Explore every episode of the podcast Financial Coaching for Women: How To Budget, Manage Money, Pay Off Debt, Save Money, Paycheck Plans

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Budget besties, what if we told you that you could have your pumpkin spice latte, go on vacation, enjoy date nights, AND pay off debt? ☕✈️

Yep, we're serious!

We joined Sara from The Connected and Well Podcast podcast for a fun conversation about the dreaded B-word… BUDGET! And we're sharing why everything you've been taught about budgeting might be making your financial life harder than it needs to be.

Because here's the thing: You don't need another budget. You need a budget SYSTEM!

We're breaking down how to make budgeting simple, realistic, and (dare we say it?) FUN! No living on beans and rice, no tracking every single transaction, and definitely no spending your Saturday mornings stressing over receipts.

💖 Being Bougie on a Budget: Why budgeting isn't about restriction. It's about giving yourself permission to spend on the things you love while reaching your financial goals.

💰 Our Simplify, Separate, Automate System: How we organize money into clear categories so you always know exactly what's available for bills, spending, savings, and debt.

🏦 Making Your Bank Your Personal Assistant: How separate bank accounts and automatic transfers can do the heavy lifting so you're not constantly managing every dollar.

🎄 Those "Unexpected" Expenses That Aren't Really Unexpected: Christmas, car repairs, summer camp, vet visits… they happen every year! We're sharing how savings buckets keep those expenses from wrecking your budget.

🙌 Why You Can Stop Tracking Every Transaction: Once your money has a designated job and a place to live, you don't have to spend hours sorting receipts and categorizing purchases.

👨‍👩‍👧 Teaching Kids to Budget: How giving your kids their own mini budgets can teach them to make spending decisions AND take some of that mental load off you.

❤️ The Real Reason We Love Financial Coaching: We're sharing a powerful client story about how an automated budget gave one family financial peace during an incredibly difficult season.

✨ Making Your Budget Match Your Values: Your money should support the life you actually want, not someone else's idea of how you should spend it.

Your budget should match your life. You shouldn't have to change your entire life to fit your budget.

We're not here to tell you to stop buying coffee, cancel every subscription, or give up traveling.

We're here to help you put your numbers on paper, organize your money, and create a system that works for YOU.

And when your finances are running smoothly in the background? You get to spend more time actually enjoying the life you're working so hard to build.

Because budget besties, the ultimate goal isn't just having more money.

It's having more peace, clarity, freedom, and confidence with the money you already have.

You've got this! 💕

Love, Shana & Vanessa

Financial Coaching for Women | Budget Besties

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

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Hey, budget besties! 💕

What do you do when you're facing $310,000 in debt, your income is changing, and you're trying to teach your kids better money habits at the same time? 😳

This week on Financial Coaching for Women, we're sitting down with Anika, a 45-year-old single mom of three, nurse practitioner, and small business owner who's ready to take control of her finances.

Anika has approximately $90,000 in back taxes, $150,000 in student loans, and additional credit card debt. On top of that, she's navigating a job transition that's temporarily reducing her income.

Sound overwhelming? Absolutely. But here's the thing, budget besties: you don't have to fix everything at once to start making progress!

Anika has already started cutting unnecessary subscriptions, thinking differently about her spending, and making plans to help her youngest daughter avoid the same financial struggles.

Together, we're breaking down how to get organized when money feels chaotic, why separate bank accounts can be a total game changer, and how to build a budget that works even when your income isn't consistent.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Curious? Take The Free Money Stress Quiz!

Ready? Buy Our Simplified Budget System Now!

What happens when life throws you a curveball and your perfectly planned budget suddenly needs a MAJOR adjustment?

Maybe it's an unexpected medical emergency, a totaled car, a job loss, or a paycheck that's suddenly a whole lot smaller. Whatever it is, financial emergencies are stressful enough without having to wonder how you're going to pay the bills!

In today's episode, we're hanging out with our very own Coach Michelle to talk about real-life financial emergencies, how to adjust your budget when life happens, and why having a community of budget besties in your corner makes ALL the difference.

Michelle shares two powerful stories from women in our budgeting community who faced some seriously unexpected challenges.

One woman experienced a medical emergency that forced her to take time off work and rely on short-term disability, bringing her income down to just 60% of what she was used to. But here's the amazing part: because she already had her budget organized, was a paycheck ahead, and had savings buckets ready to go, she could make adjustments and focus on her recovery instead of panicking over every bill.

Another woman suddenly found herself without a vehicle after a seemingly minor accident resulted in her car being totaled. Instead of automatically taking on another car loan, she worked through her numbers, explored her emergency savings, and figured out how to approach a major financial decision without making things harder on herself.

And that brings us to one of our FAVORITE concepts: STORM MODE BUDGETING! ⛈️

Your budget during an emergency doesn't have to look like your everyday budget. Sometimes we pause vacation savings, reduce unnecessary spending, shift money between savings buckets, and focus on getting through the season we're in.

It's not forever, besties! It's a temporary adjustment that helps us stay in control.

We're also talking about something that doesn't get nearly enough attention: you don't have to figure out your finances alone.

Whether you're trying to decide how much to spend on groceries, wondering whether to save or pay off debt, or facing a major financial emergency, having someone look at your budget with you can bring so much clarity and confidence.

That's exactly why we love our Budget Besties community, where women can ask questions, share experiences, learn from one another, and receive encouragement without judgment.

Because budgeting isn't about having everything perfect. It's about having a plan, knowing how to adjust it, and having support when life doesn't go according to plan.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

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Budget besties, what if we told you that you could have a budget that practically runs itself AND still have money for date nights, vacations, Chick-fil-A runs, and all the things you love?! 🙌

We joined Michelle for a fun conversation about why traditional budgeting feels so overwhelming and how we're flipping the script on the dreaded B-word!

Because here's the thing: You work hard for your money, and you deserve to actually enjoy it!

If you've ever looked at your bank account and thought, "I make good money, so where the heck is it all going?" — this episode is for YOU.

We're breaking down our simple, three-step budgeting system that helps you get organized, ditch the money stress, and finally feel confident about your finances. And spoiler alert: You don't have to track every single transaction or give up your favorite things!

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

Connect with Michelle:

Her Podcast

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Hey, budget besties! 💕

If you're self-employed, juggling inconsistent income, and constantly trying to figure out how much money you can actually spend, this episode is for YOU!

Today, we're sitting down with Shelly, a business owner managing TWO businesses, seasonal income, and credit card debt. She's been doing what so many of us think we're supposed to do: making extra money and throwing it straight at debt. But when business slows down, she's right back to using those credit cards to cover everyday expenses.

Sound familiar?

Here's the thing: Paying off debt isn't always the first step toward getting your finances under control. Sometimes, we need to get ahead on our expenses FIRST so we can stop using those credit cards altogether!

In this real-life coaching conversation, we're breaking down how to manage inconsistent income, separate business and personal finances, and create a budget that actually works when your paychecks aren't predictable.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Watch us make the budget!

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Budget besties, HOW is it already November?! 🍁 We blinked, October disappeared, and suddenly it's time to make another budget!

But don't worry, because we're making this SUPER simple!

In this episode, we're walking you through exactly how to create your November budget using our five-column budgeting system. No complicated spreadsheets, no tracking every single Chick-fil-A run, and definitely no wondering where all your money went!

We're breaking down how to organize your income, debt payments, bills, spending, and savings so that every dollar has a purpose.

Plus, we're sharing a real-life budget example of a single woman bringing in $11,400 a month who is able to save $1,700, invest, AND put almost $1,900 extra toward debt!

Yes, bestie, you really can save for your future while paying off your past!

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Curious? Take The Free Money Stress Quiz!

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Budget besties, does your grocery spending feel like a roller coaster? One week you're grabbing milk and eggs, and the next you're dropping hundreds at Costco. And what about that money you swear was left over from your paycheck? Where the heck did it go?!

In this episode, Shana and Vanessa are answering real questions from our Facebook community, and we're tackling two budgeting struggles that so many of us face: unpredictable grocery spending and money that seems to magically disappear.

We're breaking down how to create a grocery budget that actually works, even if you're a Costco, Sam's Club, or BJ's regular. We'll show you how to use a 90-day spending audit, create separate savings buckets, and set realistic spending guardrails so you're not constantly guessing how much you can afford.

Then we're getting into the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. Because if you're tracking your spending but still wondering where all your money went, your spreadsheet might not be giving you the full picture.

And, of course, Vanessa has a little grocery store confession involving boneless, skinless chicken thighs and a reminder that having a budget isn't about restricting yourself. It's about giving yourself permission to spend without the guilt!

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Curious? Take The Free Money Stress Quiz!

Ready? Buy Our Simplified Budget System Now!

Are you ready to get your budget organized but feeling a little overwhelmed about where to start? How many checking accounts do you actually need? What happens when an unexpected expense pops up? And how do you keep everything straight without constantly moving money around?

In this episode, we're chatting with Teresa, who's ready to take control of her finances but has LOTS of questions about setting up her budget system. And trust us, besties, she's not alone!

We're breaking down the five checking accounts we recommend starting with, why separating your money is such a game changer, and how to handle those unexpected expenses without throwing your entire budget off track.

Plus, we're talking about something SO important: giving yourself grace while you're learning! Your budget doesn't have to be perfect on day one. In fact, we don't expect it to be.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Curious? Take The Free Money Stress Quiz!

Ready? Buy Our Simplified Budget System Now!

Budget besties, your brain already has enough going on. Between work, practices, grocery runs, and somebody announcing they need new cleats, we do not need to add “Did the mortgage come out yet?” to the mental to-do list.

In this episode, we’re sharing five ways to simplify your budget so managing money doesn’t require a fresh round of mental gymnastics every time you swipe your card.

We’re talking about giving your bills their own home, separating the money you spend from the money you save, and automating those decisions you’re tired of making over and over. Because checking whether you can grab groceries should not require reviewing every transaction in your bank account.

And yes, there is a story about a 9 p.m. grocery run, BOGO beer, and six dozen free-range eggs. This is real-life budgeting, y’all.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Curious? Take The Free Money Stress Quiz!

Ready? Buy Our Simplified Budget System Now!

Prefer to watch this episode?

Budget besties, have you ever looked at your paycheck and thought, "I make good money, so where the heck is it all going?" 💸

If you've ever felt like you're constantly playing catch-up, moving money between accounts, or wondering why your budget never seems to match your bank account, this episode is for YOU!

Today, we're doing something a little different! We're bringing you inside a real-life budget coaching session with our special guest, Jen.

Jen makes a great income, has been budgeting for a while, and is doing so many things right. But there's one big problem: she still feels like she's constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul. Sound familiar?

Together, we're digging into her actual numbers, reviewing her budget, and making some simple but POWERFUL changes to help her finally get ahead.

And spoiler alert: Jen doesn't necessarily need to make more money or cut out everything she loves. She needs a system that actually works with her real life!

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Join our FREE LIVE Debt Payoff Workshop on October 16th at 12pm CST!

Budget besties, if you're staring at multiple credit card balances and wondering where the heck to start, this episode is for YOU!

Today, Shana and Vanessa are answering your questions straight from our Budget Besties Facebook community! We're breaking down the different ways to pay off debt, how to decide which balance to tackle first, and why throwing a little extra money at every card might actually be slowing you down.

Should you start with your smallest balance? Your highest interest rate? Or that car payment that's almost paid off? Spoiler alert: there's no one-size-fits-all answer!

We're talking about the debt snowball, debt avalanche, and highest-minimum-payment methods, plus how to make a payoff plan that actually works for YOUR budget.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Join our FREE LIVE Debt Payoff Workshop on October 16th at 12pm CST!

Budget besties, you make good money. Like, REALLY good money. 💸 So why does it feel like there's never enough left at the end of the month?

You look at your income and think, We should have savings. We should have breathing room. We should NOT be living paycheck to paycheck.

But somehow, the money disappears before you even get a chance to enjoy it.

Here's the thing: Your income might not be the problem. Your debt payments might be eating up all your cash flow!

In this episode, we're breaking down why even six-figure earners can feel completely broke, how debt quietly takes over your budget, and what you can do to finally get ahead.

We're sharing real stories from our coaching clients, including someone making $20,000 a month who discovered she was paying $5,700 toward debt every single month! 😳

And trust us, she's not alone.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Join our FREE LIVE Debt Payoff Workshop on October 16th at 12pm CST!

Budget besties, you're smart, successful, making good money, and handling all the things. So why does it feel like you just can't get ahead with your credit cards?!

If you're constantly swiping your credit card, paying it off, and then swiping it again, you're not alone. And spoiler alert: Paying off your credit card balance isn't going to fix the problem if you don't change the system behind it!

In today's episode, Shana and Vanessa are breaking down 5 reasons smart women stay stuck in credit card debt, even when they're earning great incomes and trying to make responsible financial decisions.

We're talking about why your budget might actually be setting you up to fail, how those "unexpected" expenses aren't really unexpected, and why chasing credit card rewards could be keeping you a month behind financially.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Curious? Take The Free Money Stress Quiz!

Ready? Buy Our Simplified Budget System Now!

Hey, budget besties! 💕

What happens when your income changes every month, but your financial goals stay the same? How do you save for a house, pay off debt, and still enjoy your life when some months bring in plenty of money and others are a little tighter?

This week, we're chatting with Cheryl, who has been using our Simplified Budget System to get her spending under control (especially groceries and dining out!). Now she's tackling her next big goal: saving another $10,000 for a house down payment while managing an inconsistent income.

And here's the twist: Cheryl is also working toward paying off her credit card by January. So should she keep throwing extra money at that debt or switch gears and start stacking cash for her dream home?

We're breaking down how to make those decisions without overcomplicating your budget.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Curious? Take The Free Money Stress Quiz!

Ready? Buy Our Simplified Budget System Now!

Budget besties, if you’ve ever listened to us and thought, “Okay…but how am I supposed to do ALL of this?” — this episode is for you.

Coach Michelle is back fresh from office hours, where she helps members work through their real-life budgeting questions, and we’re talking about something so many of us need to hear: you do not have to do everything at once.

Maybe you’re requoting insurance, switching phone plans, trying to set up savings buckets, paying off debt, or staring at paperwork you’ve been meaning to finish for two weeks. Progress is still progress.

One phone call counts. One quote counts. One box checked counts.

We also dig into what it looks like when you’re dealing with heavy consumer debt while trying to create a budget that actually works for your life. Coach Michelle shares how she helps budget besties organize income, debt minimums, bills, spending, and savings so everything finally feels a little less chaotic.

And yes — you can work toward paying off debt while still preparing for real life.

Sometimes that means prioritizing Christmas or upcoming birthdays before a vacation next year. Sometimes it means starting with just one or two savings buckets instead of trying to fund everything at once. The goal is to stop letting predictable expenses turn into new debt.

We also talk about side hustles and why bringing in extra income can feel completely different when you know exactly what that money is working toward.

Instead of thinking, “I guess I have to work more forever,” it becomes:

“I’m earning this extra money to pay off this specific credit card. When it’s done, I’m done.”

That finish line matters.

Coach Michelle also gives us a peek inside office hours and the community that happens there. Money can feel incredibly personal, and a lot of us aren’t casually telling our neighbors about a 29% credit card or the debt keeping us up at night.

But when we hear someone else say, “Yep, I’m dealing with that too,” the shame starts to lose some of its power.

Inside the community, budget besties are sharing wins, asking questions, swapping ideas, encouraging each other, and figuring this stuff out together.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Curious? Take The Free Money Stress Quiz!

Ready? Buy Our Simplified Budget System Now!

In this episode, we sit down with Emily to walk through her real-life October budget — debt, kids, unexpected expenses, savings buckets, and all.

Emily is carrying significant monthly debt payments while also paying for her son’s school, planning ahead for her daughter’s activities, preparing for Christmas, covering home expenses, and trying very intentionally not to rely on credit anymore.

And that last part? HUGE.

We talk through why getting a paycheck ahead matters, how to decide what belongs in bills vs. spending, and why sometimes the smartest financial move is not throwing every available dollar at debt.

Because if we use all our cash to pay down a credit card and then have to swipe that card again when the oil tank needs filling, the tires need replacing, or tuition hits… we haven’t actually solved the problem.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Curious? Take The Free Money Stress Quiz!

Ready? Buy Our Simplified Budget System Now!

Budget Besties, this episode is such a good reminder that budgeting isn’t about having everything perfectly figured out—it’s about finally having a system that helps you handle real life.

We’re chatting with Barb about what changed when she started using our Simplified Budget System after years of letting her husband handle most of their finances. Like so many couples, they were used to playing catch-up, taking out loans when something big happened, and wondering where the money would come from next.

Then came the bats. 🦇 Yep… 30 bats in the attic.

What could have turned into another loan or credit card balance became proof that their new money system was actually working. Because Barb had savings buckets in place, she and her husband were able to pull together the cash they needed for the unexpected expense—and now they have a plan to rebuild those savings.

We also talk about what budgeting has changed beyond the numbers. Barb is more involved in their finances, she can go to lunch with friends without guilt, and she even bought herself a new purse without wondering whether that money should have gone somewhere else.

And after years of putting birthdays and holidays on a credit card, Barb is heading into a season with four November birthdays, three December birthdays, AND Christmas—with money already being set aside for all of it. 🙌

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not personal financial, legal, or tax advice.

This description may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission at no cost to you if you click & purchase.

Click here to view our privacy policy.

Curious? Take The Free Money Stress Quiz!

Ready? Buy Our Simplified Budget System Now!

Budget besties, what happens when your income changes every month?

Maybe your spouse works in sales. Maybe you’re an entrepreneur. Maybe commissions and bonuses mean one month feels amazing…and the next month has you wondering how you’re supposed to make a consistent budget when your paycheck is anything but consistent.

In this episode, we’re breaking down exactly how to create consistency even when your income fluctuates.

The goal is to build your regular monthly budget around a realistic bare-bones income number—the amount you can reasonably count on even during a lower-income month. From there, we want your bills, minimum debt payments, groceries, gas, and everyday spending covered first.

And when those bigger commission checks or bonuses hit? That extra money gets a job, too.

We’re talking about using higher-income months to fund savings buckets, prepare for future expenses, make progress on debt, and—when your income swings dramatically—build an income holding account that can help smooth out those lower months.

We’re also answering another question we hear all the time: “How am I supposed to budget for groceries and gas when those numbers are different every month?”

This is where your 90-day audit comes in. Looking back at approximately three normal months of spending can help you figure out what your real-life averages actually are. Then you can create a consistent spending rhythm instead of letting your lifestyle expand and contract every time your income changes.

We also get into savings buckets and why you probably won’t get every single one right the first time. Christmas, back-to-school expenses, homecoming, travel, annual bills, kids’ activities…sometimes you don’t know what something costs until you live through it.

That’s okay.

Your first year of budgeting gives you information that makes next year easier. Even having half of an expense saved ahead of time means that’s half you don’t have to suddenly find in your monthly budget.

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October is here, budget besties! 🍂 And along with cooler weather, sweaters, Halloween, and the beginning of the festive season comes something else: your October budget.

Watch along: https://budgetbesties.com/octoberbudget

In this episode, we’re walking through exactly how to build your budget for October—from closing out September to deciding what to do with every dollar you have left.

First things first: close out September. Make sure every transaction is accounted for, update anything that changed, and figure out exactly how much money is rolling into October. Remember, your numbers should reflect what’s actually happening in your bank account.

Then it’s time to build October!

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Ever feel like you understand budgeting…but your actual money still feels completely out of control?

Budget besties, sometimes the problem isn’t that you’re bad with money. It’s that your money is DISORGANIZED.

In this Q&A episode, we’re tackling two super relatable money situations: adjusting when your paycheck schedule suddenly changes and figuring out how to organize your accounts when your spouse isn’t exactly thrilled about carrying multiple debit cards.

First, we’re talking about what happens when you go from getting paid every other week to getting paid once a month. That transition can make you feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up, even when you’re actually doing pretty well. We explain why it can make sense to temporarily pause savings buckets, create some breathing room, rebuild your budget around the new pay schedule, and even ask companies to move your bill due dates.

Then we get into one of our FAVORITE topics: getting rid of the giant black hole bank account where bills, groceries, gas, dining out, subscriptions, and everything else are happening at the same time.

Because who has the brain space to stand in the grocery checkout line wondering, “Wait…did the mortgage come out yet?”

Not us.

We explain how separate accounts can give you the freedom to spend while knowing your bills are already taken care of — and what to do when your spouse doesn’t want three different debit cards.

Spoiler: your system doesn’t have to look exactly like ours.

You can create a budget that fits your actual household and still protect the bills account. Your spouse can have one spending account for their expenses while you use more detailed spending accounts if that works better for you.

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s clarity.

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Budget besties, today we’re talking about two simple shifts that can make managing your money feel a whole lot easier: stop spending from your bills account and stop being afraid to ask questions about your own money.

First up: those separate spending accounts we love? Think of them as mini budgets. You might have one for gas and groceries, another for dining out, and another for personal or kid spending. Instead of one giant checking account where every transaction disappears into the abyss, each account has a job.

But here’s the catch: the system only works if we actually let the guardrails do their job.

That means your bills debit card does not need to live in your wallet “just in case.” Your bills account is holding the money that already has somewhere to go. When we dip into it because the grocery account is getting low, we’re creating a much bigger mess for ourselves later.

The tiny habit we’re asking you to build? Check your spending-account balance before you spend.

That’s it.

We’re not asking you to track every grocery purchase or categorize every transaction. Open your banking app, see what’s available, and spend within that amount. If you want to spend the whole grocery budget on carrots, Twinkies, chips, or whatever your thing is…have a good time. 😂 The important part is staying inside the amount you intentionally set aside.

And if that amount consistently isn’t enough? That’s useful information. Your budget may need to change. A good budget should reflect your actual life, which sometimes means adjusting the amount you set aside or changing the rhythm of when that money hits your account.

Then we’re getting into another kind of financial confidence: asking the people you hire to explain what they’re doing with your money.

Your accountant, CPA, bookkeeper, financial advisor, banker, insurance agent—whoever it is—they work for you.

You are allowed to say:

“Explain this to me like I’m in fifth grade.”

You are allowed to bring a printed copy of your budget and a written list of questions.

You are allowed to ask them to explain something again.

And if someone continually makes you feel small, brushes off your questions, or refuses to help you understand your own finances? You are allowed to find someone who communicates better.

Financial clarity isn’t about becoming an accountant or obsessing over every transaction. It’s about creating simple systems, understanding what’s happening with your money, and feeling confident enough to ask questions when something doesn’t make sense.

That’s the kind of support good financial coaching can give us too: a place to work through the numbers, build realistic systems, and make money feel less overwhelming.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

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Budget besties, we need to talk about BNPLs. And yes… we had to Google what that meant too. 😂

Buy now, pay later services like Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay, Sezzle, and all their little friends can sound harmless. Zero interest! Four easy payments! Get the thing now!

But when those payments start stacking on top of each other? Your budget can get messy FAST.

In this episode, we’re talking about why these payments have become such a problem in the budgets we see, what happens when you’re relying on them for everyday expenses like groceries, and how to start getting yourself out of the cycle.

Because here’s the big truth: if you don’t have the money for something today, financing it doesn’t suddenly make it affordable.

We want you to save the money first, pay for the thing with money you actually have, and keep those random payments from stealing pieces of your future paychecks.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

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Budget besties, this one is a FULL-CIRCLE moment. 💛

A few years ago, Becky came to us feeling completely overwhelmed by debt. In her very first budgeting session, she was $54 short — and convinced that proved budgeting just wasn’t going to work for her.

Fast-forward to today…

She’s paid off nearly all of her debt, sold a house, bought another home, intentionally restarted payments on her student loans, saved ahead for an epic trip to BlizzCon, AND she’s already thinking about saving cash for her next car.

Ummm… WHO IS SHE?! 👏

In this episode, Becky comes back to share what’s changed since we first heard her story and, more importantly, what helped her go from feeling like her money controlled her to realizing she gets to control her money.

And spoiler alert: she did NOT get there by giving up everything fun.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

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Budget besties, what do you do when more money finally starts coming in…but you also have debt, vacations, savings goals, and about 47 other things competing for those dollars?

In this episode, we’re sharing real coaching situations that show why there usually isn’t one “perfect” answer.

One client had been dealing with significantly smaller paychecks for months while her husband went through recurring pilot training. Their lifestyle wasn’t outrageous—but their income had dropped by thousands of dollars some months, and credit cards became the way they filled the gap.

Then the regular paychecks came back.

And a lump sum of money was coming in.

Cue the question we hear all the time: What do we do with it?

They wanted to refill savings buckets, but they were also carrying around $50,000 in credit card debt with interest rates hovering around 28–30%. Sometimes the exciting answer is funding all the things we want to do. Sometimes the answer is a little more boring: create breathing room by knocking out expensive debt.

But we’re not stopping there.

Because if you already know a lower-income season is going to happen again in five years? We can start preparing for it now. Figure out how much income was missing during that six-month period, divide that amount over the years ahead, and start building a savings bucket for Future You.

Then we’re flipping the situation and talking vacations.

One of our coaching clients is working aggressively toward paying off debt—but she already had trips booked before coaching started. And budget besties, buying the plane ticket does not mean the vacation is paid for.

We still need to think about:

• Food
• Transportation
• Activities
• Entertainment
• Souvenirs and spending money
• And yes…maybe the spa, cabana, champagne, or whatever else we know we’re realistically going to want

When we mapped out one client’s trips honestly, her original vacation estimate was about $2,000 short.

That’s why we would rather put the real number in the budget upfront than pretend we’ll suddenly become completely different people once we land in Paris.

And if funding an already-committed trip means pausing extra debt payments for a minute? That doesn’t automatically mean you’re going backward.

You can fund the expense in cash, avoid adding new debt, and then keep moving toward your bigger goal.

The same goes for deciding how quickly you want to pay debt off. One former client made it very clear that vacations were staying in his life. So the agreement became simple: future vacations get paid for in cash while he continues paying off the old debt.

Could he have paid everything off faster without traveling? Sure.

But that wasn’t his priority.

And that’s the point.

Your budget needs to reflect your actual life, your priorities, and your goals—not somebody else’s timeline.

Sometimes we need another set of eyes to help us decide what gets funded first, what can wait, and how to create guardrails without making life miserable. That’s where ongoing accountability through financial coaching, office hours, and a supportive budgeting community can be so helpful.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

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Fall is coming — even if it’s still 95 degrees outside — and that means the holidays are right behind it. 🎃🦃🎄🎆

And budget besties, we’re not just talking about Christmas.

Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s, holiday parties, travel, teacher gifts, costumes, candy, food, decorations… it all adds up FAST.

In this episode, we’re helping you get ahead of the holiday spending season so your budget doesn’t take a gut punch — and you don’t wake up on January 1st wondering how you’re still paying for December.

We’re talking about how to decide which traditions and activities actually matter to you, how to look back at last year’s spending for clues, and how to create savings buckets now so you can pay for the holidays in cash.

We also break down expenses you might want to consider for each holiday, including:

• Halloween costumes, candy, parties, school activities, and events
• Thanksgiving food, hosting, travel, and traditions
• Black Friday shopping
• Christmas gifts, teacher gifts, parties, decor, photos, travel, shipping, outfits, pet boarding, and giving
• New Year’s travel, parties, and — depending on your household — a potentially impressive fireworks budget 😂

Plus, we talk about cost sharing, setting spending limits, and why it can actually make sense to temporarily slow down extra debt payments if it means avoiding NEW debt during the holidays.

The goal isn’t to make the holidays stressful or take away everything fun. It’s the opposite.

We want you to have the money sitting there when it’s time to buy the costumes, book the trip, grab the gifts, or host the dinner so you can actually enjoy saying yes.

And if you’re still paying off last year’s holidays? This can be the year you change the pattern. Fund this season in cash, make a plan that works for your real life, and give future-you a much easier January.

A personalized budget template or financial coaching can also help you turn all of these moving pieces into one clear plan — especially when you’re balancing holiday spending with debt payoff, savings, and everyday life.

You don’t have to do the holidays perfectly. You just need to plan for the version of the holidays you actually want to have.

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Budget besties, this episode is about way more than food, fitness, or money. It’s about the beliefs underneath all of it.

We’re joined again by Carrie Lupoli, nutritionist, behavior specialist, and author of From Corset to Crown, for a conversation about becoming the healthiest version of ourselves — physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.

Carrie shares a powerful idea: nutrition may be the doorway, but identity is the destination.

So many of us have spent years living inside what Carrie calls “the corset” — the pressure to look a certain way, earn a certain amount, keep up with everyone else, sacrifice everything for our families, or prove that we’re worthy.

And budget besties… that pressure absolutely shows up in our finances too.

Maybe we feel guilty spending money on ourselves but have no problem finding a way to pay for something our kids want. Maybe we’re afraid to talk to our spouse about money. Maybe we’re impulsively spending, putting things on credit cards, or avoiding our budget because chaos feels more familiar than change.

That’s why this conversation hit home for us.

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Budget besties, this episode is packed with two coaching lessons we see all the time: trying to pay off credit card debt while still using credit cards, and treating that third paycheck like “extra” money. Spoiler: neither one is helping your budget quite the way you think it is.

First, we’re talking about what happens when you’re trying to get out of debt but you’re still swiping the cards for points, convenience, or because that’s simply how you’ve always managed your money. One client had already consolidated $68,000 in credit card debt and was still using a card because of the rewards. And budget besties… if the points strategy were working, the debt probably wouldn’t be there.

Getting out of debt isn’t only about moving balances around or making bigger payments. It’s about changing the habits that created the cycle in the first place. That means learning to spend the money you actually have, creating a budget you can follow, and getting on the same page with your spouse instead of one person trying to control the entire financial plan.

We also talk about how to have those money conversations without turning your relationship into a parent-child dynamic. Make time for the conversation, ask questions, and then—this is the hard part—stop talking long enough to hear what your spouse actually thinks. You might be surprised by what the two of you can agree on when the conversation isn’t happening five minutes before bed or in the middle of a stressful money moment.

Then we tackle the famous third paycheck. If you’re paid every other week, there are usually two months each year when three paychecks land in the same month. Fun? Yes. Free money? Not exactly.

That month also includes two additional weeks of groceries, gas, spending money, and everyday life. So instead of thinking, “Woohoo, bonus paycheck!” think, “Okay, this is a six-week budget.” Once those extra weeks of spending are covered, then you can intentionally decide what the remaining money should do—fund savings buckets, move a goal forward, or give your budget some breathing room.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

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Budget besties, if you’ve ever looked at your bank account and thought, “We make decent money… so why does it always feel like there’s nothing left?” this episode is for you.

Today, we’re talking with Jen, who is ready to stop winging it with her money and finally create a system that gives her some breathing room.

Jen and her husband are bringing in income on different pay schedules, paying bills from multiple accounts, and trying to handle all the random expenses that come with kids and everyday life. Dance competitions, new shoes, medical appointments, a broken refrigerator — you know, all those “surprise” expenses that somehow keep showing up.

Her biggest goal? Getting a dedicated bills account working so she can know, without constantly checking and stressing, that the bills are covered.

And the biggest shift we make in this episode is simple: instead of transferring money INTO the bills account whenever bills need to be paid, let all of the income land there first. Then transfer OUT only the amount available for spending.

That one change can create so much clarity.

We also talk about why getting ahead financially doesn’t necessarily mean magically finding an entire extra month of income overnight. For Jen, getting her system organized and using the paycheck she receives at the end of the month for the upcoming month can start creating that buffer naturally.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

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Budget besties, if you make good money but still find yourself waiting for the next paycheck to pay a bill, buy groceries, or breathe again… this episode is for you.

Living paycheck to paycheck isn’t always an income problem. Sometimes it’s a money organization problem.

In this episode, we’re breaking down the common traps that keep high earners stuck in the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle — including keeping all your money in one account, thinking paycheck-by-paycheck instead of monthly, letting lifestyle creep eat every raise, and relying on credit cards as a “budget.”

Spoiler alert: your credit card is not a budget. 😬

We’ll also show you the system we use with our financial coaching clients to create more clarity and breathing room with their money. That includes looking back at the last 90 days, setting goals you actually care about, creating a monthly budget, separating bills from spending, setting up a consistent paycheck plan, and eventually getting one paycheck ahead.

Because the goal isn’t to spend your whole life asking, “When do we get paid again?”

The goal is for payday to become almost boring because your bills, spending, and savings already have a plan.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

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Budget besties, real life is going to happen — and your budget needs to be able to handle it.

Coach Michelle is back with us to share some of the real-life conversations happening inside Office Hours, and this episode is packed with examples of what it looks like when your budget actually works with your life instead of making you feel boxed in.

We’re talking about a military family who prepared for a cross-country move and was able to handle roughly $3,500 in unexpected expenses without completely derailing their finances. We’re also celebrating one budget bestie who created a system using multiple checking and savings accounts and now describes her finances as a “well-oiled machine.”

And yes — sometimes that really can mean 10 checking accounts and 10 savings accounts. 😂

The point isn’t that everyone needs the exact same number of accounts. It’s that your system should make your money easier to understand and easier to use.

We also talk about why naming your savings accounts can be surprisingly powerful. When the money says “Christmas,” “college,” or has your kid’s name attached to it, suddenly pulling from that account for something random feels a whole lot harder. That intentionality can help reduce temptation and keep your goals front and center.

Then we get into “storm mode” — those seasons when income drops, life changes quickly, or an emergency forces you to temporarily change the plan.

Sometimes storm mode means pausing extra debt payments. Sometimes it means slowing down savings goals. And sometimes it means focusing almost entirely on your most important expenses: housing, utilities, food, transportation, and taking care of your family.

That isn’t failing at your budget.

That is using your budget.

One of the biggest benefits of having a clear system is being able to see what can change when life changes. Instead of panicking, we can look at the numbers, move things around, pause what needs to be paused, and make the best decision for the season we’re in.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

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Budget besties, life transitions have a way of bringing ALL the things at once.

A move. A new baby. A job change. Kids going through a hard season. A surprise vet bill. A spouse retiring. A business changing.

And somehow, while we’re carrying all of that emotionally, we’re also supposed to remember when the electric bill is due, how much is left for groceries, whether Christmas is funded, and where that random $500 expense is coming from.

No thank you. 😂

Your money should support you when life gets complicated, not become one more thing you have to manage.

That’s why we’re so big on one simple idea:

Simplify. Separate. Automate.

Instead of trying to manage your entire financial life from one giant checking account, give your money specific jobs.

Think:

💵 Bills

🛒 Groceries

⛽ Gas

🍽️ Dining out

💁‍♀️ Personal spending

🎄 Christmas

🏡 Home repairs

🐶 Pets

✈️ Travel

💰 Other savings goals

When your paycheck comes in, automatic transfers can send the right amount of money to the right places.

Your account balances become your guardrails.

You don’t have to constantly wonder:

“Can I afford this?”

“Did the mortgage already come out?”

“Do we have enough for groceries?”

“Where am I going to find the money for that?”

You already decided.

And your bank is doing the work for you.

We also get into why those “unexpected” expenses usually aren’t completely unexpected. Christmas comes every December 25th. Cars need repairs. Pets eventually visit the vet. Kids suddenly remember they need money for something tomorrow morning. 😂

When we start saving a little at a time for those things, a $500 expense doesn’t have to become a $500 emergency.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

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What happens when budgeting stops feeling like a constant guessing game and starts giving you actual confidence?

In this episode, we’re chatting with Nikki from Australia about what changed when she started using our Simplified Budget System.

Before the system, Nikki was spending a ton of time tracking money, writing down what was coming up, checking bank balances, and trying different apps and spreadsheets — but she still felt like her family was constantly on the back foot.

Her goal wasn’t to magically solve every money problem overnight. She simply wanted to feel confident with money.

And that’s exactly what started to happen.

Nikki shares how creating separate accounts, naming them intentionally, and following the system one step at a time helped her finally feel organized and prepared. Instead of trying to do everything at once, she focused on building the foundation first — bills, spending accounts, and then savings buckets.

And those savings buckets? They’ve become one of her favorite parts.

Since starting the system, life has still thrown plenty of curveballs: medical expenses, surgery, a broken freezer, car trouble, and other unexpected costs. But the biggest difference is that those situations no longer automatically come with financial panic.

Nikki can see where her money is, adjust the plan when she needs to, and make decisions from a place of clarity instead of fear.

One of the biggest moments she shares is being offered financial help from a family member — and realizing she could confidently say, “Thank you, but we can do this ourselves.”

That is what financial confidence can look like, budget besties.

We also talk about why a budget needs to grow and change with your life, why building your system one layer at a time matters, and how being prepared for things like Christmas, annual bills, car expenses, pets, and other future costs can remove so much mental pressure.

This episode is such a good reminder that budgeting doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need another app that simply tracks where your money already went. You need a system that helps you decide where your money is going before life makes the decision for you.

Whether you’re building your own budget, using a personalized budget template, working through group coaching, or getting more hands-on support through a six-month coaching package, the goal is the same: clarity, confidence, and a money system that actually works in your real life.

Because life will keep changing. Your budget can change with it.

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Budget besties, this episode is all about taking charge of your money instead of letting someone else—or a chaotic system—make the decisions for you.

We’re sharing two real-life lessons from our coaching sessions that show just how powerful it can be to ask questions, understand the numbers, and create financial systems that actually work for your life.

First, we’re talking about a couple who had both whole life and term life insurance, including a whole life policy purchased through a family member. After digging into the details, they realized the policy hadn’t been handled the way they thought it had—and at the same time, they were carrying massive credit card balances with interest rates around 28–29%.

The numbers weren’t working in their favor.

After asking more questions and making their own decision, they pulled approximately $28,000 from the whole life policy and used it to knock out almost an entire high-interest credit card balance.

The bigger lesson? We cannot outsource understanding our money.

Even when we’re working with an expert—or someone we love—we still need to know where our money is going, why we’re making certain decisions, and whether those decisions are actually helping us move forward.

Then we’re talking about irregular income.

One of our clients is a nurse with business income that changes from paycheck to paycheck. She was getting paid different amounts, transferring different amounts to herself, and dealing with bills that were heavily concentrated at the beginning of the month.

It felt chaotic—but irregular income doesn’t have to mean an irregular financial life.

We can create systems around it.

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Budget besties, grab the pumpkin spice latte because September is almost here—and we are NOT bringing August’s hot mess energy with us. 😂

In this episode, we’re walking through exactly how to build your September budget, category by category, so you know what’s happening with your money before the month gets going.

First things first: close out August. Go back and make sure your budget reflects what actually happened. Maybe a bill got pushed into September. Maybe something you hoped could wait absolutely could not. Maybe August just came with tuition, braces, back-to-school expenses, and approximately 900 other things. Update it all, check your accounts, and get those numbers right before moving forward.

Then it’s time to build September.

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Budget besties, budgeting does not have to mean cutting out everything you love, tracking every penny, or feeling guilty every time you spend money.

In this conversation, Shana and Vanessa break down a simpler way to manage your money—one that gives every dollar a purpose while still leaving room for the things that make life fun. We’re talking data over drama, digital envelopes, automatic transfers, guilt-free spending money, and becoming the CFO of your own finances.

One of the biggest mindset shifts? What looks like an overspending problem can actually be an organization problem. When bills, groceries, Amazon orders, eating out, savings, and everything else are coming from one giant account, it’s incredibly difficult to know what you can actually afford. Separating your money gives you built-in guardrails without making your budget feel restrictive.

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Senior year is exciting, emotional…and apparently full of expenses nobody warned us about. 😅

In this episode, Shana and Vanessa sit down with listener and fellow senior mom Robyn to talk about what it really costs to have a high school senior.

Robyn walks us through the expenses that surprised her most — from senior pictures and outfits to graduation gifts, parties, college applications, technology, senior trips, and all those little “senior moments” that add up fast.

The biggest takeaway? We do not have to say yes to every expense to make senior year special.

Robyn estimates that her family spent around $4,000 throughout senior year, but your number could be completely different. The goal isn’t to copy someone else’s senior-year budget. It’s to decide what matters to your family, make a plan, and start saving before those expenses start showing up.

We also talk about giving our kids their own spending limits for things like dances, pictures, clothes, hair, nails, and extras. Sometimes the quickest way for a teenager to decide they don’t actually need something is to tell them they’ll need to use their own money. 😂

And budget besties, some of the sweetest memories cost almost nothing. Sleepovers, senior sunrise, floating the river, breakfast with friends, and simply giving our kids a little more freedom can end up being the moments they remember most.

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Budget besties, have you ever looked at your budget and thought, “Wait… it says I have money left over, so where is it?!”

That’s exactly what Melissa brought to this live coaching call. On paper, her budget showed more than $2,000 of “extra” money each month—but in real life, that money was nowhere to be found.

In this episode, we walk through why that disconnect happens and uncover one of the biggest culprits: spending directly from the bills account.

Melissa had already made some great progress. She had a separate account for gas and groceries, had automated many of her bills, and was working toward getting a paycheck ahead. But because everyday purchases were still sneaking out of the bills account, her budget couldn’t accurately tell her what was truly available.

We talk about why separating your money into intentional accounts can create so much clarity. Your bills money has one job. Your spending money has another. And when those two stop mixing together, you don’t have to constantly track every transaction or wonder whether the money sitting in your account is actually safe to spend.

We also dig into the “messy middle” of switching banks. Melissa’s current credit union limits the number of accounts she can have, and changing direct deposits and automatic payments feels like a lot. We explain how to break the process into manageable steps, starting with the most important one: separate the spending first.

Then we tackle irregular-looking paydays. Melissa and her husband have multiple paychecks hitting throughout the month, which can make transfers feel confusing. But instead of changing spending based on which paycheck happens to arrive, we show her how to budget monthly and choose a consistent transfer schedule.

If you budget $1,000 for spending each month and want to fund it twice a month, that can simply become two $500 transfers. The goal is to stop reinventing the plan every payday.

We also talk about getting your spouse on board without turning every purchase into a conversation. Giving each person their own spending account creates built-in guardrails and freedom. Your partner knows exactly which card to use, how much is available, and can spend from that account without accidentally dipping into bill money.

And because Melissa recently started a business, we cover one more important boundary: business money needs its own space too. Even if you’re brand new, separating business expenses from personal finances can make everything easier to understand as you grow.

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Budget besties, sometimes budgeting is less about following the “perfect” financial plan and more about making your money work for the actual life you’re living.

In this episode, we’re talking through two real-life coaching situations that show exactly what that can look like.

First up: pets. And not just one cute little pet with an occasional bag of food—we’re talking multiple animals, grooming appointments, vet visits, specialty food, emergencies, and an annual pet budget that can easily hit five figures. When one savings bucket starts feeling like its own mini economy, it might be time to give it its own checking account.

We break down why creating a separate account for a large or complicated expense category can make budgeting so much easier. Instead of constantly transferring money back and forth, you can fund the account each month and let those expenses come directly from it. Less mental math. Less account juggling. More clarity.

Then we get into HELOCs.

One of Vanessa’s clients had already paid off her credit card debt, had her savings buckets dialed in, and was doing an amazing job planning ahead—but she still had a large HELOC. The question became: Does she need to attack that debt immediately, or can she choose to focus on other priorities right now?

That leads us into a bigger conversation about fake financial urgency.

Sometimes we feel like we should pay something off faster because that’s what we’ve heard we’re supposed to do. But your budget doesn’t have to be built around someone else’s priorities.

We talk about looking at the actual numbers—interest rates, whether the debt is fixed or variable, and how it fits into your bigger financial picture—while also asking a very important question:

What actually matters to you right now?

Because paying off debt is important, but so is building a budget that keeps you from going back into debt. Saving for future cars, kids, travel, pets, and everything else coming your way matters too.

And yes, we also explain why a HELOC can be a little bit like keeping Oreos in the house. Sometimes the easiest way to avoid constantly taking “just a little more” is to recognize how tempting easy access can be in the first place.

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What happens when money is coming into your household on the 1st, the 15th, every Friday…and from another income source too? 😅

In this coaching episode, we’re talking with Soraya, a budget bestie who has been budgeting for years, has almost no debt, has savings buckets in place, and is already doing SO many things well—but still feels like managing multiple pay schedules is more complicated than it needs to be.

And yep, we totally get it.

The biggest shift? Stop assigning individual bills to individual paychecks.

Instead, we want to zoom out and look at the entire month as one big money plan. Income comes into the bills account, bills come out when they’re due, and spending money gets transferred into separate accounts on a predictable schedule.

For Soraya, weekly transfers are already making budgeting feel easier, more automatic, and way less stressful.

We also talk about her final debt—the family RV—and whether she should throw even more money at it or continue putting $1,000 a month into savings buckets.

Our answer: make sure real life is funded first.

Christmas. Car repairs. Home maintenance. Medical expenses. Vacations. Kids. School. Gifts. All those things we know are coming eventually.

Because paying off debt super fast only to put the next unexpected expense on a credit card? No thank you.

Once those savings buckets are covered, Soraya gets to decide what matters most with the extra money. She can accelerate the RV payoff, save toward a bigger family vehicle, enjoy something fun, or create a combination that works for her family.

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Budget besties, Coach Michelle is back—and she brought some seriously encouraging wins from Office Hours!

In this episode, we’re talking about what happens when you stop letting extra money “just disappear” and start giving every dollar a purpose. From preparing for a military move to paying off debt, filling savings buckets, and handling a flat tire without panic, these stories show how small, intentional steps can completely change the way money feels.

One military family used automation, refunds, and careful planning to prepare for a move from Hawaii to Pennsylvania. Instead of relying on a credit card while waiting for reimbursements, they already had money set aside for hotels, meals, and other moving expenses.

We also celebrate a budget bestie who used her tax refund to pay off a car, fund several savings buckets, and eliminate a credit card. Rather than putting the money into one general account and slowly watching it disappear, she divided it among specific goals—including Christmas and vehicle maintenance.

And when another community member got a flat tire, her vehicle maintenance bucket did exactly what it was created to do. She walked into the tire shop, paid for the repair, and moved on without rearranging her entire monthly budget.

That is the power of giving your money a job.

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Editor Note: Yay for 600!

Budget besties, back-to-school season comes every year—but somehow, it can still feel like one giant unexpected expense.

Between school supplies, new shoes, activity fees, sports equipment, lunch accounts, haircuts, transportation, and all the random things the school tells us about at the last minute, the costs can add up fast. And because back-to-school season arrives right after summer vacations, camps, and activities, our budgets may already feel stretched.

In this episode, we’re breaking down the expenses that often come with heading back to school so you can create a realistic plan, reduce financial stress, and stop scrambling to move money around.

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Budget besties, we’re back with another Q&A episode—and these questions are so good.

First, we’re helping an entrepreneurial couple decide what to do with a $15,000 launch payout when they also have $27,000 in debt and inconsistent income. Should they put the entire amount toward debt, or save it to cover future months?

Our answer: before moving the money anywhere, look at the full picture.

When both partners own businesses, we need three separate budgets:

• Your business budget
• Your partner’s business budget
• Your personal household budget

That gives us the clarity to decide how much of the launch income needs to support future paychecks and how much might be available for debt payoff.

Using all the money to pay off debt may feel productive, but it can send us right back to credit cards if next month’s income does not cover the bills. At the same time, paying off one smaller debt—especially one with a large monthly payment—could create meaningful breathing room.

The goal is not to follow a cookie-cutter debt rule. The goal is to make the decision that improves both our current cash flow and our long-term stability.

We also answer a super practical question about savings buckets: how do we actually spend the money?

The process is simple. Transfer the amount you need from the appropriate savings bucket into your spending checking account, then make the purchase. So, when your oil change costs $97, move $97 from your vehicle bucket to your spending account and pay from there.

Your bills account should stay reserved for recurring, predictable bills. Irregular expenses—like oil changes, gifts, home repairs, and other occasional purchases—should move through your spending account.

Finally, we talk about investing without making it feel complicated or intimidating.

We’re not financial advisors, so we’re not telling you exactly which investments to choose. Our focus is helping you understand your numbers, identify your long-term goals, and build consistent investing into your budget.

You do not need the fanciest strategy. You need a plan you understand, can afford, and can follow consistently.

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Budget besties, today we’re talking about two very different money situations that share one important lesson: we have to identify the real problem before we can fix it.

First, let’s talk about cash, side-job income, and money sitting in Venmo. It can be easy to treat that money like it doesn’t count because it never landed in our regular bank account. But cash is not free money, Venmo is not fake money, and side income still needs a job.

That doesn’t mean you can’t spend it! You can absolutely increase your personal spending money when your budget supports it. The key is to put the income—and the spending—on paper. When we account for all the money coming in, we can intentionally decide what we want it to do instead of wondering where it disappeared.

Then we move into a completely different situation: what happens when there really isn’t anything left to cut?

Sometimes the problem is not overspending. Sometimes the budget is already conservative, the bills are simply expensive, and one income is carrying costs that would normally be shared. This can be especially difficult for single parents managing housing, utilities, children, and unexpected expenses on their own.

In those moments, continually blaming yourself or searching for another expense to eliminate only creates more shame. Financial clarity means being honest about the numbers. The solution might involve increasing income temporarily, downsizing during a future season, or finding a specific amount of extra money to accomplish one goal.

The goal isn’t to punish ourselves. It’s to understand what is actually happening so we can make a plan that fits our real life.

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Budget besties, August is coming—and it tends to bring a lot with it.

School supplies. Uniforms. Tuition. Sports physicals. Extra driving. Birthdays. Labor Day plans. And somehow, the holidays are already waiting around the corner.

In this episode, we’re walking through how to build an August budget that prepares you for real life instead of leaving you scrambling every time another expense pops up.

We also explain why getting one paycheck ahead can completely change the way you experience your money. Being ahead does not mean you lose your spending money or stop enjoying life. It means your bills, everyday spending, and savings can already be funded before they are needed.

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Budget besties, getting confident with money is not about magically knowing everything—it starts with building a strong foundation and giving ourselves permission to learn.

In this episode, Shana and Vanessa sit down with financial planner Shari to talk about why so many women feel uncertain about spending, saving, investing, and making major financial decisions. Shari explains that what often looks like a “money problem” is really a lack of organization, education, and support. Before tackling investing, retirement rollovers, or long-term wealth building, we need clarity around our everyday spending, emergency savings, bank accounts, and future expenses.

They also explore how women and men may think and communicate differently about money. While investment performance and percentages may motivate some people, many women want to understand what their money will make possible—like retiring comfortably, supporting their children, improving their homes, or creating more freedom.

The conversation is a reminder that we are not bad with money just because our finances feel complicated. Modern life includes digital spending, subscriptions, family expenses, competing priorities, and constant pressure to spend. Getting organized through a personalized budget, group coaching, or longer-term financial coaching can help us replace stress and shame with clarity, calm, and confidence.

Most importantly, Shari encourages women to stop delaying the decision to ask for help. We do not have to become wealthy before working with a financial professional, and we do not have to figure everything out alone. The right support can help us understand our choices, trust our decisions, and use money as a tool to build the lives we actually want.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

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Budget besties, our kids will eventually have to manage money without us—and the lessons they learn now can shape their financial choices for years to come.

In this episode, we’re sharing real-life stories from families who are teaching their teenagers how to budget, make tradeoffs, and take responsibility for their spending. From graduation dresses and haircut money to gas, groceries, and a very expensive set of keys locked inside a car, these everyday moments can become powerful financial lessons.

The goal isn’t to tell our kids, “We can’t afford it.” It’s to help them understand that having money doesn’t mean we spend it on everything we want. We get to decide what matters most, plan ahead, and work within the amount available.

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Budget besties, budgeting does not have to mean rice, beans, and saying goodbye to every little thing that brings you joy.

In this conversation, Shana and Vanessa break down what it really means to be “bougie on a budget”—and spoiler alert: it looks different for everyone. For one person, bougie might mean travel sports. For someone else, it might be vacations, horses, facials, massages, dining out, or getting their hair and nails done.

The goal is not to copy someone else’s budget. The goal is to build a budget that reflects your real life, your priorities, and the things that genuinely matter to you.

We also talk about why so many women feel like they make good money but still have nothing to show for it. Often, the problem is not overspending. It is a lack of organization. When every bill, transfer, swipe, subscription, and expense comes out of one account, your money can feel like it disappears into a black hole.

That is where the Budget Besties system comes in: simplify, separate, and automate.

By separating bills from everyday spending, creating clear spending accounts, and planning ahead for expenses that happen throughout the year, you can stop doing mental math every time you swipe your card. You can see what is available, know what each dollar is for, and feel more confident about your choices.

We also dig into the difference between a true emergency and an expense you simply forgot to plan for. Christmas, annual insurance premiums, car tags, pet visits, HOA fees, birthdays, and travel fees are not surprises. They may not happen every month, but they still belong in the budget.

When we plan for those expenses in advance, we create a more consistent budget and reduce the financial roller coaster.

This episode is a reminder that you are not bad with money. Most of us were never taught how to manage modern finances, and our financial lives are more complicated than ever. Between credit cards, subscriptions, payment apps, online shopping, and busy family schedules, it makes sense that things can feel messy.

The solution is not shame. It is clarity, organization, and a system that supports your actual life.Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

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Budget besties, today we’re talking about one of the least exciting—but most important—parts of budgeting: annual bills.

Mary joined us to talk through a common sticking point. She had already automated her money, separated her spending accounts, and created savings buckets, but she still felt unsure about how much to save for expenses that only show up a few times a year.

You know the ones: car registration, property taxes, memberships, quarterly bills, insurance premiums, and all those other “expected unexpected” expenses that somehow still manage to surprise us.

In this episode, we help Mary simplify her system, separate annual bills from regular maintenance expenses, and create a plan that reduces stress without requiring her to constantly move money around.

Let’s Take Our Relationship To The Next Level:

1️⃣ Facebook Group ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/facebook

2️⃣ Be on the Podcast ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/livecall

3️⃣ Private 1-on-1 Coaching. ➡︎ budgetbesties.com/coaching

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