Wealthy After 40: Retirement Ready, Financial Freedom, Budgeting, Saving, Debt

Dalene Higgins - Money Coach & Retirement Strategist
  • 4.7 (32)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Top 3% Globally Ranked Personal Finance Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop weekly Welcome to the Wealthy After 40 — the podcast for Gen X women and couples who want to feel confident about their money and clear on their path to retirement. Hosted by Dalene Higgins — Money Coach and Retirement Strategist — this show is the support you need to get your money organized, intentional, and working toward the life you actually want without overwhelm. 🎙️ Tune in weekly for honest conversations, practical strategies, and simple systems to help you: Take control of your money and direct it where it needs to goBuild consistency with saving and not lose enjoyment of spendingNavigate the tension between paying off debt and planning for retirementCreate a vision for your money and your future with a plan to support itMake confident financial decisions without second-guessing yourself If you’re done worrying and ready to take action, hit subscribe and share with friends! Your path to getting retirement ready starts here. Let’s Connect! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevate_finances/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/genxersretiregroup Website https://www.elevatefinances.us

  1. 5 Pillars to Becoming Truly Retirement Ready

    3D AGO

    5 Pillars to Becoming Truly Retirement Ready

    What is your biggest challenge/problem with money? [Ep 186] If you’ve ever wondered why retirement still feels out of reach, even though you’re saving and doing all the “right” things, this episode is for you. Today we’re talking about what it really means to be retirement ready and why focusing only on savings or a generic retirement number may be keeping you stuck. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand the 5 essential pillars of retirement readiness (beyond just the numbers) so you can create clarity, feel confident in your plan, and start making decisions that move you closer to the retirement you want. In this episode you’ll learn: * Why having a clear retirement vision changes everything * How to understand your cash flow reality without feeling restricted * What your retirement number really means (and why generic advice doesn’t work) * How to identify and close your retirement gap with simple, doable steps * The powerful role of belief and decision-making in creating your future Episode Highlights 01:02 Five Pillars Overview 02:12 Pillar 1 Retirement Vision 03:49 Pillar 2 Cash Flow Reality 05:54 Pillar 3 Your Retirement Number 07:24 Pillar 4 Close the Gap 09:45 Pillar 5 Believe It’s Possible 12:36 Recap and Next Steps Join the Accelerate Your Retirement: 3 Steps To Get You Started, free challenge June 2-4, 2026. Join Today! Are you ready to stop hoping it all works out and start creating a clear plan for your retirement? Message me on Instagram for details, or book your Roadmap to Retirement Call today! Looking for more connection?! Join the Retirement Ready Hub for GenXers Facebook group and join others on the same journey.

    17 min
  2. Struggling to Save? Here’s Why Your Money Doesn’t Stay Put

    APR 21

    Struggling to Save? Here’s Why Your Money Doesn’t Stay Put

    What is your biggest challenge/problem with money? [Ep 185] If you’re ever paused when moving money to savings because you think, I’ll only have to take it back out soon, this episode is for you. Today, I’m talking about why saving keeps fluctuating and why thinking it should never be touched may be keeping you stuck and discouraged. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand what’s actually normal about savings fluctuating so you can stop feeling like you’re failing and start building confidence in your money system. In this episode, you’ll learn: ✅ Why fluctuating savings happens for everyone ✅ The biggest mistake people make is declaring their savings as off limits ✅ How to start using your savings intentionally instead of emotionally reacting  ✅ A simple way to start building savings that works with your spending patterns Episode Highlights 00:00 Why Savings Matters 00:36 The Yo-Yo Savings Cycle 02:33 The Stories We Tell Ourselves 04:19 Why Saving Feels Impossible 06:36 Savings Needs Labels 09:19 Three Questions to Fix It 11:51 How to Build Your Savings System Grab a copy of the 7-Day Email Savings Challenge today! Click HERE to read the full show notes Are you ready to stop hoping it all works out and start creating a clear plan for your retirement? Message me on Instagram for details, or book your Roadmap to Retirement Call today! Looking for more connection?! Join the Retirement Ready Hub for GenXers Facebook group and join others on the same journey.

    15 min
  3. 3 Ways to Make Your Money Feel More In Control

    APR 14

    3 Ways to Make Your Money Feel More In Control

    What is your biggest challenge/problem with money? [Ep 184] If you’ve ever wondered why you feel out of control with your money even when you’re paying bills, saving for retirement, and carrying no balance on credit cards, this episode is for you. Today I’m talking about why spending too much isn’t really the problem and why thinking you just need a stricter budget or more discipline may be keeping you stuck. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how a clear money system, built with visibility, structure, and intention, creates calm, clarity, and confidence so you can take control of your spending. In this episode you’ll learn: ✅ Why does feeling out of control with your money happen even when bills are paid and saving is on track ✅ The biggest mistake people make when they try to fix spending stress is by being more stricter or thinking they need more discipline ✅ How to build a money system that provides calm with visibility, structure, and intention ✅ A simple way to start feeling confident and in control of your financial decisions Episode Highlights 00:00 Overspending vs Unease 00:54 Why It Feels Out of Control 03:18 Systems Beat Discipline 06:28 Three System Essentials 06:36 Visibility Made Simple 07:21 Structure That Supports With Intention 12:21 Clarity Over Restriction Blog Post: 3 Ways to Make Your Money Feel More In Control Related Episode: A Money System For Practical Spending and Stress Free Saving Are you ready to stop hoping it all works out and start creating a clear plan for your retirement? Message me on Instagram for details, or book your Roadmap to Retirement Call today! Looking for more connection?! Join the Retirement Ready Hub for GenXers Facebook group and join others on the same journey.

    15 min
  4. You Make Good Money, So Why Do You Feel So Out of Control?

    APR 7

    You Make Good Money, So Why Do You Feel So Out of Control?

    What is your biggest challenge/problem with money? [Ep 183] If you’ve ever wondered why money feels so out of control, even when you make good money, this episode is for you. Today I’m talking about why your money can look fine on paper but still feel out of control and why it’s not actually about needing more discipline or a stricter budget. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand what’s really causing that disconnect so you can start feeling more confident and at ease with your spending. In this episode, you’ll learn: ✅ Why your money can look good on paper but still feel out of control ✅ The biggest mistake people make when they assume they need a better budget to fix it ✅ How to identify what’s actually missing in your current approach to money ✅ A simple way to start creating more structure and clarity so you feel in control Episode Highlights 00:00 Feeling Out of Control 02:43 Blaming Discipline 04:26 Stable Yet Unsettled 06:12 Guilt After Spending 09:02 Not Really Overspending 13:57 Organize Money, Not Cut 14:52 Next Steps Link to full blog post Are you ready to stop hoping it all works out and start creating a clear plan for your retirement? Message me on Instagram for details, or book your Roadmap to Retirement Call today! Looking for more connection?! Join the Retirement Ready Hub for GenXers Facebook group and join others on the same journey.

    18 min
  5. How to Stop Overspending w/Mary Ann Stenquist

    MAR 31

    How to Stop Overspending w/Mary Ann Stenquist

    What is your biggest challenge/problem with money? [Ep 182]  If you’ve ever wondered if you have an overspending problem and think you need help, this episode is for you. Today’s guest, Mary Ann Stenquist, is a spending coach and personally knows the challenges of overspending.  Sharing her personal story as well as ways for you to begin thinking differently about your next purchase, so you can begin taking action to spend less.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why overspending happens and how to identify itThat budgeting and budgeting better is not a great solutionHow to use the power of pause before each purchaseA simple way to start becoming unshoppable Episode Highlights 02:32 Budgeting Is Not Enough 04:51 Power Of The Pause 07:19 Try Before You Buy 10:30 Guilt Shame Reframe 14:51 Who Overspends And Why 17:53 Unmet Needs And Maslow 20:46 First Steps With Values Connect with Mary Ann Stenquist Website Become Unshoppable Facebook Group Free Clarity Call Free Spending Types Quiz Workshop Waitlist Are you ready to stop hoping it all works out and start creating a clear plan for your retirement? Message me on Instagram for details, or book your Roadmap to Retirement Call today! Looking for more connection?! Join the Retirement Ready Hub for GenXers Facebook group and join others on the same journey.

    31 min
  6. Stop The Worry With 3 Steps To Better Money Decisions

    MAR 24

    Stop The Worry With 3 Steps To Better Money Decisions

    What is your biggest challenge/problem with money? [Ep 181]  If you’ve ever contemplated your next money decision and not taken action because you were afraid you would mess things up, this episode is for you.  Today I’m talking about making confident financial decisions and why not taking action will keep you from making the progress you want. I’ll discuss three steps to help you start taking action and limit the fear of making a mistake.  By the end of this episode, you’ll know that messes are not going to happen, but mistakes will, and how to use those mistakes to help you be successful and more confident with your money decisions. In this episode you’ll learn: ✅ Why the fear of messing up and staying stuck is common for many individuals ✅ The biggest mistake people make when trying to make decisions with their money ✅ How to build trust in yourself and make better money decisions  ✅ The three step framework to help you build financial confidence Episode Highlights 00:00 Why Money Feels Hard 01:05 The Confidence Gap 02:40 Fear of Messing Up 05:04 Three-Step Framework 10:09 Build Momentum Over Time 13:00 Final Takeaways Are you ready to stop hoping it all works out and start creating a clear plan for your retirement? Message me on Instagram for details, or book your Roadmap to Retirement Call today! Looking for more connection?! Join the Retirement Ready Hub for GenXers Facebook group and join others on the same journey.

    15 min
  7. Why You’re Not Making Progress With Your Money

    MAR 17

    Why You’re Not Making Progress With Your Money

    What is your biggest challenge/problem with money? [Ep 180] If you’ve ever wondered why you’re not making progress with money or think you’re bad with money, this episode is for you. In this episode, I talk about how managing money is different as you get older, specifically for those individuals over 40 and 50, and this may be keeping you from making progress with your money.  By the end of the episode, you’ll understand why multiple priorities are distracting and how to find the one thing that will give you the greatest momentum with your money.   In this episode, you’ll learn: ✅ Why struggling with money happens for so many women and couples over 40 ✅ The biggest mistake people make when trying to take action and make progress to retirement ✅ How to start defining that one action step for the greatest momentum ✅ A simple way to begin making progress on your retirement journey Episode Highlights: 00:00 Why You Feel Stuck 02:33 Accumulation Habits 04:25 Old Habits Stall Progress 08:22 Scenarios to Find Focus 10:09 Map the Path and Detours 11:56 What Winning Looks Like 13:27 Reassess and Build New Habits Are you ready to stop hoping it all works out and start creating a clear plan for your retirement? Message me on Instagram for details, or book your Roadmap to Retirement Call today! Looking for more connection?! Join the Retirement Ready Hub for GenXers Facebook group and join others on the same journey.

    16 min
  8. Why I Broke Up With My Emergency Fund

    MAR 10

    Why I Broke Up With My Emergency Fund

    What is your biggest challenge/problem with money? [Ep 179] Most advice says your emergency fund should cover 3–6 months of expenses, but what if that definition is actually what’s keeping you stuck? In this episode, I share a personal turning point in my money journey and ultimately why I broke up with the traditional emergency fund. Not because emergency funds don’t matter, but because how we define them matters more. You’ll learn how redefining your savings can help you stay consistent, make clearer decisions, and avoid debt without relying on perfect discipline.  This episode isn’t just about emergency funds,  it’s about permitting yourself to personalize financial advice so your money aligns and supports you. What You’ll Learn ✅ Why the standard emergency fund advice didn’t work for me ✅ The hidden problem with saving only for job loss ✅ How to rethink emergencies in a way that fits your real life ✅ Why undefined savings leaves you stressed ✅ How specific savings categories make it easier to stay consistent ✅ How emergency savings help prevent new debt ✅ Why personal finance only works when it becomes personal Are you ready to stop hoping it all works out and start creating a clear plan for your retirement? Message me on Instagram for details, or book your Roadmap to Retirement Call today! Looking for more connection?! Join the Retirement Ready Hub for GenXers Facebook group and join others on the same journey.

    16 min
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4.7
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Top 3% Globally Ranked Personal Finance Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop weekly Welcome to the Wealthy After 40 — the podcast for Gen X women and couples who want to feel confident about their money and clear on their path to retirement. Hosted by Dalene Higgins — Money Coach and Retirement Strategist — this show is the support you need to get your money organized, intentional, and working toward the life you actually want without overwhelm. 🎙️ Tune in weekly for honest conversations, practical strategies, and simple systems to help you: Take control of your money and direct it where it needs to goBuild consistency with saving and not lose enjoyment of spendingNavigate the tension between paying off debt and planning for retirementCreate a vision for your money and your future with a plan to support itMake confident financial decisions without second-guessing yourself If you’re done worrying and ready to take action, hit subscribe and share with friends! Your path to getting retirement ready starts here. Let’s Connect! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevate_finances/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/genxersretiregroup Website https://www.elevatefinances.us

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