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The Ryals Family Plan

A private space for us. Enter the family password.

Our family · 2026 — 2030

The home we love.
The future we're building.

Four years. One disciplined plan. A bigger home for the girls and a financial foundation that lasts. This is our story — written together, one month at a time.

See the path → How we get there
The Arc

Three moments that change everything.

Three moments. That's all this is. Each one builds on the last — and the third one is the reason we're doing all of it.

Today · 2026

The Foundation

Balance transfers in place. Attacking 0% debt in the right order. No new debt.

Mid 2027

The Cash Flow Unlock

Daycare ends. Truck gone. +$2,450/month freed up — the wave that changes everything.

2029 — 2030

The Addition

The home we already love, with the room our family is growing into.

Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

— Michael Jordan

The Strategy

Four phases. One family.

Not austerity. Not deprivation. A clear sequence built around the milestones we already have on the calendar.

Phase 01

Stabilize & Sequence

Keep minimums on the other 0% cards, make Brent Discover the main focus, and use the food budget as the main monthly lever.

Food Budget Focus

Phase 1 works because the day-to-day spending gets calmer. The new food line is $2,500 per month, which is still generous, but it pulls dining out, quick stops, groceries, and delivery into one visible number we can manage together.

$2,500 New monthly food line
$3,440 12-month food pace
$963 Monthly opportunity
Phase 1 case file · 15 slides

The Ryals Family Financial Plan

The full investigation: missing margin, the $102K debt target, food-budget evidence, promo deadlines, and the path to January 2028.

Download the PowerPoint →
Open food budget full page →
Debt Payoff Calculator

0% card payoff window

Phase 1 is about clearing the 0% cards with the final payment in January 2028. The plan calls for $2,108 per month across the remaining payoff window.

Target: final payment January 2028
0% card plan $0
Needed monthly $0
Total balance $0
Months 0
Account First-of-quarter balance Current balance
Total 0% balance $0
Needed monthly $0
Needed from commission $0
Quarter pace $0
Enter balances to calculate the monthly plan.
Shared Food Budget

Build the $2,500 plan together

Adjust the categories, save a draft, and pick up the same version from either device.

Open full page →
Phase 02

The Cash-Flow Unlock

This phase panel is ready for the next layer: freed-up daycare/truck cash flow, monthly targets, and anything else you want to add here.

Phase 03

Build & Invest

This phase panel is ready for 529s, UTMAs, ESPP tracking, investment priorities, and the savings metrics you want to layer in later.

Phase 04

The Addition

The addition is the long-game reward: more space for the family, backed by cleaner debt, stronger savings, and a home plan we can keep visible while we work the phases.

Blueprints

Keep the house plan close to the financial plan. This is the design target Phase 4 is protecting.

Open full blueprint PDF
The family finance podcast

Ryals to
Riches Show

Featured episode

Crushing $102K of Debt With a Food Budget

The story behind Phase 1: how one visible monthly food number can create breathing room, build momentum, and help turn a six-figure debt goal into a family plan.

Episode 01 · 21 min
The Scoreboard

Where we stand. Right now.

Updated monthly. Every dollar paid down is a dollar closer to the addition. This number goes one direction — down.

$102,073.85
Total Remaining
Synced from Google Sheet
First: Throw every available card dollar at Brent Discover
Minimums: Dani Discover $100 · Brent Slate $100 · Dani BOA $300
October: Brent Discover 0% window closes
November: Dani BOA 0% window closes
May 2, 2027: Dani Discover 0% window closes
July 2027: Brent Double Cash 0% window closes
August 2027: Dani Wells Fargo 0% window closes
March 2028: Knock out any Brent Slate balance
Then: Texas Trust → LightStream → Discover Loan
Dani Discover
Promo ends May 2, 2027
Priority 03
$3,290.00
Brent Discover
Promo ends October 2026
Priority 01
$8,800.00
Dani BOA
Promo ends November 2026
Priority 02
$11,150.00
Brent Slate Card
Promo ends March 2028
Priority 06
$6,300.00
Dani Wells Fargo
Promo ends August 2027
Priority 05
$4,200.00
Brent Double Cash
Promo ends July 2027
Priority 04
$4,200.00
Texas Trust Card
Minimum payment: $485/month
Minimum
$23,920.94
LightStream Loan
Minimum payment: $368.27/month
Minimum
$16,441.41
Discover Personal Loan
Minimum payment: $647.57/month
Minimum
$23,771.50
🎯
The play: Brent BOA and Brent Citi are consolidated into Dani Discover at $3,360. Pay the minimums on Dani Discover, Brent Slate, Dani BOA, Dani Wells Fargo, and Brent Double Cash, then throw every available dollar at Brent Discover until it is gone. After that, knock out Brent Double Cash before July 2027, Dani Wells Fargo before August 2027, and whatever remains on Brent Slate before March 2028, then go Texas Trust, LightStream, then Discover Personal Loan.
Monthly Bills

Every bill. One clear view.

Paid status syncs from the Ryals Monthly Bills Google Sheet.

Current month
Total bills — Loading this month
Paid — Checking the Sheet
Outstanding — Open bills
Overdue — Needs attention
Bill / Payee Due Category Amount Autopay Status
Syncing with Google Sheets…
Connecting to the monthly bills tracker… Update in Google Sheets →
Month in Review

What the month actually did.

A monthly Copilot check-in: spending, cash flow, category pressure, and the one adjustment that matters going into next month.

June 2026 Review
$26,403.11
Total spending from June transactions
Debt Payments
$2,833.49
Visible credit card payments in June transactions
Food Leakage
$3,721.71
Food, groceries, quick stops, and dining out

Takeaway

June closed at $26,403.11 across 38 visible categories. Flights and mortgage were the largest lines, while credit card payments, Primrose, and utilities were the other major buckets. Food spending landed at $3,721.71, which was $1,221.71 over the $2,500 monthly food line.

June Detail

38 visible categories · June transactions
Flights
$5,413
Mortgage
$3,418
Credit Card Payments
$2,833
Primrose
$1,925
Grocery Store
$1,817
Amazon
$1,543
Kid activities
$1,451
Utilities
$1,381
Auto Payments
$1,196
Walmart/Target
$747
To Bless Your Nest Cleaning
$542
Fast Food
$410
Retail stores
$405
Gas
$306
Restaurants
$300
Venmo/ZELLE
$295
Subscriptions
$280
Maid Service
$216
Purchase Interest Charge
$202
Mosquito Joe
$184
Life Insurance
$180
Door Dash
$169
Kids Sports
$160
Pharmacy
$137
Costco
$114
Food Pulse

Dining & grocery pressure

A quiet read on the categories that sell the plan: what has been spent, what is left, and which habits are doing the most work.

-$1,147.37
Over the new food line
August food line
$3,647.37 of $2,500
146% used through August 31. Food is $1,147.37 over the new monthly line.
12-month pace
$3,440
About $940 over the new monthly line.
Last month
$3,986.59
$1,486.59 over the new monthly line.
Bottom line: our 12-month food pace is $3,440 per month. Typical family-of-four ranges often land closer to $1,450-$2,400 depending on how lean or comfortable the month is. The new $2,500 line is still generous, but it asks dining out, quick stops, and delivery to stop carrying the month.
Lean $1,450-$1,600/month with thriftier groceries and minimal dining out.
Typical $1,750-$1,930/month with moderate groceries and normal dining out.
Comfortable $2,100-$2,400/month with liberal groceries and above-average dining out.
Our 12-month avg Previous month Current month
Restaurants
$1,010.49
Grocery Store
$1,215.74
Liquor Store
$401.69
Fast Food
$367.12
Walmart/Target
$338.93
Pizza
$157.14
Door Dash
$231.78
Coffee
$143.34
Gas station snacks
$58.00
National reference uses the latest BLS Consumer Expenditure release: $10,169 per year for food, or about $847 per month for the average U.S. consumer unit.
Year to Date

The 2026 spend, rolled up.

January through August 31, 2026 category totals from Copilot. The monthly view tells the story; this view shows what is compounding.

Jan-Aug 31, 2026
$198,556.67
Total expenses across visible Copilot categories

Category Totals

51 categories · Copilot
Credit Card Payments$43,471.09
Mortgage$23,640.07
Auto Payments$12,558.54
Primrose$11,545.00
Amazon$7,959.26
Kid activities$7,318.75
Grocery Store$7,008.44
Walmart/Target$6,594.23
Utilities$6,299.97
Flights$5,724.26
Restaurants$4,765.70
University of Ark$4,089.89
Retail stores$2,892.31
Purchase Interest Charge$2,889.50
Subscriptions$2,519.64
Fast Food$2,501.44
Hotel/Airbnb$2,186.98
Auto Insurance$1,972.99
Doctor Appts$1,926.03
Gas$1,603.52
Pharmacy$1,516.68
Hardware Store$1,511.28
Door Dash$1,477.41
Venmo/ZELLE$1,335.26
Mosquito Joe$1,288.07
Life Insurance$1,261.47
Dog Food$1,028.98
Uber$917.39
Liquor Store$884.27
Pool$768.75
Costco$732.18
Pizza$641.80
Gas station snacks$634.45
Kids Sports$603.58
Coffee$565.60
ATM/CASH$557.50
To Bless Your Nest Cleaning$542.00
Florence Elementary$482.32
Maid Service$432.50
Movies$398.04
Parking$332.13
TikTok shop$193.29
EBAY/ETSY$172.24
SHEIN$169.47
ZAR$160.63
Vet Bills$134.66
Auto registration$99.00
Dollar store$95.80
Shipping$65.17
Concert/Game tickets$27.55
Auto Repair$21.24
Autos & Home Loan

Important, but not the fire.

These stay visible on the plan without stealing focus from the credit cards and personal loans. The job here is simple: pay on schedule, protect the assets, and let the priority debt get the extra dollars.

Secured Debt Total
$479,899.86
Autos plus Pennymac mortgage
Auto Loans
$72,440.76
$1,780.23/month combined
Mortgage
$407,459.10
Pennymac balance

Brent · 2021 GMC Sierra

Texas Trust · Auto loan
Auto
$9,962.20
Payment $787.91/mo Plan Paid off Sept 2027 🎉

Dani · GMC Yukon

Wells Fargo · Auto loan
Auto
$62,478.56
Payment $992.32/mo Plan Pay on schedule · focus credit debt first

Home Mortgage

Pennymac · Primary residence
Home
$407,459.10
Equity math Home value minus mortgage Plan Stay current · build toward the addition
Debt Tracker

Live Debt Tracker

Live debt balances and payoff projections in our shared Google Sheet.
The Dashboard

Copilot

Monthly spending, cash flow, and net worth.
The Bills

Live Bills Tracker

Monthly bills, due dates, and subscriptions — updated as we go.
Net Worth

The whole picture, not just the debt.

This section ties the payoff plan to the assets already working in the background: home equity, retirement, investments, and Brent's pension.

Current Net Worth
$334,529.75
Based on $647,200 home Zestimate
Known Assets
$269,303.46
Investments, 401ks, pension value
Non-Mortgage Debt
$174,514.61
Priority debt plus auto loans
Home Equity
$239,740.90
Zestimate minus Pennymac balance
Schwab visible investments
$6,660.25
Brent 401k
$57,899.21
Dani 401k estimate
~$100,000
Brent Verizon pension
$104,744
VerizonBenefitsConnection.com · 855.489.2367
Credit cards & personal loans
-$102,073.85
Auto loans
-$72,440.76
Pennymac mortgage
-$407,459.10
Home value
$647,200

Home equity uses the current Zestimate of $647,200 minus the $407,459.10 Pennymac mortgage balance. Update the Zestimate here when the market value changes.

The Investments

Small accounts. Real momentum.

The debt plan is the first job. These accounts are the proof that the next chapter is already underway: college money for the girls, custodial investments, and Brent's Schwab accounts beginning to stack.

Schwab Investment Total
$6,660.25
Last updated: August 2026
529 Plans
$5,578.59
Johnni + Sammi college funds
Custodial
$772.37
Invested for the girls
Brent Brokerage/Roth
$309.29
Individual plus Roth IRA

Schwab screenshot also shows an Equity Award Individual account with a $0.00 balance. Totals above reflect the visible investment accounts from the Schwab view.

Family Protection

Estate & Legacy.

The financial plan protects our future. These documents protect our family if the unexpected happens. Everything is in order — and the girls are taken care of.

⚠️
Action Required — Documents Need Signing

All documents have been drafted. Each requires witnesses and a notary to be legally valid in Texas. See instructions below each document.

👤

Brent's Documents

Last Will & Testament Needs Signing
ChildrenJohnni Ryals, Sammi Ryals & Venice Fagan
ExecutorDanielle Ryals · backup: Emily Jackson
Estate toDanielle Ryals (entire estate)
Requires2 witnesses + notary
Advance Healthcare Directive Needs Signing
Healthcare AgentDanielle Ryals
Alternate AgentEmily Jackson · 215 Talon Dr, Keller TX
Requires2 witnesses (no notary needed)
Durable Power of Attorney Needs Signing
AgentDanielle Ryals
Successor AgentEmily Jackson
PowersFull financial & legal authority (A–M)
Requires2 witnesses + notary
👤

Dani's Documents

Last Will & Testament Needs Signing
ChildrenJohnni Ryals, Sammi Ryals & Venice Fagan
ExecutorBrent Ryals · backup: Trevor Bunte
Estate toBrent Ryals (entire estate)
Requires2 witnesses + notary
Advance Healthcare Directive Needs Signing
Healthcare AgentBrent Ryals
Alternate AgentTrevor Bunte · 14432 Padden Park, Roanoke TX
Requires2 witnesses (no notary needed)
Durable Power of Attorney Needs Signing
AgentBrent Ryals
Successor AgentTrevor Bunte
PowersFull financial & legal authority (A–M)
Requires2 witnesses + notary
🏛️

Joint Document — Revocable Living Trust

Needs Signing + Funding
The Brent Ryals and Danielle Ryals Revocable Living Trust
Initial TrusteesBrent Ryals & Danielle Ryals (joint)
Brent's ReplacementDanielle Ryals · backup: Emily Jackson
Dani's ReplacementBrent Ryals · backup: Trevor Bunte
BeneficiariesDescendants of both Brent & Danielle Ryals
RequiresNotary only · then fund by transferring home deed
📌 Next step after signing: A Home Transfer Deed must be prepared and recorded to move the house into the trust. Log in at wills.legalplans.com for instructions.
👧👧👧 Guardianship — Venice, Johnni & Sammi
Primary Guardian
Trevor Bunte
14432 Padden Park · Roanoke, TX 76262
Backup Guardian
Emily Jackson
215 Talon Drive · Keller, TX 76262

Named in both Brent's and Dani's Wills. Venice Fagan, Johnni Ryals, and Sammi Ryals all go to Trevor first, Emily second — no ambiguity, no gaps.

🛡️

Life Insurance

Brent Ryals — Banner Life (Legal & General) · Personal
Policy #5000353776
Coverage$500,000 · 20 Year Term
Policy DateApril 4, 2023 · expires April 3, 2043
Premium$151.51/month (EFT monthly)
BeneficiaryDanielle Ryals (100% · wife)
ProviderBanner Life · 800-638-8428 · LGAmerica.com
Brent Ryals — Securian · Employer Policy #1 · Basic Life
Coverage$78,000
BeneficiaryDanielle Ryals (100% · wife)
ProviderSecurian Financial
Brent Ryals — Securian · Employer Policy #2 · Supplemental Life
Coverage$234,000
BeneficiaryDanielle Ryals (100% · wife)
ProviderSecurian Financial
Danielle Ryals — Banner Life (Legal & General) · Personal
Policy #5000353768
Coverage$1,000,000 · Term Life
Policy DateFebruary 7, 2023
Premium$28.70/month
BeneficiaryBrent M Ryals
ProviderBanner Life · 800-638-8428 · LGAmerica.com
⏳ Pending — Dani's Employer Life Insurance
Coverage details needed from Dani's HR / benefits portal. Add policy number, coverage amount, and beneficiary info when available.
📈

Retirement Accounts

Brent 401kSchwab · $57,899.21 · contributing 5% for full match
Brent PensionVerizon · vested 10yr 10mo · lump sum $104,744 at normal retirement
Pension AccessVerizonBenefitsConnection.com · Benefits Center: 855.4VZ.BENS (855.489.2367)
⏳ Dani 401k Details pending — estimated ~$100k. Add provider, account number, and beneficiary info when available. Note: $50k loan currently repaying via paycheck.
📄 Open Full Estate Plan PDF in Google Drive
Family Protection

If life changes. We're covered.

Before the plan, the plan is protected. Here's what's in place so the family keeps moving forward no matter what.

If Brent Can't Work
Short-Term Disability
100%
of salary · employer paid
Covers the first weeks — full paycheck continues while short-term recovery happens.
Long-Term Disability
60%
of salary · ongoing
If a long recovery is needed, 60% of the paycheck keeps coming. The plan stays alive.
AD&D — Brent
Voluntary AD&D
$778,000
accidental death & dismemberment
Life insurance details — Basic Life ($78k) and Supplemental Life ($234k) — are documented in the Estate section above.
Dependent Coverage
Dependent Life — Spouse
$156,000
if Dani passes
Dependent Life — Child
$25,000
per child
The family is covered from every direction. This plan survives anything.
The Soundtrack

A Simple Song

Chris Stapleton · the sound of this plan

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