City Girl Savings | Budgeting, Money Management, and Goal Setting Tips for Women

The one thing you need, more than anything else, to change your finances, or your life, for the better is the right mindset. Your mindset makes all the difference. How you think about your money determines how you act with your money. To become a person who builds wealth, you need to start thinking (and therefore, acting) like a wealth builder. Not sure what that looks like? In this episode, I'm w...

In my over-a-decade of experience with budgeting, for myself and helping others, I've come across a myriad of reasons, excuses, fears and inaccurate rationalizations for why people choose not to budget.  And it's doing more harm than good. There was a point in time when I chose not to budget, and it cost me a lot. Thankfully, I got my act together and now I help women do the same. We all need to b...

Long gone are the days where we put our financial wellbeing into someone else's hands. Not only do most financial advisors prefer working with individuals who already have wealth built, but sole responsibility for our financial situation lies within ourselves. Each of us must take ownership of our situation and work to make positive changes in it. This is even more important for women. Personal fi...

In this week's City Girl Savings podcast episode, and the final of our rewind series, we're rewinding to an episode recorded just last year – Financial Education versus Financial Experiences. I chose to rewind to this episode because I want you to know that the experiences you have with your money are significantly more powerful than any financial education you may have. And I'm speaking from expe...

In this week's City Girl Savings podcast episode, we're rewinding to another more seasoned episode, recorded in the second year of this podcast – Why You Need to Pay to Get Better with Money. I chose this episode to rewind to because there is still a collective doubt about the power of investing your own dollars to learn what it takes to better your financial situation. Have you considered working...

In this week's City Girl Savings podcast episode, we're rewinding to a more seasoned episode, recorded in the second year of this podcast – 9 Ways to Manifest More Money Into Your Life. I personally love this episode and chose to rewind to it because not everyone believes in the power of manifestation, or you just need some encouragement to manifest money into your own life. In the episode, I shar...

In this week's City Girl Savings podcast episode, we're rewinding to an episode in the early stages of this podcast – How to Stop Holding Yourself Back with Money. I chose this episode to rewind to because it can serve as your true wake up call to take responsibility for your financial situation. I get real, honest and debatably harsh.  In the episode, I share 6 incredibly effective ways to help y...

In this week's City Girl Savings Podcast episode, the first of our rewind series, we're rewinding to one of my first episodes of the podcast – How I Curbed My Desire to Spend. I chose this episode to rewind to because it lays out the 2 specific phases of my life where I intentionally decided to control my spending. First, when I had no choice and second, when I wanted to make something of the addi...

When I first start working with my money coaching clients, I set the expectation that the first month of our budgeting and tracking together is more about mindfulness than control. I'm not focused on how well they can control their spending right off the bat. I'm more focused on how mindful and intentional they are. Are they aware of what they're doing with their money, or is it mindless behavior?...

Do you constantly find yourself saying "I'm only young once" or "I'll figure out how to make more money later" or any other combination of short-term, in the moment justifications for bad spending behavior? While the last thing I'd want to do is kill your vibe, the money coach in me needs you to start thinking long-term with money! Instead of letting YOLO ("you only live once") be your driving man...

When it comes to your money, certain habits and behaviors can negatively impact your bottom line. In financial terms, your "bottom line" essentially means your profit. Whether it's what's left after you've allocated your income to expenses and spending in the month (via your budget). Or, if you're calculating your net worth by deducting your total debts from your total assets. Either way, we want...

When it comes to your finances, organization is everything. In fact, organization is everything in EVERY area of your life! An organized life helps you feel confident, in control and gives you the necessary clarity of what should be happening next. On the flip side, a disorganized life leaves you feeling stressed, anxious and surrounded by chaos. When it comes to your money, chaos is not the way t...

If you're using money to the detriment of your situation, it's doing more harm than good…no matter how exciting it feels in the moment. While I truly believe there's an infinite supply of money, you have to put yourself in a position for money to make its way to you. It starts with making your current income or money work better for you. When you do right by your money, your money does right by yo...

Can I share a "fun fact" about myself with you? I've been setting goals since I was a child. Obviously, at the time, I didn't really know they were goals. They were just things I wanted, that I would write or speak…I'd even share with others. I can safely say that setting goals from an early age until now has contributed IMMENSELY to all that I've accomplished today. Sure, I haven't achieved every...

One thing you probably know about me by now is that I'm always trying to improve. I'm always working towards new goals, new levels and being better than I was yesterday. Certain areas of my life are much easier to work on than others, but overall, I'm constantly striving to be the next best version of myself. To do that, it requires building habits and routines that support my growth and developme...

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a wealthy individual. I REPEAT: There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a wealthy individual. The more wealth we have, the more good we can do. I saw a post on social media that said the world needs more women billionaires – women like MacKenzie Scott, Melinda Gates and Taylor Swift – women using their financial resources for good. I couldn't agree more....

If I think back to 10 years ago today, I was literally days away from launching City Girl Savings! I had come up with the idea for City Girl Savings near the end of 2013 and started taking action all through 2014. I hired a company to design a website with the capability of fostering a community, technology to allow me to create customer budget plans through the website and hold a plethora of blog...

The older I get, the more I realize how important money management is. Having money, keeping money, and growing money – things that we really aren't taught early in life, but things that make a huge difference in the quality of our lives. I was fortunate enough to be in a tough financial situation in my early 20s that opened my eyes to the importance of doing the right things with money. Now, I st...

I can't believe I'm getting ready to share my 2025 goals with you on the podcast! Not only is time flying, but I think back to when I shared my goals on the podcast for the 2023 year. I'm so grateful for another year of the City Girl Savings Podcast, but I'm also grateful to have learned long ago that time keeps going, so every opportunity I get to make the most of it, I take full advantage.  I've...

Be honest with me. Have you ever considered working with a money coach but immediately thought: "why should I spend money to have someone help me with money"? As a money coach who's nearly a decade in, I've heard that sentiment more than you'd imagine…and I'm sure people have thought it without saying it out loud! It's a valid thought but requires deeper analysis. If you needed help with the elect...

I don't think anyone goes into a marriage thinking it could eventually end. However, life happens. Sometimes, things don't work out as we hope or plan they will and we have to course correct. As someone who's newly engaged, I want to make sure I think about all aspects of life and finances once our marriage begins. I've also worked with plenty of clients who have been divorced or have gone through...

I don't know about you, but the end of the year always puts me in a state of gratitude and reflection.  Gratitude for all that has happened in the year and reflection on what has and hasn't worked during the year. Considering that Thanksgiving is only a few days away (at least if you're listening to this live), I want to take some time to share the things I'm most grateful for in my life right now...

If you're listening to this episode when it's released, we're about six weeks away from the new year. I love everything about this time – wrapping up a year, reflecting on how things have gone, and setting goals for another year. I think now is the perfect time to get things in order. Don't wait for a new year to start, start now! If better money management is on your new year's resolution list, w...

Great things happen on the other side of our comfort zones. I've talked about this before on the podcast and I believe it wholeheartedly. Over the course of my life, I've constantly pushed my own boundaries and pushed past my own comfort zone. Doing so has helped me reach new levels in life, ingrain resiliency into my character, and have a deep level of self-trust. I consider myself a capable pers...

Overconsumption, consumerism, and materialism – all things our society tends to put on a pedestal. Not only does this cause people to overextend themselves and live beyond their means, but it doesn't usually translate into a truly happy life. That's why I'm so excited to welcome Kara Perez back on the show. Kara's first book "Green Money" comes out in a few weeks, and today she's here to chat with...