by Liesel Darby, Mediator & Divorce Coach

What do the following have in common?

• You’re in the grocery store, looking for your favorite brand of stone-ground mustard, only to find that they no longer carry it. The replacement brand is twice the price, and you don’t like the packaging either.
  
• You’re accustomed to your second shift schedule, but you have just been informed that you are moving to first shift for the foreseeable future. This throws a wrench in your Pilates class schedule.
  
• Your spouse has just announced that he is leaving you for the neighbor down the street that you have been casually saying hi to on your evening walks if she’s out in the yard.

If you answered “things that make you go hmmmm,” you are partly correct. Actually, these are all examples of change, albeit in varying degrees of the impact it will have on a person’s life. New mustard brand versus your world being turned upside down by divorce are not on the same par, for sure. If you’ve been around in this...

Do you ever feel like your money disappears without warning—or find yourself so afraid to spend that you can’t fully enjoy life?
If so, you’re not alone. Many women in midlife, especially after a major life change like divorce or retirement, struggle to find the right balance between saving and living.

The good news is that there’s a solution: creating a personalized budget plan.

A personalized budget isn’t about restriction—it’s about clarity, confidence, and control. It helps you understand your income, expenses, and priorities so your money supports the life you want to live.

Why a Budget Plan Is Your Financial Roadmap

Think of your budget as your personal roadmap to financial freedom.
It shows where your money is coming from, where it’s going, and how to use it in alignment with your goals.

Instead of feeling deprived, you’ll feel empowered to make intentional financial choices that reflect your values.

Let’s take a look at how one woman transformed her relationship with mo...

Have you ever been told that you're not good with money? That women aren't as financially savvy as men? That we're more prone to overspending and living beyond our means? Unfortunately, these kinds of stories are all too common. But the truth is, they're just myths.

I’m going to bust some of the most pervasive myths about women and money, and share some truths that will help you take control of your finances.

Myth #1: Women are naturally bad with money. 

There's no biological or genetic reason why women would be less skilled at managing finances than men. Studies have shown that women tend to be more diligent about budgeting and saving than men, and are less likely to take on risky investments.

A report published in 2018 by the Warwick Business School in the UK analyzed data from 2,800 investors over a three-year period and found that women generated higher returns on their investments than men. The report attributed this trend to the fact that women tend to be more patient and less li...

Not long ago, one of my client couples shared a situation that will feel familiar to many of us. After a car accident left one of them without a vehicle, they suddenly found themselves facing an unexpected financial decision. A year ago, this kind of disruption would have sent them spiraling into panic and self-doubt. This time, something was different. They paused, assessed their options, talked it through together, and made a plan that aligned with the goals they had been working toward.

That shift, the ability to face a financial setback without unraveling, is the heart of what it means to build a true wealth mindset.

Financial resilience is not about never facing setbacks. It’s about learning to navigate them with clarity, confidence, and intention.

Whether your unexpected challenge is a car repair, a medical bill, a job transition, or something entirely different, you can recover from financial setbacks without losing the progress you’ve worked so hard to make. And you can emer...

Looking for the best budget app or money management tool? There are so many facets of budgeting, and you'll likely have to make some sacrifices, but using one of these tools can make those sacrifices easier and can take the most challenging work out of budget. These are the best budgeting apps and tools to download now if you want to get your spending under control. 

What is a budgeting app?

A budgeting app is a digital tool that helps you track and manage your income, expenses, and savings. It allows you to create and stick to a budget by categorizing your expenses, setting limits, and providing insights into your spending habits. With the rise of technology, budgeting apps have become increasingly popular as they make it easier than ever to stay on top of your finances.

Why use a budgeting app? 

There are many benefits to using a budgeting app. For starters, it can save you time and effort by automatically tracking your transactions and organizing them into categories. This elimi...

Having a budget is essential to successful financial planning, and over the years I have heard so many myths about budgets and why people say they don’t work or why they don’t need a budget. These budgeting myths can prevent you from achieving financial security so in this blog post, let’s play MythBusters and walk through some of the misinformation I hear about budgets and what the truths are instead. 

Budget Myth #1: Creating and managing a budget takes too much time.

The Reality: Taking control of your money is worth the investment.

Creating a budget for the first time can seem overwhelming and time consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. There are so many tools, templates and apps available to help you through the process. And once your budgeting framework is in place, you can easily and quickly adjust your budget. 

If you use an app or other online money management tool for your budget, the tool walks you through the set-up process. You often link your financial accounts, answer...

In our last post, Stop Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck , we explored the most common reasons people get caught in that exhausting financial cycle. Today, let’s talk about how to break free from it once and for all—and start putting your money to work for you.

If you’re ready to move beyond surviving and start thriving financially, this guide will walk you through practical, realistic steps to build stability, reduce stress, and create real financial peace.

Step 1: Create a Budget That Works for You

A budget isn’t about restriction—it’s about clarity. When you see where your money goes, you can start directing it toward what matters most.

Start by thinking about your needs, wants, and future goals. A strong budget includes all three.

Determine Your True Income

Your income isn’t your gross pay—it’s what you have left after taxes, insurance, and other deductions. Know this number clearly so you can plan with accuracy.

Add Up Your Monthly Expenses

Review your last one to three months o...

Give Your Budget a Check-Up

We’re in the full swing of Summer, and whether you’re in vacation mode or you’re working just as hard as ever, July is a great time to review your budget. After all, if you created it in January, a lot can change in 7 months, and you want to make adjustments now if you need to. Budgets are fluid documents that are meant to be changed and updated as needed to make sure your money is always working for you.

You don’t need to spend hours and hours pouring over every detail of your budget, but I do suggest taking the five steps listed below to make sure you’re on track to reaching your goals by the end of the year. 

Review & update your budget

If you created your budget at the beginning of the year, now is the time to make sure that it’s still working for you. Are you staying within your budget, or are there some categories that need to be adjusted? With the increases we’ve seen in food and gas prices, many of our clients are finding ways to reduce spending ...

So who has started spring cleaning? Do you have a good system in place so it doesn’t take hours and hours to get the job done? There certainly are a lot of cleaning checklists on Pinterest and Instagram. As we’re thinking about spring cleaning our homes, it’s also the perfect time to spring clean your finances. The first quarter is over, and last year's taxes have been completed, so let’s get organized financially for the rest of the year.

Here are 10 ideas for spring cleaning your finances.

Check your credit reports. You can check your credit report from each of the three credit bureaus once a year so I recommend checking one at the end of April, one at the end of August, and one at the end of December. Credit report mistakes can prevent you from getting a loan or force you into paying a higher interest rate. If you see any errors or fraudulent activity on your credit report, file a dispute with the credit bureau right away.   

Review your monthly budget. Your current budget may ne...

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, many women are thinking about how to show love to the special people in their lives. But before you buy the flowers or book the dinner, I want to invite you to pause and do something equally meaningful: show love to yourself and your financial future.

Self-love is not selfish. It is one of the smartest investments you can make. Just like the airplane safety reminder says, you need to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others. The same is true with your money. When you prioritize your financial wellness, you create stability, confidence, and peace that benefit everyone around you.

As a financial planner who has helped hundreds of women through major life transitions, I have seen how financial clarity can transform confidence. When you feel in control of your money, you show up differently in every area of your life. You make choices that align with your values, not your fears. And that is the ultimate form of self-love.

Here a...