OK, let’s get right into this. I’m not a huge fan of goals when it comes to money. I don’t like the pressure a goal can have on investors trying to reach a certain “number.” “Well, if we can make it to $2 million, we’ll be all set. That’s our goal,” says a 55-year-old with less than a million in savings. That type of goal, in his most important earnings years—the last ten before retirement—is a loaded gun. The pressure to push, push, push and reach, reach, reach for the “goal” borders on reckless. It’s why Your Survival Guy eschews financial engines where you plug in your financial … [Read more...]
If the Phone Doesn’t Ring…It’s Me
Years ago, Your Survival Guy was at a cocktail party in Newport. (Yes, it happens. I don’t live in a cave.) This was at a time when markets were in freefall. A fellow guest asked me about the markets and how busy I must be talking with clients. My response, like it always is, was “My phone doesn’t ring,” Time and again, investors are surprised when markets fall. My phone doesn’t ring because I’m already in touch with my clients on a regular basis. And because you know me from Your Survival Guy, you know that I work to help you keep what you make. I don’t need to sell you on how to become … [Read more...]
DESANTIS RESISTS: Suspends Soros-Funded Destruction of America
Your Survival Guy' sees in The Wall Street Journal that dogs are now convincing their owners to fly private. Who knew dogs could talk? The ease of moving pets via chartered flights is yet another catalyst moving air travel away from commercial—as if it were on purpose. How hard will it be for the green mafia to ground the private jets once commercial air is in ruins? Don't worry, Taylor Swift will be fine. The woke won't ground her personal air force because she leases them out to friends. Swell. Field of Dreams: You Too Can Live Like a Billionaire Oh, the woke. Living their "best … [Read more...]
Your Seats Await at Newport’s Castle Hill
Your seats await at Newport’s Castle Hill where you can watch the boat traffic come and go along Narragansett Bay. This is the entrance to Newport. Everyone passes Castle Hill whether it’s after a long journey crossing the Atlantic, returning from the Newport/Bermuda race, a weekend cruise to the Vineyard, or a day sail out to Brenton Reef. Above, you’re looking across the Bay to Jamestown, RI. Action Line 1: Come spend some time in Newport and bookend either side of your trip by visiting me at 98 William Street. I’ll help you live like a local. There’s plenty for you to … [Read more...]
Field of Dreams: You Too Can Live Like a Billionaire
Did you miss Major League Baseball’s trade deadline? Who could blame you? Let the billionaires have their fun. Let the Washington Nationals’ Lerner family squabble with agent Scott Boras over what generational player Juan Soto is worth. Will his new home with the San Diego Padres land him that $500 million deal in a couple of years? The suspense is like watching paint dry. But that’s the life of the billionaires. They, too, need a reason to get up in the morning. Look, I’m Your Survival Guy, not some billionaire team owner. But I too have my team. Sure, it’s fantasy football. But this will … [Read more...]
Do You Have $500,000 in Savings? Avoid This Nightmare
Do you have $500,000 in savings? Is it working for you, or is it stuck in the summer doldrums taking up space in your house? Don't let another day go by without seriously considering a conversation with Your Survival Guy about putting your lazy cash to work. Look, there's a reason I'm writing to you, and that's to help you survive and thrive in all aspects of your life. But it's easy to let the money stuff sit around and do nothing. You can only read so much. At some point, you gotta do something. Inertia is the investor's worst nightmare. Take, for example, the huge move in interest … [Read more...]
The Key Ingredient to an $8 Million Estate Is This
You’re never too old to compound money. Remember Ronald Read? When he died, his estate was worth $8 million. He made a modest living pumping gas at a Gulf station in Brattleboro, VT. He gave life to those $1 dollar tips. A dollar saved is a dollar earned never sounded so sweet. The key to keeping your money alive and well—to survive and thrive—is to consider how much it can grow. Imagine showing a grandchild how to grow a plant in a Styrofoam cup like they learn in school. It doesn’t take too long to see that seed turn into something remarkable. How does it happen? With a little … [Read more...]
NO GO ZONES: The Wealthy Protected, the Rest Left to Rot
Your Survival Guy's wondering about farming, city living, Trump, midterms, and Sen. Joe Manchin. Let's get into this. What we need more of from West Virginia is less Joe Manchin and more Riley Moore. State Treasurer Riley Moore is fighting ESG (See here, here, and here to get an idea about the ESG threat) with a Restricted Financial Institutions list saying, "Any institution with policies aimed at weakening our energy industries, tax base and job market has a clear conflict of interest in handling taxpayer dollars." The list so far: BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, and … [Read more...]
The Bond Market Is Alive and Well
With the Fed raising rates by 0.75% yesterday, all of a sudden, the bond game is cookin’. We needed this move. And some more down the road just like it would be exactly what the doctor ordered. I’d like to see a continued pace of rate increases like this until “savers” can get some return on their money. The “risk free” rate of return has been far too low for far too long. Will the Fed have the conviction to see it through? I feel like I’m watching Lucy hold the football for Charlie Brown when I get excited about future moves. We’ll see. Stay tuned. Action Line: Until then, the bond … [Read more...]
YOUR RETIREMENT LIFE: Investing in the 70s, a Remembrance
Did you invest in stocks in the 70s? Do you remember the 70s? Like they say about Woodstock, if you do, “you weren’t there, man!” Look at my chart below to see why it was so forgettable. Imagine retiring in the late 60s and spending your retirement years investing in stocks. Not much fun. But, if you went into retirement with a plan, there’s a good chance you could weather the storm by owning a mix of diversified assets. When I say plan, I mean preparing before retirement with answers to questions like: How much can I “afford” to spend? What kind of yield can I get on blue-chip … [Read more...]
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