We can’t stop bad stuff from happening. But we can make sure everything’s okay financially.
IN THE PAST, we’ve always bought certified preowned cars. We know new cars lose a big chunk of their value when you drive them off the lot, so we had our eye on a used car when we started our search earlier this year.
Our goal was a Mercedes Benz GLC 300 AWD 4MATIC. My husband enjoys the negotiating and drama that comes with buying a car, so he investigated choices, checked out prices at dealerships and was ready to start his usual two-to-three-month car hunt.
THE MOST WIDELY read book of all time, the Bible, has a lot to say about money. According to biblical scholars, money and wealth are mentioned more than 2,000 times. Out of the roughly 40 parables Jesus told, nearly half speak of money.
Why does the Bible make such a big deal about money? The answer belongs in a Sunday sermon, not here. Still, I believe there’s a great deal to be learned from what the Bible says about money.
INCOME ANNUITIES are a simple, cost-efficient way to generate guaranteed retirement income, and yet they account for just 5% of overall annuity sales. My contention: They can play a unique role in a portfolio—and deserve serious consideration by anyone planning for retirement.
Full disclosure: I’m co-founder of Saturday Insurance, an online company that offers income annuities and other insurance products directly to consumers. I also know that, when most people hear the word “annuity,” they cringe,
THE FINANCIAL site MarketWatch has been running a series about the lives and budgets of Americans who retire abroad. My wife Jiab and I—who moved from Texas to Spain—were one of the first couples featured, along with a husband and wife who now live in Chile. Both articles made clear there were plusses and minuses to such a move—experiencing new things, but also being away from family—and that we weren’t advocating this for everyone.
A NEW FIRM called Life + Liberty Indexes has created what it calls the Freedom 100 index of emerging markets stocks. Unlike other indexes, which typically weight stocks by their market value, the Freedom 100 weights countries by measures of freedom. These include freedom of religion, freedom of the press and freedom of assembly, among others. In short, the Freedom 100 looks like it could have been created by the authors of our Declaration of Independence.
CALL IT THE NEW conventional wisdom: Forget trying to spend less—and instead focus on earning more.
This change in thinking is no great surprise. We have endless opportunities to make an extra buck, thanks to all the “side hustles” available in our “gig economy.” Meanwhile, many folks bristle at the admonitions to spend less on lattes, happy hours and avocado toast. Let’s face it, will eliminating such expenses really put us on the fast track to financial freedom?
NEBRASKA, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota and Florida are the best states to retire, says Bankrate. The ranking is based on five criteria, with the biggest weight given to affordability.
NO. 20: FRUGALITY isn’t just the key to financial success. It’s also no great sacrifice, because spending often brings only fleeting happiness—and sometimes even pangs of regret.
NO. 44: GOOD COMPANIES are often bad stocks. Why? Investors bid up the value of widely admired, fast-growing companies—and the companies often end up disappointing investors. Meanwhile, investors shun troubled, slower-growing companies, so even so-so corporate performance can result in strong market returns.
CHECK YOUR portfolio percentages. In 2019, stocks have outpaced bonds, U.S. growth companies are ahead of bargain-priced value shares, real estate stocks have sparkled and foreign stock markets have fallen behind. All this may have pushed your portfolio away from your target asset allocation—and it could be time to rebalance.
HYPERBOLIC DISCOUNT. Suppose we’re choosing between a smaller reward today and a larger reward at some future date. To get us to wait, the later reward typically has to be far larger, perhaps giving us a 100% return for delaying just a few days or weeks. Such hyperbolic discounting highlights how we favor today and shortchange our future selves.
IN THE PAST, we’ve always bought certified preowned cars. We know new cars lose a big chunk of their value when you drive them off the lot, so we had our eye on a used car when we started our search earlier this year.
Our goal was a Mercedes Benz GLC 300 AWD 4MATIC. My husband enjoys the negotiating and drama that comes with buying a car, so he investigated choices, checked out prices at dealerships and was ready to start his usual two-to-three-month car hunt.
THE MOST WIDELY read book of all time, the Bible, has a lot to say about money. According to biblical scholars, money and wealth are mentioned more than 2,000 times. Out of the roughly 40 parables Jesus told, nearly half speak of money.
Why does the Bible make such a big deal about money? The answer belongs in a Sunday sermon, not here. Still, I believe there’s a great deal to be learned from what the Bible says about money.
INCOME ANNUITIES are a simple, cost-efficient way to generate guaranteed retirement income, and yet they account for just 5% of overall annuity sales. My contention: They can play a unique role in a portfolio—and deserve serious consideration by anyone planning for retirement.
Full disclosure: I’m co-founder of Saturday Insurance, an online company that offers income annuities and other insurance products directly to consumers. I also know that, when most people hear the word “annuity,” they cringe,
THE FINANCIAL site MarketWatch has been running a series about the lives and budgets of Americans who retire abroad. My wife Jiab and I—who moved from Texas to Spain—were one of the first couples featured, along with a husband and wife who now live in Chile. Both articles made clear there were plusses and minuses to such a move—experiencing new things, but also being away from family—and that we weren’t advocating this for everyone.
A NEW FIRM called Life + Liberty Indexes has created what it calls the Freedom 100 index of emerging markets stocks. Unlike other indexes, which typically weight stocks by their market value, the Freedom 100 weights countries by measures of freedom. These include freedom of religion, freedom of the press and freedom of assembly, among others. In short, the Freedom 100 looks like it could have been created by the authors of our Declaration of Independence.
CALL IT THE NEW conventional wisdom: Forget trying to spend less—and instead focus on earning more.
This change in thinking is no great surprise. We have endless opportunities to make an extra buck, thanks to all the “side hustles” available in our “gig economy.” Meanwhile, many folks bristle at the admonitions to spend less on lattes, happy hours and avocado toast. Let’s face it, will eliminating such expenses really put us on the fast track to financial freedom?
NEBRASKA, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota and Florida are the best states to retire, says Bankrate. The ranking is based on five criteria, with the biggest weight given to affordability.
NO. 20: FRUGALITY isn’t just the key to financial success. It’s also no great sacrifice, because spending often brings only fleeting happiness—and sometimes even pangs of regret.
CHECK YOUR portfolio percentages. In 2019, stocks have outpaced bonds, U.S. growth companies are ahead of bargain-priced value shares, real estate stocks have sparkled and foreign stock markets have fallen behind. All this may have pushed your portfolio away from your target asset allocation—and it could be time to rebalance.
NO. 44: GOOD COMPANIES are often bad stocks. Why? Investors bid up the value of widely admired, fast-growing companies—and the companies often end up disappointing investors. Meanwhile, investors shun troubled, slower-growing companies, so even so-so corporate performance can result in strong market returns.
HYPERBOLIC DISCOUNT. Suppose we’re choosing between a smaller reward today and a larger reward at some future date. To get us to wait, the later reward typically has to be far larger, perhaps giving us a 100% return for delaying just a few days or weeks. Such hyperbolic discounting highlights how we favor today and shortchange our future selves.