Distraction is everywhere on the long road to what you really want. There are countless reasons why people lose focus and put their attention on things that aren’t relevant to their financial goals and dreams. It’s easier to buy something today rather than save for a year (or more!) to buy something later. This applies to…
Don’t Have Specific Financial Goals? That’s Okay If You Have One of These Instead
It’s hard to plot out every goal you want to accomplish in your long life — especially if you’re in your 20s, 30s, or 40s right now. You have decades of life to live ahead of you, and these are the prime decades to experience some major life milestones and changes. Trying to understand exactly…
Timing the Market Doesn’t Work, So Here’s What to Do Instead
We’ve enjoyed a bull market for the last 8 years. In the last year alone, we’ve seen the S&P 500 rise 15% percent. For at least the last 4 years, you’ve also probably heard people — in the media, on TV, in your office — talk about how a downturn is inevitable and will happen…
How Do You Guarantee Investment Growth?
Let’s say your cash flow is set and you have extra money at the end of the month. Now you need to establish a plan to grow that money. You also need to keep in mind the reason (or reasons) why you want more money in the first place. This is the essence of goals-based…
Binary Decisions Are for Computers, Not for Humans
We often act like we live in a binary world, where we have only two choices: 0 or 1. These binary decisions work for computers, but not for humans. Luckily for us, there’s a better way. The more I speak with people about their finances, the more I realize how interesting humans really are. We…
Life After Debt: When You Stop Paying Down Balances and Start Building Wealth
When you can gain control over your cash flow and start aggressively paying down loans, you know it’s only a matter of time before you’ll reach debt freedom. It’s thrilling to know that once your debt is gone, you can put all that money toward building wealth rather than just repaying what you owe. You’re…
How Your Health Savings Account Can Supercharge Your Financial Success
I recently attended an event hosted by Fidelity in Washington DC. During the event, I spoke with a gentleman who helped write the regulations for several tax advantaged investment accounts back in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He confirmed a suspicion that I have had for a while when he revealed a little-known secret about…
Is There a Good Reason Not to Fund Your 401(k)?
A few weeks ago I wrote an article for Money Magazine online and it was read by hundreds of thousands of people that week. I’m very proud to have written the article, and I want to take a look at why this topic is so intriguing. I was told by the editor that it was…
3 Myths About Buying Your First Home
The thought of buying your first house (condo, apartment) can be exciting. It’s most likely the largest purchase you will have ever made and it’s something that you can call your own. It’s definitely a major step and you may even get that cool feeling of “yes, I’ve finally made it!” With such a major…
The stock market is like a wild bull – Here are 5 tips on how not to get bucked
In many ways, the stock market is a living, breathing animal with the ability to thrive or dive at any moment. Have you ever taken a ride on a wild bull? Ya, me neither, but that’s the image I want in your head. As one anonymous professional bull rider said about riding a bull, “Riding…