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cover of episode Why Traditional Budgeting Fails and What’s Missing from Your Money Plan

Why Traditional Budgeting Fails and What’s Missing from Your Money Plan

2025/2/17
logo of podcast NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

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Jen Smith: 我和我的丈夫在结婚后决定偿还所有债务,并在两年内还清了7.8万美元的债务。我们遵循了传统的财务建议,即尽可能减少开支,努力赚钱,让自己精疲力尽,这样才能还清债务,解决所有问题。然而,我的问题并没有因此解决。我经历了债务偿还后的空虚感,因为我把所有的精力和时间都投入到这一个目标上,却不知道如何管理金钱。我原以为自己懂得理财,因为我完成了这件事,但我意识到我并没有真正掌握。为了弥补这一点,我没有反思自己的内心,找出这些感受的根源,而是决定追求财务独立,尽可能多地投资。后来,在我生第一个儿子前的七八周,我失业了,无法实现任何财务目标。那时我才开始思考,传统的理财建议与我的现实生活之间有什么区别。我喜欢花钱,但也不想破产,我想为未来储蓄。因此,我一直在探索传统理财建议和现实生活之间的平衡点。 Jill Sirianni: 我认为我们的财务状况远比传统个人理财建议所能揭示的更为复杂。我们常常想用数学的方式来处理财务问题,但实际上,我们的财务决策、消费方式以及对金钱的看法与我们个人的身份、成长经历和当前环境息息相关。我们常常把金钱看作是一个独立的实体,认为只要懂得使用电子表格就能管理好财务。但实际上,即使我有一个电子表格,我仍然无法做出我想要的决定,我仍然会冲动消费。或者,我可能在某些领域花钱,但我并不感到羞愧,但社会或其他人却告诉我我不应该这样做。我们真正想做的是认识到这些细微差别、我们的人性以及我们的动态性,并在我们理解和处理金钱的方式上创造更多的自由和灵活性,减少羞耻感。这不是关于应该或不应该,正确或错误,而是关于金钱的流动性和频谱。对于一个人来说,一个明智的决定可能对另一个人来说并不适用,因为他们的环境或生活阶段不同。因此,我们需要认识到你是一个完整的人,你的金钱决策也应该在这个背景下进行。我们如何帮助你培养消费的技能?我们不会责怪那些关注极端情况而忽略细微差别的声音,我们理解推销极端情况更容易,但现在是时候开始认识到这些细微差别,真正地去探索和拥抱它们,并为它们留出空间。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores the limitations of traditional budgeting and introduces values-based spending as a more effective alternative. It discusses the emotional aspects of finances, the importance of aligning spending with personal values, and strategies to overcome impulse buying and financial regrets.
  • Traditional budgeting often leads to a "debt hangover" and feelings of guilt.
  • Values-based spending aligns spending with personal values (faith, family, friends, fulfilling work).
  • Strategies to curb impulse spending include identifying spending patterns and doing a no-spend challenge.

Shownotes Transcript

Learn how values-based spending can help you curb impulse buys, avoid financial blindspots, and rethink your money habits

How can you stop impulse spending? How do you know if you’re making good financial choices? This episode explores mindful spending and financial habits that may be holding you back. Personal finance Nerd Kim Palmer kicks off the episode with a discussion on spending habits with guests Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni, hosts of the Frugal Friends podcast and authors of the new book, Buy What You Love Without Going Broke. They explore the pitfalls of extreme budgeting, how values-based spending leads to financial confidence, the importance of aligning spending with what truly matters, strategies to curb impulse purchases, and how to reframe financial mistakes without shame.

Then, hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola discuss financial blindspots with Jeremy, a listener who works as a talent agent in New York City. They dive into how to evaluate whether you're on track with savings, when to prioritize your time over income, and how to address financial gaps you might not be aware of. Jeremy shares his detailed approach to budgeting and saving while expressing uncertainty about whether he's missing something in his financial plan. They explore retirement savings options beyond a 401(k), the importance of disability insurance, estate planning considerations, and how to balance long-term financial security with enjoying money in the present.

Are you on track to save enough for retirement? Use NerdWallet’s retirement calculator to check your progress, see how much retirement income you'll have and estimate how much more you should save: https://www.nerdwallet.com/calculator/retirement-calculator

In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: impulse spending, financial blindspots, mindful spending, values-based spending, budgeting tips, budgeting strategies, spending guilt, financial regrets, smart money habits, how to stop emotional spending, personal finance mistakes, how to balance saving and spending, financial security, how to make a financial plan, retirement savings, estate planning, disability insurance, high-yield savings, robo-advisor investing, early retirement planning, how to save for retirement, and brokerage account alternatives.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]).

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