Kenvesting: Building a nestegg with EGGS!

One of the most disturbing things I have had to do recently is to figure out how to protect what little money I have. I have my 401k and my rollover IRA account as does my wife. Like most people we have checking and savings and not that much of either. Fortunately our debt is low but at our age we really need to hang on to what we have. Most Americans have suffered tremendously in the stock market and even conservative Mutual Funds have been big losers at least twice in the past 10 years. In the last month the DOW has dropped about 1,000 points which basically puts us back to where we were a year ago. So you might ask yourself how this affect you and what should you do.

Well I am neither investor nor broker and have no special knowledge. What I do know is that everything I read says that the American dollar is in jeopardy. I suspect that those who frequent this blog probably already intuitively suspect this but what to do. Well it seems that the big kids, the ones with lots and lots of money, the ones who made like $5million last year (right Barry), these people have advisers. Who do you have? If you are like me you have the words of someone on the other end of the phone if that. That being the case I have come up with an investment strategy. It may sound silly but I only invest in sure fire winners. That should get your attention.

Who does the grocery shopping in your house? Ask them what has gone up the most in the last year. If those things have a shelf life of months or years, stock up. Figure it this way. Let’s say you love applesauce and that you eat a jar a month. If the expiration date is months or a year away and you find it on special I buy it. I buy about 75% of what I think I can use. Worst case scenario is that I will lose my job and end up eating applesauce for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even if the price goes down will it be worse that my stocks. I doubt it.

Now I gave a very simple example here because no one family would match the needs of others. What you see as something of value may not meet another’s needs. My rule is I have to eat it, need it, or be able to sell or trade it to someone else. I guess in a way you could call me an urban survivalist. Don’t get me wrong, I am not preparing for Armageddon here but I’m not denying the possibility either. Now my son sells guns and ammunition where he works. For more than a year now people have been hoarding ammunition. I asked him about the reason for this and he really doesn’t know. Reasons stated are fear of unavailability later to fears of increase in crime. I thought it over and reasoned that owning some is better that none.

Other things I buy are Paper Towels, Tylenol or Generics, Bath and Laundry soaps, toilet paper, and Spam. My kids love to make fun that I have a half-dozen cans of Spam. They hate the stuff. I like it and it has a shelf life of a couple of years. Now I buy all of these things on sale. If it isn’t a good price I don’t buy it. This is not about spending, it is about saving. I am buying things at a good price now that I think will be higher later. If you look around you I’ll bet you can find a few things that will stretch your dollar. With little or no pay raise in sight, Congress on a spending spree, and the World’s economies collapsing it might just be worth a little thought. If you come up with a good idea perhaps you would share it with the rest of us. Just in case you are wondering, I have enough toilet paper to make it past Halloween and still TP a couple of houses.

Oh yeah. The closest thing to cash in a 401K is a CD. I don't make much but I probably won't lose unless America goes under. I may change my mind after I am out of toilet paper 'cause I expect to outlast Congress.

America. Let Freedom Reign!

Okay so now kids can’t wear anything American looking at school because it might offend students of Mexican heritage. If you are no more American than to be offended by the Ole Glory then you are not an American but a Mexican living in America. Really it is that simple. People would like to complicate issues but the more we divide ourselves into racial and national groups the more divided we become. Most official documents in America ask you to choose your race. Choosing race puts you into a group which has the effect of putting up hidden barriers if only in your mind. I myself am white. What? I am beige. My ancestors came from all over Europe and there is sufficient reason to believe that some other races are in the mix as well. My dad used to say we are Heinz 57 referring to the diversity of our heritage. Don’t call me white. I am an American and I hope if you are living here you are one too.

Sure it is great to love where you came from but those people are dead and those places have changed. You are here. What is most important are those living around you: your husband or wife, your parents, your children and grandchildren and the things that this great nation can help you find. Notice I say, “Help you find”. This nation is not a place for things to be given to you. Sure we have been doing that for years and those that are still on the taking in are slaves of their minds. Black Americans have been badly treated for years but most recently the abuse has come by not allowing them the reward of actualizing their dreams provided through their own efforts. Whether it was guilt or pity or whatever, America has created generations of Americans who don’t have a clue what the rewards of life are. Their rewards come on the first of the month and are never enough. It wouldn’t matter how much they received, takers only know taking: it is a law of the human spirit. In the same way racists only know race and haters only know hate.

I know that there is a big push to give even more to the takers by taking from the haves and giving to the “have less’s”. I say "have less's" because in America there are few “Have Nots”. Most of those folks have learned how to sell their freedom to the poverty pimps and race hustlers. Everyone knows their names. Their make their living and gain their power from the manufactured misery of others. We have one of those in the Whitehouse right now. Obama is planning on taking from the rich and giving to the poor. Excuse me? Just who thinks that Obama is not one of the rich? Of course he is rich; filthy rich. He made over 5 million dollars last year yet he likes to strut like a brother in the hood and lay down some street jive. The man is “da man” and he is just a black man trying to keep the poor man down whatever his color. Poor is poor. Rich is rich. Black ain’t nothing to the brother nor is white, Latino, or anything else. It is all about green. Obama is about Obama and his green money is color blind. He could care what color of folks the money comes from. He just uses brown and black people to get it done. He has to manufacture some misery so that he can come up with the cure. All hail the "Great Obama": righer of wrongs and savior of the multitudes.

So here we are all in this together. In our spirits we know that we are all the same. We inherently know that color, race, nationality is not where it is. The where it is, is the human experience and our relationships with others. Still because there are leaders and followers we so easily allow the leaders tell us what we should think, how we should feel, and what life should be. As for me my life is what I make of it. I can have a bad day or a good one. It is up to me. I can hate you or love you. It is a choice. I can love America or think about folks long dead for my own self worth. It is up to me. For me I choose freedom. I will not be a slave to the thoughts and ideals of others and I will fight for your right to have the same: That is America. If that works for you, you are in the right spot. If it doesn’t, you have bigger problems than kids with red, white, and blue T-shirts.