Losing Sleep Over Sinking Markets? Advice from a Wall Street Expert…and a Veteran of 2 Major Crashes—Me!

Written by Barbara Huson

Last week, the market took the worst dive since 1987. Ahhhhh, yes, 1987. I remember that October day quite well. Black Monday they called it.

I’d been in the market for about a year. I knew nothing about investing, but I trusted my broker. However, when the market went into free-fall, I went into full blown panic.

I called my broker, insisted he sell everything. He begged me not to, insisting the market will go back up…it always does.

I didn’t listen. If I’d stayed put, like he instructed, I’d be a lot richer today.

Yet it was a priceless lesson.Ten years later, in 1997, almost to the day, the market crashed again. Only this time I didn’t see disaster. I saw a sale.

Fast forward to today. I’m not saying you should go on a buying spree. Though it is a sale. But I am imploring you not to sell everything in a panic. Investment decisions, based on emotions, rarely end well.

However, if your nervous system can’t stand the heat, don’t rush out of the kitchen or do anything rash. Take advice from my favorite financial writer, Jason Zweig,

“If you feel you can calm yourself only by ditching some stocks,” he wrote in last Fridays Wall Street Journal, “sell a fixed amount each month for the next year.” By taking small steps, and automating them, you take the emotion out of the decision.

And if you’re going to sell, sell the losers, he advised. “That will turn some of your losses into cash—and a write-off on your taxes.”

Or, instead of selling, “You could direct your dividends into cash, rather than more shares, for now.”

I’d love to hear how you’re reacting to this crazy market? Buying? Selling? Waiting and watching? Or frozen in fear? Leave me a comment below.

Investing vs Gambling…Is there a difference?

Written by Barbara Huson

Not long ago, a woman in one of my groups proudly announced that she‘d maxed out her 401(k) and had been buying stocks outside her retirement plan based on a friend’s advice.

She had a right to be proud. But when I asked if she was following a plan, she looked puzzled.

“How do you know whether or not your portfolio is properly diversified?” I asked her. “Or if you’re taking too much or too little risk?”

I spoke from experience. For years, I bought individual stocks and mutual funds, based on other’s suggestions. I had no plan.

Then, I hired financial advisor Eileen Michaels. Initially, I wanted her to manage my individual stock portfolio. She wouldn’t have it.

“You can’t invest like that, without a strategic plan,” she told me. “Keeping your investments fragmented is how you’re keeping yourself small.” She had me at ‘small.’

Planning, I learned, is what separates investing from gambling.

Picking stocks willy-nilly, trying to time the market or deferring investment decisions to another and turning your back…that’s gambling.

It’s risky in the worst possible sense.

Investing, on the other hand, is a means to an end. The whole point of investing is to ensure you achieve your goals and protect your future.

I highly recommend hiring a fee only financial planner. Unsure where to find one? I suggest Garrett Financial Planning https://garrettplanningnetwork.com, a world-wide network dedicated to offering professional planning at affordable prices.

Are you gambling with your future or investing in it? Let me know below.

Would you like to try out coaching with me? Join The Wealth Connection for six-months—Only $297 and get a 30- minute private coaching session with me! (The coaching alone is a $300 value.) Or take advantage of the twice monthly group coaching—only $47/month. JOIN TODAY!

Blame It On Your Brain

Written by Barbara Huson

I remember a friend telling me that her son, a financial advisor, tried to explain some financial concept to her. “I want you to get this,” he insisted.

She listened intently but when he finished, she told me, “I hadn’t heard a word he said. I went into a haze. I felt so stupid. Why do I do this?”

I see this all the time. A woman attempts to take financial control but she’s suddenly struck by a sense of foreboding. It’s as if she’s entering a place she shouldn’t be and a voice in her head screams out: Danger! Keep Out! Immediately, she shuts down.

It wasn’t until I started studying Neuroscience that the reason for this pervasive reaction became clear. Women’s and men’s brains process financial (and other) information differently. Men see investing in the market as a challenge. Women see investing as a threat.

Our prehistoric brains were wired to ensure our safety and survival. Anytime we feel threatened, our rational brain shuts down, sending us into fight, flight or freeze mode.

This doesn’t apply only to beginners. I’ve had women who work in the financial industry or manage large budgets in their jobs, tell me, “I do this for a living, but my own finances are a mess.” If you’re in this boat, there is a way out. It’s not filling your head with more facts, but instead learning to rewire your brain.

I’m excited to announce McGraw Hill will be publishing my latest book, The Rewire Response: Mind Training for Wealth, Well-being & Whatever Else You Want. I just got the contract so it won’t come out for a while. But I’ll be sharing some brand-new programs on rewiring this fall. Stay tuned.

I’d love to know… Does this help explain why you, a smart woman, have a tendency to avoid money? Leave me a comment below.

A Woman’s Financial Paradise

Written by Barbara Huson

If you haven’t heard of HERMONEY.com, I can’t wait to introduce you. It’s a kick ass website, which co-founder, Jean Chatsky, dubs a “judgement free place to talk about all things money.”

On the site, you’ll find a vast reservoir of rich content and fascinating podcasts. And, best of all, HERMONEY is jargon free.

Jean has a talent for making a complicated subject entertaining and clear without dumbing it down. Personally, I consider HERMONEY a woman’s financial paradise!

Jean has spent over two decades reporting on personal finance for magazines like Forbes and Smart Money, serving as the Today Show’s financial editor and writing 11 books, including her latest—Women with Money–which I love.

Last week, I had a wonderful chat with Jean about her own struggles with money, her excellent advice for taking financial control, and why she founded HERMONEY.com.

“I needed to educate myself,” she said of her career choice. “I was an English major who racked up credit card debt, pulled money out of my 401(k) after my first job, and ceded too much financial control to my first husband.”

As she learned about money on the job, she told me, “I was inspired to take control.”

“What did you do to take control?” I inquired.

“When I got divorced, 15 years ago, I automated everything I could,” she said. “I automated college for kids, retirement, savings accounts. Once a month I’d look at all those accounts.”

Then she laughed. “Saving money is no fun. But seeing how much it grows—that’s fun!”

Finally, I asked Jean what inspired her to start HERMONEY.

“I wanted to grow something bigger than me,” she said. “I wanted to build a platform where all woman could see themselves.”

Check out www.hermoney.com and let me know what you think!!!

Want to take charge of your money & your life? Join me in my virtual community, The Wealth Connection. Special limited time pricing—only $47/month. Join Now!

5 Things $mart Women Do

Written by Barbara Huson

There’s an old joke. Why did God create economists? To make weather forecasters look good.

The truth is, no one knows what the economy, or the various markets, are going to do.

I used to think there were a list of secrets that smart people, mostly men, knew. And if I could just get my hand on that list, I’d finally understand money.

But as I grew smarter, it became apparent. There are no secrets. But there are smart things that smart people do.

Here are five of them that really helped me.

1. Trust your intuition—most smart women tell me they made their worst mistakes when they didn’t trust their better judgement.
2. Learn from your mistakes—too many women become paralyzed by their fear of making mistakes. But smart women told me their biggest blunders were actually their best teachers. You can minimize those mistakes by following the next 3 suggestions.
3. Go slow—take time to educate yourself and develop a game plan,
4. Start small. Invest regularly. Diversify broadly.—invest small amounts of money, on a regular basis, among various categories, or asset classes, putting only what you can afford to lose in any single investment.
5.Understand what you’re buying—never put money in anything you don’t understand. Not only do you not know what you’re buying, but you won’t know when it’s time to sell.

What’s the best investment advice you ever received? Leave me a comment.

There’s still time to join the next session of my 5-month ReWIRE Mentorship Program! Click here to learn more.

Gambling vs Investing

Written by Barbara Huson

I’ve often heard people say: “Investing is no different that gambling.”

Au contraire. There is a big distinction between gambling and investing.

Gambling looks like this:

Buying stocks or bonds willy-nilly
Following a hot tip
Purchasing the hottest fund
Trying to time the market (buying when it’s high, freaking out and selling when it plunging)
Deferring decisions to another and sticking your head in the sand

Investing, on the other hand, looks like this:

Creating a financial plan based on your goals and risk tolerance
Building a diversified portfolio, based on the plan
Adhering to the plan until something changes
Making decisions supported by your plan not your emotions
Taking a long term approach (gambling is all about rapid gains)

Having a plan is the key distinction. If you don’t have an idea of where you want to end up, it will be far more difficult to make the right decisions.

Do you have a financial plan in place? Leave a comment below.

Did you miss my free call, The ReWIRE Response: Mind Training for Wealth & Well-Being? I shared 3 simple steps to train you mind to rewire your brain. Click here to listen

Unexpected Miracles & Exciting Changes

Written by Barbara Huson

Sometimes change comes quietly, unexpectedly, when everything lines up perfectly. Tiny miracles, cosmic winks, unmistakable signs that a Higher Power is orchestrating the whole thing. That’s exactly what happened for me last weekend.

It all began at a Seattle Lady Bosses event, an amazing gathering of women entrepreneurs. Seated in small groups, we were asked to briefly introduce ourselves. When my turn came, I said, “I’m Barbara Huson, a Wealth Coach.”

Then something surprising happened. That title didn’t feel right, like a dress that no longer fit.

“Wait!” I said, without a clue what was coming next. “What I really am is a Financial Therapist.”

I’d never used those words before! Yet it felt like a moment of self-revelation, a declaration of a deep-seated truth.

I’ve always called myself a coach. Yet I was trained as a psychotherapist. My true passion is diving in deep with a financially challenged client, tunneling through the darkness to find the light, revealing and removing what’s blocking her from creating the wealth she desires, the life she deserves and the power she’s denied.

I also love talking about investing, creating wealth. But number crunching…not so much. I guess I assumed I had to do it as part of the package.

Meanwhile, sitting next to me is Linda Lingo, a ReWire client, Wealth Connection member, a CPA and financial coach for women. I’d had my eye on Linda for years, impressed with her knowledgeable (and compassionate) responses to financial questions from others on our calls.

And there she was, having just flown in from California. Divine intervention at its finest. The next day, we met. We talked. We got excited. And a few days later, we signed an agreement.

I’m thrilled to announce that the incredible Linda Lingo, CPA, is joining my team as a Financial Planning Coach. She’s ready to help you with budgeting, retirement planning, investment strategy, debt repayment. Click here for the details.

Now I can focus on what I do best: Financial Therapy. Truly a miracle!

Have you experienced any unexpected miracles lately? I’d love to hear about it. Leave me a comment below.

And if you live near Seattle, I urge you to check out Lady Bosses: http://seattleladybosses.com/lady-bosses/

The world needs financially empowered now more than ever. That’s why I’d like you to join me for a FREE call on April 16th. Register now for The ReWIRE Response: Mind Training for Wealth & Well-Being.

Is This the New Normal: Funds Without Fees?

Written by Barbara Huson

There’s a price war in the financial industry that’s heating up like you wouldn’t believe. And we’re the beneficiaries.

Last week, Charles Schwab announced that on March 1st it was cutting transaction fees on over 500 ETFs to…get this…ZERO! An hour later Fidelity Investments joined in, eliminating commissions on that same number of ETFs. This came 7 months after Vanguard dumped fees on all ETF’s it sells, including competitors. I’m betting more will follow suit.

I recently noted that high yield online savings accounts can be quite profitable (A Hot Tip You Can Take to the Bank). Well funds without fees is cause for even greater celebration. Cutting costs can boost profits considerably.

I’ve long been a big fan of ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) which mimic an index, are traded on an exchange (like stocks but unlike index mutual funds), have exceedingly low management fees and best of all, tend to consistently outperform actively managed funds.

Case in point: Back in 2007, legendary investor Warren Buffett made a $1 million dollar bet with a noted hedge fund manager that the Vanguard 500 Index Fund would outperform more sophisticated, high priced hedge funds over a 10-year period.

Guess who won? The index fund returned 7.1 percent while the basket of hedge funds returned 2.2 percent.

Of course, these investment firms aren’t suddenly turning altruistic. They’re out to win new customers who’ll hopefully purchase more lucrative products and services.

Nevertheless, they’re making us an offer that’s hard to refuse. I hope you’ll take advantage!

Have you found any unexpected ways to get a bigger return on your investments? Share in the comments below.

Do you know that women learn better in community? Try my new virtual community, The Wealth Connection and learn to Grow Your Wealth!

A Hot Tip You Can Take to the Bank!

Written by Barbara Huson

“The power of compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe.” ~~Albert Einstein

How would you like higher returns with no added risk?? Seems too good to be true, right? Well it’s not…if you put your savings into an online, high yielding, FDIC guaranteed cash account.

As my favorite Wall Street Journal columnist, Jason Zweig, recently wrote: “With a few clicks of the mouse, you can crank up the yield on your cash by 2 percentage points, often adding hundreds—even thousands—of dollars to your investment income annually.”

I’m here to tell you. Switching to a higher yield can make a huge difference.

A few months ago, my ace bookkeeper, Ben Falge, suggested I transfer my savings, which was earning .09%, to an online account (Citigroup360) paying 2%. Didn’t seem like a big deal, but I did it.

Last week he showed me what a big deal it was. My local bank had been paying me $185 in monthly interest. But that soared to $550 a month when I switched. Just this week, I moved that money to another online account, Ally, paying 2.2% interest. Ben estimates my monthly interest income will rise to $650. Now that’s a big chunk of change!

I encourage all of you to ‘Just do it!’ Now! Open a high paying online account. As columnist Zweig wrote: “You may never get an easier chance to raise your return at no extra risk.”

Do you have a favorite online bank you’d recommend? Leave a comment below.

Do you know that women learn better in community? Try my new virtual community, The Wealth Connection and learn to Grow Your Wealth!

A Tribute to the Man Who Changed My Life, Financially

Written by Barbara Huson

I want to take a moment to pay tribute to John Bogle, the legendary founder of the Vanguard Group and the inventor of the index fund.

John Bogle, who died last week, taught me more about the wisdom of wealth building than anyone else.

Bogle had a simple, though radical, message: buy a diversified portfolio of low cost funds and stay the course, regardless of the market’s gyration or your fearful emotions.

“The mutual fund business is where you get what you don’t pay for,” he said.

Amen to that. And history has proven him right. Over the past 15 years, passive index funds have outperformed almost 90% of actively managed funds.

“If all investors had heeded his ideas,” declared Warren Buffet, another legendary financier, “they would be hundreds of billions of dollars better off than they are now.”

It took me a few years and some painful losses before I discovered Bogle’s wisdom. I’m beyond grateful I did. For over two decades, despite 9 market crashes (when the market falls at least 20%), I’ve done quite well.

From the bottom of my heart, I say thank you, John Bogle. You left the world a better place.

What teachers are you grateful for in your life? Leave me a comment below.

Give yourself the Gift of Wealth in 2019! Join my virtual community, The Wealth Connection and Become a Savvy & Confident Investor! Learn More!

Investing

Losing Sleep Over Sinking Markets? Advice from a Wall Street Expert…and a Veteran of 2 Major Crashes—Me!

Investing vs Gambling…Is there a difference?

Blame It On Your Brain

A Woman’s Financial Paradise

5 Things $mart Women Do

Gambling vs Investing

Unexpected Miracles & Exciting Changes

Is This the New Normal: Funds Without Fees?

A Hot Tip You Can Take to the Bank!

A Tribute to the Man Who Changed My Life, Financially

Meet Barbara Huson

Recent Blog Posts