Bonds Are a Not a Hedge Against Stock Market Crashes (But Own Them Anyway)

Per Wikipedia, a financial "hedge" is an investment position intended to offset potential losses or gains that may be incurred by a companion investment. Wouldn't be nice if for every Investment A, there was another Investment B that would always … [Read the rest]

Free Kids Book About the Banking System (PDF/EPub)

Are your kids curious about the banking system? Are you? Law professor Mehrsa Baradaran wrote A Kids Book About Banking and it is currently available free via download in either PDF or EPub format. Physical copies (not free) are available on … [Read the rest]

Passive Income via Fidelity Securities Lending: Expectation vs. Reality

I just experienced my own version of the "Expectation vs. Reality" meme when I looked at my monthly report from my Fidelity Investments securities lending activities, where I lend out my stock shares and get paid interest. I had been getting a lot … [Read the rest]

Ally Bank 11-Month No Penalty CD Review: 4.75% APY (No Minimum)

Rates now up to 4.75% APY. It's always nice when you can get a higher rate without having to move your money to a whole new bank. Ally Bank raised the rate on their 11-month No Penalty CD to 4.75% APY for all balances with no minimum deposit. If … [Read the rest]

Stocks Are Not an Inflation Hedge (But Own Them Anyway)

Per Wikipedia, a financial "hedge" is an investment position intended to offset potential losses or gains that may be incurred by a companion investment. Wouldn't be nice if for every Investment A, there was another Investment B that would always … [Read the rest]

How To Destroy Your Wealth

Charlie Munger and his principle of inversion tells us that sometimes the easiest way to achieve something is to flip it and consider the best ways to accomplish exactly what you are trying to avoid. Accordingly, check out this slide deck about … [Read the rest]

Ask the Readers: How to Get Cash from Balance Transfers in 2023? (Credit Card Arbitrage)

Recent events have reminded us that banks make money by taking in deposits at low interest rates and reinvesting those deposits at higher interest rates (either bonds or directly making loans themselves). When you see a credit union have a … [Read the rest]

FDIC Insurance: Don’t Waste This Valuable Insurance

The big financial news over the weekend was the failure of both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. They failed, the FDIC took over and fulfilled its duties, and then the uninsured business owners convinced the Fed to backstop everything (aka … [Read the rest]

Best Interest Rates on Cash – March 2023

Here's my monthly roundup of the best interest rates on cash as of March 2023, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. We all need some safe assets for cash reserves or portfolio stability, and there are often lesser-known opportunities … [Read the rest]

Berkshire Hathaway 2022 Annual Shareholder Letter by Warren Buffett Notes

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) released its 2022 Letter to Shareholders, which is how Warren Buffett updates his fellow shareholders annually on the status of the business. Direct ownership of Berkshire Hathaway shares was one of my first … [Read the rest]

Free 1-Year TripAdvisor Plus Membership from Target Circle ($99 Retail + Tested Results)

Target Circle is Target's rewards program (free to join) and 3/5 to 3/11 is "Target Circle Week" where they have special offers. Standard perks include 1% back on your Target purchases if you don't get the 5% back from REDcard, and you get a 5% off … [Read the rest]

Health Care Sharing Ministries: Understanding the Risks and Bankruptcy Examples

Back in 2020, I wrote a post Do Not Buy List: Healthcare Sharing Ministry As Health Insurance Alternative. Although they may present a lower-cost option that even aligns with your faith, they can also contain hidden and unpredictable risks. Since … [Read the rest]