“Money Memories” is Making Finance Conversations Less Taboo

By: Carolina Villagra // Contributing Writer

Money management is a subject many students struggle with. Saving money and paying off student loans might seem impossible, but “Money Memories” can help you understand your relationship with money.

Ilona Limonta-Volkova is the host of “Money Memories,” a podcast that discusses early memories of money and how it has molded people from all around the world.

This podcast shows how simple it is to talk about money and discusses a range of topics from personal finances to unicorns (it’s not the kind you are thinking of). 

Most importantly, Limonta-Volkova highlights the impact money has in everyone’s life.

“No matter what you do, money is a part of your life,” she states. “Whether you’re a doctor, an athlete, an artist you’re interacting with finance in some way.”

Limonta-Volkova has started a trend that many college students should make a priority: talking about finances.

Limonta-Volkova asks every guest on her show what their first “money memory” is. They open up about their childhood memories that most haven’t thought about in a long time. The idea is to make the audience aware of how relatable different experiences with money are.

Finance has always been an open conversation between Limonta-Volkova and her parents. Her earliest memory involving money happened on a day her father was running errands.

“My first money memory was going to the bank with my dad… The teller had miscounted a total,” she states. “My dad pointed out the error and she told him that it was close enough. And my dad was like, ‘There is no such thing as close enough with math.’” 

Since then, Limonta-Volkova realized that money is math. Money is a concrete concept that people should not be afraid of.

From a young age, she has been careful with her money. She would never spend any money when she went out and her parents were always honest about the cost of everything.

“Money Memories” began amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a time in the world where many people were facing financial hardship. Limonta-Volkova wants her audience to realize that they’re not alone.

“I wanted people to realize that their anxieties, feelings, worries about money are not unique to them,” she explains. “So many times when I would interview guests they would say things like ‘I’m probably the only one who thinks this way,’ or, ‘it’s probably weird to feel this way,’ when they say something that is super common.”

Limonta-Volkova’s guests always bring interesting and useful information to each episode.

Sbusiso “Bubu” Buna, a South African entrepreneur, speaks about unicorns, a startup that is valued at one billion U.S. dollars. Buna’s podcast called “Unicorn” explores how Africa can learn from countries who have unicorns to produce more in their country.

Paris Grant, an FIU student, was another guest on Limonta-Volkova’s show.  Grant’s podcast, “Millennial to Millionaire,” is committed to expanding the knowledge of financial literacy to the millennial generation.

Limonta-Volkova’s podcast creates a platform for different groups of people to share their relationship with money. 

“I really focus on highlighting diversity, backgrounds and experiences on my show,” she said,  “80% of my interview subjects are either women or people of color.” 

Limonta-Volkova believes it is important to continue to feature diversity on her show while sharing useful information to all listeners.

You can find out more about Limonta-Volkova and “Money Memories” at bearandthebull.com.