Money Her Way

Your financial journey is uniquely yours. Yet it often feels like the media dictates which financial goals "truly" matter. Yes, investing for retirement is crucial, and starting early is wise—time is often your best friend with any goal. Arden Elizabeth Evenson and I chatted about how much of the noise around finance focuses on just two things: retirement and homeownership. But does that mean maxing out every retirement account should be your only priority? Not necessarily. Sometimes, a portion of that money might be better directed toward other goals that align with your unique path. Whether it’s saving for children, funding a dream vacation, or starting a business, these are all other *legitimate* financial goals. Tailoring your finances to your own life goals allows you to fund the future you envision. Financial planning isn’t one-size-fits-all; it should reflect your priorities, not just standard checklist. #PersonalFinance #FinancialPlanning #FinancialFreedom

We've heard the term paying yourself first, but what does that actually look like? Paying yourself first is one of the best ways to start building financial security. How to Pay Yourself First: Set a Savings Goal: Determine how much of your income you want to save or invest from each paycheck. Whether it’s 5%, 10%, 20%, or a different number, commit to a consistent amount that fits your financial goals. Automate Your Savings: Make it easy by setting up automatic transfers to your savings or investment account as soon as you get paid. This way, your savings are taken care of before you have a chance to spend it. Budget with What’s Left: After you've paid yourself first, create your budget using the remaining income. Cover essential expenses like rent, bills, and groceries, and allocate the rest for discretionary spending. By following this approach, you’re ensuring that your future financial goals take priority, helping you build wealth over time.

The media often portrays skewed version of success. What we are shown: Hustle culture... Nonstop grinding, sacrificing sleep, and chasing the next big win, as if it’s the only way to succeed. It doesn't have to be that way, and probably shouldn't... for your mental health. Actual reality:?True success is sustainable, balanced, and personal. It’s understanding that growth is about sustainability and making thoughtful choices that align with your own values, goals, and well-being. Real progress happens when you follow your?own journey, not someone else's definition of success. In honor of Weak Ties/Strong Bonds Community Launch ?? - This is my favorite conversation with Laura Maurer! I love this because it can be applied to any part of your life that you are trying to work on and grow. ?? ?#RedefineSuccess #WomenSupportingWomen

The Financial Decision of Having Kids with Kate Westlund Tovsen, Founder of the The Society of Working Moms. Everyone’s financial reality and mindset are unique, influenced by factors like risk tolerance, lifestyle expectations, and personal attitudes toward money. For many couples, these differences make the decision to have children complex—especially if they’re not entirely on the same page. One partner might feel financially secure and ready to grow the family, while the other sees the financial commitment as overwhelming. Conversations around adding a child can be tough but are necessary for alignment and realistic planning. What’s your perspective? How did you or would you approach this important conversation?

The power of having a 'NO' list financially is transformative—it provides clarity and discipline in your spending decisions. A 'NO' list is essentially a set of financial boundaries you create to protect your budget and long-term goals. By explicitly defining what you won’t spend money on, you eliminate unnecessary purchases and stay focused on what truly matters. Adopting the mindset of 'If it’s not a yes, it’s a absolute NO!' means that unless something adds significant value to your life or aligns with your financial priorities, it’s an automatic no. This approach helps combat impulsive spending, emotional purchases, and lifestyle creep. Here’s how a financial 'NO' list can help: Clarifies Priorities: When you know what you won’t spend money on, it becomes easier to focus on what you truly value—whether that’s saving for a house, building an emergency fund, or investing for the future. Reduces Decision Fatigue: Having a predefined 'NO' list simplifies decision-making. Instead of debating every purchase, you know in advance what’s off-limits, freeing up mental energy for more important financial decisions. Prevents Impulse Spending: FOMO, sales, and social pressure can lead to spontaneous purchases. With a 'NO' list, you have a built-in safeguard against these temptations, allowing you to stick to your financial plan. Increases Savings: By cutting out non-essential spending, you free up more money for savings, investments, and meaningful experiences. Creating a 'NO' list empowers you to take control of your finances, focus on your goals, and make spending decisions that support the life you want to build.

Our theory is: 90% of finance is behavioral, emotional, and environmental. Meaning that the majority of financial success doesn’t come down to pure knowledge or math—it’s about how we think, feel, and interact with our money. Here's how each element plays a key role: Behavioral: Our habits and decision-making processes heavily influence our financial outcomes. Whether it’s impulsive spending, saving diligently, or avoiding financial planning, the behaviors we develop shape our financial trajectory. Behavioral finance highlights that our actions, often rooted in psychology, can sometimes lead us to make irrational decisions—like chasing trends or avoiding risk at the wrong times. Emotional: Emotions play a huge role in financial decisions. Fear, greed, stress, and even excitement can cloud our judgment. For example, the fear of missing out (FOMO) can lead to impulsive purchases, while fear of loss can prevent us from making important investments. Being emotionally aware helps prevent reactive decisions that can derail long-term goals. Environmental: Our financial environment includes societal pressures, family influences, and cultural norms around money. If we’re surrounded by people who spend lavishly, we might feel compelled to do the same. Alternatively, growing up in a financially stressed environment can lead to a scarcity mindset, influencing how we manage money later in life. Understanding that finance is largely behavioral, emotional, and environmental can help us shift our mindset and habits for better financial outcomes. Instead of solely focusing on numbers, focus on managing emotions, building healthy financial habits, and creating a positive financial environment to succeed in the long term.

You have a fixed mindset when "there are more barriers than paths to success" - Jessica Bieda When we believe our abilities, intelligence, or circumstances are set in stone, we tend to focus on limitations instead of possibilities. Whether it’s thinking you’re not “good” with money, avoiding risks for fear of failure, or believing that success is for others and not you, these thoughts reinforce a cycle of stagnation. A scarcity mindset tells you that there’s never enough: not enough money, time, resources, or opportunities. This belief keeps you in a fixed mindset, where growth and change feel out of reach. Shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset—understanding that you can change, improve, and grow in all areas of life, including health, finances, relationships, and career. Embracing an abundance mindset opens up possibilities and helps you see opportunities rather than barriers. #GrowthMindset #PersonalDevelopment #WomenEmpoweringWomen #FinancialFreedom #AbundanceMindset

Automating your finances is one of the most effective ways to take control of your money and build long-term financial security. By setting up automatic processes, you can reduce the stress of managing day-to-day finances while ensuring you're consistently working toward your financial goals. Here’s how you can automate your finances: Automate Savings: Set up automatic transfers from your checking account to a savings or investment account. This ensures you’re consistently saving without having to think about it. Start with a manageable amount and increase it over time. Automate Bill Payments: Avoid late fees and missed payments by automating all your recurring bills—rent, utilities, loans, and credit card payments. This not only saves you time but also helps you maintain a good credit score. Automate Investments: Use a retirement account like a 401(k) or an IRA, or set up automatic contributions to investment accounts like index funds or ETFs. By investing a fixed amount regularly, you benefit from dollar-cost averaging and build wealth over time. Automate Debt Repayment: If you have outstanding debt, set up automatic payments toward your loans or credit cards. Automating extra payments toward high-interest debt can help you pay it off faster and save money on interest. Automate Budgeting: Use budgeting apps that track your spending automatically, categorize your expenses, and help you stay within budget. This way, you can easily monitor where your money is going and make adjustments when needed. Set Financial Milestones: Automating your finances doesn’t mean being hands-off completely. Set financial check-ins to review progress toward your goals, make adjustments, and stay on track. Automating your finances reduces decision fatigue and eliminates the need to manually manage every aspect of your money, freeing you to focus on bigger financial goals like growing your wealth or building a secure future.

Disconnection from the authentic self occurs when external pressures, such as societal expectations or the need for validation, overshadow your true desires and values. This disconnection can manifest in various ways: Living for Others: When you're constantly trying to meet the expectations of others—whether it's through your career, lifestyle, or even how you spend money—you lose sight of what you genuinely want. Over time, this creates a gap between who you are and the life you're living. Inauthentic Decision-Making: Decisions driven by FOMO, comparison, or the desire to impress others can lead you away from the things that truly bring meaning and fulfillment. Instead of making choices based on your internal compass, you're guided by external influences. Emotional Discontent: A disconnection from your authentic self often leads to feelings of frustration, dissatisfaction, or emptiness. Even if everything looks good on the outside, there’s a sense that something is missing. Loss of Self-Trust: As you move further away from your authentic self, you might begin to doubt your own intuition or judgment. This erodes self-confidence, making it harder to trust yourself when making decisions. Struggle with Purpose: Living inauthentically can create a feeling of purposelessness. When your actions aren't aligned with your core values, it’s easy to feel lost or uncertain about your direction in life. Reconnecting with your authentic self requires reflection, self-awareness, and the courage to let go of societal pressures. By focusing on what truly resonates with you, rather than what the world expects, you can begin to live a life that feels more aligned and fulfilling.

FOMO might be destroying your personal finances. Prioritizing yourself and resisting FOMO requires intentional focus on your own values, goals, and well-being rather than external pressures. Here are a few strategies to help: Clarify Your Priorities: Identify what truly matters to you—whether it’s financial security, personal growth, or meaningful relationships. When you know your priorities, it becomes easier to filter out distractions and stay focused on your path. Set Clear Financial Goals: Create financial goals that align with your values. Having a clear plan for saving, investing, or making purchases helps you avoid impulsive spending driven by FOMO. Practice Gratitude: Regularly reflecting on what you already have and what you’ve accomplished helps combat the need to constantly seek more. Gratitude shifts your mindset from scarcity to abundance. Limit Social Media Exposure: Social media often amplifies FOMO by showcasing others' highlight reels. Take breaks, curate your feed, or limit time on these platforms to reduce the influence of comparison. Stay Grounded in Your Authentic Self: Regularly reconnect with your authentic self and your long-term goals. By focusing on what genuinely brings you joy and fulfillment, you’ll naturally prioritize yourself over external validation. Embrace the Power of Saying No: It’s okay to say no to invitations or trends that don’t serve your purpose. Saying no gives you the space to focus on what truly matters to you. By consistently making choices that align with your true self and long-term goals, you can resist the pull of FOMO and make decisions that enhance your overall well-being and financial health.