Money Stress Is Real, But So Is The Solution

The Weekend Wallet

Money Stress Is Real, But So Is The Solution

Meet Carla. She's 29, lives in a tiny apartment with three plants she pretends are pets, and recently hit what she called her “fiscal rock bottom.”

She had $18,000 in credit card debt. No savings. And a job that made her feel like a very underpaid spreadsheet wizard.

One night, while watching Shark Tank reruns with instant ramen in hand, she had a breakdown—or a breakthrough, depending on how you see it.

Instead of doom-scrolling herself into another Amazon “self-care” order, she whipped out a spreadsheet and started tracking every dollar. Then she got a little wild:

• Listed her designer bags on Vinted

• Started tutoring online (English to Spanish kids and vice versa)

• Canceled 5 streaming services (apparently, she had 8?)

• Cut eating out from 4x/week to 1

• Got her credit card interest rates reduced just by asking

Fast forward 14 months, and she’s debt-free, has $6k in savings, and just booked a trip to Mexico paid in cash.

Her secret weapon? Accountability + automation + learning to say “no” to her past self.

💡 Takeaway #1: It’s not about perfection, it’s about momentum. One small money win leads to the next.
💡 Takeaway #2: You don’t need more income first—you need more clarity. Then stack the income moves later.

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📈 Investor Intel: Let’s Talk ETFs Before They Explode

So here’s the tea: ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) aren’t just for boomers and boring finance bros.

They’re actually one of the smartest ways to invest without turning into a full-time stock analyst. But get this—more than half of millennials still have no clue what they are.

So let’s break it down real simple:

• ETFs are bundles of stocks (like a Netflix binge, but with companies)

• They follow a theme—like tech, green energy, or AI

• They spread risk (less panic, more chill)

This week, we noticed AI-focused ETFs are quietly gaining steam—think $BOTZ, $ROBO, and the big dog, $QQQ, which includes the heavy hitters (Apple, Nvidia, etc).

Why it matters: AI is eating the world, and these ETFs are like your all-you-can-eat sampler plate.
What to watch: More retail investors are hopping on the ETF train, and big institutions are padding portfolios with thematic ETFs (especially AI + healthcare).

We’ll go deeper next week. But for now—start Googling ETF basics and see which ones align with your goals. It's the closest thing to investing on autopilot.

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Hustler Tips: 5 Steps to Start Your Social Media Strategy Today

Building your audience isn’t just for influencers with ring lights. Whether you’re selling a service, product, or even your spicy hot take on TikTok, you need a strategy—not just vibes.

Here’s a 5-step game plan that works for solopreneurs, creators, and even lowkey lurkers:

1. Pick your playground
   Don't spread yourself thin. Choose 1-2 platforms where your audience actually hangs out.

2. Create content buckets
   Think: Value, Story, Promotion, Community, and Behind-the-Scenes. Rotate these like tacos on Taco Tuesday.

3. Batch and Schedule
   Use tools like Buffer, Later, or Notion to plan posts in chunks. Create once, publish often.

4. Engage > Post
   Growth comes from comments and DMs, not just hashtags. Be a real human online.

5. Track, Tweak, Repeat
   Look at what actually performs (not just what you like). Use insights to refine, not to obsess.

Remember: You don’t need 10k followers—you need 10 real fans who buy, share, and hype you up.

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Build with Us: Your Future Website, Hosted by Us

Let’s be honest. If you’re serious about building your biz, your brand, or even your personal portfolio—you need more than just a social media bio link.

You need a home base. A website.

It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does need to exist. And here’s the good news:

We’re launching our own website hosting soon, just for folks like you. Fast, simple, no tech headaches.

You’ll be able to:

• Launch a clean, professional site in a weekend

• Sell your offers or book clients directly

• Own your traffic, your brand, and your email list

👉 If you’re even a little interested, reply to this email with “I’m in”. You’ll be the first to know when we open the doors (and yes, we’ll have templates, guides, and coffee-fueled support).

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That’s it for this week. If you learned something, forward this to a friend who needs to stop saying “I’ll figure out money later.” Or better yet, post it to your stories and tag us—we’ll repost every single one

Until next time—
Maria from Thrivecrafters crew

Thrivecrafters — craft wealth that actually fits your life.