Girls Just Wanna Have Funds Women's Personal Finance Blog

Most of you by now have read the New York Times article on the DABA Girls AKA Dating A Banker Anonymous Girls.  They’ve received both positive and negative attention around their support group and blog for women who’s “dating a banker” relationships have hit the rocks due to the current state of the economy. Now, on one hand I feel for them because we’re all affected by this in one way or another.  On the other hand I want to shake a few of them, telling them that this is the reality of being in a long term relationship.  No ... Read More »

We’re in the final stretch of paying off all of our consumer debt!  I can’t begin to tell you how many times we’ve fallen off the wagon but we’re back on board!  Even though I know how to budget and set up a plan, what’s always tripped us up is unplanned expenses and of course getting on the same page about our goals. It wasn’t until recently that I realized how much MY spending got us into trouble.  My husband has also been the culprit, buying a $500 watch which had me through the roof! He isn’t a big spender ... Read More »

Losing my debit card usually means a frantic call to my bank to have it replaced and then a planned trip to the branch to re-pin the code so that I don’t forget the one they send me.  Not this time around. About three weeks ago the man went to the ATM to get cash to pay the housekeeper.  He came back, put the money on the night stand while I was asleep, but uhmm no debit card.  Long story but there are two cards for the same account, but he can’t use the ATM because he forgot the pin ... Read More »

Oprah’s Best Life webinar featuring personal finance guru Suze Orman will be taking questions from viewers about money matters, including credit management and tips for making over your FICO credit score. The webinar will be live on Thursday, January 15 at 8 p.m. CST. If you are interested in joining, you can register here: http://lybl.oprah.com/lybl.html (check the money box). Since many women manage the finances in their household, understanding the FICO score is one way women can empower themselves and secure their financial future. In honor of Oprah’s yearly list of her favorite things, here are some of “FICO’s Favorite ... Read More »

I was just notified by Evan Carmichael that Girls Just Wanna Have Funds has been listed as one of The Top 50 Get Out of Debt Blogs To Watch In 2009!!!  Feel free to go over and take a gander at the other fabulous blogs who made the list! Of course, I’d like to feature the other blogs written by women here: The Budgeting Babe URL: http://budgetingbabe.blogspot.com/ The Budgeting Babe is a website dedicated to all the young, working women who want to spend like Carrie in a Jimmy Choo store but have a budget closer to Roseanne. Fabulous Financials ... Read More »

Our meetup was a success!  Special thanks to three new members who showed up with art supplies in hand ready to share with the rest of the group.  Everyone brought in their magazines, posterboards, markers and glue and got to work on their vision boards. This was the agenda for the afternoon: Introductions · Tell us about yourself o Name, age, financial challenges and goals SMART Goals Overview Specific • Start off by being specific in your goal. Clearly define what you are going to do. Include the what, why and how. Measurable · You must be able to measure ... Read More »

How likely are you to leave a bad marriage if you have no education or poor career prospects? I realize there may be other factors such as children, years put into the marriage and each party’s willingness to work things out. But let’s put that aside for the moment. I have always always said that I wouldn’t want a lack of education or financial viability without my husband to stop me from leaving should things go sour.  While I value the sanctity of marriage, my sanity comes above all else and if it’s bad, I have to go.  God forbid ... Read More »

The DC Chapter of Girls Just Wanna Have Funds is having their first meetup of 2009!  Check it out: 2009 is upon us and we’ve talked about goal setting being an integral part of achieving financial success. Specifically SMART goals: Specific WHAT are you going to do? Use action words such as direct, organize, coordinate, lead, develop, plan, build etc. Measurable Choose a goal with measurable progress, so you can see the change occur. How will you see when you reach your goal? Be specific! “I want to read 3 chapter books of 100 pages on my own before my ... Read More »

photo credit: ginnerobot Well December 17th 2007 marked the day I got started with this blog as a personal finance blog for women but I wanted to celebrate it today.  I purchased this domain back in 2003 after reading the book Girls Just Wanna Have Funds, and, inspired by my own need to address personal finance issues from a woman’s perspective, this blog was born. Many have asked what’s the point of such a blog, doesn’t money mean the same thing to everyone?  After all, it isn’t green to men and pink to women.  Tis true, but understanding and taking ... Read More »

First I’d like to thank all of you for reading over the last year.  2008 took this blog and our goal to bring personal finance from a woman’s perspective to new heights.  I am thankful for “meeting” you all because you’ve broadened my horizons on this topic.  If 2008 is any indicator of what 2009 will bring then I eagerly await the challenge.  As we approach our first blogaversary, know that 2009 will up the ante for Girls Just Wanna Have Funds.  Thanks for reading, commenting, sending me articles, sharing your lives, trials, triumphs and attending our meetups here in ... Read More »

(image: pro.corbis.com) Who’s career is more important in your household?   Is it yours?  Significant other’s?  Well, according to this CNN article: Career couples fight over who’s the ‘trailing spouse’, more emphasis is usually placed on the man’s career. What do you think about that?  Why does the woman’s career take the back seat? Blame it on socialization, says Noonan. While it may not be true for every relationship, more often than not, she says, “men and women are taught to play very different roles within marriage. Women are socialized to play a homemaking role within the family, whereas men ... Read More »

This is a guest post by Rebecca Brown via DivineCaroline.com The pink slips have been handed out, the severance checks cashed, and the farewell drinks consumed. Everyone has offered their condolences to those who were let go, yet you’re still here, reeling in your cubicle, wondering if maybe you’re the one who really deserves the well wishes, sympathetic words, and free rounds of strong drinks. As a four-time layoff survivor (and two-time victim), I’ve experienced all the panic, depression, fear, and anxiety that comes with staying on the job when others have been let go. There are some things you ... Read More »

This is a guest post by Beverly Davis,  Founder of SundayCosmetics.com I’m a home-based entrepreneur with a clear vision of stable, multiple income streams. It sounds savvy, but the truth is, I learned from sudden unemployment. I’ll never again rely on one employer (or client) as my only source of income. It is my mission to share my personal revelation with anyone who wants to succeed financially. I’ve always heard “live beneath your means, don’t spend all you make, don’t use credit cards. Pay your tithes, give offerings” Good advice. Teachings should also include suggestions for increasing income with examples of ... Read More »

This is a guest post by wowOwow, via Divine Caroline.com The dramatic events on Wall Street are making us on Main Street nervous about the safety of our money. Is my savings account safe? What about my investment accounts? What about my IRA account? Who administers my 401-K? And what about my annuity with AIG? Or my life-insurance plan with one of the other insurance companies? In other words, “Is my money safe?” Consumers need to take control and find out if their money is safe. Here are a few tips on what you can do in these tumultuous financial times to ... Read More »

This is a guest post by By Jeffrey Strain of Mainstreet.com via DivineCaroline.com For most economists it is no longer whether there is going to be a recession, but what type of recession it is going to be—short recessions like the one from 1990 to 1991 and the one from March to November 2001, or something like the Great Depression. No matter which it ends up being, one of the best places to look for sound advice is from those people who have survived the worst of economic times—namely your grandparents. Here are ten ideas you may want to take ... Read More »