Marriage Kids and Money: Personal Finance for Families

Chris Leigh and his wife have grown their net worth to $700,000 by age 29, all while building careers as public school teachers.

In this episode, we talk with Chris, the personal finance educator behind Everyday Finance 101, about the habits and decisions that helped his family build wealth at a young age. Chris shares how he and his wife grew their combined income from around $100,000 to roughly $180,000, paid off student loans and car debt, invested consistently, and built nearly $1 million in assets.

We also discuss building wealth as a married couple, increasing your income as a teacher, investing for early retirement, and why tracking your spending may be even more important than choosing the perfect investment.

If you're working toward your first $100,000, $500,000, or $1 million net worth milestone, Chris's story is a great reminder that starting early, communicating with your spouse, and consistently managing your money can make a huge difference over time.

Want to build wealth and design a life around what matters most? Grab my book Own Your Time: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book

In This Episode You'll Learn:

How Chris and his wife built a $700,000 net worth by age 29

How two teachers grew their combined income to around $180,000

Why getting on the same financial page with your spouse matters

How they paid off student loans and car debt

Why Chris uses Roth IRAs, 457 plans, a brokerage account, and an HSA

How 457 plans can help teachers pursuing early retirement

Why tracking your spending is one of Chris's most important wealth-building habits

How starting early can give you more freedom later in life

Resources Mentioned:

Own Your Time: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book

Everyday Finance 101: Find Chris Leigh on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube @everydayfinance101

Monarch Money (Get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core): https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/monarchmoney

Leave a voicemail for the show: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/voicemail

Podcast Credits:

Host: Andy HillEditor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Support: Michelle Ahmed
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should you invest your extra money or use it to pay off your mortgage early?

In this episode, we tackle that question from Brian, a 35-year-old dad with two kids and an extra $1,000 per month. His ultimate goal isn't simply building the biggest net worth possible. He wants to work less and spend more time with his family.

We walk through a practical path that prioritizes building a strong financial foundation, reaching Coast FIRE, working toward mortgage freedom, and ultimately using that financial flexibility to create more time, space and margin.

We also answer a question from a 40-year-old listener with $700,000 invested for retirement who wonders: Can you actually save too much for retirement?

We explore how Coast FIRE can help us determine when we may have enough invested for the future, why time has an opportunity cost too, and how pulling back on retirement contributions could allow us to enjoy more of our lives today.

And to close things out, Calvin Hill joins us for another Money Quiz! We talk investing, the difference between making more money and making more time, and the surprising amount of money generated by the company behind his favorite game, Clash Royale.

RESOURCES:

Boldin:https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/boldin

Coast FIRE Calculator:https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/calculators/coast-fire/

Nectarine (Advice-Only Financial Advisors):https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/nectarine

Leave us a voicemail:https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/voicemail

CREDITS:

Host: Andy Hill, AFC®

Podcast Editor: Johnny Sohl

Podcast Support: Michelle Ahmed
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicole left her corporate career six weeks ago to launch her own skincare studio.

So... was it the right decision?

In this Bread & Wine conversation, we pour a glass, get honest about the emotional highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and share what it's really like when the excitement of starting a business gives way to self-doubt, marketing struggles, and sleepless nights.

We talk about:

Why Nicole finally decided to leave her job after years of thinking about it

The surprising challenges of running your own business

How social media can hurt confidence more than it helps

Why promotion is often harder than creating a great product

What it's like to support your spouse through a major career transition

Why starting a business feels a lot like becoming a parent

Whether you're dreaming about starting a business, considering a career change, or simply navigating a season of uncertainty, we hope this conversation reminds you that you're not alone.

Thanks for joining us for another Bread & Wine. Cheers! 🍷

*Links & Resources*

Glass Skin Studiohttps://glass-skin-studio.com

Follow Nicole on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/glassskinnicole

The RealEsth with Nicole Hill (YouTube)https://www.youtube.com/@therealesth
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This summer marks 10 years of Marriage Kids and Money.

Back in 2016, I launched this podcast with a simple goal: help families build wealth and create more freedom. Over the past decade, we've shared hundreds of conversations about money, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, financial independence, and designing a life you love.

Today, I have a quick personal update. For the first time in the show's history, I'm taking the summer off.

Why? Because if I'm going to encourage you to own your time and prioritize what matters most, I need to do the same. With my kids now 14 and 12, I want to spend this season making memories with my family, focusing on my health, and creating more space in my life.

Consider this the end of the first 10-year season of Marriage Kids and Money.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I'll see you back here in September for Season Two.

Carpe diem.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Egashira grew her family’s net worth to $2.2 million by age 35. But her story didn’t start there.

Growing up in poverty, Emily experienced financial instability firsthand and was determined to create a different future for her family. In this episode, we explore how she and her husband built wealth through intentional spending, consistent investing, and a shared vision for financial independence.

Emily shares how they increased their household income from $120,000 to more than $400,000, paid off their mortgage in just three years, and built a seven-figure investment portfolio. We also discuss financial communication in marriage, raising a child with healthy money values, and using wealth as a tool to create freedom and generosity.

If you've ever wondered how to build wealth without lifestyle inflation or how financial independence can create more options for your family, this conversation is for you.

Want to build wealth and design a life around what matters most? Grab our book Own Your Time: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book

In This Episode You'll Learn:

How Emily grew her family's net worth to $2.2 million by age 35

Why monthly money meetings strengthened their marriage

How they paid off a mortgage in just three years

The role investing played in building a seven-figure portfolio

How to balance generational wealth with raising grounded kids

Why financial independence is really about freedom and flexibility

Resources Mentioned:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyfrienditsem

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heyfrienditsem

Monarch Money (track your net worth): https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/monarchmoney

Leave a voicemail for the show: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/voicemail

Podcast Credits:
Host: Andy Hill
Editor: Johnny Sohl
Podcast Support: Michelle Ahmed
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices