Those DIVIDENDS in a "normal" account - should have been reinvested right back into the stocks that paid them AUTOMATICALLY --- I cash my checks.... so get the real money credited into my account.
One of the things I did with some "recent" (like January 2011) new money was I set up a single account with some of it - rather than "commingle" it with old money. That way I could track how it was growing and I could look at the dividends in it. Two ways to gauge my "investment".
I looked at this account today in order to copy and paste those dividends I posted earlier. AND HERE'S THE KICKER.... not only have I gotten those DIVIDENDS -- the account is UP 4% in capital growth(paper gains - not real gains).
This stuff is no different that watching someone build a car -- you learn "something" from all of these great builds -- I'm just trying to get you all to start building your FUTURES.
My only problem with Berkshire -- what happens the day you wake up and the headline is WARREN BUFFET DIES
Not saying what that's going to look like - but it scares me to think that many people are invested "with him" - and not really in what they own. So I can own Coke on my own - without taking on the WB risk premium....
I echo some others when I say you have inspired me to look at my 401k. I have to admit I just put the money in and expect it to be "managed". And thought that was enough.
You really took away a lot of the mystique that has intimidated me. Thanks.
Greg, I'm reall liking your way more and more, not that I ever disliked it. One thing that comes to mind is these investing "professionals" who will claim to know what to put you in. I experienced this when my wife didn't want to have anything to do with her retirement plan and just wanted someone to do it for her and she didn't want to listen to me. She had an Edward Jones guy come over and give us his pitch. He has all these load (high sales charge) mutual funds for her and I had my Money magazine list of low cost above average performing funds. Basically, he was pushing funds that he got a commision on because after all this is what he does for a living. The Money list has some really good funds on it, if you're into them, and it's relatively unbiased and the criteria for them to make the list is fundamentally sound.
These professionals don't really know anything you can't learn by doing what Greg is saying and it really comes down to do whether you think they can predict the future any better than you can yourself?
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Erik
69 Camaro
Several other things with wheels and engines
Soon, I intend to start moving some of my money into a Schawb account(I like their website best, it's easy to find info) and I intend on posting all the details. I consider myself a normal person of normal means and want to take this to the next step and put Greg's advice into action. I'll most likely choose four stocks at most likely $1000 each. From there I'll post up how things are going. Updates won't happen quickly, maybe once a year.
All I want to do is show people what they can do themselves just as Greg has though I'm starting from scratch with the investing portion. I enjoy this stuff a great deal but I didn't know where to turn which is why I started this thread. I never expected Greg or anyone to step up the way he has with information. I was expecting to be pointed towards websites and literature and told to go read. I can see myself maybe taking a second career as a fee only financial planner in a couple decades. Obviously, I would need a lot more education myself before I did something like that but I like helping people live better. I just believe people waste so much money and they could live so much more easily and happily by doing simple things. I've given advice to my friends to help them get their finances under control to help them live better. It's methods that I used myself to keep myself out of debt while through college and my 20s. It was simple and very basic stuff like stop buying a damn 20oz coke everyday. However, it worked and I was proof of it since I walked away without debt. I figured I'd extend the courtesy to you guys since I started this post and show what I'm doing and how it's working for me. Any one else that cares to join me is more than welcome. We'll call it the Investment Club. Who wants to play Judd Nelson's character, lol?
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Trey
Current rides: 2000 BMW 540i/6 and 86 C10.
Former ride: 1979 Trans Am WS6: LT1/T56, Kore 3 C5/6 brakes, BMW 18in rims
Like I've said before - we share all manor of info on cars - motors - tire sizes - offsets.... so this is just one more item we can discuss... and is actually far more helpful!
Dude -- you haven't even scratched the surface....
But that is NOT the point - I just wanted to show some real figures because I thought that might get some folks motivated to start putting more away and not be so frightened of the ups and downs of the market (the old - get paid to wait statement) -- and to show living PROOF of what DIVIDENDS start to look like!
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
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