Investing in US Stocks Has Been Quite Rewarding

What’s on my mind these days? Here’s one thing. Based on this Bridgewater article, out of any 15-year period to be invested in US stocks dating back to 1970, the one we’ve just lived through was the best (2010 through end of 2024).

I was a bit surprised to see this. I’m disappointed that the same chart for growth in average inflation-adjusted worker income does not look the same at all. What does it mean for the future? I have no idea. Maybe our economic system is just tilted towards rewarding businesses instead of the average worker now, and high performance will be the norm. Maybe the next 15 years will have horrible performance, but the average worker will earn a much better relative income. Will AI simply reward the huge corporations even more, or will we find a way to distribute the benefits?

Amazon Prime Day 2026: Live Deals (Apple, LEGO, YETI, Away, Darn Tough, Osprey), Gift Cards, Free Trials, Shop w/ Points

Amazon Prime Days 2026 is now over, but it ran from June 23-26, 2026. Look for sales on the brands you like such as Apple, LEGO, Eero WiFi, Away luggage, Darn Tough socks, Osprey backpacks, YETI. Discounted gift cards, $5 pizzas, and $200 bonus on Amazon Prime card now live. I always look out for reset points credits and extended free trials to try out again. As usual, I recommend checking for discounts on the things you already like to buy but rarely go on sale, like Darn Tough socks. Check your “Buy Again” past purchases here. I’ve listed a few of my favorite things below as well.

(Note: If you are reading this in an email/RSS reader, unfortunately I am not allowed to include any Amazon affiliate links in e-mails, so they have been removed. Please click here to view the links.)

As the name suggests, most deals require a Prime membership. New members can sign up for a 30-day free trial. Amazon Prime for Students (age 18-24) has a 7-day trial for 99 cents and $7.49/month after that (50% off regular). If you’ve already done the trial, you can simply buy a single month of Prime for $14.99 ($6.99 with SNAP, EBT or Medicaid card).

Deals and Offers

Amazon Free Trials

“Shop with Points” Promos (Check again if reset/targeted)

Random Favorite Things & Recent Discoveries

  • Darn Tough wool socks. These live up to the hype and are my favorite brand with their high quality and lifetime warranty, but they can be pricey so I still try to buy them when they are on sale during Prime Day. #buyitforlife
  • Osprey bags and backpacks. Another high-quality brand with a lifetime warranty. I just sent in a claim on got replacement zipper pulls for a 10+ year-old Osprey bag. #buyitforlife
  • Bose Headphones – I have two, the QC15 corded from several years back, and a QC35 from a few years back. Both still work great, I keep one at my desk and the other in my travel bag. I’ve even gone through several replacement ear cushions, but the original Bose branded ones are still the best.
  • Vitamix blenders – I bought one and it’s also probably on Year 10 now. Honestly, I still don’t know if you need a $300+ blender, but it’s a solid blender.
  • Amazon Eero 6E mesh WiFi router system 3-pack (sale). If you have WiFi coverage issues and haven’t upgraded your router recently, I do recommend an upgrade. It just makes WiFi something you don’t worry about anymore. No more dead spots. This “6E” model supports speeds up to 2.5Gbps and up to 6,000 sf, while the cheaper “6” version supports up to 500 Mbps and 4,500 sf.
  • COSORI Air Fryer. We still use our air fryer nearly every day; heats things up like a microwave, except it keeps them crispy instead of soggy. Easy to clean in dishwasher.
  • Coway Airmega AP-1512HH True HEPA Air Purifier. I have two of these air purifiers, one in each of the kids’ rooms. I think they are over 5 years old now and still going fine. Simple design, reliable, and easy to change filters. I use these cheaper VEVA brand replacement filters that are still of good quality.
  • Bosch ICON windshield wipers. These are the most expensive, but they are also the best and longest-lasting in my experience. No lifetime warranty or anything crazy like that, but I no longer mess with the rest.
  • Tiptree Passion Fruit Curd. Delicious on so many things, their lemon curd is excellent as well but the passionfruit (aka “lilikoi butter”) flavor is one of those things that I can only find easily on Amazon.

Wyndham Rewards Earner Cards: Up to 120,000 Bonus Points (Up to 15+ Free Nights)

(Update: Wyndham just announced some changes to their rewards program effective 9/15/2026 - notably a new 45,000 point top tier that was previously only 30,000 points - likely indicates that many of their properties may cost a lot more than … [Read the rest]

Ink Business Cash Card: $1,000 Cash Bonus w/ No Annual Fee (Limited-Time Offer)

The Ink Business Cash Card has an all-time high sign-up bonus offering $1,000 total cash bonus (or 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points) for new cardholders that meet the spending requirements, along with 5%/2% cash back on select small business … [Read the rest]

Planet Fitness High School Summer Pass 2026: Free Gym Membership For Teens 14-19

Offer is back for Summer 2026. Planet Fitness is running the High School Summer Pass again in 2026, which is a free gym membership for teens ages 14-19 to work out at any of its more than 2,500+ locations throughout the US and Canada. Valid Monday, … [Read the rest]

Paze Promo: Spend $10 x Get $10 Credit x 10 Times Per Linked Card

Paze is a new online checkout shortcut where you don't have to type in your credit card number and billing address details repeatedly (think of how "Apple Pay" or "Google Pay" are so convenient), this time backed by a bunch of different banks and … [Read the rest]

Chase Sapphire Preferred June 2026 Changes, Both Positive and Negative

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has been a big hit for Chase since it came out, and they recently announced (press release) several positive changes that will come into effect on June 15th, 2026 for both new and existing applicants and some … [Read the rest]

Vanguard: Recommended Strategies for Maximizing Retirement Income

Vanguard Research recently released a whitepaper titled Vanguard’s Principles for Retirement Income (direct PDF link) and I was surprised to find it rather substantial - almost a short book on retirement income planning that provides valuable insight … [Read the rest]

Plynk Brokerage App: Dividend Match (25% Bonus up to $250 per Year)

Plynk is a standalone brokerage app that is quietly a subsidiary of a subsidiary of Fidelity Investments. It seems to be a place where they can experiment with a younger target audience with tools like automatic recurring investments, simulated … [Read the rest]

Pizza Hut Camp BOOK IT! Summer Reading Program 2026

Open for Summer 2026. If you were a kid in the 80s and 90s, you may remember the Pizza Hut "Book It!" program that rewarded reading books with free pizza. Well, Camp Book It! is again open to free enrollment for the summer (now in iOS/Android app … [Read the rest]

YMCA Free Summer Memberships For Teens (Nationwide but Targeted)

Updated for Summer 2026. Parent of a teen? It can be tricky to find a place for your young teens in the summer time. Check your local YMCA chapter as many are offering free summer YMCA membership for teens. Some are for specific grades, like … [Read the rest]

Still Buying the Haystack and Sleeping Well Because I’ll Own The Needles (Winners)

In 2019, I wrote the post Buying The Haystack: Sleeping Well Because I'll Own The Winners (Needles). Recently, Hendrik Bessembinder updated his previous research with the paper One Hundred Years in the U.S. Stock Markets (SSRN/PDF), which tracked … [Read the rest]