Parenthood has a way of turning even the most detailed budgeter into a “good enough and moving on” budgeter — and honestly, that’s not a personal failure. It’s reality. In this episode, we’re joined by Taylor Nelson (accredited financial counselor and the voice behind The Financial Planner Substack) to talk about what the “cost of kids” actually looks like in real life — and why it’s not just diapers and strollers. 

We get into the biggest surprise costs (spoiler: it’s often the income hit more than the baby gear), how to think about childcare and leave before your baby arrives, and why the retirement vs. college savings debate is rarely as black-and-white as the internet makes it seem.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll have kids when I feel financially ready,” Taylor offers a grounding perspective: most people don’t feel perfectly ready — they just build flexibility, make the best decision they can, and keep going.

Episode Timestamps

• [03:00] How becoming a parent changes budgeting — less line-by-line, more “one-number” simplicity
• [07:00] The costs that surprise people most: Childcare, and the income hit from parental leave, or career pauses
• [12:00] When you think you’ll go back to work… then you meet your baby and everything shifts
• [14:00] What to do before baby arrives: Health insurance math, hospital indemnity insurance, and childcare waitlists
  [16:00] “Order of operations” for saving when kids are in the future (and money is tight)
• [20:00] How to prioritize retirement vs. college savings — and why it’s rarely all-or-nothing
• [25:00] The tax benefit people mess up: Dependent care FSA rules and childcare “under the table”
  [29:00] What parents who feel behind need to hear — kids want attention, not perfection
• [33:00] How Taylor talks about money with young kids (and why grocery store trips count)
• [37:00] One small step that makes everything easier: More cash savings for flexibility and peace of mind

Resources:

• Taylor’s website: tailoredfinancialplans.com
• Taylor’s Substack: The Financial Planner
  
  

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What if knowing your worth intellectually isn’t enough — and the real work has to happen in your body, your nervous system, and your everyday actions? In this episode, we’re joined by Claire Wasserman, founder of Ladies Get Paid, career coach, and writer who offers tactical advice and deep emotional insight in a way that feels grounding, honest, and actually doable.

This conversation felt like part therapy session, part masterclass in self-trust. Claire shares why so many of us still tie our value to our paycheck (even when we know better), how to identify the core money beliefs driving our anxiety, and why asking for more money builds self-advocacy far beyond your bank account.

We also talk candidly about shame — from food stamps to inner critics — and why transparency can be a powerful tool for healing, resilience, and reinvention. 

Confidence doesn’t start with earning more, and this episode explains why.

Episode timestamps

• [00:02:00] Why self-worth vs. net worth can’t be solved intellectually
• [00:03:00] The “downward arrow” exercise to uncover core money beliefs
• [00:06:00] The “joy antidote”: taking action to counter anxiety and self-doubt
• [00:08:00] Patterns Claire sees in how women hold themselves back with money
• [00:15:00] Why asking for more money builds self-advocacy (not just income)
• [00:22:00] How to frame raises and rate increases around business value
• [00:28:00] Shame, food stamps, and why transparency matters
• [00:38:00] Resilience, reinvention, and expanding your window of tolerance
• [00:40:00] Expanding your worth “inside and out” through practice
• [00:45:00] Rewiring the inner critic: “I’ll earn more when…”
  
  
  

Resources:

• Coachmeclaire.com (site for coaching + updates)
• Thepracticecards.com (daily 10-min practice tool)
• Work in Progress (Claire’s Substack)
• Instagram: @clairegetspaid and @ladiesgetpaid

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A lot of you know us as The Finance Girlies — but what you might not know is that we're also full-time freelance writers. We’ve been riding the freelance waves up and down for years, but we’d be lying if we said the past 12 months haven’t thrown us for a loop. 

In this insider episode, we're pulling back the curtain on what our freelance businesses actually look like in 2025. We're breaking down some numbers, the shifts we've seen, and how much the industry has changed. From attending a bleak freelancer roundtable to the impact of AI on client expectations, we're getting real about what's happening in the freelance writing space right now. But this isn't doom and gloom — we're also diving into the safety nets we've built, the mindset shifts that keep us grounded, and why we're still hopeful about the future.

Whether you freelance, you're thinking about it, or you're just curious about what goes on behind the scenes of your favorite creators' day jobs, this conversation is for you.

⏰ Timestamps

[2:00] What freelancing actually is (a quick explainer for the uninitiated)

[5:00] How the freelance industry has changed — FinCon 2021 vs. FinCon 2025

[9:00] The real numbers: how our client lists and income have shifted

[14:00] The pinch: less pay, more work, and changing client expectations

[18:00] How AI has affected our businesses (and our mindset about it)

[23:00] Safety nets we've built: emergency funds, cash cushions, and diversification

[26:00] The non-monetary benefits of freelancing (flexibility, autonomy, control)

[29:00] How The Finance Girlies fits into our long-term plan

Resources:

Visit us at thefinancegirlies.com