How do we balance lifestyle creep with still enjoying our money? With Tash Etschmann

Mm-hmm.

I wasn't earning a lot, but I had this, like, $10,000 equivalent in, in pounds debt, and I would wanna buy something from, like, Cotton On Body [laughs] or whatever, 'cause I was new to Australia.

I was like, "Wow."

Ooh.

And be like, "How is this gonna make a difference?" Because this big number that's a problem, and this is on sale for eight bucks.

I've never thought about it that way-

Hmm

... for people who've got debt like that.

Interesting.

Hmm.

'Cause I started, when I first started being interested in money, I was always saving.

I didn't have debt, so it was always fun, 'cause it felt like it was growing, but I never had that big looming thing of, like, what's the point, 'cause I felt like I was moving forward for so long.

Yeah.

Mark, I said I never thought about it that perspective.

But I feel like even if you haven't got debt, it's definitely very true for debt, but I think that for a lot of people, you know, we're looking at, like, the housing market or whatever, there's kind of this psychological debt where you feel like you want or you need to at some point have a house deposit, or you maybe don't have an emergency fund, and you're like, "I know I need three to six months expenses." It's like psychological debt that you've got to pay off by saving.

Yeah.

And you're like, "Well, how is this..." I keep looking at the camera.

Hello.

[laughs]

[laughs] Hello there.

Hi, everyone.

It's me.

Uh, this psychological debt to your future that you're like, "I really must start paying that off at some point."

Mm.

But then there's all these w- you know, needs have got so expensive and wants have got so cheap, we don't kind of realize how...