WH Cornerstone Investments Newsletter
Working with you to achieve a future that is greater than your past
Greetings!
At the end of February and again yesterday,
the stock market fell and continues to be
volatile. This type of market volatility
should not concern long-term investors. The
February pull-back was about 3.5% and
yesterday around 2%. These are painful
single-day losses but are by no means
catastrophic or even rare. In 2002 the S&P
500 lost 3% or more in 7% of the trading
days. The money you have in the stock market
should be for longer term goals. If it’s not,
you may want to rethink your strategy.
Time to Share. Create a Buzz. The
Plymouth
Philharmonic Orchestra was
established in 1913. In 1994, Steven
Karidoyanes was appointed music director
of this professional regional orchestra. You
will want to check out the remainder of their
schedule for this season. On April 28 the
Phil will present a Beethoven – Mahler
evening. Anchoring the program is Mahler's
life-affirming Titan Symphony,
Symphony No.1.
The season concludes with a salute to Ole
Blue Eyes on May 19th. The Phil,
converts into a super-sized Big
Band, backing up Steve
Marvin in a swingin’
tribute to Frank Sinatra. You won’t want to
miss both these concerts. For more
information call 508.746.8008 or visit the
Phil’s website.
Cheers — Paula and Bill Harris
9 money rules to live by
Americans young and old are flunking their finances, but money mastery isn't really that hard. Here are 9 simple keys you really need to know.
Most surveys that measure financial literacy
focus on teenagers, and the results are
always grim.
Now a poll by Harris Interactive for the
National Council on Economic Education shows
that adults aren't that much savvier.
The best time to buy -- anything
Did you know that airlines change their fare schedule three times a day? Or that cars are more likely to be a bargain at the end of the month?
If you're waiting until your refrigerator
gasps out its last breath of cold air to shop
for a new one, you could be missing out on a
chance for big savings. Timing your purchases
to coincide with manufacturer discounts,
clearance sales and off-season discounts will
take out the stress of finding a good price
on almost anything.
We spoke with a few experts to get the inside
scoop on the best times of the year to shop.
Could you stop spending for a month?
Some readers took up this extreme-budgeting challenge: no lattes, no meals out, no books, no new bluejeans. There were lapses, but the experiment helped draw lines between 'needs' and 'wants.'
A few weeks ago, I invited people on the Your
Money message board to try a little
experiment: a "buy nothing" month.
For the 28 days of February -- I picked the
shortest month to make it easier on
volunteers -- those who wanted to participate
would buy only necessities. Each person would
get to define what was a necessity for
himself or herself. At the end of the month,
everybody would report back on how their
shopping fast went.
Why it might be time to consider an independent financial advisors
An independent financial advisors has one priority. You.
There are any number of professionals who can
provide you with financial advice. So when
you’re looking for a personal financial
advisor, it’s essential to know that there
are different types of financial
professionals who vary not only in their
level of independence but in the type of
advice they offer, as well. Knowing the
differences among them—and the areas in which
each of them specializes—is the first step in
choosing an advisor who’s right for you.
An Independent Financial Advisor won’t just
work with you, but for you as well. Because
these advisors are independent, you can be
more confident that your advisor will put
your needs first. Independence means they’re
free to make recommendations from a much
broader range of potential
investments—whatever best suits your
financial objectives—now and in the future.
Kick your e-mail addiction
A 5 step plan for taking back your time
When, or precisely how, my sleek, silver Palm
Treo 650 phone/ PDA took over my life I'm not
sure, but the warning signs were clear: It
replaced the book on my nightstand so I could
check e-mail after David Letterman and before
Matt Lauer and often in between.
It got to the point where I couldn't wait
more than a second or two after the thing
buzzed to see who was writing. I was an
e-mail addict. I wasn't alone.
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Always remember to forget the things that
made you sad. But never forget to remember
the things that made you glad.
Always remember to forget the friends that
proved untrue. But never forget to remember
those that have stuck by you.
Always remember to forget the troubles that
passed away. But never forget to remember
the blessings that come each day.
