Investing 102

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by ErikLS2

Article I found interesting on stock brokers, financial advisors, etc.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/finan...-heres-robbins

Great article.... and I have discussed this many times in the past. That people THINK their mutual fund has no fees or that some broker has their best interest in mind. Poppycock!

There's nobody that is inhaling and exhaling - that can't do quite well doing all of this on their own. The key is nothing more than a basic understanding.

[Vegas69]

Bottom line, people are looking for the path of least resistance, the easy way out. This is one of the worst times to put your head in the sand. Do you research, take responsibility, work on your debt aggressively, which will allow you to allocate more for investment.

I think debt is an under utilized topic in this thread. The more money you piss down the hole, the less you have to create your future. 70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.

My goal is to be debt free by Fall. Owe NOTHING on the house, land, cars, boat, credit cards, student loans, NOTHING. It's looking promising.

This creates freedom to spend time with your family and pursuing new interests, it also creates the opportunity to INVEST LIKE CRAZY. That will turn into wealth that will engender a legacy for you family and allow you to GIVE to those in need.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Vegas69

Bottom line, people are looking for the path of least resistance, the easy way out. This is one of the worst times to put your head in the sand. Do you research, take responsibility, work on your debt aggressively, which will allow you to allocate more for investment.

I think debt is an under utilized topic in this thread. The more money you piss down the hole, the less you have to create your future. 70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.

My goal is to be debt free by Fall. Owe NOTHING on the house, land, cars, boat, credit cards, student loans, NOTHING. It's looking promising.

This creates freedom to spend time with your family and pursuing new interests, it also creates the opportunity to INVEST LIKE CRAZY. That will turn into wealth that will engender a legacy for you family and allow you to GIVE to those in need.

Americans need to learn a very important adage:


"You can not spend your way to wealth"

[DBasher]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

There's nobody that is inhaling and exhaling - that can't do quite well doing all of this on their own. The key is nothing more than a basic understanding.

I tried explaining this at my last shop steward meeting when a couple knuckleheads wanted to put ANOTHER .20 in one of our pensions. I was told that most members weren't as savvy with their money as me and that I needed to think of the group as a whole.....that's more than Poppycock! The meeting ended with me suggesting that people were either ignorant or lazy if they didn't at least look into what their money is NOT doing for them.

The bad, .20 went to the pension
The good, discussions have started about a financial course for 2nd year apprentices explaining the three pensions and other ways of investing.

I don't say much in this thread but I'm reading and rereading it constantly....thank you.

[glassman]

I'm trying to get my employees (coworkers really) to do a Roth IRA, their companies pension, SSI, and individual savings. Cant spend more than what you make, related to that, my dad always said "its not what you make, (at work), its what you keep". I partially agree with that,but its hard to keep anything when the cost of living (bare essentials) is more than you make . Either move or get a better job or better education or work more!!!

Bottom line, dont work too much, dont work too little, but PAY ATTENTION (my #1 problem lol)

[MPM IV]

I've only made a few post in this thread due to a lack of knowledge, but I check in every few days to read anything new that's been posted.

I started investing last May before understanding the 5% rule, or about scaling in and out of positions. I opened a large (for me) position in RDS.B and a smaller position in KMI among others. Just about a month ago I was in the green for the first time thanks to the other positions. In Jan. I opened a small position in Ford, and then added to it in Feb. Other than watching and collecting dividends that's the only change to my portfolio recently.

I have shared this thread with one friend that has opened an account and started investing, and tried but failed to motivate a few others.

I sincerely appreciate the efforts of Greg and everyone else that's contributing.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by MPM IV

I've only made a few post in this thread due to a lack of knowledge, but I check in every few days to read anything new that's been posted.

I started investing last May before understanding the 5% rule, or about scaling in and out of positions. I opened a large (for me) position in RDS.B and a smaller position in KMI among others. Just about a month ago I was in the green for the first time thanks to the other positions. In Jan. I opened a small position in Ford, and then added to it in Feb. Other than watching and collecting dividends that's the only change to my portfolio recently.

I have shared this thread with one friend that has opened an account and started investing, and tried but failed to motivate a few others.

I sincerely appreciate the efforts of Greg and everyone else that's contributing.

The 5% "rule" has been discussed a zillion times in this thread - and like most "rules" has some flexibility to it. Pretty hard to get started with 2 or 3 positions and make the rule work. It's really more a rule when you get 20 or more thousand.


Glad you enjoy the learning and doing!

[GregWeld]

I'm writing this in the vane of "WHAT TO THINK ABOUT" --- not a discussion on whether or not to buy or sell a particular name etc.



I'm sure you guys are all following Tesla (TSLA) - even if you don't own it - and it's relevant here because we're a car forum.

I see this morning that people have plunked down $1,000 per to simply "reserve" a car... a car that's not even in production yet -- and there were near 300,000 "reservations"! ELEVEN BILLION in future sales if all those folks take the cars. That's a big number.... and in anyones eyes - would be considered a huge success. We'll see if they can produce - and produce at a PROFIT. After all - making money is what drives any business.

So to me... what is this saying to the other manufacturers? Shouldn't they be waking up this morning and asking themselves where they are in this market? 300,000 people plunking cash down and waiting a year and a half for something they're not even sure will be produced! If I was an auto manufacturer - I'd be having a board meeting this morning and I'd be pounding the table for getting on this bandwagon! That's what worries me on TSLA.... while they're the known leader. What happens to the stock IF - big IF - someone else comes up with a winning design - or that goes further on a charge etc. That's the gamble. In the meantime - Tesla is killin' it. Are they the Apple of the auto industry?

[96z28ss]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

I'm writing this in the vane of "WHAT TO THINK ABOUT" --- not a discussion on whether or not to buy or sell a particular name etc.



I'm sure you guys are all following Tesla (TSLA) - even if you don't own it - and it's relevant here because we're a car forum.

I see this morning that people have plunked down $1,000 per to simply "reserve" a car... a car that's not even in production yet -- and there were near 300,000 "reservations"! ELEVEN BILLION in future sales if all those folks take the cars. That's a big number.... and in anyones eyes - would be considered a huge success. We'll see if they can produce - and produce at a PROFIT. After all - making money is what drives any business.

So to me... what is this saying to the other manufacturers? Shouldn't they be waking up this morning and asking themselves where they are in this market? 300,000 people plunking cash down and waiting a year and a half for something they're not even sure will be produced! If I was an auto manufacturer - I'd be having a board meeting this morning and I'd be pounding the table for getting on this bandwagon! That's what worries me on TSLA.... while they're the known leader. What happens to the stock IF - big IF - someone else comes up with a winning design - or that goes further on a charge etc. That's the gamble. In the meantime - Tesla is killin' it. Are they the Apple of the auto industry?

It will never happen with the Big 5 automakers. It works for Tesla just like it did for Apple. They were the underdog and they came out with something out of the box, and tons on innovation, that the Big Guys won't do cause they are to blinded by their size.

[68Cuda]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

In the meantime - Tesla is killin' it. Are they the Apple of the auto industry?

Tesla is the only electric vehicle manufacturer of scale to actually make an electric car we would want to drive. The big automakers must be convinced that the buyers of electric cars want something ugly. How else can you possibly explain the Leaf?