This post is sponsored by Vanguard, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Thanks to Vanguard I was able to participate in a fun little “experiment” – I was given $160 to make a special memory. Why $160? Well, according to recent data, if you hold $10,000 in cash, you could earn about $170 in a year, at the current average yields of money market mutual funds. In a bank savings account, you’d only make about $10.* Eek! Do the math … $170 minus $10. That’s $160. Making wise decisions with our investments is important, because every little bit adds up!
So, what does $160 look like? Well, it looks like a “yes” day at the zoo with my four favorite little people! Yes to snacks. Yes to souvenirs. Yes to some super fun “extras”.
It was a little a lot brave of me to head to the zoo with everyone. All previous large-ish outings have been with a helper – my husband, my mom, or my sister, because ya’ll, four to one is not a very good ratio when you’re at a busy place. But, I decided it was time. And thankfully, our day was stellar!
Talk about a vote of confidence for future fun!
We started our day with something we’ve never ever done at the zoo – the penguin feeding experience! Of course, this is an extra cost, but, since today was a yes day at the zoo we marched right on over, scooped up a stinky fish, and watched those cute little penguins go crazy over their snack!
From there we moseyed our way through the zoo’s regions: African Savanna, Australasia, Tropical Forest, Tropical Asia, Temperate Rain Forest, and Northern Trail. Normally I like to make the rounds in a very systematic way. Buuuut, today was a yes day so we bounced from animal to animal practicing our map skills along the way. Max led us to the Komodo dragon – one of his favorite animals, second only to bald eagles, and he reviewed fact after fact with us. Did you know that Komodo dragons are considered venomous not because of their bite but because of the bacteria that lives in their saliva?
I didn’t think Reid paid much notice because Komodo dragons are pretty docile when they’re not after their prey, but a few exhibits later I found him laying on the ground, wiggling, and sniffing the air with his nose/tongue. Sure enough, he confirmed that he was pretending to be a Komodo dragon!
Reid was also a big fan of the grizzlies and river otters. It’s pretty fantastic going to the zoo with a soon to be three year old. They love it all and soak up so much!
Jemma took over the map and we visited the red pandas and flamingoes. Always her top picks! From there, we saw all the monkeys and made a stop by one of the learning centers to hear about antlers and horns and velvet. The zoo is one of those places that truly makes learning come alive – a homeschooler’s dream!
The “heee-po” was one of the last animals we saw and since, Reid has talked nonstop about the “beeg hee-po”. Big indeed! I just love seeing which animals each of my kids connects with … it says so much about who they are! And, it definitely makes me laugh, because of course Max would love a scaly reptile, Jemma a pink animal, and Reid, anything that makes a loud sound or giant splash!
Not only was our day at the zoo an adventure for the books, it was extra special to have “yes” be my default response. We got ice cream even though it was blustery (beautifully blustery, maybe the best weather day we’ve ever had at the zoo!), everyone got to pick a little treat from the gift shop, and, we got to feed the penguins which was extra special.
With a big family, outings can be expensive. So, when assessing what essentials or fun $160 can fulfill it’s obvious that, over time, $160 really adds up! That’s why it’s important to me to make smart money decisions like choosing a higher-yielding cash account. Little money decisions have the potential to make a big impact. A big, fun impact like memorable days at the zoo with my faves!
If you haven’t looked at your cash investments recently, maybe it’s time to ask yourself some questions:
1. Am I getting the most of my cash?
2. Does my financial provider look out for my best interests?
If investments are on your mind, check out Vanguard. Their mission is to take a stand for all investors, treat them fairly, and give them the best chance for investment success. Vanguard cares deeply about their investors and the dollars they are entrusted with, because, dollars represent people, memories, futures … and more zoo days :)
*This illustration uses 1.69% average yield for money market mutual funds and 0.09% national average yield for bank savings, both as of 9/30/2018, according to cranedata.com and bankrate.com. These rates are not guaranteed.
Vanguard is owned by its funds, which in turn are owned by their investors.
All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest. Bank deposits are guaranteed (within limits) as to principal and interest by an agency of the federal government. There may be other material differences between products that should be considered before investing.