Joining us on the podcast is Jonathan Clements, former Wall Street Journal columnist, founder of HumbleDollar and author of From Here to Financial Happiness, How to Think About Money and several other books. Jonathan is a well-known name in the world of personal finance as he has been giving financial advice for more than 20 years. Today he talks about the role of stories in shaping people’s understanding of and relationship with money by sharing an anecdote from his own childhood. He discusses how his investment philosophy has changed in favour of index funds, why investing is much simpler than people tend to believe and then he gives us a glimpse into his own investment portfolio and the financial decisions he is making in his personal life. Jonathan also offers a balanced perspective on homeownership from an investment point of view, advises on the things worth spending money on and then we debate the age-old question of whether money can, in fact, make you happy. Key discussion points in this podcast episode: 02:0 Working as a financial journalist on Wall Street for more than 20 years. 02:28 How old family stories taught Jonathan to be thrifty and careful with money. 06:09 How his philosophy and the investment world has changed over the years. 07:39 The hardest part of investing is accepting how simple it is! 11:12 Why Jonathan tilts towards value in his own investment portfolio. 13:57 Considering the many sides to homeownership as an investment. 17:43 How his partial retirement has affected how he thinks about his portfolio. 19:58 What HumbleDollar is about and dealing with the human side of money. 24:17 Three things to do to get more happiness from your money. 30:46 What people should be talking more about in finance. Books From Today’s Episode: How to Think About Money - https://amzn.to/2XuHkxq From Here to Financial Happiness: Enrich Your Life in Just 77 Days - https://amzn.to/33wFBL3 Links From Today's Episode: Rational Reminder Website - https://rationalreminder.ca/podcast/55 You can find the Rational Reminder podcast on 🍏 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582?mt=2 🎤 Spotify Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/6RHWTH9iW7hdnA7eAg7ukO?si=hjZNfLKuSjSeWX38GPqhVA 🕵️‍♂️ Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9yYXRpb25hbHJlbWluZGVyLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz as well as on all major podcatchers You can follow Cameron Passmore and Ben Felix on Twitter: ➡️ https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore ➡️ https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix Check out Ben's YouTube channel. 📺 https://www.youtube.com/benfelixcsi Catch up on the latest in wealth management and investing insights from the Passmore-Felix Team at PWL Capital. https://www.pwlcapital.com/teams/passmore-felix/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=copy&utm_campaign=rr&utm_content=rrvideo The Rational Reminder is presented as an educational resource and should not be construed as individualized investment advice, nor as a recommendation to buy or sell specific securities. The funds and portfolios discussed are examples only and may not be appropriate for your individual circumstances.