I am a retired executive from high tech firms and have a BSEE degree from UT Ausin. My major souce of income is dividends from stock holdings, and I now match my highest salary. I am frugal (cheap) and manage to re-invest about half of my income. I was a buy and hold guy until oct '08, and began to be a trader. I came out of '09 well ahead and have been more active in the market since. I made more trades this year than probably all the years before and I think the major moves are over, but I will forever be more on top of what's happening than in the past. I am very positive about America's future and the market. The incredible and increasing oil finds and sucess rates will be the driver of our economy and growth in the ...More near term and beyond.
I am a Vietnam vet, and mostly immune to political issues, but I do know that history views virtually all wars since WW2 as unnecessary and unwise. It is particularly unwise to start two of them and lower taxes at the same time. When the economy recovers, we will see taxes go back to previous levels to put the country back of sound financial footing. It's not politics, but basic math. We should not only be prepared for that event, but welcome it. A solvent government and a growing economy will increase our personal wealth in the the market far more than the irritating taxes.
In general, I do not invest in companies that will not pay a dividend, and few that pay less than 2%. I would rather take slower growth with good dividends than to be paid nothing for the hope of growth. That said, I still invest a little in what I call "hope stocks", but I am prepared to take them as a loss. I have had a few surprising good results in the somewhat better ones that pay 1.5 to 2 percent, but I am far more tempted to take the gains at some point and find another like it, or a better return. I am also not afraid to dump them if the growth is flat or poor at such poor dividends. I am not at all happy to hold a stock in a volatile market when the treasury gives the same lousy return on a fixed asset.
At one time I believed half of what I read, but with the internet, the percentage has dropped dramatically. Regardless of the advice, your only hope is to do the research on your own and make decisions on that. I hope to write for this group someday. Time will tell.
Ed Invests