Jennifer Barrett - Think Like a Breadwinner: A Wealth-Building Manifesto for Women Who Want to Earn More (and Worry Less)

Until recently, female breadwinners in America were generally the outliersnot, as is increasingly the case, the norm. But the number of breadwinning women has risen sharply over the last few decades across all ethnic, income, and education groups, with the Great Recession accelerating that trend. This move toward female breadwinning has been significant and relatively recent.

With one exception. A significant percentage of Black mothers are the primary source of economic support for their familiesand that has been the case for decades. While the total number of female breadwinners has reached record levels in recent years, its important to acknowledge the hard work and lived experience of the millions of women (many of them women of color) who have been providing for themselves, and for their families, for years. And to recognize that there are many women from all backgrounds who have not had the luxury of counting on a partner to bring in most of the household income.

I am the granddaughter of a female breadwinner, who raised two girls on a secretarys salary after her husband left her. And my own mother stepped into the role for a time after my parents divorce (and continued to manage the finances after she got remarried). I have witnessed firsthand both the challenges and the metamorphic effects of breadwinning. My mother and grandmother did not choose to be breadwinners, and each struggled initially, but over time they transformed into truly independent women capable of providing the lives they wanted for themselves and their daughters, confident in their money choices and investments, and secure in their futures. They showed me what was possible with a breadwinning mindset.

But I didnt recognize that right away. I was seduced by princess fantasies growing up and, like many women, viewed breadwinning warilyas daunting and burdensome and something hoisted upon you like a yoke. It took me years to realize that claiming financial responsibility for myself and my future meant having more power and agency over my life, and that learning how to manage, make, and grow money myself was the best way to ensure the future I wanted came to be. It may feel like the harder path in the short term, especially as many of us arent taught how to manage our own money successfully, but, ultimately, it is the more rewarding and empowering path.

With this book, I hope to make that journey shorter, easier, and more joyful. I share my story and the hard-won lessons Ive learned and unexpected benefits Ive experienced. I also conducted lengthy interviews with more than one hundred women from around the country and across a range of ages, income brackets, and ethnicitiesincluding single, married, and divorced women. This book reflects their varied experiences and perspectives, as well as my own, and recognizes and celebrates those women who are already thinking like breadwinners (whether theyre single or married). My intent is not just to encourage all women to embrace that mindset, but to provide the tools and tips and real-life lessons to allow all of us to feel confident in our money choices, to afford the lives we want now and in the future, and to experience the joy of being in a position to provide for ourselves and those we lovewhether we have to or not.