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Happy Hour: Fourth Of July & Earnings Season

July 6, 2012

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Jon

Welcome to the end of the week and another edition of Happy Hour! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy your end of the week roundup of all things interesting in the land of money.

Fourth Of July

Happy B’Day America! Although falling on a Wednesday is not optimal for celebrating. Whoever is in charge of this calendar thing, needs to make sure that July 4 always falls on a Thursday or Friday (or Monday, but preferably Friday so there’s no vacation/sick days lost). There’s nothing wrong with a three or four day weekend. But five days, that’s pushing it. Anyways, hope everyone had a great Fourth of July!

Second Quarter Earnings Season

Well, we burned through half the year already. It’s earnings season again. The second quarter earnings season will kick off on Monday, July 9 with Alcoa’s earnings after the market close. Continue Reading…
Happy Hour: Health Care Tax And Little Green Men

June 29, 2012

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Jon

Welcome to the end of the week and another edition of Happy Hour! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy your end of the week roundup of all things interesting in the land of money.

Obama Care Tax

There has been a lot of information released on the Health Care ruling by the Supreme Court this week. I’ve done my best to sift through what is worth reading. For the most part, have limited the sources to the Wall Street Journal and the Tax Foundation.

Anyways, it looks like we’ll have to listen to the health care debate until the elections. I’ve already seen several commercials about the need to repeal the law. It’s just one more reason someone needs to invent an auto mute for commercials.

The Supreme Court upheld the health care law in their 5-4 ruling (193 page decision), with the individual mandate being constitutional as a tax. So much for no higher taxes on the middle class Mr. President. Continue Reading…
How To Compare Online Brokers

June 28, 2012

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Jon

When you compare online brokers, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with all the choices and options. It’s easy to be drawn in and distracted by promotions and added features. But is it really a deal?

These days every broker offers similar features and competitive pricing. Still, not all online brokers are the same. Some specialize in specific assets, account types, or advanced trading systems.

Make sure you are comparing apples to apples when it comes to your money. Before you make that first deposit, here are a few important things to consider when you compare online brokers.

Ask Yourself These Questions

Before you do anything, answer these questions: Continue Reading…
The Safety Of Brand Loyalty

June 26, 2012

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Jon

With market share, the goal to be and stay number one can be a great growth driver. Companies that have mastered brand loyalty offer some of the safest investments with the best profit and growth prospects available.

This means better returns for investors with the added protection from economic downturns. Of course, most companies don’t have the marketing strategy figured out to grow brand loyalty.

As investors, we should avoid companies with little to no customer loyalty. But when we do come across a company that has built a growing loyal customer base, it’s worth a second look and possibly an investment.

Defining Brand Loyalty

The American Marketing Association defines brand loyalty as:

1.The situation in which a consumer generally buys the same manufacturer-originated product or service repeatedly over time rather than buying from multiple suppliers within the category. 2.The degree to which a consumer consistently purchases the same brand within a product class. – AMA

As investors, we want to find companies that people are choosing of their own free will. Given two or more options, people will always buy Company A. These are the brands that people will buy for life, tell their friends and family about, and act as human billboards. If it happens often enough, the company builds a consistent loyal base that grows exponentially. Continue Reading…
Happy Hour: $1.5M ATM Glitch & Private Parking Meters

June 22, 2012

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Jon

Welcome to the end of the week and another edition of Happy Hour! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy your end of the week roundup of all things interesting in the land of money.

$1.5M ATM Glitch

That’s 1.5 million dollars. That’s a lot of zero’s and one giant ATM glitch that allowed one guy unlimited ATM withdrawals. Instead of pocketing the money and finding a quiet sunny beach somewhere, he decided to go gambling. Sounds like a problem. So what does a guy get for stealing $1.5 million from Bank of America? Prosecutors are recommending 15 months in jail. Subtract some time off for good behavior. The question is would you do it?

Private Parking Meters

Seems New York is following in Chicago’s footsteps by privatizing their parking meters. Sounds like a bad idea to get a short-term money fix at a steep cost. As a long time Chicagoan, this was one of the worst decisions the mayor ever made. It ends up being a cash flow bonanza for the private company and higher parking costs for the citizens. I doubt parking in New York can be considered cheap, but it will be compared to the rates they’ll be charging after this deal goes through. The good news, you’ll start seeing fancy new high-tech meters the day after the deal is signed. Continue Reading…
How To Find A Financial Advisor

June 19, 2012

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Jon

We’re big advocates of do-it-yourself finances and believe everyone has the ability, if they wanted. That doesn’t mean we’re against getting some help from time to time. Let’s face it, not everyone is equipped, comfortable or willing to do their finances themselves. If that’s the case, it’s a good idea to find a financial advisor to help you along the way.

You want to find an advisor you are comfortable with, who you trust, and has a similar investment philosophy as you. Eventually, the financial advisor will need to know all about you, your finances and your goals. You’ll have to find someone you are comfortable with to share this information.

When you ask the right questions, you can find a financial advisor that can help you with anything from budgeting, investing, or retirement to estate planning, buying a house and more. Continue Reading…

Happy Hour: Fourth Of July & Earnings Season

Fourth Of July

Second Quarter Earnings Season

Happy Hour: Health Care Tax And Little Green Men

Obama Care Tax

How To Compare Online Brokers

Ask Yourself These Questions

The Safety Of Brand Loyalty

Defining Brand Loyalty

Happy Hour: $1.5M ATM Glitch & Private Parking Meters

$1.5M ATM Glitch

Private Parking Meters

How To Find A Financial Advisor