Financial and Lifestyle Resources for Vermont

Winter's on its way. There's no denying that darker days are ahead for a couple of months. We can either curl up on the couch and sleep the winter away or we can embrace this time and try new ways to enjoy the winter. Winter activities can fit all income levels and budgets, including completely free activities. The whole idea is to get outside, embrace the winter season, and keep active. Besides, we're not bears, so sleeping the winter away isn't an option anyway!

A GUIDE FOR THE GIFT PROCRASTINATOR The holiday season is in full swing, and it truly is the most wonderful time of the year. That is, until you realize it’s already December and you have not yet tackled your list of gift recipients. If, like many of us, you’re a last-minute shopper, you know that holiday gift-giving can be stressful and costly when you’re rushing to buy presents days, or even weeks, before the first gift exchange. So, before you start mass-purchasing prepaid debit cards (which, by the way, is not a bad gift seeing as the recipient can get literally whatever they want), follow these seven tips to help reduce stress, save time and money, and simplify last-minute shopping without sacrificing thoughtful gift-giving.

Are you a beer lover? If you’re planning a staycation or are looking for an alternative to out-of-state travel, visiting Vermont’s Breweries may be the right adventure to embark on. Around the year 2008, I discovered that breweries that are members of the Vermont Brewers Association offer brewery passports. These passports were created to encourage participants to visit local breweries, where they receive stamps on their passports. Those who collect enough stamps win a prize.

In a variety of ways, large and small, co-ops of all kinds work hard every day, around the world, making the lives of their members a little easier and more sustainable. With October being National Co-op Month, it’s a great time to recognize and celebrate all the ways in which co-ops are cooperating here in Vermont!

Individual stocks or equities are an advanced way to build wealth. Most investors begin with a mutual fund in a retirement plan at work, or by contributing to an individual retirement account (IRA). Mutual funds are generally made up of individual holdings in stocks and/or bonds. These funds are usually managed by professional money managers who select how much of a stock or bond the investor should hold in the fund. These options are often a solid basis for beginners and less experienced investors as they take the guesswork out of investing.

Have a question about composting? You’re not the only one. Following my recent blog about Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law, I received an influx of comments requesting clarification about how to compost and deal with food scraps that can’t be composted. Here’s a list of answers to the most frequently asked questions I’ve received.

This is not intended to be investment advice and is the personal opinion and experience of the author. WHAT IS CRYPTOCURRENCY? Cryptocurrency, or crypto, is a digital asset first created in 2009 that, unlike the U.S. dollar, doesn’t have a physical form. Bitcoin, which you may have heard of, was the first of this new kind of currency, but there have been many others created since, and seemingly more every day.

What do you think of when you think of “the economy?” We hear that word all the time—on the news, on the lips of politicians and policy makers, and in casual conversations, too. But what is it, exactly? Do you feel like it’s something you have a meaningful role in? Or do you feel like changes in the economy are made out there, outside of your control, by other people like stock traders, senators working on trade deals, the Treasury Secretary, and places like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund? Well, we’re going to break it down a bit and focus on a powerful distinction within the economy—the difference between the financial economy and the real economy.