Thursday Thoughts - 12/29/2022
In this short newsletter, I share the most interesting things that I’ve read, heard, and/or watched over the past week.
What I Tried:
Wealthfront Cash Account
I was bombarded with emails from Wealthfront about its Cash Account. The ads were touting their new interest rate of 3.8% APY. A cash account is similar to a high yield savings account. It’s all online with no local branches. I also read that customer service is not the best. I guess those are the tradeoffs needed to lower overhead and achieve the higher interest rates.
I currently have an Ally High Yield savings account with 3.3% APY. I was curious if the half percent difference was worth the switch. So I did the math. The difference is roughly $575 over five years with a $20,000 initial balance. That’s like getting a new Apple Watch for free if the rates hold up. That was enough to make me open the Wealthfront account and transfer my balance.
What I Heard:
626: Insights from Tara Brach, Ryan Holiday, Maria Popover, and Cal Newport | Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss experimented with a new podcast format this year. Instead of a long form interview with a guest, he pulls in segments from other podcasts. I like these episodes as it introduces new people and views.
My favorite part of this podcast starts at the 40 minute mark with Ryan Holiday. Holiday shares questions to ask yourself from various Stoic philosophers. I found this to be timely as I reflect on the past year and plan for the year ahead.
What I Wrote:
Books Read in 2022 | NineOverFour
Speaking of reflections, I started my past year review over Christmas. The first of these reviews is a list of all the books I read in 2022. As stated in the post, it was tough narrowing down my list of most enjoyable and impactful books. But it also means that the lists have only solid recommendations.
What I’m Pondering:
“The most important step in becoming successful in anything is to first become interested in it."
Sir William Osler