enRICHed: volume 118

no more winter just give me spring

Feb 23, 2025

Volume 118

Hey besties!

You all know I LOVE to travel. And I like to think I’m pretty well-versed in being a global citizen! From Milan to Shanghai to Bangkok, there is nothing more that I love than spending my hard earned cash on travel, which is why I was so excited to sit down with this week’s podcast guest, Lexie Limitless! Lexie is the youngest person in the world to have been to every single country on earth! Yes, earth! You can watch us chat HERE or listen HERE! New episodes of the podcast drop every single Wednesday so be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE or follow Networth and Chill wherever you get your podcasts!

Plus, keep up with the podcast on Instagram and TikTok!

As a reminder:

HYCU, pronounced haiku: how the news impacts you and your wallet, aka How You Can Use
The Prosperitea: think discount codes, non-boring finance articles, sales, and personal links from the week. The fun stuff 😉
We love your comments, but please remember to keep it positive! And don’t take investing advice from anyone who isn’t your registered financial advisor!

Now that you’re up to speed, let’s get you enRICHed.

Free IVF, Maybe 🩺💉

President Trump signed an executive order this week calling for reducing costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and increasing access to the procedure.
This is basically following up on his campaign trail promise to get universal coverage of IVF treatment, which basically came about because after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a bunch of Republican states tried to restrict access to IVF—but then kind of started advocating for just IVF, because even Republican senators need access to reproductive healthcare, IVF kind of became the new fixation.
Trump’s end goal was to get IVF entirely paid for by the government or insurance companies, but this is being criticized by some other government leaders, since Trump’s administration was the reason that IVF was put into a dangerous corner in the first place, so people like Senator Tammy Duckworth have expressed doubts about whether this will actually be effective or not (she specifically said if Trump is going to follow through on his campaign promise to provide free IVF, he can start by supporting her legislation that would require insurance plans to cover IVF).
HYCU; IVF is a procedure that is hugely helpful for women who struggle to get pregnant on their own—basically, a doctor retrieves a surplus of eggs and combines them in a lab dish with sperm to create fertilized embryos, which are then transferred into a woman’s uterus in an attempt to create a pregnancy. If this does legitimately go through, then it would be hugely helpful for everyone who is looking into the process for their own pregnancy. However, it remains to be seen how exactly the government intends to roll out the process to make it free. As someone who recently did go through an embryo freezing process though, and spent $25k for the privilege of stabbing myself 3x a day with a very large needle (lmfao), greater access to advanced family planning would be a huge win!

Delta On Defense ✈️

Delta announced on Wednesday that it would offer $30,000 to each passenger who was aboard the flight from Minneapolis that crashed and flipped upside down while landing in Toronto.
Thankfully, all 80 people aboard the flight made it out alive, but three days after the crash, officials have released few details about the investigation.
Keep in mind, this comes after a month of deadly commercial airplane crashes, which puts more pressure and focus on the fact that Trump is firing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees and blaming everyone from Joe Biden to DEI initiatives, and even saying “this is sometimes what ends up happening.”
HYCU; Should you be worried about your upcoming flight? Not really—flying is still statistically MUCH safer than driving in a car. But the recent accidents should encourage everyone to be a bit more alert about “potential deficiencies in the system,”as the New York Times put it. The Washington D.C. collision, where a plane crashed directly into a helicopter, was the deadliest accident involving a US airline to occur in more than a decade, so all that being said, clap when the plane lands, and if you do survive a crash, make sure you ask for more than $30,000. These airlines aren’t just handling your bags—they’re handling your life.

Sleep Debt 😴🛌

The average adult needs between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, but many of us aren’t getting that much on a regular basis. Nearly 30% of American adults get fewer than 6 hours of sleep a night—resulting in what Allure Magazine is calling sleep debt.
It goes like this: if your sleep is a bank account, and 7 to 9 hours is your deposit, while your waking hours are your withdrawals, overspending on what you have in your account is putting you in debt, which can look like fatigue and increased likelihood of catching colds, as well as memory loss, hypertension, heart disease, stroke and insulin resistance in the long run.
Getting into a regular sleep routine is key, because experts said that resolving sleep debt is not as simple as “repaying” the rest you lost during the week by hitting the snooze button on weekends—individuals with sleep debt experience ongoing impairment in cognitive function for weeks, even when they slept in a few extra hours on the weekends.
HYCU; According to the reporting, your primary focus should be getting a full night of rest on a regular basis—not napping or sporadically sleeping in. Make it a priority to sleep for seven to nine continuous hours, multiple nights in a row, so you can experience all the sleep phases you need to restore your body. Cozy up in a quiet, dark room, and keep your technology out of the bedroom if possible. That’s the only way to get out of sleep debt, according to Allure, and you know how I feel about debt…

Bob The Blue Builder 🏡🔨

The National Association of Home Builders’ Housing Market Index (HMI) released new reporting that the sentiment among single-family homebuilders dropped to the lowest level in five months in February, signaling that it’s simply not the vibes for construction and housing supply right now.
According to the report, the biggest concern among builders is tariffs, which are raising construction costs and ultimately elevating mortgage rates—rates soared above 7% this year (which is, how you say, ridiculous), while prices are higher than they were a year ago. (Not normal: usually rates and housing prices have an inverse aka opposite relationship. High rates, lower house prices. High house prices, lower rates.)
While the current tariffs on Canada and Mexico are being delayed a month, builders are still expecting higher costs; 32% of appliances and 30% of softwood lumber coming from international trade, which means that a lot of builders are living in a kind of cynical uncertainty right now.
HYCU; All this potentially signals that there could be even less supply of single-family homes in the near future, and it’s not like there was already a ton of available housing to begin with. If you’re looking to buy a home, you’re looking at a very stiff market, with slim inventory, high prices and rising mortgage rates—so if you’re trying to get the best bang for your buck, it might not be the greatest time right now. But admittedly, the only thing that’s 20/20 is hindsight, so if you do find a place that you love, can afford, and are confident you can keep paying for even if things get a bit tough economically, it may not be a bad time to pull the trigger.

Karen asks, “With so many people laid off due to the changes from the new administration, could you provide some thoughts on first steps to think of after a layoff? I'm floundering a bit and not knowing how to manage my time most effectively.”

Hi Karen! Let's talk about some steps to consider after a layoff. It’s a challenging time, but knowing what to prioritize can help you navigate it more smoothly. Here’s a breakdown:

Secure a Layoff Letter: First things first, ask HR for a layoff letter. This document clarifies that your layoff was due to company decisions, not your performance. It can be super helpful for future job applications.
Negotiate Severance: If your company offers a severance package, consider negotiating it. A common benchmark is four weeks of pay per year of service, but this can vary by industry. Understanding your worth and what others in your position have received can guide these discussions.
Apply for Unemployment Benefits: Register for unemployment benefits as soon as possible. The rules for eligibility, benefit amounts, and duration can vary by state, so check out your local Department of Labor website for specifics. This is critical for maintaining financial stability during your transition.
Take Time to Process: Allow yourself some time to grieve and adjust emotionally. It’s natural to feel a mix of emotions, and taking a moment to process can help you approach your job search with a clearer mindset.
Update Your Digital Profiles: Use LinkedIn’s “Open to Work” feature to let recruiters know you’re available. Fill out all the questions Indeed asks you, so your profile gets shown to HR professionals. Monster. ZipRecruiter. Glassdoor. Cast a wide net. This can increase your visibility and connect you with potential opportunities.
Network and Upskill: Reconnect with your professional network and consider learning new skills or getting new certifications that could enhance your resume.

Many people find that balancing proactive job searching with self-care is essential during this time. Remember, you’re not alone, and there are resources and communities out there to support you. There are bigger and better things coming!

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