When You’re Working Hard But Still Not Getting Ahead

I often meet women in their late 50s or early 60s who quietly confess something like this:

“I earn good money, but it just disappears. I still have a mortgage. The cost of living is ridiculous. My kids are grown, but they still need me. I feel like I’m spinning my wheels.”

If this sounds familiar, please know — you are not alone.

So many women I meet are juggling work, home, ageing parents, and adult children who haven’t quite found their footing yet. Somewhere along the way, their own financial wellbeing slips to the bottom of the list.

They’re smart, successful, and caring — yet when it comes to their own money, they feel stuck, guilty, or unsure where to begin.

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Why It Feels So Hard

It’s not because you’re doing anything wrong.

Life simply got… busy.

The mortgage took longer to pay down than expected.

The kids needed help through uni or a tough patch.

Prices crept up. Super balances didn’t grow as fast as hoped.

Before you know it, you’re approaching retirement age and wondering:

• Will I ever be debt-free?

• Is my super enough?

• What happens if I stop working?

And those questions can feel too big to face — so many women push them aside and just keep going.

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The Truth: Stress Won’t Solve It, but a Plan Will

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to untangle it all on your own.

Feeling stuck is not a sign of failure — it’s a sign it’s time to pause and plan.

When I work with women in this situation, our first step is simple:

we gather the pieces of the puzzle.

• What do you own, owe, and earn?

• What’s sitting in super?

• What do you want life to look like over the next 10–20 years?

Then, together, we look at what needs to happen to get there — whether that means paying off the mortgage faster, restructuring loans, finding tax savings, boosting super, or simply putting a realistic budget in place that still lets you live.

The goal is to move from stress and uncertainty to clarity and control.

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Why Now Matters

Time is the one resource we can’t get back. The longer we leave things, the fewer options we have.

But when you take that first step — even just an honest look at where things stand — the relief is enormous.

You don’t need to have everything figured out to begin.

You just need to begin.

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A Final Thought

If you’re lying awake worrying about money, debt, or retirement, please don’t keep carrying that alone.

Speak to someone — whether it’s a trusted financial adviser, a mentor, or even just a friend who’ll help you get started.

You deserve to feel calm and confident about your future.

And with the right plan, you absolutely can.

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At TruWealth Advice, I help women gain clarity and confidence with their finances — so they can live the next chapter of life on their terms, not money’s.