Earn more or spend less? Where money experts split
September 29, 2026 · 22 min read
Vivian Tu says you can't budget your way out and must raise income, John Paul DeJoria credits simple living, Tiffany Aliche builds a budget that says yes, and Codie Sanchez focuses on pricing and recurring revenue. Knowing which lever fits your situation keeps you from grinding on the wrong one.
The rules, numbers and steps worth keeping in front of you.
- First find out which problem you have: an earning problem or a spending problem.
- Tiffany Aliche's test: label each expense as a fixed bill, usage or choice spending before cutting anything.
- Aliche: if most money goes to bills and usage, earn more; if most goes to choice spending, spend less.
- Vivian Tu: on a necessities-only budget, cutting cannot fix it; raise income by a raise, a new job or a side hustle.
- Tu: audit last month for regret purchases and forgotten subscriptions, and trim extras for a few months.
- Tu: automate 5 to 10 percent of each paycheck into savings; freelancers set aside 30 to 40 percent for taxes.
- Tu's raise calendar: set goals early in the year, check in mid-year, name a specific number in October or November.
- Tu: pay off the highest-interest debt first; request an itemized medical bill and ask about discounts.
- John Paul DeJoria: pay off your home before investing and keep six months of expenses in cash.
- DeJoria: windfalls vanish within five years when habits are bad.
- Codie Sanchez's three levers: richer customers, higher prices, recurring revenue.
- Sanchez: test demand by getting three people to pay before you build anything.
- Aliche: the point of money is meaning; decide what enough is.
- For a mortgage, investments or medical debt, consult a qualified financial professional.
This is the short form. The full insight has every expert's reasoning, their own words and the sources.