Does Money Buy Happiness?

Here's something nobody tells you: knowing how to make money is easy compared to knowing how to spend it well.

Morgan Housel, bestselling author and one of the sharpest minds in personal finance, is back in the basement with Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, and Neighbor Doug to tackle the question most financial advice completely ignores: why do we spend the way we do, and how can we get better at it?

This isn't about budgeting apps or cutting lattes. It's about understanding the psychology underneath every swipe of your card. Morgan shares stories from his early days working valet for the ultra-wealthy—the spending patterns he observed, the misery he witnessed, and the lessons that changed how he thinks about money forever. Turns out, having more money doesn't automatically make you better at spending it. In fact, it often makes you worse.

The conversation digs into what actually creates happiness (spoiler: it's not more stuff), why contentment matters more than your net worth, and how true financial independence isn't about the size of your portfolio—it's about the freedom to make choices that align with your actual values. Morgan also breaks down what Warren Buffett's retirement announcement reveals about staying grounded while building wealth, and why comedians might understand money better than most economists.

Plus: Doug takes a trivia detour to a surprisingly risqué national park (because of course), and the crew wraps with binge-worthy recommendations for your next couch night.

If you're tired of chasing more and ready to figure out what enough actually looks like, this episode is required listening.

What You'll Walk Away With:

• Why spending money well is a psychological skill, not a math problem—and how to develop it

• What Morgan learned about wealth and misery from parking cars for millionaires in their driveways

• The hidden drivers behind your financial decisions (and how to spot them before they derail you)

• Why contentment—not consumption—is the real key to long-term happiness

• What true financial independence actually means (hint: it's not a number in your bank account)

• How Warren Buffett's approach to retirement reveals timeless principles about money and legacy

• Simple guiding principles to help you spend smarter and live calmer

This Episode Is For You If:

• You've hit financial goals but still don't feel satisfied

• You're tired of spending money on things that don't actually make you happier

• You want to understand why you make the money decisions you do (even the questionable ones)

• You're curious what actually separates people who enjoy their money from people who just have it

• You believe there's more to financial success than just accumulating more

Before You Hit Play, Think About This:

What's one purchase you made that brought way more joy than its price tag would suggest—and can you figure out why? That's the kind of spending Morgan's talking about. Drop your answer in the comments—the basement wants to hear what actually brought you happiness.

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/the-art-of-spending-money-with-morgan-housel-1769/

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