COMING SOON
Women in retirement are 80% more likely to live in poverty than men.*
Full-time working women lose out on $417,400 more income by the end of their career than men.✫
Compared to only 4 out of 10 men, 6 out of 10 American women don't feel financially secure.✢
* Shortchanged in Retirement: Continuing Challenges to Women’s Financial Future, National Institute on Retirement Security
✫The Economic, Educational, and Health-Related Costs of Being a Woman, Center for American Progress
✢Northwestern Mutual's Planning and Progress Study 2023, Northwestern Mutual
Thankfully, it's never too late to
make your money work for you.
Hi, I'm Melissa Banigan. In 2015, I was just a couple of years shy of turning 40. I was an underpaid single mom who didn't have a dime in either a savings or investment account. A medical emergency completely knocked me off my feet. I survived, but as the only breadwinner for my family, I could barely pay rent or put food on the table. It was terrifying, and I felt guilty and ashamed for letting myself fall into such dire straits.
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It took me four years to completely heal from my illness. During that time, I vowed: NEVER AGAIN. I devoted myself to increasing my financial literacy so that I could change my relationship with money and set myself on the path of greater financial security.
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What I learned changed my life.
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Girls aren't taught how to invest*
More woman than men think money is a taboo topic✫
Talking about money can help you meet financial goals
It's not too late to save for retirement
after 40
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Hi, I'm Melissa Banigan. In 2015, A medical emergency completely knocked me off my feet.
I was an underpaid single mom just a couple of years shy of turning 40 and I had neither a savings, nor an investment account. I survived, but as the only breadwinner for my family, I could barely pay rent or put food on the table. It was terrifying, and I felt guilty and ashamed for letting myself fall into such dire straits.
​
It took me four years to completely heal from my illness. During that time, I vowed: NEVER AGAIN. I devoted myself to increasing my financial literacy so that I could change my relationship with money and set myself on the path of greater financial security.
So, I
So, I started talking.
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The more I talked, the more I realized that contrary to what the patriarchy wants me to believe, I'm not bad with money. As I healed from my illness, I also healed my relationship with money.
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Today, I have:
Increased my income by nearly 89%
Retirement & emergency savings
A healthy relationship with money
Greater financial security
Investments for both of my kids
The more I talked, the more I realized that contrary to what the patriarchy wants me to believe, I'm not bad with money. As I healed from my illness, I also healed my relationship with money.
*Money Matters: Children's Perceptions of Parent-Child Financial Disclosure, Communications Research Reports, Volume 31, 2014, Issue 2
✫Wisdom of Experience Investor Survey Series December 2018, Capital Group / American Funds
I'm not a financial expert. I'm a journalist, storyteller, and mom who made my fair share of mistakes with money.
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The gender finance gap hurt me — but I'm healing from various traumas and I feel more in control of my financial future than ever (some days are better than others).
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I'm not a millionaire who is going to try to sell anyone on a "how to make your first million" scheme.
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But I am a woman who has changed my relationship with money — and for the first time in my life, I actually have savings and investments. I'm proud to say that my relationship with money is still evolving.
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Now, as I continue to foster this relationship, I want to talk about what I've learned with other women who want to improve their financial literacy, change their relationship with money, become more financially secure, and decrease the gender finance gap.
launches March 18th.
Join me and make YOUR Money Move.
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