Links to several of my favorite recent articles on money and life:
This week we will close the books on 2017 and get a fresh start on the new year.
Why 2017 Was the Best Year Ever by Nicholas Kristof at The New York Times
The media focuses so much on the negative that we often fail to appreciate, or even notice, how much better things are getting. That is unfortunate. This article looks at the reasons 2017 was such a great year in spite of the constant drum beat of media negativity.
The 50-Year Newspaper (The Indicator Podcast by Planet Money – 7 minutes)
What if the newspaper only came out every 50-years, instead of every day? What would the headlines on the front page be? That is the topic of this interesting 7-minute podcast. While there would be problems to report much of the news would be incredibly good.
Updating My Favorite Performance Chart for 2017 by Ben Carlson at Wealth of Common Sense
This fantastic chart shows the past 10-years of investment performance for 10 separate asset classes. The result is a wealth of information, a colorful quilt, and a great visual reminder of why you need to diversify.
Making Routines to Keep Resolutions by Kim Cowart at The Deseret News
It is the middle of January and already many of your New Year’s resolutions are broken. Don’t despair. For success in keeping resolutions the key, as explained in this article, is establishing routines.
10 Things Investors Can Expect in 2018 by Ben Carlson at Wealth of Common Sense
I don’t put a lot of stock in predictions about investment performance. The truth is no one knows what the future holds. As Yogi Berra once stated, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” However, I am pretty sure Ben Carlson has nailed it with these 10 things that investors can expect this year.