Inside Out Money

We share our favorite financial apps, surprising life hacks, money mantras and quotes we live by, and life-changing purchases. Also discover the credit cards we use daily, our preferred High-Yield Savings Accounts (HYSAs) and index funds, and the one trick that finally helped us quit impulse spending. And in what you’ve come to expect from us, we discuss a million other things along the way. 

We dive into a common listener question: Can I afford a career break or sabbatical? Career breaks for family, travel, burnout, or realignment are becoming increasingly common, and we wholeheartedly support the idea. However, the financial and mental preparation required for taking time off extends far beyond just checking your savings account balance. We provide essential, step-by-step guidance on all the considerations to thoughtfully answer this question, including your emergency fund, medical insurance, rehireability, planning for the worst-case scenario, navigating debt, and more. Learn how to create a financial plan that ensures you enter your break from a position of financial strength and confidence.  

Stop scrolling and start appreciating. This episode is a powerful flip-the-script moment on consumer culture, exploring how a mindset of wanting what you already have is one of the most transformative financial tools you might be overlooking. It’s not about giving up everything; it’s about gaining perspective on the abundance already in your life—from a secure home to a full pantry. Discover how shifting your focus to gratitude can quiet the cycle of wanting more, reduce financial anxiety and debt, and even rewire your brain for greater happiness and contentment. You'll get actionable steps to embrace this mindset and free yourself from the never-ending treadmill of buying the next "thing".

We tackle one of the biggest mental roadblocks to wealth: the search for perfection that leads to over-optimization and analysis paralysis. If you’ve ever frozen up while trying to find the absolute best investment or budgeting tool, you're not alone. We break down the 80/20 rule of money, arguing that the simple, boring choices are the real secrets to financial progress, not chasing tiny advantages. Stop letting the fear of imperfection cost you years of compounding growth; simplicity is often better than perfection.

We are discussing Morgan Housel's new book, The Art of Spending Money, and exploring the psychological and practical challenges of how we spend money to maximize happiness and utility. We dive into the core concepts of the book, contrasting the typical financial focus on accumulation with the crucial art of mindful spending. We discuss how our individual life experiences deeply influence our money stories, leading to the insight that "all behavior makes sense with enough information." The discussion includes a debate on whether spending is driven by genuine utility or simply the desire to impress others, and the powerful role of managing expectations as a key to increasing contentment and wealth.