What does it mean to be “bilingual in personal finance”? For Dr. Darla Bishop, it means speaking both broke and not broke. That fluency changed how she thinks about money, and how she believes we should teach it.

Growing up, Darla lived through different financial circumstances and watched adults create budgets, take on extra work, move money around, and more. Over time, she learned that being short on money doesn’t mean you’re bad with money.

In college, Darla taught herself personal finance. After reading several books, she realized the financial lives they described looked very different from hers. She learned that people who were broke didn’t always make foolish decisions; they often didn’t know what choices were available to them.

That experience shaped how Darla approaches financial education today. Rather than shame people for past decisions, she believes financial advice should account for their circumstances, culture, and priorities. Sometimes, the best decision on paper isn’t what makes the most sense for someone’s life.

Listen to the full episode (or read the transcript) to hear more from Darla about starting your financial education without shame.

Join us for this week’s LIVE event with Stefanie O’Connell on the “Ambition Penalty” & What Teachers Should Know About Women, Money, & the Workplace

Register for the NGPF Speaker Series event tonight (10/29) at 4pm PT (7pm ET) for a timely conversation with Stefanie O’Connell, author of The Ambition Penalty, a data-driven look at why women are often discouraged, penalized, or overlooked when they aim high in the workplace.

We’ll discuss what financial literacy educators can do to help students understand these dynamics and think about them before they officially enter the workforce as adult professionals.

About the Author

Zach Mann

Zach recently graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Sociology. Zach is a Communications Intern for NGPF, assisting with content creation for NGPF's various platforms. He enjoys contributing to communications that support a mission with a tangible impact.

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