From the Archives of 2016 with excerpts and updates to “The Coronavirus Life Experience” version of this edition (February 2021) plus a closing message.
Money and Therapy. Two things that people may love or hate. However, among other things, both money and therapy can help.
From the must-read book for people of all ages The Number* was written by Lee Eisenberg, long time editor-in-chief of Esquire magazine.
As we approach the end of an extremely weird and difficult year, no doubt what is on lots of people’s minds: What is to come in the months and year immediately ahead?
From an economic and financial standpoint, a great deal depends on several factors very well summed up in a recent The Wall Street Journal article.*
In order to gauge how early 2021 will look, we need to understand:
This past week, at a neighbor’s drive-by 11-year old birthday gathering, I learned a new term: The Corona Purchase. The term refers to money spent on a larger one-time purchase amidst the sadness of being forced to stay home for the past three months. The concept also confirms an observation mentioned in a recent edition of TGIF 2 Minutes about families experiencing lower spending overall the past several months – so therefore possibly accumulating extra savings here and there.
Items reported to have been purchased or installed include:
Quick note for your weekend thoughts.
As difficult as it has been to find a silver lining to the pandemic, there have been one or two recurring themes that could be classified as positive, or at least opportunistic. One theme is that a fair number of people with whom I have spoken have reported far lower overall (or at least discretionary) spending in the past couple of months compared to “normal” times. Think:
In these times of knowing virtually NOTHING for sure… there are a handful of possible “What Comes Next” topics that can be covered:
In the spirit of helping as many people as possible get through these truly trying times, I am volunteering my services in the following way:
Do you know or have you noticed a friend, family member, someone at your work, church or a parent at your kid’s school struggling (perhaps financially or job-wise) during the coronavirus pandemic and the related market turmoil?
In the case that you have, I am offering to get on the phone or a video call with that person or people and start by listening to them. If appropriate, I volunteer (free of charge) to offer advice on the basics of financial planning. Continue reading “Free Advice Offer”
As we continue to watch both from the sidelines and the interior of the Coronavirus tragedy, there exist lessons learned and lessons yet to be learned. Mistakes made past and present. But in looking at history and researching the aftermath of past global tragedies there is evidence of subsequent innovations along with lucky breaks that surpass the imagination.
The markets are telling us that the Coronavirus situation and the aftermath of an economic slowdown is likely not going away any time soon. The evidence is in the “indiscriminate selling” of nearly every asset class:
Originally titled, “Gut Check in Rocky Markets” but with a new twist the following excerpted edition from the archives of TGIF 2 Minutes is timely on (Not So) Fat Tuesday. Please keep in mind three new factors:
and there exist the makings of a potential market correction. A market correction is defined as a decline of 10% from a recent high; the US equity markets are down over 6% in two days and are nearing an official “market correction” in 2020.
Exogenous Threats. These types of threats or risk factors come from an external place and affect markets – unexpectedly. Already in 2020, only 38 days into the year, the US and global markets have been presented with at least three major exogenous threats:
