July is for hotdogs, sparklers, and taking a pause to acknowledge our freedoms. Freedoms we often overlook such as women being able to buy real estate, or being able to do as we wish with our money. Just like free speech and religion, Americans’ property rights are better protected than our neighbors in other countries. Light a sparkler (outside only, please!) to celebrate after reading Red, White & Blue-tiful: How America’s Inheritance Laws Stack Up with Other Countries.
Freedom also allows for guilty pleasures – things like casinos, playing the lottery, bingo, sports betting, and so much more. But they can be a double-edged sword. Many people lose control when they get a financial windfall, especially if they hit it big with a lottery jackpot. Don’t scratch a single Lotto ticket until you’ve read the cautionary tales in Lottery Winner Horror Stories: You Win Sum, You Lose Sum.