Christmas day - new tradition (series 3 of 10)

Dec. 26, 2019

Introduction

It is hard for me to tell which website is better, Ameritrade or Charles Schwab. I have portfolio in both companies, and Charles Schwab purchased Ameritrade recently. What I like to do is to review my Key largo portfolio. I have to get familiar with all features in the website.

Performance

I like to go to Cost basics -> Unrealized Gain/ Loss

I like to memorize all those captions:

Long positions
Totals (Cost, Mkt value, Gain($), Gain (%))
Symbol
Description
Qty
Open date
Cost per share
Cost
Last
Mkt value
Gain ($)
Gain (%) Term

Short positions
Totals: Proceed, Mkt value, Gain($), Gain(%)

Dividends
Here is the shortcut to find dividends, it takes me a few minutes to find the link:
History & Statements -> Transactions -> Dividends

Actionable Items

Based on my understanding, the dividend of S & P 500 index is almost 2% in 2019.

I should not pay attention too much on market value. All I care about is to beat the inflation, and also have growth with the market. If the market goes down, then it is time for me to invest more equity to make more wealth in the future. I should not worry about the market value for my retirement account, because I will not withdraw early (59 year old).

Key Largo portfolio update

Nov. 16, 2019

Introduction

I like to manage myself. If I do not spend 100 hours to study invest, and I learn something basics, or I do not share with any one, I should not think that I can make a lot of money. It is natural that I will suffer behavior problems, such as common finance behavior problem, like loss aversion, anchor bias, buy high and sell low etc. So it is important for me to invest time to write blogs about my portfolio, and then look into the issues. I was the young lady who sold VIGRX fund in loss in 2001 and then sold everything in 2009 with loss of over $6,000 US dollars when market was lowest in last 15 years. Now I am much mature since I started to learn first and invested more than 500 hours to study about investment in 2019 after I turned 52 years old in 2018.

Progress report 

I am happy to see the profit since S & P 500 index went up in last week. I made purchase at 2900 S & P 500 index, now it is 3100.

Here are performance charts I got from my Jstock app on my Samsung S6 mobile phone.

S & P Index 500 one month study

Sept. 1, 2019

Introduction

It is my personal finance research. I learn that emotion is the biggest enemy of investment. I like to do a case study of S & P Index 500.

One month chart

Here is one month chart.

I purchased ETF and built my portfolio 3 month ago, S & P Index is around 2800. Last 30 days three times my profit went down less than $100 dollars except dividend.

Here is Key largo portfolio on Sept. 1, 2019.

Here is Victoria portfolio on Sept. 1, 2019.

My understanding is that I should not play like a day trader. But those fluctuations are so interesting for me to watch my portfolio. If I play with the market, then I may get addicted and affect my daily work and life.

August 5, 2019

Sept 2, 2019

Portfolio Key Largo profit is $554.13.

August 5, 2019

My Victoria portfolio profit $9.43

Sept. 2, 2019

My Victoria portfolio profit $683.53

Actionable Items

I like to learn how to invest long term. It is very hard to push myself invest all my 10 years savings in Canada into TFSA. So I should stay on the track on 3 year recession plan in worst case, I should target 10% return in 3 years, that is $4300 dollars profit.

If the market will not crash in 12 months, then I should get 10% return which is also $4300 dollars.

I may think about selling all my S & P index fund when S & P index is around 1900, and then purchase back when it is 1800. I can have 3 buy and sell in last one month.

Case study: First two months back in stock market in 2019

July 21, 2019

Introduction

It is my personal finance research. I just completed the first 60 days in stock market after 10 years break from 2009 to 2019. I like to write a few lessons I learn and how I should push myself to learn more about personal finance literacy.

Case study

I set up a portfolio on my Par 401 K, and then set up a portfolio on my USA IRA on Ameritrade.com, and also set up a portfolio on Canada TFSA account.

First month is tough. I learned that I experienced different emotions through the experience. I learn to follow my research, and just do it.

Porfolio Key Largo IRA account

Profit: $651.66 (+3.42%)
Annualized yield
+26.74% over 75 days
Cost: 19069.19
Return: 19720.85
Buy:19,514,14,
Sell: 0.00
Dividend: 126.71

Here are highlights:
1. Install JStock app on my Samsung phone;
2. Go over all links and features on Ameritrade.com
3. Go over all links on Questrade.com
4. Go over all Charles Schwab links on my Par 401 K
5. Download all statements, and study page by page
6. Keep learning on CNBC, try to understand basics, like yield curve, long term bond, etc.
7. Spend time wisely. Do not peek so often.
8. Talk about the portfolio, and then I can release some stress

What I did correctly

I just think that I should not time the market. I should stay positive, and take loss if bear market comes in less than six months or 12 months; I still have to study how to rebalance my portfolio if bear market comes.

I thought a lot of times if I should dollar cost average, but I noticed that time is wasted if I park all the fund in money market fund.

What I should do next

I like to read more about investment, so that I can learn more about basics.