Everything's on fire, might as well get my nails done?

Everything's on fire, might as well get my nails done?

From This Is Uncomfortable by Marketplace

May 21, 2026 · 28 min

About this episode

The episode explores the concept of doomspending and its psychological implications with insights from experts.

Do you ever look at the world and think: everything is so uncertain, who knows if I’ll ever be able to retire … so I might as well get those concert tickets? Then you might be doomspending. Reema talks with The Financial Diet’s Chelsea Fagan and behavioral economist Judd Kessler about why we doomspend, and what we should do instead. Plus, producer Alice Wilder makes a confession. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And let us know what you think by emailing uncomfortable@marketplace.org or calling 347-RING-TIU. Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok ! And support This Is Uncomfortable with your donation today: https://bit.ly/mkp_tiu_pod

People in this episode

Host: Reema

Guests: Chelsea Fagan, Judd Kessler

Topics covered

  • doomspending
  • financial uncertainty
  • behavioral economics
  • personal finance
  • consumer behavior

Keywords

  • doomspending
  • financial uncertainty
  • concert tickets
  • behavioral economics
  • personal finance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Financial Diet, Marketplace

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