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Our 4-Hour Workweek

Inspired by Timothy Ferriss and his book
“The 4-Hour Workweek”
“This engaging book makes you ask the most important question that you will ever face: What exactly is it that you want out of work and life, and why? Tim Ferriss is a master of getting more for less, often with the help of people he doesn't even know, and here he gives away his secrets for fulfilling your dreams.” - Bo Burlingham - Editor-at-Large, Inc. Magazine & author of "Small Giants: Companies That Choose To Be Great Instead of Big"

« April 2008 | Main

May 12, 2008

Seven Great Mutual Funds With High Returns & Low Risk

A "thirty-something" colleague of mine asked me last week what would I recommend he invest in given he had $10,000.

I love these kinds of questions and with zeal set out to come up with a meaningful recommendation. Considering his age and the fact that he has three young children and a stay at home wife, I felt his risk tolerance was low and so I made a beeline to the MSN Money Central website and the deluxe mutual fund screener. I set the following search criteria:

  1. 10-year annualized return equal to or greater than 12%;
  2. Morningstar rating of 5-star;
  3. Morningstar risk of low;
  4. Zero front-end load.
The search yielded 7 hits: Vanguard Precious Metals and Mining (VGPMX) at 22.44% per year; Fidelity Select Medical Equipment/Systems (FSMEX) at 14.41%; Waddell & Reed Adv Science & Technology (USTFX) at 13.17%; Ivy Science & Technology (WSTCX) at 12.69%; and three Neuberger Berman Genesis funds (NBGNX, NBGEX, and NBGAX) at 12.34%, 12.29% and 12.01% respectively.

Wow! Seven great funds with low risk and 10-year annual returns of 12% or more. Pretty good stuff!

Pierre Cutler
Our 4-Hour Workweek

Posted by Pierre Cutler at 9:39 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

May 7, 2008

The Tim Ferriss Lifestyle of My Favorite Bloggers

The 4-Hour Workweek blogging lifestyle is working for J.D., Darren, Millionaire Mommy, and Tina. Their readership experienced double digit growth over the past two months, since my initial report.

I read four blogs with a 4-Hour Workweek flair on a regular basis.

  1. Get Rich Slowly, authored by J.D. Roth; subscriber base of 56,053 (up 18.8%);
  2. Problogger, authored by Darren Rowse; subscriber base of 47,862 (up 15.5%);
  3. Think Simple Now, authored by Tina Su; subscriber base of 5,049 (up 14.0%);
  4. Millionaire Mommy Next Door, author is anonymous; subscriber base of 3,062 (up 18.5%).
Congrats to Tina Su's readership growth, given she has been on a mini-retirement trip to India for the past two months and hasn't posted since February. I expect Tina will return in a month and look forward to her new material.

Pierre Cutler
Our 4-Hour Workweek

Posted by Pierre Cutler at 12:44 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

May 5, 2008

Livney Lives The 4-Hour Workweek Way

Tim Ferriss, you would be proud of Jeff Livney! Check out his story, courtesy of Angela Shah, reporter for the Dallas Morning News.

Jeff Livney thought he wanted to be an attorney, so, at 16, he secured a paid internship at a law practice in California.

For one of his first assignments, he was asked to create the firm's Web site. "They assumed all young high school guys knew about this, and I didn't," he said. "But I had a friend that did. So I paid him less than what I was being paid and enjoyed a leisurely summer in California."

With that mindset, Mr. Livney created Liveny+Partners, a full service boutique marketing firm in the four years since that internship.

Now that's a true 4-Hour Workweek entrepreneur!

Pierre Cutler
Our 4-Hour Workweek

Posted by Pierre Cutler at 12:41 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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