Blog Posts Archives - Page 51 of 52 - Sullivan Financial Planning

Mutual Fund Fees – What is Reasonable?

Investment Education, Personal FinanceBy Kristi Sullivan October 23, 2014

Last week, we talked about the different ways that mutual fund sellers get paid. There are funds with loads, called A or B shares, that charge up-front or back-end commissions. There are also no-load funds that are sold directly from mutual fund companies or through discount brokers such as Fidelity, Schwab, TD Ameritrade, Vanguard, or E-trade.…

Mutual Fund Fees – The Great Mystery Unveiled!

Investment EducationBy Kristi Sullivan October 16, 2014

It shouldn’t surprise you that people in the business of investing money like to make money themselves. And that’s fine! As a consumer you should understand how your investments charge you and whether the price is reasonable. Today I’ll discuss two common ways that mutual fund companies make money: Loads and Expense Ratios. Loads…

More Financial Jargon: What is a Mutual Fund?

Investment EducationBy Kristi Sullivan October 9, 2014

Last week we talked about the difference between stocks and bonds. Today, we will talk about how we can use mutual funds to buy stocks and bonds. You’ve probably been told that it’s a good idea to have a diversified portfolio. This means that you shouldn’t invest all of your money in one company. …

Bonus Blog – Ranger Cookie Recipe

Fun StuffBy Kristi Sullivan October 3, 2014

Hello, loyal readers! Last week, I started a pretend business to explain the difference between stocks and bonds. Kristi’s Ranger Cookie Food Truck is sure to be a smashing success thanks to this recipe: Cream together: 1/2 Cup Butter, 1/2 Cup Sugar, 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar Add: 1 beaten egg and 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla Sift and…

Jargon Series Continued – Investment Terms Revealed

Investment Education, Personal FinanceBy Kristi Sullivan October 2, 2014

Let’s start with the basics. What’s the difference between a stock and a bond? I will explain this concept by starting a hypothetical company, Kristi’s Ranger Cookie Food Truck. Ask any member of my family, neighbors, cat sitter, or school bus drivers, I make the best Ranger Cookies on the planet. Stay tuned for bonus…

Financial Planning Jargon Series – What is a Financial Planner, Anyway?

Investment Education, Personal FinanceBy Kristi Sullivan September 25, 2014

Ladies and gentleman, watch carefully as I perform a magic trick. Before your very eyes, I will unmask for you the confusing and veiled language used in the financial services industry. These words make sense to a very few in who work in this business. This can lead to unsuspecting purchases of financial products that…

No-nonsense advice for strong personal finance.

Personal FinanceBy Kristi Sullivan September 18, 2014

You know how sometimes it’s better to hear something from an outside coach or counselor than your own parents or spouse? Maybe that’s true for blogs, too! So, for a fresh perspective and some down to earth advice, check out this column from Jonathan Clements. Financial Beliefs You Might Not Like by Jonathan Clements As a quick…

Budgeting Method #3 – Write it all down

Personal FinanceBy Kristi Sullivan September 11, 2014

Budget Method #3 – Write-It-and-Track-It This last system for managing your expenses is the one people mostly associate with making a budget. And probably the reason so few of us do it. But, there is a reason it’s still around: it works! Just like keeping a food journal helps people lose weight by making…

Budgeting Method #2: The Save First System

Personal FinanceBy Kristi Sullivan September 4, 2014

Budget Method #2: Save First System I’ll let you in on a shameful I-should-know-better-because-I’m-a- financial-planner secret of mine. I HATE making a budget and tracking my expenses. So, I don’t. “WHAT?!?! Don’t they make you turn in your meticulous monthly budget with corresponding receipts in CFP Class?” you say. NO! What’s my secret? Well,…

Budgeting Method #1 – The Envelope System

Personal FinanceBy Kristi Sullivan August 28, 2014

Budget Method #1: Envelope System Maybe you’ve heard your grandparents talk about how they managed money in their younger years. They got paid, cashed their paychecks, and divided cash into envelopes labeled for each monthly bill: Rent, utilities, groceries, gas, clothes, and entertainment. When the cash in each envelope ran out, you were done spending…

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