The Investment Thread (help with savings, stocks, retirement funds, etc.)

[Benny003]

Originally Posted by snake911

Hmm. I had heard that as a somewhat older rule that only really applied now if you were more risk averse (nothing wrong with that of course, we all have different tolerance). I'm nearing 40 and I wouldn't want a third of my investments in bonds. But with 20 years (at least) until I can collect I'm fairly aggressive in my allocation.

We're overdue for another recession. Just my uneducated take, but having fewer bonds and more stock at the bottom of the last recession until now would have been good, but probably not so good at the start of a new recession.

[Benny003]

I just checked my holdings and I guess at some point I did reduce my bonds to 25%. So I'm doing 60/15/25 for US stock/international stock/bonds.

[cazzie34]

Bump.

Anyone making any changes in this Michael Jordan 1996 Chicago Bulls market?

[AJF_41]

more cash, less everything else

[MDPrompter]

Originally Posted by AJF_41

more cash, less everything else

This.

I may also up gold, and shift holdings to something like QUAL....etf of low debt, dividend paying stocks. I think companies with high debt get squeezed if/when rates rise. And if this tax cut thing happens, that'll put pressure on inflation and force the Fed to move rates up faster.

[MDPrompter]

I'm forever long on the Tesla, Netflix, and Apple's of the world.

[Nick@Night]

This may not be impressive to some, but I recently hit $100k in my retirement fund.

[cazzie34]

Originally Posted by Nick@Night

This may not be impressive to some, but I recently hit $100k in my retirement fund.

Congrats, bro. Every milestone is a good milestone. Fuck the haters.

[MDPrompter]

Originally Posted by Nick@Night

This may not be impressive to some, but I recently hit $100k in my retirement fund.

Congrats! That's awesome!

[UCFish]

Originally Posted by Nick@Night

This may not be impressive to some, but I recently hit $100k in my retirement fund.

Nice how old are you?

I just hit the $200k mark myself but I am 35...was an exciting milestone.

[Nick@Night]

Originally Posted by UCFish

Nice how old are you?

I just hit the $200k mark myself but I am 35...was an exciting milestone.

I am also 35.

[UCFish]

I had no loans for school....unfair advantage that I know is not normal.

[Nick@Night]

I just paid mine off the beginning of this year.

[UCFish]

So their is the difference right there....

It blows my mind how many people in my company don't do simple things to get the company match. I started contributing day one with my company to at least get company match.

Now I do the full 18k a year but I did not have that luxury until about 3 years ago.

[scrock25]

Originally Posted by UCFish

Nice how old are you?

I just hit the $200k mark myself but I am 35...was an exciting milestone.

Fuck yeah! Wife and I just did our calculations and we're right there too, about the same age - 35/37. No SLs, one lease payment, mortgage, no CCs.

Feels good man.

Both companies I've worked for that matched I made sure I contributed enough to get the full match, 6%... so for 13 years I was saving 12%.

[scrock25]

Originally Posted by Nick@Night

I just paid mine off the beginning of this year.

Congrats, Nick!!

[Nick@Night]

Originally Posted by UCFish

So their is the difference right there....

It blows my mind how many people in my company don't do simple things to get the company match. I started contributing day one with my company to at least get company match.

Now I do the full 18k a year but I did not have that luxury until about 3 years ago.

A former co-worker (she's 38) and I were chatting one time, and she mentioned she does 4% towards retirement account. Our company matches up to 6%, so she's leaving money on the table. I told her she needed to go sit her ass back at her computer, and immediately change her contribution. She goes, "I have a car payment, so..."

[YouNeverKnow25]

Originally Posted by UCFish

So their is the difference right there....

It blows my mind how many people in my company don't do simple things to get the company match. I started contributing day one with my company to at least get company match.

Now I do the full 18k a year but I did not have that luxury until about 3 years ago.

when are you going back to the regency coconut point

[MDPrompter]

My 401k is solid, and I'll continue contributing max. I now have 2 goals....1) Pay off mortgage 2) fund kids 529 aiming to have enough to cover the first $100k per kid

A paid off mortgage is going to feel so nice....probably 5 years away.

[YouNeverKnow25]

what is your mortgage rate

[BTBaboon]

Originally Posted by scrock25

Fuck yeah! Wife and I just did our calculations and we're right there too, about the same age - 35/37. No SLs, one lease payment, mortgage, no CCs.

No credit cards?

[YouNeverKnow25]

I'm assuming he means no CC debt statement-to-statement

[scrock25]

Oh no, I have them, no balances.

[MDPrompter]

Originally Posted by YouNeverKnow25

what is your mortgage rate

2.95% on a 15 year I think...I know I know...if you do the calcs, it may be better to put that money into the market.

But....
1) I already have the vast majority of my assets in the market
2) Bonds/CD are paying DICK
3) paying off mortgage is essentially a risk free investment
4) and this is the biggest one, having a paid off mortgage would take out my largest monthly cash outlay and allow me to re-evaluate my career....would give me the freedom to retire earlier and/or change careers and maybe do something for a non-profit.

[BTBaboon]

Originally Posted by scrock25

Oh no, I have them, no balances.

okay, I was going to say "you should have at least 1 credit card..." type thing. Personally, I don't use my debit cards for anything, but pay off my CC balance almost instantly once charges post. In the age of card skimmers and all that, I wouldn't suggest anyone use their debit card if at all possible.

[MDPrompter]

Originally Posted by BTBaboon

okay, I was going to say "you should have at least 1 credit card..." type thing. Personally, I don't use my debit cards for anything, but pay off my CC balance almost instantly once charges post. In the age of card skimmers and all that, I wouldn't suggest anyone use their debit card if at all possible.

[UCFish]

Originally Posted by YouNeverKnow25

when are you going back to the regency coconut point

Next February for a long weekend!

[MDPrompter]

Originally Posted by mdmarvich

2.95% on a 15 year I think...I know I know...if you do the calcs, it may be better to put that money into the market.

But....
1) I already have the vast majority of my assets in the market
2) Bonds/CD are paying DICK
3) paying off mortgage is essentially a risk free investment
4) and this is the biggest one, having a paid off mortgage would take out my largest monthly cash outlay and allow me to re-evaluate my career....would give me the freedom to retire earlier and/or change careers and maybe do something for a non-profit.

Part of this is also driven by markets being at all time highs. I will say, if we were in the midst of a 10-15% market correction, I would likely shift focus and put some of the extra money in the market.

[UCFish]

Originally Posted by Nick@Night

A former co-worker (she's 38) and I were chatting one time, and she mentioned she does 4% towards retirement account. Our company matches up to 6%, so she's leaving money on the table. I told her she needed to go sit her ass back at her computer, and immediately change her contribution. She goes, "I have a car payment, so..."

Yeah.....stuff like this...it hurts my brain to think about it.

Some though are even worse and do 0%....I guess they want to work until they die.

[YouNeverKnow25]

can't wait for someone to come in piping hot with the "if you have to put it on a credit card you can't afford it" take