Life Lesson #14: Know your audience and set limits Gift giving is a wonderful and generous gesture that is often as enjoyable for the giver as the receiver. Who doesn’t love to receive a gift? Sometimes, though, it may not be the correct size, preferred color, etc. Fortunately, most businesses offer a simple solution: gift […]
Bullseye: The Emergency Fund
Life Lesson #13: Murphy’s Law With certainty, I can predict that many times throughout your life, plans will be derailed and things will go wrong – even horribly wrong. Count on it! If you expect it to happen, you might not be so caught off guard when it does. The Story: When I was much […]
Candied Orange Peels: Spotlight on Investment Fees
Life Lesson #12: Compounding investment fees – Is it time to panic yet? While many understand the fundamental concept of compound growth as it relates to investment yield, the expense side of the equation is often overlooked. Advisor investment fees are dismissed or ignored; it’s only 1% after all. The Story: My wife, Katie, and […]
The Glass Slipper: Seeking Financial Compatibility
Life Lesson #11: Financial compatibility – the most important aspect of your financial future One of the top most cited reasons for divorce – money! The real issue is the difference of what it represents to each party. One person may view money more like me: as security and a tool to unlock future options. […]
Zero-G Richonomics: Special Occasion Syndrome
Life Lesson #10: Nothing is off limits Social conventions have created a gravity-like force around special events and occasions, granting a free-pass to spend recklessly. Most people are sucked into these gravitational fields and conform to the economically damaging expectations. I like to call this “SOS” (Special Occasion Syndrome). Just like the Morse code distress signal, […]
Should Have Grilled a Steak: Financial Peer Pressure
Life Lesson #9: Who are you trying to impress anyway? People are funny; always concerned with what other people think. It shapes the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, the phones we use, and much more. We care what our family, friends, coworkers, and even complete strangers think. It’s a way of attempting to […]
Number One Stunner: Marketing Bundle Traps
Life Lesson #8: Marketing and pricing bundle tactics We have all answered the alluring call of the Siren. Sometimes it’s an inexpensive combo meal at a favorite restaurant chain. Other times, a big-ticket electronics bundle: spend $500 on XYZ brand audio speakers and get a free subwoofer. All of these bundle strategies are designed to […]
Ashes to Ashes: Homage to Craigslist
Life Lesson #7: Just buy used Sometimes I think my wife may be in cahoots with my father to help make it look like he has a monopoly on DIY repair advice. Or maybe she is just trying to “help” create more content for my blog. The Story: We don’t often buy new things. When we […]
‘Doggie’ Howser, MD: Exploring Pet Insurance
Life Lesson #6 The house always wins I am the proud “parent” of Sawyer, an 8-year-old golden retriever. While a great friend and hiking companion, Sawyer struggled to learn some of the basic commands during early puppy training. This made it all the more surprising when he started to understand personal finance a bit later […]
I’m Too Sexy For My Shirt: Modeling Agency Scam
Life Lesson #5: Sniff out the scam We are incessantly bombarded by pitches from advertisers, sales people, investment advisers, etc. who are lobbying for our hard earned cash. With increasingly busy schedules, there isn’t always enough time to vet all the information in order to make the best decision. The Story: Some years ago when I lived […]