Why Women Took Control of Their Finances

In this episode of Chatting with Betsy, host Betsy Wurzel speaks with author Edith Lynn Hornik-Beer about Why Women Took Control of Their Finances. From being denied credit cards and loans to fighting for financial independence, Edith shares the history, challenges, and resilience that shaped women’s role in money management and investing.

The Spark Behind Edith’s Book

Edith discussed her book, To Invest Successfully: Terms You Need At Your Fingertips, and how a simple conversation she overheard in a bank motivated her to write it. Her goal was to make investing terms and financial concepts—insurance, business markets, mortgages, and even cryptocurrency—clear and accessible to everyday people.

Struggles Women Faced in Finance

Betsy and Edith reflected on the barriers women encountered for decades:

• Being considered their husband’s property.

• Difficulty accessing credit cards, bank loans, or even attending college.

• Facing workplace and social restrictions that limited independence.

These stories highlight why women took control of their finances—to gain independence, build credit, and secure their futures.

Betsy also shared her own experiences—how she couldn’t get her first credit card until after marriage, and how her father had to co-sign her first car loan because she had no credit history as a single woman. Together, they emphasized how vital it is for women to establish their own credit.

Edith’s Personal Story

Born in Switzerland, Edith later became a U.S. citizen. She recalled how her father had to personally notify Swiss banks of her American citizenship so she could inherit from her parents. At the time, Swiss law didn’t allow women to inherit money—a powerful example of how financial discrimination crossed borders.

Edith also spoke about how World War II opened educational doors for women when men went to serve in the war, and how the invention of the birth control pill gave women new independence. The two also discussed the risks women took with illegal abortions before safe options were available, and how cultural milestones—like Loretta Lynn’s controversial 1970s song The Pill or the All in the Family episode where Edith Bunker was denied a bank loan without her husband’s signature—highlighted the struggle for financial equality.

About Edith Lynn Hornik-Beer

Edith Lynn Hornik-Beer is an accomplished journalist and author whose work has appeared in The Denver Post, The New York Times, and Elle Magazine. In 2017, she received the Matt Kramer Award for Excellence in Journalism and has appeared on numerous television and radio programs. She is also the author of five books. Edith studied at Simmons University—then a women’s college—where she took business courses, further fueling her passion for women’s education and financial empowerment.

🎙️ Tune in to this inspiring conversation as Betsy Wurzel speaks with Edith Lynn Hornik-Beer about how women are taking control of their lives and shaping their own futures: ❤ Click here to listen…

Closing Thoughts

Betsy described Edith as “full of history and wisdom,” and this conversation proved just that. By exploring Why Women Took Control of Their Finances, Betsy and Edith remind us that financial literacy and independence remain essential today.

👉 Betsy highly recommends Edith’s book, available in both Paperback and Kindle formats. 👉Click Here to Purchase

Discover more about Edith Lynn Hornik-Beer- https://essaysforthecuriousmind.com/