Stock Market/ Who Dumped? Who is Staying the Course?

HA!
You'll notice that post was from back in March.

Things are starting to recover, I'm still in the black. Overall, around 11%

In addition, since around the beginning of June of this year, I've been very causiously playing around with flipping some stocks for the dividends. That's separarte from the above.

So far, in the past 100 days, I've grossed $2100 in dividends on a 25K pot. Extending that out, that's like making over 31% per annum, maybe $7-8K a year. Of course that's all taxable, but it's a nice little chunk of change.

Yeah, I know this is risky, did a lot of reading on how people lose their shirts.

However, I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket, AND I will only consider doing this with a stock that meets ALL of certain criteria. Most important of which is I've only done this with stock that are basically flat over a long period of time. I've bought and sold 5 different stocks so far, have done a little bit better than breaking even on the sale (including commission). I have 2 stocks right now that will gross me $530 at the ex-dividend date of 9/28/10, this coming Tuesday. Of course on the ex-dividend date the price will automatically drop by the dividend amount, but I should still be able to sell them both either on the ex-dividend date, or shortly after, break even, and earn the dividends.

I found an ex-dividend calendar on the internet. I copy and paste it into a spreadsheet I made, then I just have to plug in the price of the stock to get the rate of interest per annum that stock is going to earn. I've only been looking at stock that will earn more than 9%.

Every week or so I go back in and copy/paste any updates to the calendar into my spreadsheet, to see what is coming up.

After working out the kinks, it takes me maybe a half an hour every 2 weeks to update.

Then I'll analyze the stocks that look interesting. Doesn't take long at all.

The only thing that's made me slap my forehead so far was the fact I had to hold onto this one stock for more than 5 weeks after the dividend date for it to break even. That would have been fine, I'm patient, and I knew the stock would inch back up.
BUT!!!
The day I was finally able to see it, was ONE DAY AFTER the deadline I when I could have bought a stock and earn a 35% dividend.

crap.

CMG - chipoltle mexican grill
up 46.78% from when I bought it on 6/2/10

things seem to be looking up overall.

My funds are doing over 12% for YTD. I'm thinking of withdrawing more than the minimum required this year to take advantage of the lower tax rate, and the good possibility that the market will tank next year based on too many negatives in the world economy, and the US struggling to maintain a 1.5% increase in our GDP. Look what happened when China increased their interest rate? I think they're going to continue that policy for awhile into next year to reduce their expected inflation.

Good luck on your trading. I like the non-management style of our retirement funds.

woo hoo!

Stock just sold itself.

I paid $144.62 on 6/2/10 and sold at $226.44

36% gain.

With this, I've reached my dollar goal for the year.

whoops, sorry...56% gain.

Most people who invest in individual stocks usually pay high and sell low; seems you're one of the few people who know how to stock trade. LOL I quit trading in individual stocks when I retired. Funds have done well enough to keep ahead of the curve while increasing my bond holdings.

you know ci, and I'm not telling you something you don't already know, but may be news for others....it's really, I mean really not that hard.

When I learned this stuff, let's see, 3 years ago, I kept thinking, "Seriously? That's all there is to it?"

Now don't get me wrong, I've made mistakes, and every single time (well, except once) it was because I wanted to think I could out guess something, and was unwilling to take the small loss, held on too long, and got stuck.

It's only when I've let my ego get in the way, that I got into trouble.

Take the small loss, don't get greedy.

There are times a stock went up 15%, fell, sold on my stop, and I only made 8%.
Oh gosh, I "only" made 8% on some money I tied up for a couple of months.

If I can get it my first stop up to where I don't lose anything, there's no where to go but up.

Honestly? I'm holding on to about 3 ego stock right now, one of which might eventually go kaput. On all of these, I thought I was so smart and removed the stop, thinking the dip they were taking was temporary....it wasn't.

Oh well, lesson learned. I'm not going to sit and whine about that when I see opportunity in front of me.
The money I spend for a subscription to a website that has the tools I need to evaluate stocks has been worth every penny.

I met a lady on my recent trip to India who trades puts and calls; she claims she makes more now than when she worked. Since she also claims she enjoys doing it, and making a profit, I see no harm in doing what she does. I just don't like the idea of "working" that hard to keep up my standard of living in retirement. I'm trying to enjoy life to the fullest without worrying about money.

That's the funny thing, this is FUN for me, not work at all.

My goal is just like this woman's. To make as much approximately as I'm making at my job. That would sure take up a lot less of my time than having to go to work.
Not saying I wouldn't also have a job, but it would be cool to know I'm making as much doing something on my own.

Between the trading, the dividends, and a couple of other things I've got in the works, I working towards that. I want to start dabbling in selling things on ebay, and I'm still studying if it would be worth it.

It's year end, and I'm thinking about goals for next year. One's that will make me stretch, but not stress out.

IF you're having fun, and making money at the same time, there's nothing more fulfilling. That's what life is all about; enjoy it!

Since our net assets are worth 96% of our net earnings at this stage in our life, I'm also enjoying life to the fullest!

Setting goals is the right tact; most have no rudder.