MONEY MATTERS Archives - SB Magazine

Why Do Your Energy Bills Spike?

editor — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 17:17:00 +0000

Trying to go through your energy costs can sometimes feel like an exercise into nowhere. Just when it seems that you have everything under control, an unexpected spike appears, leaving you astonished and your wallet cringing. There may be a lot of causes behind an unexpected jump in costs. Understanding these causes is important to taking back control over both your finances and consumption habits. In this blog, we will look at why your bills might suddenly skyrocket so unexpectedly and what steps can be taken to keep them under control:

Seasonal Changes Bring Sudden Shifts

Weather fluctuations are one of the biggest sources of increasing energy bills. As temperatures shift quickly from one extreme to another, heating and cooling systems work overtime. In cold winters, furnaces or electric heaters can consume extra electricity or gas to keep your home comfortable, while scorching summer days mean the air conditioners work overtime in order to cool them off. As these seasonal demands result in greater energy use, their costs rise quickly as a result.

Faulty Water Heaters

Malfunctioning water heaters can contribute a lot to your energy bill increases. A malfunctioning water heater requires more energy for hot water delivery and results in higher utility costs. Issues like sediment buildup in the tank, malfunctioning thermostat or heating elements all waste energy and lead to unnecessary utility consumption and costs. Regular maintenance and timely water heater repair are very important in order to keep this appliance working right and reduce unnecessary energy use and wasted money on your bills.

Appliance Energy Vampires

Unfortunately, certain appliances can be energy vampires undercover, even when they are not actively in use. Standby power (sometimes referred to as “phantom load”) refers to the amount of energy an appliance uses when it is plugged in but not being actively run. Devices like TVs, gaming consoles and kitchen gadgets can fall under this category and over time even small amounts wasted can add up. This can cause a big spike in your monthly utility bills.

Old or Inefficient Systems

Older appliances and HVAC systems tend to use more power in comparison with more energy-efficient options, drawing more power in response to their diminished performance than needed. Upgrading to energy-efficient appliances may seem costly initially but will eventually save you on their consumption and your money over time.

Increased Usage or Changed Habits

Life changes such as remote work, having guests visit you more frequently or extended stays at home can all increase your home’s energy use by a lot. Even simple actions like running the dishwasher and washing machine more often add up over time and should be evaluated to identify areas where small changes could give you big savings.

Energy bills don’t have to be a source of anxiety for you. You need to understand why your bills are suddenly spiked up, and then your household can make better choices and reduce wasteful spending. From seasonal challenges, inefficiencies or revisiting household habits, being proactive about energy use leads to long-term savings- and an eco-friendlier future. Take control and watch how it changes everything.

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From Paddock to Portfolio: Where Equine Wellness Becomes an Asset Class

editor — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 18:54:00 +0000

There’s a certain poetry in owning a horse. The kind that canter beyond spreadsheets and into the realm of living, breathing investments. Unlike stocks, they look you in the eye. Unlike property, they can carry you at full gallop across an open field. And unlike many other tangible assets, their value is shaped by both skill and care.

For some investors, horses are more than a hobby. They’re a strategic allocation — a way to diversify, hedge, and maybe even indulge in a lifelong dream while building wealth. But this isn’t a market you approach with blind optimism. It’s one where the right knowledge can turn a passion into a performance asset.

Via Pexels

Understanding Horses as Assets

Just as a rare vintage car appreciates with maintenance, a well-bred, well-trained horse can hold or increase in value. But the value isn’t static — it’s influenced by bloodline, discipline, training milestones, and competition results.

Some investors focus on sport horses for disciplines like show jumping or dressage. Others lean toward breeding, banking on the offspring of champion lines. Leasing, syndication, and resale are also viable routes, especially for those who prefer to share ownership or offset costs.

Barriers to Entry — and How to Lower Them

Horses aren’t a “buy today, profit tomorrow” kind of investment. The upfront cost for a competitive or high-pedigree horse can rival that of a small apartment. Then there are boarding fees, training costs, insurance, and transport.

This is where syndicates come in. By pooling resources, investors can access top-tier horses without carrying the full financial burden. You still benefit from potential returns — whether from prize winnings, resale, or breeding — without committing to the entire capital outlay.

Maintenance as a Profit Strategy

Think of a horse like a performance engine. Every element of care impacts longevity, performance, and market value. Nutrition, veterinary care, training schedules, and competition planning all factor into the asset’s return potential.

Consumables play a surprisingly important role here. Products like horse supplements can help maintain peak condition, support recovery after training, and prevent performance-limiting issues. For an investor, these aren’t “optional extras” — they’re a calculated expense to protect and grow the underlying asset.

Exit Strategies That Make Sense

Unlike stocks, you can sell in seconds, exiting a horse investment takes timing and precision. Selling after a major competition win can spike market value. Breeding contracts can generate returns while you retain ownership. In some cases, leasing to competitive riders keeps the asset working (and earning) without a full sale.

Diversifying within the equine sector is also smart. You might hold one horse for breeding, another for competition, and invest in equine-related businesses or properties, spreading risk while keeping it all within the same ecosystem.

The Final Gallop

Investing in horses blends financial strategy with a touch of the romantic. Yes, it’s capital-intensive and yes, it comes with unique risks — but for the right investor, it offers something numbers alone can’t measure. A living, breathing asset that responds to care, discipline, and vision.

The paddock may not look like Wall Street, but in the right hands, it can deliver returns every bit as satisfying — and far more memorable.

The post From Paddock to Portfolio: Where Equine Wellness Becomes an Asset Class appeared first on SB Magazine.

MONEY MATTERS: YOUR WEALTH’S HEALTH

SB Magazine — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 18:04:01 +0000

As we kick off the new year, many of us are setting health goals—whether it’s getting in better shape or improving our overall wellness. Just like those personal health goals, it’s the perfect time to assess the health of your investments and reflect on your portfolio’s performance. With fresh goals in mind for the year ahead, it’s important to review your financial strategy to help ensure it’s aligned with your objectives, helping you stay on track toward long-term financial well-being, just as you would for your personal health.

How is your portfolio doing? Do you feel your asset allocations are well-positioned to meet your goals and objectives?

If you haven’t made a habit of scheduling a check-up to manage your wealth’s health, an annual review is a great place to start. However, if an annual review (or check-up) is already part of your plan, there are other ways to level up how you manage and preserve your wealth’s health. One area of growing importance we are frequently asked about is cybersecurity, a topic where certain preventative measures can make a big difference.

Get your cybersecurity check-ups.

Just as a physician would advise taking preventive steps to safeguard our health, the same principle applies to preserving our wealth. In today’s digital world, we face ever-increasing risks of online theft and scams, making protecting personal information more critical than ever. As wealth managers, our close relationships with clients are crucial in helping protect their assets. These trusted relationships develop over time, allowing us to deeply understand each client’s unique needs, goals, and risk tolerances. This insight enables us to anticipate potential threats and detect unusual activity or vulnerabilities early, communicating them quickly to our clients.

This approach helps us address issues proactively, preventing small concerns from becoming significant problems.

Here are some best practices to help protect your personal information:

Use strong, unique passwords
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)
Keep software up to date
Use antivirus and anti-malware software
Be cautious with emails and links
Use secure connections
Monitor your accounts regularly
Be wary of public Wi-Fi
Limit personal information sharing
Back up important data
Educate yourself about current scams

Keeping these guidelines handy and reviewing them regularly can provide peace of mind about safeguarding your personal information and wealth.

How is your portfolio’s health?

One way to assess the health of your portfolio is to monitor market trends throughout the year and evaluate how your portfolio performs in relation to those trends. Ask yourself: Is your portfolio delivering an efficient return for the risk taken? We believe this strategy works best when wealth managers are accessible and in regular communication, actively helping to preserve and manage their clients’ portfolios to help ensure long-term financial health.

When was your last portfolio check-up?

While every client is unique in their communication preferences, we believe a wealth manager who regularly ‘takes the temperature’ of your portfolio helps provide a clearer picture of your wealth’s health in the short term, allowing for necessary adjustments as issues arise. This helps keep your finances strongly positioned to aid in meeting your goals and objectives in the long term.

For more tips, strategies, and market perspectives, check out our “Market Insights” archive.

Poljak Group Wealth Management is a team with Steward Partners in Shreveport, LA. The views expressed herein are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views of Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC member FINRA/SIPC, or its affiliates. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee their accuracy or completeness. Any strategies and/or investments referenced may not be suitable for all investors. Past Performance is no guarantee of future success. You should consult with your tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning.

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MONEY MATTERS: Retirement vs. Summer Holidays Reality

SB Magazine — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 14:06:54 +0000

Many of us have recently returned from our summer holidays — they’re a time to relax, unwind, and escape the daily grind. For many of us, they’re the only time of the year we get to sit back, fall asleep in the sun and completely switch off. It’s no wonder, then, that many of us dream of the day when we can leave our jobs and finally embark on that endless summer holiday — otherwise known as retirement. However, while the notion of a perpetual break might sound appealing, retirement isn’t quite the same as an endless summer holiday. In reality, it requires careful planning, both financially and emotionally, to help ensure it’s a success.

The myth of retirement as an endless holiday

The idea of retirement as a neverending holiday is logical, but it’s also misleading. Holidays offer an opportunity to recharge before returning to our regular lives. Retirement, on the other hand, is a permanent transition into a new phase of life.

Unlike a holiday, where our time off is finite and focused on getting away from it all, retirement can be a complex mix of leisure and the need for continued purpose and engagement.

Often new retirees can feel unprepared for this. While initiallythey might enjoy escaping from the commute, from workplace politics, and meetings about meetings, many new retirees find themselves adrift once the novelty has worn off. Many miss the sense of identity and purpose that a job brings; others mourn the camaraderie of being part of a team or group.

These unexpected changes can have a detrimental effect on health and wellbeing. One often quoted statistic says that retired people, especially those in the first year of retirement, are approximately 40% more likely to experience a heart attack or stroke than those who keep working. What’s more, almost one in three retirees say they feel depressed – a rate higher than that of the adult population overall.

The phases of retirement So, what’s the solution? Thinking about retirement not as one single event, but as a journey through various phases, each with its own challenges and opportunities, can help you understand the emotions that might lay ahead:

1. The honeymoon phase:

This initial phase of retirement is often marked by excitement and a sense of freedom. This phase can last from a few months to a couple of years.

2.Disenchantment:

The next phase is often where the idealized vision of retirement collides with reality. Without structure or goals, many retirees find themselves feeling lost or even unhappy during this phase.

3.Reorientation:

This stage is crucial for establishing a new sense of purpose and direction. New hobbies, activities, volunteer opportunities, or part-time work can provide you with that sense of accomplishment and fulfilment you’ve been missing.

4.Stability:

Finally comes a stage of stability. This is when you’ve adapted to your new lifestyle, established a routine, and fully embraced a balanced mix of leisure and purposeful activities. How to transition to retirement The secret to successfully transitioning into retirement is preparation. Thinking about how you might move through each retirement ‘stage’ can help you anticipate challenges, set realistic expectations, and create a plan that ensures a fulfilling and meaningful retirement. This plan is designed to sit neatly next to your financial plan:

Define your purpose:

Consider retirement as the start of a new chapter that offers opportunities for personal development. Have a think about what gives your life meaning, outside of work – what have you always wanted to do, but haven’t had the time or opportunity? Think about how you can incorporate these elements into your retirement lifestyle. Whether it’s volunteering, pursuing hobbies, or spending time with family, having a sense of purpose is vital for emotional wellbeing.
Establish routines:

While the freedom to do as you please is appealing, having a routine can provide structure and prevent feelings of aimlessness. Think about designing a plan at the start of the week that balances practical chores and activities you love doing.
Stay connected:

Having strong social ties is essential to emotional wellbeing. Especially for men who, research shows, tend to have fewer social networks and social support compared to women in retirement. Joining clubs or groups and developing relationships with friends and family can help to combat feelings of loneliness and isolation. While the idea of retirement as an endless holiday is appealing, it’s essential to recognize that it’s very different from two weeks away in the sun. It’s a significant life transition that requires thoughtful planning. By understanding the different potential phases of retirement and preparing for your emotional needs, you can ensure satisfying retirement journey.

As Wealth Managers, we’re well equipped to help you with this process. We can offer guidance and support to help you navigate the complexities of retirement both financially and emotionally, to help you achieve the fulfilling lifestyle you deserve.

This article was prepared by AdvisorStream for Denis Poljak (Wealth Manager) and Davor Poljak (Wealth Manager) and is legally licensed for use by AdvisorStream.

Broadridge is not affiliated with Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC. We are not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement, approval, investigation, verification or monitoring by Steward Partners of any information contained in the presentation. The opinions expressed by the authors/ presenters are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Steward Partners. The information and data in the presentation may be deemed reliable; however, their accuracy and completeness is not guaranteed by Steward Partners and providing you with this information is not to be considered a solicitation on our part with respect to the purchase or sale of any securities, investments, strategies or products that may be mentioned. In addition, the information and data used are subject to change without notice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Individuals should consult with their tax/legal advisors before making any tax/legalrelated investment decisions as Steward Partners and its Wealth Managers do not provide tax/legal advice.

Regulatory Information & Disclosures | Important Disclosures | Index Definitions Securities are offered through Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC (“SPIS”), registered broker/dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC (“SPIA”), an SEC-registered investment adviser. SPIS, SPIA, and Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC are affiliates and collectively referred to as Steward Partners. AdTrax #6598700.4 Exp. 09/25

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