You may already know Refinery29’s Money Diaries… this is our own version of it! We’ve put together a few questions to understand what women are doing with their money. Let’s break the taboo and talk more about finances!

In this interview series we chat about all things money (sans-shame) with an array of inspiring women from all walks of life. Our goal is to break the money taboo, share mutual experiences and learn from our amazing community.

You have to always prepare for that worst-case scenario with some savings – at least enough to pay the rent for a few months at a minimum.

I’d love to approach life like the great ancient Stoics -  accepting things that we can’t change and working to change things that are within our power to change. But the truth is, when things don’t go to plan, I spiral into weeks of unchecked rumination and antisocial brooding. You can probably guess how Covid-19 has affected me and my mental health.

It feels so difficult to change negative beliefs about our financial selves (“I can’t budget!” “I always overspend! That’s just the way I am”) and build healthier habits, and it’s no surprise, given how deep and dark our subconscious is. Things like money (and food and relationships) open up a vein right in to our most vulnerable selves, to a place it sometimes hurts to even look at, let alone challenge. 

Ever heard of ESG? No, it’s not a food additive – it stands for Environmental, Social and Governance, and it’s the criteria by which younger investors are increasingly choosing where to put their money

“It was only when I went into wealth management in the first part of my career that I realised how few people had access to great financial education – and started to imagine what would happen if more of us had this. It’s why I started Blackbullion.”

Last year someone with a blue tick tweeted that he can’t understand why couples would have separate bank accounts. A lot of people replied in agreement. It has stuck with me because plenty would declare the opposite, that they don’t understand people who don’t keep their own bank accounts, or don't have their own “fuck-off fund”, or who rely on their partner’s earnings.

Sometimes, the reason it's so difficult to take charge of our finances is because we have an unhealthy money mindset.

Understanding your money mindset is being aware of what shapes our attitude toward money, what is it exactly that holds us back, and how to overcome our limiting beliefs about money.