In an article about the challenges of autonomous vehicles, I came across a chart of the Hype Cycle from the consulting firm Gartner that supposedly models the life cycle of new technology: Maybe it's just me, but I found this curve to also … [Read the rest]
The Hype Cycle of DIY Investor Self-Confidence
Good Time to Convert Traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs?
It might be a little painful, but it may be worthwhile to check on your pre-tax IRAs during this dip. If you have been thinking of converting your "Traditional" IRAs over to Roth IRAs, your shrunken gains will lead to a smaller tax bill now, while … [Read the rest]
Amazon & Target Buy 2 Get 1 Free Board & Video Games, Targeted $5 eBook Credit
Amazon and Target have a few sales on video games and board games to help with that cabin fever. Amazon.com. Get 3 for the price of 2 on board games and video games. Also, check to see if you are targeted for this Amazon Spend $20 Get $5 eBook … [Read the rest]
Sprint Unlimited Kickstart: Unlimited Talk, Text, Data For $35/Month
Sprint has an Unlimited Kickstart plan with unlimited talk/text/data for $35 per month, per line. No annual contracts. You can bring over your own compatible phone, or buy one from them. Online orders only. New customers only. Requires port-in of … [Read the rest]
Tiny Beautiful Things: Knowing The Right Path But Afraid
My favorite non-financial genre is nonfiction travel books, and after finishing the bestseller Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed, I quickly moved on to her compilation of life advice columns called Tiny Beautiful … [Read the rest]
“This is a Temporary Setback – I’m a Long-Term Investor!”
When the market sell-off first started in February, there were several articles proudly pointing out how few 401k investors made any changes to their accounts. Nobody panicked! Yay! I remember thinking that such a declaration of victory was rather … [Read the rest]
Special Coronavirus Relief: Paid Leave, Mortgage Payments, Student Loans, Credit Cards, and Unemployment
Wow. I thought that I was prepared, but I must admit that I was still shaken by last week. For those facing severe financial emergencies right now, so I have tried to collect information and links to where you can hopefully find some help. Be … [Read the rest]
Federal and State Tax Payment Deadline Extensions Due to Coronavirus
Updated March 20th. The US Treasury has announced taxpayer relief for federal tax in response to COVID-19. Here is the Treasury press release, official IRS notice, and a CNBC article. On March 20th, the filing deadline was also changed. Below is … [Read the rest]
List of Free Educational Resources (and Free High-Speed Data)
Here is a list of newly-available resources to help folks manage having their kids home all day long for weeks at a time! From getting free data to free lesson plans and materials. Free Data Access All four major US carriers — AT&T, … [Read the rest]
Ally Bank New Deposit Promo 2020: Up to $250 Cash Bonus
Ally Bank has a new cash deposit bonus that is offering a 1% cash bonus (up to $250) on new deposits on top of their existing interest rates. Valid for both new and existing customers. Given the holding period, this roughly equates to the same … [Read the rest]
Early Action, Long-Term Thinking, and Exponential Growth
I've been sitting on this post for a week, but I'll feel better just letting it out. When we talk about investing, a lot of it is about long-term thinking and exponential growth. There are many charts showing that the person who starts saving … [Read the rest]
How Reliable Are S&P 500 Stock Dividends? Historical Drawdowns
While we see the live price of the S&P 500 index everywhere, there is much less talk about its dividends. Dividends are an important component of the total return from stocks. I love seeing my quarterly dividend payments arrive every quarter, and … [Read the rest]