McFinance Newsletter

  Hello McFinancers! The uncomfortable truth about emergency funds is that most discussions get the tradeoff backwards. Building too small a cash reserve leaves you vulnerable to layoffs, medical bills, and major repairs. Building too large a reserve creates a different risk: permanently sacrificing long-term wealth accumulation by holding excessive cash that could have been invested elsewhere. The challenge is not maximizing safety or maximizing returns. It is preserving optionality by maintaining enough liquidity to survive unexpected events while retaining the ability to capitalize on opportunities when they appear. This matters because emergencies rarely arrive in isolation. A job loss can coincide with a market downturn. A major home repair can arrive during a period of elevated inflation. A career opportunity may require relocation costs just months after a medical expense. According to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED), only 63% of...

  Hello McFinancers! Here’s your weekly round-up of what’s been happening in the world of money, markets, and macro trends: reports indicate a rise in CPI and PPI, China’s oil imports have decreased, President Trump is threatening trade deals among North American countries, and Ripple Labs released an AI kit that can interact and use the Ripple network Rise In CPI The Consumer Price Index rose 0.5% for the month of May, putting the annual inflation rate at 4.2% which is double the Fed’s 2% target. The core CPI, which strips out food and energy, came in at 0.2% monthly and 2.9% annually, which is the relatively better news in the report. The bad news is what’s driving the headline: energy prices jumped 3.9% in a single month, pushing the 12-month energy gain to 23.5%. Shelter costs, which make up over a third of CPI weighting, rose 3.4% annually. The Iran conflict is being cited as the primary catalyst for the energy surge, with markets rattled further by escalating rhetoric from th...

  Hello McFinancers! Few private companies have generated as much investor interest as SpaceX. The company has transformed the economics of space launches, built one of the world’s largest satellite communication networks through Starlink, and sits at the center of several long-term technology trends, including space infrastructure, global connectivity, artificial intelligence, and energy. A public offering is no longer hypothetical. SpaceX is targeting a June 12, 2026 IPO on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX. According to Bloomberg, the company is looking to raise more than $30 billion at a valuation of approximately $1.5 trillion — which would make it the largest IPO in history, surpassing Saudi Aramco’s $29 billion listing in 2019. SpaceX filed its S-1 registration document with the SEC in mid-May 2026, providing the first public look at the company’s financials. Before getting caught up in the excitement, investors should understand both the opportunities and the risks. Company ...

 Hello McFinancers! Here’s your weekly round-up of what’s been happening in the world of money, markets, and macro trends: Topics Blocked Hormuz Means Higher Bills for Gas, Food, and Everyday Goods The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil trade, and when tensions close or disrupt that channel the effects ripple far beyond filling stations. Ships carrying crude, natural gas, fertilizer feedstocks, grain, and many finished goods must take much longer routes around Africa, which raises freight costs, fuel use, and insurance premiums. Those added costs show up in higher prices for gasoline, home heating, fertiliser, basic food items, and anything that travels by sea. Manufacturers that rely on parts from the Middle East or Asia face delays and shortages, and import-dependent countries feel the pain fastest. For investors and households, this matters because energy and shipping are inputs to almost everything we buy. Watch freight rates and insurance spreads, fo...

Starting Fresh: Managing Money on Your Own Drew McFinance August 30, 2025 Hello McFinancers! Here’s your weekly round-up of what’s been happening in the world of money, markets, and macro trends: Topics Starting Fresh: Managing Money on Your Own at 22 Managing money alone for the first time can be tough, especially after a big life change. Our story comes from a 22-year-old who lost his mom. She was his only family. Now he's figuring out finances independently. He's working two jobs, earning $600 to $700 every two weeks. With expenses like school, a phone bill, and car payments, budgeting feels tight. Living paycheck to paycheck, he struggles to save. Gas and groceries often leave no room for extras. Sometimes, he even dips into overdraft or borrows money. Thinking about getting a credit card for gas seems like a solution but brings its own risks. The main challenge is creating a manageable budget. It involves a close look at expenses and finding ways to cut back. Practical...