Simple Choices for a Richer Life
By Morgan Housel
The instant Sunday Times #1 bestseller and New York Times bestseller comes from the author of The Psychology of Money and Same as Ever. It offers lessons on harnessing the power of money to live a happier life.
At several points, the book also reflects on how giving employees a stake can shift mindsets around wealth, purpose and fulfilment.
Can money buy happiness?
Yes. Can spending it make you happier? Absolutely. Yet many people still struggle to unlock its full potential. They often spend on things that bring less joy than expected. In addition, they avoid investments that could genuinely improve their long-term well-being. This is another area where giving employees a stake becomes relevant, because shared value encourages more thoughtful financial behaviour.
In The Art of Spending Money, award-winning and global bestselling author Morgan Housel offers a practical approach to managing wealth. He focuses on finding deeper meaning and contentment.
Instead of relying on generic financial advice, Housel equips readers with psychological tools. These tools help them navigate their personal relationship with money and optimise for happiness. His reflections often parallel the philosophy behind giving employees a stake, which also emphasises purpose, security and long-term thinking.
Envy versus admiration
Readers will discover why people confuse envy with admiration. They will also learn how to align expectations with their income, and how to invest in future happiness while avoiding regret. In addition, Housel explores the dangers of social debt and introduces the radical idea that the fastest way to build wealth is by going slow.
The Art of Spending Money examines the complex emotions that surround money. These include envy, social aspiration, identity and insecurity. Traditional financial books often overlook these dimensions, but Housel places them at the centre. This mirrors the ethos of giving employees a stake, which recognises that money is as emotional as it is practical.
With these new insights, readers learn to avoid common spending traps and make smarter investing choices. They begin to use money to improve their quality of life, not merely accumulate it. In the same way, giving employees a stake reframes wealth as something that supports well-being rather than undermining it.
About the author
Morgan Housel is a partner at The Collaborative Fund and a former columnist at The Motley Fool and The Wall Street Journal. He won the Best in Business Award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers twice.
He also received the New York Times Sidney Award and became a two-time finalist for the Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism. Housel is the bestselling author of The Psychology of Money, Same As Ever, and The Art of Spending Money.
- PUBLISHER | Harriman House |
- ISBN | 9781804091890 |
- Recommended Retail Price | R360 |
- Classification | Finance, Investment |
