Matt Watson | Source | CEO and Co-founder at Origin Financial
Matt Watson
Matt is the Co-founder and CEO at Origin where he is working to solve employees’ number one source of stress: money. Prior to Origin, Matt was a founder at Indio Technologies, a software platform for commercial insurance which was acquired by Applied Systems in 2019. Matt started his career in Citigroup’s investment bank trading high yield credit in the power and mining industries. He is an alumnus of Johns Hopkins University.
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Origin (https://origin-digital.com/)
CEO -
Origin Financial
CEO and Co-founder
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Gender Gap In Employee Financial Wellness Goes Far Beyond The Paycheck, According To New Origin Research
It’s already been widely reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted women’s employment more than men, and new research shows that their overall financial well-being is also lagging behind
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Holiday Spending Alert: Are Americans Overspending on Gifts?
Matt highlights that many Americans live paycheck to paycheck, risking debt by spending $470 on gifts. "Consumers often overspend during the holidays," he notes. To avoid this, Matt suggests budgeting, planning, and avoiding last-minute shopping. Use tools like Origin to manage finances, and remember to account for all costs, including taxes and shipping, to stay within budget. -
Balancing Freedom and Structure: Budgeting vs. Intuitive Spending
Matt suggests that while traditional budgeting can feel restrictive, it offers accountability and data-driven insights. He advocates for flexible approaches like values-based spending and the 50-30-20 rule. These methods provide structure without rigidity, helping individuals achieve financial goals while maintaining freedom in spending. -
Budgeting Hack: Spend Only One Day a Week
Matt suggests that spending only one day a week can curb mindless expenses but requires discipline. He advises setting a weekly spending limit, considering essentials like groceries and dining. Creating a list of needs versus wants can help manage expenses and ensure savings. This approach can be effective if parameters are set to avoid luxury splurges.
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Origin believes every person deserves financial literacy and well-being, regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation, and this data reinforces that expanding access to financial advice can directly improve financial confidence and help shrink these wealth gaps. By offering financial planning services as part of their benefits package, employers have a unique opportunity to not only differentiate themselves from other companies in a hot talent market, but to also do their part to mitigate the gender wealth gap, retirement crisis and overall financial stress within their teams, playing a vital role in reshaping the financial future for Americans.
