Last week, we spoke about a measure that the government and large asset owners look at: the Consumer Price Index.

The CPI, at its core, displays an aggregate measure of consumer health. Monetary policy and decisions based on these indicators are intended to make life better for you and me, the consumer.

But who decides what “better” looks like?

We’re all well aware of the altruism of the capitalist. You can have anything you want; but at a price that is inaccessible to a lot of us.

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One level of personal accountability that is available to us, however, is the ability to value our own labor.

Companies are now beholden to their owners. The majority stock holders. The more you own, the more you can dictate how a company operates. 

The prices to set, the strategies to employ, and the wages to provide. 

Underpinning all this structure is the willingness of the employee to understand this system, participate, and provide much needed balancing actions that keep the economy growing sustainably for everybody.

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As part of an organization, every employee is valued according to an evolving valuation of the whole.

This is why it’s important to understand your growth relative to the organization.

Over the course of a year, do you understand the system better? Does your work have fewer mistakes, more foresight?

Do you make better decisions? Mostly, humans tend to get better over time, improving with practice and learning. In this case, is your compensation being valued higher than it was a year ago?

Has the organization as a whole suffered any setbacks? Have there been problems within the business? Lost revenue, and as a result, a lower stock price?

Have there been wider socio-economic conditions to consider? Inflation, or deflation?

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It’s up to us to take part in making sure we are being paid what we are worth. That we’re given enough time to live our lives. That the protections meant to be in place do not fail those of us with less when it comes to it.

Negotiating and reputation will be valuable tools, but never stop being aware of your position, the options available to you, and make sure you continue to be valued what you are worth.

This time, we’re going to understand one of the most widely followed and recognized metrics of consumer financial health: The CPI.

One of the most widely known economic indicators for the Unites States, the CPI, or the Consumer Price Index, is used in understanding inflation trends, and changes in US consumer spending.

The CPI is a collection of prices for common items that seeks to represent spending by US consumers. It is updated on a monthly basis, and is a weighted average of nearly 80,000 prices of various goods and services, like fuel, housing, groceries, etc. 

The CPI covers 93% of the US Population not living in rural areas, and is maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) which is a Federal body under the Department of Labor.

The CPI has several kinds of prices across everything the average US consumer needs.

The BLS publishes a comprehensive report each month covering each category, and the CPI covers

* Energy: 7.0%

* Food: 13.4%

* All Items less Food and Energy: 79.6%

Over the past 6 months, Cashflow Connect has been growing steadily, with 14 features, 7 podcast episodes, and a cool 60 followers 😎

It may not be much, but it’s humbling to see that you have chosen to listen to our words, and take control of your own financial wellness.

Next week, we’d like to interview you, one of our subscribers! If you’d like to be featured on this series, please sign up by emailing us at: cashflowconnect [at] substack [dot] com.

Stock ownership is strongly correlated with household income, formal education, age, marital status and race, so it begs the question: How can we help such a big part of our community feel ready to participate for their share of wealth creation?

Helping people feel more stable in their lives means tax breaks, affordable housing, public transportation, student debt reduction, and mandatory financial education. These all need to be aspects of economic policy to push more institutional spending and attention to these areas.

As we evaluate the investment opportunities around us, it’s easy to give in to the subliminal messaging that this is “too complex”, or something only professionals can understand and evaluate in an intelligent manner.

This is not the case. I know it’s easy to say, and sure, it does take a little bit of time out of your day to learn about this world and its particulars, but learning brings confidence.

As regulated entities, banks provide loans, maintain liquidity, participate in investments, help build infrastructure, provide a safe haven to store your money, and are involved in many other activities.

They provide investment vehicles like CDs and High Yield Savings Accounts so you don’t have to worry about what goes on day-to-day in the economy, but can still participate and take advantage.

However, it’s important to know about it anyway, so that you can make the best decisions that suits your needs.

Hello! Welcome back to Cashflow Connect.

This is a series on financial wellness, mastering spending habits, and understanding capital. Please enjoy this episode of our podcast! If you'd prefer to read this as an article, check it out here.

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A bit of good news,

Since coming to the US of A in the fall of 2021, I’ve pursued my goals with an albatross around my neck: student loans.

Higher education is meant to to improve quality of life through access to high-quality jobs, greater stability, higher earnings, and benefits, but financial and psychological burdens make many question the value of their degree.

August 2021 marks the first time I (independently) took on a debt to invest in myself. Today, I paid it off.

I hope I get to figure all this out with you! I would love to hear from you if any of this sounds familiar, or if you have more questions. Let me in the comment section or email me at [email protected].

Next time, we will get back to talking about investing, and I hope to learn from all of you as I begin a journey of my own.

Note from the creator

After a brief pause, and much mulling about what this publication is, here’s a few things I hope to embody at Cashflow Connect

* To go beyond the facts of any financial situation; to look at the emotional, historical, and social motivators.

* To reflect my unique position; a blend of privilege, and the lack thereof as an immigrant, and Indian.

To make sure I can consistently provide value through this newsletter - both to you, and to myself — editions will be shorter and more regular.

If you would like to be featured on this publication, reach out to join the waitlist;We would love to tell your story!

Hello! Welcome back to Cashflow Connect.

This is a series on financial wellness, where we cater to a diverse group on topics ranging from mastering spending habits to unraveling the intricacies of capital. Please enjoy this episode of our podcast! If you'd prefer to read this as an article, check it out here

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☀️ Spring and sunny days are here! At Cashflow Connect, that means more time in the daylight, lounging in a comfortable beach breeze, and excitement for the summer 🕶️ 🏖️

Let us start by saying, we know there’s a lot of stuff out there about investing, especially on how to start. Unsurprisingly, a lot of these articles are by financial institutions, because if you’re looking to invest, you’re likely a new customer.

So what do we have to say that’s new? Honestly, not a lot. Financial tools and strategies have been around for centuries.

We hope this offered up a different perspective into why we invest, and why it’s important.

If you have any questions, or you would like us to focus on a particular topic, please let us know.

If you would like to be featured on this publication, reach out to join the waitlist. We would love to tell your story!

Hello! Welcome back to Cashflow Connect.

This is a series on financial wellness, where we cater to a diverse group on topics ranging from mastering spending habits to unraveling the intricacies of capital. Please enjoy this episode of our podcast! If you'd prefer to read this as an article, check it out here

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This week, we continue on our journey into understanding Healthcare and Insurance in the US.

In our last chat, we covered the basics you should know before seeing a doctor. Now, let's dive into what to expect when you actually go see one. We’ll go over some scenarios people face, and some tips to deal with them effectively.

Our healthcare system is pretty complicated. You might not realize you're missing important info until you're in a tough spot. When you're sick or hurt, you've got to deal with things like co-pays, big bills, getting referrals, and fighting for coverage—all while trying to keep up with school or work, which is where you probably get your health insurance from.

Hello! Welcome to Cashflow Connect.

This is a series on financial wellness, where we cater to a diverse group, on topics ranging from mastering spending habits to unraveling the intricacies of capital. Please enjoy this episode of our podcast! If you’d prefer to read this article, check it out here.

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So you’ve followed the Mayflower and landed in the United States, or you’ve started your first job and want to hit the ground running. Congratulations! One of the first and most important things you should be thinking about is Health Insurance.

Understanding and choosing an appropriate healthcare plan can be daunting, but it is imperative that you have one. Needing to access healthcare without coverage can mean sub-standard care, thousands of dollars in bills, and no support for medications or therapy.

Let us break it down for you.

Hello! Welcome to Cashflow Connect.

This is a series on financial wellness, where we cater to a diverse group, on topics ranging from mastering spending habits to unraveling the intricacies of capital. Please enjoy the first episode of our podcast! If you’d prefer to read this article, check it out here.

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Most of us are familiar with debt in some form. Be it student loans or credit cards, debt is an integral part of our lives.

But what does it actually mean to take on debt? In this feature, we will dive into some of the common aspects of debt, how the various types differ, and how to evaluate whether a debt transaction is in your best interest.

Debt is an essential part of personal finance, as it can provide valuable leverage for individuals to obtain the assets they need, like homes and education.

While it might seem commonplace in a mature economy like the US, credit is not as widely available in most developing parts of the world. Debt products also do not have as many sophisticated types to choose from.

From a wider economic perspective, a stable financial market, and a positive growth outlook can increase the availability of credit and debt. This is turn stimulates spending on necessary assets, enabling class mobility for many population groups.

Mismanaging your debts, on the other hand, can lead to significant consequences, like losing collateralized assets, being disqualified from certain types of credit due to a low credit score, and being locked out of a system that can enable upward mobility.