Investing 102

[im4u2nvss]

Thanks again for all the efforts that have been, and I am sure will continue to be put into this awesome thread. Some of the info is on repeat, but that really helps etch the principles into a persons mind(like the common mistake of naturally wanting to sell low instead of buying more shares at a discount). I have referred this thread to at least six coworkers and family/friends, and the few that really listened to it, are being reworded(and thankful).

[CRCRFT78]

I haven't had any available funds to purchase any new shares but everything is moving in the right direction after being in the red for some time. ATT (T) has finally hit its stride after sitting idle to +16%, KMI is now only -40% after being as low as -55% and everything else is slowly chugging along. On another note, I watched The Big Short the other night. Does that count as doing some investing research lol.

[ironworks]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Seems to me that there's a decided lack of interest in "investing 102" since the market turned a bit south for a few months... I seem to be the only one posting - and then not getting much - if any - responses.

Funny though - that the lessons discussed over the time this thread started, have played out. The teachings pro-offered here - "buy when the market is down" - Buy best of the best - don't gamble - buy dividend payers.... should have helped everyone weather the downturn - and hopefully helped you all STAY in the market when the sun turned to darkness.

Just look at AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ) -- up HUGE and here they are thought of as boring blue haired old lady stocks. Ditto Philip Morris (PM) and Altria (MO)... I'm not going to bother to post all the stats. If you're interested enough, it's easy enough to look at them. Again - I'm not recommending these - I'm just using them a prime examples of why being in certain types of stocks pays off big time vs being in the high beta names that everyone THINKS are the places to be.

What is just my luck is 2or 3 months ago I had to sell this portion my mom had left for my sister and I ten years ago. I wanted to sell the stock and move it over to one account that was not thru the mail and not completely separate of my schwab account. Well that of course took like 45 or more days to get handled. And of course it gains nearly 20% while I had to go thru all the channels. HAHA figures.

But my Racecar money has done well. Thanks Greg.

[LuxurySportCoupe]

I'm roughly 400 pages through this thread, lol. It has inspired me to take control and have a better understanding of my own finances. I had started a Roth IRA a few years back, but the broker I was with only offered mutual funds, so the performance was lackluster to say the least. The paperwork is being processed right now to transfer that Roth over to Schwab, so I can at least control what I'm invested in.

Also, I was browsing google finance and found this article. http://www.seattletimes.com/business...ch-10-percent/
Not trying to say buy or don't buy, but it's a good example to think about, is their stock going on sale, or is this a fundamental change?

[mdprovee]

Greg,

I want to thank you for your effort in this thread. Because of you, and your advice, this month we will have paid off all of our credit cards, approx. $15,000 in about 2 years, and started saving more money per month. On top of our retirement account getting better. It has been tuff at times, and no car parts until we can pay cash for them, but we are on our way. Thank you again.

[WSSix]

Just like Lance and Todd, I'm sitting back and watching things progress. I'm in pretty much all the stocks I care to be in at this point I think. For me, it's just a matter of continuing to add to current positions and keeping an eye on them to an extent. I only have a few gambles that I watch more earnestly than others.

I'm certainly glad other people have benefited from this as much as I have. Thank you all that have been a part of that.

[GregWeld]

I'm so happy for each of you! Investing IS NOT easy.... it takes a lot of patience, and research, and soul searching. If I've helped one person change their view of their world - then we've all won! I'm glad so many of you are still participating! I thought maybe everyone had given up at the first "dip"! Thank god you have not!!

Originally Posted by SSLance

I've just been sitting back and smiling Greg...nothing really to talk about.

BTW, my account balances hit an all time high Monday and I haven't added funds to them in many years. And I'm still only about 50% invested. I know I know, I should have bought some more while they were on sale...but I'm sleeping well at night and did all the way through this last dip.

Originally Posted by MX145

I hope you guys continue to post as this forum has been a great place to learn.

Originally Posted by Vegas69

I'm still buying every single month with no concern about market changes.

Originally Posted by im4u2nvss

Thanks again for all the efforts that have been, and I am sure will continue to be put into this awesome thread. Some of the info is on repeat, but that really helps etch the principles into a persons mind(like the common mistake of naturally wanting to sell low instead of buying more shares at a discount). I have referred this thread to at least six coworkers and family/friends, and the few that really listened to it, are being reworded(and thankful).

Originally Posted by CRCRFT78

I haven't had any available funds to purchase any new shares but everything is moving in the right direction after being in the red for some time. ATT (T) has finally hit its stride after sitting idle to +16%, KMI is now only -40% after being as low as -55% and everything else is slowly chugging along. On another note, I watched The Big Short the other night. Does that count as doing some investing research lol.

Originally Posted by ironworks

What is just my luck is 2or 3 months ago I had to sell this portion my mom had left for my sister and I ten years ago. I wanted to sell the stock and move it over to one account that was not thru the mail and not completely separate of my schwab account. Well that of course took like 45 or more days to get handled. And of course it gains nearly 20% while I had to go thru all the channels. HAHA figures.

But my Racecar money has done well. Thanks Greg.

Originally Posted by LuxurySportCoupe

I'm roughly 400 pages through this thread, lol. It has inspired me to take control and have a better understanding of my own finances. I had started a Roth IRA a few years back, but the broker I was with only offered mutual funds, so the performance was lackluster to say the least. The paperwork is being processed right now to transfer that Roth over to Schwab, so I can at least control what I'm invested in.

Also, I was browsing google finance and found this article. http://www.seattletimes.com/business...ch-10-percent/
Not trying to say buy or don't buy, but it's a good example to think about, is their stock going on sale, or is this a fundamental change?

Originally Posted by mdprovee

Greg,

I want to thank you for your effort in this thread. Because of you, and your advice, this month we will have paid off all of our credit cards, approx. $15,000 in about 2 years, and started saving more money per month. On top of our retirement account getting better. It has been tuff at times, and no car parts until we can pay cash for them, but we are on our way. Thank you again.

Originally Posted by WSSix

Just like Lance and Todd, I'm sitting back and watching things progress. I'm in pretty much all the stocks I care to be in at this point I think. For me, it's just a matter of continuing to add to current positions and keeping an eye on them to an extent. I only have a few gambles that I watch more earnestly than others.

I'm certainly glad other people have benefited from this as much as I have. Thank you all that have been a part of that.

[glassman]

Cheers everybody, just chilling, working, having fun, and putting some away....

I'm always reading anything anybody posts on this thead. I'm sorry i'm not more experienced to help out more...this thread is the cat's meow though...i've learned alot.....

Nice to see most of my positions in green lately (Charles Schwab), but didn't sell anything while the chips were down a few months back....

[Evil_s10]

I am in the same boat as most the others, sitting on the stocks I currently have and building up a little nest egg to add onto them when the time is right.

About a year back I had invested in a little known stock out of some word of mouth around the water cooler. I did not invest a significant amount into it as this was just a gamble. Well this gamble failed and the stocks sank.

Ever since then, I have been putting more into my main portfolio. Number one focus is to have a more diversified portfolio as well as equal distribution between each of these stocks.


So far to date (about a year and a half) my Schwab account shows 8.13% in the green.

[Vegas69]

Regardless if it's business or investing, I believe systems must be in place to stay consistent and win. All my retirement stuff at Northwestern Mutual is on auto pay. I also have a set amount transferred to Scottrade every month so I'm reminded to buy stocks. I like the philosophy of giving and investing, then spending what's left.