Why do smart people make dumb money decisions? Certified Financial Planner and financial journalist Hanna Horvath joins Chris on this episode of The Extreme Personal Finance Show to dive deep into the psychology behind our money behavior.

From childhood money beliefs to doom spending and Gen Z’s financial nihilism, Hanna breaks down how our unconscious money scripts shape everything—from how we budget to why we avoid checking our bank account.

Learn how to identify your earliest money memories, rewrite harmful scripts, and build a spending plan based on your values—not someone else's version of success. Whether you’re Gen X, Millennial, or Gen Z, this episode will help you make peace with your financial story and start building the life you actually want.

Topics Covered:

• What are money scripts and how do they form?
• How childhood experiences affect adult financial behavior
• Gen Z's belief that they'll never retire—and why it matters
• Doom spending, money anxiety, and scarcity mindsets
• How to align spending with personal values
• Breaking free from avoidance and shame around money
• Building guardrails and setting realistic goals

Contact Chris:

https://heavymetal.money

https://www.facebook.com/MoneyHeavyMetal

https://x.com/MoneyHeavyMetal

https://www.instagram.com/chrisluger

https://www.tiktok.com/@heavymetalmoney

email: chris at heavymetal.money

Connect with Hanna

https://www.hannahorvath.com
Hanna’s Newsletter on Substack

https://yourbrainonmoney.substack.com

Hann’s Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/yourbrain_onmoney

Resources and Links:

Do you Need to Make a $500k Salary To Be Successful?

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/extreme-personal-finance-show/id1537001709?i=1000678659319