She Strengthens

Breaking the Silence: The Financial Fears We Keep Hidden

We all have our own financial demons that keep us up at night. For some, it’s the weight of student loans, while for others, it’s the guilt of indulging in luxuries they can’t afford. Whatever the source, financial insecurity can be a crushing burden that’s often suffered in silence.

The Weight of Debt

Brie, 25, is haunted by her $97,000 student loan debt. “It’s always in the back of my mind whenever I’m spending more than $100 on something,” she admits. “It’s like a little bell that goes off, reminding me to not spend frivolously because I’ll regret it.”

The Shame of Luxury

Leah, 27, confesses to spending $250 per month on a meal delivery service. “I’m embarrassed to tell people I can afford this kind of luxury,” she says. “It’s definitely not something I mention at cocktail parties.”

The Guilt of Success

Toni, 29, earns a high salary as a PR manager and makeup consultant, but feels insecure about outearning her live-in boyfriend. “I don’t want my high salary to cause tension,” she says. “Sometimes, I do feel like I need to downplay my own success.”

The Cycle of Debt

Erica, 23, struggles with lingering credit card debt. “Money is tight right now, and I don’t always have money leftover to pay off everything I charged,” she admits. “I know I shouldn’t be spending the way I do, but I’ll justify clothing that I ‘need’ for work, and those items add up to a lot at the end of the month.”

The Burden of Big Purchases

Jean, 24, regrets leasing a car that’s too expensive. “I was a victim of temptation and rationalized it since I commute to work each day,” she says. “The last two years have been a wake-up call for me.”

The Fear of Falling Behind

Lee, 27, worries about having only $3,000 saved. “I’ve lived on my own since I was 18 and I really struggled with my finances in the beginning,” she says. “I paid my way through college, which took nearly six years to complete, and it always seemed like I was a few years behind everyone else.”

The Anxiety of Uncertainty

Sam, 26, frets about not having a retirement plan. “I’ve always freelanced and just never got around to opening a 401k or retirement account,” he says. “Frankly, I have no idea where to even begin.”

The Stress of Healthcare

Heather, 26, worries about her inadequate healthcare coverage. “I try to keep myself as healthy as possible, but falling ill would seriously throw me off track,” she says. “I freelance and work my ass off, but I worry about my situation a lot.”

The Sting of Frugality

Kat, 24, feels judged for being stingy with gift-giving. “It’s simply because I’m always tight on cash and I live very month-to-month,” she explains. “I’m still young, and I hope things change, but right now I have to live as the friend who’s ‘cheap.’”

The Burden of Dependence

Gina, 22, relies on her boyfriend to pay for her flights to visit him. “I just don’t make enough money to cover the costs, and if he didn’t pay for my transportation, we simply wouldn’t see each other,” she says. “It’s stressful to always feel like you’re being ‘taken care of’ but also know it’s necessary.”

The Shame of Asking for Help

Erin, 28, took a loan from her parents after getting into a financial bind. “I always felt like I would be able to handle the unexpected at this point in my life, but I’m a far way off from being able to do that,” she says. “It’s a shitty feeling to know that I still rely on my parents, but I’m just thankful I had them as a fallback.”