Given all the bad news regarding our nation's economy lately, I decided it would be a good idea to talk to a professional and get some tips about what the average person can do for their own financial well-being.  Greg Schowe is a financial advisor with LotusGroup Advisors.  I met with him the other day and we had a long and wide ranging conversation about the economy in general and personal finances in particular.  The following are excerpts from this interview.

Greg Schowe, LG Advisors
Hermosa Happenings: How did you end up in Hermosa Beach? Greg Schowe: I was born and raised in Los Angeles, near Pasadena.  For college, I went up to the University of Oregon.  I got a job in the LA area after college, in Burbank.  I had friends living around [Hermosa Beach], ended up paying volleyball one random Sunday with some people, found a place to rent and ended up moving to Manhattan Beach and kind of lived between Manhattan Beach and Hermosa for the last eight years or so.

...people can tend to stay young forever here...

HH: What's your favorite thing about Hermosa Beach? GS: The volleyball courts and the beach.  The sheer number of courts, different places to play.  Also the fact that it's kind of a bubble.  You don't need to leave on weekends.  I pretty much park my car on Friday and don't get back in it until Monday.  And you have all the restaurants and night life and everything that you want to do here.  It's kind of a self-sustaining type of place that has lots of good dining and bar options, a little something for everybody.

The most important thing: Get yourself to a cash-flow positive position.

HH: Give me one anecdote