6B • NOV. 10, 2023
YOUR MONEY
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Dave Says: Risk is real
D
ear Dave, My husband and I want to do a live-in and flip real estate purchase. The idea is to buy a fixer-upper and rent out the basement to help with the mortgage payments. How do you feel about ideas like this? Erin BY DAVE RAMSEY, CEO, Ramsey Dear Erin, Solutions, and an eight-time No. In a situation like this 1 national best-selling author, you need to do a basic busiand host of The Ramsey Show
ness analysis. You’ve got to have a plan in place, and you’ve got to figure out the worst-case scenario. Part of this is determining whether you can survive if things fall apart. In this case, the worst case is that you can’t get a renter, and the house doesn’t sell. It puts your family in jeopardy, so to me it’s not an option. Want my honest opin-
ion? I think you’ve both got a case of house fever right now. The possibility I just mentioned isn’t a rare occurrence. Lots of people have had the same idea, with the best of intentions, and still wound up in a big mess. I love real estate. I mean I really love real estate. And I’ve flipped more than a few houses in my day. But the particu-
lars of this deal make me a little nervous. If you and your husband are willing to accept the possibility of things not working out like you planned—and the fact you might have to take additional jobs for an unknown length of time just to make ends meet—then it might be a play. But for me? Nope. I don’t like putting myself into these kinds
of situations. When I was much younger, I was willing to do all kinds of dangerous stuff and ignore the risk. But going broke decades ago knocked that kind of thinking out of me in a hurry. Any deal that runs the risk of leaving you bankrupt, or the victim of a foreclosure, just isn’t worth it, Erin. —Dave
Stock Market Insights: Don’t be the pouty kid – seeing the U.S. economy’s reality
DR. RICHARD BAKER, AIF®, is the founder of and an executive wealth advisor at Fervent Wealth Management. https://www. facebook.com/Dr.RichardBaker
I
used to have a friend with a pouty kid. I remember seeing a picture of the kid crying while sitting in the middle of its dumped-out Halloween candy. He had everything he wanted and still wasn’t
• WELLNESS
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don’t care to spend a lot of money on store bought whitening remedies, try the ACV DIY for this, first. Take a cotton swab and dip in ACV. Then take the swab and rub a small amount over your teeth. You won’t see the results, immediately, but over a period of time, it will remove stains. Not only will it whiten your teeth, but the
• OLE SEAGULL
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it is there. It is an inherent part of the military brotherhood, providing the mo-
happy. Let me explain how investors are doing the same thing right now. Last week’s Commerce Dept. report showed that the U.S. economy is hitting its stride, so why are Americans so pessimistic about the economy? There is too much focus on emotions and not enough on reality, which is affecting the stock market. Here’s some positive reality. • The GDP is rocking. Last week’s Gross Domestic Product third-quarter report was 4.9%, which is more than double what it
was for the second quarter and higher than before the pandemic. • The job market is back to normal. The same goes for the job market. The unemployment rate is 3.8%, just barely above what it was in December 2019. • An end of the earnings recession. It looks like the third-quarter earnings are at a 5% year-over-year increase in S&P 500 earnings and twice that if you take out energy stocks. The U.S. economy is in a good place, but Americans are feeling negative.
Here are some negative emotions. • Consumer confidence declined again in October 2023 for the third consecutive month. • 63% of people in a recent Wall Street Journal survey rated the strength of the U.S. economy as “Not so good/Poor.” That negativity has carried over to the average American’s investment strategy. There have been three months of stock selling, leaving stocks at nearly oversold levels according to value. Stocks were negative over 2% in October, making it the
third negative month in a row. I think Americans are still concerned with rising grocery and gasoline prices. There is also a lot of negativity about our political situation and the wars in Ukraine and Israel. The good news is that from a seasonal market perspective, November has been the strongest month since 1950 for stocks. The November-December combo is the best two-month period since 1950. Lastly, November-April is the strongest six-month period of the year since 1950. Undoubtedly, 2023 has
been challenging with its economic and war surprises. But with an unemotional and balanced view of the economy and the markets, I see some positives that may push stocks higher by yearend. Stick with your longterm investment plan, and don’t get caught up in the short-term negativity. So, all that to say is, don’t be the pouty kid! It’s easier to dwell on the negative things around us than the positives. America, keep your head up. Things are better than you think. Have a blessed week! www.FerventWM.com
ACV enzymes will also heal any gum issues, ongoing. It can soothe fungal infections such as thrush and to reap some of the oral health benefits, gargle 50% water and 50% ACV, but be sure to brush afterwards to remove the acid. ACV also aids in weight loss by making the feeling of being “full” last longer. “ACV helps in weight loss by reducing appetite and
maintaining the satiety after meals much longer.” This was cited by Luisa Peter, MD to Reader’s Digest. A good dessert or “meal chaser” would be a small container of yogurt, a squirt of ACV in it and a tablespoon of honey (long as you aren’t diabetic as the honey drastically raises blood sugar). As well, ACV can soothe nasty stings such as bee, wasp, and even jellyfish. A
few drops in a cotton ball and directly applied will soothe pain and neutralize swelling, immediately. The acids undo the effects of the particular venoms as well as keeping further toxins from releasing into your skin! If you seem to be cursed with a habitual “sweet tooth,” ACV can help out, drastically! Mix it with a little honey and grape juice and you will get a potion
that very much inhibits the urge to partake in heavy desserts, and this concoction has very few calories. ACV itself only has three calories per tablespoon. And as an extra bonus, you get many essential vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium AND fiber. Skin blemishes (acne) will be banished with ACV. Dilute it 25 to 50% with water or aloe vera juice and apply
with a cotton ball. ACV contains acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid and succinic acid all of which are known to inhibit the growth of Propuonibacterium acnes, which is the most common. Using this same concoction is said, as well, can minimize the scarring from acne! Stay tuned for Part 2 next week with the remaining ACV medicinal/practical uses.
tivation that empowers the Military to do their duty in the face of fear, loneliness and the constant horrors of war.
Throughout our history, it has been the Military’s Commitment that has preserved our Nation and changed the course of his-
tory. At once, it is a perfect illustration of what it means to be true to your oath and that genuine commitment comes at a price. What a
blessed Nation America is that her Military has always been willing to pay that price. * As this column uses,
“Military” it refers to all members and Veterans of America’s Armed Forces, past, present and future. Thank you for your service!
