Ep 230: Are you rich, regular, or something else? Take our 5 question quiz and find out

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 cardHow to check your credit and why you must The rise of shady credit repair schemesSmart ways to build or rebuild without getting scammedCredit reports, analogies, and a little tough loveLinks: Episode 211 - Everything you were never taught about bankruptcy (or watch it HERE)Check your credit report for free at AnnualCreditReport.comNational 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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

This episode is sponsored by NordProtect. To save up to 59% on annual plans for NordProtect visit https://nordprotect.com/richandregular and use code RICHANDREGULARThis week, we’re breaking down three money identities we’ve seen over and over again. None of these are “good” or “bad,” they’re more like energies, instincts, patterns we’ve all lived at some point. And just like a horoscope, you might recognize yourself in all of them.We’ll walk you through a quick quiz so you can find out where you land, and then we’ll show you why the answer isn’t as simple as picking one lan​​e.In this episode we: Break down 3 money identities you’ll probably recognize in yourself (or your friends)Walk you through our quiz so you can see how they show up in real life and which energy you naturally lead withTalk about why sticking with just one money identity might leave you stuck 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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

If budgets are supposed to keep us on track, why do so many of them make us feel stuck instead? In this episode, we talk about why the most common advice fails and what actually works when life keeps changing.The problem with budgets isn’t discipline, it’s design. Most advice assumes your income, expenses, and goals stay the same forever. Ours doesn’t, and neither should yours.We get into:Why the “stick to your budget no matter what” mantra sets you up to failHow to spot seasonal spending patterns and stop treating them like emergenciesThe difference between rules (non-negotiable facts of money) and richuals (flexible habits you can adapt)Why cash flow management matters more than month-to-month trackingHow to stop treating budgets as a once or twice-a-month activity and start managing them in real timeHow to use non-cash choices like skills, time, creativity, community as part of your default financial strategy.The problem with formulas like 50/30/20, and why they were never built for everyoneWhy sticking to the wrong budget doesn’t earn you extra credit and just ruins your motivation Links: Listen to Episode 224 - How to actually save money on groceries in 2025 or watch it hereListen to Episode 189 - Underconsumption Explained or watch it hereGeorgia residents - Mark your calendars for the Georgia PSC Election  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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

What if retirement wasn’t a one-time event at the end of a long career, but a rhythm you could build into your life right now?In this episode, we're joined by the brilliant Jillian Johnsrud, whose new book Retire Often flips the script on traditional retirement. Instead of waiting 40 years to enjoy life, Jillian makes the case for taking intentional mini-retirements throughout your career by taking one month off every couple of years….not to escape your life, but to design it.Jillian drops a 6.5% rule that reframes everything you’ve been taught about budgeting for time off. And we both realize: we’ve been doing mini-retirements, we just didn’t have the language for it.So together, we unpack:Why a single month can be more transformative than you thinkWhat burnout actually feels like (and why most of us misread it)The financial math behind taking breaks without going brokeWhy your future self will thank you for planning nowHow to pitch a break to your boss and mean itLinks: Get the “Retire Often” book or visit the websiteGrab her free worksheets on Planning and Negotiating your mini-retirementFollow Jillian on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube  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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

This week we’re celebrating our 10 year anniversary by sharing some lessons about money, partnership, and staying excited about the long game.10 years of marriage isn’t just a milestone, it’s a record of every choice you made together, from buying a house to splitting a check to deciding who’s unloading the dishwasher. Some of those choices aged well. Others? Let’s just say they came with late fees.In this episode, we get into:What to do when “my idea” needs “our money,” and how to bring and how to bring it up without sounding like you’re making a sales pitch or begging for permissionThe difference between conviction and borrowed confidence, and how to tell if you’re just hyped by somebody else’s resultsThe price we’ve paid for decisions that looked fine in the moment but flopped later and how we move on without dragging it out.Why marriage isn’t 50/50 most of the time, and how keeping score only makes the game worse.The trap of calling yourself “the responsible one” or “the spender,” and how those roles mess with the way you see each otherThe metrics that matter more than net worth if you want your marriage (and your life) to feel exciting in year 20, 30, and beyond 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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Some seasons of life are defined by money, and not in a good way. Those years test your patience, your relationships, and your identity. But they can become turning points and leave lessons that last long after the struggle is over.This week, we're talking about the kind of year that stretches everything. When progress feels invisible and the usual advice doesn’t cut it, it’s easy to lose momentum or give up entirely. We’ve been there, and in this episode, we’re sharing what helped us stay focused and keep moving forward when it felt like things were falling apart. Inside, we get into:How to know if you’re in a “hard year” (and why that label matters)Why you need new ways to measure progress when money is tightWhat baseball, burnout, and corporate spin can teach us about manufacturing winsHow to make quitting harderIf money’s been testing you lately, and you're tired of pretending it’s fine, this one's for you. 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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Most people only invest for retirement through their employer plan, which means if that plan is weak, your future could be too. But how do you actually know if it’s bad, or if you just don’t understand it yet?In this episode, we break down the three biggest signs your employer plan might be holding you back, and what to do about it.We’ll get into:Why some 401(k) fund menus feel like a restaurant with no good options (and how to find the hidden gems)What “the match” really means, why it’s not free money, and how to calculate its true impact on your paycheckThe ugly truth about vesting schedules, and why they’re less about rewarding loyalty and more about saving your employer moneyHow to compare your retirement benefits across jobs the same way you’d compare rent prices or school districts before movingYour retirement plan is part of your compensation, just like salary, PTO, and health insurance. If you’re ignoring it (or assuming it’s fine) you could be leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table.Take a closer look now so you can decide whether your plan is working for you, or if it’s time to find a better path forward.Links: Ep 171: Why you need a brokerage account: The Swiss Army knife of investing Ep 105: Planning for your retirement Ep 108: Sparking your early retirement dreams: A guide to FIRE   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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Groceries in 2025? Whew. Let’s just say…it ain’t pretty. Prices are still climbing, shrinkflation is in full effect, and Americans are still wasting almost 40% of the food we buy. Add tariffs and supply chain pressures on top, and it feels like we’re paying more, getting less, and throwing too much of it away.The good news is you don’t have to stay stuck in the cycle. In this episode, we’re breaking down 4 real-world strategies to fight back against rising grocery bills without sacrificing flavor or convenience.We’ll get into:Why shrinkflation is more than just smaller chip bags, and how bulk shopping gives you the upper handThe underrated art of “eating what you already have” (a.k.a. not letting random leftovers boss you around)When to splurge where it matters and save where it doesn’t Restaurant and takeout hacks that let you enjoy the vibe without paying full priceIf food is one of the top three line items blowing up your budget, this episode will help you take back control and maybe even have some fun with it.Links: Listen to Episode 147: Is a Costco membership worth it? (or watch it on YouTube)Watch our mini-doc Taste the Impact | The Money Behind Every Meal How we eat well without going brokeListen to Episode 132: Navigating the Grocery Wars  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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

👉 Catch us co-hosting the Merging into Life podcast with AAA Northeast! The first 2 episodes are live now, and you can listen on Apple Podcasts or here 👈This week we’re pulling the curtain back on a topic that rarely gets talked about honestly, whether private school is actually affordable… even if you can technically write the check.We’re not here to shame anyone’s choices. But if you’ve ever wondered whether that tuition bill is still worth it, or if you’ve been secretly thinking about pulling your kid out, we made this one for you. In this episode, we break down:Why the “$15K a year” number doesn’t tell the whole storyThe hidden (and not-so-hidden) social costs of private schoolHow the new national voucher program could raise tuition, not lower itWhat the research actually says about outcomes in public vs. private schoolA side-by-side comparison of investing the money instead and what that could mean for your child’s futureWe also get into the emotional toll of living on the financial edge “for the kids,” the illusion of networking your way into elite circles, and what wealthy families are doing differently that might surprise you.Whether you’re team public, private, homeschool or just trying to figure it out, you’ll leave with better questions, clearer trade-offs, and (hopefully) a little less guilt.​​Links: Episode 151 - How to raise a “rich” kidEpisode 69 - Investing for your kids 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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

We’ve been managing money together for almost a decade, and we’re still learning how to do it better. This episode is part relationship therapy, part financial strategy, and all the things we wish more couples talked about out loud.We’re talking about what it really takes to handle money together in a way that works for both people. Because most couples don’t need to watch each other’s every move, they just need to feel confident that they’re on the same page, making good decisions, and able to adjust when life throws something new at them.You’ll hear:Why “joint accounts” can still feel deeply one-sidedThe habits that sneak in when financial roles are never definedHow resentment builds when responsibility goes unspokenWhy full transparency isn’t always the solution, and what to build insteadHow to set boundaries without starting a fightWhy interdependence is harder (and better) than independence or controlLinks: The financial impact of divorce and breaking the stigma of prenups with family law attorney and founder of prenups.com, Aaron Thomas 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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow