Before you're ready to make more money, you must master the money you currently have, and I will die on this hill. Here's the truth many people don't want to hear: a lot of us convince ourselves we need more income when, in reality, we need to control our spending habits first.

It's either an income problem (you truly don't make enough to cover basic needs) or a behavioral problem (you spend too much, leading you to believe you don't make enough). And here's why this distinction matters: if you have a behavioral spending problem and don't fix it before earning more, those bad habits will scale with your income. You'll just overspend at a higher level.

In this episode, we're focusing on the behavioral side of money management. I'm sharing 6 strategic ways to maximize every dollar you currently earn through better budgeting, intentional spending, and financial systems that work on autopilot.

Once you've given every dollar a purpose and you're consistently sticking to your budget, you'll be ready to bring more money into the picture and reach your financial goals faster, without the cycle of earning more and spending more.

Here's What You'll Learn in This Episode:

How to diagnose if you have an income problem vs. a spending problem

Building a goal-aligned budget that makes every dollar intentional

The difference between high-impact and low-impact spending decisions

Setting up automated financial systems to remove reliance on willpower

When to invest in financial education or coaching for better results

Why financial literacy is the foundation of wealth building

The Foundation of Wealth:

You can't out-earn bad spending habits. This episode gives you the framework to get intentional with your current income, break the cycle of overspending, and build a solid foundation before scaling up your earnings.

Here's a Glance at This Episode:

• [01:57] Goal-Aligned Budgeting: Creating a budget system that intentionally leverages your current income.
• [04:35] Every dollar that you spend should be working for you, not against you. That means prioritizing high-impact spending.
• [08:40] Financial Automation: Building systems that run on autopilot without relying on memory or willpower.
• [12:08] If the things you're doing aren't working for your finances, it's okay to invest your time or money into getting the results you need.
• [14:25] The more you know about money, the more confident and strategic you become with it.

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This helps spread the word about City Girl Savings, and hopefully helps more people make the best money moves possible on the way to their dream life!

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

Let Raya create your custom budget plan

Learn about Raya's Financial Focus Coaching Program

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Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

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