Money Questions and Answers

Investment Temperament Trumps Investment Intelligence – 7 Rules for Successful Investing

The following is a guest post by Larry Swedroe, co-author of “”. If you’d like to contribute a guest post to Money Q&A, check out our guest posting guidelines. Warren Buffett famously once said, “Success in investing doesn’t correlate with IQ. Once you have ordinary intelligence, what you need is the temperament to control the urges that get other people in trouble investing.” Temperament trumps intellect because having the right temperament allows you to ignore the “noise” of the market and be a patient, disciplined investor, adhering to your well-thought-out financial plan through the inevitable bad times — times when even good strategies deliver poor outcomes. 7 Rules for Successful Investing My almost 25 years of experience as a financial advisor … Read more

How to Tell Your Children that Santa Is Broke This Year

by Hank Coleman

What do you tell your children when times are tough? Is Santa affected by the recession too? How do you tell your children Santa is broke? One of the worst mistakes that we can make is to pretend that nothing is wrong and continue operating in the same manner that we always have during the holidays when our family is struggling financially. It becomes hard to maintain the status quo when times are tough, and it is especially tough around Christmas and the holidays. And, trying to continue the same way is a horrible mistake. We get used the good times with tons of presents under the tree, showering friends with presents, and decorating your home like an Oswald. But, … Read more

Five Ways to Make Holiday Gift Giving Perfect This Year

by Hank Coleman

You may not be ready to think about it yet, but Christmas as the holiday season is rapidly approaching us. And, we all know that the holidays are an expensive time of the year. One reason is that we are a very generous society and love holiday gift giving. One recent survey found that Americans spend over $500 per year on gifts for our friends and family. We love to give and giving can quickly add up and become a budget buster. But, there are a few ways that you can make this a perfect year and still give gifts that make you just as happy as those who receive them without living a case of buyer’s remorse or a … Read more

Why Socially Responsible Investing May Not Be Great for Your Investment Returns

by Hank Coleman

In conjunction with present-day debates about pressing issues like climate change, unfair labor practices, green energy, and skyrocketing obesity rates, investors are becoming more aware of the roles their money could play in perpetuating societal ills. This has led to the rapid expansion of socially responsible investing (SRI). SRI allows investors to exclude certain types of companies or industries from their investment portfolios based on their own moral values. This sounds like a great idea…in theory. In practice, SRI is much more complicated, and focusing primarily on socially conscientious investments could potentially limit your success in the stock market. While SRI may be beneficial for our global society, it may not be the best strategy for your individual portfolio. If … Read more

Review of SPENT Money App: How to Earn Cash Back on Purchases

by Hank Coleman

If you’re not consistently maintaining and adjusting a budget for your personal and business-related expenses, then you might run the risk of blowing your budget simply due to disorganization issues. That’s why personal finance management apps like SPENT Money exist. Their goal is to help folks keep track of their financial lives, whether they’re at home, at the store, or even in another country. In addition to helping you manage your business expenses, the SPENT Money app offers its users thousands of opportunities to earn cashback on purchases. You can earn from nearly every category imaginable, such as travel, office supplies, restaurants, groceries, and so much more. The SPENT Money app is also unique in that it has a receipt … Read more

How Businesses Should Budget for Workplace Safety

by Guest Contributor

Few business owners would say they don’t care about safety. Most people want their employees to work without risk of injury or illness. A verbal commitment to safety isn’t enough to create a safe working environment, however. The workplace continues to pose danger to people in many occupations, including construction and logging. In fact, 5,190 American workers died on the job in 2016 alone. These numbers should concern workers and business owners alike. In order to create a safe working environment for employees, business owners need to invest in training and equipment. Let’s consider why and how businesses should incorporate workplace safety into their budgets. Investing in Safety Saves Money and Lives Workplace safety is essential to every part of … Read more