Phew! We made it! What a year 2020 has been. I’m absolutely exhausted from taking care of my two young kids, experiencing so much uncertainty, and writing so much. Unfortunately, the first half of 2021 likely won’t be much different. Many cities and counties will still be under shelter-in-place. Most of us still won’t get
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Fundrise is a leading real estate crowdfunding platform for non-accredited investors. Founded in 2012, Fundrise pioneered the eREIT asset, a private diversified real estate investment trust that enables everyday people to invest in private real estate once reserved for ultra-high net worth individuals or institutions. Currently, Fundrise manages over $1 billion in equity and has
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There’s a saying that goes something like this: To feel rich, take whatever you earn and triple it. Once you get there, triple it again. In other words, due to hedonic adaptation, it’s impossible to ever feel rich! But I’ve noticed on my path to financial freedom there were several times when I felt incredibly rich.
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Given Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, I thought it would be a good idea to discuss when to have more children. Having children is a personal choice. There is no right or wrong answer. However, once you have children, it’s hard to imagine anything more
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One of the keys to being a successful landlord is finding good tenants. At some point in your landlord journey, you may come across a situation where you have to decide between better tenants or higher rent. Of course, in an ideal situation, you would love to have both. This post will share my latest
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This is a joint sponsored post by FarmTogether, Masterworks, and Vinovest. They’ve helped keep the lights on all year here at Financial Samurai. With the S&P 500 close to a record-high you might wisely be thinking more about portfolio diversification. Portfolio diversification can help smooth out volatility. Further, you may be able to find investments
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In the debate between stocks versus real estate as a better investment, a common issue that comes up is real estate’s lack of liquidity. Due to its lack of liquidity, it should be considered inferior to stocks. However, I believe the need for liquidity is overrated. If you are financially competent, there will rarely be
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Have you ever wondered how the rich invest? Well, look no further than seeing how the ~$31 billion Yale endowment fund invests its money. Endowments invest like many of the world’s wealthiest people. Both want income to fund their operations or lifestyles indefinitely. And ultimately, both want consistently strong absolute returns, regardless of what the markets are doing.
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When I was growing up, our house was always pretty neat because I hardly had any toys. For example, I had no lego blocks for my parents to accidentally step on. My parents would only get me a present once a year. And that something was usually an action figure, not something expensive like a
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Right before negotiating my severance in 2012, I wondered whether I should get a Ph.D. After 13 years in the private sector, I thought it would be nice to switch things up. Besides, if I got my Ph.D., I could demand people call me doctor, just like how our incoming First Lady demands to be
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Opening a Roth IRA for your kids is a must once they start generating earned income. Not only will opening a Roth IRA help build wealth for your kids, if you have a business, it will also help you save on taxes. If you start contributing to your kid’s Roth IRA young enough, there’s a
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When everybody seems to be getting rich but you, it’s a disconcerting feeling. However, after 20 years of living in San Francisco, the startup capital of the world, I say that if you want to get rich, don’t join a startup. We always hear about hugely successful startups in the news. Names such as DoorDash
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Ever since the global pandemic began, the private jet market has been booming. But as a financially savvy person, you might wonder how much does it cost to fly private? Further, are there any cost-efficient ways to fly private? Flying private is one luxury that can improve your life once you become rich. No more
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For the past 10 years, traffic for the post, West Coast Living: Yes It Really Is Better, starts picking up around Thanksgiving. In the past, people landing on this post would come mainly from the East Coast. However, this year, I’m seeing more people coming from the Midwest and the South. The topic of migrating
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Accurate passive income forecasting is important for tax minimization, better time utilization, stronger mental health, and increased overall happiness. For 2020, I made a big mistake by inaccurately estimating my passive income. At the beginning of 2020, I estimated I would earn roughly $70,000 from my various real estate crowdfunding investments. The combined estimate for
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Back in 2011, I decided I wouldn’t pay off my mortgage until I retired. I was still working in banking and had a strong amount of cash flow. I thought I was going to work for at least another five years. Then, in 2012, I retired by negotiating a severance package that provided for six
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Taxes are our largest ongoing liability. As a result, it behooves us to optimize our taxes as much as possible. This post will discuss all the smart money-saving tax moves to make by year-end. The good thing about having multiple income streams is the financial security it provides. The bad thing about having multiple sources of
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November 2020 was a solid month. After a disappointing October 2020, the S&P 500 and NASDAQ returned 10.8% and 11.8%, respectively. After November’s gains, the S&P 500 is up 12% for the year. Could you have guessed that after being up ~30% in 2019, we’d be up another 12% during the middle of a pandemic?
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Dollar-cost averaging is the act of consistently investing in a particularly security over a set interval of time. Whether you know it or not, you are likely dollar-cost averaging every time you get a bi-weekly or monthly paycheck. For example, at the beginning of the year, you may elect a fixed percentage of your pre-tax
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With the Federal Reserve promising to keep the Fed Funds rate at 0% or close to 0% for years, it’s good to think about potential inflation on the horizon. Specifically, we should learn about investments that can hedge against inflation and also benefit from inflation. If our income and our investment returns are not beating
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Some credit cards are better than others when it comes to the holidays. Here is our selection of the best credit cards for holiday shopping.
The holiday gift-buying season can be a great time to net cash back rewards on purchases you’re already planning to make. So long as you stick to a budget, you’ll come out on top when you choose a great cash back rewards credit card for your holiday shopping. While we track the best overall cash back cards, here we focus especially on cards ideal for holiday shopping.
What to Look For
What should you look for when choosing a new credit card for gift buying? We’re going to look at cash back rewards cards, since they have the most flexible, easy-to-use rewards. But choosing a travel rewards card could also serve you well, especially if you’re planning a vacation in 2016. The goal, though, is to get the maximum amount of rewards possible on gifts you’re already planning to buy. In other words, even if a store credit card has great cash back rewards, it won’t do you any good unless you can pick up at least some of your gifts from that store. Also, while we recommend budgeting for the holiday season well before you begin shopping, a good credit card can help if you’re going to come up short. Some of the cards we’ve highlighted here feature 0% introductory APRs. So if you need to spend a bit more than you’ve got banked, you’ll have at least a couple of months to pay back your purchase before you incur any fees. Other things to consider include protections offered by a particular credit card. For instance, some cards offer return protection, refunding a purchase even if the retailer won’t take your return. Others offer purchase protection, which will cover replacement costs if the gift is stolen or damaged. If you’re planning any large purchases of electronics, big toys, or other warrantied items, look for a card that offers a warranty extension. Of course, these offers are all detailed and complex. So, if you’re choosing a card for one of these considerations, make sure to read the fine print. Related: 9 Ways Credit Cards Can Save You Money
Best Cards to Use
With those parameters in mind, here are the top 6 best cash back credit cards to use this holiday season:1. Chase Freedom
The Chase Freedom is our top pick for holiday shopping. It offers 0% introductory APR on purchases for 15 months. Chase Freedom offers 5% cash back on categories that rotate quarterly. Typically, Chase typically offers 5% cash back categories in the 4th quarter on shopping on Amazon.com. Plus, you can earn a $150 cash-back bonus when you spend $500 on purchases within three months of opening this card. Note that this is a recent increase from a $100 bonus that the Chase Freedom card offered in the past. Other benefits of the Chase Freedom card include purchase protection, which offers up to $500 per claim to cover purchases from damage or theft for 120 after purchase. It also offers extended warranty protection on eligible warranties of three years or less. With these additional protections, and the broad bonus categories through the end of the year, this is a great option for those who plan to do most of their shopping online.2. Discover it® Cash Back
The Discover it® Cash Back cash back card isn’t the best everyday rewards card, since it has a relatively low 1% cash back on everyday purchases. However, it features 5% cash back in categories that rotate quarterly. In October to December 2015, the cash back bonus category is great for gift buyers. The bonus is included for purchases at Amazon.com, department stores, and clothing stores. Plus, new cardholders of the Discover it® Cash Back will earn double cash back for the first year’s worth of purchases. The cash back will hit your account automatically at the end of the year, so this could be a great option for “saving” on holiday purchases in 2016. Other benefits include the ability to freeze your card through a mobile app if you notice any suspicious activity and the $0 fraud liability. You’ll also get extended warranties, price protection, and purchase protection on purchases made with this card.3. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
For excellent cash back benefits, check out the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. This card offers 6% cash back year-round on up to $6,000 in purchases at supermarkets. Think you can’t buy Christmas gifts at a supermarket? Think again! Many supermarkets carry gifts during the holiday season, and they nearly all carry gift cards. You can give the gift cards as a gift, or purchase and use them to buy physical gifts at a 6% discount. If that 6% cash back isn’t enough to convince you, you can get 3% at U.S. gas stations. It also offers 1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus, when you spent $1,000 in purchases within three months of opening your account, you’ll get a $250 statement credit. They’ve also added a few new bonus categories; 6% cash back on select US streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu and others) and 3% cash back on ground transportation. Besides all this, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months. It also offers extended warranty benefits for warranties of five years or less, purchase protection for 90 days from the date of purchase, and return protection for up to $1,000 per calendar year.4. U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card
The U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card offers 5% cash back on the first $2,000 of combined purchases in any two categories that you choose quarterly. It also offers 2% cash back on one everyday category – like gas or groceries – and 1% cash back on everything else. With no limit on the total cash back you can earn, this is a great everyday use card. And if you’re smart about setting those two bonus categories, you can save some serious money this holiday season. This card also offers $0 fraud liability, active account monitoring to detect potential fraud, and mobile account alerts.5. Amazon.com Rewards Visa Card
When it comes to earning great rewards for holiday shopping, you may want to think outside the box. The Amazon.com Rewards Visa Card from Chase offers great rewards if you’re planning to do most of your shopping on Cyber Monday – or otherwise online through Amazon.com. The card offers 3% cash back on all Amazon.com purchases, 2% cash back at gas stations, restaurants, and drugstores, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus, when you sign up now, you’ll get an instant $80 credited to your Amazon.com account upon approval. One benefit of the Amazon.com Visa card is that you don’t have to sign up for rotating bonus categories. If you’re an Amazon junkie, just pick up this card around the holidays. You can use the $80 bonus to buy yourself or someone you love a little extra something.6. Target REDcard
One interesting thing about the Target REDcard is that it comes in two flavors: debit and credit. The debit card hooks up to your existing checking account and automatically debits purchases from the account. So you aren’t worrying about overextending yourself on credit, but you’ll still earn rewards. The credit card operates like a traditional store credit card with rewards. Rather than getting cash back in the traditional sense, the Target REDcard debit card offers a 5% discount on any purchase from Target. That can add up to big savings throughout the year, especially if you plan to do lots of your holiday shopping at a Target superstore. Other benefits include free shipping online, additional savings for pharmaceuticals, and an additional 30 days to make returns. This fee-free debit card also gives 1% of your purchase amount to the K-12 school of your choice. The Target Visa Credit Card offers the same basic benefits, and a few more. It allows you to make purchases elsewhere, and offers a handy bill pay service, if you’re looking for that sort of thing.Get the Most from Your Card Over the Holidays
When it comes to holiday shopping with a credit card, you can earn some serious cash back. The average American spent around $730 on holiday gifts, food, and other purchases in 2013. If you spend that in a 5% cash back category with one of the above cards, you’ll net $37 in savings. Of course, your real goal when spreading holiday cheer is to spend smart and stick to your budget!Some credit cards are better than others when it comes to holiday spending. Here is our selection of the best credit cards for shopping this holiday season.The post The 7 Best Credit Cards for Holiday Shopping appeared first on The Dough Roller.
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A bullish indicator gives investors more confidence to buy or hold a position. There are many variables to track when making an investment decision. However, this bullish indicator has been flashing green since 2Q2020 and is still flashing green today. As I was updating my post on helping people decide whether to pay down debt
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Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We’re staying in San Francisco and making a home-cooked meal after some morning tennis. We’ll then do a group video call with my sister in NYC and our parents in Honolulu. Despite a difficult year, there is still so much to be thankful for. We need to all be thankful for the
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Ever since I was young, I’ve been a collector with the little money I had. As an adult, it’s so fun to be able to buy things I couldn’t afford as a kid. Some of my favorite memorabilia include retro-Jordans and He-man figures from the 1980s. I still remember paying a couple bucks in high
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With Memorial Day wrapped up, Americans are getting ready to head back to work. For many, the next day to look forward to is Independence Day, which happens to also fall on a Monday this year. A few years ago, when I was working the nine-to-five lifestyle, I used to mark my calendar with all of the holiday day’s off. I realized after a few years that these days not only represented time off, but also a budgeting nightmare. When you think about all of the holiday’s we celebrate, they all have one thing in common and that’s spending money. Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Independence Day, Valentines Day or a litany of other holidays, the urge to spend is present. Think about it … between gifts, barbecues and nights out, hundreds if not thousands of dollars is spent on items you probably never budgeted for. Here are a few spending tips to make sure that you’re not on the hook for hundreds of dollars worth of expenses every time a holiday rolls around.
Plan Ahead
If you wait until the last minute to plan a holiday party or budget for a Valentines Day dinner, the debt you didn’t expect can quickly turn into late payments and over limit fees on credit cards and other types of revolving debt. Planning ahead can allow you to see just how much you can afford to spend and the urge to wow your friends of loved one won’t be as great. By sitting down and spending some time looking at the upcoming holidays, you might be able to find a few inexpensive (or even free) ways to spend your time off.When You’re Hosting, Ask For Help
I’ll be the first to admit that when I have friends and family come over, even for small occasions, I like to go the extra mile. Whether that means spending a little more money in decorating the place or buying more food and drink for everyone to have, I splurge. It’s a terrible habit that I’m working on and if you find yourself in the same situation, it’s time to ask for help. This can be done in a couple of ways:- Have guests bring items. The more people you invite, the less you’ll have to do on your own but be careful. Planning this way can lead to disaster if guests with important items don’t show up. Make sure you are still in charge of the main items being served, but your guests take care of everything else.
- Charge your guests a cover. I know this one sounds awkward and in poor taste, especially if you offered to host, but having people chip in a couple of bucks shouldn’t turn friends and family the wrong way. If everyone contributed $5 for the entire day, you’ll be able to defray some of the costs.
Romance Can Be Cheap
Getting away from the group gatherings on this one, spending time with a loved one doesn’t have to break the bank. Spending time to prepare a picnic, a home cooked meal and a well written card makes all the difference. Yes, spending a few hundreds dollars to have a plane sky-write a message will win you points but the same reaction can be achieved with a song, craft or a long day together. Remember that if you spend a lot of money once, it may be expected of you in the future.A little smart shopping can save you big bucks this holiday season. Here are a few tips to avoid overspending during the holidays.The post How to Avoid Overspending During the Holidays appeared first on The Dough Roller.
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The decision to pay down debt or invest is a personal one. It depends on a lot of factors such as risk tolerance, your number of income streams, liquidity needs, family expenses, job security, investing acumen, retirement age, inflation forecasts, and bullishness about your future in general. I’ve had hundreds of people ask me whether to
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Since 2007, the Michelin Guide has awarded The French Laundry their highest rating of three stars. Unless you’re really rich or a politician, you will likely have to wait months to get a reservation at this Yountville, California restaurant in Napa Valley. Deca-millionaire California Governor Gavin Newsom and his wife were spotted having an opulent dinner
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There are good times to retire early and then there are bad times to retire early. I’d like to highlight the worst times to retire early to prevent you from living a suboptimal life. As someone who retired in 2012 and mentally un-retired by 2014, I feel it’s my duty to share all the landmines
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Have to work on Cyber Monday? No worries, if you plan ahead, you could score some smart buys on your lunch break. Here are 11 tips to finding the best Cyber Monday deals.
During the holidays, my goal is to have 90% of my shopping done before Thanksgiving day. That way I can spend time with my family and relax instead of worrying about gift buying. With that said, it’s savvy to wait to buy certain gifts on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. When we first published this article back in 2015, Cyber Monday was relatively new. But now it’s well established that you’ll find some of the best deals on Cyber Monday. And you also won’t have to wait in those famously massive Black Friday lines. For Black Friday, most major retailers publish their deals in advance. So you can peruse the online deal notices or newspaper fliers to decide which stores you want to put on your shopping list. And many stores do offer more online deals on Black Friday, though the best deals on that day are often found in the stores. And for the best online deals, you may need to wait over the weekend. Cyber Monday deals aren’t often published ahead of time. So you have to pay attention to them on the day of, or they may sell out before you even see that the deal is available. So be sure you approach Cyber Monday prepared to score some major deals with our shopping tips and tricks.
1. Check Out Last Year’s Sales
Again, Black Friday deals are usually published well in advance. This is less often the case with Cyber Monday. But that doesn’t mean you have to be clueless about the deals most places are likely to offer. Check out last year’s sales by Googling for the flyers from your favorite stores and retailers. This can give you an idea of the general content of Cyber Monday sales, so you know which websites to peruse first.2. Check Prices
It used to be that you needed to go to a separate website to find the best deals and compare the pricing of the items in your cart. Those sites, including DealNews.com and CyberMonday.com, still exist. But they’re not the most efficient way to check prices any more. Instead, you can now install toolbars or apps on your actual desktop or laptop browser to compare prices as you shop. For instance, Shoptimate is a Google Chrome app that automatically compares prices of the items you’re interested in. You can also install price checking apps on your phone, which you can use to find the best prices on the items you’re buying on Cyber Monday.3. Look for Added Discounts
Before you automatically pick up your next iGadget from the store with the lowest price on CyberMonday.com, type the store or item name into a coupon code site. RetailMeNot.com, CouponCabin.com and DealCatcher.com are three good options. These sites can help you find free shipping, added discounts, or other value-added coupons that will bump prices lower–even if you wind up paying a higher ticket price on a particular item. Another good option here is, again, an app or extension. Honey is an example of an excellent Chrome extension that automatically searches for and applies coupon codes to your cart. Just run it before you check out, and it will find the optimal combination of usable coupon codes for the items you’re buying from any given retailer.4. Follow Your Favorites and Get Customized Offers
While the websites mentioned above will help you easily compare pricing for a variety of items, you may find even better deals if you follow your favorite stores, products, and brands on Facebook or Twitter. It’s common for brands and stores to offer their most loyal customers better deals through their social media outlets. Many stores now even give you customized deals based on your shopping habits. This strategy will be most useful if the retailer is its own brand, as with a clothing store. It’s not unusual for clothes to be found at a big discount, so follow your favorite brands before Cyber Monday for more deals.5. Sign Up for Emails
Brands see your inbox as valuable advertising space, especially since you have to actually give them your email address for them to be able to legally send you emails. So go sign up for the email lists of your favorite brands. You might just get a sneak peek at Cyber Monday deals or an alert as soon as the deals become available. Sometimes you’ll also snag a coupon for additional discounts when you first sign up for an email list. This might stack on top of your Cyber Monday deals, or net you a discount on full-price items that also make it into your cart. Just remember that you can always unsubscribe from these emails later on. But email is an excellent way to find out about the best deals early on.6. Set up Ahead of Time
One of the biggest problems consumers report on Cyber Monday is lag times online. If you’re shopping for some of the hottest items, they might disappear before you can check out–even if you’re one of the first shoppers to hit the web. To streamline your shopping process–and give yourself the best chance to land the best deals–set yourself up for easy purchasing ahead of time. If you have some idea which online stores you’re likely to use, set up an account, if you don’t have one already. This takes loads of time out of the process of checking out once your shopping cart is full. If you don’t know where you’ll shop online, opening a PayPal account or Google Pay account can streamline the checkout process. Most retailers will now take one or both of these options, and you can automatically set up your shipping address for faster checkout.7. Take a Look at Policies Ahead of Time
If you’ve shopped with a particular retailer before, this may not be a huge deal. But if you’re looking at shopping with a new-to-you retailer, research their shipping and return policies before you buy. Many retailers have flexible policies here. But if you end up paying through the nose for shipping or have trouble returning items that don’t work for you, you’ve just created more hassle for yourself.8. Check for Bonus Points
As you’re planning your Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping, take time to research different payment options. Making the right choice–whether it’s paying by PayPal, by credit card, or through a specialized shopping program–can net you more savings in the long run. For instance, one year, PayPal offered price match guarantees and free return shipping for any items bought through its system. Several credit cards also offer price matching and bonus points around the holiday shopping season. You might even check into programs like U-Promise, which could put money into your child’s college savings account while you shop Cyber Monday deals.9. Use the Best Rewards Credit Card
Since you’ll be shopping online, you’ll likely be paying with a credit card. As such, there’s no reason to forego cash back with the right credit card. My personal favorite cash rewards card is the Citi Double Cash Card because it pays 2% cash back (1% with every purchase + 1% when you pay for those purchases.) However, the Chase Freedom is a serious contender. It pays a $150 cash bonus when you spend $500 in the first three months. Whatever cash back credit card you use, be sure not to overspend and to pay your card off in full the following month.10. Get Going Early
Some retailers do hour by hour deals for Cyber Monday. These are often published ahead of time, so pay attention to when your most-wanted items go on sale, and set a reminder on your phone to check out the deals at that time. But often more general deals are available at the very beginning of Cyber Monday shopping–usually beginning at midnight the night before. And those deals will go until the product sells out. You don’t necessarily have to get up at 3 AM to make Cyber Monday worth it, but pay attention to the deals that are available, as you might find one or two that make it worth getting up at a weird time or taking a late lunch break to catch an hourly deal.11. Start with a List and a Budget
Of course, all the bargain shopping in the world isn’t worth it if you’re ultimately spending money you don’t have on stuff that you don’t want or need. So start out Cyber Monday like any other shopping trip–with a list and a budget. Maybe everything you’re buying on this day isn’t for holiday gifts, and that’s fine. But make sure you think through the things you want to buy before you start typing in your credit card information multiple times in one day! With these Cyber Monday shopping tips, you could stock up on stuff you want to gift or have, and you’ll spend less money doing it.Cyber Monday is a great time to find deals on items like electronics and holiday gifts. But before you buy, read this article to learn how to save more.The post 11 Tips to Find the Best Cyber Monday Deals appeared first on The Dough Roller.
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What’s the deal with Black Friday? It involves money, and a lot of it. And money impacts stock. So what are the best stocks to buy for Black Friday? Before you make any changes to your portfolio, here’s what you need to know.
Another Black Friday is fast coming upon us. While consumers are focused on the hope of deep discounts on major purchases, is it also time to investigate the best stocks to buy for Black Friday. After all, Black Friday is more than just a day anymore. Many retailers get a jump on the day, kicking off big sales events as much as a week early. In a real way, Black Friday has become a mini-season all its own, which is why it has such a big impact on retail sales. But does it have any real effect on stocks?
The Stocks that MAY Benefit from Black Friday 2018
Despite the fact that Black Friday is hardly a game changer for the stock market, there are certain stocks that may warrant closer attention. Obviously, retail chains are at center stage. But you have to be very selective even if you go that route. You probably already know if a given retailer will do well during Black Friday weekend. If they have a strong product line going into the holiday season, one that’s generating a lot of buzz and rising sales, Black Friday may only strengthen their case. There are also certain types of retailers that tend to do especially well during Black Friday, and the holiday season in general. For example, electronics are typically a big seller. Due to their usual high cost, electronics, including entertainment equipment and computers, tend to do very well with the Black Friday crush. Another is major jewelry store chains, since jewelry is a top gift item for the holidays. But one sector you may not have given much thought to is restaurants. With so many people out shopping all day on Black Friday, and into the weekend, people need a place to eat–or to take a break from shopping. Restaurants are a natural choice, and certain chains may see an increase in holiday sales as a result. And of course, with so many people shopping online these days, Amazon seems like a sure bet no matter what’s happening with the big retail chains.How is the Stock Market Affected by Thanksgiving and Black Friday?
In the grand scheme of things, the stock market is not heavily affected by Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Perhaps the biggest effect of Black Friday on the stock market is in this predictive value. A strong Black Friday can be an indication of a strong holiday season. In the retail sector, the holiday season can make or break the entire year. If Black Friday is strong, it’s likely sales will be strong for the season, leading to increased revenues and earnings. But there’s more than a bit of speculation in that assumption. That’s the way it will work if Black Friday indicates a rising sales trend. If it goes in the other direction, and sales come in below expectations, it could be an indication of a weaker than expected holiday season. If that’s the case, the retail sector may experience a bad quarter, and a bad year overall. Compounding the problem is that such sentiment can carry into the new year. After all, fourth quarter performance is a strong indicator of what will play out in the coming year. That may be more significant in the retail sector than any other.What Stock Investors Should do when Black Friday 2018 Comes
For the most part, if you’re a long-term investor, about the only thing you should do on Black Friday is go shopping looking for deals like everyone else. If you’ve already set your investment allocation, you’ll want to stick with it through relatively minor events, Black Friday. There’s nothing about this shopping event that should motivate you to materially change your portfolio. Whatever allocation you deemed appropriate throughout the year should be exactly where you stay. If the stocks you’re currently holding in your portfolio are fundamentally sound, there’s no need to make a change based on the upcoming holiday season. If there is any insight to be gained, it might be that the stock of a retailer that has been struggling all year might be worth selling if it experiences lackluster sales during Black Friday. That could be an indication the company will continue to struggle going into the new year. Of course, every other investor will be aware of the same situation, so it’s unlikely you’ll get the jump on selling.Playing the Historical Bounce – December and January
Apart from any potential retail plays over the Black Friday week, there may be something of a short-term strategy at this time of the year. Historically, stocks stage a year-end rally, that carries into the new year. Increasing your portfolio in October and early November might provide something of an upward bounce in the next few months. Based on the graph below, which includes data from 1928 through 2018, it turns out September is historically the worst month in the stock market, losing an average of 1%. But the market then turns modestly higher in October and November, before staging a two month rally in December and January, that represents the strongest two month stand of the year.
(Source: Stock Market Indicators: Historical Monthly & Annual Returns, Yardeni Research, Inc, September 29, 2018) Rather than focusing on any bounce that might result from certain retail stocks that might benefit from Black Friday holiday, it might be more a matter of positioning for a general market upturn. If there is a play during this holiday week, that one might be the most predictable.
How Much of Your Portfolio Should You Commit to Black Friday Stocks?
If you’re looking for professional advice on this, we recommend Personal Capital’s Wealth Management Service. You can contact a personal advisor by phone, via a web conference, through email or even online chat. Realistically, if you’re generally satisfied with your investment portfolio, the only strategy–and it’s a minor one at best–may be to put a very small amount of your portfolio into the stocks of companies you think will do extraordinarily well through the holiday season. But even that is probably a decision you’ve already made. Otherwise, you can feel free to ignore your portfolio, and jump into the Black Friday fray with the crowd.While consumers are focused on the hope of deep discounts on major purchases, is it also time to investigate the best stocks to buy for Black Friday.The post Best Stocks to Buy for Black Friday appeared first on The Dough Roller.
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Having honor and pride are good traits. But having honor and pride can also be detrimental to your quest for financial freedom and living a better life. Life is already hard enough. Don’t make it even harder by being so stubborn! I assume that many of you are suffering from burnout just like me. Every
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Times are tough. Whether you earn a lot or just get by, watching where your money goes is important. There are lots of ways to watch your spending, investments, and more. But since you probably have a cell phone in your pocket all the time, apps are a great option.
Understanding your cash flow is a major part of successfully managing your finances. How much is coming in, when it hits your bank account, and where it’s going are all important aspects of financial success. Luckily, the market is saturated with money management apps designed to help you see your bank balance, track your spending, and analyze your habits. Plus, there are also apps that will help you make better financial decisions, based on the data gathered from your accounts. And the best part? You can access your financial situation wherever you go. Many money management apps are viewable online, as well as on your mobile device, making it easy to take care of your finances no matter where you are. Here are 11 of the best money management apps you should consider:1. Personal Capital
Personal Capital is one of the best money management apps available. It’s lets you track your budget while including information about your investment accounts. The interface is intuitive and the visuals are easy to see on desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone. Graphs of your investments by asset class, investment account, or individual investment are easy to read, making it easy to track your investment performance and manage your portfolio. You can even get help from an investment professional in some cases. Personal Capital’s budgeting functions aren’t quite as robust or intuitive as some of the other money management tools, but they get the job done. The main advantage to Personal Capital is the fact that your investments are considered in the equation, giving you a holistic view of your total financial picture.
2. Mint.com
Mint has long been a popular budgeting website and app, and not without reason. Like Personal Capital, Mint offers access to your investment accounts in addition to budgeting tools. But for Mint, the budgeting portion is the stronger offering, while the investing section feels a little like an afterthought. Mint is a great option if you want to keep a super detailed budget. You can create as many budget categories as you want, and you can categorize transactions on the go. Mint automatically pulls transactions in from your bank accounts and credit cards, so they’re all in one place. Mint also analyzes your spending and provides insights into your habits, letting you see where you could improve. Finally, the app also has a nice bill pay feature reminding you when bills are due. You can even pay bills from the app.3. Acorns
Acorns takes your virtual change out of your account. But instead of saving it, Acorns invests the difference. The app allows you to start investing with virtually no effort. You just set it up, and get going. You can use Acorns just to round up your transactions, but you can also set up recurring withdrawals to your account, or boost your account with a one-time transaction. Acorns also has a new shopping app type function, called Found Money. When you shop with certain brands, the brand partners will automatically invest in your Acorns account. Check out our review of the app here.4. YNAB
YNAB (You Need a Budget) will cost you $6.99 per month, but the first month’s fee is waived, and the company claims that new budgeters save $200 in their first month. Even if you don’t save quite that much with the help of YNAB, the app can still be worth the monthly fee. The philosophy underlying YNAB is “a job for every dollar.” You’re encouraged to place a premium on thinking ahead and determining where your money goes ahead of time, from investing to saving up for a vacation to paying the bills to buying groceries. Like many other money management apps, YNAB offers bank syncing and support for mobile devices. You can also use YNAB to help you set financial goals and make the most of each dollar you earn.5. PocketGuard
Looking for a money management app that will also actively help you find savings in your regular spending? PocketGuard might be just the thing for you. Sync up your accounts and PocketGuard will track and help you analyze your spending. You can then use that information to help you build a better budget. PocketGuard also picks up on recurring bills and even looks for better deals. You can identify spending trends month-to-month, track individual bills, and use the app to save money in the long run.6. Dollarbird
Is your primary budget issue figuring out what you need to pay in the future? Maybe you’re afraid to spend $10 on lunch, even if your bank account is fairly flush, because you can’t remember when your student loans are due. Dollarbird can help with that. Dollarbird is free with premium add-ons. The idea here is to put your budget into calendar form. You get an at-a-glance view of upcoming expenses. Color code transactions by category and easily enter recurring transactions, like your paycheck and utility bill. The app lets you see your projected balance, so you know how much money you can safely spend. One limitation here, though, is that Dollarbird doesn’t sync with your bank accounts. You’ll have to enter transactions manually, but that’s pretty simple to do–and that means you end up with a more hands-on approach to your money.7. Mvelopes
One of the most popular budgeting strategies is the “envelope” strategy. You divide up your cash, put it in envelopes, and spend in that category until the cash is gone. If you want to move that old-school budgeting technique into the 21st Century, Mvelopes can help. Mvelopes translates your credit card and digital spending into a cash-style budgeting system that keeps track of where your money is going. You can create a budget and the app will take care of the rest. You do need to pay for the service, though. Mvelopes has plans starting at $4 per month. You can pay more, though, and get access to a wider variety of features, including financial coaching services.8. Wally
Wally is a stripped-down budgeting app without a lot of bells and whistles. However, the unique features it does have are worth exploring. First of all, Wally supports nearly all foreign currencies. If you’re a digital nomad, spending time outside the country, Wally can be a great help to you. Next, Wally allows you to save pictures of receipts so you can keep track of important items related to taxes and business without dealing with paper. Each time you log in, Wally lets you know how much money you have, and what’s left in the budget until the end of the month. With that information, and the ability to manage your finances without paper in almost any currency in the world, it’s no wonder that Wally is popular with millennials.9. Good Budget
Goodbudget is built on the concept of an envelope budget. You get 10 envelopes for free, but if you upgrade to Plus, you get unlimited envelopes for $6 per month. As with most envelope-based systems, you have to stop spending when an envelope is empty, or move money from a different envelope. One of the biggest advantages associated with Goodbudget is that you can create a shared budget in your household. Goodbudget is compatible across iPhone and Android devices, so it doesn’t matter what others are using. Use Goodbudget to set shared goals, keep each other accountable, and plan your budget in a way that everyone knows what’s happening.10. Spendee
Spendee is yet another visual app that syncs with your bank accounts. It automatically downloads transactions and categorizes them. It also allows you to share certain parts of your budget with others. Assign money to virtual wallets and Spendee will keep you on track. You can also share specific wallets with friends, allowing you to encourage accountability as you work toward your goals. You don’t have to share your entire budget, though, which is important if you want to maintain your privacy. Spendee also offers a travel mode that supports multiple currencies when you’re abroad.11. Albert
Do you wish you had a personal finance assistant? You probably want Albert. Using aspects of artificial intelligence mixed with human guidance, you can get personalized information about your current financial health–and what you can do to improve it. Albert automatically creates a budget for you, based on your income, spending habits, and bills. Not only that, but Albert helps you set money aside in a savings account, analyzes your bills to help you identify where you overpay, and even alerts you when a free trial is coming to an end. You can use Albert for free, but if you’re willing to pay a small premium, you can text human experts to get a little extra help reaching goals like investing more and paying down debt. Technology offers you the chance to understand your finances and improve your money management skills. Find the right money management app to match your style and watch your situation improve. Check out Episode 306 of the Dough Roller Podcast below, where Rob discusses #4 on the list, YNAB, as well as another financial management app, eMoney.If you're like most people, you have a smartphone and you care about your money. Here are the 3 best money management apps on the market right now.The post The Top 3 Money Management Apps for Growing Your Net Worth appeared first on The Dough Roller.
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“I Am Not This Voice. I Am Not This Narrative.” | People I (Mostly) Admire Ep. 7: Caverly Morgan
8:12 PM
She showed up late and confused to her first silent retreat, but Caverly Morgan eventually trained for eight years in silence at a Zen monastery. Now her mindfulness-education program Peace in Schools is part of the high-school curriculum in Portland, Ore. Steve Levitt finds out what daily life is like in a silent monastery, why teens find it easier than adults to learn meditation, and what happy children can teach their parents.
Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Radio Public, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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One of my biggest regrets was not buying a multifamily investment property in my late 20s. Instead of taking advantage of multifamily investment opportunities to generate more passive income, I decided to buy a four bedroom, three and a half bathroom single family home instead. The house wasn’t huge at ~2,300 sqft. But it was
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The Value of a SAHM (Stay-At-Home Mom)
According to a recent Salary.com survey, the value of a stay-at-home mom in 2016 (sorry, dads, you weren’t part of the survey this time) would cost about $143,000 if you had to outsource those jobs. The survey looked at the services provided by a typical homemaker, including housekeeper, child care, chauffeur, and more. If you had to hire someone else to take care of all those services, you’d pay a lot to do it. But does that mean that a stay-at-home parent needs more than $1 million in life insurance? Probably not. Related: The Complete Guide to Life Insurance The truth is that in single-parent households, not all of these services are outsourced. Yes, if something happened to you, your spouse would have to pay for daycare and would probably like to pay for extra services like housekeeping. But plenty of working single parents clean the house, make the lunches, plan the doctor’s appointments, run to school and soccer practice, and still work.The Goal is Something In Between
While your stay-at-home parent services are invaluable for your family, you don’t want to wind up with more life insurance than you can afford. So when you’re deciding how much term life insurance coverage to buy for yourself, you’ll have to do some personal calculations and some hard thinking. Here’s one process for deciding how much life insurance to carry for the stay-at-home parent in your family:Step 1: Calculate What You Actually Need
First, talk about what life would look like if that parent died. No one likes to think about this possibility, but to make good life insurance decisions you must. Which services would the surviving spouse need (or want) to outsource? Look into the cost of full-time child care in your area and include that in your calculations. You may also want to check out things such as housekeeping services. Remember to look at the ways a stay-at-home parent saves your family money, as well. For instance, many stay-at-home moms are able to shave hundreds off the monthly grocery bill by meal planning, couponing, and cooking at home. If something happened to this parent, the family’s food costs could go up quite a bit. Related: How to Create a Bare Bones Budget Also look into counseling services. If something happens to your children’s primary caregiver, chances are they’ll need some professional help to cope in a healthy way. How much would some basic grief counseling or therapy cost your family? Again, it’s not fun to think about these possibilities, but it’s essential to choosing the right amount of life insurance for a stay-at-home parent.Step 2: Figure Out How Much It Costs
Second, research how much life insurance coverage would cost. Term life insurance rates are typically low. But if you’re a one-income family living on a tight budget, you may not be able to afford much coverage. On the other hand, if rates are very low, you might be able to afford the luxury of more coverage. The key is to make sure you can pay for it, even if you get into a bind financially. Not paying your premiums can result in a termination of coverage, which is not a place you want to find yourself.Find the Cheapest Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Step 3: Decide How Much to Buy
Finally, choose how much coverage you want. Your best bet is to apply through a broker, so you can get the best deal on the amount of coverage you need. It’s also easy to get life insurance quotes online. A SAHM is possibly the most important job as a mom, and part of that job is making sure your children are cared for in all eventualities. One option to consider is Policygenius’ tools and insights to help you decide on the best insurance policy for you and how much to plan for. Another company to consider is HealthIQ. They’ll give steep discounts based on how in-shape you are. So if you have a good diet, exercise, and maintain a healthy lifestyle, you might find that they have the cheapest plan for you. One Broker Option: Looking for Life Insurance? Quotacy Can Help Having the right type of life insurance coverage for both parents in a family can give you peace of mind. You can sleep well knowing that you’re protecting your family, and especially your children, in the worst possible circumstances. If one partner in your family stays at home with the kids, calculating life insurance needs can be more complicated, because you can’t just multiply your annual income. Take the time to figure out how much coverage the stay-at-home parent warrants, though. It is an important step in making sure your family is well-protected. Life insurance is crucial for every family, but how much life insurance does a stay-at-home parent need? These are the things you need to consider.The post How Much Life Insurance Does a Stay-at-Home Parent Need? appeared first on The Dough Roller.
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This Company Pays California Residents Hundreds Of Dollars A Year To Save Electricity
4:23 AMAre you looking to make extra money and cut back on your electricity use? Here is my OhmConnect review that will help you do just that. I have partnered with OhmConnect and I will be talking about if OhmConnect is legitimate and safe, average OhmConnect earnings, and more.
If you live in California, I found a really easy opportunity to save some extra money.
If you’re a California resident, you can earn hundreds of dollars a year by connecting your utility account to OhmConnect. All you have to do is agree to help reduce your electricity usage one hour per week.
Here’s a quick summary on OhmConnect – OhmConnect is a free service that rewards California residents for saving electricity with PayPal cash or gift cards. You receive a notification about once per week to save energy for an hour. If you save energy, you receive cash.
Not only are you helping the environment, which is OhmConnect’s mission, you are also able to make some extra money.
The average OhmConnect member earns between $100 to $300 each year. And, some users have earned over $2,000 in their first year.
It is extremely easy to use OhmConnect too!
In fact, I think it’s a no brainer if you are a California resident. There is nothing to lose.
Today, I’d like to talk about OhmConnect and you may be able to save electricity, help the environment, and make extra money.
Here’s my OhmConnect review.
What is OhmConnect?
When many different households are using electricity all at the same time, it causes dirty and inefficient power plants to be used.
More and more states and cities are switching to paying their residents for saving energy, as it’s more affordable for them and better for the environment.
This is where OhmConnect comes in.
OhmConnect is a free service that helps you use energy when it is the cleanest, and rewards you with cash and gift cards for saving electricity.
OhmConnect does not charge you any fees, and you don’t have to install anything if you choose not to.
OhmConnect also does not change your utility bill.
All OhmConnect does is that they simply ask you to turn off appliances or reduce your electricity for an hour or two each week. If you save enough energy during an OhmHour event, you then earn points, and those points can be used for PayPal cash or other prizes.
How much money can you make with OhmConnect?
If you save enough energy during an OhmHour event, you then earn points, and those points can be used for PayPal or other prizes.
10,000 points equals $100. So, you can think of each point as one penny. For a regular OhmHour, the maximum amount is 2,000 points per hour. So if the OhmHour is one hour, you can earn a maximum of 2,000 points. If it’s two hours, the maximum is 4,000 points, and so on.
The amount that you can earn with OhmConnect depends on how much electricity you can save.
OhmConnect earnings, on average, for each member is around $100 to $300 each year.
One San Diego resident gets paid nearly $500 a month for saving electricity. You can read all about him and how he did this here – California Man Hacked His Energy Bill – Now He EARNS Almost $500 Per Month!
How does OhmConnect work?
OhmConnect is easy to use.
In order to use OhmConnect, you must have an online account with one of these three California utility companies: Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) or Southern California Edison (SCE).
Here are the steps to take:
- Simply click here to sign up for a free OhmConnect account
- Connect your OhmConnect account with your utility account
- Receive notifications on when to save energy from OhmConnect. The utility company lets OhmConnect know when a time of high demand is, and then OhmConnect lets you know.
- Save energy. OhmConnect members can save energy by giving thermostats a break, turning off the AC, and so on.
- Get rewarded. If you use less energy than you were predicted to, you get rewarded with cash payments or an entry for a prize.
How can you save energy?
There are many different ways that you can save energy. Some options include:
- Unplugging unused electronics. Computers, TVs, chargers, and more all use power even when they aren’t turned on.
- Adjusting your heating or air conditioning temperature.
- Using smart devices such as a smart thermostat or a smart plug. With a smart thermostat, you can save up to 10% on heating and cooling.
- Skipping running the dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer, power tools, and more until after the OhmHour is over.
- If you have an electric hot water tank, you may be able to wrap it in an insulating blanket to reduce heat loss.
- Keeping your refrigerator closed as energy is used to cool it back down after you are done.
- Turning off lights around your home.
It is actually very easy to do this, as you can see!
Who can use OhmConnect?
To use OhmConnect, you must have an online account with one of these three California utility companies:
- Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)
- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)
- Southern California Edison (SCE)
What is an OhmHour? How often are OhmHours?
An OhmHour is a short amount of time (usually on weeknight evenings) when demand for electricity is high.
This is because everyone tends to come home from work, and everyone is in their home watching TV, doing the dishes, cooking food, starting laundry, and more.
You can also set the hours that you prefer to receive OhmHours, and usually are given around a day’s notice to prepare.
One easy way to save more electricity, and thereby make more money with OhmConnect is to use smart devices. Smart devices are things such as smart thermostats and smart plugs. These smart devices connect to your home’s internet and can be controlled from anywhere, which can allow you to take advantage of OhmHours even when you’re not at home.
How can you increase your OhmConnect earnings?
You can earn more money by hitting your OhmHour goals many times in a row.
Another way to make money with OhmConnect is by referring other households to them. With an OhmConnect referral, you get paid $20.
How does OhmConnect make money? Is OhmConnect legitimate? Is OhmConnect safe?
Yes, OhmConnect is a legitimate company and it is safe to use.
So you are probably wondering why OhmConnect offers this as a service.
That is a reasonable question!
In the U.S., energy is traded on a market. Planning is done to make sure that supply and demand are balanced, and so that there are no electricity blackouts. OhmConnect trades energy in these markets as well. They don’t actually create any new energy, they simply reduce as a community, which has the same effect as contributing energy to the grid.
OhmConnect is paid daily, monthly, and annually, and they in turn reward their users for saving electricity.
As you can see, OhmConnect is a no brainer. If you live in California and use one of the eligible utility companies, then it pays to help the environment.
Plus, it is so easy!
You can click here to sign up for OhmConnect.
I hope you enjoyed this OhmConnect review.
Are you interested in trying out OhmConnect? What do you do to save electricity?
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