Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

254. Start Fresh: How Framing, Timing, and Talk Can Improve Your Finances

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Jan 6, 2026

Wendy De La Rosa, a professor at the Wharton School and co-founder of the Common Cents Lab, breaks down the importance of discussing money openly to enhance financial well-being. She introduces the Fresh Start Effect, emphasizing how timing cues like birthdays can boost motivation. Wendy explores how perceived wealth can shift with pay frequency, shares strategies for fostering financial conversations among loved ones, and highlights the crippling effects of financial shame. Discover how effective communication and framing can revolutionize your approach to finances.

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INSIGHT

Leverage Fresh-Start Timing

Fresh start moments (new year, birthday, season) spike motivation and can trigger real behavior change.
Wendy De La Rosa shows targeted cues (turning 64 to 65) increased clicks and engagement for SilverNest.

ANECDOTE

Age Cues Boost Engagement

Wendy tested age-framed Facebook ads for SilverNest to prompt older adults to consider housing changes.
Age cues like "you're 64 turning 65" increased click-throughs and website activity.

INSIGHT

Timing Alters Money Perception

Pay frequency shapes perceived wealth: more frequent paychecks make people feel richer and spend more.
Changing timing alone can undermine or improve financial well-being without changing income level.

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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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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
(24:35) - Conclusion

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