The hold music is not helping: How poor customer service is stressing us out
Can I vent for a moment? I know I’m not alone here. You’ve been there too, phone pressed to your ear, staring at the ceiling, tapping your foot to a distorted, looping jazz instrumental that you never asked to listen to. You’ve memorized the...
Getting pre-approved for a mortgage loan
I am the luckiest guy in the world to be able to live in South Jersey and work in the mortgage business. Before I get to all of that, let me introduce myself as one of the new writers for Shore Local, where my focus will be real estate! My name is Jim Malamut,...
When to let puppies be puppies
In my ongoing series of raising a puppy, I wanted to talk about the balance of managing the joy that a puppy feels and instilling manners. I frequently talk puppy owners off the ledge of being embarrassed by their puppies “being extra” when they meet new people or...
Investing before, during and after retirement
Many of my clients come to my company around retirement, which could mean during the few years leading up to retirement, during retirement, or a few years after retirement. All three of these time segments may require a change in investment strategy. How dramatic the...
You are not alone: A parent’s journey through dyslexia
“Mom, there are kids just like me.” Those were the words my son said after his first day at a school that truly supported his dyslexia — and I’ll never forget them. For the first time, he didn’t feel alone. And as a parent, neither did I. Like so many...
