JD Bond

Bicycle the best fitness and finance hack to save money and get healthy

JD Bond · July 15, 2026 · Leave a Comment

Why I Bicycle often . Cycling for Mental Health, Physical Health, saving money and a Better Life holistic wellness

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein
That quote hits different when you’re actually on a bike.

There’s something about pushing through a long ride – legs burning, wind in your face, no phone notifications – that clears your head in a way nothing else really does. I didn’t start cycling because I had a plan. I started because I needed to move. And what I found on those rides changed more than just my fitness.

These are my top reasons why cycling has become one of the best decisions I’ve made for my health and my life.

Mental Health: The Ride Clears the Noise

You know that feeling when your brain won’t shut off? Cycling fixes that.

There’s science behind it – exercise releases endorphins, reduces cortisol, and improves mood. But honestly, the proof was enough for me just from getting out there. After a good ride, problems feel smaller. Anxiety softens. The things that felt overwhelming before I clipped in feel manageable by the time I get home.

Moving your body is one of the most underrated forms of mental health care available to you – and it’s free.

Physical Health: Full-Body Benefits Without the Pounding

Cycling is low impact but high reward.

Your cardiovascular system strengthens. Your legs, core, and glutes build endurance. You burn serious calories without the joint stress that comes with running or high-impact training. (That last part matters if you’ve ever dealt with knee or hip issues – cycling gives you a way to keep training when other workouts shut you down.)

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, build stamina, or just stay active as you age – the bike delivers.

Outdoors in Nature: You Can’t Put a Price on This

There is no gym machine that replicates what it feels like to ride through fresh air, past trees, along trails, or through a quiet neighborhood at sunrise.

Screen time is through the roof for most people. Nature time is not. Cycling forces you outside – and that alone has documented mental health benefits. Sunlight. Fresh air. Scenery that changes. Your mood will thank you within the first 10 minutes.

Cross Training for Runners

If you run, cycling is one of the best tools in your training arsenal.

It builds your aerobic base without adding more miles to your legs. On heavy training weeks, a recovery ride keeps blood flowing to sore muscles without breaking them down further. And on off-season weeks, cycling maintains your cardiovascular fitness so you don’t lose ground between training cycles.

I’ve found that my running improves when cycling is part of my routine – not despite the extra activity, but because of it.

Save Money on Gas and Transportation

This one is practical – and it adds up fast.

Gas prices are unpredictable. Car maintenance is expensive. Parking isn’t free in most cities. If you can swap even two or three car trips per week for a bike ride, you’re putting money back in your pocket over a year.

If you save $30–$50 a month in gas and parking by riding instead of driving, that’s $360–$600 a year. From doing something that’s also good for your body and mind. That’s what I call a win-win.

Keep Moving

Einstein said it best: balance comes from movement.

Cycling is one of those rare habits that pays you back in every direction at once – mental clarity, physical strength, time in nature, athletic improvement, and dollars saved. You don’t need to ride 50 miles to get the benefits. Start with 20 minutes around your neighborhood.

Get on the bike. Keep moving.

Backdoor Roth IRA for High Income Earners, tax efficient wealth

JD Bond · July 10, 2026 · Leave a Comment

Backdoor Roth IRA: The Workaround High Earners Need to Know

You did everything right.

You worked hard, got the raise, climbed the income ladder – and now the IRS says you make too much to contribute to a Roth IRA.

That stings. But there’s a legal workaround that’s been used by high earners for years.

It’s called the Backdoor Roth IRA.

Why the Backdoor Exists

Regular Roth IRA contributions have income limits. In 2025:

Single filers phase out between $146,000 and $161,000
Married filers phase out between $230,000 and $240,000

If your income clears those thresholds, the front door is closed. But the tax code left a side door open – and it’s been there since 2010.

How It Actually Works

The Backdoor Roth IRA is a two-step process:

Step 1: Contribute to a Traditional IRA
You make a non-deductible contribution to a Traditional IRA. There are no income limits for this. The 2025 contribution limit is $7,000 ($8,000 if you’re 50 or older).

Step 2: Convert to a Roth IRA
You then convert that Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. Because you already paid taxes on the contribution (it was non-deductible), this conversion is typically tax-free.

That’s it. Two steps and your money is now in a Roth, growing tax-free.

The Pro-Rata Rule – the Part Most People Skip

If you have other pre-tax money sitting in Traditional IRA accounts, the IRS doesn’t let you cherry-pick which dollars get converted.

They look at ALL your IRA money and calculate a ratio. Some of your conversion will be treated as pre-tax, which means you’ll owe taxes on it.

Example:
You have $93,000 in a pre-tax Traditional IRA and make a new $7,000 non-deductible contribution. Your total IRA balance is $100,000. Only 7% of that is after-tax money.

Convert $7,000 and only $490 of it is tax-free. The rest is taxable.

The fix: If your employer’s 401(k) plan allows it, roll your pre-tax Traditional IRA money into the 401(k) before executing the backdoor conversion. That clears the IRA slate and the pro-rata rule no longer applies.

Why It’s Worth Doing

Roth IRA accounts offer three things that are hard to find anywhere else:

Tax-free growth – your money compounds without any future tax drag
Tax-free withdrawals in retirement – no mandatory distributions, no tax bill
Flexibility – contributed amounts (not earnings) can be withdrawn anytime without penalty

For high earners in their peak earning years, tax-free retirement income becomes valuable. The Backdoor Roth lets you build that even when the income limits say you can’t.

Who Should Consider It

The Backdoor Roth IRA makes sense if:

Your income exceeds the Roth contribution phase-out limits
You don’t have significant pre-tax Traditional IRA balances (or can roll them into a 401k)
You want tax diversification in retirement – meaning income from both taxable and tax-free sources
You expect to be in a higher tax bracket later in life

What to Do Right Now

Check whether your income exceeds the Roth IRA limits
Check your current Traditional IRA balances – know your pro-rata situation
Talk to a fee-only financial advisor or CPA before executing, especially if you have existing IRA money

The Backdoor Roth won’t work perfectly for everyone. But for the right person, it’s one of the cleanest ways to keep building tax-free wealth when the system says you’ve earned too much to qualify.

This blog is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or tax advice. Consult a qualified professional before making investment decisions.

– MoneyNotSpent | JD Bond

What Is a (HYSA) High-Yield Savings Account and Why is it popular for GenZ and millennials?

JD Bond · July 1, 2026 · Leave a Comment

Your savings account is earning you almost nothing right now. Most traditional banks – your Chase, your Wells Fargo, your local credit union – pay around 0.01% APY on savings. That’s not a typo. On $1,000 saved, you’d earn about $0.10 in a year. A dime.

Meanwhile, high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) exist, and they’re paying 4–5% APY or more. On that same $1,000, that’s $40–$50 a year. Same money. Zero extra risk. Just a better account.

Here’s what you need to know.

What Is a High-Yield Savings Account?

A high-yield savings account is a savings account that pays a significantly higher interest rate than traditional bank savings accounts. They work the same way – you deposit money, it’s FDIC insured (meaning protected up to $250,000 by the federal government), and you can withdraw it when you need it.

The difference is the interest rate – sometimes 400–500x higher than a traditional savings account.

Most HYSAs are offered by online banks. Because they don’t have physical branches and the overhead that comes with them, they pass the savings on to customers through higher interest rates.

Why Does the Interest Rate Matter?

Let’s do some real math.

You have $5,000 in savings.

Traditional savings account at 0.01% APY:

After 1 year: $5,000.50
After 5 years: $5,002.50

High-yield savings account at 4.5% APY:

After 1 year: $5,225
After 5 years: $6,230

That’s over $1,200 more – earned on the exact same $5,000 with zero additional effort. Just by having it in the right account.

Now multiply that across a larger emergency fund ($10,000–$20,000) and the difference becomes significant money every year.

Where Do You Find High-Yield Savings Accounts?

Most major online banks offer competitive HYSAs. Some of the well-known options include:

Ally Bank – consistently competitive rates, no minimum balance, no monthly fees
Marcus by Goldman Sachs – straightforward HYSA with strong rates
SoFi – offers a HYSA with additional perks if you set up direct deposit
American Express High Yield Savings – simple, no frills, strong reputation
Discover Online Savings – no minimum, no fees, reliable rates

Always check current rates before opening – rates move with the Federal Reserve’s benchmark rate and can change over time. A quick search for “best high-yield savings accounts” will show current rankings.

What to look for when comparing:

APY (annual percentage yield) – the higher the better
No monthly maintenance fees
No minimum balance requirements (or a low, achievable minimum)
FDIC insured
Easy transfers to your primary checking account

Is Your Money Safe in an Online Bank?

Yes – as long as it’s FDIC insured. The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) insures deposits up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank. If the bank fails (which is rare), your money is protected.

Before opening any account, confirm it’s FDIC insured. Every legitimate online bank in this guide is FDIC insured. You can also verify any bank at fdic.gov.

The fact that it’s online doesn’t make it less safe. Online banks are held to the same federal regulations as your neighborhood branch.

What Should You Use a High-Yield Savings Account For?

A HYSA is not an investment account. It’s not where you put money you’re hoping to grow dramatically over decades. It’s where you park money you need to keep safe and accessible – but you still want it working for you.

Best uses for a HYSA:

Emergency fund – The most important one. Your 3–6 month emergency fund should live in a HYSA, not a checking account earning nothing.
Short-term savings goals – Saving for a car, a vacation, a down payment on a house? HYSA is the move for 1–3 year goals.
Sinking funds – Irregular but predictable expenses (car repairs, annual insurance, holiday spending) belong in a dedicated HYSA bucket.
Tax money for freelancers – If you have a side hustle or self-employment income, stash your quarterly tax payments here so they earn interest while you hold them.

What a HYSA is NOT for: your retirement savings, long-term investing, or money you won’t need for 5+ years. For that, you want index funds inside a Roth IRA or 401(k), where returns historically average 7–10% annually.

How to Open One (It Takes About 10 Minutes)

Opening a high-yield savings account is easier than opening most social media accounts.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Your Social Security Number
A government-issued ID
Your current bank routing and account number (to link for transfers)

Steps:

Go to the bank’s website (Ally, Marcus, SoFi, etc.)
Click “Open Account” or “Get Started”
Fill in your personal information
Link your existing checking account for transfers
Fund it with an initial deposit (many have no minimum)

Once it’s open, set up an automatic transfer from your checking account on payday. Even $25 or $50 per paycheck adds up faster than you think – and automation means you never have to think about it.

What About Interest Rate Changes?

HYSA rates are variable – they move up and down based on the Federal Reserve’s federal funds rate. When the Fed raises rates, HYSA rates tend to go up. When the Fed cuts rates, HYSA rates come down.

That’s okay. Even when rates drop, an HYSA almost always pays significantly more than a traditional savings account. The gap between online and traditional banks tends to persist regardless of the rate environment.

If rates drop significantly in the future, your emergency fund is still better off in a HYSA than earning 0.01% at a big bank.

The Bottom Line

You’re working too hard for your money to let it sit in an account that pays you a dime a year.

A high-yield savings account is one of the simplest, no-risk moves in personal finance. You’re not gambling. You’re not locking your money away. You’re just putting it in an account that pays you a fair rate for holding it there.

Open one this week. Move your emergency fund there. Set up an automatic transfer. Let it grow while you focus on everything else.

This is one of those small moves that takes 10 minutes and pays off for years.

MoneyNotSpent: simple financial moves, real results.

*Education only, not advice:

How to Save money on groceries eating healthy without feeling broke

JD Bond · June 28, 2026 ·

Groceries are one of the biggest budget line items for most households – and one of the most controllable. Unlike rent or your car payment, your grocery bill is something you can actually move the needle on pretty quickly.

The goal here isn’t to eat ramen every night and suffer. The goal is to eat well, waste less, and stop bleeding money at the checkout lane without even noticing it.

This is what actually works.

Plan your meals before you shop

This one habit alone can cut your grocery bill significantly. When you walk into a store without a plan, you buy based on what looks good in the moment – which means you buy more than you need, forget what’s already at home, and end up throwing away food by the end of the week.

Meal planning doesn’t have to be complicated:

Pick 4-5 dinners you want to make this week
Write out every ingredient you need for each one
Check your fridge and pantry first – cross off what you already have
Only buy what’s on the list

That’s it. Plan, check, list, shop. It sounds basic, but it’s genuinely one of the most effective money moves in personal finance. Food waste costs the average American household around $1,500 a year. A meal plan kills most of that waste.

Shop with a list and stick to it

A grocery list is a budget tool. If it’s not on the list, it doesn’t go in the cart.

Stores are designed to get you to spend more than you planned. End caps, strategically placed bakery smells, “buy 2 get 1” deals on things you didn’t need – all of it is engineered to separate you from your money.

Your defense is a list and the willpower to use it. Shop the perimeter of the store first (produce, meat, dairy) and go into the aisles only for specific items you need.

Compare unit prices, not shelf prices

This sounds small but it adds up fast.

The big container of something isn’t always cheaper than the small one. The name brand isn’t always better than the store brand. The only way to actually know is to look at the unit price – the price per ounce, per pound, or per count – usually displayed on the shelf label in small print.

Store brands (generic) are almost always made by the same manufacturers as name brands anyway. The packaging is different. The product is frequently identical. You can save 20-40% just by choosing the store brand consistently.

Use cashback apps on groceries

A few apps worth having on your phone:

Ibotta – Scan your receipt after shopping to claim cashback on hundreds of items. Free to use.
Fetch Rewards – Upload any grocery receipt and earn points redeemable for gift cards.
Rakuten – Great for cashback at specific grocery chains with an online or pickup order.
Checkout 51 – Similar to Ibotta with weekly cashback offers.

These apps won’t make you rich, but stacking a few of them takes maybe 3 minutes per shopping trip and can save you $20-$50/month. That’s real money.

Buy proteins strategically

Meat is usually the most expensive part of the grocery bill. A few strategies:

Buy in bulk and freeze – Buy the family pack of chicken breast or ground beef when it’s on sale, portion it out in freezer bags, and freeze what you won’t use in the next day or two.
Buy cheaper cuts – Chicken thighs cost about half what chicken breasts cost and are arguably more flavorful. Ground turkey is often cheaper than ground beef.
Meatless meals a few times a week – Eggs, canned beans, lentils, and canned tuna are all high-protein and very cheap. A can of black beans costs under $1 and adds 15g of protein and fiber to any meal.

Watch for sales cycles

Most grocery stores run sales on a cycle – usually every 6-8 weeks. When something you use regularly goes on sale, buy enough to last until the next sale.

This is called pantry stocking, and it’s how families with tight budgets eat well without overspending. You’re not hoarding – you’re just buying chicken stock when it’s $1.50 instead of $3.00, and you use it anyway.

Don’t shop hungry

This sounds like a joke. It’s not.

Studies consistently show that people buy more – especially more junk food – when they shop hungry. Eat something before you go. It makes a noticeable difference in what ends up in your cart.

Bottom line

Saving money on groceries isn’t about deprivation. It’s about being intentional.

Plan meals. Make a list. Compare unit prices. Use cashback apps. Buy proteins smart. Stock up when things go on sale. These habits compound over time and can easily put $100-$200/month back in your pocket.

That’s money that can go toward your emergency fund, your debt, or your investments. Food is fuel – you can eat well and spend smart at the same time.

How Does the Stock Market Actually Work? A Simple Guide to understand investing.

JD Bond · June 26, 2026 ·

If you’ve ever heard someone say “I’m investing in the stock market” and thought – what does that even mean? – this post is for you.

The stock market sounds complicated. Wall Street. Traders yelling. Numbers flashing red and green. But underneath all of that, the concept is actually pretty simple. Let’s break it down.

What Is a Stock?

A stock is a small piece of ownership in a company.

When a company wants to raise money to grow, it can sell pieces of itself to the public. Each piece is called a share. When you buy a share of Apple or Nike or any other company, you literally own a tiny slice of that business.

If the company grows and becomes more valuable, your share becomes worth more. If the company struggles, your share loses value. That’s the basic deal.

What Is the Stock Market?

The stock market is just the place where people buy and sell those shares.

Think of it like a farmers market – except instead of tomatoes and honey, people are trading ownership stakes in companies. There are buyers, there are sellers, and a price gets set based on what people are willing to pay.

The two biggest stock markets in the U.S. are:

NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) – one of the oldest and largest in the world
NASDAQ – where a lot of tech companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon are listed

When you hear “the market went up today,” that usually means most stocks gained value. When it “went down,” most stocks lost value.

How Do You Make Money From Stocks?

Two main ways:

1. Price appreciation
You buy a stock at $50. It grows to $80. You sell it. You made $30 per share. That’s price appreciation – the stock went up in value.

2. Dividends
Some companies pay you just for owning their stock. These payments are called dividends. Not every company pays them, but many established ones do – think Coca-Cola or Johnson & Johnson.

Why Do Stock Prices Go Up and Down?

This is where people lose their minds trying to predict the market. Prices move based on:

How well the company is performing (profits, growth, new products)
What investors think the company will do in the future
Bigger economic factors like interest rates and inflation
News, drama, and sometimes straight-up emotion

No one can accurately predict when to time the market. I’ll say that again – no one. Not the experts on TV. Not the hedge fund managers. The best strategy for most people is to invest consistently and not panic when the market drops.

What Is a Bear Market vs. a Bull Market?

You’ll hear these terms a lot:

Bull market – the stock market is going up. Investors feel good. Confidence is high.
Bear market – the stock market has been going down, usually by 20% or more. This is when fear kicks in.

Bear markets are temporary. Every single bear market in U.S. history has eventually recovered. The investors who lost money were the ones who panic-sold at the bottom.

Should Beginners Invest in Individual Stocks?

Picking individual stocks is way harder than it looks. Most professional fund managers don’t even beat the market consistently.

For beginners, I recommend starting with index funds or ETFs (exchange-traded funds). These let you buy a little piece of hundreds or thousands of companies at once, which spreads your risk.

(Check out our post on index funds if you want to go deeper on that.)

The Main Thing

The stock market isn’t a casino – but it’s not a guaranteed ATM either. It’s a long-term wealth-building tool that rewards patience and consistency.

You don’t need to be a Wall Street genius to invest. You just need to start, stay consistent, and not freak out when things dip.

The market has gone up over every 20-year period in U.S. history. That’s a pretty good track record. *Education only not advice . For more education content follow , like and share MoneyNotSpent