Getting Even
I know there are a lot of you out there who would like to "get even" with the stock market. Many are on the diet of "I hope, I hope". As a professional trader I can tell you that diet will make you very sick.
If you play any game of chance like poker you know you are not going to win every hand. In fact you are going to lose more hands than you win, but at the end of the evening you can still come out ahead if you know how and when to bet and when to fold because it is not always in the cards that you have been dealt.
The same applies to gambling in the stock market. Oh, did I say a bad thing? Al, go wash your mouth out with soap. My broker says buying stocks is "investing", not gambling. And pigs can fly. Wall Street is just Las Vegas East and like poker you can be cleaned out. Oh, you already know that - in spades!
The teachings of Maul Street are that you buy a good stock or fund and hold it forever. They did not tell you that you may have drawn a 2, 6, 10 off suit and there is no way it will be a winner. They never tell you to fold your hand (sell). At least you are not losing money every time a card is dealt. With stocks they deal a new card every day called a price change. If the stock, fund or index you own goes steadily down over a period of time don't you think it would be wise to fold your hand and sit with your chips?
No, your broker will never recommend this because he gets paid every year you have your money "invested" in something, anything except a money market. It may only be one percent, but the brokerage company can live off that even if you can't.
I know, you are telling me you are "in for the long haul". What Wall Street genius thought up that one? In this high stakes game you must remember it was to leave with more money than you started and not to go broke or stay even. When the market is going down you want to be OUT, not sitting there every day hoping (and praying) your shares will go up. They won't. Like poker you have to take a small loss and wait for a better hand which may be quite a while. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE INVESTED ALL THE TIME. Many times cash or bonds will make more money than owning stocks.
When the market is going down even the best stocks will fall. Understand you are not going to win every pot. Small losses will not hurt you. It is the big ones that can wipe you out. Know the amount you are willing to risk when you buy any stock and fold when that loss limit is hit.
You are not investing to "get even".
Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.
Copyright 2005
More Resources
Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exitingMore Stocks & Mutual Funds Information:
Related Articles
Buy and Hold Investment Philosophy
Wall Street has been preaching the doctrine of Buy and Hold forever. The worst part about it is the small investor (and some big ones) actually believe it.
Dont Buy Worldcom! A Guide to Wise Bottom Fishing
Over the past few months, several investment professionals have brought up the topic of the down-and-out company of the day and whether to buy now as a speculation. Last year, K-Mart was the big news, and everyone wanted to know whether this was a good stock play.
Selling Strategies - Setting a Stop Loss
Sometimes the best way of lowering exposure to risk is not to invest at all! However, when we make the decision to jump into the muddy waters of the stock market, its always a good idea to have a life jacket ready, just in case.We all have stories of that "must have" "can't lose" stock that looking back, we didn't really need to buy, and it definitely lost.
Lemmings Are Gathering
Before they go over the cliff to their destruction these little furry ones get together for a party and celebration. Each tells the other how smart he has been with his investments and buying and selling of stocks and real estate.
When Should I Sell?
People are always asking me when should I sell my stock or mutual funds?There are some relatively easy answers to this. In fact, so simple that you won't believe them, but they are things I have learned over the past 30 years as a professional trader on the floor of the commodity exchange in Chicago.
Lies, Damn Lies and Mutual Fund Returns
How many times has this happened to you? You're at a social function and the conversation turns to investing. Pretty soon, people are comparing how well their investments are doing.
Traders, Defend Against the Dreaded Death Spiral.
It has often been said that there is only two ways to get hurt really bad on a stock trade, getting caught in a "death spiral" by not using DTM: Decisive Trade Management in the way of stop loses and having a stock halted on you. Halts you have zero control over.
Mr. Market
I constantly hear the talking heads on CNBC-TV, the radio and other places talking about THE market. Of course, they mean the stock market which actually now is world wide and no longer just concentrated in New York.
Oil Stocks CHK WLL - What Is Their Worth?
(1) CHK stock price $16.74, NAV $32.
The Holy Grail (of Investment)
Every year I go to the Money Show in Orlando, Florida. Thousands attend.
Is Active Trading The Answer?
One of the main reasons many of us get into investing is to become financially independent. Who isn't trying to amass a portfolio with enough income to ensure that we don't have to work when we should be playing golf or traveling the world.
Stops Make Money
During the day I watch CNBC-TV, the stock market channel. Fortunately, I keep the sound muted or I would be hollering at the dumb "experts" being interviewed.
Money, Insanity and Wall Street
Money: the most charged word in the planet. It means something to everyone.
Market Experience of a Naïve Stock Operator
Sometime in the third quarter of 1997, someone told me that I should play the stock market. Knowing nothing about the stock market, I turned to some colleagues to seem to know a lot about it.
Stock and Fund Dividends
When is a dividend not a dividend?The latest thing "conservative" brokers are preaching these days is to buy stocks that pay dividends. Everyone likes dividends.
Eternal Sunshine
There is a current movie entitled "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". It is about a man who has had a painful love affair and will do anything to rid his mind of those pain thoughts of a former love.
Living Trust Investing: Income Considerations when the Grantor Dies
A common problem I often see when working with living trust beneficiaries and trustees is the lack of attention in rethinking income strategies in the event of the grantor's death.When the grantor of a living trust dies, the trustee (especially a family member or close friend) sometimes feels reluctant to revise the portfolio, feeling it's an affront to the wishes of the deceased.
Understanding the Bulls and the Bears
If you've ever flipped on the television to CNN Financial or paged through the finance section of your local newspaper, you may have seen or heard references made to "the bulls and the bears." If you didn't know what was meant by those terms, you're about to find out.
Buying Mutual Funds
It looks like the market is ready to start up again so it is time to buy mutual funds, but you only want to invest your money in funds that go up. First, you don't want to start with a loss so be sure to purchase no-load mutual funds.
The Shadow
The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program called The Shadow where the hero, Lamont Cranston, the Shadow, would overcome the shadowy forces of doom by clouding the vision of those around him.