I am no stranger to a nice heaping bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios. When I say bowl, I mean a nice big tall bowl and not some wimpy little saucer-size. Not every night, but two to three times a week around 8:00 pm, a little alarm would go off inside my stomach reminding me it’s snack time. For the longest time it was total bliss until one night I jokingly said to my wife, “It’s probably not the healthiest thing to be tossing an extra 150 calories down into the belly right before bed?” She laughed and said these dreaded words, “It’s 150 calories per serving. Do you know how many servings you are actually eating!?” As it turns out, a serving is equal to 1 cup. In my best estimates I was shoveling in 2 servings in the first bowl, and 1-2 if I thought I deserved a second.
The serving size is the story. The calories give you the first chapter, but you don’t know the whole story until you know what that calorie count is actually referring to. When you look at your investments online or open your statement, especially in volatile times, it is extra important that you know the whole story. When you “make an investment” you take a dollar amount, like $1,000, and you buy ownership “shares” in a company or fund. Those shares costs $100 so after your purchase, you now own 10 shares. The price goes up, the price goes down, but until you sell, you still own 10 shares. Your “calorie count” may be fluctuating daily, but your serving size is still the same and that is just as important.
Another healthy approach, that only applies to your investments and not to your cereal intake, is to just not look. Ignorance can be bliss…until your pants don’t fit. 😊
Happy Friday! Be Safe. Be Healthy.