You’ve worked hard and checked every financial box—so why doesn’t it feel like enough?
If you ever find yourself celebrating one moment and stressing over your bank account the next, you’re not alone. Discover the subtle signs that it’s finally time for your financial glow-up.
In this episode, April Schoen, financial advisor at Curry Schoen Financial, unpacks the five signs that you’re ready for the next step in your financial journey—and reveals how mindset shifts, clear strategies, and intentional planning can help you enjoy the wealth you’re building.
You’ll discover…
The one habit that quietly erodes your financial progress even as your income rises
Why saving more doesn’t always mean moving closer to your goals
The surprising reason you still feel financially “behind” despite doing everything right
How to banish decision fatigue in a world overflowing with financial advice
The single question that changes everything about your money strategy
Mentioned in this episode:
Transcript:
April Schoen: Hi, I'm April Schoen, and I work with women who are doing great professionally, but still feel unsure about their next financial steps. You're smart, you're successful, you've worked really hard to get to where you are. But when it comes to your money, you may be wondering, am I doing the right things? Is there something that I'm missing? And I get it, I have felt that way too.
Years ago, my husband and I were doing all the right things financially. We had a plan, we had savings, we had very little debt, we were checking all the boxes. But I didn't still feel good about it. I'd go from, hey, we're doing great, so let's book that trip and celebrate, to panicking, feeling like we were spending too much and that I was just spiraling out of control, even though the money was there.
And one night, I remember after dinner, I was telling my husband, probably something along the lines of, we've got to get our spending under control. We're just hemorrhaging money. And he looked at me, and he said, April, you're like a roller coaster. I don't even know what you want me to do anymore. And he walks out of the room. And I remember just standing there, holding on to the kitchen counter and thinking to myself, why am I so stressed about money when we're doing everything right?
That was my turning point. That's when I realized it wasn't just about spreadsheets and numbers and more savings. It was about shifting my mindset from scarcity to abundance. It was about trusting what was already working well for us and giving myself permission to enjoy it. And this shift really changed everything for me. My relationship, my stress levels. It changed how I live. It changed how I give.
That was my financial glow up. And if you're feeling stuck, or if you're feeling like, hey, I'm doing all the right things, but I'm not sure, I still feel anxiety about it. Well, your glow-up might also be just around the next corner. So let's talk about today some signs that you're ready for some changes in your financial world. Let's talk about some signs that you might be ready for a financial glow-up.
Sign number one, you're earning well, but you're not sure where it's all going. I hear this all the time. Maybe you're making more than you ever have, but your savings don’t quite reflect it. And as income increases, your spending often does, too. We call this lifestyle creep. It's very real. It's so common you start thinking, if we just made more money, we'd be in a better position. But without a system, more income doesn't always mean more progress.
And let's be clear, this isn't about guilt. This isn't about cutting things that you enjoy. It's just about being intentional with your money. You need a system so you can track what's coming in, where it's going, so you know how much you're spending, how much you're saving, how much you're giving, and if there's anything left over. This is especially important if your income fluctuates. So if you get bonuses, commission, stock options. If you don't have a plan for those, then those windfalls can disappear fast, and you can be wondering what just happened to that?
Sign number two is you're saving, but you don't really have a strategy. Now, one of the most common questions I get is, how much should I be saving and where? And the answer to that is, it depends. It depends on your income, your future goals. What buckets are you already putting money in to? Maybe a lot of your wealth is in your 401k and in real estate, which means we may want to prioritize other accounts that are going to give you more tax advantages later, going to give you more flexibility and control along the way.
I hear people say, hey, April, I've heard a Roth IRA is good. Or I opened up a brokerage account. I put some money into it, but I never did anything with it. And the issue isn't that you're doing something wrong, it's that your money doesn't have a job. Every dollar should have a purpose, and if you don't have a plan, this is like hiring a team and then never telling them what to do.
Number three. You feel behind, even though you're doing everything right. Okay, this is exactly where I was. I was checking off all the boxes, but I still felt anxious. I second-guessed my decisions, and I wasn't actually enjoying the money that we had worked so hard for. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. This is just a signal that it's time for something deeper than just numbers and a spreadsheet, because it's not about just the numbers, it's about clarity.
It's about knowing what you want your money doing for you and making sure that you have a plan to get there, because without a plan, how do you know if you're on track? That makes it harder to enjoy the money that you do have. But once you do have a strategy, once you know you're on track, that you're taking care of what matters, something shifts. The guilt goes away. You can now spend money without guilt. That means taking the trip, buying the things. You really start to enjoy life, because you know, financially, you're in a good place, and that's powerful.
Number four, you're overwhelmed by all the options. There is no shortage of financial advice out there. So, should you invest in your 401k, pay down debt, buy real estate? Everything feels urgent, and everything feels like it's competing for first place in your financial world. Do you save for college for your kids? Do you renovate the kitchen? Do you book a vacation? Maybe these are all things that you want to do.
When you start adding it up, you start wondering, how can I even make all of this work? It seems impossible, and you can hit decision fatigue. Here's an example that happened to me recently. We needed a new roof, and I've had people ask me, oh, did you consider a metal roof? No. The answer is no. I picked shingles. I picked a color so I could move on. Why? Because I make so many decisions in my everyday life that I didn't want one more thing to have to add to go research or figure out or analyze.
I wanted a solution that worked, and that's what many women want with their money, too. system that works, a plan that gets them results. And when you're clear about your goals, your path becomes obvious. So, for example, let's say you said, April, I want to buy real estate. Well, then maxing out your 401K isn't going to help you, because that money's locked away until you get to retirement age. You need liquid cash. And so once you know what you want your money doing for you, the right decisions become clear.
Now, sign number five, you know you should have a plan, but you don't. This is all so often in common that I hear. You're juggling so much already, you're making a lot of decisions at work. You're making decisions for your family, but when it comes to your financial strategy, it's kind of half-built hodgepodge put together. It might be some stuff you read, things that you heard friends are doing.
But it's not really all put together. You started doing a few things, but you're just hoping it's all gonna come together in the end. But hope isn't a strategy. And this isn't because you don't care. It's usually because of one of two things. One, you just haven't had the time to sit down and go through it all yourself. Or you haven't had someone that you can trust build a plan with you. That makes all the difference. If we were sitting down together having coffee, here's what I would be asking you right now. What do you want your money actually doing for you? What's its purpose? Why are you working so hard to build wealth? What do you want that money doing for you and for your family? Do you want to retire one day? And if so, when? Are there any big milestones ahead? College, buying property, stock, options, inheritances?
These are all things that we want to start mapping out. Start asking yourself, what's happening in the next year? Next 5, 10, 20 years? Let me give you an example. For me, In the next year, we're going to be replacing the floors in our home, so we're starting to save for that. In the next five years, both of my kids will have had braces by then. I'll have one teenage driver, and college is right around the corner. In 20 years, retirement. These milestones help shape your plan, and it all starts with knowing what's important to you.
So did any of these signs resonate with you? If you said yes to even one, then your next best step is to take the smart money scorecard. There's a link in the description box. There's no cost. It's a two-minute self-assessment that I created just for women like you. It's going to help you quickly evaluate areas where you're strong and areas where you need to focus on next. There's no pressure, there's no jargon, just clarity. And if you want help reviewing your results and turning them into a personalized plan, I'd love to walk you through that as well. You've done the hard work of building your career. Now let's make sure your money is working just as hard as you are. So the link is in the description box.
So grab the scorecard, it takes two minutes. You'll be so glad that you did. Make sure that you like this video. Subscribe to my channel. This way, you're going to get access to any new videos that pop up, just like this one. I'm working on a new series just for women. This is the first of many to come. I'm so glad you're here. This is just the beginning of our conversation. We've got a lot more coming your way. Until next time, make sure you're taking care of your money and yourself. Bye now.
Voiceover: This material is intended for general public use. By providing this content, Park Avenue Securities LLC and your financial representative are not undertaking to provide investment advice or make a recommendation for a specific individual or situation or to otherwise act in a fiduciary capacity. If you'd like additional information about our services, you can visit our website at curryschoenfinancial.com or you can call our office at 850-562-3000. Again, that number is 850-562-3000. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Guest speakers and their firms are not affiliated with or endorsed by Park Avenue Securities, Guardian, or North Florida Financial, and opinions stated are their own. April and John are registered representatives and financial advisors of Park Avenue Securities LLC. Address: 1700 Summit Lake Drive, Suite 200. Tallahassee, Florida, 32317. Phone number 850-562-9075. Securities, products, and advisory services offered through Park Avenue Securities, member of FINRA and SIPC. April is a financial representative of the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York. New York. Park Avenue Securities is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. North Florida Financial is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Park Avenue Securities or Guardian.
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