As a financial coach, I focus on how behaviors and mentalities affect my clients' results. I also sometimes consider how public policy affects these results as well, and sometimes have to say something about how legislators' actions affect what we can and cannot do. Social Security is one of the most socially ingrained government programs … Continue reading As a Financial Coach, Here’s Why I Cannot Stand Social Security
Tag: investing
One Investing Chart Shows Why the Long Term is What Really Matters
We're now in the '20s, can you believe it? Cue the jazz music and all-time stock market highs. Well, perhaps jazz music won't be as popular as it was a century ago, but we do currently have a rather vibrant economy at the moment as we did in the 1920s, and the stock market has … Continue reading One Investing Chart Shows Why the Long Term is What Really Matters
“We Used a Coach…My Cousin Didn’t”
It's a common question that a lot of folks ask when they hear about the idea of working with a coach: " Why should I pay someone when I can’t even make payments on some of our debts?" This is an understandable concern. The bills are already sky-high and it seems like there's hardly any … Continue reading “We Used a Coach…My Cousin Didn’t”
Where Should I Put My Emergency Fund?
Step 3 of the Baby Steps program is to save three to six months of expenses in an emergency fund. This fund is not supposed to be used for shopping sprees, vacations, cars, sofa specials, or anything of that sort; only for true, emergency situations like a job layoff or medical incident. What to spend … Continue reading Where Should I Put My Emergency Fund?
What’s the Problem with Having a Car Payment?
Conventional "wisdom" says that there's no way around having a car payment every month. Vehicles are just so expensive that there's just no way a person can avoid it. You're stuck with that $500 a month payment and have to deal with it for the rest of your life. It turns out this conventional wisdom … Continue reading What’s the Problem with Having a Car Payment?
Money Won’t Solve Your Financial Problems
It's easy to think that if we earned just a bit more money, we'd be able to get ahead; that a few hundred dollars more a month will do the trick, or that a six-figure income is what really makes becoming wealthy possible. But contrary to popular opinion, that's simply not true. You may have … Continue reading Money Won’t Solve Your Financial Problems
The Not-So-Secret Tool That Will Help You Become Wealthy
There's a misconception that people who become wealthy these days somehow got there through special knowledge, sophisticated investment strategies, or (most cynical of all) by "stealing" from other people. All of the above things are untrue, and are demonstrably untrue thanks to Chris Hogan's study of over 10,000 American millionaires. The steps to achieving wealth … Continue reading The Not-So-Secret Tool That Will Help You Become Wealthy
97% of Millionaires Believe This One Thing, And It Makes ALL The Difference
In Chris Hogan's recently published book Everyday Millionaires, he wrote about some really fascinating statistics on typical American millionaires. The truth is far from media portrayals. Few millionaires ever hold an executive position, nor are many of them celebrities or professional athletes. Most simply worked hard over their entire lives, stayed out of debt, and invested … Continue reading 97% of Millionaires Believe This One Thing, And It Makes ALL The Difference