Women share 10 financial choices that helped them become empowered and self-sufficient

Aug 21, 2023

By: Abhiram Sajai

Being financially prudent pays off in the long run

With inflation and the cost of living increasing every day, many individuals are looking to make smart financial decisions to increase or supplement their income. The most well-known ones are stocks, bonds, real estate, mutual funds and crypto-currency. While ...

1. Shifting to a better job

I asked my old job for a raise as I was well underpaid for the work I was doing. They told me how valuable I was, but that they couldn't just raise my pay. So I applied for jobs and was offered a job at a different agency. To get me to stay, my old job su...

2. Putting life insurance money on a Certificate of Deposit

Putting my dads life insurance money in a CD. My dad passed in 2019 and we got about $65k each (two sisters and I ) in life insurance. During that time I had a job but, due to my alcoholism I was fighting, I lost it shortly after he passed. I didn’t work due t...

3. Investing in real estate

Buying property the moment I could afford the deposit. It seemed like a bad time to buy but I did it anyway. Best thing I ever did financially for sure. u/brooksblues. 2nd this! My husband and I bought our first home when we were engaged. Some thought we w...

4. Getting a scholarship

Doing my Bachelor's degree at a university where I had a scholarship that covered all my tuition, and moving in with my grandma for a few years during that time. I worked during the summers and part-time during my semesters, and not having any huge expens...

5. Studying abroad

I am American/Canadian and I went to graduate school in France. My 'tuition' (a tax, really) was 250€ a year and the government provided a stipend for students that covered half of my rent. I stuck to a strict budget and had some savings (a meage...

6. Networking with the right people

After I received my Ph.D. I was slated to become an assistant professor. Then, a rather odd man asked me out to lunch. He owned a business dealing in commercial AI (my field) and wanted to 'pick my brain' on a few of the contentions in my dissertatio...

7. Not being afraid to ask for a raise

I was left mentally scarred from my old job when I asked for a raise. My old boss told me that all the overtime I was working was equivalent to a raise. I eventually got burnt out and was subsequently let go. 3 months into my current job, I asked my boss to ma...

8. Taking the time to learn about finances

Learning how finances actually work. I think a lot of women (myself included until I accidentally ended up in a personal finance-adjacent job) see personal finance as a douchey bro thing, and depending on what they're talking about or how they're tal...

9. Putting extra cash away

Buying nonperishable items in bulk/before I need them because they're on sale. Also, got myself out of the 'paycheck to paycheck' life when my bf and I would PUT AWAY extra money in each paycheck. Like, if he'd have $200 extra that isn&...

10. Getting job experience

Stopped pursuing the next stage of my education. I got my undergrad debt-free thanks to family and academic scholarship. I was planning to take out loans to complete the next stage of my education to go into the field I wanted to. Life got in the way and I end...