Patience, dear reader. Easy to write. Harder to do. With so much going on this week: the Super Bowl, Tucker’s interview with Putin, China’s deflationary death spiral, the border, Trump/Biden, three-hour podcasts, AI, and Iran, to name a few—How is one to focus on their future? Let’s talk about podcasts for a moment. Your Survival Guy listened to most of Joe Rogan’s podcast with Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan. It was over three hours. Rogan does an incredible job engaging his guests and being engaged. I think he does at least one interview a day. He patiently digs in deeper and deeper, … [Read more...]
RAGE Gauge February: When to Buy or Sell?
Your Survival Guy’s February RAGE Gauge is in, and it’s not terrible. Finally, we have some yields we can sink our teeth into, and dividend-paying stocks are getting more respect. That’s good. Plus, it’s an election year, and the Fed, a political beast, is aiming to please. But there’s plenty of reasons for concern, too. My RAGE Gauge is a tick lower, which leads me to another question to ask your potential advisor: How do you manage money in bad markets? Your Survival Guy’s weathered some tough ones, mostly created by the bad behavior of others: the demise of the hedge fund Long Term … [Read more...]
RAGE Gauge January: What the Fed Means to You
Once again, the Fed proves it’s a political beast, signaling yesterday that it’s open to rate cuts next year (as many as three) just in time for the election. Wow. You can’t make this stuff up. Inflation is beat? Hardly, as many of you who’ve gone out to dinner this holiday season know all too well. Just when the savers of the world could invest (remember that word?) in bonds that actually pay something, the Fed pulls the rug out from under them. The pressure from Washington and Wall Street to “do something” proved once again to be too much to handle. Americans can feel that something is … [Read more...]
RAGE Gauge December: Something Is Amiss
If you look at this market and the economy, it's clear something’s amiss. The fundamentals are weak, and we’re looking at a weak economy. And yet stocks go up. Don’t fight it. Come up with a plan that works for you that you can stick with through thick and thin. Look at these charts, and you tell me how things look. … [Read more...]
RAGE Gauge November: Time to Look for Your Super State
Have you been living in a big blue blob city and thinking, "Get me outta here!" each day? Americans face a choice between living in states and cities where politicians protect their freedoms and seek to minimize government's burden on their lives, and places where politicians seek to use the power of government to bend residents—and their wallets—to the will of their own political agendas. Many states are digging residents and future residents deeper into debt, and raising the tax burden in order to fund politicians' dream projects. At the Cato Institute, Chris Edwards has exposed the … [Read more...]
RAGE Gauge October: “We’re Moving On,” They Say
Your Survival Guy’s September RAGE Gauge is in, and it’s not pretty. What did you expect me to say? The reality is what it is. It’s the world we’re living in right now. Americans are feeling unsure about the direction of the country. The presidential debate did provide a bit of optimism, but not much. Because the feeling on the ground—on Main Street, USA—is one of concern about whether this will be a battle between Biden and Trump. There’s downright fear about what this will look like. The dividend yield on the Dow Jones Industrial Average is hardly encouraging, like an anchor dragging … [Read more...]
RAGE Gauge September: Timeless Knowledge
With my RAGE Gauge at full tilt, I want to point you to this timeless piece. The story of Ronald Read is one that every potential investor should know. Steady compounding and saving til it hurts are tried and true ways to amass a fortune. Read did it better than most. Most Americans are simply not saving enough. In May, Elizabeth Renter reported in Nerd Wallet that most Americans couldn't cover a $1,000 emergency out of pocket. She wrote: About 9 in 10 Americans (89%) save on a regular basis, according to a new NerdWallet survey conducted online by The Harris Poll. And although … [Read more...]
RAGE Gauge August: This Market is Foggy
Your Survival Guy’s latest RAGE Gauge is in, and before I get into this month’s reading, I want to revisit my piece from yesterday on getting stuck in the fog last weekend. I could have stayed on the dock. But I’m confident in my ability to navigate in the fog because I’ve done it many times, and I know how I like to navigate—carefully from mark to mark. I have electronics. The radar and chartplotter. But I also know not to depend solely on them to safely find my destination. The technology is outstanding. But I’ve been in enough situations to know nothing beats my own two eyes and taking … [Read more...]
RAGE Gauge July: Don’t Forget History
Your Survival Guy's RAGE Gauge for July is still pegged at maximum risk. Americans are troubled about the state of play in their country today. With an uncertain war in Europe, an uncertain economy at home, and a government that seems determined to encroach on their liberties, is it any wonder? Dissatisfaction with the state of the country is high, despite low unemployment, which would usually dampen Americans' worries. What does it mean when people are fully employed and they still don't feel like things are going the right way in America? It's not a good sign, historically … [Read more...]
RAGE Gauge June: Remember When You Were A Kid and Money Was Free?
Remember when you were a kid, and money was free? Neither do I. And yet there’s a generation of kids/young adults looking for a home to buy, shocked at how much a mortgage costs. Money isn’t supposed to be free. It’s a product just like a Starbucks latte or avocado toast. You buy it. And for those of us who have a pile of money, living debt free, we’re looking for a return on it. Yes, the Fed finally has rates at a level we can sink our teeth into. But even a blind squirrel can find a nut. For you, dear reader, in or near retirement, you’re no longer rewarded with pennies on your … [Read more...]
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