$avvy

What stood out the most is how the filmmaker explores what role gender plays in one’s finances at both a micro and macro level. From the start, the movie brought up how women are ignored and silenced regarding money. Wall Street and the banking industry are still very much a man’s world and speak the language of men. On the positive end, $avvy explains how, as investors, men tend to take more significant investment risks for the quick big wins (and even more significant losses). Meanwhile, women tend to be much more measured and thoughtful investors seeking more long-term solid wins.

The audience for the documentary is decidedly women, and that was intentional. It exists to bring up a subject important to every individual, but in a way that speaks directly to women. Having been caught in many of these financial pitfalls through much of my life, I have to say everything here regarding one’s finances offers nothing but solid advice about debt and making wise financial decisions. If you know someone, who needs to wake and snap out of this idea that one’s money problems will one day magically go away, this is the film to show them.

“…exists to bring up a subject important to every individual, but in a way that speaks directly to women.”

But frustrated me was the impression that I got that the pitfalls of debt were primarily problems women faced. I know many people, regardless of gender, under a massive amount of credit card and student loan debt who have been taken in by predatory lenders. The thing about corporate greed is that it doesn’t care about your gender. It just wants your money. Yes, men have the most wealth globally, which often means they have the furthest to fall when it all comes crumbling down. It accounts for the high percentage of men in prison for financial fraud.

Still, what stood out to me the most is this idea of personal financial responsibility. It’s something that everyone needs to hear and embrace. $avvy makes the point that women are more susceptible not to hear this message. The message is to take responsibility for your own financial security. You can’t rely on anyone but yourself. Ultimately, this is the point of the movie. Do not give up your right to financial security to anyone. It’s hard not to believe that your self-image is closely tied to your financial status, and it’s a complicated (but not impossible) road to walk down. Thankfully, now more than ever, there are resources available to help you get on that right path.