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SMI Visitor's Weblog
Welcome to the SMI Visitor's Weblog. Below you'll find selected excerpts reprinted from our Member's Weblog, plus occasional posts created especially for our visitors. If you are already an SMI Web Member, click the following link to go to the SMI Member's Weblog. If you're not a Web Member yet, but would like to have access to all of SMI's content — including the SMI Member's Weblog — click to learn about becoming an SMI Web Member. July 30, 2010FREE 30-Day Trial Web MembershipJuly marks SMI's 20th anniversary! Don't worry. We're not expecting a gift. Instead we have one for you! Right now, we're offering a 30-day free trial web membership — just for the asking... but the offer ends on July 31st! Why try SMI? Well, how about the fact that our core investing strategy, Fund Upgrading, has beaten the overall market in 10 of the past 11 years! And our simplified Just-the-Basics strategy has done pretty well, too!
Let's put Upgrading's performance in dollar terms. If you had invested $25,000 in the overall market at the beginning of 1999, it would have grown to $30,372. But if the same money had been invested according to SMI's Upgrading strategy, it would have grown to $60,532 — an end result almost twice that earned from investing in the overall market!
This special anniversary offer is only good through July 31st, so sign up today!
 Posted by Matthew at 4:20 PM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): free web membership  Email this post
Winner #19 in SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Geneva Williams of Opelika, Alabama. Geneva is today's winners in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — she will receive a FREE one-year SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter a bunch). Furthermore, even if you don't win one of the 20 free memberships being given away, you can still benefit from these referrals. For each friend who becomes a subscriber or web member and lists you as their referrer, you'll get two free months of SMI added to your active print subscription or web membership! (Offer only applies to current SMI web members or print subscribers.) And there's no limit to the number of free months you can get this way. So congratulations Geneva and thanks again for spreading the word of what we do here at Posted by Matthew at 8:06 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 29, 2010Winner #18 in SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Dan Kilde of Chandler, Arizona. Dan is today's winner in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — he gets a one-year FREE SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times). Furthermore, even if you don't win one of the 20 free memberships being given away, you can still benefit from these referrals. For each friend who becomes a subscriber or web member and lists you as their referrer, you'll get two free months of SMI added to your active print subscription or web membership! (Offer only applies to current SMI web members or print subscribers.) And there's no limit to the number of free months you can get this way. So congratulations, Dan, on winning, and thanks for spreading the word of what we do here at Posted by Matthew at 9:50 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 28, 2010Winner #17 in SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Chris Bajwa of Bethesda, Maryland. Chris is today's winners in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — he will receive a FREE one-year SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter a bunch). Furthermore, even if you don't win one of the 20 free memberships being given away, you can still benefit from these referrals. For each friend who becomes a subscriber or web member and lists you as their referrer, you'll get two free months of SMI added to your active print subscription or web membership! (Offer only applies to current SMI web members or print subscribers.) And there's no limit to the number of free months you can get this way. So congratulations Chris and thanks again for spreading the word of what we do here at Posted by Matthew at 8:28 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 27, 2010Winner #16 of SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Jim Mcgurl of Poughkeepsie, New York. Jim is today's winner in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — he gets a one-year FREE SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times). Furthermore, even if you don't win one of the 20 free memberships being given away, you can still benefit from these referrals. For each friend who becomes a subscriber or web member and lists you as their referrer, you'll get two free months of SMI added to your active print subscription or web membership! (Offer only applies to current SMI web members or print subscribers.) And there's no limit to the number of free months you can get this way. So congratulations, Jim, on winning, and thanks for spreading the word of what we do here at Posted by Matthew at 10:54 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 26, 2010Winners #12, #13, #14, and #15 of SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Eric Thomsen of Beatrice, Nebraska, J P Welch of Richmond, Virginia, James Yorio of Martinez, Georgia, and Brenda Anderson of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. They are today's winners in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — they will receive a FREE one-year SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times). Furthermore, even if you don't win one of the 20 free memberships being given away, you can still benefit from these referrals. For each friend who becomes a subscriber or web member and lists you as their referrer, you'll get two free months of SMI added to your active print subscription or web membership! (Offer only applies to current SMI web members or print subscribers.) And there's no limit to the number of free months you can get this way. So congratulations to today's winners, and thanks again for spreading the word of what we do here at Posted by Matthew at 9:39 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 23, 2010Just posted: August issue of Sound Mind Investing!No matter what may be going on in stock market on any given day, a long-term financial plan that focuses on eliminating debt, building savings, and diversifying one's investments will eventually pay off!
And, of course, we've included a little bit of free-access content for those who aren't yet subscribers. For example: you can read this article on how to juice the yields of any savings you might not need for a least a couple of years (e.g., money set aside for a major purchase or an anniversary trip). Also in the August issue:
Our August cover story focuses on this question: "How should you respond to what seems be the beginnings of a bear market?" We walk you through an objective process that will help you make a "sound mind" decision about your investing strategy. Not yet an SMI print subscriber or web member? Check us out free for 30 days online!
Posted by Joseph at 2:20 PM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): bear market alert, new issue Email this post
July 22, 2010Winner #11 of SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Julia Santy of San Luis Obispo, California. Julia is today's winner in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — she gets a one-year FREE SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times). Furthermore, even if you don't win one of the 20 free memberships being given away, you can still benefit from these referrals. For each friend who becomes a subscriber or web member and lists you as their referrer, you'll get two free months of SMI added to your active print subscription or web membership! (Offer only applies to current SMI web members or print subscribers.) And there's no limit to the number of free months you can get this way. So congratulations, Julia, on winning, and thanks for spreading the word of what we do here at Posted by Matthew at 8:24 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 21, 2010Winner #10 of SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Stephen Mccormick of Clarksville, Tennessee. Stephen is today's winner in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — he gets a one-year FREE SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times). Furthermore, even if you don't win one of the 20 free memberships being given away, you can still benefit from these referrals. For each friend who becomes a subscriber or web member and lists you as their referrer, you'll get two free months of SMI added to your active print subscription or web membership! (Offer only applies to current SMI web members or print subscribers.) And there's no limit to the number of free months you can get this way. So congratulations, Stephen, on winning, and thanks for spreading the word of what we do here at Sound Mind Investing. Posted by Matthew at 9:02 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 20, 2010Winner #9 of SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Bill Feath of Plano, Texas. Bill is today's winner in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — he gets a one-year FREE SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times). Furthermore, even if you don't win one of the 20 free memberships being given away, you can still benefit from these referrals. For each friend who becomes a subscriber or web member and lists you as their referrer, you'll get two free months of SMI added to your active print subscription or web membership! (Offer only applies to current SMI web members or print subscribers.) And there's no limit to the number of free months you can get this way. So congratulations, Bill, on winning, and thanks for spreading the word of what we do here at Posted by Matthew at 8:22 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 19, 2010Thinking long-term when the market is wild"So how should one manage money in an era of unpredictability and volatility?" asks a story on the front page of today's "Money" section in USA Today. The Dow Jones industrials' 261-point plunge Friday sparked by a sharp drop in consumer sentiment in July highlights that gloominess persists....
On a recent Faith Meeting House program on Alabama's Faith Radio, SMI assistant editor Joseph Slife (right) talked with host Bob Crittenden about the maintaining a long-term perspective when the short-term is unsettling. Use the audio player below to listen (16 min.) — or download an mp3 (Windows users: right click, then "save link as"). Posted by Matthew at 1:50 PM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): investing principles, market volatility Email this post
Winners #6, #7 and #8 of SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Joe and Ruthie Scheidel of Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Dave Neufeld of Olathe, Kansas, and Larry Fryling of Hayward, California. They are all winners in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest and will get a one-year FREE SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times — so please do!). So again, congratulations to Joe and Ruthie, Dave, and Larry. Thanks for spreading the word about Sound Mind Investing! Posted by Matthew at 9:35 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 16, 2010Winner #5 of SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Carolyn Fasold of Monument, Colorado. Carolyn is today's winner in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — she gets a one-year FREE SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times). So congratulations, Carolyn, on winning, and thanks for spreading the word of what we do here at Sound Mind Investing. Posted by Matthew at 8:37 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 15, 2010Winner #4 of SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to William Beichley of Westminster, Colorado. William is today's winner in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — he gets a one-year FREE SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times). So congratulations, William, on winning, and thanks for spreading the word of what we do here at Sound Mind Investing. Posted by Matthew at 8:53 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 14, 2010Winner #3 of SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Sue Rapp of Springfield, Ohio! Sue is today's winner in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — she gets a one-year FREE SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times). So congratulations, Sue, on winning, and thanks for spreading the word of what we do here at Sound Mind Investing. Posted by Matthew at 8:34 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 13, 2010Winner #2 of SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Steve Sarrett of Denison, Texas! Steve is today's winner in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — he gets a one-year FREE SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times). So congratulations, Steve, on winning, and thanks for spreading the word of what we do here at Sound Mind Investing. Posted by Matthew at 8:25 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 12, 2010Winner #1 of SMI's 20th Anniversary Referral ContestCongratulations to Dale Wayman of Lynden, Washington! Dale is the first winner in our 20th Anniversary Referral Contest — he gets a one-year FREE SMI web membership!
For each friend you recommend, you'll be entered into a drawing for a FREE One-Year Web Membership — a $119 value! (If you're already a Web member, we'll extend your Web membership 12 additional months if you win!) And while you can win only once, there's no limit to the number of referrals/entries you send us (in other words, you can enter lots of times). So thanks, Dale, for helping spread the word of what we do here. And congrats again on winning a free year of Sound Mind Investing! Posted by Matthew at 9:19 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): contest winner Email this post
July 9, 2010Bear Alert triggeredAt Sound Mind Investing, we don't try to predict anything or time the market ("Put your money in now!" "Take your money out now!). Instead, we take a long-term, "steady plodding" (Proverbs 21:5) approach to investing. Still, we realize some readers are helped by having a reliable indicator of the overall market trend so they can make portfolio adjustments consistent with their long-term plan. Several years ago, we developed the Bear Alert Indicator, a tool that helps our readers know the difference between a "routine" market correction and what is likely to be a deeper downturn. The Alert triggered last Friday for the first time since January 2008. Yes, the market has rallied since then, but that's not unusual. Often the bear takes awhile to manifest fully. SMI's Bear Alert isn't a perfect indicator (no market indicator is perfect). But the methodology of the Bear Alert has been accurate at spotting a bear market 10 out of the last 11 times it has sounded. The Bear Alert is just one of many value-added benefits available to you if you become an SMI web member — and right now, as we celebrate SMI's 20th Anniversary, you can try a web membership for 30 days free! Others benefits of being an SMI web member include:
This special anniversary offer is good only during July, so don't procrastinate. Take advantage today!
Posted by Joseph at 11:00 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): bear market alert Email this post
July 1, 201020th Anniversary special: Free 30-day trial Web Membership!July marks SMI's 20th anniversary! Don't worry. We're not expecting a gift. Instead we have one for you! Right now, we're offering a 30-day free trial web membership — just for the asking. Why try SMI? Well, how about the fact that our core investing strategy, Fund Upgrading, has beaten the overall market in 10 of the past 11 years! And our simplified Just-the-Basics strategy has done pretty well, too!
Let's put Upgrading's performance in dollar terms. If you had invested $25,000 in the overall market at the beginning of 1999, it would have grown to $30,372. But if the same money had been invested according to SMI's Upgrading strategy, it would have grown to $60,532 — an end result almost twice that earned from investing in the overall market!
This special anniversary offer is good only during the month of July, so take advantage today!
Posted by Joseph at 2:05 PM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): free web membership, special offer Email this post
June 23, 2010Happy Anniversary to...us!Time for a stroll down memory lane: twenty years ago Boris Yeltsin was elected president of the Russian Federation, East and West Germany re-united, and Iraq invaded Kuwait. In technology, Microsoft rolled out Windows 3.0 and a guy named Tim Berners-Lee developed something call the World Wide Web. On Wall Street, broker Drexel Burnham Lambert filed for bankruptcy, while the Dow Jones industrial average hit a record high of 2,870. And in Louisville, Ky., the first issue of the Sound Mind Investing newsletter rolled off the press.
In our just-released 20th anniversary issue, founder and publisher Austin Pryor revisits SMI's abiding heartbeat in a piece entitled, Feeling the Father's Pleasure. It's available here — free to subscribers and not-yet subscribers alike! Also free this month, guest writer Shannon Plate offers advice on close-to-home options that can help you trim your entertainment-related spending, and Austin explains how not all price/earnings ratios are created equal. Rounding out our July articles (for subscribers):
Not yet an SMI subscriber or web member? Today's a great day to sign up! If you become a web member, you'll gain full access to the July issue — plus step-by-step details on how to implement our time-tested investing strategies.  Posted by Joseph at 11:55 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): new issue Email this post
May 20, 2010June (issue of SMI) is bustin' out all overNo matter what may be going on in stock market on any given day, a personal financial plan that focuses on eliminating debt, building savings, and investing for the long-term will eventually pay off! The new June issue of the Sound Mind Investing newsletter — just posted online — will encourage you in those pursuits! And, of course, we've included some free-access content for those who aren't yet subscribers. In his monthly editorial, SMI founder Austin Pryor explains that the world's financial problems — e.g., Greek debt, falling currencies, market volatility — are not the biggest threat to most people's financial security. The biggest threat is their own decision-making process. (We can help!) Also in the June issue:
Not yet an SMI subscriber or web member? Today's a great day to sign up! If you become a web member, you'll gain instant access to all of the helpful and encouraging content in the just-released June issue! Posted by Joseph at 11:50 AM | TrackBack Category(s): SMI General Announcements Tag(s): new issue, Sound Mind Investing newsletter Email this post
April 21, 2010Hot off the server: The May issue of Sound Mind InvestingThe latest issue of Sound Mind Investing has just been posted — and, of course, we've included some free-access content for folks who aren't yet subscribers. Check out On the Outside Looking In? — Austin Pryor's thoughts on what do to if you bailed out during the fear-filled days of the bear market and have missed the remarkable stock market recovery of the past year a so. Also in the May issue:
Not an SMI web member yet? Today's a great day to join and instantly gain access to all of the helpful and encouraging content in the new May issue!
December 22, 2009January issue of SMI just released!The January 2010 issue of the SMI newsletter has just been posted to the website. SMI web members following our Fund Upgrading strategy are being advised to make a pair of mutual fund changes this month. Each January, we unveil new recommended stock and bond allocations for the new year. This year we have a couple of significant changes recommended for readers. We are also introducing some new features with this month's issue. This month's editorial explains the new optional inflation hedges we've created to be used as a supplement to our core investing strategies. We also are unveiling a new Diversification Calculator/Tool to help web members determine the optimal allocation for their portfolio. As always, there's also a host of other timely and informative content. For example, we explain this month why 2010 offers a unique opportunity to convert to a Roth IRA, a move that could potentially save you tens of thousands of dollars in taxes over your lifetime. This and much more is available in the January issue. Not a web member yet? Today's a great day to join and instantly gain access to all of the new January content and mutual fund changes!
December 10, 2009Christmas comes early — 35% discount on The SMI HandbookWith over 100,000 copies in circulation and now in its 5th edition, the Sound Mind Investing Handbook is a masterpiece on simplifying investing and personal finances. But rather than paying the retail price of $24.99, we're happy to announce a 35% discount offer. You'll pay just $16.24 + $3.50 for s/h. Books are shipped on the next business day (if not sooner), so you still have time to send a gift copy of the book Ron Blue calls a "must read for anyone interested in investing in very uncertain economic times," Randy Alcorn calls an "attractive easy-to-follow investment guide written in plain English" and Amazon.com shows as having a perfect 5-Star rating! We trust that your loved ones (or maybe even yourself!) would benefit from receiving The Sound Mind Investing Handbook. And now ordering gift books is easier than ever. PS - SMI Web Members get an additional 5% off the already discounted price. Memberships are only $8.95 per month, and you can cancel anytime — no long-term commitments. Try it today!
November 25, 2009Special Christmas offer from SMI doubles your giving!Each year, SMI offers some sort of Christmas promotion. This year, however, our offer is unlike any we’ve done before. This year we want to tap into the real meaning of the season and focus on giving. In fact, this year we’re going to give you a special opportunity to double your giving! This Christmas, when you give the gift of Sound Mind Investing, SMI will turn around and give to a child in need through Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree ministry. For those who may not be familiar with Angel Tree, For every SMI web membership or print subscription you give between now and Christmas Day, Sound Mind Investing will sponsor a child. And there is no limit to the number of children we'll sponsor. It’s not often you have the opportunity to double your investment — guaranteed. But this is one such opportunity. Give the gift of SMI to a friend or loved one, and at the same time give a gift to child who may not get one otherwise this year. Take advantage of this rare opportunity and give the gift of Sound Mind Investing this Christmas. Your loved one, and someone else’s little loved one, will be happy you did!
November 20, 2009December issue of SMI just releasedThe December 2009 issue of the SMI newsletter has just been posted to the website. SMI web members following our Fund Upgrading strategy are advised of two new fund changes to make this month. This month, we've assembled a collection of great ideas to help you make significant financial (and spiritual) progress over the next 12 months. Your 10 Most Important Financial Moves for 2010 is designed to help you identify the most pressing financial priorities for you in the year to come. By identifying, prioritizing, and then checking these items off one by one as they are accomplished, you can make 2010 a year of great financial progress. Other topics include investing in real estate, a free gift offer for SMI web members, how to make this a no-debt Christmas, our end-of-year tax guide, and much more. Not a web member yet? Today's a great day to join and instantly gain access to all of the new December content and mutual fund changes!
October 26, 2009Sound Mind Investing partners with Debt-Proof LivingSound Mind Investing is happy to announce a partnership with our long-time friends at Debt-Proof Living. Each week, DPL will share their expertise via an article chosen specifically for SMI members on our Money-Saving Tips page. If you haven't heard of DPL, you will. Its founder, Mary Hunt, is a best-selling author and respected authority on consumer debt and money management. In addition to the website, blog, and newsletter (www.debtproofliving.com), Mary writes the nationally-syndicated newspaper column, Everyday Cheapskate, and Your Money Solutions, her column in Woman's Day magazine. She has written 18 books for consumers since 1993. As an added bonus, SMI web-members can receive a FREE copy of Mary's best-selling book, Debt-Proof Living, by becoming a member or subscriber to Debt-Proof Living. That's a $17 book included free with your $29 subscription. Exclusive content and special offers from DPL — two more benefits of becoming an SMI web member. Sign up today!
October 23, 2009November issue of SMI now availableThe November 2009 issue of the SMI newsletter was posted to the website earlier this week. There's some great content in it, for SMI web members and visitors alike. Visitors may be interested in this month's cover article, “Trusting God to Work Things Together for Good.” This testimony from Austin details his journey of learning to trust God through a long period in the financial wilderness. This is an encouraging reminder that no matter what you may be facing, our loving and faithful Lord is worthy of all your confidence! Also available for visitors is our Third Quarter Report Card, detailing the performance of SMI's main investment strategies. The overall market has done well of late, but our strategies have done even better! Of course, there's even more great content available for SMI web members, including 4 Common Financial Mistakes Parents Make (and how to avoid them), Why Investing in Foreign Funds Can Help You Benefit From a Falling Dollar, How Health Care Reform Will Impact You, and more. Become a member today to enjoy instant access to all these articles, as well as SMI's recommended fund list.
October 20, 2009SMI staffer on Crown's MoneyLife programOur October cover article, "Is a College Education Still Worth the Investment?," is the subject of today's MoneyLife radio program from Crown Financial Ministries. Host Chuck Bentley interviews SMI writer/researcher Joseph Slife, who wrote the article. Listen below.
September 21, 2009October issue of SMI just releasedThe October 2009 issue of the SMI newsletter has just been posted to the website. This month, we continue our exploration of the inflation/deflation quandary and weigh in with some important potential consequences for bond investors. We also delve into the details of holding gold or other precious metals in an IRA account. With students of all ages now back in school, we also turn our attention this month to the college issue — a financial challenge of increasing proportions. Our cover article examines whether a college education is still worth the investment. We also take a look at the new Income-Based Repayment program for graduates trying to figure out the best way to repay their student loan debt. All of this, and much more, is available now for SMI web members. Becoming a member is also the only way to gain access to SMI's Fund Upgrading recommendations...the same strategy that has helped SMI readers earn 7.4% per year over the past 10 years (thru 8/31/09) during a decade when the stock market overall has returned just 0.3% per year. So what are you waiting for? Become an SMI web member today!
August 24, 2009September issue of SMI just releasedThe September 2009 issue of the SMI newsletter has just been posted to the website. Readers following our Fund Upgrading strategy were advised of four fund changes to make this month. Upgrading is now up over 50% from the March 9 lows. This month, Austin concludes his two-part feature on potential future dollar weakness by laying out a road map for investing in gold. SMI web members can check out all the details in this month's cover article. Other topics include investing in leveraged ETFs, EE Bonds, how to choose the right Medicare plan coverage, and much more. Not a web member yet? Today's a great day to join and instantly gain access to all of the new September content and mutual fund changes!
July 27, 2009SMI swims in the social media watersIn case you're new or just didn't see previous announcements, I wanted to let you know that Sound Mind Investing has been splashing around in the waters of social media. We first dipped our toes in last October when we launched our official SMI Facebook page. Then in early April, we dove into "micro-blogging" with Twitter. I even "tweeted live" from Tax Protest Rallies on April 15th and again on July 4th. We now have nearly 800 followers on Twitter and the waves are building. Again, if you're not familiar with Twitter, these posts will give you a brief overview. We have also gotten wet in sites like StumbleUpon, where you can share articles with people who have similar interests as your own (side note: StumbleUpon is now SMI's second leading referral site, Google being number one). Not to mention sites like Digg or Tip'd where you can vote on articles to help increase their prominence and consequently, their popularity. Many of you may have found Sound Mind Investing through one of these sources. If so, welcome! If you use any of these sites/services, feel free to stop by and say hello, and naturally, spread the word about SMI to anyone you know who might be interested.
July 22, 2009August issue now availableThe August 2009 issue of the newsletter has just been posted to the website. Readers following our Fund Upgrading strategy are advised that there are no fund changes to make this month. We're adjusting our long-term posture regarding gold investing this month. Web members can check out all the details in this month's cover article. Not a web member yet? Today's a great day to join and instantly gain access to all of the new August content!
June 23, 2009July issue now availableThe July 2009 issue of the newsletter has just been posted to the website. Readers following our Fund Upgrading strategy are advised that five funds are being replaced this month. SMI web members can read the write-ups of the new funds we're adding here. Want to see which funds SMI is currently recommending? Become a Web Member today to instantly gain access to all of the new July content!
May 21, 2009June issue now availableThe June 2009 issue of the newsletter has just been posted to the website. Readers following our Fund Upgrading strategy are advised that four funds are being replaced this month. SMI Web Members can read the write-ups of the new funds we're adding here. Enjoy!
April 23, 2009May issue now availableThe May 2009 issue of the newsletter has just been posted to the website. Readers following our Fund Upgrading strategy are advised that two fund changes are being made this month. Web Members can read the write-ups of the new funds we're adding here.
April 14, 2009SMI now on Twitter!SMI is doing a trial run on Twitter under the username SoundMindInvest.
Why is SMI trying Twitter? For starters, we think it's important to be familiar with the popular social media options out there. We established an SMI Facebook presence last year and continue to learn how to best utilize it to broaden SMI's reach. Secondly, our reader demographic skews towards a "mature" (i.e., older) audience. SMI has had a harder time reaching the younger crowd, which isn't too surprising, given that it's a reach for most younger people to pay for investing counsel when they don't have much money invested yet. Establishing a presence on sites like Twitter and Facebook will hopefully help attract younger readers, or at the very least, put SMI on their radar. Ideally, we'll be able to convey the fact that SMI offers significant benefits even to those still in the "getting out of debt" phase of life. (There's a reason so many new readers write to us saying, "if only I had found SMI 10 years ago" or "when I was younger.") So what does this mean for you? The Sound Mind Investing website will still be the best place to go for the most up-to-date information. But due to the viral nature of social media, our name spreads simply by Twitter users following us. So if you're using Twitter, by all means, come follow us. Furthermore, if you know someone who could benefit from SMI but they're not ready to become members, letting them know they can follow us on Twitter (and/or Facebook) may help get them familiar with who we are and what we do. If you haven't tried Twitter, check it out. It's fun and easy. If you have any questions, shoot me an email at mpblog@soundmindinvesting.com. Happy Twittering.
April 3, 2009WANTED: SMI Handbook reviewsAs you may recall, we released the 5th Edition Sound Mind Investing Handbook late last year. What you may not know is that Crown Financial Ministries is now the distributor of the book (except for orders that come through our site). Furthermore, we're doing some co-branding with Crown, given that the book is listed as a "Destination 5" resource on the Crown Money Map. This designation now appears on the back cover of the SMI Handbook. Crown has already gotten the book listed on Amazon. We have updated the listing and enabled the "Look Inside" option where you can view the contents of the book before buying it. But currently, all the reviews are actually for the previous edition. We've been very fortunate as we have two dozen reviews of older editions and it AVERAGED a perfect 5 star rating! We hope it continues with this new 5th edition. If any of you would like to give the new edition a review on Amazon, we certainly would appreciate it. Our readers' feedback is immensely important to us and serves as one of our top sources of referrals. We would be very grateful to any of you who can help continue this tradition and begin to build a new track record of quality reviews. Thanks.
March 23, 2009April issue now availableThe April 2009 issue of the newsletter has just been posted to the website. You can browse all of the new content via the table of contents page. Readers following our Fund Upgrading strategy are advised that two funds are being replaced this month. Web members can read the write-ups of the new funds we're adding here.
February 18, 2009New SMI OfferingWe're pleased to announce the Blogger Referral Program. If you're a blogger and like to talk about us, we want to make sure you get credit (ex: two free issues or web months) for anyone you refer who becomes a member (beyond the 30-Day Free Trial). In the past this wasn't always easy because at sign-up, a new member would forget or pick the wrong "How Heard" selection or leave an inadequate description for us to work off of. But now, we can offer you a special SMI destination URL to use on your blog that will incorporate special code so that new orders come to us with your information as the source of the referral, regardless of what the new member selects in the "How Heard" portion of the order form. If you are interested in getting your own SMI Destination URL, please email customerservice@soundmindinvesting.com with "Blogger Referral" in the subject. If you have other questions, you can post them here on the message boards or send them to the email above.
January 22, 2009Random new issue notesA couple of quick follow-up notes to the new February issue just released:
February issue now availableThe February 2009 issue of the newsletter has just been posted to the website. There are no changes to our Fund Upgrading lineup this month.
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Not familiar with the contest? We're giving away 20 one-year web memberships. Simply fill out the 
Not familiar with the contest? We're giving away 20 one-year web memberships. Simply fill out the 
The new August issue of the Sound Mind Investing newsletter — just posted online — will encourage you in those pursuits.
Whew! How should investors respond?
Much has changed during the past two decades, but one thing has stayed constant: our motivation for doing what we do! SMI's raison d'etre has always been to encourage and enable our readers to become generous givers.
it’s a unique opportunity to help moms and dads who are in prison connect with their children. 