Marriage Kids and Money: Personal Finance for Families

What if you could reach a point where your investments were doing the heavy lifting and you could finally slow down without falling behind? Would you keep pushing forward, or would you take the exit and design a life that fits right now? In today’s episode, Anders Skagerberg shares how he and his wife reached Coast FIRE in their early thirties and made the intentional decision to downshift. Instead of continuing to save aggressively, they chose to prioritize time, flexibility, and family while letting compound growth work in the background. Anders explains what Coast FIRE really looks like in real life and how it gave his family options instead of pressure. This episode is part of our Best of MKM series and was originally recorded in 2023. A short clip from this conversation took off on YouTube, so we decided to bring you the full story. Anders breaks down his Coast FIRE numbers, the accounts he uses, how he and his wife communicate about money, and why taking the Coast FIRE exit does not have to be permanent. If you are Coast FIRE curious or wondering whether you can have both freedom today and security tomorrow, this conversation will help you think differently about what is possible. CHAPTERS 🎧 0:00 Intro 0:41 Meet Anders Skagerberg 2:08 Coast FIRE Five 3:06 Retirement projections 4:41 Current household spending 5:43 What motivated Anders to start investing 6:46 Lessons from the Great Financial Crisis 9:02 How their investments are structured 10:43 Why tax diversification matters 11:50 How they communicate about money as a couple 13:03 Taking the Coast FIRE exit 15:12 Life after downshifting 16:30 One step to start your Coast FIRE journey 17:14 Where to find Anders online RESOURCES 📚 Own Your Timehttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book Track Your Spending and Net Worth with Monarch Moneyhttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/monarchmoney Coast FIRE Calculatorhttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/calculators/coast-fire/ HOW WE MAKE MONEY + DISCLAIMER ⚠️ This show may contain affiliate links or links from our sponsors where we earn a commission, direct payment, or products at no extra cost to you. Opinions are our own. Information shared on this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional financial advice. Always seek the guidance of a licensed financial professional for your specific situation. Marriage Kids and Money (https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com. CREDITS 🎙️ Podcast Artwork: Kayli Johnson Editor: Johnny Sohl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really mean to be “almost a millionaire”? And is that number as important as the freedom you gain along the way? In today’s episode, Joshua Weekley shares how he and his wife built a net worth of nearly $1 million by age 35 without extreme deprivation or risky bets. Instead of chasing shortcuts, Joshua focused on consistent habits, automation, and learning how to control his money so it could support the life he wanted with his family. This episode is part of our Best of MKM series and was originally released last year. It quickly became one of our most popular and highly viewed interviews because of its honesty, relatability, and practical approach to wealth building. Joshua opens up about growing up around money stress, learning from what his parents did and did not do with finances, and why net worth became a powerful motivator for reclaiming his time. He also breaks down exactly where his money is today, including home equity, retirement accounts, brokerage investments, and cash. Most importantly, he explains why wealth is built milestone by milestone, not overnight. If you are working toward your first $1,000 emergency fund or closing in on your first million, this conversation is a powerful reminder that every step forward matters. CHAPTERS 🎧 0:00 Intro 0:20 Why milestones matter more than a million 1:46 Joshua’s motivation for building wealth 2:58 Income journey from serving to engineering 3:50 Household income growth over time 4:06 Net worth breakdown at nearly $1 million 4:45 Investing vs saving early on 5:51 Avoiding analysis paralysis with automation 6:36 Current debts and mortgage balance 7:26 Tracking net worth after Mint 8:49 Generational wealth plans for his kids 10:07 Teaching money skills over inheritance 10:55 How wealth created more family experiences 12:19 Advice for getting started from zero 13:45 Why emergency funds are a major milestone 14:35 How to connect with Joshua RESOURCES 📚 Own Your Timehttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book Track Your Spending and Net Worth with Monarch Moneyhttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/monarchmoney Mortgage Free Payoff Calculatorhttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/calculators/mortgage-payoff/ HOW WE MAKE MONEY + DISCLAIMER ⚠️ This show may contain affiliate links or links from our sponsors where we earn a commission, direct payment, or products at no extra cost to you. Opinions are our own. Information shared on this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional financial advice. Always seek the guidance of a licensed financial professional for your specific situation. Marriage Kids and Money (https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com. CREDITS 🎙️ Podcast Artwork: Kayli Johnson Editor: Johnny Sohl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What would your life look like if you woke up tomorrow and your home was completely paid off? How much freedom would that give your family? And how much more possibility would you feel if housing costs disappeared forever? In today’s episode, Ken and Mary Okoroafor from The Humble Penny share how they became mortgage free in one of the most expensive cities in the world: London. They paid off the equivalent of nearly $475,000 in just seven years, and the ripple effects changed everything. Ken and Mary open up about the peace of mind they gained, how their work and family life transformed, what mortgage freedom made possible for their children, and why this choice unlocked a new lifestyle filled with flexibility, purpose, and joy. This Best of MKM conversation is one of the most inspiring mortgage free stories we have ever featured. If you want to eliminate stress, design a more intentional family life, and build generational wealth with confidence, this episode will light a fire under you. CHAPTERS 🎧 0:00 Intro 0:34 Meet Ken and Mary Okoroafor 1:50 Mortgage Free Three 2:40 Why they became mortgage free 4:10 How cost of living shaped their decisions 5:43 How they paid off their mortgage in seven years 8:03 Living on one income and side hustles 9:41 Cutting costs and intentional lifestyle choices 10:51 Working together as a couple 12:39 Celebrating the mortgage free moment 15:26 How their work life changed 18:14 What life looks like today 20:11 Why this freedom would not be possible with a mortgage 21:58 Generational wealth and their children 24:20 Being present as parents 26:00 Their book Financial Joy 27:00 Where to find The Humble Penny RESOURCES 📚 Own Your Timehttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book Track Your Spending and Net Worth with Monarch Moneyhttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/monarchmoney Mortgage Free Payoff Calculatorhttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/calculators/mortgage-payoff/ The Humble Pennyhttps://thehumblepenny.com Financial Joy Bookhttps://amzn.to/48jWREN The Humble Penny YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/thehumblepenny HOW WE MAKE MONEY + DISCLAIMER ⚠️ This show may contain affiliate links or links from our sponsors where we earn a commission, direct payment, or products at no extra cost to you. Opinions are our own. Information shared on this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional financial advice. Always seek the guidance of a licensed financial professional for your specific situation. Marriage Kids and Money (https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com. CREDITS 🎙️ Podcast Artwork: Kayli Johnson Editor: Johnny Sohl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever wondered what would change in your life if you finally reached the point where your investments could grow on autopilot even if you stopped contributing? What kind of freedom would that give your family? And what possibilities might open up if you did not have to hustle at 110 percent forever? In today’s episode, Marko Zlatic from Whiteboard Finance shares how he and his wife reached Coast FIRE in their mid-thirties with over $730,000 invested. Marco breaks down the exact moves that got them there, from early investing habits to their simple index fund strategy to building a life that blends ambition with balance. He also opens up about parenting, marriage, culture, and why he believes Coast Fire is the most realistic financial independence path for families. This Best of MKM episode earned more than 40,000 YouTube views when it first aired, and for good reason. It is transparent, motivating, and packed with actionable takeaways for anyone aiming to build wealth while still enjoying life today. CHAPTERS 🎧 0:00 Intro 0:35 Meet Marko Zlatic of Whiteboard Finance 2:09 Coast Fire Five 3:30 Retirement projections 3:58 Current expenses 4:15 How Marko started investing 5:11 When he shifted to index funds 6:20 Money dynamics in marriage 7:52 What is inside Marko’s portfolio 8:31 Pre tax, taxable and Roth strategy 9:42 529s and kids plans 11:35 His take on bonds 12:45 How Coast Fire changed his mindset 14:03 Why Coast Fire is perfect for parents 15:51 Balancing FIRE with living well 17:37 What excites Marko about the next 15 years 19:20 A life philosophy rooted in purpose 20:25 Where to find Marko online RESOURCES 📚 Own Your Timehttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book Track Your Net Worth with Empowerhttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/empower Whiteboard Finance YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/whiteboardfinance Whiteboard Finance Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/whiteboardfinance HOW WE MAKE MONEY + DISCLAIMER ⚠️ This show may contain affiliate links or links from our sponsors where we earn a commission, direct payment, or products at no extra cost to you. Opinions are our own. Information shared on this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional financial advice. Always seek the guidance of a licensed financial professional for your specific situation. Marriage Kids and Money (https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com. CREDITS 🎙️ Podcast Artwork: Kayli Johnson Editor: Johnny Sohl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever wondered what life would look like if you designed your days around freedom instead of work? What would change if you could travel for months at a time, pick projects you actually enjoy, and still watch your net worth climb into the millions? Today you’ll hear how Lauren and Stephen Keys, creators of Trip of a Lifestyle, built a million dollar net worth in their early thirties and used it to create a flexible, travel-filled life. They didn’t wait for traditional retirement at 65. They didn’t burn out on the way to FIRE. Instead, they created a lifestyle where they work less, live more, and let their money do the heavy lifting. This conversation originally aired last year and quickly became one of our most-watched interviews, so it felt like the perfect Best of MKM feature for this holiday week. Lauren and Stephen share how they avoided lifestyle creep, traveled the world cheaply, took mini retirements, paid off two homes, and built more confidence with each dollar saved. If you're dreaming of more time freedom, this story will show you what’s possible. CHAPTERS 🎧 0:00 Intro 0:26 Meet Lauren and Stephen Keys 2:00 The moment that changed everything 4:15 Early moves that accelerated their wealth 5:11 Avoiding lifestyle creep 6:50 How they travel constantly without overspending 9:03 Their first six month mini retirement in Hawaii 10:42 Visiting every national park 12:17 Leaving full-time work 13:38 Life at a million-dollar net worth 15:36 Why they still choose to work 16:38 Rethinking traditional retirement 18:05 Breaking down their million dollar portfolio 19:20 Paying off homes vs investing 21:39 Looking ahead to the next decade 22:57 One step couples can take today 23:20 Where to find Lauren and Stephen RESOURCES 📚 Own Your Timehttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book Track Your Net Worth with Empowerhttps://marriagekidsandmoney.com/empower Trip of a Lifestylehttps://www.tripofalifestyle.com Cram Better tutoringhttps://crambetter.com Trip of a Lifestyle Financial Roadmaphttps://www.tripofalifestyle.com/roadmap HOW WE MAKE MONEY + DISCLAIMER ⚠️ This show may contain affiliate links or links from our sponsors where we earn a commission, direct payment, or products at no extra cost to you. Opinions are our own. Information shared on this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional financial advice. Always seek the guidance of a licensed financial professional for your specific situation. Marriage Kids and Money (https://www.marriagekidsandmoney.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com. CREDITS 🎙️ Podcast Artwork: Kayli Johnson Editor: Johnny Sohl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices