Laura Clery on the Cost of Infidelity, Addiction, Divorce— and Rebuilding

Comedian and creator Laura Clery built a media empire of 26 million followers, and then watched her marriage and her bank account collapse at the same time. Laura opens up about the financial wreckage of her divorce: how her ex-husband's relapse and addiction affected their financial lives, how she ended up paying two mortgages at once without fully understanding why, and the surreal moment she realized her water had been shut off. She walks Nicole through the costly mistake of choosing mediation over hiring a lawyer, why she couldn't afford the retainer when she finally needed one, and the moment her ex hacked her YouTube and Facebook accounts, deleting years of content and her entire livelihood in the process. Nicole and Laura also get into the bigger financial lessons: why Laura now insists every woman keep her own separate bank account, how watching her mother stay in a difficult marriage without financial independence shaped her own choices, and how she rebuilt. But first, Laura shares about the freak accident that almost killed her. Check out Nicole's financial literacy course ⁠The Money School⁠ Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole's company ⁠Private Wealth Collective⁠ Watch video clips from the pod on ⁠Money Rehab's Instagram⁠ and ⁠Nicole Lapin's Instagram⁠ Get What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Hotter If you or someone you know is struggling with the same issues Laura speaks of today, here are resources for addiction and domestic abuse Here's what Nicole covers with Laura: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 02:03 The Freak Refrigerator Accident 12:24 The Inside Job Conspiracy 14:35 Writing What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Hotter 16:12 Early Money Dynamics With Her Ex 18:31 Booking TV Commercials 21:52 Becoming Facebook's Biggest Comedy Star 23:45 Who Really Controlled the Money 25:01 The First Relapse and Years in Recovery 27:00 Catching the Infidelity 29:53 When It All Went Public 32:00 "You're Not a Victim, You're a Volunteer" 37:08 No Prenup and Two Mortgages 39:53 The Day Her Water Got Shut Off 42:27 Choosing Mediation Over a Lawyer 47:00 The Hack51:14 Post-Separation Abuse 54:47 Why She'll Never Live With a Man Again 58:37 Her Parents' Marriage and the Cost of Staying 1:01:01 Why Every Woman Needs Her Own Bank Account 1:01:51 "Mommy Has Money Again" 1:02:39 Money Fixes Money Problems, Not Everything Else 1:05:54 Reframing the Mental Block 1:09:41 Laura Clery's Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices