Your Survival Guy is working in the trenches for you. And that's OK. I like the view from where the boots hit the ground. It's where the real stuff happens. Here's what you're telling me this week: "Hello, E.J. Let me know your thoughts when you receive my Secure Upload. I'm sending statements from family members and my business. By the way, I also bought some land in South Carolina and Austin, TX, and I own some gold coins I bought years ago thanks to your father-in-law. Have a nice long weekend. Let's talk Tuesday morning," he said. "Hi, E.J. Weather's beautiful. Wish you were … [Read more...]
Boom! Bitcoin, Cryptos, Value, You, & Big Money
You’re asking me what I think of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. I’m telling you, I love the idea of blockchain. But what about value? That’s more a function of what someone’s willing to pay. Not me, of course, but it’s somewhat irrelevant. How big can cryptocurrencies get? I don’t know. Big, I guess. But I don’t need to be the first one at the party. I certainly won’t be the last, or the last one to leave. Let this play out. Remember the Gold Rush? A lot of money was made investing in the rush itself and not just the yellow metal. I like the idea of utilizing the benefits of the new. In … [Read more...]
Generational Wealth: You Can Turn $10,000 into $100,000
I hope you’re getting outside and enjoying some beautiful weather this spring. Here in New England it feels like a switch was flipped Sunday when temps jumped into the mid-80s and higher—too hot to walk the dog—but lately its been cool nights, warm days, and blue skies. Perfect for getting outside or launching your boat for the season. Will you be teaching a grandchild how to do something this summer? I hope you’re thinking about your investments and your life—where you are on your journey. We’re all in this together. Do you remember when you first started out as an investor? There’s … [Read more...]
Your Survival Guy’s Summer Job, Inflation & You
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 beach focuses the … [Read more...]
You’re Telling Your Survival Guy This and More…
You’re telling Your Survival Guy about your recent fly fishing float trip to Wyoming, where your guide said, “We don’t wear masks around here.” Yet another reason I love the big, red, Cowboy State of Wyoming. Contrast Wyoming with NYC, and you realize the importance of having some space to move around. The same client tells me he booked a summer house on the Cape months ago but said it was a challenge booking for the fall. Your Survival Guy’s take: Welcome to the extended summer vacation and the extended spending to follow. But will the tap be dry this time next year? You’re telling me about … [Read more...]
Your Survival Guy’s Conversation with Gov. Scott Walker
You can imagine Your Survival Guy’s surprise when my cell phone rang while Becky and I were driving to dinner. Not recognizing the number, I picked up anyway. “Hi E.J., this is Scott Walker.” • You may recall it was Gov. Walker whose yeoman’s work broke the back of the unions and collective bargaining in Wisconsin. Now he’s the president of Young America’s Foundation whose mission is: “[E]nsuring that increasing numbers of young Americans understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values.” Gov. Walker and I … [Read more...]
Your Survival Guy: Kicked to the Street in Boston
Yesterday, a Wednesday in May, clients were in town. The Mooring restaurant in Newport, RI, was packed. I looked to see if there was a graduation. No, just a nice day. Imagine what 4th of July, the official start of summer in Newport, is going to look like. As an aside, I checked out Clarke Cooke House after my meeting to book a table for any Friday or Saturday night. No go. They’re booked well into June—as far out as Resy was accepting them. Better call direct. How about the dining experience? Yesterday, excellent. But, on a recent trip to Boston, we learned you need to guard your table … [Read more...]
Bogle Warned: 800 lb. Gorillas & Greener Pastures
Look, I want you to be a happy, long-term investor. It would be easy for both of us if I told you to just buy an index fund, set it, and forget it. That approach may have worked well in the past, but I have concerns moving forward. When the late, great, founding-father of indexing Jack Bogle expressed dismay for his creation on his deathbed, I paid attention. Only a few months before he died, Bogle wrote, “Three index fund managers dominate the field with a collective 81% share of index fund assets: Vanguard has a 51% share; BlackRock, 21%; and State Street Global, 9%. Such domination … [Read more...]
Are You The Intelligent Investor You Deserve to Be?
When it comes to your money, I want you to be a survivor. As you can see in my table, stocks have declined by over 30% three times already in this young century, and I’m talking about blue-chip stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. When we look at the tech-laden NASDAQ and the S&P 500, declines have been far more precipitous—declines as high as 68% and 55% respectively. Moving forward, your job will be to survive the wreckage. I’m here to help. In my table below, you’ll see the performance of the Vanguard Wellesley and Wellington funds during these tumultuous periods in history. … [Read more...]
World Class Food Destinations & NO GO ZONES
You and I are reminded daily of a recurring theme: Big isn't beautiful, especially when it comes to cities that lock it all down. In case after case, we've seen the success of smaller cities that are less strict, and remain open for business—they survive and thrive. Unfortunately, in big cities, the farther the "experts" get from the boots on the ground, the more oblivious they are to the suffering until it's too late. Small restaurants surviving on a month-to-month basis just don't have the running room. And why even consider going out to dinner in a big city when a protest could break out … [Read more...]
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