James C. Molet's Blog, page 68

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#CreamCityHustle – Update #2

August 23rd – Update #2 The novel is going well. In fact, I suspect I will be able to release it earlier than originally planned. Perhaps around the end of September. Currently, the novel is at about 36,000 words. Based on where story is and how I plan to conclude it, I suspect it will end at around 55,000 – 60,000 words. As I indicated in the Introduction to Cream City Hustle, I was looking for a name for the story’s antagonist. There were a lot of good suggestions. Family Read the Full Story

Introduction to HELOCs

A Home-Equity Line of Credit, or a HELOC, is a loan that use a borrower’s home as collateral. It appears as if they are making a comeback. With this type of variable-rate loan, homeowners can draw money at their discretion. However, in an effort to lower their risks in making the loans, banks have instituted some restrictions. First, getting a HELOC typically requires a credit score North of 700. As with access to credit in other formats, a good credit score is essential. Second, many banks have instituted curtailment clauses. Read the Full Story

#CreamCityHustle – Update #1

August 12th – Update #1  Below is the first paragraph from my novel in progress, Cream City Hustle. The opening paragraph introduces the story’s protagonist, Marcus. At this point, I have about 13,000 words written and it is going well as I have a very good idea where I want the story to go. Also of note, some subtle changes have been made to the book’s cover. See Below. The leaf has been brought to the fore, weaved between the ‘L’ and ‘E’ in Hustle.      “Damn!” Marcus swore Read the Full Story

Cream City Hustle – Update #1

August 12th – Update #1  Below is the first paragraph from my novel in progress, Cream City Hustle. The opening paragraph introduces the story’s protagonist, Marcus. At this point, I have about 13,000 words written and it is going well as I have a very good idea where I want the story to go. Also of note, some subtle changes have been made to the book’s cover. See Below. The leaf has been brought to the fore, weaved between the ‘L’ and ‘E’ in Hustle.      “Damn!” Marcus swore Read the Full Story

Cream City Hustle

I recently started my first novel, Cream City Hustle, a financial thriller set in Milwaukee. I’m looking for a good name (nickname) for the antagonist, a would be drug kingpin. Any suggestions? I’ll be sure to give a shout out in the Acknowledgements to the person that comes up with a winning name when the book is published. I plan to offer updates as I make progress.  Look for a preview of the first paragraph or two next week.  I look forward to getting reader feedback. This is the working Read the Full Story

Looking for Change

Documentary: Spent: Looking for Change (2013). Sponsored by American Express and narrated by Tyler Perry, this short (39 minutes) documentary is a film about everyday Americans shut out of the finance system most of us take for granted. Many of these Americans turn to pawn shops, check cashing services; and use payday and title loans to meet basic financial needs. Of course the practice is quite costly. It has been calculated that $89 billion a year goes to fees and interest for using these types of alternative financial services. Available Read the Full Story

I Don’t Plan to Retire

“I do not plan to retire.” As I have crept ever closer to my desired retirement age, 60, I have heard that phrase more often than I would have thought. Numerous recent studies have shown that a majority of workers are planning to work past the age of 65, many are planning to work past age 70, and some have no plans to ever retire. In writing the book, running this blog, talking with others (friends, family and co-workers), my experience has been that there are generally three reasons people Read the Full Story

Living Frugally: Give Blood, Save Lives and Get Out of Debt

          When someone asks me how they are supposed to get out of debt or get ahead financially, I give them several helpful tips including one that I think is underrated and often forgotten…Give Blood/Plasma. I live about eight miles from a facility that pays around $25 every time I donate blood. Following the rules and regulations I can give blood twice a week without posing any danger to myself. (Side Note: It is very important not to give blood too often because you can do Read the Full Story

Your Primary Residence is a Home, Not an Asset

While there isn’t necessarily a great debate raging, there are strong opinions on both sides of the question, “is a home an asset or a liability?” There are those that believe the home they live in should be considered an asset. However, there is a school of thought, popularized by Robert Kiyosaki (author of Rich Dad Poor Dad), that says a home, particularly one carrying a mortgage, is a liability. Before we go any further, let’s look at Merriam-Webster’s definition of these two key words: as·set [ˈa-ˌset also -sət] noun Read the Full Story