Alive with Steve Burns The Emotionally Awkward Cost of Money with Reema Khrais
Nov 5, 2025
Reema Khrais, a seasoned journalist and host of Marketplace's This Is Uncomfortable, dives into the complex emotions tied to money. She and Steve discuss how feelings of shame and scarcity often overshadow financial decisions. Reema sheds light on common money scripts, the impact of upbringing on financial beliefs, and the emotional literacy that can reshape our relationship with money. They also explore the challenges millennials face regarding wealth and the importance of openly discussing finances with friends to alleviate shame.
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Money Is Emotionally Loaded
- Money carries emotional meaning beyond dollars and cents, acting as safety, belonging, and dignity.
- Reema Khrais emphasizes money is rarely neutral because people assign deep personal value to it.
Silence About Money Fueled Avoidance
- Reema describes growing up with immigrant, frugal parents who kept finances private and reassured her they were okay.
- That silence created anxiety and a lifelong tendency to avoid looking at her own numbers.
Four Common Money Scripts
- Financial therapists categorize common money scripts: avoidance, worship, status, and vigilance.
- These scripts explain behaviors like ignoring statements, equating money with happiness, or private anxious saving.
