Make friends with your finances this month 💰

A round-up of resources, tools, and activities to refresh your relationship with money

Another month, another monthly theme! I really feel like I’m getting into the flow of these things—though I’m positive that come December, I’ll be annoyed that I will only have 11 of these instead of a perfect 12, thanks to starting in February 🙄😅

Last month’s intention around feeding your inner artist was really energizing and fun. I took a chance and offered to host a free virtual “Art Hour” to this community and was thrilled when ten folks (including two couples who were crafting together IRL and my friend’s stepdaughter!) joined me to spend an hour making art. In our little group, we sewed, wrote poetry, worked on a novel, made earrings, painted figurines, baked a cake, did calligraphy, painted watercolors, made a charm necklace, and put together an art booklet! Simply amazing.

I got several messages from folks who couldn’t make it this time but would love to attend another time. I would love for you to weigh in!

In the meantime, you can always leave a comment on my April Thread, letting us know what kinds of art, craft, or creative project you’ve been working on!

April Thread: Let's hear about the art you're making 🎨

With that, it’s a brand new month! Cue up this song and join me…for Money May! 💰That’s right—this month is all about the made-up stuff that makes our world go ‘round. It’s not everything, but it sure makes a difference in how we experience life, doesn’t it?

I’m curious: what is your immediate reaction to hearing that this month is all about money, money, money?

For some, it might be triggering. For others, perhaps it’s intriguing or motivating. In full transparency, when I started drafting this post, I felt excited and curious about spending the month with money, but by the time I got to the final touches before publication, I felt confronted and disappointed. It almost feels like a prank from the Universe, whichhh probably means now is exactly the right time to be exploring this area. 🙃

Whatever your reaction, I encourage you to allow it all, to get curious, and to see what might be in store for you as you explore these ideas, resources, and activities. My hope is that throughout the month, you make friends with your finances and feel really great about the relationship you’ve built and where you’re headed in the future.

Let’s dive in!

Things to Do

Go on a Money Date

I first heard the phrase “money date” described by Kate Northrup in her book, Money: A Love Story. With the firm belief that “a loving, abundant relationship with money is absolutely within your reach,” Kate credits these weekly dates as a key ingredient in moving out of avoidance, fear, or shame around money and into trust, safety, and empowerment. These “dates” can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as you’d like and can include tasks like:

• Checking your account balances

• Transferring money between accounts

• Paying bills or setting up automatic payments

• Calling to get a fee refunded, renegotiating a rate, or other administrative tasks

• Entering or categorizing expenses into a spreadsheet or bookkeeping system (I use YNAB and absolutely love it.)

• Reviewing your investment accounts

• Expressing gratitude for the abundance you have in your life

• Rating expenses based on what does and does not align with your values and goals

• Canceling or setting up subscriptions

• Pulling cards from Jenny Karlsson’s Money Compass deck and connecting with the energy of money

• Writing down your fears and concerns about money

• Brainstorming how to create additional streams of income

• Paying taxes

• Making a budget with your partner

• Creating a financial bucket list (and including the “why” behind each)

• Listening to a financial podcast or taking a course on personal finance (Clever Girl Finance’s courses are 100% FREE)

• Celebrating financial “wins”

The key is to make these financial tasks feel more like a date than a chore. Put on a playlist, pour yourself a glass of something fun, get comfortable, even light some candles—whatever will make this experience feel like a treat. Just because finances can be boring or tedious or bring up “stuff” doesn’t mean it always has to!

Calculate your “Enough” Number and Lifestyle

In a world where “six figures” seems to be the pinnacle of success, it’s easy to fall into the trap of always wanting and needing more. But have you ever taken the time to determine what would actually be enough to live the life you really want to live? You might be surprised to find that the number may not be as far off as you had originally imagined. Or, you might feel a sense of control over knowing what it might take to get to that place instead of simply hoping for the best and not knowing how close or far you are from what you actually want.

Part of the “enough” number is factoring in the lifestyle you want to lead, including how you spend your time and how much work you want on your plate. 

Caroline and Jason Zook wrote an excellent article walking you through how to come up with your “Enough” number and the considerations you need to make. This article was written with business owners in mind, but everyone can apply these concepts to their own situation.

If you’re looking for a more hands-on experience,

Nic Antoinette

is offering a two-day workshop called “How much money is enough?” in early June that explores the idea of “enough” in our capitalist society and how to find enough at the intersection of our money, our values, and our most joyful lives. My understanding is that she’s offering this first to her waitlist and then to her larger Substack community, so you can sign up to learn more here. (FWIW, her sales page is a REALLY fascinating study on how to talk about money and sales in an accessible and anti-capitalist way.)

Set up a High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA)

If you haven’t already, now is a great time to set up a high-yield savings account so that any excess money you have sitting around in your checking account can go to work for you and bring in some extra cash each month. I had a Capital One 360 account for many years, but the APY (the rate of return) % was quite low compared to many others in the market, so I switched over to Wealthfront last year (they also offer auto-investing, but I’m currently only using their savings account). It was super easy to transfer funds and I’ve enjoyed my experience so far. Plus, you can do same-day withdrawals if you find yourself needing to quickly fund your checking account or pay a bill.

Currently, as of the time of this post’s publication, Wealthfront offers 5% APY (and an additional .5% for up to six months at a time for referrals—in return, your friends get a 3-month boost upon signing up and funding their cash account).

Do Some Spring Cleaning

You might be wondering, “What does cleaning have to do with money?” Think of your inner landscape as well as your external environment as channels for abundance and receptivity. When we take the time to clear out the things that no longer serve us (and offer it up to the Universe to redistribute as needed), we release our attachment to specific stuff and create space to invite in the new.

Things to Read

Financial Feminist: Overcome the Patriarchy's Bullsh*t to Master Your Money and Build a Life You Love by Tori Dunlap

I’ve been a fan of Tori Dunlap and her community, Her First $100K, for a while now and I am so excited to finally dig into her best-selling book! I took her Investing 101 course a few years ago and think her investing platform Treasury is genius for making it easier than ever to get into the investing game, but I haven’t done as much as I’d like to in this arena. Now that I’m finally out of health crisis mode, I feel like I can finally dive in and refine my financial set-up with Tori’s support.

I don’t always love the “stick it to the man”/fuck the patriarchy approach (even though, let’s be clear, I’m all about dismantling systems of oppression), but what I do love is how Tori understands and helps women secure (and celebrate!👏) their financial freedom in a shame-free and values-based way.

Amazon |Bookshop

It’s Not Your Money: How to Live Fully from Divine Abundance by Tosha Silver

I’ve mentioned Tosha before, so it’s no surprise that I’m sharing another one of her books! If you’re looking to explore the more spiritual, energetic side of finances, rather than just the “how to”s, this is a fantastic read. It’s been a few years since I’ve read it, but I remember feeling empowered to snip money ties and step into a feeling of abundance rather than lack and to approach building wealth in a totally different way. I also love the reminder that, at the end of the day, money isn’t really yours to keep and hoard. After all, you can’t take it with you! So how can we partner with it instead?

Amazon |Bookshop

The Mindful Consumer Substack by Cait Flanders

I’ve been following Cait Flanders for many years now and am really enjoying her latest Substack focused around mindful consumption—a fitting culmination of all of her previous work and interests. I really appreciate that Cait isn’t afraid to question and examine all sides of something, even if it means questioning herself or naming how her work and approach has evolved over time, despite being “known” for it. You won’t find flash-in-the-pan trendy hot takes around money or stuff here, but rather deeply thoughtful, nuanced, and real inquiries.

Bonus for Business Owners: Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine by Mike Michalowicz

I’ve included this for my business besties out there! Navigating business finances is a whole other ballgame. Making sure you have enough money to pay quarterly taxes, navigating profit and loss statements, keeping a steady cash flow while making investments in important resources—it can be a lot! Mike Michalowicz spins traditional accounting on its head with a behavioral approach that ensures that you’re always making a profit in your business and allocating funds to the right places at the right time. You walk away with a clear plan for how to set up and manage your finances and how to continue to grow your business over time.

Side note: Instead of setting up multiple accounts like Michalowicz suggests because I am both lazy and have decent self-control, I recreated the setup as different categories in a business YNAB account and then distribute money that way. It works really well for me!

Amazon |Bookshop

Things to Listen to or Watch

I Will Teach You to Be Rich Podcast or How to Get Rich on Netflix with Ramit Sethi 

Between his book, podcast, and Netflix show, Ramit could fall under multiple categories of this roundup and for good reason! His book, I Will Teach You to Be Rich, was one of the first my parents gifted me when I was learning about personal finance and it’s one that is worth coming back to every few years. I love his no-nonsense practicality and his skilled coaching-style approach to helping couples and individuals navigate financial challenges and get set up for success. It’s refreshing to see personal finance content that spends equal time talking about the joys of spending money on the things we love and care about most and in getting super clear on what a Rich Life looks like to you. I’m always inspired to expand the possibilities when I get a glimpse into what his Rich Life looks like.

Plus, watching this dude occasionally shut down obnoxious trolls on the Internet with simple facts and psychology is my favorite. 😂

The Financial Diet YouTube Channel

I’m kinddddd of obsessed with Chelsea Fagan. You may have seen me reference her fiction novel, A Perfect Vintage before, but in addition to being a freaking delight to follow on IG and TikTok, she’s also the CEO and Founder of The Financial Diet. Recently, she and her team have been producing some incredible video essays on their YouTube channel on topics like millennials and rom coms, kidinfluencers and mommy bloggers, and a slew of nuanced financial topics like:

• “You’re Not Ugly, You’re Just Poor:” A Deep Dive

• It’s Not Just You: No One Can Afford Kids Anymore

• Why Everyone Feels Insane Right Now (the dichotomy between a “booming” economy and a high cost of living and terrible job market)

It’s so nice to have someone put into words what we’re all feeling in our bones, provide some eye-opening insight, and offer some practical advice during a complicated financial time.

Things to Wear

Channel your inner Elizabeth James

People were loving this “old money” outfit I wore to see Company a few weekends ago and even though it’s a tad preppier than I typically go for, the moment I saw the crisp white, sharp navy, and silver come together, I felt amazing. A striped sweater over the shoulders and silver sneakers help to finish off the look while feeling approachable.

Wear a power suit, but make it casual

I recently saw someone try on a colorful short suit look and was instantly into it. I think the key is in choosing pieces that are more of a relaxed-tailored fabric like linen or chino and also in a fun, punchy color. Pastels are still having their moment, but as a Clear Winter, I am loving this vibrant red set or this unexpected and bold green linen! If a suit set is still too dressy for your lifestyle, opt for a waistcoat vest in a summer fabric and wide-leg jeans. I recently bought this crisp white one but also love a colorful linen version!

Things to Make

A Donation to an Important Cause

In the spirit of generosity and abundance, now is a great time to make a donation—whether a one-time gift or a recurring donation—to a cause that connects to your values and helps create the change you’d like to see in the world. Personally, I donate monthly to Together Rising, the ACLU, and the Loveland Foundation.

Even though this month is focused on money, don’t forget that your donation can be in other forms of currency, like your time, platform, or talents.

Things to Eat or Drink

Millionaire’s Shortbread

Why not channel your inner millionaire in the kitchen, too? My friend

Michelle LaCroix

can confirm that these shortbread cookies are IT. I mean, shortbread, caramel, and ganache—what’s not to love?! Plus you likely have most, if not all, of the ingredients already in your pantry.

As with all of these monthly round-up posts, I hope you’ll find at least one golden nugget in here that has an impact on the way you engage with your finances.

May we continue to deepen our capacity for abundance, use our resources with intention and generosity, and enjoy incredible wealth in all of its forms this month and beyond.

So, let’s hear from you: what are the resources, tools, and people who have shaped your relationship with money as it stands today and where would you like to go from here?

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