Why, hello my friends. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve had the pleasure of posting at Apex Money. You see, my neighborhood got clobbered by a rare Oregon ice storm, which meant we lost power for nine days (and internet for eleven). Thanks to Jim for covering for me last week. Now, at last, things are back to normal.
That means it’s time to dive into some of the best money stories from around the web. Let’s do it!
Strangers took in a delivery driver for five days after she was stranded in the Texas storm. [CNN] — “The couple said they were not going to let Timmons sit out there in the cold. Daytime turned to night and soon dinner was upon them. It was Valentine’s Day and the couple made steak with blue cheese, broccoli and a salad. It was a much better meal than Timmons imagined she’d be getting that night, she said.”
Tracking down a mentor from 40 years ago. [No Mercy/No Malice] — “Forty years later, I was 13 again with a generous man who makes me feel less invisible. Approaching his 70th birthday, Cy was taking stock of his blessings, getting remarried, and considering selling his business and easing into retirement. In my fifties, I’m also taking stock of my blessings, and trying to repair my deficits. Life is so rich.” This story starts slow but ends well.
The market value of my father. [Wealthsimple] — “When the novelist Joshua Ferris’s family blew up, his mother revealed a truth: his father was worthless, a con man. A bad investment in their lives. But years later, a mysterious book about Wall Street showed up—a gift from his father—that began to change the story.”
An ode to low expectations. [The Atlantic, so possible paywall] — “Strive for excellence, by all means. My God, please strive for excellence. Excellence alone will haul us out of the hogwash. But lower the bar, and keep it low, when it comes to your personal attachment to the world…If you can get a buzz of animal cheer from the rubbishy sandwich you’re eating, the daft movie you’re watching, the highly difficult person you’re talking to, you’re in business.”
Finally, this investment calculator at calculator.net is a handy tool for playing with all sorts of parameters related to an investment plan. The calculator includes tabs for modifying contributions, return rates, starting investment, final balance, and more. Nerdy but fun.
Okay, that’s it for my first day back from winter “vacation”. I’ll see you tomorrow with more of the best from the world of personal finance…and beyond.