Her Dinero Matters Jen Hemphill

We all know about the importance of getting better at managing our finances, but many people come face to face with a giant wall when it comes to the practical side of things. Is there a specific routine or a way of doing things that facilitates everything? And if there is, how can you start implementing those best practices in your financial management? In this week’s episode, I’m going to share how I manage our household finances, the systems I use, and the things that could be improved. 
I don’t know if it’s just me, but with the boom of AI, I feel nowadays everyone is talking about systems and automation. Financial conversations are not the exception.  While I am a huge fan of saving precious time by automating tasks, I also recognize that building effective systems to better manage your finances takes time and a good chunk of trial and error. 

This is why in this week’s episode I’ve decided to share how I manage our household finances. I’ll talk about the systems that work for us, how I’ve built them, and some things that are still a work in progress (because, let’s be honest, when it comes to managing finances. there’s no such thing as perfection. Believe me, building this system as taken years and loads of trial and error). The goal of this episode is to inspire you to try something new in your current money management routine. 
In this episode you will learn: 
The nitty gritty aspects of how I manage our household finances.The importance of having a sound plan (aka, a budget!) as your starting point. Why this system works for us now and what are some aspects that still need improvement.For a quick recap of this episode go to https://www.jenhemphill.com/399
The post, This Is The System I Use To Manage Our Household Finances  | HDM 399 appeared first on the Her Dinero Matters Podcast.

If you are a regular consumer of financial content (hello podcasts!) and someone asked you for a quick recap of the five, most valuable lessons you’ve uncovered so far, what would your answer be? Well, I know for sure that my list wouldn’t include things like budgeting, savvy retirement planning, or only spending on stuff I need! Curious to know why? In this week’s episode, I’m sharing five underrated money lessons that have completely changed the way I relate to money. 
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about all the money advice that just exists out there in the world. I’ve been working in this industry for more than ten years now (!) and despite the massive amount of financial content that is poured every day into the internet, there are foundational topics that, to this day, still don’t get much attention. 

Yes, we all “know” about the importance of having a budget, planning our expenses, thinking about retirement early on, and, in general, all those financial how-to’s that, once mastered, make your life easier. And yet, despite already having that information, so many of us still struggle with keeping up with the “basics”. Have you ever wondered why?

In today’s episode, I will share with you five underrated money lessons that, to this day, not that many people speak about. These are lessons I’ve acquired through my 10+ years of experience in the financial industry and, boy, understanding them has been an absolute game-changer! 
In this episode you will learn: 
The 3 keys to adaptability with your money.The importance of having mindful indulgences.Why debt is not (always) the devil’s cousin.For a quick recap of this episode go to https://www.jenhemphill.com/398
The post, Five Underrated Money Lessons (They Will Change Everything!) | HDM 398 appeared first on the Her Dinero Matters Podcast.

You might have learned that not spending money on things you don’t really need is the best (and, quite possibly, the only) way to save money in the long run. But, what if I told you that buying things that you want can lead to saving some extra money? In this week’s episode, I’ll share with you four purchases that improved my life (and added some extra joy!). 
If you got most of your financial education from old-school financial advisors, you might be all too familiar with the most important “spending” rule ever: don’t waste your money buying things that you don’t need. This includes stuff like clothing, fancy trips, expensive gadgets, a second car, and, in general, anything that is not an essential need (think food and shelter). 

While there’s nothing wrong with this advice, the harsh truth is that,  in real life, Needs and Wants are rarely two well-defined and distinct categories. In fact, both are quite subjective: your Needs and Wants will vary depending on your circumstances, the place where you live, your cultural context and the season of life you’re currently moving through (among other things). 

So, how can you learn to distinguish between them? 

In this episode, I’ll share with you four purchases that ended up improving my life in so many ways. My goal is to give you some food for thought and inspire you to consider your spending habits with a new perspective.
In this episode you will learn: 
Why well-intentioned advice, such as “just splurge less”, often falls flat. The reason why “Needs” and “Wants” are not set in stone.Four purchases that initially felt like splurges, but ended up giving me joy (and saving me some money!)For a quick recap of this episode go to https://www.jenhemphill.com/397

The post, Four Purchases That Improved My Life | HDM 397 appeared first on the Her Dinero Matters Podcast.

If you want to achieve financial success, building solid money habits is a non-negotiable. Intellectually, almost everyone knows and agrees with that statement. But, how do you choose which habits to build? That’s the million-dollar question. In this week’s episode, I’ll share with you the four money habits that can have the biggest impact on your money confidence journey. 
Every self-help book or personal development coach seems to agree on one thing: if you are trying to transform one area of your life, the first thing you gotta do is build good habits.  But, what is exactly a good habit? And who decides which ones fall into this category? That is the quintessential question. 

When it comes to improving your finances, habits such as saving consistently and spending less will almost always pop up in any finance-related conversation. However, how can you know if building these will help you move the needle of your plan forward? Because let’s be honest: there is such a thing as picking the wrong habit (#gasp). And since building these behavioral patterns is not that easy (plot twist: gaining real momentum usually takes more than 21 days), you want to be sure the time and energy you’ll be investing in acquiring a new habit will eventually pay off. 

In this episode, I’ll share with you some insights on the importance of picking (and building!)  money habits that bring in a genuine bang. 
In this episode you will learn: 
Why so many financial habits are not worth your energy and time and what you can do instead.Two habits that seem crucial to have, but actually can be automated.Four key money habits that will bring you more bang for your time.For a quick recap of this episode go to https://www.jenhemphill.com/396

The post, Are Your Money Habits Keeping You Stuck? | HDM 396 appeared first on the Her Dinero Matters Podcast.

Did you know that, despite the challenges of the current housing market, most Americans still consider homeownership an essential part of the American Dream? And yet sometimes a quick run of your numbers can reveal that owning property may not be as financially advantageous as you initially thought. In this episode, we’ll talk about the real cost of owning a home. 
According to a survey conducted by the online platform Lending Tree in July 2023, 94% of respondents still see homeownership as an essential part of the American Dream. However, as the days and months pass by,  the realities of the current housing market, with its ever-changing ups and downs, have created a sense of hopelessness in so many people, particularly the younger crowd: no matter what they do, it’s unlikely they will ever be able to afford a house. 
But, what if this sense of hopelessness was simply a by-product of believing that owning a house is better than renting because it’s cheaper? What if this belief were simply not true? While no one can deny that owning the house you live in can be a rewarding, and even fulfilling experience, the numbers don’t lie: there are so many scenarios where owning property can cost you more (way, way more, in fact) than renting out. 

In this episode, I’ll share with you my story (and insights) on things you have to consider before buying a home and the importance of running your numbers before committing to homeownership. 
In this episode you will learn: 
Some of the things to consider when buying a homeThe numbers you need to compare for calculating the true cost of owning vs renting a homeWhy my family is choosing not to buy a home and what we are doing instead.For a quick recap of this episode go to https://www.jenhemphill.com/395

The post, NOT owning a home does have its benefits | HDM 395 appeared first on the Her Dinero Matters Podcast.

If someone approached you at a family party and asked you to share your biggest money mistake, what would you say? To be completely honest, I’d probably freeze on the spot. Not because I don’t know how to answer, but because a voice in my head tells me that, as a financial counselor, I should know better. Well, that’s not exactly true. And in this week’s episode, I’m going to walk you through the details of my biggest money mistake ever: buying a timeshare. 
If you’ve ever vacationed in a resort, you’ve probably heard about timeshares. The concept is very straightforward: in exchange for a fee, you “purchase” the right to use a resort room for one week of a given year. The “advantage” of this system is that your contract allows you to enjoy the resort room at the same fixed price, which over time amounts to considerable savings on vacation costs. 

While on paper the idea sounds interesting enough, in my case reality didn’t really live up to the expectations. And yet,  acknowledging this in real-time was almost impossible –a fact that made the whole experience very painful. 
Today I’m sharing this experience hoping that it can inspire you to better understand why sometimes is hard to see big money mistakes coming.
In this episode you will learn: 
The reason why investing in this didn’t feel like a mistake (at first).Some annoying realizations that added up to the pain of this experience.How we managed to get rid of it and why it was the best decision.For a quick recap of this episode go to https://www.jenhemphill.com/394

The post, Storytime: My Biggest Money Mistake Ever | HDM 394 appeared first on the Her Dinero Matters Podcast.