What Scares Me Most as Your Financial Amiga
Because the real ghosts don’t live in haunted houses - they live in our bank accounts, our habits, and the money fears we avoid.
The Real Kinds of Scary
This week the world is full of pumpkins, cobwebs, and jump scares — but as your personal finance and yogi amiga, my fears look a little different.
They don’t come with masks or haunted houses. They hide in silence, procrastination, and the “I’ll-deal-with-it-later” whispers that creep in when life feels busy.
Fear, to me, isn’t the enemy; it’s a mirror. In yoga we learn that fear reveals where our energy is stuck. The same is true with money — fear points toward where awareness is needed.
So grab your cafecito, take a deep breath, and let’s walk through eight things that truly spook me as a financial amiga and what you can do to face them with courage, clarity, and corazón.
1. The Vanishing Savings Act
When your safety net disappears faster than Halloween candy.
I see it all the time women working so hard, earning more than they ever have, yet their savings vanish before the month ends.
Here’s why this one terrifies me: savings isn’t just a number. It’s peace. It’s your quiet proof that you can breathe when life happens.
Without a savings fund, every flat tire, every bill, every surprise becomes an emergency. Your nervous system stays in fight-or-flight and there’s nothing mindful about that.
“Your savings is your peace.” -EM
Start small: one account just for you. Automate it. Even $25 a week is a declaration that says, “I take care of me.” Build toward three to six months of expenses, but celebrate each milestone. Saving isn’t deprivation; it’s devotion.
“Your savings account isn’t where dreams go to die, it’s where they learn to grow.”
2. The Ghost Policy
When you have people you love, but no plan to protect them.
This one gives me chills every time.
What truly scares me isn’t just when someone depends only on their employer’s policy, it’s when people believe they don’t need any coverage at all.
If you have a mortgage, children, debt, student loans, a pet, or simply people you love that’s enough reason. Because love without a plan can unintentionally leave behind chaos instead of comfort.
What scares me most is seeing women delay this decision. The older you get, or if your health changes, the more expensive it becomes.
And I’ve seen it firsthand. I’m still in my mid-30s, and I can’t tell you how many friends and family members have already been diagnosed with autoimmune or hereditary conditions that weren’t even on their radar. Some have faced sudden loss. We always think we’re too young until something happens.
“Love continues to protect, even when you can’t be there.” -EM
Life insurance doesn’t just replace income. It gives your loved ones space to grieve, to breathe, to take care of what’s left behind without drowning in financial stress. It’s not about fear, it’s about love that continues to protect even when you can’t be there.
“If you have people who love you, or people who depend on you, that’s reason enough. Because love without a plan can become a burden.” -EM
And if you’re not sure where to start, that’s okay. That’s why people come to me. I help you understand what you need, not just what a job or an ad says you should have, because every plan should feel personal, peaceful, and protective.
3. The Curse of Mindless Spending
Swiping, tapping, and splurging without intention, a silent spell that drains joy and money.
You know the curse: one little “Add to Cart” here, a brunch there, and suddenly your paycheck is gone.
Spending isn’t evil, it’s energy. But when it’s unconscious, it becomes a leak in your life force.
“Before you tap ‘buy,’ pause and ask if it aligns with your values.” -EM
Ask yourself before spending:
✨ Does this align with my values?
✨ Does it move me closer to peace or further from it?
✨ Am I buying from fullness or from fatigue?
When we spend mindfully, even small purchases feel sacred. When we don’t, we chase the temporary high instead of long-term joy.
In my sessions, I teach women how to build value-based spending plans, budgets that feel like boundaries with purpose, not punishment. Because mindful money still includes joy, it’s just joy that lasts longer than the receipt.
“Every dollar you spend tells a story, make sure it’s one you want to keep rereading.”
4. The Credit Card Creature
The monster under the bed that grows stronger every time you ignore your balance.
Debt has a way of disguising itself as comfort. It tells you, “Don’t worry, pay it later.” But interest? Interest is the creature lurking in the shadows, multiplying quietly.
Credit isn’t bad, I actually believe it’s a tool when used wisely. But it requires awareness.
Minimum payments feed the monster; intentional payments tame it.
Check your statements. Know your APR. Track your utilization. These are acts of self-respect, not shame.
And when women come to me buried under balances, we don’t talk about guilt, we talk about structure, strategy, and self-compassion. Because slaying this creature isn’t about fear; it’s about finally turning on the light.
“Credit isn’t evil… it’s energy borrowed. Make sure you can return it before it drains you.”- EM
5. The Phantom of ‘Someday’
Waiting for the perfect time and realizing someday never comes.
The Phantom of Someday whispers: “I’ll start when things calm down… after the holidays… once I make more.” But time keeps moving. Opportunities fade. And someday becomes never.
What truly scares me is watching women delay their financial dreams because life feels too full. But planning doesn’t require perfection; it just requires presence.
Start where you are. Open the savings account. Schedule the money date. Ask the question.
Momentum is magic. It replaces fear with clarity. And that’s what my work is all about helping you move from “I don’t know where to start” to “I can do this.”
“The right time isn’t later, it’s the moment you realize you deserve peace.” -EM
6. When Women Lose Focus, Control, and Curiosity About Their Finances
“Financial awareness isn’t control, it’s confidence.” -EM
The real horror story, when powerful women hand over their financial voice or assume they already know it all.
This one hits close.
It’s the woman who says, “My partner handles it.”
The one who says, “I already know what I’m doing,” yet can’t quite explain her plan.
The truth? Money mirrors power. And when we step out of that conversation, whether from fear, fatigue, or overconfidence; we hand over our voice.
Statistically, women live longer, earn less, and spend more on caregiving and health. So losing financial curiosity isn’t just risky, it’s costly.
I’ve worked with women who came to me after divorce, loss, or burnout, realizing they didn’t know where their money went. And I’ve also worked with women who knew a lot, but not what applied to them.
Financial awareness isn’t about control; it’s about confidence.
It’s about understanding what’s yours, what’s shared, and what supports your vision.
If you’ve ever felt dismissed in a financial conversation, let this be your reminder: you don’t need permission to participate. You belong at that table.
7. The Forgotten ‘Why’
When you chase money without meaning, like walking through life’s haunted house with no flashlight.
This fear is quieter but deeper. It’s when the bank balance grows yet your peace doesn’t. When you check all the boxes: career, home, lifestyle, but something still feels off.
That “something” is your why calling for attention.
Money is energy. When it’s aligned with purpose, it flows with ease. When it’s disconnected, it becomes heavy, no matter how much you have.
“When money aligns with meaning, everything flows easier.” -EM
Every plan I create with clients begins with intention: What do you want this money to do for you? …Because the moment your goals align with your values, your entire financial world starts to feel lighter.
“Money without meaning is just motion. Money with purpose is power.”
8. The Plan That Never Lived
A chilling truth: not having a plan is still a plan, just one that leads you nowhere.
The scariest part of all? People think “no plan” equals freedom. But in reality, it equals confusion.
Without a plan, money runs the show. You react instead of respond. You repeat instead of rebuild.
Planning doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as:
Knowing what comes in and what goes out.
Setting one short-term and one long-term goal.
Reviewing your protection: insurance, savings, and emergency funds (at least once a year).
“A mindful plan isn’t about perfection, it’s about protection.” -EM
When you bring mindfulness to your money plan, it stops being about control and starts being about clarity.
That’s what I help women do every single day, craft plans that breathe with them, grow with them, and keep them feeling safe, steady, and strong.
“A mindful plan isn’t about perfection, it’s about protection. It keeps your peace alive.” -EM
From Fear to Focus
So yes, I get scared. Not of the dark, but of women dimming their light when it comes to their money.
Fear is natural. It’s your body saying, Hey, this matters.
But courage is simply fear with direction and that’s the heart of mindful finance.
If any of these financial frights sounded familiar, take a gentle step today. Start with awareness. Start with curiosity. Start with compassion for yourself.
And remember: you don’t have to do it alone. That’s why I show up, as your amiga, your guide, your reminder that financial peace and feminine power can coexist beautifully.
Breathe in. Fill your heart, your ribcage, your belly, and exhale anything that no longer serves you.
You are capable. You are powerful. And you are not afraid of your own growth.
Mind, Body & Money, guided by Erika Maria, your Financial Amiga.