If Her Bank Account Could Talk

🟣 Annie Ridout, 39, London.

Pauline

Aug 27, 2024

Hello there 💜

How are you today?

🛋️ Settle in for a cozy financial self-care session. I've invited the talented journalist, writer, and poet

Annie Ridout

to open up about her money mindset, philosophy, and habits.

👋 But first, if someone forwarded you this email, Money Feelings is your 10-minute self-care routine that blends psychology & finance to:

Kiss your limiting money mindsets and behaviors goodbye.
Grow your financial wisdom in style: less jargon, more emotion.
Increase your financial well-being, one feeling at a time.

If you don’t want to miss one:

AGE: 39

FROM: London, England

ASTRO: Gemini

LOVES: Saunas, swimming in ponds and lakes, playing guitar and piano, composing music, making art with my children, cycling on Lime bikes with my husband, being free, paddling in rivers and swimming in the sea when it's calm, walking for miles with female friends (one at a time).

JOB(S)/PROJECT(S): I'm a writer. I trained as a journalist and worked freelance, writing for the Guardian, Grazia, the Telegraph etc. I've had also three non-fiction books published: The Freelance Mum, Shy and Raise your SQ. I write poetry that sometimes goes viral on Instagram (about womanhood, motherhood) - @annieridout - and I share personal essays on Substack about home, work, failures, triumphs, living creatively and raising three children, one of whom is neurodivergent.

I have a second Substack called Raising Neurodivergence, which is for parents of neurodivergent children. There are Q&As with neurodivergent thinkers, parents share their stories about their children's journey with neurodivergence - and the part they play in it - and there are tools to try, to support your kids, as well as books that I recommend.

MISSIONS: I work intuitively and creatively, so I don't have a set mission. But from the outside, it might look like my mission is to empower and encourage women. I like people to feel 'hopeful' after reading my writing or having a coaching session with me.

SURPRISE(S): I have 10 piercings and five tattoos.

🟣 If you could have swapped one high school subject for a money management course, which class would you have ditched?

Geography.

🟣 Which one of your money habits do you suspect annoys your partner/family/friends?

Eating out with my family, because we can't be bothered to cook and clean up.

🟣 What's a purchase that brought you lasting joy?

My Aesop perfume.

🟣 You just won the lottery. What is the first cause you support?

Women suffering domestic violence.

🟣 Does your spending style resemble your parents, or did you rebel?

My mum was raised in a one-bedroom flat in west London with her family of five (eventually, upgrading to a two-bed) - her mum was a cleaner; her dad was a security guard. They had free rent as my grandma stoked the fire that heated the water in the flats. I think that living this way taught my mum to be thrifty and she still is, though she occasionally indulges. My dad grew up in a family with more money, where they had holidays abroad and this taught him that if you make money, you can spend it on nice things. My upbringing was more like my dad's, and I have a similar mindset to him: work hard, enjoy the fruits of your labour.

🟣 When was the last time money stress had you wanting to scream into a pillow?

At times, I've decided to focus solely on writing and that's when I've had periods of deep frustration, while waiting for an 'advance' to be paid (long after I've written the book). But now, instead of slipping into panic, I launch an online course and that tides me over, or I focus on growing my Substack, which brings me a neat monthly/annual income that I could probably live off, if I was careful about where I spent my money.

🟣 What did your kid’s piggy bank look like?

Empty. I never saved, as a kid. I'd do things like give a shiny new pound from a great aunty to someone shaking a charity box in the street. I rarely held onto money.

🟣 Is there a money habit of someone you know that secretly drives you insane?

I find it annoying when people spend the money but also complain about it. Either spend it and enjoy it, or don't.

🟣 What or who’s your vision of financial success?

Financial success, to me, looks like: money flowing in, savings building up, regular weekends away, going abroad once or twice a year, lovely clothes from Toast, Aesop perfume, renewing my Birkenstock shoe collection regularly, buying organic food only, eating in fancy restaurants from time-to-time, working just a few hours a day, more nights out with my husband and paying a babysitter to look after our kids.

🟣 The zombie apocalypse is upon us. Which possession do you save?

My iPhone. It's where I read, write, communicate with my people and run almost my entire career (the rest happens on my laptop). I feel like I should say something more meaningful, like family photos or jewellery from my grandma but my photos are on my iPhone too and I don't wear jewellery, except in my piercings.

🟣 What emotions do you most associate with money? (3 minimum, more if it brings aaall the feels)

Lightness, panic, success, floaty, opening-doors, luxurious, confidence.

🟣 If you could time-travel and stop one money-related mistake, what would it be?

I've learned from every past mistake and I will learn from future mistakes, too.

🟣 Would you rather stick to a strict budget or wear wet socks all day?

Strict budget. I love budgeting and do a family budget every few months. I don't stick to it rigidly but I get clear on our income, outgoings and where we need to be more careful.

🟣 If your bank account could talk, what would it reveal is your greatest extravagance?

Family meals out.

🟣 If you could magically double your income but had to work twice as hard, would you do it?

Yes, if I didn't have to do as much childcare as I do. One of my children is currently at home with me full-time so working more hours wouldn't be possible. I love working, though.

🟣 Do you know how much your friends make in real figures?

Half/half. Some are really open, like me, others are more guarded. I respect both approaches.

🟣 Describe your dream vacation without worrying about the cost. Where would you go? What would you do?

I would love to go to the Caribbean and sit on a white-sand beach. Or to Italy for the cobbled streets and cathedrals and pretty buildings.

🟣 Who would you like to see on a new banknote?

Zadie Smith.

💜 Thank you for sharing with us, Annie.

And kudos to you for dedicating these past few minutes to your financial self-care!

It might not feel like much, but reading about others' money habits, mindsets, and philosophies has real benefits.

It helps us break free from unhealthy patterns often rooted in taboos.
It fosters understanding, making us feel less alone.
It boosts our empathy by providing context for our own (and others') financial behaviors.
It broadens our perspective on societal norms and values, exposing us to a diverse range of cultural insights and financial philosophies and strategies.