A common question about of the "4% rule" is, well, 4% of what? People like to anchor themselves to the all-time high value of their portfolio, but we can see from recent events that can be a shaky idea. I believe that you should always be … [Read the rest]
Here’s my 2025 Q1 income update as a companion post to my 2025 Q1 asset allocation & performance update. Even though I don't focus on high-dividend stocks, income-focused ETFs or high-yield bonds - I still track the income from my portfolio as an … [Read the rest]
I try to limit checking my portfolio to once a quarter, and this is my 2025 Q1 update that includes our combined 401k/403b/IRAs and taxable brokerage accounts but excluding our house and side portfolio of self-directed investments. Following the … [Read the rest]
In case you aren't aware that a huge profit source for every broker is your idle cash, Bloomberg reports that Fidelity and Schwab are blocking all new purchase trades of new money market ETFs (gift article) from Blackrock and Texas Capital. Here's … [Read the rest]
If you are a DIY investor (or professional financial planner) that is looking to geek out on the intricacies of the tax treatment for holding Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), check out the new paper Best Asset Location for a TIPS … [Read the rest]
My last update on the PeerStreet bankruptcy was about a year and a half ago. PeerStreet marketed high-interest investment loans backed by real estate in $1,000 fractional increments. A few days ago, I received a big, thick envelope with lots of … [Read the rest]
American Express is celebrating their 175th birthday (!) with a "Member Week" from March 17-21. They are touting various special offers. I honestly don't know if they will be awesome or disappointing, but I figure that it's worth logging into your … [Read the rest]
Helium Mobile is offering a "free" cellular plan that includes 100 minutes talk, 300 texts, and 3 GB of data per month (no hotspot). You have to upload a government-issued ID (name, address, date of birth, ID number), but you don't need to provide … [Read the rest]
Update 4/23: Looks like the party is winding down. Pepper no longer sells Amazon or Sam's Club gift cards when purchasing with credit cards. You can still redeem using points. 10X on Chipotle and DoorDash is all that remains. I would … [Read the rest]
The big news in travel is that Southwest Airlines has basically given up their unique "We are different!" corporate identity and become just another commodity airline that tries to look as cheap as possible upfront (only $200!) while adding multiple … [Read the rest]
As a companion to my post on Fidelity Model ETF Portfolios, I also found Blackrock's version of their 60/40 Model ETF portfolio. The was prompted by the fact that Blackrock recently announced that it was adding a 1-2% allocation to Bitcoin in … [Read the rest]
Updated with limited-time offers. The Wyndham Rewards Earner credit cards currently all have increased bonuses of up to 90,000 points. While these are not the highest amounts offered ever, they are above the normal bonuses. This hotel-chain … [Read the rest]
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