What is Equal Pay Day?

National Equal Pay Day raises awareness of the pay discrepancies between men and women for the same work each year. Equal Pay Day was created by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996. This year, Equal Pay Day will be recognized on Tuesday, March 14.

Equal Pay Day also symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year.

In 2022, studies showed that women in the U.S. earned, on average, 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, so a woman must work 15 months to make what a man earns in 12 months. This number varies based on occupation and industry - women in the legal field earn 63 cents, and women in finance and insurance earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by men.

According to an article in Forbes, women lose hundreds of thousands of dollars over a lifetime compared to their white male counterparts. For example, one study showed that white women lost $555,360, and black women lost $964,400...

A lot of people, women in particular, are hesitant to ask for more. Whether it’s a mindset that’s holding you back, fear of rejection, or something else entirely, you have to pursue what you want — and sometimes, that means asserting yourself and asking for what you want!

Even if you work for a company that reevaluates the market rate for positions and adjusts salaries accordingly or you work for yourself and can increase your rates any time, there is still a level of needing to feel confident to advocate for yourself when and if it becomes necessary.

Why It’s Important to Ask for More

I have a client who works in data analytics, but she wasn’t “trained” to do data analytics (ie: she didn’t go to school for this particular set of skills she has). Instead, she evolved into this role in the company and she’s good at it. However, because of the way she evolved into it, she was significantly underpaid when we started working...

When you want to feel empowered around your money mindset, there's one thing that is at the heart of preparing to increase your income. Sometimes, in mindset work, we forget that we do have a great deal of control. While that control isn't over anything outside of ourselves, we can control our thoughts, reactions, and beliefs — and that is powerful! And it starts with asking.

Kids are great at this. For example, my kids always want McDonald's. Never mind that 99.9% of the time, my answer is no when they ask. But they always ask for it. I'm sure if you're a parent, cousin, or caretaker of any sort, you've had this experience, too.

And as any kiddo is too familiar with hearing… Just because you want it doesn't mean it's going to happen. But when you realize that you have a great deal of power over your choices in your money mindset journey, you can learn to guide your thoughts and actions to prepare yourself for an increase in income.

There are two main steps to getting...

Improving your financial situation is always high on the list of resolutions I hear from my clients. After all, with a mindful eye on your finances, you can build stability for your family and be able to thrive for years to come without worry. (It’s such a hot topic, I created a list of 10 financial resolutions you may want to set for yourself to help in this mission.)

That said, surviving and then thriving takes a little effort in the beginning to get yourself on the right track. Case in point: How many dimes would you have for each person you hear claim that “This is my year”? You may have racked up a few dollars just counting all the times you’ve proclaimed it’ll be your year. And, I mean this gently…. What happened after that proclamation? Exactly. Never fear, these 5 simple steps will help you improve your financial situation once and for all so you can bask in the knowledge that this will be your year for years to come.

Make the Decision

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No matter where you are in your financial journey, whether you’re just putting together a financial planning binder or you’ve got a high-performing investment portfolio, everyone could benefit from spring cleaning their finances. Doing so will ensure your goals are still ones you want to work toward, you get back in touch with your numbers, and you can make adjustments sooner rather than later.

Here are my favorite posts that will help you dust the cobwebs out of your finances and refresh your bank account. They’ll help you empower yourself to learn about your finances and choose wisely to make your family financially sustainable!

Spring Clean your Money Mindset

The best place to start is by taking a look at your money mindset. I know firsthand that it takes practice to change beliefs, especially after you’ve placed them on cruise control for a while. Checking back in with how you think about money is important to make sure you’re thinking about wealth...

Asking for a raise can be uncomfortable for many of us. However, as I teach my children, if you don't ask the question, then the answer is always going to be no. If you want a raise and you feel like you've earned it, you need to ask for it. This is particularly true if you've taken on additional responsibilities but never been compensated for the additional value you're providing to the company.

Related post: Tips to Negotiate a Higher Starting Salary

Here are strategies for how to ask for a raise when you're underpaid: 

Know your company’s mission and goals.

Why is it essential to have a handle on your company's mission and goals? You’ll want to infuse them throughout your pitch for a higher wage. Show how the work you do aligns with your organization’s goals and mission.

Do your homework.

Knowing what the market rate is for your position is helpful when asking for a raise when you're underpaid. It costs companies a lot of money to bring on new...

Just as with any new career, starting a blog can seem like a scary (and sometimes impossible) task. A significant difference between a blog and a typical job, though, is your income potential. A blog can give you the ability to make unlimited amounts of money, so consider that when you think of how nervous you are to put yourself out there. The payoff is usually worth it. Knowing that it’s time to face that fear, learn how to start a blog, and make some money. 

Related post: Don't Let Your Fear of Starting a Business Stop You

Choose a Niche

A blog niche is fundamental. A niche is essentially a category your blog will fall into. For example, this blog is all about finance related to moms. Other blogs talk about fashion, lifestyle choices, and specific career tracks. While most people have a topic in mind when they start their blog, some have no idea. If you’re in the second category, you should choose a niche that you are passionate about. 

While appealing...

As they say, "one man's trash is another man's treasure."

Experiencing periods of financial strife has happened to almost everyone. When it happens, it can bring on feelings of worry and anxiety. But one way to make some quick money is to sell some belongings you don't use or no longer want. From big-ticket items to clothing and tchotchkes, you might be surprised what you can sell to thicken your wallet. 

Follow these strategies to make the most from your sales:

1. Consider selling almost everything.

Make a list of the items you'll sell room by room and jot down reasonable prices to ask. Don't worry; you won't miss them once they're gone. Are your rooms over-stuffed with too much furniture? Sell your least favorite pieces. Sell that extra recliner in the back bedroom that's piled with junk. Sell the junk on it, too! 

You don't use your bread maker anymore? Sell it to someone that will. What about the wrong size clothing or those you dislike? If you don't wear them, sell...