Is There a Trustworthy Process Behind Your Investment Strategy?
Even during normal times, the stock market is unpredictable. But when you throw in a pandemic, things can really get crazy. Just look at the first quarter of 2020 when the market fell 35% in just 16 trading days. Then, when everyone assumed it would be a rough year to own stocks, the market ended […]
Profitable Ideas: The Boring Way to Build Wealth, Great Advice for Young Investors, and More
Weekly roundup of some of the best personal finance articles from around the web. Bored, lonely, and confused: why it’s okay to feel lousy while investing (Morningstar). Despite recent appearances, Wall Street isn’t a casino and true investing isn’t gambling. How the stock market works (A Wealth of Common Sense). In an investing world that […]
Investing in a Time of Plenty. What Could Go Wrong?
Since the S&P 500 hit a low of 2,305 on March 16, 2020, the stock market sprang back strong, finishing 2020 with a more than 16% gain. Despite a shaky first month of the new year, it’s still well above its pre-pandemic high of 3,380 on February 10 of last year. Some say we’re in […]
Profitable Ideas: You Must Be Present to Win, The Benefits of a “Buy Nothing” Group, and More
Weekly roundup of some of the best personal finance articles from around the web. The price of admission (Compound Advisors). To invest, you have to make peace with volatility. You must be present to win. Don’t overdo it (Humble Dollar). Frugality — too much of a good thing is not a good thing. Becoming a […]
Achieve Your Goals More Easily By Shaping the Path
Using money well is one of those things we never get fully right. We’re constantly trying to make changes, improvements. And the bigger the change, the greater the challenge. That’s why I’ve been taking an in-depth look at the findings from Switch, Chip and Dan Heath’s excellent book on “How to Change Things When Change […]
Profitable Ideas: Raising Kids To Be Contributors, Buying Investments Early and Often, and More
Weekly roundup of some of the best personal finance articles from around the web. 10 ways to raise kids to be contributors (Focus on the Family). It’s a worldview, and it can be taught. Just keep buying (Of Dollars and Data). Why you should buy investments the same way you buy food — often. Income […]
To Make a Positive Change, Make it Emotional
Making an important lasting change in our life can be tough. We vow to get out of debt, but old habits are hard to break and we just can’t seem to make progress. We commit to putting more aside for an emergency fund, but spending comes so much easier. In their book, Switch, Chip and […]
Profitable Ideas: This Might Get You Audited, Building Wealth the Boring Way, and More
Weekly roundup of some of the best personal finance articles from around the web. 22 IRS audit red flags (Kiplinger). It’s always struck me as odd that people who give especially generously are more likely to be audited. Rationality in investing (Retirement Field Guide). Taking a long-term perspective will be better for your portfolio, and […]
The Power of Clarity
Are you trying to make a positive change in your finances or some other area of your life? How clear are you about the change you’re trying to make? As Chip and Dan Heath researched Switch, their helpful book about what it takes to truly change something about our lives, they discovered several surprises. This […]
Profitable Ideas: Habits That Won’t Fail, Two Rules For Building Wealth, and More
Weekly roundup of some of the best personal finance articles from around the web. 5 common mistakes that cause new habits to fail (James Clear). Good insights for anyone with new goals for the new year. Two simple rules for building wealth (A Teachable Moment). “Simple beats complex in investing and life.” Those messy humans […]