A few years ago, I was sitting on my living room couch, enjoying a quiet Friday evening, when I heard a sickening, rhythmic thump-thump-thump coming from the utility closet. I opened the door to find my water heater staging a violent protest, leaking rusty water all over the floor. At that exact moment, my bank account held a grand total of $142. My credit cards were already...

A few years ago, I never imagined I'd be looking at a Gucci handbag the same way I looked at stocks or real estate. To me, luxury bags were simply beautiful accessories that people bought because they loved fashion. That changed after watching the financial markets become increasingly unpredictable. While friends were checking their investment portfolios every morning, I noticed something...