Blog

I have only shared this story on my podcast (1st episode), but never publicly in writing. I am the eldest of 5 children (technically the 2nd of 6) and I take my role very seriously. My baby Tister (no typo, that’s what we call each other) always wanted to go...

April 12, 2019

My personal finance journey began young. I was the second daughter in my family accepted into an Ivy League college. I didn’t realize until the second semester into my education how bogged down I would be by student loan debt. Going to college seemed to be the path I was supposed...

April 10, 2019

My relationship with money has changed over the years. As a child my first memory of money was receiving some change from my dad who was of Indian descent. I remember giving a dollar to my best friend for her 9th birthday. My mom and dad owned a store and...

April 09, 2019

My name is Cayla and I am a military spouse. I want to show people that adventure is something that can be budgeted for. I can’t wait to continue educating military members through financial literacy and helping them push beyond the limits most people have of living paycheck to paycheck!~...

April 08, 2019

My Grandfather, Bob, had an incredible impact on my life and has influenced many of my career decisions as an adult. I was very close to my Grandparents growing up and spent a lot of time with them during summer breaks. After I graduated from high school, I lived with my Grandparents...

April 05, 2019

Enlisting in the U.S. Coast Guard provided a stable and a predictable sense of finances, and I did develop some solid saving habits. But soon the rest of my world, the stresses and the emotional ride, got the better of me.  Behaviors became abysmal.  I acted out, and used money as...

April 04, 2019

A Friend Along the WayAs a financial counselor, I often find myself using phrases like “Sister, I feel you” or “Brother, you’re preaching to the choir”. One of the first steps in building a relationship with clients is to establish a rapport with them. Nothing sets the tone better than being open...

April 03, 2019

I never knew that learning how to live well on little and living within my means would truly make or break me in life.  I learned the "envelope system" from my sweet grandparents growing up. My parents worked long hours and my grandparents taught me about life. I learned to...

April 02, 2019

My spark for financial literacy arose from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace high school curriculum when I was 16. I was captivated by how freeing a budget could be! Fast forward, in college I worked at a non-profit called Rapha House that provides aftercare and safe houses for victims of human...

April 01, 2019

April is Financial Literacy Month. Let's break the silence. Let's talk about money. #MyFinLitStory “In our culture, money is not only a basic need, but also a measure of success…[and] anything that can be conflated with our sense of value as humans is often difficult to discuss with ease.”1 If...

March 18, 2019

My Work & My Passion: Helping people get a handle on their finances so that they can sleep better at night.My Hero: My Mom. She taught frugality as a high virtue – that to live within a moderate income isn’t a sad thing, but an accomplishment to be proud of.My Favorite Quote: “The best...

May 02, 2018

My Work: Integrate financial education and wellness into the student experience at ACC My Roots: Grew up in Massachusetts and moved to Texas as soon as I could. My Passion: Finding "good deals."  And nature. My Hero: My husband. My Favorite Quote: You must be the change you want to see in the world. ~Mahatma Gandhi...

May 01, 2018