The Blog at ​​​Wiegand Financial

How bad is $1 trillion of credit card debt?

Growth of US credit card debt lags behind that of GDP and personal income
US credit card debt is approaching a big milestone. But the real question is how much it has increased compared to other things. Read more
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America is great, but it isn’t everything

International indexes like those of MSCI can help investors expand beyond the US stock market
The US stock market is so huge that it is easier to forget the rest of the world exists, at least when it comes to investing. But that would be a mistake. Read more
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Should you “Sell in May and Go Away”?

"Sell in May and go away" made sense in 19th-century finance – but not so much today.
I hear this old investment proverb every single year around this time. Is it a reliable rule of thumb?  Read more
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No, the tech layoffs are not actually a crisis

The number of recent tech layoffs may be big, but there are other important numbers that are even bigger. Read more
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Now is the time to start earning from your savings

While stability and liquidity are critical for your savings, that does not mean they are doomed to just sit there without earning power. Read more
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The Benefits of a Bad Year: 2022 in Review

While 2022 did not meet all the criteria for a recession, it was a major doozy in other ways. But we are still standing, and that is worth something. Read more
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How to get not-terrible gas prices

Perhaps it’s sad to get excited for three dollars a gallon... but hey, it’s better than five dollars a gallon. But will this downward trend continue? Read more
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Bad news for the economy = Good news for your portfolio?

During recessionary periods, the stock market often starts to improve even as other aspects of the economy keep declining. What's the deal with that? Read more
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Turns out inflation might be *your* fault

At the end of the day, businesses will keep raising prices if they think consumers will keep paying them. And so far, consumers are still paying. Read more
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Why the markets might be in for an upswing

Since 1950, the S&P500 has almost always had positive returns following a certain high-profile event. Know which one it is? Read more
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