Sunday, December 22, 2024
In early 2020, much of the world went into a lockdown due to a medical pandemic. Governments warned millions could die. The world was scared. Headlines like, “Coronavirus sparks stock market chaos” were common. Wikipedia reports: “During March 2020, global stocks saw a downturn of at least 25%, and 30% in most G20 nations. …. […]
I’m still angry! I recently wrote about our “capitulation”. Tim Plaehn explained: “The yield for passive investors in fixed income products is terrible. Savers and retirees start looking for other ways to make their money grow. Just like you and Jo, many investors have moved into stocks out of necessity rather than desire.” (Emphasis mine) Tim was polite. Why […]
Inflation is defined as, “A general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of currency.” Inflation is a silent killer of retirement dreams. Most retiree’s income can’t keep up with inflation; even with the social security inflation rider. Jeff Clark’s article, “How to Deprogram Your Friends & Family from the Cult of Fiat Currency,” […]
Gold has been around since the beginning of time. It sits in a lump, doesn’t pay interest; yet governments around the world hoard it, and investment pundits recommend we own some. As kids, we watched movies about pirates stealing it, governments fighting over it and women swooning when they receive it as a gift. Warren […]
Remember the saying, “Everything comes to those who wait?” Investment gurus lectured us about patience and compounding. They blared, “Save $100/month, invest at 6% and you will be a millionaire when you retire.” Current interest rates make that impossible. 25 years ago, if you bought US treasuries, the compound interest doubled your money in 12 […]
I gave myself a wake-up call. Our recent article “Thinking About Retiring? Better Think It Through!” was a jolt for sure. For decades the mantra was save money and grow your wealth. We banked on the “rule of 72”. When the accumulated interest equals 72, you would double your money. Earn 6%, in 12 years you will […]
Anyone remember the commercials for “Friendly Bob Adams” of Household Finance? They advertised “debt consolidation loans”. Bring all your payment booklets, pay off your debts and consolidate them into one loan with a lower monthly payment. Theoretically it took the pressure off those living from paycheck to paycheck, up to their eyeballs in debt. A […]
I grabbed the clicker; “Turn off the damn TV!” No, I didn’t turn off hyped political commentary; it was the Weather Channel. They blared; millions of people were going to “suffer” from the current heatwave. The next headline, “US could set disaster record this year”, followed by 3 minutes of videos of every kind of […]
At the local convenience store, my wife Jo handed the clerk a $5 bill and waited for her change; finally asking for it. The clerk said, “We have a coin shortage. We have to round things to the nearest dollar.” Screw that! She dug in her purse, cobbled together the correct change and demanded the […]
Times are chaotic! Historically, when chaos reigns and emotions are turbocharged, there are winners and losers. Despite the stress, winners manage to see things clearly and keep their wits about them. Recently we interviewed John Williams at Shadowstats. He said government unemployment and inflation numbers are bogus. He also tells us: – Worst U.S. Economic Activity Ever Reported […]
