💰How to start investing

Ice baths have become L.A.’s hottest new dating trend and it’s bringing people together faster than ever. They say it’s a high-frequency method to meeting like-minded people, with meet-cutes at cold plunge centers becoming more and more frequent. More details on the icy trend below so you could let us know - would you speed date in an ice bath?

We’re also showing you how to start investing, book cheaper flights, and supercharge your money, one step at a time. Here’s to a great week ahead!

- Milan

IN THE STOCKS

• S&P 500 4,117.37 (-0.48%)
• NASDAQ 12,643.01 (0.38%)
• Dow Jones 32,417.59 (-1.12%)

*Stock data as of closing on 27th October.

MILAN’S HACK OF THE DAY

“Wait As Long As Possible” To Give Your Kid A Phone

In a recent interview, Yale psychology professor Laurie Santos revealed that if you want happier, healthier kids, you should “wait as long as possible” to give them a phone. And we have a feeling that this tip isn’t just for children.

While hours of YouTube videos and doom-scrolling may feel like a good distraction for kids and adults alike, research shows that children between the ages of 8 and 12 spend a little less than 5 hours a day on their phones and teenagers clock in almost 8 hours of screentime a day. This has a massive effect on children’s mental health, leading to increased anxiety, less physical activity, and bad sleeping habits. 

The research comes hot on the heels of 42 states suing Meta for knowingly harming teens and kids with their algorithm. The lawsuit says Meta promoted addictive algorithms to youth on Facebook and Instagram and downplayed the psychological repercussions of using their apps.

Professor Santos advises parents to wait until the 8th grade to give children their own phones. At the end of the day, we can all heed this advice and lay off on social media for a while. After all, it’s important to do everything in moderation for a happier, healthier life. For more tips on money management and personal development, download my Top 15 Hacks for free at milansingh.co/hacks.

THE MONEY BREAKDOWN

How To Start Investing: Index Funds

“How can I start investing” is a question we get asked a few times a month and though we’ve given you a few options, we’re finally breaking down a foolproof way to get into the stock market: Index Funds.

An index is like a scoreboard for a particular group of stocks or assets. The most well-known index is the S&P 500, which tracks the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the United States. Index funds are popular because they offer several advantages. 

1. They are typically low-cost investments because they don't require active management and have lower fees. You can simply buy and hold assets in the index.
2. You can diversify your investment portfolio and reduce risks because you're essentially spreading your money across a wide range of assets.
3. Index funds are often seen as long-term investments. If you hold an index fund for many years, you're likely to see your investment grow.

So if you still haven’t started investing, look into the S&P500, Dow Jones Industrial, or NASDAQ as your starting point. You can also check out our Beginner’s Guide To The Stock Market for handy tips and tricks that will help you along your journey. 

IN THE KNOW

The IRS Is Simplifying Tax Filing 🎉

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has finally decided to give back! Thanks to new funding granted by the Inflation Reduction Act, the IRS plans to launch a free tax filing pilot program during tax season next year. 

The pilot is to be launched to select segments of taxpayers in 13 states, though the IRS hasn’t specified who will be eligible yet: it may be limited to a population below a certain tax bracket or limited to people with a unique tax situation. Once the pilot concludes, the Treasury Department will decide whether a larger-scale program will benefit taxpayers. If all goes well, we may soon be able to cut down on the expense of private tax filing and save a few hundred dollars.

But if the pilot doesn’t go as expected, you still might be a part of the 70% of taxpayers who are eligible to use this free tax filing service if you earn $73,000 or less. The Free File Program is an alliance made up of 7 private companies that offer their tax filing services for free to low-income taxpayers. Not many people know about the program but you can approach companies like TaxHawk and FileYourTaxes, who are part of the alliance and will be able to help you file your taxes for free.

Say Hello To Digit, Amazon’s Humanoid Robots 🤖

Under fire from regulators for worker injury rates that exceed industry averages, Amazon has begun to invest more in automation at their warehouses. Their newly launched human-like robots and AI-driven programs are meant to increase efficiency and prevent worker injuries caused by repetitive tasks. 

The use of automation isn’t a foreign concept at Amazon. The company has been using robots for over a decade to move inventory for employees. But with the introduction of Digit, Amazon’s latest technology, the robots can now lift, bend, squat, and grasp items with their human-like hands to help warehouse employees with mundane tasks. 

Alongside Digit, Amazon has also begun using Sparrow, a robotic arm that consolidates products into bins, and Sequoia, a technology that has helped reduce warehouse processing times by 25%. 

Is this the beginning of an AI takeover or are we finally going to get faster deliveries at no extra cost to mankind? Hit reply to this mail to weigh in!

How To Uno Reverse Airline Costs 🔁

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, 2.9 million people fly in and out of U.S. airports every single day. But did you know that airlines only make money off of a small percentage of this population?

Economy class tickets aren’t really a money-maker for airlines. In an interview with The Hustle, Columbia Business School professor Geoffrey Heal said that on average, one business class ticket is worth 5 to 6 economy tickets. So if you’re flying business, always remember to do it on your airmiles or credit card points. But that’s not all, we’re gonna break down even more ways you can save money on your airfare. 

Before algorithms made our lives more convenient yet more difficult at the same time, scoring cheaper airline tickets was a breeze. The hottest hack was to book your tickets on a Tuesday and clear your cached cookies before browsing. But now with new technologies in place, these tips are pretty dated. Instead, try these tips:

1. Fly Midweek: Research shows that you can save around 15% on domestic flights and 8% on international flights if you fly on a Wednesday as opposed to a Sunday.
2. Be Flexible: Use Google Flights for cheaper booking options. Use the calendar view to see how moving your travel dates by a day or two can save you tons.
3. Book In Advance: When you’re flying domestically, take overnight flights to save on 37% of the cost and if you’re flying internationally, book an early morning takeoff time to save on 13% of the cost.

A Chilling Networking Trend 🥶

The trend of plunging yourself into a tub of ice-cold water to boost your physical and mental health started early this year. It’s still going strong and according to the Wall Street Journal, has now started creeping its way into the corporate world.

That’s right, you could soon be networking, brainstorming, or taking meetings out of an ice plunge because it’s been found to boost mental clarity and productivity. Entrepreneurs have started using them in team bonding sessions, at company retreats, across industry events, and even started hosting cold-plunge parties for like-minded individuals.

While the benefits sound enticing, could you imagine immersing yourself in a pool set at 48 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit and still trying to think straight? We’re not sure if this is just a Halloween prank or if the trend is here to stay. As the saying goes, can’t knock it till you try it.

We’re curious though - would you be able to take a business meeting in an ice bath? Or better yet, speed date in one? Let us know by hitting reply to this email.

MONEY MYTH OF THE DAY

“Conferences Are A Waste Of Time”

People tend to discourage you from attending conferences and events around your area of interest claiming that they are a waste of time, money, and energy. But in reality, these events open you up to a world of learning and networking opportunities that you just can’t find anywhere else.

This month, we attended FinCon 2023 where we were able to meet like-minded people, network with brands, share our expertise, and learn from other professionals in the industry. This helped us expand our knowledge and optimize our processes to be able to bring you great content, while also learning how to maximize our profits. 

So the next time someone tries to tell you conferences aren’t worth your time, go anyway. You’d be surprised by how much value they can add to your life.

VIDEOS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED THIS WEEK

Here are the top videos you loved the most this week. We're trying out new thumbnails - which one was your favorite?