Motley Fool Money Retirement Tools and Affording Impulse Purchases
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Sep 20, 2025 Sean Gates, a financial planner from Motley Fool Wealth Management, shares his expertise on essential retirement planning tools. He highlights what makes a good retirement calculator and recommends popular options while cautioning about common input mistakes. The discussion also explores the impact of recent Fed rate cuts on personal finances and how diversifying with REITs can be beneficial. Lastly, Gates offers savvy budgeting advice using the 0.01% rule for impulse purchases and encourages updating resumes as the job market slows.
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Lock Good Cash Rates After Fed Cuts
- With Fed cuts likely, consider locking current cash yields with short-term treasuries or CDs for funds you won't need soon.
- Expect prime-rate–linked borrowing costs and some mortgage and bond rates to shift more slowly than cash yields.
REITs Offer Diversification With Income
- REITs have historically matched the S&P 500 long-term but show different year-to-year behavior that aids diversification.
- They tend to yield more income and can be sensitive to interest-rate moves, so consider them as a diversification tool.
The 0.01% Rule For Impulse Buys
- Use the 0.01% rule to judge impulse purchases: if it’s less than 0.01% of net worth, don't sweat it.
- The rule equates to ~3.7% a year, so small daily spends are unlikely to jeopardize long-term goals.
