Jean Chatzky has been a personal finance journalist for the past three decades and she has written over 10 award winning books on personal finance. She also hosts her own podcast called, “HerMoney with Jean Chatzky”. She provides practical advice on personal finance, in a way that makes it so easy to understand.
Jean Chatzky focuses on the issues of money that are specific to women, especially because women tend to earn less and invest less money than men. But her advice goes beyond those issues and focuses on educating women so that they can take control of their finances.
How to Save Money Quotes by Jean Chatzky
Saving money doesn’t have to be difficult – but it does mean prioritizing where your money is going. That’s why I love these “how to save money” quotes by Jean Chatzky. She gives lots of practical and easy-to-follow tips. To get you inspired on how to save money, here are my favourite quotes by Jean.
1. “By definition, saving – for anything – requires us to not get things now so that we can get bigger ones later. That’s hard. Our brains are hard wired to prefer the here and now.”
2. “When something you use again and again is on sale, take advantage. This strategy doesn’t apply to perishable items, and you don’t want to buy so much more than you need just to get a deal, but if you know you’re going to use a product eventually, it pays to take advantage of the cheaper price.”
3. “Put all of your savings on autopilot and you won’t likely notice the missing cash.”
4. “Couples that do save have stronger, more stable, less stressful unions. In other words, you don’t want to be fighting about saving; you just want to be saving, period.”
5. “After two decades of personal finance reporting, I’ve heard every excuse in the book for not saving money. That said, none of them really hold up – at least over the long term.”
6. “I know it’s exciting to get an item on sale. But if you’re buying for the discounts and not because it’s something you need or want – either for yourself or for a gift – you’re going about things the wrong way. Think of it this way: Saving 30% is great, but if you didn’t buy at all, you’d be saving 100%, which is even better.”
7. “You can cut the fat from your spending: Stop taking taxis, call your cable company and ask for the same deal new subscribers get, have dinner at home and then a drink out instead of a $100 meal with wine.”
Budgeting Quotes and Sayings by Jean Chatzky
I have a confession to make: I love budgeting! It may sound crazy, but I love budgeting because I am able to control where my money is going. Budgeting doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by tracking where your money is currently going and base your budget on that. From there, tweak and “play” with the numbers so that you can enjoy life, while still meeting your financial goals. Here are some of my favourite budgeting quotes and saying by Jean Chatzky.
8. “When you’re setting up a budget, a general rule is to start with your fixed expenses – your housing and insurance payments, and car payment, if you own one.”
9. “You won’t be caught off guard and you won’t feel guilty, because you’ll be spending money that you’ve allocated for the occasion.”
10. “While it’s true a small treat won’t blow your budget, indulging every day could – the same way a slice of cake probably won’t hurt but, if you make it a daily habit, you may have trouble fitting in your pants.”
11. “I’ve never met a budget that I couldn’t coax a few extra dollars from – and I’ll bet that you can do the same. For instance, you’re probably buying more minutes and more cable channels than you use. Oh, and how many black skinny jeans do I count in your closet? You have enough money, just the wrong priorities.”
12. “Get your friends involved. Let your shopping buddies know that you’re on a tight budget, and they can help you out when your willpower starts to weaken at the mall.”
13. “Too often, we make budget cuts – then blow the savings. Instead, think about your financial picture. Do you have high-interest rate debt? Paying it off faster will save you a bundle.”
14. “Eliminating or substantially lowering just one major monthly expense can give you enough cushion to move into a more comfortable place financially.”
Stay Out of Debt Quotes by Jean Chatzky
Getting into debt can happen very easily, mostly because it’s so easy to obtain credit. And once you have debt, it can be hard to get out of debt. Here’s some good advice about how to stay out of debt.
15. “Just because someone will lend money to you doesn’t mean you should borrow it.”
16. “You’ll get the biggest bang for each buck by paying off the highest interest rate debt in your portfolio first, while making minimum payments on the remainder. It’s called the avalanche method, and it gets you out of debt cheapest and fastest.”
17. “To bring down your credit card balances, write down the benefits of reducing your debt. No more gnawing feeling that you’re throwing money away, perhaps. More money flowing to other financial objectives. Then consult the list when you have doubts.”
18. “One thing I want to make clear: You never want to hide from your debts. It doesn’t work.”
19. “Debt certainly isn’t always a bad thing. A mortgage can help you afford a home. Student loans can be a necessity in getting a good job. Both are investments worth making, and both come with fairly low interest rates.”
20. “I’ve never been a fan of loans between relatives or friends. They can divide relationships.”
Retirement Financial Planning Quotes by Jean Chatzky
An important part of financial planning is building an emergency fund and saving money for retirement. Here are some powerful quotes about financial planning that will inspire you to start saving and planning for the future.
21. “Knowing where you stand in your quest to accumulate enough money for retirement is an incredibly important part of the planning process.”
22. “There are two things that you need to save for. First, you need an emergency cushion of no fewer than six months of living expenses. This needs to be cash in a liquid account where you can get at it in – yes – an emergency if you need it. In other words, money markets, not CDs. You also need to save for your future: that means retirement.”
23. “Do you have an emergency fund? If not, build one – aim for three months of expenses to start, then boost it to six. It will ease your anxiety and get you out of a potential jam.”
24. “Your retirement comes before your children’s tuition. That’s because there’s no financial aid for retirement, and there’s still a good deal available for college.”
25. “If you’re just starting out in the workforce, the very best thing you can do for yourself is to get started in your workplace retirement plan. Contribute enough to grab any matching dollars your employer is offering (a.k.a. the last free money on earth).”
Teaching Kids About Money Quotes by Jean Chatzky
How do kids learn about money? Schools typically don’t teach any financial literacy courses to children – and if they do, there’s not much time devoted to these classes. That means that the majority of what kids learn about money comes from their parents. That’s why I love these quotes by Jean that show some of the basic information that kids really need to know.
26. “Show your kids that needs and wants are two different things. The best way to teach our kids to be smart consumers – and savvy savers – is to model good behavior for them.”
27. “These days, checks are direct-deposited, money comes out of a machine in the wall, and we swipe a plastic card to make a purchase. In other words, your kids can grow up thinking money comes in an endless supply if you don’t show them otherwise.”
Jean Chatzky Quote About Financial Planning
Financial planning doesn’t have to take up a lot of time, but it is important to spend 1-2 hours each month. Good financial planning involves tracking your spending, setting financial goals, updating your goals with any life changes and having a plan for the future. Here are some quotes about financial planning that will inspire you to spend time on your financial goals.
28. “I give out similar advice all the time: Take a month to write down where your money is going. By the end, you’ll have a road map that tells you where you can cut back.”
29. “In a relationship where finances are shared, it’s important that both people know what’s going on. If one spouse likes being the family accountant, it’s fine for that person to take the lead, but the other spouse shouldn’t be in the dark.”
30. “One of my rules is: If it’s good for the planet, it’s usually good for your wallet.”
31. “People with financial plans are much more likely to feel prepared, even in tumultuous times. They’re more likely to feel that their dreams and goals are secure. And, oh yes, they do actually save significantly more.”
32. “Every minute you spend looking through clutter, wondering where you put this or that, being unable to focus because you’re not organized costs you: time you could have spent with family or friends, time you could have been productive around the house, time you could have been making money.”
33. “One way to make sure you don’t lose assets in the future is to streamline your accounts. Consider using one bank for all your banking needs and one brokerage firm for all your investments.”
34. “Web banking lets you monitor your spending, tweak your budget, schedule payments, and more, particularly if you marry your online bank with the personal-finance management tools available online.”
35. “If you’re comfortable with what you have and who you are, you’ll automatically be more comfortable talking about your finances.”
Jean Chatzky Quotes on Money and Happiness
Money might not be able to buy happiness, but your money mindset and money beliefs do have an impact on your happiness. Here are my favourite quotes on money and happiness.
36. “For most, the largest asset is their home. This becomes a sentimental issue, I know, but if you’re holding on to a home that you can no longer afford – or you need the liquidity – you need to think about solutions. One might be to bring in a tenant or roommate; a more drastic measure is to sell the home and downsize.”
37. “People who are passionate about what they do reach financial comfort and wealth more often than those who are not. That argues for doing one of two things. Finding your passion and pursuing it. Or becoming passionate about what you’re already pursuing.”
38. “You may be basing a portion of your self-worth on your bank account without even realizing it. Try to pinpoint the activities and qualities that, free of charge, fulfill you.”
39. “Buy experiences, not things. Spending on experiences makes people happier than spending on things. Things get broken and go out of style. Experiences get better every time you talk about them.”
40. “It’s not about having it all. It’s about having what you value most.”
41. “Pay cash. For some reason, it’s harder for people psychologically to part with their cash than it is to swipe a card. Maybe it’s the act of physically seeing the money change hands, or maybe it’s because you don’t want to break a $20 for a $2 cup of coffee.”
What’s your favourite quote by Jean Chatzky?
Until my next blog post, here’s wishing you lots of joy and happiness!
With love,
