Great Financial Advice

I have rules set up on my e-mail to filter newsletter-y mail to one folder and flyer-y e-mail (that I don’t want to unsubscribe from) into another (and several other rules). Every now and then I skim through these folders and then hit “delete all”. Today I decided to look at ING Direct’s newsletter for some odd reason. Inside, rather than blatant sales pitches for their many products, and whining and complaining about economic conditions (that are affect them mostly because of their poor decisions), I found brilliant financial advice from a solid financial institution.

> While we don’t have an Orange crystal ball, we do expect the economy to remain fragile through 2009. The best course of action for our Customers is to be disciplined: avoid splurging; identify and cut out unnecessary expenses and save for what’s essential; and hedge against those tough times. We can all benefit by developing good spending habits: confront – and cut up – credit cards; use your home as a savings vehicle – not as an ATM; and establish and contribute regularly to an IRA or 401(k).

WOW.

– Be disciplined
– don’t splurge
– cut unnecessary expenses
– save for essentials
– CUT UP CREDIT CARDS
– contribute regularly to IRA

They aren’t trying to convince me to get a home equity loan. They aren’t trying to sell me a credit card. They are encouraging me to get out of debt, only buy essentials, and pay with cash. I might have to consider switching all of my accounts over here.


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3 responses to “Great Financial Advice”

  1. […] some great financial advice in a e-newsletter from ING Direct in my inbox today.  Wrote about it on mattheerema.com (where I will probably be writing more […]

  2. Brad Hill Avatar
    Brad Hill

    I’m sorry, but this advice conflicts with my own priority list:

    * Be capricious
    * Shop every weekend
    * Essentials are boring; indulge whimsy
    * Accept credit cards and use them aggressively
    * Adopt a “come what may” attitude
    * Die early to avoid financial repercussions

    Thinking of starting a financial consultancy….

  3. Matt Avatar

    Absolutely ING’s advice are elementary, common sense, almost, but it flies in the face of most of the country’s habits. It’s also refreshing to see a newsletter from a financial institution that isn’t trying to sell me something. Quite the contrary really.

    And you should absolutely start a consultancy.

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