Letter #26 – ✍️ Writing in Saigon 🇻🇳

In this letter, we’ll share:

• New neighborhood story 👀

• 4 ways you can leave FREE money on the table 💸

Neighborhood story

Whenever Mom returned from a walk whispering, “OMG, have you heard…,” that’s how we learned the latest neighborhood news. 👂

This time, she told us about a neighbor in his 60s who had a brain hemorrhage at work, fell off his scooter, and is now half-paralyzed.

He doesn’t have health insurance, and the medical bills are weighing heavily on his family.

It’s heartbreaking. 💔

Life is such a delicate balance.

Should we focus on building wealth, nurturing well-being, cherishing loved ones, or practicing mindfulness to embrace life’s challenges?

And we’ve been working on all of them, each at our own pace, moving step by step toward Freedom.

May we have the courage to follow the path that brings true Freedom. 🙏

Expecting your annual bonus soon? 🚨 

Don’t miss our latest blog on how to make the most of it!—Capture 100% of your bonus payout

Are you leaving FREE money on the table? 🧐

Making money can be hard—losing it? A breeze. 😔 

What’s worse? Ignoring free money. 🙉 Sometimes, doing nothing is all it takes to watch your savings slip away.

The good news?

You can always set up a simple and automated system that can protect your hard-earned money. 💪 

1. Not maxing out your 401(k) match 💸

Imagine this: Your boss says, “Hey, here’s $3,000.” Do you:

• A) Snatch it, obviously. 🤑

• B) Say, “Nah, I’m good.” 👋

You’ll be surprised how many people went with B, when the boss said it in a different way: “We’ll match 50% of 6% of your 401(k) contribution.”

Sounds convoluted, we know.

But it’s actually the same gift—just wrapped in fine print.

Action Plan ✨

1. Ask your HR if your company offers 401(k) matching.

2. Find out the match percentage and conditions (e.g., contributing from every paycheck).

3. Update your 401(k) contributions to maximize the match.

P.S. There’s another way to lose money with your 401(k). We wrote about it in Is your 401(k) secretly stealing from you?

2. Not making key phone calls ☎️

It’s a competitive world out there, and companies want your money. So a simple phone call can save you some serious cash.

Who to call and what to ask

• Phone, internet, and insurance providers: Once or twice a year, ask for discounts, promotions, or loyalty offers. We shared in details how to that in this blog: We saved $1,874 after 2 chats & 1 call.

• Your banks: Request fee waivers (late, overdraft, or annual fees) and promotional perks.

Pro Tips 😈

• Don’t ask, "Can you waive this fee?"

• Instead, say, "Please waive this fee." Be assertive.

• If they hesitate, hit them with this: “I’ve been a customer for [#] years, and [competitor] is offering XYZ. I know client acquisition is costly, so please waive the fee.”

• Still a no? No problem—hang up and call again. Reps aren’t all the same.

3. Storing your hard-earned money at a big bank (Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Chase, etc.) 😿

Bank of America’s savings account APY? 0.01%!!! (a serious joke 🫠) Meanwhile, many online banks currently offer up to 4% APY.

Think about it

• $20k in Bank of America = $2 interest/year

• $20k in an online bank = $800 interest/year

Only have $500 in your savings?

• Don’t worry—money is money! Whatever you save can grow through the magic of compounding interest 🪄 ( if invested of course.)

When choosing a bank account, look for one with 👀

• FDIC insured | your money is safe

• No fees | ATM, overdraft, late fees—avoid them all

• No minimum balance | or a direct deposit option to waive it

• High APY (Annual Percentage Yield)

We have 4 checking accounts for different purposes

1. No international ATM fees (perfect for travel)

2. Two Highest APY available accounts (currently 4% APY) | One of those acts like a savings account, where we store our 6-month Emergency Fund.

3. A shared account Angie and her sister use to support their parents

What they all share: No fees, no minimums, amazing perks, and peace of mind. 🤌

4. The worst of all: Not investing 🆘

Even with a high-yield savings account, you’re still losing money to inflation. 💸 That’s why investing is key.

But first: Build an emergency fund (3-6 months of expenses). You never know what life (or the economy) will throw your way. Sleep soundly 😴 knowing you have a safety net, and stash it in a high-APY savings account.

Then invest: Don’t stress if you’re starting small. The most important step is to start.

Check out

• Our No-Nonsense Guide to Index Fund Investing 👨🏻‍🏫

• How we set up our Index Fund investment every single year without fail

Hope it's helpful for your journey to Freedom 🙏 

Love you to freedom and back, 🫰

Angie & Tyler

Things We are Loving Right Now ❤️‍🔥

🧳 Travel

• 🧮 Budget app when traveling: It's incredibly easy to overspend while traveling—good vibes and FOMO are a dangerous mix 😅. If we wait to check our bank accounts, it's often too late. To travel more often, we need to keep expenses within budget… or at least manageable.

• 🎧 Use your own headphones on the plane: Angie can’t stand the ones they provide, so she got this Bluetooth adapter to connect her own earphones. Now, watching anything while flying is so much more fun!