“I feel like the goal today is really just to normalize what we've learned throughout the year, normalize financial mistakes, and also financial growth.”

What does financial transparency really look like? Our hosts, Natalie and Dan Slagle, open their books (literally!) to share the unfiltered reality of their 2025 financial journey.

The highs were high.

Their financial planning practice achieved 107% of its revenue goal, enabling them to provide meaningful employment while maintaining their own financial security. Personally, they saved $54,000 across retirement accounts, a 529 plan, and brokerage investments.

Most significantly, they saved enough for a home down payment ($140,000) but chose to press pause and continue renting. Not only did this give the Slagles financial flexibility, but also peace of mind.

But transparency means sharing the lows too.

Dan regrets spending over $500 between two pairs of marathon shoes after second-guessing his original purchase. Natalie confesses to falling down the Amazon rabbit hole during maternity leave. Their recycling bin, now nearly empty after cutting Amazon for just one month, serves as a surprising "lagging indicator" of improved spending habits.

Emergency expenses stung hardest, like Dan's $3,000 root canal redo, plus several other four-figure surprises.

Through it all, they embraced the power of regular financial check-ins as a couple. They’ve learned to give themselves grace during expensive life stages (like $2,000 monthly childcare), and not lose sight of long-term wins while managing short-term stress.

Looking ahead to 2026, Natalie wants to build a more confident money mindset and increase charitable giving, while Dan aims to focus less on daily cash flow anxiety and more on the bigger financial picture that’s at work behind the scenes.

Key Topics

1. Setting Up 2025's Financial Recap (05:03)
2. Business Revenue (08:37)
3. Personal Savings (13:16)
4. The Home Purchase Decision and Financial Calm (14:49)
5. Regrettable Purchases (17:16)
6. Emergency Expenses That Hurt (24:20)
7. The Down Payment That Wasn't: $140,000 in Perspective (26:48)
8. Hard Lessons: The Need for Regular Check-Ins (30:39)
9. 2026 Goals: Mindset and Charitable Giving (33:49)

Natalie Slagle, CFP® and Dan Slagle, CFP® are the founding partners and lead financial planners at Fyooz Financial Planning — an independent firm dedicated to helping high-earning couples in their 30s and 40s confidently navigate the complexities of managing money together.

At Fyooz, they specialize in turning financial stress into strategy, guiding couples through everything from cash flow and investing to aligning money with shared goals.

Disclaimer: For updated disclosures, please visit fyoozfinancial.com.