Medic72's Account Talk

[Medic72]

thank you that helped alot!

 

[Medic72]

will all the negative people drive the spx down to 800? or will the bulls keep it rolling?

we will see, im kinda nervous about tommorow, but even if it goes down, i dont think it will be that big of a drop.

if you have been waiting, you might wanna jump now, if not you might spend alot longer on the sidelines..... watching a few of us pick off the top 10 one by one.

(above is my first attempt at a prediction or an opinion i reckon lol)

 

[Medic72]

question....

other than the tsp accounts, how could one buy shares of our C Fund privately?

i really have no idea how the normal buying selling market works, but i know today id like to be able to buy more shares of something that i know will go up in the future.

 

[Steadygain]

question....

other than the tsp accounts, how could one buy shares of our C Fund privately?

i really have no idea how the normal buying selling market works, but i know today id like to be able to buy more shares of something that i know will go up in the future.

The C Fund is the S&P 500 - which is very easy to privately invest in.

I typically use Vanguard for Funds like this because their fee is minimal - and they have many other Funds equally as impressive.

If you're serious - make sure it's money you don't need or can do without for years to come - because cashing in too soon (2 years) may more than double your money BUT CAPITAL GAINS will be extremely high.

GL - I hope you the best. Funds like the S&P 500 are very hard to beat at a time like this - this is very much a buying opportunity.

 

[Birchtree]

The C fund only tracks the S&P 500. You can purchase ETFs that mimic the SPX and the OEX. You can purchase some of the stocks that are leaders in the SPX or you can build your own mutual fund like I've done. I have 321 individual stocks in my oceanic account and it goes by the name - Birchtree 300 fund. Once you are outside of TSP the whole world opens up and along with that ring flexibility comes more risk. Investigate the Roth IRA as a way to get initiated - you can only risk 5,000 a year - 10,000 if you include the wife.

 

[Medic72]

The C Fund is the S&P 500 - which is very easy to privately invest in.

I typically use Vanguard for Funds like this because their fee is minimal - and they have many other Funds equally as impressive.

If you're serious - make sure it's money you don't need or can do without for years to come - because cashing in too soon (2 years) may more than double your money BUT CAPITAL GAINS will be extremely high.

GL - I hope you the best. Funds like the S&P 500 are very hard to beat at a time like this - this is very much a buying opportunity.

im checking out vanguard now steady, im at the point where i put in my banking info lol, anyway i wonder what the minimum investment is, i might not be able to proceed at this time. i looked on the site and couldnt find any info about it

 

[Medic72]

The C fund only tracks the S&P 500. You can purchase ETFs that mimic the SPX and the OEX. You can purchase some of the stocks that are leaders in the SPX or you can build your own mutual fund like I've done. I have 321 individual stocks in my oceanic account and it goes by the name - Birchtree 300 fund. Once you are outside of TSP the whole world opens up and along with that ring flexibility comes more risk. Investigate the Roth IRA as a way to get initiated - you can only risk 5,000 a year - 10,000 if you include the wife.

wow lots of info on the roths' lol gonna take a bit to read all this. thanks birch. once again, minimum investment will probably kill me.

 

[Birchtree]

I don't believe there are any minimum investments when opening a Roth IRA - the fees will vary according to the vendor. I actually prefer individual stocks over a mutual fund because they pay dividends every three months that can be reinvested - mutuals only pay once a year. ETFs will allow concentration within a sector.

 

[Medic72]

just got off the phone with vanguard, very informative, packet is enroute

thanks to you both, great help!

 

[Steadygain]

im checking out vanguard now steady, im at the point where i put in my banking info lol, anyway i wonder what the minimum investment is, i might not be able to proceed at this time. i looked on the site and couldnt find any info about it

Well I'm very much the 'odd ball' on this Site - but I stick only with the TSP and don't even consider stepping outside of it.

No one here needs to know anything about your personal banking info or anything else. In the long run the more private you are on the other things - the better off you are.

I'm honestly not sure what the mimium is - but I started many years prior with $5,000. Before you start investing - always think of years to come - way down the line as you retire (or if you have young children or plan on having some - for their college education).

Look at your liquidable assets first - how much do you have on hand in the event something unexpected happens. I have several accounts to maintain a heafty cushion and have at least 6 months worth of income at all times. I'm more than prepared when the air conditioner goes out, my car get totalled or needs replaced, and all the other things that happen in everyone's life. My largest account is for paying off Emily's college - which is about $30,000 a year. In another few years my last one if off to college and the same account will be for her.

So carefully look at your life (your family) before investing and make sure you're at a point where you have it to spare. If you don't have $5,000 to spare then don't be in any hurry.

I don't go to the ETF site - and it's not because of any kind of 'attitude' - it's simply that going outside of TSP crosses a boundry I don't want to cross. Please remember that all of us are Federal Employees and very few would qualify to tell you where to invest. I would definately avoid individual stocks and not allow yourself to even remotely get caught up in that mindset. FUNDS are a far safer investment and designed for both maximum gains and minimal risk.

The SPX (S&P 500) (C FUND) is pretty much the nuts and bolts of the whole investment industry. The main thing is getting in after a fairly long sustained drop. Stocks down 85% - All major Funds down roughly 60% - with numerous record weaknesses and knowing the past 12 or more years just got wiped away.


That is the time to go in - if - and only if you have it to spare.

 

[Medic72]

thanks steady, all is well noted.

im not sure i have any extra at this time to invest, the house burning up and all, but id sure like to have some money sitting there right now i could use to do everything i need to do.

Im thinking if i had done this years ago i would have it there now to use. BUT if anything like this ever happens again, i would like to be better prepared to dig my way out of it.

 

[Steadygain]

thanks steady, all is well noted.

If I help at all - then I'm thrilled to do whatever I can.

im not sure i have any extra at this time to invest, the house burning up and all, but id sure like to have some money sitting there right now i could use to do everything i need to do.

No clue - what you're talking about - but it's about impossible to own a home without having insurance. If a house burns up then the Insurance Company should more than cover your needs.

I'd wouldn't mess with them if my house burned down - and they were dragging their feet. I'd have a lawyer do it; but I doubt I'd ever have any problems.

Anyway - I'm really sorry to hear about the house. We live where a tornado could hit - so we've got pictures of everything and had all the china, antiques, and valuable stuff assessed and kept at the bank (as well as a video). I've stumbled across some rare finds and know without the records I'd never be able to expect the Insurance Company to give me $2,000 a place setting, or $8,000 for this and that. I hope we never have to deal with our house getting burned down or smashed to pieces and blown out across the fields but we really made a point of making sure we collect whatever we lost.

Im thinking if i had done this years ago i would have it there now to use.
Our society is largely to blame for that - savings (and all the more investing) is not the norm.

BUT if anything like this ever happens again, i would like to be better prepared to dig my way out of it.

Well - I hope for you the best. Your TSP is looking good and that's the best place to start. I'd highly recommend increasing that investment to the limit before going somewhere else.

 

[Medic72]

well today was how do i say... interesting lol.

i guess i coulda pulled out friday and locked in the profits, but the only thing its gonna hurt right now is my traker % heh. still up a bunch from 667 a share of C. )) riding the wave all the way back up!

I wonder if the new contributions will hit today, that would be nice lol.

 

[Birchtree]

Tomorrow the bulls might take everything back. I get my buy this Friday and currently my greatest fear is that we blow right up through the C fund $10 range and I miss my chance to nibble. Look at the graphs that Nasa provided in his thread - that 2003 ride was majestic - up 3,000 points in ten months with hardly a look back. We might easily be getting ready for a simiular repeat - it's too dangerous to go to safety in this type of environment - it always costs more to get back in.

 

[Frixxxx]

well today was how do i say... interesting lol.

i guess i coulda pulled out friday and locked in the profits, but the only thing its gonna hurt right now is my traker % heh. still up a bunch from 667 a share of C. )) riding the wave all the way back up!

I wonder if the new contributions will hit today, that would be nice lol.

You're run needed a breather. The market told me so.
The banks are hiding the fact that they are BILLIONS light on their sheets. The commercial real estate market is about to collapse. The bailout estimate is 10 fold of the last bailout. There will be atonement for the banks soon. Even the "stress test" is proving that the banks are in serious denial.

Be careful that six weeks of positive growth doesn't get raked by a few weeks of capitulation.

:blink:

 

[Medic72]

wooho my contributions hit yesterday, so i got More C shares at .44 cheaper per share lol.

was a good day in aspect, and looks like its correction might be over!

 

[Medic72]

hmmm........... wonder if we will make it all back today!

and by looking at the tracker, no one thought it was a good time to buy in still, they might have missed the only chance they had to get in cheap!

Snort.................Snort!

 

[Birchtree]

The key to retracements in a bullish trend is that they're fast and there's no follow through. Today would indicate that scenario. As we move forward you can expect more of these great shakes. Who knows where we close today but any gain is appreciated. McDuck did make the move to 100% S - so he deserves credit for being future oriented.

 

[Medic72]

ahh good job duck!

um.... i looked and really couldnt tell where i could see the moves people made on the tracker, i only had the top 20 memorized

any help is appreciated!

 

[Medic72]

ahhhhhhhhhh. i found it!