Since 2010, Carrie Friedberg, the SF Money Coach, has been teaching individuals, families and small business owners all over the world how to align their spending, saving and earning with their values. Carrie Friedberg was raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She studied Buddhism at Trinity College in Connecticut before moving to San Francisco to attend the graduate school of education at the University of San Francisco. In addition to earning a multiple subject teaching credential and masters degree, Carrie became a certified yoga instructor and started practicing Vipassana meditation and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

She is now a certified psychology-informed money coach and financial behavior specialist with an extensive background in education, mindfulness and personal development. She has been featured by the US News, Forbes, New York Post, MarketWatch and Oprah Magazine and many other media outlets. Carrie has consulted with Visa, Macy’s, SAP, Google, WeWork and Airbnb. She led financial wellness workshops at University of California, Berkeley, University of San Francisco and Santa Clara University. Carrie’s debut book At Peace with Money comes out on Jan. 20, 2026. She lives in Portola Valley, CA with her husband and two young children. Check out Carrie’s Personal Finance 101 Online Course and much more at sfmoneycoach.com.

Key Takeaways:

Your childhood money story shapes your adult financial behavior. Growing up watching parents fight about money can create deep shame, anxiety, and avoidance around finances.
Emotional healing comes before budgeting. Addressing the psychological and spiritual side of money is the foundation — you can’t stick to a budget if you haven’t dealt with the feelings underneath.
Anyone who can do 5th-grade math can master personal finance. You don’t need to be an expert — just addition and subtraction (and a calculator).
The 3 levels of financial wellness: Tracking (know where your money goes) → Planning & Budgeting (based on real numbers) → Lifelong Financial Literacy (keep learning and growing).
“When you take care of your money, your money takes care of you.” Staying consciously connected to your finances — logging in, reviewing transactions regularly — creates a ripple effect of confidence and better decisions.
It’s okay to outsource. Busy families can hire a bookkeeper (starting around $30/hr) to handle tracking — it’s as essential as having a housekeeper.
Self-care is a financial strategy. You can’t manage money well if you’re burned out. Even 5 minutes of daily relaxation supports better financial decision-making.

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Connect with Carrie

- - - SF Money Coach
    - Order Carrie’s book At Peace with Money: A Holistic Roadmap to Financial Wellness
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