What is the Fresh Start Effect

How to have more open conversations about money.

Talking about money is taboo for many people. But according to Wendy De La Rosa, financial well-being only starts when we break the silence around finance.

De La Rosa is a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a co-founder of the Common Cents Lab, an initiative aiming to increase financial well-being for low- to moderate-income people. For many, she says, shame keeps us silent about money. “Shame is paralyzing, and more than any other negative emotion, [it] leads us to ignore,” she says. But when it comes to financial well-being, ignoring our finances is the last thing we should do. Instead, De La Rosa advocates for open discussion. “Talk about finances,” she says. “How did you ask for a raise? What are you getting paid right now? These are important conversations that help everybody.”

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, De La Rosa and host Matt Abrahams explore how to have more open, productive conversations about finances. Whether you're a manager thinking about employee financial wellness or trying to broach a difficult topic with a partner or friend, De La Rosa offers practical strategies for breaking through the taboo around money.

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Episode Reference Links:

• Wendy De La Rosa
• Ep.104 How to Change: Building Better Habits and Behaviors (And Getting Out of Your Own Way)
• Ep.59 From Dreaming to Doing: How We Set and Achieve Goals  

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Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (02:58) - The Fresh Start Effect
• (05:21) - Pay Timing Shapes Behavior
• (06:37) - Productivity and Financial Stress
• (09:03) - Framing Financial Choices
• (11:36) - Understanding Financial Shame
• (14:06) - Rebuilding Your Financial Environment
• (15:31) - Giving Financial Advice With Care
• (18:03) - Normalizing Money Talk
• (19:07) - The Final Three Question
• (24:19) - Conclusion

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