Being smart with $$ - Living on limited income

Isn't it hard to live on the income we earn these days? Now how about if we were forced to put 10% of our income into our retirement account leaving us with even less money for today's needs? And what if there was no such thing as debt or social welfare programs? Would we find a way?
- Larry Pike, CFA, Client Priority Financial Advisors LLC
- www.clientpriority.com

Being smart with $$ - Don't let marketers fool you

Marketers are fooling us into thinking we can afford anything.  Instead of telling us that something costs $300, they say it's only $10 per month for 33 months. With interest that's still $330 no matter when you pay it. Add a Nav system to your car? That's only $26 more per month on your 5-year loan.  But it's still $1500+. Is it no wonder that 3 in 10 millennials don't have a savings account (says USA Today/Bank of America)? And of those that do, 40% have less than $5000 saved.  Don't be the next marketing victim. That $36 per month matters!  It can go into savings and turn into $100,000 or more for retirement.
- Larry Pike, CFA, Client Priority Financial Advisors LLC
- www.clientpriority.com

Being smart with $$ -- Cheap or expensive?

Cheap or rich? WTI Crude Oil was around $100 in the middle of 2014. Today it's down almost 50% from that level.  It sounds cheap now, right? Well, a couple weeks ago it was around $45.  Now it's UP 17% from that low.  It sounds expensive, right?  So is it cheap or rich? The global community of investors says that it's priced exactly right at this moment.  If not, buyers or sellers would move the price.  When you say it's cheap or rich, you're saying you know better than the rest of the world.  That's a bold claim to make.
- Larry Pike, CFA, Client Priority Financial Advisors LLC
- www.clientpriority.com

Being smart with $$ -- Moving money too late

Isn't it frustrating when your money is invested in X when Y is the big performer? Isn't it tempting to move all your money to Y when you see that happen? Many people do. The problem is, moving money after you missed the rise can be like closing the barn door after the horses already got out. Last year international stocks underperformed U.S. stocks by a big margin. This year? International is already 3% better than U.S,  Stick to your diversified portfolio and stop timing the market. It rarely works.
- Larry Pike, CFA, Client Priority Financial Advisors LLC
- www.clientpriority.com