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How to be Rich, Happy and Free from Scams

How to be Rich, Happy and Free from Scams
Revealing and Getting Rid of Scams, Creating Honest Sustainable Wealth, Offering Happiness, Safety and Legitimacy
Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4

Articles

Three Ways to Boost Your Investment Returns
2007-12-06 19:07:00
ByMike Woelflein, Special to TheStreet.com If you read Part One and Part Two of our series on boosting your income, you may be making and hanging on to more money. The next step is growing the money you've got.Kicking up your returns by a percentage point or two can brighten your financial outlook, big-time. For example, let's say you invest $500 per month in a 401(k), with a 3% employer match. If your investments generate a 7% average annual return, you'll have $882,049 in 30 years. Juice your returns to 9%, and you'll end up with $1,285,785 -- an increase of more than $400,000. The extra money could make an enormous difference in your retirement income. A $1.29 million nest egg would allow $51,000 in inflation-adjusted annual withdrawals, assuming you take financial advisers' standard advice and withdraw 4% of your retirement savings each year. (Myriad studies have found that a 4% maximum withdrawal rate gives retirement savings the best chance of lasting at least 30 years.)...
More About: Investment , Boost
5 Mistakes to Avoid in a Market Trading Below its 200-Day Moving Average
2007-12-06 19:03:00
1. Don't Buy Stocks Below their 200-Day Moving Average!Yes, nearly every stock will eventually bottom. In the meantime, it looked that way when Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM - News) was trading in the $40's, Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE - News) was 20 points higher, and Citigroup (NYSE:C - News) was 25% higher. For every falling knife you may catch, you run the risk of getting sliced up along the way. Avoid these stocks, and find the better names to own.You can find the better stocks above their 200-day moving average on PowerRatings.net. These are not short-term trading stocks, they're solid longer-term stocks. You may also want to look at the PowerRatings Live Blue Chip Portfolio, which was opened on August 1. The market is down nearly 3% since that date, and these blue chip stocks are up over 8% (the portfolio's current holdings include IBM, MMM, GOOG, and JNJ). All these stocks have high PowerRatings and are the types of stocks you should consider in this market environment.2....
More About: Market , Trading , Stakes
The Credit Crisis: Chicken Little or a Game of Chicken?
2007-12-06 18:55:00
By Rachel Barnard, Ph.D. If the sky isn't falling on financial stocks, it certainly looks that way. Every day there are new reports of companies being exposed to losses in mortgages, subprime credit, or CDOs. Banks are taking charges that run into the billions of dollars. There is no doubt that market conditions are deteriorating rapidly and financials are taking it on the chin.Fear now dominates the marketplace. Financial-services stocks have fallen by 15% over the past three months, as measured by the S&P Financial Services Index. Investors are running for the hills--or at least for safer havens including cash and gold.Yet at Morningstar, our analysts are recommending an unprecedented number of financial-services stocks, even names that have been badly beaten up such as Countrywide Financial (NYSE:CFC - News), PMI Group (NYSE:PMI - News), and Citigroup (NYSE:C - News). What can we be thinking?To sum things up, we base our recommendations on numbers and not emotion. We also ...
More About: Credit , Chicken , Game , Crisis , Cris
Investor's Corner: Build Positions By Averaging Up, Not Down
2007-12-06 18:51:00
Everybody loves a bargain. But when it comes to stocks, a declining price shouldn't be viewed as an opportunity to buy.That's because a falling stock is likely to continue to drop. So if you've heard that it's smart to buy additional shares of a stock when it gets rattled, don't listen.Averaging down, as investors call this approach, has the potential to leave you throwing good money after bad.A better tactic is to increase a position in a stock that's rising. That's called "averaging up."This strategy means you break your stock investment into three parts. Start with an initial purchase and make additional share purchases as the stock proves itself by advancing from its breakout.At each point 15u add, buy smaller amounts of shares. That helps you avoid losses on your entire position if the stock suddenly goes south.The simplest way to average up is to buy half the position you plan to take in a stock right as it breaks out past a buy point. Then, buy a smaller amount of shar...
More About: Corner , Build , Position
Simplicity and the Trading Brain
2007-12-06 18:51:00
Whether they are making or losing money in the market, traders know that trading is first and last a mental game. When your system makes you money, can you stay out of its way so that it can continue to do so? And when your system inevitably suffers drawdowns, can you remain on the sidelines and not act like a belligerent parent at a Little League baseball game?Richard Dennis, who co-founded the legendary Turtle Trading System with William Eckhardt, once remarked that he believed that he could publish the entire then-secret Turtle Trading methodology in the newspaper and it wouldn't make a difference.Why? Because most people cannot follow the rules. And this was not because the rules were especially complex. It was because human beings are especially -- and perhaps in some ways, unnecessarily -- complex.We see the same thing when it comes to other challenges people have, whether it is in dieting and weight loss or quitting smoking. At this point in time, there are few people who do...
More About: Simplicity , Brain
Credit crisis: Long road to recovery
2007-12-06 18:43:00
It's six months into the credit crunch and investors are still shaken. Businesses and households should get ready to hunker down in '08.By Grace Wong, CNNMoney.com staff writerLONDON (CNNMoney.com) -- A new year, a new start. For the credit markets, that's wishful thinking.Nearly six months since the credit crunch started, the situation is still grim - and there are few encouraging signs, which doesn't bode well for businesses and households next year.Toxic debt keeps cropping up on bank balance sheets. The housing slump still hasn't found a bottom, and investors remain skittish. Market watchers expect the credit environment to remain challenging into the better part of 2008. That will take a toll on corporate profits and squeeze American consumers, not to mention put a drag on economic growth."We're pretty close to a point where the capital markets fail to function properly," said John Addeo, a high-yield fund manager at MFS Investments. "I believe the Fed has the ability and...
More About: Recovery , Credit , Long , Road , Crisis
Investing to Beat Inflation
2007-11-26 17:24:00
by John Dobosz In October, the nation's first baby boomer, Kathleen Casey-Kirschling, applied for her Social Security benefits. The 61-year-old woman was born one second after midnight on January 1, 1946.Following Ms. Casey-Kirschling into retirement over the next two decades will be about 80 million people born between 1946 and 1964, a generational swath that encompasses everyone from Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to Sandra Bullock and Rob Lowe.Welcome to your retirement, boomers. It's going to be a long one.Making sure that your savings last as long as you do could be a challenge for some people. And even if your nest egg grows, will it grow fast enough to keep you ahead of inflation?Going back 40 years to 1967, do you know which had a higher annualized gain: the S&P 500 Index or the Consumer Price Index (CPI)? Although you may be tempted to say inflation, you'd be wrong.From September 1967 to September 2007, the S&P 500 produced an annualized return of 7....
More About: Inflation , Investing , Beat
Deflation to the Rescue
2007-11-24 18:21:00
by Clif DrokeTime is the least common denominator of all things, including in the stock market. We'd all be lost if we couldn't look at the clock throughout the day since time is our frame of reference for the day's activities. So are the days of the calendar and so are the dominant equity market cycles.With that in mind, let's step back for a minute and consider where we are in the grand scheme of the 60-year cycle. The 60-year cycle is one of the most profound market cycles of our lifetime since it usually bottoms at least once during the average lifespan. The 60-year cycle also closely correlates with the 50-70 year Kondratieff economic long wave (which as the name implies is a wave, not a cycle). The K-wave averages 60 years and is expected to bottom at about the same time as the current 60-year cycle, in or around 2014.The 60-year cycle is the dominant half-cycle component of the Kress 120-year Master Cycle series, which governs the major bias of the financial markets over ...
More About: Rescue , Flat , Deflation
Sunshine Empire under CAD probe
2007-11-13 18:08:00
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 13 November 2007 1813 hrs SINGAPORE: The Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) has launched investigations into multi-level marketing (MLM) firm, Sunshine Empire .The probe by the white collar crime buster comes just over a month after the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) placed the firm on an investor-alert list which zooms in on those who may be conducting activities regulated by the MAS without authority.Sunshine was also put on a similar list by Malaysian authorities a few months ago. MLM firms, which are legal in Singapore, typically invite people to pay cash for the right to market goods to other people. They also get cash for recruiting other MLM marketeers.Sunshine has been in the news on concerns over its business practices. It is supposed to be doing networking marketing but its mode of operation appears more like a financial investment scheme for which it is not licensed.Sunshine is believed to have a few thousand members. Wh...
More About: Probe , Robe
Profit in 2008: Your spending
2007-11-11 06:47:00
Energy bills. A flat-panel TV. There are plenty of ways to save money in the coming year.By Donna Rosato, Money Magazine senior writer(Money Magazine) -- Higher energy prices and a weak dollar are boosting the cost of everything from milk to heating your home to your annual family vacation. But you don't have to feel beaten down.Vacation closer to homeThe dollar is expected to remain a wimp against the euro, pound and Canadian loonie. But if you have your heart set on an overseas vacation in 2008 , there are still plenty of destinations where the dollar is a good value.Latin America in general is inexpensive because many local currencies are tied to the U.S. dollar formally and informally, says Tim Leffel, author of "The World's Cheapest Destinations: 21 Countries Where Your Money Is Worth a Fortune." Leffel says Argentina and Peru are the best values for tourists, as are many parts of Asia. Have your heart set on Europe? Spain and Portugal are relatively cheap compared with other ...
More About: Profit , Spending
Profit in 2008: Your job
2007-11-11 06:46:00
Three ways to stand out in a crowded field.By Donna Rosato, Money Magazine senior writer(Money Magazine) -- Expect to work harder for your money, but your job should be safe (unless you work in a vulnerable industry, like housing or autos). Raise your profileHigh-performing workers will snag raises of 5.7% or higher in 2008 vs. 3.8% for the average employee, according to Mercer Human Resource Consulting.Whatever extra money is available will be largely tied to bonuses and other types of incentive pay, according to WorldatWork, an HR association. How do you make sure you're one of those getting top dollar? You not only need to do your job very well, you have to make sure your boss knows it. Talk regularly with your manager to make sure you're meeting expectations and to keep him up to date on your progress on key goals. If you're shy about tooting your horn, send e-mails instead, giving him the latest info about an important project or the lowdown about a meeting with a new client...
More About: Profit
Profit in 2008: Your investments
2007-11-11 06:44:00
Three ways to make the market's volatility work for you.By Janice Revell, Money Magazine senior writer(Money Magazine) -- Let's face it: As investors, we've been spoiled. A study by Wilshire Consulting shows that from 2004 to 2006, volatility in the U.S. stock market was almost freakishly low - in fact, over the past 30 years, there was only one other stretch (1993 to 1996) when the market was as calm. That's history now, and the turbulence that erupted last summer looks to continue next year. But you can make that volatility work to your advantage.The best strategy in a rocky market is to stay in the game. As long as you're investing over a long enough period for the market to recover from a severe drop - about seven to 10 years - you will almost always be better off staying invested and continuing to pick up additional shares on market dips. Consider the outcome if you had contributed, say, $400 every two weeks to your 401(k) plan and invested it in a low-cost stock fund like...
More About: Profit , Investments , 2008
All the right moves: Profit in 2008
2007-11-11 06:43:00
The 22 best ways to keep safe, spend smart and make your money grow in the year aheadBy Amanda Gengler, Money Magazine writer-reporterMoney Magazine) -- Tumbling home values. Soaring energy prices. A topsy-turvy stock market and a gazillion other financial worries, not the least of which is whether we'll spend the coming year mired in recession. Considering all the black clouds hanging over the economy, you probably think there's no way you can really expect to prosper in 2008 . It will be all you can do just to hang in there.If that is what you're thinking, we're happy to tell you that you're wrong. There will be plenty of opportunities to make money next year - yes, even in real estate - as well as ways to insulate your finances from the most serious economic challenges ahead.Your homeThe real estate slump isn't going away soon, so whether you're buying, selling or staying put, deal with it.Make your house look like a bargainFor sellers: Forget what the ugly house next door ...
More About: Profit , Moves
Turbulent time for Asian markets next year: S&P
2007-11-11 05:35:00
ASIAN stock markets face a difficult 2008 and could slide sharply, ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) said yesterday, as regional share prices fell heavily.'Next year will be a more difficult one for stock-market returns and we would not rule out the risk of a sharp correction,' Asia-Pacific equity research head Lorraine Tan said in a statement.Asian equity markets have reached increasingly risky levels and there will be less scope for them to rise after this year's strong performance, the report added.'Markets would be jittery over potential negative news, such as on inflation and further deterioration in the US and European economies,' said Ms Tan.The United States is struggling with a credit crunch and housing market slowdown, after record defaults on sub-prime mortgages extended to homebuyers with riskier credit profiles.The report said markets in Hong Kong, South Korea and Thailand were likely to deliver better relative performances next year, but Japan is set...
More About: Time , Year
Collapse or Rally? The market ahead.
2007-11-09 23:03:00
Collapse or Rally ?The market aheadBy Starry AdministratorSgfunds.comOver the last 2 months or so, we received many emails asking for market direction, opinions on conflicting analyst reports and more recently, what should they do seeing the market rebounded strongly. Understandably, this must be a very confusing time for most investors out there. Just when the credit crunch and sub-prime issues were hogging headlines, FED suddenly pull a trick out of their bag with a cut of 50 basis points. What now? Is this good or bad? There were so many conflicting reports (I received quite a few everyday), with expert economist or analyst conflicting each other with their views and opinions. So why another article from us on this issue? Because we feel that addressing the current market situation from both fundamental and technical point of view would give a clearer perspective. We have not seen many reports attempted that. Also, having given some earlier comments in the forum about our thoughts...
More About: Collapse , Market , Ahead
The Key to Your Happiness
2007-11-08 17:25:00
By Mary DalrympleThink for a moment about all the things in life you can't control -- the weather, the price of gasoline, that crazy guy hammering the horn while you're stuck in gridlocked traffic. These things make us unhappy.What can turn that frown upside down? Saying goodbye to deadlines, meetings, and micromanaging bosses forever. Yep, retirement can put a smile on your face. It doesn't matter whether you quit cold turkey or you take your time. What matters -- to your happiness, anyway -- is whether you have control. Do it your wayThat's what researchers at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College discovered when they looked at survey data to see what effect retirement had on happiness. They found the cheeriest bunch of retirees had control over their decision to retire. From the comfort of your plush cubicle, you may think that if it were that easy, golf courses would be packed with retirees grinning from ear to ear. But, consider for a moment that you may not ...
More About: Happiness
Money Magazine 2008 outlook: Investing
2007-11-08 17:23:00
By Janice Revell, Money Magazine senior writer The sluggish economy will be behind the expected surge in market turbulence. "When the economy slows down, there is more uncertainty," says Stuart Freeman, chief equity strategist at A.G. Edwards. "So people react much more strongly to news that otherwise would not have a big impact."But even though stock prices will jump around more, they're still expected to rise in the coming year. The combination of decent if unspectacular earnings growth - about 7.7 percent - and a slight decline in the average price-to-earnings ratio next year should translate to an overall gain of about 5 percent in Standard & Poor's 500 index for 2008.But to cash in, you'll need to be picky about the kind of stocks you buy. Most pros believe that large-cap growth stocks - shares of companies with earnings growing faster than the market average - are primed to outperform in 2008.One reason: A weaker U.S. dollar boosts profits on big companies' foreign sal...
More About: Outlook , Investing , Money Magazine
Protecting your nest egg in a recession
2007-11-08 17:15:00
Laura Bruce Anyone nearing retirement is old enough to remember the recession of 2001.While the experts were debating whether the country really was in a recession -- and if so, when it would bottom out and when the recovery would start -- your portfolio was probably losing value.It's rotten enough to see your nest egg decimated when you have 10, 20 or more years for it to recover.But millions of Americans on the cusp of retirement experienced the devastating effect of a recession on their portfolios just prior to, or shortly into, their retirements.9 tips from the experts: Understand riskWhy a recession is comingHow to create a defensive strategyInsure your portfolioWhat to invest in now: BarberWhat to invest in now: LanczBe proactiveKnow when to sellBe aware of costsNow, six years later, the news is peppered with stories of a slowing economy and talk of a possible recession. If retirement is in your near future, or even if it's years off, consider taking steps to protect your a...
More About: Nest , Recession
Patience Is Part of the Cycle
2007-11-07 09:52:00
As a trader there are times where less is more and the art of patience becomes the ultimate strategy. It is counterintuitive for a trader to sit idle as it goes against the very nature of what a trader is and does, always on the prowl, always in motion, but during times of uncertainty it is that very patience which keeps a trader in the game awaiting the next favorable opportunity. I have struggled with this over the years and have spent considerable time analyzing why I am not alone facing this challenge. It seems that most traders have a drive to be in control, always attempting to influence the outcome of each and every situation. While it is this same desire to remain in control that allows many traders to achieve ultimate success as they don’t cling onto false hope, allowing trades to get away from them, it is this same trait which keeps a trader trading when in reality they should be doing nothing. It doesn’t look or feel right, raising substantial cash and taking your han...
More About: Cycle , Patience , Part
Wall Street firms see recession nearing
2007-11-06 18:39:00
By John Poirier NEW YORK (Reuters) - The economy might be edging toward a recession in the wake of mortgage-related credit woes plaguing the financial markets, bankers and analysts said on Monday. "I think that the risk of a recession is greater than people realize," James Dunne, chief executive of Sandler O'Neil & Partners, said at the Reuters Finance Summit in New York. With home prices dropping, more people about to lose their homes due to unaffordable mortgages and sharply higher oil prices, the economy could be on the brink of slowing down, they said. "I think there is a serious risk to the economy," Howard Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, told the summit. Charles Peabody, partner at New York-based research firm Portales Partners LLC, said the Fed may have to take more aggressive action and drop the benchmark fed funds rate in an effort to prevent a Japanese-style economic stagnation, which eventually evolved into a deflationary recession. ...
More About: Wall Street , Street , Wall , Recession , Firms
Make money in 2008: The outlook
2007-11-06 17:56:00
The economy, housing, employment and the markets: What will matter most to your money next year?By Walter Updegrave, Money Magazine senior editor(NEW YORK) Money Magazine -- Given the pervasive gloom in the face of the housing slump and sudden sharp drops in stock prices earlier this year, you might have figured it was just a matter of time before the economy would collapse faster than the Colorado Rockies in the World Series. In fact, a survey last summer found that two-thirds of Americans believed the economy either was already in a recession or would be in the next year.The litany of depressing news has only seemed to get worse since then: surging oil prices, mortgage defaults, investment banks writing off subprime loans, the dollar skidding to new lows - pass the Prozac.Well, we've got two words for you: Cheer up. If you delve behind the headlines, you'll find that despite all of these challenges, the economy has actually held up pretty well this year. And key indicators sugge...
More About: Outlook , Make Money , Make , 2008
Mutual Funds Are for Losers
2007-11-06 11:48:00
by Jay MacDonald If Wall Street were a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, Phil Town would be the little boy pointing and laughing at the emperor's new clothes, or lack thereof.By turns a Vietnam Green Beret, Grand Canyon river guide and spiritual seeker of enlightenment, Town's life on the fringes of society changed when he saved a raft from treacherous rapids on the Colorado River. One of the thankful survivors was a successful San Diego investor who, in turn, volunteered to save Town's financial future by teaching him the ropes of investing.Blending Zen with Wall Street, Town's anyone-can-do-this advice, in his best-seller "Rule #1," amounts to: Don't lose money, find great companies, know their worth and acquire them at 50 percent off. Beyond that, he says the traditional advice -- invest in mutual funds, diversify, buy and hold -- is strictly for losers.Let's cut to the chase: What's wrong with mutual funds?First, if you intend to stay ignorant about investing, if you do...
More About: Mutual Funds , Losers , Funds , Mutual , Mutu
Morgan Stanley sees Asia linked to US recession
2007-11-04 17:40:00
Mumbai: The crisis in subprime mortgages in the US is unlikely to affect stock markets in Asia , says Stephen Roach, chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia. However, should the credit crunch affect consumer demand in the US, Asian markets will not remain immune, he warned.Note of caution: Stephen Roach, chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia.Roach noted that if the US does go into a recession, Asia cannot remain as a lucrative investment option.“Asia will not be an oasis of prosperity in a softer global demand climate,” he said. “I think there could be a significant correction in emerging market equities that will impact the Indian market.”Weighing in on the debate about the Asian markets decoupling from the US, Roach pointed out that while Chinese consumption is worth $1 trillion (Rs39.4 trillion) and India has a $700 billion market, they pale in comparison to the US, which is a $9.5 trillion consumer market.Much of India and China’s exports are dependent on the US. If US consumption ...
More About: Recession
Retire Rich: Why the Fed's rate cut should scare you
2007-11-04 09:42:00
By Janice Revell, Money Magazine senior writer If you're saving for a retirement decades away, Thursday's big drop in the stock market shouldn't worry you too much.But something did happen this week that you can't afford to ignore: the Federal Reserve's rate cut.The Fed's actions could very well be ushering in a new era of inflation - and that is horrible news for your retirement portfolio.When you save for retirement, you're saving for a lifetime supply of food, shelter and golf fees. Over time, the prices for these things only go one way: up.The risk is that the value of the investments you're now stockpiling to pay for them may not increase at the same pace - leaving you with only enough money to pay for nine holes' worth of green fees.With its rate cut this week, the Fed has made it clear that staving off recession is more important than reining in inflation.But while the typical recession has lasted 18 months on average (not including the Great Depression), inflation c...
More About: Rich , Retire , Rate , Tire
Asia thriving but not insulated from external factors
2007-11-01 15:16:00
Yang Huiwen458 words1 November 2007Straits TimesEnglish(c) 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Limited US recession, inflation and surging oil prices will affect regional economies: Analysts ASIA is booming but an explosive mix of rising energy prices, inflation and the sliding greenback could wreak much damage, warned Singapore-based experts. And despite talk that Asia 's economy is decoupling from the United States, the region will not be insulated from a US recession, which could hit next year. The warning came from analysts speaking at yesterday's relaunch of Pulses, a monthly investment magazine from the Singapore Exchange, which will now be produced by The Business Times starting from its January issue. Citigroup economist Chua Hak Bin said: 'If the US sinks into a recession, Asia will feel it. There are signs that some exports are slowing, but the good thing is that there are some domestic demands.' Mr Hugh Young, managing director of Aberdeen Asset Management, agreed: 'While A...
More About: External , Not I
Chances of US recession less than 50%: Top economist
2007-11-01 15:06:00
Bryan Lee315 words1 November 2007Straits TimesEnglish(c) 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Limited THE United States economy might have slowed dramatically under the weight of its mortgage crisis, but the chance of a recession there is well under 50 per cent, a top economist says.Former International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief economist Kenneth Rogoff said yesterday that credit market woes caused by mortgages given to risky US borrowers are being resolved. But he feels the problem will linger longer in Europe, which ironically has taken the brunt of the US sub-prime mortgage fallout. 'Mr Greenspan's going around saying that the chance for a US recession is almost 50:50 now,' said Dr Rogoff, referring to former US central banker Alan Greenspan. 'I think the odds are considerably less than that,' Dr Rogoff noted. While there are uncertainties about the extent of the sub-prime problem, 'on the whole, it's getting worked out', he said. He was answering questions from the floor after ...
More About: Economist , Recession , Chances
Now That Housing Has Soured, Renters Are Glad They Didn't Buy
2007-11-01 13:42:00
by Jane HodgesWith the housing-market slowdown, tightening mortgage-lending standards and rising home foreclosures, renters are more easily answering the question: "Why rent when you can own?" Such a question was common during the housing boom, when homeowners, happy with the gains their homes were making -- at least on paper -- would urge non-property-owner friends to join the party.The conventional real estate wisdom holds that owning a home is a better investment than renting. Real-estate values tend to appreciate over time (despite temporary negative blips in home prices) and homeowners who hold mortgages -- at least those who financed with fixed-rate loans -- know exactly what their monthly housing payments will be for the length of their loan. Renters don't have the same certainty.But some renters say that the price hikes they may face when they renew a lease are manageable, especially in light of today's housing-market troubles. Several areas across the U.S. that saw subst...
More About: Housing , Glad
The Biases Investors Suffer From
2007-10-31 19:07:00
I personally feel a host of people lose money in their investment not because of the capricious nature of the stock market but because of biases in the important investment decisions they make. Many investors unwittingly suffer from one form of bias or the other. In this discussion, I will draw the reader’s attention to the various forms of biases that investors suffer from. The biases investors primarily suffer from are: overconfidence, representativeness, conservatism, narrow framing and ambiguity aversion.Self-attribution bias contributes to overconfidence bias. In self-attribution bias the investor is very quick to attribute the good results of investment decisions to himself and blame others or come up with excuses when things don’t work according to plan. This leads to overconfidence in one’s ability to select the right shares for a portfolio. It also leads to an irrational behaviour of not sufficiently diversifying one’s portfolio to reduce risk. Overconfidence bias s...
More About: Investors
10 Financial Mistakes to Avoid
2007-10-31 18:03:00
1. Negative SpendingHave you created a budget and do you stick to it? If not, you may be spending more money than you make. People who have created a budget have a good idea of their monthly income and expenses and can accurately diagnose their financial condition. Other signs of negative spending include the inability to pay off credit cards each month and spending money on fun things before you have paid for necessities.2. No Rainy Day FundDo you have little or no money in savings accounts, retirement plans, and investment portfolios? When something breaks, or difficult circumstances such as unexpected medical expenses or a job loss happens you must draw down what little savings you have and go deeper into debt.3. Too Much DebtDo you have so much debt that you are having difficulty meeting your expenses each month? Are you �borrowing from Peter to pay Paul'? You may have re-financed your home or consolidated debt to get cash to pay for other debts (maybe more than once). Re-fin...
More About: Financial , Avoid , Stakes , Mista
How To Stop Playing Games And Start Investing
2007-10-31 18:01:00
by Tony CliftonThere is one major excuse for people to keep playing these HYIP games with $10 to $100 "investments". And the excuse is simple...Not Enough Money To Invest I don't want to be blunt, but basically you can't really make any investment with $10 or even $100. At the very minimum, you need at least $500 - $1,000 to start doing some real stuff.Playing the HYIP game is one method to turn your $100 into $1,000. But it is not the best method and certainly the chance that you'll lose that $100 are better.If you don't have at least $500 to invest, I can suggest you some or combination of the following:Save money from everyday expenses. It may sound frustrating, but you need to save only $1.37 per day in order to save $500 for one year. That's just a bottle of beer, so next time when you are buying, think about this: do you want a bottle of beer and an excuse to play games, or you prefer no bottle of beer and no excuse?Work more. This usually isn't the thing to recommend, b...
More About: Games , Investing , Start , Stop
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