Couple Money Podcast: Build Your Marriage and Wealth Together

Learn how to buy the best laptop for you – get everything you need without paying a ton of money. We go over what features and specs to consider and ways you can maximize your buy. My laptop picked the worst time to break – between the house, work, and the kids, I really needed things to go smoothly. Unfortunately my laptop had other plans and just quit. The good news is  I was planning on replacing the laptop, so I had savings. With a business conference coming up next month , I had to speed up my timeline. I had to get a laptop that could handle my work, had good battery life, and would last for years. Sounds easy, right? [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/CM_S2E4_How_to_Buy_the_Best_Laptop_for_You.mp3″ ] Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to usewith a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook. Finding the Best Laptop By Focusing on Your Life If you haven’t gone shopping for a laptop recently, I will say that there are plenty of options, but sorting through them and honing in on the best one for you and your budget..well, it can be an adventure. Today episode I’ll share: * Figuring out the kind of laptop you need * sites to check out for deals * apps that can save you money While we’re looking at buying a laptop, I hope you can get tips the next time you make a big tech purchase. Figuring Out What Tech Specs I Need It’s not like they make it terribly easy. You have to decide between a ton of things, such as: * Processor: Just looking at Intel’s options, do you want a mobile, i3, i5, or i7 processor? * Data Storage: Do you go with Solid State or Hard Drive? * Memory: How many GB does you need? And of course, since this is a personal finance podcast, your budget is a key factor. How much do you have? I want to highlight that shopping by function can help you get better value with your purchase because you’re going after what you need it for versus unnecessarily paying for bells and whistles that you rarely if ever use. How are you planning on using your tech? I needed a laptop that was portable and could handle my office work wherever I go. I have two little ones so a light but sturdy model would be practical. Ultrabooks fit with my needs so I then had to make a consideration the specs. I skipped on the mobile processor because my typical workload. That said, I didn’t need the top of the line i7 for the job. Which worked out well as those were out of my price point. Did you find something you really liked, but it’s way outside of your price range? One thing you want to consider is with the previous model. Seeing that there was a huge difference between disk space with SSDs and HD (talking about TB for HDs VS 256g for SSDs), I asked my husband, a software developer and who has tried out several laptops for work, for his thoughts. My apologies as I’m not a tech expert – but from what I gathered, the reason for the huge difference between the two is how the data is written.

Teaching your kid about money with an allowance is smart. You can help them become financially savvy and develop generosity and entrepreneurship.  [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/CM_S2E3_Giving_Kids_an_Allowance_What_You_Need_to_Know.mp3″ ] Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to usewith a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter andFacebook. Using Allowance to Teach Kids About Money One of most popular episodes last season was about teaching kids about money. I had interviewed Ron Lieber, NY Times columnist about his book, The Opposite of Spoiled. We discussed helping kids to be comfortable with both how to handle money and teaching them to be thoughtful with their finances. Today we’ll look at putting theory into practice – our oldest has began receiving an allowance.  I know that many of you are in the boat – we want to pass on good money habits, so I hope giving you a peek at how we’re doing it may help make the milestone easier. When Should We Start an Allowance? Experts suggest starting an allowance around the time they start kindergarten, but you have a clearer on what your child can handle. Believe it or not, some pre-schoolers may be ready for an allowance. Sesame Street created content that helped kids grab the fundamental concept of needs vs wants. How Much Allowance Should We Give? The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants found the average American family that pays an allowance spends about 50 cents per year based on the child’s age a week. So an 8 year old would get $4/week. Because she’s four, we’re starting small – $1/week. We’re pretty sure it’ll go up later, but right now she’s happy with what she has. You may be wondering how can she learn about spending if we’re giving her $4/month. What we’ve come up with is a contribution system. Any extra she wants she has to put something in. I’ll give you an example with our groceries. We have snacks as a part of our grocery budget – chips, sweets, you name it. We pick up things that all of us enjoy. However if she wants to get a particular snack that she wants for herself, you has put the money in. Should we Tie Chores to Allowances? I think there is a valid case to be made for both sides. For us, we decided to not tie them together for now. We’re a family and to keep things manageable, all of us have to contribute. We expect the essentials (tidying up her room, feeding her cat) to be done regardless if she gets an allowance or not. The good news for us is that she enjoys doing ‘big girl stuff’ so we don’t have a problem with her cooperating with chores.

Find how you can cut the cord and set-up your tech so you can legally watch TV and movies without paying a ton of money. Brad from Internet TV Boxes guides us through streaming media players.  [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/CM_S2E2_Cutting_the_Cable_TV_Cord.mp3″ ] Disclaimer: Affiliate links are included.  Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook. Cutting the Cord Using Streaming Media Players While no one wants to pay a ton of money each month, I’d say there are plenty of people, ourselves included, who enjoy watching a little TV or having a movie night at the house. Today’s guest, Brad from Internet TV Boxes, is going to help us find an affordable solution. Roku What appealed to us about Roku is that there is no monthly fee for the basic service. You buy a unit and out of the box your Roku comes with a lot of free channels and content. Hulu Plus If you want to catch current shows, Hulu Plus can be a cheap option.Plus members can access their content on their electronics such as computers, iPod Touch, Roku,  and TV. Hulu offers less ads for their shows, but they are still included with a paid subscription. Sling TV Sling works by streaming your favorite television shows through the internet. They have packages with channels such as ESPN, HGTV, and Disney. You can grab them starting at $20/month and there is no contract. Try Sling TV free for 7 days to see if it’s the right pick for you. Cable Alternative Resources If you want to cut the cord, here are some resources mentioned on the show you can try out. * Tech Guide to Cutting the Cord * Brad’s Top Six Streaming Media Set-ups * Top 10 Free Roku Channels for Kids and Families You can also reach out to Brad on Twitter and Facebook.

Mike and Lauren show how DIY home and car repairs can save you a ton of money. Learn what tools you need and which projects to start out with, no matter your skills.  [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/CM_S2E1_DIY_Home__Car_Repair_-_Essential_Skills_You_Need.mp3″ ] Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook. Welcome to the second season of the Couple Money Podcast! We have more experts, more stories, and more tips on how the two of you can build up your marriage and finances. And sometimes the building part is literal. Save a Ton of Money with DIY Home and Car Repair For a lot of couples their homes and cars are some of their biggest expenses. While you may not be able to eliminate them overnight, you two can save a ton of money by picking up some new and handy skills. Now if you have a major problem, by all means call a professional. That said, you may be surprised at how much you can do on your own. There are plenty of basic and necessary skills and jobs you can do yourself. A good plumber can be pricey, so don’t waste your time calling them for small projects like unclogging your toilet. Even though we’ve picked up here & there what we needed to keep things running smoothly around our place, I don’t think you’d like to get Do It Yourself ideas from us. Thankfully we have Mike and Lauren (here’s their story) as guests who make DIY not only fun, but romantic. Resources Mentioned on the Show I highly recommend you go to their channel – Mike & Lauren – and subscribe.  It’s more than just DIY – it’s a little bit of everything which is why I love it. A few of my favorites videos are: * Ways We Save Money For Early Retirement * How to Buy a Used Car (Without Getting Ripped Off) * Does Homesteading Save Money? feat. BABY GOATS!!! Mike and Lauren also had few picks you may love: * Polarizing Purchases * How To Retire Early – Our Plan For Financial Independence If you want to get started, here’s a Big List of DIY Home Repairs and Maintenance.

Even though the podcast will be on break with new episodes over the next two weeks, there is plenty of work going on. As loyal listeners and members of the community, I want to keep you in the loop. I also want to give you an opportunity to shape this new season. [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/QA_Session_40_Couple_Money_Podcast_Second_Season_Launch_August_4.mp3″ ] Bigger & Better Couple Money Podcast My goal is to provide an informative podcast that motivates and excites you about improving your finances as a married couple. Two areas where I want to improve are: * how the podcast is presented to new listeners * how polished the episodes are (on both the production and content sides) New Podcast Cover While I like how this current design got the gist of this podcast – it’s about helping couples work together on the money and marriage, I want to a podcast that captures a little bit of the how. I have several ideas, but nothing that I’m jumping at. If it turns out like last time, I won’t finalize the picture until the episodes come out again. So if you have any ideas, go ahead and send them in. You can sketch it out and send a pic through email, twitter, or Facebook. If I use your idea, you will get a hat tip from me on the show. Episode Format This podcast is fun for me because as the tag line says, we looking at building up your marriage and growing your net worth. It sounds like it would be limited, but there is so much you can dig into. Some topics, like how to pay off debt faster may be more objectively based where we compare and examine pros and cons while others may consider the psychology behind certain behaviors like whether or not you should loan to family. I truly like both and don’t want want to pick one. So the next season will continue to be a mix of both. After doing 80 episodes that there isn’t a set format that would work. But I’m working on developing a framework that would help me structure the show. That will save me a tremendous amount of time and I can direct that more on the content I produce. It would also keep expenses manageable with the podcast. With this next season, this podcast will continue to be available free. I’ll share some ideas I have on finances that doesn’t involve cheesy and unremarkable 15, 30 second ads in the newsletter next week, so if you haven’t signed up, go ahead now. My question for you is the follow-up episodes. Do you enjoy them? Should they be tied directly to the weekly show? Or should I skip them? Your opinion absolutely matters, so please feel free to reach out to me with your ideas, suggestions, and feedback. Coming Back August 4th! I hope to hear from you soon. If not though, please take care and be ready August 4!

Learn how you can make your finances work so one of you can be a stay at home parent. Get tips on how to get rid of debt and how you can balance working from home with little ones around.  [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/CM_040_Couple_Money_Guide_to_Becoming_a_Stay_at_Home_Parent.mp3″ ] Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook. There are several reasons why couples may want to have at least one of them stay home with the kids. In most cases, it’s a mix of the practical and the emotional. Financial Benefits to Being a Stay at Home Parent On the financial side, day care can be extremely pricey. The National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) found that the average cost of daycare in the United States for an infant or toddler is about $972 a month. For an urban area like NYC and San Francisco, it can be closer to $2,000! For those with pre-schoolers, you’re looking at an average of $733/month. That’s a significant amount and if you have two kids or more kids, daycare can be as expensive as your housing. And then there is a satisfaction from spending time with your children. Finding that balance can be difficult and each couple has to make choices based on their circumstances. In this episode we look at some of the numbers and scenarios you might face. We’ll go over: * Can you arrange the money to allow at least one of you to be with the kids at home? * Should you delay or put it off if you two are in debt? * Is it possible to be a work from parent (without losing your mind)? We’ll share how it worked for us and get some tips and ideas from other couples who have made the transition. Making the Money Work to Be a Stay at Home Parent While some consider staying at home a luxury, most parents I spoke to made sacrifices with their budget so that one of them could stay home full time. * Make sure both parents are on board – This is most certainly a team effort and both of you need to be excited about this transition. * Review your current financial situation – You can’t go into this with blinders on. You want this change to not be overly stressful or tense. Grab your numbers and see where you are. Two of my favorite free online tools to use are Personal Capital and Mint. If you prefer pen and paper, do that. * Move finances so the essentials are covered under one income – You don’t have to wait for kids to do this. Actually I think all couples can do their finances a huge favor if they adopt this goal. Do a line by line check of your expenses and try to get a better deal. * Test run your new budget ahead of time – Here’s where you two can give yourselves some peace of mind and improve your finances. As soon as you can, begin living on that one income. Pretend that the stay at home parent’s paychecks aren’t coming in.

Learn how you can stage and prepare your home for an open house when it comes time to sell. These tips could help you sell it faster and get the price you want.  [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/QA_Session_39_Preparing_an_Open_House_That_Wows_Potential_Buyers.mp3″ ] This week’s theme is about staging and selling house so you can get a better price. Your real eastate agent may suggest hosting an open house to get some traffic in. Whether it’s your first time or not, I have some tips from the staging consultant that worked with us that are designed to help your home become more appealing to potential buyers. Open House Prep Begins Outside Let’s start with the curb appeal. Before they set foot in your house, you want to make sure buyers are excited about the place. * Don’t block your house with cars. Move them out of the driveway and in front of the house. * Clean and de-clutter your front lawn. * Make sure your garage doors are down If you need to, go to a garden or home improvement store and pick up some bright and cheery colored flowers to strategically place outside. Making Your Open House Shine with Staging Once potential buyers are inside, you can help them picture themselves living there by getting all the rooms ready. * Tidy up all the stuff off the floor – toys, pet stuff – get it all out * Turn the lights on, open up the blinds * Wipe down counters * Vacuum the carpets and Clean the floors * Have the house at a comfortable temperature * Open all the doors (except closets) * Play music (classical or soft rock) and make sure it is low enough people can carry on a conversation Finally it would be best if you leave your home while the open house is happening. Your gent is trained and can keep an eye on guest and gauge their interest for you. Sounds fairly simple, but these tips can play a big part with selling your house!

Learn how staging your home can help you sell your house quicker and for more money. Plus get the top staging tips that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.  [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/CM_039_Staging_Your_Home_to_Sell_Faster.mp3″ ] Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook. Why Staging Your Home Matters You’re basically trying to make it easier for potential buyers to see themselves living in the house. We’re visual creatures and sometimes we need some help figuring out if our furniture will fit in a room or even how we’d use a certain space. It could be that factor that helps sell your home quicker. According to International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP) a staged home on average sells in 11 days versus 90 days for one that isn’t. There are different levels of staging your home, depending on its current condition. I saw some articles on replacing countertops and upgrading floor. That’s not my focus on this episode. I’m highlighting things you two can do on your own on the cheap that will pay off. Declutter Your House  Room By Room If I had to boil down the tips the staging consultant gave, it would be: declutter. You want enough items that the buyer can see how the room is being used, but you don’t to overwhelm them with all your stuff. We certainly had some things that needed to go away so we went room by room and used the four box method: * Put Away * Sell/Donate * Storage * Trash If you’re keeping a ton of things for storage you probably should re-evaluate if you really need that item or if you should unload before you move to your next place. Tips on Staging Your House to Sell Before the come in, make sure your house gives a great first impression. Polishing up its curb appeal to make sure you’re not driving potential buyers away. * Freshen up mulch areas * Pressure wash wash the house, driveways, and decks if they need it * Put some colorful flowers in carefully planned spots * Get a new welcome mat * Store your gnomes and other lawn ornaments Once inside, you want your house to put it’s best face forward. The two biggest places you  need to look great are your floors and walls. * If you have carpets, have them professionally cleaned. Hardwood floors should be refinished. * Re-caulk the house as needed. * Retouch/Paint around the house * Clean and Check all light fixtures (100w) * Clean, Clean, Clean the house * DEpersonalize the room * Pets – hide evidence Yes it does take work the first time you prepare the place, but all you need are touch-ups for the showings (hopefully not many because your staging has won them over).

Learn why it’s important to come clean about debt to your spouse. We also go over the process to make things easier and I have a success story I want to share to help you two be more open about your finances in your marriage.  [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/QA_Session_38_Admitting_to_Your_Spouse_That_Youre_in_Debt.mp3″ ] Admitting to Your Spouse That You’re in Debt Money and marriage do not have to be a source of friction,  but for some it can be painful, especially when one is hiding debt from the other. Keeping financial secrets can be harmful beyond the money. You break your spouse’s trust in you which is poison to your marriage. Coming clean is never easy, but it’s absolutely necessary if you want to keep your marriage and fix your finances. * Admit that you have a problem. Your spouse deserves to hear the news from you. * Be open with the debt. You may think you can open up little by little, but it’s better to rip off the band aid. * Agree to lay off the cards. Protect your family’s finances and stop using them. * Create a debt pay off plan together. Here is where the two of you need to especially be open with one another. Make sure that the plan you come up with is something both of you agree on. * Decide on your next steps. What can you do to prevent this from happening again? It takes effort because you’re trying to not just address the symptom, but the root cause – Reevaluating why you’re spending and why you’re hiding things. You may need some professional help, both for your marriage and your finances, but it’s well worth the effort! Working Together and Getting Out of Debt I wish you two the best and if you’re looking for a success story, please check out Episode Eight with Travis Pizel about Getting Free From Debt. He reached a point where they were unable to pay all of their monthly bills and he had to admit to his wife they they were in six figures of debt.  He shares how that conversation went the long and hard journey they took and how they are debt free and now on top of their finances. I hope his story helps you with your marriage and finances. Newlyweds and Finances Since it is wedding season, I want to mention that Toni had me over the Midday Money Show and had a fun chat about newlyweds and money. Here are some things we went over: * Questions couples need to ask (and have answered) before saying “I Do”. * How to set up the money date to address finances without turning it into an interrogation. * How couples at odds financially can work together effectively. * Tips for sticking to a wedding budget and facing this financial endeavor as a couple. Even though the focus is on engaged and newlyweds, I really feel you should have a listen.  Toni & I share our hard learned lessons and the progress we made communicating better with our husbands. Catch it on Debt Free Divas when you have a chance. Until next time take care!

Fidelity and Haven recently released survey results about couples and money. Learn how you two can be more open about your finances and protect yourselves from secret debts and accounts in your marriage. [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/CM_038_Love_Money_and_Secrets_How_to_Be_Open_with_Your_Marriage_and_Finances.mp3″ ] Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook. How well do you know your spouse? If I asked you what are their favorite food or places they’d love to travel to next, you probably could give me an answer fairly quickly, right? Now let me ask you this – how much money did they make last month? Could you give me a concrete amount or is it a ballpark figure? I’m hoping it’s the former, but from what I’ve been reading lately, it appears that many couples are in the dark about each other’s finances. Couples and Money Let’s take my question about salary – Fidelity Investments recently released results from their 2015 Couples Retirement Study. Of those surveyed, 43% couldn’t correctly identify how much their partner makes of that group 10% were off by $25,000 or more. Those are pretty significant numbers. Or how about this from Haven Life –  one in five Americans have secret debt their partner doesn’t know about. That’s a lot of couples with secrets. But that doesn’t have to be the case with you. This episode  we’re going to look at a few of the major findings, figure out why it happens, and have some solutions so if you’re in these situations, you can start improving your money and marriage today. Helpful Resources If you want to learn more about how to communicate better about money, here are some links to get you started. * Personal Capital: A free tool that makes it easy to get a financial snapshot of your finances and keep tabs on your money. * Mint: Another free option to help the two of you stay on the same financial page. * Having the Money Talk with Your Spouse * Secret Savings, Accounts, and Debt – Oh My! * Why partners do not talk about salaries * Better Conversations on Money and Marriage * His & Her Money Podcast Hope you have a wonderful week!

The year is halfway through – time to have a financial check-up and make sure your money is doing what it needs to. We also look at money making hobbies you can try out to boost your income and unwind after work.  [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/QA_Session_37_Mid_Year_Check-ups_Profitable_Hobbies_and_Financial_Peace.mp3″ ] For those who subscribe to the podcast you may have noticed that this week’s mini-episode is later than usual. I have a very good reason – I was out of town catching up with family. We’re back now – physically tired, but emotionally energized.  I had the pleasure of watching our daughters play with their great grandmother and aunt along with so many others at the reunion. Using Money to Build Up Your Marriage I know the title of this podcast includes money in it, but I do hope you take away from every show is the fact that money isn’t the focus. It’s your marriage and your family. Money is simply a tool to help you. You may recall from my interview with Chris, the FPU coordinator, the more a couple works on their communication, the better the finances can be because you have two people working on that same goal. So if you haven’t already, make a date. Catch up on your finances. And if you need help, my post from Monday may help. I began the week talking about doing a mid-year check-up on our own finances. Every couple is different, but I think you should do a comprehensive money review at least once a season. It’ll give you a chance to look over how your money is doing and whether or not you should make changes. Don’t be afraid if things aren’t going as well as you thought or hoped. We’ve had a roller-coaster of a ride for the first half of 2015. I’d like to have paid down our student loans faster, but stepping back, we’re still moving in the right direction. We’re adjusting appropriately and determined to make the rest of the year better. Money Saving and Making Hobbies The second post I wrote was about learning and building a money making hobby. I’m not suggesting that you only take on hobbies that make you money. I just want you to look at creating things to relax and unwind rather than just consume. It’s a more productive use of your time, and sometimes finding that career that you love starts off with a new hobby. For me, it’s fixing up some of our tables and cabinets around our place. Not an expert by any means, but I discovered that redoing some pieces can fun. So how about you? What do you like to do to unwind? Thank You to Our Partners Support for this podcast comes from partners like Personal Capital. Easy to set up & easy to use. You can have all your investments, income, and expenses all pulled into one place. Did I mention it’s free? Why don’t you give Personal Capital a try today?

Learn how you two have more control over your money and how some families have used Financial Peace University as a path to financial freedom. Chris from Money Peach, a FPU coordinator, is our special guest.  [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/CM_037_Getting_Out_of_Debt_and_Finding_Financial_Peace.mp3″ ] Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook. Making big changes, like getting out of massive amounts of debt can be challenging.  Many of our financial habits are deeply ingrained and they require us to see how and why they came about and then develop better money habits. Is Financial Peace University Right for You?  It can a matter of working together slowly using the resources around us and online. For many couples, however, it takes something more structured and formal to reach their goals. Today we’re going to look at a popular option – Financial Peace University. It’s a course designed by Dave Ramsey and his team about 20 years ago to guide others in managing their finances.  According to Dave, the average family taking the course gets rid of over $5,000 of debt in the first 90 days- impressive numbers. In this episode we’re: * getting an overview of what FPU covers * looking at some of the results students have achieved * how you two can get started if that’s the path you want to take Chris from Money Peach will be sharing his thoughts and experiences as a FPU coordinator. Taking Care of Your Finances with Money Peach If you haven’t checked it out already, Chris has made Money Peach a wonderful resource for anyone who wants to get out of debt and have more control over their money. Besides showing you how to use a debt snowball or how to make a doable budget, Chris has quite a collection of stories from people who have become debt free. Different backgrounds and situations, but they tackled their money problems. The latest I caught was a single mom who paid off over $300,000 of debt! Motivation from real people wanting to do better with their finances. I believe these stories are where Money Peach shine. Helpful Resources If you want to learn more about Chris and Money Peach or Financial Peace University, here are some links to get you started. * Marriage and Money Talk – Avoid Sleeping on the Couch * The Most Important Lesson We Learned About Money * Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University™ – Program Review *

Get highlights from Couple Money how to throw a summer party without breaking your budget and saving big on fancy dinners! [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/QA_Session_36_Selling_a_House_Fancy_Dinner_and_Family_Get_Togethers.mp3″ ] Before I review this week’s money saving tips, I wanted to give you an update on our house situation. On the Market! We have went ahead and put our house on the market. We searched around and found a really good agent whom we clicked with. We also have a pre-approval letter for when we need to shop for our next place. It may not sound like much, but every day has been packed full of stuff to do. Of course it begins by running some numbers.

Learn how you can become financially independent even as a busy parent. Matt Becker from Mom and Dad Money explains how to avoid the major investing and saving mistakes that hold most people back. [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/CM_036_Financial_Independence_and_Parenthood.mp3″ ] Subscribe to Couple Money Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher, or copy this link to use with a podcatcher of your choice. You can also find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook. Becoming financially free – It sounds good and flows very nicely for a podcast intro, but What does that mean? Usually couples who are working on their finances have some end goal in mind. If they’re in debt their first step is to get out of it. That’s something we talk about on the often since it is such a huge burden on family finances and the marriage. But what about the main goal? Once you’re done getting out of debt. What are you two working towards? Reaching Financial Independence as Parents For my husband and I it’s about having more freedom with our work schedule and money so we can spend more time with our kids and projects that matter most to us. You may have a different goal. My hope with the podcast is to give you tools, ideas, and resource to help you find and work towards your goals through finances while building up your marriage. Matt Becker, a financial planner, has recently released a book entitled, The New Parents’ Guide to Financial Independence and is here sharing how parents can take the steps to move closer to their goals. Today he discusses: * why working towards financial independence can be a more fulfilling goal than simply saving for retirement * how financial independence can be done in intervals so you can explore your professional and personal options in life * and why your savings rate is more far important than your actual investments Even though this episode is coming from a parent’s perspective, it really applies to anyone looking to use their finances to live a more meaningful life. Helpful Resources If you want to learn more about Matt and his book or you just want to find out more about investing, here are some links to check out. 2 Good Reasons to Start Investing Now, No Matter How Much Money You Have How to Set Up Your Retirement Accounts in 20 Minutes The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement Reach Financial Independence on Your Terms

Learn how to make this summer even better by finding the best local deals and saving a ton of money when you’re shopping for fresh foods.  [smart_track_player url=”http://media.blubrry.com/couplemoney/traffic.libsyn.com/couplemoney/QA_Session_35_Enjoying_Local_Deals_and_Eating_Well.mp3″ ] Another week is done and the Summer of Savings continues! With so many people outside enjoying the warmer weather, now can be fantastic opportunity to discover some new spots around town. Groupon and Living Social can be easy waysr to snag a deal, but they’re not the only options. Getting the Best Local Deals If you want to rediscover your town, you might want to check out my post on the blog about finding the best local deals.  I gave my list of apps and sites that can help you find local events, concerts, and shopping deals. Two of them include: * BandsInTown: Stay up to date with the bands performing in your area. You can link up your Pandora playlist to get a personalized concert calendar based on the music you love. * Dealspotting: Other shoppers submit deals to the app allowing you to uncover some less publicized specials on some venues and shops. If you have any sites or apps that you absolutely love, let me know and I’ll add it to the list. Eating Well and Saving Money The other big post this week was from yesterday. I gave 7 ways you can save money while eating well. * Shop in season. Eating seasonally can save you big bucks at the grocery stores. If you can, preserve or freeze what you can for off season. * Shop local. You don’t have to visit all the farms in the area (though it can be fun!). There are farmer’s markets and CSA programs that allow you to be more familiar with how your food was grown or raised. Please check them when you have a minute so you can maximize your savings. Thank You to Our Partners Support for this podcast comes from partners like Personal Capital. Easy to set up & easy to use. You can have all your investments, income, and expenses all pulled into one place. Did I mention it’s free? Why don’t you give Personal Capital a try today? Go On a Date, Win $100 Don’t forget to enter the #20dollardatechallenge. You still have time to take one for a chance to win $100. It’s easy and it’s free. Just take a picture from your own $20 date (or girls/guys night), tag me, and use #20dollardatechallenge. Once I’ve verified you’re a newsletter subscriber, you’re entered. Not a subscriber? No problem, you can sign up here. Hope you enjoy your weekend; take care!