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Today’s Cheat Sheet will be the last one before Christmas (it will return Dec. 26th).  I was having trouble picking just one listener / reader question today so I picked three.  If you’d like me to cover a topic on-air or online email me:  brianmudd@clearchannel.com .

What to invest in if stuff hits the fan?:

Bottom Line:  This wasn’t exactly the way the gentlemen worded his question but it’s the principal behind it…  He was wondering if we do suffer a fiscal crisis in the US what the best investments would be?  Gold, Silver, Diamonds?  First let me share my investment philosophy generally.

I want to own investments that produce a re/turn on investment.  Sounds like a no-brainer right?  I’ll explain.  If you own investments in the stock market, the companies can produce profit and pay dividends that provide an intrinsic value and return on investment without you having to sell the investment to experience the benefit.  Ditto real-estate.  If you own real-estate you can rent or lease the property and turn it into an income producing asset.  While the face value of the assets will fluctuate the underlying value of earnings produced provides return to you.  Metals don’t…

Gold, Silver and diamonds (along with other commodities) are a sheet bet on prices heading higher.  They have no intrinsic value because they don’t produce anything.  They’re worth what somebody is willing to pay today.  Now it’s true that historically gold and silver have served as safety nets in times of severe turbulence but consider this…

Is the world better off financially then a year ago?  How about the United States?  The Federal Reserve just announced that they’re going to continue to print money for the foreseeable future which should provide added incentive to hedge with gold & silver right?  Well oddly enough Gold and Silver prices have actually dropped since that announcement was made.  Maybe gold will go to $2000 or more per ounce but it’s a guessing game as to what someone is willing to pay for it at any given time. 

Gold has touched highs of $1900 per ounce (over a year ago) but is just under $1700 per ounce now.  What happens if the fed stops watering down the money supply (and thus creating added incentive to own gold)? 

What I’d say is that if you want to own gold or silver – limit it to 10% of you total investments.  My belief is that just like 2012 – 2013 will continue to be a year to invest in real-estate.

 

Having trouble sleeping – worried about the future – what to do?:

Bottom Line:  The 2nd listener question for today comes from a woman who is greatly worried about the future of this country by 2014 to the point where it’s affecting her everyday life.  So what to do?

Control what you can control.  So what does that mean?

Outside of elections you can control several factors that affect your quality of life in difficult times.  Take Greece and Spain for example.  While unemployment is over 30% in Greece and 28%+ in Spain, there are still many that haven’t suffered in those countries.  Those are people who put themselves in a strong position.  So what can be done?

  • Earn as much money as possible now
  • Pay off as much debt as possible including your house

I’ve never asked you to do something I wouldn’t / don’t do myself.  In the summer of 2008 when I said we should be out of stocks – I moved to the sidelines as well.  In March of 09’ when I said it was safe to start making market investments again – I did as well.  Last fall when I said 2012 would be the year of the real-estate recovery – Ashley and I decided to move-up buy.  So when I’m suggesting that you should eliminate debt and take as much control as possible – that’s what we’re doing as well. 

We still have diversified investments in our retirement accounts.  We did pull all of our investments in taxable accounts out to pay off debt (including reducing mortgage debt).  If you pay off all of your debt including your home, you’ll still be in a strong position if/when a time of great economic calamity occurs in the US.  Moreover, every debt obligation you pay off will provide you with a feeling of greater certainty and control over your life – which hopefully will lead to more restful nights!

 

If Obamacare is going to insure everyone why do we need Medicare or Medicaid?:

Bottom Line:  This is the 3rd question of the day & the gentleman who asked it was wondering why we would still need Medicare or Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). 

The act didn’t provide for a single payer or Government run insurance plan.  The instead it mandated that all individuals must pay into the existing healthcare system – either by obtaining healthcare insurance through a traditional healthcare insurance company or by paying an additional tax to opt out. 

Were we to ever go to a single payer Government run system, Medicare and Medicaid would be ineffectual as separate programs.