#63 Saving for the Future & Sounding Smarter

Welcome back!

There’s been a strange energy lately, something about an event that’s not gonna happen again until 2044? To be honest, gotta plead ignorance here - been so focused on this edition of OTF that we haven’t read much else lately.

But we’re over the moon with how this issue turned out. Seriously: not to overshadow the exciting event, whatever it was, but this edition is so 🔥 that there’s no doubt it’ll give us the boost we need to finally eclipse 2,000 subs.

Though we pride ourselves on humility, it’s hard not to boast right now. This edition shines so bright, you might not wanna look directly at it.

Just kidding.

You obviously HAVE to look directly at it to read it, though…well, we don’t want you to hurt your eyes. Don’t they sell special glasses for occasions like this?

This Week’s 🔥 Highlights:

💰️ Live In The Future When Budgeting

🗣 3 Phrases to Sound More Intelligent

📊 Searching Back At March

➕ Much. More.

Making Cents 💰️ 

Why You Should Live In The Future When Budgeting

Short and Sweet: Budgeting isn’t just about the present; it’s also about forecasting the future. That way unexpected expenses like birthdays, travel, irregular expenses, etc. don’t get you into a spiral.

Why It Matters: Because life is full of surprises, so when you budget with the future in mind, you’re staying ready. As the saying goes: “if you stay ready, you won’t have to get ready."

OTF Example: If you’re budgeting for the month of April, use your personal calendar and look for what’s to come in May and June. See what potential expenses are on the horizon. That way, instead of eating out for dinner twice this week, only eat out once and allocate to the future expenses for May and June. #SaveSaveSave

Get Specific: Breaking Down Future Budgeting 

• 👆️ Anticipate and Mitigate Risk: Future-focused budgeting allows you to foresee and set aside funds for potential emergencies or unexpected expenses, reducing financial stress and risk of debt.

• ✌️ Avoid Impulse Spending: Knowing your future expenses and savings goals gives you a clearer picture of your available spending money, helping to curb unnecessary purchases and keeping your finances on track.

• 🤟 Smooth Financial Fluctuations: Budgeting for the future helps smooth out the financial impact of seasonal expenses (like holiday gifts or summer vacations) and irregular incomes, ensuring a more consistent financial footing.

Take Action: 3 Things You Can Do ASAP

• 🥇 Set Up a Detailed Forecast: Create a budget that extends several months into the future. Use past spending habits to estimate future expenses and income, adjusting for known changes like salary increases or planned trips.

• 🥈 Create a Dedicated Emergency Fund: Start funneling a portion of your income into an emergency fund, if you haven’t already. Aim for an amount that can cover 3-6 months of living expenses, giving you a buffer for the unforeseen.

• 🥉 Regularly Review and Adjust: Make it a habit to review your budget and financial plan at least monthly. Life changes, and so will your financial needs and goals. Adjust your budget accordingly to stay aligned with your future objectives.

Don’t be like this guy 👇️ 

Hustle Hub 📈 

• YOUR SUCCESS: Looking for the write side-hustle? Here are 13 good ones for our writers and content creators.

• THEIR SUCCESS: What lessons can you take from this Vegas dive bar that went from unknown to must-see in less than three years?

• YOUR SUCCESS: A lot of side-hustles require an online presence. To that end…

Cool Communicator 😎 

😏 3 Phrases to Sound More Intelligent

Who among us doesn’t want to sound smarter?

It’s a pretty common insecurity, and we often think the solution is using bigger, fancier words than we would otherwise. But this is not it. (Seriously - using a big word you’re not 100% comfortable with is a great way to embarrass yourself and/or alienate others).

Instead, use these three phrases to make you sound both smarter and more emotionally intelligent.

TL;DR Takeaways:

• FUN FACT: “The origin of the word communication comes from to make common.” The lesson here? To improve your communication, speak in a way that most people can understand.
  

• Phrase #1: “Could you tell me more about that?” - When someone tells you something important, resist the urge to immediately jump in with your own experience, analysis, or perspective. Instead, make the speaker feel heard (and yourself seem interested) with some version of the phrase above.

• Phrase #2: “I think…” - When you must offer an opinion or criticism of someone else’s work, you don’t want to sound pompous or rude. Using “I think…” before any critique is a great step in that direction.
  

• Phrase #3: “Can you give me some advice?” - Yes, smart people ask for help. They’re aware of what they know and what they don’t, where they excel and where they don’t. Often people are afraid asking for help will make them look dumb or incompetent, but according to the article, it has the exact opposite effect.

O.T.F O.F.T = ONE FINAL THOUGHT

This article contained plenty of good advice, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that each of these three phrases can be misused.

For example, there will be times where you absolutely must sound authoritative - you won’t want to use “I think…” in that scenario.

Another example: if every single time your boss gives you a task, you chew their ear off asking for advice, they may start to suspect incompetence.

It’s up to you to decide the right time and place for each.

The Search Bar 📊 

LOOKING BACK AT MARCH (As of 4:00 PM on Sunday 3/3):

MOST SEARCHED BUSINESS (past 30 days): United States Postal Service - While not a business (and certainly not a profitable one), US Postal Service tops the list over the past 30 days due to their historic deal with UPS.

MOST SEARCHED FINANCIAL TERM (past 30 days): tax - Which reminds us…HAVE YOU DONE YOUR TAXES YET?!? You’ve got six days left…

MOST DOWNLOADED APP (past 30 days): Threads - excluding mobile games, Threads topped the list last month, outperforming hugely-popular mainstays like Shein and TikTok.

Food For Thought 💭 

Before You Go…

We hope you enjoyed this edition. Next week, we’ll be back with more communication tips, an all-new Convo Starters, and our favorite Major Moves being made in the business world.

See you then!

You are now On The Fly and In The Know.