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A complete guide to the best index funds
A complete guide to selecting and understanding the best index funds What are the best index funds for your portfolio? It seems like a simple enough question, but properly answering it requires a deeper dive into the subject matter. While the huge brokerages such as Charles Schwab, Fidelity and Vanguard continue to offer investors more […]
The best Fidelity index funds for your portfolio
While Vanguard pioneered the low-cost, index funds approach to investing, companies such as Fidelity have largely caught up to the offerings of Vanguard and now enable investors to easily build quality portfolios using the best Fidelity index funds. These Fidelity index funds have low fees and provide baskets of diversified holdings within. Portfolios that utilize […]
Disney Dividend: Analysis, amount and payout schedule
Disney (DIS) investors have long praised the Disney dividend that is paid on a semi-annual basis for shareholders, but have recent moves by the media and entertainment conglomerate put the Disney dividend in a more “back seat” position? As Disney positions itself for the next era of media and entertainment consumption, the company has made […]
Understanding SIPC insurance and how investors use it
SIPC insurance is an extremely important level of protection for investors, yet few investors know much about it. Everyone wants to ensure their assets are protected from losses. While you can’t guarantee that you won’t lose money in the stock market, you do have other ways of keeping your portfolio safe from other risks. Insurance […]
What are the best sports betting stocks?
Sports betting stocks have been in the news quite a bit in 2020 for multiple reasons. First, the sports betting industry has been on fire in the U.S. ever since the Supreme Court struck down the law preventing sports betting back in 2018. The 1992 law had previously prohibited states from authorizing sports betting activity […]
Apple Dividend: Analysis, amount and payout schedule
The Apple dividend is a relatively minor part of being a shareholder in Apple (AAPL), one of the world’s largest company. The company has documented incredible growth over the last decade, fueled mostly by its iPhone business, and the company continues to find ways to deliver value to shareholders. While the Apple dividend is just […]
A little EOM rebalancing in light of volatility
You are unauthorized to view the content on this page. You can get access by joining the NFL Portfolio membership. Membership includes access to the full NLF portfolio details as well as all portfolio updates where you can be notified and updated on new positions, portfolio changes and thoughts on recent market activity. If you […]
Closing short for 6.3% gain [October 28, 2020]
You are unauthorized to view the content on this page. You can get access by joining the NFL Portfolio membership. Membership includes access to the full NLF portfolio details as well as all portfolio updates where you can be notified and updated on new positions, portfolio changes and thoughts on recent market activity. If you […]
Understanding disinflation and why it matters to investors
Disinflation is a term you may have heard used in the financial news, especially on topics related to broader economic trends and interest rates. When an economy is experiencing disinflation – or the slowing of price – it means the rate of inflation is slowing. As you’ll learn below, disinflation may sound like a negative […]
The minimum variance portfolio and why investors might consider it
A minimum variance portfolio seeks an allocation that is able to withstand stock market crashes as a result of acknowledging the limitations of standard measures of risk. Does the minimum variance portfolio make sense for you as an investor? It depends on a number of factors, but even if you opt for more traditional portfolio […]
Adding short position to NLF portfolio [October 13, 2020]
Some recent headlines have introduced a solid entry point here to put a short position on this company which serves two purposes. First, it’s a worthwhile hedge with other positions in the portfolio. Second, we think the market is overreacting to the positive with the recent news headlines.
Understanding profit margin and its different types
Profit margin is an excellent gauge for how well a company is performing, both compared to its own past performance and its peers’ performance. Essentially, this metric is a measure of profitability. Investors and businesses, as well as lenders, often use look to profit margin to help them asses how well the company is being […]
The best Schwab index funds for your portfolio
While companies like Vanguard may have led the low-cost, passive investing revolution over the recent decades, Charles Schwab has quickly caught up and offers comparable offerings to investors seeking a simple portfolio built using the best Schwab index funds. These Schwab index funds offer low fees and diversified holdings. Moreover, portfolios built around simple index […]
What is a good Sharpe ratio? How important is it?
Netflix (NFLX) is a classic example of the value of the Sharpe ratio and a great investment story. By the end of 2002, the year NFLX went public, the company had over a million subscribers and its stock closed at a split-adjusted $0.71 price. At the end of 2019, it had 167 million subscribers and […]
Time for some rebalancing [October 1, 2020]
We rebalance from time to time to preserve profits, reduce risk (or re-risk in the event of a lower market). A few of the NLF portfolio positions have had incredible runs, so it’s time to book some gains.
How much does it cost to have a baby when paying cash (without insurance)?
Due to being self-employed and the insanely high cost of traditional health insurance, our family has been on a “medishare” plan now for a few years. For families without chronic illnesses who are mostly healthy, it’s a great option to consider. A year ago, we learned my wife was pregnant, and this would be the […]
Understanding liquid net worth and how to calculate it
Knowing your net worth is valuable for a number of reasons, from helping you plan your next short-term financial moves to preparing you for retirement. When you know your net worth, you have a good sense of your current financial picture, and you can map out your road to your best financial health. Part of […]
Walmart (WMT) Dividend: Analysis, amount and payout schedule
For decades, Walmart (WMT) has been a widely owned stock delivering stellar returns to investors in the form of capital appreciation and dividend payouts. The Walmart dividend has been the focus and a main component of return for shareholders for decades. Walmart is the largest retailer in the world. The company recorded $524 billion in […]
High yield dividend stocks: Performance and their contribution to diversified portfolios
Dividend yields in the stratosphere grab our attention. For example, MPLX’s (MPLX) recent yield was 16% and Energy Transfer’s (ET) was 21%. With the 10-year S&P 500 Index average dividend yield around 2.35% and the 10-year Treasury yield less than 4% for the same period (and less than 1% in the last year), high yield […]
How to find the best Vanguard index funds
Vanguard helped lead a passive investing revolution for ordinary investors, and as such, many investors constantly search for the best Vanguard index funds. For long-term investors, index funds have a lot to offer, from lower cost investing to potentially lower risk and reliable gains. One major advantage to investing in index funds is that they […]
AT&T Dividend: Analysis, amount and payout schedule
AT&T investors have long favored the AT&T dividend for its continuous and regular payments. But recent moves and stock performance have made some investors question the future of the AT&T dividend. AT&T (T) is a major topic in the dividend investing community along with the Disney dividend and XOM dividend. In this article, we will […]
Multi-Step Income Statement: What you need to know
Businesses keep track of their financial information in a variety of ways and for a number of different reasons. The multi-step income statement is a variation of one of the key financial documents that businesses utilize. A company’s management team, as well as its investors and potential creditors, need certain financial data about the company […]
Should I quit my job? 5 important considerations
The question of whether you should quit your job is something many consider, for both good and less-than-ideal reasons. In this article, we’ll look at the question of should I quit my job and give individuals considering a job change a framework to think through this important decision. Your job status is a big deal […]
How much should you save every month?
Saving money is the backbone of financial planning and generating wealth. Without margin between your income and spending, which creates savings, it’s impossible to create wealth. Your savings fuel everything downstream that we typically call financial planning or investment management. It truly all begins with saving money. When asking the question of how much should […]
How to calculate and chart moving averages using Google Finance spreadsheets
Calculating and charting moving averages in Google Sheet is quite simple. By using the GoogleFinance function to pull historical data and a simple average formula, you can build some very handy spreadsheets to monitor your favorite stocks. Let’s look at how to calculate and chart moving averages using Google Finance spreadsheets. First to get started, […]
Preferred Dividends: A complete guide to preferred stock income
While dividend investors are typically quite familiar with the mechanics of dividend investing, preferred stocks that pay preferred dividends are not discussed as frequently. Investors seeking income and lower risk investments might be interested to learn more about preferred dividends. But before we get into specifics on preferred dividends, let’s back up and set the […]
Stock Profit Calculator: Determine your profit from a stock position
When folks look for a stock profit calculator, typically they are looking to quickly determine cumulative return on an investment. This simply tells you your overall return on an investment regardless of the time period in which you held the investment. An annualized return is also useful in that you can compare investments a bit […]
Stock Market Volatility: What it is, how it’s measured and how to manage it
On any given day when the stock market is open, if the broad market indices are down a percentage point or two, you’ll undoubtedly hear about “stock market volatility.” But what exactly is meant by this phrase? Does stock market volatility just describe the market when stocks decline? Or does it refer to a specific […]
How to invest $100k: A complete guide
Do you have $100,000 ready to invest? Great. This article will show you how to invest $100k in a few different ways while considering both the risk and the reward sides of the equation. It’s common for individuals to research how to invest $100k in an attempt to turn that into a much larger sum, […]
The golden cross: Understanding this technical stock market indicator
The golden cross is a commonly referenced technical indicator in stock market analysis when a short-term moving average crosses a longer-term moving average in the positive direction indicating a possible bullish move. While this type of move can be described with a variety of moving averages, typically the golden cross refers to when the 50-day […]
EBIT Formula: How to calculate earnings before interest & taxes
Earnings before interest and taxes (often called EBIT) is a funny term but is a very commonly cited accounting metric in business. The EBIT formula is used to determine and analyze a company’s profitability. EBIT is sometimes referred to as operating earnings or operating profit. Essentially, EBIT is a great way to look at the […]
The Key Determinants of Demand
Businesses need to keep demand for their products as high as possible so that they can grow, but that’s not always easy. The way demand works is complex, with a number of factors affecting it. As we’ll see in this article, the determinants of demand are a crucial factor in business operation and economics. Anyone […]
Asset allocation strategies for young investors
Asset allocation strategies are usually over simplified and are often discussed around two groups of people: those far away from retirement and those either near or at retirement. In typical financial planning, asset allocation shifts towards more and more conservative as you get older and as you get closer to needing the money. As we’ve […]
Sequence of returns risk, explained
Sequence of returns risk refers to the risk of experiencing a bear market early in the life of a portfolio, rather than later, and how that can impact the longevity of a portfolio. This risk is typically mostly associated with a retirement (or distribution) portfolio where the investor is withdrawing money on a regular basis […]
How to double your money: 3 ways to 2x your cash
Investing your money for a solid gain or return is always the goal when deploying capital. But how to double your money? Investing with the goal of doubling your money has a number of important variables such as risk, rate of return and duration of the time required. We’ll look at a few different ways […]
What is a good PE ratio? Uses and limitations of this valuation metric
The PE ratio is one of the most common and important metrics involved in stock market analysis. The PE ratio gives investors some indicator of valuation or how expensive a stock might be at a given point in time. But what is a good PE ratio? What is the range of PE ratios that warrants […]
Investment Policy Statement Guide: How to write one (or use our example)
An investment policy statement (IPS) is traditionally a document that a financial planner produces for an investor in which the investor signs off on the document. The investment policy statement states the overall objectives of the investment plan and guides future adjustments and changes to the investments. As more investors manage their own investments and […]
How is an ETF different from a stock?
If you’re investing money, you have probably explored the world of stocks, which are a very common way to build wealth. Typically when people mention investing and building wealth, they are referring to the stock market. While stocks have been around for many decades, other instruments offer investors ways to deploy capital into the stock […]
Boat Financing Guide: How to most effectively get a boat loan
Boat financing has many similarities to other types of loans, but there are some distinct characteristics when getting a boat loan. The basic premise is similar in that there typically involves a down payment that represents a portion of the purchase price, and the remaining portion of the purchase being paid over time (and you […]
How often and when should you rebalance your portfolio?
In our last of three articles on setting investing rules for ourselves, we’re going to tackle the subject of rebalancing your portfolio. Previously, we discussed how to buy individual stocks and knowing when to buy stocks. Our goal with this series is to develop a framework of guidelines and rules to protect you from you. […]
How to freeze your credit
If you’re a credit card holder or if you make online transactions, you may run into a situation where you need to know how to freeze your credit. It’s one way to try to prevent fraud from identity theft by controlling who can access your credit information. Freezing your credit, also called a security freeze, […]
Investing rules for buying stocks: systematic buying vs. market timing
In our series of investing rules articles, we last talked about putting parameters around our investing to mitigate single stock risk and stock picking risk through the use of maximum allocations and balancing between index funds and single stocks. Today we’re going to continue discussing this topic as we look at when we buy stocks. […]
Investing rules for buying individual stocks
For our consideration today, let’s group all investors into two categories. Those who contribute money into investments through nothing but an automated contribution system (often taking the form of a 401(k) type plan) and those who contribute money on a non-systematic basis and without a set schedule. Now, it’s worth noting that some investors fall […]
10 Things to Know Before Getting Your First Credit Card
A credit card is an essential financial tool in today’s world and choosing your first credit can be a challenging decision. If you’re getting your first credit card, you’ll want to consider a few key things before crossing this major money milestone. You can save a lot of time and money if you understand the […]
How to get the high (or low) stock price over a specific date range using the Google Finance spreadsheet formula
I love using the GoogleFinance functions on Google spreadsheets for tracking and analyzing stock price movement and data. The Google team has made their Google Sheets very handy for stock market analysis and tracking through the simple use of the GoogleFinance function. Using this function, you can pull in live and historical stock price data […]
How to get a stock price for a specific date using the Google Finance spreadsheet formula
If you’re like me, you track things on spreadsheets and often times on Google Sheets (the Google Docs version of Excel essentially). The Google sheets have the GoogleFinance function that is really handy for pulling in live and historic stock data. In this quick tutorial, we’ll look at how you can pull a stock price […]
How to go from 0 to 100 users a day on your blog
As we’ve documented previously, getting your initial traffic going on a new website or blog is the toughest part. Most people struggle to get any real traction in increasing traffic. Following up on our previous post in which we discussed how to go from 0 to 1,000 users a month on your blog, we’re going […]
Stocks for kids: How to invest for your kids and teach them to invest themselves
Finding stocks for kids to purchase is a worthwhile endeavor, but if you’re like me it doesn’t end there. While I’m absolutely interested in build a stock portfolio for my kids that can earn money and that they can take over eventually, I’m also quite interested in ensuring my kids learn how to invest themselves. […]
Coronacrash over? The NLF portfolio is now positive on year, S&P still down 9%. Max drawdown was only -22.6% vs. -33.6 of S&P 500. [May 8, 2020]
With the markets continuing to rebound, we look at why our portfolio held up so much better than the S&P 500 benchmark and why it’s poised to continue to climb higher.
XOM Dividend: Exxon Mobil dividend dates, history and projections
Exxon Mobil is one of the largest companies in the United States and an extremely important company in the energy sector. For investors, the XOM dividend has long been a stalwart of the investment thesis in owning shares of this company. While the XOM dividend has been a long-term consistent and reliable dividend, 2020 has […]
Netflix and the coronavirus
Netflix delivered its latest quarterly announcement and it was a doozy. Netflix smashed expectations by adding nearly 16 million new paid subscribers. While management acknowledged that they benefitted from the stay-at-home dynamics currently in place with the coronavirus and that subscriber adds were likely pulled forward from future quarters, this is hardly a bad thing. […]
Guideline 401(k) Review: A thorough look at this small business 401(k) offering
When our company wanted to roll out a 401(k) plan for our employees, we researched a few options. After analyzing the options, the costs and the offerings, we went with Guideline to manage our 401(k) plan for our company. In this Guideline 401(k) review, you’ll learn some of the key features, what the process was […]
Disney Plus Subscribers: Subscriber count history for Disney’s streaming service
Ever since Disney announced its Disney+ service in 2019, projecting, estimating and tracking Disney Plus subscribers has been an obsession for much of the media and Disney analysts. Despite a major cable business (anchored by ESPN) in a secular decline, Disney leadership was able to successfully pivot to the world of on-demand, streaming platforms with […]
Why Disney+ crossing the 50,000,000 subscriber threshold in five months matters
Disney announced this week that its new streaming service of Disney+ has crossed 50 million paid subscribers just five short months after launching. While obviously helped by the sheltering-at-home of millions of people around the world during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s still an astonishing success. Note that Disney previously mentioned that they would not provide […]
Updated ESPN Subscribers and ESPN Revenue, Explained
ESPN subscriber counts and ESPN revenue numbers that are associated with ESPN subscribers are some of the most watched metrics in all of the media industry. Why are these numbers so dissected and discussed? There are several reasons. First, ESPN finds itself at the intersection of many very large and interesting trends in media. We’ll […]
10 key personal finance strategies to implement during a recession
Managing your personal finances during a recession can be stressful. Oftentimes, recessions involve job loss, income reductions and decreases in the values of various investments. Losing income and feeling like your wealth is declining isn’t exactly comforting, but by planning and preparing before a recession hits and by implementing some key strategies during a recession, […]
Netflix content spend, explained
For the investing community, the Netflix content spend is one of the most talked about items with respect to the bull case and bear case for investing in Netflix stock (NFLX). But few truly understand the Netflix content spend, why it’s important for the business, and what elements of the spend we should be truly […]
The 2020 stimulus bill
The 2020 stimulus bill, known as the CARES Act, was signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020 in order to combat the economic impact from the coronavirus pandemic which spread globally in early 2020. The $2 trillion bill is considered the largest economic aid package in US history. The 2020 stimulus bill […]
The best stocks for 2020 and beyond after the coronavirus crash
Every year you’ll see many best stocks to buy type lists, and certainly, a few months ago there were plenty of articles giving you the best stocks for 2020 to buy. But in just a few short months everything has changed. We have a global pandemic and stocks markets are down over 30% in just […]
Netflix vs. Disney: Comparing the streaming platforms and the stock in 2020 and beyond
The Netflix vs. Disney conversation entered a new phase as 2020 got underway. Both streaming services (Netflix and Disney+) were launched and widely used in the United States. With the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic shutdown now in effect, 2020 is something else altogether now. So, how should we look at Netflix vs. Disney in […]
Stocks to buy for the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic and stock market crash
Today, let’s talk about winners and losers from the coronavirus epidemic. Prior to getting into some fun speculation, let’s quickly remark that in a general sense, we’re all losers. People are sick, some have died, and the economic damage to many has been real. We’re in no way trivializing the very real, troublesome elements of […]
The 2020 stock market crash: Timeline, what caused it and more
The 2020 stock market crash was related to the coronavirus pandemic that spread from China in late December and early January to much of the world in February and March. In order to mitigate the spread of the virus, large parts of the economy were shut down especially in travel related industries. This led to […]
How low can the stock market go?
When market crashes occur, the question of how low can the stock market go is a common one. Investors are scared and want to try and get a decent grasp on what the extent of losses can be. It’s unnerving to think about the wealth destruction occurring, and investors will continually ask in response how […]
Market crash notebook, Vol. 1
To document the market crash as it materializes, I’m writing random thoughts and observations in notebook format. Hopefully this will be useful in the years ahead to look back and my thoughts during the actual crash. Big picture thoughts: It’s just incredible how quick moves lower can be. We’ve essentially moved 30% off the highs […]
How to Invest 1 Million Dollars
When determining how to invest 1 million dollars, age, risk tolerance and goals will become important factors. Depending on how old you are, your goals and income needs might change. Whether you’re still earning money from a regular income from employment or a business will also be a factor. Your risk tolerance is a huge […]
Everything you need to know about the Trek credit card
The Trek credit card is a store credit card offered by the popular bike brand and by many local bike stores that are licensed Trek product dealers. While the Trek credit card does not differ wildly from many store credit cards, depending on your needs it may be something worth considering. In this Trek credit […]
How to Live Off Dividend Income
The idea of living off dividend income is an attractive one. You can sit back and enjoy life while you collect checks from your investments without having to sell off any investments. But sometimes, investors have misconceptions about dividend income and dividend investing. If dividend investing is so great, why do most professional financial advisors […]
Ford Dividend: Analysis, amount and payout schedule
The Ford dividend is a maybe component of why investors and shareholders buy and hold Ford (F) stock. In this article, we’ll look at every aspect of the Ford dividend including its sustainability, how often it’s paid, how much is paid out on a regular basis and more. We’ll also take a look at dividend […]
Hurricane Charley: Timeline, facts, damage caused
Hurricane Charley was the first of four major hurricanes to impact the state of Florida in 2004. The other storms were Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. Charley existed during the timeframe of August 9 to August 15 during the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. It peaked at a category 4 hurricane and had sustained winds at 150 […]
How long will your retirement savings last?
Retirement – it’s something that most of us are planning at some point in our future. But while the idea of never having to work again is enticing, getting there can be a real challenge. After all, making sure you have enough money week-to-week is hard enough, let alone putting aside enough money every paycheck […]
How to calculate how much you need to save and invest each week or each month
If you have a goal of amassing a specific sum down the road, say a year from now, or five years from now, breaking that down into regular savings goals (weekly, monthly, etc.) can be a useful approach to hit your goals. To put it more simply, if you want to save $10,000 over the […]
A guide to making (and hitting) your short-term and long-term financial goals
Setting goals is an important step in financial planning. If you don’t map out specific goals, it can be hard to make significant progress in your financial life. Writing out example goals can give you a framework upon which you can set budgets, set savings schedules, make decisions and more. Without it, you’re flying blind […]
How to calculate real GDP with the real GDP formula
The gross domestic product (GDP) is one of the most commonly cited economic indicators of economists, investors and policymakers. Real GDP is an offshoot of the standard GDP metric that provides clarity on the economic health of a nation while factoring in inflation and prices. As such, knowing how to calculate real GDP is extremely […]
How to retire at 50: A complete guide to retiring early
Retiring early is a dream for many individuals, but knowing how to retire at 50 escapes many. To be able to take a step back either partially or fully from traditional employment or a job and enjoy these years of your life is obviously something most desire. Unfortunately for many, by the time they have […]
Hurricane Gustav: Timeline, facts, damage caused
Hurricane Gustav was a disastrous storm that hit the coast of Louisiana in 2008. It caused billions in damage and significant loss of life. Gustav caused damage and casualties in Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and more. It’s estimated that damages caused by hurricane Gustav total more than $8 billion. Hurricane Gustav formed in […]
How to calculate how much you make an hour
Determining how much you make an hour is an important consideration when you’re employed via salary. It’s useful for a number of reasons. First, you may need to compare the hourly wage of your new salaried position against a previous job held in which you were paid hourly. Secondly, you may need to know your […]
How to go from 0 to 1,000 users a month on your blog
When launching a new website or blog, getting traffic growth going is the hardest part. Going from 0 to 1, so to speak, is difficult. This is the subject of this article. How to go from 0 to 1,000 users a month on a new website or blog. Before we do that, let’s take a […]
Cyclical Unemployment Explained: Definition, Causes and Examples
Cyclical unemployment is the component of unemployment typically associated with economic upturns and downturns. Naturally, unemployment increases during recessions or economic downturns and decreases during periods of strong economic growth. Cyclical unemployment along with other forms of unemployment such as structural unemployment, seasonal unemployment and others make up the general measurement of unemployment in the […]
CPI Formula: How to calculate the Consumer Price Index
The consumer price index (CPI) measures the average level of prices of goods and services in the economy. The CPI formula is used to measure the change in prices by consumers for a representative basket of goods and services during a defined time period. CPI is a widely followed measure of inflation which is used […]
How to evaluate a stock
As investors, learning how to evaluate a stock is extremely important. Proper evaluation of a stock means attempting to value its current and future earnings, examine its place in its industry, the competitive environment around the company and also external stock market conditions. When evaluating an investment, it really comes down to analyzing the future […]
5 keys to Disney’s streaming strategy
Disney’s streaming strategy is perhaps one of the most talked about pivots and moves in recent years of all large American companies. There are many reasons for this. First, Disney is a beloved brand and owns many other beloved brands that touch consumers in many ways. Second, with the rise of Netflix and the decline […]
Cryptocosm explained: What it is and why it matters
Cryptocosm refers to the network of organizations, systems, companies and individuals powered by blockchain technologies in which security and decentralization are primary features. The term cryptocosm was coined by technologist, futurist, author George Gilder from his book Life After Google: The Fall of Big Data and the Rise of the Blockchain Economy. He’s also used […]
AT&T faces many challenges ahead of its launch into streaming
As AT&T plans to launch its streaming service in 2020, the New York Times is reporting that the potential price of the service is proving to be quite a snag as the company attempts to put the details into place for its service. The source of the problem is HBO, which has seven million online […]
The Mega Backdoor Roth IRA explained
For years, the Mega Backdoor Roth IRA was a rarely used tool applicable only to a select number of people and truly understood by even fewer people. With the rise of the gig economy and more and more people have second and third income streams, the Mega Backdoor Roth IRA is more relevant than ever. […]
5 stock market indicators you should be following
If you turn on CNBC, typically within a few minutes you’ll hear something along the lines of “The Dow is up 100.” But is what the Dow did today really one of the main stock market indicators that you should be monitoring if you want to be a successful investor? Also, recent history shows us […]
Is Roku’s business model ideal in the next era of streaming wars?
One of the most rapidly growing trends across today’s consumer landscape is the growth of streaming video, and the Roku business model might be uniquely positioned to continue to take advantage of this trend. The number of people ditching traditional cable and other Pay TV services for streaming services is at all-time highs and compounding. […]
ESPN remains quite profitable for Disney
Perhaps no media brand has been beaten up by the press and by consumers in recent years more than ESPN. The poster child of the pay-TV model, ESPN has reaped massive carriage fees and delivered incredible profits to Disney in recent decades. Since, ESPN was the model for pay TV profit extraction, it also was […]
CBS eyes Starz as media consolidation continues
With tech behemoths like Amazon, Apple and Netflix investing billions into direct-to-consumer media businesses, the landscape for traditional media companies continues to shift at an ever-increasing pace. M&A activity (e.g. Disney/Fox, AT&T/Time Warner) continues to mark an industry facing major disruption by well funded, powerful new entrants. As reports surface of CBS eyeing an acquisition […]
Best investments for kids: How to secure your child’s financial future
Parents can guarantee incredible financial gains for their children by beginning the investment process now. While understanding what the best investments for kids are, it’s a broader topic in the sense that there are many important facets to the discussion. Things like when you should begin investing for your kids, what types of accounts are […]
Income statement formula explained
What is the income statement formula? What is the income statement formula? Let’s first take a quick step back. Income statement is one of the three primary financial statements that describe the financial performance of a business or a company. The income statement, the balance sheet and the cash flow statement are the three primary […]
How to void a check
When setting up automatic payments for a utility company, direct deposit or other automated services involving your checking account, you can often be asked to provide a voided check with your paperwork. Knowing how to void a check correctly is important so that you can ensure you provide the appropriate information, but also keep your […]
Investing 101 Book: The top 10 books for learning how to invest
Looking for an investing 101 book? We’ve got several recommendations for you if you’re looking to read up on how to invest. Ten Investing 101 Books to Consider The Bogleheads’ Guide to the Three-Fund Portfolio This is a must-read investing 101 book for investors looking to understand how to build an efficient and simple portfolio […]
How to grocery shop on a budget
Food is one of the largest budget items for just about everyone. When it comes to discretionary purchases, it’s pretty much always the largest. While large families will often complain about spending large amounts on groceries (for good reason), singles or smaller families have to deal with other issues that make budgeting challenging. So, learning […]
Taxable accounts in retirement: Why they’re more important than you think
The backbone of most people’s retirement funding are the tax sheltered accounts such as IRAs and 401(k)s. These accounts are fantastic, and rightly should make up the bulk of your retirement saving. Maximizing contributions to these accounts is a must and should be at the top of your personal finance priority list each year. But […]
Market Brief (Apr. 3, 2019): The Fed vs. the market
We live in unprecedented times. At least it seems so considering how short our memories are. It seems unprecedented how quickly the Fed has turned dovish from hawkish in just a matter of weeks. After hiking rates in December, the Fed has gone increasingly dovish in order to either satisfy the markets, President Trump or […]
Market Brief (Mar. 26, 2019): I’m going defensive
I stated in a recent post that all new money is going to go into bonds, because I don’t like where the stock market is currently. I’m going to flesh this out a bit further and take my position further. I’m officially going full defensive mode. I think a recession is coming, and here’s why. […]
Case study: I’m in accumulation mode and nervous about how high the stock market is, but I don’t really believe in market timing. What should I be doing?
This is a scenario I’ve put a lot of thought in, because frankly, this is my situation. Attempting to time the market is really hard for a number of reasons that I’m not going to get into here (google it, there’s plenty out there on it). But I also don’t go to the other extreme […]
Credit card churning guide: How to maximize bonuses and rewards
Credit card churning is a unique strategy in which individuals attempt to maximize credit card signup bonuses and other credit card related rewards through opening and closing multiple credit cards over time. This guide will explain how to execute a credit card churning strategy, explain the risks and provide some specific examples based on the […]
How much to save for college?
For parents considering the future costs of college for their children, the question of how much to save for college is a common one. While the headlines scream about ever-increasing costs for higher education, for all but those with high incomes, saving for 100% of college for all of their children might be impossible. Moreover, […]