“There’s a lady who’s sure All that glitters is gold And she’s buying a stairway to heaven.” (Thanks, Led Zeppelin) This may be hard to digest but it’s true: some wealthy people get into debt troubles- and there are plenty of reasons why. People may take on huge debts that can’t afford to pay off, and a […]
Does $9.99 really make that much of a difference? It dawned on me on the Wednesday before Thanskgiving that I had subscription fees that were posting over the holiday weekend. They were on my budget as expense items, but I still needed to reconcile my bank account to see if they had posted correctly. Not […]
My favorite Rio Olympics-related headline so far: “Olympic kayaker possibly capsized by couch in Rio de Janeiro” Priceless. Now, the story isn’t confirmed, but it illustrates all of the controversy related to Brazil’s preparation for the Olympic Games. This situation is a great analogy for personal finance, because it helps us think about the answer […]
So, I overheard a Dad say something interesting to his 4-year old son (at least he looked to be about 4). His son asked him a question and he said: “I just answered that question, so I’m not going to answer it again”. That approach would have saved me a lot of time when my […]
So, how much information do you need to make an informed decision? Unfortunately, Tesla’s Motors problems with autopilot cars provide a great discussion about required disclosure to investors. This CNBC video with a former SEC Chairmen discusses whether or not Telsa had a duty to disclose a car accident that occurred with an autopilot vehicle […]
So, we’re in a crazy political period, and it’s hard to know just what is true in a political ad and what isn’t true. In the investment business, however, we have extensive rules on disclosure to investors, and those rules are in place to provide all stakeholders- including investors- enough to information to make informed […]
So, I saw something the other day that I’ve never seen before. I was coming out of a grocery store that was up a hill from a major street, and a truck was approaching the intersection. The truck was hauling a bulldozer on a flatbed trailer and, as the truck approached the intersection, it […]
So, we’ve all been in these places… It’s the quirky restaurant that every city seems to have, and the service isn’t very good- but all the diners think it’s part of the charm. They’re willing to put up with it, so they can feel like they’re “in on the joke”. They’re typically a tourist destination, […]
Is it really necessary to have a TV at a gas pump? I’m seeing these more often, and I think that I’m against the concept. Like many Americans, I like to stare off into space while I’m pumping gas- a bit of a mental break. Well, at least gas prices are at historic lows, which […]
I saw a brand new Mercedes truck that has been customized into an ice cream truck. A real ice cream truck- driving down my street playing music to attract people. What’s the breakeven on the cost of a Mercedes ice cream truck? Seems that you’d have to sell a ton of ice cream… Have a […]