Financial literacy is dead: Why it’s time to raise the bar and aim for financial fluency (and freedom)
Financial fluency means possessing the knowledge to be strategic about money. Here’s what to know.
5 min read
Jul 10, 2025
Bernadette Joy
Bankrate Expert Contributor, Personal Finance
EXPERTISE
- Debt management
- Personal finance
- Budgeting
- Loans
- Wealth Management
- Retirement Planning
- Investing
EDUCATION
- B.S. in Business Administration, Boston University (summa cum laude)
- B.A. in Psychology, Boston University (magna cum laude)
- Master of Business Administration, UNC Chapel Hill
Bankrate's Expert Contributors
Our Expert Contributors are a select group of creators, experts and thought leaders who share first-person perspectives on finance and its intersections with our lives.
Meet our expertsAbout Bernadette
Bernadette Joy is a nationally recognized personal finance expert, entrepreneur, and educator, passionate about helping people achieve financial independence. As the founder of Crush Your Money Goals®, she has helped thousands of professionals and business owners eliminate debt, grow wealth, and build financial confidence through her courses, workshops, and coaching programs.
Bernadette’s own journey to financial freedom began when she and her husband paid off $300,000 debt in three years, including their home. She quickly realized that traditional financial advice often overlooked the emotional and psychological barriers to wealth-building. Determined to change that, she combined her expertise in business strategy, psychology, and personal finance to create approachable, actionable money guidance that anyone can follow.
Her work has been featured in Forbes, CNBC, Business Insider, Oprah Daily, and more, and she frequently shares her insights as a speaker at national conferences, corporate events, and on-air segments.
When she’s not teaching others how to achieve financial freedom, Bernadette enjoys traveling, K-pop dance classes, and planning her next overseas adventure with her husband. Her mission is simple: to make wealth-building accessible, fun, and stress-free for everyone.
Bernadette beyond Bankrate
I am a first-generation Filipina American and the 8th of my father’s 9 kids. I have chronic conditions and have been diagnosed with both depression and anxiety in the past. I share these with you because if I can reach financial freedom, I believe you can, too. Debt is only a short-term solution, investing is a long-term skill, and happiness is a conscious choice. You got this!
— Bernadette Joy
Bernadette's latest articles
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When I bought my “dream” home, I thought I’d made it. A four-bedroom house in an established neighborhood that I fully paid off before I turned 35 — the American dream, right? But a few years later, [...]
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I paused investing to pay off student loans — and still retired at 40
Getting out of debt can sometimes be a smarter choice than saving for retirement.
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4 ways to “give yourself a raise” when inflation keeps cutting your pay
Use these four tips to mitigate inflation’s money-draining effects.
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This six-step plan can help you repay your student loan debt ahead of schedule.
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Your money should work for you and your community — not billionaires
Use these four tips to keep more money in your pocket and community.
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When the economy feels out of control, stay in control of your money with these tips.
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