TessMore Finance Blog

No one wants to see their investments take a dip, let alone a plummet. That’s what makes the dreaded bear market so troubling. In these markets, securities typically fall at least 20% in value and widespread pessimism abounds.  But for the savvy investor, bear markets are nothing to be afraid of. In fact, they may even be great opportunities to make some profit — if they use the right strategies.  Here are 10 clever bear market investing strategies that may help investors come out ahead in the end. 1. Wait It Out When stocks begin to plummet during a bear market, it can be tempting to try and cut losses by selling.  Some say that a great t investing strategy for long-term investors is to buy and hold, even during economic downturns.  In fact, recent research from Crestmont Research shows that S&P 500 returns over any 20-year period from 1919 to 2019 were positive. This means that anyone who invested in an S&P 500 index fund at any point between 1900 and 2000 made money,

This is the year — you just know it. You finally gave that side gig you’ve been dreaming about a real shot and it’s starting to pay off in more ways than you thought. What started out as just a hobby for baking quickly turned into opening your very own brick-and-mortar bakery on the corner. Now, you’re left wondering if it’s time to take the next step and make your side hustle your full-time job , but you want to make sure it’s the right financial decision.  In this post, we’ll teach you how to measure the efficiency and profitability of your company by using the gross profit formula, to help you understand if you’re making the right decision. By subtracting the cost of goods sold (COGS) from your revenue, you can find the gross profit, and make data-driven decisions about where to invest and where to save.  Calculating profit margins allows you to clearly see if your side job is ready to turn into a full-time business.   How to Calculate Gross Profit Gross profit, also known as g

If you think that creating an estate plan is only for the sick or elderly, think again. It’s an unfortunate truth that death can happen to anybody at any age, and you wouldn’t want to leave your family to pick up the pieces of a disorderly estate after you die while they sort out their grief. Instead, take a weight off their shoulders and create order in your absence. Every time you stop and think about what will happen to your possessions after you die, you’re in the beginning stages of estate planning. But now may be a good time to take those plans a few steps further with our guide to estate plans and how you can create one — no matter your age.  By taking charge of your finances and learning about estate planning, you can feel confident that you took a necessary step in protecting your family and your assets.  What Is Estate Planning? Estate planning is the act of hiring an estate planning attorney — or fiduciary — to help you prepare the transfer of your assets, possessions,

Mutual funds are an important part of investing in the stock market. While you can buy and sell individual stocks directly, that can come with a higher risk (and a higher potential reward). When you buy and sell shares in one individual stock, your performance is tied solely to the performance of that stock and company. In the absolute worst-case scenario, if you invest all of your money in one company’s stock, and the stock price goes to $0, you will end up losing everything. The good news for investors is that mutual funds can hopefully be a way to reduce your risk and still capture a good chunk of the potential investment return. In this article, we’ll talk about what mutual funds are, how to select the right mutual fund for you and how to get started.  Active vs. Passive Mutual Funds Before talking about why you should consider investing in mutual funds , it’s a good idea to take a step back and understand that there are actually two main kinds of mutual funds: Active mutual f

We know that raising kids is expensive — but just how expensive is it? According to a 2015 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) study, the average cost of raising a child from birth until the age of 17 is $233,610 . This estimate is based on a middle-income family of four and excludes any college costs. Taking into account the inflation in the economy, you can expect to spend $292,017 raising a child in 2022, or more considering child care expenses are rising rapidly.  A recent study done by the Brookings Institution for the Wall Street Journal found that due to unprecedented inflation rates, parents can expect to spend at least $300,000 raising a child born in 2015 until age 17. While that may sound overwhelming, we’ve broken down eight major expenses for prospective parents to consider and provided some tips on how to prepare mentally and financially for your child’s future.  Costs of Raising a Child in 2022 Housing, food, and child care take up the largest percentage of chi

It can be tempting to cut and run when you quit a job – especially if you’re leaving a particularly nasty situation. But if you have an investment account tied up with that employer, it’s important to transfer those funds as soon as possible. Rolling over a 401(k) is relatively easy, but there are a few things you should know beforehand. We’ll break down the details in the article below. Why You Should Roll Over a 401(k) One of the main reasons to roll over a 401(k) is because you might forget about the account. If you switch jobs every few years and never roll over your 401(k)s, you may end up with multiple retirement accounts which can be hard to manage. Also, some companies will charge an extra fee if you have a 401(k) but are no longer an employee. If you have less than $5,000 in your 401(k), the company may force you to move the funds elsewhere. What to Know When Rolling Over a 401(k) Rolling over a 401(k) isn’t as easy as it should be. Read below for the important things to

Once upon a time, job hopping was seen as unprofessional and unnecessary. In fact, it was relatively common to spend your entire career working for one employer, gradually working your way up the company ranks and receiving regular pay raises along the way. But these days, maintaining an upward career trajectory usually requires a little more job mobility. That means keeping your eye open for new opportunities and leveraging your current salary and benefits for something better. But while job hopping is often necessary, there are instances where it can do more harm than good. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of job hopping, and go over some strategies for doing it. What is Job Hopping? Job hopping refers to the idea of switching employers more than normal, usually after less than two years at a company. Job hopping often has a poor connotation because some people think it means you can’t handle commitment or that you’re a picky employee. Pros of Job Hopping May earn more mo

Buying your first house might be the biggest financial investment that you’ve ever made to this point in your life, and possibly the most complicated. In addition to determining if you’re making a sound financial investment, owning your home is just as much an emotional decision. That’s because where you choose to live affects things like who you will meet and become friends with, your daily commute, your children’s friends and education and so much more. While there is no one-size-fits-all decision for deciding if you should buy a house now, there are a few things that you’ll want to keep in mind when making that decision. What to Consider Before Buying a House Here are a few of the most important things to consider before buying a house : Savings — Make sure you have enough money saved up not only for a down payment but for costs that come with being a homeowner Location — Location, location, location — there’s a reason that’s one of the most common real estate maxims. Check

It’s no secret that the cost of college has increased faster than the rate of inflation for many years. According to The College Board , inflation-adjusted tuition at four-year, public universities has increased 158% between 1991-92 to 2021-22. So while it may have been easier for previous generations to pay for college with scholarships and a part-time job, many current college graduates turn to student loans. Student Loan Forgiveness With more and more college graduates entering the workforce with significant amounts of student loan debt, calls have grown for some sort of student loan forgiveness. Student loans, and the cost of college generally have become mainstays in the political planks of various candidates for state and federal offices.  There are a wide variety of opinions on whether student loans should be forgiven at all, and if so, to what degree. Some people feel that forgiving student loans benefits mostly relatively well-off people at the expense of those who didn’t

Healthcare and health insurance is a complicated topic, and there are many differing opinions on how it should best be handled. In many countries, there is universal healthcare for everyone, but that is not the case in the United States. While there are government-run programs for the elderly (Medicare) and those with low-incomes (Medicaid), most people get health insurance for their family through private health insurance companies, usually through their employer.  This coverage often extends to the employee’s family, including spouse and children. Most insurance plans have a limit on how old the employee’s children can be to still receive coverage. When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed in 2010, this limit was standardized to be 25 years old.  How Long Can You Stay on Your Parents’ Health Insurance? The Affordable Care Act standardized the age in which children could remain on the health insurance plan of their parents at 25. Before the ACA, it was common for insurance companie