From the category archives:

behavioral finance

Five Simple Ways To Help Make Sure You Buy Stocks Low and Sell Them Higher

January 14, 2010 · 8 comments

in behavioral finance, discipline, emotions, financial education, investing, market timing, psychology, stocks, technical analysis, time in the market

The stock markets are ultimately unpredictable, but that doesn’t mean they are mysterious or without guiding trends and principles that anyone can learn.
As long as you’re not day trading and hoping to turn profits within minutes or by 5pm, there are a number of ways you can help ensure that you buy your shares low [...]

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When Stock Market Trading Volumes Thin

December 22, 2009 · 0 comments

in VIX volatility, behavioral finance, holidays, market timing, market trends, stock exchanges, technical analysis

In the days leading up to Christmas, and various other times throughout the year, stock market trading thins considerably.  Trading volume levels decrease as stock exchanges close early and many institutions are simply happy to hold onto their positions and wait out the end of the year with their gains.
Lower trading volumes mean less liquidity [...]

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More Stress, Less Money? Ways That Stress Can Cause Your Spending to Increase

June 23, 2009 · 12 comments

in behavioral finance, financial education, lifehack, money decisions, money lessons, psychology

If you’re frequently stressed out, do you tend to make bad money decisions?  My answer is yes.  If you know you’re under stress, keep an eye on your bank account and your budget, if you have one.  And it’s not just financial stress that causes bad financial decisions.  Sometimes the necessary pursuit of money itself [...]

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4 Tips for Having Conversations with Parents (and Others) About Money

June 12, 2009 · 4 comments

in behavioral finance, emotions, finances, financial planning, money decisions, money lessons, psychology

It may not be part of the old adage about religion and politics, but money still has the ability to divide and get people worked up.  Perhaps it is the hugely abstract idea(s) behind our physical use of money that cause(s) this problem.  Money is linked to the ideas of “value” and “worth.” How much [...]

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