Investing some "fun money"

[crrcboatz]

At 5.2% or maybe a tad higher now, a bank CD is a no lose situation. Stocks can make and break.
Almost every analyst says there is a correction in the future. Some have passed their prediction dates, but stand by their guns.

Have one maturi ng this summer. Was going to buy silver and gold. It’s gone up so much though. Maybe wait til fall and see where prices for both are then

 

[TedKennedy]

If only there was a member that knew all about finances and could meet up for coffee...

 

[aarondhgraham]

Way back in the 70's I took a community college class,,,
On investing in the stock market.

I apparently didn't learn anything,,,
I promptly lost a whopping 2-Grand on supposedly safe stocks.

So in my old age I don't "gamble" on anything,,,
I have 80% of my savings in a 4.7% CD at my credit union.

It's making the $308.00 monthly car payment for me.

I scrimped and saved for 17 years to build a good savings account,,,
I'm not going to risk that on anything but a sure and safe return.

I'll leave the high-gain/high risk investing to someone else.

Aarond

.

 

[SlugSlinger]

Way back in the 70's I took a community college class,,,
On investing in the stock market.

I apparently didn't learn anything,,,
I promptly lost a whopping 2-Grand on supposedly safe stocks.

So in my old age I don't "gamble" on anything,,,
I have 80% of my savings in a 4.7% CD at my credit union.

It's making the $308.00 monthly car payment for me.

I scrimped and saved for 17 years to build a good savings account,,,
I'm not going to risk that on anything but a sure and safe return.

I'll leave the high-gain/high risk investing to someone else.

Aarond

.

Do you remember the stocks you invested and lost?

It’d be interesting to see what they are worth today, or if they’re still around.

 

[GnometownHero]

Pure drinking water recovery systems that can harvest clean water from humid air.
The CEO of Nestle has been quoted saying that humans do not have a right to clean water and must pay for it.
Rare earth mining tech and batteŕy plants
Home clean nutricious produce growing systems
I wish I had been invested in Ring Doorbell when it started up.
Secure parcel porch reception boxes that scan delivery person ID for opening
Mobile rental security lockers in a semi or storefront for citizens to safely store firearms or other valuables at stadium events or other gun free zones. Private disarm booth, sell memberships.
Rice prices are skyrocketing and much of the world population needs it.
Rancher & farmer coop meat processing facilities and distribution
Magnetic levitation cargo heavy lift & transport systems
Really cool assisted living for all us old bikers & heads with great music, comfortable rooms, awesome food and medications we really want to take

 

[JD8]

If only there was a member that knew all about finances and could meet up for coffee...

With a first in, first out mentality.

 

[JD8]

My stock of the day is Hershey, off 52 week lows and a great dividend. Bought some this morning. However, that's quite boring. If you want vegas money plays look in to SMCI. Although that has had a huge run.....the fundamental story is still there... should NVDIA keep going too.

I've got a number of AI plays so I'm being pretty conservative for when the correction happens.

My favorite no brainer stock for all times/ and long term is Lockheed Martin.

 

[aarondhgraham]

Do you remember the stocks you invested and lost?

It’d be interesting to see what they are worth today, or if they’re still around.

My friend, that was well over 40 years ago,,,
Closer to 50 years now.

I just remember that they were high-tech developments,,,
They all (three of them) went bust almost overnight.

I learned my lesson there,,,
I'll never know enough to invest wisely in the stock market.

One thing I do remember though,,,
My wife and I got an unexpected windfall of 2,000 dollars.

I wanted to invest it in this new company called Microsoft,,,
But she was from an IBM family with both parents being engineers for IBM.

I thought investing in the company who wrote software was the thing to do,,,
She wanted to invest in the company who made hardware.

I told her she only bought her computer once,,,
But she had already bought three software updates for it,,,
But she had been an IBM baby all her life and I eventually gave up.

When we divorced 15 years later we divided the stock between us,,,
After 15 years it had barely tripled in value.

Later when I was in college I read an article on Microsoft stock,,,
If we would have invested that 2-grand in MS stock,,,
It would have been worth well over 1 million.

If I would have gotten my half in the divorce and left in there,,,
After another ten years my portion would have been close to 2 million.

I almost cried when I read that.

I was raised by hard working people,,,
We never had two spare coins to rub together,,,
It simply wasn't in my upbringing to risk the meager amount I could spare.

I know it's not a genetic (nature) thing,,,
But my environment (nurture) didn't support risk taking.

Right now my savings in a CD account generate over $3,600 per year for me,,,
A good friend of mine has been very successful managing his investments in the stock market,,,
He's offered several times to help me get started in making (he claims) at least $15,000 more per year.

I just can't get comfortable with the risk.

Aarond

.

 

[Shadowrider]

My friend, that was well over 40 years ago,,,
Closer to 50 years now.

I just remember that they were high-tech developments,,,
They all (three of them) went bust almost overnight.

I learned my lesson there,,,
I'll never know enough to invest wisely in the stock market.

One thing I do remember though,,,
My wife and I got an unexpected windfall of 2,000 dollars.

I wanted to invest it in this new company called Microsoft,,,
But she was from an IBM family with both parents being engineers for IBM.

I thought investing in the company who wrote software was the thing to do,,,
She wanted to invest in the company who made hardware.

I told her she only bought her computer once,,,
But she had already bought three software updates for it,,,
But she had been an IBM baby all her life and I eventually gave up.

When we divorced 15 years later we divided the stock between us,,,
After 15 years it had barely tripled in value.

Later when I was in college I read an article on Microsoft stock,,,
If we would have invested that 2-grand in MS stock,,,
It would have been worth well over 1 million.

If I would have gotten my half in the divorce and left in there,,,
After another ten years my portion would have been close to 2 million.

I almost cried when I read that.

I was raised by hard working people,,,
We never had two spare coins to rub together,,,
It simply wasn't in my upbringing to risk the meager amount I could spare.

I know it's not a genetic (nature) thing,,,
But my environment (nurture) didn't support risk taking.

Right now my savings in a CD account generate over $3,600 per year for me,,,
A good friend of mine has been very successful managing his investments in the stock market,,,
He's offered several times to help me get started in making (he claims) at least $15,000 more per year.

I just can't get comfortable with the risk.

Aarond

.

There are other ways now. Most of mine are in ETFs (exchange traded funds). Sure you won't get rich like your Microsoft story but I'm doing far better than a CD. With an ETF you are buying a whole basket full of stocks, so one company won't take your savings if it tanks. Some of them pay 100% over what a CD does in dividend alone. Set them up for DRIP (dividend reinvestment) and it compounds over time.

I only buy dividend stocks and ETFs. My best one is paying around 7.5% right now (and that's actually down because the unit price is up) and it's up 45% since I bought it.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Really depends, do you want to be speculative or safe? What is your ultimate goal with the money, just want to play around and gamble? All have given good suggestions here, just depends how much risk. At this point I'm beginning to think Silver, Gold and Ammunition are better investments to be speculative with. BRICS nations and banks are buying up Gold. As for ETF's they can be very good, or index funds. Want to be speculative? Hold it in a money market, wait until a 20% or greater dip in the S&P or Dow, then invest in a decent ETF in those indices. Billionaires are getting out of stocks to a certain degree, so that does not bode well. Only problem though with Market timing, what if the Market dips 20% then another 20% after you invest? Be prepared to be on the roller coaster ride until the Market recovers...

I'm, very diversified at this point.