Good morning HTM Fam! 

I’m having a potluck this week and you’re all invited… 🥘

Here’s what I’m bringing: a full tray of practical money tips, a sprinkle of perspective, and a little dessert of tough love (the good kind). 🎂

Here’s what you all can bring: An open mind, five minutes of your time, and the willingness to take little actions today that your future self will be grateful for! 😌

Here’s what we’ll all bring to the table: A “can do” attitude, a positive outlook on life, and the exciting feeling of getting just a little closer to our goals every day. 💪

Time to eat! 😋

TO DO

Organize a Clothing Swap 👚👖

One of my favorite childhood memories is going back to school shopping for some cool new outfits with my mom every August. So much so, that it’s something I used to continue to do for myself in the fall when I entered adulthood. 

But here’s the thing. Once I was a certified grown up, I stopped growing out of last year’s clothing, and those new looks started to accumulate in my closet. 

Most of us have more clothing that we actually wear regularly, leaving some perfectly good styles to lay forgotten about at the bottom of our drawers or backs of our closets. So instead of going shopping for new fall fashions this year, consider getting some friends together to do a clothing swap! 

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Get a group of friends together and set a date and location for your swap. 

Step 2: Go through your clothes and set aside items you don’t regularly wear.

Step 3: Bring your clothes to the swap! 

Everyone can try on and take home any articles of clothing they want. Then, donate any of the items that don’t get chosen! 

It's a win-win. You get to freshen up your fall wardrobe, and declutter all in one go! 

MONEY MANAGEMENT

What to Do With A Financial Windfall 💸

We’ve all dreamed about having a mysterious man in a suit knock on our door just to tell us that our previously unknown Uncle Reginald Archibald Farnsworth III has just passed away, leaving us with a $70M inheritance. Oh, just me? Right. Heh heh..

Financial windfalls come in many shapes and sizes, and there’s a good chance you might receive one at some point in your life. It could be a bigger than expected bonus check from work. Or maybe you’ll find that you’re entitled to some unclaimed funds.

But while we often fantasize about coming into unexpected money, managing it can be a beast of its own. If you’re lucky enough to have unexpected money fall into your lap, it’s a great chance to play catch up, get ahead, or otherwise boost your financial trajectory. However, when mismanaged this windful could turn into a missed opportunity, potentially leaving you in an even worse financial position afterwards.

So, if you ever find yourself with some extra cash, remember this advice…

😭 Separate Money and Emotions - While coming into unexpected money can be a blessing, it can also be stressful. For example, cash received as part of a life insurance payout or an inheritance might come with guilt or pain attached after experiencing a traumatic event. That’s totally understandable! It’s okay to take a beat to process your emotions, good or bad, before you make a plan for that money. 

🗒️ Don’t Forget About Taxes - Uncle Sam will almost always get a cut! For example, when you win the lottery, the IRS takes 25% right off the bat, but you could end up owing even more when you file your taxes at the end of the year. It’s important to research the tax implications of your windfall before you start spending any of that cash.

🥅 Remember Your Goals and Values - When it comes time to make a plan for your windfall, remember to take your goals and values into account. Are you hoping to build a life of more stability? Have you been dreaming of starting your own business? This can be a good time to revisit and reflect on the “why behind your money!”

💵 Don’t Forget Secondary Costs - If you’re thinking of using that cash to put in a brand new pool, you had better make sure you factor in the cost of annual maintenance and cleaning. Everything costs more than you think, so make sure to plan for the costs that follow the initial purchase. 

🏦 Create an Emergency Fund - If you don’t have an emergency fund yet, using your financial windfall to help create one is a no brainer. Having an emergency fund protects you from having to take on high interest debt when unexpected costs rear their ugly heads.

⛓️‍💥 Pay off High Interest Debt - Speaking of which, if you're carrying any high interest debt, now is the perfect time to cut that down. High interest debt is a leech on your finances, so pick either the debt snowball or debt avalanche and get to work. 

Whatever you decide to do with your financial windfall, remember that there is truly no rush to spend it. When emotions run high, we’re more likely to make an impulsive decision with our cash, so take your time when planning how to manage that money.

Read The Full Post - How to Manage a Financial Windfall 

TOGETHER WITH DAFFY*

The Benefits of Donating Assets 🪄

Daffy helps you donate stocks, gold, and even crypto to your favorite charities!

Why not just donate cash? 🤔

Because when you donate appreciated assets you’ve held onto for more than a year, there’s a double tax benefit.

You avoid paying capital gains tax on any appreciated assets you donate, and you get to claim the full market value of the stock in the year it was donated as a tax deduction. You get to help your community, all while saving more on taxes. Win-win!

How much can you save? Check out this calculator Daffy made that breaks down the potential tax savings of donating stocks vs. cash.

This is one of the reasons we love giving with Daffy… More giving options and more efficient donations. Learn more here!

ICYMI

What’s new?

Frustrating Finances 😩
According to a new Yahoo Finance survey, 1 in 3 Americans feel their financial situation has worsened in the past year. Respondents site high cost of living as one of their prime areas of struggle. (If you’re struggling to create margin in your budget, try using one of these 11 Ways to Save an Extra $100 Every Month!)

Getting Ahead of Resolutions 🎉
If you’re planning to set some serious money resolutions come New Years, it’s important to start doing some of the hard work now. Improving your relationship with money can help spur you on to make some major money moves in 2026.

Money On My Mind 😎
Money is taking up a lot of headspace in the minds of Americans, who on average spend nearly 4 hours per day thinking about money. Many of them report losing sleep over money worries. We recommend working to build up your emergency fund to enjoy more peace of mind on the daily!

Cheering you on from the sidelines this week! 🙌

Best friends out! 🍻