Financial Autonomy for Women: The Personal Finance Podcast

Need to stop spending so much damn money? I got you. A lot of us are feeling that way, especially given the current economic situation. This episode is Part I in a multi-part series focused on "How to Stop Spending So Much Damn Money." In this episode, we're talking about the neuroscience of spending. I talk about how the brain's reward center (nucleus accumbens) releases dopamine in anticipation of purchases, how the pain center (insula) can register discomfort around high prices, and how the prefrontal cortex supports planning and impulse control. Consumer systems and frictionless technology are designed to trigger reward and bypass "pain," reducing our ability to slow down the cycle of spending--have you ever had that: "I feel like I'm on autopilot" feeling? Where you're spending money and you don't even realize it? That's the frictionless system at work. In this episode, we'll build awareness rather than immediate behavior change: instead of making any changes, we're just going to be aware--taking a pause during ads, social media, or online shopping to notice what our brains are doing and how we're feeling when we want to spend money, when we feel that itch or internal tug to buy. That awareness will help us change behavior.

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Note: Information in this podcast 1) is informational/educational in nature; 2) does not constitute financial or personal advice of any kind; 3) is never a substitute for clinical care from a health professional. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional regarding their individual circumstances before making any financial decisions.

Check out my FREE Mini Course: "Know Where the Money Is Going" to help you get back into the driver's seat with your monthly spending.

Find more ways to work with me, download free resources, and join my e-mail list at maureen-paley.com.

Financial Autonomy for Women 30-Day Workbook now available on Amazon. ***20% off the E-book when you buy directly from me.

Daily Money Affirmations for Women Entrepreneurs now available on Amazon.

Follow me on IG @maureenpaleycoach.

Visit my Etsy shop for budget-friendly resume and cover letter templates, budget trackers and more.

A new year is here, friends! And to kick off 2026, I'm joined--again--by my good friend Mary Polanco (Founder of Mary Polanco Designs and Live and Lead Well) to talk about our New Year Visions (having already kicked resolutions to the curb in 2025) and what we're excited to create in 2026. If you're over resolutions and the toxic positivity that comes in self development--give this a listen! Mary and I kicked off 2025 with our New Years Episode and committed to meeting quarterly throughout the year to keep each other going...now, we're doing it again! And, we're both so excited. In this episode, we look back at our 2025 visions, reflecting on achievements, challenges, and the benefits of setting intentions over resolutions. We talk about the victories that showed up for us, what kept us going along the way, and how big of an impact having regular check ins made for each of us. We also talk about what we're needing in 2026 and how we'll honor that as we bring our visions to 2026 to life. Please share this episode with a friend who is looking for a balanced and creative way to start the new year and keep listening throughout the year as Mary and I check in quarterly.

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Note: Information in this podcast 1) is informational/educational in nature; 2) does not constitute financial or personal advice of any kind; 3) is never a substitute for clinical care from a health professional. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional regarding their individual circumstances before making any financial decisions.

Check out my FREE Mini Course: "Know Where the Money Is Going" to help you get back into the driver's seat with your monthly spending.

Find more ways to work with me, download free resources, and join my e-mail list at maureen-paley.com.

Financial Autonomy for Women 30-Day Workbook now available on Amazon. ***20% off the E-book when you buy directly from me.

Daily Money Affirmations for Women Entrepreneurs now available on Amazon.

Follow me on IG @maureenpaleycoach.

Visit my Etsy shop for budget-friendly resume and cover letter templates, budget trackers and more.

Imagine your life with:

• Reduced depression/depressive symptoms
• Less anxiety, less negative thought patterns
• Improved heart health
• Less stress
• Better sleep

Would you take it? I know I would. These are the evidence-based benefits of gratitude practice.

But...what do all these have to do with money? Remember, a healthier physiology, less stress, and more rest help us regulate our nervous systems, which helps us naturally spend less, appreciate what we have more, etc.

So, will developing a consistent gratitude practice change what's in your bank account? No, not directly. But a consistent gratitude practice changes how you see yourself, the world, and your resources--all powerful catalysts for reaching financial goals.

In this episode, I also share practical examples of how to cultivate gratitude in your life (including my personal practice) and set you up to do a 30-day gratitude experiment to see how it works in your life.

If you'd like to run the 30-day gratitude experiment, rate the statements below on a scale of 1 to 10--1 being "Not true at all" and 10 being "Totally true"--at the start of your experiment on Day 1 at the end of the 30th day.

• I have more positive thoughts than negative thoughts.
• I am content and satisfied with what I have in life.
• I feel more instances of calm in my life than I do stress and anxiety
• I get good sleep and I feel rested
• While there are challenges in life, I feel grateful for the life I live

Part Public Service Announcement, and part "love letter" to gratitude practice itself, give this episode a lesson to develop or enhance a an accessible and power practice to boost and sustain your wellbeing.

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Note: Information in this podcast 1) is informational/educational in nature; 2) does not constitute financial or personal advice of any kind; 3) is never a substitute for clinical care from a health professional. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional regarding their individual circumstances before making any financial decisions.

Check out my FREE Mini Course: "Know Where the Money Is Going" to help you get back into the driver's seat with your monthly spending.

Find more ways to work with me, download free resources, and join my e-mail list at maureen-paley.com.

Financial Autonomy for Women 30-Day Workbook now available on Amazon. ***20% off the E-book when you buy directly from me.

Daily Money Affirmations for Women Entrepreneurs now available on Amazon.

Follow me on IG @maureenpaleycoach.

Visit my Etsy shop for budget-friendly resume and cover letter templates, budget trackers and more.

For First Gen wealth builders, the wealth building game is different.

On this episode, I talk with Gloria Garcia Cisneros, CFP®, award winning Certified Financial Planner® and Wealth Manager at Lourd Murray about her experience as a first gen financial planner and wealth builder herself.

Gloria and I dig into the emotional and psychological aspects of money management, the importance of trust and representation in the financial industry, and practical advice for listeners at various stages of their wealth-building journey. We talk how to normalize and navigate complex financial systems and the importance of giving yourself grace and recognition as First Gen wealth builder.

02:56 Understanding the First Gen Wealth Building Experience

04:46 Navigating Financial Systems as an Immigrant

07:37 Building Trust in Financial Advising

14:19 The Unique Challenges of First Gen Wealth Builders

21:25 Understanding Financial Advice for Diverse Backgrounds

24:48 The Importance of Asking the Right Questions

27:16 Advice for First Generation Wealth Builders

33:24 The Journey and Responsibility of Representation

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Note: Information in this podcast 1) is informational/educational in nature; 2) does not constitute financial or personal advice of any kind; 3) is never a substitute for clinical care from a health professional. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional regarding their individual circumstances before making any financial decisions.

Check out my FREE Mini Course: "Know Where the Money Is Going" to help you get back into the driver's seat with your monthly spending.

Find more ways to work with me, download free resources, and join my e-mail list at maureen-paley.com.

Financial Autonomy for Women 30-Day Workbook now available on Amazon. ***20% off the E-book when you buy directly from me.

Daily Money Affirmations for Women Entrepreneurs now available on Amazon.

Follow me on IG @maureenpaleycoach.

Visit my Etsy shop for budget-friendly resume and cover letter templates, budget trackers and more.

For First Gen wealth builders, the wealth building game is different.

On this episode, I talk with Gloria Garcia Cisneros, CFP®, award winning Certified Financial Planner® and Wealth Manager at Lourd Murray about her experience as a first gen financial planner and wealth builder herself.

Gloria and I dig into the emotional and psychological aspects of money management, the importance of trust and representation in the financial industry, and practical advice for listeners at various stages of their wealth-building journey. We talk how to normalize and navigate complex financial systems and the importance of giving yourself grace and recognition as First Gen wealth builder.

02:56 Understanding the First Gen Wealth Building Experience

04:46 Navigating Financial Systems as an Immigrant

07:37 Building Trust in Financial Advising

14:19 The Unique Challenges of First Gen Wealth Builders

21:25 Understanding Financial Advice for Diverse Backgrounds

24:48 The Importance of Asking the Right Questions

27:16 Advice for First Generation Wealth Builders

33:24 The Journey and Responsibility of Representation

***

Note: Information in this podcast 1) is informational/educational in nature; 2) does not constitute financial or personal advice of any kind; 3) is never a substitute for clinical care from a health professional.

Check out my FREE Mini Course: "Know Where the Money Is Going" to help you get back into the driver's seat with your monthly spending.

Find more ways to work with me, download free resources, and join my e-mail list at maureen-paley.com. Financial Autonomy for Women 30-Day Workbook now available on Amazon. Follow me on IG @maureenpaleycoach. Visit my Etsy shop for career-focused products.

Does gender really matter when you choose a financial advisor? My take: It does. And...the magic of Financial Autonomy means that you get to decide what matters for you when you choose a financial professional. In this episode, I talk with Lex Michelson, MBA, founder of Lunea Wealth Management, about why gender matters for women when they're choosing a financial advisor. We talk about:

• The unique financial challenges women face including the gender pay gap and the importance of having an advisor who understands these challenges.
• The "trad wife" trend and how romanticizing decades old gender norms can be harmful
• How women's financial freedoms and privileges (e.g., getting a mortage, taking out a credit card without a man's signature) are recent freedoms that we've been granted and must be protected
• The connection between bodily autonomy and financial autonomy

To find out more about Lex and the work she's doing to support women's financial independence and success, check out Lunea Wealth Management. ***

Note: Information in this podcast 1) is informational/educational in nature; 2) does not constitute financial or personal advice of any kind; 3) is never a substitute for clinical care from a health professional. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional regarding their individual circumstances before making any financial decisions.

Check out my FREE Mini Course: "Know Where the Money Is Going" to help you get back into the driver's seat with your monthly spending.

Find more ways to work with me, download free resources, and join my e-mail list at maureen-paley.com.

Financial Autonomy for Women 30-Day Workbook now available on Amazon. ***20% off the E-book when you buy directly from me.

Daily Money Affirmations for Women Entrepreneurs now available on Amazon.

Follow me on IG @maureenpaleycoach.

Visit my Etsy shop for budget-friendly resume and cover letter templates, budget trackers and more.

Disclosure for Lunea Wealth Management:

The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered investment, tax, or legal advice. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional regarding their individual circumstances before making any financial decisions. In the Couch Investments, LLC dba Lunea Wealth Management ("Lunea Wealth") is a fee-only Registered Investment Adviser located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training.

Leaning into how you want to feel when you achieve your goals is the key to cultivating joy, knowing your worth, and enjoying the surprises along the way.

In this episode, I sit down with Mary Polanco, wellness and leadership expert and crafting entrepreneur to talk about our 2025 Vision and goals. At the beginning of the year, Mary and I committed to meeting quarterly to check in on our progress, and these quarterly check ins have sustained our commitments to our vision, personal learning and willingness to go after new, unexpected projects and opportunities.

Mary and I have an honest, authentic conversation about the real ups and downs for going after your vision. We both recall our original visions and update each other on victories and challenges along the way. We talk about what we have done to maintain momentum, especially when the going gets tough. I call these quarterly check ins a "vitamin boost for your soul." -- give it a listen for some instant inspo and share it with a woman in your life who needs it.

You can find out more about Mary and her crafting business at https://www.marypolancodesigns.com/

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Note: Information in this podcast 1) is informational/educational in nature; 2) does not constitute financial or personal advice of any kind; 3) is never a substitute for clinical care from a health professional. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional regarding their individual circumstances before making any financial decisions.

Check out my FREE Mini Course: "Know Where the Money Is Going" to help you get back into the driver's seat with your monthly spending.

Find more ways to work with me, download free resources, and join my e-mail list at maureen-paley.com.

Financial Autonomy for Women 30-Day Workbook now available on Amazon. ***20% off the E-book when you buy directly from me.

Daily Money Affirmations for Women Entrepreneurs now available on Amazon.

Follow me on IG @maureenpaleycoach.

Visit my Etsy shop for budget-friendly resume and cover letter templates, budget trackers and more.

Let's move from surviving to THRIVING and staying out of the Financial "Emergency Room." In this episode, I talk about the parallel between physical and financial health, and why we need to take proactive steps to maintain financial wellbeing. Preventative care applies to finances too! Preventative care (= the steps we need to take to stay out of the Financial "Emergency Room") includes understanding and managing assets and liabilities, when to seek help/an intervention from a professional and strategies for building financial resilience. I also talk about the impact of life events on finances--every life milestone is a financial shift: marriages, births, deaths, divorces, graduations, etc. 01:15 Understanding Financial Emergencies 05:07 Maintaining Financial Health 10:26 Seeking Professional Financial Help 16:31 Building Financial Resilience 18:37 Final Thoughts and Encouragement If you're needing a peptalk (you know I love to give 'em!) or a mindset boost, give this a listen and share it with a woman in your life who needs it. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on your favorite platform--that helps me get the show out to more women who could benefit from it. ***

Note: Information in this podcast 1) is informational/educational in nature; 2) does not constitute financial or personal advice of any kind; 3) is never a substitute for clinical care from a health professional. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional regarding their individual circumstances before making any financial decisions.

Check out my FREE Mini Course: "Know Where the Money Is Going" to help you get back into the driver's seat with your monthly spending.

Find more ways to work with me, download free resources, and join my e-mail list at maureen-paley.com.

Financial Autonomy for Women 30-Day Workbook now available on Amazon. ***20% off the E-book when you buy directly from me.

Daily Money Affirmations for Women Entrepreneurs now available on Amazon.

Follow me on IG @maureenpaleycoach.

Visit my Etsy shop for budget-friendly resume and cover letter templates, budget trackers and more.

Women face financial headwinds whether we like it or not: the persistent gender wage gap and a longer life expectancy than men mean we don't make enough cash flow to build all the wealth we're going to need to support ourselves to the end of our lives. One strategy to consider...PASSIVE INCOME (my new passion!). This episode helps you unlock some passive income strategies to build your financial wellness. In this podcast I defined passive income, provide actionable examples, and I shares my personal experience with building passive income--one example being my newly launched Etsy shop: BestFinancialLife for affordable digital products to help you live your best financial life. This episode is designed to inspire and educate listeners on how to incorporate passive income streams into their financial wellness strategy. I reinforce the importance of passive income for financial autonomy, particularly for women facing economic disparities. I also offer practical steps for getting started and encourage listeners to adopt a mindset that recognizes and takes advantage of the many passive income opportunities out there. 00:55 Definition of Passive Income 02:13 Examples of Passive Income Streams 03:13 Monetizing Your Assets 07:21 Getting Started with Passive Income 11:21 Personal Example: My Etsy Shop 15:42 Final Thoughts and Encouragement Give it a listen and share it with a woman in your life who needs it. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast on your favorite platform--that helps me get the show out to more women who could benefit from it. ***

Note: Information in this podcast 1) is informational/educational in nature; 2) does not constitute financial or personal advice of any kind; 3) is never a substitute for clinical care from a health professional. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional regarding their individual circumstances before making any financial decisions.

Check out my FREE Mini Course: "Know Where the Money Is Going" to help you get back into the driver's seat with your monthly spending.

Find more ways to work with me, download free resources, and join my e-mail list at maureen-paley.com.

Financial Autonomy for Women 30-Day Workbook now available on Amazon. ***20% off the E-book when you buy directly from me.

Daily Money Affirmations for Women Entrepreneurs now available on Amazon.

Follow me on IG @maureenpaleycoach.

Visit my Etsy shop for budget-friendly resume and cover letter templates, budget trackers and more.

MONEY SHAME (yikes!)...it's a charged topic, and it's much more common than you probably think.

It's that regret, that embarrassment, that "ick" you get around your past financial decisions that -- truth be told -- inevitably get in the way of your current and future financial decisions.

We have all experienced it, and it's time to normalize it and move past it.

On this episode, I have the great pleasure of talking with LaQueshia Clemons, LCSW, AFC®. LaQueshia is a therapist and a financial counselor with deep knowledge of money trauma and healing.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What money shame is, how it feels, and how it holds us back
• How money shame is much more common than you think: Even financial professionals, those people who are supposed to be "good with money" need help working with their money shame in their personal finances
• The steps to take to recognize and move past money shame in your own life
• Our personal stories of money shame and how self knowledge and a plan of action helped us move through it
• The power of feeling the shame and "doing it anyway"--doing that thing, making that decision, moving through that feeling so it no longer holds you back

You can find more about LaQueshia and her work and access free resources at her private practice website: Freedom Life Therapy.

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Note: Information in this podcast 1) is informational/educational in nature; 2) does not constitute financial or personal advice of any kind; 3) is never a substitute for clinical care from a health professional. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional regarding their individual circumstances before making any financial decisions.

Check out my FREE Mini Course: "Know Where the Money Is Going" to help you get back into the driver's seat with your monthly spending.

Find more ways to work with me, download free resources, and join my e-mail list at maureen-paley.com.

Financial Autonomy for Women 30-Day Workbook now available on Amazon. ***20% off the E-book when you buy directly from me.

Daily Money Affirmations for Women Entrepreneurs now available on Amazon.

Follow me on IG @maureenpaleycoach.

Visit my Etsy shop for budget-friendly resume and cover letter templates, budget trackers and more.