The Clever Girls Know Podcast With Bola Sokunbi

On this episode of the podcast, we're joined by Vicky South for a deeply honest conversation about burnout, debt, emotional spending, and redefining success at 40.
Vicky is a British expat who has spent more than 15 years living across Vietnam, India, Hong Kong, and Argentina, navigating money across multiple countries and currencies while intentionally choosing a nontraditional path.
Despite being financially knowledgeable from a young age—even researching savings account interest rates as a child—she shares how emotional health, anxiety, and burnout shaped her financial decisions just as much as financial literacy did.
Now in the middle of an 18-month transition out of corporate life and into entrepreneurship, Vicky opens up about managing finances without a traditional paycheck, unlearning shame around money, and helping women understand that they are not "behind" just because their lives don't follow conventional timelines.
 
What Vicky Discussed on the Podcast:
How living across multiple countries shaped her perspective on money, freedom, and success.
Why choosing not to buy property was an intentional decision—not a failure.
Her early fascination with money and financial literacy.
Why financial knowledge alone isn't enough to build healthy money habits.
The connection between anxiety, emotional health, shopping, and overspending.
What burnout taught her about work, identity, and financial security.
How she has stayed financially stable during an 18-month career pivot without a salary or pension.
Why so many women feel "behind" financially by 40 and how to release comparison-based thinking.
How teaching herself to invest during the 2008 banking crisis shaped her confidence with money.
Lessons learned from managing finances across currencies, countries, and financial systems as an expat.
Shame narratives and money beliefs she had to unlearn.
Advice for women feeling embarrassed about debt, financial mistakes, or starting over later in life.
AND SO MUCH MORE
How to Keep Up With Vicky:
Substack: Money — For Those Who Feel Behind
LinkedIn: Vicky South
Instagram: @vicsouthexplorer
 
New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now
 
More Clever Girl Finance Resources:
👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here: https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here
❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books
❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages
❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog
❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

Your salary keeps increasing, but somehow you're still living paycheck to paycheck. If you've ever gotten a raise, promotion, or new job and wondered where all the extra money went, you're not alone.
On this podcast episode, I'm breaking down the real reasons why earning more money doesn't automatically make you wealthier, and what you can do to finally get ahead financially. We'll talk about lifestyle inflation, rising fixed expenses, saving and investing strategies, debt, budgeting, and the mindset shifts that help you turn higher income into real wealth.
You'll learn:
 Why lifestyle creep keeps so many high earners broke
How fixed expenses quietly consume your raises
The pay-yourself-first strategy that actually works
Why debt may be stealing your income growth
How to create a spending plan that supports your goals
The difference between saving money and building wealth
Why defining your version of "enough" matters
If you're tired of making more money without making financial progress, this episode will help you create a plan that allows you to keep more, save more, invest more, and build lasting wealth.
 
New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now
 
More Clever Girl Finance Resources:
👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here: https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here
❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books
❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages
❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog
❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

On this episode of the podcast, we're joined by Marcia Armstrong, MBA, founder of A Purpose Life and a multi-award-winning finance educator and business consultant, for an insightful conversation about building a purpose-driven business without losing yourself in the process.
With more than 15 years of experience in the finance industry, Marcia has helped individuals and organizations make strategic financial decisions that lead to sustainable success. She shares her journey from having a strong foundation in personal finance to navigating the very different realities of entrepreneurship, including the challenges of managing cash flow, pricing, business growth, and the emotional weight that often comes with being a founder.
This episode is packed with practical lessons for entrepreneurs who want to build profitable businesses while protecting their wellbeing and staying aligned with their purpose.
 
What Marcia Discussed on the Podcast:
Her journey into entrepreneurship and the inspiration behind launching A Purpose Life.
The differences between managing personal finances and managing business finances.
Why financial confidence in your personal life doesn't automatically translate to business success.
Financial lessons learned the hard way during the early stages of entrepreneurship.
Navigating the pressure of being solely responsible for business and personal financial stability.
The shift from reactive financial decisions to intentional planning and strategy.
Financial systems and habits that created more structure, clarity, and peace of mind.
Why entrepreneurs need to separate business performance from personal identity.
How her approach to pricing, cash flow, and growth has evolved over time.
Advice for entrepreneurs who avoid looking at their numbers because of fear or emotional attachment.
Building a financially sustainable business without falling into burnout.
The business and money lessons she wishes she had learned earlier.
 
How to Keep Up With Marcia:
Follow on Instagram: @apurposelife246
Connect on LinkedIn: Marcia Armstrong
Learn more: apurposelife246.com
 
New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now
 
More Clever Girl Finance Resources:
👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here: https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here
❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books
❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages
❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog
❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

Why does financial discipline feel so hard sometimes? Why do you keep overspending even when you genuinely want to stop?
 On this episode, I'm breaking down the real reasons financial discipline feels difficult, and why it has far less to do with willpower than most people think.
You'll learn:
Why relying on motivation keeps people stuck
How your environment impacts your spending habits
The systems that make managing money easier
Why all-or-nothing thinking sabotages your progress
How to build habits that actually stick
The mindset shifts that help you stay consistent long term 
If you've been feeling frustrated with your money habits, this episode will help you stop blaming yourself and start creating systems that actually support your financial goals.
Because building wealth is not about being perfect. It's about building a financial life that works for you consistently over time.
 
New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now
 
More Clever Girl Finance Resources:
👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here: https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here
❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books
❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages
❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog
❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance

You know you probably shouldn't have bought it… but you did anyway. And no — it's not because you're "bad with money."
Overspending is rarely just a money problem. It's emotional, behavioral, psychological, and often deeply connected to your habits, environment, and past experiences with money.
On this episode, I'm breaking down the REAL reasons why people overspend, even when they know better, and how to finally start changing those habits for good. If you've struggled with impulse spending, emotional spending, lifestyle creep, or constantly feeling like your money disappears, this video is for you.
You'll learn:
Why emotional spending happens
How social media and your environment influence your spending
The psychology behind impulse purchases
Why budgeting alone often doesn't work
How to stop overspending without shame or guilt
Practical strategies to become more intentional with money 
The truth is: awareness changes everything. Once you understand why you overspend, you can finally start building habits that support your financial goals instead of sabotaging them.
 
New Book - Clever Girl Millionaire; A Guide to Redefining What's Possible, Turning Ambitions into Actions, and Dreams into Millions - Available to order now
 
More Clever Girl Finance Resources:
👋 New to Clever Girl Finance? Start here: https://clevergirlfinance.com/start-here
❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books
❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages
❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog
❤ Follow us on Instagram: @clevergirlfinance