We hardly ever talk openly about our money. Wendy De La Rosa thinks that’s a costly mistake. She is a behavioral scientist who helps people understand and rewire their relationship with money. A former researcher at The Wharton School and a private equity investor at Goldman Sachs, Wendy is now the co-founder of Common Cents Lab, which works to improve financial well-being for low- to moderate-income people. In this episode, Wendy shares actionable insights on how to prepare and invest in your financial future, explains why the emotional aspect of decision-making impacts how we spend or save, and breaks down why financial insecurity should not be a source of shame—and why the issue of wealth inequality cannot be solved merely by budgeting.

This is an episode of How to Be a Better Human, another podcast in the TED Audio Collective. For more episodes on how to be a little less terrible, follow the podcast wherever you're listening to this.