What if the real goal of money isn’t wealth—but time?

In this episode of Unknown Variables, I sit down with Andy Hill, creator of Marriage Kids and Money and author of Own Your Time, to talk about financial independence, Coast FIRE, and why so many people feel stuck even when they’re “doing everything right.”

Andy shares how he and his wife went from a negative $50,000 net worth to nearly $2 million, paid off their home in under five years, and ultimately designed a life around time freedom—not just money. We talk honestly about motivation, marriage, stress, side hustles, gambling culture, index fund investing, and what it really takes to build financial independence with a family.

This conversation isn’t about get-rich-quick schemes, crypto hype, or gambling apps—it’s about building margin, reclaiming your time, and designing a life you don’t want to escape from.

1. Why most people don’t have a money problem—they have a time problem
2. How motivation (not discipline) drives long-term financial change
3. Paying off a mortgage early vs. investing: what Andy would do differently
4. What Coast FIRE is and why it works for parents
5. How to build financial independence starting from debt
6. Why gambling and “quick money” are destroying wealth for young people
7. How couples can get on the same page about money
8. The role of side hustles, income growth, and index fund investing
9. Why time—not net worth—is the ultimate measure of wealth

Andy also shares the personal moments behind the numbers: marriage counseling, burnout, quitting a stable corporate job, and the realization that there are only 168 hours in a week—and how you use them matters.

📘 Andy Hill’s book, Own Your Time, is available now

Learn more at 👉 https://marriagekidsandmoney.com

🎧 Listen to Andy’s podcast & YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageKidsandMoney