Marriage Kids and Money: Personal Finance for Families

There are certain things that make Nicole anxious ... a messy house, unfinished projects, and general clutter.  Andy, on the other hand, can live through it and live with it just fine. In today's Bread & Wine, we discuss why Andy is the way he is and what he can do to help reduce the anxiety in the Hill house.  BREAD & WINE RESOURCES Buy Us a Cheap Bottle of Wine: And we'll give you a shoutout dur...

The number of workers who left their jobs last year broke records. By some estimates, nearly 40 million people quit their jobs in the US.  Today, we're speaking with someone who recently left their high-paying career and is now easing into early retirement.  Kristen is a former CPA, who retired early last year to spend more time with her family and pursue personal passions after 15+ years working...

Nir Eyal is on a mission to help us all become indistractable. Technology has done a lot of wonderful things for us over the last decade. Tasks that were once extremely time-consuming or monotonous are now a lot more simple. On the flip side, we can become extremely distracted by technology and it can keep us from focusing on what matters most. And for me, that’s family. Nir shares how parents, li...

Does it make sense to pay off your mortgage if you lose the mortgage interest tax deduction? This is a common question people struggle with who are considering paying off their mortgage. Let's explore if keeping your mortgage for the tax savings makes sense. Also, we hear from Jon Banker from Colorado who recently paid off his mortgage early. We discuss why he did this even with a mortgage at 3% i...

I have a bad habit of trying to solve my wife's problems ... when she's not asking for me to solve them. Does this happen in your relationship? Nicole and I discuss this reoccurring bad habit of mine and ways I can work to become a better listener and partner.  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 RESOURCE...

Saving and investing can be a smart idea for most everyone.  But without a definition of WHAT we're saving and investing for, we can lose motivation and interest.  Joe Saul-Sehy, Author of the new book "Stacked: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management", joins us to share how we can define our investing goals and how we can have fun along the way. RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals:...

You've lived a long life and you're about to die.  How will you measure your life? Nicole and I discuss the answer to this question in our latest episode of Bread & Wine with the support of one of our listeners, Phil from Chicago! BREAD & WINE RESOURCES How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton Christensen (the article we discuss on the show) How to Create a Family Manifesto (Big Life Journal) Buy...

Are you interested in Coast FIRE but don't know how to find out when you've achieved it? We answer a 44-year old listener question today who has $750,000 saved and wonders if they are Coast FIRE. Second, we're back with an MKM Challenge! We're challenging you to set 3 SMART Financial Goals. For those that don't know where to start, we've got 10 ideas for you.  RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deal...

Are you pursuing the FIRE Movement ... but losing your fire for it? That's what Lisa Harrison was feeling.  After pushing hard to achieve early retirement, Lisa had a change of heart. In this BEST OF MKM episode from 2019, we hear why Lisa said goodbye to FIRE for good.  RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com/sponsors Firstly: Smart budgeting tools and real-li...

It's the end of my second year as a small business owner!  To commemorate this online content creator adventure I've been on, I'm sharing another BEST OF MKM episode from early 2020. This one is the 10 steps I took to go from employee to business owner.  And second, I share an update on my business after two years in! I'll discuss revenue, the failures I've had, and the wins as well.  RESOURCES **...

Giving is incredibly personal.  As Nicole and I continue to discover how we want to give, we ask each other what is the right way to give for our family. With different opinions on the subject, we discuss how we've been giving and any changes we want to make in the future.  How do you like to give? BREAD & WINE RESOURCES Buy Us a Cheap Bottle of Wine: And we'll give you a shoutout during the show...

Why do you give? If you ask five people this question, you're likely to get five different--and highly personal--answers. But for many people, the idea of charitable giving is often rooted in their culture or religion. Today, I'm diving deeper into religion and giving by interviewing three different faith leaders in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://...

Recently, I shared a video on how our family lives comfortably on $80,000 per year.  Some of the comments I received said this was definitely not enough to be comfortable, while others said that was plenty.  That begs the question ... how much is enough to live comfortably? Nicole and I explore the topic after a conversation she had recently with a friend.  BREAD & WINE RESOURCES FamZoo: Prepaid d...

Two years ago, we received a $30,000 inheritance after my mother-in-law passed away from cancer.  We wanted to honor her legacy. Here's what we did.  Also, Michael Thatcher from Charity Navigator, shares how we can all intelligently give this holiday season.  Last but not least, Zoey joins me for another Money Quiz. We're talking giving, hot tubs, and popcorn!  RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Dea...

You're having a conversation with a friend about someone else who's not there. We've all done it.  When does this cross the line into gossip? And is all gossip bad? Nicole and I discuss recent events of gossip in our lives and whether or not we were right or wrong.  BREAD & WINE RESOURCES FamZoo: Prepaid debit cards for kids and financial education all in one! Use promo code “MKMFAMZOO” for an ext...

Julie is frustrated. She's making nearly $100,000 per year and can't seem to get ahead. After hearing lots of "work harder" advice online and not having enough hours in the day, she wants to give up.  In this Best of MKM episode (2019), I do my best to help Julie move forward.  Also, I'm throwing down another MKM Challenge! It's that time of year again for Big Tip Tuesday. I'm all about giving bac...

It's been over 10 years since our family jumped on the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps.  Was it worth it? In this BEST OF BREAD & WINE episode, Nicole and I review both the pros and cons of the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps after hitting Baby Step 7.  BREAD & WINE RESOURCES FamZoo: Prepaid debit cards for kids and financial education all in one! Use promo code “MKMFAMZOO” for an extra month of FamZoo! Buy Us a Ch...

For our 300th episode, I'm sharing my new and improved 10 Steps to Family Wealth and Happiness. This is all of the information I've gained from the last 5 years of producing this family empowering podcast.  If you're new to the podcast, this is an excellent episode to start with. Enjoy! RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com/sponsors Mint: Free budgeting app Q...

The FIRE Movement is all about financial independence.  Independence to do what you want and on your schedule.  In this BEST OF BREAD & WINE episode, Nicole and I discuss finding the FIRE Movement personally, the elements we like and how we define FIRE for our family. BREAD & WINE RESOURCES Buy Us a Cheap Bottle of Wine: And we'll give you a shoutout during the show - thanks for the idea, Jacob! M...

Kevin has been working on paying off his mortgage for years but now he’s having second thoughts. Real estate investing sounds much more interesting to him now. Brennan Schlagbaum, the founder of Budgetdog, joins me to discuss how Kevin can find his motivation to earn his paid-off house (or use his money another way). On our Mortgage Free Family Segment today, we’re going to interview Mark & Tiffan...

We all know telling the truth is a smart move. But how honest do we need to be? In this episode of Bread & Wine, Nicole and I discuss being forthright with your supervisor, straightforward with your partner, and the results of that honesty.  BREAD & WINE RESOURCES Buy Us a Cheap Bottle of Wine: And we'll give you a shoutout during the show - thanks for the idea, Jacob! MKM RESOURCES **Sponsor + Pa...

Chris Hutchins has accumulated over 10 million credit card rewards points. He’s used these points to travel first class with his wife and stay in luxury resorts around the world. Today, he shares how he’s done it and how you can get started in the world of travel hacking. RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com/sponsors Chris Hutchins (website) Capital One Quic...

After posting a video about how we became millionaires in 10 years, a conversation about privilege came to the forefront. The video now has 1.6 million views and a boatload of comments about privilege vs hard work. In this episode of Bread & Wine, Nicole and I discuss privilege and if it played a role in our family's financial independence story. BREAD & WINE RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deal...

Mike wants to know how best to use his Health Savings Account (HSA) after receiving some larger medical bills. Ashlee deSteiger discusses options for Mike's HSA investment strategy and how others can take advantage of Health Savings Accounts.  Also, Bob Armour, CMO from M1 Finance, shares why investors should consider M1 Finance over Vanguard in our Fintech Spotlight segment.  RESOURCES **Sponsor...

A lot of us are working toward something. A financial goal. A personal challenge. Overcoming a difficult career change. Will life be better when you reach your final destination? We discuss if the grass is greener on the other side or ... if it's just another shade of green after Nicole's recent career change.  BREAD & WINE RESOURCES **Sponsor + Partners + Deals: https://www.marriagekidsandmoney....