Last time you heard from us, we talked budgets—how to stop feeling trapped and build a budget that suits you. Today’s episode is a little different: an extra chapter to tell one guy’s story.

We return to Reagan White from Where’s My Money with a tale of brutal interest rates and a mortgage that suddenly feels way less manageable. Reagan shares how close he came to losing everything—and how budgeting became a life raft to get back to safety.

This is the fourth episode of the Wealth Kick, a limited series to change your perspective on money for the new year. Until the end of January, we’re serving up a little financial soul-searching, easy exercises you can use anywhere, and a few wacky stories.

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