How do you invest your savings?

[LordSnailz]

Originally posted by: erub

Originally posted by: LordSnailz
Similar to some folks on the board -

Age: 28

max out the company's 401K and SPP
max out roth IRA contribution/year
50% goes to mortgage
the remaining goes to the sharebuilder account (REITS, international funds, emerging markets, stock indexes), ING and bofa checking. shameless plug for sharebuilder ... if you're planning on joining PM me, so we both get free shares

wow, that's quite impressive. You match out the 401K all the way to the fed max of 15.5K, or just up to the employer match? Youmust have a fairly large income (although not too large if you are still qualifying for the Roth IRA) and low expenses, props to you. What percentages of your income are into the 401k and SPP?

As for me, I'm still in graduate school at 23, but I've done a pretty good job getting my Roth IRA started (3 yrs contributions), and recently rolled over my 401k from my summer internships into the Roth while I'm at a low income. The rest of my ramen noodle fund is in ING/various checking accounts.

Thanks - for Roth, the limit is higher when you're married and wifey makes a little less than I do ... it depends on the bonuses I get, '05 we didn't make the cut, '06 we did. I'm maxing out the 401k up to the fed limit to get as much tax savings as possible. My SPP is set to the company max of 10%.

I have bad spending habits, got it from spending too much time on FW, and the hot deals forum, so the less money I see in my acct. the less I spend.

wow, good job on starting your roth early, that's the key.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Finally bit the bullet and bought a wee bit of gold and silver. Probably gonna stick with that...at least until my ex dies or my daughter turns about 25. Unless I find a bearer bond situation that looks better. 35yrs old.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Finally bit the bullet and bought a wee bit of gold and silver. Probably gonna stick with that...at least until my ex dies or my daughter turns about 25. Unless I find a bearer bond situation that looks better. 35yrs old.

Gold has a ~30 year cycle. If it turns south, history says you'll have to wait 30 years to get your money back on it.

That said, if you regularly invest in gold over that 30 year cycle, you get a good return just from the dollar cost averaging (even if it just cycles back to where it was when you first started).

Gold can be good. Short term, it might be quite good if a panic happens on Wall Street. But, if you don't get a nice short term gain, be prepared to either have a loss or keep your money there for ~30 years.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Finally bit the bullet and bought a wee bit of gold and silver. Probably gonna stick with that...at least until my ex dies or my daughter turns about 25. Unless I find a bearer bond situation that looks better. 35yrs old.

Gold has a ~30 year cycle. If it turns south, history says you'll have to wait 30 years to get your money back on it.

That said, if you regularly invest in gold over that 30 year cycle, you get a good return just from the dollar cost averaging (even if it just cycles back to where it was when you first started).

I don't expect it to earn my anything really...hell I'll likely be dead in 30 years anyway. But I was earning absolutely nothing with it as cash and with my earnings set to double within the next two years I decided I needed to find something for at least a minuscule return.

 

[alien42]

i am 32 and have almost all my money in 'high risk' or 'penny' stocks.

 

[imported_Tango]

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx

Originally posted by: residualsquare

Originally posted by: dullard
and I predict that they'll fall another 10% before they really start to rise

I don't think the Fed would let the market plunge the economy into a full-fledged recession. If the market fell another 10% we would really be in trouble.

It's happened before. It'll happen again.

The market will fall more than 10%.

 

[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?

 

[freegeeks]

age: 31

80% of my savings are in trackers
another 15% is used for high risk investments (ABN Amro Turbo's)
the rest is in my savings account

 

[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)

 

[m1ldslide1]

Savings? What are those? That must be like when I waited until my opty 175 came down to $250 to purchase. Those were some serious savings.

 

[Mxylplyx]

Reading these threads is depressing to those that arent rich. I guess those who are doing really well tend to be the ones most eager to respond.

 

[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.

 

[Mxylplyx]

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.

If your disappointed in that, just wait until you experience the downside of high risk stocks.

 

[piasabird]

Married 49.

I am working at a college so I have a madatory 8% going into the State run Retirement fund. The state matches some of that. It is a portable fund so it can be transferred if I quit or find a job somewhere else.

My wife also has a retirement fund which is basically a Mutual fund.

The rest of the money is tied up in our house.

I will probably work till I drop dead.

 

[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?

 

[Dr. Detroit]

IRA in MMF
401K with old firm
401K with current employer
CD's at 5.4% - 6%

Early 30's

 

[Jugernot]

26 Married male

I am a home owner with 1 truck (Paid off), 1 SUV, 2 ATVs (1 Paid off), and one trailer for the ATVs (Paid off).

$29k in mutual funds
$11K in Roth IRA
$14k in 401k

Less than $3k actual savings at the moment.

 

[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.

 

[alien42]

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx

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.

If your disappointed in that, just wait until you experience the downside of high risk stocks.

i have been doing this for a couple of years so yes i know all about the ups and downs. if i was not restricted by my full time job i would like to be trading full time (i am giving myself a few years to be in that position)

 

[overst33r]

marked

 

[imported_Imp]

Early 20s.

Split half and half in GICs and Saving's Account. I don't want the stress of messing with stocks and mutual funds. Return sucks, but hey, it's stable.

Don't really have any goals except maybe a car and/or motorcycle. House would be nice, but a that's way way off.

 

[Mxylplyx]

Originally posted by: Jugernot
26 Married male

I am a home owner with 1 truck (Paid off), 1 SUV, 2 ATVs (1 Paid off), and one trailer for the ATVs (Paid off).

$29k in mutual funds
$11K in Roth IRA
$14k in 401k

Less than $3k actual savings at the moment.

Very good for 26.

 

[Goosemaster]

I had thousands and I had to reinvest it into school...I have about $60 in the bank right now

was/is now worth every penny

 

[adairusmc]

25, single.

No more than $6,000 in my savings account. I do own my home though, and I am on track to paying off my truck 2 years early.

 

[edro]

25, single, house

$50 a week into ING.
$50 a week into 401k , 95% Stock blend fund (matched 75%).