Are you a Gambler?

water-coolerConcerned about the current state of the market?  Not sure is you should hold ’em or fold ’em?
Walk away or run?

David Yeske, a financial planner in San Francisco, recently sent out a calming note to his clients explaining that downturns are inevitable, but he offered another strategy. He offered some “fun and uplifting” distractions from the scary headlines, and he provided links to videos featuring a rendition of “Stand by Me,” and a flash mob.

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Market Turbulence Serves as Reminder to Tread Lightly

Where Were You 40 Years Ago?

AustinCityLimits-450x254Austin City Limits was the flagship show for the Austin PBS affiliate KLRU.  The bands that have graced the stage range from Asleep at the Wheel to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.  With the debut of ACL Fest, a now two-weekend music extravaganza in Austin, Texas that helps support the show monetarily, many are no longer familiar with the long history of the TV show itself.  So, who can name the star of the Austin City Limits pilot? I’ll give you a hint, it aired in 1975.

Austin City Limits, Now 40, Feels Younger Than Ever

 

 

Feeling the Candy Crush?

DotaHow many hours have you spent playing games on your phone? These simple, mind-numbing, thumb cramping challenges are always popping up inviting us to checkout from life.  Sometimes what feels like just a few minutes is actually hours.  Imagine what you could do with an extra 1400 hours!

What else could I have done with 1,400 hours?

Scratch That, Reverse It!

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When I say “Reverse Mortgage” do you envision Fred Thompson talking about how your home has equity that you can use to live on in old age?  In the past, this kind of investment has been viewed as risky at best, but now there may be something to it.  Home equity could be just another part of your portfolio, and an important one at that.

Love Them or Loathe Them, Reverse Mortgages Have a Place

Pay Now or Pay Later

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Did you accrue debt when you were in college, from financial aid or student loans?  Been dodging those phone calls in an effort to not payback what you owe?  You might want to read this.  What seems like insurmountable debt now may become more than you ever dreamed, when the government starts taking it out of your Social Security check in forty years.  When it rains, it pours…

Student Loan Debt Burdens More Than Just Young People

Spice It Up, Y’all!

23493135-900x900The joke in my hometown was to give newlyweds a bottle of Tabsco sauce and then challenge them to make it as a married couple long enough to use it up completely. Or, at times people would remark, “We’ve been married two bottles worth,” meaning forever, because the stuff is so hot, who needs more than one or two drops? Ever wonder how it was invented? Well now you’ll know!

Who Made That Tabasco Sauce?

DIY Just Got A Whole New Meaning

catalog tools imageThe world of credit card fraud is big business and with “buyers” willing to pay fifty plus dollars per card number, why would the cyber thieves want to stop?  The industry has grown in such mega-proportions, taking down large retailers like the Target.  But the Target breech of last December, which was detected in three weeks, has nothing on the current scheme that is being linked to Home Depot and may have been happening since April.   One of the nations largest do-it-yourself retailers obviously needs some better ‘tools’ for protection.

Path of Stolen Credit Cards Leads Back to Home Depot Stores

Everybody’s Doing It!

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So why haven’t you?  You’ve seen it all over Facebook and Instagram and now it’s your turn.  Been challenged yet?  Well get out the ice bucket and your credit card and do both.  Just like these girls who recently finished not only a bucket of ice water on their heads, but a splash into an icy pool.  Social media is changing the way we give, and lowering the age on philanthropy.  Why are you still reading this?  Open the freezer, grab your bucket and get going, because everybody’s doing it.  Better hurry or you’re going to get left behind!

Ice Bucket Challenge Raises Millions To Fight ALS

Close to Retirement? Questions to Ask Now

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Do you know at what age you will become eligible for medicare?  What is your sign-up       window, and can you defer enrollment if you are still working and covered by an employer insurance plan?  Turns out, knowing these answers is very important and may save you a good deal of money in the long run.

 

Ten Tips for Advising Clients About Medicare