March 2026: the power of your money
Each month, we break down our topic into four weekly modules. Catch up on previous editions here.
This week's module: ACT
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Here's what we'll learn today Reader
Hey!
I'm gonna keep the chitchat short today because I am scurrying off to take my own action: cooking a plant-based dinner for some new friends I met at Soapbox and then again at a climate camp.
Dinner parties are community resilience. Isn't that fun?!
On that note, before I leave you to your action plan on March's topic the power of money, if you're looking to slow down and make some friends in a new way, join our virtual party on March 29 to be assigned a Soapbox penpal!
Kayla, who manages Soapbox's online community (which we are almost done revamping!!) has some fun stuff in store for you. It'll be a surprise for me as well, so I'll see you on Friday and see what's cooking.
The penpal idea was actually suggested at our February virtual town hall just last month, and it's super exciting to see community members' ideas being put into action!
We've switched a bunch of stuff for our online community. It's now donation-based (with a hope and prayer that you'll contribute $350 for the year to support alllllll the work we do at Soapbox) and it's much more focused towards people who are actively excited to build the future, vs. general "how can I be more sustainable" communities.
Here's the link to express interest in joining! Kayla will vibe check and then you will probably be in, or you can learn more at the penpal event.
P.S. for any of our members who joined in 2025, we're no longer charging you for membership so plssss pleseaseaplea PLEASE contribute via our donation link if you haven't already <3
Your bite-sized action plan Reader
ACT by choosing one article or video to explore further.
- Divest your money from big banks and reinvest in community banks. At this point, I might be nagging, but I will never stop because truly?? This is where you put the MOST of your money. In a bank. So if you're banking with a bad guy, break up with him. Move to a community bank or credit union. You can use resources like bank.green or Mighty Deposits. Remember: it's not as daunting as it seems. You don't have to switch over everything in one day. Today, just take the first step, which can be as simple as creating a new bank/credit union account. Bonus: write to the bank you're breaking up with, telling them why.
- Do the same with your investments. Move your pension/retirement money to Carbon Collective or the equivalent in your area. Again, all you have to do today is create an account! And by next year, maybe you'll get your whole company to switch to a green 401(k) or pension. Imagine what a HUGE difference that could make. Literally MILLIONS of dollars.
- Download the Generation Environment app to round up your purchases and donate them to environmental nonprofits like Soapbox! We are so so so so beyond excited to be on the Gen E app. You can send organizations (like us!) a lil gratitude by giving us your extra cents. You won't miss them, and we will be so happy with them.
- Get a library card or lovingly bully a friend to get a library card. "The power of money" is not just about what we spend; it's also how we spend (or don't!). There are soooo many incredible ways to get involved in the circular economy (translation: make money stretch longer), and one easy way that almost everywhere in the world has? LIBRARY!! Libraries are so much more than books. Many offer tools, seeds, and community events. Go to the library if you haven't been in a while!
- Throw a cancel Amazon party. When you cancel your Amazon account, you're not just taking money away from a billionaire. You're also reducing impulse control for yourself, which, at least in my experience, has hugely boosted the purchasing decisions I do make. I've definitely strengthened my local economy way more after canceling Amazon. But it can be hard to do, so throw a party!
- Join your local Buy Nothing group and/or download the app. There's also Freecycle and other equivalents!
- TALK about it. For example, if you get a compliment on an outfit you thrifted, shout out the thrift shop! If you bought a book at a local bookstore, mention it! We need to normalize the fact that many of us are NOT supporting mega corporations.
- Write a five-star review for a local business you love, especially if it aligns with your values. This one's fun and simple and puts some good vibes out in your community. Even if you have constructive feedback, like "please stop upcharging for nondairy milk," you can still give a glowing review while adding that in, or better yet, emailing them/talking to them in person first.
There are sooooooo many more ways to take action on the power of your money. Perhaps the first step is knowing, even in these horrorshow times, that we DO have power, and under capitalism, it is an important and viable tool for change, especially when accompanied by a collective strategy.
That's it for me! Will I see you at Soapbox's virtual penpal party on Friday? I hope so!
Love,
Nivi
A lil note 💚
Hello hello! If you enjoy the work we're doing at Soapbox through these Changeletters and more, pleeeasse consider contributing. This is how I make my livelihood and pay my rent (and my team!) and I would appreciate any support you can give. Thanks Alex for supporting this month!
Love,
Nivi
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Upcoming Soapbox events
We have WEEKLY events in Seattle AND in Portland! Both are on Tuesday evenings, same time, same place. In addition, we have a bunch of virtual events, community events, and other shenanigans.
Our entire events calendar for ALL locations + virtual can be found here.
