Finance Girlies: Money Conversations for Gen Z and Millennial Women

What happens when you're the higher earner in your marriage? When your 401(k) keeps growing while your spouse builds their own business? When you're navigating motherhood, career ambitions, and being the breadwinner all at once?

We love talking about money and relationships, and we're not the only ones. This episode features Jessica Norwood, who co-hosts The Sugar Daddy podcast with her financial planner husband, Brandon. What began as an outlet for his expertise has turned into something bigger: a source of honest conversations about money that break down the jargon and shame that usually come with financial advice.

In this episode, Jessica breaks down the reality of out-earning her husband, how they've navigated tricky money conversations, and why they decided to get a postnup after nine years of marriage.

✨ Episode Highlights ✨

• [7:00] Why Jessica and Brandon decided to get a postnup after nine years of marriage — and what changed their minds
• [10:00] The real financial dynamic of being the breadwinner when your spouse is an entrepreneur
• [17:00] How prenups and postnups actually strengthen marriages (not weaken them)
• [24:00] Breaking traditional expectations: What it's like when the woman out-earns her partner
• [29:00] The awkward money conversation about living with Brandon's mom — and why speaking up mattered
• [33:00] How to normalize talking about money with friends without making it weird
• [36:00] Why women who talk about money with other women are 2x more likely to invest
• [40:00] The investing mistake Jessica wishes she could undo from her 20s

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Hey Girlies,

Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: what it’s like to be the higher earner in your relationship.

Not the shame or guilt society wants you to feel about it — the real, everyday dynamics of navigating money when you out-earn your partner, and what it means for your relationship decades from now.

Luckily, today’s guest Jessica Norwood has a lot to say on the matter.

Jessica works in tech and co-hosts The Sugar Daddy Podcast with her husband Brandon (a financial planner). She’s the higher earner in their relationship, and she’s got some serious wisdom about navigating the dynamics that come with it.

One of the biggest decisions Jessica and Brandon made was getting a postnup after nine years of marriage.

Not because their marriage was struggling, but because they realized something crucial: they were already in a financial contract. They just hadn’t written the terms themselves. (If you listened to last week’s episode with divorce attorney Aaron Thomas, this may sound familiar!)

Jessica and Brandon started thinking about a postnup like insurance — protection for something valuable, not a prediction of disaster.

And the real value wasn’t even the document itself (though it covers everything from retirement accounts to student loans to supporting aging parents). It was the conversations they had while creating it.

When you talk through “what if” scenarios while you still genuinely like each other, you surface expectations and values that might otherwise stay buried until they become resentments.

And speaking of difficult conversations — Jessica’s had her share of those too.

Early in their relationship, Brandon’s mom was supposed to stay with them occasionally while teaching at a nearby university. Then her schedule exploded and suddenly there were three adults living in the house full-time.

Jessica had to speak up: “Your mom is living here. What’s her contribution?”

Brandon was genuinely confused. His single mom sacrificed everything for him — how could he ask her for money?

But here’s what Jessica realized in that moment: different upbringings create wildly different money perspectives.

What seemed like no big deal to Brandon felt completely unfair to Jessica.

The lesson she learned? Speak up before it festers into resentment. 😡

This experience actually shaped provisions in their postnup about what happens if aging parents need to move in. These aren’t just theoretical “what ifs” — they’re real situations that happen to real couples, and they’re things they want to be prepared for.

Hearing Jessica tell this story reminded us that we need to be having more of these conversations with everyone in our lives — not just our partners. Which is why Jessica advocates for talking about money with your friends, too.

Her advice for starting these conversations is genius because it’s so low-pressure:

* Reference something you heard (”I listened to this podcast about backdoor Roth IRAs — do you know anything about that?”)

* Get specific about everyday decisions (”Did you choose the HSA or PPO?”)

* Be honest about your own situation (”Tonight I’

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Would you sign a contract governing half your assets and your entire financial future without reading it first? Because that's exactly what happens when you get married without a prenup.

Harvard lawyer Aaron Thomas spent years watching couples drain their savings in divorce court before he realized something crucial: marriage is already a financial contract. You're just letting the state write the terms instead of writing them yourself.

In this episode, Aaron makes the case that prenups aren't about planning for divorce — they're about having the money conversations most couples avoid until it's too late.

✨ Episode Highlights ✨

• [1:00] How one Love Is Blind moment captured the classic misconception of prenups
• [3:00] What Aaron learned after 1,000+ divorces that completely changed his mind about prenups
• [10:00] The #1 money issue destroying marriages — lack of transparency and what it really means
• [17:00] Why prenups are MORE important for middle-class couples than wealthy ones
• [21:00] How marriage has changed from garage startup to corporate merger since the 1960s
• [28:00] What lower-earning partners should ask for in a prenup (and why it protects them)
• [32:00] Aaron's exact script for bringing up the prenup conversation without causing drama
• [39:00] What about postnups? Yes, you can still protect yourself if you're already married
• [45:00] If Aaron were dictator: Why prenups should be the default for everyone

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Hey Girlies,

Quick question: Would you sign a contract governing half your assets, your retirement accounts, and years of your financial future without reading it first?

Because that’s literally what happens when you get married without a prenup.

Marriage is already a financial contract. You’re just letting the state write the terms instead of writing them yourself.

We know, we know — prenups sound unromantic.

They feel like admitting defeat before you even start.

But after talking with divorce attorney Aaron Thomas (who’s handled over 1,000 cases), we have a fresh new take on the power of prenups.

In this week’s episode, Aaron walks us through:

* The #1 issue he sees destroying even good marriages

* Why middle-class couples actually need prenups MORE than wealthy people

* What prenups can do for your marriage while you’re happily in it

* Aaron’s exact script for bringing up the prenup conversation without it turning into a Love is Blind drama moment

The conversation we had isn’t really about divorce at all. It’s about the money conversations couples need to have but keep avoiding (until something goes wrong).

Things like…

Who handles what?

How do we make big financial decisions together?

What happens if one of us takes time off work?

How do we make sure we’re both building wealth, even if one partner earns less?

Aaron’s approach is to answer these questions when you love each other, not when you’re sitting in a lawyer’s office wishing you’d talked about this years ago.

Whether you’re dating, engaged, or already married, this episode will change how you think about money and partnership. 💍

Seriously, this episode — and a good prenup — is for everyone.

See ya next time,Emily + Cassidy

P.S. If you want to go even deeper, Aaron wrote a whole book about this — The Prenup Prescription. You can also find him at prenups.com or @prenupguy on Instagram.

P.P.S. An upcoming Finance Girlies guest (our friend Jessica Norwood) loved Aaron’s advice so much, she and hubby Brandon hired him to help them create a postnup. Listen to that story here!

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We just got back from FinCon — the biggest personal finance conference in the country — and we're buzzing with ideas, connections, and inspiration for The Finance Girlies community.

If you've never heard of FinCon, picture this: around 2,000 personal finance creators, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs gathered in one place for three jam-packed days of learning, networking, and nerding out about money topics. From TikTok influencers to seasoned bloggers who've been at this since 2008, the diversity of people and business models was incredible.

✨Episode Highlights✨

• [1:00] Our three main goals for attending and how they differed from Cassidy's 2021 experience
• [3:00] Emily's first-time impressions and the surprising diversity of finance creators (hint: lots of TikTok influencers!)
• [6:00] Cassidy's favorite session -- Angie Matthews' keynote on embracing who you are and integrating those identities into your work
• [12:00] Emily's favorite session: Why financial content isn't working — Kelsa Dickey's eye-opening talk on behavior change and the "less, simpler, sooner" framework
• [15:00] The video content conversation we didn't want to have (but know we need to)
• [16:00] Connecting with podcast guests Jessica Norwood and Jillian Johnsrud in person
• [18:00]  How we met two OG finance bloggers who've been at this since 2008
• [19:00] What we're excited to try — From video experiments to community building inspiration
• [21:00] Our thoughts on returning to FinCon vs exploring podcast-specific conferences

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Hey girlies,

We just got back from FinCon (aka the place where ~2,000 finance nerds gather to talk shop), and our brains are buzzing with ideas we can’t wait to share with you.

FinCon is basically where everyone who creates finance content goes to learn, network, and figure out how to actually help people with their money. Think TikTok creators, seasoned bloggers, financial coaches, and yes, your two favorite podcast hosts all in one place.

Here’s what stuck with us:

Too much information isn’t actually helpful

We heard this loud and clear from financial coach Kelsa Dickey: most financial advice isn’t working because we’re overwhelming people with too much information.

Her magic formula? Less, simpler, sooner.

Translation: You don’t need a 47-step budget plan. You need 2-3 things you can do right now.

Your “flaws” might be your superpower

Ange Matthews gave a fantastic keynote that had us scribbling in our notebooks. It was all about your little quirks and how to lean into them.

Her point: Instead of hiding the parts of yourself that feel “unprofessional” or “too personal,” show them off. If you’re someone who thrifts, loves reality TV, or struggles with anxiety — those aren’t things to push aside. They’re what make you relatable and real.

So, if you hear more about our pets, book clubs, and craft projects… 🤓 …this is why!

Testing and adapting is everything

One thing that kept coming up: the importance of experimenting with your approach instead of sticking to what you’ve always done. Financial coach Chloe Daniels emphasized how crucial it is to test, change, and adapt — especially when you’re trying to *actually* help people.

This hit home because we’re still figuring out what resonates most with you all. What topics do you want us to dive deeper into? What format works best? We’re in full experiment mode, and we’d love to hear your suggestions.

Community over content

The best part of FinCon wasn’t the sessions — it was meeting people IRL. We got to hug Jessica from The Sugar Daddy Podcast, sat in on Jillian Johnsrud’s final keynote about retiring often, and connected with some incredible new blogger friends who’ve been at this since 2008.

It reminded us that behind all the spreadsheets and investment strategies, what people really want is to feel less alone with their money stuff.

So what’s changing with The Finance Girlies?

Nothing major, but we’re excited to experiment with some new podcast topics, resources, and formats. We’re taking the “less, simpler, sooner” approach to heart in order to have a bigger impact. And for the rest of our ideas… you’ll have to listen to the full episode. 😉

As always, thanks for being here!

Until next week, Emily + Cassidy

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This is a free preview of an Insiders-only episode. Click here to upgrade your subscription for just $5 a month, and enjoy the full episode.

“Money isn’t everything.” It’s advice many of us grew up hearing—from family members, TV shows, even Hallmark movies. But if you’ve ever lived paycheck to paycheck, carried debt, or panicked about an unexpected expense, you know it’s not the full story.

In this episode of The Finance Girlies, we unpack what this phrase really means, where it comes from, and why it can sometimes hold you back. We also share personal stories from our early careers, what research says about money and happiness, and how to figure out your own “enough” number.

✨ Episode Highlights ✨

[00:00] Cassidy’s recent conversation that sparked this episode

[01:45] Why Hallmark movies reinforce the “money vs. happiness” myth

[03:30] Our first low-paying jobs out of college

[05:00] Where the phrase “money isn’t everything” comes from

[09:30]  Where this phrase becomes unhelpful

[11:45] Case study: America's Sweethearts

[13:30]  Case study: Maid

[14:30] What it's like to live on $25k vs. $25 million

[16:30] Cassidy's anchor point: how where she grew up affected her perceptions of money

[22:30] What is money, actually? Money as security vs. money as status

[27:45] Real stories: taking pay cuts for happiness (and regrets)

[31:00] Our personal experiences earning more through freelancing

[32:30] How to find your “enough” number

✨ Resources ✨

Johnny Harris video: $25,000 vs. $25,000,000

Maid by Stephanie Land (book + Netflix series)

Wharton study on money and happiness

Netflix show: America's Sweethearts

TikTok clip: shesspeakingwithemily

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Support the show

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Ever feel like you're constantly stressed about money even when you're technically doing okay? Or wonder why you still feel anxious despite having an emergency fund and being on track for retirement? You might be experiencing money dysmorphia — the disconnect between how we feel about our finances versus our actual financial reality.

Julie Guntrip, Head of Financial Wellness at Jenius Bank, breaks down why millennials and Gen Z in particular suffer from this phenomenon — and how our generation's unique financial journey (hello, recession, pandemic, and inflation) has left us in a constant state of money anxiety. 

Whether you're tired of feeling behind despite doing everything "right" or ready to reset your internal money narrative, this episode offers the validation and practical tools you need.

✨ Episode Timestamps ✨

• [02:00] Julie's personal journey to financial independence and the defining moments that built her confidence
• [08:00] What is money dysmorphia and how it shows up on a spectrum
• [10:00] The research: Why millennials feel conflicted about their financial situation
• [17:00] How social media warps our perception of financial health
• [19:00] Signs you might be struggling with money dysmorphia
• [25:00] Inflation fatigue and "vibe-based budgeting"
• [30:00] The power of emergency funds for mental health (even starting with $200)
• [34:00] How to reset your "I'm bad with money" narrative through education
• [40:00] Aligning spending with your values
• [45:00] How the definition of wealth is changing across generations
• [52:00] Julie's magic wand wish for how our culture talks about money

✨ Resources ✨

Connect with Julie: 

• LinkedIn: Julie Guntrip
• Website: jeniusbank.com 
• Instagram: @jeniusbank

Send us Fan Mail

WTF! Women Talk Finance breaks down the world of money. No jargon, no...

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

📩 Get The Finance Girlies newsletter: 
https://www.thefinancegirlies.com/newsletter

💻Visit The Finance Girlies website: 
https://www.thefinancegirlies.com/

💖Email us your money questions: 
[email protected]

📸Follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thefinancegirlies/

Ever feel like you're constantly stressed about money even when you're technically doing okay? Or wonder why you still feel anxious despite having an emergency fund and being on track for retirement? You might be experiencing money dysmorphia — the disconnect between how we feel about our finances versus our actual financial reality.

Julie Guntrip, Head of Financial Wellness at Jenius Bank, breaks down why millennials and Gen Z in particular suffer from this phenomenon — and how our generation's unique financial journey (hello, recession, pandemic, and inflation) has left us in a constant state of money anxiety. 

Whether you're tired of feeling behind despite doing everything "right" or ready to reset your internal money narrative, this episode offers the validation and practical tools you need.

Episode Timestamps:

[02:00] Julie's personal journey to financial independence and the defining moments that built her confidence

[08:00] What is money dysmorphia and how it shows up on a spectrum

[10:00] The research: Why millennials feel conflicted about their financial situation

[17:00] How social media warps our perception of financial health

[19:00] Signs you might be struggling with money dysmorphia

[25:00] Inflation fatigue and "vibe-based budgeting"

[30:00] The power of emergency funds for mental health (even starting with $200)

[34:00] How to reset your "I'm bad with money" narrative through education

[40:00] Aligning spending with your values

[45:00] How the definition of wealth is changing across generations

[52:00] Julie's magic wand wish for how our culture talks about money

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: Julie Guntrip

Website: jeniusbank.com 

Instagram: @jeniusbank

📩 Join The Finance Girlies on Substack: https://thefinancegirlies.substack.com/ 

💖 Email us your money questions: [email protected] 

📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefinancegirlies/

🎉 Join The Finance Girlies Insiders by upgrading on Substack and enjoy:

Bonus episodes, starting with anonymous wedding confessions, money drama, and a full script workbook

Juicier convos that are too real (or too spicy) for the main feed

Real listener coaching sessions + deeper stories from our lives

Early access to Q&As, exclusive polls, and discounts on future events and products

Plus, surprise extras we're cooking up behind the scenes

Support the show

📩 Join The Finance Girlies email list:
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