Financial Feminist

Yes, my $100K story has been in the New York Times, Business Insider, and on ABC News — and yes, I did it in 2019. But every time it goes viral, my DMs say the same thing: "Cool for you, Tori, but that was a different economy." So let's actually talk about it. In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly what I would do differently if I were starting from zero in my early 20s today — what still works from my original system, what I'd change, and why hitting your first $100K in 2026 is harder, but absolutely not impossible. This isn't a motivation episode. This is a framework episode built for the economy we're actually living in, with real numbers, real talk about systemic barriers, and a step-by-step system you can plug into your own money starting today.

Want to build your first $100K, but not sure where to start? Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to get my free guide.

Get my HYSA recommendation, my book, Financial Feminist, and more resources from this episode at ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠

How I Saved $100K at 25: ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/how-to-save-100k/⁠ 

00:00 Intro

00:18 How Tori Hit $100K (Origin Story)

00:55 What Actually Went Into It

02:43 What Tori Didn't Have

03:28 Why 2016–2019 Was Different Than Now

07:18 What's Genuinely Harder Today

09:10 The Latte Factor Era Is Dead

10:03 The System Still Works

11:57 If I Was Starting Today

12:11 Step 1: Stop Trying to Be Perfect

15:22 Step 2: Don't Write Off Someone's Story

17:35 Step 3: Redefine What Your $100K Means

19:43 Step 4: Automate Your Savings

22:19 Step 5: Focus on Growing Income

23:57 Negotiate Every Job Offer

26:01 Step 6: Start Investing Now

29:11 Step 7: Values-Based Spending

31:11 The Full Plan Recap & Free Resource

32:28 Closing: You're Not Behind
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What if you never had to choose between building wealth and honoring where you came from? Bricia Lopez didn't –– and she built something incredible because of it. She grew up translating for her immigrant parents, learned money by watching her family create and lose and rebuild, and went on to become a restaurateur, cookbook author, and the woman behind one of LA's most iconic Oaxacan restaurants, Guelaguetza. Today she's sharing everything, the mindset, the hard lessons, the margarita vs. martini moment that changed how she thinks about her own worth. Come for the food, stay for the money talk.

Bricia’s links:

Website: https://www.ilovemicheladas.com/

Join the savings sprint to get your finances on track and take control of your money: https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod. 

00:00 Intro 

00:20 The First Money Lesson: You Can Just Make It

02:57 Being the Family Translator & Business Partner at 12

05:25 Redefining Success at Every Decade

09:08 Cutting Personal Comfort, Not Quality, During Hard Times

16:58 Why Bricia Talks Money Openly With Her Friends

17:22 The Margarita vs. Martini — Running Your Own Race

25:52 Why Customers Hesitate to Pay for Quality Mexican Food

26:37 The Importance of Knowing Your Worth

38:47 How Wealth Is More Than a Number

29:00 Building Something Meaningful Without Abandoning Your Roots

31:09 When Women Are Financially Free, the World Changes

32:38 Rapid Fire: Best Dish to Order, Desert Island Ingredients & More

38:58 Where to Find Bricia & What's Coming Next

To stay up to date and find any other resources mentioned on our show visit: ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod
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If you've ever thought, "I know what I'm supposed to be doing with my money, so why can't I just do it?"–– this episode is going to change everything.

I'm sitting down with Dr. Nick, a licensed neuropsychologist and executive cognition specialist, to unpack the brain science behind why smart, capable women still make emotional financial decisions. We're going into the dopamine deficit that makes long-term financial goals feel impossible to start, the norepinephrine surge that only kicks in when things become an emergency, and why "I'm bad with money" is a story your brain makes up — not a fact about who you are.

Dr. Nick breaks down how emotional dysregulation silently drives impulse spending, financial avoidance, and the boom-bust cycle so many of us know too well, and more importantly, how to build systems, practice self-compassion, and rewire your brain's relationship with money, one small win at a time.

Dr. Nick’s links:

Website: https://www.drnicolemurray.com/

Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠⁠ to stay up to date and find any resources mentioned on our show.

If you're feeling stressed about money, we've created a money plan to help you, no matter where you're getting started. Taking a quick 2-minute quiz to get your money plan at https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod

In this episode:

00:00 How Emotional Decisions Shape Your Finances

01:47 Why Knowing Isn't Enough: The Brain Science

02:56 The Role of Dopamine in Financial Decisions

05:11 How to Create Urgency Before a Crisis

07:52 "I'm Just Bad With Money" — Debunked

10:15 What Is Emotional Regulation (And Why It Matters)

14:52 The Intensity Gauge: Rating Your Emotions

15:02 Managing the "Always at an 8" vs. Numb Baseline

17:29 Making Financial Decisions at a 5, 6, or 7

19:19 Replacing Mindless Spending With Systems

29:54 Willpower Is a Myth — Here's What Actually Works

32:11 The Case for Self-Compassion Over Willpower

35:43 The Boom-Bust Cycle of Financial Motivation

39:28 How Emotional Regulation Changes With Age

42:24 Preparing for Life's Transitions

49:00 Rebuilding Trust With Yourself and Your Money
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If you've ever power posed in a bathroom mirror or blasted a Beyoncé song before a big negotiation hoping it would make you believe in yourself, this episode is going to completely change the way you think about confidence. I'm sitting down with return guest Kara Loewentheil, founder of The School of New Feminist Thought, host of the internationally top-ranked podcast Unfuck Your Brain, and author of the instant New York Times bestseller Take Back Your Brain, and we're getting into the real, evidence-backed truth about what confidence actually is — and why everything you've been told about building it is probably doing you more harm than good. Kara breaks down her Confidence Compass framework — self-knowledge, self-compassion, self-belief, and self-actualization — and why real confidence has nothing to do with a feeling or a pose, and everything to do with building a trusting relationship with yourself so you can take risks, go after your financial goals, and create the life you actually want.

Kara’s links:

Website: http://unfuckyourbrain.com/HSC 

Unf*ck Your Brain podcast: https://schoolofnewfeministthought.com/podcasts/ 

Take Back Your Brain book: https://www.takebackyourbrainbook.com/ 

Visit ⁠https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod⁠ to read the transcript and find any resources mentioned in this episode!

0:00 Intro

0:59 Confidence Is a Skillset, Not a Feeling

2:08 Why Power Poses and Beyoncé Songs Don't Work

4:19 Does "Fake It Till You Make It" Actually Work?

5:19 Kara's Background: Yale, Harvard Law, and Becoming a Coach

5:34 Betting on Yourself Without Feeling Confident

7:55 Confidence vs. Certainty and Control

9:30 Confidence as a Relationship with Yourself

12:02 The Confidence Compass Framework

14:40 Money, Shame, and Which Block Shows Up Most

16:47 How Shame Disguises Itself as Responsibility

19:37 The Permission Slip Problem

27:31 How to Uncouple Shame and Build New Beliefs

38:28 Unlearning Selflessness Without Feeling Selfish

43:04 Confidence Doesn't Come from Having Things — It Creates Them

45:37 Using the Confidence Compass for Money Goals

48:52 The Seeds of Who You Want to Be Are Already in You
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Summer travel is something most of us look forward to all year.

But without a plan, it can leave you with a maxed-out credit card and a lot of financial stress to come home to. In this episode of Financial Feminist, I'm breaking down exactly how to budget for summer travel so you can enjoy your trip without the money anxiety hanging over you the whole time. I'll walk you through how to set a realistic trip cap before you ever open a flight search tab, why travel is a known predictable expense and not just a fun splurge, and how to build a sinking fund so the money is already there when it's time to book. If you’re craving a getaway this summer, I'm giving you a step-by-step framework, plus my favorite money-saving tools and practical tips, so you can travel well and come home financially intact.

*Important note: this episode was recorded in January 2026, before the increase in gas prices

My favorite tool for finding flight deals: https://going.sjv.io/c/1408818/3039272/10802

Get my Bill Breakthrough scripts: https://herfirst100k.com/bill-breakthrough

Compare offers for Auto Insurance: https://herfirst100k.com/auto

Visit https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod to get my free Travel Budgeting Spreadsheet! 

See my credit card recommendations: https://herfirst100k.com/credit-cards

00:00 Intro

00:16 Why Summer Travel Feels So Expensive

02:50 Step 1: Set Your Total Trip Cap

03:49 A Budget Is Not a Killjoy

05:46 Let Flight Deals Decide Where You Go

07:55 Step 2: Break the Trip Into Real Categories

12:22 Step 3: Plan Backwards

15:13 Step 4: Cut Costs Without Ruining the Trip

17:48 Book Experiences in Advance & Pick Your Splurges

19:21 Use Credit Card Points

19:58 What to Do If You Can't Afford the Trip You Want

22:05 Travel Is Part of a Rich Life
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