Katie Gatti Tassin from Money with Katie had her “financial awakening” earlier than most. She saw the middle-class wealth trap of working, spending, and repeating for what it really was. This cash-gobbling cycle is one that many Americans fall into, but once you see the light, it’s hard not to almost automatically do better. And that’s what Katie did, trading twenty-dollar daily lunches and “hot girl expenses” for more saving, investing, and skyrocketing net worth.

Through a few short years of self-education, Katie was able to more than double her income, build profitable side businesses, and have a master-like grip on her finances. She’s become an expert in retirement investing, passive income, and saving simply through reading blog posts, listening to podcasts, and starting something of her own. This, coming from someone who just a few years ago had less than $500 to their name.

Katie walks through what spurred her “financial awakening” and how sharing the same thought process could activate your own. She also touches on financial myths that the middle class commonly falls into, the great Roth vs. 401(k)debate, and why lifestyle creep isn’t such a bad thing. She’s proof that you can turn your entire financial situation around in only a few short years, and if she could do it, why can’t you?