Hey there,

Life gets busy. 

Some of the best-laid plans get uprooted by unexpected circumstances, full calendars, plain old procrastination, or habits we haven’t quite figured out how to change yet. 

Such is the story of this belated newsletter. I had every intention of writing months ago, and yet here we are. I could list every excuse under the sun, but the reality is simple: I’m human, life got busy, and I’m finally sitting down to write after months of focusing on coding the new Mouni.app

The same is true for many people’s financial plans. They have every intention of saving money, opening that Roth IRA, investing more consistently, or paying down debt instead of eating out five times per week. And yet, here we are. The solution isn’t shame, and it also isn’t pretending there were no choices involved. Shame-free is not the same as accountability-free. 

Sure, your family member was in the hospital and you had to take unpaid time off work. Sure, your car did not cooperate with your ideal version of reality where it never breaks down, and you had to drop a pretty penny on it. Absolutely, things happen that we cannot expect.

But what about all the days when those unexpected things didn’t happen? That’s usually where the deeper work begins. It doesn’t take being good at reducing spending for one week or one month. It takes consistency over a long period of time, building and forming habits over months and years. There will always be setbacks. There will always be unexpected expenses. 

That is why preparing for them is one of the best solutions we have. Acknowledging where you are, being honest with yourself, and not making excuses does not mean being harsh with yourself. It means telling the truth with enough compassion to actually do something helpful next. If you feel behind, start by choosing one small action this week: review last month’s spending, set up one automatic savings transfer, or pick one recurring expense to cancel or renegotiate.

The Summer Cycle

Summer is one of those times when spending increases seemingly out of nowhere. Many people feel good about their finances going into summer. They just got that hefty tax return, which we’ll talk more about in another issue. Maybe they got a bonus or raise they were expecting. The coffers feel full and ready. And yet, two short months later, many people look at their bank accounts and wonder what happened. Then they look at the calendar and realize school supplies are coming, new outfits may be needed, and Thanksgiving and Christmas travel are not nearly as far away as they seemed. Good thing tax season is right around the corner in the new year, right? 

Oh wait. We’ve been here before. 

This is why so many people feel stuck in the same cycle. They are spinning their wheels, feeling discouraged, and finding themselves in the same position they were in the year prior. It’s not usually because they don’t care. It’s because the plan was too dependent on everything going smoothly. 

But life won’t suddenly become less unexpected. That means we have to build systems that can hold up even when summer gets expensive, the car breaks down, or motivation fades for a while. Before summer spending picks up, try creating a simple “summer fund” or spending cap for the things you know are coming: restaurants, trips, events, house projects, and family activities.

Small Changes Lead to Big Outcomes

Don’t let the summer fun of vacations, beach days, new restaurants opening, house repair plans, concerts, World Cup games⚽, and everything else stop you from finding more financial freedom this year. You owe yourself more than more of the same year after year. If spending is a problem for you, let’s chat. If lack of investing is a problem, email me. There are simple strategies to get the ball rolling and help you feel unstuck. Small behavioral changes in your spending, saving, or investing can create more freedom from financial anxiety over time. 

I don’t have all the answers. I don’t know the tax code front to back. I don’t have stock picks to make you a millionaire overnight. But I do know what it feels like to have freedom from anxiety about my finances, and I would love for more people to experience that one day. Not because every number is perfect, but because there is a sense of clarity, margin, and calm.

Financial Coaching Session

A recent financial coaching client came to me frustrated with life. “Andrew, I can’t seem to break $300K of annual income. Help me figure out what limiting beliefs are keeping me from the next level.” This client makes $200,000–$300,000 per year, which is life-changing money for many people in the world. Yet they were still experiencing financial anxiety, living paycheck to paycheck, and drowning in credit card debt. I knew what they meant when they mentioned “limiting beliefs.” I’ve read my fair share of self-help books and watched plenty of videos from people like Tai Lopez, Tony Robbins, and the like.

But I challenged the idea that the limiting belief was simply about earning more. I said something along the lines of, “I wonder if the limiting belief is that more money will automatically make you happy, or that the only way out of this stress is to 10X your income.” 

Through the emotional conversation that followed, we uncovered deeper beliefs about money, how this person wanted to be perceived by others, and what they actually valued. That was where the real work started. Not in chasing a bigger number for its own sake, but in identifying the beliefs that were creating financial anxiety in the first place. 

Reflect

It’s not only about how much money you make. Income is certainly part of the equation, especially if you are not earning enough to set money aside for your future. But it is not the only piece of the puzzle. There is so much more to explore when you feel stuck, left behind, burned out from thinking about money, or anxious every time a financial decision comes up. One question worth sitting with is this: “What am I hoping more money will finally make me feel?” Your answer may point to the real issue more clearly than your bank balance does. 

Let’s make this summer one to remember!

Not by gorging ourselves on experiences and bucket lists, but by making it the summer we challenge some of our beliefs about money and ourselves. Maybe that means opting out of the constant pursuit of more, more, more. Maybe it means learning to be content with the true joys in life, many of which do not cost a penny. Maybe it means finally admitting that the goal is not simply more money, but less stress and anxiety around your financial life.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to talk. We can discuss the beliefs that may be keeping you stuck, identify small changes that fit your real life, and start moving toward financial freedom with more clarity and less shame.

Happy Summer!

P.S. Some links may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission. No extra cost to you, and I only share what I trust!