Here's Your Fortune: 10 Money Rules, Student Loan Chaos, AI for Creators, and Photos into Paychecks

Tomorrow’s Fortune

Welcome to the action-packed newsletter designed to help you navigate the world of business, investing, and technology. You owe it to yourself to stay informed! If you missed last week’s post, check it out here. 😎 

Today’s post is 2,031 words (~5 minutes). Don’t be lazy… let’s get rich!

Cool Fact: Tesla’s AI Buys Too Much Tesla (2013): In 2013, Tesla’s AI accidentally bought a ton of its own stock—kind of like ordering 200 pizzas for a party that only has two people. It sent the stock price soaring like it was Black Friday. At least the AI learned a valuable lesson: no one needs 5000 shares of Tesla at once.

Today’s Digest: 

1. NEW VIDEO 👉🏼 10 Life-Changing Money Rules to Follow in 2025

2. Student Loan Collections Are Coming Back in 2025—And It’s Going to Be Messy. Get the scoop on what’s coming for student debt and how to stay ahead of the chaos.

3. OpenAI’s Sora AI: A Game-Changer for Small Businesses and Creators. Find out how Sora can make content creation faster and easier for small businesses.

4. Your Next Paycheck Might Just Be Hiding in Your Camera Roll. Learn how to make money with stock footage now.

KENNY FINANCE ON YOUTUBE!

Back again with a Friday special on YouTube! As I said before, my goal is to touch a million lives through financial wellness and provide the framework, insights, and playbook to be SMART with your money.

Few things:

1. Check out tonight’s video on  10 Life-Changing Money Rules to Follow in 2025

2. Make sure you Subscribe and hit those bell notifications so you never miss a beat 📲

3. WATCH THE ENTIRE VIDEO! Pls and thank you… it helps the YT algorithm spread to others who could use the advice

4. Like and comment and let me know what you think 🤩

5. I’ll be uploading fire content every Friday until you’re rich

6. Check out KENNY FINANCE for other videos

TOP STORY

The Student Loan Comeback Nobody Wants to See

The pandemic may feel like a distant memory, but for millions of student loan borrowers, the financial aftershocks are just beginning. In 2025, the federal government is set to resume collections on defaulted student loans for the first time in nearly five years. That means garnished wages, intercepted tax refunds, and even Social Security cuts are on the table for the 5.6 million Americans who’ve fallen at least 270 days behind on their payments.

This impending financial storm isn’t just a math problem—it’s a wake-up call for a system that’s failed borrowers for decades. The Fresh Start program offered a lifeline in 2022, allowing people to return to repayment without penalties, but fewer than a million took advantage. Why? A lack of awareness, confusing rules, and insufficient outreach left most borrowers unaware it even existed.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Borrowers in default are often the most vulnerable—those with low incomes, limited financial literacy, and little room for error. Without intervention, they’re at risk of falling deeper into financial hardship. What’s worse, a change in presidential administration adds another layer of uncertainty. Will the next leaders focus on aggressive collections or prioritize relief programs like income-driven repayment plans?

The clock is ticking, but it’s not all doom and gloom. There’s still time to prepare. Income-driven repayment options can slash payments to as low as $0 for those with low earnings, offering a critical safety net. Advocacy groups and experts are ramping up efforts to educate borrowers and connect them with solutions before collections resume.

For borrowers, the message is clear: Don’t wait for the government to come knocking. Explore your options, ask questions, and take control of your loans before 2025 catches you off guard. The path ahead may be uncertain, but preparation is the key to avoiding financial disaster.

BITS OF GOLD

• 2025 will bring pay raises to millions in 21 states—are you one of them?

• Get ready for fatter paychecks in 2025. On January 1, 21 states are raising the minimum wage, some hitting $15 per hour for the first time. California and New Jersey are going big with healthcare workers making over $17! But don't get too excited, some states are sitting this one out. Looks like the wage war is heating up, and it’s about time.

• Small business optimism soars after election—what’s driving the surge?

• Small businesses are feeling pretty good these days! After nearly three years of uncertainty, the optimism index surged in November to its highest point since June 2021. Thanks to the election results, business owners are hopeful for tax breaks, fewer regulations, and relief from inflation. Maybe the economy's not so bad after all—at least for now.

• MicroStrategy is on a Bitcoin-buying spree

• MicroStrategy's Bitcoin obsession is reaching new heights—literally. They're still buying, even as prices soar past $100K per coin. Michael Saylor, the company’s bullish boss, isn’t afraid to dream big—he's confident he’ll be snagging Bitcoin at $1 million a pop someday. Oh, and he’s got a plan for the U.S. to dump gold for Bitcoin too. Let’s just hope their wallets can keep up with this crypto fever dream.

• Microsoft just swiped left on Bitcoin investments

• Microsoft shareholders just said "hard pass" on Bitcoin investments, rejecting a proposal to park some of the company's cash in crypto. The board argued they’re already evaluating such options, but prefer investments that don’t roller-coaster like Bitcoin. Meanwhile, Bitcoin fans are probably writing angry tweets.

🏠💸TASTE OF THE FUTURE WITH AI

Sora Is Here: How OpenAI’s New AI Video Generator Can Elevate Your Content Strategy

OpenAI’s latest creation, Sora, is here to shake up the content game! This text-to-video generator lets you turn simple text prompts into full-on video clips, all within minutes. Imagine writing something like, “a dragon flying over a city skyline,” and bam—you’ve got a stunning 20-second video ready to share! Whether you’re a small business or a creator, this tool could totally revolutionize how you make and share content.

Here’s the cool part: Sora isn’t just about creating random videos. It lets you tweak your prompts and generate multiple versions of the same idea. You could type out “sunset over the ocean,” and get 3, 4, or even more different takes on that prompt. This makes it easier to land on the perfect vibe without wasting hours trying to perfect a single clip. Talk about a game-changer for brainstorming or spicing up your social media feed!

If you’re thinking, “Okay, but what’s the cost?”—let’s break it down. Sora’s available for ChatGPT Plus subscribers at $20/month, giving you up to 50 video generations a month. If you’re a big spender and need unlimited access, ChatGPT Pro at $200/month is your ticket to endless video creation. Small businesses now have the power to create killer content without the price tag of a full-blown video production team.

But hey, not everything’s sunshine and rainbows. Sora’s rise hasn’t been without controversy. With great power comes great responsibility, and people are already raising eyebrows over its potential to create deepfakes or misleading content. OpenAI is aware of these concerns and is working on content moderation to keep things in check. Plus, some artists were upset when they were asked to test Sora for free—talk about an awkward start! Still, OpenAI is determined to strike a balance between creativity and ethical use.

Even with these bumps along the way, Sora’s potential for small businesses is huge. Imagine using it to create quick social media videos, freshening up old ads, or even using it as a base for internal brainstorming sessions. This tool could seriously save you time and give your business a much-needed content boost without the hassle.

At the end of the day, Sora’s an exciting new way for creators and businesses to keep their content fresh and engaging. Sure, it’s still early days, and there are some ethical concerns to address, but the bottom line is clear: this tool is a game-changer for anyone looking to up their video content game.

Other Cool AI News!

• OpenAI's bold bet: Businesses paying big bucks for AI

• OpenAI’s CFO, Sarah Friar, thinks businesses might soon shell out thousands a month for AI tools that act like Ph.D.-level assistants on steroids. While $20/month is great for ChatGPT fans, enterprise users could pay value-based prices tied to the jobs AI replaces. Sounds like a future where even your paralegal is digital—and expensive.

• California takes on AI-driven rent hikes in a bold move

• If you’re blaming landlords for your high rent, add AI to the list! California’s housing crisis is heating up as RealPage’s rent-setting software faces claims of price-fixing in a federal lawsuit. Cities like San Francisco and San Diego are cracking down, but renters still feel the squeeze, cutting gym memberships and downsizing just to stay put.

• Amazon is weaponizing AI to play monopoly in the cloud

• Amazon’s AI cloud game is basically a remix of their e-commerce hit single: “Dominate Everything.” They’re letting businesses lease AI tools through AWS, just like they did with servers back in the day. It’s the “why buy when you can rent from us” approach that’s made them $2 trillion strong—and left rivals nervously refreshing their strategies.

• The $20 billion health crisis AI could spark by 2030

• AI might be smart, but its energy appetite is downright toxic. Data centers powering today’s AI could fuel 600,000 asthma cases and rack up $20 billion in health costs by 2030, thanks to emissions from fossil-fueled electricity. Imagine training an AI model being the equivalent of 10,000 coast-to-coast road trips in pollution—yikes. Sure, tech companies are flirting with renewables, but for now, it’s a smoggy love affair with natural gas.

WHAT ABOUT TODAY’S FORTUNE? SIDE HUSTLE OF THE WEEK 💸

Your Camera Roll Could Be the Secret to Extra Cash

Ever dreamed of getting paid while sipping coffee as your camera does all the work? Welcome to the world of selling stock footage, where your everyday moments could fund your next vacation—or at least your next coffee splurge.

Overview of this Side Hustle: Turn your random clips of sunsets, latte art, or your cat’s epic jumps into cold, hard cash! Selling stock footage is like running a 24/7 photo booth where companies pay for your leftovers. Whether it’s a slow-mo of rain or a time-lapse of your city’s skyline, someone out there needs it—and you’re about to get paid for your creativity.

Startup Cost: This side hustle’s startup cost can be as low as $0 if you already own a smartphone or camera. Fancy gear? Sure, splurge on a $500 drone or a $1,000 DSLR, but don’t forget—you can start with what you’ve got. Editing software could cost $10 to $50 a month, but think of it as a subscription to your future fortune.

Capital Intensity: This side hustle won’t eat your wallet alive. Buy a few basics, upload your genius, and let the internet do the rest. For a few hundred bucks (or less), you can go from casual shutterbug to cash-earning content creator—without breaking a sweat or the bank.

Interesting Growth Opportunities: The world is your backdrop! Expand by shooting niche content like aerial drone footage, oddly satisfying clips, or epic nature shots. There’s always a market for fresh, trendy visuals—imagine your video of coffee steam gracing a hipster ad campaign. The more creative you get, the more cha-ching potential you unlock.

Earning Potential: With just a few uploads, you could earn $100 to $1,000 a month, and the sky’s the limit for pros. That blurry squirrel clip? Someone’s dream B-roll. Top sellers are pulling in five figures annually—proof that one perfect video can pay for your next vacation and maybe a squirrel sanctuary.

So, are you going to keep those videos locked in your camera roll, or are you ready to make some serious dough? Remember, every click of your shutter could be the start of your stock footage empire!

This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. The content is based on publicly available information, and the author makes no representations about its accuracy or completeness. Readers should conduct their own research before making any investment decisions.