Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Caleb Hammer

Caleb Hammer is a personal finance YouTuber. Are we in a financial crisis or spending our way into one? Rising prices, growing debt, and shrinking savings are putting every generation under pressure. But what’s really to blame? A broken economy, bad money habits, or both? The answer could determine whether we’re headed for disaster, or still have time to turn things around. Expect to learn if it is actually harder to make and manage money than ever before, what the hidden costs of bankruptcy are that nobody wants to talk about, why Gen Z is in more debt than any other generation, if most financial problems are psychological in nature, if lifestyle inflation has become a bigger problem than inflation itself, what the biggest financial red flags are when dating and much more… - Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com - 0:00 Does Caleb Really Get Death Threats? 5:44 Does Gen Z Actually Have It Harder Financially? 18:03 The Hidden Costs of Bankruptcy 21:04 Why People Fall Into Debt 24:14 The Personality Traits Behind Financial Success 25:37 How Debt Impacts Your Identity 27:29 The Trap of Lifestyle Inflation 36:15 The Best Way to Handle Anxious Guests 39:23 Knowledge vs Discomfort: What Makes the Biggest Impact? 44:26 Why Behaviour Is the Real Fix for Money Problems 49:25 What Financial Milestone Makes People Happiest? 52:14 UK vs US: Who’s Better Off Financially? 01:07:37 What Real Financial Education Should Look Like 01:16:39 The Dangerous Consequences of the Gender Wars 01:21:32 The Economic Risks of a Declining Population 01:26:38 Should a Trillionaire Exist? 01:31:37 The Biggest Financial Red Flags in Dating 01:34:19 How Money Problems End Relationships 01:36:53 How Mental Health Shapes Spending Habits 01:40:19 The Dumb Purchases That Make People Broke 01:42:40 How Damaging is Financial Over-Optimisation? 01:44:56 Is Property Still a Smart Investment? 01:53:43 Is Raising Kids Cheaper Than You Think? 01:55:53 Where to Find Caleb - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

Chris WilliamsonhostCaleb Hammerguest

Jul 13, 20261h 56mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: July 13, 2026
Duration: 1h 56m
Channel: Modern Wisdom
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Caleb Hammer is a personal finance YouTuber. Are we in a financial crisis or spending our way into one? Rising prices, growing debt, and shrinking savings are putting every generation under pressure. But what’s really to blame? A broken economy, bad money habits, or both? The answer could determine whether we’re headed for disaster, or still have time to turn things around. Expect to learn if it is actually harder to make and manage money than ever before, what the hidden costs of bankruptcy are that nobody wants to talk about, why Gen Z is in more debt than any other generation, if most financial problems are psychological in nature, if lifestyle inflation has become a bigger problem than inflation itself, what the biggest financial red flags are when dating and much more… - Get 160+ lab tests for just $365 and save an extra $25 at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom Get ChatGPT to explore ideas, solve problems, and learn faster at ⁠https://chatgpt.com - 0:00 Does Caleb Really Get Death Threats? 5:44 Does Gen Z Actually Have It Harder Financially? 18:03 The Hidden Costs of Bankruptcy 21:04 Why People Fall Into Debt 24:14 The Personality Traits Behind Financial Success 25:37 How Debt Impacts Your Identity 27:29 The Trap of Lifestyle Inflation 36:15 The Best Way to Handle Anxious Guests 39:23 Knowledge vs Discomfort: What Makes the Biggest Impact? 44:26 Why Behaviour Is the Real Fix for Money Problems 49:25 What Financial Milestone Makes People Happiest? 52:14 UK vs US: Who’s Better Off Financially? 01:07:37 What Real Financial Education Should Look Like 01:16:39 The Dangerous Consequences of the Gender Wars 01:21:32 The Economic Risks of a Declining Population 01:26:38 Should a Trillionaire Exist? 01:31:37 The Biggest Financial Red Flags in Dating 01:34:19 How Money Problems End Relationships 01:36:53 How Mental Health Shapes Spending Habits 01:40:19 The Dumb Purchases That Make People Broke 01:42:40 How Damaging is Financial Over-Optimisation? 01:44:56 Is Property Still a Smart Investment? 01:53:43 Is Raising Kids Cheaper Than You Think? 01:55:53 Where to Find Caleb - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

SPEAKERS

Chris Williamson
host
Host of the Modern Wisdom podcast.
Caleb Hammer
guest
Personal finance YouTuber behind Financial Audit and creator of the DollarWise budgeting app.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Modern Wisdom, featuring Chris Williamson and Caleb Hammer, Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Caleb Hammer explores debt is behavioral: discipline, identity, culture, and compounding consequences explained Hammer argues most debt is driven less by emergencies and more by pre-emergency behavior—lack of budgeting, low discipline, and lifestyle inflation that leaves no buffer when problems hit.

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