Credit: Milt Gross
Okay, so I forgot to update the mortgage balance over on the left until today! Out of the blue it hit me that I hadn't changed it after the 3/1 payment.
New Mortgage Balance sits at $19,075.65!
We're getting there.
Also of note I recently upped THE Hubster's term life insurance and so that premium will be going up by about $20 a month.
Of major note on the financial awareness level here said Hubster was talking to me last night based on the bank bailout on whether we should allocate some portion of our assets into gold. At least he is FINALLY becoming aware of the financial world at large. We discussed our current asset allocation based on risk tolerance and our short/long term perspectives and our satisfaction w/our current diversification.
I also tried to talk to him about market timing and tried to get his feel on IF he sold some stocks or mutual funds to buy gold when he'd feel comfortable returning to the marketplace and how would he know that the time was ripe? No good answers there. I told him he shouldn't feel bad. No one knows those answers for sure.
For now we'll continue this discussion likely this evening. But it wouldn't hurt my feelings right now to be invited to a gold party as we do have some jewelry in the safe-deposit box we could sell!! And I wish I was more informed about the currency markets.
After posting yesterday I went on over to Ameritrade and checked my balance there and in my Irish luck calculations I had forgotten to account for the interest I have received over this past year. In the next few days the Suze Orman/TDAmeritrade $100 bonus should post and I should easily make my last 2007 Roth IRA contribution w/$$'s left over. YEAH ME!!
Today is/was a No Spend Day! Yesterday would have been too, but the three guys here go thru bread like water, so I wrote a $2.05 check at the bread store!
TheGrrl came over yesterday afternoon and they had a stay-at-home date. They made & decorated sugar cookies and we had how-to-make-hamburger-patties that don't fall apart lessons (it's all in the thumb action). After supper we all went for a walk, worked in the yard removing some of the last of the 'hangers' limbs from the ice-storm, brushed and played fetch with the dogs and then came in and watched The Bachelor. At the end of the evening an inexpensive Frosty junior topped off their date. A little more than $2 for a nice day. FrugalSon is trying to make all of his 2008 Roth IRA contributions this year as well and that leaves him w/little other $$s to date with or spend recklessly. He's on a strict budget. She'll have to understand him or be gone.
March 19th, 2008 at 01:34 am 1205890498
March 19th, 2008 at 11:52 am 1205927544
I would say stocks are near the bottom. Usually, extreme volatility signifies a top or bottom. I am looking for another test of the bottom over the next week, and then I am jumping in. I am looking at financials. I really liked GS on Monday when it got torched.
Just my thoughts. Good Luck.
March 19th, 2008 at 12:52 pm 1205931146
I agree Merch, the time for gold was BEFORE NOW. I don't pretend to know enough to know when exactly would have been a good time to buy some, but now while it is topping is not the time I'm fairly certain.
I would not be opposed to owning a good gold ETF though as part of our overall strategy and while we are getting ready for our annual rebalancing it may just be time to add a smidgen of gold in there via that method.
On financials - I just started a PERSONAL meager drip into GS a few weeks back via Sharebuilder.