I learned a lot reading the applications our new InvestorGeek hopefuls have been sending in. For example…
My perspective on investing will change when I hit my 30s:
While I don’t think that saving is bad, I just think that there are better ways to get to your financial goals. And with all the members on these blogs being under 30, they have time to take a risk or make a mistake. Time is on their side.
I’m not the only one who has thought about how to invest with my (soon to be) spouse:
I tried for years to get my significant other on board. You would think securing our financial future would be a priority. But people are different. We are wired different, raised different, and sometimes we find to our dismay that we want different things in life.
Buying stocks is a lot like going to the grocery store:
Standing in front of the orange juice section, cooling my heels literally, I see a 128oz jug of Minute Maid Orange Juice for $5 (actually $4.99 but lets make it simple). I also see a 64 oz carton for $3. The hubby drinks a lot of orange juice (extra, extra pulp – he’d be happier with full rind) so I, of course, want to get the best deal.
What do I do?
While dollar cost averaging is usually a bad idea, dollar cost saving is smart:
I read in a book today how Dollar Cost Averaging is the best way to invest. I’ve read this many times and all I have to say about that is what a stupid pile of horse shit advice that is. That is the dumbest strategy, short of buy and hope, that there is. Let me explain how dollar cost averaging works to screw yourself and then I’ll give you a GOOD strategy that makes a billion times more sense.
Oil is not invulnerable to supply or demand:
What we have are market forces in action. Oil will have an extremely hard time reaching 100 USD because those countries that burn the most will start cutting back making more oil available for those countries that are growing.
Universities are a good investment for themselves as well as their graduates:
The Yale Endowment is one of the most successful long-term investors. Last year (2005) their return was over 22%. And they have a long-term 20 year track record of over 16% in annual returns. They achieved these remarkable returns by careful asset allocation strategies.