Yep! I stopped by and checked on my stocks and liked what I saw. Every stock is currently on an up swing and the new purchases have put me in the positive for the entire account. Diversification works :D

[QUOTE=GregWeld;459618]Exactly!


Did you take plenty of ammo to DC?? :bitchslap:[/QUOTE

:guns: :guns:

:lol: The TSA wouldn't let me.... Just Kidding, worked around the house and on the car.:relax:

I didn't even turn the TV on today....

Loving the new Icons...:thankyou:

What's a TV? heh


Well, on a good note, I go sign papers today to get the house. Should close tomorrow or thursday. :D :D

But, that also means my investing 102 (new money) gets put on the back burner for a bit while I build up my savings and what not again. lol. Sure will be nice to back in MY OWN home again. And back within walking distance of my parents and sister and GF's parents (rather than a 20 minute drive).

But, my investing 102 account is nearly all green again. So thats doing well. Although, I'd rather it be down... until the week before I start retirement. :lol:

That's awesome news Albert! Congratulations!!


Buying a home is allowed in 102. And buying NOW with low prices and low interest rate is smart and a good use of your savings. We just bought this place in Sun Valley (I'm here now for the first time) -- we bought by accident and weren't planning on buying here - but a place came up for sale - it's half the price it used to be - and the interest rate is ridiculously low. TIME TO POUNCE! Done!

Yeah.. it sure is awesome getting a sub 4% interest rate. LOL.

The price we're paying for this house (monthly) was the same it was to rent in the area. Which we were planning on doing if we didnt find a house soon.

Good news its, its got rear/back yard access, and enough room to build a decent 2 car metal shop... Now to only save up enough coin to afford to have it put in. Then i'll be in heaven. LOL. (probably about $6-8k).

Congrats Albert..

Yes Owning a home is part of Investing 102.. And the time is now...

The rates are crazy low....You tell someone 80 years old your Interest rate and watch them smile ear to ear... They know it is historically Low...

Here's an article on dividend investing that worth the read IMO:

http://seekingalpha.com/article/1124...12-2013-report

^^^ Good article. I like his writing. I've read a lot of his stuff on SA over the last year. :)

AAPL.... Doh!
Bought some at 485 a bit ago and thought I was a genius!

what do you think it will drop too? Overnight it was 465 I think

Squawk just said it opened at $458

I'm not trying to say I'm a genius here... I'm trying to say that I've lived all this and I'm trying to help you all understand the "issues" --- using my experiences both bad and good....

RE: APPLE



Go back and read my "priced for perfection" warnings....



This is exactly what happens when stocks have run up HUGE.... expectations are for even more "hugeness".... and then they hiccup.

The market is about perceptions - expectations - and performance. Miss one of these and you get absolutely hammered.


BUT -- Always the big butt! It could have just as easily run the other way --- blown out sales numbers - or blow out profits -- and it JUMPS $75 in a day... then you're kicking yourself for having "missed" this.


This is EXACTLY why I have quit trying to play that game -- and I just buy stuff that pays me a nice dividend -- doesn't move huge one way or the other -- and I go to bed at peace and wake up rested. The other stuff is too much heartache and too gut wrenching. I'm old - I can't take it anymore -- plus... it's just not fun when it goes against you.

^^^ I was waiting for the reply. LOL The whole time I've seen it sinking (since the $700 mark) I've had that in the back of my head.. "priced to perfection"... and i had a feeling they were on a downward slope. I mentioned back when we were talking about that I was considering switching to an Android cuz I've just got tired of Apples stuff. <-- that fell into the investing 102 theory that we've talked about. I am a "buyer" of that product, and when I feel I am no longer wanting to be a buyer, I wouldn't want to be an investor either. <the old drive by lowes, if the parking lot is always empty, store is always empty, somethings up>

IN @ 445... you make all your scratch on the buy baby.. BTW my "facey book" is kicking butt..

BPT however.. is out...

JNJ.. is the think that keeping me in balance...

Heard an interview snipet on the radio about Apple from an investment expert. She said the same thing really. All I could think about was, "Yeah, I know a guy who said the same thing a long time ago"

Looked in on my Fidelity account which is my company matched 401k and Employee Stock Purchase Program stock as well. Both are doing well especially the ESPP. That one alone is up 54% since I started a year and a half ago. Sure, that includes the gains from the discounted price I bought the stock at but it's still a gain. The 401k is difficult for me to know percentages since I get a good company match. It does show what I put in and what the company puts in though and those numbers make me happy :D :G-Dub:

ESPP's are worth it!

:G-Dub:

That is all.

YES THEY ARE --- they're free money! Take advantage of them!:thumbsup: :D

got my year end report for my sep/401k, made 11.75% return last year. not bad considering the roller coster of a year.

I know this is Investing 102 , so some of what I mention is actually Investing 101.

But everyone should be in their Companies Employer Matched funds if they are available..

When I worked , my company matched 10% and they also had a profit sharing program...

FREE Money. Plus I had them taking out 15%...Over a long period of time ??:G-Dub:

Add to that having no consumer debt like Revolving Credit Card balances, or Car loans.

Then add to that a mid 3% Mortgage on a home you can afford ?

Then live within your means and have Investments on your own ? :G-Dub:

Of course a high paying Job would be nice but not needed.

I may not be rich, but I am comfortable..

I've been thinking about cashing out my IRA and buying a house. Of course I woud incur the tax hit and te early withdrawal penalty but I think getting back into a house as opposed to renting could be a good idea. My rent payment can become a mortgage payment and be cut in half. The half I would save I can then contirbute back into a retirement account. Any opinions on this?

It depends on how old you are...If you are low 30's then maybe it is a good idea..You have plenty of time to regain Investments..

I just don't see rates being lower ever again...At 3.75% with deductions and Inflation, you are borrowing for almost free...

Renting ? You never gain anything...

I'm 35 so I feel like I have some time. Also the fact that I could possibly cut my payment by almost 50% and own instead of renting is a big factor. That 50% can be divided towards other things including more than what goes into my investment accounts already. I'm aware that starting over will hurt my total balance in the long-run but the thought of renting long-term just doesn't sit well with me.

35...Then IMO, I would do it..

Rates will never be lower and renting will give you nothing in return..

Sure being in California we get punished for being Home Owners, but in the long run, for me, it is one leg of my table of Financial Security..

Also you are selling at a High because I think we may get a correction in 2013..Nothing drastic, but we could lose 10% in a correction in the Stock Market..Temporarily..

NOT being an advisor, this is strictly opinion..

Also prices are on the rise with Homes , so better now than later.

really good article I just read, and that is what investing 102 has been all about.

http://beta.fool.com/thebargainbin/2...gyholnk0000001

Jose, maybe only cash out enough to cover 20% of the home costs? That way you can avoid PMI and not take out too much from the 401k hopefully. I'd consult a financial adviser with that idea unless they can offer good reasons why not at all or why you should go more than the 20% down payment. Good luck. I hate renting and look forward to the day I can buy my own home, too.

Excellent find! Very encouraging to me.

Ahhh but you are rich Michael ...we are in the top 10% in the world if all we have is one apartment/house, one car, and one computer.....not to mention our pot bellies lol...

Mike

Ah Yes, when you put it that way....:thumbsup:

I know I am blessed and Lucky to Live in America , even though I don't like the government that much...

Me neither!!! But we is still free (for the moment)....

You boys holding Faceybook are looking better all the time....

dropped just after earnings... hoping for a bounce tomorrow.. :relax:

Yes, I could have been wrong about it, and don't own it, but I have enough winners to be happy...

We don't get them all right, but all you need is enough right...

Just my humble opinion but hold onto your shorts.. the stock market is only up due to the unlimited quantitative easing policy of the Fed.. its due for a hard fall as it's being propped up right now by phony stimulus.

Go back to page one and re-read the entire thread.... you've missed something.

Go back and look at stocks on a longer term chart and you'll see that for the most part the TRENDS are lower on the left hand side - and higher on the right hand side of the chart. That trend (say the last 10 years) is what INVESTORS are looking for. Looked at this way - "opinions" - don't hold much water.

Now -- in the TREASURY market -- the FED has played a major role. They have been massive buyers - and that holds RATES DOWN. When they stop buying and let rates rise - then I'd say "hold on to your shorts" because the bottom "might/could" cause a lot of loss of face value. But that is an entirely different market - and most market participants should certainly be aware of this situation. Would the "spill over" affect other markets? That's just pure hypothesis and speculation.

I'd say that'd be a big yes.

I know how the trajectory goes in grand scheme. There are a lot of players that have barely regained what they've lost from 08. Factor in real world inflation though, that is the kick. Not saying you'll get hurt Greg, but others not as knowledge or insulated might.

At sometime I think the market will burst with this dollar ponzi scheme and the economy they are trying to prop up. But I hope it doesn't. It's just my depreciated .02 cents. You know I gotta pop in every few months and say that. lol Good luck out there.

:peepwall:

:poke:

I have to agree...As long as Bernanke keeps pumping the system, we will continue upward.

But as soon as he stops priming the pump, we will see the large correction..How large ? That is speculation..And when ? More speculation.

I got out and back in from 2007 to 2009 and missed taking a large hit..I plan to do the same..

I still own my Precious metals and I am scaling back on Bonds.

But I am also ready to move larger sums when what I think the BIG correction begins.

Then buy back at a lower price...Last time in 2009 it was a Fire sale at 55% off.

It is not a time for a guy like me who lives off the money to set it and forget it...

Heard thus tid bit an wanted others perspective. Now this sort of ruffles the purpose of this thread but with good intents.

Foreign currency investing

Iraqi Dinar in question. Currently at 1/100 of a cent roughly where it was 3.25 to 1 USD in the 90's.

Did some online research and found that the Iraq budget is supposedly to be set 2/5/13 which could lead to a revaluation of the Dinar thus yielding great returns.

one source I found
http://dinarwatchdog.com/


What I didnt see is prior revaluations and or inputs to industry of this country that is restructuring/ rebuilding to make the currency increase. Although it does have one the the biggest oil reserves in the world.


If this is true , a 1G USD investment could make overnight Millionaires if the Dinar was set equal to the dollar. Does seem this idea has been going on for sometime.

Anyone here have better input?

This SCAM has been circulating for about 5 years now....

Here's my advice. Take your 1G and toss it in the street - you'll have better odds of becoming a millionaire.

Or actually do some real research - starting with checking your "story" out... just Google "Iraq Dinar investing" and just read any of the first 2 or 3 stories.

Looked deeper at some more trusted sites and saw the story. Funny how this revaluation is stated for 'next tuesday' (meaning it never happens). I thought something was up when it seemed to good to be true. Could it happen, sure, but doubt it will be an overnight drastic change.