
Subscribe To Smart Finances Podcast
Smart Finances For High-Achieving Moms
As a busy working mom, journalist, and business owner, I was trying to do it all. Getting the kids to school. Arriving to work on time. Keeping the house and the laundry clean. How about I also start a business in my “free” time? By the way, did anyone feed the dogs today?
Does that sound familiar to you? Well, as you can very well imagine, one day I finally realized that I needed to admit the truth. Even though I wanted to pursue my dreams and fulfill my responsibilities, I couldn’t do it all well. I was feeling like a half mom, half wife, and half entrepreneur. But instead of giving up, I decided to seek help. I embarked on a journey to find the wisdom to simplify my life and live happier. That’s how One Take, the first season of my podcast, was born!
And just like all good things mature, my podcast did too. So, the second season is all about documenting my journey to financial freedom and sharing with you the money lessons that have transformed my life.

Join me in this series of podcast episodes as I take an honest look at myself and at our society. I share with you thought-provoking conversations that can help you find purpose and meaning in life. Also, I take a critical look at our society’s addiction to buy stuff and the illusion that what we have defines who we are. In some episodes, I go solo. In others, I interview people from all walks of life who share guidance to live with purpose.
As a Preferred Ramsey Coach, I genuinely believe that a debt-free lifestyle provides a path to a more fulfilling and happy life. Therefore, I offer some practical steps to taking control of our money and making decisions that will allow you to live out your best financial future.
I hope that these conversations will encourage you to make lifestyle changes to reduce stress and bring peace to your life. Every episode will definitely motivate you to become the best version of yourself and to simplify your life. I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I am searching for them!
Listen To The Podcast
Should You Teach Your Teenagers To Never Get In Debt?
Let me ask you something. Is it irresponsible to teach your teenagers to never get in debt? The other day I was talking about how I am teaching my kids, who are 13 and 15 years of age, that they do not…
Continue Reading Should You Teach Your Teenagers To Never Get In Debt?
Money Can Buy Happiness; this Is How.
I don’t understand why this phrase is thrown around all the time. “Money cannot buy happiness.” It’s said almost like money is a bad thing. Why have we believed that lie? Last I checked, an ice cream cone is around $2. Our…
How To Balance Your Credit Card Purchases, Cash Purchases, And Your Debt.
The other day I was asked a great question. How do I find a balance between my credit card purchases, my cash purchases, and my debt? I remember about 15 years ago when I was just getting started using credit cards, applying…
Continue Reading How To Balance Your Credit Card Purchases, Cash Purchases, And Your Debt.
How To Uplevel Your Finances And Pursue Your Daydreams
Can you afford to quit your job today to pursue your daydreams? I am seriously asking you if you could walk into your boss’s office tomorrow and put your two weeks’ notice. Why? All for the sake of pursuing work and a lifestyle…
Continue Reading How To Uplevel Your Finances And Pursue Your Daydreams
My Financial Rock Bottom Story
What is it like to hit rock bottom, financially speaking? I had my infamous moment in the midst of the 2008 Recession. In this episode, I tell you all about it; the fear, the same, the pain, the loneliness. But I also…
When “Life Gets In The Way”, Really?
Do you find yourself saying things like “life got in the way, and I couldn’t get to…?” I used to feel like that, too, until I realized that by thinking that way, I was not only making myself a victim of my…
Intro To Smart Finances Podcast
Hello everyone! I am back with season two of my podcast. Like all good things evolve and change, my podcast has too. I am calling this season “Smart Finances”, and I am dedicating this show to all the hard-working and high achieving…
Budget Percentages: What Percentage Of Your Income Should Go To What?
How do you know if you are spending too much money on rent, food, or gas? Without a guideline to set budget percentages, it is impossible to tell. To give you a better idea, in this post, I share with you recommendations…
Continue Reading Budget Percentages: What Percentage Of Your Income Should Go To What?
10 Rules Financially Smart Women Must Live By To Win With Money
It doesn’t matter where you are today, financially speaking. What is most important is knowing where you want to go. And objective information is the most reliable tool to help you move you towards your dreams. That’s why today, I want to…
Continue Reading 10 Rules Financially Smart Women Must Live By To Win With Money
7 Tips To Improve Your Financial Wellness
Talking about money is one of those topics that can be really hard for many people to address, especially when you are trying to improve your financial wellness. It certainly was tough for me to talk about money a while ago, after…
Meditation 101: Improve Your Overall Well-Being
Do you feel like you can never relax? Perhaps, every night you toss and turn in bed worrying about 100 things? Or maybe your problem is that you can never seem to get anything done. Well, I have the right episode for…
Continue Reading Meditation 101: Improve Your Overall Well-Being
How to Negotiate a Higher Salary and Better Benefits
It is not a secret that on average, women in the United States are paid less than men for doing the same job. That is a big problem, and my initial reaction is to point the finger at the entire male population!…
Continue Reading How to Negotiate a Higher Salary and Better Benefits
How to Keep a Good Credit Score Without Being in Debt
Can you have a good credit score without being in debt? Most people preach that to maintain a good credit score, you must have a few credit cards. You also need a couple of loans that are reported to the credit bureaus.…
Continue Reading How to Keep a Good Credit Score Without Being in Debt
How to Overcome Negative Thinking
Do you have a catastrophic mindset? What do I mean by that? Let’s see… Are you always thinking worst-case scenario instead of positive thoughts? It may be time to learn to overcome negative thinking. That is one of my problems. I tend…
Life After the Equifax Data Breach
In 2017, more than 143 million people in the United States had their identity compromised. They exposed personal information such as Social Security numbers, names, addresses, and much more. Life after the infamous Equifax data breach will never be the same for…
Confessions of a Serial Entrepreneur
In Confessions of a Serial Entrepreneur, we hear from serial entrepreneur, CEO, and business coach Chris M. Harris. He is also a fellow podcast host of the show Entrepreneur Hour, which hit the trending Top 5 Worldwide New and Noteworthy list on iTunes…
How Sarah Beth Yoga Created A Thriving Online Business Through YouTube
In this podcast episode, I am joined by YouTube personality Sarah Beth Yoga. I first came across Sarah Beth’s yoga practice videos on YouTube while looking for alternatives to get my practice done at home. My life had gotten too complicated. I…
Continue Reading How Sarah Beth Yoga Created A Thriving Online Business Through YouTube
Five Habits to Change to Get Out of Debt
I used to believe that being in debt was part of normal life. Everyone I knew had debt, used credit cards, and financed cars. We lived that “normal” life until my husband got laid-off during the 2008 Recession. Having credit card debt,…
5 Necessary Steps to Get Control of Your Finances
Are money problems keeping you up at night? We often worry because our money life has become a mystery even to ourselves. We don’t really have a good idea of how much we make and spend, so anxiety creeps in. I hope…
Continue Reading 5 Necessary Steps to Get Control of Your Finances
Ready to Get your Money Life Together?
If you are ready to get your money life in great shape and change your financial reality, you are in the right place! In this podcast episode, I share with you some of the priceless lessons life has taught me about money:…
10 Ways to Simplify Your Life and Be Happier
Do you ever find yourself wishing you could simplify your life to be happier? I do. It feels overwhelming to have to comply with so many expectations. You are supposed to go to college, find a job, buy a car, get married,…
Continue Reading 10 Ways to Simplify Your Life and Be Happier
A Lesson on Perseverance
In this episode, we’ll hear Gaby´s inspirational success story. She went from being an unemployed journalism graduate in Argentina to Daytime Emmy Award winner in the United States. Natale´s journey started when she left Buenos Aires to take a job as public…
How to Turn your Misfortunes into Opportunities
My guest in this podcast episode is Maimah Karmo, a woman that has endured breast cancer, awar in her native Liberia and a lightning strike. What is even more amazing is the way that she has turned her misfortunes into opportunities. Maimah…
Continue Reading How to Turn your Misfortunes into Opportunities
How To Find Your Next Dream Job
Are you feeling burned out at work? I did it for a long time. Then the day came and I finally quit my job. To be honest, I was sure it was time for me to move on. In this podcast episode,…
How Youth Wrestling Can Make You a Better Parent
I don’t know how much you understand about wrestling, I know very little. My 10-year-old son Zachary has been competing in this sport for three years, and I can tell you three things. First, wrestlers never want to end up with their…
Continue Reading How Youth Wrestling Can Make You a Better Parent
How to Find and Follow your life’s passion
In this episode, we’ll hear the inspiring story of a journalist and published author, Alfredo Corchado. Born in Mexico, Alfredo migrated with his family to the United States when he was still a child. They settled in the San Joaquin Valley, California.…
Discover Your Potential & Fulfill Your Purpose
My featured guest in this podcast episode is a woman that does it all. She is a mom, a wife, and a business owner. She runs her own company with the purpose of helping people meet their true potential and live out their…
Continue Reading Discover Your Potential & Fulfill Your Purpose
Social Entrepreneurship: The Power of Serving Others
In this podcast episode, we’ll learn about the inspiring success story of Joseph N. Sanberg. He was raised by a single mom in a low-income household in Southern California. As a teenager, Sanberg dreamed of attending Harvard, but he was told by someone very close to…
Continue Reading Social Entrepreneurship: The Power of Serving Others
From Landscaper to Award Winning Radio DJ
In this podcast episode, we’ll hear the inspiring story of Ana Cruz. She is an award-winning blogger, radio DJ, and journalist. She is a woman with a dream and the courage to pursue it. Ana had a difficult upbringing growing up poor…
What if you could quit your job to travel the world?
Think about it. If you could do anything in the world, and money didn’t matter, what would you do? That is a question that I still don’t know how to answer. Many things come to mind. Would I become a stay at…
Continue Reading What if you could quit your job to travel the world?
Chasing the Dream of Becoming an Entrepreneur
Susy Solis is a bilingual journalist with more than a decade of broadcasting experience. After forging a successful career as a television news reporter and anchor, Susy decided to chase her dream and become an entrepreneur. In 2014 she decided to quit…
Continue Reading Chasing the Dream of Becoming an Entrepreneur
Is Your Well-Paying Job Sucking the Life Out of You?
In this podcast episode, we hear from my dear friend Lorraine Caceres. She was born in New York and raised in the Dominican Republic. She decided to move back to the US when she was 18 years old, to start college. After…
Continue Reading Is Your Well-Paying Job Sucking the Life Out of You?
My Favorite Books, Music and Places
In this podcast episode, I share with you my favorite things of 2016. The list includes favorite: song, books, podcast, blog, and place. I also share with you my expectations, goals, and projects for 2017. I hope you enjoy it! Listen to the podcast My…