Make These Your New Money Mantras

This content was created by Girlboss in partnership with ChairmanMe.

Guess what? Boys are not inherently better at math than girls—shocker right? Pause for sarcasm. In fact, a 2018 study revealed that, like pretty much everything when it comes to numbers and women, patriarchy is once again to blame. And in societies that treat men and women more equally, this so-called “gender gap” in math and financial literacy is smaller. Essentially, the more we’re empowered, as women, to take charge of our grasp on these subjects, the better the outcome. Here’s to you, Sweden!

When it comes to all things financial, it’s like we’re back in math class again. Either we’re inundated with the idea that we’re inherently bad with money, or it’s simply not something we’re been encouraged to openly talk about. And we’re working harder than ever for our money, negotiating raises, campaigning for equal pay, or working for ourselves to boost our earning potential.

But what if that’s not enough? Maybe it’s a little cheesy, but what if your money worked as you do? And how do you even begin to determine that and map out an action plan?

Enter the burgeoning space of financial education platforms for women. There’s Finances Demystified, run by millennial money expert Dominique Broadway and communities like ChairmanMe, the networking and skill-sharing community built for and by women.

Here, a few pieces of money advice to help you feel instantly better about your financial outlook. Below, some money mantras to live by.

Want more A+ money advice? Then you’ll want to sign up for ChairmanMe’s Zoom event, “Is Your Money Working as Hard as You Do?” on Wednesday March 9th from 5 - 6pm PDT. The best part? It’s totally free!

Action Begets Action—Do Something, Anything Right Now

It can be as small as setting up an auto-deposit to a savings account or minimizing your tax liabilities through income deferrals or take a critical pass at your spending habits to really scrutinize where your money is going.

Lawyer Up

If you’re in any kind of committed relationship right now, talk to a family lawyer—get things in writing and documented in order to protect your future. And if you’re thinking, “nah, I don’t need that!” a Rutgers study found that 80 to 90 percent of women will become solely responsible for the finances of their household at some point in their lives, so you’ll want to be prepared.

Make a Vision Board

“Men tend to invest as a macho competitive sport. Women invest to achieve our goals,” says ChairmanMe’s King. But a vision board is more than whatever you had pinned inside your high-school locker. It’s a statement of your dreams and goals—because how can you chase something without defining it first?

Embrace a Better Mindset

Financial wellness is wellness, full stop. Which means you need to cut the negative-self talk surrounding your finances, according to author and financial planner Shannon Lee Simmons. If you do have debt or unmet financial goals, it’s important to reframe your attitude. Stop telling yourself that you’re “so bad with money.” That’s because, according to Simmons, this self-talk can become reality—sort of like a reverse vision board.

Leave Room for Spontaneity

This one might feel like it goes against the age-old “budgeting” wisdom that still dominates the financial-advice space. But at the end of the day: we sometimes spend money to make ourselves happy, and that spending can’t always be neatly hemmed into categories like coffee, or workout clothes. Instead of drilling into categories, set aside a spending account—just make sure that the amount is set with a hard limit.