My Money My Way

Chapter One

 

The Ice Cream Cone That Changed My Life

 

Some couples fight about money, but my ex-husband and I had an even bigger problem: we didn't talk about it at all.

 

He would give me his paycheck and I would pay the bills, and while that might sound like we were Adults of the Year, what we really were was clueless. Plans? What were those? We were winging it daily, neither one of us caring enough about our finances to even have a conversation.

 

The day I got pregnant, however, we were finally forced to take a harder look at things. How were we going to afford a baby? I told myself we would make it work; we would find ways to be thrifty. I painted the nursery walls myself, a light green color, with paint I found in the clearance section at Home Depot. I watched DIY videos on YouTube and tutorials on Pinterest. I made bookshelves from old rain gutters and made all of the artwork for the baby's bedroom out of construction paper and Crayola markers. I was determined to create special memories with the little money we had. It would be fine; we would just wing it like we always did.

 

But then I actually had the baby.

 

If you've ever looked into the eyes of a newborn, you know it upends everything you thought about what matters. For the first time, "day by day" was not good enough. "Seat of my pants" was not good enough. My son, James, made me long for an all-new sense of stability, a life that was beautiful, intentional, safe, and designed.

 

Enter the moment I decided I needed a budget. A real one. Not the flimsy, just-for-decoration kind, but the kind that would actually help us strategically move forward as a family.

 

This sounded like a reasonable idea-you know, financial goals and all-until I realized my husband and I were on totally different teams. We had finally started

Kumiko Love

"The Budget Mom is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to improve their relationship with money. Miko gives you the tools to actually change how you manage and understand your finances, and her work is consistently inspiring and motivating to follow. I'm a huge fan!"
--Chelsea Fagan, cofounder of The Financial Diet
 
"It s no surprise that millions of people flock to Kumiko Love for her financial advice. She s able to do the impossible: teach others about money in a non-judgemental, down-to-earth way while also making concepts like budgeting and debt-repayment exciting and fun. And Kumiko s new book My Money My Way will leave you feeling even more prepared to transform your financial life. I know what book just garnered a top spot on my book recommendations list! 
--Jessica Moorhouse, speaker, money expert, and host of More Money Podcast
 
"No shame. No condescension. Just real, practical money talk from a woman who lives it. Kumiko reminds us that our money struggles and mistakes are not a reflection of who we are or what we can achieve. And her tools and strategies offer an easy-to-follow framework for using money to build a lifestyle you love."
--Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez, personal finance expert and host of Money Confidential 
 
My Money My Way is what every busy woman needs to move beyond shame, reconnect with their values, and transform their relationship with money forever. If you are struggling to achieve balance and peace in your financial life, read this book. --Tiffany Aliche, New York Times bestselling author of Get Good With Money

"If you re ready to break free from a dysfunctional relationship with money and build wealth from a place of strength, Kumiko s book is a must-read." --Marie Forleo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything is Figureoutable


It s so wonderful to see more voices join the movement that money shouldn t be rigid or restrictive. Kumiko Love and her money management