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Millennials are making money by investing in the future.

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The Rockefeller Foundation

If you invest $30,000 in three specific stocks, you could triple your money in 10 years.

At least that’s what acclaimed financial analyst Malcolm Berko wrote in his advice column last year.

The stocks you’d have to invest in, he said, are Raytheon, General Dynamics, and Lockheed Martin — three defense companies. In other words, what he’s saying is: You could triple your money in 10 years, but you’d be capitalizing on the U.S. revving up its defense spending.


But here’s the thing: Some investors, especially millennials, aren’t concerned with only the returns.

Image via iStock.

As a generation, millennials want to put their money into stocks that are good for the world.

They’ve seen firsthand how much can change in 25 years. They’ve seen technology move at warp speed, lived through major policy shifts, and watched the world’s population grow. They know they can effect change in the next 25 years — and they know we need change.

Millennials are also more apt to distrust financial institutions. As a generation, they had to enter the workforce amid record high unemployment rates, stagnant wages, and larger student debt bills than any previous generation. That’s why many millennials want to take financial matters into their own hands.

In the next several decades, an estimated $30 trillion will be passed down from baby boomers to younger generations. That means $30 trillion of the world’s assets could be reallocated into humanitarian endeavors.

In addition, by 2020, millennials will comprise 46% of the workforce, and as they become the primary earners, they will have an even greater effect on investing in this country.  

Image via iStock.

In fact, they may well be the first generation that considers making the world a better place along with investment returns.

And it makes sense if you think about it: This is the generation that was promised a return on investment on their college tuition and instead got stuck with a massive bill and waning job prospects. The world they grew up in taught them to put less stock into promised returns and care more about tangible value.

But there is a smart way for millennials to invest in making the world a better place. It’s called impact investing.

Impact investing essentially means putting money into causes that effect social change, explains Adam Connaker, an associate at The Rockefeller Foundation, a foundation that is working to solve the world’s biggest and most entrenched challenges through innovative finance mechanisms.

“You have a right as an investor, no matter your size, to ask what impact your investments are having in the world,” says Connaker.

If the projects do well, the investors see good returns on their investments. It proves altruism and making money on your investments are not mutually exclusive.

Eric Letsinger, founder and CEO of Quantified Ventures, says we are witnessing the largest transfer of wealth in our country’s history, while simultaneously seeing government funding for health, social, and environmental programs dry up. As a result, impact investing will likely get a huge boost from millennial investors thanks to inherited and newly accumulated wealth.

Many of these impact investing projects allow members of a community to invest in public works that will improve their own neighborhoods. For example, Jason Anderson, president and CEO of Neighborly Securities, worked on a deal in Burlington, Vermont, that encouraged residents to invest in public projects like building sidewalks, rehabilitating bike paths, and improving waterfront access to Lake Champlain.

Photo via Garrett Brinker/Neighborly.

“We've talked to resident investors up in Burlington who told us that the main reason they invested in the issuance was because they commute to and from work on that bike path every day,” says Anderson. “Because of their investment in the city, they can have a direct impact on that rehabilitation project.”

Putting money into city-centric or environmental initiatives allows investors to directly affect the future of our communities.

Image via iStock.

Letsinger says that in 2016, they worked on an environmental impact bond with DC Water. The project financed green infrastructure as an alternative to building large concrete tunnels for Washington, D.C.’s water utility.

“If the project succeeds, it presents a win-win to both the investors and DC Water: The investors earn a higher return than they would have on a standard municipal bond from DC Water, and DC Water has then proven that green infrastructure is highly cost-effective,” explains Letsinger.

In addition to the high returns for investors, the DC Water investment helped create green jobs and improve neighborhoods, and the success of this project will have future implications when it comes to making cities more environmentally friendly.

Because many millennials are a generation that would rather see green infrastructure go up in their neighborhood than watch their bank balance go up on a computer screen, they’re the first generation that could make impact investing the norm.

If the millennial generation commits to investing in causes, it could change how we see money.

Image via iStock.

In fact, Letsinger says that most of the impact investors his company works with are millennials. Working with clients who are motivated not just by making money but by improving the world for future generations allows impact investing firms to target niche causes in various communities around the world.

He also says 2017 was a particularly good year for impact investing, which bodes well at such an early stage. He means that the returns on investment were good — but also that they saw more interest among people looking to make a difference.

With impact investing, “values and returns can coexist, allowing investors to fight climate change, produce more affordable housing, and develop clean energy,” says Anderson.

If this trend continues, 20 years from now, financial advisers might be primarily offering environmental causes to invest in, rather than defense stocks.

Putting some savings into investments is something most people either already do or are going to do in the coming years. That doesn’t need to change — what can change is where we put that money.

We can no longer rely on our government to fund the social and environmental efforts needed to improve our society and planet as a whole. This financial shift to impact investing will allow us to pool our money with other people who also want to create positive change. As a result, it can happen on a larger scale than we ever thought possible. Plus, as an added bonus, you’ll likely find you can do well for yourself while simultaneously doing good in the world.

For more than 100 years, The Rockefeller Foundation’s mission has been to promote the well-being of humanity throughout the world. Together with partners and grantees, The Rockefeller Foundation strives to catalyze and scale transformative innovations, create unlikely partnerships that span sectors, and take risks others cannot — or will not.

It's incredible what a double-sided magnet can do.


A new trend in treasure hunting called magnet fishing has blown up over the past two years, evidenced by an explosion of YouTube channels covering the hobby. Magnet fishing is a pretty simple activity. Hobbyists attach high-powered magnets to strong ropes, drop them into waterways and see what they attract.

The hobby has caught the attention of law enforcement and government agencies because urban waterways are a popular place for criminals to drop weapons and stolen items after committing a crime. In 2019, a magnet fisherman in Michigan pulled up an antique World War I mortar grenade and the bomb squad had to be called out to investigate.




Fifteen-year-old George Tindale and his dad, Kevin, 52, of Grantham, Lincolnshire in the U.K., made an incredible find earlier this month when they used two magnets to pull up a safe that had been submerged in the River Witham.

George has a popular magnet fishing YouTube channel called “Magnetic G.”

After the father-and-son duo pulled the safe out of the murky depths, they cracked it open with a crowbar and found about $2,500 Australian dollars (US$1,800), a shotgun certificate and credit cards that expired in 2004. The Tindales used the name found on the cards to find the safe’s owner, Rob Everett.

Everett’s safe was stolen during an office robbery in 2000 and then dumped into the river. “I remember at the time, they smashed into a cabinet to get to the safe,” Everett said, according to The Daily Mail. “I was just upset that there was a nice pen on my desk, a Montblanc that was never recovered.”

The robber, who was a teenage boy, was apprehended soon after the crime because he left behind a cap with his name stitched inside.

The father and son met up with Everett to return his stolen money and the businessman gave George a small reward for his honesty. He also offered him an internship because of the math skills he displayed in the YouTube video when he counted the Australian dollars. “What’s good about it is, I run a wealth management company and… I’d love him to work for us," Everett said.

Although the safe saga began with a robbery 22 years ago, its conclusion has left Everett with more faith in humanity.

“I was just amazed that they’d been able to track me down,” he said. “There are some really nice and good people in this world. They could have kept the money, they could have said they attempted to get hold of me.”

“There’s a big lesson there. It teaches George that doing good and being honest and giving back is actually more rewarding than taking,” Everett added.

Treasure hunting isn’t the only allure of the hobby for George. His mother says the hobby has taught him a lot about water pollution and its effects on local wildlife. “George is very environmentally conscious. He always has been since primary school,” she said. “When he first started to do this, he was after treasure. Everything ends up in the rivers and canals.”


This article originally appeared on 04.25.22

Delivery guy shares his new mental health app on deliveries

Everyone with a dream has to start somewhere. Many people who start their own companies often start out by working on their business while also working another full-time job. Sometimes people work more than one job while also managing getting their business off the ground before they can solely focus on their business venture.

Businesses cost money to start and maintain even before you're at a place where you can hire employees. Everything from business licenses to websites and materials cost money that someone starting out may not have without another job, especially if they don't have wealthy investors lined up.

Bo Natakhin is one of those up and coming business owners. The man accidentally went viral when a video of him from someone's doorbell camera was shared on social media. Natakhin is a food delivery driver but while delivering food he also informs people of his true passion of helping people with mental health struggles. The young entrepreneur then shares with the customers his free mental health app.

There's a good reason he shares the news about his app in this unique way–he can't afford advertising. Only this time someone saw his wholesome pitch on their doorbell camera and decided to give him a boost by sharing it online.


"Hello ma'am, I got your food. I'll just leave it here. I'm sorry to bother you. I'm sorry for my bad English," he says into the camera before sharing that delivering food is not his main job. "I just have to work here to just to earn money to live and my dream is to help people with their mental health and I'm working on it after my work at night."

Natakhin holds his phone up to the camera to show a clear picture of the app and informs the resident that if they ever need support they can use the app that he made. He explains that he doesn't have money for advertisements so he is telling all of his clients about it.

woman in black and white long sleeve shirt Photo by Matthew Ball on Unsplash

The app is called Soul Out and is marketed as a mental health social media app and is free to download and use. It's set up to be used for peer support for people who may be going through a difficult time. The Soul Out Instagram page explains that each user has "karma points." A user accumulates karma points by helping others and when they share their own post to receive help, they spend some of their points.

Check In Mental Health GIF by mtvGiphy

Replying to posts will get you a point and if your comment is rated as helpful you receive two additional points. You can work within the areas in which you have the most experience by picking certain categories. The app is moderated, likely by a program as Natakhin is the only employee but it sounds like he runs a tight ship to keep the app safe for all users looking for help. Even without proper advertising funds, Soul Out now has over 10k downloads from social media and his unique approach to marketing while delivering food.


@upsocl Rompió en llanto al escuchar las palabras de este extraño #SouloutApp #entretenews #saludmental #solidaridad ♬ sonido original - Upsocl


The video that went viral likely contributing to the boost of downloads, has text overlay that reads, "protect this man at all costs...he's so cute" complete with a sobbing emoji. Natakhin shared the video to the official page for Soul Out and commenters can't seem to get enough of his creative approach to marketing.

"What a great idea! I hope you go far with this. Mental health is just as important as our Physical health," one person writes.

"Your English is just great! And your approach is heartwarming," another shares.

black and white printed shirt Photo by Nathan McDine on Unsplash

"Just downloaded the app… I just also replied one of the posts there, I must say it’s a beautiful app with a beautiful goal… sometimes you can also find people that go through the same as you and you don’t feel alone anymore… even tho, you can share the same and feel relief knowing that someone will finally understand you, and that’s a lot! Feeling that someone understands you is the best feeling… so, I hope I can be able to help people, as I would like to be helped… ;)) keep going! This is a start to change," one commenter shares their experience with the app.

Keep Moving Forward Mental Health GIF by INTO ACTIONGiphy

A free app to help those that may need additional support through difficult times is much needed. Hopefully he reaches his goal of getting enough donations to advertise and spread to other countries. If you'd like to help him with his mission you can donate $5 or more monthly through his Patreon page or you can make a one time donation through Buy Me A Coffee where he is only at 6% of his goal.

Popular

Couple in their 30s live permanently on cruise ships for a little over $10K a year

“I’m not a millionaire ... I just live full-time on cruise ships.”

A magnificent cruise ship on the ocean.

Giving it all up and retiring to live on a cruise ship at 32 seems like a lifestyle choice only available to the ultra-wealthy. However, two financially savvy retired school teachers from Tennessee have managed to do just that, spending under $10,000 for the first eight months at sea.

Monica Brzoska, 32, and Jorrell Conley, 36, met in 2015 while teaching in Memphis, Tennessee. The following year, they booked a week-long cruise to Mexico, Belize, and Grand Cayman. After that, they were hooked on cruising together.

Eight years later, in March 2023, they booked a week-long Caribbean cruise. When it was over, instead of returning home to Memphis, they had a wild idea: Why not continue to book consecutive cruises? So, they did just that.


Monica was inspired to start living the life she always wanted after her father fell ill and her mother told her: "Don't wait for retirement. Follow your dreams."



The couple crunched the numbers and found that if they chose the cheapest cabins and used the deals they’ve received from Carnival Cruises, they could book the first 8 months for just under $10,000. “It sounds mad, but the numbers made sense. Accommodation, food and entertainment would be included – we’d only need spending money,” Brzoska told The Sun. “And because we’d been on so many Carnival cruises, we’d earned access to some amazing offers.”

Hopping from ship to ship isn’t difficult for the couple because many disembark from the same ports. But they sometimes have to fly when they can’t walk to the next ocean liner.

The couple then quit their jobs, sold their possessions, and started a new life on the high seas. They rent out their 3-bedroom home in Memphis to maintain steady cash flow. The average 3-bedroom home in the area rents somewhere between $1200 to $1900 a month.



Over the first year of their new life, the couple completed 36 consecutive cruises. They have already visited countless destinations across the globe, but they can’t choose a favorite. "For a cultural experience, we loved Japan," Brzoska told a Carnival Cruise director on Instagram. The couple also loved Greece for its “history” and Iceland because it was the "closest to being on Mars."

One of the most incredible benefits of loving on a cruise ship is that so many things are taken care of for you. The couple never has to cook any meals, do any laundry or drive. Every night, there is something to do, whether it’s checking out a comedy show or enjoying drinks and dancing in the nightclub.



Plus, on cruises, just about all the costs are covered, so you rarely have to open your wallet. It’s a stress-free, all-inclusive lifestyle. Brzoska says that when you remove the everyday stresses from life, it’s great for your marriage. “Without the daily stresses of life, we rarely argued, but always told each other if we needed space or more time together,” she said.

The couple also makes sure to have one date night a week, during which they dress up and have a nice meal together.

Most people may be unable to give it all up and live their lives hopping from ocean liner to ocean liner. But there’s a great lesson in the story of Brzoska and Conley: You never know how much time you have left, so don’t wait for retirement to live the life of your dreams.

Upworthy has reached out to Brzoska for comment and is still awaiting a response.









Pop Culture

Swedish author's blunt self-deprecating speech has people chuckling for 4 minutes straight

Fredrik Backman's humor is dry, droll, deadpan—and delightfully inspiring.

Image credits: Amazon (leff), C. Fleetwood (right)

Fredrik Backman is the author of "A Man Called Ove" and other novels.

Public speaking is one of the biggest fears the average person has and a skill that few come by naturally. But a 4-minute speech by bestselling author Fredrik Backman might just convince you that anyone can be a public speaker.

The author of "A Man Called Ove" and other novels spoke to an audience of writers and publishers at the Simon & Schuster centennial, and from his first line, he had the audience chuckling.

A Man Called OveA Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backmanf.media-amazon.com

"Good evening, my name is Fredrik Backman," he began. "I'm here tonight because my agent said it would be good for my career."


With a completely deadpan delivery, Backman proceeded to share how he spends eight hours a day locked in a room with people he made up. "If I were comfortable talking to real people, I'd have a real job," he quipped.

"Being a writer is the best way I know how to get paid for being insane," he added. He talked about how he and his brain aren't friends. "My brain and I are classmates doing a group assignment called 'Life,'" he said. "It's not going great."

Something about the dry, droll humor—someone called it self-deprecating melancholic Swedish humor—is just hilarious as he talks about anxiety and procrastination, but he managed to knock it out of the park at the end with bit of unexpected kindness and encouragement.

A clip of the first minute of Backman's speech went viral on TikTok, but the full speech is fantastic. Watch:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com


"I hope that one day I will be able to tell my agent that the reason that my next book is not finished yet is because I was busy reading yours," he concluded.

People loved Backman's speech both for its wit and its generosity of spirit:

"My goodness, his last line was so kind and generous. A perfect speech!"

"Deadpan self deprecation. Utterly brilliant."

"What a gem of a speech! This man is hilarious and didn’t crack a smile."

"I have rewatched this so many times. And it gives me joy every time!"

"Hearing other authors discuss their eccentricities always brings me so much comfort. This was brilliant."

"This video is well worth 4 minutes of your time. I have only read his book 'A Man Called Ove' but it is a truly wonderful book and I plan to read more of his work."

"Mr. Backman is a treasure. I'd never heard of him before, but now I'm anxious to read his work."

"I'm here as a proud Swede to watch this amazing speech by this absolutely amazing Swedish author. He's brilliant and I absolutely love everything he's written. We who come from a tiny country always love it when other people from our tiny country make it big. It becomes a sort of national pride. And Fredrik Backman is someone Sweden can be really proud of."


@thebloodyninetheycallme

#fredrikbackman #booktok #beartown #bookrecommendations

As Backman proved, you don't have to be a polished public speaker or give a long speech to inspire people. Sometimes just being yourself, telling the truth and putting your own unique brand of humor to work is all it takes to capture an audience and leave them wanting more.

Most of us had one of those neighbors growing up—the one who gave us the stink eye if we so much as looked at their perfectly mowed lawn and shooed us away if even our shadows crept onto their flower beds. There's a reason "Get off my lawn!" was a meme before memes were even a thing.

Then there are neighbors who rock. The ones who smile and wave through the window and share their fresh-baked cookies with the neighborhood kids. The folks who genuinely enjoy the vibrant energy that children bring to the block and embrace the idea of "it takes a village."

When one of the guys behind Canyon Chasers, a motorcycle enthusiast website, shared a video of how he handled a kid who kept playing in his driveway when he wasn't home, it wasn't clear at first which kind of neighbor he was going to be. But then he explains how his security footage showed a preschooler riding his bike around his flat concrete driveway every evening, and how he decided to do something about it.


And what ensued was the best Anti-Get-Off-My-Lawn move that ended up pleasing more neighbors than he anticipated.

How I Deal With Kids Playing in My Driveway | The Saga of My Driveway Racetrackwww.youtube.com

How fun would that have been when you were a kid? And how great that he made a new one each time it rained? And how delightful is it that people of all ages showed up to enjoy it?

Imagine a world where all neighbors were this thoughtful and generous with their time and property. More of this, please.


This article originally appeared on 8.27.20