Episode 124 – Money and Meaning with Daniel Crosby

What is money really for?

In this episode of the Financial Wellbeing Podcast, Chris Budd is joined once again by behavioural finance expert and author Daniel Crosby to explore the deeper relationship between money, happiness, and meaning.

Daniel’s latest book, The Soul of Wealth, moves beyond traditional behavioural finance to ask how money can support a life that feels fulfilling, connected, and purposeful. Together, Chris and Daniel discuss comparison, gratitude, social influence, the role of luck, and why understanding people’s stories matters just as much as understanding their finances.

This is a thoughtful and wide ranging conversation about using money well, not just managing it efficiently.

Welcomes & Introductions

Chris Budd – Founder of Ovation Finance, the Institute for Financial Wellbeing and author of the original Financial Wellbeing Books, you can view all three here

Fancy a chat with Tom Morris, Chartered and award winning Financial Planner at Ovation? Contact details here

What’s on Today’s Podcast?

Why behavioural finance has evolved to include happiness and meaning
The dangers of comparing yourself to others and how reference points affect satisfaction
The power of social influence on money habits
How simple gratitude practices can boost wellbeing
Making your future self feel more real to support better decisions
The role of luck and why acknowledging it can encourage generosity

Tight Ass Tommo

Lighthearted money saving tips, guaranteed to make you smile and think twice about your spending habits.

Interview with Daniel Crosby

The core conversation covers:

The emotional story behind financial decisions and why empathy matters
How money influences wellbeing beyond traditional financial outcomes
Why your environment and role models are powerful predictors of behaviour
Practical ways to build salience for your future goals
Insights from The Soul of Wealth that people can apply in their daily lives

Conclusions from the guys

Reflecting on the key themes from the interview:

Understanding money’s role in life requires looking beyond numbers
Compassion and curiosity help uncover underlying financial motivations
Small practices like gratitude and future visualisation can make a meaningful difference