Marriage Kids and Money: Personal Finance for Families Third Option Between Working and Retiring (Afford Anything Podcast w/ Paula Pant) (BEST OF MKM)
What if there was a third option between grinding it out in corporate life and chasing extreme early retirement? What if you could work less, be more present with your family, and still feel confident about your financial future?
In today’s episode, I join Paula Pant on her top-ranked podcast, Afford Anything, to talk about the middle ground between traditional employment and full FIRE. We dive into Coast FIRE, part-time work, and what it really takes to own your time while raising kids. I share how my wife and I structured our lives to both work part time, stay involved with our kids, and still build long term wealth without burning out.
This conversation is part of our Best of MKM series and was originally recorded live at FinCon in Portland. Paula and I walk through my 10-step framework for owning your time, including how to reduce financial anxiety, eliminate debt, invest with intention, and design a three-day work week that supports your family and your health. We also talk candidly about parenting, identity, lifestyle tradeoffs, and how to model a life of freedom and generosity for your kids.
If you are tired of living for the weekend and want a realistic path to more time freedom, this conversation will open your eyes to what is possible.
CHAPTERS 🎧
0:00 Intro and Best of MKM setup
1:10 Meeting Paula Pant and Afford Anything
2:30 Why two working parents chose part time work
5:10 Designing a balanced family schedule
8:00 Being present during pivotal childhood years
12:05 Identity beyond work
15:10 The 10 steps to owning your time
18:00 Eliminating debt and financial anxiety
22:00 Reaching Coast FIRE
25:30 Why paying off the mortgage matters
30:00 FU money and career flexibility
35:00 Designing a three day work week
40:00 Health insurance outside corporate life
45:00 Avoiding lifestyle creep
50:00 Teaching kids generational wealth habits
1:00:30 Where to learn more about Andy and Own Your Time
RESOURCES 📚
Own Your Time
https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book
Track Your Spending and Net Worth with Monarch Money
https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/monarchmoney
Coast FIRE Calculator
https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/calculators/coast-fire/
Afford Anything Podcast
https://affordanything.com
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
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