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Thursday, March 20, 2008

Personal Finance QuickTake: Even Gold Gets Less...Golden



Sure your 401k is down, stocks are on a roller coaster, savings rates are getting whacked, but at least you will always have gold right?

That yellow metal has been on a roll as the dollar tanks. Not a big shock as it has always been a hedge against currency movement.

However, Gold has been in a bit of too much of a tear. Gold recently busted the $1000 per ounce record level, not seen adjusted highs since the early 1980's. But gold fell nearly $100 an ounce back to the $950 level. The real question is there even support there as many investors feel gold could correct back to the $850 sort of level.

As this increase has been 100% investor driven, and gold is priced in dollars world round, it is easy to see why some are taking the money and running. After a housing bubble an Internet bubble and an Ice cream bubble (OK I made that up) investors want to lock in profits...on something.

From the Report:

With lower mortgage resets, the upcoming elections - which tend to boost the dollar - and the coming seasonal lull for gold, Nadler sees gold slipping to around $650 to $750 in the summer.
"That represents a good equilibrium level for gold, as jewelers will be able to sell gold again," he said. Still, some analysts think Wednesday's selloff is largely a hiccup - a temporary reaction by speculative buyers to changes in the economic climate, which can dramatically impact on the price of gold.


"When you are operating in a heavily overbought market, corrections like the one we're seeing today are very easy to have," said Nicoals Kavalis, a senior analyst at precious metals consultancy GFMS.

So is the dollar finally on track? With all of these rate cuts that would be amazing, but perhaps America's Housing induced cold has been caught by our friends over the pond.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Back on the Budget Horse



It is time to get back on the budget horse. For the last few weeks we have been a bit slack compared to our December gusto.

It started like any other slip starts; various Ninja bills, that we know better to have hit and I broke a couple of my "Golden Rules."

Here's the breakdown:

  1. Ninja Bill #1 - Gas Bill was $100 higher then budget...due to thermostat gremlins!
  2. Ninja Bill #2 - Electric Bill $70 Higher due to Christmas Lights and not turning off regular lights
  3. Golden Rule #428 Clothes - As Dave Ramsey Says, he never has counseled naked people! Two of the kids needed Winter coats. They are growing like weeds and I didn't plan for...winter :(
  4. Golden Rule #689 Steam valve - In saving for my golf club I left no room for anything else. Since I get my allowance in cash and I am stooopid, I have carried the cash around. This has led to over spending on stuff I don't need.
  5. Golden Rule #53 Budget for the Obvious - After doing a great job on Christmas and the girls birthdays I forgot to budget for my mother-in-law (doh!), step-father, and...(wait for it) my birthday! So scrabble and over spend budget again. I asked to skip mine which got me in hot water!
  6. Golden Rule #541 Don't Get Cocky - Moved too much over to savings too quick. didn't look forward enough.
  7. Golden Rule #541b Get too Depresed About it - You aren't your budget, mistakes aren't sign-posts that you are a personal failure.

Long and short of it is my ignoring a few little things threw us off the horse. And in travel and a silly packed work schedule and...here we are.

So I can make it up...I think, but time to pay the piper. Remember we are all human, we are mistake making creatures. Just don't let personal finance mistakes become patterns, or worse, just the thing to tell you to quit, cause you cannot do it.

Get back on the horse!

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