personal-finance

The Fastest Way To Make Buying A Home A Reality

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A new year always brings that itch for something different.
A fresh start.
A new chapter.
A place that finally feels like yours.

If buying a home is on your heart this year, the best place to start isn’t Zillow, a drive through your favorite neighborhood, or a chat with a realtor.

The first step lives in one place:

Your credit report.

It’s not flashy.
It’s not exciting.
But it’s the foundation that decides whether your homebuying journey feels peaceful… or stressful.

Let’s walk through why credit is so important and how to get it ready before you step into the homebuying world.

Why Credit Comes First

Your credit score affects everything about your mortgage:

  • What loan programs you qualify for
  • Your interest rate
  • Your monthly payment
  • The amount you pay over the life of the loan
  • Your mortgage insurance
  • Your level of bargaining power

People hear that FHA will approve scores as low as 580 and think, “Great, I only need to hit the number.”
Not quite.

A lower score may get you approved,
but a higher score gives you a more affordable and comfortable mortgage.

You’re not just buying a house, you’re borrowing money to borrow money.
That’s the part your credit score controls.

In a high-rate market, this matters more than ever.

A higher score can lower your rate, reduce your payments, and open the door to cheaper, better loan options.

Start the Year With a Credit Deep Dive

If you’ve avoided looking at your credit report, you aren’t alone.
Most people only check it when something goes wrong.

But checking your credit is not about judgment, it’s about seeing the path forward.

Here’s where to begin:

1. Pull all three credit reports

Experian, Equifax, TransUnion.
Not the score your bank gives you — you need the full reports.

2. Go line by line

Look for:

  • Mistakes
  • Accounts that aren’t yours
  • Old items past the reporting period
  • Duplicate accounts
  • Late payments
  • High balances

You can’t fix what you can’t see.

3. Highlight the things hurting your score

Late payments and high utilization are the biggest score killers.
This is where many people get discouraged, but this is exactly where the opportunity sits.

4. Create a simple plan

Not a complicated spreadsheet.
Not a promise you can’t keep.
Just a realistic plan that helps you move forward one step at a time.

Here are practical steps that help most buyers to raise their score before house shopping:

Lower your credit card balances

Aim to get each card to a healthier range.
Even small changes here can move your score quickly.

Set every bill on automatic payments

Late payments are sneaky and damaging.
This stops that cycle.

Dispute errors

If something is wrong with your report, fix it now, not when you’re sitting in a lender’s office feeling stressed.

Add positive credit

A secured card or credit builder loan can add healthy activity if your credit is thin.

Stop applying for anything

No store cards.
No “pre-qualified” offers.
Protect your score while you’re preparing.

Why This Matters So Much in Today’s Market

Rates may shift throughout the year, but your credit score is one thing you can control.

When your score goes up:

  • Your loan options increase
  • Your rate can drop
  • Your payment becomes more comfortable
  • Your total cost of ownership goes down

This isn’t about chasing a perfect number. It’s about putting yourself in the best financial position possible before you commit to the biggest purchase of your life.

Give Yourself Time, Not Pressure

Many people wait until they want a house right now and then rush to fix years of credit habits in 30 days. That creates panic and disappointment.

Starting early makes the entire experience steady and manageable.

Think of it this way:

Fixing your credit isn’t just a step in the homebuying process; it’s part of becoming the future homeowner you want to be.

If You Want to Buy a Home This Year, Start Here

Before:

  • Shopping
  • Touring
  • Getting pre-approved
  • Choosing a lender
  • Talking interest rates

Start with your credit.

It’s the first step to a home you can afford, enjoy, and comfortably maintain.

If you want support with reviewing your credit, creating a simple plan, or preparing for a lender conversation, I can help you build a clear path to get ready for homeownership this year.

You’re not alone in this, and you’re not behind.
You’re just getting started on the right foot.

You Didn’t Struggle For Nothing

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Some of the challenges this year felt more like “Lord, are You sure I’m built for this?” moments than “I’m so thankful” moments.
This year might’ve handed you a few struggles you didn’t see coming.
Bills, surprises, decisions, mistakes, lessons — the whole package.

Even so… you’re here. And that says something.

I won’t pretend the tough moments were pleasant. Nobody sits there saying, “Wow, this financial setback is really blessing my spirit today.”
But those same moments changed you in ways comfort never could.

Because it grows you.

As much as we don’t like it, the hard seasons teach us more about money and ourselves than the easy ones ever will.
Nobody learns discipline when the paycheck is overflowing.
No character is built when the bills are light.
And nobody cries out to God for guidance when everything is smooth and easy.

It’s in the struggle that we learn things we wouldn’t have learned any other way.

Being thankful for the lessons doesn’t mean you enjoyed the struggle.

It just means you refused to let it break you.

Maybe this year forced you to take budgeting seriously.
Maybe a financial surprise pushed you to rethink your priorities.
Maybe you had to let go of something you weren’t ready to release.
Or maybe you finally realized you were tired of repeating the same cycle repeatedly.

Whatever your story is, every challenge added something to you: strength, clarity, or courage.

James 1:2–4 says to “count it all joy” when we face trials because those trials shape endurance.
Endurance isn’t pretty, but it will carry you financially further than any “perfect plan” ever will.

The hard stuff teaches:

1. Discipline over impulse

When money is tight, you learn the difference between needs, wants, and “maybe I’ll just walk away before I talk myself into this.”

2. Patience while you wait for better

Waiting for progress teaches you to stop comparing your life to everyone else’s highlight reel.

3. Courage to face your numbers even when they scare you

You learned to open the banking app and check that balance more regularly.
(Yes, your heart raced, but you did it.)

4. Wisdom that keeps you from repeating old mistakes

Nothing will make you wiser than a financial lesson that slapped you once.
You don’t need it slapping you twice.

There’s nothing like a hard-hitting mistake to make you say, “Oh, I’m never doing that again.”

5. Gratitude for the progress you have made

Small wins count.
Tiny steps count.
And survival counts too.

Maybe you didn’t hit every goal, but you’re not where you used to be.
Small steps still move you forward.

As Thanksgiving gets close, take a moment to be thankful, if not for the struggle itself, maybe for the strength it produced.

You’re more aware of your habits.
Your boundaries are clearer.
Your goals make more sense.
And the person you’re becoming is stronger than the person who started this year.

Sometimes God lets us walk through the hard places so we can finally see what we’re capable of and so we stop thinking about money the same old way. Sometimes the struggle is what finally pushes us into real financial change – the kind that lasts, not the kind that fades after three weeks of motivation.

So if this year stretched you… good! Be thankful you’re not who you used to be.
Be thankful for what you learned.
Be thankful that the next version of your life is being built on solid ground.

Be thankful you’re heading into the new year with sharper skills, better habits, and a whole new level of confidence.

Let the credit go to God for carrying you, and let the credit card stay in your wallet while you build on everything you gained.

That’s something to be thankful for.

And if you feel like you’re not quite there yet but would like to be, start the new year strong by scheduling a call with me. It’s free! It’s never too late to get on the right path.

Schedule Here

The Hidden Lesson Behind Those Gifts on the Porch

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I remember being a little kid, maybe five or six, coming home one cold winter night with my sister and parents to our tiny house heated by a coal burning stove. It was around Christmas, and we’d been gone all day. When we got back, there were gifts sitting on the back doorstep, one for every single person in the family.

And in my little kid brain, I thought, Wow, Santa really outdid himself this year! I remember feeling so happy, so excited. It felt magical.

What I didn’t understand then, and what hit me a lot later, was that those gifts weren’t from Santa. They were from people in town who knew we didn’t have much that year. People who quietly showed up to make sure we still had a Christmas.

And I’ll be honest, when I figured that out as an adult, it hit hard. Because that’s when I realized… we were probably the poorest family in town.

Now, as a kid, you don’t think much about money. You just know what you have and what you don’t. But growing up with that kind of experience, it stuck with me. It planted this belief deep down that not having money meant something about me. That if I wasn’t doing well financially, I was somehow “less than.”

And for a long time, I carried that into adulthood.

If I wasn’t making enough money, I felt embarrassed. If someone asked how much I made or what I did for work, I’d tense up a little. Even when I started doing okay, there was still this fear in the back of my mind that it could all disappear, that I might end up back on that porch, being the family that needed someone else to show up for them.

That kind of shame can run deep. It shows up in the way you spend, the way you save, even in the way you talk about money. You might feel guilty for having it, or guilty for not having enough of it. And the truth is, neither one feels good.

It took me years to unlearn that. To realize that my worth has nothing to do with my income. That money isn’t good or bad. It’s just a tool. And when you know how to use it, it can give you options, peace, and the freedom to help others the way someone once helped my family.

That night, those mystery gifts on the doorstep, they taught me a lot more than I realized at the time. They taught me about kindness, about quiet generosity, and about what it feels like to be on the receiving end of grace.

Now, when I think about money, I think about that balance between giving and receiving, between being smart with what you have and being grateful for what you’ve been given.

And I think maybe that’s something we all need to remember. You can grow up poor, make mistakes, feel shame, and still learn how to create a healthy relationship with money.

We need to learn being broke isn’t permanent. But the lessons it teaches you about resilience, about gratitude, about empathy – those can change your life forever.

If you’d like some tips and tricks on dealing with holiday spending or personal finance all year round, follow me on any social media platform.

https://www.instagram.com/tulinc_coaching/

https://www.facebook.com/TuLincU/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonneclark/

TikTok @tulinc_coaching

(YouTube channel coming soon)

And if you’d like to schedule a free call with me, go here– https://tulincu.com/

You Know What to Do. So Why Aren’t You Doing It?

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Let’s cut straight to it.
You probably already know how to fix your money problems.

You’ve read the blogs. You’ve watched the videos.
You know how to budget, how to save, and what not to buy on impulse.
So if knowledge was the answer, you’d already be good.

But you’re not stuck because you don’t know. You’re stuck because you don’t trust yourself to follow through.

And that’s a different kind of problem.

It’s not about the numbers. It’s about the stories.

Every money habit you have; the overspending, the procrastination, the avoidance, is connected to a story you’ve told yourself for years.
Maybe it’s:
“I’ve never been good with money.”
“I’ll never have enough.”
“I’ll start once I make more.”

And every time you act in a way that fits that story, it reinforces it.
Not because you want to stay stuck, but because it feels familiar.

Familiar feels safe, even when it’s expensive.

So you keep living on autopilot, repeating the same behaviors you swore you’d stop doing… because doing something different requires a new identity, not just new information.

Let’s get real for a second.

You don’t need another budget app.
You don’t need a color-coded spreadsheet.
You don’t even need another “money challenge.”

What you do need is a better understanding of why you don’t believe yourself when you say you’ll change.

Because if you’ve broken a promise to yourself enough times, you stop trusting your own word.
And without trust, motivation doesn’t matter.

So what can you actually do?

Let’s shake things up a little. Not with more rules, but with real moves.

1. Stop setting “perfect world” goals.
You don’t live in a perfect world. Stop making plans for one.
If your budget only works when nothing goes wrong, it’s not realistic, it’s fantasy. Build in real life. Build in the unexpected. Build in grace.

2. Change your environment before you change your behavior.
If your phone is full of shopping apps, delete them.
If you always overspend with certain friends, start suggesting hangouts that don’t cost money.
You can’t keep your same habits and expect your money to behave differently.

3. Make your progress visible.
We love seeing “wins,” but most financial change happens quietly like paying $200 more than the minimum payment regularly, saying no to dinner out, skipping the sale. Track it somewhere you can see it. Progress you can see becomes progress you protect.

4. Create small discomfort on purpose.
Change never happens in your comfort zone. Set up small challenges that stretch you; a no-spend weekend, a savings goal that feels slightly out of reach, a conversation with someone about debt that you’ve been avoiding.
You don’t need chaos. You need tension that teaches you self-control.

5. Ask better questions.
Instead of “Why can’t I stick to this?” ask, “What do I gain by not changing?”
Because if you’re holding onto a habit, even a bad one, it’s doing something for you; giving you comfort, control, or distraction. When you find that reason, you can finally replace it with something healthier.

Here’s the truth no one likes to hear:
Most people don’t stay stuck because they don’t have a plan.
They stay stuck because they’re addicted to the version of themselves that’s used to struggling.

Change costs identity.
And until you’re willing to let go of who you’ve been with money, you’ll keep repeating the same patterns, just with better excuses.

So maybe the question isn’t “Why am I not doing what I know I should do?”
Maybe it’s “What part of me is afraid of what happens if I actually do it?”

Because sometimes it’s not fear of failure holding you back — it’s fear of finally succeeding.

When Money Decisions Feel Like a Game of Whack-a-Mole

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Ever feel like every time you handle one money issue, three more pop up like a bad round of Whack-a-Mole? You finally pay off one credit card, and boom; the car needs tires, your kid’s field trip fee is due, and someone forgot about that “automatic renewal” you swore you canceled last year.

It’s exhausting.

And if you’ve ever stood in the grocery aisle staring at forty-seven kinds of peanut butter, wondering if “organic,” “crunchy,” or the one with the yellow lid is the “right” choice, you know the feeling. Now multiply that by a mortgage, retirement plans, student loans, and maybe a business decision or two. That’s financial decision paralysis.

We live in a time that’s overflowing with options; apps that track your spending, influencers promising overnight wealth, and “exclusive” credit card offers that show up like uninvited party guests. It’s no wonder people freeze. We’re not just afraid of picking wrong. We’re afraid of failing, of wasting money, of being judged.

And so, we do nothing.
The problem with that is that doing nothing is a decision. And often, it’s the most expensive one.

Why We Freeze Up

It’s not really about money. It’s about fear.
Fear of making the wrong move. Fear of regret. Fear that one bad choice will mess everything up.

We’ve been taught to chase the perfect plan, have the perfect budget, the perfect investment, the perfect system when we all know there’s no such thing. Personal finance isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s personal.

God never asked us to be perfect planners. He asked us to be faithful stewards. That means doing the best we can with what we have and trusting Him with the rest. He’s not grading us on flawless execution. He’s looking for obedience, wisdom, and a little faith in the middle of the mess.

The Cost of Doing Nothing

Avoiding financial decisions feels safe in the moment, but it’s like putting your money in time-out and hoping it grows while it’s sitting there. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.

When you avoid rolling over that old 401(k) or skip setting up a spending plan because it’s overwhelming, that’s progress on pause. And that pause has a price.

Then there’s the stress. That constant mental weight of “I should probably deal with that…” Stress steals your sleep, your joy, and your peace. But remember, God never meant for you to carry all that alone. He said, “Cast your cares on Me,” not “juggle them until you drop.”

How to Break Free from the Freeze

So how do you stop spinning in circles and start moving forward?

  1. Shrink the decision.
    Stop asking, “What’s the perfect plan for retirement?” and start asking, “Can I move 2% more into savings this month?” Small moves create big momentum.
  2. Set boundaries.
    You don’t need every podcast, influencer, and newsletter in your head. Mute the noise. Choose trusted sources, and protect your peace.
  3. Pray before you pay.
    God may not drop your investment strategy into your DMs, but prayer slows the panic. It shifts your heart from fear to faith.
  4. Pick something.
    Almost any forward step beats standing still. Even if you have to adjust later, you’re learning and growing.
  5. Ask for help.
    God wired us for community. Sometimes the breakthrough comes after talking it out with someone who’s not tangled up in your emotions; a friend, a mentor, or yes… a coach.

If you’ve been stuck in that place of financial overwhelm, just pause and breathe for a second. You’re human and you’ve had a lot on your plate.

God’s not looking at your credit score; He’s looking at your heart. He’s not waiting for you to have it all figured out. He’s just waiting for you to take one faithful step forward.

So pick one thing. Just one. Maybe it’s setting up automatic savings. Maybe it’s finally opening that envelope that’s been sitting on your counter giving you the side-eye. Or maybe it’s reaching out for a little guidance and support.

Progress doesn’t come from having all the answers today. It comes from small steps, a little faith, and a good sense of humor when life gets messy.

And listen… if you still can’t decide between crunchy or creamy peanut butter? Buy both. God gives us room for a little grace — and a little variety.

When Seasons Change Along With Your Marriage

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Pumpkin spice isn’t the only thing showing up in early fall. Believe it or not, divorce filings also spike this time of year. Yep, just when you thought the biggest expense you’d face in September was back-to-school shopping, the reality is a lot of couples are sitting down with lawyers instead of PTO calendars.

But why fall? Well, think about it. Couples often try to hold it together through the summer for maybe one last family vacation, one more “let’s see if this works” effort while the kids are out of school. And then, when August heat turns into September routines, many people decide it’s time for a fresh start before the holiday season rolls around.

Here’s the tough part: divorce isn’t just emotionally draining, it’s financially draining, too. Money is already one of the biggest stressors in a marriage, and splitting households doesn’t exactly make things easier. If you’re not careful, you can end up with just as much financial heartbreak as marital heartbreak.

So let’s talk about how divorce impacts your money and what you can do to lessen the blow:

1. Two Houses, One Income (or Less)

You go from sharing expenses to doubling them. Mortgage or rent, utilities, insurance—suddenly you’re covering it solo. If you haven’t already, it’s time to put together a realistic budget for your household, not the one that used to be.

2. The “Stuff” Split

Dividing assets sounds fair on paper, but things get tricky fast. Retirement accounts, investments, even furniture, those things don’t just divide cleanly. Before agreeing to anything, understand the tax and long-term implications. A $50,000 retirement account isn’t the same as $50,000 in cash.

3. Debt Doesn’t Magically Disappear

Credit card bills, car loans, and even that home equity line; divorce doesn’t erase them. Be proactive about how debt is divided and whose name it stays under. Otherwise, your credit could take a hit for someone else’s spending.

4. Kids and Cash

If children are involved, child support and possibly alimony come into play. Don’t just think short-term; factor these payments (or the lack of them) into your long-term financial plan.

What You Can Do to Lessen the Impact

  • Get clear on your numbers. Write down your income, expenses, debts, and assets. Knowledge is power.
  • Work with professionals. A lawyer handles the legal side, but a financial coach helps you look at the big picture—budgeting, saving, retirement, even rebuilding your money mindset.
  • Adjust your lifestyle quickly. It’s tempting to keep living like you did as a couple, but the sooner you shift, the stronger you’ll feel financially.
  • Guard your heart and your wallet. Emotional decisions lead to expensive mistakes whether that’s fighting over the couch or giving up assets just to “get it over with.”

And let’s not forget the spiritual side matters, too. God isn’t surprised by your situation, and He isn’t leaving you to figure it out alone. In Proverbs 24:3 it says, “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established.” Even if your marriage is ending, you can rebuild your financial house with wisdom and understanding.

Divorce is tough, but God still has a plan and thankfully, so can your budget (even if it involves more coffee and less Netflix)

The Bottom Line

Fall may be “divorce season,” but it doesn’t have to be financial disaster season. With the right plan, the right mindset, and a little faith, you can come out stronger both emotionally and financially. And when you’re ready, I’m here to walk you through the money side of things so you can focus on building a new, solid foundation.

From Piggy Banks to Paychecks: Why Kids Need Money Lessons Early

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I still remember the first time my daughter asked me for money. She was maybe four years old, holding a crumpled dollar in her little hand like it was gold. She looked up at me with those big brown eyes and said, “Mommy, can I buy all the candy?”

That was my wake-up call.

Teaching kids about money is a lot like teaching them to ride a bike. You don’t just shove them on a two-wheeler, give a little push, and pray they figure it out before crashing into the mailbox. No, you start with training wheels. You run alongside them. You let them wobble, tip, and scrape a knee or two while you cheer them on.

Money works the same way.

Kids don’t come with a built-in money manual. They come with big dreams, sticky fingers, and an uncanny ability to find the toy aisle like it’s the Promised Land. But if we don’t start teaching them about money when they’re small, they’ll grow up learning about it the hard way, usually from the school of overdraft fees and credit card debt.

Money is one of those topics we sometimes whisper about, like it’s too big or too grown-up for kids to understand. But we need to remember, they’re watching us. They notice when we swipe a card at Target like it’s magic. They notice when we sigh at the kitchen table with the stack of bills. They notice when we drop a $20 in the offering plate on Sunday. They’re learning whether we say anything or not. Just like little seedlings, they soak it all in, even if they don’t have words for it yet.

And that’s why it matters to start early.

Give them chances to handle money. Instead of waiting until they’re teenagers and suddenly expect them to “get it,” why not start now? Give them little bits of responsibility early. A dollar to put in the offering plate. A piggy bank where they can watch their coins grow. Let them save for something they want instead of handing it to them right away. That’s watering the seed.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Yvonne, my kids can’t even keep their shoes on the right feet, and you want me to trust them with money?” Yep. Because learning about money when the stakes are small is exactly the point. Better they “waste” $5 on slime or Pokémon cards now than $500 on a credit card bill later.

God says in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” That doesn’t just mean teaching them to say “please” and “thank you.” It means showing them how to live wisely including how to use money in a way that honors Him.

When we start early, those lessons take root.

And if they mess it up? Well, isn’t that the safest time for them to learn while the “budget crisis” is just about a lost dollar and not about not being able to pay rent?

So, start the conversation. Make it fun. Let them make a few mistakes while the stakes are low. Teach them about giving, saving, and spending in that order. You’ll be planting seeds that will grow into wisdom later and maybe, just maybe, you’ll save yourself from being the family ATM when they’re 25.

Because at the end of the day, money isn’t just about numbers. It’s about values, choices, and trusting God with what we’ve been given. And those are lessons worth teaching as soon as their little hands can hold a dollar bill.

Is Owning a Home a Blessing—or a Burden?

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Somewhere along the line, we were told that buying a home is the big “American Dream.” You know, fresh-cut grass, neighbors waving from the driveway, and a dog that finally has a yard to dig in. But as a financial educator and someone who spent years in real estate and mortgage, I want to slow us down for a second and ask: Is this dream really your dream right now or is it someone else’s?

Homeownership can be a beautiful blessing. It can give you stability, equity, a sense of accomplishment, and a place to build memories. But before you start shopping for throw pillows and paint colors, let’s talk about what it really takes to be ready.

More Than a Mortgage

Buying a home is not just about affording the monthly payment. It’s about understanding the whole picture. Property taxes, insurance, maintenance, HOA fees, and yes, that water heater that always seems to break at the worst possible time.

It’s like Luke 14:28 reminds us: “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost?” God isn’t trying to scare us with that scripture, He’s reminding us that wisdom is in preparation.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying

Instead of asking, “Can I buy a house?” try asking:

  • Do I have a healthy emergency fund for the unexpected?
  • Is my income steady enough to handle both the expected and the surprises?
  • Will buying this home bring peace to my life or pressure?
  • Am I looking at this house as an investment in my future, or as a way to prove something to others?

Sometimes the most powerful prayer you can pray in this process is, “Lord, is this right for me?”

The Beauty of Renting

Here’s where I like to shift the narrative: renting isn’t a “failure.” Renting gives you flexibility, space to change paths without being tied to a mortgage. It allows you to focus on building your foundation, whether that’s paying off debt, growing savings, or preparing for the home that will truly fit your life later on.

My Personal Take

There have been seasons when buying a home was the right move for me, and seasons when renting gave me the freedom I needed. The truth is, neither one makes you more “grown up” or more successful. What matters is whether your choice lines up with your values and with God’s plan for your life.

A Final Word

Whether you buy or rent, your worth isn’t tied to your mortgage statement. Proverbs 24:3 says, “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.” The wisdom comes first—the house comes second.

So if you’re thinking about buying, pray about it, run the numbers, count the costs, and make sure it fits not just your budget, but your calling. And when the time is right, you’ll step into it with peace, not pressure.

And if you do end up with that yard, may God bless you with the kind of joy that makes it more than just a piece of land, it becomes a piece of your story.

You Can’t Take It With You, But You Will Leave a Trail

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Most of us don’t lie awake at night thinking about our “financial legacy.” We’re thinking about how to stretch this week’s paycheck, how to pay for braces or college or a leaky roof, and how to somehow enjoy life in the middle of all that. Legacy sounds like something for the rich. Like a trust fund with a nameplate.

But that’s a myth.
Your financial legacy isn’t about wealth. It’s about intention.

It’s not just what you leave behind, it’s how you live now.

And whether you’re the type to meal prep and coupon clip, or you’re on a first-name basis with DoorDash, you’re already building your legacy.

Let’s Back Up: What Is a Financial Legacy?

Your financial legacy is the impact your money habits, decisions, and values have on others, long after you’re gone. It’s not just a will or a life insurance policy (though please, go make one of those).
It’s the story your finances tell about your life. About what mattered. About what you prioritized. It’s the story your dollars tell about what mattered to you. Maybe it’s the house you built equity in and passed on. Maybe it’s the business you started from scratch that changed your family’s future. Maybe it’s that you taught your kids to tithe before they even understood how taxes work. Maybe it’s simply that you taught your kids how not to fear money.

Everyone leaves one.
The question is: Will yours be by design or by default?

Let me ask you this: when you think about your parents’ or grandparents’ relationship with money, what comes to mind? Was it survival mode? Scarcity? Generosity? Guilt? Hustle culture? Were there unspoken rules about debt, giving, or talking about money?

Those silent messages are part of a financial legacy. And if we’re not careful, we pass them on, whether we meant to or not.

So… What Do You Want It to Be?

Here’s where things get exciting, and, yes, a little convicting. You get to write this story. You get to choose what your money says about your life. And before you start spiraling into shame or overthinking your current bank balance, take a breath. Legacy isn’t about never making mistakes. It’s about being intentional.

Some of the most powerful legacies don’t come with dollar signs.

Legacy isn’t just for “someday.” It starts now.
In the daily decisions.
In the silent generosity.
In the way you manage what you’ve been given, whether that’s a little or a lot.

Start with questions like:

  • What money values do I want to pass down?
  • What do I want my kids (or community, or nieces and nephews) to learn by watching me?
  • How do I want to model both faithfulness and freedom?

Maybe your financial legacy is showing your daughter she doesn’t have to go broke to prove she’s successful. Maybe it’s modeling generosity in small, consistent ways. Maybe it’s paying off your debt so your kids don’t inherit your stress.

And yes, maybe it is setting up a trust, or teaching your children how to run the family business. But that all starts with a change of mindset.

If all of this feels like a lot, take it one step at a time. You don’t need to fix everything overnight. You don’t need a six-figure income to have a seven-generation impact. You just need to start living your values with your money, right now, right where you are.

Your legacy isn’t just something you leave. It’s something you live.
And every time you choose wisdom over worry, generosity over fear, stewardship over chaos, you’re building it.

So again I ask:
What do you want your financial legacy to be?
And better yet…
What are you doing about it today?

It’s Okay to Change the Plan

/ Yvonne / Leave a comment

There’s a moment in life when you look around and think: I’m not who I used to be.

Maybe it’s subtle like realizing you no longer enjoy the things you used to. Maybe it’s big like going through a divorce, getting married, having a baby, switching careers, or stepping into entrepreneurship. Whatever it is, something inside you has shifted.

You’ve grown.

You’ve evolved.

So why are you still using the same money plan from a version of you that no longer exists?

The Budget That Doesn’t Fit Anymore

A money plan isn’t just a spreadsheet. It’s a reflection of your values, your priorities, your goals, and your identity. And if you’ve changed, if your life has changed, then sticking to the same old budget is like wearing clothes that don’t fit anymore.

Sure, they technically cover you. But they don’t feel right.
They pinch. They restrict. They don’t give you room to breathe, stretch, or move forward.

So, if you’re feeling off financially, it’s not necessarily because you’re doing something wrong.

It might just be that you’ve outgrown the plan.

A plan made by a different version of you. A version who was in survival mode, or trying to please everyone, or following rules that never really fit in the first place.

You’ve healed. You’ve evolved. You’ve stepped into a new season.

And new seasons call for new plans.

You’re Not “Bad With Money”—You’re Outdated

This part is important, so read it twice:
If you’re struggling with your finances right now, it might not be because you’re bad with money.

It might be because your money plan is built for a person you no longer are.

A single mom going back to school has a completely different financial reality than she did when she was child-free and working full-time.
A new entrepreneur can’t rely on the same paycheck-to-paycheck plan they used when they had a 9-to-5.
And someone who’s healing from a toxic relationship might need space, and a spending plan, that prioritizes self-care and rebuilding trust in themselves.

Your money needs to meet you where you are now, not where you were two years ago, or where someone else thinks you should be.

The Spiritual Side of Shifting Your Finances

For those of us who walk with faith, change is not only allowed, it’s expected.

God does not create you to stay the same. He prunes. He redirects. He places you in new seasons, not to punish you, but to grow you.

So why would your finances be any different?

Too often, we treat our finances like a separate part of life, like God is invited into our relationships, our parenting, or our healing… but not our bank accounts.

But God cares about it all.

He sees your desire to be a good steward. He knows the pressure you carry. And He’s not asking for perfection. He’s asking for surrender.

Sometimes, the tension you feel in your finances isn’t a failure. It’s God whispering, This plan no longer fits the person I’m growing you into.

So what if instead of judging yourself… you paused and listened?

What if the struggle was just an invitation to co-create something new with Him right beside you?

Give Yourself Permission

Here’s what I want you to know: You have permission to change your mind. You have permission to rewrite the plan.

You’re allowed to create a money strategy that reflects the season you’re currently in, not the one you survived, or the one you’re trying to impress others with, or the one that “should” make sense on paper.

Let it reflect your values now. Let it support your mental health now. Let it guide your decisions in ways that align with the truth of who you are now.

Your Financial GPS

Think of your money plan like a GPS. When you take a detour, whether by choice or by circumstance, the map doesn’t yell at you or freeze in judgment.

It simply says:
“Recalculating.”

And it gives you a new route.

So if you’ve changed… maybe it’s time your budget says, “Recalculating,” too.
Not because you failed. But because you’re headed somewhere new.
And you deserve a financial plan that can grow with you. One that’s rooted in grace, grounded in reality, and fueled by hope.

Need help with that recalculating moment?
That’s what I’m here for. Let’s make sure your money plan reflects this version of you, the one who’s still learning, still growing, and still worthy of wealth and peace.