May 2018
Greetings!

Spending more money on certain items can save you money in the long run. Say what?

You heard correctly. Spending more money on certain items can save you money, but how do you know when it's okay to spend that extra money? A common piece of financial advice is to "save more, spend less". That doesn't necessarily mean to "buy cheap". Smart spending is the best way to go.

Here are a few tips:
  • Spend more on items you'll use a lot. If it's something that you will use often, you want something you'll be happy with. It also makes financial sense because the items you use the most will likely suffer the most from wear and tear. Spending extra on something you use everyday means it will last longer and you'll pay less int he long run than if you had to replace it more often.
  • Know when to buy private label. Most store brand items are made by the same manufacturers as name brand products, especially grocery store foods, but even clothing cosmetics and diapers can also be made from the same companies in the same ways, just with a different name and for a fraction of the cost. The goal is to spend more on items that will serve you better over time; it doesn't make sense to spend more money on literally the exact same item, when you can get it at half the price.
  • Know your budget. If you have to or decide to spend more, make sure you stay within your budget. If you're able to, plan ahead and put aside some money every month until you have enough to cover whatever it is you want to buy. This way you won't overspend and put yourself in debt. There will be situations where you don't have the option to save up (i.e. RIP refrigerator). That's where an emergency budget can come in handy. If you do have to dip into your emergency savings, though, make sure to replenish it as soon as possible.

Every situation will be different, but smart spending is the way to go.

As always, it's a pleasure to serve your family.
The Month In Brief
April saw the S&P 500 advance 0.27% as a new earnings season unfolded – one in which investors grew uneasy about rising Treasury yields, protectionism, and privacy concerns involving tech giants. While the financial media largely focused on those anxieties, good news also appeared. The latest consumer spending and consumer confidence data was solid. Home buying picked up as listings increased slightly. Oil rallied, and so did the dollar. Overseas equity benchmarks saw big gains, even as some economists wondered if the boom in global growth was fading. One of the major financial news stories of April broke only hours before the start of May: a postponement of the tariffs planned for imported metals. 1
    
Domestic Economic Health
On the night of April 30, the Trump administration elected to delay the imposition of excise taxes on aluminum and steel imported to America from China, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and the European Union. Those tariffs were set to take effect on May 1, but they are now on hold until at least June 1. 2


1 - quotes.wsj.com/index/SPX [4/30/18]
2 - tinyurl.com/yc9x6klv [4/30/18]
*The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a price-weighted index composed of 30 widely traded blue-chip U.S. common stocks. The S&P 500 is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-value weighted index of all common stocks listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Market indexes listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.
Lessons From Mom: Motherly Advice on Health, Wealth & The Pursuit of Happiness

Did your mother ever tell you that money doesn't grow on trees? Little did you know back then, she was right. This special report honors all of the age old advice our mothers gave us when we were children. Advice like, "save for a rainy day", "there's a difference between wants and needs", and "nothing in life is free". Download this special report to learn more about how mom was right all along.
I'm 60 and getting ready to retire. I've had a financial advisor most of my life and saved around $2M dollars. I've been thinking about dumping my financial advisor so I can hire a wealth advisor. How can this benefit her?
I recently read an article that market volatility is the new norm that we should get used to living with. What is your opinion on this?
How to Look and Feel Younger

OK. You've hit the big 6-0. Or the big 7-0. How about 8-0? Maybe even 9-0. But who's counting anymore? After you've reached a certain age, it's not the number of birthdays that matter. It's how you look and feel.

Here are 5 tips to keep you looking and feeling your absolute youngest:

  1. Hang out with your buddies. Socializing may be the top contributor to looking and feeling youthful.
  2. Go artsy. Getting creative makes you feel happy and think more clearly. It could be singing, painting, or drawing.
  3. Get moving. Everyone knows exercise is good for you. But you don't have to go gung-ho to reap its benefits. Shoot for 2½ hours of activity a week. It could be gardening or a brisk stroll around the block.
  4. Apply sunscreen. Suntan lotion will not make you look younger. But it will protect you from the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays.
  5. Something new. Learn a new skill or develop a new habit. The change will help keep your brain fresh and energized. It could be dancing or learning another language.

Short of a dip in Ponce de Leon's fountain of youth, a few lifestyle changes can make a big difference in turning back the clock. 


 
Tip adapted from WebMD
Shrimp Curry Potstickers

Yields: 30 Dumplings

Ingredients:  

Shrimp Curry Potstickers:
  • ½ pound peeled and deveined shrimp, finely chopped
  • 1 medium zucchini, coarsely grated (about ½ cup)
  • 1 teaspoon green curry paste
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • ¼ cup basil, chopped
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • About 30 round dumpling wrappers
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil, optional, for frying

Thai Lime Dipping Sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon green curry paste 
 
Directions:

Make filling: 
  1. Stir shrimp, zucchini, curry paste, fish sauce, basil, and scallions together.
  2. Put 1 rounded tablespoon of filling in the center of a wrapper. Wet the wrapper's edges with water using your fingers. 
  3. Fold in half and seal. Pleat the seal if desired. 
  4. Put sealed dumpling onto a floured or parchment-lined baking sheet. Do the same with the rest of the filling and wrappers.
  5. Add 1 tablespoon salt to a large pot of simmering water. Cook dumplings in 3 batches, stirring until the filling is cooked through, 3-6 minutes. 
  6. Use a slotted spoon to move dumplings to paper-towel-lined plate.

For pan-fried dumplings: 
  1. Heat a large skillet on medium-high.
  2. Put in canola oil and pan-fry boiled dumplings until golden brown and crisp, 1-2 minutes per side.

Make Thai lime dipping sauce: 
  1. Stir water, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, and green curry paste together. 
  2. Serve with potstickers.

Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping
Monthly Riddle - Don't miss out on a chance to win LUNCH ON US!

May Riddle: 
How many cats can you put into an empty box?

Last month's riddle: 
It starts out tall, but the longer it stands, the shorter it grows. What is it?

The answer to last month's riddle: A candle

Email   us with your answer; if it's correct, you'll be entered into a drawing amongst other correct winners. We will announce the winner in next month's newsletter, so keep those answers coming. We will draw one lucky winner to win lunch on us! 

Monthly Quote

"If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
-  Maya Angelou

Fun Facts | Interesting, Amazing, Strange, Funny, and Weird

In the 12-state region that makes up the Midwest, available jobs outnumber out-of-work job seekers. If every unemployed person in the region were hired today, there would still be 180,000 unfilled positions.
-The Wall Street Journal

If America’s dogs and cats had their own country, their meat consumption would rank fifth in the world.
-Marketwatch

Twenty-six New York City firefighters who were caught with a failed drug test since 2016 were reinstated in the past month, signaling an end to a zero tolerance policy. I’m telling you, “I smoked weed to familiarize myself with the true enemy: fire,” is now a valid excuse.
-Five-Thirty-Eight

Kate Middleton’s cost of delivering their third child in a private luxury room which included an “en suite” bathroom, a refrigerator, and a menu of nutritious meals, including a comprehensive wine list, was actually cheaper than the average cost of delivering a baby in the United States.
- Marketwatch

It appears that the 2018 mid-year elections will likely top $4 billion in total spending which is more than it cost to produce all 19 Marvel superhero movies.
- Marketwatch

The median pay for Facebook’s 25,000 employees last year was $240,430. Mark Zuckerberg’s total compensation was more than $8.8 million. Facebook’s median pay is second highest. Incyte, a biotech firm with 1,200 employees, tops the list at $253,015. 
- Businessinsider.com

Competitive video gaming is now a $1.5 billion-a-year industry and the world’s fastest growing spectator sport. E-sports tournaments and live streams drew 258 million unique viewers in 2017- more than all of the watched NFL regular-season games combined.
- The Wall Street Journal
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