About Katy | KATY ALMSTROM

Hi, I'm Katy!

I'm so glad you're here. Let me tell you a story about the moment everything changed for me.

I was sitting in the parking lot of an auto repair shop with a Nokia flip phone in my hand, calling the 1-800 numbers on the back of my credit cards.

One by one, I checked the balances. Card one: maxed. Card two: maxed. Card three: maxed. Card four... maybe? I was a high school teacher with a steady paycheck, and I couldn't afford to fix my brakes without playing credit card roulette.

That was 2009. I had about $35-40K in debt spread across four maxed-out credit cards, student loans, and a Care Credit balance from my LASIK surgery. I was making decent money, but I was completely broke. And more than broke—I was exhausted, ashamed, and confused about how I'd ended up here.

I remember thinking: I'm doing everything right. I have a good job. I'm not buying designer bags or taking lavish vacations. So why does my money feel like such a disaster?

That's when it hit me:

Good income doesn't equal good money management.

Just because you work hard and earn a paycheck doesn't mean you automatically know what to do with your money. Nobody teaches us this stuff. And most of the financial advice out there either makes you feel like garbage for being in debt, or tells you to live on rice and beans until you're "fixed."

I knew there had to be another way. A way to pay off debt without hating my life. A way to manage money that didn't require me to become a financial robot who never has any fun.

So I figured it out. Not overnight, and not perfectly—but I created a system that actually worked with my real life.

I paid off all $35-40K of debt.

Then I got married, had two kids, retired from teaching after 13 years, and started this business—which I've been running debt-free for over six years.I'm not going to tell you I have fancy overnight success or that I own Louis Vuitton bags. My Toyota Sienna is from 2006. But I do have a high net worth, I never fight with my husband about money, and I get to do and have basically everything I want.More importantly? I wake up every day without that sick feeling in my stomach about money. I don't avoid looking at my bank account. I don't panic when unexpected expenses come up. Money used to feel like chaos—now it feels like a tool I know how to use.

Why I Do This Work

Here's what I know:

Women aren't being told the truth about money.

We're not learning the basics. We're being fed shame-based advice that doesn't work for real life. We're told to "just budget better" or "stop buying coffee" while dealing with stagnant wages, rising costs, and the mental load of managing an entire household's finances.

I became a money coach because I wanted to help women skip the years of stress and confusion I went through. I wanted to create a space where you could learn about money without judgment, shame, or being told you need to live like a hermit to get ahead.For the past seven years, I've been coaching women on their money—and my clients have paid off over one million dollars in debt.

But more than that, they've gone from feeling anxious and overwhelmed to feeling confident and in control. They've stopped hiding from their finances and started building the lives they actually want.

How I Help

My approach is straightforward: guilt-free spending that aligns with your values, strategic systems that run on autopilot, and support for both the emotional and practical sides of money.

Get clear on where your money is actually going (without the shame spiral)

Create a spending plan that includes joy, not just bills and obligations

Pay off debt in a way that doesn't feel punishing or restrictive

Build savings that give you breathing room for life's curveballs

Make confident money decisions instead of avoiding them out of fear

This isn't about cutting out everything you love or living on ramen. It's about creating a life where your money actually supports what matters to you.

Before I was a money coach, I was a high school teacher for 13 years.

Teaching showed me how to break down complex concepts, meet people exactly where they are, and create those "aha" moments that actually stick.

I was certified as a Master Financial Coach by Ramsey Solutions in 2018, but I've since developed my own framework—one that helps women build healthy relationships with money without the shame, guilt, or judgment that's so common in traditional financial advice.

I've created programs like Done with Debt, Paid Off, and Moneywise Mastermind to help women at different stages of their money journey. Whether you're just starting to get a handle on your debt or you're ready for comprehensive financial transformation, I've got you.

I also work with local organizations and businesses, leading workshops and speaking on practical money management for teams and groups.

I live in New Hampshire with my husband and our two kids (ages 10 and 8). I know what it's like to juggle real life and money management—the surprise expenses, the "how are we going to pay for this?" conversations, the moments when you wonder if you'll ever actually get ahead.I also resell on the side, which is both fun and proof that I practice what I preach about creating multiple income streams and finding creative ways to make money work harder for you.

Here's The Thing

Your money doesn't have to be perfect to work. You don't need to have it all figured out. You just need someone who's been where you are and knows the way forward.If you're tired of living paycheck to paycheck despite a good income, if you're drowning in debt and don't know where to start, if you're just exhausted from feeling anxious every time you check your bank account — I can help.

Ready to talk about your money?

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