Couple Money Podcast

Learn how you can create goals to achieve your big financial goals while avoiding burn out! Knocking Out Your Big Financial Goals When we started this mini-series last week about rebooting your money, I talked about how to hit those goals you have to change things up a bit. Karen Cordaway went over how we could reframe things around the quality of our lives. It's not paying off debt, it's about having money to travel more. You're not just saving money in the bank, you're giving yourself a building a sizable downpayment to buy a house. This can be a powerful way to motivate yourself. There's another side to that puzzle – creating the goals themselves. Since most people don't achieve those big results that they hope for, is there a way to make them work for you so that you do make them happen? I think so. I believe there's a way to achieve those ambitious goals without burning out. And I think Joseph Hogue is the perfect person to break it down. Since I've met Joseph at a conference a few years ago, I've seen how well he's done with following through on his plans and goals. Joseph Hogue worked in private wealth management and venture capital for more than a decade before freelancing as an investment analyst. He now teaches regular people how to beat debt, make more money side-hustling and invest. So I thought having him break down his approach would be helpful. In this episode we'll discuss: Creating goals that fit your season so you're not burnt out Avoiding the yo-yo diet cycle with your finances Uses challenges to grab big wins Hope you enjoy! Mama Talk Money Summit Speaking of hitting those money goals, next week we're talking about a special event that I'm a part of to help you do just that – Mama Talk Money Summit. Chelsea Brennan from Smart Money Mamas has put everything together. For 5 WHOLE days, the Mamas Talk Money Summit is bringing you presentations from over 40 incredibly financially savvy mamas who have TONS of valuable advice to share with you all about finding your financial swagger, raising kids who are money masters, and connecting with a tribe of moms who are getting smart with their money. We're talking all about: Family Finance Investing, Retirement & Estate Planning Career & Business Teaching Kids About Money And much more! So whether you're trying to knock that credit debt, get some savings stashed away, or are looking to invest for long term goals, this summit will have at least a few sessions that can help you make it happen. Along with the session, there will be a live Q&A with each speaker. For example, for my session – Dump Debt Together (When You Can't Agree How) – I'll be online in the chat so you can ask me questions while watching it. It's all online and you can register and watch the sessions for FREE! This was an important point for me because I know we're all at different points in our financial journey, so having it be free to register was one of the reasons I wanted to join in. The event is happening on October 21st through the 25th. Now what I love with how Chelsea is putting this together, is that she has some fun giveaways and prizes along with the summit. There will be over $15,000 in giveaways of money tools, courses, swag, and gifts for moms throughout the event! So you not only can catch the most useful sessions to help you knock out your big money goal, but you can also pick up some fantastic and helpful prizes. I hope you'll join me and other mamas. Just make sure you grab your FREE ticket by signing up here! Resources to Hit Your Money Goals If you two are looking to improve how you talk and work together with your finances (and lives), please check out these resources. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Zeta Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Why Most People Fail with Their Goals (And How You Can Win!) If you want to discuss talking with your spouse about money, ask questions, or share your own tips please join us over at Thriving Families on Facebook. Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere

Today we're looking at how you reboot your money by not focusing on the finances! It's now October. The year is officially wrapping up and for many, it's a busy season. Do you have any plans coming up? This month we have a family trip planned to see some of our friends and family for Virginia. We're looking forward to it. But I also know that this time of year can also be one of reflection and review. We've knocked out some goals like saving up for my husband's next car, but we're still working on our big goal for the year - paying an extra $11k on our mortgage. How about you? How close are you to hitting your goals? If you're behind on them, it's okay. There is still time for you to reset and reboot your finances. And I want to help out. So this month I want to turn things around by doing a mini-series on the podcast. Each week we're going to be tackling some of the big hurdles you might be having with your goals. One reason I've noticed people get behind is that they've lost that some of that momentum and motivation. Let's be honest if you're dealing with something big - like trying to become debt-free, you could be in it for a while depending on how much debt you have now. So how can you not only keep on making progress but actually enjoy yourself? Something that can help you is reframing your goals. And today, Karen Cordaway is here to talk about how. She's the author of The Everyday Bucket List. If you subscribe to the newsletter - and you really should ;) - you'll remember it's one of three books I recommended this summer. In this episode we'll discuss: Move away from making financial goals to more holistic ones How you can create a bucket list that fits your season of life now Tools to make it easier to incorporate more fun into your routine Let's get started!

Today we're looking at how you can knock out a debt or two before this year wraps up! Knock Out a Debt Quickly Who doesn't want to unload a debt before this year wraps up? Paying off debt is usually one of the top three goals people make for the year, but struggle to achieve. That's not going to happen with you. I want you to make some headway with your debt-free goals which why we're finishing up with season with a call to action – we're going to knock out debt. Of course, to do this we need money. There are three ways you're going too free up money so to speak to pay off those debts faster: Optimize your current budget Consolidate your debts Earn extra cash We've talked about different ways you can save this season, with housing, cars, and how to bake in automatic savings so today I want to look at the other two options. David Jacobs, VP of Consumer Lending at Coastal Credit Union, is going to talk about the differences between HELOCs and home equity loans. If you going that route, you really need to understand how they work. We're also looking at using side hustles to earn that extra money. Can you really knock out your debts with a side gig? Kevin is a member of our community and was kind enough to reach out to me about his experience. He's done both delivery driving with GrubHub and ride-sharing. What's cool – at least to me – is that he's an accountant in his day job. So when he did the side hustles he was tracking not only his earnings but expenses. I think you'll enjoy hearing his take on whether it's a viable way to earn some extra cash. In this episode we'll discuss: Understanding debt consolidation options with your home equity Whether side hustles can be a smart way to earn extra cash to pay those debts Ways to stay motivated Let's get started! Resources to Pay Off a Mountain of Debt If you two are ready to pay off your debt, here are some handy resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Zeta Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Total Money Makeover Free Debt Snowball Template Trim: With Trim, you can cancel subscriptions and negotiate your bills. Billshark: They contact your service providers and negotiate the best price on your behalf. Paribus: Bought something and a week later the price drops? Paribus can get you back the difference. Attacking Debt: Which One First? Which Debt Payoff Method Is Right for You? The Great Debt Dump: Running Toward Financial Freedom with the Power of Community How to Stay Motivated with Paying Off Debt 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. They want to help you achieve your biggest goals! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere and Logan from Music for Makers in this episode.

No parent wants their kids to go deep in debt, but whether it's college or trade school, education can be pricey. Learn what options are available and how to best save up for your kid's college expenses! Paying for Your Kid's Education and College Expenses With student loans seeming like a weight on many college grads, I think most parents who kids are thinking about either college, trade school, or vocational schools are trying to find ways to ease the burden. And the advice typically given is to save ahead. But the price of getting an education is rising pretty quickly. How do you do that when you juggling your current family expenses and saving up for other goals? To help me out today is Drew Snider. He's a director in Financial Planning at Coastal Wealth Management. He's also a parent of a 12-year-old daughter and yes, he's been thinking about this as well. So he's looking at this from both sides. In this episode, we'll get into: The rising costs of college and why its harder for kids to work through college What options you have to save to and invest How you can start saving now Let's get started! Tips on Paying for College If you two are looking to help your kid skip out on student loans, here are some resources to help you save up. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 5 Days to $5k Course – Learn how to find, save, and make more money! How to Help Your Kid Graduate College Debt Free Key Takeaways on Paying for Your Kid's College Expenses Before we close up I want to focus on some key takeaways I got: Start early. Don't go on autopilot. Have your kid have skin in the game. If you'd like to chat more about ways to save for your kid's college and education expenses, please join us in our private and free Facebook group, Thriving Families! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere and Logan from Music for Makers in this episode.

Learn how you can talk to your parents about money, their retirement, and beyond with less stress! Helping Your Parents Prepare for Retirement and Beyond We talk about how to discuss money as a couple and make those conversations less stressful. And I hope you two feel more relaxed when you're talking about your goals and finances. I also know that just because you two can talk about money, doesn't mean that you're cool with those money chats with everyone. Especially when it comes to your parents. My mom is getting closer to retirement I want to make sure that she's in a good spot. Healthwise things look alright, but I also know that's not given. We've other relatives have some significant health issues, including dementia and injury and it does make us wonder, how prepared are we to make sure our parents are taken care of? It's easy to put it off, but do we really want to? So how do you start those conversations? How do you prepare for when you need to step in and help out your parents? Journalist and personal finance author Cameron Huddleston had to deal with it firsthand when helping her mother who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Her latest book is Mom and Dad: We Need to Talk is a fantastic guide on how to come together as a family now so down the line, everyone is on the same page. So I'm we have her on today. We also have financial advisor Jonah Kaufman sharing his take as he's had to help families navigate through these delicate conversations. In this episode we'll discuss: Why you don't want to wait to talk to your parents about money Key conversations you should have and how to get started with them Crucial documents that will protect your parents and their wishes Let's get started! Resources for Parents and Retirement Here are some fantastic resources to help you two get more comfortable talking about retirement and more with your parents. Mom and Dad: We Need to Talk Rock Retirement – Roger has written an incredible book that breaks down how you can plan and save not just for retirement, but a life you love now! Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. If you want to be better prepared financially, please consider Coastal's Retirement Planning Program! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

When you're buying a house, there is a ton of paperwork and terminology thrown at you. Today we're going to decipher and explain all the essentials you need to know to get a great deal on your mortgage! Getting a Great Mortgage When Buying a House Even if you're excited and ready to buy a house, it can still be stressful. Last week I mentioned that my mom is moving into the Raleigh area after getting a job offer. She's getting all that paperwork done for work and keeping her current home in tiptop shape since it's on the market to sell. And whenever she's in town to take care of her work stuff, we're also driving around looking at places and neighborhoods. Being with her reminds me of our own house hunt and I remember how at times things seemed overwhelming. Buying a home is a huge purchase and while you're trying to make sure it's the right fit for you, you're also sorting through all this paperwork. When you're getting a mortgage, your lender is combing through your finances and it feels like they request every scrap of information they can get. And then when you do find a home, you make the offer – hopefully they accept. You have a home inspection, have the house appraised, and get paperwork like title insurance done. It's a lot. And the first time around, we knew we paid a fair price, but we were a little lost. The second time, though, we felt confident about buying the house. One part that made a huge difference for us was getting our loan officer to walk us through. Having your loan officer in your corner, along with a great agent makes the process enjoyable and rewarding. We're so grateful to have had that. And I want you to feel the same way. So if you're in the market to buy or you know in the future you'd want to buy a home, I think you'll enjoy this episode. I'm sharing one of my favorite interviews on the topic, my chat with Wendy Dawson. She's the Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Coastal. In this episode we'll discuss: What you need to keep in mind about mortgages All the fees and expenses that typically come with buying a house – its more than just the down payment How to decipher the paperwork I want you to feel comfortable and confident you're getting a great deal with your mortgage. I hope you enjoy! Resources on Getting a Great Deal on Your Mortgage If you're looking to buy, here are some resources to help you find a great deal with your mortgage Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Basic Mortgage Terminology Buying a House: Explore Interest Rates Buying a House: Loan Estimate Explainer Understand Mortgage Loan Options Free 5 Days to $5K Course 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! Key Takeaways on Buying a Home I want to focus on some key takeaways I got from talking with Wendy and our own experience: Know your numbers (and own them) Understand your mortgage options Ask questions. If you'd like to chat more about buying or even selling your house, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. Hope to see you there! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Today we're going over home buying tips so you can snag a great deal on your dream house! What You Need to Know About Buying a House This summer is wrapping up, but things are about to get busier for us. My mom was recently offered a job in the area and so she's asked me to help her with buying a house. The problem is that here in the Raleigh/Triangle area, it's very much a seller's market. Since we bought our house three years ago, prices have gone up on homes. The median price of homes currently listed in Raleigh is $330,000. Which means we need to be savvy house hunters. I'm excited about this, but it's going to be a challenge for sure. And if you're looking to buy a house, you might be facing the same challenges. Which is why I'm so happy to have Louis Guillama on today to offer his expertise. He's the Vice President of Real Estate Operations over at Coastal Credit Union. He has decades of experience with the real estate agent side as well as home renovations. In this episode we'll discuss: differences between buying new construction vs resale spotting great and still affordable neighborhoods finding a fixer-upper (instead of being stuck with a money pit) Hope you enjoy! Resources on Buying a House If you're looking to buy, here are some resources to help you find an affordable place you love! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money My friend was about to buy a million-dollar house with no research What You Need to Know About Mortgages Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. If you need an agent, Daymark Realty has a fantastic team ready to help find the perfect house for you in the Triangle area! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

How do you feel about managing money? Is it something you enjoy doing or do you see paying the bills, knocking out debt, saving for your future, etc. a bit much? When we were first married it was honestly a little overwhelming. We had the bills to pay, a car loan, and eventually student loans that were going to come due. The idea of getting a financial system seemed complicated. The good news is it wasn't. With a little organization so we had our acct info in front of us. It was a one evening thing. And it's made a huge difference for us. We've paid off over $30,000 of debt, bought our cars with cash, started investing for retirement, and giving more. Through the years, we've had to take a step back to help out loved ones and deal with our family. With two little ones as our priority, we sometimes have put money conversations on the back burner. The automated system allowed us to still take care of the essentials and not miss a beat. But I also know that the idea of setting up a system sounds like a ton of work. Truth is the initial set up typically isn't as difficult as you think and the benefits are more than just the money. To make this easier we're going over: Peek into Our System so You Have a Real Life Example Setting Up Your Financial System Tools and Apps to Make it Easier to Set up and Track Your Money I hope you enjoy! Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. They have fantastic options to make online banking easy! Resources to Stay on Top of Your Money Here are some resources to make managing your money much easier! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

With the FIRE (financial independence/retire early) movement growing, many families are wondering if it's an option for them. Today we look at the key numbers parents need to consider when pursuing financial independence while raising kids! What choices do we need to make as a family now to become financially independent? Helping me to dig into this is Jonah Kaufman. He's a financial advisor at Coastal Wealth Management. And while he's not here for specific financial advice – that's something you need to do one on one since everyone has unique financial circumstances – we are going over some things to consider and talk about as a family. In this episode we'll discuss: 5 big myths and misconceptions people have about financial independence Two key numbers to keep an eye on for early retirement (and income is not one of them!) How you two can create a FIRE plan that fits you Hope you enjoy! Handy Tools to Start Your FI Journey If you're looking to get ahead with your finances as a family by pursuing financial independence, here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Zeta Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Manage Your 401(k) Easily: blooom Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Is Financial Independence with Kids Possible? FI Community Too many to number, but here are just a few of my favorites! Marriage, Kids, and Money Root of Good Rich and Regular ChooseFI City Frugal The Fioneers Financial Panther WalkingtoFIRE 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. If you want to be better prepared financially for retirement, please check out Coastal's Retirement Planning options! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? It's provided by Lee Rosevere.

Looking to raise kids while pursuing financial independence? Here are some tips from Simplify and Enjoy to help you reach your goals and enjoy the journey! How to Simplify Your Finances and Enjoy Your Family As I mentioned in the last episode, this week is going to be a bit different. I'm going on vacation with my family soon but I wanted to leave you with some bonuses. As you already heard, I started a new podcast – Simplify and Enjoy. While here on Couple Money we talk about getting on the same page with money as a couple, Simplify and ENjoy is more focus on families especially with young kids who are interested in pursuing financial independence. Besides looking at the numbers, of course, we're going to be looking at how to design your life around your family. How do you make the finances work so you are hitting your goals but you're also enjoying the journey? So this week I'm going to share the first two episodes from the series – easy ways to manage your money when you're busy and then the second episode is finding your path to financial independence when you're raising young kids. I hope you enjoy these episodes and that they help you with your own journey to financial freedom and independence as a family! Handy Tools to Save More If you're looking to get ahead with your finances as a family, here are key resources to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Zeta Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Manage Your 401(k) Easily: blooom Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Simplify and Enjoy: Financial Freedom for Families 5 Days to $5K Course How to Achieve Financial Independence Through Big Wins 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. They have competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Want to get the most out of your 401(k)? Learn the key guidelines on how you can choose the best investment options for you! Want to get the most out of your 401(k)? Learn the key guidelines on how you can choose the best investment options for you! Making the Most of Your 401(k) Chances are if you're investing for your retirement, the bulk of that money is stashed away in your 401(k). For those whose employers offer them, they're an easy option to sign up for and contribute towards. But are how comfortable are you with how it is doing? To help sort things out, Jonah Kaufman is joining me for this episode. Jonah is a financial advisor at Coastal's Wealth Management Services. These will give you some starting points and ideas on what you need to talk about. In this episode we'll discuss: Why your 401(k)s are a great foundation for retirement savings What factors to consider when you're investing Understanding some of the different options that your 401(k) may offer Hope you enjoy! Just to make sure we're on the same page, this episode is NOT about specific investment advice. You would need to consult a qualified financial professional who can evaluate your unique circumstances. Resources to Stay on Top of Your 401(k) Here are some resources to make managing your money much easier! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Master Your 401(k): How Much Do We Need to Contribute? Master Your 401(k): Why You Need to Keep an Eye Out for Fees Robots Can Manage Your Money. But Even They Need Humans A Smarter Way to Think About Financial Decisions Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. If you want to be better prepared financially for retirement, please check out Coastal's 401(k) Planning Calculator. Key Takeaways on Optimizing Your 401(k) Before we wrap up I want to focus on some key takeaways I got from speaking with Jonah and preparing for this episode: Understand yourself as an investor. Performance isn't tied to cost with your investments. Don't check your investments too frequently. If you'd like to chat more about your financial goals, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. Hope to see you there! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Today we're talking about how you two can really review the big picture and make sure you hit YOUR big money goals! Financial Check-ups The first half of this year is about over, so how are you guys doing right now? It's funny how time seems to speed up and slow down. Looking back we have had some big ups and downs in the past four or so weeks, both financially and in our lives. Last month our adorable cat had some seisures and other issues and in a span of week – if that – he went from sick to passing away. It was so fast, the vets were trying to figure out what happened. And because a few issues, we just got his remains last week and paid his final expenses. Thankfully we have savings, but between emergency hospital exam, tests, and his vet visits, it definitely was pricey. Besides that weight, we had good things to celebrate. We were invited to two baby showers and then last weekend we went to two graduation parties. And of course, they are bunched together. But that's life, right? At least for us. And I find it so easy to let certain things slip by because there are more pressing or immediate things happening. The danger is by focusing only on the thing right in front of you, that you miss important stuff. I don't think money is the most important thing. I do however realize that much of our day to day and long term goals need us to be on top on our finances. We should have a game plan for our money and a system that allows us to put in place so when things come up – and they will- our finances keep chugging along. Which is why I'm so glad Cathrine Bryant is joining in today's episode. She's a financial advisor at Coastal Wealth Management. In this episode we'll discuss: Getting a financial snapshot and prioritizing which goal or two is your focus Setting up a system to both track your money and getting into a habit of money dates Finding a financial planner when you need a check-up with a professional Let's get started! Resources to Stay on Top of Your Money Want some help staying on top of your money? Here are some resources to make managing your money much easier! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money How to Find the Right Financial Advisor for You 5 Powerful Financial Goals for Couples to Build Their Marriage and Wealth How to Find a Financial Planner You Can Trust Making Sure Your Family Financial Goals Fit You Build Your Marriage & Wealth with Money Dates Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. If you want to be better prepared financially, please consider Coastal's Retirement Planning Program! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Today we're going to show you how to get the best deal when buying a car! What You Need to Know About Car Loans Cars and car payments are a way of life for many couples. According to the latest data I could find, there's a record 2.5 million auto loans originated. Average monthly payments for new vehicles are $530 for new vehicles and for used cars, it's around $381. That's certainly a big chunk of their budget going to cars. We're a bit different. Once we paid off our car loan with the Jetta, we've bought our cars outright. As a personal and financial decision, we choose to go debt free with cars. And if you're curious about how that works, then you'll want to read our guide on buying cars with cash, which takes you through how we save up and buy our cars. It's helped us skip having a car payment for the past 10 years. And personally, I feel like going debt free on cars is the best option, but every couple is different. Maybe you have a car that's having to have repairs and because you've been throwing money to keep it going you don't have much of a down payment? Or you'd like to go for a used car, but your spouse is hesitant and isn't willing to go that route? Throughout the seasons, I've put out the offer to you to send in your money questions. I did a call for this season as well. And guess what? Car loans came up. A lot. Which isn't surprising, considering that 85% of new car purchases and 53% of used car purchases use a loan. But if you get a car loan, is there a way to make sure it's extremely affordable and if you decide to pay it off sooner, would the numbers work in your favor? It's a challenge that I want to tackle today. By examining the numbers and pushing away the hype and ads, I think you can get a clearer picture of the real costs and then figure out what's the best option for you. I'm extra excited because one of you lovely listeners is the guest. And Maggie actually pitched this topic to me in person. Yep, a Raleigh listener. Maggie and her husband Ben are trying to figure out what their options are for buying a car. And they were kind enough to share their situation and questions. What's cool to me about is that David Jacobs VP of Consumer from our sponsor and partner this season, Coastal Credit Union is going to give us some insights on the lending side. In this episode we'll discuss: How to figure out how much car you really can afford Getting the Best Rate on a Car Loan Running the numbers to uncover some loan traps – like if those 0% deals on new cars are really a good deal I want you two to be able to feel confident that you're getting the best deal you can. Let's get started! Essential Resources for Buying a Car If you two are thinking about buying a car soon, here are some handy resources to help you get the best deal on them! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Zeta Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank How to Raise Your Credit Scores Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 5 Days to $5K Course The 3 Biggest Myths About Credit Scores That Can Ruin Your Finances Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today. If you are hunting for a car loan, take a minute to review competitive rates and deals Coastal is offering now to make buying a car easier! Key Takeaways on Car Loans Before we close up I want to focus on some key takeaways I got when researching for this episode: Run the numbers before you start car hunting Save up for a down payment Ignore the hype If you'd like to chat more about saving more, 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! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Double Your Savings This week in the community newsletter I asked a question – can you really save half your income? Think about that for a second. Why is this important? Whether you're paying off debt, saving up to buy a house, start family, travel, or invest more for your future – all of these goals have something in common. They need money. How much you save of your income can have an incredible impact on how fast you reach your big financial goals. Now unless you have a stash of cash under in house or an inheritance, that money is probably coming out of your budget. Now another quick question – do you know the average savings rate in the U.S. now? Take a guess. It's around 6%. As you probably guess that's not going to cut it if you want to knock out any of those big goals soon. There's no way around it. If you want to hot those goals fairly quickly, you have to master the art of saving. But half your income? That's a bit much, right? Don't let anyone tell that's not a huge deal because it is. However, it is possible to start working on bumping up that savings rate and one of my goals this summer is getting you to double yours. We're bringing back the summer of savings. I want this summer to be your best ever. Today on the podcast and throughout the season on this site, I'll be sharing strategies to help you grow your stash while still enjoying things. In this episode we'll discuss: A simple path to notching up your savings rate Psychological hacks to save more Tools that will make your life much easier Oh and stay tuned until because we're also bringing back the summer of savings giveaway! Let's get started! Handy Tools to Increase Your Savings Rate If you're looking to get ahead with your finances as a family, here are key resources to check out! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Manage Your 401(k) Easily: blooom Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Simplify and Enjoy: Financial Freedom for Families 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. They have competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Wedding planner Megan Gillikin as plenty of insider tips to help you plan a fantastic wedding (and still stick to your budget)! Even though it's about 13 years ago, I remember being stressed at times when planning our wedding. Just like we heard at the top of the show, as soon as you announce your engagement it can feel like you're being swarmed with questions about the big day. But as much as your loved ones mean well, it can be easy to forget how personal this is. For some, it's something they planned and dreamed for years while others are looking for a very laid back and casual affair. It's a celebration and a promise that you to make to each other in front of your loved ones depending on the wedding you have. There can be plenty of moving parts which can be overwhelming and stressful. The two of you need to sit down and start talking about which things you'd like to have and which things are must-haves You also may have family members who want to help out. You have venues, vendors, and maybe some out of town guests to make arrangements for. Oh, and of course paying for it. Which is why I'm happy Megan Gillikin is on the podcast today. She's the owner and lead consultant for A Southern Soiree Wedding and Event Planning so she has plenty of insider tips to help you have a fantastic wedding! In this episode we get into: Establishing your must-haves and wedding budget What to do when the family wants to help pay for your wedding Ice breakers to get the ball rolling Hope you enjoy! If you want to hear from another bride who had a beautiful wedding on a small budget, listen to my interview with Jessi Fearon. She and her husband Pat managed a sweet and special wedding for $500! Resources to Plan Your Wedding If you're getting married, please check out these resources so you can plan out your special day without going into debt. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Pulling Off A $5,000 Wedding in NYC The Budget-Savvy Wedding Planner & Organizer: Checklists, Worksheets, and Essential Tools to Plan the Perfect Wedding on a Small Budget Planning Your Dream Wedding on a Budget Wedding Planning: My Ultimate Lesson in Budgeting The Best Kept Secrets to Planning a Wedding on a Budget Have a $50,000 Wedding on a $3,000 Budget 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. They have competitive rates on checking and savings accounts! Meet Megan Gillikin Megan is the owner and lead consultant for A Southern Soiree Wedding and Event Planning. I also do wedding and hospitality business consulting. She's also the host of the fantastic and informative podcast Weddings for Real. Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Need to talk about money, but worried about starting a fight? Learn easy and stressless ways you two can have the money talk and get on the same page with your finances! How to Talk About Money (without Starting a Fight) While it makes for good TV drama, finding out your spouse has been hiding massive debt is so not the way to start talking about money. But how do you do that – how do you start talking about money? Certified Financial Planner and NY Times best-selling author Carl Richards is on today to share some ways you can begin. In this episode we get into: Why it's hard for most couples to talk about money How money dates can keep things light and fun Ice breakers to get the ball rolling Hope you enjoy! If you'd like to hear more from Carl, please listen to our first interview about creating a one-page financial plan! Resources to Help the Money Talk Go Easier If you two are ready, here are some fantastic resources to make talking about (and managing) money much less stressful! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 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! Meet Carl Richards Carl Richards is a Certified Financial Planner™ and creator of the Sketch Guy column, appearing weekly in the New York Times since 2010. Carl has also been featured on Marketplace Money, Oprah.com, and Forbes.com. In addition, Carl has become a frequent keynote speaker at financial planning conferences and visual learning events around the world. Through his simple sketches, Carl makes complex financial concepts easy to understand. His sketches also serve as the foundation for his two books, The One-Page Financial Plan: A Simple Way to Be Smart About Your Money and The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money. Keep Takeaways for Talking About Money Before we close up I want to focus on some key takeaways I got: Make talking about money a normal part of your conversations. Focus on the WHY before the HOW Keep it simple If you'd like to chat more about getting on the same page with your spouse about money, please join us in our private and free FB group – Thriving Families. We're families looking to support and help one another out. We're over at couplemoney.com/fb Hope to see you there! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Need to reset your money? Learn how to do some spring cleaning with your finances to start building momentum with your biggest goals! For some reason, I like to use April is a sort of reminder to review our financial progress. Maybe because of the deadline for taxes. Or maybe it's because it's financial literacy month. Anyways, during April I'll poke around all our accounts, including investments to make sure we're moving in the right direction. I'll also review our goals for the year and see if we need to adjust anything. If you've signed up for the community newsletter you got a look at a few of our goals for this year. We're looking to: Make a dent on our mortgage with extra payments Have enough saved up to replace a car And for me, I'm working on getting in shape to tackle a 5k obstacle course And if you haven't, go ahead and take a little extra time checking your goals and numbers. Things can be going smoothly, which is awesome. But it's not – like you're behind on a goal or you two can't seem to make any headway on something, this episode is for you. We're going to look at how you can reset things, do some financial spring cleaning, and build up some momentum. In this episode we get into: Why finances are a lot like fitness Best resources to get on the same page as a couple and How to start paying off debt faster, saving more, and creating your own path to financial freedom and independence Hope you enjoy! Resources to Stay on Top of Your Money Want to learn more about getting a redo on your money? Here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Debt Pay off Worksheet Change Your Habits and Own Your Finances Which Debt Payoff Method Is Right for You? 3 Steps to Staying Motivated While Paying Off Debt 50 Ways to Give Your Finances A Fresh Start How to Start Investing (with $1,000 or Less)Paying Off Your Debt Faster as a Couple How to Build Wealth While Raising a Family Using Snowflakes to Pay Off Debt Faster Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Today we're going to see how you can prepare your finances so you can buy a house without going broke! Things are about to get hectic around here. We just heard from our neighbor that the developer is going to start building the townhouses across the street from us starting next week. Buying a House – Always a Smart Move? Here in Raleigh if there's a sliver of land, they'll develop it. It's a hot market right now and homes are going up at a rapid pace. Our property value has been rising since we bought our house three years ago. We've received mail from realtors and have seen upticks with estimates from real estate sites like Realtor, Zillow, and Redfin. We take these estimates with a grain of salt, but they are a reflection of the home value growing. Seeing this growth you might think we're firmly in the camp of every one needs to buy a house. But we're not. And here's the kicker – not every couple benefits from becoming a home owner. In this episode we get into: how to know if buying a home is right for you real and total costs of home ownership how to figure out how much you can afford so you can buy a house and still pursue financial independence Hope you enjoy! Resources on Buying a House If you're looking to buy, here are some resources to help you find an affordable place you love! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money My friend was about to buy a million-dollar house with no research The Fallacy of Homeownership What You Need to Know About Mortgages 9 Questions to Ask Before Buying a House Is It Better to Rent or Own a Home? Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Interested in knocking out your debt faster, saving for a big goal (like a house down payment), or pivoting your career path? Use these tips to not only start a business but grow a sustainable side hustle! Launching a Side Hustle Starting a business, work from home, side hustle - you don't have to be online for 5 seconds before you see an ad, site, or read someone saying how easy it is to get started. It's kind of half-true. I would say there are more low-cost ways to get started with making money on the side, but free? No. Whether you're working on the side through an app like Uber, Wag, or GrubHub, flipping furniture and other yard sale treasure for profit, or working strictly online, starting a business is probably the easiest part. Running and growing one? That's the work. I know some of you are interested in knocking out your debt faster or you're to save up for a big goal. Maybe a buy a house or bump up your savings for your little one's arrival and you're thinking, could a side business be what I need? Honestly, it could. There is a flexibility that you have when you're in charge. But it' no cakewalk. So today I want to share my chat with Marc over at Vital Dollar about his journey from working in an office, starting a side hustle, to working from home full-time. In this episode, we'll discuss: Why he made this transition from employee to an entrepreneur and when he knew he was ready Tips to help you use that income to reach your goals faster And if do become a full-time entrepreneur, how to live on an income that can fluctuate Let's get started! Resources 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 Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 7 Tips for Living On an Inconsistent Income Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Do you want to go on a fabulous family vacation, but you're still paying down debt? Learn how you can save big on your next getaway while still knocking out your debt! Saving Up for a Fun and Frugal Family Vacation When's your spring break? Our oldest has hers next month, but she's already counting down the days. There's something we love about having a little getaway as a family. The challenge for families that are on their debt free journey is how to make it work. 'How do we take family vacations while we're still paying off debt?' I totally get it. You're not going to put your life on hold just because you're in debt. That said, you're going to have to get savvy with how you plan your trip. In this episode, we'll discuss: Setting up a vacation fund (and an easy way to build your stash) Tips to help you save some serious cash and still have a fantastic, debt-free getaway Whether or not travel hacking is the best option for you Let's get started! Resources for Cheap Family Trips 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 Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Which hotels give dinner for free 3 reasons "budget" hotels DESTROY nice ones 7 Tips for Traveling with Kids How to Travel Like a Rock Star on the Cheap Better Bidding: There are forums and sites online that can help you figure out what it will take to your bid for a hotel accepted. Best Travel Apps to Snatch Last Minute Deals Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Learn how you can protect your loved ones financial abuse and how to minimize the damage if it happens! Financial Scams and Protecting Your Family A few years ago, my husband's nana had sent over money to a scammer pretending to be him. She had thought he needed help and so she generously sent it in. It was a wake call for us . After looking into this and talking with others, our family isn't the only one who's had to deal with this. Last year, a record 24,454 suspected cases of elder financial abuse were reported to the US Treasury Dept by banks. I can't tell you for certain why they're being targeted, but there are two key factors to consider. By 2030 US Census Bureau estimates 1 in 5 people will be 65 or older. Two, there's a significant amount of money tied to our older friends and family. According to the American Bankers Association, 70% of bank deposits are with people over 50. So you have a growing and market that is appealing to scammers. So what can we do to protect our grandparents, parents, and other older loved ones? Today Joe Mecca from Coastal Credit Union is back. In this episode, we'll discuss: What financial scams are out there Warning signs and What to look out for with your loved ones How your bank or credit unions should be protecting you Hope this helps! If you want to hear more from Joe and find out more about credit unions please check out my interview here. We discuss how credit unions can be a better option for couples looking to grow their wealth. Resources to Win with Your Money Want to go ahead and tackle your big marriage and money goals? Here are the resources we mentioned in today's episode along with some extras! 3 Critical Ways to Prevent Elder Financial Abuse Scamming Grandma: Financial abuse of seniors hits a record Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Learn how you can prepare and save for the costs of retirement! How Much Do We Need to Save for Retirement? If you've used those free online calculator to find your retirement number, you probably were amazed at how much they say you need. A million, two million, maybe more for just one of you. How do you feel when you see those numbers? Considering that 1 in 3 Americans has less than $5,000 saved for retirement, chances are there's room for improvement. Unless you're living in denial about retirement, you're probably dealing many of the hurdles couples deal with when it comes to saving and investing for retirement. 1- You have a full plate right now. As parents with two little ones, we always have something to do. We're not complaining – this is really a fun season of life right now – but realistically our time and attention are focused around them. 2- Bills and debts. You may not be able to save more because there's not much to give right now. If you have to pay credit cards, car loan, student loans and have a mortgage, your money is pretty much spent already. 3 – You're not a financial planner. Hop online and you''ll quickly see that there is endless free advice about what you should be doing. And it can be overwhelming at best and wrong for you at worst. Sifting through all that can be a mess. Running the numbers is also difficult. Especially with one area of retirement that we have to deal with now – healthcare costs and insurance. How do you know how much you'll need years, decades down the line? The answer is there is no way to perfect predict how much you need. But there are ways you can start drawing a plan that fits your circumstances and your goals. Which is I'm happy Danielle Kunkle Roberts is here on today's episode. Danielle is the co-founder of Boomer Benefits. Boomer Benefits specializes in Medicare supplement and Medicare Advantage insurance. Which you may be thinking, I'm too young for Medicare, but I think she's perfect because she has a close up of view of how prepared people really are for retirement. She's going to offer suggestions, ideas, and tips on what you can do now so you can be better equipped to handle the costs of retirement. And how your health insurance choices now can help or harm you later. In this episode, we'll discuss: Prioritizing your finances How HDHP and HSAs work and when they are right for you How HSAs can help with healthcare costs during retirement Hope you enjoy! Resources to Win with Your Money Want to go ahead and tackle your big marriage and money goals? Here are the resources we mentioned in today's episode along with some extras! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Rock Your Retirement HSA and Medicare Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Today I'm answering your biggest tax questions. We're doing a quick and easy take covering what you need to know this year when you file, how to maximize your refund, and set yourselves up with your finances for next year! How to Maximize Your Tax Refunds with Credit and Deductions There are some people in this world who are giddy right now because it's tax season. Yeah, this is like the SuperBowl for some money nerds. And while I admit to being a number cruncher at times, I have to say taxes aren't really that exciting for me. Yep, guilty as charged. However, I've seen how important getting our tax done has been for our finances. Both with planning throughout the year as well as using our refunds to reach our financial goals faster. And I want you to see taxes in a better, maybe less stressful light so today I'll tackle the big questions. Heads up, even though I enjoy covering personal finances, I'm not a tax expert. There will be plenty of resources in today's show notes for sure. But this episode I will do my best to break things down and talk like a normal, non-money nerd. In this episode, we'll discuss: The difference between tax deductions and credits Major difference we noticed with the new tax law Making the most of your tax refund Hope you enjoy! Resources to Tackle Your Taxes Looking to make taxes less stressful? Here are some of my favorite resources! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint TurboTax — We use them for our taxes Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Your 2019 Taxes: What You Need to Know About the Tax Reform Bill Support the Podcast Thank you so much for listening! 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. I'd love for more couples to work together to dump their debt and pursue their dreams together! Please 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! I appreciate your help. Let's make talking about marriage and money fun! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere

Can you have nice things when you're paying off debt? What millionaire habits can you pick up today? Personal finance author and money expert Anthony O'Neal shares his tips and thoughts! Busting Common Money Myths Many times we mismanage our money because we've developed ideas and habits that are harmful to our financial health. If we want to change or help our spouse to change, it means we have to examine those money myths and habits. And it can be hard to change. That's why I'm really happy to have personal finance author and millennial money expert Anthony O'Neal on today. He's made the leap himself. At age 19, Anthony ONeal was deep in debt and short on hope with no direction of where his life was headed. But after hitting rock bottom, he turned his life around and committed to helping students find and pursue their passions. We met up over at the NC State University's bell-tower before his Smart Money event last week for a chat about money myths and habits. In this episode we get into: how you can have nice stuff while paying off debt what millionaires do differently how to financially prepare your kids for the real world Hope you enjoy! Resources to Build Good Money Habits Looking to become debt free and build wealth? Here are some resources to help you build smart money habits. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Smart Money and Smart Parent events The Graduate Survival Guide: 5 Mistakes You Can't Afford To Make In College Support the Podcast Thank you so much for listening! 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. I'd love for more couples to work together to dump their debt and pursue their dreams together! Please 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! I appreciate your help. Let's make talking about marriage and money fun! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere

Think your home is an investment? For most people, it's not. Learn how to rethink real estate so you can build your wealth and become financially independent! Buying a house is usually the biggest purchase we make. Right now in the United States, the median price of homes that sold is $225,900. For those living in high cost of living areas like California and DC, you're looking at closer to 350k to $400k respectively. Just considering the numbers, you can see that you really need to do your homework when it comes to buying your house. A misstep or mistake can cost you a significant amount of money. I don't want that to happen to you. When \ever you buy your home I want it to feel like a blessing and a burden. We've had several episodes about the house hunting, getting a mortgage, and finding the best home for you. Today, though, I want to get into the root of every bad decision we made when it comes to real estate - how we approach it. I can't even count how many people had such strong opinions when we were house hunting. And not all of them were right. There so many justifications for buying any house. 'You're throwing away money when you rent' 'Take advantage of the tax savings' And my favorite - 'real estate is an investment' People were saying this and they no idea what kind of house or neighborhood we were looking at. That's not to say buying a house is a mistake. It can actually be a smart move when done right. And if you're looking at investing and are willing to put in the work, real estate can be an income stream. But how you approach it makes all the difference. Which is why I asked Julien and Kiersten, the creators and the couple behind Rich and Regular to come on today. They are not only are homeowners, but they are also real investors who are working towards financial independence. Their properties are a part of their plan so I thought they would be perfect to talk about how to approach real estate wisely. In this episode we'll discuss: Why they don't consider their home an investment How they got into investing in real estate Their strategy around real estate to reach financial independence Hope you enjoy! Resources for Buying a House If you two are ready to get the balll rolling with buying a house or start looking at real estate investing, here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Why our new home is NOT a real estate investment The "other" skills you need to be a real estate investor 5 Key Ways to Pay Your Mortgage Off Faster 5 Reasons to Choose a 15-Year Mortgage Which is Better for You – a 15 Year or 30 Year Mortgage? What You Need to Know About Mortgages Support the Podcast Thank you so much for listening! 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. I'd love for more couples to work together to dump their debt and pursue their dreams together! Please 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! I appreciate your help. Let's make talking about marriage and money fun! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere

Today Grant Sabatier, the author of Financial Freedom, goes through how he was able to become a millionaire and financially independent by 30. More importantly, he also discusses how you can create your own path based on your goals and priorities. Get on the Path to Financial Freedom It's almost the end of January, how are things going for you? Over at our FB group, Thriving Families, I've been keeping an eye on some of the goals you've been sharing and I'm really impressed. We some tackling debt, many mentioning their student loans. Meal prepping is also on the list. That's a fantastic money saver and will help you tremendously with your health goals. Quite a few talked about earning more, both through their regular 9-5 job as well as side hustles. On the surface, these goals seem to go in different directions, but when we chat in the group and get into the whys behind the goals, I noticed a recurring theme. Having more flexibility and security for our families. And for many, that path includes reaching financial independence. But when you're deep in debt or just starting out, it can seem overwhelming and in some cases out of reach. However, you can take steps now to get your finances in a great spot and open up more options for your family. Today Grant Sabatier, the author of Financial Freedom and the creator of Millennial Money, goes through how he was able to become a millionaire and financially independent by 30. More importantly, he also discusses how you can create your own path based on your goals and priorities. In this episode, we get into: Defining what financial independence and freedom means to you Why simply cutting expenses won't get you to where you want to go How side hustles can enrich your lives and get you close to your FI dreams Hope you enjoy! Resources to Get on the Path to Financial Freedom If you two are ready to make some real progress on your big goals, here are helpful resources to check out. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money The Secret Sauce to Financial Independence & Early Retirement Retire Early By Rethinking Your Priorities The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement DIY and the Financially Independent Lifestyle Connect with Grant and Millennial Money Dubbed "The Millennial Millionaire" by CNBC, Grant Sabatier went from $2.26 to $1 million in 5 years through entrepreneurship, side hustling and investing. After reaching financial independence at the age of 30, Grant founded Millenial Money, where he writes about making and investing money and co-hosts the Millennial Money Minutes podcast. Since launching in 2015, Grant has reached over 10 million readers and listeners through his blog and podcast. Grant is also the author of Financial Freedom: A Proven Path to All the Money You'll Ever Need. Grant has been featured in over 200 international media outlets including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, National Public Radio, Money Magazine, ABC Nightline, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Inc. Magazine, Forbes, The Sydney Morning Herald, and many others. Support the Podcast Thank you so much for listening! 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. I'd love for more couples to work together to dump their debt and pursue their dreams together! Please 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! I appreciate your help. Let's make talking about marriage and money fun! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere

Does your family budget feel tight? Learn 3 key ways on how you can save hundreds of dollars each month while raising your kids and still having fun! Saving More as a Family I know that financial independence is a buzzword in the personal finance sphere. You got stories where people are saving 60, 70% of and retiring in 5, 10 years. I commend anyone is who simplifies their lives and removes the needless excess so they can achieve the goal. What I do see missing in some of these dramatic stories are the numbers, details, and well, relatability. Saving 70% of a $200k income is an achievement, but so is saving 20% of a $50,000. And to be helpful to families of different incomes, we need to look at the principles behind and it really comes down to mastering the art of living well on less. Notice I didn't say living on less. You do have to spend less than you earn- that's a core financial principle - but the other is living well. This is about a financial diet where you deprive yourself just to save more. This is about a lifestyle where you nail what truly matters to you, cut out the noise, and move your money towards your dreams. Now, before you can pay off your debts, have an emergency fund, or invest for your future you have to have some money, right? We have to develop our muscle with saving more. Which is why we have Ansley Fender on today. She's a Personal Finance Coach and Writer. Ansley helps people make sense of their money by designing spending plans that align with their goals and lifestyle preferences. She also understands firsthand what it's like to accumulate $100,000 in student loan and consumer debt while climbing her way out as a new mom. In this episode, we get into: How to pursue financial freedom when you want to have a life Ways to have fun as a family without breaking the bank How you can earn some extra cash by doing things you already enjoy I hope you enjoy! Resources to Save Money Want to start boosting your savings rate? Here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom 5 Days to $5K: It's my free weeklong course to show you how to find, save, and make extra money so you can dump debt and save more! 17 Money Saving Strategies We Used to Triple Our Savings Rate How We Went From Earning a Living to Building Wealth, Together 3 Money Tips to Best Afford Luxuries Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Today we're wrapping up the season with how to overcome setbacks and plan for your best year! Financial Wins, Overcoming Setbacks, and Planning for Your Best Year How has this year been treating you? To be honest, things have been a real roller coaster. We've made several trips this year to visit loved ones in the hospital, nursing homes, or just to check in on them. We've also had a dear friend lose her battle with cancer this past week (hence the delay on the finale). I appreciate having this option because I know years ago when we were in debt, this wouldn't have seemed possible. It's made me more determined to continue helping families be in a better spot with their money so they can have more options like stepping back. I hate when money is a source of stress when you have bigger things to think about. With that in mind, today's show is focused on how to do a year-end review. In this episode, we'll get into: Our progress on our goals for the year and doing a year end revie What to do when you have a set back with finances Why families need to simplify and enjoy Hope you enjoy! Resources to Having Your Best Year with Finances Want to learn more? Here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Simplify and Enjoy 5 Books to Motivate and Guide You to Become Debt Free Faster 5 Money Books for Couples Looking to Become Financially Independent Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Today we're going over to figure out the best money goals for you and how to tackle them together! Tackling Your Big Money Goals It's December, can you believe it? What are your plans for this month? Last weekend we went up to visit family and friends in Virginia. We had a wonderful time, but we're a bit drained seeing so many people at once. This weekend we're relaxing. Now that we took care of the last bit of stuff for health insurance and investments that my husband's employer needed for next year, we should have time to chat a bit more on what we want to do overall. Typically we both have ideas on what we like to knock out and usually, we end up with 2 or 3 big goals for the year. Last year we focused on the basement renovation (1st phase done!), family trips (2 bigger and several weekend trips), and paying more towards the mortgage (upped our monthly mortgage payments). Proud of what we did and we'd like to build on that momentum. And based on the emails and messages I got it looks like you're thinking the same thing. So today we're going over how to reach your money goals together. In this episode we'll get into: Why people fail with their goals Choosing the right goal for you Setting up a system that makes it easy for you to knock out your goal You're ready? Let's go! Resources to Knocking Out Your Money Goals Together Want to learn more? Here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money The Smart Way to Build Your Emergency Fund 3 Keys to Knocking Out Your Big Money Goals Together Why Most People Fail with Their Goals 10 Personal Finance Goals To Help Your Family Build Wealth This Year How Setting Financial Goals Will Get You To Financial Freedom with Michael Kay Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Today we're answering your marriage and money questions - how to earn extra money on the side, figuring out your retirement number, and how to make the most of year-end bonus! Marriage and Money Mailbag: Extra Income, Your Retirement Number, and More It's that time again - our community mailbag! It's a chance for me to answer your burning money questions. with the year wrapping up have some good ones today. In this episode we'll get into: How to make extra money when you don't have time for a second job How to make your bonus go far Figuring out how much you two need to retire Let's get started! Resources to Win with Your Money Want to go ahead and tackle your big marriage and money goals? Here are the resources we mentioned in today's episode along with some extras! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Rock Your Retirement The 4% Rule Your Side Hustle Is Worth A Lot More Than You Think Kevin's Side Hustle Reports (These side hustles helped him pay off over $87000 in less than 3 years!) Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

You've probably heard how giving not only benefits the recipients but the giver. However, what do you do when you're in debt? Learn how you can pay off debt and give more to the causes that matter most to you! Giving While in Debt? When people ask this, two things jump out at me. First, they have a generous spirit. That's fantastic. Second, their current budget isn't working for them. That's something that needs to be adjusted. What if I told you there's a way you can take care of the essentials, make progress on paying off your debts, and still give? Today Certified Financial Educational Instructor and The Money Speakeasy founder Wilson Muscadin is here to discuss how. In this episode we get into: Why we struggle with money A counter-intuitive way to think about how you budget How giving can help be wiser with your money Let's get started! Resources to Give Back More If you're looking to create a budget that reflects your values while still taking care of the essentials, here are some resources to check out. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Partners in Wealth Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Total Money Makeover Giving USA 2018: Americans Gave $410.02 Billion to Charity in 2017 Charitable Giving in America: Some Facts and Figures Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Part of protecting your finances means managing your accounts, both online and offline. Today we'll share how you can arm yourself against fraud and scams! Keeping an Eye Out for Scams and Fraud With so many people shopping in stores and online, scammers are all too happy to grab your data and financial information. While there's nothing you can do to completely eliminate these scams, there ways you can protect yourselves. Joe Mecca from Coastal Federal Credit Union is back to wrap up this two-parter. In this episode we get into: Big offline scams and online phishing to watch out for Protecting yourself with strong passwords Apps and resources to protect you and your finances We have a lot to cover, so let's get started! Resources to Protect Your Identity and Finances If you've had your wallet or purse stolen or lost, here are some resources we mentioned in the episode as well as some other handy articles to check out: IdentityTheft.gov Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft FBI Futurist Shares His Top 5 Tips For Protecting Your Identity Online How to Fight Back Against Identity Theft The Equifax Data Breach: What to Do if You're Affected Coastal Federal Credit Union Credit Union Locator Annual Credit Report: Free way to review each of your credit reports 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: 1-800-680-72892 Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Protect yourself from identity theft and minimize damage with this handy guide on what to do when your wallet or purse is stolen! My Wallet was Stolen, Now What? If you're subscribed to the community newsletter you may remember that in July I mentioned that my purse got stolen in Denver. We were over in Colorado to celebrate my cousin getting married. Beautiful weekend and celebration, but yeah that was a sour note for sure. We spent a good chunk of time on the phone and online to get things squared away. As we were working to avoid getting hit with any unauthorized charges and sort out things with TSA since our flight back was only a few days away, I wished I had a handy and quick guide on what I needed to do. I hope you never have your wallet or purse stolen, but if you do I want to make things easier. That's why I have Joe Mecca from Coastal Credit Union on. Here's joining me today to discuss on what you need to know to protect yourself against identity theft and what steps you need to take to recover or replace what was stolen. I want to help to minimize the damage and stress so you can get back to your routine and focus on the important things. Resources to Protect Your Identity and Finances If you've had your wallet or purse stolen or lost, here are some resources we mentioned in the episode as well as some other handy articles to check out: IdentityTheft.gov Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft FBI Futurist Shares His Top 5 Tips For Protecting Your Identity Online How to Fight Back Against Identity Theft The Equifax Data Breach: What to Do if You're Affected Coastal Federal Credit Union Credit Union Locator Annual Credit Report: Free way to review each of your credit reports 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: 1-800-680-72892. Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

How much do we need to save for a baby? How do we handle medical expenses and finances with a disability? We answer your biggest marriage and money questions! Marriage and Money Q&As Welcome to another edition of our community mailbag show! This is where we take a break from our regular episodes which usually deal with one topic and instead tackle several of your marriage and money questions in smaller bites. Today we have Phillip and Julia Olson as well as Brynee Conroy here on the podcast to help answer them In this episode we get into: How to handle the costs of having a baby Dealing with disabilities and finances What to do when the traditional advice does not apply Let's dive in! Resources Mentioned Want to dig in some more? Here are some of the resources we mentioned in our episode plus more! The Art of Finance Two Cents The Feminist Financial Handbook Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Tired of getting hit with fees from your bank? Today we're going to see how you can find the best place to stash your cash to save and earn more money! Best Banks for Your Money All this month we've been talking about big decisions you need to make about health insurance and investing that will have an impact not only on your finances next year, but beyond. These are things you should care about for sure, but I want to cover pretty much a crucial decision you don't want to ignore - your bank accounts. Where and how you bank can either help you reach your financial goals faster if you got a great banking partner or it can hinder you and drain your wallet if you have a dud. In this episode we'll get into: why / where/ and how you bank matters 3 alternatives to the big banks that can save and make you more money How to easily set up and automate your money Hope you enjoy! Resources to Get the Most Out of Your Bank Accounts Are you two ready to master your joint accounts? Do you want to create a system that fits your priorities and styles? Here are some resources to check out: Coastal Federal Credit Union Want a Happier Marriage? Combine Bank Accounts Finding the Best Banking and Investing Accounts Optimize Your Bank or Credit Union Accounts Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Track These 2 Key Numbers to Master Your Money Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Smart Retirement Moves for Your 401(k) Last week we look at retirement planning from a high level - figuring out a ballpark of what you'd like your retirement to look like as well as how it fits in with what you're doing now. This week we're focused on a very specific part - figuring out what to invest in when there are plenty of options. Since I'm not a financial planner and I have no idea of your very specific finances, this episode will cover the process. In this episode we'll get into: Prioritizing your investments Look at whether index funds are really a smart move Optimizing your 401(k) Hope you enjoy! Resources to Rock Your Retirement Ready to invest for retirement? Here are some fantastic resources to set things up and help you plan for your retirement together. Rock Retirement Investing Made Simple Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom The Secret Sauce to Financial Independence & Early Retirement Retirement Answer Man Podcast Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Financial Independence and Parenthood Setting Up Your Retirement with the Right Tools How to Get on the Same Page with Financial Independence Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Feel like you have a full plate and not enough time (or money!) to plan for retirement? Learn step by step how you two can rock retirement and still have fun now! Real Retirement Planning for Real Life Gotta love analytics. You all that data floating about. Once a week I look over things including what people searching when they discover Couple Money. And you know what I found? Believe or not, I noticed pretty much every day people discover my site with some variation of this one question. How much do we need to retire? It's a big question for sure, but I don't think it's the right question. At least not to start with. As you probably discovered with that first question I asked, retirement can be completely different things to everyone. And sometimes you two can have differing opinions. So how do you figure what you need to do? You have to look at it at two different angles. Of course, there's the technical part with the specific investments in your portfolio. But you before you do that you need a game plan. One that is robust and at the same time, can adjust as your life changes. Which is why I brought the Retirement Answer Man himself - Roger Whitney! Not only is he is a Certified Financial Planner who's worked for over 25 years and he's the author of Rock Retirement. His mission is to shift people's mindset from investing in a portfolio to investing in what they love. Because this is a huge deal, we're having a two-parter. In this episode we're discussing: The problem with traditional retirement planning and calculators Striking that balance between taking care of things down the line while still loving your life now How to rethink and plan your retirement as a couple Let's jump right in! Resources to Rock Your Retirement Ready to prepare for retirement while ill having some fun now? Here are some fantastic resources to set things up and help you plan for your retirement together. Rock Retirement - Roger has written an incredible book that breaks down how you can plan and save not just for retirement, but a life you love now! Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom The Secret Sauce to Financial Independence & Early Retirement Retirement Answer Man Podcast Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Financial Independence and Parenthood Setting Up Your Retirement with the Right Tools How to Get on the Same Page with Financial Independence Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere. This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure for more info.

Trying to sort through all the health insurance plans HR has given you? Find out how you can choose an affordable health insurance plan that covers your family's needs! Affordable Health Insurance for You Health insurance is a huge expense. Last year when we reviewed the health plan options, we found out that premiums were going up. again. No surprise there, but the amount did catch us off guard. If we were to stay with the 'basic' family plan we had, our monthly premiums would be almost the same as our mortgage payment! That seemed ridiculous. If you're in the same boat - looking for an affordable health insurance plan that will cover your family's needs, save this episode. Michael Dinich is back to help decipher and decode health plans so you two will be armed to make the best choice for you and your situation. 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 Hope you enjoy! Resources to Save Money on Healthcare Are you looking for more help with keeping health care within your budget? Here are some resources: Work with Michael: He's a certified financial planner who specializes in assisting families to navigate their health care options. How to Save Money on Your Health Insurance and Expenses Why We're Switching to a High Deductible Health Plan Hack the Affordable Care Act Guide How to Spend Less on Insurance Save Money on Health Insurance Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure for more info.

We open up the community mailbag again and answer your biggest marriage and money questions. Today we're discussing how to build your credit and raise your score, winning your spouse over with finances, and how to do a money date! Raise Your Credit Score, Money Dates, and More Today's episode is kind of brought by..... you. Yep, it's community mailbag again and this time we have quite a varied plate on our hands! I appreciate you sending your questions in. In this episode we get into: The biggest myths and bad advice about credit score How to work together on tackling money How money dates work for us If you'd like your question to be a part of the next mailbag, send it here [email protected] Hope you enjoy! Resources to Build Your Credit and More Here are some resources we shared on today's show to build your credit, become a team with finances, going on a money date, plus more. Self Lender Your Money, Your Marriage by Cherie and Brian Lowe Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money How to Talk About Money Without Starting a Fight We're going to discuss the ins and outs of merging finances and personalities in our private Facebook group over at Thriving Families. It's free and fun – please join us! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Are you two frustrated because you're financial opposites? Learn strategies and conversation starters so you can get on the same page and win with money! When Financial Opposites Attract Money fights are an incredible source of stress with marriage when left unchecked. it doesn't have to be that way. There are couples who have achieved huge goals - like paying off massive amounts of debts, buying their dream home, or travel together by harness the advantages of their differences. The key is learning how to work together even when they are financial opposites. I usually don't do two guests, but I wanted to show how 1 - there are certain principles that can help every couple and 2 - there are times when you have to carve your own path. Her Money Matters author Jen Hemphill and Zeta CEO and founder Aditi Shekar join the show today. In this episode we get into: Creating your goals and money take Finding a budget you're both on board with How to deal with tricky situations - like lending money to family - without straining your marriage or money Think you'll hear a lot of familiar stuff and get some new ideas with this episode. Hope you enjoy! Resources to Combine Your Finances Here are some resources to dive deep into how you two can work together as a team with your finances. How to Talk About Money Without Starting a Fight Managing Financial Conflicts as a Couple How to Use Money Fights to Strengthen Your Marriage with Jayson Gaddis Build Your Marriage & Wealth with Money Dates Three Toxic Habits to Stop When Talking About Money Jen Hemphill's Money Coaching We're going to discuss the ins and outs of merging finances and personalities in our private Facebook group over at Thriving Families. It's free and fun - please join us! Zeta: Helping Couples Master Their Money Together So happy Aditi could join us on this episode. If you two are looking for a customizable solution with your finances, please check out Zeta. Zeta helps you stay on top of your finances together by helping you understand where your money is going. Track all of your accounts in one easy to use spot. Stay on the same page about money! Drop memos on specific transactions, add monthly notes to remember what happened, or split spending as needed. Go to Zeta to get more info! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere. xg6dZf2rC8siqqOYIn6j

Want your kids to leave the house money savvy? Learn easy techniques and ways on how to teach your children how to save and invest like a pro! Teaching Kids to Save and Invest Do you remember how you handled money growing up? I can't recall when I got my allowance, but I remember being in second or third grade going around the neighborhood collecting bottles and cans to recycle and earn some extra money. And as grateful as I am for learning what I did, from how I mismanaged money later on and got into debt in college, I can see there were some gaps in my financial knowledge. My husband and I both want our girls to know the value of a hard-earned dollar and how to use it wisely. That won't happen by accident. It's going to take a plan. If you two want to help your little ones, make sure you save this episode. Bill Dwight, creator of the amazing family banking app famZoo is here today on the show. Besides being a tech whiz, he's a father of five who's had plenty of experience with the ups and downs of raising kids to become adults. In this episode we get into: When to start introducing finances Getting your kids comfortable with saving and investing Why your kids need to get a loan from you I think we'll have plenty of comments on this one. :) Hope you enjoy! 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! FamZoo Thriving Families How to Teach Your Kids About Money (w/o Being Boring!) Cash Crunch Junior Goalsetter Collegebacker We're going to discuss this in our private Facebook group over at Thriving Families. It's free and fun. Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Dream of quitting your job, but worried about your finances? Learn how one couple saved 70% of their income, quit their jobs, and pursued their dreams of financial freedom! Quitting $250K Jobs to Travel the Country Together September is here which means this week we're nailing down what we like to do before 2018 closes out. How about you? What goal or two do you want to knock out these next few months? There's still time to do something big. Today Alison and Matt from Owen Your Future are here to break down how they're pursuing financial freedom on the road after they quit their jobs. Whether you want to pivot your career, travel more, or just want to have some more options in your life, there are some wonderful strategies and tactics you can use. Why they wanted to pursue financial independence (and what that means to them) The process and steps they took to save 70% of their income why they shifted and quit their jobs early, even though they did not reach their FI number Let's see if we can get you a few steps closer to your big goal. Hope you enjoy! Resources to Get on the Path to Financial Freedom If you two are ready to make some real progress on your big goals, here are helpful resources to check out. Couple Money Toolkit Owen Your Future - Site | YouTube | Instagram Why We Quit Our $250k Per Year Jobs Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money The Secret Sauce to Financial Independence & Early Retirement Setting Up Your Retirement with the Right Tools How to Get on the Same Page with Financial Independence Retired at 30 on $56,000/year Connect with the Owens Matt and Alli Owen saved 70% of their incomes for 4 years and are now enjoying a "mini-retirement" traveling the Americas in their self-converted bright red Sprinter van, Clifford. While they haven't yet reached their "FI" number, they chose to leave their jobs early with the confidence that they will make up the rest with the skills they acquired through pursuing FI. It is their hope to help more people to get out of debt and maximize their savings so that they can pursue their own version of financial freedom. Download this checklist to follow the exact process they used to ramp up their savings in 10 minutes a week or less! Support the Podcast Thank you so much for listening! 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! I appreciate your help. Let's make talking about marriage and money fun! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere

Today I'm opening up the community mailbag and answering your biggest marriage and money questions! How do you maximize your paychecks while still making sure you don't owe the IRS come tax time? How do you tackle multiple goals and make real progress on them? Marriage and Money Mailbag We're here - the summer of savings finale! It's been an incredible and fun six weeks. I hope you got inspired with ways you can save money while still having a good time now. And I thought the best way to wrap things up is to chat with you and answering marriage and money questions. In this episode we go over: maximize your paychecks knocking out several goals best money tools for busy couples Hope you enjoy! Resources to Help You Tackle Marriage and Money Want to jump in and get your finances squared away? Here are some cool tools and resources to make mastering your money easier! Get More Money in Your Paycheck: How to Calculate Your W-4 Withholding TurboTax W-4 Withholding Calculator 5 Tips for Adjusting Withholding Allowances 5 Days to $5K Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money How to Focus and Prioritize Your Goals Where Should Our Money Go? Prioritizing Your Goals Trim: With Trim, you can cancel subscriptions and negotiate your bills. Billshark: They contact your service providers and negotiate the best price on your behalf. Paribus: Bought something and a week later the price drops? Paribus can get you back the difference. Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money Course Want to give your marriage and bank account a boost? Pick up Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money course. Jumpstart focuses on the big wins including earning more. Get LIFETIME access to a four-week course design to help you: Stop fighting about money and create a budget that you BOTH LOVE Automate your money Pay off your debt faster Plus more! You can get lifetime access here! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

School's out - what are you up to? Today we're talking about frugal and fun summer activities for your kids and for you! Fun and Frugal Summer Activities for Kids Summer break is here and so far, it's been a blast. As school was finishing up with my little one we headed over to Denver. My cousin's wedding was beautiful. We took the girls to the park to play and relax. Got to go downtown, explore. Eat. We tried some local brews. Thanks to my mom, we had some extra date nights. the next week was a bit more low key at home, but still fun. with a couple of weeks left before our oldest goes back to school, we're mixing things up so it'll be a memorable summer and won't break our budget. if you're in the same boat, I have some good news. Today we have two guests to give some ideas. Aja from Principles of Increase and Paul Vassey of Cash Crunch Games are here to help make things easier. In this episode, we get into: how to find enriching and frugal activities around town giving your kids skills and knowledge to handle money like a pro getting out for date night for just the two of you Hope you enjoy! Helpful Resources on Kids and Money If you're trying to figure out a system that can work for your family, here are a few resources to check out: Cash Crunch Games Jr: Our girls love it! FamZoo: Fantastic solution for families. We not only use it to handle allowances but track our oldest's progress for her big savings goals. You can customize it to your family's situation. Chicago EcoHouse The Opposite of Spoiled 6 Tips for Building the Charitable Giving Muscle with Your Kids 5 Reasons I Don't Buy Toys for My Kids Tips For Giving Kids an Allowance Boost Your Kid's Money IQ with a Simple Spreadsheet 29 Tips for Teaching Your Kids to Stack Benjamins Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money Course Want to give your marriage and bank account a boost? Pick up Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money course. Jumpstart focuses on the big wins including earning more. Get LIFETIME access to a four-week course design to help you: Stop fighting about money and create a budget that you BOTH LOVE Automate your money Pay off your debt faster Plus more! You can get lifetime access here! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere and Logan from Music for Makers in this episode.

While it may seem doctors have it easy with their healthy incomes, the reality is much more down to earth as many are also dealing with massive amounts of debt. Learn how to balance dumping debt, saving, and having some fun now! Financial Residency with Allison and Curtis A few years ago when we were like trying to dig out of debt I thought they would be so much easier if we had a healthy income. And yes having a certain amount does make a big difference but that's only part of the equation. That's why I bought Ryan here to co-host. He's not only familiar with the technical stuff as a financial planner over at Physician Wealth Services, he has practical knowledge and real-life experience as a husband to a physician. Today he's talking to Dr. Allison Webster, an ER physician, and her husband Curtis, creator of Dads Married to Doctors. They're going to discuss: the financial challenges (and massive amounts of debt) that come with becoming a physician working through their difference when it comes to handling money whether or not you can retire when you're dealing with a massive amount of debt Hope you enjoy! Resources to Dump Debt and Save Together Want to make talking about money less stressful? Are you ready to tackle that massive amount of debt? Here are some resources to make it easier to stay on top of your money! How to Define Your Financial Priorities Together: Ryan shares how he helps his clients get onthe same page with their finances Financial Residency: Ryan's excellent podcast Money Tracking and Budgets: Personal Capital, Mint, and Tiller are fantastic options Qapital: Free tool that makes saving automatic and fun How to Pay Off Your Student Loans Faster: Kevin shares how he paid Off $87,000 in 2 1/2 years Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money Course Want to give your marriage and bank account a boost? Pick up Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money course. Jumpstart focuses on the big wins including earning more. Get LIFETIME access to a four-week course design to help you: Stop fighting about money and create a budget that you BOTH LOVE Automate your money Pay off your debt faster Plus more! You can get lifetime access here. Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere and Logan from Music for Makers in this episode.

The Debt Free Story Behind Popcorn Finance One of the first things I ask when you join the community is to share what goal you're tackling. By far, the two biggest goals are dumping debt and having some savings for emergencies. And that makes sense, seeing as the average household that has credit card debt, has a balance of just under $16,000. The average American under 35 has about $1500 in savings. That can be a real burden on a marriage. But you two can get out of your financial rut and start making real progress. My buddy Chris, creator and host of Popcorn Finance is on the show to share his story. We get into: how Chris and his wife 'K' got into debt the system they use to budget and knock out their debts what's his favorite money app Hope you enjoy! Resources to Get on the Same Page with Your Finances Want to make talking about money less stressful? Here are some fantastic resources to motivate and nudge you to debt freedom faster! What's Your One Page Financial Plan? Our $27,000 Debt Story How to Successfully Budget as a Couple 2018 Listener Goals on Popcorn Finance Handy Tools to Save More Money Here are a few of my favorite tools that make saving money much easier! Money Tracking and Budgets: Personal Capital, Mint, and Tiller are fantastic options Qapital: Free tool that makes saving automatic and fun iBotta: Redeem cash while shopping Camel, Camel, Camel: Free Amazon price tracker Honey: Free browser extension that searches for coupon codes for you during check out Paribus: Checks for price drops and works to get you a refund Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money Course Want to give your marriage and bank account a boost? Pick up Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money course. Jumpstart focuses on the big wins including earning more. Get LIFETIME access to a four-week course design to help you: Stop fighting about money and create a budget that you BOTH LOVE Automate your money Pay off your debt faster Plus more! You can get lifetime access here. Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere and Logan from Music for Makers in this episode.

Does your food bill blow your budget? Today you'll learn how to master meal planning to save you a ton of time and money! How to Save with Meal Planning One of the biggest bills couples have - especially busy ones - is their food. Between eating out and buying food for the family, there doesn't seem to be enough money to cover everything. We discussed saving money when eating out a few episodes ago. Now we're looking at the other side -mastering your groceries and meals at home. I asked my buddy Jen Smith to come on board. She's the creator of Saving with Spunk and the author of the new book Meal Planning on a Budget. In this episode we discuss: how meal planning doesn't mean leftover every night the magic of slow cookers how seasonal and sales eating is lower your bills and be better health wise Hope you enjoy! Resources to Save Money While Eating Well Want to cut your spending on food without sacrificing quality? Here are some resources to check out. Grocery Price Books: Slash Your Food Bill and Save Time! Easy and Smart Ways to Eat Well and Cut Your Food Bill Kill your $1,000 Grocery Bill Frugal Friends Podcast Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money Course Want to give your marriage and bank account a boost? Pick up Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money course. Jumpstart focuses on the big wins including earning more. Get LIFETIME access to a four-week course design to help you: Stop fighting about money and create a budget that you BOTH LOVE Automate your money Pay off your debt faster Plus more! You can get lifetime access here. Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere and Logan from Music for Makers in this episode.

Do you two have several dreams you want to achieve, but not making any real progress? Today I'll share how you can save for your big goals together! How to Save for Your Biggest Goals Today we're going to tackle the three biggest hurdles to saving and achieving your goals: Getting your spouse on board with saving Getting on the same page with your goals Finding money to save Hope you enjoy! Resources to Define Your Priorities and Big Goals Whether it's a joint or personal goal, there are handy resources available to help you two achieve your dreams. 20 Ways to Have Fun This Summer and Still Save a Ton of Money How Our Financial Goals Followed Our Family What's Your One Page Financial Plan? Handy Tools to Save More Money Here are a few of my favorite tools that make saving money much easier! Money Tracking and Budgets: Personal Capital, Mint, and Tiller are fantastic options Qapital: Free tool that makes saving automatic and fun iBotta: Redeem cash while shopping Camel, Camel, Camel: Free Amazon price tracker Honey: Free browser extension that searches for coupon codes for you during check out Paribus: Checks for price drops and works to get you a refund Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money Course Want to give your marriage and bank account a boost? Pick up Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money course. Jumpstart focuses on the big wins including earning more. Get LIFETIME access to a four-week course design to help you: Stop fighting about money and create a budget that you BOTH LOVE Automate your money Pay off your debt faster Plus more! You can get lifetime access here. Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere and Logan from Music for Makers in this episode.

Looking to kick things up a notch? Learn how you can have fun this summer and still save some serious money! Summer Saving Fun I'm so ready for summer! The tricky part of summer, especially if you have little ones, is making sure you don't go broke while still having fun. So to wrap up this season, I challenged myself. Today I'm going to share how you can save a grand this summer! We're going to look at 4 areas and show you 5 ways to save. Getting the Best Deals Boost Your Savings Frugal Foodie Vacations/Getaways Hope you enjoy! Getting the Best Deals If you're out shopping make sure you're getting the best deals! Some of my favorite apps and sites are: iBotta Camel, Camel, Camel Honey Paribus Your family's smartphone plan shouldn't cost you a fortune. There are some fantastic deals out there. I use Republic Wireless and love them. They have an incredible line of phones. I have two lines with them and pay less than $50/month! You may also want to look at providers like Ting, Freedom Pop, and StraightTalk. When shopping online, hold off on those impulse buys you may be able to score a better deal by leaving before the purchase. I had a site send me an email afterward with a cheaper price. You may also want to switch to incognito mode. Boost Your Savings If you're looking to ramp up savings here are some great apps and services to try out. Tiller Personal Capital Mint They can help you track your money quickly and easily. You also want to make sure you're keeping a visual reminder of what you're saving towards. It can keep you motivated when you're in the middle of things. And of course, automate your savings. It's not doing you any good until it's stashed away. Frugal Foodie I've been writing for Couple Money for almost nine years and I will tell you that one of the biggest budget busters that couples have is eating out. Break this cycle by: Plan Your Meals for This Week Prep a Meal Ahead Have Go-to Meals Think Global with Your Dishes Have a Potluck Vacations/Getaways Summer is a fantastic time to get out of town and explore someplace new. Using sites and apps like Skyscanner and CheapOair can make your money go further next trip! Be Flexible Learn How To Bid Stay Like a Local Budget for your Trip Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money Course Want to give your marriage and bank account a boost? Pick up Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money course. Jumpstart focuses on the big wins including earning more. Get LIFETIME access to a four-week course design to help you: Stop fighting about money and create a budget that you BOTH LOVE Automate your money Pay off your debt faster Plus more! You can get lifetime access here! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere and Logan from Music for Makers in this episode.

Want to help your kid graduate college debt free? Learn the strategy and tactics one mom used to snag her son $700,000 in scholarships! The Scholarship Shark College is expensive. I don't think that's news to you, but did you know that graduates in the class of 2017 are on average carrying student loan debt of just over $39,400? And that the student loan delinquency rate of 11.2%? If you're a parent, you're probably worried about how that can affect your child's financial future. You need to hunt down as many scholarships as you can. That's why I'm grateful Pam Andrews is here on the show. She's not only the College Admissions Coach and Scholarship Strategist behind The Scholarship Shark, she's a mom. A mom who managed to help her son snag $700,000 in scholarships. Yep. So if you are interested in helping you kid minimize or skip those student loans, you'll want to really pay attention to this episode. Today Pam and I discuss: how they worked together to find which schools to apply to the strategy of getting scholarships out of the box ways to make college affordable Hope you enjoy! Tips on Paying for College If you two are looking to help your kid skip out on student loans, here are some resources to help you save up. Tips on Paying for College Without Going Into Debt A Simple Guide to College Financial Aid Paying for Your Kid's College (without Going Broke) 9 ways to pay for college without student loans Is College Worth It? Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money Course Want to give your marriage and bank account a boost? Pick up Jumpstart Your Marriage and Money course. Jumpstart focuses on the big wins including earning more. Get LIFETIME access to a four-week course design to help you: Stop fighting about money and create a budget that you BOTH LOVE Automate your money Pay off your debt faster Plus more! You can get lifetime access here! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere and Logan from Music for Makers in this episode.