Covid-19 spawned Crypto/Romance scams. Scammers romance and promise to teach you how to make a fortune in cryptocurrency, but after promising the moon and winning your heart, they disappear with all your money. Lovers never even meet. Millennials and women are most often scammed.

The Fed found 62% of people between the ages of 18 and 29 have something saved for retirement. Promising, but only 28% feel their savings are on track. Another study found that, of those saving for retirement, 49% started when they were in their 30s or older. Too late. Start now!

US employers hired 678,000 in February. But Russia is overshadowing such good news with death and destruction in Ukraine. Thank God global powers are punishing Russia with sanctions. Just when the world was emerging from Covid, Russia plunged it into suffering and bloodshed.

My wife lost her job at age 57; my dad at 52. Save aggressively, invest and keep doing it because you could lose a job or get sick or hurt. You don't know how much money life will demand or what surprises await you. There's nothing worse than being old, poor and sick. Be ready.

The past two years have been awful. Not only has Covid made us poorer, 8 out of 10 Americans have said Covid causes them stress. And even for those making $100,000 or more, 48% feel stressed. What's shocking is that 31% of those earning $100,000 or more live paycheck to paycheck.

The pandemic pushed many to leave jobs to freelance. A hot job market provided insurance and Covid relief funds helped. Perks include no boss and no commuting expenses or work clothes, but living without a regular paycheck can be scary and good luck buying a house without a job.

Uncertainty yields opportunities. To make more money, bet against the crowd. Baron Rothschild said it's time to buy when there's blood in the streets. John Templeton, age 26, bought every stock trading for under a dollar as Hitler invaded Poland. His money quadrupled in 5 years.

Average mortgage rates just topped 4% for the first time since 2019. Rates were only 3.22% when 2022 started. A 1% higher interest rate results in a roughly $100 higher house payment. The highest rate in recent decades was 16.63% in 1981, so our rates are very low by comparison.

A war, raging for weeks, is taking a terrible toll on Ukrainians. The whole world will suffer; economies will be damaged. So, how are US stocks reacting. They are on fire. Best run in years. Huh? Don't try to predict what markets will do. You'll be wrong, just like the experts.

Women tend to be less financially literate than men. Failing to learn how to manage money and invest puts women at a lifelong disadvantage. They must become literate because the deck is stacked against them; many earn less, live longer, work fewer years, and work part-time.

Dollar-cost averaging builds wealth, but you must keep saving even when you're afraid. To begin, start saving money regularly and invest in a low cost equity mutual fund such as the S&P 500. Then keep saving, don’t stop and start. The hard part is starting. So, don’t wait. Start.

Gas prices sting so Biden taps oil reserves and states cut fuel taxes. But tax cuts don't always help drivers; they help more in small states. Cuts in big states help refiners more. If applied widely or in big states, cuts can hike demand, raising oil prices. Drivers can't win.

Some see threats as opportunities. Warren Buffett bought loads of stock this year. While the rest of us were traumatized, Buffett took advantage of sale prices on Wall Street. Stick to your dollar-cost averaging plan. Keep investing. You can’t be Buffett, but you can be shrewd.

Congress plans to overhaul 401(k)s, requiring employers to provide them to part-timers and making enrollment mandatory. With 21% of the population age 65 or over, change is needed because only 15% of us have pensions and the Social Security trust fund will be depleted by 2030.

When to retire? Some save aggressively, planning to retire in their 30’s. Some live from paycheck to paycheck, never saving a dime. The latter plan to work forever, or rather, will work forever because they failed to plan. If you don't plan, life makes plans for you. So plan.

Retailers raise prices to cover the cost of stolen goods and increased security. Robberies can result in the loss of tens of thousands of dollars-worth of goods. As online shopping grows, it's easier to sell stolen goods and harder to catch thieves. No matter what, we pay more.

Joyce Joyce found married women have more assets and income sources than singles: their spouse’s income, pensions, and Social Security income. Elderly married women get income from wages, salaries, assets, and pensions. Marriage improves financial security. Divorce rips it away.

The S&P 500 is down 10% this year. Experts warn of a recession. Should you sell? No. Don't sell low, keep buying. Stocks are cheaper than a few months ago, so buy more. The S&P 500 rose 42.37% in 2020 and 2021 combined. You miss gains like those if you get out and stay out.

The financial headlines are awful. The NASDAQ fell 5% yesterday, the most since June 2020. Every expert seems to predict things will get worse. What to do? Nothing. As long as you're saving and investing regularly, don't change a thing. Don't panic and sell. Relax. Hang tight.

Buying a car? Buy used. New cars lose value fast plus you need collision insurance coverage and pay higher sales tax. Late model used cars are likely to be reliable and hold value better. Do your homework and don't be naive. Have a mechanic inspect it. Don't buy a gas guzzler.