Episode•June 25, 2026•21 min

Financial Social Worker Explains Why Your 'I Don't Have Enough' Is Usually Wrong

I bought pizza last night. House full of groceries. Zero capacity to cook. Then guilt. Sound familiar? Financial social worker Shirria McCullough, LCSW says this isn't failure — it's data. And the data looks very different depending on whether you're 24 or 42. In this episode, we break down what survival mode spending actually looks like: Gen Z — impulsive Klarna purchases, DoorDash three times a day, buying convenience because figuring out groceries requires mental real estate you don't have. Millennial moms — overcompensation spending. The expensive party because you feel like you're not "mommying enough." The toy run because guilt won. The trip because your spouse needs proof you're still showing up. And then the question nobody asks: Is emotional spending ever actually protective? Shirria argues yes — when you can afford it and you're conscious. The $20 instead of $5 for the person asking for help. Panera instead of McDonald's. It's not overconsumption if you chose it. We also cover what Shirria sees when she holds women truly accountable — not cruelty, but clarity. The moment they realize "I don't have enough" is usually an excuse, not math. (Spoiler: 8 times out of 10, the math says otherwise.) Plus: when to call a financial social worker instead of a coach. Why Shirria looks at your entire ecosystem — family, neighborhood, church, trauma patterns — not just your budget. And her own money mindset shift: losing her brother at 25, then watching her millionaire aunt die two years before retirement, still sacrificing. Two griefs. Two completely different lessons. Shirria's planning a year of rest for her 45th birthday in 2028 because of decisions she made years ago. Not luck. Not inheritance. Deliberate work. Find her @mentalwellnessclinicalcounseling and Services on Instagram, Shirria McCullough's life on TikTok and YouTube. 🎯 moneytalkwitht.com/start 📬 moneytalkwitht.com (Thursday newsletter) #survivalmodemoney #emotionalspending #financialsocialworker #mommoney #genzmoms #millennialmoms #moneymindset #overcomingsurvivalmode #financialliteracy #personalfinancepodcast #moneytalkwithtiff #shariamccullough #stewardship #blackmomsandmoney #restisproductive

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Key Takeaways

1
Survival mode spending looks different by generation and life stage
Gen Z moms: impulsive Klarna/Afterpay buys, DoorDash multiple times daily, convenience purchases because mental bandwidth for planning is unavailable
Millennial moms: overcompensation spending—expensive parties, toy runs, trips—to offset perceived shortfalls in 'mommying' or spousal presence
Both groups make repeated small purchases (e.g., McDonald’s) that exceed the cost of bulk groceries, driven by exhaustion rather than math
2
Emotional spending can be protective when conscious and affordable
Shirria gives $20 instead of $5 to someone in need or buys Panera instead of McDonald’s when she can afford it and has reflected on the choice
Negative label of emotional spending usually stems from overconsumption; the real issue is whether the purchase is chosen with awareness and capacity
3
'I don’t have enough' is usually an excuse, not math
Clients often operate on figurative numbers; when forced to review actual bank statements and pay stubs, 8 out of 10 discover they do have enough
Example: one client resented her job over a perceived $37 vs $36.59 gap—41 cents of difference fueled months of therapy
4
Financial social work examines the entire ecosystem, not just the budget
Shirria looks at family history, neighborhood, church, trauma patterns, and systemic influences alongside dollars and cents
This holistic lens distinguishes financial social work from coaching or advising focused primarily on goal-setting
5
Grief and role models can trigger lasting money-mindset shifts
Losing her brother at 25 forced Shirria to stop job-hopping and build stability for her children
Her aunt’s death two years before millionaire retirement showed the cost of sacrificing everything for work; Shirria responded by eliminating debt and pursuing financial literacy
Result: deliberate planning for a full year of rest at age 45 in 2028

Intro

Tiff sits down with financial social worker Shirria McCullough, LCSW, to unpack why survival-mode spending and the belief 'I don’t have enough' are often emotional data rather than financial reality—especially for Gen Z and millennial moms.
Shirria McCullough, LCSW, is a financial social worker and licensed therapist in North Carolina (multi-state in SC, VA, MD, GA pending) who works with Gen Z and millennial Black moms on money trauma, emotional spending, and holistic wealth building.

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– How Survival Mode Shows Up in Spending

Shirria explains that survival-mode purchases vary by generation and emotional drivers.

Excessive food purchases or restaurant purchases because I don’t have the capacity to figure out when I’m going to cook or have the energy to prepare a meal.
– Shirria McCullough

Gen Z examples include Klarna/Afterpay impulsivity; millennial moms often overcompensate with expensive parties or trips.

– Pizza, Groceries, and Guilt

I just bought pizza last night because I just didn’t have the capacity to cook dinner… I know I have a house full of groceries.
– Tiff

Shirria reframes the guilt as data: the purchase reflects current bandwidth, not moral failure.

– Is Emotional Spending Ever Protective?

I might buy Panera Bread for the person begging for food as opposed to McDonald’s… it’s really about where you are emotionally, if you have the emotional capacity to really assess why I’m making this purchase.
– Shirria McCullough

When the spender can afford it and has reflected on the choice, emotional spending can be intentional generosity rather than overconsumption.

– Excuses vs. Reality: 'I Don’t Have Enough'

The top one is 'I don’t have enough' because they’re running off of figurative numbers and they don’t know the real math.
– Shirria McCullough

Eight out of ten clients discover they actually have enough once statements are examined; one client’s months of job resentment boiled down to a 41-cent gap.

– What Makes a Financial Social Worker Different

Shirria’s work includes family history, neighborhood, church, trauma, and systemic factors alongside budgeting—holistic rather than purely goal-oriented.

– Two Griefs, Two Money Lessons

I lost my brother in 2006… I can’t leave these kids with my mama with nothing.
– Shirria McCullough

Her aunt’s death two years before millionaire retirement prompted Shirria to eliminate debt and plan a year of rest for her 45th birthday in 2028.

Resources

Topics

survival mode spendingemotional spendingfinancial social workmillennial momsGen Z money habitsmoney mindsetfinancial traumaBlack moms and moneyrest and productivityfinancial literacy

Financial Social Worker Explains Why Your 'I Don't Have Enough' Is Usually Wrong

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Financial Social Worker Explains Why Your 'I Don't Have Enough' Is Usually Wrong

Key Takeaways

Survival mode spending looks different by generation and life stage

Gen Z moms: impulsive Klarna/Afterpay buys, DoorDash multiple times daily, convenience purchases because mental bandwidth for planning is unavailable

Millennial moms: overcompensation spending—expensive parties, toy runs, trips—to offset perceived shortfalls in 'mommying' or spousal presence

Both groups make repeated small purchases (e.g., McDonald’s) that exceed the cost of bulk groceries, driven by exhaustion rather than math

Emotional spending can be protective when conscious and affordable

Shirria gives $20 instead of $5 to someone in need or buys Panera instead of McDonald’s when she can afford it and has reflected on the choice

Negative label of emotional spending usually stems from overconsumption; the real issue is whether the purchase is chosen with awareness and capacity

'I don’t have enough' is usually an excuse, not math

Clients often operate on figurative numbers; when forced to review actual bank statements and pay stubs, 8 out of 10 discover they do have enough

Example: one client resented her job over a perceived $37 vs $36.59 gap—41 cents of difference fueled months of therapy

Financial social work examines the entire ecosystem, not just the budget

Shirria looks at family history, neighborhood, church, trauma patterns, and systemic influences alongside dollars and cents

This holistic lens distinguishes financial social work from coaching or advising focused primarily on goal-setting

Grief and role models can trigger lasting money-mindset shifts

Losing her brother at 25 forced Shirria to stop job-hopping and build stability for her children

Her aunt’s death two years before millionaire retirement showed the cost of sacrificing everything for work; Shirria responded by eliminating debt and pursuing financial literacy

Result: deliberate planning for a full year of rest at age 45 in 2028

Intro

Tiff sits down with financial social worker Shirria McCullough, LCSW, to unpack why survival-mode spending and the belief 'I don’t have enough' are often emotional data rather than financial reality—especially for Gen Z and millennial moms.

Shirria McCullough, LCSW, is a financial social worker and licensed therapist in North Carolina (multi-state in SC, VA, MD, GA pending) who works with Gen Z and millennial Black moms on money trauma, emotional spending, and holistic wealth building.

Financial Social Worker Explains Why Your 'I Don't Have Enough' Is Usually Wrong

Key Takeaways

Intro

00:00:45 – How Survival Mode Shows Up in Spending

00:04:17 – Pizza, Groceries, and Guilt

00:05:50 – Is Emotional Spending Ever Protective?

00:07:46 – Excuses vs. Reality: 'I Don’t Have Enough'

00:10:22 – What Makes a Financial Social Worker Different

00:13:58 – Two Griefs, Two Money Lessons

Resources

Topics

Financial Social Worker Explains Why Your 'I Don't Have Enough' Is Usually Wrong

Related Episodes

The Recovery Plan: What to Do When You Miss Your Money Goals

Building Wealth by Keeping Real Estate: Tips from Dedric and Krystal Polite | Ep. 305

Financial Literacy in High Schools with Yanely Espinal | Ep. 234

You Can Do It! Here’s How To Successfully Set Up Your Business | Ep. 233

Financial Social Worker Explains Why Your 'I Don't Have Enough' Is Usually Wrong

Key Takeaways

Intro

00:00:45 – How Survival Mode Shows Up in Spending

00:04:17 – Pizza, Groceries, and Guilt

00:05:50 – Is Emotional Spending Ever Protective?

00:07:46 – Excuses vs. Reality: 'I Don’t Have Enough'

00:10:22 – What Makes a Financial Social Worker Different

00:13:58 – Two Griefs, Two Money Lessons

Resources

Topics

Financial Social Worker Explains Why Your 'I Don't Have Enough' Is Usually Wrong

Related Episodes

The Recovery Plan: What to Do When You Miss Your Money Goals

Building Wealth by Keeping Real Estate: Tips from Dedric and Krystal Polite | Ep. 305

Financial Literacy in High Schools with Yanely Espinal | Ep. 234