Career Contessa’s Best Financial Advice for 2021 (2024)

Managing finances is easy, said nobody, ever. Take our best advice to learn how to manage. save, invest and make more money in 2021.

Money, money, money.

We're always thinking about it. We're never talking about it.

In fact, most of us were taught to keep quiet when it comes to money. According to aBustle survey, 50 percent of people said they never discuss personal finances with friends, even though 28 percent reported feeling stressed out about money every single day. Add in a global pandemic and a mass exodus of women from the work world(only to do even more work at home—without pay), it's too much.

Traditionally, we aren't fans of stress—although we do believe that there is such a thing asgood stress.(i.e.) we wouldn't mind you stressing about achieving your financial goals—what we don't want, is you stressing because you don't even have any financial goals, and what is saving money, and what even is a 401k?...Get it? We want good money stress. And really, that starts with education.

first and foremost

"This isn’t all on you. The link between salary and feelings of success may be hard-wired in you thanks to being asked to “know your worth” or “ask for your worth” in salary negotiation tips and techniques. Or the constant ability to compare what you have to strangers on the internet. Or the belief that if you had more money, you’d be happier."

We want to encourage y'all (and us) to put an end to this thinking, language, and technique. Not only is connecting your self-worth to your net worth a losing game, but it also throws a huge wrench into that whole self-acceptance thing.

One other thing. Women are so often told that they are "bad with money" and we're sick and tired of this narrative, so let's ditch it.

So before you read about money—how to save it, how to spend it, what it even really is—know that it'snevera reflection on you as a person.

• Your Self-Worth Is Not Your Net Worth (So Stop Thinking It Is)
• Money Power Moves–How to Ditch Your Fear of Money

Laying The Groundwork

Think of these like flash-cards, for adults. Start from square one—by learning what's what when it comes to financial terms. Some of us weren't taught this in school—but we really all should have been. Quiz yourself—how many do you know?

• Financial Adulting—A 5-Step Guide to Adulting with Your Money
• The Financial Vocabulary Every Money-Savvy Woman Needs
• Financial Freedom 101
• 10 Answers to the Most Common (And Scariest) Questions About Money

Raises + Salary Negotiation

Ah yes, the classic money question—how do we get more of it? It's important to have an educated, research-backed ask when you're negotiating salary.Studies show that 43 percent of workers feel they're underpaid. In order to remedy (or avoid, by asking in the onboarding process) the uncomfortable underpaid situation, you need to know how to research your salary, and make an educated ask.

• Negotiating Market Rate Salary: 8 Tools to Help You Get What You Deserve
• Everything You Need to Know About Asking for a Raise
• The 5 Best Tools to Calculate Your Salary + Know Your Worth
• 9 Ways to Take Control of Your Budget
• Calculating Your Salary Is Easier Than You Think—Use This Equation
• How to Use The Salary Project™ to Ask for a Raise
• Why Salary Transparency Matters
• Beyond Salary—How to Negotiate Your Benefits Package
• GIMME: Asking For a Raise Script
• The Salary Project™

Budgeting + Saving

That thing that we all know weshould be doing, but often, just...don't. The thing about making budgets, following budgets, and saving money, is that it's easier than we think. It comes down to organization and self-control. Long-term versus short-term thinking.

• Our No-Shame Guide to Saving in Your 20s, 30s, and 40s
• 6 Steps to Save $1,000 This Month
• The Sneaky Ways You're Wasting Money (+ How to Stop)
• I’m $16K in Debt—Here’s What Finance Experts Told Me to Do
• 9 Ways to Take Control of Your Budget—Even If You Just Paid Rent
• How to Set a Food Budget

The Salary Project™

Our salary tool, The Salary Project™, lets you navigate a database of over 60,000 salaries from women across the globe, to give you a personalized experience so that you can look at salary research that's relevant to you. You cansee real salaries from women working in your state, city, dream industry, current role, and more. We pull dataand sort it for you—so that you can do yourresearch in a fun way.