Personal Finance With Molly

Why does financial satisfaction feel so hard to reach—even when income rises, savings grow, and goals are met?

In this episode, we explore why humans are cognitively bad at recognizing sufficiency, and how modern money systems quietly exploit that weakness. Drawing from behavioral finance and psychology, this conversation challenges the growth-at-all-costs narrative without being anti-ambition.

“Enough” isn’t a number. It’s a design ...

Episode Summary

Most people don’t struggle with money because they’re bad at math. They struggle because they’re overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, or emotionally exhausted.

In this episode, we explore why emotional regulation—not discipline, motivation, or willpower—is the real foundation of financial success.

We unpack how people use money to manage emotions, why stress sabotages even the best financial plans, and how teaching coping s...

If motivation actually worked, most people wouldn’t still be stuck with money.

In this episode, we explore financial self-trust — the missing link between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Instead of relying on willpower, discipline, or “starting fresh,” this conversation takes a CBT-informed approach to rebuilding trust with yourself after financial mistakes.

This episode is for anyone who avoids their finances, second-guess...

Most people don’t make bad money decisions because they’re irresponsible — they make them because they’re thinking about money in distorted ways.

In this episode, we take a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) lens to personal finance and explore how maladaptive thought patterns quietly sabotage financial progress. Instead of focusing on budgeting rules or market psychology, we dig into the internal narratives that drive shame, avoida...

Episode Summary

Why do smart people still struggle with money? Because wealth isn’t about knowledge—it’s about behavior. In this episode, we explore wealth through a behavioral finance lens and explain why financial success is really a race between short-term impulses and long-term planning. Learn how cognitive biases sabotage financial goals, why willpower fails, and how to design systems that let planning win—without relying on mo...

Episode Description:
Most financial New Year’s resolutions fail—not because people are bad with money, but because they rely on willpower instead of behavior. In this episode, we break down how to reset your finances using behavioral finance principles, uncover the biases that sabotage financial goals, and design systems that make progress easier and more sustainable.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why traditional financial resets don’t...

Understanding behavioral finance doesn’t eliminate bias.

What actually protects you is systems.

Behavioral finance teaches us something humbling:

You will not outthink your emotions in the moment.

When urgency hits, your brain doesn’t ask for logic — it asks for relief.

So instead of relying on willpower, confidence, or discipline, this episode is about building anti-FOMO decision systems — structures that make good choices easier befor...

Fear of Missing Out — FOMO — doesn’t feel toxic when you’re in it.
It feels exciting. Urgent. Smart, even.

It whispers things like:
 “Everyone else is doing this.”
 “If you don’t act now, you’ll regret it.”
 “This is how people get ahead.”

And that’s why FOMO is so dangerous.

Today, we’re not talking about harmless curiosity or normal comparison. We’re talking about toxic FOMO — the behaviors that cross the line from ...

If I offered you two choices right now—
 Option A: You gain $100.
 Option B: You lose $100.

Which one grabs your attention more?

Most people say the loss.

Not because it’s logical.
 Not because it’s bigger.
 But because it hurts more.

And that reaction—right there—is not a flaw in your personality or a sign you’re “bad with money.” It’s something deeply human. It’s something behavioral finance calls loss aversion.

Today’...

Waiting for the “perfect moment” to start saving, investing, or budgeting is a trap that silently steals time, growth, and confidence. In this episode, we explore why ideal timing rarely exists, how procrastination disguised as preparation can cost you financially, and practical strategies to take immediate, consistent action.

You’ll learn how small, imperfect steps taken today compound into wealth, security, and peace of mind, and ...

Excuses feel safe, but they don’t pay bills. In this episode, we explore why excuses hold us back financially, how they distort spending and saving decisions, and how consistent action — even small steps — builds real financial freedom.

You’ll learn practical strategies to move past fear, hesitation, and procrastination, and replace excuses with habits that compound into wealth, confidence, and peace of mind.

What You’ll Learn:

• Wh...

Comparison silently sabotages your financial journey. In this episode, we explore why comparing your money, spending, and financial milestones to others kills joy and clouds judgment — and how shifting your focus to your own path can restore peace and clarity.

You’ll learn how to identify comparison triggers, align your choices with your values, and celebrate progress on your own terms — building habits that compound into confidence...

Setbacks aren’t failures — they’re lessons. In this episode, we explore how missed goals, unexpected expenses, and market dips can be your most valuable teachers.

You’ll learn how to shift your mindset from shame to curiosity, how to turn financial missteps into actionable insights, and how to build resilience that compounds alongside your money.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why setbacks are inevitable — and invaluable
• How behavioral traps m...

Your greatest appreciating asset isn’t your 401(k), your real estate, or your portfolio — it’s you.

In this episode, we explore what it really means to “invest in yourself” — not as a cliché, but as a core principle of financial growth. You’ll learn why personal development compounds like interest, how to identify which investments in yourself bring real returns, and how to build your own “personal investment plan” that strengthens ...

Big wins don’t come from massive leaps — they come from tiny, consistent steps that add up over time. In this episode, we explore the quiet power of compounding — not just in your money, but in your mindset.

You’ll learn why small steps stick when big goals don’t, how to use the “Start Small, Stay Steady, Stack Wins” method to build financial momentum, and how to shift from feeling behind to building belief in your ability to grow.

T...

Today we’re diving into one of my favorite truths about both life and money:

👉 Consistency turns average into unstoppable.

Now, I know that might sound like one of those Instagram motivational quotes — but stick with me, because we’re going deeper than inspiration today. We’re going to break down why consistency is the secret ingredient behind every lasting financial success story — and how you can use it to build real wealth, no ma...

Today we’re talking about one of the hardest, most misunderstood truths in personal finance — and in life:

Discipline beats motivation.

Because let’s be honest — we all love the feeling of being motivated.
 Motivation feels exciting, inspiring, full of potential.
 But motivation fades.

It’s an emotion — and emotions are fleeting.

Discipline, on the other hand, is what carries you through when motivation runs out.

And in the worl...

Today we’re talking about something we all know intellectually but struggle to live out emotionally:

Failure is data, not defeat.

Now, I know that sounds like a motivational poster, but stay with me — because when it comes to money, this truth can completely transform your financial journey.

If you’ve ever made a financial mistake — maybe maxed out a credit card, made a bad investment, spent impulsively, or just felt like you should b...

Today we’re diving into a powerful idea — one that has more to do with mindset than math:
 Gratitude turns a little into enough.

It sounds simple, even cliché at first. But if you’ve ever felt that quiet frustration of “I should be further along by now,” or if you’ve ever looked at your bank account and felt that tightness in your chest — today’s episode is for you.

Because the antidote to that feeling isn’t always more money — i...