We're Halfway Through the Year — Do You Know Where Your Money Is?
Remember that old public service announcement: "It's 10 p.m. Do you know where your children are?" Well, it's July. We're officially halfway through the year. And I have a gentler, money-flavored version for you:
It's the midpoint. Do you know where your money is?
Not in a shame-y, checkbook-balancing, you-should-have-done-better way. (You know how I feel about the word should.) I mean it as an invitation. Six months ago, a lot of us set Big Financial Goals — with intention, maybe even with a little "why not me" energy. Then life happened. Summer happened. And somewhere in there, those goals can quietly slip to the back burner.
The halfway mark is the perfect moment to pull them forward again. Not to start over — to build on what you've already done. So pour yourself something cold, and let's take your money's temperature together.
First, celebrate how far you've come
Before you look at anything you haven't done, look at what you have. Did you open that HYSA? Automate a transfer? Have one brave money conversation you'd been avoiding? Pay off a card, negotiate a raise, or simply start tracking? That counts. All of it counts.
We can't grind forever with our heads down. Celebration is the pause that lets us see the progress — and progress is contagious. Once you notice one win, you start working toward the next. If celebrating your own achievements feels a little awkward, you're not alone, and I've written about how to lean into it here: Celebrate Your Wins for Financial Well-Being.
So: what have you accomplished or made real progress on since January? Name it. Say it out loud. Tell a Financial Friend.
Next, schedule a mid-year money meeting
Some of the best financial moves I've made didn't happen with a spreadsheet — they happened in conversation. My partner and I call ours a State of Our Union meeting (aka a Money Date), where we sit down, look at where all the money actually is, and talk through what's next.
If you have a partner, this is your nudge to put a mid-year money date on the calendar. If you're flying solo, this is a wonderful "just you" check-in — gaze deep into the eyes of your finances and ask what's working and what needs your attention in the back half of the year. I walk through how I structure these (and the tools that make them easier) here: Tools to Align Your Money to Your Values.
Then, check your number
Here's the one number that captures the whole picture: your net worth. Income comes and goes, markets wiggle, expenses rise and fall — but net worth (everything you own minus everything you owe) tells you whether the needle is actually moving in the right direction.
You don't have to share it with anyone. It's your number, for you, to keep you motivated and honest. I set milestone goals around mine and tracked it far more diligently once I did — and it made a real difference on my journey. If you're new to this (or need a re-up on why it matters), start here: You Will Be a Millionaire.
Make it easy: put it all in one place
The reason a lot of us avoid the mid-year check-in is friction. Logging into six accounts to add up one number is nobody's idea of a good time. A personal financial management tool that aggregates everything into one dashboard makes your money date and your net worth check about a hundred times easier — and honestly, kind of satisfying.
I use Monarch to see the whole picture in one spot. (Fitting name for our community, isn't it? A monarch, taking flight.) Connect your accounts once and your net worth updates itself — so future-you can do this check-in in ten minutes instead of dreading it for ten days.
Your mid-year pledge
Discussion is powerful, but action is what builds wealth. So here's your invitation: pick one thing from above and actually do it this week.
Celebrate a win — and tell someone about it.
Book your mid-year State of (Y)our Union money meeting.
Check your net worth (bonus points if you set up a tool to track it for you).
We're not self-made women. We're community-made women — and the second half of the year is so much better with financial friends cheering you on. Come share your mid-year win (or your goal for the next six months) in the community. We'll celebrate right alongside you.
Now tell me: what's the one money move you want to make before the year is out?
