Episode Details
Back to EpisodesDoes It Make Sense? A Better Way to Make Spending Decisions
Description
A simple pause can change your financial life.
On this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens, I spoke with Karen Holland, founder of the nonprofit Gifting Sense and creator of the DIMS “Does It Make Sense?” Score Calculator.
We explore how slowing down leads to better decisions, why mindful friction improves spending, and how the DIMS framework helps you evaluate purchases with clarity. Karen shares how
to understand trade-offs, avoid common buying mistakes, and build habits that support long-term financial confidence for both adults and kids.
Key Takeaways
🔹 Pausing before a decision creates space for clearer thinking and better outcomes
🔹 Asking “Does it make sense?” leads to more intentional and aligned spending
🔹 Understanding full costs, including fees and ongoing expenses, improves decision quality
🔹 Buyer’s remorse often comes from acting quickly, overestimating use, and focusing on short-term excitement
🔹 Adding friction to spending decisions helps reduce impulse purchases and increase satisfaction
🔹 Teaching kids to slow down and evaluate choices builds lifelong financial confidence
🔹 Mindful spending supports both personal goals and broader impact, including sustainability
🧠 Tony’s Take: A pause is one of the most powerful financial tools we have. When you ask better questions before you spend, you make decisions you feel good about long after the moment passes. That’s how money becomes a tool for intention.
Connect with Karen Holland:
Resources:
Bio:
Karen Holland has been making learning about money immediately helpful to school-aged children for over 12 years through her early financial education Not-For-Profit GiftingSense.org, home of the DIMS - DOES IT MAKE SENSE?® SCORE Calculator (a free and safe online tool that introduces children to the habit of asking & answering simple questions about typical childhood purchases, before, anyone spends a dime) and Spending Ed (think Driver’s Ed for money!)
Karen worked for Canada’s largest bank before having a family that is now grown up. She has an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from Queen’s University at Kingston, Ontario and a Master’s Degree in Economic History from the University of Toronto. She is a Next Gen Personal Finance Distinguished Financial Educator and a MAIA Money Changer - a list of global citizens making money better for others.
Gifting Sense has been recognized at the Money Awareness & Inclusion Awards three years running, in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
In collaboration with The Money Awareness and Inclusion Awards (the MAIAs) which celebrate the increasingly important work being done to help people understand money better. Learn more: https://www.maiawards.org.
👉 Start Your Financial Readiness Plan: A free, practical plan that helps you create your in-case-of-emergency Financial First Aid Kit, organize what matters, and prepare before life happens. Start Your Free Financial Readiness Plan https://www.tonysteuer.com
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