I’ve been back in the U.S. for just over a week and now it’s time to leave to again! Only this time, it’s for pleasure instead of work. We’re off to Playa del Carmen in Mexico for our annual Summer Vacation! The trip could not have come at a better time. School just got out for my wife and kids. And being a proud Dad, I must brag – both of the kids did really, really well on their report cards! … [Read more...] about Weekend Wind Down 6/02/2012
Go Ahead and Buy Yourself a Coffee – You Deserve It
Bills. Expenses. Stagnant income. The rising costs on just about everything. Our retirement portfolios see-sawing up and down. Being “financially strapped” is becoming more than a problem; it's an epidemic. But as I read through a few popular articles and posts, I wonder if we really have the right artillery to fight this battle and defend ourselves. For example: Here are just a few money-saving strategies that people are resorting to: • Skimping back on regular household products. No more dish soap, paper towel, fabric softener?? • Making your own clothes. • No more hot showers. • No more eating out. • Canceling the TV. • Living on less than $12,000 per year. • Ditching the car altogether. • Moving back in with the parents … [Read more...] about Go Ahead and Buy Yourself a Coffee – You Deserve It
Protecting Yourself with Dividend Stocks
Darn! The year was off to such a great start for us investors! But then worries about Greece and the Euro spoiled the party. If you were following conventional wisdom and investing in Index Funds, then you’ve basically lost about 6% in May (following the S&P 500). Don’t worry – I’m not trying to bum you out. But it is times like this that you need to ask yourself “What am I doing to hedge myself? If buying stocks is offense, what am I doing to play defense?” … [Read more...] about Protecting Yourself with Dividend Stocks
Weekend Wind Down 5/26/2012
My business trip to England is winding down to an end. Today I will be getting on a plane and traveling for the next 12 hours! So while I’m in the sky today, have a look at some of the photos I took during my stay: … [Read more...] about Weekend Wind Down 5/26/2012
Can You Afford to Work?
Recently a coworker and I were discussing how his wife would not be returning to work simply based on the fact that child care was too expensive. At the rate it would cost her to place the child in daycare and go to work, she’d actually be “losing” money. Simply put: If you compare dollar to dollar, it may not make any sense to go to work if you’re going to pay out more than you take in. As a parent, I can definitely tell you - kids are expensive! They eat a lot of food, wear a lot of clothes, need a lot of entertainment, and require a lot of stuff. It wasn’t that long ago that my wife and I had to make the same kind of decision ourselves. At the time, my wife was making around $1,000 net per paycheck. The cost of our daycare: … [Read more...] about Can You Afford to Work?
How Much Do Things Cost in England?
Cheers! I’m writing you today from England. The last time I came here, I published a short post about how different the prices were between the UK and United States. I thought it might be fun to share those observations again. Note: This post was originally published 12/02/2011. Think things cost a lot where you live? Here’s a little perspective from our friends across the Atlantic. While on a business trip through England, there were a few things I couldn’t help but notice about their financial situation. Although most of what I found was narrowly limited to my travel agenda, I thought I’d share my list of observations: … [Read more...] about How Much Do Things Cost in England?
Weekend Wind Down 5/19/2012
Well, wish me luck. I’m off to England today for a business trip. That’s 11 hours of travel plus a 5 hour time change. In other words, by the time I start to feel sleepy, we’ll probably be landing and it will be morning outside. My stay there will be a little over a week. I’m going to miss my family; this will be the longest I’ve ever been away from them. Luckily, the week after I return is when we go on vacation together. I’m hoping the hotel’s WiFi will be nice and reliable. My last hotel had very questionable Internet service. So if I disappear, sorry about that! Posts You Should Read This Weekend: Personal favorite: Did the toys you played with as a kid set you up for failure financially as an adult? Read Daisy’s hilarious and … [Read more...] about Weekend Wind Down 5/19/2012
Embrace That You ARE in Sales
The stereotype of the salesman... We all know this guy. We don’t trust him. We run the other way. We don’t want to hear his spiel about why this used car is such a great deal or why we need the bigger TV set than we originally came in here to buy. It doesn’t matter what he says because we’re not going to believe it anyways. Yet this guy and you have something in common. Although your motives and methods are different (and you probably dress better), there is something that he is trying to do that you do every day. And if you don’t realize that you do it or try to get better at it, there could be significant financial consequences. … [Read more...] about Embrace That You ARE in Sales
