Couple Money Podcast

Get a peek into how we did with our goals for this year and see how you can do your year review and set yourself up for an incredible 2021! 

Year-End Review and Planning for 2021

What a year, what a year! We still have another month, but most people I know are kind of winding down.

As we wrap up this 10th season, I thought I’d share a bit of our year-end review. We started 2020 with three big goals. The first two happened at the same time – no the original plan- but we worked with it. 

Hopefully, it’ll give you some ideas with your own year-end review and how to best prepare for the next steps. 

Speaking of next steps, I have some exciting news about the podcast that I want to share. Love to get your take on it. 

You ready? Let’s get started! 

Resources to Make Money Less Stressful

If you’re overwhelmed and looking to smooth out your money system so you can focus on the big wins, here are some helpful resources to check out!

Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal!

learn more about our podcast sponsor coastal credit union

Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today!

Support the Podcast!

Thank you so much for listening to the podcast!

  • Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share.
  • Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher.
  • Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

Music Credit

Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional Music from Artists at Audiio.

Direct download: S10E30_2020_Year_End_Review_Pivoting_for_2021_and_Beyond.mp3
Category:personal finance -- posted at: 10:43am EDT

How well is your money working for you? Today we’re looking at how personal finance can be more holistic and reflective of what most to you through financial wellness!

Financial Wellness: A Holistic Approach to Money

How did this year go for you? 

I have not met one person yet who has had it go as they expected. 

Even if you were financially prepared – emergency fund, debts are paid off are in the process of being knocked out, things shifted.

As I talked about in the last episode, we had expenses like transportation, travel, and eating out drop to pretty much zero or drastically cut while others like family entertainment and charitable increased. 

A big reason why is that our finances – to a degree – reflect what’s going on in our lives and our priorities. 

This is not exclusive to 2020. 

However, I’ve been hearing from so many people here in the community and in my personal circle about how they took a step back and reviewed their finances. 

They looked beyond the numbers and had some conversations about where they really want their money to go. 

They’re looking at the next year when hopefully things will shift back at some pace to ‘more normal. 

I was just discussing with a friend how having to stay at home more and in a sense slow down from her regular routine with the family gave her a chance to weed out unnecessary things. That, in turn, is fueling her plans for 2021 and beyond. 

Maybe you’re at the point too. 

 

That’s why I’m looking forward to today’s show. We’re wrapping up this year with how you can set up your finances more holistically and make it more reflective of your family.  

Jason Vitug is here to help me out. He is the founder of Phroogal and financial wellness expert empowering a generation to live their dream life through financial knowledge. Jason’s also the author of the best selling book, You Only Live Once. 

In this episode, we’ll get into: 

  • Why tracking your numbers is so powerful
  • Why financial wellness matters
  • How to start planning for a richer life beyond the numbers

Ready? Let’s get started! 

Resources to Make Money Less Stressful

If you’re overwhelmed and looking to smooth out your money system so you can focus on the big wins, here are some helpful resources to check out!

Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal!

learn more about our podcast sponsor coastal credit union

Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today!

Key Takeaways

Before we wrap up, I want to focus on a few key takeaways I got from preparing this episode.

  • The real power of tracking your money is not in the amounts, but the awareness. 
  • A rich life includes financial wellness. 
  • Budgets should reflect YOUR priorities and values. 

I know switching can seem to be a bit tricky. If you have any questions or are stuck, please come chat with us and our Thriving Families Facebook group.

Support the Podcast!

Thank you so much for listening to the podcast!

  • Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share.
  • Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher.
  • Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

Music Credit

Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional Music from Artists at Audiio.


We’ve brought back the reader mailbag. Today we’re answering your questions about marriage and money! 

Reader Mailbag

One of my favorite parts of Couple Money is the community. Having you be a part of this has definitely made the work more enjoyable.

Whenever I hear from you about what you’re working on, questions you have, or ideas you think will be helpful, I’m happy.  

When I started Couple Money 11 years ago, it was basically a journal of us and our journey of paying off debt.

Then you came in and other couples sharing your stories and it’s really been a blast. 

So today’s episode will be a bit of fun, I’m answering the most popular questions I’ve received this year along with one covering a new topic I haven’t really got into before. 

In this episode, we’re answering your questions such as: 

  • How our spending has shifted this year with everything going on
  • Quick way to figure out how much you need to retire
  • How defined benefit plans work 

Ready? Let’s get started! 

Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal!

learn more about our podcast sponsor coastal credit union

Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union. If you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today!

Resources to Get the Most Out of Your Money

Here are some resources to make managing your money much easier!

Support the Podcast!

Thank you so much for listening to the podcast!

  • Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share.
  • Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher.
  • Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

Music Credit

Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional Music from Artists at Audiio


Learn how you can move your money and switch to a new bank or credit union!

Ready to Switch to a New Bank?

A bad bank or credit union can not only be a headache, but it can also slow you down as you try to build your finances. 

Between the excessive/hidden fees, bad customer service, and low-interest rates on savings, it’s understandable if you’re frustrated. 

You may be wondering, what’s the point of keeping your money there? 

That’s basically how we felt when we dealing with our old banks. 

When my husband and I first got married in 2006 we decided to open joint checking and savings accounts and keep most of our money there.

We both had free checking with two of the big banks (Bank of America and Wachovia at the time) that we opened when were in college.

Since they were student checking accounts they had no maintenance fees which was a plus. However, they didn’t offer much else so neither account stood out.

Because I would be taking care of the day to day budget and bills, we opened our joint accounts with Bank of America.

I never had a problem with them so I figured it would be alright to use them.

I was wrong.

Within 6 months of opening the joint accounts, we were having problems with them.

Besides getting hit up with bank fees (now we had a monthly minimum to keep), wrong accounts being debited (bills came out of my account instead of the joint), and rude customer service (don’t even want to talk about that).

We had a decision to make – keep dealing with this nonsense or move our money.

Guess which one we picked? 

Looking back, I’m so glad we switched. Our money is actually earning something – even in this low-interest environment.

Fees have dropped significantly, money is coming out of the right accounts, and if a mistake comes up – no one is perfect – it’s quickly resolved. 

Actually resolved by a person and not someone reading from a script or switching us from department to department. 

I wish we had done it sooner, but like most people, we hesitated because of the hassle. 

Making sure paychecks were moved over, having bills come out of the new account, avoiding fees while switching – these were all things we wanted to avoid. 

Maybe you’re in this boat – you’re not happy with where you’re banking, but you don’t want to deal with the hassle. 

So today, I’ll take you through how you can seamlessly switch to a new bank or credit union. 

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

  • How Much Bad Banking Really Costs You
  • How to find a better banking option for your money
  • How to seamlessly switch your deposits, bills, and more

Are you ready? Let’s get started! 

Resources to Get the Most Out of Your Bank Accounts

Are you two ready to master your joint accounts? Do you want to create a system that fits your priorities and styles?

Here are some resources to check out.

Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal!

Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! If you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better, come check out Coastal today.

Support the Podcast!

Thank you so much for listening to the podcast!

  • Spread the word! If you enjoyed this episode and think it can help a buddy get on the path to dumping debt and become financially free, please share.
  • Leave a review. Honest feedback and reviews make a big difference and gets the word out about the podcast. Leave your review on Apple or Stitcher.
  • Grab a copy of Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money. My book is designed for a busy couple to set up their finances in 4 weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

Music Credit

Like the music in this episode? Our theme song is by Gentle Regime. Additional Music from Artists at Audiio

Direct download: S10E27_How_to_Seamlessly_Switch_to_a_New_Bank_or_Credit_Union.mp3
Category:personal finance -- posted at: 8:27pm EDT

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