Almstrom Financial Coaching, LLC

Maybe from the outside it looks like you have it all together: good job, roof over your head, kids in activities, vacation photos posted.

Or maybe you're not even trying to make it look like anything. You're just getting through the month, doing your best, not performing for anyone.

Either way, what's actually going on behind the scenes that no one else sees? The quiet math you do in the grocery store line.
The way you avoid checking your credit card app on a Sunday night after a fun-filled weekend with friends and family. That sinking feeling every time an unexpected expense shows up, because you already know exactly which card it's going on.

This isn't about shaming you or telling you you're irresponsible with money. It's actually the opposite. You're a smart, capable woman who has been white-knuckling it through months that don't add up, trying to live your life the best way you know how with what you've got.

You just haven't been taught that there's another way. Sound familiar?

That's exactly what I built the 9 Ways to Break Up With Your Credit Cards guide for.

No, you won't be cutting up your cards in some dramatic fashion. You'll be following doable steps that actually stop the credit card cycle, on your own terms, wherever you're starting from.

Ready to take back control of your credit cards and stop feeling behind every month? Download your copy here:

A Step-By-Step Guide to Pay Off Debt After working with hundreds of women over 5+ years to create healthier relationships with money, healthier businesses and healthier bank accounts, I've been able to distill down the most important actions we can all come back to again and again on our financial journey.

Today’s topic: Back-to-school money prep (starting now, not in August panic mode!)

I know, I know, it is WAY too soon to think about backpacks and school supplies. But that's exactly why I'm bringing it up now 😅

Every single year, back-to-school costs sneak up in that "wait, it's already August?" kind of way and the credit card becomes the easiest answer because there was no plan in place.

And is it just me, or do the lists get longer every year? Between new shoes, notebooks, registration fees, sports and activity sign-ups, my bank account cringes to see it all coming.

Yet none of it is really a surprise when you have kids. It happens every year, so let's stop treating it like one.

A few small ways to get ahead of it starting today:
🎒Open (or rename) a savings bucket "Back to School" in your high yield savings account
🎒Set aside even $20–$30 a week between now and then
🎒Write down what you already know is coming (supply lists from last year are a great starting point)
🎒Decide your number before the sales start, so "deals" don't turn into overspending

No perfect, rigid plan, just a head-start. Because the moms who feel calm in August are usually the ones who started in July, and not necessarily because they have bigger budgets.

I’d love to hear any of your tips or tricks for back-to-school planning that you swear by in the comments! 👇

Can you believe we're already halfway through 2026?!

I don't say that to stress you out, but I do say it because you can treat July 1st is basically a reset button on your debt payoff journey...without the pressure of a "New Year, New Me" post attached to it.

So, grab your beverage of choice and a journal and ask yourself these 3 questions:
1️⃣ What's actually true about my debt right now? Not what I think is true, not what I'm hoping is true. Pull up the actual numbers. I know this is scary, but let's rip the band-aid off together.
2️⃣ What has worked in the last 6 months? Even one money habit that stuck counts. Write it down because you need to see your own proof.
3️⃣ What's one thing I want to be different about your money situation by December? Not 15 things, just one.

Here's what I don't want you to do: use this as an excuse to spiral about the last 6 months you feel like you "wasted." There's no such thing as a wasted 6 months if you're still here, still paying attention, still trying.

January gets all the glory for fresh starts. But July works too (and really any point in time for that matter). Use these reflection questions as a jumping off point for your next best step!

How are you hitting the reset button with your finances at this halfway point of 2026? Tell me below