Kerrie Joyce 
Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, known on social media as The Fiscal Femme, is a financial expert, author, and certified financial planner who hosts the Instagram series @howdoyouaffordthis. Ashley is collaborating on a series with The Hoboken Girl exploring housing affordability and financial literacy. Since Hobokenites are no strangers to struggles with housing affordability and balancing responsibility with having fun in a vibrant community, Ashley will be asking locals how they afford their Mile Square lifestyles. Read on to learn more about Ashley and her forthcoming series with The Hoboken Girl.
Girl Math Made Simple
Ashley is dedicated to spreading educational resources on personal finance for women. This includes free budgeting templates, public speaking events, posting informative content on social media, and Money Club, where she hosts office hours and workshops on budgeting and investing. Her two books, Financial Adulting and The 30-Day Money Cleanse, break down complex financial concepts that guide readers through budgeting that doesn’t feel restricting. One of her most frequent talking points is that investing is not only for the ultra-wealthy, as she aims to break down barriers to financial literacy.
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On her social media platforms, Ashley posts tips on how to navigate salary negotiations and treat yourself while choosing splurges wisely, as well as advice for managing finances within relationships. She also encourages confidence to set yourself up for success. Notably, she posts about dogmas upheld in traditional finance circles, like “we all have the same 24 hours.” Whether you are caring for children and aging parents, meal preparation, housework, or managing chronic illness, Ashley advocates for a more inclusive and realistic take on navigating financial planning that looks different for everyone.
The Reality of Affording Life in Hoboken
Ashley will be doing a series with The Hoboken Girl, asking residents how they afford life here in the Mile Square. From basic housing costs, including rent or mortgage payments, to dining out in Hoboken’s vibrant restaurant scene, Ashley is asking neighbors how they make it work. On her page @howdoyouaffordthis, Ashley asks bystanders on the streets of NYC about how they afford to live in pricey neighborhoods like Soho and more accessible neighborhoods where rent is still skyrocketing. Outside of housing costs, Ashley interviews people exiting luxury fashion stores to see how they can justify steep price tags. The types of characters she meets vary from high-earning newcomers in the tech industry, gig-economy hustlers, fashion-industry workers, and everyday New Yorkers who have lived in the city their entire lives.
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Bringing this series to Hoboken, curious minds like ours will get a sneak peek into different financial walks of life from Ashley’s interviews. From her videos, we may finally learn how a person in their early 20s manages to afford a luxurious lifestyle and how longtime residents manage increasing costs. Stay tuned for the series at @thehobokengirl and @howdoyouaffordthis on Instagram.
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