A Couple Who Took Control Of Their Finances Just In Time

Who They Are

A power couple from Dallas, Texas, both in their peak earning years and just a few years away from retirement. Their dream? To hit the road in an RV and camp across the U.S. They were maxing out retirement contributions, but knew they needed to get a handle on their debt and day-to-day spending to make that dream a reality.

What Wasn’t Working

• Despite high incomes and solid long-term investments, they carried $20K in credit card debt and had no short-term savings.
• They didn’t want to reduce their retirement contributions, but they also couldn’t keep leaking money each month.
• One partner’s variable income made budgeting feel too complicated to start, and they’d never tracked spending before.

How We Worked Together

• We created a practical, easy-to-use budget in Monarch Money that worked from day one. They quickly identified overspending (Amazon shopping, unplanned dining out) and redirected those dollars to what mattered most.
• We created “save-to-spend” sinking funds for their most valued spending like travel, hobbies, and camping gear
• Added monthly check-ins to review spending in a calm, blame-free way
• Created space for both partners to reflect and adjust habits together. The system helped them align on shared goals, without finger-pointing or guilt.

The Result

• Cut their spending by nearly 50% without feeling deprived
• Paid off all $20k in credit card debt
• Built a solid emergency fund
• Handled unexpected car and home repairs without stress
• Paid for travel and entertainment in cash
• Now feel confident and excited to begin retirement on their terms