Stoplight's Account Talk

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All,

Today, I made a move to "sell the rally" and move some more to cash :

...sold my BBT, as mentioned above. It was a small lot, and only paying 3.5% div (below my target 4% rate) ; ROI ~ 16%

...sold my 2 lots of DD ; nice run-up from my buy-in, but div rate was 3.2% ; ROI ~ 41%

...sold a partial lot of my current "best performer", DPS. Paying a decent 4% div, but I was up > 110% over my buy-in price...time to take some profits there !!! :D May try and "trade around a core position" approach on that one.

After all the prices are in for the night, I'll take a look at where I'm at, from a diversity point of view, and decide what to do with the cash. Honestly ??? I'm in no hurry to put it into something else right now... :worried:

Best wishes on YOUR investment decisions !!!


Stoplight...
 
OK...today's numbers plugged in...

Right now I'm ~39% in stocks, but ~32% in cash and long-term government securities (think "G Fund" !!!). :D The rest is in various maturity bond funds.

VERY conservative, but being retired, I don't like the day-to-day look of the markets..."preservation of capital" is the name of the game for me right now !


Stoplight...
 
All,

Yesterday, I was looking at the fact that I now had almost $100K in CASH, between the 2 of our accounts !!! OMG....ain't gonna get ahead with THAT strategy !!! So I did some research...still have a lot of $$ in various bond funds, so wanted to stick some more in equities...but NOT necessarily in a single Company's stock...

Ended up buying into an ETF...Global X Super Dividend (DIV). Trades like a stock, so I can bail whenever I want if the market goes south (not just at COB price, like a mutual fund) ; low volatility ; paying monthly ; paying ~5% div at this time... I like those features, for a place to park some cash !!! OTOH, it's a low volume ETF, on a daily volume basis...so selling may be a problem for finding a buyer !!! Risk/Reward, baby...risk/reward !!!

Just another plug for USAA...but this only applies to folks who are eligible to be Members of the Company !!! See their web page for more info...

I’ve been a Member of USAA since “Christ was a Corporal” (as they say !) We’re talking 1975, as an AFROTC Cadet...had MANY different products, over the years, and happy with all of them !

Currently, we have a term life insurance policy (on me), our Master Card (soon to be converted to Visa), a checking account, and our car insurance with them. My and the Wife’s rollover IRAs are also in self-directed brokerage accounts with them. We have a high enough household balance that our trades are usually $5.95...a good thing ! I’m not a sophisticated enough investor to need a lot of foo-foo, so I’m happy with the trade info and options they offer me.

They also have this thing called a “Subscriber’s Savings Account” (SSA)...once your allocation to the SSA reaches a certain point, they refund an amount to you, based on how the Company performs in any given year. It’s NOT guaranteed, but what is, in this day and age ??? In 2015, they refunded me ~$350...that cut my car insurance 6 month bill in half !

Here’s the kicker : In 2015, they said I was eligible for a “Senior Bonus”...just needed to apply ! Now, I don’t remember if that’s based on my age, or how long I’ve been a Member, but I got another ~$750 credit yesterday !!!

Moral of the story ? If you find a Company that gives you great service, offers good products, and rewards loyalty, then stick with them !!! Just saying...


Stoplight...
 
Stoplight said:
Ended up buying into an ETF...Global X Super Dividend (DIV).
Click to expand...

On that theme, one that I plan to purchase as part of my retirement portfolio is PFF. Once the dust settles in this bear market I'm hoping it dips down to $32ish, maybe even $30 worst case. It pays solid dividends (currently 5.8%) and seems very stable long term, so it might not get anywhere near my hoped for price.

PFF - SharpCharts Workbench - StockCharts.com

Beyond that, I'm whittling down a list of other solid dividend payers. For the overall dividend portfolio, I'd like to end up with something like 20% in PFF, then ~16 more individual stocks making up about 5% each of the account (with those 16 stocks averaging near or a bit better than 4% dividends). That will be just one chunk of the overall retirement plan.
 
Last edited:
Tsunami,

Thanks for steering me to look at another fund !!!

Always can use some info from others who have found "stuff" that works for them !!!


Stoplight...
 
Stoplight said:
All,

Yesterday, I was looking at the fact that I now had almost $100K in CASH, between the 2 of our accounts !!! OMG....ain't gonna get ahead with THAT strategy !!! So I did some research...still have a lot of $$ in various bond funds, so wanted to stick some more in equities...but NOT necessarily in a single Company's stock...

Ended up buying into an ETF...Global X Super Dividend (DIV). Trades like a stock, so I can bail whenever I want if the market goes south (not just at COB price, like a mutual fund) ; low volatility ; paying monthly ; paying ~5% div at this time... I like those features, for a place to park some cash !!! OTOH, it's a low volume ETF, on a daily volume basis...so selling may be a problem for finding a buyer !!! Risk/Reward, baby...risk/reward !!!

...


Stoplight...
Click to expand...


All,

So today the DIV ETF paid their monthly dividend...price is up 2.2% since my buy-in...just luck !!! :smile:

OTOH, I was surprised to see a dividend payment that was almost 8% !!! Yeah...I can live with that, as a place to park some cash !!! :D


Stoplight...
 
All,

Okay, so some of you have followed along as I recounted the "adventures" of my Grand-Niece...and many of you offered advice, financial, and moral support, when she took her mission teaching assignment to Lima, Peru. So I owe you an "update" !!! :D

Well, the Kid LOVED the work she did in Peru, and the whole "teaching Kids" thing ! We had a GREAT vacation trip down there, and were able to take her with us on an organized tour around the country !!! ...A trip none of us will ever forget !!!

OTOH, she chose not to renew her 2 1-year options on her contract, although they begged her to stay...the Kid was horribly homesick, missed her boyfriend, and discovered that the school administration wasn't exactly what they presented it as, when they recruited her. I chalk it up as a valuable "lesson learned" for her...the 24-year-old is out of college, and now the "Real World" has reared it's ugly head, and taught her an important lesson...Welcome to Life, Kid !!! Things aren't always what they seem... :eek:

So she returned to the States in December, after the school year was over ; got engaged to the boyfriend (we've spent some time with him ; easily gets our "Seal of Approval"...like THAT means anything to them ! :D ) ; worked 2 jobs... This past weekend, we had the pleasure of going to the wedding in KY ! What a blast !!! We hadn't seen her since she got back...

They'll be settling in TN for now...those Kids should have a bright future ahead of them, 'cause they're BOTH way smarter than I was, at age 25 !!! So proud of her....and him !!!

Thanks to All who offered their prayers and support to her, through my account talk here !!!! All Y'all are the BEST !!!


Stoplight...



Family.jpg





Sonja Sue closeupv2.jpg
 
WorkFE said:
Stoplight,
Hope the weather I ordered for your visit to KY was adequate. :laugh:
Click to expand...


OMG, WFE....was that you ??? We really appreciate that ! :D We drove through crap, almost all the way up there...

Considering they rolled the dice and had an outdoor reception, complete with circus-style tent, (appropriate !!), the weather could not have been MORE perfect !!!

Thanks to everyone for your kind comments !


Stoplight...
 
Scout333 said:
Congrats Stop! Great looking family! Hope niece's life lessons are all easy!
Click to expand...

too late. look in those eyes in the second picture. those are steel, they have seen some things, there are lessons in there. so has her great aunt's eyes as well, but that is another story and probably mostly stoplight's fault.
 
burrocrat said:
too late. look in those eyes in the second picture. those are steel, they have seen some things, there are lessons in there. so has her great aunt's eyes as well, but that is another story and probably mostly stoplight's fault.
Click to expand...

Burro,

An "astute" observation, from a poor photograph !!! But totally concur !!! ...the Wife and I said, after her very first visit here, while moving down to start college : "This Kid is kinda' scary...she's wise beyond her years !!!" I could tell stories to back that up, but I won't...suffice to say...those eyes ARE steel !!! This Kid knows what she wants, and knows how to get there...impressive (to me !), for a Kid !!!

I feel a little sorry for Husband James...when saying their hand-written vows at the wedding, she was totally organized, and had little index cards to read from...OTOH, he unfolded a 1 page paper, and stumbled through !!! Too funny !!! He said : "I hope you're not making a big mistake !!!" :D No doubt who will call the shots in THAT marriage !!! But they're perfect for each other, and that's okay with us... :D

RE: the Great-Aunt's eyes ??? Naw...she carries that Gordon Scottish "steel eye" thing, too...every once in a while I have to deal with it...but I (mostly) have her buffaloed with the "Norwegian Thing"...she's a cream-puff ! :D


Stoplight...
 
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