25 Habits Of Women Who Are Financially Independent — SHE-WISE (2024)

I’ve always been very clear about the women who inspire me but it took some time to actually pinpoint what it was about them that I was so drawn to.

With time and my own growth, I began recognizing exactly what it was.

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I’m inspired by a woman who is both independent yet inclusive. She is bold while warm. She knows her worth and lives her life from this place. She has as much respect for herself as she does for those around her. She is kind but never compromises her own needs. She doesn’t hesitate to set boundaries and she does it with grace.

She’s self-sufficient, only sharing her life with those who cause her to expand, never out of need. She’s ambitious, never waiting on someone else. She’s self-aware. She’s confident in her strengths, yet humble in her expression. She admits when she has more to learn, always staying open. She remains as much the student as she is the teacher.

She is my inspiration, the woman I strive to become more of. I call women like her expander’s. They show me my potential. They guide me toward my most authentic self.

Occasionally, you meet someone who causes you to expand but you interpret this feeling as jealousy. If you find yourself feeling this way, remember that you can have what they have too. Your jealousy is a mirror for you, showing you what you want. Trust that there is enough for everyone and allow yourself to learn from those who come before you.

Here are 25 habits of women who are financially independent, showing us our own financial potential.

1.She pays for her needs before she spends on her wants.

Never the other way around.

2. She has a budget for every category of her expenses.

She knows how much she has to spend for all of her expenses, even the unexpected ones.

3. She invests her money before she spends.

She understands compound interest and how important investing her money is. She is happier to invest for her future than to spend on short-term desires.

4. She tracks both her income and her expenses.

She recognizes the importance & necessity of both.

5.She has more than one income stream.

Whether it’s a side hustle or simply investing, she understands the value of multiple income streams.

6.She isn’t influenced by others.

She isn’t influenced by the skepticism, fear, or caution of others. She is only inspired by those who help her to expand, showing her what is possible.

7.She uses a monthly budget.

She knows that it isn’t enough to track her expenses in her mind. She knows she needs it in writing to see the entire scope of her finances on a monthly basis. If this is something you’re interested in, I’ve created a monthly budget tracker with a step-by-step guide to better understand and organize your finances. Take a look here:

8. She understands the importance of both saving AND investing.

She knows that saving and investing are independent of one another. Digit is my favorite tool for saving my money!

9. She only spends money when she has it to spend.

She doesn’t spend money today that she won’t earn until tomorrow. She understands the trouble this would create for her finances over time.

10. She knows what she values and doesn’t spend on items she doesn’t.

She treats herself and has space in her budget to do so. But she doesn’t spontaneously spend on the things she knows she won’t actually use or enjoy having.

11. She never makes big purchases without also having a plan for paying it off.

Before making a financial commitment, she knows the total expense, interest, responsibilities, and way she will be paying for it.

12. She isn’t scared of debt .

She knows that the unexpected can happen. She strives to be debt free but if and when she has some, she simply plans for how she will pay it off, giving the debt zero power. She knows that debt isn’t the end of the world and doesn’t allow it to control her or her energy in any way.

13. She opens every bill.

She never avoids looking at bills or mail. She takes care of all expenses & business matters as soon as she receives them.

15. She looks ahead each month.

She anticipates and plans for new vacations, appointments, and events. She has a plan for budgeting all new revenues and expenses for the upcoming month.

16. She sets goals & works toward them.

She spends time writing and planning her goals. She creates actionable steps to reach them and goes for it, adjusting and evolving along the way.

17. She takes initiative, never waiting for someone else to show or tell her how to do something.

She is a seeker, always discovering new ways to learn what she doesn’t yet know. She never waits for someone else to teach her.

18. She never makes excuses.

She doesn’t allow her circ*mstances, history, or those around her be an excuse for what she is or isn’t doing.

19. She knows her mindset around money is as important as her behaviors.

She is self-aware and tuned into her mindset, always aware of how her thoughts and beliefs affect her results.

21. She has an emergency fund.

This is separate from her savings and investing accounts. She always has funds available for the unexpected. More on these three accounts here!

22. She knows how much she will have to retire based on her current spending & habits.

She knows how much money she will need to retire comfortably and she has a plan in place to make this happen.

23. She isn’t depending on one job for her retirement funds.

She maximizes her 401k but knows that this isn’t enough and has taken initiative on her own as well. Here is a great resource for starting your own 401k.

24. She is generous.

She knows she will always have enough. She is generous with others, donates to those in need, and supports what she is passionate about.

25. She approaches life with an abundance mindset, not scarcity.

She knows and believes there is enough for each of us. She has no time for scarcity and only focuses on abundance.