Striking a balance: How one SaverLife member is forging her own path to financial health
As a mom, homeschool teacher, and business owner, SaverLife member Janelle strives to keep the many parts of her life in balance — including her financial health. When she’s not teaching her children or meeting with clients, she’s preparing for upcoming bills, tracking her business expenses, and processing invoices.
Janelle wears an impressive number of hats, and she’s excited by the fact that no two days in her schedule are alike. Whether she’s managing her Facebook group for women entrepreneurs or exploring Atlanta with her kids, Janelle embraces life with an open mind — and a good sense of humor. But she also says that the constant balance between her family, work, and finances can be overwhelming. “I don’t get any time for myself as a mom, as a person,” she explains. “So, it’s constantly a juggle. With budgeting, it’s difficult for me, because I’m an entrepreneur and I don’t have consistent income.”
Because Janelle owns her own marketing agency, her income is entirely dependent on the partnerships she builds with clients. But this can pose challenges when she plans her budget; her monthly income fluctuates with the number of clients she has at one time.
Janelle knows that she’ll have achieved financial health when she no longer has to weigh her income against her family’s priorities, professional goals, and her plans for the future. “Financial health for me means I don’t have to stress. I don’t have to worry about where my finances are going to come from — I don’t have to worry about my bills. If I have financial health, I’m not worried about those things. I’m just doing my day-to-day life.”
To stay on top of her budget and expenses (as much as her job will allow her), Janelle regularly reads SaverLife content to learn more about strengthening her financial health, personally and professionally. “SaverLife offers me accountability and support I don’t typically get in my finances,” she describes. “I like that they offer articles and information that I’m able to learn from. I love the budgeting tools and the fact that they reach out and are building a community.”
Janelle also participates in SaverLife’s research and advocacy work to share her story with the member community and voice her experiences navigating the financial system. Her hope is that by sharing her story with other parents and entrepreneurs, she can remind them that they’re not navigating their financial health journeys alone. And that achieving their financial goals — personally and professionally — is possible. She concludes: “Living this life is possible. Doing all of these things, juggling and actually making money, is attainable.”
Learn more about Janelle’s journey to financial health and well-being by watching her interview. Thank you to Experian for sponsoring this project.
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