Morning, money tribe!!

Would you let a stranger write your to-do list for the day? 📝

(Of course you wouldn’t. Because they don’t know anything about you and only you know what needs to get done today.)

What about your annual goals list?… Would you let a stranger create your list of goals to achieve this year?

(Of course you wouldn’t. Because they don’t know your values or what’s important to you in life.)

Well…… That’s kind of what you’re doing when you compare yourself to other people all the time. You’re handing over the reins to others and letting them decide what success looks like in your life.

Scary right?

Just something to think about this week… Stop comparing yourselves to others. Make your own lists — you do you.

Alrighty then, let’s get to the money stuff! 👇👇👇

TO DO

Box IN ⬅️ = ➡️ Box OUT

Try this: Next time you get an Amazon delivery, open the box and take all the new stuff out… But don’t put down the box! — Instead, walk around your house with the empty box and fill it with 5-10 items you no longer use or need. Then, go to your car and put the box in the trunk (for Goodwill drop off later).

1 box of new stuff in = 1 box of old stuff out. It’s the simplest way to keep a clutter-free home. Just repeat this every time you get a new delivery. 📦💪

COUPLES

Budget-Friendly Valentine’s Ideas 👩‍❤️‍👨

It’s V-Day tomorrow! And if you’re one of the ~40% of people who usually forget to do something romantic for your partner, don’t panic…

No need to rush out and blow $175 on flowers/chocolate/candy/gifts like the average American. Here are some cheap/free ways to impress your boo without making your wallet cry.

Handmade notes: Sure, you could get a $4.50 card at the store... But, why not spend 30 mins making a simple one yourself? V-day is about thought and effort. Grab some paper, fold it in half, draw a big heart on the front. Then inside, draw a picture of a shared memory from your past (stick figures are OK! - they are supposed to laugh). Inside, write 1 love quote, 5 things you love about them, and 1 promise for the future. Seal it with a kiss and deliver it as soon as they wake up tomorrow.

DIY love poem: A step up from the hand-made card… You could attempt to write a love poem! ChatGPT is a great resource to help with structure and rhyming words, but make sure to heavily personalize the sentences with memories from the past, inside jokes, and compliments about your partner!

Spotify playlist: It’s just like an old-school mix tape, but create a playlist in your music app of choice. Add songs that remind you of your amor and that express your feelings, showing you pay attention to the little things. They can listen all day and be reminded of your thoughtfulness.

Breakfast in bed: This doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal. Even a small bowl of cut strawberries and a hot coffee in their favorite mug is a thoughtful way to kick off the day.

Cook-off duel: Challenge your partner to a dinner cook-off. Set a small budget for ingredients (like $15-$20 each) and then let the battle begin! If you have kids, involve them too! V-day can be a family affair.

Pretend you’re 16: Google “most romantic look-outs in [your city]”. Drive to the closest one with your partner at sunset (or when it’s dark, to stargaze). Bring warm jackets, a blanket, cheap snacks, and a few fizzy beverages 😉.

Scenic walk: What’s the richest, fanciest neighborhood near you? Take your partner there, park on a random street filled with disgustingly gaudy mansions, and take a leisurely stroll. Play the “what would we do if we won the lottery” game to share your wild dreams.

Board games or video games: Dust off your fave board games or pull out a deck of cards. Or, spend a few bucks buying a new game to learn together. Video game nights are always fun if both of you are into it — Whatever works to bring out your competitive (but loving) sides.

BTW — It’s totally OK to splurge and spend money on your partner if gifts are your love language. You do you! We’re just sharing these frugal ideas as a reminder that you don’t have to spend a bunch of money to warm someone’s heart. Thought + effort trump dollars spent. 😉

Related stuff:

• 👩‍❤️‍👨 More ideas: 30 Cheap Date Ideas to Save Money

• 💰 Money Convos: How Couples Can Get on the Same Page Financially

TOGETHER WITH BETTERMENT

Don’t let traditional savings accounts slow your money down. With a Betterment no-fee, high-yield cash account, you can put your money to work earning up to 13x the national average** Get started today

_{For Cash Reserve ("CR"), Betterment LLC only receives compensation from our program banks; Betterment LLC and Betterment Securities do not charge fees on your CR balance. **The national average savings account interest rate is reported by the FDIC (as of 7/17/23) as the average annual percentage yield (APY) for savings accounts with deposits under $100,000.}

SAVING

Concert Ticket Costs 😱

This week’s graph is from Chartr, showing average concert ticket prices vs. the cost of ticket prices if they grew at the average rate of inflation. 👇👇👇

Live events are getting incredibly expensive! It’s not just the Eras Tour or $10k Superbowl tickets… almost all live events seem to have risen substantially in cost over the past decade.

Does this mean you should boycott concerts and never spend money on tickets again?

Nah. It just means you have to be a bit more selective in how you budget and more crafty when you choose to participate. A few thoughts…

• Just say no: If your friends are pressuring you to hit a concert that will drain your savings, be brave and just say no. Loud budgeting is a thing now! Just tell them you’d rather spend that money elsewhere.

• Sinking fund: If you do want to buy tickets and spend big, that’s ok! Just build an entertainment war chest so you have the money fully budgeted for. This might mean cutting other budget areas — just don’t halt your retirement savings!

• Pre-sale & Early bird tix: Many event organizers offer discounted tickets for advance purchases. Planning ahead can save you a lot, because prices almost always go up — especially on the resale market. Keep tabs on the event's website, follow socials, or sign up for their newsletter to stay informed about any early bird offers.

• Credit card portals: Chase, AMEX, and Capital One all have reward portal options to book live entertainment tickets. Sometimes they offer a better value for buying with points, or you can earn a higher point percentage by booking through the portal. Always a good option to check and see if that lowers the price a little!

• Go solo: Sounds lonely, but it might be a good option if you’re seeing your favorite artist… When you search for a single ticket deals are more plentiful because single seats can be left between couples or groups of friends. Since they're harder for venues to sell, they’re often offered at a cheaper price.

• Enter competitions to win tickets: It might be a long shot, but you can’t win if you don’t try! Search online for competitions and radio stations that are giving tickets away. (Watch out for scams, don’t ever give your credit card number out to win free stuff!)

• Watch out for the “total cost”: Tickets aside, once you’re inside a venue it’s easy to blow money on food/drinks/merch etc without even thinking about it. Plan ahead by drinking/eating at home, or even temporarily putting a block on your credit card with your bank app. It’ll cause you to think twice before pulling your wallet out and spending mindlessly.

Even with fast-rising costs, it’s ok to treat yourself to a memorable night out! Just plan for it and be mindful of your overall budget!

Related Stuff:

• 🤷‍♂️ Price Games: Why tickets are becoming more unaffordable

• ✅ Save More: 7 Ways to Save Money This Week

• 📉 Inflation: How to fight back by adjusting your budget!

ICYMI

Buzzing around the interwebs…

Travel ✈️
A new vacation trend… “Dupe Destinations”. It’s basically avoiding 👵expensive/fancy trips and instead finding places with similar vibes that cost a whole lot less. (Eg. Instead of going to Paris for the Olympics, go to Indianapolis for the US Swim Trials. You’ll save a bundle!)

Stock Picking 🚫
Via Morningstar, Mutual Fund Managers Are Wrong More Than They’re Right… “Professional money managers, who have mountains of data at their fingertips, entire floors of analysts supplying them with financial models, and generous travel budgets allowing them to meet with company management teams, still get most of their stock picks wrong.” Index funds FTW!

Second Act 👵
New research finds that 58% of Americans are hoping to work part-time during retirement. It’s not just for financial reasons — continuing to work gives personal fulfillment and a sense of purpose!

Password Sharing 🙅‍♀️
The crackdown continues… Disney/Hulu/ESPN+ will be “adding limitations to share your account details outside of your household”, starting March 14th.

Cyborgs 🧠
Elon Musk announced his company Neuralink has successfully implanted a computer chip into someone’s brain. Crazy!! (I wonder if it could be programmed to “zap” the person before making a silly impulse purchase or taking out a bad loan? That would be cool. 🤷‍♂️)

COMMUNITY

Refer Friends & Win Prizes 🧦

Want to win some beautiful, comfy HTM socks??…

We just lowered the thresholds for our referral program!! This makes it easier to grab some cool prizes for sharing the newsletter with your buddies! 🥳 

First, click here to visit your personal referral hub… 👇

Next, copy the unique referral link and share it with your buddies and/or on social media. As more people sign up, you climb the ranks and earn more rewards ;)

THANK YOU for helping HTM grow and sharing good money practices with your friends. Growing wealthy is always better when it's done *together!*

Have a great rest of the week, lovely people!!!

Best friends out! 🍻