Investments: Make Your Money Work For You!
Welcome to our Stock Market Investing section. One of our favorite topics (if not our favorite) has been the subject of investments and the stock market. If you’ve been following our site for a while, you’ll notice that we’ve covered some ground in this area, and have enjoyed discussing and analyzing various matters about investing and the stock market throughout the years — from long term passive investing to short term stock trading, to market timing, fundamental and technical analysis, stock picking, diversification strategies, online broker reviews, investment tools and tips. Yes, we enjoy covering all things that could help us grow our money in interesting ways!
There exists many divergent views and perspectives on investing. Our particular stance is this: we are primarily long term investors who are passionate about the markets. Our investing experience spans several decades, so we’re pretty familiar with the markets, albeit as small investors (or as retail investors, as we’re referred to by the industry). We are hoping that this site can serve as a place where we can all learn and vent about the markets together. If we’re going to ride a bull or a bear, might as well get into this roller coaster together, right?
Some of us have been investing since the 1980s. In fact, several of us have gone through three economic recessions and a large bull market squeezed in between. Living in Silicon Valley, we also saw just how crazy the dot com phase of the bull market affected many stocks, including the ones we owned via stock options or as part of our regular portfolio. We’ve personally held stocks that have imploded and tanked to zero, and have also held many winners that have soared to heights unseen.
At any rate, we share many of our thoughts and ideas about the markets on this site and we hope you’ll join the discussion.
For experienced and first time investors alike, the plethora of investment vehicles and options can be overwhelming. It seems that on a nearly daily basis, some new innovation with unlimited promise and appeal sprouts through the already crowded investment landscape. Like many things, however, it behooves us to keep our investment styles simple. Believe it […]
If you’re a first time investor, it’s best to start investing with mutual funds. Mutual funds offer a simple way to garner near instantaneous diversification, the liquidity to buy and sell whenever you want (within limits), along with professional management. In particular, you should consider index funds for their low-cost and tax efficient approach. I […]
Years ago when I first worked the “front lines” talking to employees of some of the largest 401(k) plans, it seemed that many of the calls I received had something to do with employees who left or were leaving their employer. Often, people simply wanted to know “how to get their money” and we would […]
When should you transfer your brokerage account? As a risk analyst, I suppose it’s not too far off to say that I’m also a paranoid individual. No, I’m not looking over my shoulder, waiting for the bogeyman to get me — rather, I now rarely take anything anyone says to me at face value. I […]
During these times of historically high unemployment rates, many people have had to resort to dipping into their retirement savings simply to survive. It’s something I understand since I’ve been in this situation before. When I first became an entrepreneur, after several years in corporate America with nice retirement benefits, I would often be strapped […]
Nobody can blame you if your views of the stock market have changed lately. Buy and hold investing is no longer as rewarding an approach as it used to be in decades past. With most decisions in life, no question has an easy answer and this is no exception. If there is an easy answer, […]
A lucky few become millionaires overnight by winning the lottery. But before you start playing the game, know that rich people have their own set of problems. Many of them have their own share of headaches that I’m sure you wouldn’t want to have. Most people harbor the dream to hit it big in some […]
Do you think Jim Cramer knows what he’s talking about? Jim Cramer is a controversial financial guru who has written columns for several financial publishers and who has found success with theStreet.com, where he is a founder. Despite his celebrity, he’s been raked through the coals in financial message boards and other sites. Still, he’s […]
So how long do you think you will live? I am thinking I will make it to age 81. Well, if I’m lucky. My grandmothers lived to be 88 and 93 so that’s pretty good. The men in my family have all passed in their 60s or 70s. Uplifting thoughts, huh? Morbidity aside it really […]