poquillo™

Confession time: I was sprinting out of the library when a book literally stopped me in my tracks. There on the “new releases” shelf was a financial guide by a Latina author with a cover that practically shouted, “Hey you! Yes YOU with the money anxiety! Let’s talk!”

I grabbed it faster than my abuela grabs the last concha at the panadería. 🍞

Why This Book Hit Different

Let’s be real for a second. How many of us grew up with money conversations that consisted of “No hay dinero” or “That’s too expensive” without any actual financial education? When I found Jannese Torres’ “Financially Lit,” it wasn’t just another money book – it was financial advice from someone who gets the complicated tangle of cultura, family expectations, and the entrepreneurial hustle we navigate.

Breaking Up With Financial Fear

Torres doesn’t sugarcoat it: “Stop being scared of money and take power over it.”

I almost closed the book right there. Easier said than done, right? But then she did something most financial experts don’t – she acknowledged how our cultural relationship with money complicates everything.

Instead of vague advice, she offers specific moves:

1. Name your money monsters – That knot in your stomach when you check your bank account? Trace it back. Was it watching your parents struggle? The “money is scarce” messaging? Once you identify it, you can face it. (I realized mine came from watching my parents’ small business stress!)
2. Have a money date night – Sounds romantic, no? 😂 My mom and I started doing monthly finance check-ins last year, and girl, the clarity is WORTH IT. We pour some tea, pull out our statements, and get real about our numbers. No shame, just strategy.
3. Create your dinero calendar – Know exactly when money flows in and out. I used to “forget” when bills were due (let’s be honest, it was avoidance). This simple habit eliminated those “¡Ay no! I forgot to pay the electric bill!” moments.
4. Find your financial porque – When I’m eyeing those cute boots I absolutely don’t need, remembering my student debt freedom goal snaps me back. What’s the bigger financial dream that gets YOU excited?

The “Family Emergency Fund” (Mind = Blown)

Then I hit the chapter that made me gasp out loud in the middle of my favorite café.

Torres introduces the concept of a “Family Emergency Fund” – a separate savings account JUST for those inevitable family emergencies that we, as Latinos, always seem to help with.

Wait, you mean I can plan for tía’s unexpected medical bills or my cousin’s car repair without derailing my own finances? ¡Qué brillante! 💡

But the real gold was her scripts for extending financial support without the drama. I’ve already bookmarked that section because let’s be honest – we ALL need help navigating those delicate money conversations with family.

Budgeting For People Who Hate Budgeting

Remember that color-coded, 17-category budget spreadsheet you created with all those good intentions? The one you abandoned by day three? (Don’t worry, I see you nodding 😅)

My biggest budgeting mistake was making it so complicated that I needed a PhD to maintain it. Torres keeps it refreshingly real: “The simpler your budget, the more likely you’ll stick with it.”

She offers two methods that even the most budget-resistant among us can handle:

The No-Brainer 50/30/20 Split

• 50% → roof over your head, food, bills
• 30% → the fun stuff (yes, those Target runs)
• 20% → future you (savings + debt slaying)

The “Pay-Yourself-First” System (My Personal Favorite)

1. List what you actually spend (be honest!)
2. Decide what future-you deserves first
3. Make it automatic (because willpower is overrated)
4. Tweak as life happens

No spreadsheet nightmares, promise! ✌️

Entrepreneurship Without the Financial Meltdowns

For all my business-building amigas, Torres drops this gem: find your “secret sazón” – that magical intersection of what lights you up AND what you’re genuinely good at.

But before you dramatically quit your day job via TikTok (tempting, I know), she outlines a path that won’t leave you in financial panic:

• Actually make your business sustainable first (novel concept, right?)
• Talk to a financial planner (they’re not just for rich people!)
• Build that emergency fund like your sanity depends on it (because it does)
• Figure out the grown-up stuff like insurance and retirement
• Try the 3-month “readiness test” – can your business actually feed you?

The readiness test blew my mind: for three months, put your ENTIRE paycheck into savings or max out your 401(k). If you can live off your business income during this trial, you might actually be ready!

“Investing Is For Everyone (Yes, Including You!)”

The line that hit me hardest: “There is never going to be a ‘perfect’ time to start investing.”

I felt that in my soul. For years, I thought investing was for “other people” – you know, the ones who grew up with stock market discussions at the dinner table instead of being told money talk was rude.

Torres gives us permission to start small, to be imperfect, to learn as we go. Because here’s the truth she hammers home: as first-gen kids figuring this out, we’re already financial revolutionaries changing the trajectory for our entire families going forward.

That thought alone made me sit up straighter. 💪🏽

My Takeaway (Con Cafecito en Mano)

Here’s what struck me most about “Financially Lit” – it’s not just another money book. It’s financial advice that acknowledges our tías, our family obligations, our cultural money taboos, and our entrepreneurial struggles.

While some concepts were familiar (gracias to my business degree), seeing them through a Latina lens made me actually want to implement them instead of just nodding along.

This book belongs on your shelf if:

• You break into a cold sweat when someone mentions “investing”
• Your family has complicated feelings about money
• You’re building a business without a financial safety net
• You want financial advice that doesn’t require abandoning your cultural values

Because sometimes the difference between advice you ignore and advice you actually use is simply hearing it from someone who gets your specific journey.

Your turn: What money topic makes you want to hide under the covers? Drop it in the comments and maybe we’ll untangle it together in a future post!

Con cariño,

Gaby 🍩

P.S. Found this helpful? Share it with that friend who’s always saying “I should really get my finances together someday.” Today could be her someday! ✨