Investing thoughts

[Black Orchid]

Keep your mind and body active no matter what you choose. Particularly your mind.

[Neferti]

Bridge is very good for me, but I don't want to do it all the time.
Touring Aussie is appealing. Apparently after a year or so it wanes.

I have never had the desire to travel around Australia, like a Gray Nomad. Living out of a pop-up caravan thingie doesn't appeal.

One guy I met he had retired then returned to work. When asked why He said ' there are only so many weeds you can pull and so many games of golf you can play.'
Another guy I know is very rich, he retired for 3 months, then returned to work. He said he was amazed how rapidly his physical and mental 'strength' declined.

Yes, when men retire they really need "something" to keep them busy and amused, and undoubtedly physically fit, so you probably need several different "hobbies" or interests. Or you could do some sort of "course" online, start researching the Family History if you haven't already done so. Also there is always volunteer workers needed, that gets you out of the house and time to chat to people - which is one thing you do miss when you retire .... co-workers and chatting to them.

Women can always find something to do around the house ... or at the shops.

Don't fret, Sprint. Plan ahead and you will be just fine.

[sprintcyclist]

I am a fretter.

It is good to get comments from various sources, thanks.
If 3 different people suggest the same thing, that is most likely a good idea

[Mortdooley]

I see you want investment ideas and as a self proclaimed know-it-all my advice is quality high dividend paying stocks. We have been to the free dinners given by "wealth management" companies and we have learned something from every one. They are all selling Annuities and while they never lie, they tend to create the impression that Annuities are the best way to invest. That is not true, if you are willing to educate yourself about the Market you will never buy one! I trusted Fidelity to professionally manage a large part of my retirement because I could undo it if needed and they were sure to do better for me than I could do for myself. At least they were moving my money between Mutual Funds which coincidentally all had the name fidelity in their title. I was wrong and after 366 days I told them to cash me out when my balance was very close to the amount they started with. My return on investment was the lowest it had ever been and since I took control it is now the best return ever. Research, watch stocks that you find interesting and buy on the dip. I own AT&T, Exxon/mobile, Ford and BP. I also own Iron Mountain and Invesco which have dropped slightly in value but I am in it for the long term and their dividends are better than most.

[sprintcyclist]

I see you want investment ideas and as a self proclaimed know-it-all my advice is quality high dividend paying stocks. We have been to the free dinners given by "wealth management" companies and we have learned something from every one. They are all selling Annuities and while they never lie, they tend to create the impression that Annuities are the best way to invest. That is not true, if you are willing to educate yourself about the Market you will never buy one! I trusted Fidelity to professionally manage a large part of my retirement because I could undo it if needed and they were sure to do better for me than I could do for myself. At least they were moving my money between Mutual Funds which coincidentally all had the name fidelity in their title. I was wrong and after 366 days I told them to cash me out when my balance was very close to the amount they started with. My return on investment was the lowest it had ever been and since I took control it is now the best return ever. Research, watch stocks that you find interesting and buy on the dip. I own AT&T, Exxon/mobile, Ford and BP. I also own Iron Mountain and Invesco which have dropped slightly in value but I am in it for the long term and their dividends are better than most.

I agree with high quality dividend paying stocks under your own name.

Be the captain of your own ship

[Bobby]

I see you want investment ideas and as a self proclaimed know-it-all my advice is quality high dividend paying stocks. We have been to the free dinners given by "wealth management" companies and we have learned something from every one. They are all selling Annuities and while they never lie, they tend to create the impression that Annuities are the best way to invest. That is not true, if you are willing to educate yourself about the Market you will never buy one! I trusted Fidelity to professionally manage a large part of my retirement because I could undo it if needed and they were sure to do better for me than I could do for myself. At least they were moving my money between Mutual Funds which coincidentally all had the name fidelity in their title. I was wrong and after 366 days I told them to cash me out when my balance was very close to the amount they started with. My return on investment was the lowest it had ever been and since I took control it is now the best return ever. Research, watch stocks that you find interesting and buy on the dip. I own AT&T, Exxon/mobile, Ford and BP. I also own Iron Mountain and Invesco which have dropped slightly in value but I am in it for the long term and their dividends are better than most.

Mort,
Your money is not safe in stocks -
they lull you into a false sense of security by paying dividends sometimes for years then
all of those gains can be wiped out in a couple of days if the market crashes -
and even worse - you can make huge losses.
Many people are looking for a safe place to park their money in these uncertain times.
Where's a safe place?

[billy the kid]

I think it depends on the age of the investor.
If someone is younger, then they have time to overcome a market crash...
However as we get older, there is less time to recover.
I could never understand why anyone over the age of 60/65 would hold any shares....
Old saying....better to be six months early than a day late...(getting out of the stock market before it crashes...)
But then again...Ive always been conservative and cautious.....
I suppose it also depends on your risk profile....
I dropped more than a few dollars after the market went down after 9/11...
But I was only in my fifties....
We live in uncertain times....

[Mortdooley]

Mort,
Your money is not safe in stocks -
they lull you into a false sense of security by paying dividends sometimes for years then
all of those gains can be wiped out in a couple of days if the market crashes -
and even worse - you can make huge losses.
Many people are looking for a safe place to park their money in these uncertain times.
Where's a safe place?
[/quote]





You don't just buy anything available based on its dividend. Not all stocks go down with the market just like not all stocks go up with the Dow. Stop-loss is a useful tool to protect value but it can work against you sometimes. I put a stop loss that was too close to my purchase price and it took a dip one day and rebounded right back. It sold at a loss, my mistake. I also put a stop loss on stock I liked to own too much, it sold for a healthy profit and I won't buy those stocks again because they remain below what I sold them for. What I do is not a hands off system, I watch and study companies I am invested in daily and others I may buy in the future.

I am much more concerned with run away inflation than a market crash, our whole system is based on unsecured credit. When your money is no good you may not be able to buy food.

[sprintcyclist]

I pretty much agree with Mort.

Billy - with a life expectancy of 85+ years, an investors in their 70's are long term investors.
And, it does give great interest/involvement for that person.


there is no 'safe place' for money.
As one investor said "The saved dollar is a stinking fish.'

[billy the kid]

Depends on your risk profile I suppose...and how well you want to sleep at night...
When one has no control over a variable, the risk involved becomes greater...
I sleep well and the smell of fish is very faint...