#115 Would You Die With Zero?

Welcoming you back with our Money Edition. 

But this one’s going to be different than our usual.

As I’ve teased recently, OTF is launching a new Interview Edition in May, focused on learning from the success and expertise of others. But I realized that before you get to know others through the interviews we’ve lined up, maybe you should get to know me a little bit first.

Don’t worry - this isn’t my life story. There are still plenty of the sorts of money gems you’ve come to know and love. The only difference is that we’re looking at them through my eyes this time around.

Hope you like the view!

Content FULL of Money, Money, Money…

FATTENING THE WALLET 💰️ 

• Making Sense of the Making Cents Section

ELEVATING YOUR BRAND 📈 

• Hustle Hub Shares One Underrated Word to Elevate Your Persuasiveness

• Expert Advice from the Author, Bill Perkins, and his Book, DIE WITH ZERO

BOOSTING YOUR PRODUCTIVITY🚀 

• An Article Too Good Not To Read On Solopreneurship in Hustle Hub

MAKING CENTS 💰️ 

MONEY Is Important…

The Money Edition is my favorite edition every month, and this is my favorite section. For several reasons.

But one of them is: I never had much money growing up. I saw the stress it brought onto my family and decided at a young age that I would not bring that stress with me into adulthood.

I grew up in a single-parent household, just my mom and me until I left for college. It wasn’t easy for her, so once I was old enough to work, I felt like it was my responsibility to make cents of my own finances.

It started off…interesting.

I began college on a Division II basketball scholarship but gave it up after six months because I didn’t like the school. The scholarship covered 70% of my tuition. It was a big decision, risky from a financial standpoint, but I valued positive experiences and environment over money (which, it turns out, was the right move according to this week’s Expert Advice.)

But this meant I had to make a sacrifice. So I enrolled in a community college a half hour from my house and spent two years paying my tuition in real time, relieving my mom of that burden. Then I transferred to the University of Albany, where I loaded up on Monday-thru-Thursday classes so I could drive the 2+ hours home to caddie all weekend. I made good money and a lot of valuable connections. It was totally worth it.

I was able to help my mom, and I learned so much about money and personal finance that it’s carried me to where I am today. To why I wanted to start this newsletter in the first place.

The most obvious lesson I learned is that, having money requires much more than hard work and skill. In a lot of ways, it’s a choice. You have to set priorities and build and commit to good habits. You need to learn, monitor, and sacrifice. You need to be vigilant, opportunistic, and open-minded.

And you need to be passionate about it. You need to envision the life you want and passionately pursue it.

That’s what’s brought me to this point: my passion. That’s why I started this newsletter. That’s why I favor this edition. That’s why I love this section.

Now…LGTM (Let’s Get This Money!)

EXPERT ADVICE 💭

…But So Are EXPERIENCES

The second chapter of Die with Zero by Bill Perkins is arguably the most important chapter in the book, with a very different take on investing. It’s not about making money; it’s about getting the most out of life.

The advice is simple: Invest In Experiences.

Go Deeper

Perkins asserts that an individual’s life experiences add up to who they are. Without them, you’ve failed at the business of life.

What’s the business of life, you ask?

Perkins turns to Downtown Abbey’s Carson for the answer:

I’ve done my absolute best to live by these words. When I got my first job, I moved to NYC and spent money I could’ve been saving on experiencing everything the city has to offer. Those adventures taught me so many lessons that are crucial to who I am today. They also gave me memories that will last a lifetime.

As I got older, a dream started calling to me. I’d always wanted to live on the West Coast, so when a role popped up in California, I jumped at it.

Would it have been easier to stay close to home and save money? Of course.

Would I have more money right now if I’d done that? Absolutely!

But I don’t regret a single dime I spent out there. That three-year period of my life was the best experience I could’ve possibly hoped for, and what made it even more special? So many friends and family members got their first tastes of Cali by visiting me. So it wasn’t only me acquiring memories out there; it was also the people I love.

What’s the Point?

Making a lot of money means nothing if you’re not gonna spend it on the life you want. For life to be worth living, you need experiences. Work, make money, work more, make more money, die is not a life.

That’s my main takeaway from Die With Zero - while it’s important to do all that other investing we’re always talking about (markets, real estate, yourself, etc.), don’t forget to Invest in Experiences.

HUSTLE HUB 📈

YOUR SUCCESS:

Be Persuasive - To make money, you’ve got to get people to spend it. To do that, you need to be persuasive. This word goes a long way in that pursuit.

THEIR SUCCESS:

Be Inspired - Her spontaneous side-hustle did 100K in the first month; here’s how it became such an “instant success.”

YOUR SUCCESS:

Be A Solopreneur - Learn how you can scale past six figures entirely on your own!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT 💡 

If you have investments, odds are you’ve got money in the S&P. Here’s how that money performed through the first quarter of 2025:

Before You Go!

Thank you again for joining us for another edition of OTF!

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As always, see you next Tuesday 🤝 

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