I hope everyone’s holiday season is going well so far. It’s a beautiful day here in Phoenix, MD. It’s hard to believe it’s mid-December and the temperatures are in the 60s.
Earlier today, the author of this article spoke to a group of advisors that I belong to. One of the topics she discussed was ultradian rhythms, which represent recurrent periods or cycles repeated throughout a 24-hour day. They can boost our productivity, energy, and willpower. In short, she suggests that we work in 90-minute bursts followed by 20-minute breaks. She also mentioned some of the science behind the concept. What she suggested made great sense to me. A little while later, I went for a 20-minute walk with my wife and one of my sons. It was the perfect day for it.
I plan to start implementing some of her suggestions. Today was a great day to start. Our dogs looked disappointed when they didn’t get to join us for our walk. We’ll take them next time.
This week’s articles include some helpful suggestions that can improve our lives. The second one discusses a new technology that could increase the use of electric cars. Those who would like some help reaching their retirement goals should check out this week’s first article. It shares some of the things that those who achieve their retirement goals have in common.
Here are the links to this week’s articles as well as a brief description of each:
1. Most People Who Achieve Their Retirement Goals Are Good at These 6 Things.
When it comes to thinking about retirement, the clients and prospects I talk to have a common goal. They want to maintain their quality of life in retirement. Of course, that means different things to different people. What does it take to get on the right track to retirement? This article shares six things you can do to generate more retirement savings than the average household. It starts with regular savings. I recommend that you “Pay Yourself First!” Make sure you take advantage of any employee match, too. Read the article for four more helpful suggestions.
2. Could Roads Recharge Electric Cars? The Technology May Be Close.
Electric cars (ECs) generate a lot of interest. But sales remain relatively low. This year, sales of ECs are projected to account for less than 4% of passenger vehicle sales in the U.S. One of the biggest drawbacks is how long it takes to charge an EC’s battery. According to this article, it takes just under eight hours, on average, to charge from empty to full. The average range of a full EC is around 181 miles. The longest-range vehicle can go 373 miles. That makes ECs good for local driving but not so great for longer trips. More charging stations would help, but that wouldn’t be enough. What if roadways could electrically power cars as they travel? The National Science Foundation is funding a project to develop the world’s first contactless wireless-charging concrete pavement highway segment. The article discusses some of the benefits and challenges.
3. 4 Ways You’re Wasting Money Without Realizing It – And How to Stop.
We all like to spend money. Our spending increases around the holidays. Unfortunately, we may often be guilty of wasteful spending. Does it seem like most of your money is already owed or accounted for as soon as you get paid? If so, this article shares some tweaks you can make to help cut your spending. Many of us don’t like to set a strict budget. But we do want to cut our spending. The author’s third suggestion about where our disappearing money may be going addresses one of my go-to suggestions when clients ask about cutting expenses. What’s that? Look at all the services you subscribe to. You may find that you’re subscribing your life away. According to the article, the average American spends $237 across 21 categories of subscriptions every month. That’s almost $3,000 a year. Every so often, it can help to review your credit card bills and review the monthly fees you’re paying. If you’re not using it, you should cancel the subscription.
4. No One Cares!
We often worry about what others think of us. That’s part of how we are wired to think. If we were perfectly logical creatures, we wouldn’t care so much. We would realize that what others think about us is rarely worth worrying about. I agree with the author that many of us would be better off if we learned to care a good deal less than we do. He recommends taking three steps:
- Remind yourself that no one cares.
- Rebel against your shame.
- Stop judging others.
It’s that time of year. What do I mean by that? It’s time for all the pundits to share their views on what will happen in the market next year. A search for “2021 market outlook” on Google returned 2,290,000 results. If you put “2021 market forecast” in the search bar instead, you get 3,070,000 results. The article provides some reminders of things to keep in mind if you decide to read what the pundits have to say. The table at the top of the article highlights some of the worst forecasts that were made as the COVID-19 pandemic began.
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Phil Weiss founded Apprise Wealth Management. He started his financial services career in 1987 working as a tax professional for Deloitte & Touche. For the past 25+ years, he has worked extensively in the areas of financial planning and investment management. Phil is both a CFA charterholder and a CPA.
Located just north of Baltimore, Apprise works with clients face-to-face locally and can also work virtually regardless of location.
