Episode 126: Everyday is National Financial Awareness Day

MAK: Welcome back to Money with Mak & G.  I’m Mak, and I have G right here beside me.  How are things going today, G?

GRANT: I have no complaints. We both got through another week at school, homework really isn’t that bad, and we’re playing a bit of tennis.  So, all is good.  Why don’t we jump into markets? Are you ready?

MAK: Yep. This is Mak and these are the markets. This is for the week ending August 20, 2021. The Dow, S&P, and the Nasdaq all pulled back a little last week. They were down going into Friday, where we saw a bit of a surge in all three to make up some lost ground. 

GRANT: They are still hovering near their record highs.  Bitcoin is making a bit of a comeback, as it tries to break $50,000 again. We can’t forget about Apple, and though it didn’t set a new record, it’s hovering right up there near its record high too.

MAK: Thanks G. We mentioned the Bull and Bear market, last week. Many times, you’ll hear experts use these words to explain the direction of the stock market.  If it’s doing well it’s a bull market and if it’s NOT doing well it’s a bear market.  Grant, do you know how that happened?

GRANT: There are several stories, but the one that seems to come up more often than not is how each of them fight. A bull usually raises its head so that it pokes you with its horns when in a fight.  So, when things are going up, you say it’s a bull market.

MAK: And, since a bear swipes their claws in a downward motion when fighting, a bear market is one that is down. So, a bull market is up and a bear market is down.

GRANT: We don’t look at ALL the stocks in the market. We use something that we talk about every week. It’s an indicator that gives us a good idea of how things are going in the economy. Mak, do you know what that is?

MAK: That’s an easy one. It’s the S&P500 which is an index. It’s a calculated number on the stock prices in the group.  It tells us if the group is up or down.  It makes it very easy for us to compare ANY time period that we want.

GRANT: So, we use the S&P500 as our baseline.  If it’s risen by more than 20% it’s a bull market. But, if it falls by 20% you’re in a bear market. The longest bull market ran up over 400%.  It started in March of 2009 and ended in March of 2020, when….

MAK: COVID hit and dropped things around 30%.  Since then, things are way up, which means we were only in a BEAR market for a VERY short period of time. Normally, bulls last for less than 4 years.

GRANT: But, bull markets are usually over 100% on average while bear markets when they fall are down less than 40%.  I like bulls better.

MAK: Me too.  Ok, enough about bulls and bears.  Did you know there is a day of the year where people celebrate almost everything? 

GRANT: Yep. there are actually multiple celebrations on almost every day. For instance, January third celebrates a couple of things that I think you’d LOVE:

1. The Festival of Sleep
2. National chocolate-covered Cherry Day
3. National Drinking Straw Day
4. And National Fruitcake Toss Day

MAK: I can absolutely celebrate a day of sleep filled with chocolate, drinking straws (environmentally friendly of course), and getting rid of the old fruitcakes that we shouldn’t have bought anyway.  I think January 3rd is now one of my top 5 favorite days behind our birthday, Christmas, and Worldwide Chocolate Day.

GRANT: It’s pretty crazy how many days are actually celebrated each year. This podcast is going to be released on Tuesday, August 24th.  So, I pulled up a website to see what is going to be celebrated the day this podcast is released.  

MAK: Is that the “National Today” website we were talking about?

GRANT: Yes, it is. I found out that on August 24th, the Gutenberg Bible was completed.  What a huge technological advancement with the Guttenberg printing press. Once set up, it could produce 3,600 pages per day compared to about 40 by hand.  All the information could be shared much more easily. Just like how the internet shares massive information now. 

MAK: Yes, sharing cat videos is the same as sharing all that knowledge the Guttenberg Press did. Ok, I’m just kidding. It was a huge accomplishment that changed things forever.  August 24th is National Kobe Bryant day.  I guess the number “8” was the number on his first jersey, and when he changed it to “24”, they put them together and got “8/24” as his day. He was an icon and the crash was horrible.

GRANT: I completely agree.  

MAK: On a much happier note, it’s also National Waffle Day on the 24th.  That’s awesome.

GRANT: I do love me a good waffle for sure.  I saw that Thursday, August 26th has an unusual combination of days: 

1. National Dog Day, which we can definitely share with Oreo. Maybe an extra-long walk and an extra chewy.
2. National Toilet Paper Day which I celebrate daily, and
3. National Women’s Equality Day  

Doesn’t that seem just a little bit of an unusual combination? I know is probably locked onto Saturday, August 28th, which is National RED Wine Day. 

MAK: Yep, I think you may be right.  But do you know what I stumbled across that we missed?

GRANT: What was that?

MAK: August 14th was National Financial Awareness Day? How could we miss that?

GRANT: I think that’s actually pretty easy to answer.  We don’t celebrate our awareness of money or financial learning just one day each year, we focus on it every week.   

MAK: That’s a great point.  Putting together our budget, focusing on our spending, and planning for the future, is a bit like being an Olympian. The days when nobody is watching you are the most important days.  Olympians put in a ton of time training where they don’t get all the praise, gold medals, fanfare, and other accolades. They put in the time and effort to reach their goal.

GRANT: That is an AMAZING comparison.  You are SO right. Many times it’s about the DAILY effort.  But, with money, you don’t have to be the best in the world, because any effort helps, no matter how small it may be, it is still a HUGE win.

MAK: The day may have passed, but I think it’s important to remember some of the insights we can draw from it.  There is so much that can be done, and that’s why we’re here.  Sometimes, it’s a bit sad to think about. 

GRANT: But, if we focus on what is possible, that will really help.

MAK: There you go.  The website states that less than 1 in every 4 millennials has a basic understanding and how to use their money skills. Millennials do have about $2,000 in emergency savings which is better than 60% of Americans who have less than $1,000 saved.

GRANT: That’s why we need to keep the conversation going and give the extra help when we can.  I saw that less than 1 in 3 families uses a budget.  I have to say I was surprised because how can you manage your money or hit your goal without a target.

MAK: So right big brother.  We want others to be ok with seeking help and understanding how their choices affect their situation, for sure.  We are in a completely judgment-free zone.

GRANT: I’m right there with you.  

MAK: And, given that Friday is Women’s Equality Day, why don’t we send out some good thoughts to women everywhere.  In 2020, women only saved 68 cents for every $1 dollar saved by men.  That’s definitely not equal. So, a little extra encouragement for them to continue to focus can only help. 

GRANT: I’m sorry to say it, but from the report,

 I looked at, Indiana has a rate of about 41 cents for every $1 that a guy saves.  Only Louisiana and Oklahoma are below us.  We definitely have some work to do for sure.

MAK: Even though National Financial Awareness Day is over for 2021, you can celebrate it on your own terms by:

1. Saving just a little more for retirement
2. Taking a trip to the US mint
3. Starting your budget
4. Increasing your knowledge of stocks and bonds
5. Looking at your investments and smiling
6. And, anything you can think of to keep the topic top of mind

GRANT: We have to go for now, but take the opportunity when you can. And, thanks for being here. We’ll see you next time on….

GRANT/MAK: Money with Mak & G.  Bye!!