| |
| |
|
|
Stocks and Mutual Funds |
|
True Investment Road Maps
If you don't know where you are going any road will get there. After you get there you might not like where you ended up. You must plan ahead for your trip. Do you know where you are going with your retirement portfolio? Do you have a plan mapped out? Do you know what to do if your plan starts hemorrhaging money like a stuck pig? Remember 2000? Of course that will never happen again, will it? I'm glad you are so confident. I'm not. Every professional trader has a plan. Wait a minute. You say you are not a professional trader and you wouldn't trade like they do anyway. Well let me let you in on a little secret. If you don't learn to invest like a pro you are going to give him all (or most) of your money whether you like it or not. What is it like to trade like a pro? You won't like it and your broker and financial planner will like it even less. It is simple. The road to success is the road that has an exit ramp, in fact, several. It is like doing the Baja Road Race and carrying many spare tires. Without several tires you are not going to make it. Where are those exits? Why so many spare tires? Because without them you will be off the road in a ditch and unable to carry on. The exits and the tires are your protection against becoming lost or broken down on your way to a comfortable retirement goal. To get where you are going in any vehicle you must not be stopped so you have to find an exit ramp when everyone else stays on the stagnating highway. That spare tire is one of your stocks or mutual funds that has gone flat and must be replaced. You are going to make it. The poor (sic) people who have no plan will remain mired on the highway to nowhere. There is a secret to being a successful investor and it is one word - SELLING. Yes, any fool can buy, but it is the wise man who knows how to sell. That is called an exit strategy. If you do not have one you are doomed to lose money. During the long term bull market from 1982 to 2000 everyone became a financial genius. Now that we are in a long term bear market (that history shows us lasts an equal length of time) many of those financial geniuses are back in kindergarten and may not have time to graduate. As the current stock market becomes more dangerous it is time to get out your road map to see where the exits are. It is time to realize that some of your tires could be wearing thin and may need to be replaced. No one is going to do this for you. Not your broker or your financial planner. You are the driver and a successful conclusion to this journey is completely up to you. Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know. Copyright 2005
MORE RESOURCES:
Stocks-Mutual-Funds - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Stock Valuation using the SMP Model Disclaimer: Please note that I do not necessarily purchase, own, or partake of any of the securities or other financial instruments mentioned in this article. I also do not take any responsibility for any actions resulting from any actions taken by anyone who reads this article. How To Be A Winner Everyone who invests in the stock market wants to be a winner. Each person's definition of a winner will be somewhat different, but there is hardly one who isn't looking for that stock that will double in price within one year. The Stock Trading Plan - Why You Must Have One To Trade Successfully This is the continuing story of our two imaginary traders, Peter and Paul.Peter is a professional trader, Paul is not. Prosperity It has fallen upon the consumer to make our economy strong. All the politicians, economists and talking heads on TV are telling him (that's you and me) to get out there and spend your money. Invest, Be Wrong, and Make Money in the Stock Market I have been trading for several decades and was an exchange member and floor trader for 17 years. You learn fast there or you go broke in a hurry. Mousetrap The spring-loaded rat catcher is the ultimate low-tech device invented more than 100 years ago and remains the best demouser in the world. It is so simple anyone can master it and best of all you can keep on using it year in and year out. Red, Green, Yellow - or - Stop, Go, Go Very Fast: Which Describes Your Online Trading? Ever notice how behavior in one area of life can apply to behavior in other areas of life? For example, I've noticed a number of things while driving that apply to online trading. One of them is regarding how people behave toward traffic signals. The Problem With Hedge Funds Are hedge funds a suitable investment for you? Hedge funds are an appropriate investment for qualified purchasers with a net worth above one million dollars and an annual income exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Purchasers are often required to sign an acknowledgement confirming their qualifications to invest in hedge funds. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Stock Market On the 40 year journey through the turmoil of a volatile stock market I've noticed "P/E Ratios," "Consensus Estimates," " Bull and Bear Markets," stock ratings of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, star ratings of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Also, stock ratings of "buy," "strong buy," "sell," "hold;" stock rankings of "market perform," "market outperform," "market underperform," "market underweight," "market overweight," "market equalweight," and "market neutral. Shorting Stocks - The Basics, Part II of II After the publication of the first part of this two part series, I had a few questions asking if shorting stocks is legal and I will quickly reply with a big YES. Some people believe that shorting shares of American companies is not patriotic or does not seem like the right thing to do. Play another Day Money management starts with protecting your capital, realizing profits and cutting losses. As I have stated in the past, without cash, you can't invest. How Covered Calls Turned a Trader Around Sidney felt sick as she looked at her latest OptionsXpress trading statement. In just 8 months, she had managed to turn her $120,000 account balance into less than $70,000. This Market Is Different All of the talking heads have been telling us that this market is different. You are going to have to be patient and soon (hopefully in your lifetime) the DOW and the Nasdaq will be back at their old highs. 365/7/24 What does it take to be a stock trader? It takes a total mental commitment to the task. It becomes a complete way of life. Mid-Cap Stocks: Asset Class with an Identity Crisis Much like the middle child, mid-cap stocks have long struggled to find their identity. Carved out from the upper echelons of the small caps and the lower end of the large caps, the mid-cap sector has a rough definition of stock with a market capitalization of greater than $2 billion, but less than $10 billion. Duct Tape Did you run out to buy that duct tape yet? Don't forget the plastic sheeting, bottles of water, canned food and a couple of books to read. What are you waiting for? I know - things to get better so you can resume your normal life style. Stocks Options Trading Let's assume that you want to make some serious money and you have chosen to take things into your own hands rather than depend upon a "professional trader" to make your trading decisions. This is usually only recomended if you can afford to lose the money that you are trading with, and you appreciate the fact that there is much more upside potential with this added risk. Different Types of Mutual Funds This is a guide to the different types of mutual funds. When it comes to investing in mutual funds, investors have literally thousands of choices. Your Job There are so many kinds of work that needs to be done and you are doing one of those jobs right now - unless you are one of those two and a half million that have been laid off during the past 3 years. The press continues to blame China and India for stealing away all these forms of employment, but they don't have it right. Two for the Money Look back over the years and try to remember how many different stocks and mutual funds you have owned. Suppose you had owned only 2 different equities during that entire time.
|
||||||||||||||