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…
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Invest in Your Best Vision for Our Future
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…
7 Smart Money Habits To Build Long-Term Wealth
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…
10 Wise Investments for a Cash Windfall
The U.S. government is borrowing $1.9 trillion to provide pandemic relief and stimulate the economy. A big chunk of that will be direct payments to Americans. I won’t get into the details of who gets what; you can find that here. Long story short, many Americans will get more than a thousand dollars deposited to…
Sure Dividend Review: Is it Worth the Cost?
This Sure Dividend review was updated on 01/18/2021. Sure Dividend is an investing blog and paid newsletter service that focuses on dividend and income investing. When the Sure Dividend blog started in 2014, it built a significant audience by providing in-depth analyses of stocks on the Dividend Aristocrats list. The Aristocrats are stocks in the…
10 Ways to Improve Your Finances in 2021
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…
Growth Stocks vs. Dividend Stocks
What’s the best choice between growth stocks vs. dividend stocks? The answer depends on which strategy helps you to best achieve you investment objectives. 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…
24 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 more than a decade ago. Access to commission-free online brokers, fractional shares, and innovative exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has broadened the universe of…
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…
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…
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 2021 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 2021. 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?
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 lending standards since the banking crisis of 2007-2009. After a period of real estate appreciation like we’ve seen over the past decade, home equity…