Welcome, I’m your Money Mentor
Santis O’Garro
I am obsessed with saving you money. I do so by mentoring others through my actions.
I qualified as a life coach in 2021 and have helped thousands of people in Ireland (and beyond) to budget their money and change and elevate their mindset regarding their finances. It has taken me a long time to realise my potential and purpose; it’s now clear my goal is to help you find yours. I aim to show you that you can live a fulfilling life on a budget.
However, It was when I went through my life-changing budgeting journey that I realised just how much I have to offer to other Irish people who are trying to budget in an increasingly expensive world.
You see, the thing is, debt has always been a part of my life.
I was a manager in a Betting shop in Dublin, making decent money. For me, I was accustomed to the struggle and the drudgery of living the way I was.
Each week, I lived paycheck to paycheck. Didn’t everyone do this?! Vividly, I recall each month, being paid and the direct debits going out and having nothing left in my budget. Dublin is an expensive city and my wages could only stretch so far.
As things worsened, I was struggling to meet my most essential payments, my mortgage, childcare costs, credit union loans, car insurance, property management fees, furniture payments, credit cards, overdrafts… you name it. These were only some of my bills and loan repayments.
Unquestionably, this was the most challenging year of my life. Even so, it was about to get worse.
2018 was my turning point.
This was when all of my bad money habits came to a head; the impact came all at once. It all caught up with me. I was a dire financial situation, and I became a single mother living in Dublin with two babies to look after. I was in debt, and I was broke. Worst of all, I was broken. At my lowest, I truly believed it would be better for everyone if I were gone. In my head, I thought I was a burden to my loved ones.
Thankfully, the right people intervened at the right time. Finally It was the time to step out of my own shadow, as uncomfortable as it felt.
That was the making of me.
Clawing my way out of my situation, I learned how to budget. In Ireland, there are few resources around living on a budget. We live in an expensive country, and people don’t talk freely about the cost of living. I created a network of Irish people who were also living well on a budget. The Irish Debt Free Community started to form; a group of people connected on Instagram who posted about budgeting in Ireland and trying to get out of debt.
Those who know me know I never do things the easy way. Of course, I went one step further.
Not only did I learn to budget, but I developed my form of priority based budgeting method, along with the Budget Mindset Planner. This is what I can share with you.
The Budget Mindset planner is my notebook. You use this to plan out each month according to your four families. For further help, I also set up The Budget Mindset Club. A place for like-minded people to learn and grow together.
Specifically, priority-based budgeting ensures your basic needs are met but that your wants and future expenses are looked after too. It’s a way for you to prioritise what expenses are essential and ensure they are met. My version is the Four Families.
Budgeting isn’t only about money; it is about putting yourself in the right mindset, in the right environment, and planning each step towards being debt-free & financially well.
Consequently, this is precisely why I focus on a lot more than just money. I like to cook from scratch, making frugal bites that are restaurant-worthy. Sustainability is another thing that is close to my heart. Reducing waste is good for the environment and your budget.
If you want to hear more, why not check out my Youtube Channel?
Kerry O'R
Santis is a breath of fresh air. I worked with her in 2021 when I realised that i couldnt keep stressing out about money and bills. I came across Santis on Instagram and knew she was the one that would help me. She talked to me about how to budget, using the four famliies method and how to fill out the planner. Even just getting the figures down i paper, it made me feel more in control. I realised I didnt have a big enough income to cover what i needed and went back to Santis for a second consultation. Thats when she showed me all the ways i can earn more money from home. I can safely say, I feel less stressed now im in control of my money. Thank you Santis!
Ken K
Thank you, thank you thank you! What I learned from Santis is that using the excel version of the planner and making a meal plan around what we have is the key to keeping spending in control. When I was in lockdown, my food spending grew a life of its own. Never spent so much on food in a longtime… Thanks for the helpful tips and keep up the good content! 🙂
Andrea W
I met Santis when I was stressed out. I was just constantly broke and didnt know where to begin. Since meeting Santis, I’ve started cooking from scratch more. Its not only helping me to spend less, but its making me happier. I always thought that budgeting was about spending as little as possible, but Santis showed me how to budget according to MY personal priorities. I can still spend on myself, my TV etc, but i also have emergency funds for when things go wrong. Life is better now im not stressed out about Money.
