The Money Blog
Money, financial wellbeing and the agency to shape your future.
Financial wellbeing is about more than how much you earn, save or invest. It’s about understanding your financial life — and having the knowledge, confidence and agency to make informed choices about what happens next.
Here I explore money from different angles: financial literacy and investing, behaviour and psychology, confidence and decision-making, the systems and circumstances that shape our financial lives, and what all of this means for our lives now and in the future.
You’ll find my writing, research, practical ideas and conversations from podcasts I’ve been invited to join — all exploring how a better understanding of money can give us greater agency over our choices, our opportunities and our future.
Every January, people tell themselves this is the year they’ll sort their finances out. But 2026 feels different. It’s not just that it’s January. It’s not just that it’s the aftermath of holiday spen...
Categories
All Categories #financial freedom #financial wellness #north east abundance abundance mindset abundance thinking accumulator achieving financial freedom through mindset achieving financial goals achieving financial independence achieving financial stability achieving financial success addiction recovery affirmations attachment theory and money avoiding money problems behaviour change behavioural finance behavioural science and money beliefs about money boost your earnings mindset bouncing back from financial hardship budgeting budgeting and goal setting budgeting for success budgeting help uk building financial confidence building financial discipline building financial strength building self-esteem and confidence business business growth calm and confident with money challenges challenging limiting beliefs about money changing your financial mindset compassionate living conscious money decisions conscious spending conscious spending starter kit continuous financial learning corporate wellness credit cards debt free journey debt free living debt freedom decision making embrace abundance in finances embracing your worth emotional relationship with money emotional spending employee engagement employee retention empowered money club empowered money reset empowering beliefs for success empowering financial decisions empowering students financially entrepreneurship everyday finance female entrepreneurs and money financial advice for women over 40 financial awareness financial behaviour financial boundaries financial coaching and education financial confidence financial control financial decisions financial education financial education uk financial education workshops financial empowerment financial empowerment for women financial freedom mindset financial goal framework financial goal setting financial goal setting tips financial goals and habits financial goals for students financial growth mindset financial habits financial habits and awareness financial habits that work financial health financial independence financial independence for women financial literacy financial literacy month financial mindfulness financial mindset financial mindset shift financial peace financial peace of mind financial planning education financial planning for students financial planning for women financial psychology financial recovery strategies financial resilience financial security financial self-care financial self-compassion financial solutions financial stress financial stress relief financial success financial success for students financial success mindset financial success tips financial support uk financial well-being financial wellbeing financial wellbeing for women financial wellness financial wellness research forgiveness freedom habits frugal living frugality getting involved in finances gifts goal setting and mindset goal setting for young people goal-setting strategies gratitude happiness healing healing financial mindset healing financial mistakes health and wellness home education how emotions affect money decisions hr strategy identity improving financial mindset ingrained beliefs about money instant lifestyle culture intentional financial decisions investing january finances law of attraction leadership leadership development learning about money learning from financial mistakes let go of financial guilt letting go of shame limiting beliefs about money loans love managing money in 2026 managing money through education manifesting financial success married women and money mindful money habits mindful money management mindful spending mindfulness mindfulness and money mindset and money mindset coaching for financial success mindset for financial success mindset shifts for wealth money money and mental health money and self worth money and young people money anxiety money challenges money confidence for women money for young people money habits money management money management for students money mindset money mindset shift money mindset tips money psychology money self-image money tips money tips for women in business motivation new year money reset newcastle newcastle-upon-tyne northumberland overcoming financial guilt overcoming financial obstacles overcoming financial setbacks overcoming financial stress overcoming limiting beliefs overcoming money mindset blocks overcoming past financial mistakes overcoming self-doubt personal development personal empowerment personal finance personal finance challenges personal finance goals personal finance growth personal finance knowledge personal finance mindfulness personal finance mindset personal finance tips personal growth personal growth and finances personal growth and money podcast positive financial behaviour positive money mindset practising self-compassion prosperity protecting your money psychology behind money habits real life money advice reclaiming self-worth recovery reducing impulse spending reframe negative thoughts for success reframing limiting beliefs research-backed financial wellbeing resilience in money management sacred money archetypes sarah mccalden saving saying no to unnecessary spending schema therapy self-compassion and finances self-compassion and worth self-efficacy self-worth and finances setting achievable goals setting financial goals shifting your mindset smart financial goals social media and money spending plan strengths student financial education student money worries success principles success through visualisation sunderland take control of your finances time-bound financial goals transform your mindset transforming negative thoughts transforming self-judgment unlearning limiting beliefs visualisation for success visualise financial success wealth wealth building wealth-building education wealth-building strategies what happens when your husband dies winter financial planning women and financial literacy women and money women’s financial behaviour workplace productivity worthiness and success young peopleMeet Sarah
Sarah McCalden
Coach, Mentor, Trainer, Author
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m an award-winning coach, mentor, trainer and author working at the intersection of money, financial wellbeing, behaviour and personal development. I’ve also had a fairly unconventional life. I’ve lived on three continents, recovered from a life-threatening drug addiction, run marathons and ultramarathons, built a multiple six-figure income, learned how to invest, become an international bestselling author — and experienced plenty of ups, downs and reinventions along the way. Those experiences have shaped the way I think about money. Because financial wellbeing isn’t simply about knowing what to do with your money. Knowledge matters, but so do our beliefs, behaviours, confidence, circumstances and the choices available to us. That’s why much of my work now explores the relationship between money and agency: our ability to understand our options, make informed decisions and have greater influence over the direction of our lives. Through my writing, research, programmes and conversations, I bring together financial education, psychology, behaviour and lived experience to make complex ideas about money practical and relevant to everyday life. I’m interested in helping people not simply know more about money, but understand themselves better in relation to it — so they can make, manage and invest their money with greater confidence and create more choice in their lives. Ultimately, financial wellbeing isn’t just about having more money. It’s about having more agency over what happens next.
 Money is about more than money.
Join my newsletter for thoughtful, practical perspectives on money, financial wellbeing and the choices we make — drawing on research, real life and the conversations we often don’t have about our finances.
I’ll share ideas to help you understand your money differently, make more informed decisions and build greater financial agency in your life.
No noise. No judgement. Just useful ideas and conversations to help you think differently about money — and what it makes possible.
You're safe with me. I'll never spam you or sell your contact info.