Byron Moore
The Shreveport Times
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Past articles by Byron:
Four questions to ask about information in the digital age
"I’m not arguing here that information technology is inherently bad; I am saying it’s powerful. And powerful things used carelessly can be dangerous." → Read More
Your 'wealth culture' (& why it matters)
Did you know your family has a “wealth culture”? (By “culture,” I mean the collection of common beliefs, values, assumptions, customs, and behaviors that mark a group of people.) Every group of people displays a certain culture. Cities do. So do schools and churches, civic organizations and sports teams. Businesses also have distinct cultures. (I’m thinking now of one fast-food restaurant marked… → Read More
What pain can do for us
I had hip surgery last week. Man, did that ever hurt! Beforehand, I researched the procedure, the surgeon, the health facility, and the outcomes of others who’d had the same surgery. What I didn’t focus on is the grueling rehab patients have to do after surgery. I didn’t think to ask, “How much pain will I experience?” Whew! Let me tell you—it’s a lot! But even with this greater-than-expected… → Read More
Timing is everything (but predictable)
“DOUBLE YOUR NEST EGG” the headline screamed. “Now’s the time to jump into cheap stocks, funds and real estate.” Bad timing for a magazine called “Smart Money.” This headline was on the cover of the October 2008 issue—immediately before an epic financial crisis and market meltdown. In early October 2008, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at about 10,800. Over the next 18 months, it would… → Read More
When the markets are making you nervous
“I bet you’re getting a lot of calls.” I could tell by the background noise he was driving with his windows down. I suppose calling to needle me seemed a good way to pass the time. I didn’t take the bait. “Calls about what?” “This dang market,” he said. “Inflation is out of control. Fuel prices are double—just like every other commodity price.” “No doubt about it,” I agreed. “And how are corn… → Read More
Are you betting against the odds?
Are you betting against the odds? → Read More
5 common questions about inflation
If you typed the word “inflation” into your favorite search engine, you’d get over 380 million results. Whew. That’s a lot of reading. Let me save you time and confusion. Here are short answers to the five most common questions people ask about inflation. 1. What is inflation? In simple terms, inflation is when our money loses purchasing power. It’s when the price of products and services goes… → Read More
Checklist for 60-somethings
Don’t you “love” it when you forget to buy something at the grocery store? So often I get nine of the ten things I was supposed to buy, but there’s always that one item I don’t remember until I get home. “Seriously? You forgot the tomatoes? How am I supposed to make spaghetti sauce without tomatoes?” (Helpful tip: That is a rhetorical question.) Forgetting something at the grocery store is… → Read More
How to save money
Saving is a habit. Like all habits, it requires motivation and momentum. → Read More
Some surprising thoughts on debt
Some see “debt” as the foulest of all four-letter words. “All it does is reveal a lack of discipline,” they insist. “All it does is cause major stress.” I agree it’s a bad idea to use debt to buy items that decrease in value over time. And, yes, indiscriminate borrowing often stems from a failure to spend less and save more. But even as debt brings misery to many, it can—when used wisely—be a… → Read More
More than fireworks and hot dogs
On this day 245 years ago, the Second Continental Congress signed a declaration that the 13 American colonies were no longer under British rule. That feisty letter—which our forefathers sent “across the pond” to King George—effectively said, “As of today, we are free to build and become a different kind of nation.” We call the Fourth of July “Independence Day.” What a joyous celebration of… → Read More
How real fathers make life richer
On Father’s Day we honor the dads who make the world a better, richer place. I should probably define terms. Some guys are “just-a-father.” That is, they made a strategic biological connection with a specific obstetric result. That’s it. Then they disappeared. The legacy of these “just-a-fathers” is grim. Did you know children in father absent homes are five times more likely to be poor? Or that… → Read More
The little secret to big financial success
Most folks are convinced the wealthy know some big financial “Secret” the rest of us don’t. Like, they went to “the right” school and met “the right” people. Or they heard about Tesla before anyone else did, or got in on the ground floor of Amazon. Or somehow, they cracked the code on those free trading apps like Robin Hood and made a fortune buying and selling penny stocks. I think there is a… → Read More
Living within your means is an illusion
Do you live within your means? If you answered yes, that’s a problem. Here’s why. Caleb and Jessica bought a new house last year and spent more than they planned. The expenses that accompanied their new home were more than expected. “We are still living within our means,” they explained to me, “but we can’t save anything right now. But we’re not going into debt or anything. Are we OK to be where… → Read More
Is your financial advisor trustworthy?
Is your financial advisor trustworthy? → Read More
5 ways you can be safer financially
When my wife and I are on the interstate, nothing makes her more nervous than me passing an 18-wheeler. (In her defense, I’m not the one who would first feel the effects of a tractor-trailer swerving violently in our direction.) If she senses even the slightest movement our way, she ends up in my lap! She wants me to maintain a margin of safety. Until recently, Bill Hwang, was considered one of… → Read More
Will your retirement income be enough?
Could your retirement savings reliably produce $60,000 in retirement income each and every year? → Read More
Making and keeping promises
Life is made up of promises, big and small. From marriages, to mortgages, to meals delivered on time, we depend on others—as they depend on us—to keep the promises that have been made. Take the young man who pledges to be faithful to his young bride “till death do us part.” That’s a promise he can keep. Since it depends solely on his character, he can do it. That’s not to say he will, but he has… → Read More
Feeling financially out-of-control?
Will our taxes be raised? Possibly. But since I’m not a prophet, I can’t say for sure. → Read More
How hard is your money working for you?
How hard is your money working for you? → Read More