The Money Thread

[knightni]

Any recommendations on which company to buy?

No sorry.

 

I would suggest going to a metals broker and asking questions.

 

Ss2k5 might know more than me, he was at the Chicago Board of Trade, iirc.

[lostfan]

It's worth noting also that gold is being driven up in no small part by some political types who have been encouraging purchasing it as insurance against, um, the upcoming Obamageddon, or whatever you want to call it. Politics aside, if you're getting people to purchase something based on politics, then if the political winds shift, it will affect the price.

True, I'm not trying to make money off it right now though so I think it's still a safe buy.

 

 

No sorry.

 

I would suggest going to a metals broker and asking questions.

 

Ss2k5 might know more than me, he was at the Chicago Board of Trade, iirc.

Yeah, he originally gave me the idea to buy metal.

[southsider2k5]

Any recommendations on which company to buy?

 

Personally, I would stick with an ETF.

[lostfan]

Personally, I would stick with an ETF.

A friend of mine told me that last night. What's the difference between an ETF and a mutual fund? (Cliff's notes version please, lol)

[southsider2k5]

A friend of mine told me that last night. What's the difference between an ETF and a mutual fund? (Cliff's notes version please, lol)

 

ETF is essentially taking something and making it a "stock". You take whatever its underlying is (in this example gold) and translate it to a per share price. It exactly mirrors whatever it follows, but the ETF price is based on shares instead of ounces or bushels or whatever. Honestly it is a supersimple product in general because of its set up.

 

The full term is electronically traded fund.

[lostfan]

ETF is essentially taking something and making it a "stock". You take whatever its underlying is (in this example gold) and translate it to a per share price. It exactly mirrors whatever it follows, but the ETF price is based on shares instead of ounces or bushels or whatever. Honestly it is a supersimple product in general because of its set up.

 

The full term is electronically traded fund.

That's kind of what I thought. Is this an ETF?

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=GOLD

 

In my Schwab account I can buy "shares" of this and that's sort of what it sounds like you're talking about.

[southsider2k5]

That's kind of what I thought. Is this an ETF?

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=GOLD

 

In my Schwab account I can buy "shares" of this and that's sort of what it sounds like you're talking about.

 

That is actually a company.

 

This is what I was thinking. Ishares and powershares are the two leading names in the ETF field.

 

http://goldetf.net/

[bigruss]

Where are you interning?

Grainger in Lake Forest, Ill be working in their IT department.

[bigruss]

I say try and save another 500 if possible and put it in a CD. At about 1, 2k then I think mutual funds are a good bet.

 

I'm trying to diversify right now. I chatted with 2K5 a few days ago and he suggested I get some metals (e.g. gold) and my other friend says gold has peaked and he's trying to short the euro, but I'm not trying to make fast money (although if I can do that it might be worth a try). I'm basically learning all this s*** as I go. Does anyone here own any gold?

Hmm, I could probably do that, Ill have to check around online and see who has the best rates, Im taking from this thread that mint.com is a good source so when I am closer to having that extra money Ill look into it.

[lostfan]

I sold some of one of my mutual funds and bought 5 shares of Apple... not cheap at all, $233 a share. I still have a pretty good feeling about it though, their stock has been going sky-high lately and doesn't look to be stopping any time soon.

[NorthSideSox72]

ETF is essentially taking something and making it a "stock". You take whatever its underlying is (in this example gold) and translate it to a per share price. It exactly mirrors whatever it follows, but the ETF price is based on shares instead of ounces or bushels or whatever. Honestly it is a supersimple product in general because of its set up.

 

The full term is electronically traded fund.

Actually its "exchange traded fund". That is, as opposed to mutual funds, which are traded OTC.

 

But I agree with the idea here - the best way to get into commodities for an amateur is ETF's. There is a Gold one, and various other metals, collectively or single, as well as oil, gas, etc.

 

[Balta1701]

I sold some of one of my mutual funds and bought 5 shares of Apple... not cheap at all, $233 a share. I still have a pretty good feeling about it though, their stock has been going sky-high lately and doesn't look to be stopping any time soon.

Somehow, your job allowed you to get wind beforehand of the Wall Street Journal article saying that Apple would be unveiling a new iPhone that wasn't hooked to AT&T, didn't it?

[iamshack]

I sold some of one of my mutual funds and bought 5 shares of Apple... not cheap at all, $233 a share. I still have a pretty good feeling about it though, their stock has been going sky-high lately and doesn't look to be stopping any time soon.

I have to hand it to you, tough to buy a stock that highly priced, but I'm sure the people who bought Google at $233 are pretty happy right now.

 

So good luck to you. I can't imagine you would get hurt by doing it.

[knightni]

If they sue Line1 for their app and lose, Apple stock might go down some.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/25/l...f_n_513462.html

[iamshack]

If they sue Line1 for their app and lose, Apple stock might go down some.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/25/l...f_n_513462.html

It was my impression that they are the ones who allowed the app on the first place?

[knightni]

It was my impression that they are the ones who allowed the app on the first place?

In the past they haven't. I think that they might re-think allowing it if At&T protests.

 

Then, Line1 will sue.

[iamshack]

In the past they haven't. I think that they might re-think allowing it if At&T protests.

 

Then, Line1 will sue.

Well I believe Apple has the right to disallow the app because it resembles the calling features of the phone too closely. It seems as though they want this app to be available, at least from their behavior in allowing it to be sold at the app store.

[knightni]

Well I believe Apple has the right to disallow the app because it resembles the calling features of the phone too closely. It seems as though they want this app to be available, at least from their behavior in allowing it to be sold at the app store.

I just think that if AT&T gets hit in the pocketbook by the app enough, that Apple will get pressured into disallowing it.

[iamshack]

I just think that if AT&T gets hit in the pocketbook by the app enough, that Apple will get pressured into disallowing it.

Oh yeah, I agree. I am sure AT&T is FURIOUS about this, and no doubt is already trying to put pressure on Apple.

[Balta1701]

Oh yeah, I agree. I am sure AT&T is FURIOUS about this, and no doubt is already trying to put pressure on Apple.

Apple has to realize though that they are holding all the cards. The iPhone is about the only thing AT&T has going for it right now.

[Chisoxfn]

Apple has to realize though that they are holding all the cards. The iPhone is about the only thing AT&T has going for it right now.

Outside of dropped calls, a s***ty network, and slow internet speeds.

[lostfan]

I have to hand it to you, tough to buy a stock that highly priced, but I'm sure the people who bought Google at $233 are pretty happy right now.

 

So good luck to you. I can't imagine you would get hurt by doing it.

bumping this thread because I liked it.

 

I ended up selling this stock for $268. I got tired of it going up and down, it'd go up into the high 260s (peaking at 273 once, its all-time high) every time Apple released a new product or had some news but then it'd go right back down to 240 or so. Since they don't pay a dividend there's no point in me sitting around waiting for it to appreciate, especially when there have already been 2 points where I could've sold the 5 shares for the same gain. Still, I made 15% or so on that in 6 months (gotta check my math but I think I'm close)... much more than it would've been if I had it sitting in a savings account or even the mutual fund it was in.

 

I just decided to buy a bunch of Verizon shares instead... I had no idea that they paid such a huge dividend. I blame Y2HH for not telling me this, frankly. Now at least the 2 companies I have are actually doing something, BP used to pay a really good dividend but that was before it literally went up in flames and had to suspend dividends to pay for all the damage. It'd be silly to b**** about this (but of course a lot are).

[bigruss]

bumping this thread because I liked it.

 

I ended up selling this stock for $268. I got tired of it going up and down, it'd go up into the high 260s (peaking at 273 once, its all-time high) every time Apple released a new product or had some news but then it'd go right back down to 240 or so. Since they don't pay a dividend there's no point in me sitting around waiting for it to appreciate, especially when there have already been 2 points where I could've sold the 5 shares for the same gain. Still, I made 15% or so on that in 6 months (gotta check my math but I think I'm close)... much more than it would've been if I had it sitting in a savings account or even the mutual fund it was in.

 

I just decided to buy a bunch of Verizon shares instead... I had no idea that they paid such a huge dividend. I blame Y2HH for not telling me this, frankly. Now at least the 2 companies I have are actually doing something, BP used to pay a really good dividend but that was before it literally went up in flames and had to suspend dividends to pay for all the damage. It'd be silly to b**** about this (but of course a lot are).

Vz is one of the stocks that I bought in my first stock purchase and has been great. Dividend is nice and has pretty steadily gone up.

[lostfan]

Damn, check out this dividend http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=AGNC (i don't think it's always that high but yeah... that's a lot)

[bigruss]

Damn, check out this dividend http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=AGNC (i don't think it's always that high but yeah... that's a lot)

Google Finance is showing that they indeed have paid a dividend of $1.4 since the beginning of 2009.