Dumb Money
Many people have, at one time or another, taken some of their hard-earned funds, and decided to put them in the stock market. These well-meaning individuals either acted on a tip they saw on CNBC, or actually believed one of those crazy faxes/emails that said XBXB @ $0.17/share was the next Microsoft. These people thought they were being smart, but they probably just ended up lining the pockets of brokers and mutual funds when they lost money on their 'investment'. I know, because I've done it, too. Part of the problem we face is that we are big underdogs in the investment channel. We, as individuals, have access to hordes of information. Yet, we don't even scratch the surface of our knowledge potential. We invest without carefully reading financial statements and company reports, looking instead to message boards and TV stock 'experts' for guidance. If you own mutual funds, do you know what companies those funds are holding? Most people have no clue. Investors can be lumped into two categories: smart money and dumb money. Most individuals are 'dumb money'. Smart money regularly beats the market, and includes many mutual funds. Dumb money generally loses. Dumb money often over-reacts to market pressure. There are a few ways to avoid becoming 'dumb money'... First, forget about short-term investing. If you plan to rapidly buy & sell stocks, statistics show that, on average, you will lose, and maybe lose big. Long-term investors don't easily get scared off by market fluctations, 10% price swings, or a bad earnings report. Plus, they don't have to pay the transaction fees over and over like the day traders do. The best way to ensure that you will make money investing is to find your initial investment vehicle, and leave your money alone. Second, don't go along with the crowd. Example: Walmart's stock has been a great investment over the last 5 years, right? Wrong! It's actually lost about 5% during that time. Yet, if you watched CNBC, you'd swear that Walmart was the best thing since sliced bread. Find a strategy that makes fundamental good-sense, and don't throw your money into a stock or fund because it's a big name.
Finally, diversify! If you're in it for the long-haul, you need to make sure that some really bad news doesn't keep the kids from going to college. That's it for now. Check out www.stockmarketplus.com
for investing news and tips!Scott is the inventory control manager for a large winery, and maintains and publishes stockmarketplus.com, his own financial blog.
Related News
Monthly Portfolio Data Now Available for ING Closed-End Funds - MarketWatch
Should Commodities be in Your Portfolio? - MarketWatch
Should Commodities be in Your Portfolio?MarketWatch -9 hours ago"While it takes upward of $50000 to invest with a commodities trader, you can still participate by investing in commodity-related exchange-traded funds ... |
New US rules aimed at helping investing in foreign markets - Forbes
How to start investing in mutual funds - Sify
How to start investing in mutual fundsSify, India -14 hours agoLook for a pure international play that includes investment in Japan. You should understand the distinction between these funds and global funds, ... |
Is It Time to Buy Buffett and Miller? - Motley Fool
Is It Time to Buy Buffett and Miller?Motley Fool -2 hours agoValue investing is still a solid philosophy. In essence, investors seek a dollar's worth of assets for, say, 50 cents. Even so, value investing has been ... |
Europeans Retreat on Venture Investing - New York Times
Saving and investing: Your questions - BBC News
BBC News |
Saving and investing: Your questionsBBC News, UK -10 hours agoOn Monday's programme Vincent Duggleby will be putting your questions about saving and investing to a panel of experts. Many people are worse off than a ... |
Basics Of Stock Investing Market - PR-USA.net (press release)
Basics Of Stock Investing MarketPR-USA.net (press release), Bulgaria -4 hours agoThose giving their first steps on the stock market investing have a free online guide made specially for beginners. Kind of Stock investing for dummies is ... |
Value Investing With Covered Calls: Visa, Mohawk - TheStreet.com
Tech Won't Be a Safe Haven for Long - Seeking Alpha
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Investing & Online Stock & Share Trading: Money & Risk Management - Atkinson Portfolio Planner (1)
This article was originally featured in Daryl Guppy's 'Tutorials in Applied Technical Analysis', voted no 1 trading newsletter in Australia by Shares magazine & no 4 in the world by US Stocks & Commodities magazine and is reprinted here with Daryl's permission.
Almost Anyone Can Open A Roth IRA!
The Roth is kind of weird until you get used to it in terms of how much you can put in (contribute) each year depending on how much you earn (compensation). Because of this you really have two limits, one dealing with your compensation and the other dealing with your contribution. Let me explain.
Investor Guide to Financial Health
Step 1: Spend less than you earn
Better Investing Made Easy
If there were one piece of advice that an investor could ask for, the question would probably be something like "What do I need to do to invest better?" Better investing choices are sought by investors every day. Some find them and succeed, others do not. The difference clearly lies in better investing, so investors are on the right track. They are, however, asking the wrong questions.
Success Trading: Yet More Basic Terminology for New Traders
In this day and age of online brokers for virtually every market out there, there are some very useful tools that will help protect your account and lock in profits when you have them. It is our recommendation that you use a good online broker and take advantage of not only the low commissions they offer, but also the automated tools that are available. These tools are virtually idiot proof if you use them. The number one reason that people's accounts go belly up in the markets is because they lack the discipline to stick with their trading plans and let emotions drive their trading decisions. This approach is a guaranteed way to lose in the markets. Oh, you might get lucky on occasion, but eventually the market will take your money. Let discuss some of the trading tools we're talking about.
The Dreaded Direct Question
(Please have a glass of water within reach before reading this article.)
The Economys Greatest Depression Downturn Ever Is Now Just A Few Years Away
What really controls the economy? Forget interest rates, forget deficits, forget the Fed, forget IRAQ, forget which party is in office. In fact, forget just about everything that permeates the news. The greatest force that has controlled the long-term trend of the economy for at least the last century doesn't give a fig about any of these side-shows. And just what is this "greatest force" now telling us in 2005? The same thing that it has been telling us for at least the last twenty years - that the onset of a catastrophic depression, unprecedented in history, has been marching silently and steadily towards us, and that it is now just a few years away.
Investing in World Markets
There are many different ways to invest in world markets: stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, commodities or currencies. Sometimes people refer to these options as investment vehicles (or method of investment). Some of these vehicles may fit your personal characteristics or lifestyle better than others. The point is that no matter the method you choose to invest, the goal is always to put your money to work so it earns you a profit. Even though this is a simple idea, it is the most important idea you should understand.
Investing Pointers for Neophyte Investors
If you know next to nothing, how do you go about the business of investing? The first thing you need to know about investing is, how much do you really know? If its' not much, then you will need to read extensively to educate yourself.
Seven Investment Terms Everyone Should Know
For those who have never given their financial future a second thought, the term "Financial Planning" could be a scary one. Investments can be a smart way to invest money for your future, but it can be confusing for those who have no experience in the financial business. Before you consult a financial planner it is wise to become familiar with some of the terminology that you are likely to hear from him or her.
The Myth of the Earnings Yield
Abstract
Numismatics are for Collectors, Not Investors
As a precious metals investor, you may heard much about numismatic and "semi-numismatic" coins, particularly the St. Gaudens $20 double eagle gold coin. While coin collecting can be an interesting hobby, it is not necessarily related to metals investing. Coins of this type vary in value with the ebb and flow of the collector market and are not strictly tied to metal value. Also, these coins often go for much more over spot price than bullion coins.
Oil and Gasoline Price Uncertainties
The Light Crude Continuous Contract hit an all-time high at $70.85 a barrel, while Unleaded Gasoline Futures spiked 50% or $1 a gallon on Tuesday. However, oil closed the week at $67.57 a barrel, while gasoline finished the week up 15%. There's still uncertainty over the extent of oil and gasoline disruptions in the Gulf, over the next few weeks or months, caused by hurricane Katrina. However, there are many forces keeping a lid on oil and gasoline prices.
Investing and the Fear of Regret and Greed
People tend to feel sorrow and grief after having made an error in judgement.
Diversify!
The best way to avoid being hit hard by a stock market crash or another Enron/Worldcom fiasco is to make sure you don't put all your eggs in one basket. Diversification helps ensure steady growth of your net worth as you accumulate more assets.
My Way Or The Highway: Give Your Financial Professionals A Good Talking To!
All this talk about Investing is encouraging lately. Over the last few years, more people have become interested in the duty to invest there money, then ever before. However, when you follow most investment offers to their logical conclusion, they are disgustingly futile.
Bad News - Why The Financial News Media Can Cost You Money!
The communication innovations we have around us today like the internet, financial newspapers, and special interest television channels focused on investing like CNBC are a high speed pipeline of nonsensical chatter. All these sources of information mean that there is no shortage of media people trying to answer our questions about the stock market and specific stocks. You have to remember that the news media are constantly competing to survive against other stuff you can watch. If they don't always sound like they know exactly what is going on then you won't watch their presentations. If you don't tune into their show then their ratings go down. If their ratings go down they get fired and their show gets cancelled.
The Benefits of Laddering Your CD Investments
If you've decided to stock some money away in a certificate of deposit, why not reap the highest benefit over time by laddering your CD investments? What's a CD latter? I'm glad you asked.
Is Starting A Business For Me? What To Consider Before Starting A Business
Do you have the right temperament?
Investing for Retirement - Not an All or Nothing Play
In 1519, Hernando Cortes, beached on the shores of unexplored Mexico, made a fateful decision: he would burn the ships he and his men arrived in and attempt to overthrow Montezuma and the mighty Aztec empire. The decision was risky. The Aztecs were meant to possess large numbers of brave warriors while Cortes had only a handful of men. If Cortes had the slightest setback there would be no escape. On the other hand, Cortes had no choice. The powerful Governor of Cuba wanted his head. Cortes had defied the Governor time and time again and his best option for getting out of the situation was to win favor with King Charles by conquering a civilization rich in gold and other treasures. Since Cortes' men might get a little antsy if the going got rough and decide they would prefer going home, Cortes decided it would be best to completely align their incentives with his. He did this by burning the ships. Anything but success would now equal death for Cortes and all of his men. Thus began the famous march from Vera Cruz to Tenochtitlan.
|
