Welcome to 2026. If you've picked up this book, chances are you're tired of the old financial advice. You've heard the gurus tell you to cut up your credit cards, to stop buying lattes, and to live on a shoestring budget until you've saved a monumental pile of cash. For most of us, that advice feels punishing, unsustainable, and frankly, out of touch with the world we live in. It often leads to a cycle of intense restriction followed by burnout and guilt, leaving you no better off than when you started.