Search found 246 matches

by NibbanaBanana
Fri May 03, 2019 9:17 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Short BYND? (beyond meat, IPO today)
Replies: 76
Views: 7564

Re: Short BYND? (beyond meat, IPO today)

I eat meat 2-3 times a week. I eat it for health reasons. I also eat eggs regularly as well as fish. My goal is healthy and these burgers make no sense to me at all. That’s the thing, if you want burger shaped patties to taste like beef, tons of chemical garbage needs to be added making the product irrational. But, at starfish explains, stuff like this has a cult like following and may very well be a profitable investment even if financials and logic aren’t involved. I think you simply don’t understand the many reasons people would be interested in a product like this. Some people may like the taste of meat, but choose not to eat it for moral, environmental, health, or other reasons. For the rest of the world, there is growing evidence tha...
by NibbanaBanana
Tue Apr 30, 2019 8:53 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 20 countries where 200K in retirement savings will last you decades
Replies: 235
Views: 38398

Re: 20 countries where 200K in retirement savings will last you decades

Luckywon wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 11:35 pm
NibbanaBanana wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:01 pm
confusedinvestor wrote: Sun Apr 28, 2019 10:34 pm Joe, Why is India not an option ? expensive ?
Very cheap living is possible but:
Unchecked human overpopulation. Don't drink the water. They don't have toilet paper in India. They don't have public toilets in India. In rural India, they don't have toilets.
Not to suggest in any way the toilet situation is not a deal killer, but in addition, pollution in the major cities is a huge issue.
Oh yea, forgot to mention the pollution is deadly. Air, water and land. And if you're in an area that has electric power, you probably only get a few hours a day.
by NibbanaBanana
Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:01 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 20 countries where 200K in retirement savings will last you decades
Replies: 235
Views: 38398

Re: 20 countries where 200K in retirement savings will last you decades

confusedinvestor wrote: Sun Apr 28, 2019 10:34 pm Joe, Why is India not an option ? expensive ?
Very cheap living is possible but:
Unchecked human overpopulation. Don't drink the water. They don't have toilet paper in India. They don't have public toilets in India. In rural India, they don't have toilets.
by NibbanaBanana
Tue Apr 23, 2019 9:05 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: U.S. stocks continue to soar!
Replies: 22381
Views: 2138868

Re: "S&P 500 Index closes at record high"

Phineas J. Whoopee wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:42 pm What, again? This is getting repetitive.
PJW
:sharebeer
by NibbanaBanana
Fri Apr 19, 2019 9:02 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: This could be the biggest risk that retirees face?
Replies: 117
Views: 10526

Re: This could be the biggest risk that retirees face?

CULater wrote: Fri Apr 19, 2019 8:24 am Unfortunately, the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's begin to increase exponentially beginning in one's 80s. According to Larry Swedroe, one in three persons aged 85 is likely diagnosed with Alzheimer's and the risk continues to increase beyond that age. Look to your left and right at the persons standing next to you and if neither of them looks like they have Alzheimer's then it's you. Living to age 100 can become a very, very expensive proposition. Should we set aside a huge chunk of our financial assets for that possibility?
Don't get Alzheimer's. https://teamsherzai.com/book/
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Apr 18, 2019 8:53 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Get the best deal for your cruise: Whole Food, Plant Based
Replies: 14
Views: 3330

Re: Get the best deal for your cruise: Whole Food, Plant Based

We also went WFPB after reading "How Not to Die" 3 years ago. By far the best thing I have ever done. We were vegan for 15 years previous but ate a not so great, Americanized vegan diet. The WFPB diet completely transformed us. My peers are literally dropping of cardio and cancer and I am in better shape than I was in my mid twenties. BMI 20. Yoga and run 5K a day. It's almost a miracle.

I do eat most of the daily dozen every day but what really taught me how to eat was Dr. McDougall's book "The Starch Solution". All our nutrition doctors today stand on the shoulders of the great Dr. John McDougall. He and his wife Mary host the McDougall adventure cruises periodically. More info at drmcdougall.com. Welcome aboard.
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Apr 18, 2019 8:42 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: This could be the biggest risk that retirees face?
Replies: 117
Views: 10526

Re: This could be the biggest risk that retirees face?

This is exactly what annuities are for.
by NibbanaBanana
Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:44 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is the disaster scenario for stocks a reason not to invest or pull out of the market?
Replies: 94
Views: 9135

Re: Is the disaster scenario for stocks a reason not to invest or pull out of the market?

TheTimeLord wrote: Sat Apr 13, 2019 8:49 am If the disaster scenario for investing in stocks they drop 50% the day after you invest and don't recover for 3-5 years is that really a reason to be going to cash or avoid putting new money into equities? Or do people have an even more dire scenario in mind?
No. If you're in the accumulation phase you get to buy low. If you're in the withdrawal phase you still get your reliable, generally increasing dividends.

Any other apocalyptic scenario like stocks going to zero implies a collapse of the global economy as we know it and is not worth considering. Big permanent losses occur from bubbles. Japan asset bubble 1990, the technology/media/telecommunications bubble of 2000, the real estate bubble of 2007-2008.
by NibbanaBanana
Sun Apr 07, 2019 8:59 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?
Replies: 11149
Views: 2085203

Re: What Movie Have You Recently Watched?

"What the Health" on Netflix. Highly recommended.
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Mar 21, 2019 9:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Shoe Insoles
Replies: 9
Views: 1007

Re: Shoe Insoles

Soles
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Mar 21, 2019 8:46 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The $4,026,858.95 Car or a Worry-Free Retirement?
Replies: 245
Views: 19047

Re: The $4,026,858.95 Car or a Worry-Free Retirement?

Could not agree more. Of the last four new cars we've bought
two were Geo Metros, $8000 new (49mpg highway), lasted 180K and 181K miles
one Chevy Aveo, $9800 new, daily driver with 224K miles
one Kia Reo $15000 new, 125K miles, runs and drives like new

Retiring in October at 40x.
by NibbanaBanana
Tue Mar 19, 2019 9:03 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: KF's rebalancing rule for the recession
Replies: 77
Views: 5591

Re: KF's rebalancing rule for the recession

Sounds like a very good plan KlangFool. Ours is almost exactly the same except for won't be rebalancing into stocks due to higher equity AA. Kind of a modified "bucket" approach. SS is an excellent inflation adjusted annuity.
by NibbanaBanana
Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Slow cooker vs Instant pot........
Replies: 62
Views: 6112

Re: Slow cooker vs Instant pot........

It depends on your diet. We eat a WFPB diet and the instant pot has been a life saver. Best money I ever spent. Why? Because I can cook most of the staples of our diet in a "hit one button and walk away" manner. If you want to cook something fast then you have to hang around to release the pressure after the cooking is done. (And by the time it comes up to steam and cooks, a lot of times it's not all that much faster than stove top.) We make large batches of potatoes, beans, and whole grains and reheat throughout the week. I load the IP up with food, hit the necessary buttons, and walk. And come back at my convenience. It's fabulous.
by NibbanaBanana
Sun Mar 17, 2019 9:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: You Can Market Time At Valuation Extremes
Replies: 128
Views: 16269

Re: You Can Market Time At Valuation Extremes

Look at this chart. http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/Ne ... spearn.htm

Look at the increasing dividends. They almost always go up. A few drops but pretty quickly recover. (Earnings a little more volatile but still increase over time.) Don't you want in on that action?
by NibbanaBanana
Fri Mar 15, 2019 9:03 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How much is too much of one stock in portfolio?
Replies: 17
Views: 2251

Re: How much is too much of one stock in portfolio?

30%? I did that. Twice. Here's how it went.

Had 30% in MRK stock in the glory days of 2000. By the time the vioxx scandel had wrung out five years or so later, it was more like 3%. Solved that problem.

Had 30% in a handful of high flying financials in 2007. Don't have to tell you how that turned out. Problem solved.

I would sell first thing Monday. Good luck.
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:14 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What role do bonds play in your portfolio?
Replies: 79
Views: 10080

Re: What role do bonds play in your portfolio?

Vanguard is predicting ten year returns of 3-5% for US stocks and 3-5% for US bonds.
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New Oil Boiler/Indirect Hot Water Heater - Turn House Temperature Down at Night?
Replies: 25
Views: 3057

Re: New Oil Boiler/Indirect Hot Water Heater - Turn House Temperature Down at Night?

RetireSoon90 wrote: Thu Mar 14, 2019 4:00 am Does turning the house thermostat down at night save on burning oil/money? How low does everyone typically turn their thermostat down to at night? Thanks!
What you've been told seems to be a common myth among plumbers.

The answer is turning the heat down any time for any amount of time will save energy. It is a simple consequence of Newton's Law of Cooling; The rate of heat transfer is proportional to the temperature gradient.

Don't change any settings on your boiler though.
by NibbanaBanana
Wed Feb 27, 2019 8:54 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Current expected return of stocks
Replies: 71
Views: 6117

Re: Current expected return of stocks

10 year annualized returns from Vanguards latest. https://personal.vanguard.com/pdf/ISGVEMO_122018.pdf
3-5% US stocks
3-5% US bonds
6-8% international stocks
by NibbanaBanana
Wed Feb 27, 2019 9:09 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Could Vanguard be right about International Bonds?
Replies: 41
Views: 7312

Re: Could Vanguard be right about International Bonds?

The term "necessary" is what derails the conversation. If course they aren't necessary. Neither are stocks. The right question is whether or not it adds anything of value to an otherwise diversified portfolio. Even if yes, one can still choose not to include them for whatever reason. I think they are probably beneficial, but the benefit is minor enough not to care about. Thank you all for your comments... I realize that the short period doesn’t justify any conclusions unless followed by a more complete evaluation. My takeaway from the comments is that it would probably not help, nor hurt to have some. I would of course, prefer there to be some benefit to adding them in exchange for the added complexity. The back story is that I h...
by NibbanaBanana
Sun Feb 24, 2019 12:42 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "You're More Internationally Diversified Than You (Probably) Realize"
Replies: 139
Views: 13868

Re: "You're More Internationally Diversified Than You (Probably) Realize"

Here's the distribution yields for the Vanguard index funds.

Total Stock Market 1.80
Total International Stock Market 2.88
S&P 500 1.84
Developed Markets Index 3.04
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Feb 07, 2019 8:42 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: To What Degree Does Money Buy Happiness?
Replies: 107
Views: 7315

Re: Does Money Buy Happiness?

Money does not buy happiness, but it can prevent a lot of suffering.
by NibbanaBanana
Fri Jan 25, 2019 9:05 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Jack Bogle's Obituary From The Family
Replies: 48
Views: 20242

Re: Jack Bogle's Obituary From The Family

"While some mutual fund founders chose to make billions, he chose to make a difference."

Yes, this is the distinction. John Bogle worked tirelessly, his entire life, for the benefit of others.
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Jan 17, 2019 8:44 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Tributes to Jack Bogle
Replies: 266
Views: 42896

Who Will Speak for US?

Who will speak for us now that John Bogle is dead?
Is there anyone else in the financial services industry advocating for the individual investor?
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Nov 01, 2018 9:37 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you meditate?
Replies: 142
Views: 19274

Re: Do you meditate?

Yes.

Been meditating for 8 years now. 30-60 minutes daily anapanasati (total awareness of breathing). This, along with Theravada Buddhist teachings, has totally changed the way I view the world.
https://www.wisdompubs.org/book/mindful ... in-english
https://www.wisdompubs.org/book/eight-m ... -happiness

Been doing daily yoga practice for 4 years. Solved my back problems. I thought I was strong, until I discovered yoga.
https://www.alomoves.com/videos/how-to-tiger-bend

Been trail running almost every day for 45 years. Worn out many, many running shoes, and a number of great trail dogs.

Vegan for 18 years, WFPB for 3 years.

That's my prescription for happiness.
by NibbanaBanana
Fri Sep 28, 2018 9:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Losing Passion for Hobbies. Cheap or normal aging?
Replies: 71
Views: 11137

Re: Losing Passion for Hobbies. Cheap or normal aging?

I am a long time meditator. Hobbies are all about gaining happiness through the senses. Taste, touch, smell, sight, sound. If you consider the mind to be a sense organ that senses ideas, emotion, excitement, stimulation, etc, then you see that the material world is about gaining happiness through the senses. Sex, drugs, rock & roll, power, fame, praise, exercise for the body, fine food, clothing, luxury goods, fine perfumes, books, entertainment, stimulating conversation. These are all ways we gain happiness through our senses. One of the many things I have learned through meditation is that there is no lasting happiness in the senses. And many times there are high costs. Maybe you are also observing this? There is an alternative. The s...
by NibbanaBanana
Mon Mar 12, 2018 10:12 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: REITS and Swedroe
Replies: 71
Views: 11224

Re: REITS and Swedroe

Larry said it's OK to HOLD REITs, but not to BUY REITs. And I'm saying there is no difference between holding REITs and buying REITs. This isn't a question of all-or-nothing. It's a question of logic. If an investor owns overvalued REITs, why not just sell them, and be in exactly the same position as the investor being advised not to buy them? No. It's not the same at all. First, you don't know for sure what the future performance will be. So even though you've judged it to be overvalued, and are probably right, there is still a small chance that you are wrong. (But you can ignore this if you want and assume you know it's overvalued.) Second, if you've made any money, you have to pay taxes on that money. So that could be a significant cut ...
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:12 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: To sell or not to sell
Replies: 39
Views: 5046

Re: To sell or not to sell

Similar situation but was about 25% individual issues. Am retiring shortly and had 0% bonds as of two years ago. From education and painful experience learned the risks of individual issues. Sold off enough individual issues to buy balanced VG mutual funds and some bond funds to bring bond allocation to 10%. That's a very good thing.

Will be writing a $25K check to uncle sam shortly. That's a very bad thing.

Hopefully the market will stay strong and will be able to sell more individual stocks to cover living expenses in the near future.
by NibbanaBanana
Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:31 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What seems to matter
Replies: 25
Views: 4796

Re: What seems to matter

skor99 wrote: Mon Feb 19, 2018 6:43 pm This should also be coupled with the blatant age discrimination prevalent in the job market where one has a higher chance of being laid in their late 40s and 50s than in the 20s or 30s.
Ummmm....... I haven't experienced that myself.
by NibbanaBanana
Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:06 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What if you only live off dividends?
Replies: 316
Views: 44989

Re: What if you only live off dividends?

There is nothing inherently wrong with the strategy especially if you are simply taking the dividend yield of the S&P500 or total stock market. The issue comes in when you reach for dividends. I prefer to use a CD ladder that covers at least 10 years of expenses, with the plan to replenish each CD on an annual basis from dividends and income and then reinvest any residual for growth. The logic is, it acts as as a smoothing agent for budgeting purposes. Be aware with the afore mentioned indexes yield can drop to 1.6 or so, therefore you are really targeting a fairly high expense multiple. Since valuations are historically high I am contemplating (at least this week) 75x expenses myself or about a 1.33% withdraw rate. I suspect a lot of ...
by NibbanaBanana
Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:13 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Safe to file taxes now?
Replies: 57
Views: 6875

Re: Safe to file taxes now?

Yes, I received a corrected 1099 from VG one year. I'd wait until the beginning of April. I don't see the point in filing early really. Unless you expect a very big refund maybe.
by NibbanaBanana
Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Trade my BMW?
Replies: 45
Views: 4599

Re: Trade my BMW?

Why can't you do maintenance, brakes, etc on a BMW if you can do them on other cars? Just curious. Never looked at a newer BMW closely.
by NibbanaBanana
Sun Feb 18, 2018 2:13 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: I reduced my exposure to US stocks before the correction.
Replies: 39
Views: 5776

Re: I reduced my exposure to US stocks before the correction.

I did the same thing just a couple weeks ago. I also think that US stocks are overpriced. But that's just my opinion. I try not to act on my opinions because oftentimes, they're wrong. But Vanguard's portfolio tester tool said "Caution: Your portfolio emphasizes growth stocks......." and "International stocks are 25% of your portfolio. Consider allocating 30-50% to international...". So I sold my growth index fund and bought equal amounts of international growth and international value. I very much take John Bogle's advice but I also take Vanguard's advice.

I'm not sure if international did any better during the correction or not. (Now that really would be market timing. HeHe...)
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Feb 15, 2018 10:05 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Morningstar's SWR study
Replies: 44
Views: 5304

Re: Morningstar's SWR study

excuse my ramblings, but I've been giving this SWR/retirement problem a LOT of thought over the last few years. 1) at my age/BMI/smoking status etc etc my expected lifespan is ~75 years. I'm 34 now so obviously this number likely will increase as I get older and I have to also plan for my wife however she is older than me so that helps. 2) I enjoy my profession and even if I didn't I would want to be active doing SOMETHING as long as I'm physically and mentally able to do so. Therefore, I don't think it's likely I will be in "full on" retirement, with no income, travelling the world or playing golf 24/7. Unless I win the lottery, that is not my plan. I plan to continue to bring home an income for as long as I possibly can even if...
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Feb 15, 2018 9:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any Creative Ways to Cut the Cable?
Replies: 49
Views: 6885

Re: Any Creative Ways to Cut the Cable?

We only had basic cable but the cost kept creeping up. It finally got up to about $40/mo. That's not a lot but we only watched PBS a few hours a week. So we just cancelled it and got rid of the TV. One of the best things I ever did.
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Feb 15, 2018 8:02 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: philosophicaleconomics predicts 4% real equity returns
Replies: 152
Views: 14654

Re: philosophicaleconomics predicts 4% real equity returns

TheBogleWay wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2018 9:58 pm So.........

Is it maybe time to shift a higher allocation to total internal stock market index fund?

Is anyone else considering putting more money into total INTL than they have US over the last few years?
I've been selling US stocks, using that money and new money to buy bonds, balanced mutual funds and international stocks for about two years now.
Market timing? Maybe. I had virtually no bonds and am retiring shortly so reasessed my AA. Vanguard's portfolio tool cautioned that I was overweight growth and on the low side with international. Sold growth index fund and bought equal parts international growth and international value.
by NibbanaBanana
Wed Feb 14, 2018 10:30 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: philosophicaleconomics predicts 4% real equity returns
Replies: 152
Views: 14654

Re: philosophicaleconomics predicts 4% real equity returns

fennewaldaj wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2018 1:23 pm Returns still being good over the last 26 years has to do with expanding P/Es over that period right. If P/Es continue to expand on average returns will continue to be good while that happens (but eventually they likely can't expand anymore). If they stay the same returns will be good but below the historical average. Its really only if they mean revert that they get downright bad.
As Warren Buffet says, "It will depend on interest rates."
by NibbanaBanana
Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:15 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Day trading for a living/career?
Replies: 95
Views: 12125

Re: Day trading for a living/career?

Stop. Learn to meditate.
by NibbanaBanana
Sun Feb 11, 2018 7:24 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How does one emotionally keep it together during market swings?
Replies: 118
Views: 13622

Re: How does one emotionally keep it together during market swings?

Become a student of the financial markets. Read the many good books on the history of the financial markets, bubbles, speculation and so forth. This will entirely change your perspective.

Also always remember NibbanaBanana's first rule of investing: "It's easy to be risk tolerant in a rising market."
by NibbanaBanana
Sat Feb 10, 2018 6:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Jogging in the cold.
Replies: 50
Views: 5585

Re: Jogging in the cold.

Just make sure you breath through your nose. If you breath though your mouth, you can dry out your throat and lungs and possibly have some problems with bronchitis, etc. Breathing through your nose warms and humidifies the air before it gets to your lungs.

My friend, who lives in Cold lake Canada, went running and had an eyelid freeze. That was very cold though.
by NibbanaBanana
Wed Feb 07, 2018 9:32 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How to short TSLA?
Replies: 50
Views: 4764

Re: How to short TSLA?

Vanguard has a tutorial on options on their website. Start here. https://investor.vanguard.com/investing ... on-trading
by NibbanaBanana
Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:07 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why GNMAs Shouldn't Be Your Bond Choice
Replies: 70
Views: 8497

Re: Why GNMAs Shouldn't Be Your Bond Choice

It seems like the long-term discussion that we've had on this board about the desirability of MBS has morphed into a view that mortgage bonds, regardless of credit quality, are the absolute worst kind of bond one could ever own and should be viewed in the same category as bitcoin in terms of risk. (How's that for some rhetorical flourish? :D ). That's not just in your post but in the overall direction of many discussions. I haven't been able to quite follow the logic of that move. I agree. I admittedly don't know much about bonds, but it seems to me like entirely the opposite is true. edit to include: And what doesn't make any sense to me is if Larry says that GNMA's should absolutely not be held by individual investors, then why does VG i...
by NibbanaBanana
Tue Feb 06, 2018 8:35 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bitcoin in Freefall
Replies: 191
Views: 29658

Re: Bitcoin in Freefall

Fat-Tailed Contagion wrote: Tue Feb 06, 2018 12:16 am What's the Bottom Call for Bitcoin?
Zero.
by NibbanaBanana
Mon Feb 05, 2018 9:56 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Retired at 50. Staying 100% in stock Index Funds. Anyone else?
Replies: 154
Views: 21728

Re: Retired at 50. Staying 100% in stock Index Funds. Anyone else?

I started investing in 1993 and was always pretty close to 100% stocks up to a year ago. (Now 90/10) I went to M* and looked at the performance of the Vanguard Wellington fund VWELX, a balanced fund, vs the SNP index fund VFINX from 1993 to present. Well, the grand totals are exactly the same. But the balanced fund sure had a smoother ride. And I owned a lot of individual stocks so I don't really even know how I did vs the index. In hindsight I wish I had just invested in a balanced Vanguard mutual fund from the beginning. Now, the conventional wisdom (that I also shared for some time) is that bond yields are so low that you have to be in stocks to get decent long term returns. (And IIRC Vanguard is calling 5-6% for stocks over the next dec...
by NibbanaBanana
Mon Feb 05, 2018 7:05 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: changing from a Vanguard mutual fund account to a Vanguard brokerage account
Replies: 16
Views: 1963

Re: changing from a Vanguard mutual fund account to a Vanguard brokerage account

I did it with two or three accounts last summer. Maybe four, I'd have to check. It took a couple days but wasn't a big deal IIRC.
by NibbanaBanana
Sun Feb 04, 2018 6:46 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why GNMAs Shouldn't Be Your Bond Choice
Replies: 70
Views: 8497

Re: Why GNMAs Shouldn't Be Your Bond Choice

Valuethinker wrote: Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:45 am
You posed a question, and it's got a least 3 possible answers (which could add to 100%, or one could be 120% one way and the other -20% the other and the third 0%):
Okay. So what are they for Total Bond?
by NibbanaBanana
Sat Feb 03, 2018 10:07 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Why GNMAs Shouldn't Be Your Bond Choice
Replies: 70
Views: 8497

Re: Why GNMAs Shouldn't Be Your Bond Choice

If there are as many smart cookies and rocket scientists out there pricing bonds as I've heard, then why wouldn't they be able to price in the extra risk? Why does the 32 year chart above look like the GNMA fund compares favorably to total bond over a long period if there's more risk? Zoom in and observe the behaviour during the GFC. Looks like GNMA held up better than total bond. Why would VG include it in their STAR fund if they didn't consider it one of their best bond funds?

I've read about the risks particular to GNMA's in John bogle's book. But these questions still remain in my mind.
by NibbanaBanana
Sat Feb 03, 2018 7:07 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Ric Edelman: Vanguard, Other Bitcoin Deniers Will Eat Their Words
Replies: 53
Views: 9475

Re: Ric Edelman: Vanguard, Other Bitcoin Deniers Will Eat Their Words

Valuethinker wrote: Sat Feb 03, 2018 2:45 am
sperry8 wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 9:54 am
alfaspider wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 7:38 am Bitcoin just fell below $8,000 from almost $20,000 mid-December. I can see a lot of bitcoin true believers starting to get nervous and lashing out.
A few I know are buying now. They see the crash as the opportunity they missed. I tried to talk them out of it but they won't listen. They all say they are willing to lose the money. But they want the lottery ticket to get rich. Interesting to watch peoples greed at play. Sad when it's your friends.
This is so reminiscent of behaviour of the dot com era. People doubling down. Been there, seen that, got the t shirt.
"Buy the dips."
by NibbanaBanana
Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:35 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard opens special offices for $1 million clients
Replies: 131
Views: 41162

Re: Vanguard opens special offices for $1 million clients

One million (Flagship) invested at, say, 15bp ER, is $1500. Or did I make a mistake? Seems to me they're already doing a lot for that $1500/year. Not sure how many more services they could provide for that money.
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Jan 18, 2018 9:36 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Hitting The Sell Button
Replies: 233
Views: 37167

Re: Hitting The Sell Button

Sold my holding of MSFT yesterday after a long, 15+ year IIRC, relationship. Regret having to pay those taxes but will be paying off the mortgage and reducing my sequence of return risk entering retirement. Observed that MSFT was a top holding in most of the funds I own anyway.
by NibbanaBanana
Thu Jan 18, 2018 9:38 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Nobody Knows Nothing - A Chart
Replies: 26
Views: 5436

Re: Nobody Knows Nothing - A chart

9 year annualized look fantastic. But 18 year annualized return on SNP is about 5.6% if I calculated correctly. So what should be the long term expected returns for stocks?

Just goes to show, given any set of data, you can calculate an average. But it has no predictive power whatsoever.