The 20-Minute Money Ritual That Stopped Our Money Fights | Ep. 272

Y'all, I'm SO excited about this conversation! If you've ever fought with your partner about money, this episode is about to change your life.

I'm joined by Joe Saul-Sehy, the hilarious co-host of Stacking Benjamins (named America's top personal finance podcast!), and he's sharing the simple 20-minute weekly money ritual that transformed his marriage—and stopped the money fights.

Here's the truth: My husband and I discovered we were paying for TWO Disney+ accounts. For YEARS. And we couldn't even remember the passwords. 🤦‍♀️ But after implementing Joe's ritual? We're actually excited about our money meetings now.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The exact 20-minute weekly money ritual that stops couples from fighting about finances
• How to make money conversations judgment-free (even when your partner buys "stupid movies" and you buy board games)
• Why weekly beats monthly for money check-ins (and why it should never go over 20 minutes!)
• The "allowance hack" that lets you both have guilt-free spending money
• How to make money talks cozy and fun (pancakes at IHOP or wine at home—your choice!)
• Why automation beats discipline EVERY time when it comes to saving money
• The brilliant "friction strategy" for protecting your emergency fund

Joe's Best Money Hacks:

• Open your banking app together and just talk through last week's purchases
• Set a 20-minute timer and STOP when it goes off (consistency > perfection)
• Give each other "no judgment" allowances for your personal spending
• When you cancel a subscription, immediately automate that amount to savings
• Make your emergency fund hard to access (seriously—no debit card, no online access)

The game-changer? Joe shows us how these tiny 20-minute conversations open the door for bigger money talks to happen naturally—on hikes, over dinner, anywhere. Because you're handling the small stuff weekly, the big stuff doesn't feel so scary anymore.

Resources Mentioned:

• Stacking Benjamins Podcast
• Monarch Money app (budgeting tool Joe and his wife use)
• Joe's free guide to finding money in your budget you didn't know you had (link in show notes!)

Connect with Joe:

• Website: stackingbenjamins.com
• Instagram: @stackingbenjaminspodcast
• Facebook: @istackbenjamins
• TikTok: @stackingbenjamins

Resources:

• Sense the Possibilities Planner & Journal (20+ worksheets to help you connect with yourself before setting goals)
• Plan Goal Plan 2026 Weekly Planner
• Quarterly Plan Goal Plan Your Year Retreats (dates at plangoalplan.com/retreats)

Connect with me:

• Email: support@plangoalplan.com
• Facebook Group: Join Here
• Website: PlanGoalPlan.com
• LinkedIn: (I post most here!) www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mcgeough-phd-🗓️-b673334