Financial Feminist

If you’re over 35 and constantly feeling like you’re behind financially, you’re not alone. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Jean Chatzky––longtime financial journalist, bestselling author, and founder of HerMoney––whose work has shaped generations of women’s financial literacy, including my own. Jean opens up about starting over at 40 after divorce, job loss, and losing a parent. She shares exactly what she learned about saving, investing, and rebuilding confidence when time feels limited. We talk about why so many women feel behind no matter their age, the biggest money mistakes women 35+ make, how to course-correct without panic, and how to use tools like retirement accounts, HSAs, and investing strategies to build a future that still works, even if you didn’t start early.

Jean’s links:

Website: https://hermoney.com/ 

HerMoney Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hermoney-with-jean-chatzky/id1098802558

How She Does It Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-she-does-it/id1691787429 

Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 Intro: Never too late to save

00:42 What "owning your money" means

02:00 Jean's story: Starting over at 40

03:49 What to prepare for & do differently

06:36 Biggest mistake: Too much cash, not enough invested

10:56 Why Gen X women feel behind

16:32 Financial boundaries with aging parents & adult children

21:06 HSAs as investing vehicles

27:15 Why "feeling behind" is universal

34:20 Quick-fire Q&A

42:29 Advice for women feeling paralyzed

45:51 Where to find Jean
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If money conversations keep turning into fights, it’s not because you’re bad with money, it’s because you were never taught how to talk about it together. In today’s episode I’m joined by Andy Hill, award-winning family finance coach, host of Marriage, Kids & Money, and author of Own Your Time, to talk about why money fights are rarely about money, how invisible labor and emotional labor quietly erode relationships, and what it actually takes to build a life that feels aligned instead of exhausting. We unpack how to stop repeating the same financial arguments, how to communicate more equitably with your partner, and how to redefine success so time (not just money) becomes your most valuable currency. Whether you’re partnered, parenting, or just rethinking what “having it all” really means, this conversation will help you build a life you don’t need to escape from. 

Andy’s links:

Website: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com 

Book: https://marriagekidsandmoney.com/book/ 

Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 Intro

00:47 Why You Need to Dream About Your Time

01:49 The Mailbox Exercise: What Would You Stop Doing?

03:09 The FaceTime Birthday That Changed Everything

05:15 Karaoke Duets & Life Priorities

06:03 Debunking "Keep Your Head Down Until 65"

08:53 When Money Becomes Your Currency vs. Time

11:45 The Identity Crisis of Leaving Corporate

14:27 How to Know When a Role Isn't Working

16:30 Emotional Labor & Equity in Marriage

20:30 The Volcano Fight: When Money Arguments Aren't About Money

33:10 Financial Abuse & Protecting Yourself as a Stay-at-Home Parent

38:27 Prenups, Postnups & Why You Need One

41:27 The Expense That Saved Thousands Without Changing Happiness

43:38 Why Traditional FIRE Didn't Work for Our Family

48:36 The Power of Pivoting & Financial Confidence

50:26 First Steps Toward Time Freedom

55:03 Small Steps to Reclaim Your Life
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If you’ve already fallen off your New Year’s goals, or you feel like you’re constantly fighting yourself when it comes to money, health, or habits—this episode is for you. Today on Financial Feminist, I’m joined by returning guest Thais Gibson, a world-renowned expert on the subconscious mind, to explain why willpower alone doesn’t work, and what actually does. We break down how 95% of your behavior is driven by subconscious programming, why “self-sabotage” isn’t real, and how you can rewire limiting beliefs and build goals that stick in just three minutes a day. If you’re ready to start creating habits that actually stick, this conversation will completely shift how you think about motivation and success.

Thais’s links:Website: http://university.personaldevelopmentschool.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepersonaldevelopmentschool/?hl=en 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHQ4lSaKRap5HyrpitrTOhQ 

Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show!

00:00 Intro

00:47 Intentional Goal Setting

01:54 Understanding Your Subconscious Mind

04:27 How Subconscious Blocks Prevent Goal Achievement

07:18 Step 1: Converting Goals into Subconscious Language

14:05 Step 2: The 21-Day Rewiring Process

20:32 Step 3: Linking Goals to Your Subconscious Needs

28:44 Step 4: Discovering Your Personal Subconscious Needs

38:38 Why Routine & Structure Matter for Habit Formation

51:00 Removing Limiting Beliefs: The 3-Step Framework

54:27 Why Avoiding Money Actually Creates More Stress

57:19 Your 3-Minute Morning/Evening Routine
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Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod to register for our FREE workshop, Stock Market Secrets: Debunking Common Myths for Successful Investing.

If you’re waiting for the “right time” to invest, I need you to hear this––the right time is now. In this final part of my Personal Finance Cheat Sheet series, I’m breaking down exactly how to start investing in 2026 — step by step, without the jargon and without gatekeeping. Investing isn’t just for rich people; it’s how many people become rich, and I’m walking you through how compound interest, long-term strategy, and simple systems can help you build real wealth even if you’re starting with very little. If the stock market has felt confusing, intimidating, or downright scary, this episode will show you how to finally get off the sidelines and start making your money work for you.

00:00 Intro 

00:22 What Investing Really Is 

01:40 Why Investing Works Long-Term

03:00 Debunking "It's Too Confusing"

08:11 Time in the Market vs. Timing the Market

10:00 Step-by-Step Investing Roadmap

17:30 Where to Set Up Your Account

18:37 Biggest Mistakes New Investors Make

21:34 Long-Term Wins Over Short-Term Gains

Missed an episode in our Personal Finance Cheat Sheet series? Get caught up:

The 3 Mistakes You’re Making with Your Money Resolutions (Personal Finance Cheat Sheet Pt. 1): https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/money-resolutions/ How To Budget & Pay Off Debt (Personal Finance Cheat Sheet Pt. 2): https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/how-to-budget/
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If you’ve ever avoided budgeting because it felt stressful, restrictive, or shame-inducing, this episode is going to change everything. In part two of my Personal Finance Cheat Sheet series, I’m breaking down how to budget in a way that actually works and how to use that budget to finally pay off your debt without shame, stress, or tracking every single penny. We’re talking about why most budgeting methods fail, how to reframe your budget as a permission slip instead of a punishment, and the exact system I use to help you make real progress on credit cards, student loans, and more. If you want actionable clarity around budgeting and debt payoff in 2026, get ready to take notes!

Visit https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod to join our 5 Day Debt Challenge and find any resources mentioned in the show!

00:00 Intro

00:15 Why Budgeting Feels Restrictive

01:48 The Gas Gauge Analogy & Why Budgets Matter

03:11 Why Most Budgeting Methods Fail

04:14 The 50/30/20 Rule Explained

05:36 Why the 50/30/20 Rule Isn’t Perfect

06:56 Introducing the Three Bucket Budget

08:24 How to Automate Your Financial Goals

10:50 Progress Over Perfection: Flexible Budgeting

12:19 How to Prioritize Debt Payoff

14:39 Understanding Different Types of Debt

16:39 The High Cost of Credit Card Debt

18:08 The Snowball vs. Avalanche Method

19:47 Free Five-Day Debt Challenge Resource

20:22 How to Find More Money in Your Budget

21:44 Negotiating Your Bills & Saving More

23:41 You Are Not a Bad Person for Having Debt

24:59 Final Thoughts & What’s Next in the Series
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