From $2K Salary to Financial Independence: A Working Momβs Playbook ft. SG Budget Babe | Ep 37
Wed Dec 10 2025
From saving $20,000 on a $2,000 salary to making work optional while raising two young boys, Dawn Fiona Cherβbetter known online as SG Budget Babeβhas spent the last decade helping others take back control of their money and mindset. A mom, author, Director of Government Affairs , and financial educator, Dawn continues to work in both corporate and content creationβnot because she has to, but because it fuels her purpose.
In this episode, I sit down with Dawn to talk about what it really takes to grow your wealth while juggling motherhood, ambition, and a life you actually want to live. She shares the turning point that made her chase financial freedom harder than ever (hint: it happened mid-breastfeeding), the unglamorous truth of building a side hustle, and how she successfully negotiated for flexibility at work after proving her worth.
Dawn opens up about how her own childhood struggles with money shaped her, why time-blocking (not 5AM routines) keeps her grounded, and the life lessons sheβs deliberately modeling for her kids. Her practical, no-nonsense wisdom is a refreshing reminder that success isnβt about balanceβitβs about clarity, discipline, and alignment.
In this energizing conversation, we explored:
π How Dawn reached financial independence in slightly over a decade (and still works by choice)
πΆ The raw truth about managing work while mothering two young kids
π§ Why βimposter syndromeβ is actually a signpostβnot a dead end
ποΈ How she schedules her chaotic week using time-blocking, not rigidity
π‘ What it means to be visible, credible, and irreplaceable at work
βοΈ Her journey from corporate employee to trusted voice in financeβand whatβs next
Checkout:
π» Dawnβs 7-Day Investing Challenge (Discount code: MIW) βhttps://nas.io/budgetbabe/challenges/investing-101-crash-course?discountCode=MIW
π Take Back Control of Your Money by Dawn Fiona Cher β https://www.amazon.sg/Take-Back-Control-Your-Money/dp/9815323075
π€Sarahβs interview with Dawn on The Financial Coconut: I Left My Job to Care for My Family - Was It Worth It? [W&S 144]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6p3G4lZjBk&list=PLpo30qPT9yc6yAyrtqz7506sfiYaorR8Z&index=6
β-----------------------------------------------
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:07 Meet SG Budget Babe: PI, Mom, Finfluencer
02:08 From $2K Salary to Financial Freedom
05:39 How She Actually Juggles It All
13:26 The Call That Changed Everything
25:50 How She Earned Trust at Work
26:26 Are You Invisible at Work?
31:06 How She Negotiated Flexibility
34:09 The Rule Behind Her Side Hustle Growth
42:31 How Sheβs Raising Money-Smart Kids
β-----------------------------------------------
Connect with Dawn here:
π Website: https://sgbudgetbabe.com/
π LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionacher/
π Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sgbudgetbabe/
Follow and connect with Sarah & Make It Work! β https://linktr.ee/makeitwork.podcastβ
π· β Instagram:β https://www.instagram.com/makeitwork.asia/
πΌβ LinkedInβ : https://www.linkedin.com/company/make-it-work-asia-podcast/
π΅ β Facebookβ : https://www.facebook.com/people/Make-It-Work/61566472637714/
πApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/make-it-work/id1701442085
π΅Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/78ulY0B27nYxGB6jPCABPI?si=abfc48d037d943be
π₯β Emailβ : makeitwork.asia@gmail.com
Join our free β Mommas Making It Work whatsapp communityβ to find a group of like-minded mommas:Β
https://bit.ly/MIWcommunity
β-------------------------------
β€ Thank you for your support!π§‘π
𧑠Please share your feedback on our video conversation in the comments boxππ
π Help us make quality interviews by leaving a comment
#WorkingMom #FinancialFreedom #SGbudgetbabe #CareerTips #InvestingForBeginners #ProductivityForMoms #MakeItWorkPodcast #WomenWhoLead #SideHustleSuccess
More
From saving $20,000 on a $2,000 salary to making work optional while raising two young boys, Dawn Fiona Cherβbetter known online as SG Budget Babeβhas spent the last decade helping others take back control of their money and mindset. A mom, author, Director of Government Affairs , and financial educator, Dawn continues to work in both corporate and content creationβnot because she has to, but because it fuels her purpose. In this episode, I sit down with Dawn to talk about what it really takes to grow your wealth while juggling motherhood, ambition, and a life you actually want to live. She shares the turning point that made her chase financial freedom harder than ever (hint: it happened mid-breastfeeding), the unglamorous truth of building a side hustle, and how she successfully negotiated for flexibility at work after proving her worth. Dawn opens up about how her own childhood struggles with money shaped her, why time-blocking (not 5AM routines) keeps her grounded, and the life lessons sheβs deliberately modeling for her kids. Her practical, no-nonsense wisdom is a refreshing reminder that success isnβt about balanceβitβs about clarity, discipline, and alignment. In this energizing conversation, we explored: π How Dawn reached financial independence in slightly over a decade (and still works by choice) πΆ The raw truth about managing work while mothering two young kids π§ Why βimposter syndromeβ is actually a signpostβnot a dead end ποΈ How she schedules her chaotic week using time-blocking, not rigidity π‘ What it means to be visible, credible, and irreplaceable at work βοΈ Her journey from corporate employee to trusted voice in financeβand whatβs next Checkout: π» Dawnβs 7-Day Investing Challenge (Discount code: MIW) βhttps://nas.io/budgetbabe/challenges/investing-101-crash-course?discountCode=MIW π Take Back Control of Your Money by Dawn Fiona Cher β https://www.amazon.sg/Take-Back-Control-Your-Money/dp/9815323075 π€Sarahβs interview with Dawn on The Financial Coconut: I Left My Job to Care for My Family - Was It Worth It? [W&S 144] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6p3G4lZjBk&list=PLpo30qPT9yc6yAyrtqz7506sfiYaorR8Z&index=6 β----------------------------------------------- Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:07 Meet SG Budget Babe: PI, Mom, Finfluencer 02:08 From $2K Salary to Financial Freedom 05:39 How She Actually Juggles It All 13:26 The Call That Changed Everything 25:50 How She Earned Trust at Work 26:26 Are You Invisible at Work? 31:06 How She Negotiated Flexibility 34:09 The Rule Behind Her Side Hustle Growth 42:31 How Sheβs Raising Money-Smart Kids β----------------------------------------------- Connect with Dawn here: π Website: https://sgbudgetbabe.com/ π LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionacher/ π Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sgbudgetbabe/ Follow and connect with Sarah & Make It Work! β https://linktr.ee/makeitwork.podcastβ π· β Instagram:β https://www.instagram.com/makeitwork.asia/ πΌβ LinkedInβ : https://www.linkedin.com/company/make-it-work-asia-podcast/ π΅ β Facebookβ : https://www.facebook.com/people/Make-It-Work/61566472637714/ πApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/make-it-work/id1701442085 π΅Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/78ulY0B27nYxGB6jPCABPI?si=abfc48d037d943be π₯β Emailβ : makeitwork.asia@gmail.com Join our free β Mommas Making It Work whatsapp communityβ to find a group of like-minded mommas:Β https://bit.ly/MIWcommunity β------------------------------- β€ Thank you for your support!π§‘π 𧑠Please share your feedback on our video conversation in the comments boxππ π Help us make quality interviews by leaving a comment #WorkingMom #FinancialFreedom #SGbudgetbabe #CareerTips #InvestingForBeginners #ProductivityForMoms #MakeItWorkPodcast #WomenWhoLead #SideHustleSuccess