In this episode, Bethany and  Marissa talk about the items they use every day with their sons. The following items may contain affiliate links:

• Mushie Bibs 
• Mushie Plates
• Bumkin Smock
• Bumkin Mickey Bowl
• Bethany's Splat Mat with matching smock
• Marissa's Splat Mat
• Lovevery
• Sippy Cups: 
  • Baby's First Tervis (no longer available)
  • Lollacup with Weighted Straw 
  • Munchkin Cup with Weighted Straw
  • Contigo Cup with Spill-Proof Straw
• Newton Crib Mattress
• Nested Bean Sleep Sack
• Burts Bee''s Sleep Sack
• Hatch Sound Machine
• Marissa's Kiddie Pool
• Sensory Table
• @BusyToddler Sensory Bins and Activities
• Step 2 Water Table from Costco
• Big Kid Chair
• Zara & Old Navy clothes
• Cat & Jack Shirts
• Munchkin Snack Cups
• Diaper time toy/book
• Kid Kitchen Stool
• Packet Freezable Lunch Box
• Zip Top Containers
• Kid Zip Top Containers
• Nugget Couch

This week the Motherhood and Money Show focuses on ways to pay off debt. Here are a few things Bethany and Marissa cover: 

Ways to Pay off debt:

• Debt snowball: list debts smallest to largest amounts
• Debt avalanche: list debts largest to smallest interest rate

During the process:

• Write a budget: Know how much you make, and how much you’re spending
• Cut things out of the budget to make more room to pay off debt
• Take on a side hustle
• Intensity: “gazelle intense” vs slow paying
• Calculate debt-free date: Calculators online, or simply the grand total divided by how much you can pay each month
• Use a tracker to track progress
• Have something to look forward to when you pay off each debt

FAQs: 

• Should you still eat out/treat yourself? 
• Should you chop up your credit cards? 
• Should you still invest/save for retirement? 
• Should you  tell my friends you're paying off debt?

In today's episode, Bethany and Marissa read a love note from Harper who asks about first few nights sleeping with a newborn, and about the night time routines Bethany and Marissa have for their sons today.

If you would like to suggest a topic for The Motherhood and Money Show, sent a note to [email protected], send us a message on Instagram @MotherhoodandMoneyShow, or visit our website MotherhoodandMoneyShow.com

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

• Marissa's Birth Story
• Bethany's Birth Story
• Postpartum Recovery and Mental Health in a Pandemic 
• Breastfeeding and Formula Feeding  Journeys
• Marissa's Breakdown of Snoo

Understanding your net worth is very important when it comes to understanding your financial health. Bethany and Marissa discuss what goes into calculating your net worth, and some of your assets may surprise you!

Money isn't always numbers, but rather made up of a lot of different journeys. This is why Personal Finance is very personal! No matter where you are in your journey, this episode is meant to encourage you to keep striving for your money goals!

In this episode, Bethany and Marissa also talk about SMART goals:
S- Specific
M- Measurable
A- Achievable
R- Relevant
T- Time-Bound

Resources mentioned in this episode:
Episode 7: How We Make Money
Episode 19 : Budgeting for Baby's First Birthday

Budgeting Template Tutorial
Marissa's Budgeting Template

Personal Finance Club Used Car Info

CNBC Article: Average Net Worth by Age

In this episode, Bethany and Marissa talk about how they manage to get work done while being work from home moms. 

Last 3 Amazon Purchases: 

• Bethany 
  • Ink Carterage
  • Cookie Cutters
  • Bumkins Disney Mickey Mouse Suction Silicone Baby Feeding Set, Bowl, Lid, Spoon
• Marissa
  • BIC Gel-osity Quick Dry Gel Pens
  • Dry Erase Magnetic Menu board 
  • Munchkin Any Angle Click Lock Weighted Straw Trainer Cup

Productivity Tips:

1. Block scheduling
2. Designated office/playroom
3. Nap time hustle
4. After bedtime
5. Weekends
6. Family help during the week
7. Grandma’s house once or twice a month on a Saturday
8. Hire things out for what you don’t want to do
9. Hire a nanny/daycare

Products mentioned in this episode: 

• SlumberPod
• Slumberpod Fan dupe (Honeywell Turbo on the Go Personal Fan)
• Playpen from Bethany's Office/Play area

Welcome to another episode of The Montherhood and Money Show where Bethany Bayless and Marissa Lyda talk about all things motherhood and all things money. This week, they cover saving money on groceries and the food bill.

If you have an idea for a "first question" (the ice breaker question at the beginning of the show), send it to [email protected],

On the episode, Bethany references the 4 different categories of spending for groceries in the US.  Check out the USDA Cost of Food Report to see data she was referencing. 

Here are a few other things they touch on during the episode: 

1. Meal planning
   1. Check the pantry and refrigerator  first
   2. Meals with few ingredients
   3. Plan for leftovers
   4. 3-4 meals a week
   5. Minimize food waste
2. Shop generic brands
3. Check price per ounce to see what is the best option (cost of item divided by ounces/unit)
4. Buy frozen vegetables
5. Grocery Pick Up/Imperfect Foods
6. Buy meat on sale and freeze
7. Go-to meals easy to make so you don’t eat out
8. Date food in the fridge
9. Making things at Home (Almond/oat milk, Vegetable broth, Bread, etc).
10. Plus--do services like Hello Fresh save money when it comes to the cost per meal? 

Now that Marissa and Bethany's sons have turned one, things are looking a lot different--especially when it comes to food. In this week's episode, they share about their process when it comes to menu planning, sample meals they will typically feed their sons, and how Marissa navigates her son Peter's food allergies.

Marissa references @SolidStarts on Instagram and their food guides on their website in this episode as an excellent resource for choosing meals for her 1 year-old. Bethany also talks about ChooMee silicone covers for puree pouches.

In this episode of Motherhood and Money Show episode, we cover all things Birthday Party for our sons' 1 year birthday. In this episode we cover: 

What we’re doing for birthday parties

Ways we’re saving money

How much we’re spending

Gifts for baby

How we budgeted

Plus, we read two Love Notes (letters from our listeners) at the beginning of the episode. 

As a much requested episode, here are the baby item must haves and regrets for our first year as moms! The must haves are items we have saved for our next child and will absolutely use again, and the regrets are those items that were just a little "meh."

Here are each of the items we listed (Please note that these links may contain affiliate links):

Ollie Swaddle

Owlet

Vava Baby Monitor

Snoo

Bumbo High Chair Seat

Cloud Island Pajamas

Robe

Frida Nose Picker

Frida Nose Sucker

Frida Cradle Cap Kit

Vacmop

Skip Hop Changing Pad

Splat Mat

Baby Wrap

Baby Bullet Steamer

Uppababy Vista Stroller

Papablic Bottle Sterilizer and Dryer

Comotomo Bottles

Mam Bottles

Bopping Nursing Pillow

Electric Nail File

Clothes Separator for Closet

Baby Car Monitor

Welcome back to The Motherhood and Money Show where we are getting back to the basics this week with budgeting. In this episode we cover: 

Why do we budget?:

• Permission to spend
• Keeps us in check as a boundary
• Stress relief: know what’s coming in and out
• Track financial goals
• Spending on what’s important to you
• Know where every dollar is going

What is a budget?:

• It’s a plan for your money
• Not restrictive
• Personal to you: based on your lifestyle and choices and not everyone’s is going to look the same

How do you start?:

• Pick a platform: paper, excel, app (Mint, YNAB, Quicken, Every Dollar, etc).
• Zero-based budgeting: every dollar has a plan
• List out income: variable or steady. This is what you have to work with!
• List out expenses: mortgage/rent, utilities, food, etc. You can be as detailed as you want
• Debts (debt snowball or debt avalanche)
• Savings (sinking funds & other savings like emergency fund)
• Other goals
• Tracking expenses through the month vs. cash envelopes
• The total of all expenses, debt and savings should equal income. If it doesn’t equal, go back and cut things or add to other categories.
• If you’ve never budgeted before, take a look at the last couple months of your spending to know how much to budget for.
• It takes a few months to get in the habit!