Back in March (episode 507), we did a show about the "Sweet 16" worst money habits to see which was the worst for your wallet and budget. We decided to bring that episode back, but with 16 new "bad" money habits based on a World Cup-style seeding.

Group A: Everyday Leaks

• Subscription creep
• Food delivery apps
• Impulse buys ("just this once")
• Convenience store runs

Group B: Big Ticket Traps

• Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)
• Car payment stretching (72–84 month loans)
• Lifestyle creep after a raise
• "It's an investment" purchases (boat, timeshare, unused home gym)

Group C: Emotional Spending

• Revenge spending (stress/reward shopping)
• Retail therapy after a bad day
• Keeping up with social media lifestyles
• Guilt spending on kids/grandkids

Group D: The Excuses

• "I'll start Monday" mentality
• "It's just one swipe" thinking
• No budget or tracking at all
• Balance transfer as a permanent fix instead of a plan

Which money habit do you think will "win" (and by that, we mean which will be the worst? This is all in good fun; the goal isn't perfection — managing money is genuinely hard, and just noticing a pattern is real progress. Do you agree with our analysis?

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To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at [email protected] or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach

To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at [email protected] or visit www.YesnerLaw.com.