Hello there

mikew · 07-01-2005, 08:50 AM

Hi

Since I have started posting (after stalking the boards for a long time), I thought I should introduce myself. I am an Ohio boy in Kyoto. In all I have been here for 14 years. I am not on an expat package. I started teaching English in a conversation school factory and worked up from there.

My investing track record has not been great but is getting better. I started at a 300 year old Japanese full service broker which went under 3 months later. Then I went to Merrill Lynch. But they got their fanny spanked and pulled out of retail service in Japan after maybe 2 years. My wife then invested the money offshore with a British firm. We got pushed into some bad funds (and a couple of good ones) there but I really learned about fees. After a year, I got cold feet but the advisor held my hand so I wouldn’t bolt. They went out of business six months later. That was about six months ago. Floundering around, I read The Four Pillars and a couple of other books people recomended on this site.

Now I am pulling most of the money out of the underlying funds. I am in process of opening an account with Charles Schwab to buy mainly Vanguard Vipers. So you all may want to look out. These companies may soon be gone.*

Actually, we have been lucky. We weren’t saving any serious money and we got almost it all back. I am on a learning curve. I think I took my knocks and am stronger for it. I stabilized job wise last fall. We have bought an apartment. We got a 1.5% interest rate (just like telling everyone I meet that. I don’t know why). Now we are ratcheting up the savings and zooming towards early retirement.

One other thing is that I am losing my English so please bare with me

Anyways
Nice to meet you all

HFWR · 07-01-2005, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikew

One other thing is that I am losing my English so please bare with me

Is that an invitation to get naked??

07-01-2005, 10:29 AM

1,2,3, go!

cute fuzzy bunny · 07-01-2005, 01:23 PM

I never wear pants when I post. Its barely worth it.

HFWR · 07-01-2005, 07:07 PM

Too much information...

To reply seriously, I've been in Vanguard for some time, and if I can't kill it, no one can.

Good luck in your quest; sounds like you're on the right track.

07-01-2005, 08:50 AM	#1
mikew Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 213	Hello there Hi Since I have started posting (after stalking the boards for a long time), I thought I should introduce myself. I am an Ohio boy in Kyoto. In all I have been here for 14 years. I am not on an expat package. I started teaching English in a conversation school factory and worked up from there. My investing track record has not been great but is getting better. I started at a 300 year old Japanese full service broker which went under 3 months later. Then I went to Merrill Lynch. But they got their fanny spanked and pulled out of retail service in Japan after maybe 2 years. My wife then invested the money offshore with a British firm. We got pushed into some bad funds (and a couple of good ones) there but I really learned about fees. After a year, I got cold feet but the advisor held my hand so I wouldn’t bolt. They went out of business six months later. That was about six months ago. Floundering around, I read The Four Pillars and a couple of other books people recomended on this site. Now I am pulling most of the money out of the underlying funds. I am in process of opening an account with Charles Schwab to buy mainly Vanguard Vipers. So you all may want to look out. These companies may soon be gone.* Actually, we have been lucky. We weren’t saving any serious money and we got almost it all back. I am on a learning curve. I think I took my knocks and am stronger for it. I stabilized job wise last fall. We have bought an apartment. We got a 1.5% interest rate (just like telling everyone I meet that. I don’t know why). Now we are ratcheting up the savings and zooming towards early retirement. One other thing is that I am losing my English so please bare with me Anyways Nice to meet you all

07-01-2005, 10:29 AM	#3
TromboneAl Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Hello there 1,2,3, go!

07-01-2005, 01:23 PM	#4
cute fuzzy bunny Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ... Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Losing my whump Posts: 22,527	Re: Hello there I never wear pants when I post. Its barely worth it. __________________ Many an optimist has become rich by buying out a pessimist

07-01-2005, 07:07 PM	#5
HFWR Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ... Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 5,486	Re: Hello there Too much information... To reply seriously, I've been in Vanguard for some time, and if I can't kill it, no one can. Good luck in your quest; sounds like you're on the right track.

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