enRICHed: volume 91

heard we’re in a recession but this face card has unlimited funds 😗

Aug 11, 2024

Volume 91

Hey besties!

I’ve been in New York the past week or so, and we’ve been getting pummeled with rain. I don’t know if it’s the fact that it’s August or the gloomy storm clouds in the sky every day, but I’m starting to freak out and feeling like summer is slipping through my fingers! With back-to-school coming up and folks returning more and more to the office, I can’t help but feel a little anxious about all of this change. Why does summer have to end?! However, whenever I feel out of sorts because too many things are happening and nothing seems the same, I try to remind myself that change usually leads to new opportunities, and I need to be ready to receive them! It’s not just about making lemonade when life gives you lemons, it’s also about recognizing what can be lemons in the first place. So do me a favor this week, and try something new! Whether it’s a workout class, restaurant, or just grabbing coffee with a new friend, tell the universe that you are ready for all the amazing things coming your way!

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.

Payout On Cash App 💸

Some Cash App customers will be able to claim more than $2,500 each as part of a $15 million class-action settlement for data and security breaches at the mobile payment service.
This is coming up now after a class-action lawsuit was made against the company by customers, which claimed Cash App was negligent when a former employee accessed account data without permission in 2022, and again when an unauthorized user accessed accounts in 2023.
To qualify for a claim, you must have had a Cash App account between August 23, 2018 and August 20, 2024 and had your account accessed without your authorization or experienced fraudulent withdrawals or transfers. You must have not already been reimbursed by Block Inc., Cash App Investing or a third party, too.
HYCU; The deadline to submit for a claim is November 18, 2024, so if you qualify for a claim, make sure to file one!

Costco’s Recessioncore 🛒💳

Costco is not letting y’all sneak into The Club anymore—the wholesaler announced that it would be cracking down on non-members using other people’s cards by requiring shoppers to scan their membership cards to enter stores.
Instead of flashing your card to an employee, the retailer is rolling out scanners at the entrance of stores that you will flash your digital or physical card under to be permitted.
They’re also about to require guests to be accompanied by a valid cardholder to enter its stores, making it more difficult for non-members to sneak in using other peoples’ cards.
It’s hella recession-coded: last year, the company began requiring shoppers to present their membership card and a photo ID to use the registers; not to mention, they’re raising membership costs for the first time in months from $60 to $65 in the US and Canada, starting in September.
HYCU; Sheesh, these times are getting tough—back in my day, you could just slide right into a Costco and pick up a monthslong supply of paper towels. For those who are relying on other peoples’ cards to get into America’s hottest club, it’s time to either start thinking about getting your own membership or figuring out a new strategy to save on your favorite bulk goods. Many have begun to coordinate in groups where one cardholder buys communal goods and splits it amongst everyone, and others are asking members to buy them gift cards and then reimbursing them - both of which are super smart workarounds.

The Girls Are Fighting!✈️💻😡

Delta Airlines has publicly dragged CrowdStrike in a new letter on Thursday, in the latest beef update between the two companies after the massive CrowdStrike outage.
Basically, Delta has been trying to get busy with CrowdStrike, because they blame the cybersecurity company for its flight disruptions over the past few weeks. The airline said that massive IT outage caused them to lose $500 million in sales, and it’s all CrowdStrike’s fault.
But then, Crowdstrike said the call was coming from inside the house, because Delta's flight disruptions continued after other carriers came back online—and that they’re ready to “aggressively” defend themselves should Delta take legal action against them.
Meanwhile, a lawsuit has also been filed against Delta on behalf of passengers whose flights were canceled. Many are still experiencing flight disruptions. It’s a mess out here!
HYCU; This is a pretty major company beef which will likely go to court, from the way things are looking. We’ve already talked about making sure you get your reimbursements from Delta if your travels were affected by the tech outage, but make sure to check out what other traveler’s protections can apply to you in case there might be other ways to get your money back. New federal regulations require that if an airline cancels your flight or significantly delays it, you are eligible for an automatic full refund, if you don’t opt for rebooking, so make sure to take advantage of that!

Commonly asked question: Rose asks, “Hi Vivian! Longtime follower, first time question-er? My job currently pays me 53K a year after being there for three years, I've asked for a raise after implementing what you mention in your book about meetings and goals. My boss said that even after everything I may not get much of a raise when reviews come around due to the company not being able to provide more. BUT. Today, one of our employees submitted their resignations and will leave in two weeks. Now I'm seeing a job posting for $55-$66k for my exact same job but "entry level". I have 10 years of experience! So my question, how can I get this raise? Who should I talk to? the GM? too bold? I work for a news station and I've already jumped around to the other stations slowly getting to where I'm at now. How do I stay where I'm at but get paid what an entry level will be paid?”

Hi Rose! This is a tough situation, but one I think a lot of people can relate to. Just to get the hard facts out of the way, Forbes did a study and found that people who don’t change jobs every 2ish years make 50% less over the course of their lives when compared to those who do change jobs every 2 years or so. Additionally, 60% of people who switch jobs reported a salary increase.

That said, I would recommend bringing up this job posting to your manager. They clearly have some extra budget elsewhere and they should prioritize retaining their longtime talent in addition to looking to fill that remaining role. How your boss reacts will also give you a good read on how they value you and your talents going forward.

If your boss is receptive, this could mean things are looking up, but if they continue to push back and you’ve already followed my previous advice like creating a brag book and starting to ask for a raise earlier in the year—it might also be time to look for other opportunities. After 3 years and not a single raise, you are actually losing money each year due to inflation and the rising cost of living.

It’s not a crime to explore opportunities elsewhere, especially since corporations are always going to look out for their bottom line. You need to look out for yourself too. You are here to learn and earn, and if you don’t feel like you’re doing both, it may be time to go!

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Every young boy wants “broccoli hair,” it seems. I can’t tell if this will age badly or amazingly.

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