Author: troyashbacher

You work to earn a paycheck, and one of the scariest things about retirement is that you stop collecting one. But you don’t have to with the ‘Pay Yourself’ rule of retirement spending, and it doesn’t mean buying a complicated annuity or relying on Social Security and a pension for that recurring biweekly or monthly income.With this rule of retirement spending, you get paid automatically as if you’re working, so you can go about the business of enjoying your newfound freedom.“Setting up a regular paycheck for yourself smooths the flow of income,” says Jennifer Scher, Certified Financial Planner at FBB…

1. I got some free cat food for Chiquita Safeway had an offer for a free pack of fancy pate, and since Chiquita is not picky about her pate, I knew she would happily accept this.  In the future, I will not be buying these overpriced “gems” of pate, but I was not above taking a freebie. 😉  2. I canceled my New Mexico trip I had originally planned to visit Albuquerque for a few days later this week (to work on my plan to visit all fifty states), but with the news of flights getting canceled, plus the concerns…

Michael Burry, the hedge-fund manager of “The Big Short” fame who is betting against two of the stock market’s favorite AI plays, is back with a new criticism of valuations in the sector.

Key Takeaways A defense tech darling’s stock surged on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, amid hopes that the government may reopen soon, while comments from President Trump calling for changes to healthcare payments dragged on insurers.Palantir Technologies shares powered higher, as the software firm stands to benefit if the government shutdown comes to an end.Shares of Centene and other health insurers tumbled after Trump suggested that federal healthcare money should circumvent insurers and go directly to people. A data analytics software giant got a boost from hopes that its major client, the federal government, could be on its way toward returning…

Key Takeaways Redfin found that several counties at the highest risk of flooding had more people moving out than in last year. Counties around Miami, Houston, New Orleans, and Brooklyn were among those seeing the biggest outflows as rising insurance costs and flood risks drive residents away. Living in a flood-prone area can dramatically affect your finances, from higher insurance premiums to potential property value declines and repair costs after extreme weather events. Americans are voting with their moving vans on flood risk. For the first time since 2019, more people fled high-flood counties than moved to them last year,…

Holiday decorations and deals are already hitting shelves — and your inbox. Are you ready?Maybe this season is your Super Bowl. Or maybe you’re more of a “I’ll get deals if I see ’em” person.We used AI to create a quiz based on articles written by our Nerdy experts. Take it to find out your holiday shopping personality. About a third of holiday shoppers (31%) in a recent NerdWallet survey say they plan their holiday purchases in advance so they can monitor them continuously for sales before purchasing.We know some people like that. Our Nerds took the holiday shopping quiz,…

The record-setting government shutdown appears on course to conclude in a matter of days.

There are a series of early Black Friday deals from Ulta available and I have been underwhelmed with the majority of the sales.  I did want to mention this one though, 40% off select hair care items.  It looks like Paul Mitchell, Biolage, Sebastian, Nexxus and several other brands.  This might be worth checking out if you need stylers, shampoo etc..  Click here to take a look.

Key Takeaways Feelings of inadequacy can lead to lifestyle creep, overspending, or decision-making based on incomplete information about others’ finances. We’re wired to compare ourselves to others, but when used effectively, it can motivate (instead of paralyze) our financial progress. Highlight reels on social media rarely show the debt, trade-offs, or sacrifices that happen behind the scenes, leading to distorted perceptions of someone’s financial reality. Comparing savings habits, debt management, or investment consistency is far healthier than comparing possessions or lifestyles. Whether you’re swapping stories at a neighborhood barbecue or scrolling through social media, there’s a natural tendency to compare…

Stephen Miran, governor of the US Federal Reserve, at the Nomura Research Forum during the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Fall meetings in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Samuel Corum | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesFederal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran on Monday advocated for further interest rate cuts as a way stave off a potential economic softening ahead.In a CNBC interview, the central bank official held to his belief that the Fed should be moving at an even more rapid pace than its traditional quarter percentage point reductions.He advocated, as he has at the previous two…