enRICHed: volume 142

so in my bag they’re calling me a potato sack race

Aug 10, 2025

Volume 142

Hey Besties!

I am in my golden era of television right now! The Summer I Turned Pretty, The Buccaneers, Wednesday, Chief of War, the list goes on and on! While I know most people are outside trying to soak up the sun and fresh air, your girl is indoorsy and more than happy to be snuggled up like a bug in a rug. In fact, something I’ve been working on lately is finding joy in rest and alone time. I think so many of us (myself included) can get caught up in the highlight reel of social media and think if we’re not out and about constantly, we’re doing it wrong. But the same way you have to power your laptop down every few months to avoid it sounding like a rocket ship about to take off, it’s important to power down your self! So for me, that means a night in with Boo, a good show or movie, and whatever takeout I’m feeling that evening. However you best rest and recharge, I am wishing you a relaxing Sunday & don’t forget that just because it’s not worth posting, doesn't mean it’s not worth doing.

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.

A Silent Recession 😔

The number of children living in poverty in the US has reached 10 million — the highest it’s been since 2018, according to the US Census Bureau.
Keep in mind, that number could go up at any point. Half of all kids in the US (35 million children) live in households hovering just above the poverty line, where one unexpected expense like a parking ticket or a roof leak could tip the balance.
Even though wages for lower-income jobs have risen, it’s still not enough to compete with the rising cost of living and dwindling relief programs that we saw just after the pandemic. Families nationwide are struggling as rising prices are eating up that extra income, creating what’s being called a “silent recession.”
With the new federal cuts that President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill will bring, it’s likely that even more families will be put under huge financial strain — tons of people are expected to lose support like food stamps and Medicaid in the near future. Not only that, but a small raise or change in wage could mean that people get booted off these programs and have to spend more on healthcare and groceries.
HYCU; Realistically, we’re probably going to see this number go up in the next few years, and more pressure is going to be put on nonprofits and local resource centers to provide resources for families across the country. It’s tough because these resources very much depend on how well-funded the organizations are, and where they’re based — historically, rural families have a harder time finding access to these options, which means the children struggle more. Without governmental changes, it’ll be on us as people who make enough money to give back and help out where we can. We have to remember that without a thriving, healthy middle class with discretionary income to spend, the consumption hamster wheel grinds to a halt, and the overall economy will feel the negative consequences.

The Plane Pain Point ✈️🙃

Keep climbing…those prices? Delta Airlines is promising that it’s not using its new AI tools to hike up fare prices after backlash from consumers and lawmakers alike, but people are still suspicious, to say the least.
Here’s what happened: Delta announced that it would be rolling out an AI-based revenue management technology across 20% of its domestic network by the end of 2025 in partnership with Fetcherr, an AI pricing company. But then, some Democratic senators accused Delta of using this tool to charge passengers up to their “personal pain point.”
The airline walked it back, saying it will only use market-level trends, not individual profiles, but still, this has been an ongoing problem already. It’s why ride share platform surge prices, hotel costs, and plane tickets can vary so wildly, and with the intricacy of data mining, it can get pretty ugly for the consumer — a previous investigation from the FTC found that everything from your mouse movement to the times you online shop all goes into the algorithms that figure out just how much money they can squeeze out of you.
HYCU; Customized pricing has been a headache for all of us for many years, and is only becoming more common as tools like AI are rolled out to these corporations. My recommendation for getting the best possible flight price on Delta is tracking the flight price, and then “modifying the flight” by rebooking yourself on the same one, which should give you a flight credit! If you want some more hope, though, I have good news: Democratic lawmakers Greg Casar and Rashida Tlaib introduced legislation last week that will hopefully ban companies from using AI to set prices or wages based on our personal data — and would specifically ban airlines from raising individual prices after seeing a search for a family obituary (it’s giving black mirror).

401-Oh, OK! 😳🏡

Huge news for risk-lovers: President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that will allow cryptocurrency and other alternative assets like private equity, cryptocurrency and real estate to be included in the investments in 401(k) retirement accounts.
This is a big reward for the private equity industry, which hugely backed President Trump during his campaign. There’s a $12 trillion market for retirement funds, known as defined contribution plans, that they can now add to their investments — the same thing goes for the crypto world, which Trump has also vocally expressed support for.
Critics have a lot of concern about the high risk associated with these new options: there’s fewer disclosure requirements with crypto and private equity, and both are usually less easy to sell quickly for cash than the publicly traded stocks and bonds that most retirement funds rely on. Investing in them also tends to carry higher fees, and cryptocurrency particularly has also faced a lot of concern for scams and volatility.
HYCU; Basically, this means that instead of just putting your 401(k) contribution into stocks, bonds or cash, you can now also put your retirement funds in real estate and higher-risk private equity or crypto investments. This isn’t a requirement, of course, so you can still select the same ole’ faithful investments for your retirement fund as you were before this news, but if you are a daredevil, there is now the opportunity to wear a bit more risk in your retirement portfolio (Friendly reminder — my recommended crypto investment is no more than 5% of your overall portfolio).

MB asks, “How can I start making real progress toward paying off my student loans and getting out of debt?”

It’s great that you want to tackle your student loans and get your finances in shape. Here’s how you can start making real progress:

1. Understand Your Loans

Know the Types: Different loans (federal vs. private) have different terms and interest rates. Understanding what you owe is the first step.
Interest Rates: Check which loans have the highest interest rates. Those are usually your priority for paying off first.

2. Create a Budget

Track Your Expenses: See where your money is going each month. Cut back on non-essentials to free up cash for loan payments.
Allocate Funds: Designate a specific amount each month to put toward your loans. This could be a percentage of your paycheck or a fixed dollar amount.

3. Choose a Repayment Strategy

Standard Repayment Plan: This is the default plan where you pay a fixed amount each month over 10 years. It’s straightforward and can save you money on interest.
Income-Driven Repayment Plans: If your income is low, these plans can help reduce your monthly payments based on your earnings.
Debt Avalanche Method: Make the minimum payment across all your loans to keep your credit score healthy, but for any additional debt paydown funds, focus on paying off loans with the highest interest rates first. This saves you more money in the long run.

4. Make Extra Payments

If you can, make extra payments toward your loans. Even small amounts can make a big difference over time and reduce interest costs.
Consider using windfalls (like tax refunds or bonuses) to make lump-sum payments.
Notify your lender and explicitly convey that you want extra payment dollars to go towards your principal — the original amount you borrowed — otherwise your lender may just be pre-paying your future interest payments.

5. Explore Forgiveness Options

If you work in certain public service jobs, you might qualify for loan forgiveness after a set number of payments. Research your eligibility!

6. Stay Motivated

Set milestones and celebrate small wins. Whether it’s paying off a loan or hitting a certain number, reward yourself (within reason, of course).

7. Seek Help if Needed

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider talking to a financial planner or a student loan counselor for more personalized guidance.

Getting out of debt is a journey, but with a clear plan and consistent effort, you can definitely get there!

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Last year it was Brat summer, this year it’s the summer of the crash out.
I just got a new swimsuit and even though it’s a bit pricey, I can’t recommend it enough!!!

SEE YOU IN THE COMMENTS BESTIES