enRICHed: volume 181
all your money news to help you get RICH!
Sunday May 10, 2026
Volume 181
Hey besties!
We need to talk about the fact that memes are no longer just memes. Somewhere along the way, internet jokes turned into million-dollar businesses, meme pages became media empires, and random viral moments started moving actual financial markets. This week on Networth & Chill, I sat down with Tank Sinatra, the internet mastermind behind @tanksgoodnews, @influencersinthewild, and one of the biggest meme brands online, to break down the business behind going viral. From how much meme accounts and creators actually make, to why brands are willing to spend serious money on sponsored posts, Tank gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the meme economy and how internet culture quietly shapes the way we spend, invest, and define value.
If you’ve ever wondered how posting jokes on the internet became a real career path, this episode is for you!
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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.
Here We Go Again?
Well, the story that’s top of mind for many of us right now is the hantavirus. As of this week, three passengers have died and five others have gotten sick with the Andes virus, a species of hantavirus, on board the 150-person European cruise ship that’s on its way to the Canary Islands right now. Of the non-fatal cases, one person is critically ill, three have mild symptoms, and one has only been newly identified.
This isn’t the first case we’ve seen of this illness. Here’s the context: In 2018, health authorities in southern Argentina were trying to figure out what caused almost 36 people in a tiny village called Epuyen to fall gravely ill. The outbreak saw 11 fatalities, and became the first known outbreak of the Andes virus.
Hantavirus is a rare, rodent-borne illness that usually spreads when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings. There are 40 kinds of hantavirus, but broadly divided into “Old World” and “New World” species. The Argentine government’s leading hypothesis for this kind is that a Dutch couple contracted the virus during a bird-watching outing at a garbage dump before boarding, according to reporting from the Associated Press.
Symptoms of hantavirus include fever and gastrointestinal symptoms, with rapid progression to pneumonia, leading to cardiovascular collapse for some. Old World hantaviruses are endemic in Europe and Asia, and mostly cause bleeding disorders and kidney dysfunction. New World viruses are more prevalent in the Americas, and more commonly cause pulmonary edema (fluid accumulation in the lungs).
HYCU; Is this going to become the next COVID epidemic? Right now, the World Health Organization says no, there are some key differences between the onset of COVID and the Andes virus. Mainly, they think that if treated correctly, this could be contained to the cruise ship with expansive public health operation under way to minimise risk of further transmission. But there’s a reason people are taking this seriously: half of all hantavirus cases in the Americas are fatal, and the cruise ship cases all developed symptoms between April 6 and 28, showing that it is spreading rapidly. So no, it’s not likely that we’ll go into immediate lockdown again, but take this time to really brush up on your health and safety standards, just to make sure that you’re prepared for any scenario.
Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift
Everyone and their mother is in Japan right now, and you often hear one big reason: the yen is down, which makes everything so, so, so much cheaper over there for American tourists. But new changes are happening to the yen that could affect your big Tokyo summer shopping trip.
The yen saw a sudden surge on Wednesday — hitting a two-month high for the battered currency. It’s sparking speculation about possible further intervention from Tokyo, though that of course hasn’t been confirmed yet. Meanwhile, the dollar has been on decline, and saw another slump against most major currencies on the same day, as investors grew optimistic about a possible end to the Iran war.
Of course, Japanese authorities aren’t happy about this, but there are some factors outside their control. These two currencies are deeply interlinked. The yen has historically had a close correlation with US Treasuries: namely, it weakens relative to the dollar when Treasury bonds, notes, and bills yields rise. Recently, the currency’s weakness has been exacerbated by higher oil prices due to the Iran war that have boosted the US dollar.
HYCU; Probably, if you’re already in Japan, you’ll notice that the conversion rate from yen to dollar isn’t as sweet as people on Instagram Reels were making it out to be. If things are feeling more expensive on your trip than last season’s, it probably has a lot to do with this week’s surge. That being said, the dollar is still incredibly strong compared to the yen, so I wouldn’t worry about things getting suddenly incredibly more expensive. Take that Japan trip and still go shopping! There’s tons of other hacks to save money there, too, like bringing your passport to shops to get tax-free purchases, which can save you ~10% on all your trinkets and souvenirs.
Take a Bite Out of Big Apple
Another day, another settlement dollar: Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of exaggerating the capabilities of Apple Intelligence and Siri.
Basically, the lawsuit claimed that Apple’s 2024 and 2025 promotional campaigns for Siri and Apple Intelligence could be considered false advertising and violated consumer protection laws. Apple hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing, but they certainly weren’t ready to let the issue get to court.
As of right now, a judge still needs to sign off on the agreement, but tens of millions of iPhone owners could soon be eligible to receive between $25 to $95 in the settlement — which isn’t a lot, but these payments are never going to be life-changing amounts of money. However, you could invest the money and watch it passively grow over the years, which would get you *closer* to that big, fat, million-dollar payout that you had hoped for.
HYCU; So which iPhone holders qualify for a little payment? All US-based consumers who purchased specific iPhone models in 2024 and 2025 (that’s the iPhone 15 and 16 era, just FYI) can apply for your settlement money. The phones also have to be capable of running Apple Intelligence — Apple’s name for its suite of AI tools — in order to get a slice of the pie.
Abdullah asks: “Hi! What tax-advantaged investment account would you recommend opening for a baby?”
Hey Bestie! It’s great that you’re already thinking about your child’s financial future.
Start with a 529 plan: this is probably your strongest move for a baby since education costs these days are basically guaranteed. The money grows tax-free, and when you use it for qualified education expenses (college, trade school, even K-12 tuition), the withdrawals are completely tax-free too. Many states throw in tax deductions or credits for your contributions, which is like getting paid to save for your kid’s future. Plus, if your little one becomes the next tech genius and doesn’t need all the education funds, you can transfer up to $35,000 into a Roth IRA for them later.
Consider a UTMA account for flexibility: this one’s great because it’s not locked into education expenses only. You control the account until they’re 18 or 21 (depending on your state), and the money is usually taxed at your child’s lower tax rate, which saves you money. You can invest in stocks, bonds, index funds, whatever makes sense. The downside? Once they hit adulthood, it’s legally theirs to do whatever they want with.
Hold off on the custodial Roth IRA for now: while these are amazing for compound growth (we’re talking potentially millions by retirement), babies need earned income to contribute. So unless your little one is already booking Gerber modeling gigs, this one’s for later when they start mowing lawns or babysitting.
For a baby, I’d lean toward starting with the 529 since education is such a sure bet, then maybe adding a UTMA once you’ve got that foundation covered. Both give you tax advantages while keeping your options open as your child grows!
Want to be featured in our Question Bank section?
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They’re saying changing this lunchtime office habit will improve your brain health. You mean, a slop bowl at the desk isn’t the best thing for you…?!
Another Met Gala has come and gone, but at least the red carpet looks will give us enough to talk about until the next one rolls around.
The city of Seoul, South Korea hosted a nap competition to promote the importance of sleep in city life. Now that’s a competition I know I could win.
SEE YOU IN THE COMMENTS BESTIES
The strongest cut is “memes are no longer just memes.” Internet culture became a real economic engine.