POLL: How do you rank yourself as an investor?

[LateToFIRE]

Commercial REITS (not to be confused with office REITs) are just 1 of the 100 types of REITs out there. There are REITS for cell towers, REITs for billboards (new one on me!), REITs for timber... Commercial REIT meltdown will not have much of an impact on me because I am diversified across multiple types of REITs. My commercial REITS carry the lien on the EQUIPMENT and facilities of the commercial entity. If the commercial entity defaults, the REIT gets the assets. Not many defaults in that area as they don't want to lose their "stuff".

I have 4 dividend payers that have paid me so much that I cashed in my original principal, redeployed it somewhere else and am now playing with house money.

I've only been tracking dividends since 2016 but my spreadsheet says I made 250k on dividends alone since 2016 and it is growing every year since I DRIP.

Thanks - helpful clarification. I'll have to add REITs to my list of investments I should give closer thought to.

 

[Lawrencewendall]

Many may not know but REITs and BDCs HAVE to pay out 90% of their profits to shareholders in order to maintain their business model filed with the Security Exchange Commission (SEC).

I have a couple that routinely pay supplemental dividends because they underestimate profits.

 

[connor77]

Many may not know but REITs and BDCs HAVE to pay out 90% of their profits to shareholders in order to maintain their business model filed with the Security Exchange Commission (SEC).

I have a couple that routinely pay supplemental dividends because they underestimate profits.

Your list is quite extensive. If someone wanted to dabble a bit from your list, could you recommend 5 to 7 companies (from your list) that might offer reasonable diversification?

 

[street]

Maybe you are being too modest? Sounds like you know yourself and your limits which ranks very important as an investor.

I still put myself way below average from the folks here on ER. I really have not done anything right/best way compared to what the folks here recommend in every aspect of an opportunist in reaching max returns etc.

Pretty much did everything wrong from annuities, pension/lump sum, life insurance, saving accounts, LTC, ROTH Conversions, tax opportunities, SS and the list goes on, and on. I will say I made it and won, but I wonder how much more I could have had it I had done it all the recommended ways that have been advised.

The only thing I can credit myself for is being a saver from a teen till now and still very wise with spending.

 

[Time2]

What does it mean if you put your money into, VTSAX, VFIAX and VWILX and just left it for the last 20 years? Below average, average, above average?

Ok have been moving some to VTI and VOO.

 

[Toocold]

Below average. I know what to do, but I like to pick individual stocks anyways for a portion of my portfolio.

 

[deserat]

I voted average. I'm a Boglehead. By definition that means I'm always average. Oddly enough, in investing circles that means I'm above average.

+1

 

[Lsbcal]

If it meets your life needs then probably you are above average compared to the general population. The sticky point is that more $ can mean upgraded needs.

 

[Lawrencewendall]

Your list is quite extensive. If someone wanted to dabble a bit from your list, could you recommend 5 to 7 companies (from your list) that might offer reasonable diversification?

The team that I follow recommends 42 different positions for diversification (also the meaning of life)

Dividendchannel.com can give a short description of the company, it's dividends and frequency. You have determine to your own comfortable level of risk. I'm on the aggressive side.

 

[Time2]

Your list is quite extensive. If someone wanted to dabble a bit from your list, could you recommend 5 to 7 companies (from your list) that might offer reasonable diversification?

Part of the problem with diversification and REITs is RE, Real Estate!

 

[Lawrencewendall]

Part of the problem with diversification and REITs is RE, Real Estate!

That's also the beauty of REAL estate- physical assets
Here's a screenshot of the various REIT Indexes. Do you think one is affected by another?

 

[Time2]

That's also the beauty of REAL estate- physical assets
Here's a screenshot of the various REIT Indexes. Do you think one is affected by another?

The point was made, they are mostly real estate.
If you know, what is the relationship between Colorado Wealth Management and Hoya Capital?

 

[jazz4cash]

I believe he means neurodiverse talent, which I understand to be a form of autism.

Thanks. Did not get that result using search.

 

[Lawrencewendall]

The point was made, they are mostly real estate.
If you know, what is the relationship between Colorado Wealth Management and Hoya Capital?

No idea but I read both their articles.

 

[Exchme]

What does it mean if you put your money into, VTSAX, VFIAX and VWILX and just left it for the last 20 years? Below average, average, above average?

Ok have been moving some to VTI and VOO.

Sounds above average to me! The urge to tinker to "improve" things is powerful, universal and more often that not turns out to be harmful, so I'd say the ability to hold the line and get the market return is very good.

 

[Major Tom]

I don't think of myself as an investor, though I suppose I am. I put my money into VTSAX and VBTLX years ago and have left it there. It took almost no skill or investing acumen at all. It doesn't even take any guts to leave it there when the market is down, because I'm a bit of a dope and don't react to down-markets.

I guess I will vote myself as being average, or perhaps even a bit below average. I'll have a ham and cheese sandwich and a cuppa tea and think about it.

Update - I voted below average. If more people realized how ridiculously easy this buying and holding of index funds is, they'd wonder why they aren't doing it too.

 

[TheWizard]

Commercial REITS (not to be confused with office REITs) are just 1 of the 100 types of REITs out there. There are REITS for cell towers, REITs for billboards (new one on me!), REITs for timber... Commercial REIT meltdown will not have much of an impact on me because I am diversified across multiple types of REITs. My commercial REITS carry the lien on the EQUIPMENT and facilities of the commercial entity. If the commercial entity defaults, the REIT gets the assets. Not many defaults in that area as they don't want to lose their "stuff".

I have 4 dividend payers that have paid me so much that I cashed in my original principal, redeployed it somewhere else and am now playing with house money....
.

HOUSE MONEY!!!
Good one...

 

[Time2]

Sounds above average to me! The urge to tinker to "improve" things is powerful, universal and more often that not turns out to be harmful, so I'd say the ability to hold the line and get the market return is very good.

Ok, then I'm below average, I tinkered with REITs. I lost on one and still hold 3 for dividend gain. and I wrongly have them in tax deferred accounts.
So many thinks to get right to maximize gains, it's good you don't have to win.

 

[SunGuy]

What is NDT?

Neurodivergent thinkers, who comprise roughly 15% of the US population.

Couple that with being an INTJ, which is only like 2.1% of the US population.

Along with having a high IQ (disclaimer: but all this really shows is that I am good at taking those type of logic/ critical thinking test), which is around 2% of the population, for the 130 genius threshold, but I have tested higher than that, not that it really matters.

So there is maybe as low as 2k to as high as 20k people in the US population out of 331.9 million people, that share a close approximation of those traits at the same time.

imagine how cool it would be if people like that all got together outside of reddit lol

https://blog.lime.link/visualizing-crowd-sizes/

 

[Lawrencewendall]

No harm in having losses. Comes with the territory. Live and learn. Part of the learning journey. I lost 20k thanks to Jim Cramer. Was always taught to learn from OTHER'S mistakes and not my own. Not always following.

 

[Markola]

^^^^^ For those who don’t know, there is now literally an Inverse Cramer ETF, which shorts whatever stocks he picks. https://www.thestreet.com/etffocus/blog/inverse-cramer-etf-is-live

 

[audreyh1]

I don’t rank myself.

But I do have a lot of experience, including learning from mistakes ha ha.

“Seasoned” would perhaps be an apt description.

I should have mentioned that I also am a very lazy investor - deliberately so.

 

[Koolau]

I should have mentioned that I also am a very lazy investor - deliberately so.

I like that term "lazy" to describe my investing. I've done way better when I got lazy than when I tried to "do" something. Everyone will recall that Scott Burns came up with the term "Couch Potato" asset allocation. That's sorta what I do with just a bit more complication and diversity. More or less "set and forget." I'm sure it's cost me money, but I sleep well and have "enough." YMMV

 

[audreyh1]

When I set up my retirement investing plan I deliberately chose an approach that required minimal intervention. I wanted to be able to ignore investments for a year if I wished, and can still do so.

This approach also minimizes the temptation to tinker a bit here and there - generally a waste of time for me IMO. I honestly have better/more important things to do with my time. Couldn’t care less about money left on the table, you’re just as likely to lose money IMO. If someone wants to spend hours each week “optimizing” their investments more power to them, but I deliberately choose not to do so because it is so low on our priority list. Time is valued more.

 

[Joylush]

I’m way above average. I seem to have been born financially savvy. Parents had nothing to do with it. I was adopted and they were not financial role models. I’ve just always valued my money.