Should Have, Could Have…

By: Laura Walton AFC®   The things we say when we realize we’ve made a poor decision. Daniel Gilbert, Harvard professor of psychology, told Shankar Vedantam of Hidden Brain that 15 years of research hasn’t uncovered a way to improve our decision-making skills. Why not? He cites three weaknesses: (1) We’re not good at imagining…

The Right Stuff

By: Laura Walton AFC® We’ve been celebrating the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s moon landing and one interview caught my attention. In 1988, Terry Gross of Fresh Air interviewed Brigadier General Chuck Yeager, the World War II fighter pilot who became the first pilot to break the sound barrier. In 1947, Yeager flew the X-1…

SRI, ESG, ETC.

By: Laura Walton AFC®   Socially responsible investing is a priority for individuals who are concerned about the sustainability and ethical impact of companies they invest in. The term “triple bottom line” suggests that in addition to financials, environmental and social factors should be considered when evaluating a company’s worth. Financial returns have long been…

Cost of Living… in Spain

By: Laura Walton AFC® We recently returned from travelling in Spain and among many things we loved about the country was the low cost of great food, convenient transportation and unique accommodations. A typical breakfast is café con leche and toast with jam or ham and cheese – about $8 for two. Tapas (small snacks…

FOMO

By: Laura Walton AFC® Fear Of Missing Out. What part does social media play in our spending decisions? This and other telling questions were put to 1,000 Americans aged 21-75 as part of Charles Schwab’s 2019 Modern Wealth Index Survey. Here’s what we learned: If you’ve wondered if you should have a written financial plan,…

What if…

By: Laura Walton AFC® You’re a good saver but a reluctant investor? What if you’re more confident investing when the market’s up? If the market’s up, prices are up, right? Bob Swift likes to point out that the market is one thing people like to buy when it costs the most. When the market’s doing…

The wild cards

By: Laura Walton AFC® Gifts, vacations, pets, clothing, eating out…these are the wild cards, the spending categories that rely on our discipline to keep within budget. After all, most of our other expenses are fixed – rent/mortgage, utilities, car payment, etc. When I create a 12-month budget with clients and ask “how much do you…