I had the incredible pleasure of sitting down with the remarkable Shang Saavedra on this week’s episode. Shang’s inspiring story, from navigating early financial struggles to becoming financially independent, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. She shared her experiences growing up in challenging circumstances moving around a lot as a young girl, and a strong emphasis on education that shaped her future life goals. 

 

Through diligent saving, smart financial planning, and a lot of hard work, Shang managed to graduate from Harvard with a degree in economics and no student debt — a testament to her family's frugality and her own tenacity to be financially independent as early as possible. We explored her journey into management consulting, her strategic approach to building wealth, and how she discovered the FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) movement, which ultimately led her to retire early and focus on educating others about personal finance. 

 

Shangs’s story is a powerful reminder that with the right mindset and strategies, financial freedom is achievable. During our conversation, you'll learn about the lessons she learned along the way to financial freedom, the importance of frugality, and how she and her husband managed to live on one income while raising their young kids. 

 

Tune in to get inspired to take control of your financial freedom and learn how Shang is inspiring others to do the same with Save My Cents.

Key Topics:

1. A nomadic childhood with a strong emphasis on education
2. Watching her parents establish themselves in the US as an immigrant family
3. Working hard in high school to go to Harvard — debt-free
4. Setting her sights on management consulting as an early career path
5. Taking on an early interest in saving and investing that set her up for success
6. Dreaming of being a rich CEO after business school
7. Staying frugal in the face of temptation
8. Shang’s first introduction to the FIRE concept
9. The dominoes that fell that led Shang to leave corporate for good
10. Living on one income and saving and investing the other
11. Ensuring her wealth lasts beyond 3 generations
12. The start of Save My Cents
13. Wealth isn’t about numbers, it’s about healing from childhood trauma and early money stories
14. Using her wealth to invest in nurturing her personal relationships

Connect with Shang online:

 

Website: https://savemycents.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shangsaavedra/

Instagram: @savemycents

YouTube: Save My Cents

Buy the book: Wealth is a Mindset

Find more from Syama Bunten:

 

Instagram: @syama.co, @gettingrichpod

Website: https://syamabunten.com/

Download Syama's Guide to Getting Rich: www.syamabunten.com 

Women & Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://women.win/

Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com