DOW 20k!!! - the investing thread

Since I couldn't afford a 100 shares of Berk A, I bought 2 shares of Berk B.
That is about the wildest thing I have done.
Mostly VTI. Was putting everything I could scrounge up when it was bottoming out this spring.
Gary

 

2019 was absolutely HORRIBLE for me. Nothing worked and I gambled really big on a stock that I should not have and lost my butt. It was all made up in a very big way in 2020, just an insanely good year, best ever. But I buy mostly juniors (small companies) and in 2020 focused on companies that could hit home runs due to covid and I'll be danged if it didn't work. 2021 already great, too.

Best of luck to all!

 

I dropped 25k into the market late March on a handful of stuff my brother recommended and PXD - I crushed it to the point where a new to me diesel truck might be a cash purchase

 

If anyone was wanting to get in on another ground floor RECAF- a Permian basin exploration in Africa is my new bet but I got in a couple months ago- another volatile ride.
BRPHF my crypto currency trading play is on a wild ride with Bitcoin swings. Long haul I’m looking at 3-5000%. My brother thinks we’re all going to be driving ferraris and lambos on this trade

 

I'm up 25% overall. I started around this time last year with VTSAX (pretty much bought right around the pre-covid high). Put a bunch of $ into it and was down a ton in March. I didnt panic, bought more at the bottom as well as 2 cruise line stocks for $8 and $9 a share (still holding those as well). I'm up 143% and 171% on the cruise line stocks.

 

I didn't do anything different than I always do....just making money the boring way.

 

I dont understand Plug Powers surge. Being in the battery industry, I see very little growth for hydrogen fuel cells that they sell. If anything, hydrogen fuel cells are declining in my area with the rise of lithium.

 

I was heavy into "contrary" positions going into 2020, like pipelines (midstream) and shopping malls (reits). I got slaughtered(!) on those positions, and have not fully recovered on them yet. My broader market positions are currently fine, after quite the roller-coaster ride.

Currently I am a little ahead of where I was at the end of 2019.

 

HEY, I bought that stock, too! I got in late (only 3 wks ago) but I'm up 90% in three weeks!

If you get up over 100%, do you sell half to clear out for a free ride, or a portion, or just let it ride? LOL, hard to know when to cash out!

I just sold another stock (SI) three days ago that was way up, I dunno what it was, maybe 160% or so. I got scared and sold over half and I'll be dammed if the dang thing didn't jump like crazy last two days. Now, what's left is 210% up! Oh well, I guess I should be thankful for the 160% now parked!

 

I’ve been a NFLX investor since blockbuster was still a thing. Of course I sold a lot along the way as not wanting to have too much of my portfolio in one stock. The last couple years have been good as I went in on e commerce and a random pick against better judgment (tsla). I have picked up some appl shares whenever the PE gets to around 15 (been a while).
I do think there will be a significant pull back soon, but I’ve been saying that since before covid. I suppose all the stimulus(and corporate tax breaks) devaluing the dollar is propping up share price, and likely more of that to come(the stimulus anyways).
I think it is certainly a good time to keep some powder dry and wait for compelling investment thesis to present themselves.

 

^^^. This. As 20-30% returns usually have correction period.

 

With all this $ the government may or may not be giving back to me in the way of additional CTC and/or stimulus checks, I'm trying decide if I should just use that to fund taxes for some additional Roth conversions if/when the market drops.

 

I am a big fan of the Roth, but mainly because you can withdraw contributions for a (first time?*) house purchase. I think* the main reason to convert would be if you are in a lower bracket now, than you expect to be in later.

 

You can withdraw your *contributions* any time, for any reason, after any Roth IRA account has been opened for 5 years. I think it is overly optimistic to think taxes go anything but up from here at the rate government spending is expanding.

I don't have much money outside of retirement accounts, so converting some to Roth so I can pull it prior to 59-1/2 is starting to sound like a smarter move the older I get.

 

I am in a similar predicament as being heavy in retirement funds as opposed to “spending money”. So the idea is you convert and withdraw the contribution, pay taxes, but avoid the 10% penalty? Thanks for the thought.

Thinking back on it I believe it was and extra 10k that could be withdrawn from Roth penalty free if for a first time home purchase.

Income tax rates may go up or down.. I always thought that my rate will likely be lower in retirement when 401k distributions are my sole taxable income.

 

SS will be taxed too, and RMD's come into play, so your future tax rate may be higher depending on those factors.

 

Plug Power up 10% today... unreal

 

did you see gamestop? lol

 

i didn’t.. another one I’m not so inclined to participate with... it is a crazy market these days...

 

Game stop 89% yesterday
639% in January IIRC