Free Money Management Advice.

[rookiepilot]

No one talks about this stuff. I'll give it a shot, it's kinda my world.

Now, first, this is worth about what you're paying for it. I'm not an advisor in any way, and not looking to be anyone's.
Second, I'm a random internet troll, without a degree, so keep that in context --

With that, here a few words, food for discussion, that might be helpful for young or not so young pilots, that might be helpful during this time of plenty.

If no use to you, just ignore, and good for you for having it figured out. Really.

1. I suggest banking a lot of that dough you're hauling in. Don't buy the 80 K pickup, don't go nuts on a boat, bank it.

Pay down the mortgage, credit cards, whatever. Prepare for the lean times ahead -- which aren't THAT far ahead as you might think today -- if I'm reading things even halfway right. I might be wrong. But even so, the path to financial security is built on the back if eliminating unproductive consumer debt.

2. Buy used.

I love to buy used cars -- 3 years old, barely broken in, that some other dope has turned back in off a lease return. I've done it several times. Half price. Pay cash if you can. Debt is the enemy. Boats, whatever too. Used, used used. Nothing depreciates faster than a boat, from what I'm told.

3. Work like an absolute dog now, and rack up the OT. You make hay when the sun shines. Bank the money. It won't always be like this. Don't invest it until you learn how. Note: Your friendly financial advisor, almost certainly doesn't know how. Trust me on this.

4. Focus on building equity, at the right price, not accumulating consumer things.

Learn some principles of the great investors, read what they write, become a student for your retirement and financial future. Your financial advisor is a salesperson. Doesn't likely have a clue, and cares about as much as I do what happens to you. Likely.

The only one who really cares enough, will be you. So some personal study is required, in my view. Maybe you are one of the few with a great advisor -- you can do nothing but good, still, by educating yourself. Yes, it is possible.
There are many styles. I personally look at what is least popular, and take a good look to see if that creates value.

5. Freedom from debt means personal freedom, and the ability to make quality life choices. Make this a goal.

That's it. Back to England - Columbia

[tbaylx]

I'd add to spend time reading about financial management. Nothing beats self managed low cost ETF investing.

The greater Fool is a daily blog run by an investment adviser Garth Turner and has a wealth of free advise in a humorous, entertaining to read format.

http://www.greaterfool.ca/

[Lightchop]

You mean I can't just buy a bunch of bitcoin and cannabis stocks and expect to retire in a few years?

Shucks.

[rookiepilot]

You mean I can't just buy a bunch of bitcoin and cannabis stocks and expect to retire in a few years?

Shucks.

Seriously, whatever you feel you have a strong understanding or competence in can be a candidate as a principle, that's greater than the typical joe.

That might be different for each person depending on background, location, and professional experience. It's not a one size all fits answer, IMO.

The key is don't be the fool at the poker table. And the old saying, if you look around and can't spot the fool, you're it ----

[Lightchop]

I've actually done pretty well with both over the last 2 years or so. Closely watching the cannabis market right now, given the recent news. I'm out of all crypto, it was a good ride but I think my money is better invested elsewhere.

[Bede]

This is good advice. Thanks for sharing. The biggest issue that I see is that far too many people want toys and are willing to add minimum monthly payment to their budget to get the toys.

There are a few points that I slightly disagree with.
1) Work OT. That's a good point, but right now my kids are young and I'm on track financially so why work so hard, giving half my money to the government, when I can work a few extra years (I can still retire well before 65 at this rate) if I need to.
2) Debt. We live pretty frugally and have little debt. I want an airplane. I'm going to put it on my LoC (house is paid off). The plane is unlikely to depreciate and if I need to I can sell. However, I don't want to wait 5 years and pay for it in cash when I can invest that money instead. What are your thoughts on this?

[rookiepilot]

This is good advice. Thanks for sharing. The biggest issue that I see is that far too many people want toys and are willing to add minimum monthly payment to their budget to get the toys.

There are a few points that I slightly disagree with.
1) Work OT. That's a good point, but right now my kids are young and I'm on track financially so why work so hard, giving half my money to the government, when I can work a few extra years (I can still retire well before 65 at this rate) if I need to.
2) Debt. We live pretty frugally and have little debt. I want an airplane. I'm going to put it on my LoC (house is paid off). The plane is unlikely to depreciate and if I need to I can sell. However, I don't want to wait 5 years and pay for it in cash when I can invest that money instead. What are your thoughts on this?

Sure. I think a (used) plane, if bought wisely, can be much better than a (new) boat. I'm no expert, just commenting on the massive depreciation on new toys of all kinds. It's obviously all (my advice) in the total context of ones personal situation, your budget Ect. Ect. House paid off -- awesome. Very rare.

I hate debt, so it's driven some of my decisions. Maybe it's a personal bias. I never wanted to be owned by a bloodsucking bank.

Good point on OT, and kids are young, once. I'm thinking of younger folks who might get laid off in the next recession. It's a tough, and very personal call.

[cncpc]

No one talks about this stuff. I'll give it a shot, it's kinda my world.

Now, first, this is worth about what you're paying for it. I'm not an advisor in any way, and not looking to be anyone's.
Second, I'm a random internet troll, without a degree, so keep that in context --

With that, here a few words, food for discussion, that might be helpful for young or not so young pilots, that might be helpful during this time of plenty.

If no use to you, just ignore, and good for you for having it figured out. Really.

1. I suggest banking a lot of that dough you're hauling in. Don't buy the 80 K pickup, don't go nuts on a boat, bank it.

Pay down the mortgage, credit cards, whatever. Prepare for the lean times ahead -- which aren't THAT far ahead as you might think today -- if I'm reading things even halfway right. I might be wrong. But even so, the path to financial security is built on the back if eliminating unproductive consumer debt.

2. Buy used.

I love to buy used cars -- 3 years old, barely broken in, that some other dope has turned back in off a lease return. I've done it several times. Half price. Pay cash if you can. Debt is the enemy. Boats, whatever too. Used, used used. Nothing depreciates faster than a boat, from what I'm told.

3. Work like an absolute dog now, and rack up the OT. You make hay when the sun shines. Bank the money. It won't always be like this. Don't invest it until you learn how. Note: Your friendly financial advisor, almost certainly doesn't know how. Trust me on this.

4. Focus on building equity, at the right price, not accumulating consumer things.

Learn some principles of the great investors, read what they write, become a student for your retirement and financial future. Your financial advisor is a salesperson. Doesn't likely have a clue, and cares about as much as I do what happens to you. Likely.

The only one who really cares enough, will be you. So some personal study is required, in my view. Maybe you are one of the few with a great advisor -- you can do nothing but good, still, by educating yourself. Yes, it is possible.
There are many styles. I personally look at what is least popular, and take a good look to see if that creates value.

5. Freedom from debt means personal freedom, and the ability to make quality life choices. Make this a goal.

That's it. Back to England - Columbia

That is actually very good advice.

[co-joe]

Any advice on the Bouillon market?s Gold and Silver are so cheap right now they're nearing mining and refining cost. Have been looking into owning physical metals in my RSPs in addition to ETFs as sort of a hedge against the various bubbles that all seem to be bloating at the same time...

[helicopterray]

1) Work OT. That's a good point, but right now my kids are young and I'm on track financially so why work so hard, giving half my money to the government,

I would like to point out that we have a progressive tax rate in Canada, and I don't believe anyone in aviation is ever going to be paying 'half their money' to the government.

[rookiepilot]

Any advice on the Bouillon market?s Gold and Silver are so cheap right now they're nearing mining and refining cost. Have been looking into owning physical metals in my RSPs in addition to ETFs as sort of a hedge against the various bubbles that all seem to be bloating at the same time...

This is a good question with a multi part answer. Again, part of the answer, which applies to any investment asset, is your knowledge base, risk tolerance, goals, and time to study of this asset.

Now -- the other part -- gold is a tough asset to value. All of it ever mined still exists, it's worth what sentiment would deem its worth. It's unproductive, pays no dividend. (Bitcoin is worse in my view -- I don't claim to understand it)

Gold is interesting here to me, as a small percentage, because it's washed out and there isn't that much interest. Small means 5-10% in my view.

Sometimes cash is the best hedge of all if you're concerned about bubbles. Consider things like not having all investments in Canada, if you work in Canada and have a house here.

Embrace the USA.

[digits_]

1) Work OT. That's a good point, but right now my kids are young and I'm on track financially so why work so hard, giving half my money to the government,

I would like to point out that we have a progressive tax rate in Canada, and I don't believe anyone in aviation is ever going to be paying 'half their money' to the government.

You'd probably be in the top bracket for the overtime money, so from the overtime money, you might have to give 40-50% away to the government.

[digits_]

2) Debt. We live pretty frugally and have little debt. I want an airplane. I'm going to put it on my LoC (house is paid off). The plane is unlikely to depreciate and if I need to I can sell. However, I don't want to wait 5 years and pay for it in cash when I can invest that money instead. What are your thoughts on this?

The "danger" with that is: what if you by a 60k airplane and the eninge craps out and you need a 35k overhaul? Now you'll either have to loan more, or pay off an airplane that you don't fly anymore. Psychologically speaking, that can be pretty tough.

On the other hand, if you buy a 250k airplane that needs a 35k overhaul, it would probably be easier to swallow

[Eric Janson]

Pilots are the worst Investors. Great to use as a contrarian indicator.

A nice simple strategy:-

Buy whatever Pilots are selling.

Sell whatever Pilots are buying.

[ahramin]

Any advice on the Bouillon market?s

Now that I can help you with. I start by frying an onion and a few carrots and celery sticks in olive oil. As soon as they are browned then throw in your leftover bones and add just enough boiling water to cover everything. Boil an hour then cool overnight. Skim the fat off the top, strain the rest and use that day or freeze for later.

[ShawnR]

A lot of good advice in this thread! I was speaking with a coworker a couple of years ago and he was telling me how he had just renewed his mortgage with monthly payments so that he would have more money each month.... (I wanted the head banging on wall smily but could not find it...) In explaining it to him, he asked me,...."What is a principal?"

I was more disappointed in the banker he dealt with that allowed this.....!

I grabbed a couple of on line mortgage calculators and showed him the difference in how accelerated weekly payments versus monthly payments works, etc...and I think he went back and was able to renegotiate.

In that conversation I used the term as rookiepilot put, "debt is the enemy" although I used principal. (and I thought I had an original thought! )

Nice to read this info....I work with a lot of young people and seeing what they drive or how they live, debt is an accepted way of life these days...kind of sad.

In my opinion, Some debt is good/necessary, max is bad, managed and justified is life/living....

Just my 2 cents...

Cheers,
Shawn

[AuxBatOn]

Or just use some of the money you are making to enjoy life now for you and your family. You won’t be in your 30s/40s forever. Money isn’t everything.

[short bus]

Colombia should have won that game

[TT1900]

Or just use some of the money you are making to enjoy life now for you and your family. You won’t be in your 30s/40s forever. Money isn’t everything.

Spoken like a man with a guaranteed six-figure job and as close to rock-solid pension as possible. Not to mention a bunch of second career options upon leaving the employ of "the man", while collecting aforementioned pension.

[AuxBatOn]

Or just use some of the money you are making to enjoy life now for you and your family. You won’t be in your 30s/40s forever. Money isn’t everything.

Spoken like a man with a guaranteed six-figure job and as close to rock-solid pension as possible. Not to mention a bunch of second career options upon leaving the employ of "the man", while collecting aforementioned pension.

I always lived that way. Even before I made north of 100K I find balance in life is key to sanity...