THE FATHER BLOG

The inauguration of a president happens every 4 years on January 20th and that day was yesterday. How will that change in leadership effect the stock market in the coming weeks, months, and years?

A simple online search will lead you to a single conclusion…..that nobody has a damn clue. “Trump signals new tariffs…the market is cautious.” “Futures rise with Trump back in office.” “Markets wary as Trump returns to White House”. Which of these should you believe?? Here’s the answer…ALL of them. The market over the next 4 years, as it did over the previous 4 years, will go up and down. When you should invest for the long term? Now. And that answer will never change.

There are many great investments that can be made every day. The key is to invest early, be patient, and let your money grow over time. If you are thinking about throwing thousands of dollars into penny stocks and hoping to “get rich quick”, you are better off going to the casino or the race track and betting it there. Find some quality stocks, ETFs, put more money in your IRAs or 401Ks,…whatever you want to do. But that’s the way you increase your wealth.

For the younger people, you have it easier now. You can download the trading apps, link your bank account, and start buying stocks. Back when I was in my 20s, you had to have a broker, make phone calls, have them make the purchase, transfer money, etc. Not as simple. Younger people….start now! Invest early and there is no amount too small.

For (slightly) older people like me, and yesterday was my 51st birthday, you can still invest in long term growth stocks if you plan on working into your 60s. 10+ years of investing in the S and P 500 can still give you some amazing returns.

The S and P 500 a year ago was just under 5000 and today it will open over 6000. For those of you not interested in doing the math, that is a growth of about 24% YoY. Not bad for ONE year!

Do you research and invest today!

Here is the USA, this weekend is a holiday weekend commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For us, holiday weekends in the winter usually means hockey tournaments and I’ll just happen to be in the city of Pittsburgh for a few days. Nothing like escaping the dreary, snowy cold of NJ in exchange for the dreary, snowy cold of Pittsburgh.

Either way, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention at least something MLK said during his time. One of his most popular quotes was “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”. This is by far my favorite quote of his and words to truly live by.

I’ve always lived by the mantra of “treat or judge everyone as an individual”. I’ve never been swayed by race, religion, political affiliation, etc. I meet someone and give them a chance and I’m usually a very good judge of character pretty quickly. Now here’s the best part of living this way….I never feel badly for NOT liking someone based on those things either. An asshole is just an asshole regardless of their background and you don’t have to like everyone. If you’re not a fan of someone, still be respectful and limit your interactions when possible. But for the wonderful people you meet in life, keep them close and embrace the time you spend with them.

Thank you Dr. MLK for trying to make this world a better place. Give everyone a chance today. Happy Friday!

Key West, FL was a place that I experienced for a day at a time years ago when Mary and I did a couple Caribbean cruises. Obviously this is a popular spot for the cruise ships to dock for the day. I love this quirky little island and always wanted to go back. So during Spring Break in 2018, we were looking for a warm destination to take the kids and decided Key West was going to be it after some research.

First thought was is this a “kid friendly” destination since it’s definitely a party town. The answer is an absolute YES. There is so much to do for families and children here and the weather is nearly perfect every single day.

• Fort Zachary Taylor State Park: Explore the historic Civil War fort and enjoy the beach, great for snorkeling. 
• Key West Aquarium: See a variety of marine life. 
• Hemingway House: Wander the grounds and try to spot the famous six-toed cats. 
• Key West Butterfly Conservatory: Immerse yourself in a beautiful butterfly garden. 
• Conch Train Tour: Take a guided tour of Key West on a fun “conch” train. 
• Truman Waterfront: Cool off at the splash pad and playground. 
• Higgs Beach: Relax on the beach with shallow water and playgrounds. 
• Eco Discovery Center: Learn about the local ecosystem. 
• Shipwreck Museum: Discover the history of shipwrecks in the area. 
• Mallory Square Sunset Celebration: Watch a beautiful sunset with street performers. 
• Bike riding: Explore the town on a bike. 
• Snorkeling tours: Discover underwater reefs on a guided snorkeling trip.

We did many of these activities during our week there. Most days were spent enjoying Higgs Beach and the warm water. We definitely explored the Shipwreck Museum, Hemingway House, Fort Zachary Taylor, the Key West Lighthouse, Little White House, USCGC Ingham Maritime Museum, and of course every day ended with watching the street performers at Mallory Square during sunset (and for the record, I actually was pulled in to help one of the groups perform…ok…I held a rope to steady a ladder but that makes me an honorary Mallory Square street performer!)

The restaurants and the food there are amazing and if you’ve never had Key West Pink Shrimp, it’s worth that alone! Shout out to the Conch Republic Seafood Company (https://conchrepublicseafood.com) as I think we ate there several times and Mikey discovered his love for clams there as well.

So as the weather here in the NE United States is reaching sub freezing temps daily and you may need a tropical destination to warm up….definitely consider taking the family to Key West for a getaway. And don’t forget to bring me back a piece of Key Lime Pie!!