What does a lazy guy do?

setab

Recycles dryer sheets
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
388
I suppose I could read all the financial stuff posted here. I could balance my meager investments, rebalance, counterbalance, hedge and otherwise stick and jab. I have one major problem...don't want to. Finances have never interested me. I rank investing somewhere right below eating brocoli. I could, but I'd rather not. I guess I'm just lazy, or maybe just interested in other things. So, what do I do to enjoy the retired life?

setab
 
Buy a good, low cost balanced fund. VWELX, FBALX, and SWBGX all come to mind. Contribute on a regular basis and forget about it for 10 years.
 
Hi setab,

Pick a Vanguard Lifestyle Fund or Wellington Fund (or similar) and ignore it. You'll probably do better than most!
 
Yup, Wellington, LifeStrategy or Target Retirement as the set-it-and-forget-it investment vehicle.

For "whadda ya do all day" concerns check out the Lifestyles in Retirement section.
 
One more answer: TSP "L" Fund. I am transfering old IRA money into the TSP and all my new contributions go into the "lifestyle" fund. Its a balanced fund made up of other index funds.
 
yakers,

Which L fund are you going to? I was thinking about that myself. Thanks.

setab
 
It might still make sense to read a book or two about investing, to make a good decision about asset allocation.
Spend several hours thinking about it, planning, and discussing with people here.

Then, execute it, and now that you're done the hard part,
-if it's something like a balanced fund or retirement fund, forget about it for several years until your situation changes enough to change your plan,
-if it's some simple version of Boglehead or slice and dice, spend one hour every two years rebalancing.

The second one above need not be complicated. It could consist of just three Vanguard funds: TIPS, Total US market, and International. Which international you pick might depend on tax situation and if fund is in taxable account.

If you invest in a way you don't have a good understanding of, you might choose something inappropriate for you, or worse, sell low if things go badly.
If you aren't willing to do learn about investing, it might make sense to find a good fee-only finanacial planner, and set something up where you don't need to keep going back, if possible. But finding a good one might be more work than just learning about investing, if you believe people's posts about financial planners.
 
Some balanced funds have international, small cap, mid cap, etc. exposure. SWBGX does, no doubt there are others.
 
I'm not saying just buying a low fee balanced fund and forgetting about is a bad idea. It's probably good for the lazy. :)

But, if you do it because some stranger on an internet board said to, and the fund goes down, you panic, and sell, then you wouldn't be helped much by the advice.

I think it is important to understand what you are buying, and some background of investing, because I keep reading that most people tend to buy high and sell low. I think it's important to avoid that, and it supposedly is what comes naturally.
 
setab said:
yakers,

Which L fund are you going to? I was thinking about that myself. Thanks.

setab
I am in the 2020 fund. I am 55 and I expect to retire in the next couple years but I figured I would be withdrawing funds about then. Its a bit more "aggressive" than some Vanguard funds but the CSRS pension is a very conservative balance, sort of like holding bonds.
 
Get a financial advisor, or stick it in some fund and forget about it for 10 years. Oh yea - pick up a new skill while you're retired too, you'll need it when you come out of retirement. :D Despite the easy advice given, I don't think there is an easy (safe) way. If it was easy, I doubt if we would be reading "FIRE and Money" posts.
 
Select a balanced fund such as Vangaurd STAR Fund (VGSTX) or Target Retirement fund that holds global equities and U.S. bonds.

For example, the STAR fund holds the following funds:
Vanguard Windsor II Fund 16.3%
Vanguard GNMA Fund 12.5%
Vanguard Long-Term Investment-Grade Fund 12.5%
Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund 12.3%
Vanguard Windsor Fund 8.9%
Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund 6.9%
Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund 6.9%
Vanguard Morgan Growth Fund 6.9%
Vanguard International Value Fund 6.3%
Vanguard International Growth Fund 6.2%
Vanguard Explorer Fund 4.3%
 
setab said:
I could, but I'd rather not.  I guess I'm just lazy, or maybe just interested in other things.  So, what do I do to enjoy the retired life?

setab
We have some heavy hitters on this Board, the above advice is right on point. As to enjoying your retired life, keep connected with family and friends and spend your now free time on those "other things" that interest you.
Good question.
 
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