Where's My Money Season 3, Episode 9

Season Three of the multi-award-winning podcast Where’s My Money? is done and dusted, and here we bring you the hot tips shared by host Reagan White and his guests over the season. 

enable.me partners with rova to bring this podcast to life and stimulate the conversation about finances with everyday Kiwis. Where’s My Money? follows the story of Reagan – a man chasing the Kiwi Dream but feeling stuck living month-to-month – and his discussions with the experts about what he may be doing wrong and how to fix it.  

One man. One million dollars of debt. One podcast to find a way out.  

When everything changes overnight 

No one thinks they’ll be the one whose life flips upside down – until it does. In this raw and honest episode of Where’s My Money?, Reagan White sits down with enable.me’s Head of Brand Karla Byrnes to talk about her unexpected journey through divorce, and how she came out the other side with not just resilience, but purpose. 

“You help those who come after you. That’s why it’s really important for me to talk through this,” Karla says. “I knew the only way to get through this, was to ask for help.” 

For Karla, the motivation to face it all head-on came from her daughters. She wanted to be a role model – especially around money – and that meant reaching out for help instead of going it alone. 

“I knew I had to be brave,” Karla adds, “I just knew I needed to draw on those areas of support and ask for help in ways that I’ve never asked for before. I think there are so many people out there that can help you on that journey and knowing how to access that information and empower yourself in that process.” 

You don’t have to do it alone 

Joining the conversation is Bridgette Jackson, founder of Equal Exes, who brings years of insight into the financial realities of separation. She explains that the first step is to stop spiralling and start unpacking – get clear on what’s happened, and then shift to what needs to happen next. 

“It’s about unpacking what’s gone on. Talking about the scenario, with a real future, a focus in terms of that – and then making a plan in terms of what that looks like,” Bridgette says. 

Bridgette outlines how divorce is one of the biggest financial earthquakes people face, especially with children involved. The key, she says, is to stop letting fear lead and start building a forward-focused plan. 

“It is an incredibly overwhelming experience, and you don’t know where to start, and you don’t know where to turn,” she continues. “You can only be responsible for your own actions, and changing your own behaviour.” 

Financial trauma is real – and common 

enable.me founder and financial strategist Hannah McQueen joins the chat with a strong reminder: divorce is one of the most common sources of financial trauma. 

Some people may have never managed the money in their relationship – and suddenly find themselves trying to figure it all out under immense stress. Others might know the mechanics, but have no plan or confidence for what comes next. 

“Sometimes it’s because they have no clue about anything – so it’s like a ‘quick, get me up to speed!’ – and then for others like Karla, it’s an opportunity to be considered, maybe tag me in, to help Karla make the biggest financial decisions of her life. Where her whole world and reference point has been blown apart,” Hannah says. 

Hannah says the first step is to take a realistic viewpoint and have crucial down-to-earth discussions.  

“Two quite big discussion points we had. The first one – what does your life look like on one income, especially if you’re going to be essentially responsible for the kids’ costs?” 

“Then the next question – and it’s the most common question – is there money left over, and what am I going to do with that money?” 

Taking back control and finding peace in the process can be an essential first step to managing emotions before dealing with larger questions, like who will be retaining and living in the family home.  

Thrive, don’t just survive 

Karla shares that the reason she wanted to bring her story to the podcast was simple: 

“Probably the greatest gift for me is being able to help other women, and also raise two beautiful women who have a lot of financial nous about them. How do I become the person that my children can be proud of?” 

For many, the difference between just surviving and truly thriving post-divorce is having the right support – financial, emotional, and strategic. 

“Having those people around me, they pushed me through that journey – although you don’t want to deal with it, you’ve got to just get on and deal with it,” Karla says to close out the episode.  

Whether you’re going through a separation, supporting someone who is, or just want to better understand the financial fallout and recovery process, this emotional episode is a deeply human look at how to rebuild – not just recover. 

Disclaimer: The Where’s My Money? podcast and the information shared by host Reagan White and his guests does not constitute individual financial advice. If you’re interested in receiving financial advice, you can book a consultation with an enable.me coach. Costs apply.