Inflation is destroying wealth and making food so expensive. The Fed keeps raising interest rates — how can the housing market survive it? The 16th largest U.S. bank failed a few months back. Then the 14th largest bank failed! The COVID-19 pandemic happened. That sucked. Now there’s a stupid war in Eastern Europe. The stock…
When I lost my job in 2017, my former employer didn’t have the means to pay me a severance. Our family had emergency savings, but our multiple income streams kept us afloat. Five years earlier, a job loss would have been much worse. But since I saved and invested while times were good, I could enjoy…
Risk-free government Treasury yields have risen dramatically over the past year. The increase is a direct result of the Federal Reserve rate increases that started in 2022. Higher short-term yields are good for retirees and give us multiple options to earn risk-free returns on idle cash while maintaining liquidity. But the fast pace of the…
My Uncle gifted me one share of Chevron stock in 1995, seeding my lifelong dividend stock investment portfolio. But I didn’t start living off dividends until I left my IT career in 2022. There were no online brokers or index ETFs making it easy to start investing in 1995. Trades cost $30+. IRAs and mutual…
Happy New Year! The turning of the new year brings two things to mind for a lot of us: Whoa, I spent too much money last month/year How can I improve my finances this year? I’m not a big fan of new years resolutions (most don’t stick). But I believe in habitual change — deciding…
November is American Diabetes Awareness Month. To raise awareness, I’m highlighting 12 diabetes stocks helping to make the lives of people with diabetes more normal. Parents of kids with Type 1 Diabetes laugh that it starts the day after Halloween. My 10-year-old son was diagnosed in September 2021. Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disorder…
Doing taxes is never fun. But each year, I find that our income has become more diversified than the previous. We now earn more than 7 streams of income — not counting my salary. A salary is great if you don’t mind full-time work. But it can become an unhealthy addiction. You can break the…
On September 13th, 2021, my nine-year-old son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes. A diabetes diagnosis has immediate impacts. Here are a few for starters: Insulin injections at least four times a day for the rest of his life Dozens of doctor, nurse educator, and specialist appointments Finger pricks and…
I’ve come across hundreds of fintech startups and financial products over the years blogging. Founders and CEOs pitch me over email and in person at conferences. Marketing firms looking to drum up exposure for their clients email me constantly, hoping for a guest post or mention on RBD. I decline most pitches and never hear about…
I’ve maintained a long-term buy-and-hold investing strategy since about 1995. The month-to-month details have changed quite a lot over the years, but the basic principles are mostly the same: Invest first, spend second Max out tax-advantaged accounts first Invest in taxable accounts second Keep transaction costs and stock sales to a minimum Diversify income streams…
Crises come around every so often — personal crises, family crises, national crises, political crises, market crises, and global. The events are often predictable, but their timing is not. Scientists predicted a virus such as COVID-19 could infect humans and cause severe health and economic consequences. But no one knew the specific date, where it…
I spent 2008 getting to know my future spouse. In the late summer, we had a pragmatic discussion about how each of us wanted our futures to look. There was a lot of overlap, which was a relief at that point in our relationship. The future Mrs. RBD earned a Master’s degree and had a…
Over the winter, I had a large maple tree cut down in my backyard to make room for a shed. The cleanup required several multi-hour sessions of chopping and stacking firewood. Podcasts helped to pass the time. I’ve listened to the Rule Breaker Investing podcast for a few years, but not as often since the…
Smart money habits will help you reach your financial goals, with patience. Most of us aren’t looking for extravagant wealth. We want sustainable and long-lasting wealth that provides financial security for our families and enough money to fund our desired lifestyle. That kind of wealth is more attainable than most people think. But there are…