Looking over your shoulder is no way to live. Wondering who's behind you. Wondering if you're safe. Feeling uncertain. Uncomfortable. It's scary. Instead, walking with your head up, eyes forward, and shoulders back is the stride of the modern-day warrior. You never tire. You have the same confidence tomorrow as you do today. You're comfortable with who you are. You don't worry about the other guy. You stick to your game. We make enough tough decisions in a day to keep our lives too busy. Take figuring out "what to watch tonight?" for example. It can shake one's confidence. Then, finding … [Read more...]
Managing Your 401(k) Can Feel Like Time Standing Still
When Your Survival Guy graduated from Babson College in 1994, I got right to work. Right to work traveling, that is. I hit the road that summer, backpacking through Europe beginning with a trip to a Greek isle to visit a fraternity brother at his family’s summer place. That went so well that when I got home, I decided to be a ski instructor for the winter. Then, finally, I made my parents proud, and I got a “real” job at Fidelity Investments. That was March ’95. What’s the rush? One of my tasks at Fidelity Investments was to jump on the phones when call volume was high. The other part of my … [Read more...]
“My Effin’ Life,” by Geddy Lee of the Band Rush
Your Survival Guy’s been reading “My Effin’ Life,” by Geddy Lee of the band Rush. To understand Lee, one needs to know where he came from: the suburbs of Toronto, Canada, a child of holocaust surviving parents. His father died when Lee was only 12, and as such, Lee knew about loss at a young age. His mother, grief-stricken, made it hard for Lee to realize his own pain from the loss of his dad. When Lee looks back, writing “My Effin’ Life” at age 69, he realizes he, too, was a survivor and not just a quiet kid. He was determined. He had calloused fingers from playing, he was hardened … [Read more...]
“Survival Guy, What Have You Done for Me Lately?”
“Hey, Survival Guy, what have you done for me lately?” you ask. “Good question.” Let’s refresh our memories. One of the more important tasks of an investor is to protect what one makes. You know how it goes. Rule #1: don’t lose money. Rule #2: don’t forget rule #1. As another wise man said, then there’s rule #6: “Don’t lose money.” When asked about rules one through five said, “There are no other rules.” See how fun this can be? As we get older, we learn the rules. One way or another, we learn the rules. I’d put the school of hard knocks up against Harvard any day of the week. … [Read more...]
Your Survival Guy’s 2024 Super States: Time to Flee?
Your Survival Guy’s 2024 Super States is in, and I wonder: Is it time to flee? Because this is the beginning stages of a tectonic shift in America. You and I know the moving vans are gassed up and running. They’re ready to leave the big, blue-blob states on both coasts and elsewhere. No longer are “flyover” states the forgotten states of America. They are lands of opportunity, right there, ready for the pickin’ of freedom-loving citizens looking for the way of life they love. The exciting part is you’re not alone, as others are seeking the same thing and will welcome you with open arms (maybe … [Read more...]
Are You Looking for Investment Counsel? 2 Questions
With all your research and interviews, are you asking the right questions? Are you looking for investment counsel? If you are, then Your Survival Guy recommends asking these two questions first: "Are you a fiduciary?" and "Who is your custodian?" Because once you get the answers to those two questions, a lot of confusion and heartache can be avoided. Here's why. When you work with a fiduciary, you work with someone who is required by law to make investment decisions in your best interest. On the other hand, those held to the less strict and more common suitability standard are not. They … [Read more...]
“Then One Day the Grandfather was Gone”
Originally posted on September 28, 2023. Your Survival Guy has a client whose grandfather left him some money. That was nice. But the real gift was how his grandfather would teach him about money when they were together. How to roll pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters sitting on the floor and talking. Adding up the pile and feeling the weight in their hands. The boy was taught what interest was, how it was paid, and the miracle of interest on interest. Compounding small amounts into larger ones. The small talk never felt like big life lessons. But they were. As they got older, the … [Read more...]
“It’s My Job” Key West’s Farewell to Jimmy Buffett
Your Survival Guy and Gal were in Key West last weekend to confirm for New England that the sun still exists. It does. But as you snowbirds know, Florida hasn't exactly felt like Margaritaville. Which brings us to Sunday night, where we were able to find two seats for Mac McAnally's fourth and final sold-out show at the Key West Theater. Mac, as many of you Parrotheads know, was Jimmy Buffett's right-hand man on stage as a member of his Coral Reefer Band. Mac's two-man shows, with fellow Reefer and percussionist Eric Darken, have been a healing tour mixing in plenty of Buffett songs, with … [Read more...]
A Word or Two about Your Survival Guy’s Money
Your Survival Guy wants to share a word or two about my money. For one, I eat my own cooking. I don’t hope for my money to do something for me. I don’t bet on markets. I don’t gamble. I don’t use leverage. I don’t look at prices. I basically look at my account here and there, see the income coming in, and that’s it. Sometimes, my portfolio is higher than the last time I looked, and sometimes, it’s not. I have a consistent investment plan in place, one I’ve had my entire adult life. It’s simple. I save a third, spend a third, and pay taxes with a third. I don’t have any debt. I own my … [Read more...]
“Take Cover! Get Out of the Market!”
In my conversations and emails with you, you tell me about the many predictions being made for next year. As I wrote to you yesterday, one economist, who seems to be wrong at every turn, is calling for a major correction next year—predicting the stock market bubble will burst. Another manager up in Boston is calling for one, too, and has been for a while. I’m not looking to pile on with criticism. But you may have heard another hedge fund guy on Fox talk about commercial real estate “opportunities” as if he’s talking up his book to dig out from losses. Whether it’s his book, a real book, or … [Read more...]
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