Want to make money? Visa IPO
This has been in the works for awhile now. Visa is going IPO sometime around the week of 17 March. Mastercard, which has a smaller market share than Visa, made a similar move back in 2006 and the results have been a 350% return.
The initial IPO price is said to be between $37-42 per share. I am working on getting Pre-IPO prices but may also look at an options strategy as we move closer to the release date.
Again, past performance is not predictive of future performance but look at Mastercard and Googles IPO offerings for some predictions.
Financial Basics Part 4: Slowlane or Fastlane?
Okay, at this point we have discussed living on a budget, living below our means and automating our savings and investing habits. The next step is to choose your plan for abundance.
The First path is the Slowlane - this involves the usual financial advice:
Buy and Hold
Dollar Cost Average
Mutual Funds
Pay Off Your Mortgage Early
Plan for the Long Term (Age 65)
This path is for those who wish to spend the least amount of time on their financial goals, want to acquire the least amount of financial education and are willing to take the least amount of risk.
This path will help you save diligently for retirement and at the age of 65, you will be wealthy and live very comfortably.
If this is your path, that is okay. Not everyone has the desire or discipline to learn and become financially independent at an early age.
The Second path is the Fastlane- this involves the advice I have learned from people who are not only wealthy, but became wealthy faster and younger. This path involves using the same advice as the slowlane but then modifying it into the following advice:
Using Leverage and A System for Stock market Investments
Knowing Your Entry and Exit Strategy
Stocks, Options, FOREX, Hedging with Foreign Currency or Gold
Using Real Estate Leverage to purchase Commercial Real Estate
Creating A Monthly Passive Income to replace your job
Retiring Younger (40's-50's)
This path requires more reading, working with mentors and other investors, developing a profession advisory team, finding a mastermind group and getting out of your comfort zone more.
This path does not mean you are getting more risky. It means you will be learning about more complex investments and thus it requires more education and the help of others.
The Third path is the HOV Lane - This is a mixture of both the fastlane and the
slowlane. For instance, you may invest in mutual funds in your 401k but use leverage to buy commercial real estate strategy as well.
In the future, I will offer financial advice for both lanes and you can determine if the HOV lane is applicable.
Guns in the Home
Here is a recent discussion in our home...
I grew up in a rural part of the country and hunting and guns where just an everyday part of my life growing up.
All my friends had hunting rifles and shotguns as well as their dads and brothers. Early on in my life, I learned about gun safety and took a hunters safety course. My wife however, never had guns in the house and her dad was not a hunter.
So, since we have had children, we have not had guns in the house. This is about to change though. I recently wanted to start shooting again for practice and sport. This caused a major discussion between my wife and I over the safety of having guns in the house with children.
The first points I addressed were this:
Guns are always stored in a locked case
The key to the case is in a separate location
The ammunition is then stored in a 3rd location
I also plan on teaching my children about the gun. Both my children have been exposed to BB Guns and have fired them at Boy Scouts or with me at one time or the other.
However, with a more powerful firearm, I plan on teaching them to never touch a gun unless a parent is supervising. I also plan on showing them the functions of the weapon, how to place it on safe and how to check if the gun is loaded, etc.
I will also explain the purpose of the gun: To practice shooting on a range at targets. Not to point at people or shoot bad guys or whatever ideas children may have.
This is my thought process on this, I grew up around guns and handled them often. Guns were not an excitement too me as a child or teen because they were always present and I was taught to respect what they can do and their purpose.
The studies I have read said that many children are often excited by guns because it is something foreign to them, therefore they "sneek" them when parents are not looking.
I plan on teaching respect and familiarization as well as when and where a gun is used. This is new terroritory for our family so it will be interesting to see the process.
If anyone out there has any experience either good or bad with weapons in the home, I would love to hear them.
Developing Your Bucket List: Part 5
Okay, continuing are discussion on developing your own bucket list.
Everyone has goals, maybe not written down but at least somewhere in their mind they have some dreams and goals.
The problem is not coming up with goals, it is making your dreams and goals a priority and then taking action to reach them.
I have another exercise or if you have grown lazy at this point, simply do this mentally.
Make a time event chart from the time you wake up in the morning until the time you go to bed at night and list your daily activities.
Example:
0520 - Wake Up
0600-0700 - Workout
0700-0730 - Read the Bible
0730 -0830 - Breakfast, Shower
0830 - 1130 - Work
1130-1300 - Lunch
1300-1700 - Work
1700 -1800 - Check email, stocks.
1800-1830 - Dinner
1830 - 2000 - Family Time and Kids Homework
2000 - 2100 - Computer Work (French and Legacy Dad)
2100-2200 - Time with Wife
2200 - UTC - Read, TV, Computer Time
23/2400 - 0520 - Sleep
Based on this time frame, where am I working on goals?
I would also look at your weekend activities and see where the majority of your free time goes. This will give you a better idea of where your time and energy are going.
Hold on, taking action is next...
Wordless Wednesday: Blackstone Bay, Alaska
The New Eve
There is a lot of great books and courses out there now for men wanting to raise the bar in their marriage, family and spiritual life.
However, when searching for content for women or our daughters, this is a seemingly harder task.
Recently though, I found Robert Lewis's new book: The New Eve
Robert Lewis has some of the best Men's Studies out there including Raising A Modern Day Knight and Men's Fraternity. However, for a man to write about womens issues always raises a red flag for me. Yet, I see that author Shaunti Feldhahn (Author of For Women Only) has not only endorsed this book but said this:
"I never thought a book written by a man could give me such an eye-opening picture of who I should be as a woman."
This made me take a second look.
The New Eve sets forth and elaborates upon five "Bold Moves" for today's discerning woman:
Live from the Inside Out
Adopt a Biblical Definition of Womanhood
Embrace a Big Picture Perspective on Life
Live with the End in Mind
Use Wisdom with a Man
You can also go and watch the trailer video here
Wordless Wednesday: Sunrise Oak
