I’m a Bank Teller: 3 Times You Should Never Ask For $100 Bills at the Bank

Andrew Lisa  Wed, April 3, 2024  GoBankingRates

According to data intelligence firm SAS Analytics, $100 bills account for 34% of paper currency in circulation in the U.S. and 82% of its value.

In short, most of our paper money is in hundreds — by a mile — but that doesn’t mean there’s never a bad time to walk into a bank branch and ask for one.

Whether you need a fresh, crisp C-note to put in a birthday card, a wedding envelope or just to stash in your emergency cash pile at home, you’ll want to pick your moment.

Here’s what you need to know.

A Lesson In Learning To Say "No"

Tim Keown  ESPN Senior Writer

(Note: This Article can apply to Lotto-Winners, A Big Inheritance and Dinarians!)

HERE'S A CHALLENGE: Imagine what it feels like to be 21 years old, extremely successful, famously wealthy, wildly stressed and unbearably miserable. How, you might wonder, can all those conditions exist simultaneously?

Start here, with Cowboys All-Pro offensive tackle Tyron Smith, talking to his mother on the phone one day in 2012, his second year in the NFL, during a time of growing tension between him

"We've found a house," Frankie Pinkney told her son.

By this stage, wariness had become as intrinsic to Smith's identity as his brown eyes and bookcase shoulders. Silently, he awaited details. He had agreed to purchase a home in Southern California for his mother and stepfather. They would live in it; he would own it as an investment.

The agreed-upon budget was roughly $300,000, but over the course of the conversation, Frankie dropped the bomb. List price: more like $800,000.

Smith, now 23, is sitting at a polished wood table in the conference room of his lawyer's Dallas office. Surrounded by his girlfriend, accountant and lawyer, he fixes his eyes on a spot somewhere high on the floor-to-ceiling window. "Yeah, my parents wanted a house," Smith says. "But it was way bigger than mine and cost way more than mine."

How To Become A Personal Finance Black Belt

Written by Sam

David Allen in “Getting Things Done” compares productivity to the martial arts. He gives instruction on how to become a black belt in your personal productivity with a “mind like water” that allows you to handle anything that comes your way with a balanced response. When a stone is thrown into a pond, the water reacts with perfect balance. It reacts just enough to disperse the energy, no more, and then returns to a calm state. It doesn’t over or under react.

Becoming a black belt and having a “mind like water” in your personal finances is very similar. It means you can take whatever is thrown at you without knocking your finances out of control. You can respond to any situation with perfect balance. Unexpected events or changes in your finances, good or bad, can be handled with optimum efficiency, and little or no stress. It means you can direct the flow of money where you need it almost effortlessly.

"8 Ways to Prepare to Become a Millionaire"

Written by Sam

 Today I went to lunch with a very wealthy person. I don’t know exactly how wealthy , but based on his frequent trips to Maui, the fact that he earns a free plane ticket every month through his frequent flier points, and the fact that the other day he decided to go out and buy a truck just because he’s never had one before, there’s good reason to believe he’s close to a seven-digit earner.

As I talked with him, it raised a lot of questions in my mind about how managing my finances will change as my wealth grows.   If I were a millionaire would I still need to budget? Would I still want to track all my spending? Would I still need to negotiate with my wife about finances?

 It seems logical that with an income over $1,000,000 a year you wouldn’t need to plan as vigorously. But in the end that’s a lie. Millionaires that manage their money irresponsibly can quickly lose it all and fall from grace (MC Hammer comes to mind).

The 7 Most Common Financial Regrets and How to Avoid Them

MTN Staff • February 28, 2024

We all make money mistakes. But keep them to a minimum by learning from the regrets of those who came before you.

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We all have financial regrets. Whether it’s not investing in that successful stock or splurging on a luxury item you didn’t need and couldn’t afford, money mistakes can leave us feeling guilty and frustrated.

But don’t beat yourself up. By exploring the regrets of those who have come before, you’ll avoid making the same mistakes and achieve your financial goals faster.

5 Reasons You Should Work for as Long as You Live

These benefits might make you think twice about retirement.

Alex Valdes • November 3, 2021

While countless workers dream of retirement, millions more have decided to work full time or part time after age 65: In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2024, there will be about 13 million working Americans age 65 and older.  Working longer might be your best option. Here are several reasons why.

1. Increase financial security

If you’re worried about outliving your savings, working longer is the answer. It can let you:

Europe Has Precious Few of These “Golden” Opportunities Left

Notes From the Field By Simon Black/James Hickman

Located in Mediterranean Sea about halfway between Greece and Turkey is the island of Crete... which has attracted human civilization for more than 100,000 years.

Today roughly 600,000 people call the island home. But millions of tourists also visit the popular vacation spot each year. It’s known for it’s beaches, wine, and olive groves.

And at the moment, real estate is fairly reasonably priced.

It’s certainly not rock bottom cheap, but for such a popular destination, home prices could hardly be called expensive.

5 Financial Tips That Will Help You Make It to the Upper Class

Heather Taylor   Mon, Mar 18, 2024

If you are in the middle class and attempting to make the leap into the upper class, what steps can you take to realistically reach your financial goals?

Making the following choices can help you reach your goal of being a member of the upper class.

Change Your Money Mindset

Progressing through each level of financial freedom, starting at self-sufficiency and ending with abundant wealth, requires making a shift in your money mindset.

In an interview with Grow (CNBC + Acorns), self-made millionaire Grant Sabatier said money should not be viewed as something you use to buy things. Reaching financial goals, including joining the upper class, requires making good choices with your money. Practicing good saving and investing habits allows your money to work for you.

I Became a Millionaire by 30: 4 Money Behaviors You Need To Change Now To Build Your Wealth

Adam Palasciano   Mon, Mar 18, 2024

Amid what seems like out-of-control inflation, becoming a millionaire seems like a dream. However, as of 2024, there are about 22 million millionaires in the U.S., according to Millennial Money. It’s even possible to become a millionaire in your 20s.

CNBC spoke with Vivian Tu, a former Wall Street trader-turned expert, educator, podcast host, and founder of the financial equity phenomenon Your Rich BFF. Amazingly, she made her first million by age 27

Tu grew up in an immigrant household that focused on frugality. Then, she started her career on Wall Street and realized the wealthy focus less on saving and more on earning and finding ways to grow their wealth.