Wealth and Wisdom: Week of December 11, 2023
What do you do if you’re a financial reporter on a slow news day? You think of all the things that could go wrong, quote a few alarmist “experts” to support your negative narrative, then post the story with a scary headline. Count the clicks – and then completely ignore the fact that whatever you were trying to frighten your readers about… never happens.
Is it any wonder that trust in the media is at an all-time low?
As an investor, you can read made-up news stories and let the media do your thinking for you, or you can spend a few minutes to look at the evidence and then decide how it might impact your own financial situation, if at all.
Better yet, you can spend less time listening to the background noise and more time learning from what has already happened in the past. Less news, more history. Less conjecture, more facts.
Less information, more wisdom.
Enough from the crybabies
It seems like all we hear from the media lately is how bad off we are – when the facts say just the opposite. (Reading time: 4 minutes)
And most American workers are NOT miserable
The Great Resignation never happened. Neither did ‘quiet quitting’. Maybe it’s just financial journalists who hate their jobs. (Reading time: 6 minutes)
Women retire two years earlier than men
Women earn less than men and live longer. So, why are they leaving their careers sooner? (Reading time: 3 minutes)
A true source of financial wisdom has left us
By now, you’ve heard of the passing of Warren Buffett’s business partner, Charlie Munger. This book that might help you learn from his extraordinary life. (Reading time: 1 minutes)
Profiting from human tragedy
It appears that a few days before the deadly attack on Israel, an unnamed trader bet big that it was about to happen and walked away with a fortune. (Reading time: 3 minutes)
Market-timing doesn’t work
Even with honorable intentions, investors keep learning the painful lesson that jumping into and out of the market is a fool’s errand. (Reading time: 3 minutes)
How to stop buying stuff you don’t need
A recent survey that says 96% of Americans plan to overspend this holiday season. You don’t have to be among them. (Reading time: 3 minutes)
10 ways to find money to save
This might not be the easiest time of year to start a savings program – but now is a great time to make it a priority for 2024. (Reading time: 7 minutes)
Investing your HSA
Health savings accounts can help you cover health-related expenses while reaping tax advantages. Investing your HSA can make it go even further. (Reading time: 5 minutes)
How donor-advised funds work
These investment funds allow you to support your favorite causes and save on taxes – without giving up flexibility or control. (Reading time: 4 minutes)
Words to the Wise
“The best thing a human being can do is to help another human being know more.”
– Charlie Munger
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