Here’s the thing. We only have this one life here on earth. And since our time is so limited, it should be filled with things that bring us true happiness.

Whether that’s work, family, travel, or passion projects.

Creating a life you love should be a pursuit we all strive for.

That’s why I’m so excited to welcome Catie Hogan to the show today.

Catie is an entrepreneur, mom, speaker, comedy writer and she’s made multiple career shifts.

Catie and I are going to talk about how women can create a life they love and how to leverage money to help them in the process.

Here's a glance at this episode:

• [03:20] Catie’s trigger was student loan debt. She found herself in a dark place thinking about how to pay off six-figures of student loans.
• [11:08] Catie saw a shift in how her parents’ handled money. That had a big impact on Catie growing up.
• [21:54] Investing in a 401k is a great starting point. Make this a priority if you can, because it is a way to get started.
• [30:49] As she’s gotten older, Catie has found it easier to say no to things that don’t align with her values, financial and otherwise.
• [38:29] Catie walks through the process of writing a parody play and how it ended up getting on Broadway.

Rate, Review, & Follow:

Did you love this episode? Are you a fan of the City Girl Savings podcast? If so, please consider rating and reviewing the show!

This helps spread the word about City Girl Savings, and hopefully helps more people make the best money moves possible on the way to their dream life!

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, please make sure you’re subscribed and following the City Girl Savings podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Follow Catie on Instagram

Subscribe to Catie’s Newsletter Cents of Humor

Follow Catie on LinkedIn

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok

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Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

Have you ever been intentional with consistent gratitude? Meaning, every day you acknowledge the things you’re grateful for, for an extended period of time.

If you have been intentional with gratitude and appreciation, you probably have noticed the benefits.

The more grateful you are, the more you seem to have and the happier you seem to be.

Not only that, when you appreciate what you currently have (instead of focusing on what you don’t have), you open the door for more.

If you struggle with appreciating what you currently have going for you, I want to help.

In this episode, I’m sharing 7 ways to practice gratitude for what you currently have to allow you to attract abundance into your life.

Just because you appreciate the money you have or the current things you have doesn’t mean you can’t work towards more.

The point is to be grateful for where you are and what you have, so you’re not constantly focused on what you don’t have.

This is key to attracting abundance. Keep working for your goals but appreciate the journey along the way!

Here's a glance at this episode:

• [02:23] Remember a time when you had less than what you have now. This is one of the easiest ways to be grateful for your current situation.
• [05:20] Every time you go to pay a bill or spend money on something that sustains your lifestyle, express how grateful you are to cover that expense.
• [08:47] Feeling like your budget doesn’t include the things you love? Take a closer look at how your money is allocated currently and work from there.
• [12:06] It may seem like an obvious tip to write down the things you’re grateful for daily, but it really does help you grow your gratitude reserve.
• [15:35] There’s an abundance of information and education out there to help you with money, you just have to seek it out.

Rate, Review, & Follow:

Did you love this episode? Are you a fan of the City Girl Savings podcast? If so, please consider rating and reviewing the show!

This helps spread the word about City Girl Savings, and hopefully helps more people make the best money moves possible on the way to their dream life!

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, please make sure you’re subscribed and following the City Girl Savings podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Listen to Episode 70 – My Budget Non-Negotiables

Learn about Raya’s Financial Focus Coaching Program

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

The one thing you need, more than anything else, to change your finances, or your life, for the better is the right mindset.

Your mindset makes all the difference.

How you think about your money determines how you act with your money.

To become a person who builds wealth, you need to start thinking (and therefore, acting) like a wealth builder.

Not sure what that looks like? In this episode, I’m walking you through some of the most impactful mindset shifts you can make to become a person who succeeds with building wealth.

Get ready for a money mindset makeover that has you thinking like a real wealth builder!

I saw a quote online that said, “a negative mindset can cost you more than any expense.”

I had to sit and appreciate how true that quote was.

When your mindset isn’t up to par, you not only miss out on opportunities to change your life, but you rob yourself of any joy you could have for what is going right in your life.

Here's a glance at this episode:

• [02:38] If thoughts dictate your actions, what makes mindset so critical is the actions you take relative to the thoughts you’re having.
• [06:33] Do you constantly think you never have enough money? Shift to the mindset of there are always opportunities to make more.
• [11:29] How can you spend slightly less on discretionary things and take that difference and put it into an investment account?
• [17:46] Raya shares her first realization of the fear of success. It never occurred to her that this is a real fear that impacts how people think and act.
• [21:36] Raya shares some actionable tips people can implement instantly to start building more confidence with money.

Rate, Review, & Follow:

Did you love this episode? Are you a fan of the City Girl Savings podcast? If so, please consider rating and reviewing the show!

This helps spread the word about City Girl Savings, and hopefully helps more people make the best money moves possible on the way to their dream life!

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, please make sure you’re subscribed and following the City Girl Savings podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Listen to Episode 85 – Mindset Matters: Abundance versus Scarcity

Listen to Episode 11 – The Power of Visualization to Help You Reach Your Goals

Learn about Raya’s Financial Focus Coaching Program

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

In my over-a-decade of experience with budgeting, for myself and helping others, I’ve come across a myriad of reasons, excuses, fears and inaccurate rationalizations for why people choose not to budget.

And it’s doing more harm than good.

There was a point in time when I chose not to budget, and it cost me a lot. Thankfully, I got my act together and now I help women do the same.

We all need to be budgeting, and if you’ve convinced yourself otherwise, I’m here to set you straight!

In this episode, I’m sharing 5 budgeting myths millennial women (or any woman really) needs to stop believing because these myths are delaying a life of happiness.

One of the most common things people do with their finances is trying to keep it all in their head. If you think you can keep your budget top of mind, you’re setting yourself up for failure. I share some solutions to this particular myth.

Here's a glance at this episode:

• [03:05] When you rely on a mental budget, you’re leaving so much room for error. We can’t remember or account for everything in our head.
• [06:42] Just because you never learned how to budget in the past doesn’t mean that you can’t learn or succeed with budgeting in the present.
• [09:15] When it comes to creating your budget, there are certain numbers that you do need to know, but you don’t have to be responsible for always calculating them.
• [13:40] A budget should include the things you love and/or saving for the things that truly matter to you.
• [16:53] You can’t predict the future. Certain things will come up that we can’t plan for. That means you need to believe it’s okay to be fluid with your budget.

Rate, Review, & Follow:

Did you love this episode? Are you a fan of the City Girl Savings podcast? If so, please consider rating and reviewing the show!

This helps spread the word about City Girl Savings, and hopefully helps more people make the best money moves possible on the way to their dream life!

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, please make sure you’re subscribed and following the City Girl Savings podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Listen to Episode 3 – Breaking Through the Stigma of Budgeting

Let Raya create a budget plan for you!

Learn about Raya’s Financial Focus Coaching Program

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

Long gone are the days where we put our financial wellbeing into someone else’s hands.

Not only do most financial advisors prefer working with individuals who already have wealth built, but sole responsibility for our financial situation lies within ourselves.

Each of us must take ownership of our situation and work to make positive changes in it. This is even more important for women.

Personal finance planning isn’t always an easy topic to discuss, but it’s a necessity.

That’s why I’m so excited to welcome Mabel Nunez of Girls on the Money to the show today.

Mabel and I are discussing how women can start preparing for their financial future and build wealth through investing.

Mabel also gives insight into how she started investing and how one class changed the overall trajectory of her life.

If you’ve been holding off on investing, Mabel’s insight will encourage you to finally dive in and get started. Your future self will thank you!

Here's a glance at this episode:

• [04:05] Mabel shares that no one ever talked to her about investing, so when she took a class to learn more, the trajectory of her life changed.
• [12:25] Emergencies don’t announce that they’re coming. Mabel shares the importance of having a savings account dedicated to emergencies.
• [18:00] Don’t overthink getting started with investing. Mabel discusses hurdles that could stop someone from investing.
• [27:54] If you’re a long-term investor, you can expect your money to grow and compound by 10% per year. There’s no better return.
• [41:12] If you’re buying quality company stock, your portfolio will bounce back. That means you’ll want to be careful with how you react to dips.

Rate, Review, & Follow:

Did you love this episode? Are you a fan of the City Girl Savings podcast? If so, please consider rating and reviewing the show!

This helps spread the word about City Girl Savings, and hopefully helps more people make the best money moves possible on the way to their dream life!

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, please make sure you’re subscribed and following the City Girl Savings podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Follow Mabel on Instagram

Learn about Raya’s Financial Focus Coaching Program

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

In this week’s City Girl Savings podcast episode, and the final of our rewind series, we’re rewinding to an episode recorded just last year – Financial Education versus Financial Experiences.

I chose to rewind to this episode because I want you to know that the experiences you have with your money are significantly more powerful than any financial education you may have. And I’m speaking from experience.

I have a B.S. degree in Finance, but my financial experiences have shaped what I do with my money now and how I leverage it to get ahead.

In this episode, I share how my financial education and my financial experiences impacted my life…ultimately leading me to the conclusion that you don’t need a formal education in finance to be good with money.

A financial education is great, and I encourage you to seek it, but it’s not a necessity to have a financially stable, financially free life. Enjoy this final episode of our rewind series.

Here's a glance at this episode:

• [02:31] Raya shares her early experiences with money as a child and her perspective on how things were covered back then.
• [04:57] A money belief that Raya absorbed early on was that if you go to work every day you will come home and have what you need.
• [07:45] The money principles Raya learned before college went out the drain when she got to college and had access to credit cards.
• [11:25] Raya learned the importance of paying her bills on time but only because she almost faced eviction for failing to pay rent on time.
• [14:41] 9 years after starting City Girl Savings, most of what Raya learns is through financial experiences compared to financial education.

Rate, Review, & Follow:

Did you love this episode? Are you a fan of the City Girl Savings podcast? If so, please consider rating and reviewing the show!

This helps spread the word about City Girl Savings, and hopefully helps more people make the best money moves possible on the way to their dream life!

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, please make sure you’re subscribed and following the City Girl Savings podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Listen to Episode 1 – Big City Spender to City Girl Saver

Learn about Raya’s Financial Focus Coaching Program

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

In this week’s City Girl Savings podcast episode, we’re rewinding to another more seasoned episode, recorded in the second year of this podcast – Why You Need to Pay to Get Better with Money.

I chose this episode to rewind to because there is still a collective doubt about the power of investing your own dollars to learn what it takes to better your financial situation.

Have you considered working with a financial coach or therapist and talked yourself out of it? You’re not alone!

In this episode, I break down the value of investing money to improve with your money, along with the necessary mindset shift a person needs to make to not only willingly put up their money to improve in their financial situation, but to see an infinite return on that investment in the form of true results.

If you know you need to get help in your situation but haven’t been able to justify the cost, this episode will change your entire perspective.

Here's a glance at this episode:

• [02:22] In this City Girl Solutions segment, I’m sharing some ideas for budget-friendly wedding planning.
• [04:35] If you’ve never invested in any type of coach or trainer, it can probably be hard to wrap your head around spending money to get better with something that you can learn on your own.
• [10:23] You can spend a lot of time researching and learning what you can do to improve your finances. The research may not cost money. However, you’re giving up your time at the expense of not spending money.
• [14:00] Nothing happens overnight – whether you work with a coach or not. You have to be consistent and put in the work to see the results.
• [18:09] Paying down your debt balances is a big part of building wealth. With the right plan, you can see progress in this area.

Rate, Review, & Follow:

Did you love this episode? Are you a fan of the City Girl Savings podcast? If so, please consider rating and reviewing the show!

This helps spread the word about City Girl Savings, and hopefully helps more people make the best money moves possible on the way to their dream life!

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, please make sure you’re subscribed and following the City Girl Savings podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Get on the waitlist for the Money Management Mastery program!

Learn about Raya’s Financial Focus Coaching Program

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

In this week’s City Girl Savings podcast episode, we’re rewinding to a more seasoned episode, recorded in the second year of this podcast – 9 Ways to Manifest More Money Into Your Life.

I personally love this episode and chose to rewind to it because not everyone believes in the power of manifestation, or you just need some encouragement to manifest money into your own life.

In the episode, I share 9 ways anyone can start manifesting more money into their lives. I also share my manifesting journey.

What’s not included is how I manifested my life goal of owning a second home in Palm Springs. If I were to re-record this episode, I’d have another firsthand example of how powerful manifesting can be.

Here's a glance at this episode:

• [02:15] When you start believing something to be true, your brain acts accordingly. This is the science behind manifestation.
• [04:20] One tip to help you manifest more money is to write yourself a million-dollar check and keep it some place where you can see it often.
• [06:48] I hate to say it, but the more negative you think, the more negative things will happen. This is because you’re constantly focused on the negative, so it becomes much more apparent.
• [10:00] Already have goals? Have you shared them? Putting your goals out into the world adds an extra layer of accountability, which can help you work harder to achieve them.
• [14:10] The more thought-aware you become, the easier it will be for you to notice thoughts that aren’t in line with what you want to manifest.

Rate, Review, & Follow:

Did you love this episode? Are you a fan of the City Girl Savings podcast? If so, please consider rating and reviewing the show!

This helps spread the word about City Girl Savings, and hopefully helps more people make the best money moves possible on the way to their dream life!

To leave a review on Apple Podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, please make sure you’re subscribed and following the City Girl Savings podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Get on the waitlist for the Money Management Mastery program!

Listen to Episode #43 – 6 Negative Thoughts Hurting Your Money Situation

Listen to Episode #53 – My Personal and Business Goals for 2023

Learn about Raya’s Financial Focus Coaching Program

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!