I learned so much from this program. I am so grateful for having been chosen to be a part #WomenInspired Challenge, a wonderful online community focused on inspiring and informing women just like you and me about what money can and can’t do in our lives. But if I could wrap-up my final thoughts about my growing relationship with money over the last three months, I would say the following:

Use your morning so you can rest in the evening That’s one of my favorite Antiguan sayings which means that you should use your youth to your advantage so you can relax when you grow old. Economists confirm this belief, too. Your prime earning years occur between 25 and 55. That’s a good chunk of time, but it will go faster than you think. When I started cracking down on my student loan debt, putting on Mickey Mouse suits and all to pull together my little duckets to make my federal and private loan balances go down, I was using my “morning” productively. When you say no to blowing your paycheck on something frivolous and expensive, when you are using your “morning” wisely. When you start stashing money away for your emergency fund and retirement, then you are REALLY about #morninglife. When you pay attention to your morning, you are proactively and deliberately creating a plush and comfortable afternoon and evening.

Frugal Feministas, I cannot stress this belief enough. If you start small: say yes to working two extra hours of overtime, saving $10/week, setting aside 5% for retirement, swapping clothes instead of buying something new, then you are using your morning right.

Money brings joy when used wisely. I shared in an earlier post that I went to London for the first time earlier this year. Going to London, a city that holds so much Caribbean immigrant history—including that of my Antiguan mom, who studied nursing there, was such a rewarding experience. I met Anounchka, my fierce cousin, for the first time, and in her, found a sister and partner-in-crime.

Real women talk about money. If you’ve been a part of The Frugal Feminista family for a long time, you know I believe that financial self-care is a revolutionary badass act. If we are to get to our financial goals, we can’t be coy when talking about the coinage with our family members and ourselves. Sometimes the conversations are full of love, support, and guidance; sometimes the conversations are about redirecting, setting limits, and saying no. Either way, the conversations will be had. Kind but hard conversations improve the financial fortitude and self-awareness of everyone involved.

Frugal Feministas—In the past three months, what have you learned about your financial self? Share how you’ve financially changed in the last three months, and join the growing community of #womeninspired

If you need deeper work around healing your relationship with money or overcoming your blocks and fears, maybe it’s time for some money therapy.