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Hi, I'm Jim Wang and I share my strategies and tactics for managing your money and enjoying more out of life.

πŸ₯΅ 90-day sprint

Published about 12 hours agoΒ β€’Β 3 min read

Good morning Reader!

A year ago (Sept 2025), Moody's Mark Zandi said that their data showed the probability of a recession at nearly 50%. But one has not emerged (yet).

Remember, we generally consider two quarters of negative GDP "growth" for it to be officially a recession... so we could theoretically be in one and not know it. (GDP grew 2.2% in the 2nd quarter of 2026)

Interest rates have been creeping up (though today and tomorrow's Fed meeting is likely to keep rates unchanged). Energy and food prices continue to creep up.

I think that many people are going to get squeezed this winter and if we aren't preparing like squirrels and caching some money now, there will be some longer term economic challenges ahead of many Americans. 1 in 5 families in debt are behind on payments.​

One idea I shared in a recent Youtube video on saving for an emergency fund fast is the idea of a 90-day sprint. It's when you cut back on expenses just for a little bit to save money. Pause Netflix for three months, bank the $60+, and then turn it back on and binge away. It's not canceling forever, it's putting a pause so you can save cash you know will go towards higher heating bills.

Do you think that's a smart idea? Gimmicky? Silly? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments of the video if you have a minute!

πŸ’² Best Bank Rates (as of 10/27):​
​

πŸ’° High Yield Savings - 4.40% APY + $400 Bonus from SoFi​

πŸ›οΈ Short Term Treasury - VBIL 3.80%, VUSXX 3.95%, SGOV 3.76%

(Treasury interest is not subject to state/local taxes)

πŸ’΅ Bank Bonuses - $500 Bank of America, $800 from E*Trade, $450 US Bank, $200 Barclays, $400 SoFi & more​

​(View this email as a webpage)​
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πŸ₯΅ Series I Bond Rate Prediction

It's been a minute since we've talked about Series I bonds, which were last really popular back in 2022 when they had a yield over 9.5% (I know, a wild number to see).

We have the latest inflation figures and can now make a prediction on what the rate will be when they reset in November.

β€‹πŸ‘‰ Series I Bonds Rate November 2026 Prediction​

(click here if you prefer to watch my Youtube video)

πŸ€– Best Bill Negotiation Services

One of the easiest ways to save money is to lower the bills you’re already paying.

You don’t have to cut back on things you enjoy. Sometimes you can simply pay less for the services you already use.

I’m a big believer in negotiating bills. In fact, I have a habit of trying to negotiate one bill every month.

I’m not always successful, but when I do get a discount, those savings can last for months or even years.

There are now services (I've mentioned WisePal in previous emails and below) that will do this for you if you don't want to yourself... and you only pay if they save you money. What do you think?

β€‹πŸ‘‰ Best Bill Negotiation Services: Companies That Can Lower Your Bills for You​

πŸ—žοΈ Money Stuff I Found Interesting

Here are some interesting articles you may have missed:

πŸ’΅ Good Deals If You Need Them

What did you think of today's email?​
βœ… I Loved It! 🟨 It Was Okay ❌ Not My Favorite​

Talk to you soon!

Jim

PS. Are there any subjects you want me to cover over video? (one of my videos talks about how paying off your mortgage is a massive mistake... what's your take?)

​(see archive of previous emails)​

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Hi, I'm Jim Wang and I share my strategies and tactics for managing your money and enjoying more out of life.

πŸ’΅ Founder of WalletHacks.com

I have been writing about money for nearly 20 years and believe that personal finance is one of those subjects that is made complicated because it benefits a select few. Our aim is to help make it easier to understand so that regular folks can use what we teach to take control of their money and build wealth.

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