Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTThomas KentWed, July 15, 2026 at 5:35 PM GMT+2 9 min readCaleb Hammer/ YouTubeMoneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.A young California couple, Emma and Brian, appeared on Caleb Hammer's Financial Audit podcast and admitted something that may be shocking to most viewers."I'm going to be honest with you, I don't look at the account unless it bounces," Emma said during the episode (1).Must ReadEmma and her fiancé Brian live on the same property as her ex-husband, share financial responsibilities across households and are raising four children — all while struggling with mounting debt. This complex family situation masks a simple truth, their expenses are untracked and out of control.Brian admitted his spending habits haven't helped."A lot of the times I just won't care … I'll go out to eat every day when I'm at work and I'll order on Amazon all the time," he said.That combination, financial blind spots and impulse spending, has left the couple drowning in debt while raising four children."There is no organization"Brian admitted that he rarely checks the accounts."I just don't look at the bank account," he told Hammer. "I just want to spend the money even though I can't."Emma said the situation isn't much better on her side, "There is no organization, I'll be honest."Financial avoidance is extremely common among couples dealing with stress or debt. Brian and Emma aren't alone on this strong — almost half (46%) of Gen Z adults avoid checking their bank account balances, according to a U.S. Bank survey (2). Meanwhile, a Capital One survey (3) found that 52% of Americans have trouble controlling their concerns over cash. Money matters also led to relationship strain among one-in-four respondents, although this could include family members — not just couples.Ultimately, neither Brian not Emma took ownership of the numbers, small spending habits quietly spiralled into major financial problems for the couple.And while they're certainly not alone in their financial predicament, small tweaks to mindset and approach could have kept them out of trouble — and can even now help them set their finances straight.Terms and Privacy PolicyEU DSA contactPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info