Girls nights and money talk? Why not? About 52% of women say they talk about money with friends, compared to 61% of men, according to U.S. Bank.

Why does this matter? The more women get comfortable talking about money - both their personal finances and talking money with employers, the better chance there is to reduce the gender pay gap and investment gap.

There are three money conversations I believe every woman should have:

Her salary.

Did you know that women make, on average, $.82 for every dollar a man makes? This contributes to what's called the gender pay gap. It's one of the reasons why Equal Pay Day was established, which is the date that women must work until to earn the salary a man was paid the calendar year prior. This year, it's March 24. The date is much later in the year for women of color. Adding to this, research shows only 60% of women negotiate their salaries, and when they do, they ask for less than men.

Investing & Saving.

Did you know that women are better investors than men? According to Wells Fargo and Ellevest research, they tend to get better average returns, even though they tend to have less 2/3 less saved (the wealth gap may be a bigger issue than the pay gap). Don’t believe the myth that men are just better with money, it's important for women to pay attention. Also, women tend to outlive men by 6-8 years, so they have to make their retirement dollars stretch longer.

Invisible workload of women.

Research shows women take on an average of two hours of unpaid activities at home, along with the emotional and psychological load of managing a family (if she has children). In addition, women also say they take on an unpaid load at the office, too, when they are “voluntold” for party planning, note taking, errand running, extra projects, etc.

Equal Pay Day is March 24, 2021. What money conversation needs to be had in your work/life to close the pay gap for yourself or women on your team?

Want even more statistics, details and tips? Watch the replays of my Women & Money series in my Career, Clarity & Confidence Facebook group!

You can also download a free guide, video and blog to help you prep for salary conversations here!