Mike M @KeepMoneySimple

💰 The Daily Money Nugget Paid every other week? In a typical year, TWO months have THREE paychecks! 💡 If you budget around two, consider saving, investing, or paying down debt with that third check. #MoneyTips #PersonalFinance substack.com/@mikemakesmone…

@SportExegesis For sure, he's the Real Deal Drake! After all these years, The Bears finally found their QB.

Thanks my friend. Nice Bears win tonight! I was watching while working on this article. Man, Williams is the Real Deal!

🚗 Are you paying for auto insurance coverage you no longer need? Liability, collision, comprehensive—do you know what each covers? Some coverage is required. Other components may be optional. 💵 Learn more: substack.com/@mikemakesmone… #AutoInsurance #MoneyTips

Many thanks my friend! Many people don't realize that there are multiple components to an auto policy, some of which people may not want or need, depending on their individual circumstance. For example, if you're driving a beater that's only worth a few grand, why pay for collision or comprehensive? If you get into an accident, you're probably going to scrap it anyway. Same if a tree branch falls on it or hail damage.

@SportExegesis Many thanks my friend 👍

💰 Just because you CAN afford something doesn't mean you SHOULD buy it. One of the smartest financial habits you can develop is knowing the difference. Financial freedom isn't just about what you can afford. It's also about what you choose NOT to buy. substack.com/@mikemakesmone… #MoneyTips #FinancialLiteracy

@NarrativeNuked Smart move my friend

@SportExegesis Space for sure, it's a quicker death

@dividendology Wow! You've said it!

Great question Shane. Actually, no, not at all. That was just me and my situation when I was working. I was lucky enough to work for a very stable company and was secure about my job. In addition, my ex wife was a criminal prosecutor, so we also felt very secure about her job. It all depends on each person's/couple's own circumstances. Looking back, we were very lucky. My advice to younger people now is to always keep 3-6 months of bare bones living expenses in something like a high yield savings account. You'll earn 4% on your money and be able to access it without penalty in a heartbeat. Hope this helps.

Wow is right Shane! Let me tell ya, I'm 59.5 years old right now. It's literally been the blink of an eye. More importantly, you never give your money a chance to compound exponentially if you start too late. You are also probably turning your back on free money in the form of a company match.

@HeroDividend I love Costco. They have the best buyers in the world. Everything available to buy there is good

@jeremyct I hear ya Jeremy. I think some of it is coming from generational wealth that is being passed down

@swissch33z Before even seeing where you were from in your bio, I knew, just based on the mix of the sports teams that you follow. Definitely a Kenosha area kid. Me too brother 👊

@wisconsinsane Somewhere between C and D I think

@ProFantasizer @NarrativeNuked @ProFantasizer, thanks for commenting. We'll see what the future has in store for us.

Great, thanks for sharing. I'm getting more perspective from the actual post on Substack and it's been really enlightening. This is what one reader posted, which just blew my mind: As someone who has looked at traditional markets through a similar lens for decades, I think your approach is incredibly refreshing. You aren't missing anything—you are asking the exact right questions. The traditional case for holding Gold has never been about intrinsic cash flow; it’s an insurance policy for when the fiat system cracks. If we look at the Fed today, we are rapidly approaching an ultimatum where massive new liquidity injections feel mathematically inevitable just to service soaring debt. That printed liquidity systematically destroys our purchasing power and savings. Historically, Gold was the only shield against that. But your son has a very sharp grip on where the world is going. He sees Bitcoin as the evolution of that exact same insurance policy—a "digital gold" built for a digital era. Unlike physical gold (which we can always mine more of when prices rise), Bitcoin has absolute, unalterable scarcity capped at 21 million. More importantly, it replaces human trust and government "black boxes" with verifiable mathematical trust. You don't have to fully buy into it yet, but given the macro storm brewing with the Fed, being curious about it right now isn't just generational—it's sound risk management. Beautifully written post.

₿ My 24-year-old son buys Bitcoin weekly. I'm 59, have an MBA in Finance, and remain skeptical. He sees scarcity, decentralization & adoption. I see valuation questions. Generational divide—or something deeper? Bitcoin believers: What am I missing? substack.com/profile/551664… #Bitcoin

@NarrativeNuked Thanks for contributing Shane. No, it's my other son Lucas. He's a firm believer. Your comment about Bitcoin being one of the very few that you trust is intriguing. Please expand on that if you care to. If not, no worries. Thanks for contributing anyway my friend.