Ah, the 50/30/20 budget. That lovely Pinterest-approved, TED-Talk-sounding formula where you spend 50% on “needs,” 30% on “wants,” and 20% on “savings.” Cute idea. Almost like unicorns, or trickle-down economics.

In this week’s episode, Max and Lisa give the 50/30/20 rule the roasting it deserves. Because in a world where rent eats 70% of your paycheck and Netflix just raised prices again, who the hell has 20% left for "emergencies" and "retirement"?

So grab your iced latte (budgeted under “wants,” obviously), and join us for a walk through this fantasyland of financial planning.

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.