Good morning Reader!

My family spent the better part of a week and a half up in the Lake Tahoe region, near Fallen Leaf Lake. I barely had cell service, no WiFi, and loads of hiking and nature. I loved it.

This is the view from Mt. Tallac at 9,739′ above sea level:

It's important to unplug sometimes and get a bit of perspective on life without the interruptions. It doesn't have to be at 9,739 feet but I find that nature helps. And it doesn't have to be for a week and a half, even just fifteen minutes in the middle of a busy day can help too.

What's your favorite way to disconnect?

While we were gone, the Federal Reserve voted to keep interest rate flat though 3 of 12 voting members voted for a rate increase.

I'm also seeing a lot of banks increase their rates despite the Fed holding firm - Barclay's just upped their 12-month CD to 4.15% APY.

If you've been debating consolidating debt, I suspect rates are about to creep up. The writing is on the wall.

💲 Best Bank Rates (as of 8/4):

💰 High Yield Savings - 3.80% APY + $50/$400 from SoFi​

🏛️ Short Term Treasury - VBIL 3.59%, SGOV 3.57%

📀 Certificates of Deposit (see all 40k+ rates)

🔍 We list nationwide rates, CD Valet has local rates which can be higher so click through to double check for your state.

(if you click through links below, make sure to uncheck the "Only show Featured CDs" box above the table)

• 6 months: 4.20% from Quorum FCU (7mo)
• 12 months: 4.50% from Clearpath FCU (12mo)
• 60 Months: 4.30% from Sallie Mae ($2,500 min)

💵 Bank Bonuses - $200 Barclays, $400 Sofi, $500 Bank of America, $400 BMO & more​

​(View this email as a webpage)​

✈️ Bumped from a flight?

When we were flying to Tahoe a couple weeks ago, the gate agents across the way were offering $2400 in flight vouchers if two people volunteered to be bumped.

I was shocked when I heard the offer and so were the other passengers seated around me.

As it turns out, the $2,400 offer wasn't that crazy.

​👉 Bumped From a Flight? Here's What You Can Get​

💬 Would you do this?

Sam Altman suggest that parents could generate an AI podcast talking about the kids' day (after connecting your calendar to ChatGPT) have the kids listen to it on the way to school.

We have four kids, decently busy schedules, but I'd never do this. I feel like this outsources too much, the value isn't in transferring information but in talking about what we look forward to.

Tech is important and useful but give it too much and you give up too much.

🗞️ Money Stuff I Found Interesting

Here are some interesting articles you may have missed... don't miss the starred one! (it's a wonderful poem)

• ⭐ Please Use AI [The Courage to Live It]
• ​You're Rich. Here's How to Raise Great Kids [YouTube]
• ​All living things emit a faint glow. Could this light be useful? [Nature]
• ​Schoolhouse Homestead converted a dilapidated school into their home! [YouTube]
• ​Why is saffron so expensive? [YouTube]
• ​Some Interesting Apples [Kottke.org] - Every apple seed produces a new variety... wow.

💵 Good Deals If You Need Them

• ​Volume Master is a free Chrome extension that can make a tab 600% louder
• ​Quicken Simplifi is 50% off
• This tire pressure monitoring system does what fancy cars do... but for only $35
• ​Google may owe you money if their assistant recorded you without you having said the wake words.
• ​California's DROP is live - this is the free platform for CA residents to get their personal data removed from 600+ data brokers
• ​Everyone else has to do it manually (for now)

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

Talk to you soon!

Jim

PS. I just learned about Books Unbanned, which gives kids library cards from some of the biggest libraries. Connect to Libby and now you have a super-library at your fingertips. I explain on Instagram.​

​(see archive of previous emails)​