What Would 'Your Money' Look Like In a Simple Sketch? | Carl Richards | 170

18 snips

Sep 28, 2025

Carl Richards, a CFP and visual artist known for his Sketch Guy column in The New York Times, delves into the emotional aspects of money. He reveals how we unintentionally structure our lives around finances, often sidelining health and relationships. Discussing the concept of 'enough,' he emphasizes it's about mindset, not a figure. The conversation explores how money can't fulfill our deeper needs like love or self-worth, and introduces his book, filled with sketches that foster meaningful discussions about finances and life.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Layaway Memory Shaped Scarcity

Bill Yount recalls the shame of clothes on layaway when his family missed a payment before school.
That memory etched scarcity feelings that still influence his relationship with money.

ANECDOTE

Childhood Moments Revealed Class Gaps

Carl Richards remembers feeling money stress in childhood as a force behind family arguments and visible material differences.
He recounts a friend's house and small incidents that revealed class divides to a teenager.

INSIGHT

Money's Natural State Is Flow

Money's natural state is flow; hoarding creates stagnation and tension in life.
Richards connects currency language (current, cash flow) to deeper wisdom about movement of resources.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Carl Richards is one of the leading voices when it comes to money and emotions. For over a decade, he was the creator of the Sketch Guy column in The New York Times, where his hand-drawn sketches made financial complexity surprisingly simple—and deeply emotional. He joins us to ask the question that instantly ties our brain in knots: 'What is money, really?' From there, he discusses:

Why we unknowingly organize life around money and work
Why 'enough' is a way of being (not a number)
How we keep handing money jobs it can't do—like self-worth, love, and happiness

Come for the doodles; leave with a gentler, saner way to align your calendar, your checkbook, and your life.

📩 Sign up for our newsletter (NEW!)

🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website

🔗Connect with us

☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee"

🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question

===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS===

🆕Big changes with student loans in the new budget bill that just passed. Get help from the experts at Student Loan Planner, all CFP®, CFA and CSLP® professionals. They charge a one-time fee for their thorough review. Our listeners receive $100 off a 1:1 consult using the link below. Flat fee is normally $595, but after your $100 off 'Catching Up to FI' discount, it's $495.

👉🏼 Be sure to use this link: studentloanplanner.com/catchingup

For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

🌐 BehaviorGap.com

📗 Your Money: Reimagining Wealth in Simple Sketches

📕 The Behavior Gap

📘 The One-Page Financial Plan

50 Fires Podcast

⏰ 'Catching Up to FI' Episodes

Enoughness: Your Life or Your Money | Vicki Robin | 95

Doña Quixote, Life Energy, and The Coming of Aging | Vicki Robin | 94

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating or review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you!

⚠️Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.