When people think about building wealth, stock investing often comes to mind. But it doesn't have to be some complex, high-stakes game reserved for Wall Street pros. For those looking into investing as a side hustle, dividend stocks offer a surprisingly straightforward path to earn passive income.
That feeling of waking up in a panic is the worst. Wasn’t I supposed to be doing something? Do I need to be somewhere? Did I just make a huge mistake and leave a secure, well-paying job for… this?
Of all the different types of side hustles out there, one of my favorites has always been writing an eBook. It’s a classic example of a project that can generate passive income for years. In the past, becoming a published author was a monumental task. You had to write a manuscript or a detailed proposal, then send out countless query letters to agents and publishers, just hoping someone would notice you in a sea of submissions. It took a mix of serious talent and sheer luck.
Before diving into the popular , it’s worth taking a moment to look at both the incredible benefits and the often-overlooked risks. Let’s be clear: no income is ever completely risk-free. Even inheriting a large sum of money involves the risk of managing and investing it poorly. That’s just the reality of finance.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re just trading hours for dollars, you’re not alone. That’s the reality for most of us, and it’s a concept called . Before exploring the alternatives, it’s helpful to understand the by first defining what it isn’t.
To understand the unique challenges of investing in Hong Kong, you have to look at its history. Since the British handover to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, the region has operated under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. This framework gives Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy in its economic and administrative affairs for 50 years, setting it apart from mainland China even though it isn’t an independent state. For anyone interested in , this unique political and economic landscape is a critical factor.
Back in 1993, while writing my book , I explored the countless asset allocation strategies available to investors. It struck me then that sometimes, “less is more.” I had a hunch that a simple, mainstream balanced fund—60% in U.S. stocks and 40% in U.S. bonds, all in a low-cost index format—could offer the same functional benefit as hiring a high-priced investment advisory firm.
When it comes to investing, most of the attention goes to the stock market. But the simple, straightforward math that governs investing success applies even more powerfully to bond funds. While countless factors can sway an individual stock, the bond market dances to the rhythm of a single dominant force: the prevailing level of interest rates. Fund managers can’t do much to change those rates, making their job fundamentally different from that of stock pickers. This is a core concept in .
Before you dive into complex strategies or even simple concepts like index funds, it’s crucial to understand the game you’re playing. , really? At its core, it's about owning a piece of a business. To make sense of the noise surrounding , let's borrow a simple story, a version of a parable once told by Warren Buffett.