Kim Kent is a money coach on a mission to disrupt outdated financial advice and empower women to build wealth without fear, guilt or rigid budgets. After blowing a $62K inheritance in her 20s, Kim rebuilt her relationship with money through mindset work and structured, feel-good money management. Today, she helps women break free from scarcity conditioning, heal emotional money trauma and create financial freedom on their own terms.
You describe hiding income and savings as “financial infidelity.” What first made you realise this was damaging your marriage?
I didn’t hide money from my husband, but when we first got married, I was scared to join our incomes. I had $15k in savings – more than he had – and I was terrified he’d spend it. The truth was, I didn’t trust him or myself with money, but I wasn’t actually conscious of that at the time.
I’d witnessed my parents go through a messy divorce and, as a child, I overheard things I probably shouldn’t have. I interpreted it all through a scared, confused lens. My dad kept a lot private, but I watched my mum struggle, and that stuck with me. Deep down, I believed that if I combined finances with my husband, I could end up with nothing – just like I thought my mum did. So I went into marriage with a guard up.
But that fear meant I was always keeping part of myself – and our life – separate. And marriage is meant to be a full partnership, including money. After doing deep mindset and coaching work, I realised that by keeping my savings to myself, I was creating a wedge in our relationship.
Eventually, we joined our incomes and shared our savings. Since then, we’ve never looked back. We follow a Blueprint that keeps everything organised – bills, spending money, savings, and goals. We now work as a team and have more financial trust, alignment, and savings than we ever thought possible.
How do you define financial infidelity, and what are some common signs couples should watch for?
Financial infidelity is when someone hides or separates spending, debt, savings, or income from their partner – often out of fear of being judged or not trusting the other person to manage money safely. But underneath that, it’s usually a lack of trust in yourself to share or be safe in that vulnerability.
Common signs include secret purchases, money arguments, defensiveness, and double standards. Like when one partner justifies buying new clothes, but sees their husband’s new tool or slab of beer as a ‘waste’. It’s often not about the spending – it’s about the lack of shared vision and trust.
Why do strict budgets often fail, and what alternative approach do you recommend for sustainable financial harmony?
Strict budgets fail because they feel like a punishment. Nobody wants to feel restricted – especially not forever. The approach I teach supports personal power. You get to make the rules, based on principles that support wealth and abundance – not scarcity.
My method uses the total household income as the base. It doesn’t matter who earns what – that income gets divided up for savings, spending, bills and fun. It’s structured and flexible, so both people feel in control and supported.
Can you explain how “good girl” conditioning contributes to money guilt, and how women can break free from it?
We grow up being told that being “good” means being quiet, polite, not asking for too much, saving money, staying out of debt… and if we follow these rules, we’ll be loved and accepted.
But these beliefs are outdated and keep us stuck. Real power comes from rewriting these rules. For example, is it really true that rich people are greedy? When I was broke, I was more “greedy” – I clung to every dollar and feared giving. Now, with more money, I give more, feel safer, and can help others too.
At the core, we all just want to feel loved and safe. Money becomes a tool for that once we heal our inner child’s beliefs and choose new ones that support us.
What steps can individuals take to feel safe holding and managing money, not just earning it?
It starts with structure. When you have a savings strategy, your expenses are covered, and you see your account grow, you build self-trust.
But it’s also about intention. Don’t just “save for a rainy day” – because that’s exactly what you’ll attract. Instead, set real goals: a holiday, a house deposit, a new car. Specific goals create purpose. That’s when your nervous system starts to feel safe – because you finally believe the money is here to stay.
Why do you believe parents should avoid saying “we can’t afford it” to their kids, and how can they frame money conversations more positively?
Telling your kids “we can’t afford it” teaches them there’s never enough – and they often interpret that as I’m not enough. It wires in scarcity.
Instead, frame it as a choice. I’ll say to my 3-year-old who wants the $80 toy – but I believe is wasteful in that moment, “That toy doesn’t look great quality – let’s find something better.” I can afford the $80, but whatever my excuse is, what I want her to hear is a way of thinking that is about consideration and questioning value. As kids grow, we should be teaching them about money – not just what it can buy, but how to earn it and respect it too.
How do you guide couples from secrecy and fear to full financial transparency and joint goal-setting?
I mainly work with women, as that is what my business attracts, so that is where the work starts. No matter who’s “to blame” for the issues, you have to do the mindset work yourself. My Think Rich Method™ rewires the core beliefs you picked up as a child – the ones buried deep in your subconscious that shape how you handle money today.
Then comes my 7-Step Money Blueprint™ – the tangible plan that maps out how to manage your income together. Women often do the setup and then show it to their partner. Men usually just want to see the numbers – simple, clear, no fluff. When you do this together, you start operating as a team. And yes – it takes effort, but that’s what builds trust.
What role do personal money beliefs play in financial infidelity, and how can someone begin to heal those beliefs?
They play a huge role. If your beliefs are built around distrust, trauma, or fear – like seeing a parent get screwed over in a divorce, or always hearing “there’s never enough” – your nervous system goes into protection mode. You start keeping money separate, hiding purchases, or controlling finances, thinking you’re being “smart” – but really, you’re stuck in survival mode.
Healing those beliefs is the real work. My Think Rich Method™ helps reprogram those patterns so you stop reacting from fear and start creating from trust. Because you can’t build wealth from a place of where you are in defence mode to the new or unknown – but better – ways.
Can you share a success story of a couple who rebuilt trust around money using your methods?
Yes – one woman I worked with used to constantly argue with her partner about money. She resented his spending habits and was obsessed with control and restriction. But through my process, she realised she was projecting her scarcity onto him – which made him rebel even more.
Once they both became aware of the pattern, they shifted. They had honest conversations, created a joint plan, and started working as a team. They’re now saving for a house deposit and the fights have stopped. It all started with awareness – because you can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.
What are the key elements of a money-relationship “checkup” you advise couples to perform regularly to prevent resentment?
Honestly? If you’re using my Blueprint, there’s no “checkup” needed – it becomes a way of life. Whether you’re paid weekly or fortnightly, that’s when you run the numbers. It becomes a habit.
Money doesn’t have to be a source of stress or tension. With the right system, it’s just part of your rhythm – like brushing your teeth or doing the groceries. That consistency is what prevents resentment.
