Good morning,

Welcome to “Not Pretty, Not Rich,” a newsletter meant to keep you up to date on what’s happening in the markets and economy, and what you can do to take advantage — if anything.

A little housekeeping:

• A reminder that I’m now sending this out on a Tuesday/Friday schedule for the time being. If any of you would like to see it more or less, let me know.

• A disclaimer: I’m neither a financial expert or professional. I’m just a guy who writes about money, and this newsletter is a place for me to share my opinion, views, and resources. It’s unaffiliated with my employer, and all views contained within are my own.

• You can connect with me on Twitter and LinkedIn if you’d like, and email me with any feedback. 

And with that, we’re off. Like a herd of turtles. It’s Friday, May 15, 2020.

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The good and the ugly

We can all agree that 2020, by and large, has been a bummer. And we’re not even halfway through it. But now that we’ve all more or less learned to live in and with the pandemic, things seem to have calmed down — even as the job losses and body count grow.

This will be a weird year, and one that will be referenced in history books. And I don’t know about you guys, but I also find it exhausting. For that reason, NP/NR is going to take it easy today.

Right after we get through the rough stuff.

Take a look at this table Bespoke published yesterday, from a post called “The Ugliest Economic Data Day of All Time?”:

It appears that yesterday may, in fact, have been the ugliest economic data day of all time. There is some good news, though. COVID-19 cases seem to have plateaued and in some places, are declining. Even in states that are reopening — let’s hope that trend holds.

There’s also movement on a phase 4 stimulus package, which would include more economic impact payments (stimulus checks) if Democrats get their way. The White House is signaling that they’re willing to play ball, too.

Now, with that out of the way, it’s time for something fun.

Hey, look at my dog

As promised, here is my dog, Maeby. People like dogs, so I thought I’d let her take the spotlight for this issue. From yesterday evening:

And a nice holiday shot:

BONUS: If you can guess what breed(s) she is (she’s a mix), I’ll Venmo you $20 — that goes for everyone who doesn’t already know. Seriously. Email me.

Finally, I want to share with you a profile I wrote about Jedidiah Collins, a certified financial planner, educator, and author of the recently published book “Your Money Vehicle.” Collins is a great guy, has been a valuable source for stories for me in recent weeks, and has a neat story — he is a seven-year NFL veteran, and now a financial educator.

Check it out! See you next week.

Sam