diff --git "a/reddit_finance_43_250k_407.txt" "b/reddit_finance_43_250k_407.txt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/reddit_finance_43_250k_407.txt" @@ -0,0 +1,10000 @@ + +**38. If the target audience is non-GME investors, then isn’t the team trying to promote and convince people to buy GME through the ads? Or does the team intend to educate non-GME investors on why they should DRS and how to DRS their non-GME shares?** + +*This was answered in response 36.* + +**39. Does your site provide an in-depth pros-and-cons analysis on shares being held in brokers vs shares being held in transfer agents? Especially since there is a huge difference in the range of services available to an investor with respect to the method of holding shares.** + +*Yes, and if it is not thorough enough, we would gladly look to expand it.* + +**40. Do you understand that by proclaiming the reasons for drsing such as "expose corruption" and "revolutionize wall Street", you are opening the door to possible economic collusion accusations?** + +*We disagree that this is the case, and if it is, that is the responsibility of the DRSGME team.* + +**41. Do you understand that one of the only ways MOASS could be stopped is if large scale collusion charges saw fruition?** + +*We don't agree. DRSGME.ORG is for educational purposes only.* + +**42. Shouldn't you be minimizing any narrative of a "group" or any reasons to buy besides liking the stock?** + +*We don't agree with this either. Gary Gensler has made clear social sentiment is not what is intended when discussion of collusion takes place.* + +*The DRSGME group is a small portion of the DRS group, which is a small portion of the GME group, which is a small portion of the broader market space.* + +**43. Why is "secure your investment" not enough of a reason?** + +*It is enough of a reason.* + +**44. Who was behind the marketing ad containing a person wearing an anon mask with a sign stating "how much debt are you in" ? (The Guy Fawkes Ad)** + +*We will never put individual team members in the foreground and thus make them a potential victim of insults, hate or other accusations.* + +**45. How was this advertisement (The Guy Fawkes Ad) drafted?** + +*We do not understand this question. If the question is about the creation process, then the answer is: "Just like all the other ads."* + +*Despite the danger of repeating ourselves here: We are aware that this motif in particular has been very controversial. Therefore, we have decided to withdraw and revise the campaign.* + +*Nevertheless, it is interesting that the motif with Guy Fawkes achieved one of the highest click-through rates. Polarizing ads get the biggest reach and engagement rates on social media like Facebook or on Instagram. For this reason, we had prioritized this type of imagery.* + +*As of today, $89.28 has been spent on the entire campaign on Facebook/Instagram. Only $22.86 was paid for the “The Guy Fawkes ad”.* + +**46. Who on the team checked it (The Guy Fawkes Ad) before release?** + +*We will never put individual team members in the foreground and thus make them a potential victim of insults, hate or other accusations.* + +*We use the “4-eyes-principle” to ensure the best results. In this case, this process resulted in an advertisement which was not well received and we will improve.* + +**47. How much money was spent on it(The Guy Fawkes Ad)?** + +*This was answered in response 45.* + +**48. Do you think your advertisements in their current form have a positive effect on people who are not familiar with the situation?** + +*It is too early to know. We can hope so. Again: We are aware that this motif in particular has been very controversial. Therefore, we have decided to withdraw and revise the campaign.* + +**49. Do you think that a website dedicated to get new investors onboard (and spending money to do so) for an investment the organizers of the website are invested in themselves could be seen as a ponzi scheme from the outside and do more good than harm?** + +*We assume you mean more harm than good. We do not agree that having another alternative resource for information about DRS would have a net negative effect. We welcome any party who is interested to spread the word in their own way.* + +**50. What is the relationship if any to, Urvin Finance and any other group under the same LLC?** + +*Admittedly, we don't understand why this question is being asked. In the AMA with Dave Lauer a few days ago (*[*https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/vob69v*](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/vob69v/the_gazebo_just_posted_an_ama_wdave_lauer_talking/)*), Dave Lauer was asked by Brad if he knew DRSGME.ORG. Dave Lauer responded with "I've heard of it." That is the only known "connection" if you like.* + +It's perfectly normal for opinions to differ - in fact, that's a very good thing. Without the possibility to discuss and exchange with each other, we (not only DRSGME) would never develop. Before we managed to get these questions, we had to fight some pretty nasty insults and hate messages. We still get plenty of hate messages via email or in the comments. We condemn any form of hatred in the strongest possible terms. + +“Ape help ape” is our motto in this sub. So be nice to each other and ask your questions, give us your feedback or just post rockets and bananas emojis if you are happy. + +&#x200B; + +[DRSGME loves this community!](https://i.redd.it/tv42yjtibd991.gif) +I spent a huge amount of time learning about options and tried to distill my knowledge down into a helpful guide, especially for newbies. My advice is not meant to be gospel, but a good starting point. I plan to keep typing up more info from my notebook, expanding this guide, and posting it every couple months. Any feedback or additions are appreciated, I want to keep improving this. + +&#x200B; + +**Here's what I tell options beginners:** + +I would strongly recommend buying a beginner's options book and read it cover to cover. That helped me a lot. + +I like this book: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GWSXX8U/ref=cm\_sw\_r\_cp\_apa\_OxNDFb2GK9YW7](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GWSXX8U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_OxNDFb2GK9YW7) + +&#x200B; + +**Helpful websites:** + +* Tasty Trade (TT) and Ally Invest have helpful articles and videos. + +[https://www.tastytrade.com/tt](https://www.tastytrade.com/tt) + +[https://www.youtube.com/c/tastytrade1/featured](https://www.youtube.com/c/tastytrade1/featured) + +* Ally training: + +What is options trading? [https://www.ally.com/do-it-right/investing/trading-options-for-beginners/?CP=EM2012111](https://www.ally.com/do-it-right/investing/trading-options-for-beginners/?CP=EM2012111) + +Top 10 options mistakes: [https://www.ally.com/do-it-right/investing/top-10-option-trading-mistakes/?CP=EM2012111](https://www.ally.com/do-it-right/investing/top-10-option-trading-mistakes/?CP=EM2012111) + +* 3 common option mistakes: [https://us.etrade.com/knowledge/library/options/common-mistakes-options-traders-make](https://us.etrade.com/knowledge/library/options/common-mistakes-options-traders-make) +* Common options strategies: [https://www.optionsbro.com/basic-options-strategies/](https://www.optionsbro.com/basic-options-strategies/) +* Investopedia has tons of great investing info for stocks and options: [https://www.investopedia.com/](https://www.investopedia.com/) +* Kamikazi Cash Theta Gang Videos: [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOweupE79XXiBaeH\_xBpkUcYUsrAaKQen](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOweupE79XXiBaeH_xBpkUcYUsrAaKQen) + +&#x200B; + +**Don't trade until you understand:** + +* You can lose your entire contract value when buying. +* You can lose a lot of money when selling "naked", theoretically unlimited. +* How option expiration works. +* Theta (decay) and how it works. This is imperative since it's attrition when buying and a payout when selling. [https://www.optionseducation.org/advancedconcepts/theta](https://www.optionseducation.org/advancedconcepts/theta) +* Understand delta in general and how delta changes with ITM and OTM options. +* Understand all the greeks at a high level, as you get better understand them well. The greeks: [https://www.optionsplaybook.com/options-introduction/option-greeks/](https://www.optionsplaybook.com/options-introduction/option-greeks/) +* IV, IV crush, and how IV affects pricing. In general, you want to sell when IV is high and buy when the IV is low. Increasing IV is good for held calls/puts. IV drop or crush is generally good for sellers. +* Selling options can be quite beneficial. Once you have a good general understanding, lookup r/thetagang . Kamikaze Cash has good youtube videos on most theta strategies. I personally believe selling options (especially cash secured) is much safer and can consistently make you profits. Theta Gang 4 life. +* Understand that WSB is gambling and factor in the information accordingly. That sub is hilarious, but be careful with meme stocks. +* FOMO and how to avoid chasing a dangerous trend. DO NOT CHASE FROM FOMO! +* What intrinsic and extrinsic value are. Know how they are affected by being exercised/assigned and how theta affects them. + +&#x200B; + +**Basics / Mechanics** + +* Understand the 4 "main" option types. Buying or selling a call and buying or selling a put. Spreads and more complex option strategies are based off these in some way. +* You can sell calls with 100 shares of stock of if you own an underlying longer term option; see PMCC later. Selling calls naked is incredibly risky and requires Level 4 (very advanced) permissions and often a lot of capital. I will literally never sell calls naked since I don't want to ruin my life. +* Puts can be sold/written cash covered (cash secured), which means you have the cash in your account to buy 100 shares. Your broker will put this money on hold until the trade is closed. Puts can be sold "naked" using Margin and Level 3 (with most brokers). Your broker will hold a percentage of cost of 100 shares (often 30-40%, 100% on meme stocks) allowing you to sell more puts. This increases your available capital/power as well as risk. + +&#x200B; + +**General Tips (Save these for later):** + +* **Don't EVER leave spreads open on expiration day, close them. (more details below)** +* Start off trading very small. Slowly build up over weeks / months. You need to get accustomed to a fifty dollar swing a day, then a few hundred, then a few thousand. You need to ensure you don't get emotional (see below). +* As you build up the amount of money you have invested, keep it separated among several stocks. Don't go all in on one thing ever +* Don't trade emotionally. If you realize you are emotionally trading for vengeance, you should probably exit the trade and cool off for several days with that stock. +* Have a plan for every trade, ideally with entries / exits that are specific values, ranges, or a set condition. This helps remove emotions. +* Use an options profit calculator from your broker or an online one before entering a "new" trade, especially a complex multi legged trade: [https://www.optionsprofitcalculator.com](https://www.optionsprofitcalculator.com/)/ +* Consider using stop losses to lock in profits on rides up or sometimes use them to prevent losses. Note, stops can be easily triggered in volatile options. Now when I'm up a lot on calls (especially around earnings or large momentum run-ups) I always set stop losses. I have been burned too many times. In December I didn't set a SL on several thousand dollars of FDX calls and I "lost" \~$5K of unrealized gains. If you're up big don't get too greedy. +* Incrementally enter positions on large rises / falls. This helps combat FOMO and helps you avoid getting slaughtered. This will also help you avoid "chasing a falling knife". This also ties into having a plan. I set alerts at several predetermined prices and I REALLY try not to enter new trades unless I hit my preset points. It makes me less emotional and usually more effective. +* Don't throw good money after bad. Don't gamble on a recovery if your assumption appears to be wrong or the market is flat out tanking. +* On gains, consider taking profits and "rolling up" or incrementally sell your contracts at several different prices (this is why having multiple contracts is nice). +* A possible strategy if a stock is on a tear and you have multiple options open: Close some positions (I prefer to do this incrementally if the stock has momentum), but leave 1+ open in case the stock goes on a tear. Next, set a stop loss with a little buffer below it's current movement / range so it doesn't get hit unless the stock falls hard. Finally, watch the stock closely and if it keeps rising, keep moving the stop loss up incrementally. This will let you keep more profits on a hot streak, but give some protection and secure more gains. It will also help eliminate FOMO if a stock exceeds your expectations. +* If you have a losing trade, re-evaluate it. If your initial assumption was incorrect, close it. Don't stay in losing trades forever and lose the entire value of the option. If you re-evaluate and you think your assumption was right, hold, potentially consider adding another cheaper option (buy another call / put). +* Don't try to daytrade, especially with options. It's incredibly statistically unlikely to be profitable. +* Try not to over-trade, you'll likely mis-time the market over time. When I get emotional I over trade, then lose additional money on wash sales. If you scale your entries into positions it should help alleviate your desire to exit positions when they turn badly against you. Whenever I buy calls I do it at larger increments after W almost made me loss my hair; luckily it eventually came back. +* Learn about wash sale rules. They suck and are very easy to activate with options. This will eliminate your ability to write off losses. Over trading can easily cause wash sales. +* As you gain experience, start monitoring what kind of Delta, OTM, DTE, etc you are most profitable with. Use it in your future trades. You'll often see the tasty trade 30-45DTE .3 Delta strategy for selling. +* NEVER enter a position on a stock you have no idea about, especially when you read about it online or heard about it from some rando. +* When selling (or buying) look at rough technicals like resistances and supports to consider your strikes and exit points. +* Once you have a good amount of experience, check out LEAPs and poor man's covered calls, they're cool (see below) +* At market open options contracts are often volatile and inflated. Buying during this time can be more expensive. Options are usually cheaper mid day, I read somewhere 2-3PM is cheapest. +* Try wheeling on cheaper stocks once you get all fundamentals down. +* If selling options, it is okay to close early after a large gain with many DTE. See TT videos / strategy on this. +* As you start to sell options and get more experience in general you'll start seeing the two sides to every trade. You will likely start adjusting your strategies or trying new trades out because of this. Things will click one day and most/all the greeks and overall market dynamics will become almost second nature. +* If selling, consider rolling (for a credit) to avoid assignment when it makes sense / meets your plan. Rolling closer to expiration can be valid strategy to get theta on your side. On the flip side if the stock moons or plummets it could've been better to roll before it got crazy deep ITM. +* Stagger strikes for safety / diversity (optional). +* Don't hold options through earnings unless you literally want to gamble. I do like playing on earnings run up, but that can be risky. +* When selling, if you hold through earnings, IV crush will happen immediately afterwards devaluing the option. However, if the news is good and the stock is way above the strike IV crush won't help you. +* **I repeat this on purpose: Don't EVER leave spreads open on expiration day, close them. If you don't close, they better be VERY far from the strike on a non-volatile stock. In after hours a stock can jump/dip below your strike and be exercised without the other leg to protect you. This can lead to massive, life ruining losses. This is not an exaggeration, google this and be scared. It happened to a fair number of people with TSLA.** +* Spreads are neat because they manipulate how delta and theta act. It caps your gains and losses, but you can profit with less stock movement. Try several spreads on a P/L calculator to see for yourself. I'm Theta Gang, so I like selling credit spreads sometimes since I profit from neutral movement and theta... sweet sweet theta. +* When selling puts if you are very bullish consider "doubling down". Use the credit from your put sale to buy shares or a cheap call. This can be roughly inversed with puts, except I wouldn't recommend shorting shares. + +&#x200B; + +\-**Intermediate / Advanced Strategies (work in progress)-** + +**Iron Condor and Iron Butterflies** + +* Iron condor and Iron butterflies. These strategies profit from neutral or mostly neutral stock movement. They benefit from theta decay. If your stock is range bound, these may be a good choice. The condor can be riskier and skinny with a narrow high profit range or wide for a much greater chance of success with low payout. These are both 4 "legged" trades, so you will have 4 trading fees to enter or exit the trade. A lower cost or zero cost broker shines here. Condors and butterflies have "wings" which are your purchased puts and calls. The wider the wing the higher the max profit/risk. +* The butterfly is similar except instead of a plateau it has a sharp peak. My personal mental note is a condor looks more like a strangle while a butterfly looks like a straddle. + +**LEAPs** + +* LEAP Options are options that are long term with many DTE, often over a year until expiration. LEAP calls are great for long term growth plays (downtrends with LEAP puts) or simply when you really like a company and can't afford 100 shares. LEAPs (or any "longer term" option) enables you to sell a PMCC or PMCP (below) + +**PMCC / PMCP** + +* PMCC or PMCP are poor man's covered call or poor man's covered puts. They are diagonal options often used with purchased LEAPs. You sell a shorter DTE call/put with a further OTM strike than your purchased call/put. For PMCC/PMCPs it is often recommended to recoup your extrinsic value as soon as possible, some recommend with your first call CC or put sale, to ensure you are positive if the option is assigned early. These have a lot of moving parts and strategies. If you buy a barely ITM call/put and sell a nearby strike call/put you run the risk of the purchased option getting "blown by" on large stock movement and ending up with a very negative losing trade. Keeping your purchased LEAP deeper ITM should protect you. Check your initial PMCC using an options calculation to make sure you don't screw up. +* I'm currently tinkering with these myself. So far I like .7-.9 delta call LEAPS with 30-45 DTE calls on my CC. The goal is to hold the LEAP long term, potentially until expiration, and constantly sell calls/puts on it that expire worthless. Typically the call/put is rolled up and out or down and out if it's going to be assigned, unless you don't want your LEAP anymore. +* Some people look at these many sold CC or puts as profits, I look at them as lowering my cost basic until it's zero (or even negative). I have a page in my notebook I write each CC on my NIO LEAP (I MEME stock sometimes). I find it satisfying to slowly see the cost of the original option disappear. When I originally wrote this I had \~2 years left on it and it's 9-10% paid for; that doesn't even count the actual gains the LEAP has. +* TT states this is considered an IV play, which I partially agree with. You want to buy these during low IV times since an IV drop will hurt your LEAP value. I look at them more like a way to sell calls/puts on a high IV company with a lot of price movement and potential upside/downside. + +Disclaimer/bio: I'm just a guy who trades (mainly options) part-time for financial gain and fun. I've been pretty successful trading options, especially with theta (selling) strategies. I got heavily involved with options again in September 2020 after a long hiatus. + +Edit: my first gold. Thanks options people! +Guess who’s back? + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/4uha6q1e4pc71.png?width=474&format=png&auto=webp&s=24a8335201d3a64e23978335cb8c45b7e1861900 + +&#x200B; + +Back from taking my board exams to lay some slick BCBApe shit on ya cause I passed.... + +That being said none of this shit has to do with that....but let's analyze some of this fucking shit I found thanks to [u/fewdea](https://www.reddit.com/u/fewdea/) and [u/snoo\_75309](https://www.reddit.com/u/snoo_75309/) + +# Uno (Mas Escondite) + +I ran across [this ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/oovqze/whats_the_deal_with_selling_a_leased_car/h61vomz/?context=3)post earlier by [u/fewdea](https://www.reddit.com/u/fewdea/) where they mentioned that they went to sell their car to a used car company (guess they serve pancakes too?). When they went there a sign was up stating that the company was only able to buy cars back from folks who did not use specific lenders. + +Financiers aren't letting people buy assets upon which loans are based because they then would have to turn that cash (which is a liability) over. + +Remember [u/criand](https://www.reddit.com/u/criand/) and [u/attobit](https://www.reddit.com/u/attobit/) talking about Citadel losing their clothes and cash being a fucking liability? + +Hang in there with me. + +[u/Snoo\_75309](https://www.reddit.com/u/Snoo_75309/) went on to question in a comment: + +>“I am a little confused though, i know cash is a liability for banks when it's their customers deposits, but cash from a sale of an asset the bank owns? I guess they're using deposits to invest in car loans that makes sense, because once they deposit the cash if it was deposit $ it becomes a liability vs an auto backed securities can be used as collateral for cash if the banks need the cash.” + +Cash is a liability regardless of where it came from. It’s almost like they have a place to keep their assets without worrying of inflation or having someone come after it….you know….. + +Feel similar? + +Yall. We see Reverse Repos every day regarding The Treasury. They don’t want to hold on to the cash so they are utilizing Reverse Repos (it aint a proper noun, but shit at this point I’m making it one). + +Am I saying this is the same as Reverse Repos. + +Absolutely hell fucking no. I’m saying this is another place for them to hide wealth and another way they are fucking our economy like..hmmmmmm Mortgage Backed Securities.... Shittily so because a car owner under an Automobile Loan (gonna call this a proper noun too and just capitalize on it...heh heh.) can’t sell their car/the automobile loan to get any equity out of what they may have in the car. + +# Dos: El Coche + +Let thine eyes not deceive you. + +[Insights - Auto Asset-Backed Securities (diamond-hill.com)](https://www.diamond-hill.com/insights/a-152/auto-asset-backed-securities.fs) + +Lookie lookie. Here is a breakdown of the Security Structure Breakdown for 2017 and 2019 + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/md42eso84pc71.png?width=1244&format=png&auto=webp&s=7ce6c9c6e8245d68b5882a2a171a8cb33e09e8c0 + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/w5iairt94pc71.png?width=1067&format=png&auto=webp&s=8cc3b3814176cb686c3fa74cf2d8a63600bab131 + +What’s insane is that they even went on to say that OHHHHH iTs NoT liKE tHe BiG sHoRt… + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/epe28h9b4pc71.png?width=1156&format=png&auto=webp&s=ed08a31bfcc9cd43d8f037ecc2c33c4a3b257a87 + +Not like the big short? + +[Even when a Law Firm Has a website dedicated to this shit?](https://www.stockmarketloss.com/securities-law/auto-loan-backed-securities/) + +# Tres: Avion de Bombardeo + +Remember this is a place they’re hiding assets, just as I found numerous major fucking banks jumped in together to buy a fucking AIRPLANE WAREHOUSE that cost 2 BILLION FUCKING DOLLARS. + +I was going to post a link to the article. But some assholes are gonna shout conspiracy so let me just quote the hell of it all so you’re not dissuaded from linking. + +[This was from Business Wire on April 27th:](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210426005957/en/Griffin-Global-Asset-Management-Closes-1-Billion-Warehouse-Facility) + +>“DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Griffin Global Asset Management DAC and Griffin Global Asset Management (Servicer) LLC (together, “Griffin”) announced today that on April 23, 2021 Palisade Aviation Holdings Warehouse, Ltd. and Palisade Aviation Holdings Warehouse, LLC (together, the “Borrowers”), closed a five-year senior secured warehouse facility with an initial committed amount of $1,000,000,0000 (the “Facility”). The Borrowers were jointly established by Griffin and funds managed by Bain Capital Credit, L.P. as part of a joint venture focused on building a diversified aviation portfolio in conjunction with a world-class commercial aviation leasing and alternative asset management platform. +> +>The Facility includes innovations that provide the Borrowers with maximum flexibility to offer its airline partners a variety of financing solutions, ranging from operating leases to finance leases to direct loans across a diverse spectrum of asset types and ages. The Facility is also unique in providing more flexibility on concentrations of certain airline exposure than a traditional warehouse facility, providing the joint venture with a powerful bridging tool to long-term capital markets solutions. +> +>“We are grateful for the support from our banks as we grow the Griffin platform into a leader in the aircraft leasing and financing sector. This warehouse facility has significant capacity and flexibility that will allow us to create customized capital solutions for our airline customers going forward,” said Ryan McKenna, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Griffin. +> +>“Developing this warehouse facility was a collaborative process with our lending partners and resulted in a first-of-its-kind facility in the aviation industry. The overwhelming support from these seven financial institutions is very meaningful as the growth of Griffin accelerates. Going forward, we will continue to create innovative financial products that will meet the evolving needs of the airlines and OEMs in this dynamic market,” said John Beekman, Chief Financial Officer of Griffin. +> +>Goldman Sachs acted as the structuring agent for the Facility. Initial commitments for the facility were provided by Goldman Sachs, Barclays Bank PLC, Mizuho Americas, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, Bank of America, N.A. and Deutsche Bank AG, New York Branch. +> +>Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP acted as U.S. legal advisors to Griffin and the Borrowers, Milbank LLP acted as legal advisors to the Lenders, Maples and Calder (Ireland) LLP acted as Irish legal advisors for the Borrowers, Maples and Calder (Cayman) LLP acted as Cayman Islands legal advisors for the Borrowers, A&L Goodbody LLP acted as Irish legal advisors to Griffin and PWC acted as Irish tax advisors for Griffin and the Borrowers. UMB Bank, N.A. is acting as the administrative agent and the security trustee. +> +>About Griffin Global Asset Management +> +>Griffin is a commercial aircraft leasing and alternative asset management business with offices in Dublin, Ireland and Los Angeles, USA. Griffin’s team of aviation professionals works closely with airlines, OEMs, and financiers to deliver customized fleet solutions and innovative financing products to airlines globally. +> +>For more information, please visit [www.griffingam.ie](http://www.griffingam.ie/) or [www.griffingam.com](http://www.griffingam.com/).” + +Frackin hell, please go back and read my other juice if you’re having a hard time following this. I’m almost certain this Griffin Global Asset Management is one of KGs spinoffs like KP Holdings. + +Think I’m just fucking around? + +[Some Moody Ass Bitch downgraded a hell of alot of Aviation Backed Securities back in January….](https://www.moodys.com/research/Moodys-downgrades-Aviation-Capital-Group-Trust-II-aircraft-lease-backed--PR_270395) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/0pnvtob64pc71.png?width=1874&format=png&auto=webp&s=3650797f611c432e46d850cb44e18a25c7fbbb74 + +&#x200B; + +Hahaha awwww that’s soooooo [Fitch](https://www.fitchratings.com/research/structured-finance/37-of-aviation-abs-notes-downgraded-slow-recovery-credit-negative-in-2020-21-08-10-2020). + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/2rt7jv454pc71.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=5c742f5904e0ef4ec83bed749508ac6707c5301f + +Even BloomTurd dropped something on this shit: + +[Aircraft-Lease Bonds Draw High Demand as Investors Seek Yield - Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-21/aircraft-backed-bonds-draw-heavy-demand-as-investors-seek-yield) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/z7h6xug34pc71.png?width=1911&format=png&auto=webp&s=339f43be78f49eb2e4ee2f0a1ece16d044d3636c + +Notice how CastleLake just sold 595 MILLION DOLLARS backed by aviation bonds!!!!! Look at the headlines/links off to the top left. + +“Castlelake’s ABS adds safeguards to mitigate Covid uncertainty” + +“Bonds were nearly ten times over subscribed, investor says” + +That is contradictory as fuck. + +Now….at the bottom look who led the transaction? + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/qybvkl624pc71.png?width=1914&format=png&auto=webp&s=cf32cf8b3ba4787e57348773d2065a0690e3cad2 + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/cp84z2pz3pc71.png?width=1915&format=png&auto=webp&s=5a6a6336d7144c8e58f6fce7c86cc8754beca4c8 + +&#x200B; + +# Cuatro: La Casa + +[u/Fewdea](https://www.reddit.com/u/Fewdea/) dug a little and also found that there were [Rental Backed Securities](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/11/08/wall-street-figured-out-how-to-securitize-your-rent-should-you-worry/) that even awful MSM shouted about back in 2013. + +Don’t believe there are Rental Backed Securities? Well [Penn State sure as fucking hell does.](https://www.smeal.psu.edu/ires/documents/single-family-rental-securitizations-spring-2015) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/lhpzyq2v3pc71.png?width=697&format=png&auto=webp&s=8c16a47842c489276770bb1f2382222f9ea36339 + +^(Just gonna throw some more information in here that I’m really not sure what the fuck to make of:) + +^(Guess who was buying up rental properties and using them as Rental Backed Securities? Blackstone. Guess who is still buying up rental properties like a dog licking their owners plate? Blackstone.) + +^(Blackstone even went so far as to acquire) [^(Home Partners of America.)](https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/blackstone-to-acquire-home-partners-of-america-for-%246b-2021-06-23) + +^(Here’s some more about Blackstone’s RBS) [^(dealings)](https://www.ft.com/content/d5fd71ce-43cd-11e3-9438-00144feabdc0#axzz2jcfcy9OK)^(. Guess what? Apparently they’re also AAA rated.) + +# tldr; SOME FUCKY SHIT HAPPENIN'. We have seen them destroy with Mortgage Backed Securities. Now we are seeing them fuck shit up with Commercial MBS, Aviation BS, Auto BS, and now fucking Rental BS. +I’m sure many of us are in a position where we are 5,10,20,30% down on some of our positions but we want to buy the dip. You know if you buy the dip, you’ll have no free cash for another month. + +I’ve got my eyes on Tesla which I don’t own any of, although there are many other stocks I want to get in on. Are you holding out until this volatility passes? It seems very possible we could plunge deeper, or equally as likely to shoot back up 20% in a day. + +I’m in the edge of deciding whether to hoard cash for a few months or keep buying in until I’m broke. Indices like the NASDAQ are making moves above 1% daily yet the VIX somehow is going down. What are your plays? Any really cheap stocks that have been beaten down more than they deserve? + +I currently own AAPL, PLTR, NIO, XPENG, VACQ, ARKF, ARKG and am down significantly. Sure the recovery stocks may have a 10% upside at the moment but long term, they are stagnant and can’t expect much growth from them if they don’t drastically change their business plans. +Surprised we haven’t seen a comprehensive DD yet on how and why this could be the spark needed to launch GME to the moon. + +I know CS has something to do with GME, like crediting Archaegos to short gme? Something like that… but still am unsure how at all this impacts GME in a positive way for retail investors? + +Or is the sentiment around a market crash that may eventually cause a squeeze of some kind? + + +Context anyone? +I’m currently saving for a down payment for a home. There are credit unions that have a much better return rate than traditional banks. + +However, I’ve never worked with one before, and I’m not sure about their pros and cons. + +Is a CU a good idea? What should I be looking for in one, and what sorts of red flags should I be aware of? + +Thank you! +This is one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen. When I say “everyone needs to watch it” I don’t mean everyone in this sub, I mean everyone. + +The title of this documentary may lead you to believe that it’s just about GameStop. It’s not. It’s about rampant corruption and the fragility of the market. It helps everyday people understand what’s really happening behind the scenes: how greedy bankers are creating the rules and exploiting the system to massively profit off the general public. This is an incredibly important topic that everyone to understand. + +Just to set expectations, episode 1 does start out with a focus on the GameStop story. But the sole purpose of this is to tell the story of how the general public started to take notice of the blatant corruption, lack of transparency, and illegal activity happening every day in the market. If you stick with it, you’ll see that they interview world renowned experts on these topics - not just Reddit users. The documentary does not try to push conspiracy theories, or persuade you that GameStop is a good investment. It simply tries to search for the truth. + +We need to spread the word about this documentary. We need everyone on Reddit to watch it. What we’re fighting for is so much bigger than making money off one stock, and this documentary can help non-Apes understand why all of this matters so much. + +Edit: credit to u/tobiasdeml, who wrote and directed this incredible work of art! + +Edit 2: I see lots of comments about pirating this movie so you can watch it abroad or without a subscription. Please don’t do that. Don’t fucking do that man. That’s stealing, and stealing from one of our own (u/tobiasdeml). Apes aren’t about that. Use a VPN, or maybe tweet at HBO and ask them to make it available in your country so they know how much demand there is. +May crude oil futures currently under $5 a barrel. + +[Empty metal 55gal drum](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Vogelzang-55-Gal-Drum-DR55/203630389) trading for $115/barrel + +Buy may oil futures for physical delivery, dump oil in ocean, resell empty barrels for a quick 2000% profit. No way this can go tits up + +edit: oil only $3 a barrel now, this business opportunity getting better by the second + +edit2: NOW [-$1.43/barrel](https://twitter.com/QTRResearch/status/1252298824397344769) (note the negative sign) THE MONEY DOESN'T GET ANY FREER THAN THIS, GET PAID BOTH WAYS +Let’s say the other utilities , insurances etc are max 1k a month also. + +Trying to have it so that essentially my salary is what pays everything while my wife’s salary will pay for everything else (like furniture, vacation, savings etc. ) + +Edit: if I could I would like all your comments I think I’ve read like 90% of them a few hours ago. So much lol +**Background**: Me and my wife only have one car right now. She is starting to look for work nowadays, she will probably not get a job close to our home, so she will take the current car. My work is actually close enough to my home that it takes: + +* 30 mins by walk +* 20-25 mins by walk + public transport +* 15 mins by bike +* 5 mins by car + +**Math**: + +So when she gets a job, and takes our current car, would I need to buy another car? I just did the math... and it says NO. Am I missing something obvious here? + +Recently, a few days when my wife needed the car for interviews etc (we only have one car), I ended up doing lyft/uber. + +* Average cost of lyft/uber: $7 one way. +* Yearly cost (taking lyft/uber every single day) = 7 x 2 x 5 x 52 = $3640 per year. + +How does that compare to owning another car? A new, not-barebones Honda Civic (I abstain from used - personal preference - hate going to mechanics) would cost approx $21000 + $50/month insurance + gas. So, if I do lyft/uber EVERY SINGLE DAY, I don't have to pay extra $600 / year in car insurance. + +So in the **worst case**: + +* Cost of uber/lyft : 3640 - 600 = $3040 per year +* Years when I break even by owning a car : 21000 / 3040 = ~7 years. + +In the more likely / **average case** (walk+public transport+bike in summer), I would use lyft/uber only half of the time, so: + +* Cost of uber/lyft = (3640/2 - 600) = 1820 - 600 = $1220 per year +* Years when I break even by owning a car : 21000 / 1220 = ~17.2 years. + +In the **best case**, when I take public transport at least one way even in winter (its easier to take in one way due to the stop location), I would use lyft/uber only 1/4th of the time, so: + +* Cost of uber/lyft = (3640/4 - 600) = 910 - 600 = $310 per year +* Years when I break even by owning a car : 21000 / 310 = ~68 years. + +And that's not considering the cost of gas (~$70 per year: 2 miles one way, 520 miles a year, 25 miles per gallon, $3 per gallon) and other regular car maintenance costs ($200 per year) + +PS: Yes I'm in bay area, but it gets dark by the time I leave from work, so walking/biking back is not preferable. + +**TLDR;** If you live close to work, do the math and see if it makes sense to even own a car. With on-demand taxi services like uber/lyft, it may actually be cheaper to not own a car. +Without saying both (that's too easy). Which tactic in your experience has added the most to your savings rate? Feel free to think about this as a dollar or percentage increase. My own experience is increasing my income has been the most effective because I was already on a pretty tight budget. +The end of the year is closing by, and we had a hell of a roller coaster with inflation, war, supply shocks, energy crisis and what not. I was wondering how did you guys do applying the wheel during this ferocious year. + +[View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/z933mm) +I'm relatively new to options but this question is bugging me more and more. If you see a stock trading at 10x what it was for no reason except a pump how can you play it for its downside. I understand the problem of IV crush. +After continuously watching the subreddit, and trying to find a stock that I wanted to get 100 shares I finally decided on Aphria. I was originally going to go with Tilray back in early January, but it shot past my price point that I was going to buy it at, and then I had to reevaluate if I wanted to go forward with it. Well, as some of you know it kept shooting upward and then became way more money than I wanted to spend. However, what originally brought my attention to Tilray and Aphria was their merger which is why I was ok with getting shares of Aphria instead. + +I got my shares of Aphria over a time frame of a week, because I knew it was super volatile and whatever price I was going to buy it at was not going to be the lowest price it would hit. So, currently I have 120.03813 shares of Aphria @ 19.83/share. I have that many shares because if the merger will goes through I'll then have 100 shares of Tilray so that I can continue my covered calls. Aphria will merge into .8381 shares of Tilray for each share of Aphria owned. The .03813 shares is just because sometimes I would buy the shares in cash, and not number of stocks. + +[My spreadsheet ](https://preview.redd.it/wuwzlfvxngn61.png?width=2492&format=png&auto=webp&s=7832dac6c2c2de19762d25d80e09dcfdd274538b) + +So, to explain the spreadsheet a little bit. I typically would close out of mine whenever it reached at least 50%, but would go into 60% if I felt I could take some more. I probably have left money on the table but I'm ok with that. The first time I rolled was because I was worried it would become ITM and then more expensive to roll - same reasoning with the second time I rolled my most recent call. The OTM is not totally accurate, the first two digits are, but it's hard to get the most precise tenth of a digit but typically it'll be good enough. + +Additionally, the chart to the side is me tracking my average cost for both my total (120) shares of Aphria and then assuming that they will merge with Tilray. I am also tracking that, and it can be see with the 'Avg Cost Pre-Merger' row, and the 'Adj. Cost Conversion' row. + +&#x200B; + +This isn't investment advice at all, and Aphria & Tilray is not guaranteed to merge which would likely plummet the stock. I just thought I would share my journey so far to hopefully inspire someone to get started with their own Thetagang journey. +For covered calls, I like selling Middle of week expiring the following Friday. + +I tend to roll when the underlying gets close about 20 to 25% to my strike. + +For Puts, I like to sell about 2-3 weeks out to benefit most from Theta. Im about 3-4 strikes otm but I actually want to be assigned since I only sell on blue chips and like to actually hold the shares and ride them long if we are significantly below the 200 Days moving average. +I bought DAL Jan 23 leap last year strike prices 25 for $21.14 and delta was around .88 when DAL was trading at $44.93. + +It was doing great by trading side ways after last year dip to $38, and last two weeks it jumped back to $45 again but after the war and the sanctions it started dropping since Thursday, now it's at $32.9 and the leap is .79 delta and worth $10.5 from $21. + +I know the market is going down (maybe we are in bear market) and I am DAL long if I was holding stocks I would be fine but this is my first leap so I am not sure if I should wait because extrinsic value still not affected or should I roll to Jan 24? And if I roll should I go up in delta collect some money but more exposure or roll down and pay/lose money? +Enjoining this run for last 10+years. Expanded into 'wheel', CC, PMCC. But this market got me worried. 100s of billions in valuation into SPACs, crypto plays, historically high PEs. EV with $0 revenue? Here is 50 billions. Bankrupt retailer GME? Here is 20 billions. You do cypto mining? Here is another 20 billions. Can't tell a difference between WSB and wallstreet anymore. What am I getting wrong? + +Edit: how are you protecting your theta plays or use theta for portfolio protection? +Hey thetagang, + +sold my first covered calls today! got out of BB and into PLTR. I sold 8 covered calls expiring this friday at a strike price of 31. The premium on it was .90 so I pocketed 700 in premium. So on friday if this expires in the money what do I do? I use tdameritrade tos so will my broker just do the work for me and sell the shares if need be and I pocket the profits and keep the premium? + +What happens if it does not expire in the money? lets say pltr is at 30.8 afterhours and finishes right there. Can I just buy another CC on monday? +Keep it friendly and civil; this is not WSB and automod will censor your posts at will for unsavory and unfriendly remarks. Try to keep shit posting and bragging to a minimum. +In my last 7 weeks of paper trading (paper trading for another 2 months til I can deposit 4k), I’ve been taking 50% profit and have just accepted max loss. All credit spreads have 30-45 DTE, only asking because I hear some people talk about trailing stop losses or exercising a stop loss if the contract has been held for X amount of days. + +Just wondering what y’all’s takes are on stop losses on credit spreads. Any feedback is extremely appreciated. +Over 1% return right now in 2.5 days. Get em while the gettin is good. + +Iv 445 or something dumb. Is not going itm. Even if it does, 20 is a good entry. +Hi everyone, I've been lurking here for a while now, and as I transition from mainly long positions into options selling. I am having a difficult time developing a portfolio that has both long exposure in value stocks while implementing a theta-centered approach to options. + +Would anyone care to share what percentage of their portfolio is tied up in stock vs option contracts vs cash? +The quality of this sub has gone downhill rapidly. Seems like wild meme trades are 2/3 posts now. I even see some WSB vernacular in the comments. + +I feel like I’m not learning anything from most of these posts which isn’t a good sign. If mods do nothing this sub will become nothing more than the “sell side” of WSB. Whether apes buy or sell bananas, they’re still apes no matter how you slice it. + +Perhaps changing the sub description to “We share statistically favorable options premium selling strategies” or something would help, I see a lot of people using the current description as justification for stupid trades. + +I know there’s still intelligent life on here, so speaking to you guys. Any subs you know of that hasn’t been severely polluted by the apes? Besides general ones like r/options. +>Losers have votes, too. That is what democracy means — and rightly so. If they feel sufficiently cheated and humiliated, they will vote for Donald Trump, a candidate for the Republican party’s presidential nomination in the US, Marine Le Pen of the National Front in France or Nigel Farage of the UK Independence party. +There are those, particularly the native working class, who are seduced by the siren song of politicians who combine the nativism of the hard right, the statism of the hard left and the authoritarianism of both. + +>Above all, they reject the elites that dominate the economic and cultural lives of their countries: those assembled last week in Davos for the World Economic Forum. The potential consequences are frightening. Elites need to work out intelligent responses. It might already be too late to do so. + +>The projects of the rightwing elite have long been low marginal tax rates, liberal immigration, globalisation, curbs on costly “entitlement programmes”, deregulated labour markets and maximisation of shareholder value. The projects of the leftwing elite have been liberal immigration (again), multiculturalism, secularism, diversity, choice on abortion, and racial and gender equality. Libertarians embrace the causes of the elites of both sides; that is why they are a tiny minority. + +>In the process, elites have become detached from domestic loyalties and concerns, forming instead a global super-elite. It is not hard to see why ordinary people, notably native-born men, are alienated. They are losers, at least relatively; they do not share equally in the gains. They feel used and abused. After the financial crisis and slow recovery in standards of living, they see elites as incompetent and predatory. The surprise is not that many are angry but that so many are not. + +>Branko Milanovic, formerly of the World Bank, has shown that only two parts of the global income distribution enjoyed virtually no gains in real incomes between 1988 and 2008: the poorest five percentiles and those between the 75th and the 90th percentile. The latter includes the bulk of the population of high-income countries. + +>Mr Trump is protectionist on trade and hostile on immigration. These positions appeal to his supporters because they understand they have one valuable asset: their citizenship. They do not want to share this with countless outsiders. The same is true for supporters of Ms le Pen or or Mr Farage. + +>Nativist populists must not win. We know that story: it ends very badly. In the case of the US, the outcome would have grave global significance. America was the founder and remains guarantor of our global liberal order. The world desperately needs well-informed US leadership. Mr Trump cannot provide this. The results could be catastrophic. + +>Western countries are democracies. These states still provide the legal and institutional underpinnings of the global economic order. If western elites despise the concerns of the many, the latter will withdraw their consent for the elite’s projects. In the US, elites of the right, having sown the wind, are reaping the whirlwind. But this has happened only because elites of the left have lost the allegiance of swaths of the native middle classes. + +>Not least, democracy means government by all citizens. If rights of abode, still more of citizenship, are not protected, this dangerous resentment will grow. Indeed, it already has in too many places. + +http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/135385ca-c399-11e5-808f-8231cd71622e.html + +The Author has been described as the Anglosphere's most influential finance journalist. + +He is friend with several billionaires and all the world's central bankers. He is a permanent member of the Bilderberg Group +Firstly, the Fed and Major Central Banks are raising interest rates to combat inflation. But raising interest rates to combat inflation only works when the problem is on the demand side of things. Due to COVID and the Russia-Ukraine war, the cause of inflation is purely down to supply. So effectively the fed raising interest rates will only have negative impacts on the economy without actually bringing down inflation. + +On cue, companies are starting to announce lay offs whereas before the rates started hiking the labour marke was tight and thriving. The Fed and other central banks raising rates have led organisations and consumers to believe hard times are ahead, consequently businesses are cutting costs and consumers not spending as much. + +Central Banks have very limited tools in terms of how to deal with inflation other than raising interest rates - however due to the nature of this inflation it's pretty clear that this isn't going to work. Regardless, central banks have decided to cause a recession by raising rates, as opposed to letting inflation keep increasing. But what is worse, a recession where people lose their homes and their jobs due to central bank attitude to spending, or a strong economy where the labour market is solid but we all have to pay a bit extra for every day things? + +Obviously none of the ideas is ideal, but central banks are choosing the by far most destructive option in my opinion. My question is why? + +I'd be keen to hear other people's thoughts? +>Losers have votes, too. That is what democracy means — and rightly so. If they feel sufficiently cheated and humiliated, they will vote for Donald Trump, a candidate for the Republican party’s presidential nomination in the US, Marine Le Pen of the National Front in France or Nigel Farage of the UK Independence party. +There are those, particularly the native working class, who are seduced by the siren song of politicians who combine the nativism of the hard right, the statism of the hard left and the authoritarianism of both. + +>Above all, they reject the elites that dominate the economic and cultural lives of their countries: those assembled last week in Davos for the World Economic Forum. The potential consequences are frightening. Elites need to work out intelligent responses. It might already be too late to do so. + +>The projects of the rightwing elite have long been low marginal tax rates, liberal immigration, globalisation, curbs on costly “entitlement programmes”, deregulated labour markets and maximisation of shareholder value. The projects of the leftwing elite have been liberal immigration (again), multiculturalism, secularism, diversity, choice on abortion, and racial and gender equality. Libertarians embrace the causes of the elites of both sides; that is why they are a tiny minority. + +>In the process, elites have become detached from domestic loyalties and concerns, forming instead a global super-elite. It is not hard to see why ordinary people, notably native-born men, are alienated. They are losers, at least relatively; they do not share equally in the gains. They feel used and abused. After the financial crisis and slow recovery in standards of living, they see elites as incompetent and predatory. The surprise is not that many are angry but that so many are not. + +>Branko Milanovic, formerly of the World Bank, has shown that only two parts of the global income distribution enjoyed virtually no gains in real incomes between 1988 and 2008: the poorest five percentiles and those between the 75th and the 90th percentile. The latter includes the bulk of the population of high-income countries. + +>Mr Trump is protectionist on trade and hostile on immigration. These positions appeal to his supporters because they understand they have one valuable asset: their citizenship. They do not want to share this with countless outsiders. The same is true for supporters of Ms le Pen or or Mr Farage. + +>Nativist populists must not win. We know that story: it ends very badly. In the case of the US, the outcome would have grave global significance. America was the founder and remains guarantor of our global liberal order. The world desperately needs well-informed US leadership. Mr Trump cannot provide this. The results could be catastrophic. + +>Western countries are democracies. These states still provide the legal and institutional underpinnings of the global economic order. If western elites despise the concerns of the many, the latter will withdraw their consent for the elite’s projects. In the US, elites of the right, having sown the wind, are reaping the whirlwind. But this has happened only because elites of the left have lost the allegiance of swaths of the native middle classes. + +>Not least, democracy means government by all citizens. If rights of abode, still more of citizenship, are not protected, this dangerous resentment will grow. Indeed, it already has in too many places. + +http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/135385ca-c399-11e5-808f-8231cd71622e.html + +The Author has been described as the Anglosphere's most influential finance journalist. + +He is friend with several billionaires and all the world's central bankers. He is a permanent member of the Bilderberg Group +I have a full time job that recently moved me out to Salt Lake City for work. I found that I had a lot of spare time in this current role and really wanted to use that time to pay off my credit cards and my car and my student loans (starting at approximately $35K). So I started doing what I thought made sense at the time. I picked up a second job, and now a third job, and then I started my own LLC for some advertising gigs. + +I've already paid off my student loans and I'm on pace to have all of my credit cards paid off by end of August. The car will be the only thing left after that and thats 15k i expect to have paid off by February. + +I'm not saying its fun, but I work almost 100 hours every week and I am currently on pace to have all of my debts settled by the february 2015! + +My point being, if you have the will and desire to better your financial situation you can. You just have to really want it and be willing to work very hard for it. + +Edit PRE1: use code Brandon2612 for your first free ride with LYFT! + +EDIT: I should add in that I'm only 23 years old and I make about 90k now. + +Edit 2: as you guys can tell I'm super busy I'll try to get to all these comments tonight! Thanks so much almost on the front page! + +Edit 3: [Proof](http://imgur.com/nIM3Rvf) + +Edit 4: Thanks to 1gemmzjuh and his math skills its actually about 37k not 30k. +I know the difference between the two.But isn’t a credit card better for always knowing how much money you have in your bank account? + +Edit: I’m pretty confused on how billing cycles and all of that timing stuff works. Thank you all, the advice you guys have given me has been amazing, and hopefully other people learned some stuff too. +Can we please make a working platform for freelancers on blockchain so we can cut out these fee-eating MOFOs (I know, you have to pay your taxes, but you don't have to pay 24% to middlemen like Upwork and PayPal). + +I'm trying to understand how markets work, and the price earnings (P/E) ratio is very confusing to me. It's explained to me that it is simply the cost you pay to own $1 of the company's earnings. This makes sense, when you apply the formula Price per Share / Earnings per Share, you can simplify to Price/Earnings. I understand where that statement *comes* from. What I do not understand is what intuition that statement is supposed to *provide*. I'd go as far as to say I understand why this is useful. A higher than usual P/E means investors are bullish, or the company's earnings are low. A low P/E means investors are bearish, or the company's earnings are high. + +I think about markets as investments, you buy a share you think will be worth more later on, and you sell it if you think it will be worth less. What is the value in saying: "you are paying to own $1 of earnings". That's a statement that, yes, explains what is happening, but only serves to confuse me. + +So, I ask you, why would I pay $15 to own $1 of earnings? +https://www.economist.com/china/2018/09/08/african-swine-flu-is-causing-alarm-in-china-and-beyond + +From the article: + +> This time the pig fever is stoking fears of inflation. The cost of pork has an inordinate effect on the consumer-price index. With a fifth of the world’s population, China consumes half its pork. The government has set up a strategic pork reserve to keep the price stable. The blue-ear pig-disease episode of 2007 provoked a rise of 87% in pork prices and one of the biggest leaps in inflation for nearly two decades. +The next distribution of Moons is ready. You can claim your Moons through the Vault in the Reddit mobile app (iOS/Android). + +Moons are r/CryptoCurrency's form of [Community Points](https://reddit.com/community-points), a way for users to be rewarded for their contributions to the subreddit, and they can be used on premium features in the community. + +This distribution is based on karma earned from 2021-02-17 to 2021-03-16. [Here](https://reddit-meta-production.s3.amazonaws.com/distribution/publish/CryptoCurrency/round_11_finalized.csv) is the finalized list, with contribution scores signed by Reddit (users with no signatures yet do not have a registered Vault. They will be able to claim their Moons when they create their Vault through the Reddit app). +So my stepdad is 63 years old and technically retired (currently working off the books) and collecting social security. He is the only source of income between him and my mom. He's worked at the same place for 25+ years but the job never had a retirement plan mechanism for him to invest into. The job paid him approximately 38k/year. + +My mother has been a house wife and has never worked a real on the books job for more than a few months, mostly did off the books house cleaning and babysitting gigs. My stepdad mostly speaks Spanish and a little bit of English. Both are literal junior high school drop outs. + +In 2006 my parents took their life savings of 125k and invested it into two rental properties in Pennsylvania. Shortly after the housing market crash of 2008 my parents struggled with non-paying tenants as well as their own trouble with maintaining work and paying their bills. After 3 long years of struggling to keep their investment properties they finally gave in and had to file for bankruptcy in 2011. + +Shortly after their bankruptcy I advised my parents to open a ROTH IRA to start pumping in as much savings as possible so they can have something other than a social security check to rely on. I had a finance guy from the New York Life Company come to the house and explain how the ROTH IRA and compounding interest worked. With me as a translator to break things down for them as simple as possible for them to understand, my parents agreed to open an account that day. + +Fast forward to last week at my daughter's birthday party, my brother-in-law and I got to talking about our retirement portfolio's as well as the current state of the market. I couldn't help to notice the change of mood in both of my parents as my brother-in-law and I discussed different stocks and what our estimated account value will be in the next 20 years based off of our current holdings. + +So today, my mother visited me and confessed that they stopped contributing to their Roth IRA after 2013 and they're now wondering how they're going to get by once my stepdad can no longer physically work anymore. As it stands, the account value in the ROTH is at $10,700. She told me instead, that they've been putting cash into a safe deposit box at their local bank for the past 8 years and have saved approximately 50k. My heart sank to say the least. + +They now regret not investing that cash into the account and are extremely worried, as well am I as to how they're going to get by. I may even have to take some extreme measures myself in order to take care of them/house them. + +As it stands, their rent is $1,333/mo in Queens, NY. His social security just about covers the rent, but that's it. Other than that, they are receiving appx. $300/month in food stamps and they're on medicaid/medicare. + +Is there still a way to invest the cash they stored away in that safe deposit box into the ROTH or any type of stock market account which can give them some type of extra interest on the money for the next couple of years without the IRS knocking on their door or are they pretty much screwed? + +**tl;dr:** My parents life savings is 50k cash stored in a safe deposit box. They are technically already retired and want to invest the money into some type of investment mechanism to provide some sort of residual income. + +**EDIT:** + +There's a bunch of comments mentioning that my parents were/are actively commiting "fraud". I just want to be clear that my parents were not actively trying to defraud the government. My stepdad having a super old-school mentality thought that cashing his paycheck and putting it in a safe deposit box was safer than putting it in a retirement account cause he thought if he put his money into the stock market he would loose all his money. This money is money that he earned from working legitimately on the books for the last 9 years or so. The money they saved over the course of the past 9 years after they lost their life savings in the housing market crash was made through working legitimately on the books. + +It's just a sad unfortunate situation. My parents are super nice humble and frugal people who definitely do not live outside of their means. Unfortunately, lack of financial education got the best of them. They're excellent $$ savers, but horrible investment wise. + +I take fault in part of this cause I should've been making sure they were keeping up with investing into their retirement fund. When I found out today that they were just putting they're money into a safe deposit box, I was crushed. + +&#x200B; +Hi, my mom (66 years old) is homeless living in her car in texas. She is bipolar, divorced, and a senior which has caused her to struggle financially in the past 5 years and I've tried to help her as much as possible but she's gotten herself into some debt. She maxed out her credit card while paying to stay in a hotel and then had a couple of month long stretches of being in the hospital causing her to miss payments and not have any income to pay. She wasn't getting social security retirement until fairly recently and that's been a godsend for her. She is currently living in her car and I'm sure by now her debt is out of control between the maxed out credit card and medical debt. + + +If she filed would they take her car away? It is paid off but it's basically her home and so I don't know what she would do if they did that. Should I put her car in my name if she did file? + +Would it be beneficial for her to file? If she didn't and didn't pay her debt off, would the creditors be able to garnish her social security money at all? Any advice helps, thanks! +Institutions have been buying bitcoin for a while now, but 2020 accelerated that narrative dramatically. Every time a retail seller like myself or yourself sells, an institution buys. That means institutions will own the majority of bitcoins eventually (as long as the inflation hedge narrative holds). + +That means that if you own BTC, you own something that the biggest hedge funds, insurance companies, private companies, and family offices want. If you sell it for a profit, chances are you are selling it directly to them (through an exchange). + +Dont sell it. Hold it, let them buy it from the actual miners who will charge them ever more increasing premiums as the cost of mining skyrockets. Dont short change yourself by selling (unless it's an emergency of course). There will only be 21 million of these. almost 19 million already exists, many are lost. There's NOT a lot of BTC left to be mined. +I see a lot of people using negative gearing as a strategy where they hope for capital appreciation to increase at a higher rate than the amount of expenses that the property is accruing, in addition to the tax benefits that negative gearing provides. + +However, shouldn't the end goal be to turn that negatively geared property into a positively geared one through paying down debt/renovations while maintaining the same level of capital appreciation? That way you are able to make passive income and still have your property gain value. + +I see some people even buying negatively geared investment property strictly for a tax outcome as well. + +Please let me know what you guys think or if my thought process is completely wrong. Thanks in advance! +https://www.wsj.com/articles/neiman-marcus-the-retailer-to-the-rich-stumbles-into-bankruptcy-11588860617?shareToken=st0c3b5fd320da42bfa2097c4e9e3d23e2, Sorry about the paywall + +-Neiman Marcus, the Retailer to the Rich, Stumbles Into Bankruptcy +-Squeezed by debt and closed stores, luxury retailer files for chapter 11 during coronavirus pandemic + +The bankruptcy filing, in the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, seeks to eliminate $4 billion of roughly $5.1 billion in debt. The creditors will become majority owners of the retailer, which has been controlled by private-equity firms. Neiman isn’t planning mass store closings or asset sales as part of the restructuring. +- There was a discussion on our future, because the Foundation only has a couple of Bitcoins left. They've been running on a skeleton crew for the last half year, but even that money has ran out. +- Someone (not me) started a vote on shutting down the Foundation. During the vote, I said that I'm not comfortable continuing the Foundation without a plan and direction. Jim and me have been asking for a plan and direction for many months. The voting result was 2 for (Jim and myself), 3 against. We were one vote short to shut it down. +- Jim resigned after this vote +- We then had a discussion about the future of the Foundation. They wanted everyone to start raising money, so they could come up with a plan. I said I'm not comfortable to raise money UNTIL we have a plan. +- They then proceeded to vote me off the board, because they did not like that (I guess it's bad intent on my behalf to ask to come up with a business plan before you decide to raise money). + +I would like to thank everyone for their support, especially those who voted for me. I ran on a platform to bring transparency. I think I kept my promise. During my tenure, board minutes and financials have been consistently released. I know I was a thorn in the eye of the Foundation since the beginning, and they waited for the right time to remove me. The truth is that the Foundation is pretty much dead. They will try to keep it going just for the name and ego, but they have no support left with the community. Their reputation is permanently destroyed, which became clear over the last year. From this point forward, I will also no longer be able to keep you informed on any of their actions. + +Olivier +A mutual fund is essentially just a basket of individual stocks/bonds/whatever. Within that basket the fund managers are constantly selling/buying and receiving dividends. The IRS has special rules for mutual funds which allow them to not pay taxes on the capital gains/dividends generated provided they pass through almost all of the proceeds from said activities to the shareholder within the calendar year. So dividends are often paid on some set schedule but capital gains are generally retained within the fund till the end of the year(because losses can reduce gains but can't be distributed to a shareholder). + +So on to why your fund dropped: in mid December everyone starts distributing these gains and as we know when a fund makes a distribution its NAV drops by an equal amount. For example a fund that was trading at $10 and had It's value made up of $9 worth of stock and $1 worth of cash to be distributed now no longer has that $1. So it'll drop by 10% because of that fact. Don't worry, you didn't lose any money because the $1 was paid to you in cash(and in most cases reinvested in the form of buying more shares). + +There isn't any value created or lost in a distribution(except to taxes) it's just a necessary taxable transaction that must occur because of how mutual funds are structured. ETFs are technically subject to this as well but since most follow passive cap weighted strategies or use the creation/redemption to wash out appreciated shares so they don't usually have capital gains realized to distribute. + +Also please feel free to add whatever questions/comments you have to this sticky. + +Here's a quick way to see what capital gains estimates/distribution dates are for most funds: +https://mutualfundobserver.com/discuss/discussion/56970/2020-capital-gains-estimates +Ctrl + f your fund family. Chances are it's on one of these two pages. If not, google search "______ funds capital gains distributions 2020" + +Please note we'll probably be deleting any threads on the subject and pointing people here in order to keep the clutter down. + The dataset that I'm using for my regression model is quite large - it is about 10 excel files with one million rows and 100 columns each. The dataset will be updated everyday, and the regression model will be re-run everyday. I'm using Python to build the regression model. What is the most suitable and efficient way to store the data so it can be used in Python for regression? + +[ ](https://www.reddit.com/r/learnpython/comments/uvx7k5/need_advice_on_whether_to_store_data_for/) +I have been using the adjusted close price in my hypothetical stock profit/loss calculations. + +My calculations get messed up because the adjusted close value is always much different than the close price. For example [Russel Metals Inc. in 2017](https://i.imgur.com/hR4DkT7.jpg). + +Not sure why the stocks close price is always much higher than the adjusted close every day? Apologies if I'm not describing my question well. +Aside from simply wanting to improve your coding skills, or needing to implement some ML, if you wanted to just backtest simple strategies, why is something like multi charts not talked about much around here? +I was able to download pricehistory from TD Ameritrade by sending my bearer token through the header. Today I get a 404 error on using the same url and same token. I just got the token yesterday. Do I need to get one everyday? +[GameStop.com](https://www.gamestop.com/) || Shop [Internationally](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/vyyzmx/gamestop_retail_international_nft_game_informer/) + +NFT Marketplace [https://nft.gamestop.com](https://nft.gamestop.com) + +GameStop [Investor Relations](https://news.gamestop.com/) + +&#x200B; + +**Read** [**the Rules & Wiki**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index) **||** [**MOASS FAQ**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/faq) **|| Join our** [**Discord**](https://discord.gg/Superstonk) + +How do I [feed DRSBOT](https://www.reddit.com/r/GMEOrphans/comments/qlvour/welcome_to_gmeorphans_read_this_post/)? Get a [user flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/yuarvq/how_to_get_a_userflair_on_superstonk_new_emojis)? Hide [post flairs and find old posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/v0oxp2/how_to_filter_by_flair_search_for_posts_on/)? + +[Reddit & Superstonk Moderation FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/reddit-faq/) + +# 🙋 ​[What's GME & should I consider investing?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qig65g/welcome_rall_looking_to_catch_up_on_the_gme_saga/) + +# 📚 Library of Due Diligence [GME.fyi](https://fliphtml5.com/bookcase/kosyg) + +>A collection of over 200 of the most important, groundbreaking **D**ue **D**iligence. If you're looking to familiarize yourself with the GME bull thesis or the underhanded tactics of the short sellers involved in this trade– then this is for you + +&#x200B; + +# 🟣 [Computershare Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/yjawq7) + +>Wondering what DRS is? Want to know how and why people are Direct Registering their shares? Here you'll find our guide and additional resources, as well as a welcoming community answering questions in the comments! + +# 🏆 [Computershare AMA #3](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/z16nw3/superstonks_3rd_ama_with_paul_conn_president_of/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +# 💎🤝 [Help Revise Superstonk's Subreddit Rules - Start Here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/z1fs86/help_revise_superstonks_subreddit_rules_start_here/) + +>Based on feedback from the most recent revision to Rule 2, we're asking for comments on all of our rules for the sub, some of which will contain our proposal for discussion on revisions. + +# 🎁 [Very GMErry Holidays returns for more cheer!](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/ylyszu/very_gmerry_holidays_returns_for_more_cheer_wont/) + +>Superstonk held a toy drive for Toys for Tots (TFT) last year and we raised over $103,000 in money and toys! +> +>We even had a way for Apes to shop GameStop.com and ship it directly to a TFT site that was super close to a GameStop distribution center in Grapevine, TX. +> +>We had a huge positive impact! And we’re doing it again. + +# 🚀 [GameStop Wallet HELP! Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/z23wjx/gamestop_wallet_help_megathread/?sort=new) + +>Need some guidance with the Wallet, Activation, Buying/Sending/Receiving NFTS, or getting a cool wallet address? Join us here! + +🏴‍☠️ [NFT Marketplace & Wallet Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/vluysg/gamestop_nft_marketplace_wallet_megathread/) + +>Why is GameStop getting into NFTs? *WTF* even is an NFT? How do I set up a GameStop Wallet? How do I get a cool/custom wallet address? All these questions and more are answered here! +EDIT: + + +-this was at Olive Garden + +-Yes I know $5 is a low tip. +Why? Bc the waiter was rude + +-It has been an interesting discussion of tipping. + +- I will follow up with the manager tomorrow and if nothing comes of it I’ll be contacting my bank + +I went out to a major chain restaurant a few weeks ago, today while looking over my bank statement I see they charged me $112. +I call the restaurant, the manager looks it up and says; +“Your meal was $62 and you left a $50 tip.” +I know I left a $5 tip and I remember writing the amount on the receipt after the tip too. I should’ve only been charged $67! + +After I explained I only left the $5, +He took down my information and nonchalantly said “this happens and he’ll try to fix it.” +He said he’ll send me a copy of the receipt to my email but never did. + +What’s my best way to fix this? Should I keep following up with the restaurant or should I immediately contact my bank, I don’t have my receipt and I used a debit card. + +I definitely don’t have that money to be spending like that and I feel upset that the manager didn’t even seem to care. +Is it more plausible that it was an honest mistake or someone blatantly stealing? +It’s more media FUD in the vein of ‘appear strong when you’re weak, weak when you’re strong’. Except in this case they’re trying to make outsiders perceive one of GME’s greatest strengths as a weakness. + +How on earth could it be a bad thing to have a huge dedicated core group of investors who will never stop buying shares, never stop buying products from the company, and never stop supporting that company in various other ways like diamond handing shares, positive word of mouth, aligning with Cohen’s vision in voting initiatives, generating ideas for avenues of growth, and so much more. + +Grassroots, word of mouth advertising is the gold standard. Every company hopes they can take their brand to a place where their loyal customers do the advertising for them. Not only is it free, it’s also more powerful. Any good advertiser will tell you that when people hear about a product or service from friends or family members it’s worth a lot more than hearing about it from traditional advertising sources. + +One of the big reasons GME is becoming a powerhouse is because of us, the shareholders. We’re holding it down and giving management the time and space to enact the turnaround. + +Any publicly traded company in the world would be over the moon at having the investor base GME has. The shills say we have a short attention span and will lose interest. Well, most of us have been in this play for over 16 months and are more passionate about GME now than we were when we began. + +When doing fundamental analysis on GME it would be idiotic to keep the loyal, diamond handed, ever growing investor base out of the equation. + +Not only are the shills discounting it, they actually have the balls to spin it as a knock against GameStop. 🤣 +Rage Comics were the greatest meme of all time. When they started on 4chan and began spreading to every corner of the internet, they gave us a new avenue for self-expression. An outlet for our anger, our frustration, our sadness. But also for our joy, our passion, our creativity. A way to cope and share the burden with the community. A way to celebrate and tell the world that not everything is shit, even if you felt that way, deep down. + +They were easy to make, easy to share. Simply a meme for the rest of us. And that's why the stories we shared through them resonated with so many people. It was your fellow person on the internet, feeling dreadful or happy and when reading their comics you could relate. Raw emotion. Anger. Frustration. Sadness. Joy. Passion. No fake Instagram Story. No oh-so-clever Twitter Thread. No bullshit dance on TikTok. + +No matter who you were, where you were, old, young, Rage Comics were for everyone. + +2008 was a different time. An easier time maybe. And the world around us has changed. We want to bring back the feelings Rage Comics gave us, this time in crypto. + +Introducing FUU: a new coin with an old, but great idea. + +We want to establish FUU as a gesture of appreciation. A tip for great memes. A heads up to someone you resonate with. A way to help someone cope with a shitty situation. A way to celebrate something great happening. Something to give back to your fellow person on the internet and to the community. Simply a coin for the rest of us. + +**What is Ragetoken?** + +The contract: 0x82B085f724B9A822320c84233291b62C13DD0712 + +Ragetoken \[$FUU\] is a smart contract on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC). Ragetoken (v2) launched on May 25th, 2021 with a total of 2,000,000,000 tokens minted. The max supply of 10,000,000,000 tokens will be reached after a time period of 180 days as new tokens will be minted for presales, airdrops and contests. + +Every token holder of Ragetoken (v1) received the same amount of Ragetoken (v2) as we launched the updated version. Ragetoken (v2) has a 3% liquidity tax on each transaction, which will be automatically provided to the Pancakeswap liquidity pool. The liquidity tokens will be locked to ensure the maximum of security. This liquidity tax can be lowered or even put to zero if enough liquidity is provided by third parties in later stages. + +**Dev Wallets** + +There are 6 developer wallets, with 50,000,000 (0.5%) tokens each at start, with the allowance to mint another 200,000,000 (2%) tokens over a time period of 180 days. This way we can ensure that none of us will pull the rug, even if one wanted to. + +**Discord/Reddit Bot** + +We are working on a Discord and Reddit bot which will allow users to tip/gamble/play with their FUU. Stay tuned. + +**You are VERY early** + +$FUU currently has a marketcap of around $70k on pancakeswap. Just imagine. Never forget that meme magic is real. + +If you don’t wanna buy on pancakeswap, you can join our telegram or discord for airdrops and presales. + +[Website](https://ragetoken.com/) + +[Twitter](https://twitter.com/ragetoken) + +[Discord](https://discord.gg/VxEgw7G5g7) + +[Telegram](https://t.me/RageTokenTalk) + +[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ragetoken/) +I've been doing a deep dive into Doki and Azuki over the last several weeks, and I'm ready to put this forward as my #1 gem pick of the Spring. I'm going to break this post down into four parts: + +1. a short intro for why you should jump into NFTs if you haven't already +2. a quick overview of what Doki is +3. a deep-dive into how we should value the token // my price targets +4. all the reasons why the rocket ship is about to blast off whether you hop on or not + +# NFTs + +A quick google search will tell you all about what NFTs are and why people are excited about them. I'm here to tell you why you should throw your money into them even before you do that (but definitely take the time to do that, there's a lot of really exciting stuff going on) + +* The NFT sector of the crypto markets is growing fast, but it's still small. Really small. Trading volume on NFT platforms was only **$12 million** in December 2020, and last month it hit almost [$350 million](https://decrypt.co/59968/nft-mania-february-trading-volume-just-topped-all-2020). For comparison, monthly trading volume for the entire crypto market (spot & derivatives) is north of [$5 trillion](https://www.cryptoglobe.com/latest/2021/02/cryptocurrency-trading-volumes-nearly-doubled-to-new-highs-last-month-report/). That means the NFT sector, while growing fast, still make up well under 1% of total volume. We've got a long way to go. +* NBA Topshots did over $100 million in volume in its first 48 hours - how long do you think it will take for other major brands to pile in and start advertising NFTs to the masses? NFTs are going to bring the retail mania of this cycle. +* The total market cap of NFT projects is only $9.5 billion, according to [CoinGecko](https://www.coingecko.com/en/nft). That means, again, they make up under 1% of the market. Also compare the average 7-day performance of projects on that page vs. the top 100. +* [Twitter mentions](https://app.brandmentions.com/h/p/26431/%23NFTs) and [Google search trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?geo=US&q=NFTs) for NFTs are skyrocketing. + +So there you have it. The best time to get into the NFT sector was three weeks ago; the second best time is now. + +# DOKI + +So what is Doki, and why is it special? At its core, it's a **community-owned, gamified NFT marketplace**. To understand it, you have to first know what a Gachapon machine is: + +Gachapon are physical vending machines that distribute collectible toys. They're huge in Japan (heh). Here's an [overview](https://japan.stripes.com/travel/not-just-toy-anymore-scoop-japanese-gacha-machines). Note that the article (published recently) claims gacha sales make up about 3% of the toy industry in Japan, bringing in nearly $3 billion annually. + +Doki Doki is the first decentralized Gachapon machine, built to distribute collectible NFTs. Users insert tokens to play (either ETH or their native game token, AZUKI) and spin the machine to get an NFT. Each machine contains a series from an artist/collaboration, with pieces of varying rarity. And that right there is one of the biggest selling points for both artists and investors - there's an aspect of chance each time you spin the game, so customers will play again and again to get the piece they want, or for a chance at a rare version. This is one of the reasons the industry has grown so much in Japan. + +# Why should I buy it? + +In my opinion, Doki is criminally undervalued. It's sitting at a market cap of $11 million **fully diluted.** The tokens are completely distributed (minus the 1% team allocation) so there are no private sale investors to dump on you down the road, no inflationary mechanics to dilute your equity. Similar NFT marketplace projects have market caps from $50 million into the hundreds of millions, and their tokenomics aren't as attractive as Doki's. Some numbers: + +* At the low end, let's look at GameSwap, an NFT marketplace project that doesn't have a working product yet (not even a prototype, actually). If Doki were to reach their marketcap, each DOKI would be worth **$623** +* For the high end, let's not even go too high. Let's look at NFTx, which has quickly grown to a $217 million market cap (there are 5 NFT projects over $1 billion already). If Doki was to reach their market cap, that would mean a price tag of **$4,393 per DOKI** + +But that's only half the story. It's the tokenomics of Doki that have me so excited. I like to invest in tokens that have clearly defined **cash flow**. And Doki's is extremely appealing: **15% of all revenue from games go directly to DOKI holders**. On top of that, staking DOKI is one of the only ways to generate the native game token AZUKI, meaning you get two sources of revenue from the token. Some projections: + +* If Doki were to capture just 5% of the NFT sector's current volume, that would result in a cash flow of: **$1.74 daily, $52.20 monthly** or **$624 annually per DOKI** +* If Doki did sales volume equivalent of just 10% of the physical Gachapon industry (just in Japan), that would generate an annual return of **$900 per DOKI** +* Month-over-month growth for the NFT sector is currently in the high triple digit percentages, so even conservative estimates for 2021 (assuming even just a 1% market share) puts up some really crazy numbers. + +Now the fun part: with traditional stocks, you calculate the value of dividend stocks using a model called the **Dividend Discount Model**. The formula is: + +>Value = EDPS / (CCE - DGR) + +Where EDPS is the expected annual dividend per share, CCE is the cost of capital equity (what kind of safe return you can expect elsewhere), and DGR is the dividend growth rate (how much should the dividend increase based on current earnings projections). Now, these variables don't all translate well to crypto, but just for fun - if we use the current price, the $624 annual dividend (based on 5% of current monthly NFT market volume), a 10% cost of capital equity, and a 5% dividend growth rate, we get **$7663** **per DOKI**. + +Sound pretty nutty? Think again. That's not even a 50x from current value, meaning it wouldn't even be in the top 10 of NFT projects *at current valuations*, in a sector of the market that's growing hundreds of percentages month-over-month. + +TLDR: $10,000 DOKI is FUD. + +# Ok, but why should I buy it now? + +Besides the fact that NFTs are blowing up and every project is mooning left and right, there are some specific catalysts that are going to propel Doki's price in the short-term. + +* [Doki is launching on Matic](https://medium.com/@dokidoki.finance/dokidoki-x-matic-gacha-on-l2-f795d6c0ea52) sometime in the next couple weeks. In fact, all of the contracts have been successfully ported already; the team is finishing up on the UI, so it could drop any day now. +* With the Matic launch comes a new website and a host of new gacha machines, with new artists and collaborations. Pranksy, one of the biggest names in the NFT space, is already confirmed. +* L2 launch will also bring a new marketing push. The team has been building out their sales force both in Japan and abroad, to bring new artists, brands and collaborators to the platform. +* The team has been teasing a whole new NFT-based project called ChainBinders. We don't know anything about it yet, but it will be part of Doki (no separate token), and it's been described as something "totally new that the NFT space hasn't seen before" +* There are rumors of a partnership with a *very* well-known Japanese brand, also due to be announced with L2 launch. These are just rumors for now, but word is it's a name most people know, even outside of Japan. + +Footnote: + +>Should I buy DOKI or AZUKI? + +They're both good buys right now, but I would personally go heavy on Doki, maybe 70/30 or even 80/20. Azuki will see a spike in demand with all of the newly launched machines, but Doki has superior fundamentals for the long run. Whereas Azuki is inflationary (to a cap of 40 million), Doki's supply is capped at 50,000. But more importantly, Doki holders get the cash flows mentioned above, whereas for Azuki, the only driver of long-term value is the eventual deflation from token burn (but you have to get through the inflationary period first) + +Relevant Links: + +[https://dokidoki.finance/](https://dokidoki.finance/) + +[https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/doki-doki-finance](https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/doki-doki-finance) +They have been doing that all her life and now my friend is an adult but can't get her own phone or apartment because her credit is crap. And they keep doing it!! Continuing to pile up debt in her name. Neither of us are sure how to go about fixing this. + +The obvious first step is to move out so that she can report her parents without abusive repercussions (they are very nasty); is there a type of housing that doesn't care about credit? Is the only solution for her to just crash with somebody? + +After that, how does one go about repairing their credit after years of identity fraud? +Hey there! I've never posted on reddit before, but after talking it through with my boyfriend he suggested that this might be more helpful than he is. So here's some back story: + +&#x200B; + +After graduating high school I took a year off to work, and help support my mom. I didn't have a ton of money going into school, but ended up moving out and upstate to be on my own. The dilemma is that I am in that weird grey area where I don't get help from fafsa, but my parents aren't in a position to support tuition either. After a series of unfortunate events spring semester I ended up flunking out and taking another semester off. + +&#x200B; + +So here's where I'm at now: + +After all of my bills (rent/card payments/insurance/gas/utilities) I've got like $600 left + +I have $4,000 worth of student loans starting to collect interest + +I switched over to a community college instead of a university and to take 12 credits it ends up being around $1600 a semester + +The golden light is that during spring semester I did a term of service (teaching little kids how to code) and now have a $1,500 grant that can either go towards school, or it can be used to pay off student loans. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +These are the options I've been floating around: + +1. Take another year off of school (am I going to be 30 when I graduate, probably) - put the americorp grant towards the student loans and get them paid off by the end of 2019. +2. Make smaller loan payments and try to use the grant to continue going to school while I'm paying it off. +3. Make minimum payments on the loans and try to finish school as fast as possible (and take care of the crippling loan interest AFTER I'm hopefully making more than $20,000 a year). + +So r/personalfinance is there a better option? +Recently I had a big fight with my parents that went south very quick. They told me I have two weeks to move out and since I work for my dad I am now jobless. I have about 5,000 saved up and another 5,000 invested into stocks. Looking for advise to help me getting past this situation. Any help is appreciated! +People said bitcoin would never break $1. Then they said it would never hit $100. Then they said it would never hit $1,000. Then when it crashed back to $200, people said it was going to die. When it hit $4,000, people said it would never hit 10k, then 20k. + +Now that's it's at $5k, people say it's over. It's not unreasonable to think that, within 5-6 years, bitcoin will have another spike (or two or three). It's not unreasaonble to think the 100k barrier will be broken some day. + +With that in mind, is it crazy for me not to want to sell any of my bitcoins under $100k? People say I should sell some if it hits 20k again, or at 25k, 30k... I'm not interested. Really waiting for it to be much higher. Who would I sell for 25k in 1-2-3 years when I could sell for 100k+ in 4-5-6 years? + +Right now, the entire bitcoin market cap is less than Tesla. It's 6% of the newest QE by FED. It's 5% of Apple. And that's counting bitcoins that are gone for good. + +I think bitcoin is worth more than that. I sincerely believe more than 100B has been, or will be shortly, invested in bitcoins. Think about all the miners, electricity, transactions fees... This has to amount to billions per year. People are investing for the long term. Even big funds are starting to grab it. There will be bitcoin ETF soon. + +Also, have you tried to send money overseas recently? The only way I know of is credit card and a) it's riddled with fraud b) 5%+ transaction fee, strict limits and money can be frozen for 180 days. + +I am currently sending money to people I know overseas using bitcoins and its fantastic. + +Even if bitcoin opened up 500% tomorrow I have 0 intent to sell even one tenth of my bitcoin. Am I the only one? +Recently, it’s come to my attention that my sisters have been discussing that I never go out and how every time they asked me I would always so no. Also that all I wanted to do was stay home. I’ve gotten this from a couple people in the past year but have never felt bad until now. + +For the past two years I had been living in a suburb with no public transportation, no car, and limited funds due to the job I was working. + +I’m in a state where I don’t have health insurance. I paid for therapy and any other doctors visits out of pocket. My sisters are a nurse and a truck driver. They’re already established in their careers. I’m 24 and recently graduated college. When they brought this up to me that I’m always saying no I immediately felt bad because I always want to go out and do things. If the funds aren’t there how could that be possible? + +So I sat them down, showed them my paycheck of $500-$600 every two weeks. Which would be about $1,300 a month give or take a few hundreds. I Showed them all of my expenses including my $600 portion of rent every month not including utilities and food. I was coming out with maybe $50 to last two weeks until the next paycheck. + +So I asked them to show me how or what I could do for $50 without being flat broke at the end? No amount of budgeting would have helped me and I didn’t know how to make them see that. + +They mentioned it as if I don’t know my twenties are being spent working. +Statement from Grim Finance, [from Twitter.](https://twitter.com/financegrim/status/1472357770846519312?t=uhQ4rteXIB_sR0AqeD-t8Q&s=19) + +>Hello Grim Community, It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that our platform was exploited today by an external attacker roughly 6 hours ago. The attackers address has been identified with over 30 million dollars worth of theft + +The hacker has stolen more than $25,000,000 USD. You can view their wallet [here](https://ftmscan.com/address/0xdefc385d7038f391eb0063c2f7c238cfb55b206c). + +RugDoc.Io posted an excellent write up of how the hacker stole the money, avaliable on Twitter [here.](https://twitter.com/RugDocIO/status/1472293712185151492?t=RY7EXsiB-R2eaNe0zgix-g&s=19) + +SpookySwap have offered the hacker 300,000 FTM in exchange for the 137,000 BOO he stole and is yet to offload. [Source here.](https://twitter.com/RugDocIO/status/1472356374332035076?t=m-O_W2vUhkwkiOvM72PJfQ&s=19) + +High drama in the Fantom Universe today. +Hi guys, so I’m just wondering at what people feel is worth spending more money money for a higher quality product or with spending a lump of money but will save you money in the long run? + +I’d love to hear what everyone does, I myself always spend a lot on my work boots as I spend 16 hours a day in them and I also. Try to pay car insurance in full +I need some advice, I’m 26, live in London, I’ve been working in my industry for 3 years. The job I’m in now I really like, lovely small team. However while I love my job, the wage is a struggle. I earn £17,000 before tax. I’m starting to question if it’s worth me staying in this job, how long will it take to reach a living wage? + + +Even with some experience and knowledge behind me now, i feel a should be on at least a bit more. It’s a struggle, I live in this wonderful city and I just want to enjoy it a bit more, go out with my friends while not constantly counting every penny. My savings have been sucked up into deposits and just London. + +I’ve already done what I can to cut out any unnecessary outgoings, just moved somewhere much cheaper, I get my haircut for free, reduced my phone bill as much as possible. + +Is this normal? + +Do I look for another job? Do I stay because I like it? + + + +This is a report from my question in r/stock because someone suggested perhaps r/finance would give more appropriate advice. I am intended Int. Bus major (because i like culture, diversity.. ) but want to combine it with something more practical. BUT now i am thinking if i want to do anything with investing/banking (what I am interested in) Finance would be a little better. Can anyone in the field give me some advice? Which would benefit me more? Many thanks. + +Edit: Thanks all for the advice. I am going to go with a finance minor, and back it up with maybe a math minor. Japanese is already a mandatory liberal arts minor so that as international as i'll get for now, with a semester of study abroad. Many thanks and happy holidays! +So, I have a fairly simple hedging algorithm, it isn't anything new or game-changing, but it will save me some money. It's in matlab, but I can rewrite it in python if I need to. How do I connect the algorithm itself to the markets? + + +Advice from people who have successfully done this would be appreciated. Trades need to go out at 1 minute intervals. +Someone I know has decided to move back in with her parents because she and her husband could not afford the rent she was paying living in the city. They have one child. Due to the lock downs, they don't have any jobs. They have decided to move back in with parents who have a three bedroom house in the suburbs. Everything is fine because the parents sleep in one room and this lady and her husband sleep in another room, and there is a spare room for the baby. + +It is common for boomer parents to have purchased three or four bedroom homes expecting to have a family, and when the millennial kids move out, there are one or two empty bedrooms. The parents don't downsize usually due to comfort, habit or massive stamp duty. This is a huge waste not just monetarily (the beds could be rented out and the millenials who move out pay rent when they don't need to) but also environmentally as new apartments and houses need to be constructed to house the millenials who move out. + +Living with parents should be done to save money and help the environment. Privacy is not an issue anymore thanks to technology. Noise cancelling headphones allow you to block out noises from other parts of the house. + +The key to saving money on accommodation is through high density. The less space you have, the more money you save. This can be achieved with not just flatmates and romantic relationships but also living with parents. Having less space can also be seen as a positive rather than a negative if you have a "minimalist" mindset eg you have less to clean up, it forces you to buy less stuff, heating costs are lower per person etc. +Yeh its a stretch for AusFinance, but its a question about saving money... its cheap wine on promos, but is it actually any good? + +Edit: +Alright went ahead and bought a deal $29 for 6 pack with free delivery so at $5 a bottle figured I had little to lose. Got to say though, I am shocked by their sales tactics.. I did not even realise I had signed up to something until I was reading reveiws. WTF? And even then I had to dig to cancel it. No wonder so many people are shitty in the reviews. I also don't like the amount of targeted advertising I'm receiving already. Sounds like a good company but their marketing kills it for me already. Hope the wine is ok.. +'Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) will employ 75,000 logistics and fulfillment workers in North America at an average starting wage of $17 an hour. + +Most of the hires will be placed at the company fulfillment locations and network of local delivery centers after positioning its final-mile delivery network at the closest range of the end customers. + +Amazon has 409 delivery stations in the U.S., out of which 344 support package deliveries and the rest support heavy, bulky items that are typically non-conveyable. + +Amazon plans to build 229 additional delivery stations, out of which 193 are meant for packages. Amazon has 16 delivery stations in Canada, with seven more on the drawing board. + +Amazon will offer several new employees a $1,000 signing bonus and an additional $100 to the vaccinated ones. Amazon offers on-site vaccinations at over 250 locations in the U.S. and Canada. + +In April, Amazon announced an investment of over $1 billion for a wage hike of over 500,000 hourly employees by between 50 cents and $3 an hour. + +Last year Amazon added over 500,000 workers globally, the Wall Street Journal reports. + +The hiring comes just before the annual Prime Day shopping event, which was preponed from July to June. + +Amazon continues to face employee flak for difficult work conditions in their warehouses including Alabama, and Chicago. The company has refuted the allegations and assured necessary efforts for improved working conditions.' + +Source: https://www.benzinga.com/news/21/05/21108100/amazon-to-hire-75k-workers-for-north-american-logistics-fulfillment +My wife and I had our first son about 2 years ago. At the time she had a pretty dead end job as a store manager of an expensive shop in the West Village in NYC. She made decent money ($70k base with a small bonus) but frequently had to work weekends which was a consistent dent in our quality of life. + +Post kid she started in an online MA degree in professional writing and finished it in May while working part time in the store (we had a nanny 2 days per week to help out). During this window we were basically on 1.2 salaries living in a nice part of BK. Our savings suffered as we were forced to focus on day to day expenses and child care. I had a lot of anxiety about minimal 401k contribution during the last two years (like $20k between the two years). Worse, in July she was let go from her part time job knocking us down to 1 income. + +She applied for a bunch of writing jobs in marketing / tech writing and dealt with a bunch of rejection. But yesterday she received a six figure offer at an emerging tech firm in a full time technical writer role. It’s a huge relief as we can resume saving (but stay in our small 2BR apartment for now). + +I’m so happy and pumped to get back on track. She is very on board with operation FIRE and is a total rock star. + + +**Samsara:** The indefinitely repeated cycles of birth, death, and misery caused by karma. + +https://preview.redd.it/76mypt2u3l881.jpg?width=882&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdfd7b87eac899fb4cfa39e84cf612fe9e18ca32 + +Influencers with ulterior motives have come and gone throughout this GME saga, and I will argue here that the recent push for options is one such event. + +**Content Warning:** The unfortunate side effect of showing evidence of FUD is that you have to spread the FUD to do it. The messages in these two posts show evidence of vast multi-platform coordination to destabilize Superstonk and elevate liars and criminals into leaders. + +This is serious astroturfing, and never forget that these are all anonymous online accounts. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking they are just like you, which is a key psychological illusion that social media misinformation campaigns exploit. Please take your time with it, and take care of yourself, and know that if you’re a good person who just wants to HODL and party and diamond hand those shares, that you’re not alone here. + +\* + +Up front, let’s be clear: **this fight is and always has been about the integrity of the information found on this sub.** Nothing else. + +&#x200B; + +* Profit-motive corrupts that integrity. +* Evidence of manipulation, brigading, and misinformation corrupts that integrity. +* Most importantly, contempt for Apes, the MOASS thesis, and the sub itself corrupts that integrity. + +Am I saying that all of the people named below are engaged in actively scamming the Superstonk community? No. + +I am, however, presenting evidence that they are brigading from outside the community rather than working within it, and rather than engaging in good faith they are using verifiable techniques of psychological manipulation in order to undermine the community and troll for followers who are particularly vulnerable to those techniques. + +That is why I’ve collected and presented this data. + +\* + +If you want to learn more about concepts used in this post, such as Social Proof and Psychological Triggers, see this recent post: The Definitive Guide to the Psychology of Scams and How to Detect Them (OFT Report) + +And if you want a fun game, just look for their brigade’s responses to these posts and compare them against known techniques of psychological manipulation and [propaganda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques). It’ll keep you entertained all day. + +Additionally, much of the evidence against their credibility can be found in a companion post – [Mocking the Devil – 12 Questions for the Options Brigade](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/rs7k3r/mocking_the_devil_12_questions_for_the_options/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) \- which I recommend reading after this one. + +**A final note:** I hope after reading this you’ll understand that these accounts are the SOURCE of the bad feelings and turmoil the sub is experiencing, not its targets. You can’t walk into someone’s house and start flinging shit without expecting a strong reaction. These accounts need to take responsibility for their words and actions, as well as those they encourage in their followers. My guess is that they can’t. + +\* + +This post lays out evidence toward the following conclusions: + +1. The options push is a brigade meant to fracture and discredit Superstonk +2. Those pushing it as “mere education” are not credible sources of information +3. The Superstonk community is right to defend itself against this brigade + +The evidence below is drawn from Reddit posts/comments, Pickle’s Discord, and mostly random samples of three Pi-Fi YouTube streams: Nov 29, Dec 16, and Dec 23 (with occasional dips into other dates). I’ve included timestamped links for verification, assuming the videos are not edited in response. If they are, I will update this post with evidence of that. + +And though I use copious evidence drawn from their Discord and YouTube chats, I’m not suggesting we adopt and us vs them mentality vis-à-vis their followers, who have been lured by promises of windfall fortunes that never materialize for months now. They are free to make their own decisions with their money, and many prefer the principles of those communities to those of Superstonk. + +So be it, but they should stop trying to remake this community in their image. + +From the OFT Report, + +>A theme that emerged strongly was the size of the reward or prize for the scam, and its disproportion to the apparent cost of responding. The discourse, and the kinds of decision error, elicited by this factor had strong echoes of the what is found in the psychology of lotteries and other high prize, low win-probability gambling. +> +>Secondly, our examination of social influence showed evidence of states of internal conflict in scam victims, where at one level they recognize the deceptive nature of the scam, and at another level, they are determined to persist in the behavior that leads to loss. This raises the general point of people being 'in two minds' about the scam. At some level they suspect it is a scam so they do things that hide that knowledge from themselves or from others. + +You can see both of these triggers at play in the growing sentiment in their communities. The idea that he is giving them a system for an “infinite money glitch” is often paired with laments over their losses in a particular cycle, but that they will keep buying next cycle because they expect windfall profits any day now. + +You can see that they’re replicating the OG sub’s culture of celebrating losses in order to keep the gravy train and gambling addiction flowing. + +You can also see the self-blame induced by scam messaging in how their followers talk about their losses. + +https://preview.redd.it/dbgbg5974l881.jpg?width=502&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f882f7d9b313e84ba501054fe65177f7889df0d + +&#x200B; + +The Dans are so on message all the time, makes you wonder. + +The fact that they and their leaders are pushing long-odds gambles in a rigged casino also suggests that they do not believe in the MOASS thesis that Superstonk has dedicated most of a year to building, testing, and researching. Why spend thousands to scrape nickels out of slot machines when you could just buy shares and relax? + +Turns out Gherkinit has been saying there’s no MOASS after January in his daily streams, among other many things found below. He’ll say anything to get people into the 510c and 920c he’s been selling to his followers. + +We should protect Superstonk from being a platform to lure more people into this psychological trap. + +I hope these posts give Apes something to point to if the gaslighting and brigading ever start to make you question yourself. It’s real, and it’s insidious. They’ve already started going after mods, what’s next? + +I think we know. Samsara. + +&#x200B; + +# So Who Are the Options Brigade? + +These users are leaders amongst those who started pushing options here several months ago, based on posts they produced in a private Discord. This private message from one of the members sent in August tells you what they thought of Superstonk even that far back. + +We can see that resentment toward Superstonk has been building for at least five months in that Discord, along with the idea that nothing of value had been produced on Superstonk for even longer. + +https://preview.redd.it/kt3uv5la4l881.jpg?width=301&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3aad4f768393f6c91d4f72de69572021fe1a7e20 + +Options pushers who have come from that Discord as a group to promote one another’s ideas include (in alphabetical order): + +u/Criand + +u/DigitalNoize + +u/gherkinit + +u/Leenixus + +u/MauerAstronaut + +u/TurdFurg23 + +u/Zinko83 + +Who knows how many of their supporters are coming from there as well, but this post is focused on the thought leaders named above, a group I refer to as The Brigade. + +These users began their coordinated action with several posts about Variance Swaps by Zinko83 and MauerAstronaut, followed up by a push for options coming primarily from Leenixus, Criand, and Gherkinit, with others providing support posts. + +Am I saying all of these people are shills? No. + +There is quite a bit of evidence to suggest that Criand is being used by the others as their “face,” and that the ideas he has expressed are not his own. The “co-creator” of the Variance Swaps DD flat out says it, while calling Superstonk “ungrateful dick heads.” + +https://preview.redd.it/41rq4yse4l881.jpg?width=832&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bba63c614b48bf7be8f1a899ee0be6690e3d87a5 + +&#x200B; + +It’s also a frequent topic of conversation in Gherkinit’s discord: + +https://preview.redd.it/8ffwdxsg4l881.jpg?width=622&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd386547b8a777b8e591c4056125ba9e1dfc8466 + +&#x200B; + +“Either Criand will get Pixel’d or Warden’d, or Apes buy options. I think it’s worth a shot.” + +https://preview.redd.it/khco6w0k4l881.jpg?width=292&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8bf7796ff341ebe6ee0aacc7f8fa8a0ccb32bead + +&#x200B; + +Many of the Brigade celebrated and cheered Criand’s first options post, which is now almost completely redacted due to his misunderstanding of the subject. This suggests they had no clue what he wrote, and that they were only using his credibility to advance their interests. It’s the very definition of Social Proof and Authority fallacies being used to manipulate an audience. + +It would be nice to hear from Criand about why he agreed to that. + +What do others in the Brigade think of Superstonk? Let’s take a look. + +# The Options Brigade is Fundamentally Anti-Superstonk + +https://preview.redd.it/sobkvhrn4l881.jpg?width=857&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=58b7007a506ea0f3f22d425cc7bcde3f42bc5f0f + +&#x200B; + +There is plenty of room for disagreement on any number of issues and speculations regarding the MOASS Thesis, and in my opinion the DD is never done. The amount of information we’ve uncovered already is mind-boggling, and I’m sure I’m not alone in having multiple unpublished DDs into various aspects of the crime we are uncovering. + +**What I don’t think is healthy for the community is for it to be brigaded by people from outside the community who have fundamental contempt for the community and its research.** Do we have our orthodoxies? Sure, but we don’t go elsewhere trying to force them on others. We have a tradition of DD authors humbly presenting their work for peer review, and certainly not asking to be worshipped for it. + +But you can see from [gherk’s Dec 15 stream](https://youtu.be/QhKXTuu6BmI?t=5172) that he and the others have no intention of doing that. In fact, he directly implants the idea in his followers’ head that they are only smarter because they have sat in his chat for “months and months” while he convinces them that everyone else’s work is his own. + +1:26:12 + +>Whether you’re better educated or not, you’ve been in here long enough to look out for inconsistencies in what you’re reading. You’ve learned to disseminate information better after your time in here. +> +>So even if you were smooth as a fucking marble before you got here, I think spending months and months in this chat and this community has definitely changed… +> +>I mean, you guys used to get super fucking jacked about **atobitt DD, and I guarantee you if you go back and read that shit now, you’re gonna be like, “this is garbage.”** + +This would not be the last time he tries to stand on the shoulders of giants, proclaiming their work and ethos as his own. + +His attempts to elevate himself above DFV have intensified recently, maybe to cover for his cycles’ 100% failure rate. One of his followers then dutifully claims that “pickle is much more knowledgeable than DFV <about market mechanics>.” + +https://preview.redd.it/6mk5wo7r4l881.jpg?width=759&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6c5ce56659fb4a6eb524039184bd73366f3ed03 + +&#x200B; + +Finally, here’s gherk’s view on Superstonk and its thesis [from his Dec 23 stream:](https://youtu.be/9EdK8BmhR6o?t=18530) + +>So much of Superstonk since the very beginning has been to make sure that everyone was holding, and then it was DRSing. It's never changed. It's panic. +> +>It's people not knowing what's going on and attempting to define it within a rational space, and to know that their investment is just as safe as the other participants' investment. That's what I think. +> +>The fear of everyone selling early so they started with the sell on the way down, which is fucking stupid because nobody is buying on the way down. +> +>Then it was buy through IEX, which has no liquidity and has issues filling buy orders. +> +>**Then it was DRS your fucking shares, which that doesn't really do anything either.** +> +>All of it has been an attempt to try to control what other shareholders are doing. +> +>I've talked about this so many times in the past. + +That sure is different from the position and tone he took in his MOASS Trilogy posts. Why so different? + +This gherk rant is not an anomaly, as his streams are peppered with anti-Superstonk, anti-Gamestop, anti-RC discourses. [Here’s a sample](https://youtu.be/9EdK8BmhR6o?t=17321), including such gems as, + +>Gamestop can’t sell during a short squeeze, so why the fuck would they care? +> +>Activist investor is not a positive term +> +>RC’s tweets are just to keep people buying shit from Gamestop. + +**Gherk has also been telling his followers that Gamestop intentionally stopped the MOASS in June.** + +These discourses both emerge from and are reflected by his audience in the chats, and he chooses to highlight them by reading them regularly throughout the stream. + +https://preview.redd.it/wi8dianu9l881.jpg?width=435&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d95fa451ee34e27558f41f95a1d4601f0b5f929 + +&#x200B; + +In addition, they alert one another to “problems” on Superstonk, including pushing anti-mod conspiracies, which leads to the daily brigading of upvotes and downvotes found in gherk and others’ threads. + +https://preview.redd.it/varrzotw9l881.jpg?width=432&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=860b6a8da209a148ecc8c8166d3e2ae9d6d381c2 + +&#x200B; + +This happens in Discord as well: + +[ Wonder what those notes are for? ](https://preview.redd.it/hwsyp6m8al881.jpg?width=579&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9158381cedd258d85ebba8a253f7f2910e37d77a) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[Here’s another classic from the Pickle:](https://youtu.be/mOuoedatJDM?t=24101) + +>Maybe I should just write a DD about YOLOing into weekly options +> +>Whether they want to admit it or not, their bagholder mentality has convinced them over months and months of holding the stock at $200 that they were making a long-term investment back in January, that’s horseshit! +> +>They all jumped into it because it was running, they chased it, and now we HODL because we need it to run again, right, we need it to run hard. *laughs* +> +>But anyone that says they fucking planned their GME investment and got into it over a long period of time is full of shit. + +7.5 hours of daily anti-Superstonk rhetoric is a far cry from gherk’s claim that he “prefers to take the path that leads to the least drama.” In fact, he seems to be profiting from the drama greatly. That may explain why on his stream the next day, after it was shown that he misrepresented his “decision” to stop overtly brigading the sub, he said, + +“[I don’t want to end the drama](https://youtu.be/9EdK8BmhR6o?t=18638).” + +Well, there you go. + +&#x200B; + +# Common Phrases and Techniques Used in Responses to Their Detractors + +**“Ape no fight Ape”** – As outlined in the Guide to the Psychology of Scams, this is a technique meant to short-circuit reasoning by appealing to people’s natural tendency toward equilibrium and conflict avoidance. Unfortunately it’s almost always used after the Brigade has instigated negativity, making it a deflection from their behavior and the failure of their predictions, rather than a good-natured reminder to be excellent to one another. + +Think about how that phrase was perverted by popcorn shills to divide the community and distract from the poor reasoning evident in their thesis. The Brigade is using it here in the same way. + +\* + +**Disrespecting our DD Authors** – Used to bolster the Authority of a scammer, and activate Liking toward them, by tearing down others. It also helps them claim others’ DD as their own. + +One of the mythic themes found in Nigerian scam letters is that of the “magical helper” or “sidekick” who shows you the way to fabulous riches. Scammers need to be seen as the source of all that’s good and right, as we saw when gherk was telling his followers what a gift he’s given them while at the same time tearing down Superstonk’s prior DD. + +This clown thinks he’s the next DFV? Please. + +\* + +**“No one will ever write you DD again”** – Leenixus isn���t the only Brigader to make this claim. It’s a Visceral Trigger mean to create a sense of desperation in the reader, encouraging them to feel alone and helpless in the absence of the scammer’s “benevolence.” In terms of the research, it activates the psychological trigger of Scarcity as well. + +\* + +**Anyone that’s against options is a hedgie shill. Gherk and others are targets of an organized psyops campaign.** – This is a ridiculous, paranoid delusion that gets pushed by the Brigade to their followers, who repeat it constantly. It’s a classic propaganda technique, a form of information overload and [whataboutism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism) meant to make people give up trying to figure out who’s telling the truth. + +https://preview.redd.it/plbtrhnlal881.jpg?width=1097&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2509db39595ec180ebab9505c4b0f118a126efe7 + +&#x200B; + +If you visit the current announcements in the Pickle Discord you can see Gherk desperately trying to frame himself and his detractors in advance of the criticism he knows is coming. That’s why he’s claiming that he’s the same as DFV, and why he shared what looks to be yet another fake or misleading private message to try to influence how his followers would process the evidence being presented against him. + +Here you can see on his Dec 23 stream, after he goes on the epic anti-Superstonk rant reproduced above, he ends by angrily mumbling [“Fucking Russian bots.”](https://youtu.be/9EdK8BmhR6o?t=18666) + +It would be sad if he actually believes this, and it’s clear that many of his followers are starting to, because it’s a common inclusion in their [firehose of falsehoods.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firehose_of_falsehood) + +And in response to a chat initiating a brigade, [he has this to say about anyone that disproves his thesis](https://youtu.be/mOuoedatJDM?t=18793) (as if it needed help, it disproves itself every day): + +>It's probably 1 person with 50 accounts, or 5 people with 10 accounts each. **It's people that contribute absolutely fucking nothing except for owning the stock.** + +If you ever wondered what he really thinks of you, Superstonk Apes, there’s your answer. + +\* + +**“Anyone that’s anti-options just bought weeklies and is now mad.”** – A completely fabricated response with no evidence that’s also repeated ad nauseum. + +Personally, I’ve never bought an option because I’m not about to put my valuable chips in a rigged casino. Instead, I’m patiently hording my chips outside of the casino until it shuts down and I can get full value for them. + +Patience has and always will be a part of the long thesis, the buy and hold strategy, that was forged out of the chaos that erupted in January. Shoving chips back into the rigged casino and hoping for the best is a sign of impatience, of giving up. It also happens to be one of the hallmarks of scam psychology, a visceral trigger meant to focus on the potential windfall (which never materializes). + +Rhetorically, getting people to believe this falsehood by repeating it over and over, dehumanizes and decontextualizes the conversation. It is meant to dig a hole from which their opponents cannot escape, since both the claim and any rebuttal are unprovable. + +Thus, it short-circuits reason and evidence in favor of emotional identification with the orthodoxies of their group. Such faith-based beliefs are used to drive wedges between communities, strengthens the emotional attachment of an individual to the group, and discourages dissenters from speaking up. + +\* + +**“Everyone is a cult except us.”** – This is one of the most oft-repeated orthodoxies of the options brigade. They even have a theme song that repeats the phrase “not a cult” over and over and over again while they chant along with it. If you think I’m kidding, [check it out.](https://youtu.be/QhKXTuu6BmI?t=8582) + +One of the most powerful psychological techniques used by propagandists is [the bombardment and repetition of phrases and ideas.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought-terminating_clich%C3%A9) Similar to how they repeat the lie that anyone who opposes them “bought weeklies like idiots,” repeating that they are “notacult” helps bolster and solidify the idea that everyone else is. Thus, they constantly refer to Superstonk in these terms, and engage as if that were true. + +https://preview.redd.it/nnv66qcpal881.jpg?width=446&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d00f9573928868823aed099a138607bc9ad8c33c + +&#x200B; + +# Conclusion + +“Just a little education” has been shown by decades of academic research to be an invitation for bad actors to use information asymmetry and psychological triggers to induce errors in decision-making. + +The evidence also shows that these are financial novices just like us who have different information, not more, and instead of sharing it freely are using it to induce behavioral compliance and hero worship in search of profits. + +**But they are not novices in psyops, manipulation, and control. Think about their history with our community and let that sink in.** + +Some of the behaviors they are trying to induce are only harmful to the individuals they ensnare, but others are illegal and harmful to the community at large. + +Obviously ~~one post~~ two posts cannot capture the full breadth and depth of evidence, but I hope there is enough here to convince the community and its moderators that continuing to allow these manipulations would be a disservice to those who come here for unspoiled information about Gamestop and the MOASS thesis, as well as those who come here for the psychological comfort and safety of a community founded on the principle of being excellent to one another. + +The bottom line is: **they are and have been lying to all of us for months, saying one thing here and vastly different things in their off-site media.** + +Don’t be fooled by their astroturfing and brigading here, either. OG Apes aren’t saying the things they’re saying. We’ve always known they would come hard for us, this is that moment. Notice how as the pressure mounts, the tactics become more extreme, from trying to usurp DFV’s ethos to fomenting hate in daily streams. + +The only question that remains is, after reading the above and the 12 Questions: **Are these the people you want educating you and leading this community?** + +\* + +**Samsara.** They will never stop trying to fracture us, but I think we can meet the challenge. + +The only unforgivable idea in a library is that the library itself should be destroyed. This isn’t about “muh freedom,” it’s about protecting the integrity of Superstonk. Grifters that insult you, fleece you, and try to usurp the work and ethos of our legends do not have your best interests in mind. + +My advice to Apes is don’t get angry, just laugh. Mock the devil, because they have no power over you that you don’t freely give. + +Borrowing from the Guide to Scam Psychology, here are the principles that the Brigade fail to uphold, + +* Publicly peer-reviewed DD +* Apes Together Strong +* Be excellent to one another +* Buy and Hold +* No urgent action +* No leaders or heroes +* No monetized influencers + +My response to people who come here trolling for followers while bashing the love and information found here? + +https://preview.redd.it/8qds7hkral881.jpg?width=608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80fbf7001ff7833ca482a854ada1a974824bf2f2 +For the first time ever? Lloyds is offering £125 if you switch a current account to Club Lloyds. + +[https://www.lloydsbank.com/current-accounts/switch.asp](https://www.lloydsbank.com/current-accounts/switch.asp) + +Terms and Conditions: + +To qualify for the £125 switching offer (“the offer”) you must use the ‘Current Account Switch Service’ and meet the following conditions: + +* Use the 'Current Account Switch Service' to switch into a new Club Lloyds Account (£3 Monthly maintaining the account fee) or a Club Lloyds Platinum Account (£19 Monthly maintaining the account fee & £3 Monthly maintaining the account fee). The new account must be opened between the 01/10/19 and the 05/11/19 +* Use the ‘Current Account Switch Service’ to transfer all the active credits and debits from the bank account that you hold with another bank and close this account. + + You are not eligible for the offer if: + +* You are switching to any existing Lloyds current account opened prior to the 01/10/19 +* You are switching to a new Classic Account, Platinum Account, Student Account, Under 19’s Account or a Basic Account +* The bank you are switching from does not participate in the Current Account Switch Service. To find out more visit [www.currentaccountswitch.co.uk](https://www.currentaccountswitch.co.uk/) + +1. The offer applies to applications received in branch, online or by phone from the 01/10/19 to 05/11/19. The offer is subject to change and can be withdrawn without notice at any time. +2. The offer does not automatically guarantee an arranged overdraft and any application will be subject to status. If your account has an arranged overdraft you will not pay a daily arranged overdraft fee for 3 months provided you stay within your arranged overdraft limit. +3. After 3 months, or if you change your account, you will be charged daily arranged overdraft fees applicable to the account you hold if you use your arranged overdraft. Please see the Bank accounts and switching to us leaflet for full details on arranged overdraft fees. You will have been given this when you opened your account, but if you would like another one, please ask in branch or look at [https://www.lloydsbank.com/current-accounts/all-accounts](https://www.lloydsbank.com/current-accounts/all-accounts.asp) +4. Only one offer is available per customer. Joint accounts will only be eligible for one payment. +5. The offer will be paid directly into your account by the time your switch has completed and will appear as a cash credit. The offer is not available to employees of Lloyds Banking Group, or if the employee is named on any bank account held in joint names. +XRP being hailed as a scam has been pretty much a primary battle cry on here since the coins inception. + +When XRP crashed to $0.20 a few months ago this sub was simply elated. I knew they were wrong then (and I made a post about it)—and today obviously shows how wrong they were. + +A lot of XRP holders lost a lot of money when they sold the bottom because of this subs idiotic tribalism. + +XRP isn’t going anywhere—and this was evident as soon as it was clear that XRP was fighting the lawsuit and not caving to a settlement. You should have bought the dip. +So apparently snapchat is having an IPO today, so uhhhh, have at it! + +As always please keep all snapchat discussions here to prevent the enthusiasm from drowning out other news. + +Markets open in an hour, I have absolutely no clue when shares start trading, happy IPOing Y'all. +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/jl3pdpjeryl91.png?width=836&format=png&auto=webp&s=f105bccaac129cc79a196a50c02ba68b439076b5 + +Given all that has happened during the last few weeks, it would be entirely appropriate for these two tweets to be the last for a long time. + +The most recent referring to his top priority in his professional life... GameStop and the good news regarding employee compensation. + +The one before that... well, it's open to interpretation, but to me, it's sending love to those who continue to DRS. + +And that's really all we need to hear from him for now, in my opinion. + +I've seen many other posts allude to it... it really does appear we are nearing the endgame with how the media is presenting the news of Gustavo Arnal's sudden death. Without knowing any details, I won't say anything regarding that specific event aside from the fact that I hope Gustavo's family and friends find peace and closure sooner rather than later. I can't imagine what they're going through. + +However, the way RC has been portrayed in the news of Gustavo's death is downright disgusting. I knew things could get ugly, but I guess I never really thought it would actually happen. I thought it was bad enough how the media insinuated RC performed a pump and dump with the other stock and how they talked about him during the time that he sold his shares... but to publish false information regarding RC and even Reddit users within the story of someone else's death is reprehensible. + +I'm assuming things will get worse. Not only with this particular story, but in general. That's why I had the random thought tonight that perhaps we might not hear from RC for a while, and for good reason. Though, he could tweet about GMERICA tomorrow, who the hell knows... that also wouldn't shock me. + +I realize this post is just me thinking out loud here, but it was therapeutic to type it out and to share my thoughts with others who might be as disturbed as I've been while reading the news today. + +And remember... DRS is the way. NFA. +"Market went up because the economy is booming". Two minutes later "market is going down because the booming market means there will be no rate cuts" + +So let me get this straight: people bought stocks --> market went up --> same people realized there won't be any rate cuts --> same people sell stocks --> market goes down. + +Conclusion: Either people are stupid or CNBC makes up any reason that could explain the market movement. + +How can anyone hate wall street, lol. +You can get a free phone number from Google Voice. Keep the app on your phone and if you are ever in a situation where your phone service is shut off, you can still make calls and texts while on WiFi. Especially useful if you’re job hunting (you can give the GV number out on resumes; it will work regardless of whether or not your “real” number is working). Tell people it’s your home phone if you want +This is our monthly /r/economics Journal Day. Only links to journal articles and working papers are allowed today. Have fun! + +Some places to find articles and current research: + +* NBER Working Papers (http://www.nber.org/new.html#latest) +* Research Papers in Economics (https://ideas.repec.org/) +* Social Science Research Network (https://www.ssrn.com/en/) +I don't understand what the relationship between a companies performance and its stock price is. I get that if a company is doing really bad and is in danger of going bankrupt, the stock's price will drop since it will soon be worthless and demand will be small. + +Other than that though, if a company is doing great and expanding, why would it's stock price increase as well, assuming the stock doesn't pay dividends which seems to be common. You can say that the reason is because there is more demand for the stock since people anticipate that it will rise since due to the value of the company rising, but what good is there in owning a tiny percentage of a company, no matter how successful? It's not like you'd have a say in the company, or share it's profits (in the case of non-dividend paying stocks). + +It seems like people purchase stocks in hopes that increased demand will cause the price to rise and that they will be able to sell the stock for a profit. Demand for a stock rises when more people want to purchase the stock. (This seems cyclical to me). And somehow, the performance of the company factors into all of this. + +I'm sure theres a logical explanation for how this all works, I'm just missing something. Any insight would be much appreciated. + +/if you do it for a living, how do you handle telling people that when they ask what you do? + +How do they respond? + +My girlfriend is the only one I’ve mentioned learning about daytrading to, she’s a bit less than enthusiastic cause she had an ex who was very passionate about his bitcoin mining rig and would talk her ear off about it constantly. + +I’m curious how many of your family and friends know about what you do, and any interesting conversations you’ve had about it. Were they dismissive? Warning you off it? Asking you to teach them or trade their money? + +Edit: I should have mentioned, i don’t mean bringing it up randomly to people I know that would be annoying, I mean when you’re almost backed into a corner to talk about it, like if someone asks what you do for a living. Would you make up something else? +Hi everyone, my long-term partner and I split all expenses down the middle. We plan on buying a home next year and will also split the mortgage, utilities, renovations, etc. 50/50. That kind of model doesn't work for everyone, but it works for us. In the future, we aren't interested in marriage. + +We're both on the FIRE path and I may take some bets and start a business in the future that may put me on the path of fatFIRE. Given we have no plans for marriage, is it necessary to create a pre-nupish contract? I was reading about common law marriage and that's apparently still a thing, so this got me thinking. + +I'm posting this in r/fatFIRE because I posted something similar in /r/financialindependence a few months ago and got nothing but replies like "If you're not getting married, you shouldn't buy a house together", "you guys should get married - if not, you don't trust each other", etc. Given the sophistication of this sub, I imagine you all understand there are nuances to these kind of situations and there isn't a one-size-fits-all model to life. Also, I'm on the path to FIRE and are taking some life bets in the future which may accelerate my path to fatFIRE, and I want to be smart and prepare accordingly. + +Thank you. +Recently received an inheritance, Im 21 yrs old and wondering what seems to be the most optimal way to allocate this windfall for future growth. + +Currently a Candian university student, planning to attend law school, i am quite frugal. + +The windfall consists of 2 SFRs in Toronto, and smaller retail units (1 house is rented out, retail units have long leases running, as well as mutual funds worth around 550k - Total Asset value is around 2.2m, no loans on anything currently and i live in one of the houses. + +What would you do? +Happy Tuesday everyone. Wondering if you all can share tips on best tax advantages to know. I am aware of tips like using a 529 account for education savings, maxing out a 401(k), and maxing out an HSA. + +Wondering if ya'll can share whatever other tax advantages / tips you've found to be most helpful or give you an "aha" moment. Thanks in advance!!! Cheers to everyone and may we all fatfire. :) +Let me preface this by saying - yes, I am seeking the professional advice of a tax attorney and accountant, but don't have meetings scheduled until next week. I'm looking for opinions and things to ask about when I get there. + +I have an LLC partnership that is taxed as a pass-through business to my and my partner's taxes. We're going to be selling the business soon for about $2MM in upfront cash and another $3MM in stock. Since he and I both live in HCOL cities and have high incomes, the tax implications will be quite high, especially if the sale is taxed as an asset sale instead of stock. + +Has anyone gone through a similar sale before? And if so, what kinds of things did you do to minimize your tax obligation? I'm looking into things like taking a deferred payout, creating a shell LLC, etc, but I'm in a bit over my head since this is my first time selling a business. + +Edit: Some extra info: this is a SaaS business, we have no physical assets, and grew organically with no real upfront investment. +There are a couple post here that has the sentiment that crypto is the only road to riches. Given crypto's astounding track record and astronomical returns, it is not hard to see why. However this mentality is dangerous and limiting, as there are other viable investment opportunities out there. I am not dismissing crypto's endless potential as crypto has a decent proportion in my investment portfolio. + +Stocks, along with Bonds, are traditionally the slow and steady road to riches. The great thing about stocks is that even though it seems scary with so many different companies to choose from, there is no need to go in deep as simply buying an index fund ETF like S&P500 or MSCI World Index has shown to perform better than the average managed funds. There are definitely opportunities to pick stocks on companies that you understand well and get solid returns, but like I said, there's no need for it as a simple passive investing strategy of buying ETFs consistently over time will suffice. Even though the returns aren't as stellar as crypto, it is much less volatile and has a much longer proven record of over more than hundred of years of long term returns. Instead of throwing everything into crypto, it's better to have some allocation into stock/bonds for diversification. + +Investing in yourself, learning new marketable skills like design, coding, marketing etc., getting a trade certification, buying workout equipment, getting a gym membership is also be highly valuable as improving yourself not only allow you to earn more, which you can then invest more into crypto, and having a more fulfilled and more healthy lifestyle will allow you to enjoy the fruits of your investment and labour. + +There are also plenty of other investing options like real estate, gold/silver, and starting your own business, each with their own characteristics and risk/reward that can be considered too. Like the internet and crypto, who knows what innovative new opportunity is going to arise? + +My point is crypto is not the only road to riches, and it is important to keep an open mind and take up any opportunities that arises, but don't forget to do your due diligence at all times, or like this sub like to call it, DYOR. +I was wondering what were a good savings goal by 25 would be as I am 25 right now on an 80k salary package, I have saved around 20k. So I would say I am doing okay for myself. +**UPDATE**: see [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/vm1v0e/update_on_the_cellphonevenmo_scam_that_i_fell/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) Venmo credited back my money. + + +Full disclaimer: I was stupid for not putting a PIN or Face ID on my Venmo app. I swear that I had the PIN/Face ID option turned on, but for some reason it is not. + +Story: I was at an outdoor shopping center yesterday, and some guy asked me to take photos for him, and I did. And he then asked me if I liked hip hop, and I told him, yeah, I am into some artists. He then asked me to add him on IG. As I took out my phone and opened up my IG, he told me to let him add him on my IG app, and I \*\*stupidly\*\* gave him my phone -- I didn't think much at the time because it was a busy area, and I definitely was more thinking he wouldn't just take my phone and run away. Unbeknownst to me at the time, he opened up my Venmo account and transferred $2,000 to his Venmo account. I only realized what happened this morning. + +Since I've done so far: + +1). Reported the incident to Venmo. The customer representative opened a dispute. But from what I've read on Reddit, it seems like the odds of them ruling it in my favor are slim? + +2). Talked to my bank, but I was told a dispute can only be opened until the transaction is complete because it is still pending, and they cannot stop the payment + +3). Talked to the local police department on the phone and I was told this is considered a "grand theft". I left my contact info and was told someone will contact me to take a report (or if I want, I can drive to the station to file a report). + +Are there other things I should do in the meantime, or is this just a matter of waiting? What additional recourses do I have for this? +* People have been paying crazy prices on homes because of low rates +* Now that rates are going up, no one is going to be able to purchase those homes (if you live in the house for a long time and do not lose your job, it might not affect you) +* With rates and prices going up, people will spend less +* When people spend less, companies downsize/go under +* When people are laid off, they can’t pay their debt. Many will lose those high priced homes and will not be able to sell them. +* They will also be forced to pull out of investments (at a loss), sending the stock market spiraling down. +Please use this thread to have discussions which you don't feel warrant a new post to the sub. While the Rules for posting questions on the basics of personal finance/investing topics are relaxed a little bit here, the rules against memes/spam/self-promotion/excessive rudeness/politics still apply! + +Have a look at the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/wiki/faq) for this subreddit before posting to see if your question is frequently asked. + +Since this post does tend to get busy, consider sorting the comments by "new" (instead of "best" or "top") to see the newest posts. + +[Email from SVP @ Google regarding Bitcoin](http://i.imgur.com/zYkPrZa.jpg?1) + +So on a whim, I sent an e-mail to Vic Gundotra (Senior Vice President, Social for Google) about Bitcoin, why it's the most disruptive technology since the Internet itself, and how I'm not the only one out there wondering when/if they have plans to incorporate it into Google Wallet. + +He immediately responded and said they are "paying attention", and CC'd the gentleman who runs Google Wallet - Sridhar Ramaswamy (SVP, Ads & Commerce at Google). + +I've entered into a dialogue with him. + +This is my take away on why Google kicks ass : + +A) One of the bosses actually responded to email from an absolute nobody about Bitcoin + +B) Google is paying attention to Bitcoin (he would never have responded or said those words if Google is +positioning themselves to be "Anti BTC" (or even try to create a product to rival BTC) + +C) He put me in touch with the man who runs the Google Wallet division. + +So, what do I say to Sridhar? Any suggestions? + +Before some of the Anti BTC Brigade chime in with "so what?, he's just one dude" - please think about this. If Google had NO plans in regards to Bitcoin, this guy would be smart enough not to respond to such an email, in the manner he responded, and CC the person who runs the Google Wallet division. + +If you ask me, the writing is on the wall(et) (pun intended).. and this was a really pleasant surprise. + + +Update: [Screenshot of Email I sent (personal information blacked out)](http://i.imgur.com/LvO08Jr.jpg?1) + +Update 2: [Google CONFIRMS they are incorporating Bitcoin](http://i.imgur.com/JPGI6lL.jpg?1) + +Update 3: **UPDATE: Ariel Bardin, Vice President of Payments @ Google has asked me to facilitate a Google Moderator and pose the question "What would I want Google to do with bitcoin?". He's promised me he will personally review the results and pass it along to the team working on incorporating BTC into Google. Please help me with this and take the time to submit something: [What would I want Google to do with bitcoin?](https://www.google.com/moderator/#16/e=20e106)** +Hi, + +We are selling a commercial property overseas for $5M. The title is still under our deceased parents and we are working on the extrajudicial settlement of the estate. There are three heirs, so each one will receive $1.6M. The buyer can wire transfer the divided amount to three bank accounts in CA, USA. Do we need to pay any taxes? Any additional forms to file for taxes? I know California doesn't have any inheritance taxes, what about federal? We are notifying our banks about the large transfer and unfortunately, our CPA is a bit clueless. + +Thank you! +My husband was injured recently and all of the cash in his wallet was covered in blood. It's about $400, so I'd really hate to have to just throw it away. I've already contacted my bank, but they weren't sure if they could take it since it's now a biohazard. They said they'd call me back either tomorrow or Monday, but I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if so, what their experience was. + +And what, if any, other options do I have if the bank won't take the money? + +Thanks! + +Edit: Whoa, this blew up over night. Thank you all for your advice. We ended up just putting the money in the pockets of an old pair of jeans and sending it through the washing machine, which worked well. And to all of the people who asked about my husband, he's okay. He just needed a few stitches. +Not sure if people have noticed this yet but I just checked and after the current rewards expire on June 10th the next month doesn’t have a 4% option or even a 3% option. There is only one 2% option, a 1.5% and a few 1% options. + +Your options are +2% AMP +1.5% BTC +1% ETH +1% DAI +1%USDC + +I know they announced it would change each month now but it’s still disappointing to see the 4% option disappear. Of course it’s possible to see a 4% option again in coming months but definitely not a certainty. + +To all the coinbase card users what do you plan on picking for the next month? This will be the first time I’ve had to switch, definitely gonna miss the 4% XLM. +🚩Get in super early on this wealth creation saving project and secure your passive Binance-Peg BUSD income! + +BankersDream team consists of German financial experts paired with a software developer. The goal is to build an asset with an ecosystem fuelling the volume for the rewards to consistently secure your passive income. + +🚩BankersDream is highly community driven and the team wants to work with the community to make this into the next big reward token. + +↪️ Always feel free to enquire in their socials, the team will answer any question ! + +Buy on PancakeSwap + +📜Contract address: 0x966f75a3A48BD6133220Bf83A62429bf04Adf29f + +📊 Tokenomics + +\- 8% Reflected in PEG BUSD-T to all holders + +\- 1% Liquidity + +\- 2% Buyback and burn wallet + +\- 4% Marketing + +\- Anti-whale mechanism, no wallet can hold more than 3% + +📌BankersWhale + +\- The first community idea which will be implemented into the system is BankersWhale. + +\- 1.5% of the marketing tax will be used as a community investment fund. The BankersDream team will use this money with community suggestions to invest in various altcoins and meme coins. + +\- New projects can also reach out to BankersWhale to apply for an AMA with the BankersDream community, in which they can present the idea and receive an early investment from our fund. + +\- 75% of the yield generated by the fund will be distributed to holders, applying the same logic as for the BUSD rewards. + +\- 25% of the yield will be kept for further development costs of the ecosystem. + +\- The BankersWhale fund is a risk-free way for their community to generate another form of income. + +\- Only BankersDream Holders will receive the participation in the yield! + +Visit and learn more at[ www.bankersdream.org](http://www.bankersdream.org/) or Join our Subreddit r/Bankers_Dream. + +Daily AMAs at 3PM EST in our TG. +My original Quant post, august 2018: [https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoMoonShots/comments/965gmn/qntquant\_best\_team\_in\_crypto/](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoMoonShots/comments/965gmn/qntquant_best_team_in_crypto/) + +&#x200B; + +I am still deep in Quant, I believe in it very much. I've bought into a grand total of THREE different coins since then - I am extremely selective. This is one of them, discovered just the other day: + +Chroma (token) on Chromia (platform) + +Ticker: CHR + +\[Smart-contract platform and relational database\] + +&#x200B; + +Summary: + +* Been around since 2012, was the FIRST BLOCKCHAIN PROJECT TO ISSUE TOKENS +* Was the inspiration for ethereum and all that followed +* First blockchain project to work with a bank (LHV) +* First blockchain project to work with a govt agency (Swedish Land Registry) +* Working with Daimler ([https://blog.chromaway.com/daimler-partnership/](https://blog.chromaway.com/daimler-partnership/)) +* Euro team, based in Sweden +* Testnet is live +* Actual revenue-generating company +* Only 1298 wallets so far +* MDO finalist with USAF ([https://blog.chromaway.com/chromaway-afwerx-finalists/](https://blog.chromaway.com/chromaway-afwerx-finalists/)) +* Other LARGE govt working partnerships (actual use) in the pipeline, including Taiwan and Australia + +&#x200B; + +Just do some googling and you will find more than you know what to do with, I'm struggling to keep this post short. + +Tokenomics: + +* Market cap: 2mil +* Outlook: in 2018, every coin in the top 200 on CMC was 50x this size. That is a *very* conservative estimate of CHR's performance. +* Circ. supply 135mil / total 256mil (53% circulating, decent) +* ICO, May 2019, raised $13mil +* therefore cap is currently *6.5x* *below ICO price* +* Team tokens on a four-year lock +* There will be staking at 20% annual yield + +&#x200B; + +Website/SM presence + +* This is the main downside - the branding is a bit off, but the team report in TG that a rebrand and completely new, more professional & international website is in the works +* Pushing to appeal to global market and new website/presence to match + +&#x200B; + +Technicals + +* Chart has bottomed hard, been bleeding since release +* Buys have quadrupled in 24hrs on kucoin +* Absolutely fresh clean chart, tiny shoots of green appearing and volume increasing massively. + +&#x200B; + +Exchanges: + +* Bilaxy +* Bitmax +* Bithumb +* **KuCoin \*highest volume here** + +&#x200B; + +Fundamentals: + +There is literally too much to write in one post about this thing, it's actually a massive project from a real, profitable company with more history in the blockchain game than nearly anyone else. Read the FAQ here and you can find a tonne of info, including technical stuff if you're that way inclined: [https://chromia.com/faq.html#gs.vrtxt6](https://chromia.com/faq.html#gs.vrtxt6) + +&#x200B; + +Links + +[https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/chromia/](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/chromia/) + +[https://etherscan.io/token/0x915044526758533dfb918eceb6e44bc21632060d](https://etherscan.io/token/0x915044526758533dfb918eceb6e44bc21632060d) + +&#x200B; + +It's not often we find a project of this scale and authenticity that has flown right under the radar and is still at such a low market cap. This is a big, real, working infrastructure project, sitting at 2million cap. It doesn't have to pull a 10,000x and flip ETH in order to be an absolutely killer investment. If it goes even 10x, that's a mere 20mil cap and those of you who've been around a while know how small that is. 500x would place it in the *top forty* cmc from 2018. I'm not going to make exact predictions but you can see that, in any case, 2mil right now is an absolute steal. + +&#x200B; + +Please have a dig around and see what you think, there's loads I'm still exploring about it + +&#x200B; + +Some more info: + + [https://www.coindesk.com/tag/chromaway](https://www.coindesk.com/tag/chromaway) + +&#x200B; + +Let me know what you think, thanks for reading. +Having watched the now ITM 4160 6/26 put increase by 100% on Friday, it made me think that possibly the screw has been turned on the S&P. + +Friday's closing bell on yahoo featured a fairly worried looking panel, and their reporter from the NYSE floor said "he couldnt remember the last time there was shouting from traders". + +Thoughts, opinions would be great? Is it time for that correction nearly everyone agrees with? + +If not now when would be a better time? +Here is btc from 2016-2021 and Gold from 1970-2021 + +I’m a bozo and I really don’t know what to make of this, tbh probably just a visual correlation. But +I think its pretty cool. + +https://preview.redd.it/znmxunbuoe281.png?width=942&format=png&auto=webp&s=97c4805c8f89c067289c7ed8b706a985bcd0c17a +Made my first successful trade today after my very first loss. Now I'm up 3.62% which for me is only about $1.81 in profit. Very excited about having done my first few trades ever. +https://www.aarp.org/money/investing/info-2018/ten-commandments-of-smart-investing.html + +**I. Thou shalt not forget that skillful salespeople can manipulate thy emotions.** + +When there are sales to be made, there are people out there who can play you like a fiddle. Plucking emotional strings can persuade potential customers that they not only want a product but desperately need it. Expert salespeople will stoke fear to sell security systems or identity protection; they’ll stroke your ego to sell you a car that’s just out of your price range. Wait until your emotions have settled before signing anything. + +**II. Thou shalt not buy an investment before completely understanding it.** + +Simple and transparent products are almost always superior to more complex alternatives. So why do people get pitched so many complicated investments? My fervent belief: Those perplexing features are designed to obscure and excuse the seller’s profits. So it’s critical to understand what you’re buying, what it costs and why it’s right for you. Take this commandment a step further and never buy an investment you can’t explain to an 8-year-old. + +**III. Thou shalt remember there is no such thing as a free lunch.** + +I mean that literally. The next time someone invites you to a meal so you can learn about a new way to protect or increase your wealth, politely decline. Whether an investment, a time-share or a multilevel marketing program is on the menu, that free lunch will cost you. In fact, the ritzier the restaurant, the worse the “opportunity” on the table, since expensive marketing can be justified only by selling products with juicy profits. + +**IV. Thou shalt put thyself in the seller’s shoes before buying.** + +Prior to making a major purchase, you can protect yourself by reflecting on two key questions: + +1. What’s in it for the person selling you this product? + +2. How does the company behind the product make money? + +Is the $99 printer really a deal or is someone counting on you to spend $500 a year on ink cartridges? Why does that free 30-day trial subscription require a credit card number if the seller isn’t counting on you to forget to cancel? Reverse roles and think about how someone is profiting from your purchase. + +**V. Thou shalt not ever believe thou art too smart to fall for bad investments.** + +When salesmanship is at play, intelligence can take a holiday. Sir Isaac Newton, for instance, lost a fortune investing in England’s hottest stock — the South Sea Company. A towering intellect didn’t shield him (or other geniuses throughout history) from making foolish choices with their money. And if the greatest minds can be fooled, what can the rest of us do? Embracing our own fallibility is a good start. + +**VI. Thou shalt not accept the stated word but instead always get it in writing.** + +I call this the “Trust but verify” commandment. During the course of a sales pitch, a seller might take some creative license with the facts. Is the deposit really completely refundable? Can you really cancel your subscription at any time? + +The answers to these questions may be in some 25-page disclosure document; confirm that it matches what you’re hearing. Even an emailed promise from a salesperson can give you a chance for recourse. So can a recording of a phone call (check that it’s legal in your state to record a call without the other party’s consent). + +**VII. Thou shalt not buy anything that is too good to be true.** + +Common wisdom dictates that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Our brains never get that memo, however, so you must always weigh the facts against your emotional response. I’ve been offered free cruises and free cellphones, for example. But the cruise booking fee was more than the retail cost of the cruise, of course, and the free phone would have locked me into a contract. + +**VIII. Thou shalt avoid limited-time offers (like the plague).** + +The ticking clock is a powerful sales tool. You’re presented with an opportunity that is so amazing that everybody will want in on it. Demand is eclipsing supply, so you must act now or forever lose out. + +If someone says you have to buy now, don’t. We don’t make our best decisions when rushed. Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman describes how the human brain thinks by dividing the task into two systems. One relies upon instinct for fast action; the other draws on logic and moves more slowly. That “limited-time offer” dangled before you is designed to trigger your instincts before your logic can kick in. + +**IX. Thou shalt not depend upon a regulator for protection.** + +I’ve never seen firsthand a consumer reimbursed for losses by a financial regulator. I’ve even known financial regulators who suffered losses because even they didn’t understand what they had been sold. I question whether consumer protection agencies in nonfinancial areas are any more effective. It’s better to make the right decision in the first place than to count on a watchdog to bail you out. + +**X. Above all, thou shalt not forget that people wish to separate thee from thy money.** + +In the pursuit of cash, most people want as much of yours as they can get. While they usually go after it legally, sometimes they do so in a way that’s questionable ethically. People regularly prey on our quirks to get us to open our wallets. Be inspired by that truth and act accordingly. +Now that witching is behind us, we can look ahead to a real catalyst. I'm sure a lot of you have seen me post most of this in the daily threads, but it would be nice to get this some real visibility ahead of Tuesday: + +Just a reminder that there hasn't been a Gamestop news catalyst in a while and **tomorrow** is the next confirmed date for more. Catalysts drive volume which drives price. + +Last big news catalysts? + +``````New Edit 3/23`````` + +**3/23** - Breaking news this morning, [SEC filings indicate](https://gamestop.gcs-web.com/sec-filings/sec-filing/8-k/0001193125-21-090320) that Gamestop Chief Customer officer Frank Hamlin is stepping down after a transition ending 31 March. Who could possibly replace him? How about Kelli Durkin, Chewy’s prior Vice President of Customer Service who was [brought on with Gamestop March 1 as Senior VP of Customer Care](https://news.gamestop.com/news-releases/news-release-details/gamestop-appoints-chief-technology-officer). There is no confirmation that she is the replacement at this time. + +No known impact on volume yet from this breaking news. + +**3/8** - [Gamestop governance update](https://news.gamestop.com/news-releases/news-release-details/gamestop-provides-corporate-governance-update) announcing a new board for the e-commerce transition led by Ryan Cohen. This was announced pre-market. + +3 day action around that announcement: + +03/09/2021 Open: $217.71 Close: $246.90 Vol: 39,099,330 + +03/08/2021 Open: $154.89 Close: $194.50 Vol: **63,565,620** + +03/05/2021 Open: $128.17 Close: $137.74 Vol: 30,733,670 + + + +**2/23** - [Gamestop announces resignation of CFO](https://news.gamestop.com/news-releases/news-release-details/gamestop-announces-resignation-cfo-and-succession-plan-support) and succession plan. This was announced post-market. + +*4* day action around that announcement (edited to include the 25th since the news dropped post-market on the 23rd): + +02/25/2021 Open: $169.56 Close: $108.73 Vol: **150,308,800** + +02/24/2021 Open: $44.70 Close: $91.71 Vol: **83,111,740** + +02/23/2021 Open: $44.97 Close: $44.97 Vol: 7,565,215 + +02/22/2021 Open: $46.69 Close: $46.00 Vol: 19,476,020 + + +**Price Action following these news catalysts:** + +[Link to NASDAQ's historical data for GME](https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/gme/historical) + +Here's how closing price trended around these two announcements: + +2/23 - Close: $44.97 - **CFO announcement after hours** + +2/24 - Close: $91.71 + +2/25 - Close: $108.73 + +2/26 - Close: $101.74 + +3/01 - Close: $120.40 + +3/02 - Close: $118.18 + +3/03 - Close: $124.18 + +3/04 - Close: $132.35 + +3/05 - Close: $137.74 + +3/08 - Close: $194.50 - **Committee announcement pre-market** + +3/09 - Close: $246.90 + +3/10 - Close: $265.00 - **Day's high: $348.5 - flash crash attempt** + +3/11 - Close: $260.00 + +3/12 - Close: $264.5 + + +As you can see, there are immediate and lasting price leaps from these catalysts. After the CFO announcement on the 23rd, the price spiked and a new floor established around $110-130 until the next catalyst hit on the 8th. The price really took off after that, gaining $40 from open the 8th, over $50 by closing on the 10th, and continuing upward trajectory until the major flash-crash on the 10th brought momentum to a halt. We've consolidated consistently around $200 since then. That's a decent floor considering the next news catalysts are likely to cause bigger volume and price reactions than we've seen, possibly bigger than January's gamma squeeze that got cut short. + +**Next confirmed Gamestop announcement:** + +**3/23** [Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2020 Earnings](https://news.gamestop.com/news-releases/news-release-details/gamestop-announces-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-year-2020-earnings) + +Following that announcement we can expect to hear about a replacement for their CFO, the *possibility* that Ryan Cohen may be taking a new role within Gamestop, and with the end of the pre-earnings blackout period Gamestop will be free to announce any transition initiatives moving forward. + +*A note on earnings:* **Gamestop's fiscal year runs through January**. So the Q4 report will include holiday sales, the console release, increased offerings of PC parts, and any additional sales driven through Jan from suddenly getting a ton of free press and consumer goodwill. + +For those that want to dial in: +>2020 earnings results after the market closes on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. The phone number for the investor conference call is 877-451-6152 and the confirmation code is 13715567. [More links to where the fiscal reports will be available and further conference details here.](https://old.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/majulc/gamestop_link_to_investors_conference_on_tuesday/grsuvc0/?context=3) + + + + +`````````````````````````````````````````````````````` + + +**Editing to include some new info I dug up regarding the board members who will not be standing for re-election at the next board meeting. + +An interesting find for anyone wondering about outgoing Gamestop board members who may own a large number of shares: + +>**Lizabeth Dunn, Raul Fernandez, James K. Symancyk and Kathy Vrabeck** [told the board they don’t plan to stand for reelection](https://www.barrons.com/articles/gamestop-will-add-activist-investors-to-the-board-the-stock-shot-up-51610384385) at the company’s annual meeting in June. The board will shrink to nine members following that meeting. + +Per [this article](https://www.barrons.com/articles/gamestop-insiders-sold-stock-before-it-went-vertical-51611760507) three of the four members **sold a large % of their personal stake in Gamestop around January 13.** + +>GameStop Chair Kathy Vrabeck sold 50,000 shares on Jan. 13 for $1.4 million, a per-share average price of $27.99. Vrabeck, a senior client partner in the consumer markets division of Korn Ferry, now owns 79,537 GameStop shares. A director since June 2012, Vrabeck last sold stock in September 2015, selling 5,000 shares for $209,800, an average price of $41.96 each. + +>Raul Fernandez sold 38,119 shares from Jan. 13 through 15 for a total of $1.4 million, a per-share average of $35.50. Fernandez is a vice chairman and owner of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, a private partnership that co-owns the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the NHL’s Washington Capitals. He now owns 29,289 GameStop shares. It is the first stock sale for Fernandez, who joined GameStop’s board in April 2019. + +>Lizabeth Dunn sold 5,000 shares on Jan. 13 for $156,700, a per-share average price of $31.34. Dunn, founder and CEO of Pro4ma, an IT services consulting firm, now owns 57,258 GameStop shares. She joined the board in April 2019, and this is her first sale of stock. +Hello everyone, I am not really sure where else to post this so I figured here goes nothing: + +I just joined Company A as a Senior Full Stack Developer. It's a non-profit and really the people here are nice, my total pay is $130k and I am happy with it. I started today and literally two hours into work, Company B gave me an offer for a Technical Lead position. Company B is willing to pay $160k and overall the job profile is much better. I originally wanted to be a Tech Lead in the next two years (because I genuinely didn't think I'd get it now), but they're offering it right now and I honestly want to take it. What do I do? Serve my one week tomorrow? Suck it up and just continue here? I'd appreciate any opinions. + +Thank you. +I'd make an insulting remark about Russian stonks but I'm pretty the market will do it for me. + +(Update Post 24 March Opening) + +Instead of ripping off the bandage and letting the market decide, Putin and his infinite wisdom has artificially propped up the major stocks using funds from the Central Bank so that it appears that the market is rising, but only upon first glance. They banned short selling and foreign stock sales and only allowed trading of a very small amount of stocks in a very small window of time. + +[https://www.yahoo.com/now/russian-stocks-jump-much-12-102052318.html](https://www.yahoo.com/now/russian-stocks-jump-much-12-102052318.html) + +[https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/24/investing/premarket-stocks-trading/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/24/investing/premarket-stocks-trading/index.html) + +[https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/limited-russian-stock-market-trading-resume-march-24-central-bank-says-2022-03-23/](https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/limited-russian-stock-market-trading-resume-march-24-central-bank-says-2022-03-23/) +We have $380b worth of stimulus being released as of tomorrow. + +We have an ‘official’ estimate that 10% of people receiving stimulus will put it onto stocks - $38b into stocks. + +Let’s assume that 10% of those people put it into GME - $3.8b in GME. + +Let’s assume that they are apes and put 50% of their stimulus checks into GME - $1.9 BILLION dollars into GME. + +Let’s go 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀 +I am looking for a list of things to buy when buying my first home. I close on June 1st. The lists I find online are assuming this is the first time you are moving out, suggesting cleaning supplies, plungers, etc. But I have lived for 3 years in apartments, I have all of that stuff. I am looking for a list of stuff specifically for a house vs apartment (Mower, for example). Can someone point me to a list? + +Thank You! +Politics aside, this would seriously change the FI/RE landscape for a lot of us. Just wanted to see what you all think. + +https://www.paul.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ObamacareReplacementActSections.pdf + +EDIT: Oops! I thought this was Paul Ryan's plan, but it's actually Rand Paul's plan. Either way, it's the unlimited HSA contributions part that matters. +Hi, + +I've been putting a little bit of money into a Fidelity Roth IRA for over 4 years now. I finally thought of looking at if I was making any money off it, and I am not. Some years, I only made a few cents. + +I am wondering what to do from here with that money. I see it is all invested in short term assets. I am a real newb at this. Are there online settings that I can just change my asset mix and make more money on this? + +I feel dumb but better to realize now that when I am 65 (20 years). I don't have a retirement account through work as well. + +Mostly, I've just been trying to make it month to month. + +Thanks in advance for your gentle advice. +Rob + +So your dumb ass stumbled into crypto and got rich on a bull run. Now you want to buy a Lamborghini? Bad idea. Your stubby legs and fat ass will not be able to drive it. You can barely stand up. Just buy a giant chunk of some god damn land out in a low population area that is rich in natural resources like fresh water and big ass trees. Bitcoin can go down in a second. You know what doesn't go down? The population of earth. Every one of us sniveling humans need fresh water, housing, graphics cards, cars, and other stupid humans to keep them content. Invest in owning a piece of something even more deflationary than bitcoin or eth. Remember, you cant eat a Lambo. +Saw a post on /r/Askreddit recently about this which came as a cultural shock to most people, wondering how many people on this sub gives money to their parents (Even if they don't live with them anymore) and what % of your monthly salary do you give? +Hello, + +&#x200B; + +New to this site. After some advice. After starting work at 16, ive never saved a penny. Im now 19, earning around £18,000 a year before tax. + +I have multiple debts- + +Credit Card 1- £900 limit- Currently owe £975 as on a payment holiday until november. + +Credit Card 2- £100 + +Overdraft- £750 + +Car Finance- £7300, £175 monthly + +Very- £150 + +V12 Finance (watch)- £100 remaining. + +Rent to parents- £200 monthly + +Owing friend £200 + +Im aware this is a lot of debt, in the past year or so ive made some silly financial decisions since turning 18. Im now in a position that i want to turn things around. + +I earn about £1340 a month after tax and currently have £360 in savings which i started in september. I want to get to a point in which i have no credit cards or overdraft but am unsure how to get there. I have a girlfriend now and im fed up of not being able to do things due to lack of money. + +How can i go about getting my finances in order aswell as having money to enjoy my social life. + +Ollie +I’m a guy from a third world country just looking to invest my savings. I tried looking in traditional investment options but sadly got priced out. + +I believe Cryptocurrency with their infinitely divisible nature is transforming the world. you could put $1 and already see it appreciate decently ,and that’s what made me in love with it. +When most ppl think Disney, they think Parks. But Disney is so much more than that! Most ppl dont know that Disney owns + +* ABC +* ESPN (80%) +* Marvel +* Lucasfilm +* Pixar + +And these are just a few. But because of their ownership of ABC and ESPN, Seems like sports betting is inevitable. + +From a TA view, just looking at money flow over last few weeks and its been ticking up. + +When we look at Gamma exposure, 170 provides some great support but in the short term, 185 is some tough resistance. But in the long term, I like Dis over 200 by the end of the year. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/m8rk1jgpdmg71.png?width=1774&format=png&auto=webp&s=d9c2a799a66198936a414c03fbd6a9d4125f7b28 + +https://preview.redd.it/3ekqk6oodmg71.png?width=1906&format=png&auto=webp&s=ba6f23f32c6347305c9e51c6ea4eada7abe8124d +I sold 300 of the -217.5p/+215p credit spread for HD with 8/23 expiration. The max loss should be $2.50. At the closing on Friday, HD closed at $217.47 so those put contract I sold was in the money by 0.03 cents. However, my brokerage, bank of america, makes me take max loss of $2.50 each despite having a 0.03 cents ITM contract. + +1. My brokerage after hours excercised all 300 of my 215 put contracts that I bought for protection and sold all the shares at $215 +2. Today when I woke up, I found out that 198 contracts out of the 300 "217.5 put" contracts I sold were assigned. +3. My brokerage could have just waited for me to be assigned and force me to sell the shares once I get assigned, but instead choose to make me take a max loss for their own protection. +4. They also said they have a team to close any in the money contracts 1 hour before the market closes. However, my 217.50 put were not on their radar and they missed closing my contracts before market closes. + +Do any of you ever had this happened? I don't know what to do. + +\&amp;#x200B; + +[I found out today 8/24 that I was assigned 19,800 shares of HD at 217.50](https://i.redd.it/e6nrepex3fi31.jpg) + +\&amp;#x200B; + +[Yesterday, after hours, my brokerage decided to excercise my 215 put as protection and sold all the shares](https://i.redd.it/uzk6bl934fi31.jpg) + +UPDATE 1: Added the 4th point for clarification + +UPDATE 2 8/26/19: So the 10,200 shares of HD which was shorted at $215, I had to rebuy at $217.57. Everything with this trade is made against the best interest of the trader. Had Merill Edge let my sold put be assigned at $217.50, I could have sold those shares back to the market at $218 today and come out ahead. The intervention by the human factor lead me to more than a max loss in this case. The picture is posted below + +NOTE: The argument that my account cannot handle $6.5 million in HD shares is true. However, the broker makes me takes a $6.5 million margin to buy 30,000 shares of HD whereas I was only assigned 19,800 shares at $217.50, which is roughly $4 million something. So by forcing me to take $6.5 million, it is even riskier than just letting me be assigned. + +&#x200B; + +[Record of trade. They could have left my position alone. I would have been assigned 19,800 shares of HD at $217.50 and be able to sell it back for the same price or more. Instead, I am forced to take a loss on 102 options positions that were not even being assigned.](https://i.redd.it/kw69tq6foxi31.jpg) + +&#x200B; + +[I do have other weekly HD positions that are profitable at different price points as pictured above, so I don't concentrate my risk in one option play. Also, HD is not the only ticker that I trade with options, I also have other ticker positions as well. I am just awestruck by the fact that my brokerage would take a position against my best interest.](https://i.redd.it/qptp7g71rxi31.jpg) + +&#x200B; + +[CRWD, I bought to cover to lock in on the profit. I do not concentrate my risk on only one option position. But it does suck being forced to take max loss on my HD position.](https://i.redd.it/hdpuksnxrxi31.jpg) +My mom lives on the coast of Florida. She’s 74 and in good health - walks every day and eats well with no real pressing issues minus slightly high blood pressure. She has no real credit card debt to speak of. + +She’s never spoken to me about finances until I pressed her recently to see how she’s doing - at which point she told me she has less than 50k left in her retirement funds. + +Her current plan is to sell her house (she estimates getting about 375k for it and has no mortgage), downsizing to a lower cost of living town and finding a house for under 200k - then putting the difference into savings. + +While this seems like a pretty good plan of attack, I still think she needs some financial education on how to keep tabs on her money so that she can live on her retirement (let’s call it between 150 and 250 depending on how much money she gets for her house plus moving costs etc). + +I’m looking for ideas on how to help, which I think she would welcome. + +- Should I try to find her a financial advisor to have a one-time sit down with to go through her finances and come up with a plan? + +- I think I have to get a handle on where her money is right now (how it’s invested), but what is the smartest way for her to have money invested when she is already retired? I only really know about how to build retirement savings, not manage money in retirement. + +- What’s the best way for my sister and I to help financially? Just deposit some money into her bank account every month? Set up an emergency fund for her? Neither of us are making the big bucks but we can certainly do a little to help get her to a good place. + +- Am I missing anything? Anyone have some good ideas as to how to handle this situation? + +As always thanks for the advice. + +*Update* - Didn't expect so many responses this quickly. I'm getting great advice and a good mix of perspectives - keep em coming! Thanks again! + +So far, based on the comments, my plan is to: +1) ask her if she's comfortable sharing all her financial information with me and make sure she wants me involved +2) get a handle on how much social security income she has, and look at her average monthly spending, figuring out the difference +3) take a look at her retirement funds to see how/where they're invested, and whether there is a safer route for that money +4) look into how her medicare works, and how/what future costs will get paid... with special interest into how long term care will play out in her state +5) see if there are any property tax subsidies for her age or other ways to cut costs +6) see if she's open to opportunities for fun/social part time work that could be good for her mental and social health, as well as the pocket book. i doubt she'll be open to a roommate, but offer as an option +7) make sure she's collecting SS from my deceased father (my guess is yes) + + +Best options seem to be: +1) sell the house and find a small condo/apartment in an area she likes or perhaps closer to me, if it seems like this is feasible. +2) rent the house, and use the rental income to pay for a smaller apartment for her while also adding to her retirement fund +3) keep house if she doesn't really want to move and come up with a strict budget, with monthly help from her kids (monthly help will probably come regardless of which option she choses) +I was a cleaner before the pandemic but I need to leave the town I live in now as I’m leaving my husband. (My husband has no money either before you ask so I can’t take any). I cannot find any jobs that Im qualified for as I have no experience doing anything else nor the education, however am willing to do most kinds of work once there are jobs again. + +I have no savings and no family or friends to live with so I’ll need to find an apartment. Is there anything I can do to get a job or get government aid until I can get a job after the pandemic? + +I’ve never lived alone or dealt with any of this before. Any help or advice is so needed. +I am not a person who likes to stay in one area more than 5 years or so. I get bored and feel like there's more out there for me to see. Has anyone ever achieved FI without ever owning their own home and renting forever and how did it go? Thanks! +Just wary about cashiers checks in general, but can someone tell me if this seems fishy or legit. Selling something on CL, get email reply that they will overnight me a cashiers check for full amount I’m asking for the item, then will arrangement pickup when I confirm I received the full payment by mail. Things they’re asking for info-wise: my name, address to mail check, price, and phone number. No weird request for bank info or anything. What could go wrong? Am I missing something? + +EDIT: Thanks for all the insight, tips, and words of wisdom. Had a bad feeling about this to be sure. I also doubt the validity of the check. We’ll see what happens when I ask them to use a more verifiable method like cash app/venmo/paypal or cash. I suspect they’ll disappear! +I recently purchased my first home solo and my girlfriend will be moving in with me shortly. + +I feel it would be unfair to split the mortgage repayment 50/50, as she would effectively be funding half of an investment that is solely in my name which I purchased to benefit me and my future. + +I’m also aware that after we’ve been together for a while, she is pretty much entitled to half of what I own anyway. + +Would you split the repayment or instead have them pay the equivalent of “renting a room”? Or just have them contribute to bills? What is generally considered the wise decision here? +The posts on the front page about Cardano right now are bipolar as fuck. It's true...most people would probably agree that Cardano is one of the most divisive topics of discussion on this sub. I'll admit my bias for the project, but my opinions have not been formed based on rampant, baseless speculation. Let's look at the facts and the data. I believe I've been able to leave my bias out of most everything below... + +&nbsp; + +[Here is the Messari table for most active coins](https://messari.io/screener/most-active-chains-DB01F96B) + +You can sort this table in all sorts of ways. As of today, if you sort by "Real Volume", "Transaction Volume", or "Adjusted Transaction Volume", you'd see Cardano ranked 3rd behind BTC and ETH. Now, some will refute this evidence of Cardano's utility by saying that Messari skews these numbers for UTxO platforms because of "change" UTxOs. Fair enough...let's sort by "Active Addresses" and we see Cardano ranked 4th at ~383k addresses, 80% of ETHs active addresses and about 42% of BTC...and this is without any DeFi projects having launched yet. You can see [here](https://messari.io/charts/cardano/act-addr-cnt) that is a growth of about 250% over the last week. +TheDeFi project with the biggest reputation at this point, SundaeSwap, will most likely launch before the end of the year. People LOVE to measure the value of a chain based on TVL, which many Cardano bears will correctly state that there is currently zero TVL. Yeah, no shit...you can't measure something before it's been created. It's like trying to say somebody will be a shit athlete before they're even born, they have to at least grow to an age where they can start participating (analogies not always my strong suit, bare with me...). Anybody calling Cardano "vaporware" is lying, and anyone saying it "has no dapps yet" is not paying attention to the activity in the community and, while true at THIS VERY MOMENT, is basically ignoring the state of current DeFi projects. Ethereum took far longer than 11 weeks for good quality dapps to get going, Cardano will have them in about 4 months time from launch of smart contracts. + +&nbsp; + +Ok...so Cardano is being used A LOT right now...how is it handling the load? Well, you can see [here](https://datastudio.google.com/reporting/3136c55b-635e-4f46-8e4b-b8ab54f2d460/page/p_59kxcdtwnc) that the blockchain load has been steadily increasing since October. And you can see [here](https://datastudio.google.com/reporting/3136c55b-635e-4f46-8e4b-b8ab54f2d460/page/s0XCC) that the number of transactions is spiking greatly. (You can adjust the graphs to an earlier date to see that the trend is increasing but I can't link directly to it). Best thing about Cardano? It was built to BEND NOT BREAK!!! There are many parameters that can be adjusted on an epoch's notice to accommodate more transaction volume. In fact, [that is exactly what is being done](https://iohk.io/en/blog/posts/2021/11/22/slow-and-steady-wins-the-race-network-evolution-for-network-growth/). At the moment this is controlled by IOG, but when we eventually get full on-chain governance we, the community, will be in control of how Cardano adapts. + +&nbsp; + +I'm hoping I've laid out the facts with evidence pretty clearly here and I think I've avoided bias. I'm not trying to convince anybody to buy or sell, I want everybody to make up their own minds based on the data. It's exactly what attracted me to the Cardano project. There are ups and downs in the market, but Cardano's design will allow it to stand the test of time because of its "bend don't break" approach. The demand for its use is pushing up against the flood gates and they will be opening over the next few months. + +&nbsp; + +Edits for grammar +In the last few months I've lost $400k+ trading stonks, 0dte options and craptocyrrency. Every day I get up and first thing I do is check my portfolios. Been leveraged trading and revenge trading trying to win back my losses. Anyone else experienced this and have advice? Luckily I still have some money left and a good job, but the stress is taking its toll on my mental and physical health. Thanks retards. +"Locking the float" means nothing because the float is always changing. Institutions are always buying and selling, and will always use whatever shares they have against us. + +Our goal shouldn't be to lock the float, it should be to lock the company. It doesn't matter how long it takes, the bullshit won't stop until every single share is in our hands. + +Don't be set up for disappointment when we hit "100%" and nothing happens. + +**DRS until GameStop doesn't let us.** + +*Edit:* 85% upvoted, why is this controversial? + +More DRS > Less DRS, no? +For the first time in my adult life, I'm at least partially insured. The medical wasn't great so I declined it for now lol. But vision and dental...$20/ per check total. + +This means, within a few weeks, I can finally get the wisdom teeth that have been causing me so much pain ripped out. I can see a dentist if it gets infected again. + +Brand new glasses, that I've needed for over a year. For $10. My frame is from Zenni lmao, I'm shocked it held on this long. The arms no longer close and I'm always terrified they'll snap on me. + +I literally almost want to cry. The lady on the phone told me I was all set and I genuinely choked back a lump in my throat. + +This is such a small win, but it's a win I absolutely needed. +I have been working in a Level 1 IT position for almost a year and honestly everything was great from a benefits & work/life balance perspective, but the salary was just way too low, given where I wanted to be. On top of that, the work was way too "easy" and I often found myself with several hours left in the day with nothing to do, nearly every day, for the past 6 months. + +I have been job hunting for about 3 months in hopes of getting a better paying position. I was making $35k but received an offer of $50k from another company. I honestly wasn't sure how much I valued the benefits I received from my existing employer (working from home flexibility, free food, fitness center, hassle free time off), but a 40% increase in salary was definitely worth the jump, in my eyes. And I figure it would open the doors for further growth and opportunity down the road. + +I immediately accepted the offer and told them when I could start, which was after giving my existing employer 2 weeks notice. + +I signed the employment paperwork and then gave my 2 weeks notice the next day. Fast forward 3 days and they rescinded the offer, telling me they decided to go with someone who was immediately available, which made no sense to me. I told them what if I could start immediately and they said they decided to move on. And now I don't know what to do. Do I tell my existing employer? Can I even take back my notice? Wouldn't that look bad? + +I am freaking out now because I fear I am going to be jobless and my emergency fund is only $3000 (it got depleted a couple months ago) and my monthly expenses is around $1300. + +Job hunting was so stressful even *with* a job and in 3 months I only got 5 interviews and I don't know how I'm gonna manage now with NO job. + +EDIT: I went to sleep when this only had 3 comments. Unfortunately I can't respond to any until I'm home, but I've read through a lot which has helped me process what's going on a bit more while I try to figure things out. +Hi, I know a lot of ppl have some % in their portfolio holding GNT. With the imminent release of Golem Brass on the main net I definitely expect some bullish movement in the next few days. Currently trading at 0.20 cents, what’s your thought on price prediction after official announcement from Golem Team? +Let me start by saying that I have been in to Ether since the launch, and used the mist wallet from inception and still do. But when Jaxx released an IOS version I started to use that a lot, and always had great things to say about it. +However I have not been trading much for the last few months and have had a large stash of REP stored on it, but after watching John Mcaffee's recent video about phone wallet security I decided to move my REP, moved 10 successfully as a test before the big transfer, but when I tried to move the rest I had massive problems it said the transaction was successful but it wasn't i tried this 6/7 times with no joy. +So reluctantly I thought I would try MEW, reluctant because I do not like putting keys/mnemonics for wallets with large balances into a web browser but was getting really frustrated with Jaxx and felt I had to do it. +Needless to say it was unbelievably quick and easy and was all done with no problems at all, so a big THX to all the MEW team for creating a great product much respect for making my life less stressful :) +Dont be like me. Dont fall for the hype of making a quick dollar off these coins and their promises of "mooonnn" bullshit. Ethereum is the truth and the future. I sold a shit of my ETH and dabbled into this hype only to get burned on pump and dumps everywhere. Man, fuck it, I'm rebuying at a loss and never selling out again. Im sorry ETH, please take me back. +I"m beginning to realize that my tolerance for risk is pretty damn low. + +I invested a large insurance settlement of $175,000 about 6 months ago and am now up $7000 on paper (I'm 80% invested in stock index and 20% in bond index). + +I convinced myself that I'm in this for the long term but with a market correction coming soon I am shaking in my boots. Before receiving the insurance settlement I had basically nothing and the thought of losing a big chunk of it, even if its just on paper, freaks me out. + +I know that timing the market is fools play but I'm going to be that fool and sell my equities. I hope to buy back after the market corrects. + +I'd like to wait another 6 months to. avoid paying short term capital gains but I don't think I can wait that long. + +I applaud all of the investors on this sub who are able to ride the ups and downs of the market. I don't think I'm one of those people. +Seems like we are at the beginning of an alt rally. What are your top moonshots for this rally and why? + +Mine is still VIDT because of all the great partnerships they have I feel they can really take off, however they seem to be lagging behind a lot of other coins ATM. + +Interested to see what coins everyone is looking at right now + + +🚩Get in super early on this wealth creation saving project and secure your passive Binance-Peg BUSD income! + +BankersDream team consists of German financial experts paired with a software developer. The goal is to build an asset with an ecosystem fuelling the volume for the rewards to consistently secure your passive income. + +🚩BankersDream is highly community driven and the team wants to work with the community to make this into the next big reward token. + +↪️ Always feel free to enquire in their socials, the team will answer any question ! + +Buy on PancakeSwap + +📜Contract address: 0x966f75a3A48BD6133220Bf83A62429bf04Adf29f + +📊 Tokenomics + +\- 8% Reflected in PEG BUSD-T to all holders + +\- 1,5% Liquidity + +\- 2% Buyback and burn wallet + +\- 4% Marketing + +\- Anti-whale mechanism, no wallet can hold more than 8% + +📌BankersWhale + +\- The first community idea which will be implemented into the system is BankersWhale. + +\- 1,5% of the marketing tax will be used as a community investment fund. The BankersDream team will use this money with community suggestions to invest in various altcoins and meme coins. + +\- New projects can also reach out to BankersWhale to apply for an AMA with the BankersDream community, in which they can present the idea and receive an early investment from our fund. + +\- 75% of the yield generated by the fund will be distributed to holders, applying the same logic as for the BUSD rewards. + +\- 25% of the yield will be kept for further development costs of the ecosystem. + +\- The BankersWhale fund is a risk-free way for their community to generate another form of income. + +\- Only BankersDream Holders will receive the participation in the yield! + +Visit and learn more at [www.bankersdream.org](https://www.bankersdream.org/) or Join our Subreddit [r/Bankers\_Dream](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bankers_Dream/). + +Daily AMAs at 3PM EST in our TG. +Hello + +I am the sole beneficiary of my father's assets and he is unfortunately going to pass away this spring from liver cancer. + +He is the founder and president of a boutique hotel brokerage firm that has been very successful. Right before he was diagnosed, he hired a private contractor to work as an additional salesperson. He also hired an administrative assistant. + +He leases an office near our home. + +There is no debt on the company, but earning have stalled over the past year or so because of a) the overhead of the office and new hires (initially intended to expand the company) and b) you can't run a business when you're dying of cancer. + +This company means everything to my father, and I don't know how I can help him. I'm not a licensed real estate broker, I have no experience in the industry (I'm 23), but I'm interested in doing this for a living. + +Currently I work in financial services, my other career interest is to be a financial planner. + +His one dying wish is to make sure his business is wrapped up and he needs help "closing it." Is it best to sell it? Close it? Does anyone have any kind of insight or experience? + +Thank you all for your time. + + +Edits: Spelling as well as adding more detail: + +First of all I'm blown away by the response this got. So much of it is valuable. + +It seems important to mention I am a female. Trust me, I understand the hotel brokerage industry environment has a strong flavor of racism (although it's quite diverse) and sexism. There's no way to say this without sounding vapid or conceited, but I was graced with good genes and am memorably attractive: long red curly hair, blue eyes, six feet tall and athletic build. I know full well you can't get successful on looks alone, and my real strength is in my work ethic and mind. But I'd be foolish to think my looks are not an advantage; after accompanying my father to a few industry conferences, it's apparent that they are an asset. At least in being memorable and making initial contacts. + +Another thing is that my father is an alumnus of of a large hotel management undergraduate program at a large university. The recognition is second only to Cornell. We have an endowed scholarship in our name and he is a notable benefactor and was, when he was well, a very active alumni and very close to directors of the program. He hasn't told ANYONE about his illness; a client considering using him might not if word got around that he had cancer. + +He has been the sole employee for over ten years, he invested ~$100,000 in expanding his business (office lease, private contractor with commission agreement - no salary - and an admin assistant making ~$55K yr). He did this to grow the company so he could have something to sell when he retired, but got diagnosed that August. We've closed maybe two deals since then. The contractor has a ton of contacts from CRE investment career, she is frustrated with how little money she has made since my father got sick compared to what they could have. + +This contractor would be fine to take over the business. She doesn't have the money to buy it or run it herself. +She could definitely help me. + +I think my father would prefer to wrap things up. I think there's still value in the name and potentially relationships with his centers of influence. + +TL/DR (I don't even what these mean but I'm guessing bottom line): My ideal scenario is to keep a percentage of the business as well as full ownership of the LLC name. Would this enable another VP to take a larger share of the business, run it with me as a lower level employee so I can learn about maintain a large stake? + + + +Often in investing circles, you see the phrase spouted “higher risk = higher reward” as a way to justify more speculative and risky stocks or other asset purchases. This phrase is usually misinterpreted to mean that if you buy a risky stock, you’ll have a higher chance of getting a higher reward in the future. This is not what it refers to. The meaning of the phrase is revealed through an understanding of the difference between compensated and uncompensated risk. + +- Compensated risk is when you take a higher risk that is compensated through a higher expected return. An example is stocks vs bonds. Stocks are systematically more risky than bonds, and over the long run they provide a higher return. Another example is that of small cap stocks. There’s been a lot of research done into the systematic higher risks associated with certain stocks that have certain factors. These stocks should provide a greater return over the long run. Search up factor investing to learn more about this. +- Uncompensated risk is when you take a higher risk that is not compensated through a higher expected return. Individual stocks are examples of an uncompensated risk. You take on the risk of the individual company performing poorly and there’s no logical reason why it should lead to expected outperformance. The risks of an individual company are mitigated through the use of diversification. An individual stock on average will give you the market average return. But that individual stock has a higher risk. If you hold 10 stocks, then on average you get the same return but you have mitigated your risk. This is the theory behind index investing. + +So just understand that higher risk ≠ higher return unless that higher risk id a compensated risk. We can’t predict the future, but economic theory can help make better decisions. +https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/26/business/general-motors-cutbacks.html + +>General Motors said Monday that it planned to idle five factories in North America and cut several thousand blue-collar and salaried jobs in a bid to trim costs. + +>The action follows similar job-cutting moves by Ford Motor in the face of slowing sales and a shift in consumer tastes, driven in part by low gasoline prices. + +>The five G.M. plants will halt production next year, resulting in the layoff of 3,300 production workers in the United States and 3,000 in Canada. The company also aims to trim its salaried staff by 8,000. +Remember Apes, + +GME did it. They went from Micro Cap (a few hundred million) to a Large Cap ($10bn or more). In other words - this is a BLUE CHIP stock. So remember Apes, you own a large cap tech company. You own, Game Stop, a large tech blue chip stock. + +AND FYI, the only reason its not in the S&P 500 is because they have not had 4 profitable quarters in a row. Thats the only dealbreaker and obviously, like most issues, time is the answer and easily doable. + +From the saucey sauce: + +Large-cap stocks are shares of the largest U.S. companies, or those with market capitalizations of $10 billion or more. Large-caps are generally safer investments than their mid- and small-cap counterparts because the companies are more established, but their stocks may not offer the same potential for high returns. +Source: [https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro/dtc/2022/34-96555.pdf](https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro/dtc/2022/34-96555.pdf) + +>On October 20, 2022, The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (“FICC”), and National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) (each a “Clearing Agency,” and collectively, the “Clearing Agencies”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) proposed rule changes SR-DTC2022-011, SR-FICC-2022-008, and SR-NSCC-2022-013 (the “Proposed Rule Changes”) pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”)1 and Rule 19b-4 thereunder2 to Amend the Clearing Agencies Liquidity Risk Management Framework adopted by the Clearing Agencies. The Proposed Rule Changes were published for comment in the Federal Register, 3 and the Commission has received no comments on the changes proposed therein. This order approves the Proposed Rule Changes. + +https://preview.redd.it/hua44uw1957a1.png?width=806&format=png&auto=webp&s=f0eb8b63dde2ab7ac3c05fd66388f6c6c0370ab9 + +https://preview.redd.it/tuzfwhza957a1.png?width=843&format=png&auto=webp&s=cdea15851bd414030b04c9e24e28d36369392eb0 + +https://preview.redd.it/jzi5b5hf957a1.png?width=868&format=png&auto=webp&s=c46d41e035a92cc8f9c29f91c4801cc125f8de14 + +https://preview.redd.it/v1l22xvq957a1.png?width=662&format=png&auto=webp&s=cbada72ee432687170495c7f0860e11db6eb36e0 +so here's the gist of it im on ssi and social security disability for mental illness. i get about about $700 a month to live on. which is just enough to afford bills and my rent. im only able to afford rent because i live in a low income senior building. yes im 34 and live in a senior building. + +i can't budget good at all and suck at grocery shopping. every month is paycheck to paycheck and i'm so tired of living this way. just wanna kill myself and be down with it. + +EDIT: wow!!! Thank you so much guys for the compassionate replies. Often times I feel alone so it helps to know I'm not alone. + +To answer a few questions that's been asked. I do get snap which is basically a life saver and the only way I'm able to afford food. + +Living this way is so mentally draining and I'm just so close to giving up. One fuck up in my bank account and I will suffer for the rest of the month. + +I'm so sick of living this way :( +The title really says it all. Usually I'm the one who got a few too many gifts or spent a little too much on them, and always found the *cool* gift. + +This year I'm splitting up already mediocre gifts that will be "thank-you,-next"ed and praying they don't think I love them less. + +Sorry for the downer, but I had to let it out somewhere +Hi all, I'm new to REI and I was hoping to get a reality check. + +I'm really interested in out-of-state investing, and currently Cleveland has caught my eye. Searching listings there has shown some triplex and even 4plex homes for about $200k. I have enough savings where I can buy such a place all cash, afterwards I could do a cash-out refinance and use that money to buy more multifamilies, then use the rent from all those units to pay off the mortgage. + +Is this a terrible idea? Basically I don't know what I don't know and something like this could go south quickly—so I've got this feeling I'm being super naive here. + +I'd appreciate any feedback y'all have! +There are many strategies when going with financing. Since one is not putting a lot of money down, they will find properties which can be big on +ve cash flow after accounting for all the monthly expenses(mortgage, taxes, maintenance etc). They can go for the BRRRR strategy or other strategies which will make sense of getting financing at these low interest levels. + +What kind of strategies exist for All Cash deals ? With BRRRR you are kind of looking at continuously expanding your portfolio, because if you are able to do it correctly, You will be able to refinance and get more money available to you thus increasing your overall equity. + +But with all cash deals, unless you are expecting a big appreciation, you will only be looking at 3-7% return through your cash flows, and it becomes harder to find anything cash flowing over that. You could spend some money renovating, and say getting an extra unit of rental but that is not possible in many cases. This makes investing in other assets more attractive. + +Are there any good investing strategies that would benefit an all cash investor ? + +Thanks for looking. +I'm a recent grad, have loans, make a pretty good salary and am looking for investments. Been on this sub for a couple months now and am intrigued because I never thought of RE investing as an option for me. I have one question tho. As someone with little saved+students loans, why should I look into RE investing vs REITs (or vice versa)... I'd love to hear people's opinions +So straight to the point, I'm a 29 Y/O on 90k a year with 50k saved and 30k invested in stocks and crypto. I want to finally get an investment property but can't live in it because I'm currently living in a different country for work for the next few years. I want to get something that helps me build equity and decent cash flow so I've been looking at SFH with the idea to either rent it out long term or use for short term rentals and the area I've been looking into the most is Florida especially Tampa. Ive been looking at SFH around the 200k mark and the average rentals in some of these 'B' neighborhoods is around 1900. I've found a few promising candidates but I keep hesitating to make any further progress due to a few reasons people might find a bit random. + +Does anyone else factor in future climate change effects when purchasing property for the long term? I'm obviously not a scientist so all I've been going off is random heat maps and future predictions for sea level rise and I must admit it looks especially daunting for somewhere like Florida. I would say my risk tolerance is relatively high but even within the next 20 years there are worrying estimates, I'm wondering if anyone else worries about this sort of thing at all or am I being totally irrational? + +Are short term rentals an option anyone would reccomend for a first property? Id prefer to hire someone to manage it along with a house cleaner but I know a lot can go wrong and I wouldn't have a lot of time to dedicate to it, I'm not sure how to go about managing a property I can't even see for a long time. + +If I can get over these initial buyer concerns I'm having do I have a plan here? With this sort of budget is hoping for a SFH with consistent cash flow a smart first purchase? I think ultimately I'd just like to know people's opinion on my situation, as I've consumed a huge amount of information in the last two weeks and am a bit overwhelmed at the amount of potential options out there. Thanks everyone +So I decided to do a little analysis with the raw data to see how bad the housing “shortage” really is. Really what I’m attacking here is the claim that “There was a housing shortage before covid and the pandemic has only made it worse.” Now I’m not talking about the supply of homes currently on the market, I’m talking about actual amount of housing units in existence and size of households. I cannot find data to support this claim. I primarily used Census data from 2010 to 2020. + +If construction is truly falling behind population growth, then the average household size would have to increase. More people living together since there are fewer housing units. However, in 2020 the average household size is at its lowest level in history, around 2.6. If there was truly a housing shortage this number would have to increase. + +Let’s look at the stats. + +2010: +Population: 303,965,272 +Housing Units: 130,038,080 +Households: 114,235,996 +Occupied Housing % (Housing Units/Households): 88% +Avg Household Size (Population/Households): 2.66 + +2020: +Population: 326,569,308 +Housing Units: 138,432,751 +Households: 122,354,219 +Occupied Housing % (Housing Units/Households): 88% +Avg Household Size (Population/Households): 2.67 + +So not only has the average household size not changed, but 12% of houses are either vacant, second homes, STRs, or otherwise not a primary residence. This has remained constant over the last decade. + +Okay, so there’s not a housing shortage? Well, maybe if we look at Single Family Homes, we will find it there. Maybe everyone is just living in apartments when they want to be in a SFH. + +Occupied detached SFH in 2020: 72,197,149 +Occupied detached SFH in 2020: 76,872,368 + +When dividing both of these into the total amount of households, we find that this also remains constant at about 63% of households living in detached SFH over this period. So nothing has really changed since 2010. + +Final thoughts: +I understand I only went back to 2010 and that there were major housing market change from 2000-2010, but still, I was surprised to see that construction does seem to be keeping pace with population growth over this period. +Am I missing something here? Interested to hear your insights or flaws in my analysis. Thanks. + +Sources: + +Total Population: +https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=ACS%20dp05 + +Total Households and average size: +https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=ACS%20S1101&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1101 + +https://www.statista.com/statistics/183648/average-size-of-households-in-the-us/ + +Total Housing Units: +https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=housing%20units&tid=ACSDT5Y2020.B25001 + +Occupied SFH Detached: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=ACS%20S2504&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S2504 +I'm just diving into researching rental properties, although I'm seeing some duplex and triplex properties where the mortage exceeds the income of what the tenants would be paying to rent. I'm confused on how this would be profitbale. Does it come down the loan you get? or perhaps its just the market right now? any help would be appreciated. +I am thinking of buying an apartment complex out of state. I am on the other end of the country but the numbers seem to make sense. + +The building is from 1980s + +Do any of you guys have experience managing an apartments remotely with a property? What do you dislike the most about the experience? How much does PM eat into your revenues? +So I am 45, soon to be divorced veteran with two kids. I don't want to move far from the kids, but I want/need to build wealth for their future/my retirement. I know I'm starting late and this is meager but I have $15k in the bank. I've been looking at 30-50k homes in the mid-west as a means to get started. Houses in my area seem too expensive to buy for renting. + +Go. >!(yeah, not even sure what specifically to ask.)!< +I am talkng abut Quantitative easing and other monetary policies (Negative interest rate) and all the meausures we see today that shit on economy +It's a telemarketing position at a home improvement company. I've done a similar job for a few years. What's the best way to ask for the higher pay rate without sounding...rude. +So I live in poverty, (preaching to the choir), I make about 1400 a month, and receive around 500 for child support. I have two kids, and my bills (survival:rent, electric, water, meds and insurance premiums) leave me with around 450 for groceries and incidentals. I’m usually able to stretch this to last all month by cooking from scratch and being very frugal. It’s tight at the end of the month, but it’s ok. + +I’m so used to struggling. I have student loans I can’t afford to pay monthly so my tax returns have always been applied to the debt. It’s chipping away at it fast, but I don’t get those awesome refund checks that help so many families. I’m down to owing less than 5,000 at this point, but I cannot go back to school. I’m disabled and my challenges are not compatible with trying to be a serious student and single parent. + +I was recently given approximately 20,000. +I’m scared. I’ve never had that much money, and I know it’s a chance to make some really big changes for my kids and I. It’s a lot of pressure and responsibility. + +I need help with decisions regarding what I should do. + +I need a car. I live in a very cold place and the kiddos and I have been walking everywhere through the snow, or riding the bus. Bus trips with little kids are difficult. Bus trips with sick little kids are really difficult, add in some groceries or stops to the pharmacy/doctor office/ect and it becomes really stressful and overwhelming for all of us. Ideally, I would be able to find something that would last 5-10 years for under 10,000. I’ve found a Ford Fiesta 2017 sedan with under 17,000 miles for 9,400. There is a warranty included, it’s from a large dealership and they do cash discounts. I’m really thinking this car would be safe, fuel efficient, fairly inexpensive to repair, decent on insurance costs and would definitely last for around 150,000 more miles. I live in a smaller town, and I would likely put approximately 250-350 miles on it a week, which would make it around 8ish years of use. Is this smart? + +My next idea is- maybe finishing paying off those student loans? I could not return to further my education and I have a disability that will only get worse. I will be unable to work eventually. I feel okay letting my “return” checks handle the debt, seeing as it still gets paid off and I would not get more benefit from paying it now. + +Next, and I know it’s fairly small but my local homeless shelter needs towels, and the domestic violence shelter that took myself and my kiddos in during the worst of times is in need of personal care items and baby clothes. I would like to donate 100 worth of towels to the homeless shelter, and 250 of items to the DV shelter. I know it’s small compared to everything else, but I don’t know what I would have done without the support we received from them. They gave us safety and gave me freedom. Two years ago I had a duffel bag with all of our belongings, today we have a 3br 2ba place we get to call our home. It’s modest by most standards, but it’s a dream come true for us and there isn’t a moment when I don’t feel extreme gratitude. + + +Lastly, I want to consider bankruptcy. I’ve been on my own since I was about 15, and because I was an uneducated and impulsive teenager, then twenty something I made dumb financial choices. I have payday loans, a few credit cards and more medical debt than I want to admit. My credit score is 585. I don’t have enough monthly surplus income to pay down debt the way I ideally would like to. If I have a good vehicle and I stay in my current home, I should not need a line of credit unless something completely crazy happens. Around me it looks like a simple bankruptcy runs about 1,800. + + + +I really don’t know what to do and how to best set my kids and I up for success. I’m unlikely to ever have this kind of money again and I realize how incredibly privileged I am to even have these worries. + + +Friends who are more informed, smarter and more creative, what are your ideas? +[GameStop.com](https://www.gamestop.com/) || Shop [Internationally](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/vyyzmx/gamestop_retail_international_nft_game_informer/) || [https://nft.gamestop.com](https://nft.gamestop.com) + +GameStop [Investor Relations](https://news.gamestop.com/) + +&#x200B; + +**Read** [**the Rules & Wiki**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index) **||** [**MOASS FAQ**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/faq) **|| Join our** [**Discord**](https://discord.gg/Superstonk) + +How do I [feed DRSBOT](https://www.reddit.com/r/GMEOrphans/comments/qlvour/welcome_to_gmeorphans_read_this_post/)? Get a [user flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/yuarvq/how_to_get_a_userflair_on_superstonk_new_emojis)? Hide [post flairs and find old posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/v0oxp2/how_to_filter_by_flair_search_for_posts_on/)? + +[Reddit & Superstonk Moderation FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/reddit-faq/) + +# 🙋 ​[What's GME & should I consider investing?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qig65g/welcome_rall_looking_to_catch_up_on_the_gme_saga/) + +# 📚 Library of Due Diligence [GME.fyi](https://fliphtml5.com/bookcase/kosyg) + +>A collection of over 200 of the most important, groundbreaking **D**ue **D**iligence. If you're looking to familiarize yourself with the GME bull thesis or the underhanded tactics of the short sellers involved in this trade– then this is for you + +# 🟣 [Computershare Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/yjawq7) + +>Wondering what DRS is? Want to know how and why people are Direct Registering their shares? Here you'll find our guide and additional resources, as well as a welcoming community answering questions in the comments! +I'm currently on a short sabbatical and considering my options (pros/cons) on FIRE vs. FatFIRE as a goal. I'm at a high level in the tech industry and single (plan to stay single after some abusive relationships earlier in life). FIRE in the areas I'm planning to live is probably reachable in 2-3 years with my investments, real estate, and salary. FatFIRE is probably reachable in 5-7 years, though I'm second-guessing the benefits of it right now. + +I guess I'm wondering how y'all made the decision to shoot for FatFIRE. Obviously, more money is more cushion against downturns or medical issues. I'm in an expensive US city and plan to move abroad for a better quality of life and climate upon FIRE/FatFIRE. I guess I'm wondering about the benefits of shooting for $100,000+ at the 4% rule if the cost of living where I'll be is significantly lower than this (in the $30,000-$50,000 range for upper middle class/upper class). If anyone has relocated to a cheaper area and still chosen FatFIRE, please advise on the benefits of that lifestyle vs. FIRE and how you made the decision to keep working longer to hit that goal. + +I grew up outside the US and most of my life is still outside the US where I'd be relocating. That's mainly the appeal of FIRE for me. The culture of the West isn't a great fit, and I miss home too much to stay forever. +So I can't understand why I keep reading that Apple's future growth will come from their "services". This just doesn't add up to me. New iphone users would add growth to services. Most existing users who have had iphones for many years area already subscribed and have bought the apps that they wish to buy. I feel like services should remain steady from here forward people will probably spend the same or less than what they spent in the past setting up there iphone and will spend the same or less on music and movies. What am I missing? I want to hold on to my Apple stock but I am targetting growth and I just don't see where it will come from. To go further apple does not even try to push selling watches or airpods in my opinion (watch is still ugly and airpods don't have good sound quality or stay in a lot of users ears). They should offer bundles with the new phones when they are released. They should have also branded the beats headphones with apple logos all over them. I know a lot of this is just my personal feelings and really want to be disputed before I do something that might be dumb like sell half my apple holdings. +To preface this post, I have over 2 years experience trading options. I've successfully grown my $20K account to $65K over two years using a mix of buying and holding shares and doing relatively low risk options trades (LEAPs, PMCC, Short Puts). Now I'm about to inherit $200K and I intend to use the $200K strictly to produce income by managing low risk options trades such as the wheel strategy. + +I absolutely love leverage which is why I'm eager to go with the PMCC approach. Let's take $AMD for example, a company I'm bullish on. You can purchase **50** x $50 calls expiring 1/21/2022 @ $39.50 with a delta of .86 which will take up $197,500 initial capital. Then I can sell **50** x 30 DTE calls between .30 delta and .45 delta for $235 or $400, respectively. Depending on what I anticipate coming up, I may either **not** sell a call until volatility blows over (earnings reports) or I would choose a higher probability trade to coincide with analyst price target changes or I would choose a lower probability if the stock is is consolidating. I have a possibility of producing monthly income ranging between $10,000 to $20,000. + +If I go strictly with the standard wheel strategy, I would sell **25** x 30 DTE $80 puts with delta at .35 and close to 69% probability for a credit of $8,625. So we're looking at approximately $8,000 a month, give or take. If I get assigned, I would just flip and sell calls using the same guideline as above. + +I would not mind getting assigned in either cases. My primary objective is to gain on premium, not so much on the underlying (although with LEAPs being leveraged by giving me 50 contracts to begin with, it'll give me a nice boost to profits). + +What would you do in this case? Do you disagree with this approach? Other than the risk of being assigned, is there anything else I should be aware of before taking on this strategy? If you say diversify, then can you recommend a hedge or alt stock to trade on on a semi-active pattern? + +Cheers. + +**Edit:** the wide variety of opinions and suggestions I've gotten is deeply appreciated. Given the risky state of this market today, I'm considering a more diversified approach across multiple tickers and as well as real estate. I haven't decided what the plan would look like but once I go for it, I think I'll update /r/options with another post with results. + +Edit 2: Jesus, this post blew up. I can’t even. +Hi! Looking for advice for my mum. + +My mum retired this year and wants to take all her money out of super 170k. Her reasoning is that she has seen her super balance decline about 11k in the last 12 months and doesn’t want to see it go down in the future. + +She has other money available in shares and savings and likely won’t need to touch her super for a few years. + +My thinking is that the share market is gunna bounce back in the next few years so she should leave it there. Or at least leave half in there. + +She would like to invest some of it + do term deposits. + +So any advice on whether it’s a good idea to leave a retirement fund in super at the moment if she will need access in say 5years? +Or would you recommend she go to a financial advisor for some more detailed advice and other options? + +Thanks in advance. +Who has the money and technical infrastructure to pull off a DDOS attack like this? + +Without getting found out? + +Surely not competitors to loopring? It's a small field of knowledge - I have a hard time believing Zkrollup enthusiasts ordering a DDOS against their colleagues who they've probably exchanged ideas with over some obscure cryptotech discord server... + +So I'm thinking outside the immediate zkrollup sphere - is there anyone else on Ethereum for whom it could make sense to sabotage Loopring? I don't know that much but I think it's the same situation as above. + +So is it a different kind of crypto competition altogether? Is another blockchain trying to tip over some of the Ethereum cows? Why bother with Loopring then? Surely there are other more obvious targets in Ethereum...? + +Nah, doesn't really make sense. It's kind of hard to think of someone targetting a huge fucking DDOS on Loopring without making the connection to the enemies of the GameStop NFT Marketplace. + +Please continue discussion below! +According to Doug Ramsey of the Leuthold Group, 334 companies trading on the New York Stock Exchange recently hit a 52-week low, more than double the amount that marked new one-year highs. **That’s happened only three other times in history — all of them occurring in December 1999.** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/6d8sqcz4q5c81.png?width=500&format=png&auto=webp&s=0e737df3862b853f159b2dec4fc5a5c016c5fe67 + +**How did we get back to the precipice of the year 2000**, where tech stocks plunged 80% and the S&P 500 lost 50% of its value over the ensuing two years? Well, start off with the fact that the amount of new money created by our central bank in the past 14 years is $8 trillion. That, by the way, is an increase in base money supply only and does not include all of the new money created by our debt-based monetary system. So, from 1913 to 2008, the Fed created $800 billion. And, it took from 2008 until today—just 14 years–for it to have created $8.8 trillion in base money supply. Is there really any wonder why inflation has now become a salient issue, especially for the middle and lower classes, and why the stock market is now set up for a meltdown similar to the NASDAQ collapse of two decades ago? + +Some might claim that the bubble in the stock market was much different in 2000 than it is today. They are correct. The overvaluation 22 years ago pales in comparison to today. **With its record high P/S ratio of 3.5, as opposed to just 1.8 back in 2000. And the mind-numbing record high 210% TMC/GDP ratio, which is an incredible 68 percentage points ahead of where it ascended to 22 years ago.** + +Ok, so the stock market is much more expensive today than at any other time in history, **but what will the catalyst be to set it tumbling off the cliff?** Last week I talked about the monetary cliff coming in the next two months. ***To review: The Fed will wind down its record-breaking $120 billion per month counterfeiting scheme to zero dollars in that timeframe. This Q.E. involved the process of handing newly created money to banks, consumers, and businesses to boost consumption. But by ending this flow of new money, the Fed will also end its tacit support for the municipal bond market, primary dealers, money market mutual funds, REPO market, International SWAP lines, ETF market, primary and secondary corporate debt markets, commercial paper market, and support for student, auto and credit card loans. All of which were directly supported by Jerome Powell’s with the Fed’s latest Q.E. program.*** + +**But it doesn’t end there. Mr. Powell cannot be content with just ending Q.E., not with CPI running at 6.8%! Therefore, very soon after Q.E. is terminated, interest rates are heading higher, and the balance sheet of the Fed must start shrinking.** However, an occasional 25-bps rate hike here or there won’t cut it. He has to hike rates by 680-bps just to get to a zero percent real Fed Funds Rate. Now, of course, Powell doesn’t intend to hike monetary policy that much because he is fully aware it would collapse the whole artificial market construct well before he gets anywhere close to that level. But the point here is that the FOMC has lost the luxury of being able to delay and dither as it has in the past because inflation is running at a 40-year high. Hence, the Fed will need to hike rates rather aggressively until inflation, the economy, or asset prices come crashing down. But since all three are so closely linked together, they will likely all cascade simultaneously. + +And, now this week, I want to shed some new light on the concurrent fiscal cliff and **shoot a hole through Wall Street’s excess savings B.S.** As most of you are already aware, I’ve been pretty clear about ***the negative consumption effects that will result from the ending of $6 trillion in government handouts over the previous two years***. This massive and unprecedented largess caused the savings rate in the U.S. to jump from 7.8% in January 2020 to 33.8% by April of the same year. However, that savings rate has now collapsed back down to 6.9%—below its pre-pandemic level. But what about the stash of savings consumers are sitting on that is supposed to carry GDP ever-higher this year? + +**Well, it appears that the rainy day fund is dwindling quickly.** According to the N.Y. Times and Moody’s Analytics, the excess savings among many working- and middle-class households could be exhausted as soon as early 2022. This would not only reduce their financial cushions but also potentially affect the economy since consumer spending has risen to become nearly 70% of GDP. + +**We have already seen multiple pandemic-era federal aid programs expire last September, including the massive federal supplement to unemployment benefits.** Now, with the Expanded Child Income tax credit having expired, which gave up to $300 per child under 6, and up to $250 per child ages 7 to 17 over the period from July to December, the fiscal challenges have become salient for many Americans. + +**But what about that pile of savings?** Estimates are that it now amounts to around $2.0 trillion (8.5% of GDP). It’s mostly in the hands of the very rich, who are savers and have a much lower marginal propensity to consume than those in the middle and lower classes. According to a study from Oxford Economics, 80% of that savings is in the hands of the top 20% of earners, and 42% went to the top 1%. Again, this is important because it is the middle and lower classes that are responsible for the majority of consumption. So, how is this economically-crucial cohort doing? Well, in addition to getting hurt by inflation and falling real wages, they are running out of their stimulus hoard quickly. According to a recent study done by JP Morgan Chase, households making $68,896 per year or less only have an extra $517 in their checking accounts on average compared with their pre-pandemic level. As unimpressive as that sounds, add in the fact that people don’t eat into their savings with the same zeal that they spend a fresh government handout, and you can see that so-called “mountain of savings” Wall Street loves to tout isn’t much more than a molehill. + +**When you factor in the massive fiscal and monetary cliffs together with the most overvalued stock market in history, you have the recipe for potential unprecedented stock market chaos, which should be front-end loaded in ‘22.** + +***If your retirement savings is with a deep state of Wall Street firm, you hold some mix of stocks and bonds that is set on autopilot. Their fate should be the same as the Hindenburg and Titanic.*** + +Michael Pento is the President and Founder of [Pento Portfolio Strategies](http://www.pentoport.com/), produces the weekly podcast called, [“The Mid-week Reality Check”](http://pentoport.com/blog/subscription/)  and Author of the book [“The Coming Bond Market Collapse.”](http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Bond-Market-Collapse-ebook/dp/B00C42S5KE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368206596&sr=1-1) + +[https://pentoport.com/fiscal-and-monetary-cliffs-have-arrived/](https://pentoport.com/fiscal-and-monetary-cliffs-have-arrived/) +Nokia Corp. will return EUR4 billion ($4.4 billion) to shareholders as it expects savings from its proposed Alcatel-Lucent acquisition to materialize one year ahead of schedule, driving shares in both companies higher even as they reported worsened third-quarter results. +The Finnish maker of high-speed mobile networks on Thursday said shareholders will receive an ordinary dividend of at least EUR0.15 a share in both 2015 and 2016, plus a special dividend of EUR0.10 a share, subject to approval next year. In addition, it plans to kick-off a two-year EUR1.5 billion share repurchase program. +A further EUR3 billion will be spent on reducing debt next year, it said. +http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nokia-to-return-44-billion-to-shareholders-2015-10-29-7485357 +**tl;dr Has anyone had success negotiating one of these scammy "third party electrical" bills down or eliminating it completely? Particularly, Palmco who I'm dealing with.** + +Where do I start? + +One day when I go to visit my parents, my elderly dad asks me if I've upgraded their computer or plugged in something lately. (weird question, I know.) + +I tell him no and ask why. He shows me the electric bill and it's a whopping $1299.xx + +After getting over the initial shock, I start examining the bill and notice that he switched to Palmco, one of those third party energy suppliers that (I've come to learn) has high-pressure salespeople going door-to-door to get consumers to switch from the local, regulated utility to a third party supplier. + +These suppliers get people in the door by promising savings on the electric generation portion of their bill. The problem is that these savings are generally super-deflated, introductory rates. + +And here's where our problem starts: + +When he was signed up for Palmco, the rep offered to put him on "budget" pricing, meaning that his bill would be $70/month regardless of actual usage. After 12 months they would do an "adjustment" - either crediting or charging him for any under/overage. + +You can guess where I'm going with this. + +$70/mo was a fine when they were charging the introductory rate of about $0.07/kWh. + +But when the intro rate changed over to the regular rate of about $0.26/kWh, my parents started falling into a deficit - all without knowing it. (The bill that comes is designed to be hard to read. It doesn't tell you that your usage this month was $125, it says you used 760kWh @ $0.26xxxxx/kWh. They rely on you having to do the math and figure out that your rate is astronomical. + +Fast forward 1 year, their adjustment is calculated and they now owe about $1225. + +I immediately called their customer service line and when I started asking questions about this "adjustment", the rep immediately offered a $100 credit - I had not asked for one and I wasn't angling for it. + +This was my first sign that they must deal with this kind of thing every single day - if they're giving out discounts without me even mentioning one, this can't be an anomaly - it must be their business model. + +So after that whole long story, here's my question: + +Has anyone been in a similar situation and managed to get a bill significantly reduced or nullified? As eldery, retired people living on a fixed budget, my parents can't afford that kind of hit - nor does Palmco deserve it considering the deceptive tactics they're using. + +Some external resources if you care to read: + +* [New Jersey Attorney General, Division of Consumer Affairs, and Board of Public Utilities File Suit Against Three Third-Party Energy Suppliers That Allegedly Defrauded Hundreds of Consumers Through Misrepresentations of Monthly Bill Reductions](http://nj.gov/oag/newsreleases14/pr20140604a.html) + +* [Tons of consumer complaints online](http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-jersey/2060992-palmco-energy-scam.html) + +* [Nobody likes them on Yelp](http://www.yelp.com/biz/palmco-energy-brooklyn) + +**UPDATE 2016-06-22 5pm EDT:** + +Wow, this really got a lot of attention! I want to thank everyone who has taken time to respond. I've been trying to respond to you all individually, but it's definitely getting a bit overwhelming. I am going to compile and consolidate all the suggestions within the next day or so and when I arrive at a final conclusion with this, I will update. + +I hope this post can serve as, first, a warning to others about these predatory companies and secondly, for those who signed on the dotted line, hopefully as a guide on how to extricate themselves from the mess in the least painful manner. + +Thank you all so much! +Please use this thread to have discussions which you don't feel warrant a new post to the sub. While the Rules for posting questions on the basics of personal finance/investing topics are relaxed a little bit here, the rules against memes/spam/self-promotion/excessive rudeness/politics still apply! + +Have a look at the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/wiki/faq) for this subreddit before posting to see if your question is frequently asked. + +Since this post does tend to get busy, consider sorting the comments by "new" (instead of "best" or "top") to see the newest posts. + +https://twitter.com/c___f___b/status/956445618381246464 + +Interesting Twitter thread I came across in regards to the IOTA FUD. MIT findings in regards to the IOTA 'vulnerability' are debunked! MIT claimed that they were able to demonstrate how an attacker could forge a user's digital signature and use it to steal funds but this is simply not so as Forbes article was click-bait from the start. + +It drives me absoulutely insane when new adopters come over from bitcoin, put their hot chocolate down, and buy 20 coins and say while panting: moon bound! to da moon! blast off into outerspace! The people who do this remind me of that 'praise kleb' kid on that tv interview posted last week. + +Ethtrader is like a glass and steel office, we are professionals here. A lot of people here have significant amounts of money in this. We do not care about short momentum gains and we are in it fundamentally for the long run. Excitement is great, but constantly pumping moooooooon, will get you a place like r/buttcoin to be made fun of. Thanks. + +edit: the masses have arrived +Am I the only one here who thinks these donuts are getting stale? (see what I did there :P) + +What I mean is: + +1 + +At first it was cool, then it got old really quick + +A. A lot of posts about them... Move to another subreddit cool + + B. Alot of problems. We have polls about voting in polls now. + +C. The method for using and getting donuts is very subpar and reaks of "came up with this token idea in my basement one day". + +To expand on why these are bad methods of transacting and allocating tokens + + + 2 + + A. We never set up a way to regulate or monitor who is getting large amounts of these, who is playing the system, and what moderators can do. + + +B. For example, who owns the communityPoints account? This account has the ability to completely crash the entire system set up for donuts. + + +C. Why are we sending donuts to a bot to get them on a website? Is there no better way? If these have value now I'm trusting some random reddit account with my tokens and hoping they provide them to me on the other end. + +None of these methods for transacting are ideal at all and are backwards to what we are trying to build with the ethereum ecosystem.. + + +3 + +A. Why do these have value now? If the subreddit said "we are making an erc20 for the karma on the subreddit and it has value that can exchanged" everyone would have a hissy fit. Is this the new ethtrader ICO? Moderators get a large chunk, are they trying to make profit from this? + + + +Look, I get it, it was a cool idea and experiment. But it's gone too far now, we have value being exchanged for farmable and exploitable karma points. We have people in power for a token that are not either known or supported as founder/owner of donuts. + +Finally it puts ethtrader at a risk, since people may want to exploit the system for profit. + + +I vote we remove donuts, meaning the subreddit no longer supports them as the "official" anything + + +This isn't new BTW, we could have made an erc20 for every subreddit by now. The reason we didn't is because it reaks of an ICO or way to sell fake tokens to people for real ether. + + + +Finally, if we are gonna do this, do it legitamitely. Get real people in charge, with real expectations, real exchanges supporting the token, and real mechanics to prevent abuse. + + +That's my rant against donuts. Am I the only one that feels this way? + + + + +Forgive the grammar mistakes, wrote this on mobile +Been waiting a while for this one. It will be a game changer! Just got this email: + +Hi, + +uPort alpha for iOS is on its way! +Momentarily you will be receiving an email from TestFlight containing your invitation to uPort alpha. Please follow the link in the email, and make sure you have the TestFlight app installed. We apologize if you have experienced a delay on the waitlist. + +Additional Resources: +Gitter channel for uPort discussion and feedback: +https://gitter.im/uport-project/lobby + +Developer site to help get you started building: +https://developer.uport.me + +Open source libraries on GitHub: +https://github.com/uport-project/uport-connect + +Support site for further information: +http://support.uport.me + +Thank you for being an early supporter of uPort! We'd love to hear from you. Don't hesitate to reach out with thoughts, comments, questions, bugs, or anything else on Gitter or by replying to this email. Your feedback is important to us. + + +The uPort Team + +There's a quote from Warren Buffett in the preface to *The Intelligent Investor*: "To invest successfully over a lifetime does not take a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. What's needed is a sound intellectual framework and the ability to keep emotions from corroding that framework. This book describes the proper framework. You must supply the emotional discipline." + +Put simply, the Motley Fools are not emotionally disciplined. Or rather, they train us as readers to not be disciplined. Every day, I was bombarded with emails: "5 new stocks to buy now!" "Here's why WXYZ stock dropped today!" + +A long-term investor who believes in a business should not care about why a stock added or dropped in 10% in a day. We should not be trying to time the market with 5 new stocks. We should probably not even care about a quarterly earnings report. As Buffett says, "My favorite holding period is forever". + +What's more, I don't particularly trust the dynamic of withholding "rule-breaking" or "everlasting" stocks from readers. It's hard enough to get returns that regularly outperform the market. The fact that there are different "services" makes me feel as if when I pay for the "advisor" subscription, my "advisor" is not working as hard as he can on my portfolio. He's withholding information from me. That seems very shady. + +It's possible that the Fools have made 400% over the past 20 years. And it's possible they could continue to make 400%. And I understand they need to upsell to keep their business. But as *The Intelligent Investor* makes clear, you shouldn't wrap your net worth in a speculative account. Most of your money should be in index funds. And if the Fools are going to be pounding at my psyche every day, grinding down my emotional discipline, it doesn't matter how good the picks are. I'm going to make bad decisions. + +Idk what all your thoughts are on this sub but that's my feeling on TMF. Probably also my feeling on all the other stock-picking services. +Hi, I do video reviews on large cap stocks and I been watching this one for a few weeks waiting for the breakout over $54. With the potential Stimulus bill, vaccine positive news, and this breaking out makes a great opportunity to make GAINS! With the momentum I could EASILY see this climbing to $70 before the end of the month. + +&#x200B; + +Alot of other Sport gambling stocks getting hot too. (IGT PENN to name a few). With the vaccine getting distributed alot of Sporting events are reopening and less cancels are happening. + +It rose through the cancellations and lockdowns. You end those and you have a beast of a stock that just got it's chains released! +The vineyard had it's craziest year of real estate ever and it seems like there was a huge influx of fatfire types spending the winter and buying summer homes. Anyone here among them? + +We're here year round now with two small kids, always happy to meet new people with a similar mindset. Maybe if life is more normal we could get a few together for a beer this summer. + +Apologies if this isn't applicable to the sub but doesn't seem to violate and rules directly +TL;DR: I am wondering if I fit in here, seeing as how I'm not willing to pile every penny into index funds (or the market in general). Feel free to ignore me or provide any insight you might have into my situation, and maybe I can help others out by understanding where I'm at. Ultimately I know that there are many others out there way better off than I am, and I may be making poor decisions in some areas. + +&#x200B; + +TMI: I have been following /r/financialindependence for a while. I have posted there and gotten negative response. I think it's because my situation isn't EXACTLY what their collective plans are. And maybe the same is true here, but this sub seems a bit more receptive and open-minded. For me, I cannot tolerate working my ass off for 20-30 years, saving every penny, hoping the market stays hot, just to hope I live long enough to get to the FIRE. I have an extremely expensive boating hobby, I play hockey, I take daughter to Disney, etc. + +&#x200B; + +But at the same time there's no way I'm working "for the man" until I'm 65. So I'm 100% fine with sacrifice, working hard, etc. Long before I heard about FIRE I got into rental properties (I do the work myself) and done pretty well with it. I have 4 single family homes, bringing in $5550 each month before expenses. Two are paid off and two have mortgages at 4% and 30% equity. I just sold one of them (we used to own 5) because the market is so high here (Michigan) so I also have that cash available plus profits from the other 4 rentals ($300k). + +&#x200B; + +I work as a contract / consultant engineer, $65 an hour bill rate, but not always busy as I sometimes have 2-3 months in between long-term projects. Past couple of years actual income from this is around $80-90k with 3-4 months off each year. I work from home quite a bit, maybe about 50% of the time. + +&#x200B; + +I also started a side business selling a few products I designed, split this with my mom 50/50, we each bank about $24-30k a year of profits before taxes. Part time, very flexible hours. There's a chance this could take off, or could fizzle out. But we're 10 years in so far. + +&#x200B; + +36 years old, wife, and 1 daughter/ $800k in real estate equity between my home and rental properties. + +My personal home is worth $600k and I owe $130k at 2.875% (15 year term with around 8 years left). + +I have a boat loan at 5.5% ($45k balance, $100k value) and a HELOC at 4.5% ($45k balance) that was used to pay for down payments for a few of the rental houses. + +No other debt except the rental houses mentioned above. + +Daughter's college tuition is already fully saved. + +Only $60k in retirement, but I max out IRA and HSA each year, and sometimes go more into a solo 401k. But because of my variable income (things could slow down for work and my side business) I can't just pile everything into VTSAX. If I find an awesome deal on another rental property, I'll jump on it. Or maybe do a flip. + +$300k cash in a high yield savings at 2.5%, and I feel that if I just dump all this into the market and the dreaded bear market comes then that is forced to become a long-term play. I couldn't use it to pay off debt, I couldn't use it for another rental property, etc. + +&#x200B; + +So as you can see I have built up a semi-passive income stream, have flexible hours, but still want the best life for me and my family while also answering to the "man" as little as possible. With my engineering work and customers of side business I still very much have the daily grind that we all want to get away from ASAP. Thank you for listening, letting me know if I fit in here, and/or providing thoughts and discussion on my situation and what you might do if you were me. If you have any questions that I might be able to help out with just let me know. +Hi folks, + +We have some close friends that love to ski and we have considered potentially splitting a vacation home in Tahoe (Bay Area folks) in order to defray expenses and get more use out of it. Has anyone done this successfully? Any best practices? We've known each other for 20 years, have worked on organizations together. I trust them. But would like to hear about times it worked well, or about the friction points that led to disasters. Thanks! +This is the only place I could think of to ask this question. This isn't a money centric question but I'm willing to bet that most success requires questioning the status quo and a lot of deliberate growth. So hear me out. + +I'm at a point in life where I don't worry about money/relationships. I'm comfortable, love my job, have an amazing husband, lots of great friends that appreciate and love me. It took a lot to get here but I am not done, I continue to have this need to grow. + +I only have this one life as far as I know and I want to make the best of it. To me, without growth, I may as well die. I'm constantly looking for ways to improve my life/skill/mindset/(insert anything here). My husband said growth is my hobby. I find that I'm starting to outgrow a few friends and I'm aching for a sparring partner with a similar mindset that I could push and would push me back, be my devil's advocate. I'm working with a life coach but I'd love to have a two way street. + +Has anyone ever been in this situation? How did you find your growth partner? +32 F. I retired back in March, just a few months and I wanna shoot myself. Worked so hard to get here. Wanted to live the life. Now I realize I'm very much alone in this and the only other people around during the day are either jobless, or old retirees. The ultimate goal was to retire and travel the world... But don't like doing it alone, and most friends can't afford to join me financially or time-wise. Would love to get in touch with someone else in the same boat. +This was never a trade about the health of BBBY or them selling some Buy Buy baby side company. + +There is over 100% of the float shorted. +Who cares if this towel company is trying to restructure. This is a basic market mechanics trade. + +Is the short % of float over 100% = Yes + +Is there a reason the short % of float has gone even higher since the drop = Yes + +Did the Ryan Cohen sell change the market mechanics of this trade = No + +Did GME and AMC both drop before they had their squeeze = Yes + +Is BBBY playing out the exact same patter as every other big squeeze play = Yes + +Is the Broad market in a bullish euphoric period and overall rallying = Yes + +This looks worth a bet to me. +Welcome to the **/r/EthTrader** Daily Discussion thread. The thread guidelines are as follows: +*** + +- Discussion topics include but are not limited to general discussion, details related to events of the day, technical analysis, Ethereum Classic, and minor questions. +- Important content should be posted as a separate thread. +- Be excellent to each other. + +*** + +Thank you in advance for your participation. Enjoy! + +To participate in this market, you must download the Augur App, downloads available [on their github here](https://github.com/AugurProject/augur-app/releases) + +Once it's downloaded, you will have to wait for it to sync with the blockchain; this can take 10 min-2 hours depending on your connection etc. Once it's synced, click "Open App" and then you will be able to [use this link](http://localhost:8080/#/market?description=for_the_powerball_drawing_on_july_14_2018_the_winning_powerball_red_ball_number_will_be_an_even_number&id=0x342761df91f1c37e2e98a5719edbd2203abb4e98) to access the market (or you can find it manually). + +Once you see the market, you will need to buy shares. For some people, the system Augur uses is a bit confusing. There are only "Yes" shares. If you believe the number will indeed be even, then you want to buy "Yes" shares. If you believe that it will be odd, then you need to *sell* "Yes" shares (Think of it as shorting "Yes" if that helps.) + +Happy betting! + +Current age = 55.5. Total assets = 1.4m +(including 900+k in 401k plan I discussed in a previous post that generated a high number of responses). + +My company practices so-called *forced ranking*, +https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitality_curve +which I despise as grossly political and unfair. + +In years past, I had some anxiety about review season and whether I would be reviewed fairly (usually) or end up taking my turn at the shit end of the bell curve (since this happened one time). +But this year I am totally cool. If I get evaluated fairly and get the bonus I have earned (the most likely outcome), I will stick around. +If I get force-ranked down to the bottom of the curve, then *I am so sorry I wasn't able to meet your expectations* and *it's not you, it's me* and *two weeks* (bitch). + +So rather than some stress/worry, I am content and at peace with whatever comes up. + +She seems to be trying the throw everything at the wall and see what sticks approach this time. + +Called it a gamble — + +> “Investing in cryptocurrencies is a risky and speculative gamble, and we are concerned that Fidelity would take these risks with millions of Americans’ retirement savings,” + +Claimed that Elon single handedly pumped BTC by 8% — + +>“Bitcoin’s volatility is compounded by its susceptibility to the whims of just a handful of influencers. Elon Musk’s tweets alone have led to Bitcoin value fluctuations as high as 8%." + +Call BTC dangerously centralized — + +>"The high concentration of Bitcoin ownership and mining exacerbates these volatility risks. One study estimates that just 10% of Bitcoin miners are responsible for processing 90% of Bitcoin transactions and that 1,000 individuals control 3 million Bitcoins – about 15% of the current Bitcoin supply.” + +All this was written as [part of a letter](https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/22/05/27030896/sen-elizabeth-warren-questions-fidelity-on-crypto-401-k-product-what-you-need-to-know) by Warren (and senator Tina Smith) to Fidelity's CEO. The senators gave Fidelity until May 18 to answer questions regarding risks related to cryptocurrency and whether this offering posed a conflict of interest. + +Most relevant excerpt: + +>According to the SEC's complaint, which was filed under seal in federal court in the Central District of California on March 2, 2021 and unsealed today, Andrew L. Fassari used the Twitter handle @OCMillionaire to tweet false statements about Arcis Resources Corporation (ARCS), a defunct Nevada company with publicly traded securities, during December 2020. Specifically, the complaint alleges that, on Dec. 9, 2020, Fassari began purchasing over 41 million shares of ARCS stock shortly before tweeting false information about ARCS to his thousands of Twitter followers, including falsely claiming that ARCS was reviving its operations, expanding its business, and being backed by "huge" investors. The complaint further alleges that, between Dec. 9 and 21, 2020, Fassari made approximately 120 tweets that referenced "$ARCS," dozens of which were false and misleading. For example, **he tweeted, "$ARCS 380,000 indoor cultivation 1 Million+ sq ft processing. WEEEEEEEEE This CEO has big plans for us"** and "a ton of news coming and backed by huge investors for its #cannabis operation[.]" In seeking an injunction, the SEC alleges that Fassari continued to tweet about other stocks as recently as January and February 2021. + +Whole release here: https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2021-46 + +Looks like was posted about here at least twice with those two coming from the same user: https://i.imgur.com/QveWUQn.png I'm not going to say that's his reddit account but the cross-list between penny stocks he talked about and the twitter user under the SEC complaint seems very coincidental at the very least. + +Be careful out there folks. +My fiancé and I are moving to Melbourne for work. We recently found that not only will renting be cheaper compared to our current city, but much to our surprise, having a MORTGAGE can even be cheaper than renting! +(Eg, there are appartments for $450K which will roughly be about $355 weekly repayment with UBank. Meanwhile our budget for renting is up to $550/week) + +This is utterly bizarre to me. + +Given that apartments in melbourne seem to be in a bit of an over supply at the moment, is it wise to have a mortgage? We were only planning to check out melbourne temporarily (might stay if we like it, might try overseas.. we’re young professionals in early 30’s and flexible). + +However, knowing of potentially paying the same thing and we get to own, rather than renting, makes me wonder if this is an opportunity not to be missed. We can Airbnb or rent it out should we decide to move out.. and hopefully property prices will rise in the future. + +Thoughts and advice on what to look out for? +This week has been a very bad trading week for me. Lost a lot. It all came down to fear and greed. Stopping out too early only for the market to reverse, and "hopium" taking over and holding on to my losers, and then oversizing due to emotions and revenge trading. + +The issue is that i KNOW all of these psychological errors. i've watched so many videos on psychology of it. I've seen the video from SMB capital from the psychologist who said FOMO literally has a physiological effect on you. + +i've watched videos from traders talking about taking profit early is all due to fear from hurt. etc etc etc. + +But it's one thing to KNOW. it's another to actually implement it. because in the moment when your emotions take over, you don't think about the rules anymore. you don't think about what oversizing can do or chasing after the stock can do. you just do it. + +like recently i started trading futures. i told myself i'd only get 2 contracts since that fits my account size and is good RM. but then out of anger or something, i decide to get 3 or 4 or even 5 contract. + +It's like in the moment, my brain stops functioning and logic goes out the window and it's all about the trade. + +i know i've been diagnosed with ADHD so maybe it's due to impulse control. but even then, idk how to change that. +I’ve just chased my accountant for my 2020-2021 return, as she doesn’t normally take so long to do it (yes I’m that person who does it in May/June and not Nov/Dec). + +It transpires that she misspelled my email address when doing a transfer from one email provider to another, and so instead of being sent to me this misspelled address now has an unencrypted copy of my tax return including UTR, employment addresses, home address, date of birth, the lot. + +I’ve just checked and that email is not one I can sign up with, so that implies it’s taken? Hopefully it stays in their spam and is deleted automatically. + +I’m understandably concerned, I’d have thought that’s the right feeling to be in. + +What do I need to do? + +[Edit - update](https://www.reddit.com/r/UKPersonalFinance/comments/oknnoc/accountant_sent_my_tax_return_to_the_wrong_email/h5df2wz/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3) +Like many people, I've fallen in love with the idea of owning a Tesla. There's nothing wrong with my current car (a 5 year-old VW diesel), but I'm looking to make a change. + +Previously, every car I've owned has been on Hire Purchase - trading in my car, then paying the rest of the balance over 3 years. It's usually around the end of the repayment period that I start getting itchy feet and looking at other cars. There's only usually maybe 6-12 months of the car being fully paid off before I trade it in, and repeat the process. + +Earlier this year my Dad passed away, and aside from the emotional aspect of it all, it's put into stark focus the need to enjoy your life while you can, tomorrow's not promised. + +I wanted to know your thoughts on the most sensible, or cost-effective, way of buying a £42,000 Model 3. + +My current car, as part-exchange, is worth £13,000. +I could put down another £10,000 towards the deposit if required. + +Is it better to Lease? HP again? Bank loan? PCP? + +Other than Hire Purchase, I'm totally baffled by which option is actually the most advantageous. All help appreciated. +TLDR; Great Lakes submitted the WRONG student loan status code to the three credit bureaus for ALL of their customers with student loans (as part of the CARES act) and it's causing everyone's credit scores to drop 40-50 points. + +I'm in the midst of buying a house and my lender pulled my credit yesterday. She told me what it was and I was shocked, it was lower than I thought. I know numbers fluctuate from free services like Discover and Credit Karma, so I looked at Credit Karma to see the numbers from two of the bureaus, and sure enough, a MAJOR drop of 45 points on both of them over a 4 day update period. I know the numbers themselves aren't super accurate, but the trends sure are. + +I saw some articles on this subreddit today alluding to this issue but I wanted to verify the info. I googled and found ONE article about this [here](https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/student-loan-borrowers-discover-significant-drop-credit-score-following-cares-act-protections/DBNHS5ODKBCNHOE7VKU3RWNFVI/). It was actually pretty informative and accurate. + +I called Great Lakes and a woman confirmed that it was true: their company had provided the wrong 'code' to the credit bureaus, essentially causing everyone's student loans to look they are in REAL forbearance/deferral. I asked if it was worth looking at my account to see if I was one of the ones affected and she told me that it wasn't necessary because it affected everyone across the board. Wut. + +My follow up was 'when is this going to be fixed?' and she said on May 31st they send their normal monthly report to the three bureaus and it will have the correction in there and will set everyone's accounts back (yeah right! Trust but verify!). As for when the bureaus will fix it once they receive the new information, I am still sitting on hold with one of them now to find out. + +The last thing I asked her was if this was written publicly anywhere so that I can show my lender proof of this information. She said that they don't have it posted anywhere. WTF! No press release, no statement, NOTHING. Feels weird to know about something that affects so many people, yet there's only one article on it. + +I'll update this post once I talk to someone at TransUnion. What a crazy year. + +**EDIT: Since Credit Karma pulls Vantage Scores, I wanted to see what my FICO scores were. I signed up for a free trial with Experian's service that gives me access to all 3 bureaus' credit FICO 8 scores. It also has, just for Experian scores, a breakdown of a specific credit score for mortgage, auto lending, and credit cards. The only one that was slightly low, at the level my lender would have seen, was the mortgage one. I cannot see 'trends' here to see if it had dropped recently.** + +**Conclusively, I cannot confirm yet for SURE whether my lender uses a FICO 2, FICO 8, or Vantage score. Going to talk to them this morning.** + +**EDIT: Sidenote cuz I thought this was pretty cool: as part of the trial of the experian service (and I would hope the other bureaus have something similar), you can use a 'score simulator' to click scenarios to see specifically what your credit score will do when you get a new credit card, pay off credit card balances, close down a credit card, etc. Thought that was pretty cool. It's only on the FICO 8 score model though, not the mortgage, auto, or credit card one.** + +**EDIT: My mortgage lender talked to the credit company and they said they use the following scores to determine my rates:Experian: Fair Isaac v2Transunion - FICO Classic 4Equifax - FICO Classic** + +**In conclusion, I'm calling this the "Great" Mishap of 2020. As far as I know, unless anyone says otherwise in this thread to me, Great Lakes screwing up the code is only affecting the Vantage Score calculations (used by Credit Karma) and not Fair Isaac or FICO.** + +**Last edit I swear: If you have student loans on automatic deferment because of CARES, do yourself a favor and open a high yield online savings account. "Pay" the same monthly payment into that account every month. If you have an emergency between now and September when payments are due again, you'll have cash on hand. If you don't have an emergency, even better - take that massive lump sump you saved up with hopefully >1.5% interest, and make a massive payment on your loans - target the ones that HAD the highest interest rates. It's a win-win scenario.** + +**EDIT on 5-21: Looks like** [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2020/05/19/student-loan-servicers-are-dinging-credit-reports-for-the-cares-act-forbearance/#23d7e28865fa) **decided to write an article about it! And Great Lakes denied any wrong doing in a statement.** +I liquidated my last remaining non-gme position today (rip my amd calls 🥲) and bought 150 shares... waiting on the rest of the funds to settle and I plan on buying another 150 more. I’ve come to a realization that the only place my money is safe is in gme, and that I’m a boneheaded retarded 🚀🦍 ape like stonk 📈! +I would like someone to look into this and help to identify the reasons for the sudden changes in reporting duties by the CFTC for swap debt dealers just weeks before they were supposed to be implemented. + +Fails-to-deliver should not be sensitive to not reporting (or lack of) reporting duties but somehow there seems to be something more... + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[CFTC - please enforce data transparency](https://preview.redd.it/pr9d41is7wj81.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=06b6084c52e7fb6f736c053de1f0eb47d2cae2f1) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/4nugdpu18wj81.png?width=574&format=png&auto=webp&s=692bbda9cb1adb965c16ad4f93949557b9e2f468 + +S**hould the DoJ also investigate the CFTC?** + +There should be an investigation and more transparency is welcome. + +Why the delays in reporting duty requirements? who does it benefit? what does it hide? + +[GME FTDs](https://preview.redd.it/6b8a4q784wj81.jpg?width=1836&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1eecf0aab690d7e993e3ea861f7d2971823de1c4) + +The trend in fails=to=deliver data during the same period of time seems to have decreased just days before reporting IMM (international monetary market) reporting dates. + +Please see key dates in yellow below. + +[CFTC No action announcements](https://preview.redd.it/z6jmls2f4wj81.jpg?width=1193&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b2b7a7c15ec4923dd31e5b980c48b792d3f7303) + +&#x200B; + +Coincidently, during the same period the CFTC enabled swap debt to be not disclosed to the public (a.k.a. hidden). + +&#x200B; + +[and more CFTC No action press releases](https://preview.redd.it/2fpiczoi4wj81.jpg?width=1237&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8298efa2e901abea1cbcfe1e45fe8c15e9f0919a) + +**Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) provides NO REPORTING OBLIGATIONS extension for Swaps until October, 2023.** + +I would appreciate if someone can explain how this extensions allows for market transparency. + +[https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8422-21](https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8422-21) + +&#x200B; + +[release number 8422-21](https://preview.redd.it/olfda7sp5wj81.png?width=1031&format=png&auto=webp&s=43b66a896f14cac3d256e732a8e558f98f81ac8f) + +&#x200B; + +Issue 1: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Market Participants Division on August 31, 2021 issued a time-limited no-action letter concerning capital and financial reporting obligations for swap dealers (SDs) subject to capital requirements of a prudential regulator (Bank SDs) under the CFTC’s SD financial reporting rules.  + +&#x200B; + +Issue 2: Please investigate and provide transparency regarding the topics and agreements during he CFTC leading to this extension in reporting obligations until October 2023 (it was already due by November 2021!). + +**Notice that there was a official meeting with CITADEL SECURITIES SWAP DEALER LLC and the CFTC.** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/cxlsridu5wj81.png?width=924&format=png&auto=webp&s=c0bd960935404a4092b6b9869c50469f4dbfee3a + +It is concerning that during the month of April 2021 there were lobbying meetings between a swap dealer that directly benefits from this extension of not reporting obligations. + +&#x200B; + +sources: + +[https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8422-21](https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8422-21) + +&#x200B; + +[https://www.cftc.gov/LawRegulation/DoddFrankAct/registerswapdealer.html](https://www.cftc.gov/LawRegulation/DoddFrankAct/registerswapdealer.html) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +TL:/DR: DoJ please investigate everything including the CFTC and SEC for allowing the lack of transparency. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[💎🙌🚀](https://preview.redd.it/olpfpv788wj81.png?width=1802&format=png&auto=webp&s=ee602b5d17afe544b4b4a719e6185e7f659c50b6) +**Good Morning (Bore da) from Wales!** + +I've been away for a few days but had to call short my holiday because so many apes were requesting sheep movement updates. + +I kept a passing interest in the GME ticker whilst away but I've long since learned that without a clear line of sight to the sheep I'm as clueless as the next ape, and just as clueless as our wrinkly brained super apes with their fancy graphs, numberology and acronym fetishes. + +**Sour GrAPE?** I note that u/rensole neglected to add me to the list of apes to keep an eye on in todays daily news. Rensole was clearly keen not to over burden apes with overly complex DD, since his list included basic quant and exponential curve ideas - but I think it's important apes get the real meat, the real lamb and the chance to at least try and grow some wrinkles. + +**Reminder**: My field work can be relied upon to inform your financial decisions, if that is your thing. I am not a sheep and will never pull the wool over your eyes. **This DD builds on my magnum opus:** [https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/nkpmnv/mother\_of\_all\_sheep\_studies\_1\_2\_and\_3\_my\_magnum/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/nkpmnv/mother_of_all_sheep_studies_1_2_and_3_my_magnum/) + +**M**other **o**f **A**ll **S**heep **S**tudies update: + +***Suggested Welsh Reading Accent:*** *Catherine Zeta Jones* + +***Suggested Welsh Reading Music:*** *Motorcycle Emptiness, Manic Street Preachers* + +**It's almost time for the spring lambs to be sent to market** \- as such they are quite literally 'lambs to the slaughter' and when that day comes it will be a bullish signal of MOASS, since GME has a negative beta correlation to OLV (Operating Lamb volume). A reminder that negative beta tells us what has happened, not what will happen - so no mint sauce until market day. + +[Expect after hours movements once straw dumping ceases](https://preview.redd.it/b9oygveh2f571.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=0b5f6e4a567d0634e0a04709d5b9b0d86388ebaf) + +**Short Grass has not been covered -** We've enjoyed a spell of hot weather and that has exposed farmer Gryff Gryffyn's less than cunning plan to hide the short grass OTM (On the moor). Said moorland is becoming parched and the shorter grass is rapidly becoming ungrazebale , to such an extent that it may not even be mowed, or 'trimmed' on the usual T-21 cycle. Sheep are thus grazing on longer grass and farmer Gryffyn can be seen frantically laying synthetic turf on the more exposed areas of the field. **Desperate Stuff, and Bullish.** + +**5 cubic metres of straw dumped in field -** for the last few days a tractor has been tipping regular quantities of straw into the feeders in the upper field, totalling approx 5 cubic metres (or 5 million pieces of straw in old language). + +***This has had two effects:*** Firstly the straw suppresses the long grass around the feeders as the sheep converge to feed on it. Secondly, the straw leads to sideways grazing, as sheep move from their usually more volatile behaviours to a carefully orchestrated rotation between straw feeder and traditional grazing. + +[Bullish manoeuvres - caption left should read 'flimsy field wall'](https://preview.redd.it/vmokutms3f571.png?width=4000&format=png&auto=webp&s=03ffdd4e3f4eb77301dc15f59658643ea889b209) + +**Edit 1:** I've been asked to share my analysis of the impact of RC Float Tweet on 25 May, so I've included that below. If any quant apes want to go deeper, I'll send you the files. + +[Self Explanatory](https://preview.redd.it/ncd26qq05f571.png?width=2048&format=png&auto=webp&s=7501bb03af0e74c55eef707a14e69200ad744dd4) + +**TLDR:** + +* Silence of the lambs is **imminent** +* Straw dumping now finished, **expect more volatility** in days ahead +* **Short grass is naked** and getting burned +* **BAA volume highest after hours**, as dusk falls \* BAA stands for 'Bleating Animal Audio' and is used by experts in this field to measure the total number of sheep grazing at any given moment. + +Diolch / Thank you - hope that filled a DD sized gap in your day + +**Deep Fucking Valley** signing out. + +🐑🚀🐑🚀🐑🚀🐑🚀🐑🚀 + +[And they hate mayo, even minty mayo](https://preview.redd.it/ipcxiqcy1f571.png?width=1632&format=png&auto=webp&s=1eeae27b32c941c138c8e503401a1041e7cfcbaa) +Ok fellas, with the bull market coming up in the next couple weeks or months I want to give some advice. Like the title reads these are some hard truths, so I expect to be downvoted because I will be shitting on peoples favorite coins. When I first started crypto in December I wish someone sat me down and told me these things. I was on reddit the first time I bought into crypto but it wasn’t much help because people were shilling coins already at the top. Unfortunately reddit is an echo chamber and people choose to listen to stuff that gives them validation. Also, there are people who are either ignorant or disingenuous about advice they’re giving. + +1. Ripple will never reach $100 and that is 100%. It will need a market cap alone of over $1 trillion, and that is more then double the entire crypto market cap. Looking at the ripple subreddit saddens me, because the mental olympics these guys go through to justify it hitting $100 is absurd. I wish it can hit $100 that would be awesome for ripple holders, but it’s just not feasible. Will ripple rise? Of course it will. It was the first coin I bought and many others first coin as well. + +2. Again, back to market cap. Look at market cap not dollar price when looking for investments. Stellar for example is 30 cents but is the 8th most expensive coin. For it to double it will need another $6.5b. I like stellar and what they’re doing not saying its a bad coin, but look at it like this. It was 1 cent in July, 2017. It peaked around 80 cents in January. That is a 80x for people who bought in July. Currently, stellar sits at 30 cents. If you buy in now, if it goes to 60 cents you get a 2x well the people who got in july get a 30x. *STOP* buying peoples tops, let the new noobs that come into crypto buy *YOUR* tops. You have to understand a lot of these guys that shill these high marketcap coins either got in really early, or are the suckers who bought the tops without realizing it. + +3. Crypto is a zero sum game. People have to be selling lows and buying highs to make others money. Everyone made money in 2017, because the marketcap of entire crypto did a 42x. It went from 20b-850b. You must understand that this was the most insane bull run in history. Most bubbles do a 5x in 5 years and people call it a crazy bull run. My point with all this is this run made a lot of people think they are geniuses. Don’t take peoples advice just based on the fact they made good money and were in crypto for a year. A dead squirrel could’ve turned $1k into $100k+ last year. + +4. Don’t follow the hive mentality of HODL. Yes, you can’t predict the exact tops or the exact bottoms. Which is why you must take profit gradually. Set targets and when you reach that target pull some money. I’m not saying cash out to fiat, but atleast move that profit into a coin you been wanting to buy that may not have pumped yet. Keep in mind the market always going in cycles and corrects. If you HODL for a year, yes you will make money but it will be significantly less then if you just take profit gradually and use that money to buy the dips. You can’t predict if it will dip tomorrow, next week, or next month, but rest assured it WILL dip. + +4. Make accounts on multiple exchanges. Kucoin, cryptopia, idex, ect. A lot of people just sit on a binance account. If you want good entry points binance already pumps coins to 2-5x their value the second they’re listed. Idex is one of the best opportunities to get good entry points. Coins will be listed here immediately after most ICO’s operating on the ethereum platform. + +5. My biggest learning resource for investments has been following crypto twitter accounts. Guys who have been in this space for years. Anyone can talk and seem knowledgeable, but who actually has the stats to back them up? I went through hundreds of twitter profiles and looked at peoples coin calls from months back. I looked at their success rates and put value on their calls based on that. (For example, one guy called WTC at 35 cents, XRB at 10 cents, and many other winners, I value his opinion the most.) I began noticing patterns in the way these guys call coins. The most successful guys with highest success rates usually call the same coin. I began picking up on their habits and the resources they use, and soon I was buying coins before they even mention them. Also, you want the best entry points crypto moves fast. Reddit I’ve noticed is weeks behind on calls from twitter. + +6. You have to also look at satoshis when your checking if you made money investing into other coins, rather than just holding bitcoin. Your dollar value will increase if bitcoin rises, but if its going down in bitcoin value you were better off just holding bitcoin. + +7. Research, research and research. Seriously, put the time in. Learn what it is your buying. Crypto is not just vaporware their is underlying value in these projects. Read the whitepapers, look at the teams, and become immersed in the community. + +This advice isn’t for the person who just wants to put money into a coin and come back next year with 3-10x their money. You can buy nano, neo, ect and I’m sure you’ll be satisfied if that’s what your aiming for. This advice is for guys like me who want to make life changing returns and are willing to put the time in. + +One thing I can always tell you is always be curious. Don’t think you know it all. I been in crypto for 45 days and have been reading and reading almost 5+ hours a day, and I’m still learning. Don’t be the sucker buying peoples tops making them rich, in hopes of possibly doubling in a month. This market is too rewarding and this opportunity may never come again. Take advantage of it. I am not writing this for karma or whatever. I genuinely wish everyone can reach their goals and fulfill their dreams. It really hurts me when I see the mass of bad information going around and people being mislead. + +I have been commenting on reddit a lot and people keep private messaging me what to buy, and I’m sure it will happen again after this post. So, here is my portfolio in no specific order for those curious. But please do your own research. + +1. Sharder (SS) +2. Origin Trail (Trac) +3. Sophiatx (Sphtx) +4. Bottos (BTO) +5. Data (DTA) +5. CargoX (CXO) +6. carvertical (CV) +7. Restart Energy MWAT (MWAT) +8. Tomocoin (TOMO) +9. Elastos (ELA) +10. Wepower (WPR) +11. Matrix AI network (MAN) + +I fully expect to be downvoted these aren’t popular opinions but as long as I help out one person it was worth it. Good luck guys, hope you have a life changing year! + + +Edit: Yes my portfolio is “special”. It is really aggressive, which is why I say “do your own research”. + +Another Edit: For people asking about twitter handles I don’t think I’m allowed to post them. Just PM me ill tell you the person i mentioned in my post + +Final Edit: I am getting bombarded with PM’s. Im trying my best to reply if I miss your message just pm me again after 24 hours, and repeat every 24 hours until I reply. + +Final Final Edit: I am getting a lot of hate but its fine. I am really confident in my picks. Guys I will use this post as an example, that crypto isn’t throwing darts blindly. One year from today I will repost it as a reminder to people that the majority don’t know whats going on, and they will crap on anyone who calls coins before they did a 100x. I will be successful and I say that with more confidence then anyone shilling you nano for the 100th time in a day. +Looks like an eFinancialCareers guest post has used the flowchart as a guide for “young investment bankers” to manage their finances. + +No credit to the sub. + +[Article link](https://news.efinancialcareers.com/uk-en/320069/junior-banker-youre-not-rich?utm_source=GLOBAL_ENG&utm_medium=SM_FB&utm_campaign=FANS&utm_term=0a9beaf8-a3cd-4837-b96f-4336cb1a2afc&fbclid=IwAR2ot_u7k6cwvvtfRmFVA8gR1C4YBqIoyJV7qEfpdNQK_xYkRylqoHp8OEI) +What do you think the best investment items are which will last a lifetime or even a few years? I feel like I waste so much money on cheap disposable items or clothes which I end up spending more money on replacing often. What was the best purchases that have lasted you? +Mine are my Dr martens boots, a cast iron pot I got from Marks about 10 years ago when marks was good a few vintage coats that were clearly made to last and a fjallraven parka which has lasted me for years and it's still as good as new. +Worst waste of money I find is settees these days, it's like they're made to only last 2 years. +AMA Happening now on Axion Discord! + +@everyone + +<:AXION:> ** It’s finally here** + +We are looking to have initial plastic delivered by end of January 21, this is a platform that we have been working on for over a year to deliver. With most of the time in legal, compliance, brand approval, Visa Approval etc. + +Unlike other cryptocurrency cards, the Connect Card is a Visa credit card. This gives it two significant advantages over prepaid debit cards: you can spend using credit, and you can use it for pre-authorised transactions, such as at hotels, gas stations or pay-per-click advertising. +With the Connect card you can: +- Control your funding sources +- Manage both fiat currency and cryptocurrency +- Increase your spending power by up to 180% +- Continue to benefit from any increases in the value of your cryptocurrency + +When you load your cryptocurrency (such as Bitcoin) as collateral, Connect extends you a line of credit based on a percentage of its value – boosting your card spending power by around 180%. This way you can spend while keeping your cryptocurrency intact: you’ll never lose out by having to liquidate it early. + + +Connect credit cards are anticipated to be shipped out by the end of January, + +Their CEO <@!479284735487508480> will be doing an AMA in fourty-five minutes at 12pm PST in the #connect-ama channel, that will go live right at 12pm. +Guys, I'm no expert here but the LRC testing/transfers/deposits really seem to be ramping up. + +&#x200B; + +All of the "out" transactions below are sent to from one of the addresses I posted about yesterday to "Binance 14", which currently has a balance of \~10.16M LRC. There was another transaction of 5M LRC this morning. + +I could be wrong, but from what I've seen I believe this to be some type of liquidity pool for L2 transfers between Loopring and Binance, which is the largest crypto exchange by volume. Whether or not this is the reason for these tranfers, it makes sense to me that Loopring would work towards compatibility with Binance. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/z076soh6gnc81.png?width=1366&format=png&auto=webp&s=d988eb39b15e3618da665ed099acb068c93a71cf + +[https:\/\/etherscan.io\/token\/0xbbbbca6a901c926f240b89eacb641d8aec7aeafd?a=0x9af942c5d96956b657419970e5df27c67ddab1de](https://preview.redd.it/14whyoh6gnc81.png?width=1366&format=png&auto=webp&s=26274526e54068c76abbc3cde1409681db7bfa4f) + +&#x200B; + +This "Binance 14" address (0x28C...21d60) is *hella* busy with transactions of all types of ERC20 tokens, more evidence that this is some form of a reputable liquidty pool. + +[https://etherscan.io/address/0x28c6c06298d514db089934071355e5743bf21d60](https://etherscan.io/address/0x28c6c06298d514db089934071355e5743bf21d60) + +&#x200B; + +# And something else... + +Something really interesting that I noticed from this *Binance 14* address is that there are a bunch of ERC721 minting transactions for a contract (not token) called **MARS4**. I don't know about you guys, but I've never heard of it. There is a website on the Etherscan link for it. + +[https://etherscan.io/address/0xdf9aa1012fa49dc1d2a306e3e65ef1797d2b5fbb](https://etherscan.io/address/0xdf9aa1012fa49dc1d2a306e3e65ef1797d2b5fbb) + +[https://www.mars4.me/](https://www.mars4.me/) + +&#x200B; + +>Mars4.me is a **Metaverse** in geographically exact 3D Virtual Mars, created with data from NASA and other space agencies. It has the **MARS4** (Mars Dollar) token & the  World's 1st Revenue Generating NFTs, which leverages property rights and incentivises holding & spending tokens on in-world assets and resources. + +&#x200B; + +>First revenue generating NFT in the universe! + +&#x200B; + +Poke around and tell me that doesn't jack your tits. +Hi all, + +&#x200B; + +I am starting researching everything "buying a house" as I am looking to buy in the next 6 months - and wondered whether you could help with some questions: + +&#x200B; + +1) Mortgage affordability - It seems to vary bank to bank, but generally speaking is between 4 - 4.75. Is the amount banks are lending X your salary impacted by Covid currently? I.e. Is there a consensus that more banks will open up 4.75x mortgages to first time buyers as the market settles? (I did see that Barclays used to provide up to 5X salary - but doesn't seem to be offering this now..?) + +&#x200B; + +1a) I am looking at maxing out my mortgage affordability. I.e. 4.75 x 72,000 = 342,000. What are the pro's and cons of this? (P.s. I'm looking to buy in London) + +&#x200B; + +2) Bonuses - I receive a discretionary annual bonus every April, which generally speaking is around 15-20% of my salary. I.e. Salary is 72,000, bonus is usually 10,000>14,000. My bonus last year was 10,000 & my bonus will likely be 10,000 > 12,000 this year. It is completely discretionary, but have received it every year for the past 5 years incl. during the Covid year. How will banks review this as part of affordability? + +&#x200B; + +3) Deposit - I will have at least £50,000 for house purchase, although am looking to use 40,000 for the deposit - and 10,000 for the stamp, mortgages fees, anything else. Does this seem sensible, or would I need more than 50,000? (I invest heavily into S&S ISA currently, so tempted to taper this down in the next 6 months to support the purchase) + +&#x200B; + +3a) Based on a few articles I've read, 10% deposits will return into next year - and the cost of borrowing should fall. I appreciate that this is speculative, but any major concerns budgeting for a 10% deposit? + +&#x200B; + +4) House Prices - A bit more of a speculative one, but hoped I could get some thoughts on this too. I am looking to purchase in London around 375,000 > 395,000. If I purchase centrally, I can get a 1 bed flat - but a bit further out, I could get a 2 bed terraced, semi-detached etc. I am thinking that post March Stamp duty, that prices might fall slightly or at least stall. What is the consensus for London with work from home policy etc? Will people be moving out of London, will London market still continue to be strong?...I am a bit concerned around the strength of the market as some of the covid factors play out. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +Thanks in advance! + +Dan +The market is red, it's down. +People are panicking, saying their portfolio is down 50%. + +I believe the main reason is tapering. We just had a year of fake gains. +A lot of fake money was pumped into the system, it pumped up overvalued companies even more. +So when someone asks you why the entire market is down for no reason, remember, tapering is happening, and it's happening quicker than before. + +Traders are probably panicking when they see volumes of trade decrease. +They exit their positions, stressing out the people around them. +It's a chain reaction, and I think it's just the beginning. There is more tapering waiting for us, and then, the interest hikes will begin. + +Let me know what y'all think. +Welcome to the **/r/EthTrader** Daily Discussion thread. The thread guidelines are as follows: +*** + +- Discussion topics include but are not limited to general discussion, details related to events of the day, technical analysis, Ethereum Classic, and minor questions. +- Important content should be posted as a separate thread. +- Be excellent to each other. + +*** + +Thank you in advance for your participation. Enjoy! + +Welcome to the **/r/EthTrader** Daily Discussion thread. The thread guidelines are as follows: +*** + +- Discussion topics include but are not limited to general discussion, details related to events of the day, technical analysis, Ethereum Classic, and minor questions. +- Important content should be posted as a separate thread. +- Be excellent to each other. + +*** + +Thank you in advance for your participation. Enjoy! + +If you're looking for a medium or long term trade, you have to look for value. What's cheap *today* versus where it could be in 1-3 months. If you're chasing the coin of the day (EOS, OMG, whatever), *after* it's already pumped huge, you're not going to get killer returns out of that. If you bought a coin after it went 5x and you're hoping for another 5x over the next few days, you're doing it wrong. + +"How do I know which coin is going to pump in the next few months?" + +Well no one said it was going to be easy. Do your homework and start researching. + +Of course for the extremely short term day traders this doesn't apply. +Historically ETH has had an inverse correlation with BTC - but during the recent halvening pump ETH held its ground really well which was pleasantly surprising. ETH still made clear gains when BTC had small corrections but when BTC flew up ETH didn't seem to dump at all. Hard to understand why this happened but a welcome trend, essentially making ETH a no brainer, goes up when BTC goes down and holds when BTC goes up. + +With The DAO hack ETH lost a lot of ground, but today has climbed 35% as news about the highly probably success of a softfork becoming widespread - but something people are missing - today's rally began with BTC falling heavily. + +The BTC Halvening pump may not be over and The DAO hack may have spooked away a lot of ETHs momentum so maybe we can expect the next BTC leg up to bring downward pressure on ETH - hopefuly it will hold it's ground pretty well like it did in the last BTC leg up - but rest assured that even is it doesn't hold, here is something to look forward to - come the Halvening dump we can now expect that a lot of that capital will flow into ETH given the events of today. + +ETH is clearly the exit asset of choice for BTC dumpers. +Welcome to the **/r/EthTrader** Daily Discussion thread. The thread guidelines are as follows: +*** + +- Discussion topics include but are not limited to general discussion, details related to events of the day, technical analysis, Ethereum Classic, and minor questions. +- Important content should be posted as a separate thread. +- Be excellent to each other. + +*** + +Thank you in advance for your participation. Enjoy! + +Today, Ray Dalio (successful hedge fund manager) referred to BTC as a bubble. He's just the next in a long line of established pros to refer to a crypto bubble. + +The reality is, they're right. About Bitcoin, anyway. Its value is simply P2P payments. Nothing more. The value is determined solely by relative scarcity, or what someone is willing to pay for it. + +We all know that ETH has much more potential. The value of Ether is intrinsic, powering transactions and development on the Ethereum platform. But ETH also currently has very few applications, making it essentially a bubble as well. People who have ETH are almost all either traders or speculative holders, not traditional consumers who transact with it. + +So my question is: how long until we are NOT in a bubble? How long until we actually have a real, consumer-based application for ETH. Something that you can pull up on your phone and it provides a service. + +How long until we have just 1? + +Please no answers about some new seamless payment system built on Ethereum (e.g. OMG, which I also hold). That only contributes to the perception that we are in a bubble. Please also no answers about the majesty of ETH. I'm well aware of the potential. I want the reality. I'm looking for people's projections on a real DApp, for instance, that will make an impact. + +Also no retarded answers like "fiat is the real bubble! down with the government!" People who believe this are actually living in a bubble. + + +What if someone just wanted a growth fund WITHOUT the tax implications of dividends of VOO, for example? This would be held in a taxable brokerage account. The dividends of these index funds are taxable events. Essentially looking for max growth without adding to the tax burden. +I understand how high interest rates can cause a recession, but what I don’t understand is how the speed at which we get to those level affect the probability of a recession. If we are going to end up at the same interest rate, why does it matter how long it takes to get there? +What would you guys say is your biggest regret when it comes to Crypto? It could be selling ETH at $1000, or hell you could be the guy who used Bitcoin to buy Pizza back in 2011. + +I haven't been in Crypto that long as I started beginning of the year, so probably that should be my biggest regret given I had a couple of friends who introduced me to it but I didn't pay too much attention around Covid last year. + +But since I've been investing, I would say selling Fantom at $0.75 after buying in around $.30 would be mine. To be honest though I was pretty happy to double my money at the time coz it had been up and down a lot! If only though! +Update 3: Hey been getting too many messages from normal people who invested in shib asking me to take this down, and I'll somewhat oblige. DYOR and all that. + +Look, you've seen what happens on small exchanges and a smart contract audit is basically meaningless, there are countless other attacks possible -- many which are done as inside jobs. I do not recommend ShibSwap + +My last word on this: I still think the best place to buy and hold shib is Binance, or another large reputable exchange that has marketed it. They're invested in the success of the coin. + +I don't really have an opinion about the price. It's anybody's guess. +>My shy gf u/ChocolateChouxCream made this for me, I told her to post it but she wouldn't <\_< + +Putting it here so maybe others can use it if they want or people can give feedback on how to make it better. + +[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KZbPkIW8\_wKq0xhEcEmJDq-ekgfy872-rHJUdz6A-AI/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KZbPkIW8_wKq0xhEcEmJDq-ekgfy872-rHJUdz6A-AI/edit?usp=sharing) + +Please make a copy instead of requesting access if you do want to use it. + +The pension portion of the sheet assumes a salary sacrifice model but it's easy enough to change - just change `(C20*(1-E24))` to `C20` in cells E20, E22 and E26. The student loan also assumes plan 2. +So my Mom is most likely in her last days (COPD is not pretty) and I need some help as to what to do when that happens. I already have PoA, am Executor, already on her bank accounts as the PoA/ToD, and Mom has a clear cut and dry Will. (Dad passed away years ago, so no other parent to take into consideration, this is it) + +I need help with all the other things. Her recurring bills (Utilities and such) Any services (lifeline) her ambulance and hospital bills, and any thing else I can't think of because I'm a gibbering mess of a person right now. I know I'll need death certificates (Hoping the hospital can make copies for me) for some things. But I know I'll need some help with this because right now my brain looks like the inside of Homer Simpson's brain, and I sure as heck can't figure stuff out right now. + +If any grammar/spelling errors or I have repeated myself in here, I apologize, but the screen is a bit blurry and my brain is having a heck of a time focusing. + +Thank you all in advance, and wish me luck. +This is insane the fact government is letting this happen is sad how deeply corrupt is the United States is by these banks. We have to be the ones to change this after the moass we are responsible for fixing the government. I’m not selling my shares the fact they have the balls to buy options that blatantly show they’re hiding short interest to shorting us today and routing all our buy orders through darkpools is starting to piss me off. Why am i not protected from these criminals. +The strategy is to buy every month until I can retire. It's been 4.5 years now. Good progress, but no idea how long its gonna last until I'm 'done'. I document my journey in this blog and I think of it as some kinda blueprint for how you can stack yourself into retirement with Bitcoin and how the ride is gonna look like. I can tell you its not linear riding into gains and success, you probably know this much. But I hope these posts give you motivation to keep on stacking and seizing the day with the current prices we have. We all know they are not gonna last forever! + +[https://er-bybitcoin.com/stacking-em-volume-21-april-2022/](https://er-bybitcoin.com/stacking-em-volume-21-april-2022/) +Dear Readers, + +The Month of May brings us a new Featured Subreddit, /r/MMT_Economics, which we hope will generate much interest in both that sub. and its central topic. + +With that said, we hereby open the floor for suggestions for future featured subreddits. + +So far, we've already had: + +- /r/EconPapers + +- /r/Austrian_Economics + +- /r/Econometrics + +- /r/InvisibleHand + +- /r/Economichistory + +We look forward to hearing what our readership would like to share. + +*The /r/Economics Mod Team* +It seems to me that the main issue here is a battle between the people and the state. + +In Germany, we have the government who are obviously hell-bent on bailing out Greece in tandem with the ECB and the IMF. The people of Germany, however, are [strongly against](http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/bild-english/world-news/2010/04/27/multi-billion-euro-aid-to-greece/german-anger-at-paying-luxury-greek-pensions.html#) what they see as rewarding profligacy. Merkel has to give the appearance of wanting to hold back the bailout money (demanding severe austerity programmes a la IMF), but ultimately has to make it so in order to preserve the European project. Time will tell whether or not she pays for it in the upcoming elections. + +In Greece, we have the government hell-bent on receiving aid for austerity measures, when the people have been in an almost constant protest against them. + +In both countries the government is fighting the will of the people because it thinks it knows better. Interesting times ahead. +This is my thought process: + +One of the Federal Reserve's stated goals is to "control inflation". The way it currently does this is by conducting open market operations in the debt market which affects the short term market rate of interest, and this interest rate regulates the extent to which businesses invest in projects. If the Fed wants the market to cut back on investments, it will increase interest rates by printing less money. If the Fed wants the market to engage in more investment, it will decrease interest rates by printing more money. These actions supposedly affect the overall rate of business spending, and hence the rate of increase in prices. + +However since the Fed targets the rate of increase in consumer prices, wouldn't it make more sense to simply issue everyone periodic checks that are not loan based, but simply checks drawn on itself, which will have the effect of increasing the quantity of money and hence volume of spending in the economy, and thus raise consumer prices that way in a more direct sense? + +If the Fed wants to make consumer prices rise by 2 to 3% each year, and it expects that people are going to cut back on consumer spending in the coming months or years, then it would simply issue checks for larger amounts. If the Fed expects that people are going to soon splurge on consumer spending in the coming months, then it would simply issue checks for smaller amounts, or none at all. + +If the Fed were really concerned with controlling inflation, is this not the quickest and simplest method for controlling the rate of increase in prices? Why does the Fed have to go the long, time delayed route of buying securities from primary dealers, thus increasing total bank reserves, which then provide a basis for the banks in making more loans, which lowers interest rates, which stimulate business expenditures, which then translates into higher incomes, which then goes into higher demand for consumer goods, which then, finally, raises consumer prices, all the while messing up business calculations and creating bubbles? + +Does this little mental experiment not show inflation supporters that the Fed really isn't concerned with inflation so much as ensuring that the banks make a profit from it in the meantime? Won't giving checks to people have exactly zero net effect on the economy, which proves that the economy does not in fact "need" a gradually increasing monetary demand with which to grow? +So Central Banks get to decide the monetary policy, i.e. the rules of the game, by controling the interest rate at their own discretion. + +As more and more people figured out the winning strategy: getting loans at low interest get you close to the money printer so you can "mine" fiat as it is being created, then they can decide on a whim to change the rules and raise interest rates to punish the over leveraged. + +You are being stolen either by inflation or by interest on your debt. + +Refuse to play this stupid game. Adopt the Bitcoin Standard. +Autist living in upstate NY here. Currently NY has the most cases in the US by far. While most of them are in the city, that shit is about to change. Stores have plenty of people walking about without a care. Driving around you wouldn’t even know there’s a fucking virus going around. People think it won’t happen to them. Plenty of city folk are high tailing it upstate to escape the beer flu, and they’re bringing it with them. The curve will not be flattened, only go up. + +tldr; city ppl are spreading beer flu upstate. NY is boned, if you didn’t know already. + +SPY 220p 4/17 +By Defi I mean Dai, CDP's and compound style dapps/sites, what's the big deal ? + +I have nothing against leveraged trading ( which I think is the sole reason to open a CDP right now), but can't seem to find other more mainstream applications, not sure the excitement matches the technology ( like with ICOs), still think it's great ETH is innovating, but feel like I am missing something, can you eli5 ? + I am purchasing my a SFH to rent out. It is currently rented out to a section 8 family, they have been there 2 years and their lease ends at the end of the month, they would like to stay. I hope to close by the end of the month as well. I would like to request an increase of rent from the housing authority, this process would take 60 days from the day I obtain possession. + +My question is, do I go ahead and sign the family to a new lease, and then request the rent increase? (If approved, do I amend the lease?) +Or, do I keep them month to month, wait until I get a response from the housing authority on rent, write that new price into the lease and have them sign then? +I am new and I've been looking at properties in Texas to invest in (renting.) Suddenly, I see this link and after a bunch of articles, I started to search in Orlando. The prices are lower than the average in Texas and rent is higher! As a beginner I am not sure if I am missing something (taxes are higher in Florida?) + +Any advice, tips or guidelines are highly appreciated. +What criteria did you use to choose where to invest, and where did you find good information? Like, if you want to see if new schools or neighborhoods are being built, can you look at city planning or just news sites? If you wanted to see the crime rate, did you pay for something like Neighborhood Scout or just check the news and talk to the locals? + + +Right now I'm just looking at places with multifamilies I can afford, but if no one wants to rent there or it's a dying neighborhood, that's obviously a problem. So while I'm learning to evaluate properties, I'm figuring I'll need to evaluate neighborhoods, kwim? +So I've been lurking for a while and finally decided to start running the PMCC with some extra money that I have to mess around with. Below I will give the details of the LEAPS and CC, but basically I bought 3 LEAPS expiring 01/21/2022 for a total of $1964 on, or just before, 06/20/21. I've sold +CCs that either expire weekly, biweekly, or 4 weeks out... keep in mind that I am only 2 weeks in so far. So far I've profited $221, and I have a CC open that will gross me at least $103. My plan is to earn between 3.5 - 4% weekly by buying LEAPs with a .85 + delta and selling CCs with the first strike price above my breakeven on my LEAP. I am more focused on earning the highest premium, to earn that "passive" income. The stocks I am choosing, for now, are stocks that I believe show promise and have a high IV for the CCs. This is a separate account from my others, so I am not worried about missing out on massive runs because I also own these stocks in other accounts and this specific account is only focused on earning passive income. I started off with $1964 to get my feet wet and get a feel for how I wanted to play this game, I have another $5k that is ready to be used but I am going to hold off on that for, at least, another few weeks until I am much more comfortable. I am 100% open to feedback and suggestions, as I am still learning. Below I will provide the LEAPs and CCs I've done so far. + +&#x200B; + +PMCC #1 + +BNGO LEAP + +Opened on 05/13/2021, Strike price of $3, Expiration on 01/21/22, Premium debit of $2.60, Breakeven of $5.60. I STC this trade on 05/25/2021 for a credit of $3.10, profiting $0.50. + +BNGO CCs + +Opened on 05/20/2021, Strike price of $6, Expiration on 06/18/2021, Premium credit of $0.65. I BTC this trade on 05/25/2021 for a debit of $0.34, profiting $0.31. + +On the 25th of May, the underlying went to about $6.10 so I decided to close out the trade for a profit of $81. I STC the LEAP for $3.10, profiting $0.50, and BTC the CC for $0.34, profiting $0.31, for a grand total gross profit of $81. This allowed me to profit 31.15% in 5 days, and my goal is to profit that percentage in 7-8weeks. + +&#x200B; + +PMCC #2 + +CHPT LEAP + +Opened on 05/20/2021, Strike price of $14, Expiration on 01/21/22, Premium debit of $10.65, Breakeven of $24.65. I STC this trade on 06/04/2021 for a credit of $13.85, profiting $3.20. + +CHPT CCs + +Opened on 05/20/2021, Strike price of $25.5, Expiration on 05/28/2021, Premium credit of $0.42. I BTC this trade on 05/24/2021 for a debit of $0.27, profiting $0.15. + +Opened on 05/24/2021, Strike price of $25, Expiration on 05/28/2021, Premium credit of $0.30. I BTC this trade on 05/25/2021 for a debit of $0.12, profiting $0.18 + +Opened on 05/25/2021, Strike price of $25, Expiration on 06/04/2021, Premium credit of $0.50. I BTC this trade on 06/04/2021 for a debit of $3, losing $2.50. + +Gross profit of $1.03 in 2weeks, my goal was between $75-86. + +&#x200B; + +PMCC #3 + +OCGN LEAP + +Opened on 05/14/2021, Strike price of $2.50, Expiration on 01/21/22, Premium debit of $6.38, Breakeven of $8.89. + +OCGN CCs + +Opened on 05/20/2021, Strike price of $11, Expiration on 05/28/2021, Premium credit of $0.30. I BTC this trade on 05/24/2021 for a debit of $0.09, profiting $0.21. + +Opened on 05/24/2021, Strike price of $9.5, Expiration on 05/28/2021, Premium credit of $0.23. I BTC this trade on 05/25/2021 for a debit of $0.14, profiting $0.09. + +Opened on 05/25/2021, Strike price of $9, Expiration on 06/04/2021, Premium credit of $0.55. I BTC this trade on 05/25/2021 for a debit of $0.48, profiting $0.07. + +Opened on 05/25/2021, Strike price of $9, Expiration on 06/18/2021, Premium credit of $1.03 + +So far, I have realized gross profits of $37 and I still have the CC expiring on 06/18/2021 opened for a potential of another $103 in profits. I plan on keeping this trade opened until the expiration date, or the day before, then making a decision on what I will do depending on the price of the underlying. + +&#x200B; + +Overall, I have invested a total of $1964, I have realized gross profits of $221 and the potential to make at least another $103 depending on what happened with OCGN. That would bring my total gross profits on 06/18/2021 to at least $324. My goal at the end of the first 4 weeks, which is the week ending 06/18/2021, was between $275-315 in realized gross profits. I can still dabble with buying a couple of the safer LEAPs and selling CCs above my breakeven with ATT for these next 2 weeks, to increase my profits but I am not sure I want to risk that since I will already be meeting my goal. + +&#x200B; + +Any suggestions or advice would be welcomed, thank you for your time! +I have done some research but did not see this particular question answered so I was wondering if anyone on this sub had the answer. + + + +I am looking to switch from Robinhood to either TOS or Tastyworks and have been doing some research. I know that TOS charges $0.65 to open and to close for options and I know that Tastyworks charges $1 to open and $0 to close. What I am a little confused about is the fees. I know that Tastyworks lists the fees on their page and that it is $0.14 to open and $0.15 to close. Does TOS charge these fees on top of their $0.65 commission or is it included within their commission? + + + +Currently I am opening CSPs and letting them expire since I open Monday and they expire Friday. To me it seems like TOS is the way to go since I only incur about half the fees. But if I am looking to close them out then it seems like a very even amount of commissions and fees unless TOS charges the fees on top of the $0.65 commission. Thanks for the help! +Hey guys so I’ve been lurking for a while and I really like what I’ve learned here and they at strategies have been some of my favorites. Just curious if people use this as a second source of income and if so any tips or pointers? + +I don’t plan on leaving my job but am looking to get some extra spending money each month and don’t want to get a second job lol. + +Just for context ive been mostly selling covered calls on stocks I own and returns have been decent but have been moving those funds into other positions and am thinking about just pocketing the premium. + +Any thoughts? +Is there a name for this strategy? Positions are: +Sell 12/16 23 GME call at $3.56 +Sell 12/16 27 GME put at $2.90 + +I am aiming to sell it at $26.56 and buy it at $24.10 and pocket the difference. + +Is there a better way to run this? My understanding is that as long as GME stays in the 23 to 27 range, I pocket $2.46 per share. + +Critique away! +Keep it friendly and civil; this is not WSB and automod will censor your posts at will for unsavory and unfriendly remarks. Try to keep bragging to a minimum; remember every dollar you make is a dollar someone else lost. +Currently looking for some new books to pick up and wanted to put together a thread to see what people have felt benefitted their performance in the markets. + +I’ll start with three books off the top of my head that I believe are useful for everyone: + +1. Trading and Exchanges: Market microstructure for practitioners - Best for beginners or those looking for broad market knowledge + +Option specific knowledge: + +2. Options as a strategic investment - Lawrence G McMillan +3. Options volatility and pricing - Sheldon Natenberg + +Currently looking at grabbing Dynamic Hedging by Taleb (If anyone’s read let me know your opinion) + +Interested to hear what you guys recommend for people to check out. +I've been selling CC's on a few things (GSAT, GME, BB, LCID) for a while, since I just happen to own more than 100 shares of each, and know that typically selling 30-45 DTE out is "ideal", but I'd like to start selling Weekly calls on things, maybe even pick up a few new tickers that have high IV to sell. + +However, I'm not really sure what the golden rules are to look for in tickers to sell CC's, or more specifically weeklies. + +Any tips? My account is only around $15,000 so I don't have a ton of room to work, but if I can make a 1-3% a month I'd be pretty damn happy and slowly build up more. + +Any good Golden Rules? +I finished an internship 2 months ago at a life insurance company and I was able to learn all about their business model from the in an out. Developed a trading strategy all around it. + +A life insurance business is simple. + +You create insurance with an extremely low payout rate and collect cash. + +Ensure the premiums you receive can cover your expected losses + +Reinvest surplus premiums. + +Life insurance companies are some the highest ranked financially secure companies in the world which I what I want to emulate. + +The first step is to identify our insurance contract. Naked puts will do. So how far out of the money can we go to obtain an insurance-like payout rate. 2 standard deviations based on implied volatility adjusted for contract DTE seems to be the right balance of premium and win rate. The only people who buy naked puts 2 standard deviations out are WSB retards and investors who want to hedge or "insure" their portfolio. + +You can calculate this: ( Share price * IV * SQRT(DTE/365) ) + +When we look at a bell-curve the statistical win rate of selling 2 standard deviations out is 97.5% This is good but not good enough for me since only 99.65% of term life insurance policies actually get paid out. If we sell in a high implied volatility environment and IV decreases. We can calculate the new 2 standard deviation mark based on the current price and therefore the chance of success for the rest of the contract. + +For example if you sold a 45 dte contract with an IV of 80 on a stock worth 100. Your 2 standard deviation mark would be 44. If the contract is 30 dte and the stock goes down to 80 but the iv crushes to 45. Your new 2 standard deviation mark is 60. That means for the rest of the duration of your contract you're not 2 standard deviations out but you are 2.6 standard deviations out. This would put you over a 99% win statistical win rate. + +Now Insurance companies can raise their premiums to ensure that they come out with profit. We can only sell in high IV environments and take what the market gives us. What we can do is reduce our losses to give us a better margin of profit. The first method of risk management is to keep a reserve of cash. In a non portfolio margin account I keep 25,000 in cash and 25,000 in buying power to sell puts. With this reserve of cash you can acquire the shares of the stock on a handful of puts in the event you do get assigned, which is very low. Backtesting has shown that a large large majority of stocks rebound at the 2 standard deviation mark if not make a straight reversal. By acquiring the shares you can wait for the rebound while selling covered calls at the breakeven point to break even or greatly mitigate your losses. The next method is if you don't have or don't want to contribute the capital for the stock. You roll your put out another 1 standard deviation for the same dte your first put was. The stock has already gone down 2 standard deviations the probability of it going down to 3 is incredibly low. Increase of IV from a rapid drop and the put being closer to the money the 1 standard deviation will mitigate losses by 40-70%. + +The next step is to reinvest our premiums. The usual return I get on these puts is 20-40% annualized return on buying power depending on the Implied volatility. I average 30%. Thats 30% on 25k or 15% on 50k. Which comes out to 7500 a year or 144 a week. It's pretty modest but it is incredibly consistent and can be compounded monthly. What you want to invest your premiums into is completely up to you but here are some different strats you can mess around with. + +-365DTE ATM Put credit spreads. Its a double or nothing deal. If market goes up you double your money in a year. If Market goes down you lose it all. Markets usually go up though and if you buy these at end of a recession its practically a guarenteed win. + +- Penny, small cap, mid cap, stock. If you like your fundamental analysis, I kinda suck at it and am reading some books to get better, you can scour all the stock pick deal you want and potentially get very high returns or do kinda mid. + +-Dividend stocks. Find the cheapest and highest dividend-paying stock you can get your hands on collect dividends and reinvest into the same stock. The problem with these stocks is that they tend to go down or sideways so the strat is to acquire 100 shares and sell covered calls against them while making sure you don't get called away before an ex-dividend date to further reduce your cost basis and acquire more shares. This just sounds fun to me and the return can be pretty good if you believe in the stock long term. + +-Good old SPY buy and hold + +Overall your premiums will almost always cover your losses but you can prevent entire losses by temporarily "wheeling" them and strongly mitigating losses by rolling them. You'll get consistent cash flow at a 15-25% annual return depending on your risk tolerance. And you can reinvest your premiums into whatever you want. A life insurance company pulls in millions if not billions of dollars a year when it comes to their premiums received and investment returns but they will have trillions in exposure if all their policies get claimed. Similarly, you'll be pulling in hundreds if not thousands a month but based on TD Ameritrade buying power requirement you will have 25k invested and 250,000 of assignment exposure. In my example as long as you stagger your expirations so you don't have more than 30,000-40,000 assignment exposure per week it is pretty manageable. Since I have 25,000 in cash I have 50,000 in stock buying power. + +The real beauty of this strat is if you have portfolio margin. Since the premiums cover the losses there's not a real risk of being blown up. Just like an insurance company your limit is how many policies you can write. Portfolio Margin greatly reduces that limit. The annualized returns with portfolio margin can be 50% a year plus. As long as you properly reinvest your premiums you can hedge your portfolio to give yourself a great amount of leverage. + +Don't forget that you have another 25k in cash sitting around not being used for a majority of the time. I like to trade short butterfly spreads and short-term credit spreads with this money while it is not being used to increase my annual return. + +Tell me what you think of this strat. So far its been working well for 2 months. +I think 2023 leaps are out Monday. Is anyone planning on buying? What are you after and why? I’m thinking about getting some OTM calls and selling shorter term calls against them. +Hi folks. I'm relatively new to reddit; I've drifted around some investing subs. But am generally unable to post or comment due to lack of karma, whatever that means... + +I see a lot of you talking about wheeling and CSPs. Anyone besides me writing naked short strangles? + +What does your portfolio look like, and what do you use for the underlying? +Question for y'all. I have been playing the SPX with low DTE 0 - 2 and low delta (9-11%) with some success however I wanted to get your thoughts on stop losses. I heard that you should put a stop loss on the short leg at the strike so if things go against you hard you have a back up plan. Spreads are often $20-30 wide so the loss ratio is high (nets about $100-125 per contract exposes $900-1200). IBKR lets you set conditional stops ie BTC # short contracts if SPX hits the strike. My presumption is that you would close the entire position ie BTC the short leg and STC the long leg at the short leg strike. Anyone else doing this? Any pointers? Thanks in advance +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/z0l7kim86n671.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=4a4c3f4d6e07b7d5ab3283b78a700f98c1f397eb + +My accounts are relatively small, so I am okay with riskier high IV stocks. I can always add more cash. My questions is, do you change your strategy as your account grows ? Do you favor cash preservation, rather than growth ? +I’m making my first trading bot and I had the idea of using the bid-ask volume to drive the decisions. If there’s more ask than bid buy, if it’s the other way around sell. Do any of you use a similar strategy? Are there any nuances in this I could be over looking? + +Edit: my bot will be trading crypto, eth specifically +These are my notes from when I was learning options using tasty trade. They are as is as they were taken. I hope you find them useful. + +=============== + +\+ve = positive + +\-ve = negative + +=============== + +**DELTA** + +* Rate of change of option price per $1 move in the underlying. +* ITM options have higher delta as the probability of ITM is higher. +* OTM options have a lower delta as the probability of ITM is lower. +* Delta is loosely associated with the Probability of ITM. +* Delta will be 0 for OTM options and 1 for ITM options at expiry. +* Delta mimics # of shares. +* 1 Long Share = 1 Delta. 100 Long Share = 100 Delta. +* 1 Short Share = -1 Delta. +* Delta is directional bias. +* \+ve delta (bullish) means a bias toward stock price going higher. +* \-ve delta (bearish) means a bias toward stock price going lower. +* Higher Probability of ITM means lower extrinsic value i.e. higher delta less extrinsic value. + +**Delta Neutral & Beta Weighting** + +* Delta of +/- 0.001 \* your net liquidity is considered delta neutral +* Beta weight with SPY to find the total deltas + * Example: [https://imgur.com/gallery/KYRuhMv](https://imgur.com/gallery/KYRuhMv) +* You can add or remove positions to make your portfolio delta neutral. +* You can hedge the position with high +/- deltas to make your portfolio delta neutral. +* Add or Remove positions in a product based on its correlation with SPY +* If an underlying is negatively correlated to SPY, go bullish to get negative beta weighted deltas and vice versa. +* If an underlying is positively correlated to SPY, go bullish to get positive overall beta weighted deltas, and vice versa. +* Higher correlation with SPY, the higher effect of the underlying deltas on the overall beta weighted deltas. + +&#x200B; + +**GAMMA** + +* Rate of change of DELTA. +* GAMMA: what the future DELTAS are going to be. +* When you sell options, you will gain -ve GAMMA. +* \-ve GAMMA implies that you are +ve THETA. +* \-ve GAMMA is inversely proportional to +ve THETA +* ABS(GAMMA) should not be greater than ABS(THETA) + +&#x200B; + +**VEGA:** + +[https://www.tastytrade.com/tt/shows/everyday-trader/episodes/greek-efficiency-vega-01-25-2017](https://www.tastytrade.com/tt/shows/everyday-trader/episodes/greek-efficiency-vega-01-25-2017) + +[https://www.tastytrade.com/tt/shows/market-measures/episodes/understanding-vega-10-19-2015](https://www.tastytrade.com/tt/shows/market-measures/episodes/understanding-vega-10-19-2015) + +* How much the option price will move if the underlying IV goes up/down by 1% +* Shorting Premium = Short Vega (-ve Vega) = Short IV +* High IV = High Premium. +* More DTE = More Vega (Options more sensitive to volatility) +* IV is mean-reverting. IV is high when the stock goes down or there is fear in the market or some pending news on the UL. +* IV is low if the UL keeps going up. +* Vega Risk: +* As a premium seller, when you sell a lot of bullish premium (ex: short put spread), you expose yourself to a lot of negative Vega. +* Selling a lot of bullish premium gives Positive Delta and Negative Vega. +* VEGA and DELTA has a natural inverse relationship +* When UL crashes IV increases: Profits when -ve DELTA & +ve VEGA +* When UL rally IV decreases: Profits when +ve DELTA & -ve VEGA +* Having a ratio of 2(VEGA): 1(DELTA) helps us to Hedge against vega risk. +* Hedge by adding Positive Vega OR +* Hedge by adding Negative (Short) Delta + +&#x200B; + +**THETA:** + +[https://www.tastytrade.com/tt/shows/everyday-trader/episodes/greek-efficiency-theta-01-24-2017](https://www.tastytrade.com/tt/shows/everyday-trader/episodes/greek-efficiency-theta-01-24-2017) + +[https://www.tastytrade.com/tt/shows/from-theory-to-practice/episodes/an-intuitive-understanding-of-theta-02-25-2016](https://www.tastytrade.com/tt/shows/from-theory-to-practice/episodes/an-intuitive-understanding-of-theta-02-25-2016) + +* Time decay: how much potion will lose value each day - works on holidays as well +* All extrinsic value is time value. +* ATM options hold their extrinsic value the longest. +* Closer to expiration: +* Theta grows faster and is larger for ATM options. +* Theta for OTM/ITM options shrinks faster, as the extrinsic value has already dissipated during the life of the option. +* ***Time Decay starts to decay best at 45 DTE and slows down at 10 DTE (This is based on tasty trade studies, there can be other factors at play here which can affect the rate of decay)*** +* Less Theta on Theta based option strategy could mean that there is very less extrinsic value left in the trade +* This could mean that the Option is completely ITM or OTM +* Look to get out of this trade +* \> than $1 in Theta is good, if < $1, there could be very less extrinsic Val left, get out of that trade, put a new trade. +* Selling premium to get Positive Theta is not always the answer: +* Selling premium, you can get Negative Vega which can get us in Vega Risk if IV drops +* More about Vega Risk in Vega Section. +* **You can be long in an option trade and still have +Theta and +Vega** +* [https://www.tastytrade.com/tt/shows/everyday-trader/episodes/greek-efficiency-theta-01-24-2017](https://www.tastytrade.com/tt/shows/everyday-trader/episodes/greek-efficiency-theta-01-24-2017) +* For Example Long Call Spread: Bullish Trade +* Buy very ITM option which has very less extrinsic value (OTM/ITM options has very low Theta) +* Sell ATM option which has very High extrinsic value (ATM options has very high extrinsic i.e. Theta) + +&#x200B; + +**More Greeks**: + +Options in Plain English: + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNL7Ztnp4Ug&list=PLF2g0pqP60uHKv8BkPQPlwqvlUteOJyfu](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNL7Ztnp4Ug&list=PLF2g0pqP60uHKv8BkPQPlwqvlUteOJyfu) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +Edit 1: Changed bitly links to the original links. + +Edit 2: Added Disclaimer (Point in Italicized & Bold) + +Edit 3: Spelled out EXT -> extrinsic + +Edit 4: Added options in plain English video link + +Interested in learning more? Join my new discord: https://discord.gg/MsEjcur +Lets be clear - Back in january we weren't apes. We joined the wallstreetshits for a gamble, for a fast buck or just for fun. + +Take some profit and move on i did thought. + +Gamestop has gained a lot of attention since then, massive attention but also massive contradictions. + +The mainstream media are telling us stories (lies), the hedgefunds are telling us different stories (more lies) damn even your neighbour is telling you to sell (even more lies)! + + +I think this movie is not there to satisfy US - THE ORIGINAL APES. + +It is there to show the world the truth about the past NOT THE PRESENT from the perspective of gamestop, nothing more. + +#WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS. HEDGIES ARE MORE FKD THAN EVER. BUY. HODL. DRS. +&#x200B; + +[watch the fuck out! ](https://preview.redd.it/4m11sj34mxf81.jpg?width=474&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5ef798f234590ea71eaf45848ede98ed110d0da) + +**Everyone** should double and triple check their **Computershare** or shitty ass **Brokers/Dealer's web links** when they get **EMAILS** from them to make sure they're **LEGIT!** I received an email today that appeared to be from **Computershare** saying I had a new statement to view. I hit the **login** link **IN THE EMAIL** but also glanced at the **URL** once it loaded and it looked a bit different. With a tiny dash - \_ or some shit. + +**PLEASE** ALWAYS**!!** Type or copy and paste your known link to these sites directly in your web browser and **not** from your inbox. **FIRES** and **FUCKERY** will absolutely **%100** continue. Our opponents are seeking division from within. It's so easy not to give it to them. Just **do the right thing** because , well, **DOING RIGHT FEELZ GOOD!!** + +drs b the way + +Stay vigilant, but you gotta **HUG** a random stranger or just be **KIND**. Shit's easy.. + +Also, + +**POWER to the FUCKING PLAYERS!!!** +Hi there, + +Hope everyone is doing okay today. I've been watching markets for years and have definitely been in tune with 2020's various twists and turns for investors. I usually conduct several hours of research before even considering investing in a stock. My usual strategy involves sticking with businesses I understand and staying away from investments I feel are clearly overpriced. + +In this market, I'm noticing that certain meme stocks are king. Plug Power, Tesla, Jumia Technologies, Nikola (previously), and others have run far away from a level where many investors are comfortable making a purchase. I've also noticed that the returns of several friends and family members are absolutely trouncing the rest of the market. These individuals often conduct less than one hour of research and barely know the P/E, P/S, or business model of the stock they are trading. + +Are there risks in these markets? Have we shifted to a new paradigm where everybody should just buy TSLA, PLUG etc. and just coast to retirement in 5 years? If this can continue, surely you would think that pension funds would toss those 2% bonds in the garbage and buy such securities. + +Please correct me if I'm wrong on any of the above, I'm curious about people's thoughts here. Thank you and have a great holiday week. +I'm so tired of it. It's not a productive question. The only point of asking that is to assert that I am making a choice to be in poverty. + +It's never a question that comes from trying to understand, empathize, or help. The "Why" is always a fucking subliminal demand to Fix It or Get Your Shit Together. It feels like someone slapping me and telling me I'm not working hard enough and it's my fault. + +I work hard and budget well and have to prioritize certain expenses over others. Even people who know me and my situation still have this knee-jerk reaction to shame me via irrelevant questioning. + +The only way I can respond is "Uhm I'm fucking broke. You know that. I'm waiting until my next paycheck..." and I just wish I could find the words to bring light to this classist bullshit. + + It sure fucking hurts a lot to not feel understood. If I have to skip an important bill, can't buy groceries, can't afford proper shoes for work, or something I own is broken and I'm making do just fine... I disclose my basic struggles to people I think will understand. Instead of empathy I am usually met with "what?! why don't you just pay that? why don't you have that? you could just buy X and solve your problem, it's not that expensive. why why why?" If you know what the reason is that I Don't Make Enough Money to Afford Basic Expenses like food and gas... why the fuck would you ask me Why or tell me to spend money I don't even have on things that I obviously would buy out of necessity if I fucking -could-. It's not really that complicated to have some damn compassion. It feels like people assume that anyone in poverty is just irresponsible and it's so insulting and unfounded. + + I'm really sad and tired of being shamed for literally not being able to afford all my basic expenses some months. I get through it and bills get prioritized and caught up with... but I can't help to feel judged and persecuted. + +I don't judge myself, I live with my reality and try to make every day better. + +What is most upsetting is that this attitude has come from people in my life who consider themselves PC or whatever. I don't think it's fucking PC to criticize others with micro-aggressive questioning and spewing unhelpful advice while calling yourselves allies. + +Sometimes there is not an answer to the prying "why?" sometimes life just is as it is. I think we all need to listen more and be more present with each other instead of leaning into passive aggression. +Lately, in particular, there’s been *a lot* of posts along the lines of people celebrating their first BTC purchase or getting to some milestone like 1 BTC. While I share in their happiness I’m concerned that this is making (often relatively new and naive) BTC owners targets for scammers and unnecessarily increases their risk of being scammed of their BTC. + +Should this community ban these sorts of posts for those guys’ own good, or should it allow them to make their own mistakes and those of us concerned about them can carry on making warning comments? + +**Update**: + +Ok I was planning to leave this run for at least 24 hours before updating but I’ve got so many replies already by that time I won’t have a hope of summarising them all. So here goes. + +First, to all those a little overzealous in their “you authoritarian bastard” responses - as my comments below elaborate, I don’t actually think banning is the right solution but was being a little provocative to get the discussion(s) going. For the record. + +I haven’t done a thorough count of all the yes/no answers but I’d say there’s roughly a 50/50 split. Perhaps a few more yes than no, but the no’s tend to be more upvoted. + +The most common reasons for the **yes** answers are primarily: + +* it’s really annoying / useless posts etc +* it makes them a target when they don’t know any better and this would protect them + +The most common reasons for the **no** answers are: + +* it’s authoritarian / against the whole ethos of BTC +* we need to educate these people not ban their posts + +I think, realistically, the best suggestion was made by u/Ragnarokiee, so I will put this up as my (their) *real* proposal: + +**Can the community mods please consider an auto mod comment to all of these types of posts with a little warning about the potential risks of making these sorts of posts.** +I post on this subreddit and I get a lot of Redditors PM'ing me asking for advice on how to land a Financial Analyst job. I usually respond with a few tips and answer their questions and I got to thinking...What if I created an e-Book that listed every single method I've used over my career to get where I am. Thus, I created [a website](http://www.becomeafinancialanalyst.com). By no means is the website complete, so consider it a draft. + +I just finished writing a 10+ page document that describes every single method I've used over the past 10 years to get where I am. **Would there be any interest from Redditors to read the document for free in exchange for giving me feedback on the content?** + +**Edit: Due to an unexpected overwhelming response, I am limiting this to the first 10 people who respond on this thread or PM me. So far I'm at ~~8~~ ~~9~~ 10.** + +**Edit 2: I've found 10 willing Redditors to read and give some feedback. If I don't get torn to shreds too bad, I'll polish up the document and offer a coupon code for Redditors only. Thanks, guys!** +I've seen lately, on this sub, an increasing concern for a stock market downturn. Will there be one? Yes. Do we know when? No. We all know that market timing is impossible but we all know that when the market has lost half its value or more, its time to buy. In 2008 there were stocks with beautiful cash flows and dividend yields of more than 7%. This is why cash securities are important even if they're paying very little. If the stock market tanks, you can cash out of these weaker investments and jump into the stock market at the most opportunistic entry point. Recently, I bought some treasury bonds yielding 1.9% that mature next August. I've seen nice CD's offered at credit unions between 2-3%. You will be charged a minute fee for cashing out early when the time comes. This won't eliminate the interest you earned and kept. It certainly won't matter when you see a company like Heinz yielding an irrational 8% and making double digit capital gains like following 2008. Hold stocks, but keep some cash too. Don't take my word for it. Think it over. I wish you luck and success in all your endeavors. +I have the equivalent of 6 months of expenses and salaries in my business account and 4 months of expenses in my personal account. I'm considering putting more, but feel that I would be at a disadvantage as I can make more putting the funds to use. I'm asking to see what others are doing. Thanks. +I was reading this article on: [https://www.investing.com/news/cryptocurrency-news/whats-next-for-vechain-2441350](https://www.investing.com/news/cryptocurrency-news/whats-next-for-vechain-2441350). I extracted below some info that I found interesting. Enjoy! + +&#x200B; + +"VeChain is a specific blockchain platform originally designed to enhance supply chain management and business processes. The goal of VeChain was to streamline the processes and information flow for complex supply chains through the usage of distributed ledger technology or DLT. The Vechain platform contains two tokens, and these are VET or VeChain Token and VTHO or VeChainThor. + +VET is used to transfer value across the network, while VTHO is used as the gas that powers the smart contract transaction. It essentially differs from other projects because the developers behind it do not intend to create a fully decentralized platform. Instead, they aim to create the best features from both DeFi or decentralized finance and CeFi or centralized finance sectors. + +VeChain essentially uses smart chips for Radio Frequency Identification or RFID tags and sensors that can broadcast key information onto the blockchain network that can be accessed in real-time by authorized stakeholders. This application of sensors means that all of the parameters that are related to the product can be monitored constantly. If any problems occur, they can be communicated back to the stakeholders. + +The manufacturers and the customers are informed if a drug packet(medicine) is stored outside of the prescribed temperature range, which allows for service improvements and a higher level of quality as a result. + +However, when it comes to the VEChainThor blockchain platform, it is a blockchain that was originally intended for the corporate world, or in other words, for mass business adoption. As previously mentioned, it does this through a dual-token setup known as VET and VTHO. + +VET is the token that carries value from smart contracts, and the transactions on decentralized applications occurring in VeChain’s blockchain use VET. VTHO provides the power these transactions need to occur, and it is equal to the cost of conducting transactions on the blockchain. + +The best part about VeChain is that, compared to many other projects in the market for a longer period of time, they have managed to convince companies to start using the VeChain blockchain. VeChain has a real application purpose, real partnerships and can solve existing business challenges. These partners include Price Waterhouse Cooper, Walmart (NYSE:WMT) China, NTT Docomo (OTC:DCMYY), LVMH Group, Penfold, and many more." + +And as always: may the green days shine upon everyone! Cheers! +Inspecting a house tomorrow with my wife for the first time. Any tips or questions we should be asking the realtor? A few days ago when we scheduled the inspection for tomorrow he replied saying it would work for him as long as the house hadn’t sold by then lol. He said he is currently working with an offer. We are in Darwin and the median price for this type of house in its suburb has decreased from 530k in 2015 to 385k in 2020. +How financially savvy do you think our generation is? do your friends talk about finance or know about investing? + +Heard about this research where Gen Z is more financially savvy than the previous generations but knowing all my friends, majority of them don't know much about investing and tbh waste a lot of their money. + +None of my friends care about it but to note that I live in a relatively low-socioeconomic/middle class area so our parents never talked about the stock market or on how to invest. + +Interested to see other opinions/experiences +is there any? + +&#x200B; + +We built a house and we required a complex loan and lots of support from our bank manager. (small bank). Once the build was complete, other banks are can offer much better rates. Anything wrong with switching? +My mother is diagnosed bipolar, and she has only recently recovered from a 5 month long manic episode, which resolved after a month and a half in care. + +During her illness my mother spent tens of thousands of her savings on frivolous and useless belongings, which filled our home to the brim. There are many more spendings that can’t be traced. She took out loans on jewellery and at the bank to accomodate for this spending, yet she wasn’t paying for rent or any other utilities. + +This has resulted in severe debt to family who helped with loans, the bank, our landlord, the gas company, electricity company and more. She has absolutely no savings left and she can’t go back to work for weeks until medication is regulated. Even when working it would be impossible to pay back arrears on house before eviction. + +We are going to be homeless in a few weeks and I don’t know what to do. We live in Australia. Does anyone have any advice? Anyone been through something similar? + +Edit: My mother and I are overwhelmed with the response. Thank you endlessly. I will try to respond as much as possible but reading it all through now. +Houston, Texas. 42 year old male, speaks some English, has greencard, can't drive, is a good worker but is terribly shy. I want to give him until March 1 to get a job, find a place to go, and move out. + +What can I do to help guide him out the door? + +I'm okay with him storing his things in my attic, visiting on weekends and holidays, and using my computer/printer for job searches or paperwork. + +Can I get some experienced advice from folks who've been both the one forced out and ones evicting the person? I don't want to hinder the person with good intentions or spite and genuinely want him to succeed in life. I know that it's up to him, but us poor folks know that a helping hand can really make s big difference. +~~~~~ +Details: +Cell +monthly plan: yes. Bus pass: yes. English classes: yes, in the past. Has limited English and can function. (Many people live in this city for decades without being able to have the most basic English usage.) Grocery + budgeting: yes. Cooking ability: yes. Bike: c/would not learn and gave it away. Jobs: has had a few. I've paid him for routine weekly work and that is still an option, IF he'll do it, but that would be supplemental at best and not enough to live on. He's done maintenance (loved it, but hasn't found another job doing that), cleaning, day labor work, and donating/selling plasma. + +He has severe depression but without being forced to DO something, he just wallows. He's in good health other than that and is a great guy in general. Lashing out at the one person that has your back is, unfortunately, very common for people who are not self sufficient. I can't tolerate it any more. +Yes, I realize up front that this is a little silly, and that there is a great deal of vanity in the issue. Maybe a little of this is just looking to vent/whine, but I also think there are questions and issues that come out of this to be discussed for people who are FIRE or at least FI. + +I just crossed a personal milestone for net worth ($3 mil. U.S.). Thank you stock market. + +But there is part of me that is excited, and when I'm excited about that, I naturally want to tell friends, etc. + +But this is obviously a bad idea. First, because it's just kind of considered rude/gauche (and I understand why). Second, because obviously people may feel badly/be jealous. Third, because it is the type of information that can change how people look at you, and once you've told, you can't make people unlearn it (or necessarily stop it from spreading). + +That said, I do find it hard to not talk to people about it. I even have some friends who are high earners themselves, who while they might be a little jealous (they have college expenses for kids, etc. that I do not that keep them from saving quite as much), would probably understand. + +But I keep having to tell myself that personal finances, even personal victories, are something best kept quietly to yourself. + +Anyone else deal with these conflicting feelings (who is willing to share, and discuss their own thoughts)? + +P.S. Yes, I am aware that this post in itself is a little bit of sharing my own circumstances. Forgive me. :) + +But I am honestly curious how others deal with it. + +&#x200B; + +EDIT: I see some posts here that lead me to think I might not have been clear enough about when I want to disclose. I'm certainly not talking about just hitting up some random guy in the office (or really, anyone in the office) with my net worth. Or certainly anyone that I think might be struggling, etc. I'm really talking more about my girlfriend/significant other (we've only been together for two years, and while it is very serious, she does not know what I have exactly), mother, and a very close friend or two (one of whom is a CFO and makes damn good money himself). + +It's really more of a pride/sharing with friends/celebratory type of thing. But again, I get why it's tacky - that's why I admit it's a personal weakness to want to do it. + +Just wanted to be clear that I don't have the desire to hit up some dude in the church parking lot with, "You know how much money I have?" :) +How do you think about SWR in the case of trying to build wealth for heirs? I've been running with the assumption that 1% SWR probably lets you still grow your capital / estate, but would be interested in other approaches. +I'd like to formally apologize to everyone here. My behavior was completely out of line. Recently I had made a post congratulating traders for doing well and making gains today. I understand that this selfish act of virtually high fiving other penny stock traders might have offended some. + +In the future I'll be sure to only make threads that fit the theme of this sub reddit like... + +Whining about losing + +Pumping shitty stocks + +Posting pictures of my negative balance + +Asking why "insert shitty stock" here is not gaining + +What shitty stocks I'm bag holding + +IDEX + +What broker should I use to trade OTC's? + +Notating how much I lost when I brought a shitty stock pumped here + +What is the next "insert profitable stock here that gained 3000%" + +Why yes I'll be sure to stay on topic I don't want to gum up the thread feed with a pat on your back post. Why we might miss the next IDEX thread. +I still can't believe that I won a scratcher, but the deal is "$1k/mo for 10 years" which translates to $12k(one payment)/year for 10 years, or $60k upfront + +I'm roughly $8k in debt ($20k including my car), I plan to use this money to help finally put me through college (while still working of course, but far less hours) + +Should I take the 60k lumpsum, or take the 12k/year? + +***EDIT:*** *Added clarity + +thanks guys for all the suggestions, I decided to go with the annuity. I've been working towards fixing all of the problems above, and I figure an extra 12k/year definitely wouldn't hurt. Thanks again everybody, I really appreciate your advice. + +ALSO! In my state I don't have to put my real name, and can cover my face with the check. What name should I put? I'm thinking something like "Check Berry" or "Phillip McRevis" + +****UPDATE**** It's done, [Checky McCheckface](https://imgur.com/a/pQQF76l) won, I went with the 1k/month (it's actually one check per year). I feel like I've been waiting for something like this, but when I got the check today I felt more like an idiot, it shouldn't take a 1/1000000 chance to become motivated to pursue happiness. Please don't wait for your lotto ticket guys. + +Thanks again for the support, I can't wait to get back on track. If I can remember the password for this throwaway, I'll give you a 10yr update. +This is a simple but serious question. Time and again I hear that options won’t make decent money and that most people do it for fun. But I have to ask, if it’s just for fun why do people dedicate their life to doing it, and are there any scalable sure ways to make a consistent income? Where are the people that are bringing in 15% year in and out? Do they exist? Are they on this subreddit? If not, why not just buy and hold SPY? + +EDIT: Thanks for all the responses guys! I think it’s interesting to learn how and why people trade options; a lot of really good insight here. +Hi there, I’ve recently been stung with a bill of over £2000 for a small scratch on a rental car. I’m challenging it but don’t expect to be successful. I usually take out external rental car insurance but forgot to on this occasion. + +I’m lucky to be pretty comfortable financially so can pay the amount but I’m feeling very annoyed and a bit depressed about the whole thing. I feel a bit of a fool for being ripped off, given I’m usually quite financially careful. + +Any advice on how I can suck this up and move on? +Hey everyone. So, about 3/4 years ago I went through a period of about 6 months where I single handedly tanked my credit score and (felt like I) destroyed my finances. This was a mixture of personal idiocy, failure to budget, payday loans and then topped off with ignoring the problem. For a long time. +I find myself now on the other side of that 'long time', and I am taking the reigns back of my finances. I know about Stepchange, and am setting up my DMP with them - but I suppose I wanted to hear from some people who have been in similar situations. Any tips? Are things better now? Do you too hate your past self? + +My exact situation is roughly as follows: +30 years old, living in London (so in a twist of fate, property ownership was always a pipe dream anyway) +Credit score tanked (sub 250) +About 7k in unsecured debt across a few different mediums. All being sorted in my DMP with Stepchange. + +So. If you are a recovered/recovering debtor, did it get better? And how? +Some people i've talked to say they wouldnt want to tie themselves down with something like a mortgage and was wondering what the general thought here was? + +Should you get on the propoerty ladder ASAP even if your just starting with a 1 bedroom flat? Renting just kinda feels like you're throwing money into a black hole to pay off someone elses mortgage. +Hi all, + + +Taken some time for me to work up the courage to write this, comparing myself to the financial situations people are currently in on this sub without beating around the bush honestly makes me feel like a failure. I think this is more of a venting session than anything else, but any advice or words would be so much appreciated right now. + + +I graduated in 2016 with a degree in Comp Sci, and managed to get myself into a great graduate role in the North East paying circa £25,000 PA, things were looking great. I decided to move out of my dad's house up there after 4-5 months of dealing with the 1.5-2 hour commute every morning (I don't drive, the joys), and managed to nab myself a great little 2 bedroom flat next door to work for £550pcm. I wasn't the most social of people, and most of my colleagues were in their mid 30's - 40's and would keep much to themselves; it didn't take longer than 6-7 months for me to already be way too far gone to realise I was becoming a real recluse, and would live a life of work, gym, and then sleep, repeat. The lack of social contact or real relationships with anyone, even family, really took its toll, and I ended up going down a route of taking all kinds of junk to self-medicate. I lasted a good 6 months like this before the inevitable breakdown - I got to the point where I physically could not get up for work, and ended up not leaving the flat for 3+ months (not even the garden, I was terrified). Work had to let me go despite them trying everything they could to get hold of me, and during that time I had my first experience of racking up CC debt, ending up with £3k+ of the stuff with little or nothing to show for it. + +I finally got the help I need, and ended up moving back in with my dad for a good year, out of work, claiming benefits and while getting myself back on my feet, generally being in a pretty terrible place financially and mentally throughout. It was only in June last year that I finally managed to work up the courage to get myself back in to work, and in that period I continued racking up CC debt, living off of credit, before I managed to find myself another career in Oxford with the girlfriend I'd managed to find at the time. It took some doing, her financial situation was terrible too, and we ended up having to take out a high APR loan to be able to afford the relocation to Oxford and everything else involved. + + +I figured we'd be fine once she started working too, we'd be able to slowly whittle away all the damage we'd done, but I guess I was a little too hopeful. Essentially, what happened instead, was that I had to pay her debts and for her lavish spending (she suffered with BPD, not that it's any excuse) while she remained out of work for 80% of the time we were in Oxford. I did everything I could to keep us on our feet, managed to get a £10k debt consolidation loan at a lower APR than the rest of my debts and gave her a good half of that, a breath of fresh air when I was approved, managed to pay off the full high APR loan outright. Come February this year, she went away for a weekend, came back, and told me she'd cheated on me. Within a month she'd moved out in to her own place all inclusive of bills, and left me in financial tatters renting a place that's costing me above 50% take home in rent alone that she essentially forced us in to, with the poor dog we adopted back in August last year (she said it'd be a massive help for her mental health, just like the £500+ hair extensions, paying for my expensive birthday presents out of my own money, wasting money on AirBnB's, the list is endless, FML), unable to drive, and generally in a fucking terrible place, excuse my french. + +The current situation is that I'm still here, working from home 5 days a week, with £20,000 of unsecured debt that I'm not able to make any dent in, paying off the minimum on my cards and then having to use that money again ad infinitum. I'm trying my best to move to somewhere cheaper within the next few months which should at the least give me a \~£200-250+ buffer which I can use to survive without using any more credit, but even then it's going to be very difficult to make any real progress to paying off any of my debts. + + +I got in touch with StepChange a few days ago who recommended that I get myself on to a Debt Management/Repayment Plan until such a time that my situation improves, and I figure if I'm paying £90-100 back to my creditors per month rather than the £450+ I'll feel much more able to get myself on my feet, especially once I get myself moved to somewhere cheaper and especially as Covid winds down (bi-annual bonuses should be reintroduced at work, and I'd have been here for a year+ when things settle, which gives me good wiggle room to ask for a payrise, slightly underpaid as a mid-level Salesforce Developer on £30k base in the south-east). + + +I guess I'm wondering if the DMP is actually a good idea, or if anyone else has any experience with this? If I can limit my repayments to such an amount that I've got some kind of buffer to actually survive, even live a little, maybe meet someone else (that isn't a mental, cheating impulse spender) until such a time that my income increases or situation somehow otherwise improves within the next \~12 months, I figure I'll feel so much more stable. The last thing I want to do is make my situation worse however. Would you guys have any advice on what it is I should be doing right now? + + +Thanks so much for the help, and sorry for the waffle, brain is like spaghetti with everything going on recently. + + +So, background on me. + +\- 32M (will be 33 soon), single with no dependents, no plans on marriage. Introvert who enjoys spending my free time alone for the most part. + +\- My dad drilled the basics of money management and common sense into me at an early age, which definitely set the foundations of my path to FIRE before I even heard of the term. + +\- Parents focused a lot on making sure I got a strong education and paid for my college tuition while I covered living expenses with a part time job, after I graduated college they let me find my own way and I have not received any financial assistance from them since then. + +\- After graduating college I joined the Army as an Officer. The salary was average but there were many strong benefits I got as part of the military (housing allowance, very low cost insurance, the GI bill to help continue my education etc). I also volunteered for a deployment overseas, which was tax free income for that year + imminent danger bonus, not to mention there’s not much to spend money on when you’re in a desert. I also spent over 2 years in Korea, which was similar (still paid taxes, but didn’t spend much money and also got a bonus for being near the DMZ.) I also benefited from the bull market we’ve had since the recession, once I knew I had a secure job I put away as much money as I could into the market after I started working. + +\- After 9 years in the military I got out for health reasons, got 60% disability rating which means free healthcare through the VA as well as a disability check. Got a new job as a manager little over a month ago. + +*Major milestones:* + +Winter 2008, Graduate College + +Early 2009 – Began working with the army, starting net worth $17k from part time jobs in high school and college. + +2011 – Deployed to Iraq, hit $100k net worth. + +2013 - $200k net worth, stationed in Korea at the end of the year + +2014 - $300k net worth + +2015 - $400k net worth, get back from Korea + +2016 - $500k net worth, found out FIRE exists, and that there are more people like me. + +2017 -$600k net worth + +2018 – Leave the Army middle of the year, get new job a few months later. $711k net worth at very beginning of October, then lost $50k with the market correction, recovered a bit since then. + +*Current Stats:* + +Current net worth - $688k + +\- $475k in taxable index funds + +\- $122k in Roth IRA + +\- $73k in TSP + +\- $18k in cash (kept a lot in cash while looking for a new job) + +I rent so no house, and I don't count my car or personal belongings in my net worth. + +Income - $90k from salary, $13k from disability payments. + +Pre-tax savings rate - 67% (based on the last 3 years) + +My current annual expenses are hard to determine as I have a new job, different benefits and live in a new location. Should have a better idea in several months. + +*Future Plans:* + +I believe, that given my current Investments, as well as my disability payments and free health care, that I could potentially leanFIRE right now. However, I’ll most likely continue working until my early 40’s and build up enough so that I can FIRE worry free and not have to be too tight on my budget. I know I started off life strong thanks to support from my parents, but I'd like to think I made it this far thanks to the life decisions I made after becoming independent. And it's very liberating to know that I could stop working now if I chose to. +things like cooking at home is already ingrained in me. +£25-30 at the start of the month( including toiletries) then I’m aiming at £5-10 then following weeks until the next month. + +Looking through my receipts I know what I buy and the cost of what I will buy. Things like pasta, tin tomatoes and rice are in bulk, then chicken and bacon are frozen. Create soup to freeze and two large bags of oats for breakfast. +(21 year old student) + +What else might I be missing ? +You're disappointed now, because rensole didn't confirm your 10mil/share bias? You're a little whiny baby because Warden didn't confirm your 100mil/share bias and told you what you want to hear? You need some tender loving care right now or what? + +All of you keep preaching not to + +1. hype dates +2. hype people +3. trust your own DD + +**Then fucking do as you say!** + +&#x200B; + +Rensole saying floor might not be 10mil? **Shut up because yours is 10mil!** + +Warden dodges price tagets and may have his <1mil ? **Stop giving a shit because yours is >1mil!** + +Someone on the internet you don't even know says today might not be the day and on 4/20 literally nothing will happen? **Fuck it because we don't do dates here and you know it and you know why!** + +Some smart ape telling you MOASS might be weeks or even months away? **THEN SHUT UP, BUY SOME MORE AND HOLD THE FUCKING LINE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR!** + +&#x200B; + +And now grow yourself some balls, appreciate the work of mods and users who put dozens of hours in this sub for keeping you entertained and doing the DD you're too lazy to do. + +We have one mantra and that is, whether shit hits the fan today or we end up -20%, + +***BUY & HOLD 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀*** +Hi, + +Long story short I got out of an abusive relationship after almost 10 years and needed to turn to credit to cover costs of moving, deposit and essential white goods. My income is good for my area but I've been managing on sick pay since September as I had a lot to recover from which ate up a good deal of my savings, I'm ready to get back to work now so my income should go back to normal. + +Debts +Tesco - £5000 (Interest free until Sep 2023) +Home Essentials - £675 (64.9% apr) +Capital One - £1500 (26.4% apr) +Capital One - £400 (25.69% apr) + +Total; £7575 + +I have £1450 available in a savings account which I could put towards debts now or keep for any other tight spots, it's a help to save account with the Government, you can only pay in £50 a month but they give you £25 for each month you do that, if I continue saving into it each month then in August 2024 I would get back the money I've put into it plus £600 bonus. + +I can also get a loan for £6500 if needed, which would be at 38.88% apr, I would pay back £374.55 a month over 2 years. + +My monthly income after tax is around £1776 and bills are £1186. + +If I took out the above loan that would leave me with £215.45 spare a month for discretionary spending / extra payments towards the loan, or if I don't take the loan I could put that £370 a month towards paying the cards but I'm not sure which order to pay them to save the most interest & clear them the fastest. + +I would appreciate any advice that can be given, I was never taught how to handle finances and my parents have always been in massive debt since I was born so I can't listen to their advice! I don't actually understand what APR is or how it works so I'm hoping to educate myself on how to do all of this. + +I consider myself to be sensible and have tried my best, I got my current job in January which is what enabled me to leave in the first place, before that I made much less but still always managed to pay all our bills without needing to go into debt. This situation isn't ideal but it was neccessary for my safety and wellbeing, even if it ended up being more costly than I anticipated. + +Thanks for reading! + + + +*** Update *** + +Thank you so much for everyone's advice, I have a much clearer understanding on what to do now. + +I was able to get a 9 month interest free balance transfer card, I'm going to pay off the Home Essentials and smaller Capital One card this week. Use £600 from my savings to pay towards the bigger Capital One card then transfer the rest to the new card, I will pay £100 a month to that so it's finished before I start getting charged interest and any spare money I have each month (after allowing myself some discretionary spending) will go towards clearing the Tesco. + +Realistically I can have all my debts down to just 1k on the Tesco card by September and I will also look into getting a different interest free balance transfer card around that time to see if I can avoid paying any interest on the remainder. This went from feeling impossible to being really doable within a year. +Apologies if I'm not quite using the correct terms here. Basically I'm looking for a service that will invest in global stocks/bonds on my behalf but they keep my investment in other currencies such as USD/EUR/JPY/CNY? Ideally it would be one service offering multiple currencies, or would one service only offer one currency? I could be misunderstanding things, but I feel like having a single base currency undermines the diversity of an investment portfolio to some extent? Thanks + +Edit: I think I need to choose currency-hedged funds and then it doesn't matter whether it's in GBP or not? But I'm still unclear, e.g. Vanguard's Global All Cap Index Fund Investor Information doesn't mention the word "hedge" so does that mean it will be negatively affected by GBP devaluation? Any clarification would be appreciated. Thanks + +Edit 2: Wow, thank you everyone. Most helpful/ responsive subreddit I've ever posted on! :) +First off, I use the term "investment rich" as a relative term. I know most people here have a lot more than I do in investments but relative to my "cash," it's significantly more. But that's good. + +I know this concept is obvious to most here but I just wanted to lay some words out for my own benefit. It's taboo to talk about savings, investments with pretty much anyone but your spouse these days so this forum is an anonymous and non-judgmental place to talk about it and it's nice to have that outlet. + +I've made some changes to my assets and allocations and this is where I'm currently sitting, at age 30. I'm now sitting at about $17,000 in cash/savings and $280,000 in investment funds between my IRA, taxable account and 401k. The rest of my networth is in real estate equity (primary house, which I have a little over $200k equity in). + +The interesting thing about this is that while we now have "a lot" of money stashed away, we're relatively cash-poor. By forcing yourself to live this way it's really easy to keep your unnecessary impulse buys and expensive habits down. I have a lot of expensive interests -- cars, watches, vacations. But with only $17k stashed in savings -- most of which is set aside for medical deductibles and related expenses in case we get pregnant soon -- I'm not necessarily in a position to go buy a new car, a new Rolex, or take an extra $10,000 vacation. + +My goal is $1 million in investments by age 40. I don't know how possible that's going to be, but even if I miss the mark a little bit and end up at $700,000 or so I'm going to be pretty happy with myself. Goal is retirement by age 55. No later than that. FIRE number is anywhere between $2 million and $2.5 million -- depending on market stability, inflation, expenses (how many kids we have), etc. at that point. + +The good news? I'm in a good position and I make a lot of money for my LCOL area (about $75k/year), and my wife has a decent job ($50-55k) in a very consistent and reliable line of work (healthcare industry). She will have her student loans paid off this month, getting her to a net positive net worth. + +The bad news? My wife has almost no investments (about $4,000 in an IRA) because she just graduated 3 years ago. She will be signing up for her newest job's 401k next month. But she will be able to dedicate the $1,000/month she was putting toward her student loans into investments, with my help on allocations. + +The good and bad news? We're planning to have a kid soon, which is great. But is a huge financial burden. But I know we can make it work. + +Anyway that's all. Sorry that this wasn't a helpful post for the rest of you guys. Just wanted to get some things off my chest, I guess. + +*EDIT* For those saying I'm not cash poor, you're absolutely right. I realize that we have a lot more in cash than your average American family and we are lucky. My intent with this post was to remind everyone of the fact that when you force yourself to invest more than you leave for other expenses, it's easier to lead a more frugal lifestyle and save money. +Hey Everyone, + +The classic money vs happiness dilemma. + +I'm at the point where I am ready to call it a day on an international assignment, I've been in South America for six years at this point. Overall it's been an incredible experience and an incubator for growth in all areas of my life (personal, financial, professional, etc). I've also had the opportunity to do some bucket list type of things (olympics, world cup, trek patagonia, etc). With that said I've hit a wall and I'm not happy with my life here. To be honest I've never been completely happy but I wanted to give it a shot before I called it a day. + +The main sources of my unhappiness are: + + +* Work - I simply am not interested in performing my current role any longer and have no other opportunities here +* Country - As much as I've enjoyed a new culture etc I'm over the dysfunction, the dishonesty, the bureaucracy etc. +* Social life - Even after learning the language and being here several years I've found building and being a part of an authentic/sincere community/group to be elusive. And this is perhaps the greatest source of my discontent. + +I can choose my departure date between mid year or end of year. The only thing that would keep me here for year end is the fact that i'd save about $30k in taxes and living expenses. While $30k is nothing to laugh at, it doesn't change my life at this point. + + +My current NW is about 515k and I'm 35 (STEM): + +\- 125k cash + +\- 205K AAPL + +\- 185k VFIFX (SEP IRA/ETC) + + +I want to think soberly as I know that emotions are prone to cloud judgement but part of me doesn't think the money is worth it given I've already been gone for so long and have wrestled with this over the years. + +Thank you for taking the time to read this. + +Edit: + +Intended use for cash: + +- 20-25k used car +- 50-100k downpayment on house/condo or outright purchase, furniture, etc +- Leftover as OMFG SHTF emergency fund +Rather than dwell over different situations and limitations, let's try to discuss these options as generally as possible. There are clearly many "what if's" here, and decisions that depend on specific situations, but I think we can still get some constructive discussion going. + +The general theme is designing a business for accelerating FIRE, or FI + low maintenance profitable business that provides your health insurance and other $$ benefits for you. This idea stemmed from an earlier thread where someone mentioned owning part of a hotel as an investment, and to also provide health insurance for their family through the business. + +Let's assume that you have the ability to create a small business, and for the purposes of this discussion it meets the needs of your current expenses, \[EDIT: ~~let's say 100k,~~\] PLUS an infinite amount extra for tax advantageous funding decisions. Any savings/retirement/investment account that has a yearly limit, you would theoretically be able to maximize. Remember, this is just a fun thought experiment. + +For organization's sake, I'm going to group some thoughts into the themes of *Retirement Savings*, *Health Care*, *Other Tax Benefits/Write-offs*, *Other Investment Benefits*. + +How would you maximize your household savings rate and transfer as much personal spending onto the business as legally possible? + +Some of these ideas may depend on if you are the sole owner of your business, if your spouse is co-owner or an employee, if you have other non-family members as employees or co-owners, the state or country that you live in, LLC vs S-Corp, etc. If that's the case, feel free to mention these assumptions in your response, but don't let them limit your creativity! + +**Retirement Savings** + +* The business maximizes the employer match ($37k per year) +* Employee maximizes their contribution ($19k per year) +* If your spouse is an employee they do this also. +* If your kids are of legal working age you could have them as employees and maximize their 401k too. Their salary could be used for things like food, clothing, and savings, but their taxable income could be $0 if fully offset by their 401k. +* Do you know of any other ways for cramming pre-tax money into your 401k plans? + +**Health Care** + +* Company provides employees with a high deductible health plan (HDHP) with a health reimbursement account (HRA) large enough to cover the whole deductible, or maybe even the maximum amount possible? +* The HDHP opens up ability to contribute to a health savings account (HSA). I believe the contribution limit here includes employee + employer contributions. (Self-only: $3.5k Family: $7k) +* Are there any other hacks or optimizations that are worth mentioning? + +**Other Tax Benefits / Write-offs** + +* I'm sure this largely depends on your type of business. For instance, I've heard that YouTubers can write off haircuts, beauty products, clothes, etc. if they're appearing in their videos. +* Have you heard of any other creative write offs? Would a company outing or "team building" vacation for a business be considered a tax write-off? + +**Other Investment Benefits** + +* Since you're in charge, you could design your plan to accommodate for post-tax 401k contributions to facilitate back door Roth IRA contributions. +* Can you think of any other investment related benefits you could get if you structure your business properly? + +Sorry this got kind of long! I'm hoping to learn all of your creative tricks and wish list ideas on how you could structure your own business for optimal savings and FI. +*I won’t include the link cause I don’t want auto-mod to delete, but if you google the title of this post the article will come up. Enjoy boys. I copy and pasted the article below if reading in that format is more your thing.* + +*Credit to Pam and Russ Martens, Published Feb 23rd, 2021.* + +At the end of last Thursday’s 4-hour long hearing on the forces behind the wild trading in shares of New York Stock Exchange-listed GameStop, Congressman Jesus (Chuy) Garcia of Illinois asked Citadel hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin how much money was managed by his hedge fund. Griffin replied: “We manage approximately $35 billion dollars of assets.” + +Garcia than suggested that Citadel was systemically important. Since this might be construed to mean that Citadel should be under heightened regulatory oversight, Griffin quickly responded with this: “I believe that our hedge fund would not be in the category as systemically important. With $30-some billion of equity it is simply not at the scale or magnitude of a JPMorgan, Bank of America, Wells Fargo.” + +To make a proper assessment as to whether Citadel is a little minnow swimming peacefully with the Dolphins or a predatory killer shark regularly looking for a fresh kill, it’s important to pay attention to what happened between Griffin’s first response and his second response. In the first response, Griffin said Citadel managed “$35 billion dollars of assets.” In the second response, he changed that to “$30-some billion of equity.” + +According to the Form ADV that Griffin’s hedge fund, Citadel Advisors LLC, filed on January 15, 2021 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, his hedge fund is managing not $35 billion but $235 billion – to be very specific, $234,679,962,503. + +In a 2011 SEC final rule announcement, hedge funds were required to report “regulatory assets under management,” which includes not just the “equity” investors held in the hedge fund but the additional assets the hedge fund had purchased with borrowed funds – known as buying on margin. Hedge funds were also required to report assets held on behalf of foreign investors. Since hedge funds manage all of the assets they hold, and Congressman Garcia was clearly attempting to assess the size of Citadel’s systemic footprint in U.S. financial markets, it would have behooved Griffin to explain that the gross amount of assets his hedge fund was managing was actually 6.7 times the figure he had provided, that is, $235 billion not $35 billion. (Not to put too fine a point on it, but Griffin was put under oath, along with all other witnesses, at the opening of this hearing.) + +Citadel’s hedge fund consists of a series of sub-funds that have varying investment strategies and asset classes including stocks, bonds and commodities. A Citadel hedge fund brochure that is also on file with the SEC explains how leverage is piled on: “The sub-funds generally invest on a highly leveraged basis, and the Funds may leverage their investments in the underlying sub-funds.” + +According to Citadel’s Form ADV, a majority of its sub-funds that hold the largest amount of gross assets are organized in the Cayman Islands, a jurisdiction prized for its secrecy. Those include: Citadel Multi-Strategy Equities Master Fund Ltd. with $59 billion in gross assets; Citadel Equity Fund Ltd. with $25.7 billion in gross assets; Citadel Kensington Global Strategies Fund Ltd. with $17.3 billion in gross assets; and Citadel Quantitative Strategies Master Fund Ltd. with $8.3 billion in gross assets. + +The SEC’s Form ADV asks the question: “What is the approximate amount of your total regulatory assets under management attributable to clients who are non-United States persons?” Citadel answers that more than $170 billion or 72 percent of its $234.6 billion of gross assets under management are foreign owned. + +It’s difficult to assess what that actually means. Citadel’s hedge fund does indicate in its SEC filings that it has multiple foreign offices, so it could be managing assets for wealthy foreign individuals. But since it views its sub-funds as its clients and many are located in the Cayman Islands, that $170 billion could simply mean offshore sub-funds. + +In addition to Citadel’s sprawling footprint in assets under management by its hedge fund, it is the largest market maker when it comes to retail trading in U.S. markets. According to Griffin’s opening statement at the hearing, Citadel Securities, the market-making arm of Citadel, “executes more trades on behalf of retail investors than any other firm.” Congressman Garcia asked if that represented 40 percent of all retail orders and Griffin didn’t dispute that figure. + +Citadel Securities has captured that retail trading market by generous payments for order flow to at least nine online brokers. (See our report: Citadel Is Paying for Order Flow from Nine OnLine Brokerage Firms – Not Just Robinhood.) There is growing concern among lawmakers that Citadel Securities’ motivation in paying for this order flow is to be able to trade against unsophisticated retail traders, known as “dumb money” on Wall Street, in order to unfairly enhance its own bottom line. + +The disciplinary history of Citadel Securities, unfortunately, aligns with that thesis. + +On June 25, 2014, Citadel Securities was fined a total of $800,000 by its various regulators for serious trading misconduct. Citadel paid the fines in the typical manner, without admitting or denying the charges. The New York Stock Exchange alleged that the following had occurred: + +“The firm sent multiple, periodic bursts of order messages, at 10,000 orders per second, to the exchanges. This excessive messaging activity, which involved hundreds of thousands of orders for more than 19 million shares, occurred two to three times per day.” + +In addition, according to the York Stock Exchange, Citadel “erroneously sold short, on a proprietary basis, 2.75 million shares of an entity causing the share price of the entity to fall by 77 percent during an eleven-minute period.” In another instance, according to the New York Stock Exchange, Citadel’s trading resulted in “an immediate increase in the price of the security of 132 percent.” + +On January 9, 2014, the New York Stock Exchange charged Citadel Securities LLC with engaging in wash sales 502,243 times using its computer algorithms. A wash sale is where the buyer and the seller are the same entity and no change in beneficial ownership occurs. (Wash sales are illegal because they can manipulate stock prices up or down.) Citadel Securities paid a $115,000 fine for these 502,243 violations and walked away. That’s less than 23 cents per violation. + +On January 13, 2017 the SEC settled a case against Citadel Securities for $22.6 million in fines and disgorgements, alleging the following had occurred: + +“…two algorithms used by Citadel Securities did not internalize retail orders at the best price observed nor sought to obtain the best price in the marketplace. These algorithms were triggered when they identified differences in the best prices on market feeds, comparing the SIP feeds to the direct feeds from exchanges. One strategy, known as FastFill, immediately internalized an order at a price that was not the best price for the order that Citadel Securities observed. The other strategy, known as SmartProvide, routed an order to the market that was not priced to obtain immediately the best price that Citadel Securities observed.” + +More recently, on July 16, 2020, Citadel Securities agreed to a $700,000 fine by Wall Street’s self-regulator, FINRA, for executing customer orders at prices worse than it traded for its own account. Citadel Securities was allowed to neither admit nor deny the charges. The activities occurred over a period of years. + +On November 13, 2020, FINRA fined Citadel Securities $180,000 for failing to mark 6.5 million equity trades as short sales. Citadel did not admit or deny the allegations but paid the fine. The activity occurred between September 14, 2015 and July 21, 2016, according to FINRA. + +Citadel Securities previously owned a Dark Pool called Apogee. In 2014 Wall Street On Parade became curious when we could not find basic information about this Dark Pool. We filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the SEC. We received a written response from the SEC telling us “we have determined to withhold records responsive to your request….” Less than a year later, Reuters reported that Citadel was shuttering Apogee. + +Citadel’s hedge fund filings with the SEC also indicate that some of the largest banks on Wall Street, such as JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup, are its prime brokers – meaning that it is highly likely that they and other globally systemic banks are providing margin loans that have helped Citadel Advisors leverage its equity from $35 billion to $235 billion. + +Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, has promised to hold two more hearings on the structure of Wall Street trading: one hearing with experts from various disciplines and one hearing with federal regulators. + +Before those hearings occur, it will be critically important for members of this Committee to have a far better understanding of precisely how hedge funds, high frequency traders, Dark Pools, and federally-insured banks backed by taxpayers are interacting with the highly fragmented and non-transparent U.S. trading markets. +I think tipping in /r/Bitcoin is causing many disingenuous people to come here and deliberately post fake threads in hopes for tips. + +Please don't feed the pigeons, they poop on our lawn. + +Instead, tip on other subreddits. I know it is hard. I know there is at least a 50% chance you will be downvoted to hell and called an amway salesman. But guys. That is where the fight is. That is where the war is won. + +/r/Bitcoin has users that already have an interest in Bitcoin so you are not causing any "viral effect" to occur here. +Fight the good fight. Save up your tips and tip >1000 when you do (I tip usually 3000-10000) and I ONLY tip in subreddits that are NOT bitcoin. If you follow this process, your tips are received by people that: + +1) Actually have no idea they were going to be tipped bitcoin (its not a bitcoin subreddit) therefor are initially not interested in bitcoin. This gives you a chance to pique their interest->viral/network effect applies + +2) 0% chance they are deliberately posting to get tips + +Again, you had me at subscribe. No need to tip me here. I am one of you already. + +Edit: What this thread has turned into... http://i.imgur.com/uTtSw53.jpg +One of the benefits of working for me right now is the health insurance that's provided by my employer. How does one effectively manage healthcare expenses and health insurance? +Because it's a profitable company, with a diversified portfolio being managed by a talented, aggressive and reliable CEO who himself owns 23% of all shares in the company that he founded back in 2009 + +It's a retail based company, with international exposure, that does good business without dealing with the risks and expenses facing licensed producers + +. + +&#x200B; + +But can they even make money if they don't grow cannabis? Absolutely; in fact HITI enjoys the highest revenues in the Canadian retail sector and fifth highest revenues in the entire Canadian cannabis sector beating the likes of Hexo Corp and Organigram - the two having market caps 3.6 times and 2.7 times larger than HITI's respectively + +. + +But you don't judge a company solely based on the valuation of its competitors; you look at fundamentals. And that's where High Tide shines brightest + +First we've got the sources of income; + +* Biggest earners are the brick and mortar stores **Canna Cabana, META, KushBar** and **NewLeaf Cannabis.** 70 stores open as of today, with a goal of 110-120 stores by EoY +* **Valiant Distribution** \- The backbone of High Tide's vertical integration strategy, acting as a global manufacturer and distributor, with numerous celebrity-licensed products. Catalog consists of 5,000 products of which 75% are manufactured by High Tide +* **Famous Brandz** \- The Hollywood division of High Tide. Partnerships with amongst others Snoop Dogg, Paramount Pictures and Cheech & Chong +* **Grasscity** (US) - the worlds largest online accessory shop, a favorite in the U.S. with growing customer base in Europe. Shop receives 23 millions visitors yearly, with 130,000 orders (2020) +* **CBDCity** (US) - a wellness shop supplying its clients with all their CBD needs +* **Smoke Cartel** (US) - Second largest online head-shop with 7 million visitors and 110,000 orders. Most notable regarding Smoke Cartel is their proprietary Drop-shipping technology which will be integrated across all of HITI's e-commerce platforms. Furthermore Smoke Cartel gives High Tide exposure to the Mexican market. *The acquisition of Smoke Cartel will be finalized in March 2021* + +With the legalization/decriminalization of Cannabis in the U.S. on a federal level High Tide will reliably further expand its footprint in the U.S. + +. + +**Bullish indicators** + +&#x200B; + +* High volume in spite of low attention from main stream channels +* **Average volume 12.1 million** as of 02/09/21 **(HITI.V : 5.06M / HITIF : 6.8M / 2LY.F 0.24M)** +* The acquisition of META Growth saves High Tide $9 million in synergies +* Financed for aggressive (further) expansion +* Legalization in U.S. +* In November 2020 Aurora selected High Tide to manage their flagship store in Edmonton +* Undervalued by all metrics +* Cannabis consumption increasing QoQ in Canada/U.S. on its way to beating alcohol +* Cannabis sales breaking records in spite of Covid-19 restrictions +* Black market competition shrinking QoQ +* **Recent insider purchase** + +&#x200B; + +Catalysts as stated by CEO Raj Grover (14/01/21) + +* Ontario lifting cap on number of licenses +* More provinces allowing for a change in the distribution model to allow retailers buying products directly from licensed producers +* Ontario and other provinces making deliveries permanent +* End of OCS monopoly + +. + +&#x200B; + +As previously stated High Tide is a top earner in the sector; the specifics are stated below + +*Keep in mind some of these numbers are outdated as last ER released was for 20Q3. While other numbers are up to date as we've been given a sneak-peek preview to the unreleased Q4 numbers* + +*Furthermore High Tide merged with a competitor, of roughly equal size (Meta Growth), back in November long after the release of the Q3 report, so the upcoming Q4 and Q1 reports (both expected in March 2021) will include numbers from both companies and will be vastly improved over some of* the outdated *numbers stated below* + +* $148M annualized revenue (Q4) +* $37M quarterly revenue (Q4) (rev. increasing QoQ due to opening of new stores, increased number of customers and acquisitions such as Smoke Cartel) +* Impressive 38% margins (Q4) +* \+$5.3M positive EBITDA (Q4) +* Average revenue per store/quarter : $555,000/q (Q3) +* \+$0.02 EPS (Q3) +* \+$2.1M in adjusted operating income (Q3) +* est. $25 million cash on hand (2021) +* Total debt somewhere in-between $35M-$40M (couldn't find an exact figure) +* 50% of recurring customers are club-members (57,000 members as of Q3) +* Recently restructured $10.8M in debt into interest-free debentures due 2025 +* Warrants exercise price/date $0.35 February 2023 +* $2M debt due Sept 2021 in consideration for warrants +* 180% YoY growth (Q3) +* Fair value $4.80 (2021) +* **Smoke Cartel** : Annual rev. $7.4M USD, 16% EBITDA, $1M USD cash on hand (2020) +* Both Aurora Cannabis and Aphria are heavily invested in High Tide +* Offices in Calgary, Nevada and Amsterdam (2021) +* 600 employees (2021) + +. + +From Investor presentation *(updated late January 2021)* + +* Potential Shares from Stock Options : 124,843,280 *(Exercise price of $0.50 per share)* +* Potential Shares from Exercise of Warrants : 157,133,157 *(Weighted average exercise price of $0.42 per share)* +* Potential Shares from Conversion of Unsecured Debentures 363,160,439 *(Weighted average exercise price of $0.30 per share)* +* Potential Shares from Conversion of Secured Debentures : 425,429,411 *(Exercise price of $0.425 per share)* +* Potential Shares from Conversion of Secured Convertible Loan : 106,363,636 *(Exercise price of $0.22 per share)* + +. + +Quoted from user Sledd (Stocktwits) + +>ok, based on Q3 ER we know that 23.1mil was total revenue of hightide pre merge based on 32 stores with 23% being u.s. sales through grass city. +> +>With these existing numbers we can calculate that 23% of 23.1 mil is 5.313mil to e-commerce. So that leaves us with 17.787 mil for 32 stores. +> +>Divide that revenue with the 32 stores and we can see we get $555,843.75 per store average. Now lets multiply that by our total stores now of 69 and we get $38,353,218.75 revenue for 69 stores. +> +>Smoke cartel will report 7.4 mil annually so thats 1,875,000 mil per quarter plus grass citys 5,313,000 gives us $7,188,000 for e-commerce. +> +>Add that total with our storefront revenue and we get $45,541,219 total revenue on a proforma calculation to include both meta and smoke cartel. + +. + +High Tide was virtually unknown until very recently. In spite of becoming the first profitable retailer, merging with META, uplisting to TSXV, applying to Nasdaq, acquiring Smoke Cartel and raising $20M from institutional investors all in quick succession it's still flying below the radar... + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[... and exhale](https://preview.redd.it/qiy4hblfojg61.png?width=205&format=png&auto=webp&s=dcd18f35c50c314c19684dd79d879dbba0fe4b1f) +I don’t care if you’re team Bitcoin, Ethereum, Doge, Xrp, or Shitcoin #236. We’re all rooting for a decentralized future; a future without banks, a future without federal reserves, an economic independence. + +We need to stick together as a community if we want to see change. + +Fight the power. Fight the elite. Don’t follow anyone. Put your money towards what you think will help your children, your grandchildren , and their children. + +Fight for a better future. + + +Hi Bro\~ I'm Asian, so my English is bad. + +Please forgive the poor translation. + +&#x200B; + +It is one of the common theories about gmerica. + +It's just a guess, so please watch it for fun. + +&#x200B; + +Do you remember the release date of Loopring layer 2 wallet? + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/f0zvoj94ip891.png?width=708&format=png&auto=webp&s=246d67639479ac319c546e246dadcbcb3e57002d + + + +[https://medium.loopring.io/introducing-l2-counterfactual-wallet-and-fiat-on-ramps-a4b60edf15d6](https://medium.loopring.io/introducing-l2-counterfactual-wallet-and-fiat-on-ramps-a4b60edf15d6) + +This is Asia.. Well, maybe the US release is December 21st. + +remember this date please + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[ GMErica Token ](https://preview.redd.it/esi8mxz7ip891.png?width=551&format=png&auto=webp&s=ced84ff52be157a628930811caed01878fb60752) + + + +[https://etherscan.io/token/0xcd782c0add8979f4e725e7878bf021fd2ff052fe#tokenTrade](https://etherscan.io/token/0xcd782c0add8979f4e725e7878bf021fd2ff052fe#tokenTrade) + +GMErica NFT Marketplace Token!? + +1,000,000,000,000 tokens!? + +&#x200B; + +Do you remember? At the time, there was an opinion that it was fake. + +But, I don't agree + +Why? + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[ DEX Trades ](https://preview.redd.it/hrxcdw3bip891.png?width=1194&format=png&auto=webp&s=636358b903cb58ab2d8c9ad37e3062ac0558310c) + +&#x200B; + + + +1.When was the release date of the Loopring layer 2 wallet mentioned above? 12/21 + +When did the GMErica token first start trading? 12/22 + +Yes, a day later, the GMErica token was created. + +I don't think it's possible to trade so systematically unless it's prepared in advance. + +Even if it's a developer... + +&#x200B; + +2. Can you see the transaction cost per case? + +$13,883 in total. + +Unless it is a company, it is inappropriate for individuals to use the capital. + +If that's right, shouldn't we pay back the investment quickly? + +How? Scam token? + +NO! + +No purchases or sales have been made since that day. + +I can't buy it even if I want to + + + +3. DEX TRADE + +\[A decentralized exchange (DEX) is a peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace that connects cryptocurrency buyers and sellers. In contrast to centralized exchanges (CEXs), decentralized platforms are non-custodial, meaning a user remains in control of their private keys when transacting on a DEX platform. In the absence of a central authority, DEXs employ smart contracts that self-execute under set conditions and record each transaction to the blockchain. These trustless, secure transactions represent an accelerating segment of the digital asset market, and are pioneering new financial products. \] + +Yes, the gamestop wallet transaction method is p2p. GMErica Tokens were paid to each wallet through p2p transactions. + +Can I imagine that GMErica tokens are also paid to our wallets? a pleasant imagination + +&#x200B; + +4. Uniswap V2: GMErica + +The deals were made through Uniswap. + +Traders and investors have utilized Uniswap because of its usage in decentralized finance (DeFi). + +It has been known that the gamestop nft team works through Uniswap. + +&#x200B; + +[ spike retweet ](https://preview.redd.it/ag7chnphip891.png?width=588&format=png&auto=webp&s=ba9539b941fedd311325f144f8d420dffcba22d9) + +&#x200B; + +If gmerica is not a coin, will a separate site be created? + +Probably not. + +Currently, the name in gmerica is not searched on the certificate site. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[ wallet test site address](https://preview.redd.it/u30qvb5kip891.png?width=408&format=png&auto=webp&s=49411e949b07c4c3fcb49f9a78c1c15eb68325e5) + + + +[https://crt.sh/?q=gamestop](https://crt.sh/?q=gamestop) + +The gamestop wallet was tested on the site several months before launch. + +It must be one of the two. + +The gmerica site either opens after a long time or is not a site + +&#x200B; + +In terms of trademark registration, gmerica is far ahead. + +The gamestop wallet hasn't even been assigned an examiner yet. + +&#x200B; + +Lastly, what token should I trade with in the gamestop nft market place? + +Just with Ethereum? Or Loopring token? imx token? + +Those token are already owned. + +That's why GameStop's own currency will be needed. + +&#x200B; + +[ GMErica Token ](https://preview.redd.it/s4n47s3rip891.png?width=304&format=png&auto=webp&s=8ca3cd3124f8bd44c091036b1a46987bf8c216d2) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/293zinlsip891.png?width=476&format=png&auto=webp&s=03cc57802bdfe563fcff9fef59387dd44678b42d + + + +I inquired on GameStopNFT social media yesterday, but I haven't received a reply.. + +&#x200B; + +More proof is needed. I need your help + +&#x200B; + +to the moon\~ +So I’ve been thinking about this, and it seems to me that by the time BTC reaches 100k, the chance of the coin dropping by 50% suddenly becomes exceedingly low, since most of the market cap would come from institutions and smart money, rather than speculators and retail investors. + +At that point, there should only be upside potential, as we move towards global adoption. That’s the point when it becomes a store of value rather than a “speculative investment” + +Is this reasoning sensible? +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/thvoalfm4f771.png?width=2075&format=png&auto=webp&s=2c8e9ae355e8e050a2ff2977b4bfcd9d1bec6500 + +Link to the original article[:](https://preview.redd.it/thvoalfm4f771.png?width=2075&format=png&auto=webp&s=2c8e9ae355e8e050a2ff2977b4bfcd9d1bec6500) [https://www.ft.com/content/dcd86860-09ed-420e-a5cc-d6d281863c03](https://www.ft.com/content/dcd86860-09ed-420e-a5cc-d6d281863c03) + +Text from the article without paywall: + +&#x200B; + +>Hedge funds that bet on falling share prices are stepping up their efforts to spot the next GameStop after this year’s “meme stock” bonanza left the industry nursing billions of dollars of losses in just six months. + +&#x200B; + +>Huge gains in the price of companies favoured by day traders who assemble on message boards such as Reddit caught out some short sellers badly in late January. In recent weeks, these stocks have staged a second rally, with a rise in stocks including cinema chain AMC inflicting yet more pain. + +&#x200B; + +>Hedge fund losses since the start of the year from betting against just GameStop, AMC and Bed Bath & Beyond total more than $12bn, according to data group S3, while bets against a number of others have each run up additional losses of hundreds of millions of dollars. More than half short sellers’ $5.1bn of losses betting against AMC this year have come in June. + +&#x200B; + +>The heavy toll shows how moves by individual investors, which are regularly co-ordinated on forums such as r/WallStreetBets, has heightened the risks for professional investors in the Wall Street equities market. + +&#x200B; + +>“In two waves, a few hedge funds have seen modestly sized short positions turn into extinction-level events,” said Andrew Beer, managing member at investment firm Dynamic Beta Investments. Funds that suffer multiple rounds of losses on short bets “will face difficult questions from investors as to whether their risk management failed to adapt to a changed market environment”. + +https://preview.redd.it/wzozk2aw5f771.png?width=1400&format=png&auto=webp&s=c73b9e22488452c5f0e56f2c35966b9b4bde6a97 + +>The highest-profile hedge fund casualty has been Melvin Capital, which lost 53 per cent in January and is still down 44.7 per cent this year to May. Light Street Capital, the fund led by ‘Tiger cub’ alumnus Glen Kacher, was also hit early this year and again in May, with losses in the first quarter predominantly driven by soured short bets. London-based White Square Capital, which lost money shorting GameStop, is also shutting its main fund. + +&#x200B; + +>An index compiled by Goldman Sachs of stocks favoured by retail investors has almost doubled since June 2020, while another that tracks companies that are targeted by short sellers has gained 28 per cent. + +&#x200B; + +>Traders across the industry, both those caught directly in abrupt rallies in heavily shorted stocks as well as those hit by the ensuing market volatility, have now been forced to start tracking potential retail investor manoeuvres, or risk huge losses and backlash from their investors. + +&#x200B; + +>“The danger is you don’t really know what stock the retail community is going to go after next,” said Amy Wu Silverman, equity derivatives strategist at Royal Bank of Canada. “There is not a stock that is ‘safe’.” + +&#x200B; + +>Wu Silverman had typically concentrated on advising institutional clients about their hedging strategies. Now hedge funds seek her help to identify the early warning signs of a retail-driven meme stock surge. + +&#x200B; + +>“It has completely upended our markets, and we have had to make really dramatic changes to how we model things and how we manage risk,” she said. Retail investors chasing volatility “has gotten to the point where you can’t ignore it”. + +&#x200B; + +>Losses inflicted by retail investors have proved a rude awakening to hedge funds, which had just enjoyed a banner year in 2020 making their biggest gains since the aftermath of the financial crisis, according to HFR. + +&#x200B; + +>Some funds are considering taking a greater number of smaller short positions to cut down on the potential losses a single stock can cause, say industry insiders. D1 Capital, whose founder Daniel Sundheim previously worked at Viking, is one fund that has been considering reducing the size of short bets this year, say people familiar with the strategy. Others are looking at betting against indices, rather than individual stocks. + +&#x200B; + +>Managers in the US and UK have begun using algorithms to scour forums such as r/WallStreetBets or other data sources to try to spot co-ordinated buying. While the practice is new to most western funds, this kind of surveillance is already common for many Asian managers, according to Patrick Ghali, managing partner at advisory firm Sussex Partners. + +&#x200B; + +>Tiger cub Lee Ainslie’s Maverick Capital wrote to investors in April that its quant team “now systematically monitors Wall Street Bets and other similar forums that cater to less experienced, retail investors”. Moez Kassam, chief investment officer at Anson Funds in Toronto, said his firm has been building algorithms to follow commentary and sentiment on Reddit, as well as using some bought from external companies. + +&#x200B; + +>Fintech company S3 now provides a company’s “short squeeze risk” score to Bloomberg terminal users, while alternative research provider Quiver Quantitative scrapes Reddit investment threads for ticker mentions and sentiment. + +&#x200B; + +>“You don’t want your book to be exposed to the whims of r/WallStreetBets,” said Quiver founder James Kardatzke. + +&#x200B; + +>Data group Sentifi, which buys data from the likes of Reddit and Twitter and uses it to score sentiment around stocks, said it detected a nearly 1,200 per cent rise in chatter around AMC between May 20 and June 1. The cinema chain’s shares had already started to rise by then, but then doubled on June 2. Sentifi said the number of customers using its platform had doubled over the past year. + +&#x200B; + +>Swiss investment firm Unigestion has also started looking at how it can deploy its machine reading and data techniques — which it already uses to spot changing sentiment — around meme stocks. + +&#x200B; + +>“It is an important, though short-term, risk factor” in markets, said Unigestion portfolio manager Salman Baig. “For us, any factor that can disrupt markets is of primary concern.” + +&#x200B; + +>Additional reporting by Miles Kruppa +> +>[laurence.fletcher@ft.com](mailto:laurence.fletcher@ft.com), [madison.darbyshire@ft.com](mailto:madison.darbyshire@ft.com) + +Edit: changed paragraph spacing to make it more mobile friendly +Say a billionaire wants to invest in a multimillion dollar start up. Does that billionaire have cash in an account that gets paid to the start up, or does the investor usually have to liquidate his or her assets/ cash equivalents in order to be able to buy a share of the company? +I'm a 27 years old teacher in Canada btw. + + +Can you reassure me that it wouldn't be stupid to retire early in this situation OR confirm that it would be stupid to leave so much money behind. + + +Thank you! + + +Edit: Nevermind, /u/jmanthethief and /u/uencos made me realise that I can retire early, I just can't take my pension early. I knew there were people here that would be financially smarter than me. :) +Many of these stocks (wind; solar; biofuel;...) are down 90% from their ATH and feel as good as dead now. Like many I believed Biden would have given those a bump with his BBB-plans but they are just continuing to go down. + +I fell for the "market is forwarding looking" meme but the market as it stands only cares about companies that make immediate profit. I have been making back my losses with oil but it sure is an anti-climax lol. With three more years of Biden could renewable stocks still see a run ? I am starting to feel the Biden inauguration was a "sell the news" event for green energy stocks because that's when they were at their ATH's. +I felt like wearing a detective hat today and stumbled upon Shitadel's [latest annual report](https://sec.report/Document/0001616344-21-000004/) which was submitted to the SEC in Dec 2020. In it, Shitadel \[The Company\] acknowledges some things, including their entire risk management strategy pertaining to shorting. + +*I am a relatively smooth brained ape, so I would love to know if anyone wrote about this yet or has a better understanding of their annual report. I am hoping that some wrinkley apes step in and piece this all together for us.* + +Basically, in the risk management portion of their annual report, Shitadel acknowledges that they "Sell various financial instruments which \[they\] do not yet own by delivery of borrowed financial instruments (short sales)". They further acknowledge unlimited loss if their is an inability to cover the short position and that regulation may limit Shitadel's ability to conduct short sales which would result in reduced inventory of securities (i.e. Low volume). The low volume increases their transaction costs relating to short selling - they thought SEC regulation would do it 😂they never even saw apes coming, poor shmucks. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/xzzwwz9r0hi71.png?width=802&format=png&auto=webp&s=2a6cb17f50a34ab201cc337b0a5115dce0ab414e + +There is more... they also state their use of "off-balance sheet risk". I had to look it up to get a better understanding. In simple terms, off-balance sheet risk is liability/risk that Shitadel just keeps off their balance sheets. It is legal if done correctly, however the use of off-balance sheet financing can potentially be used to mislead investors, financial institutions, and other financing entities to believe that the company is in a better financial position than they actually are ([definition found here](https://debitoor.com/dictionary/off-balance-sheet)) since their shorts are completely left out of their financial statements. + +https://preview.redd.it/kgcw6s3tigi71.png?width=788&format=png&auto=webp&s=8396a9b90b40fb6addee248a0ce00438be9c5ba6 + +Shitadel has established accounts with other financial institutions, primarily Merril Lynch, to clear their security transactions in the case of failure to meet certain obligations i.e. failure to delivers. + +https://preview.redd.it/74447lmv0hi71.png?width=815&format=png&auto=webp&s=cb2ed64d526f3e8c70ea42f546d98c3f7e5b4e76 + +Edit: According to the annual report, BAML servies as a clearinghouse and prime broke for 96.69% of the company's net derivative assets! 96.69!! Simulation confirmed. + +https://preview.redd.it/8bmov80iuii71.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=9a3f38688f894f7610fa3cfb2db1617c68f8e1cd + +&#x200B; + +Could this be related to the Brazil puts? + +https://preview.redd.it/aeyqqwdeqgi71.png?width=790&format=png&auto=webp&s=a132b13a384a86942f71338e9b039a60c2d67747 + +Finally, their use of [OTCs](https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/trading-investing/over-the-counter-otc/), which you can read more about here: [On OTC Derivatives: GME and the Global Market Implosion](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/ovjxnx/on_otc_derivatives_gme_and_the_global_market/). They mention that they enter into [master netting agreements](https://bizfluent.com/info-8660494-master-netting-agreement.html), which are basically whales helping whales meet their financial requirements, to provide Shitadel with the ability to demand collateral as needed to cover their ass. Want to know what they used as collateral? You may have guessed it - reverse repurchase agreements, reverse repos. + +https://preview.redd.it/ghr05ft2wgi71.png?width=784&format=png&auto=webp&s=28c6628919abb69df927076bbd981d9c7eee67ed + +Shitadel is using reverse repos from large financial institutions as collateral against their short positions. Unless I am misunderstanding this, it clearly states "\[Shitadel\] manages credit exposure arising from \[short positions\] by entering into master netting agreements and collateral arrangements with counterparties." + +https://preview.redd.it/zdfplqixxgi71.png?width=983&format=png&auto=webp&s=500e60d6631de9015b11ceffea82a6e2ee6e8254 + +This blew my mind, but I am a simple ape. I stopped reading DD a few weeks ago because this ape is zen af, so forgive me if this has already been done before! +Stock prices are supported by something in the real world - corporate assets and earnings. Crypto prices are supported entirely by investor (speculator) confidence. I think a lot of whales and little guys have been massively burned over the last 6 months. The little guys don't have money to put in now and have lost their nerve anyway. The institutional whales are going to be reigned in by their Boards of Directors. + +I wouldn't be surprised if prices languish where we are now for a LONG time. I also wouldn't be surprised if 90% of cryptos go tits up in the next year, because lets face it, the world doesn't need 3,000 cryptos, most of which do nothing useful. And I wouldn't be surprised if BTC, ETH and the other bigger cryptos lose 80% of their current value because these are investment (or gambling) vehicles unlike any other and we're in uncharted territory here. +What forums/feeds/tools are ya'll using when a stock blows up like EYES or OBLN a week ago. Seems like there's just this big pile-on into a stock and I always find out about it way too late. +This is an update to this topic: https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/86uhme/had_an_uninsured_minor_stroke_hospital_wants/ + +The hospital turned down my offer of $4,000. They want the full amount (which went up another $2,500 from my previous post). I do not qualify for any of their assistance programs. + +What's worse, I found out they are charging me $7,000 for MRI's that normally cost anyone else $1520. They refuse to give me the latter price. + +I genuinely 'want' to pay my bill (or a fair amount, rather). They say they will send to collections in 4 months. + +What are my options here? Can I just pay $100/month for the next 20 years or whatever? If I do that, can they still send to collections? Im really trying to avoid getting the credit hit. If it does get sent to collections, how much do you think they would pay for a $12,500 bill? Could I offer them the $4,000? + +Ugh. Hospital is Wooster Community Hospital located in Wooster, Ohio, for anyone wondering. +I have an older neighbor who is getting scammed, but I’m not sure how to explain why. + +He has met a younger guy from overseas that he has “fallen in love with.” They have talked for a year. + +The overseas younger guy is now saying he is going to send 30,000 Nicaragua and to open up a new bank account and put it in there. The younger guy then wants bitcoin bought with it and the Bitcoin transferred to him. + +I need a sound explanation as my neighbor is in denial, and I feel badly about him being scammed. What’s the advantage or goal of the scammer here? + +Edit: Thank you all SO MUCH for the help here +I switched jobs recently (<3 Months) because I felt I was getting paid less compared to what the market is offering and received an increase of 40% by switching. However, I liked the work I was doing with my previous employer. Now, my previous employer want's me back and is offering a promotion and 20% more + better benefits than what I am making right now in my new job. + +I am confused as to what should I do and how should I rationally think about it? (Work-wise I would be happy in either place) + +Should I use this opportunity to re-negotiate my salary with my current employer? If so, how should I approach it given I recently started? Or would it be wise to go back to the old employer? +You may not like it, but this is what peak autism looks like. + +https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/nov/22/elon-musk-net-worth-tesla-cybertruck + +EDIT: Okay retards. I understand losses aren't realized until you sell. The point is he lost all that value on that shit truck. That's more autistic than putting your entire net worth on $420 TSLA calls. At least there's a chance. +A new tax law is being proposed in the US which will require cryptocurrency investors to pay taxes on the profits from their investments even before they sell their coins. + + +If this ridiculous law is passed, it will: + + +1. Force you to sell your crypto when you're in profit, which would keep further price increase in check. Thus reducing the opportunity to make further gains. + + +2. Make everyone a ninja, doing everything to conceal their crypto wealth. + + +3. Probably discourage people from investing in crypto in the first place. + + + +My hope is that they also make provision to pay us for unrealized losses on our crypto assets. At least this will encourage me to gamble more on shitcoins without fear. + + +Congrats boys, we have graduated from China FUD to tax and regulation FUD. Let's see where this leads. + +EDIT: News source: https://beincrypto.com/treasury-secretary-tax-unrealized-crypto-gains/ +Earlier this week, I rented an 8 foot from U-Haul, which was scheduled to be picked up this morning. I checked in on the mobile website, have all the receipts for my reservation, and paid the fees. I also scheduled two movers to come with me to help move some furniture onto the couch and off, which cost an extra $150. This was done entirely on U-Haul‘s website, mind you. + +Everything was going smoothly right up until I walked up to the counter to grab the key. The owner of this particular location gave me a weird look and said that my 8 foot pick up truck was unavailable, as it was broken down and in the shop. I was flabbergasted, there was absolutely no warning about this. They then refused to help me get another truck. He literally screamed “next in line!” and gestured me aside. + +Needless to say, I am furious. I called U-Haul’s customer service line multiple times this afternoon, was redirected maybe six or seven different people, but nobody had any idea how to resolve my issue. Eventually I was directed to someone in their scheduling department and they said that they could only refund my credit card $50 for the inconvenience. They did offer another truck on the other side of town that I could go get it, but by the time I got there the movers were no longer available. Ultimately, I had to give the movers the payment code for their time, as this wasn’t their fault. $150 for the movers and $80-ish for the truck rental, gone, all because of U-Haul’s screw up. + +I asked the Customer Service lady if there was anyway I could reschedule with another location with the same truck and movers without having to pay anything extra, as this was not my fault. They said it was not possible, and the $50 credit was the best they can do, and I’d have to pay for movers and any other truck fees again if I wanted to schedule again. + +What are my options here? I feel duped, and I have a good reason to go do a charge back on my credit card for this crap, but I want to make sure I see all my options first. +In the last three weeks I've bathed my dogs twice with tick shampoo and treated them topically once and they still have ticks. Gross! And stressful. +What I need and the only thing that seems to work with my dogs and we're I live is the internal stuff and that's spendy. It's not $5. It's not even $20. It's $40 to $60 a dose. My dogs are big and as I said one wasn't planned for. She showed up and I spent a lot of money helping her. So yes you can chide me but whatever life is complicated. + +Anyhow. If anyone knows where I can find internal tick treatments for less I'd be so appreciative. No need for judgement I just need a solution. + +Thank you. +I was just thinking for a moment that cryptocurrency’s have been around for a long time now, we are in a time where we hear stories about how it was when it first started, and we probably see this era in the future as something outstanding. + +So I was wondering what are those moments you personally or in general, that have historical significancy? That some may even find hard to believe. Im talking about the stories like pizza’s worth thousands now or dudes forgetting their passwords. + +What are the historical crypto facts that are hard to believe? + +Sorry for my bad english. +There are many ways to generate a Bitcoin cold storage wallet offline (dice, a deck of cards, shelling out cash for a ledger). As so many centralized exchanges are suddenly going bust, it's important to remember: (1) DCA through the bear market ("plant seeds in the bear market to harvest in the bull") and (2) DCA into your own wallet, not someone else's. + +I shared this process with a bitcoin-only sub and got a positive response. Since it can be used technically for any cryptocurrency I figured I would share here. So let's get started: + +I have previously made one a cold storage wallet back in 2017 on an offline computer using a fresh copy of Tails, but that was a ton of work. This time, I figured I would roll up my sleeves and generate entropy the old fashioned way: using skittles. So here are the steps to make your Skittles cold storage wallet (remember: do not use any online tools if you actually plan to generate your own wallet for real money). + +1. Acquire Skittles +2. Sort them so you have an even amount of all colors +3. Mix them up (I used a cocktail shaker). +4. Pull them out one by one and write down the first letter of the color \[(Y)ellow, (R)ed, (G)reen, etc\], then recycle this Skittle back into the cocktail shaker. Repeat 111 times. Why 111? This is the number needed to generate the 256 bits needed for your private key. +5. Give each color a number. E.g., "Yellow is 0, Red is 1, etc." Now take your long string of Skittles colors (e.g., RYGRRP) and replace the letters with numbers (e.g., 102114). This happens to be a "base 5" number. Convert this base 5 number to base 16 (sounds hard, really isn't -- its very google-able). This new base 16 number will look like an ETH wallet address (0x...). This is your private key. +6. Using some python scripts you can find on like the bitcointalk forums (or stackoverflow), you can generate your public key from your private key. + +**Or if you don't like math** I made a [tool does all the hard parts for you](https://bitscrypto.com/skittles). **Do not use this tool for real money.** If you are actually going to generate your bitcoin wallet from something like dice or skittles, you should do it completely offline. + +It's very important to own your own private key. It's ironic how a centralized exchange has become the default place to store digital wealth. To help fix this problem, I wrote an ios/android app that rounds up everyday purchases and invests the spare change into Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies (basically, [the "Acorns" of crypto](https://9u9hu.app.link/e/view)). It integrates with Coinbase, and will soon offer an easy offramp from centralized exchanges so beginners and veterans alike can easily and safely offramp and start taking custody of their own wealth. I made it free with no monetization plan (it’s in the app store, so reviewed by Apple/Google). +The debate about the value of an emergency funds seems to happen on this sub on about a weekly basis. I am not trying to re-litigate this debate or advocate one way or another. + +I just wanted to point one small snag out. On those weekly debates, there are usually a number of people who advocate for a HELOC for all or part of their emergency fund. + +I just checked the docs for my HELOC because I was curious. It says on page 155 of a 218 page document: + +>The Bank may suspend the use of my Account and temporarily prohibit future Advances during the Draw Period, or the Bank may reduce my credit limit, for any reason permitted by applicable law, including without limitation, (a) if the annualized Daily Periodic Rate equal or exceeds the Lifetime Rate cap stated herein, (b) there is any material change in my financial circumstances that the Bank reasonably believes will make me unable to fulfill my repayment obligations under this Agreement, (c) the value of the Property declines significantly below its original appraised value, as determined by the Bank... + +So as is usually stated on this topic, the reason for an accessible emergency fund is because these bad events tend to be correlated. Meaning that you lose your job around the same time as the value of your mutual funds decline. So if you were planning on using your HELOC to ride out the crash, the bank could just as easily cancel your loan in those same circumstances. + +Everybody's tolerance for risk and uncertainty is different, maybe this is critical or maybe it's not. Maybe your loan doesn't have this provision. Maybe you have skills that are marketable even in the apocalypse. Just be aware and stay safe out there. +I dont wanna bore anyone with my knowledge is such a topic; but I think its fair to say that foods that appear to be healthy may not be because they are either heavily processed; cooked in seed/vegetable oils; arent organic/are gmo; etc etc. The ones that are purchased under the pretense that they are and happen to be cheap may be giving people false confidence because what they are really consuming isnt as healthy as they think. So assuming you wanted to buy grassfed meat, pasture raised eggs, organic non gmo fruits and vegetables (which are obv more expensive) regularly; would this even be possible if you are earning minimum wage? +Its currently around$2300 pre split fyi. + +or the last 3 months there were endless discussion and a analysis suggesting that the tesla bubble was going to pop anytime now. It appears that tesla is going to be permanently viewed as a ~400B company at minimum going forward. + +For bulls and bears, what are your thoughts on the stock. +&#x200B; + +There’s this incident that’s seared in my childhood memory. + +In India, during festivals, family, friends, and neighbours gather together to play a popular card game called “Teen Patti” (Also known as Tri-Cards, Flush or Flash.) This is with money of course. And when you have about two dozen people playing, it’s interesting and fun to watch. + +In this game, three cards are distributed one at a time, to all players who have contributed to the pot. The rules of the game are well established. Those who have cards with low probability of winning (no sequence, low pairs etc.) fold first. Then the remaining players bet and bid higher for the winning pot. This goes on till either someone folds or pays the money for the opponent to reveal. + +So during this game, after a few rounds of bidding, the smaller players had all folded one by one. Only two contenders remained in the fray. The bids were getting higher and higher – till the two players were out of cash for increasing the bidding. So what do they do? Yes, leverage! After all, there are family, friends and neighbours around. So they borrowed money to keep the game going. + +So high was the conviction of these two players, that neither was ready to fold. Basically, it was madness. Both players thought that they could win. So this had to end somewhere right? With one player refusing to budge, the other player on urging from others, finally asked for the reveal. + +The player was holding 3 Kings. The probability of holding 3 Kings in a deck of cards is also the 99.9819% probability of winning. Almost a no lose situation. But what trumps that? A player holding 3 Aces, which is a 100% winning hand. + +So this is how the game ended. One player, confident of winning with the second highest hand of cards with a 99.9819% probability of winning, ended up losing not only his own money, but also that was borrowed (leveraged) from family and friends. + +The ongoing GME Saga reminded me of this incident. Citadel being a billion dollar hedge fund, market maker, dark pool operator, operating on the borders of legality with other multi billion dollar shady hedge funds, FTDs etc. had a money tap flowing. With these resources and tools. they could win, out bidding the opponent, no matter who or what was against them. Barring a once in a life time event they were confident that with so many cards stacked in their favour, gave them a win probability of 99.9819% - just alike holding a winning hand of 3 Kings. + +That is till it didn’t. The game is ongoing. Citadel has thrown everything (including bedpost) into the pot. But the opponent is a retarded Ape. He knows that he has a one in a life time opportunity - holding on to 3 Aces. And he is not quitting, come what may. All that he has to do is hold. (And DRS.) + +After all, against Citadel’s 99.9819% winning chances, the retarded Ape holds 3 Aces - a 100% winning certainty. +Yea yea drug = bad , crypto = good + +But have you guys ever wondered about the dude who was locked up for 10 years and came back to his wallet that he had tucked away for a decade only to find out he’s a multi millionaire! Well if he’s(or she)out there , it’s funny how things turn out huh ? + +Update: wow this really blew up , i was just sitting here stoned day trading when i thought of this +This is my first time posting + +My partner and I, both 26, want to buy a house in 2 year's time, we currently have enough for a 10% deposit on a 200k house but my partner would like is to wait for 2 year's until we have enough for a 20% deposit but I'm worried houses keep getting more expensive and in a 2 year's time 20% deposit might get us less house than 20% would right now. + +So my question is what are the benefits of having a bigger deposit and are the benefits worth waiting 2 year's and watching our savings depreciate because 2 year's is too little time to invest + +Thank you in advance +I'm pretty new to investing and trading, and I've been reading around, and one of the things I've seen pop up a couple times is day trading. I was thinking about giving it a try with a little bit of money and see what happens, but the one thing that I don;t understand is the transaction fees. + +If I was to buy a stock and sell it later that day, maybe for a small gain, wouldn't the fees to trade be a huge loss, at like $7-10 a trade? Am I looking at this wrong, or just not understanding it right? +The temptation is real to pay an extra few thousand dollars to travel in comfort for long haul flights from Aus. Just how much of a waste of money is spending thousands on a seat? +>Carl Icahn sold his massive stakes in Netflix and Apple more than five years ago, missing out on over $40 billion in prospective gains. The billionaire investor and Icahn Enterprises chairman first bought Netflix stock in the third quarter of 2012, and quickly amassed as many as 38.5 million shares, adjusted for the video-streaming platform's 7-for-1 stock split in 2015. "Netflix was a no-brainer when we first went into it," Icahn told CNBC in June 2015, citing the company's huge war chest. Icahn's roughly 9% stake in Netflix rose in value to over $1.7 billion by late 2013. However, the investor steadily reduced it over the next few quarters, and exited the holding entirely in the second quarter of 2015. + +>"As a hardened veteran of seven bear markets, I have learned that when you are lucky and/or smart enough to have made a total return of 457% in only 14 months, it is time to take some of the chips off the table," he explained in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing at the time. +First options purchase. Pls roast me. + +UPDATE: I decided to take a much safer route and only grab 3 contracts. Is what I’m experiencing right now called “theta crush” or depression? Please advise. +The unfortunate situation is that my grandmother died a few months ago and the estate has just passed through probate and funds are available for allocation. My grandad has Alzheimers disease and has been in care for the last 12 months, where he will need to stay until the inevitable happens. + +My mother and my aunt have power of attorney over all of my grandad's finances and it is their responsibility to ensure that funds are available for his continued care. This costs £1000/week, however the family home is being rented out for £1000/month partially covering this. + +My mom and my aunt just met with my grandparents' financial advisor to discuss what to do with about £130,000, which is currently not invested. The advice given was to reinvest this into a Prudential fund with returns of 5% (where the money was previously). For processing this, the financial advisor charges 3% plus an additional 0.5% annual fee. + +To be honest, I feel that this financial advisor has been somewhat taken advantage of my grandparents as their capacity to reason was failing - he charged hefty fees to process the power of attorney, wills and other investments. Paying an additional 3% is highly unpalatable to all involved. + +My mother and aunt are not financially savvy and while they can recognise a bad deal, they don't have any better ideas since returns available on the high street are so poor. I have suggested index funds but they consider anything to do with the stock market to be more or less gambling. Additionally, since these are women around 60 years of age, a lower risk option would likely be more suitable. + +My questions are: + +* Is the financial advisor's deal as bad as it seems? +* Where can I find better information about bonds? +* Is there a way to gain interest on a portion of the money, which will need to be available in the short term to finance grandad's care in the short-term? +I work as an accountant at a small company and my director is trying to get me not to declare correctly taxes...regardless of this specific situation, how have you dealt with a boss that want to bully you into something? + +EDIT : please let me know if there is a better subreddit where to post this questions... + +Though it was only a month ago, /u/TheEmperorOfJenks transformed himself into a eternal meme here on WSB that ripples to this day. The man who [lost his life savings on ornamental gourd futures.](https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/kzoh1c/i_am_financially_ruined_agricultural_futures/) This is one of the strangest and most hilarious ways I’ve seen someone YOLO, so I decided to follow the story for the next month. What happened after that has kept me in utter awe. Within a month, losing his ass on gourdy bois might actually be the least autistic thing he’s done in 2021. + +Since he had to take physical possession of so many of these gigantic, worthless gourds, he tried his best to make lemons into lemonade. He first investigated [how to make them into instruments.](https://www.reddit.com/r/gourds/comments/l0o9za/market_potential_for_gourd_instruments_in_great/)Then, he fully embraced the autist inside him and began to eat his loss. Literally. [He found a way to eat ornamental gourds,](https://www.reddit.com/r/gourds/comments/ld1p3z/ive_found_out_how_to_make_gourds_edible/) which could only be done by boiling them for 3+ hours. I’m pretty sure you can eat fence posts with this method as well. + +After eating gourds and likely getting massive constipation, he tried his hands at sportsbetting. In a now deleted post, [he said he had a straight up bet of $1,000 for the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl](https://www.reddit.com/r/tulsa/comments/leyru3/there_is_absolutely_no_way_kansas_city_will_lose/). This was the last of his money. + +Then, he had a brilliant idea. A magnum opus to follow his gourds bet. Rhodium. As one might expect from someone who ruined their financial future to god damn gourds, [he declared that Rhodium was going to hit $40k in 2 months, after it just mooned to $20k](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bullion/comments/lac1oy/rhodium_is_skyrocketting_invest_now_for_ultimate/) It’s the classic buy high sell low strategy. In reality, [the price has only gone up 15%](https://www.metalsdaily.com/live-prices/pgms/) a full 85% under his prediction. So he went full retard. + +Using a credit card, [he bought 8.5 grams of what he was told was Rhodium for $4,000.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bullion/comments/lac1oy/rhodium_is_skyrocketting_invest_now_for_ultimate/glodjo5/) And then it gets fun. + +As Rhodium rocketed up a startling 2%, instead of buying a Lambo, [he asked where he could buy a custom water bed with his expected windfall.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tulsa/comments/lajuas/where_to_buy_custom_water_beds/) It literally couldn’t go tits up. + +[Then his “Rhodium” arrived.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bullion/comments/lckk4r/my_rhodium_just_arrived/) But instead of looking like a polished, precisely packaged piece of metal, like other precious metal commodities, he got a lump of discolored metal in a plastic bag. The commenters of /r/Bullion immediately questioned its authenticity. So, he went to the experts. [He went to What Is This Rock with his $4,000 investment.](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisrock/comments/lfhu93/is_this_rhodium/) Everyone commented that it was bunk and likely pyrite. When asked where he bought it, [he gave a link to a shady Slovakian version of Wish](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisrock/comments/lfhu93/is_this_rhodium/gmndl5v/), clearly the experts in precious metal futures. Shockingly, the listing was now gone, along with the storefront on the super trustworthy .sk site. + +Then, a trip to a local metals store in Tulsa confirmed it. [He paid $4,000 for a worthless piece of pyrite.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bullion/comments/lktedl/it_wasnt_rhodium/) He has gone post silent since then, but the damage is there. Since losing $10k to gourds, he lost another $5k on sportsbetting and a precious metals scam. [He states that he is now moving to Uruguay to start over.](https://www.reddit.com/r/uruguay/comments/lh5igx/c%C3%B3mo_se_puede_llegar_a_melo_desde_montevideo_sin/) + +I, for one, cannot wait to see the next chapter in this story. When we see Spanish newspaper articles about an American in Uruguay who went $500,000 in debt betting against freshwater eel futures, we know who is responsible. + +All praise to /u/TheEmperorOfJenks. One autist to rule them all. +Hey guys, let me first thank you for reading this. + +I am currently a computer engineering student about to graduate with a minor in math and a focus on software. I have found though that without being applied somewhere, software design can get tedious and old, so I have began to look for specific applications of where my mathematical and software skills can go. I recently found a masters in quantitative and computational finance program that I feel I am very qualified for. + +So here are my questions: How difficult will it be moving into a finance having nothing more than a rudimentary understanding of economics and some options experience? + +Are there many computational finance jobs out there? If so, are they highly competitive? + +Lastly, what kind of firms could potentially hire me if I were to go through with this program. Would it be smaller businesses, or larger banks and trading firms? + +Thanks for your time! + +Edit: Thank you all for the advice and replies. Will post back here if I get in and decide to go! +Genuinely curious as to how real estate investors who take on loads of leveraged real estate debt (10mm+) survive in harsh market conditions, for example crashing real estate markets, or when interests rates go high? +Does anyone have any suggestions or experiences with small kids (ours are 2&4 right now). I'd love if there were a resort with a great kids club, where they really feel like they're on vacation as well (not just being babysat)-- and my wife & I can enjoy the vacation as well. Right now every "vacation" just feels like a bit of a chore. +Pre-release games could be voted on if you own the NFT, so early customers could have some say in games they're excited about. + +Existing tournaments could be customized or set up in a similar way. + +Reality TV opinions could be taken in an instant. As well as other social media opinions but without interference from bots. + +Employees could vote on company decisions. Shareholders already do but it could be made easier. + +Parties could have very accurate primaries that give extra weight to people who have voted before, and received the "I voted" interactive NFT. + +Just some random ideas. +Basically I have about 50k saved up and don't have a job. Where I live I pay about 1800 per month for an apartment between me and my bf and it is small and I don't even have a place to park my car. + +I looked at some places like in south Carolina and Florida and for half of what we currently pay we can get a place twice as big and nice... should I just move down there and find work? Why wouldn't anyone want to move somewhere else? + +There's nothing in Boston for me really I just grew up here for 30 years with my mom and dad. +Obviously JPOW can’t possibly get that 2.3 trillion deal passed, it’s so flawed and easily manipulated that it will need changes and time to pass and probably won’t look anything like his current proposal. But it was just enough to prevent today’s red dildo. + +How long before this all backfires? It will probably be several years before these free loans catch up to the country and banks. + +What will our dollar look like now that we had 4 trillion sent into our economy in a month, and who knows how much total after the whole Corona thing. + +What kind of precedent does this set for businesses and banks? + +This 4 trillion would have been enough to send ~$20000 to each tax payer regardless of income instead of to banks pockets. + +Who knows anything anymore. The market literally can’t go down even though it needs to. This cash is literally just going back into the market where it can’t be spent... + +Fuck these old white men who are ruining our lives so they can escape to some private island with their retirement funds that they boosted themselves with this bill... + +Our country is over. + +Edit, I’m kinda shook none of you said positions or ban... + +22x Spy 250 4/17 avg buy 1.27 +There seems to be an assumption that every dip is people panick selling and giving up on crypto, when in reality it's mostly just traders taking advantage of the opportunity to sell and buy more at a lower price point. +Every now and then, a pennystock comes around that makes you think: How the hell is this a pennystock? How is this valued under $10? + +Well my coworkers and I have been trading for a long time, and this is very likely one of them. + +\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +$OSS, One Stop Systems, since its IPO in 2018, has been silently building a tech arsenal behind our backs. + +&#x200B; + +(*You're gonna lose your literal mind when you read the next part:*) + +&#x200B; + +**They are officially partnered with:** Apple, Nvidia, Intel, AMD, Boeing, IBM, Lenovo, HP, Lyft, Puma, Toshiba, Thunderbolt, Universal Audio, Focusrite, and Cisco etc... These are only 15 of their 50+ major international partnerships. + +*(yes, this is a pennystock.)* + +https://www.onestopsystems.com/partners + +**U.S. Military:** On top of this, OSS also has multiple million-dollar contracts with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Military, as they provide the pre-constructed systems and power required for AI intelligence, DLSS, and large scale data transfer. + +*(This sub goes batshit crazy when a pennystock lands even ONE of the above partnerships. They have more than 50 already in motion.)* + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**What do they do? What makes them so special?** + +OSS in layman’s terms is a company that takes top-end processors and GPUs, and uses their PCIe gen 4.0 expansion technology to merge them into a military-grade/data center supercomputer. + +But aren’t there many companies that can do this? No. They are the only company in the world with a PCIe 4.0 expansion system that can support NVIDIA’s top end GPU’s. (*Nvidia A-100*) + +This means that they own nearly 100% of the market share in Nvidia's latest PCIe GPU technology. + +*(PCIe gen 3.0 is the only other option, but is 50% slower than PCIe 4.0.)* + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**What else makes them so special?** Their Financials. + +Compare their financials to the pennystocks we always talk about on this subreddit. It’s absurd. They generate a lot of revenue. + +OSS's latest 10-K showed a record $ 60 MILLION in revenue, a 57% increase YoY. + +Some of the biggest companies in the world like Amazon, took over 10 years to make their first dollar. + +OSS is only on YEAR 2 and they are only $1 MILLION away from becoming a profitable operation. + +&#x200B; + +**How is this possible?** Three reasons: + +1. They completely dominate the high-end PCIe sector of the tech industry. I challenge you to find a single other PCIe 4.0 expansion system on the market. +2. Their CEO David Raun has led two companies to record revenues in the PCIe and NVMe industry, and one was bought out by Broadcom. +3. They are at the forefront of far too many industries that require this level of technology. (see below for a few examples) + +\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +They are the preferred OEM for Nvidia: + +[OSS Introduces the World's First and only PCIe 4.0 Expansion System for Nvidia.](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oss-introduces-world-first-pcie-150010777.html) + +[OSS and Nvidia](https://www.onestopsystems.com/nvidia-gpus) + +[Official PR from NVIDIA](https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/worlds-top-system-makers-unveil-nvidia-a100-powered-servers-to-accelerate-ai-data-science-and-scientific-computing) + +&#x200B; + +U.S. Military Defense: + +[OSS Military Defense, Navy, Air, and Ground forces.](https://www.onestopsystems.com/defense) + +[Latest Order from U.S. Navy](https://ir.onestopsystems.com/press-releases/detail/163/oss-orders-for-new-u-s-navy-ai-threat-detection-system-top) + +&#x200B; + +AI Learning, DLSS, and Self-driving vehicles: + +[OSS Reveals World's First Solution for AI Learning that incorporates NVIDIA GPUs and ARM-based servers.](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/11/19/1949447/0/en/OSS-Introduces-Industry-s-First-Solution-Incorporating-NVIDIA-GPUs-with-NVLink-and-Marvell-ThunderX2-Arm-based-Servers.html) + +[OSS AI on the Fly](https://www.onestopsystems.com/ai-on-the-fly) + +&#x200B; + +Machine Learning:[ OSS Machine Learning Systems](https://www.onestopsystems.com/machine-learning) + +Medical:[ OSS Medical Pre-built Systems](https://www.onestopsystems.com/medical) + +Oil Industry:[ OSS Oil and Gas Industry Systems](https://www.onestopsystems.com/oil-and-gas) + +\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +There are about a hundred more links, presentations, and conference calls that could be added to this post, but it would simply make it too long. *(We will be releasing follow up posts throughout the week to break up the information.)* + +$2 for a pennystock generating $60 million of revenue in its second year? + +$2 for a company that literally dominates an entire section of its industry? + +$2 for a company that is partnered with over 50+ major companies? + +$2 for a company that literally makes DOUBLE its ENTIRE MARKET CAP? + +&#x200B; + +When Vanguard increases their holdings by 103%, something's up. + +&#x200B; + +*(Further in-depth analysis will be posted tomorrow and throughout the week.)* + +A few of the topics to be covered are: product and competitor assessment, corporate presentations/conference calls, and financial breakdown. There is a lot to cover. + +Good luck to all and have a great week. + +&#x200B; + +*^(This post is brought to you by the Sizzlin’ Stocks Team. Everything presented is research based on a wide array of publicly available information and individual interpretation; it is not financial advice. We recommend everyone do their own DD to verify what you read on the internet.)* +Nissan and Mercedes will be selling home batteries. We can expect that the competition will limit profits. + +[http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/12/11662144/nissan-home-battery-pack-xstorage](http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/12/11662144/nissan-home-battery-pack-xstorage) +From [https://www.fidelity.com/about-fidelity/institutional-investment-management/fidelity-beats-vanguard-on-index-mutual-funds](https://www.fidelity.com/about-fidelity/institutional-investment-management/fidelity-beats-vanguard-on-index-mutual-funds): + +> Fidelity Investments®, one of the industry's largest, most experienced providers of low-cost active and index investment products, today announced that effective August 1, 2017 it will reduce total expenses on 14 of its stock and bond index mutual funds. With this action, 100% of Fidelity's stock and bond index mutual funds and sector ETFs will have total net expenses lower than their comparable Vanguard fund. +Hello all I have seemingly been on a endless missions on trying to find brokers that allow auto buying for individual stocks. It seems most them do mutual funds only and deny you the opportunity to build your own portfolio of stocks. I’m aware that M1 offers something like this but I really don’t like there interface. Robinhood has this service but I’m not really hearing good things about them either does anyone know of any other brokers that offer this service? +I used the online calculator and it told me that the EFC would be nearly 7 figures. That's probably higher than the tuition of any college. I would like to save some money if possible of course lol. +40m, ~$630,000 NW, ~$230,000 HHI of which $165,000 is me. MCOL small city. My wife just returned to the workforce after 11 years home with the kids which gives us quite a bit more risk tolerance to explore and optimize our income. I'm an electrical engineer by trade, but came out of school as a Project Manager. After a couple switches I joined my current company in 2010. Industry is warehouse automation and I'm in the software division. I've gone from $65k to where I am now. I spent about six years as a heavy travel hands on PM, moved into some management responsibilities in that dept, then for last 6 years have managed a QA team split between US and offshore. I am also still very involved in operations, and as part of our division's very small management team am integral in every major decision, strategy, process improvement for our division. I am technical and hands on, but have also been consistently praised for leadership and strategy. Reviews have always been glowing from my leadership, peers, and direct reports, and I'm very well respected throughout entire organization at my level. I have always seen just enough compensation increase to keep me from looking elsewhere. + +All that said, my advancement has slowed and I don't see a clear path to a future beyond Director level. We are extremely flat and have a young and hungry group. I don't feel like I'm being groomed for anything more and have no mentors above my position even though I get along pretty well with executive team. I know that the next step is likely to look for an external opportunity, but I do really enjoy the projects we work on and am very comfortable with the flexibility and autonomy I have earned. + +I'm not terribly interested in QA, just took it on as there was a need. I am willing to look at other organizations, but struggle to think of what all roles to consider and what tools to use (where to look for higher income roles). I'm not too keen taking a huge risk or starting a business as I am comfortable and now that wife is working again and we can increase savings rare (45%) on track towards the low end of my FI goal. At this point I'm planning to work until kids graduate college and I'm 55. If things accelerate I would likely reduce that a few years or switch to a coastfi strategy. +Please use this thread to have discussions which you don't feel warrant a new post to the sub. While the Rules for posting questions on the basics of personal finance/investing topics are relaxed a little bit here, the rules against memes/spam/self-promotion/excessive rudeness/politics still apply! + +Have a look at the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/wiki/faq) for this subreddit before posting to see if your question is frequently asked. + +Since this post does tend to get busy, consider sorting the comments by "new" (instead of "best" or "top") to see the newest posts. + +Tl;Dr….Ah Shit! + +In his appearance before the senate committee, Mark Zuckerberg was asked some of the most basic questions imaginable. + +These included “How does Facebook make money?” and “Why do I keep seeing ads for chocolate?”. + +I have no faith in their knowledge and people always try to destroy what they don’t understand. +I got a letter from the IRS yesterday stating that they found discrepancies in my 2018 tax return and that I owe another $1,783 for that year. They list around $11,000 in mutual funds which were sold and never reported. I did not recognize the funds at all, nor did I know I even had that account. + +I reached out to my mom to see if she recognized it since several UTMA accounts were set up for me to pay for college back in the day (I am now 29). When she looked through her divorce proceeds she found a record of that account, which was supposed to be transferred to my mom's custodial ownership when the divorce finalized. I was 16 at that time. + +We're still trying to figure out what is happening, but as it stands right now, it seems like my father never transferred custodianship to my mother, withdrew money from it, and didn't report or pay taxes on the dividends or capital gains. I am now somehow responsible for paying for those taxes. + +It's sounding like we might need to get a lawyer to deal with some of the other issues going on, but in the meantime, what do I do about this money owed to the IRS? Is there a specific form I need to submit to let them know that the money was taken by my father and not me or can I just send them a letter saying as much? Do I need to pay the money and try to get it back in court? +I've been holding a good amount since early Feb, averaged around $60. I work and go to school full-time, so I decided to step away from the media (of all kinds) relating to GME. I've gotten so burdened at times I've completely forgotten I've even had GME in the first place. Truest 🦍 + +I came back, only to see something called a DRS and some fancy delicious lookin purple ring everybody's seems to be talking about. 🟣 + +I transferred all my shares from Webull, Public, and SoFi to TDA this summer. Am I still good with TDA? +**TL;DR: In one historical case of how short sellers attacked Tesla, CleanTechnica's writers were confused as fuck that UBS' analyst Colin Langan recommended selling TSLA 18 times (!) but never General Motors in over 2 years. This is all while secretly UBS had a giant open put position on the stock.** + +EDIT: Wow getting downvoted off the bat to 66%. So while you bots are here, also fun facts for UBS: UBS had a bank account for Osama Bin Laden (yes that one) and also runs the biggest dark pool ATS in the United States. + +FUCK YOU CUNTS: Proof I'm getting downvoted: + + +https://preview.redd.it/tqi9v8qhrnj81.png?width=663&format=png&auto=webp&s=c20a9ec7f10d7ea0a0986047ff742f7662cf5a3d + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/lphm3zhxonj81.png?width=512&format=png&auto=webp&s=bcf82decc61e616d2c3594b8f083c667c6e39f79 + +Link: [https://cleantechnica.com/2018/09/10/insane-ubs-bias-on-tesla-ubs-analyst-recommended-selling-tsla-18-times-in-2-years-recommended-buying-gm-35-times-in-7-years/](https://cleantechnica.com/2018/09/10/insane-ubs-bias-on-tesla-ubs-analyst-recommended-selling-tsla-18-times-in-2-years-recommended-buying-gm-35-times-in-7-years/) + +First off, a shoutout and unbelievable amount of props an to u/welp007 and u/PtahandSuns for catching the Musk piece and his bak-and-forth on Twitter (!) I wanted to actually drop something in that could be relevant for some of you unfamiliar with TSLA's history with short sellers. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/e5lh87bnqnj81.png?width=1093&format=png&auto=webp&s=4dce39bf4c2f0146904805991dad379000612aa5 + +https://preview.redd.it/4dicr86qqnj81.png?width=857&format=png&auto=webp&s=5da94d724685c5ac2bf971e576bf4a3c85f6dceb + +&#x200B; + +I took this from an old series on UBS and tracking their short selling history from 2001-2021. I brought this up recently some time back in a comment chain with u/alilmagpie and others (will have to look up!), but thought might be helpful here! + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/0krxjsmaonj81.png?width=1679&format=png&auto=webp&s=f285f649939d46d4959e5693278807e1943912ca + +&#x200B; + +In Sept. 2016, CleanTechnica’s Maarten Vinkhuyzen reported that UBS has been bearish on TSLA for quite some time. Like...a longgggg time. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/nwfw5f3dpnj81.png?width=1197&format=png&auto=webp&s=6c292b3705fa05d8e06b9e44b4da519b69f2c735 + +Enjoy the shade thrown harder than a solar eclipse on a Madagascarian gnat’s penis as Maarten tears into one of UBS' analysts: + +&#x200B; + +>**“That analyst is Colin Langan. Non-journalists with a stronger journalist gene than CNBC’s reporters** (damnnnn GOT EM\*\*) found did some sleuthing and found that this \[UBS\] analyst has recommended selling TSLA 18 times (!) in the past two years \[**2017-2018?**\]. He hasn’t recommended buying TSLA\*\* ***at all*** **(emphasis theirs).”** +> +>“**Furthermore, this UBS analyst has recommended buying GM stock over two dozen times in the 7 years he’s been covering the company. He has** ***never*** **recommended selling GM.”** + +&#x200B; + +[Hi Colin Langan, you smug fuckface](https://preview.redd.it/zwmat5t2qnj81.png?width=600&format=png&auto=webp&s=19ae007272d7676a4e03bc68f7ac49fd290eadf8) + +They added even more detail, like going into how UBS seemed to make lots of its arguments against Tesla on perhaps faulty info: + +&#x200B; + +>“When you look at this information, you have to wonder, **why is Colin Langan so bearish on Tesla?** +> +>When you look at the UBS report, you have to wonder, why did the report’s analysts do such a crappy job trying to estimate component prices? +> +>You have to wonder, why did UBS come up with such a dramatically higher cost estimate for the Model 3 than other independent examinations cost estimates...**One of the fun gems Galileo Russell pulled up in this video was a reminder that it was UBS that falsely claimed in 2016 that Tesla’s battery pack costs were $260/kWh.** On a conference call in which the same Colin Langan was discussing this matter, **Tesla’s head of investor relations, Jeff Evanson, joined the call to correct the record and share that Tesla’s battery pack costs were $190/kWh at that time. That’s just a reminder of how bad UBS assumptions about Tesla have been for so long."** + +This all gets covered again later in the website’s “Analysis: Sloppy UBS Tesla Burn Is Not Supported By UBS’s Own Numbers” which you can read more on here: [https://cleantechnica.com/2018/09/02/sloppy-ubs-tesla-burn-is-not-supported-by-ubss-own-numbers/](https://cleantechnica.com/2018/09/02/sloppy-ubs-tesla-burn-is-not-supported-by-ubss-own-numbers/) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/qajok7gmpnj81.png?width=1139&format=png&auto=webp&s=bfb427bafdf1d6adabc5f91e6bfb37e594d1ab2e + +&#x200B; + +A final follow-up quote is added to the very end of Maarten's Sept. 10th piece, with perhaps tales of things to come for the auto company: + +>“Update → **One note Maarten dropped into the comments is that UBS has a large TSLA short position,** which you can track to some degree on Fintel.io. As one reader summarizes it, “UBS Group AG has a history of taking positions in derivatives of the underlying security (TSLA) in the form of stock options. **The firm currently holds 314,690 call options valued at $107,923,000 USD and 1,302,400 put options valued at $446,658,000 USD.”** + +**Surprise fucking surprise...UBS analyst talks shit about the company as Maarten and Co. discover these fuckers actually have a HUGE open put position on Tesla.** + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**TL;DR: In one historical case of how short sellers attacked Tesla, CleanTechnica's writers were confused as fuck that UBS' analyst Colin Langan recommended selling TSLA 18 times (!) but never General Motors in over 2 years. This is all while secretly UBS had a giant open put position on the stock.** +In mid January I went from being a w2 contractor to a full time employee. I filled out my tax forms correctly(I just looked a the scanned copies) but they put me down as exempt. My Gross pay is $50,040.65, they took out $433.77 in federal and $105.43 in state. I paid $622.68 into employer paid benefits. I put down 4 for my exemptions, and I file with my wife. + +I know its my fault since I didn't check my pay stubs, the only reason I did is my co worker alerted me to since they made a mistake on his. + +How much am I going to have to pay? + +Edit: Thanks everyone for your help, looks like I wont be owing much(according to the h&r block tax calculator). Since my wife didn't work for most of the year and I have 2 kids. Even though I didn't pay much in taxes I was able to save majority of my extra income into a emergency fund. + + +1-Even though buying seems to be back, it can change again in any moment and your orders may not fill. When the dip comes again, AND IT WILL, DO NOT SELL. You may think you can sell all your positions and buy back in on the cheap, BUT THERES NO GUARANTEE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BUY BACK IN. JUST HOLD AND WE WIN. DONT BELIEVE ANY SHORT FLOAT LIES TODAY. + +2-Our buying preassure is low today thanks to rh fucking us, and mainly because most of us are already holding. At this point its a game of waiting them out and NOT pussying out in their attacks. + +3-Melvin fucked up with this whole situation, but these guys are NOT stupid. They have harvard mathmaticians and professional risk analysts. They probably figured out that their losses will be marginally LESS for holding their positions open and paying the borrowing fees than it would be if they covered now. They want to wear us down over time by blocking us from buying, sniping stop losses with ladders and constant media attacks like Cramer saying the squeeze is over. ALL we have to do is hold, and we will win. If you keep selling, they can slowly cover over time while keeping the price steady. + +-Non of this is financial advice. +The general message is I want to be more than just "okay" in my retirement. I want to be in really good shape. + +Currently 39 years old. I make 165K/year. + +EDIT: to be clear: 3 years ago I was making 41K/year and had very little saved. I KNOW I'm behind. That's why I'm asking for help. All the stuff below I've been doing for about the last year or so because I finally have money and am not living paycheck to paycheck. I'm a late bloomer, professionally. + +I contribute 2% to my company 401K (they do not match). Currently have about 1K in there (I haven't been contributing for long, since the company doesn't match) + +Have about 3K in a Roth I contribute about $150/month into. + +I also put about $200-300/month into a personal investment account currently worth about 25K. + +If and when my company matches 401K contributions, I would max out my contribution %. + +I own a home which cost $435,000. Bought it this year and have about $375,000 left on it. In 20-25 years, I would sell it. It likely won't be paid off yet, so figure maybe if I'm lucky I'd net somewhere between $200-$300K from the sale and would use that, in whole or part, to buy my retirement home/condo/whatever. + +Next year I will be 40, and will have a good 20-25 years worth of working left in me. I have no significant debts. No car payment. My mortgage is my largest expense each month (approx $2600/month). + +My monthly take home is about $9600, and after mortgage, utilities, and all other expenses including a few discretionary things, etc,. I have a good $4K leftover each month that I don't "need" to live. + +I don't lead any extravagant lifestyle. Don't buy fancy things or drive expensive cars, etc. I don't even buy designer stuff lol most of my clothes come from Kohls (clearance rack). + +Bottom line is there's probably at least 1K-2K/month , and likely more, that I could easily do "whatever" with. + +What is your best advice on what I should be doing differently if my goal is to have a really good retirement? + +EDIT: I should mention also that I have equity which refreshes each year. Once fully vested (2025) it will/should be worth about 250K. Also, this is the first year I am also eligible for an annual bonus which may be up to 50K. So the plan was to invest a significant portion of that bonus in my retirement accounts. +Bonus points if you believe we *aren't* heading into (or continuing within) a recession, either. + +Note that even gloomy-about-the-economy Jeremy Grantham predicts only net zero stock return on US equities over 7 years (i.e. not a net negative), and many cite him as a doomsayer. + +Anyway, with all this gloom and doom talk, I'd like to hear from others who share my view or something similar: that the media is drumming up a lot of noise and making these issues seem *even more serious* than they actually are. + +Or, in short: that this time is not different - things will recover, if slowly. The world isn't ending. Etc... OR, if you think it is, how are you investing or otherwise planning to deal with it? +It's looking brutal for both of the big Chinese names. The education stocks we of course have to dismiss from the get-go, they're done. However the jury is still out on BABA and Tencent. This can be a generational buying opportunity if China lets them do business somewhat freely even after the crackdown. Tencent music is hard to evaluate with the forced streaming rights thing, but it's a separate ticker from Tencent (TME vs TCEHY). + +Personally I bought a 2023 LEAP on BABA at 186, thinking it was a great buy. We are down even further now, and Baba is dancing around very crucial moving averages. I also opened a long day trade on Tencent since their earnings are tomorrow. Guidance will matter a LOT, but the stock is down so much that the previous quarter earnings will possibly be outstanding in relation to their current stock price, allowing for a nice day trade. + +However, the uncertainty absolutely cannot be overstated. What do you think? Are you biting yet? +Apple reportedly warned suppliers not to use 'made in Taiwan' labels on products to avoid angering China following Nancy Pelosi's visit + +Apple told suppliers on Friday to avoid labeling products from Taiwan as "made in Taiwan," according to a report from Nikkei. + +The tech company told its suppliers that products or parts made in Taiwan must be identified as made either in "Taiwan, China" or "Chinese Taipei" to avoid indicating that the island is independent of China, the Japanese business news outlet said. + +According to Nikkei, Apple made the decision in order to avoid possible supply chain disruptions from Chinese scrutiny over the labels, especially as the company prepares to receive components from Taiwan that will be used for new products slated to launch later this year. + +Some iPhone components were held for review on Thursday to see whether the shipments were labeled to China's satisfaction, Nikkei reported. + +Apple did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment ahead of publication. + +Apple's warning comes only a few days after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taiwan in a visit that prompted a strong reaction from China. The nation has claimed Taiwan as its own for decades, even though China has never controlled the self-governed democratic country. + +Pelosi's actions were seen by Beijing as a "major political provocation" and a challenge to China sovereignty, Hua Chunying, China's assistant minister of foreign affairs, said on Twitter. Chinese President Xi Jinping warned ahead of the visit that the Biden administration would get "burned." Beijing also launched a series of military drills around Taiwan in response. + +Pelosi has been outspoken in her support of Taiwan's independence. + +Source: [https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-halts-made-in-taiwan-label-anger-china-pelosi-visit-2022-8](https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-halts-made-in-taiwan-label-anger-china-pelosi-visit-2022-8) + +Reports says that Apple, Inc. (APPL) warned suppliers not to use 'made in Taiwan' labels on products to avoid angering China following Nancy Pelosi's visit + +How do you think this recent US-China tension could impact APPL's trading price? +The number of posts/comments I see saying “they can’t raise rates, they have to pay their debt, people still need money” are ridiculous comments to make. First of all, current rates are only applied to newly issued debt, not the entire fucking deficit. Secondly, people can still finance they just need to be more careful/ prepared. And lastly, inflation devastates the lower/ middle class to the point will it start to effect crime, employment, politics, and bottom lines. Inflation is a nightmare and the fed is shaking in their boots hoping their soft landing works but I fear that once they realize inflation has ran away, even bigger hikes will be coming. + +TLDR: the fed can and will have major hikes because inflation is devastating and here to stay. + Hey everyone, + +A few months ago I decided to move my portfolio from stocks only (Lots of TSLA, SQ, and a handful of meme stocks) to ETF’s and bonds. The learning curve has been steep but as they say, if you’re not on a steep learning curve, you’re on a performance slope. +Fast forward a few months, I’m currently dabbling with a handful of investment strategies that I would like to kindly get your input and expertise on. They are the following: + + +**Paired Switching S&P 500 and Gold** + +* This investment strategy switches between holding stocks and gold depending on their 90-day performance. Simply put It holds stocks if stocks are doing better, and gold if gold is doing better. + +https://preview.redd.it/9ve2ktmrb2k81.png?width=3084&format=png&auto=webp&s=70de7b39a687a2c328b5ed3003edae245812b27a + +**Smarter Oil** + +* Fundamentally this strategy holds oil future ETF’s if they have been recently performing well (if the 21d cumulative return of DBO is greater than 0%) If not, it holds low-risk assets like gold and short-term treasury bonds instead. + +https://preview.redd.it/d115rfu7c2k81.png?width=3071&format=png&auto=webp&s=1fa35f9af4c152cee0d61852277c6b3e03e4bc98 + +**Hedgefundie's Excellent Adventure** + +* Developed by some dude called Hedgefundie, a member of the Bogleheads forum, this is a simple yet aggressive risk-parity investment strategy. Two uncorrelated, leveraged assets -- equities and bonds -- are combined with the goal of achieving higher risk adjusted returns than an equivalent unleveraged portfolio. This is what it looks like: + +https://preview.redd.it/71nmizisc2k81.png?width=3066&format=png&auto=webp&s=89f220af7b2f4c8feea7e5992aeadaf5a9b3d441 + + + + +Any feedback or insights are welcome! +I feel like once you become poor, you become lazy and kinda give up on life. Being broke is hard and it's really hard when you can't buy basic things for yourself. Personally I've just kinda gave up +Alright, let’s lightly apply some tinfoil and speculate on why, out of no where, Ryan Cohen invested into BBBY. + +Where to start!? How about with a strong THIS IS SPECULATION and a short TLDR? + +### TLDR: RC invested in BBBY because that is an indirect GameStop moon ticket. He can’t invest in GME because it would be consider illegal insider trading IF (big fucking IF here boys) he knew that the company was going to do a spin-off. The letter to the board was RC speaking to GME investors about his plan, not just the BBBY board. RC is going to launch the rocket and not sell a single share of GameStop during the trip to the moon. +_____________________________________ + +#RC’s Letter to the Board + +Ok! So let’s start applying our tinfoil with RC’s letter to the BBBY board. I think we can all agree that we were caught off guard here. Most of us understand why he would target Bed, Bath and Beyond (arrrr, are those shorts you are wearing!?). What didn’t make sense to me is the timing of it and how aggressive he was to make headlines. He forced the narrative. The letter was released before any one of us could have predicted he would buy into BBBY. In fact, it was so out of the blue that GME related subs went down every rabbit hole possible to prove it wrong. + +Anyways. In the letter to the board of BBBY, RC outlines some steps the board should take to help unlock share holder value and turn the company around. I thought this was interesting since we are waiting on RC to do the same with GameStop. I am not complaining, but like, why bother with this other company and fire up your followers? + +Well, I suspect that letter was actually to GameStop Share holders and RC doesn’t really care that much about BBBY. Why else would he feel the need to put the following in the letter? “Given that I am the Chairman of GameStop and overseeing a systematic transformation, I am not in a position to join Bed Bath’s Board and personally drive the initiatives outlined in this letter”. ( https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/bbbletter030622.pdf ). + +That’s RC calming the nerves of all the investors he just shocked. Reassuring his rabid followers that he is focused on GameStop. Yet, here is a detailed plan he has been drafting up for BBBY…or is it just his recycled GME plan? + +In the letter, RC suggests either the selling or spin-off of Buy Buy Baby because it is worth more on its own. RC also wrote “Spinning off shares of BABY would be an even more efficient way to transfer value to shareholders”. + +A spin off sounds pretty dope for share holders. So let’s pivot back to GME and apply some more tinfoil. +_____________________________________ + +#Gamestop Entertainment Spin-off. + +As other threads have speculated, a spin off of GameStop Entertainment could be an independent company that focuses on web3. So the NFT market place, game development and anything metaverse. GameStop leadership has been hiring top crypto/NFT talent to head this team. It’s not that far off of an idea at this point. + +Wait! Hol up. Where did GameStop Entertainment come from? Well, let’s take a trip down memory lane. That speculation is based on the IMX partnership and his letter to the board. + +From the 8-K: + “On January 28, 2022 (“Transaction Date”), GME Entertainment, LLC (“GME Entertainment”), a subsidiary of GameStop Corp. (together with GME Entertainment and its other subsidiaries, the “Company”) entered into a Protocol Services and License Agreement with Immutable X Pty Limited (“Immutable X”) pursuant to which Immutable X will become a technology partner and platform for the Company’s non-fungible token (“NFT”) marketplace”. ( https://news.gamestop.com/static-files/713417ad-e18f-4f2c-bc1c-312f536d8b36 ) + +Ok, so we have a partnership with GameStop Entertainment/GameStop Corp/ IMX. Let’s spin this shit! + +Assuming they do this, we can look at OpenSea as a comparison for value. Opensea was last valued around $13bn. So lets assume that GameStop Entertainment, with the launch of a NFT market place, will be valued similarly. Could be less but probably still more than GME is valued at today. + +In a spin-off, you can just “give” shares of the new company to existing shareholders. Forcing shorts to cover or suffer. This move could unlock massive value for share holders. + +Think about it, at 13bn, the share price of the new company would be ~$170 with the new valuation of 13bn. This is assuming a 1:1 distribution ratio for GameStop Entertainment shares. So if you own 20 GME shares, you would recieve 20 GameStop Entertainment shares, and only 76,XXX,XXX shares would exist (real ones, that is). Identical to GameStop. + +That’s massive. Not only does it put shorts in a tough spot but it brings INSANE VALUE to share holders. GME is trading at sub $100 while this spin off could put the new shares valued at $170 in each persons account. In the most simplistic view, GameStop should be trading at $270 right now! $100 GME + $170 for Gmerica. Fuck yeah! + +In reality, GME share value will likely continue to decline with a spin off since the new company is taking some of their assets, products, etc with them but the price of the new company almost always adds value long term. I would highly suggest looking into past spin-offs to understand how the price will change. +_____________________________________ + +#Why even involve BBBY? Just launch this ship! + + +Ok, so why invest in BBBY if he can just launch the rocket? + +Because he is a diamond balled, crazy ass motha fucka that would like to eat the meal he prepared for us. + +If there is a spin-off, then RC cannot purchase more GME until that information is available to the public. It would be considered illegal insider trading. + +Instead, RC bought indirect GME moon tickets through BBBY. It’s a heavily shorted stock that is tied to the same short basket GME is in. Same as KOSS, EXPR, Popcorn stock, etc. But, unlike Popcorn, it has a small float and RC could lock up a substantial amount of it. Share price was low and options were cheap. KOSS is also cheap but doesn’t have options so he couldn’t leverage his massive fucking balls. I am guessing the other companies don’t have a viable (or obvious) turn around plan. It would probably be worth looking into why BBBY was the best positioned for this play… + +This is a masterful play. Is it insider trading if he buys shares in a totally different company and hits the launch button? Maybe. If the SEC can prove that these companies are connected through an illegal shorting scheme. The SEC/DOJ would have to prove all of our DD is correct to prove it. Oooooooo fuck ya bud. + +Best part? He can sell BBBY as he pleases. I bet RC isn’t going to sell a single GME share. He set himself up to make insane profit on BBBY when GME squeezes the absolute fuck out of the shorts. +_____________________________________ +#Closing thoughts +My fingers are tired so let’s wrap this up. + +Remember what RC said about GameStops goals during the Annual shareholder meeting? + +Here is a refresher: “We’re trying to do something that nobody in the retail space has ever done but we believe we’re putting the right pieces in place and we have clear goals: delighting customers and driving shareholder value for the longterm”. ( https://gmedd.com/transformation/ryan-cohen-at-agm-we-ushered-in-a-whole-new-era-of-gamestop/ ) + +Something, something share holder value! + +Once more… this is speculation, but it is obvious he feels strongly about unlocking shareholder value. Just seems so weird to dive into BBBY and lay out a plan that could also work for GameStop. + +Obligatory rockets: +🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 + +Edit 1: Formatting + + +[This is the official $GME Megathread for r\/Superstonk.](https://preview.redd.it/gzy9yfftoov71.png?width=778&format=png&auto=webp&s=7ce125aa2d7455f994d74a4192f1a04b7d14448c) + +**Please keep ALL conversations contained to Gamestop and directly related topics.** + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# Brand new to the sub? 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We call this the "Front Desk". Every day a moderator will create a new sticky comment that includes links to community announcements, fantastic posts that deserve more attention, and generally the simplest and easiest way to interact with the moderators of this community. The rest of the post is designed for general discussion and content/questions that might not need their own post. + +If you are new please mention that when you comment. There are no stupid questions but "shills" (paid accounts with the intent to disrupt the sub) are real. This community sees a lot of trolls. If you do not distinguish yourself as someone with genuine questions it is likely that members of our community will assume you are just spreading "FUD" (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt). I hate that I have to give you this warning but it is just the nature of the beast at this point. + +Please have fun, play nice and be civil. Many of our rules are heavily enforced. Debate is welcome but if it devolves into personal insults please report the comment. *Ape no fight ape!* +I thought of something interesting after reading the book Black Edge by Sheelah Kolhatkar. It describes the downfall of Cohen and his former firm SAC Capital as well as the government investigation into insider trading circles associated with him. This DD talks about it a bit and is quite a good one to read as a refresher or if you haven't check it out yet! + +[https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/nb0261/a\_dd\_into\_steven\_a\_cohen\_one\_of\_the\_main\_villains/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/nb0261/a_dd_into_steven_a_cohen_one_of_the_main_villains/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +In this post I will be highlighting some of the similarities between the actions of Ken Griffin today and Steve Cohen during the time he was under a magnifying glass by the government, the public, and his investors. I have provided some examples of Cohen from the book down below. + +https://preview.redd.it/6uyzobwnvh181.jpg?width=2752&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e104f0f610d1cb86f1ff1eeebd273645ac056e0e + +[https://preview.redd.it/u2aid0dt9h181.png?width=2752&format=png&auto=webp&s=ea7f3602eb0d23e4caed792471b7a1c58a485af1](https://preview.redd.it/u2aid0dt9h181.png?width=2752&format=png&auto=webp&s=ea7f3602eb0d23e4caed792471b7a1c58a485af1) + +https://preview.redd.it/kifo9cwnvh181.jpg?width=2999&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43d4fd5bd0e867d117bffd5d21e47bd83fbbc4b6 + +[https://preview.redd.it/hstmibuw9h181.png?width=2999&format=png&auto=webp&s=11c5922b32ac511f4b33325ce8854a9a724ff335](https://preview.redd.it/hstmibuw9h181.png?width=2999&format=png&auto=webp&s=11c5922b32ac511f4b33325ce8854a9a724ff335) + +Does this remind you of any large $40 million purchase made by Ken recently?[Citadel CEO Ken Griffin Outbid a Group of Crypto Investors for Copy of U.S. Constitution](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qxofxv/citadel_ceo_ken_griffin_outbid_a_group_of_crypto/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +I know he already has an extensive art collection, so why this one? My best guess? A mix of the information in these two posts. + +[Ken Griffin's biggest threat is losing the confidence of his investors and allies](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qya2vt/ken_griffins_biggest_threat_is_losing_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +[Thought: Ken made a fatal mistake - he has shown his desperation, insecurity, and a major weakness with his Constitution purchase.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qy71lr/thought_ken_made_a_fatal_mistake_he_has_shown_his/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +How convenient that headlines of Griffin buying the Constitution were aired around the same time the news released that James Yeh the Co-CIO of 25 years is retiring. I wonder if some Shitadel investors were nervous. + +"Nothing to see here guys just gonna buy this Constitution so it doesn't fall into the hands of the Cheeto-hands crypto nerds. Business is better than ever! Why else would I buy this thing?" - Ken probably + +[James Yeh Jumps Ship from the Rats Nest](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qwz6cd/how_have_we_missed_this/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +https://preview.redd.it/9becfxksvh181.jpg?width=2234&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6d96ea746a43076a5acdff9b5f778b64e9ad15ce + +[https://preview.redd.it/wtvy8nu7ah181.png?width=2234&format=png&auto=webp&s=6c7c0271266f0cb4d4c006187a0cc335b13c8864](https://preview.redd.it/wtvy8nu7ah181.png?width=2234&format=png&auto=webp&s=6c7c0271266f0cb4d4c006187a0cc335b13c8864) + +Throughout the past few months, we have seen numerous media appearances from Ken Griffin talking about random shit and how great Shitadel is. Comparing it to the Citadel Twitter, it is a stark contrast in the frequency of posts/interviews. It is quite strange when we see a company that manages $300+ Billion lashing out on Twitter, calling everybody conspiracy theorists, blaming Robbinghood, and using legal word play to deny the "rumors" about Shitadel being responsible for halting trading. I don't know about you, but that raises a red flag for me after months of radio silence. + +I would be interested to see the number of Ken Griffin media appearances from 2021 compared to previous years. I would bet he has shown his face on TV more in 2021 than any other year. Look what his idol Michael Milken did when faced with pressure. + +https://preview.redd.it/kiqbws2xvh181.jpg?width=2245&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=df0e425e65595c21e52f3c418cc8e62566589859 + +[\\"Milken also launched a public relations campaign, offering interviews to news outlets he was sure would be friendly.\\" Picked a bad time to highlight on a bumpy train...](https://preview.redd.it/pdh7jwe5ah181.png?width=2245&format=png&auto=webp&s=6b03e0a07feb03e92077894337d8f84f8fae6ebb) + +I know Ken Griffin and Andrew Ross Sorkin are good friends. We have all seen their picture together looking like a pair of cokehead dorks playing touch-butt in the park. Either that or Sorkin is his dipshit- cokehead son. Anyways, the timing of the recent Dealbook interview with the two was quite funny. Remember, the one that, "was like a bad comedy joke." + +[Kenny lying to his buddy Andrew - Dealbook interview](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qqy8xe/kenny_lying_to_his_buddy_andrew_dealbook_interview/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +Ken seems to be on a massive PR campaign the past few months trying to save face and instill trust in his allies and investors. Too bad it won't work. + +All I have to say is when all this comes crashing down for him: + +"Dont be scared homie" + +*flexes biceps and lights joint* + +Edit: Also DRS. 741 secret handshake +Hi everyone + +I read the barefoot investor a while back and I was wondering about what was said about super. Scott says you don't need a million in super, he gives the numbers 250k for couples and 170k for singles. He also mentions that if you're reading this in the future 'the amounts you'll need will be affected by inflation but the same rules apply'. + +How do I go about figuring out how much money I should have in my super by the time I retire following Scott's general guidelines? I'm 24 and have around 14k. 170k doesn't seem that hard to achieve but from my understanding by the time I'm 67 170k will not be worth the same as it does today. + +Would I need to calculate what the equivalent of 170k would be in 43 years after inflation? (I'm not too good at this type of math). + +Thanks + +edit: He also mentioned you should have these numbers after you've paid off a home, but I just wanted to focus on the super numbers for this post +I was reading a new book that said to double the units everytime you buy a new property (duplex then fourplex, eightplex etc.). This somehow exponentially increases your networth. I fail to understand why this would work. 2 duplexes that bring in 150 a door vs a four plex that brings in 150 a door, even though in my market the higher the units per building then typically lower the rent, lowering ROI. I was looking for another duplex before I read this but none of the numbers on anything bigger make sense vs some very nice duplexes that I have seen for sale. Does anyone smarter or more experienced have any input on this? +What are the best ways to plan and calculate potential rental earnings when you have a day job income that puts you into the high tax bracket. + +Is release estate rental still a viable option in this case as a lot of the earned rent will be taxable at close to 50% in my case I roughly estimate. + +Is there any general information on this topic to be calculate and plan for this? +I've been looking into an investment group that currently has 4 projects on Vancouver Island (Western Canada Monthly Invesment Group). I've never really looked at one of these before and I'm curious why kind of things I should be looking to vet it. They promise a 6% annual return for 5years, then a 20% prorated portion of profits (80% to the owners of the group - 20% split to all the investors). Minium purchase is a $5K and it goes in a trust. + +I'm sure these kinds of programs happen all the time and with great success. But I want to know what others would look for to better the odds it's run ehtically and is finacially sound even if intentions are good. + +I still don't understand for the life of me why they wouldn't go to a bank if they are paying out 6% anyways + all the admin overhead of tracking 100's of investors. + +They own 4 properties they are undeveloped and their plan is to develop each of them and then sell (some commercial, some cottage/condo set ups). + +https://www.easy-invest.ca + +https://player.vimeo.com/video/231426437 + +https://player.vimeo.com/video/231426590 + + + +Am I crazy? I am looking at buying a property to rent right now when 30% of Americans didn’t pay rent in July and the numbers don’t look good for August either. Is anyone else in this situation. What are your thoughts? Thanks! +Hello everyone I am a 21 year old currently wanting to start doing some real-estate investing. I have around 20k to my name and am curious with how much you guys had when you started. I am very interested in this sector and would love to hear how you guys found your first property and the lessons you learned. +Hey there, so i only recently discovered this sub, and fell in love with the idea, but heres the thing - + +I have around 250k saved up, my monthly income varies but let's say it averages around 4k a month out of which I'm able to save around 1k +Now, according to the 25 year rule i need around 900k for fire... Meaning 650 to go. +At a rate of 1k that's obviously impossible, but even if i get it up to 2k, or 3k, it'll take waaay too long. + +Now, given that I'm relatively financially *ok* I'm wondering how do all of you do it? Any advice you could give? Am i missing something? + +Edit: don't have the time to answer everyone but thanks so much! Definitely cheered me up realizing I'm on the right track. Gonna start working on saving up more to cut down FIRE time. Thanks! + +Edit 2; I'm 31 +My wife and I are both mostly retired and have been since November 2009. We have no other friends that are within 10 years of retiring (and probably closer to 20). We have a strong marriage and spend a lot of time with our still at home children, which helps pass the time. We have both focused on our health over the last 7 years, which helps fill up time. + + +Anyone else in a similar situation? Any advice to us? We've talked about volunteering, and my wife works retail about 10 hours a week, as she is very social and enjoys getting out of the house. Thanks! +Here's what they wrote back +>Hi Vasili, +> +>Thanks for your email and for your suggestion. We are aware of bitcoin, and we will continue to monitor it with interest. Thanks again for taking the time to email us. +> +>Sincerely +> +>Michael Beattie +> +>Donor Services Associate + +So if more of us email to donate@wikimedia.org / fundraising@wikimedia.org they might listen and implement it. + +Strength in numbers :) + +Edit: You can bring the horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Ultimately it's on them... +Other debts: + +Personal loan $16,000 at 10.5% (to pay off the credit card debt I had at 19.x% interest) +Student loan $90,000 at 5% (it’s a lot but I have a good job and mortgage) +Car note is 4.75% + +Let me know if i can clarify anything +Hello all. I’m in my mid 20s and still living at home with my parents. I have around 70k in my savings but kind of found myself in a “what am I saving for?” Moment. 44k is for student loans that will be paid off in January (why I’m living at home, but woohoo debt free from student loans!). I do have an investment account that I feed money into once or twice a month (mainly mutual funds, ETF’s, IRA account as well). I guess I’m just asking why am I holding onto this money? I would like to skip an apartment and move right into a house, but is that something worth saving for in my bank account? Should I look into other smaller investments? Should I pay off my car? + +I’m pretty lost with this but I am a good saver with money. Just need to put more of it to work for me. +If anyone has any suggestions, tips, stories, etc please share! Quite overwhelming and is leaving me confused! +if AOC and Shapiro (and countless others) can agree on something, it's gotta be big!!! + +This just goes to show that the left vs right divide DOES NOT SUIT US ANY MORE. + +It's rich vs poor, and IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN + +UNITE THE WORKING CLASSS + +FUCK OVER HEDGE FUND PISS BABIES + + 🚀 🚀 🚀 BUY GME 🚀 🚀 🚀 + +HOOOOOOOLD GME + +TOGETHER WE CAN WIN TENDIES FOR ALL WORKING CLASS DEGENERATES + +&#x200B; + +this is not financial advice + +if youre a hedge fund manager you can suck my big hairy sweaty nuts +There is going to be a lot of distraction stocks. For example, some will claim SNDL is going to “explode” don’t listen to them, shills and bots will be rushing to get that overtime work in now that our euroapes are reporting $200 for GME. GME/AMC is the way, but primarily GME is the main play here. Don’t play into the hands of FUD, Shills, and bots because they are paperhands who regret selling and they are envious of apes who have 💎🙌 so they try their best to get apes to fall off of the path to the moon. Be weary fellow apes. Apes already have shown to persevere and HODL through the heavy storms. I am extremely proud of 💎🙌🦍. To the moon apes go! I am an ape who loves eating green and red crayons for breakfast. I also like the stonk! +Hi, + +&#x200B; + +I am looking to start saving for a deposit on a first time buy. I can save up to £1000 every month and looking to buy in 3/4 years. What is the best way to invest this? + + +Thanks +Mid to late 30’s, divorced in Jan this year with no kids or mortgage. Lost my job last week and whilst i’m applying for jobs (tech recruitment manager, in house NOT agency) i’m wondering if i should just take £4k i have ready to withdraw, store all of my belongings with friends and just jet off to a low cost of living part of the world like Vietnam and live out the test of this year like that. + +What are peoples thoughts? Anyone done this/ similar? +First - This is not advice of any kind. Stranger danger remember that! This is just lots of numbers I've taken pictures of with some letters I've slapped together to make a post on the interwebs. I'm a retail investor and considered dumb money, I just like crayons and stonks. + +Fantastico now that's out of the way I've compiled all the volume data for GME since the start of 2021 and broken it down into different categories. + +Why do I think it was worth doing this with volume? Well it shows us a lot of things like apes have diamond hands, people panic selling, is this an artificial drop in price and also how many shares are being traded vs how many shares are available now that we know the GME float is around **26,664,355** shares. + +These things will have different levels of significance to different people, in a normal stock I wouldn't really care how much volume the stock has if I like the fundamentals of the company and I believe it has potential to grow... I will invest. Gamestop is no longer a *regular investment* whatever that really means anyway, and I want to have a good idea of how many players are playing this crazy game, which is why I have done this. + +For Apes who still don't understand volume and are looking at the remote for their TVs (also known as magic paintings) here is quick and simple explanation. + +&#x200B; + +[https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/v\/volume.asp](https://preview.redd.it/hs10shjt2kw61.png?width=946&format=png&auto=webp&s=17d3deac34f3216414b84de8a361ea5b5ff18f41) + +If you're still confused... hey you did your best, keep eating crayons and fighting the good fight and I love you, you beautiful bastard. + +Now before we get into the data, I want to quickly cover retail being the whale because I still see a lot of people unaware or doubting the buying power that retail has. + +&#x200B; + +[ https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-retail-trading-numbers-idUSKBN29Y2PW](https://preview.redd.it/5mnup34bmow61.png?width=1175&format=png&auto=webp&s=9e7e1529b9f4a45075933f28d00f3a454154c3f4) + +"But how big is the surge in retail trading? Analysts and executives say it is difficult to peg an exact figure, but here are some numbers to put it in perspective: + +\* 25%+: The percentage of overall market trades made by retail investors in July and August 2020, according to Virtu Financial, one of the world’s largest retail market makers. In January 2020 retail was 17.1% of the market. Virtu’s data only goes to November, but retail investors appear to have played an even bigger role in 2021. Jefferies analyst Daniel Fannon said on Friday retail can represent up to 32% of total U.S. equity volume." + +NOW we are ready to look at January! + +https://preview.redd.it/qp0li5eh3kw61.png?width=1550&format=png&auto=webp&s=91e5b562429a47c3738609b25b89a4c9a62e2533 + +Quick intro I'm sure you noticed some pretty colours! Thank you for noticing but let me quickly explain them. + +Any loss GME made in a day is marked as red or light red 3 if you want to be fancy. + +Any gains GME made under 5% in a day are orange (light orange 3) + +Any gains GME made over 5% in a day I classed as meme stonk gains and they are of course marked light green 3. + +So now I've explained the pretty colours let's get into the numbers. **1.26B Gamestop shares traded in January with an average of 66.4m per day giving us an average of 249.12% of the 26.6m float being traded every day for an entire month.** + +Now this is total volume of trades reported by the NYSE, this isn't asbolute it doesn't cover over the counter, ETFs, FTDs, darkpools this is only the trades that have actually been declared. With that said there is no accurate way to tell how many of these shares apes actually bought and more importantly still hold. This includes all declared data so that includes high frequency trading, day traders etc etc etc! + +If you want to speculate how many GME shares Apes bought and have continued to hold since Jan I would say it's reasonable to put that mark at 10%. Taking into account the data presented from reuters, total activity in the market was 17.1% for 2020 and **could** be as high as 32% for Jan 2021. That however is total market volume that isn't specific to one stock, some stocks could be dominated by retail and others untouched which makes using these numbers for a specific stock difficult and speculative so I'm going to use a more conservative number than 17.1% and start with 10% leaving us room for actual retail activity to be higher and of course it could also be lower. + +10% of 1.26B is 126,209,040 shares which is **473.32%** of the float, if you're like whaaaaat no way retail did that well then let's say 5% that's still 63,104,520 million shares which is 236.66% of the float. + +This was one month. Are you starting to understand why they tanked the absolute fuck out of GME back in Jan and turned off the buying. Incase you need a reminder... + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_TPYuIRVfew](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TPYuIRVfew) + +Key points I want to just extract from this but still I urge you to listen if you haven't already because GME was about to explode in January before it was illegally stopped. + +"We have come dangerously close to the collapse of the entire system" + +"When the shorts can't deliver the shares, the broker representing the longs **must, MUST** by the rules of the system go into the market and buy the shares at **any** price, pushing the price into the **thousands"** + +Pretty interesting first month of the year for 2021.. Next up Feb! + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/8jn51x7g8kw61.png?width=1535&format=png&auto=webp&s=e3e2f7dc3777bf7e8e6d6dcb2c0626349fa1c814 + +A lot of red here when FUD was everywhere and apes were told you are bag holders the squeeze is over then all of sudden Wednesday 24th happens and boom we are up 104%. Fucking loved Feb because I averaged down like crazy and became a XXX share holder. + +Once again let's use the same theory that apes bought 10% - 5% of all shares traded. + +10% of all shares traded in Feb - 82,666,350 or 310.03% of the float. + +5% of all shares traded in Feb - 41,333,175 or 155.01% of the float. + +Now that is only the data for Feb so you have to total this.... + +**10% of diamond hands through Jan - Feb** + +208,875,390 shares or 783.35% of the float. + +**5% of diamond hands through Jan - Feb** + +167,542,215 or 391.68% of the float. + +ARE YOU STARTING TO SEE WHY THEY KEEP HOPING WE GET BORED AND LEAVE!?!? + +Let's take a look at March + +https://preview.redd.it/h4iivk0vkrw61.png?width=1375&format=png&auto=webp&s=dfbfaea9f46fe4805ffc5a8b381d34f892a5ff00 + +Now again remember what happened when GME reached $345 per share + +Again if you need a quick video break to help explain this to you here is Uncle Bruce covering this + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDJTFvKaP0o&t=335s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDJTFvKaP0o&t=335s) + +LIKE BUTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! + +*(I just wanted to say that after posting a uncle bruce link)* + +Total NYSE volume 677m shares a lot lower than the previous months which one shows that retail bought the dip and now have diamond hands. I've heard some argue that it means that hedgefunds have covered... no. + +(Previous DD talking about this in more detail.) [https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mo7t8c/options\_data\_proves\_hedgefunds\_need\_to\_bankrupt/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mo7t8c/options_data_proves_hedgefunds_need_to_bankrupt/) + +Think of it like a video game, the big boss levels haven't changed but when apes were playing in January and the apes started winning at an alarming rate so the market makers tried to patch the game by (illegally) making it harder for apes. Diamond apes took the challenge and now have new challenging levels to take on. The diamond apes are absolutely killing it and will get back to the boss level sooner rather than later ready to set new high scores. + +Likely some smaller players have gotten out but new players have entered this crazy game. + +(Article with Hedgie Bill Gross bragging about making $10m shorting GME) [https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/how-billionaire-bill-gross-managed-his-insecurities-and-made-10m-shorting-gamestop-20210317](https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/how-billionaire-bill-gross-managed-his-insecurities-and-made-10m-shorting-gamestop-20210317) + +Key points for lazy apes that don't click links + +\- Wednesday March 17, 2021 + +\- “I did manage to overcome my insecurities and hold on and ride it all the way back down in terms of getting out,” billionaire Gross told [*Bloomberg*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6UK8qh_b08) on 16 March. + +\- “I’m back in. I’m still selling call options at $250 and $300, the volatility is super high and that promotes an ability to make some money.” + +\- In his latest comments, Gross noted that he made about $10m in profits and said: “The borrowing rate on shorted shares for GameStop is only 1.5% which indicates no real squeeze or pressure so with volatility at 200% annualised, you need a doubling and a doubling in order to start to lose money and I think this is a perfect opportunity for options sellers, not buyers, to take advantage.” + +Now... What this scrotum says about the borrowing rate is true it's complete horeshit it should be so much higher however once again the buying power of retail is being played down and it's FUD which I will continue to prove wrong. + +The original plan for hedgefunds was to bankrupt gamestop, that is no longer possible for them. So they have now dug a hole so deep for themselves I only see three.. really only two ways out for them. + +1. They drag this on for so long and slowly and surely start covering positions but still end up driving GME into the thousands per share, making money off the options market to stay afloat. (Not possible imo but could be a plan for them) +2. Somebody calls forces them to cover, they get liquidated. +3. They just nuke the market and hope for a bailout and hope that some of their assets are protected. + +Whatever happens apes will get paid but it's just at what scale do apes get paid but thankfully apes have control over that as there will soon be a legal obligation to buy back shares at **ANY** **PRICE** until diamond apes deem the price acceptable and of course $10m is the floor. + +Enough ranting.. time for stonk math. + +**10% of all shares traded in March** \- 67,715,783.5 shares or 253.96% of the float. + +**5% of all shares traded in March** \- 33,857,891.75 shares or 126.98% of the float. + +**10% Diamond hand total Jan - Mar -** 276,591,173.50 shares or 1037.31% of the float. + +**5% of diamond hands through Jan - Mar -** 138,295,586.75 shares or 518.65% of the float + +BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE! + +https://preview.redd.it/u5qushfeipw61.png?width=1371&format=png&auto=webp&s=e8d7461bc4bfdbf44bc2d0bd173e33aa07a36174 + +Lowest volume month yet! Diamond hands are JACKED.... + +https://preview.redd.it/3kflb7kt8rw61.jpg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6ceeac46eb3237a0e03695ede17a7e7fc8428c94 + +Such a great quote, may it live forever. So back to April.. I'll just get right into the stonk math as this is probably becoming an essay and I haven't even showed all the data as I've organised all mondays and broken these down into weeks as well as just months. Maybe I'll just do a part 2 if apes want to see more data and get that sweet sweet confirmation bias but all in good time. FUCK! Stop rambling you ape talk about the numbers!!! + +Yes the numbers! 171,183,615 million shares traded last month BY FARRRRRRRRR the lowest volume of the year. 64.2% + +**10% of all shares traded in Apr** \- 17,118,361.50 shares or 64.2%% of the float. + +**5% of all shares traded in Apr** \- 8,559,180.75 shares or shares or 32.10% of the float. + +https://preview.redd.it/iotplhwkarw61.jpg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4c56ec3fb0946b21b876281463c2e7806e62340b + +**10% Diamond hand total Jan - Apr -** 293,709,535 shares or 1101.51% of the float. + +**5% of diamond hands through Jan - Apr -** 146,854,767.50 shares or 550.75% of the float. + +&#x200B; + +The post I made last week touched on how I believe retail own more than 1000% of the float + +[https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/myu2v6/since\_jan\_4th\_on\_average\_the\_gme\_float\_has\_been/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/myu2v6/since_jan_4th_on_average_the_gme_float_has_been/) + +Now here we are apes. I want to just say that with this information I am making no recommendations, I'm putting no dates on wen moon, how moon or any price predictions. All I'm saying to you is this... If these stupid fucks want to keep shorting this stock and fueling the rocket and they want to keep giving out tickets. I'll keep fucking buying them... The longer this goes on the more tickets I will have so shills, hedgies or just general ball bags reading this if you want to continue to delay the squeeze thank you very much for the discount and the opportunity to buy more. I was always told as a kid "play stupid games, win stupid prizes" Well hedgies you've been playing stupid games for a LONG time and you thought you could put the apes back in the cages once they broke out but no... the apes know your tricks now and if you want to play games... lets fucking play. + +&#x200B; + +[Apes set highscores. ](https://preview.redd.it/jaag8nwpdrw61.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a579b12b8a871dad8c229cd55db90606aefedc8a) + +**TLDR -** From the start of the 2021 GME has had almost 3B shares traded with an average volume of 35.8m per day which is 134.33% of the float traded everyday for the past four months. This data only includes the volume reported by the NYSE this doesn't include the darkpools, OTC, future options etc and as this is up until the end of April as we are now in May this data will continue to build until the squeeze is squoze. This also doesn't include any data before 2021 so anyone who purchased shares before GME went mainstream won't be included in this data. With that said if retail investors have accounted for 10% of all GME volume since the start of 2021 they would own 1101.51% of the float. This is speculative DD and not to be taken as concrete. +Yesterday I attended a presentation of a futurologist specializing in the growth of computers. + +The future of robotics can be very advanced which may lead to losing your job in the short term and it might not even be necessary to work at all in the future. Everybody will be FIRE by birth right. According to the speaker. The thought is that there will be enough robot slaves to do all the work. + +Won't this make all our hard savings work useless? What if a future government determines that everyone receives a basic, minimum income for everyone that is above and beyond what anyone needs. Wouldn't it be better to spend a little more now to make it easier to reduce the risk of all this effort becoming void? + +P.S. [Check this site](http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34066941) to see whether your job will disappear <2035. + +*EDIT:* For those interested, [here](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/oct/25/850000-public-sector-jobs-automated-2030-oxford-university-deloitte-study) is a UK-based news story about robotization +I've just finished reading "Boglehead's Guide to Investing" hoping it would finally convince me into starting to accumulate some ETFs, but it left me question the whole strategy of indexing even more than before instead. + +I personally didn't like the book that much because I think it lacks real data and references to back the few concepts on which the core of the book is based on. There are very few data comparison between different investment strategies and the whole concept of "buy and hold indexes" is based on the highly optimistic assumption that the stock markets can only go up indefinitely averaging 7-8-whatever % every year. I would have expected a more in depth dive into growth, economic expansion and multi year cycles. + +Yes, I understand passive investing is superior for simplicity and costs compared to active investing, especially in an ever rising market; however I expected to find some more insight into why we should invest in the stock market in the first place. + +First of all, there are no discussion made to attempt to rationalize the fact that world stocks performed so well in the past decades thanks to two core factors: + +- Availability of cheap energy +- Exponential demografic explosion + +Which, in conjunction with the rise of the American Empire and (in the last years) an exeptional operation of asset acquisition operated by central banks, generated the true reasons for the growth that we still experienced to this day. + +In essence, the message of the book is to buy indexes and hope for the best, assuming future market wide performances MUST be similar to those experienced in the last, extremely fortunate in terms of economic growth, decades. + +The approach itself is successful in the case economic growth is strong over long period of time, but what would happen if world markets get into a depression and never get back before, let's say, 20/30/40/50 years? In such case, wouldn't a more active approach be superior to a 100% passive one? + +As many studies and predictions of future growth show, future decades might actually be a little different from the ones we experienced this far, in particular: + +- Energy extracted to energy spent ration has decreased and is decreasing to worrisome levels like never seen before. + +- Demografic is predicted to stagnate world wide for the first time in centuries. + +- Systemic risks have risen since now markets are more interconnected and many social and political challenges lies ahead, especially automation. + +While I agree the concept of indexing is appealing and might be successful on very long time frames, I can't help but think we are ignoring the elephant in the room: systemic risk. + +The book mentions the Japanese stock market bubble and the subsequent never-be-seen recovery, buy it fails to try to discuss the causes of that type of bubble and how one could try to avoid it, or what is the chance of that happening to the global economy (liquidity trap comes to mind). + +Basically my concerns come from the fact that for someone investing passively into indexes, there is in fact NO exit or backup plan: in a possible multi year bear market we simply use past performance to repeat to ourselves "it will eventually go back up". + +And if we want to look into indexing into more details, we could also argue that if indexing itself becomes too popular, we are expected to see even more systemic risks related to poor market efficiency, like discussed many times here. The book never discuss these possible risks associated with indexing. + +The rest of the book deliver very easy concepts about spending and saving habits that I'm sure no one here will disagree with. + +I purchased this book because I hoped it could answer my concerns regarding global market risks and how to create a very well diversified portfolio. The book in my opinion failed to deliver a truly sound reasoning behind the concept of passive stock investing. The core idea of the book is: + +Passive investing is superior to active investing because the stock market, in the long run, can only go up. + +So my questions are: + +Does that mean we are expecting a constant and exponential economic growth in the next decades? + +What if we get a Japanese-like world wide crash and markets does not recover in many years? What would a retiree do in that situation? + +Can there be a way to passively investing, while also being diversified and cover one self from systemic risks? + +TL,DR: Finished reading "Bogleheads guide to investing" hoping that it would alleviate my concerns for world wide market risks associated with passive investing without real backup plan. I ended with more questions than before. In particular, I fear there is a market risk associated with expecting the stock market averaging 7+ % yield every year because of predicted slow economic growth and demographic stagnation in the next decades. + +Please use this thread to have discussions which you don't feel warrant a new post to the sub. While the Rules for posting questions on the basics of personal finance/investing topics are relaxed a little bit here, the rules against memes/spam/self-promotion/excessive rudeness/politics still apply! + +Have a look at the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/wiki/faq) for this subreddit before posting to see if your question is frequently asked. + +Since this post does tend to get busy, consider sorting the comments by "new" (instead of "best" or "top") to see the newest posts. + +In the past 3-4 years, my husband and I have gotten a refund upwards of $4k. Obviously, this is unideal: we'd rather the money be in our paychecks instead of one lump sum to permit for better budgeting, etc. +Our taxes are a challenge to get right because my husband has self employed health insurance amount due to S-Corp / family attribution of grandfather's owned stock. Additionally, we add a dependent to the mix every other year! +Last year we set out to have adjustments to our withholdings so it would be much less. + +Well, we succeeded!!! We owe ~$500-$700. I'm finding its a lot less fun this time around! Ha! +We weren't "banking" on having a large amount come in, but in the last few months have tossed around things like 'oh yeah, the tax return is still out there, so maybe we can do X or Y when we file'. + +Jokes on us, we aren't getting that money! ;) + +This is all tongue-in-cheek, not having a return won't hurt us because we've financially been better off in 2019 and luckily so far this year and we're good budgeters. But, it's funny that we've met our goal of not getting $5k+ back, and we're both like "aw man its more fun the other way around!" +My partner and I have recently got engaged. I'm interested to know how you worked your finances out once you were married? At present, we split everything down the middle and just put the bills onto the joint account and pay that money. + +I'm wondering if this is how married couples continue to work out their finances or if you put everything into one pot etc.? Do you have joint savings, separate savings or both? +So I'm seeing a lot of information out here about Melvin and 6 days to cover and all that and I think a lot of it is outdated. Actually, I know it's outdated because people were saying the same thing a week ago and $GME has risen like 300% since then. There's been a huge amount of price action, and yet the shorts everyone has been talking about have exited their positions and there's still tons of short interest. What gives? Why haven't the shorts learned their lesson? Are they just stupid? Maybe. But maybe not... Let's consider the short's view on this situation: + +**The $GME Short Thesis as of 1/27:** Here's the scene. A stock which is widely regarded as colossally overvalued has doubled in value several times within a matter of weeks. You know that the retail investor plan is to force shorts into a squeeze scenario. However, volume is up to unprecedented levels as new traders flood into the market to get in on the action, so the days to cover is falling, making it easier for shorts to get out quickly when they get a window. Meanwhile, older long retail investors (aka bought like a day ago) are staring at what are, to them, very nice gains. It's been several days of insane price action already, and people are predicting the end is near because, well, it must be, right? The uncertainty and perceived risk of losing unrealized profits are very high. + +You look at this and predict the following: **retail investors who have made tidy profits will sell upon a volatility move, causing a chain reaction of sell-offs**. In other words, you expect that the bubble is gonna pop upon sharp price action (could be either way) and then there's going to be a sharp decline as retail investors scramble to take whatever profits they can before the next guy sells at a higher price. + +So what do you do as a short with that thesis? Short the stock, of course! **Even if there's tremendous upwards price action the next day, you can just sell short again, pay off the old loan with the new short money, and now you're in an even better position.** Your best bet as a short is to short the stock the moment before the bubble pops. High interest rates from your lender don't bother you because, based on the thesis, you're only holding your loan for a few days and the share price on the other side is going to be way below where you shorted. This is why short interest is still strong - it's generally a good play to short a bubble that you expect to pop soon. + +**How the Short Thesis could fall apart:** So, the whole short thesis is based upon the idea that retail investors are going to close out their $GME positions very abruptly as soon as they see some nice gains and sense that "the end is near." But here's the thing: what if they don't? As an investor in $GME myself, I did the following with my gains - I sold a portion of them to cover my initial cost basis and now I'm just sitting on the rest as "house money." I'm not buying in anymore because I'm managing risk, but I'm not pulling out because I think there's more juice to squeeze and I've got a lot of cushioning below if the price does start dropping. If this strategy is broadly applied by other retail investors (and it's a pretty classic and intuitive investing/gambling strategy), volume will slow down and the price will generally plateau. + +So as a short, aren't you happy that the price stopped rising? HELL NO. You need that price to either fall so you can close at a profit or rise sharply so you can roll your position up. $GME remaining tremendously overvalued at a steady price for a long time would be horrible for you as a short. You've taken out a huge loan, you're paying huge interest, and there seems to be no end in sight. This is how shorts playing volatility are forced to close at big losses - when the interest over time eats up all of their potential profits before volatility strikes. I think this is the scenario in which we'd see a true MOASS. + +**Disclaimer: I am just a guy on the internet. I don't have specialized education in the market, but I think this is a pretty plausible thesis for the continued short interest and how the MOASS might develop. I could be totally wrong! Let me know what you think about it in the comments** + +Positions: 100 shares $GME, avg cost basis 103.95 +A friend sent me check for several hundred dollars, but there was a error in how the letter was addressed that caused it to be misdirected to another apartment in the complex—basically, two pieces of information (including the name) point to me, and one piece of information points to the other apartment. I know this because I use the USPS's Informed Delivery, which sends you pictures of your mail before it gets to you, so I am pretty sure I know which apartment got it. (Unfortunately, I didn't notice the error until I went back to start hunting for the check.) + +Someone else cashed the check about a week ago. My friend who wrote the check has reported it to his bank is waiting on them to get him more specific information on what happened to the check. I am going to ask the apartment management who lives in the unit that the check was apparently delivered to, but am not sure what to do with that information. + +Should I need to file a police report? Is there anything else I need to do? How likely is it that my friend will get that money back? +Greetings fellow crypto investors! + +I know this is not the first time $VIDYA has been posted here, but I would like to draft my own post and give my own opinion on this project as to why I think this is the biggest gem in all of crypto right now. + +# DISCLAIMERS + +First off for the sake of transparency, roughly 85% of my portfolio is $VIDYA with an average cost of around .22 cents, and I do not plan on taking any profits until $5 minimum. Secondly, if you are looking to invest in a shitcoin that will make you rich overnight, there is definitely a possibility of that happening here which I will explain later, but I think the true winners will be the ones who hold this one long term. With those couple things out of the way, lets learn a little bit about what $VIDYA is. + +# FUNDAMENTALS + +$VIDYA aims to be a platform that allows talented game developers to build and deploy their games within their ecosystem. The team behind this project (Team3D) will also be developing games for this platform, the first of which will be a First Person Shooter (FPS) game. I HIGHLY recommend you check out the website and discord which will all be linked below and check out the teaser, as well as the dev updates that are frequently posted because this game seriously looks like it's going to be incredible and I personally cannot wait to play it. + +With the global gaming sector being worth around $162 billion dollars and growing, there is huge potential for growth here given that the market cap of $VIDYA is currently..... wait for it..... **$15.2 MILLION.** This is absolutely tiny given what this project will eventually end up being! For some perspective, the market cap of ENJ is over $2 billion alone right now which is absolutely massive, and I can easily see $VIDYA eventually growing to a number like this once the entire project is fully launched, which from the current market cap would be a 132x gain! + +Moving on, let's quickly talk about everyone's favorite topic in crypto right now, **NFTS!** That's right, as if this project could not get any better, there is a fully functional NFT inventory system that can be viewed on the website right now! The potential for what can be done with this system is endless, so let's just name a few of the perks. With multiple games being launched on this platform, players will be able to use their NFT items in whatever game they choose to play. This could range from many different collectible cosmetic items for the player's in game character(s) with a wide variety of rarities, making this a gold mine for NFT collectors! There has also been talks about having weapon skins as NFT's for the FPS game that will be releasing, and we all know how popular weapon skins are in any FPS game that has ever been released. Imagine combining that hype with NFTs! These are just a few of the things I could think of off the top of my head but the opportunities here are truly endless. + +Lastly, I just want to add a few things in regards to the team. The team is extremely transparent and easy to reach through discord which is a huge bonus that a lot of projects lack. You can tell that the team is very passionate about what they do which is a main catalyst for success in my opinion. Their website which will be linked below is one of the coolest that I have ever visited, and it is very easy to tell that these guys absolutely know what they are doing. + +# Recent Performance + +For those that are more curious about the potential gains to be made here rather than the tech, let's dive right in! + +* At the time of this post, $VIDYA has already done a 10x move from March 7th until now (Under a month!), moving from .038 cents to 38 cents. This is an absolutely massive move in that timeframe, and with the market cap still being only $15.2 million, there is still plenty of room to grow! +* $VIDYA is the number 2 best performing crypto in the NFT section on coinmarketcap in the past 7 days which is a massive accomplishment! This will help get a lot of eyes on the project, and it is very bullish that we are currently number 2 in the hottest sector of crypto to ever exist! +* There are currently 2200 holders which can be seen on etherscan, and this number has been increasing by almost 3% per day for the past week or so. This means that people are slowly learning about the project and buying in, and early investors are not selling which is a great sign! + +# Potential Price Action Moving Forward + +On top of the recent performance, let's talk about the future here. There are plenty of events coming up during Q2 that I believe are going to drive up the price in a parabolic fashion. + +* The fact that the team has done almost no marketing for this project yet at all is pretty amazing. They plan to begin marketing once they have a working product, and once we get some proper marketing and more exchange listings the price will surely go up. All of the price action thus far is simply from word of mouth which is pretty incredible! +* The FPS game trailer and beta launch is happening this quarter, and I think it goes without saying that this is going to be a massive stepping stone for the project. More upcoming events can be seen on the roadmap on the website or in the discord! +* This one is a bit more speculative, but the youtuber by the name of JRNY Crypto is releasing a top 10 gaming altcoin video within the next couple days, and there are a few reasons that I believe $VIDYA will be mentioned in this video. Firstly, JRNY is part of the marketing team for the very popular project Shopping ($SPI). It just so happens that Team3D are the ones that built $SPI's staking system, so they absolutely know who we are! On top of that, the recent upside price action without any public news makes me think that JRNY has been telling his insider groups to buy before he publishes his video. I could be wrong about this, but I figured I would throw it in here because if this happens the price is going to go through the roof. + +# Roadmap + +Here is an update on the current roadmap posted by the lead developer / founder of the team! + +"Right now we're working on blockchain and game development at the same time with teams for each working in tandem. Currently, our roadmap looks like this: + +\>Merchant, Astronaut, First-person shooter closed+open testing, Matic integration, Company website + Easy doxx, Whitepaper v1 (Q1-Q2) + +\>Generator on Matic (Fixed duration LP staking), Fabricator (Crafting mechanism for NFT's), Vidya systems + NFT + token integration + docs (Q3-Q4) + + \>Full NFT-based pet game (top sekrit), VR/XR social, gaming and defi (From Q3 - Q4 2021 to Q1 - Q2 2022) Time frames are estimates and may be sooner or later than we expect, though we are fully engaged in building and will likely venture into things like VR releases much sooner than the estimate provided" + +# Wrapping up + +There is so much more that I could say about this project and I am sure I missed a few things, but I do not want this post to get longer than it already is. I truly believe in this project and hope I was able to shed some light on it for everyone else! I seriously encourage you guys to join the discord and ask your own questions, DYOR, etc. I will leave a list of useful links below. Feel free to ask questions in the comments and I will answer to the best of my ability + +# TLDR + +* Gaming and NFT altcoin gem with $15.2 million dollar market cap +* Number of holders is rising steadily everyday +* Aiming to be the biggest Gaming/NFT ecosystem in all of crypto +* Massive events coming up in the next few quarters +* Dedicated development team with many legit partners and projects +* It's not too late, this truly is just the beginning + +# Useful Links + +Discord - [https://discord.gg/amRfHNej](https://discord.gg/amRfHNej) + +Website - [https://team3d.io/](https://team3d.io/) + +Team's Website (yes they have other partners and products!) - [https://web3.builders/](https://web3.builders/) + +Coinmarketcap - [https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/vidya/](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/vidya/) + +Etherscan - [https://etherscan.io/token/0x3d3d35bb9bec23b06ca00fe472b50e7a4c692c30](https://etherscan.io/token/0x3d3d35bb9bec23b06ca00fe472b50e7a4c692c30) +Hi /r/personalfinance! + +My husband and I have been married for about two years and we just recently bought a house together. We have not joined our finances at all, but it's starting to get to be a pain having to pay bills and then get a check from my husband for half, or the other way around. We keep talking about joining finances to make this easier, but we have a couple of hurdles we need to cross and I'm looking for some advice. + +1. I budget religiously using YNAB. I don't necessarily *stick* to the budget I make and frequently move stuff between categories, but I'm at least cognizant of where the money I have is set to go and I have several categories that I know can't be touched. My husband has tried but doesn't really have any interest in tracking his spending or using the budget program. I don't necessarily have a problem with us joining finances and me handling the budget/account reconciliation side of things (I actually enjoy budgeting!), but I don't want my husband to feel like he needs my permission to spend money, and I am worried about the possibility that it will end up being me just basically tracking his spending rather than really working toward making sure we're setting enough aside for savings, etc. +2. I love my bank, but it has its drawbacks. I currently bank with Ally and have a 0.10% interest rate on my checking account and a 1.35% interest rate on my savings accounts. That's great, except I have no way to deposit cash. It's rare that I get cash, but usually I have to give it to my husband to deposit and have him cut me a check if I want to put it in my bank account. My husband banks with a credit union but they don't have interest checking and their savings rates are lower and they have minimum balance requirements. If we combine our accounts at my bank (my preference) we'll just have to deal with having cash on hand, but I hate that. Would it be a bad move to get a checking account with a local bank just to deposit cash in to transfer it to my Ally account? + +Are there any other issues anyone's come across with joining finances that we should look out for? I read through a few older threads on this topic but nothing really jumped out as being my situation so I figured I would make a post and see what pf has to say. +I've been putting a lot of hours in at my job and have saved a total of $23,500 dollars as of now. My parents are encouraging me to put the maximum contribution (6k) to a roth ira but I really am unsure. My college will be paid for through my job so I dont have to worry about that. But honestly I really just want to move out ASAP and this seems like a lot of money that will delay my goal of moving out when I turn 18. + + +What do I do? Any tips or general advice? Should I just keep saving? + +I was researching about American poverty and wondering if education rates had an effect on that. Lead me down the rabbit hole of college education percentages worldwide, as shown below. I was surprised to see Russia at the top of the list given that the Russian economy ranks so low in per capita GDP and total GDP comparatively speaking to their political influence. I was under the assumption: higher education -> Knowledge economy -> high GDP. I have no doubt this is a way too simplistic view so could anyone explain why is the Russian economy so weak even with the highest tertiary (college) education in the world? Thanks! + +*Processing img cfanl7yvvfm81...* + +Also, if this is the wrong sub to pose this question, please lmk. +I live in Europe and so the system is very different. But I'm wondering how do you guys are able to survive? + +Is everyone in the US drowning in debt or is it just my false impression? Because I've read that the minimum wage doesn't allow you to rent a 2 bedroom apartment anywhere in the US. Plus you guys have the highest price for almost everything (food, education, health, housing ...). So I'm genuinely intrigued by the fact that the whole economy hasn't collapse. + +So can anyone explain to me how you guys are able to live in those circumstances? I'm just trying to understand, not to degrade anyone country. +I am wondering what everyone on the path to FIRE drives. I myself drive a Toyota Corolla and I find it so tempting to buy a nice SUV, especially since I would be able to buy it without the need for finance. + +I find this quite difficult. At work, people who report to me drive better cars than I do. I know that I will reap the benefits in the long term but it still gets to me. +So I just had a meeting with a realtor this last week and it got me FIREd (lol) up about the progress, and delays (thus lessons) I have made since I started this journey in early 2021. + +In 2019 I was making close to $800-900/week working only 30 hours a week. Keep in mind in OK, rent with roommates is around $350-400/Month. On weekends I was regularly covering my monthly rent in just five hours of bartending. + +Keep in mind, I wanted to quit working, but my intentions were not there. I wasn't ready to stop spending money. I had vices. Gambling, drinking, smoking. I think in an entire year earning close to $55k (I also had a part time small business), I only finished the year with $5k in savings. That's pitiful. + +**WHEN I STARTED TO GET SERIOUS** + +So in early 2021 I had gotten back to full time bartending work after a year of the pandemic. I had nearly no money to speak of. While I had unemployment money coming in, I was *very* bad with my spending. Most of it was spent gambling on the stock market. My car got totaled and I had to pay cash on a new car (didn't have a job at the time so no loan) and six months in I had to pay $5000 in repairs. + +But by June of 2021, I was making close to $800-1000/week as I had been in 2019. The difference was I was working nearly 45-50 hours a week to obtain this. This bar just wasn't it. But since my living expenses were only around **$1000/month**, I was still able to clear $2500-3000/month in savings. + +**BUT I WANTED TO MAKE MORE, SO I MADE MORE** + +I am not stranger to math. I know it is important to make as much income as possible to close the gap to financial independence. I am 31 years old, and I do not intend to continue my career as a bartender/server past 40 years old if possible. Every dollar counts. If I can save $60k a year instead of $30k, that's massive. + +I left my prior job of 1.5 years in June after they denied me a raise and business was on a steady decline the last few months. I went from earning around $4000-5000/month to $3000-3500. I knew this was ridiculous because I had a feeling there was potential for me to earn $6000-8000/mo if I was just willing to put the work in. + +I decided to apply for positions in the wealthier parts of town. I make my income from tips, so I need not only consistent volume, but I also need high ticket prices. I got not just one, but two jobs. One for a restaurant that has been around for 12 years, and another that I was part of a grand opening. + +**THE UPS AND DOWNS OF NEW EMPLOYMENT** + +So there has been imperfections in my plan, but after six weeks of making the move, the eggs are beginning to hatch. One job was only giving me 2-4 shifts a week. However, the money is ridiculous. Just working two days a week, I was bringing home 600/week. Which would be around $6000/mo if I was working five shifts a week. I am also told this is the slowest season of the year, and that I should expect to be making more. For reference I am earning $250-500/day in credit card tips. My hourly wage I earn around $60/day, and cash can be $30-100/day. With the ups and downs I would say I take home $350/day after taxes as a good ballpark. For reference at my last job I was taking home $120-150/day. + +My second job is getting better. For two weeks I was making training pay or helping set up the restaurant at $12/hr. But with tips I am only taking $2.13/hr. However, the ticket averages are really good. Dinner shifts I can take home $200-250 in just four hours. But we started lunch this week and it was very demotivating. For example this last thursday I made $35 on lunch, but my other job I made $380 at dinner. Yesterday I worked a double at the new restaurant and made $350 in eight hours. + +So, we are still in a phase of discovery. A bartender at the more lucrative job also got fired for some fucked up shit, so I was given his shifts, bringing me to four a week. The less lucrative job will get better with time. I will be working weekend lunches, one weekday lunch, and sunday brunch. With it being as new as it is, I have been bringing home $400-600/week. I will not be surprised to see that grow to $1000-1500/week depending on my shifts. + +Now, I am making projections of my future income based on a lot of pessimistic outcomes. But with just one job alone I am expecting $1000/week. The second job easily $500/week, so $1500/week total. I could see $2500/week happening once summer wraps up and we draw closer to the holiday season. + +**MY BUDGET BREAKDOWN** + +So I think what makes this all work is living far below your means. I drive a 13 year old car with no payment. I used credit karma to get my insurance very cheap. I work for restaurants so if I am not cooking at home, I can eat a meal at work for less than $10 (very important when I am working 14 hour days), and I avoid drinking and smoking. I also have two roommates in a 3 bedroom house. + +Rent - $333/month + +Utilities - $75-120/month + +Gas - $100/month (I drive eight miles round trip to work) + +Insurance - $18/month (thank you credit karma) + +Phone bill - $112/month + +Food/groceries - $400-500/month. I do eat out a fair bit, but frankly I do not worry about this because most of my socializing/time with family is dining out or eating for convivence of time budgeting. Working 50 hrs/week makes it difficult to cook every meal. And I get food fatigue so meal prepping more than two meals at a time is not ideal for me. Most of my meals are very cheap. I can eat at five local restaurants with 50% discounts thanks to my employers. + +I round up and put my expenses at around $1200/month. So that means in one week of work, I cover my bills and everything after that is profit. + +**HOW I LOOK AT INVESTING VS. SPENDING: A PERSON AS A COMPANY** + +So I try to analyze myself through the mindset of a companies balance sheet. The ideal business has cash on hand to be solvent, but aims to direct cash flow towards pursuits of capital accumulation and appreciation. + +I know that my cash will lose $4 on every $100 per year. I know that *invested* cash will EARN me $13.8 on every $100 per year. If my daily expenses are $40/day and I am earning an average of $250/day (including days off of work), so that leaves $210/day roughly to invest. I can hope to earn about $30-40/day in interest on my income, in theory. But hey, a plan is better than no plan. + +It is important to look at what you are spending in terms of dollars per hour. For example, in a 40 hour work week with 260 working days a year, $2000 takes about $1/hr not including taxes. And further, you can look at it in percentages. If you earn $30/hr, then $1/hr is 3% of your income. I think this can help to effectively micromanage your spending. Start small and extrapolate over a year. If you earned $300/day and you are considering going out for drinks and dinner after work and spend $100, then you effectively spent 33% of your daily wages. That is okay if that $100 is a monthly or bimonthly habit, but *daily* that is a quick path to financial dependence. + +This is how I avoid subscribing to monthly subscriptions. While it can be easy to subscribe to gym memberships, music subscriptions, meal subscriptions, etc. They could total out to be equivalent to $3-5/hr of your labor every day for things that don't serve *you as an individual, but only as a consumer*. + +**WHERE I AM AND WHERE I AM GOING** + +So I do have high hopes for the future. Especially now that I have taken the reigns and found more lucrative employment and nearly doubled my income (and possibly more as the months progress), I have taken more aggressive stances to investment. I only aim to keep 3-5 months of living expenses in cash and any additional is put into broad market index funds. I also have put $18k into a small company that I personally believe will be worth a significant sum in a few years if they deliver on their objectives. + +Currently I am sitting around $23k in net worth. I was delayed the last five weeks while I transitioned employment, and the market was red the last six months. My ETFs recovered 10% to be 5% green (about 10k invested so far) and my small cap (18k invested) lost up to $11k in value at the bottom of this year, and is now $8k in the red. I am not concerned about the long term value. I avoid buying more shares of my small cap which I consider a lottery ticket, but I do make large monthly contributions to my ETFs. I am hoping to have about $40-50k deposited by the end of this year. + +I will be planning to put an offer down for a house come december-march of this year. I hope to avoid withdrawing from my ETFs, but I will aim to get a loan against the cost basis. My first home is going to be a 3 bed room, and I will rent out 2 bed rooms for $500/mo each. Half I will use to pad my savings and the other half will go towards growing my investment accounts. + +My plan by 40 is to have enough in dividends and rent from real estate that I can earn $60k/year which would be more than enough for me to have a comfortable standard of living, not including part time work. + +I have calculated that three rental properties at around (currently) $1200/mo, plus a brokerage account heavily situated in index ETFs with 4% dividend payments a year will do the trick. I am aiming to maintain most of my income in ETFs and leverage 50% of home mortgages in cash. And then using rent checks to go towards paying off the principal. At a rate of savings of $50k/year, I expect I can hit my goal of 3 properties in less than five years, and if being close to full retirement in 15. +Hello! Wanted to source expertise from this knowledgeable group if possible. To give color to present position: + +* Recently experienced a liquidity event +* Closing in on \~$10m net worth +* Uncomfortably large position (\~25% of net worth) in one stock +* All remaining shares of this stock qualify for long term capital gains + +I don't know whether to diversify out quickly or wait until I have a tax efficient strategy in place. I'm working in another startup and haven't been dedicating much time to thinking through this and have been somewhat in analysis paralysis. Have heard advice that I should read "Sudden Wealth" but haven't yet gotten through it. + +Curious, if you were in this position, what would you do next? +For those of you who moved to high cost cities like San Francisco/Bay Area, London, Paris, NYC, Washington DC, Sydney, etc. after achieving your original FIRE target, what have been your experiences? Were you able to keep FIRE or did you have any regrets? +i recently made a post last week about gaining 60% last week. but just today i lost 90% of my portfolio. i don’t have a part time job. it’s all i really had. how do i handle and process such an impact? +i don’t want to give up, i love trading and have been learning and doing it for about a year and a half now +To both vets and baby apes alike, congratulations! There's no denying that today was difficult, but just remember that all they've managed to do by attacking this stock over and over is prove the MOASS thesis. This is a huge money sink, one that they can't afford, and there'd be no purpose to doing what they're doing unless they absolutely have to. + +Baby apes: you earned your diamond hands today. You can be proud of this, becuase there's a hell of a lot of paperhanders out there that didn't. I want you to know that when vets tell you about the crashes earlier this year, and how they were bigger, they're not doing that to minimize your experiences. Massive dips like these are stressful. It's okay to feel anxious and worried, but trust in the process, and results will follow. Know that for standing strong, you have my respect. + +Vets: business as usual, yeah? Props to Kenny, not only did he finally get us under the exponential floor today, but he probably triggered more buy orders during today than any other single day! + +They're sooooooo fucked. + +You didn't sell during the january crash. You didnt sell in March. You're not selling now, that's for goddamn sure. + +Keep fighting the good fight everyone. We are winning, and they win when they make you forget that. + +We can do this all day, we're too retarded to do anything different. + As you can see, I ended up with an account number of around 500,000. The main DRS wave hit superstonk around July/August 2021 if I remember rightly and, I'll be honest, I wasn't on board from the off. So many questions and concerns... is it easy to sell in computershare, what're the benefits, can I be bothered with the effort, what if MOASS kicks off without me?? + +That last one in particular weighed more heavily on my mind than anything. Fuck this shit. I'm not missing the squeeze. I've been through too much already to miss out on something that's not a guarantee. I'd sat through all sorts of shit like everyone else. Mar 10th was brutal in particular. + +Each and every day felt like tomorrow was finally here. It HAS to be today, there's so much going on, price volatility, hype, corruption uncovered, RC tweets that HAD to mean something, Fidelty being hit with thousands of US apes DRS'ing; I won't risk it I think to myself. Days turned to weeks. Still no squeeze. And finally, I realised the biggest FUD I'd encountered since Feb when I joined in. "MOASS is tomorrow". + +If this mentality is what's stopping you, remove it. **Now**. I said that to myself every day last July, and August, and panicking during September too. Guess what. Nothing happened. Well, SOMETHING happened; I got off my ass and DRS'd to get those shares in MY name. And THAT was the real result. + +Things were WAY harder then from the UK having to first transfer from Degiro, paying 55 euros to do so. Eugh. Fine, I'll do it. + +Then I had to open an IBKR account, deposit funds, piss about with currency and settings, scan my letters in to both parties as pdf, and wait weeks for anything to happen. Finally my XXX shares made it over to IBKR and I immediately initiated a DRS request. Around 7 days later, the action seemed to complete their end and I had to wait for the letter to arrive from the USA. + +And I waited. And waited. + +4 weeks later, this baby arrived on my doorstep. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/s6g0alycfo3a1.png?width=1440&format=png&auto=webp&s=59eaaef08b746bd436631353581b09fa85c8d5dd + +You're nearly home. All the hard work is starting to feel worth it and, guess what, **you missed nothing**. + +One more major hurdle to overcome back then... a call to the USA to receive my security code. Shit, my phone doesn't support international dialling. So I convinced work to give me a VoIP line that I need for 'customer calls'. (more effort) Called at some time late evening here, half an hour, then done. Waiting game was back on. By now I was slightly calmer about that :) + +*ComputerShare have since streamlined this process greatly. Letters come from the UK, the security code can also now be obtained via local number dialling, and the whole thing takes 2 weeks, not 6 or 7.* + +The code came through, I activated my account, and there was my glorious purple circle. All the doubts removed. All the effort rewarded. **I was no longer a bystander, I was a participant**. + +Why is this important? + +I understand it can seem daunting. + +I understand that some of the FUD still lingers in your mind and DRS'ing seems pointless for you, thousands of others have done it and we're not home yet so what difference will you make? + +But here's the thing. The calm. I cannot stress how this changes things. Price movement? Didn't care anymore. MSM FUD? Who gives a shit. Brokers pulling shady fuckery? So what. + +I WILL get a dividend straight to me. I AM a shareholder in name. I DO have the right to communicate with gamestop (investor relations) - and have done so - since they can see who I am. I'm a **legitimate** shareholder. + +Do it, you won't regret it and it isn't so difficult that you cannot achieve this. You've done harder things in your life, right? Please listen: MOASS won't happen without you. + +Actually, let me finish by emphasising that differently... + +&#x200B; + +**MOASS won't happen without YOU.** +My wife and I had three IVF already (In vitro fertilisation : Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vitro_fertilisation ) due to broken Fallopian tubes. + +We were lucky enough to not pay sooo much for the first three tries since our insurance covered it. But every new try is 100% on us! They won´t pay anymore. + +We tried to save for it since around two years. Two years ago I also invested a bit in Bitcoin. Sold and rebought in bubbles and made a bit of money. + +Which now allows us to pay for the next two or three tries! + +I will never forget when the third try failed and my wife cried in my arms about wanting to be mom. That was the most depressing thing I ever witnessed! + +But now we got at least a chance to try again! + +THANK YOU! And good luck everyone and stay positive! + +If it works, it will literally be a Bitcoin baby. + + +so i know a lot of people have been hard hit due to corona and economy and everything hitting at one time + +just a reminder to everyone, PLEASE call the bank about loans you may have trouble paying or accounts your behind on or if you need some sort of help + +due to corona, where i work is offering different kinds of help financially, be it defering loans for a couple months, special loans, whatever. if you dont call, you risk losing out on help that the bank (or CU) may offer. not every option is available to everyone and not every option will be a fairy tale land of wonder, but any option that avoids getting you late fees or you taking a ding to your credit is better than just ignoring the problem + +be honest about your situation. we get it. lots of places are shutting down and people need help. the bank wants its money more than it wants to ding your credit + +even if you dont take the options the bank offers, it at least is an option to consider. your bank may also not offer anything now but is working on solutions to offer. you can call back in a couple of weeks if they dont help now + +DISCLAIMERS + +not all offers are valid to everyone. see what your bank offers you specifically in terms of help + +not everyone gets hand outs + +i do not mean to promise anyone anything. + +i do not speak for all banks or financial institutions + +i do not promise everyone has something special to help at this time or that they ever will. its worth a shot still + +edit: grammar/spelling and clarification + +also i saw some great advice and comments below, take some time to read through those cause there are smarter/better informed people than me on this sub + +edit 2: just thought i would add on, use this as a time to adapt to your banks resources. if you always go in person to make a payment, look at an option to do it online if possible or over the phone. if you want a balance, ask the automated voice system or grab it online or on the app. grab your account numbers online. do anything you can yourself. it will make things easier for yourself in the future and it will free up the phones/reps/branches for people who have other issues that can not be handled over the phone or online for example +Hi All + +Long time lurker, first time poster. + +&#x200B; + +I was wondering what your opinions are on a simple 3 fund portfolio for a high net worth individual (10million +)? Compared to a more complex 15 fund portfolio, but with the same philosophy of diversified, low cost index funds? + +&#x200B; + +I have had a few advisors tell me that a 3 fund portfolio is great for someone who is starting out and growing their net worth, but less than ideal for someone who has "won the game" and is looking to protect wealth and be as tax efficient as possible (tax loss/gain harvesting). I just don't know if the services they provide outweigh the advisor fees or if they are just blowing smoke so I decide to stick with the advisor. + +&#x200B; + +Right now, I am with a small wealth management firm that charges 0.2% per year and the portfolio funds have an average expense of 0.25%. So a total of 0.45% per year. I like the idea of a simple 3 fund portfolio, as it is something I can easily manage myself and I would pay a total of around 0.1% in fund fees. I just can't figure out if there are some extra benefits tax wise to having a portfolio with more funds in it that would help me save in taxes through the years and compensate for the additional advisor fees. + +&#x200B; + +Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated! + +Thanks! +**Discovering my core values** + +I was born and raised in an upper-middle income family in Mexico City under catholic values but turned agnostic as I grew older. I kept the values that made sense, such as the importance of charity and giving back, and threw away the ones that were outdated, such as the focus on guilt as a motivator of change. + +As a kid, I remember how conflicting it was to see other kids working in the streets, starving, drugged, and abused. I couldn’t understand why they couldn’t focus on their education the way I did. That planted a seed in my spirit that still grows. + +**Seeing in economics hope** + +As a teenager, I entered the rabbit hole of economics with hope. Economics seemed to be this mystical force capable of solving the world’s biggest problems: poverty, corruption, global warming, and many more. I knew that the way we were doing economics was wrong and I wanted to change that. + +Just think about the horrible things that have been done under the name of communism, such as the Cambodian genocide, or how the United States, the crown jewel of capitalism, makes of fundamental rights, such as healthcare and education, profitable businesses instead of granting everyone equal access to them. + +While studying my undergrad, I quickly fell out of love with the idealistic idea of economics as an almighty force that can conquer all evils. I saw how economics was often used as an excuse to force simplistic representations of culture and society into complex problems. I never understood how that approach of thinking about problems in a vacuum could be useful. + +**Understanding the power of financial services** + +Later in my life, while working as a consultant for McKinsey, I finally understood the importance of financial institutions. They decide who should do business and have access to goods and services and who shouldn’t. And financial institutions don’t grant everyone that right. It was clear to me that that was a problem that needed fixing. That’s why I devoted so much time studying this industry back then. + +I came to Berkeley to Business School more out of inertia than out of will. I was sponsored by McKinsey and had an offer to go back. I didn’t know exactly what to do with the experience, but I knew I wanted to keep exploring financial services. During my MBA, I heard about Bitcoin in a serious academic environment for the first time and it immediately caught my interest. + +Via Berkeley-SkyDeck, UC Berkeley's accelerator, I heard about lastbit (lastbit.io) for the first time. I read everything I could about the project and about the founder, this cool, heavy-metal lover, who wanted to change the world with the disruptive power of Bitcoin. I could see myself in him. I had to meet him. After failing to meet him in person at an event, I just cold emailed him praying for him to answer. He did. + +That’s how I came in contact with Prashanth for the first time, this impressive 25-year-old genius who managed to get Charlie Lee on board of his project with little more than a prototype. There’s a reason why he managed to do this. Today Bitcoin is almost impossible to spend. With Prashanth’s his solution, anyone will be able to swipe a card or tap their phone and pay with Bitcoin instantly anywhere where they are able to pay with their credit card today. Something not so long ago possible only in bitcoiners’ dreams. Through Prashanth I finally understood what Bitcoin really is. It blew my mind. + +**Unveiling the real meaning of Bitcoin** + +Bitcoin is not an investment asset, it’s the possibility of a new social contract. Bitcoin is a decentralized, transparent, and auditable network to store and transmit value to which everyone in the world can have access to. This presents a real opportunity to redefine money, which today is inherently centralized, first by central banks, and then by financial institutions. The centralization of money has at least three critical problems that Bitcoin solves. + +First, there is a macroeconomic problem that has to do with monetary policy and that today with the COVID-19 economic crisis is more relevant than ever. Money is supposed to be a reflection of real economic value, but some central banks print money arbitrarily. Bitcoin’s monetary supply is limited by design. Second, centralized financial services are discriminatory and don’t allow free access to everyone. Bitcoin is universal and free. This means that for the first time in human history, everyone will be able to participate in the global economy. And participation is the pillar of democracy. Third, central authorities control private information. The recent attacks to high profile account on Twitter illustrate how vulnerable private information is when stored in centralized networks. Bitcoin allows people to have full ownership and control of their personal and financial information, protecting both their identity and their wealth. + +As such, Bitcoin emerged in front of my eyes as a way to instrument basic democratic principles in a way in which everyone can have equal representation. Money as we know it will soon be a thing of the past because money as we know it not fair nor egalitarian and now people can choose. + +I had to quit McKinsey. I had to leave Mexico. I had to stay with lastbit. I had to give this project my all. +I mean, I want either job security or at least short term profit. The focus for the company for the last year has been to maximise share price at the expense of the workforce (Where previously the workforce were treated really well) in order for the major shareholder/s to sell off all their shares before breaking the company up. + +I have this all as semi-reliable (yeah) insider information. I work at a mid-tier level at the company and also own a not insignificant amount of stock, but I have no idea when the "dump" will come. + +The story told to the shareholders in general is still hunky-dory so that they don't start selling off and lowering the price before the big guy gets the chance, but I really don't know what my options are, both share-wise and employment wise. +I originally submitted a post to /r/finance that contained a collection of curated IAmA's from investment bankers that was pretty well received. The original post is located at [here](http://www.reddit.com/r/finance/comments/jdij9/10_curated_reddit_iamas_from_investment_bankers/). + +I received some requests to do more of these curated lists, so I put together another list of IAmA's about quants involved with algorithmic trading and high frequency trading. I think I'll split this up into two or three parts depending on how many interviews I think make the cut. + +That post is located here: [Curated Interviews From Quants: Algorithmic Trading and High Frequency Trading (From Reddit’s IAmA) Part 1](http://www.curatedalpha.com/2011/curated-interviews-from-quants-algorithmic-trading-and-high-frequency-trading-from-reddits-iama-part-1/). + +I think there's a lot of interest in this area, but there's a lot of misinformation and general distrust of automated systems. Reading these interviews really satisfied my curiosity and I hope the community finds them interesting as well. +This is your safe place for questions on financial careers, homework problems and finance in general. No question in the finance domain is unwelcome. + +Replies are expected to be constructive and civil. + +Any questions about your *personal* finances belong in /r/PersonalFinance, and career-seekers are encouraged to also visit /r/FinancialCareers. + +This is your safe place for questions on financial careers, homework problems and finance in general. No question in the finance domain is unwelcome. + +Replies are expected to be constructive and civil. + +Any questions about your *personal* finances belong in /r/PersonalFinance, and career-seekers are encouraged to also visit /r/FinancialCareers. + +You motherfuckers realize the PLTR train hasn't even departed yet? This is it. This is the stock you thought already pumped and will bitterly claim years from now "you had the chance to buy" when your wife's boyfriend asks at Thanksgiving how your little stock venture is going and if you heard of Palantir after seeing it on the news. + +PROOF: There are BARELY any Alex Karp memes in here. Do yourself a favor and look [this man](https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/103732658-GettyImages-479840056_[1].jpg?v=1532564090) up, read his [NYT profile](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/10/21/magazine/palantir-alex-karp.html) and watch his [Charlie Rose interview](https://charlierose.com/videos/12809). + +* He's a literal autist that unlike Elon Musk is chronically single. +* He went to Stanford Law School and called it a "glorified trade school". +* He moved to Berlin, taught himself German, and wanted to retire with $250k tendies to pursue various "forms of debauchery". +* He got a PhD in fucking philosophy at a German university, something that Karp even admits himself is totally unemployable and useless, just like you. +* He went on after to 'start a business' pumping meme stocks himself and developed a reputation for it. +* He practices tai chi and qigong in public with a real sword. Motherfuckers, he literally studied the blade. + +This guy makes Elon look normal. HE is the future WSB Autist God. + +**PLTR** **01/15/2021 $40 CALLS** + +**KARPE DIEM** + +EDIT: HE FUCKING [OFF-ROAD ROLLER BLADES](https://imgur.com/3Kn05dZ) BRO +I've seen a few posts on here where people are asking for free historical options data, but not much discussion regarding purchasing data from a reputable dealer. + +Based on my naive research, the main players in this space appear to be CBOE with their Datashop, Algoseek and IVolatility. + +I am not looking for **super** detailed data. 5 to 15 minute time slices of trade data, with daily open interest, for full options chains on a few underlyings. + +I have two main questions: + +1.) Does anyone have any experience with these vendors and/or recommendations for other data sources? + +2.) Is there any significant difference in the data that will be received from these vendors, or is it all coming from the same faucet? + +Many thanks for any help or guidance. + +Happy Trading! +I'm a total newb when it comes to algo trading, but I've been working on trading strategies for about a month now, backtesting with TradingView and Pine Script. When I noticed that my 200% net profit on SPY, based on a 30m timeframe, failed completely at 45 minutes and when looking at any other index or stock... I learned about "curve fitting". Hehe. + +So I'm slowly learning and improving... and I always feel like I'm on the right track when I tweak a value and see an increase, tweak it a little more and see another increase. I repeat this three or four more times and things are looking great! Then I go up .1 more and suddenly I'm looking at a 34% loss. When that happens I instantly realize that I have a problem... and I usually shout out a bad word. ;-) Anyone else do that? +Hey guys, + +For a work problem I was able to increase the efficiency of a script in three orders of magnitude by replacing a while loop with linear algebra. I’m not sure the same can be done with financial data as at least for some applications the time sequence is important. Do you guys have any experience/insight to share? Thanks! +Hey y’all, just want to give some background before I start asking questions. (Just started this job) +-I stock cars, order parts and answer phones at an Autoshop. I got really lucky by knowing the owner since I was younger and he gave me a really good offer. +-I commute about 35 ish minutes so gas is my #1 killer right now. Any gas tips/ways to save would be appreciated +-I currently live at home, bill free. I’ve always been a worker since I was 14 and my mom realized that and understands that so to help me save she just expects the normal chores and things that go without saying. I want to get my own phone line though just to help someway. +-My boss is making me contribute to my 401K (in a good way) and matching my 3%. I have thought about a Roth IRA but kinda need a dumbed down explanation. + +Okay, so questions... How should I go about saving if I’m looking to buy a used truck? I don’t have to worry about paying for labor just parts (perks of the job) so this helps me stretch my budget. On top of that, what are things I should be doing with this money I’m not spending? I already have a savings account and a 401K set up so I was wondering if there is anything I’m missing. Lastly, is there anything else you recommend me doing/things you wish you knew? I’m open to any and all input. + +Thanks! +https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3052985/coronavirus-chinas-factories-activity-plunges-all-time-low + +China’s official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) dropped to 35.7 in February from 50.0 in January, below the 38.8 figure reported in November 2008 + +The non-manufacturing PMI – a gauge of sentiment in the services and construction sectors – also dropped to 29.6 from 54.1 in January, the lowest since November 2011 +**Edit:** We have to call it a day now and get back to working on the project. Thank you so much for the great questions. We're happy to have the opportunity to interact with you all and help share a bit about our team. Thank you r/cryptocurrency moderators again for the chance to be here and the community for the great questions. Thank you to u/RockTheBlockchain for coordinating this event with us. Be well - be safe - be harmonious. + +# Greetings from Harmony! + +We are the Harmony team - here to introduce ourselves, talk to you about our latest milestones, answer your questions, and meet you all in the comments section. + +Today's AMA is special to us and we want to start by thanking the[ r/Cryptocurrency](https://www.reddit.com/r/Cryptocurrency/) moderators and community for hosting us. + +[Harmony Team](https://preview.redd.it/f01y8ulzwza71.png?width=4800&format=png&auto=webp&s=bb4e2205c08879919aae389cb7e0c5ec9739917a) + +**Team members for today's AMA:** + +* Stephen Tse \[Founder\] +* Rongjian Lan \[CTO\] +* Sahil Dewan \[Product\] +* Leo Chen \[Engineering\] +* Peter Abilla \[Marketing\] +* Ganesha Upadhyaya \[Research\] +* Li Jiang \[Business\] + +\++++++++++++++++++++++ + +# About Harmony + +Harmony is your open platform for assets, collectibles, identity, governance. We are an open and fast blockchain. + +Our mainnet runs Ethereum applications with 2-second transaction finality and 1000 times lower fees. Harmony’s secure bridges offer cross-chain asset transfers with Ethereum, Binance and other chains. + +Build on Harmony, run on all chains. Be the ONE to bridge to all blockchains. + +ONE is the native token on Harmony used for staking, network fees and on-chain governance. Harmony also supports HRC20 tokens, and HRC721/HRC1155 non-fungible tokens. + +Harmony is fully Ethereum compatible. Developers can enjoy faster Ethereum Virtual Machine execution and use all standard Web3 tooling while users can use Metamask to access applications. + +&#x200B; + +[Adding Harmony to Metamask](https://i.redd.it/m8oce5j3xza71.gif) + +Developers and users can also benefit from Harmony's instant transaction finality in 2 seconds and 100x lower fees than Ethereum. + +[Low Fees & 2-Second Finality: Decentralized Exchanges on Harmony](https://i.redd.it/gjtqtwcz60b71.gif) + +Our ecosystem has seen tremendous growth and we're excited to have you join the many applications part of the Harmony network with fast finality and low fees. + +\+++ [**Click here for our ecosystem!**](https://docs.harmony.one/home/general/ecosystem) \+++ + +\++++++++++++++++++++++ + +# Recent News & Achievements + +**1.** [Sushi $4M Incentives](https://medium.com/sushiswap-org/we-are-family-use-sushi-on-harmony-a-harmony-bridge-tutorial-5ab6b09870da): we announced a full-stack partnership with Sushi, including $4M in incentives for liquidity mining and Kashi lending. Add liquidity and start yield farming on SushiSwap today. + +[Sushi on Harmony: Swap, Stake and Earn ](https://i.redd.it/ycfg4fdbxza71.gif) + +**2.** [Terra Bridges UST Stablecoin](https://cryptobriefing.com/terra-and-harmony-announce-tight-full-stack-partnership-focused-on-users-developers-and-mass-adoption/): we are bridging with Terra via the Shuttle Bridge and bringing Wrapped UST stablecoin to Harmony. We’ll also be deploying ONEAnchor, a savings account (i.e., fixed yield) to Harmony. + +**3.** [New Explorer](http://explorer.harmony.one/): we have launched our new explorer with contract verification, and much more details for contracts, addresses, smart contract transactions, HRC20 / HRC721 / HRC1155 & more. + +\++++++++++++++++++++++ + +# Looking Ahead + +**1.** [1BTC Bridge](http://harmony.one/1btc): we are working on wrapping BTC as cross-chain collaterals, that is capital efficient and fully trustless as on-chain and open-source contracts. This will give BTC holders access to a variety of decentralized finance products on Harmony. + +**2.** [$1M Hackathon](http://harmony.one/prizes): we are hosting a global hackathon with our partners Gitcoin and Dorahacks which will focus on bridging developers from traditional finance to DeFi. Our themes are “Cross Chains with Trustless Bridges”, “Social Wallet with Keyless Security”, and “Cross Border with Fintech Integrations”. + +**3.** [1Wallet](http://harmony.one/1wallet): we are building a crypto wallet for the next billion new crypto users. The 1Wallet will use on-chain security with a one-time-password authenticator and have social recovery. Users will no longer need to have hardware, seed phrases, or private keys. + +\++++++++++++++++++++++ + +Thank you again to the[ r/CryptoCurrency](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/) community for hosting this AMA and to everyone here and interested in knowing more about our project. Special thanks to our subreddit moderator u/RockTheBlockchain for organizing this event. + +**Gifting Subdomain NFTs** + +We will also be gifting a first of its kind subdomain NFT on the Harmony blockchain to the top voted and answered questions. They will receive a [crazy.one](https://crazy.one/) name, which are live internet domains and your personal subdomain (i.e. [s.crazy.one](https://s.crazy.one/)). These domains can be linked to your Harmony ONE address and soon be your identity in Harmony ecosystem applications. + +The top 10 voted and answered questions will receive a 7-character subdomain, valued at 1,000 ONEs each. The next 11-50 will receive a 8-character or longer subdomain, valued at 100 ONEs each. We'll reach out to winner to obtain your preferred subdomain name, ONE wallet address, and Twitter account. + +&#x200B; + +[Harmony Snoo :\)](https://preview.redd.it/nojjh0cnz1b71.jpg?width=4800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=984cca6d352a6d9e7289cc9f6634b9b04e3643c9) + +Thank you so much for all of your support! +Basically, I mow a few lawns every week and I have about 100-200 in cash every week depending on how many I have the time to do. If I'm consistently depositing these amounts into my bank account will it raise any red flags or get me in trouble? +Just want some cool original shit to hang up that isn't Live Laugh Love or a Kmart poster. I don't care for how famous the artist is / will be or if some pretentious wanker has told me it's good or not. Would be nice to support broke passionate artists but not fussed. + +Bonus points if it's some weird nudity shit that I can make guests uncomfortable with. +Just want some cool original shit to hang up that isn't Live Laugh Love or a Kmart poster. I don't care for how famous the artist is / will be or if some pretentious wanker has told me it's good or not. Would be nice to support broke passionate artists but not fussed. + +Bonus points if it's some weird nudity shit that I can make guests uncomfortable with. +* [Fairwork site for COVID-19](https://coronavirus.fairwork.gov.au/#stand-down) +* [PSA - If you're a casual worker or laid off due to COVID-19, the Centrelink Jobseeker Payment waiting period is waived](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/flle0v/psa_if_youre_a_casual_worker_or_laid_off_due_to/) +* [Coronavirus crisis sees Banking Association announce six-month loan repayment deferrals for small businesses](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/fllkzu/coronavirus_crisis_sees_banking_association/) +* [With banks pausing business loan repayments for 6 months, what's the likelihood that they will pause mortgages as well?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/fln9j2/with_banks_pausing_business_loan_repayments_for_6/) +* [COVID-19: Customer Support (Westpac)](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/flry6e/covid19_customer_support_westpac/) +* [Centrelink payment for COVID](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/fm4re2/centrelink_payment_for_covid/) +* [7News: Big Four Banks Offer Homeowners a Pause on Their Mortgage Repayments](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/fm6iba/7news_big_four_banks_offer_homeowners_a_pause_on/) +* [Flight Center charging $300 cancellation for cancelled flights. Is this allowed?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/fm4vex/flight_center_charging_300_cancellation_for/) +* [Aus Stimulus Round 2 - my notes - giving the basics before more details emerge](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/fmqnep/aus_stimulus_round_2_my_notes_giving_the_basics/) +* [PSA - summary from Treasury regarding COVID19 stimulus package with worked examples](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/fmqw2f/psa_summary_from_treasury_regarding_covid19/) +* [PSA - Dedicated Treasury site regarding Economic Response to the Rona. Includes support summaries for individuals and households](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/fn9h0s/psa_dedicated_treasury_site_regarding_economic/) +* [Life & Disability Insurance and Covid-19: FAQ's](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/fngm0c/life_disability_insurance_and_covid19_faqs/) +* [I created a site to collate all the initiatives (freebies, discounts etc) from many companies to help us through tough times](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/fnibn2/i_created_a_site_to_collate_all_the_initiatives/) +* [Aus Gov 'JobKeeper' payment website - register here](https://www.ato.gov.au/general/gen/JobKeeper-payment/?=redirected_JobKeeper) +* [Detailed Summary of JobKeeper Payment](https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/fsaxu1/psa_jobkeeper_payments_summary/) +* [DESE jobs-hub](https://www.dese.gov.au/covid-19/jobs-hub) +* [Updated Treasury Website with additional Jobkeer info](https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus) +I'm very new to options trading (I've spent about a week reading and lurking here and only opened a paper account yesterday) and was just wondering, isn't this a very powerful strategy? + +If the premiums from CCs can return around \~5% per year, assuming low deltas and few assignments, wouldn't that add to the \~10% from capital appreciation and dividends from the underlying? For a total of \~15% annualised gains with little downside risk? That just sounds too good to be true, so I'd like to ask a more experienced mind their thoughts on this. +I understand that a short seller of a stock is required to pay the div. to the stock owner. But I thought that the actual div. trickles down from the firm, or the company that provides the index? Why would the div. be ultimately paid out of your pocket if the company that sold out the shares can pay the dividend, which then you will pass down to the party you owe the dividend to? +Thanks! +Is anyone else not able to trade options on rocket? When I open my portfolio, I no longer have the ability to view the options chain. I’m not sure if it’s just my broker, issues with the expected special dividend this week, or if they quit offering options. +I'm learning more and more about LEAPS. I can definitely see the advantages of it. + +What I don't get is, why would anyone sell a deep ITM LEAP? The only reason I can think of is maybe part of a spread. +So I am going to start the wheel as soon as I can get my Tastyworks account going. (Currently with Ally Invest which requires 25k balance to sell CSPs.) + +I have been trading stocks and option spreads with good success the past 6 months. + +I was running some numbers on hypothetically using KO to run the wheel. With my current account balance of 5k I can sell one weekly put for about $100 premium with a strike 1-1.5 below current price. If I was assigned then my CC would also be about $100 premium and hopefully would be assigned so I can sell more CSPs. + +$100 per week is awesome. + +But I’ve been thinking that I have enough in my 401k to cash out to at least 50k. Maybe even more since the market has recovered some. This is all after taxes and penalties for early withdrawal. + +If I’m working off 50k then I’m collecting $1000 a week in premium whether it is puts or calls I am selling. That is 1k more than I gross at my job per month. + +Am I crazy to seriously consider quitting my job? I can cash out my 401k then and 10x the strategy I’m currently working on. + +I would still work part time to build my capital but it would be work I like and convenient to me. I was thinking DoorDash or Instacart when Covid19 subsides. + +Thoughts?? + +And yes I know health insurance would be a new expense but I’m fine with that. + +My goal is to not need a full time job to live. My expenses are pretty low too. +I’ve looked into selling calls somewhere between 30-45 days ATM. The premiums are upwards of 15% but the inherent risk is obviously how overvalued both are and if retail/institutional investors will continue to prop up the price. +I have been funneling them into my roth IRA every week. How about yall? Just trying to get an idea of what I should do after I max my roth ira out for this year. +Hi all I have been lurking for a bit and was wondering if y’all count point me in the direction of where I could start to understand selling covered calls. I am am ARKG bag holder and trying to see if I can make the most of my hundreds of shares and it seems like y’all are intelligent as hell. +Any tips or where to start or any suggestions if ARKG is not a great pick etc any help is helpful. Thank you all! +Due to multiple sudden dumps of medical bills, I'm unable to pay my bills this month. Credit card is about $100 away form being maxed out (first bout of medical stuff used up the savings, then the second bout was put on the credit card, and now a third bout). + +The below bills are all due on the 1st. I'll be able to pay them all by the 15th. + +Credit Card - $223.00 +Rent - $550.00 (cannot skip this, landlords are really quick to evict -- tried to evict us once when they just didn't check their payment box) +Medical Bill #1 - 161.98 (trying to get a hold of company to see if we can postpone this, but this is already apart of a payment plan that I signed a contract on) +Car Registration - 62.35 (happy birthday...) +Electricity/Water - 170.00 (est) +Phone bill - 30.00 + +The other medical bills I was able to get postponed (the biggest one was eve "pay whenever you can" God bless them). My current plan is to work on the medical bill listed above to see if that can be moved. That will have us about $10 or $20 bucks left in our pockets, or needing to bum $10 or $20 from family if they can help -- depends on that utilities bill which I wont see for a day or two. I can also likely skip the phone bill until the 15th as I work from home. We have plenty of food in the kitchen and for the cats and I have at least a month's worth of medical supplies. Future medical bills should be covered at 100% so I'm also trying to stock up a bit. + +I appreciate this. :) Thank you! + + +Edit Update: WOW! This post has been amazing. Here are some things I learned. +- Medical Bill people are really chill. +- Utilities people may or may not be chill, but they wont turn off your utilities for a few weeks +- Chase Slate will take my credit card debt from BoA with no fees and no interest for 15 months. +- Modest Needs sounds like an amazing company for exactly this situation (https://www.modestneeds.org/index.asp) +- As does Prosper (www.prosper.com) +- /r/borrow could give me a small loan +- My top post is me being broke (which is yuck, but otherwise everything else about this post is awesome). +- Someone gilded me to make my day! +- Redditors are amazing. I've had multiple offers to help pitch in. I cannot believe how kind everyone is. + +Thank you, thank you, thank you! +[https://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=3&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=Loopring&OS=Loopring&RS=Loopring](https://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=3&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=Loopring&OS=Loopring&RS=Loopring) +I know similar stuff has been said here, but I keep seeing this problem still. This sub is great to look at DD’s at stocks and to get good stock news. However, it is incredibly ridiculous the amount of posts and comments here asking what x stock is going to do or how the stock market is going to perform next month. I would've thought it would be just the people who are new to the stock market or this subreddit, but there are actually a large number of people here that have been posting/commenting on the subreddit for a while, meaning they aren't new here and they STILL do this. + +However, this isn't even the main problem. The actual problem is the people who reply to these posts/comments and they act like they know what they are talking about so they will say some BS with 100% confidence which probably will influence many of the people who don't know any better. The more you think about it, the more concerning it actually becomes. I don't believe ignorance warrants someone to getting screwed over so just because someone is dumb enough to trust a random redditor and lose money doesn't mean they deserve it. This is very serious stuff since this is literally people's money and I wish more people realized how awful it is that people will come here and look at any advice and dump their money into a random stock and then come back later with major losses. + +**I think this even applies to most people on this subreddit but at a more subliminal level**. I have a feeling that there are many people here that still are prone to this, even if they don't blatantly listen to random people. For example, pretty much everyone in this subreddit agreed to not buy anything during March because "the bottom hasn't come yet". I have even seen posts asking if the stimulus package would help the stock market and people pretty much agreed that it wasn't going to do much (you can look at the threads if you want). People would reply to these posts with absolute confidence; not a "probably not" or "I don't think so", but a "It's not going to do x". When these posts/comments are constantly upvoted and replicated, this can even influence the people who disagreed, creating a conformity effect based on majority social influence and not factual information. + +I guarantee you there are people here who were interested in buying in March when stocks were at a very low price, looked at this subreddits opinions, and ended up not buying them because the majority of people said not to. When in reality, that would've been the ideal thing to do, and they could've made a lot of money. I don't know how these types of posts and comments are so popular on this subreddit, but they are. I am making this post to remind people of these things, and I don't want the same thing to happen to as many people in the future. +Alright, this is a long post. But hopefully, it is able to further your understanding of Bitcoin. At least, that's the goal! + +If you were new to cryptocurrency even 5 years ago, you didn't have much choice. Today, that's not the case, especially in a bull market, which is when a lot of newcoiners typically flock to this space. + +This post is intended to educate newcoiners, and perhaps some old HODLers as well, on what makes Bitcoin valuable, the Lightning Network and Taproot without overly complicating the conversation. + +**What's so unique about Bitcoin?** + +There's a common misunderstanding that Bitcoin has such great value because it was the first. This is untrue. There were several prior attempts at digital money - B-money, Bit gold and Hashcash (although not technically money) the most prominent among them. Satoshi's PoW algorithm solved a critical flaw in the use of blockchain as a public ledger known as the Byzantine Generals Problem. + +The concept of blockchain predates Bitcoin by almost two decades. So the value was never in blockchain but the way Bitcoin was able to utilize blockchain as a trustless, permissionless, decentralized public ledger to democratically create, distribute and exchange value. + +Centralized iterations of blockchain are indeed a waste of time. Permissioned protocols can often achieve greater efficiency using an SQL database instead. + +Another misconception among newcomers is that you're late to the Bitcoin party. Just as you can never be late to the Internet, you can never be late to Bitcoin. + +Bitcoin is not just a cryptocurrency. Bitcoin, in the broader sense, is a protocol capable of functioning as the network layer of a decentralized Internet. Bitcoin can therefore fix the Internet's original sin, centralization at the hands of a powerful few, and restore it to its original form - a decentralized P2P network protocol. + +Bitcoin is capable of remaining decentralized by allowing any participant in the network to access their own version of the truth in a very economical manner. You can run your own Bitcoin full node on a Raspberry Pi. This allows you to be an equal rights citizen in the network and not have to delegate trust to a third party. Without being able to verify on your own, you're just going from trusting bankers to trusting a random person on the internet. That's hardly revolutionary. + +[Samourai Dojo Bitcoin Full Node on Raspberry Pi \(cost $40\)](https://preview.redd.it/oi6go7lt7qc71.png?width=829&format=png&auto=webp&s=3bb1cb977bc728692f170faebb4d9ab5658c2c9e) + +Bitcoin is not only time-tested but has proven to be doggedly antifragile. What makes Bitcoin antifragile is the ability of the average user to run a full node. + +There's no locus of power to attack. Every node is equal and they're distributed all across the world on every continent. Every quadrennial cycle, while higher profile individuals and entities attack Bitcoin, these attacks only end up effecting even greater faith in the protocol. + +[Being a pure P2P network allows Bitcoin to withstand state attacks \(Satoshi, 2008\)](https://preview.redd.it/flzhw9rtgqc71.png?width=880&format=png&auto=webp&s=deaa82db161108a856c409fc47f44336cbdbb4e4) + +Altcoins bring some necessary innovation each cycle, more so since Ethereum came along, but the problem with open, unbridled innovation is that, while it engenders infinite possibilities, it also breeds exploitation and self-seeking greed. + +ICOs were all the rage 4 years ago. But thanks to exploitation, they've all but disappeared. The idea of crowdfunded development of decentralized protocols wasn't the problem. The problem was that without a native set of rules to prevent exploitation, greed defeats innovation. + +Just because something is possible doesn't make it necessary. What's truly necessary is impossible to stop. Necessary innovation will become impossible to stop once we are able to self-police cryptocurrency from greedy opportunists seeking to deny innovation a chance to thrive to cynically line their own pockets. + +**Lightning Network** + +Lightning Network is a decentralized layer-2 network protocol that uses a native smart contract scripting language to enable instant, almost feeless Bitcoin payments. + +In the Lightning Network, both parties to a transaction are required only to have a sufficiently funded active open channel. This is done through a single on-chain transaction. + +If there is a direct channel open between the parties, the transaction is routed directly and incurs zero fees. Without a direct channel, the transaction is routed through routing nodes. + +Whan a transaction passes through a routing node, it is referred to as a "hop". There are currently approximately 23k nodes on the Lightning Network with 13k nodes having active channels. + +Three years ago, Lightning Network was admittedly far from ideal for everyday payments. + +[Lightning Network Node Map \(March 2018\)](https://preview.redd.it/a3nkevm54qc71.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85e0c7fb6de6236883812b8a05b079614e6b0f98) + +But the network has seen exponential growth since, particularly this year. Lightning Network is now a fully-fledged global payments network secured by the Bitcoin blockchain. Lightning wallets have also come a long way and are now very intuitive to use for the average user. + +[Lightning Network Node Map \(July 2021\)](https://preview.redd.it/amqjsimg4qc71.png?width=1908&format=png&auto=webp&s=5b326108f3f9f91916a9618c4b06278f82b0e3ec) + +Network capacity has doubled this year. Likewise, nodes and channels have grown exponentially, reducing the number of hops and fees incurred for hops through routing nodes, and improving channel lifespan. + +Lightning Network's remarkable growth has inspired some exciting developments this year, + +Following the success of the Bitcoin beach project, a pilot for Lightning Network's viability as MoE, El Salvador has adopted Bitcoin as legal tender. Other countries like Tonga, Colombia and other LatAm countries have expressed interest to follow suit. + +Strike app has introduced a Bitcoin tab, with the ability to purchase Bitcoin for a nominal fee of a few cents through the Lightning Network. + +Twitter is expected to launch a tipping system on its platform later this year using the Lightning Network. + +[Feeless payment of 1 satoshi sent from Spain to Tokyo \(Bankers won't be happy!\)](https://preview.redd.it/k8geuvu2aqc71.png?width=600&format=png&auto=webp&s=7b162df032cd8799f3b014c5f7f963feaaaa24b2) + +**Taproot** + +Now with Lightning Network's maturation as an instant, almost feeless, infinitely scalable decentralized global payments network, Bitcoin is shifting focus to its next big milestone, Taproot, which is due to go live in November. + +Taproot brings a set of protocols that further enhance Bitcoin's scalability through even more efficient use of block space by introducing a new type of output - Pay to Taproot (P2TR). + +P2TR uses Schnorr signatures, which are more compact than the conventional Elliptic Curve Digital Signing Algorithm (ECDSA) signatures. Schnorr signatures are between 6 and 9 bytes shorter than ECDSA, which saves block space. + +An even more exciting aspect of Schnorr signatures is that it enables the aggregation of multiple signatures into a single signature. This opens up infinite possibilities, including being able to execute multi-sigs and L2/sidechain smart contracts as a simple, regular on-chain transaction. + +It's a truly game-changing development, as it allows Bitcoin to have smart contracts without bloating the blockchain layer. Smart contracts can run on L2/sidechain protocols, but on the Bitcoin blockchain, they only take up a small space like any other transaction. It ensures that users are still able to economically run their own Bitcoin full node. + +Schnorr signatures bring more privacy to transactions by making multiple-signature transactions indistinguishable from single-signature transactions, and improve the security of layer-2 protocols by being provably non-malleable, meaning a third party cannot alter an existing signature. + +Further, Taproot also includes optimization for the Lightning Network called Point Time-Locked Contract(PTLC). PTLC replaces Hash Time-Locked Contract(HTLC). PTLC uses adaptor signatures, which enhance privacy and security on the Lightning Network, enabling escrow contracts in Lightning channels and allowing users to retry stuck payments. + +These are exciting times to be a Bitcoiner and that has nothing to do with the price. + +&#x200B; + +[Curfew cocktail bar in Copenhagen, Denmark accepting Lightning payment](https://i.redd.it/z2987hlw9qc71.gif) +- Alibaba (P/E = 55) (will buy at first dip, Chinese new years coming up, the Chinese are getting more cash to spend) + +- Act Blizzard (P/E = 49) (esports, mobile games, Call of Duty sales, growth) + +- Disney (P/E 19) (they will be competing vs Netflix soon, lower price plus ESPN, tons of TV channels, Marvel, Start Wars, Fox) + +- Aphria (marajuna will be a game-changing retail opportunity, they have a contract with the walgreens of Canada) +- Square +- Paypall (P/E = 66.76) +- LMT (P/E = 27) (defense spending coming up) +Seeing everyone's reactions to today's GameStop hearing gave me pause to wonder... Maybe the focus on Payment for order flow (PFOF) has been a case of carefully controlling the conversation away from the real issue on purpose. + +We know the real issue around GME is abusive shorting. It was abusively shorted, and available evidence says it continues to be. (No data supports that anyone covered. The only information provided as evidence has been 1. an anonymous source saying they covered in late Jan/early feb & 2. self reported short positions & 3. KenG saying they closed their positions in GME) + +What if this entire hearing is designed to try and control the public narrative away from the topic of shorting. They might be doing the magicians trick of waving their left hand in front of your face so that they can take action with their right hand. + +If they are trying to minimize the crater when this goes off, then they certainly wouldn't want it coming out in a hearing that Yes, GME continues to have a short interest of XXX% and it WILL explode. (causing everyone and their cat to immediately pile back in). It would make much more sense to redirect now, and Oh surprise, Hold another hearing focused on abusive short selling after the market meltdown, as a distraction from the real issue of overleverage, rehypothecation and abusive market makers + +These hearings seem to occur AFTER the fact of the thing they are discussing. + +PFOF was an issue that has now been exposed, Lets hold an ineffective hearing about this thing that has ALREADY had an impact. + +Abusive short selling. That fuse has been lit, but the explosion hasn't occurred. Why draw attention to it now in the hearing? + +After the upcoming market meltdown, I'm sure a hearing will occur focusing on the wrong thing again. Always putting Focus on the wrong topics as a distraction from the real currently impacting issues. +As the title states, we should be looking at around 120-140k in real estate proceeds depending on how the closing shakes out in the next little bit. + +We will need this money and use additional money saved to put down on the closing of our home construction. I’m wondering what people would do to grow this for roughly one year. + +I have researched some HYSA’s but would like to bet more without much risk or penalty for withdraw at the year mark. Thanks in advance!! +Edit: I make 200 a week give or take. The way I’ve been budgeting is by saving 75% , using 20% for expenses and 5% for leisure/entertainment. + +Edit 2: I want to thank all of you who have helped me so far I understand a lot more now and have a very good idea on what I should be focusing on more. You and your brains are beautiful! +I am trying to plan for my future from a financial standpoint but don’t really know where to start... + +Just a little background: I am 20 years old from South Carolina, work full time (30-40 hours a week) and attend college online full time. I work in the construction/carpentry field (repairing boat docks on lakes) and hours vary weekly due to weather, workload, etc. but I typically bring home $1,000-1,200 a month (which I feel like I’m selling myself short making $12/hour because retail in my area starts at that, but, that’s another story). I also do doordash to make a few extra bucks when time allows. I still live at home so my monthly cost of living is fairly low at $200-400 a month and I have no debt. I’m just now getting back on my feet financially per se after a rough period including a bad relationship, out of work, and financial mistakes on my part. No excuses are to be made, though. I’m finally starting to get back on my feet and want to try to establish a good future. + +What I’m trying to figure out is a good long term savings or retirement plan for my situation. My job doesn’t offer any benefits or retirement plans so it’s something I will have to do on my own. I’m starting to build up an emergency fund and solid savings and plan to put back my tax refund into savings. I’m not too familiar with different plans but want to at least get a start somewhere. + +What’s everyone’s advice for me to get something like that started and any other advice as to my current financial situation? +This is for a part-time job. Over 1,000 hours last year making just under $20k. + +The other day he tells me he was supposed to be offering a 401k option. Now he wants me to sign paperwork, seeming to be encouraging me to opt out since he won't be matching. + +I have two questions. Is there any point in considering a 401k through this job if there will be no matching contributions as opposed to starting a 401k on my own? + +And secondly, should I be concerned that going into my 4th year with him, my boss is just now mentioning that he was supposed to be offering a 401k plan? + +I've been meaning start an IRA but am still unsure if a Roth or traditional is best for me. + +I'm 38 and my other job made me roughly $23k last year, so about $43k total. Currently living rent-free with girlfriend so am able to put a good amount into savings, but that may not last forever. + +I don't currently have any any retirement plans. +TLDR is using COVID 401k withdrawal to pay off student loans a good idea? + +Hi everyone! I heard due to COVID you can withdrawal some 401k for financial assistance. I was curious as to potentially utilizing this to help pay off some student loans before they start accruing interest again at YE. I know i know, why have i been investing in a 401k when i have loans still? I am an amateur at this and right now it makes more sense to be investing tax free money now and pay off loans later. Thoughts? +I understand that negative equity is bad and results in losing money overall, but I just want to have a better understanding of it. Thank you all in advance. +I have an $11,000 car loan at 10.8% interest, if I were to make a payment of around 7000, would that take away a large portion of what I’d be paying to interest alone?? Not to financially savvy +I just turned 19 recently and I decided I want to properly set my financial life up. How should I get started? What resources should I read or watch to get knowledge on what to do? Anything helps + + +Early retirement is my main goal +Does it really matter which one you go with if you are essentially a “set it and forget it” type of investor? + +I know the differences between the two when it comes to intra-day versus end of day trading. And I have read that ETFs are better for tax purposes, but I think that mostly matters if you are working within a brokerage account correct? Is there much of a difference between these if you are not at all actively trading? +Im 34/American/30k+a year. I don't feel that I am bad with money but after the last year if research I feel like I am dumb about my income. The more I read the more I get overwhelmed and feel lost. It appears to me that starting an ira is not only safe but silly if I don't. I just don't know where to start or where the pifalls might be. +I’m receiving a 220k settlement in a few weeks for a car accident I was in. I have no idea what to do with it, so I’m hoping someone could guide me to some good resources for financial planning and investing. + +Edit: I definitely didn’t include enough information. So here goes. +Age: 29 +Relationship: engaged +Job: full time strength coach + Story: I was in a hit and run accident about a year and a half ago. Driver ran a stop sign, I was going about 45. Flipped 4 times and was ejected from the car. I was bed ridden for 3-4 months, and have been recovering since. Incredibly I am at 100% health right now, but I won’t be in about 20 years. Fractured 4 vertebrae in my +Spine and I’ll have to get a disc fusion someday. + +Debt: about $10k school debt after paying off almost all of it I’ve the last couple years + +Assets: I own a 06 Honda Accord, I’ve driven it since my accident, I’m 50/50 on buying a new car. It’s not necessary, but would be nice. Renting a house right now, paying $1600/mo split between me and my fiancé. No debt other than 10k school debt. I make about $4.5k/mo. I have 10k in savings as well as about 8K in crypto I bought and sat on 2 years ago. +I’ll keep this post pretty simple. + +I recently accepted a promotion at work and dropped out of school. + +I worked part time for a service company in sales and found that sales is my calling. After 9 months I was offered a promotion and I took it opting to not continue classes as I am now making about what I was expecting to make with my degree. + +I am earning 46000 a year in salary, and 6000 a year in commission minimum before bonuses and overtime. If I exceed in my new role as I have been I was informed I would be promoted again within 5 months time. Also additional commission would be made based on my locations overall sales metrics. + +I am 21 and have no idea how to manage this and save properly. + +Assuming the second promotion doesn’t occur and I remain in this role making 52k a year (the commission in my state is taxes differently than standard income so estimated take home will be 3500 a month after taxes and withholding) + +How should I split this up? My only current bills are my car/insurance and small things like gym and spotify. + +My current monthly needs (including gas) is about ~850 + +328 - car payment +299 - insurance +200 - gas for the month +23 - gym +5 - spotify + +I want to begin saving for my retirement along with for a down payment on a house. + +I plan on doing real estate on the side starting in February as well so my income will increase aswell. +I worked as an apprentice electrician and it was a joke how hard these guys worked for chump change. A lot of them like myself quit because the work was hard and the pay was decent at best and at worst exploitative. It'd funny, the reason I quit is because my supervisor who was sitting back said "I would never work for your pay" and that was so true. + +This is happening everywhere with tradesman. There is a lack of them and it's not because people don't want to do it, it's because the wages aren't there! Union/Non Union apprenticeship programs are the only way to go but those are difficult to get into a lot of the time (and God forbid you sign a contract that makes you pay back the class lessons). + +What is it with companies just not wanting to pay their goddamn employees? +Earlier today, after being inspired by /u/Daurgothoth I uploaded a [Bitcoin Vs. Western Union Ad](http://imgur.com/J2OTnrv) mocking WU's questionable use of grammar whilst comparing their prices to bitcoin. It ended up on top of /r/bitcoin and, multiple @westernunion tweets later, I was quite surprised to find my [original upload](http://i.imgur.com/t0QC0N2.png) has been mysteriously 'disappeared'. + +I can only assume this was due to a complaint from WU that the ad infringes their trademark/copyright. Only problem being - it doesn't. The ad clearly falls under the rulings on [Comparative Advertising](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_advertising). + +So, as I imagine the furious WU PR department scrambling into damage limitation mode, resorting to spurious copyright takedowns as their only means to suppress from the public the embarrassing truth that bitcoin poses to their archaic business model... I can't help but reflect on how far we've come in the last year. + +It is clear bitcoin is no longer at the 'first they laughed' stage and WU have moved into full on 'fight' mode - a year ago WU wouldn't have even blinked. + +Yet, there's only so much fighting the truth you can do before you eventually self-destruct; especially when you're fighting an 'enemy' that is a decentralised movement of people with no board of directors, leaders, or obvious targets (beyond the odd redditor) to be bullied. + +I guess it's bitcoiners that can do the laughing now. + +EDIT: Some 4 hours or so after contacting imgur and requesting a copy of any applicable DMCA takedown notices, it appears the hard image link has just been reinstated (although the gallery/comment page [is still down](https://imgur.com/t0QC0N2/)). +Unlike in their current content model, both avid and casual gamers have incredibly easy access to video games/mobile games and know where to get them. Producing new games is expensive and difficult; making them enjoyable and popular even more so. Licensing games from other companies like Sony or Activision would be incredibly expensive as well. Maybe more importantly, the gaming consumer is simply a different consumer - one that would much rather own a game forever than rent it or have access to it via a subscription. Gamers want their own Xbox, their PS5, their Switch, their PC, and they want to buy or download games that they then own as property. It’s just not the same thing as television media. + +Netflix created a new entertainment paradigm with streaming television shows and movies, but there’s just no window for them here in the gaming industry unless they come up with something new, which doesn’t seem to be their intention. +Please use this thread to have discussions which you don't feel warrant a new post to the sub. While the Rules for posting questions on the basics of personal finance/investing topics are relaxed a little bit here, the rules against memes/spam/self-promotion/excessive rudeness/politics still apply! + +Have a look at the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/wiki/faq) for this subreddit before posting to see if your question is frequently asked. + +Since this post does tend to get busy, consider sorting the comments by "new" (instead of "best" or "top") to see the newest posts. +We are going to be renting out our first property soon. + +My husband and I built out half our garage with Sheetrock, exterior door entrance into room, ac/heat (ductless). It’s a man cave that has a ton of value for us, with tv lounge area. You think potential renters would see it as a bonus? I don’t plan on asking more than $50 extra a month than with out it if at all bc my cash flow will be really good. It is not permitted (not sure if it was even necessary, TX) and not 100% finished/completed. Ceiling not painted, concrete floors. It’s also partially a storage closet that we used as an indoor garden. + +My agent said something about tearing it out if we sold but the plan is for rental. If it were up to me I’d want to feature it on the listing. Will renters see value in the space? +There's a small house on large expensive land I'm looking at buying. Mortgage broker says it won't qualify for conventional jumbo financing because the "improvement vs land value" is greater than 51% (on the land side). + +I googled but couldn't find any reference to this 51% limit. Is this actually a thing? +We own our house, worth about 450k. Husband used to be a builder and we have 80k in our LLC. We were denied a HELOC (we have good credit but inconsistent income). We are not able to find property for less than 80k in our area of Virginia. What are some other ways we could go about finding financing? Or should we look out of state? Are there any other options we have that I'm just not thinking of? Thanks! +I've seen owner occupied mortgages say that you must live in the home but I've never seen this before. What if something changes and I want to live in it? I don't plan on it but you know. +first post here, sorry for any naivety... + +I am a born and raised Los Angeleno, currently renting in the Venice area. Buying real estate in Los Angeles is nearly impossible these days. For a decent spot/location, it'd cost me 150k-200k down. + +Because of this, I'm looking into other states. A family friend recommended Vegas. A coworker recently bought in Boise. Anyone have any upcoming markets they're looking at in 2019? +A few weeks ago I decided to educate myself about real estate investing, and I still feel like I don’t know anything. I’ve been occasionally browsing duplex listings to get an idea of the market. + + +Im about 1.5 years out from starting my first investment so I still have plenty of time to learn. I’m really struggling with determining if a property would be a good investment. + +I found this duplex https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2009-Dellabrook-Rd-Winston-Salem-NC-27105/5750489_zpid/ + +At a quick glance could you tell me your opinion on it? Obviously the area is a huge factor and without some research it would be hard to make a call but what are your intital thoughts? + +I should probably mention that I would like to rent out the units and sit on them +I work in commercial real estate. Our team represents tenants/users in securing warehouse space encompassing most of North America. We are tenant rep brokers. One of our clients is taking a stab at development for the first time, and is allowing us to participate in the deal (he doesn’t need our money, more of a kind gesture). Land has been purchased. The warehouse will be roughly 250,000 SF. I’ll be investing $20,000 of equity. Once the building is completed, we will secure long term tenant/tenants and then exit the asset. We often sell our clients assets, but this will be my first time in participating in the deal, along with earning a normal brokerage fee. I expect this process to take about 24 months from breaking ground to exit. Wish us luck! +Has anyone had a tenant disappear? I have a commercial tenant who hasn’t paid rent since November, but last heard from them on December 20th that they’d be paying all the owed rent soon. I’ve texted and called multiple times since, but now there’s no reply on phone or text and their business’ social media also went away. + + + +My thought was to potentially evict, but there’s no way to even contact the tenant so how would this even go about? And is eviction even possible in Los Angeles right now with moratoriums and everything? + + +Haven’t been to the property recently so am not sure if someone is physically in the unit. +About to make an offer on my first quadplex, but wondering how worried i should be about a newer apartment across the street. + +The quad i am looking at is older, with studio apartments less than 600sq ft each. + +Has anyone owned multifamily near an apartment, how big a deal was it? Is it common? I am worried that I am not worrying enough. Anxiety. +My wife and I (27) have been looking to buy a home in New Jersey for the past 9-ish months with little luck. Yesterday, however, our offer was accepted on a $750k dream home, where we plan to stay and raise our future kids for the next 20-30 years minimum. The property taxes are ~12k per year, making our prospective home payment roughly $4000/month with 10% down. The only other debt we'd have aside from this mortgage is a $480/month car note. + +&nbsp; + +We make $207k on salary, and an additional ~33k in bonus/RSU's, $240k total. We're a bit above the traditional 3x income rule, but the numbers seem reasonable when I plug them into our budget spreadsheet. Take home is $10.2k after contributing 19% to 401k. After down payment / closing costs / furniture / etc. we'd have around 10-11 months of expenses in cash. + +&nbsp; + +What do you think? +You can buy everything on Amazon. I currently live in the middle of nowhere, and love the convenience of buying things that would normally require a 5 hour drive to civilization. However, my spending was starting to look like Michael Scott's- the "stuff that nobody, ever, ever needs" category was getting up there (smart scales, colorful pens, resistance bands). In March, my annual Prime subscription was up and after a less-than-stellar customer service experience, I cancelled. + +I still get free shipping- all items marked as Prime eligible ship free if you have $25 dollars in your cart. This has helped curb the impulse buys of dumb crap. Letting things sit in my cart for a week has forced me to be more conscious of what I'm buying and now I think through those useless things I don't really need. + +This probably isn't the best decision for everyone. My area doesn't have a Whole Foods, or Prime Same-Day. Groceries are cheap where I live, so I got no use out of Prime Pantry. I have other streaming services for video and music. Ultimately, I wish I had cancelled sooner. + + +CTASK IS A VERY UNDERVALUED GEM + +To make a life changing financial gains in CRYPTO, It’s all about finding a solid new disrupter early, jumping in when it is still small, and make sure you have diamond hands to ride the wave all the way up. + +Very recently I found a new decentralized disruptor which is exciting me tremendously, as it will change a $1 TRILLION industry forever: Freelancing. That’s right, 1 Trillion dollars – that’s bigger than the economies of Switzerland and Saudi Arabia combined. + +The company I’m referring to has built a decentralized platform with and for freelancers, making it suit all of their needs. In a nutshell, key benefits are much lower fees than on regular platforms (all freelancers, and companies looking for freelancers know one thing: fees are criminally high) higher speed, more transparency and a much easier way to connect customers with freelancers and vice versa. + +The company I’m referring to just launched in February 2021 but already reached a high amount of 30.000 freelancers subscribed on their platform, and has recently shared to be actively negotiating with partners to establish a strong base in big freelance markets in Asia, Africa and North and South America. To put this in perspective, centralized market leader Fiverr has ‘only’ 830K freelancers subscribed, and is valuated above 4 Billion dollars. + +Let me reveal the disrupting challenger I’m talking about; it’s Crypto Task ($Ctask). It is trying to disrupt the freelance industry for good, but currently has a tiny market cap of only $5M and their Crypto is trading around $3! You do the math – Crypto Task ($Ctask) only has to grow its number of freelancers by x27 to reach the same number of freelancers as market leader Fiverr. This means that if that happens and the market cap grows hand in hand, it would still only be $135 Million, which is more than 30x smaller than Fiverr currently! Even more crazy, if you understand that the current generation tends to value decentralized and digitalized disrupters much higher, than traditional players (just look at the stock of Tesla, Amazon or Apple and this becomes crystal clear). + +CTASK ToTal Supply = 15,000,000 + +Circulating Supply = 1,688,552 + +Dextools = [https://www.dextools.io/app/uniswap/pair-explorer/0x8d82b68f2346483d6b210383edbe27e7f5ef2365](https://www.dextools.io/app/uniswap/pair-explorer/0x8d82b68f2346483d6b210383edbe27e7f5ef2365) + +Contract address = 0x196c81385bc536467433014042788eb707703934 + +Uniswap = https://app.uniswap.org/#/swap?inputCurrency=0x196c81385bc536467433014042788eb707703934 + +Website = [https://about.cryptotask.org/](https://about.cryptotask.org/) + +Speculating the Future price of CTASK if it achieves the marketcap of it’s competitors + +At marketcap of Fiverr + +$CTASK = $3,680 + +At marketcap of Upwork + +$CTASK = $3,017 + +At marketcap of Freelancer + +$CTASK = $164 + +$CTASK current price + +$3 + +So undervalued.. + +30k registered members, more marketing about to start, we will be crushing $100 real soon. +This is my first time shilling a token, but I think this coin has an interesting idea and deserves to be shilled. + +Do you love Lotteries? + +Do you love Cryptos? + +This new coin combines the powers of both. The **problem** with lotteries is that once you buy a ticket, you have **1** chance to win. If you lose, your investment is *gone for life*. **This coin addresses that issue**. Lottery-based tokens are starting to pop up now and this coin tackles the lottery aspect in a new way. + +Here is how the token works: + +Once a day, the pot transfers whatever is in it to 3 random wallets equally. If that wallet holds MORE tokens than the award, they get all of the award. If that wallet holds LESS than the award, they get 50% of the award, and the other 50% gets burned. This is to prevent people from creating tons of wallets with small holdings in them to increase their chances of winning. + +Example: The pot holds 30,000 tokens. At the end of the day, 3 wallets will get 10,000 tokens each. If wallet #1 holds 6,000 tokens, then that wallet gets 5,000 tokens as an award and the other 5,000 gets burned. If Wallet #2 holds 12,000 tokens, then that wallet gets the entire 10,000 token award. It **rewards you** for buying and **holding** + +Tokenomics. + +5% Tax on each transaction + +🔥 2.5% is burned + +💰2.5% gets placed in the pot + +1,000,000 total supply. + +🔒 Liquidity locked for 1 month using unicrypt + +If you know anything about supply and demand, you'd realize that the price will moon from here at this burn rate. Think of the token like a **forever lottery ticket**. You purchase 1 ticket for x amount and you can enter to win $$$ **every single fucking day.** When you're tired of it, you can sell your 1 ticket at a higher price than you bought it for and make a gain. Everyone benefits. + +I cannot stress enough that this coin doesn't give quadrillions of tokens like others. With only a million tokens, the price is gonna skyrocket once people start buying them up or it gets burned. Remember, it's less than a day old. When this moons, you heard it here first. + +The coin has massive potential. Last time I invested in a lottery crypto, it 10x. As usual, do your own research. Check the website. Ask questions in the telegram group. Devs had sleepless nights trying to get everything set up. This project is still new and serious marketing hasn't even started (There is a dev wallet to fund such marketing). This is definitely a long term hold for me. + +The coin encourages you to check on it every day since you might win. How cool is that? So 1 month from now you won't forget about it because it will be on your mind. Did I win today? hehehehe.. Love dis coin. Imagine the daily prize amount once this token gets 1,000+ holders each trading on a daily basis? Do.....you....see what I see? I aped in! + +The pot is gonna be filling up quickly during these first few days from all the sweet sweet taxes. I expect many thick ass pots this week. I'd encourage super short term traders to stick around for a few days to see if you win. You could win life changing money. As usually **DYOR.** I'd much rather you look up the coin and join with conviction than to simply scroll down and click buy (lol which I must admit I do sometimes) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**Links** + +BSC SCAN: [https://bscscan.com/token/0x865d0c78d08bd6e5f0db6bcbf36d3f8eb4ad48f8](https://bscscan.com/token/0x865d0c78d08bd6e5f0db6bcbf36d3f8eb4ad48f8) + +Pancakeswap: [https://exchange.pancakeswap.finance/#/swap?outputCurrency=0x865d0c78d08bd6e5f0db6bcbf36d3f8eb4ad48f8](https://exchange.pancakeswap.finance/#/swap?outputCurrency=0x865d0c78d08bd6e5f0db6bcbf36d3f8eb4ad48f8) + +Telegram: [https://t.me/kilimanjaro\_community](https://t.me/kilimanjaro_community) + +Website: [https://kilimanjaro.finance/](https://kilimanjaro.finance/) + +Chart: [https://poocoin.app/tokens/0x865d0c78d08bd6e5f0db6bcbf36d3f8eb4ad48f8](https://poocoin.app/tokens/0x865d0c78d08bd6e5f0db6bcbf36d3f8eb4ad48f8) + +Medium: [https://kilimanjarofinance.medium.com/](https://kilimanjarofinance.medium.com/) + +Twitter: [https://twitter.com/kilimanjarodefi](https://twitter.com/kilimanjarodefi) +EDIT: + + +-this was at Olive Garden + +-Yes I know $5 is a low tip. +Why? Bc the waiter was rude + +-It has been an interesting discussion of tipping. + +- I will follow up with the manager tomorrow and if nothing comes of it I’ll be contacting my bank + +I went out to a major chain restaurant a few weeks ago, today while looking over my bank statement I see they charged me $112. +I call the restaurant, the manager looks it up and says; +“Your meal was $62 and you left a $50 tip.” +I know I left a $5 tip and I remember writing the amount on the receipt after the tip too. I should’ve only been charged $67! + +After I explained I only left the $5, +He took down my information and nonchalantly said “this happens and he’ll try to fix it.” +He said he’ll send me a copy of the receipt to my email but never did. + +What’s my best way to fix this? Should I keep following up with the restaurant or should I immediately contact my bank, I don’t have my receipt and I used a debit card. + +I definitely don’t have that money to be spending like that and I feel upset that the manager didn’t even seem to care. +Is it more plausible that it was an honest mistake or someone blatantly stealing? +# This post will teaching you the key to trading options in illiquid markets. + +# Low capacity spaces contain some of the best trading opportunities for retail traders because they are usually less efficiently priced. + +**But** **one of the hardest parts of trading in low capacity spaces (and most overlooked) is execution.** + +Often times, it can be the difference between a profitable strategy and an unprofitable one. + +This is because our edge is usually small, and leaving money on the table due to poor execution can be devastating in the long run. + +This is why I usually tell traders I know to stick to liquid names. The bid ask spreads are much tighter, and execution has less of an impact on your outcomes. + +The problem with strictly sticking to liquid names is that as retail traders, often times there is more opportunity to be found in smaller, less liquid names. + +With less eyes on a stock, it makes sense that volatility will be priced less efficiently (which means more chance for us to come in and price volatility better than the market)! + +# But if the market is illiquid, how can we trade it? + +The short answer is that we need to *understand what volatility line we want to sell at*, and then try to get filled at the corresponding option prices! + +&#x200B; + +>Note: *Want to read the rest of my posts?* [Click here to view a list of them.](https://classic-desert-4cb.notion.site/Ultimate-Guide-to-Selling-Options-061ca90e28cc494eb855de5ce398af7e) +> +>\^ Link to a notion page with all the reddit posts listed + +&#x200B; + +# This post will dive into the concept of understanding the volatility line you are selling at so that you can trade illiquid stocks with more confidence. + +To understand this, we are going to use $VOD as our trade example. + +&#x200B; + +>**Note**: *I do not have a position on VOD. It came up in my scan expensive volatility scan, and chose to use it for this demonstration because a) IV is overstating RV b) It is very illiquid* + +&#x200B; + +When it showed up in my scan today, the 15.5 puts expiring Jan 07 2022 had a bid of $0.67 and an ask of $1.94. + +Let's say I came in and tried to get a fill at the mid for $1.30, and I did! I might sit there and say "*Nice, I got filled at a fair price!*" + +But here's the issue. In this case, the mid is *not* fair value. It's not even the markets fair value. + +# The mid is just the middle price between the bid and the ask. + +If the person on the ask is more aggressive, then the mid will be much more favourable to the buyer than to the seller. And if the person on the bid is more aggressive, the mid will appear much more favourable to the seller. + +This is because the mid price can be easily changed by small actions on either side of the market. + +# Here's an example to make this clear. + +Imagine we are looking at a stock with an illiquid options market for it. + +When we look at an option for it, we see that the bid is $0.50 and the ask is $5.00. There is 1 lot on the bid (one person looking to buy one contract as the bid), and 1 lot on the ask (one person looking to sell one contract as the ask). + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/4lv4fte321481.png?width=1332&format=png&auto=webp&s=bee4f470b5a2bec5a5d636e064c1ff0f01113384 + +The picture above is what this market would look like. Given the gap between the bid and the ask, we would see the mid at $2.75. + +But what would happen if a new market participant came in and offered to sell options at $3.50? Well now the ask on this option chain is $3.50, not $5.00! + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/bx0jf29621481.png?width=1608&format=png&auto=webp&s=424d7ee4629adf56d6430c2fb9f266716246c6d2 + +This means that our mid has just changed drastically. It was $2.75, now it is $2.00! So which is the markets true fair value? + +*The answer is that in illiquid markets, we can't use the mid to estimate fair value.* + +On something liquid like QQQ, SPY, or AAPL, the mid is great. The market is really competitive, with really smart people on both sides posting the bid/ask. So it's actually a good estimate of market fair value. Butt when it's illiquid, the mid is meaningless. + +# Let's go back to our VOD example now. + +At the time of the trade, I went into my brokerage was showing IV at around 50% for the put options. But with the bid ask spread so wide, how do we know if this is even a legit number? To figure out if we can actually sell at 50% IV, we can answer the following question: + +*"If I wanted to sell VOD puts at 50% IV, what price would I need to sell the the put options for?"* + +To answer this, we can use a Black Scholes calculator to price what the options should be worth *given* the level of implied volatility we want to sell at. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/lu1gdyh121481.png?width=1592&format=png&auto=webp&s=56c2c92132d9167be782687b11f19c69b6d88362 + +I input the current price, strike price, expiration, and volatility my brokerage was showing. Once I ran the calculation, I see that the put premium is $1.12. + +With this, I can conclude: + +***If I want to sell put options at 50% IV on VOD, I need to collect at least $1.12 in premium for each option***. + +If I collect more than that, I am selling at a higher IV, and if I collect less than that, I am selling at a lower IV. + +# Let's say we didn't know how to price the options, and we blindly tried to get a fill. + +Imagine this situation: + +*We looked at the data ad thought VOD options were expensive at 50% IV. The stock is only realizing 30% volatility.. so it's an easy sell! The market was illiquid, so we worked our order and* ***eventually sold a put option for $0.95.*** + +Is this a good trade? Did we even sell what we meant to? + +# Let's check. + +To figure this out, we need to use a calculator that allows us to input basic option information, but instead of adjusting the volatility to get price (as we did with the previous calculator), this time we are going to input the price to get the volatility! + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/9dkkjkeul5481.png?width=2326&format=png&auto=webp&s=bf5f9cf76adf197be71e503e5e69eef3ac10af8c + +Just like the other calculator, I input the option basics (what kind of option, underlying price, strike, expiration), but now I also enter the price I sold at (rather than the IV). + +The output is the implied volatility of the option I sold, given the price I sold it for. + +# Because I was too aggressive on my order, I actually sold at 40% IV instead of 50% IV. + +With my fair value at 35% IV or so, I just erased almost all of my edge by being too aggressive. I didn't know when to stop, and I've either left money o the table or actually have a -EV trade now. + +I hope this example with VOD makes it clear how important knowing the vol line *you want to sell, and actually get filled at* is for your trading. + +If you have questions about this, please leave a comment and I will try my best to help you. + +# Ok, so I priced the option, and know where I want to sell. How flexible can I be with getting a fill? + +Once we know the IV we want to sell at, and what price we should be selling for in the market, how strict do we need to be with getting that price. + +Looking at our VOD example, we are aiming to get $1.12 for the put option. But would we be happy with $1.11? How about $1.05? How can we figure out the minimum that we are happy to collect on this trade? + +The answer depends on how much edge you have on the trade. This is why valuation is important. + +# Here's a clear example (not options related, but it illustrates my point well). + +**Let's say that you know for sure that AAPL is going to $200 tomorrow. How much should you be willing to pay for AAPL today?** + +The answer is obviously *anything below $200.* + +Maybe with some room for error depending on your confidence. + +**But the key point is that you have to value it**. **You have to be able to say that AAPL is worth $200.** + +The same thing goes for option trading. We are saying that the fair value for VOD is much closer to what it is currently realizing. Maybe 35-40 vol. + +So how can we think about this? + +1. VOD is currently trading for 50% IV. It's realizing about 32% IV. +2. I think fair value is closer to 35-40% IV. +3. I need to leave a margin for error incase my calculations are slightly off +4. After everything, there needs to be enough profit that it's worth taking on the risk of this stock moving a lot. + +# Knowing this, it doesn't make sense for me to get filled at the 40% IV line. + +Its very close to my opinion on fair value, doesn't leave much room for me to be wrong or make a profit. + +Anything below about 47% IV would not be something that I would do. Using the option calculator and adjusting for this, I can conclude: + +* I want to sell the put option for $1.12 +* I am willing to lower my ask to $1.06 + +If I am unable to get a fill for above $1.06, the trade is no longer worth taking, and I will have to either wait for a fill or move on to another trade. I've witnessed many occasions where traders will get too aggressive with their orders, and then are left wondering why they are losing money. + +By always knowing the volatility line you are selling at, you will avoid this problem and be able to better take advantage of illiquid markets. + +# Conclusion + +Most the time, traders think that once they have found a good idea, the hard work is done. But what you come to realize as you continue to improve and find your own edges, is that one of the hardest part in trading is actually the execution. Usually, that is the difference between a +EV and -EV strategy, and I will consider this post a success if that has been made clear and you have a solution to this problem when liquidity makes it hard to find market fair value. + +Always remember, when we are trading in an illiquid market we **need** to price our options. + +This is crucial. If we can't price the option when we go to trade it, all the work we put into trying to price it beforehand is jeopardized. + +On the flip side, when we are able to price the volatility we are aiming to get filled at, we are now free to explore illiquid option chains for potential opportunity. These tend to be lower capacity spaces, with less eyes on them, and therefore more opportunity for the small guy. + +Remember, as retail trades, we are all relatively "small fish". We don't need to be in the ocean to find food, we can hunt in a pond. + +When you can price the volatility you need to be trading at, hunting in the pond becomes a lot more satisfying. + +Happy trading, + +\~ A.G. +My partner and I just closed on our forever home - a $700k 5 bd 3400 square feet house in our desired location in NC. We put 20% down but still paid a bit more than expected due to the high demand in our area. + +Our financials.. + +We make $180k pre tax and have no debt aside from mortgage. We are very behind in retirement and are aware of this (in early 30s). Have about $10k combined in a 401k. We have $10k in sinking funds and $60k in our emergency fund. + +Monthly income: $9600 net + +Mortgage: $3100 + +Utilities/internet: $400 + +Cell phone: $100 + +Subscriptions: $40 + +Groceries/take out: $550 + +Gas: $150 + +Car insurance: $150 + +Pet: $100 + +Sinking funds (travel, beauty, etc): $800 + +We will have about $4200 leftover a month after expenses. Planning on maxing our IRAs and my 401k from now on. We like to think our house payment is reasonable however our coworkers and family members are saying we are "house poor" and if either one of us were to be jobless, we are screwed. We also would like to start trying for a kid in 5 years. I like to think our jobs are stable (healthcare) but I'm feeling much more anxious about our new home now. We are hoping to increase our combined income to 200k by next year but is our situation as bad as everyone is making it sound out to be? +That is all. Regardless of what price does, I’ve got that Bitcoin. It can’t be confiscated, censored, and the fed can’t print more to make their elite billionaire buddies rich. With 36 million multi-millionaires in the world and 21 million Bitcoin, this one’s mine. That means something to me and I suspect in the years to come more will feel the same way. +According to [Subreddit Stats](https://subredditstats.com/list/subscriber-growth-week) r/CryptoCurrency gained +13284 new subscribers on Friday and +80484 in the last week. Second best rank of all the subreddits, first one was the dogecoin subreddit of course. + +To all the newcomers, welcome. Make yourselves at home. Once you join us, it's hard to leave (no wonder we are called a cult). + +Past week has been insane in the crypto world, so naturally things here weren't like they normally are. Your curious posts/comments may have been ignored a bit. In the weekend things are a bit more chill, so feel free to ask us anything you want. + +Oh, and these yellow cookie-looking things are called Moons, our very own cryptocurrency. Learn about them and cherish them. + +EDIT: It's now over 94k new members for the week +looking at the weekends sales data in Melbourne in some of the interest suburbs, i see a treed of majority as private sale and all those price withheld... whats the reason for this and how to understand the trend of property current value? any thought? +We have been looking to buy a house for the last 4 month's actively going to open homes/ Auctions every chance we get, budget $700,000 - 750,000. We are low balling and taking our time (no rush in this market). One thing I have noticed is the hordes of people still looking going to Auctions with 30-40 people but only 2-3 bidders. + +Talking to a few people and most are same position as us want to buy but are taking there time or waiting to they think it will stop falling. + +My purely Anecdotal observation is that there is still a lot of pent up demand particularly for nicer well kept houses (not ex rentals that have been neglected) and at a certain price point they enter the market. + +&#x200B; + +I know there my be some economic pain in the short - mid term but in Newcastle at least there are heaps of buyers sitting on the sidelines waiting to buy at the right time. + +&#x200B; +[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jan/03/china-evergrande-shares-suspended-from-trading-in-hong-kong](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jan/03/china-evergrande-shares-suspended-from-trading-in-hong-kong) + +The collapse of Evergrande seems to be taking forever. But the story continues gradually, approaching a final conclusion. Is this still something to be concerned about or has it possibly already been "priced in" to the current state of the market? +Out of curiosity, various changes often come into effect Jul 1. + +Is there anything anyone in the know would like to share that may help or is worth knowing? + +For (a completely made up) example, farmers will be slogged with a yearly $2500 sheep levy potentially meaning wool will go up or something. +I’m refinancing my properties and loaning a decent amount of cash to buy a business and I was told I’d be signing on PEXA at the start of December. It’s now mid December and I have spoken to the new account manager and he’s saying it’s unlikely that anything will be happening before March now. +I have now got to deal with a vendor who is pissed with all the delays. I started the process of signing paperwork at the start of September, now I’m looking at handover in March. +How do I respectfully escalate this to get it done quicker? +I am an 18 year old who is currently living with his parents but am starting a new job next month. I will be earning £17,500 per year. Unfortunately, parents/school have both neglected to teach me anything about personal finance / money management at all so far. + +I am looking for advice etc. so that I can get the basics of money management / personal finance down. + +So far I have been reading / researching the wiki and the "Your Money Matters" textbook that it links to. +Sorry if this isn’t the place to put this but I’m not sure where else is appropriate. + +Back story: + +My Dad (53) recently had a heart attack (he is fine) but I found out he has no plans for his death; no will, no funeral or financial plans. He is pretty poor at this and has no understanding really of financial planning. + +I am his eldest son (31) and I have a brother who is 10. But it’s dawned on me that any of his outstanding debt or funeral costs will pass to me (I think). In terms of his financial state, right now he has no debt (that I’m aware of), no credit cards, no assets (house etc) he pretty much just has his belongings and a work place pension, he has a car. + +I want to help him plan so my brother and don’t end up with any potential future costs or debt he may incur before his death. + +After speaking to a couple of companies about life insurance - this is pretty much off the table now, at least for a while. Some did mention over 50s plans. + +I want to know what my options are to help him plan or even do/pay it for him. + +I don’t mean for this to sound heartless I just want him to have a plan in place. +Avid reader of this sub and I’ve been having more and more concerning conversations with friends, family, colleagues etc. + +I’m in a large whatsapp group for a fitness community and the topic has come up this morning about people being able to afford to pay bills with everything going through the roof. + +A lot of people are worried about defaults and CCJ’s and it got me thinking🤔 + +I wondered what people’s opinions where if large swaths of the population began defaulting because of being unable to pay and then in tern ending up with CCJ’s, if this happened to a large percentage of the population what could this do to the economy? + +Millions/tens of millions unable to get credit, no mortgages, no credit cards, no loans, no buy now/pay later + +Realistically what type of damage could this cause? I appreciate I’m looking at a very worst case scenario +I coded a crypto trading bot that buys cryptocurrency based on how reddit feels about that particular coin, with a specific criteria: + +&#x200B; + +* The coin needs to be in top 40 by marketcap +* No Stablecoins + +With that in mind, I created a bot that looks at reddit posts from various different subreddits, looks for keywords matching any of the top 40 coins by mcap, and tries to analyse if the title or the description of the post is positive. The only condition here is that the post needs to be in top 10 hot in order for it to be taken into account. + +&#x200B; + +With that in mind, here are the results: + +&#x200B; + +The bot bought the following coins: BTC ETH ALGO XLM ADA SOL LINK DOGE MATIC XTZ LTC VET DAI CAKE DOT EOS AAVE XMR MKR ATOM. + +Apart from a couple, there are all coins that I would invest into myself, so it appears that the reddit hivemind is wiser than I thought! + +&#x200B; + +Here's a chart for daily % changes for each coin: + +https://preview.redd.it/p9ig600lmpf71.png?width=1646&format=png&auto=webp&s=ac957a16dbc3678b3b33bc0296fee77c17ae27e2 + +And here's a scatter plot for the same: + +https://preview.redd.it/109iwxj3mpf71.png?width=1608&format=png&auto=webp&s=22be79fc48fcf96dfdd3d32f41e55787a279ba3c + +1 month in, and bought before the most recent dip as you can see in the charts and I am on an average of 11% profit. + + Can you imagine that? I made 11% profit by using a bot that buys based on what we discuss here every day! If anything, this means that the quality of coins talked about in this subreddit decent enough for an algorithm to pick that up and make profitable investments with it, and for that I want to say thank you! + +I forgot to mention that the tool can be used in test or live mode so if you're keen to figure out how it works here's a guide I wrote on it: + +[https://www.cryptomaton.org/2021/07/10/coding-a-crypto-trading-algorithm-that-analyses-reddit-sentiment/](https://www.cryptomaton.org/2021/07/10/coding-a-crypto-trading-algorithm-that-analyses-reddit-sentiment/) +What kinda retarded-ass question was that? You’re telling me you drove all the way to the shareholder meeting, listened through hours of business executives talk about shit nobody cares about, and when given the opportunity to ask ELON HIMSELF if he plans to cooperate with any mining companies, perhaps one that rhymes with “hail”, you instead ask if he would be willing to sponsor your stupid ska band. + +The blood of my calls is on your hands, faggot. + +Pos: $VALE 14 9/25 + $VALE 11 9/25 + $VALE 12.5 9/25 + +EDIT: yeah I know it’s not pronounced like that but I figured that’s how 85% of the retards on this sub pronounced it (myself included) +I know this might be a long shot, but... + +FIRE is not a new concept -- anyone here was raised by FIRE parents (or maybe has second hand experience)? What was different compared to your peers with working parents? Do you treat money different as a result? +I have a problem. + +I'm blessed to not paying rent right now but I buy the food for the house. We are four well-fed adults, if you catch my drift. + +We spent just under $1700 on food (grocery, take out and alcohol) in April. + +I'm so freaking ashamed. Like... I knew it was bad, but finally facing the amount shocked me. There's nothing else to do right now while under a stay at home order... So we get food. We eat. That's all we do. That's the only place my money is going... And it's GOING. It's having other effects, too. I'm sure as a unit, we put on probably 50 pounds in April. Maybe more. I feel bloated and swollen and heavy and gross. + +I'm on unemployment until May 11 when I go back to work. I got my stimulus. I'm doing OK financially compared to a lot of people and what do I do? Blow it all mainly on fast food... I have a problem. My whole household has a problem. + +I keep thinking what I could have done with that extra $1000... I know we could have done fine eating on $700 for the month. I'm embarrassed. I'm begging for help here. I'm publicly shaming myself in hopes it'll kick my butt into gear. + +Anyone else who shares this food spending problem? Anyone overcame it and have words of advice or encouragement? I can't keep doing this. I've got very expensive visa applications to pay next month. + +Help me... +So today have received a letter through the post from Dwp outlining I have an outstanding debt owed to them. When I log into the online portal it says I owe due to a universal credit advance from September last year. I have never been in receipt of universal credit and earn too much for it to be available to me. + +To sort this is it as simple as calling on Monday morning and outlining the above or do I have to do anything more serious? How have they got this messed up in the first place? +Last night u/not_ya_wify had [posted this](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/wbowsf/apparently_in_bern_switzerland_moass_has_already/) and instead of DM'ing everyone I wanted to make this post. + +I got in that website seems like you don't need an account for it, which is cool. + +[This is the link as seen in OOP picture](https://tradingdesk.finanzen.net/), but after you'd click on it you have to search for GME and you can click on US-DOLLAR INDIKATION + +[Then you get this watchlist](https://preview.redd.it/fy2vc3w6xoe91.png?width=1174&format=png&auto=webp&s=579571a3a093d4c3c29d1fce02209921d3a27e6c) + +Then you double click the Gamestop Corp DI and now you can see the GME chart .. kinda weird for a charting software, anyway. + +&#x200B; + +[you have to click on this US-DOLLAR INDIKATION .. my god is that a mouthful](https://preview.redd.it/135bnhjgxoe91.png?width=446&format=png&auto=webp&s=e728e824047b074c6b77e0435203eeb58ef02fac) + +&#x200B; + +[And then you choose BERN.. whatever that is I DON'T SPEAK THE LANG](https://preview.redd.it/wptd99boxoe91.png?width=258&format=png&auto=webp&s=e9dae06107d62f2ca722947614abc37b0a1652a0) + +And then you got this full expensive chart + +[DONE](https://preview.redd.it/7abdid6vxoe91.png?width=617&format=png&auto=webp&s=1da4c39b9fabb2df83465e96378df11f2e778e29) + +u/-einfachman- please check this post +(I'm copying this post from my post on /r/investing [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/qxjwg0/theres_an_extremely_blatant_astroturfing_effort/) since it seems like I can't cross-post. I want to raise awareness because this subreddit is a target.) + +[This](https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/qxeym8/buying_copper_stocks_now_that_prices_are_taking_a/) post about copper miners just hit the top of /r/investing, and it's a good example of the obvious astroturfing effort that's going on. + +Take a look at this account's [post history](https://www.reddit.com/user/KatheKnuth/submitted/) and you'll see a common pattern: a few karma-farming posts from a couple of months ago that invariably come in subreddits like /r/aww, /r/nextfuckinglevel, /r/MadeMeSmile, /r/funny, etc. Then nothing, then a submission to a stock subreddit. Anybody with experience moderating subreddits can pick this out as a bought account immediately. This is an extremely common pattern where people build up some easy karma on a clean account and then sell it for use in various promotional campaigns. + +Take a look at the post content and you'll see a pattern that will repeat: one or two paragraphs of content-free 'analysis' about events in whatever mining sector, then a series of 'pitch' paragraphs where they link to a random junior miner and include the ticker. Presumably this is an attempt to pump/draw attention to these stocks. + +I've been noticing this happening in /r/investing and /r/stocks over the past few months, here are a few examples that I picked up in just 15 minutes by searching for recent posts about 'mining', 'copper', 'gold', and other such keywords. On each of these posts note the exact same post framework and then click on the username -> 'posted' tab to see the exact same type of post history. + +* [/r/investing, 2 days ago, 'junior mining'](https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/qvx11z/is_investing_in_junior_mining_stocks_worth_it/) +* [/r/investing, 8 days ago, 'copper'](https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/qqs5bp/coppers_current_situation_is_concerning/) +* [/r/investing, 1 month ago, 'gold stocks'](https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/qb8e3y/going_big_on_some_gold_stocks/) +* [/r/investing, 1 month ago, 'gold mining'](https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/q8le51/investing_in_gold_mining_stocks_after_the_recent/) +* [/r/investing, 1 month ago, 'mining companies'](https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/peh0q5/mining_companies_and_engaging_with_communities/) +* [/r/stocks, 4 days ago, 'copper prices'](https://www.reddit.com/r/stocks/comments/qudym9/why_do_copper_prices_still_go_down_despite_the/) +* [/r/stocks, 16 days ago, 'copper and lithium'](https://www.reddit.com/r/stocks/comments/qlsbil/im_about_to_invest_in_some_copper_and_lithium/) +* [/r/stocks, 1 month ago, 'copper prices'](https://www.reddit.com/r/stocks/comments/q3vsf4/will_the_recent_fall_in_copper_production_affect/) + +This is just quickly scanning over posts in these two subreddits over the past month - it's been going on longer than that and I'm guessing is probably in other investing-related subreddits as well that I just don't see. + +Anyway, I don't have any personal opinion on the stocks or sectors in question, but I do feel it's good to point this out and to remind everybody that when you're reading stuff on Reddit you are not necessarily reading agenda-free or good faith discussions, you are being marketed to. So be suspicious about this stuff. Not sure how much the moderators can realistically do but maybe good for them to be aware of this as well (/u/Fauster, /u/CriticDanger, /u/ScottyStellar) +[Amount will increase from 6 December](https://www.natwest.com/savings/manage-your-savings/savings-interest-rates-changes.html). Up from 5% on £1000 at present. + +Still limit of £150 a month maximum pay in, but if you've already got to £1000, make sure to put in £150 by end of November and start your new Standing Order for £150 a month up. + +Round Up savings do not count towards the £150 limit so worth turning this on too on your current account at the double level to get to the £5K as quickly as possible. Paid interest also doesn't count towards the £150. +I'm as poor as a church mouse so it's daily, dirt-cheap TV dinners for me with zero room for snacks or anything extra. + +I find myself constantly dreaming about just being able to enjoy a stack of pancakes, a tuna sandwitch, potato chips, a burger or a homeade meatloaf dinner. I don't care about lobster, giant steaks or caviar...just very basic, normal food that I can't afford. + +I can't even imagine what it would be like to actually eat out and no, I can't just "get a job", go on food stamps, play the lottery, etc. +**EXCHANGES** + +Don’t store your Bitcoins on an exchange long term, it doesn’t matter how reputable the company behind it is, the biggest and most trusted exchanges were victims to exit-scams and hacks in the past. + +Exchanges are good for one thing, exchanging, buying or selling for the best rates. That’s it. + +**WALLETS** + +A Hardware wallet will always be the safest method of accessing your funds. It’s a device that stores your 24 word seed offline on a chip. The private key won’t be exposed even if your computer is compromised. Note that no Bitcoins are ever stored on the device itself but on the Blockchain. + +The most trusted hardware wallets by the community are: [BitBox02](https://shiftcrypto.ch/bitbox02/), [Coldcard](https://coldcardwallet.com), [Ledger](https://www.ledger.com) & [Trezor](https://trezor.io) + +Every device has their upsides and downsides, do a comparison yourself to find out which device fits you the best. Make sure to only order from the official website and no third party source. Also request the deletion of your customer data, Ledger was victim to a data breach that revealed personal information. + +**SEED BACKUP** + +You should always back up your 24 words that are the keys to your Bitcoin address. The most common methods are either a plain sheet of paper or a metal plate. I would recommend a metal plate since they are resistant to water, fire and earthquakes. + +[Here](https://jlopp.github.io/metal-bitcoin-storage-reviews/) is a good overview of metal backups, rated and stress tested. + +Only store your keys offline. Never ever type them in any device other than your hardware wallet. There is numerous malware out there that targets this information. + +**USE COMMON SENSE** + +• If it’s too good to be true, it’s too good to be true. + +• Never share your Bitcoin balance anywhere, you’ll be targeted by scammers, hackers and other individuals. + +• Don’t hand out your keys to anyone. Not to official exchange support, friends, invesment bankers etc. (With the key your Bitcoin can be stolen from anywhere in the world.) + +• Most Bitcoin are lost because they lose their private keys. Be responsible, don’t make it overly complicated by splitting the seed. Just store it somewhere securely. +We stumbled upon an interesting exploit on Coinbase when making the hosting payments for our group buys. At first I was like "Woah! An extra 24BTC, bank error in your favor, sweet!... " + +But this isn't a bank...it's Bitcoin, and the bug I stumbled upon could have been deadly in the wrong hands. I figured out the details of how to replicate it and reported it to Coinbase ~ who promptly fixed their code and hooked me up for the find. + +I'm impressed by Coinbase's responsiveness and professionalism, and very grateful for the reward. +Ok so before you downvote let me explain... + +I've been part of both communities for years, I'm seeing the transformation in both and it worries me. + +WSB is fighting hedge funds that are short selling a GME at 120% basically pinning them down and making them go bankrupt by driving the share price up. Kind of a catch22 since shorts don't expire and they have to pay interest on them or buy share to close their positions given that the share price remains high. But investing at this point is activisim or greed depending on your intention, most of the money has already been made. + +This story got international attention and I see people got jealous trying to do a pump and dump with DOGE and MOON not understanding that doing so will screw the PEOPLE not the hedge funds! + +Our cause is greater, BTC was created as a response to the 2008 crisis denouncing FIAT and the manipulation of currencies through debt, bonds, money printing etc...We have the opportunity to give back the financial freedom that banks took from us, bank the un banked, make transaction cheaper and much more.The difference with most crypto is that they have opportunity to change the world, but we can't be taken seriously when people try to reproduce pump and dumps and then cash out in FIAT not caring who they leave holding the bag. ( spoiler alert it won't be Melvin capital) + +It's our responsibility as a community and movement to avoid the mistake that we made in 2017.Invest in projects you believe will work and have value, don't invest out of greed, ask yourself who is this benefiting and does it truly help the world. + +Cryptos will go up in FIAT value but I believe they will be actually mainstream currency and will make the world a better place. Patience is key, good luck all! +The federal government is working up a multibillion-dollar scheme to construct residential housing as part of its strategy to stimulate the economy and prop up the building industry as the nation emerges from the coronavirus crisis. + +The scheme, confirmed on Tuesday by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, is being developed by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar. + +It is understood the scheme aims to ward off a so-called valley of death in residential construction that is looming when the current run of projects expire. + +"The industry is facing a valley of death. We are facing a decline in residential construction in 2021 of 30 per cent." + +— Denita Wawn. CEO Master Builders Australia + +"It's an issue that has been a key topic of discussion amongst the premiers and chief ministers and myself," Mr Morrison said. + +"If you've got a job in the residential construction industry, Michael Sukkar's here, and Josh [Frydenberg] has been working on plans here," he said. + +Mr Morrison's confirmation builds on various calls in recent weeks from Labor, the Greens, the unions, property and industry groups for a national construction initiative. + +A government source said while the scheme would act as an economic stimulus, its principal aim was to ward off a crash in the construction centre and prop it up until the economy recovered and demand returned. + +"This will be about the people building those houses,'' the source said. + +30pc decline +Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn said one of the key proposals it had put to the national cabinet was a new home grant of $40,000 that would ensure up to 130,000 homes were built in the 2021 financial year. + +"The industry is facing a valley of death," Ms Wawn said. "We are facing a decline in residential construction in 2021 of 30 per cent and a significant reduction in jobs." + +"There is no doubt there will be a drop in demand with lower migration and tourism but we are not concerned about the long term," she said. + +Mr Morrison again raised the issue of an extreme drop in migrant, estimated by Treasury at 85 per cent. + +"We're looking at net overseas migration falling to 34,000-odd next year. When you think that – it was the great Professor McDonald who set a figure of between 160,000 and 210,000 as being what you need in this country to maintain GDP-per-capita growth – then there's obviously a big gap there," Mr Morrison said. + +"That's a short-term gap, but it's going to be one of the real impacts of this crisis because our borders aren't opening up any time soon." + +Earlier this month, the CFMEU and Master Builders Australia called for the establishment of a $10 billion fund to build 30,000 new social housing units to head off the anticipated investment slump. + +The CFMEU and the MBA, which ceased hostilities over a month ago to keep the construction industry operating, said investment in residential and business construction was expected to fall by 40 to 50 per cent. + +The call for 30,000 new social houses was made separately by the Australian Council for Social Services (ACOSS). + +Property industry groups are calling for a $50,000 new home buyer incentive to drive construction. + +https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/plan-to-avoid-housing-valley-of-death-20200526-p54wk6 +There is simply too much greed and too little sense. + +BTC survived 2017's attempted coup, but that will not be the last time they try. And next time, those attempting the coup will be much more sophisticated, with deeper pockets, a thorough understanding of BTC's protocol and its weaknesses, a paid army of programmers and private keys to large quantities of BTC, if not the majority of it. For all we know, someone somewhere already has a plan and is laying the groundwork for it. I say this because even though code and math cannot be bought, corrupted, imprisoned or executed, the people and institutions that write them can. + +The closer we are to the moon, the more dangerous and treacherous the road gets. We need cautious optimism, rather than allowing our greed to lead us to blinding euphoria. + +Which is more important; that we individually become wealthy, or that we collectively have BTC endure in this world? + +More vigilance, less trust. + +\------------------------------ + +EDIT: + +Wow, didn't expect so much discussion! Thanks for the awards, kind strangers! This community is great. And against my own advice, cheers on 20k, lol! (hey, I never said I was perfect). + +To those who are asking what we can do to stay vigilant, or what we can do against huge banks buying BTC, these are a few ways you can make BTC stronger: + +* learn and run a full node; +* learn about the base protocol, how concensus works, and what makes it all possible. That way, if malicious changes are proposed again, we can rally against them as strongly as we did in 2017. +* Get your coins out of exchanges and take on the real risk of self-custody. +* Continue engaging with the community. + +So on and so forth. Cheers! +Dow up 200 +Vix down 2% +Futures are all up. + +Tomorrow we are full green. Those who held will see the pay off, those who sold today will cry in the corner. + +Recession is officially canceled. + +Edit: time to panic boys, recession is back full force. ABANDON SHIP +As the price of a bitcoin increases, I think it is time for a symbol for a μBTC. If our dream of 1BTC = 1,000,000$ comes true that would mean that 1μBTC would be 1$. So this is my result: https://imgur.com/yD3Z7zM +It is a lowercase b (uppercase is for 1 Bitcoin) with a strike through the body which kinda makes it look like a zero and a one (What many people associate with a bit). This is just my idea and I would like to know what you people think about having some (not especially this one) symbol for a bit :) +Random for PF, but I just got a notice that my pet insurance company changed underwriters and therefore are drastically switching plans. My annual premium is going up $110/year, the % reimbursed is dropping from 100% to 90%, and the deductible is increasing from $200 to $300. + +Now, I instantly called to cancel. This to me just seems pointless. In the 5 years that I have had pet insurance I only made one claim - a raccoon attack. I got a measly $75 back. The reason I even have the insurance is in case something real major occurs. + +It seems like pet insurance is skyrocketing and the benefit is just not there. Any members here have pet insurance? What are your thoughts? Alternatively, would it make more sense to save the annual premiums I would normally pay in an easily accessible liquid investment account? + +Edit: Thanks, everyone. After all these thoughtful responses I canceled my cancelation. I may have overreacted to the changes, but comparatively I'm still on a great plan. I don't ever want to be placed in a decision between saving my best friend and money. +Alrighty team I’d be interested in hearing from people what some of their fave competitively advantaged tech plays are on the ASX. By MOAT I’m talking companies that are in a space that not many (if any) are. They don’t have to be turning a profit yet although that’s preferable. I’m looking for some stocks to DD so pls legit plays, but am expecting a few memes. Here are mine (incl memes) + +PPK: by far my fave that I don’t own yet. People froth over VULs share price rise, check PPKs since 2018. manufacturing commercial grade BNNT, this stuff sells for like $1m/ kg and is used in a variety of applications. One of their subsidiaries is looking to list end of year which plays in Li-S batteries. I don’t own yet but am looking to jump in (just missed the recent uptake rip) + +SLX: they use lasers to enrich uranium. Considered 3rd generation and is also environmentally friendly. They also enrich silicone for quantum computing and have a subsidiary that is looking to manufacture semi conductors with rare earth oxides (iso Silicone). For me it’s the uranium play here that is super interesting (also have a JV with Cameco). Intend to buy whilst sub $0.90 + +BRN: I think this has been pumped enough but the edge tech they claim to have is well ahead of its time (imo). If their sales are beginning this month, it could be a good time. I also like the number of patents they hold, if only they could find a CEO. I currently own small holding (~$1k) + +MNS: Also been pumped a bit recently from my reading but a solid tech piece here. For me there are a few things to like business side (disregarding TA). There’s the Battery value chain first and they play in the mid stream which is valued at a ridiculous amount (there was a preso by AU gov in June which highlighted where they play, I’ll try find it). However, for me it’s one of their older presentations that caught my eye and their work on solid state batteries. I’m keen to see how this plays out. Also their partnered company in the US intends to list by years end. I currently own and am looking to top up. + +AXE: don’t know much about this company and will be doing further DD but by all intents and purposes it seems quite niche. If anyone has further fungi and is willing to share please do. I don’t own. + +AMO: been around for a long time, supplies audio visual gear B2B and B2C. Also pay a dividend. They seem to have most of the market. I currently own and like where they are heading. + +Please share away, very interested to find more. + +Additional nugget: keep an eye on a new drone company listing in December called nightingale security. Use drones for perimeter security. + +EDIT: nightingale security might list before December I can’t remember off top of my head, should have just said towards EOCY. +Wasn't sure what to flair this but thought it might be interesting to some here. So out of curiosity, I decided I wanted to know how many trades it would take to turn $500 into $1,000,000. There are many variables for this so I've assumed volume and actually filling the orders is not a problem (realistically it probably is). I calculated the results for targeting 20% gain & 100% gain per trade. I also calculated it for whether you have $0 or $180,000 Initial taxable income. Interestingly, the best-case scenario with filling the orders not being an issue, 100% gain per trade and no previous taxable income... It only takes 14 trades. Should be easy right? 🚀🚀🚀 + + Broker : Self Wealth + Start Holding : $500 + Target Holding : $1,000,000 + Target Gain/Trade : 20% + Tax : ATO Bracketed with no initial taxable income + TOTALS + Total Profit (GRS): $1,829,390 + Total Commission : $1,045 + Total Tax : $785,806 + Total Profit (NET): $1,042,540 + |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + | # | Entry => Exit NET | Exit GRS | Pft GRS | Cmsn | Tax | Pft NET | + |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + | 1 | $500 => $581 | $600 | $100 | $19 | $0 | $81 | + | 2 | $581 => $678 | $697 | $116 | $19 | $0 | $97 | + | 3 | $678 => $795 | $814 | $136 | $19 | $0 | $117 | + | 4 | $795 => $935 | $954 | $159 | $19 | $0 | $140 | + | 5 | $935 => $1,103 | $1,122 | $187 | $19 | $0 | $168 | + | 6 | $1,103 => $1,304 | $1,323 | $221 | $19 | $0 | $202 | + | 7 | $1,304 => $1,546 | $1,565 | $261 | $19 | $0 | $242 | + | 8 | $1,546 => $1,836 | $1,855 | $309 | $19 | $0 | $290 | + | 9 | $1,836 => $2,185 | $2,204 | $367 | $19 | $0 | $348 | + | 10 | $2,185 => $2,603 | $2,622 | $437 | $19 | $0 | $418 | + | 11 | $2,603 => $3,104 | $3,123 | $521 | $19 | $0 | $502 | + | 12 | $3,104 => $3,706 | $3,725 | $621 | $19 | $0 | $602 | + | 13 | $3,706 => $4,428 | $4,447 | $741 | $19 | $0 | $722 | + | 14 | $4,428 => $5,295 | $5,314 | $886 | $19 | $0 | $867 | + | 15 | $5,295 => $6,335 | $6,354 | $1,059 | $19 | $0 | $1,040 | + | 16 | $6,335 => $7,583 | $7,602 | $1,267 | $19 | $0 | $1,248 | + | 17 | $7,583 => $9,080 | $9,099 | $1,517 | $19 | $0 | $1,498 | + | 18 | $9,080 => $10,877 | $10,896 | $1,816 | $19 | $0 | $1,797 | + | 19 | $10,877 => $13,034 | $13,053 | $2,175 | $19 | $0 | $2,156 | + | 20 | $13,034 => $15,622 | $15,641 | $2,607 | $19 | $0 | $2,588 | + | 21 | $15,622 => $18,627 | $18,746 | $3,124 | $19 | $100 | $3,005 | + | 22 | $18,627 => $21,629 | $22,352 | $3,725 | $19 | $704 | $3,002 | + | 23 | $21,629 => $25,118 | $25,955 | $4,326 | $19 | $818 | $3,489 | + | 24 | $25,118 => $29,171 | $30,141 | $5,024 | $19 | $951 | $4,054 | + | 25 | $29,171 => $33,882 | $35,006 | $5,834 | $19 | $1,105 | $4,710 | + | 26 | $33,882 => $39,355 | $40,658 | $6,776 | $19 | $1,284 | $5,473 | + | 27 | $39,355 => $45,417 | $47,226 | $7,871 | $19 | $1,790 | $6,062 | + | 28 | $45,417 => $51,536 | $54,501 | $9,083 | $19 | $2,946 | $6,119 | + | 29 | $51,536 => $58,480 | $61,843 | $10,307 | $19 | $3,344 | $6,945 | + | 30 | $58,480 => $66,362 | $70,176 | $11,696 | $19 | $3,795 | $7,882 | + | 31 | $66,362 => $75,308 | $79,635 | $13,272 | $19 | $4,307 | $8,946 | + | 32 | $75,308 => $85,462 | $90,370 | $15,062 | $19 | $4,889 | $10,154 | + | 33 | $85,462 => $96,987 | $102,555 | $17,092 | $19 | $5,549 | $11,525 | + | 34 | $96,987 => $110,067 | $116,384 | $19,397 | $19 | $6,298 | $13,080 | + | 35 | $110,067 => $124,371 | $132,081 | $22,013 | $19 | $7,691 | $14,303 | + | 36 | $124,371 => $140,029 | $149,245 | $24,874 | $19 | $9,196 | $15,659 | + | 37 | $140,029 => $157,661 | $168,035 | $28,006 | $19 | $10,355 | $17,632 | + | 38 | $157,661 => $176,780 | $189,193 | $31,532 | $19 | $12,394 | $19,119 | + | 39 | $176,780 => $196,473 | $212,137 | $35,356 | $19 | $15,644 | $19,693 | + | 40 | $196,473 => $218,075 | $235,768 | $39,295 | $19 | $17,674 | $21,602 | + | 41 | $218,075 => $242,053 | $261,690 | $43,615 | $19 | $19,618 | $23,978 | + | 42 | $242,053 => $268,668 | $290,463 | $48,411 | $19 | $21,776 | $26,615 | + | 43 | $268,668 => $298,211 | $322,402 | $53,734 | $19 | $24,172 | $29,543 | + | 44 | $298,211 => $331,004 | $357,853 | $59,642 | $19 | $26,830 | $32,793 | + | 45 | $331,004 => $367,404 | $397,205 | $66,201 | $19 | $29,782 | $36,400 | + | 46 | $367,404 => $407,808 | $440,885 | $73,481 | $19 | $33,058 | $40,404 | + | 47 | $407,808 => $452,656 | $489,370 | $81,562 | $19 | $36,694 | $44,848 | + | 48 | $452,656 => $502,438 | $543,188 | $90,531 | $19 | $40,731 | $49,782 | + | 49 | $502,438 => $557,696 | $602,926 | $100,488 | $19 | $45,211 | $55,258 | + | 50 | $557,696 => $619,032 | $669,235 | $111,539 | $19 | $50,184 | $61,336 | + | 51 | $619,032 => $687,115 | $742,838 | $123,806 | $19 | $55,704 | $68,083 | + | 52 | $687,115 => $762,687 | $824,538 | $137,423 | $19 | $61,832 | $75,572 | + | 53 | $762,687 => $846,572 | $915,225 | $152,537 | $19 | $68,633 | $83,885 | + | 54 | $846,572 => $939,685 | $1,015,887 | $169,314 | $19 | $76,183 | $93,113 | + | 55 | $939,685 => $1,043,040 | $1,127,622 | $187,937 | $19 | $84,563 | $103,355 | + |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + + + Broker : Self Wealth + Start Holding : $500 + Target Holding : $1,000,000 + Target Gain/Trade : 20% + Tax : ATO Bracketed with initial taxable income of $180,000 + TOTALS + Total Profit (GRS): $1,847,046 + Total Commission : $1,425 + Total Tax : $830,529 + Total Profit (NET): $1,015,092 + |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + | # | Entry => Exit NET | Exit GRS | Pft GRS | Cmsn | Tax | Pft NET | + |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + | 1 | $500 => $545 | $600 | $100 | $19 | $36 | $45 | + | 2 | $545 => $594 | $653 | $109 | $19 | $40 | $49 | + | 3 | $594 => $649 | $713 | $119 | $19 | $45 | $55 | + | 4 | $649 => $710 | $779 | $130 | $19 | $50 | $61 | + | 5 | $710 => $777 | $852 | $142 | $19 | $55 | $68 | + | 6 | $777 => $853 | $933 | $155 | $19 | $61 | $75 | + | 7 | $853 => $936 | $1,023 | $171 | $19 | $68 | $83 | + | 8 | $936 => $1,028 | $1,123 | $187 | $19 | $76 | $92 | + | 9 | $1,028 => $1,131 | $1,234 | $206 | $19 | $84 | $103 | + | 10 | $1,131 => $1,245 | $1,357 | $226 | $19 | $93 | $114 | + | 11 | $1,245 => $1,371 | $1,494 | $249 | $19 | $103 | $126 | + | 12 | $1,371 => $1,512 | $1,646 | $274 | $19 | $115 | $140 | + | 13 | $1,512 => $1,668 | $1,814 | $302 | $19 | $128 | $156 | + | 14 | $1,668 => $1,841 | $2,001 | $334 | $19 | $142 | $173 | + | 15 | $1,841 => $2,033 | $2,209 | $368 | $19 | $157 | $192 | + | 16 | $2,033 => $2,246 | $2,439 | $407 | $19 | $174 | $213 | + | 17 | $2,246 => $2,483 | $2,695 | $449 | $19 | $194 | $237 | + | 18 | $2,483 => $2,745 | $2,979 | $497 | $19 | $215 | $263 | + | 19 | $2,745 => $3,037 | $3,294 | $549 | $19 | $239 | $292 | + | 20 | $3,037 => $3,360 | $3,644 | $607 | $19 | $265 | $324 | + | 21 | $3,360 => $3,719 | $4,032 | $672 | $19 | $294 | $359 | + | 22 | $3,719 => $4,118 | $4,463 | $744 | $19 | $326 | $399 | + | 23 | $4,118 => $4,561 | $4,942 | $824 | $19 | $362 | $443 | + | 24 | $4,561 => $5,052 | $5,473 | $912 | $19 | $402 | $491 | + | 25 | $5,052 => $5,597 | $6,062 | $1,010 | $19 | $446 | $545 | + | 26 | $5,597 => $6,202 | $6,717 | $1,119 | $19 | $495 | $605 | + | 27 | $6,202 => $6,874 | $7,443 | $1,240 | $19 | $550 | $672 | + | 28 | $6,874 => $7,620 | $8,249 | $1,375 | $19 | $610 | $746 | + | 29 | $7,620 => $8,448 | $9,144 | $1,524 | $19 | $677 | $828 | + | 30 | $8,448 => $9,366 | $10,137 | $1,690 | $19 | $752 | $919 | + | 31 | $9,366 => $10,386 | $11,240 | $1,873 | $19 | $834 | $1,020 | + | 32 | $10,386 => $11,518 | $12,463 | $2,077 | $19 | $926 | $1,132 | + | 33 | $11,518 => $12,775 | $13,822 | $2,304 | $19 | $1,028 | $1,257 | + | 34 | $12,775 => $14,170 | $15,330 | $2,555 | $19 | $1,141 | $1,395 | + | 35 | $14,170 => $15,718 | $17,004 | $2,834 | $19 | $1,267 | $1,548 | + | 36 | $15,718 => $17,436 | $18,861 | $3,144 | $19 | $1,406 | $1,719 | + | 37 | $17,436 => $19,344 | $20,924 | $3,487 | $19 | $1,561 | $1,908 | + | 38 | $19,344 => $21,461 | $23,213 | $3,869 | $19 | $1,732 | $2,117 | + | 39 | $21,461 => $23,812 | $25,753 | $4,292 | $19 | $1,923 | $2,350 | + | 40 | $23,812 => $26,420 | $28,574 | $4,762 | $19 | $2,134 | $2,609 | + | 41 | $26,420 => $29,316 | $31,704 | $5,284 | $19 | $2,369 | $2,896 | + | 42 | $29,316 => $32,530 | $35,179 | $5,863 | $19 | $2,630 | $3,214 | + | 43 | $32,530 => $36,098 | $39,037 | $6,506 | $19 | $2,919 | $3,568 | + | 44 | $36,098 => $40,059 | $43,318 | $7,220 | $19 | $3,240 | $3,960 | + | 45 | $40,059 => $44,455 | $48,070 | $8,012 | $19 | $3,597 | $4,396 | + | 46 | $44,455 => $49,334 | $53,346 | $8,891 | $19 | $3,992 | $4,880 | + | 47 | $49,334 => $54,751 | $59,201 | $9,867 | $19 | $4,432 | $5,416 | + | 48 | $54,751 => $60,763 | $65,701 | $10,950 | $19 | $4,919 | $6,012 | + | 49 | $60,763 => $67,436 | $72,915 | $12,153 | $19 | $5,460 | $6,673 | + | 50 | $67,436 => $74,844 | $80,923 | $13,487 | $19 | $6,061 | $7,408 | + | 51 | $74,844 => $83,066 | $89,813 | $14,969 | $19 | $6,727 | $8,222 | + | 52 | $83,066 => $92,193 | $99,679 | $16,613 | $19 | $7,467 | $9,127 | + | 53 | $92,193 => $102,324 | $110,632 | $18,439 | $19 | $8,289 | $10,131 | + | 54 | $102,324 => $113,569 | $122,788 | $20,465 | $19 | $9,201 | $11,245 | + | 55 | $113,569 => $126,051 | $136,283 | $22,714 | $19 | $10,213 | $12,482 | + | 56 | $126,051 => $139,906 | $151,261 | $25,210 | $19 | $11,336 | $13,855 | + | 57 | $139,906 => $155,285 | $167,887 | $27,981 | $19 | $12,583 | $15,379 | + | 58 | $155,285 => $172,356 | $186,342 | $31,057 | $19 | $13,967 | $17,071 | + | 59 | $172,356 => $191,305 | $206,828 | $34,471 | $19 | $15,504 | $18,949 | + | 60 | $191,305 => $212,338 | $229,566 | $38,261 | $19 | $17,209 | $21,033 | + | 61 | $212,338 => $235,685 | $254,806 | $42,468 | $19 | $19,102 | $23,347 | + | 62 | $235,685 => $261,600 | $282,822 | $47,137 | $19 | $21,203 | $25,915 | + | 63 | $261,600 => $290,365 | $313,920 | $52,320 | $19 | $23,535 | $28,766 | + | 64 | $290,365 => $322,295 | $348,438 | $58,073 | $19 | $26,124 | $31,930 | + | 65 | $322,295 => $357,737 | $386,754 | $64,459 | $19 | $28,998 | $35,442 | + | 66 | $357,737 => $397,078 | $429,285 | $71,547 | $19 | $32,188 | $39,341 | + | 67 | $397,078 => $440,746 | $476,493 | $79,416 | $19 | $35,728 | $43,668 | + | 68 | $440,746 => $489,217 | $528,895 | $88,149 | $19 | $39,659 | $48,472 | + | 69 | $489,217 => $543,021 | $587,061 | $97,843 | $19 | $44,021 | $53,803 | + | 70 | $543,021 => $602,743 | $651,625 | $108,604 | $19 | $48,863 | $59,722 | + | 71 | $602,743 => $669,034 | $723,291 | $120,549 | $19 | $54,238 | $66,291 | + | 72 | $669,034 => $742,617 | $802,841 | $133,807 | $19 | $60,205 | $73,583 | + | 73 | $742,617 => $824,295 | $891,141 | $148,523 | $19 | $66,827 | $81,677 | + | 74 | $824,295 => $914,957 | $989,154 | $164,859 | $19 | $74,178 | $90,662 | + | 75 | $914,957 => $1,015,592 | $1,097,948 | $182,991 | $19 | $82,338 | $100,635 | + |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + + + Broker : Self Wealth + Start Holding : $500 + Target Holding : $1,000,000 + Target Gain/Trade : 100% + Tax : ATO Bracketed with no initial taxable income + TOTALS + Total Profit (GRS): $2,209,544 + Total Commission : $266 + Total Tax : $959,212 + Total Profit (NET): $1,250,067 + |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + | # | Entry => Exit NET | Exit GRS | Pft GRS | Cmsn | Tax | Pft NET | + |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + | 1 | $500 => $981 | $1,000 | $500 | $19 | $0 | $481 | + | 2 | $981 => $1,943 | $1,962 | $981 | $19 | $0 | $962 | + | 3 | $1,943 => $3,867 | $3,886 | $1,943 | $19 | $0 | $1,924 | + | 4 | $3,867 => $7,715 | $7,734 | $3,867 | $19 | $0 | $3,848 | + | 5 | $7,715 => $15,411 | $15,430 | $7,715 | $19 | $0 | $7,696 | + | 6 | $15,411 => $28,408 | $30,822 | $15,411 | $19 | $2,395 | $12,997 | + | 7 | $28,408 => $49,811 | $56,817 | $28,408 | $19 | $6,987 | $21,403 | + | 8 | $49,811 => $83,421 | $99,622 | $49,811 | $19 | $16,182 | $33,610 | + | 9 | $83,421 => $137,610 | $166,842 | $83,421 | $19 | $29,213 | $54,189 | + | 10 | $137,610 => $216,676 | $275,220 | $137,610 | $19 | $58,525 | $79,066 | + | 11 | $216,676 => $335,838 | $433,353 | $216,676 | $19 | $97,496 | $119,162 | + | 12 | $335,838 => $520,538 | $671,676 | $335,838 | $19 | $151,119 | $184,700 | + | 13 | $520,538 => $806,824 | $1,041,077 | $520,538 | $19 | $234,234 | $286,286 | + | 14 | $806,824 => $1,250,567 | $1,613,648 | $806,824 | $19 | $363,062 | $443,743 | + |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + + + Broker : Self Wealth + Start Holding : $500 + Target Holding : $1,000,000 + Target Gain/Trade : 100% + Tax : ATO Bracketed with initial taxable income of $180,000 + TOTALS + Total Profit (GRS): $2,331,599 + Total Commission : $342 + Total Tax : $1,049,065 + Total Profit (NET): $1,282,191 + |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + | # | Entry => Exit NET | Exit GRS | Pft GRS | Cmsn | Tax | Pft NET | + |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| + | 1 | $500 => $765 | $1,000 | $500 | $19 | $216 | $265 | + | 2 | $765 => $1,175 | $1,529 | $765 | $19 | $335 | $410 | + | 3 | $1,175 => $1,810 | $2,349 | $1,175 | $19 | $520 | $636 | + | 4 | $1,810 => $2,795 | $3,620 | $1,810 | $19 | $806 | $985 | + | 5 | $2,795 => $4,322 | $5,591 | $2,795 | $19 | $1,249 | $1,527 | + | 6 | $4,322 => $6,689 | $8,645 | $4,322 | $19 | $1,936 | $2,367 | + | 7 | $6,689 => $10,358 | $13,378 | $6,689 | $19 | $3,002 | $3,669 | + | 8 | $10,358 => $16,044 | $20,715 | $10,358 | $19 | $4,652 | $5,686 | + | 9 | $16,044 => $24,858 | $32,088 | $16,044 | $19 | $7,211 | $8,814 | + | 10 | $24,858 => $38,519 | $49,716 | $24,858 | $19 | $11,177 | $13,661 | + | 11 | $38,519 => $59,694 | $77,038 | $38,519 | $19 | $17,325 | $21,175 | + | 12 | $59,694 => $92,516 | $119,388 | $59,694 | $19 | $26,854 | $32,821 | + | 13 | $92,516 => $143,389 | $185,031 | $92,516 | $19 | $41,623 | $50,873 | + | 14 | $143,389 => $222,242 | $286,777 | $143,389 | $19 | $64,516 | $78,853 | + | 15 | $222,242 => $344,465 | $444,484 | $222,242 | $19 | $100,000 | $122,223 | + | 16 | $344,465 => $533,910 | $688,929 | $344,465 | $19 | $155,000 | $189,445 | + | 17 | $533,910 => $827,549 | $1,067,819 | $533,910 | $19 | $240,251 | $293,640 | + | 18 | $827,549 => $1,282,691 | $1,655,099 | $827,549 | $19 | $372,389 | $455,142 | + |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| +Hello autistes, + +Ive had my eye on Self wealth (SWF) for a while and own a small parcel. I’ve noticed it’s dropped below 50 cents in the last few days. + +Is this a perfect buying opportunity? In my retarded eyes, I see it’s near future as very bright, seeing as the annual report is likely coming in late august which is going to reaffirm their incredible performance, especially during covid. There’s also the fact that they are supposed to release international trading some time by the end of the year. Time to stock up? Might put 5 or so grand on it. + +Would love you input boys and girls. +Hi guys, + +&#x200B; + +They announced today there Jewell well operations are secured they are looking at around 20 oil wells in the future there market cap currently is a low $33.03m and there current projects are fully funded so capital raising his unlikely + +&#x200B; + +Bar the last time i posted about this company there has never been a better time to jump on this share. Just comparing it to E88 and how there market cup was \~$90m when they started drilling. i know you cant completely compare the 2 but it under 3 cents a share BRK has a fair bit of growth if you jump on it. + +&#x200B; + +I have posted about this company before when the share price was @ $0.009 and $0.014 (got torn the shreds out of me when i posted at 0.014). + +It is up today in the low to mid 2cent region - this will probably be last time i post about it because ill get accused of 'stock pumping' - so please note you dont have to buy this company it isnt going to be a quick 'pump and dump' i dare say your big gains will come in the next 3-12 months but i do think this is something a community like ASX\_Bets would be interested in at its current price point as the risk are high but the gains are potentially life changing. + +&#x200B; + +Of course DYOR - i know everyone hates hotcopper here but there is some good stuff posted about this company on it. I believe is company is going places. If you dont like risk i dont recommend this play but if you are into the speculative miners this might be for you. + +&#x200B; + +Also some of the videos the CEO are in seem to give me a bit of confidence in the way he talks about the plans for the company. + +&#x200B; + +Disclaimer - i own shares in BRK +Could we get a discussion going on different trading platforms? Or is that too autistic for this sub? + +I'm thinking a list of the not dodgy ones and fees/brokerage/tools ect. + + + +Then we could sling it on the side bar and when people asked about it point them that way. +Thought this is worth a laugh. + + +Ignore partnership with pyramid scheme +Ignore only offering only HTML5 games + + +It's all Reddits fault. + + +What a dumb cunt. + +https://preview.redd.it/mnuhcsq2j8f61.png?width=926&format=png&auto=webp&s=5f7f589122081e40e20983cfbb7c883704e14f38 +Did people even make ridiculous amounts of money in short time frames through meme stocks prior to COVID-19? I don't know the answer to this, as I only became interested around 6 months ago. + +Many people with little/no experience in finance/investing have made life-changing gains through punting their savings/Centrelink payments and super withdrawals - these are facts. + +Is this a sustainable trend in your opinion? Or is the whole thing being propped up by ridiculously loose monetary policy that's encouraging this autistic behaviour that's been occurring for the last 12 months. + +Valuations are where they were pre-COVID and 10-year bond yields are beginning to rise - this could have pretty hectic consequences on growth/tech stocks in the US, which of course will affect the ASX. + +The other elephant in the room is of course the *potential* economic consequences of COVID-19, especially in the US, which may reveal some pretty nasty damage later down the line. + +I'm not a full gay bear fellas, but my main question is: if we did see a fairly significant correction sometime in 2021, would meme stock investing still be as popular as it is today, or would people become giant pussies and switch into more defensive (boomer) yield stocks. + +TLDR: Will easy tendies continue to stick around thanks to reddit/facebook/hotcrapper and autistic retail investors? or are these tendies once in a life-time? +As title says, if shit goes south - where we all looking at hiding out? + +The U.S market is starting to lose momentum, stimulus drying up, and shit starting to look like it may take another dive. + +Great Depression had a crash and then recovered and then dove straight into the Depression. Same happened with the Dotcom, it crashed recovered and then dove like a motherfucker. There’s a possibility that shit is going to go south again. When/if it does, what shares you all buying after the dip licks our toes? If we all stick to one or two instead of scattering like ants we can come out rich af +Just a friendly reminder for those who have been on the fence or have just been putting it off like I was. Save yourself $25 and the stress of having your holdings in the custody of Robinhood. + +I won't recommend another brokerage because people have very strong opinions about it, so hopefully someone can chime in with pros/cons/etc.. +This is a question to those who are constantly profitable in penny stocking, due to knowledge rather than luck. Serious penny stock traders, how did you get to the phase where you are now? How long did it take for you to become constantly profitable? I have realistic expectations, I want to learn it the real way, with chart patterns, research, and everything in-between. + +What study material do you recommend? + +What's your strategy? + +How did you structure your learning? + +I don't want to succeed because of luck, I wanna succeed because of knowledge. + +Edit: To clarify I'm only interested in **day trading** penny stocks. (Not long term) +I had an initial phone interview today and the first topic they brought up was the salary. I asked for 5k more than the job listing salary range. They said yes to my salary request without even flinching. I spoke directly with someone at the sub-contractor company, not a recruiter. Now I can't help but feel like I sold myself short. More phone calls and interviews are to occur. The offer letter (if I'm accepted) may not be for another week or so. Is it too late to revisit the salary conversation? I like this role and afraid to jeopardize my chances by coming off as greedy. How do I properly broach the topic? +I had $8360 withdrawn from my checking account. Long story short - Chase bank were able to credit $8000 from an in person withdrawal and whatever an "e-withdrawal" was however they won't credit the $360 ATM withdrawal that happened few hours after (basically wiping the account down to like $10). The fraud department supervisor "Stephanie" kept saying since it was done in one attempt(pin code), that it was the determining factor for denying the claim. I had my debit card with me the whole time when it happened and she kept saying it's not possible for it to happen the way it did since it took the person only one attempt and that I could have had someone else withdraw it, what kind of BS is that? How is this the fraud department's determination and disregard of whatever hackers/scammers are capable of doing? How is my $8000 determined as fraud but not the $360? I'm living proof that it's possible and yet she kept saying it isn't, this is so frustrating. + +What steps can I take now? +Has anyone tried the following (and how did it go or, if not, how does this sound as a fatFIRE idea?): + +1. Purchase a 2-3 bedroom smaller house/condo all-cash to limit to 10% of net worth in a premium location +2. Live in it for 2-3 years +3. Sell it and hop to another premium location with all-cash purchase +4. Do again and repeat to different worldwide locations + +Is something that people already do? Is this a dumb question? + +I'm single and thinking of various ways to be nimble and live in great locations before settling on an area and place while leveraging fatFIRE as well as keeping and growing equity. + +&#x200B; + +Edit: I should have added that turning the place into a rental or a travel home is another option for step 3 in this idea. +Wondering how to properly model retirement fat spending and lifestyle creep. We spend about 200-220K year, this have been the average last 2-3 years and it doesn’t feel like a stretch for us. Includes all expenses. Still save >28% of post-tax income after spending 200-200K year. This can go up if we upgrade to a bigger house and kids go to private. + +**Questions:** + +* Folks who have fatfired or close to it did, were there any surprises in retirement spending (shot over or under) +* What lifestage did you use for modeling your ideal retirement spending. 20-30, 30-40, 40-50.. +* Which lifestyle creep generally remains through your retirement. +* What additional things you did not anticipate showed up in retirement (other than healthcare) +* Generally I noticed mortgage and childcare makes my 50-60% of our spend, I wonder what will replace that (perhaps travel, healthcare) if you have paid off home, kids in college. +* I hear from my financial adviser to use 85% of current spending to model retirement spending, how true is this ? +I'm planning to get married in the near future. I'm curious how others with significantly greater net worth than their partners have handled finances in marriage. + +We're planning to keep personal assets separate and share living expenses. I'm going to talk to a lawyer about a prenup. + +- Within a prenup, what do people think is most/least important? + +- Anything else I might want to consider? + +- Any regrets? +And yes, the last thing I’m referring to is DRS. + +What happened when GameStop needed shareholders to vote? People literally made brokerages add proxy voting to get their votes through. Filled the vote % to the max as quick as possible. + +New split record. + +What about the great fidelity migration after we learned other brokerages were shit (before the 13M share ~~scandal~~ fiasco of course)? We speedran moving shares out of brokerages and into fidelity; even got them to hire thousands of new employees to deal with the influx of investors. + +New split record. + +I’m sure there are other chapters where we’ve speedran objectives, but now we are in the final boss stage, and it turns out it’s one of the biggest baddest mfs in the world. We have the bomb to blow the covenant ship to pieces. Shit, we have a Halo [***RING***] to destroy everything. We have the master sword to slay Ganon. We have Infinite blue shells to throw at first place. We have the hidden blades for Altair. And all those combine to make + +\[🟣🟣🟣🟣[========================\> + +You have the power to end this. I am 99.99% DRSd. I have my level 100 armor on. I’m on the front lines, did all the DPS I could; my portion of the speedrun completed. I’m now on spectator mode as I watch the remaining guild members do their part. I’m all out of lives, but some of you are out there with extra lives hidden in your treasure chests. We need each and every one of you. The world boss can’t be taken out without everyone doing their part. We are spray chipping away at its health, but there is plenty of health bar left. + +Everyone has varying amounts of DPS, but Xs together can do more damage than XXXX. Individually, it’s okay, guilds have all types of players. Supports, Tanks, DPSers, etc. The high XXXX are the glass cannons; massive damage, low defense. The X are the most important because without Tanks, the game is essentially over before it begins. + +If you’re lagging behind due to your mailbox being slow, it’s understandable. The rest who are hiding their level 100 armor in their inventory, if you’re wondering why the boss is still alive, you have your answer. + +I’m just waiting for the final results screen: + +***New WR*** + + +**SECOND QUARTER OVERVIEW** + +* Generated net sales of $1.183 billion, compared to $942 million in the prior year’s second quarter. + +* Ended the period with cash and restricted cash of $1.78 billion. + +* Ended the period with no long-term debt, other than a $47.5 million low-interest loan associated with the French government’s pandemic response. + +* Invested in long-term growth initiatives that include expanding the Company’s product catalog, enhancing its fulfillment network capabilities and technology, and adding talent across the organization. + +* Entered into a lease of a new 530,000 square foot fulfillment center in Reno, Nevada, positioning the Company’s fulfillment network to span both coasts of the continental U.S. + +* Entered into a lease of a new customer care center in Pembroke Pines, Florida and started building out U.S.-based customer care operations. + +&#x200B; + +[https://www.stocktitan.net/news/GME/game-stop-reports-financial-results-for-q2-u2afcu1n39m3.html](https://www.stocktitan.net/news/GME/game-stop-reports-financial-results-for-q2-u2afcu1n39m3.html) +It will be called The greatest transfer of wealth, but not just any transfer of wealth. It’s not concentrated like what happens with the lottery. It’s not inherited or skewed toward one demographic over another. One could argue that people on reddit may fit a certain “type”, but we are talking about millions of people. Not just in the US too, all over the world. It’s an absolutely beautiful random and maybe somewhat stratified sample of people that will be given insurmountable amounts of money, and you may not understand what that could mean, so let’s start with some examples. + +I am bipolar. Mental health is something that hits close to home for me. It’s something I care about and want to make a change towards. But I am just one ape out of millions. The odds of other bipolaroids being apes are pretty high given how many of us there are. And that goes for other world issues as well. Some of us are probably diabetic and have been fucked by big pharma and insulin prices. I’m sure if you were given millions of dollars you may be inclined to bring change to that certain issue you care about that hits so close to home. Many of us care about the environment, green energy, equal education, poverty, hunger, stock market transparency. The list goes on. You see, we are a perfect sample for the problems of the world that the top 1% don’t see, that they are oblivious to, that they don’t understand. That they could so easily help bring change to but don’t. The lower class, middle class, the millennials, the gen x’ers, and hopefully some Gen Z’ers in here, even some boomers. + +I’ve always had this thought experiment in my mind about how if you had 1 billion dollars to give out, how would you disperse it in order to bring about the most change in the world? If you split it up between too few people, you run the risk of someone being greedy and not helping others. If you split it between too many people, then their buying power is small and then your level of change to each person is very small. So how would you do it? Would you give 1 billion people a dollar or 1 million people 1000 dollars? Probably not, as 1000 dollars can only do so much, maybe provide rent for a month or groceries for a couple months. How bout 1000 people 1 million dollars? There’s a balance. A balance that hasn’t been in the world for too long. We are the avatar, mastering the 4 elements and bringing balance to this fucked up word ruled by the fire nation. And that is all I have to say. + +As for closing remarks, I hold for my fellow bipolar apes. For the ones that can’t afford their therapy or medication. To the 60% that have attempted suicide and the 20% that didn’t make it. Apes strong together. Diamond fucking hands. +While cleaning the food bins today, I found a bag of black beans I didn't know I had and didn't see on the last cleaning. I am so stoked! I get black beans with my rice for the next month! + +But I use a propane camp stove. The refill on a tank is $18 to $22 (including tax) and I can't really afford extra refills. I can refill it once every three weeks. I'm worried that if I am running the tanks for a straight two hours of cooking that I'll run out of propane early. + +Because of this, I want to make beans using as little propane as possible. I thought about doing a camp fire because that is free for me but all my cooking pots have plastic handles and I melted my kettles whistle by heating it on the camp fire. I don't want to do that to my good pots. This part is in here in case you have suggestions for that. + +So until I have an all metal pot, I'm trying to make beans using as little propane as possible. I got boiling water and I'm soaking the beans in it for now which got me thinking... + +Is there a way to cook them all the way through without having to boil them for two hours? + +Can I can beans without a pressure cooker if I am going to eat them within a week? I have canning jars and thought about doing a meal prep for the week of just the beans. + +Can I keep soaking them in boiling water that isn't over a flame as a way to cook them fully? Or can I use that to lessen the time cooking over a flame? + +And any other tips are welcome for cooking with propane. I have a Dutch oven for the "oven" part of cooking. I got the basics down pat like not setting the skillet on fire, making most foods, making coffee, etc. +Ok so here’s some real fucking numbers for everyone. Hey Citadel/Melvin how you like these fucking Apples. + +GameStop.com +4.15 million visitors/month over the past 6. + +That’s before all the mess they created and all the PR. I might add THEY paid for. Yes, even the FUD is free advertising. Remember there’s no such thing as BAD press. +(The visitor rate is an actual number from the internet anyone can look it up) + +I ran an e-commerce site I know how this shit works and you’re sooooooooo fucked!!!!! + +If you use normal website sale conversations it’s usually about 10% of visitors. So GameStop right now gets about 415,000 orders a month on their site and if you just say each one of them is JUST a game nothing else you’re looking at probably an avg sale of $60. So if we just say the site does this piddly little amount /sale you have about 24.9 mill in sales/month. Now as we all know but maybe Melvin/citadel haven’t figured it out yet they have made massive enemies out of every single stockholder. Meaning that each and every single GameStop holder will never buy anything with regards to gaming anywhere else.....EVER. Along with the fact that now every single fucking person on Planet earth has and will hear about GameStop. So now let’s say that visitor rate increases 3x that’s 12mill/month and that turns into 1.2 mill sales/month with an avg of $60. Woof you can see where this is going. Can’t you? You(Melvin/Citadel) have created a fully functional lifestyle gaming brand that HASN’T even started yet and you’re shorting has given it a share price of $200. As investors we thank you so much for believing in our fledging company and what it has to offer the gaming community. Hahahaha man would I love to be on the GameStop board even just apart of the marketing team. You’re so fucked it’s not even funny. This is a marketing/comms team slam fucking dunk and it’s not even started. The shorters better get their shit together because imma go so fucking long on this investment I ain’t never letting go. I don’t even really want a squeeze I just want a $1,000 share price just by fundamentals so we can all shove it down your fucking boomer throats. God damn I can’t wait to watch Cramer suck RC’s dick live on air. That will taste so good. Imma lick the tears off Melvin’s and Citadel’s cheeks. +Robinhood is telling me Tesla's market cap is still 110 billion but according to google's data and yahoo at ([https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/TSLA/](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/TSLA/)) Tesla has a market cap of \~140 billion dollars. + +This is like a week or two away from surpassing Boeing's market of \~177 billion dollars. How can a car company that is delivering what less than a million cars in 2020 have a market cap that surpasses some of the most established airspace and military companies. I understand electric cars are the future and I'm happily making bank on owning Tesla stock but how can the valuation keep growing when there are still expectations to be met. + +&#x200B; + +Is this unironically a bubble moment? I'm not saying Tesla's stock doesn't deserve to be north of 200 dollars but when the stock already surpasses some of the most established companies such as but not limited to : Costco, Lockheed Martin, Ampgen, and soon to be Boeing way before the company can deliver even 1 million cars in a year what is going to happen when we get to 1 million deliveries? Is this going to be a 500 billion dollar company? What happens if they deliver only 2 million cars in a year will this be a trillion dollar company at the current rate of valuation? +So I want to buy a call of T. T is at about 32 a share. Now if I see an option to buy with an expiration of Jan 18,2019 for a strike of 35 and I want to buy that call what I am saying is "by Jan 18,2019 T will be above 35 a share.". So now I pay my .77 premium to buy it. + +So in January if T hits 40 a share I buy it at 35 a share and essentially get to revel in the fact that I made money with only a 77 dollar risk? + +But if it goes down to let's say 28 a share by Jan I can cancel the contract and am only out the 77 initial investment? + +So in this example my Max risk would be 77, like if T tanked I wouldn't have to pay the difference of the 35 and the new price? Or if someone accepts my contract before expiration and they are willing to sell for 35 do I still pay 35 per share even if it goes south? + +Sorry I've been watching videos and reading but I read a lot of people saying "you can lose a lot with options" but if I stick to a basic buy Call strategy my Max risk is only the premium I pay, correct? +My parents aren't materialistic people, but love experiences that bring us all together. I'd like to gift them some cool experiences we could all take part in, and I'm curious if you have any recommendations! + +Indoor skydiving, courtside seats, and fancy dining experiences have been such a blast, though vacations are on hold until my parents feel a little more comfortable travelling during the covid situation. + +&nbsp; + +EDIT: Ended up booking a private Aerial tour of Toronto for the family, a digital photo frame I can load a bunch of pictures onto, and a supercar trackday when it warms up a little this spring :) +We're told again and again that if the U.S. doesn't raise the debt ceiling, that it will mean the U.S. defaults on its debt. Perhaps I'm naïve, but I just don't buy that that is necessarily true. It seems like saying, if I don't get my credit limit increased, I can't pay my credit card bill. (In fact, if I'm having trouble paying my credit card and other bills, perhaps having my credit limit raised is the last thing that should be done). + +Would some difficult spending decisions and cuts need to be made? Absolutely. Would payments need to be prioritized? Yes, but payment of interest on debts could (and, arguably, should) get top priority. Then, there would be no default. + +The 14th Amendment ("The validity of the public debt of the United States...shall not be questioned.") has been brought into this debate, with the suggestion that the President invoke it in order to force the debt ceiling to be raised, or to borrow and spend without regard to the debt ceiling. But that argument also equates failing to raise the debt ceiling with defaulting (or "questioning" the debt). Again, I just don't see the connection. My interpretation (for whatever that is worth) is that this amendment would require the above mentioned prioritization of interest payments over other payments. That is, the U.S. may not be able to borrow more, but it cannot "question" the debt it has already incurred. + +The only possible explanation I can conceive is if you consider money budgeted but not yet spent as debt, but I think that's a stretch and not supported by law or precedent. Bond holders in a company filing for bankruptcy would receive reimbursement before suppliers they have contracted with, for example. + +------ +Rant concerning analogies: Analogies between household budgets and government budgets are appropriate. In fact, I'm not the only one using them. We've got commenters drawing analogies with pizza delivery, credit cards, mortgages, working overtime, borrowing money from the bank, etc. Apparently, several people, including those that disagree with me, have found it a useful analogy. + +But, but, but governments and households are different! Well no shit. People don't make analogies between things that are identical. There's no need to. But there are similarities between the two. A big similarity is that both get into debt when they spend more than they take in. Solutions for both are also the same: reducing spending, increase income, or some combination of the two. + +Even so, I would like to thank the anti-analogy crowd for answering a different question: Why do politicians try and get away with these scare tactics? The reason is now obvious: There are sufficient numbers of people who aren't capable of much more than taking what their so-called representatives literally and unquestioningly accepting their answer. + +The above rant doesn't apply to the majority of commenters, and to you, I apologize. I'm frustrated that a few decided to take an honest and thoughtful question, which I hoped would generate an honest and thoughtful discussion, and turn it into some inane blabber that you can't use analogies on things that are different. + +P.S. To you pedantic arbiters of what I can and cannot compare, I never made a metaphor between household budgets and government budgets. It was a simile. + +[Escaping from a Liquidity Trap and Deflation: The Foolproof Way and Others](http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/089533003772034934) + +This week's article was nominated by /u/Interalds, who writes: + +> NBER abstract: + +> Existing proposals to escape from a liquidity trap and deflation, including my Foolproof Way, are discussed in the light of the optimal way to escape. The optimal way involves three elements: (1) an explicit central-bank commitment to a higher future price level; (2) a concrete action that demonstrates the central bank's commitment, induces expectations of a higher future price level and jump-starts the economy; and (3) an exit strategy that specifies when and how to get back to normal. A currency depreciation is a direct consequence of expectations of a higher future price level and hence an excellent indicator of those expectations. Furthermore, an intentional currency depreciation and a crawling peg, as in the Foolproof Way, can implement the optimal way and, in particular, induce the desired expectations of a higher future price level. I conclude that the Foolproof Way is likely to work well for Japan, which is in a liquidity trap now, as well as for the euro area and the United States, in case either would fall into a liquidity trap in the future. + +> Svensson has a few other papers in this vein that I'll round up; they are a mixture of technical articles and popular articles. E.g. this piece[2] and some popular writing while he was at the Riksbank. + +> The 2003:IV JEP also has a symposium on sovereign debt that would be interesting to revisit in light of recent events in Europe. + +*** + +That concludes the May AotW series. Please send in recommendation for June papers in the [nominations thread](http://www.reddit.com/r/Economics/comments/26g0h9/article_of_the_week_nominations_thread_for_june/) +When the rule of thumb in /r/Economics on the sidebar gets changed without any notice from "upvote what you like, downvote what you don't" to "This is not /r/politics," it makes things confused. + +Also, there are all sorts of new mods, most of whom I'd never heard of, save for drivefaster's [rant](http://www.reddit.com/r/Economics/comments/eqs8t/fuck_reconomics_i_want_a_place_for_real_economics/) about too much "politics" being in /r/Economics, along with a cosign by stingystooge saying what [he didn't think economics was](http://i.imgur.com/puZFt.jpg). Both of these two were only marginally involved in the community before becoming mods. + +Mods, please let us know what is and is not "economics." Is monetary policy "economics" or "politics?" Is fiscal policy "economics" or "politics?" Is individual decision making "economics?" How is the Sherman Antitrust Act "economics" but it isn't "politics?" Because we don't have any clear definition what is and isn't permissible anymore. + +Thanks! +Do we have enough doctors, facilities, medicine, etc. to treat everyone? As an example, are cancer treatments high because of the high cost of producing the medicine, buying and maintaining machines, a shortage of oncologists, or something else? How much do intellectual property rights and other barriers to entry affect the price of health care, compared with simple supply and demand? +OP: + +you might have already heard about BioLargo or seen the post [USA Today: BioLargo technology tackles water crisis caused by ‘forever chemicals’](https://www.reddit.com/r/pennystocks/comments/n0e5o8/usa_today_biolargo_technology_tackles_water/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) on this board that got some attention. I want to use the opportunity to share some more information as IMHO BioLargo is one of the best investing opportunities out there - the perfect combination - investing in the “clean” future while going for the big bucks. Especially as the Clean water Bill just passed that guarantees $168 Billion for clean water. + +It is just a question of time (and Good News) until a big wave of new investors and money will come to join this Clean Water, Clean Air, Cleaner Earth (and wound care) investing opportunity. + +The share price is very low as BioLargo paid off almost $7.6 Million in debt in the last years and some of the projects were delayed - but it is all happening now = we are already deep into the BLGO paradigm shift. + +The progress is accelerating: the partnerships/ California engineering office opened/ + +record growth/ record revenues/ amazing study results/ team ups/ + +biggest contracts yet/ AOS commercial units built/ promising acquisition happened/ + +AEC improved/ new patents filed/ trials at municipalities scheduled/ almost debt free / Asia joint venture showing First adaptions/ Cupridyne/ + +Cannabusters starting to take over Cannabis Odor Control space/ big minerals contract expected next Q/ new studies released/ more studies coming/ + +2000 new shareholders in past months/ + +cash flow positive on the horizon / 1.2 Millions in contracts signed within weeks/ working on Lithium extraction/ 10 Billion Dollars for PFAS solutions from administration announced etc. etc.. + +**This clean tech / Cannabis/ wound care / minerals / water play seems to be the perfect place to be invested in.** + +Some might have bought in early But At around $40 Million Market cap this makes for an incredible investing opportunity. + +A like-minded investor strongly believes In a bright future for $BLGO as well. I like his post “WHY BLGO MAY NOT REMAIN UNDERVALUED AND UNDISCOVERED MUCH LONGER” + +Also it is good to know that investors close to the company just invested hundreds of thousands of dollars more, directly into the company and just a couple days ago they announced that they signed contracts worth $ 1.2 Million within a couple of weeks. + +BTW- don’t forget that the BLGO CFO decided to solely get paid in options for the next years that have an exercise price around today’s levels (.174) That means you can currently buy shares cheaper than what the CFO will have to pay for shares - as his SOLE payment. + +From article: + +\* Biden plan on removing PFAS from water and the environment is a industrial high priority for the new administration + +\* Rosa Gwinn, PFAS leading expert for AECOM, gave a staggering figure for the total cost of global PFAS clean-up - Up to a trillion dollars worldwide + +\* BioLargo has developed an unrivaled solution for PFAS removal that is low-cost, high-efficacy with low carbon footprint that is called the AEC, Aqueous Electrostatic Collector + +\* Testing at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville showed that BioLargo’s AEC PFAS Removal system removed over 99.995% of PFAS in a single pass such that less than one out of 50,000 PFAS molecules was able to penetrate the system + +https://preview.redd.it/lhd9wo9prq871.png?width=1530&format=png&auto=webp&s=da6a5ad35618ec6bc5936c7a4719da1e504c4850 + +\* BioLargo has agreed to install the AEC in pilot studies with large industry users that could lead to extraordinary revenues if trials are successful + +\* AOS broad spectrum water treatment system is low-cost, high-impact, and is being delivered to large users for pilot projects that could lead to extraordinary revenues + +\* Disruptive odor control CupriDyne Clean being adopted by the biggest waste management companies in the world + +\* World class environmental expert engineering division provides turnkey solutions for big industries + +\* Disruptive disinfection products already approved 510K being readied for giant healthcare industry + +\* Company is within a few months of achieving positive cash flow + +\* Revenues setting record growth with very large potential for short and long term + +\* Convertible debt is gone removing potential overhang selling from share market trading + +\* BLGO share price of $.18 with market cap of only $42 million. Several recent press releases point to an extraordinary sales potential suggesting it may not be long before investors discover BLGO and revalue share price + +BioLargo, Inc. (BLGO: OTCQB) has been slugging it out for over a decade to develop broad-reaching technologies to improve water and air quality. Based on a plethora of press releases and company communications through interviews, it appears that efforts are rapidly shifting from R&D to commercialization that could generate unusually hefty revenues, especially if the company executes big licensing deals with major partners. The long wait appears to be quickly fading in the rear-view mirror, while the road just ahead is coming into clear focus as the shiny yellow brick road that management has been pursuing for a decade. + +&#x200B; + +BioLargo shares may only trade at $.18 and support a very small market cap of about $43 million, but their products that are unrivaled in both cost and effectiveness are very close to starting what could be game-changing pilot studies for several large industries. The needs for BioLargo’s products like the AOS and the AEC are so enormous that if the pilots are as successful as prior testing has demonstrated, the company revenues could surprise even the most optimistic forecasts. + +Timing is always a major factor in any investment decision. BioLargo has earned a good hard look by investors as it appears the long wait is finally over. The company is within weeks or just a couple of months of delivering game-changing products for major pilot studies to some very big users and markets that could have a big impact on the price of BioLargo shares. Investors are encouraged to pour through a rich offering of information about the company’s technologies, management, financials, products and news which is available on their homepage + +Dennis P. Calvert, President and CEO of BioLargo said, "We are now in a strong cash position, have reliable financing resources, and have retired all but $456,000 of our convertible debt. With our financial condition continuing to improve, our team of highly qualified engineers, scientists, and business professionals are uniquely positioned to commercialize our expanding portfolio of innovative environmental technologies, like our AEC system that removes PFAS chemicals from drinking water." + +According to Environmental Business International, the market for PFAS treatment, which BioLargo's new AEC technology aims to address, will grow to be an $80+ billion market in the US over the next few years, and that there are more than 200 contaminated military sites which urgently require PFAS remediation. Mr. Calvert commented, "Our hard work to develop and commercialize an economical and eco-conscious solution to this huge problem puts us ahead of the curve to address this burgeoning market. Our PFAS remediation technology represents a massive and timely commercial opportunity, with its first commercial pilots starting soon." + +Financial highlights from the 10-Q: + +\* Consolidated revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2021 was $571,000, a 30% increase compared to the prior year's period. + +\* Due in large part to an almost 90% decrease in interest expense as a result of payment and conversion of debt instruments, the company's net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2021, decreased by 28% as compared to the prior year's period. + +\* In 2021, the company has retired $650,000 in debt. Since December 31, 2019, the company has reduced its debt by over $3.6 million. Other than debt owed by its partially owned subsidiary Clyra Medical, only SBA/PPP loans and fixed-price convertible debt now remain on BioLargo's balance sheet. Of the fixed price convertible debt, we are currently negotiating the payoff and partial conversion of the $406,000 due in August 2021, and $50,000 is due in two years. + +\* As a result of the company's improved balance sheet, its total stockholder equity is now approximately $772,000. Management expects this trend will be critical to the company as it continues to evaluate the opportunity to uplist its stock to a national stock exchange. + +Commercial, operational, and R&D highlights: + +\* Established a partnership with Garratt-Callahan, a national industrial water treatment company, to develop and sell custom wastewater treatment and recycling equipment. This dynamic partnership is expanding to include the sales of other BioLargo products and services to Garratt-Callahan customers. + +\* The first commercial-scale unit of the company's Advanced Oxidation System (AOS) water treatment technology began a pilot project at a municipal wastewater treatment plant near Montréal, Québec. + +\* BioLargo's treatment technology for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) underwent a technical advancement, which was the subject of a recently submitted patent application, that improves the lifespan of the AEC's membranes and the technology's overall commercial outlook. + +https://preview.redd.it/l8pev0vxrq871.png?width=2182&format=png&auto=webp&s=332a22d07d961bc79ebd72a274300157879c4189 + +&#x200B; + +\* The company is working with prospective partners to plan and schedule the first commercial pilots for the AEC technology as soon as possible. + +\* BioLargo Engineering's just signed additiona contracts for 1.2 million while their project backlog grew to a value of over $3 million, to be executed over the next 12-18 months. + +\* ONM Environmental added a new air quality control product technology called EcoMist®, a technology that sprays trash bins with odor control products during trash collection. + +About BioLargo, Inc. + +BioLargo, Inc. invents, develops, and commercializes innovative platform technologies to solve challenging environmental problems like PFAS contamination, advanced water and wastewater treatment, industrial odor and VOC control, air quality control, and infection control. + +With over 13 years of extensive R&D, BioLargo holds a wide array of issued patents, maintains a robust pipeline of products, and provides full-service environmental engineering. Our peer-reviewed scientific approach allows us to invent or acquire novel technologies and develop them to maturity through our operating subsidiaries. + +With a keen emphasis on collaborations with academic, municipal, and commercial organizations and associations, BioLargo has proven itself with over 80 awarded grants and numerous pilot projects. We monetize through direct sales, recurring service contracts, licensing agreements, strategic joint venture formation and/or the sale of the IP. Several of our technologies are commercially available and are advancing as disrupters in their respective markets. See our website. BioResearchAlert has been compensated for this article. + +OP. + +With BioLargo’s AEC technology, “at the end of a treatment cycle, instead of having 80,000 pounds of waste, we might have 85 pounds,” says Moore. BioLargo is also working on a sustainable way of extracting PFAS from the spent membrane, destroying the PFAS, and sending the membrane residue to a landfill. + +Imho This has the potential to be the game-changer for BioLargo. Projects are estimated to have a volume between 250k - 30Millions. They just improved the technology and filed another patent. + +[BioLargo's Sustainable PFAS Solution Hits Major Technical Milestone, Paving Way for Commercial Trials](https://www.accesswire.com/641743/biolargos-sustainable-pfas-solution-hits-major-technical-milestone-paving-way-for-commercial-trials) + +https://preview.redd.it/cfqi2r7urq871.jpg?width=950&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eb2e8e87121d2167f309c8fd3c0a40cada24cbd7 + +They already have another project in the works with Garratt-Callahan (GC has 5 manufacturing locations across the USA) and have already established a Joint Venture with big water companies- Tomorrow Water and BKT regarding their Odor elimination. + +Biolargo goes Global. DD update on ODIN. Joint venture with BKT a leading wastewater treatment service provider in South Korea and Tomorrow Water. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +Do your own DD and invest accordingly! + +So if you would hear about a company that has solutions for two of the massive global water problems and a bill just passed that is going to invest $168 Billion into clean water in the USA and the entire company is worth just around $45 Million- what would you think? + +Right, It would sound too good to be true. + +But folks it is not. We have been following BioLargo closely and what they set out to do is actually happening (with some delays). + +It is a great time to discover this. Do your own DD! + +Another Good Read: [**From Clean Air to Clean Water, BioLargo Aims to be a Leader in Cleantech**](https://www.benzinga.com/node/20842493) +Hey dudes. So I (27) want to get finance or a load for a Ute. Located in Melbourne I have an ABN, looking at something under $15000. Currently hiring a Ute from Bunnings and the expenses are killing me. My credit score is poor as I’ve applied for multiple loans and generally have been money poor my life. Make about $1000-1500 a week as a self employed gardener. Any and all advice would be helpful regarding dealerships, loans etc +Fanks!!! +Not sure if this is the right place to ask if not let me know and I will take it down. + +I'm 26 years old and have been living week to week with my pay since I've been working. I don't understand or can't grasp the concept of saving money or having emergency money. I've been through bankruptcy and come out the other side but I've still learnt absolutely nothing. I don't know if there's someone I can talk to like an accountant or financial advisor or something like that. If anyone has some tips or anything to help get me going or point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated. + +Thanks for your time. +The additional variable rate for Savings Maximiser will change for new and existing customers effective 1 May 2016 to 1.0% p.a. + +(Decrease from 1.25% p.a.) + + + +What are your thoughts guys? Will you be moving funds elsewhere? +On 12/26, I sold 19 **cash-secured** AMD Puts at a strike of $47 for $36 each. I collected $684 for this trade and was OK with AMD dipping below $47 and my purchasing of 1900 shares as I am bullish on AMD right now, and planned to sell calls at $47 (or higher) going into earnings and 2020. + +Instead, RH took action on my behalf automatically, buying the 19 contracts back at a cost of $77 each; this cost me $1,463.00. Now, instead of owning AMD @ $47 and having earned $684 for selling the Puts, I've net a loss of -$779.00. + +Why did Robinhood automatically close this position for me? Regardless of where AMD is today, that automatic action cost me $1,463.00 that I did not approve of. + +I've emailed RH to understand why, but the responses so far have not been helpful at all. **This is not a spread, it was not purchased on margin, it was cash-secured.** + +\--- + +**Response #1 (From Robinhood):** + +Good morning, + +Thanks for reaching out and I hope you are doing well. + +We’ll review your spread 60-90 minutes before closing on your spread’s expiration date. At that point, a few different things can happen: + +* If both legs are in the money, we’ll assign and exercise them. +* If both legs are out of the money and are not at risk of being in the money, we’ll let your positions expire. +* If one leg is at risk or in the money, we'll close the spread, or match the option with another form of collateral (like cash or stocks) and let you exercise it. + +*Keep in mind that the Risk Check occurs about an hour before market close on the date of expiration. Risk Checks cannot be opted out of.* + +You can check out our [Help Center article on expiration procedure](https://support.robinhood.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005656423-Expiration-Exercise-and-Assignment) for more information if you’re curious. Otherwise, just let me know if you have any other questions. I’m here to help! + +Sincerely, + +\[Redacted\] + +\--- + +**My reply:** + +Hi \[Redacted\], + +Thanks for responding. However, the trade in question was not a spread, but rather 19 AMD $47 Puts, which should've obligated me to purchase 1900 shares of  AMD @ $47/share. + +Instead, Robinhood automatically purchased back the Puts I sold, at a cost of $.77/share, or $1,463.00. + +Why did Robinhood automatically buy back my shares an hour before market close? Was it an error in Robinhood's logic, attributed to the fact that I also had a credit spread on AMD open at that time? + +\--- + +**Response #2 (from Robinhood):** + +My apologies for the confusion and inconvenience. I can provide clarity. + +I can understand your situation but for the time being our system will pair the contracts as a spread. + +If one leg is at risk in the money, then we will close the spread. + +We are aware that we can improve the option sell out process and I will use this situation as feedback. + +Robinhood calculates upper and lower bounds for options positions. + +***If your option’s strike price falls within the upper and lower bounds, your position is considered “at risk” of being in the money or is in the money, and we’ll place an order to close your position.*** + +\*\*How we calculate the upper bound:\*\*Last trade price + (1.5% \* Maintenance requirement \* Last trade price when the risk check is run) + +\*\*How we calculate the lower bound:\*\*Last trade price - (1.5% \* Maintenance requirement \* Last trade price when the risk check is run) + +**Example:**\* You own an XYZ 1/1/2020 $10 Call\* XYZ's last trade price when the risk check is run is $9.97, and the maintenance requirement is 25%. + +The upper bound would be $10.01 ($9.97+\[1.5%x25%x$9.97\]) and the lower bound would be $9.93($9.97-\[1.5%x25%x$9.97). Since the call falls within these bounds, we'll close the position. + +I hope this clears things up! Let me know if you have any follow-up questions. + +Sincerely, + +\[Redacted\] + +# EDIT #1: + +Absolutely none of this trade was performed on margin; it was cash-secured. I have (and had) the money freely available in my account to purchase 1900 shares of AMD @ $47/share should I be assigned—which is why I am so completely confused by what Robinhood did, and what action I should take next. + +# EDIT #2: + +I believe RH's risk mitigation system confused my open options transactions and somehow merged/mixed up two open transactions to and tried to close both (see the last photo.) + +[Here is my account balance at 9:30 AM on December 26](https://preview.redd.it/jc3jirvzuw741.png?width=732&format=png&auto=webp&s=7ed73f1818bc5573fcf87c2723b0b2f10ea88b5b) + +[I first closed existing open Puts, paying $160 to buy back 20 contracts @ $8 each](https://preview.redd.it/cdml14r5vw741.png?width=749&format=png&auto=webp&s=7de9c5ed030d21b08e54b3073d75b696a902fa7d) + +[I then sold 19 AMD $47 Puts for $36 each, totaling $684 in premium—this should tie up $89,300 of my cash](https://preview.redd.it/0zv7bg2bvw741.png?width=744&format=png&auto=webp&s=b3b13980b173287c7db1081448075947f8295a77) + +[I then sold 80 AMD $45\/44 credit spreads for $720 in premium, tying up $8,000. I could cash-secure $6,900 of this trade, the last $1,100 being on Margin](https://preview.redd.it/s9d57aigvw741.png?width=739&format=png&auto=webp&s=e681b2cc28d7ed57c94c80fcd4b6d9eb22f09c31) + +[This is where things go awry. Instead of \(potentially?\) closing my $45\/44 spread, RH did this, and bought back my $45 Puts at market price. I don't know why this shows up as a spread-type transaction here, nor why it says \\"-19 AMD $44 Puts\\", my thought is that RH's risk management software confused my option transactions, merging my 19 $47 Puts with my 80 $45\/44 spreads, making this... interesting? transaction](https://preview.redd.it/revsf0dzvw741.png?width=743&format=png&auto=webp&s=435fc3dd47942703a31bd8bff6fec4758208f9df) + +[Showing the $45\/44 Credit Spread being split up for some reason by RH's automated process \(as seen above\)](https://preview.redd.it/qaks2jla1x741.png?width=737&format=png&auto=webp&s=7148cddf05a07090909bf8843daed03e18836202) +Chip Wilson has been vocally complaining about the board of Lululemon. So Anders Keitz at The Street thought she'd ask the board members about their side of the story. What has happened since is pretty epic: she found out that one board member at the very least is really really difficult to find and Lululemon really doesn't wanna talk about this. + +It all started with her story [Lululemon's Ghost Board Member: Who Is Rhoda Pitcher?](http://realmoney.thestreet.com/articles/06/18/2016/lululemons-ghost-board-member-who-rhoda-pitcher) She followed up with [Lululemon Has a Rhoda Pitcher Problem](http://realmoney.thestreet.com/articles/06/21/2016/lululemon-has-rhoda-pitcher-problem) where we learned the company really doesn't believe in transparency all that much. Now we got [Lululemon Director Rhoda Pitcher Is 'Valued' -- but Still a Mystery](http://realmoney.thestreet.com/articles/06/22/2016/lululemon-director-rhoda-pitcher-valued-still-mystery) ... a week and still bupkus from the company. + +I don't know about you guys but I'm getting my popcorn. However this turns out, be it a terrible, slow response that clears it all up or outright fraud, this will be one for the books. And if you are still in that company ... brass balls, ladies and gents. Brass balls. +Bearish sign? + +[https://www.npr.org/2022/01/31/1076978207/starbucks-union-push-spreads-to-54-stores-in-19-states](https://www.npr.org/2022/01/31/1076978207/starbucks-union-push-spreads-to-54-stores-in-19-states) + +Starbucks is facing a fast-growing union campaign just weeks after the first U.S. corporate store unionized in Buffalo, N.Y. + +Employees at 54 stores in 19 states are pursuing union elections, according to organizers. Fifteen of those stores joined the union drive on Monday, petitioning the federal labor officials to set a vote. The filing coincides with the start of contract negotiations between Starbucks and unionized workers in Buffalo. + +Last month, Starbucks workers at three New York stores held union elections. A majority voted in favor at two of the three locations, unionizing 64 workers. Now, some 30 Starbucks workers in Mesa, Ariz., are wrapping up their own union election by mail. Employees at three more Buffalo-area locations also begin voting this week. Starbucks workers form their 1st union in the U.S. in a big win for labor. + +Altogether, the union-election push affects only a fraction of almost 9,000 U.S. stores run by Starbucks. But the quick and high-profile first union victory in Buffalo became a watershed moment for the company, especially as restaurant workers are among the country's least unionized. +I have written posts on getting started before, but I keep seeing this specific question - + +*I have $1K/$2K/$5 and I want to be a trader, how do I get started?* + +Most new traders focus on using Options, but unfortunately they tend to jump right in. Obviously if you are already an experienced trader than this post would not be for you. + +So I am going to write out -this out step-by-step - these apply whether you are starting with $1k, $5K, $25K or $100K: + +**1)** ***Choose A Broker*** \- Stay away from any mobile only broker, you want one that you can use on your laptop, has a good trading platform (I like *ThinkorSwim*, but *Interactive Brokers*, *TradeStation*, *Fidelity*, etc are all fine, it just depends on what matters most to you, so do your research). Deposit your money and make sure you are able to trade Options and qualify for margin. You also want a broker that allows you to use a Paper Trading account in *real-time -* this is essential (*ThinkorSwim is excellent for this capability)*. + +**2)** ***Learn*** \- Before you make a single real trade, you need to learn. A lot. This can take months. Most brokers offer free online courses for you to take. There are also plenty of books out there (*Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets* by John Murphy, *How to Make Money in Stocks* by William O'Neil, *Options as a Strategic Investment* by Lawrence McMillian, *Trading in the Zone* by Mark Douglas, etc.) and plenty of videos that are purely educational (i.e. not trying to sell you something). Soak up everything. This is where you want to use your Paper Trading account. As you learn how to trade, especially Options, try it out using the Paper account set to *Real Time*. It is also important that you not put an unrealistic amount of fake money into this account. It should be similar to the actual amount you will be starting with in your real portfolio. At this point you are just trying to get a handle on how to trade the following: + +**a) Stocks** \- fairly basic, but learn how to buy and sell stocks (going long and shorting). And while most advanced traders use mental stops, as a beginner you will be using real ones, so also learn how to set them, including OCO brackets. + +**b) Options** \- since most of you are not starting with a lot of capital, chances are you will be trading options a great deal. Make sure you learn everything you can about Option trading before you ever spend one dime of real money making an Options trade. So many new traders lose their money playing Options without really understanding the instrument. Part of studying Options include learning the Greeks (Delta, Gamma, and Theta are the ones you will mainly use). Understand how premiums work, and what IV does to the price of your Options (particularly during *events* like earnings or company announcements). There is also a lot of enthusiasm around the idea of "selling premium" - which while an excellent method of generating income, can also be very dangerous if you do not know what you are doing. + +**c) Option Spreads** \- correctly using Option spreads are the best way to grow an account below $25K. They are also one of the more difficult things to master. So spend a lot of time on these. The Options Playbook website is filled with information and as you will see - there are *many different types of spreads*. I suggest getting most familiar with *Call Debit, Put Debit, Call Credit, Put Credit, Diagonals, Covered Calls,* and *Poor Mans Covered Calls.* Using these strategies can both mitigate your risk while keeping your returns at a respectable level. + +**3)** ***Analysis -*** Up until now you should have been getting comfortable with the basics, but probably without much direction on how to choose the right stocks, when to enter and when to exit them. This is where *Technical Analysis* comes in. All of short-term trading is based on *Technical Analysis*. Long-term investing is focused primarily on *Fundamental* analysis, but as a short-term trader (meaning you are holding for less than two weeks, and usually for less that two days) you really do not care what the fundamentals are behind the company you are trading. If you are holding a position for a few hours or a few days, it doesn't really matter to you what their P/E ratio is, or how their future outlook was last reported. What does matter are the charts. You need to learn how to read the candlestick patterns, which indicators are useful (and which ones are crap), how to read the market, and of course, how to finds the right stocks. *Technical Analysis* works because there is widespread consensus on it. Meaning, if all traders, retail and institutions, believe that a price level is acting as *support* for a stock, they will act accordingly. This part of your journey is probably going to be the most difficult to master - in fact, you will continue to learn and get better at it as you go along. Every great trader never stops being a student of analysis, and neither should you. + +**4)** ***Choose a good scanner -*** All this knowledge is not going to help if you cannot find the right stocks. Most brokers come with decent scanners built into their platforms, and there are a number of free scanners available as well. There are also a number of scanners out there that cost money, some of them are very good, while others are of questionable quality. I have ones I recommend, but there are many out there that give you great stocks to trade every day. Keep in mind, if you are looking to Day Trade than you are scanning on a much shorter time-frame then if you were Swing Trading. By now you should have a good idea of what you want to scan for as well. Most people will tell you to look for huge jumps in volume, which is always an important factor, but that mainly applies to *Momentum Trading*, **which you should be avoiding**. You do want stocks that have high Relative Volume, but you also want stocks that are strong/weak to the market, have high liquidity, have a "buy" signal (whether it is a 3/8 cross on the EMA's, or a breach of consolidation, breaking through *resistance/support,* there are many different scenarios that qualify here). These scanners should also help you create *Watchlists* and set alerts on charts so when a stock meets the criteria you have set you will get notified of it. Going through charts and placing *alert lines* are a huge part of being a short-term trader. + +**5)** ***Choose a Journal*** **-** The three most popular are *Tradersync, Tradervue* and *Edgewonk.* Whichever one you choose, make sure at the end of each day while paper trading you upload your trades to the journals and look at your statistics. You want to focus on your win rate, profit vs. loss, and the types of trades you do well at, as well as the ones you tend to lose the most on. Categories like *Type of Stock (price, market cap level, volume, etc.), Time of Day/Week, Trade size, Type of trade (Long, Short, Option Spread, etc.)* are all important to note and study. + +***These first five steps should take you at least six months. Which means several months where you have not yet made a single trade using real money. And you will be tempted - particularly as you start seeing trades in your paper account making huge returns. Don't do it. Until your win rate is at least over 60%, do not make a real trade.*** + +**6)** ***Choose a Strategy -*** Now that you have a good understanding of how to trade, and you have a decent amount of data in your online journal to see what is working for you, it is time to choose a strategy. There are many strategies to choose from (I primarily use Relative Strength/Weakness against SPY, which may sound like RSI and/or Beta, but it is very different from those indicators, neither of which I use or put much stock in) but there is *one strategy you should* ***not*** *use - Momentum trading. Especially Momentum trading low-float stocks.* This method of trading is unfortunately what lures most traders into this field to begin with (countless YouTube videos promising you that you can get rich doing it) and it *seems so easy. This type of trading is one of the most difficult strategies one can choose, and should only be done by people who are* ***very*** *experienced.* There will be many people tell you about how much money they made or are making with *momentum trades*, most of which will try to convince you that they discovered some method that assures you of high level of profits. *Don't listen to them. Someone who is getting lucky for a few months is not the same as having a consistently profitable method that* ***you can count on***. + +**7)** ***Decide on a Community -*** Many people prefer to trade alone, excel at it even. For me it was fine, but I much preferred trading in a good community. However, there are many scams out there. But if you are going to join a group, make sure you choose a service that: + +**a)** is not focused solely or mainly on *Momentum trading*. Most of them are. You want a community that teaches a full 360 approach to trading. + +**b)** has pros in it. People that actually do this for a living. And make sure they are accessible. + +**c)** has an active live discussion. This part is essential. You want to be in a room that isn't a free-for-all, but rather focused on trading and led by actual professionals. The ones that are mainly composed of amateurs throwing out trades all the time can actually hurt your trading. + +**d)** is filled with resources. Any community you choose that is worth joining will probably cost you some money, so make sure they have useful resources, including scanners, platforms and educational content. + +**8)** ***Start Trading -*** Now that you have chosen your broker, learned the basic of trading, understand technical analysis, found a really good scanner, used to journal to help you choose which strategies you want to focus on, and decided on whether or not you want to be in a community - you are ready to trade. ***Start small***. I can not emphasize this enough. If you have $2,000, then you are looking to perhaps do an Option Spread that costs $1.50 ($150) per contract and maybe do 2 contracts. You want to buy just one In-The-Money Call or Put (Delta of .6 or higher) on a solid stock. The key to being successful is *consistency* and that means hitting *singles*, not *homeruns*. If you have $2,000 in your account and make $50 in a day, that is a 2.5% return, which is excellent. Learn to be ok with slowly growing your account. As your skill level increases, so will your profits - don't worry, in time it will come - but for now, settle for the small wins. + +**9)** ***Set Goals -*** Trading for a living is a business. Treat it like one. Set your monthly goals. While you should not focus on your P&L while trading (meaning you do not exit a trade because you are down or up a certain amount of money, but rather because the analysis tells you to exit) you *should* focus on you account balance in terms of the salary you need to live off day-to-day. It is important to realize that if you reach your monthly goals on win rate, number of trades a day and profit per trade, you will also reach your monthly profit target as well. Remember the ultimate goal here is that at the end of each month you are going to be taking out the profit (this is your salary) and leaving the base behind. By the time you reach this step you should have a really good idea what type of profit you can expect from your strategy, and base amount in the account. + +**10)** ***Get an Accountant -*** Some people can do this themselves (I am not one of those people), but you want to make sure you are using the best possible set-up to pay the least amount of taxes. Do you qualify for Day Trader status with the IRS? Are you trading out of an IRA? Are you using an LLC or S-Corp? Since this is going to be your business, make sure you have your financials in order. + +So there you go. + +Why do most people fail at short-term trading? Simple - they do not do any of these steps. They deposit money, try to scalp low float gappers or buy a lot of options on the hot MEME stock. Eventually after losing enough money, they quit. ***That is why most short-term traders lose money.*** + +*If one follows these steps, it should take roughly two years before you can expect to be consistently profitable. Even after doing the first five steps, you will lose when you start trading with real money. But if you are* ***trading small*** *like I suggest, it won't blow-up your account.* + +I know nobody wants to hear that it will take that long to get good at this. But think of it this way - how much time, energy and money does one put into getting a job and working their way up to middle management? Years of school. More years of eating shit at a bunch of crappy jobs, working yourself to the bone to get promoted. All for what? A bigger cubicle? A VP title at a company that will fire you the moment they need to make "cuts"? To have bosses that don't know what they are doing? + +***Trading for a living gives you financial freedom.*** The ability to make money no matter where you are, as long as there is an internet connection. No boss. Just you and the market. **Having that life is worth the time and effort.** And I can tell you, it is great. It is exactly as you would imagine it to be. + +***For the past three years I have been a professional Day Trading and I could not imagine doing anything else.*** + +So I urge you - if you are trying to figure out how to get started - do this the right way - there are no shortcuts. + +Follow these steps and start your journey. +Was finally glad I heard back only to find out I would only be receiving 122 dollars every week. How on earth am I supposed to survive off that when my rent is 750 a month???? This is literally a joke. They may as well not pay me at all. Job interview tomorrow. Don’t want job but now it feels like I don’t even have a choice +[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trade-nafta/mexico-u-s-nafta-agreement-close-but-item-still-pending-minister-idUSKCN1LC1E7](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trade-nafta/mexico-u-s-nafta-agreement-close-but-item-still-pending-minister-idUSKCN1LC1E7) +Edit: If others feel differently I'll certainly shut up, I don't want to stomp toes. + + +I commented this in another section: + +I've been lurking this sub since I made this account, as well as WallStreetBets and Options, and only recently (Feb-ish) started contributing. + +I've seen the userbase of this and WSB skyrocket recently with this pandemic market SNAFU. + +I'm worried WSB attitudes are going to start flowing over into this subreddit. + +I enjoy the arrogance and comedy and camaraderie associated with the losses and gains there, but it belongs... There. + +I've already seen comments that are akin to the general tone of wsb (such as slang used almost exclusively there, endearing or not). + +Others have seen the general "I can't read," "no idea what I'm looking at," meanwhile absolutely burying the technical analysis that was the point of the post. + +There has also been an immense increase in spam; duplicated posts, posts with half a sentence all in caps TRUST ME, BUY THIS OMG with no analysis or DD. + +While I do enjoy that, and even participate in it, this sub isn't the right one for that. WSB is great for what it is, but it doesn't belong here. +Just discovered 1.6 BCH sitting in the Coinbase Pro exchange. I had dabbled back in 2017 and thought I pulled out everything in the 2018 crash but there it was sitting all this time. + +It's just 1.6 BCH but god damn do I feel like a crypto billionaire. +This post is written by a friend of mine who works in the financial services industry. I’m posting it for him because he doesn’t have a Reddit account: + +I work in the financial services industry myself, and I decided it might be beneficial to provide my opinion on some of the leading financial cryptos based off their website/white papers/news I've read. Today I'll be covering the 4 leading financial cryptos in my opinion: XRP, REQ, OMG, XLM. + + +[Market Cap & Ranking Graph] (https://imgur.com/a/h8YAB) + + + +######**Ripple (XRP)** + +1. **Description:** Cross border transactions between banks and payment providers + +2. **Slogan:** “Enterprise blockchain solutions for global payments” + +3. **Potential Market Size:** $155 trillion/year cross border transactions (McKinsey Global Payments Industry Study) + +4. **Primary Focus:** Ripple has had huge success lately given its focus on satisfying and providing cross-border payment services for big banks, who have driven up the price of Ripple. It currently has 100+ customers and has the most enterprise traction of the four coins. One big risk is the 55 billiion XRP put into an escrow out of a max 100 billion XRP. Once these escrows expire, there is always the risk of the company flooding the market with XRP. That being said, while Ripple is much further ahead than the other 3 coins, I fear that banks will license Ripple’s blockchain that is centrally governed without intended usage of their token. + +5. **Architecture:** Built on Ripple (payment protocol) + +6. **Market Cap:** ~$77B + + +######**Request Network (REQ)** + +1. **Description:** A decentralized network for payment requests + +2. **Slogan:** “The Future of Commerce” + +3. **Potential Market Size:** $1,825 trillion/year on the SWIFT network that Request Network can capture on its platform (Extrapolated using daily historicals from U.S. Dept. of Treasury) + +4. **Primary Focus:** Request Network, also known as “Paypal 2.0” is a Y-Combinator-backed project created by the founders of Moneytis. Request Network has the biggest opportunity of the four. They are building out the infrastructure for payments and accounting/auditing between both businesses and consumers. Request will be more secure (blockchain tech), intelligent (smart contracts and IoT) and universal (supports all currencies both Fiat and cryptocurrencies) than Paypal. A key differentiator of Request is its usage of “token burning” during transactions, which intrinsically increases the value of the remaining REQ coins. In addition, Request is heavily focused on reputation management and helping accountants and auditors easily review transactions at extremely low costs. My concern here is that they are the earliest stage project of the four and also the most ambitious project, soon to be released on Mainnet. That being said, their team has executed ahead of planned timelines and I believe they seem to have the right expertise to get the job done. + +5. **Architecture:** Built on Ethereum + +6. **Market Cap:** ~$480M (Market cap is ~1/194 the size of Paypal at current valuation) + +7. **Paypal Market Cap for comparison:** ~$97B + + +######**OmiseGo (OMG)** + +1. **Description:** Advanced e-wallet and payment platform + +2. **Slogan:** “Unbank the Banked with Ethereum.” + +3. **Potential Market Size:** N/A (market not clearly defined) + +4. **Primary Focus:** Many people around the world can’t get a credit card or pay for items online because geographically there are no banks around or their credit score is too low to receive financial services. OmiseGo looks to change that by enabling everyone in especially in developing countries to create an e-wallet that enables this underserved population the ability to cash in and cash out without a bank account at low costs. They have an enormous presence in Asia, and their vision is to look like the bank of the future. My concerns here are adoption outside of the Asian countries given the difficulty of scaling across geographies as well as a tough name to pronounce resulting in the necessity for a potential re-branding, but a very solid project with a fair amount of adoption nevertheless. + +5. **Architecture:** Built on Ethereum + +6. **Market Cap:** ~$2.5B + +######**OmiseGo Edit:** +Some additional points to note are its recent acquisition of Paysbuy (large payment service provider in Thailand) and partnerships with McDonald's Thailand and Alipay. It's often thought REQ and OMG are quite similar which they are, but their focus is different. OMG is firstly focused on banking and e-wallet services, while REQ is currently more focused on the actual payment request process and the accounting behind it, which you'll realize are quite different despite both moving in the same direction. + +######**Stellar (XLM)** + +1. **Description:** Cross border currency transfers between developing countries + +2. **Slogan:** “Move Money Across Borders Quickly, Reliably, And For Fractions Of A Penny” + +3. **Potential Market Size:** N/A (market not clearly defined) + +4. **Primary Focus:** Stellar competes directly with Ripple at different ends of the market. Stellar is a great project focused on providing low-cost financial services for lower classed individuals, whereas Ripple is focused on profit generation and founded by ex-bankers. Stellar differentiates itself through solutions targeted around micropayments, mobile banking and services for the underbanked (similar to OmiseGo). The thing I like about Stellar is that structurally it is set-up as a non-profit and something established for the people to easily exchange money between one another. I think the market is large enough to support multiple competitors, but it is important to note that they compete with Ripple in cross-border transactions and OmiseGo in services to the underbanked. + +5. **Architecture:** Built on Stellar (payment network) + +6. **Market Cap:** ~$11.7B + +######**Stellar Edit:** +Expanding on Stellar based off comments, let's clarify that Stellar is indeed founded by one of the co-founders of Ripple, which makes them somewhat similar. But wanted to key in on a few more points that make XLM unique: no mining with circulating supply of 100 billion lumens from the start @ 1% inflation rate and a recent partnership with IBM for cross-border payments as a bridge currency. Finally it's important to look at their Stellar Development Foundation, which controls the distribution of Lumens. Distribution is split as follows: 50% through Direct Sign-up Program, 25% through Partnership Program, 20% through Bitcoin program and 5% held by the foundation to support operations. Note this effect is huge because they can also unleash a large amount of lumens, but they do have a more defined mandate for dilution than Ripple. + +Read more about it here: https://www.stellar.org/about/mandate/ + + +######**Disclaimer and Final Words**: + +I am a holder of all four coins, but from a returns standpoint, I am most bullish on Request Network given it has the largest market size, smallest market cap and an incredible team. But from a risk standpoint, Ripple is the lowest risk coin to hold given its widespread adoption and use across numerous banks that are displayed on their website. Honorable mention for both Stellar and OmiseGo, which are superb projects that will still succeed. Remember that the financial market is extremely deep with trillions of dollars in transactions moved every day, so there is ample room for all four of these coins to find their niche whether it is in a certain region of the world or in certain product types (i.e. micropayments). All in all, you can’t go wrong holding a portfolio of these four coins because each one of these cryptocurrencies are going to kill it in 2018! + + +&nbsp; + + +**Sources:** + +1. https://ripple.com/ + +2. https://omisego.network/ + +3. https://request.network/#/ + +4. https://www.stellar.org/ + +5. https://coinmarketcap.com/ +EDIT: Of course i can’t type a fucking title without forgetting an entire word in it. ONLY *VOTED SHARES* ACCOUNT FOR PRETTY **MUCH** ALL THE SHARES OUTSTANDING* + +EDIT2: Since some of you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the vote count in the 8k: https://gamestop.gcs-web.com/node/18956/html + +EDIT3: And I made another mistake: I meant shares FLOATING not OUTSTANDING. Sorry, I was very nervous when typing the title since I wanted to combat the FUD asap and my ADHD got the best of me. Unfortunately I can’t change the title now. Truly a smooth brained retard. + +Remember all the Trade Republic 🦍 s in Europe who couldn’t vote. All the 🦧 who forgot or simply didn’t care enough or never even knew they could and should vote. + +As someone very accustomed to following democratic votings in any form let me assure you: THIS IS A GREAT TURNOUT. EVERYTHING ELSE IS FUD. 🚀🚀🚀 +Like many fellow apes, I hated my job. I had been looking for a new one for a couple of years, but never found anything that sounded better than what I had. On Monday of this week I checked my favorite stock to see if I could give my two weeks notice yet. Unfortunately, it was not time yet. As the week went by, I had an epiphany. After 4.5 years at my current employer, I have a 401K with almost $90K in it. Back in January I tried to find a way to get it invested in GME, but the employer-sponsored plan only offered their set list of approved funds. I did have a $60K rollover that I was able to move out of my 401K and into a brokerage IRA that netted me about 300 shares. On Wednesday, I decided to quit my job in order to have access to rolling the rest of my 401K into my brokerage IRA. I have emergency savings and I can find another job pretty quickly, even if it's not the one I want. I was going to give a two week notice, but my boss declined as they already had someone in mind to take my role (perhaps I wasn't going to be there much longer, regardless). The good news is that Vanguard is quick. I made the request on Thursday to roll the funds over and it's already been processed. It will be in my account on Monday morning. Aside from my emergency fund, I guess I can now say that I am all in. +I know *a lot* of people that started investing for the first time with apps like Freetrade in March/April time when the stock market plummeted. And that's not a bad thing – quite the opposite. It's good and smart to invest your money if you have the money to do so. + +However, I'm worried this generation of new investors are going to get a nasty shock now that markets *appear* to be returning to 'normal'. + +The fact is, it's been piss easy to make huge returns over the past 10 months ("if you only made 20% gains you're doing badly"). It's made a lot of people feel like genius stock pickers. However, things aren't going to stay that way. I worry a lot of people are going to end up blowing all the money they made, and possibly worse. + +Do you think this is the end of the 'fun' for those that have been fortunate enough to be able to make the most of stock market volatility? How are you going to manage it? +Was reading about the changes to come from Grenfell and found out about the huge number of people who are having to [pay out to fix the cladding on the outside of the flats as it is now 'unsafe' +](https://metro.co.uk/2020/11/03/flat-worth-0-due-to-flammable-cladding-forces-couple-to-delay-starting-family-13526730/) + +Can anyone relate to this? How do you manage a risk like this in light of something so unexpected? +So I've been looking into my banking situation and realised I've probably got too much with one bank (current account, savings and mortgage) so looking at spreading this out. One thing I'm getting confused by is these new "future banks" that are springing up like Monzo or Sterling. + +I've had a look through and asides from a few functionality pieces (card freezing etc) I'm not really seeing the value of them at all, am I missing something about them? + +More info, I use an Amex for day to day but also have a MasterCard and current account. +Some people are going to find this stuff obvious... I am 15, I hope so. + +1. Start thinking in Satoshis (or whatever you trade in). You can buy Ark at $3.00 and sell at $3.20 and still lose money if you are going in and out of bitcoin and bitcoin had a larger percentage increase. + +2. If you can't grasp #1 don't even think about playing the market and day trading. + +3. Only percentage matters. $3.00 to $3.50 is a lot better than $3000 to $3400. Owning 5000 of one coin is no better than .3 of another. It's only about total value. + +4. Market cap matters. If you have dreams of a 10,000% in a year increase you should automatically know that means a tiny market cap coin most likely. + +5. measure everything vs. what you would own in BC or your coin of choice when playing alts. I know The exact amount I bought in with in total and what it's value would be in BC. .47 BC... If my alts are under .47 bitcoin when I cash out then I would have been much safer making a wallet and putting it in a safe. + +5.5 Having said that. alts swing higher in highs and lower in lows. In a bear market I am never up percentage wise compared to a steady or bull market. which leads me to + +5.6 If you are ever going to get out of the alt game and focus on the big 3 I suggest you do it on a market upswing. + +6 Maximize your profits. Buying coins is sexy, trading is sexy, but learn about staking and ways to make your money work for you without the risk. + +7 With FIAT.. you have to Think about FIAT to BTC to ALT almost like hitting two balls in a single shot in a pool shot. It's not just one calculation, it's two. + +Anyways. Hopefully this doesn't border on shit post. I am just frustrated with the lack of understanding of the basics of people who have actual money to put in while I am sitting here like a shlub. I am sure there are hundreds of others. Feel free to add some or teach me something new. +Gemini website is down and users are not able to access their trading or withdraw their funds. Here is a screenshot: [https://i.redd.it/3tmq7y13dc0a1.jpg](https://i.redd.it/3tmq7y13dc0a1.jpg) . I posted the screenshot a few minutes ago but the post was automatically removed. + +If Gemini is not going down and this is just an unfortunate co-incidence, then the timing could not frankly be any worse. All CEXes are on the line of fire, customers withdrawing their assets to safety and the credibility of the who industry in jeopardy. Before going down Gemini sent a load of spam trying to convince their customers that all is fine. I got similar spam from FTX just before it went down. +https://www.wsj.com/articles/families-go-deep-in-debt-to-stay-in-the-middle-class-11564673734#comments_sector + +Google families go deep in debt to stay in the middle class to read the article. I found it very interesting; young couples earning 120k plus cannot get into the housing ladder, similar to parts of the UK. The comments on the website are daring though, blaming the couples +It seems like I need to check my mental state my fellow Bitcoin hodlers investors and believers. A nocoiner friend who is into traditional stocks for a long while with about 30% profit so far asked me about Bitcoin because I was pretty open about it. So explaining the basics of Blockchain and the inherent value of limited supply I hoped the response that I got was intelligent and leading into legitimate interest. First he says Bitcoin is going to be hacked with quantum computers and so that it's not going to last. Told him it's the best investment since 2009 and it's still growing, getting it's own ETF and traded by large corporations and hedge funds. "Yeah, you're clearly brainwashed" and said bye. + +Sad times to be a nocoiner I guess, losing your friends to brainwashing. +I'll be coming into 50K soon and I'm looking to buy a mix of EFT's, but I'm not sure if it's better to buy up everything at once, or spread them out in 5 or so purchases over time each (like invest 10K every month). This is the 'general wisdom' i'm hearing from friends and family but it doesn't seem right. What factors (other than minimising brokerage fees) should I be considering? +I am surprised by how many brilliant financial tools there are on the web, it is just hard to find them as the results for most keywords are saturated. One of my favourites is the Vanguard Portfolio Tool which allows you to side by side compare different stocks or entire blended portfolios for historical performance. You need a free account for this. Otherwise the fund comparison tool is ready to go with no account. + +&#x200B; + +[https://www.vanguard.com.au/adviser/en/tools-calculator-overview](https://www.vanguard.com.au/adviser/en/tools-calculator-overview) + +&#x200B; + +Could we get some useful free resources together that perhaps some of us are missing? +I have signed a contract for a property which had a whole heap of junk, but also 4 caravans and a car. Sale was "as is, including the junk, car and vans", however before going unconditional the owner has removed at least one of the vans. + +Is there anything I can do? + +I'm worried about complaining and the owner withdrawing from the contract. + +I was planning to sell them and or use them. +Potential Gamestop Merger and Acquisition soon? + +Click here for GS job description posted on 11/11. - [https://careers.gamestop.com/en-US/job/manager-sap-data-conversions/J3N0PR6K5NGCLMR9J5N](https://careers.gamestop.com/en-US/job/manager-sap-data-conversions/J3N0PR6K5NGCLMR9J5N) + +Looks like GS will be making an announcement soon since they posted job opening on November, 11 looking for SAP Data Conversions Manager to help with System Carve Outs and Merger and Acquisition. + +What is system carve out? + +" A carve-out is the partial [divestiture](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/divestiture.asp) of a business unit in which a parent company sells a minority interest of a subsidiary to outside investors. A company undertaking a carve-out is not selling a business unit outright but, instead, is selling an [equity](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/equity.asp) stake in that business or relinquishing control of the business from its own while retaining an equity stake. A carve-out allows a company to capitalize on a business segment that may not be part of its [core operations](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/coreearnings.asp). " + +Source here: [https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/carveout.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/carveout.asp) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/lsxy182wu0z71.png?width=944&format=png&auto=webp&s=1b7b80b95cdf8280b0ea6354dc3a51bf20ef258f +As per title I'm very fortunately being gifted approx. £55,000 from the sale of my parents house. +I currently have £15,000 of my own savings just sat in a regular savings account (which I'm also aware is probably not the best place to keep it for returns) and roughly £3,000 in crypto currencies which I plan to hold long term. +My girlfriend owns her own home (with mortgage still to pay) and we are happy here at least for the next 5 or so years and I have no major expenditures planned aside from maybe a new car in the next few years (nothing outrageous though), I might also lease this as I can get a discounted electric car lease through a work scheme. +Just after some advice really on how to manage this large sum of money, this is my first post on the sub so happy to give more details or answer and questions if it helps to give advice. Thankyou all. + +**Edit:** Thank you all for the advice it is very much appreciated, I have taken on board all the comments and will be researching into it all and discussing future plans with my SO. Thank you again UKPF, I'm a saver at heart so it won't be going to waste! +I'm just looking for tips for a beginner on where to start. I have around $750 I want to start with, but i have no idea where to start with all these apps nowadays. I know they're in it for the money as well, so I'd rather ask you educated chads. TIA + +I understand the concept of leverage in general but when i think about it in practical terms I lose it. Please help! + +Im going to take my stab at it: + +- Buy 300k home with 30k down +- Rent it out for 2 years +- After 2 years you’ve built equity in the home via rental income paying down the loan??? +- Also assumption is that the value of the home has appreciated naturally say 5% per year? +- Now you can borrow 80% (or whatever percentage the bank agrees to) of the new amount? +- Then you put that money to work in a bigger property? + +I know I’m way off, thanks for the help. +Hi All, + +In May, I will be graduating from Medical School. Soon after, I will begin residency and will have to start repaying these loans. I will be participating in PAYE or REPAYE with projected payments of $242-448 every month. Aside from minimum payments, what loans should I start putting extra towards? Thanks! It did not crop well but the title of the boxes below from left to right are: Loan Type, Amount, Principal, Interest, and Interest Rate. My yearly gross income will be $54,309 and I get a $6,000 stipend paid in chunks every quarter. + +&#x200B; + +https://i.redd.it/wpfm3mgktxg21.png + +&#x200B; +Hey guys, asking on behalf of my girlfriend. We slowly but surely getting our shit together (finally tapped 700 on my credit score!) But we have a glaring issue at hand... + +Without getting into ifs and whys, before we dated, here is the situation: + +Gf has 10K in student loans and ~8K on one credit card (unfortunately through her own bank) + +We both make okay money, but the interest rates that are about to hit just dont seem feasible to keep up with, let alone with the absurd housing/renting market in my location (what the hell is a 325K double wide??) + +Our first thought is bankruptcy. We are not married, and with my credit on the rise we can lean on that. Plus I've read into the Injured Spouse filing if we decide to get married sooner than later, which seems like a viable option. + +But I want to know if there are any other routes worth pursuing before we go down that road. Does bankruptcy even abolish student loans? + +Any advice as a starting point would be greatly appreciated! + +Living in NC United States* +I’m 29 years old, my wife and I make $120k combined if that matters. + +But I just wanted to start a savings now for my daughter in 16 years. I would like to start a small savings for her personal finance and a vehicle. + +College will be a different discussion, but I figured why not start saving for her for a car now and little by little I hope to have close to $15-$20k saved for her to buy a nice car cash. + +I was considering just a basic savings and deposit maybe 5% of my paycheck into there biweekly + +But I didn’t know if I was leaving money on the table with a ROTH IRA I could open for her or something. +Hello, I turn 26 next month which means no more parents Health Insurance. + +My work does not provide Insurance for me at the moment, I reside in Washington State. I currently have a clean bill of health and no prior issues. + +I have been looking into Aetna and am thinking about just paying the monthly cost out of pocket. + +Looking for some tips or suggestions to save the most amount of money possible. +Thanks in advance. +Imagine that you're working all day to pay your rent and at the end of the time you barely have any left money, sometimes even debt, what can you do in that situation as someone that isn't financially educated? + We need advice on reputable finacial advisor's. Where can she can put this money and where it will grow until the child can make her own financial decisions. Any stipulations to consider on the child having access to the money when she becomes of age. Addiction issues have been an inheritance in this family. So we don't want her to not get educated become a drug addict and feed a drug habit with this money. The money is for future solid organ transplants she'll need in the future. Any help would be appreciated. She my niece doesn't have a will & no POA'S or anything of the sort. + +The father is a narcissist who has had multiple business failures and addiction issues. We're afraid that he'll try to invest that money if he becomes the executor by default. She my niece suspects from the way he talks that he'll try to open a business and lose the money. All his past business ventures have failed. He has no formal education other than a high school diploma. + +He left years ago but they're legally still married. + +Sorry if I left anything out. +Hell Reddit. + +I cruise Reddit often and have absorbed a lot of good information from it so I wanted to reach out and get input on my situation. + +About me: +54 years old, +Married, +3 kids early 20's employed or on their way, +$5M invested, +zero debt, +income outside my investments is around $300k + +So I have been thinking about how to constructively grow and use the hard earned money my wife and I have been able to compile. I am currently invested with a long term horizon and try to keep my hands off gains and dividends so they can grow over time using the power of compound interest. + +I am thinking I might want to establish a very long term horizon where the investment basically just keeps going after I die, and my kids and their families get the benefit from it down the road. My vision is an investment structure that goes on for decades (and maybe generations) and provides payouts along the way for things like grand-kids education and maybe even regular annual payouts like dividends but with the goal that the fund would continue to grow forever, providing benefits to future family members. + +The conventional wisdom is not to over-control your estate assets or how it is used by your heirs. I understand that but I also think there could be a way to keep it pretty simple and still give a lot of unencumbered benefit to family members and allow the asset to continue to grow. + +I would appreciate any thoughts, input or ideas you have. + +Thanks in advance. + +We had someone from our bank recommend themselves as a financial advisor and during my probing questions I found out that he only works with millionaires. LOL! Like hello! You’ve seen my account and know my income! Since when did he think I am in his league?! Maybe he was hoping I have money hidden somewhere… + +But I’ve heard people talk about financial advisors lately and it made me wonder.. are all those people millionaires or are there financial advisors for various tiers of income? + +What’s the minimum one can make where it would make sense to work with a financial advisor? +I don't even know if this is the right subreddit. But here it is- + +I have about $200 or 15k inr saved up. I'm thinking to invest it but not sure where to invest. This is not a large sum to buy stuff stocks or bonds. And crypto is risky. Too unpredictable... Lots instability. I'm confused. Another thing is gold , whose value is predicted to go down and if it increases it is not gonna be significant. + +I don't know what to invest in. Please help me with your advice. We all know knowledge is power! + +Also I want something that I shouldn't need to worry about. Something whose value will increase overtime like 5-10 years. +>Three questions: + +A.) Do people get IUL life insurance and borrow against that for purchases that grow essentially tax free (car, home, boats, whatever else.)? + +B.) Anything else I should prioritize to strengthen financial health? + +C.) Am I better off renting instead of a five-time more expensive mortgage + utilities + homeowners expenses + furniture + yard supplies + hobbies + animal costs? + +&#x200B; + +>Three thoughts: + +I am sitting with a taxable $70,000 salary and $21,336 non-taxable income. My '22 SUV is financed balance is $47,207 at 1.99%. I pay more than amount due with $1000 monthly; $500 rent and utilities included; $160 insurance; $85 phone. The rest is put into groceries, gas, haircuts, car wash, and entertainment. + +However, I have a deduction for a company matched 6% deduction for 401K-roth (now sits at $7929 after 9 months); I started putting $200 a week with 1.08% APY into a savings now at $3000; an old Gfund TSP gaining 1.28% that I no longer invest in sitting at $1557. + +I am expecting to have the car paid off in 4 years. I am interested in learning about creating wealth, having strong liquid assets, and earning multiple sources of revenue. However, first I want to buy a house and a dog but feel like I need to wait after I'm more educated and financially stable. +I have an average of $1510 in expenses each month. I make on average $1746 per month. Here is a typical month in my expenses: + + +Groceries: 241.44 + +Fast food: 128.45 + +Cat food: 79.75 + +Gas: 31.47 + +Other: 89.38 + +Rent: 847.06 + + +I recently moved and my starting rent (without utilities) will be $800. I am also closer to my work, which should mean spending less on gas. I have plans on returning to school to get my four year degree. Right now I am making $14/hr, but have a lot taken out for medical, dental, L&I, etc. I currently do not pay for my auto insurance (my parent does), and I will have to start paying that in a few months. I believe it is about $1500 per year. I am kind of freaking out how I can 1. pay for rent 2. save for college 3. pay for car insurance. and 4. still have money left over for food, gas, cat food, and fun. Do I need to find a second job, or a higher paying job? I currently work 40hr/wk. Any advice on how to approach this? +I recently noticed that out of my monthly contributions, 5% is being deducted as a sales charge. This is lowering the amount of contributions I'm making each month to my IRA. Am I getting ripped off? Is 5% high? Can i set up my own IRA with no sales charge? +Reducing taxes on a large payout + I have worked in local government for more than 20 years and have saved well over a thousand hours of time in a leave bank. The government has decided that they prefer to end this practice and are planning on buying me out in 2020. I am 47 and my wife is 50, she is a stay at home mom, and we have five kids. My annual salary is 116k but this will mean an additional 60k that I will receive in 2020. I am making plans to deal with this extra income in such a way as to minimize tax liability. I participate in a 457(b) at work and plan on setting that deduction to $730 biweekly on Jan 1 which should bring the total deferral to the annual max of 19k. I also intend on making additional investments to Georgia’s 529 education plan for each child, which will be deductible for state income taxes, but not federal. My main question deals with my eligibility to deduct investments into a traditional IRA. It looks like I could put $7,000 in my wife’s name into a traditional IRA under the non-active participant spouse clause which has a 2019 income limit of 193k and deduct the full 7k. Is this correct? If so, am I also eligible to make a deductible IRA contribution in my own name? Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer my question and or suggest additional options. +Right after I graduated I found this subreddit and I just realized that after all this researching on FIRE, 4% rule, etc, that I never learned how average people retire. I have only ever learned the FIRE methods of retiring. Does the average American eventually end up with a million saved up by 65 and use the 4% rule without even realizing? +Unsurprisingly it looks like the government is looking for ways to dip into peoples personal pension pots. It's not really clear to me what's being proposed but I don't like the sound of it. + +https://www.ft.com/content/a8cad0f1-fd85-40ed-aa19-e71728f10825 + +Full text below as it's behind a paywall: + +Treasury-driven review of UK workplace pension charge cap hopes to boost investment in areas such as private equity +Ministers are seeking to increase investment in long-term infrastructure projects such as wind farms + +Ministers are looking to relax rules shielding tens of millions of UK retirement savers from high charges as they step up efforts to funnel pension fund cash into the government’s “levelling up” agenda. + +Officials are working on proposals to dilute the 0.75 per cent ceiling on annual management fees, which was put in place in 2016 to protect workers auto-enrolled into workplace pensions from having their savings eroded by high charges. + +Chancellor Rishi Sunak is looking at ways to tap billions of pounds of pension fund cash to invest in long-term projects, including infrastructure schemes, renewable energy projects and innovative tech firms, to help deliver on UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s pledge to spread economic growth across the UK. + +Many of these assets are held in funds managed by private equity and venture capital firms, however, which commonly levy performance fees linked to certain thresholds on annual returns. Defined contribution (DC) pension managers have traditionally shied away from investing in PE and VC funds, largely because of concerns that these fees would breach the 0.75 per cent charge cap. + +Policy initiatives to deliver on the “levelling up” agenda will be a big theme of Sunak’s Budget on October 27. The proposals to dilute the charge cap, which would be subject to consultation, represent a stepping-up of Treasury-led efforts to encourage DC pension funds to invest more widely in assets. + +The review comes just six months after the Department for Work and Pensions rejected calls for performance fees to be partially or completely excluded from the cap following a consultation. At the time, it said the inclusion of those fees in the cap protected members from high fees that did not improve value for money. + +Sunak and Therese Coffey, work and pensions secretary, now argue the proposed reforms would allow pension savers to access funds offering better returns by investing in longer-term assets, government insiders said. + +However, those briefed on the plans said performance fees would not be removed from the charge cap in their entirety; the consultation would “seek a balance” that encouraged investment in illiquid assets — such as infrastructure or innovative tech firms — with the potential for greater return. + +But one former regulator expressed concern that the charge cap could be loosened. + +“The cap was introduced on strong evidence that savers needed protection from some undoubtedly egregious charging structures,” said Andrew Warwick-Thompson, a professional trustee and former executive director for regulatory policy at The Pensions Regulator. “Careful thought needs to be given to any proposal which undermines the consumer protection principle that lies behind the cap.” + +The government has attempted to address concerns of pension fund managers about performance fees, which can be high and volatile, by allowing trustees to smooth them to reduce the risk of the charges breaching the cap in any one year, a measure that came into force at the start of October. + +Last month a working group, headed by the Treasury, Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority, recommended the government further review the charge cap to help stimulate material investment by schemes in illiquid assets. + +Michael Moore, director-general of the British Venture Capital Association, the industry lobby group, supported changes to the charge cap. “We recognise the important role of the charge cap and believe appropriate changes can be made so that UK pension savers can benefit from the strong long-term returns generated by UK venture capital and private equity.” + +The BVCA said it backed a full exclusion of performance fees from the charge cap where it was supported by strong performance over the long term. Under typical performance fee structures, a fixed annual management fee is paid, regardless of return, in addition to a performance-related element. + +The government declined to comment. +Perhaps more people will sign up for credit/identity protection services? I noticed Experian and Transunion are already using this as a way to market their services. + + +Their main argument against implementing a fee that increases as the pool's share approaches 50% is as follows, + +> In any market, competition and innovation drives growth + +> Successful and innovative companies cannot be expected to limit their growth + + +What GHASH.IO doesn't seem to get (or pretends not to get) is that the success of any market relies on the assumption of rational and knowledgeable actors. With the knowledge that the value of BTC significantly decreases when a pool approaches 50%, any rational company is expected to limit their growth in order to maximize profits. + + +*Edit: My message uses GHASH.IO as an example, but is meant for all pool operators (fee should be an increasing function of 1/[50%-x] where x is the share of the pool), and all non-solo miners (to maximize your profits, flee any >20% pool. Why 20%? See [Threats As a Function of Mining Power](http://hackingdistributed.com/2014/06/16/how-a-mining-monopoly-can-attack-bitcoin/)).* + +*Edit2: the pool's intentions don't really matter. Actually a well-intentioned pool is even more dangerous than an ill-intentioned pool, because it can more easily grow from 51% to 100%.* +I was recently converted to a believer in crypto and the immense pros of decentralized currency. I'm anxious/nervous/excited all in one, but after sitting on the sidelines for so long I decided I don't want to watch this opportunity pass. + +Not really looking for much attention, but if anyone has advice for a new investor, please feel free to comment. +2.1 million Salvadorans are ACTIVELY USING @chivowallet (not downloads). + +Chivo is not a bank, but in less than 3 weeks, it now has more users than any bank in El Salvador and is moving fast to have more users that ALL BANKS IN EL SALVADOR combined. + +This is wild! +Said most of it in the title so I am not gonna go on and on, but safe to say I am MORE THAN BULLISH about MoonBoys! Obviously I am an investor and always DYOR, but MoonBoys has the team in place, the organisation, and the catalysts to absolutely rocket in the coming weeks! + +It has passed rug pull audits, got listed on the likes of CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap, and got an international marketing campaign going, but that is not why I am so bullish. I am bullish because of their 12 month roadmap, the fact they are getting listed on BitMart in JUST ONE WEEK, and their live AMA on Twitch at [https://www.twitch.tv/MoonBoysOfficial](https://www.twitch.tv/MoonBoysOfficial) with KELVIN FROM SAFEMOON TAKING A LEADERSHIP POSITION AND CHAD THE HEAD OF LISTINGS AT BITMART HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE AMA! If those names don't get you confident that this coin is not just looking to explode but going to be around for the long term I don't know what will, so do your research (links below), tune in to the AMA on Sunday, and thank me later ;) + +Website: [https://moonboys.finance/](https://moonboys.finance/) + +Reddit: search MoonBoysFinance + +Twitter: [https://twitter.com/MoonBoysFinance](https://twitter.com/MoonBoysFinance) + +Telegram: [https://t.me/MoonBoysOfficial](https://t.me/MoonBoysOfficial) + +Twitch: [https://www.twitch.tv/MoonBoysOfficial](https://www.twitch.tv/MoonBoysOfficial) +Quant will be at Consensus next Monday - demo'ing their tech, [meeting clients and banks](https://twitter.com/quant_network/status/1115795005887500288) and providing multi-chain strategy sessions with breakfast. They have an [enviable suite](https://imgur.com/a/VkjdzAp) located in-between AWS and Digital Currency Group. + +Seq has recently been writing an [8 part review of Quant Network](https://medium.com/@CryptoSeq), which has been reaching far and wide. The final part was published this week, Chris Adelback MD of Barclays Techstars incubator was one such person who [re-shared the most recent article](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6531805983935655936) with his audience - with reactions from some top players including head of RegTech at PWC Switzerland, Director of Credit Suisse, financial director of HSBC, director of Barclays private bank etc. Read the article here: [Part Eight — Enabling Enterprise Mass Adoption](https://medium.com/@CryptoSeq/quant-networks-overledger-part-eight-enabling-enterprise-mass-adoption-f0e0e41363ab). + +This week Quant sponsored the [Loyalty Fraud Protection Association conference](http://www.loyaltyfraudassociation.org/upcoming-events2/315-lfpa-spring-2019) in London, where they're available to demo [GoVerify](https://goverify.com) \- an existing application of theirs, which they're migrating to a mApp that runs on Overledger. They were recently selected as one of 20 leading scale-ups for the UK government funded [Technation's cybersecurity growth program](https://twitter.com/quant_network/status/1121384579003224065). + +Overledger now supports the top [5 enterprise chains](https://www.quant.network/technology/overledger/), with support being added for Corda a few weeks ago. Other chains supported are JPM Quorum, Hyperledger Fabric, Ethereum, Ripple. + +The [Enterprise version of the Treasury](https://treasury.overledger.com) went live [2 weeks ago](https://twitter.com/quant_network/status/1121445777073758208), the [community version](https://www.quant.network/QUANT_Token_Utility_V0.1.pdf) and further details on community pricing will be released in the second half of the year. + +Good time to add to your positions ;-) + +Edit 1: Last week a bounty distribution took place, as well as the full token unlock: team, advisors and service providers. So the full amount is in circulation. Unlike Cosmos and other blockchains - Quant is not a blockchain, and there will be no inflation. As of writing the total full marketcap is 14,612,493 QNT \* $1.77 = $25.8M placing QNT at #157 on CMC. + +Edit 2: Recent hires include the COO [Cecilia Harvey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceciliaharveytech/) (previously Director of HSBC Global Banking and Markets), and a TechWomen100 Winner. And [Kayleeann Avice Du Buisson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayleeann-avice-du-buisson-a0a87547/) as Marketing Director with 11 years marketing experience in FinTech, SAAS, luxury goods etc. + +Edit 3: Quant awarded [Gartner Cool Vendor in Blockchain Technology for 2019](https://www.quant.network/blog/quant-network-awarded-cool-vendor-status-by-gartner/) ([\*](https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3909086)) + +Edit 4: Updated [Token utility 2.0 draft paper](https://www.quant.network/QUANT_Token_Utility_V0.2.pdf) released today +I’ll keep it quick. I used to be atrocious with money and credit, making bad decisions etc. obviously that put a significant strain on my life and ability to do or get things I wanted. + +Fast forward years, and I’m on my third house, good credit, investments etc etc (all the stuff you see here usually). + +It just feels like it’s a constant struggle and a lot of the fun and carelessness I used to have is gone. This could very well just be a symptom of getting older as well. But little things like small trips or going out to dinner, constantly invoke a mental math assault, taking stock of where I am in all my accounts, and what if this or that happens, will I have enough to cover it, blah blah you get the idea. + +I have hobbies and try to take everything in moderation. Perhaps the pendulum has swung too aggressively the other way, and there’s an underlying fear that I’d end up back where I was before. + +Thanks for hearing me vent, gonna go seed and fert the lawn. Happy Friday all! +https://finance.yahoo.com/news/feds-cure-risks-being-worse-110052347.html + +TL:DR - Fed can only buy or lend against securities that have government guarantee. + +Since a lot of the new helicopter money is aimed at securities that are NOT gov guaranteed, the Fed instead gives that money to the government (the Treasury) to do the purchasing themselves. The new Fed chairman is, by extension, Donald Trump. +Hey everyone. Just wanted to share what I think is going to happen. I believe R.C. and loopring will make some sort of announcement an capitalize on the end of this year long cycle. To me it seems these run up have happened in quarters, and the 4th one is coming up. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/za3op1f9c0w71.png?width=1478&format=png&auto=webp&s=8607f3c845bc87edc17d4cb8b810fc78ab39eeb0 + +TLDR: moon soon + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/ow95afgdc0w71.png?width=1021&format=png&auto=webp&s=3697456bb453d23c84a5fafd2d12a9716925c652 + +&#x200B; + +Edit: lego prophecy? + +&#x200B; + +[I wonder if this run up is the one?](https://preview.redd.it/bqndzt38h0w71.png?width=950&format=png&auto=webp&s=aed9d11bc97641ed28213929f9e651e0b0f938c1) + +&#x200B; + +EDIT: I'm truly smooth brained and cant count. as many apes pointed out its the following week for the cycle. the week of 11/22..... to be fair, I ran out of fingers to count on when i was counting 13 weeks between each cycle +Oil has fallen to below $11 for a 42-gallon barrel but Hershey's premium bulk ice cream is holding at $23 for 3 gallons making a barrel worth $322. This clearly means that consumers value ice cream more highly than oil. The market cap for Exxon is 180B and Hershey is only 21B; clearly, this development has not been priced in yet. + +THIS CANNOT GO TITS UP +Not me, just another example of crazy Australian speculation: + +https://www.propertychat.com.au/community/threads/significant-debt-on-ip-do-we-wait-it-out-or-offload.32301/ + +Here's the post: + +>Hi All, new member and would be interested in peoples opinions on the best course of action moving forward - below is a summary of our situation: + +>Current situation + +>1 investment unit $180/w rent, $5600/yr body corporate, owe $167 000 (interest only) + +>1 investment house $220/w rent owe $294 000 (interest only) + +>1 investment house $240/w rent owe $275 000 (interest only) + +>Multiple other Lines of Credit (borrowed against above houses plus owner occupied), owe $350 000 + +>Total debt $1.05M + +>Rough values of assets + +>Unit $170 000 + +>*House 1 $280 000 (see * at end) + +>*House 2 $280 000 (see * at end) + +>Owner Occupied $500 000 + +>Shares $ 20 000 + +>Properties were purchased approx. 10 years ago, with 2 incomes before kids. Now we have 4 kids and 1 income. + +>The 2 houses are beside each other in Townsville on large blocks, with one on a corner block, with ability to subdivide off an extra 2 and possibly 3 lots from the rear of the 2 properties (ie total would be 2 houses plus 2 vacant lots or 2 houses plus 3 vacant lots). Very rough estimate cost would be around $150 000 to subdivide, with blocks worth $120 000 to $170 000. + + +>Current difference between living expenses (ie, not including any investment costs) and salary is approx. $2150/month or $26 000/yr. IE – we have potential to ‘save’ $26 000/yr in our favour. + +>Current difference between rental income and loan repayment and ongoing investment costs of 2 houses is $22 000 – ie:, we need to find and extra $22k to cover the shortfall. We also have an additional $16 500 of interest/yr to pay other lines of credit. + +>**So in summary, we are losing approx. $20 500/yr ($26k -$22k - $16.5k).** This can be covered by other cash income from hobbies/odd jobs. + +>Our net position (ie, owing $1.05M) has remained for about the last 8 years. + +>**If house prices go down and/or interest rates go up – we will be in serious trouble** + +>If house prices go up, it makes things a lot easier, and could potentially offload properties (would have to be within 3-5 yrs) and be close to debt free on owner occupied. + +>If we were to sell both *houses (at 2 x $280k), we would be left with a debt of around $350 000, which could be put against our owner occupied. This leaves us P&I repayments of approx. $2300/month which is $150/month more than our current ‘savings’ – so achievable and pay off debt in 20 years. + +>If we were to sell both *houses plus unit (2 x $280k plus $170k), we would be left with a debt of around $230 000, which could be put against our owner occupied. This leaves us P&I repayments of approx. $1200/month which is $900/month less than our current ‘savings’ – so achievable and pay off debt in 17years, and allow some $$$ to save/invest elsewhere. + + +>*In terms of sell price of the 2 houses, it is hard to judge – since the 2 properties have potential to subdivide, logic suggests selling together should be worth more than the sum of the 2 individual properties to the right buyer. +I know we talk a lot on this thread about investing in different financial assets - but what have people experienced at a more simpler level saves (makes) them a lot of money. My Dad always said that it’s easier to save a dollar of costs, then it is to make a dollar in investment. + +So on that theme, I thought I’d share that the lockdown (I’m based in Victoria) has got me cutting my own hair. I’ve purchased a cheap set of clippers ($40) - and I’ve now recouped that cost over four months (one cut per month based on a cost of $30 per cut) that’s a pretty decent saving. Extending it over a year - based on those numbers my ROI is looking pretty healthy. + +What are some other similarly high performing cost avoidance investments that you may have to share? + **A brief background**: + +· Mid-20’s married couple in full-time professional jobs in the legal industry in Melb CBD early in our careers with potential for progression + +· Combined income of $180k + +· $125k deposit saved over 1.5 years (including taking full advantage of the First Home Super Saver Scheme) + +· We have been pre-approved for a loan of up to $1m + +· We currently live with one parent in a small house, with 2 pets and paying board and equal share of utilities. + +· Don’t plan to have kids for another 4-5 years + +We are trying to be sensible and are torn between two broad options and have received conflicting advice from family and friends regarding: + +1) Stretching ourselves for a longer-term house (7+ years) in the Northern/Western suburbs of Melbourne in the 550k - 650k range, paid off through P&I loan due to the land component. Would potentially utilise a debt recycling strategy to pay down the mortgage faster; or + +2) Going for a smaller 2 bedroom townhouse (not apartment as we need at least a small backyard for the wee animals) in the 350k - 425k range, smaller mortgage and bigger balance in the offset. + +Option 2 would be an IO loan with a mind to convert it to an IP in 3-4 years for tax deductibility. Substantial savings in the offset for the deposit for the next home that’ll be purchased with kids in mind. Based on our conservative calculations, we should have most of the loan offset after around 4 years. + +**Our thoughts** + +We’ve been watching the Melbourne market in those price ranges for over 2 years and it doesn’t seem to be decreasing much, if at all in those price ranges due to a variety of factors (FHB territory, exemptions etc). Neither option would involve buying off the plan (for reasons Ausfinance readers would already know) + +We certainly do not take for granted that we were able to cut costs by living with a parent but (bless them) we are at our wits end, so continuing to live with them is not an option. We are looking to buy for stability, wanting to do our own thing around the place and have our own space; we have attempted to enter the rental market in properties close to stations for work with no luck due to no rental history and the pets. + +So we are going down the FHB route and are leaning towards options 2 based on flexibility and lower interest costs. Is there anything we are missing or is flawed in our thinking? What would you do in our situation? Cheers! +Been in the stock market for only 2.5 years, I was lucky to get in after the pandemic crash so I'm still in the +ve (plus Im hedging my position with SQQQ). + +I'm curious that if this is what a bear market feels like? The sentiment, everyone's griefing, ppl struggling and keep telling ppl to dca...etc. +Recent posts here have mocked outright the guy who took a risk and made a million dollars on dogecoin. + +So what if he is down from that million? Could it hurt anyone to congratulate the guy instead of poking fun at his misfortune? I mean he is still up 250k and never sold. I don't know about you, but that is more money than I have ever made in crypto and the guy has genuine balls to risk 250k early on Dogecoin. + +And incase you didn't notice, the whole damn market is down at the moment not just memecoins. + +Yes he took a risk and yes i wouldn't recommend anyone invest that much money on a memecoin, but it paid off for him and isn't the whole damn point of investing in crypto to MAKE money? + +We should be uniting people in the crypto community not dividing them by making fun at them. I for one am happy for him. If he becomes a future multi millionare doge holder I hope he sets and example by being humble back to those smug people who relentlessly poked fun at his misfortune. +http://imgur.com/a/ttTzp + +I've been trying to make sense of the various Vanguard Equity Mutual Funds. There are a lot, and it's not obvious from some of the names where they fit in the big picture. + +This is what I came up with after a few hours. Anyone have any suggestions? Sector-specific, specialty, and most of the closed funds are not included as they don't fit the pattern. + +edit: There are almost certainly some minor inaccuracies. I'll try to gather them in the comments and put out an amended version later in the week. +I was growing up in a not-so-poor family compared to my village's average standards in Eastern Europe, but was still always jealous and wanting more nonetheless. I knew it my whole life that I would need my own place, preferrably a house, since I don't want to live with my abusive family and I just want to forget them. + + +Untfortunately, my mental state doesn't really allows me to live with someone else. I have developed a serious sleeping disorder during my decades long depression and I am only able to sleep when I am totally exhausted and even then, I wake up on the slightest noise. I live in my 2nd rented apartment on my own and my life is hell due the loud neighbours (not with my standards, generally) and the careless landlord. + + +This just strengthened me in my vision that I will have my own home, no matter what. Until I reach my goal, I can't have my peace. Recently my mental state started to decrease rapidly due to the current covid situation and the exposure of the negative news everywhere. I started to calculate when would I be able to pay the minimum amount to apply for a bank loan and the results were devastating. I desperately started to look for extra income opportunities because I couldn't sleep. My mind was ticking... + + +I am a senior software developer at one of the biggest IT companies worldwide, in Austria and still, considering the housing prices, I would need at least 15 years from now on from my salary to have the minimum payment for the loan. I am 28. I couldn't accept this. + + +\*\* Please before you start telling me how much you think I earn and I could do it easily, I didn't tell you everything about my life, situation, family and so on. So please instead of assuming things just read it through. Thank you!\*\* + + +Of course, the WSB -> GME crazyness got my attention too and I dived into this whole retail trader stuff to make some quick bucks. As the 99% does, I thought I am part of the 1% who will make it. My friend investing in stocks for a year now and when I asked him to help me buy GME at 31$ just before the whole thing, he told me not to do it because it maybe goes up to 40, but will fall down again, I can invest in better stocks which will have better short term returns... You can guess the rest. I was devastated. Looking at the stock price booming basically destroyed my sanity and I of course FOMOed all in. I think I don't have to mention that I was too late. Thank god I was too paranoid checking it every second and on a feeling, I got out with only -400$... + + +So, learning the lesson I am not mature and emotionally disciplined enough to do this, I started to look for another way. Being interested in IT and tech, the a blockchain article caught my attention and I started to read about it. I bought myself a PC with an RTX 3070 in december, so I started to experiment with GPU mining. Of course I got addicted to it, it made me feel alive for the first time since years and it was "free money" coming in. Naturally, the amount is insignificant in itself and we are talking about \~200$ a month, minus the electricity which is .21/kW here. So not a big profit, but still... I started to join crypto related subreddits and facebook groups and day after day I was reading more and more about it. Decentralization, NFTs, PoW, PoS and so on until I bought my first non-minable coin and I decided to build up my crypto portfolio. + +&#x200B; + +I started on 16th of February and since, my portfolio's value almost doubled itself with the investments I made in it. I tried trading too and although, being in plus with it (+100$ or so), I decided just to be a HODLer and patiently to wait it out. In this almost two months, I have more money saved up in my portfolio than what I had after 2 years of saving before. I finally start to believe that my goal and hope for a normal life with sleep and without anxiety is possible. All thank to this technology and the promise it holds. Not only the money, but the change in the whole financial system and sentimentality of the world. It's funny because my mental condition allows me to speak freely about anything, because I honestly don't care. But I really wanted to share this. +Been a lurker on this subreddit and the main Ethereum subreddit since late september and I've been seeing a lot of FUD, hype, and misinformation regarding the price of ETH. As far as knowledge of the backend coding and all the work that goes into Ethereum goes, I'm a complete newbie. But as a day trader of foreign currencies for the past 4 years, I've picked up a few things that some of the traders here might find useful and interesting. + +The FX markets are rigged. Always have been and always will be. Before, it was a lot of big banks manipulating prices by looking at the order flow to run stops and get in on better entries. Nowadays HFTs (high frequency trading) are dominating the market, which are funded by large financial insitututions, so essentially nothing has changed over the last 2-3 decades as it pertains to the everyday retail trader. This is a fact and anyone who tells you otherwise is either delusional or hasn't been in the markets long enough to see it. Once you understand that the stock market, currency markets, commodity markets, etc. are only available to the retail traders because they are a means of the smart money taking your money, you can start to invest/trade differently. So how does any of this tie into ETH or any other crypto? Simple: you're playing the same game. The players are different, but the mentality and financial dynamics are exactly the same. + +Price Action + +Traders and investors talk about price action here quite a lot, which is a good thing, but it's difficult to give price action as much credibility as it has in the FX markets due to the current price and volume. The price is currently low enough to where a small hedge fund (500m-1B) can control price action by putting manual trades throughout the day using a tiny fraction of their money (1-5M). The volume that you're seeing that's being traded on the exchanges (~16M today) says absolutely nothing about the net number of ETH being exchanged. The same 100,000 coins can be exchanged back and forth between a hedge fund and 100 day traders and the daily volume can be either 1M or 100M at the end of the day depending on the frequency of the trades. The reason why I mentioned manual trading from hedge funds earlier is because 16M in volume is nothing in the world of finance. The FX market is thought to be a 3-6 trillion dollar daily market, but that number means nothing because of the HFTs and big banks sending money back and forth to each other throughout their trading sessions. The 16M trading volume today can be achieved manually between 5-10 successful daytrading whales, even. If those whales start using HFTs, then that number could easily increase 10 fold. If a hedge fund allocates 5-10M using an HFT against these whales, that number could skyrocket to 100M+ and price could be practically unchanged at the end of the day. This happens a lot in the fx markets during tight ranges. + +Volume + +Just like in the FX markets, volume is also tricky for another reason: it is decentralized. Unlike publicly traded companies whose stocks are traded on one exchange, no one exchange has the rights to any currency - fiat or crypto. Because of this, volume can throw off price action analysis (if you even take that into account), but it shouldn't be overlooked. Instead of looking at the raw volume that's being traded, look deeper and see where and when the volume spikes. If price makes a triple bottom and each of those times it explodes out of that level with lots of volume, then there's a good chance that accumulation is happening. If volume is increasing and price is going down, then there's a good chance that distribution is occuring and price will continue to move down until the next accumulation phase begins. The advantage that ETH has over fx is that the volume is almost always going to reliable at this stage because Polo and Kraken hold almost all the trading volume. Once more exchanges get involved, it will be easier for whales to put in big orders at the same time using many exchanges to cover their trail. + +Bubbles + +Lots of talk of bubbles lately. I don't think it's not justified, but it's also given too much weight. I believe that ETH will succeed, which is why I'm just buying and holding. If prices hit 10 cents or 10 dollars tomorrow, it won't matter to me because at both levels ETH will be severely undervalued. The only people who should be concerned with bubbles are day traders who are trying to time the markets and hold positions over long periods of time. In the FX market, a good way to lose your money quickly as a day trader is forgetting that you're a day trader. Some traders will do their daily technical analysis, base their trade off of what occured in the last 24 hours, and then enter into a trade and hold that position for a week or a month. That's dangerous to do in any market, but moreso in a 24 hour market that has been extremely volatile lately and has no upwards bias like the US stock market does. + +If you are a successful day trader, then you already know that the "bubble" means nothing to you. You are in and out of the trade in a matter of minutes or hours and you have your entry and exit planned out. You don't hope for the price to go in your direction - you just react to what the market is telling you without getting married to your trade and without being afraid of the market. + +Also, it doesn't take a lot of money to create a "bubble" when there is leverage, margin calls, fomo/herd mentality, and low volume. The bubble bursts long before price falls. It bursts when price is in a fake consolidation stage. A novice trader will look at sideways price movement after a big rally and may mistake as a big buy signal because he/she believes that the bulls are just reloading their accounts, but sometimes it could be that the bulls are unloading their positions on fomo traders. + +Do I think we experienced a bubble over the past couple of weeks? Yes. Does it mean that price will fall to drastic levels like .002 - .005? Not necessarily. It won't take much money to prop price back up again. A bubble for day traders could just be a minor pullback for an investor/financial institution with deep pockets. When only a few million dollars can control the outcome of price for several days/weeks, it's silly to overreact after every "big" event. These events will continue to happen until more money starts coming in and price can begin to stabalize. Until then, you'll see a bubble formed and a bubble burst every couple of months. If you can't handle that as a day trader, then go find something else to do. + +Technicals vs Fundamentals + +In the world of finance, technicals vs fundamentals are a widely discussed subject. In the short term, technicals is more beneficial, whereas in the long term solid fundamentals are the most important factor. Technical analysis is the bread and butter of day traders. Whether you're scalping or holding a position throughout the day, you most likely base your entries and exists off of technical analysis. And while this may hold more weight in FX, in cryptotrading, your technical analysis can be invalidated the instant a big player comes into the market. + +Stop hunting above resistance/ below support and abusing oversold vs overbought levels indicated by oscillators is what banks love to do. The main reason they do this is because they need to fill their orders. It's hard to put in a billion dollar order and have it filled without slippage or a major spike in price, but if you move price below a major support level, cause an order flow cascade by trigger stops and then accumulate those orders, you will achieve 2 things: filling a big order and creating a void in order flow where very little money can move the market in a big way for a short period of time. In that short period of time, banks or wealthy investors create their own price action and decide where the market will go next. Don't just look at a support or resistance level and think that the level will hold. If the incentive to break past it is bigger than the cost of failing to break it, then you can bet that an honest attempt will be made to do so. What happens next can only be determined by the people who have positioned themselves properly long before the level was broken. + +Fundamentals should be your main focus if you truly are an "investor" and a believer. I see ETH the same way most people see the stock market: with an upward bias. If price goes lower, I welcome the "sale" on ETH. If price goes up, I look at my unrealized profits and my views of the market are validated. The only time I will consider closing out of my position prematurely is if fundamentals dictate that it's the right thing to do. This could be for a myriad of reasosn previously discussed on here: problems with the developers, flaw in the code that may be detrimental to the Ethereum network, accumulation of toxic atomsophere caused by press/politics, etc. All of these factors will take a long time to come to fruition, which is why I'm not going to make a decision to sell on some FUD. + +Market Cap + +Another hot topic on this subreddit and in the trollbox. A lot of people talk about market caps, but how many people understand the logic behind it? With ~77M coins at $1 per coin, the market cap would be considered $77M, right? If the price of the coin goes to $2, then the market cap doubles. But does that mean that another $77M has actually entered the market? Absolutely not. Sometimes it could such a small fraction of that that it would you'd be crazy to believe it. When it comes to market cap, remember that it is somewhat of a theorical thing. If all of the ETH holders decided to hold their ETH and not sell a single one until price reached $100, in theory, 1 order buy order at "market price" will be enough to make ETH skyrocket. + +Take the current of ETH, for example. At ~4.50 per coin with 77m coins, the market cap is floating around roughly at 350M. If all the sell and buy orders were pulled from Polo and Kraken with the exception of 1 sell order at $50/ETH and 1 new buy order came in at $50 to purchase just 1 coin, Polo/Kraken's automated system would move the price right up to the $50 market. If that sell order gets moved up to $100/ETH and another buy order comes in at $100 to pruchase 1 coin, the "market price" will move up to $100. This would place the market cap at ~7.7B and all it would take would be $150 to get it up there. Now, this is an extreme example that will never happen due to fear, greed, profit taking, etc. But, in theory, it is possible. + +ETH has value because traders and investors believe it does. They are willing to part with a certain amount of their money to buy some ETH and that amount may be higher or lower than it was yesterday for a million different reasons. By the same token, they will also be willing to part with a certain amount of their ETH once the accepted value by others reaches a certain level. Even when we reach a market cap of $1b and $10b, it won't mean that anywhere near that amount of money was used to reach that market cap. It also won't mean that someone could sell $100M worth of ETH and actually get the full $100M out. Realistically, if a $100M sell order hit the exchanges when ETH has a market cap of $10b, it could easily drive the price to half the market cap and cripple market sentiment for ETH for several weeks/months. But the same is true for the flipside. To tie this back to the bubble discussion, don't give market cap too much credibility, especially at such an early stage. Very little is needed to manipulate ETH at the moment. When a real $250K buy or sell wall won't be seen as a daunting obstacle for traders/ivestors, only then can we start talking about the real market cap being in the millions or billions. For now, ETH has a lot of loyal and patient investors whose theorical net worths are controlled by a handful of whales and a small number of day traders. +Prior to June, I have been researching strategies and I have done a bit of paper trading on TOS. I knew I wasn't ready and I did not expect to be profitable, but I adopted the mentality that I would never understand how to day trade or learn how to be profitable until I learn to win with real money and lose with real money. + +I started out with about $10K, and as of yesterday, I had made a profit of about $3000. Being profitable made me overconfident in my ability to day trade, and as a result... I made mistakes. I took a risk that didn't seem risky at the time I bought into my position. Today, I'm at just a little below $9000, and I'm back to square 1. I lost all my progress and more in less than 24 hours. What I did wasn't trading, it was gambling, and yet I wasn't aware of it until it was too late. + +Right now, I have feelings of guilt, and a little bit of anger. I don't feel like doing anything until I make my money back. I have a knot in my stomach and I felt like writing this all out and posting it on here would help me learn my mistake. Hopefully, some of you may resonate with my experience so far, or perhaps you were once in my position. + +In the long run, I hope to stick to my plans and strategies better and make my money back. + +Please comment down below your thoughts/questions. +I experimented with NIO back in early May and June when people were still calling it a scam stock (b/c of Chinese accounting) and piling into VTIQ/NKLA instead. The play then was long straddles/strangles. I made some money on it on the call side mostly and cashed out at 14.30. + +With the EV hype train still in motion what are people's thoughts on selling CSP on NIO? And if assigned selling covered calls on it. NIO just broke $20/share. Still a meme stock or does it have legs? Thanks. +None of my friends or family understand this stuff and I'm excited to have a new tool. It feels good. I know thetagang would understand. + +Hope you all have a great week! + +(for those wondering - only a very small 2 contract NVDA position just to get my toes wet in the water. I made a whopping $8 expires 4-29) Now I understand the mechanics better. Next week will be a different story as I gain confidence in the strategy and increase number of contracts. + +Can people tell me if there is a big price drop and the sold put gets assigned but still above the long put, will the brokerage automatically exercise the long put? What if the price drops below the short and the long put both? I would hope it would be exercised automatically because I would not have enough cash to cover it if I am trading a larger number of contracts. Is that something I need to specify on my trading platform? + +Thanks for the help. +The Premiums on calls for PLTR@ 25 expiring 1/20/23, approximately two years from now are currently going for about $12. If you were to sell a covered call, based on the market close price of $23.90, you would have a cost basis of 11.90, and a premium of 12. But what if instead of just selling one CC, you sold 512, and then reinvested the majority of the premium back into more covered calls, and then repeated the process until you couldn't buy a full lot of shares anymore. I did the math on this, link down below, It would require approximately $ 1,223,680.00, to do so. Over the course of it you would come into possession of 102,300 shares, collect $1,227,600 in premium, spent about $400 in commissions, if it's at 0.40 a contract. + + + +Your max gain would be $1,339,720.80, assuming it ends above $25, a return of %109 percent in just under 2 years, with a break-even price at approximately $11.09. + +&#x200B; + +Now obviously selling so many options is going to affect the price, so you'll probably get a good bit less in premium then you would have, but what do you think guys, could this actually work?. + +[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mFw7yYPPTQzOiL4E69-08NUnA8mUhlXvQcCFa-cXvaE/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mFw7yYPPTQzOiL4E69-08NUnA8mUhlXvQcCFa-cXvaE/edit?usp=sharing) +Am I the only one sick of seeing one of these posts a day? Can we just come up with a standard answer for them? + +Edit: Holy shit it is amazing how many people on Reddit read nothing but the headline, yet comment anyway. +I'm 100% on board with FI/ER concepts and plans. My SO and I have made big strides (paying off student loans, 40% SR, opening retirement vehicles, etc.) + +Where I get bogged down is the details and the mechanics. I've read the sidebar, FAQs, stand alone posts, blog posts, the freaking IRS website, etc. But I still don't 'get' the mechanics. I have no idea how Mega Backdoor Roth works. I have no idea how tax loss harvesting works/when I should do it. I kind of get rebalancing. I know a SWR of 3.5% works, but I have no idea how. + +For now, I've just gone with what the majority of recommendations are here. + +But my lack of understanding has already cost me a couple of times this year. First, I naively opened a SEP IRA (thinking I could open an individual 401k later this year. I can't). Second, I've naively contributed 20% to the SEP IRA (thinking I could still take advantage of the FEIE up to the allowable amount. I can't.). + +I'm worried this lack of understanding will lead to larger problems down the road — especially as I figure out where to put the rest of our 40% SR. + +Is anyone else in my shoes? How did you start wrapping your head around the details and making smarter decisions? +I plan on giving my two weeks on Monday, but I am worried that they may fire me and ask me to leave without pay for those last two weeks. For context I am in a temp-to-hire position with no minimum assignment length, therefore I feel like I am at high risk for being let go immediately. Would I be able to collect unemployment for those two weeks? Any advice would be helpful. + +Edit: Thank you for everyone's immediate responses. You gave me a few things to consider over the weekend. As it sits right now, I believe I will give a 1 week notice. I'll do this because I know the position will not be difficult to fill for them, I can comfortably cover not having 1 week of pay, and it is at least some professional courtesy because I don't want to burn bridges with the company. +Ok so here’s some real fucking numbers for everyone. Hey Citadel/Melvin how you like these fucking Apples. + +GameStop.com +4.15 million visitors/month over the past 6. + +That’s before all the mess they created and all the PR. I might add THEY paid for. Yes, even the FUD is free advertising. Remember there’s no such thing as BAD press. +(The visitor rate is an actual number from the internet anyone can look it up) + +I ran an e-commerce site I know how this shit works and you’re sooooooooo fucked!!!!! + +If you use normal website sale conversations it’s usually about 10% of visitors. So GameStop right now gets about 415,000 orders a month on their site and if you just say each one of them is JUST a game nothing else you’re looking at probably an avg sale of $60. So if we just say the site does this piddly little amount /sale you have about 24.9 mill in sales/month. Now as we all know but maybe Melvin/citadel haven’t figured it out yet they have made massive enemies out of every single stockholder. Meaning that each and every single GameStop holder will never buy anything with regards to gaming anywhere else.....EVER. Along with the fact that now every single fucking person on Planet earth has and will hear about GameStop. So now let’s say that visitor rate increases 3x that’s 12mill/month and that turns into 1.2 mill sales/month with an avg of $60. Woof you can see where this is going. Can’t you? You(Melvin/Citadel) have created a fully functional lifestyle gaming brand that HASN’T even started yet and you’re shorting has given it a share price of $200. As investors we thank you so much for believing in our fledging company and what it has to offer the gaming community. Hahahaha man would I love to be on the GameStop board even just apart of the marketing team. You’re so fucked it’s not even funny. This is a marketing/comms team slam fucking dunk and it’s not even started. The shorters better get their shit together because imma go so fucking long on this investment I ain’t never letting go. I don’t even really want a squeeze I just want a $1,000 share price just by fundamentals so we can all shove it down your fucking boomer throats. God damn I can’t wait to watch Cramer suck RC’s dick live on air. That will taste so good. Imma lick the tears off Melvin’s and Citadel’s cheeks. + + +[This is the official $GME Megathread for r\/Superstonk.](https://preview.redd.it/gzy9yfftoov71.png?width=778&format=png&auto=webp&s=7ce125aa2d7455f994d74a4192f1a04b7d14448c) + +**Please keep ALL conversations contained to Gamestop and directly related topics.** + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# Brand new to the sub? Start here! + +***You must read the*** [***Superstonk Rules***](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/rules) ***before commenting or posting on*** [***r/Superstonk***](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/)*.* + +https://preview.redd.it/u7nzd0m0pov71.png?width=1651&format=png&auto=webp&s=df5232178c4035ba1c069f9306b30453b42946cd + +The extremely talented and dedicated [u/zedinstead](https://www.reddit.com/u/zedinstead/) has created this beautiful collection of the most important, groundbreaking **D**ue **D**iligence in PDF format that can be easily accessed and shared. If your looking to familiarize yourself with the GME bull thesis or the underhanded tactics of the short sellers involved in this trade-- then this is for you: + +# [GME.fyi](https://fliphtml5.com/bookcase/kosyg) + +[r/Superstonk](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/) employs strict posting requirements to ensure our community stays moderately free from trolls and other such bad actors. As such you may find you have trouble posting if you haven't fully read and understood our rules. + +**Posts keep getting removed?** [Find out why.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/rules) + +**Not enough** [**karma**](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/204511829-What-is-karma-)**?** Here's a [quick guide](https://zapier.com/blog/how-to-get-karma-on-reddit/) on how to get it. + +**Want to learn more?** [Check out our extensive Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index) and [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/faq) + +**Eager for more even more GameStop info?** [gmedd.com](https://gmedd.com/) is a spectacular resource. + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# Flair Links + +Check out our [**flair system**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mrwirc/updated_about_and_menu_flair_directory/), which is easily accessible via the sidebar button widget on desktop or the About menu on mobile. + +[📚 Due Diligence](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/?f=flair_name%3A%22%F0%9F%93%9A%20Due%20Diligence%22) | [📚 Possible DD](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/?f=flair_name%3A%22%F0%9F%93%9A%20Possible%20DD%22) | [📈 Technical Analysis](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/?f=flair_name%3A%22%F0%9F%93%88%20Technical%20Analysis%22) | [🤔 Speculation / Opinion](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/?f=flair_name%3A%22%F0%9F%A4%94%20Speculation%20%2F%20Opinion%22) | [💻 Computershare](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/?f=flair_name%3A%22%F0%9F%92%BB%20Computershare%22) | [💡 Education](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/?f=flair_name%3A%22%F0%9F%92%A1%20Education%22) | [📰 News](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/?f=flair_name%3A%22%F0%9F%93%B0%20News%22) | [🤡 Meme](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/?f=flair_name%3A%22%F0%9F%A4%A1%20Meme%22) | [👽 Shitpost](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/?f=flair_name%3A%22%F0%9F%91%BD%20Shitpost%22) |[📳Social Media](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/?f=flair_name%3A%22%F0%9F%93%B3Social%20Media%22) | [☁ Hype fluff](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/?f=flair_name%3A%22%E2%98%81%20Hype%2F%20Fluff%22) + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +***What's This Post All About?*** + +The first thing you'll notice is a stickied comment right at the top. We call this the "Front Desk". Every day a moderator will create a new sticky comment that includes links to community announcements, fantastic posts that deserve more attention, and generally the simplest and easiest way to interact with the moderators of this community. The rest of the post is designed for general discussion and content/questions that might not need their own post. + +If you are new please mention that when you comment. There are no stupid questions but "shills" (paid accounts with the intent to disrupt the sub) are real. This community sees a lot of trolls. If you do not distinguish yourself as someone with genuine questions it is likely that members of our community will assume you are just spreading "FUD" (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt). I hate that I have to give you this warning but it is just the nature of the beast at this point. + +Please have fun, play nice and be civil. Many of our rules are heavily enforced. Debate is welcome but if it devolves into personal insults please report the comment. *Ape no fight ape!* +You need to understand something before you read this. I have a lot of wrinkles, unfortunately they're on my balls and not on my brain. + +[lhatekale](https://old.reddit.com/user/lhatekale) pointed out that someone had sold a lot of put contracts today way in the money at a $300 strike price **45 minutes before close and they expire tomorrow**. So, I did the math to see what it actually cost the purchasers of these puts and was surprised to learn that they had made money by market close. 800 put contracts with a purchase premium of $76. + +https://preview.redd.it/6zvn1jlxfx571.png?width=927&format=png&auto=webp&s=8c63f0dc1a385c9a031e70085871acb4cc392159 + +Value of shares @ $300 strike: 80,000 shares X $300 strike price = $24,000,000 + +Value of shares @ todays close $223.59: 80,000 shares X $223.59 = $17,887,200 + +Actual value of the puts: $24,000,000 - $17,887,200 = $6,112,800 + +Premium to buy 800 puts @ $76 : 80,000 shares x $76 premium = $6,080,000 + +Profit the buyers of these puts would have made at market close: $6,112,800 - $6,080,000 = $32,800 + +&#x200B; + +This didn't make any sense to me. Why would someone sell these puts in the last 45 minutes knowing selling them alone will bring the price down and make them profitable. You're basically giving away money. If the price goes any lower tomorrow the seller's losses will be even more. Maybe they are just selling the contracts to themselves but they were on the market for 40 minutes before someone scooped them up. If I'm not mistaken these major option contracts are almost always created by Market Makers. Since GME is on the NYSE they have only one MM known as a DMM and that's Citadel. + +I've been trying to figure out why they would do this. + +1. To hide their FTDs and kick the can down the road. This isn't kicking the can very far, just a day and they have always used way out of the money puts to do this that cost just a couple cents per contract. +2. To drop the price. These contracts didn't drop the price very much maybe 80 cents and we all know they drop the price all day everyday without selling crazy put contracts like these. +3. Because they want to buy shares off the market without making the price go up. Everyone's heard of a Market Maker, but have you heard of a Designated Market Maker? On some exchanges you have a MM, multiple companies responsible for all the stocks on the exchange. The NYSE has a DMM, one company manages the stocks they are assigned. Citadel is the DMM for GME and the majority of the stocks on the NYSE. The main purpose of a MM is to insure market liquidity, they are responsible for the order flow. What happens when there are more buyers than sellers or more sellers than buyers? The MM steps in and makes sure that all orders are filled, it's their main purpose. If there are more buyers than sellers they will fill these orders with a temporary short sale and when they can find the share on the market they will purchase it and SEC REG SHO says they have a maximum of t+35 days to deliver that share (bullshit). This would normally make the price go up because there are more buyers than sellers and the price going up would bring in more sellers. Now imagine you're a DMM, you've shorted the fuck out of a company planning on it going bankrupt, but this backfired and the price is 45X what you shorted it at. You're still responsible for market liquidity, but all the shares of the company you shorted have been bought up and the buyers refuse to sell. You have to figure out a way to make sure all orders are filled when no one is selling their shares and the price doesn't go up. Since you're a MM you have that ability to temporarily sell a share short (naked short). So, your only option is to fill every order with a share that you do not have and can not get. So, how would you buy shares off the market without raising the price? Maybe you could pay people a premium to sell their shares to you through put contracts. But wouldn't that person just go to the market buy those shares and sell them to you? Not if the put contract expires in 24 hours. If they went to the market and bought those shares they'd have to wait t+2 before the transaction settled before they could sell those shares and by then the put contract would have expired, so they can only sell you shares they already have. What's stopping them from just selling the shares they already have to you and then just buying shares to replace them off the market. Nothing, as long as they already have the cash in their account and how many people have cash just sitting in their account. One major flaw I have with this theory is that of all the in the money put contracts I looked at there might have only been a 1,000 contracts worth maybe 100,000 shares. This doesn't really fix their issues. Plus, they only have this opportunity once a month when options expire. Unless they've been doing this with weekly options as well, I haven't looked. So, if they try and sell a lot more of this way in the money contracts tomorrow then maybe this theory holds up, but I doubt it. + +These are the theories I've come up with and none of them are a great explanation. I'm hoping if we work together we can figure this out. If you see any mistakes let me know. + +&#x200B; + +Edit: Words. Plus, I'm not sure if I said these puts expire tomorrow... +Apes, I used to be a scientist. I have a PhD in a non-finance field and used to do research and write scientific publications. + +A keyword that you might have already heared as a scientific principle is "peer review". This means if you want to publish your research in a prestigious journal that many scientists read, your research publication needs to get reviewed by an independent panel of experts in the field. For GME, e.g. Atobit had HoC2+3 reviewed by Dr T, Dave L, etc. + +A less known scientific principle (maybe because there's no specific name for it) is what I wrote in the title: + +Collective DD is much more reliable as any single DD! That's why our overall thesis is very likely to be true! + +Even with peer review many scientific articles turn out to be wrong over time. This can be because of methodologies used evolving over time allowing deeper insights or simple mistakes in experimental set up or interpretation. + +But what holds much stronger than any individual finding is the overall big picture of how things work for a particular topic, since this is a mosaic of independent viewpoints re-enforcing the overall direction. There can be bias, that's why counter DD and myth busting are important. + +But overall I feel the de-centralized nature of our DD is exactly what gives it high confidence. If it were just a few people it could be a scam. Also importantly, public data like FTDs, buy ratios, short volume all also are supporting the different DDs. + +The reason I wrote this is I sometimes see apes getting worked up over details of this or that DD or blaming mods or other individuals for getting something wrong. My message: It's ok to be wrong on individual points occasionally. What's much more important is the big picture which gets supported by many pillars! + +TL;DR see title +**Who am I?** + +I am an 18 year old high school senior, and I am attending Vanderbilt in the fall to study some field of engineering, likely biomedical. I applied under the EDII decision plan, so pretty much no matter what I am attending Vanderbilt for at least one year. + +**Whats the situation?** + +I applied for financial aid and I was awarded $3,500/yr from the TN Hope Scholarship and $58,869/yr in a need-based grant, totaling $62,369 in aid for the 2018-2019 school year. My financial aid letter lists the estimated cost of attendance as $73,501. (This figure also includes $1,294 in book costs, and nearly $3,000 in "Personal/Misc Allowance", so if I'm smart about that I could probably save an additional $1000). This leaves my yearly estimated family contribution to be about $11,132. For four years, assuming no changes in the EFC, that totals $44,528. + +**What are my loan options?** + +Vanderbilt fin aid makes it pretty clear that they don't think taking out loans is a good idea. Nevertheless, they direct students to three different options: + +* *Undergraduate Federal Loans*: This includes Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans and Federal Perkins Loans. As I understand it, it's highly unlikely that my family would qualify for the Perkins loans. +* *Federal Direct Parent (Plus) Loans*: This is where the parent is the borrower. This is not an option as I will be the one taking on student loans, not my parents. +* *Private Alternative Loans*: This is where Vandy really starts throwing up red flags and 'turn back now' signs. They advise students to only use private loans as an absolute last resort, and I have no intention of using these if at all possible. + +So basically, my only option currently is Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans (If you understand what that means, then skip to the next section since me writing this out is really more for my own benefit and understanding than anyone else's). + +* *Subsidized*: These loans are where interest on the loan is federally subsidized and covered while I'm in college. +* *Unsubsidized*: With these, interest accumulates and basically becomes part of the loan when I graduate. + +These loans have a fixed interest rate of 4.45% and an origination fee of 1.066%. The maximum borrowing limits are as follows: + +* 1st Year Student: $5,500 combined/$3,500 max for subsidized +* 2nd Year Student: $6,500 combined/$4,500 max for subsidized +* 3rd/4th Year Student: $7,500 combined/$5,500 max for subsidized + +If I max out on the loans, that works out to a grand total of $27,000 in student debt, not taking into account interest. + +So, if I were to take out the maximum loan possible each year, I would be left with these out-of-pocket costs each year: + +* Year 1: $5,632 +* Year 2: $4,632 +* Year 3: $3,632 +* Year 4: $3,632 + +My parents will be helping me with these out of pocket costs, though, again, all student loan debt will be my own. + +**What now? AKA What the hell is this kid talking about?** + +So that's how cards fall. Basically, my question is this: ***What can I do now and what I can I plan to do in the future in order to make going to college as financially manageable as possible?*** I know that during the summers I will be working my ass off to make as much money as possible to save and also put towards out-of-pocket costs. I know I likely will not be able to do work-study during college since I will be a BME major and also training to hopefully walk on to the cross country team as a sophomore (they are non-scholarship, so no help there). I know that out of college I'd really like to do some travelling before really settling down (I know this will also entail some work as I travel, whatever form that takes). And I know that as a Vandy engineering grad, I will likely end up with a fairly well-paying job. + +I have read a lot of the stuff provided by this sub's wiki, but most of it applies more to recent grads that actually have student debt already rather than soon-to-be student debtors. Any and all advice is appreciated. Thanks yall! + +**TL;DR: How can I make paying for college as financially manageable as possible?** +My wife and I (both 37, young kids, 800k income) are considering a primary residence in the DC area following a successful IPO. We have aging family in the area we would like to spend time with. I'm now fully retired, my wife would continue working reduced hours as a primary care provider. + +Though I am still diversifying, our withdrawal rate should be > 700k pre tax + ~100k from my wife's income. I am comfortable putting 2-3mm into a primary residence. Neighborhoods in and around DC seem to be all over the place in terms of cost, which is a little concerning. + +Has anyone here retired early in DC or Maryland near DC? Are there neighborhoods well suited to an active lifestyle with an interesting restaurant scene and good options for families with young children? + +Thanks for any perspective you can offer on this part of the country. +Hi there, + + +Guess ChatGPT is taking over the internet like a wildfire. + + +People are using them for coding, for anything. Would his leadership win the race? + + +Let's share ideas. Cheers everyone! Have a good xmas ahead :) + + +Source: [https://www.axios.com/2022/12/23/google-ceo-ai-strategy?utm\_campaign=editorial&utm\_medium=social&utm\_source=twitter](https://www.axios.com/2022/12/23/google-ceo-ai-strategy?utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter) +[original thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/2wf675/good_perf_review_good_company_profits_but_a_0/) + +This post was from the middle of 2015. Most of the replies said the best way to get a raise would be to change companies. I stayed with that same company at that time, because I couldn't convince myself to make a move to another company. After getting a 0% raise in 2015, the company gave me a 3% raise for 2016, again with a good performance review. I decided at that point to apply elsewhere, and I was recently hired by another company. I got a 15% raise, and my commute went from 45 minutes (one-way) to 10 minutes. I should have made the jump sooner. +i started trading in october of last year. when i joined a lot of people i knew recommended Hugo’s Way, which is an unregulated broker. although i haven’t and the guys who told me have never had a bad experience with them, it just really concerns me in the back of my mind that it’s a risk. (i really do like their site though, it’s simple to use and easy to withdraw) so with that being said, i have a couple of questions .. + +1.) is it illegal to USE unregulated and or offshore brokers as a US citizen? + +2.) will it effect me paying my taxes on forex? + +3.) i obviously haven’t made a lot of income yet as a new trader, so should i be worried about filing my taxes from 2019? + +4.) how much income as a trader should i bring in before i start having to report it to the IRS? + +if anyone can answer these questions for me, it will be greatly appreciated lol. googling them hasn’t been giving me the most direct answers i’ve been looking for, but i did see a few other reddit posts that helped generate an answer. +Hello, new FOREX trader here. I've traded stocks, options and crypto for some time now and decided to learn FOREX. I see a lot of traders posting charts and discussing TA, and I understand what they are posting, but my question is...don't you need more information when trading pairs? + +I read the news on Forex Factory and check the calendar. I watch the $DXY, $JPX and USDJPY, when trading the USDJPY. I watch for divergence between the two indices and then go to my chart for the UJ. Is this the correct thinking? Am I overthinking this? I haven't settled on a style of trade yet (trend, swing or scalp). I trade a very small cash account on OANDA with no expectation of gains yet. I'm just using it to get my education. + +Thank you in advance for any help or tips! + +https://preview.redd.it/jdnecgcy4ki91.png?width=319&format=png&auto=webp&s=5f9dd0b17f5331deb6c439dcc0fc49faf4e45893 + +Some days ago I was thinking about my process of learning how to trade. I went back to when I started and i analysed how I was back then and how I am now, on a “how I start a trade” perspective. When I first started, before going into learning the technical part, I remember that in the first days I just played around on a paper account, without knowing nothing about technical analysis. I noticed that on the charts were appearing zones in which the price was stopping to go down and start going up, and viceversa, which I found out later on to be called support and resistance. But apart from this, apart from these zones that appeared to be there, my choice of whether to buy or not was based only on intuition. Of course I don’t remember how those trades went, so a few days ago I decided to try to do it again. When I was looking at charts I detached myself completely from what I am knowing now, I didn’t analyse anything, I just looked at the current candle and the previous ones without any type of technical analysis. The result was 49 trades in total, of which 37 wins (on the forex market). So, as the title says, have you ever traded/do you ever trade based simply on intuition? +My uncle is trying to retire and wants to sell one of his houses. It's a 4 bedroom, 2 bath 1978 brick home with 2300 sqft. I would be closer to work and it would give me room to grow. It also has a small shop on it that I could use for hobbies or to run a business. He said because he is retiring and that since I'm his nephew he would sell it to me for 100k. + +It needs some work, nothing major but is very livable, basically minor maintenance has been neglected for the past 10 years. It's dated inside so I would probably do some updating. Most homes in this area, around this size, in worse shape start at 250k. + +So here's the kicker, I just refinanced my house last year. I got a really good rate. (3.25%) My current home is a measly 850 sqft, 2br 1 bath. (starter home), bought before Covid home prices. It was renovated before I bought it so the only major thing I replaced was the central A/C. It is very comfortable and affordable. I live in the city, close to everything. I really like my home. Since it's small, it is very easy to maintain and utilities are very low. My mortgage is so low that if I somehow lost my job I could still afford it working minimum wage. (\~$500 with mortgage and escrow) So a very safe place. + +In a nutshell, I am almost positive I could sell my current house and make more than enough to afford my uncle's house. (possibly with some left over to start renovations). The issue is the work that needs to be done, and current interest rates, and I would lose the very comfortable mortgage payment. If I sold my old house, used the excess as a downpayment and took out a 90k mortgage I would theoretically have roughly 10k left. My mortgage and escrow would go to around $800 being less comfortable. + +I make 38k a year and live in GA. The car is paid off, and only have one personal loan that I have 4k on. (could go ahead and pay that off if I bought this house). No major debts other than that. + +So is it crazy for me to turn this down? + +EDIT:So I'm going to see about renting out my current house and getting a mortgage on the uncle's house. I did not know I could use the income from the rental for the debt to income calculation. With that in mind I can probably afford both if I get a good renter. I will probably finance an extra 20k to kickstart the repairs. +26 year old living in California, currently working on my business administration major. + +I have no loans or debt whatsoever. My parents ensured that my tuition would be paid for, so I don't need to worry about that. I've budgeted my money to account for rent, utilities and living expenses for the next 2 years (enough to cover the time needed for me to finish my college degree). I'm a full time student, unemployed and own a car that's paid off. + +My parents left me around $300k USD in assets/cash. How should I set myself up for survival and success since I'm now on my own? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for your time. +It's really getting obvious: From a technological/developmental perspective, Devcon4 was a big step forward. (let's not talk about price, it's just pretty tough in a real bear market we're having right now) There is so much going on, people are sticking their heads together and actually buidling stuff on top of Ethereum. The Ethereum network itself is maturing too in terms of scaling, security and (real) decentralization. Now don't get me wrong: I'm not naive, there is still work ahead, there will be setbacks, some dApps will turn out to be experimental or simply superflous, but for now, I'm just overconfident that Ethereum will prove itself as the working solution for the decentralized web 3.0. + +This is a movement that can't be stopped and it it keeps getting attention and attracting more and more developers and enterpreneurs. + +What's obvious too: Those grumpy BTC maximalists and Coindesk who are again spreading their tweets and articles right after Devcon4 looking for flaws to make it look like ETH is full of problems. You can really feel, how the maximalist community is getting pissed more and more: "oh, if it's not Bitcoin, it can't be good, it's shit blah blah ..." + +It has been said by many users in this sub but I'm happy to repeat it: Please do not post Coindesk articles, even if these are positive on ETH (which they actually are sometimes in order to pretend they're balanced), as this news outlet is completely biased and they don't deserve our clicks. This doesn't mean we should remain critical and discuss potential problems or actual flaws. But let's not fall victim to those who are just tribal and toxic. +#Crypto markets are deep in the red this morning as more than $200 billion worth of digital assets and derivatives have been liquidated over the past 24 hours. + +Total crypto market capitalization has shrunk by $216 billion since yesterday in a fall that has dropped it to just below $2.78 trillion according to CoinGecko. + +The massive wipe-out is the second of its kind this month after leveraged derivatives traders were liquidated on Nov. 11 resulting in a $125 billion slump. + +On-chain analyst Dylan LeClair has again fingered leveraged positions for today’s massive slump. + +The total market cap has now fallen back to early November levels as major crypto assets continue correcting from their recent all-time highs. + +**Bitcoin Leads the Drop +Bitcoin is leading markets into the red during the Tuesday morning Asian trading session. BTC has lost 7.3% over the past 24 hours in a fall to around $61K at the time of writing.** + +The king of crypto has retreated 11.6% from its Nov. 10 all-time high of a touch over $69K. Pricing models such as stock-to-flow are still predicting larger gains for Bitcoin before the end of this year with a target price of $135K painted. + +Despite this latest loss, BTC has still more than doubled in price since the beginning of the year when it was trading at around $29K. According to Tradingview, there is support at the 50-day moving average which is around the $58,800 price zone. + +Bitcoin’s fall comes just a day or so after its Taproot privacy upgrade went live with no issues. + +Altcoins Bleeding in Crypto Plunge +As usual, the rest of the crypto market is being dragged down by big brother. Ethereum has retreated 8% on the day in a tumble to $4,329 at the time of writing. ETH has now lost 11.2% from its all-time high of $4,878 also on Nov. 10. + +The altcoin market is a sea of red at the moment with no token in the top 50 making a gain today. Binance Coin, Solana, Cardano, XRP, and Polkadot have all lost between 6% and 11% over the past 24 hours. + +Larger losses are being felt by other altcoins such as Litecoin (LTC), Chainlink (LINK), and Crypto.com (CRO) which have all decreased more than 12% on the day. +I came across Rivet a few weeks ago, and was impressed with the actual project pretty much from the get go. There is a video available on their website (https://rivetzintl.com/) that provides a basic fast and understandable outlook of their offering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFaqDcOPAlc. + +A few facts about Rivet (RVT) and the company developing it, Rivetz Corp: + +1. They have a working relationship with the US Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. What this means to me is, that their tech is advanced enough to be used and considered by such governmental offices. On top of that, just two months ago, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) awarded Rivetz with a contract under “Identity Verification & Validation for Mobile Networks Authentication Enhancement” see here : https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/news/2017/06/12/news-release-dhs-st-announces-13m-sbir-awards + +2. The concept developed by Rivetz has been in development for a few years now, and the addition of the blockchain tech, is to extend and improve a working and proven solution. The foundation of attestation are based on trusted network connect standards, already defined for 8 years. The technology has been used for contracts with US Government, the most recent is with DHS, and the rest are a mix of manufacturers, Carriers and Enterprise customers. What will the BC tech add? “Blockchain is going to cause a disruption because we can put a birth certificate for a device on a chain and it will never change. Rivetz uses this birth certificate for a device to verify the data that came from the factory is unchanged. This should ultimately cause a clear liability problem for the supply chain to have data that works and can be proven came from them and has not been "hacked"” With the new ICO funding, the technology is going to marketed to end users as well, which opens a huge market with incredible potential. + +3. Most manufacturers are already on board in regards to the security measures done to the Trusted execution environment (TEE) inside the mobiles, with the remaining joining soon as needed. From the FAQ : "Trustonic, our partner, has already been deployed by manufacturers on 1 billion devices over the last 4 years, so there should be an installed base in the 500-700 Million units. Samsung, HTC, LG, Xiaomi, Miezu, ZTE, SONY, Kyocera, already deliver devices that will run the Rivetz trusted app." + +4. Steven Sprague, the CEO and co-founder will blow you away with his knowledge and insight regarding cybersecurity, security, mobile security and all related. Quoting patents, law, and so on. Yes, he does have a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Cornell, but still. I was very impressed with him after a few discussions. His https://twitter.com/skswave for the curious.. + +5. Dr. Gavin Wood, founder and former CTO of Ethereum, and founder of Parity Technologies is advising the team, and working with them together to increase security in the blockchain. Dr. Wood can open doors!!! More about that here : http://www.trustnodes.com/2017/08/04/ethereums-parity-technologies-tackle-blockchain-security-rivetz and here : http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rivetz-partners-with-parity-technologies-to-improve-cyber-security-on-the-blockchain-300499056.html + +6. Partnership with Factom : "Factom has selected Rivetz to integrate world cyber-security for the Factom applications, and that Rivetz has selected Factom to assure the global integrity of attribute data for Rivetz-protected applications. " More about that here: http://factomize.com/how-factom-may-one-day-be-utilized-by-most-mobile-phones/ + +I could go on and on, but these six points alone, together with viewing the white paper (https://rivetzintl.com/rvt-white-paper-1.02.pdf) and the overall impression I have from communicating with Steven Sprague, have led me to feel LUCKY I am aware of this project at this point, and able to participate in their ongoing ICO. + +You can grab some tokens now with 20% bonus here: https://rivetzintl.com/sale. The 20% bonus is limited until the 40,000 ETH cap is reached (they just passed 30k). RVT is an ERS-20 token. + +This project is one of the most interesting projects I have come across, with solid development behind it, a great team and advisory working on it, and a huge client base waiting to become aware of this security wonder. + +I am in for the long run, but expect very nice returns until then! + + +I received a home in a windfall. I live in it currently. It's a condo townhome worth about $1M Canadian I'd say in my current market. I live in a VHCOL area, and though the actual costs to live in the home are not much (maybe $1200 a month), I can't help but wonder if I should cash-out refinance the home to raise a few hundred thousand dollars to invest. + +I have not been investing long, have about $300k CAD invested across a couple registered and one non-registered account, and my income, though good, is not super duper high. I know I would have to invest very aggressively and consistently (about $10k a month) to meet my goals ($6M real dollars invested by age 60) with some safe, conservative assumptions (5% return, 3.1% inflation, 45% tax rate). + +Although I like the house, I don't particularly like the area I live in and I have been antsy to relocate to an even higher cost area for a while (mainly to be closer to the city, friends & family), which I understand is an emotional decision more than a frugal, investment-minded one. But I don't feel happy living where I do. + +Either way I'd be taking on a mortgage but one option gets me liquidity, the other sucks it away and severely affects my investment goals. + +I am childless, but also unmarried, so that affects my long-term outlook as well. + +Just ranting and looking for someone to beat some sense into me I suppose. My previous post has some details regarding my financial situation. + +Thanks to all those on here for the consistent information and inspiration. +(edit) Fleshing this out with more detail as per a few suggestions in thread and inbox. + +On the light side of FAT, and even lighter after this year ravaged my equity holdings, but am still easily at Net = 25x my annual spend as a home owner in a HCOL US city. I've worked most of my career outside of the US, and I'm 90% moving out of US at some point immediately pre- or post- RE, not for financial reasons, but for personal growth, adventure, and a desire to live somewhere that more closely aligns with my values & outlook. + +Have spent a few years doing remote research (Intl Living, multiple expat communities), and believe Costa Rica & Panama to be lead options for me, particularly as I've been fluent in Spanish a number of times and could easily get there within a month or two of immersion. Am extremely interested in Costa Rico due to the blue zone aspect, and was recently approached regarding luxury development along the Gold Coast area/ Figuring roughly 1-to-1 trade on housing, and trying to re-jigger my MonteCarlos, but can't figure out the inputs for FAT CoL in Costa Rica. + +Might anyone share knowledge or reference/sites for self-learning on FATfire cost of living in Costa Rica? I can find multiple "budget" cost of living articles, but have struggled for what more luxurious cost levels might be for the GoldCoast area (relo w/ home purchase vs visit). Appreciate any insight. +I’m trying to buy my first property and put in an offer in for a house this weekend (QLD). + +The advertisement says “Offers over xxx,000”. I offered exactly the amount listed. Now the agent came back and said the seller is happy with all conditions on the offer, but won’t accept anything less than 20k more. I didn’t change my offer as I don’t think it’s worth the extra 20k. + +It was the only offer on the table and they’ve declined. I told them I’m not moving on price and have walked away. + +Is this legal? I’ve just been reading this page… + +https://www.qld.gov.au/law/laws-regulated-industries-and-accountability/queensland-laws-and-regulations/regulated-industries-and-licensing/regulated-industries-licensing-and-legislation/property-industry-regulation/best-practice-for-the-property-industry/property-advertising +Check the comments of user posts on their Facebook page. Additionally, there are posts on whirlpool reporting that they've been told the rebate will be ending in September. + +Unfortunately, it looks like their once extremely competitive savings account has fallen to the wayside. The friends I just signed up are gonna be a little ticked off. +Like it says on the tin. + +How much more likely are you to be using CommSec for your micro trades? I most likely will as this enables more regular investment, and saving $1000 for a trade is easier than saving several thousand for a single trade to reduce costs. +Check the comments of user posts on their Facebook page. Additionally, there are posts on whirlpool reporting that they've been told the rebate will be ending in September. + +Unfortunately, it looks like their once extremely competitive savings account has fallen to the wayside. The friends I just signed up are gonna be a little ticked off. +Just received this via email notification - wonder what prompted the departure from the parent US company.. link to YouTube announcement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2lwh1aT_44 + +IMO the old branding/name was nicer and personally we've exited our Acorns position a few months back in favour of more money in offset and a diversified Vanguard fund. Never found the 'invest your change' concept to be that useful. +I personally hope it carries on for a few months so I can snatch up my fave coins on discount. + +But I just confess I am surprised at how happy and calm I am. I'm still in profit as I bought in late January but I am super excited about pay day coming soon and it's a huge discount! + +End of the day everything I have paid in is money i was prepared to loose and I plan to hodl for a long time. + +Yes at first I was a bit panicked when Elon first tweeted but the day after waking up and seeing an even larger dip I was genuinely excited! I little end of lockdown sale! +>Shares of the fake meat maker have soared over 820% since its initial public offering on May 2, putting Beyond Meat’s market capitalization at a whopping $13.85 billion. +> +>That valuation is higher than that of roughly 25% of the companies in the [S&P 500](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=.SPX) index, including decades-old industry stalwarts like [Molson Coors](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=TAP), [Viacom](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=VIAB), [Under Armour](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=UAA), and [JetBlue](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=JBLU). At its Friday morning levels, Beyond Meat’s market cap was twice the size of [Macy’s](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=M). + +[CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/26/beyond-meats-13point4-billion-market-cap-is-beyond-ridiculous-investor.html) +I have seen many people claiming that car payments are simply a 'fact of life' and that they will always have them. They claim having a new car is so much easier, safer, and more stylish. Used car aficionados claim that financing helps improve their credit score. + +I have also seen people claim that car payments are the very best way of committing financial suicide by wrapping yourself into an agreement with your dealership to pay between 10-45% more than a car is actually worth, while sucking hundreds of pounds from your paycheck every week, every month for around 60 months. + +&#x200B; + +I assume the truth, as always, lies somewhere in between? + +I can see how both sides have some valid arguments, but at least to me, financing a car and being tied into an agreement that lasts for years, just so I can get a shiny new toy that depreciates faster than milk on a hot day, seems a bit of a waste of money? + +Am I wrong? Are there valid, justifiable reasons for taking out a car loan and having car payments? +Found a good multifamily deal, I think. Good numbers, close to work, etc. Only thing is it has vinyl siding (similar picture attached), which is so so ugly. Wood frame house, so can't do full brick, but brick veneer may be possible from what I am reading. Has anyone done something similar, and approximately how long did it take and how much did it cost? + +Location: NYC + +[https://i.imgur.com/eiEh6ch.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/eiEh6ch.jpg) +I’ll preface this with I have absolutely no experience in real estate investing. Hence why I’m here! + +We just bought our home in May of this year, but there are so many small properties available for sale in our town that it seems like an investing gold mine, but maybe I’m naive. + +I’m in a SW OK rural town of about 23k people. LCOL. There is a house that was listed for 13k — 2bd 1bath, 3-4k estimated rehab. No one has lived in the home for 2 years. I have the cash needed to purchase and rehab this home. Potentially 500-60 monthly rent + +Am I prepared to do this? Of course I’m not. But I feel ready and wanting to plunge. What do you recommend? +Is it normal for requiring to submit an offer to the seller to see all the units on the property? I've seen about 4 properties (Chicago) so far where they show you 1-2 units, then if you want to see the remaining units you need to submit an offer. Is this typical or is this just due to the hot sellers market? I'm a bit hesitant with these as this will be my first multifamily. + I'm thinking of purchasing a home in Detroit that already has a renter \(month\-to\-month\). The owner is "under contract" through another company to sell it at $15k. This company said that they just need a $50 earnest money deposit for the title company to lock in the deal. I'm getting a somewhat bad vibe from the message they'd sent me. What would be the next steps to make sure it's a good deal and legitimate? + +Here is the message they sent below:*"Good afternoon Kyle and thank you for your interest in the property.*  + +*The tenant pays month to month and would VERY much like to stay. She pays for all utilities, the owner pays for water. It is a solid house, brick and everything works. I have it under contract so the seller has been bugging the HELL of out me lol....She is really in a bad financial situation and is looking to sell immediately. She wanted to sell for $20K and I told her that if you wanted to get cash quicker she would have to lower the price.*  + +*So far I have gotten 8 responses so the first person who sends a $50 earnest deposit to the title company can lock up the deal.* + +*If you have any more questions let me know, thanks!"* +Hello. I am just wondering if adding dishwashers to a rental is a good investment. We just bought a duplex in a suburb of Buffalo, NY. Built in 1900 but meticulously well maintained. Clean inspection. Same owner from 1962-2022. Needs about $10k in stereotypical updates and I’m torn on what appliances would be good investments. I ruled Central Air out, even though I would really like it, and am torn on dishwashers. I’ve heard mixed reviews. The kitchens are very small. 3 very tiny bedrooms in each unit, one bath, and a good size common area/dining room. Comps are going for $950 - $1250 (stereotypical gray wall on gray carpet flips) and I would like to be able to sell it for $1100-ish a unit. Thank you! +What are some ways people are able to acquire multiple rental properties within a few years? I listen to BP podcast but they some don't go in-depth on the down payment part. I live in Jersey where decent mid range properties are $350-450k, so even a 5% down payment is pricey (excluding any renovations). What are the options to acquire multiple rentals without having a large amount of initial capital? +I bought a home once, and the bank handled the title stuff, the wire transfer et al. + +We're pulling the trigger on our first commercial property, and paying with cash.. funds are sitting there in the checking account, but does anything need to be in place other than that? Do I need to let the bank know ahead of time? I don't have a local branch in my city (Chase), so I'd just like to know what my steps will be. + +Is there anything else I need to be aware of? I've heard title insurance is a thing, should I look into that? + +Thank you! +When I factor all of my estimated costs (with mortgage), with estimated rent income, I generally get around to a break-even number (some slightly negative, some slightly positive). Is that just the nature of the business, or am I looking at the wrong properties? + +I did find an 8 unit property that had good positive cash flows, but was more investment/risk than I cared to take on for now. +I travelled to another state due to issues with my tenant and property manager followed by fixing up my rental. I was there for 5 months with 0 days taken off. It was originally the plan to be there for shorter so I rented a short term rental at a hotel but ended up extending my stay and rented a room in a house from an old retired couple. Can daily necessities like groceries, supplements, products for personal hygiene, take out at restaurants, etc all be expensed? + +I was so busy that I'm sure some receipts are lost and was wondering if there is a standardized daily allowance that I can take if that makes things easier. +I was talking to an experienced real estate investor who made the comment that an LLC doesn’t really protect you. If someone wants to sue you, they’ll just find out who’s behind the LLC and go after you anyways. He recommended just carrying a lot of liability insurance. + +Is anyone else familiar with this point of view or have some feedback as to if this makes sense? +In Honor of NaNoWriMo let's put together a collection of Dumb Sh\*t your Property Manager has said, or done... + +I'll Start ... Our Manager is responsible for sending us daily updates about on-site going-ons, almost every email ends with: + +"I received some phone calls today" +There's never any important or relevant data about what those phone calls are (prospective tenants, city officials, existing tenant issues, wholesalers calling to offer to purchase the park), just: "I received some phone calls today." + +Share your nuggets below! +Hi just want to hear some advice. Am renting atm in NJ, been reading and watching guides of real estate for years and I know interests are sky rocking so my window to buy cheap is gone for now. + +I been watching a 4 plex: 2 apartments have 3 bed rooms and 2 have 2 bedrooms. if I divide the monthly mortgage each would pay more or less what am already paying in rent. so I would be paying the a little less monthly amount as renting but I will be the owner. + +as is a 4plex it does not fall in the commercial range, I hear if I live in the property is better for me for loans? etc i can handle repairs, pest control and normal repairs myself. + +in other words do this makes sense to go straight to a 4plex as a first time home buyer? +With the, in my opinion, imminent market crash, should I sell my house?Wife and I bought 2 years ago and value is up and I am a bit concerned with market conditions. Is now the time to sell? Or will keeping the house be a safe investment in these conditions? + +Just trying to get some opinions…Thanks yall! +Hello everyone! As my user ID and header indicate, I achieved FIRE long before I knew it was a thing. I wish I would have discovered the community much earlier so I could have optimized my journey, but consider myself lucky to be in this position even if the journey wasn't perfect. Without bogging this down with too much detail, I'll share how I got here by accident. + +First, I'll give my overview. I'm currently in my early 50s, became FI about 6 years ago around the age of 47. I've always been starting my own businesses that paid the bills but until recently I never made over $25,000 per year. My most recent business before retiring was as a (self employed) computer engineer, but even my best year doing that was never over $50K. I've always been very frugal, living on a minimum wage type budget no matter how much I was making. I invested the rest (poorly, in hindsight) into either my next business adventure or stocks. As you can tell by my income, not a lot was going into stock in the early years of my investing in the late 90s through Sharebuilder, a few hundred per month at most. I hadn't yet discovered Index funds or ETFs, I got my tips mostly from the Motley Fool Hidden Gems newsletter or my own attempts at stock picking. + +Don't want to bog this down too much with my personal life, but from 1995 to 2005 I lived in New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina pretty much wiped me out down there and forced me back "home" to start from scratch. My father still lived in the same place I grew up in a rural area of Missouri, so this gave me a soft place to land and get back on my feet. Between having that roof over my head and an old friend letting me set up shop in his unused basement I was able to get the computer business off the ground. I quickly was able to save and grow my stock accounts thanks to my low cost of living at the time and the success of the computer engineering business getting some contracts with people needing specialty systems that correlated with my expertise. A lot of my systems went to movie editors, Tesla computing systems, etc. + +After a couple of years I had about 80K in my stock account, and I used this to buy my first properties. I was a group of 2 houses and a garage apt on the same section of land. Purchase price was 35k...only the small 700sq. ft. house was close to livable at the time, so I did the minimum to fix it up so I could rent it for $500 a month. Then I set about renovating the larger house for myself and fixing up the garage apt. to use as another rental. I ended spending another 35k in renovations, all funded by my stock account, which left me with very little. Of course, the market had totally crashed during this time, but most of my money was already out before the worst happened. On the plus side, the two rentals were now bringing in $900 a month on top of my computer business, and my own house was completely paid for, so almost everything I made was going back into savings. Within the year I was able to buy another rental on the same block. Same scenario...distressed property I bought for about 25k, fix up for only about 7k, and was able to rent it for 700 per month. I kept repeating this pattern, buying and renovating everything with cash. Living frugally and reinvesting everything into new properties. After getting about 10 properties I realized I was making more in rent than I was from my computer business, so began to dissolve that and concentrate on the real estate end of things. I kept acquiring property running everything myself until a few years ago I hired a property manager to take care of the day to day. + +Now, I still live frugally on a personal budget of about $800 per month for everything. Of course my house is fully paid for, so I have no rent. And that amount doesn't include any rental related expenses. I arrived at the $800 per month budget by figuring about what I would have left if I lived on minimum wage after rent. I currently have 20 properties that bring in over $10K per month total. My current savings rate is about 90%. I have 2 separate stock accounts. One is leveraged, one is a huge mix of different ETFs. Each gets $2k per month. I also put $2k into my Fundrise account (a real estate investment platform not tied to the stock market) each month. I keep a $10K balance in my savings at the end of every month. This is high, but I never know when a property will need something, and I want to cover anything that might come up immediately so I don't have a trade person waiting to be paid. Everything else goes into a money market fund that I use to fund new RE purchases or as a slush fund if something comes up that isn't covered by my savings account. I also do some private REIT investing in other markets, I started with a $25K investment that I keep rolling over into new solo projects that are getting a 20% return, so that money is growing quickly although I'm not putting any new monthly funds into it. I also use Acorns for a fun little savings account to fund any fun money not in the budget. I have never tapped it yet since I'm able to stay below budget, but nice to know it is there if I get a wild hair. + +At some point some life event might happen that causes me to tap into stock or lower my savings rate, but for now I'm very comfortable still living extremely frugally and watching my net worth grow $10K per month. By the time I hit my early 70s I'm projected to have a net worth of between $5M - $10M, depending on the market and how much RE I continue to accumulate. So, this goes to show that all this can happen very quickly. I went from flat broke, recovering from a hurricane wiping me out to fully FI in just a few years. There are still things I need to work on...tax can be an issue since I don't have access to the usually shelters most people in the community use. RE income doesn't count as earned income, but it does have the advantage of depreciation and other write offs. + +Sorry this was so long, but I wanted to give a complete picture without getting into the weeds too much. I'd be happy to answer any specific questions anyone has. I just discovered the FIRE community by accident through some articles on an investing website about a year ago, so I'm sure this community has a lot to teach me! + +&#x200B; + +Edit, after a few requests, this is how the $800 budget breaks down. + +Maybe I didn't make that clear enough. That doesn't include ANY business related expenses. I don't have a mortgage or rent, my house is fully paid for and I self insure. I came to that basic budget based on what someone making minimum wage would have to spend minus housing expenses, which I estimated I could rent for $500. So full time minimum wage would earn about $1300 a month, minus $500 for imaginary rent. That leaves the rest as follows. + +My Electric - 75 (average over the year) + +My heating Gas - 75 (average over the year) + +My Water/trash - 60 (more or less fixed) + +Cable - 65 (fixed) + +Phone - 35 (fixed) + +Food/groceries/ discretionary $250 + +Cars ins -60 (fixes) + +Gasoline (car) - 50 + +Car repair/licenses fees - 100 + +&#x200B; + +A few notes...I have a few cars that qualify for collectors insurance, which is practically nothing because they are rarely driven. The ones that don't qualify for that low rate I only keep minimum required by state. That is how I insure them all for such a low monthly rate. I'm a homebody, so I don't rack up a lot of miles and rarely hit the $50 allotted for gas each month. I do set aside another $100 for repairs and licensing fees each month in the budget. I can go years without a major repair, so that piles up for whenever it is needed. + +I could break down the food budget better...I only spend about $100 or so a month on actual food. I rarely eat out, and even when I do it wouldn't be more than $15, but that is included in there, too. Also non food groceries and clothes. I usually have at least $50 a month left over unless I need to make sort of out of the ordinary purchase. +**TL;DR:** + +* **ESG = Environmental Social Governance. ESG ratings provided by ratings agencies help determine whether a mutual fund or ETF does well by ratings of metrics including environmental concerns, slavery use in supply chain issues, animal cruelty and more. ESG ratings have grown more popular and have been performing well in recent markets.** +* **However, ESG scores have been horribly inconsistent across different companies. Most notably, Tesla was at one point ranked an #1 and dead last across different agencies. Currently, Musk has criticized S&P for removing Tesla from a sustainability index but keeping oil giant Exxon Mobil. Even ESG scores among ratings agencies in the same company (Morgan Stanley's MSCI in one study) do not correlate often with one another's ESG ratings.** +* **ESG ratings might be seen as a proxy for risk, so good ESG score is seen as good risk management. This might not be true, as not only are ratings often inconsistent, many companies hide their methodology from researchers, but many banks and firms (Goldman Sachs, BNY Mellon) have been investigated over ESG ratings issues or outright fraud. Most notably, Deutsche had its ESG arm for DWS raided by 50 men in Frankfurt in recent weeks.** +* **Many current and future issues exist for ESG ratings, such as the fact that short positions do not need to be reported in ESG ratings for hedge funds and there are worries of "double counting" emissions during securities lending. ESG ratings--and their wide range of potential risk--have also come under pressure to a growing number of derivates that exist, including "green" collateralized debt obligations and "blue bonds" or "ocean-related sovereign ESG debt swaps". 2 researchers for the Bank of International Settlements compared the risk of ESG ratings/products as parallel to the rise of MBS products pre-2008.** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/icfm8ax8g7791.png?width=600&format=png&auto=webp&s=40637c48ca298b869331b96a24c99cfbfed21ec9 + +**Sections** +**1. What is ESG?** +**2. How It Goes Wrong** +**3. ESG Scoring** +**4. Scandal** +**5. One Bank's Trash is Another Bank's Treasure** +**6. Me vs. the ESG Company in the Mirror** +**7. You Need More People** +**8. Under the Hood** +**9. Protect Me bby** +**10. Lawyer Up Assholes** +**11. I'm Ya Pusha** +**12. Credit Risk Proxy** +**13. It Happened Already** +**14. Criticizing the Critics** +**15. "Sooooo…what’s this gotta do with GME?"** +**16. Double or Nothing** +**17. Post-MOASS Investing** + +For the culture: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xZx1lf2tvs&t=28s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xZx1lf2tvs&t=28s) + + + + + +&#x200B; + +# 1. What is ESG? + +ESG = Environmental Social Governance. + + +&#x200B; + +[Unless your Lindsay apparently](https://preview.redd.it/0gkx4glkh7791.png?width=1342&format=png&auto=webp&s=fe1f1540b2aada85c8c76047026f035e77a1c2f2) + +ESG, despite its weird abbreviation, has been growing in popularity for some time. In fact, as of 2020, one report said 1/3rd of all capital under management in the US was managed by ESG funds. + +**Growing demand means increased interest in ESG rankings has led to increased pulls for ESG data. For example, the US Dept. of Labor pushed a new rule in 2020 keeps ERISA plans from selecting unrelated ESG stocks not related to plan participants. And in Europe, even though some form of ESG investing/ranking has been around for 2 decades, it’s only ramped up more now especially in the wake of the EU Commission’s new sustainable finance strategy that got launched in 2021.** + +&#x200B; + +\*\*\* + +&#x200B; + +ESG investing CAN have material effects on stocks: long-term risk management adjustment. These, ahem “sustainability-related financial products” seem to give people more than just a feel-good post-masturbatory sense of calm. Here’s one such plus: a 2020 study found that ESG products that perform as well, if not better than traditional market-weighted investments. What’s not to love! + +**The real-term impact of ESG metrics is not to be undervalued. This includes everything from making sure the chocolate that your young’ns nibble on wasn’t harvested by the hands of slave laborers in West Africa (cough cough Nestle), or that your construction doesn’t fuck the water supply in the Midwest. ESG companies with strong scores mean that they might be doing right by the climate, or that they might even be avoiding animal abuse in terms of how their products are made or sourced.** + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +If it is to be believed that not only are you doing good with your money, but also making returns, this is why many look to the bigs in the ESG ratings world, including the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, Morgan Stanley’s (ahem) MSCI Research, Thomson Reuters & Sustainalytics, etc. to help them navigate the waters of happiness, sunshine, and eco-friendly tendies for all. + +What could go wrong? + +# 2. How It Goes Wrong + +​ + +**In short, ESG is a feelgood sticker slapped on your mutual fund or ETF.**  + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/5ed3rimyh7791.png?width=500&format=png&auto=webp&s=6ca22b56b7695df87a1bf86ca204b775f70f704c + +ESG investing–sometimes called sUsTaInAbLe fInAnCe–is so self-masturbatory you might as well bring out the jumper cables and nipple balm. Institutional investors and mutual funds have taken notice more and more of how iffy these scores end up being. The OECD (the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) found frameworks vary A LOT between different ratings agencies. And I mean A LOT. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**ESG ratings methodology remains inconsistent among providers, with less than robust data to back up any claims; in fact, back in 2017 a BNP Paribas study said 55% of institutional funds said there was SO LITTLE DATA on how the ESG scores were even made up that that’s what kept them from jumping into more ESG investments.** + +**Because surprise surprise, a lot of ESG–like literally fucking everything in the stock market–relies on self-reported data.** (We examined ourselves and found nothing wrong.) + +# 3. ESG Scoring + +ESG scores can rank on everything from carbon score to gender diversity. But like most credit agency work, ESG scoring is a black box and some even wonder if they are even necessary being so hidden. **At their heart, ESG scores are like any rating system: arbitrary.** GreenBiz’s Joel Makower threw the literary version of a bedpost at ESG scoring when he said this: + +&#x200B; + +>**“ESG ratings are first and foremost an independent opinion about the environmental, social and governance risks facing a company and its shareholders, not the risks to people and the planet.”** + +Sometimes, the issue of ESG ratings differences come down due to its methodology (“commensurability problem”) or defining what an ESG construct is (“theorisation problem”). Agencies are NOT transparent, remaining opaque about many of these ESG rankings. + +&#x200B; + +**This is also important since this is helpful for data research for academics and hurts actual research that can even be done to see whether 3rd-party sources can confirm how accurate ESG scoring is, what it means for the environment, animal rights, etc.** + + +[this is prob way more transparent than any ESG agency rn](https://preview.redd.it/j3y3bpwei7791.png?width=400&format=png&auto=webp&s=14ba3d331f54996295794303212b29b3a45c875a) + +But at it’s heart and per Makower, these ratings really often don’t give a shit about people and the planet. Often, there is confusion between ESG and another old-school metric: impact investing: + +&#x200B; + +>“In principle, the concept of an ESG rating might seem simple: A ratings provider generates a rating, say on a scale from AAA to D, of how well a business incorporates ESG practices and considerations.  +> +>The reality is more complicated. There is no agreement on what to measure, how to measure it or for what purpose. Most fundamentally, there has been pervasive confusion between ESG and impact investing. **This can result in the false impression that ESG ratings measure a company’s impact on the environment or social wellbeing.**  +> +>**This is typically not the case. Most ESG ratings measure the risks and opportunities to the rated company of ESG-related factors, not the impact the company has on the environment or society.”** + +&#x200B; + +# 4. Scandal + +So it’s the company itself is who benefits or is hurt by these ratings. Not the earth, not its people like you and me, not its animals, etc. etc. + +&#x200B; + +[nothing says green like installing \\"emissions cheating devices\\" in your cars](https://preview.redd.it/3rckynvpi7791.png?width=1330&format=png&auto=webp&s=c581a672e450990b7b231e9ed755ad423a7071c9) + +Remember, ESG matters when you consider corporate scandals in the mix. Although we all know Volkswagen for the VW squeeze back in 2008, there was a huge uproar over falsified data on green reports. **Wells Fargo was also recently in the news for lying about how many minorities even show up on their goddamn interviews.**  + +Another famous example includes fast fashion company Boohoo. Boohoo was an ESG ratings darling for some time by many agencies, receiving nonstop outstanding ratings…only to be caught in a major forced laubour scandal (i.e. slavery) which made many question those ratings. (Quelle surprise!) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**You start to see then really quickly why these ratings might matter if for example, you buy into Volkswagen hoping their as green as they say they are only to find out they’ve been fraudulently lying about their pollution metrics the entire goddamn time.** + +# 5. One Bank’s Trash is Another Bank’s Treasure + +&#x200B; + +What makes it worse is that the wide range of scoring only shows just how arbitrary the process is, perhaps only proving furthermore how much its more for the companies than the world. Two researchers found after poring through the 70 ratings providers, they honed in on examining 2 ESG ratings providers. From those 2, they found that there was “large performance dispersion and low correlation of returns” on 2 pairs of ESG portfolios and individual picks were even MORE out of wack.   + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/tvw7cr6tg7791.png?width=1540&format=png&auto=webp&s=5ce0bdced123c1af510fe8a10f3526bbf361e50a + +So it’s seen that despite what should soon like a great thing, ESG ranking are literally ALL OVER THE FUCKING MAP.  + +I**n 2018, FTSE said Teslas was dead last in ESG performance but Morgan Stanley’s MSCI–the current larger provider of ESG ratings– said it was #1, with Sustainanalytics putting it in the middle. For another car you get the same idea: “Unlike credit ratings, ESG ratings can be wildly inconsistent between different providers. For example, MSCI gives one vehicle manufacturer a very low rating of CCC, whereas Standard & Poor’s gives it a score of 61, roughly equal to an MSCI rating of A.”** + +&#x200B; + +[regardless of your view of Musk, his criticism of S&P is spot on](https://preview.redd.it/als2osg0j7791.png?width=1590&format=png&auto=webp&s=43ed03841009ed11c2567c6147034b21ceb6617d) + +**If you want even more Tesla tomfuckery, hell just THIS MONTH, S&P Global removed Tesla from its ESG 500 index..but fucking kept oil giant EXXON MOBIL who has been in the news for multiple scandals. Just last year, Exxon was even suspended from the Climate Leadership Council after an Exxon lobbyist was caught on camera openly saying they were only for faking saying they were for a “carbon tax” because they actually knew it would never pass or be implemented.**  + +The (dis)similarities don’t stop there. In fact, for 2 of the biggest rankers–Reuters’ ASSET 4 and MSCI–their ratings don’t even seem to converge to other rankings like AT ALL. After a statistical study, they connect anywhere between 0.05 (!) to 0.39 in terms of their correlation coefficients after academic research studies. Which puts their likelihood to be in the same ballpark as other ranking systems as less than 40%...AT BEST. + +# 6. Me vs. the ESG Company in the Mirror + +So you might say “Ok, but that’s Reuters vs. Morgan Stanley. These are 2 different companies, so that’s different!” + +&#x200B; + +**Great point! But just to show how much of a shitshow it is, researchers at Schroeder’s compared ESG scoring WITHIN the same company (Morgan Stanley/MSCI) and showed EVEN THEN it didn’t fucking line up.** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/awej2hlng7791.png?width=1540&format=png&auto=webp&s=31eaf2c9cb2fb33d93b594c608374ca96b174274 + +**Last year, Schroeder’s mentioned that the 6 Morgan Stanley’s MSCI indices tracking ESG scores, BARELY correlated WITH EACH OTHER even inside the same parent company over 5 years.** Only 2 of the funds correlated in a pairing greater than 0.5 (0.6, or 60%), just barely better than randomly flipping a coin. + +&#x200B; + +# 7. You Need More People + +As you quickly see, this leads to some confusing shit. For example, as of early 2021, Reuters’ ESG rankings is the ONLY major ranker to cover animal testing, while Bloomberg & KLD were the ONLY ones to comply with environmental regualtions.  + +And look, I understand that this shit can be tough to keep consistent and other shit is tougher to quantify, so fair enough. One Invesco fund manager Clive Emery talked about how metrics used in ESG scores like implied temperature rise (ITR) are hard to distill as one number; this is especially tough as the FCA (the UK’s version of the SEC) has been pushing for firms to include that ITR number in their metrics. Emery summed it up pretty neatly: + + +> **The funds industry has only JUST  learned how to forecast quarterly earnings, let alone reduction of carbon emissions over a 30-year time horizon.’** + +&#x200B; + +And tough as fuck it is. But regardless, if ESG scoring is so difficult, then why the fuck have banks dragged their feet on adding more staff to support these “tough jobs”. **In fact, Funds Europe had one fund manager tell them it was JUST hiring its FIRST full-time employee to double check climate-risk modelling. And they only did that, because–to their credit–they said that the info and models were simply too advanced or difficult to be able to confirm whether the ESG scores were anything more than a “false sense of security” otherwise.**  + + +\*\*\*\* + + +So unless you have a FT employee running the numbers (mind you, even if that’s just ONE person) that’s still not enough to keep ahead of risk. For those of you that remember 2008, some have even compared the “false sense of security” that ESG scoring as similar to the VaR scoring (value at risk). (I wrote in the past about one such example or poor VaR, and how Societe Generale’s fucked VaR positions on their naked/unhedged positions cost them billions during 2008 and created Jerome Kerviel, the world’s poorest man who owes billions due to his poor bets as a “rogue trader” for the French bank.) + +**So why the worry? Well, these new Climar VaR models might not mean much to a smaller public firm, but mean a shit ton if a giant polluter is also fucking with their implied temperature rise number (while banks are willing to rate them as such as look the other way).**  + +# 8. Under the Hood + +So fine, we know there are problems with ESG scoring. What are the biggest ones then? + +&#x200B; + +**One is that because agency ratings literally often are based on PUBLIC reporting which often comes through annual reporting cycles, it often might not line up in terms of having a more regular up-to-date ranking. You could hugeeee months’ worth of gaps between a company updating you on how its ESG stuff is doing, and from when a ratings agency decides to update their rankings. All the while, investors aren't privy to accurate ratings, much less the "special sauce" of how its been calculated and if that metric changed.** + +&#x200B; + +[pictured: ESG ratings agencies](https://preview.redd.it/t14o0fchj7791.png?width=386&format=png&auto=webp&s=5d698cfc347b9693ecd2c6d7fb2d31518626acb1) + +Also, raters often don’t distinguish between disclosure vs. performance (“how much carbon do you emit” VS “what did you do to fix this?”), making it easier to hide this info. Because many of these methodologies are viewed like KFC special recipe and pRoPriEtARy, it gets even harder to justify. One transparency report went mask off on this issue: + +> +“It has been argued that an increasing amount of capital is misallocated due to the inadequacy of ESG criteria and the ESG services market’s lack of transparency. The rankings produced by ESG rating agencies create a false sense of security *(there it is again!)*, and investors who buy into ESG funds with dubious credibility need protection.” + +&#x200B; + +# 9. Protect Me bby + +Protection might be what investors need most.  + +&#x200B; + +[Pictured: not the SEC](https://preview.redd.it/us0twejtj7791.png?width=339&format=png&auto=webp&s=fd88eeabae943086d195714e579e9b9bdf768bea) + +**In 2019, the UK’s FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) published a letter saying that as far as companies applying for ESG labeling, they were “concerned by the number of poor-quality fund applications we have seen and the impact this may have on consumers”. These potential lies also open these funds for–if they’re caught fucking lying–lawsuits from shareholders under section 90/90A of FSMA for false or misleading statements.**  + +Let’s all appreciate this quote on that argument…for…reason: + +&#x200B; + +>“Conversely, fixation on sustainability at the cost of financial performance could also be a catalyst for disputes. Terry Smith, founder of Fundsmith, in an annual letter to investors noted that *"Unilever seems to be labouring under the weight of a management which is obsessed with publicly displaying sustainability credentials at the expense of focusing on the fundamentals of the business****…a company which feels it has to define the purpose of Hellmann's mayonnaise has in our view clearly lost the plot"*** + +&#x200B; + +[we all thought it](https://preview.redd.it/otmrj0kwj7791.png?width=1181&format=png&auto=webp&s=f10ebc55099b7f917f83679e5411879d923d220b) + +It’s completely different when the firm might go under because of a giant extramarital orgy upon a bed of clubbed baby seals. **And remember, this is problematic because if you might be BUYING ratings, then the pension fund that buys in and says “yay this seems good!” might get fucked.**  + +# 10. Lawyer Up Assholes + +In June 2021, the Internaional Organization of Securities Commissions’ Sustainable Taskforce said there needs to be a “global corporate sustainability reporting architecture” that doesn’t rely on a patchwork quilt of what the fuck someone ate for breakfast that morning to drive their decision making. Big banks (like hm, let’s say I don’t know…Deustche and Goldman as examples) have now opened themselves up to liability over these “imprecise” ratings.  + +&#x200B; + +**Linklaters report on “Banking Litigation” for 2022 identified ESG as 1 key area that might open up big banks to lawsuits, both in the UK and abroad. This report came out months after the UK government’s ‘Roadmap’ to sustainable investing published in Oct. 2021.** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/x5xp37hzj7791.png?width=990&format=png&auto=webp&s=1ea201a6b3b4acf431159a8f60602509bb5dc6bf + +For example, in the UK, mandatory climate reporting (as of Jan. 2021 periods going forward) means pushed climate disclosure rules for asset managers, pension providers, & equity share issuers. It also means “premium listed companies” must include statements in their annual report as to whether they reported against the UK’s climate task force (or at least why they didn’t). This comes as the UK looks to accelerate its economy-wide Sustainability Disclosure Requirements by the end of 2022. Greenwashing worries continue. + +&#x200B; + +>“outside the UK, formal complaints have been brought against banks under OECD soft law standards, alleging failures by banks to adhere to policies concerning the environment.” + +&#x200B; + +Litigation risk will now have to be brought into new projects financed by big banks or others. In particular, the United Nations UNHCR (UN’s Commissioner for Human Rights) has stated that these new “soft laws” imply EVEN custodian banks (BNY Mellon anyone?) or nominee shareholder services (beneficiary and not DRS level?) would be on the hook for avoiding averse human rights impact. + +# 11. I’m Ya Pusha + +All this talk of lawsuits and crime..."Have any banks got in trouble yet throwawaylurker012 you might say?" + +Oh, I got you fam.  + +The UK has been one of the BIGGEST battlegrounds for this. Alan Miller called ESG “Extra Strong Greenwashing” in the wake of Legal & General’s ESG China CNY Bonds UCITS ETF (long ass-fucking name I know). **Miller said that China’s background for what was included in this ETF in no fucking way met ESG standards**, and was warped through a process called “tilting” ("applies JESG issuer scores to adjust the market value of index constituents from the baseline J.P. Morgan China Aggregate Index"). (Fun fact: Legal & General also holds GME. Who knows if they are loaning it...) +  + +[shoutout to u\/pdwp90 on this one!](https://preview.redd.it/qy4coouak7791.png?width=1630&format=png&auto=webp&s=f24caf555ef63d9db15990e5a7f5adc0cee188e3) + +Deutsche Bank’s asset management branch DWS Group was caught overstating its ESG credentials. **It was so bad that they weren’t just called out, they were FUCKING RAIDED.** + +&#x200B; + +>“German law enforcement officials raided the offices of Deutsche Bank on suspicion of the fraudulent advertising of sustainable investment funds at its DWS unit, dealing yet another setback to CEO Christian Sewing's attempts to move on from years of corruption scandals. +> +>The investigation revolves around allegations—leveled by a former DWS manager—that the retail money management business engaged in "greenwashing," in which environmental, social and governance (ESG) investments are sold under false claims. +> +> +> +>“**The allegations are that DWS has been advertising so-called ESG financial products for sale as being particularly green and sustainable when they actually weren't," a spokesman for the public prosecutor told** ***Fortune*****, which has been looking into the claims since January. "In the course of our investigations we've found evidence that could support allegations of prospectus fraud.”** + +&#x200B; + +**German securities regulator BaFin sent 50 pissed off German regulators to turn drawers upside down and figure out just how the fuck this prospectus lie passed through. I mean, it’s not like there was any warning including THEIR OWN former head of sustainability Desiree Fixler said there were misleading statements in their 2020 annual report, misleading investors about their $900 billion in assets saying that half were ESG.** + +&#x200B; + +This even caused the departure of a chief executive from DWS, even while the ESG branch of Deutsche doubles down that it did nothing wrong and will continue its committed “ESG focus”. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/h3fzfejhk7791.png?width=1054&format=png&auto=webp&s=9b3309cbe543329b77fed3ae7ead308ef7421f67 + +**This was raiding not under the pretense of “oh your ESG scores were iffy there buddy”, but instead–in their own terms–what they called “capital investment fraud”.** + +&#x200B; + +And of course, they aren’t the only one. Goldman (Ball) Sachs is caught in the crosshairs right now too on ESG bullshit. Goldman is caught in US’ regulators’ cross-hairs that it’s been fucking LYING on mutual fund prospectuses regarding ESG holdings. (Of note, Goldman changed the name of its “Blue Chip Fund” to the “US Equity ESG Fund”, perhaps running the risk of changing absolutely nothing bu the title.”) And the Goldman digging only followed AFTER finding BNY Mellon guilty of its own ESG bullshit for which the SEC paid them a handslap fine of $1.5 million and then be on their merry way. + +# 12. Credit Risk Proxy + +So remember: why lie? Once again, what is a big reason to lie about ESG scores? +**Well apart from the fact that good ESG scores are jacked up marketing materials, one recurring statement offers this: good ESG scores = proxy for low risk/good risk management skills.** + +Meaning many find that investors are willing to see strong ESG scores as meaning that they have their risk management hats on while they slap these ESG stickers on with a discerning eye. In reality, these ESG scores often end up being anything but that, as they are used to paper over major gaps in risk, as well as cram questionable holdings into portfolios that they can then more easily sell to mutual funds, pensions, 401ks, etc. + +&#x200B; + +\*\*\*\*\* + +&#x200B; + +In these cases, ESG scoring is something seen as equal to credit risk. +So then it ends up being tough if you are pricing certain metrics–like climate risk–which are veryyyy long-term issues. If earnings projections barely ever go as far as 5 fiscal years down the road, then how can ESG scores cover that time frame, accurately without the elemental bullshit that seems so heavy-handed by so many banks? + + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/ije2v2jmk7791.png?width=600&format=png&auto=webp&s=079a89c7ba268d184ffc4d58e54d8fd9dc4e3d4e + +**For example, Morningstar–whom we might hear more about in the near future ourselves ahem–puts up an ESG screener to filter out low scores.**  + +**Now what if Morningstar says “don’t worry about those 1 and 2-star ESG-rated companies, they’re not great” and then we find out later that their ESG scoring metrics were shit or–just like the Volkswagen example–they flat out lied about the upper end of the curve, and every 5-star ESG score is just free-range organic dogshit wrapped in greenwashed catshit?** + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**It gets more problematic when you might determine the near future: John Quinn, founder of the world’s largest business litigation law firm, worries about ESG-pegged pricing mechanism that might trigger in a credit agreement (perhaps credit default swaps?) Does that credit default swap or equivalent item trigger when the score drops, but what if its based on a different methodology/way the score is calculated rather than a palpable change to the company’s work?** + +You see quickly how if credit default swaps ever enter the world how this could be problematic. Let’s hope that never happens. + +# 13. It Happened Already + +Unfortunately, these already exist. Even last year, one report sounded the warning on how the next wave of danger could from ESG derivatives: + +&#x200B; + +>One potential effect of this trend could be to accelerate a pace of growth…that is already worrying regulators. **On September 20 two economists from the Bank for International Settlements drew an explicit parallel between the growth in ESG products and the increase in private mortgage-backed securities in the approach to the global financial crisis of 2008.”** + +Wow, yet more 2008 warning signs. FUCKING FUN. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/6kjbuo0dm7791.png?width=1248&format=png&auto=webp&s=fbc41e86b162865c9ebd0dbe75eee86988ff4c82 + +**Even more fun, Bloomberg reported just 2 weeks ago that they’ve even been slapping these ESG symbols onto collateralized debt obligations. Remember what I said about hiding credit risk? I mean, how could you be made at this little baby CDO it comes in “green”!**  + +&#x200B; + +**Even more fun fact, any ocean based ESG derivatives are called “blue”**. (Fucking gag.) + +&#x200B; + + **In fact, many of these so-called “blue bonds” which are linked to ocean conservation projects have come under fire as they might be linked to countries with severe amounts of sovereign debt such as Belize.**  + +**These instruments are then linked to OTHER INSTRUMENTS called (I shit you not) “ocean-related sovereign ESG debt swaps”, so think of it as a way to make bets on a country going tits up or not as to whether it can clean up the ocean surrounding it.** (If you thought CDO squareds were bad, then wtf is this shit) + +# 14. Criticizing the Critics + +Now look: legit criticisms DO exist. For everyone who says Rolling Stone can’t boil down the new Kendrick or new to a single number, yeah the same tough titties show up in ESG scoring. And ESG scoring can still be seen as a necessary evil: yeah, it’s imperfect as fuck but maybe these metrics do matter especially as we view their relevance in securities related to risk management.  + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +But it also means that asset allocation can go wrong for both mom-and-pop investors as well as institutional investors. **Especially when you have the same companies pushing these products being fucking raided in banks like Deutsche in Frankfurt, ranking Exxon Mobil as climate friendly, and creating fucking credit default swaps on the goddamn ocean.** + +# 15. "Sooooo…what’s this gotta do with GME?" + +There’s not much that I can directly tie but some general problems do show up again due to this issue.  + +Recently, ESG scoring powerhouse MSCI admitted: + +> +“This topic came to prominence 15 years ago owing to concerns over ‘empty voting’, under which hedge funds could use long positions combined with short equity swaps to give them voting rights without any economic interest, or vice versa.” + +A lot of the same fucking problems that show up in past DD on governance relate to ESG. If you push more ESG products that people eat up, you might have these funds then be able to loan these shares.  + +&#x200B; + +**For example, MSCI could lie and rate a company like GME as 5-stars so that then pension funds and mutual funds eat that shit up. Then those funds are then incentivized to loan those shares which are then used to dump it into the market. You can then theoretically switch back the rating at the last moment and have had the funds being unintentionally complicit in your scheme.** + +Tinfoil much? Yeah, sure. But there have already been a number of ESG stories over governance issues. **Most recently, tiny hedge fund Engine No. 1 held Exxon’s feet to the fire in a 2021 shareholder proxy contest, which pushed it to report it would aim for netzero emissions by 2050.**  + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/iflfc8zsm7791.png?width=680&format=png&auto=webp&s=5f9c00c94bb8f75f75163bf2a408e571be5011c5 + +And MORE IMPORTANTLY, Morgan Stanley’s MSCI–linked to a number of total return swaps I’ve seen myself in my GME research–discussed ESG reporting in long-short portfolios 2 months back: + + +> +“ESG reporting frameworks to date have mainly focused on long-only portfolios, which allows for straightforward portfolio ESG aggregation that is easy to understand and interpret. **Short positions have typically been excluded from ESG analysis to date.”** + +&#x200B; + +In the past, I’ve talked extensively about how hedge fund (Irish ICAV sub-fund, to be exact) Cooper Creek Partners–which includes an ex-Citadel Surveyor douche–was short GME during the sneeze. (Fun fact, Morgan Stanley of MSCI fame was their counterparty.) However, they also feature prominently-along side many other big banks and hedge funds I might add–on lists of companies that support war. + +MSCI’s report said carbon emissions may be the biggest push going forward into the future. Why might this matter? + +# 16. Double or Nothing + +One thing that I’ve addressed in the GME saga that is time-intensive but could be another way of determining positions is looking backwards. I will hope to address this in a future post, but I’m researching over funds in the past that have held GME either as (1) contract for difference, (2) securities lending, or (3) total return swaps. And I’ve mainly been focusing on funds that are either alternative funds, ICAV sub-funds, or–an idea I’ve tried pushing–long-short equity funds. + +Long-short equity funds are exactly what they sound like. They are hedge funds that might invest in a few stocks here, a few stocks there, some they go long (bet for), some they go short (bet against), and some get through into total return swaps.  + +&#x200B; + +But this is where it gets more complex. Because, as we’ve seen with GME, sticky floor and other stocks, some of these funds engage in securities lending (especially for shorting, as might be seen in long-short funds) which is what happens in long-equity short funds. Why is this a problem? Tell us MSCI! + +&#x200B; + +> +**“Complexity can arise when portfolios engage in securities lending leading to potential double counting of the same emissions between portfolios.** Carbon accounting in this regard will be addressed in more detail in a subsequent analysis….**Some hedge funds ascribed double counting of emissions as a rationale for netting.**  +> +>**Double counting can arise in different scenarios, for example when long only investors engage in securities lending, the stocks and their ESG metrics can be counted in multiple portfolios. It was acknowledged however that current regulations across jurisdictions do not stipulate that emissions of a given company held across portfolios globally require summing to the total company level emissions.** Further analysis on the topic of carbon accounting may be required in follow up research.” + +https://preview.redd.it/j73l9iy6n7791.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=415a92f59f3ac89afda9fff5e00553aa5645daae + +&#x200B; + +*(First off, how fucked is it that hedge funds will now go up in arms over double counting emissions, but not rehypothecated treasuries or short stocks being lent? Anyways…)* + +We see that MSCI is aware that in the future, one issue that might come up for hedge funds is how emissions are double counted–or not double counted–among portfolios. This then overcomplicates our future of hedge funds as they garner more and more ESG holdings.  + +&#x200B; + +**If good ESG scores are a metric for risk and netting kicks in, then maybe certain hedge funds might engage in certain levels of securities lending to either boost the profile (prop up hedge fund) or drop the profile (create a bagholding hedge fund) on who they lend to.** + +And it still does leave an issue that we apes will have to contend with as we read into short hedge funds’ portfolios in the future: + +&#x200B; + +>“Asset owners generally preferred the grossing approach on the basis that the business involvement exposure of all sources of return should be made transparent. For example, an investor may short a company that engages in child labor, but this still implies a portfolio exposure to child labor, regardless of the position’s directionality. +> +> +> +> **It certainly would not imply that shorting that company ‘removes’ child labor associated with a long exposure to another company in the portfolio that is implicated in child labor. Asset owners’ views illustrated that the concern for business involvement is about association, and whether the investor is benefitting from the price performance of a firm engaging in specified negative business activities. “** + +&#x200B; + +# 17. Post-MOASS Investing + +Despite in one report MSCI slobbing knob over SHFs, it did provide one comment in another ESG report to a different tune. MSCI was examining whether it was better to divest (remove your investment) from a company or short it:  + +&#x200B; + +>**“The above indicates that while shorting may be perceived as a similar or a better to divesting owing to the potential to influence the cost of capital, we could not find any economically significant evidence to support this hypothesis.** We repeated this exercise and found similar results during 2021 and between 2020 and 2021, in a period of media spotlight on several cases of activist investor campaigns for large scale coordinated shorting of certain companies.” + +&#x200B; + +And in case you’re wondering which companies they mention, yes they do mention GameStop. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**And the story of GameStop, whether MSCI was right that maybe some SHFs should have divested vs. shorted in their own way, is still not the biggest worry for a firm locked in inconsistent ESG scoring, all while it worries about how the next generation of short hedge funds will deal with those inconsistent ESG scores affecting their portfolio.** + +**Because the story of lies, damned lies, and ESG scores is just as much as story of pre-MOASS times, as it is post-MOASS times.**  + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/fo31p8mjm7791.png?width=1242&format=png&auto=webp&s=5d904e6166c29492e360cd94f026c3dbd52f5f28 + +When MOASS happens, and we get our tendies, I am sure many of us wil have a keen eye on what good we can in the world. But just as we are to be ever vigilant in other parts of our lives, we must remain ever vigilant about these post-MOASS times. + +&#x200B; + +**It would seriously not surprise me if the same banks & hedge funds that caused MOASS due to their fucking crime would engage in pushing both regular investors and apes towards highly ESG-rated items to wash the “stink” of the utter fraud the world will all be witness to.** + +&#x200B; + +“Let��s make the world better now, to get away from just happened!” is something I guess we’ll all say (I’m too lazy to make a more accurate thing I’d say but too lazy at this point lol) all the while these banks and SHFs are herding us as cattle to the next round of lies and deceit, circling us down and further round the drain into the next crisis in part through these kaleidoscopes of fuckery that are ESG funds and their derivatives, too busy to look at the green and blue sunshine being sold to us while the water path smells less of hope, and more of sewage. + +&#x200B; + +Pt. 2: ??? + + +https://preview.redd.it/q9tva6wzg7791.png?width=798&format=png&auto=webp&s=29ecd12bac90bcd8220d977e9b5294c32c58a0e6 +it started out as just a $100 payday advance here and there and now i’m in the negatives after all the repayments came out this paycheck. i don’t have money for groceries and i’m too embarrassed to talk to my parents. how do i get out of this cycle? +### UNITED STATES + +* **Futures** are indicating some relief at the opening bell with the S&P, NASDAQ, and DOW all up slightly   +* **Trump** said he would intervene in the criminal case against **Huawei's** CFO if it would help get a better trade deal with China +* The *NFIB Business Outlook for General Business Conditions* fell to its lowest level since the morning of Trumps election  +* The *NFIB Compensation Plans Index* rose to its highest level in twenty years, a sign of rising pay +* Analysts are reeling back their Q4 and 2019 **earnings forecasts**   + +### OTHER + +* **Theresa May** could be fired tonight. A confidence vote is being held - if she gets less than half of the votes, she gon' +* The European Parliament is expected to ratify the **EU-Japan Economic Partnership** Agreement - one of the world’s largest trade deals + * Japan would ditch duties on 90% of EU exports. The EU would drop its levies of 10% on Japanese cars to zero + +### CHINA + +* China was responsible for the **Marriott** **data** **breach** that collected personal details of 500 million guests + * The Chinese intelligence-gathering effort that also hacked health insurers and the security clearance files of millions more Americans +* **Car sales** have been falling rapidly over the past few months, tumbling 18% in November  +* China agreed to **reduce tariffs** on U.S. autos to 15% from 40% during a phone call with U.S. officials +Hi, I'm not sure what, if any, options I have as I've already agreed to the new product. +We (joint application) went into Halifax to see a mortgage advisor as we were at the end of our initial 2 year fixed deal. He meets us, all smiley and takes us into an office and says that he needs to record the meeting (voice recording). There was a lot of odd fake small talk (seriously as soon he started speaking I was not at ease, he even high-fived my partner for something menial - I, the cynic, found him too nice and too weird). Anyway, once we were into it, he went over our current status: 2 years in, jobs the same, on Help to Buy etc etc. He then asked how much we want to pay each month. I thought this strange, but said about the same and on the same 'capital + interest' basis. He gave us the breakdown for a further 2 year fixed deal and said that this would be ideal for us. +Now I said to him, how about a 3 year fixed deal. His facade dropped and he looked at me and said why do you want to do that. I panicked, taken aback by this shift in his mood. I remember I had a legitimate reason but I couldn't remember under this new intensity so I said, I'm not sure, more stability. He then says "That wouldn't be in your best interest so I'm not going to do that for you." +Is he right? Can he straight up refuse to give us a breakdown for something that I specifically asked him for? I'm sure you need more information to make a call but there's nothing out of the ordinary with our lives and income etc. I later remembered that the 3 year fixed was to take us to the end of the 5 year help to buy period, where we would probably be looking to remortgage for a bit more to cover the equity loan that we won't have completely saved up for yet. +Anyway, we signed up for the new product, his manner completely changed as he seemed to sense that I might want to do something other than what he was requesting. Didn't like it, didn't feel independent. No idea what his motivation was. Help please! +They are more aesthetically pleasing usually, and seemingly in better condition. Does this apply to building quality as well? Will a new house require more or less maintenance in the long run, compared to a decently preserved old terraced house? +Hi all, + +Story below. TL; DR I've been settling for less than I should and am grateful for the discussions on this sub making me realise that. + +I recently completed a PhD that involved a good amount of data analysis, programming and mathematics/physics. I also did a ton of extra stuff whilst there, including a coding-development internship, leading an introductory coding session (£60 an hour!) and a month-long research cruise in India. + +About six months before finishing, I found a good-looking job in consultancy, which involved working on some interesting projects as a numerical modeller. The interview went great, and I was offered the position within a week. + +The position pays £30k, and I've entered in a 'graduate' role alongside many who have just finished undergraduate degrees. Until now this has been fantastic, as my wage has doubles compared to the university stipend and it's interesting work. It's been enough that my partner and I are due to complete on a house in two weeks. + +However, after browsing this sub for a while, I ended up looking at what a 'data analyst' role could offer over the weekend. I've seen countless positions that start in the high 30's/low 40's, which I am 100% qualified for. and wouldn't need to relocate for These positions also look really interesting with much more intellectual freedom than I currently have, and would allow me to further some useful skills that would allow for even more progression. + +I've now started applying for some of these and managed to get an interview almost immediately. + +I think I jumped the gun way too early last year, and was so happy that someone offered me a job that I took it straight away without considering whether there was anything better out there. + +So thank you very much everyone on here, for making me realise I've been settling for less than I should for the past year-ish, and that there is ample financial opportunity out there. +Any ideas how this will affect the economy and regular people? + +BBC article doesn't have much information yet. + +https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54817872 +Lucky you! 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We are looking to provide REAL utility with a use-case never seen before in DeFi! + + +Okay this sounds Unreal, any other good news?! 📰 👌 + + +CG – Approved ✅ https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/aerdrop + + +CMC listings Approved - ✅ https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/aerdrop/ + + +Audit - ✅ Ongoing + + +Detailed white paper - ✅ A living document, passionately written by the team of developers + + +Dev doxxing - ✅ Scheduled for a 75M market cap milestone + + +Aerstation platform - ✅ Bespoke DAPP is nearing completion! + + +Exchange listings - ✅ Uniswap listing in the works + + + + +Get ready to fly comfortably ! +Over the past 1 1/2 years I've dumped extra money into Bitcoin and a few days ago I got the last bit I needed to reach 1 BTC! My overall investment in that time is just over $10k, so I have a little ground to make up +Yeah yeah I know that's nothing compared to some of y'all on here, but I haven't even been in the crypto game for 6 months yet. Idk I'm proud of myself :) +I am reading posts on reddit and other sites where ppl claim they have managed to get a 5 year fix for 2.5% last week. How? I can only see 5 year fixes starting at 4.8%. +Dr. Trimbath recently [tweeted](https://twitter.com/SusanneTrimbath/status/1562962746487894016?t=UsTSZbE-9koNBDnv83jlNA&s=19) that "[The European Central Bank is] trying to undo European Commissiom Regulation [EU] No 909/2014 for mandatory buy-ins on FTDs. Not just delay implementation like ESMA got, but outright over-turn the reg." + +She links an [article](https://www.securitiesfinancetimes.com/specialistfeatures/specialistfeature.php?specialist_id=567&navigationaction=features&page=&newssection=features) where the journalists notes, + +>In a proposal released in March 2022 (amending Regulation [EU] No 909/2014), the European Commission put forward a “two step approach” to finalising CSDR settlement discipline provision, combining steps to clarify settlement discipline rules and to revise the timeline for implementation of mandatory buy-in provisions. [...] Significantly, in advancing this proposal, the Commission rejected the option to suspend the MBI framework entirely. + +While this is seemingly good news for apes [the proposal](https://www.esma.europa.eu/sites/default/files/library/esma70-450-1173_consultation_paper_-_amendment_of_article_19_of_csdr_rts_on_settlement_discipline.pdf) indicates that, + +>ESMA shall [...] develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify [...] the details of operation of the appropriate buy-in process [...] including appropriate timeframes to deliver the financial instrument following the buy-in process [...]. Such timeframes shall be calibrated taking into account the asset type and liquidity of the financial instruments. + +The security delivery timeframe can therefore be extended because of illiquidity, since liquidity is defined by[ [EU] No 600/2014](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014R0600) as "ready and willing buyers and sellers on a continuous basis". + +So while the European Securities and Markets Authority seemingly wants a mandatory buy-in framework that forces delivery of FTDs it only wants it enforced so long as the relevant security is sufficiently liquid. What if an EuroApe is not a "ready and willing seller" of his or her GME IOUs driving price formation through the roof? Sorry, but no mandatory buy-in for you it seems. This is reminiscent of the NSCC's rule to clear FTDs via buy-in that can be postponed in the event of a "disorderly market", presumably via illiquidity. + +What do? [Respond](https://www.esma.europa.eu/press-news/consultations/consultation-paper-amendment-article-19-csdr-rts-settlement-discipline#registration-form_consultation). ESMA prefers responses to the specific questions specified in Annex I of the proposal but those questions don't pertain to mandatory buy-ins. I would suggest a response referring the specific areas I've highlighted above with a focus and emphasis on accurate price formation over the misguided focus and emphasis on liquidity. + +Also DRS, natch. + +*Edits 1 & 2: added link and DRS comment +I was checking the bitinfocharts and realized that even if you hold 0,1 BTC you are in the top **6%** of adress holders, if you hold 0,01 BTC you are in the top **15%,** 0,001 BTC gets you into top **24%** and lastly anything between 0 and 0,001 BTC lands you in top **51%** of adress holders. + +These numbers may vary of course but what you might perceive as a small amount or nothing can still make you a hefty penny. But also, if you happen to be amongst the top 51% of adress holders, remember that this is still early and that you will catch up to whatever crypto related goals you have way before 90% of all people who actually might be too late to grow their capital as you've had the opportunity to do. + +***EDIT****: Alright, I understand that people have their coins spread out but and I didn't take that into account at first. Nevertheless, holders of 0.1 BTC should range between* ***6% - 10%****.* + +***EDIT 2****: Picture fixed.* + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/1smrpgkxcfx71.png?width=773&format=png&auto=webp&s=4216fd9eed03efc01247fe57d35ba28f7a9c29cf +if AOC and Shapiro (and countless others) can agree on something, it's gotta be big!!! + +This just goes to show that the left vs right divide DOES NOT SUIT US ANY MORE. + +It's rich vs poor, and IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN + +UNITE THE WORKING CLASSS + +FUCK OVER HEDGE FUND PISS BABIES + + 🚀 🚀 🚀 BUY GME 🚀 🚀 🚀 + +HOOOOOOOLD GME + +TOGETHER WE CAN WIN TENDIES FOR ALL WORKING CLASS DEGENERATES + +&#x200B; + +this is not financial advice + +if youre a hedge fund manager you can suck my big hairy sweaty nuts +I’m living in Germany. Pretty crypto friendly country, decent bank system and located in EU. + +I have to do multiple transfers to American banks for business reasons. I’ve never performed it in such way so I had a meeting with my bank and it blew my mind. + +**Each transaction is 35€ fee to American banks** + +I was really confused. It’s not that much for a single big transaction but it really stacks with multiple one. And it’s also pretty much making all smaller transactions unaffordable. Imagine trying to transfer 100€ and pay 35% in fee. Immediately I thought in my head: + +“Damn… it takes a couple clicks, some pocket change and a few minutes to transfer that via crypto across the planet …” + +And when I asked why it’s that much I received the response “just the paperwork and time” + +**And don’t get me started on the 2 page paper she gave me to fill lmao** + +It was so much information to fill everywhere. Felt like I’m filling out my entire identity + fiat location for the transaction. All on paper with pencil. Meanwhile with crypto you can sit on the toilet copy pasting an address on your phone within seconds lmao + +Well guess what again fixes both… it’s not like they ship the money in a case and deliver it personally anyway, right? It’s just numbers in their system at the end of the day. + +So I’ve realized today that the fundamentals of Crypto are still there, important and can improve things for us. And this was just one normal small case that made me realize this. +I am comparing FEDEX to UPS. UPS earnings came out a few weeks ago and the stock is up $40 since. FEDEX (also in the delivery business) earnings come out September 15. Would it be fair to expect a similar result from FedEx when they report their numbers in 2 weeks? +Hi, so I use myetherwallet for storing my ether in cold storage. I don't have that many but still I want to keep them nice and safe. And I've been reading a lot of disturbing things lately ! + +- How unsafe is it to use it repeatedly on the online interface (JSON file + https strong memorized password) for transactions? +- Should I split my balance into two wallets ? (One for transactions, one for safekeeping?) +- it is REALLY necessary to create it in an air-gapped environment or is this just paranoiac BS ? +- is doing transactions online through MEW so unsafe that I should learn how to sign them offline too? +Thx + +[Tezos Fundraiser](https://tezos.com/static/papers/Tezos_Overview.pdf) + +> The Foundation will manage the proceeds of the fundraiser and sell contributions progressively throughout the fundraising period +*If* you believe in the long-term potential of ETH, I don't get why you would be upset with the recent bear market ( or correction ). Bear markets are fantastic times to accumulate. Just buy a small amount at a time with each drop. Don't try to time the bottom--you probably be unsuccessful. Believers should be ecstatic right now, we've just washed out so many people who were just in it for some quick cash. You really don't think they'll be back once things start turning around? If you're truly a long-term believer, your objective should be to max the amount of ETH you have, and not worry about its present-day value. + +I guess if you think that ETH is done and going to zero then sure be upset, but otherwise rejoice! This is a gift. Remember those stupid Chappelle memes? Well, your wish has been granted, so don't waste it. + +And if you are upset because you had 100% of your fiat already invested, I'd honestly say that's your own damn fault. It's incredibly risky to be 100% invested in a single asset, much less an asset as volatile as crypto. Let this be a lesson to you. Chances are you are young and you'll have your whole life ahead of you to invest, so learn something from your mistakes and don't repeat them. Especially given how bullish the world economy has been, I think you'd be unwise to not have some proportion of your investments in either cash or a very safe asset right now. + +Always remember the sage advise of Warren Buffet: +"Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful" + +Dude's the 3rd richest man on earth. Chances are he knows what he's talking about. +A few years ago in the Bitcoin community the discussion was all about how the Bitcoin blockchain could do it all so there was no reason for altcoins (or "shitcoins"). Everything was being built on Bitcoin, or should be built on Bitcoin, because it was going to be the only global blockchain that mattered. Need to issue your own tokens or do something that required more scripting? Colored coins and Counterparty (and later RSK)! Supply chain tracking? Blockchain voting? Notary? Property ownership? Bitcoin can do it all. + +But now the community seems to be more in the spirit of Bitcoin being a store of value and a transfer of value and that's it. [The comments on this post sum it up](https://np.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/5xkvc1/psa_were_running_a_stress_test_of_our_blockchain/). Ignoring Luke-jr's expected nonsense, so many people are adamantly against anyone using the Bitcoin blockchain for anything other than transferring money. + +Which is an interesting issue, because almost no one uses Bitcoin for that. Specifically, in 2016, [the majority of transfers are between exchanges, only a tiny fraction is for payments or other transfers, see chart in article](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/business/dealbook/bitcoin-china.html). + +This is probably why the number of transactions keep climbing and fees keep rising despite people complaining. Exchanges aren't really hurt by high fees, they can pass them on or absorb them since their average txn amount is relatively high so the fees for them are still low. + +As an aside, it's almost funny that LN is being offered as a scaling solution, but the majority of users who are actually making money off Bitcoin (exchanges, and miners) don't need that solution at all. They also don't need larger blocks (perhaps someday the exchanges would, but they don't seem to need them currently). Is it no wonder the scaling issue is in a stalemate? Anyway... + +So what does this have to do with /r/ethtrader? + +It seems to me that the Bitcoin community has mostly relegated Bitcoin to a use (transfer of value) that almost no one uses it for (majority use it for speculation and store of value, with the idea that future users will need it as a transfer of value). While a market can stay irrational longer than anyone can stay liquid, they do eventually catch up to reality, and when that happens with Bitcoin some money will go to things like Dash, Monero, and Litecoin, but I think the majority will go to Ethereum. It might be years, but that's ok, I think most of us are in this for the long haul, both as an investment and as a technological revolution. +I posted yesterday asking if it was possible to upgrade from a ruby card to a jade card on [Crypto.com](https://Crypto.com). I had several people respond with helpful information that gave me a little more confidence in the process. Here's what I learned and how the process went. + +I originally deposited enough for the ruby card, this was just to dip my toes in and make sure everything was legit. Yea I know that's a lot to "test the waters" with but I wasn't that worried. After depositing enough fiat, I selected card option on the bottom of the menu and then selected the ruby card. After a few prompts and check boxes I had staked CRO and access to the ruby card. + +After seeing how smooth the process was, and thinking on it a few days I decided to take the leap and get the Jade card, not only for the extra perks but also because I think crypto.com is going to be hanging around for a while and will only grow. + +So I began the process of depositing more fiat into my crypto.com account. This is where I began to question if I needed the full amount (4k$ worth) of unstaked CRO, or if my initial stake could be rolled over and fill the difference. After seeing the reply's about how it will/should allow the original staked CRO to roller over I decided on only depositing what I needed to meet the minimum CRO + what I had staked. + +The funds were available this morning. I clicked on: + +Accounts + +Crypto Wallet + +CRO coin (which took me to a page showing the CRO I had staked separate from any extra CRO I had) + +Under the CRO Stake option is an upgrade button. + +You select which upgrade you want (the jade card in this instance) + +It then takes you to a screen where it shows you how much more CRO you will need in order to upgrade. So this answers one of my question, do I need fiat or CRO to upgrade. The answer is you need the CRO equivalent of the fiat needed to get to the next level card. + +So if you have 500$ worth of CRO, you need to buy 3500$ worth of CRO first and then go through the process of upgrading. + +After doing check boxes and agreements it said my card was in the process of upgrading and someone would contact me. Several seconds later I received a message from in the Crypto.com app for confirmation. + +That's it. I know this may seem like an easy thing to do but I spent a few hours trying to google the process just to make sure I wasn't screwing anything up, so hopefully this will help someone else who was as confused as I was. + +A few notes: + +There is a 50$ reissuing fee if you want another card sent to you. This is taken from your fiat account on Crypto.com app. + +Shout out to the people who responded to my original post asking these questions! + +&#x200B; + +EDIT: Adding in some of the info from the comments below. + +* "When you upgrade your staking to next card level **YOU DO NOT** have to order a new card You still get the higher tier benefits, save yourself the €50, buy more CRO or treat yourself" u/HokkaidoNights +* "You have to physically upgrade to Jade in order to get the airport lounge access" u/SineLinguist +* For each staking level you use the Fiat? Where does the money come from when you use the card. That staked fiat. Or am I wrong and it is the initial fiat amount converted to cro. u/timburgessthis + * Original fiat comes from you. For your original stake you only need fiat and they will stake it for you. To upgrade you have to buy the CRO and then use that to upgrade +* When you lock in for the card it shows in your wallet and has the interest rate and terms showing there. When you lock in for the Earn, it shows in the Earn account and only pays 6% regardless of if you have the Visa or not. You only get the 10-12% interest rate on the CRO you staked for the Visa." u/tanukiparts + +&#x200B; +https://www.investors.com/news/technology/click/nvidia-stock-gets-price-target-hike-graphics-card-demand/?src=A00220&yptr=yahoo + +"Nvidia (is) benefiting from continued massive demand for graphics cards, according to our supply-chain measurements," Eric Ross, chief investment strategist for Cascend Securities, said in a note to clients. Current-quarter demand looks "like a holiday quarter," he said. + +"We're not a fan of the Arm acquisition because there are huge hurdles in approval," Ross said. "There is a high likelihood this deal will die at the regulators (we're thinking China)." + +The deal will require regulatory approval from the U.S., U.K., European Union and China. + +Thanks for the awards. +To be more exact: infinitely more than I do. I have none (...yet). + +Lately, my [oldest son (11)](https://i.imgur.com/yPaTHN5.jpg)\** found interest in Bitcoin and after explaining a few basics / ELI5 he decided he wanted to spend some of his savings on bitcoin. And I let him. He shelled out €100 and bought his own bitcoin. + +His [younger brother (9)](https://i.imgur.com/49hw4jY.jpg)\** ofcourse decided that he didn't want to get left behind should his older sibling become a millionaire so he, too, shelled out some of his savings (even more; €160). + +Oldest son is currently up €5.13 (bought past thursday), youngest is currently still down about €1.45 (bought yesterday). + +And now I have two kids that check businessinsider.com, coinbase, bitpay, xe etc. for the latest exhange rates more than sites they're supposed to be visiting at their age. I built them a simple webpage that shows the basic numbers and if they're in the green or red and plan on expanding it a bit in the future. + +Oldest came to me yesterday, said he was considering also investing some money in Ethereum to spread his chances... + +I'm very a very proud dad, ofcourse. + +--- + +Edit: Update: Oldest is up ~~€6,42~~ €15,53, youngest is in the green too now: ~~€0,49~~ €14,25. At this rate soon they won't need ~~an allowance~~ pocket money^* anymore 😂 + +Edit2: \** Happy faces blurred (some people are a little overly paranoid IMHO but hey, they're gone now!) + +^(* I'm Dutch...) +I was still a student in 2008 and was not investing yet + +I'll be interested to hear some of your stories. + +What was the impact on your investments? How much did your portfolio go down? What was your asset allocation like? + +Did you react the way you thought you would react? + +Any lesson you've learned that could be useful for the rest of us? + +Cheers! + + +I hate it here. If it was not for my son I would have given up on this world already. When I got home today from work they cut my power off. I used my last $183 I had to my name to get it turned back on. But guess what else! There’s a disconnect notice for my water and they will shut it off tomorrow. I literally don’t get paid till Friday and they don’t do same day cut ons. So that means I won’t have my water all weekend. I have been trying so hard to catch up on bills but I just can’t seem to, I was late on rent this month because I got sick in January and had to take a week off. Once I get my income taxes I am paying off every single bill and putting the rest in savings because I don’t want this to ever happen again. Please send me positive vibes.