The Volatility Index-Much Ado about Nothing
You have no doubt been reading a lot about the volatility index lately. Before I tell you why I believe it is irrelevant, let me first tell you what it is. The Chicago Board Options Exchange established a volatility index (VIX). The VIX is not a measure of how volatile the markets have been. It [...]
Five Ways to Shave Those Utility Bills This Summer
This summer, you can easily save money on your utility bills, energy bills, and power bills. Some energy saving tips: to save money on your utility bills and save money, install energy saving products that use less energy: like a programmable thermostat or energy saving light bulbs. By using less energy, you slash utility bills, lowering your payments and go green at the same time. This article discusses more energy saving ideas and money saving strategies.
Annuities: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
There’s a lot of misinformation about annuities. That’s not surprising, since the term “annuity” is applied to a variety of dissimilar investments. These investments are also quite complex, which seems to suit the insurance industry. Complexity makes it more difficult for investors to separate good annuity investments from the bad. I divide annuities into three [...]
Gold Investment Advice: Should I Be Investing In Gold?
The question I get asked most often is should I buy gold? My answer? You are asking the wrong question. Investors buy and sell gold at the wrong times. If you are talking about making a short-term profit by buying gold and then selling it at a higher price, the issue is very simple. You [...]
Four Rules for Solving the Investing Rubik’s Cube
I get a lot of requests from investors who want to know what to invest in now. I have to confess that I don’t understand the question. Investing is not like eating. You don’t want to try something new every day. Your investing strategy should be like eating the same meal day after day. The [...]