5 Everyday Money Habits That Quietly Drain Middle-Class Wealth
5 Everyday Money Habits That Quietly Drain Middle-Class Wealth
Cindy Lamothe Tue, November 25, 2025 GOBankingRates
We all know money can slip through our fingers — but sometimes it’s not flashy splurges or big mistakes that do the damage.
It’s the little, everyday habits that quietly chip away at your hard-earned wealth. If you’ve ever wondered why your bank account doesn’t quite grow despite steady paychecks, you’re not alone.
“Increasing prices have led to the survival debt of most Americans,” said Jeffrey Hensel, broker associate at North Coast Financial. “The change is usually nuanced to the middle class, and it starts with small changes in their lifestyle, which gradually escalate into huge financial burdens.”
Let’s take a closer look at some common money habits that could be holding back your financial growth — and what to do about them.
5 Brutal Truths About Building Wealth
5 Brutal Truths About Building Wealth
Cindy Lamothe Mon, November 24, 2025 GOBankingRates
Building wealth isn’t all sunshine and Instagram-worthy moments. While everyone loves talking about side hustles, passive income and shiny financial freedom, the truth is a bit grittier. There are no shortcuts, no magic formulas and, yes, some tough lessons along the way.
Here are some brutal truths about building wealth that will help you in the long run.
“Oops! We’re a Major Silver Producer Now”
“Oops! We’re a Major Silver Producer Now”
Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black) November 20, 2025
When mining superintendent Marcus Daly arrived in Butte, Montana in the late 1870s to evaluate a cluster of silver prospects, it was a mundane business trip— the mad western gold rush was over by then.
The area was known for its patchy silver veins, and Daly’s job was to decide whether there were still any mines worth buying. All the ‘experts’ thought the boom was over. Gold and silver had fallen out of favor... and mines were selling for less than the value of the dirt.
3 Ways To Overcome Fear of Spending in Retirement, According to a Financial Expert
3 Ways To Overcome Fear of Spending in Retirement, According to a Financial Expert
T. Woods GOBankingRates
James Canole is the founder of the financial advice website Root Financial Partners, and is a CFP professional/financial advisor whose podcast, “Ready for Retirement,” helps guide people toward a comfortable and prosperous nest egg for their retirement years.
On a recent episode of his podcast series, Canole spoke to a retiree facing a fundamental challenge: how to comfortably spend money in your retirement.
10 Harsh Money Lessons That You Never Learned in School
10 Harsh Money Lessons That You Never Learned in School
By Martin Dasko / STUDENOMICS
“They should teach personal finance in college.”
“I wish I learned more about money in school instead of studying all that useless stuff.”
I’ve seen a variation of this message on social media over the years. Personal finance is one of those topics that we have to figure out on our own as we go through life, and it can be highly frustrating. This is why I wanted to look at what you likely weren’t taught about money as a high school or college student that you should know.
Here’s what college and high school never taught you about money that you need to know.
What To Do Before A Catastrophe Strikes
What To Do Before A Catastrophe Strikes
Retired professor, 75, fumbled to learn her finances when her husband died.
Moneywise Vawn Himmelsbach Tue, November 18, 2025
When Alice Stone Nakhimovsky’s husband, Alexander, passed away unexpectedly last year from a brain aneurysm, she lost more than her partner. She also lost every detail of their financial life.
The 75-year-old retired professor had written 11 books, yet she didn’t understand the language of finance. Her husband had always handled that side of things.
“It’s mostly because I have no interest in learning about investing,” Nakhimovsky told The Wall Street Journal (1).
4 Things You Don’t Know About Your Money
I’m a Financial Expert: 4 Things You Don’t Know About Your Money
Laura Beck Fri, August 16, 2024 GOBankingRates
You might think you’ve got a handle on your finances, but there’s probably a thing or two you don’t understand.
GOBankingRates spoke with financial experts to uncover some surprising truths about money that many people overlook. Carlos Rodriguez, director of financial planning at Edelman Financial Engines, pointed to EFE’s 2023 Everyday Wealth in America report, which indicated that 46% of Americans cite personal finances as their top source of stress. That emphasizes the importance of effective financial management for overall well-being.
From investment strategies to the power of small savings, these insights could change the way you think about your hard-earned cash.
Here are four things you (probably) don’t know about your money.
Record High Debt = Record High Gold Price
Record High Debt = Record High Gold Price
Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black) November 11, 2025
Barrick Mining Corporation—one of the world’s largest and most established gold producers—just reported its third quarter earnings yesterday— and it was an absolute blowout.
The company reported third quarter profit of $1.3 billion, nearly triple last year’s Q3 earnings.
And for the first nine months of 2025, Earnings per Share is up a whopping 132% over the same period last year. Free Cash Flow is up an astonishing 176%.
Podcast: These three Central Banks are SELLING Gold
Podcast: These three Central Banks are SELLING Gold
Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black) November 12, 2025
We sincerely hope the House of Representatives can pull itself together and get the government back open this week.
Not because we love federal bureaucracy—but because this shutdown is embarrassing, and it continues to chip away at the rapidly declining confidence that foreign governments and central banks have in the United States.
This matters. Foreign governments and central banks collectively own $10+ trillion of US government bonds and other agency securities.
5 Best Money Moves To Make Before Retiring
5 Best Money Moves To Make Before Retiring
James Holbach Mon, August 14, 2023
How To Be Wealthy in Retirement: Experts Share the 5 Best Money Moves To Make Before Retiring
Retirement. Imagine it. Dropping out of the rat race forever, enjoying the time you have left — being with your family, pursuing the hobby you could never make time for, finally taking that dream vacation.
Unless you were born rich — and if you were, you probably wouldn’t be reading this — you know it’s not going to happen without a lot of saving and planning. You’ve seen the generic advice everywhere. Max out your 401(k), cut your expenses, go back to school so you can make more — but there are a million paths to financial security, and some of them might surprise you.
4 Ways Middle-Class Earners Are Protecting Their Money in Today’s Uncertain Economy
4 Ways Middle-Class Earners Are Protecting Their Money in Today’s Uncertain Economy
Laura Bogart Sun, November 9, 2025 GOBankingRates
When it comes to the global economy these days, you should expect the unexpected. Stock markets are behaving like roller coasters, prices of everyday goods continue to rise, and the job market remains unpredictable. Middle-class earners are feeling the strain. Protecting their money — and their peace of mind — in such uncertainty is a daunting task. Fortunately, safeguarding their hard-earned savings may be easier than they think.