Personal Finance Can Be Such a Monday

This is an email I originally sent my list back in November 2021. Interested in more of this goodness in your inbox? Sign up here!

Life can feel like such a Monday, right? That bonus you were hoping for doesn’t happen, your car’s catalytic converter breaks, or [as I experienced recently] the refrigerator makes weird noises I didn’t know a refrigerator could make.

And if it feels like it’s all too much, I recommend the following:

Cry. Your. Eyes. Out. Better yet: tell a close friend about it, ask what money thing they want to cry about, then cry together.

As Piggy & Kitty of Bitches Get Riches shared at the 2021 EconoMe Conference, we all rise up financially when we cry together.

Because by being open and honest with each other, we get to a place where we can actually help each other with money problems.

So let’s say you’ve had a cry with your friend (or your mom/therapist/all of the above). Once you’re ready to pick yourself up, here are some ideas to help you out of your funk:

1. How can I help someone else avoid this happening to them?
   If you’re struggling with a money issue – especially if it’s systemic, like being underpaid – then you need to WIDELY share your struggle. Because I guarantee you that someone else you know (very likely a coworker who is female and/or a person of color) is having the same problem.
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2. How can I help myself avoid this happening again?
   It sucks to say this, but if it happens to you once, it might happen again. So what needs to change in your financial plan to prepare for a repeat performance? Do you need a larger emergency fund? Different health insurance? A change of career?
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3. What’s your emergency fund look like?
   If ya got money in it…use it. This might come as a surprise, but emergency funds are for emergencies. Emergencies = anything affecting your physical and/or emotional health & safety.
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4. How can you lean on your community for support?
   You do NOT have to do this yourself. Ask friends and family how they dealt with this type of struggle in their lives, and if they would be willing to help you sort through it (if needed). You may be surprised what you learn from each other!

So remember: Mondays suck and it’s okay to cry about them. But don’t forget to let others in and use the resources you have to help you out of them. And if you have any more ideas for how to tackle Monday-like money problems, I’d love to hear them!