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Clearly, Not Everyone Is Getting Rich Off The Stock Market

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Well, the NY Fed was out today with its Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit for Q4 2017. Clearly, Americans are in a lot of debt. Take a look. Just a couple of quick hits from the report. Total U.S. household debt rose $193 billion in the 4th quarter, to a new all-time peak of $13.15 trillion. That's 17.9% above the most recent trough in Q2 2013. Broken down by segment, what do you suppose was the largest gain in percentage terms? Credit cards, with a 3.2% increase. In the picture above, the widening gap represented by the red arrows reflects the fact that non-housing debt is rising at a faster pace than housing debt. Here's what's troubling about that. Below is a picture of the stock market, as represented by the S&P 500 index, over that same period; from the most recent credit trough in Q2 2013 to the end of 2017. And thus, the title of this article. Over that period, the S&P 500 index rose by 75%; from roughly 1,600 to 2,800. Apparently, ho...
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My Favorite Hotel In Washington DC

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I thought I would take a quick break from my normal postings for something a little different.

I enjoy traveling. And in particular, I enjoy some of the great cities. I have never been a "lay around on the beach" kind of guy.

Anyway, my wife and I discovered a little hotel in Washington DC a year or so ago that we really love. I wanted to share it with you.

It's The Normandy Hotel. Here's a link to their website, which describes the hotel as "A charming urban oasis in Washington DC." I second that description. It is located just a few blocks north of the Dupont Circle metro station. It is a bit of a hike up the hill but, hey, who doesn't need the exercise? If you find the walk a little too daunting, not to worry. Bus lines also run up the hill and will drop you within a block or so of the hotel.

The hotel is in the Kalorama area of DC. If that sounds at all familiar, perhaps it is because you recently read that President Obama plans to lease a home for his family in that neighborhood following his departure from the White House. The Normandy is literally withing walking distance of this home, as well as many other interesting buildings along Embassy Row.

The Adams Morgan neighborhood, with its hip, trendy restaurants, coffee shops and bars is also just a short walk away. Pretty cool, huh?

The rates are reasonable, the staff friendly and accommodating.

So, the next time your travels take you to DC, take a tip from ETF Monkey and give The Normandy a call.

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Clearly, Not Everyone Is Getting Rich Off The Stock Market

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Well, the NY Fed was out today with its Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit for Q4 2017. Clearly, Americans are in a lot of debt. Take a look. Just a couple of quick hits from the report. Total U.S. household debt rose $193 billion in the 4th quarter, to a new all-time peak of $13.15 trillion. That's 17.9% above the most recent trough in Q2 2013. Broken down by segment, what do you suppose was the largest gain in percentage terms? Credit cards, with a 3.2% increase. In the picture above, the widening gap represented by the red arrows reflects the fact that non-housing debt is rising at a faster pace than housing debt. Here's what's troubling about that. Below is a picture of the stock market, as represented by the S&P 500 index, over that same period; from the most recent credit trough in Q2 2013 to the end of 2017. And thus, the title of this article. Over that period, the S&P 500 index rose by 75%; from roughly 1,600 to 2,800. Apparently, ho...
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