# Stock picking!



## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

So with the markets near the lows of the last decade, what is everyone buying? We must have some stock guru's here somewhere? anyone?

I bought some C @ $1 last week. Who would of ever though you could buy a share of America's largest bank for less than a cup of coffee? lol

Also got into some SU & USO for soem oil exposure...

So, whats everyone looking at?

Ryan


----------



## Evye's Mom (Dec 16, 2008)

Good topic Ryan.


----------



## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

Although I don't actively sell, I am licensed to sell securities.
My general belief is that stocks are fun to "play" with, but if you don't know what you're doing, mutual funds are a better way to go. You're not putting all your eggs in "one basket", so to speak, and mutual funds have money managers that DO know what they're doing. And boy, are they ever on sale right now! Get 'em while they're hot...
Being a Nebraskan, I'm tempted to buy a share of Baby B's (Berkshire Hathaway)...but the practical side in me will probably win, and I'll get into more mutual funds....


----------



## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

DH is a stock trader and we've taken all our money out of the market and into savings accounts. It's not worth the risk for us as we want to buy a house next year and having lost approximately 35% of our savings last year, we're being safe rather than sorry! I'm sure that's not what some financial advisers are telling you, but I do know that a lot of his work buddies are doing the same until things settle down a bit.


----------



## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

I should add that it is also my belief, that if you are getting into the market, you should be doing it for LONG-TERM reasons. If you need the money within the next 5 years, you have no business being in the market, as it *is* volatile. These times are a perfect example to back up my belief. And I don't believe in getting OUT of the market in the down-turn. I tend to follow Warren Buffet's beliefs in that area....


----------



## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Renee, I agree that if you're already invested now that it would be pretty dumb to sell your stocks and get out... you need to ride it out so to speak. We got out back in September when things were crashing down, so we actually were able to save SOME of our money by doing so - it crashed even further afterward. Sorry if I wasn't clear!


----------



## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

Lina...If you got out last September, you made a great move! I would not have forseen the market to go this low....looks like it's trying to creep up again today....YEAH!!


----------



## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

OUCH! I love/hate this topic. I have about 15+ years before I retire my hubby has 20+. I say " + " because who really knows when we will get to retire anymore. I started saving for retirement late..but was aggressively contributing to my work 403b through mutual funds (non profit 401k) and was doing very well at making up time... Well, it looks as though I am back where I started. Like a lot of people I have less than half of what I did a year ago. My gut is to pull it all out... But then the losses would be forever. SO I am just not looking. I


----------



## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

We're far from retirement. The only savings we are really worried about is the college funds for our older kids. The oldest is in 7th grade. We're preparing them now to earn some scholarships!
It is a good time to invest though, with things so low. Everything we do is in mutual funds. Mostly Index funds.


----------



## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

Good topic Ryan. I'd love to take 1000 dollars and invest it and just forget about it for the next 5 or 10 years. Stock prices are so low and you know they will go back up. Perhaps not to the astronomical highs they were at before but up nevertheless. The only thing holding me back is fear of the unknown since I have never invested before. 

I no longer even look at my 401K. I let it ride because I won't be needing it for awhile and it just depresses me to look at it.


----------



## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

We're just watching and waiting. Luckily DH sold off tech stocks and we made some $$$ from Apple and something else he sold. When he starts talking about it I usually start singing "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and run away!!!ound:


----------



## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Ryan- SELL SELL SELL! Beamer needs to be a big brother already!!!!


----------



## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

ha ha ha Amanda. actually Ryan,when first opened "stock picking" I expected you to query how you go about picking the breeding stock for your next pupper.


----------



## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

DH has been in the business over 20 years, so you don't even want to get me started . . . BUT, he would tell you what most people tell you:

Buy quality
Diversify
Do you need your money soon? If not, leave it alone (and definitely don't pull it out when it's low.)
When you do retire, diversify, diversify, diversify.

We had so many people in our area with the banks who have gobs of $$ tied up with Wachovia, BAC, etc. The retired folks are the ones I worry about, but things will get better . . . I think people with cash are sitting on the sidelines just waiting. DH likes the indexes like BGU. I'm personally an Apple nut. I'm embarrassed to say how many Macs I have owned over the years (my DH calls it a museum of Macs.)


----------



## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

I used to day trade stocks back in the internet bubbles days (1999-2001) .. those were good times... you could pretty much buy anything and make cash. I think 2009 is the same. Prices are so low at this point, that it would be very hard for them not to appreciate in the long term. I do not see nationalization of Citi or Bank of America. I wish I would have gotten into GE.. ughhhh.. Oil up a wopping 10% today...

I LOVE THE STOCK MARKET... just have to know what your doing........ thats the problem.. lol


----------



## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> .
> I'm personally an Apple nut. I'm embarrassed to say how many Macs I have owned over the years (my DH calls it a museum of Macs.)


Us too! Right now we have 3 laptops and a Mac Mini. DH always "needs" the newest laptop for work so I get his old one and then mine goes to the kids or to his parents. We got them a new Mac Mini for Christmas though so they may not want our hand-me-downs anymore.


----------



## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Ann, my first Mac was a IIci which cost a fortune and only had an 80 mg HD! It still works and has a Radius pivot monitor which flips the view from tall to wide. Just somehow can't get rid of the darned thing. I think my boys will eventually fight over who can have it . . . great memories.


----------



## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Hhahaha, When I was a kid, I recall my homes first computer was an Apple II+ .. what a machine!

Ryan


----------



## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

Remember those big floppy discs (true floppy) and DOS???
We've come a LONG way baby.....


----------



## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Ok, so back to stock picking... or lack there of.. lol

come on guys... some of you must be involved or have an interest in the stock market?

Ryan


----------



## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

DH was so happy this morning, the market is up a bit! Usually I run away when he starts talking about it but that was some good news.


----------



## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

Ryan, do you need a broker?  I know a good one . . .


----------



## snfager (Sep 29, 2006)

For those of you that manage your own investments did you know that the cost of the computer and internet connection you use for that purpose can be a tax deduction. The laptop and internet access solution we use while RVing is also deductable.


----------



## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Kathy, Are you a broker of some sort??

Ryan


----------



## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

My DH is . . . long time with Morgan Stanley.:biggrin1:


----------



## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

We are still buying! I think its a great time to buy if you are able to financially, but I look at it like a casino, pretty much. We are doing well on our usual stuff, gold, silver, alternative energy, a few energy companies, dominion, Hawaii Electric, made some $ off of Air tran recently. I'm still hanging on to the GM. 

I have a freind who is buying Iranian money as an investment, I haven't really looked into that, as currency trading is not my thing, but he's pretty confident in it.


----------



## kelrobin (Jan 21, 2008)

A casino it is! I always call it the crystal ball syndrome. And how ironic that we have a son who is trying his "hand" on the World Poker Tour. I would much rather he be doing something more respectable, but he's actually been fairly successful so far. Lots of similarities to the casino, but my son says poker is definitely a game of skill!


----------



## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Kara, What altnernate energy stocks do you follow? I've been looking at these recently...
Ryan


----------

