You Can Make Today
Build momentum with your money in less than 30 minutes
(Even if you've felt behind, overwhelmed, or "bad with money")
Brought to you by Dow Janes where women+ learn how to build real wealth—with confidence.
👋 Welcome
Let's be honest—most personal finance advice feels overwhelming. So many steps. So much jargon. And barely any time to figure it out.
At Dow Janes, we believe that building wealth should feel empowering, not intimidating.
That's why we created this quick-start guide: 3 high-impact money moves you can make today, even if your finances feel like a mess.
These aren't "read a book" or "set a goal" tips. They're action steps—each one designed to help you build momentum and feel confident with your money.
No perfection required. Just progress. Let's go. 💪
💰 Money Move #1: Open a High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA)
Most people keep their savings in a standard checking or savings account that pays almost nothing—literally 0.01% interest. (I literally just checked my personal checking account—it's earning 0.01%. 😅)
A high-yield savings account (HYSA) can pay 4.00% or more. That's not just 10x more—it's 400x more.
💸 Why does it matter? Because your money should be working for you, even while it's just sitting there.
See the Difference
🧠 Wait... Can't I Just Use My Checking Account?
Technically, yes. But here's why you shouldn't:
- ➡️ Checking accounts aren't designed for growth. They usually earn 0.01% (aka nothing).
- ➡️ You're more likely to spend what you see. Keeping savings in the same place as your spending makes it harder to grow.
Think of it like keeping your emergency chocolate on your desk vs. in the fridge. One gets eaten. The other lasts.
💛 A HYSA helps you protect your savings and grow it—without lifting a finger.
Take Action:
Choose a HYSA from our vetted list
Open your account (takes ~5 minutes)
Move over your emergency fund or short-term savings
📈 Money Move #2: Plant a Flag as an Investor
Let's talk about something most people put off for years: 👉 Investing.
We get it—it can feel confusing, intimidating, or like something only "finance people" do.
But here's the truth: You don't need a lot of money. You don't need to know everything. You just need to start.
📣 Investing even $10 today sends a powerful message to yourself: "I'm building wealth."
This isn't about getting rich overnight. It's about making your future self richer—slowly, steadily, automatically.
🛠️ What are index funds?
An index fund is a type of investment that lets you buy a small piece of many companies at once—instead of picking individual stocks. For example, some index funds (like the ones mentioned above) track the S&P 500, which includes 500 of the largest companies in the U.S.
✅ They're low-cost, lower-risk, and one of the easiest ways to grow your money over time—especially for beginners.
Take Action:
Choose a beginner-friendly investment platform
Open a brokerage account (this just means an investment account)
Invest $10 in a diversified index fund (like an S&P 500 fund)
📊 Money Move #3: Calculate Your Net Wealth
Now that your money is earning more and you've started investing, it's time to zoom out.
Your net wealth is the number that tells you where you stand financially: What you own minus what you owe.
It's not about being "good" or "bad" with money—it's about getting clear. When you know your number, you can make smarter, more confident financial decisions.
📊 Net Wealth = Assets – Liabilities
Assets are the things you own. Liabilities are what you owe. The difference between the two is your Net Wealth.
💡 Note: the finance industry refers to this as your Net Worth, but we don't think someone's finances have anything to do with their worth so we've re-coined it Net Wealth - they're just numbers!).
✅ Assets (What you own)
- Cash in bank accounts
- Investments (401k, IRA, brokerage)
- Home value or other property
- Car (if you could sell it)
- Business value or equity
❌ Liabilities (What you owe)
- Credit card debt
- Student loans
- Mortgage balance
- Auto loan balance
- Personal loans
What if my Net Wealth is Low or Negative?
It may feel a little scary to check this number, but it is important to know where you are starting from and to pay attention to how money is moving in and our of your life. It’s totally normal for this number to be low (or even negative!) when you're just getting started. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress.
Take Action:
Sign up for a money tracking app
Link your accounts (bank accounts, credit cards, loans, etc.)
Let it calculate your net wealth automatically
🎉 You Did It! What's Next?
You just made three powerful money moves—moves most people talk about doing for years but never take action on.
Not you. You started today.
These aren't small steps—they're foundational. And they put you firmly on the path to building real wealth.
Here's what we recommend next:
You don't need to know everything to get started. But now that you've started—you're already ahead.
Welcome to Dow Janes. We're so glad you're here. 💛
💡 A Quick Note on Affiliate Links
Some of the tools we’ve recommended in this guide include affiliate links, which means Dow Janes may earn a small commission if you choose to sign up—at no extra cost to you.
We only share resources we’ve personally vetted and genuinely trust. And here’s the best part: Every dollar we earn through affiliate partnerships helps us create more free content and fund our Dow Janes Scholarship Program—so that we can bring financial education to even more women+.
✅ 3 Easy Money Moves