Why Index Funds Are Your Best Investment Choice
December 18, 2013
Index funds are a lazy investor’s best investment choice. You can invest your money in them, and even if you never research a single stock or try to time even one market turn, you will never, ever under-perform the overall stock market. This makes index funds the logical choice for most investors. It’s not that […]
The Benefits of Paying Your Auto Insurance by Credit Card
December 16, 2013
Some auto insurance companies try to convince you to pay your premium with a credit card, and will even offer incentives for your cooperation. While I generally oppose the use of credit cards for any purpose where it isn’t absolutely necessary, there’s a strong case to be made for using them to pay your annual […]
Side Businesses: The Best Way to Prepare for Retirement?
December 13, 2013
We often think of starting or having a side business as either an opportunity to earn more money, or as a bridge into full-time self-employment. Both of those possibilities are certainly there, but a side business can also be the best way to prepare for retirement. Consider what you can accomplish by having a side […]
Why Investing Your Emergency Fund Isn’t a Good Idea
December 12, 2013
One of the major disadvantages in a long-running bull market in stocks is that people start to get a little bit greedy. They want to invest any money they have in an effort to make more money in a market that seems like a sure thing. That can include retirement money, borrowed money, money in […]
What You Need to Know to Be a Successful Real Estate Investor
December 11, 2013
Historically, real estate has been one of the very best investment vehicles. Not only has it competed favorably with stocks, but it has probably been the primary way that middle-class people build wealth. But there’s a big difference between being a homeowner and being a successful real estate investor. The degree to which you can […]
7 Warning Signs You Could Lose Your Job
December 10, 2013
If you’ve ever lost your job in the past, then you can appreciate that it usually comes with very little warning – at least not the official kind. However, no matter how much employers try to hide problems, they usually will give all kinds of signs in advance. Pay attention – they can be easy […]
How to Quickly Build an Emergency Fund
November 26, 2013
I’ve often thought that having an emergency fund is the most basic component of good financial planning. Everything else you do with your finances is based on this simple, single building block. You can have money coming in, money going out, and even a healthy reserve for your golden years. But if you don’t have […]
When Should You Start Paying Off Your Mortgage Early?
November 14, 2013
Paying off the home mortgage is a major goal for a lot of people. Once the mortgage is paid and the home is owned free and clear, all kinds of possibilities open up in both finances and in lifestyle. The largest expense in the household budget is gone, there’s more money for everything else and […]
Working at Home: Dream or Nightmare?
October 31, 2013
A work-at-home arrangement can seem like an employment dream – especially for the person who has never done it before and sees it as the perfect set up. But I’m here to tell you that it can also be a certified nightmare! Having been a work-at-home dad for many years, I’ve experienced both the dream […]
Is Identity Theft Insurance Worth It?
October 30, 2013
Given that identity theft is becoming a more common problem, it was just a matter of time before someone would come up with an insurance policy designed to protect against it. It’s called identity theft insurance, and it’s a fairly new type of coverage. What is it, and is it worth having? Here are some […]
