Goooood Morning Ya’ Filthy Animals! 

You know those stressful cartoon moments when a giant snowball is rolling down the hill, picking up everyone and everything in its path?

The crazy thing is that those snowballs never start out as a massive force of nature. They start out small. 

Your finances are similar. Saving $5 today may not seem like a huge win, but you need to save $5 before saving $10. Take one step to create that all-powerful momentum. 

So today, get the snowball moving. Find one small way to save a few bucks today. 

Okay, on to the money stuff! 

TO DO

Shop Your BTS Stash ✏️🗒️

Is it just me, or do school supply shopping lists keep getting longer every year? 😅

Before you head to Staples to tackle that lengthy back-to-school shopping list, spend some time going through what you already have at home! 

Supplies like binders, folders, and lightly used notebooks can be reused from previous years, saving you a nice bundle on those costly paper products. The more kids you have, the greater the savings! 

Pro Tip: If your kids are begging for those fancy supplies with flashy designs, consider buying plain folders and notebooks and decorating them together. You’ll save money and enjoy a fun, free activity!

SAVING MONEY

Helping “H.E.N.R.Y.s” 💰

Personal Finance is full of acronyms. But watch out F.I.R.E. and IRA, there’s a new sheriff in town! 🤠

HENRY, or “high earners, not rich yet,” applies to folks who earn a high income, but that income hasn’t necessarily translated into stacked bank accounts. And despite their high incomes, many HENRYs are struggling financially. In fact, 49% of six-figure earners report living paycheck to paycheck.

This is a great reminder that having a high income doesn’t necessarily mean you’re crushing it financially. For example, 62% of people making $300,000 or more still struggle with revolving credit card debt.

If this sounds like you, don’t panic! Here’s the good news. You’re at a great starting point. You’ll be crushing it in no time with just a few changes. Because you don’t need to look for ways to increase your income, you can adopt new habits and behaviors today that can help you make some serious financial progress in short order.

Here’s what could be keeping you stuck in HENRY Limbo…

Lifestyle Creep 🧟 - Lifestyle creep describes the phenomenon of our expenses quietly rising to meet our increased income. It’s aptly named, because it happens so slowly that we typically don’t notice it. You start earning more, so you upgrade your gym membership. Then, next month, you add a few more streaming subscriptions to your monthly roster. Before you know it, your monthly budget starts to look a lot different than it did before you got that raise.

The Fix - Look through your past credit card statements and identify a few lifestyle creep purchases. Eliminate some of those expenses from your monthly budget and try to revert to how you used to live before that pay raise. It’ll initially feel like a sacrifice, but you’ll be surprised at how quickly you adapt back to your old ways.

Trying to Keep Up With the Joneses 👯- Sometimes, earning more means running in circles with other high-income earners. If you’re like most humans, easily influenced by your friends and peers, the folks around you may be unconsciously impacting your spending beliefs and actions!

Here’s the secret, though… you don’t have a window into your best friend’s bank account. That 2+ month European cruise might have been funded by credit card debt or pulling money out of a retirement account. Those after-work drinks could be bought at the expense of having a fully funded emergency fund.

The Fix - When it comes to social media, unfollow or mute accounts that make you feel FOMO. Then, in your own life, spend some time reflecting on what success truly means to you. Does it mean being able to flash your Rolex watch at work? Or does it mean having the financial freedom to never be stressed about money?

Lack of Mindful Spending Habits 🧘‍♀️ - Between tap-to-pay and a multitude of BNPL products, spending money is easier than ever. When we don’t take time to think critically about our purchases, we don’t just overspend. We also spend in ways that don’t ultimately align with our values.

The Fix - Work on building mindful spending habits. Mindful spending is not about depriving yourself of all potentially joyful purchases. It’s all about getting the most bang for your buck when you do spend money. Spending money while keeping those bigger goals in mind will help you to live a more fulfilling life.

Your Fixed Expenses are Just Too High 🏡 - You can cut out your weekly coffee and cancel your subscriptions, but if your fixed expenses are sky-high, it may not be enough to have a significant impact.

The Fix - This HENRY maker is perhaps the most difficult to remedy, but it’s worth the effort. Take a look at your biggest fixed expenses, often housing and transportation. If your rent is higher than 30% of your monthly income, consider a cheaper alternative when your lease is up. If your car payment is more than 10% of your monthly income, sell that car and buy an affordable used car in cash. TRUST. The peace of mind will be worth making the change.

If you consider yourself a HENRY, try to spend some time this week reflecting on why you feel stuck. Recognizing the problem is half the battle. You got this! 😄

Related - Earning More vs. Spending Less - Which is More Important?

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If you own your phone and want to slash your phone bill, check out US Mobile. 💪

ICYMI

Your Weekly Update…

Target Price Match Bummer 🎯
Target announced that it will be making a major change to its price-matching policy. While the retailer allowed shoppers to request a refund for the difference if they found a lower price at Walmart, Amazon, or Target within 14 days of a purchase, Target’s price match policy will now only apply to its own store and site.

4-Figure Car Payments 😬
According to Edmunds, 1 in 5 car shoppers in quarter 2 of 2025 committed to a $1,000+ monthly car payment. It’s hard to fathom. That’s way too much of your budget going towards your ride, folks! 😅

Tax Law Changes Explained 🧐
As we know, the OBBBA passed last month, ushering in a multitude of new legislation. But if you’re wondering how this bill will affect your taxes personally, this post from Savor Financial is a great read.

Know Your Worth 💁‍♀️
This post from Sherwood News breaks down just how much money social media companies make from you using their apps and websites. While Pinterest, Snap, and Reddit make around $2.40-2.80 per month from each user, Meta makes around $26 per month per user! When the product is free, you are the product.

Now get out there and go take on the day! 💪😤

Best friends out 🍻