Pros and Cons of Index Fund Investing
Thanks to Warren Buffett, investing in index funds has become the first choice for most small investors. It's good advice. I'm not arguing with Mr. Buffett over where to your money. But if you don't have much money to invest, waiting for index funds to grow can be painful. That's why so many investors continue to "play the market". Here are my thoughts on what this means for us little guys.
Old School Politics Cost the Democrats the Election
The Democratic Party is as corrupt and undependable as the Republican Party. This year we had to choose between the lesser of two evils. I know some people who decided not to vote because they couldn't support either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Trump will be a disaster for this country but I can't see how Clinton would have been any better. Both candidates are divisive people. The Democrats had a chance to back Bernie Sanders but their superdelegates decided it was "Hillary's turn".
Yet Another Great Reason Not to Use a Bank
In case you've been sleeping under a rock, Wells Fargo was rocked by a $185 million fine for fraudulently opening 2 million customer accounts. I say it couldn't happen to a more deserving bank. I walked away from their high pressure, hard line "customer service" years ago. I joined a credit union and have been happy ever since.
Health Insurance Is the Biggest Scam Since Tulips in Holland
I'm all in favor of helping everyone see a doctor when they are feeling ill. I also gladly accept the health insurance my employer offers. But health insurance isn't a good investment for anyone. To hear Republicans talk, you'd think everyone in America can easily afford health insurance. I guess when your career consist of running for political office and you don't have to pay for health insurance that must seem like reality. For the rest of us, all those premiums come from somewhere. My family pays nearly $1,000 a month for health insurance.
A New Kind of Budget Makes Monthly Planning Easier
Who doesn't hate sitting down and doing the monthly household budget? You have to watch your money vanish dollar by dollar as you tick off bill payments. As in many other families we have too much credit card debt. It's not like we need to pay for everything with a credit card. It is just that they are so darned easy to use. But my wife finally hit on an idea that is working for us. I think you will like it.
So Long Bitcoin, We Hardly Knew Ye
It is starting to look like Bitcoin is dead or soon will be. And this time I don't think there is enough public goodwill remaining for it to come back. Bitcoin has always been the Mos Eisley Spaceport of currencies. You will not find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy anywhere else in your portfolios. First, you had the Mt. Gox scandals (yes, I use the plural). Things just kept going wrong at Mt. Gox.
Then you had the shutdown of Silk Road, which had become an underground exchange for drugs, money laundering, and murder. Bitcoin was once again drawn into the story, and investors rightly asked if this wasn't a shady system after all. But Bitcoin recovered and moved on. The fact it was able to absorb such devastating body blows in public trust suggested to many that maybe this was a system worth investing in after all.
Then you had the shutdown of Silk Road, which had become an underground exchange for drugs, money laundering, and murder. Bitcoin was once again drawn into the story, and investors rightly asked if this wasn't a shady system after all. But Bitcoin recovered and moved on. The fact it was able to absorb such devastating body blows in public trust suggested to many that maybe this was a system worth investing in after all.
