Planning a wedding is a big deal! There are venues, food, flowers, vows, photographers...the list goes on! It’s supposed to be the happiest day of your life, but how do you balance all the stress with the joy of celebrating love?

That’s where we come in. Meet Jessica Bishop, founder of Budget Savvy Bride, host of The Bouquet Toss podcast, and author of the bestselling Budget Savvy Wedding Planner and Organizer. She's here with tips and practical advice, to help plan your dream wedding without breaking the bank or losing your mind. Let’s make wedding planning fun, memorable, and totally doable.

Resources

The Budget Savvy Bride

Ever wondered why cruises are such a big deal? Spoiler: they're basically floating resorts with skating rinks, private islands, and zero cooking or cleaning required. What’s not to like?

But before you set sail, there’s a lot to figure out like a packing strategy, what’s worth splurging on, are the on-shore excursions worth it and what happens if you miss the boat? We’ve got the covered.

Join Dana Hammond, travel journalist, editor, and certified cruise lover who’s been on over 100 cruises, and Ilana Schattauer from Life Well Cruised, a once-skeptic turned cruise superfan. They’re here to share insider tips and hacks to make your first (or next) cruise totally stress-free.

Resources

Dana Hammond

Ilana Schattauer’s Life Well Cruised

Independence usually means flying the nest. Getting out from under parental rule, making your own decisions and having some space for yourself.

But life happens and sometimes that means returning home. Just because moving back in with your parents wasn’t on your adulthood bingo card, doesn’t mean it isn’t a good move.

On this episode we’ll talk to Paige Mariah, a successful, vibrant, thirtysomething who returned to the U.S. from England and moved back in with her parents. She’s got first-hand tips on how to make the most of your time at home. And we also have Francesca Canzoneri from The Therapy Institute who helps get you in the right mindset when it comes to boundaries, boundaries and more boundaries.

Resources:

Paige Mariah: YouTube & Instagram

The Therapy Institute

On the one hand we have points programs, maybe insurance and credit building, but on the other there’s high interest rates, annual fees and the potential to rack up a lot of debt. 

How do we use credit cards for good and skip the tough lessons? Listen in to Katherine Fan, a personal finance journalist who breaks down the basics, like how to avoid common pitfalls, make the most of your cards perks and manage credit to your benefit, not your debt.

For many of us, retirement is a bit of an abstract idea. It’s far away in the future, it can be hard to picture. The unknowns are infinite. So how do we plan for that?

Step one: Just start. The earlier the better, too, because we’ll just keep getting older and it’ll be nice to have a little something to make those later years more fun. Join our guest Pamela Capland, certified financial planner and accredited financial counselor who takes the shame out of money conversations and is a pro at simplifying and empowering. Then we also have Julien and Kiersten Saunders who explain the basics of the FIRE movement (financial independence, retire early).

Resources:

Pamela Capalad: Get Shameless

Julien & Kiersten Saunders: Rich & Regular 

What’s more fun than looking back over the year and remembering all the great things that happened? Not much! So join us in the episode that finds all the fun and fascinating nuggets from the first 16 episodes of Merging Into Life. 

Each episode has its charm, and we’ve gathered as much as we could fit into this one episode as a thanks for coming along for the ride with us. Life-hacks, hot tips and all the takeaways you can handle. From buying a car, bringing home your first pet, heading to a theme park or moving back home with Mom and Dad, we’ve got you covered. 

Fewer of us are rushing out to drive in the first year we’re eligible. But just because you don’t start driving as a teen doesn’t mean you never will. That driver’s license isn’t going anywhere without you!

If you’re thinking about taking the wheel for the first time, or you want a refresher, listen as Linda Ricci, Assistant Manager at AAA’s Rhode Island Driving school walks us through the basics. She covers how to prepare for your test, what to be aware of and ways to get comfortable behind the wheel. And Gaelen Olinski on hand to share his successful but embarrassing early days of driving.

How far can an electric vehicle really go on a charge? What's it like to drive an EV? Do you ever have to replace the battery? And what about other routine maintenance?

Buying an EV comes with a lot of questions, and on this episode we’ve got a lot of answers. Guests Ben Sullins is an EV advocate who has spent years digging into the data and is here to dispell some EV myths. Matt Ferrell is an expert in sustainable technologies and gives us the low-down on EV batteries.

Resources:

EV perks that come with a AAA membership

Undecided with Matt Ferrell

Still To Be Determined Podcast Series

Ben Sullins - YouTube

Plugshare

Dust off those running shoes and let’s hit the road. Actually, shoes are important, so maybe get a well-fitted fresh pair. But regardless, if you’re hoping to incorporate running into your life or signing up for your first race, we’ve got you covered.

Runner in Chief at Runner’s World, Jeff Dengate, is here to help you get on track. He’ll cover pacing yourself, gear, and how to incorporate running into your life. But we don’t want you to hurt yourself, so Mike Vaiano, a physical therapist at the Schwarz Institute, gives us the rundown on how to prevent an injury.

If you’ve ever dreamed of heading out into the world footloose and fancy free, a solo trip might be just what you need!

Whether it’s a once in a lifetime voyage to a far flung locale or a quick trip to the next spot on the map, seeing new sites and meeting new people is one of life’s true joys. But getting your loved ones on board can be similar to herding cats, a little frustrating and often a bad use of time. In this episode, avid solo traveler Kim Rodrigues leads the way through how to make the best of your trip while staying safe. And on the logistics side, Jillian Young of AAA Northeast's Public Affairs team shares insight on the best times to travel and how to beat the crowds.

Resources:

AAA travel forecast

Kim Rodrigues' blog: K.Rod Collective