I have stated multiple times that real estate is my favorite asset class to build wealth. Therefore, choosing between real estate or bonds is a fairly straightforward decision. Real estate all the way. However, as I fill out the chapters for my new book with Penguin Random House, I thought it would be a useful
The post Real Estate Or Bonds: Which Is A Better Investment? appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
The post Which Pet Insurance Will Pay the Vet Directly? appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
Something funny happened on our long preschool admissions journey. A school we had applied to in 2017 reached out and said they have a spot for our son this fall. Now we have to decide whether to forego an enrollment deposit at another school or stay the course. We jokingly refer to this school as
The post Forfeit The Enrollment Deposit For A Better School? A Tricky Dilemma! appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
The post What You Need to Know About Negative Interest Rates appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The best way to achieve financial freedom is to make more money. You can only save so much on a capped income. And one of the best ways to make more money is to side hustle! I’ve put together a list of the 20 best side hustle ideas below to help you fill up your
The post 20 Best Side Hustle Ideas To Make Extra Money appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
The post Strategies to Pay off Your Mortgage Early appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
When I first started writing about FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) in 2009, my main goal was to first survive the Global Financial Crisis. If I did, then I would find some way to permanently change my life for good. Back then, the FIRE movement was a bear market phenomenon. Plenty of people were getting
The post FIRE Confessionals Part II: A Bull Market Phenomenon appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
I was wondering what your input is in regard to buying vehicles? For example, I’m in the process right now of selling a vehicle for a good buck. Would you suggest reinvesting this money in a used vehicle selling for a small price with low mileage? Or would you suggest leasing? Overall, every vehicle depreciates once you make the buy, so what would the be the best decision here? Leasing or buying used?It’s a question I hear a lot. Monthly lease payments can be a lot lower than the payment on a loan to buy the car. While this can make leasing look more attractive, leases are rarely a good deal. Let’s break John’s question down first, and then we’ll look at the pros and cons of leasing vs buying. John’s question is really two questions folded into that one. You can pay cash for a car whether you lease it or buy it. So the first question is this: Are you going to finance the acquisition of a car – whether you lease it or buy it – or are you going to pay cash? My strong preference is to pay cash for a car. And those that do pay cash, almost always buy the car. If you do plan to finance the acquisition, we move to the second question. Should you finance the car with a lease or with a more traditional loan? The way that we’ve broken this down underscores an important point. Leasing is a form of financing. A lease is just another way of financing the acquisition of a vehicle (unless you pay cash for the lease, which nobody does). There are significant differences between leasing a car and paying for one with a loan. But just keep in mind that a lease is a way to finance a car.
Should you just pay cash?
If you’ve followed this blog and my podcast, you know I’m a big believer in paying cash for a car. In most cases, for that reason alone, I don’t think leasing is a good option. Most people who either lease or borrow to acquire a car end up gettng a car that’s more expensive than they can reasonably afford. I’ve certainly done that in the past. I’ve never leased a car, but as I look back on the cars that I’ve purchased, when I was borrowing to buy a car, I ended up spending more than I should have. And when I pay cash for a car – like the last Toyota Camry I bought – the fact that I paid cash for it absolutely effected how much I spent. As I was looking for cars and thinking about the money coming out of my bank account, it really put the brakes on overspending. The best way to get a car is usually to pay cash.How do leases work?
Let’s talk about how leases work a bit. There’s no single form of lease, but there are certain standards that you’ll see most often. Typically, a lease is for three years. You can get one or two year leases, but most are for three years. In addition to the length of the term, there’s a limit to the number of miles you can put on the car. A standard mileage limit is 12,000 miles per year. So in a three-year lease, you’d have a total limit of 36,000 miles. You can drive it more than that, but once you go over the 12,000 miles per year (or however many total miles your lease states), you end up paying a fee for each additional mile over the limit. From what I’ve seen, the fee typically comes in at around 20-25 cents per mile. If you put an extra 3,000 miles a year on your car – which isn’t hard to do – that could add an extra $750 to the lease at a 25 cents per mile rate. So it’s essential to understand mileage limits. And at the end of a lease, you either return the car or purchase it.How are lease payments calculated
Lease payments are calculated using the purchase price, the residual value of the car at the end of the lease, your down payment, capitalized fees, and what is called the money factor. It’s really not complicated, so let’s walk through the steps. The first thing they’ll calculate is the residual value of the car at the end of the lease. On a three-year lease, for instance, they’ll calculate what the car will be worth at the end of three years. The formula usually involves a percentage of the new price of the car, which varies from car to car. As a rule of thumb, though, you can assume that after three years, the car’s residual value will be about 50% of the new value of the car. (Although this will be higher with some cars.) The residual value is then subtracted from the price of the car to arrive at the car’s depreciation. If you have a $20,000 new car, for example, at the end of the three years we’ll assume it’s worth $10,000. It has depreciated by $10,000 during that three-year lease. And that’s the portion of the car you’ll pay for – this loss of value over the term of the lease. But there are other factors rolled into how your payments are calculated. For instance, there are fees and taxes associated with a lease. There’s also what’s called the “money factor.” This is basically interest associated with your monthly payments, and it can be significant. So when you factor in the depreciation, fees, and “money factor,” then divide that by the number of months in your lease, you’ll get your monthly payment. You can lower the monthly lease payment by making a down payment, similar to buying a car.Key factors in a lease
Now lets turn to some key factors about leases you should know if you decide leasing is the best option for you.The price of the car
The first factor in a lease is the price of the car. When you go to buy a car, it’s common to negotiate the sale price. Depending on the car you buy, the price you pay could be significantly less than the car’s sticker price. Negotiating the purchase price, even on a lease, is critical. The car’s residual value subtracted from its base price is the starting point for your lease payment. So the lower you can get that original price, the lower your lease payments will be. When it comes to a lease, many consumers don’t negotiate the price. Instead, many focus on the monthly payment. This will lead you to paying a lot more for the lease than you otherwise would. So start by negotiating on the base price of the car, and go from there. New York Times writer Marc Frons recently wrote an article about his experience leasing a car – including the mistakes he made during the process. He talks about how he didn’t negotiate the actual price of the car because he was too focused on the lease payment. Like many others, he was focused on the monthly payment. Don’t make the same mistake. Negotiate the cost of the car even on a lease. As an added tip, never negotiate at the dealer. Instead, negotiate primarily via email or by phone. This takes away the dealer’s advantage of shuttling between you and some unknown manager, dragging the process out.The residual value
The second mistake is not looking at the car’s residual value. There are formulas – based on the specific car – that determine its residual value. This article from Edmunds talks about how important the residual value is. The key to remember here is that different cars depreciate differently. Some depreciate more quickly, while others depreciate more slowly. The residual value for a car that depreciates quickly will be lower, and – all other things being equal – that will increase the cost of your lease. So if you can lease a car that depreciates more slowly, you’ll have lower lease payments.The money factor
As I mentioned before, the money factor is the dealer-calculated interest portion of your payment. This is where, to the surprise of some, your credit score and credit history will absolutely affect your lease payments. When you look at a lot of lease agreements, they show your monthly payment broken down in a fairly simple way. But the money factor can get totally lost in this. So you definitely want to understand the money factor. As you’re considering different dealerships, understand that each dealer will charge a different money factor.Fees
The fourth mistake that folks make with a lease is not understanding all the fees that come with it. This, I think, is one big reason why leases are rarely a good deal. Let’s just talk about a few of the fees associated with a lease: Acquisition fee: The acquisition fee isn’t entirely surprising. There are acquisition fees when you buy a car from a dealer, too. In one lease I examined recently, this fee was $700. That’s a pretty significant fee. Rent charge: You may wonder why there is an additional rent charge to a lease. This is a common part of a standard lease. In Marc Frons’ New York Times article, his rent charge was about $205, which was added to the total up-front cost of leasing the car. Early termination fees: If you want to get out of a lease early, you’ll have to pay fees for the privilege. Excessive wear and tear: There will be extra costs for excessive wear and use of the vehicle. If it’s over and above what the dealer considers normal, you could end up paying more when you return the car. Of course, that leaves open the possibility of a dispute with the dealer, which is something to keep in mind. Over mileage fees: As I mentioned earlier, there are additional fees if you go over the mileage limit. In some leases, the mileage limit is 10,000 miles per year, but the 12,000 miles per year limit is very common. And some leases even go up to 15,000 miles per year. But if you go over that, you’ll typically pay 20-25 cents per mile. On the flip side, there’s no refund for coming in under the mileage limit. It’s kind of a “heads they win, tails you lose” sort of situation. Purchase option fees: If you decide that you like the car and want to buy it at the end of the lease, the dealer is going to charge you a fee for the privilege of buying the car you’ve been driving for three years – on top of paying for the vehicle. In the New York Times article, the purchase option fee was $300.The bottom line of leasing
As you can probably tell, I think leasing a car is a bad idea in most instances. Most people lease vehicles because it’s the only way they can afford the car they want. But this results in paying more for a car than they should. That’s my opinion, and it’s what I told John. But if you or somebody you know is considering a lease, ask these questions first:- Why aren’t you paying cash? Yes, it may mean you can’t afford the car you want, but it’s a better move in the long run.
- Is this the least expensive car the meets your needs? Usually, people lease expensive cars because they can “afford” the monthly payment – sometimes barely. So get the least expensive car that will suit your needs, and you’ll be better off.
- What about your other financial goals? Do you have credit card debt? School loans? Are you maxing out your retirement savings? Do you have an emergency fund? If you have other debt and aren’t saving enough, you have no business leasing a car – or even borrowing money to buy a more expensive car than you need.
- What will you do at the end of the lease? If you do lease a car, what’s your ultimate plan? A lot of folks don’t negotiate the price of the car, or consider the residual value. They have no idea what the money factor is, and they just pay the fees. And then at the end of the lease, they can’t afford to pay cash to buy the car, so they finance it. As a result, they’re paying a fortune for the car.
The post Is Leasing a Car a Good Idea? appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
If the delta variant is here to stay, we should come up with an investment thesis to navigate new choppy waters. After all, the first rule of financial independence is to never lose money. The second rule of financial independence is to never forget the first rule. It would be a damn shame if we
The post The Delta Variant Investment Thesis For Stocks And Real Estate appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
The post 7 Questions to Ask Before You Buy a Home With an HOA appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post First Progress vs. Open Sky: Secured Credit Cards appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post Everything You Need to Know About Life Insurance Medical Exams appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
A good net worth allocation is important to weather the consistent financial storms that seem to come every 5-10 years. The last thing you want is to have a net worth allocation mismatch with your risk tolerance and financial objectives. The right net worth allocation by age and work experience will boost your chances of
The post Recommended Net Worth Allocation By Age And Work Experience appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
There is nothing scarier than being in a situation where you have to call 911 in fear of losing someone’s life. I’ve dialed those digits two times in my life. Both times I was scared sh-tless. Little did I know that the second call would lead me to a 10-month-long surprise ambulance bill nightmare. The
The post The Cost Of Calling An Ambulance And The Nightmare That Ensued appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
The post How to Reduce the Interest You Pay on a Mortgage appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post Motley Fool vs. Zacks vs. Morningstar appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post Are Solar Panels a Good Investment? appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post 7 Important Stock Market Lessons to Remember in 2021 appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post What Can I Buy with Bitcoin? appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post YNAB Alternatives appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
As a parent, I thought it’d be interesting to write about the differences between public school and private school people. If you are trying to decide between spending money on private school or getting a free education, this post may help. As someone who went to mostly private international schools until the 8th grade and
The post The Differences Between Public School And Private School People appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
Statements from Your Brokerage House
If you do some investing of your own, you probably receive a monthly statement that provides you with an overview of your account(s). Take some time to sit down with your child to browse the statement. You don’t have to go too in depth, but this can serve as a good cursory overview of different types of investments such as stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit. Plus, you can check out together whether you’ve lost or gained money in various types of investments.Investment Websites
The Internet holds a variety of interactive resources for beginner investors. You can look up the definitions of investing terms on various web sites such as Investopedia, or take advantage of the web site of your brokerage institution or regulatory bodies such as the New York Stock Exchange or Securities and Exchange Commission. Many of these websites offer educational materials designed for middle school and high school students. The NYSE website even includes a poster-size explanation of stock tables.Mock Investment Accounts
If you don’t feel your child is ready to take the plunge by investing cold, hard cash, there’s nothing wrong with opening a mock account online. These programs simulate the investing process, often with real-time stock and bond information. Just search Google for “mock investing account” to start one of these fun programs. These accounts are a great way for a child to learn about the ins and outs of investing first hand. It’s an especially great way to teach them how easy it is to lose money with poor investments!Small Investments
If your child seems interested in investing, give him or her some money to invest – maybe in place of another gift for a birthday or holiday gift. That way, you can let your child choose where to make a small investment, and watch with excitement as the money (hopefully!) grows. Try purchasing a few shares or fractional shares of stock through ShareBuilder. Some mutual funds, like Monetta Young Investor, have very low minimum investments. Children’s accounts can be opened for as little as a $100 deposit and a $25 automatic monthly investment or a one-time $1,000 deposit. As a bonus, young investors get a kit full of helpful educational materials.Introduce Kids to Your Stock Broker
If you work with a “brick and mortar” stock broker, it might be a great idea to introduce your child to your stock broker. Not only will the youngster see what a stock broker does first hand, but he/she can see the computer trading system that the broker uses to execute trades. This may serve to get the child closer to the actual source and become more excited about the prospect of investing. Certainly, the broker will be able to impart some tried and true investing tips that will help get the youngster on his/her way.Use the Data
Finally, if your child seems to want to take the more quantitative approach to learning and already has a small knowledge foundation, a copy of the 2011 Stock Trader’s Almanac — a calendar filled with historical trading data, notable moments in the markets, and much more — might be very helpful! The key is to start early. By the time these youngsters become young adults, the sky is the limit!Teach your child about investing in stocks, so they can become financially literate and set themselves up for a bright financial future.The post Great Ways To Introduce Kids to Stock Investing appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post Best No ChexSystems Banks appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post How Does Pre-Market Trading Affect Prices? appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
One of the hardest things for an investor to do is to consistently outperform the S&P 500. Most fail, which is why the general recommendation is to invest mostly in index funds. However, as humans, we always have hope! And it is that hope of outperforming the broader market that keeps the active money management
The post A Great Investor Connects The Dots, Let’s Discuss How appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
I have a love-hate relationship with being a landlord. On the one hand, being a landlord has been instrumental to our path to financial freedom. Rental property income accounts for roughly half of our existing passive income. On the other hand, having to deal with difficult tenants and maintenance issues is a source of stress.
The post Rising Rents, Rising Fortunes For Landlords: But Is It Fair? appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
The post Best Custodial Accounts appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post Best Life Insurance for Diabetics appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post How Much Should You Spend on an Engagement Ring? appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
What is an Insurance Bureau Score?
An insurance bureau score is a snapshot of a person’s insurance risk based on information contained in their credit report. The score is used by insurance companies, along with other information, to assess risk on auto insurance policies and homeowner insurance. The score is based entirely on information contained in a consumer’s credit report, and it changes as information in the credit file changes. So what information from your credit file is used to determine your insurance bureau score? Well, according to Fair Isaac, the information used includes the following:- Outstanding debt
- New applications for credit
- Length of credit history
- Types of credit in use
- Late payments, collections, and bankruptcies
- Ethnic group
- Nationality
- Religion
- Age
- Gender
- Marital Status
- Familial Status
- Income
- Handicap
- Address
How to Improve Your Insurance Bureau Scores
Unlike a FICO score, you can’t get access to your insurance bureau score. But you can get some insight into your score from your insurance agent. In addition, there are ways to improve your score, and they mirror many of the ways to improve your FICO score. According to Fair Isaac, here are three ways to improve your insurance score:- Pay bills on time. Delinquent payments and collections can have a major negative impact on a score.
- Keep balances low on unsecured revolving debt like credit cards. High outstanding debt can affect a score.
- Apply for and open new credit accounts only as needed.
The post What is an Insurance Score? appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
You’ve heard the recommendations of always having an emergency fund. Just in case something comes up, your emergency fund will be there to bail you out. Personally, I’ve always got at least six months worth of living expenses in cash. However, perhaps the need for liquidity is overrated. Not only may we not need as
The post The Need For Liquidity Is Overrated (If You Are Financially Competent) appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
The post Thinking of Buying a House? Here’s How to Do It in a Seller’s Market appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post Is It a Good Time to Invest in the Airline Industry? appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post Allstate vs. Progressive vs. Farmers vs. State Farm vs. Geico appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
One of the great things about being a member of Congress is having power. The more power you have, the more influence you have. And the more influence you have, the more money you can make. Most senators, representatives, and delegates make a salary of $174,000 per year. However, the speaker of the House makes $223,500
The post Invest Like The Richest Members Of Congress To Make Big Returns appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
The post Best Investment Strategy appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post Cheap VPNs appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
1H 2021 turned out to be a raging bull market! The S&P 500 closed up 14.4%. At the beginning of the year, I had predicted an 8% rise in the index. However, my original year-end target price of 4,088 was quickly breached by early April. Then, after 1Q 2021, I upgraded my year-end target to
The post 1H 2021 Financial Samurai Review: Money, Family, And Business appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
Several years ago, I had the opportunity to have lunch with Jilliene Helman, CEO and co-founder of RealtyMogul in San Francisco. During the lunch, I was impressed with Jilliene’s focus on long-term profitability. Instead of chasing the most number of deals to boost revenue, Jilliene said she and her team focused on quality over quantity.
The post RealtyMogul Overview: Investing In Gateway Cities appeared first on Financial Samurai.
from Financial Samurai
via Finance Xpress
The post How to Finance an Engagement Ring appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post Fidelity HSA vs. Lively HSA appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress
The post What is Semi-Retirement appeared first on The Dough Roller.
via Finance Xpress