The story behind Yield & Spread
From Creator Rebecca Herbst
For most of my life, I was too scared to learn about investing.
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I knew that earning money was both essential and attractive. I was always a hard worker, and generally a saver, but I didn’t know what to do with my leftover savings. How could someone with a degree in economics and a job at a reputable real estate company not know about money management? I was embarrassed. Every time I tried to learn more, I’d get frustrated. The articles I'd read were too complicated, or worse, advertisements from banks trying to get me to use their services. I didn't know what was the "right" way to invest or whom to trust.
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But then I met my now partner. He created a space that was safe and healthy to learn about finances. And I very quickly realized -- Oh, this is not that hard! -- It's actually quite simple as long as you keep your investing strategy simple. It flipped my entire world upside down - in the best way possible. I went from knowing virtually nothing about investing to realizing I could retire in my early thirties with the money I already had.
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Learning about money management has been the single most empowering experience in my life.
Yield & Spread is my way of sharing that empowerment with others. I firmly believe that every single person deserves to understand how to manage their own money. Unfortunately, our schools rarely have programs to teach us these vital life skills. So we learn about it way too late in life, or worse, never at all. Instead, we spend most of our time thinking about how to make ends meet. It always seems like we never have enough money, time, or energy.
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Yield & Spread will teach you about money. It will give you the skills to be independent. And in turn you’ll be able to make healthier and happier life choices.
Why we give back
Boost your Wallet. Wellbeing. World.
Once I learned how to manage my money, I understood how much money I actually needed to live a happy and healthy life. I knew what was ‘enough’ for me. And in realizing I had enough, I was able to get myself off the hamster wheel and focus on not just myself but also giving back.
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In the Learn to Invest & Build Wealth course, you'll hear us talk incessantly about planning for your future and making the most of each dollar you invest. The 'financial mindfulness' we teach is inspired by our desire to give back. If we can be thoughtful in how we plan and invest for our future, we create both healthier ways of living for ourselves and also create more room to help others.
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Philosopher Peter Singer is a big inspiration for Yield & Spread. He founded The Life You Can Save, our charity partner of choice. The Life You Can Save makes “smart giving simple” by identifying charities that are high-impact and cost-effective. We are grateful to partner with this impactful organization.