Investments

[W2R]

Some things I read are so silly that they don't deserve a response.

+1

 

[Hamlet]

I have a mix of individual stocks that I manage personally, and some index ETFs and 401k mutual funds for the rest.

My personal investing results have been very similar to an S&P 500 index fund, aside from sidestepping some of the 2000 tech meltdown because for whatever reason, I could see that it was a crazy bubble. I wasn't out of the market, but I had probably 50% cash because I kept selling stuff because the valuations were crazy and I wasn't finding anything I was comfortable buying.

I went into the Great Recession fully invested, though, so I'm not Nostradamus. I didn't sell and bought all the way through, though, so I've got that going for me.

I read Peter Lynch's books way back when, and everything I could get my hands on by and about Warren Buffet. I don't purchase any newsletters. I follow a bunch of companies, and when the market has them priced reasonably, I buy them. I tend to hang onto them for the long term, unless they get extremely overvalued IMO.

There is pretty much nothing I am buying right now, and my cash levels have been creeping up for awhile. I'm now roughly 80% stocks 20% cash, when my preference is to be fully invested.

 

[REWahoo]

Some things I read are so silly that they don't deserve a response.

+2

No need to respond to comments from under the bridge.

 

[pb4uski]

What I am saying is your not exposed to other forms of investments like real estate.
I think real estate deserves a place. Whether thru reit or crowdfunding and i like the crowdfunding right now.

Take Total Stock's annual report and do a search for "real estate", "realty" and "REIT" and you will find about 60 issues.... and that is on top of real estate holding by other non-real estate companies. I used to work for Verizon and real estate was so significant that we had our own real estate operating company and our own design and construction management unit.

 

[djr59]

Funny, you guys crack me up. I am going to put all my eggs in 4 vanguard funds? Sorry, I just don't get it. Look at the top holdings in those funds, I hold them all as individual stocks and I don't pay an ongoing fee. I have owned Apple for years and been in and out and at the peak owned 4000 shares. I currently hold about 2500 as I just sold a batch recently when it was up to 117.

Yeah, I got 40% cash right now and I am considering going into bonds that have gotten hammered. Not stocks as I still thing there will be a meltdown in January. Noone wants to sell right now because they are afraid of taxes. Rule #1 - never let taxes interfere with your investing decisions.

I am going fixed income for a bit, will pull out when rates come up and market comes down. My investing thru the years has done me well. Believe it or not one of my bigger holdings is the vanguard S&P500 Index fund and it has doubled since I first got in. But at the same time my apple has tripled, EMC which I held thru 3 splits was a 45 bagger when i sold first batch and a 15 bagger when I sold the rest.

During the tech craze I bought into IPO's and dumped quick.

My investment decisions are not perfect, but I like to trade. Just commiting to a few funds and sitting back is not investing, it's banking. Yeah, maybe I will be there in a few more years but right now I get pleasure out of playing and trading and I am pretty conservative right now with 40% cash, yeah, 45% still in market, so I didn't miss this run-up, but I will be ready for the run-down!

 

[aja8888]

Funny, you guys crack me up. I am going to put all my eggs in 4 vanguard funds? Sorry, I just don't get it. Look at the top holdings in those funds, I hold them all as individual stocks and I don't pay an ongoing fee. I have owned Apple for years and been in and out and at the peak owned 4000 shares. I currently hold about 2500 as I just sold a batch recently when it was up to 117.

Yeah, I got 40% cash right now and I am considering going into bonds that have gotten hammered. Not stocks as I still thing there will be a meltdown in January. Noone wants to sell right now because they are afraid of taxes. Rule #1 - never let taxes interfere with your investing decisions.

I am going fixed income for a bit, will pull out when rates come up and market comes down. My investing thru the years has done me well. Believe it or not one of my bigger holdings is the vanguard S&P500 Index fund and it has doubled since I first got in. But at the same time my apple has tripled, EMC which I held thru 3 splits was a 45 bagger when i sold first batch and a 15 bagger when I sold the rest.

During the tech craze I bought into IPO's and dumped quick.

My investment decisions are not perfect, but I like to trade. Just commiting to a few funds and sitting back is not investing, it's banking. Yeah, maybe I will be there in a few more years but right now I get pleasure out of playing and trading and I am pretty conservative right now with 40% cash, yeah, 45% still in market, so I didn't miss this run-up, but I will be ready for the run-down!

Seems like you know what you are doing. Why are you asking us for advice?

 

[tinlizzy]

Do a google search for Lord Xot. He's a preferred stock guru and you would probably really like his portfolios.

 

[nun]

+2

No need to respond to comments from under the bridge.

The OP does have some trollish qualities and his answers to honestly given advice have reinforced that appearance. The "funny you guys crack me up" is a classic troll start to a post

 

[unclemick]

I tend to agree but for me it's a little bit of a hobby. With that said I will probably put bulk in funds and play with a small amount just because I like to play the market.

It's the hormones - resistance is futile. I too own 'a few good stocks.'

1966 - 2006 I tried a lot of things including some rental RE. After trying to beat 'Bogle's Folly' from 1977 in my 401k with stock picks, Pssst Wellesley, dividend stocks, and other adventures I threw in the towel at age 62 and went Vanguard Target Retirement full auto hands off for my serious money.

heh heh heh - Now I will pick a few good stocks(under 3% of portfolio) and I may, I say may venture a maximum bet of maybe $5 on the Cowboys or the Pats for the Superbowl while hoping the underdog Chiefs do well.

 

[duckcalldan]

Funny, you guys crack me up. I am going to put all my eggs in 4 vanguard funds? Sorry, I just don't get it.

You do realize that "4 Vanguard funds" contain nearly all of the world's stocks and a good representation of the world's corporate and government debt? You could not ask for a more diversified portfolio.

Simplify, keep costs to a bare minimum and don't try to beat the market. I used to think I was an above-average Lake Wobogon stock picker. Now I realize I was lucky. Or shortsighted enough to remember my successes and forget my failures.

 

[REWahoo]

Note the "gone travelling" designation under djr59's user name, indicating any posts directed to him will go unread.

 

[Totoro]

Just commiting to a few funds and sitting back is not investing, it's banking.

Jumping around many funds is not investing, it's speculating.

Rather be a banker then. Like mr. Graham and Buffett.

 

[unclemick]

Note the "gone travelling" designation under djr59's user name, indicating any posts directed to him will go unread.

Do we really care? I'm not sure he's the one who should be convinced.



heh heh heh - palaver is fun.

 

[easysurfer]

Jumping around many funds is not investing, it's speculating.

Rather be a banker then. Like mr. Graham and Buffett.

+1

I'd much rather just choose the common indexes and rebalance

Today is the 1st of the year, and I already scheduled my rebalancing transactions to get my allocations back within my percentage goals for 2017. IMO, a lot easier (and safer) than hopping around fund to fund. All ready for a possible chaotic year .

 

[mathjak107]

Does anyone follow any advice from any of these online newsletters or anything like that? I have always done my own investments but as I get older I wonder if I should rely on a person or follow some philosophy other than my own.

Thoughts?

i have used fidelity insight /fidelity monitor since 1987 . the growth model i used averaged 10.90% cagr over that time frame . it actually beat the s&p 500 but with less volatility over most of the years .

no real market timing used . just some nudges to the funds every so often to better fit the big picture .

i can create models in my sleep but i still like using them . it keeps me from myself. i am never content being average at anyhing , and i know me. i would always second guess my last move while thinking of the next one .

using the newsletter amounts to a 20 second reading of an e-mail every week to see if any changes and get a market recap. it is so easy my 80 year old aunt uses it ..

 

[MRG]

i have used fidelity insight /fidelity monitor since 1987 . the growth model i used averaged 10.90% cagr over that time frame . it actually beat the s&p 500 but with less volatility over most of the years .

no real market timing used . just some nudges to the funds every so often to better fit the big picture .

i can create models in my sleep but i still like using them . it keeps me from myself. i am never content being average at anyhing , and i know me. i would always second guess my last move while thinking of the next one .

using the newsletter amounts to a 20 second reading of an e-mail every week to see if any changes and get a market recap. it is so easy my 80 year old aunt uses it ..

My DF used that. Eventually he had them manage it for him. Expensive but none of the family was willing to do it.

I think the OP would do well at "The Fly" website. Always a good time.