Second Act
Marjorie Kondrack | May 16, 2023
IN THE SHORT TIME I’ve been writing for HumbleDollar, I’ve noticed that most readers and writers are either on the cusp of retirement or not too far along in retirement. Some have expressed a desire to find new careers, perhaps part-time and preferably more challenging than being a Walmart greeter or Home Depot helper. As they say, 60 is the new 40—still time for new ventures. Life coaching is a profession that’s become more mainstream and, indeed, increases in popularity every year, partly because no authority regulates it. A recent article in Barron’s noted that some financial advisors are partnering with life coaches to help clients navigate life issues, such as transitioning to retirement or starting a new business. Some advisors even have a life coach on staff. If you’re enthusiastic about life, and enjoy helping people and guiding them through life’s difficulties, this unregulated profession—which doesn’t require any qualifications—might be an ideal choice for a second career. Anyone can become a coach. You can just hang out your shingle and start coaching. A more ethical approach, however, is to get some training and become certified. This will give you more credibility with clients and improve your self-confidence. There are many training courses available through career schools and community colleges. The benchmark for professional training, according to my research, are courses from programs accredited by the International Coaching Federation. These courses can be completed in six months to a year, depending on the level of expertise you wish to attain, and can cost $1,000 and up. Training can be even more expensive if you choose specialized coursework. You can find a list of accredited courses here. [xyz-ihs snippet="Mobile-Subscribe"] Many life coaches focus on a single area, such as business, careers, relationships, diet and fitness, family life, finances, life skills, health…
Read more » Not Quite Magic
Marjorie Kondrack | May 30, 2023
THEY SAY THAT TAKING a cruise is a poor man’s idea of a rich man’s vacation. As an unsophisticated traveler, all I knew of cruises were the glowing reports I heard from others who had taken them—and the romanticized versions I saw in the movies. My aspirations were based on a movie I saw starring Doris Day, Romance on the High Seas. It’s about a glamorous, adventurous and romantic cruise with beautifully dressed people, exotic locales, lively music and the beguiling sea. Doris Day sang, “It’s Magic.” All in glorious Technicolor. In our younger years, my husband and I had a lot of caregiving responsibilities, so I put my dreams of vacations aside. But with those years behind us, I began to dream again of going on a cruise. My husband wouldn’t budge. Did I forget to mention he’s an inveterate homebody? One day, I decided it was now or never. I marched over to our local AAA store and gathered information. I chose a cruise to the New England states and Nova Scotia during the fall, when I could also enjoy the scenic foliage during my favorite time of year. Having never ventured too far from home on my own, I was somewhat apprehensive about traveling alone. But as luck would have it, a friend agreed to go with me. As she’s a veteran cruiser, it seemed an ideal situation. I bought some spiffy new outfits and I was off. My enthusiasm was quickly derailed. Not long into the cruise, I got seasick, despite taking precautions and proper medication. Not long after that, I caught a nasty cold. I also hadn’t taken into account that the quiet life at home was at odds with my new schedule. In my desire to get the most out of my vacation, I…
Read more » Quality of Life
Marjorie Kondrack | Nov 24, 2024
November is my birthday month. A good time for reflection. With advancing age, we can all give more thought to how we can improve the quality of our lives—enjoy our days and gain peace of mind. When we don’t have as much life left, we want to maximize the time we have. One of my pet peeves has always been dealing appropriately with rude and disrespectful people. With maturity, we are motivated to avoid jerks and futile conflicts. And we learn how to regulate our emotions to mitigate the effects rude people have on our psyche. But there are some situations you can’t always avoid. The next time someone cuts you off in traffic, Don’t assume that they are only rude to you. Truth be told, that person is rude to everyone—even their mother. If their parents didn’t teach them how to be considerate in 25 years or so, how are you going to improve their bad manners by invoking your anger. Let’s put things in perspective— When we take whatever others think, do, or say personally, we are allowing others to offend us. The fact is that some humans possess a large number of negative traits that lead to inconsiderate words and actions. Learn to ignore disrespectful words and actions, as these people are doing the very same thing to others. They can’t help it; It’s just in their nature to be that way. Often they are just malcontents— Out there, looking for a dog to bite in the”A - double scribble.” Granted you want a world in which everyone is as considerate as you are. I think you know this won’t happen. Don’t take it as a personal affront. Do you really need their respect and approval? While you can give someone a piece of your mind when…
Read more » 11 Mottos to Live By
Marjorie Kondrack | Apr 21, 2023
LIVING BENEATH OUR means is one of the best habits to develop if we want a secure retirement. Like many others, I learned this sort of thrift from my parents and grandparents, who lived through the Great Depression and, by necessity, had to avoid waste. Not only did our forebearers survive the Great Depression, but also the Second World War came right on its heels. These were years of conserving materials—such as metal, rubber, paper and food—to support the war effort. My mother saved a food ration book from the war that still had some stamps in it. When she shopped, she had to hand the grocer stamps when buying meat, sugar, butter, cooking oil and canned goods. The number of stamps handed over depended on the scarcity of the item purchased. For instance, if bacon was 35 cents a pound, you might have to give the grocer seven stamps. Once the stamps were used up for the month, people couldn’t buy any more of that food until new stamps were issued the following month. I wonder how many young people today know that, in this land of abundance, food was once rationed, and that thrift in itself can be a source of remarkable household revenue. Mom also saved a booklet from the war years that gives information about saving or conserving just about everything—food, clothing, house furnishings, appliances, utilities, cars, even insurance. People found artful ways to scrimp on just about everything. Nothing was wasted. We could all benefit from the advice in this little booklet. Here are 10 of the more memorable passages that appeared at the bottom of the booklet’s pages: Willful waste makes woeful want. Waste nothing. Hoard nothing. Use everything. Spend what you must and save what you can. He that eats and saves sets…
Read more » Hearing Voices
Marjorie Kondrack | Jan 28, 2023
READING ABOUT FINANCE can be a little dry at times, so I occasionally turn to TV for relief, relaxation and a little entertainment. What am I drawn to? More than anything, it hinges on a person’s voice. For instance, I like listening to Neil Cavuto on Fox Business Network. His interviews with business leaders are usually interesting and his demeanor holds my attention. He comes across as earnest. My parents were transplanted New Englanders, so I never had a heavy Brooklyn accent, but just a hint of one, thanks to being raised there. I worked hard to lose it, but it still slips out when I’m tired. I guess you can take the girl out of Brooklyn but not Brooklyn out of the girl. I’m always glad when I tell people where I’m from and they say, “You don’t sound like you’re from Brooklyn,” as if I were expected to say “dees” for “these,” “dem” for “them,” and “doze” for “those.” I still remember the late Marty Zweig, a regular panelist on Wall Street Week with Louis Rukeyser. He was an erudite investment advisor and financial analyst, and contributed many articles to Barron’s. He had a certain charm and an interesting personality, and hid his persona behind a humble, “regular Joe,” almost woebegone demeanor. I recall him saying he liked rock and roll, had a jukebox and enjoyed salsa dancing. He had a wry, dry sense of humor. I find a pleasant, well-modulated and cultured voice can be so much more interesting and pleasant to listen to than someone who yaps away. It allows the listener to better take in the message that’s being conveyed. I once worked with someone whose voice can only be described as mellifluous. When he spoke, I was almost transfixed. It was like listening to…
Read more » Non-Leading Indicators
Marjorie Kondrack | May 13, 2024
IN TRYING TO FORETELL the economy’s direction, former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan has shown “a keen interest in men’s underwear,” according to CNN Business. “He sees underwear sales as a key economic predictor.” This isn’t because Greenspan is preoccupied with nether garments. Rather, says an NPR reporter, he believes that “the garment that is most private is male underpants because nobody sees it except people like in the locker room.” Yes, the men’s underwear index exists. It’s based on the premise that, during normal economic times, sales of men’s underwear are usually stable, but during an economic slump men prioritize other expenses over replacing their underpants. HumbleDollar contributor Ken Begley may have unwittingly answered the question as to whether or not the U.S. is headed for a recession. A man before his time, he understands the underwear index—as indicated by his unabashedly candid “holey underwear” article. Meanwhile, just in case you’re wondering, ladies’ underwear seems not to be an issue—presumably because women are more sensitive about wearing worn-out underwear. And who would have the temerity to conduct such an indelicate study, anyway? There are still risks to the economy, but most economists expect the U.S. to dodge a recession in 2024. Meanwhile, here are a few more ersatz but semi-accurate ways of measuring U.S. economic downturns: Lipstick index. In a recession or bear market, women tend to replace buying more expensive items, like jewelry or handbags, with smaller purchases that act as a treat or pick me up—like a new lipstick. Hemline index. A scan through Vogue magazine indicates that longer hemlines will be one of this year’s trends. That doesn’t bode well for the economy and could be a harbinger of things to come. The theory, which has been around for a while, draws on the premise that…
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