EP58 Chatting with Financial Strategist Carilyn Marrero

Do you ever feel financially stuck and just want a simple and easy framework to get unstuck? Then you will enjoy my latest episode where I chat with Financial Strategist Carilyn Marrero. She went from living paycheck-to-paycheck to building lasting wealth after immigrating to the United States. After experiencing financial pressure, debt, and starting over from scratch, Carilyn became determined to understand how money truly works. She uses a simple framework that she came up with after spending time learning other money systems. She calls it the Método LIBRE™ framework.
 

You can find more about Carilyn here: http://www.cmfreedomfinance.com/.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:16

Welcome to Your Financial Maven, where we talk all about understanding your money. I'm so glad you're here. I'm Samantha Mitman-Besnoff, certified public accountant. I've been in the accounting field for over 30 years, and I absolutely love sharing my knowledge all about your financial empowerment. Enjoy the podcast. So welcome to your financial maven. I am very excited. I have not done an interview since December of 2025, partly because of the holidays, partly because of the beginning of tax season. So I'm really, really excited for my guest today to talk about financial freedom, financial empowerment. So I'd like to introduce you to Carolyn Morrero. You are a financial freedom strategist and an entrepreneur. So you went living paycheck to paycheck to building long-lasting wealth after emigrating to the United States. Although I think you're from Puerto Rico, correct? Yes. So yes, I'm excited about that. But you're living with stateside now, or are you still did you move back to Puerto Rico?

SPEAKER_00 1:20

No, I'm still in Orlando, Florida.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Oh, wonderful. My parents live in Sarasota.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

So Yeah, neighbors.

SPEAKER_01 1:26

Yes. Still warm and comfy down that way. So after emigrating to the United States, you, you know, the experience of financial pressure, debt, you know, starting over from scratch. You were determined to understand how money truly works, which I love because that's kind of what I love to do, having and helping people understand their money. You work with professionals, you work with working families to help them escape the earn-spend cycle, eliminate debt strategically, investing, of course, with confidence. And I'm gonna probably butcher this, but we're gonna try. You build generational wealth through your framework Matodo Libre. Yeah. I said that right, although I don't have the, you know, like I was telling you beforehand, Spanish is was not the language I learned in high school, and I should have. So I might be able to say it in French, but we'll leave it, we'll leave it for that. Um, you are on a mission to help millions trans transform hard work into financial freedom without the burnout, the shame, and the confusion. So, Carolyn, welcome to your financial me in.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

Thank you. Thank you so much for having me, Sam.

SPEAKER_01 2:25

Yeah, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 2:26

Um for me, it's an honor to be with you. And thank you. However, I can assist, I'm here.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

Oh, I love that. I love that. Thank you. You know, great minds think alike when it comes to financial empowerment and freedom. So I'm so excited to have you. So before we really kind of get into your story, how you got into where you're at now with helping others, what is money?

SPEAKER_00 2:47

Money is a way of um exchanging value for a service or an item. But realistically, money itself has no value if we don't give it the value.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Right. That's very true. That's very true. And I think people don't realize that, you know, they confuse what money is with currency, right? You know, money, like you said, is that exchange. Currency is what you physically have, whether it's dollar bills or digital or crypto, whatever that is. Yep. There is a difference. And I think that is what leads people to have some confusion as they're moving in in their life personal, you know, and professionally. Um hundred percent agree with that. 100% agree with that. Okay, so I want to kind of know your money story, if you, you know, whatever you'd like to share about like what you learned growing up or lack of what you learned growing up, right? I grew up in the 70s and 80s watching. I lived in a multi-generational home, and my grandmother was really good about sharing things, but it was more my father and my mother that I watched, and I didn't ask per se. So I'd love to hear anything part of your money story that kind of led you to where you are today.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

I grew up on the 80s as well, and I come from obviously a Puerto Rican household, fully Puerto Rican. Um my dad and uh my mom were hard workers. My dad had a sixth grade, and my mom had a ninth grade when they had my uh sisters on the youngest. Okay, and um in that process, I grew up into a family that had um a lot of passion into you know getting better. And on the 80s, I felt that this there's was this um like how I would say it in English, a an energetic process where people were looking and generating income from anywhere with no internet, with no um any social, but it was a boom, it was booming. And in the island, my dad started like working as a cleaner on like mopping floors, yeah, and work his way up into building two businesses.

SPEAKER_01 5:07

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 5:08

And I grew up in that process. Okay, that same process with the growing of the businesses, there was no financial structure, right? Right, and um, he was making more money, so I get more loans, of course. And um what brought me into all the passion on finances and and being so passionate was remembering myself when I was 14, 15 years old and my parents arguing about money. See, you're right. It's it's it still happens today, right?

SPEAKER_01 5:41

But it's different, right?

SPEAKER_00 5:42

But you're right, parents do argue about money, and it's your fault, and it's your fault, and you made this financial decision and you didn't consult with me in me in the middle, not wanting them to argue, right? That's where I started like backtracking and say, how did they end up here? Right. How can I avoid this from happening again? So, in a certain way, I was um, I would say stigmatized with debt where I didn't want it. Um I it it felt uncomfortable, right? It felt um it felt not good. And for my parents, that was the way they were raised. Yeah, they were raised, you know, and if I have a conversation with my dad today, he'll tell me, well, everything I have is thanks to debt. Right. Um, because he paid it off. But in my uh vision, when when I started educating myself as I was an employee, we didn't have the same advantages than my parents' generation had. Right. Where you can get in an alone with a handshake back in the day, right? And now it's way more complex.

SPEAKER_01 6:57

Oh, 100% more complex.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

And the opportunities for younger generations keep trimming like like fat, you know, every time. So while in my journey of uh working, I have a bachelor's in hospitality management, and you know, I wanted to be a an amazing general manager, right? Right proud of what I was doing. And I noticed that after I lost everything in the hurricane and I was forced to move to Orlando, yeah, um, the game changed a whole bit. Yeah, I'm sure it did.

SPEAKER_01 7:34

I'm sure it did.

SPEAKER_00 7:35

Um, in regards to benefits, in regards of vacation time, PTO time, where 20 years ago you had 15 days of vacation and 15 days of sick time. Now it's 15 days of PTO. Right. That's it.

unknown 7:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:51

And and no one sends us the email, you know, that this changes were going on. And I remember my parents would retire at 59. That's right. And then that changed to 62. And now, if I want to retire and get paid for it, I need to wait until I'm 72.

SPEAKER_01 8:08

Right. And they want to keep raising that, right? They they want to say, oh, you got to work till till that. And it's like, but we want to enjoy, you know, being able to be over our 50s and 60s and not not enjoy that retirement or do what we can. And I agree with you, there are a lot of people who are struggling with that.

SPEAKER_00 8:27

So I saw that as a disparity. Like, what the hell? Like, all these people in Congress and in government that they keep trimming for the future generations because they don't care. Do you think my 17-year-old is gonna fight and sit and you know stand up in Washington and say, I want my benefits back? They're too small, they're too young, they don't understand. And that's where like my passion for uh finances came about. And I was like, hold on, like, let me rewind this. So I am gonna be working the rest of my life if I keep on in this um path. And and that's where I decided that I needed to jump ship. And um I prepared myself, I educated myself, and I encounter what fire is financial independence, retire early. And that was like my Mecca. I was like, Yeah, my God, like a lot of people.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

Yeah, a lot of people do ascribe to the fire method. Um, and I think it's fabulous. I think that it's great to have different, you know, methods uh in the business. There's the profit first method that you can probably use for your personals too, you know, as well, and and and figure that all out. And I think it's great to have something that says here's a structure, you know, and following it and working with it. But I think, and I'm sure you're gonna agree to this too, is everyone has to take a step back first and really look at their money first. Yeah. Before they can really move forward, right? That that idea of what money comes in and what money goes out. The basics, right? We're not asking you to budget, we're not asking you a spending plan at that point. What are the basics, right? Because if you don't know what you have, you're not gonna be able to get yourself to move forward.

SPEAKER_00 10:11

Correct. Correct. You're totally correct. Yeah, 100%. Once I got into that fire, um, I said, this is my way out. I am gonna follow the fire method into retiring early. That that's how I started.

unknown 10:26

Right.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

And it's financial independence to retire early. Yes. Okay, thank you, Fire. It's um two steps. You first get financially independent and then you focus on retiring early, where you have all the income. Obviously, you're not longer in debt, so all that income, and you keep putting it into stocks to make it grow. And once you have your number, which is individually to everyone, right, of how much money do you need for retirement, you decide. Right. When do you want to retire or semi-retire? Because you can do that too, right?

SPEAKER_01 11:02

Because I think uh I think we understand, our generation understands, you know, yes, we're still putting in, and so we're generations behind us. My kids are in their 20s, whatever. We're still putting into social security and Medicare. We do not know if that will be there by the time we do retire. Correct. Right. And and it's interesting because my husband, he's 55, I just turned 52. And, you know, at any point in the next 10 years, he could retire. He has a regular, you know, W-2 job. And we're talking about that. Like, what does he have? He has his retirement and you know, his 401k, he has a pension, only has a 15-year pension because the company he works for at that point, right? Pensions are not necessarily the thing of major corporations, but he still has his 15 years worth, so that's kind of nice. Yes, then we have this social security money, and we're going, if he were to retire tomorrow, yes, we get a certain amount because social security then, you know, they capitalized. And it's a joke. And it's a joke, but it's kind of like, you know, even if we did that and he he did that, we we can't live off that. Nobody can. Correct. And and I think you're right, that idea of working with investments, working with what you have in savings and and what you do every day helps with that.

SPEAKER_00 12:12

Yeah, yeah. And um, I started the process of fire, and I fell in love with Warren Buffett and John Bobo, which are two major investors. Um, and I said, you know what? I think um if because the fire movement asks you to find a side hustle or a different type of income in order for you to retire earlier, and that process helped me become financially independent. Oh, I love that. Um, I was like asking my husband, like, so what can we do while we're working to have a side hustle? And we started caring for pets. That turned into a business, which we've been in business for three years now. It's called JC Pet Hotel here in Orlando. Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_01 13:02

Good to know if I come down with my dog next time and we pass through.

SPEAKER_00 13:05

So good to know. Yes, good to know. We care for pets in our own home, in a free room environment, uh in a small setting, and that uh catapult us into allowing me to become financially independent earlier than expected. I was great, thinking like five years, uh but thankfully the business kept bringing consistent clientele, and that allowed me to quit my job on 2024. So two years ago. And since then, yeah, since then I um I've been home taking care of my daughters, you know, developing my passion, which is coaching and teaching about financial independence, and not only that, but helping medium income households how to create generational wealth.

SPEAKER_01 13:57

Right.

SPEAKER_00 13:58

It's very easy to do, and and no one has the knowledge. So what you don't know scares you, right?

SPEAKER_01 14:05

Right. What you don't know scares you, and it doesn't, you know, if you're not willing to open your eyes and take that leap either. I think people need to understand that bit. But I think when it comes to money, I think some of that is the idea of shame or don't want to talk about it. And like you, that's what I'm doing here, right? We have to talk about this. Yeah. Um, so how in all that process then, is there an English translation of the metodo libre? What is the English translation to that?

SPEAKER_00 14:34

It would be um the freedom method.

SPEAKER_01 14:37

Okay. Okay. So your framework is providing freedom. So when you're working with high performers, when you're working with, you know, families, working families, what is it about your framework? Like what is it that you do, you know, you don't have to give it all away, right? Just the high level of what it is when people come to you and say, I'm ready. I'm ready, you know, even if it's the fire method or to do a piece of it and get myself, at least from the generational wealth perspective. Yeah. You know, because some people do want to continue to work because they love to work. And we're not saying not do that. We're just saying know that you don't have to be tied to it.

SPEAKER_00 15:12

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 15:13

So I'd love to hear more about the framework.

SPEAKER_00 15:15

Um, so I am a certified Dave Ramsey financial coach. Okay, great. Um, I'm a certified John Maxwell uh trainer, speaker, and coach as well. And each one has their own method. Also, the fire movement is a method itself. Yes. And I personalized it into how I did it.

SPEAKER_01 15:39

Wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

So it's not as complex as Dave Ramsey's seven steps. Right. It's not as complex as uh the fire method, where you have to be extremely frugal into getting into fire.

SPEAKER_01 15:54

Although my husband would probably enjoy that because it's not that he doesn't like spending money, but unless unless it's like an emergency like appliance or whatever, yeah, he could take a long time doing his research. Although he's gotten better, he's gotten down to about two to three months. Um, but it it is like when we were looking for a new car and we we just made the decision we're gonna share a car, and and these were the things we wanted. It took him a little bit to go, okay, we can do this. But then, like once we figured out the process, then it was really how much, you know, sitting down and talking, what can we spend? Because we still have a kid in college. Yeah, he's almost done. It has been of quite the expense. We have the older one graduated, he's out on his own, finally just moved out of the house in his own apartment. But the 21-year-old, you know, he still has at least one more semester, might graduate early. And so for us, it's like we know there are things. So we're being, I don't say frugal, but we're being more mindful. Correct. Right? Because I think that word scares people when you say frugal. I think it you need to be more mindful, but it's okay, right? Like we're not saying that's not okay, just yeah, um to a degree.

SPEAKER_00 17:05

The freedom method is it's a in between the frugality and the mindfulness.

SPEAKER_01 17:13

Right.

unknown 17:14

Right.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

Because yes, I'm frugal, you know, I love that, right? Um I love uh, you know, going grocery shoppings and you know, making sure that what we're having but purchasing is what we're gonna use and not cost it in the in the next week. But what it differentiates is it's only five steps, you know, it's kind of complex, it's it's something you can do quickly. And as you mentioned, the first thing I do with my client is what do you want? Right. You know, what do you want? Do you want to retire in five years? Do you want to retire in 10 years? Do you want to do something else? Do you want to follow your dreams? Yeah, what is it that you want? And we tailor that into the freedom method. Oh, I love that. We work with you into you know structuring your budget with no judgment because we're all human. And I think money decisions, um, you mentioned guilt, and I think it's deeper than that. It's like a taboo. Like no one wants to tell you um the biggest financial mistakes. Right. And once you confront those mistakes, you can move forward and learn from them.

SPEAKER_01 18:28

Uh 100%. And and I am I'm very open. Like I will have conversations. I have girlfriends who come to me who will ask questions because they know I'm not afraid to tell them. And even with our own kids, they knew we don't have a mortgage anymore in the house, which is pretty great. Thank you. But from a college perspective, it did hurt us with some financial loans and financial stuff. But yeah, that you know, we balanced that. We're because to be honest, when the youngest was heading into college, we didn't have much left anyway. So it wasn't like we had a hundred thousand dollar mortgage. I think we had like$40,000 left, and it was like it's not going to do anything anyway. But, you know, my kids know we have these conversations because and and from very young age too, we've been very open and honest because this younger generation really is struggling with financial literacy, but women as well, and women of all ages are struggling, even if they are on their own and they know stuff, they don't know stuff. Correct. Right. And you know, and you talk about setting up a budget, and I know, and I'm sure you've heard this too. Some people are like, don't use the word budget, you know, and use spending plan. And my theory is it doesn't matter if you call it a budget, you call it a spending plan, you call it a want and needs plan, it's really your goalpost, it's your guide that can be adjusted. Although we I always say don't adjust it all the time for your wins. Correct. You know, you look at it throughout the year and you do what you need to do, but that helps. And it's hard. I'll be very honest. I struggle sometimes. I mean, yes, we're in a two-income household, but I could be making a lot more than where I'm at, which is fine. I'm doing very well, but I I feel like my husband does well for himself, but we have expenses, yep. Right. And we know in a year or two we will be just free and clear, hopefully, of both kids. And then maybe we can do a little bit more of certain things and maybe we can retire early. But you're right, it's that not to be afraid or scared of that word budget.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

Yeah, yep, yep. So once um, once we work with uh their budget, their debt, we start teaching about investment. It has to happen because if you don't give your clients a little taste of what it is, they won't understand the big picture. That's how I feel it. I became financially independent first, and then I got certified as a Dave Ramsey coach. Okay, for me, the process, I was like, it doesn't it doesn't give a push to that client that has never invested before, and you're telling me that I need to get out of debt of my$200,000 debt, that's my the mortgage, right? In order for me to start seeing something good happening. So that's where while we're working on the debt, I try my best and to eliminate interest. A lot of people think that interest rates um are not negotiable. They are, they are negotiable, 100%. So I start there and analyzing how we can save as much money as we can into the debt. And from there, we add that debt to their budget. Okay, which is important, right?

SPEAKER_01 21:45

I I think that's a good point there that people realize okay, I might be in credit card debt and the interest, you know, just keeps adding on. And I've heard people say, well, look at, like you said, look at all your debt, your credit card debt. What has the highest interest? What has the lowest interest? And you know, some people say, Put the majority of it towards the ones with the highest, but you still have to pay the lowest because you don't want to have late fees and you don't want to add on to that. But I think that is so important that you do add that to your budget. And I think people don't understand that you paying your credit card, it's it's just you're taking it from your checking account and you're paying down the balance or you're paying it off. What you spend on the credit card, that's your expenses. And I run into this with my small businesses all of the time. When I take over a new client and I see credit card expense, and I'm like, why isn't this itemized? Well, that's the bill. I said, I understand that's the bill, but do you know that you have fuel in there? You have supplies in there, and that is what I think people don't realize. When they're paying the bill, they're just paying the bill. You have to record the expense to that, itemize that. So 100% agree with that, putting it in the budget.

SPEAKER_00 22:52

Yeah. And the negotiation goes individually. So every single card, we have to negotiate all the the uh interest rates, and we have to have a one-on-one conversation. Like, okay, if they are not willing to negotiate that interest, we're gonna close it down.

SPEAKER_01 23:10

Right. And roll it into something else.

SPEAKER_00 23:13

They're not part of our team, right? If you're not part of my team, why would I want you to be with me? And you know, obviously, it'll depends on the client because if you're on your route to buying your first home, closing a credit card doesn't work because it'll it'll damage your record. Right. But it depends where you are. If you're in your route into retiring, yes, we can. Right. And it's gonna help. So after we do that, then we start getting whatever's left over and paying your future self.

SPEAKER_01 23:47

Right. Putting it away. And and I always say, you know, start with a dollar to get into the habit of saving. Yes. You know, just it might not seem like a lot right now, but it's not just about the money, it's the mindset of I know I'm gonna get my paycheck, I'm gonna put a little bit away and gonna do whatever else I need to do, and budget for that savings too, right? Or plan for that savings too. Yes. Um, you know, the need once save method is really good in that regard of these are the different percentages. Yeah. Right. And and then say to yourself, listen, if for whatever reason things happen, right? Emergencies happen, changes happen, you can't put something away for that month, that's okay too. The idea that you're now more aware of it. Correct. You know, like for me, for me, and I don't know why I do this, but I will look from a cash flow standpoint every month of where's my ending balance of the bank account in let's say January. What do I have to pay off in February? Because I already am accounting for my credit card. Like I'm already doing that, but this is more of the cash flow so that I can see what I can put away for savings. Yeah. And it sometimes it works, and sometimes, you know what? Like during the holiday times, we are spending more than we should, but we are like, there's just a lot that happens between November and January in my household, between birthdays, anniversaries, the holidays. Like, so I know from like the end of the year, like I'm stressed. I'm just like, where's the money coming from? And I have a handful of monthly clients, but tech season hasn't started yet. So for me, it's seasonal, right? It's cyclical. I think we need to be aware of that as well.

SPEAKER_00 25:23

Yeah. And then January comes, February's Valentine's, then March is Easter, and Mar de Bras. And you know, there's always gonna be uh a reason to spend money, yeah. Um, so it's more about like being creative into how to present quality of time with the loved ones without spending a higher amount. And I always ask this question Yeah, that's it. How hard do you want to stop working? Right. That is the question. If you are if you love what you're doing and you enjoy it every day and you just want, you know, to have options, then it's not as aggressive as someone that is like, listen, I want to tell my boss to go somewhere else and I'm done. I'm done. That is the difference of how we tailored the program for each individual client because it's different for everyone.

SPEAKER_01 26:23

I love that. And I love the idea that it's a framework. And I think you know, the idea that you have these steps, but I think people also need to understand that it's you know, it's like that two steps forward, one step back. If you're doing this and then you realize I've got to take a step back to kind of refocus, like you said, it's only five steps. I think it's easy to kind of do that refocus and just, you know, say to people, hey, it's okay. Like again, it's that cyclical thing, right? And I know right now we're going through some stuff, you know, economy isn't so great, and and people are trying to figure, oh, what you know, healthcare, like there's just a lot of moving pieces.

SPEAKER_00 27:02

It is true.

SPEAKER_01 27:03

And it can be very scary, but you know, and it's not to say that you can't take your money and enjoy things, it's just you know, within that framework, where do you want to fit it so that if you want, like you said, you want to be done with where you're working and you want to retire or do some other, you know, business.

SPEAKER_00 27:21

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 27:21

You know, you're gonna unfortunately have to put a little bit of that hard work into it.

SPEAKER_00 27:25

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 27:25

Right. And I think, like yourself, you know, us entrepreneurs, I think we know that that you gotta just put some hard stuff into it. But I think it's the rewarding at the end, right? Yes. So I guess, you know, the the framework, you know, talking about, you know, not burning out and the shame and the confusion, you know, are there any stories, anything from a financial freedom that you've seen with your clients that you think is important for my listeners to know?

SPEAKER_00 27:50

Yes. I believe that no one speaks about impulse and consumption habits. That is the key of your transformation.

SPEAKER_01 28:01

Right.

SPEAKER_00 28:02

Very, very simple. My framework also works with mindset and visualization and meditation to the extent that the client can have. Because no one, no one, like not any single person is prepared to meditate every day. Right. But is the fact of having the necessary information in your brain of what do you want? So in in my perspective, five years ago, I was dreaming of this moment.

SPEAKER_01 28:38

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 28:39

I wanted to be out, you know, I didn't want to work anymore, I didn't want to have uh back pain and you know, all these uh stress, anxiety, and I visualized it and I journaled it and I work with it. And today I look back and I said, you know, my dream came true. My dream came true. I work from home, that's what I do. I love pets. So for me, caring for pets, it's it's like a blessing. Yeah, and the fact that once I did all those steps, right now, um, in the middle of publishing my first book in Spanish.

SPEAKER_01 29:17

Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_00 29:18

Which is another dream come true, yeah, all through visualization and uh affirmations and you know, everything, it's tailored together into whatever the person wants. So passion has to be embedded in whatever it is that you want. Right. My in my example, I'm a passionate financial coach, and um not necessarily for one of my clients would be finance, it could be art. Right. And now you have this wiggle room where you have enough money saved, your stocks accounts are good, and you can move to part-time from your job. You know, it's to have options, yeah. 100% in the daily day uh recurrency of humans, the consumption habits and the impulse go tied to that. Because if you know what your priorities are, you're not gonna touch that Snickers bar.

unknown 30:20

Right.

SPEAKER_01 30:22

You're not gonna touch that Snickers bar.

SPEAKER_00 30:24

That's right. What I mean is you're in the gas station, you're gonna pay, and you're like, nope, that's not part of my future.

SPEAKER_01 30:31

Right.

SPEAKER_00 30:32

Because you have a framework, you have everything set up, and maybe the Snickers bar, when you go into the supermarket, you can buy it cheaper than going over there, but it's the impulse.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

Yeah, and they're hard. It's hard, it's hard, and I have, you know, like you, I have impulses of oh, I see this, I want to, you know, buy this or whatever. And then I sit there and I take that pause, right? Just take that pause, take a deep breath and say, okay, why do you think you need that? And like I've been learning that I I am um a certified public accountant and I sit with a group of women, we do once a month a group with other CPAs and other accountants where we talk about things when it comes to work. But it's the framework of take a pause, plan out your day, and also give yourself grace. If you don't follow the whole thing, it's okay. You're doing something, it's those small steps. So the same thing with your money, right? It's that taking the small steps and rewarding yourself with saying, Hey, I can do that. And the the coach that we work with, she talks about the child brain and the parent brain. And she talks about how that child brain is your impulse, and then the parent brain is kind of what reigns you back in. And it's hard, but it is also so rewarding. Like I have my list every day of what clients I want to get done, and even if I can't finish all of them, because you know, there's only so many hours in a day, I can say, but look what the work I did do. Yeah, right. That anxiety of that, like, oh, if I paid down this credit card, but I still have all these others, you know, on the side here, I still paid down that credit card. Yeah, like that in all.

SPEAKER_00 32:07

I tell my clients that you can't eat the elephant in one day. Right. That's a lot, but you can you can start that process and the empowerment every time that you finish one, right? And also at the end, at the end, you see debt in a different way. Yeah, you're like, wow, yeah, I got out of this, I'm never gonna put myself in that situation ever again.

SPEAKER_01 32:35

Right. And that's the point of saying, I don't want to be there again, and I'm not shaming myself, I just don't want to be there because of what it brought to me. So if I'm here, this is where I want to stay and hopefully grow. And I think that visualization about financial freedom is so important because I think, you know, we all want to have money, we all want to, you know, people are like, I want to be rich, I want to be rich. I don't think it's so much about being rich as it is being stable and the financial empowerment to have what you have and use it to do what you want. And if extra comes your way, that's great.

SPEAKER_00 33:11

Exactly. I think it's that stability that we all need. And I think the most valued currency is time.

SPEAKER_01 33:19

Yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_00 33:20

Yeah, 100%. And um, I wanted time for my elderly parents, I wanted time for teaching my girls, you know, to be responsible adults. And I wanted to be free of my time, not being tied up into a corporation that will tell me when I can have vacation, when can I uh have a day off or a dentist appointment.

SPEAKER_01 33:49

I agree with you in that, in that regard of, you know, I went out on my own 12 and a half years ago, partly because my younger son has a rare migraine disease, but they were young and I wanted to have that flexibility. Yeah. And it's so hard because in the accounting world, you know, it's tax season, and you should, you know, I I grew up into this system of 80 hours a week, and I'm like, I don't work 80 hours a week, I work as efficiently as I can. Now, that doesn't mean there aren't days I have long days, correct? But it really is balancing that work-life balance of this is what we want. Sure, I could probably be further along in my career if I became a partner in an accounting firm. That just wasn't what I wanted. Yeah. Right. And I think that's part of it too, is like you said, what is it that you want? And how do you achieve that? And if it is, like you said, maybe just working part-time or still wanting to work for my the company or or where I'm working, but then no, I could at any point say, you know what, I'm gonna take a step back. Um is there anything else with your framework, with what you've seen over the last several years that you think is important for my listeners to know?

SPEAKER_00 34:50

Take it one day at a time. I think that is uh the best uh advice in regards to finances. The world is gonna keep on spinning. Um the depth is gonna be there. Um, don't get overwhelmed. Just see your numbers, see what goals you have, and start from there. And the good thing in English is that everyone um has access to the knowledge. You know, you can go to your public library and you can start reading different books that are for fire, financial independence. Um, right. That will start that flame. Yeah, that's how I felt, you know, that flame of that fire that transformed my life in three years. Um I love it. And anyone can do it. Anyone, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:38

I agree, I agree. Carolyn, this has been fabulous. And like I said, I love talking with somebody else about financial freedom. Um, and I'm gonna put everything in the show notes, but how can people find you and learn about more about you and your framework?

SPEAKER_00 35:51

Well, thank you so much for that. Um, they can find me at cmfreedomfinance.com. That is my website. They can schedule a call with me and we will work on whatever they need as I provide a personalized service. Not necessarily, I wouldn't tell them to get the mastermind if they're not there yet. Right, right. It all depends on where they are, and they can book a call with me there if they want to follow me in social media, coach Carolyn on all the social medias and YouTube.

SPEAKER_01 36:20

And um, and that's C-A-R-I-L I-L-Y-N, not right, because I have a girlfriend, Carolyn, but there's an O. So it's C-A-R-I-L-Y-N.

SPEAKER_00 36:29

Yes, yes, Marilyn, like Marilyn Monroe, but with a C.

SPEAKER_01 36:33

Right. Oh, that's true. It is.

SPEAKER_00 36:35

It's like Marilyn, but with with the C. I love that. Yes, anyway.

SPEAKER_01 36:38

Sorry, yes, on your socials and anywhere else.

SPEAKER_00 36:40

And if they need a phone call directly, they can definitely reach out, 786 to 181615.

SPEAKER_01 36:47

Wonderful, wonderful. Thank you so much. And I'm excited and looking forward to seeing where, even though your book will be in Spanish, I'd love to hear when it comes out. Of course. Uh to see, you know, what it's all about. And thank you so much for being here on your financial Maven.

SPEAKER_00 37:01

Oh no, thank you. Be blessed. You too.

SPEAKER_01 37:09

Follow, like, and subscribe to your Financial Maven wherever you listen to your podcasts. And make sure that you leave your money stories or questions for me at www.yourfinancialmavenpodcast.com. I cannot wait to hear what you have to say about money. The purpose of this podcast is to provide general information on the subjects discussed. It is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not meant to resolve your specific financial needs or situations. Please consult with your CPA, tax, or financial professionals. Your Financial Maven is hosted and produced by Samantha M. Besnov, CPA, and your Financial Maven LLC. Editing is done by Chris Darnock of KM Zen Creative. Music is written, composed, and performed by Daniel Shore.