Half year FIRE portfolio status

[preben]

YTD my base portfolio did about 3%.

Commodities(11%), reits(again), EM debt as well as EM equity were the biggest winners, with my foreign developed bond fund PFUIX being down about 7% as it is not US $ hedged - a risk I am willing to continue to take.

The welcome surprise for me was the Vanguard PM fund VGPMX with it's broader exposure that include mining/diamonds Etc. actually ended up 5% ytd while a more gold focused fund like BGEIX ended down about 9%.

I have said it before; this year looks almost exactly like last year; a dull first couple of qtrs (last year trended downwards a bit, this year more flat) and then I hope that the end year will bring the same boost as last year!

How did your portfolios do?

Cheers!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Before I stirred the pot, I was 8.5% for the prior 12 months, and about 4.5% ytd. Not bad.

I'm pretty happy with the precious metals fund. Owned it about a year and its up about 20% in that time period, and also threw off ~10% in dividends/capital gains into my checking account last december. Really offset the credit cards I ran up buying holliday gifts

 

[malakito]

I did however well the S&P500 or Wilshire5000 did, more or less.

malakito.

 

[OldAgePensioner]

YTD

Self-manged IRA = 5.5%
Company 401k =4.5%
Individual Stocks =6%
Mutual Funds = 5%

Recently purchased 10 Vanguard funds so no performance yet on them.

 

[tryan]

My 75% real estate portfolio is up 10% ytd (again). Rest is flat or down a couple %.

 

[LOL!]

YTD (actually to yesterday) including everything (stocks, funds, cash) up 2.63%. This is not a base portfolio, or just the good stuff, but everything including interest on checking account and losses with buying options. Assets are about 70% domestic stock, 15% foreign stock, 10% bond, 5% cash.

VFINX is down 0.5% for the same time period.

 

[preben]

Reason I say base portfolio is that I have some non-US RE and some offshore hedgefunds that would be hard to discuss in this forum so I do not include it here. Both are up about 10% YTD (with the RE gain being a guestimate). Cheers!

 

[haha]

I'm up 4.7% on "invested assets", includes stocks, cash, CDs -everything really. My only real estate is my home, and I don't track it.

This is after $14,000 in living expenses and $18,000 in income taxes.(2004 and 2005 Est.)  In other words, I paid out for this stuff, but I didn't adjust for it.

Ha

 

[Martha]

Very so so year so far, up 1.35%, not counting real estate.

I should say this is net worth, after paying a bundle in income taxes. So I guess I can't complain.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

I'm up 4.7% on "invested assets", includes stocks, cash, CDs -everything really. My only real estate is my home, and I don't track it.

This is after $14,000 in living expenses and $18,000 in income taxes.(2005 and 2005 Est.)  In other words, I paid out for this stuff, but I didn't adjust for it.

Ha

$18,000? We could live on $18,000. Anyway, net worth is flat now as
I/we are living off the base (plus DW wages). Basically, everything coming in is going out. If this continues forever, we will be fine.

JG

 

[Beachbumz]

YTD

Self-manged IRA = 5.5%
Company 401k =4.5%
Individual Stocks =6%
Mutual Funds = 5%

Recently purchased 10 Vanguard funds so no performance yet on them.

And you are going back to work!!!

 

[OldAgePensioner]

Bumz,
yeah, but lots of other issues involved. I just failed to educate myself.

 

[haha]

$18,000? We could live on $18,000. 

This is because I sold some appreciated stock. I will pay less this year.

ha

 

[preben]

Hi OAP,
Your returns YTD looks quite good! about 5% across the board. Congrats! You however mention that you have dropped from 2M when FIREd 2 months ago to 1.92M now? That is a 4% drop.

May I ask how much you live on and how much you planned to live on if different?

With such good returns - and still dropping in NW about 4% one wonders where the money went? New sports car or other one time expenses? 8)

Also; the volatility will always be there - and 4% is NOTHING when looking at history.

Finally; you said you did not educate yourself enough; can you share a bit more here for us to learn from it?

Cheers!

Bumz,
yeah, but lots of other issues involved.  I just failed to educate myself.

 

[OldAgePensioner]

Ben,
The gains I listed were just taking my 12-31-2004 statements vs 06-01-2005. Most of my $80k loss occurred in June/July and some were actually expenses.

But your question on why I claim "financial ER non-education" is because before I retired, I had:
1. Never even thought about buying bonds and as you can tell, I now nothing about them.
2. Never even thought of budgeting to know what actuall expenses were.
3. Never even considered low fee funds and the affect they have on income.
4. Expected that a financial advisor was better than sliced bread.
5. Never visited a retirement forum to get feedback from others.
6. No idea (and still don't) of what I want to do in retirement.
7. Not a clue.

So, if I read correctly, I flunk every issue on "How to Retire Early"..

I just assumed that $2mil was enough and everything else would fall into place. And that didn't happen for me.

I'm going back to work (granted, part-time) and I promise that I will be more knowledgeable than Bernstein when I retire again. As God is my witness, I will never be financially stupid again.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Well, unpreparedness might indicate basic laziness, which makes you a dang fine ER candidate

 

[Martha]

Don't beat yourself up too much OAP. After all, you did manage to accumulate $2,000,000.

 

[OldAgePensioner]

Martha,
I grew that money the hard way. Living way, way, below my means.

I could have been drinking Dom but I chose Korbel.

Could have driven SUV's, drove a Corsa. http://vauxhall.co.uk/showroom/search/brand.jhtml?brand=Corsa&vehicleType=Car

My worldly goods are a desk, a commode(not that kind), a laptop, desktop, 2 guitars, a TV, DVD player, books and clothes.

The 2 guitars are going to be given away as soon as I find a way to put them in the hands of some youngsters with drive.

So, I've done nothing in life but save.

 

[preben]

Well said cut-throat.....
And AOP you have a standing invitation to come visit Lancelot and I in Thailand - you really should get some perspective - no way you can blow through 2M$ here - even if you tried! But more importantly - time to get a life...
Cheers!

 

[OldAgePensioner]

Cut-Throat,
Like Ben said, "well said".

Lots of people warned me before I retired. How does a person gain a passion?

I enjoy walking, watching and not much else tickles my fancy.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

no way you can blow through 2M$ here - even if you tried!

I think I just heard a glove hit the ground...

 

[Nords]

no way you can blow through 2M$ here - even if you tried!

Not even Neil Bush?

Ben, I'll have to introduce you to my spouse. Alex Trebek is creating a new Jeopardy category for our next Thailand trip: "Home improvement wood products for $10K or higher." Buy FedEx stock now.

 

[Cut-Throat]

OAP,

Lots of people warned me before I retired.  How does a person gain a passion?

I enjoy walking, watching and not much else tickles my fancy.

I think there are books on this topic.

A lot of folks will say that you should look to your childhood and what you were interested in before you became an adult and it spolied it.

For example I used to love to fish when I was a kid, I still do! -

You have to follow your interests and curiosity. For instance : - if you enjoyed looking at an aquarium when you were a kid, you might take a scuba diving class and then a trip that dive shop sponsers. It could open up a whole new set of social friends, trips, activities around snorkeling, diving, visiting Underwater reefs etc.

I know people that their whole lives revolve around snow skiing. In fact, after my divorce, I joined a ski club to meet chics. Met my current 'hot wife' of 20 years there.  Never did ski. - We took at winter trip to Mexico instead with the ski club. 8) - After we got married we left the ski club - My wife was just there to meet guys also - didn't really want to ski either.

So get out there! - The world will not beat a path to your door. Learn to socialize with activities outside of work!

 

[Martha]

My worldly goods are a desk, a commode(not that kind), a laptop, desktop, 2 guitars, a TV, DVD player, books and clothes.

So, I've done nothing in life but save.

Well, if I were in you position, I would make a nest. I'd buy the Chicago condo, go to Thailand and shop for cool furniture for the condo. Have a couple of beers with Ben and Lancelot.

But maybe this is a women thing not a man thing. Except the beer part.

 

[KB]

First of all, look for a walking or hiking club since you know you like to do that.

Then as you flip through magazines or newspapers, look for things that interest you. And think whether you would like to try doing them someday. And if so, write it down on a list.

Do you read magazines? If so, what type? Do you read books, how about about a book club.

I started a list of things I'd like to do when I retire, a few years ago. And since I retired last week, I'm reviewing my list. I do have gardening as a hobby, and just completed a Master Gardener program where I can volunteer as many hours per year as I want. I plan on spending a lot of time with that this year, until I get other things going.

Are there things that you've said 'I've always wanted to do that but don't have the time' ? That is where to start.

Good luck. I hope you can find a passion.