Miscellaneous
Learning How to Take Time Off
Monday, May 30th, 2011
By the time you read this, I hope you will have had a great Memorial Day. I hope you will have spent time reflecting on and giving thanks for those who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. And, if your employer provided a day off, I hope you will have truly taken the ... [Read more]
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Overcoming a Handyman Handicap One Faucet at a Time
Monday, May 16th, 2011
When the water from the faucet in our upstairs bathroom went from flowing freely to flowing slowly, at first it was merely an annoyance. But when it slowed so much that it could barely rinse a toothbrush, I got worried. My mind filled with fears of having to replace every last bit of plumbing in ... [Read more]
Money Lessons for New Grads
Friday, May 13th, 2011
Congrats to the graduating college class of 2011. Since most of the money management lessons I’ve learned since college have come about by making mistakes, here’s my attempt at sparing you the pain. Find a Mentor. Once you find a job, notice who’s doing what you’d like to be doing in five or ten years. ... [Read more]
Does Permanent Life Insurance Ever Make Sense?
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
In recent weeks, I’ve written articles designed to help you figure out whether you need life insurance, and if so, how much. Once you’ve taken those steps, the next decision will be whether to go with term or permanent insurance. What’s the Difference Between Term and Permanent Life Insurance? Term life insurance. Term life insurance ... [Read more]
The Right Way to Recycle
Monday, April 18th, 2011
We live in a disposable goods world. There are disposable razors, disposable cell phones, disposable diapers, and more. “Disposable” sounds so convenient, so harmless. However, as we all know, disposable usually means “headed for the landfill.” With Earth Day coming up (April 22), this seems like an appropriate time to conider how to properly dispose ... [Read more]
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
Monday, March 21st, 2011
In a recent post, I provided some guidance as to who needs life insurance. If you determine that you need it, the next question is, “how much?” You’ll hear about various guidelines for answering that question based on multiples of your salary. Some say you should carry life insurance with a death benefit equal to ... [Read more]
Success Goes to the Steady, Not the Speedy
Friday, March 11th, 2011
We’re all drawn to stories of people who achieve “overnight success.” They make for great headlines and sell a lot of magazines and books. Problem is, they’re a myth. In the business classic, “Good to Great,” author Jim Collins explores the reasons why some companies break away from their pack of competitors and achieve remarkable, ... [Read more]
A Love Letter Like No Other
Monday, February 14th, 2011
With the hype that surrounds each holiday, it’s easy to get jaded and miss all that’s good about the occasion. This year, what helped me focus on the best parts of Valentine’s Day was rereading one of the most powerful love letters I’ve ever come across. Union Army Major Sullivan Ballou wrote the letter to ... [Read more]
Three Golden Rules for Career Success
Monday, February 7th, 2011
Do you remember the fable “The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs”? A couple owned an amazing goose that produced a golden egg every day. But soon one golden egg a day wasn’t enough; they wanted more. Assuming the inside of the bird must be made out of gold, they cut it open only to ... [Read more]
The Best Books I Read in 2010
Friday, December 17th, 2010
I love to read. It’s a passion I’m sure I picked up from my parents who always had a stack of books on their nightstands. Since I spend so much of my day focused on financial topics, I prefer to read on other topics in my spare time. However, even in the following list of ... [Read more]
