A&B #7

Hey friends,

I'm writing to all 2,436 of you today (we gained 90 new readers since last week!).I hope everyone's having a great weekend. If not, here's something to cheer you up: watch the mini-series Catch-22 (based on the classic Joseph Heller novel). It's a hilarious series (especially if you enjoy dark humor) and you can compare it to the novel to see what's similar and what's different. Alright, let's dive in!

Podcast Update:

No new episodes this week, BUT...if you'd like to catch up on the podcast, here are my three most downloaded episodes:

1. Morgan Housel: The Psychology Of Money

2. Anne Bogel: How To Make Your Reading Life Fun

3. Greg McKeown: How To Master Essentialism

PS: If you prefer to watch the podcast (and see your favorite author on video) head over to the A&B YouTube channel.

Lessons From Reading:

The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason is regarded as a classic of personal financial advice. Published in 1926, its timeless lessons still hold true nearly 100-years later. If you're looking for an interesting story with practical financial advice for beginners, consider getting this book.Here are a few key lessons from it: 1) Save 10% of Your IncomeThe first rule (and perhaps the most important) is to save 10% of your income. If you're always spending your paycheck, you won't have money saved up for an emergency and won't be able to put that money to work through investments. Ten-percent may not seem like a lot, but just because you start small doesn't mean your fortune will remain small."Wealth, like a tree, grows from a tiny seed. The first copper you save is the seed from which your tree of wealth shall grow." –George Clason2) Control Your ExpensesYou need to make sure you aren't spending more than you're making. I also learned this lesson from Morgan Housel. The person that makes $1 million a year but spends $1.2 million is broke while the person that makes $80,000 but only spends $30,000 is rich. "Budget then thy necessary expenses. Touch not the one-tenth that is fattening thy purse." –George Clason3) Put Your Money To WorkDon't just keep the 10% you saved locked up in a bank account, put it to work. Make sure to do your research and talk to experts before making an investment. Don't invest in areas you aren't educated and don't take on so much risk that you could lose all of your savings."Learn to make your treasure work for you. Make it your slave. Make its children and its children's children work for you." –George Clason Actionable Advice:

• Save 10% of your income

• Don't spend more than you make

• Only invest in what you know

• Avoid get-rich-quick-schemes

Reading Tip:Here's a thread of my top 5 reading tips! Question:I'm building an online course called "The Art of Reading" where I'll share all of the reading tips I've learned over the past 3+ years. What would you like to see in the course? (reply to this email with your answer/feedback)

Weekly Quote:"The genuine love for reading itself, when cultivated, is a superpower." –Naval Ravikant

Photo of the Week:

I joined the "How it started vs How it's going" trend on

.

The picture on the left is my library back in 2017 while the image on the right is my current library (I have two additional bookshelves in another room).

Takeaway: Libraries, like wealth, start off small. But over time, they will grow and grow, and reward you later in life. Start reading (and saving money) today and your future self will thank you for it.

Thank you for your support everyone, I'll see you next week!Read on,Alex W.