Marriage Kids and Money: Personal Finance for Families

With this hot real estate market, families are considering selling and downsizing to take advantage of the equity in their homes.  Samantha and her husband are having this very thought.  Should they sell their 3,000-square-foot home for $700,000 and downsize? I weigh the pros and cons of downsizing in this market.  Also, Kristin Stones from Pennsylvania joins us to share how paying off $50,000 of...

To combat work-life burnout, sabbaticals may be corporate America’s latest weapon against the Great Resignation. Rich Jones, the Founder of Find More Balance, recently took a sabbatical from his corporate career at Google and found some incredibly rewarding results. Rich joins us today on the podcast to share those benefits and how NOT setting goals helped him become a better version of himself. ...

You've all heard the romantic stories of when a husband and wife first met. "It was love at first sight!"  But is that true? Or were there very practical reasons you got together? We explore this balance of "romantic vs. practical" in this episode of Bread & Wine, and why it might be good to have a little bit of both.  BREAD & WINE RESOURCES Buy Us a Cheap Bottle of Wine: And we'll give you a shou...

Achieving Coast FIRE was a huge accomplishment for our family!  But with the recent market downturn, is Coast FIRE even possible for us anymore?  We’ll explore our Coast FIRE status and what we’re doing to combat these uncertain financial times as a family. Also, Joshua Coombes, the leader of the grassroots movement “Do Something for Nothing” shares how the simple act of giving a free haircut chan...

When there are uncertain financial times, investing can feel scary.  JL Collins, Author of The Simple Path to Wealth, joins us today to help us remember why long-term investing with index funds can allow us to remain calm in the storm.  In this BEST OF MKM episode from 2020, JL Collins breaks down the benefits of index funds, how to invest in a stock market downturn and how to find your simple pat...

Is your Roth IRA losing money and you don't know why? Meghan Rabuse, aka the Family Finance Mom, joins me to discuss why your investment accounts might not be growing lately. We discuss the state of the stock market and what investors can do to stay calm in uncertain times. Also, Kevin from Indiana just paid off his mortgage in just 2 years! He shares what this huge financial milestone means for h...

It feels good when your partner has your back. You know that they are there for you when it matters. But should you always have your spouse's back no matter what? In this episode of Bread & Wine, we explore this question and share our takeaways on what it means to have your partner's back.  BREAD & WINE RESOURCES Buy Us a Cheap Bottle of Wine: And we'll give you a shoutout during the show - thanks...

Shane and his wife are a mortgage-free millionaire couple at 36 years old! They are wondering what to do with their money now.  I share 5 ideas for them to consider in this stage of their life.  Also, we hear from Josh Miller from Michigan who achieved Coast FIRE in his 30's after saving and investing over $600,000.  RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com/spon...

I'm sure you've heard that renting is wasting your money. But is that really true? Let’s explore the renting vs. buying a home debate and discuss some pros and cons along the way. Also, we chat with Dan Rocatto from Credible about why the housing market is so crazy right now. RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com/sponsors Credible: Explore current mortgage ra...

Wondering what it takes to become a millionaire in today's world? Jace Mattinson and Clark Sheffield, hosts of the Millionaires Unveiled Podcast, share what they've learned after interviewing over 200 real-life millionaires.  In this BEST OF MKM episode from 2021, Jace and Clark break down millionaire habits, millionaire investing strategies and they bust some millionaire myths as well.  RESOURCES...

If you're raising a teenager and looking at the cost of higher education, you may be asking yourself ... is college worth it? Dan Sheeks, Author of "First to a Million: A Teenager's Guide to Achieving Early Financial Independence", shares how parents and teens can make the decision to go to college or not. Also, on our Internet Money segment, we hear from Vee Weir who makes $10k per year dog sitti...

Working on paying off your mortgage early? You may be wondering if it makes sense for you to stop investing to become mortgage-free faster. I review my thoughts on the subject and why Coast FIRE may be a good goal to consider first.  Also, we hear from Amber Sauer who earned a 6-month sabbatical from work after paying off her $250,000 mortgage early. RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https:...

When I found the FIRE Movement, I really did not like my career path. I found myself saving a lot and scrutinizing every purchase my family made.  Did I like FIRE or did I just dislike my career? Nicole's interest in FIRE and saving more has amplified over the past couple of years too.  In this episode of Bread & Wine, we discuss this question and we review Nicole's next steps in her career path. ...

John Delony knows all about financial trauma. Having experienced financial trauma personally and helping others get through it, he knows the signs of it and how to manage it. In this interview, John Delony gives advice to others who’ve experienced financial trauma and are working to overcome the emotional effects of the recent pandemic. RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://www.marriagek...

Some folks are feeling uneasy about investing. Uncertain times can create nervous investors.  In this episode, I share why I think now is a great time to invest and how to get started.  Also, we hear from Andi Thieman from PennyLoafer, who shares how their platform makes giving easy.  And, last but not least, we've got another money quiz with Zoey! RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://w...

Looking to pay off debt but you have a low income? Jessi Fearon, the author of the new book Getting Good With Money, shares how reaching debt freedom is possible making $50k per year or less.  Also, we hear from Brandyn Rodriguez who paid off $137,000 of debt in 5 years! RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com/sponsors Personal Capital: Free investing tools to...

Taking the plunge into homeownership can be a big undertaking. And in a hot real estate market like this, it's no wonder families are stressed out trying to make homeownership a reality. One major topic that comes up time and time again is around the home down payment and if you REALLY need to go for 20% down or not. We explore this question by looking at the pros and cons of going with a 20% down...

We've been practicing the empathetic parenting method for the better part of 10 years now.  Nicole and I pause for a tick and ask ourselves, "Is it working?" We review empathetic parenting in our home and discuss some takeaways after trying it out for a while.  BREAD & WINE RESOURCES Buy Us a Cheap Bottle of Wine: And we'll give you a shoutout during the show - thanks for the support! Peaceful Par...

Most of us are aware of traditionally retiring in our 60s or 70s and what life might be like when we’re old and gray.  But what if you could add another 20-30 years on that retirement timeframe? And have your spouse retire along with you? Well, that’s what we’re going to discuss today and the person who’s going to help us with that discussion is Maggie Tucker.   Maggie recently gave notice at her...

With housing prices soaring, it can be hard to save up for your home down payment.  Lately, there's a growing group of people wondering if investing for short-term goals like a home down payment is a smart way to go. I share my experience with investing my home down payment and what I learned from doing this. Also, we heard from Treger Strasberg, Founder of Humble Design, about how they're helping...

Is depression real? Or is it something that can be solved? Nicole and I discuss how both of us view depression in our relationship and our views on the subject. BREAD & WINE RESOURCES Buy Us a Cheap Bottle of Wine: And we'll give you a shoutout during the show - thanks for the support! MKM RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com/sponsors Instagram  Voicemail Le...

Interested in FIRE and retiring early? Well, you might need a bridge account that helps fund your lifestyle from early retirement to traditional retirement. To help us with this intricate plan, I've invited The Landshark to today's podcast. This anonymous personal finance blogger retired early at 43 and used a bridge account to make it possible.  We discuss the details of this FIRE bridge account...

If you received a $1 million inheritance, how would that change your life? How could you take that blessing and make it your way out of a job you don't enjoy? That's what an anonymous listener wants to know.  I share my thoughts on what I'd do with a $1 million inheritance.  Also, we learn how Sami Womack increased her net worth to $350,000 by age 33! RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https:...

If you're thinking about divorce or in the midst of one, this episode is for you. Raiford Palmer, the author of the new book "I Just Want This Done", shares how successful people divorce without losing their kids, money and minds.  RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com/sponsors Firstly: Smart budgeting tools and real-life advice to get you on the path to fami...

With stocks down and inflation up, it can feel like an uneasy time to be a new investor!  Meghan Rabuse, aka Family Finance Mom, explains how investors should proceed during these uneasy times. Also, we're talking prenups! JustLaw founder Jason Gabbard joins me to discuss the advantages of a prenuptial agreement and how JustLaw makes the process easy.  RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https...