The Greg O'Donnell Financial Hour

09/18/2025

09/17/2025

HOW ABOUT A FEEL-GOOD STORY – I LOVE THIS ONE!

Sometimes, all it takes to change your community is a glass of water and some hot dogs.
When it comes to changing your community, most people think you need a lot of money, fame, or power. After a colleague shared this story1 with me, I learned how mistaken that type of thinking was.
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It was a hot afternoon in Macon, Georgia when someone knocked on David Duncan’s door. When he went to see who it was, he found 8-year-old, Jaden, who lived in the neighborhood asking for a drink. He knew the boy lived nearby, but until that moment, they had never met. Naturally, David gave him a glass of water and figured that was the end of it.
Until the boy returned the following day.
And the day after that,
and the day after that.
Soon, David learned to expect Jaden almost every afternoon, often with several equally thirsty friends in tow. He began offering sodas in all sorts of flavors to them, which they gleefully guzzled down. But he realized quickly that –
The children were hungry.
As much as he wanted to help more, he himself felt helpless. A survivor of 18 surgeries, David has two prosthetic legs, multiple transplanted organs, and is blind in one eye.
“What can I do?” he would pray. “I have zero budget, and I’m losing my eyesight.”
He had to do something. None of his personal challenges ever stopped him from finding ways to help others, and he wasn’t about to let them start now. It was up to him to feed them, so he went and bought hot dogs.
“Hot dogs were easy,” David said. “Every kid likes a hot dog.”

He had an idea, but he needed help. Going onto social media he asked if anyone had a hot dog stand he could use – preferably the old-fashioned kind with the classic red umbrella. Inspired, a friend joined in helping by raising money on David’s behalf and surprised him with the hot dog stand in his driveway!

“The Hot Dog Club” was born.
Every week, he served the local children, free hot dogs and drinks and would sometimes show movies. Gradually, his club grew and grew. When businesses got wind of David’s club, they pitched in and donated food – so much that The Hot Dog Club, no longer serves hot dogs! Others began donating as well - money, clothes, school supplies, their time, you name it!
The club expanded where its focus is filling children’s minds as well as their stomachs. David has transformed his community, with a glass of water and a few dogs.
David’s story inspired me to ponder how we can transform our communities. I’m willing to bet opportunities are a lot closer than we think. Just around the corner, perhaps – or even right on our doorsteps. Got a story to share? I’d love to hear it!

09/11/2025

Key Perspectives on Jobs and Mixed Economic Signals

Investors often find themselves looking in the rearview mirror even when they know that what lies ahead is most important. Recent reports, which are naturally backward-looking, have some investors and policymakers concerned about the economy, leading some to wonder if there will be a recession. In today’s context, there are signs that the job market is slowing and inflation remains stubborn, even as overall unemployment remains low and broader GDP trends remain positive. For long-term investors, these mixed signals make maintaining a balanced perspective more important than ever.

Read more at my blog: https://odfigroup.com/key-perspectives-on-jobs-and-mixed-economic-signals/

09/11/2025

Volatility!

Am I right?

Am I wrong?

It’s easy to make financial decisions based on emotions.

Emotion-based decision making can cause havoc on your long-term results. It can keep you from reaching your goals.

Want to see a quick list of what to do, or you can skip over it to the rest of this post …

🗺️ Write out what you want to achieve, financially
⚠️ Look at your style – what’s your risk comfort zone?
💲 Consider an appropriate mix of investments
📉 Be wary of investing heavily in an individual stock
🦺 Put an emergency fund in place
⚖️ Check with your advisor to see if your portfolio needs to be rebalanced
🦹 Avoid scams – red flags are if it’s probably too good to be true

Does this feel like a lot to consider by yourself?

My job is to consider all these things, and more. I keep my clients on track to reach their goals. And I provide peace of mind knowing that I’ve got their back.

If you worry about the market, or you don’t feel like your advisor is covering all these things, please reach out to me and my team. We would love to offer you a second opinion.

09/08/2025

On May 16, 2025, Moody's downgraded the U.S. sovereign credit rating from Aaa to Aa1, citing concerns over the nation's rising debt and interest payment burdens. This move follows similar downgrades by S&P in 2011

09/04/2025

Monthly Market Update for August: Markets Climb on Fed Expectations and Earnings Growth - For those who like to get into the details, you can read in-depth analysis at my blog.

https://odfigroup.com/monthly-market-update-for-august-markets-climb-on-fed-expectations-and-earnings-growth/

09/03/2025

Every thought of who you’d REALLY like to take care of you as you age?

Some long-term care protection allows you to compensate loved ones for their care.

If this sounds like some good news you’ve been waiting to hear, well, give me a call. I want you to set up your retirement life just like you want. My number is (866) 496-2300