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Showing posts from June, 2021

Edelman Financial Engines Review 2021

 Background I have listened to Rick's show for the past 17 years. From the days of iPod downloads to recent podcasts. His advice has always been solid and on point for the general listening audience. It is challenging to provide general advice on a radio or podcast, with a diverse audience.  I would not personally use a financial advisor, as their fees are a significant drag on performance and they are not doing anything different, that a do-it-yourself investor can do for themselves. However, everyone is different, and sometimes it helps us sleep better. We just have to realize that it comes at a cost.  I do have a small portfolio with  Edelman Financial Engines , when they started the online robo advisor service. The portfolio has performed on par with my diy portfolio Recent history In 2018 Financial Engines and Edelman Financial Services merged . I have used their services before and after the merger and did not notice a significant difference in service and...

OhmConnect Review 2021

 What is OhmConnect ? How it works: OhmHours and AutoOhms 101 What’s an OhmHour, you might be wondering? ‍ In short: The OhmHour is where the magic happens. ‍ An OhmHour or an AutoOhm is a brief window of time (usually on weeknight evenings) when demand on the energy grid is so high that utility companies would rather pay their customers to reduce our collective usage than the alternative - firing up a dirty, expensive “peaker” plant. ‍ It works like this: Get notified : The utility lets us know that a time of intense demand is coming up and we notify you about it via an email or SMS Reduce : OhmConnect community members reduce our energy usage by turning off lights, giving our thermostats a break and not using electronics. (The easiest way to do this is by having your thermostat connected and smart plugs attached to your home’s biggest energy hogs. More on that later.) Get rewarded : If you’ve used less energy than you were forecasted to, you get rewarded with Watts, the currency ...