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 plan
• The fixed vs. variable rate trap
• Why you should talk about your bills with your friends and neighbors
• Why “peace of mind” plans cost more than you think
• What to check on your water bill that most people ignore
• A 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 Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

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 issue
• The difference between materialism, consumerism, and decluttering so you can name what’s actually happening
• How “reset energy” turns into a cycle where you purge, feel lighter, reward yourself, and rebuild the mess
• What it looks like when you buy things to feel prepared even when the situation never comes
• The water bottle problem and why upgrades become a substitute for behavior
• The planner and journal trap and how marketing sells “this will change your life” in book form
• Why organizing products can be emotional purchases disguised as practical ones
• A simple solution that works: move items out of sight and see what you miss versus what you just like having available
• How attachment creates decision fatigue because every item turns into a guilt conversation
• The shift that actually helps Future You
• Our 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 Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Today’s episode is brought to you by Nutre Meals, a practical solution for eating better at home when you don’t have time, energy, or interest in cooking every night.

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Cooking at home has become one of those topics everyone tiptoes around because the second you say the honest thing, it sounds like judgment. But in 2026, we’re not tiptoeing. 😌

You know those “things I’d say if I wasn’t afraid to hurt your feelings” videos on IG or TikTok? Well, that’s the energy today.

In this episode, we’re talking about why dinner feels hard, why your kitchen turns into chaos, and why “just cook more” is lazy advice when the real issue is how most people are cooking.

We explain:

• How the real win is control: portions, ingredients, and what your future self pays in healthcare
• Innovation in the food space between fast-casual, meal kits, and the new wave of prepared meals that actually taste good. If your only two options are “cook from scratch” or “DoorDash,” your food playbook is outdated
• Why too bland or too salty both lead to boredom (and that’s why you keep quitting).
• How to stop overseasoning and start building flavor with smarter tools
• How temperature affects flavor

And yes… we’re already planning a Part 2: what we’d tell you about your grill, freezer and pantry if we really weren’t afraid to hurt your feelings.

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 Forbes

If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow