Scott Rick: Are You a Tightwad or a Spendthrift?

Our guest on the podcast today is Scott Rick. Scott is an associate professor of marketing at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. He is the author of a new book, Tightwads and Spendthrifts: Navigating the Money Minefield in Real Relationships. He received his Ph.D. in behavioral decision research from Carnegie Mellon in 2007, and he then spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow at Wharton. His research focuses on understanding the emotional causes and consequences of consumer financial decision-making, with a particular interest in the behavior of tightwads and spendthrifts. Background Bio Scottrick.com Tightwads and Spendthrifts: Navigating the Money Minefield in Real Relationships, by Scott Rick Couples, Spendthrifts, and Tightwads “A Penny Saved Is a Partner Earned: The Romantic Appeal of Savers,” by Jenny Olson and Scott Rick, papers.ssrn.com, Sept. 1, 2017. “Spendthrifts and Tightwads in Childhood: Feelings About Spending Predict Children’s Financial Decision Making,” by Craig E. Smith, Margaret Echelbarger, Susan A. Gelman, and Scott I. Rick, Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, December 2017. “‘You Spent How Much?’ Toward an Understanding of How Romantic Partners Respond to Each Other’s Financial Decisions,” by Jenny Olson and Scott Rick, sciencedirect.com, 2022. “Common Cents: Bank Account Structure and Couples’ Relationship Dynamics,” by Jenny Olson, Deborah Small, Scott Rick, and Eli Finkel, Journal of Consumer Research, December 2023. “Subjective Knowledge Differences Within Couples Predict Influence Over Shared Financial Decisions,” by Jenny Olson and Scott Rick, journals.uchicago.edu, October 2023. “How Much Do You Need to Know About How Your Spouse Spends Money? Maybe Less Than You Think,” by Scott Rick, theconversation.com, June 10, 2024. Gift-Giving “Why Gift-Giving Makes You Anxious,” by Scott Rick, Time.com, Dec. 19, 2023. “How to Be a Better Gift-Giver to a Partner,” by Scott Rick, psychologytoday.com, Feb. 22, 2024.