Let’s start this week with a post from POTUS, in which he asks Who is fighting for middle class tax cuts? From what this calculator offers, families right up to the $400K level would fair worse under Romney’s tax plan than Obama’s, but once past $500K, it’s Romney all the way. He we go, back to the 1% vs the Occupiers.
I was a bit surprised to read Forest at Frugal Zeitgeist tell us I don’t give a damn about my credit score. I’ve decided that credit is a bit like religion, there are those who believe that debt is to be avoided, and that those who use credit cards on a regular basis are flirting with disaster. Others believe that like guns or sharp cooking knives, they have their place when used correctly. Forest shared how he made some bad decisions in his early 20’s that made him swear off credit cards forever. With that, came his lack of wanting to care about his credit score.
An interesting post from Lazy Man and Money – New Nonsensical Stock Trading Idea: Someone Else Paid A Lot More For It. In this article he discusses a few recent stock purchases, made far below the highs these stocks had risen to. Since people were willing to pay far more than this, the price I’m paying now is better. Hmm. Maybe. But he’s also clear, he’s only putting up a small bit of money on these purchases. Stock picking is a pretty touch game.
Len Penzo offered a remarkable The 50 Biggest Money Mistakes Household CEOs Make. An amazing list of mistakes to avoid. Avoid them all and you’ll be richer for doing so.
At One Money Design, Kevin (from Out of Your Rut) tells us Why Now is THE Time to Refinance. I’m now at 3.5%, and up until a few years ago never would have dreamed of such a low rate. My first mortgage was 13-5/8% and it was a 15 year fixed. To me, this is pretty amazing.
And to wrap up this week, Rob Bennett explains What We Can and Cannot Predict About Stock Returns And Why. Rob’s focus is on P/E10 (the ten year trailing P/E) and how it can be used to forecast stock market performance. Unfortunately, if I am reading correctly, the current 10 year forecast is centered around a 2.21%/yr return. Not so good.
I like your religion analogy! Like I am with people who religiously believe differently to me I accept their position and respect that totally! I would love if a few more people took my route and rebelled against the system though! I can be sometimes swayed on the need for a mortgage though but it is just not for me.
Thanks for the link back.
The comparison has a downside, though. There are those whose proselytizing is to an extreme, they feel the need to “save’ me from my ways. I appreciate your style, and would say that if it works for you, that’s great. I’m all for fighting the system, even while I operate from within it.