Kevin Slater

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That they showed up with cameramen. Kevin Slater

Depending on which individual stocks you have in mind, chances are they'd already be well represented in the broad-based index fund. Picking individual stocks can be a lot of fun, but to my mind that's a game you play after you have a firm foundation of index funds. I often tell the guys talk to about investing that they have "permission" to put 10% of their money into individual picks. That scratches the itch, and often ends up illustrating to them why putting 90% in broad-based funds was a good idea. You can't go wrong with low-fee index funds, like Fidelity Zero Total Market Index (FZROX, truly zero fee if done within a Fidelity account). In any case, make sure to look at the net expense ratio (basically, the rake they take to pay for administration). It oughtn't be greater than ~.5% ($5 for every $1000 invested, yearly), preferably less. Kevin Slater

Moderator's note: let's keep to the topic of this thread, which is nail polish.

That has not been my experience. They want to be sure all all counts, including their perception of your ability to pay. Kevin Slater

A lot of variables go into that equation (traveling to somewhere you've always wanted to go, bringing in others you'd like to meet, do you have a natural rapport with the client or is he high maintenance...) but a good starting place is what you'd make on those days if you weren't to do the trip then adjust up or down based on those other factors. Kevin Slater

CoM(aW) Kevin Slater

Welcome to the club, @KateNickolson!

Moderator’s note: let’s return to the topic at hand, which is what would cause a provider to leave the room.

Moderator’s note: let’s keep on topic, which is long-term care insurance.

Great time to throw some money into the market. Time in the market is more important than timing the market. From the Elements of Investing: We could run through dozens of other examples using actual stock market returns. One investor might start early but have the worst possible timing, investing at the peak of the stock market each year. Another investor starts later but is the world's luckiest investor, buying at the absolute bottom of the market every year. The first investor, even though she may have invested less money and had the worst possible timing, accumulates more money. Luck in picking the right time to invest is all well and good, but time is much more important than timing. There is always a good excuse to put off planning for retirement. Don't let it happen to you. Put time on your side. To get rich surely you have to do it wisely - which means slowly - and you will have to start now. Kevin Slater

Yup, currently. At times, I-bonds have paid above inflation. There's two components of an I-bond rate, the base rate plus the inflation rate. Just that currently the base rate is 0%. Kevin Slater

...whom you want in a push-up bra and fishnets? Kevin Slater

I posit you would have fewer competitors while demand remained. Kevin Slater

I suspect there's a connection there. Kevin Slater

If you're talking a professional photo shoot, those can go on for quite some time and it may be hard for the model to maintain his erection. Some guys use cock rings to help. Others just find the ring hot in and of itself and like the look. But I don't think seeing a cock ring in a pic means that he's going to have a hard time having, um, a hard time. That said, a cock ring has the opposite of the desired effect with me. Kevin Slater

My take: the more condescending the argument, the stronger the signal to stay away. Think Enron. Kevin Slater

Which, in turn, just causes folk to comment on it again. Kevin Slater

Right, it's not the two minutes on the phone, it's the 45 minutes waiting for him to no show. Kevin Slater

Yes, index funds do better than money market funds over the long haul. And you probably don't want to be selling at these levels. Kevin Slater

To be fair, one could be just as snarky about the stock market today. Kevin Slater

I say give 'em to the folk on the street talking to themselves, so perhaps they won't look so crazy. Kevin Slater

Moderator's note: let's keep politics out of the personal finance forum.

I worked with him earlier this week. Agree with everything above. Kevin Slater

Yup. Used to be $10. Kevin Slater