Disclaimer: All information is provided for informational purposes only. I make no warranties on accuracy or applicability of the information or affiliate offers to your situation. Investing involves risk. Don’t risk more than you’re willing to lose.
Do you like getting excited to be let down?
Me either.
One hot ticker…
One weird tip…
One “next Amazon”…
You get taken advantage of because you don’t know who you are.
Or you know who you are, but the sales copy has you convinced the product being presented to you is the best and only solution to your problem.
(Hint: well-written copy is designed to do that)
What succeeds there
The people who do the best are often the ones who start out with a bigger resource pool. That’s especially true in the financial world.
Not only that, but the products they offer are charging thousands of dollars for hints.
Thousands of dollars you would be better off investing…
But if you’re just starting out, it sounds like huge, all-in risk is the only way to make it. And then you watch your hard earned savings disappear as you hold on to a speculative investment.
Plus, whatever the gurus tell you about what to get in to before they pump and dump the stock, they don’t tell you the right way to get out so you make money and don’t tie it up in favor of something more productive.
So if I were to write financial copy like the gurus, where the outcome is you signing up for stock recommendations that my experience and signals tells me is right for me, I wouldn’t be able to tell you how it’s right for you.
I don’t want to be responsible for that. Even if it means good money for writers.
Get your tackle box
But what if, instead of handing you a fish without giving you the tools to gut it, you could learn how to fish instead?
What if you had your own set of tools that worked well for you?
One that you know how to use best, with all the limitations and capabilities that come with it?
That way, you’re not limited to any one pond I tell you about. You can take your tools wherever you want to go.
How does that look?
Find the right pond
Let’s start with the right kind of pond.
There are tens of thousands of stocks you could invest in. But you need something to tell you which is going to be around and which is two guys in a shack with an idea.
I’ve had friends that put a couple hundred dollars into something they were convinced would explode. Others risked five figures to collect a hundred dollar premium.
Not everyone has the stomach to ride a roller coaster. Neither does everyone have the patience to sit and wait for slow appreciation and dividend reinvestment over time.
You have to know what you want, what you’re willing to risk, and how long you’re willing for it to take to get there.
And then buy stocks accordingly to match.
Timing matters, too
Second, how many fish do you catch on a rainy day? Or at noon?
Not a lot, right?
You have the best odds when you go in the early morning or evening with clear weather on a warm day.
Sure, some are fatter and longer, but the point is to get something on the hook.
The stock market isn’t any different.
There are good times and bad times to invest. And if the majority of stocks in the market are moving one way, it’s likely the ones you’re eyeing will move in the same direction.
Sure, you can be contrarian.
But that takes a lot of work and expertise that you won’t have starting out. No matter how smart you feel listening to the people talking about them.
Because you won’t know how to tell a nibble from a snag. And then you end up losing your tackle.
When to pack up
Last, what happens when you’ve had a good day and you get complacent? Like you catch too many fish and get fined.
Just the same, gurus don’t teach you to sell. Selling for your profit doesn’t get them commissions. Only buying does.
You have to know when it’s time to cut out and wait for the next opportunity.
Think about the people who lost half their retirement in 2008. And then again in 2020.
Is that something you want to leave to chance?
Go with a guide
If it sounds more reasonable to learn how to fish instead of following where people with commission structures are telling you to buy fish, I want to introduce you to VectorVest.
I’ve used their service since 2020. It’s kept me out of some of the worst declines and positioned me to take advantage of the blast offs that followed. I found safe stocks that met my temperament without sacrificing gains.
And I’ve consistently hit 15-20% returns. (results not typical)
It rates and categorizes over 9000 stocks daily so you can see what’s moving with the market and what’s trash. Follow the news if you want to, or find hidden gems.
And for less than the cost of home internet every month.
Why it makes sense
Because I can’t tell you timely enough of all the good things available in an uptrend.
Or at the bottom before the rebound.
Or when the rally is over and it’s time to get defensive.
And I don’t want to suggest something to you I’m not willing to do for myself.
I want you to have this tool for yourself to be prepared when those times come.
This is what I wish I had when I started investing almost 20 years ago. Click the picture below to make the right choice for yourself today.
(Note: I may be compensated for purchases made through this link)
What do you want to learn about self-directed investing to support your family? Leave me a comment and subscribe to get the answers:
Walking a wider path in investing takes more tools. Learn more in these related posts:
Liberty Begins At Home 
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