Investing 102

[GregWeld]

Another BitCoin debacle... and they try to tell me this is an "investment". I don't think so.





http://venturebeat.com/2014/02/14/fl...he-end-coming/

[glassman]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Another BitCoin debacle... and they try to tell me this is an "investment". I don't think so.





http://venturebeat.com/2014/02/14/fl...he-end-coming/

was listening to this on Rob Black in the morning on KDoW here in the Bay Area this morning, interesting, him and Chad Burton (CFP) were both saying they wouldnt touch it with a ten foot poll, but that it is interesting nonetheless. I guess its fraudulent in some cases, and some countries its illegal.


On another note, why is Natural gas still on the rise? is it a winter demand heating sort of thing? Cause from what i understand, we have plenty of it, so how can it continue to rise? i see it as supply vs demand...

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by glassman

was listening to this on Rob Black in the morning on KDoW here in the Bay Area this morning, interesting, him and Chad Burton (CFP) were both saying they wouldnt touch it with a ten foot poll, but that it is interesting nonetheless. I guess its fraudulent in some cases, and some countries its illegal.


On another note, why is Natural gas still on the rise? is it a winter demand heating sort of thing? Cause from what i understand, we have plenty of it, so how can it continue to rise? i see it as supply vs demand...

Just because you have "plenty" of something - doesn't necessarily mean you can get it from source to end user... and I'm pretty sure the "shortage" may have been more like "holding back" (good business if you can get away with it). The government finally had to order the suppliers to put more gas in the pipe - which they did.... and I'm sure - and a hefty return.

It's the way business works... I have something you need -- I want to get paid for it when I can - and I want to charge as much as possible for it if I can. Sucks if you need it - It's great if you're the seller!

LOL

[glassman]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Just because you have "plenty" of something - doesn't necessarily mean you can get it from source to end user... and I'm pretty sure the "shortage" may have been more like "holding back" (good business if you can get away with it). The government finally had to order the suppliers to put more gas in the pipe - which they did.... and I'm sure - and a hefty return.

It's the way business works... I have something you need -- I want to get paid for it when I can - and I want to charge as much as possible for it if I can. Suck if you need it - great if you're the seller!

LOL

Point. Ya gotta love free enterprise....

[WSSix]

I'm invested in OXY. I'm still in the red but it's a nice gain that's for sure. OXY found a buyer for their Hugoton assets which is the area I work in for them. Not only that but they also raised the dividend payment 8 cents to 72. woot!

The only downside would be if the new owners don't use us for their services. Then that hits me weekly in my paycheck. Doh!

[GregWeld]

The good news for you Trey - is you probably have skills that are sough after in the Bakken or some other oil hot spot. I hear you can make 100K a year driving a truck in North Dakota! Buy yourself a nice trailer and get ready to move....


http://www.dakotaoiljobs.com

[WSSix]

No way! Too damn cold, lol. We've got plenty of other customers we work for here as well. Oxy just happens to be our number one customer. Some companies also will flat out not use Halliburton regardless of who the actual people are that will be doing whatever job they need done. I'm hoping the buyers aren't one of those companies. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

[SSLance]

Adam Aloisi

Will The Allure Of Dividend Growth Continue?

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2022..._str_3_4&ifp=0

Pretty interesting article but the comments below were even more interesting.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by SSLance

Adam Aloisi

Will The Allure Of Dividend Growth Continue?

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2022..._str_3_4&ifp=0

Pretty interesting article but the comments below were even more interesting.

Lance....


Since the beginning of time -- I've yelled at people to get started early! AND that 4 or 5% "return" - which is actually the CASH FLOW - off a million bucks is "ONLY" going to be 40 or 50 grand -- and then there's taxes off that!! So if a guy ONLY HAS a million bucks... at retirement... life is going to suck. Social Security is paltry... and health insurance alone is going to be a HUGE cost in retirement!

What MANY folks utterly fail to look at is TOTAL RETURN... so it's not just the dividend to concern yourself with -- your CAPITAL must grow as well. The total return for the last 5 years is utterly distorted by the LOWS of '08 and '09.... so we have to look at that number longer term -- with this latest 5 year period being an aberration. Still -- the numbers will prove -- that Dividends re-invested - along with growth -- and time (the biggest factor IMHO) will go a long ways toward helping the overall finances of most people.

The reason I yell -- DIVIDENDS and TOTAL RETURN and "GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE CHARTS" - is because the average "investor" is really not equipped PSYCHOLOGICALLY (mentally) to be a good investor. They buy when the market is on fire - and sell the minute it sells off.... As investors they suck!

So what to do? Get people to SEE their money making money... see that dividend every quarter -- see that it's being reinvested - buying them more shares - which pays a bigger dividend - which buys more shares.... I'm TRYING to help them STAY in the market. If they stay in the market (trusting the dividend etc) then - over time - they'll be winners instead of losers.

I guess my point of all of this is that there isn't a perfect strategy that guarantees success.... or that is perfect 100% of the time. Even commercial real estate can suck... or rental houses etc... because you can just as easily buy in the wrong neighborhood - or the main source of income in your town closes up (think what would happen to Seattle if Boeing or Microsoft moved)... But as long as people get started --- THAT'S WHAT COUNTS.


PS ---- I LOVED THIS COMMENT IN THE ARTICLE YOU POSTED.....




L:

Most baby boomers are freaking broke.

For the fortunate few who have a million dollars to invest in a DG portfolio, I hope that they can be happy living on 40k in dividend income.

Had they started earlier, that 40k would be closer to 80K today.

Cannot stress the importance of getting started with DG investing early. You can still play the stock market "game" with half your portfolio, but that's how many people end up having to work at Walmart as greeters when they "retire."

Dave

[SSLance]

I laughed when I read that comment as well...