Merging Into Life

Talking about money with your partner isn’t just a financial decision, it’s an emotional one. Whether you’re dating, married, or somewhere in between, how you communicate about spending, saving, and values can make or break trust in a relationship. Yet for many couples, these conversations feel daunting or even taboo. 

In this episode of Merging Into Life, we explore why financial transparency matters, how to approach money talks with less fear, and what it takes to truly align as a team. Kiersten and Julien are joined by Dr. Abby Medcalf, a psychologist and relationship expert who shares how couples can use financial conversations to build connection rather than conflict.

Nobody hands you a manual for adulthood, but that doesn’t mean you have to wing it alone! 

Season 2 of Merging Into Life is here to unpack the real questions we all face, from buying your first car to planning a family vacation, and finding the courage to bring up finances with your partner. This season is all about meeting life’s twists and turns with confidence. Hosted by a rotating cast of experts and storytellers, and powered by AAA Northeast, we’re not just talking about adulting, we’re helping you do it better. 

Meet the Hosts:

Julien & Kiersten Saunders – Financial Futures

Kim Rodrigues – Travel Transformed

Zack Klapman –  Road Ready

Sabrina Pierotti – Everyday Mastery

What do you serve? Who do you invite? What’s the perfect number of guests? How do you spark great conversation?

We've got the answers with Dana Marie Roquemore, Founder of The Dinner Party. She throws dinner parties for a living and knows how to deliver on food, hospitality, and conversation. There's really nothing like sitting down and sharing a meal with friends family and maybe even a few strangers. So pick a date, send out your invites (eight guests is the perfect number) and press play, because we've got you covered from how to get your guests to show up on time to gently guiding them out the door.

Resources

The Dinner Party Project

Travelling to new places is always an adventure, but if you really want to escape the mundane and truly explore you might want to consider renting your own wheels during your time in a new place. But with great freedom comes great responsibility--and possibly some anxiet--around tiny parking spaces, narrow streets and unfamiliar rules of the road.

But don’t let that hold you back! Terry Abromitis, aka Traveling Terry, has driven all over Europe, on both sides of the road. She has tips on discovering off-the-beaten-track destinations, avoiding parking tickets and navigating like a pro. Also on hand is Kevin Beresford, President of the Roundabout Appreciation Society, whose enthusiasm for traffic circles has to be heard to be believed!

So listen in for everything you need to know about renting and driving in a new country!

Resources

International Driving Permit 

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.