New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now

If you just had a baby, or you're about to, your life has changed in a big way. And your finances? They've changed too. In this episode, I'm breaking down 8 essential money moves every new parent needs to make right now to protect their family and build long-term financial security.

These are practical, real-life steps you can take immediately—even if you're exhausted and short on time. Because the truth is: the decisions you make in these early months can have a lasting impact on your financial future.

You'll learn key tips on:

• How to update your budget for your new reality
• Why your emergency fund needs to grow—and by how much
• What to know about adding your baby to health insurance
• Why life insurance is critical once you have a child
• Updating your beneficiaries and create a will
• Starting to save for college with a 529 plan
• Thinking through your income and career plan as a parent
• Why automating your savings is a game-changer

For new and expecting parents:

Whether you're a new mom, expecting your first baby, or growing your family, these money tips will help you feel more confident and prepared with your finances.

More Clever Girl Finance Resources:

👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here:
https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here

❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books

❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages

❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog

❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now

If you've ever felt like wealth is only for "other people," you're not alone. I used to think the same thing—until I realized that building wealth isn't about luck, or hype. It's about having a system. In this video, I'm breaking down the 4 pillars of wealth that helped me become a millionaire, and how you can start using them in your own life today.

You'll learn:

• What the 4 pillars of wealth are
• How to turn your income into long-term wealth
• Why you don't need to do everything at once
• How to build a strategy that actually fits your life

Whether you're just starting your financial journey or looking to level up, this framework will help you build wealth with intention—not guesswork.

More Clever Girl Finance Resources:

👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here:
https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here

❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books

❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages

❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog

❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now

In this episode of the Clever Girls Know Podcast listener interview series, I'm sitting down with one of you—our community—to talk about what it really looks like to start from scratch and stay consistent.

I'm interviewing Nancy Ceus-Decoteau, an aspiring educator and entrepreneur who began her financial journey during the pandemic in 2020. What started with discovering Clever Girl Finance and using free worksheets turned into a complete mindset shift around money.

Since then, Nancy has launched her own childcare business, is working toward her bachelor's degree to become a teacher, and is actively building a foundation for long-term financial freedom. Her story is a reminder that wealth-building doesn't start with perfection—it starts with a decision to do better, one step at a time.

What Nancy Discussed

• How she started her financial journey during the pandemic in 2020
• Feeling unprepared with money and deciding to take budgeting seriously
• Discovering Clever Girl Finance and using free worksheets to organize her finances
• Building her first budget and creating a clear financial plan
• Gaining confidence through learning, reading, and applying financial concepts
• Starting her childcare business and stepping into entrepreneurship
• Developing discipline and responsibility with money as a business owner
• Navigating challenges with saving and staying consistent
• Balancing school, business, and financial goals at the same time
• Staying committed to long-term financial freedom despite setbacks
• Defining what financial freedom looks like for her future
• Advice for others who are just beginning their financial journey

How to Keep Up With Nancy

• Follow on Instagram: @nancy_poo92
• Follow her business journey: @nurturedbynd

More Clever Girl Finance Resources:

👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here:
https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here

❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books

❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages

❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog

❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now

Life has been life-ing lately… and my wallet felt it! From planned car expenses to unexpected damage costs, I had thousands of dollars hit all at once. But instead of stressing, I leaned on my systems, my savings, and my mindset, and stayed on track.

In this live, I'm sharing:

• What happened (real numbers, real life)
• How my emergency fund showed up for me
• Why I still kept saving (yes, even now!)
• A mindset check-in from Chapter 1 of Clever Girl Millionaire
• How to stay grounded when life throws financial surprises your way

If you've ever felt like unexpected expenses derail your progress, this is for you. You're not off track. You're learning how to navigate real life with your money.

Savings binder mentioned:

• https://amzn.to/477mSWT

More Clever Girl Finance Resources:

👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here:
https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here

❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books

❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages

❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog

❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now

You just started a new job, and that's a huge win. But before your first paycheck turns into lifestyle upgrades, there are key financial moves you need to make right away.

On this episode, I'm breaking down 7 smart money moves to make when starting a new job, so you can turn your new income into real, long-term wealth, not just higher expenses.

If you've been wondering:

• What should I do with my first paycheck?
• How much should I contribute to my 401(k)?
• How do I avoid lifestyle inflation?
• What financial steps should I take at a new job?

This episode will walk you through exactly what to do.

You'll learn:

• How to choose the right benefits (and avoid costly mistakes)
• How to maximize your employer retirement match
• Why updating your tax withholding matters
• How to avoid lifestyle inflation with a higher salary
• How to build or strengthen your emergency fund
• Why tracking your first paychecks is critical
• And how to set your next income goal

More Clever Girl Finance Resources:

👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here:
https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here

❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books

❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages

❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog

❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now

On this episode of the podcast, we're highlighting a powerful real-life journey from our own community in this special listener interview series.

I'm joined by Odunayo Ajayi, a Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, who shares how she grew her assets from $40,000 to $1 million in just five years. Originally from Akure, Nigeria and now based in New Jersey, Odunayo brings a unique blend of professional experience, faith, and financial discipline to her wealth-building journey.

She opens up about the early mistakes, key turning points, and intentional strategies that helped her build momentum—and ultimately achieve a major financial milestone.

If you've ever felt behind or unsure where to start, this episode is proof that with clarity, consistency, and the right mindset, real transformation is possible.

• Her starting point at $40K and what her financial life looked like at the time.
• Early gaps in financial knowledge and key money mistakes.
• The turning point that led her to take her finances seriously.
• The first financial changes that created momentum.
• A step-by-step breakdown of how she grew her assets to $1M in five years.
• Her early investing strategy and how she made decisions.
• Challenges and setbacks faced along the way and how she navigated them.
• Mindset shifts that helped her move from uncertainty to confidence.
• Balancing wealth-building with family goals and future planning.
• Advice for anyone feeling behind or overwhelmed with their finances.

AND SO MUCH MORE

• Follow on Instagram: @odunayooajayi
• Learn more: odunayoajayi.com

More Clever Girl Finance Resources:

👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here:
https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here

❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books

❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages

❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog

❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now

Everyone talks about rental properties like they're the ultimate passive income strategy, but that hasn't always been my experience.

On this episode, I'm sharing the real story of how one of my rental properties turned into a stressful and expensive situation, and the lessons I learned the hard way about real estate investing! If you're thinking about becoming a landlord, building passive income through real estate, or adding property to your wealth-building strategy, this is something you need to hear first.

I walk through:

• What went wrong with my tenant (and the red flags I missed)
• The financial and emotional cost of dealing with a difficult tenant
• Why real estate is not always "passive income"
• The key lessons I learned about cash flow, screening tenants, and setting boundaries
• How I changed my real estate strategy after this experience Real estate can absolutely be a powerful way to build wealth, but only if you approach it like a real business, not a side hobby.

If you've ever wondered whether rental properties are really worth it, this video will give you a much more honest perspective.

More Clever Girl Finance Resources:

👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here:
https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here

❤ Subscribe to the Clever Girl Finance newsletter for weekly motivation! clevergirlfinance.com/subscribe

❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books

❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages

❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog

❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

On this episode of the podcast, we're joined by Arden Missal, founder of She's Financially Free, to talk about how she paid off $150,000 in student loan debt in just 16 months—and completely transformed her financial future.

Rejecting the common advice to "take it slow," Arden went all in, working multiple jobs and making intentional short-term sacrifices to gain long-term freedom and control over her life. Now, she's on a mission to help women stop avoiding their finances and start building a life that feels calm, confident, and aligned.

In this conversation, Arden breaks down the mindset shifts, simple systems, and no-nonsense strategies that helped her achieve debt freedom—and how others can do the same without perfection or overwhelm.

• Her financial journey and what led to launching She's Financially Free.

• The decision to aggressively pay off $150,000 in student loan debt in 16 months.

• The emotional and mental shifts required before financial progress could happen.

• Practical tools, habits, and routines that kept her focused during her payoff journey.

• Her income sources at the time and how she maximized them to accelerate debt repayment.

• Limiting beliefs about money and self-worth she had to confront.

• How debt influenced her decisions around work, lifestyle, and relationships.

• Why many women feel stuck financially even when they're doing "all the right things."

• One simple shift to start gaining momentum when dealing with overwhelming debt.

• How becoming debt-free transformed her mindset, confidence, and long-term goals.

AND SO MUCH MORE

• Website: ShesFinanciallyFree.com

• Free toolkit: ShesFinanciallyFree.com/StarterKit

• Instagram: @shesfinanciallyfree1

More Clever Girl Finance Resources:

👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here:
https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here

❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books

❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages

❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog

❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance