How Do I Balance Saving for my Kids and Retirement
How to Save for Your Kids and Your Retirement (Without Losing Your Mind or Your Money)
Let’s play a game:
You’ve got one dollar.
🍼 Your kid wants to go to college (and preferably not be buried under student loan debt).
🧓 You’d like to retire someday without eating cat food.
So… who gets the dollar?
Welcome to one of the most common—and emotional—financial dilemmas: Do I save for my kid’s future or secure my own retirement?
Here’s the answer:
👉 You can do both. You just need a strategy that doesn’t come from the back of a cereal box.
1. Secure Your Oxygen Mask First
You know the airplane analogy—and it’s true. If you’re not okay financially, your kid’s future isn’t either. Prioritize building your retirement foundation first. Your kids can get scholarships, part-time jobs, or choose a more affordable school. But there’s no financial aid for retirement (unless your kid becomes a billionaire and returns the favor).
2. Automate Both Goals (Even If It’s Uneven)
Don’t overthink perfection. Set up automatic contributions to your retirement and a 529 or custodial account for your child. Even small, consistent contributions compound over time—and you won’t have to decide which goal wins every month. You’re funding the future on autopilot.
3. Don’t Guilt-Trip Yourself
This isn’t a competition of love. Choosing to prioritize your long-term stability doesn’t mean you don’t care about your kids. It means you want to avoid becoming a financial burden on them later. (And let’s be honest—they’re already going to blame you for something, might as well not add “financial stress” to the list.)
🎙️ Give the full audio a listen—I unpack this balancing act with a dose of real talk, some strategy, and a little humor (because let’s face it, finances can be stressful enough without sounding like a spreadsheet).
Remember:
💡 You’re not choosing between your future and theirs.
You’re building a plan where everyone wins.
Let’s un-eff your finances—one smart move at a time.
#ParentMoneyMoves #UnEffYourFinances #GameChangersAndWealthBuilders #RetirementPlanning #CollegeSavings #RealTalkMoney
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