Nicole is back for our annual Bread & Wine episode and this one gets real.

After finally reading my new book Own Your Time, she shares her honest and emotional reaction including the chapter that made her cry. We talk about the embarrassment of discussing money, the tension we felt during our debt payoff journey, and what it really takes to pursue financial independence as a married couple.

Nicole opens up about growing up with money insecurity, why sharing our financial story felt vulnerable, and how we found a healthier middle ground on our path to time freedom. We also discuss why money should not be taboo, how to avoid pushing your spouse too far in the pursuit of financial independence, and what wealth truly feels like today.

If you are in the messy middle of career, kids, and financial stress, this conversation is for you.

Resources Mentioned

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

Leave us a voicemail for a future episode
https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/voicemail

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When work becomes optional, a new question appears: who do you want to be now?

Brad Barrett retired in 2015 at age 35 after a 13 year career as an accountant. Since then, he’s spent the last decade experimenting with early retirement, building ChooseFI into one of the largest personal finance podcasts in the world, and refining what a meaningful life actually looks like after financial independence.

In this episode, Brad shares what pushed him toward financial independence, the key financial decisions that accelerated his path, and the surprising lessons he’s learned after 10+ years of optional work. We also talk about balance, identity, intentional living, and why some people stay one more year longer than they need to.

If you’re pursuing financial independence or wondering what life really looks like on the other side, this conversation will challenge you to think deeper about time, money, and what truly matters.

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:

Why Brad started pursuing financial independence in his 20s

The financial decisions that helped him retire at 35

How to think differently about spending and intentionality

What early retirement is really like after the honeymoon phase

Why “one more year” can cost more than you think

Resources Mentioned:

ChooseFI Podcast: https://choosefi.com

ChooseFI Local Groups: https://choosefi.com/local

Monarch Money (track your net worth): https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/monarchmoney

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

Podcast Credits:

Carpe Diem.

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Justin Taylor reached a $2.8 million net worth by age 35 and retired in his early 30s. In this episode, he breaks down exactly how he built wealth, transitioned from the Air Force to corporate America, and walked away from full-time work to design a life focused on freedom, health, and travel.

Justin shares how growing up with a scarcity mindset shaped his financial habits, why tracking your net worth changes everything, and the simple total stock market index fund strategy that fueled his growth. If you’ve ever felt behind financially or wondered whether financial independence is possible for you, this conversation will give you both tactical steps and mindset shifts.

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

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

How Justin built a $2.8 million net worth by 35

His simple index fund investing approach

The income journey from military to corporate

What early retirement actually looks like

How to overcome a scarcity mindset

Resources Mentioned:

The Financial Independence Show: https://thefishow.com/

Saving Sherpa: https://saving-sherpa.com/

Monarch Money (track your net worth): https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/monarchmoney

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

Podcast Credits:

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In this episode, we talk with Jesse Cramer about his journey to reaching Coast FIRE, a milestone where existing investments can grow to fund retirement without additional contributions. We unpack how starting early and letting compound interest work over time can create long-term freedom.

We also discuss the tension between saving and enjoying life today, especially while managing the realities of family expenses. Along the way, we highlight the importance of financial education and staying flexible as plans evolve.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re starting too late, unsure how to balance today’s needs with tomorrow’s goals, or questioning what financial independence really looks like, then this episode is for you.

00:00 The Importance of Saving and Compound Interest

02:58 Achieving Coast Fire: Jesse's Journey

06:02 Understanding Investments and Financial Education

09:01 Income Growth and Financial Decisions

11:57 Balancing Spending and Budgeting

14:57 Managing Family Expenses and Lifestyle Inflation

18:03 The Flexibility of Financial Planning

20:54 Generational Wealth and Parenting Perspectives

24:04 Future Goals and Family Focus

27:11 Key Takeaways for Financial Success

Resources and Links 📚

📖My new book, "Own Your Time" 

https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book

🎙️ Jesse Cramer's podcast:

Personal Finance for Long Term Investors

💻 Jesse Cramer's blog: 

⁠Best Interest Blog⁠

💻 Sponsors and Additional Resources

https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/resources

📞Voicemail for Questions:

Leave a voicemail at marriagekidsmoney.com/voicemail to have your question answered on the show!

👉Connect with me on social media:

LinkedIn: Andy Hill, MKM

Instagram and Facebook: MarriageKidsAndMoney

Credits

Editor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Artwork: Kayli Johnson

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

How can we help our kids become resilient and independent without pushing too hard or protecting too much?

This week, we sit down with Lee Benson, author of Value Creation Kid, to talk about turning everyday responsibilities into growth opportunities. Lee shares how chores, family meetings, and shared decision making can create a culture of leadership, accountability, and value creation at home.

We wrap things up with practical steps families can take today, including involving kids in financial decisions and setting clear expectations that foster independence. Whether you are raising preschoolers or teens, this episode will help you shift from protecting to preparing your kids for life.

Visit dinnertable.com to learn more about building a value driven family culture.

CHAPTERS 🎧

0:00 - Introduction and Guest Welcome
1:33 - Why Parents Avoid Struggle
3:18 - Healthy vs. Unhealthy Struggles
5:04 - Lee Benson's Personal Story
9:04 - Connecting with Kids on Values
10:34 - Family Meetings and Leadership
13:30 - The Role of Family Dinners
16:09 - Running the Household as a Team
19:51 - Chores, Allowances, and Money Mindset
24:32 - Conclusion and Call to Action

Resources and Links 📚

📖My new book, "Own Your Time" 

https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/ownyourtimeamazon

💻 Sponsors and Additional Resources

https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/resources

📞Voicemail for Questions: Leave a voicemail at marriagekidsmoney.com/voicemail to have your question answered on the show!

👉Connect with me on social media:

LinkedIn: AndyHillMKM

Instagram and Facebook: MarriageKidsAndMoney

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

How do you decide between Roth and traditional investing when you want flexibility in the future? We kick off the show by answering a listener question from Liz about how much to invest in Roth versus traditional accounts. We walk through tax diversification, the three bucket strategy, and how to think about today’s income versus retirement so your family can build wealth with options.

Next, we sit down with Anthony Rojas from Georgia for our Net Worth Win segment. Anthony shares how his family built an $868,000 net worth by age 39, the financial lessons shaped by his upbringing, and how he and his wife are using money to create stability, generosity, and meaningful experiences for their growing family.

We wrap things up with a Money Quiz featuring Calvin. Together, we test his knowledge on net worth, investing, and YouTube monetization so kids and parents can learn and play along together.

Chapters 🎧

0:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 

1:29 Listener Question from Liz 

2:51 Tax Buckets Explained 

11:52 Anthony Rojas's Net Worth Journey 

21:38 Building Generational Wealth 

31:03 Money Quiz with Calvin Hill 

Resources and Links 📚

📖My new book, "Own Your Time" 

https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/ownyourtimeamazon

📞Voicemail for Questions: Leave a voicemail at marriagekidsmoney.com/voicemail to have your question answered on the show!

🎙️Anthony Rojas's Podcast: Listen to Anthony's podcast, Unknown Variables

💻 Sponsors and Additional Resources

⁠https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/resources⁠

👉Connect with me on social media:

LinkedIn: AndyHillMKM

Instagram and Facebook: MarriageKidsAndMoney

Credits

Editor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Artwork: Kayli Johnson

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

In this episode, I talk with Cody Berman and Sean Mullaney about what it really takes to reach early financial independence. Cody shares how he built a $4.8 million net worth by 29 through frugal living, intentional spending, and creating multiple income streams, while Sean breaks down the smartest tax strategies early retirees use to access money sooner and keep more of what they earn.

We cover how to effectively use 401(k)s, Roth IRAs, HSAs, and taxable accounts together, plus key tactics like the Rule of 55, Roth conversions, and tax arbitrage that can dramatically lower your lifetime tax rate. Sean makes complex tax planning simple and actionable for anyone pursuing FIRE.

Whether you’re just starting your wealth-building journey or planning an early retirement, this episode delivers practical strategies to grow wealth faster and design a flexible, purpose-driven financial future.

CHAPTERS 🎧

00:00 – Welcome & Episode Overview

01:10 – Best Accounts for Early Retirement

02:45 – Why Traditional 401(k)s Still Matter

04:55 – Accessing Retirement Money Before 59½

07:10 – Roth IRAs for Early Retirement Flexibility

11:45 – Using Taxable Accounts to Retire Early

14:10 – Tax Rate Arbitrage & Keeping Taxes Low

18:45 – HSAs, ACA Planning, and Early Retirement

23:10 – Financial Independence with Purpose

26:00 – Net Worth Win: $4.8M by Age 29

27:45 – Cody Berman’s FIRE Origin Story

32:00 – Quitting Corporate & Scaling Income Fast

37:00 – Building Multiple Income Streams

41:45 – Net Worth & Asset Breakdown

46:25 – Debt, Risk, and Long-Term Wealth Strategy

50:55 – Spending, Lifestyle, and Life After FI

52:55 – Advice for Your 20s & Getting Started

55:00 – Final Thoughts & Where to Connect

Resources and Links 📚

My new book, "Own Your Time" - https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book

Sponsors and Additional Resources

https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/resources

FI Tax Guy (Sean’s blog & tax planning resources): https://fitaxguy.com/

Cody Berman’s official site (passive income guides & resources): https://codydberman.com/

The Financial Independence Show (podcast by Cody Berman & Justin Taylor): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-financial-independence-show/id1434155196

Gold City Ventures (Cody’s company focused on passive income and online business): https://goldcityventures.com/

Gold City Ventures on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/goldcityventures

Credits

Editor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Artwork: Kayli Johnson

NOTE:

The discussion is intended to be for general educational purposes and is not tax, legal, or investment advice for any individual. Andy and Marriage Kids and Money do not endorse Sean Mullaney, Mullaney Financial & Tax, Inc. and their services. 

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In this episode of the Marriage Kids and Money podcast, we break down Coast FIRE, a financial approach that lets you “coast” to retirement once your investments can grow on their own, without needing to keep pouring money in.

We're joined by Mike English, who shares his real-life path to reaching Coast FIRE in his 30s and what that decision changed about his life and priorities. Plus, Calvin joins Andy and hops on the mic for a fun and meaningful conversation about why investing early actually matters. They talk investment strategies, financial independence, and how to think long-term about building wealth that lasts.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re saving enough, questioned the pressure to grind forever, or thought about what kind of money story you want your kids to grow up with, this episode might shift how you think about the road to financial freedom.

Chapters 🎧

00:00 Introduction to Coast Fire

01:15 Understanding Coast Fire by Age 30, 40, and 50

12:08 Interview with Mike English: Achieving Coast Fire

34:04 Good Word with Calvin: Celebrating Financial Literacy

Resources and Links 📚

My new book, "Own Your Time" - https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/ownyourtimeamazon

Try our FREE Coast FIRE Calculator 📱

https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/calculators/coast-fire/

Sponsors and Additional Resources

https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/resources

Credits

Editor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Artwork: Kayli Johnson

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We’re one day away from launch, and I wanted to share a quick update and ask for your support.

As of today, Own Your Time is at 354 pre-orders, with a goal of 500 by launch day. If Marriage Kids and Money has helped you think differently about your family’s financial independence journey, this is a meaningful way to support the work and the message behind the show.

The easiest way to help is to pre-order on Amazon. Search “Own Your Time by Andy Hill” or use the link below. Pre-orders close soon, and ordering today truly makes a difference.

If you’re new here, this book is the playbook. It’s the entire philosophy of this podcast in one place for $28.

Pre-order on Amazon:
https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/ownyourtimeamazon

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I couldn’t sleep this morning. It’s book launch week for Own Your Time.

In this quick episode, I share why this book means so much to me and how grateful I am for the Marriage Kids and Money community. If the show has helped you think differently about money, time, or family, I’d love your support by pre-ordering a copy for yourself or someone you care about, sharing it when it arrives, and leaving a review.

Pre-order Own Your Time:

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