(Reprinted from 2018) I attended an airplane convention a couple weeks back and, as usual, I looked for the economic aspect of all I saw. Airplanes are expensive machines and the revenue numbers from the manufacturers can be a strong indicator of our economy. When times are bad, sales can be dismal since businesses not…
I visited a high-rise hotel with floor to ceiling windows. As I looked out the window, I was suddenly hit with my fear of heights that had me quickly stepping away. After a moment I slowly approached again, trying to overcome my fear so that I could see the beautiful view. The following day, I…
For those in Washington reading, here is my economic Christmas wish list for 2023. Stop raising interest rates. Last year I wished for higher interest rates and I am pleased we now have those. I feel we are back to a more balanced position. Higher interest has made borrowing a bit painful, as it should…
I was very busy this week and didn’t have time for lunch so I pulled into a fast food restaurant known for a certain famous burger that gives a lot of value for the price. After ordering one the cashier dutifully asked if I wanted to make it a meal, but I declined. “Just the…
Every day I make little notes of investing ideas that come to mind based on what I see and hear. When I sit to write my weekly column, I draw on those notes which often cover more than the traditional interest and inflation rate news. Today I thought I would just open my notebook and…
I have visited Niagara Falls several times. What a powerful show of nature. The falls are both inspiring and humbling as they remind us how tiny we are in this big world. One day while taking a formal tour of the falls, our guide pointed out how many people had gone over the falls in…
When should I retire? That is one of the most common questions we receive. It is one of our most significant financial decisions because on that day we shift from producing income to being forced to live on what we have already saved. We go from being a producer to being a consumer. We are…
People often wonder why the stock market tends to go up after an election. If you look at it historically it doesn’t even seem to matter which party wins. According to Bloomberg research, going back 60 years, during the 12-month period before a mid-term election the S&P 500 averages a 1% loss. In the 12…
I visited with a couple this week who were seeking to get on a sound financial track. I asked what steps they had taken, and the reply was that they had read 12 books on the subject. When I questioned what they had learned there was a slight pause before both laughed as one said,…
Most middle-school children know Newtons third law of motion. “To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” This law applies to everything in life, not just physical objects in motion. Newtons’ law plays a key role in financial matters. Failing to account for it may lead to disasters such as our current battle…