Posted: 4/8/2026 10:26:34 AM EDT
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How did you all get started in the stock market? I browse this page and have made money on a few stocks thanks to you guys, but I would like to figure out the how and why. I understand the basics like investing in a company with higher growth potential. Most of my funds are in SPY or VOOG type stuff and have done appreciatly better than the old target date funds they were in. I guess I'm looking for a stock market for dummies approach to learn the intricacies of the the whole fiasco. |
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I'd start off with Investing Simplified on youtube. He offers a lot of good advice, if you haven't watched any of his vids I'd say start there. Steer clear of any person who promises massive returns through day trading if you buy their class/mastermind series ect. Most of them are grifters. |
Carthago delenda est
Illegitimi non carborundum
Illegitimi non carborundum
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One of the safest/least thought-intensive/lowest-maintenance approaches is the Boglehead way (named after Jack Bogle, the creator of the original Vanguard funds). Essentially, you invest your money in two or three index funds -- typically a total market stock fund, a total market bond fund and an international fund. You settle on a balance that is somewhat age dependent. Think 70% stock, 20% bond and 10% international. Then you leave it the fuck alone except to rebalance to maintain your chosen ratio. Follow this method and over time you'll likely do as well or better than all the expert stock pickers. Here's a lot of the basics all gathered together on one page: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Main_Page And an online forum: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/ Full disclosure: This is not what I do. I have financial advisors. I'm not convinced they achieve much better results, but they do bring some tax mitigation strategies that the Bogglehead approach doesn't address. |
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Originally Posted By Grackle_killer: Most of my funds are in SPY or VOOG type stuff and have done appreciatly better than the old target date funds they were in. I guess I'm looking for a stock market for dummies approach to learn the intricacies of the the whole fiasco. Index funds, disciplined finances, and following a simple financial plan is how most millionaires are made. Of all the investing talk in here, nobody is actively trading their entire life savings. I'd wager that everybody here has the lion's share of their savings in common stocks/bonds/funds and are actively trading a small portion of their total savings. It's easy to make money being an active trader but what most people don't appreciate is that it is very difficult to consistently make more money than basic "leave it alone" investments. It feels great to trade and make 20% profit, but what if you did nothing and made 25%? |
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I'll be 41 shortly. Below is what I currently have: Roughly 15% in cash SPAXX to buy or day trade. I'm not active day trading but do buy deals from repeat patterns I've noticed or advice here. Roughly 23% in retirement date fund from old employer. Have considered rolling this into my IRA to manage on my own. The rest is mostly SP500 funds or technology funds with some other exposure like VTI and did buy some BPTRX (1.5% portfolio value)from the SpaceX thread. I'd like to increase my exposure to the SpaceX side of things. I buy SP500 weekly from my roth. I'm not going to plan retirement off day trading, but would like to learn more/dabble more both with long term and short term strategies and dabble here and there more than I currently do. I also appreciate all of the above posters input! |
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Originally Posted By SideCarGT: Bogleheads Motley Fool. Fool.com This was a question I meant to bring up also. I see advertisements for them and have wondered if they are worth it. In their ads, they talk of all these stocks they recommended to buy and how much they've went up. But, how many stocks have they recommended that were turds? |
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Originally Posted By Grackle_killer: This was a question I meant to bring up also. I see advertisements for them and have wondered if they are worth it. In their ads, they talk of all these stocks they recommended to buy and how much they've went up. But, how many stocks have they recommended that were turds? Several Motley Fool and Seeking Alpha contributors also have YouTube channels. Instead of subscribing to the news letters you can just pull up their videos and listen in the car or at the gym. The trick is just to find people that talk about stuff you’re interested in and follow them long enough to figure out if they know what they’re talking about. |
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Originally Posted By Grackle_killer: I guess I'm looking for a stock market for dummies approach to learn the intricacies of the the whole fiasco. Simple-Path-Wealth-Revised-Expanded Then Bogleheads-Guide-Investing |
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Originally Posted By Grackle_killer: This was a question I meant to bring up also. I see advertisements for them and have wondered if they are worth it. In their ads, they talk of all these stocks they recommended to buy and how much they've went up. But, how many stocks have they recommended that were turds? Didn’t see this question about MF until now. I have subscribed to some of their services at various times and still do to their Stock Advisor service. I don’t work for them or have any financial interest in them. Two thoughts. They are a source for a lot of free information and discussion which can help you learn as it did for me. Second, my own thought the first time a subscribed to one of the premium services was to try it out with the money back guarantee and if it helped me find a winner or two, it paid for itself. I can now say that it has much more than paid for itself and I have found stocks through them much earlier than I would have through other methods. For me, it has paid off. YMMV. BTW, I have also tried a couple of their services that didn’t fit for me and I quit them. |