Happy Tuesday,

Angelo here! Welcome to New Money, where we go over weekly tips to help you build your wealth, one dollar at a time.

Today’s edition:

• Why the net worth chart isn't telling you the full story.

• Three simple ways to start building wealth this week.

• PayPal's buyout offer, Samsung's new credit card, and more…

Read time: 2 min 25 seconds

🍎Wealth Tip of the Week

I think we've all done this at least once.

Maybe after a birthday.

Maybe after seeing someone your age buy a house.

Maybe after a promotion that didn't feel as exciting as you expected.

You open Google and search: "How much money should I have by my age?"

Then you find a chart like this:

Within seconds you're either thinking you're doing okay or you’re way behind.

I've looked at those charts too.

But after digging into the numbers, I realized that the better question is:

"What does it actually take to become above average?"

Let's find out.

1. Don't Let a Number Ruin Your Day

Remember that personal finance is personal.

Not everyone starts from the same place.

Some begin debt-free. Others are paying off student loans.

Some have been investing for years. Others are just getting started.

Some are building wealth while also helping support their family.

The chart doesn't know your story so treat it like a reference.

It's simply to understand where you are today so you know where to go next.

2. Why The Gap Keeps Growing

At first glance, this just looks like a chart of net worth by age.

But look a little closer, the gap between the median person and someone in the top 25% gets bigger over time.

So what are they doing differently?

Most people will assume the answer is a higher income and sometimes that's true. But often, it's simply time.

When I look at my own portfolio, this makes a lot of sense. I started investing before I felt ready.

At first, nothing exciting happened. But I kept investing anyway.

Year after year, my portfolio grew, not because I picked the perfect investment, but because I gave it more time to compound.

Between the ages of 30 and 55, the median person's net worth grows from roughly $100,000 to around $411,000. Someone in the top 25% grows from about $210,000 to nearly $1.2 million.

The difference wasn't one lucky investment or one huge paycheck. It was giving money more years to grow.

The gap you create in your 20s and 30s is often the one that compounds for the rest of your life. 

That's the advantage of starting early. Time does more of the work than most people realize.

3. Three Things You Can Do This Week

Reading a chart won't change your finances. Your next decision might.

Start with these three things.

a. Calculate your net worth.

• Don't guess and write it down.

• Add up everything you own.

• Subtract everything you owe.

That's your net worth. It's your starting point. You can't improve what you don't measure.

I made a free Net Worth Calculator that does the math for you for FREE!

👉Calculate your net worth here

b. Put investing on autopilot.

If you're waiting until there's "extra money" at the end of the month, you'll probably never invest consistently.

Instead, pay yourself first. Set up an automatic investment every payday, even if it's a small amount.

The amount matters less than the habit.

c. Give your next raise a job.

Before your next paycheck hits, decide where part of that raise is going.

It could be:

• Increasing your ETF contribution.

• Maxing out your Roth IRA.

• Opening your first investment account. Make today the day you decide to start. 👉Open your first investment account here. 

Don't wait until the money is sitting in your checking account. Decide before it arrives.

That's one of the easiest ways to grow your investments without feeling like you're sacrificing your lifestyle.

One last thing. 

Search "how much money should I have by my age" again in a year.

See if the number that comes back still scares you the same way.

The chart never changes. 

You do.

What's your net worth today?

And did you actually calculate it after reading this?

I read every reply.

💬Quote of the Week

📉 Market Recap

Check out some of the biggest stories shaking up money, markets, and momentum this week.

👉 Stripe, Advent and Block offer $53B to buy PayPal

Stripe, private equity firm Advent, and Block are jointly offering $60.50 per share for PayPal, a 28% premium over its prior closing price. PayPal has posted disappointing profit guidance and recently replaced its CEO.

Wallet Impact: If you own PayPal stock, a buyout offer like this typically sends the price jumping toward the offer level, which is exactly what happened here. If you're a PayPal customer, ownership changes usually don't affect your day-to-day experience.

👉 Samsung launches its first US credit card

The Samsung Galaxy Card, issued by Barclays and running on Visa's network, gives cardholders 5% cash back on purchases made directly with Samsung and 3% through Samsung Wallet.

Wallet Impact: Co-branded cards like this can look generous on paper, but the high reward rates are usually narrow, 5% back only applies to Samsung purchases, not everyday spending like groceries or gas. Before applying, compare it to a flat-rate cash back card.  

👉 U.S. resumes strikes on Iran

The U.S. carried out seven hours of strikes on Iranian military targets and reimposed its naval blockade of the strait after Trump declared last month's ceasefire "over." 

Wallet Impact: This is the opposite direction from the "prices dropping" story we've covered before, expect oil and gas prices to move back up if the blockade holds, since a fifth of the world's oil flows through this waterway. 

👉 Paramount's $111 billion Warner Bros. deal gets temporarily blocked by a federal judge

A coalition of 12 state attorneys general won a restraining order freezing the merger over antitrust concerns. Both stocks fell on the news, with Warner hitting its lowest price this year.

Wallet Impact: If you own either stock, expect the price to stay shaky until there's more clarity. For everyone else, this deal would combine HBO, CNN, and two major studios under one owner, the kind of consolidation that can eventually mean higher prices for streaming and cable.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Your 20s are the best time to build multiple income streams. Here are 9 side hustles that can help you get started.

 🌱More ways I can help build your wealth

See y’all next week 🫡

Angelo Castillo

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