Dear Survivor, When Boise, Idaho leads the list as “The Least Affordable Housing Market in the U.S.,” something’s not quite right. Don’t get me wrong—Boise has access to it all. But least affordable in the U.S.? Hear that sucking sound? It’s Boise, and places like it, pulling all the monied “residents” from San Fran, Portland, Seattle, and Rte. 128 (outside of Boston) into the community. They’re looking to places of freedom like New Hampshire, Texas, and Florida, to name a few. They’re looking for a big backyard and a playground for the weekend or for six months and a day. But what is … [Read more...]

Dear Survivor, Your Survival Guy loves the holidays. But let’s get something out of the way. Your survival food prep should not be considered “free game” for one and all. You’re not running a convenience store; you’re trying to plan for the unexpected. But that’s what it feels like sometimes, like I’m a stock boy. Case in point. Before heading out for a small family celebration on Saturday night, someone asked if “we” have any peanuts, knowing I have a stack of ‘em in the basement. “Do I look like Mr. Peanut?” I thought to myself. “I don’t have any that are easy to get to,” I said, … [Read more...]

Dear Survivor, Tired of mandates and government overreach? Want to get away? Well, here’s some news to ruin your 401(k). The Biden administration is pushing its radical agenda through retirement account regulation. In this case, it’s a proposed Labor Department rule that was not heavily reported—shocker. The change is to the Erisa Act, which governs your 401(k), and forces plan sponsors (your company or retirement plan provider) to offer funds focused on ESG—environmental, social, and governance. The Wall Street Journal editors explain the rule here: Asset managers like BlackRock are … [Read more...]

Dear Survivor, OK, you know how I feel about your lazy cash sitting on its butt on your couch all day long. It’s time to get it up and moving. Time to get it working for you. Because summer’s over and chances are your cash is doing the same thing today as it was on the Fourth of July. Nothing. Not good. Don’t let inertia beat you down. This is your house. But how do you get your cash working when it doesn’t listen to you? Easy. Remember, I’m Your Survival Guy not your “let’s throw some money at this and see how it plays out” guy. Your cash is as precious as ever, even though it drives … [Read more...]

Dear Survivor, What’s Your Survival Guy investing in right now? Bullets, beer, and Burgundy (the three Bs). What about gold you ask? I love gold, but we’ll save that for another day. For now, I want you to improve your chances of survival by the end of the weekend. How? Well, with all the above, what comes to mind? Barter. Yes, cash is king but partnered with any of the above, and you can elevate yourself to royal status. You do that by always sweetening the deal, so they have a reason to work with you again, and again, and again. In my conversations with you, you’re telling me how … [Read more...]

Dear Survivor, Your retirement life is sacred ground. You know my favorite advice, to your dismay, is to work as long as you can and put off retirement. That doesn’t mean you need to give up your dreams. You just need to be creative. Can you do remote work? Wherever you choose to go, familiarize yourself with my Super States, rent for a year to make sure it’s a good fit, and downsize. Don’t worry the kids will visit. Bankrate.com just came out with its annual ranking of the best places to retire, and you won't be surprised by the top three. According to Bankrate.com, the best three … [Read more...]

Dear Survivor, Your Survival Guy’s been watching lumber prices. I reported earlier this year that much of the increase was due to a bottleneck at sawmills. (There’s plenty of trees, just no excess capacity at the mills creating finished lumber.) Lumber futures reached a high of $1,711.20 per thousand board feet in May. Recently, July futures were down to $1,009.90, off 41% from the record high. Ryan Dezember reports in the WSJ: The rapid decline suggests a bubble that has burst and the question is how low lumber prices will fall. Even after tumbling, lumber futures remain nearly three … [Read more...]

Dear Survivor, One of my best business experiences was serving fish and chips and scooping ice cream at Oxford Creamery in Mattapoisett, MA, where I grew up. I remember feeling anxious before each shift, knowing I’d be missing out on some fun with my friends, and knowing how slammed work would be. That was especially true on a Friday night when the fish and chips special (with fresh cod from the boats in New Bedford) was the best around. With the line out the door, I had no time to think about missing out on fun with my friends. Waiting on a group of hungry customers fresh off the … [Read more...]

Dear Survivor, You’re telling me what friends are asking you the most. But first, let’s take a step back. You’ve been through a lot over the last year. Most of you stuck with me as we watched the world turn upside down. We lived to fight another day. Hey, I’m Your Survival Guy, not your "hope we make it" guy; what did you expect? You didn’t think I’d leave you behind, did you? You didn’t panic (maybe a little), you didn’t drop to your knees and raise your hands to the sky in despair (it’s OK, no one saw that), and you stuck to your plan (too scary not too). You made it through in your own … [Read more...]

Dear Survivor, You might be looking for the best place in America to retire. You may enjoy owning firearms, paying low taxes, and being left alone. That's the definition of what I'm calling a "liberty retiree." Recently a liberty retiree, known as U, asked MarketWatch's Catey Hill where would be the best place for them to retire. Hill answered (abridged): To answer your question, I went right to the source: the Libertarian Party itself, where I had a lively chat with Dan Fishman, the party’s executive director, who had a lot of advice for you. He said that, while the Libertarian Party … [Read more...]