What if paying off your debt didn’t have to feel like punishment? In this episode, I’m joined by Jacent Wamala, a licensed therapist and money coach who paid off $94,000 of debt in just three years…all on a single income! After walking through divorce, grief, and grad school, Jacent decided to treat her debt-free journey as an experiment instead of a burden. She shares how she stopped letting shame lead the way, got practical about her money, and created systems that actually worked for...

Ever feel like you’re crushing your budget… until halfway through the month when you realize you’ve overspent? You’re not alone. I’ve been there too—and the good news is, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. In this episode, I’m sharing the five simple steps my family uses to fix our budget when things go sideways. From adjusting your numbers without starting over to shifting your mindset so you don’t spiral, you’ll walk away with a clear plan to reset and move forward with confidence. Links Mentio...

If a big hospital bill just landed in your mailbox and your stomach dropped, take a breath. You may not have to pay all of it (or any of it). In this episode, Jared Walker, founder of Dollar For, explains how hospital charity care (financial assistance) works, who qualifies, and how his nonprofit walks patients through the process for free. Try This Now: Check eligibility for yourself or a loved one: dollarfor.org/inspiredbudgetAlready in collections or on a payment plan? Apply anyway—you may...

If you’ve ever had to dip into your emergency fund, you’re not alone. It’s such a frustrating feeling to watch your savings go down after working so hard to build it up. You know it’s there for a reason, but still, it can feel like a major setback. In this episode, I’m answering a listener question from Rachel, who asked what to do after you’ve had to use your emergency fund. I’ve been there myself, and I know how discouraging it can feel to start saving all over again. I’ll walk you through ...

Ever wish someone could just hand you a list of side hustle ideas that actually fit your skills and schedule? In this episode, Nick Loper, host of The Side Hustle Show, shows us how to do exactly that with the help of AI. Nick has a free worksheet that pairs with ChatGPT to brainstorm side hustle ideas. We test it live during our conversation using my own skills and interests. The result? A list of realistic, personalized ways to make extra money that I never would have thought of on my own. ...

If your grocery spending feels like it’s getting out of control, you are not alone. As my kids have grown, I’ve noticed just how much more food (and bigger portions!) we’re going through every single week. Add inflation on top of that, and suddenly the grocery bill looks way higher than it used to. In this episode, I’m sharing the 3 rules my family lives by when it comes to grocery shopping. These three habits have saved us hundreds of dollars each month—and they’ve made grocery shopping way ...

What does it really take to go from struggling with money to building lasting wealth? This week on the Inspired Budget Podcast, I’m joined by Emily Egashira, a Certified Financial Education Instructor who went from living in poverty and surviving off TV dinners… to becoming a debt-free millionaire in her 30s. Emily opens up about: Growing up in poverty and how it shaped her relationship with moneyWhy financial freedom happens in stages—and what those stages look likeHow to figure out your num...

Paying off over six figures of debt completely changed my family’s future, but it was not a perfect journey. Looking back, there are three big mistakes I made along the way. And honestly, I wish someone had told me sooner so I did not have to learn the hard way. In this episode of the Inspired Budget Podcast, I’m sharing: Why making your budget too strict will only set you up for failureThe mistake of focusing only on cutting costs instead of finding ways to earn moreMy biggest money regret o...

Picture this: your grocery bill, cut in half. Sounds impossible, right? Not when you've got the queen of budget-friendly meals, Erin Chase, guiding you through the art of frugal feasting! Erin, founder of $5Dinner.com and author of the $5Dinner Mom Cookbook series, joins us for a chat that's sure to change how you shop, cook, and eat. From navigating the grocery store during turbulent times to leveraging store apps for the best sales, Erin’s expertise is a lifeline for those looking to ...

If you’ve ever felt that rush from clicking “Buy now,” waited for the package like it was Christmas morning, and then… felt the guilt later, you’re not alone. In this episode, I share the honest story of how I used shopping to cope with stress, boredom, and hard feelings—and the simple shifts that helped me break the cycle. We’ll talk about why shopping feels good in the moment (hello, dopamine and anticipation), the real emotional cost that shows up later (avoidance, dread, and sleepless nig...

Have you ever felt stuck on whether to buy something? Maybe it sits in your Amazon cart for weeks—or you hit “order” and later regret it. In this episode, I’m joined by Abigail Roe of Downsize Upgrade, who created the Deliberation Station: a set of quick questions that help you decide if a purchase is worth your money, space, and energy. We talk about: The simple two-scale method she uses to filter how she spends her timeHow the Deliberation Station can stop impulse spending in its tracksMy o...

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” with money but still stuck living paycheck to paycheck, you’re not alone. More often than not, it’s not the math that’s holding you back—it’s the money lies you’ve come to believe. In this episode, I’m calling out five lies that might be keeping you broke (yes, even the ones I used to believe myself!). You’ll hear the truth behind each one and the simple steps you can take to finally move forward with your money. Whether you’ve believed...

What if downsizing your home could actually upgrade your life? In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Jacqueline from Home Reimagined, who shares how she and her husband left behind a high-cost lifestyle in Austin, Texas to live full-time in a luxury RV. They cut their expenses by 45% and gained so much more in the process! Jacqueline opens up about what it was really like to let go of stuff, how their spending habits shifted, and how this big change positively impacted her business, marriage,...

It’s back-to-school season, which means schedules are packed, evenings fly by, and the to-do list never ends. If you’ve ever felt like you’re just trying to keep your head above water this time of year, you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m sharing the five routines that help me keep my home and budget running during busy seasons—and the three things I’d like to do better. You’ll hear exactly how I meal plan, keep my family on the same page, and stay on top of our finances without letting th...

Has anybody else been binge-watching "Get Organized with The Home Edit" on Netflix? Between that and my new kitchen renovation, I've been in an organization frenzy. So it only felt fitting to have Christina Hidek on the podcast today, an attorney turned professional organizer who is passionate about structure, organization and creating custom systems that help people de-clutter their lives. Now I know you might be thinking.... professional organizer?! What does that have to do wi...

Let’s be real. Paying off debt is tough. But trying to do it while raising little kids? That’s a whole new level of hard. In this episode, I’m sharing what it was really like to pay off over six figures of debt while being a mom to two little ones. I talk about the guilt, the pressure, and the emotional weight I didn’t expect. This isn’t a step-by-step guide. It’s a heart-to-heart about the five things I wish I had known before starting our debt-free journey as a mom. If you're a parent tryin...

In this episode, I sit down with financial therapist Dr. Erika Rasure to talk about something most personal finance advice skips over: the emotional side of money. Erika shares why so many of us carry shame, guilt, or fear when it comes to spending and debt, and how we can begin to break those patterns for good. We discuss: What financial wellness really looks like beyond just budgetingHow emotional triggers show up in spending and savingMy own story of financial defensiveness (yep, I’m shari...

In this episode, I’m walking you through the six steps I would take if I woke up today with over $100,000 of debt. This is the exact approach I’d follow based on my own experience of paying off $111,108.29 on two teacher salaries while raising a family. I’m breaking down what I’d do differently, what worked for us, and how to stay motivated along the way…because paying off debt is just as emotional as it is practical. Whether you’re just getting started or starting over, this episode will hel...

My guest today paid off over $215,000 in student loans and credit card debt in just 48 months! Cindy Zuniga-Sanchez is a daughter of two immigrants, a lawyer turned entrepreneur, and the founder of Zero-Based Budget Coaching, LLC. After graduating law school in 2015, Cindy found herself in six figures worth of debt. Instead of giving into the temptation to "live the life of luxury" she deserved from all her hard work, she took control of her money by immersing herself in the world of pe...

Let’s rewind to the beginning of our debt-free journey—back when I thought paying off six figures of debt would be simple, linear, and honestly… a little more glamorous. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. In today’s episode, I’m getting real about the three biggest things I wish someone had told me before we even got started. These aren’t the kind of tips you find in a finance textbook. These are the behind-the-scenes lessons that shaped me emotionally, mentally, and practically and completely changed...