New York
Revenue is up 120% over last year. Volume is down about 40%. Retention rate hovers around 75%. Business costs are around 10% of gross. Living expenses are at 10% of gross. Taxes are paid painlessly. IRAs/401(k) is maxed. Investments (qualified and non) are returning about 18%.
I know the economy is hurting a lot of folks right now but I'm rather grateful to not be in that boat. It's also nice to know that I'm doing my part in keeping mom-and-pop businesses in my neighborhood afloat. 
There are plenty of executives, hot-shot business men on expense reports and international guys coming here ... and with a better exchange rate for the dollar too.
Girls pass those costs to guys.
Revenue is up 120% over last year. Volume is down about 40%. Retention rate hovers around 75%. Business costs are around 10% of gross. Living expenses are at 10% of gross. Taxes are paid painlessly. IRAs/401(k) is maxed. Investments (qualified and non) are returning about 18%.
I know the economy is hurting a lot of folks right now but I'm rather grateful to not be in that boat. It's also nice to know that I'm doing my part in keeping mom-and-pop businesses in my neighborhood afloat.
But I am still looking for Mrs_Perfect. Maybe we should talk
I have as many flaws as the next person, make no mistake about it! And sure, we can talk... but I *sincerely* doubt there'll ever be a Mrs. in front of my name. So as long as you're good with me being "Miss Perfect For This Moment (and however many future moments make the two of us happy)" instead of "Mrs. Perfect (presumption being *forever*)", we'll be all good!
I know the economy is hurting a lot of folks right now but I'm rather grateful to not be in that boat. It's also nice to know that I'm doing my part in keeping mom-and-pop businesses in my neighborhood afloat.
LOL I don't claim to be savvy enough to do my own investing. But here are some things I do know....
1) I love my money guy. His clients averaged a 12% loss during the 2008-9 season and by 2010 had made up all the ground and then some. Unless a rather large investment firm is fudging his numbers and it's all another Madoff scheme - he rocks!
2) In uncertain times, certain sectors of the economy (and subsets within them) will always lose ground and others will always gain. Beer sales are up, premium liquor sales are down.
3) There's this thing (I think it's called a 'put') where you basically bet that something's going to lose and you make money when it does. Um, seems silly to me *not* to have a good number of those things floating around given how things look out there. You don't need a weatherman to tell you it's raining...
4) Have you looked at precious metals lately? No, I'm not going to do some commercial for it, but it's pretty easy to see gold is up 20% over 1 yr and over 50% over 2. Silver is up 27% over 1 yr and 72% over 2.
5) I'm sooo glad it's not my job to figure out all this investment stuff!