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Today, in the Upworthiest...
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Personal finance expert shares 10 frugal habits that create ‘middle-class millionaires’ | ||
Austin Williams explains how folks with average 9-to-5 jobs quietly become millionaires. | ||
By Annie Reneau | ||
Becoming a millionaire doesn’t exactly put you in the “super-rich” category like it used to. But building $1 million in wealth is still an impressive goal, especially if you’re an average, middle-income earner. | ||
Hitting that seven-figure mark as a 9-to-5 employee may seem unattainable, but as personal finance expert Austin Williams explains, it’s actually more common than you might think. Many middle-class Americans have figured out how to build wealth over time without CEO salaries or massive inheritances. | ||
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Every headline satisfies an opinion. Except ours.
Remember when the news was about what happened, not how to feel about it? 1440's Daily Digest is bringing that back. Every morning, they sift through 100+ sources to deliver a concise, unbiased briefing — no pundits, no paywalls, no politics. Just the facts, all in five minutes. For free.
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Lina Perez has a tea party with her mother and her dear friend. | ||
92-year-old woman leaves a voicemail for her best friend’s daughter. It’s one she’ll never delete. | ||
“Family isn’t always the people you’re born to.” | ||
By Cecily Knobler | ||
Moments, whether found in old photos, a kind stranger, or a voicemail, can hit us in ways we might never have expected. So when Lina Perez’s mother’s best friend left her a voice message, it wasn’t what was said that moved her. It was the reason behind the phone call at all. | ||
Beverly Ooley, a 92-year-old woman, left a message that Perez will “never delete.” She stated her wishes clearly: she wanted to leave Perez her beloved china set, full of delicate plates, gold-plated water glasses, and serving dishes. But what made this extra special is Perez and Ooley aren’t relatives by blood. They’re relatives by maternal friendship. | ||
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His emotional support egg. 🥹💛
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Three lions have the most beautiful reaction to a man singing a Guns N’ Roses song to them | ||
“What a beautiful interaction to witness.” | ||
By Erik Barnes | ||
There are several stories written about music taming the savage beast, but this is no fairy tale. A video shows a small pride of lions in an enclosure hear the acoustic guitar and soothing singing of a French singer-songwriter covering Guns N’ Roses’ “November Rain.” One would think that the animals would be annoyed or ignore the music period. Instead, something heartwarming happened. | ||
One by one, the lions approached the musician known as Plumes as he performed. They calmly laid down and started yawn-singing to the tunes while nuzzling one another, with two lions cuddling less than a yard from where Plumes sat and played. The lions were relaxing and enjoying the concert along with their afternoon nap, showing off the gentler side of the predatory wild cats. | ||
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An Upworthiest Poll
Which "quiet millionaire" habit do you already have?
Yesterday’s Results
We asked: You walk into a party where everyone's already grouped up. What's your move?
Start at the snack table, connection via pretzels (33.3%)
Rescue the other person hovering at the edge of the room (37.2%)
Linger near a group, listen, then jump in naturally (23.3%)
Get there early so the groups form around me (6.1%)
Reader Melannie Burke summed up the majority sentiment nicely. “I find this is easiest. And if not every conversation is a success, most seem to be.”
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Artist gives Disney’s most beloved characters a modern twist to talk about current issues | ||
“I thought transporting them to our modern world could help us see it through new eyes.” | ||
By Tod Perry | ||
Back in 2017, Artist Tom Ward used his incredible illustration techniques to give new perspective on modern life through popular Disney characters. He told The Metro. “Disney characters are so iconic that I thought transporting them to our modern world could help us see it through new eyes.” | ||
Wanting to bring to life “the times we live in and communicate topical issues in a relatable way,” Tom created his “Alt Disney” series, His approach resonated then and it continues to resonate now. Since the release of his “Alt Disney” series, conversations about smartphone addiction, environmental harm, animal welfare and digital distraction have only intensified. | ||
What initially felt like playful exaggerations now arguably read as predicted realities in a culture shaped by constant online engagement and ongoing environmental concern. Prince Charming and Pinocchio are absorbed by their phones. Ariel is surrounded by pollution, and Simba and Baloo have been mistreated by humans. | ||
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