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What We Bought That Made Life Better: Using Money as a Tool for Happiness

Episode 34 · 28 July 2025 · 34 min

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Show notes

Purchases That Improve Your Life: Using Money as a Tool for Happiness

Which purchases actually improve your life? Randy Lorensen, Dr. John Oberg and Anthony Marino share the things they've bought that made life better, and why money works best as a tool for time, health and experiences.

The hosts start with a warning: it's easy to spend a career earning money and never enjoy the fruit of that labor. They talk about doing things while you're healthy enough to do them, trading money for time later in a career, and asking which purchases were actually memorable and made life better.

Then come the lists: paying someone else to handle the chores, travel, skipping the airport security lines, family watches that mark milestones, a gym membership, and being there for family. After the break, they read what listeners shared on social media, from a pair of boots that fit like a glove to purchases that help you comfort other people.

They close on gratitude: not everyone can make these choices, and the point is to spend on what matters to you.

Things to Buy That Improve Your Life, and Why Money Is a Tool

What you'll discover:

  • Why it's easy to earn money and never enjoy it
  • Buying back time: chores, travel and skipping security lines
  • Doing things while you're healthy enough to do them
  • Purchases with meaning, like family watches and time with family
  • What listeners said were their best purchases
  • Keeping perspective: not everyone has these choices

Timestamps

  • [00:00] Welcome: money as a tool for happiness
  • [01:44] Not enjoying the fruit of your labor
  • [03:27] Do things while you're healthy enough
  • [05:11] Trading money for time
  • [06:54] Which purchases are memorable?
  • [08:36] Paying someone else to do the chores
  • [10:19] Travel, streaming and the hosts' lists
  • [12:03] You've earned it
  • [13:47] Skipping the security lines
  • [15:29] Family watches
  • [17:11] Being there for family
  • [20:44] A gym membership
  • [22:27] What listeners said on social media
  • [24:09] The boots that fit like a glove
  • [25:54] Purchases that help you comfort others
  • [27:37] Trips and experiences
  • [29:21] Not everyone has that
  • [31:03] A recent guest's answer
  • [32:47] Final picks and wrap-up

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About the hosts

This is a hosts-only episode with no guest: Randy Lorensen, Dr. John Oberg and Anthony Marino. (Host bios are on the host pages linked below.)

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Related episodes

Meet the hosts: Randy Lorensen · Dr. John Oberg · Anthony Marino

Transcript

A full transcript is below. It was generated automatically from the episode audio, so expect some spelling errors in names and terms.

[00:01] welcome to today's episode. This is another one on money. And this one's going to be a little more fun. We're going to talk about how to use money as a tool and specifically what have you spent money on that's actually improved your life. And you're going to hear from us, but we also get a whole bunch of listener feedback and I think you'll really enjoy this episode. Tales of Abundance. This is a a part two on a conversation about money that we started and I think this is a fun episode. We're going to talk about more of the fun part of money and, you know, we talked a little bit last episode about, you know, almost problems and why people think poorly about money. And today we're going to talk about how to use money as a tool, uh, spending it for happiness. And in particular, one of the questions we're going to answer is what have you bought that you found improved your life? All right. So if if if that's of interest to you, buckle up cuz uh we're going to we're going to jump into it. So if it's not, punt now. Yeah. Click click to click to the next episode. Need five stars in the in the process, though, right? Yeah. All right, John, you Yes, definitely give us five stars. Tell your friends, et summary of that? Yeah, I mean, look, I I I was at a place early in my career where I read about like save 10 10 20% of your income, whatever, and dollar cost averaging, all this stuff. And and so the the die with zero concept is like look, there's different ways to save in different seasons of your career, but don't save so much money that you leave a whole bunch of money behind that you haven't actually enjoyed the fruit of that labor because, you know, if you die with zero, then you've perfectly optimized your work to the enjoyment of your work. That that's the short short version. And I think I think it's a really interesting concept. I I I like a lot of what's in the book. I don't like everything in the book for me personally. Um but I think it's well done. It's a good book and I think it really puts a lot of thought around like how hard do I want to work and then how do I make sure that you know the fruit of that labor the money can I can actually spend during my lifetime. Um I still have fears myself about dying with zero because I don't want to outlive my money. Like that does worry me. But I think this becomes harder in today's world. I mean, I have a I have a belief that medical technology is growing so fast that we have a chance a a real opportunity to live a long long time.

[02:32] And does it I mean, yeah, I mean, I I work in that space and I would say that I don't um I think we're definitely investing and we're trying to go find those things. I don't see anything around the corner that's going to um get us there yet, but I I have hope that there is. Like I'm I'm certainly in the camp of I'd like to live to be, you know, 120 or, you know, but not just lifespan, health span. Like I I want to be healthy and I'm I'm doing things now to, you know, I work out regularly and all that stuff to with an eye toward that type of lifespan. Okay. I mean, any other big takeaways or summary of the book? I mean, what what else? You the real big ones, I mean, read the book. It's it's good. But I I would say the real thing is like just be thoughtful about not working so hard that you are working for money that you'll never get to spend, you know. And then a couple other things like when you're really young, like there's no need to save 10% of your income when you're making nothing because there's things you can only do in different decades of your life. And so like do the things you can do when you're healthy enough to do them. Like you're not going to uh you know backpack around Europe when you're 120, right? You want to do those things when you're younger. Well, I am cuz I'm going to live to be much older and be much very healthy at 120. And I saw some 85year-olds backpacking in Europe when I was there a few years ago that like literally ran circles around me, which pissed me off. They were in super great shape. But it does talk about like there's different things you can enjoy at different decades of your life. And so like there's some places in the world that I want to visit now that I don't want to wait 30 or 40 years to visit.

[03:59] Great Barrier Reef is changing and so I want to go visit that before it changes more. And you if I'm going to get to Antarctica, I want to do that relatively soon. And so like there's just it really made me think about like what do I want to do during the different decades of my life. Yeah. And last episode we talked about how everybody's goals are different. So everybody can go back listen to that and pick the path that's right for them. But on this episode we're going to talk about money as a tool. Yeah. Right. And and how does how does it create happiness or good or abund you know abundance? This is tales of abundance. Why settle for less? So how do we use money to create abundance in the world? Um, so quick answer to that and then we're going to go into things we've purchased, but what what is your quick answer to that? How do we use it as a tool? I I mean, I think that early in your career, you trade your time for money and then some people later in their career get to a place where they can trade their money for time. And I think that to me is the easiest way that I teach my family to think about it. But I think that you can't just trade, you know, money for time. In my family at least, we don't have that kind of money. But, uh, unless you're, you know, trust fund type family, I don't think that's possible.

[05:07] So, I teach my kids like you do trade your time for money early in your career and then if you're fortunate later in your career, you get to trade your trade your money for time. Okay. Love that. Anthony, what would you add to that? It's um the I guess it it's about things early. You know, the he who d he who dies with the most toys wins. you know, it's kind of the way we we we approach things and that's not something that you should really be focused on as it turns out because it that really doesn't matter. It doesn't bring you happiness. The things don't, right? So, I just, you know, I've I've evolved. I guess I'm preaching a little bit, but I have evolved away from that and now it's more about experiences. So, okay. Um, but you've also used money as a tool. You know, right away when you said when when even when I asked the question, I think a little bit like investments, right? Like some of it using it as a tool and having money leverage is is using it as a tool. But in your case, well, all of us, but Anthony, you've talked about how you took money and took a shot when you bought the Pella franchise, right? And I mean, that's using as a tool. Y for sure. Yeah. And so I mean I think there's a lot of ways that people can use it and for some people it's charity.

[06:30] They want to go build wells in Africa or they you know whatever it happens to be. But let's let's jump into that. So what let's talk about how you've used it as a tool or what have you done where money has positively impacted your life? Like what what what have been good uses of money? By the way, the premise for this question is a lot of the things we buy, if you really think about it, think about what you spend per day, per week, per month, per year. How much of it is memorable and made your life better, right? And whatever it is, I think a lot of things we think, oh, I'm going to buy this cuz I need blank. And then it just becomes another we're not really happier because of it or better. So these would be the things that are exceptions to that rule cuz I think it's a small percentage of things we spend money on that actually make our lives better. So John, you want to start? Yeah. When I uh if you'd walked into my room as a teenager, you couldn't actually touch the carpet or the floor because all of my clothes and my crap and like you could walk over my stuff to get to my bed. Like I literally had and this was not a small room. It wasn't because the it was because I put I had, you know, crumpled up clean clothes on the floor. I was a disaster and a mess and I don't I don't love living like that. But that was how I lived. And it was it got to a point where it was my mom just shut the door. She's like I can't even like And so um when I as soon as I could, I hired a cleaning person for my home. And that wasn't the big win. The big win was when I learned that I could uh pay a tiny bit extra, 10 or $15 a week, and she would help me with the laundry and do the laundry, clean it, dry it, and then put it away while doing the cleaning. And it cost me a little extra, but I haven't I've done my own laundry a couple times since 2007.

[08:18] But, um, when I was dating my wife, I one of the early conversations was like, "Hey, look, just so we're clear, I don't do my own laundry, and that's not my way of asking you to do it. I'll have someone do it. But like if you have a problem with someone not doing their laundry and you're going to make judgments about that, you just need to know right up front, I haven't done laundry in more than a decade and I'm not going to now. Don't need you to do my laundry for me. Like that's not it. But like I'm not doing my own laundry. Like I just I'm not going to do it. And so that that's been one of the like and that's for me how I traded money for time. Um you know and and I I I recognize that there's probably some people listening that are going to judge me for that and I'm just okay with it. one of our one of our listener feedbacks we'll get to later addresses this. You'll you'll you'll enjoy this one. So, um Anthony, what you know, like I told you earlier, this was this was hard at first. Um but then it once once the once I got the first couple in place, uh that started to free flow. And it turns out that it's more about the m I spend money to create an environment I want to live in and have experiences that I want to have. That's where I'm spending the money. So, you know, we're leaving tomorrow to get together in Myrtle Beach for a family reunion with everyone who's left, the grandkids and the my my my sister and son brother-in-law and so on and so forth. I think it's 17 of us, some some number like that. We're going to we we rented a pirate ship, private pirate ship for the grandkids, you know, face paint them and shoot with water guns and walk the plank and stuff like that. An absurd amount of money, you know, for literally an hour and a half of pleasure, but it's going to be a hoot, right? And it's gonna it's it's not I mean it's an absurd amount of money in the in the sense of a one day event but it's not you know backbreaking. Traveling with my wife finally you know free to travel um direct TV and streaming services. Um that that's the end of the day, right?

[10:34] We we finally sit down. We had dinner. Oh, by the way, we only buy really good ingredients for our meals, right? You know, so I buy prime beef and we buy fresh caught fish and so on and so forth. Those are the kinds of things that, you know, are creating a lifestyle, a joyous day. You know, you look at the end of the day. I was mad last night. I wanted to see something on Hulu and I forgot that I canceled Hulu 3 months ago because I've never watched Hulu, but there there was one last night that I wanted to watch. So, I didn't buy it because I didn't see enough value in it. The other other couple of things, um, you know, we spent a bunch of money when we built the house on building an outdoor patio, you know, and for it's gorgeous for 11 months out of the year, other than when it's really really cold or really really absurdly hot, we're out there with a big TV and quiet. We may be reading, but we're together, you know? So it's creating a most of this is creating a sense of togetherness you know and then you know the smoker and all that stuff.

[11:39] So it's become whereas in the 40s it was about things as I said earlier now it's about creating a lifestyle and um man it feels good and it's these are inexpensive things you know these are I have no need to go buy another new car even though I could and whatever I'll just keep driving this thing until it wheels fall off it. I I think this is a good time to point out, by the way, that you've worked your tail off your entire life to be able to earn this, right? And if somebody's listening and they're 25 years old and they've got out of college and they're trying to pay off student loans and they have no idea how they can even afford to make ends meet, I I I would encourage you to think about these things and put them on a list of of reasons to work, reasons to use money as a tool so that you can have these things. Like I I would cuz I think there's I think there's unfortunately a lot of people in the country right now that that they're a little overwhelmed. Yeah. Right. And they're they're they don't know. Again, I've said this before. I look at my kids and I look at the price of housing and everything else and I think how in the hell are they going to afford to build a to buy a house? Right. Yeah. But I do want my son to buy a great mattress like like but you know I think about that. It's like eight hours a night, seven nights a week probably. Like I want them to have and it may not be the mattress that I have, right? Right. I've got a eight sleep fourpod ultra plus. It's amazing. But but I do want to have a nice mattress because eight hours a night like it's you're spending a third of your life there. So I think there's you just you find the places that really move the needle, right? Yeah. I mean a mattress is one of the things that's on my list, right? is that is my life got a little bit better when I bought a brand new mattress. And by I had a nice mattress and I didn't even realize it was crappy anymore because I just had it so long that it was no longer nice and a year or so ago I went and bought a new mattress.

[13:29] My life got a little better. Uh my list also includes travel and experience similar to to you Anthony and we'll hear that going forward. I put Global Entry on the list. So smart. I just went through not Global Entry. Yeah. So smart. Yeah. I mean, just being able to spend seconds to go through customs instead of hours or just, you know, skip skip those security lines. And I don't even fly that much anymore, but every time I do, I'm really grateful that I have that. Get your kids to get Global Entry cuz I have it, my wife has it, and my 14-year-old doesn't. Yes, that is true. Pro tip, make sure your kids have Global Entry. Yep. Anthony said smoker. I have a smoker on my list. uh an espresso machine and being able to make that just has made my morning a little, you know, a little bit better. Uh things I've had a bad back for years, so a standing desk, zero flat shoes. Now I've got a treadmill that I can walk on at the desk while I'm in meetings to get exercise instead of sitting. All those things. Uh a self-driving Tesla is absolutely a thing that made my life easier. like just this week I've been into town four straight days in a row and you know where I've gone the last three days it's almost an hour both ways and just I can sit there I can relax it's it's Do you have massaging seats in yours? No, but they're air conditioned. They're heated.

[14:46] They're I had my first ride in a massage seated car yesterday. I don't know that I'd buy that necessarily, but it was nice. Yeah. But it's just it's the stress that that takes out. Yeah. And makes that so like when I go home tonight, I can hit a button. It will drive me home. It it I don't know if my life's 1% better, 2% better, but it's better because of that. And uh the last thing I put, I know this will be shocking to everybody, but Bitcoin has created freedom, a future, just a more an exit from a system, a lot of different things, um is my list. So, I buy nice watches as well because they hold value and it's a way for me to commemorate major milestones in our family. And I've got my grandfather's watches from milestones and my grandmother's as well. I've got my dad's watches and then I have watches that commemorate major milestones for my family. So I have watches for my daughter and for my sons that I'll pass on for generations and they hold value. What's the common theme that you guys bring up and even here the the the short list that I have is that the spending is intentional. Yeah. Very intentional. If you're thinking and we talked in one of the one of the podcasts about thinking about the the domino effect when you make a decision and what's going to fall on the other side. Well, if you're spending that 25-year-old is spending the money going out to a bar or whatever, the domino that's going to fall is you're going to feel like crap in the morning and you're not going to advance. You're not going to be you haven't made your life easier, happier, or anything. So, be intentional and think about before I spend this money, what's going to make me happy? Maybe it's maybe it's I I am going to save 10% so I can get a good mattress. Um that's I think that's the difference between where I am now and where I was and most of us were at a younger age. I screwed something up around that though. I used to think why buy a concert ticket for a band because I can buy a CD for $15 and listen to it a thousand times and what I missed was the experience with my friends, right? And and so I'd say I love the bar example because it's like yeah, I don't you know that that's one side of it. The flip side is make sure you're doing things with your friends because like I almost don't care what the experience is. If my friends and family are there, I'm in. Like it can be it can be picking up trash on the green belt for free or it can be, you know, a first class vacation, whatever. But if if my I'm there with my friends and my family, it matters and I want to be there. And if I'm not, it probably doesn't matter and I don't want to be All right, let's uh so I asked a question on social media. Uh again, I would encourage you, this is another reason to follow us, whether it's, you know, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn. Uh just search for Tales of Abundance. And I asked listeners and this same question and I also sent a text out to some friends. So, we'll start this. Uh by the way, great exercise. I was so excited you did this.

[17:42] I saw the list and I was like, what a great idea. I love it. Love it. Love it. Love it. So Gary put new cars and trucks um because they're safer and reliable. He put Cutco um and actually he told me this personally. He goes, "I use Cutco every day for the last 35 years." For those of you who don't know, it's a set of knives. Um place where John and I cut our teeth many, many eons ago. Pun intended. There you go. Not pun intended, but there appreciated. Okay. Just appreciated. So, high quality appliances he put on his list. Uh sprinkler system with web access. Oh, smart fast computers with high memory and video cards, a covered patio add-on, dog trainer, handheld chainsaw, which by the way, he told me about and I bought one. I agree. It's pretty cool. Uh, and a lawn guy. You know what he didn't put on there? What? Really great cornhole bags. Gary, I hope you're listening, man, because I know you spent some cash on those and I know they're worth it. Yeah. So, any I mean, any takeaways from that list for you guys? No, I mean it again he's he's intentional in a different way. It's it's it's a it's about things um that he can rely on and that serve very specific purposes for him. So I I think in a lot of ways Anthony it's not that different from you. A lot of that like that deck they spend time on that deck and it's beautiful. I've been on it, right? And and it's things that make life easier and I think it ties into that. Um, all right. Our mutual friend, Dr. Chris, put AC in. Central Texas. That very, very, very Chrislike. So, I I think that one goes without saying. Uh, Hugh put similar, we've already talked about this, but him and his wife choose to spend on travel experiences, uh, you know, with them or with them and the kids. And, uh, Jerry, our again, all all three of us know Jerry, he put insurance. This was one I did not expect to see on the list, but he put insurance for peace of mind. Um, a Kindle for taking to the library and in his pocket anywhere he goes. Uh, a sauna and a cold plunge for mental health and recovery after workouts.

[19:58] Plus, they're great community hubs for our community as we have moved away from congregating around alcohol and instead workout and recovery then share some coffee together in the morning times. That's a long answer, but that's a really wellthoughtout answer. And I'll finish his and we can come back. I I just saw Jerry's cold plunge and sauna for the first time yesterday. I've been I've never been to his house before and it's gorgeous. And I told him I need a gate coat. He sent he sent me pictures. It looks amazing. It It looks pretty cool. Um and then Oh, I just lost my spot on the computer, but okay. Uh this was kind of funny. Did he know you're going to put this on the air? I I told him. Yeah. Okay. All right. All right. Okay. A gym a gym membership with good community and programming that pushes you to improve. I find it interesting that he didn't just say for that one for obvious reasons also like I but that's okay. Well, he added that's invaluable. And any great dining experience with good friends, it's worth its weight and gold.

[21:07] So, there's a lot to unpack there and I thought that was a really good answer. So, what do you guys what are your takeaways on that? Well, he's investing in himself. He's creating community. Um he's he's taking care of his children because that's where the insurance comes in. So, all of that creates a um a lifestyle that allows him to be settled, not disrupted. so that he can move so they can move about in his business um in a in a in a calm controlled way. He's not worried about his health. He's not worried about his kids. He's got friends and family around him. And so he's off to work for those eight or 10 hours a day and he can feel very very comfortable that when he comes home he's going to have a lot of good joy. Insurance is often overlooked. I think most, you know, financial planners, aside from the fact that they sell insurance, would tell you it's one of the most important things for a catastrophic event. So, I was I was glad to see that one even though I didn't have it on my list. Yeah, I would have I would have never thought about that one, by the way. So, that was very interesting. All right, let's take a break. When we come back, we will continue with this list and uh we'll subscribe or listeners, we'll see you after the break. Listeners, welcome back to Tales of Abundance. Why settle for less? uh before the break and now after the break, we are going to continue with an exercise where I went out on social media. Again, all the more reason to join the community and follow us wherever wherever you social media uh because we we'd like to get feedback and find out what people are thinking. And so we're going to continue with that exercise. I think it's kind of fun. So Brian, he uh said his home Oh, you missed Austin. Oh, I did miss Austin.

[22:48] We'll come back to Austin. Okay. All right. We skipped him. I don't We'll come back. God has a plan. So, all right. So, is home uh a country club membership for friendships, fun, and experiences. It's a great one. Okay. And tell me more. That's a great one. I anything that deals with friends, like I said before, like if if my friends are there, like I I really crave community and so I think that's uh I love that one. Okay, great. All right, let's go back to Austin. Austin has a great pair of boots. They can last for years. uh health tools, an aura ring, uh bike, an elliptical, and therapy. And then he also put vacations, experiences, and then under education, he put education and coaching. Everyone should be buying coaching. Yeah, there you go. John Adviser, you'll have it in the show notes. There you go. Uh he also put a home and he put luxury vehicles. I have a pair of Vasque hiking boots that I've had two pairs of and my wife it drives her nuts because I'll tell her they fit like a glove when I wear them. It's like walking. It's like wearing clouds. And I I just I think it's the pair that fits me like I've gone through several different but like when you find a good pair of hiking boots like that really fit well. Now I don't I think Austin probably had a different type of boot but like when I go walking in those things on hikes she she just she rolls her eyes out of her head like hey honey these boots like they fit like a glove.

[24:11] I know. Oh, so you get more dad jokes out of it as well. They do. Double Yeah. Double benefit. There we go. That's right. Yeah. All right. Um, past guest in episode 17, Jim Lynch. Um, for everybody that listened to the episode, lifelong bond trader, this will be shocking. What do you think he What do you think he answered? Bonds. No. No. What did he tell you? He was Bitcoin, of course. Yeah, he said bit. He said Bitcoin. And he gave me a very long answer. Um, but he he talked about how he's always struggled with how to how to use it for income and now he's talking about buying Micro Strategy stock, which is also a Bitcoin play. But, um, but anyway, he for him it was Bitcoin. Um, it's a great episode on like a bond trader, why they buy Bitcoin and and how he continues to be a bond trader buying Bitcoin. It's a great episode. Yeah. So, um, the next person I'm just going to call them Jazzy, uh, because she asked to I wish I would have got more answers from women and younger people here, but, uh, she did not want her name used, so I'm just going to call her Jazzy. And, uh, she said, "Recently, I've had a few rough months. What I spend money on was a housekeeper every 2 to 3 weeks, which has tremendously helped my mental well-being. It's sad, though. I've been judged critically about this. However, I don't care anymore what people think of my choice to choose to choose me. Very powerful. And then she also added, "Plant therapy probably spent too much, but it brings me joy." I love that. I do too. Yeah, that go ahead. Again, you know, the the list the list that people are coming up with all talk about how they're comforting themselves and being in that state of mind allows you to comfort other people. If you're stressed and you're, you know, you're you're bouncing off of walls, you're no you're no help to anybody. Um so, you know, these things are great. Yeah. All right.

[26:07] Justin, he's one of them that responded and then he responded and he responded like four times, but the first thing he sent was Tesla with full self-driving. Um, and by the way, I I got to tell you, every person I know that has a Tesla that they would add it to the list. So So Elon, if you're listening, we'll take the sponsorship. Let's go. Uh, an eight sleep bed. John, you mentioned that as well. Love it. Ultra. Another person with coaching. He put meal prep on here. Gym membership. He put travel and experiences, therapy, quality food, drinks, and nutrition slash his health. Love it. And and you want to add there? I think it's a great second or third person who mentioned therapy. I wonder what therap physical therapy, you know, mental health therapy. I would say whatever the person whatever that person needs, right? I was just curious. Kind of nosy. Just want to kind of know what they would Well, call them up and ask them. All right. Uh, this one is, I think, consistent with some others, but Lance says, "I pay others to do all the chores I used to do for a better quality life, lawnscaping, some meal prep, house cleaning or housekeeping, etc." I think we that we've kind of hit on that in in multiple ways. Um, Grady, this is a guy that is one of my dealers in the business. So, this one is a little, I guess, self-promotion. Um but his answer is the business has made it easier for me to spend time with my family and do the things we want. Uh like go to the lake and we are going to Germany in mid-occtober. So it's opened up travel opportunities. So for him it was investing time and energy in the business. Uh Lou I actually talked to Lou on the phone on the way here about something different and I asked him and his answer is a little different. It's pretty interesting. So they live on a lake and they have a they bought a jet ski and he says that jet ski got them through cob as as his kids were stuck in the house and they couldn't they weren't allowed to go see their friends and had a really hard time and he just he talked about how that jet ski really really helped their family get through co and you know he went on to some stuff he's like god he just but it also made him heartbroken kids that live like in New York City in an apartment that weren't weren't allowed and didn't have access to things like that. Yeah. Um so, uh that, you know, I thought that was a really interesting He also mentioned a really high quality coffee maker. And his last answer I love is probably as good of an answer as there is on here in a lot of ways. Um freedom.

[28:48] And he gave the example, his son is living in England, and they have the freedom that they can go see their son in England anytime they want to. That's great. anything you guys want to add or take away from I guess either of those I I skipped over so Grady or Lou? No, I think the the last one on freedom is kind of um ultimate goal, right? To be free and be free to do what you really want to do to bring joy in your life. But the first part of that, not everyone has that, right? Not every, you know, not everyone can even be free because of the constraints that society may put on them, their economic situation puts on them and so forth. So, yeah. Wow. That a good take, Anthony. Makes it makes me think about people that, you know, we talked last episode about America and America being the shining light and people coming here for opportunity, right? Like some people some people it's it's getting the money together so they can get out of their current circumstances and just get to a better place. Yeah. Right. And I had a conversation last night with a gentleman from Venezuela and he was an executive in Venezuela with a corner office with a great view. And because the money has collapsed and they've had hyperinflation, things have gotten so bad. But he had enough resources that he could at least get out. but he left his highpaying executive job in Venezuela, came to the US and now he is working as a furniture mover you know but but having enough money to get there and he's making more money moving furniture here in Austin, Texas than he made and drives an hour back and forth to work every day is better than he had as a corner office, you know. So again, we only talk about money on our lives, but you know, when it when it breaks like Venezuela where they've got, you know, serious hyperinflation, like that's but that's really using it as a tool. And you know, some people might say that's a step down, but he's very very grateful for that opportunity and what America has to offer. So great. All right, Vince Humphre, who is a recent guest, um, again, this probably won't shock you if you've listened to the episode. Um Vince said his USA football coaching certificate best $25 I've ever spent. Couldn't be truer. Like listen to that episode. It's that no shock there.

[31:23] Yeah. Um and Tony Dale, I actually saw this one right before the episode. It's long and I didn't have time. I'm I'm excited about this one. Again, previous guest talking about fixing the health care system. Tony Dale. Wow. Two things immediately come to mind. one, we allocate money to a week-long trip of their of their choice to each of our grandchildren as they hit 10 years old. The times with them that have come out of this has been priceless. Nine down and still two to go or maybe more if the kids have more kids. And number two, um we give large sums into various charitable things. One of the most fun over the years was to sell our most valuable possession at the time and give all of that to a project to bring quality education to kids in a very poor part of London. Results again, priceless. I hope this helps your conversation, Tony. Yeah, it's great. So, that's the last one. And uh again, I would encourage users I would love to get more user feedback for things like this in the future and involve more people, get more perspectives. Um, when I get I, you know, for me, I like experiences for sure, but I'm always on the look for lookout for like really high quality products and with marketing being as sophisticated as it is, I always love to hear about people's like real experiences with real products.

[32:43] Like that's how I learned about the um the eight sleep the sleep eight beds and and you know, the bed jet that you shared with me about and and you know, so I would say to the listeners like if you have a really high quality product, please do feel free to share that experience. We'll find links, put them put them in the show notes, and that it's it's nice to hear real stories of real products. Yeah. And and I hope my my big hope for this is if somebody's just starting out, you use this almost like an inspiration for your vision board. Yeah. And you use this as like motivation and to build fire and to create a plan to to to help add abundance to your life and and spread it moving forward. Any final takeaways from either of you? cherry on this side. I would just, you know, hammer on um two things. One, I think Tony Dale wins the award for spending money on the most valuable things. And you know, do so with intention. Be be cautious. It it is a finite resource. There's not it's not guaranteed to be there tomorrow, particularly under the situations that we're living in now. So, be intentional.

[33:57] create the life you want with the money that you spend. I can't I can't sum this thing up better than that. That's a wrap. So, listeners, uh, subscribe, download, give us a thumbs up, tell your friends. I've already told you 14 times to to follow us on social media. So, go do that, too. Uh, just look, we're come to the community. Help spread abundance in your life and those around you. Everybody, have a great day. All right. Thanks.