three smart ways to budget your money


Run Your Money Newsletter

Hi Reader,

I had such a good time teaching my investing class over the weekend! My plan now is to make it available on-demand. Keep an eye out for it if you missed my class but would like to still learn how to invest with me.

In other news, you've probably been hearing about the news coming out of Israel and Gaza over the last couple of weeks.

Before I was in the money space, this was actually my focus of study and work. I have my Master's in Middle East Studies and lived in Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Damascus.

I also know that many are overwhelmed not only with the horrific news coming out but also with the conflict and trying to understand.

So, on my Instagram, I posted a series of slides to help teach you in the most unbiased way I possibly could. You can check them out here, here, here, here, and here.

My final post, which will be an analysis of what I think Israel should do, will come out later today.

I've also been answering questions in my stories, which I've saved on a highlight.

It's a heavy and contentious topic, and I hope I've helped you to navigate the issues!

And now, since there's no good way to transition... let's get to this week's newsletter of Run Your Money!

Best,
Veronica

Four Smart Ways to Budget Your Money

I have a soft spot in my heart for budgeting. But I think when people hear the word budget, cringe and anxiety start racing through their veins.

I've noticed some resentment because people feel they have to budget because they're not "rich."

Another way budgets get a bad reputation is when people hear the word budget, they automatically think of constriction and confinement and would rather feel more free with their money.

I believe the complete opposite.

Before we get to the three budgets I want to teach you today, I want to explain why a budget is so wonderful.

1) Budget Gives Freedom, Not Taketh Away

A budget gives you freedom and releases guilt about current spending. I used to stress any time I spent money beyond my needs, regardless of how much money I actually had in the bank.

The moment I started to embrace a thought-out budget was the moment that I felt most free and the least guilty about spending.

When I started my budget, I knew exactly where every dollar went. I could show up for something that may feel like a splurge, like a massage, and enjoy my time rather than feeling guilty about spending the money.

I knew I could still easily afford the massage while also having money for saving, investing, paying my bills, etc.

If you prefer audio...

Four Smart Ways to Budget Your Money (And Why You Need One!)

I hope by the end of the episode, you'll have some ideas on how to make a budget that works for you.

Don't miss last Friday's Q&A episode:

"What's in your portfolio?" I tell you the exact index funds I own. (I'm not telling you to buy them, just telling you what I have.)

Submit your question for the Q&A episodes here.

Have a burning money question for me?

Where should I save my money? What do you think about a CD?

I'll start with a CD. CD, or Certificate of Deposit, is when you tell the bank, "Here's $1,000. I promise not to take it out until XXX months pass."

The bank says excellent! In exchange, we'll give you an extra high interest rate.

They can be great ways to make the most of your savings for money that you need in five years or less.

However, as money who does routinely look at HYSA's and CD's interest rates, they're not much better, if better at all, than HYSAs these days.

So while they *can* be great, in today's economy, you're much better off putting money into a HYSA getting *at least* 4% interest.

This brings me to the first part of your question: emergency funds always belong in an accessible account. So, never in a brokerage account or CD.

If you're saving for something you want in five years or less, that money also belongs in a HYSA. While index fund investing is relatively reliable, the market does go up and down. And you don't want it to be down when you need the money.

If you need the money in 5-10 years, I think you could put the money in a brokerage account. You'll just want a more conservative portfolio.

If you're not sure how to stop for a high-yield savings account, check out this video here.

Work with me 1:1-

Run Your Money Roadmap:

In the RYM Roadmap, you'll have six weeks with me to makeover your finances, top to bottom.

If you're finally making money (or have been), but haven't figured out how to optimize and grow your money, I'm your gal.

We'll have five 55-minute sessions over six weeks.

Each session is dedicated to mindset, spending, saving, and investing, and in the final session, we’ll put everything together in your RYM Roadmap.

Learn more and book here.

If you'd like to book just a single session, you can do that here.

📺 Golden Bachelor: I have watched the Bachelor and Bachelorette SINCE THE BEGINNING. And nothing, NOTHING, has been better than GOLDEN BACHELOR. If the franchise has lost you (because, admittedly, it's gotten terrible), come back! You won't be disappointed! If you've never seen The Bachelor, you have my permission to skip everything else and just.watch.this.

My favorite part is how it celebrates love, sex, dating, and overall living your best life when you're 60+.

See you next week!

-Veronica


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Hi! I'm Veronica

Veronica is a Certified Financial Consultant by the NFEC and founder of Run Your Money. She wants you to be done with the money shaming of the finance bros and learn more grounded financial knowledge than what the money manifesters teach. Veronica has been good with money since she started babysitting at age 11, perhaps thanks to her Sun and Venus in Capricorn? She’s been saving and learning to be more strategic with money ever since. She also has a degree in Social and Economic Justice and has a unique perspective on how your finances play out in our larger economic systems. She wants to help you run your money so it stops running you.

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