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Tag: investment

Memory loss affects some Generations more than others. What key things do investors often forget?

You know, I know where this question wants us to go. But I’m just not sure that it’s right. The obvious answer? “They forget about the unbreakable relationship between risk and reward. And they forget about pain.” But is it forgetting, if you’ve never experienced it before? Every time a stock market really, really soils […]

Mining stocks have been hammered lately. Are they still good for your share portfolio or super fund?

Every great bubble story comes with its own disastrous crash landing. And when it’s the stock market, it’s so often carnage of the mid-air jumbo jet explosion variety. Debris and casualties strewn over thousands of hectares, tens of thousands of lives impacted, plans changed forever, general fear and panic. Don’t think Flying High. This is […]

Should we write down every dollar we spend, or is doing this just a waste of time?

To answer this question requires some help from the divine wisdom of Yoda. “Waste of time, it is, if you already know where your money goes. Yessss, hmmm.” What the late 900-year-old registered lethal weapon is saying is, if you only ever have enough moolah to just get through a week … then yes, start […]

What is the most inspiring piece of financial advice you’ve heard. Who gave it, and how did it help you?

Once upon a time, in the early 70s, there was an evil scientist named Walter Mischel. (Evil might be a bit harsh, but the best stories have evil scientists.) Wally decided to experiment on small animals with some reasoning skills – Generation X toddlers. Individually, he locked them in a room with one marshmallow. He […]

Winning lotto is unlikely but we can always dream. What should you do with a $1 million windfall?

Say to yourself: “Cool! One million down, one million to go”. On its own, it’s not retirement material for a Gen Xer. Or, at least it shouldn’t be. A million bucks ain’t what it used to be. While it’s not a bad start, Xers should be aiming higher than that. (And, funny, this is the […]

Should people hand back money they are wrongly given, and in your experience, do they?

Damnit. I know every time I answer one of these, my chances at wearing a halo get slimmer. My first money lesson was: “Find a penny, pick it up, then all day you’ll have good luck.” If I was handed too much change at the sandwich shop checkout? I’m not sure I’d notice half the […]

How do you work out how much money you’ll need in retirement, and how do you plan for it?

“Price check, aisle four! Price on a medium-sized tropical island, 50-room palace, 100 staff, world-class golf course, an endless supply of Bollinger and Bintang, an airstrip and a dozen watercraft? Oh, and heaps of those electric golf cart thingys.” Could you get bored of that? Um, no. I forgot to mention the Lear jet. Just […]

Like riding a bike, money habits are hard to forget

I don’t remember learning to ride a bike. I don’t remember many of the early spills. I do remember one time, with my head down and bum up peddling faster than ever, hitting a neighbour’s parked car and breaking a dozen eggs in the back seat. Serious bruising to me. Dents in the car’s front […]

Fixed versus variable mortgage rates: how do you work out which one you should choose?

“I know what you’re thinking. Did he fire six shots, or only five … you’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do you feel lucky?’ Well, do ya punk?” Thank you Dirty Harry. Interest rates are that 44 Magnum and getting the fixed rates equation wrong could “blow your head clean off” in a financial […]