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Cooking at home has become one of those topics everyone tiptoes around because the second you say the honest thing, it sounds like judgment. But in 2026, we’re not tiptoeing. 😌

You know those “things I’d say if I wasn’t afraid to hurt your feelings” videos on IG or TikTok? Well, that’s the energy today. 

In this episode, we’re talking about why dinner feels hard, why your kitchen turns into chaos, and why “just cook more” is lazy advice when the real issue is how most people are cooking.

We explain: 

• How the real win is control: portions, ingredients, and what your future self pays in healthcare
• Innovation in the food space between fast-casual, meal kits, and the new wave of prepared meals that actually taste good. If your only two options are “cook from scratch” or “DoorDash,” your food playbook is outdated
• Why too bland or too salty both lead to boredom (and that’s why you keep quitting).
• How to stop overseasoning and start building flavor with smarter tools
• How temperature affects flavor 

And yes… we’re already planning a Part 2: what we’d tell you about your grill, freezer and pantry if we really weren’t afraid to hurt your feelings.

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

This is our annual “what to expect in the new year” episode, and our hot take is “affordability” is about to be the most overused, and least understood, word of 2026. 

You’re going to hear it everywhere, and this week, we’re explaining why that should make you a little nervous.

We break down why affordability is becoming the new catch-all word for economic stress, how it’s being used to sell certainty in an unstable system, and why more people are about to find themselves saying, “I thought I could afford it.”

If you’re trying to plan, decide, or stabilize in the year ahead, this episode is your reminder to stop accepting affordability at face value and start defining it in a way that actually protects your life.

We get into:

• Why affordability is always relative, and why it changes faster than people admit
• The danger of treating percentages (25%, 30%, 10%) like universal laws
• How 2026 pricing strategies will make more things feel affordable in the moment
• The difference between being broke and being overextended
• Why something can fit the budget and still cost you peace, flexibility, or future options
• How to spot the signs that something isn’t actually affordable anymore
• A more honest question to ask before you say yes to buying something you think you can “afford”

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Kiersten here. This week’s episode is a solo one, and it’s inspired by a book I just finished called The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel. 

If you’re familiar with The Psychology of Money, you already know Morgan’s style: short chapters, clean sentences, and big ideas. This new book is about spending but not the kind most people are struggling with.

In this episode, I unpack:

• Who this book is really for
• Two core takeaways that stuck: the psychology of contrast and the sustainability of contentment
• A personal reflection on second Christmases, cultural context, and spending through the lens of joy
• A nuanced breakdown of how happiness is framed in the book and why that definition isn’t one-size-fits-all

I wouldn't call this a summary per se, it’s a review with a little reflection, a little pushback, and hopefully a fresh lens for whatever season you’re in.

Hit play and let me know what you think.

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

In a year full of work drama and career pivots, our most eye-opening lessons came from the places no one talks about on LinkedIn. Somewhere between the PTA meetings, school drop-offs, HOA group texts, and community events, we kept bumping into reminders that real work doesn’t always pay. And that’s kind of the point.

This week, we’re unpacking what happened when we leaned all the way into volunteering and brought our professional skills to the party. Because chances are, you’re more needed than you think and more capable than you’ve been led to believe.

We explore:

• How we went from “someone else will do it” to “we got it”
• Why so many systems rely on what we call assumed initiative
• The unexpected rewards of taking on community roles 
• Why your first real leadership lessons usually start locally
• How these roles can transform your network and your confidence
• Why being present isn’t the same as being accountable
• How to know when just showing up isn’t enough anymore

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Kiersten here. It’s just me this week.

It’s been two years since my ADHD diagnosis, and in that time I’ve learned a lot. In this episode, I’m sitting down solo to unpack what this label actually changed, what it didn’t, and what I’ve had to unlearn about focus, money, and identity along the way. I’m revisiting the journey to speak directly to anyone navigating their own diagnosis (or the suspicion of one), especially while trying to manage money, relationships, and modern life.

If you ever wondered why your brain makes you avoid bills one day and build a budget for fun the next, this one’s for you.

I discuss:

• Grieving the gap between naming a problem and solving it
• When hyperfocus turns into self-surveillance
• Why most ADHD systems feel like punishment (and what to do instead)
• Habit stacking, automation, and why I stopped chasing streaks
• How a $3 snack usually does more for my brain than a $300 planner
• Hormones, sleep & the “why did my meds stop working” problem
• What movement really does for dopamine (and my money habits)
• Why dopamine placement determines my financial outcomes more than budgeting
• The octopus metaphor that finally made my brain make sense

Links: 

• Episode 172: A real conversation about ADHD, money, and relationships (or watch it instead)
• Episode 184: How to automate your savings and finally get ahead (or watch it instead) 
• My Octopus Teacher trailer
• Secrets of the Octopus 

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

We’re 30+ days into a government shutdown, SNAP benefits are disappearing, layoffs are ongoing, and a catastrophic storm just hit Jamaica. But beyond the headlines, people are privately struggling with job loss, evictions, food insecurity, and the mental toll of trying to “stay positive” when everything feels urgent.

In this week’s episode, we talk about how to be resourceful in the real, messy, "make-it-through-the-week" kind of way. Whether you're giving help or in need of it, this episode will shift how you think about support, community, and what's really essential.

And if you’re someone who feels like you're holding it all together with duct tape and prayer, this one's for you.

We cover:

• How to stop waiting for help and start solving real problems
• Why a 7-day survival plan can calm your nervous system
• Practical tips to navigate urgent vs. important tasks
• The difference between refilling needs and replacing wants
• How to tap into mutual aid, libraries, 211, and other local lifelines
• Why resourcefulness is not a character trait, it’s a learned skill

Links: 

• Ep 156: Survive & Advance | The Ultimate Guide to Financial Resilience with Lynnette Khalfani Cox
• Ep 191: Rethinking Emergency Funds for Modern Times 
• Ep 218: What to do with your money when the world feels unstable 
• Ep 220: How to give yourself a raise without changing jobs 
• Ep 226: What it takes to get through your hardest financial year 
• Ep 76: Curbing Food Insecurity 

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

It’s that time again…open enrollment season. And while we know this topic doesn’t get anyone out of bed in the morning, it SHOULD. Because buried in that HR email you ignored is a decision that could cost or save you thousands.

This week, we’re breaking down why so many people just auto-renew last year’s health plan, what rising premiums in 2026 actually mean for your wallet, and how AI can help you stop making five-figure decisions based on casual conversations with your coworkers.

We talk about:

• Why health insurance is quietly eating your raise
• How to sniff out hidden changes in your 2026 plan
• Using AI to compare plans without becoming an expert
• The power of a good prompt and what to include in yours
• Why planning for next year’s pregnancy, braces, or mental health care needs to happen right now

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

We recently teamed up with Consumer Reports on an eye-opening project that made us rethink how we evaluate, purchase, and engage with our homeowners insurance policy. This week’s episode is about what we learned.

Here’s what we unpack:

• Why homeowners insurance is way more confusing and critical than we thought
• What’s driving double-digit rate hikes (even if you’ve never filed a claim)
• How your dog, HOA, or even local crime rates affect your premiums
• One of the most overlooked parts of your policy that could actually save you
• Why checking your mail might be the most important financial task you do this week
• How to protect yourself with umbrella policies and avoid common traps

This one’s shorter than usual, because we want you to take action:
 → Read your policy.
 → Shop around.
 → Check out CR’s list of top-rated homeowners insurance companies based on actual customer satisfaction, claim handling, and renewal transparency 

Links: 

• Why are Homeowners Insurance rates going up right now?
• Homeowners Insurance & Extreme Weather: What you should know

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Food prices are up (again), takeout is 4x more expensive than eating at home, and yet somehow..dinner still ends up on your doorstep. That’s exactly why we created Eat Better, a new video series that makes home cooking feel doable, even if you're not “a cooking person.”

In this episode, we're breaking down why so many people aren’t cooking at home, and what it really takes to change that.

Julien talks about how 20+ years of cooking at home and 7 years as a pro chef shaped our latest project, and Kiersten opens up about what’s kept her out of the kitchen. We also dig into how we think about food and money, and why this moment in time demands a better approach to nourishing yourself and your family.

Listen to hear more about:

• The launch of our new video series Eat Better
• Why your favorite restaurants might all be serving the same food 
• How people got to a point where cooking feels harder than it is
• The emotional, cultural, and economic reasons behind the takeout trap
• Why your kitchen might be working against you
• Why cooking is a critical life skill, not just a nice-to-have
• How restaurant-quality meals at home are more doable (and cheaper) than you think

Links: 

• Start here and leave your questions for Eat Better (full series HERE)
• “I tracked down the company ruining restaurants” via More Perfect Union
• Ep 158 - The secret to stress-free cooking at home | must-have kitchen tech for busy people (watch it instead) 
• Eat Better on a Budget ebook

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

If talking about credit makes you anxious, confused, or just flat-out annoyed… you're not alone. In this episode, we break down the truth about credit scores and reports: what they are, how they work, the most common myths people believe, and why it’s time we stop treating credit like a moral compass.

Whether you’re building credit for the first time, trying to bounce back from a rough patch, or just wondering why your score dipped after doing the “right” thing - we got you.

We cover:

• The biggest myths about credit (including the one a lot of folks still repeat)
• Why your score is not a moral report card
• How to check your credit and why you must 
• The rise of shady credit repair schemes
• Smart ways to build or rebuild without getting scammed
• Credit reports, analogies, and a little tough love

Links: 

• Episode 211 - Everything you were never taught about bankruptcy (or watch it HERE)
• Check your credit report for free at AnnualCreditReport.com
• National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC)
• Operation HOPE – Financial counseling and education

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow