rich & REGULAR with Kiersten and Julien Saunders

Ep 245: The simplest way to talk about money without making it weird

There are two sentences that can ruin a perfectly normal evening – “We need to talk”, and its evil twin, “We need to talk about money.” Even if your relationship is good, that phrasing makes it feel like somebody’s about to get graded. Even when things are fine, nobody wants to be the person who turns a decent Tuesday night into a full relationship audit. So this week, we’re introducing a better way: small doors. These are quick, low-stakes, real-life openings that normalize money talk without turning it into a whole thing.And the best part is, they’re not just for couples. Small doors can be used with parents, siblings, friends, or any relationship where money differences create distanceWe get into:Why “we need to talk about money” is basically a panic alarm for most people, even if they’re in good relationshipsThe difference between avoiding conflict and avoiding judgment, weirdness, and role shiftsWhy money conversations work better as appetizers than a full-day “financial summit”What “small doors” actually look like in real life (aka: our kid’s expensive cherry habit 😭)How tiny, specific moments create safer openings than “we need a budget”The 3 rules for small doorsHow to treat your partner’s first reaction as data, not a personal attackWhat to do when the issue isn’t the money, it’s the pattern of how you talk about moneyWhy tone is basically the WiFi of the conversationWhy you should practice the repair as much as the conversationLinks to helpful past episodes: Episode 222 - Why we don't share everything (and what we do instead)Episode 207 - 3 practical tips for couples living on one income 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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Ep 244: Overcoming Financial Trauma with Rahkim Sabree

This week we’re talking to Rahkim Sabree, author, financial trauma educator, and the person who basically put “financial trauma” on the map for a lot of the internet. His work connects money behaviors to nervous system responses, family systems, and broader cultural and structural realities. His book, Overcoming Financial Trauma, and his whole approach are research-heavy, emotionally honest, and built to last.Julien starts this conversation by admitting something most people don’t say out loud. He shares that he delayed inviting Rahkim on the podcast because the conversation would’ve forced him to confront his own financial trauma, and he wasn’t ready to "perform" his way through it.From there, this episode goes deeper than “money mindset” and way past generic financial literacy. If you’ve ever felt anxious about money without a clear reason… or noticed your stress spikes around the 1st and the 15th… this one will feel uncomfortably specific, in a good way.We talk about:Why “financial trauma” is everywhere right now and how the term gets misusedThe awkward truth about why healing your money story can feel like disrespecting your parentsThe money anxiety you normalize until somebody else hears itRahkim’s house fire and how the “tools” we rely on (education, planning, discipline) don’t always deploy when life is on fireWhy money often represents power, freedom, and safety - and how safety shows up after lossVicarious financial trauma and how you can “catch” money anxiety from what you grew up aroundHow we’re socialized to treat “have-nots” and how that drives status, spending, and fearPhysical tells of financial trauma and why the better question is: where do you feel money in your body?Links: Get Rahkim’s book, Overcoming Financial Trauma Learn more about his work on Rahkim’s website, Instagram, and LinkedIn pageSubscribe to Rahkim’s newsletter on Substack Follow Rahkim’s writing on Forbes 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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Ep 243: How to stay financially disciplined when life is life’ing

Life is life-ing. Prices are up, surprise expenses are regular, and your “simple” money goal keeps turning into a weekly argument with yourself (or your partner).In this episode, we talk about why so many people are either going full finance drill sergeant in 2026, or avoiding goals completely. We break down what financial discipline actually looks like when your life changes mid-month, and how to build goals that bend instead of break so you can keep moving forward without the mental drama of “I have to be extra strict this week” every week.We cover: Why discipline doesn’t transfer cleanly from one area of life to another and why that’s normalWhy SMART goals make perfect sense at work, but don’t always work for moneyThe difference between ambitious/hard goals and brittle goalsWhy “catch-up energy” erases progress even when you’re technically doing “better”When discipline turns into stubbornness (hey, crypto friends)The hidden cost of “perfect” goal frameworks (hello, 75 Hard friends)Why the happiest wealthy people aren’t obsessing over the minutiaeThe real purpose of goals: options, freedom, and a better life  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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Ep 242: How to lower your utility bills

There’s nothing like a surprise utility bill to humble your whole household. If you’ve ever stared at a bill wondering ‘how?!’ well, let’s talk about it. This week on the rich & REGULAR podcast, we're breaking down emotional manipulation, confusing rate plans, and overlooked hacks that are costing you real money on your gas, electric, and water bills.This isn’t about living in the dark or taking cold showers. It’s about paying attention, asking better questions, and taking back control. Whether you're a homeowner or renter, there's something in here for you.In this episode:How utility companies nudge you toward the wrong planThe fixed vs. variable rate trapWhy you should talk about your bills with your friends and neighbors Why “peace of mind” plans cost more than you thinkWhat to check on your water bill that most people ignoreA free calendar hack that can save you $100s a year 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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Ep 241: What to do before you start decluttering

When life feels loud, getting rid of stuff can feel like relief. But if the stuff keeps coming back, the real issue is usually what the purchases were trying to solve in the first place. ​​So this is an  episode about what to ask yourself before you fill the donation bags.We’re talking about materialism as a pattern and what happens when your things stop just being “things”. Kiersten gets personal about why decluttering has always worked for her and why she finally realized it was only half the story.We get into: Why decluttering can feel like regulation and why that doesn’t mean it fixes the real issueThe difference between materialism, consumerism, and decluttering so you can name what’s actually happeningHow “reset energy” turns into a cycle where you purge, feel lighter, reward yourself, and rebuild the messWhat it looks like when you buy things to feel prepared even when the situation never comesThe water bottle problem and why upgrades become a substitute for behaviorThe planner and journal trap and how marketing sells “this will change your life” in book formWhy organizing products can be emotional purchases disguised as practical onesA simple solution that works: move items out of sight and see what you miss versus what you just like having availableHow attachment creates decision fatigue because every item turns into a guilt conversationThe shift that actually helps Future YouOur perspective on freedom and why being too attached to stuff can quietly trap your options 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 ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow