My Money Blog

Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium Feature Review: $30 a Month For Unlimited CFP Access

Posted on March 31, 2019 // 8 Comments

Schwab has revamped their Intelligent Portfolios "robo-advisor" service, renaming the upper tier to Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium and adding an in-depth financial plan and unlimited advice from a Certified Financial Planner for an additional … [Read the rest]

Fidelity Commission-Free ETF List Review (Updated 2019)

Posted on March 28, 2019 // 6 Comments

ETFs are surpassing mutual funds as the standard building blocks of stock and bond portfolios. Therefore, I'm taking a closer look at the latest commission-free ETF lists from the major brokers. Unfortunately, the marketing often focuses on … [Read the rest]

The Most Common Sacrifices Investors Make to Reach Their Financial Goals

Posted on March 26, 2019 // 3 Comments

According to a Wells Fargo/Gallup survey of U.S. investors, 78% say they are at least fairly disciplined in reaching their financial goals. About 50% of investors say they will have to sacrifice a "fair amount" or "a lot" to reach their financial … [Read the rest]

10-Year vs. 3-Month Yield Inversions and Recessions: It’s Time Make a Plan

Posted on March 25, 2019 // 2 Comments

Last Friday, the yield on the 10-year US Treasury note was a tiny bit less than that of the 3-month US Treasury bill. This is known as a yield inversion, and depending on which article you read, this specific type of yield inversion (10-year minus … [Read the rest]

My Money Blog Portfolio Income and Withdrawal Rate – March 2019 (Q1)

Posted on March 20, 2019 // 13 Comments

One of the biggest problems in retirement planning is turning a pile of money into a reliable stream of income. I have read hundreds of articles about this topic, and I have not yet found a perfect solution to this problem. Everything has pros … [Read the rest]

TD Ameritrade Commission-Free ETF List = All of Them! October 2019

Posted on March 19, 2019 // 13 Comments

Updated October 2019. TD Ameritrade has announced $0 commissions on online stock, ETF and option trades. Applies to U.S. exchange-listed stocks, ETFs, and options. A $0.65 per contract fee applies for options trades, with no exercise or assignment … [Read the rest]

My Money Blog Portfolio Asset Allocation and Performance, March 2019 (Q1)

Posted on March 17, 2019 // 9 Comments

Here's my quarterly portfolio update for Q1 2019. Most of my dividends arrive on a quarterly basis, and this helps me decided where to reinvest them. These are my real-world holdings, including 401k/403b/IRAs and taxable brokerage accounts but … [Read the rest]

Sprint Free Year of Unlimited Data Promo Expired: Now $25/Month Kickstart With No Expiration

Posted on March 14, 2019 // 58 Comments

Update: Sprint has replaced this offer with their Sprint Kickstart plan, which offers unlimited talk, text, and unlimited data for $25/month and does NOT go up in price after the first year. You also don't have to port-in from a postpaid carrier - … [Read the rest]

Domino’s App: 10 Points Free Per Week = Eventual Free Pizza

Posted on March 14, 2019 // Leave a Comment

I find it interesting how Domino's Pizza rescued themselves from oblivion by (1) improving the taste of their pizzas so they don't remind you of cardboard and (2) fully embracing mobile (lazy) ordering. Their smartphone app lets you apply coupons … [Read the rest]

Amazon Prime Reading: Free $3 Amazon Credit w/ First Book

Posted on March 14, 2019 // 11 Comments

Amazon Prime reading has been around since 2016, offering "unlimited reading" from a rotating selection of books, magazines, and comics - all free for Amazon Prime subscribers. Right now Amazon is offering a free $3 Amazon credit when you borrow … [Read the rest]

Forced Retirement: The Time to Prepare is Now

Posted on March 13, 2019 // 4 Comments

Here's a random thing that happened after becoming financially independent. When I caught this opening scene of people getting fired from the movie "Up in the Air" on TV, I felt sympathy but I remember it used to give me stress and anxiety. … [Read the rest]

Charlie Munger CNBC Interview 2019 Full Video, Full Transcript, and Notes

Posted on March 12, 2019 // Leave a Comment

Here's another Charles T. Munger interview (last one for a while, I promise!) for those of you that share a peculiar fondness for hearing someone encourage rationality, patience, and self-discipline. After the Daily Journal 2019 annual meeting, … [Read the rest]