House-Rich, Cash-Poor in Retirement
My mother owns her home outright, owns a rental property outright, and has a retirement account that I manage for her. I tell her all of the time she is a millionaire on paper. That does not matter to her…
financial strategy
$1M Isn’t Enough. Let’s Build a Path.
When I was younger, “millionaire” was the finish line. It was the lofty goal. It was the word people used to mean you had made it. It showed up in game show titles, in song lyrics, in the quiet way…
Why Your Mortgage Rate Doesn’t Move When the Fed Does
I have gotten to the office early my entire working life. First one in, every job I have ever held, because I get a lot done before the world wakes up and I have never needed much sleep. I am…
How Many Stocks Should You Actually Own?
In How to Research a Stock Before You Buy It, we covered the basics of figuring out whether a company is worth owning. Once you start putting that knowledge to work, the next question is — how many stocks should…
How to Research a Stock Before You Buy It
In my last post, ETFs and Index Funds vs Individual Stocks, we talked about when it makes sense to start adding individual stocks to your portfolio. If you have decided you are ready to take that step, the natural next…
ETFs and Index Funds vs Individual Stocks: Which Is Right for You?
If you have read What Is an ETF? and Index Funds vs ETFs, you understand how to get into the stock market with one simple investment that instantly diversifies your money across companies and/or technologies. The next question almost every…
Index Funds vs ETFs: What’s the Difference (and What Actually Matters)
If you have learned what an ETF is, you have probably come across the term: index funds. In What Is an ETF?, we discussed the confusion of where to put your money once you have started saving it. Stocks, bonds,…
What Is An ETF? A Simple Beginner’s Guide
If you have started saving money — or are starting to think about it — or are sitting on money you have been afraid to invest — the next question is simple: What do you actually do with that money?…
Your First Paycheck: What to Do Before You Get Paid
You just got hired. Congratulations! Whether this is your first job in high school or your first career position out of college, the decisions you make now can set financial habits that follow you for decades.Learning how to prepare for…
Learn in Detail, Live in Simplicity: Why Money Systems Matter
Introduction I believe a budget is a critical step on the road to building wealth. Most people don’t have one—at least not one that reflects how they actually spend their money. Because of this, most people don’t fully understand where…
Understanding Cap Rates: A Beginner’s Guide to Real Estate Investing
If you’re starting your real estate investing journey, you’ll quickly come across the term Cap Rate. This is short for Capitalization Rate. While not a perfect science for evaluating properties, Cap Rate is a great starting point to assess a…
Retirement Savings 101: What’s Your Magic Number?
At first, it felt too early in the life of this site to write about retirement savings—but today, it suddenly felt like the obvious topic. Why? Because saving and building net worth makes more sense when there’s an end goal…
Avoid Market Timing Mistakes with This Simple Investing Strategy
I’ll say this many times: I’m not here to give you stock advice. I’ll share what I personally do, what I’ve done, and even the trades I’ve made—but my goal is to educate you. I want you to understand key…
Breaking Down the Mortgage Debate: 15-Year vs. 30-Year
Much of this site is about helping you save money and build long-term wealth. Along those lines, let’s talk about one of the most underrated tools for doing just that: the 15-year mortgage. When people think about buying a home,…
Rent vs Buy: Key Factors to Consider
One of the biggest financial decisions most people make is where they will live. Should you rent, or should you buy a home? Both renting and buying have advantages and disadvantages that will impact your life, lifestyle, and financial future.…
What are Dividend Stocks?
Introduction Dividend stocks are a type of equity investment that can provide investors with a steady stream of income. These stocks are issued by companies that regularly share a portion of their earnings with shareholders in the form of dividends.…
Your Credit Score is Important
Building a good credit history has been discussed at Starting Early: Why Financial Habits Matter, but what is a credit score, why is it important and what can you do to improve it. What Is a Credit Score? According to…
Basic Introduction to Investment Property
One of the main reasons I launched this site is because I’ve seen so many people make poor financial decisions, often struggling to live comfortably—let alone retire with peace of mind. I firmly believe we cannot rely on Social Security…
Duplex – The Power of Two
If I could go back and do things differently, one of my first wealth-building moves would have been to purchase a duplex. It’s one of the smartest ways to step into real estate ownership while also setting yourself up for…
Your 401K is NOT a Savings Account
You might think the subject of this post is an obvious concept, but you would be surprised how many 401(k) early withdrawal requests cross my desk that are simply meant to cover unexpected expenses. This is truly why I felt…
What To Look For In a Savings Account
Choosing the right account starts with understanding what to look for in a savings account. Most people immediately think about account features such as interest rates, ATM availability, and FDIC insurance. However, before looking at those details, you should first…
