Making Money Conversations More Accessible

In Episode 36 of The Exponential Show, host Mayank Singh sat down with Sarah Megginson during Money20/20 Asia in Bangkok for a conversation on personal finance, media, communication, and how to make money conversations more approachable.

Sarah is a personal finance expert, author of How to Raise Rich Kids, media spokesperson, and former senior editor across leading Australian finance publications. With over 20 years of experience across property, finance journalism, and consumer money education, she brings a practical and human lens to the way people think, talk, and learn about money.

The episode also included a special thank you to Money20/20 Asia for having Exponential as one of the media representatives during the event, and to Midas PR for making the conversation happen and supporting the show behind the scenes.

From journalism to personal finance education

Sarah’s journey into finance communication began with a simple love for writing.

Her first role was in women’s magazines, where she wrote on lifestyle and social issues. But while the work was enjoyable, it did not fully satisfy her curiosity. Around the same time, she bought her first property at the age of 21 and became increasingly interested in investing, personal finance, and how money decisions shape people’s lives.

That interest led her into property and investment journalism, eventually setting the direction for the rest of her career. Over the years, she moved from writing to editing finance publications, and later into her role at Finder, a global financial comparison platform.

At Finder, Sarah works on helping people understand their options, compare financial products, and make more informed decisions. A large part of that mission comes down to one simple idea: people should not pay more than they need to for the essentials in their life.

Whether it is electricity, internet, mobile phone plans, insurance, or home loans, small financial decisions can add up. For Sarah, the goal is to help people free up money from areas where they may be overpaying, so they can use it for things that matter more to them.

Why trust matters more than ever

One of the recurring themes Sarah observed at Money20/20 Asia was trust.

With fintech, AI, automation, digital identity, and payments evolving quickly, consumers have more tools and information than ever before. But that also creates a new challenge: knowing who and what to trust.

Sarah pointed out that access to information is both a blessing and a curse. Consumers can learn, compare, and educate themselves more easily than previous generations. At the same time, misinformation, scams, fraud, and deepfakes have made financial decision-making more complicated.

This is where finance communication plays an important role.

For Sarah, the job is not just to explain financial products. It is to “de-jargonize” money conversations so that everyday people can understand what is relevant, what is risky, and what choices they actually have.

Southeast Asia, Australia, and different stages of financial change

Speaking from the context of Money20/20 Asia in Bangkok, Sarah reflected on how different markets are evolving at different speeds.

In Australia, digital banks and neobanks had a boom several years ago, followed by consolidation as many were acquired or absorbed by larger banks. In Thailand, however, digital banking is entering a more active growth stage, with new digital banks expected to enter the market.

This shows how financial innovation does not move in a straight line across every country. Each market has its own pace, its own regulatory environment, and its own consumer behavior.

Sarah also noted the contrast that makes Thailand so interesting. On one side, there are modern towers, fintech conversations, and cutting-edge innovation. On the other, there are street vendors, deeply rooted traditions, and human-centered experiences that remain central to everyday life.

That balance matters. As AI and automation enter more areas of the economy, there are still parts of human life that people do not want to fully automate. No one wants a robot replacing the warmth, intuition, and lived experience of a street food vendor.

The risk of too much convenience

One of the most interesting parts of the conversation was Sarah’s perspective on friction.

In fintech and payments, the industry often celebrates the removal of friction. The fewer the clicks, the smoother the experience. But Sarah argued that not all friction is bad.

In consumer finance, friction can sometimes protect people.

For example, buying something online today can take only a few clicks. Payment details are saved, delivery is fast, and buy-now-pay-later tools can make even small purchases feel less immediate. While this is convenient for businesses, it can also make it easier for consumers to overspend or take on debt without fully thinking through the decision.

Sarah used the example of small everyday purchases being financed through buy-now-pay-later services. From her perspective, if someone needs to finance takeaway food, it may be a sign that the product is not serving the consumer’s best interest.

Her point was not that technology is bad. Rather, it was that financial innovation should be judged not only by how fast or seamless it makes a transaction, but by whether it actually improves people’s financial lives.

Money is the tool, not the story

As a finance journalist and media spokesperson, Sarah sees money as part of a larger human story.

People do not really care about a home loan for its own sake. They care about buying a first home, giving their child a backyard, finding stability, or creating a life they feel proud of.

Similarly, people do not choose a credit card because they are excited about the product itself. They care about what the product unlocks, such as travel, convenience, security, or savings.

This is why Sarah’s work focuses heavily on making financial topics accessible. The numbers matter, but they are rarely the whole story. People’s money decisions are shaped by fear, confidence, upbringing, beliefs, habits, and sometimes misconceptions about what they are capable of.

She shared an example of a financially successful person who earned a very high income but still felt afraid to move money into even a high-interest savings account because of fear and past beliefs about risk. On the other hand, someone with a much lower income but better habits, savings systems, and financial confidence may feel more secure day to day.

This is why Sarah believes money mindset matters as much as financial knowledge.

Helping parents raise financially confident children

Sarah’s upcoming book, How to Raise Rich Kids, builds on this broader philosophy.

The title may suggest money in the bank, but Sarah explained that “rich” means much more than wealth alone. It means giving children the foundation to live a rich life: one with opportunities, resilience, choices, adventure, and the ability to recover from setbacks.

As a mother of three, Sarah does not want to simply hand her children financial comfort. She wants to give them the tools to build their own financial confidence.

The book is structured by age group, from young children under five through to older teenagers and young adults. It explores how parents can talk to children about money, pocket money, savings, investments, goals, and risk at different stages of development.

It also includes a deeper section explaining different types of investments, risk profiles, potential returns, and tax considerations.

One of Sarah’s strongest beliefs is that parents should speak more openly with children about money. Not in a way that creates stress, but in a way that removes mystery. The more children understand money as part of everyday life, the better equipped they are to make decisions later.

The “peace of mind number”

Toward the end of the conversation, Sarah shared a practical piece of advice that applies to almost everyone: know your cost of living.

Not your lifestyle spending. Not restaurants, entertainment, or shopping. Your true cost of living is the amount you need each month to keep your household running and cover essentials like housing, utilities, groceries, insurance, transport, and necessary commitments.

Sarah calls this the “peace of mind number.”

Once you know that number, you can work toward having three to six months of it saved as an emergency buffer. This gives you breathing room if something unexpected happens, such as job loss, illness, injury, or family emergencies.

For people who feel they are living pay to pay, Sarah’s starting point is to look at current spending, compare essential bills, and switch providers where possible. Her view is simple: loyalty should be to yourself, not to companies charging you more than necessary.

What’s next for Sarah

Sarah is currently focused on the launch of How to Raise Rich Kids, which is being published in Australia and is also set to be distributed in India.

She also shares personal finance content through her Instagram account, Money Margarita, where she makes money conversations more approachable, practical, and fun.

In addition, Sarah has been nominated for the Women Empowering Wealth Awards, recognizing her work in helping more people build confidence around money.

Her message for the audience is clear: start by understanding where you are. Know your cost of living, question the beliefs you have about money, and look for small ways to make your money work better for you.

Personal finance does not need to be intimidating. With the right information, the right mindset, and the right conversations, it can become a source of confidence rather than stress.