Hey everyone, Suzy here to celebrate our 75th episode with a request for you, my favorite listener. I'm requesting your input for this year's community holiday episode, and I'm pulling back the curtain to share what it really takes to keep this show running while inviting you to join our first community fundraising drive. Listen to the end for information on how to submit your own worldschooling holiday memory for the end-of-year holiday episode.

Go back and listen to episode 32 for last year's community episode for inspiration. But first, I invite you to support this show in whatever way works for you. I know firsthand how busy traveling and aspiring traveling families are, so whenever you tune in, my goal is to deliver as much insight as possible in each episode. To make that happen, the work starts long before you hit play.

I find and vet each guest, research their background, and build custom outlines so we dive straight into real, actionable advice. Once we wrap up recording, I spend hours editing and drafting the articles, show notes, and social clips so other families can find these resources. My solo episodes take even longer to research, though I absolutely love doing it. Beyond that time investment, there are the concrete platform costs.

I keep things as lean as possible by hosting websites on the free tier of systeme.io and Beacons. However, the core tools are not free. I pay $35 a month for Riverside to record and edit, and $17 a month for Buzzsprout to host and distribute the episodes to your podcast player.

I fully plan to keep creating this show. But as we enter this season of gratitude, giving back, and supporting independent creators and small businesses instead of just big-box stores, I'd love your help covering that $600 annual cost. In fact, as you're preparing for your end-of-year shopping, are there other small businesses you could support as well?

For this show, if you've found value, practical strategies, or encouragement from these conversations—whether you're currently on the road or dreaming up your family's first worldschooling adventure—please consider contributing. You can financially support directly through Venmo or Wise to cut out any fees, or you can support monthly on Buzzsprout for as little as $3.

If you're already planning to make purchases, using my referral links is another great way to help. These include Wise for international money transfers, Chase credit cards, Outschool online learning options, Airbnb hosting, TrustedHousesitters for pet sitting, and HomeExchange to swap homes while traveling. You can also get €400 off your first Boundless Life cohort, $50 off your first year of Monarch Money, and use my links for Preply language tutoring or cash back shopping through Rakuten. Phew, that's a lot of options!

Still, I want to be clear: if financially supporting the show does not work for you right now, you are absolutely welcome here, and please continue to enjoy these episodes. There are plenty of free ways you can make a huge impact as well. You can refer your favorite episode to a friend or the next traveling family you meet on the road, share an episode on your social media feeds, or take two minutes to write a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Additionally, if you or someone you know runs a business aligned with the worldschooling and money mission we feature here on the show, and you would like to sponsor an upcoming episode or season, please reach out. I'd love to connect.

And finally, if you're looking at your own personal finances right now and feeling a bit lost about how to actually budget or plan for extended family travel, consider booking an initial money coaching session with me. We'll sit down together, look at your specific numbers, address your biggest questions, and build a clear plan to get you on track. And if you're considering renting out your home while you travel, pick up my ebook that walks you through step by step how to do it.   Okay, let's do it! 

Thanks for being part of this adventure and supporting me, this show, and this small business. And like I said at the beginning, you can also support the show by contributing to this year's end-of-the-year holiday community episode. To leave a voicemail with your family's favorite holiday worldschooling memory, click the SpeakPipe link in the show notes. You can also send a voicemail through the "Send Us a Text" link in the show notes. 

Include your name, location, blog or socials, and then your favorite holiday memory—whatever is most meaningful to you. I can't wait to include it in this year's community episode.  

Everything you need to support the show is linked right below in the show notes. Thank you so much for being part of this incredible community, and I'll catch you soon with our next regular episode.