Saving and budgeting are sticky subjects for spenders – and author Rachel Cruze knows that better than just about anyone.

Her bio on her website tells the tale. “I’m a spender at heart. And I love pizza. (These are the important things to know about me).” As the daughter of noted financial guru Dave Ramsey, that spend-first nature created a lot of pressure to rein it in.

However, becoming smarter with your money doesn’t mean turning to deprivation or changing your ways. It simply means understanding who you are.

On this episode of Change Starts Here, host and FranklinCovey Education thought leader Dustin Odham was joined by Cruze, who walked him through the ins and out of taking control of your money and creating a life you love.

That applies to all aspects of your financial life and literacy, as well – adopting a better attitude toward financial planning can elevate your relationships with others, help you understand what you can do to set yourself up for success, and more.

To all of Cruze’s insights about learning to understand your own unique relationship with money, listen to the full episode, where Cruze and Odham dive into the author’s best tips for taking the stress out of your finances.

Key Points:

Being smart with money doesn’t mean changing who you are.

Even “spenders” can learn to budget and save productively.

Approaching financial literacy with an understanding of who you are makes money fun.