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| Stat Of The Day |
| $2,227 |
| That’s how much more you could pocket on the sale of your home just by painting the primary bedroom a warm chocolate brown instead of plain white, according to new Zillow research. The flipside? A bold red bathroom could cost you nearly $8,000 – the single biggest color penalty Zillow found. The lesson? Next time you scope out swatches, choose wisely. |
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| This Week In Your Wallet |
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Remote work has a loneliness problem – and the data proves it. Labor economists Emma Harrington and Natalia Emanuel, authors of the forthcoming book In Person: How Working Together Fuels Creativity, Productivity, and Growth, dug into what's really happening to workers who log on from home. Their findings, shared in a New York Times op-ed, are sobering – especially for the 84% of workers who spend their entire workday alone. "With fewer social encounters, workers in jobs that can be remote saw steeper increases in distress, mental health visits and prescriptions for antidepressants than other workers did," they write. While remote workers who live with a spouse and kids say their mental health has remained largely steady, those living alone experienced a 20% drop in mental well-being.
Meanwhile, whether you’re happy in your current role or quietly updating your resume, your LinkedIn profile probably needs work. "An effective LinkedIn presence has become essential in most fields," reports Callum Borchers for The Wall Street Journal. "It can lead to unexpected opportunities. And if you’re ever hit with a layoff, it’s better to have a sharp profile at the ready than to attempt an emergency makeover." The WSJ talked to people who were recently hired thanks to LinkedIn, and one common thread was this: Post. Then post some more. Kevin Myhan had a bare-bones profile before he was laid off. Then, while unemployed, committed to posting every weekday to stay visible. "A former co-worker saw one of his posts and told a manager at her new company that Myhan would be a fit for a coming opening," reports the WSJ. "The manager messaged Myhan and arranged a video call before the job was posted. He still had to go through an online application portal later, but he had a head start."
As June draws to a close, don’t forget to put your dollars where your values are. It’s no secret that LGBTQ+ individuals face real financial headwinds – higher poverty rates, wage gaps and less family support. During Pride Month, one of the most direct ways you can help is with your wallet. "Simply buying goods from lesbian, trans or queer-owned companies helps drive change and spread messages of equality and inclusivity," writes Lindsay Tigar for HerMoney. We've rounded up seven LGBTQ+-owned businesses that are welcoming to all — and worth every penny. |
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| Things That Save You Money |
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| ☀️ Summer Spending Has Arrived |
Between vacations, summer camps, long weekends, and impromptu dinners out, this is the time of year when spending has a way of sneaking up on us... That's why now is the perfect time for a mid-year financial check-in. One dashboard that can get your entire financial life organized is Monarch — it puts your accounts, investments, budget and more, all in one place. Best of all, you can get your first year of Monarch for half off, just $50, with promo code HERMONEYFAM.
Monarch isn't your average personal finance app. Beyond tracking your spending, it helps you set goals, plan for big purchases, and map out your financial future. (Also, its AI-powered tools can answer questions about your finances using your own data, which is pretty cool.)
Whether you're saving for your next vacation or simply trying to stay on top of your financial goals, Monarch provides a clear picture of where your money is today—and where it's headed next. Remember to pop in HERMONEYFAM at checkout to get your first year for half off :) |
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| Your Paycheck Is Shrinking (Even If You Got A Raise): Here’s What To Do |
Something doesn't add up. The May jobs report came in strong — 172,000 new jobs added, nearly double what economists expected. And yet consumer sentiment just hit a record low. How do both things exist at once?
On the HerMoney podcast, Jean sat down with Sarah Foster, personal finance reporter at Bloomberg, to make sense of what's happening beneath the surface of the U.S. economy.
Here's one number they discussed that should get your attention: average hourly earnings rose just 3.4% over the past year — the slowest pace in four years — while inflation is running closer to 4%. In real terms? Your paycheck is shrinking, even if you got a raise. And it's gotten worse: inflation has now crossed a threshold we haven't seen since 2023, rising faster not just than wages, but faster than the yield on a high-yield savings account. That means money sitting on the sidelines is actively losing purchasing power.
"If you are someone who just puts your paycheck in a brick-and-mortar bank, keeps it in your checking account, keeps it in a savings account, you're slowly going broke right now," Foster said plainly.
Her fix: invest. Even small amounts in a low-cost index fund compound over time the same way a savings account does — except with far better long-term returns. And for women specifically, Foster argues it's not just smart, it's essential. "Investing is the number one best way that you can make sure that you close that gap," she says. |
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If you want to follow Foster’s advice and put your money to work, that’s fantastic! But knowing how to start – and finding guidance you actually trust – is where many women get stuck.
That’s where Willow comes in. Willow connects you with vetted, fiduciary advisors who are there to give you the full picture – everything from wealth-building to retirement planning.
Take a short quiz about your life, goals and priorities to get matched with a professional who fits both your needs and your personality. |
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| Ask Jean |
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| Q: |
I have a son graduating from high school and would like to send him off to college with a credit card to use for emergencies. Should I add him as an authorized user on one of my cards, or have him apply for his own? |
| A: |
For someone with little to no credit history, a secured card is often a good first step. Here’s how they work: you put down a deposit – say, $500 or $1,000 – and it becomes your credit limit. Because the bank’s risk is essentially zero, almost anyone can get approved.
"I’m a big fan of secured cards for somebody’s first card, because they minimize the risk to everybody involved," Matt Schulz, Chief Credit Analyst at LendingTree, tells HerMoney.
The only downsides are that once you deposit money into your credit account, you can’t then use it for other things – and you also can’t increase your credit limit without putting more money down. So while secured cards can be a great starting point, your son should plan to upgrade to a traditional credit card after he’s established a track record of 12 to 18 months of on-time payments.
You also mentioned adding him as an authorized user. While I’m sure he’s responsible, doing so makes his spending habits your problem. On the other hand, if you miss a payment (again, I’m sure you’re responsible too!), that negative activity will appear on both your and his credit reports. It can work — I did it for my own kids — just be sure you know how your child will treat the responsibility. And if you do go that route, make sure that the card in question is reporting on his behalf to the major credit bureaus. |
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| Submit your questions to Jean here. |
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