Money Is Still the Ultimate Taboo Topic. Glamour Wants to Change That
In my very first issue as the editor in chief of Glamour, I promised to help women reshape their complicated relationship with money. In the year and a half since then, we've talked about investing, getting out of debt, and prenups—and how much you should be tipping at the hair salon. Today we're bringing the conversation to a new platform.
I'm so excited to announce the premiere of our brand-new money podcast, She Makes Money Moves. (It's produced by Glamour and iHeartRadio, the team behind our earlier podcast, Broken Harts.)
In new episodes dropping every Tuesday for the next 16 weeks, I'll introduce you to women from across the country who shared their intimate, unscripted stories about money: how much they make, how much they spend—and how money impacts their identities and their relationships. One guest went back to work four days after giving birth to avoid missing a pay period. Another is drowning in $275,000 of student loan debt. All of their stories are raw, real, and—no matter what your bank account looks like—relatable.
You'll also meet the financial experts I tapped for advice to help guide these women—and women everywhere—forward.
"Money is the ultimate taboo topic," said one of those experts, Shannon McLay, the CEO and founder of the Financial Gym. "We're more comfortable getting physically naked with somebody than financially naked."
It's so true. When's the last time you had an honest, uncomfortable conversation about money? Have you ever?
Part of the problem is that conversations about getting laid off, credit card debt, or not getting the raise you were hoping for can be racked with embarrassment, shame, and confusion—and no one wants to go there when dishing about Love Island is so easy. (A recent survey by Fidelity, the sponsor of the podcast, found that 80 percent of women avoid discussing finances with the people they're closest with.) Plus, our parents taught us that it's rude to talk about money.
But the only thing avoiding the topic and being polite have gotten women so far is 80 cents for every dollar a man earns—less, if you're a woman of color. It's enough to make you scream—I often want to—but there are better ways to raise your voice:
Ask just one friend to join a two-person audiobook club. (Baby steps.) Pick a straightforward personal finance book, like New York Times best-seller Financially Fearless by Alexa von Tobel, and agree to discuss it over happy hour drinks in two weeks.
Rather talk to a pro? Check the National Association of Personal Advisors site to find a financial adviser near you with hourly rates. (Again, baby steps.)
If you're due for a raise, ask the guys you work with to spill their salaries before you go to your boss. (I've said it before: Beer helps.)
Share your story. Email me at money@glamour.com and I might enlist an expert to answer your money questions next season.
Samantha Barry is the editor in chief of Glamour and the host of She Makes Money Moves. Follow her on Twitter @samanthabarry, and subscribe to She Makes Money Moves on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Originally Appeared on Glamour
