This is the place for UX Consultants to gather, share stories, and learn more from one another. I’m Kyle Soucy, your host and a long-time Independent UX Research Consultant. Whenever I catch up with other consultants, I always learn something new. So, I decided to create a space to do just that and I'm inviting you to join me. Most of my amazing guests are fellow UX consultants, but there will also be special appearances from clients and other people that I think we can learn a great deal fr ...
…
continue reading
On the Debt Free Mom Podcast, we answer the everyday questions that keep you from experiencing progress and contentment in your home finances. Host Carly Hill (aka Debt Free Mom) sits down with a guest and dives into a specific roadblock in their money management. Each episode uncovers the reality of where your money is going, builds a realistic plan for reaching your goals, and establishes the healthy money mindsets needed to make that plan stick. Want to join Carly as a guest on the show t ...
…
continue reading
After a whirlwind move out of homeownership and back into renting in the summer of 2023, followed by several months of house hunting with failed offers and almost no inventory, we are currently under contract on a home in Illinois. It will mean lots of change for our family and we dive into how this house is different (but also better!) than the wi…
…
continue reading

1
80. Wealth is a Mindset with Shang Saavedra
45:31
45:31
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:31Today's guest is Shang Saavedra. She comes on the show to discuss her new book Wealth is a Mindset. Shang is an author, coach, and the Founder and CEO of Save My Cents. Shang's Website: www.savemycents.com Follow Shang on Instagram Purchase the book Wealth is a Mindset --------------------- Interested in the magical Little Green Machine mentioned i…
…
continue reading

1
Christine Perfetti - Blending UX Consulting with a Mission-Driven Passion Project
1:17:24
1:17:24
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:17:24In this episode of The UX Consulting Lounge, host Kyle Soucy reconnects with long-time friend and UX veteran Christine Perfetti for a deeply honest and inspiring conversation about career reinvention, self-worth, and the power of authentic connection. After decades of success in the UX world—most recently through her consultancy, Perfetti Media—Chr…
…
continue reading

1
79. Feed the Family: Nothing Bad will Happen
17:40
17:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
17:40Today's episode kicks off our Feed the Family month! I talk about food spending and realistic meals for families all year long, but I like to take one month per year to narrow in on the mom math and realistic planning of feeding the family well! 40 Aprons Butternut Squash Chili Pinch of Yum Kale Peanut Crunch Salad Join the Care Creates Community a…
…
continue reading

1
78. Smart Car Buying with The Car Mom, Kelly Stumpe
40:35
40:35
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
40:35Kelly Stumpe aka the Car Mom takes a cheerleader approach to helping moms and families choose their next car confidently. Her enthusiasm for the car industry combined with her expertise as a car salesperson, mom of 4, and child passenger safety technician all come together to make her the voice I listen to for all things cars! You can find The Car …
…
continue reading
A few weeks ago I shared what I'm looking for in a house. I wanted to include Kyle on that episode but he was completely out of commission sick with the flu! So this week he comes on the podcast to share his thoughts: what we are both looking for but also where we have different priorities. If you feel like you're not making the best use of your pa…
…
continue reading

1
Lisa Bragg - The Art of Purposeful Self-Promotion: Being a Signal Through the Noise
57:59
57:59
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
57:59In this engaging episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with Lisa Bragg, an expert in strategic self-promotion and the author of "Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion." Together, they explore the nuanced art of self-promotion that doesn't just add to the noise but acts as a clear sign…
…
continue reading
When I started the Debt Free Mom instagram account, I had already been debt free for 3 years. But that doesn't mean we didn't have years of struggling to make ends meet, realizing money mistakes we made, or paying off debt while also having 3 sons in 39 months. Today's episode spans from December 2011 when we got married to April 2019 when we bough…
…
continue reading

1
75. What I'm Looking for in our Next Home Purchase
16:16
16:16
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
16:16We are planning to go back to being homeowners when our current lease is up this summer. This is my stream of consciousness about what I'm looking for in our next home. Whether this is actually what we end up buying will remain unseen, but it will be fun to be able to look back on this episode and see where I was right and where I was wrong! If you…
…
continue reading
In this episode of the UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy speaks with Tamara Adlin, owner of Adlin, Inc., a consultancy specializing in helping early-stage startups and larger companies with product alignment and redesigns. They discuss her impressive career journey and her profound impact on the field of UX consulting. Tamara shares her experi…
…
continue reading

1
74. Protecting Your Finances When Hiring a Contractor with Nicole Stanley
39:29
39:29
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:29On today's episode of the Debt Free Mom Podcast, Nicole Stanley is on the show to share her experience dealing with a kitchen contractor and what she wishes she had done differently. You're putting your home and your money in someone else's hands when hiring someone to complete a project - big or small. On today's episode, we'll discuss the questio…
…
continue reading

1
73. Financial Security with Seasonal Income with Susan Soucy
42:12
42:12
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
42:12Susan Soucy is a mom of 2, farmer (how cool is that?!), and adjunct professor. In the last several years, she's taken her finances from fear-based and stressful to confident and growing. She began budgeting by pay period and few years ago and her weekly budget now gives her peace of mind that she can cover large expenses like daycare for her 2 kids…
…
continue reading

1
72. How Compounding Affects Life and Money with Claire Wood
34:02
34:02
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:02Claire Wood is a military wife, mom, writer, and teacher. Today she joins me to discuss an idea she's been pondering and applying to her life: compounding. Those small, consistent tasks and habits that lead to the large changes we're really seeking. Whether it's parenting, cooking at home, or investing: we need to allow time for the effect of compo…
…
continue reading

1
71. "Tidy Up Your Life" with Tyler Moore (aka Tidy Dad)
47:15
47:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
47:15In our first episode of 2025, we welcome back a DFM Podcast favorite, Tyler Moore, famously known as Tidy Dad. Tyler shares insights about his new book, 'Tidy Up Your Life,' which explores the deep connection between mental clarity and a tidy, organized living space. Tyler also shares his personal journey of balancing life in New York City with his…
…
continue reading

1
Erika Hall and Mike Monteiro - Consulting with Backbone: Authenticity, Humanity, and the Value of Hard Truths
1:03:42
1:03:42
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:03:42In this episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with two legendary figures in the UX and design consulting world: Erika Hall and Mike Monteiro, co-founders of Mule Design. Known for their honesty, wit, and willingness to challenge the status quo, Erika and Mike bring decades of experience—and a few well-placed truth bombs—to…
…
continue reading
Resources mentioned in this episode: Gifts like the little green machine, leather conditioner, etc. $7 Car Detailing Guide Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacyBy Carly Hill
…
continue reading

1
Lynne Polischuik & Justin Davis - Navigating the Evolution of UX Consulting: Adapting to Industry Shifts
1:18:40
1:18:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:18:40In this episode of The UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy welcomes Lynne Polischuik and Justin Davis, two seasoned UX consultants, to discuss the evolving landscape of UX consulting. From the challenges of today’s market to the exciting opportunities presented by AI and emerging work models, this episode dives deep into the current state of UX …
…
continue reading

1
69. Gifts for Saving Money in the Kitchen
31:36
31:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:36Click Here to find these gifts that will help you save money in the kitchen! {Amazon List} - most items mentioned in the episode are here! {Walmart List} - Air Fryer, Toaster, Griddles, Containers on the Kitchen List www.instagram.com/debtfree.mom [post contains affiliate links] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out:…
…
continue reading
We usually know what goals we want to accomplish in the future, but we also need to look back on what we have already done! Today I fly through a decade of our personal finance progress in less than 30 minutes. "We overestimate what we can accomplish in one year and underestimate what we can accomplish in a decade." -Bill Gates For a more detailed …
…
continue reading

1
67 Using Your Checking Account as Waiting Room, Not a Vault with Stacie
39:11
39:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:11Join us in this episode of the Debt Free Mom Podcast as Stacie returns to share her journey of switching from monthly to bi-weekly budgeting. We dive into the challenges and benefits of aligning budget schedules with different pay periods, managing increased incomes, and strategies for forecasting expenses accurately. She also talks with me about p…
…
continue reading

1
66. Making Your Own Rules for Budgeting with Jessica
44:18
44:18
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
44:18Are there rules to budgeting? And if there are, do you have to follow them? In this first episode back after my summer break, I have a wonderful conversation with Jessica who shares her personal journey managing finances for her rural Michigan family of five. Jessica dives into the pros and cons she has found in using budgeting tools like EveryDoll…
…
continue reading

1
Elizabeth Creighton - Scaling Your UX Consultancy: Newsletters, Courses, and Deliverables
1:05:56
1:05:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:05:56In this episode of the UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with Elizabeth Creighton, the owner of Brazen, a consultancy that offers UX research and training services. Elizabeth shares great tips about scaling your UX consultancy through newsletters, online courses, and investing in deliverables. Plus, they discuss the emotional journey…
…
continue reading

1
Becca Kennedy - From Academia to UX Consulting
1:10:30
1:10:30
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:10:30In this episode of the UX Consultants Lounge, host Kyle Soucy sits down with Becca Kennedy, the owner of Kennason, a UX consultancy that combines design research and content design services. With over 15 years in the industry and nearly a decade of running her own consultancy, Becca shares her insights and experiences in the world of UX consulting.…
…
continue reading

1
Karen McGrane - Embracing Adaptability in UX Consulting
1:08:52
1:08:52
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:08:52In this episode, host Kyle Soucy is joined by Karen McGrane, a renowned UX consultant, to dive deep into the intricacies of UX consulting, running a consulting business, and adapting to industry changes. Karen shares her extensive experience, from starting and running multiple consulting firms to managing business downturns and shifting industry no…
…
continue reading

1
Quick Update on the DFM Podcast Summer Schedule
1:11
1:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:11We're going to be taking a break from putting out new episodes for a little bit as we slow down on a few things and enjoy the rest of our family's summer break. You might see a replay of some of my favorite episodes here and there, but we're hitting pause with new episodes until the fall. If you have ideas for what you would like to hear from this …
…
continue reading

1
Introduction: An Interview with Your Host, Kyle Soucy
40:34
40:34
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
40:34In this special introductory episode, we get to know Kyle, the host of our UX Consultant Podcast. Celebrating her 20th year in business as an independent UX research consultant, Kyle shares her journey, the motivations behind starting this podcast, and what listeners can expect in future episodes. Joined by her children, Roger and Gabriel, Kyle ans…
…
continue reading

1
Trailer: Welcome to the UX Consultants Lounge
1:36
1:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:36Links and Resources: Connect with Kyle on LinkedIn. Learn more about Kyle's UX Research consultancy, Usable Interface. Submit a question or story: Have a question or topic that you'd like us to cover in a future episode and/or want to share an anonymous consulting story? Submit your questions and stories. Don't want to miss an episode? Be sure to s…
…
continue reading

1
65. Breaking Down our Family Vacation - Budgeting, Planning, and Traveling with Kids
34:14
34:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:14In today's episode, Kyle and I share some of the highlights of our annual summer family vacation! We recently returned from a 10 day trip driving from Central Illinois to the beaches of Outer Banks, North Carolina. Our conversation today takes an inside look at our semi-spontaneous detour to Washington D.C. on our way home. We share some tips on pl…
…
continue reading

1
64. How Aneisha Traveled to Southeast Asia for 6 Months Debt Free
38:26
38:26
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:26Today's episode is all about something I have never done before, moving across the world for six months and doing it all debt free! Aneisha is a freelance bookkeeper who has always described herself as a saver. She started using the Debt Free Mom Pay Period Budget Template about two years ago and used this tool to help her and her husband spend hal…
…
continue reading
If you've followed Debt Free Mom on Instagram, I've been sharing a lot about my recent side hustles: cleaning houses and detailing cars. There's been a lot of great conversation around that from people interested in everything from "why did you start doing that?" and "how do you get started?" and "what do I need to do in order to start my own side …
…
continue reading

1
62. Enjoying Summer at Home and on the Road
34:11
34:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:11For our first episode of June, we're kicking off the summer with a replay of one of our favorite episodes of last year. This episode is all about enjoying simple summers with kids, whether you're spending time at home or time on the road. In my efforts to make lasting memories without seeing all of my money disappear by the fourth of July, I have f…
…
continue reading

1
61. Escaping the Trap of Credit Card Payments with Kristina
57:39
57:39
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
57:39If you've ever wondered how long it would take to see results if you switched from budgeting by month to budgeting by pay period, today's episode is for you. Kristina is a mom of four, a pastor's wife, a nurse, and a runner. And today she's here to share her story of switching to budgeting by pay period in January, and the amount of transformation …
…
continue reading

1
60. Spending & Saving as a Single Parent with Alexandrea
50:12
50:12
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
50:12Are you in a season of waiting when it comes to your money? Where you know some big change is coming in the near future, but it's not there yet. What do you do in the meantime? What do you do while you're waiting? Should you try to grow the gap between your income and expenses? Or should you just be okay with a different timeline than you maybe tho…
…
continue reading

1
59. Manageable Meal Times with Stacie & Meghan from Didn't I Just Feed You
55:22
55:22
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
55:22Today I'm excited to share my conversation with you from my new friends Stacie & Meghan from Didn't I Just Feed You. Didn’t I Just Feed You is a weekly podcast hosted by long-time food professionals, Stacie Billis and Meghan Splawn, all about feeding our families — even for parents who hate to cook. (Because, man, kids need to eat a lot, and all th…
…
continue reading

1
58. ADHD Challenges and Superpowers in Budgeting with Shawn
1:03:23
1:03:23
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:03:23As many of you know, I was diagnosed with ADHD in my early thirties. It was a major learning process for me and still is. On today's episode, Shawn comes on to share his experience having ADHD and learning to manage his finances. Shawn's been married for 23 years, has two kids ages 21 and 15, and he works as a computer programmer. Today we talk abo…
…
continue reading

1
57. Getting Your Husband on Board with the Budget with Rachel
55:17
55:17
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
55:17What do you do when you're ready to budget and send money to goals but your spouse isn't? Today's episode is with Rachel Parker who is a wife, a mom of two, and a teacher's assistant. Rachel and her husband realized that they needed to clean up their finances in a big way. Now they're working through building a realistic budget and learning to stic…
…
continue reading

1
56. Sticking to a Budget When You Have ADHD with Ali
59:52
59:52
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
59:52Do you find yourself building budgets that look great on paper, but then once your pay period starts, you struggle to stay consistent? In this episode of the Debt Free Mom podcast, our guest Ali, a social worker, wife, and mom, delves into her personal challenges with creating budgets that work on paper but fail in practice. She discusses the addit…
…
continue reading

1
55. Reaching Money Goals Even While Medical Expenses Pile Up with Sarah
1:04:16
1:04:16
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:04:16In today's episode of the Debt Free Mom podcast, we're talking about medical expenses. How do we get ahead with the other goals we have for our money when we constantly feel like we are paying for medical expenses that happened a long time ago? Sarah Gonzalez, a mom of two, comes on to talk about how she is going about paying off past medical expen…
…
continue reading

1
54. Alexandra's Plan for Her Unpaid Maternity Leave with Variable Income
40:55
40:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
40:55It is so easy to focus on what makes our own finances the exception to the rule. Why other people can budget, but we can't. Why other people can put money in savings, but we can't. Why other people can eat food from home, but we can't. But what if we started challenging ourselves to find the positive side of our financial picture, whatever that may…
…
continue reading
Since tax season is here, I wanted to answer a very common question I get this time of year: how do I use my tax refund? Everybody has a different response to receiving a tax refund. Some people purely see it as fun money as extra money. They can do whatever they want with it. Other people have been scraping by the past couple of months and feel a …
…
continue reading

1
52. Confident Home Cooking - The Basic Cooking Skills You Can Master to Feed Your Family
47:29
47:29
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
47:29What does a professional chef want us home cooks to know about cooking food at home? Today's guest is Sandy Leibowitz of Plantains & Challah. She's a trained chef with experience in restaurants as a personal chef, and now as an educator teaching people like me how to be more efficient and effective in their kitchens. As a note, we had a few technic…
…
continue reading

1
51. How to Reduce Your Grocery Spending by Making Food Last Longer - Feed the Family Mini Series
56:36
56:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
56:36Our Feed the Family mini series continues with a replay of my conversation with Amy Cross - an expert in food storage and preservation. She shares practical approaches to reducing food waste and spending even while accommodating food allergies, sensitivities, picky eaters, and everything in between. Listen to what Amy has to share today about makin…
…
continue reading

1
50. How to Spend Less on Groceries in a High Cost of Living Area with Alli Powell (Grocery Getting Girl) - Feed the Family Mini Series
48:55
48:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
48:55I talk about grocery spending and feeding my family well on a relatively low budget all the time, but I live in the rural Midwest, the heart of farm country where grocery prices are relatively low. What about when you live somewhere with a high cost of living like San Diego, California? Today's guest, Allie Powell, also known on Instagram as Grocer…
…
continue reading

1
49. When Is Fast Food Worth It? - Feed the Family Mini Series
34:38
34:38
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:38Welcome to the first episode of our mini series, Feed the Family. This episode kicks off a very special month with Debt Free Mom. On the podcast, in the community, and on Instagram, we are taking the entire month of March to talk about feeding the family. In today's episode, I set the stage for the month. What are the ground rules? What are the thi…
…
continue reading

1
48. Using Saving Sprints Instead of Sinking Funds
28:48
28:48
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
28:48In the previous episode, I talked to Jessi Fearon about sinking funds: how she uses them, why she uses them, and how they are helpful in her budget. I thought it would be helpful to record my own episode talking about why I choose not to use sinking funds. Like I said in the conversation with Jessi, I don't think sinking funds a bad thing. I think …
…
continue reading

1
47. How Sinking Funds Can Save Your Budget with Jessi Fearon
38:28
38:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:28When it comes to finding a budget method that works well for you, I always say, if it works well for you, then it works! It doesn't have to work for other people. One thing that doesn't really work well for me is sinking funds, but people ask about them all the time. So I asked Jessi Fearon, who is a mom of three, a finance expert, a CPA, and an au…
…
continue reading

1
46. Leveraging Variable Income as a Personal Trainer with Samantha
44:15
44:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
44:15For some people, the fact that their income is variable means goals like paying off debt or saving a full emergency fund will simply always be out of reach. For Samantha and her husband, who are both personal trainers, they decided that their variable income would not stand in the way of their dream of buying a home. Today, Samantha shares her stor…
…
continue reading

1
45. How Jessica Manages Her Family's Variable Income as a Stay at Home Mom
48:45
48:45
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
48:45In the last episode, I shared my story about switching from set salary based income to a highly variable income, and what that was like both personally and in my budget. Now, I'm opening the conversation to other people in similar boats. Jessica joins me today to talk about how she's managed her variable income budget, and to ask for some advice in…
…
continue reading

1
44. How I've Learned to Stick to a Budget with Variable Income
44:01
44:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
44:01On this episode of the Debt Free Mom podcast, I am answering one of your most frequent questions: How the heck am I supposed to budget if my income is variable? I understand how frustrating this can be and why it seems like it would prevent you from being able to budget. About a year and a half ago, our family went from a set salary paycheck to ful…
…
continue reading

1
43. Getting the True Value From Your Local Library with Alissa
49:43
49:43
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
49:43You do not have to follow me long to know that my love of libraries runs deep. I grew up going to the library and I'm raising my kids to love the library. Today I have a special guest with me, the director of my local library! Alissa Williams is here to share with us some of the lesser known resources and services available from libraries, because …
…
continue reading