Today’s Financial Message Just for you, {{ first name | friend}}

"Keeping up with the Joneses" used to mean having the same size TV, not the same vacation Instagram stories.

Our parents rocked the '70s with 12% savings rates, cash-only spending, and the wild idea that luxuries were actually special.

Now we're out here with 3.8% savings rates, subscriptions everywhere, and restaurant meals so normalized we forget they used to be birthday-level events.

The difference? They fixed things instead of replacing them, shared tools with neighbors, and waited to buy stuff instead of one-clicking everything.

Adopting a '70s money mindset doesn't mean going full Little House on the Prairie.… Continue Reading

*Source: Upworthy: 77% of Gen Xers want to go back to the pre-internet days. Here are 9 things we miss.

Ah, the sweetness of nostalgia. Are you old enough to be wishing for ‘the good old days’ once in a while? The simplicity of fewer options?

Would You Go Back If You Could?

A fun Upworthy article caught my eye this week - 77 percent of Gen Xers want to go back to the pre-internet days. And yes I clicked on it, because, of course I would want to go back…for at least a few things. (I weirdly miss the simple freedom of relying on a landline only.)

A lot of the pre-internet things Gen X is missing, according to the article, relate to the way everything just seemed…simpler. Think about it. We had:

better focus/fewer distractions
more privacy
less comparison
no 24-hour news cycle

And even though it wasn’t on the list - it got me thinking that dealing with our finances was a lot freaking easier too.

But looking at it through a more practical and less rose-colored lens…would it be better for our finances if we went back to a mindset from a simpler time?

The 70s Money Mindset: The 5 Key Takeaways & Should We Go Back?

Finding Balance: Selective 70s Thinking

While adopting a complete 70s money mindset lifestyle is neither practical nor desirable for most people, we can definitely blend some of the best practices into our modern financial world…

Keep: Technology that genuinely improves efficiency and well-being

Reconsider: Subscription services that create perpetual payment cycles

Adopt: The cash-first mentality for discretionary spending

Implement: Mandatory waiting periods for major purchases

Learn: Basic maintenance and preparation skills

Cultivate: Community resource-sharing opportunities.

5 Key Elements of the 70s Money Mindset

1. The Cash-First Mentality

The 1970s consumer operated primarily in cash, creating natural spending friction that today's digital transactions eliminate.

Practical Application: The envelope budgeting system, where cash is physically separated into spending categories, forces conscious consumption decisions.

Modern digital banks now offer virtual "envelope" systems that mimic this approach.

2. The Repair Economy

In the 1970s, repairing items was the default; replacement was the last resort.

Practical Application: Before replacing any item, consider if repair is viable. The growing "right to repair" movement is making this increasingly feasible, even for complex electronics.

3. Community Resource Sharing

Neighborhood tool sharing, carpooling, and community resources were common practices in the 1970s.

Practical Application: Community tool libraries, buy-nothing groups, and formal neighborhood-sharing programs are modern iterations of this approach.

4. Skills-Based Self-Sufficiency

Basic maintenance, food preparation, and craft skills were commonplace, reducing dependency on service providers.

Practical Application: The pandemic-driven surge in bread baking, gardening, and DIY home improvement demonstrates the financial and psychological benefits of self-sufficiency.

Read the whole article, and the full details on all 5 Takeaways👇