Objective - To explore personal financial management practices, financial decision-making, and the gap between economic independence and financial capability among career women in Bengkulu City.

Methodology/Technique - A qualitative case study approach utilizing semi-structured interviews with 15 career women from government institutions, state-owned enterprises, and banking sectors. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis based on the Miles and Huberman interactive model.

Findings - The study identified five major themes: budgeting practices, consumption orientation, debt reliance, saving and investment behavior, and long-term financial planning. Many respondents demonstrated limited financial capability, characterized by weak budgeting discipline, consumption-oriented spending, inadequate savings, and limited retirement planning, revealing that economic independence does not automatically translate into effective financial management.

Novelty - The integration of Gender Role Theory and the Financial Capability Framework to explain how socio-cultural expectations and financial competence jointly shape the financial decision-making and sustainable well-being of career women.

Type of Paper - Empirical

Keywords: Career Women, Financial Capability, Financial Literacy, Financial Decision-Making, Personal Financial Management.

JEL Classification: G51, J16, D14

URI: https://gatrenterprise.com/GATRJournals/GJBSSR/vol14.2_2.html

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35609/gjbssr.2026.14.2(2)

Pages 59–67