imported post
I have2 403 (b) accounts, and have very recently been playing with a taxable brokerage account. It's a short term thing, because I can trade free until 11/21 and then the fees are $20 a trade. Then I'll have to think carefully which, if any, stock I want to hold for a while before it becomes worthwhile to sell it at those fees.
I will say one thing. Buying stocks teaches what volatility is REALLY fast. I made a couple percent on CRAY when I sold it after gaining nearly 8% in a few days and then back down to 1.5% up when I sold. I lost 4% on SANYY almost instantly, and sold it. I have gained on TM (Toyota), gained with GFIG (thanks shark investing) and Friday morning bought a few shares of CWPC (Can-West Petroleum) which jumped 12% in a day. So far I'm ahead, but good lord it's luck. I bought CWPC because some MD casually mentioned that I should watch it, and I bought a small amount. It's fun, but when I have to pay fees, I think my trading days are done.
I really like the TSP, but as a military reservist I don't get any matching funds. I like the TSP because it's so perfectly divided between the sectors. I have managed far better performance from the TSP than anything else.
Disclaimer for the paranoid: I don't know anything, and nobody verifies my returns. Do not use anything I say as advice, and because I mentioned some securities by name should not encourage anybody to buy them because when I am saying I was up 12% it means $6 for that specific account. I mention it as a way to talk about how flipping fast things happen with individual securities.