For most families, paying for college for their kids rivals buying a home as the largest investment that they will ever make. College is viewed - and rightfully so - as a key to a better future. Even as the cost of college continues to escalate at a pace almost double the inflation rate (nearly 5% per year compared to the historic average of nearly 3% for CPI), there is still a high and ... Read More
Great Recession
Most Common Investor Mistakes and How to Avoid Them: Mistake #1
Investing Mistake #1: Treating Investments Like a Part-Time Job and Not a Business. "When a man tells you that he got rich through hard work, ask him: Whose?" Don Marquis While you may be investing for a child's education, a vacation home or retirement, the common ingredient for success really is the process, approach and mindset you bring to making investing a success. Take it seriously and you ... Read More
How I Made My Fortune
The entrepreneur was being interviewed after a long life. He had made it through the Great Depression and was looking back. As he warmly reflected, he straightened up and with a twinkle in his eye told the world the secret of his success. "It was really quite simple. I bought an apple for five cents, spent the evening polishing it, and sold it the next day for 10 cents. With this I bought two ... Read More
The World Turned Upside Down: Reflections on the Meaning of Risk
It is said that when the British surrendered to the Colonial Army at Yorktown the band played a tune titled "The World Turned Upside Down." True or not, it is a fitting sound track to a seemingly improbable situation: The defeat of a well-trained army and navy of the most powerful empire in the world by an under-funded, out-numbered and ill-equipped army of colonials. It was as if the Sun, Earth ... Read More
Deflation? Inflation? Lessons from The Three Little Pigs
Just when you thought it was safe to get back into the investing waters, talk of deflation has creeped back into conversation. Why does it matter? Well, how you position your portfolio to deal with these two scenarios will make a big difference to your personal bottom line. With inflation, your money is worth less the longer you hold onto it. So you're more likely to spend in the now because ... Read More
