Financial and Lifestyle Resources for Vermont

Although you may be thinking mostly of what gifts you’re buying this year and how to teach grandma and grandpa how to use Zoom, it’s never too early to start thinking about your New Year’s Resolutions. So often, those considerations are relegated to the 5-day liminal space between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. Let’s face it; 2021 is not the year to get a gym membership. So, why not try improving your financial wellbeing?

The modern world is filled with convenience that would have been nearly unimaginable twenty years ago. From where I sit in Montpelier, I can have food delivered from five different grocery stores within two hours. I can place an order online at a local store, have my items gift wrapped, and sent to my family on the other side of the country in only two clicks. Unfortunately, our modern world can also have its drawbacks. Much of the convenience we experience every day relies on putting our personal information on countless websites, order forms, phone trees, social networks, and mobile apps. The more places our information is stored, the more we open ourselves up to fraudulent activity. Luckily, there are some simple ways to reduce risk and keep your information private without sacrificing convenience. 

It’s safe to say that most of us have had a difficult year and with the holiday season, life can get more complicated, leading to more stress. Here are some easy strategies to simplify the season, including a tool that can help you save money.

I’m diversified. I have money in three different mattresses! Diversification is a strategy whereby investors spread out their risk by investing in multiple asset classes. In other words, they don’t invest all of their money JUST in domestic stocks or JUST in municipal bonds. They spread it out over a variety of investment types that have different risk profiles. That way, if their domestic stocks are doing poorly (losing money), their investments in bonds may bring in enough of a return to make up for their stock losses.

If you’re looking for your next car, you may have noticed that car inventory is low. If you’re currently leasing your vehicle, you may have more options at the end of your lease than you think. In fact, the best car for you may be the one you already have. Enter the lease buyout. With used cars retaining their value these days, here is what you need to know about this often-overlooked car buying option—when it makes sense, what to consider, and how to do it.

What is a grandparent scam? No, it is not when a child receives a “No” from their parents and then goes and asks their grandparents because they’re more likely to get the answer that they want. It is far more manipulative than that.

Determining your financial risk tolerance can help you find a comfortable path to financial independence. Your tolerance for risk includes your capacity to face risk without fear, but it can also take into account your current situation, your goals, and your time horizon. Risk tolerance is complicated but figuring out how much risk you can take on can help you make wise investment choices that won’t cause you undue stress over the years.

This Saturday, November 28, is Small Business Saturday. Started in response to the Great Recession, the annual event invites communities to buy from small, local businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Ten years later, our local business owners are facing an even greater challenge. As of August 2020, 163,735 United States businesses listed on Yelp were reported as closed, with 97,966 reported as permanently closed due to the pandemic. If there was ever a time to participate in Small Business Saturday, the time is now.