Marriage Kids and Money: Personal Finance for Families

Sami Womack and her husband have built a $730,000 net worth in their late 30s, all while raising three children and living primarily on one income.

But their financial journey wasn't always this successful. Just 10 years ago, they were struggling with nearly $490,000 in debt, overdrafted bank accounts, and the stress of living paycheck to paycheck.

In this episode, we explore how Sami and her husband completely transformed their finances by downsizing their home, paying off debt, budgeting consistently, and investing in simple index funds. We also discuss how they've grown their investment portfolio to nearly $600,000 and why their ultimate goal is to retire Sami's husband at age 50.

From living in a 600-square-foot rental home to building generational wealth for their three daughters, Sami's story reminds us that financial independence isn't about having the biggest house or the fanciest cars. It's about creating more time with the people we love.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

Want to build wealth and design a life around what matters most? Check out our book Own Your Time: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book

Resources Mentioned:

Podcast Credits:
Host: Andy Hill
Editor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Management: Michelle Ahmed

Carpe Diem.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you afford to work part-time? And how do you know when you’ve saved enough for retirement?

In this episode, we answer two listener questions that get to the heart of what financial freedom can actually look like for families.

First, we hear from Sarah, who is expecting her first child and considering moving from full-time work to part-time. We walk through four questions families can use to decide whether working less is financially realistic, including understanding your true monthly expenses, evaluating your financial foundation, accounting for benefits and healthcare, and deciding what that extra time is worth to your family.

We also share how we gradually moved toward part-time work in our own family and why financial independence doesn’t necessarily have to come before you start owning more of your time.

Then, we hear from Matt, who has spent years aggressively investing for retirement but is wondering when enough is actually enough.

We discuss how to define a comfortable retirement lifestyle, use Coast FIRE projections to understand whether you’re on track, and recognize the opportunity cost of continuing to invest every available dollar for future you.

Because building wealth matters. But so does using the wealth you’ve already built to create a better life today.

Resources:

Boldin Retirement Planner:
https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/boldin
Build your retirement plan, test different scenarios and see whether you’re on track. Try Boldin for free. (Affiliate partner)

Coast FIRE Calculator:
https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/calculators/coast-fire/

Own Your Time:
https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book

Leave Us a Voicemail:
https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/voicemail

Credits:

Host: Andy Hill
Editor: Johnny Sohl
Podcast Support: Michelle Ahmed

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What would life feel like if your mortgage payment disappeared for good?

Ericka Young and her husband, Chris, recently became mortgage-free after paying off their $271,000 mortgage in just under 14 years. Along the way, they balanced their mortgage payoff goal with raising two daughters, paying for college, traveling, renovating their home with cash, and continuing to invest for their future.

We talk with Ericka about why becoming mortgage-free was about more than maximizing returns. For their family, it meant peace of mind, freedom of choice, and changing their family tree. We also explore why they chose a 15-year mortgage, how they handled the temptation to upgrade to a more expensive home, and what they're doing with their money now that the mortgage is gone.

What We Discuss:

Resources:

🏠 Mortgage Payoff Calculator
https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/calculators/mortgage-payoff/

📘 Own Your Time by Andy Hill
https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book/

🎙️ For Better & Worth Podcast
https://forbetterandworth.com/

Podcast Credits:

Host: Andy Hill
Podcast Editor: Johnny Sohl
Podcast Support: Michelle Ahmed

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Never Settle by Attia Qureshi: Learn practical persuasion and negotiation skills to help you confidently ask for what you want - https://amzn.to/46hLVFN (Amazon affiliate)

Asking for a raise can feel uncomfortable, but avoiding the conversation could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars over your career.

In this episode, we sit down with negotiation expert and Never Settle author Attia Qureshi to learn how to confidently ask for a raise at work. We discuss why so many of us struggle to talk about money, how to research what we're worth, and why preparation can make us more confident negotiators.

Attia also walks us through what to say during the conversation, why we shouldn't negotiate against ourselves, and how to turn "no" into "not yet." Plus, we explore why negotiation isn't about winning at someone else's expense. Done well, it can create more value for everyone involved.

RESOURCES:

Attia Qureshi – Learn more about Attia, Never Settle, and her negotiation resources.

MKM RESOURCES:

Own Your Time – Discover 10 financial steps to put your family first and escape the corporate grind.

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

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

Mortgage Payoff Calculator – See how quickly you could become mortgage free.

Marriage Kids and Money on YouTube – Subscribe to watch our latest videos and interviews.

CREDITS:

Editor: Johnny Sohl

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Leigh and his wife have grown their net worth to $700,000 by age 29, all while building careers as public school teachers.

In this episode, we talk with Chris, the personal finance educator behind Everyday Finance 101, about the habits and decisions that helped his family build wealth at a young age. Chris shares how he and his wife grew their combined income from around $100,000 to roughly $180,000, paid off student loans and car debt, invested consistently, and built nearly $1 million in assets.

We also discuss building wealth as a married couple, increasing your income as a teacher, investing for early retirement, and why tracking your spending may be even more important than choosing the perfect investment.

If you're working toward your first $100,000, $500,000, or $1 million net worth milestone, Chris's story is a great reminder that starting early, communicating with your spouse, and consistently managing your money can make a huge difference over time.

Want to build wealth and design a life around what matters most? Grab my book Own Your Time: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book

In This Episode You'll Learn:

Resources Mentioned:

Own Your Time: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book

Everyday Finance 101: Find Chris Leigh on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube @everydayfinance101

Monarch Money (Get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core): https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/monarchmoney

Leave a voicemail for the show: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/voicemail

Podcast Credits:

Host: Andy Hill
Editor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Support: Michelle Ahmed

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should you invest your extra money or use it to pay off your mortgage early?

In this episode, we tackle that question from Brian, a 35-year-old dad with two kids and an extra $1,000 per month. His ultimate goal isn't simply building the biggest net worth possible. He wants to work less and spend more time with his family.

We walk through a practical path that prioritizes building a strong financial foundation, reaching Coast FIRE, working toward mortgage freedom, and ultimately using that financial flexibility to create more time, space and margin.

We also answer a question from a 40-year-old listener with $700,000 invested for retirement who wonders: Can you actually save too much for retirement?

We explore how Coast FIRE can help us determine when we may have enough invested for the future, why time has an opportunity cost too, and how pulling back on retirement contributions could allow us to enjoy more of our lives today.

And to close things out, Calvin Hill joins us for another Money Quiz! We talk investing, the difference between making more money and making more time, and the surprising amount of money generated by the company behind his favorite game, Clash Royale.

RESOURCES:

CREDITS:

Host: Andy Hill, AFC®

Podcast Editor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Support: Michelle Ahmed

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicole left her corporate career six weeks ago to launch her own skincare studio.

So... was it the right decision?

In this Bread & Wine conversation, we pour a glass, get honest about the emotional highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and share what it's really like when the excitement of starting a business gives way to self-doubt, marketing struggles, and sleepless nights.

We talk about:

Whether you're dreaming about starting a business, considering a career change, or simply navigating a season of uncertainty, we hope this conversation reminds you that you're not alone.

Thanks for joining us for another Bread & Wine. Cheers! 🍷

*Links & Resources*

Glass Skin Studio
https://glass-skin-studio.com

Follow Nicole on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/glassskinnicole

The RealEsth with Nicole Hill (YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/@therealesth

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This summer marks 10 years of Marriage Kids and Money.

Back in 2016, I launched this podcast with a simple goal: help families build wealth and create more freedom. Over the past decade, we've shared hundreds of conversations about money, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, financial independence, and designing a life you love.

Today, I have a quick personal update. For the first time in the show's history, I'm taking the summer off.

Why? Because if I'm going to encourage you to own your time and prioritize what matters most, I need to do the same. With my kids now 14 and 12, I want to spend this season making memories with my family, focusing on my health, and creating more space in my life.

Consider this the end of the first 10-year season of Marriage Kids and Money.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I'll see you back here in September for Season Two.

Carpe diem.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Egashira grew her family’s net worth to $2.2 million by age 35. But her story didn’t start there.

Growing up in poverty, Emily experienced financial instability firsthand and was determined to create a different future for her family. In this episode, we explore how she and her husband built wealth through intentional spending, consistent investing, and a shared vision for financial independence.

Emily shares how they increased their household income from $120,000 to more than $400,000, paid off their mortgage in just three years, and built a seven-figure investment portfolio. We also discuss financial communication in marriage, raising a child with healthy money values, and using wealth as a tool to create freedom and generosity.

If you've ever wondered how to build wealth without lifestyle inflation or how financial independence can create more options for your family, this conversation is for you.

Want to build wealth and design a life around what matters most? Grab our book Own Your Time: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book

In This Episode You'll Learn:

Resources Mentioned:

Podcast Credits:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens after you reach Coast FIRE?

For years, you save aggressively, maximize retirement accounts, and build wealth with one goal in mind: hitting your investment goal. But once you arrive at Coast FIRE—Coast to Financial Independence and Relax Early—a new question emerges:

Now what?

In this episode, we answer a thoughtful listener question from Richard, who has built a seven-figure net worth with his wife but feels stuck in a sales career that’s wearing him down. We discuss how to actually act on Coast FIRE, the four career paths available after reaching the milestone, and how to use the financial strength you’ve built to create more freedom and margin in your life today.

Then, we welcome back retirement expert Jesse Cramer to discuss an important and often-overlooked topic: Social Security benefits after divorce. We cover how spousal and survivor benefits work, eligibility requirements, common misconceptions, and what divorced spouses need to know when planning for retirement.

RESOURCES

CREDITS

Host: Andy Hill

Podcast Support: Michelle Ahmed

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices