Couple Money Podcast

One of the biggest game-changers with our finances was shifting things so we could live on one income. However, that's not always an easy thing to do. Today I'll break down strategies and tactics that we and other couples have used to make it easier!  Living on One Income I'm serious; if we had to identify the one habit that changed the trajectory of our finances, it's moving finances in such a way that we could live with just one income.  Here's the thing – when we started it was out of practicality.  When we were first married, our income was much tighter. My husband had his first post-graduation and I was wrapping up my final year in college. I was attending full time and I had a paying part-time internship.  Because of the nature of the internship, we didn't know if it would be extended beyond the semester or not. We sat down and decided we needed to keep our essential expenses under his income.  My income would be used for building our financial cushion, paying off the debts we had, and yes, some fun money.    At that time it didn't seem like a big deal, but that mindset and system was a tremendous help. We were able to goals like paying off debts. We were able to move to Raleigh when I got a job offer and having our expenses covered by it meant Rob could hunt for a job he was happy with.  When I began working for myself we had less stress because I could reinvest what income I was making back into the business. We were able to build up our down payment faster. When we became parents I had some flexibility in adjusting my work and yes, I took time off too.  We're grateful for those opportunities and realize how fortunate we are to have made that decision early in marriage.  But even in those circumstances, it wasn't easy. There were limits we had to place on our finances in certain areas.  Looking back though, we're happy we did.  You may be in a situation where making this transition would be a real benefit for you.  Like us, it could be out of necessity or because of circumstances.    You may have seen a reduction of income either because your hours have been cut or you've been laid off.  It could also be a voluntary thing.  When I asked in our Thriving Facebook group the main motivation for moving to a single income. The biggest reason was more time with kids.  I've seen families on the path to financial independence shift their finances so that they use one income to take care of the general living expenses and use the second to save and invest for goals.  So many couples and families can benefit from this mindset. I'd like to offer some help with getting started.  I can't cover every single situation. For the purpose of this episode, I'm going to be focused on your single income stream being able your essentials, some savings, and enjoy a bit.   In this episode, we'll go over:  the process to scale back your expenses to fit under one income common challenges that can come up Benefits of living on one income Ready? Let's get started!    Resources to Shift to Living on One Income Here are some resources to make managing your money much easier! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Open Up Your Brokerage Account: Vanguard, M1 Finance, Fidelity Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Before You Drop The Mic On Work, Here's How To Decide If You Can Afford Living On One Income Why We Started Living Off of One Income The Completely Achievable Path to Becoming a One-Income Family Live on One Income, Have Fun with the Second Living Wage Calculator How to Get Cheap Rent: The Minimum Viable Apartment Use These Strategies to Seriously Save Money on Your Rent 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! Key Takeaways Before we wrap up, I want to focus on a few key takeaways I got from preparing this episode. Be clear on your motivation and goal. The better you define these, the easier it is to make the transition. You'll be in a better position to know which expenses to cut back first. Or even eliminate. And you can find ways to shore up your savings before you make this leap. Take it bit by bit. I know that they're going to be circumstances with some families where you have to make the transition as soon as possible because there is a ready reduction in income. But if you're doing this voluntarily, You don't have to rush this. Approaching it bit by bit allows your family to adjust. To the new finances. And hopefully, it makes it easier to stick with a plan. Have a plan for that second income. Even if you don't need it to survive. You do want to use that money wisely? For example, you can pay down your debts. Build up some savings for a specific goal, or if you want to save and invest it. For long-term goals, then you know, that money is right there for you. This is definitely a topic that we can go more into. And if you're thinking about making the transition, come chat with me. You can join us in the thriving Facebook community. We're a fun and supportive group. We swap ideas, questions, stories, advice. When we try to help one another out with our family and financial goals. You can just head over to couple money.com/f B. We'd love to see you there. Get Your Free Love & Money Guide Learn the ice breakers and conversation starters to make talking about money easier!   Join our community to get the free toolkit and newsletter! Get Instant Access We never share your information with third parties and will protect it in accordance with our Privacy Policy BirdSend Email Marketing Tool 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 from Artists at Audiio.   

Have you paid off your debts and are looking to grow your money beyond savings? Learn how to create a strategy and plan so you can open and invest in your brokerage account! Ready to Open and Invest in a Brokerage Account? If you would've met us when we were first married and told me that we'd get to a point where we were investing besides for retirement, I probably would've laughed at you.  Considering at that time we were start off with over $30,000 of debt living in our tiny apartment right by the beach, it would've seemed unbelievable.  We were just trying to find our footing and create a budget that worked for both of us.  Fast forward to paying off our debts except for the mortgage and that's where we found ourselves. Funny thing (maybe just to us) was that we hesitated a bit before opening that brokerage account.  We had become super savers and have been putting money into our retirement accounts, but somehow that next step was a bit scary.  What helped us was taking some time to step back and discuss our why behind this account. What was our hope or plan for this money?  For us, being on the path to financial independence meant freeing up options, whether it's to spend more time with the kids, explore career pivots, or volunteer more. Having money invested in this account would be helpful.  With that in mind, we then worked out an investing plan we felt comfortable with. While I wouldn't say it's been a smooth ride – especially this year – having those pieces in place has made investing easier.  You might be at this stage. You've paid off debts, saving, and now you're looking to diversify your income and investing is one of those options on the table. How do you create a plan together for that money?  Today we're going to be covering that and Kevin L. Matthews is here to discuss the essentials you need to know before you start investing. He's a number one bestselling author and former financial advisor who has helped hundreds of individuals plan for their retirement in addition to managing more than $140 million in assets during his advisory career. Now he's focused on teaching millennials about investing, making it more simple and helping them craft their own plans.  In this episode we'll get into: When you should open a brokerage account how to approach research with before you invest in stocks how to create a financial and investing system that works for both of you Let's get started! 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 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! Besides offering competitive rates on check and savings accounts, Costal has a wealth management team ready to work with you to create a financial plan that fits your specific needs! Meet Kevin L. Matthews Kevin L. Matthews II is a number one bestselling author and former financial advisor. He has helped hundreds of individuals plan for their retirement in addition to managing more than $140 million in assets during his advisory career. By 2017, he was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Financial Advisors by Investopedia. 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 from Artists at Audiio. 

'All Investment Mistakes Are Investor Mistakes' Is that really true? Today we'll dig in and see how to avoid making the most common mistakes with your investments!  Avoiding Big Mistakes with Investments 'All Investment Mistakes Are Investor Mistakes' I saw that headline in an older article in The NY Times. Based on personal experience when I first started out, speaking with others on the podcast, and hearing from the community, there's some truth to that.  I've gotten emails and heard from others about what they should do with their portfolios.  It's one thing to have a plan on paper on what you're going to do; it's another to watch the volatility on the news or follow along on your phone and actually stick with the plan.   Whether you're investing for retirement or another goal, I'm guessing you're looking to get some good returns.  Today we're looking for how you can become wiser, less stressed out investors.  In this episode, we'll discuss: The biggest mistakes couples make when starting to invest Traps that can derail your investments Creating a system that works for you as a team Let's get started!  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 Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money A Smarter Way to Think About Financial Decisions 401(k) Basics: Everything You Need to Know 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. 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 from Artists at Audiio. 

Want to maximize your 401(k) this year? The first step to doing that is figuring out how much to contribute. Today we discuss how much you need to put in to retire!  Getting the Most Out of Your 401(k) We're wrapping our open enrollment series. The past couple of episodes we've discussed what you need to know with your benefits so you can make the right choices for you and your family.  Health insurance is a huge one, but the other big one is your 401(k). Last week Matt Miner, a certified financial planner talked a bit about how to walk through and review your benefits including your 401(k)s so if you haven't already, please listen to that.  You can check -in with your 401(k) throughout the year, but for many, this is a popular time to check and review their portfolio.  Since it's an important part of your finances, today we're answering the biggest questions couples and families have with their 401(k), specifically how much should we contribute?  In this episode we're discussing: How 401(k)s work and benefits of having one Whether or not you should contribute when you're in debt Figuring out how much you need to contribute Let's get started!  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 Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 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. 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 navigate open enrollment season and maximize your benefits to their fullest potential! Making the Most of Your Benefits When we began our series about open enrollment last week, we got into some key things to consider when weighing the pros and cons of different health insurance options.  While health insurance is typically the biggest decision couples and families make during open enrollment, it's not the only one.  There are so many benefits that can save you some serious money, protect your family's finances, and give you some significant tax benefits.  I don't want you leaving money on the table which is why I'm glad Matt Miner is here today on the show.  He's a fee-only, fiduciary advisor with PLC Wealth Management, LLC who specializes in helping families to make sure their finances align with their goals, priorities, and values.  In this episode we're discussing: the biggest mistakes couples make with their benefits How to protect yourself with disability insurance what to look out for with your 401(k) Let's get started!   Resources to Save serious Money Are you looking for more help with maximizing your benefits and saving more money? Here are some resources: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Zeta, HoneyFi, and Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom 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. Did you know that Coastal offers a Health Savings Account? If you have a high deductible health plan, you need to take advantage of an HSA. Find out more about what Coastal offers here! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Music Credit Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional music by Lee Rosevere.

Feel like your premiums are too expensive? Learn how you can significantly save money and find an affordable health insurance plan for your family! Choosing an Affordable Health Insurance Plan Like many families, we want affordable health insurance. Unfortunately, it's not always easy. In 2019, the average annual premium for a family was over $20,000!  That's quite a bit of money so it's absolutely crucial that you're 1) getting the most out of it and 2) if there is a more affordable option, you can make that transition easier.  The good news is with open enrollment, you can have some big wins with your benefits for next year. I want to make sure that when you two sit down, I want you to feel comfortable and confident about tackling your benefits. Of course, every couple is different, I'm grateful Andy Hill, the creator of Marriage, Kids, and Money and the co-founder of Thriving Families Facebook Group is here to chat with me about his and Nicole's process with choosing a health plan.  We're going to compare how each of us approached finding the best health insurance plan for our families.  In this episode we'll get into: The differences between the most common options given What to consider when deciding if a high deductible plan is right for you Maximizing your available health care benefits Let's get started!  Resources to Save Money on Healthcare Are you looking for more help with keeping health care within your budget? Here are some resources: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Simplify and Enjoy: Financial Freedom for Families 5 Days to $5K Course How to Save Money on Your Health Insurance and Expenses Hack the Affordable Care Act Guide Why We're Switching to a High Deductible Health Plan How to Spend Less on Insurance 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! Key Takeaways on Finding an Affordable Option for Healthcare Before we wrap up, I want to focus on a few key takeaways I got from speaking with Andy and preparing this episode.  Invest time in choosing your healthcare plan. Health care can be expensive, but simply going with the cheapest option can hurt you in several ways.  High deductible health plans aren't for everyone. We have an HDHP and so far love it and so do many in the FI space, but that doesn't mean it's the best option for you.  Use tax-advantaged accounts to maximize your money. If you want to discuss this more, please come chat with us on Facebook in the Thriving Families Group. We're supportive. We'd love to see you there! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. 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.

Today we'll go over how the two of you can boost your savings rate while still enjoying some fun now!  Why Your Savings Rate Matters Last week we talked about three key numbers to track and master your money and one of them was your savings rate.  How much you save on your income can have an incredible impact on how fast you reach your big financial goals. Here's the thing, though, unless you have a stash of cash under in house or an inheritance coming up soon, that money is probably coming out of your budget. So how do you become a super saver without deprivation? Can you boost your savings rate and still have some fun?  I believe you can find that balance, but you need a plan and a system to set things up.  This is why I'm glad Joe Mecca from Coastal Credit Union is back. He's the quintessential saver and today he's sharing how he's grown his savings while still having some fun.  In this episode, we'll dig into: Finding out your current savings rate Tax-advantaged ways to save more to give you a double win path to notching up your savings  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, 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! Key Takeaways on Growing Your Savings Rate Before we wrap up, I want to focus on a few key takeaways I got from preparing this episode.  Start as early as possible. Don't worry about being about to sock away 20, 30, 40% of your income. Joe said it was closer to 3-5%, which is about where we began.  Pay yourself first. Automating those transfers makes it easier on you and you're more likely to stay on target.  Minimize lifestyle inflation. Take any raises, bonuses, windfalls, or tax refunds and set aside a portion of that to go towards savings. You can still enjoy some fun now and save more, without missing that money.  If you want to discuss this more, please come chat with us on Facebook in the Thriving Families Group. We're supportive. We'd love 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

If tracking your money is so important, what are the key numbers couples need to know? We'll get into the three to keep an eye on, and the real deal about credit scores!  Why Tracking Your Money is Key to Mastering It You hear these stories of couples who got out of debt, became financially independent, travel the world, started a business..basically enjoying life. They all have different paths they take to get there – debt snowball, avalanche to become debt free.  They're saving 20, 30, or even half their income. Maybe they're going all in with FIRE with their dual income and are investing 70% of their income.  One of the things I love about personal finance when hearing from others is how varied it can be. Each couple has their own advantages and struggles on their journey.  However, having written about personal finances and interviewed others for the podcast I do notice that there are certain crucial things they did to create a system that worked for them.  I wrote about it in detail in my book Jumpstart your Marriage and Your Money, but I want to hone in on one component today  – they became aware of their money.  And how they did it was by tracking it.  Once they had that down, they began shifting it towards what mattered most to them.    Money stopped being a source of stress and instead became a tool they could use together.  The best part is that you don't have to track a ton of numbers or worry about every penny. It can be something you check in on once a month.  In this episode, we'll get into: Which three numbers matters most for gauging your financial health The real deal on credit scores Creating an easy system to track your numbers Let's get started! Resources to Easily Stay on Top of Your Money Here are some resources we mentioned in the episode as well as some other handy articles to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 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! 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

Debt can be a huge weight on any couple's budget. We cover three major ways you can start paying it off faster. We also get into how to open up if you're carrying debt and haven't told your spouse! Getting Back To Dumping Debt As if the pandemic isn't enough stress, millions of families have to deal with the financial fallout.  And If you've had to deal with job loss, reduced hours at work, or uncertainty at your job about its stability, these past few months you're hyper aware of your cash flow.  And because of that, any debt that you carry (maybe with the exception of federal student loans) feels like it has a bigger impact than normal.  During our mini-series about financially dealing with the coronavirus, we discussed that building up that financial cushion is key.  And hopefully, things have stabilized somewhat and you have those savings available should you need it.  However you may be wondering is there a way to get some breathing room and knock out some debt before the year wraps up.    I think you'll enjoy today's show then!  In this episode we'll get into: A system to pay your debt off ways to you can start paying it off faster how to open up if you're carrying debt and haven't told your spouse Let's get started! Resources to Dump Your Debt Together 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 Free 5 Days to $5K Course Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money 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. Total Money Makeover Free Debt Snowball Template How to Diffuse Money Fights What's Your One Page Financial Plan? How to Build Income Streams to Knock Out Your Money Goals Faster Yours, Mine, and Ours: Dealing with Debt and Marriage Thank You to Our Partner Coastal Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it. Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share. Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher. Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

If 2020 has proved anything, it's that we need to have a budget that actually works. Today we'll dive in to see how you two can build a budget that fits you and your goals! Build a Better Budget Together I think a lot of people can appreciate why budgets matter because now more than ever, we're seeing like our finances are reflecting our lives. For those of us who've been hit hard by the pandemic, either directly or indirectly, the budget has had to be completely redone. But even if things are relatively stable job-wise, we're still reflecting on how we could do better.  A budget is not going to fix all of our problems, but a good budget – the one we actually enjoy and can stick with – that can be a huge help and stress relief.  But how do you make a budget that fits your family's circumstances and goals? How do you make one that still allows some room for fun?  While I enjoy helping couples figure out their budget, I brought in someone who understands and enjoys budgeting.  Get Your Free Money Toolkit Learn how you can quickly & easily set your money up to dump your debt faster!  Join our community to get the free toolkit and newsletter! Get Instant Access We never share your information with third parties and will protect it in accordance with our Privacy Policy BirdSend Email Marketing Tool Peter Polson the founder of Tiller, a fantastic and customizable budgeting tool, he's also a husband who understands firsthand that it takes effort to find a budget that fits your goals. But it's so worth it.  In this episode we discuss: Defining your budget's priorities The two biggest obstacles couples face  with budgets How to build a better budget together Let's get started!  Resources to Easily Stay on Top of Your Money Here are some resources we mentioned in the episode as well as some other handy articles to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank 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! 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 jump in on ways you can adjust your finances during the coronavirus crisis to get through these tough times! Getting Your Finances Stabilized During the Coronavirus Crisis Even though it's been less than a month since schools closed here in Raleigh, it feels like a lifetime ago.   And chances are things can feel that way to you.  Right now it's estimated that over 300 million here in America are under stay at home orders.  I truly hope that you're doing well and that you're able to work remotely or at least have some steady income coming in. However, I know from emails that some have seen their hours drastically reduced, they've been furloughed, or they've been laid off.  It's tough to figure out the next steps when we're in the middle of things, but there are ways we can prepare and pivot to get through these financially tough times.  Joe Mecca, VP of Communication at Coastal Credit Union has been out there letting those in the community know what resources out there.  Today he's on the show to discuss things you can do now and over the next few months.  In this episode, we'll get into: Figuring out how to reprioritize your budget How much of a financial cushion should you have with these certain times Where to look for relief programs (more than just the CARE Act) Let's get started!  Resources to Easily Stay on Top of Your Money Here are some resources we mentioned in the episode as well as some other handy articles to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Honeyfi Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Your Money: A Hub for Help During the Coronavirus Crisis via The NY Times Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. If you're a member and you've been financially affected by the coronavirus, Coastal has a member assistance program to ease the burden. How to Reprioritize Your Budget Let's jump right in to the big issue that is stressing out many families – how are we going to pay our bills? We're grateful to still be able to work remotely, but that isn't the case for all. Some industries like restaurants, hospitality, and service have seen been hit hard, with many losing their main source of income.  I was reading that in the week that ended March 28, over 6.6 million people filed for unemployment.  So if you're in that situation where you are looking at struggling to budget, how do you prioritize what bills get paid? When things were closing down and the Cares Act hadn't passed, Any Hill from Marriage Kids and Money and I shared  our thought process in a video on the Thriving Families group.  It was about focusing on two goals for the month – pay your essentials (roof over your head, food, utilities) and building up your emergency fund if you didn't have at least 3 months stashed away already.  And I do believe that they should be your priorities, but with some relief options being offered by lenders, protections from states and the Cares Act, Joe points out a path you can use in your budget.   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  

For many couples, getting their house to sell for top dollar can help them hit crucial financial goals. Today we'll go over what you need to know to get a great price when selling your home!  Selling Your House for Top Dollar Before we begin, I want to give a disclaimer that this episode's topic and interview were done before the volatile landscape we find ourselves with the stay at home order in NC due to the coronavirus.  I'm releasing it now for a few reasons: At some point in the future, these restrictions will be lifted and so now could be a time to start taking steps around your place to get it ready for sale I just saw a house in the neighborhood put a for sale up this week (dozens of listings new – or within the last 24 hours)- so people are trying to move on as best they can With things shifting including jobs, many couples in the relatively near future may have to move  So while there may be an immediate pause on house tours, with this time many of us have at home, I thought it would be practical to get into ways to prepare so if you do sell when it's time, you have what you need to get it done.  I'm very grateful to have one of my favorite real estate experts back. Louis Guillama is the Vice President of Real Estate Operations over at Coastal Credit Union.  In this episode we get into:   The biggest mistakes couples make when selling How to Stage Your House to Sell  How to decide if you should fix and update your place to able to sell it for more Let's get started!  Handy Money Resources for Selling Your House (and More!) Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Zeta Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money When is the Best Time to Sell Your House? For Sale by Owner (FSBO) vs. Real Estate Agent 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.  

No one likes to think about it, but preparing for the unexpected can give you some peace of mind now and protect your loved ones later! This is the essential guide to will s and estate planning for busy parents! Creating or Updating Your Will So heads- this episode's topic and interview was planned and done before things changed these last few weeks due to co-vid 19. I say this because I'm not trying to add to the anxiety. I actually believe that if you are staying home and you're healthy, now would be a good time to take care of certain matters that maybe have been on the back burner because you haven't had much time. And taking care of your wills, picking legal guardians, and making life insurance is up to date – these are important. So I decided to stick with the schedule on this episode. There are so many we can't control, it can be empowering in a way to focus energy on the things we can. But when you making or updating your will, it may seem that's too big of an issue to tackle. Today I want to break it down into manageable chunks so you can make some progress on that. Alison Kade from Fabric is here on the show today to decode and explain the essentials of how wills work.    In this episode we'll discuss:  Why you need to plan now Basic terminology every couple should know How parents can prepare for the unexpected Let's get started!  Resources on Estate Planning If you want more information about setting things up for your loved ones and mage your money now, here are some resources to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Honeyfi Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Fabric: Fabric makes term life insurance simple for busy parents. Apply in 10 minutes, and find a policy to help protect your family! Do it Yourself Will: Pros and Cons Estate Planning for Young Families Wills, Guardianship, and Estate Planning Five Essential Items for Your Estate Plan Choosing Legal Guardians for Our Baby Estate Planning Lessons We Can Learn From Cinderella Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. 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.

One of the stickiest situations with couples is dealing with lending money to family. Find out different ways you can help without putting your own finances in jeopardy! Should We Loan Money to Family and Friends? Lending money to friends and family can be a tough situation. No matter how objective you think you are or want to be, emotions can run high.  As you just heard with Jen, she and her husband weren't seeing eye to eye on how they could help their loved ones.  I totally get it – we've been there ourselves. Maybe you've gone through that situation too.  Or with how things are going with Covid-19 and families being affected by these closings, some of your family and close friends will need some help soon, including financial.   Now for most of us, we want to help. And if we have the means, we do.  However, there are times when things are a bit more…messier. What if you want to help, but you're just finding your financial footing yourself?  What if you have a relative who keeps on having problems with their finances, where you are constantly bailing them out?  Those are the types of situations where we tend to stress over and sometimes get into arguments.  Family and money can put a strain on a marriage; which is why I'm happy Jen Hemphill is here on the show. She's an accredited financial counselor, author, and the host of Her Dinero Matters podcast. In this episode we'll get into:   how to decide whether lending loved ones is really helping them or enabling ways you can assist them without loaning money how you can work out a loan with less stress Hope this episode helps! Resources to Deal with Family and Finances If you two want to make managing your money easier, here are some helpful tools, books, and apps available. Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Honeyfi 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! We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. Meet Jen Hemphill of Her Dinero Matters Her Dinero Matters is a bilingual podcast for women who want to become reinas of their money and love their dinero more. You will hear down-to-earth interviews and panel discussions from la comunidad Latina as well as solo episodes sharing simple actionable tips and strategies which you can implement right away! 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 Audiio.  

Learn how you can stay on top of your money with some of the best apps while also protecting your finances, privacy, and data! Finding the Best Money Apps for Couples Chances are if you're listening to this podcast you do a lot of your banking and finances digitally.  In a survey by Federal Reserve Bank, they found that 71% of bank customers regularly use online banking and 43% use mobile.  For us, the convenience is hard to beat. I can do pretty much everything I need from home or my phone, including depositing checks, scheduling payments, and transfers.  I believe the last time I had to step into a branch was for the notary a few years ago. The other side of living in a world with digital banking is that we have to be savvy about securing our finances and data.  Data breaches, phishing, and more sophisticated scammers happen and are out there, so how do you take advantage of the new apps and options out there? There's a lot to cover so today I'm happy to have two experts on.  We have David Jamshid, Vice President Of Software Development at Coastal Credit Union. We also have Sam Shutz co-founder of Honeyfi on.    In this episode we'll get into: Key ways you can secure your accounts so you can guard your data and finances The pros and cons of free and paid apps Top apps out there for couples to manage their money as a team Hope you enjoy!  Resources to Bank Digitally Here are some resources we mentioned in the episode as well as some other handy articles to check out: Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint, Honeyfi Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money LastPass CardNav App: Android |Apple IdentityTheft.gov Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft FBI Futurist Shares His Top 5 Tips For Protecting Your Identity Online Annual Credit Report: Free way to review each of your credit reports Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you're living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today! We've been Coastal members for a few years have been happy with their services. They also have competitive rates on their business 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.