My First Snider Investment Method Trade

I first started working at Snider Advisors back in May 2005. Since then, I’ve either placed or reviewed over 100,000 Snider Method trades for clients’ accounts. But, today I did something brand new; I placed my first trades in a personal account.

The Importance of a Solid Budget

One of the most common deficiencies I find in people’s financial household is a solid budget. An outline of your expected monthly expenses, as compared to the income you expect to receive. This surprises me because of how important a budget is to your overall financial plan. I often find that people have a ballpark idea of what they spend, but when asked to identify exactly what they spend on specific goods and services, they very seldom can pinpoint these expenses. Today I will provide you with a budget outline and a way to get on track with your monthly cash flow.

Spring Cleaning

The first day of spring began this week and your financial house could probably use some spring cleaning. Now that we have finally recovered from the holidays, the spring is a great time to evaluate your finances and to check your progress to determine if you are on track to reach your financial goals in 2012. Here are few items to consider reviewing.

Time to hit the books

“You can blame the corrupt markets, evil hedge funds, or the big bad banks for your financial woes. You can even blame yours truly. Off-loading the blame may feel good at the time but it’s not going to build up your IRA or send your kids to college. Your finances are your responsibility and the best way to protect and grow your money isn’t a hot stock tip; it’s education.” I recently read this in an article on Breakout, a financial blog located on Yahoo.com and I couldn’t agree more.

Simple Resolutions for the New Year

With the each New Year we reflect upon the challenges we faced during the previous year while making resolutions for the next. Many of these resolutions I hear from family and friends are often either financial or health related goals as these seem to be the two areas in our lives that always seem as though they could be improved. I think the problem with most of the resolutions I hear made this time of year is that they are far too ambitions and often never end up being fulfilled. With this in mind I’ve compiled a list of simple financial do’s and don’ts for the coming year that can help you get your finances in order.

Over 50 and Concerned About Retirement?

After the financial meltdown in 2008-2009, many boomers are now in their 50’s and quickly approaching what was supposed to be their “Golden Years”. Their retirement picture today is most likely very different than it was just 5 years ago. Even with account values cut in half during the recession, there is still a way to save your way into retirement.

Think Income While Saving for Retirement

Have you ever asked yourself “Am I saving enough for retirement?”, if so you are not alone. There are many calculators and software programs readily available online to help project what your portfolio may be worth at retirement. The problem I see with many of these tools is that they put far too much emphasis on the total dollar amount accumulated at retirement. Instead of worrying about a total amount to save for retirement, investors should start focusing on how much monthly income their portfolio will be capable of generating in retirement.

It’s that time of year…

As the holiday season quickly approaches, it’s important to prepare yourself for all the costly expenses that come with spreading Christmas cheer. Here are a few helpful tips that may keep you from going overboard this season.

Where did all my money go?

Have you ever looked at your account balances and asked yourself, “Where did all my money go?” At the end of the month, it’s a good idea to look back at your credit card transactions and bank statements and evaluate your current financial situation to make sure you are spending responsibly. You may not have gone out and bought a new set of golf clubs or splurged on a trip to the beach, but you might be surprised how quickly some of your routine spending habits start adding up over time.