Tired of living paycheck to paycheck? Learn how a budget can help you two have more options and achieve your dreams!

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Budgets & Goals  = More Options with Money

As we wrap this year up, I’m going over the interviews we’ve had and I wanted to address a misconception or I guess fear is a better word that I’ve heard from people about money.

Having a financial plan or even a budget limits you. It somehow pens you in, taking away options.

That truth is having a plan for your money, giving it a purpose gives you two more options, not less.

Today I share two guests and their take about money and choices.

* Jessica: There was a point where they decided they were going to buy a place in Toronto. Buying a house, condo, whatever is a big decision. It’s not something you can quickly walk away from. But with a bit of planning, Jessica and her husband created an option should they need to leave.

* Liz: She and her husband are on track to retire next year in their 30s. They’re already in their homestead in Vermont. To get there, they made very specific choices about their lifestyle, housing, and work. Being a young couple, people might wonder if they’re limiting themselves too quickly. But I think Liz had a great point about change and choice.

Listen in and hear from themselves how they’ve given themselves more options with their finances and lives.

Hope you enjoy!

Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook!

Resources to Help You Dump Debt

Want to learn more? Here are some resources to check out:

* The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

* The Great Debt Dump: Running Toward Financial Freedom with the Power of Community

* Paying Off Debt as a Couple

* Attacking Debt: Which One First?

Thank You to Our Partners

Support for this podcast comes from partners like Personal Capital. Easy to set up & easy to use. You can have all your investments, income, and expenses all pulled into one place.

Did I mention it’s free? Why don’t you give Personal Capital a try today?

Support for this podcast also comes from Divvy Investments.

Want to own your home free and clear? Andy Hill, creator of Marriage, Kids, and Money, shares why and how he and his wife are paying off their mortgage in 5 years! 

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Living Debt Free (Including the House)!

I had my friend and awesome money man Steve Stewart on here a few months ago to talk about what it felt like to own their home free and clear. It’s been a blessing for his family, but he acknowledge that you have to consider what all of your goals and where your mortgage plans fit in.

And when we spoke I was nodding my head, we’ve been chugging along paying off our debts. But now, I’m starting to revisit that idea.

We’re approaching a point soon where our only debt would be the house.

And to us and probably you too, it’s a pretty big deal. No credit cards, car payments, or student loan payments to send out.

So as we review our finances for the year and talk about our plans for the next, we’re going over what our priorities are including what we’re going to do about the mortgage.

How fast do we want to pay it off?

Pay Off Your Mortgage in 5 Years

I recently discovered a couple who ready to pay their off ASAP. Andy, creator of Marriage, Kids, & Money, is sharing their ambitious debt free plan today.

In this episode we get into:

* why you may want to dump that mortgage sooner rather than later

* finding extra money to throw into your mortgage

* how to stay motivated when paying off debt

Hope your enjoy!

If you want to hear from someone who has paid off their mortgage early, listen to my interview with Steve Stewart.

Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook!

Resources for Paying Off Debt Faster

Want to learn more? Here are some resources to check out:

* 5 Reasons to Choose a 15-Year Mortgage

* Mortgage Payoff Calculator

* The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

* The Total Money Makeover Workbook

* Paying Your Mortgage off Early

* 15-Year Mortgage Paid Off in 5 Years

* Paying Off The Mortgage Wasn’t Our First Priority (b...

Want to give yourself more options with your money and life? Hilary Hendershott shares the mindset and habits you need to reach financial freedom! 

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Happy Monday!

Freedom Freedom: Mindset & Habits

It’s time for another Q&A where we dig in with an expert to get some insights on improving finances as a couple. We’re wrapping up a fantastic conversation I had with financial advisor and podcast host Hilary Hendershott!

Last week we got into how FOMO can get you to overspend (and how you can fight it). Today Hilary shares her take on:

* the key to opening up options with your finances and life

* what mindset you need for financial freedom and,

* leaving a legacy

Hope you enjoy!

If you want hear more about fighting bad money habits, please check out my interview with NY Times money columnist Carl Richards. We get into creating a one page financial plan as a couple. 

Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook!

Resources for Financial Independence:

Want to learn more? Here are some resources to check out:

* Financial Independence and Parenthood

Reach Financial Independence on Your Terms

The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement

* Ways We Save Money For Early Retirement

* DIY and the Financially Independent Lifestyle

Thank You to Our Partners

Support for this podcast comes from partners like Personal Capital. Easy to set up & easy to use. You can have all your investments, income, and expenses all pulled into one place.

Did I mention it’s free? Why don’t you give Personal Capital a try today?

Support for this podcast also comes from Divvy Investments. If you’re looking for an easy way to help keep your portfolio on target for retirement without having to link your accounts to yet another service, check out Divvy. Listeners can get a 10% discount; use the coupon code, “Couplemoney”.

Want to skip the small talk? Use these 10 easy conversation starters to get people to open up!

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Easy and Fun Conversation Starters

We talk about finances and how to get better with them as a couple every week, but it’s only part of the equation. Marriage also need healthy, meaningful, and productive conversations.

What you talk about and how to speak with one another is important. Since many of you are enjoying your time off this weekend by hanging out with family or friends, I wanted to mix it up.

While small talk is a form of polite conversation, it’s usually about insignificant topics that don’t offer a way to connect.

Today’s episode is all about conversation starters. I got ten that can get the ball rolling.

Resources for Better Conversations

Want to learn more? Here are some resources to check out:

* Cut Through the Chaos With 15 Fun Conversation Starters

* Thought Provoking Questions to Start a Conversation

* 10 Steps to the Perfect Conversation

Thank You to Our Partners

Support for this podcast comes from partners like Personal Capital. Easy to set up & easy to use. You can have all your investments, income, and expenses all pulled into one place.

Did I mention it’s free? Why don’t you give Personal Capital a try today?

Support for this podcast also comes from Divvy Investments. If you’re looking for an easy way to help keep your portfolio on target for retirement without having to link your accounts to yet another service, check out Divvy. Listeners can get a 10% discount; use the coupon code, “Couplemoney”.

Tired of overspending? Learn how to work as a couple to fight FOMO, create a budget that builds wealth, and still save for what you two love!

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Fight FOMO and Overspending as a Couple

For millions here in the United States, the floodgates will open and if it’s anything like years past we’ll see more than $50 billion dollars spent. Just for one weekend.

Enormous amount for sure. And around 31.8% use credit cards to pay for holiday shopping. There’s a very good chance there are couples and families who will mis stheir budget and overspend.

That can be a recipe for financial disaster.

But it doesn’t have to be.

Hilary Hendershott, founder and CEO of Hilary Hendershott Wealth Management, is here to help me out. She’s a fiduciary financial advisor who has worked with couples in helping them identify the psychological triggers with their finances and guides them towards better habits and building wealth.

Today, we’ll get into:

* how FOMO can be a sabotage our budget

* setting things up so you can get what you want without going broke

* how couples can meaningfully talk about what they want and working together on a plan

Hope you enjoy!

If you want hear more about fighting bad money habits, please check out my interview with NY Times money columnist Carl Richards. We get into creating a one page financial plan. 

Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook!

Resources for Fighting FOMO and Overspending

Want to learn more? Here are some resources to check out:

* Profit Boss Radio

* Easy and Effective Ways to Budget

* Strengthen Your Marriage and Money with a One Page Financial Plan

* How to Create a Real Life Budget Together 

Thank You to Our Partners

Support for this podcast comes from partners like Personal Capital. Easy to set up & easy to use. You can have all your investments, income, and expenses all pulled into one place.

Did I mention it’s free? Why don’t you give Personal Capital a try today?

Support for this podcast also comes from Divvy Investments. If you’re looking for an easy way to help keep your portfolio on target for retirement without having to link your accounts to yet another service, check out Divvy. Listeners can get a 10% discount; use the coupon code, “Couplemoney”.

Want to help your kid to be smarter with their money? Sunny Lee, author and financial advisor, takes us through how you can make your child a money master and not a money monster! 

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Teaching Kids to Be Money Masters

As parents, we want our kids to become responsible, happy, and giving adults. Part of that entails being smarter with their finances than we’ve been.

We want them to understand the value of money and how it can help, but we don’t want it to be their focus. It can be tough to pass on those lessons when there’s noise all around.

Buy now, pay later. Credit card debt is normal. Get as much as you can afford.

It’s tough, but not impossible.

Joining me today’s show is Sunny Lee. She is the owner and CEO of Good Life Advisors and author of Is Your Child A Money Master or a Money Monster?

In today’s epsiode:

* she discusses how really young children start learning crucial lessons

* how to encourage and reward kids towards success

*  how to develop the habit of giving with your kids

Hope you enjoy!

If you want hear more about kids and money, please check out my interview with FamZoo  founder Bill Dwight about how you can make allowances meaningful.

Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook!

Resources on Teaching Kids About Money

Want to learn more? Here are some resources to check out:

* 4 Ways Parents Can Teach Their Kids About Money

* The Opposite of Spoiled: Interview with Author Ron Lieber 

* 6 Tips for Building the Charitable Giving Muscle with Your Kids

Thank You to Our Partners

Support for this podcast comes from partners like Personal Capital. Easy to set up & easy to use. You can have all your investments, income, and expenses all pulled into one place.

Did I mention it’s free? Why don’t you give Personal Capital a try today?

Support for this podcast also comes from Divvy Investments. If you’re looking for an easy way to help keep your portfolio on target for retirement without having to link your accounts to yet another service, check out Divvy. Listeners can get a 10% discount; use the coupon code, “Couplemoney”.

Want to take care of your family? Matt Becker from Mom and Dad Money shares the insurance coverage your family needs to be protected! 

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Insurance Families Should Have

It’s time for another Q&A where we dig in with an expert to get some insights on improving finances as a couple. With open enrollment season here, I wanted to cover an essential safety net for couples and families – insurance.

It’s not exciting or fun, but if you want to protect yourselves, you need to be prepared and armed with knowledge.

Matt Becker, from Mom and Dad Money, is here to help me out. He’s walking me through four insurance parents and couples should seriously consider.

Resources for Families and Insurance

If you’re looking for more information on protecting your family with the right insurance coverage, here are some resources to check out:

* 4 Types of Insurance All New Parents Should Have

* Financial Jump-start Session with Matt Becker

* Free ebook: The New Family Financial Road Map

* Covering Your Family’s Needs with Life Insurance

* Keeping Your Life Insurance Policy Up to Date

If you want to get more help with insurance, please listen to my interview with Policy Genius CEO Jennifer Fitzgerald.

Thank You to Our Partners

Support for this podcast comes from partners like Personal Capital. Easy to set up & easy to use. You can have all your investments, income, and expenses all pulled into one place.

Did I mention it’s free? Why don’t you give Personal Capital a try today?

Support for this podcast also comes from Divvy Investments. If you’re looking for an easy way to help keep your portfolio on target for retirement without having to link your accounts to yet another service, check out Divvy. 

Listeners can get a 10% discount; use the coupon code, “Couplemoney”.

Music Credit

Like the music in this episode? Special thanks to  Gentle Regime & Lee Rosevere!

 

Budgeting together isn’t always easy. Jessi Fearon, author and creator of The Budget Mama, shares her story and tips for how to successfully budget as a couple! 

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Budgets and Couples

Budgets, spending plans…whatever you call them, people don’t seem to like or use them. A recent survey conducted by Experian found that nearly half – 42% to be exact – don’t use one. The two two reasons given?

Respondents said they were ineffective and unnecessary. Considering that in the same survey 46% admitted that they were not savings as much as they hoped and almost three-quarters of respondents say they are behind in their retirement, I think not having a budget is detrimental to your marriage and money.

Jessi Fearon, personal finance author and creator of The Budget Mama, is helping me out today.

 

In this episode we get into:

* why and how Jessi and her husband Pat had a $500 wedding

* the changes she and Pat paid off over $55,000 of debt in 17 months

* why you shouldn’t obsess on finding the best budget and instead how to create a budget that you can stick with

Hope you enjoy!

If you want to hear about an easy way to budget? Listen to my episode on budgets for couples who hate budgets.

Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook!

Resources to Budget Together

Do you two want to get on the same page with budgets? Here are some helpful resources mentioned in the episode and more.

* The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

* Real Life on a Budget: 17 Practical Challenges to Live and Thrive on a Budget

* Why We have Joint AND Separate Accounts

* Six Tips for Newlyweds to Manage Finances

* EveryDollar

Thank You to Our Partners

Support for this podcast comes from partners like Personal Capital. Easy to set up & easy to use. You can have all your investments, income, and expenses all pulled into one place.

Did I mention it’s free? Why don’t you give Personal Capital a try today?

Support for this podcast also comes from

Want to start a build a business together? Justin and Rebekah Rhodes share tips and resources that helped them launch and run their sustainable family business, Abundant Permaculture!

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How to Run a Family Business

Happy Monday!

Last week, LaTisha Styles discussed being committed as a wife and an entrepreneur. One takeaway I appreciate was how she created boundaries between her professional and family life while still keeping the lines open with her husband.

To follow up on finding a balance as entrepreneurs and being active and engaged with family, I’m sharing a bit more from a chat I had earlier this month with Justin and Rebekah Rhodes on how they work together with 4 little kids.

The Rhodes have some practical tips you can use today and beyond. Hope you enjoy!

Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook!

Resources for Launching a Business

Here are some resource to help you launch and grow a business:

* Videofruit

* Launch by Jeff Walker

* The Rhodes’ Youtube Channel

Want to hear another episode about making it as a parent and entrepreneur? Listen to my episode on being a rockstar work from home parent. I get into the day to day realities and have tips on staying productive.

Thank You to Our Partners

Support for this podcast comes from partners like Personal Capital. Easy to set up & easy to use. You can have all your investments, income, and expenses all pulled into one place.

Did I mention it’s free? Why don’t you give Personal Capital a try today?

Support for this podcast also comes from Divvy Investments. If you’re looking for an easy way to help keep your portfolio on target for retirement without having to link your accounts to yet another service, check out Divvy. 

Listeners can get a 10% discount; use the coupon code, “Couplemoney”.

Music Credit

Like the music in this episode? Special thanks to  Gentle Regime & Lee Rosevere!

Are you looking to start your business?  LaTisha Styles shares her story and tips on being an entrepreneur and staying happily married!

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Entrepreneurship and Marriage: Perfect Mix or Storm?

Starting a business is not for the faint of heart. Many times everything is on your shoulders. You’re the face of your company, the marketing department, and the worker.

As much as you love what you do, it’s a lot of work.

I work from home and while I love being able to being with my kids, some days are stressful as deadlines and projects come up. I adjust my schedule a few times a years based on my family needs as well as my business.

My husband and I are okay with that and it looks like we’re not alone.

Using data from the Census, recent estimates have over 14 million Americans being self-employed which represents 10% of the workforce.

For couples with one or both spouses making the leap into entrepreneurship, things can get tricky fast.

Everyone I know wants to succeed with both their personal and professional lives.

So if you’re entrepreneur or married to one, this episode is for you.

LaTisha Styles is here on the show to share her thoughts, experiences, and tips on being an entrepreneur and being fully engaged with her family.

Today we get into:

* what made LaTisha start her own business

* creating boundaries for her family and business

* how she and her husband support one another

Hope you enjoy!

Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook!

Resources for Entrepreneurs

Want to become an entrepreneur? Here are some more resources to check out!

* LaTishaTV on Facebook

* Your First $500

Thank You to Our Partners

Support for this podcast comes from partners like Personal Capital. Easy to set up & easy to use. You can have all your investments, income, and expenses all pulled into one place.

Did I mention it’s free? Why don’t you give Personal Capital a try today?

Support for this podcast also comes from Divvy Investments. If you’re looking for an easy way to help keep your portfolio on target for retirement without having to link your accounts to yet another service, check out Divvy. Listeners can get a 10% discount; use the coupon code, “Couplemoney”.