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Hey Reader,

Happy first week of Fall! I can't believe how quickly the weather switched. It's SO COLD in NYC now...

Thankfully, I escaped the freezing temps and rainy storm this weekend. I'm writing this from Miami (here for my friend's wedding) and the weather here is hot, sunny, and with a side of sweat.

And I can't think of a better time to introduce our new newsletter! So here's the the new format:

The Big Idea: One money concept that changes how you think, save, spend, or invest
Know This: One big news story that can impact you and your wallet and what you can do about it
Your Money Move: One practical step, tool, or resource that you can take action today
On My Radar: Think discount codes, non-boring finance articles, and cool stuff I found from the week aka the fun stuff 😉

Let me know what you think about the new format. Vote in the poll at the end of the newsletter!

The Big Idea 💭

There are a few points in your financial journey where the math starts mathing differently.

For example, once you reach a certain number, saving more barely matters.

Let’s say you have:

$400,000 already invested
A $1 million retirement target
A 10% annual return
Can contribute $15,000 a year

Now here’s the interesting question: How much of a difference would contributing $15,000 a year actually make?

If you contribute $15,000 every year, you reach $1 million in ~7.7 years.
If you stop contributing completely, you reach the same target in ~9.6 years.

In other words, continuing to contribute gets you there only 1.9 years sooner, but takes ~$115,000 in additional contributions.

This is called the “Coast FIRE Crossover Point,” which is when your investments can grow into your retirement target without saving another penny.

So, would you pay $115,000 to reach retirement 2 years earlier?

There’s no wrong answer. Maybe retiring 2 years sooner is worth it to you. Maybe spending an extra $15,000 a year on whatever you want is better.

What would you do and why? Reply to this email and let me know.

Know This 📰

Diesel is having a crude awakening (haha get it?)

The average price of diesel hit a record ~$6.53 per gallon, up roughly 76% from this time last year. Unless you drive an 18-wheeler to work, you may think, “Yeah…not my problem,” but diesel impacts you more than you think.
Diesel powers the trucks, trains, and boats transporting nearly everything we consume, PLUS the equipment used for farming and construction. AKA things are gonna get EVEN MORE expensive for everyone.
Trump said he might restrict diesel exports to keep more fuel in the U.S. and bring prices down. But, surprise, surprise! Experts warn refiners could respond by producing less, meaning prices could actually go up more.
How you can use this: If diesel prices remain high, stuff’s gonna get more expensive such as groceries, deliveries, contractor quotes, heating, and flights. Veggies, meat, and other foods could get hit first. Start leaving a little extra wiggle room in your budget for those things.

Your Money Move 💵

Good news! I added a couple of new things to the $100K Roadmap (v2.1) and it now includes:

A personalized Wealth Score that tells you what you should do next (see example below)
A recommendation for what your next money move should be
Updated retirement account information and contribution limits
A list of beginner-friendly investment funds you can explore