That Found-Money Feeling

Every so often I find some money. On the street. Under a cushion. In a drawer. You’ve probably had the same experience. 

Even when (in the case of the drawer or cushion finds, for sure) the money was mine to begin with, I still get not just a wee bit happy when these finds happen. Maybe you do, too.

But why? I mean, usually it’s only a dollar or three. Maybe $20 on occasion. Sometimes, it’s just coins. Well, probably because the find is always so unexpected. And who doesn’t like finding money? Even just a little? It sure beats a kick in the teeth, that’s f’sho.

Time was that I experienced this feeling only when I, literally, found actual cash coin of the realm. But since I started sauntering down the FIRE path, I’ve experienced it in several other situations. The good feeling never gets old.

Here are a few examples of what I’m talking about.

A little something extra on the side

I’m a little embarrassed to say that before discovering FIRE, I’d never heard the terms “side hustle” or “side gig.” Sure, I knew that tons of people with full-time jobs engaged in any number of illegal money-generating efforts off the clock. But I’d only heard of it referred to as “moonlighting.” 

Once I started reading about some of the creative things people are doing, the idea sunk in that maybe I ought to develop a side hustle, too. Cuz I’m sharp like a butter knife like that.

But what should I do? And how much time should I devote to it? And how to approach the issue of pricing for a newbie like me? Aye, therein lie the rubs.

Then one day I saw that the latest episode of one of my favorite personal finance podcasts, Fire Drill Podcast, was titled, “Freelancing on Fiverr with Alex Fasulo.” I’d previously heard of Fiverr, but knew little about it. I certainly hadn’t ever visited the site, much less sold or purchased services on it.  

After listening to the episode with great interest, I came away determined to learn more about the site and to see if I could come up with some services to offer. 

Eventually, inspiration struck for services right in my wheelhouse. I also knew there was a market, and a potentially lucrative one at that. In I dove. 

Eventually, a buyer contracted me to complete a “gig” (Fiverr’s term for “project,” not mine) for him. A small project to be sure. But had I not created any gigs on Fiverr in the first place, it was one I’d never have gotten.

The project went well and gigs have followed here and there. 

I also signed up to cat-sit through Rover a few years ago. It was radio silence until recently, when I was contacted not once, but twice in quick succession and then a few more times more. I’ve so far completed one cat sit, am in the middle of another, and have booked a third. It’s easy money for your humble cat-loving blogger.

Having never banked on any money coming from any of these gig apps, each time I get paid I get that found-money feeling. Because as far as my flea-addled brain is concerned, those payments might as well be found money.

Mystery man

I’ve also signed up on various websites for mystery shopping and dining, and online surveys. Some require me to proactively look for and book engagements. Others I get notified about. In both cases, it’s in my control whether I pursue the opportunity. 

These do require some effort, for sure. But it’s always pretty mindless and stress-free. And given that my full-time job is anything but mindless or stress-free, that’s always a completely welcome experience. 

While the dollars involved usually aren’t that high, it’s always a bit of an outsized thrill to get paid to eat. Or shop. Or complete some silly survey or other. 

Bank on it

A few years ago, I started reading about banks offering bonuses for signing up for an account. Wait, what?! The same banks that for years have been paying out interest at face-scrunchingly low rates? And that got bailed out by Uncle Sam in 2008-2009? Those banks?!

Well, if I read it on the interwebs, it must be true. Right? Actually, yes. In this case, it actually is true.

Although my first sign-up bonus came after I’d been made aware of these bonuses, it was still accidental. See, once I opened my business, I realized that I needed a business bank account. So, I went to the bank I’d for decades had my personal bank account with and that is most definitely one of those paying essentially no interest to set up my new account.

During the process of setting up the account, the banker I met with told me about a $300 bonus for signing up for a new business checking account. Now, this banker could have stayed shtum about the account and saved his fabulously wealthy bank  that $300. After all, I’d not known of the bonus and so of course didn’t mention it. But, fortunately for me, he didn’t. A few months later, I saw that $300 post to my account, just as promised. Sweet! Found money!

I’ve gotten about a dozen bonuses for other accounts since then. Each time, I do a little happy dance. 

Rewarding experiences

I might have been far more reticent to go down the bank bonus route had I not already had experience travel hacking. Thankfully, tho, had that experience to draw on. 

I first heard about travel hacking early in my FIRE journey. My initial reaction was that it sounded too good to be true, and so probably wasn’t. But as time went on, I learned more and concluded that, yes, it appeared to be real and realistic for some idiot for me to take advantage of. 

When I got into the water in this area, I dove in head first and with great enthusiasm. That’s because I had an ambitious game plan that required a lot of points, somewhat aggressive timelines, and a potentially huge payday. It ended up being a close call, but the effort worked to perfection. Four round-trip flights to New York from the Midwest for about $45, and seven nights (and breakfast and snacks each day) in a Marriott Residence Inn in Manhattan for about $35. 

That was a good feeling. A found-money good feeling. 

Having since done plenty of travel hacking, I’ve felt that feeling many times over the last few years. I love it every time.

Growth mindset

The granddaddy of all the things that evoke a found-money good feeling in me, however, is dividends and share appreciation in my investment accounts. Before pursuing FIRE, The Missus and I had retirement accounts. But the only time I paid mine any attention was when I’d get a quarterly statement from my brokerage. I’d look over the numbers, often grumble about how I was getting beat pretty good by the market, and then change out some of the funds I was invested in based on what funds had done well over the last quarter. Not a fatal error, but usually unwise. And always uninformed. 

Once I discovered FIRE and got wise(r) as to investing, I put things in order. Now, I check my accounts almost obsessively more regularly and in far greater detail than I did with those quarterly statements of old. 

The thrills are many. One comes from seeing share growth (which, I know all too well, can firmly be put in reverse when Mr. Market turns sour). Another comes from dividends being paid out like treats from a far-too-generous grandparent. And yet another comes when I see that (for now) those dividends are being reinvested so that they can buy more shares and potentially give rise to even more dividends.

In terms of dollars, this source dwarfs all the other sources mentioned above. That doesn’t make the latter any less enjoyable, in and of themselves or relative to the former. But the numbers do make me pretty happy.

And in the end . . . 

I try to keep all this “found money” in perspective. After all, a lot of it can go away in an instant. The trick may be to not get greedy.