What’s top of my mind: Quilting. This is the finished quilt top for Tom33’s girlfriend Sophie. When I was on a bus in Borneo, I was scrolling on my phone, and I saw a very pretty bundle of fabric from Cutting Cloth. On a whim, I ordered it. When I got back home, I was […] The post Wednesday W’s #133. appeared first on Burning Desire For FIRE.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of them, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Please see my full disclosure policy for details. Our Disney World podcast series continues with tips for families. Whether it’s your first Disney World vacation or you’re a seasoned pro, these tips will help you plan an enjoyable experience for your entire family.  Below are our favorite Walt […]

This March Military Scholarship post is part of my ongoing Military Scholarships series. We’re really in the thick of the scholarship season now, which is both a blessing and a curse. It makes for a lot of work, but there are many wonderful opportunities and once they’re gone, they’re gone until next year. (Or forever,… | Read More… The post March Military Scholarships for Service Members, Veterans, Spouses and Kids appeared first on KateHorrell.

Booming stock markets. Job dissatisfaction. The explosion of 401(k)s since the 1980s. The itch to travel. The desire not to worry about Monday morning.  We may be on the threshold of an early retirement boom. Many potential early retirees will find the lion’s share of their financial assets are in a traditional 401(k) or traditional […]

Let’s turn the clocks back a little over a year. Going into 2025, the consensus view on markets was: U.S. Exceptionalism: The U.S. is the only equity game in town. Europe and the rest of the world had fallen behind on AI and tech innovation. Lower Rates: Investors expected rate cuts and, by extension, much lower interest rates in the near future. The End of Inflation: The battle against inflation had been won and price stability was a guarantee. Unfortunately, all three of these things didn’t turn out as planned. Over the last year, U.S. stocks underperformed international stocks, rates dropped less than expected, and inflation proved to be stickier (and higher) than we realized. Of course, things don’t always go according to plan. But when we make major financial decisions based on the consensus view, they can backfire. As Mark Twain once said: It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. Why does this happen? Why does the consensus view fail more often than we might expect? Why Does the Consensus View Fail? There are a few key reasons why markets sometimes get it wrong: Recency Bias: We think the future will be like the recent past. When U.S. stocks dominated on the global stage in 2024, many investors believed the same would continue into 2025. As a result, U.S. stocks were bid up and priced for more of the same. Unfortunately, things didn’t play out that way and U.S. stocks struggled relative to international stocks. The problem with thinking the future will be like the recent past is that it skews the risk-reward tradeoff. When everyone expects the status quo, assets are priced to reflect that. Therefore, any deviation from those expectations can cause investors to rush for the exits.  Chaos Theory: We can imagine the future all we want, but no amount of mental simulation will ever compete with the randomness of nature. As chaos theory has demonstrated, even simple systems with simple rules will behave in unpredictable ways. Now imagine what happens with complex systems with complex rules. Morgan Housel said it best: “We are very good at predicting the future, except for the surprises—which tend to be all that matter.” And these surprises can lead to the most unlikely of outcomes. For example, who thought that gold would soar and Bitcoin would falter with rising geopolitical tensions? Not me. But that’s exactly what’s happened this year. I thought Bitcoin was “digital gold,” but that doesn’t look to be the case anymore. I was surprised by some things that transpired recently and it’s changed my view on the asset class. I won’t say much more other than I have a stop loss set at a much lower price. If it triggers, I’m out. It was good while it lasted, but I no longer need this asset class to reach my financial goals. The Stability Illusion: The reason the consensus

The post How to Start an Emergency Fund and Why It Matters appeared first on Dividend Power. An emergency fund is one of the most important financial tools you can have, yet it is often the most overlooked. It is a dedicated pool of money set aside for life’s unexpected moments, from medical bills to sudden job loss. And understanding the importance of emergency funds early on can protect you from debt, stress, and financial setbacks. […]

I’ve got mixed feelings about the power of AI (artificial intelligence). Privacy can start blurring quickly and the bad guys will continue leveraging AI to be exponentially worse than before. But… AI is helping to do some amazing things. The one area that keeps me fascinated is the world of medicine. AI is helping to detect cancer better, provide better risk prevention, and improve surgical outcomes. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear about cures for […]

We look at the various UK Railcard choices that are available today and if they are worth it, and review which may help you save money. The post Is a UK Railcard Worth It? (2026): The New £35 “Break-Even” Point appeared first on The Financial Wilderness.