The idea that you should have a cash reserve equal to three to six months of your living expenses would almost certainly make any “Ten Commandments” list for personal finance.
It might also be one of the least obeyed commandments, as suggested in a recent post by my colleague Ellen Rinaldi. I wholeheartedly agree with Ellen’s emphasis on having a cash reserve—savings stashed in a bank account or money market fund—before getting too focused on investing.
Graduation season is upon us. Many of us have children, grandchildren, or acquaintances sailing out of school … and hitting pretty rough seas in the job market.
I had planned to speak to my sons about investing once they graduate. But while investing is undeniably important, I think a better discussion would be around debt management.
Has your 401(k) become a 201(k)? That’s a pretty common joke these days, as financial commentators look for new ways to talk about plunging markets—and plunging 401(k) balances.
Retirement … retirement … retirement. Most of us are painfully aware that the responsibility for providing for ourselves in retirement rests squarely on our own shoulders. If we didn’t fully appreciate this sobering situation before, we certainly do now.
Retirement is very important. But is it the most important reason to save?
In an earlier post, I asked readers to share techniques that have helped them to save. After all, spending less than you earn is the essential first step in investing. Vanguard shareholders tend to be people who’ve long made thrift a habit. And it’s a habit many folks, confronted with today’s tougher economic and market climate, are trying to pick up.
