TL;DR

• Americans say they need $2.3m to feel rich

• Lessons from the Frugal Rich

• Why You Should Drop Prime for Walmart+

• The 5 best 529 Plans

Money in the News

Americans say they need $2.3m to feel rich

$2.3 million sounds scary. Here's why you don't need to panic.

You probably read that and laughed, sighed, or both. Here's the thing, most people feel the same way, and the real number that matters might surprise you.

The $2.3M figure is an average across all Americans. What it actually costs to feel okay in life depends on where you live, how you spend, and honestly, your mindset.

When asked what actually makes them feel wealthy, 83% of people said their relationships, 83% said their happiness, and 81% said having free time. Only 45% pointed to money itself.

As parents, we already know this, but we forget it when we're doom-scrolling on social media and get a distorted view into reality. The life you're already building probably has more "wealth" in it than any spreadsheet can show.

Stop chasing a national average that was never designed for your life.

If you're paying down debt, saving something, and not completely losing your mind, you're doing it.

The question isn't "will I hit $2.3M?"

It's "am I building toward the life I actually want?" That's a much more answerable question.

Cancel Amazon Prime for Walmart+

Amazon Prime has just turned into an overpriced Temu and costs $139/yr. Meanwhile, Walmart+ is $98/mo and offers all the same products, 10 cents off per gallon of gas and more affordable grocery options. Not to mention it comes with either Paramount Plus or Peacock.

Money in Real Life

Lessons from the Frugal Rich - The new spending rules that actually make sense for our generation

High earners are quietly ditching Whole Foods for Aldi.

Range Rovers are showing up in Dollar Tree parking lots. In fact, 60% of Dollar Tree’s new customers make over $150k per year.

Turns out being smart with money doesn't mean spending more, it means spending intentionally.

Prices are still about 25% higher than five years ago.

Even if inflation has cooled, the sticker shock hasn't. So people are adapting, not by spending less overall, but by being pickier about where the money goes.

Boring purchases get the budget treatment. Fun stuff still gets a yes. This is how you budget!

The millennial parent translation: You're not cheap for buying store-brand pasta. You're strategic. Save the splurges for the things that actually make a memory — the trip, the dinner, the random Tuesday activity with your kids. The yogurt brand doesn't matter. The experience does.

Frugal Tip of the Week:

“My budget template looks perfect until I try to live my life” - this thread on Reddit has tons of amazing tips from budgeters if this is something you’ve ever said before. Reddit Thread

Money for Parents

The 5 Best 529 Plans

If you have kids and haven't started a 529 yet, here's your nudge.

These tax-advantaged accounts let your money grow completely tax-free for education.

And thanks to recent law changes, they're more flexible than ever. You can use them for K–12 tuition, trade programs, and now even roll unused funds into a Roth IRA.

The best part? You don't have to live in a state to use its plan.

All five below are direct-sold (meaning you manage it yourself online, which keeps costs low) and earned Morningstar's top Gold rating for 2026.

1. Utah's my529: Known for low fees, customizable options and strong oversight.

2. Illinois' Bright Start Direct-Sold College Savings Plan: Offers cost-effective index options, a diverse fund lineup, and high-quality management.

3. Alaska's T. Rowe Price 529 Plan: Formerly known as the T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan, this plan features actively managed portfolios from T. Rowe Price with strong long-term performance potential.

4. Massachusetts' U.Fund College Investing Plan: Managed by Fidelity, with very low-cost index funds and solid age-based options.

5. Pennsylvania's PA 529 Investment Plan: Vanguard-managed with ultra-low fees and excellent passive investment choices.

Bonus: If your kid ends up not needing the full amount, you can now roll up to $35,000 of unused 529 funds into a Roth IRA in their name.

Quick tip for Colorado parents: Colorado has its own direct-sold plan (CollegeInvest) with a state tax deduction on contributions. It's worth comparing that tax break against these top five before you decide.

What if term life insurance didn’t cost a fortune?

Term life insurance starts at just $19 a month.

Coverage options range from 10–30 years with up to $3M in coverage on most products.

That’s all for this week!

Appreciate you showing up here. Let me know if I can ever be helpful!

Thanks,

Dan