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3 Reasons why people do not get ahead

3 Reasons why people do not get ahead

Written by R. A., Stewart

We have heard the term “Cost of living crisis” a lot in the past few years with people struggling to make ends meet. The government is often made the scapegoat for all of this; whether it is the government’s fault or not,  taking responsibility for your own money management and the choices you  have made is the only way you will get ahead in life. There are three main reasons why people do not get ahead. Each one is explained further. I have written this with the intention of not mincing my words.

  1. Lack of vision

Life is for living but it is not cheap. Whether you are buying a car, enrolling for further information, getting married, having kids, taking out a mortgage, or retiring, being prepared financially for all of life’s stages requires saving. Having the vision to prepare for all of this will enable you to cope with the expense. A person without vision will spend their money as if there is no tomorrow. Living from one payday till the next without any thought for the future. This kind of attitude will lead you to the poorhouse.

  1. Lack of planning

“If you fail to plan you plan to fail,” as the saying goes. Making a plan for your money and putting it to work for you requires vision and discipline. It will help you to get the most out of your money. You need to decide what you are saving for and deposit that money in the appropriate account. A person without a plan is like a person on a life raft; they will go wherever the waves take them. They will spend everything they have then when some unexpected bill crops up they will borrow the money and put it on the credit card. There is a cost to this and it is called interest. 

  1. Lack of financial literacy

This has to be the number one reason why people have poor financial outcomes. A person with no financial literacy will make poor financial choices which eventually lead to poverty. Getting paid more is not a solution to poor money management skills. Getting financial education is easy and you don’t have to spend a fortune on books; your local library will have books on budgeting and investing. You will be able to find such books at your local charity store for a couple of dollars.

About this article

You may use this article as content for your blog or website. The opinions expressed are of the writer and may not be applicable to your personal circumstances, therefore, discretion is advised.

www.robertastewart.com

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Book Review: The Barefoot Investor

Book Review: The Barefoot Investor

Written by R. A. Stewart

A personal finance book which is worth a read is “The Barefoot Investor” by Scott Pape. This book is practical and down to earth. It is written in a way that is easily understood.

Some of the things covered are strategies for using your money  to grow your long-term wealth, having a safety net, and having some splurge money, or as it is often called, “discretionary spending money.”

These three types of money are what he describes as buckets.

Another section of the book explains the mistakes made by home buyers; they are:

1.They are waiting for a crash

  1. They rent but forget to save
  2. They buy a house they cannot afford
  3. They buy an investment property first.
  4. They don’t consider other options.

You cannot plan your life around something which you have no control over, the author says in reference to number one. Various websites publish articles about the crash which is about to hit the housing market. Pape claims this to be clickbait to attract visitors to their websites.

Mistake number two is renting but forgetting to save. Such people live from one payday till the next and have nothing to show for their labours.

Many people who did have the self-discipline to save make the mistake of buying a house they can’t afford, and then to compound their financial struggles, kids come along. Such people are sometimes referred to as “The Squeezed Middle.”

Buying an investment property first with the intention of moving in later on. The advice given in the book is, if you want a family home, to save up and purchase one.

People who have given up the notion of purchasing their own home sometimes lose heart and instead of saving money will instead fritter it away so that they have nothing to show for their labours.

Scott Pape writes in a down to early style which makes the book easy to understand, making finance less intimidating for beginners. 

A feature of the book is that Pape encourages everyone to have a healthy relationship with money which does not mean living in deprivation. 

The book focuses on Australian financial systems and this has to be adapted to your own country’s local context.

If you want to improve your financial literacy you will enjoy reading Barefoot Investor; this book will steer on to the right path toward a more successful future.

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

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“The Road to Wealth: Crafting Your Personal Money Goals”

How to set money goals

Written by R. A. Stewart

Having a goal for your money is a must if you want to get ahead otherwise you will just simply fritter away your money on useless stuff which does not add value to your life.

Your money fits three descriptions; they are:

Short-term money (12 months or less)

Medium-term money (1-5 years)

Long-term money (6 years+)

Short term money is money you need for the short term. This is money used for emergencies, dental  costs, and every day expenses. It is a good idea to keep a separate account for emergencies. An investment in conservative managed funds if you have easy access to the money when you need it. A separate savings account for this is suitable.

Medium-term money is money needed within 5 years. This could be savings for a car or an overseas  holiday. 

Long-term money is money needed in the long-term. This is money for your retirement or savings for a mortgage.

Where should you invest your money?

Short-term money is best invested in an ordinary savings account where your money is on call, however, an emergency fund could be invested in a conservative managed fund providing you have easy access to your money if and when you need it.

Medium-term money is best invested in a balanced managed fund.

Long-term money is best invested in growth funds.

There is no hard and fast rule as to where you should invest your money; it all depends on your risk profile and whether you have the mental fortitude to ride out the lows of the share market.

The benefits of being a saver and an investor cannot be underestimated. A saver will live within their means and wait until they have saved enough money before making a car purchase.

A spender will have nothing to show for their labours and borrows money for things they need. There is a cost to this and that is interest which means that the spender pays more for stuff they have bought with borrowed money.

Discretionary spending money is a different category of money. It is money which you are free to spend on anything you like. Some investors like to use this to increase their financial portfolio or even to try out some speculative investments such as Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency. 

People who have any kind of debt do not have any discretionary spending money until that debt is paid. Paying off debts is the responsible thing to do.

It is imperative that you manage your money with the future in mind because situations will arise when you will need a large amount of money for things which your next paycheck on its own won’t cover. Ask yourself this question, “What can I do today that my future self will thank me for?”

It is also important to continually gain financial literacy by reading books about financial management and wealth creation, but the best way to gain financial literacy is by investing in the share market. There are several share market investing platforms on the internet which enable ordinary people to drip feed money into the share market or in managed (mutual) funds. 

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes because as the saying goes, “He who never made a mistake never made anything.” Mistakes are just part of the learning process.

About this article

The opinions expressed in this article are of the writer’s own opinion and may not be applicable to your personal circumstances, therefore discretion is advised.

You may use this article as content for your blog, website, or ebook.

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

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“The risks of investing in Bitcoin”

Bitcoin, the world’s first and most popular cryptocurrency, has generated a lot of buzz in recent years. With its decentralized nature, limited supply, and potential to serve as an alternative to traditional currencies, many investors have been drawn to it as an investment opportunity. However, as with any investment, there are risks involved. In this article, we will explore some of the risks associated with investing in Bitcoin.

Volatility: One of the most significant risks associated with Bitcoin is its volatility. The cryptocurrency is known for its wild price swings, which can occur rapidly and without warning. For example, in December 2017, the price of Bitcoin reached an all-time high of almost $20,000, only to plummet to around $3,000 in just over a year. This kind of volatility can make investing in Bitcoin a risky proposition, especially for those who cannot afford to lose money.

Regulatory risk: Another potential risk associated with Bitcoin is regulatory risk. As Bitcoin is not controlled by any government or financial institution, it exists outside of the traditional financial system. This lack of regulation has led to concerns about money laundering, fraud, and other illegal activities. Governments around the world are beginning to take notice of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, with some imposing restrictions or outright bans on their use. If regulators decide to crack down on Bitcoin, it could result in a significant drop in value.

Hacking and security risks: Bitcoin is stored in digital wallets, which are susceptible to hacking and security breaches. There have been numerous high-profile hacks of Bitcoin exchanges and wallets, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars’ worth of Bitcoin. If an investor’s wallet is compromised, they could lose all of their Bitcoin holdings. This risk is especially high for those who store their Bitcoin on exchanges or other third-party platforms.

Liquidity risk: Bitcoin is not as widely accepted as traditional currencies, meaning that it can be difficult to sell large amounts of Bitcoin quickly. This lack of liquidity can be problematic for investors who need to sell their Bitcoin quickly to access cash. Additionally, the decentralized nature of Bitcoin means that there is no central exchange where buyers and sellers can come together to trade Bitcoin, making it harder to find buyers or sellers for large transactions.

Market risk: Like any investment, Bitcoin is subject to market risk. The value of Bitcoin can be influenced by a variety of factors, including supply and demand, investor sentiment, and global economic conditions. If the market turns against Bitcoin, its value could drop significantly.

Ponzi schemes and scams: Bitcoin has been used as the basis for numerous Ponzi schemes and scams, with fraudsters promising high returns for investing in Bitcoin. These scams can be difficult to spot, and investors can lose their entire investment if they fall victim to them.

In conclusion, investing in Bitcoin can be a high-risk, high-reward proposition. While some investors have made significant profits by investing in Bitcoin, there are numerous risks associated with it, including volatility, regulatory risk, hacking and security risks, liquidity risk, market risk, and the potential for Ponzi schemes and scams. As with any investment, it is important to carefully consider these risks before investing in Bitcoin, and to only invest what you can afford to lose. Investors should also take steps to secure their Bitcoin holdings, such as storing their Bitcoin in a hardware wallet rather than on an exchange or other third-party platform.

Despite the risks, many investors believe that Bitcoin has the potential to be a valuable investment over the long term. As the world becomes increasingly digital and decentralized, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies may become more widely accepted as a form of payment, and their value may continue to rise. However, investors should always remember that investing in Bitcoin is not without risk, and they should carefully weigh the potential rewards against the potential risks before making any investment decisions.

Buying bitcoin can seem daunting at first, but with a little research and preparation, the process can be relatively simple. Remember to take your time and choose a reputable exchange and wallet, and be sure to verify your identity before buying. With the right tools and a little bit of knowledge, you can be on your way to owning bitcoin in no time.

Have some spare cash to invest in Bitcoin?

Then check out the coinbase, a well-established crypto-exchange. Coinbase makes it easy to buy and sell bitcoin. Check it out here:

https://coinbase.com/join/gochwv

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Things you should do to avoid being scam

Written by R. A. Stewart

Millions of dollars are lost each year to internet scams, there are steps which you can take to avoid becoming the next victim. 

  1. Do not use your main email address you use for your banking to register for a crypto exchange such as Coinbase, blockchain, and kraken.

The reason being that there are so many crypto scams about that you do not want to expose your banking details to these crooks and this is what can occur if they have access to your email address.

  1. Do not sign up for social media or other sites with the same gmail account you use for your banking and cryptocurrency.

This could put your account at risk if you unknowingly sign in to a fake account which has happened. 

  1. Do not sign in to your crypto account using a link in an email. You just do not know who you are dealing with online.
  2. Do not link your savings bank to your debit card on any site.

One person I know did this on a website he bought stuff from. (it was not Ebay, Amazon, or Trademe). What happened was that the website itself was hacked and the scammer had access to his banking details. He saw $3,000 go missing from his savings account.

My advice to him was to never link his savings account to his debit card and to deposit larger sums of money in an account which is not linked to the internet.

  1. Do not use the names of your pets as a password

A scammer can use what they know about you to guess your password and all they need to do is to browse through your social media profile. It is important not to accept just anyone who sends you a friend request.

What you must do

  1. Contact your bank immediately if there is a suspicious transaction on your account.
  2. Change your password if you think it has been compromised
  3. Use two factor authenticator (2FA)
  4. Send all suspicious emails to the junk folder.
  5. Do take responsibility for your mistakes.

Facebook scams

Facebook is being used by scammers to find victims and the most common method is to send friend requests to people. Men, in particular, are targetted; if you are a man and receive a friend request from a young lady, then here are the signs that it is from a scammer;

  1. She only has a few Facebook friends herself.
  2. She is over 30 years younger than you are.
  3. She is scantily dressed.

You can decline such a request and she will be unable to contact you again. Make sure you have your Facebook settings as private so that only your friends can see what you have posted.

Do not even engage in any conversation with these people.

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Attention Men: Don’t let Dating Scams Destroy your Retirement Plans 

Attention Men: Don’t let Dating Scams Destroy your Retirement Plans 

Written By R. A. Stewart

Millions of dollars are lost to romance scams every year and the target of these scams are older men. This is understandable, because retired men are likely to have built their assets up by the time they reach a certain age. 

If you are at that age when you are making yourself available for dating, just be careful because not everyone who joins a dating site is looking for romance, some are scammers who are searching for potential victims. 

If you are contacted by a lady who says she is looking for a marriage-minded man then there are some telltale signs which will indicate that she is not who she says she is and rather than finding a place in your heart she has her eye on your bank account.

Here are the main indicators of a scammer:

  1. She is about 30+ years younger than you and claims that age difference does not matter.
  2. She claims she is from a European country and is working in Africa as a nurse or school teacher.
  3. She claims that she is Christian but the contents of her letter/email do not line up with Christian values.
  4. She does not dress modestly (that is putting it mildly)
  5. She asks you for money.

The fifth one is a sure sign that you are dealing with a scammer.

Once she has gained your trust she will then make up excuses for why she needs the money.

This unfortunate lady will create circumstances why she needs the money, here are some:

My late father has died and I have no money to bury him.

My child is sick and I need money for medical expenses.

I need money for the plane ticket to meet you, etc, etc, etc.

Be aware of anyone who tries to make you feel guilty in order to get you to send them money.

If she says, “If you don’t send me money, my child will die.”

What human being wouldn’t want to help someone in this unfortunate situation?

Most people will feel guilty if they do not do as the lady suggests.

She is using what is known as, “Manipulation by guilt.” It is when someone tries to get you to do something by making you feel guilty.

There is one message for all men: “Don’t give in to any kind of emotional blackmail.” 

As far as dating websites are concerned, there is no shortage of options. It is important to choose a site which is based in your own country or at least a country which has laws that protect consumers.

Don’t sign up to any site which asks you to pay to send messages. What you will be doing is communicating with women who are being paid by the site owner to correspond with men.

Losing money to fraud is both emotionally and financially damaging for victims, even more so when someone you thought you could trust is the scammer. Heartless criminals are taking advantage of people looking for a life.

About this article: You may use this article as content for your blog or ebook. Read my other articles  on www.robertastewart.com

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3 Habits which can make you rich

3 Habits which can make you rich

Written by R. A. Stewart

“You don’t have to be rich to invest but you have to invest to be rich.”-Unknown

Forget the lottery, here are three habits that can make you rich beyond your wildest dreams. It does not matter how old you are, how much money you currently have in the bank, or whether you have any experience at investing. If you can look beyond your own personal circumstances and develop these three habits then you are well on your way to financial success. 

So you may be wondering what is the magic formula for financial success?”

Number one habit to develop is:

The Habit of Saving.

Simple, isn’t it. You simply spend less than you make and whatever is leftover is your excess.

All of us have an ordinary savings account where our payment from whatever source goes into. This really should be named a spending account because we spend money from this account using our bank card. It is a good idea to transfer money into another account which is used for saving up for whatever it is we are saving for and this account should not be linked to internet banking where scammers are able to access it.

Saving money gives you financial security and enables you to cover the unforeseen emergencies which crop up from time to time. Medical and dental emergencies, car and household appliance repairs can be expensive so having savings behind you cushions you against these kinds of shocks.

Saving also enables you to reach your financial goals and helps you to become wealthy.

The Habit of Investing

Most people are able to save something from their pay packet but comparatively few people invest that money. For those people their savings becomes spending money. In the end these people have nothing to show for their years of toil and their options are limited due to their lack of finances. 

Investors on the other hand have more options available to them later in life because finances are not a problem. 

The habit of investing also increases your financial literacy which in turn helps you to make better choices when deciding on where to invest your money. 

This reduces financial stress, increases your independence, and prepares you for retirement.

The Habit of Reading

Reading books increases your knowledge. The habit of reading books of a financial nature will increase your financial literacy. It is a fact that most people are not financially literate. They may know how to negotiate loans and how to get a credit card but people who are intelligent do not purchase stuff on credit because they know that it only means paying more for whatever they are buying.

You do not have to spend too much money buying books when your local library has good books available. You might also pick up some good books at your local charity store.

On the internet you can find lots of useful information on personal finance. Ask chatgpt to provide some answers to any questions you have or go to quora.com which is a question and answer site. You need a gmail address to register with quora.

About the article

The information in this article is of the opinion and experience of the writer and may not be applicable to your personal circumstances, therefore discretion is advised. You may use this as content for your website or ebook.

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

Investing with Sharesies is an accessible and straightforward way to invest in the stock market. By following these steps, you can get started on your investment journey and start building your wealth. However, before making any investment decisions, it is essential to do your research and seek professional advice if necessary.

 Join Sharesies here

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Book Review: Think and Grow Rich 

Written by R. A. Stewart

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is one of the world’s best selling self help books and has been for over 70 years.

Napoleon Hill had spent twenty years compiling information for the book and during that time he interviewed the most successful men in history to learn how they acquired their fortunes. 

He reveals the one sure way to overcome all obstacles, achieve any ambition, and bring success to any life.

It is all a matter of knowing what you want and having the desire to make your goals come true.

The book is not one that advises you where to invest your money but rather develops the kind of traits which have made others successful.

The subjects covered in this book are:

Thoughts are Things: Using the power of your mind to get whatever you desire.

Desire: Transforming your desire into concrete action

Faith: How you can rise to limitless heights if only you had faith.

Auto Suggestion: Train your mind to get amazing results with the use of auto suggestion

Specialized knowledge: Your education is what you make it, and you can find the knowledge that takes you from where you are to where you want to go. 

Imagination: This is what is required to turn your dreams into reality.

Organized Planning: How to use your master mind for success.

Decision: The ability to make decisions quickly will help you to achieve more.

Persistence: The ability to persevere is important.

Power of the Master Mind: This secret involves choosing mentors who are where you want to be.

Sex Transmutation: How women help men become successful, and how to take advantage of the ancient truth.

The Subconscious Mind: How your subconscious mind waits like a sleeping giant to back up every plan and purpose.

The Brain: How to use your brain more effectively.

The Sixth Sense:  How wisdom opens the door to the road to wealth.

 The Six Ghosts of Fear: Take inventory of yourself, and see if any remnants of fear stand in your way.

Weaknesses

While the book has its merits it also has its weaknesses, and one of these is that it does not take into account the economic landscape of today and the barriers which many people face in their day to day lives.

Conclusion

Think and Grow Rich is a classic for a reason and while it is no magic formula for success the steps to success explained in the book are a starting point for those wanting to learn the mental aspects of success.

Enjoyed reading this article?

Visit my site www.robertastewart.com for more articles.

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The Art of Diversification

The Meaning of Diversification

Written by R. A. Stewart

Diversification is a word that you will hear in investment circles, particularly when investing in the share market, but what exactly does it mean?

To put it in plain language, Diversification is when you divide all of your money between different asset classes and companies. Your total portfolio may be x amount of dollars; an astute investor will invest a certain amount in power companies, a certain amount in banks, a certain amount in insurance companies, and so on.

We often hear of horror stories whenever a company folds and the one that crops up is that investors lost their entire savings in the one company. Big mistake!

That is leaving all of your eggs in the one basket because you do not know what kind of misfortune will hit any particular company.

Government regulations and the economic cycle are out of the control of the company. 

Then there are trends which will have some influence over the bottom line.

There is no guarantee that whatever occurred in the past will repeat itself in the future.

Investment platforms such as Sharesies, Hatch, and Kernel Wealth in New Zealand and Robin Hood in the US enable the ordinary man and woman in the street to invest with a minimum amount of money. This provides an excellent education tool for people who are willing to increase their financial literacy by taking part in the share market.

There is another method of diversification and that is by investing in managed funds or as they are described in the US, Mutual Funds. This is where your money is combined with that of other investors. It is a case of safety in numbers.

Managed Funds provide investors with three options, Growth Funds, Balanced Funds, and Conservative Funds.

Growth Funds are higher risk, higher growth stocks aimed at long term investors. That is investors who are investing for 10 years or more. The reason why they are more suitable for long term investors is because they have more time to recover from a market meltdown, which is more liable to happen with growth funds. The young ones are more suited to Growth Funds because they have more time to recover from a share market crash.

Conservative Funds are safer with investors unlikely to see the kind of falls occurring in the growth funds but the flip side is that an investment in conservative funds will not grow as fast.

Financial advisors in New Zealand have often stated that young people should invest their retirement savings in growth funds to maximise returns. 

Balanced Funds are a combination of Growth and Conservative Funds. They basically give you the best of both worlds.

Diversification does not mean that you should choose an online investment platform such as Sharesies or Robinhood and invest your whole life savings there. The reason is because there have been instances in the US when these types of online platforms have folded.

Some readers may say, “I know/read about an investor who put all of their money in one company and made a killing.”

My answer to that is, “Greed gets the better of people such as this in the end,”

What is likely to happen is that they will try the same thing again and again and give all of their previous gains back plus a whole lot more.

When you hear stories of so and so making a killing, what you do not hear about are those who tried the same thing and lost all of their money.

Be sensible with your money and you will reap a harvest in the end.

About this article

The contents of this article is of the writer’s own experience and opinion and may not be applicable to your personal circumstances, therefore, discretion is advised. You may use this article as content for your blog/website or ebook.

Read my other articles on www.robertastewart.com

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10 Oldest Public Listed Companies in the World

Written by R. A. Stewart

I have seen the list of the world’s oldest publicly listed companies on the stock exchange, and it makes interesting reading and there may be some kind of lesson and conclusions which we can draw from the list. 

Here are the top ten on that list.

1 GSK Plc

GSK is a British multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with global headquarters in London. It was established in 2000 as the result of a merger of two other companies, Glaxo Wellcome and Beecham PLC. They were also the result of a merger of a number of pharmaceutical companies.

2 NatWest Group Pl

NatWest Holdings is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Services provided are personal, business, and investment banking, insurance, corporate finance, and more. Subsidiaries include the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Ulster Bank.

3 Birkenstock Holding Plc

Birkenstock is a footwear manufacturer. They invented the footbed. The company was founded in 1774 and has its headquarters in the United Kingdom.

4 Inter-Continental Hotels Group

Inter-Continental Hotels Group is a British Multinational hospitality company with its headquarters in Windsor. It is listed on both the London and New York Stock exchange. Inter-Continental’s subsidiaries include Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo, and Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants.

5 Takeda Pharmaceutical Company

Takeda is a Japanese Multinational Pharmaceutical company. It is among the top 20 Pharmaceutical companies in the world. It was founded in Osaka in 1781 and has its headquarters in Tokyo.

6 Bank of America Corporation

Bank of America is a multinational investment bank and financial services holding company which is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. It also has headquarters in Manhattan. The company was formed in 1998 as the result of Nation Bank’s acquisition of Bank of America. Its roots date back to 1904 when the Bank of Italy opened in San Francisco and eventually became the Bank of America.

7 The Bank of New York Mellon

BNY is an investment management and services company. They help individuals and institutions invest in America and worldwide. Bank of New York was originally founded in 1704.

8 Cushman and Wakefield PLC

Cushman and Wakefield PLC is a real estate services firm. It is among the world’s leading real estate firms. It is based in Chicago, Illinois. The company was founded in 1917.

9 Cigna Corporation

The Cigna Group is a multinational managed healthcare and insurance company based in Bloomfield, Connecticut, USA. It was founded by the Insurance company of North America in 1982.

 

10 State Street Corporation

State Street Corporation is a global financial services company with headquarters in Boston, USA. It was previously called the Union Bank which originated in 1792 making it the second oldest continually operating bank in America.

Banking/finance companies feature four times on this list. It is an industry which is considered recession proof. Pharmaceutical companies feature twice on this list while shoe manufacturing and a hotel chain have also made it on the list. It is important to realize that industries which rely on discretionary spending money for their revenue are always going to be vulnerable during downturns in the economy. This all provides some food for thought with these companies having stood the test of time.

www.robertastewart.com