Does anyone here play the stock market?

[not on the rug]

I already am maxing out my 403b contribution and my company matches a very small percentage of my salary.  My wife will also have her pension from her employment, so ultimately I believe that we should be relatively stable in the long run. 

 

I'm really looking for a new hobby I can sink my teeth in to and something that could turn out to be lucrative in the long run.  For the record, I'm only 38 years old, so I have another 25 years of work in front of me for sure.  Plenty of time to play

[mazzgolf]

I already am maxing out my 403b contribution and my company matches a very small percentage of my salary.  My wife will also have her pension from her employment, so ultimately I believe that we should be relatively stable in the long run. 

 

I'm really looking for a new hobby I can sink my teeth in to and something that could turn out to be lucrative in the long run.  For the record, I'm only 38 years old, so I have another 25 years of work in front of me for sure.  Plenty of time to play

 

That's what Jim Cramer calls "Mad Money" If you think you got your retirement and other savings all where you want it, but you just want to play the market as a hobby and try to make money while doing it, you should only risk money you are willing to lose. It's like going to a casino - you bring money you don't expect to walk out with. If you come out with more than you walked in with, just consider it a bonus. But if you lose it all, it shouldn't be painful.

 

Personally, I still think it is too much of a time investment for me to bother with - to do it "right", you really need to educate yourself on and learn how to read balance sheets, financial statements, yadda yadda, and then you have to research all these companies to figure out what's a good investment with potential gain and what isn't. Otherwise, you might as well just throw darts at the Wall Street Journal and buy stock in the names of the companies you happen to hit.

[Axiom]

The stock market doesn't like inflation and if things happen like Trump hopes they will, inflation is going through the roof.. Interest Rates will rise with inflation.. I'm divesting my stock portfolio sometime this year and will reinvest into investments that rise with inflation and interest rates..

 

If all u want to do is play then just remember.. The only way to win is if somebody else loses.. And you will be playing with people who know the game millions of miles better than U... Kenny Rogers summed it up very well... " You got to know when to hold'um, know when to fold'um know when to walk away and know when to SELL!!"

[Haskell_Hunter]

The stock market doesn't like inflation and if things happen like Trump hopes they will, inflation is going through the roof.. Interest Rates will rise with inflation.. I'm divesting my stock portfolio sometime this year and will reinvest into investments that rise with inflation and interest rates..

 

If all u want to do is play then just remember.. The only way to win is if somebody else loses.. And you will be playing with people who know the game millions of miles better than U... Kenny Rogers summed it up very well... " You got to know when to hold'um, know when to fold'um know when to walk away and know when to SELL!!"

 

The only thing that will protect you from inflation is gold or TIPS.

[BenedictGomez]

Does anyone here play the stock market?

 

I get to "play" at it now, but I used to be an institutional equity professional, which is a fancy way to say I dealt with mutual funds, hedge funds, and the occasional pension fund or foundation.

[BenedictGomez]

Here's some tips for when you're learning, and learn a lot before putting any money at work.  Read some good books.

 

1) Stay away from options.  Dont even THINK or consider putting money into derivatives.  Derivatives are only for 3 types of people (Professionals, Gamblers, and Complete morons).

2) Dollar-cost-averaging is a good way to always put some money into the market rather than trying to (poorly) time the market.  Sometimes the time will be great, sometimes the time will be bad, it "averages" (hopefully) out.

3) Invest in ETFs, preferably well-diversified ETFs, but if you have the urge to focus on something, say...... energy, for instance, buy an energy ETF rather than just putting your money into XOM etc..

4) Revisit #1

5) If you do feel the urge to buy some solo stocks you like, but a few well-known, durable bluechips that pay a dividend (KO, DIS, RDS.A, PG, etc...).  Companies that aint going bankrupt anytime soon!

6) If you've made wise decisions, dont "churn" your portfolio, stick with it unless there are material changes that make you 100% sure you should sell something.

7) Make sure that the sum of your money invested represents good diversification, both in industries and in geographies.  A big mistake many (most frankly) Americans make is investing 100% in America.

8) See #1

Edited March 23, 2017 by BenedictGomez

[JHbowhunter]

I am paying Fidelity to manage  one of my IRA's for me - they are doing a lot better than I was myself.  Yes they take a management fee, but I gladly pay it because I just don't have the time to do the proper research ( I do have the time actually - but I choose to hunt, fish, and a few other more enjoyable activities.) They are kicking butt, and if there is a downturn, they will rebalance for the uptick to maximize gains, as rebalancing was not something I was very good at or ever really did at all.    I did put some money aside where I did use the Fidelity platform to do my own research on some specific sectors, and bought 5 of the best stocks in 5 different sectors based on the ratings and research fidelity provided. Happy to say - those choices were quite wise...       You many want to consider Lockheed Martin - probably a lot of government defense spending coming their way...

[Axiom]

The only thing that will protect you from inflation is gold or TIPS.

 

 

CD's will be safe.. and so will annuities  .. Real- Estate will be good.. And I have been thinking bout precious Medals...

[1957Buck]

My Question that I never got a good answer for is. When you Buy X amount of shares at $500,00 one day and the next Day your advisor calls you to tell you that you have just lost all that investment.  Where and who got all my $500.00

I have some GM shares I will sell of Free. 

My investments are in Prudential.  And Real-Estate. 

Edited March 23, 2017 by 1957Buck

[Axiom]

3) Invest in ETFs, preferably well-diversified ETFs, but if you have the urge to focus on something, say...... energy, for instance, buy an energy ETF rather than just putting your money into XOM etc..

 

 

 This seems to be true.. My ETFs have performed better than any of my stocks other than BPOP and AAPL...  Ditching APPL at $150... BPOP I think still has life left in it

Edited March 23, 2017 by Axiom

[Axiom]

Where and who got all my $500.00

 

 

 Prolly Your Broker, Foo...

[1957Buck]

CD's will be safe.. and so will annuities  .. Real- Estate will be good.. And I have been thinking bout precious Medals...

 

Precious Metals    stagnant what you pay is one thing a fee to sell is another, JMO 

[Axiom]

 

Precious Metals    stagnant what you pay is one thing a fee to sell is another, JMO 

 

 This is true.. And probably  why I have never been interested in them.. Just thinking about it right now

[Haskell_Hunter]

CD's will be safe.. and so will annuities  .. Real- Estate will be good.. And I have been thinking bout precious Medals...

 

CDs and annuities will not be safe.  Those are dollar-amount assets.  If the value of the dollar goes down, so does the value of those assets.  Real Estate may hold value better, but gold is a sure thing to hold value.

[Axiom]

but gold is a sure thing to hold value.

 

 

Tell that to the suckers that bought at $1800 an oz.. see what they say...

 

  CD's interest rates are fixed for the duration of the CD.. I don't see the risk there.. Annuities, ( NOT Variable ) are NEVER risky.. No one has EVER lost a dime when they are held to maturity.. And their rate of return is usually tied to interest rates ( excluding Indexed annuities ) .. And again, Where there is inflation there are higher interest rates..