Christian Hudspeth
Financial Staff Writer
Hi! My name is Christian Hudspeth and I'm a staff writer for InvestingAnswers. I like to think of InvestingAnswers as a way to spread my passion for personal finance to readers, so they can make good money decisions and ultimately have healthy financial futures -- no matter what their incomes look like.
I certainly don't earn a six-figure income, and I wasn't born in a wealthy household -- far from it. But ever since I started my first bank account at the age of 8 and started working as a farm hand cleaning stalls when I was 14, I have learned to respect each and every one of my hard earned dollars. It's that respect that has given me a burning desire to learn how to best manage, save, and grow my money.
I may have spent seven years working in the commercial banking industry, and I may have earned a B.B.A. in Finance from St. Edward's University a few years ago, but I never stop learning how to be better with money. I'm an avid fan of several financial websites, books, magazines and television shows, and I truly enjoy learning something new about personal finance every day.
Simply put, if there's a better or more practical way to save or grow money, I will read about it and share it with readers through my articles on InvestingAnswers.com.
It doesn't matter what subject you majored in college, or if you do interior decorating for a living -- EVERYONE uses money. That's why I believe that the more you learn about finance, the greater your chances are for a financial future that's full of life options and free of worries.
I hope you join us on InvestingAnswers so you can learn a little more about money -- and become a little better off -- every day of the week.
What is the best investment you’ve made in your life, so far?
The best investment I've made in my life was in $50 to $100 worth of personal finance books from authors like Clark Howard, Suze Orman, Dave Ramsey and others. I started reading them when I was 15 years old and I can't even tell you how valuable the information was in shaping my thoughts on money and my financial future! I learned more about money from my collection of Suze Orman books than any class I took in college.
If I had to recommend just one book to catch anyone up to financial speed, it would be Suze Orman's, The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke. It's my absolute favorite, and I always am referring back to it. She writes it in a way that anyone from any age or background can understand and ENJOY. I guarantee after you read it, you'll be miles ahead of your friends in financial knowledge.
Another great personal finance book to invest in is The Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey. Even if you're loaded up to your eyeballs in credit card debt, Ramsey has a plan to get you out.
What is the worst investment you’ve made in your life, so far?
I'm a long term investor, so I like to buy a great company stock or broadly diversified ETF and just hold onto it. But I have speculated before with a few hundred dollars here and there, with my worst investment being in Netflix. Even buying it around a 52-week low at $66 a few months back, the stock is up 10% one day and down 10% the next. Get me off that roller coaster -- it's all about stable long term returns for me.
What is the biggest thing you look forward to in retirement?
I think of retirement as the point in life where money isn't the object anymore, but being productive still matters. I know lots of people think about playing golf and sitting on a porch, but I'd really like to start a small coffee shop or even a thrift store, with all the proceeds going to charity. I'm a social person and I never want to stop learning and helping others.
What is your perfect “Saturday”?
Taking a day trip -- anywhere! It doesn't matter if it's to rural Blanco, Texas or to lively San Antonio, there's nothing better for a person's psyche or a writer's creative juices than to just go somewhere that's new and interesting.
