Couple Money Podcast

Learn how you can protect your loved ones financial abuse and how to minimize the damage if it happens! Financial Scams and Protecting Your Family A few years ago, my husband’s nana had sent over money to a scammer pretending to be him. She had thought he needed help and so she generously sent it in. It was a wake call for us . After looking into this and talking with others, our family isn’t the only one who’s had to deal with this. Last year, a record 24,454 suspected cases of elder financial abuse were reported to the US Treasury Dept by banks. I can’t tell you for certain why they’re being targeted, but there are two key factors to consider. By 2030 US Census Bureau estimates 1 in 5 people will be 65 or older. Two, there’s a significant amount of money tied to our older friends and family. According to the American Bankers Association, 70% of bank deposits are with people over 50. So you have a growing and market that is appealing to scammers. So what can we do to protect our grandparents, parents, and ot

Learn how you can prepare and save for the costs of retirement! How Much Do We Need to Save for Retirement? If you’ve used those free online calculator to find your retirement number, you probably were amazed at how much they say you need. A million, two million, maybe more for just one of you. How do you feel when you see those numbers? Considering that 1 in 3 Americans has less than $5,000 saved for retirement, chances are there’s room for improvement. Unless you’re living in denial about retirement, you’re probably dealing many of the hurdles couples deal with when it comes to saving and investing for retirement. 1- You have a full plate right now. As parents with two little ones, we always have something to do. We’re not complaining – this is really a fun season of life right now – but realistically our time and attention are focused around them. 2- Bills and debts. You may not be able to save more because there’s not much to give right now. If you have to pay credit cards, car loan, student loans and hav

Today I’m answering your biggest tax questions. We’re doing a quick and easy take covering what you need to know this year when you file, how to maximize your refund, and set yourselves up with your finances for next year! How to Maximize Your Tax Refunds with Credit and Deductions There are some people in this world who are giddy right now because it’s tax season. Yeah, this is like the SuperBowl for some money nerds. And while I admit to being a number cruncher at times, I have to say taxes aren’t really that exciting for me. Yep, guilty as charged. However, I’ve seen how important getting our tax done has been for our finances. Both with planning throughout the year as well as using our refunds to reach our financial goals faster. And I want you to see taxes in a better, maybe less stressful light so today I’ll tackle the big questions. Heads up, even though I enjoy covering personal finances, I’m not a tax expert. There will be plenty of resources in today’s show notes for sure. But this episode I will do

Can you have nice things when you're paying off debt? What millionaire habits can you pick up today? Personal finance author and money expert Anthony O'Neal shares his tips and thoughts! Busting Common Money Myths   Many times we mismanage our money because we’ve developed ideas and habits that are harmful to our financial health. If we want to change or help our spouse to change, it means we have to examine those money myths and habits. And it can be hard to change. That's why I’m really happy to have personal finance author and millennial money expert Anthony O'Neal on today. He’s made the leap himself. At age 19, Anthony ONeal was deep in debt and short on hope with no direction of where his life was headed. But after hitting rock bottom, he turned his life around and committed to helping students find and pursue their passions. We met up over at the NC State University's bell-tower before his Smart Money event last week for a chat about money myths and habits. In this episode we get

Think your home is an investment? For most people, it's not.  Learn how to rethink real estate so you can build your wealth and become financially independent! Buying a house is usually the biggest purchase we make. Right now in the United States, the median price of homes that sold is $225,900. For those living in high cost of living areas like California and DC, you’re looking at closer to 350k to $400k respectively. Just considering the numbers, you can see that you really need to do your homework when it comes to buying your house. A misstep or mistake can cost you a significant amount of money. I don't want that to happen to you. When \ever you buy your home I want it to feel like a blessing and a burden. We’ve had several episodes about the house hunting, getting a mortgage, and finding the best home for you. Today, though, I want to get into the root of every bad decision we made when it comes to real estate - how we approach it. I can’t even count how many people had such strong opin

Today Grant Sabatier, the author of Financial Freedom, goes through how he was able to become a millionaire and financially independent by 30. More importantly, he also discusses how you can create your own path based on your goals and priorities. Get on the Path to Financial Freedom It’s almost the end of January, how are things going for you? Over at our FB group, Thriving Families, I've been keeping an eye on some of the goals you’ve been sharing and I’m really impressed. We some tackling debt, many mentioning their student loans. Meal prepping is also on the list. That’s a fantastic money saver and will help you tremendously with your health goals. Quite a few talked about earning more, both through their regular 9-5 job as well as side hustles. On the surface, these goals seem to go in different directions, but when we chat in the group and get into the whys behind the goals, I noticed a recurring theme. Having more flexibility and security for our families. And for many, that path i

Does your family budget feel tight? Learn 3 key ways on how you can save hundreds of dollars each month while raising your kids and still having fun! Saving More as a Family I know that financial independence is a buzzword in the personal finance sphere. You got stories where people are saving 60, 70% of and retiring in 5, 10 years. I commend anyone is who simplifies their lives and removes the needless excess so they can achieve the goal. What I do see missing in some of these dramatic stories are the numbers, details, and well, relatability. Saving 70% of a $200k income is an achievement, but so is saving 20% of a $50,000. And to be helpful to families of different incomes, we need to look at the principles behind and it really comes down to mastering the art of living well on less. Notice I didn’t say living on less. You do have to spend less than you earn- that’s a core financial principle - but the other is living well. This is about a financial diet where you deprive yourself just to save m

Today we’re wrapping up the season with how to overcome setbacks and plan for your best year!  Financial Wins, Overcoming Setbacks, and Planning for Your Best Year How has this year been treating you? To be honest, things have been a real roller coaster.  We've made several trips this year to visit loved ones in the hospital, nursing homes, or just to check in on them.  We've also had a dear friend lose her battle with cancer this past week (hence the delay on the finale).  I appreciate having this option because I know years ago when we were in debt, this wouldn't have seemed possible.  It's made me more determined to continue helping families be in a better spot with their money so they can have more options like stepping back. I hate when money is a source of stress when you have bigger things to think about. With that in mind, today’s show is focused on how to do a year-end review. In this episode, we’ll get into: Our progress on our goals for the year and doing a year end revie What

Today we’re going over to figure out the best money goals for you and how to tackle them together! Tackling Your Big Money Goals It's December, can you believe it? What are your plans for this month? Last weekend we went up to visit family and friends in Virginia. We had a wonderful time, but we're a bit drained seeing so many people at once. This weekend we're relaxing. Now that we took care of the last bit of stuff for health insurance and investments that my husband's employer needed for next year, we should have time to chat a bit more on what we want to do overall. Typically we both have ideas on what we like to knock out and usually, we end up with 2 or 3 big goals for the year. Last year we focused on the basement renovation (1st phase done!), family trips (2 bigger and several weekend trips), and paying more towards the mortgage (upped our monthly mortgage payments). Proud of what we did and we'd like to build on that momentum. And based on the emails and messages I got it looks like you're thinking t

Today we’re answering your marriage and money questions - how to earn extra money on the side, figuring out your retirement number, and how to make the most of year-end bonus! Marriage and Money Mailbag: Extra Income, Your Retirement Number, and More It's that time again - our community mailbag!  It's a chance for me to answer your burning money questions. with the year wrapping up have some good ones today.  In this episode we’ll get into: How to make extra money when you don’t have time for a second job How to make your bonus go far Figuring out how much you two need to retire Let’s get started! Resources to Win with Your Money Want to go ahead and tackle your big marriage and money goals? Here are the resources we mentioned in today's episode along with some extras! Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Rock Your Retirement The 4% Ru

You’ve probably heard how giving not only benefits the recipients but the giver. However, what do you do when you’re in debt? Learn how you can pay off debt and give more to the causes that matter most to you! Giving While in Debt? When people ask this, two things jump out at me. First, they have a generous spirit. That’s fantastic. Second, their current budget isn’t working for them. That's something that needs to be adjusted. What if I told you there’s a way you can take care of the essentials, make progress on paying off your debts, and still give? Today Certified Financial Educational Instructor and The Money Speakeasy founder Wilson Muscadin is here to discuss how. In this episode we get into: Why we struggle with money A counter-intuitive way to think about how you budget How giving can help be wiser with your money Let’s get started! Resources to Give Back More If you're looking to create a budget that reflects your values while still taking care of the essentials, here are some resources to check ou

Part of protecting your finances means managing your accounts, both online and offline. Today we’ll share how you can arm yourself against fraud and scams! Keeping an Eye Out for Scams and Fraud With so many people shopping in stores and online, scammers are all too happy to grab your data and financial information. While there’s nothing you can do to completely eliminate these scams, there ways you can protect yourselves.  Joe Mecca from Coastal Federal Credit Union is back to wrap up this two-parter. In this episode we get into: Big offline scams and online phishing to watch out for Protecting yourself with strong passwords Apps and resources to protect you and your finances We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started! Resources to Protect Your Identity and Finances If you’ve had your wallet or purse stolen or lost, here are some resources we mentioned in the episode as well as some other handy articles to check out: IdentityTheft.gov Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft FBI Futurist Shares His Top

Protect yourself from identity theft and minimize damage with this handy guide on what to do when your wallet or purse is stolen!  My Wallet was Stolen, Now What? If you’re subscribed to the community newsletter you may remember that in July I mentioned that my purse got stolen in Denver. We were over in Colorado to celebrate my cousin getting married. Beautiful weekend and celebration, but yeah that was a sour note for sure. We spent a good chunk of time on the phone and online to get things squared away. As we were working to avoid getting hit with any unauthorized charges and sort out things with TSA since our flight back was only a few days away, I wished I had a handy and quick guide on what I needed to do. I hope you never have your wallet or purse stolen, but if you do I want to make things easier. That’s why I have Joe Mecca from Coastal Credit Union on. Here’s joining me today to discuss on what you need to know to protect yourself against identity theft and what steps you need to take to recover or

How much do we need to save for a baby? How do we handle medical expenses and finances with a disability? We answer your biggest marriage and money questions!  Marriage and Money Q&As Welcome to another edition of our community mailbag show! This is where we take a break from our regular episodes which usually deal with one topic and instead tackle several of your marriage and money questions in smaller bites. Today we have Phillip and Julia Olson as well as Brynee Conroy here on the podcast to help answer them In this episode we get into: How to handle the costs of having a baby Dealing with disabilities and finances What to do when the traditional advice does not apply Let’s dive in! Resources Mentioned Want to dig in some more? Here are some of the resources we mentioned in our episode plus more! The Art of Finance  Two Cents The Feminist Financial Handbook Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Saving: Qapital Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom Support the Podcast! Thank y

Tired of getting hit with fees from your bank? Today we’re going to see how you can find the best place to stash your cash to save and earn more money! Best Banks for Your Money All this month we’ve been talking about big decisions you need to make about health insurance and investing that will have an impact not only on your finances next year, but beyond. These are things you should care about for sure, but I want to cover pretty much a crucial decision you don’t want to ignore - your bank accounts. Where and how you bank can either help you reach your financial goals faster if you got a great banking partner or it can hinder you and drain your wallet if you have a dud. In this episode we’ll get into: why / where/ and how you bank matters 3 alternatives to the big banks that can save and make you more money How to easily set up and automate your money Hope you enjoy! Resources to Get the Most Out of Your Bank Accounts Are you two ready to master your joint accounts? Do you want to create a system that fit

Smart Retirement Moves for Your 401(k) Last week we look at retirement planning from a high level - figuring out a ballpark of what you’d like your retirement to look like as well as how it fits in with what you’re doing now. This week we’re focused on a very specific part - figuring out what to invest in when there are plenty of options. Since I’m not a financial planner and I have no idea of your very specific finances, this episode will cover the process. In this episode we’ll get into: Prioritizing your investments Look at whether index funds are really a smart move Optimizing your 401(k)  Hope you enjoy! Resources to Rock Your Retirement Ready to invest for retirement? Here are some fantastic resources to set things up and help you plan for your retirement together. Rock Retirement Investing Made Simple Free 401(k) Analysis: blooom The Secret Sauce to Financial Independence & Early Retirement Retirement Answer Man Podcast  Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint Automatic Savin

Feel like you have a full plate and not enough time (or money!) to plan for retirement? Learn step by step how you two can rock retirement and still have fun now!  Real Retirement Planning for Real Life Gotta love analytics. You all that data floating about. Once a week I look over things including what people searching when they discover Couple Money. And you know what I found? Believe or not, I noticed pretty much every day people discover my site with some variation of this one question. How much do we need to retire? It’s a big question for sure, but I don’t think it’s the right question. At least not to start with. As you probably discovered with that first question I asked, retirement can be completely different things to everyone. And sometimes you two can have differing opinions. So how do you figure what you need to do? You have to look at it at two different angles. Of course, there’s the technical part with the specific investments in your portfolio. But you before you do that you need a game plan.

Trying to sort through all the health insurance plans HR has given you? Find out how you can choose an affordable health insurance plan that covers your family's needs!  Affordable Health Insurance for You Health insurance is a huge expense. Last year when we reviewed the health plan options, we found out that premiums were going up. again. No surprise there, but the amount did catch us off guard. If we were to stay with the 'basic' family plan we had, our monthly premiums would be almost the same as our mortgage payment! That seemed ridiculous. If you're in the same boat - looking for an affordable health insurance plan that will cover your family's needs, save this episode. Michael Dinich is back to help decipher and decode health plans so you two will be armed to make the best choice for you and your situation. In this episode we discuss: exactly how copays, coinsurance, deductibles, and more work so you know what coming out of your pocket and what's covered compare how typical base plans

We open up the community mailbag again and answer your biggest marriage and money questions. Today we're discussing how to build your credit and raise your score, winning your spouse over with finances, and how to do a money date!  Raise Your Credit Score, Money Dates, and More Today’s episode is kind of brought by..... you. Yep, it's community mailbag again and this time we have quite a varied plate on our hands! I appreciate you sending your questions in. In this episode we get into: The biggest myths and bad advice about credit score How to work together on tackling money How money dates work for us If you’d like your question to be a part of the next mailbag, send it here moneyqa@couplemoney.com Hope you enjoy! Resources to Build Your Credit and More Here are some resources we shared on today's show to build your credit, become a team with finances, going on a money date, plus more.  Self Lender Your Money, Your Marriage by Cherie and Brian Lowe Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Min

Are you two frustrated because you're financial opposites? Learn strategies and conversation starters so you can get on the same page and win with money!  When Financial Opposites Attract Money fights are an incredible source of stress with marriage when left unchecked. it doesn't have to be that way. There are couples who have achieved huge goals - like paying off massive amounts of debts, buying their dream home, or travel together by harness the advantages of their differences. The key is learning how to work together even when they are financial opposites. I usually don’t do two guests, but I wanted to show how 1 - there are certain principles that can help every couple and 2 - there are times when you have to carve your own path. Her Money Matters author Jen Hemphill and Zeta CEO and founder Aditi Shekar join the show today. In this episode we get into: Creating your goals and money take Finding a budget you’re both on board with How to deal with tricky situations - like lending money to family - withou