ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Behavioral finance

Behavioral finance is like when you go to the store and you see all these toys you want, but your mom or dad tells you that you can't have them all, but you still really want them. Sometimes grown-ups act the same way with money. They see things they want to buy and they forget to think about what's important, like saving for the future.

Behavioral finance is a way to help grown-ups remember to think about the important things when it comes to money. It helps them understand why they make certain choices with their money and how they can make better choices in the future. Sometimes people make decisions with their money based on their feelings or emotions, like greed, fear, or excitement. Behavioral finance helps them see how those feelings can impact their choices and how they can control those feelings to make better choices.

For example, when the stock market is going up, people get really excited and want to invest all their money. But that might not be the best decision if they don't really understand why the market is going up and if it's going to stay up. Behavioral finance helps people understand that they should be careful and make sure they really understand what they are investing in before they make a decision.

Overall, behavioral finance is a way to help adults make smart choices with their money by understanding why they make certain decisions and how they can make better decisions in the future.