Episode 39 | October 3, 2023
Rachel Durci, owner of Effortless Budgeting joins us to discuss boundary setting with finances, how to change your money mindset, and finding the right balance between budget and monetary comfort.
Listen in as Rachel Durci discusses her personal journey opening up to money conversations and now supporting others in their budgeting efforts.
INTRO
Welcome to “That’s a Hard No” – the podcast about learning to say no and set boundaries to live our best lives.
Follow along with me as we learn from fellow strugglers and experts, so that you too can start saying no without feeling fear, guilt, or FOMO.
SHOW NOTES
Rachel Durci, financial wellness coach and owner of Effortless Budgeting, shares her personal journey with finances that motivated her to make a change. In doing so, she realized how uncomfortable and stress inducing money conversations and budgeting can be. She supports clients in building financial confidence and saying “no” to debt crises.
Key Takeaways
“I need to find a better way to make sure that I don’t feel that constant stress and anxiety over money.”
[00:04:45] Stress and anxiety around money
- Having funds/bills covered does not necessarily mean money is not stressful
- The need to always have more or never enough
- Dissect where the stress and discomfort lies
- After doing so, this is where it is important to make changes
[00:13:27] Lack of communication around money
- Sharing with friends and family when a budget is the reason for not doing something
- Making sure to be open with your partner about money/finances
“It’s not the money, it’s the lack of communication around money.”
- Ask others how much they paid/charged on items – start small
- Start with someone you can feel safe from judgment with
[00:17:43] Self-imposed boundaries
- Creating boundaries that fit for you – these can be very specific or small
- Strategies across the board don’t necessarily work for everyone
- Give yourself grace, do not dwell on a poor financial decision, move forward
- Find out where you actually spend your money
- Don’t set lofty goals – have a realistic plan prior
[00:25:41] Creating a budget spreadsheet
- A budget gives you information
- Know your interest rates
- A simple spreadsheet is the best starting point
- expenses/income, include all purchases
- savings
- debt
- variable income (side jobs, business owner)
- overflow income (tax return, bonus – know what you want to do with these first)
- This is your financial picture
[00:30:39] Tracking your spending
- Avoiding mindless buying
- View where all your money goes
- Where do you want to spend your money – does your spending align with these goals/values?
“So how you feel about your debt is what’s way more important than actually having debt is the first thing.”
[00:35:18] Using debt as a tool
“And so I have switched my mindset to look at debt as a tool to help improve my credit score, become more financially responsible, and ensure cash flow so that I can keep my company stable.”
[00:37:21] Breaking down debt payments
- Knowing interest rates
- Pay down smaller debts first to eliminate, rather than all together
“Every single time you spend money on something, you’re not spending money on something else.”
Where to Find Rachel
- Website – EffortlessBudgeting.com
- LinkedIn – Rachel Durci
- Instagram – @Effortless_Budgeting
Credits and Thanks
- Many thanks to our friends and families (our “villagers”) for listening, and for your continued support.
- That’s a Hard No is a production of Clever Girl Marketing
- Marketing and Production Coordinator, Maura Del Rosario
- Production Support, Evergreen Podcasts, Noah Foutz, Producer
- New Rock Anthem Music: Written by Noah, and performed by his band, The Big Leagues