The Missing Piece: How Accountability Can Transform Your Finances
What does my neck pain have in common with reaching your financial goals?
More than you might think.
Here’s the thing: I love doing jigsaw puzzles, but spending long stretches hunched over them was hurting my neck, giving me headaches, and making it tough to sleep. I'd done physical therapy in the past, and it helped—until I stopped being consistent with the exercises. Surprise, surprise, the pain returned.
Now that I’m working full-time as a financial coach, I switched onto my husband’s health insurance and became eligible for a virtual physical therapy program called Hinge Health . It comes with a physical therapist, a health coach, and a playlist of daily exercises. Oh, and did I mention it’s free?!
During my first virtual session, my physical therapist explained, “Pain is kind of like a puzzle. It requires targeted movement and changes to daily habits.” (A fitting analogy, given my hobby.)
But then she said something that really lit a fire under me:
“I’ll be checking in with you next week to see how often you’ve taken standing breaks throughout the day.”
Just knowing someone would follow up changed everything.
Suddenly, I wasn’t just aware—I was accountable.
I didn’t want to disappoint her (yes, I’m a rule follower and a bit of a people-pleaser). So I immediately wrote reminders on my whiteboard, kept tally marks for each standing break, and felt genuinely motivated to make it happen.
Accountability: The Bridge from Awareness to Action
This experience got me thinking about how often we become aware of financial changes we want to make—like budgeting, saving more, or tackling debt—but struggle to follow through consistently.
It’s exciting at first. You create a spreadsheet, download an app, or set some goals. But after a few weeks, you may find yourself losing momentum and thinking:
“This is hard and boring. Is this really going to help? It’s probably not worth it.”
So you go back to the status quo, because even though it’s not ideal, it’s familiar.
A year later, you wonder why your savings balance looks exactly the same, despite working hard to earn money over the last year. It’s frustrating.
Awareness is great, but accountability is what keeps you moving forward when motivation fades.
Two Powerful Ways to Build Accountability Into Your Finances:
1. Find an Accountability Partner
This could be your partner, a friend, or a professional coach (cough *me* cough 😊). It doesn’t need to be complicated. Simply choose someone who will follow up with you at a set time. And you can check in via whatever form of communication you prefer—in person, phone, text, owl, etc.
Choose a simple goal (e.g., “This week, I’ll track how much I spend on takeout”).
Agree on a check-in time to briefly ask, “How did it go? Did you accomplish your goal?”
Knowing someone will ask makes a huge difference. And the simpler you make it, the better it tends to work.
2. Use stickK.com
Stickk is a platform where you commit to a goal—and can put money on the line. I learned about this through Katie Milkman’s work (highly recommend!), and it was surprisingly effective for me.
For example, I once committed to eating dessert only three times a week (if you’ve read my previous posts, you can imagine how difficult this was for me 😂). If I slipped up, money would automatically go to a political candidate I strongly disagreed with. And it wasn’t just a few dollars—it had to be enough money to genuinely matter to me. For accountability to work, the stakes need to feel meaningful.
Beyond the financial amount, this method tapped deeply into my sense of personal integrity. The idea of donating money to a candidate whose beliefs felt fundamentally opposed to mine was deeply uncomfortable. Ultimately, I wanted to stay aligned with my values and integrity far more than I wanted dessert—and that clarity made sticking to my goal a little easier…even if that cookie was realllly calling my name.
How Accountability Works in Financial Coaching
Accountability isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s fundamental to meaningful change. It’s exactly what makes financial coaching so impactful:
In my Clarity Session (initial 2-hour coaching session), we create a clear plan tailored to your specific goals.
But the real magic happens during my four-month coaching program, where we execute on that plan together.
I hold you accountable every step of the way.
We experiment with systems and find one that works for you.
We adjust and refine until we find something sustainable, effective, and—honestly—a bit more enjoyable.
You don’t have to figure it out alone. And having that accountability partnership makes all the difference between setting a goal and achieving it.
Imagine Real Financial Progress—And Real Peace of Mind
What if, a year from now, you opened your bank account and saw real progress? Imagine confidently spending money on dinner or a vacation without stress or guilt. Picture clearly knowing where your money is going, instead of wondering, “Where did it all go?”
Creating a money plan—also known as a budget (but not everyone loves the b word)—isn’t restrictive. It’s freeing. It gives you the confidence to enjoy the things you love most: traveling, spending time with family, meals out with friends, or simply knowing you have enough money in your account so you're never worried about overdrafting.
Let’s Make That Progress Together
If you’re tired of saying, “I’ll start next month” and are ready to experience real progress, I’m here for you.
👉 Schedule your free Q&A call today so we can talk and determine if my program is the best fit for you. If it is, we can get you signed up for your Clarity Session right away!
You’ve got this. And I’m here to support you every step of the way.
