James C. Molet's Blog, page 58

A Richer Understanding: Lessons on Saving and Spending

Brian Tramuel helms this series. He lives with his wife Michelle, their children Geneva and Brian, and their Cocker Spaniel Maestro in Charlotte, NC. They, along with his two older children from a previous marriage, Davina and Aaron, provide a constant source of inspiration. Aaron lives, works and plays in Charlotte and Davina lives, works and plays in Roanoke, VA. Often when I look at myself in the mirror the reflection I see staring back at me is one of my 18 year old self; young, thin, full head of hair Read the Full Story

Another Reason I’m Skeptical of Financial Advisors

Anyone that has read my book, RENDEZVOUS WITH RETIREMENT: A Guide to Getting Fiscally Fit, or has been reading this blog for awhile knows that I have reservations about utilizing financial advisors (planners). In fact, I believe most people are better off educating themselves with respect to personal finance and developing/managing their own plan. However, I do recognize that there may be specific occasions when it makes sense to seek outside counsel. In my book I noted: There will likely come a time when finding a good planner is appropriate. Read the Full Story

The End of Employer-Provided Health Insurance – A SavvyReview and Giveaway

On March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly called the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or derisively by some as Obamacare, was signed into law by President Obama. Unless you have been pulling a Rip Van Winkle for the last 5+ years, you are aware that significant changes have been made to the way many Americans receive their health care. Into that breach steps Paul Zane Pilzer and Rick Lindquist, the authors of The End of Employer-Provided Health Insurance: Why It’s Good for You and Your Company. Read the Full Story

Living Frugally: If the Birthday Party Was ‘So Expensive’ It’s Your Fault

Taz Bright helms this series. Taz is a father, speaker, long-time business owner and graduate of the school of hard-knocks. Taz uses his past business and personal finance experience to help steer others in a positive financial direction while, hopefully, avoiding the mistakes he’s made along the way. As a former 6-year victim of Identity Theft, Taz shares unique lessons learned while trying to regain his financial footing. Taz is a member of Toastmasters International, a martial artist, former bodyguard and a CrossFit athlete. As the owner of Bright Balance Read the Full Story

Net Worth is a Useless Metric

First, the basic definition. ‘Net worth’ is the amount by which assets exceed liabilities. While the term has value and meaning for businesses, it is largely a useless metric for individual families. Why? Because two ‘assets’ that people love to include in their calculation of net worth are their homes (I’m referring to primary residences and not rental or investment properties) and automobiles.  And for too many people the value they assign to their home and automobile(s) form a significant amount of their net worth. As an example, you might Read the Full Story

Establish an Emergency Fund

Simply put, an emergency fund – often referred to as a rainy day fund – is a cash account that is used only in the event of an emergency, to fill critical financial gaps, or meet unexpected expenses. It is immediate access to cash that allows you to take care of unforeseen circumstances without impacting the money you have committed to saving and investing.  The account where your emergency fund is maintained should be one that offers the best return possible. If given the choice between two institutions, one that Read the Full Story

Live Your Life for 1/2 the Price – A SavvyReview and Giveaway

Brian, creator and author of the A Richer Understanding series, provides a review of Mary Hunt’s new book. Publisher: Revell, 2005. 342 pages. Mary Hunt, the founder of Debt-Proof Living, provides a user-friendly guide that discusses ways to slash the cost of nearly everything you need without sacrificing happiness and quality of life. The introduction sets a strong tone for the read. “Affluence is not measured by your annual income. Affluence is determined by how many of your resources you manage not to spend — the amount of income you keep.”  Hunt Read the Full Story

A Richer Understanding: Living and Eating Well

Brian Tramuel helms this series. He lives with his wife Michelle, their children Geneva and Brian, and their Cocker Spaniel Maestro in Charlotte, NC. They, along with his two older children from a previous marriage, Davina and Aaron, provide a constant source of inspiration. Aaron lives, works and plays in Charlotte and Davina lives, works and plays in Roanoke, VA. I love cooking, my first (real) job was at a locally owned bar and grill in downtown Roanoke, VA. I learned every position in the front and back of the house. Read the Full Story

Living Frugally: A TV in Every Room?

Taz Bright helms this series. Taz is a father, speaker, long-time business owner and graduate of the school of hard-knocks. Taz uses his past business and personal finance experience to help steer others in a positive financial direction while, hopefully, avoiding the mistakes he’s made along the way. As a former 6-year victim of Identity Theft, Taz shares unique lessons learned while trying to regain his financial footing. Taz is a member of Toastmasters International, a martial artist, former bodyguard and a CrossFit athlete. As the owner of Bright Balance Read the Full Story

A Random Walk Around Wall Street

I just returned from a business trip to New York and as the blogger-in-chief of a personal finance blog, of course I was obligated to take a walk around the financial capital of the world, Wall Street and the financial district. This was actually my second time in New York and I had a chance to visit the Wall Street area during the first trip. However, the first visit took place before I started this blog. Of course most will recognize the title of this post as a play on Read the Full Story