$1000 to Replace Four Tires on my F-150

We decided to replace the tires on all three cars since they were over 5 years old and two of them had over 50,000 miles on them.   For the two cars, it was about $700 at Costco.  I just got the cost for changing my 2003 F-150 tires, over $1000, despite costing only $660 in 2018, and that included a discount for no cost installation..

I was shocked at the quote, despite knowing Costco usually has the lowest tire prices.   I asked why the price had gone up.  They responded that tire prices started going way up during Covid due to a silica shortage and the prices have never come down.

The tires on have 33,000 miles on them and have good tread.  However, they are 8 years old, and the rubber has deteriorated due to age.  Also, I noticed that my tires were slipping sometimes when starting from a stop on a wet road.   I decided to bite the bullet and pay $1000 for new tires, mainly for safety reasons and the current plan is to keep the truck a few more years.

For more on New Beginnings, check back every Sunday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor tire advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Being In the Zone

Yesterday, my son was in the zone for the first time in his tennis tournaments.  He wasn't frustrated, he was confident, and he could do no wrong.  Every close shot was in, every angle was perfect, every passing shot did.  He only played each opponent 1 set and he won 6-0,6-0, 6-1.

I've been in the zone a few times in my life.  During that moment, everything when my way.  Every move I made, every action I took, ever word I said was perfect and gave me the result I wanted.

Now that I'm 68, being in the zone seems to be much less likely. I still remember the glory of being in the zone.  I hope it keeps happening for my son.

For more on New Beginnings, check back every \ Sunday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor zone advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Make Employees Successful Business Owners

Bezos described four characteristics of a "dreamy" business: "Customers love it, it can grow to very large size, it has strong returns on capital, and it's durable in time — with the potential to endure for decades."

I think this is a great description from a business owner's or stock holder point of view. To me, I would add a statement or mention of sharing company success with employees. Many years ago, companies seemed to make sure employees benefited also when the company did well.  That does not seem to be the norm any more.

AOC was right, one doesn't become a billionaire by earning a wage.  However, as usual,  she neglects to take the point further and tell how one becomes a billionaire.   IMHO, one becomes a billionaire by being an owner.   Let's make more employees owners in the business.

For more on Reflections and Musings, check back every Saturday for a new segment.

This is not financial, employment nor employee advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Financial Mistakes of High Income People - from Subreddit Thread r/Wealth

A popular and my favorite answer was a mistake of not keeping, "Same spouse, same house, same car."

I fully agree.  I've been married 31 years to the same person.   Terrific spouse.   Great kids.   23 years in the same house.   23 years with same cars we bought new.  A third car is one that we bought from my MIL when she moved into independent living, which is 14 years old.

Of course, there are exceptions:   Bezos, Muskman, and Billy Gates.  Even so, I wouldn't want to trade my life for theirs, despite the billionaire status.   I'll stay with my "same spouse, same house and same car."

For more on Reaping the Rewards , check back every Friday for a new segment.

This is not financial, wealth building nor wealth preservation advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Starbucks Brand Positioning Effect on Me

“A welcoming coffeehouse where people gather, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas.” New Starbucks Brand Positioning.

TBH, as a 68 year old retired boomer this brand position has no impact on me and doesn't cause me to want to be a customer. 

1. The experience of being in a Starbucks doesn't appeal to me.  Coffee is coffee as far as I'm concerned. On the other hand, my college student daughter goes to Starbucks regularly.  My 14 year old son doesn't have a preference.
2. Starbucks coffee costs too much for me to enjoy.  I may buy it on vacation, which I've done a few times when there is no other choice, like an airport.
3. I know the current CEO also turned around Chipotle after a stint with Taco Bell.  While I'm impressed with the turnaround, I will wait an see for Starbucks.

Disclosure: I'm an engineer, not a marketer,  so my opinion does not reflect the "true" consumer benefit of the new brand positioning.😂

For more on Reaping the Rewards, check back every Friday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor brand positioning advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Confirmation Bias for my Retirement Paycheck Strategy

I attend financial planning dinner seminars to get some ideas. Most of the times, the seminar sells a product, including fear to cause folks to want the product.   Usually, the presenter earns a commission from the product  In other cases, the presenter is charging 1% of a minimum amount of AUM.

Previously, I had only met one financial presenter that I would consider.   He didn't offer any products and spoke about how he routine helped do customized planning for people.  Also, he offered to talk anytime without any charge.

Tonight, I listened to a financial presenter that talked almost exclusively about a proposed strategy and process for a successful retirement.  He shared five elements, one of which was creating a retirement paycheck, which I've been working on for the past year.  He also talk about tax efficiency planning and dealing with stock investment volatility.  In addition, he wasn't advocating or pushing any specific product.

His strategy/process for a "paycheck" and managing investment volatility is what I've been working through for the past year.  Also, I have been doing tax efficiency ever since I did a post retirement job as a tax professional.  I'm glad to hear a professional advocating my approach to financial success in retirement. Confirmation bias for me.

In addition, he is willing to do fee only analysis of one's financial situation on a long term basis.  Also, if he manages investments his AUM charge is reasonable, starting at 1.25% of AUM ( which may be a little high) but ratcheting down more rapidly that other financial advisors to 0.5%.

I haven't decided yet, but I may set up an appointed with this financial planner to have a discussion on more specifics and options of the implementation of his strategy/process.

For more on The Practice of Personal Finance, check back every Wednesday for a new segment.

This is not financial, retirement, choosing a financial planner advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Federal Elections are Choosing Between Bad and Worse

"You're brought up to believe that there's a good guy, and a bad guy. But then eventually you come to realize that there's a bad guy, and a worse guy. And nothing else." ~ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in Thunderbolts.

I was talking to a neighbor about our choices for Governor and U.S. Senate.  I don't like either major party candidate.  However, I've decided that I'm no longer voting for a major party candidate since I feel .  My neighbor is aghast with my choice, ranging from "you're wasting your vote" to "the worst one may win without your vote against them."   Well, if my one vote makes a difference, I told him I would apologize to him.

Here's my wish.   What if everyone voted for the best candidate instead of choosing the least worse of the major party candidates?  Maybe we would get better government.  However, most people believe only the major party candidates can win and refuse to cast a vote for

The only exception I  make is to vote for candidates in my immediate neighborhood even if they are with a major party.

For more on Ideas You Can Use, check back every Tuesday for a new segment.

This is not financial, voting nor candidacy advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Use AI for Internal Corporate Knowledge

On of my roles was managing corporate knowledge in our organization.  We tried to create our own bank for corporate knowledge by having people write a one page summary of their work each week.  Over time this was reduced to every two weeks and then every month.  Our difficulty was the ability to search out one pagers that had enough relevant information related to our business or technical issue.  As a result, employees rarely searched for past knowledge.

However, the AI revolution has mad me think "what if?"    There was a substantial amount of internal and qualitative knowledge in those one page summaries and internal emails.  We used Google search at the time, but it was not efficient are returning useful knowledge to the submitter.  It seems AI, which did not exist at the time, would have been more effective.   Great technology and insight, but 20 years too late for me.

However, if I were ever in that role again, I'd be leveraging and internal only AI to rake through all internal documents to innovate and solve issues.    Unfortunately, 20 years too late or is it?

For more on  Strategy and Plans, check back every Monday for a new segment.

This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Rewarding Myself When 500,000 Monthly Blog Views Happens

Last month, My Wealth Builder, had 486,825 views.   I've decided to give myself a reward when the views cross 500,000 for the first time.  It may happen this month, next month or never.   I've seen short term spikes in viewership over the past year, which then drop significantly afterwards.

I haven't decided what the reward will be since I don't want to jinx the possibility of the event.  As of Friday, September 24, 2026, I will need about 20,000 views per day to reach 500,000 views in September 2026.  

I'm currently at 435,826 views this morning with 4 days remaining in September.  Wish me luck.

For more on New Beginnings, check back every Sunday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor blogging advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Accounts are Mostly Down This Quarter

I do summary of my account statuses at the end of every quarter.  I decided to take a peek at the expected results for the quarter ending 9/30/2026.  The accounts are mostly down from last quarter with a couple down for the year and one that is up.   I'm not worried...yet.

Here's why I'm not worried:

• Almost all the declines are due to falling principal values in bonds, CDs, and bonds funds.  
• Stocks, as a group, have advanced slightly since 6/30/2026.  The stock index funds and individual stocks have done well overall.  Some of my buy the dip stocks have advanced as much as 100% this quarter.
• Bonds, CDs and bond funds are expected to keep paying the same amount for interest and dividends.

At this point, I believe that inflation and interest rates will continue to go up, despite claims to the contrary from the Trump administration.  Thus, I expect the principal values for my bonds and bond mutual fund to keep dropping.

Oh well....

For more on Reflections and Musings, check back every Saturday  for a new segment.

This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC