(Artwork in progress by @leaincandela.art. I thought it fitting to choose a work in progress...just like our mission here.)
Where did the month go?
Between the insurrection and the inauguration and, well, COVID-19, I’m sure many of you feel exhausted from the collective emotional rollercoaster that has been the past 11 months. Someone made me laugh the other day by saying, “2021 is just 2020 with bangs.” While it is looking a bit more promising than that joke, I know we aren’t out of the woods yet.
First, I want to say thank you for the tremendous response to my January newsletter and launching of this initiative. So many of you have subscribed and reached out with encouraging words and it means the world to me.
Second, I want to talk about the current, bandied-about, buzzy word “accountability” as it pertains to personal finances. Accountability comes from the Latin word, accomptare (to account), a prefixed form of computare (to calculate), which in turn derived from putare (to reckon).
Since we can’t control how accountability will shake out on Capital Hill or with the perennial #metoo movement, let’s focus on what we can control…being honest with how we spend and save money.
These past few weeks, I gave you tips and tricks on how to save your dollars. We portioned chicken breasts, we combed through circulars, we made homemade breadcrumbs...hell, we even ate popcorn for dinner.
Here’s my personal accounting:
Chicken breast savings: $18
Popcorn dinner savings $14
Breadcrumb savings $6
Risotto balls $14
Stock cubes $8
Sauce cubes $12
Egg cups $20
Circulars $66
Total: $158
Okay, let’s invest it:
Open an account here.
Take your monthly savings (remember, I recommend $100 per adult in your family/$50 for each kid) and do a recurring deposit on the date of your choice.
Now, let’s calculate what a $150 monthly recurring amount will look like in 20 years:
The more family members you have, the more money you will invest. But if you live alone, fear not. I will have other tips and tricks to raise your monthly, quarterly, and annual contributions to give that number an impressive boost.
Thanks for trusting me thus far.
Kate
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What I’ve been up to:
Watching: Dickinson, Imposters, and Promising Young Woman.
Eating: Alison Roman’s meatballs, Ottolenghi Tofu, grapefruit salads, and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos (which randomly are being sold on Etsy).
Reading: The school of Life: An Emotional Education by Alain de Botton; all of these infuriating articles on how working women are the pandemic back up plan; and Helen Rosner’s article on how we should not be dining inside restaurants at all right now.
Thinking about: winter produce, our upcoming Spring Drive Collab with First Bite, readers’ questions.