Mini-Retirements for Families: How to Retire Often When You Have Kids | Jillian Johnsrud

What if you didn’t have to wait until your 60s to experience the freedom of retirement? In this episode, we sit down with Jillian Johnsrud, author of Retire Often and host of the Retire Often Podcast, to explore the life-changing concept of “mini retirements.” Jillian shares how families can take extended breaks from work — to rest, travel, or explore new goals — without derailing their financial independence journey. We discuss the emotional and financial benefits of pausing your career, how to negotiate time off with your employer, and ways to plan mini retirements with kids. If you’re feeling burned out or stuck in the grind, this episode will inspire you to design more space, adventure, and joy into your family’s financial plan. RESOURCES⁠Sponsors, Deals, and Partners that Support the Show Sponsors, Deals & Partners – See all current offers in one place. MKM RESOURCES Own Your Time – Pre-order my first book today! MKM Coaching – Get 1-on-1 support with your family finance journey. Coast FIRE Calculator – Find out when you can slow down or stop investing for retirement. Mortgage Payoff Calculator – See how fast you can become mortgage free. YouTube – Subscribe for free to watch videos of episodes and interviews. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES (SPONSORS & AFFILIATES) Monarch Money – Best budget app for families & couples. Empower – Free portfolio tracker. Crew – HYSA banking built for families (Get an extra 0.5% APY with my partner link). Ethos – Affordable term life insurance. Trust & Will – Convenient estate planning made easy. GUEST RESOURCES Retire Often (Book) – Learn how to design a life filled with mini retirements. RetireOften.com – Explore Jillian’s podcast, blog, and mini retirement tools. Podcast Chapters 00:00 – Intro 01:00 – What is a mini retirement and why it’s trending 02:20 – Why burnout is pushing families toward mini retirements 03:00 – Is the traditional 40-year career model dead? 04:30 – Why employers may welcome your mini retirement 06:00 – How to negotiate a one-month break from work 08:10 – How to address employer concerns with solutions 09:30 – Budgeting for a mini retirement 10:05 – Real-life example: living abroad for the cost of childcare 11:10 – Emotional recovery and resetting after burnout 12:45 – Planning affordable breaks earlier in your financial journey 14:00 – Jillian’s personal mini retirement story 15:00 – Making the most of parental leave and family bonding time 16:30 – Negotiating flexible work or part-time transitions 18:00 – Exit negotiations: how to leave your job on your terms 20:20 – Creating part-time roles and consulting opportunities 22:20 – What is a family gap year and how to plan one 23:40 – Practicing travel and flexibility with kids 25:30 – The FI dilemma: does taking time off derail your goals? 27:00 – Why mini retirements can accelerate your financial growth 28:50 – Mini retirements as wealth-building opportunities 30:00 – About Jillian’s book Retire Often 31:00 – Final thoughts and where to learn more HOW WE MAKE MONEY + DISCLAIMER This show may contain affiliate links or links from our advertisers where we earn a commission, direct payment or products. Opinions are the creators alone. Information shared on this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Marriage Kids and Money (www.marriagekidsandmoney.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. CREDITS Podcast Artwork: Liz Theresa Editor: Johnny Sohl Podcast Support: Andy Hill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices