Free At Last

Free = paid for by someone else.

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Financial Fees

“The financial industry is very good at three things:

1. Inventing financial products that are difficult to understand
2. Hiding the fees they charge their customers
3. Making sure they get paid even if their customers lose money.”

-Mark Ford

Financial Advice

When reading any financial publication, “make sure the person you are reading isn’t being paid by the companies he is writing about.” -Brian Hunt

Real Economy

“Real credit comes from money that is saved… taken out of the consumer economy so that it can be used for emergencies and capital investments.  When it is paid back – usually out of increased output – the world is a richer place.  But try to trick the economy with phony credit – money that was never earned and never saved – and you are just asking for trouble.” -Bill Bonner

Blind Man

“A man who is paid not to see something will go blind when it appears in front of him.” –Bill Bonner

Who Decides?

“Logically, there are only two possibilities.  Either wages are determined by a free give-and-take between those who offer their labor and those who want to buy it. Or someone sets wages according to his own standards.   The do-gooders want to use other people’s money to raise the wages of the least well paid, but they make no mention of their own.” -Bill Bonner

Spending Power

Warren Buffett, in his 2011 letter to investors, defined investing as “the transfer to others the purchasing power now with the reasoned expectation of receiving more purchasing power – after taxes have been paid on nominal gains – in the future.” What’s important to remember is “It’s not the dollar value of your investment returns that count. It’s how much your investments increase or decrease your spending power after you’ve paid taxes.” -Chris Hunter B&P Briefing