Hey Girlies,

This week we're THRILLED to share our first-ever guest episode! We sat down with Amanda Bourbonais, founder of Health First Freelancer, who's rewriting the rules on balancing finances and wellbeing. ⚖️

Whether you're managing a chronic condition or just trying to *adult properly*, health expenses can crush your budget. So how do you prioritize your wellbeing without sacrificing other financial goals? 🤔

Amanda's got answers. She built a six-figure freelance business while managing chronic Lyme disease and created a framework where health isn't an afterthought — it's the foundation.

In this episode, hear…

* How much of Amanda’s budget she allocates for health spending

* Why she doesn't feel guilty spending a lot on her health

* Budget-friendly health hacks for those without six-figure incomes

* Why Amanda ditched traditional insurance for CrowdHealth (and pays under $200/month)

* Her favorite health splurge (and the one that wasn’t worth it…)

This isn't just about building a business around illness — it's about creating a life where your wellbeing and financial success strengthen each other.

We know you’re going to love this episode.

And if you’re eager to learn more from Amanda, check out her online community, Health First Freelancer. She also has a YouTube channel with more health & business tips.

To health and money,

💗 Emily + Cassidy

P.S. Okay, big news!!! This is the last free episode of the month… because next week, we’re officially launching The Finance Girlies Insiders — our paid subscription tier. 🎉

That means:🔥 One Insider-only episode each month, starting with anonymous wedding confessions, money drama, and a full script workbook🫢 Juicier convos that are too real (or too spicy) for the main feed🎧 Real listener coaching sessions + deeper stories from our lives💸 Early access to Q&As, exclusive polls, and discounts on future events and products🎁 Plus, surprise extras we’re cooking up behind the scenes

No matter what, you’ll get three free episodes a month — but the final episode of the month will be just for Insiders. (If you’re a free subscriber, you’ll get a free preview of every paid episode in your feed so you can decide if it’s worth unlocking.)

But if you already know you want more — now’s the time.

We’re offering founding member pricing: just $5/month (normally $8), and you get to keep that rate forever.

💌 Sign up as a founding member 👇

This special pricing disappears next Wednesday (May 28), when our first Insiders episode goes live.

We can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on. 😉

Have you ever laid awake at night, your mind racing with money worries? Or avoided opening your banking app because just seeing the numbers makes your chest tight?

You're so not alone.

This Mental Health Awareness month, we wanted to dive into something that affects nearly half of Americans — the powerful connection between our finances and our mental wellbeing.

Because here's the thing: Money stress isn't just about numbers.

It lives in our bodies.

It affects our sleep.

It impacts our relationships.

And it sometimes makes even small financial tasks feel completely overwhelming 🫣

In our latest episode, we share:

* The jaw-dropping stats about just how common this struggle is. 📊

* Our own experiences with money stress. 💵

* Why money and mental health create this tricky cycle that can be hard to break. 🔄

* Why the shame around both topics makes everything feel so much harder. 😔

But don't worry — this episode isn't all heavy vibes.

We also give you several gentle, practical strategies that can help when money stress bubbles up. (These are tiny, manageable steps, not major overhauls that make it too scary to start).

After listening to this episode, we'd love for you to check in with yourself: How is money affecting your mental health right now?

💌 If this topic resonates with you, we'd love to hear your story. Drop us an email or comment below, and let us know what topics or resources would help you handle your financial anxiety.

And remember — we're all figuring it out together.

Until next week, Emily + Cassidy 💸

The world of credit cards can be a little overwhelming. From understanding interest rates and fees to points-hacking and rewards , it can be hard to figure out which cards are actually worth having.

That's why today, we're literally opening our wallets to show you the credit cards we each carry around. But don't worry, we're not points-optimization wizards spending hours tracking categories or timing applications. We're just two regular gals who've figured out how to get some pretty sweet perks without making our money lives too complicated.

📌 Time Stamps:

[00:00:00] The cards in our wallets right now

[00:05:00] Emily's personal credit cards and annual fee philosophy

[00:09:00] Cassidy's credit card lineup and favorite card

[00:15:00] How we split spending between different cards

[00:21:00] Our business credit cards (spoiler: we have the same one!)

[00:27:00] Why keep business and personal spending separate

[00:29:00] How we actually use our points and rewards

[00:35:00] Our credit card philosophies and how they've evolved

[00:43:00] Credit score checks, regrets, and final thoughts