Why do smart people make the same money mistakes?
You know what you're "supposed" to do with money.
Budget. Save. Invest.
But you keep avoiding your bank account, fighting with your partner about spending, self-sabotaging your savings goals, or feeling anxious every time you make a financial decision.
That's not a discipline problem. It's a psychology problem.
Hi, I’m Hanna.
I’m a Certified Financial Planner®, writer, and money psychology expert.
I’m a financial journalist, editor, and copywriter with over 10 years’ experience helping make complex financial topics engaging and easy to understand. My work has appeared in Bankrate, Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Business Insider, NBC News, USA Today, and more.
You can check out my articles here.
Work with organizations
I help companies design financial products, wellness programs, and messaging that work with human psychology — not against it.
Who I work with: Financial technology companies | Corporate HR teams | Universities | Nonprofits | Financial services firms
As a CFP® with content strategy expertise and deep behavioral psychology knowledge, I bring a unique angle to my work: I understand actual financial planning, how humans really make money decisions, and how to communicate complex concepts accessibly.
If you'd like to get in touch, say hello at hanna.horvath13@gmail.com.
Your money decisions are shaped by three forces
🧠 INTERNAL FORCES
Your money scripts, cognitive biases, and emotional patterns running on autopilot — beliefs you inherited but never chose.
👥 SOCIAL FORCES
Status signaling, comparison culture, and algorithmic manipulation designed to make you feel inadequate and spend more.
⚙️ STRUCTURAL FORCES
Financial systems engineered to exploit your psychology — from predatory product design to economic policies that make wealth-building nearly impossible.
Join the Your Brain on Money community
My newsletter explores the psychology behind our financial decisions. Every week, you'll get:
✓ One psychological insight about why you make the money decisions you make
✓ Practical frameworks you can use immediately to change patterns
✓ System analysis revealing how financial institutions exploit your psychology
✓ Cultural commentary on money trends and what they mean for you
✓ Real stories that make you feel less alone in your money struggles
No budgeting shame. No "stop buying lattes" advice. No one-size-fits-all prescriptions.
Just honest psychology about money — and tools to actually change your behavior.