Simplify and Enjoy Podcast Elle Martinez

Are you thinking of buying a home soon? Get the inside scoop on what lenders are looking for so you can get a great deal on a mortgage!
How to Find the Best Rates for Your Mortgage It's home buying season and depending on where you live, it could be a hot market. It’s certainly that here in Raleigh, NC.
As a buyer that can be additional pressure on finding the right place for you, but if you’re prepared and you snag a great deal on your mortgage, you’ll have a leg up.
This is why to have Wendy Dawson on the show today. She’s the Vice President of Mortgage Lending over at Coastal Credit Union. She’ll be sharing her expert insights on how to shop around and snag a great deal on your mortgage.
In this episode we’ll get into:
What lenders look for when assessing a potential borrower's financial position potential down payment assistance programs for first-time homebuyers how to stay level-headed during your house hunt your new place is a blessing and not a burden We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started!
Resources on Buying a House If you’re looking to buy, here are some resources to help you find an affordable place you love!
Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Buying a Home  How To Get Your Finances Ready to Buy a House House Hunting: Tips to Buy a Home in a Seller’s Market If you’d like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We’re families looking to support and help one another out.
Hope to see you there!
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.
If you're thinking of buying a home here in the Triangle, take a look at Coastal's mortgage options and rates!
Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it.
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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photo by PNW Production

Buying a house can be overwhelming. Learn how to get your finances ready for homeownership so your new home is a blessing and not a burden!
Preparing Your Finances to Buy a House Buying a house is a huge personal and financial milestone for many families, but it can also be a stressful and complicated process.
One part of the stress is buying a house that’s affordable. You want to be financially prepared
There’s plenty of advice on buying a house and not all of it is good. Have you heard ‘buy as much house as you afford’? I mean sounds good on paper, but the reality is if someone is telling you that you’re probably pushing your house budget in a direction that could be a huge problem once you sign those papers.
Or how about the suggestion of building your credit by getting a credit card?
I don’t want you to fall into a trap where your finances are so tight that the house you buy makes your miserable.
Today we’re going over some key areas of where you needed to pay attention and prepare your finances so that when you a buy a house, it’s a blessing and not a burden.
Which is why I’m happy to have Steve Stewart on the show today.
In this episode we’re going to look at:
preparing your finances so you can comfortably buy a house the role credit scores play and how to raise it building credit without accumulating debt with alternative ways to report credit history to lenders We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started!
Resources on Buying a House If you’re looking to buy, here are some resources to help you find an affordable place you love!
Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Buying a Home  eCredable StellarFi ExperianBoost How to Snag a Great Deal When Buying a House How to Buy a House as You Pursue Financial Independence If you’d like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We’re families looking to support and help one another out.
Hope to see you there!
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.
As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts!
Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it.
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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photos by Lukas Hartmann and Daniel Frank

Are you looking to have a true vacation where you can relax and enjoy, but are afraid it’s going to break your budget? Learn how to score amazing deals and travel hack on your next trip!
Finding the Best Family Vacation Deals During the last two episodes, we talk about building a better budget. We wanted to see how you can create a budget that allows you to pay the bills, but balances your future financial goals with some fun here and now.
We’ve found that you’re more likely to stick to your budget if you include room for things and experiences you enjoy.
For many families, travel falls into that category. It does for us. Actually we recently took a trip to Florida and had an incredible time relaxing and catching up with some loved ones in the area.
I know some families though are worried about the rising costs of trips. I just saw recently that rental cars have skyrocketed over 20%! Then you factor in service industry staff issues, it also almost seems like you’re getting less, but paying more.
However, with some planning you can take a wonderful vacation affordably.
I’d like to share a few of the highlights so you can see how you can snag some travel deals for your next vacation.
I’m also happy to have Zac Hood of our partner Travel Freely on the show. He’s going to share how travel hacking works and how to approach searching for the right rewards card for you.
We have a lot to cover so let’s get started!
Resources to Optimize Your Travel Rewards and More Looking for ways to save on your next family getaway? Here are some fantastic resources to check out:
Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Travel Freely Simple Family Travel Tips and Tricks How We Do Low-Key Travel with Kids 17 Essential Tips for Finding the Perfect Airbnb If you’d like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. We’re families looking to support and help one another out.
Hope to see you there!
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.
As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first including an annual loyalty bonus. We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts!
Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it.
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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photo by Pixabay and Julia Kuzenkov

Are you ready to start building a budget that works and you actually love? Learn the nuts and bolts on how to quickly and easily make a flexible family budget!
Creating a Budget That Actually Works for You Last week I mentioned that one report found 73% of millennials are living paycheck to paycheck. When you’re in that situation you can be an added weight on shoulders because if one thing goes wrong – and it will- it can make a mess of your finances.
For this week, I want to go from the big picture view we took on the potentials with budgets and get into the nuts and bolts. How do you build a budget?
Which is why I’m happy to have Warren Murray on the show today. Warren works Financial Well Being Manager over at Coastal Credit Union where he and his team help members live better by managing their money more efficiently.
In this episode we’ll get into:
why having a financial snapshot your finances is important and how to do it how building your budget around financial wellness is more efficient and sustainable creative ways to include fun into your budget while still working towards your financial goals We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started!
Resources to Build Better Budgets If you’re looking to start or revamp your budget so you can reach your family and financial goals faster, check out some of these resources below!
Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Where Can I Find the Money to Build Emergency Savings? If you’d like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. It’s a group Andy, Andrew from Family Money Plan, and myself run as a team.
We’re families looking to support and help one another out.
Hope to see you there!
Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better.
As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus.
We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts!
Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it.
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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together! Photo by Karolina Grabowska

Budgets don't have to feel like deprivation. Learn how to create a flexible family budget that fits in what you love while hitting your financial goals!  Why Your Family Needs a Flexible Budget Raise your hand if the first time you made your budget it was exactly what you needed and was a perfect for your situation.
Yeah, I don’t personally know anyone who got their budget right the first try and there’s a few reasons for that.
Chances are what you put down on paper doesn’t match real life. Either you have a money leak you’re not aware of or like what you just heard in the teaser, you get thrown for a loop.
It’s enough to make you just want to trash the ideas of budgeting, but that would be a mistake.
Right now more families are living paycheck to paycheck.
I was reading a recent report from Lending Tree which highlighted overall 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Millennials, though, seem to be in worse shape as that number jumps to 73%.
That can be pretty scary. One hiccup or an emergency can totally throw off your finances.
If you ready to break the cycle then please listen in. Personal finance author and podcaster Allison Baggerly from Inspired Budget is not just sharing her story, but some fantastic tips on how to create a flexible budget that works for your family's unique needs and circumstances.
In this episode we’ll get into:
how shifting her mindset about budgets transformed her finances and life why having a flexible budget is key to long-term success and financial stability practical tips on how to get started if you hate budgets We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started!
Resources to Build Better Budgets If you’re looking to start or revamp your budget so you can reach your family and financial goals faster, check out some of these resources below!
Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy of My Book: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Inspired Budget Allison’s Book: Money Made Easy Getting Good with Money and Dumping Debt If you’d like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families. It’s a group Andy, Andrew from Family Money Plan, and myself run as a team.
We’re families looking to support and help one another out.
Hope to see you there!
Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better.
As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus.
We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts!
Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it.
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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!

We’ve brought back the listener's mailbag. Today we’re answering your family and finance questions about keep your grocery bills manageable, deciding on how to travel with kids, and getting started with real estate!
Listener Mailbag: Spring 2023 One of my favorite parts of creating Simplify and Enjoy is the community.
While I’m happy to share our journey as a family, it’s fun when you chime in with your wins, stories, and questions.
Today we’re going to be diving into your family and finance questions.
First, we’ll look at how to save money on your grocery bill.
Next, we’ll talk about how to adjust or if needed, revamp your budget. There’s still plenty of time to have some big wins with your family and financial goals.
Finally, we’re following up from last week’s episode about different options in real estate. There are so many different paths.
Which is why I’m so glad to share a fun and informative conversation I had with Stacking Deeds Podcast Hosts Crystal Hammond and Alan Corey. We get into their own journeys and they have advice on what to consider if you’d like to get started with real estate investing.
We have plenty to cover, so let’s get started!
Resources to Stay on Top of Your Money If you’re ready to jump into the year and knock out some of your health and wealth goals, here are a few of my favorite resources and includes what we covered in the podcast.
Best Budget and Money Apps: Empower, Tiller, Mint Grab Your Copy: Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money Stacking Deeds Podcast Connect with Crystal: Twitter Connect with Alan: Twitter Alan's Books: A Million Bucks by 30 |House FIRE [Financial Independence, Retire Early] If you’d like to chat more your money system, please join us in our private and free Facebook group – Thriving Families.
We’re families looking to support and help one another out.
Hope to see you there!
Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal! Support for this podcast comes from Coastal Credit Union! Come check out Coastal today if you’re living in the Raleigh Durham area and looking to bank better.
As a credit union, Coastal serves its members first and foremost including an annual loyalty bonus.
We've been members for years and love their service and competitive rates on checking and savings accounts!
Support the Podcast! Thank you so much for listening to the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, here are some ways to support it.
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. Join our coffee group ☕: Get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, chats, and more! 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 four weeks. Get tips and tools that have worked for other couples on their journey of building their marriage and wealth together!