👉 Catch us co-hosting the Merging into Life podcast with AAA Northeast! The first 2 episodes are live now, and you can listen on Apple Podcasts or here 👈

This week we’re pulling the curtain back on a topic that rarely gets talked about honestly, whether private school is actually affordable… even if you can technically write the check.

We’re not here to shame anyone’s choices. But if you’ve ever wondered whether that tuition bill is still worth it, or if you’ve been secretly thinking about pulling your kid out, we made this one for you. In this episode, we break down:

• Why the “$15K a year” number doesn’t tell the whole story
• The hidden (and not-so-hidden) social costs of private school
• How the new national voucher program could raise tuition, not lower it
• What the research actually says about outcomes in public vs. private school
• A side-by-side comparison of investing the money instead and what that could mean for your child’s future

We also get into the emotional toll of living on the financial edge “for the kids,” the illusion of networking your way into elite circles, and what wealthy families are doing differently that might surprise you.

Whether you’re team public, private, homeschool or just trying to figure it out, you’ll leave with better questions, clearer trade-offs, and (hopefully) a little less guilt.

​​Links:

• Episode 151 - How to raise a “rich” kid
• Episode 69 - Investing for your kids

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

We’ve been managing money together for almost a decade, and we’re still learning how to do it better. This episode is part relationship therapy, part financial strategy, and all the things we wish more couples talked about out loud.

We’re talking about what it really takes to handle money together in a way that works for both people. Because most couples don’t need to watch each other’s every move, they just need to feel confident that they’re on the same page, making good decisions, and able to adjust when life throws something new at them.

You’ll hear:

• Why “joint accounts” can still feel deeply one-sided
• The habits that sneak in when financial roles are never defined
• How resentment builds when responsibility goes unspoken
• Why full transparency isn’t always the solution, and what to build instead
• How to set boundaries without starting a fight
• Why interdependence is harder (and better) than independence or control

Links:

• The financial impact of divorce and breaking the stigma of prenups with family law attorney and founder of prenups.com, Aaron Thomas

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

A lot of people are feeling financially squeezed right now, and they’re blaming everything except their car.

Transportation is one of the top three household expenses. Between longer loans, higher interest rates, pricier insurance, and cars that lose value faster than ever, owning a car has gotten way more expensive in the last few years.

And yet most of us still treat the car note like it’s untouchable…like it just is what it is.

In this episode, we break down what’s really changed about car ownership, remind you that you’re not alone, and walk through what you can actually do if your car costs too much but you still need it to get to work tomorrow.

Need to hear this but don’t want to admit it? We get it. But this isn’t about shame…

Here’s what we cover:

• Why the average car payment is now $745 (new) and $521 (used)
• How the pandemic car bubble left so many people upside down on loans
• The real cost of owning a car: loan, gas, insurance, maintenance, and depreciation
• Signs your car is eating more than its share of your paycheck
• What to do if you’re stuck with a car that no longer fits your life
• A reminder that walking away from a car isn’t failure, it’s financial maturity

Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.

Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow