GOOGLE IT!
Jul 23, 2017
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With visitors to stay, work to go to, a puppy who is an early riser and school holidays thrown into the mix as well, I got kinda busy! So, it’s a different kind of blog for me this week.
I still got up bright and early each morning and instead of researching things I wanted to write about I fell down the rabbit hole of the internet instead. And what exactly did I get out of a week of Google searches? Education. There are so many slick ads, slick companies and slick salespeople trying to “advise” me on what to do with my money but in reality they are just pushing their own agenda. The more I read the more understand this. But, in amongst the massive amount of information out there are some excellent/interesting points of view and I’ve found that the best way forward is to educate myself so I can make an informed decision about where to invest or buy. I’m always reading, watching, asking and talking about a wide range of topics so I can be confident that I’m picking the right path with my investing.
Here is a roundup of where my week of Googling took me...
Every other morning I start with Yoga. It is kinda money related because it’s FREE with the added bonus that I don’t have to leave my warm home to do it. It’s good to have a good stretch in the morning, it wakes up both mind and body. Adriene is my favourite instructor.
Have a try of this one: Morning Yoga - Gentle Morning Sequence
I am a fair way through the JL Collins Stock Series again. If you are not familiar with it then check it out here. This is a comprehensive lesson in how to invest and you will learn a lot: www.jlcollinsnh.com/stock-series
That in turn led me to watch an entire US based documentary on how fees and commissions will impact retirement savings and the state of the US retirement industry. A bit of an eye opener: The Retirement Gamble
And this week as well I have enjoyed following a diverse range of conversations on Facebook with the Kiwi Mustachians. They will talk about anything money related and it’s a good forum for asking questions big or small. New Zealand based! Yay! Search them up and ask to join the group.
Alpha started a NZ blog recently and REALLY, REALLY gets into number crunching. If you are into details and have a mortgage then he has written a bit of a thriller here, just for you. The amount of money you pay on interest on a mortgage is TRULY terrifying. This backs up my aversion to debt and my other thought that I have from time to time - that I really should start a bank, there is BIG moolah to be made in charging interest... www.thesmartandlazy.com
I started a new book. It is about an American guy who falls into student loan debt and his slow climb out of it. I can relate because I had to get myself out of student debt as well. His journey out of it is certainly a whole lot more dramatic than mine, but that is why he has written a book and I haven’t: Walden on Wheels: On the Open Road from Debt to Freedom
And of course I have read far too much about that repulsive, sexist, divisive IDIOT of a US President when I should be focussing on our own politics right here in NZ, given that we are close to an election. But it is an intoxicating mix of watching a soap opera and a slow moving train wreck. I should look away but I’m hooked. No links to share because I’m embarrassed that I waste my precious time even looking! My husband avoids watching the news, I think he might be onto something...
For Shamubeel Eaqub to buy a house you know the system must be broken. He too appears to have gotten tired of being kicked out of rentals. His point of “Sadly, now that our money is tied up in one huge asset, it gives us shelter and security, but it no longer has the opportunity to be directly invested in New Zealand businesses to get them started, or to help them grow” strikes a chord with me. I would prefer to have much less invested in my house so I could invest elsewhere, help a business and provide a return/income. I would love to know the where, what and how he went about it as this would be one of the most thoroughly considered house purchases of all time: www.stuff.co.nz
And because I’ve been walking the dogs a bit, of course there are some podcasts to listen to! If you are about to take a walk, train or plane download these to while away the hours:
Choose FI Radio - The Milestones of FI
Mad Fientist - Financial Independence Postcast - The Happy Philosopher – Semiretirement and Finding Happiness
An excellent listen is also this one where he interviews JL Collins: The Simple Path to Wealth
I hope you get a bit of use out of some of these links too, there are 100 more that I could share! Let me know of any good finds that you have stumbled across, I’m always on the lookout, particularly if they are NON American/Canadian based. These Yanks sure are good at PF but it would be good to hear another country’s perspective.
