Food for Thought

I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.

          Anne Frank

 

 

Money Can Be Funny

There’s another advantage in being poor.  The doctor will cure you faster.

          Jacob Braude

 

 

Word of the Week

Kleptocracy – Rule by thieves

News reports of financial shenanigans and a sense of entitlement at all levels of government:  Kleptocracy at its best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sTOCK mARKET mOVES bACK TO pOSITIVE TERRITORY

The stock markets enjoyed a strong week which pushed most stock indexes into positive territory for the year so far.  After starting the year strongly, stocks went through a rough patch, only to be followed by another period of gains.  For the week, large company stocks rose an average of about 3% while, as so often happens, their mid-sized and smaller brethren fared even better. 

So, much like the last decade in microcosm, we’ve had ups and downs so far this year pretty much amounting to nothing.  While positive economic news is certainly sending encouraging signals for a continuation of the uptrend, investors, low volume in the various stock exchanges suggests that investors are far from convinced that stocks will continue to rise. 

 

 

Observations from the Road.  Travelling as I do several times a year on behalf of public television is both arduous and edifying.  It’s wonderful speaking with people throughout the country and finding out what’s on their (financial) minds.  Here are my observations so far:

  1. Concerns over housing prices.  Concerns abound over local housing prices.  A strong housing market is essential to our sense of financial wellbeing.  No other economic trend, with the possible exception of jobs, will be more important to restoring consumer confidence than rebounding home prices. 

  2. Desire for more simplicity in their financial lives.  People are overwhelmed by their complexities of managing their finances.  They would prefer to simplify their investing, insurance, debt, and retirement saving.  There are ways to do just that, and they will probably produce better results to boot.

  3. Optimism that things are gradually getting better.  Despite all the troubles endured during the recession, and many people have been hurt very badly, the human spirit remains.  The people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting over the past few weeks have by and large been optimistic about the future and are confident that they’ll eventually be better off than they were even before the current mess commenced. 

     

Smart Money Tips

   

 

  

 

Debut of Jonathan's New Public Television Special

Tune in to my all-new public television special, The New Affluence:  Money Help is on the Way.  The program will redefine what it means to achieve a life of abundance.  The money rules have changed and The New Affluence lays out a plan to achieve and maintain financial security under the new rules so you can regain control over your financial future.  Check your local listings for March broadcast dates.  Special thanks to the no nonsense life insurance company SBLI of Massachusetts (www.sbli.com) for providing the national underwriting of the program.