Hey Reader,

We're so excited for 2026!

We moved into an 80-year-old house about six months ago, and we're slowly taming the chaos around us. Our recording studio is (mostly) set up, and Lord willing, weekly videos are the new norm.

So let's get into it!

🎥 What's New

The Hidden Reason Your Budget Never Works
(And How To Fix It)

​

💲 Money Minute - From Nick

Most people have heard of Return On Investment (ROI).

But there’s another metric that matters just as much:
Return on Hassle (ROH).

If you've ever spent hours trying to save a few dollars, only to end up tired, annoyed, and barely ahead... that's a bad ROH.

Before making a money decision, don’t just ask, “Will this save me money?”
Go one step further and ask,

Some money strategies look smart on paper, but drain you in real life.

Think about these common money saving tactics:

• Chasing credit card rewards
• Moving banks for signup bonuses
• Always chasing the highest interest rate
• Overbuilt YNAB setups
• Fancy loan strategies
• Driving across town for cheaper gas
• DIY-ing services or projects that take forever (🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️ mine and Hanna's weakness)

Each one might save money. But often, the hassle outweighs the benefit.

And many of these also come with hidden costs.

Take buying a lawnmower.

You tell yourself you’re saving money by not paying for lawn care.
But now you have to store a lawnmower.
And maintain it.
And fix it.
And give up part of your weekend to use it.

Is that a good ROH for you?

Maybe it is.
Maybe it isn’t.

Everyone’s situation and values are different, which means everyone’s ROH will be different.

The same thing applies to life choices.

Living with parents after college can save money on rent. But if it hurts your focus or adds stress, the real cost may be higher than it looks.

Of course, not all hassle is bad.

Hanna and I choose to:

• Update our budget daily so we can make better decisions
• Drive old cars that break down more but save us thousands each year
• DIY house projects where we want so much personalization that hiring it out would cost a fortune

The goal isn’t to remove all hassle. The goal is to choose the right hassle.

So here’s the question to ask this week:

Is this task or decision giving me a good ROH?

If not, it might be time to let it go.

⚓︎ Craft Your Money Story - From Hanna

When the rest of the world seems to be soaring with motivation, I find myself uncharacteristically apathetic.

The lack of twinkling Christmas lights in our living room and the lull after the holiday excitement leaves me feeling a little like...

Thankfully, before I entered full-blown depressed frenchie mode, I picked up Ian Roberts' Creative Authenticity and read:

At first glance, this might not seem that encouraging. And it certainly doesn't seem related to your budget.

But you can replace "art practice" with just about anything...

• Nothing determines the success of your reading plan more than picking up a book.
• Nothing determines the success of your fitness routine more than daily movement.
• Nothing determines the success of your YouTube channel more than posting videos.
• Nothing determines the success of your budget more than looking at YNAB before you spend.

In Ian's words, we waste tons of energy on "speculation, worry and doubt without the relief of action." In my words, we overcomplicate things and paralyze ourselves before we get started.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by thoughts like:

• "What if I'm doing it wrong?"
• "What if I fall off track again?"
• "What if this proves what I already knew, that I'm just bad at... [working out, making art, publishing YouTube videos, staying off Instagram, studying, budgeting]...?"

Stop your spiral into the abyss of negative self-talk by remembering what Woody Allen said:

So if you've had a lackluster start to 2026, there's hope for you yet! It's not perfection that makes the difference; it's consistently showing up and putting in constructive effort (no matter how small) over a long period of time.

Take a moment this weekend to look at your goals for the coming year and identify what "showing up" looks like for each one.

Maybe it's reading your Bible while brushing your teeth in the morning, or working on a video script for 30 minutes every day (weekly videos are coming!!!), or reviewing your budget while sipping your evening tea.

Whatever it is, 2026 is the year to keep showing up.

Talk next week! 👋
Nick + Hanna