How to Money · Friday, September 18, 2026
An Ally survey indicates that a significant majority of people (72%) experience guilt when spending money on enjoyable purchases. The hosts discuss this as a potential disconnect from current price realities, where people may still be mentally anchored to pre-inflation spending levels. They also suggest that individuals might feel this guilt because they haven't prioritized and cut back in other areas to afford these joyful expenses, often referred to as their 'craft beer equivalent.'
“Speaking of budgets, there's an ally survey that talked about how a lot of folks still feel just guilty when they spend money on things that bring them joy or, you know, just on fun things. Basically, 72% of folks feel guilty.”
“And I think some of it has to do with the fact that we're so locked into 2019 prices still, right? Like that wasn't that long ago. And how much have we seen prices increase since then, right? The amount of inflation that we've seen.”
“You have identified two or three of those things in your life, it makes it so much easier to say no to a bunch of other stuff. And most people haven't made that identification and there's something really powerful about it. And one of the side effects is that it assuages some of that guilt you tend to feel when for spending in ways that light you up.”