The article opens with a divorced woman describing how, the first time she logged into her bank app after the breakup, her hand shook. She saw balances she could not interpret, did not know what money was coming in or going out, and then got a call from the bank and a notice that a card had been blocked. That moment, she says, made her realize she did not truly know her own financial situation.
The piece argues that many women who raised children, managed households, and made major decisions were never fully involved in handling accounts, loans, credit cards, or family budgets. After divorce, they suddenly have to face financial life alone, but the article says that independence is learned and begins with understanding where the money stands, not with having large sums.
It lays out five practical steps. First, review the current balance, fixed income, and fixed obligations, including standing orders, credit payments, subscriptions, insurance, and automated services. Second, separate the financial past from the present by checking for joint accounts, shared credit cards, signing authority, account access, and continuing joint obligations. Third, build a simple budget with only three categories, housing, daily living, and obligations such as loans, fixed payments, alimony, and debts. Fourth, create small habits, such as checking the account weekly and logging unusual spending. Fifth, do not stay alone, and seek help from a financial adviser, social worker, social organization, trusted friend, or family member.
The article says the goal is not to live thinking about money all the time, but to stop fearing it. It ends with a weekly checklist, reviewing credit and bank statements, checking the account even when it is uncomfortable, handling one task at a time, organizing documents, and finding someone to consult. The piece is credited to Lulu Blaous, who manages programs for Arab society in northern Israel at the Ruth Foundation, an organization that promotes women’s financial independence and supports women facing violence, crises, and life transitions.
