113 | Expert Tips for Parental Budgeting - How Natasha and Damian Carrillo from Black and Brown Make Green Make Smart Money Decisions

Connect with the Investor Mama Tribe  Looking for ways to boost your income? Check out these resources to help you with your money journey About Natasha is co-founder and creative mind behind Black and Brown Make Green, a financial education podcast, that she co-hosts with her husband, Damian. Natasha brings her positive attitude, in-depth knowledge, and background as a teacher and instructional coach to educate and empower those who are Black, Brown, and Beyond to manage their money with confidence. Her journey to financial independence has been fueled by her desire to live a more balanced life, and she strives to help others do the same. Natasha volunteers as a financial mentor with 3rd Decade and provides coaching though Black and Brown Make Green.   Lightning Round 1. What is one fun fact about you that not that many people know? Damian: I’m a black builtin karate and I can draw, well, that’s two. Natasha: I am a three-time weightlifting champion.   2. Who inspires you the most and why? Damian: That’s a little bit hard because I feel like I draw inspiration from a lot of different people for a lot of different reasons. I think that goes to say that you always have to keep your eyes open and try to always better yourself. But you know, like for me, I think that the people that have served that role most effectively have been both of my parents for different reasons. My dad has always shown me how to be a standup and respectable man. My mom showed me how to be a nurturer and a caretaker. Natasha: Damian inspires me the most right now. He’s the one that I spend the most time with and I get to really see how he does things. I think seeing his work ethic and the way that he approaches things is really an inspiration. 3. What books are you reading now or have read and loved that you’d recommend? Damian: The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt Natasha: Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel   4. What is one actionable tip or piece of advice that you can tell our moms out there to help them on their money journey? Damian: Don’t let the lack of knowledge make you take inaction. Don’t let that prevent you from taking action. You have to continue moving forward. You have to continue bettering yourself, and you have to do it incrementally. If you don’t know, go seek it out, go find it. Natasha: There’s a philosophy I came up with a couple of years ago. There’s a book by Michael Pollan about defensive food, and he uses seven words to define how people should eat.  I took his idea of using seven words to define how I think about money. My seven words are: spend money, not too much, and invest wisely.