Today you are You,
that is truer than true.
There is no one alive
that is Youer than You.

~ Dr. Seuss

Morning, y’all!

Just a quick reminder: Be YOURSELF today.

• In your work meetings, share your ideas, and don’t hold back your unique input. It is needed.

• Ask dumb questions! To others, they aren’t dumb at all.

• Sprinkle personality into your emails. People like you!

• Play to your natural strengths and the things you’re good at. You’re a leader and others can learn from your awesomeness 🙂

Be yourself! You are way cooler than you think you are.

OK, now let’s talk about ways to make yourself richer! 👇👇👇

TO DO

Rollover an old retirement account ⤵️

Did you know... there are approximately 29 MILLION old, forgotten, or left behind 401k accounts out there!?!?... 🤯 Even worse... these accounts hold roughly $1.65 TRILLION in "forgotten" funds.

(No wonder some Americans struggle to retire... They literally save money and then forget about it!)

If you’ve switched jobs recently and have a dormant retirement account, it’s time to consolidate it or roll the money over to an IRA. (Capitalize is a free, broker-agnostic firm that can help with the rollover process!)

Please please please don’t be one of those people who leaves retirement money inside old, fee-ridden accounts. Consolidate your stuff, right meow! 🐱

FRUGALITY

Operation: Zero Food Waste! 🌍

Did you know that between 30-40% of the food supply in the US is wasted? Yikes!

According to the EPA, the average four-person household wastes $1,600 worth of food each year. That’s money you could use to help you max out your Roth IRA, or take your family on a fun trip!

While we may not be able to do something on a larger scale, here are some steps you can take to reduce food waste in your own home (and save some major bucks in the process):

Rearrange your fridge 👀  Try keeping your more perishable items at the front of your fridge and inside the door, in plain sight. When fresh stuff is hidden in the drawers, it can be easily forgotten about.

Dig deeeep 🥫 Skip a trip to the grocery store this week and try to survive on the random items you have in your pantry and freezer. Grab all those cans from the back, and get creative with the help of SuperCook (a website that designs recipes based on only the items you have in stock)

Use those veggie scraps 🥦  You can get really scrappy (pun intended) by saving your vegetable stems, peelings, etc in the freezer! Use them to make broth, blend them up into soups, or here are 7 ways you can use vegetable scraps.

Love your leftovers 🧆 Try setting up one night each week where you clean out your fridge and redesign leftovers. Here are a ton of things you can make from everyday leftovers.

Stop “Double Dipping” 🥡 Sometimes, we do a massive grocery run, stocking our fridge to the max because we plan on eating at home every day that week. But after a couple of days, life gets busy and we find ourselves reverting to takeout and buying food on the go because we don’t want to cook. So here’s where being realistic with yourself will save you money… Instead of buying groceries for all 7 days, leave some wiggle room in your meal plan, allowing flexibility to get takeout and to finish off those leftovers too.

Shop with intent 🛒 Take the time to plan out what recipes you’ll make each week, and shop with a list. This not only prevents impulse buys but also ensures you only grab what you need.

Sharing = Caring 🤗 When your friends/family/neighbors come around, send them home with food you won’t eat! Giving meals away is better than throwing them away, right?

Remember, every little effort counts. Stop wasting food! After all, it doesn’t grow on trees. (oh, wait…)

Related stuff:

• 👨‍💻 HTM Blog: 10 Ways to Save Money on Groceries

• 🥘 BudgetBytes: Easy Recipes Under $10

• 🤷‍♂️ How Much to Make? Try this “Guest-imator” if you’re having a party and don’t know how much food to make!

TOGETHER WITH BETTERMENT

Rise and grind, dollar bills!

Put your money to work in a high-yield cash account with up to $2M in FDIC† insurance through program banks. Get started today, with as little as $10.

JOBS

“Career Cushioning”

Career cushioning is just a trendy name for creating a workplace backup plan.

It’s when you take proactive steps to line up new job opportunities (by networking, beefing up your resume, testing out side gigs, etc) just in case you’re unexpectedly laid off.

But isn’t it really easy to get a new job right now?… Well, kinda… 

Current unemployment rates are still relatively low, but we’re also seeing a contraction in new job openings and new hires over the past year 👇👇👇

Regardless of what happens in 2024, we think it’s always a good idea to be ‘career cushioning.’ Having a safety net means if/when unexpected hard times come, you can bounce back quicker and lessen the impact. Our friend Jordan Harbinger calls this “digging the well before you’re thirsty.” Makes sense!

A few things to consider for career goals this year:

• First and foremost, build up a “full” emergency fund. Having 3-6 months of living expenses on hand can provide security during a job loss. Start by setting aside a portion of your income each month and gradually build up your e-fund until it’s robust.

• Networking is an essential aspect of career cushioning. Building and nurturing “warm contacts” and other professional relationships can open doors to new opportunities. Attend industry events, join online communities, and stay connected with colleagues and mentors via email, LinkedIn, and one-on-one coffee hangs. By actively networking, you increase your chances of finding job leads and receiving recommendations. (Remember, networking is not just about asking for help when you need it but also offering support and assistance to others. That’s what makes networking truly magical).

• Continuous learning and skill development are vital in today's rapidly changing job market. Stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in your field. Seek out training programs, online courses, or certifications that can enhance your skill set. The more valuable you are, the hotter commodity you become to potential employers.

• Lastly, consider exploring alternative income streams or side hustles. Whether it's freelancing or starting a small business on the side, having multiple streams of revenue in your life can help cushion the impact of a job loss.

We’re not saying there’s gonna be a recession or that you should expect layoffs or anything!!

We’re just saying it’s always better to have backup plans and not need them than be caught off guard with no contingencies at all 🙂 

Related Stuff:

• 📲 LinkedIn: 2023 Global Talent Trends Report

• 🤝 Networking: Tips for Networking (even if you're shy)

ICYMI

News from around the interwebs…

2% IRA Match 💵
SoFi has a new promotion (expires tax day 4/15)… You can get a 2% match on eligible Traditional or Roth IRA contributions. The catch?… You need to keep those funds with Sofi for 2 years or they’ll take the bonus back. A good reminder to check all the T&Cs before jumping on these promos!  

Money Rules 📝
A cool article via HumbleDollar: 24 Rules for 2024… Timeless advice to help you build a wealthy and happy life.

Rental Props 🏡
The newest “megapost” up on our blog… How to Buy a Rental Property. If you hope to buy a rental in the next few years, hopefully this can give you some ideas, next steps, or at the very least, some inspiration/encouragement!

Year in Cheer 🙌
Good news doesn’t get enough press… If you need a pick-me-up, here are 177 ways the world got better in 2023.

HOW *YOU* MONEY

Daylon, 28, Raleigh, NC ⛲️

Occupations: Sales Engineer
Salary: $120,000 Base Salary

Paycheck deductions: Paid Bi-weekly: Taxes: $1,217, 401k: $250
Housing: $2,226
Other Debts: None!
Living expenses: ~$4,000

Leftover savings each month: ~$3,500/m

How are you investing your excess savings each month?
Currently, my wife and I are rebuilding an emergency fund which takes about $1,500 a month. After that, we are working to max our Roths while planning about a half dozen trips in 2024 and a trip to Japan in 2025 which takes another $1000 a month. While the remaining cash (depending on commission checks) goes into a slush fund for us to be able to enjoy day-to-day life!

Biggest “craft beer equivalent” splurge:
New tech gadgets so I can optimize other parts of my life

Best savings hack/advice:
The best thing I’ve done for my finances is planning our annual expenses in advance. Throwing $30 a month for a tax accountant vs an all up front $350 once a year has helped my wife and I be able to pay off 70k of student debt without having to give up our lives outside of it.

Biggest money challenge right now?
A squishy budget that has inflated with the economy reducing my investing dollars.

Recent money win and how did you celebrate?
I accurately forecasted Christmas costs almost down to the penny. Was only 27¢ off!

Anything else you want to share?
Thanks for the show and the newsletter y’all have helped me be more frugal and less cheap!

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That’s it for now! Have a great week ahead, being the best YOU possible. 💪

Best friends out! 🍻