This week’s solo episode I pick back up with Morgan Housel’s The Art of Spending Money. As I read through it, the book continues to prove how much of our relationship with money is shaped by our upbringing and expectations. I discuss why contentment matters as much as income, why comparison is not only the thief of joy but can be poisonous, and how money buys freedom only when you stop letting others' opinions steer your choices.

I also dig into the bigger themes Housel raises around happiness, independence, and the quiet traps people fall into when they chase status instead of meaning. It’s a reminder that good money decisions start in your head long before they show up in your bank account.

Also this week’s biggest political and financial stories – from Venezuela tensions and US military moves to IQ data, poverty studies, S&P dominance, housing costs, global investing trends, consumer stats, America’s shifting cultural landscape, and much more.