About Tina Birch

Tina is an Accredited Financial Counselor with a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in home economics. Her favorite class to teach at BCS is the Time Stewardship Workshop because applying the time stewardship principles produces immediate results (no patience required!). She spends her free time reading, writing, thinking, gardening, and on meandering walks with the dog.

Favorite budgeting and tracking method and why: A custom-made spreadsheet…because it’s designed to suit my situation and is easily adjustable when that situation changes.

Favorite financial literacy topic: Emergency funds. You will never, ever regret having an emergency fund.

Favorite “small” financial habit: Having my paycheck deposited to a high-yield savings account.

What do you refuse to spend money on? Already popped popcorn, already sliced apples, etc.–all the high-margin food modifications that require two minutes with a paring knife to do for myself...the home economist in me shudders at the plastic clamshells of convenience.

I love working with people who are excited about learning and willing to invest the effort to identify their values and build healthy habits.

In the financial counseling relationship, there are several attributes that will make our time together successful:

TRUTH and HONESTY. From a money perspective, that means you will track all your expenses, so that we have accurate data on which you can build a realistic plan for your future.

RESPONSIBILITY and INTENTIONALITY. When you own your decisions, your behavior, and your responses to your circumstances (past, present and future), you have the power to put that plan into action and to see the results. Completing this cycle of making reality-informed decisions, acting on them and then measuring the results will give you so much confidence. Money doesn’t have to be scary!

CREATIVITY. Life, including money-related life, doesn’t operate according to a one-size-fits-all formula. As I get to know you, I’ll be able to help you view a wider range of options than you may have considered before. You will get the most satisfaction from exploring and blending all the resource categories (time, money, skills and knowledge) for fruitful decision making.

GENTLENESS. While I’m committed to saying the hard things if they’re necessary for your growth, I’m also committed to doing so with as light of a touch as possible. Honestly facing your money history and scripts can be tough work, but your strength of character and resiliency will shine through.

What does a first meeting with me look like?

Questions…lots and lots of questions. But since all the questions will be about you, you will know all the answers!

What does a financial counseling meeting with me NOT look like?

Judgment or comparison. Everyone starts in their own place, and everyone has their own personal goals, so it’s never a competition.

What is my favorite part of my job?

Watching participants’ confidence grow as they apply the best practices and see their own results. The steps and sequences I’ll share with you really do work!

What is my least favorite part of my job? 

Pointing out when someone’s actions and words, particularly in terms of their stated financial goals and their behaviors, don’t line up.

When someone who doesn't know what a financial counselor does asks me about my job, I say:

I say the tough things (about money) out loud. Also, I get paid to ask all the socially taboo questions. Just kidding (sort of). But what I really do is walk alongside people while they establish and live their values-based financial plan.