Introducing: What We Spend

Hey, everybody.

On We Can Do Hard Things, we have deeper discussions about why we are the way we are, what really matters to us, and the questions under the questions.

I have always been fascinated by our relationship with money, the power it has over us, what it shows about the way we grew up, our belief in abundance or scarcity, our fears, our values, how it's, just like almost everything else, a tool that helps to show us what we believe.

How sometimes we misuse that tool to get things it could never give us, acceptance, belonging, love,

and how we can use money to co-create the things we want to see in the world.

Personally, as a chronic saver, never thrower awayer, and thrifter, I am always fascinated by what I refuse to spend money on and what I decide to spend money on.

That's why I'm excited to share a preview of What We Spend, a new podcast that explores this uniquely personal but universally relatable topic.

In each episode, host Courtney Harrell takes one person as they document a full week of their lives and all the ways money has factored into it.

People from all over the country and all walks of life share the ways they make money, the ways they spend money, and all the thoughts and emotions they have along the way.

And don't we have so many emotions around the topic?

The conversations are intimate, intentional, and often help uncover what matters most and what doesn't within each person's unique set of circumstances.

As you listen to this preview, be sure to search for the full episode of what we spend on your favorite podcast platform.

How big is the like margin between what you make and your regular bills every month?

How much wiggle do you have?

Like no wiggle room?

Do you know how much money you spend in a week?

Like if you were to add it all up, the little treats, the cost of groceries these days, those unexpected car repairs, the new pair of shoes you really don't need, it adds up, right?

It adds up for everyone.

We just don't usually talk about it.

But imagine if we did.

Imagine if you could ask someone anything you wanted about their finances.

How much do you make?

Who paid for that fancy dinner you went to the other night?

What did your house actually cost?

How would you describe your relationship with money?

Consuming.

Oh.

I would describe it as all-consuming, yeah.

On every episode of the show, a different guest will open up their wallets, open up their lives, really, and tell us all about their finances.

For one week, they will tell us everything they spend their money on.

So I spent tonight $42.06,

which is crazy.

My son slammed like $6 worth of blueberries in five minutes.

Having a kid kid in general was just death by a thousand cuts.

So I paid $2,400 against my credit card bill.

I still have a bit of a balance going on with the rest of the bill.

I don't want to talk about it today, but maybe we'll get to it at some point.

This is a show about all the ways money comes into our lives and then leaves again, which of course we all have a lot of feelings about.

I am stressed about being 30 years old and only making 35,000.

I'm also stressed that I found love, but I cannot afford marriage or children.

What I need is a car.

What I want is to buy myself Mary J.

Blige tickets.

Because whatever you are buying or not buying or saving or spending, at the end of the day, money is always about more than your balance.

I'm the child of immigrants and I will do whatever it takes to take care of myself at all times.

At some point in my checking account, I had like $15,000 and I was like, damn.

Maybe I'll be a venture capitalist now.

I really want these things.

I want to own a house.

I want to have a child.

I'm Courtney Harrell.

But this morning I really wanted a coffee.

And this is What We Spend.

Listen to and follow What We Spend, an Odyssey original podcast, available now for free on the Odyssey app and wherever you get your podcasts.