discipline

Money and Inspiration Weekly Notes cover for July 11, 2026, covering Meta's best week since early 2024 driven by new AI models and a Bank of America note on lower-than-expected AI infrastructure costs, the SK Hynix IPO on the Nasdaq raising $26.5 billion as the largest ever U.S. IPO by a foreign company, and a personal reflection on stepping away from the market during a difficult family week and trusting the framework built when things were calm.

Weekly Notes — July 11, 2026

This one is going to be a little different from usual. I want to open with something personal and let the market piece follow. It has been an unusually hard week for me at home, and honestly, showing up to…

Money and Inspiration Weekly Notes cover for July 4, 2026, covering strong year to date returns for the major stock indexes despite recent volatility, Meta’s pivot to selling AI cloud compute as a response to the Magnificent Seven capex selloff, and two inspirational stories of impossible feats accomplished this week.

Weekly Notes — July 4, 2026

Happy Fourth of July weekend. Some quick housekeeping before we get started. The U.S. stock market was closed Friday for the Fourth of July holiday, so this week’s official close is Thursday July 2. On to the notes. I  will…

Open notebook and pen on a desk with coffee, representing a realistic and sustainable approach to budgeting

How to Stick to a Budget (Even If You’ve Failed)

If you have ever made a budget, used it for a few weeks, and then completely ignored it, you are not alone. Budgets are a lot like New Year’s resolutions. They start with great intentions but fizzle out quickly. Most…

teen learning financial habits early in life by saving money in a jar

Starting Early: Why Financial Habits Matter

Developing strong financial habits early in life is one of the most important steps toward long-term financial stability and independence. Financial literacy, building and understanding credit, recognizing the value of financial freedom, and developing strong money habits are all important…