Official Investing Thread

[pGekko]

So most of your stocks are low risk? Damn most of mine are in high risk

Depends how you define risk. I just meant that I f around with some money (on stuff like AIS), but most is in companies like APPL, CAT, PM etc.

[GF-22a]

Hey Jeff, is there a limit to how much you can "borrow" from your 401k? Also, what are the parameters for the repayment (i.e. amount of years, interest rate)?

You can borrow up to half of what you have in there. And I believe the interest rate goes along with what all the others are at. I was able to go from as short as 6 months all the way to 5 years

[SportsFromA2]

There's always a part of my portfolio dedicated to taking chances. It's a small amount, but sometimes your biggest gains will come from these risky moves.

That would also teach you about trading at the same time.

right, but 1) you have a portfolio with a strategy and 2) you know what to look for / you can read financial statements and such.

for me it would be more like: "Hey, that pizza from whole foods was pretty good, i'm going to buy a share" or "hmm, that new fusion looks decent, get a few shares or Ford" or "that pgekko guy said mReit's pay good dividends, might as well grab a few of those"

[pGekko]

You can borrow up to half of what you have in there. And I believe the interest rate goes along with what all the others are at. I was able to go from as short as 6 months all the way to 5 years

What did you mean by "you pay the interest to yourself"? I don't understand.

[pGekko]

right, but 1) you have a portfolio with a strategy and 2) you know what to look for / you can read financial statements and such.

for me it would be more like: "Hey, that pizza from whole foods was pretty good, i'm going to buy a share" or "hmm, that new fusion looks decent, get a few shares or Ford" or "that pgekko guy said mReit's pay good dividends, might as well grab a few of those"

If you open a brokerage account they have rating systems etc. You won't be blind unless you want to be, but you don't seem like the type that doesn't enjoy learning/researching things.

There's all sorts of sh1t you can look at with Fidelity and none of it's as granular as reading financial statements.

The mREITs are good to go to 2004. If interest rates rise, get out.

[GF-22a]

Depends how you define risk. I just meant that I f around with some money (on stuff like AIS), but most is in companies like APPL, CAT, PM etc.

Oh I thought you were talking about your 401.... I wish I was able to pick which companies my 401 invested in. Basically I just get to pick from groups that have like 10 companies in them. Like I said earlier I'm thinking about dropping the amount I put into my 401 and putting that money into my own private account

[GF-22a]

What did you mean by "you pay the interest to yourself"? I don't understand.

The loan cost me a total of $50. You get charged interest but that amount just goes into your 401

[GF-22a]

Depends how you define risk. I just meant that I f around with some money (on stuff like AIS), but most is in companies like APPL, CAT, PM etc.

I've been out of the stock market for awhile... Is PM phillip Morris?

[SportsFromA2]

If you open a brokerage account they have rating systems etc. You won't be blind unless you want to be, but you don't seem like the type that doesn't enjoy learning/researching things.

There's all sorts of sh1t you can look at with Fidelity and none of it's as granular as reading financial statements.

The mREITs are good to go to 2004. If interest rates rise, get out.

I know, but I also can't stand losing $$ either - you know how I deal-hunt and check ebates and a a bunch of sites just to save a 1-2%, lol... The prospect of what happened to that Coffee company philly/gary were talking about yesterday scares me ****less

[pGekko]

Oh I thought you were talking about your 401.... I wish I was able to pick which companies my 401 invested in. Basically I just get to pick from groups that have like 10 companies in them. Like I said earlier I'm thinking about dropping the amount I put into my 401 and putting that money into my own private account

No, this is outside of that. My 401k is just in mutual funds/ETFs.

10 companies? What? You can't invest in mutual funds?

[pGekko]

I know, but I also can't stand losing $$ either - you know how I deal-hunt and check ebates and a a bunch of sites just to save a 1-2%, lol... The prospect of what happened to that Coffee company philly/gary were talking about yesterday scares me ****less

That company is a growth stock. You could just buy blue chip dividend stocks and be fine. You do need to think mid/long term though. Little blips are really irrelevant for most companies that are solid. Green Mountain is trendy and I'd never even invest in it in the first place.