Sheila Roberts | Fighting Money Problems With The Girlfriend Squad

Most of us have money challenges: credit card debt, too much month at the end of the money, problems with guilt spending and retail therapy. Sometimes those money problems can feel overwhelming.

That’s where girlfriends come in. They save us from having to face those problems alone. Our good friends sympathize and support us. They comfort us with chocolate. They help us stay motivated.

I'm a firm believer in girl power and the value of bringing in the girlfriend squad to help us conquer our challenges. Which is just what my three friends do in my novel Small Change! When faced with money, life, and love problems these women band together, determined to start making changes. The ones they make eventually add up to a big difference in their attitudes and how their lives play out. The book is fiction, but the concept is real life. Pulling together with your friends is the best way to conquer those financial challenges.

So, how exactly can your girlfriend squad help you?

First, they can help you evaluate your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to money. Most of us have a hard time finding our money management flaws. If you tend to be a guilt spender, letting other people push your guilt button and manipulate you into spending money you can't afford to spend you may not see that. Why? Because you're too busy feeling guilty! Your friends don't have that problem. They see the truth and they can assure you that you're not a bad mother, daughter, sister, friend (you name it) when you set boundaries and make use of the word "No." And trust me, when you are a guilt spender this is a hard word to say. Your girlfriends will help you master this skill. "Repeat after me, Guilty Greta. No. N-O. Noooooo. Very good." Sometimes we hide our flaws from ourselves under a big, fancy cloak of rationalization. Well, chickie, you can fool yourself but you can't fool your friends. Want to get to the bottom of those money problems? Bring in the girlfriend squad.

Your friends can also help you strategize how to fix your money problems, maybe help you come up with some creative ways to bring in extra income. Fresh ideas can set you on a whole new road.

Finally, girlfriends will hold you accountable. Friends don't let shopaholics shop alone. They will pull you back from the edge of the slippery slope when you're suffering from sale fever. They ask the tough questions like, "Is that in your budget?" and "Are you sure you can afford that?" And when you fall off the wagon your friends are there to help you pick up the pieces (and return the purchases).

Best of all, girlfriends are there to cheer you on as you clip coupons, kick the I’m-too-tired-to-cook-let’s-get-fast food habit, finally read that finance book that’s been on your TBR pile for months, manage to put some money in savings. And they'll help you celebrate when you reach your financial goal. And that’s the best part of all.

If you're thinking that now is the time to get your financial act together, do like Rachel Tiffany, and Jess did in SMALL CHANGE and pull together your girlfriend squad. Then let that chick power go to work.