What if you didn’t have to wait until your 60s to experience the freedom of retirement? In this episode, we sit down with Jillian Johnsrud, author of Retire Often and host of the Retire Often Podcast, to explore the life-changing concept of “mini retirements.”

Jillian shares how families can take extended breaks from work — to rest, travel, or explore new goals — without derailing their financial independence journey. We discuss the emotional and financial benefits of pausing your career, how to negotiate time off with your employer, and ways to plan mini retirements with kids.

If you’re feeling burned out or stuck in the grind, this episode will inspire you to design more space, adventure, and joy into your family’s financial plan.

RESOURCES
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MKM RESOURCES

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  Own Your Time – Pre-order my first book today!

  
  


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  MKM Coaching – Get 1-on-1 support with your family finance journey.

  
  


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  Coast FIRE Calculator – Find out when you can slow down or stop investing for retirement.

  
  


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RECOMMENDED RESOURCES (SPONSORS & AFFILIATES)

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  Monarch Money – Best budget app for families & couples.

  
  


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  Empower – Free portfolio tracker.

  
  


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  Crew – HYSA banking built for families (Get an extra 0.5% APY with my partner link).

  
  


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  Ethos – Affordable term life insurance.

  
  


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  Trust & Will – Convenient estate planning made easy.

  
  

GUEST RESOURCES

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  Retire Often (Book) – Learn how to design a life filled with mini retirements.

  
  


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  RetireOften.com – Explore Jillian’s podcast, blog, and mini retirement tools.

  
  

Podcast Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:00 – What is a mini retirement and why it’s trending

02:20 – Why burnout is pushing families toward mini retirements

03:00 – Is the traditional 40-year career model dead?

04:30 – Why employers may welcome your mini retirement

06:00 – How to negotiate a one-month break from work

08:10 – How to address employer concerns with solutions

09:30 – Budgeting for a mini retirement

10:05 – Real-life example: living abroad for the cost of childcare

11:10 – Emotional recovery and resetting after burnout

12:45 – Planning affordable breaks earlier in your financial journey

14:00 – Jillian’s personal mini retirement story

15:00 – Making the most of parental leave and family bonding time

16:30 – Negotiating flexible work or part-time transitions

18:00 – Exit negotiations: how to leave your job on your terms

20:20 – Creating part-time roles and consulting opportunities

22:20 – What is a family gap year and how to plan one

23:40 – Practicing travel and flexibility with kids

25:30 – The FI dilemma: does taking time off derail your goals?

27:00 – Why mini retirements can accelerate your financial growth

28:50 – Mini retirements as wealth-building opportunities

30:00 – About Jillian’s book Retire Often

31:00 – Final thoughts and where to learn more

HOW WE MAKE MONEY + DISCLAIMER

This show may contain affiliate links or links from our advertisers where we earn a commission, direct payment or products.

Opinions are the creators alone.

Information shared on this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice.

Marriage Kids and Money (www.marriagekidsandmoney.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

CREDITS

Podcast Artwork: Liz Theresa

Editor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Support: Andy Hill

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