HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

Episode: Your Money Map Replay: Worried About Making Your Money Last? The Budgetnista’s Retirement Reality Check
Date: December 19, 2025
Guest: Tiffany Aliche ("The Budgetnista")

Overview

In this episode, host Jean Chatzky sits down with Tiffany Aliche, best-selling author, nationally recognized financial educator, and “The Budgetnista,” to discuss women’s unique retirement challenges. The conversation centers on practical, compassionate approaches to financial planning, budgeting for retirement, building community, and strategies for making your money last—particularly critical for women entering retirement solo or with limited assets.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tiffany’s Journey: From Teacher to “The Budgetnista” (03:27 – 04:51)

• Tiffany’s foundation in personal finance came early, thanks to her father’s expertise as a CFO and her mother’s practical approach.
• “I decided to become a teacher…and even as I was teaching my students, my three and four year olds, I noticed that the parents were struggling financially where I was teaching in Newark, New Jersey. And it sparked this—I want to teach, but also I want to teach across the board.” (Tiffany, 03:48)
• The 2008 recession forced her into unemployment, prompting her to "take the Budgetnista show on the road."

2. Personal Financial Crisis and Empathy (07:23 – 09:42)

• Tiffany recounts falling victim to a scam by a trusted friend, leading to significant debt and the loss of her job during the Great Recession.
• “I did not have a job. And so it was that that took me from, oh, this is how people feel when they come to ask me for help. This terror, this fear, this what am I going to do?” (Tiffany, 08:38)
• This experience forever shifted her teaching style, grounding it in empathy and kindness.

3. How Money Stress Has Changed Post-COVID (10:06 – 10:56)

• Jean asks how attitudes about budgeting and retirement have evolved.
• “There used to be more hopefulness...Now, folks are like, I'm not even overspending, and it’s still not enough...Covid didn’t bring hopelessness that I’m seeing now from people.” (Tiffany, 10:06)

4. Building Community as a Financial Lifeline (11:23 – 12:25)

• When cuts alone aren’t enough, forming intentional communities is key: sharing childcare, pooling resources, and mutual support.
• “It’s not going to just be, ‘I’ve budgeted, I’ve saved, I’m investing.’ It's going to be building community.” (Tiffany, 11:53)

5. Budgeting in Retirement—What’s Changed? (13:26 – 15:29)

• Tiffany advocates getting as close to debt-free as possible before retirement.
• Go “line by line” through expenses; seek out government programs (like property tax freezes for seniors).
• “The key to me in retirement is how can I maintain the lowest overhead possible...if you have to work that extra year, it might be worth it.” (Tiffany, 13:26)
• Use every available program to decrease outflow.

6. Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Before Retirement? (15:29 – 17:03)

• Jean and Tiffany both strongly favor entering retirement mortgage-free despite low interest rates.
• “I believe in retirement, the less I can output, the better, because you don’t have the input...So I get it, if you have a 3% interest rate and you’re not in any sort of rush, I just know that...knowing that I don’t have to...pay a mortgage...is worth it.” (Tiffany, 15:49)

7. Invest in Health as Financial Strategy (17:03 – 18:20)

• Tiffany describes her dad’s focus on health as part of long-term financial wellness: "There are two things I want to give you, my daughters — financial education and the knowledge of how to take care of yourself." (Tiffany, 17:24)

8. Expense Tracking Tools and Strategies (18:49 – 19:51)

• Tiffany recommends a practical approach: spreadsheet or pen-and-paper tracking, combing through statements for recurring “invisible” costs.
• Banks’ tracking features and awareness of recurring payments can lead to significant annual savings: “$20 here, $30 here...was almost a thousand plus dollars annually.” (Tiffany, 19:34)

9. Women’s Unique Retirement Risks (19:51 – 23:09)

• Majority of women at “Peak 65” have less than $100k saved; for single women, 67% have less.
• Spousal financial plans can backfire after divorce or widowhood: “She has a retirement account that’s stacked and she has nothing, next to nothing...I’m actually not surprised.” (Tiffany, 20:44)
• Working longer or supplementing retirement with additional jobs for healthcare coverage or extra income may be necessary.
• Memorable Moment: Reference to actor Geoffrey Owens (“Elvin” from Cosby Show) working at Trader Joe's to get health insurance, reframing what work in retirement can look like.

10. Planning for Solo Retirement (23:09 – 24:36)

• Tiffany stresses proactive planning, including legal documents (wills, trusts), discussions with loved ones, and considering living arrangements.
• “I say to make a plan, make a clear plan that you let the people who are part of that plan in on it. So do you have a will? What does it say?...Does it make sense for you to have a trust?” (Tiffany, 23:24)

11. Defining and Achieving Financial Wholeness (26:26 – 28:03)

• Tiffany’s 10 Components of Financial Wholeness:
  • Budget mastery
  • Savings
  • Debt
  • Credit
  • Earning
  • Investing (retirement & wealth)
  • Insurance
  • Net worth
  • Financial team
  • Estate planning
• “Financial wholeness plan is like your internal checklist of these 10 things. Does it currently make sense with where I am? Do I need to update?” (Tiffany, 26:41)

12. The Value of Financial Advisors (28:17 – 30:03)

• Even financial experts need advisors; an outside perspective keeps you on track with your evolving goals.
• “The same reason a doctor needs a doctor, and a hairdresser has a hairdresser...the purpose of a financial advisor is not someone to tell you what to do, it’s so you are like, here is the desired outcome...” (Tiffany, 28:17)
• Financial advisor services are accessible, even at $150–$300 for hourly consulting.

13. Turning the Transition to Retirement into a “Gap” Opportunity (31:03 – 32:35)

• Tiffany uses her advisor and a detailed vision for retirement to plan, emphasizing the goal of a substantial gap between retirement income and expenses.
• Constantly questions and reevaluates potential expenses to minimize outflow and keep money coming in from investments or other sources.

14. Tiffany’s Top 3 Tips for Approaching Retirement (32:57 – 33:40)

1. Ask for Help: Meet with a certified financial planner.
2. Get Control of Your Budget: Identify where spending could shift post-retirement.
3. Research Retirement Programs: Find benefits or advantages (like property tax freezes) available to you.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Empathy in Finance:
  “There has to be a deeper level of empathy and kindness that you bring to the table, Tiffany.” (Tiffany, 09:34)

• On Community:
  “If I do have to make extra money and I’ve got kids, my friend and neighbor who also has kids, they can go there after school and be watched by them.” (Tiffany, 12:15)

• On Financial Planning:
  “Financial wholeness gets to meet you where you are financially. And you’re always updating...” (Tiffany, 26:45)

• On Advisors:
  “The same reason why a doctor needs a doctor. And a hairdresser has a hairdresser. Because sometimes we are the worst patients.” (Tiffany, 28:17)

• On Retirement Vision:
  “What is my output? How do I reduce it?...Can I keep some money coming in even though I’m not doing...maybe I’m not, like, actively the Budgetnista anymore?” (Tiffany, 31:10)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:27 | Tiffany’s backstory | | 07:23 | Personal financial crisis and shift toward empathy | | 10:06 | Post-COVID changes to financial worry and hopefulness | | 11:23 | Building community as survival strategy | | 13:26 | Retirement budget and getting debt-free | | 15:29 | Debate: paying off your mortgage before retirement | | 17:20 | Investing in physical health as financial planning | | 18:49 | Expense-tracking tools and advice | | 19:51 | Women’s unique retirement risks | | 23:24 | Solo retirement planning | | 26:26 | 10 components of financial wholeness | | 28:17 | Why even “The Budgetnista” needs a financial advisor | | 31:03 | Visualizing and preparing for the “gap” in retirement | | 32:57 | Tiffany’s top 3 retirement tips |

Resources & Further Reading

• Tiffany Aliche (“The Budgetnista”): thebudgetnista.com
• Protected Income (Retirement Resources): protectedincome.org
• Tiffany’s Book: Get Good with Money

Closing Takeaways

This episode balances realism and optimism, urging women to seek help, build strong communities, meticulously audit and minimize expenses, and always keep updating their plans as life changes. Tiffany’s blend of practical advice and personal empathy provides a roadmap for anyone wanting to take charge of their financial future—before and during retirement.