Winter Is Melting!

So, almost all of the snow is gone from around my house! About time. I’ve lived in this town for 29 winters and I’ve never seen snow on the ground in March. Sure, at times there’s been a little skiff but it was usually gone faster than it came. This year, we’re talking feet of snow.

And it’s been here since early February. That’s a long time to put up with snow when winter should have been long gone. But I’m pretty sure it’s my fault.

See, back in January, I wrote a blog post celebrating the mild winter we were having. And almost immediately, things changed. The unseasonably warm temperatures turned unseasonably cold. The couple of little snow flurries we’d experienced turned to piles of snow.

A month and a half. That’s how long it’s been. It was supposed to be WARM by now. Usually, by mid-March, I’ve already mowed the lawn a couple of times. This year, it’ll be April before the lawn even starts growing.

So, I’ve learned my lesson. No more reveling in the mild winter on my blog — at least for this year. ~

 

Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, The Lana Denae Mysteries, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook at www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS and paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

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What’s The World Coming To?

For a few minutes this past week, I thought the world was going to end. Not because any impending catastrophe was imminent. No, the reason was more innocuous than that.

Here’s what happened: Someone hacked one of my email accounts. Not the main email that I use, so that was good. But they were able to then get into my Facebook pages.

Okay, not exactly the end of the world scenario I started out with but still a little aggravating. I didn’t really lose any sleep or anything but it was just another issue I needed to deal with that I shouldn’t have.

From what I could tell, they didn’t really do much, no off-color posts, no posting of links to some other country, no attempts to scam anyone. I assume they just wanted information, and they probably got that. But, I don’t really post anything on Facebook that’s a big secret so…

As far as the email goes, I have no idea what they did with that. I could’ve sent a ton of spam out, I suppose. Well, not me but my account. so it would appear to come from me. But no one has sent me an angry response, so maybe not.

I think it’s all taken care of now, my Facebook accounts seem to be normal and I once again have control of my email. Now, I get to what to see what else they might do. Yay!

Such is life in the modern world. A few years ago, no one had to worry about being hacked. Now, it’s becoming a regular occurrence. Which is good in a way. If, by chance, people start receiving things that are totally out of character for the person supposedly sending them, it’s a good indication that they’ve been hacked.

Keep that in mind over the next few days. Just in case something untoward shows up, appearing to be from me, you’ll know it’s not. I hope! In any event, it’s not the end of the world! ~

 

Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, The Lana Denae Mysteries, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook at www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS and paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

Easy Way To Start Investing Now

Investing Made Easy

And Why You Should Start THIS VERY MINUTE!

 

Imagine saving a few thousand dollars in just a year. All while still earning your current salary… and without getting a part time job. Next, imagine that money growing on its own. Earning you interest every day, as much as 15% or more. All with no effort on your part. And imagine the total of that money being available to you when you need it — to pay for those unexpected expenses: car repairs… doctor visits… a new vacuum… replacing a neighbor’s window… or perhaps your own window.

Or, you might use the money to take a nice, well-deserved vacation… A relaxing week in Hawaii… A Caribbean cruise… a weekend trip to Las Vegas…

Maybe you’ll want to leave the money alone, let it continue to grow until retirement. How much would you be able to accumulate? Probably more than you can imagine. A lot more.

But, I have good news. You don’t just have to imagine any of this. It’s all very possible. That’s the power of investing. The power of using money to make money. And the best time to start is now. Because the earlier you start, the more you can earn.

Think you don’t have enough money to get started? That you should wait until you do? Or that it would make more sense to spend your money on other things? These seem like logical reasons to put off investing. But, let me tell you, it is a flawed logic. Consider the following quote from one of the all-time most successful investors in history:

“Nothing sedates rationality like large doses of effortless money.” – Warren Buffet

But let’s face it, not everyone can be Warren Buffet, investor extraordinaire. First, most people do not have that kind of money. Many Americans live paycheck to paycheck. That simply doesn’t allow for a grand investment portfolio.

Second, most people do not have that kind of time. We’re busy. We work a job… have things to take care of at home… doctor visits… meetings to attend… appointments to keep… and that leaves very little time to pay attention to things such as investing. But there is a way that even the busiest person with no stash of extra cash laying around can get in on the action. A simple way. A painless way. I’ll explain just how you can do it in a minute.

Third, investing requires more than just buying a few shares in a stock and then hoping it will grow. It must be the right stock. The right kind of company. Successful investing demands a strategy. That takes hours of research… and a thorough understanding of the stock market — the best practices… procedures… things to avoid… how to capitalize on an opportunity, etc. To make it profitable, you have to constantly be aware of what is happening in the market — in real time. That means tracking each stock and each market on a daily basis. And not just the US markets (Dow Jones, NASDAQ, S&P 500) but the world markets as well. But that’s not all. There’s the after-hours trading, so it’s virtually an around-the-clock engagement. And then, there is the terminology; just to acquire a basic knowledge of the relevant terms would take months.

Unless that is their job, it is quite honesty, nearly impossible for anyone to maintain that level of awareness. So, the common people, people like you and me, were simply left out. Left to fend for ourselves. Left to depend on luck. And as it happens, luck is not all that dependable.

Don’t Let Tradition Hold You Back.

Traditionally, investing required a fairly large sum of money to get started. Then there were broker fees, trading fees, and other associated costs. The average working person could not realistically afford to invest in the stock market. For those who were able, the learning curve was somewhat daunting. And learning, along with its setbacks, is not all that enticing when it’s costing you your own money. Money that could have been spent on necessities like food and rent.

But times have changed. In 2014, Walter and Jeff Cruttenden launched Acorns, an investment app for mobile devices, making investing accessible to everyone. The following year, the web-based version was introduced. Acorns makes investing painless because you are only investing a few cents at a time and they’ve taken all the guesswork out of the equation. From their website: “Acorns simplified the often tedious and complex process of investing. But that doesn’t mean the investment strategy is any less sophisticated.”

“Our mission is to look after the financial best interests of the up-and-coming, beginning with the empowering step of micro-investing.”

Micro-investing, investing small amounts, is what makes Acorns so appealing to many people. People who would never be able to be investors in the traditional sense.

About The Company.

Acorns is a legitimate and reputable financial service that makes investing simple and affordable for anyone. Acorns is the only micro-investing account that allows you to invest spare change. Set up in under 5 minutes and automatically add money to your diversified portfolio. They do all the work. All the time-consuming administrative duties. All the research. Acorns offers a user-friendly platform and is rated the number one investment app for new investors by Business Insider [2018]. Earlier this year, Forbes included Acorns in their exclusive FinTech 50. [February 4, 2019]. And Joe Raspolich of TheCollegeInvestor.com said, “Acorns has continued to innovate, and it’s raised the bar for micro-investing apps.”

And it’s not just the financial experts who are raving about Acorns. Take a look at what their customers are saying:

“I love the concept, especially the roundups…” J. Keeling

“…a very easy way to save money and have a little emergency fund.” O. Mahone

“Acorns allows me to invest my spare change and invest just $10 a month. Those small amounts really do add up.” J. Smith

“Excellent way to save and invest. The app is easy to use and does it for you.” D. Mangold

“I love the round up option with the multiplier! Before I knew it there was over $300 in there!” C. Campbell

Join the over 4 million people who are currently investing in their future with Acorns.

How Does It All Work?

There are many methods of investing with Acorns but the easiest is their one-of-a-kind Round-ups. When you link a credit or debit card to your Acorns Core Account, they track your transactions, round up the purchase to the next dollar, and invest that amount. For example: If you spend $9.56 on breakfast, Acorns would deduct .44 from your bank account and add that to your Acorns Investment Account. You choose from one of five pre-built “smart portfolios,” ranging from conservative to aggressive. If you’d like to invest more you can easily do so by taking advantage of the multiplier selection. Simply set your desired multiplier and automatically invest the round-up amount multiplied by 2, 3, or 10. (Note: They let the small amounts accumulate until the balance reaches $5.00 before deducting it from your checking).

You also have the option of adding additional funds at any time. Instead of stashing a few dollars a week in a traditional savings account — which currently pays about 2% interest — you can add that money to your Acorns Account and take advantage of the earning power of the stock market. All of this with no broker fees or transaction fees.

But Wouldn’t Putting My Money In A CD Be Smarter?

A CD or, Certificate of Deposit, does have advantages. But it also has several disadvantages. A CD can cost thousands of dollars and the return is astonishingly low. Current rates are around a half percent for a six-month CD. Longer term CD’s can offer a slightly higher rate — but not much —generally only 1.5%. And keep in mind, any money invested in a CD is locked up for the entire length of the term. It’s still your money, but you can’t access it. So those unexpected expenses that plague all of us: a broken phone… medical bills… a pet emergency… increased utility bills… a speeding ticket… fundraisers… gifts…

Unless you have thousands of dollars lying around that you are certain you won’t need for six months, a year, or longer, a CD is probably not for you. But with Acorns, you get a better option. Unlike a CD, you need only a small amount to open up an account… you’ll get a much higher return on your investment… your money is instantly available… and you can access or transfer funds instantly. With just a few clicks you can move your money funds to another investment — within Acorns, to a different platform or into your bank account. Plus, your first six months with Acorns is entirely FREE! Yes, FREE. I’ll tell you how to take advantage of the FREE offer but before I do, I forgot to mention some of the other programs Acorns offers.

More Than a Simple Investment App, Acorns is an Entire Investment Firm — Right at Your Fingertips.

In addition to the Acorns Core — roundups and cash deposits — there are:

•  Acorns Found Money – Top Brands Partnering With Acorns to Invest in You
•  Acorns Later – Helps You Save for Retirement
• Acorns Spend – A Checking Account that Invests and Earns You Money
• Acorns Debit Card – The Only Debit Card that Saves, Invests and Earns

And as an Acorns member, there’s the added bonus of Acorns Grow, your portal to hundreds of reports and advice articles. Just take a look at what all you’ll get: Investing Basics, Money 101, How-To’s, Interviews, Tax Tips, and more…

Check out these recent articles: 8 Ways To Turn Your Car Into Extra Cash, 14 Investing Questions You Should Be Able to Answer and, These Five Tax Mistakes Are Easy (and Costly) to Make. Plus, you can sign up for the Acorns Newsletter and have all of this delivered directly to your inbox. 

So, How Much Does Acorns Cost?

Of course, no company or business can offer everything for free so there is a small fee associated with having an Acorns account. And when I say small, I’m not understating it in the least. I’ll detail the entire pricing schedule, but before I get into that let me tell you about my own personal experience with Acorns.

Before writing this blog post, I wanted to give Acorns a try. I signed up in less than five minutes and after answering a few questions to set up my profile had a couple of debit cards linked. Within a week, my account was growing. That was over six months ago and I’ve now deposited over $250. Big deal, right? What good is $250? Well, for starters, that’s from only round-ups — money I didn’t even miss. In a year, if I continue on the same pace, that will be $500. And that doesn’t account for the gains on the investment. Currently I’m getting a return of 13%, which adds another $65 in a year. That’s an outstanding percent. I have other investments that do not perform nearly as well.

When setting up my account, I chose a conservative investment portfolio with very little risk. I like Acorns system of “Smart Portfolios” because it means I do not have to pick which companies I invest in. Acorns does all the work. That means I did not have to do hours of research to find the right stocks. I simply linked my debit cards and that was it.

And if I should ever find myself in a financial jam, and need my money, it is available for instant withdraw to my bank account — with no penalty. This alone makes it a far better choice than CD’s or many investment firms.

And now, back to the price. It’s fairly simple. After the first month, which is free, Acorns charges $1.00 per month until your account value reaches $1 million. Since we’re talking spare change, the first few months, with an account of less than $100, that fee may seem a little high but keep in mind that as your investments grow, the fee does not. So, years from now when your spare change has turned into a few thousand, the monthly fee will remain just $1.00 for the basic plan, known as Acorns Core. They also offer $2 and 3$ monthly plans.

Try it Risk-Free for Six Months.

Remember that I said you could get Acorns FREE for six months? Here’s how. When you take advantage of this limited-time offer by clicking on one of the links in this post, Acorns will give you $5.00 to get you started. That’s their way of saying thanks for your business. After the initial free month, the $5.00 will cover the next five months’ fee. That’s six months, absolutely FREE. So, you can try it out risk-free for an entire six months. If you find that the investing thing is not for you, simply cash out what you’ve accumulated and close your account. You have nothing to lose. And if you’re a student…

Acorns Core at the $1/month Level is FREE for College Students.

If you’re in college Acorns just got better! The basic plan, Acorns Core, is FREE for college students. You pay nothing as long as you’re enrolled in college. In other words, there’s absolutely nothing to lose.

Start Investing in Your Future Today.

“Acorns offers a unique solution to overcoming the mental barrier: ‘I just don’t have enough money to be investing.’”

Acorns really is investing made simple. Invest as little or as much as you want. There is no downside. Click on the link below to get started.

Give Acorns A Try.
Start Investing Today.

One other thing: Acorns has an extensive array of tracking features, charts and graphs, that help you see exactly how much you’ve invested, what return you’re currently getting, and how much you can expect to earn over time, by year. This makes it super easy to see how your money is working for you. Of course, if you’d rather not bother with all the numbers, if you’re not the facts and figures kind of person, you can set it and forget it. Take a few minutes to determine what you want to invest in and then you never have to touch it. Either way, rest assured, your money will still be there working for you.

Questions? Visit Acorns.com

What A Spectacle

While sitting in a restaurant with my wife this past weekend, my mind began to wander. Way back. About 44 years ago. Back to another time when I was sitting in that very same restaurant. It’s undergone some renovation and has a new name, but still the same building.

I could see the place the way it used to be, and for a minute or two it was almost like I’d traveled back in time. I started to smile to myself as I remembered an incident. My wife asked what I was thinking and I related the story to her. She didn’t think it was all that funny, so I thought I’d give it a try here:

S, there I was, about seven or eight years old, sitting at a table with my brother. We’d been there for quite some time, about two hours or more, waiting on our parents to finish talking to whoever we were with. Sorry, I don’t remember just who else was there.

We were at our own table, and getting a little restless. So, we got the bright idea of using our straws to shoot pieces of the crushed ice from our drinks. At first we aimed at various insignificant things: the windows, pictures on the wall, or the exit sign. Then, one of us, not sure who, started launching our ice projectiles toward man elderly an sitting across the dining area. Soon, it was both of us, taking turns. Seeing who could hit our new “target.”

A few of our missiles landed close and the guy, a little confused, would look around wondering what was going on. Then, one of us — again, not sure which one — scored a direct hit. The old man was a bit startled as the ice splattered over his glasses. He took them off to clean them and gazed around the room, searching for the culprit. My brother and I feigned innocence of course, acting like we weren’t paying attention to the man and his “adventure.”

It should have been rather obvious who the guilty party was —we were the only kids in the entire restaurant — but for some reason the man never said a word. Not to us or our parents. Just resumed eating. Although, he did try to keep a watchful eye out for the rest of his meal.

Figuring we’d gotten away with enough for one night, we held our fire and moved on to other things. I couldn’t really tell you what, but probably things just as mischievous.

I know, not a very inspirational story. Hardly noble. But hey, we were kids. Kids having fun. We had a laugh and no one got hurt so all in all a decent outcome — sort of. I guess that depends on one’s perspective.

Then I had another thought; maybe there’s more to these straw bans than just the stupidity of legislators… ~

 

Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, The Lana Denae Mysteries, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook at www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS and paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

Back In School

You’re never too old to learn — as my grandson pointed out to me the other day. He was explaining to me that three times 20 is 60, to which I agreed. But my agreement was not enough, he wanted to make sure that I actually understood WHY it was so. Now, keep in mind this is coming from a five-year-old so the logic may be a little convoluted.

He said, “If you have twenty and you add another twenty that makes forty. But that’s not sixty because you only had two of them. If you add another twenty to the first twenty and the other twenty, that makes sixty because now you have three of them.”

I nodded and told him he was right.

But he wasn’t finished. “It’s like if you add one and one.”

Now I frowned. “Not quite the same.”

He kept talking as if he hadn’t heard. “If you keep doing that, you’ll get to sixty — eventually.” (That last word was added with a roll of the eyes and a bit of sarcasm).

I had to agree again. But I told him I wasn’t going to just add one number at a time all the way to sixty because that would take too long.

He looked at me as if I wasn’t quite all there. “That’s why you just add twenty three times.”

“Oh,” I said.

He seemed satisfied he’d successfully explained the math problem to me but then felt compelled to continue our “lessons.” He asked, “Do you know what half of one is?”

“Um, half?” I asked, playing along.

He looked surprised. “Yes, one half.”

I said, “So how many halves does it take to make two?”

“Grandpa, you just have to add halves until you get to two.”

“That’s true,” I said. “But how many would I have to add to get to two?”

Sighing, he said, “I think you’re going to have to study some more. But don’t worry, you’re never too old to learn.”

Well that’s good news, I thought. At least he has confidence in me. “So, you don’t think I’m too old to learn?”

He shook his head. “Remember? I just taught you how much three twenties are.”

Well, okay then. I guess it’s true; you’re never too old to learn! However, you may be too young to teach! ~

 

Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, The Lana Denae Mysteries, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook at www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS and paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

Love Asylum

As you may know, we recently had a holiday. No, I’m not talking about today, which is Presidents’ Day, I’m referring to Valentine’s Day.

My wife and I attended a Valentine’s Banquet on Saturday. Not particularly surprising, I know, since we’ve been married for almost thirty-two years. What is surprising to me, is that she still claims me and is willing to attend such events — or even be seen in public together at all. After being together this long, I’ve regrettably given her plenty of reason to not be so eager to do so.

So, there we were at the banquet, and of course, there were the typical games based on couple’s knowledge of each other. As usual, this leads to everyone talking about how long they’ve been together, or how well they know each other — or do not know each other, as the case may be. These games are certainly revealing, and quite often good for a few laughs.

But the whole time, I’m thinking that’s not really a good measuring device for love. Not that my wife and I don’t know each other very well, we do. We can predict with nearly 100% accuracy what the other one is thinking and how we’ll respond to questions or situations. Still, that doesn’t really provide any real indication of the level of love.

A better way of measuring love is how well do couples put up with each other’s quirks and annoyances, or objectionable behaviors. Obviously, a game designed around such questions wouldn’t be nearly as fun, might cause a little trouble, or in some cases, lead to a breakup. But that illustrates my point. This would be a more accurate measurement of love. Because love isn’t all roses and hearts. Love is something more. Something deeper. Something meaningful. Love is a commitment. A “no matter what” decision.

I’m just glad my wife’s commitment means that she’ll still go out in public with me. Because I can easily see how she might be intent on having me committed!

 

Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, The Lana Denae Mysteries, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook at www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS and paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

Should I, Or Shouldn’t I?

Thought I had escaped the major effects of Old Man Winter this year. I know other places have experienced their share of the “glories” of the season, but where I live, it’s been one of the mildest winters on record. Unseasonably warm and far less snow than normal. It had me re-thinking my hostility toward my least favorite season. Until this past weekend.

We got dumped on!

It’s particularly hard to deal with a substantial amount of snowfall when the winter is so close to being over and when there’s been no bad weather thus far. On Saturday, I shoveled out the driveway and walks four times. (That’s about five too many by my count!) Every time I’d finish it was time to start again.

As I shoveled, I kept thinking how it was getting a little harder to do every year. Either I’m getting older or the snow is getting heavier. Either way, in a few short years, I’ll be unable to keep up. Especially if we have a bad winter instead of the half way mild one we’re currently living through. But I have a plan.

No, the plan does not involve moving south. While the warmer weather may be enticing, moving is not really an option — I like living here. It’s home. And I’m not going to let winter weather drive me out of my home. And even if I did, knowing my luck, winter would just tag along. So that’s definitely out. Besides, a move would be very expensive and the plan I have in mind will cost only a fraction of that.

Neither does the plan involve hiring someone to do the shoveling for me. I try not to hire anything done because it’s usually not done right and I end up having to fix it. And that’s kind of annoying. Besides, hiring someone would be very expensive, and the plan I have in mind is far cheaper.

I suppose one possibility would be just to do nothing and let the snow pile up. But that would lead to a plethora of other issues that I don’t need to deal with. Besides, being trapped at home all winter might not be good for the bank account, and the plan I have in mind is not that hard on the wallet.

So, I’ll just stick to my plan. And I thank you for your patience as I rationalized and justified the expense of purchasing a snow blower! ~

 

Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, The Lana Denae Mysteries, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook at www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS and paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.