May Monthly Newsletter

HEALTH, WELLNESS AND INDEPENDENCE
Curiosity & Drive
"People can help you in many ways throughout life, but there are two things nobody can give you: curiosity and drive. They must be self-supplied.

If you are not interested and curious, all the information in the world can be at your fingertips, but it will be relatively useless. If you are not motivated and driven, whatever connections or opportunities are available to you will be rendered inert.

Now, you won't feel curious and driven about every area of life, and that's fine. But it really pays to find something that lights you up. This is one of the primary quests of life: to find the thing that ignites your curiosity and drive.

There are many recipes for success. There is no single way to win. But nearly all recipes include two ingredients: curiosity and drive." - James Clear

I have a friend that didn’t find her passion and spark in life until her 70’s. It’s never too late to continue searching and ultimately come across what brings you this curiosity and drive.

76-year Old Ultrarunner Shares Tips
Gene Dykes shares his recipe for success- Every year, Dykes sets goals around his personal “four Fs”: get faster, run further, race frequently, and most importantly, have more fun. (More)

Medicare and Medicaid Are Now Costing Private Insurers Billions
For years, major insurers profited from government healthcare plans like Medicare Advantage and Medicaid. But post-pandemic, medical claims have surged, outpacing enrollments — and government reimbursements haven’t kept up with rising costs. Humana reported a $541M loss in Quarter 1. These insurers are going to have to find ways to cut costs, and likely means a reduction in benefits to beneficiaries. (More)

FINANCIAL NEWS
Time to Review Your Homeowners Policy
Above-normal activity is expected this year with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicting an 85% chance of 17 to 25 named storms this Hurricane season (largest prediction in history).

Gold EFTs Dumped for Physical Gold?
ETFs have made gold more accessible to the average person, enabling one to buy and sell just as they would a stock. Today, these are being ditched for the physical metal. Why? This rising interest started with Central Banks, out of fear that assets could be frozen (as was the case with Russia). However, gold is not reliant on the U.S… there’s no CEO of gold. It’s estimated Costco sells as much as $200 Million in gold bars to consumers on a monthly basis. (More)

Donald Trump Pulls a U-Turn on Crypto
Last week, Trump posted on Truth Social that he’s “very positive and open-minded to cryptocurrency companies” and that the US “must be the leader in the field.” This is a significant shift from his Presidency when he said he wasn’t “a fan” of crypto. By 2023, Trump disclosed a $1M investment in Ethereum ($ETH) and has started accepting donations in crypto. (More)

US Stock Trades Now Settle in One Day Rather Than Two
This reduces risks for exchanges and brokerages but may potentially cause confusion with foreign markets still on a T+2 system. (More)

SUREFIRE NEWS AND UPDATES
Spectrum of Services
Our resource network is continually growing and improving to bring you the most value possible. It’s your goals, our mission… and always will be. Not sure if we help with something? Ask us. If we can’t, we’ll likely know the right person or people that can help.

Educational YouTube Videos
In the coming months this summer, we’ll be setting aside some time to create some educational content on YouTube around a number of topics. Please let us know if you have any special requests you’d like to be covered! More to come.

FOR FUN
This week in history

• 1896 – Dow Jones Industrial Average was first published. The 12 original companies were: American Cotton Oil, American Sugar, American Tobacco, Chicago Gas, Distilling & Cattle Feeding, General Electric, Laclede Gas, National Lead, North American, Tennessee Coal & Iron, U.S. Leather, and United States Rubber.

• 1935 – Babe Ruth hit his 714^th home run, a career home run record that would stand for almost 40 years.

• 1977 – The very first Star Wars movie opened in theaters Memorial Day weekend, earning $461 million in U.S. ticket sales.

• 2006 – Barry Bonds hit his 715^th home run to pass Babe Ruth on the all-time great list.

What did a cell phone cost?

• 1974 – N/A (1982 Motorola DynaTac - $3995)

• 2004 – $350 (base price Blackberry)

• 2024 - $799 (base iPhone 15 model)

COMMUNITY EVENTS
A,B,C,Ds of Medicare Workshop
Thursday, June 20th at 5:30pm | Peter and Julie Cummings Library, Palm City FL | Sign up/Share

Two Olives Italy Trip September 2024

Our friends David and Debra at Two Olive Trees are taking another group of 12 to Italy! If you haven’t been to their location in Stuart, definitely stop by and visit them. They have the finest olive oils, homemade soups, a variety of cheeses, ready to go pizzas, fun monthly classes and much more! (Website)

SEPT 3 - SEPT 12, 2024
What you will experience on this tour:  Truffle hunt, Wine tours and tastings, Cooking Class, Textile Mill,  Chocolate Making Class, Olive Oil Mills, Great food with private transportation and much more!
Tour historical areas: Assisi, Perugia, Montepulciano
Total Cost $4,399/person (double occupancy), $4,899 (single occupancy) $1,000/person to hold your spot due 6/7/24
(AIR TRAVEL IS NOT INCLUDED)

Father’s Day Classic Car Show