đź“© teague talk no. 008 | the it girl of budgeting, but make it accurate

smart insights for creators, founders, and financially curious women.

hey friend đź’Ś 

if you’ve been feeling a little unmotivated, a little over it, or just trying to get your spark back. this one’s for you.

in this week’s letter:

  • the “it girl” of budgeting styles (and why the internet gets her wrong)

  • a content strategy breakdown i’m testing in real time

  • the reset i’ve been doing lately when the entrepreneur spiral hits

let’s get into it ↓

đź’¸ savvie tip of the week
50/30/20 :: the it girl of budgeting.

you’ve seen her as 50% needs, 30% wants, 20% savings. simple, aesthetic, viral. a fav among the FIREs. but she’s often misunderstood.

plus she wasn’t built for side hustlers or freelancers, and she is just entirely unrealistic when you’re living paycheck to paycheck 🏚️

50/30/20 sounds great on paper, but in this economy, she needs some tweaks! here’s how to make her work for you:

  • ditch the rigid percentages.

    • try “save $75” vs “save 20% of income.” when we can visualize our goal, we’re way more likely to stick with it.

  • if rent alone eats 60% of your budget, not to fear! shift the other buckets around! don’t sacrifice your peace to hit some arbitrary number.

    • “wants” ≠ wasteful. your wants aren’t inherently greedy or glutenous.

    • your wants can also = joy, agency, and your spark, and you can’t always put a price on that.

so no, you’re not behind, and you don’t need a better formula!

you just need a budget that fits your life. hot girls budget with intention, not just pretty pie charts.

want to see the tool i use to plan my spending needs + wants?

check out my $3 hot girl budgeting guide. it’s cute and actually built for real life.

this week in teague talk creator strategy

📱scale back quantity to scale up consistency.

when you're posting just to post, your audience can feel it.
try pulling back on volume and get laser-focused on repeatable formats that actually convert.
think: less pressure, more rhythm.
fewer “random” posts, more that ladder up to your bigger goals.

your content should work with you, not wear you out.

want my exact weekly template? reply “rhythm” and i’ll send it over.

🧠 what i’m loving rn

trend: “starter pack” memes are back and are so unserious in the best way. perfect for calling out trademark habits like the emotional support water bottle or poking fun at creator stereotypes.

10/10 on engagement and easy to plug + play top performers.

tool: Canva’s new AI photo editor is actually so good. especially if you're working with second account content and need to clean up lighting or swap backdrops without re-filming.

i’ve been using it to polish thumbnails + match brand aesthetics.

quote: “don’t shrink your goals to fit your energy. increase your energy to match your goals.” love this! because it’s not just about grinding more—though hard work pays off. it’s also about aligning what you’re doing with what actually fuels you.

totally random: workshop idea brewing 👀 i’m thinking financial literacy crash course + a discount for all the girlies who attend. obviously. if i held it…would you come?

🏢 updates from HQ

  • savvie’s free 30-day savings sprint is still live! [grab it here]

  • UGC creator system template is coming to stan store real soon!

  • booking UGC retainers for July + a la carte projects

📢 a quick word from this week’s teague talk sponsor

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i’ve been loving 1440. it’s a free daily newsletter rounding up the biggest news in culture, science, business, and politics (without the clickbait or bias). it’s like reading the actual headlines, minus the anxiety spiral. over 3 million people start their morning with it (including me!!)

& p.s. this is an affiliate link, so if you do sign up, i get a tiny commission (aka you’re helping me fund my next lavender latte 💌 thank you!)

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launching July 6!
early bird referrals still count. all you gotta do is forward this email, have them reply with your name, and you’re on the list. easy peasy!

  • 3 referrals = bonus resource

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đź’š made it this far?

that’s all for this week.

this week’s reminder is nothing is broken, you’re just evolving. the spark comes back when you move toward what feels true.
let’s keep building it.

thanks for reading. you know the drill:

see you next friday 🤍
xo,
callie

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