After Losing My Dad… This Is the Money Wisdom I Can’t Stop Thinking About

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So many of you have heard the story of my father before, whether it was here on the Money Ripples podcast or inside my book, The Work Optional Blueprint. 

But after my dad passed away just a few weeks ago, there’s one piece of advice he gave me about money that hasn’t stopped echoing in my head. And today, I felt compelled to share it with you.

My father was the definition of a penny-pinching saver. Raised after the Great Depression, he believed deeply in saving everything possible. He bought things on sale, avoided debt at all costs, and worked for decades with the belief that if he just saved enough, someday he’d finally be safe. But despite all that saving, his retirement was short, stressful, and financially constrained. And that’s where the real lesson comes in.

Years ago, during one of the hardest financial periods of my life during a divorce and intense financial stress my dad told me something completely unexpected. He said, “Chris, it’s just money. You can always make more of it.” Coming from someone who worried constantly about losing money, that advice surprised me. But it also freed me.

I reflect on what that advice truly means and how it reshaped my relationship with money. Money is not the goal. It’s not the prize. It’s a tool. It’s a medium of exchange that represents value. And when we treat it as something to hoard instead of something to steward, we often sacrifice our health, our time, and our joy in the process.

I walk you through the moment years ago when I sat across from my dad at his kitchen table as his financial advisor, realizing that despite decades of saving, he didn’t actually have enough money to retire comfortably. I explain how market downturns, inflation, and relying solely on traditional retirement strategies can quietly sabotage even the most disciplined savers.

But this episode isn’t about fear. It’s about perspective.

If you’re stressed about money right now whether it’s inflation, job uncertainty, rising costs, or feeling trapped in a system that isn’t working I want you to hear this clearly: money is something you can create. When you focus on serving others, solving problems, and delivering real value, money becomes a natural byproduct instead of a constant source of anxiety.

Saving alone isn’t freedom. Accumulating money without intention isn’t wealth. Real financial freedom comes from using money intentionally to create a life that’s actually worth living now, not someday.

This episode is deeply personal, but it’s also one of the most important conversations I’ve had on this show. If you’ve ever felt pressure, guilt, fear, or shame around money, this message is for you.