Is Now the Time to Get out of Dividend Paying Stocks?
Unless you have been living under a rock the last several years, dividend paying stocks have been all the rage and it is certainly understandable. With the way the Fed has kept rates low we have been hard pressed to find somewhere to park money and make any decent return. The usual suspects of CDs, [...]
The Funny Thing About Time
As we head into the summer, I can’t help but recall being a child. It took years to get through the last nice days of the school year. And then freedom! Somehow the period between June and September was one endless stream of sunshine. The moment we’d been waiting for the entire time we were [...]
7 Practical Tips on How to Deal with Student Loan Debt
According to the nonprofit American Student Assistance, there are approximately 37 million people with student loans in the United States today, and the average balance is about $24,000. Friends, this is not good debt. And Congress would like to double the student loan interest rate on federal student loans, starting in July. The terms on [...]
How Working Abroad Furthers Your Career Back Home
‘What do I want to go all the way over there for?’ —it’s a question that many people ask at the thought of working overseas. Daunting as the prospect may be, go with it and you’ll be making a major, worthwhile investment in your career. That’s because you’ll have done more than just flew out [...]
Get Out of the Debt Mentality
Credit cards. Student loans. Store credit cards. Dental credit cards. Car loans. First mortgages. Second mortgages. Lines of credit. Zero percent financing. We’re borrowing for everything! How Debt Keeps us Constantly Broke We are like crows, in a sense. Hey, look at that shiny thing, we think. And we want it. For major purchases, [...]
7 Investment Ideas To Get The Most Out Of Your Tax Refund
If you received a tax refund from Uncle Sam this year, you shouldn’t celebrate just yet. Aside from the fact that it was your money to begin with (not a friendly gift from the government), you may have some adjusting to do before next tax season rolls around. If you are having too much withheld [...]
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The Guide to College Student Renters Insurance
College is the first time many students move out onto their own – whether to a dorm room or sharing an apartment with friends. It’s also the first time that students really start to acquire their own possessions - computers, electronics, furniture, and more. Plus, college students typically don’t have a lot of spending cash – mom [...]
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Get Out of the Debt Mentality
Credit cards. Student loans. Store credit cards. Dental credit cards. Car loans. First mortgages. Second mortgages. Lines of credit. Zero percent financing. We’re borrowing for everything! How Debt Keeps us Constantly Broke We are like crows, in a sense. Hey, look at that shiny thing, we think. And we want it. For major purchases, [...]
How To Change Bad Financial Habits
Good intentions can only go so far in changing bad habits. It takes time and commitment to change bad financial habits. Scientists studying addiction have found that a brain chemical, dopamine, is released when humans experience pleasure. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that sends messages throughout the brain and creates pathways that lead to addictive behavior. [...]
Does Google Fear A Breakup With Samsung?
Google (GOOG) and Samsung are juggernauts in their respective industries. Together, they are an extremely powerful and successful combination. Their combined strength helps them dominate the smart device market. According to the website BGR, Samsung shipped over 250 million smart devices in 2012. That represents about 21% of market share, and compares favorably to Apple’s [...]
How Much Money Do you Make?
How much money do you make? That was the question that a complete stranger asked me this weekend. I was shocked. I stumbled over my words, mumbling something along the lines of “Enough to get by…” and politely changed the subject. My wife and I were at a party with some friends this weekend, when [...]
Is Now the Time to Get out of Dividend Paying Stocks?
Unless you have been living under a rock the last several years, dividend paying stocks have been all the rage and it is certainly understandable. With the way the Fed has kept rates low we have been hard pressed to find somewhere to park money and make any decent return. The usual suspects of CDs, [...]
Should You Invest in Gold Today?
Over the past 5 years, gold has been valued as low as $800 per ounce and has been valued at record highs upwards of $1,800. At this moment, gold is taking a dive and is nearing the $1,300 mark. So, is it time to buy gold? Or should you wait for a lower low before [...]
Why Gold is Out, Especially the Miners
I’m a frequent critic of gold (GLD) in an investment portfolio. Seeing as it doesn’t generate income, doesn’t grow, and costs money to store, it’s a highly-speculative investment. That doesn’t mean it isn’t without its good years – those who bought gold ETFs in 2004 have doubled their money. Gold is Losing its Luster [...]
Step By Step Investing For Beginners
The #1 question I get asked over and over again is – how do I get started investing, especially if I have no knowledge of investing at all? Maybe you want to save for retirement? Maybe you want to watch your money grow? Anyone can start investing, but it can be hard to learn how [...]
The Funny Thing About Time
As we head into the summer, I can’t help but recall being a child. It took years to get through the last nice days of the school year. And then freedom! Somehow the period between June and September was one endless stream of sunshine. The moment we’d been waiting for the entire time we were [...]
Better Know a Young Millionaire – JC Hite
Welcome to the next installment of our Better Know a Young Millionaire series. Remember, every two weeks (or so), I like to highlight a conversation I’ve had with a young millionaire. I define young as someone who is less than 35 years old, and has over a million dollars net worth – assets minus liabilities. The [...]
Simple Ways to Find Extra Cash to Invest
Sometimes finding money to invest can happen by simply not spending it. It’s an obvious solution to saving, but many of us still overlook a few simple areas where we could save a few dollars. So for those of you making excuses as to why you don’t have any money to get started investing, here [...]
The American’s Guide to ISAs in the UK
When you hear about ISAs in the UK, your first question is most likely, “What does ISA stand for?” It’s fairly simple actually. And ISA is an Individual Savings Account. ISAs are quite handy for those that are interested in paying fewer taxes because that’s exactly one of their benefits. If you have you money [...]
Market Timing versus Dollar Cost Averaging
When I worked in trust investment management, we had a constant flow of new money coming in. And with every new account we had to decide…invest all at once, or dollar-cost average (DCA)? This is also an important question for individual investors. Especially when you have a decent chunk of cash to invest. How you [...]
The Importance of an Investing Mentor
When I was 8 years old, my mother started teaching me about mutual funds. I had no idea what they were at the time, but she was learning about them for the first time, and saw how important it was for children to know how they worked. She encouraged me to start mowing my neighbors [...]
6 Secrets Behind Effective Retirement Planning
Whether you plan on retiring early or working into your 80’s, we all need to be purposeful with our retirement planning. The mass media is replete with tricks that claim to help you achieve that million dollar portfolio (truthfully, that number is likely on the small side) and set sail into retirement so you can [...]
Fannie and Freddie Shareholders: Hedge Funds vs. Government
The two best performing stocks this year are two names no one would have expected. After peaking at return in excess of 1400% in May, shares of Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FMCC) are up over 600% year-to-date. What’s Behind the Rise of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? Fannie Mae and Freddie [...]
Does Book Value Matter When You Invest?
Last week’s end of May sell-off in anticipation of possible interest rate changes by the Fed has made for some interesting investment opportunities. When people panic-sell, they don’t think about the true value of investing – instead, they are looking to lock-in a profit or avoid losing a little bit of cash. But long term investors should [...]
How to Make Investing Fun!
How would you react if I told you that for the next 2 hours, we were going to watch a documentary on Investing 101? I imagine that most of you wouldn’t be all that excited. In fact, some of you might already be clawing and scratching your way to the nearest exit to avoid the [...]
7 Practical Tips on How to Deal with Student Loan Debt
According to the nonprofit American Student Assistance, there are approximately 37 million people with student loans in the United States today, and the average balance is about $24,000. Friends, this is not good debt. And Congress would like to double the student loan interest rate on federal student loans, starting in July. The terms on [...]
Reader Question: What Personal Finance Software Do You Recommend?
One of the most common questions I get is what personal finance software do I recommend. Last week, James asked me about it so I decided to post about what I’m currently using and why I decided to use it. Personal finance software is a tough question – it’s very personal and needs to be [...]
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