by Dave Conley on April 28, 2023.
“Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.” Thich Nhan Hanh Becoming aware of our spending is one of the most powerful tools we have. Why? In examining our spending we become aware of ourselves. Budgeting is simply being aware of our spending. Why is this keeping track of how...
by Dave Conley on April 21, 2023.
Cable and online financial news (for the average investor) can also be overwhelming and cause investors to make mistakes. The term I use for this news is “Financial Pornography”. I can think of many bad decisions made by viewers of financial porn but narrowed it down to four mistakes the average investor is likely to...
by Dave Conley on April 7, 2023.
As a professional investor for almost 30 years, I rely on my own experiences to help guide my investment approach. Every crisis is different, but they often have things in common. The financial crisis of 2007-2008 was a difficult time for many investors, with stocks and bonds experiencing significant losses. While it’s impossible to predict...
by Dave Conley on March 24, 2023.
How widespread is the current banking turmoil? Should we be concerned about our bank deposits? Are the current challenges unique or similar to other banking turmoil in the past? Are there investment opportunities in this economic environment?
by Dave Conley on March 17, 2023.
Although there is no foolproof formula for investing success or failure there are traits that those who do well over the long term possess. As a financial planner with 25 years of experience, I have seen many investors succeed and others struggle. Through my experience, I have identified three primary characteristics or habits of a good investor and three characteristics or habits of poor investors.
by Dave Conley on March 3, 2023.
Retirement is a stage of life that everyone looks forward to, after years of hard work and saving. However, the key to a happy retirement is having enough money to sustain you during this phase of your life. One of the most important decisions you will make during your retirement is how much of your savings you can safely spend each year. In this blog post, we will outline the top 5 retirement spending strategies that retirees can use to plan their retirement spending.
by Dave Conley on February 24, 2023.
I ask potential clients to describe their version of financial freedom (or financial peace) and how we can help them achieve this goal. It’s extremely common for the answers to center on some sort of financial/investment success metric. Stuff like:• Increase my investment returns to 10% a year consistently with minimal risk.• Pay off all...
by Dave Conley on February 17, 2023.
Why do the typical investors investment returns trail the investment returns of the investments (mutual funds, ETF's, etc.) they are investing?
by Randy Chalmers on February 9, 2023.
If you are like….everyone else in the world, saving is not at the top of your “fun things to do” list, nor is it an easy task. So, here are some ways that you can ensure you pay yourself with a little less stress about the topic. Pay Yourself First You’ve probably heard the phrase...
by Dave Conley on February 9, 2023.
Investing can often feel like a daunting task, especially for those just starting out. But with the right approach, it can be a rewarding and fulfilling journey. One way to think about investing is to see it as following a treasure map. With every step along the way, you'll encounter challenges and obstacles, but if you keep your eye on the prize, you'll eventually reach the reward at the end.