Investing, Student of the Market
Ryan Weiser
Student of the Market - May 2025
Student of the Market - May 2025

What Makes a Good Life?

What Makes a Good Life?

You have a steady job that pays the bills and puts your abilities to good use. You have loving relationships with your spouse, your children, extended family, and close friends. Your house provides enough space and security. Your golf league gives you a chance to unwind. Your volunteer work improves your community.

The specific details might vary, but most people would consider this scenario the basis for a pretty good life. Yet many of us who do check these boxes often feel like there's something missing.

A fascinating new study published by Affective Science asked nearly 4,000 people from 9 countries what kind of life they wanted. The results suggest that there's an important dimension to improving life that many of us may be overlooking.

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5 Creative Ways to Teach Children Money

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5 Creative Ways to Teach Children Money

Most parents can relate to the challenges of teaching their children about money—whether it’s explaining the difference between wants and needs, encouraging them to save, or helping them understand the value of a dollar.

Learning about money doesn’t have to be complicated or fraught with conflict. Some of the best financial lessons come from everyday experiences, playful challenges, and hands-on activities. By weaving money lessons into daily life, you can help your children build healthy financial habits and grow into responsible adults.

Here are some creative ways this can happen.

Lessons in Buyer’s Remorse

Lessons in Buyer’s Remorse

We’ve all been there—you make a purchase, and then, almost immediately, doubt starts creeping in. Maybe you spent more than you intended, or perhaps the item doesn’t live up to your expectations. That sinking feeling? It’s called buyer’s remorse, and there are a variety of reasons why we experience it:

  • Impulse Purchases: Buying something on a whim without thinking it through.

  • Overspending: Stretching your budget more than expected.

  • Comparison Regret: Finding a better deal after making the purchase.

  • Emotional Spending: Stress, excitement, or boredom led to a poor choice.

  • Unmet Expectations: A product or service that didn’t live up to expectations.

The truth is, buyer’s remorse isn’t all negative—it can be a powerful learning tool and help you make better decisions in the future. Here are some time-tested strategies to consider.

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When Adult Children Move Back Home

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When Adult Children Move Back Home

School is out, and perhaps your college graduate is trading in the dorms for their old room - back at mom and dad’s house. The rising trend of adult children moving back in with their parents—often called “boomerang children”—is reshaping family life and financial dynamics. Driven by high housing costs, inflation, and mounting student debt, this arrangement can provide a much-needed safety net for the child, but it can also create challenges for the household. The following tips can help you support your children while maintaining healthy boundaries.

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Graduation Gifts for Long-Term Return on Life (ROL)

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Graduation Gifts for Long-Term Return on Life (ROL)

As your college graduate prepares to move into a new phase of their adult life, one thing they probably don't need is more stuff to move. Parents can still commemorate their child's achievements with less-traditional gifts that won't take up space in the moving van.

Including, of course, cash.

But before you stick a check in a greeting card, consider some alternative ways to celebrate your grad and also set them up for success.

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What is Enough to Live Your Best ROL?

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What is Enough to Live Your Best ROL?

According to one popular rule of thumb, retirees should be able to withdraw 4% from their retirement accounts every year to live comfortably and not run out of money.

Another number you might have seen floating around social media is $75,000, which, according to some experts, is where annual income and peak happiness intersect.

Many other retirees have their own number in their head that they want to "hit" before they stop working. But do any of these figures really equal "enough" in retirement?

More than any dollar amount, having "enough" to retire is about feeling confident that every piece of your financial plan is aligned to sustain your Return on Life (ROL) for decades to come. Start making your own calculations by thinking about these four key categories.

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The Importance of Balancing Saving and Spending for Doctors and Dentists

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The Importance of Balancing Saving and Spending for Doctors and Dentists

Doctors and dentists often find themselves on very different $Lifeline trajectories than friends and family members who don't work in health care. While many folks in their early 20s might be earning real money at their first jobs or getting married, you might still be in school. Your friends might be buying houses while you're still working through a low-paying residency. And once you're an M.D. or D.D.S., it can be very tempting to treat that high salary you've worked so hard for like it's a jackpot.

Use these three tips to balance responsible spending and saving so that you can earn more Return on Life throughout your career…