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| Stat Of The Day |
| 1 in 4 |
Guessing how much vanilla to splash into your holiday cookies? Totally fine. Guessing how much money you’ll need to retire? Not nearly as sweet. A new survey shows just 1 in 4 women have an actual, written-out plan for their retirement income, expenses and the risks that come with their next chapter.
If you’re among the plan-less, our FinanceFixx Pre-Retirement Checkup can help. The 2026 session schedule will roll out right after the New Year. Want to be the first to know when registration opens? Drop us a line here. |
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| This Week In Your Wallet |
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Becoming a "moderate millionaire?" Impressive in our book. As The Wall Street Journal reports, the number of 401(k) millionaires at Fidelity hit a record 654,000 in Q3. The growing crowd is what UBS Global Wealth Management calls the "moderate millionaires," with assets between $1 million and $5 million."Popular culture still thinks of millionaires in terms of Scrooge McDuck or the top-hatted icon of Monopoly," says Paul Donovan, chief economist at UBS’s wealth-management practice. "The new dollar millionaires have broken a psychological wealth threshold, but their income and spending is that of middle-class households." What to spend like a "classic" millionaire? Donovan says you’ll likely need closer to $5 million. #goals
From one-click buys to buy-now-pay-later, online shopping has never been easier. That’s a problem. For some people, "add to cart" turns into "can’t stop." Case in point – a 60-year-old real estate agent profiled in The New York Times who says holiday shopping makes her feel happy and alive…that is, until the bills show up. She’s now staring down $50,000 in credit card debt, fueled by splurges like $800 in Labubu dolls and $500 in Christmas decor. Recovered compulsive shoppers say the secret to stopping the cycle is building "points of friction," or little speed bumps between you and spending. For example, deleting saved payment info or not using a cart in a brick-and-mortar store.
🎄🛒 If holiday shopping has caused you to sink deeper into the red, a reputable debt relief company can help. They’ll negotiate with creditors on your behalf, often for less than you owe. Note, though, debt relief is typically for accounts already behind. If you’re current, credit counseling or consolidation may be better options.
If you’re wrapping up 2025 with a little extra cash, it’s a perfect excuse to kick-start your investing journey. Over on HerMoney.com, we’re breaking down how to invest $1,000 – or even less. One easy option is a digital investment advisor — sometimes known as a ‘robo-advisor’ — which will invest your money according to computer algorithms at a fraction of the cost of other investment options. They typically use ultra-low-cost ETFs to keep fees down — ideal if you’re starting with $1,000 or less.
⬆️ Want to level up even more? Become a member of InvestingFixx, HerMoney’s investing club for women. Our next meetup is December 22 at 7:00 PM, and you can join for free. |
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| Things That Save You Money |
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| From Accountant To Culinary Star: Carla Hall’s Journey Of Pivots And Possibilities |
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Carla Hall is a force. From "The Chew" to "Next Level Baker" and "Holiday Baking Challenge," she’s made her mark on TV—but she didn’t start there.
Rejected from her dream college and a theater path, Carla began her career as an accountant. But, as she shares on How She Does It, some bold leaps and fearless reinventions led her to become a culinary powerhouse.
Next June, Hall’s biggest dream yet will come to life: her one-woman show, "Carla Hall: Please Underestimate Me." It tells Hall’s life story through the framework of a cooking talk show.
It’s a full circle moment for Hall, who grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, dreaming of becoming "the Black Carol Burnett." And, like most accomplishments in her life, Hall figured out the recipe for making it happen. She talked to people about her desire to do a show and went ahead and wrote it, despite little interest at first.
"A lot of times you mention your dreams and people say, ‘Oh, it just happened, just fell into your lap.’ No," Hall insists. "But sometimes you need to have the party in order to clean your house. You know what I mean?" |
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| Ask Jean |
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| Q: |
Today’s question comes from Amy. She writes: "I have FSA funds I need to use before the end of the year. Any thoughts on what I can do with them?" |
| A: |
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) let you set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible healthcare and dependent care expenses. (They’re held in two different accounts.) But, they come with a catch – use it or lose it. Generally, if you don’t spend your FSA funds by year-end, they disappear. In some instances, your employer may offer a grace period or a rollover of some of the funds; it’s best to check with HR on this.
That said, if you have to use up your funds, here are some creative ideas I put together as part of a series on end-of-year money moves:
• Fitness tracker – for example, a Garmin watch or WHOOP band, though you’ll need a letter of medical necessity (LMN) from your doctor
• DNA test, like Ancestry or 23andMe
• At-home health tests for metabolism, thyroid, vitamin D, etc.
• Exercise equipment – for example, a bike or treadmill (you’ll need an LMN for these, too)
• Prescription sunglasses
• Yoga and travel pillows
• Therabody massagers
• Acne light therapy devices
• Face serums, moisturizers, sunscreens and makeup (as long as the primary goal is to protect you from the sun)
• Personal trainer or gym membership (LMN required)
And that’s just the beginning. For even more ideas, a good resource is FSAstore.com, which offers 2,500+ FSA-eligible products. |
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| Submit your questions to Jean here. |
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