Despite popular opinion, you don’t need a million dollars to be financially free. We’ll go over how you can create a financial independence plan that fits your family and is actually fun! How Much Do We Need as a Family to Be Financially Free? Simplify and Enjoy is about families working toward financial freedom using core ideas from financial independence and minimalism. But how does that work in times like these? Can we take this foundational question we talked about in an earlier episode – fi...
Jul 22, 2020•18 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Credit scores have a huge influence on finances, but they’re not an end all be all. Learn how to raise your credit score while building up your finances! When Your Credit Scores Matter I have to be honest – based on what I know and seeing how people react to them, I’m not a fan of obsessing over your credit score. However, I also realize that it does have a huge impact on most people’s finances. Lenders look at your credit score when deciding what rates you qualify for and if you’re looking at a...
Jul 14, 2020•14 min•Season 2Ep. 14
For most families, the school year is over and after being at home for months, there’s this desire to get out and explore. However, with coronavirus cases growing, many families are wondering, can we have a safe summer gateway? Summer Break (without Travel?) We’re in a strange season. Usually, summer is when families go on vacation, but travel is tricky (to put it mildly). Different parts of this country are being hit to varying degrees . We have states like Florida, Texas, Arizona, and South Ca...
Jul 07, 2020•11 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Today we’re digging into how to live well and enjoy this summer without breaking your budget! Enjoying Summer as a Family, Staying on Budget Saving money can be a smart and practical move when it comes to your finances. Sometimes though, you can get caught up with savings that it becomes your goal. In the personal finance space and in particular with the financial independence community, there’s a segment that is intensely focused on how cheap they’re living. They spend only $25,000 year or save...
Jun 30, 2020•30 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Since March families have been forced to scramble and readjust their money, homes, and routines to deal with the pandemic. Today we’ll look at how you can reset, rework, and simplify to reduce the stress and overwhelm this summer! Summer Plans: Rework Your Money, Home, and Routines Right now 2020 seems to me to be a cross between a disaster movie and a rollercoaster. The original plan was to return last month to Simplify and Enjoy, but things needed to be adjusted. I partnered up with our sponso...
Jun 24, 2020•29 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Want to get out and travel more with the kids this year without breaking your budget? Learn how you can use travel hacking to snag fantastic deals for your family trips! Travel Hacking 101 for Families This week we’re going to have to make a decision – the beach or mountains? Spring is coming which means we have a big break coming up and we’d like to take a mini-getaway as a family. As we’ve paid off the non-mortgage debts, we’ve tried to weave in breaks and trips as a way to recharge, reset, an...
Mar 10, 2020•16 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Besides investing in index funds, many families in the FI space are also investing in real estate. We’ll look at the different avenues involved (flipping, rental properties, REITs) so you can see if investing real estate is right for you! Is Real Estate Investing Right for Us? Have you ever watched one of those shows on HGTV and DIY where they renovate and then sell the homes – Desert Flippers , Good Bones , and my mom’s favorite – Texas Flip and Move . The transformation of those places can be ...
Mar 04, 2020•17 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Learn how you can find a great deal on a reliable car that you love! Car Buying Guide For many families, car payments are a part of their finances and a big chunk of their budget. Average monthly payments for new vehicles are $530 for new vehicles and for used cars, it’s around $381 . It doesn’t have to be that way though. When we switched over to buying our cars with cash, it really freed up so many options. Besides having more flexibility with our money on a monthly basis, we also found that w...
Feb 25, 2020•24 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Food is usually one of the biggest expenses families have. We dive right back in with ways you can save a significant amount of money while still being a foodie! Becoming a Frugal Foodie Frugal foodie is back! During our first season last year, I did an episode eating well on a budget and becoming a frugal foodie . It was one of the most popular episodes by far. I had a lot of fun doing it because we not only looking at ways to save on food – which can be a huge expense but how to do it in such ...
Feb 18, 2020•14 min•Season 2Ep. 7
We’re planning on renovating our kitchen, but we don’t want to break our budget. Is it possible to have a designer kitchen on an IKEA budget? We’ll find out today! Kitchen Reno on a Budget One of our big goals for 2020 is finally updating our kitchen. When we moved into our house four years ago, we knew there were going to be some projects. While the house definitely had some great bones and had a timeless quality to them, there were rooms that felt a bit…well dated. You got the stylish parquet ...
Feb 11, 2020•21 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Taxes aren’t fun, but if you’re looking to optimize your finances, you have to get your taxes done right. Learn about key tax deductions and credits available to families! Mastering Your Taxes This Year Tax season is here. And despite what TurboTax’s Superbowl ad says, not all of us are tax people. Most families I know are busy already and having to file taxes seems more like a chore than something fun. However, TurboTax did have a point – taxes affect all of us. And when you’re a family pursuin...
Feb 04, 2020•16 min
Not having a mortgage payment sounds like a dream, but is that a realistic goal for a family with young kids? Andrew shares how his family ‘found’ money to pay their mortgage off early and still have fun together! Paying Off Your Mortgage Early How did you feel when you bought your home? After you moved in, got all your stuff inside and arranged, what did you feel? Were you thrilled? Exited about having a place to call your own? Or did you feel like Andrew- suddenly aware of the long road ahead ...
Jan 28, 2020•27 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Plenty of advice on how to build a basic budget, but how do you strike that balance where you’re saving and investing for financial freedom and independence while still having fun now with the kids? We’ll find out how today! What’s the Best Budget for You? Budgets, spending plans – whatever you call them, people have strong feelings about them. Over the past ten years, I’ve talked to and interviewed couples and families about reaching big goals – financial or otherwise. I noticed certain pattern...
Jan 21, 2020•16 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Financial Independence seems almost impossible when you’re trying to raise kids, but many families are doing it. Matt Miner shares his family’s journey along with some key takeaways! Pursuing Financial Independence as Parents While finances are tracked and you are trying to optimize it, the real critical resource you’re seeking is time. To me, the point of financial independence is to give yourselves enough flexibility to pursue a memorable and meaningful life When you have kids, there are many ...
Jan 14, 2020•23 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Financial independence is a hot topic, but with so many different paths (FIRE, leanFI, FatFIRE, slowFI, etc), it can be difficult to figure out what’s the best path for you. Today we dive into some of the most popular ‘flavors’ of financial independence and weigh the pros and cons of them. We’ll also get into how you can begin to calculate your FI number! Is Financial Independence a Smart Path for Your Family? Be honest with me, what do you think of when you hear the term financial independence?...
Jan 07, 2020•23 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Today we’re showing you how to create a FI (financial independence) plan even while you’re raising your kids! Financial Independence and Family In this final episode for the season, I want to go back to a question I asked at the beginning – is it possible to become financially independent while raising kids? I had gone over some myths people have about the FI movement, including that you had to be high earners or that or that you need to be pinching pennies clipping coupons obsessively. Today I ...
Aug 27, 2019•16 min•Season 1Ep. 10
With so many different options for investing – 401(k)s, IRAs, taxable accounts, you might be wondering where should we put our money? Today we’re looking at how you can invest for you and your goals! Where Should We Invest? How You talk to most families about investing, whether it’s for retirement or another goal and you get this sense of overwhelm. Part of it is due to having so many thing you’re working on. Taking care of the kids. Saving for emergencies. Dealing with work. Paying off debts. I...
Aug 19, 2019•22 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Today we’re talking about how to get an HGTV worthy home on a budget! Home Renovations on a Budget Last episode we got into the house hunt; finding one of the gems at a great price . Louis Guillama shared how you can snag a fantastic deal by going up with a fixer-upper with solid bones. Now we’re getting into the nitty-gritty – turning that house into a home you love. We love those designs we see on HGTV and Pinterest, but we don’t want to blow thousands of dollars on a renovation. So how do you...
Aug 13, 2019•19 min•Season 1Ep. 8
We’ve heard how you can snag a deal by going with a fixer-upper, but is that really true? Today we’re digging in on the dos and don’ts with house hunting! Finding and Buyer a Fixer Upper, Not a Money Tip Buying a house – – it’s probably the biggest purchase you’ll make. And depending on where you live, it can be a crazy market. I know here in Raleigh everyone is saying it’s a seller’s market. And I believe it. I’ve seen houses get listed and that sold sticker put on the sign in less than a week....
Aug 05, 2019•17 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Most parents want their kids to not get stuck with a mountain of student loan debt. Learn the best ways to save now for your kid’s college or trade school! How to Save for Your Kid’s College / Trade School Education With student loans seeming like a weight on many college grads, I think most parents who kids are thinking about either college, trade school, or vocational schools are trying to find ways to ease the burden by saving ahead. And the advice typically given is to save ahead. How do you...
Jul 29, 2019•19 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Today we’re digging into how to take an awesome and cheap family getaway! Saving Big on Your Next Family Trip how We all need to decompress, connect as a family, and have a good time. Family getaways and vacations can wonderful ways to do that, but when you have young kids, there are challenges and a lot of moving parts. Are you doing a road trip or taking a plane ? Where can you go where you’re all able to have a good time? How do you get off the touristy path and discover what makes that place...
Jul 22, 2019•21 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Learn the frugal foodie tactics and strategies on how to slash your food bills while eating well! The Art of Being a Frugal Foodie How much do you spend on food? If you’re like most families, chances are it’s a big part of your budget. The USDA puts together a monthly report that looks into average food expenses. They break it down into thrifty, low-cost, moderate, and liberal spending plans based on how old your kids are. And the monthly costs for a family of four vary from $567 – $1296 . Like ...
Jul 15, 2019•20 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Today we’re going to discuss whether or not a high deductible plan with a health savings account is really an affordable option for your family! When we talk about optimizing expenses here on Simplify and Enjoy there are a few ground rules. Personal finance is personal so your budget will reflect your family’s priority and goals. Find ways to automate the tedious stuff because you have better ways to spend your time. Talk about money regularly and see it as a tool, not the goal. We focus on the ...
Jul 08, 2019•15 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Most people would love to become financially independent and have work be optional, but it is that realistic? Today we’re looking at the real scoop about FIRE and whether it’s the path for you! Financial Independence with Kids: Is That Really Possible? And while we would say we’re on the FI path, it’s not our focus. It’s more the how. But is financial independence the right direction for you and your family? Helping me to dig into this is Jonah Kaufman . He’s a financial advisor at Coastal Wealt...
Jul 01, 2019•20 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Welcome to Simplify and Enjoy, the podcast and community focused on helping families have less stress and more options thru minimalism and financial independence! I’ve been in the personal finance space for almost 10 years. Besides running Couple Money and now Simplify and Enjoy, I’ve also written for other sites like Business Insider, Turbotax, LendingTree, Entrepreneur,…you get the idea. When people see this online or maybe a friend finds out what I do, many assume that my husband and I talk a...
Jun 24, 2019•23 min•Season 1Ep. 1
