My Hands Are Tied

[namor]

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I wonder if anyone would be interested in some sports book tips?

I'd be happy to comment on some upcoming bowl games, or the Derby, etc. Of course, compared to TSP, sports wagering is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. But it ISa form of investing. And there are so many underground bookies out there, you don't even have to be in Vegas. Not sure? Ask a bartender. They will just laugh at first, but if they see you are serious, they can point you where the action is.

I LIKE the idea of individual stock tips messages. If anyone has a brokerageaccount, this could be quite fun.

Just some thoughts. Tell me ifI am "off my rocker," Rod.

 

[tsptalk]

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JOTT wrote:

I would like to see, if we are going to pay a fee that you might even comment on some individual stock picks and or anyother financial intrest that might be helpful. I follow your comments everyday, and like the others look forward to reading them everyday.:^

You read my mind. If I am going to have more free time someday, I do plan to do more individual stock trading. I was thinking that could be included or extra, depending how I set that up.

 

[Ironsidesusa]

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Tom,

I am a CSRS Federal retiree (35 years of service) who has been in the TSP for quite a while. I find you insight on things an invaluable resource to guide me in making the right decisions about my funds. Based upon what I have seen here I would be willing to pay $5 to $10 per month foran upgrade in services. Also (a littlefather?/brotherly (I am 58) ? advice -I am not sure how many years you have in Federal Servicebut I am sure you know Federal jobs have a lot of positives that can't be matched elsewhere. I would hate to see you jump ship. FederalRetirement is GREAT!

 

[nsynch]

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Hi Tom. I’m a newbee and didn’t think I would jump on the board just yet but had to write. I just found your website 2 weeks ago by doing an engine search on MSN and was actually surprised that the site didn’t cost a fee. I was hoping to find a source out there that could educate me and help me with how to manage my TSP. When I stumbled onto your site, I was so excited! I only wished I would have found it a year ago. I enjoy the diversity, opinions and different strategies on the message board forums and ESPECIALLY look forward to your daily postings. I’m hooked!I’ve learned a bit already and am looking forward to following you and being more active/strategic in the management of my allocations. There are going to be different camps on the fee issue and I think the those most financially astute will be a little more resistant but I feel that most fed employees are probably not that savy when it comes to their TSP and the markets. I see it all around me at all levels and that is probably the norm. People don’t take the time or don’t have time so your site helps pull it all together. I think you provide a wonderful service and hope this continues to grow and wish you success. I’d be willing to pay especially if you expand you site and provide additional services. I think the investment in the education/knowledge will have bigger dividends in the end. The key is to have a good marketing plan and let people know about the site. A free trial period would be excellent…it worked for other giant internet services. I’ve shared your site with a couple of folks and now they’ve been lurking your site. Maybe you can give one month free to a member for each person that they refer and sign up! Thanks again and am glad you found your niche!:^
PS: Only 97 voted but that is probably a pretty statistically valid sample and 91% would pay for some level of service

 

[Rod]

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I'm just happy to see all of the "lurker's" comments!

Welcome y'all!:^

 

[Safetyguy]

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Here is my 2 cents --

Since I found this site a few months ago, I have turned on about 30 other people to it. My guess is that many of them would never pay a dime for the site, they enjoy the commentary and some evenfollow Tom's suggestions to the T (blindly it seems?).

Once the "viewership" goes up (and it seems that it will go up exponentially if everyone spreads the word like I have), I would do like other free websites -- advertising.

The key I think is that Tom cannot do this gigfull time -- he has a phoney baloney gov't job to keep. Based on the cost of other financial websites, $100/yr brings a certain level of expectation -- both in website quality and the quality of investment advice.

My other questions is how much revenue is needed to make this a break even proposition. Tom hinted at a few hundred per month. If the price is $100/yr you will have a fewer number of subscribers that if the price were $5-10/yr. Both of these monthly "charges" probably can bring Tom to a break even and/or a small profit. However, I think 100 year would generate a very small number of subscribers and kill the spirit of this thing in the long run. Better to have 2,000 cheapskates than 30 diehards (and that is better for advertisers too).

In any case, fee or pay, you should make registration/log in required. It will be interesting to see how many unique users you really have.

So my preference would be to keep it free and do as best you can with advertising. If that proves to be unfeasible, go with something like $10/year -- at most.

 

[Pilgrim]

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Tom,

Rather than leaving federal service entirely, why don't you see if your agency would allow you to reduce your appointment to half time (assuming the site really makes money). That way, you are still in the system, qualify for the great insurance benefits when you really retire, etc. Ideally you could spend all morning on the site and go to work after the tsp transfer cuttof time. Just a thought

 

[Dave M]

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I pay a small fee to post on another site, www.consimworld.com, like maybe $25 a year. Here I think I would be content to lurk, for free. I don't imagine anyone would pay to hear my advice, heh, but I am interested in what others have to say.

Lurk for free; pay up to $25/yr to join and hence post.

Dave

 

[tsptalk]

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Thanks again everyone. You have said some very nice things and have given me more to think about. Adding advertising may give me a few more bucks each month but it didn't go over well when I first tried it. Of course membership has increased substantially since then and it could really take off, I don't know. Like I said I would love to make this site much better but the one thing I don't have is time. Some of you know my wife and I also own an art/antique gallery so I am really stretching myself thin. Going part time may be a great idea. Itwould allow me to be online through the TSP daily deadline, work on some site advancement in the morning etc.

I wouldn't have thought it a year ago butone thing I worry about now is being fired. I have been an exemplary employee (or so I thought) but due to the severity of the disciplinary action I'm guessing I really pissed some people off. I didn't fight the suspension because I'm the type of person to just say 'sorry', let's get the suspension over with' rather make a big stink. I got along with my boss and I guess I didn't want to make waves. Now I question his motivation. I was actually looking forward to the 2 weeks off. But I have since had people tell me that the next step after a 14-day suspesion is termination. I have over 20 years in as a FERS employee and actually think I have more to lose if I stay. My wife works for the same agancy so we would keep our benefits. Tough choice but I would like it to be my choice rather than theirs. :shock:

Thanks again for thefeedback!
Tom

 

[grandma]

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Tom, I see 97 responses to a poll posted 4 days during Christmas week. I know this is a tough mind (and gut)-wrenching problem for you. Do you have a counter for hits to this site? I am not sure how informatic that would be since I for one access it at three different times during the day. Another thing: if the E-mail alerts were free for only a month, then that address dropped off the list- surely by that time the person would know if if they were interested enough to check out your Comment page on their own, daily or otherwise. That would save a great deal of time if you are dealing w/3000 now. Also, `yearly pay only' would reduce an unmentioned problem thus far of bookkeeping. For those who might not be able to do that, a quarterly fee could reflect a larger cost d/t thebookkeepingfactor. There are those of us who pour over Every comment written. I wouldn't want tolose any one of these `Regulars'input. My gains have been because of this, your Brainchild,' yes, but Not because of your allocations. They arebecause of
Everyone's
[line]

[line]
(oops - sorry about that !! :'that wasn't the underlineemphasis button - and right in the middle of a Serious dissertation!!)
postings since I started `lurking.' Will all of those who have shared so willingly, who have interacted so freely, who have made this place what it is today, will they pay to continue doing that?

...do you need a Board ofDirectors?

I voted I would pay, but you know, that was paying for what I have now. And I will pay, yes, but I will mourn if we lose anyone.

- if entreprenuir is what you want to be, may God Bless you and your family in this decision. ...I must agree. tho- leaving the security of gov't retirment benefits as we understand & havethem at this time is something you & your wife have to agree on.

Hopefully you weren't planning on making a decision by Jan 1, 2005 !!!

pat

 

[grandma]

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Tom,your last post apparently came in while I was typing mine...if termination is an issue, that is a whole new ballgame. Resigning d/t taking on `tsptallk.com ' fulltime is an admirable item on a resume, I should think, especially your reasons for starting it to begin with. Again, it is you and your wife who make the decison, and ultimately you. Go with God.....

 

[tsptalk]

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grandma wrote:

Do you have a counter for hits to this site? I am not sure how informatic that would be since I for one access it at three different times during the day.

Here's the last 2 month's figures...

Month of 12/1/2004 to 12/31/2004
Important Totals

Executive SummaryThe web site received 141,391 visits. A typical visitor examined 9.38 documents before leaving the site. A typical visit lasted for 1.47 minutes. The longest visit lasted for 303 minutes.

Visitors came from 18,576 distinct Internet addresses.


Month of 11/1/2004 to 11/30/2004
Important Totals

Executive SummaryThe web site received 105,711 visits. A typical visitor examined 8.97 documents before leaving the site. A typical visit lasted for 1.42 minutes. The longest visit lasted for 416 minutes.

Visitors came from 13,716 distinct Internet addresses.

 

[zbwmy]

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I was not able to vote before the poll ended. I would probably pay. I keep thinking did this come up because of all the TSP Pilot talk?

Mark

 

[retiredcg]

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Tom -

Though I have only been on a short while, it is readily apparent that this site should go on; that for many it is filling a void which should actually be taken care of at the agency or Administration level. You andyour other members may have differing opinions at times, but the openness that shows in the various posts affords aperspective for a wide diversity of motivated investors. I for one would gladly pay the 5 or 10 dollars per month for the ability to consider the views of others who are far more insightful than I. Considering, as an aggregate, just how much money we waste on crud every month, your dues would be a drop in the proverbial bucket.

As far as numbers of members, I can only offer you this: At my workplace, ina volunteer collateral position, I am a Command Financial Specialist,keeping in contact with literally thousands of people per year by means of training, bulletin board postings, advisory board meetings, etc. Returning to work after the holidays next week rest assured that I will put TSP Talk and what it does and can do out in front of these folks. Iwill also pass tothe other agency coordinators I keep in touch with of this site and its usefulness, and hopefully, the word will spread.

You just keep on doing the right thing here... and they will come!:^ All the best to you in this New Year!

Jim

 

[Pilgrim]

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Tom,



If they are out to get you, going part time is dangerous. Terminating you for cause is a long, drawn-out procedure but a RIF could always eliminate a position. Under RIF rules, part time people are removed before any full time people are reached. Be careful!



Pilgrim

 

[Dave M]

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I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. There's nothing you can do. But then, how strong or effective is your union, and are you a member?

I ran afoul of the NOAA travel regs once during a PCS move and was required to serve a two week suspension. We set it up to bridge two pay periods. Within a couple of years I was promoted off station, no problem. My supervisors gave me glowing recomendations. Were they merely anxious to get rid of me? Heh.

Dave

 

[merlynda]

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I just stumbled across this site and in fact changed my fund allocation. Please do not charge a fee to use this site. This site is what I hoped the internet would be about.... Folks helping folks.

Please advertise your paypal donation andask people to heavily contribute to this site. Sort of like shareware ... if you find the site valuable contribute.


-Thanks

 

[LX280]

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Tom,

Just food for thought. (remember.....I'm new to this)

When TSP went to daily valuations of accountsI don't think that they expected TSP investors to actively (or, almost "Day Trade") their acounts. You may find that sometime in the future thatthe board of directors (governing board)of the TSP may try and change the rules and limit the number (or, how offten) allocation changes can be made. Or, they may just try and make your life hard.If more and more people start to follow your advise you very well may "spot light" yourself via your website.

Please comment on this if you will......

Thanks!

 

[Greg R.]

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[align=center]Poll responses [/align]
Yes to #: 2, 3, 4, 5, 8.

 

[tsptalk]

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retiredcg wrote:

I will put TSP Talk and what it does and can do out in front of these folks. Iwill also pass tothe other agency coordinators I keep in touch with of this site and its usefulness, and hopefully, the word will spread.

Thanks Jim! I appreciate that.