Hope you enjoyed this different, heart to heart style monthly money 💖 As usual, let me know your most expensive & best purchases of the month! Oh, and your questions for the Q&A!! love you ⭐️
I was going to comment this! You have to do your best with what you have and what you can do. There will always be someone who is earning more spending more doing more etc.
Honestly, the fact that you make mistakes and slip up is pretty much why I (and i think many others) watch these monthly money videos. Who wants to watch someone manage their money perfectly every single month? That'd just make me feel bad about myself, and I'd start avoiding those videos and eventually stop watching them altogether. Your mistakes create a sense of solidarity and make me feel like I'm not alone in my struggle with income/spending and such. I think your viewership would go down significantly if you suddenly started making perfect financial decisions all the time.
26 years old?? You're so young! Ay that age I was finishing college, living with my parents (in my home country that's normal) and perhaps starting working at a real job. 🤣 So you have nothing to worry about. You're doing so great 👏👏 Bravo
This is the best month of spending I have seen from you yet, all reasonable purchases and not excessive! Sorry your income got you down, but definitely seeing progress!
Your realness and “mess ups” make you sooo much more relatable. A lot of us don’t know people willing to be as open as you- neither online nor in person. Thanks so much for making us feel more normal and helping us realize we can all improve on our own time.
It’s wild to me how you can be so open and vulnerable with your videos and people will nitpick you?? These people making comments wouldn’t never put their finances out on a platform the way you do. I love your videos. Even if you don’t do “perfect” in your own eyes, it feels very real for a viewer. I can relate. Please don’t let mean comments get you down.
such transparency and courage zoe! It struck me how self aware you are throughout the video. Even acknowledging the feelings of discomfort as they came to you! You're also so good at communicating your needs when you said " i need to be sad about this for a little bit". And also- i want to add, that just because you're opening your life up to criticism, doesn't mean people should take that opening to give unsolicited advice or criticism. e.g just because the paparazzi can and does follow celebs, doesn't make it right. you're given us a lot of content, kind of bullshit that people take the transparency and judge when you're not harming anyone or anything!
As someone who also suffers from financial anxiety I feel comforted by these videos because I’m reminded that I’m not alone in this and that sometimes we do need to be gentle with ourselves as we learn to navigate our finances in a healthy way. As always, thank you for sharing your ongoing experience with this Zoe! I’m sure so many people can relate x
As always, thank you for sharing so openly with us. Even though the earnings may not have felt like a “win,” the lower nonessential spending definitely is! It’s important for us to take the wins when we can, you’re doing awesome Zoe!
Thanks for your transparency! July was a VERY expensive month for me too! I try to give myself grace months in my finance journey because life happens and there will always be bumps along the way. The most important this is to keep going! Your bravery is helping others more than you think! ❤
Every time a negative or condescending comment is thrown, one of my friends would say "stop projecting" and now I start to see those comments as other people's projections. I noticed those who were comfortable in their own skin weren't the ones making comments on my body and those who were financially comfortable weren't the ones making comments about how I spent my money. 💁
Thank you for being so honest and transparent! I love watching your money chats because it’s so rare to hear someone be real about everything. I think it’s normal to have ups and downs when it comes to finances, and not enough people talk about that!
Make sure you remember that the things you see on social media are all “highlights” it’s really REALLY rare that people show their time of struggle. You are giving the good, the bad, and the in between and it is a more accurate depiction of life. When looking at others your age who seem to have more you don’t also get the breakdown of how long it took, if they had help, what circumstances put them their. The same can go for those who have less than you. Which is why in all seasons we must remind ourselves to have gratitude. Yes things can ALWAYS be better but they can also be ALOT worse then your current situation. So continue your journey and enjoy the rollercoaster called life. ☺️
Always love and appreciate your honesty and reality! You are so easy to relate to. We all slip sometimes and I look forward to your finance videos especially because we’re the same age and, as someone who also enjoys shopping, I feel less alone. I always try to make a point about not pointing out what other people choose to spend their money on because we all spend differently. Some people eat out all the time. Some spoil their pets or their nieces/nephews. Some travel. Some buy less frequently but spend luxuriously. We all work really effing hard and deserve to spend our money however it best suits us. And sometimes we’re wrong, but it’s okay to admit that and try things differently next time.
Proud of you.I watch your videos because you are RELATABLE. Those who come to your comments to criticize you on this purchase that purchase / your rent clearly can’t relate so this isn’t the page / channel for them. I hope the great comments outweigh the bad for you. Love your videos you are doing great!
LOVE that you’re prioritizing sharing only what makes you comfortable. I saw the vlog & was honestly surprised to see this video, but I’m so glad you did more of a casual format to make it easier on yourself 💕💕 I know I’d be so scared to share my financial situation with the internet, so serious props to you for talking about this at all! You’re a huge source of comfort for so many. Loved this Zoe & sending you so many hugs!
Financial anxiety is no joke. I'm going to be honest...mine has led me to try to spend only on necessities, imagine having arranged a coffee date with a friend on the weekend and thinking about how much the coffee will be or the food you might eat and you get to a point where you don't even want to go...it's not healthy. I'm trying to work on it but it's not simple. I subscribed to your channel Zoe cause you talk about issues that a lot of us experience and it's nice to know that I'm not alone. I also read the comments of other people who are also struggling. Let's keep trying everyone and one day we will get rid of that "weight".
Thanks for being so open about the comments. When it comes to negative financial comments I think what helps me (as a viewer/reader) is that the people commenting are not financially licensed to be giving out financial advice. To obtain that license takes a ton of hard work and intelligence. Even if they were, they haven’t been hired to view your entire financial situation… so I guess their “advice” and comments can’t be taken literally because at the end of the day they don’t know what they’re talking about.
I haven't solved it completely because I still sometimes worry about money long term, but for me what has helped has just been figuring out my priorities in life: removing the unnecessary spending that didn't make me feel good about myself, and allowing myself to splurge responsibly on what does. This is going to vary a lot from person to person but as you learn who you are and what you value (which is an ongoing process in your 20s), that helps with budgeting as well. I know this advice is very vague and not applicable if you're living on a low income, but from how I see you (Zoe) evolve on this channel, I believe you're slowly getting there! I know it's hard, but you seem to have an amazing support system, so hang in there :)
Thank you for making these videos, I randomly watched your video a year ago about money creep and for the first time I felt I wasn’t alone. Hearing you talk makes me feel heard, its a super huge struggle for me too. And it also causes me a lot of anxiety, so thank you for sharing and for your honesty. ❤️
girl!! the thing you said about your own negative thoughts matching up with your beliefs is so true! ive noticed that you also said you dont have a problem with sharing what you spend and that you can see non-monetary value in your spending- so why are you listening to comments that say you spent too much?? ;);) in my mind, if you can see your own personal value in what you spend and you are intentional in what you spend, hypothetically there should be no reason that negative comments bother you- only you know the true value of what you are spending!! i find that when i can point out to myself the reasons behind my spending, i feel better about the amount i spend. have a go at tracking your spending for a week- track the monetary value and then also record the reason that you spent the money (eg. lunch with friends: reason- ‘i spent time with ‘friend’ and i felt a sense of connection and joy) or ‘therapy - i felt calmed and relieved after my session’ - when you connect your money to the positive experiences and feelings or emotions you get as a result i feel as if youre going to start looking at your money from a much different place. give it a try- i come from a family with a big lack mindset and this technique has really been helping me lately, especially as my finances and priorities have changed since covid!! good luck girl!
Always remember do not make comparison with others. It will brings you down and unhappy. Instead work on how to improve your self. You are doing great from my prospective. When i was at your age, I have nothing and just started going to college. I don't have anything accomplish except my degree at age of 30. I work my self up after college start saving and investing. Now i am free from debt and own house and keep investing for my future. It will take time and trust me you will be fine the way you are doing.
Some people might have opinions that they share to try and help you with good intentions, but they are truly unhelpful. Always remember you are an adult woman and NO ONE can tell you what to do. You are not a little girl, you are an adult with her own money, values, life, and purpose.
Sooo relatable with what you said about the comments from others tearing you down. I’m still working through this myself. I’m starting to taking medication that I hope will make me more emotionally resilient and less anxious
Thank you Zoe for sharing with us your finance. I really enjoy watching your video. I suffer from anxiety and when I am having an anxiety attack I watch your videos
Girl, I feel the same way. I feel like I don’t have it together whenever I see younger people have it together but you know what, I started telling myself that I shouldn’t worry about others journey but mine. Happy belated birthday Zoe 🎊🎉🎈 Even tho I enjoy several videos a week, I’m sure you need somewhat of a break to edit. Can’t wait to watch the vlogs and travel vlogs that are coming soon! 🤗
Awe, Zoe, it hurts my heart that people make mean comments. You obviously working on things you struggle with and you are brave in being vulnerable to share with us on UA-cam. I struggle with spending and you encourage me to keep trying to improve. Just know you are helping those of us who watch you for the right reasons. Thank you so much for your content❤️❤️❤️
In terms of not letting the negative money comments get to you, you definitely also addressed what you "need to do". Which is certainly not easy by any means. But the more confident you get in your money decisions the less the comments will bother you. And I think one thing to remember is that no one is ever seeing your whole financial picture. And, your decisions come from YOUR priorities and people's comments are based on their priorities. Our priorities don't have to be the same as each other. But if you keep coming back to making your decisions based on your priorities and really reflecting on that when you might feel some dissonance with your decisions I think you might become more confident in the decisions you are making. And if your decisions don't reflect your priorities then that is a great time to reassess and make different decisions going forward.
I love your videos, you are right that we all have our strengths and weaknesses. In terms of comments, you have to remember that most negative comments are about the individual sending them, people have a tendency to comment on stuff that eats them internally. Don't let comments from people who you don't know and don't know you bring you down. You are working on things, you are progressing and trying, keep it up, keep the passion going and ignore the BS. Happy Birthday to you (early birthday) Ps. You spent less than June, that's a sign you did well. Keep in mind there's a certain point that there's no more room to cut down on, you have to live as well. Rent is the same regardless of your income as an example, no amount of cutting is going to change that. You don't need to be so hard on yourself, just want to point out that the fact that your expenses are $2300 in July, that's AWESOME!!!! Major improvement. Keep it up and stop comparing.
you are so awesome zoe, the truth is that people always have opinions about how our lives should be and it is impossible that those opinions don't affect us, at the end we are all just humans, I send you lots of love and I hope you get the peace you deserve 🥰🥰🥰
People's comments are often a reflection of how people feel about themselves, not you. That person who would comment on your rent and clothes - your habits were probably triggering to them because they wanted those/similar things too but shamed themselves out of wanting/buying them. So they had to make you seem wrong in order to make themselves feel better about their choices. It's not necessarily about whose choices are wrong or right, it's just that... those judgements really aren't a judgement of you, they're that person's judgement of themselves (which is coming from a place of shame and pain). So what's helpful for me is to realize when someone is making a judgmental comment it's actually revealing that that person feels shame/pain around that topic too (if they didn't... they just wouldn't care about what you were doing, and wouldn't comment), so you can feel compassion for their struggles (or at least try to... sometimes it is very hard!).
I think part of it is also that we all want to feel good about ourselves in one way or another. So if we face a lot of criticism for our weaknesses, we might feel inclined to criticize others when they're struggling with something that we consider to be our strength, in order to make up for all that criticism we received for our own struggles. For instance, I've always been naturally frugal, but I've always struggled a lot with time management/attention problems. This often made it hard for me to study and work effectively, which in turn has affected my academics and income quite a bit. So, when I was younger, i judged people quite a bit about their poor spending habits, because it was the one area where I could feel like I was doing better than others, where I could feel like a success rather than a failure. It was an unhealthy coping mechanism, obviously, and I'm getting better about it as i grow older. But it's a habit that can be easy to fall into if you feel inadequate in certain areas of your life.
Been struggling with money and money insecurity this month especially. Feeling like whatever I do to manage is never enough! Im never able to stay on top of everything
I am curious on what sort of monitoring you have in place to evaluate your budget vs spending during the month. Do you consider expenses and income on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Have you ever conducted a statistical analysis to optimize your variances? I know you aren’t looking for any help now, but I don’t mind providing some feedback that might assist your current process.
thank you so much for this video. I needed it. Finances is something that I constantly struggle with and I have been beating myself up super bad about it lately. sometimes it feels like I am the only one that can't get it together.
I commend you for always being so honest and vulnerable Zoe. Your videos have really helped me be kinder to myself and enjoy my life more than before while still being mature about my finances. Just remember that you are helping so many people ❤️
I relate to you so much here! I’ve had a spending problem for ages, and now that I’ve moved into an apartment with higher rent it’s been a rough transition. I love my apt but feel guilty for spending so much.
I totally support your decision to delete comments. Everything you are saying is so relatable and valid. I know this is really cliche but money really isn’t everything. I didn’t start saving or investing until I was 35 but I had lots of fun and acquired lots of experiences that fuel my career now. We all move at our own pace and it doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. Love love love your channel btw
I’m 100% with you Zoe, I put all my finance out there, I don’t get people telling me what to do just because my channel is little and I think I want to keep it that way 😂 You’re doing super good girl and should be super proud of where you are 🥰
i also want to add that money is not the end all be all.... these people writing comments, if you had to be transparent about EVERY aspect of your life, would you not have areas you would need to improve on??? were all doing our best. Its just so unbelievable short sighted to be so critical of others
Was not expecting this video! Thank you for always being so transparent and honest but also hope you know you don't have to justify your decisions, especially when it comes to boundaries (at least not to your real fans lol). Happy belated birthday!
SUCH a 360 from the vlog where you talked about $$ at the end. This was so relatable thanks for sharing! That is so true - it's the things you're insecure about that hurt the most. It's so crazy how the most clickable stuff is also the things people are most insecure about. CLEARLY you're not alone. Adjusting to variable income is tough and so is this insane inflation. People want to see how much others are spending on things now more than ever. Hope you get to the point you can brush off mean internet comments about $$. If they don't pay your bills then they have no say LOL
No worries! Listen, you're human. Noone is a robot. I would suggest not taking the comments personally. Kinda have to have a dgaf attitude towards people's opinions. They are likely doing it for negative attention. And are using you as the scape goat. I know it's easier said than done, but necessary. Get out of your head(I struggle there too), and look at all the positive things about you that you do love. Start by not being so hard on yourself and saying negative things to you about you. Practice more gratitude. I didn’t realize how much I was lacking in that area until I noticed how hard I was on myself and focusing too much on the things I can't control. You can control your finances. You can't control the people in the comments and don't know their motive for bringing negativity. And we don't care. Great content. Keep it up.
As someone who posts EVERY single detail about their finances on UA-cam, I feel you. Most of my comments are super supportive, but some are over the top or rude because people feel entitled to tell me what to do lol I also was on CNBC Millenial Money and the comments on that video were awful, so I stopped reading them. Usually though I know that I'm doing well and doing better than the average person...and so are you. At the end of the day it's YOUR life and YOUR money and none of these people's opinions matter since they're not paying your bills. Fuck them! 😊
Loved this Zoe, your mood lifted so much in the second half of the video and rightly so, it’s so great to see you give yourself a break - as you said, you’re only human ☺️ and this is the absolute best time for you to be doing this entrepreneurial journey, you have no dependents or mortgage! Literally perfect timing to explore this path ❤️
Considering the quality of Montreal's housing stock (I'm looking at you, dingy duplexes!!), I completely understand if someone chooses to allocate more money to rent in return for an apartment that is in better shape.
Your feelings are all valid, Zoe. I, myself, is also conscious with how people view me. Hence, whenever I hear a criticism or words that hurt me, I would really take it to heart. I can remember back when I still write stories and post it on tumblr, I received a comment from a reader that really hurt me. And that resulted from me deciding not to write stories anymore. :( Up to this day, I still have insecurity with my writing even though I know I've improved and even if people around me keep on telling me that I'm good with it. That's why I really can relate to your thoughts, Zoe. I hope it gets better for us and I hope we'll learn not to let the words of others dictate how we live our lives. Sending hugs with consent!
My advice is that while people, and by people I mean litterly everyone, say they want you to succeed, deep down they actually do not. Generally speaking people want you to fail so they feel better about themselves. In the military this is not so much true, but in civilian life it is 100% accurate. When you know this, it can make you stronger. The more they try and pull you down the more likely it is they envy you and that you are doing something right, even if you yourself do not see it. When friends, family and strangers try and pull you down, you should take pride in the fact that they see you doing something right and they are jealous. This should boost your ego not pull you down. They are complimenting you in a strange way. The time to be upset and worry is when no one is trying to pull you down. ;)
Living in Europe I think reporting to money or even talking about them is different here, like a a cultural thing. North America is much more about consumerism that here in Europe. ( or ar least some parts) and therefore the pressure to have what other people is having it's more and so on. How I save money in my case, I put aside 10-20% depending of the month of the year and I really do not touch them, I pretend they dont exist. It's not easy but works for me.
No one is financially not worried unless you are top 10% of the income earners. Plus Quebec Tax is brutal. Taxes and deductions in Quebec is super high that even most wealthy people are not making that much unless you pass 6 figures. At least you make more than the median wage , I assume, than the majority of people who live in Montreal. Lots of people in Montreal are barely making it. Were not even talking about how horrible working 40-50 hours a week at something you hate. Most people hate their job. You are still young though, lots of people who are 60 years old and above and are living pay check to pay check.
For parking tickets, I would just call them and make up some random excuse. Most of the time it gets reduced. One time I got it reduced from 65 to 9.81 cents
It looks like you already have the answers to all your problems. Start implementing your own suggestions bit by bit - and celebrate everytime you did not react to a comment that someone made that you did not like. Initially it will not be that frequent but you will improve as time goes on!
I'm constantly relating with you, trust me I always feel like "money" doesn't grow on trees and obviously, some people are more fortunate in saving, investing and always being set not a paycheck to paycheck or expected rate ect. I think also when you get paid a certain amount as well and you know it then you might feel more at ease or knowing that is an "routine" I was recently laid off and I am looking to BLOG but, again that takes time to earn $ Do you have any ideas on how it works to BLOG?
What a great video! Thanks for filming these Zoe :) I loved what you said about how girls made comments about losing weight and guys said you were too skinny and that shows that overall you can’t please everyone and who cares. It’s a great mindset and it’s actually refreshing to see a real body online ☺️you look great, thanks for keeping it real! ❤️
Hi Zoe, I have a financial blog, where I talk about my portfolio, the stocks I hold, that's my main topic. For a while, I expose my expenses. However, I stop doing it for several reasons: that information, in my opinion, was useless; I find that I spent too much on some months and I was really ashame; fact that I exposed my expenses publicly didn't help me to reduce my expenses. I know longer expose my monthly expenses on my blog, just my overall budget that I try to follow. I sometimes spend a lot, but no matter what, I manage to save a lot. I have a net worth close to $340,000, my portfolio generate dividend. I am turning 42 at the end of the month and I am happy with what I have. I started investing when I was close to your age, 26-27. The subjects you discuss are still real in my world in my forties: saving money, career etc. I enjoy your vlogs and money vlogs Zoe, please continue your good work 👏
Hey Zoe! I completely sympathize with your situation, but you need to understand you’re not doing anything wrong, people put value in different things that make them happy and others will never understand it. You live like a queen and a lot of people are jealous of that unfortunately. Deep down you know if you can afford your lifestyle and if you can, enjoy it!!
Why do weddings have to be so expensive for the hosts and the guests? It is just insane. Honestly Zoe, Thank you for this video. I understand that it is very difficult to share those life moments. What you are doing is not easy and I can relate to everything you said.
OMg I know exactly what you mean!!! Everyone I know who has two incomes, aka a SPOUSE, always comments on the price of my rent and it pisses me off! I am a single person, Ottawa rent is pricey AF!!! When there are two people paying, it’s a different world! Their comments are tone deaf and uncalled for. 😂
ottawa girl!! i know from friends and fam there how expensive it is, it’s crazy!! when you live with a partner you literally cut your rent in half. Then again, we don’t want to rush into a relationship/ rush a relationship just to save money 😂
keep in mind that those who comment their nasty opinions rarely are the ones doing well...if they judge how much you pay for rent they probably can barely afford half of that. food for thought!
At some point you will just stop giving a fuck about any negative comments and just let that shit roll off you. I cant really explain it, it just happens as you get older and move through life. Probably in a few years you'll look back and wonder why you let such stupid stuff bother you, or why you even cared, even though you know for a fact you cared about it in the moment. At the end of the day we are all gigantic morons running around on this planet just trying not to die, no matter what other people will have you believe. I think you'll be fine. Good luck!
I’m turning 28 and did a huge career pivot and am so happy I make 80k working in tech. I have another friend who just got a 25k+ pay bump and she makes like 130k now and I hate comparing myself to her bc where I am now is where she was 5 years ago and I need to give myself grace
Granted I manage my money so much better than her. When I was making less, my goal every month was to save $2k a month and she would just be like damn that’s so much and I’m like dude you make so much more than me! Idk it’s interesting
Protect yourself, therefore don't disclose anything to us you don't feel comfortable with but do know we're not all sitting here judging you. I'm truly not❤ we all have shit going on😒 were all trying. Girl f$$k them people👍
I think you can't compare yourself to other UA-camrs. They might have started on UA-cam when they were in high school or college. They developed a large following as teenagers or young adults. Now they are in their mid to late twenties or 30 something, with millions of viewers. They have bought homes, cars, investments, etc. You started UA-cam a short time ago and it might take a while for you to reach the other UA-camrs financial levels.
Honestly as someone who's also a freelancer and lives in an expensive city here's what I say: real life is not indicative of social media. Sure, the finance bros on UA-cam give some good advice but they don't really exist in real life. They often only base their advice on people who have very high paying jobs with financial saving and security. They're also to blame for making people think that if you don't have a good savings by 30 you're failing at life and that's just not true. Usually as well, they're almost always men who don't have family or pets. Their advice is not accurate for real life and that's something I had to accept. Obviously, in the future, I want to get to a place where I'm financially stable. However, trying to follow all the social media finance advice where I'm at currently gives me so much anxiety and lacks any real perspective that it does more harm. I say that to say, just remember you're (we're) still young. We still have plenty of financial mistakes to make and we still are growing. Don't beat yourself up. As long as you're paying your rent, budgeting to the best of your ability, and working on trying to pay off debt/ save, that's all that matters. My tip for trying to not let comments get to you is that if the things people say have no real grounding then it doesn't matter. If someone says you pay too much on your rent, but you know that's not true and you can pay your bills confidently every month then it doesn't matter! I also live in a city where rent is high, but ultimately I made the choice to sacrifice my dream apartment for something cheaper (and I'm glad, I did). Yet if it works for you, that's all that matters!!
These monthly money videos are always so comforting. Being a 20something year old trying to navigate money is so tough. Thank you for sharing your struggles, I know i feel the same anxiety about money as you do 🤍
I completely understand when I lived in an apartment all I would hear from family members was that I was throwing my money away. 4 years later my hubby and I bought a home and they complain we should have bought a bigger home. 🥲 Can’t please everyone.
Girl, I feel the same way. I feel like I don’t have it together whenever I see younger people have it together but you know what, I started telling myself that I shouldn’t worry about others journey but mine. Happy belated birthday Zoe 🎊🎉🎈 Even tho I enjoy several videos a week, I’m sure you need somewhat of a break to edit. Can’t wait to watch the vlogs and travel vlogs that are coming soon! 🤗
Hope you enjoyed this different, heart to heart style monthly money 💖 As usual, let me know your most expensive & best purchases of the month! Oh, and your questions for the Q&A!! love you ⭐️
Always remember, comparison is the thief of joy....you're doing great.
thank you 💖💖💖
Well said
I was going to comment this! You have to do your best with what you have and what you can do. There will always be someone who is earning more spending more doing more etc.
Honestly, the fact that you make mistakes and slip up is pretty much why I (and i think many others) watch these monthly money videos. Who wants to watch someone manage their money perfectly every single month? That'd just make me feel bad about myself, and I'd start avoiding those videos and eventually stop watching them altogether. Your mistakes create a sense of solidarity and make me feel like I'm not alone in my struggle with income/spending and such. I think your viewership would go down significantly if you suddenly started making perfect financial decisions all the time.
I agree! If I wanted to watch someone perfectly manage their money i would just look at a calculator or something lmao
26 years old?? You're so young! Ay that age I was finishing college, living with my parents (in my home country that's normal) and perhaps starting working at a real job. 🤣 So you have nothing to worry about. You're doing so great 👏👏 Bravo
This is the best month of spending I have seen from you yet, all reasonable purchases and not excessive! Sorry your income got you down, but definitely seeing progress!
thank you for saying that 💚💚
Your realness and “mess ups” make you sooo much more relatable. A lot of us don’t know people willing to be as open as you- neither online nor in person. Thanks so much for making us feel more normal and helping us realize we can all improve on our own time.
It’s wild to me how you can be so open and vulnerable with your videos and people will nitpick you?? These people making comments wouldn’t never put their finances out on a platform the way you do. I love your videos. Even if you don’t do “perfect” in your own eyes, it feels very real for a viewer. I can relate. Please don’t let mean comments get you down.
such transparency and courage zoe! It struck me how self aware you are throughout the video. Even acknowledging the feelings of discomfort as they came to you! You're also so good at communicating your needs when you said " i need to be sad about this for a little bit". And also- i want to add, that just because you're opening your life up to criticism, doesn't mean people should take that opening to give unsolicited advice or criticism. e.g just because the paparazzi can and does follow celebs, doesn't make it right. you're given us a lot of content, kind of bullshit that people take the transparency and judge when you're not harming anyone or anything!
As someone who also suffers from financial anxiety I feel comforted by these videos because I’m reminded that I’m not alone in this and that sometimes we do need to be gentle with ourselves as we learn to navigate our finances in a healthy way. As always, thank you for sharing your ongoing experience with this Zoe! I’m sure so many people can relate x
As always, thank you for sharing so openly with us. Even though the earnings may not have felt like a “win,” the lower nonessential spending definitely is! It’s important for us to take the wins when we can, you’re doing awesome Zoe!
Thanks for your transparency! July was a VERY expensive month for me too! I try to give myself grace months in my finance journey because life happens and there will always be bumps along the way. The most important this is to keep going! Your bravery is helping others more than you think! ❤
Every time a negative or condescending comment is thrown, one of my friends would say "stop projecting" and now I start to see those comments as other people's projections. I noticed those who were comfortable in their own skin weren't the ones making comments on my body and those who were financially comfortable weren't the ones making comments about how I spent my money. 💁
Thank you for being so honest and transparent! I love watching your money chats because it’s so rare to hear someone be real about everything. I think it’s normal to have ups and downs when it comes to finances, and not enough people talk about that!
Make sure you remember that the things you see on social media are all “highlights” it’s really REALLY rare that people show their time of struggle. You are giving the good, the bad, and the in between and it is a more accurate depiction of life. When looking at others your age who seem to have more you don’t also get the breakdown of how long it took, if they had help, what circumstances put them their. The same can go for those who have less than you. Which is why in all seasons we must remind ourselves to have gratitude. Yes things can ALWAYS be better but they can also be ALOT worse then your current situation. So continue your journey and enjoy the rollercoaster called life. ☺️
Always love and appreciate your honesty and reality! You are so easy to relate to. We all slip sometimes and I look forward to your finance videos especially because we’re the same age and, as someone who also enjoys shopping, I feel less alone. I always try to make a point about not pointing out what other people choose to spend their money on because we all spend differently. Some people eat out all the time. Some spoil their pets or their nieces/nephews. Some travel. Some buy less frequently but spend luxuriously. We all work really effing hard and deserve to spend our money however it best suits us. And sometimes we’re wrong, but it’s okay to admit that and try things differently next time.
loved this style of video you have done this time- I can tell you have been working really hard! Thank you for uploading always love watching you
Proud of you.I watch your videos because you are RELATABLE. Those who come to your comments to criticize you on this purchase that purchase / your rent clearly can’t relate so this isn’t the page / channel for them. I hope the great comments outweigh the bad for you. Love your videos you are doing great!
LOVE that you’re prioritizing sharing only what makes you comfortable. I saw the vlog & was honestly surprised to see this video, but I’m so glad you did more of a casual format to make it easier on yourself 💕💕 I know I’d be so scared to share my financial situation with the internet, so serious props to you for talking about this at all! You’re a huge source of comfort for so many. Loved this Zoe & sending you so many hugs!
Financial anxiety is no joke. I'm going to be honest...mine has led me to try to spend only on necessities, imagine having arranged a coffee date with a friend on the weekend and thinking about how much the coffee will be or the food you might eat and you get to a point where you don't even want to go...it's not healthy. I'm trying to work on it but it's not simple. I subscribed to your channel Zoe cause you talk about issues that a lot of us experience and it's nice to know that I'm not alone. I also read the comments of other people who are also struggling. Let's keep trying everyone and one day we will get rid of that "weight".
Thanks for being so open about the comments. When it comes to negative financial comments I think what helps me (as a viewer/reader) is that the people commenting are not financially licensed to be giving out financial advice. To obtain that license takes a ton of hard work and intelligence. Even if they were, they haven’t been hired to view your entire financial situation… so I guess their “advice” and comments can’t be taken literally because at the end of the day they don’t know what they’re talking about.
I haven't solved it completely because I still sometimes worry about money long term, but for me what has helped has just been figuring out my priorities in life: removing the unnecessary spending that didn't make me feel good about myself, and allowing myself to splurge responsibly on what does. This is going to vary a lot from person to person but as you learn who you are and what you value (which is an ongoing process in your 20s), that helps with budgeting as well.
I know this advice is very vague and not applicable if you're living on a low income, but from how I see you (Zoe) evolve on this channel, I believe you're slowly getting there! I know it's hard, but you seem to have an amazing support system, so hang in there :)
Thank you for making these videos, I randomly watched your video a year ago about money creep and for the first time I felt I wasn’t alone. Hearing you talk makes me feel heard, its a super huge struggle for me too. And it also causes me a lot of anxiety, so thank you for sharing and for your honesty. ❤️
girl!! the thing you said about your own negative thoughts matching up with your beliefs is so true! ive noticed that you also said you dont have a problem with sharing what you spend and that you can see non-monetary value in your spending- so why are you listening to comments that say you spent too much?? ;);) in my mind, if you can see your own personal value in what you spend and you are intentional in what you spend, hypothetically there should be no reason that negative comments bother you- only you know the true value of what you are spending!! i find that when i can point out to myself the reasons behind my spending, i feel better about the amount i spend. have a go at tracking your spending for a week- track the monetary value and then also record the reason that you spent the money (eg. lunch with friends: reason- ‘i spent time with ‘friend’ and i felt a sense of connection and joy) or ‘therapy - i felt calmed and relieved after my session’ - when you connect your money to the positive experiences and feelings or emotions you get as a result i feel as if youre going to start looking at your money from a much different place. give it a try- i come from a family with a big lack mindset and this technique has really been helping me lately, especially as my finances and priorities have changed since covid!! good luck girl!
Always remember do not make comparison with others. It will brings you down and unhappy. Instead work on how to improve your self. You are doing great from my prospective. When i was at your age, I have nothing and just started going to college. I don't have anything accomplish except my degree at age of 30. I work my self up after college start saving and investing. Now i am free from debt and own house and keep investing for my future. It will take time and trust me you will be fine the way you are doing.
Some people might have opinions that they share to try and help you with good intentions, but they are truly unhelpful. Always remember you are an adult woman and NO ONE can tell you what to do. You are not a little girl, you are an adult with her own money, values, life, and purpose.
Sooo relatable with what you said about the comments from others tearing you down. I’m still working through this myself. I’m starting to taking medication that I hope will make me more emotionally resilient and less anxious
Thank you Zoe for sharing with us your finance. I really enjoy watching your video. I suffer from anxiety and when I am having an anxiety attack I watch your videos
Girl, I feel the same way.
I feel like I don’t have it together whenever I see younger people have it together but you know what, I started telling myself that I shouldn’t worry about others journey but mine.
Happy belated birthday Zoe 🎊🎉🎈
Even tho I enjoy several videos a week, I’m sure you need somewhat of a break to edit.
Can’t wait to watch the vlogs and travel vlogs that are coming soon! 🤗
Awe, Zoe, it hurts my heart that people make mean comments. You obviously working on things you struggle with and you are brave in being vulnerable to share with us on UA-cam. I struggle with spending and you encourage me to keep trying to improve. Just know you are helping those of us who watch you for the right reasons. Thank you so much for your content❤️❤️❤️
In terms of not letting the negative money comments get to you, you definitely also addressed what you "need to do". Which is certainly not easy by any means. But the more confident you get in your money decisions the less the comments will bother you. And I think one thing to remember is that no one is ever seeing your whole financial picture. And, your decisions come from YOUR priorities and people's comments are based on their priorities. Our priorities don't have to be the same as each other. But if you keep coming back to making your decisions based on your priorities and really reflecting on that when you might feel some dissonance with your decisions I think you might become more confident in the decisions you are making. And if your decisions don't reflect your priorities then that is a great time to reassess and make different decisions going forward.
I love your videos, you are right that we all have our strengths and weaknesses. In terms of comments, you have to remember that most negative comments are about the individual sending them, people have a tendency to comment on stuff that eats them internally. Don't let comments from people who you don't know and don't know you bring you down. You are working on things, you are progressing and trying, keep it up, keep the passion going and ignore the BS. Happy Birthday to you (early birthday)
Ps. You spent less than June, that's a sign you did well. Keep in mind there's a certain point that there's no more room to cut down on, you have to live as well. Rent is the same regardless of your income as an example, no amount of cutting is going to change that. You don't need to be so hard on yourself, just want to point out that the fact that your expenses are $2300 in July, that's AWESOME!!!! Major improvement. Keep it up and stop comparing.
you are so awesome zoe, the truth is that people always have opinions about how our lives should be and it is impossible that those opinions don't affect us, at the end we are all just humans, I send you lots of love and I hope you get the peace you deserve 🥰🥰🥰
People's comments are often a reflection of how people feel about themselves, not you. That person who would comment on your rent and clothes - your habits were probably triggering to them because they wanted those/similar things too but shamed themselves out of wanting/buying them. So they had to make you seem wrong in order to make themselves feel better about their choices.
It's not necessarily about whose choices are wrong or right, it's just that... those judgements really aren't a judgement of you, they're that person's judgement of themselves (which is coming from a place of shame and pain). So what's helpful for me is to realize when someone is making a judgmental comment it's actually revealing that that person feels shame/pain around that topic too (if they didn't... they just wouldn't care about what you were doing, and wouldn't comment), so you can feel compassion for their struggles (or at least try to... sometimes it is very hard!).
I think part of it is also that we all want to feel good about ourselves in one way or another. So if we face a lot of criticism for our weaknesses, we might feel inclined to criticize others when they're struggling with something that we consider to be our strength, in order to make up for all that criticism we received for our own struggles.
For instance, I've always been naturally frugal, but I've always struggled a lot with time management/attention problems. This often made it hard for me to study and work effectively, which in turn has affected my academics and income quite a bit. So, when I was younger, i judged people quite a bit about their poor spending habits, because it was the one area where I could feel like I was doing better than others, where I could feel like a success rather than a failure. It was an unhealthy coping mechanism, obviously, and I'm getting better about it as i grow older. But it's a habit that can be easy to fall into if you feel inadequate in certain areas of your life.
Been struggling with money and money insecurity this month especially. Feeling like whatever I do to manage is never enough! Im never able to stay on top of everything
I am curious on what sort of monitoring you have in place to evaluate your budget vs spending during the month. Do you consider expenses and income on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Have you ever conducted a statistical analysis to optimize your variances? I know you aren’t looking for any help now, but I don’t mind providing some feedback that might assist your current process.
very refreshing video; first time watching; appreciate your candidness.
thank you so much for this video. I needed it. Finances is something that I constantly struggle with and I have been beating myself up super bad about it lately. sometimes it feels like I am the only one that can't get it together.
I commend you for always being so honest and vulnerable Zoe. Your videos have really helped me be kinder to myself and enjoy my life more than before while still being mature about my finances. Just remember that you are helping so many people ❤️
Also, thank you for your honesty in these videos. I really enjoy them and totally appreciate and relate when you share your anxieties.
I relate to you so much here! I’ve had a spending problem for ages, and now that I’ve moved into an apartment with higher rent it’s been a rough transition. I love my apt but feel guilty for spending so much.
Don’t forget you’re not just paying for an apartment, you’re paying for a lifestyle!
Love your honesty 💗🔮🌟
thank you ⭐️💖
I totally support your decision to delete comments. Everything you are saying is so relatable and valid. I know this is really cliche but money really isn’t everything. I didn’t start saving or investing until I was 35 but I had lots of fun and acquired lots of experiences that fuel my career now. We all move at our own pace and it doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. Love love love your channel btw
I’m 100% with you Zoe, I put all my finance out there, I don’t get people telling me what to do just because my channel is little and I think I want to keep it that way 😂
You’re doing super good girl and should be super proud of where you are 🥰
You’ve come so far!! I’m so proud of you! Your feelings are valid ❤️
i also want to add that money is not the end all be all.... these people writing comments, if you had to be transparent about EVERY aspect of your life, would you not have areas you would need to improve on??? were all doing our best. Its just so unbelievable short sighted to be so critical of others
I live in NYC. The amount of rent you pay for such a large space, to me, is like WOW that's fantastic!!
it’s truly all about perspective!! ❤️
Was not expecting this video! Thank you for always being so transparent and honest but also hope you know you don't have to justify your decisions, especially when it comes to boundaries (at least not to your real fans lol). Happy belated birthday!
SUCH a 360 from the vlog where you talked about $$ at the end. This was so relatable thanks for sharing! That is so true - it's the things you're insecure about that hurt the most. It's so crazy how the most clickable stuff is also the things people are most insecure about. CLEARLY you're not alone. Adjusting to variable income is tough and so is this insane inflation. People want to see how much others are spending on things now more than ever. Hope you get to the point you can brush off mean internet comments about $$. If they don't pay your bills then they have no say LOL
hey girl!! just wondering, does your bf also pay for dinners?
bcuz it seems like a lot of things are usually on you and that doesnt seem fair :3 let me know if im wrong looool
She’s mentioned in the past that sometimes she covers and sometimes he does !
yes it's a good question! He does pay for dinners, and also groceries when he cooks for me. It's very balanced 💖
No worries! Listen, you're human. Noone is a robot. I would suggest not taking the comments personally. Kinda have to have a dgaf attitude towards people's opinions. They are likely doing it for negative attention. And are using you as the scape goat. I know it's easier said than done, but necessary. Get out of your head(I struggle there too), and look at all the positive things about you that you do love. Start by not being so hard on yourself and saying negative things to you about you. Practice more gratitude. I didn’t realize how much I was lacking in that area until I noticed how hard I was on myself and focusing too much on the things I can't control. You can control your finances. You can't control the people in the comments and don't know their motive for bringing negativity. And we don't care. Great content. Keep it up.
Keep your head up Zoe! You got this. :)
I love your honesty; but I’m another note you look so beautiful and I love your hair down.
As long as you know you will have a roof over your head and food to eat, youre good, cheer up
Great video as usual girl 😘
Just wondering - what is that shadow that happening in window where ring light are?
its shadows from the trees moving and the ring light i think 😂
As someone who posts EVERY single detail about their finances on UA-cam, I feel you. Most of my comments are super supportive, but some are over the top or rude because people feel entitled to tell me what to do lol
I also was on CNBC Millenial Money and the comments on that video were awful, so I stopped reading them. Usually though I know that I'm doing well and doing better than the average person...and so are you.
At the end of the day it's YOUR life and YOUR money and none of these people's opinions matter since they're not paying your bills. Fuck them! 😊
You’re doing great! ❤️
this was such a real talk video & related a lot !
Also my best purchase this month was treating my family to dinner, and the most expensive purchase was a good quality parka :)
Loved this Zoe, your mood lifted so much in the second half of the video and rightly so, it’s so great to see you give yourself a break - as you said, you’re only human ☺️ and this is the absolute best time for you to be doing this entrepreneurial journey, you have no dependents or mortgage! Literally perfect timing to explore this path ❤️
why do you pay for JS? guy drives a porsche 😂
i always say, if i wouldn’t go to this person for advice, why would i care about their criticism. 💕
LOVE THIS!!! sooo true 💖
Considering the quality of Montreal's housing stock (I'm looking at you, dingy duplexes!!), I completely understand if someone chooses to allocate more money to rent in return for an apartment that is in better shape.
Your feelings are all valid, Zoe. I, myself, is also conscious with how people view me. Hence, whenever I hear a criticism or words that hurt me, I would really take it to heart. I can remember back when I still write stories and post it on tumblr, I received a comment from a reader that really hurt me. And that resulted from me deciding not to write stories anymore. :( Up to this day, I still have insecurity with my writing even though I know I've improved and even if people around me keep on telling me that I'm good with it. That's why I really can relate to your thoughts, Zoe. I hope it gets better for us and I hope we'll learn not to let the words of others dictate how we live our lives. Sending hugs with consent!
My advice is that while people, and by people I mean litterly everyone, say they want you to succeed, deep down they actually do not. Generally speaking people want you to fail so they feel better about themselves. In the military this is not so much true, but in civilian life it is 100% accurate. When you know this, it can make you stronger. The more they try and pull you down the more likely it is they envy you and that you are doing something right, even if you yourself do not see it. When friends, family and strangers try and pull you down, you should take pride in the fact that they see you doing something right and they are jealous. This should boost your ego not pull you down. They are complimenting you in a strange way. The time to be upset and worry is when no one is trying to pull you down. ;)
this was a great video, whatever feels most comfy is best
❤️❤️ thank you!
Living in Europe I think reporting to money or even talking about them is different here, like a a cultural thing. North America is much more about consumerism that here in Europe. ( or ar least some parts) and therefore the pressure to have what other people is having it's more and so on.
How I save money in my case, I put aside 10-20% depending of the month of the year and I really do not touch them, I pretend they dont exist. It's not easy but works for me.
No one is financially not worried unless you are top 10% of the income earners. Plus Quebec Tax is brutal. Taxes and deductions in Quebec is super high that even most wealthy people are not making that much unless you pass 6 figures. At least you make more than the median wage , I assume, than the majority of people who live in Montreal. Lots of people in Montreal are barely making it. Were not even talking about how horrible working 40-50 hours a week at something you hate. Most people hate their job. You are still young though, lots of people who are 60 years old and above and are living pay check to pay check.
For parking tickets, I would just call them and make up some random excuse. Most of the time it gets reduced. One time I got it reduced from 65 to 9.81 cents
omg here you have to contest it and they literally bring you to court 😂
@@ZoePritchard that's so not fair!
It looks like you already have the answers to all your problems. Start implementing your own suggestions bit by bit - and celebrate everytime you did not react to a comment that someone made that you did not like. Initially it will not be that frequent but you will improve as time goes on!
I'm constantly relating with you, trust me I always feel like "money" doesn't grow on trees and obviously, some people are more fortunate in saving, investing and always being set not a paycheck to paycheck or expected rate ect. I think also when you get paid a certain amount as well and you know it then you might feel more at ease or knowing that is an "routine" I was recently laid off and I am looking to BLOG but, again that takes time to earn $ Do you have any ideas on how it works to BLOG?
It’s so easy to start comparing ourselves to others and feeling unmotivated, I can relate to this. Currently watching!
What a great video! Thanks for filming these Zoe :) I loved what you said about how girls made comments about losing weight and guys said you were too skinny and that shows that overall you can’t please everyone and who cares. It’s a great mindset and it’s actually refreshing to see a real body online ☺️you look great, thanks for keeping it real! ❤️
Hi Zoe, I have a financial blog, where I talk about my portfolio, the stocks I hold, that's my main topic. For a while, I expose my expenses. However, I stop doing it for several reasons: that information, in my opinion, was useless; I find that I spent too much on some months and I was really ashame; fact that I exposed my expenses publicly didn't help me to reduce my expenses. I know longer expose my monthly expenses on my blog, just my overall budget that I try to follow. I sometimes spend a lot, but no matter what, I manage to save a lot. I have a net worth close to $340,000, my portfolio generate dividend. I am turning 42 at the end of the month and I am happy with what I have. I started investing when I was close to your age, 26-27. The subjects you discuss are still real in my world in my forties: saving money, career etc.
I enjoy your vlogs and money vlogs Zoe, please continue your good work 👏
Hey Zoe! I completely sympathize with your situation, but you need to understand you’re not doing anything wrong, people put value in different things that make them happy and others will never understand it. You live like a queen and a lot of people are jealous of that unfortunately. Deep down you know if you can afford your lifestyle and if you can, enjoy it!!
Just started the video, but green is your color 100%
💚💚
Why do weddings have to be so expensive for the hosts and the guests? It is just insane. Honestly Zoe, Thank you for this video. I understand that it is very difficult to share those life moments. What you are doing is not easy and I can relate to everything you said.
Zoe, As a sensitive person, perhaps wait a few days or a week before perusing the comments section? Most comments are positive. It's all good!
Robber of Joy is comparsion... So don't compare.. your life your jouney
OMg I know exactly what you mean!!! Everyone I know who has two incomes, aka a SPOUSE, always comments on the price of my rent and it pisses me off! I am a single person, Ottawa rent is pricey AF!!! When there are two people paying, it’s a different world! Their comments are tone deaf and uncalled for. 😂
ottawa girl!! i know from friends and fam there how expensive it is, it’s crazy!! when you live with a partner you literally cut your rent in half. Then again, we don’t want to rush into a relationship/ rush a relationship just to save money 😂
keep in mind that those who comment their nasty opinions rarely are the ones doing well...if they judge how much you pay for rent they probably can barely afford half of that. food for thought!
At some point you will just stop giving a fuck about any negative comments and just let that shit roll off you. I cant really explain it, it just happens as you get older and move through life. Probably in a few years you'll look back and wonder why you let such stupid stuff bother you, or why you even cared, even though you know for a fact you cared about it in the moment. At the end of the day we are all gigantic morons running around on this planet just trying not to die, no matter what other people will have you believe. I think you'll be fine. Good luck!
I’m turning 28 and did a huge career pivot and am so happy I make 80k working in tech. I have another friend who just got a 25k+ pay bump and she makes like 130k now and I hate comparing myself to her bc where I am now is where she was 5 years ago and I need to give myself grace
Granted I manage my money so much better than her. When I was making less, my goal every month was to save $2k a month and she would just be like damn that’s so much and I’m like dude you make so much more than me! Idk it’s interesting
Protect yourself, therefore don't disclose anything to us you don't feel comfortable with but do know we're not all sitting here judging you. I'm truly not❤ we all have shit going on😒 were all trying. Girl f$$k them people👍
thank you Tiffany ❤️❤️ these comment reassured me & also really made me smile 😃 fk em!! hahaga
I think you can't compare yourself to other UA-camrs. They might have started on UA-cam when they were in high school or college. They developed a large following as teenagers or young adults. Now they are in their mid to late twenties or 30 something, with millions of viewers. They have bought homes, cars, investments, etc. You started UA-cam a short time ago and it might take a while for you to reach the other UA-camrs financial levels.
Honestly as someone who's also a freelancer and lives in an expensive city here's what I say: real life is not indicative of social media. Sure, the finance bros on UA-cam give some good advice but they don't really exist in real life. They often only base their advice on people who have very high paying jobs with financial saving and security. They're also to blame for making people think that if you don't have a good savings by 30 you're failing at life and that's just not true. Usually as well, they're almost always men who don't have family or pets. Their advice is not accurate for real life and that's something I had to accept. Obviously, in the future, I want to get to a place where I'm financially stable. However, trying to follow all the social media finance advice where I'm at currently gives me so much anxiety and lacks any real perspective that it does more harm. I say that to say, just remember you're (we're) still young. We still have plenty of financial mistakes to make and we still are growing. Don't beat yourself up. As long as you're paying your rent, budgeting to the best of your ability, and working on trying to pay off debt/ save, that's all that matters.
My tip for trying to not let comments get to you is that if the things people say have no real grounding then it doesn't matter. If someone says you pay too much on your rent, but you know that's not true and you can pay your bills confidently every month then it doesn't matter! I also live in a city where rent is high, but ultimately I made the choice to sacrifice my dream apartment for something cheaper (and I'm glad, I did). Yet if it works for you, that's all that matters!!
Stop listening to negative people and start blocking them
💕💕💕
totally unrelated but your hair is getting SO LONG! 💗
Would you and your boyfriend consider moving in together? Would be an automatic big saver for both of you
i can't imagine inviting people to my wedding then expecting them to pay for their own food.. especially $70.
Hi zoe
First
These monthly money videos are always so comforting. Being a 20something year old trying to navigate money is so tough. Thank you for sharing your struggles, I know i feel the same anxiety about money as you do 🤍
I completely understand when I lived in an apartment all I would hear from family members was that I was throwing my money away. 4 years later my hubby and I bought a home and they complain we should have bought a bigger home. 🥲 Can’t please everyone.
Girl, I feel the same way.
I feel like I don’t have it together whenever I see younger people have it together but you know what, I started telling myself that I shouldn’t worry about others journey but mine.
Happy belated birthday Zoe 🎊🎉🎈
Even tho I enjoy several videos a week, I’m sure you need somewhat of a break to edit.
Can’t wait to watch the vlogs and travel vlogs that are coming soon! 🤗