Financial question...

Eisboch wrote:
> "John H." <salmonremovebait@gmaildotcom> wrote in message
> news:bikqa4p8r0dhibh1aop1up0mrhnvqk6orr@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:56:30 -0400, "Eisboch" <rce.TakeThisOut@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>
>>> "John H." <salmonremovebait@gmaildotcom> wrote in message
>>> news:9lhqa4hrddeef8vp9486odu81ldldtc4em@4ax.com...
>>>
>>>> So what are the companies which have done well? I'm assuming you
>>>> continue
>>>> to hold them because you believe they'll continue to do well.
>>> Our largest holdings are in Corning (GLW). We bought at a serious dip,
>>> shortly after telecom blew up at under 3 bucks.
>>> It recovered to the high 20's, now has pulled back a bit to the low 20's.
>>>
>>> The others are in related technology areas. I pick and choose myself,
>>> based on my knowledge of the technology and what I believe it has as a
>>> future. Optical stuff, mostly.
>>>
>>> And yes, we will hold them. I really don't fret or worry about them.
>>>
>>> Eisboch
>>>
>> It seems that you, like most people, are hesitant about giving out the
>> names of companies that are doing well. I've wondered about that. If you
>> told folks the names, and the folks went out and bought the stock, then
>> the
>> demand for the stock, and therefore the price, would go up. No? So it
>> would
>> seem to be in a holder's best interests to always divulge the name of a
>> stock that's doing well for them.
>
> True, but the opposite can happen as well and then you risk pissing people
> off.
> I don't listen to "tips" nor do I give them. I do my own homework.
>
> I mentioned one that we hold because I think it's a fairly safe bet, long
> term.
> The others are a bit more risky, but potentially have big returns.
>
> Eisboch
>
>


I cannot believe the naiveté of the questions you're being asked, and
what they say about the "asker." If you don't want to spend the time it
takes to learn about various stocks and you still want to invest in the
market, then you ought to be studying up on funds, not begging tips on
individual stocks from investors whose portfolios and objectives are
entirely different than yours.

There are thousands of legitimate texts and primers on how to invest in
stocks safely, and I don't know if they still have them, but when I
first started messing a bit with the market, I joined an investment club
in Detroit and learned some of the ropes.

Apparently Herring wants instant gratification, and even that isn't fast
enough for him.
 >> Stay informed about: Financial question... 

On Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:09:02 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
<email RemoveThis @swsportsremove.org> wrote:

>On Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:32:30 -0400, John H.
><salmonremovebait@gmaildotcom> wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:56:30 -0400, "Eisboch" <rce RemoveThis @nowhere.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>"John H." <salmonremovebait@gmaildotcom> wrote in message
>>>news:9lhqa4hrddeef8vp9486odu81ldldtc4em@4ax.com...
>>>
>>>>
>>>> So what are the companies which have done well? I'm assuming you continue
>>>> to hold them because you believe they'll continue to do well.
>>>
>>>Our largest holdings are in Corning (GLW). We bought at a serious dip,
>>>shortly after telecom blew up at under 3 bucks.
>>>It recovered to the high 20's, now has pulled back a bit to the low 20's.
>>>
>>>The others are in related technology areas. I pick and choose myself,
>>>based on my knowledge of the technology and what I believe it has as a
>>>future. Optical stuff, mostly.
>>>
>>>And yes, we will hold them. I really don't fret or worry about them.
>>
>>It seems that you, like most people, are hesitant about giving out the
>>names of companies that are doing well. I've wondered about that. If you
>>told folks the names, and the folks went out and bought the stock, then the
>>demand for the stock, and therefore the price, would go up. No? So it would
>>seem to be in a holder's best interests to always divulge the name of a
>>stock that's doing well for them.
>
>It's personal - Eisboch could give you the list and it wouldn't work
>for you - different circumstances, different people.
>
>For me, over the years, I've made a ton bying, holding and taking
>profits from IBM. My strategy has been to keep my base number of
>shares and buy and sell above and beyond that. I take ten percent of
>any profit and reinvest it at the dips into IBM keeping that stake
>seperate from the original holdings. I've never touched the original
>holdings - ever. I've borrowed against them to start the process, but
>once the ball got rolling, that has stayed steady state.
>
>Now I've done that with other stocks of major industrials and
>technology also with one notable exception - Yahoo. I dumped Yahoo
>two days before Cuban dumped his stake and the stock started tanking.
>It worked out very well.
>
>Here is the real secret to actually making money in the stock market -
>or any financial venture - you need to do your homework, you need to
>purchase stocks that you have some familiarity with (look around your
>house and see what you use the most, then look up the parent company
>for instance), don't listen to the folks who tell you about their
>latest killing in the stock market because it's probably bullshit, you
>need to design a strategy that works for you over the long term - what
>works for Wayne, Eisboch or me may not necessarily work for you -
>we're all different people. There are certain principles in common,
>but overall, utilizing the stock market as a short term play is for
>traders who are plugged into a whole different data set than long term
>equity holders - you need to create a strategy that makes the most
>sense to you and in concert with a financial advisor (not a broker - a
>broker is not a financial advisor - broker's are salesmen) excute the
>plan and stick to it.
>
>Lastly, get to the library and read Jim Cramer's three most excellant
>books, read them twice, then ignore the advice and do what works for
>you. :>)
>
>~~ That's just a way of saying get a clue before you do anything ~~

We're getting off track, although there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not
looking for suggestions on ways to buy stock. Asking Eisboch for the names
of his companies was not because I wanted to go buy them. I've noticed,
over the years, that people tend not to want to share the names of
companies doing well for them. If it's because they're afraid of pissing
people off, that's fine. If I have a company that has and seems to be doing
well, I'll share the name with anyone who's interested. They know that the
stock may go up or down. Hell, I hope it goes up and they share the name
with a few thousand other folks!

My question had to do solely with the decision to sell enough stock to pay
off my mortgage. Nothing more.

But thanks for the info you're sharing. It is not what I need right now,
but hopefully someone here will get some good out of it. I think it is
*great* advice.

I wouldn't put any money in annuities, however!
 >> Stay informed about: Financial question... 

BAR wrote:
> John H. wrote:
>> On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:30:52 -0400, "D.Duck" <Don.DeleteThis@ld.duck> wrote:
>>
>>> "John H." <salmonremovebait@gmaildotcom> wrote in message
>>> news:jq2pa4d8shpinknirv7n8a5n1ji9itv7j4@4ax.com...
>>>> On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:11:53 -0400, "Eisboch" <nothere.DeleteThis@nowhere.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> "Vic Smith" <thismailautodeleted.DeleteThis@comcast.net> wrote in message
>>>>> news:o90pa4hc4t59oemqokugo5i2imt73tll51@4ax.com...
>>>>>> On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:33:11 -0400, John H.
>>>>>> <salmonremovebait@gmaildotcom> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:28:48 -0500, Vic Smith
>>>>>>> <thismailautodeleted.DeleteThis@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:16:32 -0400, John H.
>>>>>>>> <salmonremovebait@gmaildotcom> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Would it be a wise move to take out a loan on your home to buy
>>>>>>>>> stocks?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Would it be a wise move to sell stocks to pay off a loan on
>>>>>>>>> your home?
>>>>>>>> A lot has to do with your personal view on risk and holding debt.
>>>>>>>> Personally I hate any debt.
>>>>>>>> Since *nobody* can accurately predict what the stocks will do, it
>>>>>>>> comes down to that.
>>>>>>>> Well, I guess that was no help at all.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --Vic
>>>>>>> When I bought the house, I was holding a lot of debt. I'm still
>>>>>>> holding
>>>>>>> some debt on the house.
>>>>>> Taxes are tricky. I'd love to knock off the rest of my house debt,
>>>>>> but the tax hit in cashing in a CD doesn't give advantage.
>>>>>> If it was less than a grand costs I'd do it anyway, just to clear the
>>>>>> debt. Like I said, personal view.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --Vic
>>>>>
>>>>> Having spent most of my life in debt, I don't understand why
>>>>> anyone wants
>>>>> or needs it (except banks) once they are in a position of paying it
>>>>> off.
>>>>>
>>>>> We own three houses and hold a mortgage for a forth (sold it and
>>>>> are acting
>>>>> as the "bank").
>>>>>
>>>>> We don't have any mortgage payments or debt. We pay credit card
>>>>> balances
>>>>> off every month.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've been advised that's bad because we don't get any tax advantages.
>>>>>
>>>>> But, to me, it isn't worth it. Why pay somebody interest, just to
>>>>> get a
>>>>> write off on income taxes that does not equal the interest paid?
>>>>>
>>>>> Eisboch
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> I've never understood the advice to pay interest for the tax break.
>>>> Where
>>>> is the break in giving away $1 to get 30 cents back? Seems like 70
>>>> cents
>>>> got lost there somewhere.
>>>>
>>>> I can understand holding debt while building a savings account, but
>>>> once
>>>> the cushion exists, I can't see the reason for it.
>>>> --
>>>> ** Good Day! **
>>>>
>>>> John H
>>> You're on the right track. When your nest egg is secured payoff all
>>> debt as soon as possible.
>>>
>>> The only debt I have now is to Circuit City for the HDTV we recently
>>> purchased. Reason, interest free for two years. The money stays in
>>> the money market account (earning interest) and is extracted 100 bux
>>> at a time each month.
>>
>> That's the way to do it. Hell, I put our travel trailer on VISA because I
>> get a 1.25% rebate on the purchases. The dealer didn't like it a bit,
>> 'cause I didn't tell him until after we'd negotiated a price, signed the
>> papers, and he said, "How would you like to finance this?"
>
> I have a credit card that has a 5.5% interest rate. Same rate as my home
> equity line of credit.

The CC interest isn't tax deductible.
 >> Stay informed about: Financial question...