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City Girl Savings | Budgeting, Money Management, and Goal Setting Tips for Women — Education
City Girl Savings | Budgeting, Money Management, and Goal Setting Tips for Women

Make good money but still feel behind financially?

Struggling with budgeting, overspending, or figuring out where your money actually goes?

Whether you’re living paycheck to paycheck, earning a solid income but struggling to stay organized, or ready to finally build real wealth…The City Girl Savings Podcast is your weekly money reset.

Hosted by Money Coach and City Girl Savings founder Raya Reaves, this podcast helps women master budgeting, improve money management, stop overspending, pay off debt, and confidently build wealth…without giving up the lifestyle they love.

Raya knows what it feels like to make money and still feel out of control. After years of overspending and credit card debt, she transformed her finances using simple budgeting systems and intentional money habits. Today, she’s a full-time financial coach, second-home owner in Palm Springs, and wealth-building entrepreneur…and she teaches women how to do the same.

Each episode covers topics like:

• Budgeting systems that simplify your life
• Money mindset shifts that build confidence
• How to stop overspending and save consistently
• Paying off debt and keeping it at $0
• Building wealth while still enjoying your lifestyle
• Financial organization, goal setting, and long-term security

If you’re a working woman who makes good money but knows you could be doing more with it, this podcast is your weekly money reset.

Press follow and let Raya be the money coach in your ear every Monday…helping you budget your way to a life you truly love.

Follow City Girl Savings on your favorite podcast platform, or visit: citygirlsavings.com to learn more!

Join the weekly newsletter for practical money strategies and mindset shifts: https://citygirlsavings.activehosted.com/f/31

Connect with Raya on TikTok, Facebook, or Instagram: @citygirlsavings

Copyright: © City Girl Savings, LLC

Latest Episodes:

Christmas as a Money Coach: What I Give and Ask For Dec 25, 2023

Show notes

Happy Holidays!

Have you ever wondered what a money coach gives and asks for Christmas?

Well, you'll learn today! While I love every holiday following the Fall season, Christmas holds a special place in my heart.

Growing up, it was a time of the year that brought so much joy – not because of the gifts, but just the energy from that time of year.

I would sit at home, alone, watching Christmas cartoons, just sitting next to the lit-up Christmas tree and would feel pure bliss.

As an adult, I still feel bliss sitting next to the tree!

In this episode, I'm sharing what Christmas is like as a money coach – the things I give and what I usually ask for.

Here's a glance at this episode:

[01:35] If you're listening to the episode right when it airs, then Merry Christmas! Raya is wishing you a wonderful holiday season!

[03:37] As Raya got older, she started putting more thought into the gifts she would give. The focus would be on things people needed or that reminded her of them.

[06:03] There was a time, specifically college years, where Raya would constantly exceed her spending limit for Christmas, but mostly on buying herself material things.
[09:04] A rule of thumb in Raya's family for spending money on Christmas gifts is to stay within $100 per person for gifts.
[11:33] Raya always asks for Starbucks gift cards for Christmas, because it's money well spent and will help her stick to the budget during the start of the year.

Subscribe, Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

This helps me support more people — just like you — to make the best money moves as they make their way to their dream life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Struggling with your finances? Request a call with me (and get a budget)!

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram

Follow City Girl Savings on TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

Check out the City Girl Savings blog!

My Personal and Business Goals for 2024 Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

You may remember I did an episode at the end of 2022, sharing my personal and business goals for 2023.

I got such great feedback on that episode, that I decided to do another one sharing my 2024 goals!\

As you probably know, during the last quarter of every year, I like to sit down and set my personal and business goals for the next year.

I usually reflect on the progress of my current goals and that lets me identify what I need to tweak for the new goals I plan to set.

I don't always reach every goal I set, and sometimes I exceed my goals.

But what never stops is me setting or working towards goals.

In this episode, I'm sharing my personal and business goals for 2024. I'm also giving you an update on my 2023 goals!

Here's a glance at this episode:

[02:31] Before sharing her goals for 2024, Raya breaks down the progress she's made on her 2023 personal and business goals.

[06:49] One goal Raya has for 2024 is to walk 10,000 steps per day Monday through Friday and to incorporate a high-fiber diet every weekday.

[10:51] Although Raya's auto loan interest rate is 0%, Raya has a personal goal of paying her car off before the 2024 year ends.
[13:35] Following in last year's footsteps. City Girl Savings has a goal of hitting 10,000 newsletter subscribers for the 2024 year.
[16:00] 2023 was a heavy year for Raya. The focus for 2024 is to work hard but to not lose sight of her mental health along the way.

Subscribe, Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

This helps me support more people — just like you — to make the best money moves as they make their way to their dream life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Listen to Episode 82 – Mid-Year Personal and Business Goals Check In

Struggling with your finances? Request a call with me (and get a budget)!

5 Signs You Shouldn't Be as Broke As You Are Dec 11, 2023

Show notes

While the statistics vary, it's believed that 55 to 63 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.

Plus, One-third of U.S. consumers say they aren't currently saving any money and, of this group, 60 percent don't have savings.

This is a problem.

Over half of our country is struggling to get by.

Not to mention, if an emergency were to come up, the majority would be S.O.L! You may fall into these statistics, but should you?

In this episode, I'm sharing five signs you shouldn't be as broke as you are. If any of the signs apply to you, you'll learn a few steps you can take to improve your situation.

Here's a glance at this episode:

[01:45] Raya kicks off the episode by answering a City Girl Solutions question asking her what she does for fun.

[04:48] If you have to pick and choose which bills get paid each month, your focus should be on bringing in more money or cutting back any non-necessary spending.

[09:04] Emergencies don't happen on our timeline. They will typically pop up at the most inconvenient time, so having a savings account in place will help to ease the mental and financial burden.
[13:59] You get to decide if you want to keep doing what you're doing or if you want to change your behaviors.
[19:04] If you live paycheck to paycheck but don't have a budget plan – that's a huge problem that needs to be fixed.

Subscribe, Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

This helps me support more people — just like you — to make the best money moves as they make their way to their dream life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Listen to Episode 3 – Breaking Through the Stigma of Budgeting

Learn about Raya's Money Coaching Program

Struggling with your finances? Request a call with me (and get a budget)!

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram

Follow City Girl Savings on TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

Check out the City Girl Savings blog!

Creating Your Brand, Content and More with Milou Pietersz Dec 04, 2023

Show notes

Brands aren't just for businesses and business owners.

We all have a personal brand.

Whether we work for ourselves, work for a company, or don't work at all, our personal brand exists.

So, the question becomes, what do you want people to think of when they hear your name?

If you don't know the answer or you want to change your current personal brand, this episode is for you!

Today, I'm chatting with brand marketing strategist and founder of the boutique marketing agency Simply MultiMedia Milou Pietersz.

Milou and I are going to talk about all things branding, content and more!

Here's a glance at this episode:

[04:10] Milou shares more details about her company Simply Multimedia, including how they recently went through a company rebrand.

[12:48] As you shift your message and/or brand (whether it's personal for business), you may lose people along the way. That's a good thing.

[22:20] Milou reflects back on when she started her YouTube channel – sharing that it was such a humbling experience to see her original videos.
[33:00] Milou recommends "long form content" for business owners who are struggling with their marketing efforts.
[39:38] If you are consistent with your content and you have the right message, it may take time but you will have that slow and steady growth.
[43:08] Raya shares why she worked corporate and grew City Girl Savings for over 6 years and what she learned from that experience.

Subscribe, Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

This helps me support more people — just like you — to make the best money moves as they make their way to their dream life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Follow Milou on Instagram

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram

Follow City Girl Savings on TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

6 Ways Gratitude Leads to a Richer Life Nov 27, 2023

Show notes

If you practice gratitude on a regular basis, then you know that things will always be okay.

No matter how bad something is, there's this light at the end of the tunnel.

You appreciate the good times, you learn from the bad times, and you stay humble.

It's a magical thing.

If you don't practice gratitude on a regular basis, you may find that things always seem bad.

Nothing ever seems to go right. Nothing goes according to plan.

There's a solution: gratitude.

In this episode, I'm sharing 6 ways gratitude leads to a richer life and how you can start practicing gratitude ASAP!

Have you ever noticed that when you focus on the positive, more positive things seem to happen? On the flip side, when you focus on the negative, more negative things seem to happen. Almost as if what you focus on becomes your reality.

Well, the mind is a powerful tool. When you practice gratitude, you're almost forced to look at the positive. The more you focus on it, the more positive things there are to find.

If you're not sure how to go about practicing gratitude, start by writing down 5 things you're grateful for everyday! They can be the same things, new things, small things or big things!

As you become consistent, you'll notice your natural state of thinking will be to show appreciation for things that happen to you.

Here's a glance at this episode:

[02:20] Gratitude allows you to see the good in your life. When you practice gratitude, it forces you to think about the things you're grateful for.

[06:04] When you start to see the positive on a daily basis, because you practice gratitude, you naturally become a more-positive person.

[10:09] One thing Raya is grateful for about herself is that she does what she says she's going to do. She holds true to her word – with herself and her others.
[12:47] If you're just starting out with practicing gratitude, keep it simple! Start by listing out 5 things you're grateful for every day.

Subscribe, Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

This helps me support more people — just like you — to make the best money moves as they make their way to their dream life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Listen to Episode 4 – Why Mindset is Critical and How to Start Improving It

Struggling with your finances? Request a call with me (and get a budget)!

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram

Follow City Girl Savings on TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

Check out the City Girl Savings blog!

Adversity Breeds Resilience: How I Handle Hard Times Nov 20, 2023

Show notes

Just 3 months before you're listening to this episode, my sweet, kind, genuine mom, my last parent passed away.

She had been terminally ill for years and it finally took her.

10 years before that, my dad was killed by a drunk driver at 4 in the afternoon on a road he'd driven on just about daily for 25 years.

Those are two of the worst things that have ever happened to me.

And unfortunately, there were a lot of hard things that happened in between.

But you know what? I'm still standing.

In this episode, I'm sharing why I 100% believe that adversity breeds resilience and how I have been able to get through some of the worst times of my life.

My hope is that this episode encourages you to keep on keeping on, even through your worst times.

Not every day is easy, but here are a few things that have helped me when going through my most challenging times:

Walking to the sunrise every morning
Daily Devotionals, especially on grief and challenging times
Listening to meditations and higher-power messages (I really liked this one)
Journaling my thoughts and feelings
Letting those close to me know when I'm having sad days

If you're going through hard times, I'm praying for courage to power through, wisdom to know there's something good on the other side, and grace to allow yourself to get through the best you can.

Here's a glance at this episode:

[02:20] We can choose to give in to the hard times, or we can choose to power through. Not everyday has to be perfect, but every day we get to choose.

[05:35] You can triumph in tragedy. Raya shares how the passing of her father opened the door for City Girl Savings to become a reality.

[09:27] Staying positive is SO much easier said than done. But, Raya is saying it anyway. Staying positive can make or break an already-trying time.
[13:37] Raya shares some of the things that helped her get through some of her most challenging times.

Subscribe, Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

This helps me support more people — just like you — to make the best money moves as they make their way to their dream life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Struggling with your finances? Request a call with me (and get a budget)!

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram

Follow City Girl Savings on TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

Check out the City Girl Savings blog!

Celebrating 100 Episodes: Raya's Favorite Episode Roundup Nov 13, 2023

Show notes

O.M.G! I can't believe we've reached 100 episodes of the City Girl Savings podcast!

First off, where does the time go?! Second, I'm so glad I bit the bullet and decided to launch the podcast in January of 2022.

I had been contemplating a podcast for a long time, but the timing never felt right. I knew that if I was going to commit to showing up every week, I had to be in a space to do it.

So, when I took City Girl Savings full-time in May of 2021, the podcast felt like the right next step. 100 episodes and nearly 2 years later, I know I made the right choice.

To celebrate 100 episodes, I'm sharing my all-time 10 favorite episodes of the City Girl Savings podcast and why they made the list.

Raya's 10 All-Time Favorite Episodes (in no particular order):

#58: My Daily Morning Routine for Boosting Productivity

#76: Breaking Down My Savings Accounts and Strategies

#20: Breaking Generational Money Curses with Lea Landaverde

#91: 35 Money Lessons I Learned by 35

#1: Big City Spender to City Girl Saver: How City Girl Savings Came to Be

#41: Pulling Back the Curtain and Getting Intimate

#81: Manifesting Money, Trips and More with CGS Client Tymika

#10: Conquering the Fear of Failure and Re-defining Success

#70: My Budget Non-Negotiables

#12: An Introduction to Travel-Hacking with Travel Rewards Coach the Miss Miles

Let me first say that it was incredibly hard to limit my favorites list to 10, but I did it! If you've been listening to the show from the beginning, THANK YOU! I hope some of these episodes made your favorites list as well.

Here's a glance at this episode:

[02:28] Raya loves systems and routines, so it's no surprise that Episode 58, where she shares her morning routine, made the all-time favorites list.

[06:45] From 34 to 35, Raya learned a lot about life, happiness, and money. Her lessons learned over 35 years had a huge impact on her.

[11:34] Speaking with CGS Client Tymika about manifestation was an all-time favorite episode for Raya because it took listeners through some of the mindset work that happens on client coaching calls.
[16:05] Yes, Raya is all about budgets. But, budgets that include the things we love! Raya shares why the episode on her budget non-negotiables made the all-time favorites list.

Subscribe, Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

This helps me support more people — just like you — to make the best money moves as they make their way to their dream life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

#58: My Daily Morning Routine for Boosting Productivity

#76: Breaking Down My Savings Accounts and Strategies

#20: Breaking Generational Money Curses with Lea Landaverde

#91: 35 Money Lessons I Learned by 35

#1: Big City Spender to City Girl Saver: How City Girl Savings Came to Be

#41: Pulling Back the Curtain and Getting Intimate

#81: Manifesting Money, Trips and More with CGS Client Tymika

#10: Conquering the Fear of Failure and Redefining Success

#70: My Budget Non-Negotiables

#12: An Introduction to Travel-Hacking with Travel Rewards Coach the Miss Miles

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram

Follow City Girl Savings on TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

Check out the City Girl Savings blog!

Financial Coach versus Financial Advisor with Grace Kilgore Nov 06, 2023

Show notes

Because the coaching industry is so new, it's no surprise that most people assume they need a financial advisor, instead of a financial coach.

I've been a financial coach since 2015 and many people have called me a financial advisor (which I'm not) and sought services outside of my wheelhouse.

That's why I'm so excited to have financial advisor Grace Kilgore on the show today.

Grace and I are going to talk about the differences between a financial coach and a financial advisor, so whoever's listening can understand the difference and seek out the right financial support.

When you're looking to establish your financial foundation – create a budget, pay off debt, build an emergency fund and improve your money mindset, a financial coach is what you need.

When you have a solid financial foundation and you're ready to build wealth – through investment vehicles like the stock market, life insurance and more, you're ready to work with a financial advisor.

My goal as a finance coach is to get my clients established and ready to work with a financial advisor. They have laid the foundation for financial consistency and now they're ready to capitalize.

In addition to educating listeners on the differences of financial coaching versus advising, Grace shares what it's like to work as a woman in the male-dominated finance industry, what qualifiers she looks for before taking on new clients, and how she manages work, family and home life.

Here's a glance at this episode:

[02:31] Grace shares her background and the interesting story of how she got into the financial advising space, unexpectedly.

[11:43] "I don't feel like I have to compete with my male counterparts". The financial services industry is male dominated. Grace shares her experiences as a woman working her way up in the industry.

[23:21] When someone is ready to work with a financial advisor, like Grace, she can help them avoid mistakes that could jeopardize their wealth-building efforts.
[33:10] The verdict is in – Raya and Grace both agree that paying down high-interest debt should be a top priority, even above investing in the stock market.
[43:37] Grace shares the time management tricks that work for her. She works better in small chunks of time when getting tasks done.
[49:07] Fill your feed with financial encouragement to help make finances a priority in your life.

Subscribe, Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

This helps me support more people — just like you — to make the best money moves as they make their way to their dream life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Follow Grace on Instagram

Want to work with Grace? Book a Discovery Call with her!

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram

Follow City Girl Savings on TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

8 Money Goals to Set for the New Year Oct 30, 2023

Show notes

There's no denying the power of setting money goals…any goals for that matter.

Goals keep us motivated. Goals give us something to work towards. Goals help us measure our success towards the things that matter most.

Most people, myself included, set goals at the beginning of the year.

There's nothing like a fresh start! But if you've never set money goals before, I want 2024 to be the year you give it a try.

In case you're not sure what goals to set, in this episode I'm sharing 8 effective money goals for the new year, or any time, that you can set and work towards.

Let this be your starting point to a prosperous financial year!

Here's a glance at this episode:

[01:38] Raya answers the latest City Girl Solutions question: "How many coaching clients do you typically work with?"

[05:40] An effective money goal for anyone is to get started with investing. Even if it's on a small scale, investing can be transformative.

[10:47] Create a spreadsheet that helps you quickly identify what your savings situation looks like. Essentially, your savings account portfolio.
[14:41] The only way to know if you're actually sticking to the budget you've created is by tracking your spending regularly.

Subscribe, Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

This helps me support more people — just like you — to make the best money moves as they make their way to their dream life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Rollover old retirement plans with Capitalize

Download the Debt Repayment Checklist

Let me create a budget plan for you!

Get your question answered on the podcast! Ask your question here.

Struggling with your finances? Request a call with me (and get a budget)!

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram

Follow City Girl Savings on TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

Check out the City Girl Savings blog!

How to Give Your Budget a Makeover Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

Do you always start the month with a new budget and high hopes, only to forget about it a few days later?

Is your problem sticking to the budget instead of creating it?

Or maybe you have completely given up on the thought of a doable budget?

If your current budget or budgeting process isn't working, it's probably time to give your old budget a makeover!

In this episode, I'm sharing some powerful ways to revamp your budget and make it as effective as possible for you!

Remember, a budget takes work, so commit to seeing it through and it'll become second nature in no time.

Here's a glance at this episode:

[01:55] Creating long-term budgets doesn't always work as well as intended. Start with a monthly budgeting routine.

[04:59] Having a "close-by" savings and Miscellaneous category in your budget can help you if unexpected expenses pop up.

[09:35] A budget doesn't mean you can't have fun. Your budget should include fun!
[12:25] Constantly overbudget? Where is that money coming from? Are you going into debt or tapping into savings?

Subscribe, Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

This helps me support more people — just like you — to make the best money moves as they make their way to their dream life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Listen to Episode 63 – How to Financially Prioritize Your Needs and Wants

Listen to Episode 17 – Why Your Budget Should Always Include the Things You Love

Let me create a budget plan for you!

Get your question answered on the podcast! Ask your question here.

Struggling with your finances? Request a call with me (and get a budget)!

Follow City Girl Savings on Instagram

Follow City Girl Savings on TikTok

Join the City Girl Savings Facebook Group

Subscribe to the City Girl Savings Newsletter!

Check out the City Girl Savings blog!

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