What Is Financial Education?

(And Why It Matters More Than You Think)

Most of us were told money is confusing, stressful, or something someone else should “handle.” For women+, that message is even louder. And honestly? It’s left a lot of us feeling like we’re trying to navigate life with a blindfold on while carrying everyone else’s emotional shit on our backs.

Financial education is how you take the blindfold off.

It’s not fancy, it’s not elitist, and it’s not something only “finance people” understand.

Financial education is simply knowing what your money is doing, why it’s doing that, and how to make it work for you, in a way that aligns with your life, your goals, and your values.

Let’s break it down…. shall we?

What Financial Education Actually Means

Financial education is not just “knowing numbers.” It’s:

• Understanding the key financial literacy concepts

• Knowing how those concepts apply to your life

• Understanding your goals and the financial actions needed to reach them

• Making decisions from confidence instead of just flying by the seat of your pants

Because everyone walks into adulthood with different backgrounds, different experiences with money, and wildly different goals. Financial education helps you bridge the gap between “where I am” and “where the hell I want to be.”

And no…..we weren’t taught this in school, and neither were your parents. So just winging it or listening to what they did rarely works for us.

And yes….. this is a huge problem.

My Own Turning Point With Financial Education

I’ve been learning about money since I was 8 years old. I kid you not.

When my parents used to give me chore money for doing shit around the house, my dad would deposit it into a high-interest savings account with PC Financial (now Simplii). Every month I’d see a few extra cents appear like magic and I would piss myself with excitement. He taught me what compound interest was, and suddenly I was hooked.

Picture little 8-year-old me losing my shit over 3-4 cents.

Most kids collected stickers and pogs (which I did too), but I also collected financial literacy skills.

By 15, while my friends were reading Cosmo and Teen Vogue, I was sneaking off with my mom’s MoneySense magazines like they were contraband.

But the moment everything snapped into place?

My six-month backpacking trip that I took to Southeast Asia and South America.

I managed to save $20,000 on a $50,000 income (while living in Toronto), which ended up landing in The Huffington Post. That money that I saved gave me a level of freedom I had never experienced before. I stayed where I wanted. I ate what I wanted. I didn’t have to panic-work in hostels to fund my next bus ticket.

Meanwhile, the people around me were stressed, broke, and stuck.

That was my moment.

The moment I learned that financial education isn’t “nice to have.”

It’s the difference between freedom and survival.

I became so obsessed with financial literacy and coaching that I became a Certified Financial Counsellor (CFC™). So, I’m not some Jo Shmo off the street trying to explain to you what worked. I’m certified to do this.

What Women+ Struggle With Most (and Why It Isn’t Their Fault)

After coaching hundreds of women+, I see the same patterns again and again:

1. Shame and embarrassment about not knowing “enough.”

Women feel like they should have it figured out by now…. so they hide.

They don’t ask questions.

They don’t challenge their partner.

They don’t look at the numbers.

And on top of all of this, when they do ask, they’re pushed aside, ignored, or left to figure it out on their own.

And then one life change later (a major life transition, a separation, a job loss, the death of a spouse etc) they’re basically left to figure it all on their own.

2. Letting someone else manage the money.

This comes up all the time, especially with divorce recovery.

I’ve worked with so many women+ who walked away from a marriage with a large settlement… but absolutely no idea what to do with it. Their ex handled the money. They weren’t included. Now they feel terrified to make a move, scared they’ll “mess it up.”

Education is what lifts them out of that fear.

3. The wage gap + the confidence gap.

Women+ already have to work harder for the same damn dollar.

Without financial literacy, they feel powerless, and that lack of confidence becomes its own barrier.

But once they understand the numbers?

They are unstoppable and magical things start to happen ✨.

Where Traditional Financial Education Falls Short

Let’s call out the BS:

1. School didn’t teach you anything useful.

You learned long division but not how a credit card charges interest. Make it make sense.

2. Banks are not here to educate you.

They exist to sell products… not empower you.

When you’re educated, you keep more money in your pocket and pay less in fees, interest, and garbage products you never needed in the first place.

3. People give advice based on their own lives, not yours.

Your parents’ rules, your coworker’s hot takes, your friend’s “what worked for me” story?

None of it matters if it doesn’t apply to your situation.

Financial education has to be personal.

Otherwise, it’s useless.

Real Client Transformations (Including Early Retirement)

I’ve coached hundreds of women+ at this point in my career, and every single one of them (yes, 100%) leaves with:

• More confidence

• Less anxiety

• More knowledge

• A clearer plan

• Better results

Wanna know one of my favourite transformations?

I have a client who retired five years earlier than she originally planned.

Not because she made millions.

Not because she won the lottery.

Because she finally understood her finances, optimized what she already had, and started making intentional decisions through the coaching that we did together.

Financial education gave her five extra years of her life back.

That’s the power of this works.

How I Teach Financial Education Differently

Unlike banks or advisors: I don’t sell financial products.

No commissions. No hidden agenda. No upsells.

I work only for my clients.

My job is to understand your goals and give you unbiased guidance on how to reach them.

I start with a deep dive into your entire financial life.

We look at:

• Your net worth

• Your money systems

• Your credit score

• Your debts

• Your investments

• Your cash flow

• Your habits

• Your goals

I teach you how to read your numbers the same way you’d read a map. So, you actually understand where you’re going.

And yes, sometimes I bring some tough love.

I’m not here to sugarcoat this.

I’m here to empower you, help you make informed decisions, and feel like we’re shooting the shit over a drink. 🍹🍺☕️

The Biggest Myths I Have to Break (Every. Single. Time.)

Let’s cut the bullshit and get right into the myths I hear.

Myth 1: “If I made more money, everything would be fine.”

Sorry, but if you don’t know how to manage $50K, you won’t magically manage $150K.

Myth 2: “I should pay off my mortgage early.”

Maybe this worked for your parents… but in our interest rate environment? Doesn’t make a ton of sense.

Myth 3: “I don’t need to know how compound interest works.”

Yes, you do. It’s literally the backbone of wealth building.

Myth 4: “Budgeting means restriction.”

Wrong. It means clarity and choice.

The One Skill Every Woman Should Learn ASAP

If I could teach every woman one skill tomorrow, it would be this:

How to fill out and understand a Net Worth statement.

It is the #1 metric you need to understand your starting point, your progress, and your potential.

A budget shows the day in and day out.

A net worth statement shows the story.

Good Financial Education vs. Bad Financial Education

Bad financial education makes you feel:

• Guilty

• Overwhelmed

• Confused

• Ashamed

And it usually comes from people selling products or shouting crap online with no personal context.

Good financial education makes you feel:

• Empowered

• Confident

• Clear

• Capable

• Motivated

• In control

Because when you finally understand your finances, you start noticing the ripple effects in every part of your life. Your relationships, boundaries, decisions, confidence… all the things.

That’s the whole point.

Ready to Feel Confident With Your Money?

If you’ve been reading this thinking “Holy shit, this is exactly what I need,” you’re probably right.

Let’s take the guesswork out of your finances and create a plan that matches your life and your goals.

You don’t need to do this alone.

👉 Book your free assessment call with me.

Let’s get your money working for you and start building a life where your money is making you money while you sleep.