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Thursday, November 11, 2010
How To Make Your First $1 Million - Investopedia Slideshows
When your grandparents lamented that a dollar just isn't a dollar anymore, they weren't just bellyaching. Inflation attacks the value of a dollar, reducing it as time goes by so you need more dollars as time goes on. That is one of the reasons that $1 million is often thrown around as a retirement goal. Back in 1900, a $1 million retirement would include a mansion and a bevy of servants, but now, it has become a benchmark for the average retirement portfolio. The upside is that it is easier to become a millionaire now than at any time before. While you won't be buying islands, it is still a goal worth shooting for.
From: How To Make Your First $1 Million - Investopedia Slideshows
Posted by JMKelly at 1:51 PM 0 comments
Labels: inflation, millionaire, money, retirement, save, savings, wealth, wealth building
Monday, October 18, 2010
Owning Your Career
Last week, I had the privilege to attend a career building event sponsored by my employer, Coca-Cola. How very nice, I thought, to work for a company that is willing to pay for its employees to attend a workshop focused solely on their individual careers.
The purpose of the event was to map out the individuals' personality traits, strengths, interests and so on to determine the best career path to take. Next, everyone focused on where they were in their careers and lives, to determine or re-evaluate their proper course, and to see if they needed to make a "course correction."
Since the class had people at the beginning of their careers, some fresh out of college, to others looking at retirement in a few years (and all points in between), it was fascinating to hear everybody's perspectives on where they are and where they desire to be in both their work and personal lives.
We started by breaking down ourselves, assessing the following:
I. Interest and skills:
- Realistic
- Investigative
- Artistic
- Social
- Enterprising
- Conventional
- Expressive
- Amiable
- Driver
- Analytical
These self evaluation tests were based on assessments formulated by The Ryan Group, leaders in human capital management solutions. Another tool referenced by the class material is the book Don't Waste Your Talent: The 8 Critical Steps to Discovering What You Do Best.
I found the workshop to be both interesting and insightful. At this point in my career, I may need to "tweak the ship's heading" just a little. :-)
JM Kelly, The IT Entrepreneur
Posted by JMKelly at 11:35 PM 1 comments
Labels: assement tests, career paths, career planning, career workshops, careers, corporate jobs, retirement
Friday, August 13, 2010
Wealth Preservation with... Gold?
With the economy still limping along, it seems that more investors are seeking safety in buying the shiny stuff. If you watch (or listen) the CNBC, Bloomberg, or other financial networks, you know that every other commercial is someone trying to sell you Gold, Silver, Platinum or other precious metals. There are even Gold-backed IRAs.
I remember when I was a boy during those long summer breaks, I would hear stock reports on the local news at lunch. They would quote the price of gold, pork bellies, the Dow Jones Average and other things I really didn't understand. However, I remember thinking that gold is pretty, everybody wants some, and it was only about $100 dollars an ounce.
That was a lot of money to a pre-teen boy in the 1970s, but I could still put my head around it. I would accumulate amounts like that doing odd jobs, and thought to myself "I could buy gold!". I never did, of course, because I didn't know how to and grown-ups wouldn't take me serious anyway. If only I had figured out a way...
Today, gold trades around $1200 an ounce. It is fairly easy to buy, either in gold shares, bullion or coin form. It is also easy to liquidate, unlike my other favorite asset, real estate. Why not add some to my portfolio?
I finally decided to act! I contacted one of the gold merchants I heard on the media, and they sent me a nice PDF brochure explaining the process of gold ownership that I am sharing with you on this link: www.pda400.com/PDF/GoldGuide.pdf
I don't think they'll mind some free advertising...
Once I buy, I'll share what the experience was like. I'm also going to see how easy (or difficult) it is to sell the stuff in my local area.
Happy Prospecting!
JM Kelly, The IT Entrepreneur
Posted by JMKelly at 2:11 PM 0 comments
Labels: bullion, gold, gold coins, investment, precious metals, wealth building, wealth preservation
Monday, August 9, 2010
Buffett on World's Growing Wealth
As always, I continue to follow the advice of highly successful people to emulate. Warren Buffett is one of the people who I hold in high esteem. Coming from a middle-class family to rise to one of the richest people on the planet is truly an amazing feet!
If you haven't done so already, I recommend reading (or listening to as I did) The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life, which chronicles the life and rise of "The Oracle of Omaha".
Recently, I came across an interview in The Wall Street Journal entitled Buffett on World's Growing Wealth, in which Mr. Buffett details how he plans to convince America's billionaires to publicly commit to giving away at least half of their fortunes.
He is not only rich in wealth, but truly philanthropic as well.
JM Kelly, The IT Entrepreneur
Posted by JMKelly at 11:14 PM 0 comments
Labels: philanthropy, stocks, Warren Buffett, wealth, wealth building
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Entrepreneurs help Haiti Earthquake Victims
A list of reputable relief agencies:
AMERICAN RED CROSS
Text “HAITI” to “90999″ to make a $10 donation.
2025 E Street
NW Washington, DC 20006
(800) REDCROSS (733-2767)
AMERICARES
88 Hamilton Avenue
Stamford, Conn. 06902
(800) 486-4357
CARE
151 Ellis Street
Atlanta, Ga. 30303
(800) 521-CARE (521-2273)
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA/MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES (MSF)
333 7th Avenue, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10001-5004
(888) 392-0392
INTERNATIONAL ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHARITIES
P.O. Box 630225
Baltimore, Md. 21263-0225
(877) 803-4622
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
122 E. 42nd Street
New York, NY 10168
(877) REFUGEE (733-8433)
MERCY CORPS
Dept. W P.O. Box 2669
Portland, Ore., 97208-2669
(888) 256-1900
OXFAM AMERICA
226 Causeway St., 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02114-2206
(800) 77-OXFAM (776-9326)
PARTNERS IN HEALTH
P.O. Box 845578
Boston, MA 02284-5578
(617) 432-5256
THE SALVATION ARMY
615 Slaters Lane
P.O. Box 269
Alexandria, VA 22313
SAVE THE CHILDREN
Haiti Earthquake Children in Emergency Fund
54 Wilton Road Westport, Conn. 06880
(800) 728-3843
WORLD VISION
Haiti Earthquake Relief
P.O. Box 9716 Federal Way
Wash. 98063-9716
(888) 511-6548
U.S. FUND FOR UNICEF
125 Maiden Lane
New York, N.Y. 10038
(800) FOR-KIDS (367-5437)
Posted by JMKelly at 1:42 AM 0 comments
Labels: donations, earthquake, earthquake relief, entrepreneur, giving back, Haiti, tragedy
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