Personal Finance is a great fit if:

I help you build and run a simple, flexible money system for your real life.

That usually looks like:

Setting up (or cleaning up) a YNAB-based budget

Creating a plan for bills, savings, debt payoff, and fun money
Helping you decide what your dollars need to do next

Meeting regularly to check in, adjust, and keep things on track

Think of it as having a project manager for your money who also happens to be your cheerleader.

No. I’m not here to sell you investments or manage your portfolio.

My focus is on:

Cash flow: what’s coming in, what’s going out, and when

Budgeting with purpose: making sure your money lines up with your priorities
Day-to-day decisions: “Can I afford this?” “What should I pay down first?”

You can absolutely still work with a financial advisor for investing and long-term planning. My work makes their job easier too, because your money life is already organized.

Nope. It’s your money, your life, and your priorities.

My focus is helping you:

Get clear on what matters most right now (stability, debt payoff, a big trip, supplies for your shop, breathing room, etc.)

Build a money plan that matches those priorities

Check in regularly so we can shift the plan when your priorities shift

Maybe this season is all about paying down debt and catching up on bills. A few months from now, it might be saving for a retreat, a vacation, or a studio refresh. We adjust your categories and your spending plan as your life changes.

If yarn, fabric, coffee, or concert tickets are important to you, we’ll name them as priorities and give them a place in your plan, on purpose. No more “I’ll just try not to spend” followed by guilt when you do. Instead, we let your spending follow your priorities, and we update the plan as those priorities evolve.

No. You stay in control of your accounts.

I will:

Help you set up systems so bills are organized, automated where possible, and paid on time
Help you use tools like YNAB to track and assign your money
Show you what to click and when until it feels comfortable

You’re the decision-maker. I’m the guide standing next to you, not the person pushing buttons behind the scenes without your input (unless we agree to something very specific together).

You don’t need to know how to budget or use YNAB ahead of time that’s part of what you’re hiring me for.

We will:

Set up your YNAB together
Create categories that actually match your life (not some generic template)
Walk through it step by step until you’re comfortable

If you already use another tool, we can talk about whether it makes sense to stay there or move everything into one system.

There are a few options, and we’ll pick what’s easiest and most secure for you:

Direct connections from your bank or credit card to the accounting software, when appropriate
Uploading PDF statements through the secure client portal
Providing access to accountant-view or statement-only logins, when available

The goal is to make sure I have clean, reliable data without you having to jump through a bunch of hoops every month.

Short answer: you don’t have to use YNAB.

We can absolutely work with:

Another budgeting app you already use
A simple spreadsheet
Or even a pen-and-paper system

That said, here’s why I recommend YNAB for most people:

It’s designed for real life and variable income.
Many budgeting apps want you to plan around what you expect to earn this month. That’s tough if your income goes up and down. YNAB has you budget only the money you actually have, which keeps things grounded and realistic.

It handles credit cards in a clearer way.
YNAB makes it easier to see what you’ve spent on your cards and make sure you’re setting aside money to pay them, without double counting or losing track.

It reduces the mental load.
Spreadsheets (or pen and paper) can work, but they require a lot more manual updating, math, and “remembering to check.” YNAB automates a lot of that and gives you a real-time view of what your money is doing.

So no, you don’t have to use YNAB but it usually makes the process smoother, especially if you have variable income or use credit cards regularly. My goal is to help you pick a system that you’ll actually use and that fits how your brain (and your life) works.

Everyone’s situation is different, but common results include:

Knowing exactly what each dollar is doing
Actually following through on savings and debt payoff goals
Feeling less anxious about checking your accounts
Having a shared plan with your partner instead of constant money tension
Feeling like you finally have a roadmap, not just chaos and hope

It’s not magic, it’s consistent clarity, support, and simple systems that work with your real life.