Growing up, Your Survival Guy’s mom would always talk about prior planning. It would often revolve around a vacation we felt lucky to be taking. “Prior planning,” she would say with a smile, hardly believing it herself, deep down knowing how hard it was to spend the money. When you learn at an early age the value of a dollar—how hard they are to come by—you do not overpay even when you can afford it. Which brings us to you and your spending plan in retirement. You want to have a plan. You want to prior plan to take those trips on your bucket list and be a good spender. You worked your … [Read more...]
How You Livin’? My Golf Injury and Fishing
OK, YSG is on the shelf. No more golf for me. In August, I pulled some muscles between my ribs that I didn’t know I had. Note to self: maybe don’t swing so hard. One of the reasons for the injury is playing too much golf. Here’s the backstory. This year, one of my best friend’s father passed away. He was known as “Wild Bill.” There was a celebration of his life where we were reminded about how much he loved life. A typical day, not just a good day, began with striped bass or blue fishing before dawn, playing a round of golf, playing ice hockey, painting, and woodworking. He was in his … [Read more...]
Do You Look Marvelous? See My Friend Marc
Your Survival Guy visited my friend Marc Streisand this week, owner/proprietor of Marc Allen Fine Clothiers, Custom Suits, and Imported Sportswear, to pick up my handmade, bespoke cashmere sport coat. It’s such a beautiful piece, I can’t wait to put it on when we hit Paris for three weeks in October. Every time I leave Marc’s, I feel like a million bucks—and almost as poor—but you can’t replace the feeling of dressing well and feeling good about it. Yes, it’s easier said than done. What Marc brings to the table is irreplaceable service and know-how. He knows all my measurements and calls me … [Read more...]
You’re Ignorant, Learn to Know the Answers
When you invest in a passive index, is it passive? The idea behind “passive” is that the stock market is “efficient,” and that there are no real values to be had because of the wisdom of crowds. Tell that to Warren Buffett, who’s made a decent living for decades on investing against the ignorance and fear of the crowd. When you look at the money that gets piled up in the S&P 500 by target-date funds and automatic investment plans, the only analysis going on is the fact that the money needs to be invested. It’s that simple. There’s no thinking, just buy, buy, buy. But what happens when … [Read more...]
In Your Retirement Life, This Matters the Most
Remember, it’s not what you invest in but how you invest that matters most. With the mini pullback in stocks, look at how well-balanced portfolios have done. In The Wall Street Journal, Jon Sindreau explains that the last few months have shown (once again) the value of a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds. He writes: If you buy bonds, make sure you do it for the right reasons. Whereas equity investors have had a bumpy few months, believers in the venerable 60/40 portfolio should be permitted a victory lap: As the S&P 500 delivered a negative 5.1% return between the end of July and … [Read more...]
Your Survival Guy’s Update on the Kittens
“No one gets out alive,” is a thought running through my head as I think about integrating our kittens into life as we know it. For a little background, we brought home two Bengal kittens—Phantom and Fred—a couple weeks ago. Together they make a whole lot of chaos. But did I mention our daughter’s cat, Shrimp, is still at home? It’s making for a crowded house, she tells me with her looks. I know, Shrimp, I hear you. What’s funny is the smaller kitten, Phantom (black), is the bravest two-and-a-half-pounds I’ve ever seen. She runs up to Shrimp’s nose and just stands there as Shrimp runs away, … [Read more...]
Your Survival Guy Heading into Labor Day Weekend
Your Survival Guy and Gal picked up two kittens Wednesday. I guess that happens when your kids leave you this time of year. You don’t ever get used to it. It’s sad and quiet when they leave, not that cats are a replacement, but it is nice to have their company. On Sunday we’ll drop our son off at the airport for a semester in Milan, Italy. I know, nice life. And our daughter will finish her senior year of college. In my conversation with you, you told me how you dropped off your youngest son at college and how quiet the house is—just the two of you and your dog. How nice is it to have … [Read more...]
Stock Market Crowd: Prepare for Your Retirement Life
You wouldn’t be wrong to think the world was coming to an end. The last few weeks have been a mini-size learning experience like a Happy Meal with a disappointing prize inside. Because you, dear reader, have been preparing for times like these. The times when markets can temporarily make dreams come true, then take it all away. This isn’t that time yet. But it’s not that simple. The lesson we can all learn from the stock market mini-selloff was how it made us feel. Imagine if the mini decline continued for a few years, never mind what felt like an eternity (so I’m told) during the 16 years … [Read more...]
Having Fun Yet? Nasdaq Worst Day in Years
UPDATE 8.6.24: Another tough day for the NASDAQ yesterday. The index entered correction territory yesterday, down more than 10% from its peak. Originally posted July 25, 2024. “A stock-market selloff intensified Wednesday, wiping out hundreds of billions of dollars in value from the Magnificent Seven group of tech giants and pushing the Nasdaq Composite to its first decline of 3% or more in 400 trading days,” reads the WSJ. Are we having fun yet? Your Survival Guy’s not tooting his own horn (maybe a little), but yesterday’s selloff illustrates the counterbalancing and shock … [Read more...]
My BEST Insider’s Guide to Key West
Plan your Key West Getaway now. Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your tropical vacation. Beautiful places are getting busier and busier. When you arrive, I want you to feel like an insider. Here’s what I wrote to you in Your Survival Guy’s BEST Insider’s Guide to Key West: Happy Monday from New England. Your Survival Guy’s thin blood is adjusting to the cold, having just returned from a tropical island getaway to Key West. I’m here to report that the Conch Republic is alive and well. And notice it’s not a democracy. The Republic is where you go to get that neighborhood … [Read more...]
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