O-Dark-Thirty

I notice that many of my favorite financial institutions are reducing the cost of trades, some even making trades free for now. Though I love to save money, I wonder - why are they doing this? Just as a guess, I think it is because the markets want more investors, and this is a good way to lure people into owning more stocks. It's no secret that I have a low regard for most Financial Newsletters. They prey on cautious and well-meaning people by warning of the coming financial apocalypse. Buy their Newsletters to avoid the imminent tragedy and collapse of Western civilization just by paying them a small fee. I exaggerate, of course. Or possibly I simplify. Do you see the dichotomy? One group shouts warning, the other implies that now is the time to dive into the market. A crisis is coming, but will it be this month? This year? At some point the disaster pundits will be able to say they warned us. Personally, I think there is never a good time to jump ...

My November 2016 post on  Why I cancelled The Bauman Letter  remains my most popular post, with 45 comments to date. I'm not sure why. I simply expressed my disappointment and reasoning about the Bauman newsletter. To be clear, I think that Ted Bauman and his father Robert Baumann are good businessmen and they have a grip on finances. I just believe they have a better grip on their own finances than that of the country. It does not take a financial genius to know our country is heading for a financial crisis. So, yeah, when they tout a "new" newsletter or fan the flames of crisis to entice someone to subscribe to their latest venture - well, I don't find that appealing.  I think you work hard for your money and you deserve to keep it.  If they can turn $5 into $50,000 for you with their newsletter, then why don't they do it for themselves and then give you what you need to know? We should be looking out for our fellow man. I have to be clear on my...