road Map Don't forget we have the free course 5 Days to $5K. It's a week-long email course designed to help you find, save, and earn extra cash so you can reach your family and financial goals 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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! 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 becoming 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. Buy me a cup of coffee!
How does a summer vacation in multiple countries sound? Road-trip around the US? Month in the Bahamas? Learn how one family of five plans and travel hack these epic trips so they're getting an incredible deal! Ready to Travel Hack an Epic Family Vacation? Last week we discovered the risk and rewards of travel hacking with credit cards. This week we're diving into planning the actual trip. This is why I'm thrilled Justin from Root of Good is on the show today. I interviewed him years ago on Couple Money and he shared how he and his wife were able to retire in their early 30s with three kids. As you heard at the top of the show, he and his family have gone on some incredible family vacations. Here's the thing, though – they're more affordable than you realize. Part of their strategy does include using credit card rewards, but it's so much more than that. Justin uses different sites to optimize those details like travel and eating, which adds up quickly. In this episode, we get into: how to plan for family vacations with kids finding deals on flights, hotels, and transportation getting the most value out of the experience while still relaxing Are you ready/ Let's get started! Resources to Optimize Your Travel Rewards and More Looking for ways to save on your next family getaway? Here are some fantastic resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Connect with Justin: Root of Good | Twitter Justin's Picks for Credit Cards: Chase Sapphire Preferred | Chase Ink Business Unlimited Coastal Credit Union's Reward Cards Where to Travel in 2022: 22 locations that should land on your bucket list this year 3 Reasons “Budget” Hotels DESTROY Nice Ones Can You Really Get Free Flights? Travel Hacking Essentials Rome to Rio: Discover how to get anywhere by plane, train, bus, ferry & car 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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! 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 becoming 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. Buy me a cup of coffee!
Learn how you can find the best credit card rewards and travel hack so you can save significant money while enjoying a fantastic and memorable vacation! Travel Hacks to Enjoy Your Family Vacation for Less We typically talk about ‘responsible' financial goals, like paying off debts, saving for emergencies, vacations and buying a house, investing for retirement, and so forth. Those are wonderful things to take care of, but money can also be used for fun things as well, including travel. Look, these past two years have been stressful for so many families and I understand that many of us would like to literally get away from it all. TripAdvisor did a survey earlier this year to see how people plan to travel this year. They found: More people are looking to travel in 2022 than pre-pandemic reported travel levels Here's the interesting takeaway: roughly 3 in 10 Americans (29%) who traveled for leisure in 2019 said it's more important now than before the pandemic to splurge on a big trip 41% of Americans said that traveling to a destination they've never been to before would be more important to them now The top three most important considerations, across the markets surveyed, in future travel plans to visit a destination was to get immersive by seeing new places, having new experiences and learning about history and culture. Planning a family vacation can be a way to not just relax, but mentally recharge and reset ourselves a bit. We've changed our destinations and stayed in state for most of our trips. Yeah it was a great money saver, but we also got to rediscover and enjoy some awesome spots here in North Carolina. We'd love to expand our horizons this year while still keeping safe and staying on budget. If you're in the same boat, I think you'll enjoy these next two episodes. We're going to look at how to travel hack your family vacations so you can enjoy more for less. Next week we'll discuss the logistics of planning an epic vacation on the cheap. This week we're going to dig in and see if you can really snag a deal with travel hacking and credit card rewards. That's why I'm happy to have Daniel Rathfelder on the show. He's the VP of Card Services over at Coastal Credit Union. He's going to get into how those regards card programs work and how to get the most out of them. In this episode we get into: Finding the right reward card How your credit score is affected Optimizing your credit cards to reap the rewards and not get into debt We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Optimize Your Travel Rewards and More Looking for ways to save on your next family getaway? Here are some fantastic resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Coastal Credit Union's Reward Cards 3 Reasons “Budget” Hotels DESTROY Nice Ones Can You Really Get Free Flights? Travel Hacking Essentials Don't forget to join our Thriving Families Facebook group! 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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! 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 becoming 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. Buy me a cup of coffee!
Are you thinking of switching over to become a single income family? Learn the strategies and tactics families can use to make the transition easier on your finances! Switching to a One Income Family There are many great reasons why a family may decide to transition to a single income. For some they're anticipating kids and one of them will be staying at home to care for them. Others may be thinking of a career switch and so they're going to go back to school either for a certification or degree. Or you've decided to start a business and so it's more practical to budget for one income while that business gets off the ground. For us personally, it was a bit of a necessity. At the time we were married, I was wrapping up my senior year in college and was working as an intern. The pay was good, but there was no guarantee it would continue beyond the semester. We decided to play it safe and base our budget on one income. Looking back, that decision has been a game changer for us. We actually decided to use that as the basis for our family finances. We kept that mentality of basing our essentials on one income and then use the second to speed things up, like paying off debt. Savings and yes, having some fun. Any of these cases may be true for you. So, how do you make this transition work, especially when it comes to your finances? Joe Mecca from Coastal Credit Union is back on the podcast to share his take as his family recently made the transition to prepare for their daughter's arrival. In this episode, we get into: Setting up your finances and budget What you need to change and update with insurance and other finances Doing a test run of the new budget Even though our conversation is coming from a family, having a stay at home parent. There are a lot of principles that can be used in your family for your particular situation. We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Shift to Living on One Income Here are some resources to make managing your money much easier! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Our Financial System That Help Us Hit CoastFI Open Up Your Brokerage Account: Vanguard, M1 Finance, Fidelity Why We Started Living Off of One Income The Completely Achievable Path to Becoming a One-Income Family Stacked Book Tour
These past few years have been challenging for many families. Today, we chat with the steward Isaacs about how they've worked to pivot and thrive! Family Finances During the Pandemic Everyone I personally know has been impacted these last two years, financial or otherwise. We've had to adapt, pivot, or in some cases push through some challenging times. If you've spent any time in our thriving Families facebook group, you can see we're supporting one another as we work with what we have and towards our family and financial goals. Today I want to highlight the Stewart-Issacs, a local family here in the Triangle area (who during a conversation we had are also Coastal CU members). Michael and Shemekka have had some pretty big shifts to deal with since 2020. They were featured in the NY Times last year in their money diaries series and shared their numbers as they navigated through life changes such as having a baby, job switch, remote learning for their kids, oh and buying a house. In this episode, we get into: Balancing work from home while having kids doing remote learning Buying a house in the middle of a pandemic Teaching their kids to be financially savvy and thoughtful We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Stay on Top of Your Money Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Our Financial System That Help Us Hit CoastFI I Am Brillant 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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! 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.
Curious about being an AirBnb host? A superhost shares the scoop about the costs setting up your place, figuring out your price, and how to make money with your space! The 411 About Making Money as an Airbnb Host One of the big shifts we've had during this pandemic is how we travel. We've pretty much gone with renting entire spaces on Airbnb if we're doing a family vacation or getaway so far, it's been a really good experience. The value we get from having a place with a kitchen and yard has been a game changer. Now the personal finance side of me was looking around and. How profitable was it being an Airbnb host? Also how much work was involved as a guest? Most of our hosts had wonderful local recommendations, and if we needed anything, there were only a text away, but pretty much they were hands off. It almost seems like the perfect passive income stream, but is that really. What's going on behind the scenes. I wanted to find out and I discovered I didn't have to venture very far. During our last trip to Asheville we went out to meet up with some good friends we hadn't seen in a while. While we were catching up with Barb and Don, I discovered she was an Airbnb host. Knowing her hospitality, I had a sense that she was a natural candidate for hosting . Airbnb also agrees because she's listed as a Superhost. In case you're not familiar with the term. It means she's experienced highly rated and committed to providing great stays for her guests. I'm happy to have Barb on the show today to share her story about becoming a host. In this episode, we get into: setting her place up, figuring out prices, and making her guests' stays fun and relaxing. We have some fantastic tips and even better stories so let's get started! Resources for Managing Your Money and Becoming an AirBnb Host Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Become an AirBnb Host Barefoot Cabin AirDNA: Short-Term Rental Analytics 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! As an added bonus, Coastal also offers business accounts, so you have a way to easily manage your side hustle or income stream. 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! 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. Photo by Andrea Davis from Pexels
We've brought back the listener's mailbag. Today we're answering your family and finance questions about best ways to spend your tax refund, refinancing to pay off debt, and more! Tackling your Family and Finance Questions One of my favorite parts of creating Simplify and Enjoy is the community. While I'm happy to share our journey as a family, it's fun when you chime in with your wins, stories, and questions. Today we're going to be diving into your family and finance questions. In this episode we'll discuss: How and where to save up for a big goal like a house down payment Wise ways to use your tax refunds Is refinancing your home to pay off debt a good idea? We have plenty to cover so let's get started! Resources to Manage Your Money Easier Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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! 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. Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA from Pexels
Today we'll look at how you can teach your kids to be financially savvy! Teaching Your Kids About Money One of our responsibilities as parents is to teach our kids essential skills they need and finances is part of that. Good or bad, if you look at how you handle finances, you'll probably see the impact your own parents had on you. Our example is a crucial part of teaching them, but we also need to consider those conversations we have with our kids. What lessons are passing on to them? How can we guide them to not just be financially savvy, but also thoughtful with how they use their money? It's something we talk about from time to time. Our two daughters are now ten and seven. They've had their allowance for a few years and overall they're getting the hang of it. Now we're trying to figure out how to approach other financial topics like budgets and investing in a way that's engaging to them. Thankfully there's some really good resources out there that can make those conversations easier. In this episode, we'll get into: Creating a flexible game plan of topics and when you want to introduce them to your kids Discuss some of the big questions parents have about allowances How to introduce them to the family budget There's a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Teach Your Kids about Money If you're looking for ideas and resources to prepare your kids to be money-savvy, here are some to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money How to Teach Your Kids About Money (w/o Being Boring!) The Opposite of Spoiled: Teaching Kids about Money (and More) Cash Crunch Junior: Have fun while learning about money with this board game! FamZoo Goalsetter 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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! Photo by Pragyan Bezbaruah from Pexels.
Learn how to find the best personal finance book for you and your family! Best Personal Finance Books for Your Journey One of the things I love and appreciate about books is how accessible they are and affordable for a lot of people. When you're starting the beginning of your financial journey, chances are your finances aren't in a good spot. It's not always clear what your first steps should be or even what type of budget would work for you. Naturally you're going to want to see what's out there. If you're grabbing a ton of them, like when you're trying to do a deep dive especially with money, your local library can be a treasure trove. But then there's this other challenge, how do you find the right book for you? That can be a struggle because there's always a new book coming out. Today we're all about finding that personal finance book that lights a fire and gets that spark going for improving your finances. Which is why I'm thrilled Kate Moody is joining in today's episode. She's a personal financial educator and coach and former librarian. In this episode, we'll discuss: A way to scan and hone in on helpful personal finance books The three different types of experts to consider when choosing your books Tips on vetting personal finance podcast and videos I hope you enjoy! Resources to Manage Your Money Easier Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Kate Moody Outsmart Your Money 5 Books to Motivate and Guide You to Become Debt Free Faster 5 Money Books for Couples Looking to Become Financially Independent 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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! Note: Interview is edited for clarity and length. 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.
Paying off debt can be an incredibly rewarding journey for families and many times there are challenges. I love to highlight a variety of stories about how the different families face them, both with making the numbers work and with the conversations they have during the process. Getting Good with Money Last week, Toni Husband shared some of the ups and downs of her debt free journey to pay off over $100,000 of debt. Knocking out that mountain of debt including getting her husband on board and finding a pace that allowed them to pay it off without sacrificing time with their young kids. There are other struggles when it comes to becoming free, including making every dollar go further when you're making closer to the median household income of around $67,000. Which is why I'm thrilled to have Jessi Fearon on today's show. Jessi and her family paid off their debts including their mortgage on about $50,000/year income. In her new book Getting Good with Money, she talks about some key changes they made as well as offering practical tips on how families can get out of debt. In this episode we get into: Identifying your money type, triggers, and key behaviors to adjust How to have more productive conversations about money as a couple How to find and make money to hit your financial goals faster Are you ready? Let's get started! Resources to Dump Your Debt Faster 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 Debt Free Divas The Great Debt Dump: Running Toward Financial Freedom with the Power of Community When You Can't Agree on How to Pay Off Your Debt Pay Off Your Debt Faster Through the Power of Community 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. As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. 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! Note: Interview is edited for clarity and length. 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 olia danilevich from Pexels
What's the process really like when you're paying off a mountain of debt? Today we get into the habits and mindset changes Toni and her family made to pay off over $100k of debt! How One Family Paid $100K of Debt I love a good debt free story. I enjoy seeing others work hard to get rid of the credit card, student loans, car loans, and other debt that is weighing them down. I also know personal experience is not always fast or even a smooth process. For us, it began with getting on the same page with how we wanted to tackle it. Then there was the reality of the numbers. My husband has his first post-grate job and I had a part time internship. With time, we found our rhythm and knocked it out. I've also had quite a few episodes on this podcast and on Couple Money sharing people's journey, including Toni Husbands. What I loved about her story is that it wasn't a ‘We paid off ‘$100,000 in year and half story'. Which in all honesty, I enjoy watching and reading too, but when that's the main narrative being shared, it's a bit discouraging because they tend to gloss over key details. When you dig into the article, you can see that both are earning six figures or I've even seen where parents chip in for them to buy a house in an expensive city. My problem isn't with those details, but the fact that it gives the false impression of how easy it is to become debt free. In many cases, it's a commitment and in that journey not only are you freeing up your finances because you don't have that debt anymore, but you're opening up options. In this episode we are discussing a lot of the nuances and struggles that can come up. We'll get into: Some of the hurdles and challenges she had to overcome Which habits helped and what she would do differently Opportunities that opened up now that's she's dumped her debt Let's get started! Resources to Dump Your Debt Faster Tired of being in debt? Here are some resources to help you dump it faster. Handy Tools to Pay Your Debt Off Faster 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 Debt Free Divas The Great Debt Dump: Running Toward Financial Freedom with the Power of Community When You Can't Agree on How to Pay Off Your Debt Pay Off Your Debt Faster Through the Power of Community 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 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! As I mentioned in the episode, if you're a Coastal member and are thinking of consolidating your debts, check out Coastal's options to refinance! 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! Note: Interview is edited for clarity and length. 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.
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
