Yo yo, HTM Family!

Here’s a quick positivity hack I use to get through life’s little annoying moments.

Whenever I catch myself in a negative thought loop, I try “flipping the script” to think of the potential upside instead.

Some examples:

• "I don’t want to work out today." ——> "I’m lucky my body can move! Let’s make it stronger!" 💪

• "Ugh, so many emails…" ——> "Each email is an opportunity to help, connect, or move things forward." 💌

• "This meeting is going to be boring" ——> "Maybe I'll learn one useful thing — or at least make someone's day better." 😉

• "This is taking too long." ——> "The time will pass anyway — might as well use it impactfully!" 💡

Small mindset shifts = massive impact.

What’s one negative thought you can flip today? 🤷‍♂️

TO DO

Take a Free Online Course 🤔

The best investment you’ll ever make —> is in yourself. Every new skill you learn can help advance your career, boost your salary, help you gain confidence, and make you more valuable all around — not just to employers, but to everyone in your life!

There are tons of free courses and classes out there. Like for coding, leadership, marketing, finance - anything you’re interested in. Coursera, edX, & Udemy are all worth checking out.

Also, check your local library membership because many libraries offer access to high-end continuing education courses at no cost!

The more you learn, the more doors open for you. 🤓

AI

Chatbot Prompts for Personal Finance 💬

AI chatbots are getting really good… If you haven’t ever used Chat GPT, Google Gemini or Perplexity (they are all free!) set aside 30 mins this week to test one out.

While you shouldn’t rely on AI for investing advice or help with ethical decisions, chatbots can be fantastic in helping you organize, optimize, and strategize some money areas in your life in ways you might not have thought of.

A few examples to try out:

1. Meal Planning on a Budget
Groceries are expensive, and planning meals can feel like a part-time job. Instead of winging it on your grocery trips (and overspending), ask a chatbot:

"Create a meal plan for a family of four with a $150 grocery budget for the week. We shop at ALDI. Please include a shopping list."

Boom — your AI assistant will spit out a day-by-day meal plan and a grocery list, including prices that won’t go over your budget amount. If you have food allergies or prefer specific meals, add this info to the prompt (like this!). The more info you share, the more accurate and useful the results will be.

2. Career, Skills, & Job Help
Thinking about switching jobs? Negotiating a raise? Updating your resume? You don’t have to do it alone. Try prompts like:

• "Write a salary negotiation email for a marketing manager with five years of experience."

• "Give me five networking email scripts to connect with people in my industry."

• "Review my resume and suggest improvements."

AI can’t guarantee you a raise, but it can give you the tools and confidence to go after one with gusto. The more specific your query, the more helpful the response will be.

3. Basic Budgeting Help
Apps and spreadsheets still work great. But chatbots can whip up quick budgets too and help prioritize spending. Try:

"I make $5,000 per month after taxes. My rent is $1,800, groceries $600, car payment $400, and I want to save 20% of my income. Help me create a monthly budget."

The AI bot will break it down, and you can modify bits as needed. It’ll even offer savings strategies you might not have thought of. Just don’t enter sensitive personal details like account numbers or full financial statements.

4. Debt Payoff Strategy
If debt payoff feels overwhelming, AI can help map out a plan. Try asking something like:

"I have three credit cards: $5,000 at 18%, $3,000 at 22%, and $1,200 at 12%. My budget allows for $800 per month toward debt. What’s the best payoff strategy?"

It’ll generate a plan using the avalanche method (highest interest first) or the snowball method (smallest balance first). Choose what works for you, then get to work!

The Bottom Line
AI isn’t a replacement for professional financial advice. And you should never share sensitive personal information (eg. financial statements or medical records) with AI chatbots.

But it’s a powerful tool that’s only getting better every day. It might just help you make some better decisions and take action faster. Try it out!

Ps. Any of you using AI platforms in a unique way to help with money goals? Shoot us a note and share your methods!

TOGETHER WITH BETTERMENT*

Be Invested

Right now, new investing customers can get up to $1,000 with a qualifying deposit. Get started.

TAX

Do You Pay Taxes on Credit Card & Bank Rewards? 💸

Bank bonuses and credit card perks can feel like “free money“... But sometimes there’s a catch.

Some bonuses and perks come with a tax bill, while others do not. It ultimately depends on how you earned the rewards.

The general rule is: If you’re required to spend money in order to earn a reward, it’s considered a discount or rebate, and therefore is not taxed.

But if you get a bonus or cash payment for no spending activity, then it’s considered taxable income you need to report.

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s typically taxable and what’s not…

✅ Taxable Rewards:

• New Bank Account Bonuses – That $200 bonus for opening a checking account? Yep, that’s considered taxable income, and the banks will typically send a 1099-INT or 1099-MISC. You’ll be taxed on the amount you earned.

• Interest on Savings/Checking Accounts – Even if you only earned $0.21 in interest for the year, the IRS wants a cut. (ps. if you did only make 21 cents in a year you need to move your savings to a HYSA asap!)

• Referral Bonuses – If you referred a friend to open a credit card or bank account and got paid for it, that’s taxable income too. Even if you don’t receive a 1099, you are supposed to report that income.

❌ Not Taxable:

• Credit Card Signup Bonuses – If you had to spend money to earn the bonus (e.g., spend $3,000 in 3 months for a 50,000-point bonus), the IRS sees it as a rebate, not income.

• Cash Back, Points, or Miles – Rewards earned through regular spending are considered discounts, not taxable earnings. Because you had to spend money in order to receive it, no tax is owed.

• Other Card Benefits – Stuff like travel or rental car insurance, club or lounge access, hotel/flight upgrades, retailer discounts, or credits all are considered non-taxable rewards.

⚠️ Heads Up:

When you sign up for a new bank account or credit card offer, they usually state in the T&Cs whether the bonus will be reported as income or not.

It doesn’t hurt to double-check everything you sign up for so you don’t receive a surprise 1099 — If you get one and aren’t sure why, it’s worth double-checking with issuing institution, and a tax pro.

Related stuff:

• ✈️ Travel Hacks: How to Use CC Rewards Travel for Cheap

• 💻 Biggest Welcome Bonuses: Credit Card Search/Sort Tool

ICYMI

In other news…

CFPB 🤷‍♂️
The agency that protects you and me from getting ripped off by greedy financial institutions and predatory lenders is likely being shut down. Here are a few ways closing the CFPB will impact consumers.

Tilting Odds 🎰
The “house” always wins at the casino… The Novel Investor shares how you can shift the odds in your favor to become the house, not the gambler.

Trade-offs ⚖️
New surveys show that 85% of people are in favor of raising taxes to keep Social Security benefits as they are, or higher. “The survey explored a wide range of possible solutions for Social Security, but the majority of respondents opposed reducing benefits. Suggestions for raising the full retirement age or cutting benefits for higher-income retirees received little support.”

The Big 3💸
Here’s a 3 question financial quiz that can determine one’s financial literacy. (I’m sure you will pass — but most everyday folks fail!). The truth is, as a country, we need more financial literacy help!

Newsless 📖
If you’re getting overwhelmed by the never-ending financial headlines and noise out there, this post is for you: News You Can’t Use. “If you zoom in on any single headline too closely, you miss the bigger picture.”

Deep Thoughts 💭
Cool timeless advice and thoughts from Ben Carlson — Deep Finance Thoughts.

FRIENDS OF HTM

Jen & Jill — Frugal Friends 🤗

We all know the best money podcast exists right here (obviously 😉), but if you’re looking for another great listen from a couple of fun ladies, check out Frugal Friends Podcast with our buddies Jill and Jen!

They share real-life ways to live simply without sacrificing the good stuff you love. We hosted them on Ep #917 and chatted about the true definition of frugality. Check it out!

That’s it for now! Wishing y’all a great day ahead, and remember… Your thoughts shape your reality — so get rid of the negative and dwell on the upsides! 😉

Best friends out 🍻