Vivian Tu: 7 Things Every Woman Needs To Know About Money
Written by
Jamie Stone
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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In a recent episode of “A Really Good Cry” podcast with host Radi DeLucia, Vivian Tu, the former Wall Street trader turned personal finance educator known as “Your Rich BFF,” broke down essential money concepts every woman should understand.
The New York Times best-selling author of “Rich AF” explained that financial literacy isn’t about being naturally “good with money” — it’s about learning a language that’s been deliberately kept confusing. Here are the key takeaways from their conversation.
1. Finance Is Just a Different Language
The jargon exists partly to make experts sound smart, but also to keep outsiders out. Understanding basic terms like budget, saving, investing, and having a financial plan gives you the foundation to take control.
Most importantly, know your “why” — whether it’s retiring early, supporting aging parents or building generational wealth. Your financial plan should reflect your actual goals, not someone else’s definition of success.
2. Not All Debt Is Bad
When wealthy people borrow money, we call it “using leverage” and celebrate their business acumen. When regular people do it, we shame them for having debt.
The reality is that strategic borrowing can be a powerful tool. If you have high-interest credit card debt, consider consolidating with a balance transfer card offering 0% interest for 12 to 18 months, or get a personal loan at 7% to 15% rather than paying 20% to 30% credit card APR.
3. Your Credit Score Matters More Than You Think
Unless you’re ultra-wealthy and can buy everything in cash, your credit score determines whether you get approved for mortgages, car loans and even apartment rentals.
Maintain a healthy score by never missing minimum payments, keeping credit utilization under 30% (ideally under 10%) and preserving your oldest credit lines. Don’t close that old credit card — upgrade or downgrade it instead to maintain your credit history length.
4. Stop Dating Your High School Boyfriend Bank
Many people stick with the bank their parents opened for them in high school, earning a measly 0.42% annual interest on savings. High-yield savings accounts at online banks offer 3% to 4% interest, nearly 10 times more. That difference compounds significantly over time and helps your money keep pace with inflation instead of losing value each year.
5. Don’t Try To Pick Winning Stocks
Even Wall Street professionals blow up their portfolios trying to cherry-pick stocks. Instead, use the “Halloween candy approach” — buy ETFs and mutual funds that track broad market indices, giving you exposure to 500 or 1,000 companies at once. Use the formula of rounding your age to the nearest five, then subtracting 10 to determine what percentage should be in bonds versus stocks. At 35, that’s 25% bonds and 75% stocks.
6. Women Are Actually Better Investors
Despite marketing that portrays women as shopaholics and financially irresponsible, the data tells a different story. Women have less debt in every category except student loans (because they’re getting more educated).
Single women own more homes than single men in all 50 states. And women’s investment portfolios outperform men’s because they’re buy-and-hold investors rather than day traders chasing quick profits.
7. Talk About Money with Your Friends
The fastest way to build financial knowledge and power is to normalize money conversations in your trusted circle. Start with easier topics like rent costs, then progress to salary negotiations, credit card rewards strategies, and investment approaches. You wouldn’t have gotten this far in life without asking questions — money shouldn’t be different.
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