People don't talk about how expensive it is to stay in relationships that aren't offering you peace, & we need to talk about it. Leaving my ex & our relationship was hard, but it set us both free. It was the last brave act of love we could ever do for each other.

After doing research I found some common Google searches: "staying in a loveless marriage for financial reasons" 'i want to leave my partner but can't afford to" "financial help for domestic abuse victims" These kinds of Google searches shouldn't be normal.

27% of mothers have had to quit their job to care for a child or family member, compared to just 10% of fathers. Women have to work 42 more days annually to make as much money as men do. A woman’s peak earnings is $66,700 on avg, while a man’s peak earnings are $101,200 on avg.

Society forces women to sacrifice themselves, their goals & dreams for the sake of other people. We're conditioned to want the idea of marriage and families when in reality, a lot of us actually don't want that for ourselves. We're not living for ourselves. But that's changing.

Part of the feminist movement is encouraging more women to get better with money. To invest. To build their savings. To have an emergency fund. To have their own money & not depend on men to survive. To be fearless in the pursuit of wealth & not have a man pave the way.

We're in an era where we can date for love & yet here we are, still dating for survival. That was my biggest error - not learning how to provide for myself & search for a caregiver vs. an actual partner. Learn from my mistakes & the mistakes of other women. Provide for YOURSELF.

Date for love, & you'll find love. Date for money & well... you'll find yourself in a codependent relationship, likely with a man whose only self-worth is tied to his ability to be a provider. You don't want to be stuck with someone who holds power over you because of money.

If you can't afford to be alone, you quite literally cannot afford to be in a relationship either. Stabilize yourself 1st, sis. That was the hardest learning lesson of my 20s. When I enter my 30s, I will be fiercely & unapologetically financially independent. I will not settle.

Say it with me: I don't need his money. I have my own. Keep moving towards financial independence & a whole world of prospective suitors with all the qualities you want in a partner will present themselves to you. Pour into your own cup. Earn your wealth. Earn your freedom.

Yes, I support leveraging Black Friday/Cyber Week sales to get that thing on your shopping list. As someone who does the bulk of their spending during this time of year, it only makes sense to try and maximize saving through controlled and planned spending.

But also keep in mind that purchasing anything not on your shopping list for the sake of “getting a good deal” may land you back in credit card debt. Sales will always happen. If not in November, there will be more in December. & don’t forget January sales from holiday returns!

After January returns, then there’s Valentine’s Day sales in February. Memorial Day & Mother’s Day sales in May. Father’s Day sales in June. 4th of July sales. Businesses will always find a reason to tempt you with holiday sales each month. So don’t panic-buy because of FOMO!

Plan your purchases, get what you need on sale, & avoid going over your budget. Black Friday & Cyber Monday aren’t the only 2 best days of the year to shop. Holiday sales start in November & continue till Christmas! Be mindful, intentional, & don’t fall for marketing traps 🧠💪

This whole time I’d been grumbling about how I didn’t want to contribute to a sinking fund because I needed that money to go toward paying off credit card debt, but after paying $450 on a new windshield, I’m really glad I built up my sinking fund for auto expenses.

If I didn’t have a designated budget for auto expenses, I probably would’ve charged this to my credit card and taken a step backward in paying off debt. I imagine a lot of people would have done the same. This is where the sinking fund really shines.

Although getting my windshield cracked wasn’t necessarily a *planned* expense, having a sinking fund specifically for auto expenses allowed me to tap into this fund to pay for my repairs without reaching for a credit card or using money that I actually needed.

If you’re diligently saving money but find yourself with lots of incidental expenses that are derailing your financial goals, it’s probably because you don’t have a sinking fund. Sinking funds allow you to divide your savings into different budgets intended for specific plans.

Where emergency funds are meant for unexpected expenses, sinking funds are for expenses you’re anticipating. Some sinking fund ideas: - car maintenance/registration - a large purchase (car, computer, etc.) - planned medical procedures - vacations - home renovations - Christmas

Saving without a plan is usually where people wind up self-sabotaging. Dividing your savings into smaller sinking funds allows you to save more intentionally & give every cent a purpose. This allows you to stay focused & in perpetual alignment with your budgeting goals!

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