Marriage Kids and Money: Personal Finance for Families

Should you have a third child? And how can you help your kids graduate college debt-free?

In this episode, we explore one of life’s most personal decisions: whether to grow your family. We walk through a thoughtful 7-step framework to help you and your partner decide if a third child is right for you—covering emotional readiness, relationship strength, finances, and the value of time.

Then, we’re joined by educator and author Shelley Branine to talk about how families can avoid student loan debt. We dive into why college costs have skyrocketed and how strategies like dual enrollment can help students earn college credits in high school—often at little to no cost.

If you’re thinking about expanding your family or planning for your child’s education, this episode will give you clarity, confidence, and practical next steps.

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!

💻 Sponsors and Additional Resources

⁠⁠https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/resources⁠⁠

👉Connect with me on social media:

LinkedIn: ⁠AndyHillMKM⁠

Instagram: ⁠MarriageKidsAndMoney⁠

CREDITS

Editor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Support: Michelle Ahmed

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

Buying your first home can feel overwhelming, especially in today’s market with rising prices and higher interest rates. In this episode, we sit down with real estate expert Scott Harris to break down how first-time buyers can move forward with confidence.

Scott, founder of Magnetic Real Estate and author of The Pursuit of Home, shares why so many buyers feel stuck and how to overcome that fear with the right preparation and mindset. We discuss how to save for a down payment, get pre-approved, choose the right real estate agent, and navigate the emotional side of buying a home as a couple.

If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines wondering when to buy or how to start, this episode will help you take your next step toward homeownership with clarity and confidence.

RESOURCES

Andy Hill's book Own Your Time

The Pursuit of Home (Book) – Scott Harris’ guide to navigating the home buying journey.

HOW WE MAKE MONEY + DISCLAIMER

CREDITS

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

What does it mean to reach Coast FIRE in your late 30s and how does it change your life?

In this episode, we sit down with certified financial educator Suzy May to discuss how she and her husband reached Coast FIRE with $900,000 invested before age 40. We talk about how starting early, maintaining a strong savings rate, and investing consistently allowed their portfolio to grow to a point where they no longer need to aggressively contribute to retirement.

Suzy shares how Coast FIRE has given their family the freedom to slow down, work less, and design a life filled with travel, flexibility, and meaningful time with their kids. We also discuss the emotional shift that happens when you move from wealth building to wealth enjoying and how families can define success beyond the numbers.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens after you build a strong investment foundation, this conversation will give you a real-life look at how Coast FIRE can create more options for your family.

Carpe Diem!

Resources & Links

Own Your Time (Andy’s book): https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book

Credits

Host: Andy Hill

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

Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung have grown their family’s net worth to $2.9 million by age 43 without owning a home and while traveling the world for years.

In this episode, we break down how they built wealth starting with a modest income, avoided lifestyle inflation, and reached financial independence in their 30s. Kristy and Bryce share how their $1 million portfolio doubled while they were retired, how geographic arbitrage helped them control spending, and why investing early matters more than earning a six figure salary.

We also talk about becoming parents after reaching FI, the real cost of raising a child, and how marketing pressures families into overspending. If you have ever worried that kids will derail your financial goals, this conversation will challenge that narrative.

Most importantly, Kristy and Bryce explain how financial independence gave them the ultimate gift, time, especially during one of the most difficult seasons of their lives.

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:

How they reached $1 million in their 30s and grew it to $2.9 million

Why avoiding lifestyle inflation accelerates wealth building

The difference between investable assets and home equity

How travel helped lower their annual expenses

The real cost of raising a child

Why financial independence is about buying back your time

Resources Mentioned:

Parent Like a Millionaire Without Being One: https://amzn.to/4rbbKPM

Millennial Revolution Blog: https://www.millennial-revolution.com

Free Investment Workshop: https://www.millennial-revolution.com/investworkshop

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

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

Podcast Credits:

Carpe Diem!

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

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

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

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.

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

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:

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

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