How do you invest your savings?

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: residualsquare
Please include your age, or, if you would prefer, an age range.

As for myself, I pretty much just toss most of it into a S&P tracking fund; also have some of it invested in derivative vehicles, individual stocks, and some cash in an HSBC online account. I realize I should be taking advantage of the fact that I'm still relatively young (late 20s) and single, but I simply don't have the time to manage a proper portfolio.

if you dont have time to manage it yourself, then stick it all in a target 2050 fund.

oh wait.. this is after tax? (ie: not 401k). hm.. you might want something more tax efficient

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: K1052
25, single

401K (8% + company matching) - S&P index, REITs, Utilities, and International funds.

Sharebuilder account - Exchange Traded Funds exclusively (pretty diverse across materials, stock indexes, energy, emerging markets). I use this solely to accumulate these funds due to the very low transaction cost.

ING - for cash reserve and annual property tax savings

Physical precious metals - silver and gold (I don't but a lot but its nice to have on hand)

no bonds on 401k?

ing property tax savings? what's this?! (i have ing acct, and havent heard of this.)

Originally posted by: dullard
I have a diverse set of 5 low fee mutual funds (US large growth, US large value, US small growth/value, international large, international small) and 1 bond fund.

why not just blend funds (mix of growth and value) instead buying separate growth and value?

Dullard wrote:
but it was cheaper to pay alimony than to fight her in court even though I would have won (she was the one doing the cheating, with proof)

it's the principle of the thing, not $. I wouldnt have given my cheating whore $. how much is 2yrs alimony?

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: alien42
i am 32 and have almost all my money in 'high risk' or 'penny' stocks.

APTD.OB FTW!

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
Age: 19

I had an HSBC account as well at 5.05%, but for the extra dollar or two per month, I decided to consolidate it with Citi and throw some into CDs and index funds.
4.25% E-Savings @ Citibank
1 CD at Citi @ 5.35 APY for 7 months
1 CD at Citi @ 5 APY for 6 months
Small amount (~$100) in checking @ Citi

Large chunk of change in an Asset Allocation Account @ Vanguard
Smaller chunk in a European Stock Index Fund @ Vanguard

1 year of max contributions into a recently opened Roth IRA @ Vanguard (Mid-Cap Index Fund)

open Ultimate money market (5%) and move $ from e-savings. takes 5min to open and painless to move.

Foreign:
no pacific? no emerging markets?

emerging markets is up 25% this year. (I have 5% of my portfolio in that ) but i also have 5% in REIT, which is down 7% so far but i'm still ahead

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: K1052
25, single

401K (8% + company matching) - S&P index, REITs, Utilities, and International funds.

Sharebuilder account - Exchange Traded Funds exclusively (pretty diverse across materials, stock indexes, energy, emerging markets). I use this solely to accumulate these funds due to the very low transaction cost.

ING - for cash reserve and annual property tax savings

Physical precious metals - silver and gold (I don't but a lot but its nice to have on hand)

no bonds on 401k?

I'm sure some of the more knowledgeable members can comment, but I've read on here (and other sources) that there is no reason for someone that young to own any bonds when they have decades to weather the ups and downs of the market.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: dullard
I have a diverse set of 5 low fee mutual funds (US large growth, US large value, US small growth/value, international large, international small) and 1 bond fund.

why not just blend funds (mix of growth and value) instead buying separate growth and value?

Dullard wrote:
but it was cheaper to pay alimony than to fight her in court even though I would have won (she was the one doing the cheating, with proof)

it's the principle of the thing, not $. I wouldnt have given my cheating whore $. how much is 2yrs alimony?

I went with separate growth and value for two reasons. (1) It allows for me to better control my rebalancing and my proportion of growth and value. Suppose I was a little heavy on foreign growth, I make up for it by being a little light on US growth. Not a perfect solution, but it does its job. (2) I have very limited selection of funds that I can contriubute to from my employer. Thus, there weren't any good options that blended growth and value into one fund.

Alimony was right at about $10k. But alimony is not taxed, so in reality since I was in the 32% tax bracket, it cost me just $6800. However, that deduction put me low enough to get a portion of a few other deductions. Lets call it $6500 even. $6500 spread out at 0% interest is pretty darn good compared to double or triple that amount up front in lawyer fees. I'm happy with that decision. Plus, if she died or got married, it would have been even less. The stress reduction alone of not having a court case was worth the just over 1 month's salary (before tax, 2 months if you count after tax) that it cost me.

How the divorce really got me was the need to buy new furniture. Sure, the stuff I had at the time that I let her take was worthless crap 25-year old hand-me-downs. But, it still cost me money to buy nice replacements. That is really what put me off my plan more than alimony.

 

[tfinch2]

22

5% goes into TSP (gov't 401k) with 5% match.
I put what I can into my ING savings. I'm still in college so I need it to be liquid.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: K1052
25, single

401K (8% + company matching) - S&P index, REITs, Utilities, and International funds.

Sharebuilder account - Exchange Traded Funds exclusively (pretty diverse across materials, stock indexes, energy, emerging markets). I use this solely to accumulate these funds due to the very low transaction cost.

ING - for cash reserve and annual property tax savings

Physical precious metals - silver and gold (I don't but a lot but its nice to have on hand)

no bonds on 401k?

ing property tax savings? what's this?! (i have ing acct, and havent heard of this.)

Nope, no bonds in the 401K. After the second line on my current residence is paid down in a couple years I'll probably shift that cash to conservative investments (municipals and gov bonds).

I use separate ING accounts to save up cash for my property taxes automatically. Just set the auto transfers and don't worry about it until they come due.

 

[So]

Sandwich heavy portfolio.

 

[MrsBugi]

ING, land, roth ira.

 

[Jawo]

Mid 20's
12% IRA (7% employee match)
2% employee stock purchase program
Max out Roth IRA each year ($4k)
Money in 5% cash account

Just bought a car at 0% interest First time I've been in debt

 

[necine]

I got nothin'... seriously. I just turned 22, and have worked since I was 14. I've blown all of my money on my education, food, housing, booze, cigs, girls. LOL.

I just got a job making 43k a year so I'm gonna start saving since I don't have much debt (less then 1k). I own my car though.

 

[ponyo]

32. Currently putting everything into high yield savings. Nothing into stock investment accounts at the moment. I'm sitting majority money market in my stock accounts so it wouldn't matter anyways.

My current goal is to keep building my savings so I can take advantage of real estate deals next year. I expect some nice deals mid to late next year.

 

[imported_Tango]

Originally posted by: alien42

Originally posted by: residualsquare

Originally posted by: alien42

Originally posted by: residualsquare

Originally posted by: alien42
i am 32 and have almost all my money in 'high risk' or 'penny' stocks.

How's that been working out for you?

i am up around 100% since the beginning of the year and actually a bit disappointed in that number.

With a 100% return it seems unlikely that you are hedging your risk. Do you have a background in investment or are you simply hoping for the best? Also, are you single?

i have been following the OTC and pinks for around 8 years and got back into investing a couple of years ago. i am completely self-taught and currently single. i do hedge my investments, of course what i consider a hedge most would consider far too risky.

Well, then take an advice from someone who is in investments full-time: hedge your risks. And by this I mean really hedge your risks.

Hedging in not something personal or relative. Calculate your Beta and and know where you stand. If you don't know your portfolio management statistics, everything you make is just luck. And luck ends.

I have seen it happening too many times.

Besides, considering what you said you are holding, you can actually build a portfolio with lower risks and higher returns. Just look for assets with inverse betas.

And don't take pride for taking risks. Emotions always lose in the markets.

Ok, now I'll shut up.

 

[her209]

Age: 28
Gender: Male

401k + individual stock account + savings/checkings account

 

[alrocky]

Max out (gov) Thrift Savings Plan and IRA @ $15,500 and $4,000 and several hundred a month DCA in taxable account.

C Fund (S&P 500)
S Fund (Extended Market)
I Fund (International Developed Market)

Bond, REIT, Emerging Market and a few other funds