If you were part of the millions who lost a small fortune in the 2008-2009 financial crisis, then this Coronvirus fear and stock market shocks should be a cakewalk for you.
It felt just like this a decade ago, but it lasted for like 15 months.
But I’m here to tell you, “Don’t panic.” Since the Great Depression, America has survived World War II, The Cuban Missile Crisis, SARS, 9/11, and the Great Financial Crisis.
As Annie once sang: The sun will come out Tomorrow Bet your bottom dollar That tomorrow There’ll be sun!
We will get through this. You just have to buckle up and get through the ride like any rollercoaster; it has to come to an end.
Markets dropped 1,100 points on Thursday. That just means stocks are on sale.
I’m strolling down the stock market isles grabbing everything I can get my hands on.
This isn’t the time to hide. Stay and fight for your 401(k). It’s the time to run to the nearest online brokerage and scoop up some stocks on sale.
Berkshire Hathaway is sitting on $100 Billion cash just waiting for another 2008-2009 so they can get those deals.
Nobody wants to pay $3,000 for one share of the S&P when you can get it for cheaper.
So go out there and find some bargains!
SHOULD YOU BUY OR SALE
“Fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.” – Warren Buffet
I once read a story about a famous investor who in 1939, when World War II began in Europe, the 26-year-old investor borrowed $10,000 and bought 100 shares each in 104 companies that were selling at $1 a share or less, including 34 in bankruptcy.
A few years later, he made large profits on 100 of the companies; four turned out to be worthless.
This became the foundation for his $13 Billion global growth fund and the start of his road to wealth. He did not let fear stop him. His own the world philosophy made him a billionaire.
Sir Templeton looked fear in the face and marched ahead anyway.
Trust your gut and don’t make any decisions unless you know what you want to do. Fear is no place to make decisions from.
When you are coming from a place of great loss, you don’t sell the house, cut your hair, or make any big decisions until you are back in a place of control over your emotions. At least, that is what all the books say.
Same rules apply when investing. Buy when you are knowledgeable and ready. Not scared.
Knowledge is the slayer of fear.
FLIP A COIN
I could tell you what you should buy. The gurus and financial pundits will tell you that you should invest in this or that, blah, blah, blah, etc. etc.
Well here at Greenbacks Magnet, we keep it simple.
Just buy a good quality total index fund and keep it moving.
Studies have shown that no one can time the market. If you put 25 random stocks on a dartboard, you could do no worse than an active fund manager could by throwing darts to pick your investments.
It’s like the flip of a coin. 50/50 odds or worse. Tails you lose. Heads the house wins.
If you buy the whole market, you are bound to get some winners in there.
PUT YOUR FACE MASK ON FIRST
They say face masks are being bought up all over the world.
The mark up is getting unbelievable as some places are charging three times the normal going rate.
The surgeon general says masks are only good for those already infected to not continue to spread the virus.
Those that are healthy are wasting their money because a mask will not stop them from catching it.
Therefore, instead of wasting money on overpriced masks just invest in the company that makes them. They are making a killing right now!
Increase your wealth portfolio and put on your fiscal facemask for your future generations.
Your future self will thank you for investing that money.
Everyday is a bank account, and time is our currency. No one is rich, no one is poor, we’ve got 24 hours each. -Christopher Rice
It feels like it was just yesterday when the Great Recession hit. The stock market was crashing more than a 10-year-old computer’s hard drive. Folks were in a panic. I even overheard someone saying to a friend that she lost 50 percent of their portfolio! Yikes! I was aghast. In the illustrious words of Velma from Scooby Doo, “Jinkies!”
In speaking with a financial aid officer, they stated while working at a university in DC that parents and students were flooding his office stating they had just lost their job and it was one after the other. It was a revolving door of people just coming to his door and saying they had been give the pink slip. Layoffs were everywhere you turned.
During 2008-2009, you could not turn on the news without hearing that unemployment levels were on the rise the likes of which they had never seen. Food banks, free pantries, churches, and non-profits were flooded with requests for help. The need was so great that some soup kitchens and church pantries were running of of food within days.
After the dust settled, things started to look up. We had hit rock bottom. Now it was time for things to go back up. The bear market went into hibernation and the bull market came out in full force. The market was seeing the red cape and came barreling after it. Stock prices were on the rise. No one could have foresaw what was on the horizon, but for those with cash it was a golden opportunity to invest.
Some experts seem as if they have a crystal ball. People like Warren Buffet, the world’s greatest investor, sits on tons of cash. As of this writing, Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway is sitting on a record $100 billion in cash, as he feels stocks are just too high to buy. Buffet’s partner, Charlie Munger, believes in being patient and getting a bargain price on stocks. How could he possibly know this will happen? According to Munger, if you are patient, you will see that 2-3 times every 90 to 100 years the market crashes and if you are prepared, you can capitalize on that.
According to Investopdia contributor James Chen:
“The longest-running bull market in history celebrated its 10-year anniversary on Sat., March 9, 2019. It all started from the post-crisis low of March 9, 2009. The S&P 500’s (SPX) closing price on that fateful day in early 2009 was precisely 676.53. As of the market close on Wed., Oct. 9, 2019, the S&P 500 settled at 2,919.40. That represents around a 330% rise in a 10-year period. Not bad for a large-cap stock index.”
If you read my post Stock Splits and Misfits, then you know how right Mr. Munger is indeed. I have actually purchased B class shares (NYSE:BRK.B) of Berkshire. I decided to buy some shares to celebrate my birthday years back. After the stock split, not only did the price drop, but I also owned more shares. I went from owning 5 shares to 35 overnight! No matter what the market cycle, I invest. I do so for the long term. I am not a fair-weather investor. And neither should you be.
Everything I have ever witnessed anyone ever have came for years of dedication, sacrifice, and hard work. If you want to know something about anything, then merely pick a book on the subject. Want a woman’s perspective on life in the 1800’s, then read Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. If you want to be more knowledgeable about the world around you, might I suggest the reading list I published in my post Money Advice From Gossip Girl. But if you want to know more about investing, I say read the Berkshire Hathaway letter to shareholders that is published annually on their website.
Whatever it is, if you want something, then go after it with zeal. If you want something, make a plan and then put action behind your words. I knew that I wanted $100,000 in the stock market. I worked toward investing a minimum of 15 percent into my stock portfolio. Those things took time to do. At one point, I decided to move $26,000 from other index funds into just one: Vanguard’s 500 index fund. I wanted to have $100,000 working for me in just one fund as opposed to several different ones. Once I did that, then it was time to make sure my asset allocation was spread in different sectors that way if one sector tanked, the others ones would keep me afloat. So far, so good.
Once you start getting interested in finances, it is inevitable that you will eventually start researching individual stocks.
All the financial pundits and mathematical experts will tell you not to invest in individual stocks. I get it. It’s the age old active versus passive investing argument.
If you buy one stock and it goes under, you have lost all your money in that stock.
However, if you buy a passively managed index fund, then if one company fails, it is replaced by another and your money is still out there working for you.
Although most of my stock portfolio is invested in index funds like the VFINX, I too own single stocks.
It’s the thrill of the chase that gets be going after these companies. I love researching companies. Some of these businesses have more drama behind the scenes and among the management than Gossip Girl!
So sit back and relax while I bring you some stock gossip. You can stop flipping through that latest Cosmo or Barron’s article for just one second, put down that New York Times crossword puzzle, pause that rerun of Billions, book mark your spot in The Wall Street Journal, while Greenbacks Magnet presents to you Stock Splits and Misfits.
Cause you know, everyone just loves juicy gossip. XOXO 💋
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DECIDE TO GO ROGUE
Just between you and me, I am especially fond of these two stock holdings. I will let you in on which two stocks I enjoy individually owning: Apple and Berkshire Hathaway. The year was 2013. I wanted to have a little fun and invest some money. Therefore, I decided to buy shares of Apple and Berkshire.
For those who may not know, Berkshire Hathaway is the most expensive stock in the world priced at 321,600 as of 01:56 EDT PM 07/02/2019. For some added perspective on this stock, in 2011 it was priced for the low, low cost of $115,750; therefore, this one stock has almost tripled in price. That is incredible!
Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) is the holding company of famed investor, Warren Buffett. Notable companies under the Berkshire umbrella include Geico Auto Insurance, Helzberg Diamonds and The Pampered Chef. Buffett, long a critic of short-term trading, has kept the A shares at a high valuation in order to decrease the volatility that comes from short-term trading.
Unless you have over $300,000 lying around in your personal bank vault, then you will have to stick with buying the B shares of this stock.
In January 2010, Berkshire’s B shares (NYSE:BRK.B) underwent a 50 to 1 stock split, bringing its price down from around $3,476 to about $69.50 per share. That is a huge discount! To get a piece of the Buffet pie, I will gladly pay this price. Unfortunately, I bought when prices were higher; I paid about $75-$100 bucks a share. However, I still came out ahead as now the stock is going for $213 a share. Not bad. That’s a pretty good haul for just pressing the buy button.
A stock split or stock divide increases the number of shares in a company. A stock split is an issue of new shares in a company to existing shareholders in proportion to their current holdings. The price is adjusted such that the before and after market capitalization of the company remains the same and dilution does not occur.
IS A STOCK SPLIT GOOD OR BAD
According to Nerdwallet, when you had to split something as a kid, that generally didn’t feel like a perk. But when you’re an investor, splitting can be a good thing. Stock splits are a way a company’s board of directors can increase the number of shares outstanding while lowering the share price.
WHY WOULD A COMPANY SPLIT ITS STOCK
A stock split is used primarily by companies that have seen their share prices increase substantially and although the number of outstanding shares increases and price per share decreases, the market capitalization (and the value of the company) does not change. Simply put, just like the value of the $100 bill does not change if it is exchanged for two $50s.
However, not all stocks are created equal. That is why I do my homework first before buying ANY STOCK. There are some misfits out there that you do not want to buy. Basically, you get what you pay for. It kind of reminds me of The Misfits from the Jem and the Holograms cartoons.
If you read my Meet Miriam page, then you know it’s one of my favorite cartoons.
And because July fourth is around the corner, here is a shout out from The Misfits themselves!!!
SPLITTING THE APPLE
And last but most certainly not least, I give you Apple! I purchased stock in Apple (APPL) in 2013, when it was going for around $60 a share. Fast forward to 2019, and the stock is over $200 a share! I got in just in time.
It just so happens that the year after I purchased 5 shares for my birthday, in 2014, Apple split the stock. It all went down on 06/09/2014 as Apple did a 7 for 1 split.
My 5 shares turned into 35 shares overnight!
All this happened simply because I did some homework and took action. Calculated risks can pay off. Remember that fortune favors the bold. In the illustrious words of Jem, “outrageous!”
Train yourself to let go of the things you fear to lose. – George Lucas
If you have ever seen any of the Indiana Jones films, then
you know they are all full of action and adventure.
However, my absolute favorite in the film franchise is
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
There had some jaw dropping moments throughout the entire
film.
They take you on the joyride of a lifetime in 120 minutes!
You get to see Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) at one of his
most defining moments in his career. As well as, watch him put the well-being
of people ahead of money and things.
The series was created from the mind of Star Wars creator George
Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg.
Now let’s go back to 1984! No legwarmers required! 😂
Intrepid archaeologist Indiana Jones, on the trail of fortune and glory in Old Shanghai, is ricocheted into a dangerous adventure in India. With his faithful companion Short Round (Jonathan Ke Quan) and nightclub singer Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw), Indie goes in search of the magical Sankara stone, and uncovers an ancient evil which threatens all who come into contact with it.
The second of the George Lucas/Steven Spielberg Indiana
Jones epics is set a year or so before the events in Raiders of the Lost Ark
(1984). After a brief brouhaha involving a precious vial and a wild ride down a
raging Himalyan river, Indy (Harrison Ford) gets down to the problem at hand:
retrieving a precious gem and several kidnapped young boys on behalf of a
remote East Indian village.
His companions this time around include a dimbulbed, easily frightened nightclub chanteuse, and a feisty 12-year-old kid named Short Round. Throughout, the plot takes second place to the thrills, which include a harrowing rollercoaster ride in an abandoned mineshaft and Indy’s rescue of the heroine from a ritual sacrifice.
In the beginning of the film, Indiana instructs his
companion to stay out of the light and follow his steps exactly behind him.
Of course, the man gets greedy and this ends in a Mortal Kombat style fatality.
Here is Indiana Jones the Atari game.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Atari screenshot photo
And here is Mortal Kombat.
If you truly want to be successful, you must learn to listen
to those that are more knowledgeable than you are.
That is why I listen to and read the shareholder letters of
Warren Buffet.
He says stay away from debt and ALWAYS have cash reserves.
This simplistic and basic money advice is why his company Berkshire Hathaway has the most expensive stock on the NYSE at over $300,000!
According to The Motely Fool, one takeaway from the annual
shareholder letter (which are excellent reading sources for learning about
investing and life) is the following: At the end of 2018, Berkshire Hathaway
had nearly $112 billion of cash and equivalents on its balance sheet,
officially consisting of $30.4 billion in cash and $81.5 billion in short-term
Treasuries.
There is a scene in the film where our hero is poisoned. But, there is a cure.
The anecdote is rolling around on the floor and so are
millions of dollars in diamonds in a small jewelry bag.
Willie comes across the anecdote while trying to find the diamonds. Instead of casually dismissing it as many might have, she picks it up and puts it in a safe place. This ultimately saves Indiana’s life.
There are times in your life when you will have to choose:
right or left.
I prefer to choose the path of least resistance but also the
one that will help the most people.
Remember: The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
In The Wrath of Khan (1982), Spock says, “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” Captain Kirk answers, “Or the one.” This sets up a pivotal scene near the end of the film.
Speaking of Star Trek, I read William Shatner’s book Live
Long and… which was pretty good.
He says to spend the money on the living. No expensive funerals or caskets. Pay for what you want in cash and if you don’t have the money, then you can’t afford it.
RULE #3: WHEN IN DOUBT, RUN
Indiana comes across another archaeologist that steals his
stone he just risked his life to get!
Instead of trying to fight for it, he lets the man take it. While
the man is distracted with his patting himself on the back and his own vanity,
Indiana makes a run for it! And keeps his life long enough to fight another
day.
The same rules apply when buying stocks or spending money.
If the risk is too high for you, then sell. You will sleep better at night. Forget trying to get you money back. That is like gambling in Vegas.
Or if you just so happen to come across someone in a nice
suit and briefcase that promises to double your money, pass.
There is no such thing as guarantees. All risk involves
possible losses. That is why you do your homework and take calculated risks.
If it sounds too good to be true, RUN!!!
In the book called Winning
the Money Game: Lessons Learned from the Financial Fouls of Pro Athletes by
Adonal Foyle. He was an NBA player who describes the things he says while
playing in the league in regards to how other athletes dealt with financial
management or lack thereof.
He that said you should learn the basics of money and that
you should rule your money or money will rule you. He saw many people lose homes,
cars, wives, and careers.
In addition, he said you should audit anyone who comes into contact with your money. That includes family. Even your MOM!!! Shocking right???
Case in point, the late Senator John McCain voted against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. That vote saved MILLIONS from losing healthcare coverage! One man. One voice. One vote.
Recently, I began reading the book The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins.
The book originated with letters to his daughter about
financing.
On my path towards financial freedom, I have decided to read
the books of other Personal Financial Bloggers.
The book du jour: The Simple Path to Wealth.
Do you believe in coincidence?
I don’t believe in coincidence. I think that all things work together for good. – Kathie Lee Gifford
“I do not believe in meaningless coincidences. I believe every coincidence is a message, a clue about a particular facet of our lives that requires our attention.” – Deepak Chopra
Well, it just so happened that the last finance blogger I interviewed for this website was Dave of Accidental FIRE called: Accidentally Wealthy on Purpose.
In that interview, he informed me that his favorite personal
finance book was The Simple Path by JL Collins.
I mean what are the odds that I would be reading that EXACT BOOK at that EXACT MOMENT. 😲 Pretty slim that is for sure.
I too thought the book was pretty good and gives some sound
financial advice.
I even tweeted out that advice directly from the book. And to my surprise JL Collins gave me a like. I appreciated that! 😉
What I learned about money from JL Collins.
1. Save 50% of your income. 2. Invest 50% of your income. 3. Avoid debt.
After, doing that interview and sending the tweet and the
getting a like form the author, I decided that I must do a book review on this
book. Why? I feel that if you see something three times (3x), then it must be
for a reason. They say things happen in three’s. So I went with it!
Let’s get to it!
Drum roll please.
THEEEEEEE SIMPLE PATH TO WEALTH!!!!
The Simple Path to Wealth: Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life
WHO IS JL COLLINS?
He has been an investor since 1975. In 2011, he wrote a
series of letters to his daughter about money and investing; which morphed into
jlcollinsnh.com and led to this book.
Welcome inside the mind of the man who started the infamous Stock
Series on his blog.
The foreword of his book was by Mr. Money Mustache.
I think that is one of the funniest lines I have read about Personal finance and life from him.
“Let’s face it: Most investment books are boring. Dull.
Uninspired. This book brings managing your money to life.” – Paula Pant, Afford
Anything
“The media claim stock investing is no better than gambling.
Collins cuts through the crap. He demonstrates a simple level-headed way to
wealth that will lead you to a richer life.” – J.D. Roth, Founder Money Boss
and Get Rich Slowly
I have to agree wholeheartedly with J.D. Roth’s assessment. I also got to meet him at FinCon. Nice guy 😉
See my post on FinCon
FinCon 18: The Recap From Your Friendly Neighborhood Greenbacks Magnet Part I and Part II
After reading the book, it was really eye-opening. One of the simplest approaches to investing and building wealth that I have ever read and I read A LOT!
How I felt when I started learning about personal finance.
Finance Lesson numero uno: rent books instead of buying them; it's cheaper.
Now let me tell you why I feel that way about the book.
DEBT IS A BURDEN
There is no free lunch. tweet
There is no such thing as E-Z financing. Credit cards come
with enormous interest rates. If you look on credit card statements today, it
will give you two numbers.
One is how long it will take to pay off your balance paying
the minimum amount.
The other is how long it will take before your balance is
paid in full after three years.
Knowing that you can be paying off that sweater from last
year until your kids are ready to graduate from college should scare most
straight to the path of cash only!
Debt causes too many constraints and limits personal and
financial freedom.
Paying a $10 minimum on a $300 balance is a sure fire way to
the poor house.
If you owe more than 5% interest on any debt, then get rid
of it ASAP. And forget all these consolidation loans and balance transfers.
That’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul. Just work on steadily paying off the one
with the most interest and then continue until all the debt is gone.
Then make being debt free last forever.
WHY YOU NEED F-U MONEY
We all need it.
You know why? Because sh*t happens, that’s why.
What happens if you chip a tooth, get hit by an uninsured
motorist, and the basement floods all in the same week?
You have to pay to handle of these situations. If nothing
else, an insurance deductible; which can run into the thousands as house
flooding can be a deductible as high as $5,000!
He also said comfort is the poison. Too much of it can slow down your progress on the road to wealth. All I mean is to stay hungry. I’m just saying there are different levels of wealth.
So trust me when I say you need F-U Money.
How I feel when I show facts, but people still don't believe me. Then something happens and they tell me I was right. 😐 pic.twitter.com/ovdKxSRHml
Mr. Bogle created the first S & P 500 index fund. Due to its immensely low fees because the investors own Vanguard and not some company or board of directors that want to please shareholders, this book advises an investment in the VTSAX at Vanguard.
JL Collins advice: Invest in index funds with Vanguard and
keep what is yours.
I concur.
I need all my coins. I want ALL of my MONEY! I aim to keep as much of it as possible. I’m almost as bad as Scrooge McDuck. Almost.
Remember that episode of Ducktales when Fenton Crackshell was counting all of Scrooge’s money that he dumped into the lake in “Liquid Assets Part 1.” That’s me! 🤣
This total stock market fund holds the entire U.S. stock
market fund; which includes about 3,700 stocks. As most of these companies are worldwide and
involved in international markets, you only need this one fund. Simple right?
😉
And it is comprised of 80% of all the top funds in the S
& P 500, so no need to diversify as you already have it here.
If that did not convince you, the maybe the best
stock-picker of all time can: Warren Buffet.
He owns the company Berkshire Hathaway (stock symbols; BRK.A
and BRK.B)
In the 2013 Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder letter,
Buffet advised the following:
“What I advise here is essentially identical to certain
instructions I’ve laid out in my will. One bequest provides that cash will be
delivered to a trustee for my wife’s benefit. My advice to the trustee could
not be more simple: Put 10% of the cash in short-term government bonds and 90%
in a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund. (I suggest Vanguard’s.)”
I am a Vanguard and Berkshire Hathaway investor and I approve this message. 😉
I'm a Smart, Harworking, and Reliable citizen and I approve this message. 👍 https://t.co/ev77LEGLhc
After doing some research on millionaires and billionaires, I have noticed some recurring attributes among them, which include: reading, pursuing a passion, and setting goals.
READ
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!
Many of the affluent read daily or often. They seem to set aside at least 30 minutes a day for reading. This greatly improves their knowledge of their products, brands, and businesses. When you know what drives the market, then it makes it easier to compete with everyone else. I even read that Marilyn Monroe was also said to be a voracious reader.
I know in my life reading has helped me a great deal. I was able to do better in school, make better informed personal and professional decisions, and increase my investment knowledge.
One of the most successful investors of all time, Warren Buffet, says he reads every day. Buffet typically spends 80% of his day reading. Here are some quotes from interviews he has done over the years in regards to how to become successful.
The CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, when asked once about the key to success, pointed to a stack of books and said, “Read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it.”
Warren Buffet starts his days with an assortment of national and local news. The billionaire investor tells CNBC he reads the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the New York Times, USA Today, the Omaha World-Herald, and the American Banker in the mornings.
Even though Buffet reads tremendously, it would mean nothing if he did not retain what he has read. Buffets says that knowledge builds up over time. Here are some tips to remember what you read – take notes, skim the text, read out load – are just a few things you can do to retain what you read.
“To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine
I have always had an affinity for writing. I write pretty much every day. My goals are that my writing helps to plant the seed that inspire people, motivate them, and make them feel good about themselves. Writing about finances is the cherry on top of the sundae for me. And I give it everything I’ve got. No less. When I’m sick. I write. When I’m tired. I write. When I was down to my last $2. Still wrote. I would write down my thoughts, hopes, dreams, and goals. I have crossed off at least 5 items on my 10 year to do list. If it can work for me and countless others, then I know it can for you.
Dreams can come true. You just have to believe and lay down the groundwork. There is no builder of a home that would not first lay down the foundation and then build up. The same goes for life. You do not start in at the top. Otherwise, if you do, you are more likely to have created a house of cards, that can easily come tumbling down. Like the three little pigs, you want bricks and not sticks or straw. You want something that is concrete. Construct your life blueprint on building or creating something that is solid.
If you can, find a mentor. Mentors help guide and keep people on the right path to succeed. I suggest finding someone who has already done what you want to do successfully and then asking them for advice. You can also read their books or attend their workshops. Either way study their success and see if you can imitate it.
SET GOALS
“Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” – Bo Jackson
The best advice I have ever read was to write down your goals. I have heard this from numerous celebrities including Beyoncé. She said she would write down her goals; and that she wanted to go platinum and sell a million records. Well, she wanted to be financially secure. Well, she can scratch that off her checklist. Simply heed these words: Write it down.
When you set goals and pursue your passion it is a winning combination for success. Instead of watching the clock, you just keep on working. There are too many hours on the clock when you do something you detest, but no enough hours in the day when you do something you love.
Forget the naysayers. They are not you and you are not them. Focus your energy on doing what you enjoy putting your effort into. The energy you use to pursue your passion or anything that you do well is never wasted. When you can focus and limit or ignore distractions, you are well on your way toward success.
