I sat down again with Cristian Mundy, a certified financial planner and senior wealth manager working with professional athletes and entertainers.

Cristian broke down how a first big paycheck isn't the finish line, it's the start of a whole new game, and how spending becomes permanent even when the income isn't.

We talked taxes nobody budgets for, why surrounding yourself with the wrong people can be more dangerous than signing a bad contract, and why athletic discipline doesn't automatically translate into financial discipline.

What's the first thing you'd do if a big check landed in your account tomorrow?

I almost bought a camera I didn’t need.

And the only thing that stopped me wasn’t discipline, budgeting, or some amazing financial habit.

It was friction.

After a recent filming trip to Napa Valley, I convinced myself I needed a new camera. I had the use case. I had the specs picked out. I had the business justification. I was ready to buy it.

Then the seller made it slightly harder for me to pay.

That tiny inconvenience gave me enough time to go home, look at the gear I already owned, and realize something:

I didn’t need the camera.

In this episode of Growing Money, I talk about why making spending TOO easy can work against us, how we turn wants into “needs,” and why intentionally adding friction back into your financial life might save you more money than relying on willpower.

I also share the simple 48–72 hour rule I’m trying to use before bigger purchases and the opportunity-cost question that completely changed how I looked at this one:

Would I rather have another camera… or a plane ticket that could actually help me grow my business?

Sometimes the smartest financial decision isn’t “never.”

It’s just: not now.

Let me know in the comments: What’s something you almost bought, or actually bought, because you convinced yourself you “needed” it?

I sat down with Adam Van Deusen from Kitces.com to talk about something we don't discuss enough in personal finance: what "enough" actually means for you.

We got into why so many people worry they'll never have enough to retire, even when they're doing the right things, and why comparing yourself to influencers or the next tax bracket is a losing game.

We talked about the arrival fallacy, why hitting your number doesn't automatically make you happy, and how to actually give yourself permission to spend money you worked hard to save. I loved his take on buying back your time instead of just buying more stuff.

What does "enough" actually look like for you right now?