Category: Financial

How I’m Earning Free Bitcoin While Shopping: My Experience with Lolli

Hey there, fellow shoppers and crypto enthusiasts!

If you’re like me, you love finding ways to save a little extra while shopping online. Whether it’s grabbing your morning coffee at Starbucks, picking up essentials at CVS, or treating yourself to something special from your favorite store, it always feels good to get a bit more for your money. But what if I told you that you could not only save but also earn free bitcoin while doing your everyday shopping? That’s exactly what I’ve been doing with Lolli, and today, I’m here to share my experience.

What Is Lolli?

Lolli is a rewards platform that lets you earn bitcoin or cash back when you shop at over 25,000 stores, both online and in-store. It’s super easy to use, and you don’t need to be a crypto expert to get started. Whether you’re buying groceries, grabbing a coffee, or shopping for clothes, you can earn up to 30% back in bitcoin. And the best part? It’s completely free to use!

How Does It Work?

Once you’ve signed up for Lolli, you can add their browser extension, which will notify you when you’re shopping at a store that offers rewards. Simply activate the offer, shop as you normally would, and voila—you’ll earn a percentage of your purchase back in bitcoin. If you prefer shopping on your phone, Lolli also has an app that makes it easy to earn rewards on the go.

My Experience So Far

I’ve been using Lolli for a few months now, and I have to say, I’m impressed. I initially started using it at CVS for my regular health and beauty purchases, and it quickly became a habit. Then, I started exploring other participating stores, like Starbucks, where I get my daily caffeine fix. Seeing those small amounts of bitcoin add up in my Lolli wallet has been pretty satisfying.

One thing I appreciate about Lolli is that it doesn’t interfere with my shopping experience. The notifications are subtle, and activating the offers takes just a click. It’s also great to see how many major retailers participate in the program—there’s something for everyone!

Why You Should Try Lolli

If you’re someone who likes to shop online and you’re interested in exploring cryptocurrency, Lolli is a no-brainer. It’s a simple, risk-free way to dip your toes into the world of bitcoin while doing something you already do—shopping! Plus, if you’re not into bitcoin, you can always choose to cash out your rewards as regular cash.

Get Started Today and Earn $5 Free!

If you’re ready to start earning free bitcoin (or cash), I’ve got some good news! When you sign up for Lolli using this link and make your first purchase, both you and I will get $5 in free bitcoin or cash. It’s a win-win!

So why wait? Give Lolli a try and start turning your everyday purchases into bitcoin rewards. Happy shopping!

Disclaimer: The link provided is a referral link, meaning I may receive rewards if you use it to sign up. However, I only recommend products and services I truly believe in and have personally used.

Rivian Stock Surges 22.7%: Volkswagen’s $5 Billion Boost Signals Market Confidence

Rivian stock experienced a dramatic surge today, driven by a major investment announcement from Volkswagen. Here’s what investors need to know about this significant development:

  1. Volkswagen’s Investment:
    Volkswagen has announced plans to invest up to $5 billion in Rivian over the next two years[1][2]. This investment includes:
  • $1 billion upfront in the form of a convertible bond
  • $2 billion in common stock split between 2025 and 2026, subject to certain milestones
  • $2 billion related to a new joint venture focused on developing next-generation electrical architecture and software technology
  1. Stock Performance:
    Rivian’s stock reacted extremely positively to this news:
  • The stock jumped by 8% during regular trading hours on Tuesday
  • In after-hours trading, it soared by as much as 37%
  • As of 12:45 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the stock was up 22.7%[1]
  1. Timing and Significance:
    This investment comes at a crucial time for Rivian:
  • The company has been burning through cash, using over $4 billion of its reserves in the last year
  • Rivian has been retooling its production lines for its next-generation R2 vehicle platform
  • The capital infusion will help Rivian launch its R2 vehicles without needing additional funding[1]
  1. Joint Venture:
    The partnership includes a joint venture aimed at creating “next-generation electrical architecture and best-in-class software technology”[1]. This collaboration is expected to benefit both companies:
  • Volkswagen gains access to Rivian’s software expertise and EV architecture
  • Rivian benefits from Volkswagen’s manufacturing knowledge and financial support[2]
  1. Market Context:
    The investment is particularly significant given the current challenges in the EV market:
  • The EV industry has faced retreating demand in 2024
  • Buyers have been showing a preference for hybrid and ICE vehicles[2]
  1. Future Outlook:
    This partnership and investment are expected to:
  • Validate Rivian’s R&D investments in battery and electrical technologies
  • Provide Rivian with funds to continue developing leading EV technologies
  • Potentially lower the risk associated with investing in Rivian[1]
  1. Impact on Short Sellers:
    The dramatic stock price increase is likely to negatively impact short sellers who had bet against Rivian’s stock[7].

In conclusion, this substantial investment from Volkswagen represents a significant vote of confidence in Rivian’s technology and future prospects. It provides Rivian with much-needed capital and strategic support, potentially improving its competitive position in the challenging EV market. However, investors should continue to monitor Rivian’s progress in achieving profitability and meeting production targets in the coming years.

Citations:
[1] https://www.fool.com/investing/2024/06/26/rivian-stock-exploded-today-heres-what-investors-n/
[2] https://247wallst.com/investing/2024/06/25/why-rivian-stock-is-exploding-40-right-now/
[3] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-rivian-lucid-chargepoint-stocks-152709671.html
[4] https://www.sharewise.com/us/news_articles/Why_Rivian_Lucid_and_ChargePoint_Stocks_Exploded_Higher_on_Monday_TheMotleyFool_20240513_1727
[5] https://investorplace.com/2024/04/7-meme-stocks-to-sell-in-april-before-they-crash-burn/
[6] https://www.investors.com/news/rivian-stock-a-buy-or-a-sell-in-2024/
[7] https://oilprice.com/Finance/the-Economy/Short-Sellers-Destroyed-As-Volkswagen-Gives-Rivian-a-5-Billion-Boost.html
[8] https://www.fool.com/investing/2024/06/25/why-rivian-stock-popped-tuesday/
[9] https://www.fox16.com/news/business/ap-rivian-shares-soar-on-massive-cash-injection-from-volkswagen-starting-immediately-with-1-billion/
[10] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-rivian-stock-dropped-again-162126731.html
[11] https://www.marketbeat.com/stocks/NASDAQ/RIVN/news/
[12] https://www.barrons.com/articles/rivian-earnings-stock-price-c1d38b12
[13] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rivian-stock-soars-as-volkswagen-says-it-will-invest-up-to-5-billion-in-new-joint-venture-210921047.html
[14] https://consent.yahoo.com/v2/collectConsent
[15] https://www.barrons.com/articles/rivian-stock-price-volkswagen-deal-1c41891b
[16] https://www.thestreet.com/investing/stocks/rivian-stock-soars-as-analysts-laud-game-changer-volkswagen-deal
[17] https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/25/volkswagen-rivian-stake.html
[18] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/volkswagen-invest-up-5-billion-rivian-part-tech-joint-venture-2024-06-25/
[19] https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/rivian-shares-soar-massive-cash-injection-volkswagen-starting-111436103
[20] https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/RIVN

Why Budgeting is the Key to a Successful Financial Future

Budgeting is a crucial aspect of personal finance, and one that is often overlooked by many people. However, without a budget in place, it becomes difficult to control your spending, save money, and reach your financial goals. Here are a few reasons why budgeting is so important and why it should be at the top of your personal finance to-do list.

Better Control of Your Spending: A budget allows you to track your income and expenses, so you know exactly how much money you have coming in and going out each month. With this information, you can make informed decisions about your spending and avoid overspending.

Helps You Reach Your Financial Goals: Whether you want to save for a down payment on a house, pay off debt, or build an emergency fund, a budget can help you reach these goals by allocating your money accordingly. With a budget, you can prioritize your spending and ensure that you are putting your money where it counts.

Avoids Debt: Living beyond your means is a recipe for debt. By budgeting, you can avoid overspending and accumulating debt, which can have a long-lasting impact on your financial future. A budget helps you stay within your means and live within your means.

Increases Savings: Budgeting helps you identify areas where you can cut back on spending and redirect that money into savings. When you have a budget in place, you are less likely to make impulsive purchases and can focus on saving for the future.

In conclusion, budgeting is a crucial tool for achieving a successful financial future. By taking the time to create and follow a budget, you can gain better control over your spending, reach your financial goals, avoid debt, and increase your savings. So, if you haven’t already, now is the time to start budgeting and take control of your finances.

Why Set Financial Goals

Setting financial goals is an essential aspect of managing your finances. It provides direction and purpose for your money, allowing you to make informed decisions about how to spend, save, and invest it. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of setting financial goals and provide tips on how to create and achieve them.

The first step in setting financial goals is to identify what is important to you. This can include things like paying off debt, saving for retirement, buying a house, starting a business, or traveling. It is important to identify goals that align with your values and priorities.

Once you have identified your goals, it is important to make them specific, measurable, and achievable. For example, instead of saying “I want to save more money,” you could say “I want to save $10,000 for a down payment on a house within the next two years.” This goal is specific, measurable, and achievable.

It is also important to set a deadline for your goals. This gives you a sense of urgency and helps you stay on track. For example, if your goal is to save $10,000 for a down payment on a house within the next two years, you know that you need to save $416.67 per month to reach that goal.

Once you have set your financial goals, it is important to create a plan to achieve them. This includes creating a budget, identifying ways to increase your income, and finding ways to reduce expenses. A budget can help you keep track of your spending and ensure that you are allocating your money towards your goals. Additionally, finding ways to increase your income, such as taking on a side hustle or asking for a raise, can help you achieve your goals faster.

It is also important to be realistic when setting financial goals. It’s important to set goals that are challenging but achievable. Setting unrealistic goals can lead to disappointment and discourage you from achieving your goals.

Another important aspect of setting financial goals is monitoring your progress. This can be done by regularly reviewing your budget and checking your progress towards your goals. This can help you stay motivated and make adjustments to your plan if needed.

In conclusion, setting financial goals is an essential aspect of managing your finances. It provides direction and purpose for your money, allowing you to make informed decisions about how to spend, save, and invest it. By identifying your goals, making them specific, measurable, and achievable, setting a deadline, creating a plan, and monitoring your progress, you can achieve your financial goals and improve your overall financial situation. Remember to be realistic and make adjustments as needed.

Understand The Importance of Personal Finance

Personal finance is the process of managing one’s money in order to achieve financial stability and security. It involves understanding one’s income, expenses, and financial goals and making a plan to achieve them. Understanding the importance of personal finance and its role in achieving financial stability and security is crucial for individuals to make informed decisions about how to spend, save, and invest their money.

One of the main reasons why personal finance is important is that it allows individuals to take control of their money. By understanding one’s income and expenses, individuals can create a budget and make a plan to achieve their financial goals. Having control over one’s money means that individuals can make informed decisions about how to spend, save, and invest it. This can lead to a sense of empowerment and satisfaction, as individuals are able to make their own financial decisions based on their own goals and values.

Another benefit of personal finance is that it can help individuals prepare for unexpected events such as job loss or illness. Having an emergency fund and insurance can provide a safety net for unexpected financial difficulties. This can alleviate the stress and anxiety that comes with financial problems, as individuals are better prepared for potential financial hardships.

Personal finance also plays a crucial role in achieving long-term financial goals. By managing one’s finances well, individuals can achieve their financial goals such as buying a house, saving for retirement, or starting a business. By understanding one’s income and expenses, individuals can make a plan to achieve these goals and work towards them in a systematic and organized manner.

Furthermore, personal finance can also help individuals avoid unnecessary debt. By understanding one’s income and expenses, individuals can make a budget and identify areas where they can reduce expenses. By avoiding unnecessary debt, individuals can avoid the financial burden of high-interest loans and credit card debt. This can lead to more financial stability and security in the long-term.

However, understanding and managing personal finance can be challenging for many individuals. It is important to seek professional help if needed. Financial advisors and planners can provide valuable guidance and advice on how to manage one’s finances. They can also provide a fresh perspective on one’s financial situation and help individuals identify areas where they can improve their personal finance.

In conclusion, understanding the importance of personal finance and its role in achieving financial stability and security is crucial for individuals to make informed decisions about how to spend, save, and invest their money. Personal finance allows individuals to take control of their money, prepare for unexpected events, achieve long-term financial goals, avoid unnecessary debt and seek professional help if needed. By understanding the importance of personal finance and implementing strategies to improve it, individuals can work towards achieving financial stability and security.

Why Getting rid of the IRS Is a Good Idea

There are many reasons why getting rid of the IRS and income taxes would be a good idea. First, the IRS is an unnecessary government bureaucracy. It has become bloated and inefficient, and it is costing taxpayers billions of dollars each year. Second, income taxes are unfair. They are based on income rather than on wealth or ability to pay, and they are often very high. Third, they are not necessary to fund government programs. In fact, government spending could be reduced significantly without them. Finally, they are a major source of corruption. Taxpayers are often forced to pay bribes to the IRS in order to avoid taxes, and this corruption has led to a number of scandals. Getting rid of the IRS and income taxes would be a major step in cleaning up government corruption and reducing the cost of government programs.

What To Do Now

In an effort to improve my situation and overcoming my grief of the recent death of my mother, I’m in the process of looking for a different job and to increase what I’m saving and investing. After leaving Safeway, an Albertson’s store, I started working for Walmart’s curbside pickup service which payed $3 more an hour and offered a 6% match after working there for a year. But, still looking for opportunity, something that will at least be tolerable if not more and help provide for a better future and retirement.

Just responded to an email from a temp agency that has a job opening for $2.25 an hour more than what I’m making at Walmart, but sounds like the hours are negotiable, with a minimum of 4 hours a day. Hoping to find out what I am able to get from them while providing a service for the company they’re the middle man for. Location for the job would be in a suburb of Chicago called Buffalo Grove. Should be able to save while in the interview and prospect stages.

Walmart’s curbside pickup position is good for the fact that I get to move around a lot more than I have as a cashier for the past 6 years. The email that I responded to would provide the opportunity I would like to have to live in the Chicago area while working to increase my future ability to become less reliant on SSI or other forms of dependence. It would be nice to live in the area again as well.

Missed Passport Appointment

I ended up missing my appointment for the passport with photo. Overslept and had to work. My last day of my current job is Saturday coming up and move to Chicago will be a month after at least, depending on living and work to get situated there.

Ended up having to revamp my Robinhood account so that I can have the minimum at $1544 with dividend re-investment automated. Going to split it 54% stocks, 44% bonds (ETF: BND), 2% Cash. This hopefully gets me interest plus the DRIP, hopefully to increase at a desired rate during the six months before going Zambia. The six months will be for making my passport valid before traveling internationally.

My mom has cancer and has about 5 -6 months. I’m in a funk about it, depressed and hoping that it’ll be better than thought. The reality though is much different. For me, the move back to Chicago would be for a better job which would allow for a trip when the inevitable happens. The budget plan allows for trip and allowance when it happens.

ReVamped Portfolio

Due to the most recent events, I’ve reduced my portfolio to 11 stocks that pay monthly. My focus is going to at minimum be the total value per month equal to a living wage of the country, province, state, or city of which I want to live. I believe that this would allow me to at least get the option of what I would like to do for work, without having to worry about the basics.

Monthly Stock Quantity Goal 
StockPercent as a NumberRule of 72 (2x)Rule of 115 (3x)QTY Total StockPrice
AGNC8.8181321 SPFF$11.8978
GOOD7.6791524 GAIN$12.2700
PBA6.99101627 MDIV$16.2300
HNDL6.94101727 AGNC$17.0200
GAIN6.92101727 GOOD$19.7300
MAIN6.63111728 HNDL$24.7000
SPFF5.81122032 SJR$26.3900
MDIV5.48132134 PBA$28.8700
SJR5.00142337 ANGL$31.9000
ANGL4.67152540 MAIN$39.2600
O4.64162540 O$64.2200
TGIF2.51294675 TGIF$104.6107
Total72.07159254413 Total$397.0985
Average6.01132134 Average$33.09

The table above shows what base quantity I will plan on starting each stock according to the percent as a whole number. The 72 column is the planned initial starting quantity and the 115 column is the planned bump up. Each stock I think will help to step up the dividends coming in added to interest earned and the portion of my paycheck going into the brokerage account. In addition to this, Coinbase offers some stable coins that earn “interest”, or rewards for holding them.

Crypto Quantity     
Date08-Apr-21    
Amount   Amount$917.00
CryptoYield Percent (#)72 (2x)115 (3x)Total% Of AccountCrypto% AMT
Algorand (ALGO)6.001219312.15%ALGO$19.72
Cosmos(ATOM)5.001423372.58%ATOM$23.67
Tezos (XTZ)4.631625402.79%XTZ$25.56
Dai (DAI)2.003658946.45%DAI$59.17
USD Coin (USDC)0.154807671,24786.03%USDC$788.89
Totals17.785588911449   

In an attempt to copy and paste the excel sheet, I’m starting to realize it may have to be done different. If it makes sense, that would be good. If any clarity is needed, please let me know and I will be able to see if I need to go as far as starting the table from scratch to at least help with what’s being shown. I do plan on figuring out the best way to do my excel documents in the future.

Current positions with projected income
Current projected 12 month dividend income with average monthly totals
Just starting this, I currently just have 2 but plan adding more in the next 3 months as I start planning to move.

As these two are just the first steps, I plan on expanding my investing portfolio as each becomes completed. Can only hope that it won’t take tooo long to build. As with all good things though, building a firm foundation helps to build the house of your dreams.

My Portfolio As Of 11 June 2020

It was a pretty crazy day today for the stock market, dropping approx. 800 pts. When I woke up this morning, the only thing I had on my mind concerning the market was what I was going to buy from my list of stocks to add to my portfolio. After making sure that the portion of my paycheck I designate to my Schwab brokerage account, I bought 21 stocks under Schwab’s fractional share program called Schwab Stock Slices. For the stocks under the program, $5 is the minimum amount that can be used to buy into a stock.

table-of-stocks-to-hold-in-schwabDownload

The ticker symbols in bold are the stocks I have after today. Next week, four remain and the plan then becomes to buy 3 stocks per payday until the last payday in September.

Luckily I didn’t have more than I did or else I would be down a lot more…. 🙂

Come October, I plan on checking the quantity of stocks that I per ticker symbol and sell the ones that are over their quantity number and put towards the ones that are still under. Once all the stocks that I have are at the baseline quantity I set for them, then I plan on buying the dividend baring stocks that aren’t part of the fractional share program and start the process again.

The income derived from the dividends will be added to the paycheck portion I have set going into the account, increasing what I can put towards buying stock and therefore increasing my dividend income.

Chart showing current dividend income
Table of last years, YTD, and estimated income. Interest gets added after it is applied to any money fluid cash not being used.

The charitable account that I have will become a place where I will put at least 5% of any money recieved once I have reached a basic quantiy of all stocks I plan on buying though I have been reconsidering to when I start recieving dividends equaling $1+.

Currently

After spending a month in the Chicago and spending majority of my savings on hotels, food, and a little entertainment and not able to find a place to live in enough time while working for $13/hr, I have come back to the Seattle area. Renting a room and working saving for a place here. Initially want to at least have 3 months worth of current rent saved up in a savings account before considering the next step. Included with that as well will be 3 months of expenses, fixed and variable. Going to wait till October to see where that’s at, having 20% of my paycheck being sent to my Barclay’s savings account. Waiting till October should be able to allow it to build with the percent contribution plus the 1.15% interest.

In the meantime, I will add to my Schwab brokerage, especially now that they offer a form of fractional shares. How I found out it works is that $5 is the minimum to buy a slice of a particular company that is qualified for the fractional share program that they offer. Allowed is the ability to select up to 10 at a time, making the minimum $50, maxing out at about $7,000. Needless to say, I just have 10 stocks that I used $50 to buy. Once I buy all on the table that I set up to guide me, than create a share quantity baseline to help me have a goal and to start building my account by adding more like bonds, treasuries, and CD’s with Schwab and/or Capital One bank since that with Capital One’s CD’s don’t require a minimum and would make it easier to pay off my credit card when I use it.