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You are here: Home / Money / Q&A III: Vamos

Q&A III: Vamos

by jlcollinsnh 14 Comments

 

Image

Vamos

An original painting by Alex Ferrar

On display at his restaurant Sobremesa, Antigua, Guatemala

Welcome to the third in this series of posts featuring questions and answers from the comments that have accumulated during my recent travels. As with the first two, it is named after the featured painting above.

As described in the last two posts, Q&A I: Gaijin Shogun and Q&A II: Salamat , traveling without a computer, as I do, provides a wonderful break from the relentless onslaught of non-stop connectivity that is the mark of our modern world. For a brief few weeks it gives me the chance to return to the more peaceful time of not so long ago when our days were more fully our own. But this leads to a backlog of great comments and questions waiting for a response.

So in this series of Q&A posts as I work thru all these comment/questions, answering them in the posts where they were made, I’m also going to select a sample of the most interesting and reproduce them as posts in their own right. I see four benefits:

  • It will get responses to readers who were kind enough to comment.
  • It will get the flow of new posts started.
  • It will introduce readers who don’t currently bother reading the comments to some of the content to be found there.
  • It might even introduce you to some older posts you’ve missed so far.

Hope you enjoy them!

From:

girls-whispering

Why I can’t pick winning stocks and you can’t either

VK:

Hello Jim,

I love your articles and agree with most of them. I’m on the fence on this particular one.

I’m currently following AAII’s model shadow stock portfolio which has worked great for me since I started following it in the past couple of years.

I’m young and have been investing only a few years in the market and I’ve been seeking the answer to this question – should I invest in individual stocks or index funds.

AAII’s shadow stock portfolio’s return since inception in 1995 has been 17.9% vs S&P 500′s 9.43% for the same period. It seems to me that their model certainly seems to be working. I would like to know your thoughts as well. Do you still believe it’s better to invest in VTSAX vs just shadowing AAII’s model stock portfolio?

jlcollinsnh:
Hi VK…

Glad you love what you are finding here and hope you continue to read more.

This post is really at the core of what I believe and discuss here. It is not just my opinion, but the conclusion of an ever increasing body of research. Even Warren Buffett, perhaps the best stock picker of all time, is on board with the concept of indexing.

I am unfamiliar with the AAII model you mention, but there are countless investments out there striving to out perform the market. Some do for some periods of time, and they are endlessly creative in presenting their track records in the most favorable light.

But every prospectus carries this warning: “Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.”

The are both the truest words in these documents and the most ignored.

It is easy to look back and find the funds and portfolios that have outperformed in the past. It is impossible to predict which will do so in the future.

That said, it is great AAII has worked well for you so far and I completely understand the temptation to continue. It just seems so reasonable. It took me years to accept how vanishingly difficult it is to outperform the market and how rare and fleeting those that seem to are.

For more, check out my story of CGMFX at the end of this post: What we own and why we own it

Good luck!

From:

cat food eating

Social Security: How secure and when to take it.

John:

Excellent article.

I have heard that if the income limit on SS taxes was removed, the cash in/cash out future problem with the SS trust fund would go away.

Of course the “richer folks” would get socked with a big tax increase that they have not had to bear for years and years and years, as the “poorer” folks have been doing since the “poorer” have been paying the SS tax on all of their earnings in most cases.

Another plus for the SS fund would be that since there are fewer “richer folks”, there won’t be a rich-baby-boom bubble to deal with.

Two other points, SS is also a disability insurance program, and pays survivor benefits to children and widows if the worker dies. So, it is more than just a retirement fund. It’s a mixed bag with heavy social overtones.

And it still is a financial floor on which one can build on with their own savings plan.

Secondly, as to early retirement, another reason to take the money and run, is that you may still be “young” enough to want to do and enjoy many things that down the road ten years or so, you won’t care so much about doing. Or your physical situation will have gone down hill as is the case with older folks (two heart attacks + for me), and as such, doing some things will be out of the question. For example, it’s hard to paint or do needlepoint with shaking hands. And doing most things requires the ability to be able to walk, and walk a lot, and go up and down stairs or pathways. So, if you can’t walk much, or you get dizzy, etc., plan to stay home a lot.

Lastly, SS is an insurance system by which workers save for their future via the SS tax on their earnings, so that if or when they die, get disabled, or get old, society won’t have to pick up the tab for their or their family’s full support.

I used to work for SS many years ago, and have no work connection with SS anymore. My views and opinions are mine alone.

jlcollinsnh: 
Thanks John…

Glad you liked it, especially as someone who used to work there. I appreciate you adding your perspective. Great points!

Since SS payments are at least somewhat tied to contributions made, I wonder how that would be handled if the income limit were removed. If the payouts were still capped at the current levels, SS would become more of a simple income redistribution scheme.

Depending on one’s viewpoint, that may or may not be a good thing. But I think it should be part of the discussion.

As for SS and early retirees, check out: Go Curry Cracker: Social Security and Early Retirement

I think you and my other readers will find it interesting and useful.

From:

walk_away

The College Conundrum

Meghan:

This is an old thread, but I’m hoping my question will get answered!

Of course I’ve read a lot about the subject, but I’m wondering your personal belief regarding student loan debt and investing. Unfortunately my parents didn’t school me in the “value” of education, nor did they school me in the (EEK!) terrible side of debt.

Anyways, I have no other debt except student loans and live very frugally. I also make a decent salary and have a good retirement fund going. Should I focus on paying off my student loans before building up anymore retirement funds? What are your thoughts? Or does anyone else have opinions/experience in this situation?

Super big thanks!

jlcollinsnh:
Hi Meghan…
And I’m hoping you are still tuned in for an answer!

Basically, I would apply my rule of thumb for paying off a home mortgage. If the interest rate is:

6% or more, focus on paying off the loan.
4% or less, focus on building your investments.
In between, follow your heart.

Since I despise debt that last for me would mean focusing on paying off the loan.

If you do decide to focus on the loan, pay the absolute maximum you can each month.

The good news is, by the time you’re done, you’ll have a very strong habit of sending that money off. So it will be easy to then channel it into your investments and watch them build! You’ll be amazed at the progress.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

From:

eye of god

How not to drown in the sea of assholes

m:

I’d add a third thing to this list…

3. Empathy/Perspective. Unfortunately, some days for one reason or another I am the asshole.

jlcollinsnh:
Good point m!

While this was written from the point of view of dealing with the assholes around us it is worth remembering that we are all, at times, the asshole in question. :)

From:

  thought experiment

What Poker, Basketball and Mike Whitaker taught me about luck

Scott W:

Great article Jim. I’m a big believer that people create some of their luck but I think its important if you are doing well to be appreciative for some of the good fortune you may have had along the way.

Unfortunately many people who make bad decision after bad decision blame their lot in life on bad luck. I have a good friend who has a terrible attitude and he is convinced his lack of success is 100% bad luck when it is actually his attitude holding him back.

jlcollinsnh:
Thanks Scott…
Sorry to hear about your friend, but all too many people seem to fall into that trap. It becomes a vicious cycle and a self-fulfilling prophecy. Help if you can, but be sure not to get drawn into the vortex.

From:

spitfire

The. Worst. Used. Car. Ever.

Cline:

I had an illness in the late 70′s and early 80′s that caused me to use my student loan money to purchase a TR3A ( a lot of it in boxes), then I traded a perfectly good Pontiac for a Spitfire with the rocker panels completely rusted out because it looked so cool. Of course it had the identical self destructive engine as yours.

Then, during my first job out of college I bought at TR6 with a credit card. (Still had TR3 in the yard not running) It broke in two one day while driving over a railroad track. I had paid 2300 for it, 400 in welding the frame back, and sold for $4500. I guess that financed my losses on the other two.

Moral of the story, you need to buy a couple more Triumphs, kind of a dollar cost averaging thing. (What I learned in college with the rest of the student loan money)

jlcollinsnh:
“It broke in two one day while driving over a railroad track.” 

Ha! That got coffee sprayed all over my keyboard!

Too damn funny! And I’ll bet those reading who have never owned a Triumph (lucky devils) think you exaggerate. Ha, again!

So, I should DCA into a couple more, you say? Mmmmm. Spoken like a man who has a couple to unload…

From:

Princess Diana BB

Beanie Babies, Naked Barbie, American Pickers and Old Coots

Jen:

This post sent some shivers down my spine, because my husband just started collecting bank notes – hey, this stuff will be worth millions some day, and yes, we will send our kids to college on them.

Shipments from ebay arrive daily to our home – some with old notes costing several thousand $$ per pop. Sad thing is that I am sure the ebay value of these things already has taken into account the note appreciation (if any) and they are selling at net present value.

Just hoping we can resell those notes some day for what he paid for them.

jlcollinsnh:
And your comment sent shivers down mine, Jen.

Hope you have a plan “B” :)

If not, it will be character building for your kids to pay their own way… ;)

From:

eggs

Stocks Part XIII: Withdrawal rates — How much can I spend anyway?

Elisabeth:

Hi Jim. I’ve spent the past week reading almost all your blogs and it’s been wonderful! A friend helped me find MMM and he lead me to you. I thank all of you for posting all this great advice to help me achieve freedom as soon as possible! And for free!

I understand the principles of 4% and calculating what I need my net worth to be but I’m struggling with details. Based on our current spending I’d like our retirement expenses to be about $40k. That means I need to save $1m before we are free. But, how is inflation calculated? I understand I need $1m in today dollars but if we can get there in 10 years do I keep tracking to $1m, or will this number go up as the years go by? Because in 10 years we will need more than $40k due to inflation.

My husband and I are in our early 30s and while we have saved a lot over the past 10 years it all hasn’t been invested, earning maximum returns for us. We’ve stepped up the rate and I hope to get there in 10 years I’m just struggling with the details of calculating what my “freedom fund” needs to be.

Thanks for the help!!!
Elisabeth

jlcollinsnh:
Welcome Elisabeth…
Glad you found your way here.

There are a couple of ways to approach your question.

You could estimate the rate of inflation and plug it into one of the many on-line calculators and let it figure how much you’ll need to replicate the spending power of 40k when you retire. The problem, of course, is that inflation will likely not unfold as you predict.

Better, it seems to me, to simply aggressively build your freedom fund and track how much it can throw off at 4% each year as it grows. At the same time you can assess each year how much you’ll need/want when you retire.

Over the years, those numbers will come together. When they intersect, you’re there!

That’s what I did anyway! :)

But if you want to get a bit more technical, Eric Bahn also just put up a nice post you might find helpful: Calculating when you can say: F-you

Good luck!

From:

esperando un camino

Travels with Esperando un Camino

ak907:

I am a bit late to the party with this comment but I have been reading through your site and loved this post. It describes very well how I would like to travel the world.

I recently traveled to Thailand, it was fun and a great learning experience as my first international trip. But the trip, taken with and largely planned by friends, suffered from some of the very issues you describe. I had small bits of experiences as you describe, but I would enjoy having even more genuine travel experiences.

How do you do it? From my little bit of experience I can tell it will take a lot of research and planning. Unlike your daughter I traveled little as a kid and am not sure how to go about travel and having experiences like those you describe. Simply flying to a foreign location and going from there does not seem like it would lead to experience such as you describe.

Sites/sources such as lonelyplanet seem have been ruined by commercialism/tourism. Any recommendations? Perhaps the answer is simply experience.

How do mesh the competing goals of f-you money/financial independence and expensive travel?

AJ:
To the last commenter… I would say that the lack of planning is what makes the types of experiences Jim describes most likely. 
jlcollinsnh:
Hi ak907…

No worries being late, glad you made it!

I think AJ nailed it, a lack of planning is the key and it sounds like your trip to Thailand suffered from a bit of over-planning. I tend to just show up, wander around and see what happens.

Now that I’m older and have gone soft,  I do book the hotel for the first night or few  before I arrive and I like to arrange for a driver and car to meet me at the airport. There is nothing like stepping off a plane after a long, tiring flight and finding someone there with a smile holding up a sign with your name on it.

If I know someone who has been, I’ll ask for their recommendations for a hotel. And since I like my hotel centrally located and an easy walk from places, I’ll check the location on their website. This is exactly how I found the place where I stayed in Guatemala last month.

For what it is worth, I don’t use the travel guides like Lonely Planet or sites like Trip Advisor. Nothing against them, just never felt the need. And, as I think about, I guess I’ve always kinda figured they’d be out of date by the time I got there and would lead me to places that were by then overrun.

Once there, I just ask people where to go and what restaurants are good. Other travelers are easy to talk to and happy to help. When I find a good place to eat, I’ll also ask the owners where else they’d recommend. Figuring this stuff out gives you a reason to engage people in conversations. Which is one of my key goals.

But mostly it just takes showing up, not being tied to a schedule and going with the flow. This can take a few days, so it’s good to have more than a week to play with. Even now it is not unusual for me to hit a bit of a depression in the early days before things begin to come together. So, if this happens to you, don’t be overly concerned.

As for the FI/travel balance, it is a matter of choosing what you want to spend your money on. It is a fallacy, it seems to me, that pursuing FI means you can’t spend money on anything else. You just can;t spend money on everything else. Most people can afford both FI and travel assuming, of course, that they are not also indulging in fancy cars, homes, wardrobes and the like.

Plus, traveling this way can be surprisingly cheap. My hotel in Antigua was about $18 a night. Not fancy, but spotlessly clean, well located and run by incredibly friendly folks.

For more check out: So what does a month in Ecuador cost anyway?

Here’s another great source on the hows and costs: Go Curry Cracker

Oh, and it helps to travel alone. When you are with other people you are less approachable and less likely to approach others.

Good luck and safe journeys!

From: 

Rukeyser

1st annual Louis Rukeyser memorial Market Prediction contest results

Bryon:

Sorry to be a detail Nazi, but it drives the math nerd inside me wild. You say that your prediction of the high was .013% off. It was 1.3% off or off by a factor of .013. Adding in the percent sign moves the decimal place. Your point still stands, and I greatly appreciate the fantastic content on this site.

jlcollinsnh:

No worries, Bryon…

…your correction is very much appreciated

I operate this little blog with no help. No proofreaders or fact checkers. But I am very concerned that what appears is as technically accurate as possible.

So I am always grateful to readers who care enough to point out any errors.

That said, I am not enough of a mathematician to fully understand your correction here. Could you elaborate?

Thanks!

From:

girl-shrugging-shoulders

Stocks Part XXI: Investing in Vanguard for Europeans

If you’ve read this far and have concluded that only I have answers around here, it’s understandable. But wrong. Click on the link above for a remarkable guest post and equally remarkable conversations, all in an area where I have little to nothing to offer.

From:

Einstien

Stocks — Part XX: Early retirement withdrawal strategies and Roth conversion ladders

from a Mad Fientist

Kurt:

“It’s possible though, due to a low amount of income during early retirement, that he won’t have to pay any tax at all on the conversion”

How is this done? Anywhere I have read it is taxed as ordinary income when you do the conversion. Oh, unless you mean his Personal Deduction/Exemption take care of the tax due on the conversion??

 Justin @ Root of Go0d:

That’s pretty much how you do it. Standard deduction and personal exemption = $20k per year tax free for a married couple with zero kids.

With our 3 kids, we can actually convert $31,700 totally tax free. And even more than that since we get the child tax credit (x3). Needless to say, the Root of Good household won’t be paying federal taxes in retirement either.

Related

Important Resources

  • Talent Stacker is a resource that I learned about through my work with Jonathan and Brad at ChooseFI, and first heard about Salesforce as a career option in an episode where we featured Bradley Rice on the Podcast. In that episode, Bradley shared how he reached FI quickly thanks to his huge paychecks and discipline in keeping his expenses low. Jonathan teamed up with Bradley to build Talent Stacker, and they have helped more than 1,000 students from all walks of life complete the program and land jobs like clockwork, earning double or even triple their old salaries using a Salesforce certification to break into a no-code tech career.
  • Credit Cards are like chain saws. Incredibly useful. Incredibly dangerous. Resolve to pay in full each month and never carry a balance. Do that and they can be great tools. Here are some of the very best for travel hacking, cash back and small business rewards.
  • Personal Capital is a free tool to manage and evaluate your investments. With great visuals you can track your net worth, asset allocation, and portfolio performance, including costs. At a glance you'll see what's working and what you might want to change. Here's my full review.
  • Betterment is my recommendation for hands-off investors who prefer a DIFM (Do It For Me) approach. It is also a great tool for reaching short-term savings goals. Here is my Betterment Review
  • NewRetirement offers cool tools to help guide you in answering the question: Do I have enough money to retire? And getting started is free. Sign up and you will be offered two paths into their retirement planner. I was also on their podcast and you can check that out here:Video version, Podcast version.
  • Tuft & Needle (T&N) helps me sleep at night. They are a very cool company with a great product. Here’s my review of what we are currently sleeping on: Our Walnut Frame and Mint Mattress.
  • Vanguard.com

Filed Under: Money, Q&A Posts, Travels

« Q&A II: Salamat
Stocks — Part XXII: Stepping away from REITs »

Comments

  1. Liz says

    April 15, 2014 at 3:29 am

    Love this Q&A series!!

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      April 24, 2014 at 11:24 pm

      Thanks Liz!

      It has been fun for me too and I love being able to showcase those paintings!

      Reply
  2. Eric Bahn says

    April 15, 2014 at 8:37 pm

    Thank you Jim for referencing my site (http://www.lifeafterliquidity.com) as a resource in one of your responses above! I’m really honored, as I very much look up to you as a financial freedom hero.

    Wishing you well!

    Eric Bahn

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      April 24, 2014 at 11:26 pm

      My pleasure Eric!

      BTW, there has been a follow-up exchange in the comments on that post: https://jlcollinsnh.com/2012/12/07/stocks-part-xiii-withdrawal-rates-how-much-can-i-spend-anyway/

      Reply
  3. Allen says

    May 19, 2014 at 3:23 am

    Dear Jim,

    I just finished reading your Stock Series (and most of your blog) and I wanted to write to you to say thank you. I really appreciate your taking the time to share your hard-earned knowledge on the internet.

    I found your blog, like I assume many have, through Mr. Money Mustache. That probably tells you a lot. It’s my dream to become financially independent. I want to live cheaply and frugally, in a tiny house somewhere nice, and to live off of my investments. My girlfriend shares this dream, and we’ve been reading through your blog together.

    For a 24-year-old, I think I’m off to a good start. I’m debt-free and college educated (thanks to my parents). I’ve got my modest savings and I am currently doing some “slow travelling,” as your friend The Mad Fientist would say. I’m living in Hanoi, Vietnam while working remotely for a company back in the States. I have, essentially, outsourced myself–and it’s great! This is really the only way to travel and to experience a culture.

    One of the most important things about slow-travelling is giving myself the gift of plenty of time to read and write. I’m saving money while working on my second novel and I’m hoping I can sell it or my next novel for some F-you money!

    Now I think one of the best tools I have at my disposal is the knowledge I’ve gained from reading your blog. I really appreciate it, and I want you to know how much it means to me.

    Thank you, and keep up the great work. There’s a generation of people out there who need to know what you know.

    Cheers,
    Allen

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      May 19, 2014 at 3:05 pm

      Thanks Allen for your very kind words!

      Glad the blog is helping and it sounds like you are off to a fine start and a great life adventure.

      My pals Billy and Akaisha are currently in Vietnam, the latest stop in their 20+ year around the world trek: http://retireearlylifestyle.com/old_saigon_new_saigon.htm

      Good luck with your novels, I look forward to reading one (or more!)

      Cheers!

      Reply
  4. AJ says

    May 20, 2014 at 11:33 am

    Hi Jim,

    Thank you so much for taking the time to write this very informative blog. I started with the stock series and then voraciously read through many of the other posts. Due in large part to your blog, MMM, Get Rich Slowly, and a couple of others, I’ve made a concerted effort to get on top of my finances.

    My question has to do with short term savings, and apologies if you’ve discussed this in a previous blog that I missed. My situation is admittedly pretty good: I’m 29, have no debt or dependents, and alone make a salary that is more than double the median U.S. household income. I’ve maxed out my 401(k) and my IRA each year for the past couple, and am able to save about half of my after-tax income all told. I’m also lucky to work for an organization that offers a pension.

    I have about $40k that’s currently in an online savings account that makes 0.9% interest, not great I know. I add to this account each month and it’s earmarked as a house/condo downpayment fund. I know you don’t advocate home ownership, but I live in a high cost city (Washington, DC) where housing is fairly safe and rent is insane. I expect that I’ll dip into this fund within the next five years, and for that reason I’m wary of tying it up in equities. Sure I could do better in an index fund, but is it worth the downside risk?

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      May 22, 2014 at 6:36 pm

      Hi AJ…

      Sounds like you are making great progress and I’m delighted to hear this blog has helped in some small way.

      For money you intend to use in the next five years or so, a savings account is the safest place. A stock index fund like VTSAX is for long-term investing as measured over decades.

      But, as you point out, savings account interest rates these days are dismal.

      If you are willing to take on a bit more risk you might look into Betterment: https://jlcollinsnh.com/2013/12/16/betterment-wants-to-give-you-25/

      They allow you to specify both your goal and time frame. Once you input that info they use metrics to create a portfolio designed to give you the best results. Moreover as your goal grows closer the allocations change to reflect the shorter time frame. Pretty slick and I have an account with them now doing just this.

      Of course, there are no guarantees and the risk is greater than simple savings account. On the other hand, the greater potential gains just might get you to your goal a bit quicker. It is a very personal choice.

      One last thought. I’m not against home ownership. I’m merely against blindly buying into the concept that it is a great investment and inherently better than renting.

      Before you do anything, run the numbers: https://jlcollinsnh.com/2012/02/23/rent-v-owning-your-home-opportunity-cost-and-running-some-numbers/

      Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of the financial decision you’ll be making. Should the house prove less expensive than rent, your choice is easy. Should it prove more expensive, you’ll know that and can then decide if the extra cost is worth it to you.

      Good luck!

      Reply
  5. ak907 says

    June 24, 2014 at 9:46 am

    Thanks so much for the through response Jim. Your articles and investing and life are an inspiration, I really enjoy reading them. I will be doing more travel later this year :).

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      June 24, 2014 at 10:02 am

      My pleasure ak907…

      ..and thank you.

      But, is it possible you meant to post this comment here: https://jlcollinsnh.com/2012/01/27/travels-with-esperando-un-camino/

      as a continuation of our discussion there?

      Reply
      • ak907 says

        June 24, 2014 at 10:58 am

        Ahh, I saw your reply in this post so it is where I responded to, but I see what you mean :).

        Reply
  6. Luke says

    April 1, 2019 at 5:29 pm

    Hi Jim,

    I’m making my way back through the rest of the blog now that I’ve finished the Stock Series. At some point I’ll start that over as well. Let’s not pretend like I absorbed all the information after one time through.

    At the beginning of this post you said,

    “traveling without a computer, as I do, provides a wonderful break from the relentless onslaught of non-stop connectivity that is the mark of our modern world”

    I absolutely agree that everyone needs to break away from technology when they can. For a shorter break I highly recommend trying (at least once) a sensory deprivation tank. Also called a float tank. They’re less of a tank and more of a bath. There is ~1000 lbs of epsom salt dissolved into water so you naturally float on top, the water is warmed to average body temp, there are no lights (although there is a switch in case someone feels the need to flip on the lights), and you wear ear plugs so there’s no noise coming in. All you do is lay there for an hour. Total body reset.

    The handful of times I’ve done this I’ve slept like a baby for the next 3-4 nights. It does wonders for the mind and body.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      April 2, 2019 at 11:59 pm

      Always wanted to try a sensory deprivation tank. 🙂

      Reply
      • Luke says

        April 3, 2019 at 9:51 am

        It is definitely worth trying out! The actual experience is quite boring. It’s just you and your thoughts for an hour with (almost) no external stimuli. But the benefits after the experience make it worth it.

        Reply

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  • When Your Country Becomes a Global Outcast When Your Country Becomes a Global Outcast
  • Staying the Course in War-Time Staying the Course in War-Time
  • How I failed my daughter and a simple path to wealth How I failed my daughter and a simple path to wealth
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Archives

  • ► 2023 (3)
    • ► January (3)
      • When Your Country Becomes a Global Outcast
      • Staying the Course in War-Time
      • Pathfinders update from Hh
  • ► 2022 (12)
    • ► December (3)
      • A New Chapter for Chautauqua
      • Season's Greetings!!
      • Fun with numbers: Historic Stock Market Returns
    • ► October (1)
      • Let’s talk about what’s up with Bonds, and what ever else you’d like to ask me
    • ► August (1)
      • The Price of Security
    • ► July (1)
      • Case Study #17: Buying into the market right before a Bear
    • ► June (1)
      • Case Study #16: Helping dad with an inheritance
    • ► May (1)
      • Just inked a contract for my next book, and I want you to be a part of it!
    • ► April (1)
      • The Dinky Diner
    • ► March (1)
      • Chautauqua: A terrible business model
    • ► February (2)
      • Chautauqua is back for 2022!
      • JLCollinsnh.com Enters New Era
  • ► 2021 (14)
    • ► December (1)
      • Season's Greetings!!
    • ► November (2)
      • The new book is out!
      • Are bonds done?
    • ► October (1)
      • Guess what I just finally read for the first time...
    • ► September (1)
      • The negligence that led me to DIY investing
    • ► August (3)
      • Chainsaws and Credit Cards
      • Part XXXVI: Estate Planning 101 -- The Simple Path to an Estate Plan
      • The Simple Path to a Lucrative Career
    • ► July (1)
      • Help Wanted: a new book
    • ► June (1)
      • The Top 9 (Bad) Arguments Against Bitcoin
    • ► May (2)
      • Collins on Crypto
      • The Alfred Hitchcock Path to FI
    • ► April (1)
      • Time to sell?
    • ► February (1)
      • Mariah International: All that glitters…
  • ► 2020 (11)
    • ► December (1)
      • Season's Greetings!!
    • ► June (1)
      • How to give when you have a business
    • ► April (4)
      • Investing with Vanguard for Europeans: 2020 update
      • Part XVII-B: ETF vs. Mutual Fund -- What's the difference?
      • Reviewing the comments on my post of April 1st
      • Why I will no longer be writing this blog
    • ► March (4)
      • My move from VMMXX to VBTLX
      • COVID-19: The unvarnished truth from Doc G.
      • Chautauqua sits out 2020
      • Taking advantage of Mr. Bear
    • ► February (1)
      • Mr. Bear, Podcasts, a good book and why I should be in 100% stocks
  • ► 2019 (11)
    • ► November (4)
      • How we bought our new car
      • The House Hacking Strategy
      • What does buying a new car really cost over the years?
      • Why we bought a brand new car
    • ► August (1)
      • A Guided Meditation for When the Stock Market Is Dropping
    • ► June (2)
      • 7 Days in Heaven: or Why Slowing Down Will Get You There Sooner
      • Quit Like a Millionaire
    • ► March (1)
      • Stocks -- Part XXXV: Investing for Seven Generations
    • ► February (1)
      • Chautauqua 2019 - UK & Portugal - Tickets Now Available
    • ► January (2)
      • Mr. Bogle passes
      • "I wanted the unreasonable"
  • ► 2018 (16)
    • ► December (1)
      • Happy Holidays! and a bit on Mr. Market
    • ► November (3)
      • Truly Passive Real Estate Investing
      • Car Talk: An update on Steve and looking at Leafs
      • Chautauqua 2018 Greece: A week for the gods!
    • ► October (1)
      • On Twitter, gone for Chautauqua and dark on comments till November
    • ► September (2)
      • What we own and why we own it: 2018
      • Tuft & Needle: Our Walnut Frame and Mint Mattress
    • ► August (1)
      • Kibanda Part 5: Pretty, and pretty much done
    • ► June (3)
      • Stocks--Part XXXIV: How to unload your unwanted stocks and funds
      • Tracking your holdings
      • Stocks -- Part XXXIII: Optimism
    • ► May (2)
      • Kibanda Part 4: Quicksand!
      • My Talk at Google, Playing with FIRE and other Chautauqua connections
    • ► March (1)
      • Stocks -- Part XXXII: Why you should not be in the stock market
    • ► February (1)
      • Chautauqua 2018: Mt. Olympus, Greece
    • ► January (1)
      • An International Portfolio from The Escape Artist
  • ► 2017 (15)
    • ► December (2)
      • The Bond Experiment: Return to VBTLX
      • How to Invest in Bitcoin like Benjamin Graham
    • ► October (1)
      • Kibanda Part 3: Running the numbers
    • ► September (1)
      • Sleeping soundly thru a market crash: The Wasting Asset Retirement Model
    • ► August (2)
      • Stocks -- Part XXXI: Too hot. Too cold. Not pure enough.
      • Kibanda, Part 2: Negotiating the deal
    • ► July (2)
      • Time Machine and the future returns for stocks
      • Kibanda: Mr. Anti-house buys his dream house
    • ► June (2)
      • Is there an interior designer in the house?
      • The Simple Path to Wealth goes Audio!
    • ► May (1)
      • Life on the Beach
    • ► April (1)
      • Sell! Sell!! Sell!!! Sell?
    • ► March (1)
      • Vicki comes to Chautauqua: United Kingdom
    • ► January (2)
      • Chautauqua - Ecuador 2017 open for reservations
      • Chautauqua - United Kingdom: August 2017
  • ► 2016 (22)
    • ► December (3)
      • Season's Greetings and other cool stuff
      • Angel Investing, or Angel Philanthropy?
      • Mr. Bogle and me
    • ► November (1)
      • Where did you learn about money?
    • ► October (2)
      • Buy Your Freedom; Rent the Rest
      • So, what do you drive?
    • ► September (2)
      • Stocks -- Part XXX: jlcollinsnh vs. Vanguard
      • A visit to the Frugalwoods
    • ► August (1)
      • What the naysayers are missing
    • ► July (1)
      • Reviews of The Simple Path to Wealth; gone for summer
    • ► June (2)
      • The Simple Path to Wealth is now Published!
      • A peek into The Simple Path to Wealth
    • ► May (1)
      • It's better in the wind. Still.
    • ► April (3)
      • Cool things to check out while I'm gone
      • Stocks — Part XXIX: How to save money for college. Or not.
      • Help Wanted: The Book
    • ► March (1)
      • F-You Money: John Goodman v. jlcollinsnh
    • ► February (2)
      • Q&A - V: The Women of Amphissa
      • jlcollinsnh gets a new suit
    • ► January (3)
      • Chautauqua 2015 Reviews, 2016 registration open
      • Case Study #15: The Scavenger Life -- Freedom first, then Financial Independence
      • 3rd Annual (2015) Louis Rukeyser Memorial Market Prediction Contest results, and my forecast for 2016
  • ► 2015 (18)
    • ► December (2)
      • Q&A - IV: Strawberry Patch
      • Seasons Greetings! and other cool stuff
    • ► October (2)
      • Personal Capital; and how to unload your unwanted stocks and funds
      • Stockchoker: A look back at what your investment might have been
    • ► September (2)
      • Case Study #14: To Dream the Impossible Dream (and then realize it)
      • Hotel Living
    • ► August (1)
      • Mr. Market's Wild Ride
    • ► June (4)
      • Gone for Summer, an important note on comments and random cool stuff that caught my eye
      • Around the world with an Aussie Biker
      • Case Study #13: The Power of Flexibility
      • Stocks — Part VIII: The 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA & Roth Buckets
    • ► March (2)
      • Stocks -- Part XXVIII: Debt - The Unacceptable Burden
      • Chautauqua October 2015: Times Two!
    • ► February (2)
      • YNAB: Best Place to Work Ever?
      • Case Study #12: Escaping a soul-crushing job before you're 70
    • ► January (3)
      • Case Study #11: John, a small business owner in transition
      • Trish and Stan take an Intrepid Sailing Voyage
      • 2014 Annual Louis Rukeyser Memorial Market Prediction Contest results, and my forecast for 2015
  • ► 2014 (29)
    • ► December (2)
      • Diamonds and Happy Holidays!
      • Micro-Lending with Kiva
    • ► November (3)
      • Chautauqua February 7-14, 2015: Escape from Winter
      • Stocks -- Part XXVII: Why I Don’t Like Dollar Cost Averaging
      • Jack Bogle and the Presidential Medal of Freedom
    • ► October (3)
      • Tuft & Needle: A better path to sleep
      • Nightmare on Wall Street: Will the Blood Bath Continue?
      • Help Wanted
    • ► September (1)
      • Chautauqua 2014: Lightning strikes again!
    • ► August (2)
      • Stocks -- Part XXVI: Pulling the 4%
      • Stocks -- Part XXV: HSAs, more than just a way to pay your medical bills.
    • ► July (3)
      • Stocks -- Part XXIV: RMDs, the ugly surprise at the end of the tax-deferred rainbow
      • Summer travels, writing, reading and other amusements
      • Moto X, my new Republic Wireless Phone
    • ► June (1)
      • Stocks -- Part XXIII: Selecting your asset allocation
    • ► May (1)
      • Stocks -- Part XXII: Stepping away from REITs
    • ► April (3)
      • Q&A III: Vamos
      • Q&A II: Salamat
      • Q&A I: Gaijin Shogun
    • ► March (2)
      • Top 10 posts
      • Cafe No Se
    • ► February (4)
      • Chautauqua 2014 preview, closing up for travel and other random cool things that caught my eye of late.
      • Case Study #10: Should Josiah buy his parents a house?
      • Case Study #9: Lars -- maximizing some good fortune and considering "dollar cost averaging"
      • Case Study #8: Ron's mother - she's doin' all right!
    • ► January (4)
      • roundup: Some random cool things
      • Stocks — Part XXI: Investing with Vanguard for Europeans
      • Case Study #7: What it looks like when everything financial goes wrong
      • 1st Annual Louis Rukeyser Memorial Market Prediction Contest 2013 results, and my forecast for 2014
  • ► 2013 (41)
    • ► December (4)
      • Closing up for the Holidays, see you in 2014
      • Betterment: a simpler path to wealth
      • Case Study 6: Helping an ill and elderly parent
      • Stocks -- Part XX: Early Retirement Withdrawal Strategies and Roth Conversion Ladders from a Mad Fientist
    • ► November (3)
      • Death, Taxes, Estate Plans, Probate and Prob8
      • Case Study #5: Zero to 2.6 million in 25 years
      • Case Study #4: Using the 4% rule and asset allocations.
    • ► October (3)
      • Republic Wireless and my $19 per month phone plan
      • Case Study #3: Let's get Tom to Latin America!
      • The Stock Series gets its own page
    • ► September (2)
      • Case Study #2: Joe -- off to a fast start!
      • Chautauqua 2013: A Week of Dreams
    • ► August (1)
      • Closing up shop plus an opening at Chautauqua, my new podcast, phone, book and other random cool stuff
    • ► July (1)
      • They Will Kill You For Your Shoes!
    • ► June (4)
      • Stocks -- Part VIII-b: Should you avoid your company's 401k?
      • Shilpan's Seven Habits to Live More with Less
      • Stocks -- Part XIX: How to think about money
      • My path for my kid -- the first 10 years
    • ► May (5)
      • Why your house is a terrible investment
      • Stocks — Part XVIII: Investing in a raging bull
      • Dining with the Ghosts of Sarah Bernhardt and Alfons Mucha
      • How we finally got the house sold
      • Stocks — Part XVII: What if you can't buy VTSAX? Or even Vanguard?
    • ► April (4)
      • Greetings from Prague & a computer question
      • Swimming with Tigers, a 2nd chance on the Chautauqua, a financial article gets it wrong and I'm off to Prague
      • Storage, Moving and Movers
      • Homeless, and a bit on the strategy of dollar cost averaging
    • ► March (4)
      • Wild Turkeys, Motorcycles, Dining Room Sets & Greed
      • Roots v. Wings: considering home ownership
      • How about that stock market?!
      • The Blog has New Clothes
    • ► February (5)
      • Meet Mr. Money Mustache, JD Roth, Cheryl Reed & me for a Chautauqua in Ecuador
      • High School Poetry, Carnival, cool ads and random pictures that caught my eye
      • Consignment Shops: Best business model ever?
      • Cafes
      • Stocks -- Part XVI: Index Funds are really just for lazy people, right?
    • ► January (5)
      • Social Security: How secure and when to take it
      • Fighting giraffes, surreal landscapes, dancing with unicorns and restoring a Vanagon
      • My plan for 2013
      • VITA, income taxes and the IRS
      • How to be a stock market guru and get on MSNBC
  • ► 2012 (53)
    • ► December (6)
      • See you next year....until then: The Origin of Life, Life on Other Worlds, Mechanical Graveyards, Great Art, Alternative Lifestyles and Finding Freedom
      • Stocks -- Part XV: Target Retirement Funds, the simplest path to wealth of all
      • Stocks -- Part XIV: Deflation, the ugly escort of Depressions.
      • Stocks Part XIV: Deflation, the ugly escort of Depressions.
      • Stocks -- Part XIII: The 4% rule, withdrawal rates and how much can I spend anyway?
      • How I learned to stop worrying about the Fiscal Cliff and you can too.
    • ► November (2)
      • Rent v. owning: A couple of case studies in Ecuador
      • So, what does a month in Ecuador cost anyway?
    • ► October (4)
      • See you in December....
      • Meet me in Ecuador?
      • The Podcast: You can hear me now.
      • Stocks -- Part XII: Bonds
    • ► September (6)
      • Stocks -- Part XI: International Funds
      • The Smoother Path to Wealth
      • Case Study #I: Putting the Simple Path to Wealth into Action
      • Tales of Bolivia: Calle de las Brujas
      • Stocks -- Part X: What if Vanguard gets Nuked?
      • Travels in South America: It was the best of times....
    • ► August (1)
      • Home again
    • ► June (4)
      • Yellow Fever, closing up shop for the summer and heading to Peru y Bolivia
      • I could not have said it better myself...
      • Stocks -- Part IX: Why I don't like investment advisors
      • Happy Birthday, jlcollinsnh; and thanks for the gift Mr. MM!
    • ► May (6)
      • Stocks -- Part VIII: The 401K, 403b, TSP, IRA & Roth Buckets
      • Mr. Money Mustache
      • The College Conundrum
      • Stocks -- Part VII: Can everyone really retire a millionaire?
      • Stocks -- Part VI: Portfolio ideas to build and keep your wealth
      • Stocks -- Part V: Keeping it simple, considerations and tools
    • ► April (6)
      • Stocks -- Part IV: The Big Ugly Event, Deflation and a bit on Inflation
      • Stocks -- Part III: Most people lose money in the market.
      • Stocks -- Part II: The Market Always Goes Up
      • Stocks -- Part 1: There's a major market crash coming!!!! and Dr. Lo can't save you.
      • You can eat my Vindaloo, mega lottery, Blondie, Noa, Israel Kamakawiwo 'Ole, art, film and a ride on the Space Shuttle
      • Where in the world are you?
    • ► March (7)
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part V: Sold! and the taxman cometh.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part IV: I become a Landlord.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part III: The Battle is Joined.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part II: The Limits of the Law.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part I: Impossibly Naive.
      • You, too, can be conned
      • Armageddon and the value of practical skills
    • ► February (6)
      • Rent v. Owning Your Home, opportunity cost and running some numbers
      • The Casanova Kid, a Shit Knife, a Good Book, Having No Regrets, Dark Matter and a bit of Magic
      • What Poker, Basketball and Mike Whitaker taught me about Luck
      • How to Give like a Billionaire
      • Go ahead, make my day
      • Muk Finds Success in Tahiti
    • ► January (5)
      • Travels with "Esperando un Camino"
      • Beanie Babies, Naked Barbie, American Pickers and Old Coots
      • Selling the House and Adventures in Staging
      • The bashing of Index Funds, Jack Bogle and a Jedi dog trick
      • Magic Beans
  • ► 2011 (22)
    • ► December (1)
      • Dividend Growth Investing
    • ► November (2)
      • The Mummy's head, Particle Physics and "Knocking on Heaven's Door"
      • "It's Better in the Wind" or why I ride a motorcycle
    • ► October (1)
      • Lazy Days and School Days
    • ► July (2)
      • The road to Zanzibar sometimes goes thru Ecuador...
      • Johnny wins the lotto and heads to Paris
    • ► June (16)
      • Chainsaws, Elm Trees and paying for College
      • Stuff I’ve failed at: the early years
      • Snatching Victory from the Jaws of Defeat
      • The. Worst. Used. Car. Ever.
      • Top Ten reasons your future is so bright it hurts my eyes to look at it
      • The Most Dangerous Words Your Customer Can Say
      • How not to drown in The Sea of Assholes
      • What we own and why we own it
      • The Ten Sales Commandments
      • My ever so formal and oh so dry CV
      • How I failed my daughter and a simple path to wealth
      • The Myth of Motivation
      • Why you need F-you money
      • My short attention span
      • Why I can’t pick winning stocks, and you can’t either
      • The Monk and the Minister

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