The Money Chica on Budgeting, Scarcity Mindset, Debt, and Financial Clarity

The Money Chica on Budgeting, Scarcity Mindset, Debt, and Financial Clarity

From 15 Minutes of Finance by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC® and Brandon West, CPA

April 8, 2026 · 57 min

About this episode

Brandon West interviews Karen Calderon, discussing budgeting, scarcity mindset, and the importance of financial clarity.

In this conversation, Brandon sits down with Karen Calderon aka The Money Chica, a certified financial coach whose brand centers on helping people feel clear, confident, and in control with their money. They talk about budgeting, behavioral finance, scarcity mindset, cultural differences in financial literacy, credit card debt, and why financial clarity has to come before trying to fix everything else. Karen’s approach emphasizes getting clear on what is really causing money stress, building a system that fits real life, and aligning spending with what actually matters. They also discuss money in relationships, why couples often struggle to communicate about finances, and why sharing life often means sharing money too. The Money Chica site highlights that clarity, support, and realistic systems are the foundation for long-term financial peace. The Money Chica, Karen Caldarone, Certified Financial Coach M.A.https://themoneychica.com Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing…

People in this episode

Hosts: Brandon West, James Walters

Guest: Karen Calderon

Topics covered

  • budgeting
  • scarcity mindset
  • debt
  • financial clarity
  • behavioral finance
  • financial literacy
  • money in relationships

Keywords

  • financial coach
  • money stress
  • credit card debt
  • cultural differences
  • financial peace
  • communication about finances
  • spending alignment

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Money Chica, West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management

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