Life has a way of filling up quickly. Between work, family, errands, household responsibilities, appointments and everything else on the calendar, it can feel like there are never enough hours in the day.
And when life gets overwhelming, it can affect more than just your schedule. It can also affect how you spend your money.
When you’re exhausted and short on time, it’s easy to order takeout instead of cooking, buy something without comparing prices or choose the first option available simply because you don’t have the capacity to research alternatives.
That’s where a little organization, planning and asking for help can make a difference.
On this episode of Tips for Change, Tiffany Mutchler sits down with Kristin Catlett of Glow & Go, a Sioux Falls lifestyle concierge who helps people take some of the everyday tasks off their plates. From laundry and meal prep to errands, organization, personal shopping and administrative work, Kristin’s goal is simple: help people create more space in their lives.
What Is a Lifestyle Concierge?
If you’ve never heard the term “lifestyle concierge,” Kristin describes it as tailoring support to each individual, household or business.
There isn’t necessarily a set list of things she does. Instead, she starts by figuring out what feels overwhelming for the client and where they could use an extra set of hands.
That could mean sorting laundry, organizing a closet, meal prepping, running errands, shopping for gifts or helping with administrative tasks. For small businesses, she can also help with things like social media, job descriptions and other administrative needs.
The common thread is taking something that feels heavy and making it more manageable.
“Everybody needs a helper once in a while,” Kristin explained during the conversation.
The Cost of Being Overwhelmed
Asking for help can feel like an unnecessary expense. But Kristin points out that being overwhelmed can sometimes lead to spending more money, too.
Think about ordering delivery several nights in a row because you didn’t have time to meal plan. Or booking the first hotel you find because you don’t have the time or energy to compare prices. Or buying something you already have because you didn’t realize it was sitting in the back of the pantry.
These decisions may feel convenient in the moment, but small convenience costs can add up.
Kristin shared that organization can help people make better choices before they reach that point of desperation. Even something as simple as knowing what you already have in your refrigerator can help prevent unnecessary purchases and food waste.
That same idea applies to your overall finances. Having a clear picture of where your money is going is an important part of making intentional decisions. If you’re looking for ways to get more organized financially, check out Voyage’s resources on building an emergency fund and creating a budget that works for you.
Planning Can Reduce Decision Fatigue
There are only so many decisions we can make in a day before our brains start looking for the easiest option.
Kristin sees organization as a way to reduce that decision fatigue.
Meal planning is one example. You don’t have to figure out what’s for dinner at 6 p.m. when everyone is hungry and you’re already exhausted. If you’ve planned ahead and have the ingredients ready, one decision has already been made.
The same principle can apply to your finances.
Creating a budget, setting up automatic savings and knowing what you’re spending can take some of the guesswork out of everyday money decisions. Voyage has previously shared simple budgeting strategies, including the 50/30/20 rule, as a starting point for organizing your spending and savings goals.
The goal isn’t to make every decision perfectly. It’s to make fewer decisions when you’re already stretched thin.
Asking for Help Is Not Failing
One of the biggest themes throughout the conversation was letting go of the idea that you should be able to handle everything yourself.
Kristin talked about how often people tell themselves they should be able to keep up with everything on their plate. Her response? Just because you should be able to do something doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.
That can be a difficult mindset shift.
For some people, asking for help might mean hiring someone to handle household tasks. For others, it could mean asking a family member to take something off their plate, using a budgeting tool, automating savings or simply admitting that something isn’t working.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The important part is recognizing when the way you’re doing things is creating more stress than it’s worth.
Financial stress can also contribute to that feeling of being overwhelmed. Voyage explored this connection in Money & Mental Health: Navigating Financial Stress, including ways that creating a financial plan and developing healthy money habits can help reduce some of that stress.
Creating Space for What Matters
For Kristin, the goal isn’t to create a perfectly organized life. It’s to create a life that feels manageable.
When someone else handles the laundry, errands, meal planning or other responsibilities, that person gets more than just a completed task. They get time and energy back.
Kristin described it as creating space to actually live your life — to be more present with your family, focus at work, enjoy your hobbies or simply have the chance to sit down and breathe.
And that idea can extend to your financial life, too.
Financial wellness doesn’t mean having every dollar perfectly optimized. It can mean having a plan that makes your money feel more manageable. It can mean knowing what you can afford, preparing for unexpected expenses and making spending decisions that line up with what matters most to you.
A Few Simple Ways to Create More Breathing Room
You don’t have to completely reorganize your life overnight. Kristin recommends starting small.
Make a list of what feels heavy.
Write down the tasks you consistently avoid, the errands you never have time for or the responsibilities that seem to keep piling up. Seeing everything in one place can help you identify what is actually taking up the most energy.
Plan one meal.
You don’t need a seven-day meal plan to get started. Kristin suggests planning just one meal and making sure you have everything you need to prepare it. One less decision can make the week feel a little easier.
Look at where your money is going.
Take a few minutes to review your recent spending. Are there convenience purchases that happen when you’re short on time? Are there subscriptions you aren’t using? Are you regularly spending more because you don’t have time to compare options?
Decide what is worth your time.
Not every task needs to be done by you.
Whether that means outsourcing a household chore, using online banking to simplify your finances or automating a savings transfer, look for opportunities to make the things you do regularly a little easier. Voyage’s online banking tools can help you manage your accounts on your own schedule.
You Don't Have to Do It All
Sometimes the best financial decision isn’t about spending less. It’s about being more intentional with the resources you already have — including your time and energy.
As Kristin put it, organization can give people better choices before they become desperate to find a solution.
That might mean planning dinner before you’re hungry, comparing prices before making a purchase or creating a budget before the month gets away from you.
And sometimes, it simply means asking for help.
Want to hear more from Kristin? Listen to the full episode of Tips for Change to hear her conversation with Tiffany, including practical ideas for reducing overwhelm, deciding what to outsource and creating more breathing room in your everyday life.
You can also learn more about Glow & Go by Kristin and the lifestyle concierge services she offers.
At Voyage Federal Credit Union, we believe financial wellness is about more than numbers. It’s about creating a financial life that supports the life you want to live.
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About the Guest
Kristin Catlett is the founder of Glow & Go, a Sioux Falls-based lifestyle concierge service designed to help people lighten their load and create more space in their everyday lives. From errands and home organization to meal prep, personal shopping and administrative support, Kristin tailors her services to each client’s needs. With a background in customer service and a passion for helping people, she brings a personal, hands-on approach to making life feel a little more manageable.
