My late father, witnessing my torturous mental vacillations in my 30's on a career path change, offered that "you'll rarely regret the things you do in your working life - it's the things you don't do that typically will torture you"
I have subscribed to Boldin's online retirement planning software for the past 2 years. My recent renewal cost was $96 and our first year subscription ran $116.00, with tax included. I find good value in Boldin (formerly called NewRetirement), particularly when comparing their retirement projections to similar reports I generated from pro-grade planning software I use as part of my day job. Boldin's subscription cost is a fraction of that paid by financial planners for the software they use with investment clients. Boldin's HH net worth reports and long-term asset growth projections were within a few percentage points of the pro software at our end-of-plan (RIP) dates. Despite not having as many "what if" calculators as the software used by retirement planners, the Boldin user interphase is very intuitive and easy to navigate, at least for me. The ability to save multiple retirement date scenarios and then compare them side-by-side is a really great feature. I plan to keep subscribing to Boldin after retirement, when my access to the professional-grade planning tools will end.
This is wonderful news, Christine - Congrats! Your new venture offering dog training inside your 55+ community is strikingly similar to that of my wife. A longtime certified personal trainer and wellness coach, her niche has historically been with the 50+ age demographic, particularly those folks who might be intimidated by the idea of joining a gym. During the COVID lockdown, she joined the ranks of the self-employed, launching a virtual personal training business to support a number of her long-time clients who were now stuck in their homes. Five years later, this core group of original clients still trains with her virtually each week. About 2 1/2 years ago, she received a call from her former YMCA manager. She was now the clubhouse manager / activities director at a growing local 55+ community. Knowing my wife's talents working with age 50+ clients, would she consider teaching 1-2 group exercise classes a week onsite in their community? What started as a 1-day "test" has evolved into 3 solid days of exercise class offerings. In truth, there is sufficient demand to justify a 5-day-a-week commitment (assuming that at 58, she could physically withstand the wear-and-tear associated with teaching so many classes; the short answer is no). Three days a week of classes plus her core of virtual training clients seems to be the sweet spot for her. Similar to your own revenue deal, her 55+ partnership has the added bonus of her not having to share class fees she charges with "the house" (a 50/50 class revenue split is commonplace for trainers that instruct at local gyms). This added revenue helps her keep class fees reasonable for participants and helps offset her added business-related expenses, most significantly her business liability insurance. The 55+ community she partners with has been extremely welcoming, with a number of class participants becoming good friends. Its a win-win-win partnership: the community management company adds a valued service for residents without added overhead / labor costs, class attendees stay healthier and more engaged in their community...and my wife makes decent money doing work she absolutely loves on a part-time basis! Sorry for such a lengthy manifesto (clearly, I am very proud of my wife's work). My fervent hope is that your own experience offering dog-training in your 55+ community plays out in a similar fashion. Please consider keeping HD readers abreast of how this thing unfolds!
I am a firm believer that the "secret sauce" in most of the strategies Jonathan employed with success with his (then young) children can be tied to his focus on experiential learning.
In contrast to traditional education, which tends to focus on memorization and regurgitation of concepts and facts (most of which being soon forgotten), experiential learning during childhood tends to have real staying power. First-hand experience executing a new financial concept tends to embed the germ of an idea into the subconscious. Really good takeaways can conveniently resurface from the cerebral cortex, sometimes decades later. Likewise, the hands-on learning from of financial missteps tied to not adhering to the "rules" also show a similar degree of stickiness. Jonathan’s new book is a thoughtfully curated anthology of collective wisdom culled from the best of his past WSJ columns. Each column is digestible in about 2-3 pages, making this book an ideal read during my daily treadmill ritual. Kudos, Jonathan - and many thanks to the army of volunteer editors that helped put this valueable compilation together!
"Just ignore that [expletive] guy...He's just miserable and more to be pitied than damned". This was regular advice my late father offered whenever we discussed interpersonal conflicts I was dealing with - like that dopy wrong-way walker!
Greg - this was a nice peek behind the curtain for "roadshow" addicts (like me). It's normally required watching on Monday nights at our house (our local PBS affiliate runs back-to-back episodes from 8-10 pm). I hold many fond memories of hours spent watching Antiques Roadshow with my late mother in her waning years. We'd wager on who could get closer to the expert's estimated value for an item without going over. Great memories!
Re: Treasure Map for the children - may I suggest Quicken Premier as an option? I prefer their downloaded software version stored on our computer, with encrypted backup copy stored on a cloud server- I also use Boldin (which is an online-only option). Both cost about the same annually (around $100). Quicken is much better for capturing all the nitty gritty accounts details in one place, both present and past (i.e. where we are currently, and where we've been in the last x number of years). Boldin is more future-focused with some nice projection tools designed to help determine where we plan to go financially in next 25-35 years (god willing). My oldest child has logins and passwords for accessing both of these tools should he be called upon to assist my wife - this backup plan assumes that I could pull an "Irish goodbye" exit from the earth. Hoping for the best...planing for the worst.
Jonathan - this article provided me with multiple insights around the motivators behind my almost Sisyphiandaily pursuit of financial "security". Indeed, I suspect that for some HD readers, trying to tangibly define what security means will be akin to that adage on trying to define what pornography is: you'll know it when you see it. Thank you for yet another great article, sir!
Thank you, Jonathan! During a time of polarized American political discourse (sometimes even at the family breakfast table) one of the primary reasons that HumbleDollar has remained a daily must-read for me on issues involving personal finance has been the implicit understanding among HD readers that we can "agree to disagree...without being disagreeable". So may it be forever more.
Comments
My late father, witnessing my torturous mental vacillations in my 30's on a career path change, offered that "you'll rarely regret the things you do in your working life - it's the things you don't do that typically will torture you"
Post: What’s the best career advice you ever got?
Link to comment from July 21, 2025
I have subscribed to Boldin's online retirement planning software for the past 2 years. My recent renewal cost was $96 and our first year subscription ran $116.00, with tax included. I find good value in Boldin (formerly called NewRetirement), particularly when comparing their retirement projections to similar reports I generated from pro-grade planning software I use as part of my day job. Boldin's subscription cost is a fraction of that paid by financial planners for the software they use with investment clients. Boldin's HH net worth reports and long-term asset growth projections were within a few percentage points of the pro software at our end-of-plan (RIP) dates. Despite not having as many "what if" calculators as the software used by retirement planners, the Boldin user interphase is very intuitive and easy to navigate, at least for me. The ability to save multiple retirement date scenarios and then compare them side-by-side is a really great feature. I plan to keep subscribing to Boldin after retirement, when my access to the professional-grade planning tools will end.
Post: Let’s Stir Up the Bee’s Nest Again- Another Way of Calculating Net Worth
Link to comment from June 15, 2025
Perge, David! ;-)
Post: When You Love What You Do. Definitely NOT a rant.
Link to comment from June 14, 2025
This is wonderful news, Christine - Congrats! Your new venture offering dog training inside your 55+ community is strikingly similar to that of my wife. A longtime certified personal trainer and wellness coach, her niche has historically been with the 50+ age demographic, particularly those folks who might be intimidated by the idea of joining a gym. During the COVID lockdown, she joined the ranks of the self-employed, launching a virtual personal training business to support a number of her long-time clients who were now stuck in their homes. Five years later, this core group of original clients still trains with her virtually each week. About 2 1/2 years ago, she received a call from her former YMCA manager. She was now the clubhouse manager / activities director at a growing local 55+ community. Knowing my wife's talents working with age 50+ clients, would she consider teaching 1-2 group exercise classes a week onsite in their community? What started as a 1-day "test" has evolved into 3 solid days of exercise class offerings. In truth, there is sufficient demand to justify a 5-day-a-week commitment (assuming that at 58, she could physically withstand the wear-and-tear associated with teaching so many classes; the short answer is no). Three days a week of classes plus her core of virtual training clients seems to be the sweet spot for her. Similar to your own revenue deal, her 55+ partnership has the added bonus of her not having to share class fees she charges with "the house" (a 50/50 class revenue split is commonplace for trainers that instruct at local gyms). This added revenue helps her keep class fees reasonable for participants and helps offset her added business-related expenses, most significantly her business liability insurance. The 55+ community she partners with has been extremely welcoming, with a number of class participants becoming good friends. Its a win-win-win partnership: the community management company adds a valued service for residents without added overhead / labor costs, class attendees stay healthier and more engaged in their community...and my wife makes decent money doing work she absolutely loves on a part-time basis! Sorry for such a lengthy manifesto (clearly, I am very proud of my wife's work). My fervent hope is that your own experience offering dog-training in your 55+ community plays out in a similar fashion. Please consider keeping HD readers abreast of how this thing unfolds!
Post: When You Love What You Do. Definitely NOT a rant.
Link to comment from June 14, 2025
I am a firm believer that the "secret sauce" in most of the strategies Jonathan employed with success with his (then young) children can be tied to his focus on experiential learning.
In contrast to traditional education, which tends to focus on memorization and regurgitation of concepts and facts (most of which being soon forgotten), experiential learning during childhood tends to have real staying power. First-hand experience executing a new financial concept tends to embed the germ of an idea into the subconscious. Really good takeaways can conveniently resurface from the cerebral cortex, sometimes decades later. Likewise, the hands-on learning from of financial missteps tied to not adhering to the "rules" also show a similar degree of stickiness. Jonathan’s new book is a thoughtfully curated anthology of collective wisdom culled from the best of his past WSJ columns. Each column is digestible in about 2-3 pages, making this book an ideal read during my daily treadmill ritual. Kudos, Jonathan - and many thanks to the army of volunteer editors that helped put this valueable compilation together!Post: Lessons for Life
Link to comment from May 18, 2025
"Just ignore that [expletive] guy...He's just miserable and more to be pitied than damned". This was regular advice my late father offered whenever we discussed interpersonal conflicts I was dealing with - like that dopy wrong-way walker!
Post: The Wrong-Sided Man
Link to comment from May 9, 2025
Greg - this was a nice peek behind the curtain for "roadshow" addicts (like me). It's normally required watching on Monday nights at our house (our local PBS affiliate runs back-to-back episodes from 8-10 pm). I hold many fond memories of hours spent watching Antiques Roadshow with my late mother in her waning years. We'd wager on who could get closer to the expert's estimated value for an item without going over. Great memories!
Post: Backstage at Antiques Roadshow
Link to comment from May 6, 2025
Re: Treasure Map for the children - may I suggest Quicken Premier as an option? I prefer their downloaded software version stored on our computer, with encrypted backup copy stored on a cloud server- I also use Boldin (which is an online-only option). Both cost about the same annually (around $100). Quicken is much better for capturing all the nitty gritty accounts details in one place, both present and past (i.e. where we are currently, and where we've been in the last x number of years). Boldin is more future-focused with some nice projection tools designed to help determine where we plan to go financially in next 25-35 years (god willing). My oldest child has logins and passwords for accessing both of these tools should he be called upon to assist my wife - this backup plan assumes that I could pull an "Irish goodbye" exit from the earth. Hoping for the best...planing for the worst.
Post: Have you planned survivor income for your spouse or someone dependent on you?
Link to comment from May 5, 2025
Jonathan - this article provided me with multiple insights around the motivators behind my almost Sisyphian daily pursuit of financial "security". Indeed, I suspect that for some HD readers, trying to tangibly define what security means will be akin to that adage on trying to define what pornography is: you'll know it when you see it. Thank you for yet another great article, sir!
Post: Feeling Secure
Link to comment from May 4, 2025
Thank you, Jonathan! During a time of polarized American political discourse (sometimes even at the family breakfast table) one of the primary reasons that HumbleDollar has remained a daily must-read for me on issues involving personal finance has been the implicit understanding among HD readers that we can "agree to disagree...without being disagreeable". So may it be forever more.
Post: Let’s Be Adults
Link to comment from April 22, 2025