how often do you check your portfolio balance poll

[wstu32]

well, let me start.... HELP!!! I CANT STOP CHECKING!!

 

[REWahoo]

wstu32, here is a recent thread on the same subject: http://early-retirement.org/forums/index.php?topic=11251.0

And if you need justification for your frequent checking, do what I do: tell yourself it's a security measure to be sure no one has stolen your identity or that Vanguard or whoever hasn't screwed up. Here's an example of what can happen even if you do pay attention: http://early-retirement.org/forums/index.php?topic=11422.msg207864#msg207864

 

[Cb]

Here's a little tip if once a day just isn't enough:

You can bookmark a string of Yahoo quotes made up of ETFs that approximate your mutual fund holdings. That way you can get an idea of what you'll see at 6:08EST...

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=vti+vtv+vbr+pg+vgk+vpl+efv+agg+tip+^djc

Cb

 

[Donzo]

If we are enjoying a rally - I will check daily - if the market is falling - I will check less frequently.

 

[Nords]

well, let me start.... HELP!!! I CANT STOP CHECKING!!

Dude, go to the beach!

Yeah, I know, it's cold & windy & raining. In that case, wanna come over here and help me with the yardwork?

 

[mickeyd]

HELP!!! I CANT STOP CHECKING!!

Perhaps you have invested in something that is actually too risky for your needs.

You have not indicated what kind of investment(s) you are checking on so often (CD's? Chinese stocks? individual REIT?), but if you owned less risky investments, perhaps you would not have a need to check on them so often as they would be less volatile.

 

[wstu32]

Nords.... i go to elks -waikiki

sorry but will not help with yard work, just built a deck, didnt realize how sore i would get!!!

question:

i am 40-45% equities....but that helps me sleep at night... do you think this is crazy?

 

[Nords]

i am 40-45% equities....but that helps me sleep at night... do you think this is crazy?

The short answer is "No", and check your PMs....

 

[wstu32]

got it...

Mahalo!!



i have some cash , would you recommend putting 50k more in equities now? diversified of course...

 

[Nords]

i have some cash , would you recommend putting 50k more in equities now? diversified of course...

Absolutely.

Spouse's Navy Reserve income this year is going into the TSP's "S" small-cap stock fund, and our IRA contributions are going into the Powershares International Dividend Achievers ETF (PID). She won't see a nickel of take-home pay. And if we sell off even more of our Tweedy, Browne shares from our taxable account then we'll probably boost our allocation of the DOW Dividend ETF (DVY).

Keep in mind that we have an ER portfolio that's 94% equities. That's approximately three standard deviations to the right of the stocks/bonds bell curve and, considering our value/small-cap/international tilt, maybe even farther out.

 

[wstu32]

thanks again... and thank your wife for her service in the reserves!!

 

[mountaintosea]

Wow once a day?! I thought when I voted once a week, that was too much. Of course I check the market and in the evening check my individual stocks but not the whole enchilada! Does that mean bank accounts, all mutual funds, everything??I used to keep track only once a month but started looking once a week. Then used a spread sheet with a little graph to watch it.

 

[mb]

Wow, once a day is the most common response!

I agree with Nords a lot of you guys need some more beach time.

MB

 

[wstu32]

once a day....

not that uncommon!!! living in hawaii, i can tell you what the asian market is doing before i go to bed! but this board is/will help me overcome that. i am vowing to put together a nice portfolio and GOING TO THE BEACH!

 

[peteyperson]

Nords,

I was just wondering why you have over 90% equity exposure? Still in accumulation phase?

The recent correlation data suggests that style/size diversification and even int'l. diversification isn't delivering good disparity of returns these days.

If you want to PM me on this, no problem. Just curious as I enjoy your posts.

Petey

Absolutely.

Spouse's Navy Reserve income this year is going into the TSP's "S" small-cap stock fund, and our IRA contributions are going into the Powershares International Dividend Achievers ETF (PID). She won't see a nickel of take-home pay. And if we sell off even more of our Tweedy, Browne shares from our taxable account then we'll probably boost our allocation of the DOW Dividend ETF (DVY).

Keep in mind that we have an ER portfolio that's 94% equities. That's approximately three standard deviations to the right of the stocks/bonds bell curve and, considering our value/small-cap/international tilt, maybe even farther out.

 

[wstu32]

what would be a good % if you are not really in need of accumulating then> just curious....

thanks...

nords, i would be interested in your response.

 

[poyet]

Dude, go to the beach!

Yeah, I know, it's cold & windy & raining. In that case, wanna come over here and help me with the yardwork?

Nords, I come funboarding whenever you wish and do a bit of the yardwork even though I'm not eligible due to the fact that I only check weekly ! You're welcome on the french riviera as well

 

[Nords]

Nords,
I was just wondering why you have over 90% equity exposure? Still in accumulation phase?
The recent correlation data suggests that style/size diversification and even int'l. diversification isn't delivering good disparity of returns these days.
Petey

I didn't mean to give a false impression but let me repeat our situation. I'm drawing a COLA'd govt pension that pays the mortgage & groceries. Spouse works a weekend a month (drilling Navy Reservist) and draws her govt pension in 15 years (at age 60). The SWR on our ER portfolio has been around 3-6%, depending on the home-improvement projects and her work, and in the absolute world-ending worst case we can still meet our minimum expenses even if the portfolio only lasts until her pension starts.

So we have reliable pension income (from the equivalent of TIPS or I bonds) and I'm far more worried about six-eight decades of inflation than I am about volatility or a drawn-out bear like 1966-82. We're going with the asset class having the best inflation-beating record. Mathematically we can handle a stock portfolio's high volatility, and we personally tested it to -40% when the markets re-opened after 9/11. (Of course it's come roaring back since then.) We keep two years' expenses in cash (MM & CDs) and the rest is tilted toward small-cap, value, & international.

I agree that correlation isn't as disparate as it used to be but I don't see many other choices. I won't bother with bonds when we're holding a 5.375% mortgage and our cash is earning over 6% in CDs. I'm also aware that correlations change over time, too, so we're not going to worry about it for a decade or so. We're going by Dimson & Marsh's "Triumph of the Optimists" and the long-term views. REITs and commodities look pretty overvalued by any standards, but if they went on sale we wouldn't be averse to holding them in a low-expense index fund.

You're welcome on the french riviera as well

Ah, liberty on the Riviera again... I knew there was a reason for all those college French classes!

 

[wstu32]

hey nords, bought VTI (van total index) ETF.

 

[Nords]

hey nords, bought VTI (van total index) ETF.

Gotta be happy with an expense ratio of only seven basis points...

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Poll needs another option: "I only check it on an up day".

 

[genghis]

It looks like most people check at least once a day.....

What DID people do before Al Gore invented the internet?

 

[Sheryl]

Poll needs another option: "I only check it on an up day".

That would be me.

I have almost everything entered into Yahoo Finance so It's just one click.

 

[wstu32]

"before Al Gore invented the internet"

that was a good one!!!

 

[jeff2006]

"before Al Gore invented the internet"

that was a good one!!!

Dan the Dimwit Quayle thought it was a good one, too. Gore never claimed to have invented the Internet, except in jest long after that little gem of a factoid was imbedded in the public "wisdom."