Published 17 July, 2008 in Financial Success, Getting ahead, Reader's Questions, Savings
Q: Where’s the best place to protect my money from inflation?
A: Although the stock market has outpaced inflation in the past, the stock market’s returns are too volatile to only invest in the market.
In the past, investors had few options for shelter. Today, however, the government sells TIPS and Series I bonds which compensate investors [...]
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Published 9 July, 2008 in Financial Sense, Financial Success, Getting ahead, Investing, Mortgages, My story
Many financial advisers emphasize the importance of building a large nest egg. While a large nest egg is a great idea, this strategy can make people focus on the future at the expense of the present.
That’s a trade off we’re not willing to make.
Many people view their retirement balances as the solution to their situation–working [...]
3 Comments
Published 7 July, 2008 in Financial Sense, Getting ahead
Most of us know new cars are an expensive habit—they simply depreciate too rapidly. But many of us still buy our vehicles new. For us, the trade-off of several thousand dollars in depreciation is worth the new car smell and the knowledge that the vehicle is in perfect condition.
Whatever your or my rationalizations, it pays [...]
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Published 24 June, 2008 in Financial Sense, Getting ahead, Mortgages
You don’t have to wait until you have a mortgage to start paying it down.
At some point in our lives, most of us lack the motivation to save for the future. Even forward-looking individuals like David sometimes lack the drive to set more aside for the future.
Although this behavior costs us dearly, most of us [...]
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Published 5 June, 2008 in Getting ahead, Guest posts, Reader's Questions
In recent years, long-term care insurance and disability insurance have become hot topics. An unexpected disability can decimate a family’s wealth and this unpleasant possibility has led many financial advisers to encourage everyone to get insured.
Now insurance is a wonderful invention and purchasing disability insurance can be a wise decision for many people. But the [...]
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Published 1 June, 2008 in Getting ahead, My story
I was twenty-three, still in college, and living paycheck to paycheck—when my life came to an abrupt, life-altering event. I had met the girl of my dreams, a fellow student who also happened to have a son.
Overnight my priorities shifted. I was now responsible for a fiancee and my new son. I knew I had [...]
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Published 21 May, 2008 in Book reviews, Getting ahead
The blogosphere is rich with quality blogs offering financial advice. Posts warning readers about costly mistakes are particularly popular. Of the thousands of money-related blogs, No Credit Needed is one of the more established and for a good reason.
No Credit Needed is dedicated to helping people enjoy the freedom that comes from being debt free. [...]
5 Comments
Published 19 May, 2008 in Getting ahead, Investing
Bull market. Recession. Scandal. The latest economic trend.
The financial media is built around the idea that you can successfully time the market. The hundreds of prognosticators more than happy to tell you (and everyone else) what to buy and sell and when to do it.
But there’s a problem with this premise. The ideal time to [...]
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Published 15 May, 2008 in Financial Sense, Financial Success, Getting ahead
Notes
The photo of Dave Ramsey was adapted from the Dave Ramsey website.
This article was featured in the Carnival of Snowflaking hosted by Greener Pastures.
2 Comments
Published 12 May, 2008 in Getting ahead
No, this isn’t an unfinished post, accidently published. Instead, it’s a reminder that our financial lives always are a work in progress as we earn, spend, and save to maximize our happiness.
Our every-day decisions involve balancing current desires with the future rewards that come from delayed gratification. But at what point does trading our time [...]
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