About this episode

Shannon Lee Simmons discusses the emotional aspects of money and offers insights on financial planning and decision-making.

In this episode, we are joined by Shannon Lee Simmons—Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Investment Manager, bestselling author, and founder of the New School of Finance—for a wide-ranging conversation about the emotional side of money. Drawing on more than two decades of working directly with Canadians, Shannon explains why financial stress has become so pervasive, how social comparison shapes spending habits, and why a well-built financial plan can be one of the most powerful antidotes to money anxiety. We also explore decision-making during financial crises, the psychology of regret, why traditional budgeting often fails, and how couples navigate money differently—particularly in retirement. Shannon shares practical frameworks for aligning spending with personal values, avoiding emotional financial mistakes, and helping households make confident decisions through life's biggest transitions. Key Points From This Episode: (0:03:56) Why people worry about money—and why financial uncertainty often feels like uncertainty about life itself. (0:04:24) Why so many middle- and upper-income Canadians still feel broke despite earning good incomes. (0:05:18) The importance of having a…

People in this episode

Hosts: Benjamin Felix, Cameron Passmore, Dan Bortolotti

Guest: Shannon Lee Simmons

Topics covered

• emotional side of money
• financial stress
• social comparison
• financial planning
• money anxiety
• budgeting
• couples and money

Keywords

• financial stress
• social comparison
• budgeting
• money anxiety
• financial planning
• couples finance
• emotional spending

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New School of Finance

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