QOTD: mr. c shares 10 seconds on fiscal restraint September 26, 2007

reviewing one’s portfolio, investing money, & the duh factor September 11, 2007

I meet with the administrator of our retirement plan tomorrow and look forward to nailing down:

• what our monthly contributions should be to retire age 65 with 75% of current salary;
• what our monthly contributions should be to retire age 65 with 100% of current salary (omg that seems nuts but heck why not know the number);
• and the biggie: what our current allocations should be to achieve any or all of above.

I predict we have too many domestic equities (vs having at least some international stocks). But at this point I’m talking out the wazoo.

Considering one’s age & risk tolerance are key, sure. Yet it’s perspective and context that I crave from tomorrow’s discussion (a follow-up to this first meeting).

Beckoning to tomorrow’s planner:

Help us afford more than tooth picks & water during our sunset years!

More to follow post meeting manana.

More from:
Our retirement plan administrator TIAA-CREF

crazy yet cool: benefits of online banking & my first 1.5 months with ing’s savings account September 4, 2007

That’s far more aggressive than three years of business with our brick-and-mortar bank — all three years combined. Not even close.

ING’s low overhead packs a punch in our favor: 4.5% interest rate, no minimum balance vs the brick-and-mortar bank of $2,500 minimal opening balance at .65%.

It frankly took a while for my psyche to actually embrace online banks; it was purely phobic on my part where as my husband was more game long ago to commit. We chose ING for their name recognition.

The monthly & annual yield makes for supreme immediate gratification; I split my pants every week to deposit more into the account. Maybe that means savings is fun – or I need to get out more. Hmm.

More from:

• INGdirect’s savings account – good customer service with, as referenced in an earlier post…very strong security protocols;
• My Money Blog suggests how to keep those high-yield savings balances up up up;
• Frugal living article per About.com summarizes nicely the benefits of online banks.

spending habits, compound investing, & ING takes on annTaylor loft August 23, 2007

The more I read & talk with planners & analyze my family’s habits — the more this proves true:

controlled spending habits can hugely mobilize one’s savings.

It ain’t nothin’ to shake a stick at.

But I love AnnTaylor LOFT!

I would do well to resist that clothing splurge & invest the cash instead.

So I just opened up my family’s first cd with the would-be splurge dough (5.15%, 6 months, ING). ING offers strong security protocols & fine, reliable customer service. And as Michael Fischer expertly explains at his videoblog, the compounding examples tell it well.

…baby steps right?

It’s clear as our/my habits improve that increased savings power is inevitable (recognizing sovereignty over one’s choices looks exciting).