One of the biggest financial mistakes I ever made was selling a stock. In 2006, I bought 40 shares of Apple (AAPL) for about $58 a share. I called myself a long-term investor at the time because I had owned dividend stocks like Chevron and Coca-Cola for more than a decade. But I was also…
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9 Alternative Investment Ideas for Asset Diversification
Diversification is said to be the only free lunch in the investment world. If your stock portfolio is heavily weighted toward one company, you can reduce your risk by purchasing shares of other companies. The same is true for asset classes. As your stock accounts grow with regular contributions and gains, your net worth becomes…
10 Compound Interest Examples and a Free Spreadsheet
These 10 compound interest examples will take you from the basic calculations to where the magic happens. I first learned about compound interest in my high school economics class, and it immediately clicked. Earning interest on interest seemed like an obvious path to grow wealth. Why wasn’t everybody doing this? It’s not the math that’s…
25 Small Investment Ideas to Cultivate Wealth
There’s no shortage of small investment ideas now that financial platforms are finally catering to investor demand. Many of the asset classes we take for granted today weren’t readily available to beginner investors a decade ago. Access to commission-free online brokers, fractional shares, and innovative exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has broadened the universe of investments available…
Financial Independence Number: Definition and How to Customize
The financial independence number is a benchmark to determine retirement preparedness. It’s also known as the FI number. Financial independence is achieved by: building enough passive income to cover annual expenses, or amassing a lump sum of enough savings and investments to cover living expenses through withdrawals, or a combination of #1 and #2. The financial independence…
AcreTrader Review: Farmland Investing for Income and Growth
This AcreTrader review was updated on 06/11/2020. About 60% of American farms are owner-operated. That leaves about 40% of farmland that’s rented or leased to farmers by landowners. The majority of farm landowners inherited the land and have either retired or have no interest in farming. Since farmland is commonly passed down to younger generations and…
The 18 Best Income-Producing Assets for Retirement
There are two primary ways to self-fund a retirement. 1) Live off of the output from income-producing assets. 2) Drawdown retirement savings by selling investments. My retirement strategy is to combine both methods to diversify my retirement income streams. By spending money from income-producing assets first, I’ll reduce the amount I need to sell in…
Gratitude, Optimism, and Investment Opportunities
The negative news is overwhelming if you spend the day consuming it on your phone or TV. My wife worried a lot about the virus and all that’s happening until she deleted Twitter. I’m very comfortable with our new lifestyle. On the first day I worked from home, I came up with a list of…
Investing Strategies in Light of the Market Volatility
Patience is not a skill or an inherent ability. It’s a practice, one that does not necessarily develop with age or wisdom. Successful investing takes patience because as you extend your investment horizon, your chances of success increase. You can’t expect good results in the short-term, but you can expect excellent results 10-20 years out…
Real Estate Crowdfunding Investing 2020: A Beginner’s Comparison Guide
Real estate crowdfunding investing is a way for ordinary investors to profit from high-quality real estate properties that were mostly unattainable a decade ago. After the U.S. Congress passed the JOBS Act of 2012 (Jumpstart Our Business Startups), real estate crowdfunding platforms began to emerge, utilizing the new law and modern technology to empower investors. …
Prediction: This is the Decade You Become Wealthy
You care about money. Not because it buys you fancy watches and luxury cars. But because it buys you independence. I know you care more about financial freedom than material possessions because you’re here instead of Instagram. Starting this month, and for the next ten years, you have an extraordinary opportunity. You can become wealthy. …
11 Financial Goals to Set Any Time of the Year
Are you thinking about what financial goals to set this year? According to a motivational flyer in my office, 71% of Americans make resolutions, but only 8% succeed. Put me in that 8%. This year, I’d like to lose about 15 pounds. I also ate a lot of chocolate last week. With setting financial goals,…
The 5 Best Investments in 2020 for Long-Term Growth
As New Year’s resolutions are fresh on your mind, there’s no better time than now to initiate and strengthen wealth-building strategies. To help inspire you, I’ve created a list of best investments for 2020. This article is about where you can direct your money and time this year so that ten and twenty years from…
Is it Smart to Use a Home Equity Loan to Invest?
Utilizing a home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC) is surprisingly less popular these days despite record levels of homeowner equity (see chart). Mortgage interest rates are still hovering near all-time low levels after a few rate decreases from the Federal Reserve. The big banks are eager to lend money, but they’ve raised their…