Investing 102

[GregWeld]

As I sit here listening to CNBC, and the talking heads are all discussing which company has blown up due to earnings - and what company they expect to take over some other company.... It makes me think how in the world anyone could keep up with all of this information. I make it my routine. No kids left at home... I'm an early riser... I've been following, and investing, in the market for 30 plus years... So I open up my account (as is the norm) just to see what's up... and here's what I accidentally notice this morning.

Altria (MO) is a base holding for me... I own 10,000 shares. It's not a huge dividend payer but on my cost basis it pays a larger percentage than if you bought it at today's prices. But here's the reason for today's post...

My 10,000 shares are UP $131,030.00 in VALUE. It pays me $20,800.00 on an annual basis. That's not "huge" as far as dividends go... but what I like about it (the stock)... I never go to sleep or wake up fearing what it's going to do. Yet here it is... UP (over time!) $13 a share (my cost basis is $41.63). And it's paid me 20 grand a year on top of that.

I ask you ---- you see anything wrong with that?? LOL

That's the kind of BASE you need to build... 10 great steady eddies that just silently march ahead. Once you have that base - then you can step up and play with GoPro and Twitter and whatever comes along the talking heads are talking about on todays show.