Jan. 11, 2026
Money Muscle Workshop
Welcome to this O'dark hundred post that I wrote for one of Flight Attendant FB groups. This information has been brewing for almost 2 years and I knew it was time to make it available in spite of my hesitation and fear of criticism.
Join the 1/14/26 workshop here
I will comeback here to link the podcast, private podcast and YT video when they are ready. Meanwhile enjoy the post, the typos and begin your own version of the Money Muscle.
Here is my not-so-short version of what I call the MONEY MUSCLE 
and the answer I wrote for one of Flight Attendant groups as a response (this was at 05:00 so you know there are typos). This process has been about 2 years in the making because it includes mindset + practicality. Like super slow for my liking but I got through it. #manifestingfenerator
and the answer I wrote for one of Flight Attendant groups as a response (this was at 05:00 so you know there are typos). This process has been about 2 years in the making because it includes mindset + practicality. Like super slow for my liking but I got through it. #manifestingfeneratorThis year is all about trying new things and sharing practical stuff into shifting your lifestyle from all the trial and error that goes on around here 
. After looking at Eventbrite for a few events that I was interested in I decided to share the MONEY MUSCLE in the form of a workshop. Practical. Not-so-short and for less than a cup of coffee $9.00. 
in comments because FB doesn't like it. blah. 
. After looking at Eventbrite for a few events that I was interested in I decided to share the MONEY MUSCLE in the form of a workshop. Practical. Not-so-short and for less than a cup of coffee $9.00. in comments because FB doesn't like it. blah. But here is the framework that you can take and make it your own. No workshop needed. Keep or leave the flying references out.
1. Define what’s the lowest amount you will get on every paycheck to start. Our paychecks vary a lot and this piece can be a bit hard but look at your slowest and your highest and get the average.
For this, let’s say you can bring home $2,000 every paycheck 
.
.2. Upper left quadrant is al about us first. We normally pay everyone first and leave ourselves last. So naturally we pay bills and use CC to splurge because we “deserve it” and we do BUT we deserve it all the time. So, whether I spend it or not I set aside money for savings and fun.
For our example this can be $500, $250.00 each category per paycheck.
Ideally this will go into savings account and a checking account dedicated to your fun activities like layover experiences, nails or go-kart racing. The idea is to always have funds going into your fun/mental sanity bucket FIRST not last.
3. Upper right is our home 
. Anything that keeps a roof over your head. For us is mortgage, electricity, water, gas, internet and my husband’s phone is included in this. For rent just split in half. For utilities go through at least six months back and add the statements and the divide by 6 to get a monthly average. Then take this amount and divide by 2 and this will give you a set amount to pay per paycheck.
. Anything that keeps a roof over your head. For us is mortgage, electricity, water, gas, internet and my husband’s phone is included in this. For rent just split in half. For utilities go through at least six months back and add the statements and the divide by 6 to get a monthly average. Then take this amount and divide by 2 and this will give you a set amount to pay per paycheck.Depending on where you live you may pay or not pay for utilities and water sometimes comes quarterly which can mean a $200 plus bill. These numbers can be too high and they always show up at the worst possible time. So having a set amount paid every paycheck can reduce the surprise bill. If you begin doing this there will be a time when a credit will show up and can be a buffer if there is a slower month than usual.
For our example this quadrant can add up to the following: $900 for all. This will be different for everyone.
4. Lower left quadrant: Food & gas 
. This can include food on trips and it can vary but looking at patterns and not the amount is the important part. Nowadays I mostly do turns but when on trips I wanted a meal at a quiet restaurant and take my time so my food budget needed to accommodate my needs.
. This can include food on trips and it can vary but looking at patterns and not the amount is the important part. Nowadays I mostly do turns but when on trips I wanted a meal at a quiet restaurant and take my time so my food budget needed to accommodate my needs.For our example it can be $600 per month so $300 per paycheck go to two weeks of food. This category continues to be assessed by me bcz food prices continue to rise and my goal is to fly less so I try to cook (not very good at it) and check in often. What I look atbis when we decide for a restaurant and for a famiky of 4 I can easily dish out over $100 per meal. So I know that if we leave early without having had some thing to eat it will lead to a hangry decision of going somewhere for convenience. Lots of patterns here that can save money.
5. Lower right is all your variables and subscriptions like netflix, spotify or a class. This also gets assessed and only people/services you truly love should have the right to come into your account and take our money. This process is not about spending less but truly seeing what you value.
For our example it can be $600 per month and $300 per paycheck.
Ideally and I now do this, this money will sit on a separate account and have at least one month of reserve bcz it can put your account in overdraft for various reasons.
So now we have per month.
Upper left (us) - $1,000 , $500 per paycheck
Upper right (shelter) - $1,800, $900 per paycheck
Lower left (food) - $600, $300 per paycheck
Lower right (subscriptions) - $600, $300 per paycheck
Total monthly: $4,000, $2,000 per paycheck.
We now have a net-zero budget which means that when we get a paycheck every dollar is not spent but it has a bucket where it will go. This has been huge because we used to pay bills and have no money left.
This process is also not about austerity but about being open to seeing the patterns that do not work. This includes scarcity mindset, how our relationship with money affects is and if our money triggers come from childhood. I’m big on this last one because I believe it all comes from there but it doesn’t mean we are doomed, it just shows us where to do the work.
Builders this quadrant takes some time but once you get it set up then it becomes easier to do a money pulse when we get paid.
Then we add debt if we have any, big buys that we want or anything else in between because we know how we are going to get there.
I can write a lot more but hope this makes sense. Money makes people uncomfortable but after much inner work into the way I parent, I began applying some of those skills to life and hence why The Unschooling Lifestyle. My life changed through home education but this type of transformation can happen through other events. Keep in mind that this is not set in stone and you can use it or not, dive deep or leave it after a day. Take only what resonates and leave the rest.
Not-back-to-school (new tradition, 9.5.2024)
It feels like just yesterday when I bought our first “1st Day of School” board at Target. It felt awkward 😬 but everyone else was doing it so I thought I should too.
I have never been much for traditions because life is always evolving.…
Drowning in the high cost of everything? 4 not-so-fast but effective tips for making the most out of your money (8.14.2024)
It took a while but good things aren’t fast. Period.
My last experience in recognizing this was when we got pizza 🍕 from a metal container at the mall vs when I had pizza 🍕 in Rome. Definitely not the same.
Beyond the actual food for me …
