Ripples of Resilience

Financial Wellness As A Resilience Skill For Families

• Jana Marie Foundation

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Money can be one of the fastest ways to spike stress in a household, and it is also one of the most practical ways to build resilience. We sit down with Shaina Golembeski from Kish Bank to talk about financial wellness in plain language, without shame, and with real tools you can use right away. If the word “budget” makes your stomach drop, you are not alone, and you are not broken. 

We dig into why budgeting feels so emotional, and how reframing a budget as a plan can put you back in the driver’s seat. Shana walks through a simple personal finance framework we can all remember: spend intentionally, save regularly, and borrow responsibly. We also talk about what to do when the numbers are tight, how to spot mindless spending, and why small choices add up more than we think. 

For parents, caregivers, and anyone who works with young people, we bring it back to kids and teens: needs versus wants, tracking spending, the 30-day rule, and the tough but important skill of delayed gratification. We also tackle social media comparison and the pressure to “keep up,” plus practical next steps if you feel behind, including free financial education resources like mymoney.gov, consumerfinance.gov, consumer.gov, and Khan Academy. 

If you want more confidence, less money anxiety, and a clearer path toward your goals, listen now, then share it with someone who needs a steadier money plan. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what financial habit you are working on next.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 for immediate support. 

This podcast is brought to you by Jana Marie Foundation and A Mindful Village. 

Jana Marie Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in State College, Pennsylvania which harnesses the power of creative expression and dialogue to spark conversations build connections, and promote mental health and wellbeing among young people and their communities. Learn more at Jana Marie Foundation.

A Mindful Village is Dr. Peter Montminy's private consulting practice dedicated to improving the mental health of kids and their caregivers. Learn more at A Mindful Village | Holistic Mental Health Care for Kids.

Music created by Ken Baxter. 

(c) 2025. Jana Marie Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

This podcast was developed in part under a grant number SM090046 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The views, policies, and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAMHSA, HHS or the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

Welcome And Why Money Matters

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Welcome to Ripples of Resilience, the podcast from Jnna Marie Foundation, where we explore the connections that help young people and families build resilience and thrive. I'm your host, Marisa Vicere, and today we're doing something a little different. While we often focus on emotional well-being and mental health, we know that wellness is much more than our emotions. Financial well-being plays a significant role in reducing stress, increasing confidence, and helping us prepare for life's unexpected moments. Joining me today is Shaina Golembeski, a learning and development business partner with Kish Bank, who is passionate about helping individuals and families make informed financial decisions. Thank you so much for being here.

Shaina Golembeski

Thank you so much for having me. I've been in banking for almost seven years, and my favorite part is educating our community and helping people define and achieve financial wellness and peace of mind.

Defining Financial Wellness And Resilience

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

At Jana Marie Foundation, we often talk about building resilience. How does financial wellness fit into that conversation?

Shaina Golembeski

Well, the dictionary defines resilience as an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. And what changes more than our finances? The decisions we make affect our everyday finances, where you work, the hobbies you do to find peace, donating to nonprofits, growing a family, and planning for retirement all require resilience to get. And financial wellness, just like physical or mental wellness, is defined by each person. If you don't mind me asking, Marisa, what does financial wellness mean to you?

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Thank you so much for asking that question. I really feel like financial wellness means having a healthy relationship with money that allows you to feel secure, prepared, and able to live the life you want, both today and in the future. So to me, it's not about being wealthy, it's about having that knowledge, those habits, and that confidence to make financial decisions that help to reduce stress and support goals. What kind of goals do you have to help you achieve them? I think for me, my goals really are about looking at what I have to have and then what I want to have. So it's looking at how do I make sure I have enough for today for the things that are needed. So making sure I have food on the table, making sure I have clothes on the backs, making sure I have a roof over my head, all of those things that are kind of the means to live and thrive. And then I also have a lot of goals that are really about my desires. I love to travel. I love to be able to go and do adventures with my family. And so those are extras. And so really looking at how I can make sure that our way of living supports that I can do some of those things as well.

Shaina Golembeski

Thank you for sharing. And the reason I asked that is because I think I might define it a little differently. My financial wellness definition is being able to travel, experience life, and have a lasting impact on those I love. So my goals are to have the security that when I pass away, that my family won't be financially burdened and that I'll have time today to invest into my family's future while also saving so that I can travel and enrich my life through my community. But if you ask my nine-year-old nephew, he's probably gonna say that financial wellness is having all the money in the world to buy Pokemon and V-Bucks he could ever need. But I'm sure that's gonna change in time and he'll have to show some resilience for an obstacle, like when he goes to a convention and has to figure out does he want more quantity of cards or better quality of cards?

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

So, what our listeners can take away from this is that financial education gives people practical tools in support, confidence, independence, and emotional resilience and making those financial decisions. Am I understanding that correctly?

Shaina Golembeski

That's right. Education is key to making sound decisions to keep you in control over your finances, no matter if you're spending, saving,

Why Budgets Feel Stressful

Shaina Golembeski

or borrowing.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Thank you so much for that. I know many people feel anxious just hearing the word budget. Why do you think finances create so much stress?

Shaina Golembeski

Well, first, making decisions and committing to change is hard. Stress, anger, and fear are very common feelings when people discuss their finances. Misinformation and confusion are the main drivers of those feelings, and the stressed mind will see a budget as a restriction rather than a tool. These emotions are designed to protect us from danger, but I prefer to think of a budget as a plan to help us decide what matters most. And it actually gives us permission to spend intentionally rather than spending impulsively and then feeling anxious afterward. And money can create stress because it's connected to so many basic needs and important life decisions. It can affect our housing, if we can eat, our transportation, education, our relationships, and even our sense of security. And that's where Kish's simple three-step approach comes in. Spend, save, borrow. Every day when we receive money, we have three choices. Spend it with intention, save it regularly, or borrow money responsibly with a plan to repay it. And understanding the benefits and responsibilities of each choice gives people more controls with tools like a budget.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Thank you so much for bringing in that three-step approach: the spend, save, and borrow. So let's break this down a little bit more. What if your budget states someone's needs cost more money than what they make?

Shaina Golembeski

That can be a tough thing to discover, but a budget can bring clarity to that obstacle so that you can make a thoughtful life decision, like finding an additional part-time job or even considering a new higher-paying role.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

And so if we're noticing with our budget that we're spending more money on eating out or V-bucks, what are some things that we could do?

Shaina Golembeski

A budget can help you spend intentionally. So spending is how you pay for your daily needs and occasional ones. So making thoughtful choices helps your money last longer or be used for larger goals like a car

Spend Save Borrow Framework

Shaina Golembeski

or a house. Remember, budgets are a tool to support you, not to control you. You're the decider. Resilience is not just about getting through an emotional or a personal experience. It's about having the tools to help us navigate everyday life and unexpected situations.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

So let's bring it down to our children, teens, and families. So, you know, financial wellness and learning about the importance of budgeting isn't just something we need to do in our adult life, but something that we should bring down to our kids. What are some financial topics that adults and young people can develop?

Shaina Golembeski

I want to talk about a few habits that they can develop through education. So the first one is acknowledging once versus needs and doing this as early as possible. Needs include, but aren't limited to, food, basic clothes, and school supplies. Some wants can be new smartphones, trendy clothes and shoes, concert tickets, or other optional purchases. But before we make those purchases, we should ask ourselves, do I need this to survive? What value will this item bring to my life? And if it's not a need, is there another way to satisfy this want? And you need to remember that identifying a want doesn't mean it's a bad financial decision. It just helps us make that decision with greater awareness and intent. Another habit I recommend developing sooner than later is tracking your spending. Writing down purchases or utilizing your online banking can reveal where your money is going. Small purchases can seem insignificant, but when they add up, it can really show an obstacle in your finances. I personally experienced this. I used to work from home and I would get two Dunkin' Donut coffees a day. And those things aren't cheap.

Teaching Kids Needs Versus Wants

Shaina Golembeski

So I was spending about 15 bucks a day, and when I added that up at the end of the month, I was truly embarrassed about how much money I was spending there. This leads to another important financial habit to consider the 30-day rule. This means waiting 30 days before buying something to see if it's still important to you. For younger children, this can be reduced to one day or even one week. And consider asking yourself, do I want this just because it's here? Or will it benefit future me? Is this more important than saving one of my goals? This leads to another important financial habit to consider. It's the 30-day rule for any want purchases. This means waiting 30 days before buying something to see if it still feels important to you. For younger children, this could be reduced to one day or even one week. And so questions you can consider asking is do I just want it because it's here or will it benefit future me as well? And is there a similar item or another store that's more affordable to purchase this so I can spend and save? Lastly, is this more important than saving for one of my goals? Finally, the last habit I would recommend is saving regularly, even if it's small. Just like small purchases, small saving deposits add up over time. And you might have a short-term goal, such as buying some trendy clothes, going to a concert, or buying your first car or saving for some college expenses. Marisa, did you know that 27% of Americans currently have zero dollars in their emergency savings?

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

I did not. And that's always so surprising to hear facts like that. We never know what might be coming up in our expenses or what's something unplanned that we may need to spend money on. And so I'm that's a really scary situation to be in.

Shaina Golembeski

That number shocked me too. Teens and young adults on average only have $1,800 in their savings. This means if something unexpected happened to a teenager or young adult financially, they likely don't have the funds to support themselves in that time. Additionally, over 7% of Generation Z don't think they'll have enough money to buy the first home ever. And as someone in the older part of that generation, that's a current fear that I have that I might not ever get my dream home or have the opportunity to buy a home. So keep that in mind when we're saving in the easy times of investing. Because what money might be beneficial

Tracking Spending And 30-Day Rule

Shaina Golembeski

to be liquid to help save for some bigger goals in our in our financial picture.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Thank you so much for all those great pieces of information and advice. You know, these conversations are never easy to have. And parents often tell us they don't know how to begin talking about money, or they worry if they start bringing up the idea of budgeting, it's going to make their kiddos worry that maybe they don't have enough money for living day-to-day. What advice would you give them?

Shaina Golembeski

So the advice I would give is that financial wellness does not mean having unlimited money or never experiencing financial difficulty. It means developing knowledge and habits to help make informed decisions, recover from mistakes, and prepare for the future. So my advice is first, create a safe and judgment-free environment. Encourage questions and open conversations about money with your children. And if the kids seem resistant or uninterested, respond with empathy. Growing up is hard. Ask them a question to see how they're feeling, to see how you could support them differently. And remember, mistakes will happen whether you make them or your child makes them. And use these as teaching opportunities rather than reasons for punishment or shame.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Perfect. Thank you so much. So one of the things I try to talk to my own child about is instant gratification versus delayed gratification. So that instant gratification is getting something now. And we know that that is instilled in a lot of our kids right now. So they're so used to being able to get an answer right away because of the internet, be able to talk to someone immediately because we all are connected through cell phones. So they're used to that instant gratification. But then there's also this other component of delayed gratification, which is waiting for something better later. And I recognize that's a really hard concept right now for our kids, but how does that play into financial wellness and overall resilience? Thank you for asking that.

Shaina Golembeski

Growing up, my parents personally faced a lot of financial difficulties. That taught me that if I wanted more than my basic needs,

Saving Regularly And The Stats

Shaina Golembeski

I had to work for it. And in that time, I felt very jealous and unjust in my life. But growing older, all of those trials and those lessons really helped build character and work ethic and a drive that if those things were handed to me, I may have not developed. So over these last 10, 15 years, it does take time, but I feel satisfied and proud of myself that I was able to do these things rather than feel like I'm entitled to them and need to get them right now. And I think that's what's missing in some parts of today is with everything coming so quickly, I I can get your call in a moment, or you can send me five bucks right now. Why won't you? Not waiting and earning something isn't as common as it used to be previously.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Thank you for sharing that personal story with us. And so, what are some common financial mistakes that people make?

Shaina Golembeski

Well, the first one is not saving money. So I did share some statistics, and we're in national savings crisis, and we've been in a for a very long time. So this is a recurring cycle in a lot of households. So not introducing saving habits to your children early on is a common mistake. So even if it's just teaching to share to save spare change in a piggy bank and demonstrating how that fills up and grows over time while they're young, or saying, hey, why don't we spend some money and then save some money for a fun event later on? So it's not necessarily saying it's gonna get saved for something big, but just talking about that process so that they have that mindset

Talking Money Without Shame

Speaker 1

going forward. Also, we need to reinforce that saving doesn't mean never spending money, but then when another mistake that comes up is how what is the right decision? So spending with intent or swiping, or I know me, I go and tap my phone anywhere that I go. So are you intentionally spending or are you blindly, mindlessly spending? Because that's what I fall victim to often. And I see a lot of people online shopping with their shopping carts, filling them up, not utilizing that 30-day roll. I've been a victim of the Amazon cart before. I fill it up, I order it, and I'm like, I didn't even want any of this stuff. So saving money, spending with intention, and utilizing simple tools that don't take money from you. They just take some thought and mindfulness. Lastly, this happens later in life for a lot of folks, but borrowing irresponsibly. And I'm not saying how you're even spending it, but not knowing what you're signing into, signing up for a credit card with a special promotion, not knowing the interest hike that you're gonna pay on that purchase, or signing on to loans and not knowing the penalties of repayment cycles or the interest and fees that are included. People fall victim into a lot of long-term financial hardships from not knowing what they're signing their name on to.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Thank you so much for sharing some of those things that we may fall into, those traps that we might fall into, including the impulsive spending, ignoring those small purchases that add up over time, the failing to plan, or even borrowing without understanding those repayment obligations. One other thing that we often hear from our kids is the impact of social media. We know that it can be beneficial, it can help us stay connected, but we also know that it can cause some more stress or anxiety in somebody's life. Sometimes we notice these perfect lifestyles that are out through the images that are coming across somebody's newsfeed. And how can we help people

Delayed Gratification And Work Ethic

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

from avoiding into that trap of comparison?

Shaina Golembeski

The first thing to remember is that social media only shows a very small part of someone's life. You might see the vacation, the new clothes, the restaurant, or the new device, but you don't see the financial decisions that behind the scenes or the hardships that some influencers have experienced. We might not know whether something was safe or, was a gift, or even purchase on credit. And a picture doesn't tell us the whole financial story. Some popular influential people in the world, such as TLC, a popular RB group, were broke during their highest performing part of their lives. They went bankrupt nearly at the beginning because of mismanagement of their money early on. And Kiki Palmer, who was 18 when she first filed bankruptcy, after nine years of in the show business industry, shows that resilience can happen, but so can a mistake. Being bankrupt after nine years of working can be very hard to go through. And then there is Oliver Tree. He was actually defrauded in an investment scheme for over $864 million during the peak of his career. So it can happen to anyone, and it happens to some of the people that we are inspired by and that we follow, but those parts aren't easy to find online. For teens, comparison can really create pressure to spend in order to feel accepted. And then you have to really think do you actually want this? Or are you just trying to feel included? Do you only want this because you saw it online? Or you saw an influencer whose face is on everything? Talk about it. And is this consistent with your goals? Because I know there's sometimes

Common Money Mistakes To Avoid

Shaina Golembeski

I get into those fads and I think back, I'm doing this for somebody else, and I'm not doing it for me, and it's not actually bringing me that happiness. And then that money is gone, and we don't have it for the things we actually want. And you may have heard this saying before: money doesn't buy happiness. And that's true, and one of the toughest lessons to learn growing up.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Thank you so much for that insight. This really reminds me one of our favorite stickers here is to grow at your own pace. And I think that's really important for us all to remember that we need to be authentic and genuine to our own self and not always be looking at what everybody else has or what we feel like we need in order to fit in.

Shaina Golembeski

Exactly. And I love that saying. It's one of I have that sticker at my house. And it's a good reminder that when I'm feeling that I'm behind, that I'm actually where I'm supposed to be. We all have different life goals, values, and needs, and there's room for everyone to be successful. So grow at your own pace with your own purpose, and you're gonna feel that satisfaction in due time.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Love it. So if someone listening feels behind financially, where should they start?

Shaina Golembeski

Start small. If you're feeling behind, start with one small, clear step rather than trying to fix everything at once. That is so overwhelming to think that everything needs to be fixed at one time because financial progress happens through consistency, not just this sudden burst of let me get this done really quick. You need to focus on what you can do today. So, parents, this could be outlining your own budget and utilizing it for the first time. For teens, it could be tracking how they're spending things month to month, or going to the bank to help them open. Their first account for children, it could be as simple as going to the bank to the first time with an adult. Another thing that I like to

Social Media Comparison Traps

Shaina Golembeski

talk about is asking for help. You should not navigate a financial challenge alone, just like you don't want to navigate a mental health challenge alone. Reach out to a trusted family member, friend, partner, or financial professional. Believe it or not, the banks want to talk to you about your finances and want to find solutions to help make your life better. So if they know you need help, they can help provide it tailored to your needs and wants. Last but not least, everyone likes free things. So take advantage of some free resources online. Some of my favorites are mymoney.gov, consumerfinance.gov, and consumer.gov, and con academy. These will be linked later into the podcast details. So if you would like these, feel free to investigate and explore. There's different self-paced modules you can do to grow at your own pace with your financial education and different tools that you can utilize to help build your own financial wellness if you're still not on that path to asking someone else. You should also remember that being behind is not an identity. Begin with awareness, choose a priority, and make one manageable action, and you'll be back on track in no time.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Thank you so much. So as we wrap up, what's one message you'd like listeners to remember?

Shaina Golembeski

I would like to encourage listeners to remember that financial wellness is a process, not a pass or fail test. You don't need to know everything about money today, and you don't need to make every financial decision perfectly. Additionally, parents, we should talk to our kids about money before there's a crisis. These conversations can be short, ordinary, and age appropriate. And you can begin by remembering this phrase spend intentionally, save regularly, and borrow responsibly. At KISH, we like to have you expect more. So we have some pamphlets, such as the Spend Save, Borrow Brochure, which we have an adult teen version and a child-friendly version for you, as well as the Road to Financial Responsibility, which is actually a really helpful roadmap with different age-appropriate financial tips designed

Starting Small And Free Resources

Shaina Golembeski

to help you educate your child through their growing life. Even if you aren't a KISH customer, we encourage you to use these tools. And we'll have some at the location of Jana Marie if you would like to stop by and grab them or cut to KISH and we'd love to talk with you ourselves.

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Thank you so much. And thank you for being here today and sharing all of that insight with us, Shaina. So financial wellness is about making informed money choices that reduce stress, build confidence, and help you achieve your goals. We thank all of our listeners for being here today, and we hope this conversation helps you support your own financial wellness as well as the young people in your life. This podcast is brought to you by Jana Marie Foundation, where we're dedicated to opening minds and saving lives through conversations that matter. And today by Kish Bank, showing what it means to expect more in banking. If today's episode resonated with you, share it with a friend and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a ripple. Together, let's keep showing up, speaking up, and supporting the young minds who need us most.

Closing Takeaways And Next Steps

Marisa Vicere, President and Founder, Jana Marie Foundation

Remember, even the smallest actions can create waves of change.