Not Worried About Declining Market - Yet

Even though the market is falling, I'm still hodling and not selling.    I'm not buying the dip either.   I believe there may be more further downside for longer, which will provide a real time test of my "retirement paycheck" strategy.

Right now, it seems the declines are rotating through different sectors.  Some of my stock sectors seem to have "balance."    When semis go down, software stocks go up.  When software stocks go down, semis go up.   I know this form of volatility my be transitional and eventually every position will go one direction, up or down.

In the meantime, I'm monitoring how my interest and dividends "retirement paycheck" is delivering.  As long as the amount remains relatively stable on annual basis, I won't be worried.  So far, the payments have been as expect for the first half of 2026..

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

This is not financial, retirement, nor investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Social Security Payment Uncertainties

Pensions and Social Security used to create financial security for many retirees due to certainty.  However, over the past 30 years, many pensions have gone by the wayside, eliminating this certainty of retirement income.  Now the certainty of Social Security payments is at risk.

For retirees, the future of Social Security payments shouldn't be uncertain, yet the sustainability of promised amounts is very uncertain.  The latest estimate is that Social Security benefits will be cut 22% across the board by 2032 if Congress does not take action.  Since many retirees depend on Social Security payments for everyday expenses, this uncertainty is unacceptable. 

Even if Congress does act, the effect on retirees may be different depending on which option eventually passes.  The options include: raising the percentage for FICA tax, removing income caps for FICA, doing means testing, capping benefits or combinations of these.    The difficulty for retirees is that these solutions possibly change benefits for many retirees, making the future income very uncertain.

Personally, I believe this should be the number one priority for legislation, given the broad impact it has on citizens.  

For more on Crossing Generations, check back every  Thursday for a new segment.

This is not financial, retirement nor Social Security advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Are SAAS Stocks Back?

I'm still hodling my buy the dip stocks that were purchased in February 2026.  It's been a wild ride.  First they appeared to be recovering.  Then they dropped to 52 week lows last week.  Now, they are up 20-40% in just the first three days of this week.  What a roller coaster.

In the meantime, memory and space stocks which were on a tear since the beginning of 2026 are now down as much as 50% in the past month.   Muskman is no longer a trillionaire.  Muskman has lost his shine, along with the decline of space stocks and TSLA .  AI has also become tarnished as its capabilities seem less miraculous than doomsayers claim.  On the other hand, SAAS stocks have regained their previous luster. 

As I wrote two weeks ago, I've stopped buying the dip.   I'm sticking to that right now.  However, I'm slightly scaling out of one position, HUBS, since I am a little overinvested in HUBS. Otherwise, I am comfortable hodling my SAAS stock positions for a 100% return by end of year.

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Procrastination is Hoarding Eventual Work

I know hoarding physical items is not good.  Same is true hoarding things to do.

Hoarding work creates a backlog of work that still needs to be done.   It doesn't go away.   Wait long enough and the backlog become insurmountable. For example, delaying saving for retirement can be devastating if one starts in their 60s. LOL.

My solution is to break work into small chunks and lead to small wins.  For example, instead of sweating the final savings number for retirement, carve out much smaller monthly contribution and stick to it.  For example, saving $158.15 a month for 40 years will become $1 million.   I'm using the same principle on my home projects.   Instead of carving out a large amount of hours, I put 1-2 hours per day on a project, take a break, and start it up again the next day or even later in the week.  I did this with cleaning and staining our deck and I have been able to easily get the flooring cleaned and stained.  I'm now doing the same with the slatted walls.

Hopefully, this new strategy and approach will help me get projects done and give my kids a good head start on their retirement savings.  I think I will eventually get up to 4 hours a day on our home maintenance/improvement projects.  Almost like going back to work again.😎

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

This is not financial, saving, retirement nor home maintenance advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Pot Filler Leaking - An Annual Maintenance

We love having a pot filler on our counter top the stove.  It is so convenient to fill a pot with water while it is on the stove, instead of carrying the pot to the sink and back.   When remodeled our kitchen 5 years ago, we put a pot filler next to the stove.

It worked great for about a year.  Then, the pot filler started leaking at the post.   Turns out there are silicone o-rings that allow the pot filler to swivel.   As it turns out, the o-rings wear out about once a year for us and require replacement.  Fortunately, the pot filler manufacturer has a lifetime warranty on the items.   They will replace the o-rings at no cost to me.  I just have to install themselves myself.

Fortunately, I had the installer add a shut off valve for the pot filler, which means I can shut off the pot filler individually when it is leaking, instead of shutting off the whole house water.   There are 4 o-rings that need to be replaced.   It took me a couple hours the first time.  Nowadays,  I can do it in less than 30 minutes.   There are another set of o-rings on the swivel arm.  They last longer, needing change about every 2 years, which I've done 2 times.

When I bought the pot filler, I had no idea it needed such frequent maintenance.  I was surprised since plumbing fixtures, e.g. faucets, need maintenance infrequently, perhaps once every 5-10 years.

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Only Two AI Agentic Interfaces Work For Me

Most agentic interfaces are horrible.   I'm starting to immediately by pass them.  My health insurance, my main brokerages, many big box stores and even Amazon have terrible agentic interfaces.  All of them do not recognize my specific request of help, and usually offer something unrelated. My immediate request for these organizations is, "Customer service, please," even if I have to say it 30 times.  Then I complain to customer service about the pour agentic connection.  Their answer, "I know, it's bad."

However, a couple agentic interfaces work great for me:  Kroger's and Walgreens'.  Kroger will take care of my digital coupon and reward point issues immediately and accurately in the times that I 've called them.    Walgreens will take care of my prescription refills immediately and accurately also.  No complaints.

From now on, I'm immediately complaining about poor agentic interfaces and asking if my number can automatically bypass them. Otherwise, I will just repeat, "Representative," or something similar, until I get transferred to a real person.

Disclosure:  I did not receive any compensation for this post.

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

Muskman has Lost his Shine

SPCX, or SpaceX, hit new all time lows this week.  To me the appropriate ticker is SCAMX, since it is based entirely on Muskman's credentials, which have been sinking precipitously since SPCX has been offered to the public.   Investors seem to be realizing that Muskman is not all knowing brilliant, and maybe he just has been at the right place and the right time.

I have changed my mind about hodling my few shares of TSLA.  There are rumors Muskman plans to have SpaceX buyout TSLA.   Since Muskman has controlling interest and over 50% of voting shares, he can make it happen.   Unfortunately, I believe that will reduce the price/value of TSLA further than it has already declined.   

Thus, I plan to sell TSLA on the next bounce which may make my shares profitable again. Probably won't happen since this is more hopium on my part.

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

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

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Dunning-Kruger Effect in Personal Finance

Mastery does not necessarily transfer from one area to another. Brilliant people in one area are not necessarily good at personal finance.

Sir Isaac Newton was a brilliant guy, who gave us the three laws of motion and created calculus. He also famously lost $4 million USD (in today's dollars) in the South Sea Bubble, saying: “I can calculate the motions of the heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people.” Mastery in physics and math did not translate into success in investing.

I've heard of couples making $500,000 annually and living paycheck to paycheck. Others are one missed paycheck away from losing their home or car. Mastery of a high paying job did not translate into success in managing money.

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

Missing Parts Magically Appearing

I try to leave parts in "known" places so that I remember to look there again.  Often, I can find parts that I have placed over 5 years ago.  Recently, I replaced tail lights in two vehicles from parts purchased (due to coming in pairs) over 5 years ago.  It has been a relatively good system.  Of course, it works until it doesn't.  Lately some parts aren't where I thought they would be. Sometimes, I can't find them for months.  

However, in the past couple weeks, some parts that have missing for almost year reappeared miraculously, in a place I didn't think I put things.   I have a few theories of how this happened.

1. Gremlins.  Yeah, they come around in the evening a surreptitiously move the items.  
2. Multi-verse.  OK, I'm moving between parallel universes that are similar, but not exactly the same.
3. Memory lapse.   Unfortunately, this is probably the reason.  I put things somewhere and don't remember where I put it.

Currently, very few parts are MIA.   I continue to hope that these missing parts will show up...eventually.

In the meantime, I will reduce the number of locations I use for storing miscellaneous parts.

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

This is not financial, memory nor parts storage advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

McDonald's French Fries Sticker Shock

We hardly ever eat as fast food restaurants nowadays.  Maybe sometimes when driving on a trip and we didn't pack enough to eat.  

Recently, my son was in a tennis tournament, playing consecutive matches over 5 hours.   Although we packed food and drink for the session, we decided to get a quick bite when he had a longer break.  He didn't want much, just fries.  I ordered large fries, since I wanted to have a small snack too.  To my surprise, the large fries were $4.19.   Sticker shock.

 What happened to the dollar menu, when I remember fries were just $1?   My daughter told me that $1 fries are the regular promotional price if one uses the app.  Unfortunately, I prefer not to have nor use restaurant apps since I don't like them tracking me.  So, I'm not getting the McDonald's app.   And I'm not going there in the future.  Never again.

Disclosure:  I received no compensation for writing this post.

For more on Crossing Generations, check back every Thursday  for a new segment.

This is not financial, app nor fast food advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC