When I tell people I am a financial advisor, they sometimes ask the inevitable question: “Do you have any hot stock tips?” The GI doctor about to do my screening colonoscopy asked me this while I was lying in the fetal position. Awkward! No, I do not have any stock tips – hot or cold. But I do have some important advice about achieving financial independence. It’s just five words. Are you ready? Recently a client brought me a book highlighting this advice. She was at an event and the AARP was giving free books to members. She knew I would like it, so she got one for me! I have the best clients. Thanks Anne M.! Money Rules – The Simple Path to Lifelong Security by Jean …
Spending
Good News for a Change – Prices at the Pump are Lower!
From the Wall Street Journal August 30th, 2019: Gas prices this past Labor Day were the lowest on the holiday in 3 years averaging $2.55/gallon nationally. According to AAA gas prices have remained steady. As of September 16th, 2019 the National average price is $2.56. State by state prices vary depending on taxes. Mississippi has the low of $2.18 and Hawaii has the high of $3.64 . You may not have noticed the lower prices. Take a look at your statements – has the price of a fill-up gone down? These extra dollars are easily lost to what I call the “vortex of spending” While you’re looking at your statements are there any recurring bills that you don’t use? The …
Beware of The Diderot Effect
I recently read the best seller "Atomic Habits" by James Clear. In fact it was my book giveaway in January, I highly recommend it. In this book I learned the tale of the French philosopher Denis Diderot, who in 1765 found himself unable to pay for his daughter's wedding. He was poor, but well known as the co-founder and writer of Encyclopédie, one of the most comprehensive encyclopedias of the time. Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, was a fan of his encyclopedia and offered to buy his personal library for £1000 - more than $150,000 today. She also offered to pay him a yearly salary to act as her librarian. Suddenly Diderot found himself wealthy. He paid for the wedding and …
Capture those Dollars – Avoid the Vortex of Spending!
In recent months several of my clients have happily experienced an increase in cash flow. The reasons include: Paying off a student loan Paying off a mortgage Decreased daycare costs due to a child starting school Stopping monthly allowance to an adult child who graduated and got a job (yay!) In each of these cases cash flow went up because of a decrease in a regular expense. Cash flow can also go up from an increase in income such as a raise or a bonus. Clients who have been with me a while know my standard response to an increase in cash flow: "Capture those dollars!" What do I mean by that? If you do not intentionally capture increased cash flow dollars, …
In the great green room there was a telephone and a red balloon. And a whole lot of money.
Hello! Parents in my readership will undoubtedly recognize the subject line of today's newsletter as the first line of Margaret Wise Brown's beloved children's book Goodnight Moon. Like many of you, my husband and I read this book to our son thousands of times before he outgrew it. Today we learn what happened to the book's substantial royalties after Ms. Brown died prematurely in her early 40's. It is a cautionary tale for anyone leaving assets to minor children. Special thanks to elder law and estate planning attorney Nancy Catalini Chew of Harvard, MA for her insights. Best, Michelle Morris, CFP®, EA BRIO Financial Planning The beloved children's book …
