Simplify and Enjoy Podcast

Data breaches and identity theft are becoming a regularly part of our lives. Learn how you can protect and secure your personal information! How to Secure Your Info from Data Breaches  Identity theft, data breaches, and scams are something that many of us are dealing with way too frequently. Recently, I got a letter from the medical system that we use for doctor's appointments and, it, went a litt...

Are you frustrated with your bank? Are you getting hit with needless fees? Or feeling like you have to fight to get some good customer service? Today, we're going to look at credit unions and we're going to see why they may be the right option for you.   Why Where You Bank Matters One of the most important decisions you can make with your money is choosing where you bank because it's the foundatio...

Open enrollment season is here and I want you to be prepared. Learn how you can avoid some of the biggest mistakes and instead maximize your workplace benefits to their fullest potential! Open Enrollment FAQs  How would you like to help set up your finances for this next year so that it runs smoother and that you are going to be hitting your money goals faster? That might very well be the case if...

Traveling as a family can be a fantastic way to connect and to experience new things together. If you have little ones, it can also be stressful. Today we're going to go over some travel tips and hacks that parents can use to make things less stressful and still snag a great deal on your next family trip! Taking a Trip with Children Are you guys planning to travel this season? We are.  These past...

Not sure how to start talking to your kids about money? One mom shares how she's teaching her teens about budgets, investing, giving, and more! Guiding Your Teens with Finances One of parenthood's joys (and responsibilities) is guiding your kids and teens into adulthood. We all want them to live happy and meaningful lives.  That's a huge goal to work towards, and it takes all 18 years (and then so...

Want to maximize your money? Find the best time in the year to buy electronics, other big purchases, and find travel deals!  The Best Time to Buy Even though autumn has just started, we're taking a bit of time and looking ahead to next year. We've found that approaching it in smaller chunks makes it easier to manage our money and hit our family and financial goals.  Good news -  this doesn't mean...

Financial infidelity is more common than you think. Learn red flags to look out for as well as how to become more proactive with your finances! Why You Need to Talk About Money Openly Marriage and money aren't typically something that people love talking about, but if you want to have a strong relationship you have to find to communicate with each other that's transparent, productive, and respectf...

Today we're going over 5 major money mistakes families make and how you can pivot things to hit your financial goals faster!  5 Major Money Mistakes Families Make (and How to Fix Them) It's funny how we perceive time and seasons. Like right now, we're moving towards autumn, which means the year will technically wrap up in a few short months.  However, fall is also a bit of a reset or a do-over for...

We've brought back the listener's mailbag. Today we're answering your family and finance questions about saving up for multiple goals, revamping your budget, and travel planning tips! Family and Finances: Better Budgets and More One of my favorite parts about  Simplify and Enjoy  is the community. While I'm happy to share our journey as a family: the projects that we're taking on, the goals we're...

Cryptocurrencies, NFTs, DeFi, seem like they're quickly becoming part of our conversations, but what's behind it all? Today we'll look at how crypto works! Should We Get Into Crypto? In the  last episode , I mentioned that I did a money experiment. If you're subscribed to the newsletter, you got a sneak peek of what we're talking about: cryptocurrencies. While crypto isn't anything new. In the las...

Worried about how your investments are doing right now? We'll look at how to do a investment portfolio review so that you'll not only feel less stressed but take productive steps to help you invest better! Why Investment Portfolio Reviews Are a Smart Move If you've been following the news, especially finances. It can be pretty scary right now. It seems like all the headlines are focused on high ga...

Looking to pursue financial freedom on your terms? See how Rich and Regular founders Kiersten and Julien Saunder's new book Cashing Out can help you lay out a path! Why Your Family Needs a Financial Plan When I mention this idea of having a financial plan, people tend to imagine is only for those who already have some money. But that's not true. There are many families that can benefit from creati...

Want to help your kids get comfortable and confident with managing their money? Today we'll talk about giving them a head start by opening up bank and investing accounts with them! Helping Your Teen Open a Bank Account and Invest Do you remember your first bank account? I think I was in 6th grade and there was a program with a local bank where they would come in every two weeks or so and open up a...

It's house hunting season, which can be an exciting and yes, stressful time. Living in a sellers market, it can seem like an incredible challenge. Today we'll go over how to financially prepare and give you a map on finding a place that you love that's still within your budget! Home Buying Tips for a Hot Market If you're thinking of buying a house, you have to be prepared. Besides being a huge pur...

Today we'll see how you can streamline your finances and easily manage your money!  Simplify Your Finances With summer unofficially starting this weekend, I can understand if you're ready to switch gears and go into vacation mode. However, if you're willing to set aside an afternoon or evening, you can streamline your finances to have much more time to relax and focus on the big picture.  How? Las...

Learn how one couple came together to pay off $400k of debt, become financially free, and give over $1 million! Simple Money, Rich Life Let's start off with some good news: You don't need a complicated plan to achieve financial independence or freedom.  In fact, that's probably either slowing down your progress or keeping you from even starting. I've seen and personal experiences how a simple plan...

How does a summer vacation in multiple countries sound? Road-trip around the US? Month in the Bahamas?  Learn how one family of five plans and travel hack these epic trips so they're getting an incredible deal! Ready to Travel Hack an Epic Family Vacation? Last week we discovered the  risk and rewards of travel hacking with credit cards . This week we're diving into planning the actual trip.  This...

Learn how you can find the best credit card rewards and travel hack so you can save significant money while enjoying a fantastic and memorable vacation! Travel Hacks to Enjoy Your Family Vacation for Less We typically talk about 'responsible' financial goals, like paying off debts, saving for emergencies, vacations and buying a house, investing for retirement, and so forth.  Those are wonderful th...

Are you thinking of switching over to become a single income family? Learn the strategies and tactics families can use to make the transition easier on your finances! Switching to a One Income Family There are many great reasons why a family may decide to transition to a single income. For some they're anticipating kids and one of them will be staying at home to care for them. Others may be thinki...

These past few years have been c hallenging for many families. Today, we chat with the steward Isaacs about how they've worked to pivot and thrive! Family Finances During the Pandemic Everyone I personally know has been impacted these last two years, financial or otherwise. We've had to adapt, pivot, or in some cases push through some challenging times.  If you've spent any time in our thriving Fa...

Curious about being an AirBnb host? A superhost shares the scoop about the costs setting up your place, figuring out your price, and how to make money with your space! The 411 About Making Money as an Airbnb Host One of the big shifts we've had during this pandemic is how we travel. We've pretty much gone with renting entire spaces on Airbnb if we're doing a family vacation or getaway so far, it's...

We've brought back the listener's mailbag. Today we're answering your family and finance questions about best ways to spend your tax refund, refinancing to pay off debt, and more! Tackling your Family and Finance Questions One of my favorite parts of creating Simplify and Enjoy is the community.  While I'm happy to share our journey as a family, it's fun when you chime in with your wins, stories,...

Today we'll look at how you can teach your kids to be financially savvy!  Teaching Your Kids About Money One of our responsibilities as parents is to teach our kids essential skills they need and finances is part of that.  Good or bad, if you look at how you handle finances, you'll probably see the impact your own parents had on you.  Our example is a crucial part of teaching them, but we also nee...

Learn how to find the best personal finance book for you and your family ! Best Personal Finance Books for Your Journey One of the things I love and appreciate about books is how accessible they are and affordable for a lot of people. When you're starting the beginning of your financial journey, chances are your finances aren't in a good spot. It's not always clear what your first steps should be...

Paying off debt can be an incredibly rewarding journey for families and many times there are challenges.  I love to highlight a variety of stories about how the different families face them, both with making the numbers work and with the conversations they have during the process. Getting Good with Money  Last week, Toni Husband shared some of the ups and downs of her debt free journey to pay off...