Myrtle Beach Is Not For Families?

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Friends invited us to go on vacation with them to Myrtle Beach, this is was big mistake so far!

We arrived Saturday night and instantly I regret it.  Perhaps it’s was when we were driving, looking for our hotel and the teenage kids in the car behind us yelled idiot as we turned into the parking lot, or perhaps it’s when the teenagers (different group) at the pool was trying to hook up with the girls in hot tub.  Or perhaps it’s the pointy screws in the chairs that poke us in the legs that we sit (or sat in once) on them.

Needless to say, we aren’t planning on packing any of our cloths back in our suitcases because we’re terrified of bedbugs or other horrible things.

I don’t see it really getting better, I would love to leave for home tonight. I have to admit, I’m afraid to leave the room because I’m afraid that someone will break in and take our laptops.

Perhaps I’m spoiled because of our years of going to Hilton Head Island, and the great times that I had there in the past.  The time spend with family and friends was always great at Hilton Head Island, all the teenagers are usually with parents and everybody is just having a relaxed, family-enjoying time.

What’s that loud sound I hear outside?  Oh, it’s a group of motorcyclist revving their engines just to be loud.  Great!  While I like motorcycles, I don’t like them because they are loud…

If I were single and in my 20s, I might enjoy this place a little more, but since I’m married with kids, this place isn’t fun at all.  Looks like we’ll be seeing a lot of attractions instead of enjoying the hotel and beach…

So if you are a single your person, Myrtle may be enjoyable for you, but if you are a classic atomic family like mine, this might not be the best place for you family…

Now that we’re here and the hotel is paid for, we’ll make the best of it.  Hopefully, I’m wrong and we’ll have a great time.

Cheers,

MR

 

 

Striving for Income Diversification

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Most of my life, I’ve been an employee.  For the most part, it’s been a good living and I have no complaints about the workability of the employee model, it has put food on the table and supported my family.  Recently, an associate at work retired, and I decided to ask him his plans.  And while he has a few personal projects going on, for the most part he said he doesn’t have much in the works.  No big plans to tour Europe for a month or year…  He’s not going to talk to the mortgage brokers sydney company, and buy a house in Australia.  In fact, he has no travel plans at all!

Since he had no big plans, it piqued my interest on what he would have done it he had it all over to do again, so I asked him.  Surprisingly, he said he wouldn’t have stayed with my current employer so long.  This was a surprise to me considering he was well liked and seemed happy most days.  His statement has motivated me to create more choices for myself!

Getting Paid for recycling

Money recycling

Jumping back a few years ago, I first started exploring the entrepreneur route with selling stuff on eBay.  And while I learned skills I didn’t previously had, and it was a boost in confidence, it wasn’t for me.  Next I started blogging, and it’s been more of a hobby than a total revenue stream, but I do make more blogging that I did with selling stuff on eBay.  Plus it’s much more fulfilling and profitable.

Now I’m at the stage where I want to explore real estate.  I plan on starting out small with a duplex (or triplex) for the first year, just to get my feet wet.  Then as my investment money builds up for the next potential property, I’ll buy a larger unit (hopefully).

With the investment property, that will mean that I now have income coming from the following sources:

  1. Employment Income
  2. Entrepreneur Income
  3. Passive Income (via dividend stocks)
  4. Passive Income (via real estate)

So now I’m back in the deep learning phase of my life to learn about all elements of real estate.  I’m even thinking about getting a real estate agent license.

Cheers,

MR

Does The Lack of The Uptick Rule Make It Easier To Take Advantage Of Regular Investors?

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With the computerization of trades, and computer algorithms and code created to make trades on the market automatically, I really think that it’s easier to take advantage of regular investors.

Take Herbalife, for example…  When the famous hedge fund titan David Einhorn just questions some statements in Herbalife’s quarterly report, this served as a sell signal for all of the other shorts out there (including Bill Ackman), and they caused the stock to drop over 15%!  It continued to slide from that point much lower.

With the Uptick Rule, such a quick devaluation of the stock would not have happened so dramatically.  It’s obvious that once Mr. Einhorn expressed his concern, all of the other hedge fund manager flooded the market, with selling moves on that stock, this caused it to drop like a stone on really no news at all.  Oh sure, the hedge fund managers didn’t meet the week before and cook up this plan (or did they?), but once Mr. Einhorm expressed his views, it pretty much served as a massive sell signal to all of the other hedge fund managers out there.

To me, this is kind of a predatory approach to the stock market that many hurts us non-hedge fund individuals.  On the other hand, if the “Uptick Rule” was back in place, it would have dramatically change the outcome of that day.  You see, many of the hedge funds make great profits in volatility!  The Uptick Rule lessened that volatility big time!

There is a movement against the top 1%, but I say they should focus their attention towards the hedge fund companies and managers!  They are one of the largest creators of inequality that I’ve seen lately, especially with the complete computerization of the stock markets…  Let’s focus on the panic creators in society that make wounds deeper than the need to be.  After all,  to attack the top 1% seems harsh… after all, who really wants to protest either Warren Buffett or Bill Gates?

What is the government going to re-enact the “Uptick Rule”?  This is something that is making the rich richer, and the middle and poor classes poorer.  If not the “Uptick Rule”, then how about something to reign in the hedge funds companies, who’s practices seem a bit unethical and counterproductive to the entire purpose of the stock market…

What do you think?  Am I off base or wouldn’t it be nice to make the stock market a fair place again?  A place where you invest in a company because you want to own that company, not take advantage of the regular investors!

MR

Are You Underestimating Your Abilities and Potential?

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I once knew a cashier that was super intelligent, fast, creative and overall very amazing.

The only problem is that she never stopped working at the grocery store where she worked as a cashier.  While there is nothing wrong with my now older friend working as a cashier in a grocery store, I have to wonder what her life would have been like if she tried a little harder to get a more challenging, higher paying job or pursued some other income making venture.

The person above was actually my friend’s mom, and I knew that she was very, very smart and creative.  I was always amazed with how she seemed to know so much about so many topics, and would make some of the most fantastic creations at her home.

Now as an adult, I realize that she would have thrived in a corporate setting, or perhaps as an entrepreneur if she would have pursued such options.  It got me thinking how many other brilliant people are in job that they may have fell into while in high school and never left.  That is what happened to my friend’s mom.  In the cartoon series “Dilbert”, one of the “smartest” characters is the garbage man.  Whenever Dilbert speaks to him, the conversation always seems to blow Dilbert away.  I wonder how many other in real life are like that?  Personally, I know a few people in such positions that I consider smarter than I am, but working in a job that doesn’t utilize their intellect nor pays that well.

For a current day example, look at many of the bloggers of today.  Many come from mundane job where their full skills aren’t utilized or even recognized!  The they start blogging and almost instantly make as much as they were when they were working at their pre-blogging job.  Some have even went on be to quite successful!  What a contrast!

The key is to wake up and put as much time into finances and income creation as we (as a society) put into watching TV or other time wasting activities.  Perhaps if we made making money a personal game, it would facilitate the exploration and expansion of our innate abilities?

My friend’s mom is set in her ways and seems content enough.  Neither she or I will ever know where she could have gone with her brilliance.

Thinking of my friend’s mom makes me want to try harder!

MR