diff --git "a/reddit_finance_43_250k_466.txt" "b/reddit_finance_43_250k_466.txt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/reddit_finance_43_250k_466.txt" @@ -0,0 +1,10000 @@ +u/Not_Flygon +Hello friends. I've read a lot on the subject and everything points to a recession next year, especially if the war continues. + +&#x200B; + +My question is in the sense of asking, how can we prepare, from an investment and financial point of view, for a possible recession? How to capitalize on a recession to get ahead in time or prevent. Thanks +Hey all, throwaway account. I live in a MCOL area not traditionally associated with the tech scene. That said, I have 15 years of experience working for a reasonably well-known ad tech company that is one of the few with a presence in my area. My expertise is more in the strategy and advertising operations side rather than software engineering, though, and I'm wondering if the big salaries often seen on this thread among Google and Facebook employees are exclusive to engineers. Are there any aspiring FatFirers in other roles with FAANG companies, particularly the advertising tech companies? + +TLDR: I'm wondering if the current work from home environment presents opportunity for people outside of NY/SF to apply for remote positions and what the salary potential is outside of engineering at the FAANGs. +I read somewhere there's possibly a way to contribute your stocks into a fund to avoid the hit. Need to diversify a bit since all my holdings are tech. +How has that affected your relationship? Especially if the man is a stay at home dad now playing golf all day and just enjoying life while wife still likes to work (although it doesn't make too much of a difference to NW or QOL) +Hey fatFIRE, I'm a 31 year old in a VHCOL city working in tech. Just hit 530k recently and noticed some subtle psychological changes. I'm worried less about my salary increases and realizing slowly that I'm developing a solid nest egg. I feel more generous and less concerned about multi-thousand dollar losses (though a multi-tens-of-thousands would freak me out). Should I still try to keep my belt tight and focus on investing or can I relax a bit? +This market is for hands that are made of diamonds and hearts that are made of steel. Cash out if you can't take a serious dip. I no longer dominate my Bitcoin in USD, that's a shitcoin +(Bloomberg) -- Visa Inc. is suspending its Russia operations and all transactions initiated with its cards issued in the country will no longer work abroad. + +Any Visa cards issued by financial institutions outside of Russia will also no longer work within the country, the company said in a statement Saturday. + +“We are compelled to act following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed,” said Al Kelly, chairman and chief executive officer. + +“We regret the impact this will have on our valued colleagues, and on the clients, partners, merchants and cardholders we serve in Russia. This war and the ongoing threat to peace and stability demand we respond in line with our values.” + +https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/visa-suspends-all-russia-operations-1.1732952 + +**EDIT**: Mastercard completely out as well + +https://www.mastercard.com/news/press/2022/march/mastercard-statement-on-suspension-of-russian-operations/ +My ears had to hear this from a boomer who has known about BTC since 2013. + +They still haven't read the whitepaper, but they were 1000000% sure of their above statement. + +If you are this ignorant this far down the road all I can do now is laugh at you. +https://www.barrons.com/market-data/stocks/bbby + +As of 08/15/22 its 30,76M! +That would mean its even more shorted than on 07/29/22. +Because on 08/15/22 RCs shares were NOT in the freefloat. + +LFG 🚀🚀🚀 +Shitadel working at 4:20? Do you think we have won? **THEY WERE WORKING**. + +They were planning the hit of the week, maybe an exceptional one. Be prepared. + +You know they can short everything, have friends on the government and possibly they think his money is worth more than human lives (aka 2008). + +They could fake a DFV 200.000 stock sale offer like an ape said. + +Be prepared. Expect everything. Just buy and hodl. + +&#x200B; + +Europoor with you :) +By Senad Karaahmetovic: + +Toni Sacconaghi, a Senior Analyst at Bernstein covering U.S. IT Hardware, has discussed implications for Tesla (TSLA) shares amid an ongoing saga concerning CEO Elon Musk and his deal to acquire Twitter (TWTR) for $44 billion. + +Musk may “ultimately elect or be forced to purchase Twitter going forward,” Sacconaghi told clients in a note today. The analyst took note of Musk’s deal to acquire Twitter which should be completed via debt, equity, and a margin loan. + +Sacconaghi pays special attention to $12.5 billion that will come from a margin loan facility tied to Tesla stock. + +“Following the recent drop in TSLA's stock price, Musk appears to have just enough value in his unencumbered Tesla shares to fund the margin loan portion of his proposed Twitter financing. That said, at a TSLA share price of $621 or less, Musk would technically not be able to borrow the full $12.5B against his shares - in fact, if TSLA's stock price were to drop to $500/share, he would be ~$2.5B short. If the agreed upon deal price for Twitter is ultimately haircut by 10%, Musk could still borrow enough, even if Telsa shares dropped to ~$400,” the analyst wrote. + +However, the bigger - but also less probable - financial risk for Elon Musk is there is a deeper pullback in Tesla shares, in combination with him completing the deal. + +“If the TWTR deal were to close today and subsequently TSLA's stock price dropped to $350-400, Musk could be forced to sell ~13M Tesla shares.” + +In other words, Elon Musk would get a margin call. + +Sacconaghi rates Tesla with an Underperform rating and a $450.00 per share price target as he struggles to justify TSLA's valuation, “which appears to imply huge volume AND industry leading profitability going forward, which is historically unprecedented.” + +Tesla stock price is indicated to open 2.5% lower today, or at $657.90. + +[Source](https://m.uk.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/margin-call-alert-tesla-stock-falling-below-400-would-force-elon-musk-to-sell-13-million-shares-of-ev-maker-to-fund-twitter-deal--bernsteins-sacconaghi-2655243?ampMode=1) +Do 401k reps lose money when the market crashes? (like in commissions?) I am just wondering if it helps him out if I were to move my 401k to a "cash" account. Financial advisers say to ride it out since the market will rebound. I'm not near retirement age. +The gas doesn't lie. +[https://etherscan.io/gastracker](https://etherscan.io/gastracker) + + +It seems so simple, and it won't show you stuff CRAZY early, but if you're wondering where to get your next hit, this is a pretty damn consistent way to see whats bubbling up. I got into some 200,000% APY action earlier today with Kimchi with this trick. I already pulled out a hefty gain. + + +What are your tricks? Feel like sharing? :P +It's common knowledge here that the SOL network goes down frequently, gets hacked, doesn't work etc yet people still continue to invest in it. Christ if traditional banking was this flakey the government would haul it over the coals and watch it burn. + +Yet people still invest in this centralized garbage. Litecoin for example (and I am sure there are many other examples that people can name) has had 100 percent uptime with literally no hacks or exploits, yet people label it as a deadcoin that is garbage. + +It brings me to the conclusion that we don't really care about fundamentals in the crypto space, only juicy profits. + +So it brings me back to the original point of this post, why an earth are people investing in SOL when it is the least secure and reliable chain in crypto? +So I used [https://redditsearch.io/?term=&dataviz=false&aggs=false&subreddits=cryptocurrency&searchtype=posts&search=true&start=1388552400&end=1420002000&size=100](https://redditsearch.io/?term=&dataviz=false&aggs=false&subreddits=cryptocurrency&searchtype=posts&search=true&start=1388552400&end=1420002000&size=100) + +It isn't good, but it is the best search tool I can find since reddit doesn't let me short through oldest first. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +The oldest post I can find is something in **2013** asking for good alt coins, but it got the same reply as what someone today would be asking that. + +**2014** there was a ton of post on giveaway, a few asking for help in making a crypto coin (one I found looked like a rug pull or just a coin that got some hyped and died), some post about mining, some post about how there will be how and why alt coins will overtake BTC. + +What I found interesting with that last bit is they were talking about the transaction speeds of BTC and things like that. The focus was still on using it as a currency. + +The one I found interesting is [https://old.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/2a1y8f/the\_death\_of\_dogecoin/](https://old.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/2a1y8f/the_death_of_dogecoin/) + +https://preview.redd.it/auk515f8kwv81.png?width=1100&format=png&auto=webp&s=5bf6c8dc9938a610fd61fd22740a5d43ab232507 + +Basically, people 8 years ago was facing the same problems as we are today in the SEC is highly unclear and how people weren't sure what to invest in because the USA dragged it's feet when dealing with crypto. + +&#x200B; + +**2015** it seems like most were asking if a coin is dead, they were talking about how hard it is to invest thanks due to banks, and other things + +For that year I found this to be interesting [https://old.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/3gtg5g/whats\_the\_most\_interesting\_altcoin\_youve\_ever/](https://old.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/3gtg5g/whats_the_most_interesting_altcoin_youve_ever/) + +They asked what is the most interesting alt coin. Most of them I never heard of and they died a long time ago. But this is an interesting comment. + +https://preview.redd.it/tny0c7gclwv81.png?width=1081&format=png&auto=webp&s=55e6682cc4d93c851e138057a4d406115510106c + +https://preview.redd.it/7hma0mqelwv81.png?width=1146&format=png&auto=webp&s=f144f2959647cadfb1662ca8943a9724c74ee343 + +Something to note is we get some FUD 2014 and 2015 against Doge. Even comments saying + +https://preview.redd.it/hoi1k9x4mwv81.png?width=1064&format=png&auto=webp&s=ce713a9b19ccb102b60fc2653886843ddb158280 + +Even ETH is looked as a scam. But note this is people like today trying to figure out the good from bad in the tech. + +https://preview.redd.it/zgy2frjimwv81.png?width=1117&format=png&auto=webp&s=e23b91ea40d4771111797713d7c1f7714b492fc1 + +**2016** has more people looking for alt coins, best coins to mine, how to get into mining, exchanges, and stuff like that. + +Basically, this is the year when people started wanting to do something with their coins or do something like mining to get coins. + +Looking at some recommendation coins shows what we see now where people don't know what they are talking about + +https://preview.redd.it/qz7gtmjinwv81.png?width=1153&format=png&auto=webp&s=31aa8705adbb4ec24d9665424b9de8b605841233 + +https://preview.redd.it/346z4xhlnwv81.png?width=1137&format=png&auto=webp&s=1b2e36d78f86fd4eea0d22fb08be688d38308c4a + +In that same post people were seriously recommending things like Truck Coin. There was some that gave good advice, like what you see today + +https://preview.redd.it/s1q56satnwv81.png?width=1072&format=png&auto=webp&s=d9735a59f350b564a7324bdbeb3b7ad206c4f593 + +There is almost no word about Doge but there is a number of post about ETH. It looks like ETH is taken serious at this point. Same with Litecoin. + +&#x200B; + +**2017** there was post about what coin will 10x in 2018, more ETH post, Doge, memes started to come up, people freaking out about dips, and so on. + +https://preview.redd.it/ldo8vrnqowv81.png?width=640&format=png&auto=webp&s=b0b9f8d50b6bce66d72002e3e548fea4162c5ffa + +I found that cute. that is like a 10am for me. I wonder what they would be like with the losses we have now. + +There is Coinbase fud because Coinbase added a coin they didn't like. And again people were talking about how the SEC isn't being clear with their regulations. + +&#x200B; + +Most of the post were like a 2021 where the price went everywhere. + +&#x200B; + +**2018** Robinhood launches it's crypto trading app, Bitconnect, and virtually nothing else showed up on the search. IDK I guess it was a dead year. The daily went from 14k to 2k comments. + +&#x200B; + +**2019** this looks like another dead year since the daily was getting 3k comments, there was some fud on how BTC uses more electricity than most small countries (while overlooking BTC is worldwide and comparing it is stupid). There was some push for NANO. Some post about ETH, the Binance block against USA people, and that is about it. + +&#x200B; + +**2020** another dead year. The daily was getting 1k comments some months. There was XRP FUD, hacks, the XRP SEC thing, and that is about it. + +&#x200B; + +**2021** the daily kicks back up with some days getting 35k comments. Anyone who was there would tell you it was price, meme, lambo, questions for those coming in, and so on. +This is a discussion as to why the merge might, or might not, cause a dip in ETH's price + +I'll start: +My opinion is that it won't, but it also won't skyrocket. I think it's more likely that it skyrockets until the news, and them stabelizes. +I could have sold my ETH at 4000, at 3000, at 2000, but noooo, I blindly believed that this whole global mess caused by a bipolar vision of our politicians and lack of pragmatism would be solved in a few weeks and that The Merge will project ETH to 6000!! + +Instead this chaos will go on for years, they even start bullying the empire of the far east! what will happen when they want to take back the island by force ? + +Rising inflation in a chaotic world is no good, not at all. I'm not ready to see ETH with 3 or 2 digits. I'm afraid that's the direction. +Welcome to the Daily Altcoin Discussion thread of /r/EthTrader. + +*** + +The thread guidelines are as follows: + +- All sub rules apply here so please review our **[rules page](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/about/rules/)** to become familiar with them. The rules page is also linked in the announcement bar above. +- This thread is intended as a welcome place for discussion of all non-Ethereum related crypto. + +*** + + Resources and other information: + +* Newcomers who have basic questions about Ethereum can find answers by visiting /r/EthereumNoobies or our Ethereum Education wiki page, [see here](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/wiki/education). + +* To view live streaming comments for this thread, [click here](https://reddit-stream.com/comments/auto). Account permissions are required to post comments through Reddit-Stream.com. + +*** + +Enjoy! + +Hi, I recently started posting on this sub and most of the interactions I had were with guys. I don’t really mind that but would be really cool to have some fellow girls in the mix. + +A little bit about me - I am 25 F, from London. I like philosophy, psychology and finance. I am personally invested heavy in ETH followed by LUNA, SOL, ONE, and ATOM. I have been exposed to crypto very recently this year. Faced a crash just after investing :p. Recovered nicely in the current day and enjoying gains :p + +I would love to interact with fellow females!❤️ +Anyone have any thoughts of TON? Telegram planning a multi-billion dollar ICO for their chat cryptocurrency. The Durov brothers made Russian Facebook VK, could be promising? Just checking out their development team and seems they have some very talented people! +I don't mean $ amount, but number of ethers. Personally I'm down over 50% of my holdings although still up in dollar terms. In other words have your trades been able to beat the market in comparison to just holding? + +More curious about those at it for at least 2 months. Just seems like in an appreciating market it very hard to beat buy-and-hold. + +I'm considering what the best strategy is for the next few months with regards to the disruption incoming from the potential BTC fork. Just want to get your opinions? + +Optimistic - BTC hodlers start to panic and money shifts into other cryptos, driving up the value of ETH and others. If this happens, hindsight will say hodling was the best option and would have lead to massive capital gains. + +Pessimistic - BTC panic affects the entire crypto market, with huge losses across everyones portfolios, potentially leading to the death of some. If this happens, hindsight will say you should never have kept you capital in such a volatile market. + +Given these two polar approaches, I'm suspecting i'll withdraw 50% crypto holding into fiat while market is good, and keep the rest in my portfolio. Then, if there's blood on the streets in August, I'll reinvest back in at low prices in the tech that I believe in. However if the market is good for ETH, I don't miss out entirely. + +What are your thoughts on the next few months? +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, 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, 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! +England - Sivac PLC's "MT Asset Management Bond" + +A good few years ago, my dad was sold on something that would essentially move his £43k current pension in to a private Business, with the idea that he would get a lump-sum right now, and then have a reduced amount when he eventually did retire - he was also happy to accept that this third party business would take a cut for all of this. So that happened - he got his £13k lump-sum and went on with life. + +Now, he has received notification that his remaining Monies is worth absolutely nothing and is valued at £0, because the company had gone bust. +He has contacted the financial ombudsman and been told that they can't do anything because the business is based in Germany + +Please help, his retirement pot, which already wasn't enough, is now worth absolutely nothing, still has a house to pay off and is almost 60. + +I have documentation but no idea what any of it means + +Has anyone ever heard of anything similar and there anything whatsoever we can do/someone we can contact? +In 4 months his plan valuation went from £27k to minus £270. +Me and my housemates used an app called Acasa to sort out our household bills last year in uni. + +We moved out in the end of June, paid last broadband and gass payments. This week we receive a bill for £320 each between 4 people for the final water payment. + +We were not aware we had another payment, and why is it coming now in December? Over £300 for a waterbill is very high, considering the fact that in total for the year we paid £160 over the 12 months we were living in the house in total. + +Is this an error? Is this normal for uni households to get a water bill so late? Advice needed please + +EDIT: not sure if it's fixed or metered water, all I know is that the student lettings agency read the last water bill +The Acasa app FAQ says that within 2 weeks of leaving you get the final water bill, so from June to December it took for the final water bill to be issued? Very very fishy behaviour. We also have no paper bills from the water company itself so we can't say for sure +Hi all, + +I work for a FAANG company and part of my package is RSUs. I don't account for the RSUs in my budgeting and see them as a bonus. Should I sell them as soon as they vest if I don't need the money? Why not keep them for 10+ years? +Just looking for a bit of advice if you don’t mind...my partner and I have very different views around money and savings and it’s causing a lot of friction.. + +Context: + +I currently earn around £2.5k/month for which we pay all our bills, entertainment, travel, subscriptions etc - just general life costs for which we both get a fair wad to what ever we want with, + +We have some family debts and interest free credit cards which total around £10,000 which we are chipping away at. + +My partner earns around £1.3k/month which we are saving towards travelling next year. + +We both agreed this POA. + +As the months go by I find my partner dipping into our travel fund to go out and have fun with - as you can imagine this drives me mad especially as I am putting in extra shifts as much as possible to chip away at the debts faster so we can travel stress free. + +At this point I’m at the end of my tether and feeling resentful as it feels I’m working my ass off and he reeping all the benefits of this arrangement. + +He has always really bad problems with money - not being able to make his salary last/owing money etc so I took total control and I think this is not helping as he will never learn any financial skills/responsibility. + +This is then putting a strain on the relationship - I feel like his mum not his partner and he still has no awareness and I have to say no all the time as it feels like he just wants to buy stuff and go out. + +I see my parents who have worked really hard all their lives enjoying their retirement where his parents are still struggling due to poor decision making when he was growing up - I don’t want to end up like them but it’s like he is determined to screw up any comfortable future we may have in the short and long terms. + +So what do you think... +Separation of funds entirely - if he really wants to go travelling he will have to sort his self out and save his own money? In the meantime split the debts and life costs and I pay for food shops or something as I earn a little more? + +Other than this the relationship is great - I’ve painted him as an asshole and yes he probably is to some extent but I am probably an asshole in other ways... + +Any tips, advice or plans would be very greatly appreciated. + + + + +My girlfriend has been struggling to pay her college dues ever since she arrived. She currently owes $7,500 to the school, and in years past they have threatened to unenroll her, but she has gotten on a payment plan and put some money up front. + +She currently lives with her mother who makes $22,000 a year, and she works near-minimum wage jobs. Her father is effectively out of the picture. She’s also fairly certain that she has maxed out her loan cap from the school. + +She has a 4.1 GPA, is reaching out to professors to vouch for her to the school, and it is her final semester before graduation. Have any of you dealt with something like this? What kind of argument can be made to the financial aid office? + +EDIT: The FinAid/bursar office has gotten back to her and it seems that she will be put on another payment plan. Huge weight off our shoulders. It seems that her mother had not updated her 2019 filings to “single”, and that was what they were working with. + +Thanks to all suggestions. +Just got this email from Namecheap after I posted my support for bitcoin: + +"We are in the process of intergrating BitCoin into Namecheap and we need some BitCoins for performing some tests. If you are interested in sending some BitCoins to us, we will be glad to credit your Namecheap account with the funds. As a benefit to your time, we can credit $10 to your Namecheap account, if you can send us 0.25BTC. If you are interested, please reply back and we will send you the address to which we require payment. We have contacted a few clients, however we just need one payment, so, we will send the payment address to the first one who replies." + +How awesome is this? Ghandi, Enom, take notice! +As many of you are likely already aware, the SECURE Act is on its way to the Senate and is expected to be passed into law. With many of the changes going into effect in just a few weeks, I thought I’d provide a summary of major provisions that may be applicable to those on the FIRE path. + +&nbsp; + +**Strech IRA is no longer applicable.** + + +>The way it’s set up currently is like this – inherit a Roth or Traditional IRA and you must, at a minimum, spread the distributions out over your lifetime. These are called required minimum distributions. What was great about how it's set up currently is (1) you can continue to defer taxable income in the account over a long period of time and (2) not be forced to increase taxable income and your tax brackets when your income is already high. The new law will force you to take out the full amount in the inherited Roth or Traditional IRA within ten years. Not a big deal for most people, but if you plan on inheriting a large IRA in the next few years, something to be aware of. One note is that it appears you can leave the account be for ten years and withdraw it all in year 10 rather than have to take our minimum distributions over that period. + +&nbsp; + +**You can pay off student loans with 529 funds UPDATE - Lifetime limit of $10k** + +>This is a very state specific benefit but in many states you can get a state tax deduction for contributions for a 529 plan. For example, in Virginia you can contribute up to $4k/year into a 529 plan and that reduces your state taxable income. Essentially a 5.75% return on the $4k to pay your student loans. Other states have even better tax benefits. + +&nbsp; + + +**You can take funds from your 401(k) to cover qualified costs associated with a new birth or adoption.** +>The limit is $5k but this can helpful to someone who wants to access some of their retirement funds to help pay for new born expenses. Planning thought: Maybe wife or husband is not working as much and you are in a lower tax bracket in that year - good time to take some additional taxable income if you need the cash! + +&nbsp; + +**The required minimum distribution age increased to age 72 and contribution age limit removed for IRA.** +>Most who are in FIRE status will likely be taking distributions from their IRA before age 72. However, if you are in the lucky camp of not having to take a distributions before age 72, this new provisions allows for another 1.5 years of deferral. More time to continue contributing to the IRA or backdoor Roth! + +&nbsp; + +Those are the four I find most relevant. There are some other 401(k) plan changes that I don't think will be as beneficial (unless you own a small business!) + +You can find a complete summary [here](https://waysandmeans.house.gov/sites/democrats.waysandmeans.house.gov/files/documents/SECURE%20Act%20section%20by%20section.pdf). + + +Any questions I'd be happy to answer below. +Hi all! Fritz @ TheRetirementManifesto here for today's AMA! (http://www.theretirementmanifesto.com/) Curious what it's like to be 1 year from retirement? Ask away! + +At 54, I may be an "old guy" in the FIRE community, but FIRE techniques work whether you're starting at 25 or 45! I focus on being a "Bridge" and help teach the FIRE tricks to oldsters who have neglected their retirement savings. Lots of folks are realizing "Too Late" in life that they're unprepared, and the FIRE tactics from this forum can change a life, whether you're younger or older! + +I'm 4 years through The Retirement Red Zone, and will be retiring in June 2018 at Age 55. I've written 165 posts on FIRE topics, so hit me up with anything on your mind! Here to help, so Ask Me Anything!! + +7:00 PM EST Update: Thanks for all of the participation in my AMA today! It's been a fun day for me, hope you've enjoyed it!. I won't be on NEARLY as frequently commenting over the next 24 hours, but will try to communicate as new ideas develop. Great discussions! Puts your skills to the tests a bit to be on the "receiving end" of the increasing flow of comments, and having to push yourself mentally throughout the day. Great for my mind, and intriguing. + +IN CLOSING, A FEW IDEAS ON THE DAY + +First, Thanks for the privilege, Reddit (& Early Retirement Due!), for the honor of an invitation to host on today's AMA. + +This AMA has been an amazing experience for me, it's been a great day! It's a real mental challenge to communicate ideas, quickly, informatively, and at times with a touch of humor, all at the speed of electrons. My hope is that all of you get a bit of new knowledge in the comments below. Keep in touch - you can email me @ fritz@theretirementmanifesto.com anytime! You were each a small part of my "Good To Great" experience today (if you're interested, I'm currently writing a series How To Move From Good To Great (http://www.theretirementmanifesto.com/7-days-to-a-great-retirement/) Psst: GOTTA try to sneak in just a tad of self-promotion in the heading (sorry mods. Pls forgive! Smiles.) + +Thanks, All! It's been a beautiful day. +A bunch of analysts are starting to predict a 1929-style market crash by the end of next year. + +Consumer Price Index is at the highest it's been in decades in many categories. The real estate market seems to be in a bubble in many sectors. Market speculation is at unseen levels. Political tensions around the world are getting worse. China's debt is getting out of control and the US fed is printing money like never before. Something something COVID. + +Are we going to hit a wall soon? +I’ve been wondering for a while why so many stocks follow the same pattern as our favorite stock. Pretty much everyone is aware of movie stock, but there are literally dozens of other stocks that all spiked n late Jan with GME, and again in early March, and again in late May. All following the exact same patterns. + +To make matters worse there is a second, and possibly even a third subset of stocks that fire off their spikes a week or two *later*, after the GME group spikes. There’s been endless DD looking at T+21/35 and other FTD-related dates trying to explain these, but firm conclusions have yet to be reached. + +Well, I’ve been looking for this for a while, but I’ve finally found evidence that GME and other heavily shorted stocks were put into “baskets” and traded basically as **short derivatives.** + +Bloomberg on 1/25, ladies and gentlemen: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-25/gamestop-short-sellers-reload-bearish-bets-after-6-billion-loss + +> A Goldman Sachs Group Inc. basket of the most heavily shorted stocks rose as much as 4.5% in New York Monday. + +So Goldman Sachs was putting heavily shorted stocks into a derivative “basket” and selling it to other firms? This would explain why SO MANY stocks spike together simultaneously. + +More here about a similar offering from Goldman to short Chinese stocks: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.ft.com/content/a862ddf8-4f1f-11ea-95a0-43d18ec715f5 + +> Quant Insight, a London-based research group, has therefore built a basket of about 40 US stocks with Chinese exposure designed to closely mirror the performance of China’s CSI 300 benchmark. Goldman Sachs has added the index to Marquee, its digital platform, which means it can sell clients derivatives known as total return swaps based on the basket. + +Fun times. These people are scum. + +My question for the wrinkle-brain apes is this: Do derivatives have different FTD or date-related rules than standard shorts? And do derivatives have different SI reporting requirements? + +Edit: Some ape was onto this earlier this year: https://www.reddit.com/r/GME/comments/lum9ih/this_is_huge_anyone_heard_of_total_return_swaps/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf + +Edit2: This is a fun, older WSJ (non-paywall) article: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/gamestop-resurgence-reinforces-new-reality-for-hedge-funds-11614335400 + +> Another lesson from GameStop is to avoid disclosing certain holdings so as to not attract attention from opposite-minded investors. One strategy is to use so-called total return swaps, in which investors pay a bank a fee to earn returns on certain securities but don’t actually own those securities, eliminating the need for disclosure. + +And + +> A hedge-fund manager with $2.5 billion in assets under management said he now uses total return swaps 80% of the time, up from 50% before GameStop. He avoids buying put options, which give investors the right to sell stock at a certain time and price and must be disclosed, and times his trades to minimize disclosure at quarter-end. + +Wonder who this mysterious $2.5B hedge fund manager is? + +Enter Archegos: https://www.wraltechwire.com/2021/03/29/wake-up-call-failure-of-small-hedge-fund-reverberates-across-wall-street-titans/ + +> “Anytime a derivative is involved, you don’t really know how deep the tentacles go,” said Joe Saluzzi, co-head of trading at Themis Trading. + +Archegos crashed due to its heavy short position in total return swaps. It’s been widely reported that these swaps mainly involved Discovery and Viacom, but I’m gonna go ahead and guess GME and others were right along side it. +I've got a friend who is in the early stages of separating from their spouse heading towards divorce. The spouse has threatened to ruin both their credit ratings. I don't understand the logic of what's to be gained and it is probably a hollow threat anyway but it's causing some concern. + +They have joint finances with a mortgage and joint current account and I'm assuming joint bills. Is there anything my friend can do to protect themselves in this situation? +So a couple weeks back I met up with this advisor who sold me this whole life insurance last summer. Honestly the first time I was quite lost as I knew nothing about insurance and all these terms he was using were confusing. SO I decided to come prepared for the next meeting and I felt I had a very good understanding of what he was saying this time. + +When I looked at my whole life policy we had set up, it says it starts at 67 000$ and over the 20 year period that I will pay for it it will grow to 87 000$ and continue to do so after those 20 years. So essentially a "growth" of 20000$ over 20 years. While I am paying 105$ a month for it, so over 20 years I will be paying 25 200$. So I will be losing some of my money somewhere and somehow... He promised me returns of 6% a year by the investment company, and instead when I calculate everything from the charts he showed me, I am earning negative returns. Can someone explain? Am I calculating something wrong? +Not sure if this is the right sub. + +Moved into a rental in January, and was told by the estate agent that we could use Homeshift to set up all our bills etc. they didn’t tell us that they get paid for each person who signs up. I’m trying to find the initial recommendation to get their exact wording. + +Anyway, our absolutely awful broadband is going up by 40% next month after just 6 months. We are on a rolling monthly contract so there’s little we can do other than leave, which would be fine if we hadn’t paid a non-refundable £75 setup fee. + +The service has been awful, and a £25>£35 increase after 6 months is unheard of for me. It’s also incredibly annoying paying £25/mo for 10mbps down/ 1mbps up on a good day. + +The competitors are all around £20/month with setup <£5. We had chosen Homeshift as they were ‘recommended’ by the agents and a rolling contract would be useful in case fibre made its way into our area. + +Obviously - should have done more research beforehand but their online reviews were far more respectable then so didn’t feel the need to. + +All in all would not recommend. We haven’t even had a water bill yet and it’s been six months. + +EDIT: update - I checked for quotes with a new account for the same address after the date it is supposed to go up and they are offering the old rate, so it looks like their business model is to increase charges aggressively at the 6 point mark. Still a setup fee though. +I have to admit, it was difficult and almost sounded irrelevant to me living here in India when I first started reading this sub reddit. + +Reading money is dollar terms, leaving house at 15 without any money, such large student loans is as foreign to me as eating alive octopus. + +However, reading it over few weeks, Poverty finance has become a prime source of inspiration for me. I consider myself a saver, many people in life don't get or appropriate that. This subreddit has filled me with support and encouragement. Also reading humble stores of people just trying their best to make to next paycheck through debt at el is just surreal and makes me truly feel that "we are in this together.* +If you have no money for food, and for some reason can't connect to food banks or food charities, corn meal is very cheap and easily made into maize porridge (slap pap). This is a staple in many poor countries because it is cheap, filling, and relatively nourishing. + +A local big retailer near me sells a 5 lb bag for $2.28. It was an amazing feeling when I was able to scrounge for loose change in my couch and come up with enough to feed myself for the whole week-- it costs only 33 cents a day to eat. + +I've found that 2 cups (dry) of yellow cornmeal is enough to get me through the day-- it makes approximately four large bowls of porridge. Even a single bowl is quite filling. + +I'd like to stress that this probably isn't the best long-term solution for cheap food, because having a varied diet is good, and even four large bowls of maize porridge will leave you with a calorie deficit every day. However, it's certainly more nourishing than ramen or hotdog water, so if you don't mind eating nothing but porridge four times a day, it can be a good source of "emergency rations." + +[This is the recipe I use.](http://www.rainbowcooking.co.nz/recipes/maize-meal-porridge) + + +Today, 5 April, seems to be Satoshi Nakamoto's (symbolic) birthday. Congrats. + +--- + +[Ning/P2P Foundation](http://p2pfoundation.ning.com/profile/SatoshiNakamoto) requires a birthdate for signups, and displays for every member an age calculated from that birthdate. This is the basis for ages given for Satoshi. However, the age changes each year; for example: + +- age: 35 in 17 March 2011 http://web.archive.org/web/20110317060514/http://p2pfoundation.ning.com/profile/SatoshiNakamoto +- age: 36 in 20 May 2011 http://web.archive.org/web/20110520234103/http://p2pfoundation.ning.com/profile/SatoshiNakamoto +- increments between 3 April 2012 and 10 April 2012 +- 38 in March 2014 http://web.archive.org/web/20140311140744/http://p2pfoundation.ning.com/profile/SatoshiNakamoto (2 April: 38; 3 April: 38; 4 April: 38; 5 April: 39!) + +Since the displayed age yesterday (4 April 2014) was 38, and today (5 April 2014) it is 39, I infer that his birthday is 5 April and his birthdate is 5 April 1975 (`2014 - 39`). + +There is, as far as I can tell, nothing special about [5 April](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_April#Events); it's not a round number, it's not a symbolic date, it's not your usual fake birthday like 1 January or April Fools, it's not the day Satoshi signed up for P2P ("Satoshi Nakamoto is now a member of P2P Foundation Feb 11, 2009"), it's not related to when Bitcoin was released (January) or when the domain was registered (August) etc etc. So it seems like a good guess at a birthday. + +EDIT: [edlund](http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/229qvr/happy_birthday_satoshi_nakamoto/cgkpixf) points out I missed an entry in the Wikipedia list which might be very important to libertarians: + +> On April 5th 1933 U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs two executive orders: 6101 to establish the Civilian Conservation Corps, and 6102 "forbidding the Hoarding of Gold Coin, Gold Bullion, and Gold Certificates" by U.S. citizens. + +This raises another question: if the choice of birthday was symbolic, then is there additional symbolism in the choice of birthyear and/or claimed age when he registered? Is there anything special about 1975 or '34' in a libertarian context? edlund points out there is for 1975, and in fact, it's directly connected to the April 5 fact: + +> Another important thing about the year 1975 - it was the year in which gold ownership was legalized for the mere mortals in the US + +I find this pretty convincing. Well played, Satoshi, well played indeed - even now, >5 years after you registered that profile, we're still finding easter eggs you left for us. +Here is one of the ELIA5s about the “new” proposed rule I keep seeing. + +ELIA: +This rule proposes using a vehicle, they call an SFT (Securities Financial Transaction ... sigh), as a placeholder for any securities transaction. As I understand it, these SFTs are fungible like a dollar bill. So, if you have 100 worth of SFT that you SHORTED, and want to Fail to Deliver rather than buy-in at market value, you can resolve it by utilizing another SFT worth the same amount set for the same delivery date. The cost one would pay for this "feature" would be based on the difference in closing price from one day to the next. This cost would be much cheaper than a market buy-in, especially when the floor for a security is like $1,420,696,969,420,741. Seems like a cheap way to can-kick a scary-ass FTD problem (idiosyncratic risk anyone?), rather than buy-in at current market value. I.e. seems crafted to protect the practice of abusive short-selling, when it doesn't work out for the SHF. +/ELIA + +You know what these SFTs sound like to me? Dog shit wrapped in cat shit rolled in burnt hair, rubbed all over Bigfoot’s dick and then shoved into a used diaper. In other words, a bag of shit. + +Someone has to purchase that bag of shit to protect the SHFs. Who’s gonna purchase that? The FED? Go ahead, implode the dollar even more. Our value is wrapped up in GME, not USD. + +Someone has to end up a bag holder in the end and this idea that it’s going to be us (through MOASS being canceled) is FUD. + +Sure, comment on the proposed rule, it sounds like shit, but stop spreading the idea that it threatens MOASS, because it does NOT. +A bit off-topic, but I thought the self-employed/contractors who have issues with getting mortgages would get a chuckle out of this. + +Apologies for paywall. + +https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/former-city-watchdog-manager-turned-down-for-mortgage-application-08kqkqkcg + +http://www.mortgagesolutions.co.uk/better-business/2018/05/08/exclusive-taste-medicine-blackwell-mortgage-rejection/ + +tl;dr: the person who brought in the Mortgage Market Review at the FCA herself got rejected for a mortgage after becoming a consultant and only had 1 year of accounts to show a lender. + +She blames the lenders, not her drafting of the regulations, for being too risk-averse. +So my husband and I have lived quite a steady, frugal life up til last year (I’m 32, he’s 35). We both had decent savings and unexciting but stable jobs. I earn £57k and my husband was on £50k. + +In November we bought our own house in London that needed quite a bit of work, but the price was low for the area and we thought it would be worth it. We both agreed that this was our long-term house and as we didn’t really spend on anything else, this was going to be our big splurge and we were going to make the updates we wanted. We ended up borrowing £30k over three 0% credit cards to fund some of the work. At the time, it seemed simple enough to pay it back (obviously would change that now if I had a time machine). + +In early March my husband moved from his stable but boring job to a more exciting role at a start-up with a pay rise. This coincided with lockdown, his company took a massive hit and my husband was made redundant after 3 weeks of working there. Everyone else got furloughed but as a new joiner he wasn’t covered by the scheme. + +So our current position is that we have £15k savings, we were hoping to make credit card repayments with it but looks unlikely now. We also have a 1,700/month mortgage. We applied for a three month holiday which began in May but I keep seeing lots of warnings about whether we should be doing this and future implications. Ideally, we would extend the holiday further until October as it would be such a weight off our minds. As it is, my husband’s mental state is in tatters due to the whiplash of landing dream job/redundancy/job hunting in a pandemic. We’re both worried about how long our finances will be in this state. + +I earn approx. £3k after tax and I’d say £700 goes on repayments/shopping/dependents. This leaves around £2k a month which I can either pay off my mortgage with or save in case the situation gets worse. + +At the moment I’m thinking to take the whole 6 month mortgage holiday and paying £1k a month and saving the other £1k. Then when my husband gets back on his feet we can overpay our mortgage. + +Would anyone chose a different option? Would love to hear your thoughts. + +EDIT: thanks for all your comments, it’s reassuring to know that I won’t completely be screwing up my future by taking the payment holiday so it’s likely we’ll go down this route. We’re trying to stay positive but it’s hard. +Heya Everyone, + +I’ve recently had my rental application accepted but the property manager came back to me saying the electricity and gas bill will need to be under the landlords name? + +Bills would be paid directly to the property manager along with rent. This seems unusual to me, any idea if this is a red flag/potentially dangerous to my position? + +Cheers! + +Edit: I am located in Sydney! + + +Edit2: MYSTERY SOLVED! As some of you had guessed, this is for school catchment purpose. I turned down the application in the end and went with a slightly more expensive but (hopefully) hassle free apartment. Thank you everyone! +I've just been offered a job but it's not paying any more than my current job, even after trying to negotiate... So I'm thinking about turning it down. (But as always, not sure if it's the right choice) + +Have you ever walked away from a job offer before? Why? +Hi all. + +Curious for those ausfinance buffs amungst us that are in the crypto scene if you could recommend an exchange. + +I know of Coinbase, but I haven't been able to authenticate on their site so basically gave up. I had been recommended BTC-e sometime back and those following the scene should know how that turned out. I'm keen also to buy without ID and paper trail of a credit card, but not sure if such a thing is possible at this point. There was talk of Bitcoin ATMs here in Brisbane at one point, which is an interesting option. Also the old shady guy in a lane somewhere could be an option. + +Any pointers or recommendations? Any experiences to share? +Okay so I know things like this get posted often but I’m having my own internal crisis so please just offer me some of your wisdom. + +Here’s my situation: + +I am 25 living at home with my parents for free. They have been very financially generous over the years to the point where I feel spoilt (eg, No hecs debt or bills etc.) My mum is also a bit of a neat freak and insists on doing my washing and cleaning my room because even if I do it it’s not to her standards (eg if I vacuum my room/wipe the bench down etc. she’ll do it again because she’ll think that I didn’t do a good enough job. She doesn’t work so has had the homemaker role for the last 25 years and can’t seem to let it go). Other than that I get along with my parents reasonably well, though I feel I avoid them a bit because they get on my nerves. + +I have saved 115k, currently sitting in a HISA. + +I work as a teacher full time on $1350 per week after tax (no pay during the school holidays though) - my contract ends at the end of this year and it’s renewal is likely but not guaranteed however I’m sure I can find another contract or do relief teaching next year if necessary. + +My parents are conservative and think renting is a waste of money and the only acceptable way to leave home is if you buy a house. I brought up renting with them once and they shut me down saying they would be disappointed if I rented and said that they let me live at home for free so that I could “get ahead in life” and save to buy a house, and that to waste my money on rent would be disrespectful of that. + +Because of all this I’ve had it in my head that I must to buy a house soon, but an opportunity has come up to rent ($140pw) in a share house with two friends. I feel like renting for 12 months would be a good idea so that I can learn financial independence and how to manage money before I go full adult mode with a significantly more expensive mortgage. + +I know I can afford to rent but the things holding me back are: + +- the guilt that I’m not buying a house +- Not wanting to confront my parents about leaving because I know it will cause an argument +- The fear that I will miss home/fail as an adult + +But then again I want to leave because + +- I crave the sort of independence that living at home doesn’t offer +- Can’t handle my single bed anymore +- Will give me a chance to manage finances before buying a house +- My potential housemates are cool people and will be fun to live with +- It will improve my relationship with my parents because I think we will have more to talk about when we aren’t so physically present all the time +- I’m young and single and now is the time if I’m going to do this + +Tl;dr Should I stay at home and save to buy a house like my parents have guilted me into, or flee the nest? + + +Edit: thanks everyone for your helpful advice! I think I’m going to do it and leave, it’s time to get some independence! Going to look at a few places this weekend and will break the news to my parents when I build up the courage. +My mum is 66 and would like to retire at the end of the year. She has approximately $200,000 in her super fund and no savings. She owes about $20,000 on her apartment but is confident she can have that paid off by the end of the year (which is why she has no savings) and has no other debts. +I don’t think she would opposed to picking up part time work. +Is $200,000 super enough to retire? Any advice welcome. +Warren Buffet mentions being able to "tap dance to work" as a huge advantage. Also there's the common quote of "If you love you work, you haven't worked a day in your life". + +Right now, I view those quotes as mostly BS. + +Honestly it's hard for me to think of anyone who can do this. People in my social circle tend to be thankful if their job is just tolerable. + +For myself, honestly the only job I can think of is in high school at a restaurant where my friends and I worked. We'd just socialize and goof off during downtime, it was a ton of fun. Not much responsibility was cool. But I definitely wouldn't say I looked forward to going to work. Also some things wouldn't correspond to an "adult" job - namely most of the coworkers already being friends. + +Do you know anyone who looks forward going to work? Where work is almost seen as recreation? +Sorry if this isn't the best place to put this question but here it is anyways. + +My office work can go in spurts. Crazy busy one week, super slow the next. Sometimes this means I have extra time in my office or just extra energy when I get home, either of which I feel I could be more productive with when it comes to earning and saving. + +What suggestions do you have to do with this time in that regard? +Hello everyone and welcome to Moon Week for round 18 of Moons! + +Moon Week began yesterday with [the snapshot post by the admins](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/py6z4o/new_moons_distribution_round_18_proposal/). Check out the post and comments to see how many moons you'll be getting next Wednesday at the end of Moon Week. + +To give exposure to our governance polls for the month, this Moon Week post will remain pinned to the top of the subreddit until the distribution post next Wednesday. **Please review the following important information and frequently asked questions first. Each month we have dozens of questions about these things even though they are answered right here**: + +* **If you can't see polls or vote**, or have any other issue, try again later or from a different platform (different browser, app, mobile, or desktop). These glitches usually resolve themselves within a few hours, but let us know if it hasn't after a day or two. +* **You can't change your vote** so make sure you read the full post and discussions, and ask any questions you have before you vote. There are people wishing they voted differently every month and you have several days to vote so there is no need to rush it. +* [Do not harass poll authors, tell people to cast a certain vote, brigade polls, or derail discussions](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/pff5w7/moon_week_17_begins_tomorrow_see_rule_reminders/). +* [You get a 5% moon bonus for voting in at least 1 poll](https://np.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/m7ehzz/proposal_5_bonus_moons_for_anyone_who_votes_on/), plus [an additional 1.25% for each additional approved poll due to this recent proposal](https://np.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/pffoe7/incentivize_voting_in_multiple_polls/) +* You will also get a special badge for a week after voting in a governance poll. These are visible in the reddit app and new.reddit. If you have voted and yours is not showing, you may need to enable it manually by clicking your badges and looking at the Achievements tab. +* Successful polls are implemented whenever the mods or admins have a chance to do it. Usually this is within days or weeks of the poll passing, but depends on workload, priorities, and complexity of implementation + +Here are your polls for round 18 of Moons: + +* [Implement numbering of proposals \(CCIPs\)](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/pxyhhg/implement_numbering_of_proposals_ccips/) +* [Require minimum post and comment body length of 50 characters to qualify for moons](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/py08w1/require_minimum_post_and_comment_body_length_of/) +* [Emergency Proposal Remove users from moon distribution due to bypassing karma limits](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/q1tcgp/emergency_proposal_remove_users_from_moon/) + + +For more information about Moons, please [see our wiki page here](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/wiki/moons_wiki). + +Happy voting! +[https://imgur.com/a/GYNHSuv](https://imgur.com/a/GYNHSuv) + +Extra data points that weren't included to make the graph a suitable size: 19 year old with £0, 62 year old with £300k. + +I took every reply at face value (so they could be lying or heavily rounding) and added together all pension pots, I used a 20x multiplier to work out Defined Benefit pensions. I excluded any ISA contributions and savings outside a pension pot. + +&#x200B; + +85 Data points total. Remember this sub selects for richer brits and someones pension pot doesn't represent their entire retirement savings (often replies mentioned sizable ISAs, savings or paid off houses). + +Edit1: Zoomed in for ages 20-35 [https://imgur.com/a/5W64JQ8](https://imgur.com/a/5W64JQ8) (68 data points) + +Edit2: 56/85 (65%) have a pension value of below £100k + +Edit3: Since this has become fairly popular, I will make an updated graph with around double the data points from both this post and the other one tomorrow, I'll do some more analysis and add some better graphs. I might do this for other questions posted on this sub similar to this if I have the time. +Thanks to this sub, I’ve just earned £2000. + +2 months ago I decided I want to return my 2014 VW. Was a family car - well maintained, but wear & tear was certainly accelerated with 2 young kids. I called up VW Financial Services (my finance provider) and they said that since I made sufficient amount of payments, I can just hand the car in (eg making zero profits on recent car price increase). But because my car had some damage, they will take it away, assess in their VW garage and charge me the cost of making it good. Because we are talking about VW dealership here, I can tell you that they would charge £1500-2000 easy (eg putting me overall at £1500-2000 loss). + +So I posted on this sub asking for help. And I got good advice. Now, I’m going to admit that I’m not the most financial savvy person, so maybe what I did from here is obvious to everyone, but it wasn’t to me. + +I was under impression that I can’t sell my car myself due to it being a PCP contract. But then came Motorway.com (not an ad, I promise). And apparently they have a process where proceeds from the sale first settle your finance, meaning that you are then a rightful owner of the car, and then send extra proceeds to your bank account. + +When I actually hit Motorway.com, they process wasn’t as smooth. First and second time car went on auction, I got a good bid, but both times buyers were some rookie dealers who wasted A LOT of my time and I could sense that they will negotiate unreasonably hard. But third time, the auction was won by another official VW dealer, who came and collected my car with no questions asked with the damage that it had. + +The most mind boggling thing is that proceeds actually exceeded the Finance settlement amount by £2000 which I got in my bank account before the car drove away (eg putting me overall at £2000 profit). + +Those who think this is an ad, see [my original post here](https://www.reddit.com/r/UKPersonalFinance/comments/xl0v28/returning_a_pcp_car_shall_i_return_with_minor/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) where I asked for help and was told to try Motorway.com by redditors. +**Put on your tinfoil hat** + +Melvin Capital reduced GME to $4 and held it under their thumb for a YEAR. I thought they had unwound on Monday and I was wrong. They have 5 fucking years of puts and shorts of this stock. + +**As Jim Cramer asked on CNBC just this week: Why didn't they just take their profit? What was their goal? Bankrupt them?** Well Jim, I think they could have pushed that at any point between July 2019 and July 2020. So why hold it down for a year at their expense? Do they fucking shop these companies out for takeovers? + +There was a post earlier today about the largest individual shareholder - Donald Foss - [a self made billionaire who created his fortune financing used cars sales to underqualified buyers with pre-installed kill switches to ensure they paid their loans with brutal interest or faced next day repos and overpriced lawsuits](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/04/car-subprime-bubble-auto-loans-credit-acceptance-don-foss/) - now owns roughly 5% of Gamestop and that he looked like a "jovial" old man and must be pleased that his 5% purchase of Gamestop now worth $750million Dollars. Some commented how it must have been a genius play or "maybe he saw the DFV reddit posts" or maybe he's just the luckiest boomer who decided to get into the Gaming Retail Space for Retirement Homes. + +This bugged the shit out of me to the point I should have been in bed 5 hours ago. Why the fuck would a "billionaire" 75yr old invest $14 Million in Gamestop on February 28, 2020 as a global pandemic was already unfolding and the impending economic impacts were already clear for anyone looking ahead? + +Donald Foss is still an insider, theres a pepe silvia trail. In 2015, the CACC stock was heading down, quite frankly resembling a sustained short attack. It had just run into some legal trouble, so maybe it was a good target to short? Maybe one of the Scumbag-Asshole-Cohert Trading Firms was doing just that? + +[On October 23, 2014, roughly a month after Melvin Capital is started by Gabe Plotkin, Donald Foss sells 430,967 shares of CACC trading at $125.54 for $54million.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/885550/000120919114064903/xslF345X03/doc4.xml) +Gamestop was trading at $34. + +[On December 31 2014 Donald Foss reports using 320,000 shares valued at $44.8 Million as collateral for a loan.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/885550/000088555015000021/fosssc13g20141231.htm) + +In the 3rd quarter of 2015, Melvin Capital buys puts on GME. I don't have the value of puts in 2015, but in 2018 those puts were amounted to $17,395,000. +[On December 31 2015 Donald Foss reports using 570,000 shares valued at $114Million as collateral for a loan](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/885550/000088555016000086/fosssc13g20151231.htm) + +**In the 3rd Quarter of 2015, Gamestock shares crash 67% from $41 to $28** Most likely because of poor fundamentals. + +In 2016 Donald Foss does not touch his shares of CACC. 2015/2016 was a year of hot water for CACC. Game Stop barely moves trading the whole year from $28 - $25 + +[On December 31 2017 Donald Foss reports using 220,000 shares valued at $71.5 Million as collateral for a loan.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/885550/000114420418008911/tv486077_sc13ga.htm) +Gamestop is now trading at $18 + +[On December 31 2018 Donald Foss reports using 220,000 shares valued at $82.5 Million as collateral for a loan.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/885550/000114420419007123/tv513133_sc13ga.htm) +Gamestop is now trading at $12 + +In 2019 Donald Foss does not touch his shares of CACC. + +**In June 2019, u/DEEPFUCKINGVALUE opens $55,000 worth of 18 month Call options on GME** +**In August 2019, Dr Michael Burry reports a significant purchase of GME** + +[On February 28, 2020, Donald Foss purchases 3,515,200 shares, a 5.3% ownership stake, of Gamestop for $14 Million](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/901185/000110465920030651/tv538831_sc13g.htm) **Pure speculation, but Donald Foss most likely purchases this stake as he is a BIG FAN OF THE STOCK, out of every other stock on the market, this is the only one he has significantly invested into in the past 5 years.** +[In 2020 Melvin Capital has puts amounted to $55,080,000.](https://whalewisdom.com/filer/melvin-capital-management-lp#tabholdings_tab_link). +Gamestop is trading at $4. + +[From March 2020 until July 2020 - Donald Foss begins liquidating 250,000 shares of his CACC to the tune of $95,207,250, in the most unprecedented manner from his holdings, all while CACC stock price is fluctuating all over the place due to Rona + Fed Kangaroo Markets. These payments were coming out every couple days in quantities of 6000 - 10000 shares.](https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0000901185&type=&dateb=&owner=include&start=0&count=40) + +**Where is this fucking money going??? It would have been enough to buy another 24million shares *to try to* increase his total holding to 38 Million shares, or over 51% of the 69.75Million float** + +In August 2020, Gamestop hits $5. Data available to me and my will to keep typing is gone. *Did Foss continue to liquidate CACC into August/Sept?* + +Everyone on the fucking planet knows where Gamestop is now. + +TODAY CACC MOVED *closely* IN LINE WITH GME ATTACKS. CACC STOCK HAS NEVER BEEN DECLARED IN A 13F BY MELVIN CAPITAL. CACC STOCK IS BEING USED AS A LOAN OR SOMETHING BY FOSS THOUGH. MELVIN USED ALL HIS OTHER DECLARED STOCKS IN THE ATTACKS WITH HEAVY SELL VOLUMES PRECEDING PRICE BOMBS. + +Why does this look like a hostile takeover play that took 5 fucking years and they fucked up?? Why wouldnt the guy that invested $14M thats now worth $750M talk to the media AT ALL? What the fuck does he want Gamestop for at 75 yrs old?! And it took 5 fucking years to execute?! + +TL;DR Did Deepfuckingvalue prevent a 5year vulture capitalism play? WTF? SEC Give me Award. + +EDIT: POSITIONS: GME, TSLA, AMD, FISV, OXY, AAL + +EDIT2: ADDED *TO TRY TO* Math is off due to not sleeping for 4 days. + +EDIT3: Holy shit, someone turned on SELLBOT9000 tanking whole premarket. Hail Mary to buy cheap calls and rebound up? +Edit: it seems there’s some trouble reading now this is formatted…? + + + + +## Expert has 2 things to add. + +>Also, for those debating cash value versus bond value in an inflationary environment, 2 points of conjecture. + +1. Uhh, bonds suck in inflation, since interest rates rise but the coupon payment doesn’t. + +2. The bonds are denominated in USD and the reverse repo transaction is literally an overnight one. How can there be any inflationary impact on an overnight trade? + + + +>Tldr - The Fed’s reverse repo operation cannot be used, in any way shape or form, to borrow bonds to post margin. It uses a triparty agreement (see second link at bottom) thus anyone participating can’t use the reverse repo operation to obtain bonds to post margin. There is no “claim” here, it’s simple hard fact. + + +***me*** + +-^(There won't be a TA;DR on this)- read it, process it, and then **BUY, HODL, VOTE!** (if you want to. I'm not your mom) + +&nbsp; + +u/writerofjots - thank you for your work. +MODS! +u/redchessqueen99 +u/rensole +u/atobitt +[Original author about reverse repo:](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/nlxom6/reverse_repos_showing_possible_evidence_of_forced/) u/ACEDVECTOR + +&nbsp; + +Standard "I know a guy" - No this isn't FUD. Please check my post history. + +Staying educated is the most important thing we have in life, so I reached out to an old friend. I showed him this amazing file: https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/noqf5e/the_diamond_handbook_a_compilation_of_dd/ - which I will be referencing. + +&nbsp; + +#Here's what he had to say. +*I did not modify any of this as he is the expert:* + +&nbsp; +**expert** +--- + +Background - 20+ years trading repo, all of them spent at a firm that was a primary dealer, +meaning I had exposure to the daily fed activity. Most don’t know what repo is, tried to explain +to my parents when I first started working on the desk, eventually gave in and said “Yes, I’m +always trying to get someone’s car”. The repo market is the most heavily traded securities +market in the world. I retired a few years ago, but the daily numbers are in the trillions. I’ll +attempt to explain the market a bit, but it’s going to defy the posts about reverse repos +completely. And for the record, I am not long or short any of the “meme” stocks. +I’m retired and have a lower risk profile for my portfolio. Only reason why I’m responding is because of the +utter nonsense I read, that was forwarded from a friend. **I hate to see people misinformed.** + +&nbsp; + +Repo 101 - A repurchase agreement is where you agree to purchase something and then agree +to sell it back on a future date. Everything in the transaction is agreed upon prior to closing the +deal, and the only variable involved is bankruptcy by one of the parties involved. It’s technically +a “sale” but since the repurchase is agreed upon, it becomes a collateralized loan. A reverse +repo is simply the other side of a repo transaction. You agree to buy something and then agree +to sell it back. Any repo ticket has a corresponding reverse. +The above information isn’t really needed, but it may help understanding later. + +&nbsp; + +*Please refer to page 261 of the above mentioned PDF to follow along, or click the link at the top.* + +&nbsp; +**quotes from other post**. + +>As I myself was scouring this sub for info I had come across an interesting [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/nlu3wb/coincidental_link_in_decreasing_parties_for/?utm_source=share&amp;amp;amp;amp;utm_medium=web2x&amp;amp;amp;amp;context=3) by u/qwert4the1 (show them some love!) who had found a connection between the price surges in GME and the amount of +counterparties within the reverse repo agreements. Specifically, they had mentioned that on days when there was a significant price increase compared to the norm (today, May 26th, would be a good example), the amount of counterparties who were accepted in the reverse repo agreements the day of or the day after had decreased. Now, why is this incredibly important if this connection holds true and how can it point to some interesting conclusions? To understand that, we have to understand the main prerequisite to these repo reverse agreements, which is according to the Fed FAQ page: An 80 billion max per counterparty, hm? We also have to understand that in these overnight reverse repo agreements, the Desk (The Open Market Trading Desk the Fed uses for these transactions) sells treasury securities that it holds in the System Open Market Account (SOMA) to these eligible counterparties. What that means is that the aggregate counterparty amount of treasury securities that can be lended overnight is limited by the amount that is held in SOMA. As of May19th, here are these amounts: Take note of the 4 TRILLION that it has in Treasury Notes and Bonds. So in other words, there are 2 limitations to take note of for overnight RRP agreements: + +&nbsp; + +1. 80 billion max per counterparty +2. 4 trillion held in SOMA + +>Why are these limitations important to take note of? Well, because the logical conclusion to draw is that the Fed uses these limitations to some extent in order determine whether they should accept or reject a counter party in the agreement. This leads into why I feel the connection between the counterparties and the price surges in GME are important, because in my mind there's only a couple of explanations as to why the +amount of counterparties in the ON RRP agreement would decrease as the price in GME surges: + +&nbsp; + +1. The aggregate amount treasury securities lent to the counterparties in these agreements are reaching an uncomfortable amount so they are choosing their counterparties more carefully. +2. Marge is calling some of the counterparties that could potentially have the treasury bonds be used as collateral for short positions in some certain stocks ( perhaps GME? ;) )and are forcefully liquidating them, thus they don't need to be part of the agreement. Side note: (If some of the counter parties are banks, then the hedge funds that banks are potentially lending these treasury bonds/notes to for collateral could be margin called and forcefully liquidated, thus the bank having no reason to ask for the bonds does not take part in the agreement.) +3. A mix of the 2. + +&nbsp; + +>*Conclusion* +Here's why I think we might be seeing both forced liquidations as well as more selectivity from the Desk in lending treasury securities, given that the connection between the counterparties and price surges in GME is correct: +• The 1st point alone wouldn't be enough of a reason to necessarily be more selective in choosing counterparties, as the current amount being lent(450 billion as of today) is about less than a quarter of the amount of the treasury notes/bonds in SOMA, and there are more than FOURTY counterparties as of the latest agreement. +• If there are forceful liquidations happening among the counterparties(which are most likely banks), it serves as a threefold hit: + +&nbsp; + + + +**back to expert**. + +Let’s debunk this part. +“Logical conclusion to draw is the Fed...should accept or reject a counterparts” + +&nbsp; + + +False. The counter parties that can deal with the Fed are fixed. Primary dealers can perform +repo and reverse repo. There are additional institutions that can perform reverse repos as well, such as money market funds and GSEs. These are preapproved, meaning if you are approved +you can transact, period. The Fed doesn’t choose per transaction. This also negates the claim +about “choosing their counterparties more carefully” as well. + +&nbsp; + + +“Marge is calling...bonds used as collateral” + +False isn’t strong enough. There are two parts that refute this assumption. + +A. Why would anyone “buy/borrow” bonds, using CASH, to post margin when they could +simply post the cash? It’s idiotic. And before someone says they are using the repo as a +leveraging tool, that doesn’t work when you use a reverse repo, it’s actually the complete +opposite. + +B. Reverse repo operations are performed under a Triparty agreement with the Fed for Soma +accounts. Without boring people with the definition of triparty, just realize the “tri” is a third +party who takes custody of the cash and the collateral. What does this mean? It means that +even if you moronically decided to use your cash to borrow securities to post margin, you +can’t because you don’t have custody of the bonds, the third party does. They can’t be +delivered for a margin call cause you never actually have them. + +&nbsp; + + +I was thinking this would be much longer but have realized that removing those two parts, +there is literally nothing for the above portion or the following conclusions to use. There are +plenty of other factors that squash this attempted correlation. Hedge funds being precluded +from dealing in Soma is a simple one. The fact that FOMC overnight operations are simply +means to control overnight interest rates. Trying to draw the correlation between stock margin +calls and FOMC repo operations would be akin to letting the winner of a horse race determine +who you think will win the next superbowl. I’m sure it happens, but I wouldn’t invest money +that way. + +&nbsp; + + +Links + +&nbsp; + + +This link will send you to the main repo part of the Fed. You can click on the “about repo” link +or the “FAQ on reverse repo” to learn more about the process +https://apps.newyorkfed.org/markets/autorates/temp + +&nbsp; + + +If you don’t know, Liberty Street economics is run by the Fed (located on liberty street, govt +workers aren’t know for the originality). This part explains triparty + +&nbsp; + + +https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2011/04/everything-you-wanted-to-knowabout-the-tri-party-repo-market-but-didnt-know-to-ask.html + +--- +&nbsp; + +**me again** + +&nbsp; + +I hope everyone found this helpful and as educational as I did, and nothing expressed within this post can be taken as financial advice. Please educate yourself before making financial decisions.^(It took me almost 45 minutes to format this. Brutal reddit, Brutal.) + + +Mandatory emojis's: 💎🙌🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀💎🙌🦍 +Similar to the CA EV thread last week, the state announces another game changer. When will everyone else follow on this one? + +In a move aimed at reducing huge amounts of plastic litter in the ocean and on land, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a first-in-the-nation law requiring plastic beverage containers to contain an increasing amount of recycled material. + +Under it, companies that produce everything from sports drinks to soda to bottled water must use 15% recycled plastic in their bottles by 2022, 25% recycled plastic by 2025, and 50% recycled plastic by 2030. +Found this interesting, given the recent financial analysis that made it to the top of the subreddit. + +We're yet to understand a proper cause for this. To me, anecdotally, this was long coming given AMDs rising dominance in the PC market, and ARM processors taking over both personal computing (with Mac M1/2) and Cloud Computing (with AWS Graviton and the likes). + +Their moat is growing smaller, they're not down for the count yet but they're showing obvious signs of hurt. + +[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-11/intel-is-planning-thousands-of-job-cuts-in-face-of-pc-slowdown](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-11/intel-is-planning-thousands-of-job-cuts-in-face-of-pc-slowdown) +So if I understand correctly, taking that money from a small number of ultra-wealthy firms and putting it in the hands of consumers and retail investors will fortify the economy! Why?!? Because now there are thousands of people who have a higher purchasing power. That means a lot more money will be spent in local businesses, shopping centers, car dealerships, etc. It will more evenly be distributed among the masses. It will also be taxed which means more money for government assistance programs and infrastructure, and all the other bullshit government spends on. It seems to me that this is more about ego and precedent than the actual dollar value for these market makers pushing against the squeeze. They stand to lose 11.2 billion, which to us seems like a lot but to them doesn’t even amount to a drop in the bucket. Long story short I think common sense says this will galvanize our economy. + +If you agree with this opinion please share this post with your friends on any platform you can. A lot of people aren’t thinking about the big picture so they’re getting scared. Help them see how this can be a really good thing. + +I encourage you all to share Input and make any corrections because at the end of the day I'm just a retard with an opinion. +Hi guys! + +Before you all jump down my throat, yes I've read the flowchart and various other resources, they're very helpful! These, combined with all of your generous contributions to discussions on the subreddit, have really helped me get started on my savings journey, so thank you for that. I just need some curated advice from this point, which I'd really appreciate. + +**Current situation:** +24, in a very stable job with room to grow, 30K annual salary & £6000-ish total savings. + +No debt (bar student loan), living with parents but will soon move out, own a car which was bought outright. I take in £1866 a month, and save £1250 a month - though often more because I budgeted pretty generously for my expenses.Expenses are pots for car maintenance and insurance, petrol, O2 bill, spotify bill, rent (slightly less than what I expect to pay when I move out) and food and groceries. Then a small "fun" budget for weekly takeaways and enough to buy a videogame roughly once a month, for example. + +I'm also working on a sidle hustle at the minute too, with a hope that it can make me some money down the road too. Nothing to write home about just yet, but hopefully I can eventually spin it off into a semi-reliable source of income. + +**Portfolio:** +*NS&I Premium Bonds - Emergency Fund:* £5000 (target is £5598, aka 3 months of my net salary) + +*MoneyBox LISA:* £10 (after my emergency fund is filled this payslip, I'll be looking to max the 4k contribution before April / the new tax year, and then spreading a 4k investment over the next 12 months). + +*Pension:* It's employer sponsored to some degree, need to figure out more about it as I'm a bit clueless. I know they're contributing £300ish a month on their side, which I assume is being matched with some sort of contribution on my side. Just can't find the exact value! Will ask about this at work. + +*Current Account:* Just under £1000 (used to pay off my credit card, which I use for all purchases to build up some credit.). + +**Where I want to be:** +I want to buy a house in the short term, preferably within the next 2-4 years.I want to retire as early as possible, not so much because I dislike working, but I have a slightly peculiar goal of being very aware of my own mortality (perhaps it's from losing my hair at such a young age!) and want to enjoy life as much as possible without stress. + +**So where do I go from here?** + +Once my LISA is maxed before and after the beginning of the next financial year, I'm a bit puzzled as to where to put my money to achieve my goals. I've heard of the vanguard all cap fund, and it tickles my fancy even if it's a bit of a longer term pitch. Or is my pension something I should seek to max out instead? Or should I just plain wack my savings into the best savings account I can find? + +Any help is greatly appreciated - I only started my savings journey 3-4 months ago, when previously I'd have spent most of my paycheck at the end of every month and only had the one current account. You guys really helped smarten me up, so for that I say thank you! +Well first off let me preface this with "This is not your long-term solution to your financial problems" BUT if you are living paycheck to paycheck (i.e. you really have no money to put aside) then this may help you with your daily budgeting. + +A while ago I came across an interesting budgeting method here on reddit that goes somewhere along the lines of "substract all your expenses from your income and then divide what is left over by the amount of day and spend only your daily budget, which stacks..." which sounds very convoluted and hard to keep track of. So I made this spreadsheet to do the work for you! + +It's on google docs so you can simply "**File -> Make a copy**" to your own google docs and then work with that. (Why google docs? It's free, and you already are in financial trouble!) I added some information and pointers to help you out, plus I filled in January with some dummy information so you can see how it's supposed to work. + +_**If you can't see the menu, the file is being overcrowded, try a mirror link!**_ + + * Monthly, EUR: [Main](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1l7LY4BO-YiWebz3-VIHQwgEQOYpMqpYbT4V5DwLRG7c/edit?usp=sharing) +| +[Mirror 1](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iL-q2dgO7Enrptcn6iRu7qNMXxxyc2sd_h0Cno3hbWo/edit?usp=sharing) | [Mirror 2](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wOfPQ21jC7ocHLH6onQBV6GcVdnLc59re--aaZHVkJg/edit#gid=1951939627) +| +[Mirror 3](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PG32d1r1Qz_5oAZvJ3n74qdL4Qv59LSrONHQtLSOqH4/edit#gid=1951939627) +| +[Mirror 4](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JzJYwBMQNuSH9X0SlA3rmbdW0lTSMHmLX9Ke6aQ10wk/edit#gid=1951939627) +| +[Mirror 5](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DgHEzRoGccPlx9IH3GMkOpDq8otIjTcAuqLZZjjaUa4/edit?usp=sharing) +| +[Mirror 6](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pKoo_Y9YqNwgu5g4UoUYuk8HPqzNFByHl0S7vf-UdGk/edit?usp=sharing) +| +[Mirror 7](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_BefYuGtIATSBhaf5nUiuxS89G7QGw6a0SPawYQCdjU/edit?usp=sharing) + * Monthly, USD: [Main](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ngGoc8ZOsY-HteRGnR7nn69HXRIH2XssuMSwQEFvE8U/edit?usp=sharing) +| +[Mirror 1](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T7GUfYVAtyI54Upa1MOe_ZxXqghSVO-mxEOrfv2Sdxk/edit?usp=sharing) + * Bi-Weekly, EUR: [Main](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hZyL112wmkvZuU9fxuPGTRuvSJPng1QQxK_kuOoWEuE/edit?usp=sharing) + * Bi-Weekly, USD: Coming soon + * Weekly, EUR: Coming soon + * Weekly, USD: Coming soon + +> **Remember to close the tab with the original file when you're done so others can access it too! When you keep it open google locks access if too many people are viewing it at the same time!** + +And now let me explain everything in case you need help: + +**LIGHT YELLOW** are text fields (except the one date field at the top) you can write stuff here like descriptions and more. + +**DARK YELLOW** are money fields. You enter money amounts here, ALWAYS in positive. If you spent 5 bucks you write 5 not -5. + +**LIGHT GRAY** are fields that are fixed or calculated automatically. Do not touch these unless you want to break the spreadsheet. + +Basically at the top you have a **Income** and **Fixed expenses** box: + +Income is what you get THIS MONTH. You salary, money you lent, etc. this also includes positive budget that carries over from last month. + +Fixed Expenses is what you absolutely NEED to spend this month. Rent, Utilities, Internet, etc. and this also includes negative budget carrying over from last month. + +When done, it will tell you what your total budget for this month is, as well as your daily budget. This is where the main table comes into play. + +Here you have a row for each day of the month with a description, you expenses, your budget for the day and your saldo for the day (budget - expenses). + +The idea is to only spend the money you have in your budget for the day. Unspent money carries over into the next day and stacks with the new daily budget and so on. If you need to spend more than you budget allows, you will have a few days with a negative budget, do not spend money on these days but let it add up again until you have enough positive budget available to pay for it. + +In any case, how you use it is up to you, as long as the number at the end of the month is green, you did well! +I'm sure we have all made terrible financial decisions in the past. I am 27 years old so I don't have many. But I figured we could share some stories of how we have messed up and for others to avoid repeating history. I'll start with me, mine was going out of state for college. I ended with over $120k in student loans. I have in the last 4 years paid it down to $60k, but those $1000+ monthly payments are not by any means easy. My fiance and I struggle monthly to pay our bills due to my student loan burden and we can't afford the things we need. I sometimes wish I skipped college all together. My recommendation, make 100% sure you are going to college for the right reasons, for me it was to party. +If the market jumps up again and we see a huge short term increase in volume traded, bitcoin fees are going to be the laughing stock of crypto. + +If the crypto community doesn’t see the bitcoin community rally for change, we aren’t doing our jobs. + +We need to fix the problems bitcoin has. It’s embarassing that the #1 crypto that is a household name now, upon inspection, sucks ass to trade. Anyone looking to get into crypto is seriously turned off by these fees. Implement segwit. Implement lightning network. Save bitcoin. +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. +Ive been fortunate enough to hit large financial milestones due to successful investing. I agree with the general advice here about not discussing that with people, however in practice I'm thinking it wont be so simple. If I do retire early, im young enough that telling people ive retired is tantamount to saying I have money. Or if someone asks me on a date what I do for a living, saying I'm retired is also tantamount to saying I have money. I dont like the idea of lying to people... should I find like a cover story or something? How would you address this? +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. +I've owned/ managed a beach house for about 10 years that does weekly summer tenants (~$50k gross). I was thinking of selling my current house and living there in the off season and travelling (sailboat, RV, etc.) in the Summer. While I rent it out I'll still have a house but the tenants will pay for most of my yearly expenses. Does anyone have any experience with this type of arrangement? I'm very familiar with the pitfalls of vacation rental management- I'm more interested in perspective of people who live a similar lifestyle. +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. +Some days ago, binance started to transfer their btc from their old btc addresses to a taprot activated or bc1 address to save on future btc txn fees. This filled a bunch of blocks with almost only their transactions. + + +https://preview.redd.it/dljgiqeauj0a1.png?width=1880&format=png&auto=webp&s=90a7050c26919e8cd67c0aa25db2523b739eb705 + +Yesterday, was the memory usage on \~100% every block was filled almost entirely. Well, so far so good, but there is one problem. + + +About two years ago, launched a new miner pool called Foundry USA. + + +https://preview.redd.it/znkixzo5vj0a1.png?width=1213&format=png&auto=webp&s=d112af162c79a9eaf95d4322e4d055fdde17bede + +They mined an astounding amount of 273 Blocks last week. That's 27% of all blocks that week. +Normally, something like this is not that scary, A mining pool is made of a bunch of different mining businesses and different entities and therefore, are the mined btc split between all participants, those with more hash power gain logically more btc. + + +So let's find out where the mined btc from the Foundry USA pool is going. Oh snap it's a binance wallet. + + +https://preview.redd.it/6nmdjg0jxj0a1.png?width=720&format=png&auto=webp&s=54d787162a609d2be9e8ca69e63ae0777aa6f2e4 + +Over 700 thousand BTC went through a binance wallet.. yeap you heard that right, that's roughly 80% of the btc rewards or hash power of this pool.. + +Well the thing is, binance has their own mining pool as well, which also mined 127 blocks the last week. + +https://preview.redd.it/65deva1uyj0a1.png?width=1202&format=png&auto=webp&s=fb56ba5c0608c64f07fb1300ebc43bfb5ef753d0 + +&#x200B; + +So basically, they took up the whole memepool space for days and mined the majority of these transactions themselves. I don't know if it's just me, but filling up a bunch of blocks and then mining most of them for profit sounds familiar, no? + +Since nobody know where binance is located at least from a juristic standpoint, I can't say if it's weird that binance mines bitcoin in North America (through the Foundry Pool) or not..  + + +https://preview.redd.it/jzfagc5w0k0a1.png?width=1001&format=png&auto=webp&s=6a2b5c4b74c53bf321d67b431f95ab2d3eaf3437 + +But I definitely can say that CZ can not be trusted and his monopolized approach to the industry and bitcoin (mining and holding) is nothing which should be taken lightly. +PGIM came out with this [analysis](https://pgimfixedincome.blog/the-fed-throws-the-gauntlet/) last week which is very interesting. + +They are basically saying they dont expect the long end of the yield curve to go much higher than where it is. + +Looking at the [spread](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/T10Y2Y) between 10 and 2 year bonds, this can potentially be bad for financials and pretty good for growth stocks. + +However, historically, when the spread narrows this much, a major slowdown could be close. +So, some of you may have seen a post [http://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/1k63zz/rant_20_year_olds_with_no_experience_in_markets/]. It's a bit un-PC and cranky, but truthfully, s/he's kind of right. Here's the gentler version of it (as I see it - opinion only, sole responsibility of the author, etc etc etc). + +First, optional background: + +Truthfully, stock picking is hard. Really hard. The market is smart, responds insanely quickly to new information, and the fact is, if you've had that thought, there's a pretty solid chance someone on the Street has already thought it. + +Here's the straight truth: in finance, knowledge is power. The faster/earlier you know something and can trade on it, the more profit you'll eventually make (assuming you get the call right, of course). This is why insider trading is so damaging to markets - someone is incentivized to cheat, makes money, then everyone is. Fair markets are efficient markets and vice versa. + +Unfortunately, as a retail investor you also tend to hear about things the latest. If you're reading about it in the paper, you're likely the last to know (or, at least, later in the informational food chain). + +If you don't work in the industry full-time, it's difficult to get access to these data, particularly if you lack industry contacts, industry knowledge, and access to sell-side research/other research. This is important not just to get all the relevant data to make your investment decision, but also, you lack a good gauge of what the market and the consensus view is. Bloomberg terminals are good for this (and stupidly expensive), and even they are highly ineffective at getting the real "whisper" number. + + + +Second: Here's the scoop. Nobody responsible is going to give you a stock pick because it is a terrible and irresponsible move, both because this is r/investing (and not, say, r/daytrading or from u/charlesponzi#1fanlolz), but more generally because it's a terrible habit to get into and is bad for you overall. + +Finance is about risk and reward. It's about managing risk, and, in return, managing that reward. It's about buying or selling uncertainty and constructing a portfolio of assets and a time series of expected cash flows that meets your specific needs and wants. This is not to say that betting it all on equity XYZ is wrong, it may be perfect given your time horizon and risk appetite. But the point is that finance is a complicated business. + +Sure, you may pick a great stock now. And again. And even again. You could be the best, and I mean the best. But the point of finance is about managing risk. It's about learning how, and, more importantly, why one should manage risk and really understand the subtle implications of a portfolio decision. + +In closing, don't overreach. Don't blindly ask for the quick fix. Ask thoughtful questions. Do your homework. Learn and read as much as you can. Challenge conventional wisdom, challenge your own beliefs and always, always, ALWAYS, challenge your decisions. Use r/investing as a tool, as a resource, but not as your source of quick cash. + +All that said, I've got some snake oil in the back of my van if you'd like to buy some. (Always end on a joke) + + +Edit: Let's not get hung up on the nitty gritty of market efficiency. All I was trying to say is that it's really difficult to consistently beat the market, particularly if you don't have access to professional level information and resources, and one should focus on learning and building a portfolio. +I recently found out that you can stake BTC on crypto.com and get 6.5% interest on it per year and I'm trying to find some downsides to this because it sounds too good to be true. I'd like to hear the cons for doing so, so far what I've found is: + +* The BTC you stake is locked up for 3 months and you can't touch it + +(Not really a problem for me since I'm a long term holder anyways) + +* Since my BTC is on crypto.com and no longer in my wallet, it's not my keys and not my coin +* Somehow crypto.com is a scam/and or they get hacked and I lose all my BTC that is staked + +(Seems fairly unlikely to me as they are a decently big exchange with a lot of investments for their future) + +* BTC is not a Proof of Stake coin so I assume they convert my BTC to another coin, stake that for higher than 6.5%, convert back after 3 months and pocket the difference? + +Hopefully some of you can clear my concerns up for me. Thanks. +Merry Christmas to us, we were informed yesterday that a fire broke out in our triplex with the middle unit burning down and likely a loss. Luckily the other 2 units are fine and no one was hurt. + +Of course we have landlord insurance that covers more than we paid and the current value, but any other advice or tips? + +Never been in this situation, would we have to rebuild the middle one? Any steps we should take when dealing with insurance for something like this and making sure this doesn't hurt us financially and improve the property? + +This property has already been very costly and a loss for us a year into ownership with no profits, we do have a property management but they don't have our full faith +We are planning on getting a HELOC on our current primary residence we’ve lived in for 6 years and buying a house 25 minutes closer to our work in a town we live. We plan to keep our current house and rent it. What do we need to know about renting? +I’m worried about our HELOC being on a primary residence than us moving and it being closed, not having bought it as an LLC and being vulnerable, renters trashing the place and we should have just sold it while it’s nice. +Let me know your thoughts and how to mitigate. +Thanks! +My wife and I have saved up some money and have been wanting to invest in real estate. Multiple family members of hers have invested in the northeast with a specific real estate agent and things have gone well. The agent finds the properties in the area, once purchased the agent also finds the tenants and manages the property at a 6% rate. The family has purchased and had run about 5 to 6 properties with this realtor. + +I guess my question is, does this seem like a good setup? What questions should I be asking? What am I missing? + +**Pros**: Known commodity, good track record, close community that realtor is a part of, investment property would be close to family so they can keep an eye on it. + +**Cons**: 6% seems high for property management, the realtor is busy and is not as responsive as some would like. Would be Investing several states away from where wife and I live. + +&#x200B; + +Any and all help advice appreciated. Thank you!! +My current situation: + +° 23 year old non-homeowner filing single + +° Real estate investing as a “maybe one day” outlook but going hard on index funds. + +° Trad 401(k) at $4,000, growing by $2,080/mo with match + +° Roth & Trad IRA at $6,000, growing by $540/mo + +° Taxable brokerage at $60,000, growing by $500/mo + +° HSA at $1,200, growing by $320/mo + +° 100% of the aforementioned in low-cost S&P 500 index funds + +° Debt = $0 + +I do like the psychological & interest-free idea of buying a property with cash, I don’t know if I’ll ever do it due to the chance of rising house prices (outpacing my savings rate), other unknown factors, but importantly the fact that **my fastest-growing account has a 10% penalty plus high-bracket income taxes upon early withdrawal** so I want to see if anyone else did the same thing? +I'm 24, living with my parents and have $55k saved. Looking to buy a house to rent out, and my parents are willing to cosign for me. I live in New York and the house I'm looking at is a 3 bedroom in North Carolina (much cheaper market). + +Only problem is I'm just starting my career and don't really know which direction I'm headed in. My current job is dead end customer service that only pays $35k a year. I may end up living in the house and renting out 2 of the bedrooms. Should I wait until I have more career direction to buy investment property? +Edit: building inspector told me today that 2 of the units are not permitted at all. Both are occupied and inspector said he will need to open up a few walls. I’m assuming tenants can’t be there for that.... I’m glad I’ve only spend time and $100 so far. + +Hello, This is my first deal, 4 family house. I'm currently in the lawyer review period, which ends next Wednesday. I have a contingency on the seller needing to close open permits. Went down to city hall today and found an open permit from 2013 for electrical code violations saying occupancy could not happen until they had the repairs done. Surprisingly, one of the town inspectors had printed old (2017) and new listings for the house, with all pics, and was circling items that should have had a permit for and were not permitted (new non-structural wall, sheetrock, bathroom and kitchen, HVAC, electrical). The listing also says it was completely renovated 2 years ago (facepalm). Inspector said that this could mean a lien will be put on the house and I'll know about the final resolution on Tuesday. + +My realtor is saying none of this is a big deal and that the open permit is too old, said there is a statute of limitations on it. I asked to delay the lawyer review period to see a resolution before I continue spending money on inspection (already spent on the lawyer for the review of the contract but it was worth every penny). The Realtor said the seller dow does not want to delay anything and that if it does not stop a title search then he does not need to close the permit/get inspections done. To me, the contingency I have for closing open permits means the seller has to at least close the electrical permit, but it wouldn't protect me from unpermitted work. The realtor said the seller can get the inspector to look at only electrical work and say he didn't do any of the "alleged" renovations. + +Realtor: "the seller does not think you want the house". I don't even know what he means by this... + +What would you do? What are the consequences for me if I buy the house and the town comes after me? + +I made a post earlier about issues assessing one of the units prior to inspection and getting copies of the lease. I still haven't seen one of the units nor gotten copies of the leases. +Title says it all, I suppose. We have one rental property with a property manager who informed us our fridge is not getting cold anymore. + +I’m looking at grudges on Best Buy.com and others but something tells me I’m doing this all wrong. + +On or off track here? +I've seen a lot of people talking about buying/flipping or buying/renting strategies, and it seems that the lowest down payment possible seems to be everyone's goal. If you buy in order to rent though, wouldn't you want the largest down payment possible to make your monthly mortgage payment smaller, which decreases monthly expenses and increases profits? Wouldn't putting a small amount down increase monthly mortgage payments that could eclipse the rent you receive? + +Can someone please let me know if I'm missing something in my thought process? I'm looking to start investing in RE hopefully later this year but I feel like I'm missing a fundamental piece of the puzzle. +And is it even possible to actually being profitable after hiring a property manager? +I have heard the classic “4 am at night plumbing issues” a lot - +Can a digital nomad actually be a real estate investor? +I've got a duplex that I'm deciding what to do. + +Option 1 - Sell the property as is mid-renovation and make about $20-$30K profit. + +Option 2 - Use hard money to renovate, convert the duplex into condos, and make about $60K-$125K depending on the market. My concern is the property is in the floodplain and this might scare off potential buyers. + +Obviously, there's more risk with Option 2 but more reward. +Hello all, + +I have learned a ton over the last few months between this subreddit and various books, podcasts, and other sources of information which I seen recommended here first. Pretty awesome. + +I am 23 years old and have been working my first “real” job for the last year and half since I graduated college. I have been extremely frugal and focused on saving money since I was about 16 because I watched a close family member essentially retire in his 40s and live comfortably by successfully investing in real estate.. specifically a mobile home park. +I knew that I wanted to do something similar. + +I have finally found a piece of land that I will be purchasing. It is 5 acres. ~ $60,000. +This will deplete nearly all of my cash. + +I am considering and asking for your insight about what type of rentals to establish on this property now. + +Initial thought was to purchase a cheap mobile home and get it rented as fast as possible on one side of the property while I live on the other. Over the next 2 years I believe I could establish 4 mobile homes on the lot as well as my own house. If I didn’t live here I could fill this lot up with 6-8 mobile homes. + +Recently though I have been reading more about multi-family homes and I am now seriously considering this option. I have 0 experience dealing with contractors. I know this option will take longer to see cash flow and I am unsteady about relying on someone else to build my asset. However, it really seems like this option would make me significantly more in the future. + +Any thoughts are welcome and I’m happy to provide additional details. Ask away. +My mother bought a house in NYC that came with a fully renovated basement with tenants already living there. When she made the purchase she didn't think too much of it because the seller claimed the tenants to be their relatives (turned out to be a lie but she didn't know better and she really liked the house). So she bought the house and let the tenants stay. They are good tenants and pay rent on time and mostly keep to themselves. She's nearing retirement and wants to move elsewhere and I suggested to rent out her part of the house and move her stuff to the basement so she can have an extra stream of income and a place to stay when she visits NYC. + +So my question is, what's the best way to ask the tenants to move out peacefully? We know it's gonna be difficult because they are getting a really cheap rent. So I thought maybe we can give them some money as incentives. We have tried to communicate with the tenants before but they're not very responsive and doesn't seem to want to move. Would it be more effective if we hire someone on our behalf to talk to them? + +Thanks in advance! + + + +Edit: I really appreciate the responses from everyone. Honestly, I did not expect this many responses in the course of just a few days! I have decided to talk to the tenants directly and get a lawyer who can better advise us on what we can or cannot do. Thanks again! + +**TLDR**; A super conservative estimate we should be well over 250% SI total and our SI grew by at least 13% last month + +&#x200B; + +I have gone through on every exchange and extracted their daily volume reports and compiled it, including dark pool. I wasn't able to get reports for any of the NASDAQ exchanges, the MIAX Pearl, LTSE, MEMX, or IEX. Despite that I was able to verify 80% of all the daily volume and find which shares in that volume were short. + +I then averaged their daily short to long ratio and every exchange averaged, for the month, a ratio between 50% and 75% short (more shorts than longs) except the NYSE Darkpool which had a 43% ratio. Conservatively, based on that information, we can assume all the other exchanges are at least 30% short on their average volume. + +If I had access to NASDAQ daily info, I would be able to verify another \~15% or so of the daily volume, with another \~5% in the IEX. If anyone has access to that data, please DM me. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/iu55ztpgvm871.png?width=815&format=png&auto=webp&s=776fc02e0b1e8c75b55c38c4694a5ede9be180e1 + +Total shorts is a total count of all short positions confirmed by the exchanges I could access + +Total Volume is the reported daily volume by Bloomberg + +Minimum Shorts is the difference between Total Volume and Total Shorts. This number is the absolute minimum. It assumes that every long trade was a closing of a short position. + +Volume Seen expresses the amount of volume I audited against the total volume. A Volume Seen of 79% means I was able to verify the short ratio on 79% of all the trades that day. + +Unseen Vol is the number of trades in a day I could not verify if they were short or long. + +30% Short is an estimation if the Unseen Vol was 30% short, what the total number of shorts would be in that day. + +Spec Shorts is related to speculative number of short positions they created or closed on a given day. + +Finally, Running is a running total for the month. + +&#x200B; + +I wanted to get this out there for other people to view and consider. I find three interesting take-aways + +1. While 30% is an overly conservative estimation on the unseen volume, it still shows an increasing SI. If the number is 50% (still conservative) the monthly SI becomes +40%, or 23M shares. If it's 75%, the SI becomes +74% or 42.74M shares. +2. Minimum Shorts, Spec Shorts, and the numbers I just talked about for 50% and 75% on the unseen volume, all of those calculations assume that every long trade closes a short. That will not be the case, making the real SI even higher. +3. It's also of important note, June has been a very low volume month, and therefore low number of shorts generated. The months before June would of created MANY more short positions. Just for fun, if you measured the total volume of this month to the growth of the SI (13%), you'd get 1% growth per 14M volume. Extrapolate that back to March and you get +82% SI. If Junes SI growth was 40% (more realistic), it would be +254% SI growth from March. +Without the pool majority incident we might be well above 650$ now. So even for the greedy miner **it makes most sense to choose a smaller pool**. My hope is, that with the now known effect of a falling price, when a pool reaches 50%, people will act selfish and greedy and choose a smaller pool from the beginning. +I work with a small, independent financial institution and I was tasked with doing some research about market volatility. + +I found that ETFs have increased almost 18 fold (from about 120 to 2200) since 2003, which of course means more companies are being tied to variables other than performance to determine stock price. + +I wanted to compare that to the number of domestic companies listed on the market to try and figure out an “average” number of ETFs a stock is in to come up with my own volatility metric. + +It was shockingly hard to find how many US companies are listed on the public market by year. In order to get that figure, I had to hunt and pull from numerous sources - especially for more recent years. + +We used to report how many companies were listed publicly on the market to the World Bank by country. The U.S. stopped doing that in 2018. + +But why’d we stop reporting such a basic piece of information? + +Because it was bad. You see, the number of companies listed on the stock market has been in a steady decline for the better part of 20 years. In 2003, there were about 5200 domestic companies on the market. Today, it’s just under 3000. + +Interestingly, mass media stopped reporting on this alarming decline. I found an article on this topic from the WSJ titled “Where have all the public companies gone?”- from 2017. There has been some better coverage of the matter on foreign pubs like the Financial Times, but still pretty barren. + +Why did we stop reporting the number of domestic companies listed on the market to the World Bank in 2018, and any coverage of this matter by U.S. media outlets basically get cut off around the same time? + +Because the situation actually took a major dive. We were losing a maybe 100, 200 companies a year on the steady decline, but between 2018 and 2019, we lost about 900. The news was so bad we didn’t even want to tell the World Bank, and the financial media didn’t bother to cover it because they’re spineless pieces of shit funded to push a narrative onto the masses. It’s why they exist, it’s who pays the bills. It’s why I say we need to [pick a media source and collectively pay their bills, or all we’ll get is the “news” someone else paid for us to get. ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/oalt6n/buying_awards_from_reddit_incentivizes_them_to_do/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=ios_app&amp;utm_name=iossmf) + +So what they did to offset the fact that they had cannibalized the American economy was create more and more ETFs. Fluff. ETFs are the stock market’s CDO analog. I believe this is the real impetus behind the SPAC wave we had - fewer companies want to go public and put their companies in the trash compacter that is the American stock market. Those assholes just want to put their straws in your milkshake and are trying to find victims and lead them there. It also explains the drastic [rise in private equity](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2021/06/08/private-equity-market-poised-for-growth/amp/) \- they had to go hunting. Wouldn’t you know it, the exponential rise in SPACs began right about the same time we stopped reporting how many domestic companies were on the US stock market. Needed more lambs to slaughter. + +It’s convenient that the media hasn’t been reporting on the fact that the pool of public American companies is shrinking, because now, as companies are increasingly grouped in ETFs, which by extension creates volatility, they can blame it on UnSoPhIsTiCaTeD rEtAiL tRaDeRs despite the fact that this trend has been in motion for decades. My guess is after the 2018 drop, they realized their parasitic ways were going to kill the host. so they really went ham with fraud. + +It doesn’t take a financial degree to know that fewer companies means bigger wealth disparities. + +Not quite GME related, but further support for the disgusting practices of Wall Street and their “it’s poor peoples fault” tired ass playbook. + +EDITS: WSJ article from 2017: [https://www.wsj.com/articles/where-have-all-the-public-companies-gone-1510869125#:\~:text=There%20haven't%20been%205%2C000,Today%20there%20are%20only%203%2C671](https://www.wsj.com/articles/where-have-all-the-public-companies-gone-1510869125#:~:text=There%20haven't%20been%205%2C000,Today%20there%20are%20only%203%2C671). + +World Bank data: [https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/CM.MKT.LDOM.NO](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/CM.MKT.LDOM.NO) + +The article with the graph I made to visualize this trend: [https://myhappynest.com/3-reasons-why-private-reits-are-strategic-hedges-against-volatility/](https://myhappynest.com/3-reasons-why-private-reits-are-strategic-hedges-against-volatility/) + +Not sure I can just post the graphic here, but full disclosure, this is to the site I was doing the article for, so it's promoting a private REIT. They don't even know I'm posting about this, I just thought it was interesting info. + +Edit 2: I added this as an article to my independent media site. Someday, I hope to make a living off of reporting on things that matter. You may find this surprising, but my type of reporting isn't welcome in what this community refers to as the 'MSM,' the Corporate Marketing Machine (This is CMM). [https://upsidechronicles.com/2021/06/30/wall-street-is-framing-the-retail-investor-for-the-impending-disaster-they-created-again/](https://upsidechronicles.com/2021/06/30/wall-street-is-framing-the-retail-investor-for-the-impending-disaster-they-created-again/) + +If I hit it in the MOASS, I will make *Upside Chronicles* the people's media source. My only agenda is to cut through the nonsense. But like you, I have bills to pay, so I have to make things work. best I can do for now. +KEY POINTS +Amazon released first-quarter results on Thursday that trounced analysts’ expectations. + + +Amazon shares climbed as much as 5% in extended trading Thursday after the company released its first-quarter earnings, beating Wall Street’s expectations for earnings and revenue. + +Here’s how the e-commerce giant fared, relative to analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv: + +Earnings: $15.79 per share vs. $9.54 per share expected +Revenue: $108.52 billion vs. $104.47 billion expected + +Few companies have benefited from the pandemic-fueled surge of online shopping as much as Amazon. The company notched record profits and revenue last year, while CEO Jeff Bezos announced earlier this month that Amazon crossed more than 200 million Prime subscribers, up from 150 million at the start of 2020. + +In 2020, Amazon invested heavily on coronavirus-related measures like safety protocols and wage increases for front-line workers. As a result of these costs, Amazon last quarter forecast operating income of $3 billion to $6.5 billion in the current period. Those coronavirus-related costs are expected to slow this year, although on Wednesday, Amazon said it would spent more than $1 billion on pay raises for more than half a million of its U.S. operations workers. + + +https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/29/amazon-amzn-earnings-q1-2021.html +I was just going about my life without a care in the world. Enjoying my evening just like any other VET holder would. In fact, I was actually doing some research into VeChain and why it's so great. See, the problem with VeChain is there's so many new developments it's hard to keep track of them all. + +Oh, you helped track ocean waste? Brilliant. + +Shrimps? Why the hell not? + +Tracking parcels with major courier companies? Cheeky. + +Authenticating vape products. VeChain is doing it. + +Car manufacturers, transport and logistics, telecommunications, vape companies. It doesn't matter what industry. Vechain has got partnerships coming out of its arse. + +So then my phone beeped. That's weird I thought. I wonder what that could be. + +It's probably some news about Vechain. Yeah it simply has to be about VET. + +I mean, it's Thursday. It really has to be??!! + +"Shibu Inu (SHIB) is now on Coinbase. You can trade, send, receive, or store Shiba Inu (SHIB) today on Coinbase." + +Sometimes crypto defies logic and reason and you just gotta love it for what it is. + +Although I am honestly surprised that Shib is listed before VET. + +I really think all those partnerships will mean so much in the long run. When the market isn't so dictated by hype, utility will prevail and VeChain has that covered. +This is anecdotal. I’m stupid so take it with a grain of salt. + +I work in IT in public education. Hence I’m stupid and can’t do anything else more promising in tech. + +Think about your first interactions with a computer. Word processing maybe? Kids are not using Word these days, like at all. Maybe you first word processed with Word. Maybe you grew up with Office products. This generation isn’t. + +Edit: They’re not using PowerPoint, they’re using Slides. They’re not using Excel, they’re using Sheets. They’re not using Outlook, they’re using Gmail. They’re not using Microsoft Teams, they’re using Zoom, and then in 2nd for video conferencing they’re using Google Meet. Office isn’t necessarily Microsoft’s primary business, but the battle between Microsoft and Google is a battle for mass adoption. And Google right now is planting seeds to have an iron grip on Gen Z when they enter the private sector later on. Microsoft will have to fight to hold market share and I reckon they’ll lose vs Google long term. The game is a fight for mass adoption, and there’s numerous ways to monetize mass adoption. Want a cheap Windows computer that’s sub $300? They absolutely suck, they’re terrible. Want a Chromebook that’s sub $300? They’re decent, snappy useable machines. Look to the developing world. As network infrastructure improves, cheap web based Chromebooks will continue to be a hit among low income consumers in developing nations. Who’s better positioned to scale as the world gets more and more connected? My vote is for Google. Market share of Chrome OS has skyrocketed the last couple of years: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/02/the-worlds-second-most-popular-desktop-operating-system-isnt-macos-anymore/?amp=1 + +Google is the most evil company in the world. And as the evil geniuses they are, they’re thinking decades ahead. They know that their long term future depends on kids getting hooked on their products, so that when they’re leaders of companies in the future, their company is powered by Google Workspace and not Office. Google beat Microsoft and Apple in the education market. ChromeOS now has more market share than MacOS. Kids are doing all of their productivity tasks in the Google ecosystem. Remember back in 2016/17 when you might have said to yourself, “why do all these kids want to be Youtubers when they grow up?” I know why this happened. I’ve seen the district dashboard data. YouTube is the #1 site kids use on their school issued Chromebook. + +Edit: You might say to yourself, Apple won the education market in the 80s/90s, but the enterprise market is still driven by Microsoft. Back then there were like 10 Macs in a lab for 500 kids to share. What Google has accomplished is way more impactful. Literally every kid 1 to 1 in public schools now has a Chromebook in their backpack. This is much more groundbreaking than what Apple did and will help Google retain a generation’s worth of customers as they age into adulthood. + +Office products will do well for the next 20 years in enterprise settings. And then all of the sudden Google Workspace will be king in enterprise. Why? Because they planted the seeds and won the public education market and brainwashed millions of kids. + +TLDR. Buy Google not Microsoft. +Micromania just published a document stating that they are about to close 47 stores out of 399 on the French territory. + +&#x200B; + +[Some French words meaning French things](https://preview.redd.it/qtmwrhz96lg81.png?width=1022&format=png&auto=webp&s=65a59c6783b54441726074f65f8e500df7d23c43) + +As stated by Micromania, this decision was taken to anticipate the potential bad financial results ahead. + +In France, 62% of all game purchases are digital. This has a massive impact on Micromania even though they tried to recover with a partership with Zing (pop culture merch) a while back. + +After the publication of the article, Micromania made it clear that the 127 employees concerned by this will leave with a contractual termination agreement . That means that they won't just get fired. It's an agreement between the employee and the employer usually leaving the employee with a good amount of money. They'll also help employees with their professional retraining. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[some more French words for you](https://preview.redd.it/bmp6uy778lg81.png?width=1022&format=png&auto=webp&s=c82b63d2ed34533e1d168e9268dee60bc7419738) + +Basically, this is received as bad news here in France and all the articles I read about that have a really negative narrative. Can't blame them though but could this be the first big decision from top executives ? Are they planning to transfer to a digital based market fast ? + +At no point in the articles we heared about Gamestop though. It's basic journalism at best. I'm sure only a few people know that Gamestop IS Micromania. + +I don't think RC will just give up Europe. + +Ironically, this morning I answered a mail from them asking if I was happy with the service provided. I of course said yes (because it's the case) and then I made the suggestion that it would be cool to turn some of the shops in Esport centers. +Hi all, + +First, sorry if this isn’t quite the appropriate place for this question - happy to move it, if you can tell me where. + +At the end of all this, I’d just like to know if you think our solution is a reasonable one or if you think there might be a better approach. This is happening no matter what, so the question is how to mitigate the disaster. + +The story is a little long, so I’ll do my best to briefly summarize. My brother was let go from his job last fall because the funder for one of his contracts did a random, but very thorough background and found something from 20 years ago that my brother had no idea would be on his record. That’s a whole other story, and for the most part actually ended happily (see: edit2). + +While he was unemployed he kinda freaked and bought a large truck (like, 18-wheeler), so that he could lease it out to our father who’s a lifetime truck driver and receive a portion of whatever income that generates. He borrowed money from his 2 cousins with the promise that as soon as the truck started making a profit he would pay them back. + +Fast forward several months and the truck is still parked where he got it and he hasn’t been able to put it use (for many reasons, it’s kind of an old truck, many of the companies are very specific about what they need in the truck *and* he’s very adamant he wants our father as the driver so he can find him work (currently unemployed)). + +My brother has asked our mom (63) if she can take out money from her 401k to pay the cousins back and that he will pay my mom back in whatever way her 401k provider needs. The provider allows her to take a loan out against her 401k and just pay it back in monthly increments. + +My brothers still holding out hope that the truck will be put to use (he’s basically been applying for jobs for my father, citing the personal ownership of a truck which is always a plus in that world), but he says that if he can’t find anything by August he’ll just sell it off. So in either scenario (truck works or truck is sold), once the 401k payments start, he’ll be able to pay my mom back. + +One small quirk about the payments is that they’re actually going to be removed from my moms paycheck directly until she retires (in 2 years) so my brother will be making payments to my mom first and then, if money is still outstanding after 2 years, will pay the provider directly in loan coupons. Might not be relevant but just thought i’d mention. + +So finally, they’ve landed at choosing a 60month payback period (longest you can go) and my brother will pay my mom on the 1st of every month for the 2 amounts she will see taken away from her paychecks (and we’ll figure out the 3 paycheck month). If the truck is sold, you can kinda pay off the whole loan at once (i’m sure it will be sold at some loss, so he’ll have to figure out the difference). But if it generates income and he starts to do monthly payments, then we decided we would open another savings account where he would deposit any extra money on top of the minimum monthly payment he’s making. Eventually, when the amount in that savings account equals the amount still owed in 401k, he’ll just pay the rest off. + +Does that sound reasonable? Any other suggestions? + +My mom works very hard (kinda manual stuff) and I’d hate to see her suffer in any way. I don’t have any real resources to help, so i’m really just turning anywhere for some insight. + +Edit-1: the best overall solution is not doing it at all. that is obvious to me, but like i’ve tried to make clear, mother is doing this no matter what. the most i could do is suggest my mother give him some strict terms. + +Edit0: the advice ask is how to mitigate the possible setbacks from the inevitable loan. + +Edit: i’m pretty sure he can’t get a loan on his own. + +Edit2: brother has a job now (but as of a month ago, not this whole time) + +Edit3: the 401k loan will not come due when she retires (verified with the 401k provider). i called specifically about this, seems like things stay the same but the method of payment changes (from direct paycheck cuts to loan coupons) + +Edit4: just so the perspective is right, this wasn’t my brother venturing out into a possible source of wealth. he was unemployed with 2 hungry kids. the man was desperate. but as edit2 says, he has a job now. + +Edit5: parents are long separated + +Edit6: the loan is a non-negligible percentage of the 401k, like a quarter to a third i’d say. + +Edit7: just took a non-essential sentence away that inspired some unproductive posts + +Edit8: brother hasn’t verbalized it in so many words, but i suspect he feels greater shame being in debt to cousins who he grew up with than to his mother +Seriously they're loving this, I know it. I can't believe he did that while on the phone as a Fidelity rep. Anyway, just thought it was a fun little thing that I could share with everyone here. Hope all is going well for you guys, and I'll see you on the other side of the MOASS. Be strong!! +I called the cable company and asked them to lower my bill, they tried to get me to bundle- I shouldnt have to pay for more service to save money. After 20 minutes they lowered it by $15.00 a month for a year. I also called Sirrius to renew (hubs has a 2 hour commute local radio blows) they reduced my next year by 43%, which equates to $10.00 a month savings. + +I also helped my mom with her Directtv reducing it by $35.00. And because she is on a fixed income moved some due dates around to fit in her pay schedule. She was running out of month with her money. + +Over all I probably spent 2 hours on the phone with the companies to get what I could from their customer service. I didnt take no for an answer and I didnt buy any extra product I didnt need. + +And another PSA always take a moment to check for pay subscriptions you can get for free. Mom was paying Equifax to monitor her credit when + Credit Karma and Captial One do it for free. +In his words + +> Me: u plan to implement transaction blacklisting as the default on gentoo *again*? + +> [Luke-Jr](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/2pd0zy/peter_todd_is_saying_shoddy_development_on_v010/cmw686j): Spam filtering has been a standard part of Bitcoin Core since 0.3. Please ignore the trolls who want you to think there's something nefarious going on. + +previous thread with over 500 comments + +([WARNING](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/2ityg2/warning_bitcoin_address_blacklists_have_been/): Bitcoin Address Blacklists have been forced into the Gentoo Linux bitcoind distribution by Luke-jr against the will of other core devs. Gentoo maintainers are clueless and not reversing the change. Boycott Gentoo now. ) + +simply ridiculous. forcing blacklists on bitcoind users of a *linux* distribution? apparently luke-jr is steadfast in being against software freedom +Any questions? + +You really gotta love the absolute garbage, corrupt world we live in right now. No matter what you do, nothing makes sense and its all just absolute scammed out garbage. + +Gdp tanks 33% but magically, the market makes a full recovery into the green. No biggy! + +Tech have a blowout earnings and skyrocket?! Market tanks! Logic +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. +There's a very interesting article in today's Sunday Times (UK, probably paywalled) [Why money worries can be a fatal obsession](http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-money-worries-can-be-a-fatal-obsession-sx8823hsl) + +From the headline you might think 'oh another story about unmanageable debt spiralling into depression and eventually suicide' but actually it's very different. + +The person concerned was well paid, as was his wife, and they had no debt. His money 'problems' came from an obsession towards saving, and knowing the exact state of his financial affairs (he would regularly ask his wife to check their current mortgage balance). + +His behaviour all sounds like things which we would commend in this sub, like maximising his tax-free savings allowance, putting away lump sums each month in savings accounts, taking his own lunch to work and seeking out the cheapest options for take-away coffee. + +On reading his diary his wife found he thought it note-worthy when he didn't get worked up about spending £5 on dinner at the convenience store on the way home from work. + +Despite seeking help he very sadly took his own life in 2011. + +I personally am a somewhat obsessive and depressive character, I've had several bouts of counselling and was addicted to gambling for a while in my teenage years. This article has got me wondering if seeking FI is just another form of obsession that can become just as damaging psychologically. + +Are there any trends people have seen and how do you stop FI/RE destroying the very thing it's trying to create, a better more enjoyable life? +People don’t seem to realize the true value of data. It’s literally the main thing powering all media platforms. + +Companies like Google and Facebook use personal data to tune their ad display algorithms to try target the largest audience they can. + +What’s stopping us from taking full control over that data? This is exactly why I’m so bullish on Ocean protocol and other similar projects working on creating a completely decentralized data platform. + +The more we see similar projects launching the more we’ll be able to put pressure on these big tech companies taking advantage of us. +We know a lot of the SHFs have 10x+ leverage. When your key long position (Amazon) shits the bed and drops 10+% in a single day, you are in deep shit. + +I think this is the first domino that Ryan wanted to see before making his move to ADD GME Shares and also launch the NFT marketplace. + +and yes this is all just a hunch from someone who has lived on SuperStonk through all the fuckery of 2021 and 2022. + +The time to buy, hold, and DRS was yesterday. But the next best time is now. + +Buckle Up fellow apes. We are Andromeda bound. +Adoption of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin (BTC) is already well underway. However, [research from Visa](https://www.reuters.com/technology/quarter-small-businesses-across-nine-countries-plan-offer-crypto-payments-visa-2022-01-12/) shows that 2022 has even more in store for mainstream crypto adoption. In fact, a whopping 25% of small businesses in 9 different countries plan to start accepting crypto payments this year. + +&#x200B; + +**Companies exceed consumer expectations** + +The survey was conducted among 2,250 small businesses in 9 different countries. These are the United States, Canada, Brazil, Singapore, Germany, Ireland, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong. Also, 1,000 Americans and 500 residents in each country were asked for their opinions. In doing so, the survey covers almost all continents and provides a nice picture of the average sentiment worldwide. + +Visa reports that 25% of these 2,250 businesses plan to accept crypto payments by 2022. This is while among consumers, only 13% expect companies to do so. Jeni Mundy, global head of merchant sales at Visa, states that more trust seems to be emerging: + +*"I think more people are more confident in crypto,"* + +&#x200B; + +**Interest in crypto especially outside North America** + +Furthermore, the survey revealed that it is mainly companies outside North America that are interested in accepting crypto payments. In North America, only 19% (US) and 8% (Canada) say they have these plans. In the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Hong Kong and Brazil, the percentage is as high as 30%. Even companies that do not want to accept crypto this year may change tack later. Indeed, the survey also shows that three-quarters of companies believe that expanding payment options is "fundamental" to their business growth. Mundy argues that it is a "natural evolution" to accept crypto over time. + +&#x200B; + +**Visa happy with results** + +The results will be music to Visa's ears. After all, the payments giant is betting big on crypto. Last year, for example, it launched a crypto consulting service. In addition, the company made a promise to continue supporting crypto. +I understand the appeal of owning stocks that pay you dividends for simply holding their stock. It can’t get any more passive than that. I also understand the effect of compounding your dividends over time to accelerate growth. But let’s be honest, do dividend investors expect to beat the stock market (VTI) or S&P 500 (SPY) over the next several decades? +Im just wondering what people think on IBM. Its been trending down and i keep buying but now i think its dividend is outa place. What are peoples thoughts i believe if i remember correctly it just became a dividend aristocrat. +So, I’m a relatively new investor and I’m 21 y/o trying to figure out the best way to start and diversify my portfolio. I’m going to put an initial investment of $350 and then do $100 a month thereafter and try to slowly increase that number every couple of months. I know not to chase the high dividends to pick companies that show growth. I have found many companies and many ETFs that show growth but I’m not sure if I should pick a few that show the best growth, or go a little more high risk and mix in a few higher dividend stocks with some steadily growing companies? Any and all advice is appreciated! +I'm 20 years old and looking to get started in dividend growth investing. I consider myself to be pretty motivated and patient, considering i have alot of time. The downside is that I don't have alot to invest. I plan to invest between $1,000-4,000 thousand each year into some dividend aristocrats such as JNJ, AT&T, etc. + +&#x200B; + +With all that being said, is dividend growth investing a viable option for someone like me that has only a small pool of money to invest or would I be better suited to some other form of investment? + +&#x200B; + +Thanks in advance! +Im just wondering what people think on IBM. Its been trending down and i keep buying but now i think its dividend is outa place. What are peoples thoughts i believe if i remember correctly it just became a dividend aristocrat. +I just recently started investing. I was able to avoid the temptation of gamestonk and decided one of my first investments would be SCHD. I kind of lucked out with this one because as a new guy I did very basic research and went off analyst suggestions on eTrade. Once I seen how the stock performed over the course of a couple months I started getting more interested in buying similar ETFs. I looked into Pimco Dynamic Income Funds which currently pays a .22 dividend every month. Figured I would buy 10 shares and watch it for a few. Again, my research is questionable by most standards due to lack of knowledge. So my question is, what strategies do you use to determine whether or not funds like these are worth investing more in? Do you wait for a dip or spend it if u got it? Do stock price and dividend payout amounts go hand-in-hand? I'm not incompetent, I just don't know which of the thousands of indicators I should be looking at to narrow my choices down. Any advice is greatly appreciated. And as always, thank you in advance! + +* my goal is to find maybe four or five good dividend stocks with a solid foundation. I plan on using dividend reinvestment and have a time frame of about 30 years until retirement* + +Currently holding: 10 SCHD, 10 PDI, 5 PDO +I'm curious to read opinions about how you think SCHD will fair in the current market. It down over 3% today after a massive sell off in the market. I'm interested in how much things like supply chain disruptions will beat up this ETF. Looking at the 52 week highs and lows it seems like it's a pretty good deal at it's current price of \~$75. I can't decide if the coming months are going to beat this thing more and if I should wait or spread out (DCA) into a larger position. +I've only fairly recently began frequenting this sub. Some time ago a got caught up in the GME debacle and while I made out in the positive I found that high risk gambling simple doesn't fit my criteria of investment. To date, as far as finance goes, I find r/dividends and r/Bogleheads are my most frequented spots. + +Simply put I am in my early 30s and looking to get started with dividends. Reading the introduction on this sub I understand your best bet is to pay off all debts and then start swinging in to stocks/etfs. My only current holding of any substance is VTI. Here I see a great deal of SCHD, O, JEPI and a few others. Basically what I am trying to determine is roughly how many stocks or ETF's should someone like of my age look into owning? I like to keep things fairly simple with the ability to consolidate into a very few stocks or ETFS. + +I understand that I am not looking for anyone to endorse or simply "tell me what to do" but any references, pointers, or general advice is greatly welcome. +hey everyone im fairly new too the didvend world and wanted to know if anyone could provide me with the best advice on dividend yield percentages. especially on high yields thank you all +Hey everyone, so I’m currently 22 and have about $30k saved, been working full time as a graduate accountant at the Big4 earning about $60k pre-tax a year. Although I’m learning a lot, I definitely can’t see myself staying at my firm for more than 3-4 years (planning on finishing my CA and leaving in about 2024). + +I’ve always been pretty good with money during uni and wanted to use my initial savings for an investment property/purchase my first home but lately I’ve been really considering using the $30k as a sabbatical fund/career break and backpack around Asia/Europe/Americas for a year in 2025 since I didn’t really get the chance to travel before starting full time with the pandemic. + +My plan going forward was to keep my existing savings for my year of travel, use the First Home Super Saver scheme to save the maximum $50k until I quit my job and save as much as I can outside of the FHSS during this time. + +I have no debt besides HECs and wanted to get advice, is this a stupid financial decision? I’m planning to leave with around 4 years big4 experience and qualified CA but would the resume gap hinder my career prospects in the future? + +Thank you! +I see some fairly general stuff on how due diligence is done in VC, but never see anything that gives me more specifics. Anybody here with VC experience can point me the right direction? +So I failed my first go around with a 62%. Was finishing up school and moving closer to my new job and ran out of time to study. +Now after another month of studying, I've been consistently scoring 80's and 90's on options and regulations, got a 95% on the options section of my last practice test. But I am doing really poorly on debt, I got 50% on the same practice test. +Does anyone have any tips for memorizing the debt portions? I almost feel as if I've over studied it. Starting to feel really burned out with nothing to show for it. +I myself get the "opportunity" to retake L2 next year. Signing up again tomorrow because I'm a masochist. For those of you who passed, congratulations. For those who didn't, are you getting back on the horse or are you throwing in the towel? +You getting help. + +Several months ago, my Aunt, who I don’t really talk to, called and asked if I could take her to LA (2 hours away) for a special dental procedure. We’re always nice to each other whenever we see each other, honestly only at family gatherings. Even though she lives about 20 miles away from me, we don’t really talk, nothing ever happened, just one of those things. + +Anyway, I happened to have the particular day off work and said I would take her. She was thrilled because no one else she talked to could do it. So off we went, I drove her car, she paid for all the gas ofcourse and bought me a nice lunch and dinner. It was kind of cool walking around LA by myself while she was having her procedure, turned out to be a nice little day trip. + +Fast forward a few months later, to about 3 weeks ago. I had my gallbladder removed. My mom told my aunt about it because they talk to each other. My aunt wanted to be there the day of my surgery, with my mom. I thought that was really nice. + +So the morning of the surgery, we are all there. I’m anxiously awaiting them to call me. They do, for me to sign consent paper work etc, and to pay my part. Luckily, insurance covered most of it thank god. My portion I needed to pay that day was $650. they called and told me the day before the surgery, to make sure I have the $ for the copay. + +I was seated after signing the paperwork before they took me back, mom and aunt behind me. Right after the papers the worker said she needed to collect my copay before I go back. Right as I reach for my wallet to get my credit card, my aunt holds my shoulder, and says “it’s ok.” And hands the worker her card. Yep, she just paid my $650 copay. I didn’t even know what to say to her. I asked why, and that I didn’t understand. Then she mentioned the trip a few months ago that I drove her on, since she couldn’t drive after the procedure, she was so grateful that I took her. I’m guessing because we don’t really talk, and that all the others she asked couldn’t take her for whatever reasons. Maybe she was surprised I said yes? I don’t know. + +The saved $650 helped me out tremendously. Last thing I needed to do was add more $$ to my credit card. Just goes to show to always try and help out when you can! As you never know who may unexpectedly help you out back somewhere down the line. + +Thanks for reading!! + +Yup, that’s right. Fuck it. + +I lost my money on SHOP, AMZN and tsla. You can say I bought high and sold low, I have no more money guys. + +I found a loophole, better than margins. It’s called SBA loan. Once my loan hit I will yolo it into $BABA doing some DD for the meantime. + +(DD on which strike to throw my money in. Not about fundamentals. WTF does BABA do anyway?) + +Which me luck retards 🍀 this time I will buy the bottom I know it. + +(I’m doing the opposite of me. I initially was gonna short it so I’m buying.) I will try this strategy then let you retards know + +Edit 1: fuck. You guys got me hard with these comments. I might ask my father in law for a loan and add to my position once I’m in. + +Edit 2: Troll me now, so I can troll you later + +Edit 3: Dayum you guys mean +Unless you have been living under a rock, you've probably read some Forbes or other paid promo article that vilified El Salvador for making BTC legal tender and holding (or losing, depending what article you read) ~$50M in BTC during the recent bear market decent. + +Just to be clear, if you believe ES is in bad shape from BTC in any shape or form, you've been duped by the banking elite and you should stop helping the elite taint BTC through propaganda. There are no opinions in here so downvote and hate all you want. Only proves my point further. + +First of all, El Salvador GDP skyrocketed over 10% annually to $28B recently after a massive influx of tourism, exporting volcano energy and other monetary gains last year. ES has not sold any BTC but let's just say for the sake of argument that they did and lost $50M outright, all 50 mil. + +$50M is literally only ~0.2% (edited for correct decimal) of their GDP. Lol Clearly this hypothetical loss would not affect the country in any way. Not to mention it is not true because ES hasn't sold anything and hasn't taken any losses whatsoever. + +Before Nayib Bukele became president, ES had $37B stolen from its people from corruptions and was pretty much the murder capital of the world. It was one of poorest and corrupt countries in exsistance. + +Where was the out cry for the people then??? Where are the news articles about this bounce back from the low? Nowhere, because things wete going exactly as IMF is used to; theyre able to hold loans over their heads to have control over them etc. Only now that its a poster child for BTC is there backlash. Let that sink in. + +So now, violent crime is down 95%, revenue is up billions, and the country's presidential approval rating is close to 80% (what's your presidents approval rating in your country??). Eighty percent!!! That's right. Ask someone who lives there if you don't believe the many many polls. There are no claims BTC is wholly responsible for all of the improvements, so don't get confused. + +Its just pretty ironic now (or not ironical at all if you think twice) that after all the murderous years of corruption and people suffering have turned into a huge approval from citizens that we have all these finacial "experts" calling this country to our attention to service their BTC agenda and literal propaganda campaign. It's ranked #1 in financial risk globally. Number one!!! That couldn't be more false and is really a blatant stat meant to do one thing, vilify BTC and the country that first adopted it. + +BTW, these numbers are all public and accessible if you have any doubts. + +So, the next time someone tries to tell you BTC caused harm in El Salvador, understand that PROPAGANDA WORKS on people who are dumb enough to believe whatever makes them feel validated, but this could not be further from the truth. + +I don't support Nayib, and this isn't to call him a genius etc., as much as it is just to point out other's stupidity that spreads these completely false rumors. Rumors that can literally be shot to pieces by using simple, publicly accessible information. + +Research safely and mind the idiots who actually believe this shit. + +(Also, this post was removed from CC 15 min after being posted because it made too many BTC posts in the top 50) +I wanted to take a look at how lifestyle inflation affects one's path to FI. So I compared a few scenarios and graphed the outputs. + +**Scenario 1)** You save 20% of your income. You never have any raises, and you never change your expenses. + +**Scenario 2)** You save 20% of your income initially. You get raises of 3% per year every year. Your expenses never change, so your contribution to your portfolio continually grows (i.e. your savings rate goes up every year). + +**Scenario 3)** You save 20% of your income. You get raises of 3% per year every year. Your expenses are always 80% of your income, which is constantly growing. Your contribution to your portfolio grows each year, but so does your FI target number (since your expenses keep growing as well). + +**Basic assumptions:** Initial income of $50k Taxes and Inflation are not considered, so any raise or market growth is "above inflation" The market grows at 7% per year. You start w/ zero net worth. FI Number is expenses \* 25 (implies a 4% safe withdrawal rate). + +What we find for the **number of years to reach financial independence** for the 3 scenarios: + +**1) 30 years (no raises, never change expenses)** + +**2) 20.5 years (raises, never change expenses)** + +**3) 42.5 years!!! (raises, expenses grow w/ income)** + +This shows how much lifestyle inflation can affect financial independence! Even if you make more money, it's really hard to outrun. + +[https://imgur.com/a/1cIKE8u](https://imgur.com/a/1cIKE8u) + +Source code in comments. +I am majoring in Financial Mathematics & Statistics and I managed to schedule a casual lunch with a CFO of a small company. I am looking to score a finance internship or any type of work experience in the field. + +What are some questions that I should be asking? +What are some of the do's and don'ts when out to lunch on a business casual setting like this? + +Any help in my preparation would be greatly appreciate. +Posts were shares today about new movements by the SEC. I also saw news about the DOJ that wasn't talked about. But Lamborghini makes a post about going to the moon and everyone loses their titties? + +The fuck? + +Are we still focused primarily on education and learning about shit that impacts GME MOASS or are we going bananas for nonsense hype that does nothing? + +Because whether you like the SEC or not, they can impact what happens in the market. Whether they're watching porn all day and not doing shit or they're doing something, their actions can change the market. A lambo company can't do shit about the market so...wtf? + +Hype is cool and fine. Give it 20k updoots idc. But education should get more eyes always and definitely spark more conversation. + +And DRS of course. Love you retards. Sorry for the rant. But you know, not sorry. I calls it how I sees it. + +✌️ out! +I just got approved for selling cash covered puts on fidelity and I’m excited to start running the wheel strategy with a bunch of capital from my GME gains. On Tuesday at open I intend to sell 11 Apple puts. Originally, I was going to wheel Alphabet, but their recent jump upward puts them just out of my price range. To the wheelers out there: What blue chip stocks do you prefer to use for this strategy? Obviously looking for well established companies with relatively low volatility. +I'm retarded and accounting illiterate so this is probably too stupid to the point it offends you smart folks here. + +But from my understanding all of the trading profits from theta strategies are realized gains and are thus fully taxable, is this true? If so, what can I do to play around this? Does re-investing my realized profits do anything in this scenario? +So I was pondering this the other day and looking to get advice and/or input. I’ve been considering trying this on AMC. + +The buy and hold/ buy the dip mentality has created what I see as an interesting opportunity. AMC for example is one stock people can’t let go of. The squeeze will never be squoze. Which is fine, believe whatever you want, just don’t criticize me for my beliefs and I won’t criticize you for yours. We go on living our lives normally that way. What I feel this mentality adds to AMC though is this. Consistent inconsistency. Or maybe more so- stable instability. Sounds stupid right? Hear me out... + +So this is my thought. Think a squeeze is coming or not, that doesnt matter, but what we can agree on is AMC seems to trade within a somewhat defined range after the shorts were pushed out of their positions and then the stock dipped and came back up. View this however you will but I see that range between $8-$14 per share. A consistent 70% change in value to me makes it fairly unstable, but the buy the dip and diamond hands crowd keep if from being shorted back to the $2 range, bringing in the stability part of AMC. I think this is going to be an ongoing battle of bull vs bear because both sides are making money here. + +So my strategy is this. Maybe this sounds dumb or maybe it’s worth trying. I’ve never shorted a stock. To be honest I’m afraid to short a stock because I don’t wanna get margin called. So this is what I came up with as a safer alternative to short selling. What if AMC gets to around say $8-9 a share. Buy 100 shares, and hold it until it goes up to $12-$14. At that point, sell a long dated call or LEAPS that’s deep ITM against your shares- somewhere around the $3-4 strike. You’ll get a little less overall than market value of the shares so you’ll lose a few bucks worth of overall value selling the contract. Then wait a few days to a couple weeks (seems to come down in a short amount of time because people start shorting again) and when it’s back to the $8-9 range then you buy back your call (again losing a few bucks in value buying back the call) + +This might sound strange or dumb because you will end up missing out on some profits compared to just shorting the stock from opening and closing the call, but! You won’t pay margin interest, you won’t pay borrow fees because AMC has recently has 90%+ borrow fees this past week and your risk of the stock continuing to run and getting margin called doesn’t exist anymore. You make money when it goes up, you make money again when it comes back down. So you’re playing both sides of this bull/bear battle. + +The key takeaways from this to me are. Biggest risk is the underlying going to shit after you go long the stock (I see that as highly unlikely with AMC) and having someone exercise your call so your shares go away (it would be for a profit in the very least and you’d have to wait to buy back in at your price target). BUT the biggest upside to me being, having the ability to “short” the stock without the actual risk of short selling a stock that can easily run away from you. + +I’d love feedback from anyone that is experienced and knowledgeable in the stock/options market. I’m mainly bringing this up because I haven’t been able to find anything while searching on Google for this play. I think this situation is rather unique given the mentality that’s driving the stocks value. It’s definitely not a “true theta play” but I figured this would be the best place to get feedback because of the extensive options knowledge on this sub. + +Edit- and by all means if I’m missing something through all this like some type of risk I haven’t addressed or something that’s could go wrong, please let me know 👍🏻 +Was just thinking about selling some CSPs on WKHS, and combing over probability. + +Got me thinking, why not sell a put at $10, and at $14? I plotted out the profitability, and it's a much more favorable mix of great profits over $15, and good profits between $10-$15. The downside is much more pleasant as well. + +Anyone else do this normally versus just opening CSPs at a single strike? Obviously ToS would see it as individual trades. +What is your main approach to identify what CSP or spreads to buy or sell DURING this erratic and uncertain market? + +For example. Sell a CSP only on big names, and only when such shares drop X% in a week? +I own UPST and was selling CCs for awhile with a cost basis of like $115 and now well...yea. I don't mind holding it, but when you get absolutely smashed on something, what do you usually do? Thinking of just continuing to sell CCs, but obviously I risk selling under my cost basis. +For theta gang people, is the weapon of choice usually selling puts/ put spreads? What if you expect the market/ a stock to fall do u sell calls instead? Or do u usually mix it up all the time with half calls and half puts sold ? +I wrote 5 December CCs at the top on earning day just before the crash and now they are at 70% profit. Should I: + +1. Close them all now and wait until RKT recovers before writing new ones? + +2. Keep them open to get more premium? +https://i.imgur.com/BwEUSQL.jpg +Dear Options expert aka r/thetagang + +I sold a 10 NIO put option when it was trading at $40 for a $9 expiring 17 Jun 22. Then it fell off the cliff and now deeeeeep ITM with a $22k loss. + +I have bought 10 NIO put option at $17.5 expiring 17 Jun 22 for some protection. + +I have no idea on what to do or recover from here. + +Can you please advise. And how would you navigate this situation. + +Thanks in advance. + + +EDIT: Sold $40 puts for $9 credit and Bought $17.5 puts for $2. Both are 10 quantity and expiring 17 Jun 2022. +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. +Looking to learn from any stories where a short call/put went ITM, but instead of taking assignment, you rolled the contract out and it eventually went OTM (either through the underlying stock falling/rising, or the strike eventually rolling to OTM). + +I had a bunch of SQ short calls go ITM by quite a bit ($100 strike) from the recent rally, but I managed to roll them up and out (for a credit) only a couple weeks to $125 strike. + +Was planning to keep doing this slowly until OTM, but wondering if that seems feasible / any advice to doing this? + +Thanks in advance! +Send me your suggestions. I’m looking for stocks under $10 + +I just got out of mara and I’m not gonna chase that. So now i am searching for some new stocks to watch and research. + +Any suggestions would be appreciated! + +Thanks! +I have 36k and want to start selling CSP on TSLA, at a strike price of 365 and a delta of -14 would you guys recommend this or not? I dont mind holding the stock at 365 and selling CC but is it a terrible idea ? In addition I am 21 and already paid for school for the next year and dont have any other need for the money. + I want to get more option-y and several have recommended tasty. So I have an account now, but their UI is really a cluster compared to Robinhood and I am having trouble finding this out. + +In Rohinhood I activate my max margin, and any options collateral I need is put on margin, but I am not charged interest on it. + +Is this the same for tasty? I have a margin account, deposited 5k, but I can't see how much margin I have anywhere. I try and do some naked straddles/strangles and all I see is a buying power reduction. Say I want to sell a 37 put on AMC, it says buying power reduced 36xx. Okay So it's not the full $3700 required by Robinhood but still quite a lot and I can't tell what I can or won't go to margin. Or will I be charged for any collateral held on margin? + +The whole reason for switching to tasty was for allowing naked strategies and having less strict collateral/margin requirements. +Today I had a profitable T calendar to close. I had a %-based GTC order on it since I opened the position weeks ago. I watched as the nat and the limit price stayed the same for several hours without getting a fill, despite volume in the hundreds-to-thousands range. I was about to call their trading desk when I decided to try closing the legs individually (risking the slippage). When I did that, they were both filled instantly. No slippage. + +This is disconcerting. I suddenly trust spreads on TW a lot less now that I’ve seen one sit open when it should easily be filled. Has anyone else seen this on TW? +The credit spread I've been rolling got assigned at 2700. With SP at 2370, ill be bagholding for a while but is it ever a good idea to sell a covered call under the price i was assigned the shares and if I get assigned again then just sell another put? +I'm not fucking selling. I don't care if the squeeze is not gonna happen, the stock goes to fucking zero or even I'm the only one holding left. I'm not giving them the satisfaction. One day, the Sun will go dark, the Earth will be dust in the void, no Moon at all, and the only remnants of the human civilization will be my €GME shares floating in the nothing. Fuck you Wall Street. Holding to VALHALLA. +From 2019 to 2021, my net worth went from \~$1.0M to \~$1.7, as of the close of 2021. This is from investing in index funds and benefiting from the bull market. I own very few individual stocks and only \~$4k in Crypto. This is updated from a [post I made in the beginning of 2020.](https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/comments/il8ux4/my_path_to_11m_at_age_39/) + +&#x200B; + +[Here is the updated chart.](https://i.imgur.com/lWkZyHX.png) + +Changes to visualization: + +* Combined everything into one image +* Separated the label for Assets and Liabilities +* Added “Property” as an asset in the net worth chart +* Added annotations for topics that drove discussion last time + +If you are curious how I made the Net Worth chart, it is a combination of a line and stacked area graph in excel. Plotted on two axis. [This figure should explain how it’s set up.](https://i.imgur.com/JGoJ3D4.png) + +End of 2021 Balances: + +* Assets: $1,872k +* Liabilities: $159k +* Net Worth: $1,713k +* Investments: $1,555k + +My portfolio (excluding property) right now is 81/11/7/2 (US\_Equities/International/Bonds/Cash), but I am due for rebalancing because my target is 70/20/8/2. + +I had been pretty frugal for the 15 years after graduating college. I bought a cheap ($60k) house in a crappy neighborhood and lived with a roommate. For the price, this home could not be beat. It’s an older 1800sqft home with a large newer addition on the back, and after renovating a couple of rooms, it was the perfect space for living and occasionally entertaining. Also, the crappy neighborhood really wasn’t that bad. We were right next to the police station, which kept away the riffraff. And only a couple blocks from a nicer area with walkable streets and mixed use trails. I went out for a run several times a week and have only been chased by a pitbull once. After aggressively paying off the mortgage in 2013, the rent I collected basically paid the taxes, utilities and upkeep for the property, making my housing expenses essentially zero. + +I kept other expenses low, buying inexpensive used cars and cooking my meals at home. Though I still spent money on hobbies and enjoyed life. I would go on a trip almost every year alternating between domestic and international travel. The best was when 3 friends and I bought an old van and spent 4 weeks driving across the US. Doing a lot of camping made it cheap and memorable. I ended up selling the van for more than I bought it for since I put some work into it. I was single for all of these years. This was not an economic choice; it’s just where I was in life. + +More recently, I came to the realization (thanks to this sub) that I had achieved financial independence, and I am happy to begin spending more on things I value. + +I purchased a new (to me) 2019 model car. I also said goodbye to the bachelor/roommate life and purchased a new home with my SO. This required withdrawing \~$60k from my brokerage account for down payment. Most of this was bonds, and the rest were individual stocks without much in capital gains. I did not show this as spending because it didn’t come from my income. This is still a modest $200k home, but it has everything we need. + +Moving forward, I don’t see spending getting too much higher. I plan on taking more vacations and possible start working part time to allow time for that. Only other big expense in the 5-year plan is a wedding, but neither of us want anything big. 10+ year plan way include moving to a warmer, higher cost of living area. But we have time to plan and save for that. + +&#x200B; + +**TLDR**: Classic tale of making a good wage, keeping expenses low and saving consistently. +What we saw this week was a trick that has been pulled countless times. It was a shakedown. You all thought you were smarter than the market. And guess what? You weren't. + +The people that need bitcoin the most sold off their coins because the market took a slight (and brief) tumble. When they panic sold, their coins were scooped up by the biggest whales (extremely rich people). + +Please don't trade. I beg you. You will lose. Take advice from ANYONE who has been in this space for a long time. They will all tell you the same thing: buy bitcoin and forget about it for a few years or decades. That is how you win. +Our homeowners insurance is dropping us because of too many water related claims in 2 years of ownership. The first was for pre-existing mold discovered during a kitchen remodel that likely resulted from a faulty upstairs bathroom remodel by the previous owner (bathroom was fixed before we purchased but the water damage had been done). That claim was denied because it pre-dated our policy. The second claim was a basement flood due to a faulty sump pump (replaced with new primary and battery back up sump pumps), and third was a basement flood due to epic rain-induced blockage of our waste water line (sump now exits on corner of our property rather than into the waste water line). Insurance paid out for damage from first and second claims, and we've paid out of pocket to remedy both issues. + +Any advice for convincing our insurance not to dump us? Is providing evidence of remedial measures a waste of time? And any tips for finding a new provider given this development? +Influencers who are paid to promote Scam-/Shitcoins to their audience on Twitter or Instagram deserve to be sued by victims of these rugpulls/ pump and dumps. + + +Influencers like Kim Kardashian have promoted Shitcoins like EthereumMax (has nothing to do with the actual Ethereum), which dumped hard following the promotion by said influencers, making random, often young, people, lose all their money. + + +Might be more of a controversial opinion, but: They deserve to be sued by every single victim of the scams they promoted, Shitcoins like EthereumMax never had a future, influencers just did a short cash grab, which in reality is funded by the people being scammed after their promotion, making them profit of people losing money +I have been looking at purchasing a home that is outside or right on the cusp of my budget. We have a really solid company with a lot of new hires coming in, in the midwest. I feel like I could find plenty of people looking for a cheaper rent that would like to live with me in a large 3-4 bd house. I even have a few people in mind that have already shown interest in the idea. + +This would allow me to pay a significantly lower mortgage. And all I would need is 1 other person to live with me until I get enough of a salary increase to pay off the payments on my own. + +I am assuming the person will make payments. I am assuming they are pleasant to live with. Of course we will have a legal leasing agreement. + +Having just 1 other roommate would make purchasing a home (of the size I want) very affordable. Not only that but the roommate would be paying a significantly lower rent than they would at an apartment. Seems like a win-win. Was wondering if anyone has already had this idea? And how did it go? And would you do it again? + +EDIT: I am changing the narrative to a house that I can afford just fine on my own. + +EDIT2: Why can't I just have a SO with a duel income :( +I was in crypto from 2017 and made a lot of money during the ico craze. My peak was $100k. Lost everything and almost went broke. Mid 2018 had close to $10k. Main reason is all coins went down and diversified into too many shitcoins. Put that entire $10k into a legendary ICO called Bzrx. + +Forgot about crypto and logged off for 2 years. They are such a shitty team that they didn't even list their coin for 2 years. I thought at some point I would just sell it for break even but never went through it. Then, during July last year, these guys finally traded on market. + +They started at 20 cents. ICO price was 4 cents. So, was super happy and held onto it. Then at peak it was worth almost $1.6 and I had almost $420k worth of shit. If I had converted them to BTC or ETHwhich I contemplated back then, I would have had more than a mil right now. I thought it was all good and the coin would go to $3 but then the rekt began. + +1. They fucked up their launch timelines by delaying it for 2 days. I gave them a chance. +2. They fucked up the launch and the product was very bad. I gave them a chance. +3. Binance launched futures for their coin which usually means only one thing. I still held on. +4. They got hacked again and lost almost $8M and recovered. This is when I gave up and sold everything at 25 cents. + +The scar from this will forever be with me. So many life lessons but ill just leave you with this. Things will be better than you could ever hope and the coins price can go higher than you ever think and could be worse than you could ever hope and might go to depth of the ocean as well. Just don't be greedy and take profits and don't be like me. +3 years ago, investing in bitcoin was a huge risk. Almost nobody knew about it. Nobody really knew if the technology can scale and if people will get it. Back then, it was totally plausible that bitcoin would be worthless anyday. I don't think we're there anymore. + +Since then, everything played better than anyone in bitcoin could ever dream. Millions of people are using it. Some of the biggest players in online payments are adopting it. Bitcoin startups rise tons of money and recruit employees from the biggest companies in the world. The most influential vc's in the world are talking about bitcoin all day. Quoting Fred Wilson - "Our 2004 fund was built during social. Our 2008 fund was built during social and the emergence of mobile. Our 2012 fund was built during the mobile downturn. And our 2014 fund will be built during the blockchain cycle. I am looking forward to it." + +The bitcoin market has always been manipulated. The news about China is being recycled again and again for over a month. The same type of people, those who buy during the upswings, freak out and sell in the down swings. You were manipulated when you bought in overpriced and you are being manipulated again selling low. Don't shit your pants. It's now the third or fourth time this is happening and I've seen the exact behaviour. + +I don't see how China maybe banning bitcoin changes anything long term. They fucking censor the internet. + +"Games are won by players who focus on the playing field – not by those whose eyes are glued to the scoreboard." + +Peace +Given that most people in El Salvador are bullish on Bitcoin, surely they would be reluctant to spend any of it in the fear that they are giving up a lot of value in the future? In other words, wouldn’t the use of Bitcoin as a national currency introduce problems we see with deflation? +I was just thinking that if someone just learned about Bitcoin and wanted to invest that the price of 44k (at the time of writing) for 1 BTC might deter some people from investing since they might think there's no way I'll ever own 1 BTC. But if the price was being presented and talked about in terms of Satoshis would a lot more people be willing to invest? Would we get more of the shitcoin investors willing to buy into bitcoin? I know the math is all the same, but the psychology of investing $100 and getting 0.0022727273 of something (btc) doesn't seem as appealing as investing $100 and getting 227,272.73 of something (sats) does. And I think a lot of people who invest in shitcoins like that they can own thousands or millions of something and hope the price rises. If people looked at the price of 1 sat (0.00044) would they be more or less willing to invest? Curious what people think about this? +I have been watching tasty trade's rising stars segments, I am surprised many of these stars started trading options because they saw the first video with Karen the super trader, who we now know is actually a super fraud. How many of you are inspired by Karen? +...He lost his SO due to FI. That thread was gilded and looked interesting, but I guess the mods or OP deleted it. Anyone have the link to that thread? I'm interested in reading the comments if they're still there. + +E: Here it is, credit to someone down below + +http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=cache:https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/comments/7qough/i_lost_the_love_of_my_life_because_of_fi_dont_be/ +I will often see success stories here about people who have accumulated immense wealth at later stages in their life and are kind enough to share their stories. Here are a few of the advice you gave me, and how they have made a positive impact on MY life. + + + +Advice given: one of your hobbies should make you money + +How it was used: Tutoring 4 hrs a week gives me great joy, and covers all of my groceries and then some. At these early stages in life, this gave me a huge head start on savings (about 120CAD/week). It honestly feels too good to be true. + + +Advice given: Live in a place you can afford, there is no shame in roommates. + +How it was used: I bought a very cheap triplex at 22, and then a duplex at 24 closer to the city that I could live in. I live in the downstairs with 2 roommates, and now effectively live rent free. More savings. I am looking at triplexes next week so I can purchase ANOTHER property owner occupied, and live in my own small flat rent free (flat value 700/m, far cry from my 1500/m rented condo). + + +Advice given: (from a PM) "Cash out some of your risky investments and pay off your fucking car loan you barn animal" + +how it was used: No car payment, less stress, more savings. I find i am not checking my phone constantly for most recent market prices, and my car just feels better knowing it is not bleeding me monthly at almost 6% interest rate. + + +Advice given: sometimes, you get work benefits just by asking + +How it was used: Asked my work to send me to PMP training. They delivered and I write the exam in a month. Once I get this designation, it should help my career in the long run. + + +Advice given: Max out TFSA, Max out TFSA. Max out TFSA + +How it was used: well...maxed out TFSA, and after you do it the first time its not hard at all. TFSA contribution is limited to 5500/yr, which I can almost cover with tutoring alone. + + +Anyway, I have been floored recently, as more and more of my bills approach zero and I have been living well below my means. My rent is zero, my car payment is zero, no loan payments, contribute max out rrsp and then have over 3k take home pay (about 2k leftover to invest after bills and TFSA...and really know where tf to put it tbh). + +Thank you for sharing your stories, and teaching your lessons. You've changed my entire way of thinking and I am well on my way. +It’s personal savings rate and its ability to prop up consumer demand. Look at the chart in https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PSAVERT, you will see that the savings rate is dangerously low from 04-08. Then the bubble popped and nobody is able to spend anymore. + +Now looking at what we have now - the savings rate is coming back down from a historically high level but we are still at 6%. This is what the fed referred to as ‘strong household balance sheet’. people still have plenty of money to spare, at least as of now. + +So if the fed is not too aggressive after reaching neutral (2%) the savings rate would come down to 4%-5% level for a while, the consumer demand will cool down. If this is the case, we will likely see few quarters of neutral-to-negative GDP growth (so technically a slowdown rather than a full-blown recession, like we have seen in 08, that made millions out of jobs) but no plummeting of GDP, again, because people now have money to spare. +This is the bitcoin address used to vote on bitcoin.com - https://vote.bitcoin.com/addresses/16cou7Ht6WjTzuFyDBnht9hmvXytg6XdVT + +The address on block explorer https://blockchain.info/address/16cou7Ht6WjTzuFyDBnht9hmvXytg6XdVT + +Sent 25k btc to this address : https://blockchain.info/address/14KsG6hxkM3cGGC4DvyEdf8uytoE7x9WRQ (bitfinex personal deposit address?) + +Then moved to bitfinex cold wallet address 3D2oetdNuZUqQHPJmcMDDHYoqkyNVsFk9r + +Bitfinex cold wallet address https://bitinfocharts.com/top-100-richest-bitcoin-addresses.html + + +Original tweet: https://twitter.com/windsok/status/929626408753627136 +If you can type, read/write, and do basic math, you are capable of getting a job in accounts payable and accounts receivable. + +Payable is money going out (your company gets the bill, you make sure it’s accurate, then you pay it) + +Receivable is money coming in (your company creates a bill, you make sure any discounts are applied properly, then you make sure the bill has been paid in full) + +I highly recommend [the accounting game lemonade stand](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/420846.Accounting_Game) book. It’s the easiest way to learn credits/debits and the other jargon needed. +What’s up fellow scallywag’s, it’s ya boy Swaggy with an update on some unusual options activity caught at the end of last week. Earnings SZN is upon us and the time is now to bring forth our genius into the markets. I’ll go through some of the volume I caught as well as unusual activity. + +If you want to check out the option tool for yourself, go to [SwaggyStocks Option Flow](https://www.swaggystocks.com/dashboard/stocklabs/option-flow) + +&#x200B; + +**AMD – Advanced Micro Devices** + +AMD caught some momentum Thursday as the stock surged nearly 8%. Big-time call flow came through expecting the stock to be trading at about $60 by mid August. There’s been an uptick in the semi’s as whole (NVDA, MU, INTC) as they are forecasting solid earnings throughout the pandemic as the world goes deeper into the digital rabbit-hole. + +https://preview.redd.it/waa6l9l0eia51.png?width=2954&format=png&auto=webp&s=4c91c65e472b0cbedb5ea16ec1364461f0253788 + +**DKNG – DraftKings** + +Draftkings stock price has taken a beating over the last couple weeks after reaching all-time-highs earlier in the month. I caught some call buying in August expiration as well as some leaps 2021 leaps. The stock is at short-term lows, looks like the players are expecting a bounce and the DraftKings brand to develop into one of the strongest in the SportsGambling sector. + +https://preview.redd.it/p6lfh0a4eia51.png?width=2820&format=png&auto=webp&s=8f7fa4b5fd9ceba04c86e6058347745f80fb3f8e + +**KO – Coca Cola** + +Big call buying in Coca Cola (KO) on Friday. 3,700 (900 OI) call contracts for July expiration and a premium paid of $550k. Another trade was in September contracts at the $47 strike price, 7.5k contract for a premium of just under $1 million. Pretty high volume for KO which typically doesn’t have a lot of option flow. Pepsi Co is reporting earnings tomorrow, looks like this could be a proxy play on Pepsi where KO tries to ride some of the momentum. + +https://preview.redd.it/gbbuv0c6eia51.png?width=2600&format=png&auto=webp&s=060882c26d52ab5fa1299180734ee53eaf836135 + +**INTC – Intel Corporation** + +I caught some interesting activity in INTC on Friday. This play is expecting INTC to report strong and have a good showing into the fall. Here are the two plays I caught. A player purchased a long CALL option at $60 strike and sold the CALL at the $65 strike price, essentially opening a bull debit spread. They then sold PUTS at the $52.5 strike (currently 10% OTM) for a credit of $1.3 million. The exact same play was recognized with another 10k contracts at the same strikes and expiration (October 2020). It’s possible this was all one player, or possible two firms mimicking the first play as the strikes/expiration/volume are all very similar. The players are betting that the stock will stay ABOVE $62 by October, but if the stock price stays anywhere above $52.50-$60 range their losses are limited. + +https://preview.redd.it/hoylbk3heia51.png?width=2736&format=png&auto=webp&s=0f226af023a53ddf266b16f5dcc3ab3c3d7a38f0 + +**The Banks (JPM, BAC, C)** + +Didn’t spot anything quite unusual with the banks, other than heavy volume going to earnings (I believe all are reporting Tues-Thurs this week). Looks like most of the volume was predominately bullish sentiment, however, in reality it is quite balanced on both sides. The banks have been getting absolutely hammered throughout the Pandemic and haven’t seen much recovery. This is mainly due to new fiscal policies being introduced that look like they are here to stay. Have the banks bottomed? We’ll find out this week. + +https://preview.redd.it/1ykbro4jeia51.jpg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=69dca10f7af71ff807544c27f16675fbf4311ea2 +If you think the crisis is over because of one green day, have I got some bad news for you. Nothing is over, this is just getting started. [According to the Imperial College model](https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf), we are in a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation: either we enforce wide-scale lockdowns, flatten the curve, and bring down the infection rate, which would have large economic repercussions, or we don't, in which case tons of people die. What the Imperial College researchers failed to take into consideration is that America is full of retards. + +[Take a look at this DD](https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/fo9cks/did_a_little_dd_on_new_york/) that a brave WSBer from Brooklyn risked his life to bring us. Despite being the epicenter of the US outbreak and probably on track to become the next Wuhan, New Yorkers are still not taking the virus seriously and are congregating in large numbers in parks and beaches. Lockdowns only work if people take them seriously, all it took was one crazy bitch in South Korea who disobeyed doctor's orders to infect 9,000 people. + +Extrapolate what's going on in New York to the rest of the country and we can forecast what will happen in the next month or so. One by one, cities across the US will initiate lockdowns as cases spread. While many people will take stay at home orders seriously, just as many won't, and beer flu will fail to be suppressed. We will suffer the economic consequences of widespread lockdowns AND the healthcare consequences of a huge influx of corona cases at once. In other words, both of the disastrous scenarios outlined in the Imperial College research report will happen to us. The US gets double fucked. + +The cherry on top is that [Donnie is already getting impatient](https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-03-23/the-war-against-coronavirus-becomes-a-battle-for-trumps-ear) with the lockdowns and we're barely a week into them. To put that into perspective, Wuhan had to be locked down for two months to stop the virus, and that's with the CCP welding people into their apartments. All evidence indicates that Donnie is a minute man and does not have the stamina to push this through long enough to suppress the virus, that even if he did, the collective retardedness of Americans will still fuck us, and that Bill Ackman will probably have another meltdown on CNBC in a few weeks when all this becomes apparent. +Warren Buffett’s annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders + +[https://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/files/2020/02/22/2019ltr.pdf](https://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/files/2020/02/22/2019ltr.pdf) + +`Charlie and I urge you to focus on operating earnings – which were little changed in 2019 – and to ignoreboth quarterly and annual gains or losses from investments, whether these are realized or unrealized.` + +My assumption + +* operating earnings = EBIT +* quarterly gains/losses = Net income/profit + +Why is EBIT a better metric than Net Income for valuating companies? +I’m on a salary and I feel like I’m in such a rush to buy all the cryptos I believe in before I “miss” them. + +Can anyone relate? + +Someone give me some advice to calm down the urge to buy them. + +I just need to implement into my mind the fact that all the good coins slowly but surely rise and investing anything is better than nothing. + +Edit: + +Thanks for all the replies. Hope this helped some others too. + +I’ve been diagnosed as having FOMO. Thanks guys. +I was looking at the Stellar project and it seems very similar to Ripple except for the following: +- Stellar is decentralized +- Open source +- Non profit (Ripple being for profit) + +Apparently one of the original founders of Ripple was fired and started Stellar as a result and now receives a percentage of Ripple earnings which helps fund Stellar. + + +What are your opinions on Stellar? +I don’t know if it’s the alcohol, but damm guys. This fucking moment… we are changing history, we are fucking the status quo, we are fucking helping one another and being the best we could be… thru the bullshit, thru the FUD, thru the fucking shills all in this place trying to fuck shit up… we are fucking holding strong, balls of fucking diamonds… I’m proud to be standing next to you all… let’s fucking change the world, let’s fuck some hedgies, let’s make history. I’m holding till every fucking hedgefund is behind bars, I’m fucking buying and holding and DRS’ing. See you on the moon + + +Edit 6/8: I think I passed out, but I ran out of karma points. I will probably do this again when I get more! not even sure how I got them. +Like Brave New World, economic activity in China always struck me as a little bit circular -- aggressive local government growth targets, aggressive subsidies in strategic industries, extensive regulatory bureaucracy, and of course, ghost cities. Economic progress always seems paired with meaningful negative externalities, whether it be soaring home prices or poor air quality. Where in all this frenzy of activity would we see real productivity and GDP growth? + +[In an incredible paper from Merics China Monitor](https://www.merics.org/sites/default/files/2018-05/191017_merics_ChinaMonitor_42.pdf), UCSD professor Victor Shih shows that the Chinese economy does not come remotely close to earning its cost of capital: interest is actually growing faster than GDP, by a LOT. +[Charts](http://theyieldblog.com/china_2) + +Marginal growth in the Chinese economy could actually be considered a Ponzi scheme: interest service on credit was 17trn RMB in 2017 while incremental nominal GDP was only 7trn RMB: for every $2.50 lent out, we saw $1 of GDP growth. That's not economic profit, that's just revenue: it's completely possible that with a growth of $1 of revenue per $2.50 of credit, that the Chinese economy is engaging in negative return activity at this point. +[Charts](http://theyieldblog.com/china_2) + +A large portion of incremental interest growth seems to be getting rolled over: total credit grew by 52trn RMB, growing at 34% YoY despite only a 6% GDP growth rate. If Shih's estimate is correct, 52trn RMB is colossal. That's equivalent to $7.5trn USD, or roughly 35% of US GDP, in new credit being issued. +[Charts](http://theyieldblog.com/china_2) + +This effectively makes the Chinese economy a Ponzi scheme that lights money on fire: State-owned enterprises owe loans that can never get repaid, and State-owned banks continually amend and extend non-performing loans (NPLs). Since there never comes a "judgment day" where a self-interested third-party demands repayment, the entire cycle of borrowing at high rates and investing at a low return continues indefinitely. This inability of banks to recognize nonperforming loans is what most gives China its Brave New World quality: with muted market signals it's impossible to tell if you're building a bridge to nowhere. The Chinese government is paying people with its own paper, and recording debts, which are also denominated in its own paper. +[Charts](http://theyieldblog.com/china_2) + +Above, total credit has grown 33.8%, from 295% of Chinese GDP to 329% of GDP. +I know this question may have some “obvious” answers, but there’s also people who can separate their behaviours from their trading. But does it ever get to a point where they it actually does get to them, and their personal sabotaging behaviours transfers over into their trading? + +Also yes my risk management was shit, and yes I should’ve just controlled myself but moving on.. +I took trading seriously in nov 20 and it actually got to the point where I started making a decent amount from it. I know it hasn’t been a while... but still. Then my personal life started falling apart, and I started hating myself, thinking I’m some kind of failure. I started having these thoughts about sabotaging my trading and even having dreams about it. I increased my lot size and knew it was going to blow up my account. Things in my life began to become worse and today my account finally blew up. It was almost like I waited for it to happen. I was slightly shocked but not really. Sorry, I just really needed to rant. + +But my real question here is how I prevent this in the future? + +It does hurt because I did put a substantial amount of savings, doubled it then lost it lol. Oh god, nvm it hurts like hell. + +Anyway, I really hope you guys don’t judge me for this. +I have been studying forex for about 4 months now. My friend and I meet up regularly Sunday-Thursday and spend about 2 hours studying the charts when the London market opens. We have read books, watched countless videos, and we both feel confident about our rate of improvement with our technical analysis ability. We are both trading on small accounts (about $100), and only enter positions on 1-2 micro lots, as we are just experimenting and using this money to play around with. We have focused on percentages on our profits instead of dollar amounts, and we have been averaging about 4%/week. We feel ready to take it to the next level, however, I have heard a lot skepticism and negativity regarding the realistic expectation of making significant profit. I recently learned that where I live, they tax traders' profits $0.35/$1.00! We both have quite a bit saved up and have comfortable income--both single with plenty of spending money. + +Back to my question: before we deposit a portion of our savings into our accounts and start investing more time and money, we would like to hear more testimonials. Any one make worthwhile profit? +Hey all, I’m looking to dive into trading. I don’t know much about it, I have a full time job but still have enough time on my hands to spend atleast a few hours a day trading. I don’t expect to become a millionaire over night and know it takes time but I want to know where to start. Should I self teach myself online? Pay and take someone’s course? Hoping someone can guide me on the first steps to take, which platform to join, discords to join etc. +Thank you all in advance. +I have tried looking at support and resistance but many times it just ends up being a break out or fake out that stops me. Other times when I do well the stop is so big it cuts into what I could be making by lowering the position size. Anyone here have sniper precision on setting stop losses? +I've read that geopolitical news can effect currencies but when I look at the geopolitical tab in the news site there's a lot of events going on but they don't have any effect on the relating currencies . I want to have the ability to differentiate between the news that has an effect and the others that don't. +Newbie here - the more chart time and experience you gain do you get that confidence to go into a trade with almost 100% confidence. I’m at that stage where I’m nervous to enter (not because of losing money I’m trading 0.01 lots) but just because of losing in general. I know it’s a normal part of learning but do any of you more experienced traders have any tips to minimize that fear of failure? Maybe some books, articles or videos that can help? Thanks ! +Hi everyone, + +I want to build a trading plan. Can someone help me what a good trading plan consist and what it would look like. Want to take this seriously and do everything proper with a trading play to eliminate my emotions in a trade. Also what do you guys normally do to record your trades? +It would be interesting to har what goals people have. + +From a long term perspective, what yearly ROI are you realistically aiming for? Would you be satisfied with 20%? 50%? Or 200% What type of trader you are (swing, daytrading or scalping) would also be relevant. +Hi folks I have shared a video link which was liked by so many people here. A person commented on it and told me that it is a scam, the person who made this strategy video also has some premium services on his website. I want to ask you is it really a Scam to provide free material and not forcing someone in that video to buy his premium services. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=517LKArpYIg +You guys decide if it is a scam or not becuase I am sharing these stuff with you guys which I really like my self that's Why I am sharing it other wise I have my own video lectures as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksYpVK4dsg8 Remember friends I am uploading these links for the sake of providing quality information to you guys. +Why 80% of the people have negative reviews about Martingale strategy? I think if played with proper money management it can run strong. +What u guys think? +I disappointed of elliott wave i think it made me confused and it is a waste, I want to share some information with who is profitable by elliott wave theory +So I'd like to get into AutoTrading and just writing my own bot or whatever it's called (EA?). This is non-serious, so I'm just looking to experiment with, say, $200. I was wondering where I should start, as in: + +\- do I have to join one of those large organisations or can I be independent + +\- what program do I need to use + +\- what languages are supported + +\- how real time are "real time" data. Like if I sell, when the rate is good, will it take 20s to process that sale, which then means that the rate will have changed? +I am up an insane grand total of (Drum Roll)..... + + + +1%! + + +LOL. Yeah I made a lot of dumb mistakes this past first month. And I ended up learning some valuable lessons the hard way. I had three great trades but a lot of bad ones and with that said I pretty much broke even with real money. I got emotional and made some pretty stupid trades. Then I stepped back and tweaked my plan and was able to self correct. All in all I am much more confident and know that I will be a successful trader. The bottom line is that I learned things that I could never have learned had it been a demo account. I know it sounds weird but it is true. I am having a great time and really enjoy trading. Thanks for all the support everyone! +I can backtest and have a high win rate. I can visualize what is going on in the market clearly, but i doubt myself often when it comes down to actually making an entry and whenever i do enter, what usually happens is i see 0-10 pips of profit, hold on to it, it crashes down to -30pips or so, i keep holding, then when its at like -50 pips is when i say this is too much and i close the position. happens nearly every time. its like every time i try to hop on a trend, a trend change occurs. but i do think it has to do with my mental more than anything and the ability to not think clearly when i should be. any tips? +I think I have developed a strategy that has a 90% win rate with a TP at 5 pips. There's usually 4-8 set ups a day in the London session. + +I am currently working on developing filters to eliminate the 10% losses, and there's progress, as the 10% can in hindsight be quantified, and put into trading criteria in order to avoid them. However at the cost of finding a few less set ups. (Not too many tho) + +Also an unorthodox R;R is in use, in fact it is manually managed with an emergency SL set at 20 pips. This is only in case of internet connection troubles, unpredicted market spikes, etc. But usually trade is closed at 10-15 risk pip, but its extremely discretionary, based on my own intuition and market condition. + +To some it may seem as gambling or just horrible money management, make 5 pips for 10-15 pips risked, but the success rate makes up for the poor R:R. + +after a lot of back testing, I started trying the strategy out yesterday for fun, and I have taken 11 successful trades out of 11 total. Currently totaling 57 pips net profit and it's only the second day of the week. At this stage of testing the strategy I'm trading at $5 a pip. But if I see consistency I will be excited to increase lot size! + +The strategy seems to work from 02:00 AM EST to 1 PM EST without problem. I haven't stayed up that long tho to try it out. + +Unfortunately I don't see any way this strategy can be programmed into an EA. + +As I went live with this strategy I have moved it from Alpha stage to Beta stage. + +To clarify, the strategy has shown 90% success rate while back tested in Forex Tester over an extended period of time. + +And seems to work just as well, if not even better in live market (yeah FX tester has some weird movements, hard to verify with fundamentals) + +I'm not saying this is revolutionary, not even that it's good, perhaps some traders will shrug their shoulders even if the strategy works. + +But I am curious, does anyone else have a strategy with similar results? +Right now the demo account i am using is 50:1 leverage. My account balance is $10,000. Every trade, I determine my stop loss and position my lot size to reflect 1% of my account in that stop loss. So if The trade moves against me I lose $100 and if it moves in my favor I gain $100. + +If the account was trading under these same circumstances but only had 1:1 leverage… would the profits and losses be the same? (1% = $100) ? + +I’m not getting what leverage actually does, I know it is loaned money but do you really need it to be profitable? Would 1:1 provide you with the same profit result using the above risk management strategy? +This is a silly question, sorry for asking. I see a lot of posts telling people to backtest their strategy. I myself backtest on higher timeframes, but always forget to follow through. But that’s me. Back to the question. + +Why aren’t backtested more readily available? I mean even rsi but sell at different levels combined with MACD sounds like it would be easy to publish backtest results. Millions of combinations that could be done on one pair. + +If someone can instruct me how to, I’ll do it and post the results. +Hello. I read the rules and I think that my post is valid but if it's not do not hesitate to take it down. + +So I've been trying to pass my ftmo challenge for two months without succeding, and I came across an ad of a service that passes your challenge and manages your account. It just sounds to good to be true, I was hoping you guys could give me some insight. If this post does not belong here I would be grateful if you could refer a subreddit where my question could be answered. +So I'm making this post for people that are in search for some much needed clarification regarding the recent changes that were listed in the email we all received on Friday. After waiting endless hours for customer support numerous times here's what I've gathered: + +There are only 12 countries that ARE affected by this new change and thus are forced to migrate in order to continue using their service. + +Here's the list: + +Russia + +Saudi Arabia + +India + +France + +Turkey + +Israel + +Kazakhstan + +Andorra + +Serbia + +Albania + +Mozambique + +Moldova + +So concerning anyone who does NOT reside in the countries listed above, your account will NOT experience ANY of changes, and everything will remain as normal (I must stress that remains for the meantime, at this point it is SUBJECT TO CHANGE). + +That includes staying regulated under the ASIC as well as keeping your leverage open up to 1:500. + +If you have received the email regarding the changes (I assume everyone has, even the Aussie users?) Customer support has told me that you must fill out the form attached to the link at the bottom of the email ("Do not migrate me" button) in order for your account to remain as is, and not partake in the migration. Hopefully this sheds some light into the fuckery that has ensued and offers some relief to those that are unaffected. + +On a side note: Their live chat customer service is complete fucking trash (and that's being generous). +Brand new to forex, after messing around with stocks and ETFs for a year on robinhood. + +In trying to learn about this strange new world, seemingly every article warns me that trading forex is the fastest route to poverty, that I'll lose every dime I have and that I'm better off buying lottery tickets, UNLESS I have a risk management plan. + +That's all good and well, but it seems hard to find suggestions on how to actually manage my risk. So far what I have found is either unconvincing, or I just flat don't understand what is being explained. So I've landed here. + +Reading the Forex FAQ, in this sub, the advice is to use a very small amount of capital when starting off, and practice live trading from there. If then recommends a formula to use in order to calculate risk, which seems like quite a bit of running calculations for every single trade that I make. Is it really the case that every Forex Trader that manages risk runs a series of calculations for each and every trade in order to figure out pip value and leverage amount, such matter and what have you? + +Second problem, before even getting to the risk management section of this Subs FAQ, I'm told to read The Beginner's Guide on baby Pips. Babypips says that when you first start off trading you should not start small because then you will never be able to weather times of drawdown. They recommend something like an initial deposit of $20,000 or 50,000, and saying that if you don't have that much then build up your savings and come back the Forex when you have that to drop into the market. Are you kidding me? + + +My original plan before reading either of those guides was to deposit $300 and use something like a 10 to 1 or 20 to 1 Leverage. + +The part that I'm hung up on which really baffles me and I need some help understanding is everywhere seems to say that I should only risk one or 2% of my account. I don't really understand what that means. + +My trading app, OandA allows me to set default trade settings. One of them is trade size, which I can select an option "%Lev NAV" +In all of my general Trading I have kept this number at 100, assuming that it is simply using 100% of my account for each trade. + +I am also using a system in order to Define very specific entry points with a one-to-one risk reward ratio, setting a stop loss and take profit Target, usually between 9 and 60 Pips in size, depending on the instrument. Thus far, each trade that I have won usually amounts to a 3 to 8% change in the demo account value, which seems comprable to what I was experiencing with stocks and ETFs back on Robinhood. For the last 4 trades I've made, I'm up 15%. + + +Do I need to adjust this % Lev NAV down to 1% instead of 100? Or do I really need to download a pip value calculator app and make a determination after solving some arithmetic? I just can't seem to figure this out, and different sources use the same words interchangeably yet differently. When risking 1% of my account, does that include leverage, or not, in the trade? And if the most anyone recommends to risk in a trade is 1-2% then why use leverage at all? Won't the returns on 1% be so small as to be negligible? I don't seem to understand how it could possibly be Worth while to spend all that time trading... 1℅ of $300 is three bucks. As I understand it, that would allow me to buy 2 units of the EUR/USD... there's no way that could be right, right? + + +Thanks for your patience and for reading this whole, chapter-length, question of a post. + +I look forward to some clarity. I don't know how to switch to live trading, and the demo account does nothing to simulate leverage. +I have been studying forex for about 4 months now. My friend and I meet up regularly Sunday-Thursday and spend about 2 hours studying the charts when the London market opens. We have read books, watched countless videos, and we both feel confident about our rate of improvement with our technical analysis ability. We are both trading on small accounts (about $100), and only enter positions on 1-2 micro lots, as we are just experimenting and using this money to play around with. We have focused on percentages on our profits instead of dollar amounts, and we have been averaging about 4%/week. We feel ready to take it to the next level, however, I have heard a lot skepticism and negativity regarding the realistic expectation of making significant profit. I recently learned that where I live, they tax traders' profits $0.35/$1.00! We both have quite a bit saved up and have comfortable income--both single with plenty of spending money. + +Back to my question: before we deposit a portion of our savings into our accounts and start investing more time and money, we would like to hear more testimonials. Any one make worthwhile profit? +This tax will impose a .5% tax on all stock trades, .1% tax on bond trades, and 0.005% tax on derivatives. + +My question is, will this impact forex trading?? + +Obviously for day traders in the stock market, this will hurt big time. I’m not able to find any info anywhere on whether or not this will impact forex/currency trading. + + +https://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/2018/54823 + + +https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.marketwatch.com/amp/story/guid/D445E464-1824-478B-8D43-7F36BD9367F8 +Would there be any interest in a Skype/whatsapp group to discuss strategies, short term price movements or other things 'too small' to create a thread about. Plus for people to talk to in long days of trading? +For those of you that trade for a living, what do you tell people when they ask what you do? I don't know anyone who does anything even remotely close to this and so even if I was to tell someone "I trade for a living" it turns into more of an explanation than I want to give. I trade currencies with FTMO right now. No one knows what a prop firm is and the only experience anyone I know has with financial markets is their set and forget 401k. + +Just seeing what you guys say when someone asks what you do. I'm not exactly a social butterfly so I'm trying to formulate my one sentence to tell people I trade currencies for a prop firm so they'll say "oh cool" or something. +I had a question that might be easy to answer or might not be. I'll use EUR/USD as the example. Alright so theres a lot of news going around that the market crash is coming and that start preparing for it. We don't know when it will happen but I think that we are reaching that climax point but i don't know when or where its going to happen. Anyways I want to see how does the crash effect the Forex market. Seeing that many other economies are affected by the US market how will the prices differences happen. For example lets say that EUR/USD is at 1.1850 right. And then the USD drastically drops. Would the EUR follow but, still stay above the USD all the way? Or will the EUR stay where it is and create a huge gap between the two? +i am curious if anyone has an opinion about wether to trade the forex or the futures market? + +i have recently on a number of occasions heard from other forex traders that they prefer the futures market. that the price action should be more clean has been the argument. still i assume that most traders in this sub trade the forex market...? + +two links below presenting pros and cons of the two markets. both have a bias though and try to sell one over the other. + +pro forex: http://www.babypips.com/school/preschool/why-trade-forex/forex-vs-futures.html + +pro futures: http://apexfutures.com/trading-tools/education/advantage-of-trading-futures/ + +i am too much of a beginner to give a final assessment but the articles definitely contradict each other. both claim that one market over provides better liquidity and reduced costs. + +i am curious to learn more so would be happy to hear about your thoughts and experience on the futures market. myself i am a beginner trader on demo in forex market. +So most of the times i can predict the right direction of the pair, either buy or sell, but most of the times the pair hits my SL before going in the direction i predicted. Should i just increase my SL, dont even use a SL, or maybe get into the trade a bit later and miss some pips? + +Thanks for you help!! And im a beginner btw +I only trade nzd/usd and nzd/jpy, I get a decent P/L on both pairs but sometimes I close trades early due to emotion and later check to see I would’ve hit take profit, any suggestions? +My question is, when is the best time to execute the trade? Do I wait until that pair trading hours are open and most volatile or execute as soon as I see the set up? I'm asking this because I notice I might execute a trade before that pair volatile hours and my SL is hit by the time that pair volatile hours. +Hey, I've been practicing with demo accounts for a little over a year. + +The only thing I've had to anything like prior experience is being an avid chess and poker player, and the only skills I can think of that cross over are having patience, and being able to remain calm and make decisions when things appear to be going wrong. Aside from that, I know nothing about trading other than what I've read and tried learning. + +Almost every demo account I've opened, I've been able to grow to x4, x5 times the initial starting figure with a relatively short time period. + +I set my most recent demo account up, which had a starting demo figure of £20,000 - and it's now sitting at £113K, barely 6 weeks later. + +Is there something I'm blatantly missing here, it seems like it's too good to be true. + +Would £2,000 be enough to invest in my first account? + +Thanks, and sorry for the noob question. +First off I am trading micro lots in a very small account which I setup for the use of learning forex. + +So I have made all the rookie mistakes I’m sure but losing real money even if it’s $10 hurts enough to make the incentive to win and learn there for me. + +I now have a rudimentary system, although I started out trading mostly on guesses. + +I now put T/P and S/L on all my trades. Got a nice profit overnight from a well placed T/P. My only open trade right now has a locked in profit. + +I now feel confident that if I wait for the setup I want my trades will more likely than not be successful. + +I am sure this is just a feeling of blind ignorance. So in reality how many more times will I “think I get it” when I probably still don’t? + +Good luck to you traders, I am trying to put in my dues to learn. Thanks! +I'm still new to this whole world, only discovered it a couple days ago. Been repeatedly reading the top posts, forums/wiki... Think theres a lot of potential here. I realize this is definitely a dumb question, but before I dive deeper, I'm just curious to know. EX: In equities, you can say with relative certainty over a period of time a blue chip stock will give you positive returns. Is there any scenario with a similar outcome in the forex? +I've been learning and posting a bit lately and appreciate everyone's replies and help and direction. + +Now I want to get deeper. + +Where does everyone go to find information that helps them decide on a trade? + +Secondary question: How do you guys deal with sitting in red for so long without freaking out? +I just wonder as I’m just now getting into the foreign exchange market what does money do over the weekend does it move Up, Down, Sporadically? And if the markets were still open what would we influence ? Hypothetically…. +Hello, so I purchased a used car. Original price was $4700, but during price negotiation I was able to lower it down to $4500, so total price with all fees and title transfer would be $4950. I have a bill of sale that states that total price with everything is 4950, signed by me and a dealer. I paid with cash. After a couple of days I received plates and sticker with title application receipt. In this receipt I see sales price of the car $2800 (with $175 paid for sales taxes). What is better to do for me now? It really seems to me that dealer somehow lowered the sales price of the car to win like 100 bucks for himself. What should I do? + +UPD: Thank you for all your comments. I see a lot of discussion here, so I would like to add some information. I bought this car in Texas. I am not sure if this state charges taxes based on book value or just looks at sale value. The car also has rebuilt title (checked it with friend-mechanic, condition is good), so I am not sure if you can apply book value for rebuilt car. The only one fee that comes from dealer is documentary fee for 50 bucks (state maximum). I did not trade-in any car. + +So reading comments below, by now my plan is: + +1) Call dealer, point to the mistake and ask for explanation. I dealer does not give me a meaningful explanation or ignores me I'll + +2) Report to IRS and DMV + +~~3) Extort shit out of the dealer. I want these sweet $1600~~ + +I'll call the dealer tomorrow and try to keep this post updated. +Property just seems to be going higher and higher. Yet based on threads here, there are numerous amounts of people still turning up to each house that goes up for sale with the price going for higher than the original asking price. + +There's no such thing as magic money, it has to be coming from somewhere. How little are people paying in deposits? With interest rates so low, people can afford to pay I suppose but they would still have to pay LMI if they have lower than 20% for a deposit. What happens if interest rates go up? Are we looking at a major crisis with lots of people unable to make the paybacks? + + +Edit: I should also say that I don't have much knowledge about any of this and it's just all imo. But I would love to see the responses of knowledgeable people. +Hi there, for the last 5 years I have worked at DHL as a debrief agent. Basically when drivers return back to the depot they report to me and bring me all their return freight. Some customers will have the driver come collect freight off them they want to ship along with their payment; 99% of the time they pay by credit card but on the rare occasion they pay by cash. The couriers will bring me back the customer information on an air way bill or on the occasion they pay by cash they bring me the cash which I then put in a cash box at my desk which I then lock and the accounting lady retrieves the next morning. + +&#x200B; + +So I was on a PIP (performance plan) for a previous incident which expired at the end of February, I managed to not get in trouble in this period and it expired. Last week I was told the accounting lady went to open the cash box in the morning but I had forgot to lock it, and it had actual cash in it. I would like to say I definitely locked it and I know I do each day but lately I have been having anxiety and trouble focusing which I feel could be adult ADHD in which I have been on a waiting list for months with a psych now and finally see them next week. The problem is I cannot defend myself because locking that box is such automatic behavior and with my terrible memory I feel so sure I locked it but I just don't trust myself, I am the sort of person that leaves my car lights on and drains the battery more than I'd like to admit. I suspect higher ups at work have wanted me gone for a while as when I was off for a week, the guy that replaced me told me the boss approached him and said he wishes he had someone more like him in the position. When I returned to work my supervisor sat down with me and told me to watch how my replacement works and take hints from him. + +&#x200B; + +The key incident happened on the 31st of March, I was told the next day by my supervisor it was open and there has been multiple meetings about it. Last Tuesday they finally came to their conclusion which is they will let my resign voluntary in which case I will get paid out around $13,000 (1 week of pay for each year served, annual leave and 4 weeks notice pay), or, I can stay working on a final final warning where I have to have 100% accuracy and if I don't I get a chance to explain myself and if it's not satisfactory they will terminate my employment, on termination I'd get the annual leave and 4 weeks notice pay which would be around $8000 gross. The voluntary resignation would mean I part terms with the company on "good" terms, but they were pushing it on me quite hard which makes me question if it's in my best interest. + +&#x200B; + +I guess my question is why didn't they just fire me and do I really have a choice here? I feel with 100% accuracy they'll just be waiting for my next screw up and with the added anxiety I will by dying at work. My boss approached me after the meeting and told me the job market is really good right now and I will most likely find another job very quick but I have no idea what the job market is like. After getting the payout I'd have around $30,000 in my account. In the past I have found it very hard to find employment with my mental issues (my social anxiety and depression is pretty bad) and I have no idea if I'd find work quick, my boss assured me with DHL on my resume for 5 years it will be very easy. +Say you owned a home in full, no mortgage. Then decided to not pay rates, power, water and all the home bills.. How long would it take for the government to kick you out of your own land ? +Hi folks. The title speaks for itself, really. + +My portfolio is currently 40% in VAS, VGS & ETHI and 60% in cash. This sub (and a few other sources that feed my confirmation bias) has put the fear of an impending Depression in me, so I'm seriously considering getting out of shares entirely for now. + +If I do this, what's the best option to protect the wealth that I have? Should I keep everything as cash in a HISA? Or buy into gold or bonds? Or a combination of the three, and in what ratio? + +Curious to hear your thoughts, though I understand that they don't constitute financial advice. :) + +P.S., If you want to downvote this post, for some reason, please do consider letting me know why. I'm always keen to learn when I'm going against community standards; I learn nothing from silent downvotes. + +*Edit:* + +*Thanks for the comments, folks. Some more info, I'm 34 with no debt, no dependents. I've been wanting to convert my VAS and VGS into ethical equivalents (VESG) for a while. If I sell everything, the question is whether I buy in again straight away or wait for the market to dip again (as people think it might); the above query is relevant in the latter case.* +Hi all, +Given the current climate is it realistic for a couple to buy an apartment and then move into a house years later, just to get into property? + +Thank you! +Here is my current situation (rounded numbers): + +2-unit house, with $2100/month mortgage/taxes/insurance + +Renting out one unit for $2100/month (under market rent) + Renting out one room for $700 (and split utilities) in unit I live in (also under market rent), so total $2.8k/month in rental income. + +My 9-5 regular job ~100k, my girlfriend ~50k. She currently pays ~850/month for her apartment sharing with her girl friend (in pretty bad shape place since it has not been renovated in a long time compared to mine). + +I would need to get rid off my roommate with $700/month rent for my girlfriend to move in. + +What do you think is fair share she should be contributing? + +----------------------------------------- Update 2 ------------------------------------------ + +1. I live in a state which does not recognize common law status. Thanks for bringing this up though in case it would help someone else. + +2. We've been together under 10 months. + +--------------------------------------------UPDATE 1------------------------------------------------------------- + +Wow, I was not expecting so many replies! Thank you everyone. Few points/responses to common comments below: + +1. Idea of her paying for any repairs in the house has not even crossed my mind. I would be responsible for it all as I'm now 100%. +2. I will have a rental contract in place with her, month to month, as I have now with current tenant/roommate. +3. Market rate for room is $900, hence I mentioned current rent is under market as is. +4. Current roommate cannot stay because 1. She would take over the room (We are fairly introverted so we need our own spaces) 2. We need privacy, 3. Three people would be too much +5. Folks who mention that I'm breaking even so I should not charge her are incorrect-- taxes & water cost alone take a cut. Upcoming and ongoing outside repairs/renovations are needed as well. Hence having current roommate. +### UNITED STATES + +* **Futures** are pointing to a positive opening this morning amid progress on US-China trade talks  +* **The Fed** will make a statement at 2pm likely increasing **rates** for the fourth time  +* **Elon Musk** unveiled his **Boring Co.** underground tunnel and allowed guests to take rides  + + * Another Musk project, **SpaceX**, is set to raise $500 million to help launch its internet-services business  +* Another day, another **data breach** and **violation of privacy** **from Facebook** has  + * 150 corporate partners enjoyed access to users information including private messages  +* A major **criminal justice reform** bill overwhelmingly passed in the Senate  + * It will **Allow** more inmates to serve time in house arrest instead of prison cells | **Require** prisoners be placed within 500 miles of family | **Reduce** the mandatory penalty from life to 25 years for a third conviction of certain drug offenses | **Give** judges more discretion in giving less than the mandatory minimum for certain low-level crimes. + +### OTHER + +* **Oil futures** tumbled 7% -- falling to their lowest level since July 2017 -- down 40% since their October high  +* **Copper** fell sharply out of its wedge pattern-- putting it on track for its worst year since 2015  +* **Gold** and **gold** **miners** have been flourishing  +* **Argentina** officially kicks off its fifth **recession** of the decade  +* **German business sentiment** continues to sour  +* **Canadian auto sales** are slowing and the **currency** is weakening  + * A revision to **Canadian household debt** revealed sharply higher levels over the past three years  + +### CHINA + +* 🤨 +**Amazon.com** is among 11 companies that will be questioned by European Union lawmakers next week about low-tax deals as the Internet retailing giant awaits a decision on its fiscal pact with Luxembourg from antitrust regulators. + +**Barclays**and **McDonald’s**. are also among companies that will appear at a meeting of the European Parliament’s special tax committee on Nov. 16. **Fiat Chrysler Automobiles**, which hasn’t responded to the committee’s invitation, and **Starbucks**, were told to repay tens of millions of euros in back taxes last month in the first decisions from EU antitrust regulators on fiscal deals that allowed companies to avoid taxes. The European Commission may issue a second set of decisions in cases involving **Apple** and **Amazon** before the end of the year. + +The Parliamentary probe, which is separate from the regulatory inquiry, was started after documents leaked by a group of investigative journalists showed that Luxembourg alone struck hundreds of secret fiscal deals known as tax rulings with companies from around the world, from **PepsiCo** Inc. to **Walt Disney**. **Amazon**, which has more than 1,000 people working in the tiny nation, said in in a U.S. filing its taxes could increase in case of a negative decision by the EU in its case. + +**Disney**, **Coca-Cola**, **Anheuser-Busch InBev NV**, also said they will send someone to the Nov. 16 meeting, as did **HSBC Holdings Plc**, **Ikea Group** and **Philip Morris International**. Out of 13 companies, only **Wal-Mart** Inc. declined to appear, the committee secretariat said. +Time to get in before the news becomes more public... not confirmed, however. This could be huge with MSFT getting into social media and an excellent acquisition. + +Edit: The news has been confirmed +I just want to remind everyone out there that you can purchase your shares automatically every 2 weeks through computershare. Personally I have it set so that a reasonable percentage of my income is used to buy shares every two weeks. It's enough that the shares will build up pretty well over time, but not enough that I will be negatively affected financially. My plan is to continue doing this for the foreseeable future no matter what happens. + + +I don't care if people debunk DRS theory, I don't care if people destroy superstonk or even move on to another one, and I certainly don't care if the media continue saying whatever the f*** that they want to say. + + + +I'm buying shares of this company because it's something I can do to object against the system that is designed to fuck us all over. This is my lifelong sacrifice and protest against these nasty short sellers who destroy companies for their own profit. + + + + +Buy, hold, DRS automatically!!! +Stocks that seemed resilient to the Covid-19 pandemic faced pressure Tuesday, as investors rallied around a potential coronavirus vaccine and reopening of the economy. + +Shares of Netflix, Shopify, Peloton and Zoom, all companies that once benefited from consumers sheltering in place across the country, closed lower Tuesday. The moves come despite a strong day for the broader markets, which have seen steep lows due to the pandemic. + +Netflix stock, which hit a 52-week high last week, closed down 3.4%. E-commerce platform Shopify, which supplies businesses with means to sell products online, dropped nearly 7% after reaching a 52-week high Tuesday. Shares of Peloton, a digital fitness company, dropped nearly 9%. Zoom, the videoconferencing software company that drew massive users, dropped more than 4%. + +The idea that society may be reopening sooner rather than later could mean that consumers will return to some of their old habits, spending less time at home. + +“The virus appears to be coming under control,” Bruce Bittles, chief investment strategist at Baird, wrote in a note to clients. “Lockdowns have been relaxed and we have not seen a resurgence in the virus.” + + +https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/26/stay-at-home-tech-stocks-fall-as-some-pandemic-lockdowns-end.html +I'm in this for the long run and I think this whole ecosystem is interesting; technologically, financially and economically wise. Sometimes I do thought experiments to visualize what the future might look like. To give an example, here are a few of my (sometimes bold) predictions: + +&#x200B; + +* 50% of the world population will own some form of cryptocurrency +* 90% of the countries in the world will have included cryptocurrency in their law system one way or another +* We will fully be in the 'early majority' adoption phase +* Bitcoin will be $300.000 +* Dogecoin will be $3 +* Ethereum will be #1 in total marketcap +* Privacy coins will be removed from (more) exchanges, but rise sharply in value +* 50% of Fortune 500 companies will accept cryptocurrency payments +I am a high school graduate from the east coast and my parents have sent me on a yearlong dedicated religious program located in California. I am strongly against the religion/beliefs. After attending the program for 3 weeks, the directors have asked me to leave. My parents were infuriated and do not want me home until the program's duration is over (early August 2016.) + +I'm near San Fransisco and have 2 days before the program leaves me. What should I do? + +~ I will be turning 18 within the next month. + +Update: found a place to stay for the night on the outskirts of the bay area. Found housing in Southern California until I get back on my feet. Sorry I haven't been saying much here, there's just been so much going on. Thank you all for the support and suggestions! I really appreciate everything. +Hey folks - more fatFI than RE, but know there are a good chunk of folks here who have left high incomes to pursue other things in life and figure this post will be useful to those approaching their main career's terminal event. + +I'm considering leaving my fat job to do something more entrepreneurial. I'll be working hard but figure insofar as my financial situation is concerned I'm in fatFIRE territory. Taxable income will probably be high through next year due to unwinding of partnership interests, but I expect that "known" income will drop pretty significantly after that. + +Maybe it's a null set to this answer, but wondering from fatFirees what they found themselves needing to manage more/differently post FIRE. Thanks in advance. +It seems like most people who have achieved fatFIRE did so with equity appreciation and not just investing for cash flow from the beginning (although I’m sure some people did). + +I’m not FIRE, but working on my way towards it. I initially would focus on cash flow investments, now I’m more focused on growth/appreciation. I’m wondering if folks changed their allocation over to cash flow investments when they were ready to FIRE or just kept on going forward with Growth and sold off as needed for expenses? +Current status, I make around 650-700k. And spouse makes 150k. + +House: 1.8m fully paid off. +Retirement (401k+Roth): 800k +Brokerage: 700k. +529: 130k + +The next 2 years are rough since we have private school costs, 30k each year, coming up. +Other than that, our annual expenses are 80k (incl. 1 kid). +I am confident that in 2 years, we should be able to accumulate 2m outside the house, and thereby achieve FI according to 4% rule. + +However, I have recently been doing well at work, and have been getting the itch to upgrade our house. We are generally frugal people, and are in our 30s. New houses are 3m in our area and given how property taxes work in CA, this will push our annual expenses to 100k (not incl. mortgage). + +My question is, is there any point at which we can safely upgrade to a better house without losing our FI status? I went through some job troubles during Covid (2020/2021) and that really made us prioritize getting to FI. +My spouse does not like having a mortgage so that is a constraint. Also part of what worries me with this math is that I don’t want to have too much skew in our house. So is there any way we can upgrade to a better house? Or I just have to wait a loong time? +This is FatFire of course and many of you are financially way better off, which I think is very impressive. I just wanted to share my story with numbers for once, and maybe get some feedback of those of you that are further in the journey. + +I'm 28 and two years ago I started a software business. Since then my income has risen by an average of $1000 a month. It is now $24,000 a month (pre tax) and it will be about $80,000 in five years. + +That 80k a month still sounds a bit strange to me but it is actually likely to be higher. The software is ever becoming better. Conversion is going up. We're going to expand. We're completely self funded by the way. + +This income is relatively new to me and I am still getting used to it. I check my bank account a few times a day. Mostly every time I look it has more money in it. + +I already lead the life I want. My day starts in the gym. And I work when I want. I have a 15 minute 'commute': walking to our office. I go on vacation for about two months a year; of which about four weeks with multiple friend groups (citytrips, skiing) and about four weeks with my GF. + +Because I already leading the life I want I'm not really looking forward to a point where I can finally stop working. But I am looking forward to being independent and totally risk free. + +My home appreciated from 200k to about 400k in the last few years (yes, wtf). I plan on renting it out. And since I can get a way larger mortgage now I might be able to buy a building with multiple units of which I can live in the nicest one and rent out one or two more apartments. + +I'm reading up on investing. Most of the money is sitting still, have put some index funds and some social lending platforms but I'm scared there will be a drop. I know, i know. Long term the market goes up. I'm probably investing a part of it in starting up new businesses though. The risk/reward is a lot, a LOT better it it's my business, in my control. (20k + effort can turn into a few million). + +I'm watching spending creep for a bit. Going out to dinner isn't a thing to think about anymore, neither is anything in a grocery store. But I'm not buying a Tesla just yet and I'm certainly not getting that million dollar home all for myself, to pay a few k mortgage a month. + +It seems as the only thing I have to do to reach FI is.. keep this up and wait. I heard in a podcast that getting rich is 'a bit boring' and I agree. +I’m in the middle of establishing a FinTech startup with some of my partners. We currently have a minimum viable product and are moving to establish the legal entity. + +I know the fatFIRE community has a lot of people who have made their own businesses. Are there any lessons or pieces of advice you wish you knew ahead of time? + +Edit: This will be the first time I’m doing something like this, and I’m heavily depending on the experience and guidance of my partners. + +Appreciate all the responses and time spent commenting already. +I’m thinking of setting aside some amount of money to do some angel investing. I have a few different LLCs right now for some consulting work and other small businesses. + +Should I set up a separate LLC for angel investments I make? Are there pros and cons (likely few cons I guess) for doing so? + +Other options would be either investing the money just personally (my name would be on the contracts) or investing the money through an LLC I use for consulting. +I'm 23 and currently working on a year long internship from my family home where I'm earning £45k; this is before my final year of university after which I expect to return as a graduate and receive a pay rise. Due to this I've saved up quite a fair bit and would like to pull the trigger on my first car. Ive been eyeing up a 2017 SEAT Ibiza that ticks all the boxes for me (modern, cheap to insure, low mileage, good tech, highly regarded in its class, good resale value etc.) and it costs £8k. I expect it to last me for at least 5 years and I am generally a confident and cautious driver. Taking into account my age, financial circumstances and the vehicle, would people suggest I go ahead with this? + +Edit: The car is the newest model SEAT currently sell on their website and the exact spec is advertised as £17.6k from new, the one im looking at has 24k mileage +After reading this subreddit for a while, I have realized how dangerous trading sounds. + +**Most of the subreddit is like below:** + +People go bankrupt, + +backtestings are never enough, 300 backtest, 500 fronttest, + + Trading is so hard, + +Crypto will make you go bankrupt, + +Leverage is dangerous, + +Only %1 of the account (even then you can fail) + +Trading stories who go bankrupt and make money after 5 years of trading + +**After all these posts, I am afraid to risk even 1 dollar trading crypto even though I have a planned reward risk ratio stoplosses etc. Does it all even worth it to learn trading? All I want is financial freedom. Or people exaggerate this being so hard?** +I keep hearing people talk about making moves based on good, adequate, and terrible volume. How are you determining what good volume at any given time is? What indicators should one use to come to these determinations? +I found this link today and it's surprising to see the results. Like the author, I thought early retirees will typically be wealthier than older retirees, but we were both wrong. + + [https://dqydj.com/savings-amounts-early-retirees/](https://dqydj.com/savings-amounts-early-retirees/) + +I can't really fathom how someone could retire with less than 50k in savings. Anyone got an explanation? +I have zero savings. I really want to change my life. + +Edit: Thank you guys for the great tips and advices. I’ll be applying these to my everyday life. You’re all amazing! +[https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/96210884#/](https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/96210884#/) + +[https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86960872#/](https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86960872#/) + +Is it purely just because even when not extended it's cheaper per month than to rent the same space in the same location for that amount of time? Can someone explain what happens with properties like these? + +What if the lease is slightly longer say at \~40-60 years? [https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86436091#/](https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86436091#/) + +I see these all the time and always wonder. +The nomenclature must shift at some point. It will become awkward to say you have a certain decimal point of a whole coin, regardless of how valuable that is in fiat. Psychologically it just feels weird to me that people will reach a point where they'll invest $1000 USD, a lot of money, for 0.01 BTC. + +When will this shift happen? At $100k? Should it happen? +I'll try to keep this short because I know most of you can't read. + +Please note that I am making conclusions based on publicly available information from Cvent and Zoom's websites and some public social media posts. + +I have no inside information and don't know if this acquisition will happen. + + +**I'm placing a bet. Back in the pre-GME days, this is what we used to do here on Wall Street BETS.** + + +**What**: Zoom $ZM to acquire Cvent $CVT + +**Price target:** estimate deal will be priced at $8-$12/share + +**When**: possible announcement October 11-13 or November 8-9. + +**Why:** Zoom is dominating the virtual meeting and virtual event space. While virtual meetings continue to flourish in a post-pandemic world, virtual events have fallen off a cliff this year (see recent massive layoffs from virtual event specialists like Hopin, Bizzabo, etc). + +Attendees want to go back to in-person, and Zoom does not want to miss out on the lucrative event business. So Zoom created a new division, Zoom Events: [https://explore.zoom.us/en/products/event-platform/](https://explore.zoom.us/en/products/event-platform/). + + +Zoom Events + +[Zoom Events feature-set completely overlaps Cvent's](https://preview.redd.it/przfqcujhor91.png?width=2370&format=png&auto=webp&s=fa91648372c18d6e3a7b121dd6056f311c0ea511) + +The Zoom Events sales team targets meeting planners and offers a SaaS solution for their **virtual** and **in-person** events, touting **hybrid** is the future of events. + +When I read up on their solution, it sounded an awful lot like Cvent ($CVT). Their feature set almost completely overlaps. + +I thought, isn't it weird that Zoom is now competing against Cvent, considering Zoom is one of the largest investors in Cvent: [https://www.marketwatch.com/story/cvent-to-go-public-via-merger-with-spac-dragoneer-growth-in-53-billion-deal-2021-07-23](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/cvent-to-go-public-via-merger-with-spac-dragoneer-growth-in-53-billion-deal-2021-07-23). + + +If Zoom is now competing against Cvent, shouldn't they have divested from the investment (they haven't as far as I've seen in public disclosures). + + +So I started searching for Cvent and Zoom connections. Both companies are still promoting integrated apps in their respective app stores: [https://www.cvent.com/en/event-management-software/cvent-zoom-integration](https://www.cvent.com/en/event-management-software/cvent-zoom-integration) and [https://marketplace.zoom.us/apps/UKb\_gycmQ5-iKIO8sjk8cQ](https://marketplace.zoom.us/apps/UKb_gycmQ5-iKIO8sjk8cQ). + +I then searched social media and noticed several Cvent employees had posted that they were participating in Zoom's annual Zoomtopia user conference: [https://zoomtopia.com/in-person/](https://zoomtopia.com/in-person/). I thought it was odd that a competitor would be allowed to exhibit at Zoom's event. + +So I dug deeper on the Zoomtopia In-Person event website and clicked on register, and then it hit me. Cvent is providing the online registration for Zoomtopia: + +https://preview.redd.it/9x1v4bm4kor91.png?width=1296&format=png&auto=webp&s=d9e5fb1ca6f903d11f441cfc0883b97cf7b850e1 + +Zoom Events website shows they offer a competing online registration product, but instead of using it for Zoomtopia, they are using Cvent's. Even if their product was sub-optimal to use for a big event like Zoomtopia, Zoom would likely still follow Silicon Valley's mantra of "eat your own dog food" and use their in-house solution. + +Another major virtual meeting player, WebEx, recently made the same decision that I believe Zoom is making. WebEx acquired Cvent competitor Socio to create WebEx Events: [https://www.webex.com/events.html](https://www.webex.com/events.html). + +So I believe these hints are enough to believe Zoom will acquire Cvent. But when would the deal be announced? + +Since Cvent will be used extensively at Zoomtopia and Cvent staff will be in attendance, that would be the perfect time to announce (November 8-9). The other potential date is October 11-13 as Cvent is exhibiting at the industry's largest trade show, IMEX America, and has a huge booth very near WebEx Event's booth: + +https://preview.redd.it/sz05y6ofmor91.png?width=1884&format=png&auto=webp&s=85556690e43b1f767c14ab85af1bf9079ead2864 + +I may play with options, but for now, I'm all shares. Check my history to see my past bets. I've been making big plays here for years. +Positions 155,505 shares purchased for $997,257 + +https://preview.redd.it/uqedaj5pfor91.jpg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e5563e27c17045ec8c9158ee1b085cc66f1f952d +As per title, I feel my current job is making me depressed due to numerous reasons, spanning from issues with colleagues, to the environment and the work itself, because of this I desperately want to leave the company. I completed a university course that my employer paid for and if I leave I am required to pay this back to them, however I cannot afford this. I am obliged to pay this back in full for another year but the thought of staying any longer is unbearable. Is there anything I can do about the situation? +New Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors report just out. + +&#x200B; + +[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/nov/08/uk-property-market-at-its-weakest-for-six-years-says-rics](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/nov/08/uk-property-market-at-its-weakest-for-six-years-says-rics) +I'm on track to first-generation wealth and currently early-ish stage in my professional career in MCOL city. Goals are to hit low end fatFIRE ($5-10M) by late 40s. I used to think $1M was a lot of money but now that I will hit that goal this year (and reading through this subreddit) it no longer seems like a lot. As I continue my financial journey, I'm wondering when (if ever) I should consider consulting with a financial advisor? I've always felt like financial advisors were something for ultra-wealthy people owning large C-corps etc but recently I've been questioning this assumption. + +One of the earliest books I read on money was "The Simple Path to Wealth" and one line that stuck out was (paraphrasing): "You have two options: either learn enough about money to manage it yourself or learn enough about money to pick a competent financial advisor/wealth manager who won't take advantage of you. But by the time you accomplish the latter, you are likely equipped to do the former." That has pretty much been my philosophy up to this point. + +But the more I read about finance in books and online blogs etc, the more I realize there is so much I still don't know, particularly in terms of tax-saving and investment strategies. I have a pretty good accountant/business attorney (same person) who (I think) is responsive and seems competent at staying on top of regular tax filings and forms and whatnot for my personal life and small business, but rarely is he helpful with proactively giving advice or strategizing ways to tax-shelter income on either the business or personal side. Usually the onus is on me to do my own homework and pitch ideas to him, and he tells me if it is feasible or not. + +Should I consider getting a different accountant/business attorney that would be more proactive at helping me strategize or would this fall more in the domain of a financial advisor? If financial advising is something I should consider, I would also appreciate any advice folks may have re: how to go about choosing one, things to look for, pitfalls to avoid, one-time flat fee payment versus AUM fee structure, etc. Thanks! + I’m entertaining the idea of a practice retirement year. I think I can pull it off because the wife and I now have a newborn baby. I get 12 weeks of paid time off. Then I’ll apply for child bonding. That’s unpaid time off till the one year mark of my daughters birth. My wife wants to keep working once her time is up, but the idea of a practice retirement year makes so much sense to me. I think it will answer so many questions for me. What will I do with all the free time… Taking the time off to bond with my kid is an added bonus. I’m so happy to be in this situation. + Any pitfalls to this idea maybe I’m not seeing? Any pro tips? Has this avenue of a practice retirement been discusses here that allows job security after the year? Will I have to pay my work medical insurance or can I jump onto my wife’s plan until I return back to work? + I’m planing on financing it using margin. My rate on margin is about 1%, basically a 100 year loan from my future self. I don’t expect to use more than 100k, likely less. + +Edit: 40 Year old Male. NW 4.5 million in the market. Sorry for my mistake in the area of the title. +Looking at some of the rising posts, German apes are having shares vanish from their accounts as dividends are withdrawn. My U.K. broker is currently showing value of shares as $0 (although I still have the correct total). There is only one way to sort the whole mess out and this is what I think RC has been aiming for: + +He has the perfect evidence of fuckery to instigate a share recall and count, surely triggering MOASS. + +It’s the only way to clean up the mess and it will have the SHF shaking like a shitting dog. +This cycle is its own beast, with shorter, less deep corrections. It is not a lengthening cycle nor a run with diminishing ROI. It's not as immature as 2013 which was a pure retail explosion of a few months nor an altcoin driven rally with no clear bearings of what's exactly is happening like 2017. + +[Clockwork.](https://preview.redd.it/l6qv2pcl9ta61.png?width=1275&format=png&auto=webp&s=1b80e62047eb85a9baf28e397ff5c044fb720e14) + +We now have the best infrastructure and the most mature players the industry has ever seen. Add to that the macro backdrop of: + +1) Excessive money printing ("It's not a store of value" types are crowded out of the conversation) + +2) Craving of decentralised/non-state infrastructure within Western youth ("It's not backed by a state" types sound disturbingly naive) + +3) Digital payments becoming the norm beyond Asia ("I can't touch it!" types sound like cavemen) + +It will likely be remembered as the most risk-adjusted (low risk/high return) rally of Bitcoin in the cycles to come. 2025 will be great but at that point, it won't be as cool to be living through it. There's nothing visionary about buying AAPL or AMZN at this point. + +These couple years will also be the inflexion point of "oh wow you have Bitcoin as well?" to "you still don't save in Bitcoin? lol." - similar to the 'gradually then suddenly' shift of smartphone adoption between 2005 and 2010. + +Just **HODL** and enjoy the ride. +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. +The market cannot be predicted. If it could, everyone would be full of money now and drink cocktails in some tropical place, or the market would not even exist. + +*But OP, you are noob, what about TA?* + +Noup, sorry, I believe it can be helpfull from time to time, but it can't predict the market. + +Everyday political variations, wars and agreements are something that cannot be predicted but it can affect the crypto market. + +Was anyone able to predict that China would ban Bitcoin for the hundredth time? + +Could anyone have predicted a war in Europe? + +Does anyone know what laws the Biden administration is preparing? + +I honestly don't think so. + +People listening to "crypto analysts" are doing it wrong. They can be lucky and it may turn out as those experts say, but most of the time its just pure assumption. +...and price goes down. + +https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/GME?p=GME + +They've been saving these shorts for days to dump on us. There was zero liquidity for 2 days, but they magically find 1,000,000 shares to sell in the opening hour? + +Seems legit. + +If 1,000,000 shares being sold only drops the price by $10... just wait til they see what happens when 1,000,000 shares of buys all come in... + +The lower the price goes, the better the chance of a whale/firm buying in large because there's no further downside. + +Kenny and the boys are fighting a losing battle... + +**Edit**: I don't think you are understanding that we just absorbed an ENTIRE DAYS worth of selling pressure in a single hour and we didn't even lose 10%... We just absorbed 1.25% of the entire share amount of GME in an hour... + +It's over. They can't sink the boat. Today, they just took their shot... + [https://www.wsj.com/articles/recession-economy-unemployment-jobs-11656947596](https://www.wsj.com/articles/recession-economy-unemployment-jobs-11656947596) + +The U.S. economy has experienced 12 recessions since World War II, and each one included two features: Economic output contracted and unemployment rose. + +Today, something highly unusual is happening. Economic output fell in the first quarter and signs suggest it did so again in the second. Yet the job market showed little sign of faltering during the first half of the year. The jobless rate fell from 4% last December to 3.6% in May. + +It is the latest strange twist in the odd trajectory of the pandemic economy, and a riddle for those contemplating a recession. If the U.S. is in or near one, it doesn’t yet look like any other on record. + +Analysts sometimes talked about “jobless recoveries” after past recessions, in which economic output rose but employers kept shedding workers. The first half of 2022 was the mirror image—a “jobful” downturn, in which output fell and companies kept hiring. Whether it will spiral into a fuller and deeper recession isn’t known, though a growing number of economists believe it will. +My friends are going on a trip to Europe and want me to go, it’s about 3k+ for EVERYTHING for 13 days + +I have 60k student loans and 10k credit card debt (100% of credit card being utilized) + +I’m in nursing school so I haven’t worked really which is why I’m so drowned in debt, I finish in 2 months though and just got a job paying 40$ an hour… + +Should I go on the trip and be frugal after or if it too irresponsible + +I genuinely need input because I have no clue, I’m not even leaning more one way or another +I’m a 31 year old public employee in CA, with a private pension. Our pension is in great shape and I feel as confident as one can that it’ll be there when I need it. I also have access to a fantastic 457B that I max out yearly, and an IRA. + +My plan is this, work until 45 and retire early, ride out the 5 years between 45-50 and then start drawing my pension. What I’m trying to decide is whether I should be contributing to a trad 457B or a Roth 457B and the same goes for my IRA. My taxable income is about 65k this year and will increase by 5% for the next 6 years annually. + +I know the simple answer is to look at whether I will pay more taxes now or in retirement then choose based on that. My goal is 75k a year in retirement, I’m expecting a 25k-30k annual retirement benefit from my Pension, 18.5k non-taxable retirement income from a separate source, and then I’ll need to make up the difference between my IRA and 457B and taxable brokerage. So, about 26k-31k. + +I’ll have 18.5k annual income non-taxable, 25k-30k taxable pension income, and 26k-31k that I need to decide whether to pay the taxes on now or at withdrawal. I’ve been contributing to traditional accounts so far. + +The years between 45-50 will only be my 18.5k non-taxable income and the rest will come from my taxable brokerage and my 457B plan. Because I have the temporary 5 year period before my pension kicks in I'm not sure if it’d be better to wholly contribute to traditional accounts or Roth accounts. +My wife and I are stuck in the unenviable situation of purchasing two new cars in the upcoming months due to supply chain delays and vehicle needs. + +We both have decent credit scores - low 700s, and are concerned about taking out two loans in the next few months- specifically whether the first loan could badly impact the second one. (Mid May and August for loan timelines.) + +These will be the only major purchases for the next few years. We bought our home last year. + +Should I be concerned? We both make a comfortable amount of money but carry some cc debt that we are paying down every month. + +Should we each take out one loan separately, or do it jointly? Want to avoid the worst financial/credit score downgrade as we are both working aggressively on moving towards excellent scores and debt elimination. + +Thanks! +I have struggled my whole life. I have had my parents steal from me and was kicked out when I was 15 due to a mentally-ill parent being abusive. My credit was ruined by the time I turned 18 from my other parent’s intentional fraud. +I couldn’t afford a “quality” education because I couldn’t afford to ever NOT work. But I finished my degree over the course of 6 years. +I’ve never had any help. Not so much as $20 or a co-signer, a place to live, nothing. +I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck since I was a teenager. I am 30 now. +I am finally making 35k/year (I’m sure that’s nothing to most of you) and have never been this financially stable. I can actually put money (albeit not a lot) into savings. +I have also been accepted into an intense 4 year grad program that is going to cost me $80,000 in student loans, I already have $18,000 in student loan debt from my undergrad. + +Okay, so- I have a friend who is being incredibly generous due to their trust-fund/inheritance situation that I had no idea about (at least not to the extent they have.) They had been planning this for the past year, a lawyer is involved and everything...but they are gifting me money to help with school, to finally afford health insurance, to afford a safer apartment, and to put into savings. + +They have set me up with a Roth IRA with a 6K contribution which they plan on adding 6K to for the next 4 years (until I can contribute after I graduate.) They have set me up with an individual brokerage account ($1000) and a checking account ($2000) with Schwab. + +The plan is to “gift” me $4,000/month to assist with all the above. However, this gift will be in 2 lump sums per year. So $24,000 twice per year deposited into my Schwab checking account (until I graduate) + +Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I don’t really know what to do. I know I would be wildly uncomfortable living outside of my means- so that’s not a potential concern for me. + +I don’t even have a credit card because I am afraid of financial debt and irresponsibility. Also, I would forget to use it. And you’re supposed to only use 30% of your limit or something and I get confused, it’s easier for me to spend money I have in my bank account. + +I will continue working through grad school (only 30K/yr), because I simply can’t fathom not working. That feels irresponsible to me. I’ll be making $80,000/year once I graduate. + +Any advice on how to budget the excess of this monetary gift? I expect $2500/month to be able to save/invest- but I want to set myself up to potentially buy a home (I still can’t imagine that as a possibility!!) in 5+ years. + +Do I talk out loans or use all of this money to pay for school? Or save it? +Do I pay the remaining $12,000 balance on my vehicle that is at a 14% interest rate (I know, it was literally my only option, no co-signer, no job at the time, I can’t refinance because my car is too old and too many miles!) + +I don’t have any experienced and financially responsible adults in my life to turn to about any of this, so I’m all ears! +I am a (relatively) older redditor who has been progressing through adulthood kind of willy-nilly from a financial standpoint. What I'm looking for is a person who understands many aspects of modern personal finance such as budgeting, taxes, investing, retirement, insurance etc., to whom I could pay a fee to kind of "true me up". What I need is a financial Shakubuku and realignment with someone who is either impartial or has my interests at heart. Does this type of advisor exist? If so what would someone like this' title be (i.e. how would I search them out locally to me)? +I am a 23 year old male making about 60k a year. I have bout 18k in my employers 401k and I just started my Roth IRA. I will be contributing 500 a month to reach the annual 6k limit. I’m curious on which index fund I should put it in? ( I opened the ira with Schwab) I’ can’t seem to find any good answers from people my age so I’m looking for some good ole wisdom. +I have just received 450k and trying to figure a way to invested this money so it can make me money the rest of my life. I have no experience with this, I have put together a little plan with help of potential financial advisor. + +Location: Colorado + +Me 27 y/o making about 30k year + +Wife 27 y/o making 50k year + +( we are able to save a little money after monthly bills but not much) + +My son 3 years old + +Making a 401k for wife + +529 for my son + +Down payment on house 80-100k house cost about 400k + +Setting up term life insurance + +setting up roth IRA for myself + +Giving a financial advisors 300k for investments - He is 90% stocks, 10% cash (for opportunity) . 1. Mutual fund, ETF and stocks. ( he will be handling all this ) 1.1% fee RBC wealth management + +&#x200B; + +Please let me know if i have missed something or maybe a better idea of what I should be doing with this money. +I am a (relatively) older redditor who has been progressing through adulthood kind of willy-nilly from a financial standpoint. What I'm looking for is a person who understands many aspects of modern personal finance such as budgeting, taxes, investing, retirement, insurance etc., to whom I could pay a fee to kind of "true me up". What I need is a financial Shakubuku and realignment with someone who is either impartial or has my interests at heart. Does this type of advisor exist? If so what would someone like this' title be (i.e. how would I search them out locally to me)? +I am 33 and making pretty good money and have been running about 1500 a month positive in my checking for a little while. I have wanted to start investing some but figuring out where to start is daunting, so I have just been throwing more and more at my 401k, but still have like 24k in my checking and feel I need to park it somewhere better than a savings account. I'm thinking of getting a vanguard s&p 500 and dumping like 10k in it, since I heard with the low fees, it is a safe bet for less savvy investors why want to be diversified. And was curious of what others thought. Also any suggestions of where to get good information to try and learn this new world better? +Every downturn we hear calming voices telling us to keep investing because we’re “buying shares on sale” or “at a discount.” They seem to be suggesting that there’s a price they should be trading at, and will return to, but you can buy it for less right now. I question those assumptions and wonder if it’s more like a “sale” at your nearest big box store where it’s not really a sale, it’s just the new price owing to market factors. +If a share’s price goes down due to individual or market performance, isn’t that price largely set by trading among reasonably well-informed traders in contemplation of current and future potential? If I understand correctly, this is what the random walk theory is based on. Or is there evidence that 1) there’s a “real price” that shares should be traded at right now but fear or something else is suppressing it (discounting it) and 2) we can discern what’s discounted and what’s actually priced correctly? +Now, I am convinced that we should keep investing because time in market is important and timing the market is impossible. I just think this analogy seems flawed. What am I missing? + +Edit: Thanks everybody. For what it’s worth, I don’t need convincing to keep investing. I’m really only questioning the analogy that’s popularly used to encourage people to do so. What I’m taking away from this is it’s not a good analogy and people CAN succinctly articulate better explanations. +Guys, +I'm 28 and I have 600k in my saving account now which I won't need for exactly 1yr. I will buy a house when my rent lease is over. I'm making good money and I won't touch it. I make enough to pay for my family, rent, car, everything. + +Only problem is, I worked so hard to save this 600k. I don't want to lose it, even a penny of it. +People keep telling me that I should invest it, hire someone to help me etc. +I won't mind seeing that my 600k became 650k next year when I need it, but I can't see it being 599k. +Can someone tell me if I should invest? I won't and I can't do anything on my own, I won't have time to play with stocks etc. I would give it to a trusted and well established company, but I probably won't even login to see how's it going. +I will just take it out next year. What's my best option? Please advise. + + +just got everything done and im ready to purchase my very first 3 funds portfolio on vanguard. Im going for 80/20/10 ( vtsax, vtiax, vbtlx ) I got about 48k in my brokerage and 12k in roth ira ( unallocated atm ) + +1. should i got for the etf version or the mutual fund version which are vti, vxus, bnd? +2. should i copy my allocation ratio from my brokerage for my roth ira account too? Is it recommended +3. i think the 3 fund portfolio is the most basic setup, im 27 atm, should be going for a much more riskier funds and allocation ratios or is my setup good? +So, we have all heard it, make an emergency fund and drop it into a high yield savings account for future use. That's great and all, but, what is a high yield rate realistically? If I search on google high yield savings account, I find rates ranging from 0.20-0.60%. This can't really be true, can it? At this point isn't the inflation just eating the cash, shouldn't realistic yields be close to 2-3%? Basically, is the highest savings yield you can get 0.2-0.6%, or is there a way to get an account that can get you north of 2%? + +I live in the US, but am from India. So, of course, I have looked into Indian banks as well and they literally offer 4-6%! Would it be wise if I held my cash/emergency funds in Indian banks for higher yields? +Personal Income/Info: + +* Married +* Me: 32, $225k-$250k annual income +* Wife: 30, $75k annual income +* Combined annual income $300k-$325k +* 2 Kids - 4 year old, 3 month old +* $155k Equity in our home +* $40k cash +* $60k Retirement (me) +* She has a pension +* Both of our credit scores are close to the 800 mark. + +&#x200B; + +Expenses: + +* $3,000 Mortgage +* $2,000 in monthly vehicle expenses +* No other debt +* $1,400 Child care + +&#x200B; + +I've lived a fun life. I've never been afraid to spend money and we've pretty much built our material dreams. We've got the house with the white picket fence, the nice cars, the toys, all of the things that make up the "American dream" but as I get older I realize there are some securities that need to be put in place like life insurance, college tuitions for our kids, saving for a wedding one day with my daughter, etc. Where do I start? + +&#x200B; + +My wife brings home about $3,200 after taxes, benefits and pension. I bring home about $12,000 after taxes and a 12% 401k contribution.... So all in we have about $8,000 or so left over. Up until now, we've been building the lifestyle we have. We built a town house in an up and coming area, optioned it out really nicely and sold it for a $45k profit in 4 years. We then built a single family home which appraised for $635k and between money down and built equity we're about $155k in the green. We've spent about $50k on furnishings, etc. and feel pretty good about where we are. I like my vehicles so naturally we've got some cars notes but I don't feel weighed down at all by them. We've lived a good life and haven't done much planning, we've just overcome out spending and good times with hard work and lots of grinding. + +&#x200B; + +I currently max out my 401k and have for the last few years and I Just got her to enroll in a separate 401k and I plan to supplement her income to allow her to also max that out. I also plan to start a 529 for both of my kids at the start of 2020 ( we want to get our cash back up to $100k). + +&#x200B; + +What else can/should I be doing? I don't care about being a millionaire or any other social ideology of money... but I do want to be smart with money and pave a good road for my kids, wife and myself. I also want them to be protected if I am not here one day so i'm looking into larger life insurance policies. + +&#x200B; + +What should I know? +Hey everyone, I live and work in NY. Next September, my income will be increasing from 90k to 125k. My wife and I's combined income will be close to 160k. + +My question is should I start to invest in traditional IRA given my increase in salary? I am 30 years old and have awhile till I retire. I have been investing mainly in a Roth. Any advice would be great, thanks! +In 2013 i bought my first house by myslef at 85k. Just over a year later, foundation issues and cracks all over the place, my awning started falling down in my back yard and cause more damage inside the house because it was put up incorrectly(attached to a main support runner instead of stand alone), the back yard floods with water because my yard is one of the lowest points around me (due to the gas company coming in and relocating my meter next to my house instead of in the back of the yard). + +Ive paid almost 15k into this house and i have practically no equity. Any ideas would be super helpful. + +If it makes a difference my cedit is almost as high as it will go. + +Indid get a home inspextor who saw no issues @.@ +Hello friends. I am looking for some advice on paying for financial help. + +I have terrible financial knowledge, a lot of student loan debt, and a relatively high income. I'm trying to hire someone to help me plan a budget and increase my credit as well as pay down my debt the fastest. I realize I could do this myself or try with apps but so far this has failed me. I need a human to take a look at my finances. + +I did a cursory search in my city (Pittsburgh) but didn't find anyone that catered to what I'm looking for. It seems like most financial planning is targeted towards rich or retiring people. + +Any advice would be appreciated! +I've been saving since I was around 18, putting away whatever I could afford with the idea of buying a house as soon as I could. + +I've now managed to save £60k and my original plan of buying a house is still on the table. Mine and my partners salaries mean that we could get a relatively good mortgage offer (probably loaned around £300k, which would get us a reasonably sized starter home in our area). + +My question is around deposit, should I put down the minimum required and use the remainder of my money towards investments (if so, what kind of investments have a good return?), or should I put down a larger deposit to reduce the monthly cost and mean easier payment in future (should anything happen where a reduced monthly overhead would be required)? I obviously wouldn't put the whole lot down as that would mean I have nothing to fall back on, but can't work out what is a happy medium / what provides the most benefit 😅 +My husband and I filed our taxes on TurboTax. Today we got a letter from the IRS saying, + +“We are working on your account. However, we need an additional 60 days to send you a complete response on what action we are taking on your account. We don’t need any further i formation from you right now.” + +What does this mean? Should we be worried? +Hey all first time posting here. So here is what’s going on that I need advice with. My parents are in the final year of their bankruptcy. They started this process five years ago because my dad lost his job and when he finally did get a new job he has had a $5000 pay cut ever since. My parents are not smart with money and they tend to over extend themselves even now. Just recently my aunt came with the idea to go on a cruise to Cuba because my grandmother is almost 90 and they are worried she isn’t going to last much longer. As such my parents want to go and take the family but they can’t afford it and they can’t own credit cards while in bankruptcy (it’s part of their agreement). So they want to get me a credit card now so that I can start building credit for me and build a higher limit on the card so that when the trip comes they can use it to pay for the trip. I don’t know if this is a good idea given their past with money and I am wondering what to do as I do not want to piss off my parents but at the same point in time I don’t know if I necessarily trust them to not screw me despite them saying that they will make sure they pay it back. Another consideration for me is that I am in the process of joining the military and any outstanding debt may prevent that. Serious responses only please as I do genuinely need advice. + +Update 1: I told my parents no and did suggest that they try to save for it. It was a text so I don’t yet know what the reaction will be. Thank you for the advice everyone. + +Update 2: My parents were fine with my decision and were surprisingly even keeled about it. Thanks once again for the advice. +Hello redditors! I direct The Pew Charitable Trusts’ consumer banking project, which advocates for policies that protect American consumers and their money. As the lead on Pew’s efforts to improve the safety and transparency of consumer banking products, I direct a team of researchers who identify current practices and consumer needs to inform policy solutions. + +Previously, I was the financial reform campaign director at the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), leading media, coalition, public education, and grassroots efforts to promote consumer financial protection. I have more than 20 years of advocacy, communications, research, grassroots, and legislative experience protecting consumers. Today, my project team released a report through Pew called “Checks and Balances,” the third annual rating of the largest banks by deposit volume based on their disclosure, overdraft, and dispute resolution policies and practices. + +You can read that report here: http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2015/05/checks-and-balances-2015-update + +My hope is to help you better understand banking practices, consumer disclosures, overdraft fees, and prepaid card use, disclosure and fees, and I can also talk about what regulators are doing to help make these products safer and clearer to consumers. + +Go ahead and AMA! + +EDIT: Well, I've got to run to another meeting. (That's how my days go!) Thanks for your great questions! +It’s the same thing Monday-Friday. They spend 10-15 minutes every couple hours talking about popular names on this sub in such a condescending way. I’ve been trying to figure out what their end goal is with this narrative. + +For example, this morning Cramer was talking about how “redditors” don’t understand what a rotation is and will hold securities for too long hoping for Cathie to buy more, like seriously? What does that even mean? So they’re not supposed to have long term views on investments now? + +Then they go on a spiel about how mall’s will make a comeback and people should consider investing now. They could not be more out of touch. + +Does anyone else feel like it’s unwatchable when they do these segments? + Hi All + +This is my first ever DD. Been here 14 months now and whist I’ve tried to help many people in that time, it seems that the stock dividend vote announcement has a lot of people grabbing at straws. We can all guess the ins and outs, we can ask someone who actually knows (anyone asked Dr.T for example?), or we can read up on it ourselves. + +I’ve just spent the last three hours looking at the NSCC’s rule book on how dividends are handled and hope this proves useful in shining a light on what *could* happen, who responsibilities lie with, and what critical outstanding questions we all have left at the end! + +These Rules can be found here: [https://www.dtcc.com/\~/media/Files/Downloads/legal/rules/nscc\_rules.pdf](https://www.dtcc.com/~/media/Files/Downloads/legal/rules/nscc_rules.pdf) + +I suggest everyone looks into this as our next major goal; well that is after r/place finishes of course. + +*Oddly, I remember making a comment about 8 months ago where, after a long stagnancy period, and no news from the SEC on their report, I claimed that the price was being held by the SEC and that all this would end with an NSCC audit.* *I was wrong about the first part but I may not be far off on the second part.* + +CAVEAT: Please note, I am not an expert, some of what is written below is probably incorrect. I am happy to amend any major misgivings but hope, above all else, we can start thinking for ourselves instead of guessing. + +&#x200B; + +\#**INTRO – Who are the NSCC?** + +[https://www.dtcc.com/about/businesses-and-subsidiaries/nscc](https://www.dtcc.com/about/businesses-and-subsidiaries/nscc) + +https://preview.redd.it/wvpo70cxgkr81.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=6e95378c907306ed345e2040be8340f8a57e2c73 + +\#**WHAT DO THEY DO AND WHAT IS CNS?** + +[https://www.dtcc.com/clearing-services/equities-clearing-services/cns](https://www.dtcc.com/clearing-services/equities-clearing-services/cns) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/k216fzuygkr81.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=5657cd9f00cb9cff4ac48d5e694d281287a266a8 + +To understand the whole system, that last paragraph is critical. Read it again. What does continuous net settlement do? The next screenshot is from Page 74. + +This is a description of the continuous net settlement system… + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/vt9d4210hkr81.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=68bfac637a3ca6563fbc3624d350dcde9fb589b8 + +And the next paragraph should really help hit home about longs and shorts working together to improve system efficiency. I.e. being short is part of the system but of course we’re talking about legitimately borrowed shares, and they aren't the real issue! + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/5lx1b841hkr81.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=876a5e8e791a14393e72f3af6885b229e20b4c7f + +So at this point, I had a thought. Price cycles are likely to be someone short that is a Member, and cannot escape their obligations. Sounds reasonable right? Which is why we get to see price fluctuations. + +With a great DD on the front page right this minute on swap theory, is it possible that non-Members – who do not have to report to the Corporation (DTCC) – can be anything they like? If so, nobody would care just how many synthetic shorts there are hidden in swaps? Question to the wrinkle brains. + +Please re-read the above and understand what CNS is as share dividends are also subject to CNS system, not just trades. + +Case Study: Assuming we vote on to increase the total shares available and GameStop pull the trigger on a dividend at say 7:1, the DTCC have (let’s say) 250 million shares for issuance to anyone who hasn’t DRS’d; who gets them and how is it decided? If you’re here for that money answer, you must appreciate the CNS system. + +Another point while I’m here: doesn’t this really show that the NSCC could, at very short notice, tell how big a problem we have here? If there is a hugely disproportionate number of longs reporting (brokers), there must have been naked shorting, even if they’re hidden in swaps. That just masks the obligation of reporting in the Daily Reports, and removes the need for additional funds. + +\#**GET ON WITH IT – WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE IN THIS DOC?!?** + +The word ‘DIVIDEND’. It appears eighty-one times in this rule book (link above). I’ve skim read all 81 instances and there are many that I feel are very important for us to understand right now as it seems to directly affect what may happen in the future. The following is a selection of instances I feel are important, along with my interpretation of the wording, meaning, and possible outcome. The best I can hope for is our usual commitment to be open minded, and a hive effort in figuring out what is and isn’t relevant. + +NOTE: the rule book clearly accommodates CASH dividends, STOCK dividends, and even ‘other’ dividends – as you can see above in the CNS screenshot. + +**#DAY 1 – GAMESTOP ISSUE A SHARE DIVIDEND.** **NOW WHAT?** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/n449v0p2hkr81.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=71698f7f2f3a64f80d99316ee57b492358dd1155 + +So, important shit right here. The Record Date is the day they receive a dividend issuance notification. **By the end of said day, a full report of ALL short and long positions will be generated.** **I repeat: The Record Date positions of all members must show whether they are short or long.** + +Note: Before I forget, I have a question here. This is DTCC Members, of course they can’t force non-members to do shit. Co-operating agencies such as those in Europe, despite not being on US soil, will no doubt comply. What about non-cooperating agencies in, oh I don’t know, Brazil?! I’ll move on… + +On Page 77 it covers what happens with a cash dividend, and ‘other’ dividends (see further below for a side-section on this), but let’s focus what happens with a STOCK dividend. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/987hi7m3hkr81.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=e40d7b77ac11092796ba1474d04b1d9a00e5b381 + +Note that a new term is introduced: Payable Date. As you’d guess, this is the date that GameStop says we get our dividends. But there’s some juicy shit here. + +**So, first really good bit of info – all members must present an honest account of their short or long position!** **Now if like me at this point you cynically suggest that certain parties are going to lie, I gotchya fam, the rules cover this later so sit tight for now and just continue reading.** + +The reason this information is retrieved is to allow the NSCC to use net settlement and allow efficiencies in the handling of dividends. I.e. pair longs and short together so that obligations are met. Yes, just like trades, the NSCC handle dividends the same way – by reducing workload and balancing positives with negatives. (another bit on that in a minute) + +Finally, some bad news maybe? Fractional shares are not added to this report and receive cash. Sorry if that’s you but it’s there in black and white. + +Now on a related point, there’s a term called “as of”. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/m2p4buv4hkr81.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=9078a35e379093b4b6582840a2068c3f90491e7c + +This seems to suggest that the Record Date Report will be based off of completed trades not occurring any more than 2 days prior. I.e. Members cannot say “you’ve not given me enough notice to give you all Report info!!” Yes you can, we’re not asking for today’s (Report Date) figures, we’re asking for two days prior so cough up. *Let me know if you think I’ve misinterpreted.* + +\#**POSSIBLE IMPORTANT SIDE-NOTE – DIVIDENDS OF SECURITIES NOT COVERED IN THE CNS SYSTEM** + +NFT dividends wouldn’t be covered in the CNS system because they’re not recognised securities. Shares – of course – are. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/ux9e9xx5hkr81.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=fd6310366a2a0a6e703d3cd4930a3ef5cd956732 + +So it seems that whilst the CNS system will not actively issue these dividends (that's down to the DTC anyway), the allocation of them is still done in the same way for DTCC securities. That is, as above, balancing those who report to be LONG on the Report Day, against those who report to be SHORT. So if your take away from this: 1) GREAT, you’ve just found out that the DTCC can’t fuck with NFT’s; I share that sentiment. 2) Wait, does this mean that shares ARE allocated according to CNS – yes, that is my view and indeed helps us understand what happens next… + +&#x200B; + +\#**DIVIDENDS PAID AS SECURITIES OR CASH – OR TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, GAMESTOP SAID THEY’RE ISSUING SHARES, NOT CASH – IS THERE ANY FUD HERE?** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/lfyt7ww6hkr81.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=a0aa3b81a593d73efc65820a8262d15487559465 + +Page 78 states that the Procedures indicate whether a recipient can or will get shares or cash. This comes up in more detail when we get to the Procedures but basically GameStop will indicate in their paperwork that this is a SHARE dividend, so that there’s no room for interpretation. See section on ###OPTIONAL DIVIDENDS### to read more on this. + +NOTE – Jump ahead to ###END OF CNS### if you don’t want to be side tracked about how CNS ensures Member risk is offset, or how their own wording suggests that DRS’ing all shares out of the DTCC *might* mean they cannot be counter party to risk anymore. + +\#**PROCEDURE VII. CNS ACCOUNTING OPERATION – OR INSTANCE 42 OF THE WORD ‘DIVIDEND’** ***MAY*** **BE SAYING THAT DRS LOCKING THE FLOAT IS GAME OVER** + +Page 249. + +https://preview.redd.it/idlnztu9hkr81.png?width=632&format=png&auto=webp&s=171690c5817dd339500fa89feb43109fe1cfad18 + +CNS is a continual on-going accounting system. **The Corporation is** **always** **the contra side for all positions**. What does that mean and have we strayed a little from dividend talk? Yes, we’ve strayed, but this seems important. The Corporation (being the DTCC) are contra to ALL positions. + +*Contra* + +*preposition* + +*against; in opposition or contrast to* + +That means that if Member SUS (as a random example not particularly related to any company at all \*cough\*!) indicate they’re short 169 million shares, the DTCC must be LONG 169 million shares. Doesn’t this prove that if we take all the DTCC’s shares away, they cannot possibly be contra party to a short position?? Sounds like it to me. + +\#**PROCEDURE VII. Sub-part F.** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/uujtl0lbhkr81.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=9d0364d97533c936cde77e8207913b4f54c5a8bd + +https://preview.redd.it/iw6huf8chkr81.png?width=925&format=png&auto=webp&s=c67d08c71bbd588bf5084ea8d4c5243ee6d13ca0 + +OK so to balance the previous concerns we had that an infinite money glitch might be available, Member SUS must provide a balance at the end of each day with cash equivalent of their short position, based on the current market value. So this is why, if someone is short, they need cash, and lots of it. + +I thought it was interesting to see all of this but we have wandered off track. ###END OF CNS### + +\#**PROCEDURE VII. SUB-PART G – >>>THE INTERESTING BIT.<<<** + +So you either read the above section on CNS handling of cash, or skipped it, but there’s also a section on handling DIVIDENDS! If you read anything, read this. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/4cjvojbdhkr81.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=909de0d120721ccd6e4bfcc894c6864a28d8a7c6 + +So, on the Record Date, a report is generated about who is long and who is short from the ‘as of’ date (two days prior). That report is updated continually and informs Members whether they are due said dividend, or owe said dividend, based on whether they are LONG or SHORT said equity. + +In other words (I think), Members who are short need to close positions by the Record Date. + +I repeat from earlier – it still seems that fractional shares are given cash only. + +How this is handled is covered on page 260 in a section title DUE BILL ACCOUNTING. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/1z6dubeehkr81.png?width=892&format=png&auto=webp&s=cc5829c5c9695fa68cd588adde5131adc3844780 + +So, it seems that: the DTCC receive securities from GameStop and distribute them out to members according to a distribution algorithm (search this term and you’ll see it being used) after matching short and long positions. How does a member that’s short remove the responsibility to owe a dividend? It’s not stated here but can we assume it’s: Buy the share back? + +Oh, another question then: what if a certain party removes their short position with a swap, and the Report shows a significant surplus of longs? (IMO, that’s the most likely scenario) Surely there’s an internal problem at this point that the NSCC can’t handle? + +\###OPTIONAL DIVIDENDS### + +\#**OPTIONAL DIVIDENDS – SHARES \*OR\* CASH (just for info – not likely, right?)** + +You may remember earlier we started seeding that there was an option to issue shares **or** cash dividend; well that’s specifically covered on page 260. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/8vswxu6hhkr81.png?width=633&format=png&auto=webp&s=11779a11f7a28f0442cd7c66e3fc4f485492164f + +So there does exist the possibility that GameStop say the dividend is OPTIONAL, and in this case, most recipients will be given the default option: shares. However, this section does say that Members who state they wish to receive cash instead, can do so. I repeat: not likely to happen, just for info. + +&#x200B; + +\#**DECLARING OF SECURITIES INELIGIBLE FOR PROCESSING – ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING ‘WE FOUND FUCKERY AND DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO’?!?!** + +Still with Procedure VII, this time sub-part H. ‘Miscellaneous CNS activity’. Sounds fuckey. + +So, let’s say that the CNS can’t match longs and shorts; there have just been too many short positions entered to the Record Date Report, or indeed too many longs! (brokers around the world are demanding more dividends than exist is surely the most likely outcome imo) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/niup974jhkr81.png?width=920&format=png&auto=webp&s=bec64385ae3775c2e51dd15ebb6be2f762fce1b4 + +So it looks to me like this is when everyone eats each other. “CNS Receive and Deliver Instructions are produced instructing a Member to receive securities from or deliver securities to another Member of the Corporation or a participant of an interfacing clearing corporation” + +Longs and shorts cannot be matched, the CNS says ‘fuck this I have no idea’, and war ensues. Note: this is at the decision of the Corporation. Are they going to ‘decide’ this? Hmmm + +At this point I also wonder how a Member would lean on another? You’re short, I’m long, if you buy my shares and close out, this means the remaining parties get their dividend… but I don’t want to do that. What then?! + +Who the hell plays the role of ‘interfacing clearing corporation’ in this case and what would they do about it?! How long can this last? + +&#x200B; + +\#**TL;DR / Summary** + +Imagine we vote to increase shares available to 1B, and GameStop issues a share dividend at 7:1. The DTCC receives a boatload share dividend from GameStop and to know how to distribute them amongst its members, the NSCC continuous net settlement system steps in to match shorts with longs. The CNS system does this with normal trades (to reduce workload) so why would dividends be any different? It’s not. + +At the Record Date (watch out for this) Corporation (DTCC) members must declare if they’re long or short. Remember, there are only, let’s say, 30 million shares with the DTCC at present – and reducing FAST. If the CNS system can match a short with a long in all cases but these 30 million, who are all long, GREAT! The system works. Technically, this should be ok from here on in. Shorts need to close, longs need to sell (price goes up – at some point they will), dividends issued to whoever is left. + +Hence, by the Record Date, shorts need to close. + +In all cases, the DTCC is the CONTRA PARTY to all longs and shorts (all securities including shares and dividends). Whilst not the main topic of the DD, I feel this really does enforce the belief that DRS’ing removes the DTCC ability to even be contra party. + +If there are ‘anomalies’ (The DTCC themselves decide if this is the case) and the CNS system cannot perform its function, such as significant additional number of longs, the rules say that a method of arbitrage will be employed whereby Members (between themselves) resolve their short/long mismatch positions. This is where we hope they eat each other! + +Factional shares do not receive dividends, they receive cash. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +The many outstanding questions I’ve raised above I hope are answered by wrinkle brains. Please go easy on me, I know some of this is disjointed and lacks a real conclusion. It’s likely amendments need to be made; I will try to accommodate this when I see them raised. + +For now, I’d just love to see someone go OHHHH that’s the thing I’ve been wondering! 😊 +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. +Feel free to also discuss other tickers in this thread - don't forget it's mainly dedicated to GME/AMC + +Also make sure to join our Discord server to chat along with fellow WSBN'ers: + +[https://discord.gg/wallstreetbetsnew](https://discord.gg/wallstreetbetsnew) +Did the math. If I work for a few months, all credit card debt will be elimated. For a little under a year, my new car will be paid off as well. + +Going to be working 14 hours a day 12am to 4:30pm but I'll have weekends off at least. + +I was watching a video of some guy build a house and a young guy asked the uploader "What tips do you have for a young person like me who wants to do this?" And his response was "Work as much as you can. And even then accept more work. You're young and capable right now." + +I took that to heart. let's see how long I can stick around +Yesterday, I bought a new Toyota Corolla. My first ever car purchase. Initially, I planned to buy a used Honda Civic. But I was way too anxious and paranoid about buying a used car with 37K miles on it without any warranty. I was getting a new Toyota Corolla for the same price of used Civic + warranty. So I went ahead with a new car purchase after 2 weeks of email negotiations (got 22% off MSRP + taxes). + +I think that was a good deal and I have enough cash to prepay my loan in a couple of months. Got good insurance quotes too. Mostly everything checks out. Still, I am not able to sleep properly from last 2 days. My anxiety levels are through roof. I am reading contracts over and over again to see if I missed something. I am checking carfax to see if it was indeed a new car. Comparing it with other models and checking if there were better options that I could have opted for (e +g. Used vs new) +Is it normal to feel like this for your first car purchase? + +Hope it goes away soon. + +Edit: +Thanks to everyone who pitched in and provided good insights. Now that I have read comments, I feel this is less of a buyer's remorse and more of a general anxiety about decisions. Past 3 years have been very stressful since I arrived in the US for grad school. Switched places many times for internship /job. Couldn’t visit my home country due to Covid-19 and been stuck here. That must have taken a toll on mental health. This was my first car buying experience in the states and it felt rushed. That must have added fuel the fire. Thank you once again for your kind words and making me realize the bigger issue at play here. Need to work on my mental health. +Here we are a few days after the merge. There was a lot of hope(ium) passed around. It's not to say a pump didn't come, but it came before the merge when people thought it would come after it. As I saw a few users say, the merge was really a submerge of markets. Of course, there was never a guarantee for a pump. Typical buy the rumor, sell the news. News media certainly had a hand in the false hype. + +On the upside, ETH has reduced its energy consumption by 99.9%. Not a small thing, but what did it cost? Well, in our 'decentralised' network, we had [67% of the stake controlled by just 7 seven entities](https://decrypt.co/109901/big-firms-dominate-post-merge-ethereum-validation). On top of that, it costs 32 ETH to be a validator meaning that only the few with that kind of capital have the ability to validate. Further, even less of that few would even do it because validating requires you to lock up your funds. Currently, there is no ability to withdraw these funds. Support for withdrawals are planned for the upcoming Shanghai upgrade but you should expect funds to stay locked up for one to two years. + +Further, was the more decentralised PoW mining even that bad? Cambridge studies in their 3rd Global Cryptoasset Benchmarking Study shows that somewhere [a bit less than 40% of mining energy was renewable](https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/faculty-research/centres/alternative-finance/publications/3rd-global-cryptoasset-benchmarking-study/). A 2019 analysis by Coinshares shows that [74% of btc mining came from renewables.](https://coinshares.com/research/bitcoin-mining-network-june-2019) The Bitcoin Mining Council published that renewables energy constituted [around 60% of bitcoin energy used for mining](https://bitcoinminingcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022.07.19-BMC-Presentation-Q2-22-Presentation.pdf) in Q2 2022. There are a number of older studies that give different numbers but generally these numbers range from 35%-70%. Keep in mind these numbers are all only estimates with different methodologies but they are the best we have. + +It is clear that the environmental impact of mining was at least somewhat overblown, however as with all things it's not that simple as a fair percentage of non-renewables was still used, and any energy not used for mining is generally redirected to some other purpose as humans seek more and more comfort and efficiency in the classic wants vs scarcity argument that is the heart of economics itself. The question that we *should ask* is if this reduction of decentralization of a major crypto token is worth the energy cost. And that is a big question. + +On the upside, fees have gone down although they really weren't supposed to. ETH2 was only supposed to be a consensus change. It seems to be more of a psychological effect than anything else with some protocol/code efficiency improvements. For one, ETH network usage usage has only increased for the month of September to-date, particularly through and after the merge and this should have *increased* fees. + +&#x200B; + +[ETH\/ETH2 Transaction Per Day](https://preview.redd.it/unfgj75h8uo91.png?width=891&format=png&auto=webp&s=b4c43f36071f3dea4d28a1154c670b4acf9044e0) + +Ironically, fees actually went down. I believe this is likely because the block time for ETH has become lower and (mostly) remarkably consistent(although consistency might be bit too early to say) as there is no longer the random and somewhat loose concept of PoW difficulty that is impacted by average block time, in which miners jostle for algorithm completion among each other. Meanwhile, hash rates constantly vary as miners start and stop at random times and all these actions occur under the purview of halving code itself. The confluence of all this creates an unstable environment where predictability and consistency is very difficult to produce. This is all in addition to the concept of completed stale or uncled blocks. Uncled blocks are created when two blocks are mined and broadcasted at the same time and one must be accepted and the other discarded, or uncled. Approximately, 1 in every 20 blocks are uncled, again in an unpredictable manner. A lot of these factors are either non-existent or much more predictable of a PoS consensus protocol. + +More significantly, there's probably the psychological effect of users *believing* ETH to now be a more efficient system with cheaper gas fees and users simply funding transactions with less gas as they *believe* they would have less competition to complete a transaction in a short amount of time and the *feeling* of faster transactions as block times are more consistent as well as block times actually being somewhat lower as well that runs in a beneficial feedback cycle that pushes fees lower. I think this is why block times have fallen even further even after finalization of the merge. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[ETH\/ETH2 Block Time Per Day](https://preview.redd.it/u6ivx2l68uo91.png?width=1027&format=png&auto=webp&s=7034d9b33c98f29a50007b5dde40836bbb751a95) + +&#x200B; + +[ETH\/ETH2 Average Gas Price Per Day](https://preview.redd.it/e5rwlon98uo91.png?width=1017&format=png&auto=webp&s=515c3bf53fd78cf3749bcd447d9dcaf1f3242f71) + +This is validated even further by the fact that both number of transactions and transaction complexity, as seen through the proxy of average transaction fees, which both should increase transaction fees by themselves and increase it even more so together. And yet we have seen transaction fees still falling. + +It should be noted that the merge itself does pave the way for *direct* reductions in gas prices through sharding among other things. So it is a start if nothing else. + +[ETH\/ETH2 Average Transaction Fee Per Day](https://preview.redd.it/fs0mgh4d8uo91.png?width=1006&format=png&auto=webp&s=b1c1ac37bf17a8d7d2968e3325910f430460ddef) + +Thus, the merge has certainly had its fair share of controversy, positivity and drawbacks. Some expectation were met while others, not so much. I hope that as the merge hype has died down we are capable of looking that the results logically and push for crypto more beneficial for everyone. Regardless, I'm ready for the downvotes. + +&#x200B; + + +Talk about your plays today or things you are on the lookout for. This is where you belong if your comment includes a ticker. + +*keep it civil please* +It doesn't sound like a lot. But I needed it. I had it in a little coin purse that I normally keep in my car for use when filling water bottles or little things that very small amounts so I don't have to put them on my credit card and add to the debt. I'd just emptied the last of my coin jar into it to refill it before going out. I forgot to put it in my glove box and sometime in the morning, while out on errands, I lost it. + +It's a small amount, I suppose. It won't cause me to go hungry. But it still hurts when you don't have anything to replace it with. Been a really crappy week, and this was just a little jab that made things even worse. + +/vent +This is more advice/ something I've noticed for next year but parents of young kids (I’d say to about age 6 or 7) - they have NO idea when Christmas is. If you wait until the week after Christmas to celebrate, then your local Buy Nothing FB groups will fill up with toys as other parents try to give away old toys to make space for the new. Christmas wrapping & such also is marked down. There is no shame in making December 28th or whatever “Christmas” & taking advantage of the free toys and such. Kids in school that come back from break also won’t know the difference bc it all happened over break. I hope this helps some mom or dad out there! Happy Holidays! +I have been begging and pleading for Computershare and GameStop to work together to make IRA shares easily registerable without taking a tax penalty. I've come to the conclusion that there must be some reason that they cannot do this or they would have already done it. So I decided to just hold and hope for the best (i.e. that if/when an NFT dividend is announced, Fidelity and Schwab will do me right and make sure that I get it). + +Despite being a January 21 ape and reading every bit of DD I could get my hands on since then, I guess I still hadn't learned this simple truth: We cannot trust our brokers. + +Even after my DRS requests (for my brokerage shares) took weeks upon weeks with no valid explanation, I still hadn't learned this simple truth. We really fucking cannot trust our brokers. + +But wrinkles are in the making. Chapter 18 of Naked, Short, and Greedy is about CMKM, a company that was naked shorted to shit. However, it had a group of very motivated shareholders who wanted to squeeze the life out of the shorts. But those shareholders got FUCKED. [This post provides a good summary of what happened and why GameStop shareholders are in a much better position than those who held CMKM. CMKM's founders were also part of the fraud, a situation we arent having to deal with here.] (https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/sil3su/will_your_broker_fuck_you_when_shit_hits_the_fan/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) + +The part that has pushed me to do what I thought I'd never do (DRS my IRA shares with the tax penalty) is that the brokers that act as custodians for my IRA holdings fucking DELETED shareholder positions of CMKM. Wtf? How have these brokers not been destroyed over this kind of fuckery? Friends in high places I suppose. + +If they'll delete positions, do you really think that they will act in your best interest to facilitate your receipt of an NFT dividend if/when that happens? My guess is that they'll lean on some bullshit "Terms and Conditions" that I didn't even know I agreed to that authorizes them to (1) lend my shares and to (2) distribute the dividend to the borrower of MY shares. As an aside, this is actually the legal and customary practice....short selling borrower has right to dividend and right to vote, your "vote" is tossed and you receive payment in lieu of dividend. So if my IRA shares are lent out, I'm FUCKED. I've asked them to confirm that they are not loaning my shares. But how can I believe their answer? At the end of the day, I rather take the tax hit (which will be way less now than it will be post MOASS), and own my shares in my own name. These brokers cannot and should not be trusted. I'll pay the IRS what I have to literally own my shares in own name. (I wish I would have come to this realization when we were in the $80's, but oh well). + +Buy, hold, DRS, and shop on that sexy new app + +NFA + +Edit: some people are confused with what this post is saying so I want to clarify. (1) I'm not saying that CMKM is anything like GME. I only referenced that as an example of why I cannot trust brokers. (2) I'm not saying that brokers will delete GME positions, BUT I will not be surprised if they try to pay me some nominal value as payment in lieu of an NFT dividend because my shares were lent out without my knowledge, which would make the borrower entitled to the dividend, not me. Could I sue them? Sure, but I'd probably end up in a rigged arbitration and get fucked there too. I want my shares in my name. Taking the tax hit to accomplish that is an acceptable cost of doing business for *me*. To all the naysayers, you do you. +Hello all, long time reader first time poster. + +So the title says it all. Unfortunately I work in an industry that depends on big oil companies for work, and with oil being what it is times are tough, I get it. I, like everyone else in the world, thinks I work hard for my money. Yes I should be thankful for employment ( I am), but I feel like my question is still legitimate. How can employers sign these employment contracts and then just renege on them? I mean if I worked out a deal with my mechanic to do a years worth of work for me for 60K and accepted but then changed my mind ( say 1 month into the contract) and only paid 50K I would be sued so fast my head would spin. + +Everyone seems dejected about prices in SYD/MLB. It’s out of control. You will end up paying $1m to live in the dead outer suburban sprawl. + +You will have to work so hard to payback the lifetime debt, you will never have time to enjoy your slice of the urban sprawl. + +You will likely commute hours a day, perhaps days a week in total. + +All for what? A few hours on the weekend sitting in your own backyard.. or again driving another few hours to escape the city? + +——- + +I grew up in a small town on mid north coast of NSW and recently moved back from Melbourne... pandemic decision. + +Paid 650k for 800sqm, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, double garage. Massive deck overlooking nothing but mountains and forest. + +I’m 5 mins walk from a crystal clear river, 15 mins from a beach which is most mornings just myself and my friends. 10 mins walk from the main drag of a cute (very popular/touristy) town center. + +Here people know you, you do things together... because you have time. + +I work in a co-workspace. So does my partner. We both had jobs that were never remote styles jobs we just worked hard to convince people it works. And it does + +We fly back to Melbourne once a month. The airport is 20 mins away and it’s. 2 hr flight... that’s likely what some of you commute each day. + +—- + +There are ALWAYS other options... + +—- + +Edit: The general sentiment seems to be around social networks, not having a sense of community. I totally understand that. I in many ways already have that here, although I worked VERY hard to rekindle the relationships I had here and make new ones. Hard work done I now have my community. + +it’s naive of me to think it’s so easy to uproot. But I guess that’s the very point I’m trying to make... + +So many people, move so far out into the suburbs and pay $$$ for it. Their friends? They are now 40m, an hour, more? Away. If they are that far away... it’s too far and soon forgotten. Maybe you hangout once every few months... what’s that? That’s not a community. That’s not a life. + +It’s the same thing in those cases ... but worse. +Everyone seems dejected about prices in SYD/MLB. It’s out of control. You will end up paying $1m to live in the dead outer suburban sprawl. + +You will have to work so hard to payback the lifetime debt, you will never have time to enjoy your slice of the urban sprawl. + +You will likely commute hours a day, perhaps days a week in total. + +All for what? A few hours on the weekend sitting in your own backyard.. or again driving another few hours to escape the city? + +——- + +I grew up in a small town on mid north coast of NSW and recently moved back from Melbourne... pandemic decision. + +Paid 650k for 800sqm, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, double garage. Massive deck overlooking nothing but mountains and forest. + +I’m 5 mins walk from a crystal clear river, 15 mins from a beach which is most mornings just myself and my friends. 10 mins walk from the main drag of a cute (very popular/touristy) town center. + +Here people know you, you do things together... because you have time. + +I work in a co-workspace. So does my partner. We both had jobs that were never remote styles jobs we just worked hard to convince people it works. And it does + +We fly back to Melbourne once a month. The airport is 20 mins away and it’s. 2 hr flight... that’s likely what some of you commute each day. + +—- + +There are ALWAYS other options... + +—- + +Edit: The general sentiment seems to be around social networks, not having a sense of community. I totally understand that. I in many ways already have that here, although I worked VERY hard to rekindle the relationships I had here and make new ones. Hard work done I now have my community. + +it’s naive of me to think it’s so easy to uproot. But I guess that’s the very point I’m trying to make... + +So many people, move so far out into the suburbs and pay $$$ for it. Their friends? They are now 40m, an hour, more? Away. If they are that far away... it’s too far and soon forgotten. Maybe you hangout once every few months... what’s that? That’s not a community. That’s not a life. + +It’s the same thing in those cases ... but worse. +I am on a mission, a mission to improve my credit score. Four months ago my credit score was 469.... today my credit score is 672. Still not great, but wow.. I now have a credit limit over $2,000 on my cards and get CC offers in the mail twice a week. + + + +About three months ago I sent out 5 "pay to delete" offers to companies holding debts (all under $500). Three responded that they would delete my debts, no bother with repayment, poof, GONE. Last night I checked my reports, the last two were removed as well, I guess they didn't want to pay for postage. + + +There I was, all ready to throw money at them, but they didn't want it. I am still a bit in shock, but I learned... It never hurts to ask. + + + +Edit - this is in reference to past due balances on old bills, cellphone, water, medical, etc... This isn't going to work on your current CC balance, sorry. + + +https://www.creditkarma.com/question/pay-for-delete-letter-template +Transcript from bloomberg interview: + +REPORTER: David, tell us, what happened after you were injected with the novel coronovirus vaccine? + +DAVID (Autist): Well, I started thinking about how the injection was kind of like the injection I gave my character in PUBG, which is a game a play a lot, and I realized PUBG is played on my windows computer, which is made by Microsoft. Microsoft I realized has a near monopoly on gaming computers. I realized I could use this information to my advantage. + +REPORTER: Your advantage? + +DAVID (Autist): Yes, I found this site called WallStreetBets on reddit which taught me how I can make lots of money on my Microsoft knowledge through the purchase of options. + +REPORTER: Oh, WallStreetBets, we've been tracking that site for a while now on bloomberg. A lot of hedge funds here in NY make billions of dollars by taking the opposite positions of whatever is posted on that site. + +DAVID (Autist): Yes well, anyways, the guys on there are really nice and helped me apply for a loan which I used to buy a ton of MSFT calls. In a couple months from now you're going to be interviewing the world's first trillionaire. That would be me. +As the title suggests, I learned years ago that doing the bare minimum is really harmful many times. Doing too much isn't much better. I've been doing a lot better since I started my new job as a tow truck driver, and wanted to share what I found. I do quite a few tire changes and jump starts these days, and ended up buying my own tools for the job. My truck came with the bare minimum viable tools and it held me back significantly. It's a long one, and I'm sorry. It took me years to finally break down and start investing more in myself and my job. I hope this helps someone. I hate struggling and watching others struggle. + +This has been the most expensive job I've ever had, but also the lowest stress. I spent over $150 on reflective safety clothes, when the guy that trained me wore work pants and a tank top. He came off as unprofessional, I came off as very professional. He ended up getting reflective shirts later too. The company doesn't provide clothing, and it was very expensive, but worth it. When I'm on the side of the highway at 3am, or even 5pm, I know there's a very good chance people can see me as they speed by. I wouldn't do this job without the reflective shirts. I also invested the extra to get the long sleeve shirts to keep my arms clean and safe. I'm the only one who wears long sleeves. I got steel splinters from the winch cable stuck in my forearms, as well as fiberglass. That took about a week to get out. The extra money for the proper clothes has eliminated a ton of stress and extra risk. + +I bought cheap leather gloves to get started, and they've been surprisingly good. If you know how to spot quality, brand doesn't matter. If you get the right too for the job, it just makes the job that much more pleasant and safe. With gloves, I happen to know what materials and stitching to look for. Light duty welding gloves with the long leather cuffs are great for protecting forearms from winch cables, broken windows, and sharp metal edges on the tow truck bed rail. + +The biggest reason I recommend spending a little more to improve your situation or job is to help conserve time, energy, and limit frustration. I spent $600 on a Ryobi tire pump, 4 large batteries, their big brushless impact driver, a waterproof case, industrial tire pressure gauge, and some high quality air hose fittings for the tire pump. I also got some decent impact rated sockets to cover every size of lug nut I could find. Before I had any of these tools, I had to do everything the hard way with the tools provided to me. To change a tire before, I had to drag out the giant jack, the handle, and a 4 way tire wrench. It was incredibly exhausting to inflate or change a tire and I dreaded those calls. I bent the steel tire wrench on a really badly rusted lug nut and hurt my arm and hand a bit. It took forever and stressed me out, especially when it's unbearably hot out, on the side of the highway. Now I really enjoy tire calls. The tire pump clips onto the tire, I set the desired pressure, hit start, and walk away. It stops when done. The impact can get a tire on or off in just a few seconds, instead of about 10 minutes. I can also use the screw jack with the impact gun, and can get a car up and down in just a few seconds. + +If $600 seems like a lot of money, it is. It was hard to justify, but has been worth it. I've gotten so much money in cash tips on tire calls since buying the tools that I've almost made the money back already. I got $100 cash tip, on top of my usual pay for a single tire service call one weekend. It took me about 20 minutes to get it done, and they were so impressed they handed me a $100 bill. When you have to struggle with sub-par tools and techniques, it makes you look unprofessional. It was so embarrassing struggling to change tires, sweating in front of people who just want to get home and off the side of the road. The company wouldn't supply the tools I wanted so I bought them myself out of my first pay. I use them on the job, to service my tow truck, and on my personal projects. I also try to get tools that can be used either to make money on the side, or that will get constant use. Tools are my favorite investment these days. When I have enough tools and my truck ready, I can take my own service calls and make more than I do with my day job. I can get my work done faster, safer, and with less stress, which means I can put in more hours and make more money, which is helping me dig my way out of poverty. + +Hope everyone is ok. I'll try to answer questions when I can, but am usually working, sleeping, or doing chores. +Update edit — I’m going to heavily slow down on responding now seeing as the majority of new comments are saying the same things. I’m going to take my current vehicle to a local mechanic or two and see what they think. If I can keep this bad boy clunkin along for a year or so until the market hopefully cools off and I’m in a better financial situation great. If I really do need a new car I’ll broaden my search to FWD cars and snow tires. I honestly really don’t like the idea of a car payment anyways. Thanks again everyone who had helpful info and wasn’t a sarcastic bugger. + +I DESPERATELY need a new car. I have for several years but put it off because I worked from home throughout the pandemic but now I really regret it. + +My current 2009 vehicle is approaching 180k miles and has some issues that cost more to fix than the cost of the vehicle. I also drove it without transmission fluid for several months without realizing.. so I’m scared that’s going to come back and bite me in the butt any minute. I honestly don’t feel safe in this vehicle. +Now I WFH half of the time and need to drive more. + +I have been car perusing recently and was approved for $20k loan at 2.99% interest and I have some money saved up to put down. But, GOOD GRIEF IT’S SLIM PICKINGS OUT THERE. I just feel like I CANNOT afford a reliable car. **reliable** being the key word here. + +I have a temporary raise for a few months at $26/hr and my finances are mostly in line with the 50/30/20 rule. After a few months it’ll go back down to $24/hr unless I find a new job which is a whole other can of worms. + +I live in a very snowy area so AWD is a must. All the AWD drive cars around $20k have *below average reliability and high maintenance costs* according to all my research.. I just can’t help but feel defeated. I’m not going to use the rest of my disposable income on a car and insurance but I also don’t want to wait too long and get even more stuck. It’s not looking like the car market is going to get much better anytime soon but I also don’t want to get into an accident or stranded. + +I really don’t have a specific question for you guys. Just any general knowledge and insight would be greatly appreciated!! + +EDIT - ALOT of you are saying FWD with snow tires > AWD. I feel like I should clarify my weather a bit and see if you still agree. When it snows it SNOWS. And snow plows suck here. BUT, we also have a lot of sunshine in the winter so after a week or so it’s all melted. If I had snow tires I feel as though I would be wearing them down way faster than normal due to this. Is that still cost effective? + +Edit - It’s normal for it to be 40°-60°F, blizzard and ice storm the next few days, go below zero and then snap back up to 60° all within one week and repeat several times. + +Edit - it’s getting harder and harder to keep up with comments and I’ve seen a few mention “don’t need AWD unless you’re in Colorado or _______”. If you must know I am in Colorado lol winner winner chicken dinner. But, a lot of you from Canada say you get around just fine with FWD + snow tires. I guess I just need to try it out for myself and see what I’m comfortable with. But, being in Colorado adds to the troubles of finding an affordable car. I might look into other cheap states and driving it back. Some of you have mentioned in the Midwest some very affordable deals that I simply cannot fathom to exist in Colorado due to high COL and high demand. + +**FINAL EDIT** - thank you everyone for your input! It was very much needed and very insightful. I’m going to stop responding now seeing as the majority of new comments are saying the same things. I’m going to take my current vehicle to a local mechanic or two and see what they think. If I can keep this bad boy clunkin along for a year or so until the market hopefully cools off and I’m in a better financial situation great. If I really do need a new car I’ll broaden my search to FWD cars and snow tires. I honestly really don’t like the idea of a car payment anyways. +From this list: + +&#x200B; + +American Eagle + +Apple + +Boston Beer + +Buckle + +Cheesecake Factory + +Ebay + +Gamestop + +Google + +Harley-Davidson + +Papa Johns + +Pepsi +Starbucks + +Tesla + +Under Amour + +Valero Energy + +Disney + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +I am thinking of going with Tesla just because of the recent drop and how volatile it is. + +The winner is the biggest % change in the given semester +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. + +From http://www.rothira.com/roth-ira-withdrawal-rules + +Tax free in /tax free out. An investor can take out the exact amount of his or her Roth IRA contributions at any time, for any reason without having to pay any tax or penalty—with one big caveat. The earnings from your principal cannot normally be withdrawn prior to age 59½ without paying the 10% early withdrawal penalty. Earnings can generally be withdrawn without penalties after age 59½, provided you meet the five-year rule (see below). +I just watched a YouTube video of a crypto youtuber talking about how SHIBA will reach $1 in 2022. I didn't watch the video because its obviously bs but I went to the comments to see some cringey comments of people saying it will reach their goal + +I skimmed through a bit of the video and not once did he mention market cap + +I find it really cringey that these people don't understand market cap thinking that Shiba will reach this amount not realising that it would be the biggest coin in the crypto space if it reached this amount + +This is also another reason why I find most crypto youtubers to be a bunch of scammers just making a living from the ignorant + +Just for context, if SHIBA went to $1, it will have a market cap of $558 trillion (BTC is currently at around $918 billion) + +What do you guys think? + +The company I work for will be ringing the NYSE opening bell on December 28, so a while from now, but was invited for the first time. It’s the first time the company will actually physically ring the bell since working here. Is there anything I should check out? + +Does anyone know how long people get to stick around in the exchange? Do I have to worry about being on TV? This is probably my one time in my life I’ll get to be inside the belly, and I want to make the most of it. + +Sorry if this is a bad place to ask. + +Is it acceptable to try to network with the specialists there to get contacts at firms that make more money? + +Edit - I don’t get to be on the podium let alone ring the bell. I wish. Maybe I’ll ask to ring the circuit breaker bell if it happens… +For me i'm looking at a binance coin that hasn't pumped yet called TROY. Be super careful with this though because it might be a $ONE scenario. God knows how to time the bottom. I have some very low layered bids as insurance. + +Of the lower risk moonshots i'm thinking Digitalbits and XINFIN network. $XDB has been covered here many times and is sitting on unbreakable 1.5c support waiting for the partnership news this month. XinFin is a commerce chain that has yet to show anything at all in terms of recent price action. + +&#x200B; + +What are your guys thoughts onmoonshots in Q1 and Q2? +First big move since COVID for the Oracle of Omaha. He is finally digging in his 137 billion wallet. + +This suggest that the game of waiting might be paying off in the long run. Better opportunity will unequivocally come at the right time. Also good news for overall market conditions. It suggests that retesting march low’s is off the table. + +David day trader global GLOBAL think he’s washed up. Its a bold move to go against the pinstripe suits. +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. +Please utilize this sticky thread for all **Bitcoin** price discussions! + +If you see vapid price posts on /r/Bitcoin/new, please help us out by directing the OP to this thread and reporting theirs. Thank you! + +## Your price screenshots and repetitive posts are being removed, so please stop posting them! +I'll just repost here what I've posted there: + +Title: Question about NEOs current TPS and the 100 000 TPS that we should get until 2020 + +Body: + +I read a post about how some smart contract congested the network by distributing cgas. + +That brings me to the question, how is this possible? This contract was "spamming" 100s of thousands of transactions, however shouldn't that be easypeasy for the network? + +By 2020 we are promised 100k tps! + +Browsing the neotracker, the biggest block I found contained ~170 transactions (please correct me if you find bigger ones!). +Blocktimes are at 15 seconds (in best case), so that brings us 11tp/s. + +What am I missing, am I calculating / observing wrong? + +How are we supposed to jump from 11tp/s to 100 000 tp/s? (that is 0.011% of what is promised) +Cash app now enables its 70 million active users to send money internationally using lightning to any other lightning compatible wallet. Not only can users send funds instantly and for free to any other cash app user but also to any strike user or lightning wallet on earth. + +This is how network effects start. Now all cash app users are compatible with all strike users and LN wallet users. Once venmo plugs into lightning all venmo users will be compatible with all cash app, strike and LN wallet users. At this point if you use any other app like paypal or transferwise or wechat or your banks online banking app you are not part of the network. You are not part of the group of people all connected to each other on lightning, and you are stuck within your one single app unable to interact with all of the people on the open lightning network. All you can do is send money to other people who happen to use the exact app you are using. Thats like only being able to send email to people who use the same email provider you use. + +One by one apps plug into lightning and network effects take hold. If you don't offer lightning compatibility you are essentially cut off from the world. + +All of a sudden 10 of the largest financial and social apps and their 2 billion users are all on the lightning network and all freely transferring money between each other instantly and at no cost. If you are a merchant do you keep only accepting visa essentially alienating anyone using any financial app? Or do you download a lightning compatible POS app so any of those 2 billion people can pay you from their app of choice. You are a business person so you figure out how those 2 billion people can pay you from whatever app they use by making sure your business POS system is lightning compatible. All of a sudden people are paying you using messenger twitter whatsapp IG venmo cashapp and strike and you no longer need to pay visas extortionate 2% transaction fees so your profit margin doubles. + +Its at this point anyone accepting visa looks like a dinosaur trying to only accept checks. + +This all plays out within the next 24 to 36 months. + +The world is about to change for the better. +Got a few more today to lower my average. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/uyyou5mr2mo61.png?width=1187&format=png&auto=webp&s=e60fe291298700ee9700035d2a699f7b5625621a +...it’s that crypto is still FAR from being mainstream. + +Since splitting from my ex I’ve jumped on the online dating bandwagon and had lots and lots of conversations with women from all walks of life; professional women that work in the city to single mums to hairdressers to teachers etc. + +One thing that struck me was that hardly any of them had even heard the term cryptocurrency, let alone know what it is. + +If they’ve never heard of cryptocurrency then I mention Bitcoin and I’d say probably 50% then go “oh yeah I’ve heard of bitcoin” but many still don’t know what it is. + +I went on a date last night with a girl who works for a major bank. She works in risk, but previously worked in fraud. I mention cryptocurrency...nothing. Blank stare. I mention Bitcoin, and her response was “oh I’ve heard of that, it’s bad isn’t it? Used for lots of money laundering.”. Or something to that effect. + +She works in a major global bank, and doesn’t have a clue about any of this. The only thing she knows is that it’s ‘bad’. + +I just thought it was worth sharing because sometimes we can get caught up in this world and not realise just how early we are. If anything it makes me more bullish, because once the world wakes up, things will start to get really interesting! + +UPDATE... + +Getting a lot of replies along the lines of “normal people don’t need to know about crypto for it to be mainstream. People don’t need to understand underlying technologies in order to use things.” + +I think most of you are missing my point. I never said people need to understand blockchains or smart contracts. I never even said they need to understand how cryptocurrency works at all. My point is, most people still haven’t even heard of the term, let alone understand it. + +I wouldn’t expect most people to understand how WiFi works, but I would expect them to know that it allows them to access an internet connection, or that it’s ‘wireless internet’. + +Therefore my point is, that if people have only just heard of Bitcoin (and still think it’s just used for money laundering) we’re a LONG way from cryptocurrencies being in daily use, whether that’s as currencies used for day to day transactions or as a major asset class that the average joe invests in just like they might do with stocks and shares or bonds. + +I wouldn’t expect many people to be able to explain in depth how the stock market works, or what the FTSE 100 is, but I can bet you they’ve heard of it and have a very basic understanding of what it is. + +UPDATE 2 + +Some of you are assuming that I’m not getting laid or I’m unsuccessful in dating because I just talk about crypto. Both are false assumptions. Let me just say that there is more to dating than just getting laid, and some girls actually enjoy intelligent conversation. /s +Hey bitcoin community! + +Some of you may have noticed that I used bitcoin as an example of a community that might want to fund an independent journalist (or two) to work in your service researching, investigating, and writing stories about bitcoin. + +I remember your incredible generosity to Wikipedia when we were thinking about accepting donations via bitcoin. + +At my new project Wikitribune I am going with a no-paywall "monthly supporter" model but I wanted to also reach out directly to you so you'll know that I'm particularly thinking of this community as a great example of how lots of things are underserved by traditional media models. + +http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39695767 if you want to read about it at the BBC. + +Or http://www.wikitribune.com/ + +The main thing I wanted to say today is that I set up a bitcoin address for Wikitribune: + +18FXM5GxSAPtEHK5cXtZhW957vwxReg5sJ + +Normally I think around 50% of contributions will go to journalist salaries with the rest going to tech and other overhead. But because I'm quite keen on bitcoin as an example community, I'm pledging that I'll use 100% of contributions that arrive at that address to hire high quality neutral reporters for the bitcoin/blockchain beat. + +Wikitribune is a brand new thing from me, not affiliated with Wikipedia or the Wikimedia foundation. + +If you've read this far, please pass word to others. + +Proof that I'm me: https://twitter.com/jimmy_wales/status/366582472298868736 +https://www.ft.com/content/111f8e00-d346-11e9-8367-807ebd53ab77 + +SoftBank, the biggest outside shareholder in WeWork, is urging the lossmaking property group to shelve its hotly anticipated initial public offering after it received a cool reception from investors, according to people briefed on the discussions. + +WeWork’s parent company, the We Company, has been aiming to raise between $3bn and $4bn in its flotation. But it has faced criticism from investors and analysts on Wall Street over its governance, payments made to co-founder and chief executive Adam Neumann and its use of a complicated corporate structure. + +SoftBank and its Saudi-backed Vision Fund have pumped more than $10bn into the office space provider. But SoftBank’s enthusiasm for a listing has waned as bankers have slashed the valuation they believe the We Company can attain when it lists. + +Advisors for the We Company were said to still be testing investor appetite at a valuation of between $15bn and $20bn, according to people briefed on the matter. That is far below the $47bn valuation given to WeWork when SoftBank invested $2bn in the business this year. + +SoftBank itself is trying to raise $108bn for a second Vision Fund to invest in technology start-ups. The Japanese group could face challenges raising that sum if the We Company were to list at a steep discount to its last funding round, the people said. + +WeWork is set to receive $1.5bn from SoftBank next year as part of an agreement struck at the start of this year. The company listed $2.5bn of cash and cash equivalents on its balance sheet as of June 30, according to filings with US securities regulators. + +The We Company, citing mandatory restrictions on communications ahead of an IPO, and SoftBank declined to comment. + +If the We Company were to shelve the listing, it would also lose access to a $6bn loan from a group of banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, that was contingent on the IPO raising at least $3bn in new investment. + +The lack of more than $9bn in new capital could force a dramatic change in the We Company’s corporate strategy, including its aggressive expansion that has seen it open 528 locations in more than 110 cities. + +The company has lost more than $4bn since 2016, burning through capital even as its revenues have doubled each year over that period. WeWork said in its IPO filing that it could slow its expansion dramatically if it needed to become profitable. + +But investors have remained sceptical of the business model, which has not yet been tested by a significant economic downturn. Some investors have raised concerns about its practice of leasing office space for a long period — on average for 15 years — while renting to tenants on a shorter basis. + +WeWork has sought to address some of the issues investors and analysts have raised ahead of its IPO. Mr Neumann has returned a $5.9m payment his investment vehicle received from the company for the rights to use the trademarked word “we”. The We Company also disclosed last week that it would add a woman to its all-male board of directors once it completed its listing. +After losing my job and subsequently my health insurance, I was freaking out over how the heck I would be able to afford all my monthly medications and how I could pay for ER/Urgent Care should anything happen. I was able to enroll in Medicaid and in the 2 years that I’ve had it, I’ve been able to get my meds for $1 a month, surgery with no out-of-pocket expense, no copays ever, and Urgent Care visits for pneumonia for no cost. I can’t thank the lord enough. I’d either be dead or in serious debt without it. If any of y’all are eligible for it, I IMPLORE YOU TO ENROLL +It's inevitable that a few of us here will lose our jobs, family members, need a new car engine to get to work, get a divorce, etc. And as much as it is never good to see an Ape hit rough times, we do need to be careful with these posts. + +It creates a sense of, well, you know what, I'm going through the same thing as this person, I should sell my shares too and take care of it kind of mindset. + +Personally, I think we should refrain from sharing posts about why you need to sell at this point. If you sell, it would be better to keep it to yourself. + +Don't know how to say this without coming off as unremorseful, but I hope you get the idea. +I know we all want to be picking Lamborghini colors in like a year, personally I’m prone to picking the orange one. But whats your realistic goal with investing in crypto? +My plan is to leave my country in 3,5 years (when I finish my PhD). I’m sick of having such a poor quality of life in a third world country, and to be honest I think I deserve more. For that to become reality, I need a lot of money and that’s why I’m investing in crypto. Hope that in 3,5 years I can tell yall I made it, but I’m interested in your reasons too. +If you actually believe in ₿itcoin’s inherit value in a world of infinitely printed fiat with a user-base growing at twice the speed of the internet’s user-base growth, a majority of all which are dollar cost averaging their income of infinitely printed fiat into ₿itcoin’s finite Satoshi supply, then you love these dips. + +“The ignorance of the majority is your opportunity.” + +There are corporations and nations adopting it. This is bigger than any signs I saw of Bitcoin’s potential of success ten years ago, so I’m even more excited about its future now than I was then buying the dips and subscribing to this model of thought. + +So take advantage and buy while the world is ignorant. Their ignorance is your ₿liss. + + All this means today, is that you’re still plenty early with less than 2% of the global population having adopted it today. We’re talking 1997 internet user base numbers with a projection of a few billion users in 4 years and even more billions in ten years. + +When Bitcoin’s drops are only ten percent from its all time highs, that’s when you know you’ll be late-ish and its returns long term will be no where near where its long term returns are today + +Satoshi speed new guys and OGs. Let’s use the world’s ignorance today to our advantage and stack the sats that the majority are too ignorant to value today. +Let’s add up all ten of the world’s top assets. + +Gold - $11.2T + +Apple - $2.5T + +Microsoft - $2.3T + +Saudi Amaraco - $2T + +Google - $1.9T + +Amazon - $1.7T + +Silver - $1.3T + +Bitcoin - $1.1T + +Facebook - $0.9T + +Tesla - $0.8T + +Together, these assets total just $25.7T and much of that wealth exists outside the USA. Even if they confiscated all this wealth, who’s underlying assets would immediately lose tremendous value, they’d still be $4.2T short of being able to pay off the debt, which is more money than all of the US billionaires own combined. + +The point of this is to demonstrate that there is almost no way to pay back $28.9T. We could raise taxes and “eat the rich” but that won’t even make a dent. The only feasible way to pay off the debt is to print more US Dollars until it’s value is near zero. To make things worse, our government hasn’t even proposed a viable solution to fix the problem. + +Protect yourself from currency debasement and buy Bitcoin. +GameStop will close all of its storefronts starting Sunday following outcry from employees and calls from lawmakers to stay at home as coronavirus spreads in the United States. + +Though stores will be closed to customers, GameStop will process orders on a digital only basis, moving to curbside pick-up at stores and delivery. + +[https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/20/tech/gamestop-open-essential-business/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/20/tech/gamestop-open-essential-business/index.html) +I started in residential Real Estate investing, moved to commercial Real Estate after a few years, and now manage a portfolio of diverse income-producing properties. + +I've always maintained a stock market account with a line of credit secured against it so that I could act quickly on property purchases. For the past several years I've taken advantage of extremely attractive interest rates to finance my properties to their maximum LTV and invested that equity back into stocks. I also keep a separate options account with a much smaller balance for more short-term or possibly speculative plays, but a very large part of my work for the last several years has been stock investing. + +I consider myself a primarily long-term “value” investor but I will happily pursue a position in any stock I feel is under-priced so long as I understand the business and feel I have a better-than-average grasp of the companies near-term potential. In the last 9 years I have beaten the SP500 6 times, twice by >10%, and never been behind by more than 5% in any single calendar year. Since the day I first funded my brokerage account I have achieved a 98% return vs the SP500 62%. + +Here are my current holdings. AMA + +(copy-paste from my personal files. A 0% holding means it's a stock I am following very closely and could be added to my holdings very soon.) + + + + +TECH - 25% (of total portfolio) + + GOOG 45% (of tech sector total) + + QCOM 30% + + ORCL 25% + + INTC 0% + + AAPL 0% + +OIL/GAS - 20% + + ENB 35% + + NOV 30% + + CAM 15% + + VLO 20% + +AUTO - 12.5% + + F 50% + + GM 50% + +FINANCE - 15% + + WFC 33% + + AIG 33% + + TWO 33% + + BRK.b 0% + +REAL ESTATE - 12.5% + + AMT 100% (recently bumped up to my largest single holding) + + + DHI current option play (probable stock buy soon) + +DEFENSIVE STOCKS - 15% + + NSRGY 33% + + KO 0% + + JNJ 0% + + cash atm 66% + + +OTHER - 0% + +Good morning r/financialindependence! + +**Advice Needed** + +* While I am not for sure exactly what age I want or will retire, I'd like to plan to be able to retire at 50 and withdraw $60k-$80k per year. After reading my situation below, am I doing enough and am I on track to FIRE at 50? I have always generally invested Roth dollars where applicable the past few years but now my income is increasing which will bump me up tax brackets and possibly even phase me out of contributing to a Roth IRA. What can you recommend as far as investing Roth dollars or traditional dollars? I currently max a Roth IRA and I go 50/50 Roth/Traditional dollars in my 457(b). I'm sure there are things that I am forgetting or not accounting for so would like some advice. Can I be comfortable enough with my TMRS, Roth IRA, and 457(b) or do I need to be investing extra dollars into my brokerage? +* I don't come from parents that know that much about retirement so I thankfully have come across this and other subreddits which have taught me so much by reading from others. + +**Overview** + +* I am currently 24 years old and have a net worth of roughly $150k. I am currently single and rent an apartment (no desire for roommates). I am currently trying to save for a house and new vehicle. I also need to currently re-up my emergency savings (I previously tapped it to invest it during a market downturn (bad decision since it's an emergency fund) and I never put back into it. +* Current Income: $83k pretax not including overtime or contract work (through September 2022 I've brought in around $63k (W2) post tax and $6.7k (1099) pre tax). I estimate to earn an additional $15k post tax (W2) and $21.8k (1099) pretax for the remainder of the year. In two years, my income should increase to around $97k (W2) pretax not including unlimited overtime and I estimate to earn an additional $70k in contract 1099 work starting next year until I decide to cut back. +* Current emergency fund: $1k. Current cash holding: $9k. + +**Debts** + +* I currently have no debts. + +**TMRS Contributions** + +* Total balance through September 2022: $33k. I put 7% pretax in (cannot change) and my employer puts in 14% pretax for a total of 21% per paycheck. I cannot manage what this is invested in and by law it is guaranteed 5% interest annually. +* Estimated monthly withdrawal in 2048: (Max: $4.9k Min: $3.9k)/Month for life. The discrepancy depends on if I wish to have survivor benefits at my passing and/or a lump sum payment at retirement. NOTE: This estimate takes into account my current W2 income and does not account for raises (I'll be at $97k without OT in 2 years. Pay caps at $102k if I don't promote). + +**457(b) Contributions** + +* Current balance through September 2022: $33.8k. Will be maxed out for the year next paycheck and I plan to max this every year going forward. Contributions are 50% Roth and 50% Pretax. No employer match. +* Vanguard 500 Index Admiral 85% +* Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Admiral 9% +* Vanguard Small-Cap Index Admiral 6% + +**Roth IRA Contributions** + +* Current balance through September 2022: $24.5k. Already maxed for the year and plan to max going forward but if I make my expected 1099 income next year, I assume I'll be ineligible. +* GOOG 5% +* AMZN 3% +* AAPL 6% +* MSFT 5% +* V 4% +* DIS 3% +* WM 5% +* SWTSX 69% + +**Brokerage Contributions** + +* Current balance through September 2022: $47k. Not currently contributing on a scheduled basis. +* GOOG 16% +* AMZN 4% +* AAPL 31% +* MA 5% +* MSFT 16% +* PG 2% +* V 1% +* DIS 3% +* WM 15% +* SWTSX 7% + +**Excel Tracking and Graphs** + +* See [HERE](https://imgur.com/a/fNztNS5) to see the expenses that I currently have. This excel spreadsheet is from u/WhiskeySauer. You can find their latest post using their spreadsheet [HERE](https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/khkick/oc_i_tracked_every_dollar_i_spent_for_10_years/) (check the comments for a blank version of the spreadsheet if you wish to use it). I had a hard time making my own or finding one that I liked until I found theirs. I made some adjustments and automated it to make it work for me. +* Notes: This spreadsheet tracks pretty much every dollar that I've ever earned and what I did with it. I started investing and created this spreadsheet roughly three years ago, and I backdated the other years with bank and credit card statements. I started my career in 2021 which will explain the increase in income. I only recently moved out on my own and I am very fortunate to have been able to live at home for free and get a head start on saving for my future. Any recent increase in spending that you see will be from associated costs of moving out. My rent is also discounted because I perform work for the complex and it would normally be almost double what it is now. +EDIT: + +Ok, looks like it's coming from the Meta Materials debacle where they got screwed over from last week or whatever. + +https://twitter.com/AShortSqueeze/status/1604162540174467073?s=20&t=xrHKsPRuv019bXU2RsPPww + +___________________________________________________________________________________________ + + +In the front page clip with Wes Christian, he talks about a protest/march happening on January 3, 2023 in New York (?). Anyone have more information? + +This is the post I'm talking about: https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/zsqeh5/straight_from_the_man_himself_wes_christian_the/ + +... he first starts talking about it at the ~00:50 mark. + +This is the first I've heard about it and am surprised there hasn't been more talk. + +Not sure what else to say - kinda just going to type here to make sure there's enough so this doesn't get kicked back. How is everyone doing today? Any special holiday plans? I hope everyone is doing well. Spread kindness and goodwill where you go. It can be difficult at times, but your heart and mind will appreciate it - as will the whole world. + +_________________________________________________________________________________________ + +EDIT: + +Ok, looks like it's coming from the Meta Materials debacle where they got screwed over from last week or whatever. + + +https://twitter.com/AShortSqueeze/status/1604162540174467073?s=20&t=xrHKsPRuv019bXU2RsPPww +My wife and I currently rent and are getting a nice deal, however our 2 kids are growing up and need more space. We have been looking for homes to buy but the market right now in our area is just too crazy. Dozens of offers, many $60,000 or more over asking for a $475,000 home and the mortgage rates just keep growing. We may have to wait this thing out and continue to grow our downpayment fund but I sure hope things get better in the next 2 years. +WSB is a thing. It isn’t us. They YOLO on a all or nothing bet. They brag about the risk. They pride themselves in losses. + +Good for them. Respect. Live and let live. + +But Bitcoin isn’t about YOLO, or taking wild risks or being reckless for tendies. + +We aren’t retards (their word) or autists (also their word). + +Properly understood, Bitcoin isn’t a risky investment or a swing at the fences one time big play. We will make money because we are early adopters, but that is a side benefit of being part of something that is fundamentally strong, secure, and the future. + +WSB is diamond hands. We are not. +So I've been working for one company since graduating college (4.5 years). I'm an engineer and I just earned my Professional Engineering license (a somewhat prestigious designation). + +I receive stellar reviews but for some reason my pay had never really matched my responsibilities as I moved up. I honestly feel my boss didn't like me because I'm not your typical design engineer (I am a very social confident person). I started at 57k and have been promoted twice (most recently without a pay increase). My current salary is 67k. A new hire level I engineer makes 65k. This has me fuming. + +I recently had my annual review, received stellar reviews, and my boss admitted I'm underpaid and "I don't know how this happened". We will revisit your pay in April when we do pay pay raises. I had done my research, and a city engineer with my experience makes 77k, and I work for a private company often working 60-70 hours a week. So, 77k would be the low number. My company is stingy with raises and I knew they wouldn't give me a raise of 15% at once. They have a philosophy of hiring new grads, working you to death, then letting you go when you get a new job and repeating the cycle; despite the fact it screws over the other engineers who have to pick up the slack. Anyways I tell my manager that I know they won't give me the double digit percentage raise, so they need to give me one now, and then in April to put me around 77k. Manager agrees to talk with the director of engineering immediately after our review. The whole thing was professional and friendly. +The next day I was called into my managers office, my manager has a very different tone, very defensive and aggressive. "Here's what we are going to do, we will give you a 5-6% raise in April and you can do what you want with that information" I replied, well I'm disappointed to hear that but thank you for your efforts, got up and walked out. I knew at that point I would be moving on. +Start putting out my resumes immediately, the work I did is unique and my resume is pretty impressive for a 4.5 year career. I couldn't believe how fast I got responses, almost anything I applied for I received an interview offer. Took a few days off last week and this entire week. Had interviews with three companies, one had a soft offer of 105k. Holy shit that's awesome. Had my third and final interview with another company and they asked if I had any other offers. I said yes, and said 110k, hoping they would give me 110k. Got the offer in writing at 120k! Dude this changes my life. + +I do have roughly 35k in federal student loans paying the income based repayment plan. No credit card debt, and 6k left on a low interest (4.5%) car loan. I have about 8k in savings. I have a credit rating around 740-760 depending on scoring system. + +Not necessarily here for advice just so pumped I had to share but any advice is appreciated. I do want to propose to my gf soon and we would like to buy a house in the next year or two. Anyways happy New Years reddit, remember you don't know what you're worth until you shop around! +First-time poster here, don’t bully me, apologies for the potentially atrocious formatting :) +TL;DR at the end + +So in the wake of Bitcoin’s explosive rise in value and media attention, I’ve been encouraged by others to share my experience over the past few years as a miner. Here's my story (it's kinda long, you've been warned) + +# Humble Beginnings +It all started almost three years ago in the beginning of 2015 when Bitcoin flew under my radar. Looking into it, I admittedly wasn’t drawn in because of the decentralisation or the anonymous payments, I was hooked on the idea that anyone could get their hands on some just by running a program and leaving it to do its own thing. I know, how shallow of me. But the idea of making even a bit of money without ‘any work’ was convincing enough for 11-year-old me to do more digging into the matter. + +To my disappointment, I soon found out that the era of mining Bitcoins with a PC’s CPU or GPU was long obsolete and instead it was all ASICs at that point. + +So that summer, for my twelfth birthday, I got a little ASIC machine for €60, an [Antminer U3](https://imgur.com/QLzmmx2). This little thing took up less space than a graphics card but could mine at 60 GH/s. Because, at the time, I didn’t have a controller device that could be kept up and running all day long so it could run the program that mined Bitcoin using the U3, I went ahead and got a Raspberry Pi. After setting up the Pi and installing all the necessary stuff (took an awfully long time), I connected it to AntPool and plugged the U3 in. Two days past and the mining pool sent the first Bitcoin I ever received to my wallet (I was using Blockchain.info). It was just 30 cents worth of BTC but I felt a bit of a rush because I was earning a bit of money through this completely new thing and the idea of that was thrilling. + +Let’s back up for a second. I just used the term ‘earning’ as if I was profiting, and naive me 2 years ago was no different. In reality, I was at first oblivious to the fact that I was most likely LOSING money overall because of how much energy that little sucker was taking in. But, I was comforted thinking that using that machine was just a practical way of learning about this modern currency and that the loss of several cents’ worth of energy was acceptable in the name of education and learning. + +Fast forward ten months to the wonderful summer of 2016. I had recently turned 13 and the Antminer U3 had been running on and off throughout. Various pauses and breaks in mining would be observed, as I had to manually get everything up and running after frequent breaks in the Internet connection. You’d expect my newly-turned-teenage brain to lose interest in Bitcoin as it does with many other gimmicks, but – even surprising myself – I miraculously didn’t. Good thing I maintained interest thinking about it now, not so good at the time for my parents. Why do I say this? I felt like it was time to get a little upgrade in my hardware. + +# Getting an upgrade +Days passed with me comparing every ASIC miner I could at that price point. It was then I set my eyes upon the Antminer S7 (same folks who did my U3, nice). I had put it up against a plethora of other miners and I figured the S7 was my best bet; the thing costs only about 10 times that of my U3 but could run at 4.73 TH/s, almost 80 times as powerful. The only problem being its power consumption was at 1300 watts, which would put a massive dent in the electricity bill and eliminate any profit I would make. Fortunately, I had a secret weapon up my sleeve – or rather my mum did. She had rented out an office outside our apartment where she would keep files and paperwork. The office’s electricity bill was a flat rate as far as I’m aware and it ended up being my saving grace because it virtually got rid of the “oh no I’m actually going to be losing money because of how much electricity I’m eating up” factor, making this whole hardware upgrade viable. + +After convincing my parents, they finally agreed to shell out the requested amount, with the initial investment being paid back with time. I went to a local Bitcoin vendor and purchased 1 BTC for about $665 in cash (*sigh* yes, I know. $665 dollars). Shortly after, I used about 0.9 BTC to purchase the Antminer S7 and a 1600W power supply for a grand total of $600. The products would be made and shipped from China so I was definitely in for a wait. + +A month passes and the package arrives at last. I connected all the wires from the power supply into the S7 and – with great anticipation – I plugged it into the wall to start its first ever run. And what do you know? An extremely loud and high-pitched whirring sound blasted out from the fans on both the power supply as well as the S7. After killing the thing, I questioned my choices. I couldn’t dare put that thing anywhere near my mum’s office in the event it drive everyone in the building absolutely nuts. I was at a loss. However, I soon recovered from my temporarily debilitated state and got working on a solution. + +The first idea that came to my mind: change the fans. The stocks fans were by Evercool and spun at around 3000 RPM. The power supply used a small, robust fan that looked like a cube that must’ve spun at extremely high speeds judging by how high the sound it produced was. I got my parents to give me some more funding so I could acquire the replacement fans and I did. Bust. After installation and testing, none of the fans would work. I managed to configure the S7 to connect to my Antpool account and the machine would manage mining for several minutes running at peak performance but ultimately be automatically cut off because of how hot the machine was getting (I’m talking about 80 degrees Celsius kinda hot in that thing). The fans got refunded and I was back to the drawing board. + +After combing through some forum posts and videos, I came across [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxMVpB9Y4wc) video and a forum post in which people have their mining rigs placed inside a ventilated, muffled cabinet. Undertaking a project like this would be time-consuming and risky but I had no better ideas so I decided to go through with the idea anyway. + +Firstly, I sought out a cabinet with suitable dimensions. I managed to get just what I needed at a second-hand IKEA shop. Great. Secondly, I went ahead and acquired some sound-absorbing acoustic foam from a local provider. Fantastic. Finally I had to get a ventilation system going within the cabinet, otherwise, all the hot air would roast the machine alive in there in a bloody mess. With the help of my dad, we found a pair cabinet fans on the Internet that were close to silent but could circulate the air well enough. + +Eventually, all the materials came and, with the help of my parents, put everything together. The process took quite long time and we had a couple hiccups along the way, but we got it done and it came out pretty nice. + +The moment of truth came and, to my relief, it ran so much quieter than without the cabinet. It was nowhere near silent but it reduced the noise a great deal. Soon after, I got the thing into the office and set everything up from there. Unfortunately, I was forced to underclock it because you could still hear the machine’s whining from outside the thin office door. Gunning the hashrate down about 25% to 3.7TH/s, I could lower the fan speed without risking the machine burning up. Sure, I wasn’t getting the full potential of the machine but I didn’t complain because electricity was not an issue there and it was still a whole lot better than my U3. With it up and running, I could leave it there, periodically checking to see if it was mining on Antpool. + +# The aftermath +In the months that followed, I was getting a solid $2.5 worth of BTC on daily basis. Half a year later, May of 2017, I had accumulated a satisfactory $600. I thought, “At this rate, I’d be able to pay my parents’ investment back in a few months” (the total investment came close to $900). Bitcoin had risen to over $1500 so I was already over the moon at that point because of how well everything was going. Little did I know… + +I hit 0.5 BTC midway through September this year. The price of BTC had dropped after a sudden rise to $5000, but I couldn’t have asked for more. Although I possessed only half the amount of BTC I paid for the machine, its value was over twice that of the initial investment. I thought BTC would level off at around $4000 but nope. + +In the month of October, the price skyrocketed. Since September, I had only mined 0.017 BTC but the value was already over $3000. It was just a matter of selling it, but I decided to hodl. Good thing I did. + +As of November 5, I have approximately 0.52 BTC mined in total from my S7, valued at $4000. If I were to sell it right now, I’d have a profit of over $3100. And as for my miner, it’s churning out 0.0006 BTC daily, sounds like nothing but it’s still the equivalent of $5 today and I couldn’t be happier, at least with the miner and Bitcoin. + +You remember that $665 for 1 BTC that I mentioned earlier? In hindsight, it would’ve been such a better idea to just keep that one Bitcoin and not do anything with it until today (in the interest of making much more money), as I’d theoretically have upwards of $7000. The idea of that still haunts me sometimes if I dwell on it too long but knowing that I’m in possession of an already hefty amount, the pain of it had numbed slightly. It’s not all doom and gloom for me from the exponential increase in Bitcoin’s value, however. Those first $0.3 payments from my humble little U3 all those years ago now are now the equivalent of over $6 today! + +Bitcoin and everything it encompasses has been and still is a journey of discovery and an adventure. Looking back, starting with a modest €60 Antminer U3 to having a sum of Bitcoin equivalent to two extremely high-end gaming rigs (first thing I could think of as a comparison, sorry) has been something I can’t really describe. Through the course of the past few years, I’ve learned more about technology, I’ve unexpectedly gotten insight into economics and business and – of course – I’ve made a lot of money (if I decide to stop hodling that is). + +Also, props to my parents for keeping an open mind throughout, I know some parents would be horrified at their kids being involved in something that has been used in some less-than-savoury ways and it's great knowing mine have been supportive all the way. + +TL;DR got into Bitcoin mining 3 years ago at age 11 with an Antminer U3 that ran at 60 GH/s, got an Antminer S7 (4.73TH/s) and built a sound-muffling, ventilated cabinet for it. Am sat here today with $3000 profit if I decide to sell right now. + + + + + + + +Hey AusFinance, +Last month our company gave us a 2.5% payrise. I was hoping to ask for a raise for myself. I started with this company a couple years ago as an apprentice, and got lowballed when I fully qualified. I was told my pay would be lower than the others because I haven’t had much experience in the industry. Now I’m doing the same work/more work than the others on the team, regardless if they’ve been here longer. I’m also better at this job than others on my team, and they are getting 5-10k more than me. Competitor companies are offering more than our company too. This is a very niche industry I am in and it is difficult to find workers, and our team is currently short staffed. I was thinking of writing an email asking for a payrise, would just like to know what to include? One point I was thinking would be to mention that the current market rate for us is much higher than my current pay. Don’t know what else to include. My main reason is because I’m a better worker than the others on my team but I know I can’t include that. Thank you +So I invested about a year so, planning to leave the money I invest, close to 20k, for around 30 years or so as small retirement fund for myself, I understand it’s only been a year but would reinvesting in a different etf be a better option or will this dip bounce back +So, I’m 26, from Sydney and in my final semester of studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Development Studies. + +It’s been a really long and difficult journey for me. I was always very bright in school but when university began I struggled tremendously with what I now realise were the symptoms of undiagnosed ADHD. Because almost all units in my degree are assessment based, I have failed out of units SEVERAL TIMES due to non submission. This in combination with the fact that my transcript goes on for years means that a) my GPA is shocking and b) my entire academic career looks extremely scattered, with repeats of the same units. + +I’m really worried about what this means for my career prospects. Apparently I can get \*some\* of the fails on my transcript wiped, but that only applies to the ones that have happened less than 12 months ago. + +In terms of experience, I was handpicked for an internship that my uni offered in conjunction with a local literary publication, am on a podcast where we have collaborated with a VERY renowned multinational brand and where I also do most of the content creation, am currently employed by a theatre company as a social media facilitator for a play and was also contracted as a community engagement consultant for the theatre where the play was showing interstate in Feb/March. I also have the standard retail experience under my belt. + +I’m looking to go into social impact consulting or policy: I’m not choosy as long as there is a prospect for growth. I should make it clear that despite some of my experience I DO NOT want to go into media as a career path, which is what makes me so anxious because my terrible academic record gives me no leg to stand on. + +Should I even bother applying for grad roles given what my transcript looks like? I would appreciate absolutely any tips/insight on how to make my way into my desired field and opinions on what would be the most realistic path for me to get there. + +Thank you so much in advance ♥️ +I hear a lot about how there's no benefit to paying back HECS early, that it's better to just park the money you would pay back to HECS in a HISA instead. + +Now that interest rates are low, would that mean that it would be more beneficial for someone with a HECS debt to pay down that debt as opposed to keeping the money in a HISA? + +**Hypothetical scenario:** + +* Someone on $80k a year and has $30k in HECS debt +* $30k kept in a HISA at 2.10% - $630 in gross interest, which then loses approx. $220 due to tax ($410 gross interest) +* $410 is approx. 1.4% of $30k, thus only being a 1.4% interest rate +* HECS is indexed at 1.8% per annum + + +Based on the above, wouldn't it be more beneficial to pay off the HECS before indexation given that what we would get in interest from a HISA is lower than the interest charged on HECS per annum? + +Given it's indexed annually, would the best strategy be to just park it in a HISA until EOFY and then pay off HECS before the indexation? + +Would the benefit to each depend more on your yearly gross income? +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. + +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. +I’m planning on buying a home soon and am beginning to get my ducks in a row. I logged in to credit karma to see what it showed for my score (I know, CK isn’t completely accurate but I use it as a ballpark estimate). + +Upon logging in, I see a Best Buy card now in my account that I didn’t open. It was opened in October this year with a balance of over $2k. My score is obviously lower than I expected due to the hard inquiry when it was opened and now my high credit usage from that card plus my regular card combined. + +What’s my first step? Do I contact Best Buy and report it as fraudulent? Do I contact one of the credit bureaus? All of the credit bureaus? Will this be able to completely go away and have my score return to what it was/should be without consequences? + +UPDATE: Thank you SO much for all of the kind comments and awesome advice! I figured out what happened, which I wrote in a comment. Long story short, my partner listed me as an authorized user on his Best Buy card (he didn’t know it would show up on my credit as he did not need to provide my SSN). He thought he was giving permission that I could use the card too if needed. Still confused as to how this is even allowed, since I never consented. Either way I’ll be putting a freeze on my credit to give an additional hurdle so this kind of thing (and more sinister situations) are less likely to happen again. Thank you again!! +TL;DR: I believe SHFs and enablers are in a liquidity squeeze; they are liquidity tested on the hour during the trading day; they are making a special effort to keep the price down – even if only a little bit – on the hour marks to get some wiggle room on liquidity tests, avoid margin calls and MOASS. (resurrected from early versions of this daily post) + +After a day of sideways trading, the price ended in the green after the power minute frenzy. Looks like that tuckered everybody out, as there is almost no action in the after-hours first 30 minutes. + +The pattern of price dips on the hour is strong and consistent, and back in effect today. + +1 pattern break at 1 p.m. + +9:30 a.m. $213.17 open + +9:57 a.m. down $206.72 (Hella dip $6.45 drop pretty much continuous from the open – couldn’t quite hold it to 10 a.m.) + +10:30 a.m. up $211.54 (dip in downtrend) + +11:02 a.m. up $211.57 (dip – no volume at 11:00) + +11:30 a.m. down $211.00 (in uptrend) + +12:01 p.m. up $213.31 (dip splitting a peak for one minute – up $0.74 a minute later) + +12:30 p.m. up $213.48 (peak) + +1:00 p.m. down $213.38 (Pattern Break – in uptrend) + +1:30 p.m. down $212.57 (small peak) + +1:59 p.m. down $212.31 (micro dip) + +2:30 p.m. down $211.36 (dip) + +2:57 p.m. up $211.59 (dip – soon overcome by start of power hour run-up for about 15 minutes) + +3:30 p.m. up $212.94 (in uptrend) + +4:00 p.m. up $213.52 close + +On the graphic, purple lines are on the hour dips, grey are on the hour breaking the pattern (one today), and the orange dotted lines are on the half-hours. + +https://preview.redd.it/e595xbo8p5l71.png?width=1232&format=png&auto=webp&s=e491f7c5b0750c6cb876bcda84b6769f05c103f5 + +For a while now, there have been hourly liquidity tests for the hedge funds and their enablers. If they fail a liquidity test, they have an hour to make good on that. Based on looking at the data, I think those tests are run on or very close to the top of the hour. I think the SHFs know that (they have better data and analysts than I do). So, they push the GME stock price down in time for the liquidity tests, even more than for other times of the trading day. It's extra effort, so is it worth it? Let's suppose the SHFs and friends are on the wrong side of half-a-billion FTDs, shorts, naked shorts and other shorting fuckery. Knocking the price down a couple of bucks for test time gives another $1 billion in cushion, and likely avoid having to sell other assets to cover the liquidity test numbers. Six times per trading day. Dumping a few 10s of 1000s in to maintain the cushion likely looks like a good deal to them. + +Originally, people said the pattern isn't real. Well, there's more than a month of these posts now that say the pattern is real. Not infallible - sometimes I think the opening enthusiasm each day can overwhelm the 10 a.m. test, and there are days like yesterday where the run up seems to overwhelm other hours as well. But the pattern is strong. + +Now, I'm watching for the days – like Sept. 1st - where the pattern breaks down, because that may mean the SHFs are losing control of the game. + +Love the daily downvotes, it likely means somebody out there is uncomfortable with this information getting out. Just a guess, judging by how fast the downvotes come, some are waiting for this post to slam it. +I know today was mostly about the earnings call and the potential jacking of our tits and going green on the green holiday and all, but I think we kind of lost track of paying homage to the man that made the man we call our sugar daddy. HBD to the real Papa Cohen, Ted 🎈. +Apes, I have excellent news. I was sitting on the toilet listening to Fifth Harmony attempting to take my 4th shit of the day. After having trouble, my good friend WD40 came to the rescue. Minutes later, a fully cooked chicken tender popped right out of me. Now I know what you're asking yourself, so I'll save you the trouble: yes, it was still warm. Now, I took this as a sign as any logical ape would do. I realized that MY WIFE HAS BEEN FUCKING THE MAILMAN. So I graciously added the mailman to the long list of my wife's boyfriends by paying his taxes, giving him a welcome to the family cake, and allowing him to take my bed. In exchange, my wife's new boyfriend graciously allowed me to pay his rent for five months. So yeah, you could say I'm living the good life right now. + +A few weeks ago I made a post where I tried to decipher GME's potential future movements based on its past. Before reading this post, please see [that post](https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/mo6shb/gme_past_present_and_possible_future/) as you will be very confused if you don't. This post is going to be a continuation of that post, which attempted to use the past to make sense of where we are now. This post will try to use the past and the present to try to predict where we could be going in the future. + +Before reading. I warn you, this is long. Many of you who follow me have seen my previous posts that are long. Well, this is a new level of long. This is like my wife's affair with the mailman long. This is my magnum opus, so if you ~~bear~~ bull with me, I appreciate you. This is not financial advice, I am not a financial advisor. There's a TL;DR at the bottom that is surprisingly short, which shows how detailed and convoluted this all is... enjoy! + +# Introduction + +**Note on using the past** + +Before going further, I want to emphasize that correlation does not equal causation, dates should not be taken as absolute, and the past does not always indicate what the future may do. I am only posting this because I see similarities and wanted to share my findings. Though traders, historians, and economists often use the past to predict the future (i.e. yield curves, interest rates, recessions, etc.), these are simply correlations and do not guarantee or prove future price action. + +So, why do I use the past to try to predict the future? I use it for many reasons. First, as I said earlier, most analysts/traders use it too. Similar to technical analysis, because other people use it, stocks often follow those patterns simply because others use it. We also know that it is a common sentiment that the past price of a stock can be used to predict its future (on a more complicated level, people use Fibonacci indicators to take advantage of this). + +Most importantly, I believe that the past price of GME can help predict the future because GME is in a unique position. GME has been the victim of abusive shorting for many years now. I believe that the failure to deliver cycle has been in effect since last April when GME went below $3. I am guessing that hedge funds used naked shorting believing that they wouldn't get screwed because it would bankrupt the company and they wouldn't have to unwind those naked shorts. They probably thought that at the worst it wouldn't go bankrupt and they'd take a slight loss. As we all know, GME is not bankrupt, so I believe that the shorts have been in a nasty failure to deliver cycle that has been fractally repeating since last year (see the research article about this cycle, it's absolutely genius what this man did but sadly I don't have the link). Moreover, as someone who has looked at GME for many months now, I see patterns in its chart that repeat constantly (bull traps at 11am or 1pm, giant dips at open followed by recovery and then dips during power hour, triangles forming after open rally only to be broken and not pan out, etc. (I could probably make a separate DD about these topics alone)). Therefore, I believe that we can use the past of GME to predict the future. + +Again, I could be wrong, this could all be a correlation. This is simply my opinion based on my own research. So, please, save your comments regarding how the past cannot predict the future and stuff like that because I am well aware of that and am making this note so that others are aware too. I am just sharing my findings and thoughts, so please do not treat them as fact. Though this does contain my thoughts on the near future of GME, it also has some useful DD that you will still find useful even if you do not agree with my analysis/prediction. I am not a financial advisor, this is not financial advice. With that being said, let's enter the danger zone. + +https://preview.redd.it/chgx49v9byt61.png?width=420&format=png&auto=webp&s=94362d580529094d84b2907a61958135cc7f4d96 + +**Quick summary of previous post** + +Again, I encourage you to read my previous post first but I am going to give a short synopsis of it right here for more context. + +Here is the large view of where we are looking: + +https://preview.redd.it/kt4ket44ayt61.png?width=1352&format=png&auto=webp&s=307922b6114abfaa783b5a7f670fb34ea08e0714 + +These charts show the similarities between the green and red squares shown above: + +https://preview.redd.it/c398zo45ayt61.png?width=1470&format=png&auto=webp&s=760cb132c4f86da6c43a53342f82ea1d0258abd5 + +The crux of this post is analyzing the blue square and trying to find similarities between today's price action and the blue square to help give a possible idea of where the stock could go in the future. This post is filing in the gap of my last post by using early January (blue square) to predict where we could be going in the coming weeks. + +So, my previous post discussed where we've been (red, blue, green squares). This post will discuss where GME could go in the future. My hypothesis is that because the red square is similar to the green square, then the blue square can help predict where we are going, which will then lead to the MOASS (again, this is all conjecture and my opinion). + +# Analysis Starts Here: + +As I said above, this analysis will cover where the price of GME could be going based on the blue square above. This analysis is based on the hypothesis that because the red square behaved in a similar pattern to the green square, that the blue square will be a predictor of the period before the MOASS (again this is all conjecture, so do not take it as fact, this is my opinion based on my findings). This blue square analysis will cover comparisons based on three different views: + +1. **Medium view:** A view that analyzes the blue square (December to early January) to try to predict where we could go soon +2. **Small view:** A view that analyses a very small time frame (early January) within the blue square to help us give a prediction on where we could go in the very near future +3. **Extra Big view**: My first post can be construed as a big view because it covered the red and green squares. The extra big view will cover four months before the squeeze and the previous four months + +**1. Medium view: using the blue square to predict where we could go soon:** + +Here is the blue square from my original chart at the top. This square represents the period before the first squeeze: + +https://preview.redd.it/6jl2iol6ayt61.png?width=1352&format=png&auto=webp&s=649db4248b6c2f2b19ecd30ef26eb826c70af23f + +As you can see, it starts with a slight increase in price and volume, then a decrease in volume and a consolidation in price that is followed by a rapid and monumental increase in price and volume, which then kicks off the squeeze. This next chart picks up where the green chart left off (4/5). I believe that this chart is substantially similar to the blue chart and indicates that we are repeating old patterns: + +https://preview.redd.it/ylrmu1p7ayt61.png?width=914&format=png&auto=webp&s=dff2cd4296e2efdc893baa4c6de7305dce8701d7 + +Comparing this chart up until 1/8, we can see some very stark similarities, which I will get into in more detail below. Because of this, I believe that GME is currently repeating the blue square pattern and that we are in the same position now as we were in at 1/8. Therefore, I believe that 1/11 (a Monday) could be similar to this coming Monday. This will be detailed below, again it is my opinion, not fact. + +**2. Small view: comparing early January to now:** + +So, my blue square starts at around the middle of December. To give us more thoughts on where we could potentially go in the future, here is a comparison of the price action of GME from 12/28-1/8 and 4/5 - now (4/16). Both of these time frames cover 2 trading weeks and start on Mondays. As you can see, the price action is extremely similar: + +https://preview.redd.it/u0pugay8ayt61.png?width=1166&format=png&auto=webp&s=b74bbe0e2c52a7444ededb48106ce74005c7a7db + +As you can see, the price starts high, decreases all of the first week, reaches a low on Tuesday of the second week, then increases back up Wednesday, and ends below that Wednesday increase for the week. Below is a volume comparison of these time frames: + +https://preview.redd.it/q15h3u7aayt61.png?width=1178&format=png&auto=webp&s=ce957db020e0ee75226be77e7b2c08d83149c73a + +The similarities in volume are not as apparent as the similarities in price action. The blue line is GME's IV for that time frame, which we can see decreases to a bottom in both charts. Now, you are probably wondering what happened on 1/11 (the next day after the January time frame) and what that could mean for GME next week. Well, I present to you 1/11 (a Monday) and the rest of that week for GME: + +https://preview.redd.it/p1snspbbayt61.png?width=2102&format=png&auto=webp&s=de76d63177913cd929af725b53dec708805c97a6 + +On Monday, 1/11, we see a gap up in price and a significant increase in volume. We then see a pretty neutral Tuesday, followed by an explosive final three days of the week (in both price and volume). Now, what caused that, you ask? It was due to [this filing right here](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/01/11/2156168/0/en/GameStop-Announces-Additional-Board-Refreshment-to-Accelerate-Transformation.html) on 1/11. + +In this bad boy, GME announced that it was accelerating its digital transformation with the help of Ryan Cohen. The continued jump in the later part of the week was not correlated to any news, it seems to be more fomo/media coverage. Interestingly, after 1/11, there was no more fundamental news about the company. The only news about the company was the high short interest, shorts covering, media coverage, and celebrity tweets, which essentially means that the stock rose purely on momentum. With no fundamental announcements about the company but a continued increase in price and volume, I believe that 1/11 was the start of the short squeeze. Here is a closer look comparing the week prior to 1/11 to this previous week: + +https://preview.redd.it/hxn613jcayt61.png?width=920&format=png&auto=webp&s=d265d98687c695c4e9a003902871427940bc77a1 + +Obviously, the top chart has 1/11 and 1/12. The bottom chart doesn't have those corresponding days because I believe, they will occur next Monday and Tuesday (same day of the week), which is why I have crossed out 1/11 and 1/12 on the top chart, so you know what to compare. As you can see, both time frames start with a long red streak, a significant recovery on Wednesday, then they finish the week on two days of low volume and descending price. If what my theory is saying is corrected, then we should experience a significant gap up on Monday and a significant gap up on Wednesday and this will mark the start of the newest squeeze (again just a theory could easily be wrong). As said previously, 1/11 was catalyzed by GME's filing about their transformation. Well, it just so happens that next week we could potentially be due for a filing catalyst. GME has yet to release the proxy statement for the annual meeting. Last year, GME released its [proxy statement and a letter to stockholders](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/04/28/2023114/0/en/GameStop-Files-Definitive-Proxy-Statement-and-Sends-Letter-to-Stockholders.html) on 4/28: + +The letter encouraged stockholders to vote (as many have pointed out, GME does not have the ability to recall its shares, only shareholders do; however, GME can encourage shareholders to do so). This year, the record date to vote is 4/20, so it would make sense to expect a proxy statement or some kind of shareholder letter on Monday or Tuesday. This letter and/or statement could include anything such as GME encouraging shareholders to vote, a significant shareholder calling a vote similar to what Hestia did last year (we already know that they have a new slate of board members to vote on). Perhaps that, similar to the filing last year is what will propel GME into squeeze territory, again, just a theory. + +Now, let's compare early January to now using SPY and VIX. Here's SPY: + +https://preview.redd.it/ebb6ma5eayt61.png?width=1420&format=png&auto=webp&s=6dffb93e7a761124827f76458cb8f24089870a29 + +As you can see, the Friday before 1/11, SPY was at an all-time high and was overbought on the relative strength index. Well, would you look at where it's at now? SPY ultimately would not recover from this until after January when the first squeeze was over. I'm not going to include a chart of the VIX, but it is at pre-pandemic levels. When the VIX is at extremely low levels and SPY is overbought, we are ripe for some volatile market conditions. As I have said many times before, GME seems to be correlated to the VIX and inversely correlated to SPY. Since VIX tracks SPY options, we can assume that when GME rises, institutions buy a large number of puts, which would explain the VIX rising, to protect their investments, and sell other investments, which would explain SPY falling. Here is the comparison of GME to SPY and VIX just so you can see the relationship: + +https://preview.redd.it/ilt6jo7fayt61.png?width=1226&format=png&auto=webp&s=c3003547d563b3e65eb8da4b75bd7ab6e2205ca2 + +**3. Extremely big view:** + +Now, I am going to take a look at the long-term similarities from a technical standpoint in the last 9ish months. First, volume. This time frame will compare the January volume movement to now (4 months: Jan - Apr) to the four months before the squeeze (Sep-Dec). The colored dots show the similarities in volume between each of the two time frames. From what I see, the charts look incredibly similar in how volume moves. From this, you could make the prediction that GME is in line for more volume as this cycle seems to be ending and could repeat (again this is just conjecture). + +https://preview.redd.it/tehdks8gayt61.png?width=1068&format=png&auto=webp&s=af90f2c599d9e7bf3c4c02af4a585786edafdb9c + +Moreover, take a took at implied volatility (blue line) and volume flow (similar to on-balance volume but better) (white line): + +https://preview.redd.it/7832ls9hayt61.png?width=1030&format=png&auto=webp&s=b46a608403c45885ee502cb2a201a05f7ca77f47 + +Volume flow seems to be picking back up similar to how it did before the start of the January squeeze. This indicates that more positive/bullish volume is starting to flow into the stock. Implied volatility is at its lowest level since before the January squeeze. This is also good for GME because it means that options are extremely cheap (relatively), so taking a large position through options (perhaps to try to initiate a gamma squeeze) will not be disturbingly expensive. + +**Indicators** + +Right now, I'm going to be taking a quick look into where the technical indicators point to where we could be going. I use MACD, TTM squeeze, Stochastic, and relative strength index (I combine them into two graphs). These are all momentum indicators that can show where a stock could be going based on momentum. + +https://preview.redd.it/y6y8xn9iayt61.png?width=560&format=png&auto=webp&s=041d636ad75aa274fa2ee1d6184ece95bdfbb198 + +The top chart combines RSI and the stochastic oscillator. RSI shows us that we are trading around 50, which is neutral, so we have room to go up into overbought territory, which is what happened in both of the previous jumps. Stochastic (light grey line) tells us that we are currently in an upward trajectory and have yet to reach our peak. Together, these both tell us that we are in neutral territory and have room for a bull run. The bottom chart combines TTM squeeze and MACD. The TTM squeeze tells us that we are leaving bearish territory and are ready to go into bullish territory because the yellow lines are getting smaller and smaller. MACD is bearish right now, but is about to converge, which would suggest that we are about to start a bullish run. Altogether, these four indicators tell me that we are currently in a neutral position, have tons of room for a bullish run, and may in fact be gearing up for a bullish run. + +**The wedge** + +Many of you have seen all the talk of the mother of all wedges. I personally subscribe to this idea. Depending on how you draw the wedge, we are either still inside of it or we have just slightly broken out of it on the upside. Many of you expected the GME wedge to break out like this: + +https://preview.redd.it/sirvsgejayt61.png?width=680&format=png&auto=webp&s=45502441006d38ac9ec49a0015d849ecc650755e + +Silly primates. The above picture is only from a very general view of what bullish wedges do. Usually, a wedge breakout does not happen like that (parabolic) unless a major catalyst is announced at the exact time it breaks out. This is how a bullish wedge breakout usually looks: + +https://preview.redd.it/ue3gnahkayt61.png?width=1258&format=png&auto=webp&s=a978165882d4e8140712e311f89dae1ab97fb064 + +There is typically a breakout in the wedge and then it goes up significantly over time, not all at once. Depending on how you drew your wedge, it looks like we are at the "buy here" point where it has just broken out of it. Now, if the squeeze happened or some catalyst happened, then we could see a parabolic move similar to the first picture. However, it is much more likely that we see a wedge pattern that goes up rapidly over time but not parabolically like the first one. + +**Catalysts** + +As I have long said, GME will not move without a catalyst. I made [a post a few days ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/mqd3o5/gme_its_all_coming_together/) about how GME has been shelling out a slew of announcements and why it makes sense for them to want to stock to go far over $190. Please see that post as it will further help you understand my point. If we are to see a GME catalyst in the next week or two, it would likely be: the proxy statement (similar to Hestia last year, which could create a recall), a C.E.O. announcement, anything dealing with Cohen, an announcement a dividend (unlikely). As per my previous post, GME has a vested interest in making the stock rise significantly and I believe that their actions have been intentional. We need a catalyst for the stock to moon, so hopefully, we get one soon. + +I personally believe that the proxy statement, which I would guess will come out next week, is what will finally send us. I'm guessing that the media will cover DFV doubling down, which could give another whale reason to get in. + +However, another catalyst, which I now believe is a wildcard catalyst is [the new S.E.C. rule](https://www.sec.gov/news/public-statement/staff-fully-paid-lending?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery) that was announced on the 16th and will take effect on the 22nd. The rule essentially forces brokerages to have collateral on the shares that they lend out. Full disclosure, I have absolutely no clue what result this will bring. Some people think that this move will cause a scramble of coverages and margin calls leading up to the 22nd. I don't believe this will happen. Personally, I think that there will be no noticeable effect, but, similar to many of the DTCC rule changes, this will just be one more rule that makes shorting harder as we go forward, so it's good for us. + +**The Whale Significance** + +First, I just wanted to go over the sheer significance of DFV's move. When he bought more stock after the senate hearing people thought that he was doing it as a joke or just to stick it to Congress, well he was right again and it paid off. Do you really think that he's just doing this as a joke again? This guy has been right time and time again on this company, and I'm not gonna doubt him. He has had at least two opportunities to sell out his position when GME was over $340, AND HE DIDN'T. Nope, even at $200 below that he doubled down! There are so many times in the past few months where he could've closed his position, rolled over his options to a later date, closed only his option position, or even bought puts as insurance, BUT HE DIDN'T. He defied all conventional wisdom and even left money on the table for one simple reason: he likes the stock. That's all I need to hear. + +Finally, I wanted to talk about the MONUMENTAL significance of Blackrock and Vanguard holding GME. Both of these companies got into GME before 2017 when the price was WELL below $10. Therefore, each of them has more than 10x their investment easily; however, they continue to hodl. This clearly isn't for tax purposes as their gains easily justify taking a tax hit to sell especially if they believe the company is overvalued. Unless.... they are in the exact same boat as DFV. They believe in the long-term trajectory of GME and are hodling just like him. Similar to DFV, they've had plenty of opportunities to completely wipe themselves clean of their position for many multiples in ROI, but they didn't. This again indicates to me that the smart money is long GME and long GME in a big way. In short, THEY like the stock. No..... WE like the stock. + +**Conclusion** + +So, let's say that everything I say is true (again DO NOT TAKE THIS AS FACT), then GME is currently in the same position as it was in early January. This means that the MOASS could be coming in the next few weeks and that any substantial, but not parabolic, jump is probably not the MOASS and is just one more step towards it. Apes, I love you all. I love making these DDs and I love reading your responses. Most importantly, I love this stock. I am not a financial advisor, and this is not financial advice. Remember to take everything I have to say with a grain of salt as you should not take predictions/correlations to be fact, this is just my opinion. Finally, I think that the shorts have lost something more important than money. Something that’s irreplaceable. Something that only apes can truly hold. A love that Sharon will never understand. That’s right, they’ve lost their tegridy to a bunch of apes. + +https://preview.redd.it/e6eanu8payt61.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21c1f198da931ad811d7314873e904beffa03afd + +So, has Uncle Hank lost his mind waiting for GME to deliver his sweet tendies? No, not at all. Here's a pic of a healthy Hank waiting to farm his tendies: + +https://preview.redd.it/5ldfir6fbyt61.png?width=1400&format=png&auto=webp&s=48f868610dd864f7e9428ea449da0cf3f25c0018 + +**TL;DR** + +I believe that GME is currently trading in the same pattern that it was in early January and that we could be in for a significant gap up early next week if we get a catalyst, especially one related to S.E.C. filings. +There is an old saying on Wall Street. + +>There are many possible reasons to sell a stock, but only one reason to buy. + +If you think about it, you can sell stocks for any number of reasons - downpayment for a house, a medical emergency, or just plain profit booking. But when you are using your hard-earned money to purchase a stock, there is only one reason. You expect the stock price to go up! + +It’s not a hard stretch to imagine that company insiders who are in high-ranking positions (CXO’s, VP’s, Presidents, etc.) would have a better understanding of the company and its expected future performance than any financial analysts out there who are just working with publically available data. So if these well-informed insiders are making significant stock purchases, does that mean they expect the stock price to shoot up soon? + +In this week’s analysis let’s put this to the test. **Can you beat the market if you follow the stock purchases made by company insiders?** + +___ + +**Data** + +The data for this analysis was taken from **openinsider.com** + +it’s a free-to-use website that tracks all the trades reported on SEC Form 4 \[1\]. While there are a lot of transactions that are reported daily to the SEC, I kept the following conditions to reduce noise in the data. + +* Only transactions done by CXO’s, VP’s and Presidents (people who have a significant view of the company strategy and operations) are considered. +* A minimum transaction value of 100K +* The transaction should be purchase (Not a grant, gift, or purchase due to options expiration) + +The financial data used in the analysis is obtained from Yahoo Finance. + +___ + +**Analysis** + +For all the transactions, I calculated the stock price change across different time periods (One Week, 1-Month, 3-Months, 6 Months & 1 Year) and then benchmarked the returns against S&P500 over the same time period. + +My hypothesis for choosing different time periods was to understand at what point would you generate the maximum alpha (if we realize any) over the benchmark. All the results are checked for outliers so that one or two stocks are not biasing the whole result. + +___ + + **Results** + +**Return Comparison - Companies with Insider Buying vs SPY** + +|Time Period|Insider Purchase Stock Returns|S&P 500 Returns|Alpha| +|:-|:-|:-|:-| +|1-Week|1.9%|\-0.3%|2.1%| +|1-Month|3.6%|2.0%|1.6%| +|3-Months|11.3%|6.6%|4.7%| +|6-Months|17.0%|11.9%|5.1%| +|1-Year|39.7%|22.1%|17.6%| + +Surprisingly, if you had followed the insider purchases, you would have beaten SPY across all 5 different timeframes. The alpha generated would also have increased with increasing timeframe with the insider purchase trades beating the S&P500 by a whopping 17.6% over the period of one year. + +I have kept 1-year timeframe as my limit mainly due to two reasons. First, I started the analysis for identifying short-term plays, and secondly, given our entire dataset is over the last 4 years, anything more than 1 year would not have data for a significant chunk of our population which can affect the analysis. + +___ + +**Limitations to the Analysis** + +There are some limitations to the above analysis that you should be aware of before trying to replicate the trades. + +* The data I collected has a lot of small-cap companies which are inherently more risky than a large-cap index like S&P500. Given our returns are not risk-adjusted, the alpha we are seeing here might just be due to the higher risk you are taking on the trades \[2\] +* The analysis is limited to the last 4 years of data during which the markets were predominantly in a bull run (except the Covid-19 crash) +* Finally, this assumes that you will buy an equal amount of stock whenever a company insider does a trade which might not be practical given our inherent biases and apprehensions\[3\] + +___ + +**Conclusion** + +Usually, insider purchases are used to gauge the overall market sentiment. A very high proportion of sells over buys signify that insiders are losing confidence in the stock/industry and it’s time to get out of that market. + +This analysis shows that the individual trades can be used for identifying stocks that are worth buying by analyzing the insider purchase patterns. This should be just considered as a primer into the topic as SEC Form 4 has a treasure trove of information \[4\]. + +You may or may not implement this strategy based on your investment style. But at the very least, you should check for the insider transaction pattern before investing in a particular security! + +Google Sheet containing all the data used for analysis: [Here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Cxj5FDxbCikjuS4w14PXnm2QDwIxHGaJANPjjF-R6wA/edit?usp=sharing) + +Until next week… + +___ + +**Footnotes and Existing Research** + +\[1\] SEC Form 4 is what an insider file when he/she makes a transaction. It’s expected to be filed within 2 days, but I observed more delay than that in many cases. For the purpose of this analysis, I have considered transactions that were reported no later than 10 days. + +\[2\] [Estimating the Returns to Insider Trading: A Performance-Evaluation Perspective](https://econpapers.repec.org/article/tprrestat/v_3a85_3ay_3a2003_3ai_3a2_3ap_3a453-471.htm) : The study published by Leslie A. Jeng and Richard Zeckhauser of Harvard found that insider purchases beat the market by 11.2% per year. Even after adjusting for the risk using the CAPM model, the returns beat the market by 8.5% + +\[3\] Very few people have the ability to keep their emotions away from the trades when a significant chunk of their money is at stake. + +\[4\] You can filter for the role of the insider (for eg, if you want to track only the CEO purchase/sales), industry, percentage ownership change, the current value of stock owned, etc. There are thousands of permutations in which you can do this analysis to find some alpha. + +\[5\] Multiple research papers over the last 3-4 decades \[[eg.1](https://jbepnet.com/journals/Vol_4_No_3_September_2017/5.pdf), [eg.2](https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/the-insider-trading-anomaly-recent-academic-studies-591/)\] have shown that insider purchases significantly outperformed the market +tl;dr -- My elderly neighbor just offered to sell me his riding mower. I suspect he's broke, and he's been working on his car, in the rain, for the past two days. What's the best way for me to help him out? + +Hi all, + +I'm not sure if this is the best place for this post, but I figure you all will sympathize and perhaps have some advice. I have a neighbor that's in his 60's-70's(?), let's call him Jim. He's a blue-collar dude. Our houses face one another, and generally when the weather is nice we'll both be working in our yards and chit chat. He and his wife are retired; I don't think they have any children or family. They've been ideal neighbors: Jim keeps the yard looking nice, they give us a heads up if they ever see anything suspicious, but they don't make a nuisance out of themselves. + +Just for context, we live in a nice neighborhood, but it's not a *nice* neighborhood, if you get my drift. Our houses are both worth around 80-100K or so. + +Jim obviously doesn't tell me anything about his finances, but I've noticed a couple of things that make me think he and his wife are having money problems. First, I used to get postcards in the mail that said he was delinquent on his property taxes (the mailman mixes up our mail sometimes). Last year, Jim had a heart attack and had to go to the hospital in an ambulance. Then, last summer, it looks like Jim's HVAC went out. Rather than replace it, he had a window unit put into his bedroom. Starting last week, my wife (who works at home) told me that Jim has been in his driveway, in the rain, trying to get his only car working. She said she knows it isn't working because he had to call a taxi to go get groceries. + +So, for the past week, my wife and I have been trying to think of a tactful way to offer Jim our extra car (we are a two car household, but I usually ride my bike to work) for errands, but, to my shame, we didn't really reach a firm conclusion. + +Then, this evening, I was walking my dogs with my wife, and Jim came out to say hello. That's not too odd; his dogs bark whenever I walk mine, so he sort of has an alarm when I'm out and about. He made small talk for a bit, and then he turned to what I think was the reason why he came outside in the first place. + +He asked me if I'd like to purchase his riding lawn mower from him. My lawn is bigger than his, and he said that his push mower is sufficient, so he thought I might like to buy it from him. I asked him how much he's thinking, and he said that he'd take a couple of hundred dollars for it. The catch is that it isn't working right now, but he says he will sell it to me once it is working. + +So, if you're still with me, I think this is really just a fig leaf way to ask me for money so that he can get his car running. I think was nicely done, and I'm not offended or put out or anything like that. I'm happy to help Jim out. But what's the best way to proceed? I would just give him some money, as I'm pretty sure the man isn't blowing it on anything (he really only leaves his house to go to the grocery store and to church). But I think I should also preserve his dignity - should I really wait to give him the money until he has the mower fixed up? That seems a bit absurd, especially if he's going to have to buy parts. Perhaps I should tell him I'll take it and fix it up myself (I'm fairly handy - I suspect I can get it running and resell it to recoup some of my money)? + +In the long run, do you guys have any ideas about how I can help Jim and his wife out without seeming like a busy-body? I'd like to help, but I don't want to get too involved nor do I want to offend Jim. I'm not loaded or anything like that, so I don't have enough money to fix all of Jim's travails, but if there's some kind of service/government program I can put him in touch with, I'd be happy to do so. + +P.S. I think it's fucking evil that you can grow old in this country and still have to struggle like this. + +&#x200B; +Based on the several comments in reddit, it seems like most investors have recently started investing in QYLD. I myself started buying it in 2020. + +Do we have any long time holders of QYLD here who have been buying and holding it for past 4-5 years? How was your experience with it during the market drawdowns during end-2018 and covid crash of 2020? +What stock would you pick? If you would like to add a comment on why one should be picked over the other I’d like to read + +[View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/q56j4a) +Why would one invest in high dividend paying stocks instead of lower or not at all dividend paying stocks? + +I have done a bit of research and it seems there’s a trend with high dividend paying stocks. A great deal of them seem to have a decreasing yearly return (price of the stock decreases year after year) or just doesn’t grow very much (<5% annually). Wouldn’t your initial and future investments in the those stocks decrease in value or just not grow very much despite acquiring dividend? + +Wouldn’t you portfolio grow larger and thereby “make more money” by investing in ETF’s or stocks with a significantly higher yearly return? + +I would love to rearrange some of my portfolio to high dividend paying stocks but I’m a bit lost as to why it would be a good idea. Any help is appreciated! +For those out there that are “wealthy”, what’s your best advice for someone trying to gain somewhat “dependable” passive income? + +A little background- I make around 100k a year and happy with my job but would honestly rather be on a beach somewhere making passive income. Currently, I have about 1k in crypto, 1k in stocks, and around 15k in company RSUs. The plan I have is to continue investing in crypto and stocks to accumulate a nice portfolio of dividend paying stocks. I plan to continue holding my RSUs because they are dollar based RSUs given from my job. Long-term I want to get in the real estate market and acquire properties for rental. What advice can you all lend or things I should look into that will get me to my goal? +Like title says. Lets assume that I want to invest in good dividend stocks and i want to do that with etf so i get a good diversification with one single etf. + +The fact that dividends gets taxed here around 30% and its not tax wise to buy stocks that pay out dividend and its wise to let them accumulate tax free. + +But I still want monthly income and seems like the wisest solution is to buy acc ones and then just sell the amount I want as ”dividend”. Here comes just the problem that i do not want to sell my assets when i am older and secondly its hard to time the sell (what if next day stock grows or week before it collapses?) +Hello. My name is Robert. I'm from Romania. I just start investing(26 January 2021) and i need some advice. I try to invest at least 200 dollars/month. Right now i invested around 1k. + +Why did you start investing? +I start looking into investing after i read The richest man in Babylon and Rich Dad Poor Dad. To be onest first one is more inspiring, at least for me. +My financial situation isn't very good. I make around 600dollars/ month and this won't change very soon. But i don't have any debt or medical problems. +But i think the main reason is to not become a burden to my family in may 60, plus the hobby that i have can still be enjoyed at that age. + +Why dividends? +I m not looking to get rich over night with crypto or highly volatile stocks. I m looking to make enough passive income to live decent in my 50-60 and dividends are the best option in my view. + +Why stocks and not ETF? +I know that 200 it a very small amount, but i think return will be bigger if i buy individula stocks and not ETF. And it s more enjoyable to manage them yourself. + +Question. +Trading212. Do you think is good for a long time investing? +This question bother my the most. I dont know if is safe to keep my money in here lor the long run. I really need some advice about this app. + +What would you add/remove? +I bought: +3M +AbbVie +Altria Group +Apple +AT&T +Caterpillar +Coca cola +ExxonMobil +Johnson and Johnson +McDonald's +Microsoft +Procter and Gamble +Realty income +STAG industrial +Visa +My strategy is to find around 20 stocks and to invest at least 200 for 25-30 years. +Any kind of advices will be helpful. +Thank you! +Just recently started looking into and investing into a dividend paying portfolio. Wondering what your favorite brokerage is for a ROTH IRA for dividend investing. & if that brokerage has a simple interface that shows the growth on a graph? Thanks in advance! All tips are welcomed!☺️ +I recently came across American Eagle (AEO), and from my research it looks like a decent dividend position. The dividend hasn’t been decreased in years, with the exception of a few occasional spikes, and the yields pretty good (6%). In terms of the company metrics, it’s got a relatively low PE of 6.93, and a price to sales of 0.49. The only detail I find concerning is that it currently has a negative cashflow, but that might just be because it’s a retail store, and we’re just coming out of covid. Otherwise, it looks to me like an undervalued stock with a stable dividend. What are your thoughts? +A friend of mine works for PNC Bank and a “perk” of working for them is they offer a stock purchase plan at no charge. + +The plan allows my friend to set a percentage of pay aside every paycheck to be used to purchase individual shares of PNC Bank. The advantage is the purchase of the stock is at a 5% discount. + +Seems to me it’s a no brainer because it’s no different than purchasing shares on their own but if they do it this way it’s at 5% discount. + +Wanted to get the community’s opinion. + +Thanks! +Are there people on this sub who love working but hate the politics of work? Or that love learning but hate the politics of the education system? + + +In my life, I have had one month between job contracts where I was not working formally. I felt horrible in this month. I saw people around me working and was envious. I felt like I was producing nothing. I also hated not having the social aspect of work. + + +Yet, I also become very frustrated with work politics. + + +Are there certain careers/industries that work well for people who enjoy working/producing but don't like being a part of a system? + + +I am very interested in FI/ER for the sake of independence, but I know that I could never fully stop producing. + + +I felt the same way about school; I always loved learning, hated the administration and bureaucracy. +The [ongoing Phase 3 trial](https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04504734) for bucillamine to treat mild/moderate cases of COVID-19 has plotted forward mostly unnoticed. By my estimation, we have a 60% chance of having a compelling case to submit our own EUA application at the 800 patient interim analysis, and an 80% chance of showing a significant difference for bucillamine compared to placebo by the end of the overall study at 1000 patients. As of writing, there are now 45 clinics involved in the study, and enrollments have been going much faster as a result. At the moment we haven’t had an official press release in a while, so it seems they are getting down to the wire, as was communicated in the [most recent management interview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECIUaKKWp0A). + +A lot has happened in the past 10 months since my [original post](https://www.reddit.com/r/pennystocks/comments/kn4ah2/revive_therapeutics_rvvtf_bucillamine_likelihood/). We passed two of the four interim analyses that each ran a futility analysis, and concluded the study should continue. Revive Therapeutics [signed an MoU](https://www.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/news/951701/revive-therapeutics-partners-with-india-based-specialty-pharma-supriya-lifescience-to-advance-bucillamine-to-treat-coronavirus-951701.html) with Supriya Lifesciences so that they could become a commercialization hub for the 78 countries they currently supply. Our Korean manufacturer of bucillamine [passed the company to his son](http://www.newsway.co.kr/news/view?ud=2021070118225478945), explicitly stating that the upcoming Phase 3 results factored into the decision. Senator Tammy Baldwin [visited Revive's U.S. partner](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-sen-tammy-baldwin-visits-attwill-medical-solutions-301303420.html), Attwill Medical. All the while, my understanding of COVID and bucillamine has been evolving with the (mostly) humble community researching all the mechanisms. In my [recent interview](https://youtu.be/enjhDTV_lhc) with u/TheDalesReport_, I forgot to mention that the most obvious sign that COVID should be thought of as a vascular disease is the [increased risk of stroke](https://jnis.bmj.com/content/13/3/202). + +As a repurposed drug, bucillamine is well-positioned to be the most affordable pill to treat mild to moderate cases of COVID. There have been many attempts to quantify the size of the opportunity. In summary, we are looking at a minimum of $1-$2 billion dollars of value creation, with a real potential for much more as the story around Emergency Use Authorization develops. With their [willingness to investigate psychedelics](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/psychedelic-drugs-could-potentially-treat-impending-post-lockdown-mental-health-epidemic-301068964.html) and interest in solutions for the COVID pandemic, Johnson and Johnson is the most likely candidate to enter a licensing agreement with Revive. However, even if Revive is faced with a situation to sell bucillamine without a large pharmaceutical company, they have the partnerships and a lobbyist to make that happen. A lot of the finer details will come down to the data and statistical significance of bucillamine's effect. + +The market does not seem to understand how close we are to proving what is potentially a breakthrough therapy for the greatest pandemic of our lifetime, valuing Revive Therapeutics at a mere $100-$150 million. We know from Merck's value jumping $20 billion on the news of their EUA submission for high-risk patients, that the market generally understands that a more vaccinated world does not remove the need for a second line of defense. So we are left with the conclusion that the market does not think a small company has the drug to address COVID. My investment thesis is a rebuttal of that asleep-at-the-wheel mentality and best broken into three parts. + +# The mistake of Big Pharma + +After the success of vaccines, the next holy grail of the COVID pandemic was [widely considered to be an easy oral pill](https://www.statnews.com/2021/04/09/scientists-work-toward-an-elusive-dream-a-simple-pill-to-treat-covid-19/) to take after a positive diagnosis. Some of the leadership at the NIH and the media referred to this concept as a "Tamiflu for COVID". In [his request](https://reut.rs/3xmlqet), Dr. Fauci never specifically said the pill had to block viral replication, but clearly, the managers at Pfizer and Merck made the decision rather than asking their scientists what the best approach for a COVID pill was. They both went for a Tamiflu-like antiviral pill, which we know from the failure of Remdesivir, [is not good enough](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/15/health/coronavirus-remdesivir-who.html) for the whole population, but [does seem to work](https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/study-remdesivir-significantly-reduces-risk-of-hospitalization-in-high-risk-patients-with-covid-19) for bringing *high-risk* patients back to a normal risk profile. Now, [Pfizer](https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05047601) and [Merck](https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04939428) are looking at late December 2021, and April 2022 as the soonest opportunity to try for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) that covers everyone, not just those at higher risk, via their prophylaxis trials. This mistake gives Revive Therapeutics enough time to wrap up their Phase 3 trial and submit for EUA, even if we see some delays from the current published estimates. + +# The science of bucillamine + +For a virus to replicate, it needs to find a doorway into a living cell to heist the machinery to make more viruses. COVID chose a door marked "Employees Only", called the ACE2 receptor. By occupying this receptor, the virus blocks the "employee" Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). ACE2 plays a key role in managing blood pressure and inflammation, so when it can't do its job, you get a lot of inflammation and spikes in blood pressure that throw off the rest of your body. Most of the damage that happens with COVID is because inflammation is no longer being managed, so you get a build-up of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which turns the water in your blood into hydrogen peroxide H₂O₂. It's [bad enough](https://www.poison.org/articles/hydrogen-peroxide) if you swallow hydrogen peroxide. Letting H₂O₂ circulate in your blood is a terrible idea. Bucillamine directly deals with this situation by [broadly signaling](https://www.nature.com/articles/emm2014112) for cells to protect themselves, and by [generating a lot of the protective compound glutathione](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1527-3466.2003.tb00107.x) (16-fold more powerful than N-Acetylcysteine). None of the antivirals for COVID do anything to directly resolve the ROS problem. Instead, the antiviral approach focuses on preventing viral replication in the hopes that your body will figure out the rest. + +Bucillamine doesn't stop at resolving the inflammatory nature of the disease. By a total fluke of chemistry, it happens to [disable the ACE2 receptor-binding area](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC7743076/) on the COVID spike protein. The physical nature of the reaction has a lot to do with the two thiol groups on the drug (literally just sulfur and hydrogen atoms sticking off the ends of bucillamine). As long as a thiol group gets close the COVID spike protein, it swaps out the hydrogen for another sulfur, [messing up the shape](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-07501-4/figures/1) of nature's carefully evolved claws. All that's needed is for bucillamine to get close to the virus. Serendipitously, as soon as bucillamine hits the bloodstream, a lot of it [quickly goes into red blood cells](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1527-3466.2003.tb00107.x). COVID, acting like a vascular disease, [enters red blood cells](https://chemrxiv.org/engage/api-gateway/chemrxiv/assets/orp/resource/item/612f7de466deddefe3012016/original/covid-19-invades-erythrocytes-through-plasmodium-falciparum-antigen-and-complement-like-system.pdf) to get circulated around the body. As the spike proteins get disabled on the journey, the virus would exit the red blood cell a harmless ball of protein. Not only unable to infect new cells, but also unable to block ACE2 from doing its job. + +I didn't come to this understanding alone. Thank you u/fredsnacking, u/_nicktendo_64, and u/Bana-how for bringing up important points, asking great questions, and participating in the process of cumulative knowledge. + +# The early days of Walmart + +Investors in the U.S. are especially prone to the misconception that "bigger is always better". While there is no doubt that larger companies have certain competitive advantages of scale, that doesn't mean big companies are necessarily [addressing the needs of the market](https://www.fool.com/investing/2018/10/16/now-bankrupt-sears-was-once-the-amazon-and-walmart.aspx). By not offering truly affordable medicine, the pharmaceutical industry is currently making the same mistake Sears made in its heydays. + +As a Canadian company, and as a drug repurposing operation, Revive Therapeutics is perfectly positioned to leverage its shorter pathways to market into reasonably affordable medicine for patients. Part of the equation is that Revive is open to a whole class of molecules the big players are scared to touch, despite promising [signs of efficacy](https://revivethera.com/2021/03/revive-therapeutics-announces-successful-research-results-for-psilocybin-to-treat-traumatic-brain-injury-and-filing-of-international-patent-application/). A quirk of the clinical trial arena is that when you pick the most effective drugs, it takes less time, effort, and money to prove they work. + +Revive can follow Walmart's model, and focus its efforts on operating at a competitive advantage in the areas where it has partnerships that provide local connections in their respective regions of the U.S. (Attwill), Canada (Revive itself), South Korea (Kyungdong), India, and parts of the EU (Supriya). As long as they don't try to take on the whole world all at once, Revive could profitably sell bucillamine cheaper than competitor pills and retain a significant segment of the therapeutic market. +Hello, long time lurker to this page. I'm usually late to the party when it comes to big gains, I've seen a lot of rockets take off while I'm not on board. I have seen a lot about CLSK over the past week and it hasn't seemed to take off yet. Anyways I regress what do you all generally think about this stock? I know to take advice with a grain of salt here but just generally curious. +[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) + +GameStop [Investor Relations](https://news.gamestop.com/) + +# 🙋 ​[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) + +*gobble gobble'n up those shares* 🎃🦃 + +>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! + +# 🎁 [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. + +🏴‍☠️ [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! + +**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 to [feed DRSBOT](https://www.reddit.com/r/GMEOrphans/comments/qlvour/welcome_to_gmeorphans_read_this_post/). Low karma? Post your DRS on r/GMEOrphans + +How to [Filter by Flair & Search](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/v0oxp2/how_to_filter_by_flair_search_for_posts_on/) on Superstonk + +Tag u/Superstonk-Flairy for user flairs, find [custom emoji options here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/yuarvq/how_to_get_a_userflair_on_superstonk_new_emojis) +This post is for all the new comers, beginners, freshers to the trading or crypto world. Hope it helps some of us. + +For example if you buy a coin at 100 dollars and the price dips by 20% to 80 dollars, to recover losses you need to gain 20 dollars. +Gaining 20 dollars from 80, we require 25% price rise. Please take this into consideration forever + +What we shall do to minimise losses: + +1. Dollar Cost Averaging: It is always advised to buy in parts and average out your investment price. + +2. Buy on Dips: Always buy on dips and possibly try to double your portfolio on each dip like this to average your buy price. + +For example, if you have 800 worth of USD to invest in total + +Buy 50 first, +then next 50 on a 5% dip, +then 100 on next 5% dip, +then 200 on next 5% dip, +then 400 on next 5% dip, ( you can change percentage according to the coin you are investing, as each coin has varying volatility ) + +Such a strategy (just an example) can be adopted which can help you recover your losses way quicker than others as you would directly be averaging from your just previous investment. + +Regards +Edit: If you're mostly here for the fuckery part, scroll down to the section called "So what happens if a broker gets too many votes?" + +There’s a TLDR at the bottom with the most important bits of info if you want it. Sources are also at the bottom. + +# To start off, let’s refresh everyone’s memory on what last year’s vote results looked like. + +I’ll try to be brief(ish) here, but the context is important. There were a total of 70,771,778 shares that could be voted. The results looked like this(^(1)): + +[Results from the 2021 GME proxy vote](https://preview.redd.it/5xuswdevwyw81.png?width=1250&format=png&auto=webp&s=4c3dbadca4d9d69625650229594914931166993d) + +Which totalled up to 55,541,2**79** votes received for all proposals and all directors, except Larry Cheng who received 55,541,2**80** votes. + +A single director receiving one more vote than the others **doesn’t make sense**. You can’t submit a vote card that only gets counted for one director because if you were to leave all the other fields blank your vote would end up as an abstention for those that you left blank. The additional vote only makes sense if the results had to be trimmed down and some decimals got rounded along the way. Without getting too much into it because there’s a whole section on this below, over-voting is intercepted before it’s officially reported and brokers need to go back and *correct* their numbers(^(2)). *Edit 2:* u/ThrowRA_scentsitive pointed out in the comments that this could also be the result of fractional share voting and that GameStop said as much in response to Jason Waterfall, which is a good point that I had forgotten about. Upon looking into this very quickly to add this edit, I found that not all brokerages who allow fractional share purchase actually allow fractional share voting (such as Fidelity, they offer the purchase but not the voting). Additionally, fractional share voting is done at a brokerage level ([link](https://www.sec.gov/oiea/investor-alerts-and-bulletins/fractional-share-investing-buying-slice-instead-whole-share)) which means that it would be the brokerage's responsibility to adjust these numbers before handing them off to the tabulator. Ultimately, last year some brokerage provided a vote count that had an "extra" vote for Larry Cheng when they handed their results over. Something to consider, but the rest of this is still valid and sourced so I hope you'll read on. *End of edit 2.* + +Now, I know the big running line last year was “the vote count is about equal to the float! We did it! We voted the whole float!” But **this also doesn’t make sense.** This would imply that literally every insider did not vote a single one of their shares. Being able to vote their shares is a pretty big part of why some insiders buy up large stakes in a company - to amass voting rights and have greater sway in the direction of the company. I don’t believe for a second that RC bought 9M shares, proposed a bunch of directors he wanted on the board to start a major transformation, and then didn’t use his voting power to try to make that happen. No, this was not a case of “the whole float got voted!” because many of the votes would have been from insiders and many of the unvoted shares would have therefore been from the float. + +So what was the deal with that gap of 15,230,499 shares that didn’t show up in the vote count? They were shares that did not have a signed proxy card returned by a shareholder or broker. + +Some examples of what could cause unvoted shares: + +* Brokers who didn’t offer voting rights and didn’t provide a broker non-vote +* Institutional or individual shareholders who didn’t vote (only in some cases, details on this later) +* Something called “empty voting” (also explained later) + +# How each proposal is counting votes + +First, let's establish some basics. On any proposal, there can be 4 types of voting instruction: + +* For +* Against +* Abstention +* Broker Non-Vote + +For and Against are pretty self-explanatory. + +An abstention is when you submit a valid vote but you don’t choose “FOR” or “AGAINST” on a certain proposal, (or on any proposal if you so choose). + +A broker non-vote is when a broker submits a signed proxy but does not provide voting instructions for those shares, sometimes this is because they don't allow their users to vote and sometimes it's because they only received voting instructions from a subset of their users - for example, if half of their users vote and half of their users don’t vote, brokers would send in the specified voting instructions received for the half that were voted, but the remaining half of the shares would be submitted as “broker non-votes'' if the broker decides to return the signed proxy for all of their shares. Historically speaking, not all brokers bother returning broker non-votes. Broker non-votes are usually submitted 10 days prior to the shareholder meeting, but can be corrected to assign voting instructions after that if needed (but like... will they really correct them though? idk). On the Broker Non-Vote, there may be certain proposals for which the broker **does** provide voting instruction - these would only be on the "routine matters" on which brokers are allowed to vote uninstructed shares from their users. A quote from an SEC page on broker proxy voting(^(5)): + +>a broker is entitled to vote on certain “routine” matters if the beneficial owner of the stock has not provided specific voting instructions to the broker at least 10 days before a scheduled meeting. + +There are 5 proposals in this year’s proxy, but they are not all counting votes the same way. Here’s a summarized table I’ve put together of the clauses explaining vote tallies(^(3)): + +[Summarized from GME's 2022 Proxy, specifically the section titled \\"8. What Vote Is Required to Approve Each Proposal?\\"](https://preview.redd.it/44xtr36mwyw81.png?width=1258&format=png&auto=webp&s=f971fd4a28fa2f62898a68c038043d61aefeac78) + +\* This is if no signed proxy card is returned by the broker or directly recognized holder, so this is basically like the 15M share gap from last year’s results that we just talked about. This is not necessarily what happens if **you** don’t vote if you use a broker - this will be explained later. + +\*\* **Brokers are allowed to vote on proposal 5** **even if they have not received voting instructions from their users who hold shares**. They are not allowed to do so for proposals 1 through 4, only for proposal 5. Because brokers are allowed to vote on this matter, GameStop writes “broker non-votes are unlikely to result from this proposal,” - this is because the broker will actually provide voting instructions for this proposal instead of a "broker non-vote". So which way will a broker vote their shares in this type of *routine matter* for which they are allowed to vote uninstructed shares? It seems like they generally either vote all their unvoted shares in accordance with the recommendations from the board (FOR), or they will use “proportional voting” where all of their unvoted shares will be assigned the same proportion of FOR / AGAINST / ABSTAIN as they received for their voted shares(^(4)). + +The table above mentions that not turning in a proxy card would result in a FOR vote for each proposal. This is because in the more detailed section of each proposal, there is a statement indicating that if proxies don’t specify AGAINST or ABSTENTION, they will be voted as FOR. Here’s a screenshot of all of those statements (they aren’t all together like this in the proxy, I just pulled each one of them out to show them all to you). + +[You can find these statements \(one for each proposal\) on PDF page numbers: 12, 31, 33, 50, 54](https://preview.redd.it/6jevhzebwyw81.png?width=1260&format=png&auto=webp&s=3e163c57c502990079d1f0666aff8d716642cfd2) + +Every single one of these statements ends with saying that proxies will be voted FOR unless a vote AGAINST or an ABSTENTION is specifically indicated. Note that broker non-votes are not mentioned along with the AGAINST or ABSTENTION portion of these clauses - I assume this is because the broker non-votes generally have “no effect” on the proposals - so to me, this reads as though the broker non-votes for proposals 1-4 will get added into the FOR count. + +In the table above, we saw that for proposal 5 any broker non-votes will count as AGAINST, but remember that proposal 5 shouldn’t really have any broker non-votes because when the brokers return their proxy cards, they should look something like this: + +Proposal 1: **Broker non-vote** *(applied to each director)* + +Proposal 2: **Broker non-vote** + +Proposal 3: **Broker non-vote** + +Proposal 4: **Broker non-vote** + +Proposal 5: **FOR** *(hopefully… but maybe this won’t be the case for all of their shares if they opt for proportional voting)* + +# So what happens if a broker receives too many votes? + +Under normal circumstances, a broker may receive too many votes due to a high rate of loaned shares or a high volume of shares that Fail To Receive (FTRs are basically the broker side of the equation when there is a FTD, and FTRs do not receive voting rights), or because voting rights were incorrectly sent for shares purchased after the record date(^(6)). + +Some brokers will choose to do a pre-mailing audit to identify how many shares they actually have in their inventory and therefore actually have voting rights to, and will only allow that number of shares to be voted(^(2)). A quote pulled from a webinar slide(^(7)) given by two Broadridge VPs in a section discussing this (slide 10): + +>Clients' votable shares are reduced to match the inventory of shares held by the broker-dealer on record date prior to mailing of materials + +*Speculation*: I believe this is why some people have noticed that their proxy vote shows fewer shares than they actually held on the record date ([example 1](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/uetack/merrill_showing_much_less_than_the_actual_shares/) and [example 2](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/uevrvs/update_fidelity_hasnt_found_where_10000_dlls/)). I don’t have proof, but that is my suspicion. *End of speculation*. + +Some other brokers will opt to only audit actual voting rights if they end up with an over-vote. This would be identified by the inspector (“Morrow Sodali” in this case)(^(3)) and they would contact the broker to have their vote total corrected, and the broker would then begin an audit. If a broker has received too many votes, one of the first steps is to figure out how many of the shares in their clients’ accounts should not have received voting rights either due to shares being loaned out or due to purchases after the record date, and how many FTRs they have. **They don’t do this on a per-account basis, just as a sum total**. Users who did not vote their shares will be the first to be “assigned” the shares that don’t have voting rights due to the 3 reasons above. After that, there are two ways that they can adjust their vote totals downwards (according to the journal article I’m referencing, maybe that has changed since this was published)(^(2)): + +* Impartial lottery - in this case, it’s like drawing names out of a hat. They’ll randomly\* select votes to meet their total allotted vote count. All other votes will be discarded. +* Proration - This is a proportional adjustment. Let’s say they get 7M “FOR” votes and 3M “AGAINST” votes for a total of 10M shares voted (70% FOR, 30% AGAINST), but they’re only entitled to 2M votes, then they must 70/30 split those 2M votes and would submit 1.4M “FOR” votes and 0.6M “AGAINST” votes. + +\* It’s *supposed* to be random but who knows wtf they’ll *actually* do. + +This “impartial lottery” situation is an example of what could lead to the situation Dr. T. [tweeted about](https://twitter.com/susannetrimbath/status/1473027737124175872?s=21&t=Gr_fjoLef7H5fm-YDKH50Q) where 5.9M votes were discarded. Could that happen under other circumstances? Probably. Brokers have proven that they do all kinds of shady shit. (This is one of the reasons why DRS is important.) + +# What happens if you don’t vote? + +So I know there’s been discussion about how unvoted shares will be cast as “for”, and I even mentioned it in the table above. This isn’t always the case for **you** though. + +Let’s look at a hypothetical situation where due to loaned shares / shares purchased after the record date / naked shorts / FTRs, your broker has more shares in their users’ accounts than they are entitled to vote, and you choose not to vote. + +1. For brokers that offer proxy voting, **accounts where shares were not voted will be the first to be considered as not having had voting rights**, regardless of whether that is accurate or not, and they will then move on to the next steps (lottery or proration)(^(2)). **Your unvoted shares would not get turned into a “FOR” vote.** +2. **For brokers that don’t offer voting at all**, **and that do not submit a broker-non vote** \- any shares that this broker would be entitled to vote for **would be counted as “FOR”** thanks to the new addition to the proxy statement that I mentioned above. *Clever GameStop.* +3. **For brokers that don’t offer voting at all, and that do submit a broker-non vote** \- the broker non-votes would be distributed and counted as per the section above. I could not find any examples of brokers voting against the recommendations of the board outside of proportional voting (which wouldn't be relevant if they didn't let anyone vote), nor could I find any documentation specifically saying that they must vote with the recommendation. It seems like the most likely outcome would be that they go along with the recommendation to vote "FOR" on proposal 5, but I cannot rule out that they might vote differently, or perhaps would just not vote at all and leave it as a broker non-vote which counts as "AGAINST". Leaving a matter in which they *can* vote as "broker non-vote" or going against the board's recommendation would be a highly unusual action. Best case scenario, and the more likely one, the broker non-vote doesn’t help or hurt any proposals, but worst case scenario, it might work against proposal 5. Better to just not push for the broker to submit a broker non-vote. +4. If you don’t vote your DRS shares, they will be cast as “FOR” based on those clauses included in each proposal, but you should still vote if you can to show support for the board and for your investment! High voter turnout is something to be proud of! + +# Ok, now we answer the question you probably asked earlier. WTF is empty voting? + +About a decade ago, the SEC started talking about investigating something they called **Empty Voting** (^(8)), which is essentially amassing voting power without actually exposing yourself financially, or greatly minimizing your financial stake in the company. + +There are a lot of different strategies in which this is used, but one in particular is called **Record Date Capture** which is described as "*borrowing shares in the share lending market for a limited period around the record date*" or "*an investor can buy shares just before the record date and sell them soon after*"(^(9)). + +The act of empty voting is difficult to explicitly identify because one of the most important components to consider is *intent to capture shares* rather than happenstance since institutions make a lot of trades (^(2)). + +*Speculation:* I’ve had my own personal pet theories since last year that empty voting may have been used to leave a bunch of shares unvoted to cause mass confusion on the sub, and whether they actually did that or not, the unvoted shares last year did indeed cause mass confusion and general chaos because everyone expected overvoting. I’m also guessing that there will be a similar use of empty voting this year but that this year it’ll be used to vote against certain proposals. Again, I have no proof that this happened last year or will happen again this year though. *End of speculation*. + +Interestingly (mostly just because of *Warren Icahn*), the most famous case of empty voting was actually used in an attempt to vote against Carl Icahn. The issue underpinning the proposal fell through though so the success and legal validity of this strategy wasn't tested(^(2)). + +# Wombo Combo time + +Alright so in GameStop’s proxy document there is a section that talks about how beneficial owners (which is you if you hold shares in a broker) can request a “legal proxy” from their brokers(^(3)). There have been a few posts about this recently. This is not something that is unique to this year’s proxy document, it was included last year and even in the 2020 and 2019 documents (I didn’t go back further than that) and is also on proxy documents for other companies. What is different though is that the meeting is being held virtually so it is much easier to attend than most shareholder meetings. + +Basically, requesting a legal proxy will transfer the voting power away from the broker and over to you(^(10)). You will need to vote your shares at the shareholder meeting, which is being held virtually only this year on Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., Central Daylight Time. + +They track these legal proxies in the vote records based on share totals, not individuals who requested them. If you’re curious as to how that would look on tabulated results, on page 36 of [this PDF from Broadridge](https://www.broadridge.com/_assets/pdf/broadridge_cp_beneficial_guidebook_2021.pdf) there is a sample page that shows the legal proxy votes as a separate number under each broker. + +**Obtaining a legal proxy means that your votes cannot be prorated or discarded by your broker as discussed above.** + +*Please consider this to be speculation for now:* Food for thought that I don’t have an answer for yet but am investigating... if you have legal proxy and you don’t attend the meeting, will this fall into one of those scenarios where unvoted shares get marked as “FOR”? My gut says yes, since at that point no one else is entitled to vote your shares, but I’m working on finding out for sure. *End of speculation.* + +[If you go back to the original email you received to vote, you can click on “at the meeting” on the bottom right to request your legal proxy.](https://preview.redd.it/vocbsafmvyw81.png?width=884&format=png&auto=webp&s=89438aa8d5c70d00ea6dd0a54c6d00cdf7b568ec) + +[This post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/uevp5t/how_to_not_rely_on_your_broker_to_vote_request/) has some screenshots showing the steps to request a legal proxy by using your control number to log in to the same place you would vote. + +**This also works if you have already voted** \- when you go to submit the request, it tells you at the top of the page that your previously submitted vote will be revoked: + +>Checking "I Will Vote at the Meeting" will permit you to vote at the meeting ONLY. Any votes already cast online or via paper ballot will be revoked. + +The deadline if you’re going to request legal proxy(^(3)): + +>Requests for registration must be received no later than 10:00 a.m., Central Daylight Time, on May 27, 2022. + +Note: for those who have noticed that their proxy info shows fewer shares than they’re entitled to, I have no idea if requesting a legal proxy in this way would give you the full amount you’re entitled to or only the reduced amount that it shows you. Best to contact your broker about the discrepancy. + +# TL;DR + +If your broker allows voting, you may be able to request a legal proxy for your shares which will allow you to take those voting rights away from your broker and claim them for yourself. These votes are tabulated separately from the other broker totals. + +If you decide not to vote at all even though your broker offers voting, your vote may not be counted as a “FOR” like the proxy seems to indicate. + +If your broker won’t allow voting, all you have to do is: **nothing. Absolutely nothing.** Don’t push for a broker non-vote. Although unlikely, a broker non-vote could potentially work against GameStop whereas if your broker submits nothing at all it actually works in GameStop’s favor thanks to a clever clause they added to their proxy this year. Just relax and hodl. + +# Sources + +(^(1)) Last year’s results: [https://gamestop.gcs-web.com/node/18956/html](https://gamestop.gcs-web.com/node/18956/html) + +(^(2)) The Hanging Chads of Corporate Voting, Published in THE GEORGETOWN LAW JOURNAL Vol. 96 (2008): [https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1163&context=faculty\_scholarship](https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1163&context=faculty_scholarship) + +(3) This year’s proxy statement: [https://gamestop.gcs-web.com/static-files/69239be2-1b34-444e-b981-ad69b586cedb](https://gamestop.gcs-web.com/static-files/69239be2-1b34-444e-b981-ad69b586cedb) + +(4) From Broadridge: [https://www.broadridge.com/\_assets/pdf/cp\_registered\_guidebook\_2021.pdf](https://www.broadridge.com/_assets/pdf/cp_registered_guidebook_2021.pdf) + +(5) [https://www.sec.gov/spotlight/proxyprocess/proxyvotingbrief.htm](https://www.sec.gov/spotlight/proxyprocess/proxyvotingbrief.htm) + +(6) (PDF) [Naked Short Sales and Fails to Deliver: An Overview of Clearing and Settlement Procedures for Stock Trades in the US](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Talis-Putnins/publication/228260887_Naked_Short_Sales_and_Fails_to_Deliver_An_Overview_of_Clearing_and_Settlement_Procedures_for_Stock_Trades_in_the_US/links/53ebff880cf250c8947c9956/Naked-Short-Sales-and-Fails-to-Deliver-An-Overview-of-Clearing-and-Settlement-Procedures-for-Stock-Trades-in-the-US.pdf?origin=publication_detail) + +(7) [https://www.niri.org/getattachment/Professional-Development/Webinars/Archived-Webinars/Proxy-Voting-101/NIRI-Webinar-Proxy-Voting-101-021518.pdf](https://www.niri.org/getattachment/Professional-Development/Webinars/Archived-Webinars/Proxy-Voting-101/NIRI-Webinar-Proxy-Voting-101-021518.pdf) + +(8) [https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b150qg2zl5904b/sec-to-address-empty-voting](https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b150qg2zl5904b/sec-to-address-empty-voting) + +(9) quotes are from page 23 and page 26 of this massive 99 page [PDF](https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=118071094081103011120087005021006120051002022033030034120117018109121072005102031106002028029055022035011114092089086113007026005095045051030001087090000117076095039015024082110089003001088127022083098120083005112100026086029075121108072075093021&EXT=pdf&INDEX=TRUE) + +(10) [https://www.broadridge.com/\_assets/pdf/cp\_registered\_guidebook\_2021.pdf](https://www.broadridge.com/_assets/pdf/cp_registered_guidebook_2021.pdf) +So I've just begun reading Jordan Belforts book Wolf on Wall Street and I am having a little trouble fully understanding what is going on with the Steve Madden deal. He talks about selling warrants that have an A and a B that sell at different prices and how he sold it to them then they sell them back to him etc. If anyone could help me understand what exactly is going on that would be great. I am a business student currently and I am a bit ashamed I cannot fully understand whats going on lol. +Near the end of Forrest Gump it shows how rich he became by having shares in Apple. He's a millionaire. He felt rich, and if you've held TSLA for a few years you probably feel rich too. + +Here's the thing, that was in 1994. So in 1994 Apple was already at a price where people are making bank. Since then it's gone up 500 times. + +So in 2046 when TSLA is worth 500 times what it is today (206 trillion) don't be kicking yourself you sold out to buy shares in a mattress company or some other shit. +Good afternoon fellow autistics, + +Long story short recently quit my job, and cashed out my 401k. Decided to use all my 401k, and life savings to Yolo on some option plays. Fast forward 2 weeks, and I'm down from my $12,000 life savings to my last $900 bucks. + +I've been holding $BBBY prior to my failed trades, and the earnings had deceived me causing the stock to drop from 20s to 18s, and being the fellow autistic I am I had a margin call I had to cover so the shares were sold lol. + +After this loss (3k) decided to Yolo 5k on daily spy puts, and then the spy rallied causing my account to be near worthless, but with last $900 bucks to my name I decided to Yolo on Jan 15 - $23.00 strike calls @ .10 each when BBBY was trading at 19.00 on 1/12. Fast forward to 1/14 BBBY is trading at $25.00+. I sell my 85 options @ 1.53ish each turning $900 into $12,946.11. + +Then I continue to watch $BBBY accelerate towards $26.00, and decide to get back in. This time I get Jan 22 $26.00 strike calls for $BBBY. $BBBY then accelerates towards $27.00, and crushes through the $27.00 level. My $12,XXX initial position rolled into the $26.00 calls snow balled my account to $25,204.53. + +Fast forward to end of the day 1/14 I decide to use all the profits from $BBBY to buy May 21st $27.00 strike calls @ 5.55 each which I currently have 45 of. Bought them for 25k, and now they're sitting at about 19k USD. + +All in all - $BBBY has new management that came from target, accelerated share buy back program, 60%+ short interest, 77% increase year over year with digital sales, they are reducing their non-essential assets to increase cash flow to investments better suited to create more profitability AKA raising EPS aka raising the stock price. In addition there is also a low supply of housing, and increasing demand for housing. This will also increase the demand for stuff $BBBY sells. The upcoming earnings call scheduled for early April will begin to show early signs of a turnover. We are just a bit ahead of the results. + +LETS TAKE $BBBY TO 420.69 + +Important notes - $BBBY TO THE MOON NEXT 3 MONTHS $42.00+ TARGET PRICE, 60%+ SHORT INTEREST LETS MAKE THIS ROCKET SHIP LIKE GME BABY! + +BUY MAY CALL OPTIONS ANY PRICE $BBBY + +u/Nouri_Trades + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/in5x2s0yv0c61.png?width=963&format=png&auto=webp&s=03e43a65d4478e60e49f9e5c927ab7f55d14aa5a +[https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/u32ayv/i\_dont\_want\_to\_start\_a\_panic\_but\_my\_fidelity\_drs/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/u32ayv/i_dont_want_to_start_a_panic_but_my_fidelity_drs/) + +&#x200B; + +is my original post. + +I posted it a little bit late last night and it didn't get the traction I thought it would. So I wanted to repost with an update for today and see what happens. + +&#x200B; + +basically MULTIPLE people are reporting an issues with fidelity (something that's never happened before) that any transfers made around 4/08/2022 were REJECTED for the first time ever (I've DRS'd before successfully). + +&#x200B; + +please upvote and share your experience so we can see what's happening! + +Thank you apes, I will update more when I talk to CS also. But i need a little more sleep. + + +Edit: my shares are in cs now. I still don’t think this is nothing please DYOR and discuss! + +Edit:#2 MY SHARES DID NOT GET TRANSFERED WITH LIFO LIKE I WAS PROMISED + +Contacting now! +I'm in the UK and sold an expensive £300 coat to a buyer outside the EU using eBay. The buyer changed their mind about it and I accepted a return. The buyer has sent the item back to me but I've been slapped with a £70 customs charge plus £8 Royal Mail handing fee. Royal mail won't release the item until the payment has been made. Where do I stand here? I didn't think a custom charge would be due for a returned item? What should I do? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks +Nvidia Corp. is quietly preparing to abandon its purchase of Arm Ltd. from SoftBank Group Corp. after making little to no progress in winning approval for the $40 billion chip deal, according to people familiar with the matter. + +Nvidia has told partners that it doesn’t expect the transaction to close, according to one person, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private. SoftBank, meanwhile, is stepping up preparations for an Arm initial public offering as an alternative to the Nvidia takeover, another person said. + +More at the link below + +[Link](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nvidia-quietly-prepares-abandon-40-100933074.html) + +welp, this was supposed to be a big catalyst this year. I don't expect a good recovery to ATH after this news. +I am currently working from home as a financial analyst at a small boutique investment firm due to COVID. My day-to-day consists of financial forecasting, balancing budgets and conducting various market analyses - so a pretty boring job to say the least. + +I used to be a diligent, focused worker, but ever since COVID hit and the new era of work from home sprung to life, I decided to take another day job: day-trading, which also coincidentally involves looking at numbers. However, this made me pay less and less attention to my analyst practice and instead, made me gravitate towards where the REAL finance practice is. + +Anyways, today, I was supposed to produce a performance report consisting of our company’s EBIT, but I accidentally overwrote our current period’s EBIT with the price of the stock I was looking at. I sent this report out to the entire organization and my VP was the first to catch this error. She pretty much asked me if I was stupid in the nicest way possible. She, then, probably spoke to my one-up afterwards because he called me up and started yelling at me over the phone. This turned out to be a huge learning experience for me. + +Moral of story: +1. If you’re day-trading while you have another work from home job, day-trading is higher priority so learn to accept the inevitable consequences from your employer in the event of a fuck-up. +2. Short the company you’re working for. +As the year draws to a close, many of us are doing our final checks of our spreadsheets and wanting to take a minute to reflect on what this last year has provided for us and what we are hoping for in the next one. + +Please use this thread to do report anything you want - whether it be a massive success, reaching a mini-milestone, actually accomplishing your goals from last year, or even just doing nothing while time does the work for you (for those in the 'boring middle' part). We want to hear about all that 2019 did for you - both FI related and personally as well. + +After reflecting on the past, we also want to look towards the future. What are you looking for in the new year (or even decade) - what are your goals and aspirations that will help guide you this coming year. Are you looking to finally max our your retirement accounts, get a 529 going for your kid, nearing that next comma, becoming completely worthless, or finally hitting your number and cashing in all the GFY's you can get? +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. +On a throwaway for shame, please be kind and helpful. + +I was a student and got a sweet USA Silicon Valley job earning \~$100,000 a year about 2 years ago. +I was / am going through several life issues and dug my head in the sand about self claiming tax. I thought someone from the gov would contact me. I put it off. + +It's been almost two years to the day since I started, and I have zero savings. I still have the job, but I want to deal with my issues. + +Can anyone a) advise me on best way to approach this, b) prep me for what I can expect in terms of repercussions. + +This has caused a huge amount of anxiety over the last two years and has been the main cause of my alcohol/ drug issues. I know it sounds ridiculous but, it is what it is. + +Thanks for the potential advice +So for a bit of back story i have already been terrible with money. Im actively trying to get better at this but for full transparency I'm i have gotten myself into quite a bit hole with debt total around £20k and would like some advice. i just installed an app called Snoop that can tack my money and it looks like im always always going over my monthly earnings, below i have given a bit of a breakdown according to the app. + +£1910.21 Income per month working full time. This is after Tax, NI and pension. + +£620 per month is rent + majority of my bills excluding Council Tax + +£142.00 council Tax + +£479.01 on finance (So bad debt) (i have a 13k loan with barclays 9.9APR, 5k loan with Rate setter 12.9APR and there is also money on a MBNA credit card about 2k 21.99%APR) + +£120.99 Eating out so take aways more so than eating out. + +£300 roughly on groceries. + +£18.11 for roadside and home breakdown cover for car + +£50.34 for car insurance. + +£43.62 for mobile phone contract. + +£110 monthly on fuel. + +£75 for a gym membership (i use this extensively its a strongman specific gym) + +£50 for misc memberships netflix, amazon prime, wow sub, that kind of thing. + +&#x200B; + +Sorry if the formatting is trash, i've never really done this before and don't really know the preferred format of this sub. Would really just appreciate some advice because i'm struggling and i cant seem to stop what seems to be spiralling out of control. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +UPDATE! + +So firstly i just wanted to say thank you to everyone that commented on this post. Honestly having you all reach out and give advice has been amazing and really made me realize this was defiantly needed. ive read everything thats been said and i have already started making cutbacks. + +&#x200B; + +I have already cut out Netflix, Spotify and amazon prime as entertainment packs. I hardly used these anyway, i used Spotify a lot but i can deal with ads. + +&#x200B; + +I have started putting together not only a food budget of £200 a month and setup alerts for this when my spend on this gets to 25/50 and 75% so i can keep a close eye on this, I am also going to be doing a food diary and a meal plan to try to help stick to this. I will also be cutting out all takeaways apart from 1 a month, ill put £20 limit on this. + +&#x200B; + +I am looking to cancel my gym membership and move to a gym down the road that is only £30 a month rather than the £75 a month gym i am currently at. + +&#x200B; + +My phone contract end in November when this ends i will not be getting a new handset and will be going to a sim only plan max of £15 a month. + +&#x200B; + +I also have a meeting with my director this week and in this meeting i will be pointing out that i am doing a good job and im very underpaid for the job i am doing. I work as a Technical Account Manager and im on 30k at the moment when the national average is £47k a year but i took a lower wage as i havent done this job before (ive always worked as an IT technician) and its a new position at the company so lots of factors but i think i should get a raise. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; +A company has approached me with working for them. Whilst I'd be interested, it would involved a lot more travel and I would need to get a car. I currently have zero commute costs and no car. So that would be a few hundred more added to my budget each month for running cost and purchase (so £4-5k increase in salary would cover that roughly?) + +I'm meeting them soon to discuss things in more depth, but would a company car be an a more acceptable thing to ask for over a 5k increase? I've already made it clear I would need a higher salary anyway to leave my current role, but I'm just worried that they make what looks like a good offer, only for me to worse off financially because of a car and travel costs + +Is a company car a better deal for a company, rather than trying to give an employee a higher salary to compensate? + +Anyone have one through work? Is it a perk worth asking for? + +I don't understand why people would be in crypto but not stocks. They share the same principle so why not actually invest/trade something that has actual value instead? +If you are not up to seed on the Fidelity situation you should go read some posts, their official 'opinion piece Market watch article with a butthole response to their customers' and form an opinion on the situation. For those that can't be bothered: Things went from 'goody good good' to 'ciringey nightmare shit' overnight. Fidelity has even downgraded GME sentiment to 'burning feces' overnight, the wilder end of the perfectly plausible spectrum of accusations ends at them loaning retails un-lendable shares for short sellers anyways, on the daily. + +We should just assume Interactive Brokers is up to similar things or has in the very least been set up to be, because that would appear to be the way the world is stacked against us ATM. + +In the very least when weird things start happening ask questions, call bullshit on everything first and make things public. + +I myself quit waiting for the letter and just sent another DRS order out, this time for a far more substantial amount of shares. +Florida Governor DeSantis, during a Tuesday press conference for the signing of a bill designed to improve accountability for higher education in the state, made the comments that Florida may pursue some type of action when it comes to Musk's attempt to buy the social media site. This comes after Musk offered to buy 100 percent of the popular platform, offering more than $40 billion. However, in response to Musk's offer, Twitter adopted the "poison pill." + +After signing the bill into law, DeSantis, without being prompted, brought up Musk's attempt to buy the platform. He mentioned that the State of Florida, through their pension system, does own shares of the tech company and indicated some moves from the state against Twitter may be forthcoming. + +"I can just tell you, the State of Florida, in our pension system, we have shares of Twitter. I didn't buy it, we have people that run the fund. Nevertheless, it hasn't exactly been great on returns on investment. It's been pretty stagnant for many, many years. So, nevertheless, to me, I think that's probably an injury to the fund. We're going to be looking at ways that the State of Florida can potentially be holding these Twitter board of directors accountable for breaching their fiduciary duties. So stay tuned on that," DeSantis said. + +In response to a question about Twitter, Musk, and whether the state would consider selling their shares of Twitter stock following their actions to Musk's offer, DeSantis pushed back on that idea. + +"But I think certainly, in the near term, the fact that they did have this in the pension fund, that gives us the ability to potentially to get some relief. And that's the thing, when you're in a situation like this, if the board is acting in ways that is breaching their fiduciary duty for reasons of power or politics and basically serve as a suppression arm of the government, well then you're in a situation where you need some accountability there. Because first of all, that's not free-market capitalism when you have that, OK," he said. + +I skipped the parts that aren’t essential for investors/traders. You may read the full article [here](https://www.newsweek.com/desantis-mulls-using-floridas-stock-pressure-twitter-elon-musk-1698987?amp=1). +For years, I've been corresponding with a Facebook penpal in Nepal. A young physics student who sometimes asks me about the universe, potential career paths, girls, etc. I have a bachelors in physics, so I've taken on a mentor role with him. + +I've only owned Bitcoin for about a month now, so when the quake happened over there, I realized I could probably send him some if only he had an address. He didn't know how he could use it, though, until a google search turned up some local vendors that accept bitcoin. He could probably exchange it for rupees through them, we guessed. If not, he can at least buy himself a lunch. + +He didn't understand how keys and addresses worked, but set up a wallet at blockchain.com, sent me an address, and I sent him fifteen bucks. Before I could get back into my Facebook messenger, he'd written 'I received it. Thank you.' + +And it all happened so fast, and easy. He knew nearly nothing about it, but was able to set up a wallet and receive Bitcoin within five minutes. I'd never sent money overseas for anything, and just did it for a penny. Instantly, securely and frictionless. As easy as handing him a twenty dollar bill. + +Now, he's watching the Bitcoin 101 YouTube vids to learn more about it, and even though my wife's not happy about the money I've lost this month holding onto my Bitcoins...I'm starting to realize exactly how easily this technology can and will spread. A fire jumping match to match. + +I've learned a lot just lurking here, and want to thank those who contribute to this forum for turning me onto Bitcoin. It's been a lot of fun to learn about and hopefully, at least by years end, Bitcoin can be back over 270 and my wife will be happy with it, too. :) + +Sadly my Dad died from covid earlier this year and we're sorting out his inheritance. + +He had £250k in a Prudential investment plan that my sister and I can keep going as we were the named beneficiaries. It doesn't have to be cashed in now he's died. + +The money was invested in November 2019, just before the covid crash, and has only just recovered to £250k again. We never expected dad to die yet, so this was supposed to be a 5-10 year investment. + +I've had a financially difficult time with a divorce and covid, which has led me into debt. I plan to withdraw £25k of my share to pay off all my debts, do some renovations to my house that are desperately needed and keep an emergency fund. My sister will do the same so we're left with £100k each. + +My initial thought was to keep the investment running for maybe another 5 years or so but any profit will attract capital gains tax. Would it make more sense to keep it going but each year take out £20k and put that in an ISA, where I wouldn't be liable for capital gains tax? + +I know people say not to touch an investment for some time after a crash so the investment can recover, so not sure what's best. + +I'm also confused how capital gains tax works. Say I have £100k in there for 10 years and it becomes £150k, do I pay the tax on the £50k or is there an allowance for how many years the investment has been held? + +The other option is to cash in the entire investment and pay off my mortgage. My mortgage interest rate is pretty good though as my LTV was 65% when I had to remortgage due to the divorce. I was thinking I may be able to get better returns by keeping it in some kind of investment. + +Any help massively appreciated! I'm very aware I am quite a low earner and that isn't likely to improve any time soon, so I need to really maximise what I do with this money. +Hello! + +Using a throwaway because I don't want my main linked with this. + +I thankfully graduated University a while ago - but have in the last few years hit some stumbling blocks with Student Loans Company. + +They first contacted me a few years ago suggesting I had been over paid the maintenance grant as I did not provide them with the information required regarding my parent's income for one of the years (4 year course, all other years have had been fine). + +I was sure I provided this evidence and being contacted for the first time some 6/7 years after graduation and supposed information wasn't provided I was shocked that I'm now being asked to pay back nearly £3,000! + +In the past (after initial contact until now) years when they contacted me I have explained the situation over the phone and followed up by email and SLC would go quiet. + +This time around they have instructed debt collectors without contacting me to begin with and it's causing a LOT of stress! + +Is there any way I can contact the Job Centre on behalf of my parents (one of which has since passed away) to request their financial details for about 10 years ago? + +Thanks! + +&#x200B; + +\[EDIT\] + +Thanks to everyone that replied with suggestions or shared their experiences. + +I have spoken to SLC and the debt collection agency - to be fair to both, they were both really pleasant to speak to you and sounded understanding. + +Based on responses here, I spoke to the Job Centre and they said I should write them a letter regarding my father's historic application as they are likely able to find the information but it'll be in an archive and will need to be searched for. + +They said that my mum needs to call them to request her information - they'll send back whatever they have for the "current" application. If the "current" application covers the time span I need then they can provide that very quickly. If not, then it'll also need to go and be searched for and that they are willing to do this. + +However the SLC mentioned that they cannot do anything with the account for now because it's "out of their control" and I needed to speak to the debt collection agency regarding the case and see if they're willing to send the case back to SLC. + +After speaking with the debt collection agency, they have offered a 30 day grace period where I can go and get a hold of evidence and send to SLC. They've asked that I keep them updated, in particular in case I send the evidence to SLC and don't hear anything back then they can apparently chase SLC to find out more. +Hi all, I’m really looking for some help with my finance. I want to save for a deposit and I’m not sure how much of my take home pay I should be saving. + +I’m 22 and on £28K a year. I’ve recently cleared my student overdraft of £1500 and some credit card debt. + +I’m looking to save up for a house deposit (houses in my area are £140K for a 4 bed). I was looking to save 5% of this amount (as my boyfriend will be saving the other 5% - leaving us with a 10% deposit). I’m not sure how much of my monthly pay I need to be saving (as I’ve been using all my excess money to clear by overdraft etc). + +I need to save £7000 for my half of the deposit and with legal fees I’m hoping to save £8000. I’ve opened a LISA so I was planning to Max that out to have the £1000 bonus. + +Here’s a breakdown of my bills (I currently live at home with my parents) + +Car on finance - £125 a month (I’m a high mileage driver at 400 miles a week. This is a higher purchase agreement). +Diesel - £200 a month +Phone contract - £15 a month +Union fee £14 a month +Apple Music - £10 + +I’m a civil servant so I’m paying into the alpha pension (do I need to be contributing more than this?). + + +Take home pay is around £1700 a month. +So after my bills Is around £1300 + +Spending on my social life + +I don’t really tend to go out or drink much. Here’s what I spend on my social life and other bits and bobs a month. +£10 a week for a takeaway +£5 on a Saturday night to get stuff in for a film e.g chocolate and crisps +Cinema ticket every other week - £10 +Hair dressers appointment £30 every other month +Holiday fund - I like to go on holiday so I save £100 a month for one trip a year. +Clothing fund - I save £100 a month for clothes - try and save it up to do two shops a year. +Total - £300 (per month) + +Remaining wages £1000. Im not really sure what % of this I should be saving. Should I be saving it all, half? I’m just generally looking for guidance. + +Thank you. + +Edit: forgot to mention that I take my own salad into work Incase anyone is wondering about my spending there. + + + + + + + + +We'd like to use a centralized, convenient service where we simply just pay and consider it a sunk cost (a return would be nice, but isn't the point) - but one that puts mining power into decentralized pools or smaller pools. + +Ideally the business community needs a few we can choose from - otherwise we're back at square one. + +Any suggestions are much appreciated! + +Thanks! + +Jamie + +QuickBT Team +My credit score took a 50 point drop after missed payments. I’m barely going to work. I’m getting broker and broker each day. I don’t know what to do anymore. My rent is due next month and I only have HALF of the money for it. My car needs a repair I can’t afford. Everything is just a disaster +As per title. I got a Google stock price notification (usually a bad sign!) that VTS was down 2.5%. ASX dropped noticeably too. + +&#x200B; + +Had a skim of the news but didn't see Trump doing anything noteworthy. Is there some new Fed data or something, or is it just random noise? +I posted this in the Melbourne subreddit before someone helpfully recommended posting here. + +My wife and I are in the process of getting finance for a new house that we plan to live in and to potentially have enough space for our future children. We have the documents all ready to go for refinancing the loan on our current place and they're just awaiting our signature but a spanner has been thrown into the works. + +My father in law had a conversation with us recently and heavily recommended that we don't go into too much debt and we should sell our current property to buy the new one. This scared that crap out of my wife because she always takes his advice. + +My thoughts are that we have no problem paying off our current debt and have created a budget for when we buy the new property and shouldn't have any trouble with the second property either. With the market in a downturn this might be a good opportunity to get the second property but not a very good time to sell our current. + +A couple of facts about our current situation: + +- Melbourne Southeast suburbs is where we're at and want to be. + +- We were looking at keeping the current property as an investment over the long term. + +- Current property is valued at $600k, orginally bought for $500k, $350k 25 years left on the loan. + +- Looking at buying a house around $800-900k + +- $150k in savings sitting in offset accounts. + +- $130k in equity on the current property (once the refinancing has gone through). + +- Combined income of $190k + +- We should be neutrally geared or perhaps a little negatively geared on the current property when we rent it out. + +I'm just looking for some other opinions. +I’m not an advocate for market timing nor am I an advocate for stock picking but I feel like we need this. Too many people are feeling regret for not buying a certain stock or selling off too early! This is despite the fact the stock could’ve just as easily gone down (long term) as many have, after purchase because nobody knows the future. They forget their reasons which must’ve been in line with their risk tolerance and the information they had at the time. + +Having said that, what stocks were you on the verge of buying and then decided against, which proceeded to tank? + +N.B This is purely an exercise on getting people to stop this hindsight bias that will inevitably lead to FOMO and losing money. Buy stocks you believe in long term unless company fundamentals change. +The title says it all. While I am not rich by any stretch of the imagination, I do have a steady job with income and can easily put $5,500 into a ROTH IRA every year. My question is: how aggressive should I be and what are some good ways to put my money to use +So I mentioned this a few times before, but I think this next bull season is going to go in 3 phases: + +1) Old money getting out of tether (we are juuuust starting to enter this phase now) + +2) New money hopping on FOMO train (this *could* happen sometime around Oct, Nov again) + +3) BTC hits scaling issues again (*Likely* sometime around Nov-Dec again) + +*(don't get caught up on dates... I posted this just to discuss the general phases and create some discussion around strategies to maximize profits in each phase)* + + +**Phase 1, Old money exiting tether** + +This phase will have alts run faster than BTC, because this old money has previous projects they were supporting. They are going to jump back into those projects, pick up alts on sale (Neo, Eth, Ven, OMG, Nano, etc (my portfolio)). I called this about 2 weeks ago, and it looks like I'm right (so far at least). I called this reversal way back when BTC dominance was actually rising due to it being more resistant on the dump. + +To me it's common sense... where is the money coming from on the ground floor buys? It's from Tether and fiat that is sitting on exchanges, and from crypto supporters trying to time that bottom. Where are they going to put money in? BTC/ETH for sure, but also other projects. This is VERY different from new money which goes almost exclusively in BTC. I based my prediction on this, and it looks like it's playing out that way. For that reason, I've been 10% BTC, 20% ETH, 30% NEO, 30% OMG, and the rest split into VEN, XLM, XLR, Nano, ICX, WAN - full disclosure, that's my holdings). + +We are in this phase now, just starting it actually. In this phase, BTC dominance falls, alts go on a run (again, only my opinion). + +**Phase 2: New money FOMOs in** + +New money starts FOMO'ing in and where do they buy? They buy BTC mostly, some ETH, some LTC, some BCH. Basically, whatever is on Coinbase. + +Old money sees the BTC run and tries to ride the bull as long as he wants to romp around. Alts go down as people sell them to jump on BTC. + +BTC dominance soars, alts don't fall, but they watch BTC have bigger days than them. + +When this phase happens, I'm going to try to sell half my alt stacks and go to at least 60% in BTC/ETH, maybe higher. I'm going to try to get there before the rest of you :) + +**Phase 3: BTC hits scaling issues again** + +I know LN exists now, but I honestly don't think it's going to be nearly enough. Sally Busdriver won't be setting up LN. It will help push the ceiling higher before we hit scaling issues, but they will still happen. + +Once it does, people start getting mad at BTC for being slow, and fees get out of control again. New money starts reading about alts. People trade BTC for alts. Their next purchases are no longer BTC, but ETH, LTC, BCH (as much as you may or may not hate them, these are the gateway cryptos). + +BTC dominance starts falling. It doesn't stall (still a FOMO market), but it starts going sideways) as people pick up alts. Alt season begins again, and BTC is not where you want your money to be anymore. It's still a safe "bluechip" bet and should be part of your portfolio, but this is the time where you can make a lot of money with riskier moonshot picks. Market hype is at a high, and everyone is literally throwing money at anything with blockchain in it. Make sure to take some profits in this phase, especially if you have accumulated net capital gains this year. + +....... + +Those are just my predictions on how the next bull run looks like. It will look slightly different than the last one, simply because there's more people in tether at the start of it. These tether people aren't going to untether into BTC (they will to an extent), but they will mostly untether back into their alt portfolio (which may include some BTC, even a large percentage, but not 90+%, like what happens when new money enters). + + +Thoughts? + +Just my humble opinion that you want to be in BTC only like 10-20% now, and be in alts. Just for now. Once the new money comes in, you want to jump over to BTC before everyone else does, and get your seat on that bull (a first class seat). Then once it starts going sideways and hits scaling issues, you want to jump back into your alts, and again, do it before others do. + + +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://imgur.com/a/WzxkCtU/ + +Update: https://i.imgur.com/2dHDuKh.jpg + +Coda code of conduct + +1) Buy calls on the best companies in the world 5-10% OTM six months or more until expiration. FAANG, MSFT, TSLA, NIKE, WMT, JPM, PYPL, AXP, BABA, NVDA, AMD, SBUX, CRM. Or ETF’s like MGK, FNGS, and SOXX if you don’t have the capital to get in on single equity options. + +2) Hold for at least half of the 6 months until expiration. + +3) The long term goal is to buy and hold shares. This is what rich people do. Hard assets that can’t quickly evaporate like options can. Same choice of companies as above. Just the good shit. Hold assets that slowly grow. Cash gang = chicken coop. + +4) In order to protect your winnings, make sure half of your account is shares. + +5) Use margin sparingly. Less than half of what they are offering you. + +6) If you need to do a weekly just to have a little casino thrill in your life it should be less than a grand. Weeklies are not how real wealth is built. But it’s ok if you see a strong trend but don’t YOLO your whole stack. That’s just dumb. + +7) Smoke weed every day. + +——— + +See, I got up to six figures buying puts in mid-march. But then I lost like 3/4’s of my stack staying short when the market bottomed on March 23rd. So I needed to come up with a system to protect my gains. Hence, the Coda code of conduct. + +For example, I started with $75k but now I have around $162k in shares. So, no matter what happens I’ll likely be ahead of where I started. I’m slightly out of balance because I have more options than shares. $196k in calls vs $162k in shares. So I’m like $34k out of balance, somewhat breaking my own rule. So I’m living a little dangerously until 9/18 at which time I’m going to execute 4 apple calls and 2 msft calls. Which will bring my share total up like $65k. I might have to sell some options so I have the buying power in my account to get this done. At that point, I will have more shares than options so I’ll be green lit to buy more calls. This is how I enforce discipline on myself to not get to overextended. Leverage, but not too much leverage. Good luck to us all! + +Edit: today I recommend buying xlk $135 call 3/19/21 for $870. And holding it thru the new year. +Includes a 6.48% inflation component, which will apply to all bonds for 6 months, and a 0.4% fixed rate, which will apply for the life of bonds purchased between now (November 2022) and May 2023. + +Edit for clarity: The 0.4% fixed rate will apply for bonds purchased between November 1, 2022 and April 30, 2023. Also, the extra 0.01% (6.48% + 0.4% + 0.01%) comes from the fact that it's 0.4% *plus 0.4% \* the semiannual inflation rate*, so you get an extra 0.01%. In a year, that's a whole extra dollar! +&#x200B; + + Opinions and illustrations only. Not advice. Always conduct your own DD and make an informed decision that is right for you. + +>**Part 1: DRS contributes to the intensity of a short squeeze and potentially MOASS.** +> +>**Part 2: Visualizing the squeeze with a chart comparison of GME to Tesla's stock split in the form of stock dividend.** +> +>**Part 3: The MOASS exit strategy.** *\[If not enough shares are sold during the squeeze, shorts can't close their positions! How selling only once your minimum floor is met and then only selling tactically on technical pull backs in small increments can maximize your returns and intensify MOASS.\]* + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/h1usbjqfycu81.png?width=1155&format=png&auto=webp&s=d8c7b23b8d67375a3cbc095fce915d6aa58a371b + +# Part 1: Direct Registration of Shares (DRS) contributes to the intensity of a short squeeze and potentially MOASS. + +If GameStop issues a crypto based dividend or token like an NFT to shareholders, and it is non-transferrable as cash or equivalent - then short positions are *forced* to buy back their short positions and CLOSE their positions in full. No just covering, no manipulation, and forced closure with lack of shares available equals true MOASS. However, this is not a given and not something retail can control. + +***DRS your shares to Computershare = Removal of shares from DTCC (Removing your shares from nominee registration on behalf of your broker) = Direct Registration of your shares in your name reported direct with GameStop = Removal of shares that MMs and SHFs can manipulate!*** + +&#x200B; + +>**The** **only** **way** ***retail*** **can control the $GME narrative is through DRS. This means getting your eligible shares direct registered, and getting the word out beyond reddit to other GME holders to get more shares DRS.** + +The options: + +(1) DRS shares to remove shares from the DTCC, reduce liquidity and the amount of shares that short market participants can borrow against and manipulate, and trigger margin calls equals short squeeze. + +(2) Hold, then sell only what you need to during squeeze resulting in ***not enough sold for Shorts to*** **cover** equals MOASS. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/ve038h6hycu81.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=13090c543ca0656ddf56cd1a065f500a679a974f + +# We Own the Float: Can shorts even close out their positions? + +Reddit DD theorizes and supports that retail owns the float multiple times over, with short interest likely between 300% and 1000%. **If this holds true at just a minimum of 200%, and retail holds and sells on average LESS THAN 50% of their shares - then short market participants can't fully close their positions and we should truly experience the 'Mother Of All Short Squeezes' - MOASS!** + +***Estimating Retail Share Ownership:*** Excludes Institutional, Insider or other types of ownership. + +* [https://i.redd.it/zwtz4i3c65h71.png](https://i.redd.it/zwtz4i3c65h71.png) +* For an updated survey post: check [u/Get-It-Got](https://www.reddit.com/user/Get-It-Got/) profile for: 'Fresh Google Consumer Surveying Suggests 830MM+ Shares Held; 95+ share avg.; 8.5 Million+ Investors --- U.S. NUMBERS ONLY + +&#x200B; + +>GameStop's recent 10k shows the weighted averaged diluted Common Shares outstanding for GME at 72.6 million. *Less*: Institutional Unknown: 28,413,271 \[includes illiquid Mutual Funds & Pensions: 8,004,284, ETFs: 6,588,016\], Insider: 12,716,820, Shareholder DRS total: 8,900,000. This represents a remaining float of only approximately 22.5 million shares. Ortex reported short interest is at 24.37%. Average cost to borrow 10.22%. + +* [https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/tot0zi/in\_6\_days\_764m\_shares\_of\_gme\_were\_traded\_there\_is/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/tot0zi/in_6_days_764m_shares_of_gme_were_traded_there_is/) +* [https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/tsxoto/gme\_100\_utilization\_day\_37\_via\_ortex/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/tsxoto/gme_100_utilization_day_37_via_ortex/) +* [https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/tqsslh/there\_are\_71119269\_more\_shares\_loaned\_than/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/tqsslh/there_are_71119269_more_shares_loaned_than/) +* [https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/tk9jk8/dd\_rolling\_borrows\_haircuts\_annual\_slds/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/tk9jk8/dd_rolling_borrows_haircuts_annual_slds/) +* [https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/ttfhe2/update\_on\_institutional\_ownership\_etfs\_and\_funds/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/ttfhe2/update_on_institutional_ownership_etfs_and_funds/) + +# Part 2: Visualizing the squeeze with a chart comparison of GME to Tesla's stock split in the form of stock dividend. + +*'HOLD & HODL': Take a look at the Tesla squeeze on stock split by form of dividend August 2020.* + +[*https://www.thestreet.com/tesla/articles/tesla-short-interest-declines-as-stock-hits-all-time-high*](https://www.thestreet.com/tesla/articles/tesla-short-interest-declines-as-stock-hits-all-time-high) + +[https://electrek.co/2020/08/20/tesla-tsla-surges-near-2000-stock-split-shorts-running/](https://electrek.co/2020/08/20/tesla-tsla-surges-near-2000-stock-split-shorts-running/) + +&#x200B; + +[ Tesla's 5:1 stock split in the form of a stock dividend. Announced August 11, 2020. Record date August 21, 2020. Ex-dividend date August 31, 2020. ](https://preview.redd.it/9mpn3qamycu81.png?width=1003&format=png&auto=webp&s=bee3b46c7e69e074330e01574d21fb820f6fd755) + +Note, similar to GameStop, Tesla's short interest declined without share price appreciation the year prior to their stock split. After the dividend distribution, Tesla's shares squeezed over a period of several months. GME has less outstanding shares, but less liquidity, higher borrowing rates, higher margin requirements, and as DD supports - an extensively higher hidden short interest. + +Tesla's reported short interest hit a May 2019 high of *only 43.66 million* shares shorted. GameStop had reported short interest of *over* *200 million* by FINRA report - [309.43% SI in October 202](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/u2ylh7/never_forget_gamestops_short_interest_in_october/i4q9ep7/?context=3)0 and 220%+ during January 2021 'sneeze squeeze' (court docs). + +Tesla share price remained elevated after the squeeze. They have just announced another stock split, to be voted on at their October 2022 AGM. + +&#x200B; + +[A visual to the pull backs during the squeeze. Share price reflected is after Tesla's 5:1 stock split. Multiply shares owned by 5 and then watch the price appreciation. Zoomed-in to December 2020 - it kept running after this. ](https://preview.redd.it/6u0mcnqkycu81.png?width=514&format=png&auto=webp&s=cba512efdd32afb9eb9cfff811b9d431dbb937b3) + +# Part 3: The MOASS Exit Strategy: + +***The DD has been done, and most apes are in ZEN mode with the recent price swings. However, the true test of diamond hands will be upon us during the squeeze. Visualizing and having a defined exit strategy like the one illustrated below can help remove emotional decisions that you might regret, can contribute to MOASS, and can help put more $$$ in your pocket.*** + +This is an *illustration scenario* addressing WHEN and HOW to capitalize on the squeeze and *helping* with MOASS through strategic trading. The concept being that you have a defined strategy - not selling on the way up, and then only selling a predetermined smaller amount of shares at *triggered* exit points once you do sell to take back some money from Wall Street. + +\[*Note. This is* not *a recommendation, this is an illustration strategy. Everyone needs to do their own due diligence and make an informed decision on a strategy that is independently right for them as an individual investor.*\] + +&#x200B; + +>**Trying to time the markets, or the peak of a squeeze, is near impossible. It is extremely unlikely you will time things just right, and manage to sell just at the right time. But there are strategies that can help mitigate the risk of selling too early or too late**. **Planning how much you are going to sell and when is key to having an effective exit strategy. Exiting your position** ***incrementally*** **in a** ***disciplined*** **way can help mitigate making emotional decisions that could negatively affect your returns.** + +&#x200B; + +**(i): Exit points: Lower Lows and Lower Highs** + +[ Full credit to u\/gherkinit for the these two charts with commentary.](https://preview.redd.it/c7epxdf4zcu81.png?width=1694&format=png&auto=webp&s=5f776f93960e70ca725171536a700a432bb86707) + +***This is the first verifiable exit point at the apex of this wedge confirming a downtrend on the next candlestick. This is only the first of these patterns to play out. Several of these patterns should form as we remain in the peaks. BE VERY CAREFUL HERE as selling all of a position at the first sign of a wedge forming can reduce potential profits. Why? Well because this wedge that formed above could break upwards.*** + +[Full credit to u\/gherkinit for the these two charts with commentary. ](https://preview.redd.it/k6pua2mfzcu81.png?width=1391&format=png&auto=webp&s=e35d047aefd2301049dc08a251876fc5a0587a4c) + +***Notice how after Exit 1 the price broke upwards. This is why it is less profitable to exit an entire position all at once. It's much more beneficial to slowly back out of a position at several points so as to maximize profit.*** + +&#x200B; + +**(ii) SAMPLE MOASS SCENARIO ILLUSTRATION: I plan to take back some money from Wall Street:** + +&#x200B; + +>I have for example 100 shares. **I plan not sell until the $Price reaches a** ***minimum*** **floor I am comfortable with.** I will then sell on a correction with *lower lows and lower highs* Exit1, *hopefully 1-5 shares up to a maximum of* 10% of my shares. I may hold through Exit2 with the hope Exit3 $Price is higher than Exit2. Exit3 I *hope to sell just 5-10 shares but will sell up to a maximum* of 20% of my shares. This represents having sold only a *maximum* 30% of my shares to this point. I *revisit and update my strategy* from there. +> +>If the DD is correct, and all retail investors sell an average less than 50% of their shares - shorts still haven't closed their positions and margin calls are coming in. Gamestop will truly experience the Mother of All Short Squeezes. Apes will have truly taken back Wall Street, and this MOASS will go down in the history books. +> +>I may resume selling additional shares at lower lows and lower highs, but as I am confident in GameStop and the DD I may hold back a large percentage of my shares for the future. Who knows, there may also be a second phase to this related to a decentralized exchange, crypto/NFT spin-off or carve out, or digital-based unit/token issued related to GameStop's ecommerce strategy and its new Marketplace. + +\[*Note. This is* not *a recommendation, this is an illustration strategy. Everyone needs to do their own due diligence and make an informed decision on a strategy that is independently right for them as an individual investor.*\] + +A quick refresher visual of the Tesla squeeze and a visual of the lower lows and lower highs: + +[ A visual to the lower lows and lower highs during the squeeze. Zoomed-out to December 2020 - it kept running after this. ](https://preview.redd.it/pk9guzwpzcu81.png?width=514&format=png&auto=webp&s=f1106a54d5d902be70242d8ecfa6f27362b1690f) + +&#x200B; + +**TL;DR: Buy, Hold, DRS, Hodl & 'Share the Story'.** + +[What is DRS and why should you care?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/ptvaka/when_you_wish_upon_a_star_a_complete_guide_to/) & [WWW.DRSGME.ORG](https://www.drsgme.org/): What is Direct Registration of Shares (DRS) & Why Should Everyone Do It? Why is GameStop an Extraordinary Investment? + +&#x200B; + +>***Bonus: There is still plenty of time to Buy and DRS shares:*** +> +>*GameStop's stock split record date has not yet been announced.* From the proxy statement: The primary purpose of increasing the number of authorized shares of our common stock is to facilitate the potential Stock Split. *Our Board* ***intends to approve*** ***the Stock Split,*** ***subject to*** *and contingent upon stockholder* ***approval*** *and the effectiveness of the* ***Authorized Shares Amendment***. +> +>Once the authorized share increase is approved and the board approves the stock split, an official announcement will be made disclosing the official record date, distribution date and ex-dividend date. + +&#x200B; + +**Also, I see there are still a lot of questions on what the GME stock split really entails. This is a good read in conjunction with this post (also sauce is in the comments):** + +It's a stock split (in the form of a stock dividend) - not a declared dividend. Taking a look at what this means; Along with a look at charts from Overstock's digital dividend and the stock splits by form of a stock dividend for NVIDIA & TESLA. + +[*https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/u1j1gd/its\_a\_stock\_split\_in\_the\_form\_of\_a\_stock\_dividend/*](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/u1j1gd/its_a_stock_split_in_the_form_of_a_stock_dividend/) + +&#x200B; + + DISCLAIMER: Information contained in this post has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable in nature. No representations or warranty, express or implied, is made by as to it’s accuracy, completeness or correctness. All opinions, estimates, and comments contained in this post are subject to change without notice and are provided in good faith but without legal responsibility. This is not financial advice, and neither I, nor any other person, accepts any liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this post or the information contained herein. + +*Edit: Added non-bolded commentary for clarification in Part 3 of introduction. Added commentary on Tesla's historic short interest.* +HMHC confirmed in FL! https://imgur.com/a/BgZXTTf + +Just got back from meet and greet with my son's new teachers (even though he's doing virtual). This was a great find! +I haven't experienced this myself, but people are talking about having ADA withdrawals blocked towards the end of the epoch. Binance is motivated to do this because a 'snapshot' of staking wallet balances is taken at the end of the epoch, and staking rewards are calculated based on that. This is highly unethical however , because it means Binance is staking other people's ADA, collecting those staking rewards, and making the ADA unavailable to the owners when it suits them. Supposedly the hold on withdrawals can be as long as a full day before the end of the epoch, but typically happens at least an hour before the end of the epoch. + + +I think this shows a very blatant disrespect for their users' crypto which they're supposedly holding in custody (I know, NYK NYC), and the greater crypto community should be aware of this +It's also about Bitcoin's usability: It's the greatest invention since the internet itself, but you have to count many zeros correctly or you are screwed! This is just a pain ita, very annoying. And the more successful Bitcoin becomes, the more zeros you have to count. With "bits" prices become readable again. + +Edit: It also makes no sense if "bits" are introduced as an a *second* option to "bitcoins". "Bits" should be the *default* unit. For big transactions "bitcoins" can be used optionally. + +People will be confused, because they know "bits" from data storage? No! When using them in everyday life, context will make it clear: "How much is it?" "200 bits!" "please send me 3,000 bits!" "you just paid 100 bits" +From responses in the previous thread [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/UKPersonalFinance/comments/ew6mwh/monzo_moving_to_fixed_interest_for_their/) the community has raised the question of whether Monzo is being properly honest about their overdraft rates. Monzo claim that they solely/primarily use the customer's Credit Karma credit rating, but evidence from /r/UKPersonalFinance users suggests that this may not be true. + +We do not have sufficient responses to see a clear pattern so, with the permission of the moderators, I'm running a quick (<5 minute) survey to see if we can collect some more data and find any clear correlation here. + +In order to complete the survey, you will need your CreditKarma credit score, and the rate that you have already been offered for your Overdraft. If you do not have an overdraft with Monzo, please consider filling in the survey too: you can see the rate Monzo would offer you by looking at the Overdraft section of the app, and your responses will also be helpful in seeing if Monzo are offering better rates to people without an existing overdraft with them. + +If you're a Monzo customer and would like to take part, please first get your [CreditKarma](https://www.creditkarma.co.uk/) credit score **NOT YOUR EXPERIAN/EQUIFAX ETC SCORE** and then fill out the survey [HERE](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe25-bJnbfCw8dHHKSV_wCmo8Sv7s0RgNyh3zBdWLgHGBifzg/viewform?usp=sf_link) + +Assuming that we get enough responses, I'll post the results back here in a few days. + +EDIT@23:45GMT: 122 responses so far in 3 hours, so we should have enough to get a fairly clear idea. I'll give it a couple of days for responses to come in, and then collate them towards the end of the week. I've also corrected some overlapping bracket boundaries + +EDIT 2: Now over 430 responses, thanks guys and girls. I'll give the poll until tomorrow night or whenever it falls off the front page of UKPF (whichever is first) and then start collating some results. I'll still be aiming for Thursday/Friday for the results, but with this many responses I'm not sure how long it will take. Unfortunately while Google Forms does do some nice summary graphs, it doesn't allow me to combine the fields, so there'll be some Excel work to do before we can answer the original question + +EDIT 3: The response rate has flattened out at 475 responses and we're off the front page, so I've ended participation: if you see this thread after this ended and would like your results included, please PM me +So I got sent $1200 to my paypal, and go to withdraw it to my bank account just like I've done for literally dozens of other transactions... low and behold, they've locked my account. Not only that, but the only way they'll unlock it if I upload two different forms of ID, with only a few being acceptable to them. I uploaded my birth certificate (which I think is an invasion of privacy, but whatever) and other documentation, but they rejected the other forms. Since the only other 3 documents accepted by them are impossible for me to aquire as a digitial nomad, after a week of back and forth and getting nowhere, I went onto the darknet and bought a fake electricity bill with bitcoins, and finally got the restrictions lifted. If it wasn't for BTC I would have been literally robbed of $1,200, and there wouldn't be a goddamn thing I could do about it. + +In the future, I will definitely be avoiding paypal and using BTC whenever possible. +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. +Thought it might be helpful to people to know that today I got my Ryanair refund in the bank. +I had sat down Monday to face a long chat queue to ask for my refund to finally been processed after months of emails into a black hole. +After I gave enough unhappy responses to the chat bot I was put through to the agent queue and started to wait. + +While waiting i already put down all my details in the initial message, but then I was distracted, that led to another thing and another... +Hours later I got back to the screen i was presented with the end of chat feedback screen. + +I didn't have time to start again and left it at that. To my surprise next morning I had an email from Ryanair letting me know that my refund works reach me within 5 days. Seems the agent did process my request without chatting to me further. + +Tl;DR +If tired of waiting in Ryanair's chat queue, just submit your case and details in the message box. +Twitter stock hit a new low on Friday, as investors beat down shares of the social media company below the $20 level for the first time ever. +Friday's stock decline gives Twitter a market cap of roughly $13.6 billion, below the $14.2 billion valuation that the company commanded when it went public in November 2013 and a far cry from its roughly $40 billion market cap attained in the months after its IPO. +"Whether you're a $10 billion, $20 billion, or $30 billion company, you're still a pretty rarefied company," said Wieser. +I will preface this by saying that this is not my first experience with a 401k plan, and in general I understand how they work when it comes to employee contributions and employer matching. No Socrates here, so don't harp on me personal finance redditors. I just have became very frustrated with this situation and am confused with what to do next. With that said, my silly question... + +After starting a new job, I had to wait 3 months before I could enroll in the company's 401k plan. No problemo. After the waiting period, I received the welcome packet and enrollment form. I did not have a 401k plan to rollover from my previous company (I took that as a disbursement as opposed to rolling it over due to circumstances too long to explain in this post) so I wanted to start a new one here. I elected to have a modest 3% contribution, as this is what I could afford (and what my employer matches 100%). + +Fast forward to my first paycheck since my 401k enrollment. This paycheck had a different salary listed than what was on my previous checks - my salary had decreased by 3 percent. Under that decreased salary number was a deduction for 401k...and at the end my taxes were listed. As I held the two paychecks up next to each other, it appeared to me that I was paying 6% into my 401k (3% decrease in salary, minus another 3% 401k deduction), and my employer was paying 0%. I have stared at the two paychecks, thought it was very apparent that it was simply an accounting error, and went into my boss's office (second in command to the owner) to discuss further. + +His response threw me for a loop. He said that the decrease in salary was the company's contribution, and the deduction marked 401k was my contribution. I explained to him that I have never heard an explanation like this before. I have always seen my salary remain unchanged, then I see my employee contribution taken out. I have not seen employer contributions on my paychecks previously. I would see those when logging into my retirement account. I explained that if one would want to calculate contributions in that manner, wouldn't it make sense for my salary to increase by 3%, then take the 3% away as an employer contribution? He stated to me that would be incorrect, as that would be a 3% raise for me. I ended the conversation feeling more confused than when I walked in, and said that I would try to look at things again to see if they made sense. + +When I log into my new retirement account, it shows that 3% came from my employer, and 3% came from me. I feel like perhaps I am delusional, but I do not believe this to be true. My salary was reduced by 3%, then a 3% 401k contribution was taken off. Thats 6% by me, right? If I were to quit the plan, then would my salary go back up 3%? + +The other wrinkle is that we are a small company, around 20 ish employees total, and do not have an HR individual to discuss these matters with. I have copies of my paychecks before and after the 401k enrollment, and am dropping them off at my accountants office for them to also take a look at. + +If anything, can someone either tell me I am crazy, or reaffirm that I am not crazy? This has been driving me nuts the last couple of days. + +Thank you and happy Wednesday! + +EDIT 1 - There is a 5.67% difference between my net take home pay before/after 401k enrollment. + +UPDATE 1 - Sorry for the long wait, after work yesterday I had to go to a family get together and forgot to get back on reddit. Meeting with boss went very well; he apologized for his confusion and said after looking at it I was correct. It was a payroll error, and I was issued a check for the 3% of my salary. Payroll has been fixed, and my next check next week will reflect the proper amount. + +Not sticking up for my employer at all because their error was egregious, but the company has essentially zero turnover. Two employees have left the company in last 7 years, so its not often that they have to onboard and enroll people into new retirement accounts. +It’s called a 643 compliant trust, named after a specific IRS code. + +No capital gains on stocks or real estate + +No business/personal federal or state income taxes + +No probate or estate taxes + +Able to donate 100% of income to a Private Family Foundation + +Complete privacy (my name is never public) + +Ironclad asset protection (has held up against an eminent domain case) + +I’m getting it set up this week and ready to go next week. Hours of paperwork yesterday, mostly because I had to think of names I could live with. You have to convey your stocks to the trust before the sale (the taxable event) to protect the gains. Same with real estate. You can also reassign business income and buy more stocks that way. Or both. + +I’m in the US, for the record. This trust is legal in all 50 states. + +I first heard about trusts like this about 10 years ago, but I couldn’t get straight answers about them and never felt comfortable going through with it. + +But it’s been in the back of my mind for my GME gains. Personally, I use every legal method I can to reduce my taxes but I still want to be able to sleep at night. I’m sick of watching the utter incompetence of this government. 10 billion for a tax bailout for someone worth 140 billion? The SEC letting degenerate gamblers wreck the economy, AGAIN? Another housing, crisis, AGAIN? Don’t even get me started on insulin prices and health care in this country. + +They won’t be good stewards of my money. But I will be. I’m fixing this planet. Investing in carbon and plastic-eating bacteria and algae. Cleaning the oceans and rivers. Recycling glass. Feeding people. + +A few months ago I started asking about this trust on the various subs. I wasn’t great at articulating it yet (maybe I’m still not) and I got a lot of “this isn’t real, you’re an idiot, etc.” but also some "this is interesting, keep us posted when you know more." So as promised, here I am back with a report. + +But one person read my posts and said “I have a trust like this, my whole family has this trust, here’s my lawyer” and the lawyer and I have hit off like old friends. She’s a straight shooter. + +&#x200B; + +I can’t tag the person who introduced me to the trust here because their username resembles the stock who must not be named, by total coincidence. And yes, I’ve messaged the mods twice to get this user name allowed but never heard back. Their username starts with yam, plus a letter c and the number 0, so I'll call them the not sweet potato person. + +&#x200B; + +I’m not an attorney or CPA and this is not financial advice, but as a layperson, here’s how I understand it works for all you tax nerds out there. + +&#x200B; + +It’s a common-law trust, and it is a non-grantor, non-self settled, irrevocable, discretionary, complex, spendthrift trust with dynasty provisions. + +&#x200B; + +Most trusts you’ve probably heard of are self-settled, grantor-style trusts. The attorney shared that when she was at the Notre Dame Law Symposium in 2021 that the major topic of discussion was how 2021 was the end of self-settled, grantor-style trusts. + +&#x200B; + +643 a portion of the IRS code that says that income from capital gains is corpus, not income since it’s derived from assets in the corpus of the trust. + +This trust also has a bunch of other unique provisions I can’t explain, but the attorney does brilliantly. For example, you sell your assets to this trust, not gift, and it creates a neat way to draw from the trust for non-allowable expenses (food, fashion, and fun) in a very tax-efficient way. + +&#x200B; + +It also eliminates the need for all tax-deferred plans, like a 401k, 529 college savings plan, or a 1031 real estate exchange. + +I’m still getting my trust done (EIN, etc) so I haven’t conveyed my stocks yet but the non-sweet potato person says that with Fidelity, both accounts just show up in your portal and you can transfer them since you’re the trustee. The lawyer did tell me that Fidelity has sometimes liquidated the stocks first and she’s gotten around it by using a money manager at Fidelity as an intermediary. Other brokerages you would want to talk to her first about. + +With ComputerShare, to convey your assets to a trust, you have to fill out a physical form and have what’s called a Medallion Signature Guarantee sign it. Like a special kind of notary, for securities. CS has an online company they work with to make it easier. You have to snail mail the form. Then it takes about a week once they get the form. You’re always in control of the shares though. + +I’m not sure if I’m transferring the shares held in my personal name or just going to let them live in the infinity pool forever. + +Anyway, I’m really excited and I wanted to share with y’all. Can you imagine the good we could do with that much more money? I know we’re going to do so much good anyway, but having 37% more of it and being able to donate up to 100% of it to any non-profit, including a Private Family Foundation is just that much more to make an impact. + +I bought my first shares at $350 in January 2021, so my capital gains are all over the board. But the majority would be in the 37% pile if June is good to us. + +I know I can’t take care of everything that needs fixing across the world, but if each of us takes care of our corner of it, the GME saga will be the black swan event that changes everything, for the better. + +&#x200B; + +I'm happy to try to answer questions, but none of it is financial advice, etc, and you'll want to very everything with her company. + +I did an overview call with the attorney a few weeks ago and it’s almost ready to go up online. I created another sub that you can find in my profile if you want more info and the video when it’s ready. +In addition to traditional retirement account/brokerage account investments, I diversify with residential and commercial real estate. I was wondering if folks on here have entertained NNN leases that are corporate guaranteed with at least 10 years left on it. I was thinking it would be a hassle free, consistent cashflow option to live a fat life. I do worry about potential for cratered values of the properties if they go dark. Any wisdom on this? +I’ve made some money and my CPA says it’s time for a real wealth advisor. I’ve met with a 22-person team at Morgan Stanley (which I’ve learned to call a “wirehouse”) with $2.7b under management, and with an RIA (“Registered Independent Advisor,” basically an independent advisory team) with $2.5b under management. Both teams come recommended by my CPA and both seem competent from what little I can tell. + +Thoughts on how to choose? Thanks in advance. + +edit: $15m NW, 39yo. This is wealth management. Looking for advice on investments, estate planning, tax avoidance, and finance in general. +I use a large wealth management company for managing my portfolio, but they also provide many other services so me such as lending. I’m looking at purchasing a beach house as a STR investment property, and they offered me a 2.625% 30 year fixed loan with no money down to pay for it. I could buy it in cash, but I don’t want to move my investments if I don’t have to. + +It seems too good to be true, but I can’t find much about these types of loans on Google. I know they’re using a portion of my investments as collateral, but I’m not moving those any time soon so it doesn’t matter to me. What am I missing here? Is this just something only available to high net worth individuals? Is there a downside to this? +From lurking on here for a few months, it seems that there's a lot of posters who have followed financial careers to FatFI. It seems like most of these have been pretty traditional paths- 2 years as an analyst at some bulge bracket bank, and then moving up the ladder there, or going into VC or private equity or a hedge fund or whatever else. Are there people on here who have taken a financial route to FatFI without working in investment banking? + +I ask this question because I'm currently a junior math/econ major at an Ivy and I'm strongly considering working in prop trading after graduation. I interned at a trading firm last summer and turned down offers at a few competitors to go back this summer. As someone who is primarily a math person- this seems like a great thing to do after undergrad to apply my quant skills, and the starting pay at the firm I interned at is roughly $250k/yearly. But there seems to be a disconnect to me- given that the trading industry is decently large, and it pays so well, why aren't there more people on this board who have done it? I have two theories: + +1. The posters here are generally in their 30s/40s and prop trading has grown exponentially since '08 + +2. People in trading are less inclined to be savers and interested in FI, for whatever reason. + +So, people who have followed a less traditional finance career to FatFI- what's your story? And why do you think most people who reach FatFI via a career in finance do so via IB? +Our food bank is only open on tuesdays, I have no food left and I need this $3 to get me by. I didn't eat yesterday and I don't think my judgement is very good right now so looking for some advice on how you would spend it + +Also a special thanks for people downvoting my responses. I'm sorry that I don't have the stores that you recommended. Many of you suggested rice and beans, which is what I plan to do. I also didn't ask for advice on which of my belongings I should sell. Thanks for the people who left advice in good faith I appreciate that you took the time to help a stranger. + +I'll be deleting my account now, didn't expect so much hate in my dm. +My father is a retired high school economics teacher. He has previously sort of gently made fun of Bitcoin, but I have to admit in a reasonably sophisticated way. He said it would only work if people started exchanging "real money" for it at exchanges... + +Well... here we are then. + +So at last tonight we had a LONG chat about Bitcoin and how it actually functions as a system. No the economics, the technology. I managed to get him on board with the blockchain, with mining, with the halvening, with how there will only be 21 million (well, actually only not-quite-21-million), etc etc. + +He is definitely the oldest person I know, at 71, who has not just gone "pffft what a load of crap." Reassured by external data - the current price - he now understands that it is real and it can work. He accepts that the design is self-consistent and that it has features that allow it to function as money. + +Now all I had to do was explain the details. + +I took him through Satoshi, the genesis block, the blockchain in general, addresses, how coins are generated, how inflation is kept under control, how miners are incentivised, why we need miners at all... + +And then I explained wallets and private keys and at that point, he said: "Uh huh but... why would you want to send your bitcoin to someone else's wallet?" + +This is not a failure in his intelligence. It is a failure in his ability to inuit what these metaphors - wallet, key, address, block, coin - mean in the context of Bitcoin. To him, when I talk about a shop and two bitcoin wallets, his mind paints a picture of TWO CUSTOMERS standing in front of a third person - the merchant. Because merchants don't use WALLETS, they use tills or registers. Except of course, when it comes to BTC, they use wallets. + +I was able to explain to him that it's like I took $20 out of my wallet, passed it to him, and he put it in his wallet EXCEPT that Bitcoin instantly "teleports" the money from my wallet to his. But also everyone can see that happen. But also no one can see that it was me and him who did the transaction. + +Hell... it hurts my brain even typing this. + +As an economist who learned his trade in the 1960s, his mind-map of the very nature of money is just too different. The lack of a third party - the lack of a bank, or point of sale system - broke his understanding of how Bitcoin works at the point where *wallets* transmit *keys* to make *coins* change *address*..... bllaaarrg! + +To someone who spent 40 years teaching kids the fundamentals of commerce and money, Bitcoin is deeply deeply weird. Not because it's baffling. Quite the opposite - because fundamentally it makes sense to him. It's the details that hurt. + +To us, Bitcoin is easy. To the world out there, it's baffling. Never forget that. +Regulation is coming for altcoins. Most of the 17,000 will disappear. This is the s-curve adoption shakeout we as bitcoiners have been warning about for years. SEC Chair Gary Gensler met with the FTC on Wednesday, and again reiterated that bitcoin is NOT a security, but that "*Many, I'd say most of the others are securities*." + +[https://twitter.com/hodlerforlife/status/1527705100059258880?s=20&t=BVRnn-2FkOVJ37GwM7CtAw](https://twitter.com/hodlerforlife/status/1527705100059258880?s=20&t=BVRnn-2FkOVJ37GwM7CtAw) + +Some folks have suggested that getting designated a security won't affect their coin or protocol. They are terribly mistaken. This designation means you have to follow the established legal framework for securities: + +* You can't transfer a security to someone that is not registered to receive securities. If you do, in order to redeem it they must register. Otherwise you can transfer them freely as they are a property, but only to persons or institutions registered. International sales have their own sets of rules. +* You cannot issue coins or tokens. This requires form S-3. +* Insiders/Devs/DAO's cannot sell their securities without a form S-4. More importantly, they can no longer trade on material action before the public knows, which is an enormous problem currently, especially amongst exchanges. This is a crime if you are trading securities. + +And so on. There is no effort to rewrite American securities laws to accommodate the unique properties of crypto, which instead will meet the burden by complying with the rigor and legal framework everything else does. + +https://preview.redd.it/jvu60wzyct091.jpg?width=1074&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e38929d5113fe526747b1a7c054527a3c402d0f + +The coins-tokens-protocols that get designated securities don't have to comply of course. If they don't want to change their protocol, register their brass, and create a hierarchical chain of command for reporting, then: + +* They'll be delisted by every centralized exchange within 90 days +* All their wallets/apps will be deleted from Apple and Google Play +* No taxpaying company will accept them as payment +* Promoting the ticker or coin in any way will be a crime +* All major stablecoins will cease to operate within their protocols--and this might be the most insurmountable obstacle, because 85% of ALL altcoin volume is from stablecoins. That means nothing inside an alt protocol has established itself as money--except for stablecoins + +&#x200B; + +[Web3](https://preview.redd.it/36jdgpibdt091.jpg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b3b04861391c022dd8c7af932637cbdd4d7d8ea) + +If these projects were decentralized and impairment resistant to begin with, none of this would be happening. They just couldn't avoid those pre-mines for money though. Their founders loved the spotlight too. If they at least had fixed issuance, they could mitigate some of their problems. But besides BTC, few projects come to mind that can circumvent all these travails; the leading privacy coin certainly can; but even the coin beginning with *Lite* and the one represented by a dog symbol could be in danger of getting this black securities label. If delisted, the only real way to acquire these zombified things would be to take something that isn't a security (like BTC), transfer it to a DEX, then swap into it. Point is, getting designated a security is effectively a date with gravity from the 50th floor, because you are now in the sandbox with the same rules real public companies, real bonds, and real products must adhere to. Can your vaporware compete? Because if you're not money, what are you exactly? Nothing. You're an orgy of swaps, wraps, burns, mints, and stakes run by centralized dapps that do nothing but optimize token interactions to keep the orgy going. Here's a better way to say this: If your dapp is a centralized registered security with full KYC, why does it need a blockchain exactly? To shill its speculative token. There's no real business or service there. + +Exchanges don't have profitable business models without a robust (expletive)coin market. Bitcoin isn't something they can control and the open source tech around it is a race to zero. Add in the fact that BTC has established itself as money, and you'll see a nascent circular economy already growing around BTC. When it gets big enough (goods services sold in BTC), then exchanges are really no longer necessary. So maybe they'll spin-off the bitcoin business, miners might acquire them, exchanges might consolidate, who knows. I do know the days of easy money are gone. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/ycsy7yblct091.jpg?width=1884&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a30d46068016095e2677e693d4243158fd43a88 + +I think Gary Gensler is a bit naive on what these security designations will do to these protocols that heretofore have been hiding behind the word *decentralization* and acting like they're going to do something of value someday. He also doesn't understand fully what impact it will have on exchanges either. Bitcoiners are smiling of course, because two birds are getting hit with one stone. Centralized bitcoin-only exchanges (and apps) like Block's CashApp, Strike, Swan, etcetera won't be burdened with any of this extra paperwork, insurance costs, lawsuits, lawyers, or blockchain forensic add-ons. + +My dark maximalism really starts sweating through my shirt thinking about the bloody mess of red ink we'll be mopping up though. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/bqs5urelet091.jpg?width=311&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=669278e4ef4aaaf8d40995792a3cf227efa66d14 +From CNBC: + +Take-Two Interactive is buying mobile gaming company Zynga for $12.7 billion, marking the latest blockbuster acquisition in a string of major deals in the video game industry. + +The company announced Monday that it would acquire all outstanding shares of Zynga at $9.86 a share, a 64% premium to Zynga's closing price Friday. Shares of Zynga skyrocketed 49% in U.S. pre-market trade. + +"This strategic combination brings together our best-in-class console and PC franchises, with a market-leading, diversified mobile publishing platform that has a rich history of innovation and creativity," Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said in a press release. + +Actual article [here](https://www-cnbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/01/10/take-two-interactive-to-buy-farmville-creator-zynga-for-12point7-billion.html?amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16418183790957&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnbc.com%2F2022%2F01%2F10%2Ftake-two-interactive-to-buy-farmville-creator-zynga-for-12point7-billion.html) +I feel like people are prepared for the real world or something like that. I made good grades in high school but nowadays I'm working in customer service, and was recently screwed over to the point where I'm going to be moving back in with my mother and restarting my life. I'm currently employed and living on my own under the poverty line. + +I have no idea what to do. I have a lengthy criminal record, but all non-violent offenses and I am drug free, no cigarettes either. I know I need a new job (I have no idea where to find one) and to start college, but I have no idea about what major to take; hell all I know is that I need to walk into a college and say I'd like an application. I have a 3.6 on my transcript and a 1860 SAT. + +TBH I don't know if this is the right place to post this but I'm scared. I don't have much going for me. I don't care what job i get out of college, I just want to be financially independent as soon as possible. + +tl;dr +1.) What are the best employment options for someone just starting college? +2.) Out of all Bachelor/Associates jobs, which guarantee the most financial security and job stability? +3.) How do I transition from high school grad commuting from my moms house to a financially secure adult? + +No one is going to make such a large financial decision without approval of their wife or husband, so the "omg he bought me a car!" surprise is total BS. + +I've yet to see a holiday car commercial that doesn't give off a "haha I'm middle class and I'm totally richer than you" cringey vibe. +**edit 3**: sorry for so many edits. i saw that there were a lot of additional questions and comments, so i think making another edit to address those would be quicker than replying to every comment. and by the way, you guys are awesome; i didn't expect to wake up this morning with so many more comments! if i had known, i would have used reddit sooner. this is a great community. + +so to provide clarity regarding our retirement plans - yes, my husband and i each have a roth IRA, and we also share a community property brokerage investment account, both through schwab. we went with schwab because my husband already has a checking account with them. + +again, much like the 529, there's not much in there right now, but we are trying to make consistent deposits even if small... for the community property brokerage investment account, we do the "set it and forget it" thing where schwab robo-manages the trades for us based on our risk tolerance profile. + +for our roth IRAs, we take a more active approach in manually trading with the cash we have in there. not sure if it's the best strategy since i'm definitely a layperson when it comes to finance stuff, but we decided to diversify with stocks/ETFs of various individual corporations/businesses that we like, rather than going with index funds, because going this route *seems* to allow the biggest bang for our buck with potential after-tax capital gains. again, i could be completely wrong about this approach, and if i am, i'm sure i'll find out the hard way - either through here at reddit or in real life if we lose all our money. lol. + +as for how it is possible that we have friends that could afford the $300 to $500 monthly contributions to their 529s, while we ourselves can't - well, all i can say to that is that our friends are down-to-earth and genuine people, and they don't look down on us just because we are nowhere near financially on the same level as they are. they also have super high paying jobs (i.e., doctors, engineers, tech, etc.), while we don't. and no, we don't have the smallest house on the block, because well...we don't have a house. lol. + +again, to reiterate - we don't have anymore credit card debt (we practically starved ourselves for a while to make sure that the debt would get obliterated, stat. not to mention i married into it, so i made doubly sure that it was a team effort of starvation lol). we just have the car loan (of which we have about two years worth of payments remaining) and the federal student loan (of which interest will kick in again i think in august? but i believe even when interest accrues again, we have about two to three years left on that as well). + +i didn't think that these details were relevant when i made this post, but i'm now quickly realizing that they are because it seems like one decision here would affect the direction of another decision there. + +\--- + +**edit 2**: someone mentioned actually investing the contributions, which i believe i did. i chose to place the money in a 2039 enrollment target fund where it's aggressive in the beginning then gets more conservative as he gets closer to college-freshman age... was this the way to go or should i have done something differently? it seems i have a lot to learn... oh boy. + +\--- + +**edit 1**: wow, thank you so much for your feedback and encouragement everyone. i just read all of it and really appreciate the perspectives. + +yes, i'm willing to be educated if i'm wrong on the numbers, but i was presuming 17 years down the road with educational inflation being on pace with how it is now, and also assuming room and board would be a factor in the tuition costs. we live in california. + +i'm not really a big "finance head," so if the numbers are actually better then, yes, please show me. 🙏🏼 i hope i'm wrong. + +\--- + +**original post**: for context, my husband and i don't make much money, and our focus right now is to pay down some of our remaining outstanding debt such as my car and his federal student loans. credit card debt has been paid off. + +however, i did want to invest into my son's educational future, so i opened a 529 for him. i was in for a rude awakening though: i later did the math, and in order for his college to be paid for in any meaningful way (in-state), i would need about $400,000 ultimately scurried away. that's at least $1,000 savings a month present day. + +i asked my other friends how much they were saving for their kids' 529, out of curiosity, and almost all of them responded by saying they were putting away at least $300 to $500 a month. + +meanwhile, my husband and i over here are only able to put away a pathetic $50 a month. was opening up the 529 even worth the effort? i can't help but feel like i'm setting my son up for failure because of our financial struggles, and he's only 18 months old... lol. +Elon Musk is planning to disrupt the legacy ISPs like Comcast, Verizon, etc with this business + +This is the first time SpaceX is being opened to public. I can't wait for this IPO. + +What do you think?! + +https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-06/spacex-likely-to-spin-off-starlink-business-and-pursue-an-ipo +Title. I got into crypto fairly recently, in March 2021. Having not experienced a bear market ever before, I’m really keen to hear what the transition was like and to learn about some of the lessons that it taught you. + +Here’s my take on it as a newbie: there’s a huge run up, BTC peaks, a month later, Alts peak, and then the market dips 70% and we go into a bear. + +I’d also like to know how did you handle your investments? Did you just go into stable coins, or did you get some BTC too? What would you recommend as far as selling your holdings? + +I think me along with a lot of new people in the space would really benefit from this advice. Thanks! +On Jan 2nd I lost my 19year old brother to suicide. He was my best friend and he left everything to me. Including his US stock investments. He invested in weed and other stocks that blew up especially after Canada legalized weed. He was super smart so for his age I thought he was doing pretty well. I found out later on that his total of what he left behind was $22000 USD and that because I wasn’t a direct beneficiary they had to cash that money out and transfer it over to me as is. Right now the money is just sitting. I don’t know what to do. I created an Investors edge account as well in case maybe I would continue my brothers work through investing, but right now I don’t know what to do. Any advice I would be grateful for. + +Edit: Thank you for all the comments and support. I didn’t think so many would respond. Im reading through them all. A friend reminded me that I should mention that I am Canadian which might make a difference in the advice I am given. Apologies for not including that earlier. +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. +**Welcome to the Daily Discussion. Please read the disclaimer, guidelines, and rules before participating.** + +*** +- + +###Disclaimer: + +Though karma rules still apply, moderation is less stringent on this thread than on the rest of the sub. Therefore, consider all information posted here with several liberal heaps of salt, and always cross check any information you may read on this thread with known sources. Any trade information posted in this open thread may be highly misleading, and could be an attempt to manipulate new readers by known "pump and dump (PnD) groups" for their own profit. BEWARE of such practices and exercise utmost caution before acting on any trade tip mentioned here. + + +**Please be careful about what information you share and the actions you take.** Do not share the amounts of your portfolios (why not just share percentage?). Do not share your private keys or wallet seed. Use strong, non-SMS 2FA if possible. Beware of scammers and be smart. Do not invest more than you can afford to lose, and do not fall for pyramid schemes, promises of unrealistic returns (get-rich-quick schemes), and other common scams. + +*** +- + +###Rules: + + - All [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/about/rules/) apply in this thread. The prior exemption for karma and age requirements is no longer in effect. + - Discussion topics must be related to cryptocurrency. + - Behave with civility and politeness. Do not use offensive, racist or homophobic language. + - Comments will be sorted by newest first. + +*** +- + +###Useful Links: + + - [**Beginner Resources**](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/wiki/beginner_resources) + + - [**Intro to r/Cryptocurrency MOONs 🌔**](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/gj96lb/introducing_rcryptocurrency_moons/) + + - [**MOONs Wiki Page**](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/wiki/moons_wiki/) + + - [**rCryptoCurrency Discord**](https://old.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/kth255/join_the_crypto_currency_discord/) + + - [**r/CryptoCurrencyMemes**](https://www.reddit.com/r/cryptocurrencymemes) + + - [**Prior Daily Discussions**](https://old.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/search?q=title%3A"Daily+Discussion+-+"+&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) + + - [**Monthly Skeptics Discussion thread**](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/n26p85/monthly_skeptics_discussion_may_2021/) +I feel like this needs to be posted here for some of you to read because the amount of absolutely ridiculous nonsense I see starting to get posted here honestly scares me on behalf of your bank account's well-being. + +**This is not a mean-spirited post; I really do just want newer investors to have some common sense to think on before gambling the house on (*****nano-cap stock of the day here*****) at the height of its run and losing big.** + +**PENNY STOCKS ARE NOT SMART LONG-TERM POSITIONS** + +I don't care what so-and-so trading guru says to his chatroom of pumpers right before he dumps his shares minutes later and cashes in on their hype: + +**DO NOT BUY PENNY STOCKS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SAFE LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS.** + +With their level of volatility, penny stocks are *realistically* *only a worthwhile play for high-volume swing/momentum traders and pattern day traders* to make. You need to have funds available to make decently-large moves quickly. You are not going to get rich years from now and turn 1000x profit by putting $200 into some $0.07 bio-pharma startup today. You just aren't. If you don't believe me, look at how many big-name, high-value companies actually started as penny stocks. Not many did. + +**SET REALISTIC PRICE TARGETS** + +100%+ gain is NOT a realistic target. 50% gain is NOT a realistic target. 30% gain is NOT a realistic target. + +Get this get-rich-quick, I turned $400 into 40 million, make-one-trade-and-retire garbage out of your head NOW and stop watching your profits vanish into thin air because you expect the stock fairy to magically come down out of the sky and give you the golden ticker to fantasy land. **Secure your profits when you see them**. + +**5-15% GAIN IS A GOOD TRADE**, so set your damn stop loss and be thankful you ended up in the green. No, you're not a "penny flipper." No, you don't have "weak hands" or whatever the fuck the daft chucklefucks on StockTwits and DECN threads are calling it. **You have** **money**. You have the results of a good trade in your brokerage account. It doesn't matter if the stock goes up more. It doesn't matter if the stock goes down to $0.00 the next day. You are out of it with what you intended to get out of it, and you're now in a position to make your next trade. + +Good stocks don't just suddenly disappear out of the market because you took your gains a little early and the stock you sold pulled a miracle run and went up another 30% after you left. + +**DO NOT TRADE WITH EMOTION. TRADE WITH STATISTICS.** + +**DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE** + +Do not buy a stock just because somebody posts: "$*SHIT about to BLAST OFF to MOON LAND get your ROCKETS and LAMBOS ordered guyss!! LOLOLOL.*" That is not DD. + +*Most of the posts on this sub and similar resources are just ideas people post to alert other investors to a POTENTIALLY profitable venture. Nobody knows the future.* + +Look up the company you're buying into, look at recent news about the company you're buying into, and please - **if there's only one bit of DD you do, make it this** \- **LOOK AT THE PATTERN THE STOCK IS CURRENTLY TRADING ON A PROPER CANDLESTICK CHART AND TRADE ACCORDINGLY**. + +Do not invest in stocks that do not pass common-sense inspection. You will lose your money nearly every single time. If it's too good to be true, it is. If the one-in-a-million situation comes up where it actually was true, it still doesn't matter to you because you were off making money on a much better trade and you didn't even come back to notice. + +***Ignore the chatter, buy the pattern***. + +**IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE BASICS OF TRADING, DON'T FUCKING TRADE YET!** + +If you have to ask how to read a candlestick chart, what a stop loss is, how to place a limit order, what ''ETF'' stands for, when the market is open, etc. - **YOU ARE NOT READY TO TRADE**. + +I do not understand this. You wouldn't attempt to race a car on a speedway without knowing how to drive, you wouldn't attempt to perform heart surgery without advanced medical training, so why on earth would you sit back and put your money at risk without knowing what you're getting into? + +There are plenty of FREE resources on YouTube that cover the basics of tradings, chart patterns, market terminology, all of it. You're not going to start off with the experience of a 30-year veteran broker, but you at least need to know the core of what you're doing before you start buying and selling shares. + +If searching for information on your own bores you or is too complicated or time-consuming, then trading isn't for you anyway. + +**DON'T RISK WHAT YOU CAN'T LOSE** + +As with all risky ventures, there is always the chance that you will log on to your brokerage platform and see that your account has significantly less value than it did mere moments ago. While following your common sense, doing good DD, and only trading stocks that have good patterns shown in their charts will minimize this chance by a very large amount, it can still happen. + +Good trades can fail. Bad trades can win big. The market can be fickle. Penny stocks aren't the place to be investing your retirement fund or the money you got from taking out a mortgage. + +**DON'T TRADE ON ROBINHOOD** + +This is really going to rub some people the wrong way, but that's fine. + +I'm not going to get into why RH lacks certain features that make trading easier because you'll find that out on your own in time. + +The main reason I've added this to the list is much simpler - **RH only lets you trade from 9:00 AM EST to 6 PM EST. You will miss out on most non-market hours moves.** I personally use Webull, which allows you to trade from 4 AM EST to 8 PM EST and also offers 0-commission trading in the same manner that RH does. + +Also, if you plan on trading OTC stocks (which I can't honestly recommend), you will need a broker that supports them. RH doesn't. Find one that does - but be ready to pay commissions on those trades. + +**CHECK THE DATE OF A POST BEFORE YOU BUY A STOCK** + +I've had people post hate on stock watch list ideas I've posted nearly a week after I posted them. + +If a post on January 5th says "$\[STOCK\] is looking good for a run" and you look the stock up on January 14th and see it went up 35% between January 7th and January 8th, *chances are good that the post is no longer actively valid advice*. + +This should also be common sense, but unfortunately some people completely ignore the date on time-sensitive news. + +***You 100% can be a successful trader that specializes in penny stocks. Just use common sense.*** +Hello fellow apes, + +**Disclaimer; I am not a financial advisor and this is not financial advice or an encouragement to others to take certain positions. I am fully retarded and had crayons for dinner last night. Also, I wear a helmet all day long and I can’t even cycle.** + +In anticipation of next week, I need get something off my chest regarding the financial authorities, brokers and the media. We all know how Wallstreet has ruined the economy over and over again with the 2008 crisis being the most recent one. What was Wallstreet doing when the economy collapsed and thousands lost their home and ended up in debt? That’s right; celebrating with their buddies because they made billions. They were literally laughing at the little man from their balconies while sipping champagne. What consequences did they face? That’s right; none. + +Now a bunch of retards on an internet forum found out about Wallstreet making two mistakes of monumental proportions;*- Shorting more than 100% of a stock- Grossly underestimating how stupid retail investors really are*Now, as a consequence $GME surged to unprecedented levels and it seems the finishline has not yet been reached. Consequently, a few hedge fund managers are starting to get nervous because the red numbers are running up. Luckily for them, they have billions and friends in high places that would not mind a share of those billions. The result? Brokers shutting down retail investors, whereas hedge funds could short and buy the stock freely. Some brokers actually may have had problems with clearing houses, but all of you know which brokers did what. The ultimate goal of this short ladder was to trick people into selling. Unsurprisingly, they did not. The aftermath of this showed that hedge funds and brokers are holding hands and probably clenching their buttholes too. + +It also showed that the media is beyond willing to stick their neck out to protect the big boys. The media have been portraying the hedge funds as the ones that REALLY know what they are doing, unlike those bubblehead retail investors. Simultaneously, we were described as ‘’an alt-right platform’’. What?! We are a literal bunch of individual retards who just happen to like the same stock from time to time. + +Financial authorities are calling market manipulation by retail investors. They are saying that hedge funds deserve the time to ‘’recalibrate’’ their positions.They are saying they needed to halt trading to ‘’save the financial system’’. Well, let me tell you this; If the survival of the financial system is so strongly related to the survival of a hedge fund IT IS YOUR SYSTEM THAT IS WRONG.I don’t know man, but last time I placed a shitty trade I did not have the opportunity to call my billionaire buddies to ask them to halt the market so I can ‘’recalibrate’’ my positions. If you make a dumb financial decision, you take the L and that’s that. The rules should not be changed after the game began and more importantly; the rules should be the same for everyone. + +For years people have wondered how those people on Wallstreet make so much money. They have been shouting the answer from the rooftops for a long time; ‘’BE GREEDY’’.Wallstreet deemed itself absolutely unbeatable but the retail investors listened and they are hungry.The arrogance and blatant market manipulation backfired and exploded right in their faces and to be honest; they deserve it. + +I’ve seen dozens of articles about this not being the real value but in the end a stock is worth whatever people are willing to pay for it AND WE LIKE THIS STOCK. And let’s not forget guys; Since when do hedge funds give a damn about fundamentals? Thanks to Wallstreet we have seen unimaginable surges and crashes throughout the years. But now they are suddenly crying over fundamentals and about how they just want to make a living? Get of out of here, please.Due to the market manipulation last week it became obvious that this is not even about fundamentals; the free market is free until the poor start taking from the rich. Extreme surges are apparently only market manipulation if hedge funds are not in on it. Politicians, celebrities, and working class people alike expressed their indignation about what happened. Hedge funds crossed a line here and the anger towards them is not misplaced. This no longer is about fundamentals (okay it kind of is because the short squeeze thesis is legit), but this is now also about morality. Hey Wallstreet and financial authorities; By trying to manipulate the market and squeeze some measly dollars out of retail investors you have turned yourselves into the biggest antagonists on the planet. + +So to any financial authorities or hedgie spies reading this; I am holding my $GME. If it goes to 0, it goes to 0 but I am not selling. + +To all my fellow retards and everyone around the globe following this; May the odds ever be in your favor and may your trip to the moon be pleasant. Godspeed retards + +Here are some obligatory emojis; 🦍 + 🦍 + 🙌💎 = 🍗🍗🍗 🚀🚀 + +Retard out. +Hi. I have an anti-problem almost. I hoard all my money in High Interest savings accounts, to the point that it is unhealthy. For example, I don't allow myself to spend more than $15 per supermarket trip. I don't allow myself to have any fun/hobbies that aren't free. It's actually starting to effect my relationships. + +I have tried seeing a psychologist, they were no help. Are there any other services? Compassionate financial advisors? I'm so lost. +Hello everyone, + + +Hope you have had a good week. + + + +It has been a while (read: ages!) since we had a discussion as a community. + + + +In the past when the members were still below 5,000 this kind of post were always pleasant, includes healthy debates + quality banter, great inputs for the direction of the sub and so on... I hope we can keep this culture alive. + + +Move forward about 2 years in (a little less than a year ago) we only had 10,000 subscribers and the climate was still calm and warm. Now we have over 25,000 subscribers with 1million+ pageviews in the past month alone (1,088,590 to be exact). + + + +**From where I am sitting**. The mods are exhausted. The days where we get to sit around and just read the sub's contents casually whilst watching tv and warn rude members is slipping away!. [Seems that mods have to put the beers away now and deal with it](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/242/643/48b.jpeg). There are now: + + +- some posts sourced from some media which I sometimes wonder if it is just a personal rant expressed through a news article or just to gain karma + + + +- the great divide between members about the topic of property (for and against). There are even members who deliberately spam the sub with property posts out of frustration then blame the mod for what is seemingly randomised removal of these posts. + + +- the demand that mods are continuously active, replying to each private messages for the individual's unhappiness about what's going on and to address it. + + +And so on... + + + +As a result, [Members are temporarily and some permanently banned](https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/41805584/why-you-so-mean.jpg), [posts removed without warning](https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/56127496/silence-from-you-is-punishment-enough.jpg), guidance seeked from moderators can be replied without a firm policy and enforcement. It's those nasty stuff. + + +--------- + + +With the exception of an advice being given to a person and the requirement to have relevance to Australian finance and economy, there has been never been any other iron-clad rule implemented in the sub. + + +AusFinance has always been supported by its members' quality participation rather than iron-clad policy. And I'd like to keep it that way. Though the recent boom in our pageviews and participants does decreases your influence as a single member to have an impact to the larger community by quality posts and the voting system. + + +These issues were expected as the sub grows, though I don't think anyone would forecast the boom we have had in the past couple of months. And I think we are at the start of going in the direction where I can no longer visit it with enjoyment. So let's not wait until it's too late! + + + +The below is what I have in mind (not a collective thought of all moderators) on where we might go: + + + + + +- **Property** + + + +Property is only a single topic out of all possible discussions to be had in the sub. There are micro and macro economy, portfolio management, derivatives, currency exchange, regulatory environment, loans, personal finance, and many more!!! + + +u/jackimatic initiated the property mega-thread to have some relief on the number of property posts which has exploded recently. This is not sustainable as we single-out a topic to be permanently stickied in this sub. + + + +I've always wanted the sub to have balanced content. Thus, regardless of the fact that Australians are so obsessed with this asset class -- I don't see it happening in this place. + + + +One option is to refer poster to r/AusProperty and lock the post. This does not mean we ban all posts about property; but to limit property discussion within a broader context, for example: buy vs rent, interest rate impact, portfolio management and economy as a whole. What's out the door?: speculation about property prices, property construction, micro movement in property (i.e. auction results and "look! NSW property price went down by 0.5% last week!) and the likes gets the boot. + + + +There will be no fast and hard rule about it and there will be some human judgement involved. Basically, if you get your posts locked and referred to r/AusProperty then don't complain. + + + + +- **Personal finance** + + + +Some posts about personal finance around here also reflects the person's specific circumstances. Let me reiterate that we cannot provide advice, and when you make such posts -- it is difficult not to do so. What is supported here are the likes of budgeting techniques, academic studies (i.e. we can discuss those of what people study in Financial Planning), or scrutinisation of certain approach as discussed through certain books (most popular being mentioned around here are the barefoot investor. But you know, there are other dozens of quality books with approaches that are proven just the same!). + + + +There is r/fiaustralia to discuss early retirement (if that is your thing). They're a good sub which specialises in this type, a good addition to AusFinance. + + + + + +- **links to media** + + +As said above, there are some posts sourced from the media which I sometimes wonder if it is just a personal rant expressed through a news article or just to gain karma. + + + +Thus, all linked articles must be accompanied by OP's insight into the article and how it is relevant and possibly utilised. Failing to do so grants the mod full discretion to remove the post. + + +Another solution to this, is to only allow text posts within the sub. Though personally, I like the varieties of pictures at the front page :P + + + + + +- **limiting number of subscribers** + + + +The bigger the sub = the higher the requirement for rules and its enforcement = the drier it can get. + + + +I much rather see a small sub with quality posts and discussion rather than a big sub with rants and politics all around. AusFinance will be open to all discussion, though when the need arises a new specialised sub will be promoted. + + + +If this is to be enforced, there are still questions over what the maximum subscriber will be and to keep certain personalities within. In the past, I pulled a number out of my ass and got 25,000. Never I expected that in one year alone we are already over that number at this time. + + + + + + + +- **auto moderator** + + + +I've never had the time to get into all the detail of what it can do. I'd still prefer judicious approach by using human judgement, though some classification on posts won't hurt. + + + + +If possible, I am thinking to have categories as a requirement for every post. just like r/askscience + + +Minimum 1 category, maximum 3 categories (as some subjects may overlap). + + + +If possible, for all categories there will be a wikipage. Then, for all posts to be automatically submitted/posted into the wiki. Categories will be: property, lifestyle, debt/mortgage, news/media, general discussion, AMA, shitpost, career, derivates, tools, books discussions, tax, negative gearing, investing, forex/currency, insurance. + + + +This way, we'll have higher visibilty of what the topics are + Wiki will also be constantly updated. + + + +If there are any expert out there, let me know if the above is possible :P + + + + + +- Any other stuff you want to raise. Do so within a week! + + + + +- And don't forget the quality shitpost, those that makes you chuckle! Though, not too many of those please! + + + + + + + +Let the discussion begin. Questions, solutions and inputs only please. Rants will be removed. + + + + + + + +Post will be stickied only for ONE WEEK (okay, maybe two if it has some lengthy quality discussion). + + + +New moderator may be required to help in managing the sub. +As we all know there's so much talk about 'the crash' after September this year. Regardless of whether it's gonna happen (because I don't think anyone knows and it's all just a guessing game)... What's your next step as a first home buyer? And why? + +I'm personally buying soon because I know as soon as there's a drop there'll be people in line to buy them (and therefore pushing prices back up and I will probably miss out on something I like) + +But what's your take? + +[View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/hdgpvy) +S3 Partners recently issued a short squeeze score card assessing the squeeze potential of stocks according to a number of criteria an then assigning a score between 1 - 10. + +The score is not based on the subjective review of an analyst (we know what those are worth...) but an algorithm which considers the following objective metrics: + +- short sale liquidity +- trading liquidity +- financing liquidity +-market-to-market profit and losses + +A stock is considered to have short squeeze potential if the following criteria are met: + +* large amount of dollars at risk on the short side (high short interest) check ✅ + +* large proportion of a security’s tradable float shorted (high S3 SI % Float) check ✅ + +* scarcity of stock loan supply (high stock borrow fees) questionable ✳️ we know that a number of institutions have recently stopped to allow shorting of GME and other risky stocks or raised the barrier but we also know that the borrowing fees are still ridiculously low + +* limited daily trading volume (high days to cover) check ✅ + +Result: Not surprisingly the 2 stocks at the top scoring a 10/10 are GME and the movie stock (just mentioning the second one for completeness , we all know that GME is the real game) + 💪💎💎🚀🚀⚡️⚡️ + + +Here is the link to the corresponding Forbes article : https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckjones/2021/06/07/amc-and-gamestop-are-still-set-up-for-a-short-squeeze/ + +PS: I know S3 are not on our side based on their relationship with Shitadel but if we take that criteria we can’t share any data anymore because we know actually no one is on our side. +And since this is not based on someone’s opinion rather than objective criteria and the result corresponds with our DD I don’t have an issue if they want to agree with us. I equally don’t give a damn if they don’t. + +PSPS: Don’t know where the fck the background pic of the movie popcorn came from and can’t delete or change it , anyone knows how to do that ? 🙄 +If 2022 is as bad for the stock market as many people make it seem, what will your moves be going forward? I began investing during COVID and I know many others did as well, we have not truly experienced a downturn or sideways moving market since then and many of us are likely unsure of what to expect. What do you plan on doing if the market tanks? Buy the dip, or hold cash until there’s a deeper dip? What should all the newbie investors be watching to not lose capital if this is in fact the start of a downturn in the market? +Look, my message is simple. Let's say your bitcoin are now worth enough to change your life. Enough to pay off credit card debt, buy that dream car, pay off your student loans, or even your house. + +Congratulations to you. That is a great reward for investing early and holding through the drama. + +But, please, don't ever sell all of your bitcoin. + +A case in point. I have a friend who bought into bitcoin when they were worth 30 cents apiece. At one time he had thousands of bitcoin. Over the years he spent them at prices so low it takes your breath away. He likes to tell the story of how he paid 250 bitcoin for a pound of coffee. + +However, the lesson to be learned here, is he never sold them all. And what he has remaining has, obviously, changed his life. + +I, personally, have sold my bitcoin a whole bunch of times. I started investing in early 2013 and have been well ahead for pretty much the whole time. Over the years every single person who had an opinion urged me to sell my bitcoin. They would say "that pigs get fed but hogs get slaughtered', or some aphorism like that. The message being, don't get greedy, take your profits and run. + +And I did that. I sold my first 50 BTC in 2013 at $350 apiece because that was a nearly 4X return on investment. + +I have sold a portion of my bitcoin multiple times, and as recently as earlier this year I sold 100 BTC at a $1,000 apiece to pay off my kids student loans. + +Now, do I regret selling those bitcoin? Of course I do. How could I not. It was clearly a bad financial decision in retrospect. + +However, I am glad I paid off my kids student loans. It really changed their lives for the positive. + +My point here is that if selling off some of your bitcoin can radically change your life; I'm not going to recommend against it. + +Just don't ever sell *all* of your bitcoin. Sell 1/3, or 1/2, but not all. They were too hard to come by and too hard to get back. + +That's my advice at least. Had I never sold any of my bitcoin I would be in a much better financial position today, but I'm very thankful that I never sold all. +Hey everyone, + + +Hoping there are some expats reading this - I’ve been living in the UK and my company is moving me back to the US soon. I’ve been getting paid in Pounds and have accumulated about 120k of savings here over the last 5 years. Recently, with the pound devaluing I’ve gotten absolutely crushed, so I definitely am looking to transfer everything to my BofA account in Dollars when I move. This is where the fun starts. + + +I checked with HSBC, and they are going to charge me around 2,800k to convert - 2.14%. This seems wildly expensive. I’d also need to visit a branch with a bunch of documentation, as the max transfer I can transfer online is 25k a day. I’ve also asked BofA if they can receive pounds, and it sounds like its potentially even more expensive and less transparent. + + +Has anyone done a big move like this recently who has ended up transferring a large amount of savings across borders, who has other ideas? +This is not something Ive ever seen discussed here. And it seems to be a HUGE advantage to those with healthcare plans that cover cohabitants and make enough to maximize their contributions. + +I recently changed jobs and lost my HSA eligible plan. My current employers plan has less coverage and is more expensive. So Im thinking of being added to my SO's plan. For one, its HSA eligible. Two, it would allow them the ability to contribute the family HSA maximum of $7,100 for 2020. Three, they would also then receive the family employer match as well. + +Now, because we file taxes individually, and THIS is the loophole. Would I also then be able to contribute the full family maximum of $7,100 (2020)? + +I can not find anything on the IRS website that covers this. Does anyone have any experience with this? + +If this is the case, why is this not discussed more when we see Backdoor Roths and MBRs discussed so often? + +Edit: + +Its finally open enrollment at my SOs company. As some stated below, the tax burden of adding myself to their plan as a Domestic Partner far outweighed the benefit of the HSA. + +Some quick monthly numbers: + +My single premium cost: $175 (Non-HSA eligable) +SO single premium cost: $160 (HSA eligable) +SO premium w/ DP: $435 (Family HSA eligable) + +SO's company premium cost single: $560 +SO's company premium cost w/ DP: $1390 + +Basic extra cost would be $100 premium and taxes owed on $830 of income. Which for my SOs tax bracket we estimated was an additional $100. + +$2400/yr extra to be able to contribute $7200 to an HSA doesnt add up. +p.s. mods I hope my autistic post meets all requirements. + +&#x200B; + +Sup. Made some gains in the past two weeks. + + +It all started when I heard about the Gamestop fiasco. I pretty much started investing after the larger squeeze, so as you can imagine, I ended up bagholding and lost money. Now, after discovering options, I became slightly addicted and lost around 30k over the course of the year, transferring little by little from my bank account to RH. Pic related. + + +https://preview.redd.it/e0c5d1ytnox71.png?width=1112&format=png&auto=webp&s=d4a6f43a71df2d9ae0a3fd513487d2598bb963e6 + +Now, I am down to my last 4.4k, what do I do with it? I gamble it on options of course! Little did I know, Hertz made an announcement to purchase Tesla vehicles. I just woke up to go to work and seen Tesla was rising. Here's the purchase and sells for that. + + +https://preview.redd.it/sydwpsu5qox71.png?width=2166&format=png&auto=webp&s=6978d7dbef473cf6bff7c69067c43d41e291276d + +Shit man! I had some fucking money! I made all my losses back plus an extra 10k or so. I finally accomplished something in my life! Why would I want it to end there though? I want more. So much more. + + +Nvidia and SPY have been doing great as well so I started to buy calls for those as well. + + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/kca4cu5csox71.png?width=1082&format=png&auto=webp&s=904f07848209847bb7dd0e936128a51e0f283064 + +Golly gee! I'm high on a rush of gambling so I needed to continue. This put me at about 60k or so total. I took profit where I could and thats the way you should always play it. + +It's not enough though. We gotta keep going don't we? It's NVIDIA time! + + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/p8mtg5w0tox71.png?width=2171&format=png&auto=webp&s=a8a66323c1bd2b8c4ba35dd6587a4c2c51809289 + +It is now November 3rd I have around 125000 in my RH account. Lifes good, but life can be great too. Here's where I YOLO this 100,000 to nearly make myself a millionaire. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/j3be9y3rtox71.png?width=2146&format=png&auto=webp&s=ca2ce0731639b2ccf55bde373f51e5aa40106884 + +It happened. I made a shit ton of money. My dad didn't believe me. I didn't believe it. I'm glad I sold before the big dip today. Currently, my account is at: + +https://preview.redd.it/vt6kuhzytox71.png?width=1094&format=png&auto=webp&s=5cc2f147fb51c55278958befa9b546fe2c7d34ab + +But peaked at + +https://preview.redd.it/ivatzc51uox71.png?width=1136&format=png&auto=webp&s=e870da631a359c63ec339e781dd2f527092c9c9c + +I am just blown away. If it wasn't for WSB, shitposting, losing money, I would never have made this achievement. Can't forgot JPow either. Thanks! + + +p.s. My current positions remaining are 100 310c 11/5 (down 64k) and 13 300c 11/5 (put 200 order in but didnt fill) I also am still holding SPY 400 266c 11/5. +So, in 14 days, I raised my account by 680,000 for a 17,250% gain since Oct 5. + +In between all of these options I did place some which either made so little difference or even lost money but overall I felt it didn't matter to put them in. Yes I couldve held some of the earlier ones longer for a way bigger profit, but sometimes you gotta take what you got and work with it. +I know this has probably been shared before, but if this does give us all life changing money I would like us all to be immortalised together in this sub to share our lambos and gorilla adoptions as our own little community because it has felt like a community the last couple of months if we all met up together I bet we would have the best of times so yeah.. let’s be immortalised as the chosen ones after the squeeze has sqooze +The address of the Safemoon developer wallet has been confirmed in this post: r/SafeMoon/comments/mi5i4l/dev_wallet/ + +The post states, "This is the funding that we publicly disclosed is being used for Development. It was seperated out from the deployer for ease of use and access." + +Wallet address is 0x79c4af7c43f500b9ccba9396d079cc03dfcafda1 + +Bscscan CSV download of the transactions shows that 141,452 BNB has been withdrawn from this wallet. At an average price of $400, that is $56m. + +Am I missing something? If not, where has this money gone and why doesn’t anybody care? +Anyone else have the same idea on spy yesterday at the close? I Thought we would be strong and gun into the close because at the time the dollar and yields were dumping and we held up the gains after the fed minutes. Unfortunately we just consolidated into the close which allowed theta to burn any short expiration $SPY contracts. I had Friday Expiration Call $402 Strike. +I feel so hopeless right now. I (f 22) have been sharing a one bedroom apartment with my mom, sleeping on the floor in the living room. I constantly am hearing about how broke my mom is, how we can barely afford groceries, and just taking in a lot of stress that my mom is feeling. I swear she takes every opportunity to say stuff like “we’re broke as a joke” or “im going to be working until im old.” I just want to move out but I can’t because of how expensive everything is right now. I can barely afford my bills but nothing else. I can also barely pay for the rent she’s asking for and I feel like I’ll never be able to leave this place because I am unable to save. I’m going to get a second job, I really really don’t want to work more than 40 hours a week and I’m really sad that I have to. Why couldn’t I have been sent off to college like a normal kid? Why do I have to be stuck with this? My worst fear is to end up like my mom, but I love her so much, but she stresses me out so bad and I feel like I’m going to have to take care of her when I’m older. Success feels so far away. In need of some success stories or advice or just hope please. +We took out a $50,000 HELOC on our home when we bought it to use as part of the down payment. We'd planned on paying it down within a few years, but the ex and I divorced & I kept the house + mortgages. + +I've paid it down to $35,000, but the interest rate is increasing & it's maturing in March. The lender is willing to look at options with me, but I want to know what in MY best interest. I can cover the interest + principal payments, but I'd like to put that off until I'm in a better place financially. I'd also like a fixed rate to avoid these rate hikes. + +I have a great deal in equity in the home. My credit is decent, not great (divorces do that!). + +Also, I had the main loan in deferment 18 months and have had it remodified and the payment brought down. I have a 3.25 interest rate that's fixes so I don't want to refinance (unless there's a clever way that won't increase the rate). + + What would you do in this situation? TIA! +I recently posted this same question on the Moronic Monday thread but decided to break it out here as a separate thread. + +What are the major considerations people make when deciding on disability insurance? My wife is a future doctor and has been debating whether she should get this coverage as a means of protecting her future income in the event of becoming disabled and unable to work. + +I've read quite a bit about how difficult it is to meet the requirements for being "disabled" and unable to work in any capacity to qualify for payments under the coverage. Disability insurers put stringent requirements on this definition to prevent them from having to pay out on policies and I wonder if anyone would care to shed more light on the subject. +I work in public accounting, so the work is pretty demanding. Long hours. But I’d like to find something as a side hustle. I thought about maybe starting a vending machine company. Would be a mostly passive way to earn income. Just restock every weekend or so. Most likely would need something on weekends and something sort of passive. Honestly open to anything! Throw them at me! +The wife and I are now in our late 40s and are only now able to start saving for retirement. We have some cash to put into a Roth IRA but have no idea about anything else. Do we just call places like Charles Schwab, Fidelity or Vanguard? Or can we just go to our bank (Wells Fargo) and set it up there? + +I don't even know much else about Roth IRAs, I know they are beneficial because its money that is already taxed so when we eventually use it, we wont pay tax on it again - but how does it make money? + +Does it garner interest over time or is it something we invest in the stock market? + +If it is something we invest, how is it different than just taking that same money and buying stocks directly? +I’m 33. I went to university for microbiology and chemistry, but had to drop out 5 years ago when I randomly developed narcolepsy. I had to quit the job I was working to get through school (makeup artist) and move back in with my parents. I spent three years pingponging from sleep doctor to sleep doctor, each telling me my case is too bad, and narcolepsy is too rare anyways, to be able to help me. I finally found a sleep doctor to help me, but I have now tried every available drug. There is nowhere else left to go medically. +So I am trying to figure out what to do, now that I find myself at this new life equilibrium. I can’t get a job. Well, I don’t want to sound too defeatist. I \*want\* an job, and I’m still looking; I just have failed \*so\* far at finding a employer who is okay with the fact that I \*will\* fall asleep on shift. Also, I live too far out in the country for me to live close enough to anything I can drive to on my own. I even looked for volunteer opportunities nearby, just so I could meet people, but there was nothing. In the meanwhile, I have done two things: +1.) Applied for disability. This is an absolute last resort, because it only pays about $900/mo, I will never be allowed to get married, and I will never be allowed to have more than $2000 in assets at any time (about the cost of rent for an 1br apartment). I got denied the first time, like 80% of disabled applicants, but my appeal is in November. + +2.) I started a small art and jewelry business online. First on etsy, then expanded to a website, and for the last month, I’ve been selling in person at fairs and festivals on the weekends. The last part is somewhat unsustainable, however, because I am only able to do so by having my parents come and work for me unpaid, to give me breaks when I need to sleep. I make about $1,000/mo, but my disability lawyer tells me this may threaten my ability to get disability +I live with my parents and have basically no expenses. I have no friends, so I literally never go out and spend money. My parents give me about $1,000 a month. Since the summer, I’ve been able to save up about $3,000. Half is in savings, half is in crypto. I know I shouldn’t have that much in crypto as an poor person, but I haven’t heard where I \*should\* put my money. Crypto is the only way I know how to invest that has any sort of decent return. I’ve applied for Section 8, but they take ⅓ of your measly income for rent, and the waiting list is years long. I wanted to apply for food stamps, but I don’t qualify because I am too poor to afford rent on my own, so I count as part of my parent’s household in their calculations. +I get a lot of advice like “move somewhere cheaper, where an 1br apartment \*isn’t\* $1,900/mo”, and I appreciate it. It makes sense at first glance and comes from a good place. But sacrificing the free rent and free food and free utilities and free caretaking abilities of my parents just to move somewhere where I have to pay my own rent and food and person to drive me to appointments, doesn’t sound fiscally sound to me. + +My parents retire in a year, after which I no longer expect their $1,000/mo. They are in their 60s and I am terrified of when they die, and desperately trying to find solutions for that inevitability every day as a fulltime job. I am willing to work- work is all I \*do\*, trying to read and figure out a way to one day survive on my own. +I’m not trying to get rich, I just don’t want to become homeless when my parents die. Does anyone have any advice on how to get enough money to survive when no one will employ you? +I (23F) don’t currently live with my partner (29M) but we do want to get married/ live together at some point in the future. + +One thing I’ve been struggling with is how to navigate finances between the two of us. Are joint bank accounts a good thing? How about splitting bills etc etc + +I believe in things being split fairly- which would not necessarily mean 50/50 as I have a much larger income than he does. + +Does anyone have any book recommendations? Or perhaps just advice from personal experience. + +I’d appreciate it. +As the title says, looks like I'm going to be moving out of the USA (very likely for good) to the UK. + + +Would anyone be able to point me to any resources that cover: + +* **Managing tax in the US once I'm abroad:** I'll surely have to file taxes for the last little bit I'm going to be working in the US. How can I do this from a foreign country? +* **What do I do with my 401k and stocks:** Can I move easily move my 401k to pension schemes in the UK? Do I need to move my US stocks to a UK brokerage? +* **Seamlessly moving a US bank account to a UK account:** I'd like to keep my US accounts open, if possible, but want all but a few hundred dollars moved to a UK bank. + + +Thank you in advance! +Long story short, I have no intention of having children, but my best friends do. I’d really like to start a savings account (in secret) for their future children to be able to finance their kids college education (or whatever they decide they want to do, I’m not picky). + +Anyways, what is the best way to go about doing this? I’m currently a SECU member and have an account with Wells Fargo. +I was wondering what people thought about the scenario if for any reason/situation, let’s say a person has $0 net worth, no assets or liabilities besides let’s say they have 50k per year of income coming in that’s stable. What would the the most efficient way to prepare for retirement with such limited earning potential and without having a whole career ahead of them to earn and save? + +Obviously with such a short time frame, huge equity investments would be risky, and with interest rates so low bonds would be tough to gain ground against inflation. + +I’m thinking that the advice of “work as long as you can” will be the go-to, but I feel like there might be better ways to handle the planning aspects of it. + +Specifically I’d like to know what everyone thinks as far as buying a house. Assuming that the person described above would qualify for a house, would that be in their best interest so that in 15 years they have a paid off home to live in, or would it be better to try to build a larger nest egg and accept that they will have to rent throughout retirement? +I just got a job for next summer after I graduate college in a low cost of living city (Madison, WI) with ~$105k salary and am having trouble figuring out how much I should be setting aside for my future. After my maximum 401k contribution of 18k, pay comes out to 87k. My current plans are the following, and these are very liberal number for expenses because I would rather overestimate my expenses than underestimate them: + +Monthly expenses +Rent - $1200 +Utilities/internet - $200 +Lease payment - $300 +Car insurance - $200 +Health insurance - $100 +Food - $400 +Eating out/activities - $300 +Emergency fund - $??? +401k contribution - $1500 (annual max - $18000) + +Not including the 401k contribution this comes out to $32,400 for annual necessities. After taxes, I estimate take home pay to be ~$61k. $61k - $32.5k = $28.5k. + +This doesn’t include allocating money for a rainy day fund, but I think I could use part of that leftover $28.5k to put into a savings account for emergencies. I have two main questions. What options do I have to do with this remaining $28.5k, other than an emergency fund, and am I missing any obvious necessities? + +Really would appreciate a thorough response. Thanks! +If I pass away within the next 10 years, my 30ish yr old kids will inherit about 1 million dollars in IRA accounts. This means they'll have to do inherited IRAs and take a percentage per year until the funds are gone. I would like this money to stretch further than that. What could I do? Feeling trapped in these IRAS...AGE 62, OHIO +Hi everyone, first time poster. I am beginning to take my long-term savings very seriously (full 401K match, plan to max out Roth IRA again this year), and am almost done with my emergency rainy day fund (12x my monthly expenses). So I feel happy with those aspects of my finances. + +My question is: How do I save for short-term goals? Goals like saving for travel plans, or buying a car, etc. Goals that are separate from my rainy day HYSA fund, and I’d like to get to within 1-5 years. Any tips or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you! +I’m 25 and started getting into ETFs and stocks and I’m doing pretty good. I want to go to the next level and wanted to know where i could find a financial advisor? A reputable one. Someone who could help me with what I’m investing in. Thank you! +Hi, + + I have a question about how to fairly split living costs when a couple is living together and one owns the house outright, no mortgage. + + I initially agreed to move in because it was the next logical step in the relationship. This was difficult because my SO lives in a place I never would otherwise, I add 30-40 minutes onto my commute each morning, had my car insurance get jacked up over 100 dollars, gave up an apartment I love, had to move things into storage and give up all my worldly possessions that we didn’t have room for. + +We agreed I’d pay some kind of rent. What we did the first month was 500, plus an extra 100 for groceries, and that as a utility I’d continue to pay our cellphone bill (160) total. I think I’m still okay with the grocery money, as my SO makes most meals with what he buys from the store, but i do feel like I’m close to paying for all our groceries (and i still have my own to buy on top of the communal groceries.) + +As month two rolls around, I’m beginning to think this isn’t a very fair arrangement, but i don’t know if I’m just biased because in relocating (my choice, what I’d want to do) I had to give up so much. But I feel like, yes, I’m paying the phone as a utility, but with the “rent” I’m paying him, i feel like I’m flat out paying his utilities and other bills. Are there any recommendations on how to come to the fairest arrangement? And also any resources about how to talk to your partner about things like this would be appreciated... many thanks. +I’m a senior in high-school and I’m looking to become financially independent from my parents when I go to college. I don’t expect them to pay for any of my school, so I’m wondering if this can be taken into consideration on the FAFSA forms. Would it be possible to file as an independent? +Are there any additional tips that I can use to achieve this goal? The school that I’m interested in has offered me free tuition but there are still a lot of fees like room and board. It’s going to come out to around 10/15k a year. Students have to live on campus for at least the first year, so there’s no working around that. +I don’t think I would qualify for work-study with my parents income, but I don’t know enough about that to say for sure. Would it be best to just take an off-campus job anyways? +I’m 38, already maxing out my 401k and I’m not eligible for a HSA. Altogether I’m putting about $65k into savings and retirement a year with about $40k/year of that going straight into a brokerage account with a roboadvisor automatically invested. I’m a high enough earner that I don’t qualify for the tax break on an IRA and I intend to retire before age 50. Is there a more tax advantaged way I could be saving rather than just throwing cash into a brokerage account? +When should a pre-approval for a mortgage happen for us? + +We are sitting between 650 and 700 credit scores respectively. We have a bit of debt, and right now our main focus is getting our credit card debt down to where it's basically paid off. We made a solid payment plan and are sticking to it, which is a good feeling. The CC debt is built up from mistakes we made when we were younger and naive about finances. We are making a strong effort to turn this around. Our CC debt will be paid by the end of April 2022 in full. + +We bring home mutually before taxes 75, 000 a year. + +In addition, we are going to pay off our car in about three years. We made an advanced payment plan to get that paid off quicker as well. + +I have some student loans totalling about $45, 000 that I want to pay off early but with our timeline, doesn't seem probable in the time being. That will come in due time. + +We also have been putting $500 a month in a savings account. At this time we have $2,500. I know it isn't much, but it is something. With our current plan, we are projected to have $20,000 in savings by the time our car is paid in full. + +My question is: How does a pre-approval work? What do we need for it? What else can we do to make things a bit easier? Also, how much will paying off the debts increase our scores? I have a debt in collections that I've also factored into my CC repayment plan, but that will be gone in two months. +My alimony is 80% of my gross income, and (surprise) I'm running out of non-retirement savings to fund this. I have retirement accounts I can and will have to tap, but I'd at least like to avoid getting nailed for the 10% early withdrawal penalty. + +Is there some way to avoid this? (And does anyone know why the IRS doesn't allow alimony as an exception to the penalty?) +Disclaimer: Not financial Advice. + +&#x200B; + +So here the quick rundown because who the hell likes reading a bunch of shit when you just wanna know POSITIONS + +* Earnings Beat THREE TIMES IN A ROW +* BEEN SUB 90 for Two weeks NOW (Before ER was touching the tip of $100) +* ELON "Daddy" MUSK is using them SWEET SWEET CHIPS for the new Remodel of the Tesla S 2021 +* Huge SHORTAGE with an ungodly demand. +* Price TARGETS over $120! +* Lisa Su "Bae" +* Was restricted by Robinhood during the fiasco ( what even) +* READ THAT 2021 CRISPY GUIDANCE (points if you can answer how much money they projecting to rake in) + +Calls were cheap this morning! + +Positions: $100 Call $AMD 4/16. + +Proof: [https://imgur.com/a/653yF4d](https://imgur.com/a/653yF4d) +This article is the best advice to get if you are new to personal finance. Worth a read! Actually practical tips at the end of the article! + +&#x200B; + +[https://medium.com/@networthgainer/5-simple-ways-to-improve-your-personal-finances-now-776e81f915f](https://medium.com/@networthgainer/5-simple-ways-to-improve-your-personal-finances-now-776e81f915f) +[Listen to the episode here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2u6rlVdDgY) + +It is David Rosenberg’s conviction that the Federal Reserve has over tightened monetary policy during this cycle possibly by as many as one-hundred basis points – four rate hikes - and that Jay Powell and the board of governors at the Fed are worried that they may have precipitated the bursting of another bubble. **This time, however, the bubble isn’t in housing or consumer credit. The bubble in 2019 is in the corporate bond market where multinational corporations have feasted on the issuance of trillions of dollars of new debt used to finance mergers, acquisitions, and share buybacks, while simultaneously cutting back on the capital investment needed to grow their businesses and service their debts long-term.** +Well end of 2019, I finally got all my gains/losses together. I am almost net zero for capital gains which sucks. Overall asset value is 675,000. I gained 159,000 and lost 142,000 .. total gain is \~17,000 off 675,000. I thought I beat the SP500 this year but after calculating the losses I am way behind it ... like a 2.5% return. Very disappointing , I thought I was a hot shot this year picking stocks but it turns out the risky investments I bought (such as NIO when it was a lot higher than it is now) and some weed stocks really hurt me in terms of losses. I think after this year I am going to just invest in ETFs as my stock picking skills really sets me up for almost net zero gains. +> Tenants paying under the table €8600 for a firsthand contract rental. + +> €300,000 for a 28m2 apartment in Sweden + +> Lack of housing in Sweden with queues for a first hand contract extending up to 10 years. + +> The crisis is so serious that some people have been forced to move 15 times before finding a first hand contract. + +>Apartment owners can't rent their properties for more than one year due to extreme regulations, preventing mobility. + + +More info here: +http://sverigesradio.se/sida/avsnitt/683630?programid=2054 +I recently finished reading Tim Ferris’s The Four Hour Work Week and one of the main ideas that struck me was the idea of taking mini retirements sprinkled throughout your career every 5-10 years. + +Was wondering if anyone on the sub has implemented this or a similar system and what were the results you got from it? How did taking a hiatus or year off affect your financial life and career? + +While it sounds great on paper I am curious how that would affect someone’s savings rate, financial independence timeline, and everything else that goes along with it. + +I am a college student going into engineering so I don’t plan to do this anytime soon but would love to hear everyone’s thoughts! +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. + +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 - A columnist had to remind his affluent readers multiple times that they are affluent because they complain a lot about not having enough money. Also, his articles are interesting for the data. Finally, IMHO Americans are ignorant about personal finance, we should help change this.** + +Justin Fox at Bloomberg view wrote a series of articles reminding his readers that households making six figures are indeed affluent. He first mentioned in an article that [the mortgage home deduction mostly benefits the affluent](http://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-06-01/curbing-our-enthusiasm-over-rising-home-prices). A bunch of people wrote in arguing that low six figures in NY or SF isn't affluent, or college is expensive, or he is a socialist, or whatever. He came back with articles titled [Yes, a Six-Figure Income Means You're Affluent](http://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-06-03/yes-a-six-figure-income-means-you-re-affluent) and [How to Get That Affluent Feeling](http://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-06-08/defining-a-minimum-standard-for-affluence). + +As I've written before, I think American culture is out of balance. Financial ignorance is widespread, and many, if not most households simply do not save enough. There is ample evidence of this - [47% of households couldn't cover a $400 emergency](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/05/25/the-shocking-number-of-americans-who-cant-cover-a-400-expense/), [our savings rate is less than 5%](https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/banking/american-personal-saving-rate/), [nearly half of households have no retirement savings](http://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-average-family-saved-for-retirement-2016-3), and [journalists are writing blockbuster articles about being financially impotent](http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/05/my-secret-shame/476415/) (without proposing any solution!). So by reminding lots of people how affluent they are, Justin Fox is kind of my hero right now! + +A common topic of discussion on this board is whether to discuss FI with others. My personal feeling is those who are knowledgable about personal finance in general should be talking about it with others. FIRE is grad-school personal finance, but most people haven't even graduated from high school. + +Lightly edited. +**TLDR**: as you can see, based on what is happening now within this subreddit and publicly, sadly we are already being recognized as a single notion - radio silence for a couple of days, diamond handing/ignoring outside noise, removing your voices from youtube, twitter, other news portals is HIGHLY advised - **STOP mentioning WSB outside this subreddit - you and I, we are falling into a coordinated trap.** + +To begin with, I am truly impressed with all the hard-work you guys put in whilst creating quality memes, due diligence posts, twitter messages and online presence. + +But all being said, in the past couple of days we can notice the mentioning of /r/wallstreetbets come up in various ways within the social media - like twitter and benzinga, CNBC, youtube. The fact that we created a twitter account and collectively try and display our voice as an individual plays a huge downside to us. Now we are one, now we are acting as an institution, as a fund, as a united society - keep in mind guys that these notions are easily manipulated in the social media and it is way easier to target a single unified voice than it is to target a bunch of random individuals. When it comes to our beloved stocks like $BB, $PLTR, $GME it is important to highlight the fact of our **individual purchases**, **individual subscriptions** to their services, individual DDs and so much more. By silently increasing our positions as separate human beings, by silently promoting companies we are able to dish out more fire power which cannot be harassed online as we are under a cloak of shadow. + +Pardon my broken English, but I hope you get the notch - WSB should not be a team or a gang - it should be all different individuals just sharing the same vision. **We must not respond to online media callouts**, we must not pay too much attention to news portals and videos calling us out. It only gives a negative outcome and makes us more vulnerable, thus allowing bears and other dipshit analysts to use WSB against their own stocks - detract other individuals/entities that may be interested in the stock by displaying us as a gang of monkeys. + +I hope this message reaches some of you out, I have seen similar messages already hanging, but wanted to share my voice and remind you all - **we achieved such astounding results by acting separately** and based on a solid DD, **not by acting as a single unit**. Thank you and god bless this community. + +**EDIT**: a very nice way to put it is to compare us to a beehive. It is way easier to eliminate a whole group of bees when they are in a single unit, however it is way more difficult to act against bees that are roaming free within the nature and may sting from various angles. **The unseen weapon is the deadliest.** + +EDIT: I am just enjoying the community and by no means am I rallying someone, just wanted to share my thoughts and god bless everyone! +I absolutely understand that it's not "one rule for everyone", but after a decade in poverty and trying almost everything, I finally got back on my feet and this is my advice from my personal experience. + +When I was strapped for cash my focus was so hard on being frugal that I didn't focus enough on my income, and I missed opportunities that could have really helped. + +A $1 an hour pay rise is worth $2000 a year, and 2 grand is a lot of cash. Keep seeking out better jobs - don't have a shred of loyalty to a company that is holding you in poverty. + +My top tip is to absolutely ignore the minimum requirements on job listings. If it says you need a degree and 3 year experience but you don't have that, don't let it out you off. If you know that you can do the job, apply anyway. Don't sell yourself short, and don't let rejections get you down. Aim high and keep on shooting. + +My current job is one that I did not have any formal qualifications for at all, but I knew I could do it so I spent some time on a resume that was eye catching and I got an interview, and got hired on the spot. + +If I'd been more aggressive with my job hunting, and aimed higher earlier, I may have avoided the worst years of poverty all together. +I just saw a post where someone was talking about extra fees hidden in TurboTax, and another person talking about paying $40 for it like it was nothing. Guys, you don't need to pay to file your taxes. + +Volunteers with the [VITA program](https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-you-by-volunteers) will prepare your taxes in person, and [IRS free file](https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free) exists for those who make less than $66k. + +&#x200B; + +You'd better not pay one red cent to get those taxes done, people!!! In my opinion, anyone who fools a poor person into paying for tax prep is a crook. + +&#x200B; + +Also, I would like to warn you to stay away from Refund Anticipation Loans, which have now been renamed "Refund Anticipation Checks" to skirt laws created to stop them. + +RACs drained the refunds of millions of American taxpayers in 2014, costing them $648 million in loan fees, plus over $200 million in other fees, the NCLC and CFA said in a report. The pricing is opaque, but often it's over a hundred bucks to get your refund a couple weeks sooner. Guys, it's a trap. Don't do it. Credit cards are less usurious and less opaque than this crap. + +Do. Not. Give. These. People. Your. Money. They will just use it to scam some other poor person. +Hoping this time I won't get immedately deleted. 3rd times the charm? + +&#x200B; + +SUPER TLDR: 🚨🚨My PT is $73.5. 🚨🚨 + +&#x200B; + +IF you read my first DD and got in, congrats. + +Check it out if you're late to the party. + +[https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/lunv1h/the\_rkt\_is\_fueled\_and\_ready\_for\_liftoff\_launches/](https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/lunv1h/the_rkt_is_fueled_and_ready_for_liftoff_launches/) + +There are exactly two reasons for why its NOT FUCKING OVER. + +Reason 1: Dan and Jay hate the shorts + +Wall street has never considered RKT to be a Fintech company. + +You know what's happening tomorrow at 10:15 AM? + +[https://ir.rocketcompanies.com/news-and-events/press-releases/press-release-details/2021/Rocket-Companies-to-Participate-in-Morgan-Stanley-Technology-Media--Telecom-Virtual-Conference/default.aspx](https://ir.rocketcompanies.com/news-and-events/press-releases/press-release-details/2021/Rocket-Companies-to-Participate-in-Morgan-Stanley-Technology-Media--Telecom-Virtual-Conference/default.aspx) + +&#x200B; + +That's right. Jay Farner, the CEO is going live with Morgan Stanley during a TECH conference to have a fireside chat. + +You're going to tell me that they just happened to have this scheduled smack in the middle of the week of hell for RKT shorts? You're going to tell me that there's no way they might drop a bomb that truly sends RKT to the stratosphere? + +I have no fucking idea. But I trust in Dan Gilbert & Co. to win. Because that's all they've done for the past 35 fucking years. WIN. + +&#x200B; + +To make things even sweeter, more dry powder is coming in tomorrow- market makers making new options tomorrow. Remember the first time new options came out for GME? If you bought even the farthest OTM one, it printed. + +🚨🚨MM WILL HAVE TO REMAIN DELTA NETURAL WITH THEIR NEW OPTIONS 🚨🚨, THUS THEY WILL HAVE TO BUY SHARES. THEREFORE, THE MORE NEW OPTIONS BOUGHT TOMORROW, THE MORE FUEL IS LOADED FOR A GAMMA SQUEEZE. 🚨🚨 + +&#x200B; + +To close things up, recall that RKT had 40% interest going into this week. Look at today's graph. + +[https://imgur.com/vIgVH7l](https://imgur.com/vIgVH7l) + +&#x200B; + +Notice those two drops where it halted? See the STRONG support that immediately followed? This is a textbook example of a ladder attack. The SHORTS HAVE RELOADED, AT A NEW PRICE. Shorts ATTEMPTED to shake the 💎👐 , but failed. Retail is NOT ALONE on this 🚀. The DIP is being purchased, even while at an ATH. Someone is on the LONG side buying up shares with retail. + +In my opinion, after today, short interest could potentially even end up way higher than 40%. Look at the candles during those short ladder attacks. Shorts had to have borrow MILLIONS of shares to attempt to short ladder today. I wouldn't be surprised if this is Melvin & CO's latest play to dig themselves out of their Gamestop loss porn either. + +MORE SHORTING = MORE SHORTS TO CHOKE + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +So that's reason 1. There's a nonzero chance Jay Farner drops a bomb tomorrow that takes us to the stratosphere. But what's reason 2? + +🚨🚨MY PRICE TARGET FOR RKT IS $73.5 🚨🚨 + +Let's go through the numbers. + +&#x200B; + +RKT's projected EPS for this year is \~ $2.45. + +\[LINK 3\] \~ (SOURCE IS ON SA, REMOVED LINK BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING MY POST DELETED) + +&#x200B; + +To get P/E, take the price and divide by earnings. Thus, we can use this to calculate the forward P/E for RKT. RKT closed at $41.79, which divided by $2.45 is \~17.05. Thus, RKT currently trades at about a 17Forward P/E. Companies in this sector trade in between 15-30 P/E, and since I strongly believe RKT is a growth stock, I think it should trade at 30x P/E. + +Thus, 30 x $2.45 is $73.5. + +Therefore, my PT for RKT is $73.5. RKT is a fintech company, and is a PROFITABLE one. Think about how many fintech companies have crazier valuations and aren't even profitable? + +You know what that means? + +IT'S NOT FUCKING OVER. IF SUITS ARE BUYING AT ATH, IM BUYING AT ATH. IF SHORTS HAVE RELOADED, THE SQUEEZE HAS NOT SQUOZE. THE SUITS AGREE. RKT IS WORTH MORE THAN $40. + +&#x200B; + +TLDR: SHORT INTEREST HAS PROBABLY GONE UP, SUITS ARE BUYING. CURRENT P/E is 17, GROWTH PE IN MY OPINION SHOULD BE AT LEAST 30. RKT IS STILL UNDERVALUED, AND MY PRICE TARGET IS $73.5 + +&#x200B; + +Remember, 🚀 fundamentally a great company. They are still NOT priced as a growth stock. They are still NOT considered Fintech by the suits. There is a reason why this stock closed strong at a new ATH. + +I LIKE THE STOCK. + +&#x200B; + +🚨🚨My PT is $73.5. 🚨🚨 + +🚨🚨50 TOMORROW 🚨🚨 + +🚨🚨60 to 70+ EOW if the shorts bail instead of of doubling down.🚨🚨 + +THIS IS NOT A 🧻👐TRADE + +&#x200B; + +Not financial advice. I don't know anything. + +Positions: 150 shares, 50 $23 C 3/5 EXP. I will be exercising almost all my calls as I am LONG. + +I will be purchasing OTM calls tomorrow at open 🚀🚀 + +Currently considering some $50 and $60 strike expiring 3/5. + +&#x200B; + +EDIT: + +SAW SOME INFO THAT 26 MILLION SHARES WERE SHORTED TODAY. No idea if it's true but 🚀🚀 + +&#x200B; + +Don't forget about the special dividend! $1.11 per share to all shareholders by EOD 3/5 + +&#x200B; + +Hey guys who are downvoting this because it's not GME, know that I'm going to be rolling extra RKT profits into GME. You're forgetting the target date for GME is 3/19! Only got here because of GME. I wont leave you guys hanging. 🦍 STRONG TOGETHER + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; +I just got the eye-searing donation pitch on Wikipedia. + +http://i.imgur.com/e8PPOWR.jpg + +"Credit Card", "PayPal", and "Amazon" are listed as ways to give. (With some variations if you dig a bit deeper.) + +https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Ways_to_Give/en + +I emailed and suggested they include a bitcoin public addr/QR Code to the options. I'd probably scan a QR and pitch in some if that convenience was available. + +> Heavy hearts soared Monday with news that Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate — the frontrunner in the American market — seemed to be generating an immune response in Phase 1 trial subjects. The company’s stock valuation also surged, hitting $29 billion, an astonishing feat for a company that currently sells zero products. +> +> But was there good reason for so much enthusiasm? Several vaccine experts asked by STAT concluded that, based on the information made available by the Cambridge, Mass.-based company, there’s really no way to know how impressive — or not — the vaccine may be. +> +> While Moderna blitzed the media, it revealed very little information — and most of what it did disclose were words, not data. That’s important: If you ask scientists to read a journal article, they will scour data tables, not corporate statements. With science, numbers speak much louder than words. +> +> Even the figures the company did release don’t mean much on their own, because critical information — effectively the key to interpreting them — was withheld. +> +> (... more in link, this was the first snippet) + +https://www.statnews.com/2020/05/19/vaccine-experts-say-moderna-didnt-produce-data-critical-to-assessing-covid-19-vaccine/ +My wife & I placed an offer on a $425,000 house in Texas a few month ago, the sellers accepted immediately & we signed a contract to buy the house. + +The closing date was determined as feb 7th (today) over 3 weeks ago. We spend over $1,000 on home inspections, lots of travel time to visit the property, and we have already bought some furniture that we are storing for when we move in. This has been one of the most frustrating experience’s ever - but we had some hope this morning that it was finally about to be worth it because today was closing day! + +Then, just an hour or so ago, we get a call from our realtor. Apparently the sellers have a tax lein on the house & can’t afford to pay it off at closing (which is required). Additionally, they may not even have the closing costs that go to the real estate company! We asked our realtor what this meant & what do we do next but we just got a lot of “this is a developing situation, we will keep you updated” + +Are we screwed? If so, this sucks & shouldn’t be allowed to happen! +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. +"It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price." Ok so i know Warren Buffet is a value investor, and value investors look for shares that are undervalued (i.e. a wonderful price). Growth investors look for wonderful companies at normal prices (fair), expecting the price to appreciate. So is warren buffet saying growth investing is far better?? +Property Market Thread Week of 6 August 2018. + +Please post all your interesting general property market related articles & links. + +Please observe the sub rules and community guidelines when posting. + +Specific questions about property that relate to your personal finance or personal situation may be posted separately. +Hey guys, + +My partner recently agreed to rent out an apartment that was listed at $330 (about 2 weeks ago). It is now 2 days before the move in date and also time to sign the lease agreement. She has already paid the bond and the first month of rent at $330 per week. + +Today the agent contacted her saying they made a mistake and the listing price was actually meant to be $345 and there's no way of changing this due to the previous tenant breaking their lease at $345 per week. They claimed they were not aware of the mistake and neither was the landlord and that she now has to pay this new rental amount. + +She has already prepared to move in on Friday so you can imagine the situation is very frustrating. My question is, is there anything she can do to retain that original listing price. Is this even lawful? + +Thanks :) + +Edit: Located in Metro Melbourne + +Edit 2: Update posted in comments! +Not in the near future but in 3-4 years we are looking to have a kid. This will mean preparing to fit newborn expenses into our budget, eventually leading on to when they are older. + +I asked my friend at work about it and he told me to look into getting health insurance to cover pregnancy and birthing costs. There is a year waiting period for it so it would be good to get it early. + +My fiance has her doubts about it as it is an expense and doesn't cover everything in private hospital. + +I want to get the opinion of others who have invested in health insurance for this benefit and whether it is worth it? + +For context I live in Melbourne Australia, we are M31 and F28. +tl;dr I've tested a trading strategy by Larry Connors and Cesar Alvarez that buys stocks when they hit the 10 day low. Data seems to agree with the hypothesis that this is profitable. + +About a month ago I made a [post](http://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/1dg0xf/buying_the_10_day_low_a_back_test/) detailing a trading strategy that bought on lows and sold on highs, I did some more analysis involving a ‘base case’ and ended up with some interesting results. I really just wanted to see what everyone thinks of my analysis. + +**Signals** + +Strategy: Buy when a stock has reached a new 10 day low and is trading above its 50 and 200 day moving average. Sell when the price reaches a new 10 day high, drops below the 50 day moving average, or has been open for 10 days. + +Base case: Buy a random stock at its close and hold for a random period between 1 and 10 days. + + +**Analysis Parameters:** + +* Initial Investment: $5,000 +* Trading Fees: 3.95 (OptionsHouse) +* Slippage: [99.5%, 100.5%] of the target price +* Trials: 10,000 + +**Chart Legend:** + +* Grey: End of trade portfolio values for each trial +* Blue: Middle 25% of grey values +* Red: Returns of buying to hold the S&P500 + +**Data** + +**[2007](http://imgur.com/Jl4Yasa)** + +*Strategy* + +* Average Return: 44.4% +* Sample STDEV: 29.8% +* Max Return: 207% +* Min Return: -40% +* Winners: 9,552 +* Losers: 448 +* Percent Winners: 95% + +*Base Case* + +* Average Return: 1.41% +* Sample STDEV: 24.5% +* Max Return: 195% +* Min Return: -74% +* Winners: 4,581 +* Losers: 5,149 +* Percent Winners: 48% + +**[2008](http://imgur.com/vo3cFTq)** + +*Strategy* + +* Average Return: 35.3% +* Sample STDEV: 23.7% +* Max Return: 160% +* Min Return: -23% +* Winners: 9,589 +* Losers: 411 +* Percent Winners: 95% + +*Base Case* + +* Average Return: 65.6% +* Sample STDEV: 31.6% +* Max Return: 272% +* Min Return: -96% +* Winners: 1,215 +* Losers: 8,785 +* Percent Winners: 12% + +**[2009](http://imgur.com/jAUhCmv)** + +*Strategy* + +* Average Return: 87.5% +* Sample STDEV: 40.4% +* Max Return: 327% +* Min Return: - 21% +* Winners: 9,990 +* Losers: 10 +* Percent Winners: 99% + +*Base Case* + +* Average Return: 30.2% +* Sample STDEV: 56.6% +* Max Return: 826% +* Min Return: -92% +* Winners: 6,808 +* Losers: 3,192 +* Percent Winners: 68% + +**[2010](http://imgur.com/Jn8z3cS)** + +*Strategy* + +* Average Return: 44.4% +* Sample STDEV: 25% +* Max Return: 167% +* Min Return: -27% +* Winners: 9,800 +* Losers: 200 +* Percent Winners: 98% + +*Base Case* + +* Average Return: 9.9% +* Sample STDEV: 25.9% +* Max Return: 153% +* Min Return: -59% +* Winners: 6,184 +* Losers: 3,816 +* Percent Winners: 61% + +**[2011](http://imgur.com/j0nZKUM)** + +*Strategy* + +* Average Return: 6.2% +* Sample STDEV: 15.7% +* Max Return: 78% +* Min Return: - 37% +* Winners: 6,305 +* Losers: 3,695 +* Percent Winners: 63% + +*Base Case* + +* Average Return: -7% +* Sample STDEV: 23.3% +* Max Return: 142% +* Min Return: -75% +* Winners: 3,392 +* Losers: 6,608 +* Percent Winners: 33% + +**[2012](http://imgur.com/zoYeXQE)** + +*Strategy* + +* Average Return: 26% +* Sample STDEV: 20.5% +* Max Return: 137% +* Min Return: -27% +* Winners: 9,143 +* Losers: 857 +* Percent Winners: 91% + +*Base Case* + +* Average Return: 6.1% +* Sample STDEV: 24.4% +* Max Return: 193% +* Min Return: -69% +* Winners: 5,621 +* Losers: 4,379 +* Percent Winners: 56% + +**Methodology** + +The program begins by back testing a predefined set of tickers (SP500 in this case) using the buy and sell signals listed above. In order to reduce biased results I ‘walk’ through the time period, that is I fed the program a single day at a time. Each day I calculated buy signals and if the conditions were met I'd purchase the security, hold it, and continue to cycle through each proceeding day and calculated sell signals. +Once the security was bought and sold I'd write down the trade and move onto the next day. The end result was a list of every single trade that could have potentially occurred in the predefined date range with the predefined list of tickers. + +I'd sort these entries by purchase date in ascending order (oldest first) and every trade that fell on the same day was put into a list and archived in a dictionary with key-word purchaseDate. The result was a data structure I could query and pull a list of all trades that could have occurred on a specified date. + +I then had all the information I needed to begin the actual back test. I began with the first possible purchase date, searched the dictionary to obtain a list of all possible trades that could have occurred on that day, chose one at random, wrote down the trade's information, and moved onto the next available purchase date. + +Once all dates were exhausted I calculated an annual return by finding the product of all the year's trades. I did this 10,000 times in order to obtain the average and standard deviation of annual returns. Since my data didn't tell me which trade occurred when it was impossible for me to define the exact sequence of trades. My idea was if I got enough random trade sequences I could create a universe of possible scenarios with the most likely being the most prevalent -- it was a way for me to calculate a return and cover all my bases at the same time. +I wasn't really planning on making a post on this, but I'd like to make the case for investing in a utilities company focused on clean energy as a smart play for the upcoming stimulus/shift towards renewables. + +So what's NextEra Energy? Summarized from Wikipedia: + +* It is the largest electric utility in the USA by market capitalization. (At 160B currently) +* Revenues of over $19.20 billion in 2019. Operating income of $5.35 billion in 2019. +* About 14,000 employees throughout the US and Canada. +* The important subsidiaries include + * The Utilities; + * Florida Power & Light (FPL) - A Florida electric utility. Notable for having wider profit margins than usual. + * Gulf Power Company - Electric utility in the Alabama area + * NextEra Energy Capital Holdings (NEECH) + * NextEra Energy Resources (NEER) - The largest operators of wind and solar projects in the world. Importantly, expansive holdings in the Midwest. Also has numerous energy storage projects under their belt. +* They also have a 35% stake in NextEra Energy Partners (NEP) with Jim Robo being the CEO of both companies. + +[In fact, I'll just direct you to NextEra's IR page, because for some reason they've placed a very solid series of pages outlining their financial health where almost nobody will find them.](http://www.investor.nexteraenergy.com/fixed-income-investors/financial-policy) You can flip through the Policy, Strength, Funding/Capital Structure, Cash Flow/Leverage, and Liquidity pages there at your leisure to understand more about the company. But basically, they're extremely healthy as a company. Notably, they've been [unwinding positions for cash](http://www.investor.nexteraenergy.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2020/11-02-2020-222338600) recently despite their solid balance sheet. + +Now, I'd like to point out their P/E: 41. Yup, this is a "boring" utility company trading at 41x P/E after running up 200% in 5 years and 80% in 2. For reference, Microsoft is trading at 34.90 P/E. As far as utilities go, I think it's fair to say these guys are as far from boring as it gets. + +Summary of the fundamentals; + +1. Management is extremely reliable +2. They're the market leader in renewables deployment +3. They've proven they know how to compete and edge out profits in cutthroat industries +4. High P/E, but in a stable industry +5. They have plenty of leverage available for massive capital expenditures + +Now onto why I think they will collect more than their fair share of Biden's upcoming stimulus. Let's start off by looking at what Biden has been pushing in his announcements; + +1. Pushing the environmental costs onto polluters +2. Pushing renewables directly +3. Creating long-term middle class union jobs + +Among utilities, [NextEra stands out as an early and consistent investor in renewables](http://www.investor.nexteraenergy.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2020/12-11-2020-173514490). Straight from the link above: + +>According to S&P Global Trucost, NextEra Energy ranked ahead of its peers on a number of impressive reported performance metrics, among others, including signed contracts to build approximately 12,000 megawatts of additional wind, solar and battery storage projects as of the close of 2019, and NextEra Energy's announced target of emissions reductions per unit of generation by 67% by 2025 from a 2005 baseline, equivalent, to a 40% reduction in absolute emissions – and this, despite an expected doubling of generation over the period. Already, NextEra Energy reports more than 50% of its generation is from zero- and near-zero-emitting sources. + +I think it's fair to say that point 1 will hurt them much less than it will their less progressive competition. + +Additionally, as a result of their investments so far, they're not untested when it comes to deployment: They know what to expect and we know they can execute on larger CapEx programs with less risk than the competition. If Biden is to throw the expected 40 billion a year into the industry, it's quite likely NextEra will be ready to scale up operations sustainably and successfully to capitalize on the opportunity, clearing point two. + +But point three is the really interesting one. Let me start off with a question; If you were a democratic president that wanted to create middle-class jobs in renewables, how would you go about it? Would you invest in the companies making the end product? Maybe a little for the companies that pull the required resources out of the ground too? + +[Let's take a look at what the clean energy portion stimulus bill a few weeks ago contained and see how NextEra is positioned for each portion.](https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/khx7eb/stimulus_bill_includes_35_billion_for_clean/) Big thanks to [/u/millerlit](https://www.reddit.com/u/millerlit/) for summarizing. Also, [I'll be referencing the NextEra 2019 annual report from this point on](http://www.investor.nexteraenergy.com/reports-and-filings/annual-reports). Please bring up a copy if you'd like to verify the numbers I claim. + +* $1.5 Billion for Solar - Will probably go to most industry players pretty equally, NextEra will get a cut as a result of their investing through NEER. 12% of NEER's generation is from solar power according to the 2019 annual report (p.13). +* $2.6 Billion for Transport - NextEra probably won't get much of this, but they have [made an acquisition](http://www.investor.nexteraenergy.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2020/12-08-2020-123104618) in the field within the last month. It would be a nice perk if they announced major projects here, but let's just leave this as a hypothetical. +* $1.7 billion for a Weatherization Assistance Program - I'm not 100% sure how they'll break this down, but up here in Canada they do these programs as rebates through utility providers. [NextEra is almost definitely going to get a cut of this as far as I can see.](https://www.fpl.com/save/programs.html) +* $1.08 billion for short-term, long-term, seasonal and transportation energy storage technologies - NextEra is pretty big in the battery storage field. [I don't think they'll be the ones developing a new battery chemistry, but they're definitely a serious user.](https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/nextera-energy-to-spend-1b-on-energy-storage-projects-in-2021) +* $2.36 billion for smart utility and energy distribution technologies. - They're going to get a serious cut of this for obvious reasons. +* $625 million for new research, development and commercialization for both onshore and offshore wind technologies - 65% of NEER's renewables generation is wind power according to the 2019 annual report. They're going to get a nice cut here too. +* $850 million for geothermal technology development - Nothing here will go to NextEra, as far as I'm aware. +* $1093 million for marine energy and hydropower tech - Nothing here will go to NextEra, as far as I'm aware. +* $500 million pot for industry and transportation looking to decarbonize - 0 stake in this race +* $6.2 billion for carbon capture utilization and storage technologies - FPL is investing quite heavily here, as 74% of their generation back in 2019 was from Natural Gas (p.9). They're going to get a good portion of this. +* $6.6 billion in funding for the modernization of existing nuclear power plants and the development of advanced reactors - FPL generated 22% of their power from Nuclear in 2019 (p.9). They're probably going to get a fair slice of this. +* $4.7 billion for fusion industry - NextEra isn't spending money on fusion development, as far as I'm aware. +* Looser regulations for using government land for renewables - A nice gesture to drop land costs by increasing supply for sustainable uses. [Here's a map of US public land so you can take a look.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/US_federal_land.agencies.svg/1280px-US_federal_land.agencies.svg.png) + +But you get the point by now - NextEra has a slice in a lot of these pies directly. On top of that, the renewables segment as a whole is going to hugely benefit from the stimulus driving down the capital expenditures required for panels and turbines. Frankly, there are very few people better positioned than a well-run utility company with massive credit available taking on the debt at great rates. When I put it like that, it's no surprise that these folks managed to thrive under Trump's policies - and that they're extremely well positioned to grow aggressively under Biden. + +But there's even a fun political trap for the republicans here. Do you know where the best place to place on-shore wind turbines is? [The midwest](https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/files/images/itl/sed/gsg/mri50_2mph_inc_gumbel_v2.png) ([Source](https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/maps-non-hurricane-non-tornadic-extreme-wind-speeds-contiguous-united-states)) - [A notable republican stronghold area](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=US+2020+election+results). NEER's own wind turbine deployment map in the annual report (p.13) backs up that their expansion is largely in that area. + +I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Democrats quietly slated a lot of the renewables spending into the midwest in an attempt to entrench a pro-union and pro-clean energy vote there - forcing the republican platform into a weird spot in future elections. It helps that that's pretty much the economical way to play it too. + +To sum it up, I think NextEra's going to be a serious beneficiary of the renewables bill however it ends up going down, even if only because of their financial resources, deployment experience, and contracts with suppliers. A big portion of this is that I don't believe the market has priced in the amount they're collecting directly and indirectly because the response so far seems to have been "FAN/TAN/ICLN/QCLN goes brrrrr". + +Let's talk about the competition; The other US utility companies that were listed as leaders in the clean energy transition by Global Platts are Dominion Energy, Sempra Energy, and Xcel Energy. From one look at them it seems like they're (1) much smaller and (2) at best half off on P/E so I didn't really look at them too hard if I'm being honest. + +Now for the bigger question; Do I grab NEE or \[clean energy ETF of choice\]? Really, it's up to you. I think that the clean energy ETFs are trading at downright idiotic valuations now. That, and I'd much rather bet on one or two known strong performers that I believe in than I would on a bunch of companies picked by someone else. That being said, those ETFs have much more hype behind them, which is an important consideration in this market. + +Short-term catalysts are basically the stimulus bill and earnings on the 26th. I expect some big announcements on how they plan to capitalize on the bill during the earnings call, and a huge bump in interest if they announce that they're accelerating their renewables pipeline and focusing on that portion of the company more. + +Anyways, onto positions and how I'd trade it; + +* If you just want to buy and hold in an account for the extreme long-term -> buy shares and hold, I think this is going to heavily outperform the S&P 500 into the future. +* If you want to get some of the spicy synthetic leverage gains with me -> Jan 20 2023 80c's. They print if the stock goes up \~15% in the next 2 years because IV is super low. I grabbed 10 at 12.10 at the start of the week on the dip, but I think they'll open 13.00+ tomorrow. Keep in mind that you don't need to hold till expiry, I'll probably liquidate these after a year because I want the tax benefits. + +That's all from me today! This is my first DD post ever, so if you've got any suggestions/questions feel free to fire away. +I bought 1BTC from an ATM, and the transaction posted TWICE. The balance has shown up in my wallet, I now have 2BTC available to spend. On Blockchain, its an identical transaction, each with 9 confirmations, occurring 8 minutes apart. + +Should I roll with this good luck? Or will it get deducted some how? + +UPDATE: I reached out to the ATM owner and apparently I found a "pretty serious bug" which they are looking into right now and will hopefully resolve. I'm sending back most of the free BTC, they said I could keep 20% as a tip. +I have been looking at the F2Pool (chinese miner) outflow in the last days: + +[F2Pool outflow](https://cryptoquant.com/overview/full/227?window=day) + +They sell a lot of BTC (more than 10000 each day) when BTC wants to go higher. They sell less, but still a lot on slower days. Basically they stabilize the price between $30000-$36000. They cannot do this for too long though, they spend 10x the daily miner rewards of the whole network each day, they will run out of BTC soon. After they run out of BTC we can have a huge bullrun. (Although I don't know how much they hold, the above chart does not contain that. Can someone help me out?) + +I am suprised that there is not more discussion about this. This is a huge force, much bigger than the Grayscale buys, which is going big in the media. +From their website +https://s3partners.com/Exclusive.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=announcement&utm_campaign=10ds + +and Ihor’s twitter: https://twitter.com/ihors3/status/1356019385706688512?s=21 + +Note: Data is only reported on a bi-weekly basis, with the most recent data being from this Wednesday. Many data companies like S3 and ORTEX can only speculate. From what I read on his twitter, their algos somehow try to predict how much is being covered based on how the stock loan interest % changes. This week it dropped significantly to <30% I believe, meaning that there is less associated risk with their shorts, which somehow correlates to how many have been covered within the volume Wednesday-Friday + +Is their speculation wrong? How does it compare to ORTEX? Have they given in to Citadel? Discuss +This is the post where I clearly warned people about the risk of lending your coins: + https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/u4j817/you_should_think_twice_before_lending_your_coins/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share + +As we now know both Celsius and Voyager were engaging in high risk lending using users funds. This was working well in a bull market but when a bear market comes round the risk caught up with them. Both are now facing bankruptcy. + +If your still thinking of lending your coins in this current environment I would strongly suggest not doing so. These lending platforms NEED liquidity to make those risky lends. They get liquidity by sucking users into the platform by offering unrealistic returns and promoting them as "safe". + +There are no regulations to stop the exchange from engaging in high risk lending in order to meet their promised returns. + +So simply put, lending your coins is high risk and not worth the return due to lack of regulation around what the exchange can do with your coins. +>"In a cashless world, there would be no lower bound on interest rates. A central bank could reduce the policy rate from, say, 2 percent to minus 4 percent to counter a severe recession. The interest rate cut would transmit to bank deposits, loans, and bonds. Without cash, depositors would have to pay the negative interest rate to keep their money with the bank, making consumption and investment more attractive. This would jolt lending, boost demand, and stimulate the economy." + +For everyone who has still some brain cells left, this is a good time to buy bitcoin! + +Edit: Source: +https://blogs.imf.org/2019/02/05/cashing-in-how-to-make-negative-interest-rates-work/ +To start with, personally I'm quite bullish on crypto and feel good about having the investments into the coins I trust in that I have. That said, I do wonder how risky the whole crypto market is. + +Many of us put our hard earned money into it and I feel there's strong cases to be made for a long term bearish or bullish outlook, as in what the crypto market may look like if you hold onto top coins for years. + +IE- will bitcoin soar to 150k in a year or two from now or fall down to something like 30k? Will ETH reach new highs in the future of 10k plus or reach a plateau at some point and then fall down in price? + +What do you all think? + +🌙 ✌ +I just made a really poor choice today and I feel awful. Like most of us I live paycheck to paycheck trying the best I can to get ahead. Earlier today I just got off a double shift and my brain was on like autopilot mode but I was so hungry since we were so busy I didn’t have time to eat. I have a brand name grocery store near me which I probably shouldn’t name but it’s the closest to me and I do all of my grocery shopping there. I was getting some basic items to hold me over for a few days (bread, eggs, pasta, etc). I finished my shopping and went to the self checkout and after scanning all of my items it wasn’t letting me pay, all I kept getting was error after error. I checked my account and I had less than $14 in it, I felt so deflated that I couldn’t even pay for like $32 of groceries. I was so mentally exhausted after work I just decided to say “fuck it I need to eat” so I paid for what I could pay for and tried to hide a few items that I didn’t pay for under the ones I did. I almost made it through the doors when a store manager stopped me on the way out. I was taken to the side (literally having the exit blocked from me) as these managers went item by item only leaving the few I paid for. Lucky they said they wouldn’t call the police but now I’m banned from that grocery store which sucks since that was the only one in walking distance from my apartment. I know it’s my mistake but in that moment I was so vulnerable, tired and hungry I didn’t know what else to do. Now I’m just sitting here still hungry and tired just thinking about what an idiot I am. +I have been investing only in index funds until this point and I was looking to move into dividend centric stocks or funds. After doing some research AGNC appeared fo be a solid and trusted dividend stock. As I understand a lower dividend usually is in line with lower risk and their dividend of almost 9% worries me as it would eluded to higher risk, right? But my research presents AGNC as a fairly safe option. Am I missing something? Do you guys have any opinions one way or the other? +Record: Nov. 2 + +Spinoff-date/"pay date": Nov. 12 + +[Realty Income And VEREIT Announce Anticipated Closing Date For Merger And Realty Income Sets Record And Distribution Dates For Spin-Off](https://www.realtyincome.com/investors/press-releases/press-release-details/2021/Realty-Income-And-VEREIT-Announce-Anticipated-Closing-Date-For-Merger-And-Realty-Income-Sets-Record-And-Distribution-Dates-For-Spin-Off/default.aspx) +About 2 weeks ago I hit an all-time-high! Now I'm down $100K, ouch. That being said, my loses are 50% of the market's. I have 20% cash ready to deploy. I am waiting for the most part for the bleeding to stop. But I did buy CSCO, CAG and DVN today. The only stocks I've sold were an over allocation in PFE and RBLX. Stay strong and think of the discounted prices your reinvested dividends will be buying. +Hello all, + +I recently have began investing my money (22M) and was excited about dividends and specifically dividends in this macroeconomic environment. It seems intuitive to me that dividend stocks outperform the market when the market is flat or negative. According to my (extremely brief) research, however, this doesn't seem to be the case. [Here](https://imgur.com/a/sMRw7q9) is daily, dividend adjusted, returns of SCHD vs SPY vs SPHD. + +I pulled these numbers from capiq and don't know how to share an excel file, but it seems clear that spy outperforms schd even after taking dividends into account. Why not just buy the market and sell bits of your investment off as needed? I am not attacking anyone here just am genuinely curious why one would invest in schd if it just objectively underperforms spy. + +Funny enough I actually have equal parts schd and spy in my portfolio right now, I am just trying to figure out what the argument for dividend etfs and specifically schd is. Are there tax benefits I am unaware of? Am I looking at the data the wrong way? Let's discuss in the comments! +Could you explain why has it dropped over 40% from peak a few months ago. I know its a bear market with everything crashing but I thought dividend stocks tend to be more safe especially REITS as they’re supposed to often move independently of the stock market just like how O moves in a whole different trend than the the stock market. Also, what makes you think it’s still good despite the crash when other REIT like O had much less severe crash +I, a 16 year old just starting out in the market, I have 3 main index funds I’m investing in (Voo, Vti, and schd), along with 13 different stocks for various reasons, some for payout, some for growth. Is this too much diversification? How many stocks should I own? +I’m 24 and starting out in most areas of my life. I’m considering selling individual stocks I bought in my Fidelity individual account and putting everything in my Fidelity Roth IRA. I’ve bought a bit of SCHD in my Roth and am planning to reinvest dividends and leave it alone (same with my majority FZROX and FZILX). + +I could also add to SCHD in my Roth and let my stocks in my individual ride for a while with dividends reinvested. My thought process is, I’m not going to make enough to max out my Roth for another few years, so would it be better to move everything to my Roth and let it grow tax free? It might be better to sell from my individual now and pay the tax on the smaller earnings. + +Dividend stocks I own roughly $20 each in: YELP, VZ, STAG, SBUX, PG, PFE, PEP, O, MED, MCD, LRCX, JPM, JNJ, INTC, EPR, DFS, CSCO, CAT, CRM, AXP. +hello I am 19 years old and I have 500 dollars in a Roth Ira and 15k in a regular account. I been investing for about a year and it has become difficult looking at the total amount and thinking to my self "So much money for such little in return", my expected dividend income is $400 (30ish percent of my stocks are growth like Apple). I don't even see the dividend it's all auto invested back into he company. So here I am a 19 year old with no expenses and a job, the more my net worth increase the less I feel like I'm actually doing something with my life. What do you guys think I should do? All I see are numbers going up and down, I actually Haven't made any money that I can use. + +Edit- My fricking tittle, my brain auto read it correctly +Exxon Mobil on Friday posted its biggest quarterly profit in more than a year that also sailed past analysts' estimates, boosted by higher oil prices and record earnings at its chemicals business. + +The upbeat results following a contested board fight over the company’s direction quelled some investor concerns and highlighted how oil producers are taking advantage of a recovery in oil prices to cut debt and boost shareholder payouts rather than spend more to raise production." + +Exxon said its 2021 capital spending is expected to be at the lower end of the previously forecast range of $16 billion to $19 billion. + +Exxon again used higher cash flow to pare a massive debt built up to preserve its shareholder dividend amid historic losses. The company cut debt by $2.7 billion, bringing total reductions to about $7 billion since the end of 2020. + +The company also reiterated its pledge to cut costs further, saying it was on pace to achieve total cost savings of $6 billion through 2023 relative to 2019. In the first half of 2021 Exxon cut over $1 billion in costs, it said, on top of reductions of $3 billion in 2020. + +Exxon earned $1.10 per share in the second quarter, beating analysts’ average estimate of 99 cents per share, according to Refinitiv IBES data. The company foreshadowed the results in late June, prompting several analysts to reduce their earning projections. + + +For more: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/exxon-posts-highest-profit-more-than-year-2021-07-30/ +Hey all, + +we all saw the famous battle royale where at the end "safe pick" companies with great value and good financial stats, but kind of low dividend yield remained. + +To "counter" those low yield/high value stocks in my portfolio I´d like to also invest in some companies with higher yields but still kind of good financials and value that won\`t decrease in Stock price and still have a little growth or at least move constantly sideways. + +I´m specifically not asking for ETF\`s in this post :) + +Currently I´m invested at: + +TC Energy Corp (TRP) - Current yield 6.16 - Utility Company (Pipelines) - Stock existing for 30+ years with constantly kind of good looking numbers + +The Southern Company (SO) - Current yield 4.06% - Utility Company ( electricity + gas) - Stock existing for 30+ years with constantly kind of good looking numbers + +Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) - Current yield 4.64% - Bank business - constant growth for 20+ years - More Cash than Debt - Low P/E of 11.12 + +Philip Morris (PM) - current yield 5.45 % - Tabaco industry - Mostly moving sideways for 10+ years - P/E of 16.04 + +AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) - current yield 4.46% - Pharmaceutical industry - constant growth for about 9 years + +Realty Income Corp (O) - current yield 4.41% - REIT - Constant growth for 20+ years - Monthly distributing dividends + +Mainstreet Capital (MAIN) - current yield 5.92% - private equity - Moving sideways for the last 10 years - Monthly distributing dividends + +Iron Mountain (IRM) - current yield 5.11% - safe data storage - growing for about 20+ years. + +Companies I dont like are: + +AT&T + +Exxon Mobile + +Altria + +&#x200B; + +Do you guys have recommendations or other hidden gems that yield above 4%? I think you get what I mean by saying "kind of good financials" - I just dont want those ultra risky equity companies and also no companies that constantly trend downwards. + +Also please let me know if any of those listed companies are not as good as I think for any reason. I´m absolutely no expert :D + +&#x200B; + +\*Edit - forgot Iron Mountain in my initial post +I have about $7k in dividend paying stocks on RH. I don’t plan on needing those funds anytime soon, but the apparent inability to liquidate and cash out worries me. There seems to be a major hassle even transferring RH to other brokers at this time. Would I be better served to leave that account alone and just not adding more to it, or to actually go through the process of a transfer? +Turning 40 this year and have been disappointed in the "treading water" (losing 25%) of my mutual funds the past 4 years. My 401k was heavy in growth funds (mostly tech) but 4 years ago I left my company for a startup with no 401k. + +Since, I rolled into an IRA, been contributing, and have grown the account to +$200k. This year crushed me (as it did many) and I want to get in at the bottom of some growth/dividend companies. + +With retirement 15-20 years out, where should I be looking to move roughly $150k? + +My initial thought was to go big and roll $100k into JEPI and just keep reinvesting the dividend. From there, should I look at something like SCHD ($25K) & TECL ($25K)? + +Also, what should be done with new cash going into the account? + +The goal is to grow into a $50k/year dividend in the next 10-years. Realistic? + +Any direction is appreciated. Thanks! +Turning 40 this year and have been disappointed in the "treading water" (losing 25%) of my mutual funds the past 4 years. My 401k was heavy in growth funds (mostly tech) but 4 years ago I left my company for a startup with no 401k. + +Since, I rolled into an IRA, been contributing, and have grown the account to +$200k. This year crushed me (as it did many) and I want to get in at the bottom of some growth/dividend companies. + +With retirement 15-20 years out, where should I be looking to move roughly $150k? + +My initial thought was to go big and roll $100k into JEPI and just keep reinvesting the dividend. From there, should I look at something like SCHD ($25K) & TECL ($25K)? + +Also, what should be done with new cash going into the account? + +The goal is to grow into a $50k/year dividend in the next 10-years. Realistic? + +Any direction is appreciated. Thanks! +So I currently have a bunch of shares in PSEC (Prospect Capital) because they pay a consistent $0.06 monthly dividend per share. After moving my position to TD Ameritrade, I noticed that I was able to reinvest my dividends back for a discounted share price. It was approximately 5%. + +That being said, do you guys have any other stocks or investments that allow you to reinvest for an immediate discount through this method? So far, I have only seen PSEC and would love to hear more possibilities! +So as title suggests, I came across GOOD and started my DD, as I would like to add it to my Portfolio. Pretty impressed with the dividend, stock, company in general. But then i see a 1668.67% payout ratio and alarm bells start ringing. +Am I missing something? Would appreciate any thoughts. Thanks in advance +Estate agent "Valuing properties in your road" and offering a "no strings attached" on the sale value of my property. Should I do it? What are the pros and cons? + +Estate agents can be quite scammy and wondering what's the catch. Maybe they'll know I guess that I am potentially warm to selling. +Today is my 22nd birthday and I feel absolutely conflicted about every aspect of my life, financial and in general and I need somewhere to write this down and get it out as I cannot articulate how I feel in a conversation with anybody in real time as there is just too much.  + +I have been employed the past 9 months on a 16k a year job but only have 4k to show for it. I live with my parents and know I am lucky to be able to do so. I haven't been committing to saving as I honestly don't believe anybody can make it anymore and I need someone to tell me I am overreacting. + +My 20 year old car failed its MOT yesterday and looking at a £500 fix which I do not feel willing to repair as it will just fall apart again after failing last year for a different reason and year before that. Buying a second hand car at the moment is also something I don't want to do as it feels like that too will just fall apart as well as all second hand cars shooting up in price the past 6 months. I did so much research before buying my previous car and it's history made it seem absolutely solid and its like the second I took over it just fell apart. Leasing a car seems like an absolute scam, 150-200 a month for 3-5 years and they may not even offer to sell it to you in the end after you have sunk £10k+ into it. + +As mentioned previously I am living with my parents which I am aware I am incredibly lucky to be in this position but I just feel as if my life is going nowhere. + +I always wanted to have my own little smallholding(house with a bit of land) outside of the towns/cities as i like the outdoors and it is annoying having to travel an hour just to be able to go for a country walk. Now after covid and every business has realised it doesn't have to rent office space and everyone is remote working and do not have to commute the prices of rural property have absolutely skyrocketed. They are rising faster then I can keep up with a deposit for them even if I was on 25k+ a year. So at the moment saving is just watching numbers go up on a screen, I have nothing tangeable to come home to after work that is my own. Watching numbers go up doesn't cut it and I'm absolutely terrified of hyperinflarion and then everything I do save one day just becomes worthless before I have chance to buy a property. + +I haven't even put an ounce of thought into a pension as I genuinely don't believe I can afford to and I just don't think I'll live to see it. Either through rising retirement age or through society collapsing before then from climate change or social unrest. This one gets me the most as I can't talk to anybody about it. I just do not believe I will live a normal life until 70+ there are too many variables and too many crisis something will give and then none of this will matter anyway. + +Back on topic, Add to all that it seems like the cost of everything is going up and wages just aren't as well as the value of my savings going down with inflation what the hell am I supposed to do? How are you supposed to manage deposit for a house and rising cost of living and pension pot and emergency fund and still live a life on top of that and try to forget that the whole world is on borrowed time anyway? + +Nevermind being able afford a family. Jesus christ thinking about that just seems pointless. + +TLDR: life feels like it isn't going anywhere, no motivation to save, don't know what to prioritize between deposit for a house/pension pot/ emergency fund +Looking for a bit of impartial advice. + +My wife is about to come into £6k and for us this is big money + +Our credit scores are poor, we live in rented accommodation and she has a number of loans and credit cards details of which she won't share + +She wants to go on a holiday and pay off a loan or rent a premise for her business + +I suggested some how getting on the property ladder + +Any advice would be helpful +How does ORTEX expect any of their data to be correct and believable? They charge significant amounts of money for a product that, they are admitting now, is flawed. + +I have a few questions now that they are confessing to inaccurate data- + +1) how many of their partners, pre-investigation, were giving bad information, and would they have ever known this? + +2) how can they charge money, now that they have admitted that they have a shit product? + +-And- + +3) if they want to still claim that their product is good and factual, is all of this “investigation” complete BS? + +Because you can’t have it both ways. Either you are a good source of paid information and are really scared that the information released was true + +OR + +Your investigations have uncovered that the information you have been providing is absolute bull and you, as a service, are useless. + +Which one is it? +long story short is, my mother racked up 10,000$ on my credit cards which i barely used (she was an authorized user), all while i was a full-time uni student and had barely any hours at work, and she would promise to pay back everything but that never came and will never (also her phone is under my name, I paid her phone and she would pay the monthly payments but of course not, so I'm stuck with that for a year) but thats a story for another time... + +I called the bank and told them to remove my mother as an authorized user and at the same time asked if it was possible to remove the cash back/rewards on the cards and lower the interest rate 20,99 to 10,99, I worked hard and paid off all my CC debt and with investment money I had kept long term but now back to scratch... months after when I was comfortable with how to handle a credit card, I called the bank and asked them to add back the rewards which brought the interest back up. Therefore, they would send new cards at my home and would just need to throw out the old ones. Once the new ones arrived, I noticed they sent extra ones under my mothers name, didn't bother and just left them in the envelop in my room. + +Now to backtrack, I haven't seen my mother since she left which is roughly a year now, but I know she keeps tabs with my sisters and probably when she came over to see my sisters, that's when she took the credit card under her name without me noticing... As of now she racked up 1,600$ in 6 days... I don't look my account everyday and didn't have any reasons too... but noticed when my statement came in... I am rambling but what can I do, do I have to again bare the consequences? + +Technically, the card gave her authorization but on the other I had canceled her card and removed her as an authorized user months ago with the bank... can the bank refund me what she racked up? this is driving nuts honestly, worked so hard to be debt free and now feels like it's for nothing... worked my score from 600 to 728 as of today... + +Please no judgement, only advice on what can be done... living in Canada, bank with BMO + +Going to be asking at legaladvice as well +found this and it was good. + +[original post](https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/zxhpob/bloomberg_credit_market_cracks_widen_as/) + +More debt has fallen into "distressed" trading levels, meaning investors are getting worried they're not going to be paid back for lending money to large companies. Distressed debt in the US alone jumped more than 300% in 12 months to more than $270 billion. Globally, almost $650 billion of bonds and loans are in distressed territory. + +Link: [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-28/credit-market-cracks-widen-as-distressed-debt-nears-650-billion](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-28/credit-market-cracks-widen-as-distressed-debt-nears-650-billion) + +NOTE: To bypass paywall, try [removepaywall.com](https://removepaywall.com) or [archive.ph](https://archive.ph) +Hi r/stocks, + +Looking to shed a few positions in my portfolio (i.e., SE and SQ) and take advantage of bargains. I've taken it on the chin with each, and don't see the point of holding the bag when I could cut losses and put what remains into a bargain "value" tech stock. + +META looks appealing with a multiple of 14. However, I am a bit concerned about the PEG ratio, indicating that it still might be overvalued. Looking at their last few quarters, revenues are declining. That said, I still think they are a tech powerhouse, so looking to hear what the hive mind has to say. + +As an alternative, also looking at GOOG, which also has a great multiple of 17 and a lower PEG ratio than META. Looks very undervalued at the moment as well. +I’m 26 yrs old and I just feel so disheartened about my finances. + + +I come from a rough area in London, lived in a council house and was on free school meals. + +I did everything that they tell you to do in school to be successful went uni, got a decent job (37k) but money is still an issue for me. + +Between paying for bills, my car helping my family, I have hardly any money left at the end of the month. + +I can’t imagine buying a nice house having a decent car and to just have the ability to live semi comfortable. + +Really just wanna hear how others turned things around for themselves because it just seems impossible. + +I know I’m better off than a lot other people but trust me 37k is a modest salary in London. +Someone aged 83 has received funds from the sale of overseas property, around £350-400k. I know that the normal advice is on the lines of 50% equity/bonds in Vanguard but would this guidance be modified given her age eg 4% fixed deposit plus a portion easy access savings? + +She will leave the funds to her 2 children on her passing. +Hello my fellow apes, + +I come to you in hopes to find others in situations like myself for motivational purposes. I’ve been holding GME since the sneeze and have been doing my best to continue to keep my shares. Honestly though, I could really use this Moass soon. My credit cards are maxed out, I have debt aside from that, and on top of that all of the monthly bills don’t help. I work in a factory running brake press and today it was 120 degrees inside. For 10 hours I felt like absolute death and felt as though I’d faint. Getting a new job would be ideal, but my issue is I can’t even afford to go inbetween work because of the delay of the new paycheck from the employer. With prices continuing to skyrocket and my check remaining the same, I don’t really know what to do anymore. I haven’t had any money to spend on myself or my wife and daughter for months. We live paycheck to paycheck to put it nicely at this point. No matter what I’d never sell my GameStop shares, but I really hope that the time of phone numbers for stock numbers comes soon. I love you all and thank you for continuing to help motivate me to be a better ape every day. Sorry if anybody took this as fud, I’m just so tired of feeling alone. +# Daily Smooth Brain Jungle + +Talk about whatever you want, just follow the subreddit rules. + +*Please let smooth brain apes know about the daily discussion for wrinkle brains so they can take their conversation there if needed, and report comments that may need moderator attention. We will make attempts to politely redirect discussion, but will moderate further if necessary.* + +# 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) + +If you see mistakes in the wiki, or need to contact moderators, [please send us a Modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/Superstonk). + +Please review the [**Superstonk Rules**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/rules) before commenting or posting on r/Superstonk. + +*Daily Smooth Brain Jungle discussion threads are created at 4:20 a.m. EDT* + +**Welcome to the Daily General Discussion thread.** + +- +*** +- + +**Disclaimer:** + +Moderation is less stringent in this thread since it is exempted from the karma and age requirements. Therefore, consider all information posted here with a pinch of salt, and always cross check with known sources what information you find. Any trade information posted in this open thread may be highly misleading, and could be an attempt to manipulate new readers by known "pump and dump (PnD) groups" for their own profit. BEWARE of such practices and excercise utmost caution before acting on any trade tip mentioned here. + +**PnDs and brigades are not sanctioned by the mod team in any way as they violate [rule III](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/about/rules/). If you discover this thread is being used for these activities, bring it to the mod teams's notice via the [modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FCryptoCurrency).** + +*** + +**Guidelines:** + +* Questions, debates, meta issues, etc are all welcome. +* Breaking news should be posted separately from this thread. + +*** + +**Rules:** + +* All [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/about/rules/) apply in this thread except for the karma and age requirements. Anyone can participate. +* Discussion topics must be related to cryptocurrency. +* Comments will be sorted by newest first. + +*** + +**Resources and Tools:** + +* To view live streaming comments for this thread, [click here](https://reddit-stream.com/comments/auto). Account permissions are required to post comments through Reddit-Stream.com. +* Click the RES subscribe button below if you would like to be notified when comments are posted. +* Consider checking out our Weekly Skeptics Thread for discussion focused solely on critical analysis. [Click here](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/search?q=Weekly+Skeptics+selftext%3Acontroversial&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and select the latest thread on the search listing. + +- +*** +- + +Thank you in advance for your participation. Enjoy! + + + +Yesterday we had fee estimation algorithms showing 430 sat/byte (!!!!) + +That's a **huge** price for block space. I remember being impressed when it got to 50 sat/b. This is something else entirely. And there's no sign of stopping, fee rates could easily reach 500 sat/b, then 1000 sat/b then 2000 sat/b and who knows where else. + +Bitcoin is a swiss bank account in your pocket, allowing you to store value away from the prying eyes and hands of any possible enemy. That is well worth paying for, so make no mistake that fee rates won't climb higher. + +------- + +You have to realize that businesses are hurt most by this. Because they receive many small coin payments and must create large-sized transaction to combine them all up into one large coin. + +These businesses are rapidly being presented with a choice, they can: + +1. Go out of business + +2. Enforce a user-activated-soft-fork for segwit block size increase + + +We can talk about the details: whether we want to UASF segwit or kill asicboost or both at the same time. Whether we want to do it by BIP148 or BIP149 or some other method. These can be figured out but by far the most important thing is **agreeing to actually do it**. UASF works when a large part of the economic majority says they will reject blocks that don't follow the rules they want. As long as enough of the economy agrees to do it together, and doesn't back down, the miners **have to** fall in line. + +We know that UASF worked on other altcoins. Litecoiners were ready to do a UASF [and it resulted in them getting segwit](https://np.reddit.com/r/litecoin/comments/66omhr/litecoin_global_roundtable_resolution/dgk2thk/?context=3). UASF also delivered the goods for [Vertcoin](https://np.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/692mi3/in_test_case_uasf_results_in_miner_consensus/dh3cm34/?context=1) + +------ + +Some of the businesses most affected by high fees have already nailed their colours to the mast of UASF. + +Bitrefill is a site that sells mobile phone credit for bitcoin worldwide, they claim to do 15000 transactions per months [and they are willing, able and eager for UASF](https://twitter.com/bitrefill/status/851818821946048512). + +Abra is a global money transfer site that uses bitcoin, [and they too support UASF](https://twitter.com/billbarhydt/status/851855874855391232). + +BitKong is a bitcoin casino [who supports UASF](https://bitkong.com/segwit.txt). + +Bitrated is a bitcoin consumer protection site that allows bitcoin commerce with escrow, [and it fully supports UASF](https://twitter.com/bitrated/status/852414265134907392). + +*My fellow bitcoiners, ask not what bitcoin can do for you, ask how many pro-UASF dank memes you can post every 24 hours.* + +edit: yes the title is screwed up, should be "higher". got it wrong in my excitement and you know what i mean +I’m a marketing consultant, based in the UK, operating a UK limited company. + +One of my clients is a non-profit tech product in the mental health space, based in the United States. They rely on donors to fund their company. + +One of the donors, as part of their donation, has donated $2500 to each member of the team (which includes me) to go toward activities that support our own mental well-being. + +They are transferring this directly into my US bank account (Wise). I usually transfer income from them directly from here to my UK limited company account. + +On this occasion, this isn’t really business ‘income’… it’s a personal gift for personal use… what’s the best way to account for this? Can I just transfer the amount from my Wise account to my personal bank account? + +Will that be classed as taxable income that I’ll have to pay corporation and personal tax on? + +Should HMRC ever need it, I have clear paper trails for all of this, and will have receipts for the PT sessions I’ll use it for. + +What about if I ‘gift’ the money from Wise to my mother’s account and she purchases the personal training sessions? Can that work or would that just pass the tax onto her? (I don’t want that) + +Or could I transfer it from Wise into an account I never use or account for, like a new Monzo card, and use that? How would HMRC have any visibility over what goes into my Wise or my Monzo? Unless they have some sort of master system. + +EDIT: Thanks for all the advice, Reddit. Your perspectives have definitely made me realise this is taxable income and so I’ll treat it as such. +Long time lurker. Not really PF but lots of smart people here. + +In the Navy, going away for 6 months this year. Looking for ideas to use my downtime wisely and improve my skillset. Will have a laptop but internet access will be patchy at best. As creative as you like! + +Thanks +There’s more to decentralization than using BTC + +I see these people all the time, and I’m sure you do as well. People who think that once they’ve moved on to using BTC, they’re forever freed of taxes, institutions, the government, and ‘big brother’. Well it doesn’t work that way, and those a little more experienced in crypto will tend to agree. + +Bitcoin was an experiment, it went well but it still has a long way to go. Bitcoin isn’t anonymous, it’s pseudonymous, anyone who can find one address of yours, can track your entire search history. + +Something else Bitcoin has to work on, is the largeholder control. A few whales control the majority of the market. Decentralized organizations have already solved this using DAOs. You see when you use a DAO, take BitDAO for example, you don’t have to put your trust in the hands of a few sketchy men. + +Instead, you are given the choice of handing your confidence to the entirety of the public. No honest man is in power, and no power is given to an honest man. You can’t trust humans to control your fortunes. You too, should handle a share of the responsibility of the fortunes of yours as well as others, and that’s how DAOs work. + +If you only trust politicians to rule and soldiers to fight, then don’t be surprised when war is fought by fools and governments are ruled by cowards. +What are some of the good live chat/forums to discuss a specific stock ? Looking for something that has a dedicated chat thread for every stock where I can go through folks comments to get a general idea/news of what’s going around for not-so-popular names. + +I have looked at Stock twits but that is just a collection of tweets around the stocks, looking for something that looks more like a discussion forum +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/lm0c0ss4q5i61.png?width=1782&format=png&auto=webp&s=e64975a637539e3b5ae794e1c07e46e6dde49df3 + +Scanning through my charts so here's some take-it-or-leave-it TA on Z1P. For starters, I'm holding and looking for an entry point to double down. The rectangle around 6.50 is where Z1P liked to hang around for a few months which seems to be where the markets agreed it was fairly valued. This recent 150% spike gives the tingly feelings but seemed a little pump-and-dumpy (was it based on expansion news? Even the CEO was confused by the jump). It got to $14.60 which is where I should have sold but didn't and has since pulled back and been scooped up again around $11 bucks. If it doesn't hold here though over the next week or two to establish a new baseline then I can see it crashing back down the supports without much resistance. If the $11 and $10 psychological supports don't hold up then $7.50 and $6.50 would be possible once the memehype moves somewhere else (EXR had a nice bump today - maybe off that awesome Redditor's DD?). I'm waiting on the sideline with some more cash to throw into Z1P but want to see where the price settles. The Fibbos here would suggest $10 then $9 then $7.50 are the next legs down before the next pumpy pump. + +&#x200B; +This is definitely a buy and hold, and not to get Ausfinnance all y’all hoes but the potential for immediate explosion any day now. With only the results of the testing to be announced (which the ceo said is more of a formality at this point), and from that contracts can be signed, it is bound to blow any time in the next weeks and few months. I’d highly recommend putting even a bit in and letting it sit a little bit. +It is said, that insiders are borrowing at low interest rates ,to speculate on stocks and get a higher return. This pumps up the stocks world wide and later when the US FED will raise rates, this won't be possible. It will first notify insiders who will dump the stocks ahead of a rate rise and this will panic the stock market. + +The question arises, is how much do the illuminati own in stocks around the world. As most us know, if the US market crashes it, takes us down too. + +As most of us know, algorithms are part of trades ,we see in day in and out, doing tiny trades in the course of sales. It is said you trade against or with algos 70% of the time or higher. + +&#x200B; + +[View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/rx9w3a) +To those pumping VOR, wtf? Any idea why they’d sell their main cyber businesses and leave a part ownership in an indian ATM business? + +https://www.afr.com/technology/cybercx-set-to-close-17th-acquisition-intent-to-make-its-mark-20201015-p565j4 + +I think I asked this before but never got an answer - whats the opposite emoji of rockets? +I’m looking for options to invest in what I believe will be a boom in skilled migration. I moved from Germany to Perth in 2010 to rake in those sweet mining dollars and what I’m seeing at the moment in terms of labour shortage in WA probably surpasses that period. Not only are we short on skilled migration, we have restaurants closed or on short opening hours on every street corner due to staff shortages. Rio and BHP have active programs recruiting in the UK and Ireland, Marky McGowan is flying around the world sprinkling WA as the place to be and the federal government is now turning towards migration post election. The question is, how do I invest in what I see as a medium term trend. And ASX listed migration law firms? Particular housing? +Hey Guys, reaching out as I'm not content to just lose my personal wealth. Would love to be able to lose my Super as well. I'm currently with one of the big Super Funds where you can only choose their investment options with gay returns of -5% to 10% (if your lucky). + +I have about 60k super and was wondering if any of you know of any super funds where you can actually choose your own shares in the ASX or US stock market without stupid ass fees. +Being pretty new here, and investing in general, I have started in Jan 2022 and mostly slecet investments on some key fundamental analysis and then some due delligence. + +&#x200B; + +What I have noted here in ASX\_Bets a lot of speculative mining stock investment and wanted to see where to learn more about this aspect, espeically understanding things like drill reports, what they mean, what are the macro drivers, the path to production etc. +Your markets are run by bots. Now your daily threads are too. + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related.](http://discord.gg/2sQBNuM) +I dont get it. crickets. increase in sales so who forgot to push the launch button ? anyone else watching or have anything to add maybe a match to light the fuse ? +Just curious as to much much other Australians are making day trading, and how much $$ they buy and sell during the day. Also small price stocks are your favourite to day trade. +I'm just starting out and put in $2000 and usually make about $60 on average a day. Ik it's not much at all but it's a start. +Also would u recommend day trading US stocks from Aus +TIA +Your markets are run by bots. Now your daily threads are too. + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related.](http://discord.gg/2sQBNuM) +I just put down the biggest punt of my life on bbus. Wish me luck fellow autists. + +The bear case is: + - don't know if you guys have noticed but they have fucking riots in the streets right now. + - there's also a pretty nasty bit of lurgy going round that seems to be putting a damper on the economy. + +The bull case is: + - J pow the print machine. + - priced in? True for the virus but apparently not for the riots? + +I'm betting gay bear gravity will win (eventually). + +Someone please change my mind on this so I can save my money, my marriage and my future 🙃🐻🐨. +I'm OG, I've been in since September 2020, I bought shares at $8. + +But all this time I've been sat on the sidelines with my broker Trading212. +You see my shares are held in an ISA Account which means it's tax free whenever I sell my shares and take profit and because of the shitiness of the broker I can't transfer my shares out. I have to sell in order to re-purchase elsewhere. +So I never DRS'd, after all - MOASS is predicated on the fact all these synthetics need to be bought back + +But that ends now. + + + +I've opened an IBKR account, purchased 1 GME share and DRS'd it. +Once my Computershare account is active and confirmed I'll be getting a loan for the current price of my total GME shares and re-purchasing my shares through CS. + +I've been sat on the sidelines too long and it's been painfully clear for a while now that DRS really is the way forward. + +I just didn't want to admit it to myself that I would lose tax free status by going DRS. + +But if I get screwed by my broker, what's tax-free status on 0 anyway. + + +DRS incoming. +1. Self driving being exposed as fraud by new documentary [mainstream press](https://www.npr.org/2022/05/20/1100022168/elon-musks-crash-course-new-york-times-fx-hulu-twitter-tesla-self-driving-cars) ? +2. TSLA booted from ESG index +3. Ongoing Twitter fiasco +4. [Sexual misconduct coverup exposed](https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-paid-250000-to-a-flight-attendant-who-accused-elon-musk-of-sexual-misconduct-2022-5) ? +5. [Another Telsa crash death being investigated by NHTSA](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tesla-crash-california-under-investigation-135120830.html) + +Bonus: Right wing political stance [alienating largely Democratic customer base?](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/20/tesla-boss-elon-musk-blasts-biden-democrats-on-twitter-.html) + +&#x200B; + +This is good for TSLA, right? LOL +This proposal is on behalf of u/that_one_indian_dude, you can see their original proposal and reasoning in r/CryptoCurrencyMeta [here.](https://new.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrencyMeta/comments/np7mmz/proposal_increase_the_karma_requirements/) + +&#x200B; + +Currently we require 50 comment karma and a minimum account age of 30 days to comment in r/CryptoCurrency. In order to submit a post, we require 500 comment karma and an account age of at least 60 days. This proposal would not make any changes to the account age requirements, but would increase the comment karma requirement for commenting from 50 to 500. If this proposal passes the new requirements would be as follows: + +\- For commenting: 500 comment karma and 30 days account age + +\- For posting: 500 comment karma and 60 days account age + +&#x200B; + +Users with the special membership for r/CryptoCurrency will still be exempt from the karma and age requirements. + +[View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/nwnwfo) +Thanks to everyone who helped with our last topic: "Budget Templates" + +In continuation of our communal wiki build, today I would like to know: "**What do you want people to know about the food stamp program?**" + +I will post tables in the wiki with income guidelines and maximum/minimum benefit information, but I want additional information that is helpful for people in poverty. What should they know about the program? + +As a reminder, **I'm posting a topic on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and soliciting advice from the community.** I'll take your suggestions and build them into a wiki page for each topic. Once we've built up a foundation we'll go live with the wiki and I'll solicit feedback for additional topics/gaps to fill. + +Check back frequently-- even if you aren't experienced with the current topic there will be some that you can likely contribute to in the future. + +Thanks again for helping improving our community. +I've been in the crypto game since 2015. I started with £1500 (Roughly $2000) and in the boom of late 2017 I had managed to accumulate over £155,000/$200,000 mostly from bitcoin. Life changing amount of money right? The things I could have done. The best holiday I could have bought. The nicest sports car I could buy brand new instead of buying a second hand cheap runaround. Shit that amount of money could have paid off my mortgage. Thats past me now though and the hurt is mostly gone, but here's what I did wrong; + +1) When bitcoins dominance started to dwindle I tried splitting the investment into a bunch of different alts that I didnt research nearly enough. I was just eyeballing graphs crudely predicting their movement. Through doing this, my initial £155,000 turned into about £80,000 from the market flopping whereas if I had just kept it sitting in BTC I would have still had a solid £140,000 + +2) I was looking at the amount in $ and not the amount in BTC. After getting smacked up by alts I decided it would be best to move back into Bitcoin but the market was still in a bit of a crisis. There was massive volatility and so I started trying to day trade my BTC. If I thought another big drop was coming I'd sell. It would climb. I buy back in fomo, same amount in dollars as I had before, but less BTC, then it would fall. + +After things had settled I was left with around £4000. + +Things to take away from this / TL;DR: + +1) Research the fuck out of an alt before diving headfirst. Read whitepapers, think how a project could actual develope and are the devs actively working on their alt with a road map ahead. + +2) If you start panicking in dips but plan to hold crypto long term DO NOT try and play the charts and predict buy and sell points to minimise losses if you don't know what you're doing. Its dangerous and you'll more than likely end up worse of than if you had left it. Just hold it out and forget about it if you plan to stay. + +I have a lot more experience since then on reading charts and purchased an online course specifically for reading candlestick formations. I enjoy futures trading now and im happy with my overall gains this time around. Heres to a long and prosperous bullrun friends. +Good Afternoon Y’all. This is an ELI5 on the GME saga so far. Links will be in the comments to keep with the ELI5 aspect of this DD series. This is the introduction to my DD series explaining the markets and regulations as if you are new to stocks. Feel free to share with new apes and interested friends and most of all ask questions. + +**Introduction:** + +This is not financial advice. I just like the stock and want financial terrorists in jail. + +**TLDR: Buy Hold DRS Vote all your GameStop shares and watch as Wallstreet panics and starts regulating/jailing itself while we get rich. As far as corporations are concerned you don’t own shares in your retirement and brokerage accounts. So DRS with the transfer agent from your brokerage account to legally own your shares.** + + +**I. Why invest in GameStop?** + +GameStop is a retail company specializing in Gaming and collectibles. The company has a strong storefront presence in the United States and minor presence internationally. In the last year they have invested heavily to become an e-commerce giant. + +GameStop is creating new technology to be able to integrate collectibles into video games. The GameStop NFT marketplace is in its infancy but NFT wallets are now available for Chrome, iOS (iPhone) and android phones. + +Partnerships and development hint that it may become a stock exchange hosted on blockchain. It would be a financial revolution of real time settlement of digital stock certificates. + +A Congressional investigation report and a lawsuit proved that GME was 226% short in January 2021. Most reporting of the time said the shorters had covered their position. That means the short position remains open but it is no longer naked. So this rocket will take off again we’re just waiting for a fuse. + + +**II. Why DRS (Direct Registration System) all your stock?** + +There are many more rights to being a legal owner to a share than the right to obtain a dividend from the company. When a person DRS or buy’s directly from the transfer agent of the company they own a share outright in their name. The shares are in their own name, they vote directly with the company and the dividend is paid directly to them. + +However, shares that are not DRS’d are in street name. This means that legally your broker owns the shares. BUT through the contract you signed when opening your account with the broker and US securities laws you may have gained a right to a dividend, a vote, and a couple other benefits. You are the beneficiary owner of a share but you ARE NOT a shareholder in the company. + +If your broker where to go bankrupt like in another 2008 bank meltdown scenario your broker’s insurance would pay you back the dollar amount that your shares were worth. In this scenario, because you never owned shares, you were only the beneficial owner, you get up to the insurance maximum amount your broker carried usually $250,000. The insurance company may take years to pay you if you are paid at all. + +If Apes are correct and one share of GameStop will go up atlest 100 times in price again like it did in January 2021, then by buying 100 shares of GameStop you will easily hit the maximum insurance amount that a broker insured you for. However, the most committed apes who have read the due diligence (what we often call DD) only plan to sell one share for millions and HOLD in DRS the rest of their shares as the company can create the technology to revolutionize Wallstreet. This brings us to our next topic. + + + +**III. Liquidate Wallstreet** + +What keeps a large international diverse group with diverse political interest and different strata’s of society interested in a single stock for almost two years? + +Apes common enemy Wallstreet corruption. The enemy is the system itself, as it’s been set up not necessarily the people who run it. In GME there is no politics only stonks. + +Wallstreet let’s family offices and hedge funds cause international calamity but when independent retail traders exchange information about companies and beat the system it is stopped mid take off. Apes evolved from seeking quick riches to seeking long term value with a side of vengeance after the January 2021 GameStop squeeze was stopped by the brokers. + +The long term value is that the company is using its retail business resources to become a technology company. + +Apes vengeance or in other words making Wallstreet rules more transparent and fair for small retail traders and investors. In doing so, it is undermining the shadows and loopholes that financial companies use to fleece pensions, retirement accounts and retail investors. + +For over a year Apes have researched, analyzed and peer-reviewed diverse topics to understand this convoluted financial system. There’s a few weaknesses retail investors can use to sefaguard the future of global markets like the SEC Whistleblower program and commenting on financial regulation changes. + +The biggest weakness in Wallstreet is DRS the Direct Registration System. Why? Because it removes share liquidity from the stock market while the business retail invest in and believe in is not negatively affected by the move. DRS ensures a broker, prime brokers and the chain of financial institutions above it does not use retail share/investment to bet against them by using retails beneficiary shares as collateral for their bets or to lend out to short sellers. + + + +**IV. I don’t believe GME (GameStop) is going to the moon why should I care about DRS?** + +All publicly traded stocks on US public exchanges can be DRS. Consider DRS for any stock you plan to hold for a while. Also, consider DRS so that if your broker goes bankrupt you don’t lose your investment. It can take years for insurance companies to pay out after a broker defaults. While you wait to be paid out you will lose acess to your capital. If you are paid out in cash you may not receive any dividends and price appreciation of the stock during the time you waited for the pay out. + + +**V. Conclusion** + +Thousands of APES only hold 1 share of GME because it’s all they can afford. A few Whale Apes own in the tens of thousands of GME shares. Every shareholder matters especially the Apes with one share. + +Join the APEs in the rocket. We’re going to the moon. All it takes is one share of GME. Don’t forget to DRS everything not just GME. + +TADR: 💸🦍🙏💎📓💎🙏💎🚀🌕 +They bumped up mine by £150+ this year for renewal. I phoned up saying I was cancelling and surprise surprise, I get a 'loyalty discount' of £110. Which took the total to £2 per month less than the best quote I got elsewhere. + + +I woke up today pissed as fuck. Those motherfuckers’ only way out is for us to sell. They wanted us to sell at $10, they want us to sell now at $185, and they’ll want us to sell at $69 million. Until we sell, they are trapped in fucking purgatory. I’m sick of the way things are in this damn country. C.R.E.A.M. - Wu-Tang knew what the fuck they were talking about because that’s the fucking truth. Get comfortable, Mayo Man, because you’re stuck in purgatory until I FUCKING SAY SO. + +You do what you want, but I’m going to buy, HODL, and DRS until every last one of them is in prison. Looks like the Bulgarian might be first up. Good start, but that’s not even the tip of the iceberg. Stop trying to get me to settle, because I fucking won’t. + +At the beginning of the year, this was about money for me. Now it’s a fucking revolution. + +End rant +I'm a little surprised that so many people are jumping straight to conspiracy theories in the last 48 hours following the "Willy Report". It especially surprises me because Willy follows the exact same patterns that so many people here have theorized would be done by "whales". + +Imagine you are a high value trader or company. You want to enter bitcoin or increase your position. Do you really think you would simply open up a regular trading account on MtGox, put millions of dollars into your web account, and start making million dollar trades? Absolutely no way. I've worked for two large Wall Street banks, and I can tell you flat out that high value clients have access to products and services that "normal" people do not. High value clients have dedicated staff to service them, they get taken out to dinners and events, they have exceptions done for them, they simply operate outside of the normal world that you and I live in. + +Willy didn't pay fees or fiat because it operated outside the purview of what a normal trader would have to do. High value clients would have direct relationships with MtGox, and would likely have special fee structure in place that they would pay to MtGox separately and at a different time than trades. Willy didn't back up trades with fiat because fiat was likely wired to MtGox separately, in bulk. + +Willy only bought because these high value clients weren't looking to really "trade". They were looking to enter the market, and likely couldn't find enough early adopters off-market to facilitate their needs. So, they had to go on-market. Second Market has publicly stated that they started having issues finding off-market individuals to buy from. What then? Just stop buying? Absolutely not. They instead needed to start coming on-market. However, you can't simply start making buy orders for several millions dollars. So instead, MtGox would offer an automated API that was directly connected to their servers (just like Mark said) and could make small buys at frequent intervals so as to try to not influence the market too much and cause the price to go skyrocketing. + +Willy had "??" in data fields because Willy likely facilitated several different clients at once. There is no grand conspiracy there. + +Again, I'm surprised that people aren't coming to these simple conclusions, especially since this is exactly how all of us have assumed "whales" work. What we're seeing in Willy is exactly what we expected to see in whales. + +Also, does anyone really think that Willy, a bot that was a small percentage of MtGox's volume, could really single-handedly incite an entire bubble when there were at least 2 or 3 other similarly sized exchanges? The truth is that Willy was just one form of high value clients entering the market on *one* exchange. Other exchanges likely have their own forms of "Willies" that contributed to the bubble just like it did on MtGox. And trust me, those "Willies" are no more conspiratorial than this MtGox Willy is. +So, I am 19, planning out some financial goals for myself. I want to eventually begin funneling my profits from short term, quick roll around stocks to long term holds for my future goals and eventually my future children. The kind of stocks that, in 10-30 years, people will most likely say, "Wow, well back in my day xxx was only worth xxx! If you bought 200 dollars worth of xxx, you'd be a fucktillionaire!" + +Right now, my list is in it's infancy, and I have more of a focus on tech stocks, so I would love to hear some long term holds, from all sectors ideally, that you guys are optimistic will stay in business and increase in value year after year. Some examples that might make it onto my final list would include: Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Kimberly Clark, Disney, Netflix, Roblox, AirBnB, and Tesla. + +I would also like to hear about any long term crypto you have a sense of optimism about. I don't know much about crypto, but I do see it as a great opportunity that will continue to grow and grow over the years. +I notice that as soon as anyone mentions a 'credit score', they get raided by people on this subreddit saying that it doesn't matter as each banks build their own with proprietary software. + + +While this was good advice a few years ago, it is actually quite outdated. I have been put on a project where I have worked with some of the big banks on their retail client assessment and 3 of the 5 I worked with actually run their client assessment based purely on a credit score for 1-3 of the big rating agencies here. They literally take those numbers for granted. + + +I am not sure what all the new challenger banks use, but I worked with one of the bigger challenger bank that does the same thing. + + +Their reasoning (very logical) was that the rating agencies see a tonne more data than a bank can see as they have literal teams of quants building the best models possible to create a risk score. + + +Their house is paid off and they are retired while working part-time. I don't have any debt and have very low living expenses but I am about a year away from a 10% deposit. + +Is this possible to do? + +Just looking for some feedback +Today the ASX300 has increased by 0.95% while VAS has only increased by 0.2%. Given that VAS is benchmarked to ASX300, why is there such a big discrepancy? +For the more seasoned daytraders- how do you do your taxes? I've come to the problem where I realized that all my gains are short term gains and I'm dreading the upcoming 2021 taxes. I'm unsure of if it would be beneficial to claim daytrader tax status because I live in California, and I also don't really have any expenses that I can really deduct (I trade simple). Can anyone help me navigate this? I have until I file my 2020 taxes to claim this and get mark to market accounting. Thanks in advance for the insight. +I'm pretty new in the day/swing trading game and have a difficulty in finding a good source where I can learn the key terminology or slang for this. Any tips for someone who is trying to learn to hopefully be able to do this for a living ? +I'm 36 and could retire now if I wanted to, after 15 years of working in a high paying industry and saving a lot. I don't particularly like work any more, but I'm terrified of having so much free time. I'd appreciate your advice. +I always wonder about this when I'm at a wedding. + +http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2015/05/wedding_calculator_what_would_i_have_if_i_invested_instead.html + +Tried to x-post from /r/dataisbeautiful but can't crosspost a link post since /r/financialindependence doesn't support link posts. All credit to /u/unclefishbits for the original post. +I never thought we’d see this, it’s absolutely insane, but good for you guys! I hope you make money! Just promise me this, when it hits 93 cents you get tF out, don’t wait for a dollar cuz that bottom is fallin out daddy, and when it does, it’s fallin HORD. Godspeed🚀 +Link: http://clients3.weblink.com.au/pdf/88E/02358090.pdf + + +&nbsp; + +Copied from the article: + + Highlights + • Interpretation of logging while drilling data (“LWD”) indicates multiple potentially hydrocarbon + bearing zones have been encountered in the Nanushuk Formation whilst drilling Merlin-1 + • Wireline logging will commence shortly to confirm whether mobile hydrocarbons are present +Well guys, I lost 90k today on SPY calls which was basically all of my account. I started in 2017 with like 30k of my own money and over the course of 3 years, spent probably a couple hundred hours learning about stocks, options, doing "research" etc. Today, I am down 8k since i started in 2017. + +Proof: https://imgur.com/8zoihg7 + +(shows -60k but I was down -30k yesterday already on the calls) + +That was money I planned on using for a downpayment on a house, and for paying my taxes on gains from last year. So once February comes around, the 20k I have left is basically going to taxes on gains from last year which are now gone. I am effectively broke :-) + +Im not that upset because I have a decent paying job.. but god damn, I was literally just contacting real estate agents last week because I was planning on buying a house. I could still buy one, but it will probably take me years to get back to 100k in savings. + +I should have just stuck to selling puts like I was doing for the past couple months. The gains aren't huge, but selling 100k worth of puts every week is enough to make you a couple G's every month with not a ton of risk. I could have made my future mortgage payments just selling puts. + +I am trying to look on the bright side. Having 100k made me spend somewhat frivolously. Like eating out twice a day, buying clothes i didn't need, etc. Now I have to go back to scrimping and scraping, which is good I think. I was getting a little ridiculous. + +Also, I have been finishing up my degree online but have had no motivation since I already have a decent job and decent money saved. Im feeling the pressure now to hurry up and finish my degree so I can get a better job (100k+ a year). + +I went all in on $390 1/22 SPY calls yesterday. I did the math; if we would have had a 1.5% day today, I would have made about 500k.. but it was pretty flat so at open, I was already down a shit ton. Figuring there was no chance left, I pulled out what was left, about 47k. I saw ford was going up crazy and figured that was pretty much my only chance to get back to where I was. Basically bought calls expiring tomorrow at the top, started going down, I pushed out and sold. So now I have 20k. + +I'm not super depressed about it or anything because I know ill be fine, but I already miss the coziness of having 100k stored away. Knowing that if I lost my job or something, id be okay. But like I said, Im looking on the bright side. + +My goal at the moment is to just save as much money as possible, pay my taxes in February, and then start over. +Not even gonna lie, if I didn't need the 20k to pay taxes on last years gains, Id probably yolo it into something crazy. It's better to feel like this than nothing at all. Kinda fucked but whatever man, life is just boring. + + +***EDIT 1:*** Honestly guys, I could go all in GME shares but even if it goes up 100% this year, I will only be at 40k.. which is already far fetched. Do any of you seriously believe GME is going up 500% this year? Maybe. Maybe you're right.. Maybe I need to go all in shares, defer paying my taxes for as long as possible, and hope for the best. God you guys give me hope. + +***EDIT 2:*** + +**ALRIGHT, so im going all in shares on something and just holding long. Half of you faggies are saying GME, half are saying BB. Which fucking one is it? I can't risk any options plays at the moment**. + + +***EDIT 3: ***Went all in GME this morning, already up 50% to 30k. There is hope!*** + +#***EDIT 4: ***I was able to make all of my money back because of GME! Went all in with my remaining 20k and up 400% in under a week! Account is back up over 100k because of GME, Elon, and not least you glorious autists. I sold last week at around 350 because I cant afford to lose all that money again. I felt like I won the game. Like god had thrown me the "Reset" button and it was time to get out before something bad happened. + +# **Then Robinhood pulled their shit. ** +The hedge fund freaks got on the news and started crying +The media started painting us out to be the bad guys +The hedge funds DOUBLED DOWN and reopened their shorts at current levels + +And I got pissed. FURIOUS. They blatantly rigged the game, right in plain view, and they think they are going to get away with it. And if we don't fight them, they will. + +#So, as much as I would have liked to accept gods reset button, to take my money off the table and go back to a lower risk strategy, I had to jump back in. So I'm back in on GME with a small position which I can afford to lose. And I don't care if I lose that money. At this point, it's about the message, its about solidarity with my fellow autists. It's personal, and Im seeing it through to the end. I will diamond hand these shares until the fucking end with you guys, even if it goes to 0. I've been on this sub for years now, I love this sub, I love you fuckers, and I LIKE THE STOCK. + +#LETS FUCKING GO. +“With current solid fundamentals, in particular a very strong labor market, if a recession does come it would likely not be until 2023 or even 2024.“ — Gus Faucher, Chief Economist, PNC Financial + +“The US economy is expected to take a major hit from the extra Fed tightening by late next year and early 2024.” — (David Folkerts-Landau / Peter Hooper), Deutsche Bank + +Many investors are believing a recession is coming in 2023, if not 2024. + + +What are your thoughts? + +What's indicative of a looming recession with the current economic climate in the shape it's in? +Call me a hypocrite for realizing it now with all the gas fees, call me whatever , I know I used to knock on it all the time in the past, I called it a shit coin several times over but RaiBlocks really is a helpful useful crypto. + +I don't own any either so this isn't a shill post. It's more about that it helps us out in rough times. It's fast as FK. It helped me out these past month to avoid $100s in gas fees, and even though I had to pay exchange trading percentiles to get so I can send it back out...I still saved money. + +Many will say, "we have too many altcoins". But what's going to happen when a time comes 1 billion people own Crypto and everyone is trading alts left and right? Many alts will get overloaded too. Scaling is still an issue. We will need either everyone running nodes for one or two cryptos or we are going to need more alts to handle the load. + +So I'm done knocking in cryptos like Nano. Truth is, we need to support all cryptos even if we don't own it. + +Just like moons + The more we support alts as a whole , the more it benefits the community as a whole. +I read some recent research that essentially boils down to this: people often plan to retire earlier or later than they actually wind up retiring, because, at least to some degree, retirement is something that happens to you instead of according to plan. Further, it trends towards around 61. People planning to retire earlier tend to be pulled a bit later than their plan (but not all the way to 61) and people planning to work longer tend to have life happen to them and find themselves out of the game a bit early, possibly before they are financially secure. + + +I think this general idea resonates pretty strongly with what drives many of us to FI. We don't want to be in that second group who is caught with their pants down at 63. I don't have a life-altering point here, but I thought the data was interesting and might be worth a read for anyone who is going to bump right up against that "deadline" or are currently grinding with the hopes of being RE in two years. + + +The article is [here](https://www.morningstar.com/content/dam/marketing/shared/pdfs/InvestorSuccessProject/RetirementMirage/TheRetirementMirage.pdf?). Blog post summarizing at a high level [here](https://obliviousinvestor.com/61-the-magic-retirement-age/). I'm not affiliated with that blog or the authors at all. Feel free to take with a giant grain of salt because it is affiliated with Morningstar. +I’ve been trying to look for some information on what happened, but I haven’t really found anything specific. Seemed like a flash crash, but it was short lived and $DOW only dropped like 200pts. No gonna lie, it was a little scary there, saw March 2020 coming back for a second round. + +Still, I’d love to hear from anyone who understands this better than I do or has an article that discusses the causes of such an event. + +Thanks ! +EDIT: IDDQD + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/dkbjxdm30um81.png?width=707&format=png&auto=webp&s=9d64e0c7f1247f255f5ae39e52b6697a9593e64f + +Hi r/Superstonk!!, I have been a long-time lurking ape, who writes shit comments, and now I am here to offer an educational methodology on how to DRS YOUR IRA SHARES. I hope this post saves you months on the IRA DRS journey by setting you up for the financial freedom, as well as adding a wrinkle or two, and providing a means to not be reliant on the Ponzi artists who decide what is best for you and your retirement funds. A special thanks to @ u/HOLDstrongtoPLUTO for the MeMe contribution, post contributions, and a lot of therapy over this process! + +***To be clear although I have verified with my custodian both old and new, and Computershare that this process will DRS my shares while maintaining IRA tax status, I have not received a purple ring so far.*** + +[ \(will post upon receipt\)](https://preview.redd.it/4e677825eum81.png?width=378&format=png&auto=webp&s=dd5520d9b6de47833ea3592ddbeb17f7e61111ff) + +So, let me jump into my method, which is very simple for individual investors to complete… by using a **self-directed IRA (Roth, Traditional, SEP, Simple)**. This is not your typical “retail marketed, self-directed brokerage IRA” through the major broker-dealers. This is through a custodian that allows for real assets to be held, they are not a broker and will not touch my stonks. These types of IRAs empower their account holders to hold 1) investments in real estate, 2) hard assets, 3) private company holdings, and 4) other lucrative, but historically, restricted investments not afforded from Wall Street brokerage houses. As I’m sharing my experience, I’d like to bring your attention to the third type, private company holdings, specifically, a single member LLC. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/5f8u3vg51um81.png?width=523&format=png&auto=webp&s=9b8b9fec8af2c3fe334d523118a1b675273432d2 + +The asset held by my self-directed IRA is just an LLC.. **let that sink in for a second, because it’s a critical component to understand about this process**. This LLC has a bank account, and **contributions to the bank account must be from LLC business/asset sales, or CONTRIBUTIONS/ROLLOVERS VIA the Custodian or my Self-Directed IRA**. SIDENOTE: *In my excitement after forming the LLC, I wanted to start the Computershare account and buy a share with personal funds, but.. I realized that would have been a mistake because it’s important to route the money through the custodian, and LLC bank account.* **Patience is a virtue, don’t cut corners because of MOASS FOMO, it’s been over a year!** + +These types of LLCs are commonly called “Check-book IRA LLCs”. Now, there are very strict laws pertaining to money motion on this type of LLC, if it is solely owned by a retirement account (Bonus banana: these “Check-book IRA LLCs” can have multiple owners for those married/teamed apes). Once the 1) LLC (“Check-book IRA LLC”) is formed under the IRA and 2) a bank account is set up owned by the LLC, the LLC can directly buy shares at the beloved Computershare for the benefit of the LLC and in turn, the Self-Directed IRA! For me personally, I contribute cash through the Custodian, via [**Madison Trust**](https://signup.madisontrust.com/forms/Account_Setup?Reference=Josowitz,%20Michael&ReferralSource=Mark%20Lalich). I am sure there are others as well, but they work for me. + +# Most importantly my shares locked in those broker dealers IRAs can be “directly registered” using a letter of authorization/instruction (LOA) naming the LLC as the new owner! They will treat this as a distribution and report it as so, however this can be remedied by my CPA & Custodian later since the IRS views this as a LIKE to LIKE transfer. It is imperative to inform the custodian of the new IRA of the transfer date and total value of the distribution so they can ensure proper books! + +See, broker dealers will not help, provide info, or assist in removing retirement shares from “street name”, which is why a letter of authorization/instruction was necessary. **They legally must comply and follow these LOA instructions.** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/lp4o10u80um81.png?width=395&format=png&auto=webp&s=447c70c0f521099426e4e8441275dcd91855496a + +I doubt this is the only method; it is not the cheapest either.. I spent about $2000 for set-up and annually it is $95/quarter for the custodian and ongoing LLC expenses of course will come. However, I personally find it to be the best method to take ownership of my shares and remove them from the DTCC and is the most risk-averse option I have found to date, since all other options leave my shares in brokerage control. I do not want to trust anyone but the transfer agent with these shares after the past year… + +I have included a step-by-step with a link to where I got started, feel free to use, or not, feel free to recommend your friends and family, they do have a referral option! **Half of any referrals I receive will be split between my DRS shares(25%) & Charitable Org DRS shares(75%) at CS (Wil absolutely provide proof).** This link will directly connect you with who I worked with on this entire process @[ **Madison Trust**](https://signup.madisontrust.com/forms/Account_Setup?Reference=Josowitz,%20Michael&ReferralSource=Mark%20Lalich). He was very helpful and again helped crack this code after hours of discussions and back and forth. LES GO! + +**The first step is to set up your Self-Directed IRA at Madison Trust, the link below will get you started:** + +[**Madison Trust**](https://signup.madisontrust.com/forms/Account_Setup?Reference=Josowitz,%20Michael&ReferralSource=Mark%20Lalich) **sign up!** + +&#x200B; + +[Should see something like this to get started](https://preview.redd.it/ltsjse9a0um81.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=f4fda550871af7a4a8611e71edc63cc205aa8dda) + +The process is about a 5–10-minute application, $595, and requires an e-signature. Boom!!.. the self-directed is set up!! The cost consists of 1) the opening minimum $500 account balance and 2) first quarter custodian fee. Next you will need an asset for the self-directed IRA, this asset is an LLC. Legal limitations exist on assets which can be held via the LLC (make sure to check your states laws, and this is where companies like Madison Trust have expertise in guiding to the correct legally-complaint solutions), however they are generally assets/collectibles with opaque valuations to minimize fraud. So, the LLC buying a picture your kid painted for $ 1MM would not work, other collectibles as well do not meet the requirements, however real estate, private companies, securities all make the cut. + +**Madison Trust, the custodian,** will recommend their partner, **Broad Financial, for the LLC set-up, this costs $1500.** (It is important to note, you may be able to use other companies to set up the LLC, I just have not tried anyone else personally). You name the LLC (and I’m sure there will be some good ones apes come up with lol e.g. Hed’R’Fuk’d LLC) and they take it from there. I found it important to pay to have the LLC set up because this is not a normal LLC, and very specific articles and operating agreements need to be written. My turnaround from Madison Trust account open to LLC documents complete and ready to go was less than a week but if the masses flood as I expect it to, this processing time may slow that down a bit. These “custodians” are not Fidelity, Chuck, etc., they are smaller companies so be patient as they are facilitating the way. They let me know they were ready for the flood, and “challenge accepted”. + +[Make it Happen!](https://preview.redd.it/qkukcss53um81.png?width=595&format=png&auto=webp&s=1a5dd7e2fdaa93b0bd1fbe31c4080dae7650a228) + +Broad financial partners with Solera National Bank, was a very easy process, also a friendly admin team to set up the bank account for the LLC. This is very quick 1-day turnaround, however, **DO NOT JUST DEPOSIT MONEY INTO THIS BANK ACCOUNT!!!! It is very important to utilize the custodian (Madison Trust) you choose to make money movements**. Once you find your bank you can buy shares directly.. While this is not the fastest Venmo of your life or the simplest process it keeps everything legal and in order, very important and worth the wait time. This process is synonymous with that of systems like Computershare’s and can often be archaic, **but we all have learned that expeditious pace has a VERY REAL cost.** + +The next step is quite simple but it’s critical to pay attention to details of completing the Letter of Authorization/Instruction you send to the current custodian raking in profits by fucking you out of your shares. While every custodian may be different on what they want, the general flow is 1) What you want, 2) from where, 3) how much, 4) to who, 5) **SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO DRS YOUR SHARES WITH YOUR SPECIFIC BROKERAGE** (Each brokerage has slightly differing protocols). + +The letter of authorization will force the broker-dealer to take the shares out of ‘street name’ and directly register them at Computershare in the name of your LLC. You must provide the details per their instructions. All broker-dealers have 1) Asset Transfer Services and 2) Retirement Services departments who are the best sources of information to help understand and process your Direct Registration LOA Instructions, because they are the two departments processing this Letter of Instruction. **I MADE THE MISTAKE OF TRYING TO OPEN AN ORGANIZATION ACCOUNT AT THE BROKER-DEALER, AND AFTER TWO WEEKS THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY AND MOST OTHER BROKER DEALERS DON’T DO THIS FOR LLC’s owned by IRAs. THIS WAS THE MOMENT OF CLARITY FOR ME THAT THE LOA WAS THE SILVER BULLET TO DRS IRA SHARES.** At the same time, you will need to submit an asset transfer form to Madison Trust or your self-directed IRA custodian to maintain compliance with record keeping. This asset transfer form simply notifies the custodian of the transfer date, asset type, total value, and the source of the additional LLC value when reporting it. Here is an example: [LOA Example](https://www.veritasacademy.net/editoruploads/files/Give/Stock%20Transfer%20Template.pdf). My Broker took a couple of days to bounce it around, but persistence in the end is key, and eventually was told the reluctant okay. + +One interesting piece of this entire experience was towards the end of this journey, when my custodian, one of the big three oddly, asked me to move my assets, claiming my investment style was not **“in line with their business model”** and I would be better served elsewhere… Very timely… + +Congratulations, you made it!!.. I appreciate your time reading through this process! [**Madison Trust**](https://signup.madisontrust.com/forms/Account_Setup?Reference=Josowitz,%20Michael&ReferralSource=Mark%20Lalich), I encourage you to pay it forward, and apes/apettes, tell your friends if you want! It was a hell of a lesson in the financial sector, quite the journey, and I am now on the way to an XXXX DRS for my Roth account without paying any penalties or losing tax status. + +**Q:** + +[???](https://preview.redd.it/pthidi6x4um81.png?width=266&format=png&auto=webp&s=4cd240766adec14c2278ab8b089a1bb1ef18d397) + +&#x200B; + +[A: Tax Deferred and\/or Tax Free Tendies of COURSE!!!](https://preview.redd.it/qxov0sxh4um81.png?width=648&format=png&auto=webp&s=a619efa988369688d13105530b2a5268594028ea) + +&#x200B; + +**TL;DR - ELI5 – HOW TO DIRECT REGISTER DRS IRA SHARES (THIS COSTS ABOUT \~$2200 to setup, varies by state)** + +**1) Open a self-directed IRA capable of holding an LLC,** [**Madison Trust**](https://signup.madisontrust.com/forms/Account_Setup?Reference=Josowitz,%20Michael&ReferralSource=Mark%20Lalich) **for reference they charge $595.** + +**2) Open the LLC for the IRA w/link provided by your custodian, I used BROAD FINANCIAL as mine and it cost $1500.** + +**3) About a week later the LLC should be established, and ready for you to receive/sign official onboarding package with the rules of the road, and all necessary information for DRS.** + +**4) DRS your shares into Computershare using a Letter of Authorization (LOA) sent to your current broker-dealer naming the LLC as the new owner. The** r/Superstonk **DRS guide will fill any holes you have about the Computershare site.** + +**5) Inform adviser/rep at the custodian throughout the process.** \[I personally used an Asset Transfer Form to my custodian with date stock was transferred/purchased, total amount, asset type.\] + +&#x200B; + +[THIS IS THE WAY!](https://preview.redd.it/fop36snc0um81.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=bb31d14280f93a788c80234662144720fe2d2575) + +**Again, the BD will see it as a distribution, but this is a like-to-like transfer to your new custodian, and your CPA will process it as so. Ensure your CPA is educated with this for obvious reasons.** + +*PS: This is not financial advice, it is simply an account of my experience DRSing my retirement shares.* + +**Hope you enjoyed & I always prefer to use the:** + +B- uy & directly register @ Computershare + +**F- uck the Haterz, & les go** + +**G- ame$tonk…** +I woke up to a green screen for the first time this entire fucking month. Meanwhile, I just found out I’m 3 days late on a college payment for the quarter and I’m short about a grand. That’s not including rent, a meal plan, loan payments, and friends I pay to be there for me. So, AAPL, you better fucking skyrocket soon so that my essentially 2 yolo SPY calls and one measly OTM AAPL call blow through your spaceship-y ass building 30 min away from me so I can pay to fucking live. I want to hear that shit from my house and I want to see my bitch-ass friend who works at AAPL come back and saying he’s getting paid to sit on his ass all day. Meanwhile, I work at kids’ birthday parties bragging to parents how fun it was having their kids so that I could snag a $15-$20 tip towards another fucking RH deposit. ESKETIT BITCHES. +With the euro almost equal to the dollar, what are your thoughts about buying Euros for future European travel or buying a house in Europe somewhere? Has the exchange rate created any opportunities for us in the US? +Early 30s. I’m bad at my job, stressed by it and I’m dreading mondays. On the other hand, it is interesting, full of kind people, has good work life balance, and it pays well - $1m/a year the last 2 years (NW is around $2.5-3m). But I would be definitely happier if I just quit and did nothing. + +How bad it is it to solely keep going at my job, just because of the money? A side effect is I’m pinching pennies, watching what I spend, and feeling like everything is a sacrifice and I’m not getting joy out of life because I’m spending my time doing something I don’t want to do just because of the money. + +I feel like my options are. + +1. Quit my job and do nothing but lie on lawn chair for hours. Eventually find a job I like better (ideal job sounds like intern with no responsibilities at chill startup). Be happy, but poor?? +2. Keep doing a challenging competitive job full of stress that I really don’t like, push myself through challenges and keep getting more senior roles, probably get to fatFIRE in 10 years if I keep doing this. + +For the people who are fatFIRE, did you choose option (1) or (2)? Was choosing (2) a significant factor in getting to fatFIRE? Tl;dr Do i have to choose between fatfire, and being stressed and unhappy - is fatfire just luck anyway and I should just yolo it +I am finishing up my home to raise my kids in. Landscaping and building a sportcourt is up next. + +For the sportcourt: I primarily play basketball, and would like the option for pickleball, volleyball, and badminton. I have room for a 30’x50’ court which is relatively standard sized (although I know pickleball loves 30’x60’). I may be able to stretch it a few more feet but not much more. What are the best materials/surfaces/lining to use for a great experience with low maintenance and good longevity? The best net/lighting/hoop systems? Any other tips are appreciated! + +For landscaping, any awesome features or tips? I plan to do a concrete patio. Is stamped concrete worth the extra price and maintenance? Do you have a cool water feature? Is a small pond worth the price? Any tips for pouring a concrete slab for a hot tub and is it worth building a gazebo to cover it? Any considerations for good features for having a dog? Favorite plants to plant? Good tall/skinny/noise blocking and privacy creating plants to block our neighbors view and insulate sportcourt sound? + +Thank you all in advance for any tips or resources you may have used in your dream property! +For reasons, my spouse owns 1%-3% of five smallish businesses (corporations? all franchises) around the country, all of which are in the hospitality industry. These ownership stakes were in lieu of payment and accumulated over the last year and a half or so, and we have no active ownership or responsibility. Of the five, three are paying dividends, and another just opened. The dividends currently just cover our fairly modest (for our HCOL area) expenses. + +We are/he is considering making a jump to him doing the dividend-producing work full time (he only sometimes does it for dividends, when he knows the parties involved have the money and aren't scumbags, which only represents .01% of commercial real estate transactions; the rest of the time it's a traditional pay-for-services, so we aren't going totally out on a limb here). Before I do so, I would like to hear about the experience others have had with these kinds of ownership stakes. It's hard to find much online about owning such a small percentage of something privately held, so: + +**What was your experience as a minority owner of a privately held business or franchise? How did the competence of the people running the show influence your experience? How consistent was the income? Was your share bought out? How did that go?**, plus whatever questions I haven't even thought to ask yet, I trust you to fill me in if there's a question that I'm missing. + +I'll give all the biographical shit if it's helpful, but *I don't really want advice particular to our situation, just the experiences of others who have gone this route for passive-ish income/payouts*. We don't really have a lifestyle that qualifies for fatFIRE other than the HCOL area, but I suspect that the people who can actually answer my question are likely concentrated here. Appreciate it. +Hello not sure if this is a "early stage" question. I am quite early in my career but have already started my fatFIRE journey, so hopefully this is an acceptable post. + +I am a 21M graduating in May going to work at a FAANG company in August. I have a substantial amount of cash saved up from 2 summer internships from other FAANG companies. My starting total compensation is around $200k, where \~$150k is cash, \~$50k is in company RSUs, and $15k signing bonus. + +I've been lurking this sub for a couple weeks now and noticed that most people who have fatFIREd in tech mainly worked at a pre-IPO/acquisition company and reached their fatFIRE number predominantly through the IPO/acquisition. + +I definitely want to stay at this company for a couple years because I see a lot of learning opportunities. However, while having a 6 figure salary is nice coming right out of college (even more so coming from a low income family), I am wondering if it is better worth my time to climb the corporate ladder at FAANG or to shop around and see what I think would be a promising pre-IPO/acquisition startup? +Hello, I’m fairly new to stocks and was wondering if now would be a good time to start getting into them. I’ve been seeing a lot of talk about a recession coming up soon and was wondering if it’s worth it to invest now and lose that money or just wait till it happens. Another option could be instead to invest in recession-proof stocks but idk. Your input is greatly appreciated. Thanks! +Just thought I'd give an update, albeit a lousy one. This is the update on this post: [https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/dzkq54/given\_a\_promotion\_and\_less\_money/](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/dzkq54/given_a_promotion_and_less_money/) + +As many of you suggested, I had drinks with the departing director. He told me that his commission was cut by 65%, which was why he was leaving. + +I met with my boss - and we had a long conversation. He kept talking in circles, ultimately echoing what he had said the day prior. I asked him if he would split the difference with me since the commission was 'basically guaranteed' (base $85K, cut my commission in half). He said absolutely not. I told him the only way I'd be comfortable with this is if he gave me the title. He said no. Finally, we agreed that I'd stay and take the position - and we'd have a formal meeting in 6 months to re-visit my pay. Again, all I had heard about my performance was that it was exemplary. Absolutely no complaints. + +Friday afternoon, he put a '90 Day Evaluation' on my calendar for late this afternoon. + +&#x200B; + +And today, he fired me. + +&#x200B; + +He said that I just wasn't the right fit and that he'd talked to others in the company 'and that it was unanimous that I didn't belong there. I told him that I was surprised, as I'd had such rave reviews last week. I asked if there were specific examples where I 'wasn't the right fit' so that I could improve professionally. He said, " Yes, but I don't like to do that on the day of. It's too emotional. I'd be happy to have lunch or coffee in a few weeks and go through it all, then." + +&#x200B; + +So, yeah. That's the terrible conclusion on that story. I don't think I'll even be able to qualify for unemployment since I was fired. And my first mortgage payment is due next week. + +&#x200B; + +Thanks for all your help. +For me only thing makes me still stay in the crypto market is that there’s not better option for me in a third world country? + + A job doesn’t pay enough to even make little impact on my life. I’m not looking to make millions in this market, I’m just looking to make some money so I could have a better life than before. + + +40% down in a year, but I still don’t want to sell because I don’t see any better option for me other than crypto. So I’m here until Satoshi rugpull us all or we all become rich AF. +One bad quarter for Meta and half the reddit investing community suddenly thinks they are smarter than Mark Zuckerberg. + +I am not going to waste time wading into the litany of bear case scenarios that everyone has brilliantly laid out now that the stock has already lost like 40% from ATH. (*Congrats on the post-mortem brilliance. You guys are real fucking geniuses by the way.*) + +In regards to the bear case, let’s suffice it to say that yeah, Facebook and ol Zuck could have a bad year or two. + +But if you were ever going to stop yoloing dailies for a few days and actually take a long term position in your life, you’d be an absolute smooth brain not to try to scoop up some meta for your retirement. + +Instead of puking bullshit about forward P/E, Daily Active Users, revenue per users, time spent in app, and some subjective opinion about whether or not we are going to live with screens on our faces, let’s just talk about Mark. + +My position is pretty simple. **Mark Zuckerberg is a once in a generation CEO and you are simply misinformed if you do not see it**. + +Sure he may not come across as the most charismatic Chad out there, and he may not have funny tweets. Perhaps is sense of fashion is shitty. Maybe he does need a better hair cut. And he should probably get some more media training before he testifies in front of congress again. + +But the man is a fucking super genius and has a proven track record of being ridiculously competent. + +He is literally **on a trajectory to be the most successful human being in the history of American capitalism**. + +He isn’t even middle aged, and he has already achieved as much as - or MORE than - every other billionaire out there. + +Let’s take a moment and compare the ages of some major achievers to Mr. Zuckerberg. + +&#x200B; + +* **Elon Musk** \- Age 50 - Sold PayPal at 30, started SpaceX at age 31 became CEO of Tesla at age 37 +* **Jeff Bezos** \- Age 58 - Founded Amazon.com at age 30 +* **Warren Buffett** \- Age 91 - Publicly listed Berkshire Hathaway at age 32 +* **Sundar Pichai** \- Age 49 - Hired as CEO of Google at age 42 +* **Tim Cook** \- Age 61 - Became CEO of Apple at age 50 +* **Steve Jobs** \- Deceased - Invented the iPod at age 46, iPhones at age 52 +* **Bill Gates** \- Age 66 - Released Windows 95 and took the PC world by storm at age 41. +* **Jen-Hsun Huang** \- Age 58 - Co-founded Nvidia at age 30 +* **Lisa Su** \- Age 52 - Became AMD CEO at age 44. +* **Mark Cuban** \- Age 63 - Sold broadcast.com and became a billionaire at age 40 +* **JK Rowling** \- Age 56 - Published Harry Potter at 32 +* **Oprah Winfrey** \- Age 68 - Started Oprah Winfrey show at age 32 +* **Jamie Dimon** \- Age 65 - Became CEO of JPMorgan Chase at age 52 + +As you can see, pretty much all of these people didn’t even start their path to major success until their 30’s or later. + +And I did not just cherry pick old CEO’s and famous people. This is the story for pretty much everyone who is ultra successful. I mean, look at the dinosaurs who have climbed their way up DC to run America. + +I digress. + +# Mark Zuckerberg - Age 37 - Founded Facebook at age 20. 1 billion users by age 26. Launched Meta at age 37. + +Newsflash fuckwads. Zuckerberg is young enough to be friends with Justin Bieber. + +In terms of age, Mark Zuckerberg surpassed the business success of all those other leaders at an age when they were all still going to college parties and trying to get laid. + +Today, Zuckerberg is arguably one of the most important people on Earth, his company influences politics and global affairs to an extent that would have given Julius Caesar a 3-day hardon. + +Facebook is so big and powerful than American legislators are literally - and rightfully - afraid of it’s influence on your mind. + +And this was NOT an accident. I don’t care that the idea for his website came from those Winklefucks. Using the internet to have people interact and post photos with people was NOT a unique concept at the time. There were ENDLESS website and communities trying do this very same thing in the early 2000s. I remember, because unlike all you TikTokin zoomers, I was alive and there: + +* MSN +* MySpace +* Nexopia +* Friendster +* Hi5 +* Second Life +* Photobucket +* Forums +* Chatrooms +* AND MILLIONS OF SHITTY SEGMENTED ONLINE COMMUNITIES MADE IN HTML + +But guess what? At the ripe old age of 23, Mark Zuckerberg saw the trend and built Facebook out from basically nothing. *His* website is the one that took over the world, *not* all those others that were trying and had limitless access to capital via the dot com bubble. + +He essentially pioneered social media, which is now the dominant cultural medium in our world. + +He did it once, and there's a reasonably good chance he can do it again. + +And all these little children in the world have spent the formative years of their childhood LIVING on screens. They will flock to a metaverse when it is developed. + +If you look at a comparison in career between Zuck and Musk, **Zuck is pretty much at the life stage where Musk was when he was rich from PayPal and thinking about Tesla and SpaceX**. The difference is that Zuck is 1000 times richers than Musk was, and Zuck can communicate with 2/3 of the planet's pockets with the flick of his thumb. + +All those problems you have identified with AR/VR and iOS privacy and shit? I am sure he will figure it out. He is smarter than all of us, and he's still going to running marathons when Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai are admitted to a seniors housing facility. + +I am fucking LONG on Mark Zuckerberg, because his career is literally just getting started. + +\-- + +*Positions: \~220 shares at 237.10. Not a bag holder yet.* +I own a SFH and am currently renting this out. + +Very new at this so don’t know how to assess whether to / how much to increase rent at the end of the one year rental agreement. + +Renters are great - low maintenance. + +Appreciate any thoughts! +A friend of mine told me someone replaced the lock of her vacant rental unit and lease it to someone. + +The Property manager luckily caught them when they were moving in and were able to kick them out. I'm wondering if someone else saw this before? Seems odd that the property manager got them just on the right time. My friend is a remote investor btw. Thanks + Hello, My Wife and I are looking to buy our first home in King County Washington (bothell/kenmore) and we have noticed over the past three months prices have been dropping 30-50k and houses have been staying on the market longer. We are wondering if we should continue to wait or buy now while the market is taking a dip. Our household income is around 220k and we have around a 20% down payment saved to avoid PMI and keep our payment lower. The average starter home in this area is around 500-600k. +I live in north carolina and I lost both of my jobs last week. I am currently seeking any means of income, but my rent is due on april 5th. I have a savings, but I can not justify spending my entire savings on rent, while having no job. I live in a pretty large apartment complex ran by a realty company. any advice or peace of mind is appreciated +Long story short, purchased a sfh that needs about 45k in repairs from a relative who inherited it. + +I made the mistake of asking a close family member for a loan to repair the home as to avoid a hard money lender. They said yes, I put a mortgage on it to put the home in my name, and the family member ended up backing out of the deal. + +What should I do now? I have 60k in equity and would like to use it as a rental. Feeling a bit lost and overwhelmed. This was also my first "deal" so feel like I did this all backwards. + +Thank you for the time! + + + +" HUD’s charge alleges that the owner of a Niagara Falls apartment complex refused to allow a woman with mental health disabilities to keep an assistance animal even though she provided him with a physician’s letter attesting to her need for the accommodation. The charge alleges further that the owner refused to allow the woman to live with the animal and subsequently evicted her, claiming that the dog had displayed aggressive behavior and was not a legitimate assistance animal." - [https://www.hud.gov/press/press\_releases\_media\_advisories/HUD\_No\_21\_101](https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_21_101) + +This sounds like such BS, I know how easy it is to get a letter from a physician - it does not mean anything. The physician does not care what the dog does to the property and will write anything to advocate for anything the patient says they want. I know how easy it is to get a physician letter, when i was in school my mom would have me skip school for weeks, then she would take me to a doctor and as for a note 'because i was sick with the flu or something', and we would get a physician's note each time. If you ask your doctor for a note for anything, they will write it. It means nothing. You could have written it yourself. The dog isn't even a real trained disability dog. +I’m a very conservative investor with pretty small goals. I’m wondering if this sounds like a good plan if I find the right properties to make it possible: + +1. Save up $100,000 or so +2. Buy a $500,000 fourplex with four $1000 units ($400,000 loan on 15 year mortgage) +4. Reinvest the cash flow in paying off the mortgage as well as $500 extra a month of my own salary +5. Extra-payment calculators indicate I could be paid off in 8-10 years then +6. Sell the whole thing, use the 500,000 to repeat the process with five similar buildings (or take an equity based loan and keep the one but buy four more, etc) +7. Pay those off similarly, sell them, have 2 million dollars for retirement to put into a good interest protected annuity (on top of my retirement account from work, and social security at 70, etc). + +I am 30 and the goal would be to retire at 50. +**Background:** + +* I live in California and property is quite expensive. +* I bought my 1st condo about a year ago and thinking how to expand. +* Investment property loans require 20% down. +* Primary residence loans only require 3.5 - 5% down. + +**Strategy to buy 2nd property, etc:** + +1. Move out of my property and **rent** it out for 1 year --> this is to show rental income for 1 year in order to count that income for a future property purchase. + 1. I'll rent an apartment and live in it during that time. +2. Then, **buy** another property with 5% down, **live** in it for a year +3. then **repeat** step 1 above, amassing properties until i get tired of moving! :-) + +**Pros/Cons:** + +* Pros: This strategy allows me to buy investment properties with 5% down with is 4x more leveraged than 20% for a traditional investment property. +* Cons: requires 2 year timeline to get 1 investment timeline and requires me to live in it for a year. Lots of moving for me.... + +**Question:** + +* Is the above strategy usable? Or am I missing something? +Hello, + +I've been on the hunt for a duplex (or triplex) for a couple of months now and have been working with a couple different agents to find and look at properties. Virtually nothing in my area (OK) even comes close to meeting the 1% rule, and the mult-family units are few and far between, which I don't blame on the agents I've been working with. + +However, every time I say I want to make an offer, I'm met with the same response by both. "They probably won't go that low, but I'll check" or "I'll check and there's no wiggle room here". Eventually it gets wrapped up under contract with someone else before my offer is even submitted, and it's getting pretty frustrating. + +At first I thought having an agent would help. They are able to help me find properties not listed on Zillow/Realtor/etc...and they get me information about the properties super fast and of course are able to show them to me, which we've done a couple times. Both are supposedly 'investor friendly' agents, but it just seems like after months of searching I've gotten nowhere. + +Obviously they want as big a commission as possible, but I'm having to lowball the offers by at least 50-75k, in some cases even more, to even come close to meeting the 1% rule. I get the feeling they think my expectations are unrealistic. + +Should I continue working with them or find new agents, or try to go it alone? I've no idea how I'd put in an offer myself so feel like I'm stuck with an agent for now. The 1% rule made sense in the books I've read, but it's seeming increasingly impossible to find in the real world. +Hi all. + +Here are the numbers + +\- $400,000 purchase price for a triplex + +\- Cash needed for closing, $96,000 + +\- 20% down, 3.25% interest rate, 30 years. + +\- Monthly mortgage cost $1,393 + +\- Monthly insurance cost $72.5 + +\- Monthly tax cost $402 + +\- Monthly water/sewer/trash $275 + +\- TOTAL monthly cost $2143 + +\- Current rents are $1,165 for first unit, $950, for second, $950 for third. THESE RENTS ARE LOW AND WILL BE INCREASED TO A MINIMUM OF $1,300, $1,100, AND $1,100. + +\- With new rents, my rental income will be $3,500/month + +This deal started about a month ago. Our first offer was $380,000, they declined. Sellers agent said that they were firm on the $400,000, I said okay fine no big deal. After that was agreed upon, the agreement of sale was signed, inspectors were called out, and the sellers have received two cashiers checks from me totaling $10,000 (this goes towards my closing costs). After reading the inspectors report, there were a few things that I would need addressed right after taking ownership and those few things totaled out to be $7000. We then sent over a new agreement asking for a credit of $7,000 (Meaning my closing cost would go down $7,000, so that would mean a new cash needed to close total of $89,000) I assumed that since I didn't make a problem about their $400,000 firm price, they wouldn't make a problem out of repairs that needed attention immediately. I was kinda wrong. In order for them to sell the property they need to have a "sewer scope" done. They had it done and got a bill for about $6,700 (This needs to be done regardless of if I buy the property or not, but the sellers are looking at it as if they're doing me a favor). Now the sellers are saying because they are paying for the sewer repairs, they will not give me any sort of credit to me. This means I'll be paying $400,000 and I'll be stuck with an estimated $5000-$8000 estimated repair bill the day after closing. + +The reason I am frustrated is because I gave in to the sellers request of full price, gave them their cashiers checks, done everything in a timely manner (when they haven't), yet they are not willing to budge or meet in the middle with ANY of MY requests. + +I should also mention this will be my first property so my personal emotions are playing a role too. I definitely want this property, and even with the seller not giving into anything I requested, it still financially makes sense especially if I hold onto it longterm 10+ years. + +So, what should I do? Better yet, what would you do? Should I give in again, Should I let my pride win and walk away, Should I take this as a sign and continue to be patient for another deal? + +If it helps, the land is pretty big and the price for the area is good. It's not a steal but I am not overpaying for it either. + +THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! +As real estate crashes and the value of houses go down overall, do the rental rates go down as well? If so, does this mean that real estate investing is more risky than stocks? I am a prospective investor looking to buy some rental properties with a mortgage. Wouldn't a market downturn cause me to not only lose money on the intrinsic value of the house, but also suck up my bank account dry as my potential rental rate drops below my mortgage? At least with stocks, you can buy and hold without worrying about bills coming in. Would my cash just be slowly depleted every single time the market crashes, with the problem getting worse and worse the larger my portfolio is? +Hello all + +I am using turbo tax to file my taxes which says I should take my standard deduction even though I have a lot of write offs through real estate +Any tax pros please help. + +I earned 125k in my W2, sold stock for 47k capital gains and am married. The capital gains is killing me. +I have two rentals, one purchased this year which I put 35k in repairs into. I also have mortgage interest on my primary, child care deductions exc.. + +I thought that I could use the rental property repairs as a deduction to reduce my income, but turbo tax only apply it up to the rental income for that property which was very low. + +Am I missing something or was I wrong to think that I could use real estate expenses to offset my earned income + +Thanks +1. Gary Gensler’s released statement where the first point to be made involved the so-called “gamification” of investing. If he was interested in doing the right thing, the FIRST, NUMERO UNO, point to be made should’ve been the rampant naked short selling of GME. PERIOD. But oh dear GOD save us from the fucking confetti after a trade is made in RH. What. In. The. Actual. FUCK?! I mean for real?! That’s gonna take prime position over all of the corruption going on with a double dipping micro weenie whose job is to “provide liquidity in the markets” and is doing so on two different fucking fronts via short selling AND being a market maker?! Hello MCFLY?! It’s pretty damn liquid from where I’m fucking sitting. + +2. Nobody and I mean N O B O D Y in Congress or any of these regulatory, alphabet soup agencies are going to reform or change a financial system that they personally benefit from EVERY FUCKING DAY. They don’t want us to have tendies. THEY WANT TO SHUT US DOWN! All of us. They are the very reason that Wall Street got a bailout in 2008 and all we got on Main Street was “aw too bad so sad.” They got fat bonuses via our taxes to keep their fucking jobs and we got Dodd-Frank which is another fucking joke. After all of that bullshit with mortgages, if you are subprime, guess what? You get to pay PMI, primary mortgage insurance, to the lender. Is that insurance to protect YOU? Fuck no it ain’t. You’re paying an insurance premium to protect the lender in case YOU default. All that worthless waste of paper got me was an extra $50/month on an FHA mortgage. But yet these banks are still sipping champagne with all their buddies in Congress laughing at all of the unwashed masses. + +3. We don’t fucking matter to them. We are of no consequence to any of them. This was just a fucking show to make it look like they give a flying fuck about average Joe investors. Don’t you know they want us to stay in our fucking lane? + +4. Whatever House Bill with all these awesome bullet points people we’re sharing a screen shot of earlier, it’s going to die in obscurity. It had all the fine points that would benefit average Joe investors, but it’s all part of the act. It’s going to sit on some intern’s desk and die. + +And if anything does come out of these congressional hearings it’s gonna be a smack down on retail and more leverage to the likes of Shitadell. They’re gonna be more concerned about the confetti graphics because they’ve made up a big ten cent word, gAmIfIcATion, to make it sound so much more serious. They have to protect us from making “bad investment decisions” or treating investing like a casino. Well I don’t know which one of those fucks needs to hear it but guess what? IT IS A FUCKING CASINO! It’s the biggest god damn casino in the world. You make a BET, you pull the fucking lever and you wait. + +I hodl XX shares and if this MOASS never pops off, they will have to pry them from my cold dead hands. Moon or zero. I ain’t fucking selling to nobody! +I'm only sharing this because I suspect many other people struggle with this decision and what is "the right thing to do". + +I will surely end up regretting this decision, but then my life is littered with regret over making bad investment decisions at the wrong time. However, any regret I might feel is tempered by some peace of mind I have gained back. + +The simple answer why I sold half of my bitcoin? Because I had risked more than I was willing to lose. It's truly as simple as that. + +I have seen my paper bitcoin profit rise by over 400%. Both the current value of that investment combined with the amount I had originally invested was enough money that, were I to lose it all, it would be extremely painful. + +Meanwhile, while holding this large paper profit, I had an equal amount of unsecured debt in the form of home improvements/repairs previously financed and my children's student loans. + +By selling half of my bitcoin, I was able to completely pay off 100% of my adult children's student loan debt, something which was weighing them down heavily as they try to start their lives. It is a great relief and gift to be able to give them this fresh start. + +In addition to paying off this unsecured debt I was also able to pocket substantial profit such that the remaining bitcoin I still hold has a cost basis of essentially zero. All I can lose now is paper profit, but I will always be able to say I made a great return on my bitcoin investment and helped improve the lives of my kids substantially. + +Now that my remaining bitcoin has a cost basis of zero, it's much easier to let it ride indefinitely. If bitcoin ever does 'go to the moon' I will still do very, very, well. But if it has a massive price correction I can accept that much more easily. + +Frankly Bitcoin is still a very risky investment. With threats of hard-forks and threats from the state, there are no long term guarantees. + +I also did it for another reason. Because I had money at risk, certainly more than I was willing to lose, I was finding that I was feeling undue stress and anxiety about the bitcoin price roller coaster and that wasn't helping. + +This post is not to convince any hodler to sell, ever. However, for those who are sitting on long-term paper profits and feeling high anxiety about it, maybe my story offers something​ to think about. + +**edit** + +This is the first time I have sold any since October 2013. +Like there just things that are undeniably terrible about how ETH works and rather than accept that these are problems, ETH Maxis use non-arguements like "but it's the most used ecosystem chain" or just make excuses as to why their chain is so damn outdated that it can't keep up. + +Some undeniably bad things Maxis need to accept as problems or at least a concern are: + +- gas fees being anything more than $0.25 USD is not acceptable at ANY point in time if the point is to be better than banks. + +- gas fees have made ETH DApps and NFTs practically unusable to the masses unless you're a millionaire or billionaire which was literally the opposite of who ETH was supposed to be for. + +- needing layer 2, sharding and a bunch of other over complicated fixes (which now break its own white paper philosophy of simplicity) because your tech isn't designed to scale like other chains that already have built in layer 1 solutions, is not good. + +- requiring all gas to be paid in ETH rather than having native tokens that you can pay gas for using the tokens you own makes absolutely no sense and it only beneficial to ETH holders rather than being beneficial to everyone using the chain. + +- having it included in EIP-1559 that miners would literally have their pay cut by burning a large amount of ETH in blocks that they verify and are one of the only reasons the network can run, because the devs refuse to put a cap on or are too restless to simply wait until they converted to PoS where the block reward could be made smaller instead of burning most of it. + +- Praising Vitalik as some God who is the sole reason ETH exists when in reality he was a just a smart 19 year old with a good idea and if it wasn't for people like Dr. Gavin Wood, Ethereum WOULD NOT exist. + +- The DAO attack that to this day should make you question if code truly is law to the ETH Foundation or can you just make a new chain any time someone outsmarted you and things don't go your way? + +- Transaction times are too damn slow in comparison to the competition (don't give me that "but most used chain" bull, other chains are handling what ETH used to handle and can complete transactions in a fraction of the time of what ETH could do when it had to handle those transaction amounts). + +These are all genuine problems that are pretty much all solved by other modern chains, but ETH Maxis (like BTC Maxis) act like just because ETH innovated the space 6 years ago you should still have to respect that they were the first to do what they do, which is the equivalent trying to convince people that you should still use dial up internet connection instead of high speed fibre simply because it came out first. It's one thing to be optimistic of what ETH could be someday, but right now the chain is a tangled mess that's almost unusable, that's needs to acknowledged and accepted. +Emergency funds: 5000 + +Debt: 0 + +Tax Filing Status: Single + +Tax Rate: 35% Federal, 5.75% State + +State of Residence: VA + +Age: 46 + +Current Asset allocation: 50.67% Stocks / 49.27% bonds / 0.06% International + +Desired Asset allocation: 61% stocks / 38.69% bonds / 0.25% cash Desired International allocation: 0% of stocks + +Total portfolio: Mid 7 figures + +Current retirement assets + +**Taxable** + +0.06% FCONX cash + +26.96% - FIDELITY TOTAL MARKET INDEX FUND - FSKAX - 0.015% + +6.96% - VANGUARD TOTAL STOCK MKT IDX ADM - VTSAX - 0.04% + +5.15% - Vanguard Total Stock Market - VTI - 0.03% + +0.58% - ISHARES US TECHNOLOGY ETF - IYW - 0.42% + +0.49% - SPDR S&P500 ETF TRUST TRUST UNIT DEPOSITARY RECEIPT - SPY - 0.0945% + +0.44% - ISHARES EDGE MSCI MIN VOL USA ETF - BATS:USMV - 0.15% + +39.22% - VANGUARD INTERM-TERM TX-EX INV - VWITX - 0.17% + +10.06% - T. ROWE PRICE VIRGINIA TAX FREE - PRVAX - 0.51% + +0.06% - VANGUARD INDEX FDS VANGUARD TOTAL STK MKT ETF - VT - 0.09% + +0.07% - PROSHARES TR/PROSHARES ULTRAPRO - UPRO - 0.92% + +0.05% - DIREXION SHS ET/DAILY 20+ YR T BULL - TMF - 1.09% + +**401k** + +9.54% - U.S. Large Company Index Fund - UPEC - 0.0171% + +**Roth IRA at Fidelity** + +0.16% - VANGUARD INDEX FDS VANGUARD TOTAL STK MKT ETF - TMF - 1.09% + +0.20% - PROSHARES TR PROSHARES ULTRAPRO S&P 500 - UPRO - 0.92% + +**Executive Deferral Plan at Fidelity** + +0.35% - U.S. Large Company Index Fund - UPEC - 0.0171% + +**Contributions** + +**New annual Contributions** + +14800.01 - Before-tax Matched + +4199.99 - Before-tax Unmatched + +692.65 - After-tax matched + +20814.69 - After-tax unmatched + +8250.00 Profit Sharing + +15492.66 Company Match + +\~60000.00/yr Bond Income (from VWITX/PRVAX) --> VTI + +\~60000.00/yr Savings Contributions from Paycheck --> VTI + +\~106000/yr into EDP (Tax Deferred) --> U.S. Large Company Index Fund - UPEC - 0.0171% + +\~80000/yr into VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market - VTI - 0.03% + +\~56000/yr into Company Stock + +6000/yr into IRA --> Roth IRA --> TMF/UPRO 45%/55% + +4000/yr into 529 + +&#x200B; + +**Funds available in 401(k)** + +Target Funds - 2020 - 2060 - 0.5384% + +RET Income and Invest - 0.4073% + +Small cap - 0.0248% + +US Large - 0.0171% + +US Large Co - 0.3878% + +US Small Co - 0.6557% + +Bond funds - N/A + +Private Global RE - 0.6644% + +**Questions:** + +1. *Are there any other ways to defer income?* +2. *Should I sell bonds to hit AA now or just use my contributions to get to the goal (Should be there by 2022)* +3. *Is using bond income to buy VTI an efficient way to spend the income?* +4. *Any other suggestions?* +I made so much money on long dated puts with NFLX, RBLX, LCID, and MRNA. So what's pumping/over hyped right now? I'd like to see everyone's list. I haven't been trading lately due to other obligations so am a bit out of the loop. +Some of the important parts of Powell recent interview: + + +Powell: So you can see that inflation is just way too high here in the United States. And by the way, the same all over the world, really, the global economies all around the world have been hit by a series of inflationary shocks and, pretty much, I just came back from a set of meetings with central bankers from around the world, and we’re all facing the same kind of issues and the public are facing the same kinds of issues. + +Ryssdal: Worse here, though, worse here, to be clear, right? + +Powell: Some places worse, some places better. We’re facing different challenges, but then again our economy’s more fully recovered, they may be just behind us in time. But what would I say to that person? So I would say that we fully understand and appreciate how painful inflation is, and that we have the tools and the resolve to get it down to 2%, and that we’re going to do that. I will also say that the process of getting inflation down to 2% will also include some pain, but ultimately the most painful thing would be if we were to fail to deal with it and inflation were to get entrenched in the economy at high levels, and we know what that’s like. And that’s just people losing the value of their paycheck to high inflation and, ultimately, we’d have to go through a much deeper downturn. And so we really need to avoid that. + +“If things come in better than we expect, then we’re prepared to do less,” Mr. Powell said. + +“If they come in worse than when we expect, then we’re prepared to do more.” + +Then he poured cold water on the idea of a 'soft landing' that so many asset-gatherers and commission-rakers are constant telling investors is likely: + +“There are huge events, geopolitical events going on around the world, that are going to play a very important role in the economy in the next year or so,” Mr. Powell said on Thursday. + +“So the question whether we can execute a soft landing or not, it may actually depend on factors that we don’t control.” + +Furthermore Powell comes clean on his "transitory" inflation epic-fail: + +I have said, and I will say again that, you know, if you had perfect hindsight you’d go back and it probably would have been better for us to have raised rates a little sooner. I’m not sure how much difference it would have made, but we have to make decisions in real time, based on what we know then, and we did the best we could. Now, we see the picture clearly and we’re determined to use our tools to get us back to price stability. +https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-jefferies-upgrade-demand-capacity/ + +“We raise EBIT estimates 7-9% for 2022-23 and PT to $950 on higher capacity ramp and sustained demand, following further analysis of Q3 data and various sources of information on the soon-to-be-launched Berlin facility. For some time, the narrative has been legacy OEMs closing the gap; we see little evidence as Tesla continues to challenge at multiple levels. We raise EBIT and margin estimates in contrast with doubts about earnings momentum across legacy OEMs,” Houchois wrote in a note. +High Tide is trading pretty cheap right now compared to recent prices, I picked some more up, though unfortunately not at the day's low. Probably a good buying opportunity on a promising weed stock + + +Some more complete DD from another user here: + +https://amp.reddit.com/r/pennystocks/comments/kz0lx7/high_tide_inc_hitifhiti_a_rising_tide_will_lift/ +I’ve read many people how they never hold penny stocks overnight , but I have also seen a lot of people that held penny stocks for two years and got half or million from them . So what’s ur strategy in choosing which one to hold and which one to to profit and dump ? + +Recently , I figured to look for shares structure ( preferably low float ones) and if the company is actually profitable . Only handful of pennies fit those ) + +What’s your strategy and if you know penny stocks to hold long term please share so I can research them over the weekend +This is very much a first world problem, but what do people do when the problems they have can no longer be solved financially? People say financial freedom is the best feeling in the world, but I can't say I'm 100% convinced. Happy to hear your thoughts. + +Edit: thanks to everyone who commented. The main thing I have got out of this is gratitude and awareness. Coming from a family that had financial freedom, you just get accustomed to it and take it for granted. Hearing your frankly heroic journeys is really inspiring. +Hello i'm not sure where else to post this as I have no one in my life I can ask. I have been working for a construction company for about 10 years total, 3 of those years starting out as a subcontractor on my ABN, about 5 years ago I was switched from subbie to on wages using my TFN mid financial year. + +As so I haven't done my taxes for the year (2017) as I was young and lazy and didn't take my finances seriously, now the ATO is asking for my return for the year so I have finally gotten in contact with an accountant to do my return, the account has found out that I was infact paid on my ABN for the entirety of 2017 even though I had received a group certificate for the 6 odd months I was supposedly on wages. + +Another glaring issue was found when my accountant was going through my past returns (kept up on returns since then) and found out that I had infact been paid +$30k on my ABN top of my normal wages (haven't seen a cent of it) a couple years ago. It's a small family business and I have no idea where to go with this, is it fraud? I have proof through my bank statements and previous tax returns the full amount i've been paid by the company. + +Any suggestions would be greatly apprecitive as you can imagine i'm stressing about it. +I’ve never owned an investment property and don’t have any close friends or family members who own them. I love the easy “set and forget” strategy that comes with stocks, and the liquidity too. I’m wary of the extra complexity that comes with property investing + +I guess I’m afraid of what I don’t know. E.g. hidden costs and the extra time and stress that comes with property management. + +I suspect the upsides often heavily outweigh the downsides, but I’d love to first-hand opinions from any property investors! +So, I have never had a great relationship with money. It was a get it = spend it mentality just like my family. A 4 yr financially toxic relationship saw me spend all of my savings (close to $10K). + +Last year, faced an unexpected layoff coupled with hounding them for $4,000 in backpay, had to quit nursing school, then took a $6.00 paycut for a job. Got promoted in November, and have been living on about $670 every two weeks. + +I have been very frugal; and in doing so, managed to save about $710 in my cash ER Fund (and $500 in a bills ER Fund!!) + +My car needed a repair that cost about $350.00; so there goes most of my ER Fund. But dear god I could cry happy tears because I've not has this type of security in a very long time. + +I just wanted to share. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and I am determined to be better. +hello, + +&#x200B; + +On 28feb2022 I get hacked, 2.4bitcoin from u/coinomi android wallet got stolen. + +It's an old Android 7, Samsung Galaxy s6edge (no root). + +In 2017-2019 I use u/Coinomi wallet to store my bitcoin because was simple easy to use. + +In summer 2019 I decide to use that phone only like a "cold storage" I have u/coinomi app, windscribe vpn and google apps. I choose that because was simple , once a month I power the phone do the update on u/coinomi and the other apps checking the wallet and shut it down. + +The u/Coinomi wallet do not have the BIP39 passphrase implement ate at that time but I secure the wallet with a password , with a pin number in case somebody had the phone to be hard to unlock it. + +&#x200B; + +At the end of February2022 I update the u/coinomi wallet to version 1.25.2 build 430 core 220 all work fine update done, I check the wallet the bitcoin was there (I also choose the feature " Mark do-not-spend " in case somebody open the wallet no amount was display ) but today I check the address of my wallet (I have it saved in tor browser to be simple to check the utxo ) and I see the coins were moved + +[https://oxt.me/transaction/812f73d94bc1eb029e72930427ea27bee4e668accaad4d3fc167a24f1de364a5](https://oxt.me/transaction/812f73d94bc1eb029e72930427ea27bee4e668accaad4d3fc167a24f1de364a5) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +how can this happen ? since nobody have access to the phone. + +The seed was stored on paper ,nobody see it ,plus I wrote the words in other order so only I can know the right order. + +&#x200B; + +I'm sure something was wrong with the update since is not an open source wallet nobody knows what that wallet can send out butt I think the wallet send the seed out to somebody because passed 3 and half years and the seed was safe inside it only know happen..only after the update. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +After 5 hops I saw the bitcoin Is sent to Binance exchange address + +[https://oxt.me/transaction/2984598d66601f7cf922f819b32da464733ec00bd5e71ce76ca6627fdc97e38f](https://oxt.me/transaction/2984598d66601f7cf922f819b32da464733ec00bd5e71ce76ca6627fdc97e38f) + +&#x200B; + +do not have a binance account but I chat with them to the live chat: + +&#x200B; + +*Greetings from Binance security team! We are very sorry to hear about your situation. Upon checking we have found that the funds are in Fixed Float wallet.* + +*The funds appear in the blockchain to have been sent to Binance because Fixed Float is a Binance Broker, this means it is another company that has a wallet with Binance for its liquidity and order book. This broker has many users, so we don't know the exact end user who received your stolen funds, we only know the funds were transfer to the Fixed Float hot wallet.* + +&#x200B; + +I know fixedfloat is a noKYC exchange own by russians and many bitcoins come and go to the Hydra Market. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +I talk on telegram with the support guy named Angelo and via support ticked but they say that the wallet is working perfect and they are on the market since 2014 and nobody have issues, some years ago I remember a guy that also lose funds from coinomi desktop wallet was a big fuss then but nobody believe it neither I but now I think something is not ok. + +&#x200B; + +My question is how can somebody take the seed from the wallet if that wallet was shut down 95% of the time since summer 2019 ? + +&#x200B; + +I was careful with the coinomi app , always FORCE STOP and only open the app if the VPN was on. + +&#x200B; + +For me is very strange that my bitcoin was stolen after the update. + +That update had something that read the seed and sent it out, I can't see other explication. + +&#x200B; + +I just wanna share my experience , I do blame the guys that work on Coinomi , they always say \[i\]the wallet is safe nobody lose funds it's impossible to be able to see your seed \[/i\]but the app is not open source so how can this be true ? + +&#x200B; + +Via support ticket they wrote me this: + +&#x200B; + +*After looking through the details given we can confirm the transaction was sent from a device where Coinomi was installed. However, due to the nature of cryptocurrency transactions we cannot say 'whom' made this transaction since we are a non-custodial wallet software which means we do not track any sort of user data.* + +*Coinomi is one of the most widely known multicoin wallets and also one of the easiest to use. This means it is more likely than you think for someone to select to restore any seed into Coinomi* + +*Please could you tell me, do you access the app from the same IP all the time? Do you use a VPN?* + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +FixedFloat reply via email: + +&#x200B; + +*We're sorry that you were subjected to theft of funds.* + +&#x200B; + +*FixedFloat is an instant non-custodial exchanger. After the receipt of funds and the receipt of the required number of confirmations, the exchange takes place immediately.* + +*We do not require any personal data for the exchange. We can only request a search of the server logs (IP, user-agent, language) from our technical specialists. But we need an official request from your regional police or other representative, from their official email address in order to issue confidential information.* + +*After receiving an official request from law enforcement, we will be able to send server log data and order data.* + +*Unfortunately, this is the maximum we can help in this situation.* + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +I post this story on reddit they close the post, If i wrote on they telegram group they tell me to stop because the wallet is good. + +&#x200B; + +I think was an inside job.. or can somebody tell me how the hacker get the seed from a wallet that is power off almost all the time? + +&#x200B; + +One of the biggest loss of my life. + +&#x200B; + +Here you can see how the hacker move the bitcoin + +[https://oxt.me/transaction/812f73d94bc1eb029e72930427ea27bee4e668accaad4d3fc167a24f1de364a5](https://oxt.me/transaction/812f73d94bc1eb029e72930427ea27bee4e668accaad4d3fc167a24f1de364a5) + +[https://oxt.me/transaction/59448820438e21501673e6c732419a3f1b9a04fcce086ab3638c58238348b0b6](https://oxt.me/transaction/59448820438e21501673e6c732419a3f1b9a04fcce086ab3638c58238348b0b6) + +[https://oxt.me/transaction/b266a2d1d586f0bcb3bd6c1003969b0930382531d0c166755fd1ed1a1aa5cbc0](https://oxt.me/transaction/b266a2d1d586f0bcb3bd6c1003969b0930382531d0c166755fd1ed1a1aa5cbc0) + +[https://oxt.me/transaction/67b8563a226c864c12fd059b5ca29f2c9ccb556958b08b2ada1a5de79c6aa677](https://oxt.me/transaction/67b8563a226c864c12fd059b5ca29f2c9ccb556958b08b2ada1a5de79c6aa677) + +and then In u/binance u/FixedFloat + +&#x200B; + +[https://oxt.me/transaction/2984598d66601f7cf922f819b32da464733ec00bd5e71ce76ca6627fdc97e38f](https://oxt.me/transaction/2984598d66601f7cf922f819b32da464733ec00bd5e71ce76ca6627fdc97e38f) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/iwt5rp338vk81.jpg?width=1427&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eea81dd78b8c4dfbb2ecc4d429236e86d7e81ca5 + +https://preview.redd.it/6w3rcm338vk81.jpg?width=1415&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e06c0fea257b9acbd6d0cfa144fbebc87d3dd330 + +https://preview.redd.it/1nzvsy338vk81.jpg?width=1530&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aafc4c24bdf0b1be04c89d25e50c1d1952130e12 + +https://preview.redd.it/yvb8sy338vk81.jpg?width=1455&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac396a393aee07d3b88db861e0276ea957a25b11 + +https://preview.redd.it/876sfz338vk81.jpg?width=1515&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ebd50fdf41f07dec09cfa0a782570ad1998277d + +https://preview.redd.it/1kb7gy338vk81.jpg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e563390f8a99049b3dcb2b169e4dd7b47cd7d701 + +[I scan the phone witth malwarebyte and is all fine](https://preview.redd.it/r6ld6y338vk81.jpg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b6ac3dcc3c4665620bf428b85da6eba7909ba7b) + +[Kaspersky malwarebytes mcaffe eset noothing](https://preview.redd.it/p585wl9xbvk81.jpg?width=675&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0660269ccb12e420efe5da05aeb66afbbce8d896) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/i8kaqls0y8l81.jpg?width=501&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a8d2287637d6e027379b0a138e4d8aac312becba + +https://preview.redd.it/ht13kss0y8l81.jpg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=47e5d75fc84ec488c897740caa34b50f672006ab + +https://preview.redd.it/7mhz7ns0y8l81.jpg?width=467&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4be801a76d98625457a30cd3f0804827cb6e642 + +https://preview.redd.it/55l4kts0y8l81.jpg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6e5bb042420cf3d4894425fab4ede6bd91c8cfd0 + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +hey u/coinomi why the app connect to this stranges ips 188.144.96.7 [https://whatismyipaddress.com/ip/188.144.96.7](https://whatismyipaddress.com/ip/188.144.96.7) + + + + +*Decimal: 3163578375* + +*Hostname: 188.144.96.7* + +*ISP:* + +*Organization:* + +*Services: None detected* + +*Assignment:* [*Likely Static IP*](https://whatismyipaddress.com/dynamic-static) + +*Continent: Europe* + +*Country: Germany* + + + + +[151.101.1.195](https://whatismyipaddress.com/ip/151.101.1.195) + + + + +*Decimal: 2539979203* + +*Hostname: 151.101.1.195* + +*ASN: 54113* + +*ISP: Fastly* + +*Organization: Fastly* + +*Services: None detected* + +*Type:* [*Corporate*](https://whatismyipaddress.com/corporate) + +*Assignment:* [*Likely Static IP*](https://whatismyipaddress.com/dynamic-static) + +*Continent: North America* + +*Country: United States* + +*State/Region: New York* + +*City: Brooklyn* + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/6yi1qikwy8l81.jpg?width=675&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8336eb1095cc539d8ac1fa82e2659b6534c3e7a3 + +https://preview.redd.it/sb414ikwy8l81.jpg?width=675&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b0fd17fc39621fea9e9783e273015573a2e638b4 + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; +In 2011/2012 I sent some bitcoin, via a service called zipzap at a local CVS, to someone on the dark web to buy a fake id (which ended up getting taken up by a cop like a year later). I recently removed my old hard drive from that laptop to hopefully find some left over bitcoin. I looked for wallet files but was unable to find any which really wasn’t a surprise because I’m more or less computer illiterate. I just wanted to post these pictures of the relevant files I found on the hard drive in hopes of someone giving me some advice on where to go from here. Thanks in advance, and feel free to tell me this is hopeless if it is. +Just had a conversation with someone in another sub that said Bitcoin is a horrible idea, it’ll never change anything, and it’s horrible for the World. He said, “someone buys Bitcoin, sells, and then some sucker buys Bitcoin after a 20% rise, who is buying an “inflated” price.” He also said that no one is ever going to give up traditional currency and that the dollar never has devalued. + +I was saying I’d rather have my money in Bitcoin so I’ll have something for retirement because the US dollar is going to be worth nothing in 30 years. He replied, “I’ll always choose US fiat as my retirement currency over Bitcoin”. + +I’m not shitting you guys, this just blows my mind, am I the crazy one here? +[/u/Pkmnpikapika's comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/tqaxak/gamestop_nft_and_gamestop_wallet_trademarks_were/i2g8ogd/) brings up something truly transformative regarding the Gamestop Wallet: remittances. +> This wallet is going to be international. So i could send crypto to anyone in the world. And then they just announced canadian dollar support, as well as a bunch of other currencies. So their scope of business suddenly is also targeting sending money abroad like remittances. + +I know, I know... People say 'transformative' about tech bullshit all the time... Well, what if I told you that by reducing or eliminating transaction fees on remittances you could lift tens or hundreds of millions of people out of poverty? + +**Remittances** are the money that a migrant worker sends back to their family. Currently, migrant workers pay anywhere between ~2% all the way up to ~15% to transmit / remit / send cash back to their families in their home countries. Let's say you're from Bangladesh and you moved to Lebanon to work. You send $10 a day back to your family, but a full $1.50 is eaten up by remittance fees. Imagine how much more food and petrol / gasoline your family could afford if 15% wasn't eaten up by greedy banks and 'money transmitters' (like Western Union, Moneygram, Opal, etc.). + +Still think remittances don't matter? +> World Bank studies, based on household surveys, suggest that international remittance receipts helped **lower poverty by nearly 11 percentage points in Uganda, 6 percentage points in Bangladesh, and 5 percentage points in Ghana.** Between a fifth and half of the 11 percent reduction in poverty in Nepal between 1995 and 2004, a time of political conflict, has been attributed to remittances. [1] + + +# What are remittances? + +> When migrants send home part of their earnings in the form of either cash or goods to support their families, these transfers are known as workers’ or **migrant remittances**. [1] + +# Why should I care? +> Remittances are especially important for low-income countries and account for nearly 4 percent of their GDP, compared with about 1.5 percent of GDP for middle-income countries. [1] + +Ryan Cohen & Co literally just gave the world's poors X% more money since the world's poor will no longer have to pay rapacious remittance fees. This will increase nation's GDPs by literal percentage points. No bullshit. + +# How did remittances used to work? +> A typical remittance transaction takes place in three steps: +> +>• The migrant sender pays the remittance to the sending agent using cash, check, money order, credit card, debit card, or a debit instruction sent by e-mail, phone, or through the Internet. +> +>• The sending agency instructs its agent in the recipient’s country to deliver the remittance. +> +>• The paying agent makes the payment to the beneficiary. [1] + +(See below for why remittances the old way were expensive and slow.) + +# Why did remittances 'the old way' suck for the world's poor? + +> For settlement between agents, in most cases, there is no real-time funds transfer; the balance owed by the sending agent to the paying agent is settled periodically through a commercial bank. Informal remittances are sometimes settled through goods trade. +> +> The costs of a remittance transaction include a fee charged by the sending agent, typically paid by the sender, and a currency-conversion fee for delivery of local currency to the beneficiary in another country. Some smaller operators charge the beneficiary a fee to collect remittances, presumably to account for unexpected exchange-rate movements. And remittance agents (especially banks) may earn an indirect fee in the form of interest (or “float”) by investing funds before delivering them to the beneficiary. The float can be significant in countries where overnight interest rates are high. + +# What impact did remittances have on economies in the developing world / global south? + +> World Bank studies, based on household surveys, suggest that international remittance receipts helped **lower poverty by nearly 11 percentage points in Uganda, 6 percentage points in Bangladesh, and 5 percentage points in Ghana.** Between a fifth and half of the 11 percent reduction in poverty in Nepal between 1995 and 2004, a time of political conflict, has been attributed to remittances. [1] + +And that's _with_ the shitty fees taken by bankers, transmitters, and other intermediaries. Imagine how poverty could be reduced if the literal do-nothing middle men stopped getting a cut of poor people's hard-earned remittances! + + + + + +References: +[1] The Internation Monetary Fund (I know, I know...) : https://www.imf.org/external/Pubs/FT/fandd/basics/76-remittances.htm + +---- + +TODO: Talk about MPESA in Kenya, history of mobile banking in Subsaharan Africa, share this table illustrating transaction fees ranging from 2.52% all the way up to fuckin' 13.17%: + +- https://ctmfile.com/assets/ugc/images/PCPOS_World_Bank_remittance_charges.png +- https://ctmfile.com/story/international-money-transfer-market-for-remittances-is-undergoing-a-slow-re +- Archive.is backup of CTMFile: https://archive.ph/Ce1kw + +Add stats on % of GDP of CountryX, CountryY made up by remittances + +Add additional sources (IMF, World Bank, NGOs, etc.) on microfinance, remittances, etc. + +Gotta get back to work - took a long enough lunch break - but will update this later today or tomorrow! + +------ + +Edit: Thanks for the gildings, folks and 🦍! (Keep your money though. Donate to efforts that help digital and off-line rights of the world's poor or something!) + +In particular, the 'restore[d] faith in humanity award' touched my cold, wizened heart though! :) So thank you for that award and all of the other ones as well. + +I'm still wrapping my head around additional use cases for the GME Wallet, exchange(s), offramps, etc. and - instead of updating this post - I'll create a new post later this week outlining some of the potential humanitarian aspects of a low-fee or no-fee digital currency, like what Gamestop is working on. +Saving Bond: + +* ~~$500 EE Savings Bond~~ **EDIT: $250 EE Savings Bond** (the bond says $500, but paper EE savings bonds were sold for half of their "face value." So the initial cost was $250, so $535 of interest since 1991) +* 4% interest rate, now worth $785. + + +My Situation: + +* Moved cross country for a very low paying DC internship at my dream job organization +* Got $3500 stipend (paying for the move, 3 months of food, bills, rent) and nearly exhausted now +* Getting $1600 stipend in Sept. to stretch me a couple more months +* I've moved 4 times in 3 months, (sublease to sublease to save cash) and gone on Food Stamps + + +Job Prospects: + +* Doing solid work, and maybe have a 40% chance (very decent chance, but far from guarantee) of getting hired on in a few months (~$45,000 + Great Benefits) + + +**Thank you all for the thoughts and feedback. /r/personalfinance continues to prove to be such an excellent resource** + + +Thanks everyone, I declined the interview and they have sent me an extra email trying tog et me to come make up the interview. I will not be taking the Job with the company. +(updated 1/6/21) + +**HIGH TIDE (ticker: HITI on Nasdaq)** +**GLOBAL CANNABIS RETAIL & ECOMMERCE EMPIRE** +**THC, CBD, & Accessories** + +**INVESTOR DECK** (updated 12/6/21): https://hightideinc.com/presentation + +**Undervalued, hidden GEM w/ visionary CEO, team, and a smart/unique strategy/plan built on a rapidly expanding a global digital footprint vs purely a B&M geographic one** + +**POWDER KEG. Only 51.5M share float = RAPID upside moves when sentiment towards the sector shifts back to positive** + +**HITI Barnacles Hold Tight**: https://i.imgur.com/RrzFm50.jpg. +Why do we call ourselves "barnacles?" We live in tide pools, we hold rocks (& shares) tight, and we're HARDENED. Sharks and Whales can't eat barnacles. The smartest barnacles attach themselves to whales for a ride up. + +**MUST WATCH 11/29/21 Raj Interview on the Dales Report**: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwOykKxkWPo + +----- + +**GLOBAL THC + CBD + ACCESSORIES STRATEGY** + +CannaCabana.com #1 in Canada for THC, CBD, & Accessories w/ 105 stores + +BlessedCBD #1 in UK, just announced delivery to Germany, USA, Italy, & France. European takeover imminent. + +NuLeaf (just acquired!) & FabCBD are both top CBD brands in the USA. 70%+ margins on these CBD businesses. + +Meanwhile, GrassCity.com, SmokeCartel.com, DailyHighClub.com, & DankStop.com are most of the top accessory websites in the world getting 100M visits in 2020, so the 2021 # should be big. $HITI has ~3M High Lifetime Value customers (who bought pipes, bongs, vapes, dab rigs, etc) in a list segmented by US state, so they could do a partnership with a (NY for example) MSO to add a "Buy Weed" button in any state. + +----- + +**2021 Recap** + +https://hightideinc.com/high-tide-recaps-milestones-of-2021/ + +- Nasdaq uplist. 4 new analysts +- Opened 48 stores. Total now 105. 150 by EOY '22 +- Accretive M&A of 3 Accessory biz & 3 CBD biz +- Club membership is booming w/ new discount model +- Q4 & Q1 ER will update projections +- 2 new initiatives coming + +----- + +**OVERVIEW** + +**1) FINANCIALS**. + +A) Q3 ER $48M revenue BEAT expectations. + +B) ~240M (USD) market cap when the price is $4.25/share (USD). + +C) Q4 ER will be around late January -- 90 days after Q4 ended on 10/31/21. + +D) After Q4 & Q1 ER, the projected revenue should be updated to ~250-300M (USD) in 2022 with a reach goal of $420M (USD) with more M&A and possible USA partnerships. + +E) Rapid expansion of stores (~105 EOY '21; ~150 EOY '22; 200 EOY '23) and M&A now = Big Net Profits later + +**2) NON-DILUTIVE FINANCING (NDF)** = $25M secured. Ability to negotiate more NDF grows as the consensus EBITDA projections grow + +**3) ANALYSTS** (5 of 6!) w/ BUY RATINGS. +ATB, Echelon were the first two analysts to issue BUY ratings. They were joined by ROTH & Desjardins a few months ago. Beacon Securities recently initiated coverage and on 11/22 Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage with a HOLD rating preferring the underperforming/underwhelming (soon to be 40% Couche-Tard owned) F&F instead (oops!). It's not just about the "BUY" ratings and the PTs -- these analysts host "roadshows" (giving them access to Raj, the team, and the facilities) and distribute their in-depth reports to all their institutional clients. + +**4) M&A** targets are always in a loaded deal pipeline. Negotiated several accretive deals on CBD & Accessory businesses to round out their diverse THC, CBD, & Accessory cannabis biz ecosystem: + +**ACCESSORIES** +1) www.GrassCity.com. +2) www.SmokeCartel.com. +3) www.DailyHighClub.com. +4) www.DankStop.com + +**CBD** +1) www.FabCBD.com. +2) www.BlessedCBD.co.uk. +3) www.NuLeafNaturals.com (acquired 11/22) + +**5) ETFs** (6) hold & add. MJ ETF has accumulated 3.5M+ shares in a few months, so they own 6% of the float. + +**6) INSTITUTIONS** went from 0 to ~30 institutions in just a few quarters. Institutional ownership went up 420% from Q2 to Q3 with way more Calls than Puts. New institutions quietly buying in Q4 will be revealed mid-Feb. Full Analysis: https://stocktwits.com/MungyboyStocks/message/407651499 (Institutional Ownership %) & https://stocktwits.com/MungyboyStocks/message/407648466 (Calls/Puts) + + +**7) VALUATION**. Undervalued. ~1.5x P/S compared to other retailers like Dollarama at 5 P/S+ and LPs at 10+ P/S. NASDAQ-listed Canadian LPs are unprofitable cash-burning machines, powered by dilution & delusion. MSOS can't as much institutional love stuck on the OTC. + + + +----- + +**RAJ IS A SELF-MADE (BEAST) CEO** + +Raj is the biggest shareholder (~6.5M!) and has never sold a share. + +He started this company with $40k and one store and grew it into the empire you see today. And he isn't slowing down. + +He wasn't handed millions which he squandered paying themselves and their friends first or expanding too much too fast. + +He is shrewd. Smart. Strategic. Charismatic. Transparent. And he does whatever he says he is going to do, when he says he is going to do it. + +That's rare. + +You bet on visionary leaders like that. + +That's why there are 4-5x as many watchers on StockTwits than any USA MSO. + +The passion we feel is contagious. It's only a matter of time before more institutions and retail investors realize what we already did and trust Raj to take us to the promised land. + + +----- + +**NULEAF NATURALS ACQUISITION SIGNIFICANCE** + +https://hightideinc.com/high-tide-continues-expansion-into-global-cbd-market-with-acquisition-of-colorado-based-nuleaf-naturals/ + +Located in Denver CO, NuLeaf Naturals is one of the top CBD brands in the USA in terms of CBD-blend research & IP, rapid growth, and industry-leading margins. $16M of the ~$20M revenue is direct-to-consumer, but the expanding agreement with Sprouts will allow for wider B&M retail distribution. + +It's notable that their facility is cGMP certified. It can generate up to 60,000 vegan soft-gels per hour, which is 25% of their business. Production of FabCBD and BlessedCBD will be moved to the facility for cost savings. + +Once USA legalization allows, High Tide hinted that this facility could also create THC infused edibles and drinks. + + +----- + + + +**DISCOUNT CLUB MODEL STRATEGY** + +https://hightideinc.com/high-tide-becomes-north-americas-first-cannabis-discount-club-retailer-with-over-245000-members/ (now 360K members as of the 1/6 PR with an estimated 70-90K+ members going to be added every quarter) + +DATA DRIVEN decision based on successful pilot programs + +Membership in this loyalty program is FREE ...for now. Every person who walks into a Canna Cabana sees a high cost for non-members, and a discounted cost for members. When they realize signing up for FREE with their email address and phone # (SMS) makes them a MEMBER of the CABANA CLUB, they will do so in order to save money on that purchase and future purchases. + +Stores are stocked w/ HIGH MARGIN products like consumption accessories, FabCBD & Blessed CBD, (soon) house brands of shatter & gummies -- with other form factors later. + +Anecdotal reports/reviews of lines out the door are a sign this strategy is working. + +**This is a DATA and MARKET SHARE grab from other retailers and the black market by running them out of business.** + + + + +----- + + +**NON-DILUTIVE FINANCING VIRTUOUS CYCLE** + +https://hightideinc.com/high-tide-secures-non-dilutive-credit-facility-with-atb-financial/ + +25M non dilutive bank financing secured + +~20M in cash on hand + +(40M ATM offering can be used at higher prices, which gives them flexibility if there is a bigger deal too good to pass up.) + +That is a nice war chest to begin to ramp up from 100 to 200 stores AND do some more M&A + +Projected revenue then goes up + +Analysts' PTs forced to go up based on updated models + +Which allows High Tide to secure more NDF based on consensus EBITDA run rate + +Repeat virtuous cycle until 200 stores + +Repeat virtuous cycle until World Domination + + + +----- + +**FASTENDR (acquired 1/5/21) HOT TAKE** + +https://hightideinc.com/high-tide-to-acquire-fastendr-retail-kiosk-and-smart-locker-technology-through-acquisition-of-bud-room-inc/ + +Watch Video +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oTvTrTSnn4 + +Discount model is causing long lines out the door. Taking a page from leading retailers in other sectors, this allows customers to order online or at a kiosk, and pick up from a "smart" locker. For those customers who know what they want and don't need the budtender's guidance, this is a slick convenience. Very few dispensaries in the world have this experience. + +Also mentioned in the PR is the desire to license this tech to other dispensaries and industries which could turn into yet another revenue stream. + +Delivery will be made available in as many location as allowed by law, but this offers a fast, convenient, slick way of ordering / picking up. It also cuts down on $$$ spent on budtenders while keeping lines moving. + +*With plans to expand in Europe, I could envision a smaller "Bud Room" store concept that almost feels like a vending machine. While not discussed in the press release, the stigma of cannabis still exists worldwide, so some might be turned off by the idea of being seen in line waiting at a dispensary. Side benefit worth mentioning.* + +**Overall, while this will increase profitability, this changes the perception of the company stock to THC + CBD + Accessories + *Data&Tech* -- which should help command higher multiples.** + + +----- + + +**CATALYSTS** Barnacles like to see develop + +**A) NON-DILUTIVE FINANCING**. Allows rapid expansion without just issuing shares. + +**B) NEW DISCOUNT CLUB MODEL + PRIVATE LABEL LAUNCH**. 2.0 products (launching soon!) & CBD will mega-boost margins. + +**C) FUNDAMENTALS** improving through rapid store opening&maturation and M&A aligned w/ eCommerce domination STRATEGY. ~3M high lifetime value customer emails + data + social across USA = most valuable asset + +**D) LEGALIZATION** "working-on-it" headlines sparking another forward-looking cannabis sector bull run. Most institutions can't invest in USA MSOs stuck on the OTC (likely several more mo), so they invest in NASDAQ companies w/ higher valuations. And we all know HITI's superior fundamentals, valuation, & profit projections stack up very well vs LPs & comps + +**E) MORE ANALYSTS & INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS** + +**F) NARRATIVE shift from LP to RETAIL.** See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSdyhx11iJM + +**G) USA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP.** Read: +https://mjbizdaily.com/how-canadian-cannabis-retailer-high-tide-plans-to-enter-united-states/ + +----- + +**BEAR CASE** + +Check out AlexM's video +https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkthZBd59TY. +He does an amazing job covering major High Tide events and his bear case video is no exception. + +My hot take on saturation / competition concerns... + +People worried about "saturation" don't get that big boys like High Tide are the ones that will benefit in the long run. Mom & Pops will get run out of business due to margin pressure. Meanwhile High Tide uses their position to negotiate better prices, which only serves to accelerate this process. Then High Tide gets to buy the best locations based on data while letting the underperformers close their doors. + +Coffee shops close. Starbucks gets bigger/stronger. + +Department stores close. Target gets bigger/stronger. + +Taking pages from the playbooks of Amazon, Walmart, Costco, and Grocery Stores is how you win this Retail game. + +**High Tide is engaging in a price war it knows it can win.** + + +----- + +**GROWTH > STAGNATION** + +The entire cannabis sector is in rapid growth mode. Top operators do all they can to expand their geographic footprint. They use cash, loans, and shares to buy & build assets that allow them to sell cannabis in as many locations as possible. + +(High Tide's strategy is unique because they have been more focused on expanding their DIGITAL footprint, but I've covered the brilliance of that strategy in other posts.) + +The reason they are all expanding this quickly is because they are confident the demand will continue we to rise and those assets will be worth far more in the future. Frankly, if they don't expand into X state, their competition will. + +What if High Tide never bought META or any of these profitable eCommerce CBD & Accessory biz. High Tide would be net profitable with 30ish locations, and Raj could still own 51% of the shares. + +No "dilution" (yay!?), BUT... + +No Growth. No World Domination. No Nasdaq. No institutions. No '20-'21 stock price boom. + +GROWTH is better than Stagnation + +----- + + +**COMMANDING ECOMM RETAILER MULTIPLES** + +High margin private label THC (edibles, shatter -- later flower, vape, etc) & FabCBD.com / BlessedCBD / NuLeaf a big reason High Tide is projected to be net profitable in 2022. + +When High Tide... +A) Sells the most Accessories & CBD worldwide. + +B) Owns multiple businesses in the USA. + +C) Sells cannabis data. + +D) Produces/creates THC edible, vape, & flower brands. + +E) Provides accessories to dispensaries across multiple states. + +F) PARTNERS WITH STATE OPERATORS TO GIVE THEM ACCESS TO SELL THC TO THEIR ~3M+ HIGH LIFETIME VALUE CANNABIS CONSUMERS(!!) + +...is it still considered "just a Canadian Cannabis Retailer" ??? + +It's all about flippening the LP vs Retail narrative and COMMANDING NASDAQ-listed NET PROFITABLE GLOBAL / MULTI-STATE USA ECOMM RETAILER TECH MULTIPLES + +Diverse income streams and a nimble plan makes HITI DANGEROUS in any scenario + + + +----- + + +**WORLD DOMINATION or BIG TIME BUY OUT** + +I play a lot of chess so I apologize for the chess analogy + +High Tide is a "passed p@wn" -- www.chess.com/terms/passed-pawn + +Meaning, they have advanced the p@wn aggressively down the board and are heading for the opponent's back rank. If they get there, they become a Queen, the most powerful piece on the board. + +Because High Tide is acquiring all these eCommerce driven consumption accessory businesses at low multiples, they have a golden list of ~3M high lifetime value customers (who bought pipes, bongs, vapes, dab rigs, etc) segmented by US State. Any MSO or LP (or large company outside the sector!) with USA domination plans wants this list. + +**3M customers X $100 profit on average per customer = $300MM which is more than the current market cap. How much is this (growing) list on its own worth? $300MM? $600MM? 1.2B?** + +If an MSO or LP doesn't buy them out, they will keep pushing that p@wn, and then they will have to compete against them when they become a Queen. + +**Passed p@wns are how you win the (Cannabis) End Game** + + +----- + +**HITI BARNACLES HOLD TIGHT** + +**BECAUSE RAJ NEVER SLEEPS, SELLS (any of his 6.5M shares), or STOPS (hustling)** +TL;DR - philosophy majors and retired baristas sold soul to the man to get freedom to waste more time in school later + +I tally up NW every month at the end of the month, and it finally crossed the 100k threshold! I've been a reader in this community for a while but never had anything to post. My husband and I haven't made stupid money the past few years *and* invested in a masters program *and* still have student loans so I wanted to give the lowdown so that any people like us can get a snapshot of how it's gone (and also hear from like-minded people.) + +Overview: [https://imgur.com/a/Do74z57](https://imgur.com/a/Do74z57) + +Our goals are to have the freedom to take lower paying passion jobs or go get a phd when we want to. We want kids in a few years, want to own a home, American dream etc. + +I've been tracking monthly for almost 2 years, which is the time period when we began really saving for retirement and focusing on FI. In the images, I marked some important milestones on my chart, but the summary of our post-undergrad life has been that we both graduated with liberal arts degrees, moved to HCOL east coast city, made coffees, I took a data bootcamp and became an analyst, spouse started a masters, he graduated in 2020 from masters and now we both have salaried employment. His masters was something he's interested in, but not something that drives his earning potential. He got his current job before he finished and it's in an unrelated field. + +I'm now a software product manager and he works in sales operations at a startup, so our earning potential should be solid. Although, we both are interested in academia and I want to get a masters/phd in an academic field, so a big drive for FI for us is being able to take low paying jobs down the road or go to school when we want to. I am applying for masters programs that would put me in a field I'm interested in but not necessarily make me more money, so these early investments are really important to our financial independence down the road. + +Some notes: + +* We paid his masters as we went, which I was able to do with my salary. I was happy to avoid taking on more debt, but in retrospect it may have been smarter to start investing more earlier and take out more loans, hard to say. +* We are currently saving for a down payment on a house, which is why 50k of our money is in liquid savings. +* We're not especially entrepreneurial and really enjoy working, so it's more about FI than RE for us. We both really like learning and research and public policy so we want the flexibility to pursue what we are interested in. +* We're fortunate to both have been able to work remote through the pandemic and both actually get raises. Huge boon to our goals. + +Anyway, curious to hear if there are others like us on this sub! Thanks for reading :) + +&#x200B; + +|Year|Combined Salaries|NW|Retirement | +|:-|:-|:-|:-| +|Jan 2015|8k|\-16.4k|0| +|Jan 2016|35k|\-10.4k|0| +|Jan 2017|51.5k|\-3k|0| +|Jan 2018|53k|\-15.7k|0| +|Jan 2019|86k|\-2.8k|5.5k| +|Jan 2020|104k|23.1k|14.5k| +|Jan 2021|123k|67.3k|48k| +|**Apr 2021**|**130k**|**100.2k**|**60k**| +|*2022 (est.)*|*133k*|*137k*|*75.3k*| +This guy Trevor Milton has no engineering background or degree. He promises to make better EV semis than Tesla but yet has made any truck or even prototype. All talk. He already sold some stock to buy himself a mansion. Is he the next Elizabeth Holmes. I'm tempted to short this stock. +I’m (19) trying to establish myself financially and can’t do much other than invest into an index fund. + +I’ve heard a lot of buying and holding long term and I’m all for it, but what happens when that “long term” point arrives. How do you benefit from your investment? Do you cash out and that’s where the benefit comes in from consistently staying in the market? + +Just trying to get a better understanding of the idea behind market gains. +I can’t even convince myself to buy a coffee on my way to work because I did the acccounting calculus and concluded that even one starbucks every two weeks will amount to 175 a year and that’s WAY too much for me + +How do I get myself to spend money again? +I can't figure out why the price of this stock is going down. Going for it is a P/E of 9.22 (vs 19.15 for industry average), an EPS growth of +76% (over +30% IA). Against it is a EPS growth (this quarter last year) of only +51% vs 66% IA, but still, I can't see a reason why its price has been dropping consistently for a few weeks. + +Anyone have any insight? + +Edit: for reference I consider this a buy and hold forever value stock, I'm wondering if there is a reason why I shouldn't be buying this at an apparent discount +I'm new to the US and looking to buy a car for the first time. I'm looking for something reliable and still within warranty. I'm also planning to pay a large amount down to keep the monthly payments down (looking at putting $10-15K down). I can afford to pretty much pay the whole thing down, but would prefer to finance for the sake of building credit. + +Looking at my overall budget, and other criteria, I've narrowed things down to two models - the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4. However, if I check autotrader to get an idea of going rates, I find that lightly-used cars (<20-25k miles) from the last 2-2.5 years are nearly as expensive as new cars. + +For instance: [used] (https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/Used+Cars/AWD+~+4WD/Toyota/RAV4/Renton+WA-98058?makeCodeList=TOYOTA&searchRadius=50&modelCodeList=RAV4&zip=98058&marketExtension=include&trimCodeList=RAV4%7CXLE&startYear=2018&driveGroup=AWD4WD&vhrTypes=NO_ACCIDENTS%2CONE_OWNER&listingTypes=USED&isNewSearch=true&sortBy=derivedpriceASC&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0) and [new] (https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/New+Cars/AWD+~+4WD/Toyota/RAV4/Renton+WA-98058?makeCodeList=TOYOTA&searchRadius=50&modelCodeList=RAV4&zip=98058&marketExtension=include&trimCodeList=RAV4%7CXLE&startYear=2018&driveGroup=AWD4WD&vhrTypes=NO_ACCIDENTS%2CONE_OWNER&listingTypes=NEW&isNewSearch=true&sortBy=derivedpriceASC&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0). There's some discount for getting a used car, but it seems to be under 10% in nearly all cases. If I look at certified cars, it's even worse, with only a few hundred off the price of a new one. What gives? Are there hidden costs for a new car that aren't covered in the sticker price? Are the prices on the used cars artificially inflated to force people to haggle? + +I was given to understand that cars depreciate by a few thousand as pretty much as soon as you drive them off the lot, and by 20-30% by the end of the first year. That doesn't appear to jive with what my local market looks like. + +At this point, why would I _not_ buy a new car? +From here [https://www.clarusft.com/most-active-equity-total-return-swaps/](https://www.clarusft.com/most-active-equity-total-return-swaps/) + +USD most active TRS July 1, 2022 to July 25, 2022 + +https://preview.redd.it/f5griys0lke91.png?width=650&format=png&auto=webp&s=7496e0a7d3e73d45f2568f53ab73b9d383ca8d91 + +No Gamestop there + +# But here's USD TRS from July 18 to July 22nd + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/06ca84bilke91.png?width=609&format=png&auto=webp&s=6f322078aaf2c148da0f69f2ceac22e8ecff315b + +There it is. I have no idea if these are exchange traded or private, or really anything else about them. Just happened across the Clarus blog I look at sometimes. There's certainly apes with more wrinkles than me that understand all this. Maybe even one who works at Clarus? Here's their notes under this chart: + + + +* *CIGNA falling out of this list and not in the top 100.* +* *Healthcare Trust now top with $485 million from 21 trades* +* *NETFLIX much higher in 10th spot (quarterly results were last week)* +* *Dollar Tree in the list* +* *…* +* *Gamestop in 18th spot with $64million and 27 trades (the reddit stocks still going strong?)* + +# So $64 million in total return swaps on Gamestop last week you say? + +Interesting. Especially with the timing of it. That seems like the type of information a real regulator (who certainly has access to more information than this information service) WOULD BE LOOKING INTO!!!! +So, during the lockdown. I dove into crypto and started investing November 2020. + +I have been swapping alt coins extensively. However, I did not know that swapping crypto to crypto was taxable. Which begs to my question. + +How do I pay that swap from crypto to crypto if I have no fiat funds to pay for that capital gain. I’m really confused how that works. Does it force me to cash it out to cover my costs for the tax. + +From my understanding, The only thing I should pay for is that if I decide to convert my gains into GBP into a UK bank account (MONZO). + +For example, from all my trades (swapping alt coins) I have only ever converted USDT to GBP/BTC/GBP and ADA/GBP to a total amount of £12,000. Which I thought was the free allowance. + +I have not exceeded that in terms of withdrawal from Binance. Even though my current gains have grown, I have never exceeded to take profit over £12,000. Therefore, is there any point in declaring. + +My understanding was that. I only ever have to declare if my cashout (Crypto to fiat into a bank account) if I go over the Capital Gains allowance. Which I haven’t. I just want to keep my bag growing. + +I don’t want to tax evade, I just want to know the proper way to do this. How can they expect me to pay for a crypto to crypto swap when I am not even benefiting from the gain because I’m just riding the percentages and not cashing it to GBP. + +I really just don’t understand how this works. Also, is it too late for me to declare such information. + +Thank-you very much. I don’t want to be i trouble. I did not inform of myself of such information and I am very worried. +I have an upcoming discussion with my boss on salaries & am curious as to where I should draw a minimum expectation after a pretty good year at work. US articles are saying 8% or you’re taking a pay cut, but Aus inflation is just 3.5%. Is that all I’m after if I want to “keep up”? +Hi there! + +A little background about me and my predicament/thoughts before my question: + +I'm a new graduate who has been working in an arguably limiting position/industry since the start of the year. I'm also a 1st gen immigrant meaning I do not have access to higher up networks to ask, nor parents who are familiar with the dynamics of careers/jobs in Australia. I rely mostly on my own research plus browsing forums for other peoples experiences to guide my decision. + +My current graduate position pays well and was picked over another position (regrettably) on the basis of me being naive and maybe factoring in my parents advice too much (their experiences don't map over as accurately to Australia - thus the advice whilst genuine was a little inappropriate for this era, and this country). Though my current job salary is pretty decent for a fresh grad - it caps very quickly and career progression/development is fairly limited, as I'm now aware. This led me to re-apply for other jobs despite only having started my current grad position in Dec but I am hardstuck on wanting to earn more and as fast as possible (would like to achieve a financial goal before a family member passes... so time is not on my side unfortunately). + +My question: + +What I have noticed during my recent job search is a potentially biased (?) trend in other high earning graduates around my age. It seems that for those recently graduated within the last 1-2 years and are earning in the top 5-15% in a non technical field like finance/corporate (not SWE or the likes), jumping from one job/company to another after only a short period at the former company often results in a considerable bump to their salary. What I cannot infer is whether they are developing their skills as efficiently or holistically in a year/1.5 year period, though for now I'm more interested in the money aspect atm, but still curious (this thought process is what led me to now apply for sales). I acknowledge that these people are probably viewed as flight risks but being a graduate - i think this does not impact us too much atm nor has it seemingly stopped others from getting upgraded offers. + +Does sticking around and being loyal to one company usually result in a faster salary increase (internally progressing upwards) or is the situation of jumping from one company to another after only a short time an effective strategy to increase your earnings? Is what I am witnessing biased as its only reflective of graduate cohort ages or generally as well? + +Each pay bump that these graduates are receiving from a new corp after only a year at their former company is fairly substantial too. Their roles are neither niche nor specialised/technical. + +Hoping to gather some insights so I know if I will be viewed negatively for leaving my grad role in 6 months/a years time in pursuit of higher pay... or maybe this approach is a calculated risk worth taking..? + +Thanks in advance! +I'm currently paying around 5% in interest on my home loan, is that enough to only focus on paying off the house for peace of mind? Does it make more sense to wait until inflation is more under control since it's higher than the interest rate I'm paying? +Over the last month, I've lost all of my earnings, and it's turned me into an emotional trader. I've had a roller coaster ride with options, but lately, I've lost a lot of money in the last month that I'm dead inside and don't think I'll ever be able to trade logically again without being hampered by emotions. + +As an example, around March I sold my Tesla shares for $300 less than what I paid for it. However, Tesla stock soared afterward, and if I hadn't used my paper hand, I would have been getting greens by around 40%. + +My problem was that I didn't plan ahead of time before initiating a deal. I really just have emotion to bargain with. Before entering any trade-in, I should've had an exit strategy in place and established what I was seeking to achieve and being realistic. Any advice on how to be less emotionally invested in your trades would be appreciated... +So me and my partner have reduced reduced reduced. Sold the car, cancelled every membership, using parents or friends streaming services, basically not using heating. I don't have any debts, but my partner is on a debt management plan than has reduced this too as little as possible per month. We have stopped eating meat mostly(once a week we buy a different meat item) , dont have treats and just live off the very basics. Our rent is incredibly good, not possible to get anywhere cheaper in the city we live in right now. There's nowhere else to reduce from. Unfortunately slowly emptied out our saving trying to survive through covid job insecurity and the current cost of living crisis. + +We have both changed careers to something that within the next year atleast will become more lucrative for us, but in the meantime we just need an extra £150 a month to get through for the next few months. Any tried and true ways to do this, without putting in any money assests? There's plenty of ideas online, but when you are in the position we are in financially you can't really take any real risks/chances. + +To help with answering this question, we have a garden, a good laptop, tonnes of art equipment and are very creative and my parter also speaks French. We have maybe half an hour free extra a day each. As sometimes it's good to know what assets and skills are available to make that extra cash,.when you don't have any capital to invest. + +Edit: +For the people suggesting delivery, I don't have any form of transport. +For the people offering lawn mowing as a solution, I have my grandads 30 year old mower that noone wants tearing up their lawn. +For the people messaging me about sex work, you seems seedy and I have about as much value in the sex industry as my grandads mower has for lawn mowing. +For the people saying to get a part time job- to be more transparent about my situation I'm currently in a government assisted programme, to get graduates who struggled to get into work post pandemic into tech. So my intensive coding course is fully funded, but I can't take on any work as they would cut the funding. I could do something cash in hand illegally, but the judgement of getting caught doing this would not be great. Only got 3/4 weeks left so will be doing any work I can get as soon as its over aswell as trying to freelance. +Still very appreciative of the suggestions, just wanted to provide some clarity. + +Edit: surprised by how many comments here, not able to reply to all. But thank you so much for all the suggestions, going to sit down and figure out which are viable for us, there's gotta be something in there atleast . Honestly even an extra £5 means a lot too us right now so well worth a try. +Like a lot of people, I joined the military to escape the small town I’m from. I got out after 4 years, got my degree, and now I am doing very well for myself. It’s great not to have to worry about finances and planning vacations, but my family is still struggling and I feel awful. I used to help my mom every now and then with money, but my wife won’t allow me too any more and I understand where she is coming from. + +My mom has had a hard time holding a job and has struggled with mental health and substance abuse. She takes care of my niece, nephew, and younger sister. It kills me when she calls and says the water will get shut off or she is about to get evicted. I can’t help but think of the kids, but I just don’t trust her with money. I do my best to spoil everyone on birthdays and Christmas without spreading myself too thin. I call my mom often (weekly) to check in and listen. I try my best to be there for her in other ways than a financial resource. + +I guess my question is can anyone else relate? How do you have boundaries and balance the feeling of guilt? +Their revenue has grown consistently since 2010, along with their income, and Cash from Operations, and I realize they have high inventory turnover. They seem to have paid a low interest rate (~3%) but their debt-to-asset ratio has climbed a lot in the last few years. What are the implications? Shouldn't this be cause for concern? +One of my goals is to give a good amount of money for kids so that if they find their work life frustrating, I can help speed up their FI journey. + +We plan to pay for their college and teach them FIRE principles (saving hard, investing early etc.) but along with these would also give them some money (anywhere from 500k to 1million for each of our 2 kids based on how much we can accumulate) by the time our social security kicks in. We plan to keep 1 million for ourselves when SS starts and distribute the rest then equally to kids. The problem though is it will add few more years to my working career and will increase my FIRE target number. + +What are your plans for leaving money to kids. How much are you planning on passing on? Also what's the best way to pass it; 1) give some every year 2) give as a lump sum 3) leave it as inheritance after you die + +**Conclusion:** Thanks all for your suggestions. I have summarized the best advice and course of action below + +Not giving them money gives them much more valuable thing, the ability of fight and survive in life. So nothing is lost if you can't or don't give them money. But if you want to give them then 1) don't tell them early that you will give 2) Help with college, help to maximize their yearly retirement contributions, may be first house down payment so that they have a place to live, rest all pass on as inheritance 3) Also yearly gifts followed by rest as inheritance is another way to give. +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. +Background: I'm a rising senior in college. I've been using a stock market simulator app to feel out the market since my senior year in high school. I've used a very simple strategy that has more than doubled my starting funds. + +I simply look at a website that grades stocks based on predicted returns. Then I buy 4 of the highest rated stocks in different industries, dividing my bankroll by 4. I wait for my portfolio to increase by around 5%, then I sell and repeat. + +If my portfolio hasn't increased in 3-5 months, I'll also sell and start over. + +I'm aware that this has happened during a really strong upswing in the market, and that decisions are a lot easier to make when you're dealing with fake money. But say I maintain this strategy when I start to acquire some capital after graduation - maybe increasing to 8 stocks instead of 4. + +Would it be wise to continue using this strategy given my past success, or would it be smarter to get a standard Vanguard account? + +Here is a graph of my portfolio. The large upswing and downswing were glitches in the app that corrected themselves after a few days. + +http://m.imgur.com/gallery/PqYzLZ7 + +I need advice, I’m a 28 year old I make about 120k a year before taxes and I currently own a townhome. I want to move to a place where I can enjoy a backyard and not be under the order of a HOA. I also have a 2 year old and a significant other who makes about 15k a year. + +I have 0 debt besides my mortgage. +My monthly payment is 1350 and I’m at a 2.7% interest rate on the loan. Overall my monthly living expenses are around 2k. I also spend around 300-500 a month on miscellaneous items. + +I have 27k in cash and 92k in stock investments with 25k being unrealized gains. + +I am looking to buy a house that’s 425k while keeping my current place and renting it out. Townhomes in my area rent within a month typically for about 2500-2900 a month. If I paid water, sewer, trash, hoa fee, this would be a 1600 a month expense and I would net the difference. + +The 20% downpayment + 6% closing costs would run me pretty much dry ~115k, if I sold my investment account I’d have right around that. I realize I’d have to pay Capitol gains on this aswell. They’re all long term so it would be 15% tax rate on the 25k profits. I’m wondering if there are other options or if this is a terrible idea. I could sell the house and have around the same in cash too as I have 90k+ in equity in my home. + +Any advice is helpful, I’m young and frugal and I’m scared to take risks but so far that has played out well for me. I think this could play out very well or I could run into a bunch of problems with no free cash and be screwed. The house is a dream home that would be our forever home in the school district that I grew up going to and is also the best in the county. + +Thank you in advance. +I always wonder if I am on the correct financial path for my age. I was wondering if there is a standard for each age of how much you should have in your checking/savings at this point. I’ve googled some, but most are comparing you to your peers. I am not interested in my peers, but I’m financial longevity. + +TLDR: is there a standard for how much money you should have at specific ages? +I owe just $24k left on my house. I can easily cover this. Should I just write one big last check when my next mortgage statement comes in, or should I continue to make my monthly payments for the full term? Thanks. +Okay this is a long one. Is this a feasible option people do? + +My parents house is worth ~420k in a MCOL. + +Currently they are ~350k In debt: + +-CCs: ~130k +-home equity loan: 60k +-back taxes: 5k +-remaining mortgage: 156k + +I’m thinking of buying the house and pulling out a mortgage for the worth of the house. Which would allow my parents to pay off all their debt and I would just have them still live in the house and pay me the escrow payments as rent. They both still work but between the both of them they only take home $50k a year. Which would cover all the payments + bills. + +We all want to eventually sell this house within the next 5 years but we aren’t ready since my sister is still in college + now the pandemic. + +As for me I’m 26, 110k salary, and sitting at 150k NW. I’ve done well for myself and know I’ll be approved for the mortgage of the house if I put down a 10% down payment which I have. + +And I’m thinking once my parents are done working we can then put in the work on moving and selling their house. I just hate to see them just going further and further in debt. I didn’t know it was this bad. They bought this house at 220k in 1998. Values of houses have gone up in my area (45 min from NYC) and I feel like in 5 years I could still sell the house at the same value as it’s worth now. + +Before I get the comments of “your parents should be able to figure it out themselves” Please don’t. My parents have done so much for me that I want them to finally enjoy their retirement and I’m trying to see all my options. Which if anyone out there has other ideas I’ll take them. +To start, I am currently 27 and want to make the best decision now so I can have the longest possible (efficient) time in the market. I am not well versed in investing so please bear with me. I have a Vanguard Roth IRA Brokerage Account and lately I've been reading a lot about how VTSAX is one of the best mutual funds to invest in early and stay invested in for the long run. I currently invest only in the Vanguard Target Retirement 2060 Fund for my Roth IRA, where I have $8,450 (contributions) + $3600 (investment returns) = ≈$12,050. I'm wondering if I should exchange $3,000 from my Roth IRA to fund VTSAX? Is there a way to fund VTSAX without "exchanging" money from my Roth IRA? I'm not totally understanding Vanguard's interface. + +Any advice is greatly appreciated! +I'm 24 and recently inherited $90,000. I'd like to retire by 60, preferably before then. I'm currently leaning towards Vanguard Index funds. I've heard that they rival standard stocks and you don't have to pay a percentage to someone else. + +I've met with financial advisers and I know that if I go with one, they need to have a fiduciary responsibility. Financial advisors usually take a large portion of funds though. + +Any and all advice would be appreciated. Thank you! +I was gonna make a story about how i become 15 in november and that i get access to my bank account(finland.. thats why) .. About that should i invest in to crypto currencies like bitcoin when their value is climbing? +[TW self harm, suicide] + +TLDR: I have $84,000 of debt I don’t know how to approach. + +Hi there Reddit. I’m in desperate need of some help. I’ve gotten to a point where I need to decide if it’s time to declare bankruptcy. + +I’m a 33F, an artist and self employed in the events industry for the last 15 years with a sole prop LLC. I worked really hard to build my business up, in the face of some pretty tough personal circumstances. By the end of 2019, I was averaging over $150k a year. + +However, by that time, my mental health had hit the worst it had been. I’ve dealt with some severe depression since I was a teen, and am also a survivor of abuse and assault. I was working so so hard by 2019, but my bipolar disorder became so unmanageable that I had suicidal ideation and depression so bad that I couldn’t leave my bed. Everything operated in a dense fog. When I was manic, I racked up credit card debt. I would do things like buy drinks for the whole bar. I was making more money than I had ever seen in my entire life, and I spent like crazy. I acted as if I had an even bigger payday coming. And then, of course, the pandemic hit, and suddenly, I went almost 18 months unemployed. + +2020 I made approximately $10k, this was again due to my severe depression and mental health in addition to the pandemic. I decided to make a serious change about a year ago. I started going back to therapy, got sober, got on a new prescription regimen, and for the first time since I was 18, my mood is stable again. I feel good and healthy in a way I hadn’t for so long. + +So now, finally, I’m ready to “attack” my debt and finance problem. I have seriously ignored my financial health for the last 5-6 years. Please at least be kind when responding to this. If your inclination is to make me feel bad about myself, you can save your time because I can guarantee you I’ve said WAY worse to myself. Having depression can be like having your worst enemy telling you how to feel about yourself. My self loathing as gotten so bad I had to consciously stop myself from self harming. I understand now that there is no shame in asking for help now. + +So my question to you Reddit, what do you recommend on how to attack this? I’m currently making about $5k a month before taxes, and about $2.5k goes towards my monthly living expenses. Thank you in advance for any advice. I really appreciate this community. xx + +Personal debt: +$55k in credit card debt +$4k left on car loan +$9k personal loan to refinance cc debt +No mortgage or student loans +Total $63,000 in debt + +LLC debt: +$21k in credit card debt +I also hear people talk about all the unfunded liabilities like social security which all dwarf the current national debt. What does this mean to my children and grandchildren? +So I’ve got a credit limit of £9700 and on a typical month I spend £500-1000. I always pay in full so never get charged interest on any short term debt. + +This month has been particularly expensive as I’ve just moved home and spent around £4500 on new furniture etc. Credit utilisation will obviously be >50%. + +I intend to pay this in full next month by the due date, but my question is - will a sudden jump in my credit utilisation in the short term have negative impact on my credit rating? +https://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2018/03/16/4-reasons-to-sell-tesla-stock/?sh=75e005c03224 + + + We’ve all seen the articles telling us GameStop is a loss and to sell while you still can. I’ve linked an article above (4 years old) saying the same thing about Tesla. + +I think this is a good thing to show newer apes who might not be quite as zen as us older ones. Just to show them that this isn’t anything new. +A few months ago I was living in an apartment that big and spacious and 30 mins to my job in midtown Manhattan. To be honest it was a bit too expensive for me but I loved the apartment. + +Did to circumstances beyond my control the Landlord wanted me out since I was the last one left in the apt and he wanted to rent to a family. It’s a long story, but ultimately he paid for my moving expenses. I moved in to a much cheaper apartment that was smaller and has no sunlight and 50 mins to my job. This new living arrangement of no sunlight and a longer commute I knew would be difficult for me. Which it has been. + +I knew that since the apartment was cheaper I could settle debt faster without having to really change my money habits. I usually buy a cheap lunch or no lunch at all and make my meals at home. I hate having to Eat in the basement at work so if I can’t eat outside I usually don’t eat at all. + +Anyways, I’ve gotten side tracked. I don’t know why but I feel like the last two months I’ve been poorer than I have been but making more money than I was when I was living in the more expensive apartment. It has been frustrating and I don’t understand. My bills have been cheaper and I have been paying a little bit more on my credit cards. I feel like I should feel the same and still have the same spending money but I don’t. The last two weeks I have had pbjs and ramen. I can barely afford anything else. + +Maybe I’ve been paying too much on my credit cards and over estimated how much I could pay them with my budget. I’m just so frustrated. +Hey guys. I’m 22F, boyfriend is 33M. + +Our relationship is….not good. About 2 months ago he shut off my phone because I gave a coworker a ride home. Started calling me a whore, junkie, etc. Broke all my makeup. Other times he refused to take me to a hospital when I had a severe concussion, threatening to dump me on the side of the road. His dad raped me -I hate calling it that, because oral/digital doesn’t feel like it counts- and he accused me of making it up. + +My apartment is 1200$ monthly. I make 13 an hour as an electrical helper. I can’t afford here. I have no family to stay with, and my friends don’t have places for me to go. I can’t ever get the police to take a DV report (Tampa PD). I have been strangled before with petechiae everywhere and they wouldn’t take it. They simply don’t care. DV shelters here give you 3 days max, without a police report. I also have 2 cats and would have nowhere to place them. + +I’m poor. Like if he wasn’t here I would be choosing between groceries or transportation, and cell or electric. Rent would be 62% of my gross income. I have contacted the apartments as I know they have availability to upgrade to a 2ned so I can get a roommate. No response. My lease is not over til November and it would take 2400$ to break which I can’t afford. + +I’m desperate. I have sex with him and it’s painful. I cry daily. I literally just want safety and to feel loved and I can’t get that. I’m tired of constantly being accused of cheating. I’m tired of being told I must have somewhere to go; I don’t. I have looked online but can’t find anyone whose situation is quite as bad as mine. I just need help coming up with ideas. I’m really struggling. Ideas to get out and be OK. I’m at the point where if I fall back into abject poverty, I may as well off myself. + +I’m also stuck within the county as a condition of probation. + +I’m back at the point of seriously considering street-level SW despite the dangers (have been a prostitute before). + +My monthly income is 1600$, that’s it. + +TLDR; domestic shelters won’t take me, I have no family, friends won’t help, cannot leave county. +I am 16 I graduated high school early so now it's time for college right now my plan is to stay in my city for a year do a year of community college and work, then move to the state I'd like to attend college. I would then do a year of community college over there since the cost of living/ college would still be significantly cheaper than going to a full 4-year college and at that point, I would qualify for in-state tuition which is 3x cheaper than the cost of out of state tuition. Then finally I'd transfer to a 4 yr university and finish out my last 2 years there. I would end up paying a total of $26,000 instead (which is still costly) instead of $146,460. + +Let me know what yall think! Because I am super stressed out right now because I do not know if I am making the correct decision. +On one hand, ABBV is losing market share of its blockbuster biological drug Humira, as patents begin to expire in coming years and new comparable biologics by other companies (6 in total. ex. Cyletezo) will be allowed on the US market starting 2023. Furthermore, Warren Buffet recently unloaded a large stake in ABBV. + +On the other hand, ABBV is a dividend beast, with increasing payouts for 49 years straight, and unlikely to relinquish such a track record. Furthermore, even as the sun is beginning to set on Humira, ABBV still has two newer drugs, Skyrizi and Rinvoq, that are still available to be aggressively marketed and generate profits. + +Best case scenario, ABBV stock continues to grow and raise dividends. + +Worst case scenario, ABBV stops making profits in coming years as Humira loses market share, the stock decreases in value, ABBV diverts cash reserves from R&D to continue paying dividends, eventually goes into debt and can no longer pay dividends, eventually rendering the stock worthless compared to its standing today. + +Thoughts? +I am 67 old, and plan to retire in 3 year. Outside the Roth IRA, I have $ 300.000 in an account. What is your suggestion for a monthly income? +Thank you +I know that is not popular here but last week got my attention. It's been a great 3 month run, all but one of the sales will be at a profit. + + +Apparently I cannot completely give up my growth mentality, or concern for share price. Moving back from all in. I have not been DCA for years, that would make more of a case to hold. Also, I do not need the income right now. I made a major move in March and am protecting some of those gains. I was up 15%, at 7.5% now, not including dividends. + + +When I get more confidence in the market I will buy back into dividend stocks. We will see if that is at a higher or lower price. I still have 2% in SPAC's and 2% in options. +My overall plan is to eventually have enough dividend income that it could be considered a second income equivalent to my job. My question is whether I should be focusing on continuing to invest into dividend paying companies to get there, or invest into a growth ETF until I get to a set amount. At that point I would sell off the growth ETF and invest into something like SPHD with the same amount, thus creating a comfortable dividend payment per month. + +Is there anything illogical about this mindset? +I have met one coworker that was interested in investing ( crypto), but never anybody into dividend stocks. Just wondering if anyone else here had found like minded people. + +[View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/rj0wld) +Genuinely curious. Would having a traditional diversified retirement account with primarily index funds and bonds where you withdraw 4% of your market gains every year during retirement be worse than having a retirement fund primarily of dividend yielding stocks where you don’t DRiP and live off the dividends? What’s the advantage of either? I’m still 30 years from retirement. +I’m in the US military our 401k is called “Thrift Savings Plan”. In that account, I have 85% in the fund that tried to track the S&P500 and 15% in the fund that tried to track the Dow Jones. Expense ratios are 0.043% and 0.059% respectively. + +I am 33, will have a decent pension around 40 and plan to continue working for until in 55-60 or so. + +I am only now starting an IRA, but how would you allocate the $6k a year in there, knowing that I have S&P500 and Dow Jones tracked funds. Would you still recommend a VOO/VTI and QQQ/QQQM mix in the IRA, or should I be doing something completely different in the IRA? +Seems like everyone agreeing that QYLD is not growth and effected by inflation long term. + +Looking at VTI last decade or more, minus fees looks like very similar performance to QYLD’s dividends. + +Am I wrong? +This was a Warren Buffet addition this year. With it down almost 5% today and reporting earnings tomorrow, could this be an opportunity to add this undervalued 4% dividend payer? +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. +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. + +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. +I've just seen this video on YouTube where the guy makes some really good suggestions - the one in particular which I thought was a great tip was: + +Start looking around 7 months before your fixed term is up for a quote from a lender (not your current) - and get a quote locked in. This gives you a benchmark rate which will last 6 months, if rates come down in between getting that rate and your renewal - then great, but if they go up you still have that early quote to fall back on. + +Simple but great advice - video linked below (No affiliation with channel) + +[https://youtu.be/qgAkqOeGkiQ](https://youtu.be/qgAkqOeGkiQ) + +&#x200B; + +Edit: Obviously wait until you are within 6 months before locking in a quote - starting at 7 months to go is meant to give you time to shop around. +Hi, I recently got my second big girl career job, and I'm not sure what to do with my previous employer's pension. The way I see it, my options are: + +1. Leave it as is. I don't really want to do this, as in 20 years I don't want to be trying to keep track of 6 different pots. + + +2. Transfer it to my new employer's pension. + + +3. Transfer it to a SIPP. This seems advantageous as I can move all of my various pensions over time into the SIPP. + + +I'd really appreciate any advice! +TL:DR Hedgies are Fucked. Buy and Hold. This is not financial advice. If you notice I use the letter I alot, it’s because I JUST LIKE THE STOCK. 😉 + +https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2021/06/30/firm-of-billionaire-sells-faena-miami-beach-condo.html + +Old news, new information. I google Kenneth Griffin from time to time, just to see if that bastard shows his face in public. Wheres my fucking money, kenneth? It’s been 6 months. [You got time to create synthetic shares, but you dont got my fucking money?](https://youtu.be/ZomwVcGt0LE) + +I want to know what he’s doing at all hours of the day, I want to know who he does business with, and how this new information is related to GME. Once he is in prison, I want to know what time he takes a shit, who comes to visit him, how much is his daily intake of mayo. I’m at work, so can’t dive deep into it. Hoping apes can help. + +“[**I love you Kenny, we coulda been together, think about it.**](https://youtu.be/gOMhN-hfMtY) + +You ruined it now, I hope you can't sleep and you dream about it. + +And when you dream I hope you can't sleep and you scream about it. + +I hope your conscience eats at you and you can't breathe without me. “ - Eminem + +> Faena Holdings LLC, formerly known as STHA LLC and linked to Griffin by multiple media reports over the years, sold the 3,889-square-foot Penthouse B in the condominium at 3315 Collins Ave. to **Little Orchid LLC, managed by Christopher Pappas. Bank of America provided a $8.68 million mortgage to the buyer.** + +Who is Christopher Pappas? And why is he hard to find? Again, I’m at work so I don’t have time. + +Other than selling houses to be able to get more liquidity to avoid a margin call, why would anyone sell at a loss? Illegal dealings? + +Is BofA providing the loan to buy Kenny’s home at a loss, to pay Kenny? Isn’t BofA a [bagholder in this](https://reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/nsioql/the_complete_bank_of_america_gamestop_dd/)? Would they not be interested in making sure kenny G has enough liquidity? + +SEC, please, I beg you, GET THE FUCK UP, stop jacking off AND DO YOUR FUCKING JOBS, CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE’RE DOING IT FOR YOU. I’m not even getting paid for this shit. It’s ridiculous + +The longer this goes on, the more time Kenneth and whoever else is supressing GME, has to create synthetic shares. More synthetic shares, more people will get hurt and lose their jobs, their homes, when the market crashes. REAL PEOPLE WILL GET HURT. THIS IS NOT A FUCKING GAME. + +This is not my fault. YOU ALLOWED NAKED SHORT SELLING, NOT ME. FUCK YOU. How long have you known about naked short selling SEC? Decades? And what have you done about it? Not enough. + +GG, didn’t you help [ban the regulation](https://youtu.be/T2IaJwkqgPk?t=5990) of derivatives? Didn’t Obama appoint you? You used to be a Goldman Sachs exec, right? + +Wasn’t the cause of the 2008 crash due to CDO’s, and CDS’? **A TYPE OF DERIVATIVE?** + +My dad lost his his house because of it. Your hands are far from clean GG. [NINJA loans](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/ninja-loan.asp) is what the bankers called it, right? + +> A NINJA loan is a slang term for a loan extended to a borrower with little or no attempt by the lender to verify the applicant’s ability to repay. It stands for “no income, no job, and no assets.” Whereas most lenders require loan applicants to provide evidence of a stable stream of income or sufficient collateral, a NINJA loan ignores that verification process. + +The same Obama who ran on hope and change, only for [1 banker to go to jail](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/04/magazine/only-one-top-banker-jail-financial-crisis.amp.html) for the 2008 financial crisis? Thanks, Obama. + +Obama, didn't you re-appoint Ben Bernanke as Fed Chair? Doesn't Ben Bernanke [work at Citadel now](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/nkqofa/financial_crisis_2009_former_fed_chairman_ben/)? + + +>On April 16, 2015, it was announced publicly that Bernanke will work with [Citadel]( +https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/nkqofa/financial_crisis_2009_former_fed_chairman_ben/), the $25 billion hedge fund founded by billionaire **Kenneth C. Griffin**, as a senior adviser.[77] In the same month it was revealed that Bernanke would also join Pimco as a senior advisor.[78] + +Bernanke, DIS YOU? [Writing about the U.S' status as world reserve currency in 2016](https://www.brookings.edu/blog/ben-bernanke/2016/01/07/the-dollars-international-role-an-exorbitant-privilege-2/)? ([Hyperinflation](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/o4vzau/hyperinflation_is_coming_the_dollar_endgame_part/), anyone?) + +So the Ex-Fed chair Ben Bernanke, starts working at Citadel in 2015, writes about the dollar losing its status as the world reserve currency in 2016 while working at citadel. In u/atobitt [**The Everything Short**](https://reddit.com/r/GME/comments/mgucv2/the_everything_short/) we find out Citadel is shorting treasury bonds. Hmmmmmmm I WONDER WHY. + +> TL;DR- Citadel and friends have shorted the treasury bond market to oblivion using the repo market. Citadel owns a company called Palafox Trading and uses them to EXCLUSIVELY short & trade treasury securities. Palafox manages one fund for Citadel - the Citadel Global Fixed Income Master Fund LTD. Total assets over $123 BILLION and 80% are owned by offshore investors in the Cayman Islands. Their reverse repo agreements are ENTIRELY rehypothecated and they CANNOT pay off their own repo agreements until someone pays them, first. The ENTIRE global financial economy is modeled after a fractional reserve system that is beginning to experience THE MOTHER OF ALL MARGIN CALLS. +THIS is why the DTC and FICC are requiring an increase in SLR deposits. The madness has officially come full circle. + +Wasn’t Joe Biden VP during that time? Are you blind Joe? I don’t think so. Didn’t you meet with GG, JPOW, and Janet Yellen a [couple weeks ago](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/06/21/joe-biden-live-updates/?outputType=amp)? + +>Yellen has already been forced to disclose that she has taken [$810,000](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/01/janet-yellen-paid-speeches-citadel-gamestop.html) from **Citadel** in speaking fees. If this is something that seems unusual to you, take a trip on the googles and you will find that there are plenty of people, some of whom have even given Janet jobs in the past, have also given some big money speeches. + +>IN FACT - Janet Yellen has earned [$7,200,000](https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/01/yellen-made-millions-in-wall-street-speeches-453223) in 2019 alone from speaking gigs. Thats half of her [$16,000,000](https://www.google.com/search?q=janet+yellen+net+worth&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS880US880&oq=janet+yellen+net+worth&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l2j0i22i30j0i390l3.2450j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) net worth. You might also notice some familiar names in that donor list. Now why would someone who champions the people, who has already been receiving massive salaries from her federal positions (current salary as secretary of treasury is [$221,400](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_the_Treasury) a year), need to give speeches to the biggest billionaires in the world for 7 million? + +“Discuss climate change”. You think I’m stupid, right Joe? YEAH FUCKING RIGHT BITCH. Why is your administration silent about it? Speak up motherfucker, I can’t hear you. + +[Just think apes](https://imgur.com/gallery/rC8F9Qp), imagine the predicament they find themselves in. These corrupt pieces of shit have been taking money from Wall Street to look the other way for DECADES. If I'm mad now when I don't have any power or money, just fucking wait until I do. Wait until the X holders have money. They are HORRIFIED that they will finally be held accountable. + +I found this information on my free time, sometimes while I was high. I never went to college, so I find it HILARIOUS, with all their wealth and their years in University, that they are LOSING, to someone like me. [I know you're a little short on this stock, Bill Gates](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/o6drqi/bill_gates_gme_interview_in_jan_the_section/). I KNOW you're not the only one. Whats the matter Bill, you afraid of some infinite loss potential? Oh what’s that? You may lose it all? 🤣🤣🤣 + +Bill Gates did not close out his short position, Melvin Capital did not close out their short position, Shitadel did not close out their short position, susquehanna did not close out their short position, point 72 did not close out their short position. Bank of America did not close out their short position. + +We got you by the balls, and I'm loving every second of it. + +[Every 1% unemployment goes up, 40,000 people died. Did you know that?](https://youtu.be/0k5aVLi_yhM) + +I could be wrong. BUT,IF IM RIGHT, the government is probably telling Reddit to do whatever it can to divert traffic from this post. + +If it’s one thing I’m good at, it’s [putting myself in other peoples shoes](https://youtu.be/wTa14Sui7mw). Perspective is everything. + +That is all. DIAMOND HANDS MOTHERFUCKERS. I WILL HOLD THIS STOCK, TILL DEATH DO US PART. + +💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎 +🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀 +Christmas can be a long day. If you're on your own or want to share your day just say hello and I'll reply to as many of you as I can until the Bailey's runs out. + +Tell me about your best present, the nobhead uncle or how the shift you worked was worst ever. +Ten years ago today, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin sent their last communication to the world. + +Satoshi Nakamoto emailed, "make it about the open source project and give more credit to your contributors; it helps motivate them" + +From that point on, Bitcoin has had no leader. +So what do you guys do? Let's just say if no strategy is currently working or your A+setup is not as many anymore or liquidity in overall market is drying up for example the current OTC market. + +Other than being bias on the bear side in this current uncertain condition such as buying puts on spy etc. I feel that there is little edge even when others tell me to adapt. Going short is choppy atm and not enough bids to go long either. + +What does a day trader do if they go through a period of a year of dry market? Do you guys do something else before coming back to a better looking market? Or how do you full timer guys do it? + +Appreciate some feedback. + +I made a comment once that had some nice feedback. That’s why I decided to share it as a post. + +I know there is a plenty of trading rules, so feel free and add yours in the comment section for other traders! + + +1. What is the market sentiment (indexes / futures/sector) + +2. Do I trade in the same direction (bear / bull market) + +3. What is my Risk/Reward Ratio + +4. Where is my SL + +5. What is my PT (don’t be greedy) + +6. On 10 Trades how many times do I made money (trading journal with self analysis!) + +7. Do I trade this stock only because of TA or is there any catalyst incoming + +8. TL, Support/Resistance levels are not strict lines, they are more like areas. + +9. If a Stock looks nice on a daily timeframe (price sitting on support), zoom to a smaller timeframe to time your entry like a sniper. (Better entry = better Reward & less risk) + +10. Trading is a business not a gamble (learn it, earn it) + +11. Don’t take advices from furus / pump & dump influencer. They already front loaded all stocks they mentioned and they just want to sell it to you + +12. Don’t be emotional, trade with facts not with feelings + +13. Don’t drink or do drugs while trading + +14. If you have a losing streak take a break + +15. If you feel uncomfortable while trading, maybe you took a to large position (sizing is important) + +16. If you make screenshots of your gains, then you are proud enough, so sell and take the money + +17. Let the winners run & keep losers small + +18. Mute the noise, the market & the people around it are loud and full of shit + +19. If you have lost money it’s your fault, don’t accuse someone else. Denying don’t make you a better trader + +20. If you made some gainz, it’s on you! Be proud of yourself but don’t get cocky. + +21. FOMO is a no go + +22. If you are super excited about the money you made, take a break till your are back to emotionlessness + +23. Trading can be the way to freedom but also makes you poor if you don’t treat it with respect + +24. Trade only with money you can afford to lose (that takes pressure off) + +25. Loosing is part of your journey (learn from it) + +Feel free to share your journey. I think it helps each other & that’s all a community is about. +# The WAR on Bitcoin Privacy Intensifies. Automatic Reporting of ALL Trades and Transactions Soon Mandatory. + +**Massive overreach of international regulators to force all service providers in the industry to:** + +&#x200B; + +* Record ALL crypto trades on exchanges, DEFI and DEXs; +* Record (large) purchases from private wallets; +* Record all transfers to cold storage and make lists with private wallet addresses; +* Send all this info annually to the (tax) authorities; +* And finally, the G20 forces governments to pass these rules into domestic law. + +The war on privacy continues. The aim: to tackle anonymous spending and exchanging of crypto. As you’ll discover, these new regulations force upon us a system of complete surveillance and control. + +This report explains exactly what to expect from the latest developments launched in October 2022… + +&#x200B; + +*Disclaimer: Given that this post is based on new international standards that have not yet been implemented in national legislation, and US proposed legislation, non of this information can be considered legal or financial advice.* + +&#x200B; + +# What is Going On? + +​Last year, the crypto world was shaken to its core when the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), acting in behalf of the G20, released their guidance on virtual assets.1) + +This document laid out a set of rules regarding stablecoins, distinctions between private and hosted wallets, extensive KYC requirements, the tackling of privacy tools, and more.2) FATF has also provided a final definition of the type of service provider tasked with reporting on crypto: the Virtual Asset Service Provider, or **VASP**. + +Fast forward to today, and these rules are quickly being implemented across the world.3) But as usual, it didn’t stop there. Another international regulator, the OECD, is already building on this framework in an attempt to massively increase the grip of authorities on what happens in the industry. ​ + +# What is the OECD? + +The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is a Paris-based international organisation that works to “build better policies for better lives.” Its goal is to shape policies that foster prosperity, equality, opportunity and well-being for all.4) + +Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, the OECD works on finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs, to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion. The organisation provides a unique forum and knowledge hub within which to discuss and develop public policies and international standard setting.5) + +This “international standard” setting is what we will look at next. + +# Automated Exchange of Financial Information with Authorities Since 2014 + +In 2014, the OECD published the Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information in Tax Matters.6) This publication created a “Common Reporting Standard” (**CRS**), which forces financial institutions to automatically exchange account information with the authorities of the country of residence of their account holders. The goal: to prevent persons from holding financial accounts in offshore jurisdictions and not reporting them back home. + +This is why all financial service providers request utility bills: they prove where you live, and hence where they have to report to. + +**All financial institutions** that are currently subjected to these regulations are forced to **automatically report** to the authorities the name, address, Tax Identification Number(s), date and place of birth, the account number, and **the account value** as of the end of the relevant calendar year (or other appropriate reporting period).7) + +Now, there is no more hiding of accounts held with a foreign financial institutions. The authorities enlisted all financial institutions as involuntary (but powerful) assistants in collecting facts and evidence needed for tax compliance. + +# The Panama Papers; Just in Time to Boost Worldwide Implementation of Automated Reporting… + +After publishing their standards in 2014, the OECD needed to get countries and their financial institutions in line. By August 2015, the OECD had released the first version of a CRS Implementation Handbook.8) It provided practical guidance to assist government officials and financial institutions in implementing CRS. + +But while the standards set by the OECD came into force in 2016 in early-adopting states, by March of 2016 these standards were still far from being fully integrated into the global financial system.9) This was especially true in the offshore jurisdictions that were the main target. + +What was needed was a shift in conscience… + +On April 3rd, 2016, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published a giant leak of offshore financial records, better known as the Panama Papers.10) These revelations caused public outrage. + +The G5, the five largest Western European countries, were quick to jump on the bandwagon and call for more international cooperation to tackle “tax dodging and illicit finance.”11) The message did not fall on deaf ears; the next day, on April 15th, G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors met in Washington and issued the following Communiqué: + +*“…we call on all relevant countries including* ***all financial centers and jurisdictions***\*, which have not committed to implement the standard on\* ***automatic exchange of information by 2017 or 2018*** *to do so without delay and to sign the Multilateral Convention. We expect that by the 2017 G20 Summit all countries and jurisdictions will upgrade their Global Forum rating to a satisfactory level. We mandate the OECD working with G20 countries to establish objective criteria by our July meeting to identify non-cooperative jurisdictions with respect to tax transparency.* ***Defensive measures*** *will be considered by G20 members* ***against non-cooperative jurisdictions*** *if progress as assessed by the Global Forum is not made.”12)* + +Thus, within 12 days of the publication of the Panama Papers, the world’s 20 most powerful governments had collectively agreed to start pushing CRS reporting requirements aggressively, and to punish non-cooperative (offshore) jurisdictions—regardless of their local laws. + +This is how offshore finance was brought into the fold, and financial privacy died. + +# Why Can the OECD Regulate Financial Institutions Around the World? Isn’t this a Task of Democracy? + +The OECD isn’t a government agency of any individual country. As such, it cannot create law. It issues what is known as “soft laws,” or “recommendations” and “guidance.” Only when this guidance is transposed into the laws of individual countries does it becomes “hard” law, with real world power. + +In theory, this process is subjected to the formal (democratic) law-making processes of the implementing countries. However, countries that don’t participate face restricted access to the financial system and ostracism from the international community. For this reason, almost all nations are compelled to implement these recommendations. + +It must also be said that national governments, especially in the Western world, highly value this kind of international cooperation, and the control it gives them without the need to deal with the “inconveniences” of democracy. They simply hide behind the fact that these are “international standards” which they have to follow because “everybody” does. + +Neither does it help that few of our representatives, journalists and fellow citizens seem to understand the impact of these treaties. Those in the legal industry who do understand the implications just look at it as “business as usual” and a new way to generate income. As such, most standards are passed into domestic law with little opposition or delay. + +# International Standards Aim to Supersede National Law + +Once these treaties are accepted, they become part of a body of law called “international law,” which in many cases supersedes national laws. Unknown to the general public, international law is increasingly being used as a backdoor for passing invasive regulations such as those we are discussing here, and establishing a global bureaucracy with real power over our (financial) lives. + +It is also worth noting that the people working for this Paris-based institution have not been elected, their procedures and budget are not subjected to democratic oversight, and they are almost impossible to remove from power. + +Like most international organizations, their operations fall under the Vienna Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse and Immunities.13) As such, they enjoy immunity for their actions taken whilst in office, are exempt from administrative burdens (such as taxes and fines), and enjoy less stringent (COVID) travel restrictions. + +# AUTOMATIC Exchange of Transaction Info For Crypto + +Last week, October 10th, the OECD published the “Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework and Amendments to the Common Reporting Standard.”14) + +This applies the tax reporting guidance of the existing CRS to crypto―and makes it FAR more invasive… + +The OECD first published a public consultation version of the document on 22nd March 2022.15) The deadline for feedback from the public was 29th April 2022. This gave the public just over a month to analyze a 101-page document, figure out what it meant for them and their clients in multiple jurisdictions, and formulate a public statement on company letterhead. + +This is not a sign that the OECD takes public input seriously. When comparing the two documents, there is no material difference between the public consultation and the final version in the section that matters most, the actual rules…16) + +Public consultations give these recommendations the appearance of being widely supported by “stakeholders.” It creates the illusion that the public has a say in the matter. It doesn’t. When you read the questions carefully, they only seek feedback on details, such as which intermediaries are to be included or excluded, which type of NFTs are to be in scope, what reporting thresholds there should be, and how much time should be reserved for implementation.17) + +Furthermore, if you read the commentaries submitted, which can be downloaded [here](https://www.oecd.org/tax/exchange-of-tax-information/public-comments-received-on-the-crypto-asset-reporting-framework-and-amendments-to-the-common-reporting-standard.htm), most respondents just talk their own book, trying to elicit amendments that perhaps exempt them from a specific reporting requirement, or trying to get a longer time-frame for implementation. In all fairness, there were also a number of industry insiders who highlighted the double standards created for the crypto industry, and how much of a burden the regulations would represent. In the end, none of this mattered. The regulations have been published and are now the new worldwide standard. + +# What Are The New Guidelines for Crypto? + +​ As was the case with earlier regulations, Bitcoin will not be banned. Instead, the OECD builds on the approach set by FATF: to regulate the service providers who facilitate transactions. + +In this instance, the OECD developed a new global tax transparency framework which provides for the automatic exchange of tax info on transactions in a standardised manner. This is the **“Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework”** or “**CARF.**”18) + +As previously mentioned, automatic exchange of information used to contain only the details of the individual and the account value. New reporting obligations, however, apply to all transactions in an account. This is a major extension of the reporting obligations that currently exist for non-crypto financial services. + +# Reporting of Transactions (and their Nature) by VASPS + +The OECD proposes that those providing crypto transaction services, for or on behalf of customers, are to report under the CARF. We are talking here about the reporting entities that are defined by FATF, i.e. “Virtual Asset Service Providers,” or “VASPs.”19) + +&#x200B; + +**Before we look at the details of the information that is going to be exchanged, let us remind ourselves of what a VASP is:** + +*“VASP: Virtual asset service provider means* ***any natural or legal person*** *who is not covered elsewhere under the Recommendations, and as a business* ***conducts one or more of the following activities*** *or operations for or on behalf of another natural or legal person:* + +*i. exchange between virtual assets and fiat currencies;ii. exchange between one or more forms of virtual assets;iii. transfer of virtual assets;iv. safekeeping and/or administration of virtual assets or instruments enabling control over virtual assets; andv. participation in and provision of financial services related to an issuer’s offer and/or sale of a virtual asset.”20)* + +&#x200B; + +As you can see, the definition of VASP is so wide that it covers many of projects currently operating in the crypto space. According to the OECD, reporting obligations also apply to companies facilitating Decentralized Finance and Decentralized Exchanges.21) + +&#x200B; + +# What Kind of Individual Transactions Are to Be Reported? + +What needs to be reported? In particular, the following three types of transactions: + +&#x200B; + +* Exchanges between Crypto Assets and Fiat Currencies; +* Exchanges between one or more form(s) of Crypto Assets; +* Transfers of Crypto Assets (including Reportable Retail Payment Transactions).22) + +&#x200B; + +Transactions will be reported by type of Crypto Asset, and will distinguish between outward and inward transactions. In order to enhance the usability of the data for tax administrations, the reporting is to be split out between Crypto-to-Crypto and Crypto Asset-to-fiat transactions. Reporting service providers will also be forced to label transfers (e.g. airdrops, income derived from staking or a loan), in instances where they have such knowledge.23) + +In short, the CARF mandates that information an all trades, including the type of coin, the amount of coins, the market value, and what was paid, be submitted. This info is then aggregated and automatically exchanged.24) The goal is to inform the tax authorities of how much you own and what kind of income you generated from your holdings. + +And if that is not enough, the OECD allows lawmakers the option to request lists of private wallet addresses of users.25) + +# Reporting of Retail Transactions from Private Wallets + +On a final note, the OECD has come up with a trick to limit the opportunity for crypto users to spend their coins anonymously. The CARF also applies to merchant providers facilitating crypto payment for goods or services. In such instances, the merchant provider is required to treat the customer of their customer as its own customer, and report the value of the transaction to the tax authorities of the buyer.26) + +For now, this only applies to “large” purchases of over USD 50,000.\[27\] + +&#x200B; + +# What About US Citizens and Green-Card Holders? + +The CRS has been implemented worldwide. All developed nations and all international financial centers have been included in the list, leaving few of the world’s financial highways untouched.28) + +Surprisingly, the United States is not on that list. The reason is that the US came up with their own automatic reporting framework even before the OECD did. It is called the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, and requires that foreign financial Institutions and certain other non-financial foreign entities report on the foreign assets held by their U.S. account holders.29) + +Up until now, FATCA did not directly apply to crypto. But the new 2023 budget proposal seeks to amend section 6038D(b) of the Internal Revenue Code to require reporting for a new third category, namely any account that holds digital assets maintained by a foreign digital asset exchange or other foreign digital asset service provider (a “foreign digital asset account”).30) + +There is also another US-specific reporting obligation, the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts. Regarding FBAR, FinCEN has issued Notice 2020-2, stating that it also intends to make reporting foreign virtual currency accounts mandatory.31) Moreover, US tax payers are already required to report their crypto transactions on their tax returns.32) + +The question is, will the United States also implement a CARF like system, as in the automatic reporting of all transactions? This question remains unanswered for now. But President Biden’s Executive Order from earlier this year clearly stated that the current administration is committed to these international standards, including those commissioned by the G20 and FATF, and that the US has a leading role in developing and adopting these international standards on digital assets.33) + +Despite all this, it is still unclear what the regulatory landscape in the US will look like. Regardless, US-based companies with clients in other countries (i.e. most of them) will have to implement these policies. It is hard to imagine the US government not wanting to have this information for itself, especially since the legal framework is largely in place. But we will have to wait and see. + +# What Will Be the Outcome of These Regulations? + +​The outcome of these new international standards will be **full transparency towards tax authorities**. The aim of these standards is to get automatic insight into all your trades, even laying the foundation to prevent you from spending coins anonymously with retailers that use a third party payment provider. + +This means in practice that although you can hold coins in your private wallet, you cannot easily spend or exchange them anonymously. In short: no more privacy when you use third party services. + +One might say this will be the death of third party services, because accepting online payments is as simple as installing a piece of code on your website and taking the payments yourself. But most companies do not have the capacity to run their own payment system, and are likely going to require payments through a regulated merchant. + +As long as there isn’t a Bitcoin standard, meaning accounting and payments regularly done in Bitcoin, there will be a need for fiat on- and off ramps. As such, even when you do business in crypto, your suppliers or clients are likely to make use of a service provider with reporting obligations. + +As a result, expect far more scrutiny on transactions; from exchanges, but also from the people and businesses you are dealing with in everyday crypto activity. Even if you do not need to report on certain transactions, they might be forced to do so. + +You might be okay with accepting direct peer-to-peer transactions, but could run into issues later when you are obliged to prove where the payments came from. + +# Regulators Are Out of Control + +The reality is that these regulators are out of our control. Without (direct) democratic mandates or oversight they are flooding the world with regulation. Just like totalitarian regimes, they effectively force private parties to police each other. + +The service providers, forced into unpaid financial surveillance, carry the rising compliance costs. Obliged to make hard decisions as to whom they can take on as customers, they are likely to cut services to those they consider not worth the compliance costs, such as small or “high risk” businesses, and people in developing nations. + +The cost of compliance might become so great that at least some of them might want to facilitate transactions only with fully-vetted wallets tied to a digital ID, such as the EU is implementing.34) + +# New Precedent: Centralized Surveillance of Individual Transactions + +This is a good example of regulations being built on top of one another, and raising the bar with each step. It should not come as a surprise if at some point regular financial service providers are forced into similar obligations to get in line with these new “international standards.” This step might be taken with the introduction of Central Bank Digital Currencies, currently being developed all around the world.35) + +# Door Open to Further Monitoring and Restricting of Payments + +It is not hard to imagine that once all transactions are transparent, more actions can be taken as to which type of payments and type of persons are allowed or not. We can see this financial “cancel culture” already happening around the world.36) + +As a result of all this surveillance, it is not only privacy that is at risk right now; this starts to touch the very idea of maintaining a payment system where you can freely transact and engage in economic activity. + +Only a massive and radical decentralization movement away from third party service providers can prevent this dystopia. Stay tuned for a next report and a roadmap for just that… + +&#x200B; + +# TLDR; + +**Governments at the highest level (G20) commissioned an organization called the OECD to come up with international tax transparency rules for crypto. They are using international law frameworks that supersede national legislation and will demand that every country in the world complies.** + +**The OECD issued their guidance last week, Oct 10, 2022. They propose that Virtual Asset Service Providers are to be required to annually report, on your trades and transactions, to the tax authorities of your country of residence.** + +**Reporting on transaction information is a major extension of reporting obligations as they exist for regular financial institutions. The US is also looking to expand its own reporting frameworks.** + +&#x200B; + +# Sources: + +1 FATF, “Updated Guidance for a Risk-Based Approach to Virtual Assets and Virtual Asset Service Providers,” (FATF, Paris, 28 October 2021), [https://www.fatf-gafi.org/publications/fatfrecommendations/documents/guidance-rba-virtual-assets-2021.html](https://www.fatf-gafi.org/publications/fatfrecommendations/documents/guidance-rba-virtual-assets-2021.html) + +2 Thysse W., “FATF Global Crypto Regulations Summary – June 2021,” (Decentralized Legal System, June 22, 2021), available on: [https://decentralizedlegalsystem.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/FATF-Global-Crypto-Regulations-Summary-June-2021.pdf](https://decentralizedlegalsystem.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/FATF-Global-Crypto-Regulations-Summary-June-2021.pdf) + +3 “Further EU and UK Developments in Financial Crime Regulation of Cryptoassets,” (Ropes & Gray, August 4, 2022), accessed on Oct 11, 2022, [https://www.ropesgray.com/en/newsroom/alerts/2022/August/Further-EU-and-UK-Developments-in-Financial-Crime-Regulation-of-Cryptoassets](https://www.ropesgray.com/en/newsroom/alerts/2022/August/Further-EU-and-UK-Developments-in-Financial-Crime-Regulation-of-Cryptoassets) + +4 “OECD – About,” (OECD), accessed on 3 Oct 2022, [https://www.oecd.org/about/](https://www.oecd.org/about/) + +5 Ibid. + +6 OECD, “Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information in Tax Matters,” (OECD Publishing, Paris, July 2014), [https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/taxation/standard-for-automatic-exchange-of-financial-account-information-for-tax-matters\_9789264216525-en](https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/taxation/standard-for-automatic-exchange-of-financial-account-information-for-tax-matters_9789264216525-en) + +7 Ibid., page 26 + +8 OECD, “Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Information in Tax Matters – Implementation Handbook – Second Edition,” (OECD, Paris, April 2018), [http://www.oecd.org/tax/exchange-of-tax-information/implementation-handbook-standard-for-automatic-exchange-of-financial-account-information-in-tax-matters.htm](http://www.oecd.org/tax/exchange-of-tax-information/implementation-handbook-standard-for-automatic-exchange-of-financial-account-information-in-tax-matters.htm)\[Author: 1st edition since replaced by a 2nd edition, which is now found at this link\]. + +9 KPGM, “The Common Reporting Standard: Are you ready?” (KPMG UK, March 2016,) [https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2016/03/the-common-reporting-standard.pdf](https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2016/03/the-common-reporting-standard.pdf) + +10 “Giant Leak of Offshore Financial Records Exposes Global Array of Crime and Corruption,” (The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, April 3, 2013), accessed on Oct 3, 2022, [https://www.occrp.org/en/panamapapers/overview/intro/](https://www.occrp.org/en/panamapapers/overview/intro/) + +11 HM Treasury, G5 letter to G20 counterparts regarding action on beneficial ownership, (G5, 14 April 2016), [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/g5-letter-to-g20-counterparts-regarding-action-on-beneficial-ownership](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/g5-letter-to-g20-counterparts-regarding-action-on-beneficial-ownership): “The UK has initiated a ground-breaking deal to tackle tax dodging and illicit finance, alongside Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Ministers from each country have co-written a letter to G20 counterparts to urge further international cooperation.” + +12 IMF, “Communiqué: G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting,” (Washington, April 15, 2016), [https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2015/09/28/04/51/cm041616](https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2015/09/28/04/51/cm041616) + +13 UN, “United Nations Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse and Immunities,” (Vienna, 2 March – 14 April 1961), accessed on June 10, 2021, [https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9\_1\_1961.pdf](https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_1_1961.pdf) + +14 OECD, “Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework and Amendments to the Common Reporting Standard,” (Paris, 10 October 2022), [https://www.oecd.org/tax/exchange-of-tax-information/crypto-asset-reporting-framework-and-amendments-to-the-common-reporting-standard.pdf](https://www.oecd.org/tax/exchange-of-tax-information/crypto-asset-reporting-framework-and-amendments-to-the-common-reporting-standard.pdf) + +15 OECD, “Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework and Amendments to the Common Reporting Standard – Public Consultation Document,” (Paris, 22 March 2022), [https://www.oecd.org/tax/exchange-of-tax-information/public-consultation-document-crypto-asset-reporting-framework-and-amendments-to-the-common-reporting-standard.pdf](https://www.oecd.org/tax/exchange-of-tax-information/public-consultation-document-crypto-asset-reporting-framework-and-amendments-to-the-common-reporting-standard.pdf) + +16 \[Author note: for comparison, the actual regulations page 15, and the public consultation document page 10\] + +17 OECD (2022), Public Consultation Document, pages 8-10 and 62-63 + +18 OECD (2022), page 6 + +19 Ibid., page 11 + +20 FATF (2021), page 22 + +21 OECD (2022), page 10, and page 12 + +22, 23 Ibid., page 12 + +24 Ibid., page 15, Section II: Reporting requirements, A.3. + +25 Ibid., page 32, Transfers to External Wallet Addresses + +26 Ibid., page 13 + +27 Ibid., page 19 + +28 “CRS by jurisdiction,” (OECD), accessed on Oct 11, 2022, [https://www.oecd.org/tax/automatic-exchange/crs-implementation-and-assistance/crs-by-jurisdiction/](https://www.oecd.org/tax/automatic-exchange/crs-implementation-and-assistance/crs-by-jurisdiction/) + +29 “Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA),” (IRS), accessed on October 11, 2022, [https://www.irs.gov/businesses/corporations/foreign-account-tax-compliance-act-fatca](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/corporations/foreign-account-tax-compliance-act-fatca) + +30 Department of the Treasury, “General Explanations of the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2023 Revenue Proposals,” (Department of the Treasury, Washington, D.C., March 2022), [https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/131/General-Explanations-FY2023.pdf](https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/131/General-Explanations-FY2023.pdf), page 101 + +31 FinCEN, “Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) Filing Requirement for Virtual Currency, FinCEN Notice 2020-2,” (FinCEN, Washington, December 18, 2020), [https://www.fincen.gov/sites/default/files/shared/Notice-Virtual%20Currency%20Reporting%20on%20the%20FBAR%20123020.pdf](https://www.fincen.gov/sites/default/files/shared/Notice-Virtual%20Currency%20Reporting%20on%20the%20FBAR%20123020.pdf) + +32 IRS, “Form 1040 and 1040-SR Instructions,” (Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, 2021), [https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi.pdf](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi.pdf), page 17. + +33 Joseph R. Biden Jr., “Executive Order on Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets,” (White House, Washington D.C., March 9, 2022), accessed on Oct 11, 2022, [https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/03/09/executive-order-on-ensuring-responsible-development-of-digital-assets/](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/03/09/executive-order-on-ensuring-responsible-development-of-digital-assets/) + +34 “eIDAS Regulation – eIDAS is a key enabler for secure cross-border transactions,” (European Commission, Brussel), accessed on 11 October 2022, [https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/eidas-regulation](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/eidas-regulation) + +35 “Today’s Central Bank Digital Currencies Status,” (CBDC Tracker), accessed on Oct 11, 2022, [https://cbdctracker.org/](https://cbdctracker.org/) + +36 \[author note: this week alone famous artist Kanye West saw his bank closed for this views, and Paypal contemplated fining their customers for spreading what they considered misinformation.\] +What conditions need to be present for you to accept the economy is fine and upward movement is justified? I never see this articulated in doom threads. It's easy to say things are bad but what is your definition of good? If you can't say, then how are you even investing? +This year is my first year out of college with a job, so I figured it would be good to finally get to serious tracking of my expenses over the year. In college I was on campus housing and a meal plan, so my monthly expenses were mainly entertainment and gas. Since those were small, I put off on any monthly tracking and just spent within what I thought was reasonable. Overall it worked okay, I had enough to do so with spending money from working, but I lacked any overall accountability on how much was going out. + +For context into my current situation, I am a 23-year-old single male currently employed as a Product Development Chemist within R&D at a manufacturing company. I am renting a 1 bed 1 bath apartment in the downtown section of a large town in central Pennsylvania. + +&nbsp; + +**Data Collection** + +I used the export statement function in American Express to export my monthly expenses. I then manually entered in expenses from my checking account. I broke each expense down by category and then placed the summed total for each category in an Excel spreadsheet. This took roughly 10 minutes each month to track. + +For monthly income I used my base monthly pay from work. There’s little deviation from this month-to-month; any deviation would be an increase to add in reimbursement for work travel in personal vehicles, and would not account for much (~$30 per trip, <1 trip per month). This value is my take-home pay which is my salary post-tax, 401K, and HSA contributions. + +&nbsp; + +**2018 Categories and Initial Budget Set** + +After January’s expenses came in I broke down the categories and set an expected budget for each. This estimate was considering the average per month, but as I had little experience in expenses throughout the year, I expected these values to differ from what I initially listed. + +Rent ($800) + +Internet ($40) + +Electric ($160) + +Groceries ($310) + +Gas ($60) + +Auto expenses ($60) – Non-fuel expenses, such as maintenance and tolls. + +Student loans ($1,000) + +Personal care ($35) – Haircuts, health items, etc. + +Entertainment ($150) – Food/drink out, movies, alcohol for home use + +Miscellaneous ($100) – Catch all for other expenses, gifts, cash withdrawals, or when a single shopping trip has multiple categories covered and I misplaced the receipt for breakdown. + +Subscriptions ($41) – Netflix, Spotify, gym + +&nbsp; + +**2018 Monthly Expenses** + +[Expenses by month](https://i.imgur.com/hWUNry7.png) + +[Average expense per category](https://i.imgur.com/P3GlUuJ.png) + +The graph shows the changes in my expenses as the year progressed. As the year progressed my expenses grew but they settled in appropriately. A large portion of this chart is in student loans; I decided that I have enough income to pay off early and in excess. Currently I am paying more than double my minimum payment across all loans. + +Looking at the averages of my expenses show how my initial estimates were compared to actual. I took out January expenses from the average as it was not a complete month of living on my own and tracking expenses. I’ll be adjusting some of the monthly averages for 2019 to better estimate monthly values. On average 20% of my income is being placed in a high yield savings account for short-term goals. + +There are some expenses not captured in 2018 data. The major ones are insurance, furniture, and vacation. Insurance is renter + auto and is approximately $65 per month; I was gifted both covered for 2018 by my parents, but will be switching to covering it myself in 2019. Furniture was a major one off expense to buy a mattress and living room furniture, and it totaled approximately $2,000. Lastly, I went on a family cruise vacation over the summer which came out to be approximately $1,400. I elected not to capture these major expenses in the graphs and data as they were one off and the main goal of me tracking was looking at the more routine expenses. + +&nbsp; + +**2019 Budget Revisions** + +I’m going to keep up with the tracking for 2019. I know that I will have some changes to my monthly budget to better track it based on what I know from 2018. + +Rent, student loans, personal care, entertainment, subscriptions – No change + +Internet – Up to $60 (+$20). First year was their discounted rate for the package I am on. I will keep the same package as it is enough for me and guests. + +Electric – Down to $100 (-$60). + +Insurance – Up to $65 (+$65). As mentioned above I will be covering this myself for 2019. + +Groceries – Down to $250 (-$60). + +Gas – Up to $105 (+$45). Once spring hit, I drove for activities like fishing and biking. I also took some trips to visit friends and family, which was not captured in the first month. This is approximately 3 fill ups per month. + +Auto expenses – Up to $75 (+$15). My vehicle reached some maintenance milestones at 60 - 70K miles, plus a new set of tires, which put this category above my expectation. I don’t have any major planned expenses / maintenance for 2019. + +Miscellaneous – Up to $125 (+$25). Christmas gifts and first year apartment expenses put this above what I had originally expected. I want to better divide expenses this coming year instead of just putting them here. + +&nbsp; + +**Learnings** + +Doing this for my first year out of college really helped me see where my money is going and provide guidance for saving for future goals. From the start I knew that I didn’t need to be strict on the budget in order to meet my financial obligations, so this was mainly used as motivation to save more. Taking that 10 minutes a month to see where my money was being spent helped to push for reasonable spending. + +Another important thing I learned is the variability in some expenses. While things like rent, loans, and groceries are easy to budget, expenses like auto care and entertainment are more up in the air. For entertainment it depends on if I do trips to visit friends. A single weekend trip cost me $200 in food, drink, and other entertainment. This wiped out that expense category for the month in two days. Similarly, car tires cost me eight months of my original estimate. I knew tires were in the plan for this year, but for future issues I may not know in advance. + +My plans are to continue putting money away into savings towards my shorter term goals as well as up contributions to retirement. I also want to continue paying over on my student loans to knock down the principle more while I have the free funds to do so. + +Hope that this information can be helpful to someone out there. I know when I was ready to graduate I had a lot of questions on what I can and can not afford. Tracking these expenses helped me know how much of my take home is actually for fun or savings and not necessities. Believe it or not, it was fun to get my monthly statement and update my sheet for the month. I absolutely suggest to everyone just leaving college to build a basic budget like this, even if you are in the position that you are easily able to meet all your needed expenses. + +Please use this thread to have discussions which you don't feel warrant a new post to the sub. While the Rules for posting questions on the basics of personal finance/investing topics are relaxed a little bit here, the rules against memes/spam/self-promotion/excessive rudeness/politics still apply! + +Have a look at the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/wiki/faq) for this subreddit before posting to see if your question is frequently asked. + +Since this post does tend to get busy, consider sorting the comments by "new" (instead of "best" or "top") to see the newest posts. + +I never post, but I thought this was relevant. + +I am an international ape (Canada) who initiated the DRS process from Itrade>IBKR>CS. After a month of transition, the shares finally arrived on October 26th. On the 29th of October I called to pay the 45$ fee to have the paperwork shipped overnight (estimated time to send it was 3 days, as per the rep). I was also told to call back Monday, the 1st, to get my tracking number. + +I called back on Monday the 1st, and no tracking number..odd, but she suggested calling back later in the week. I call back Wednesday, still no tracking number, lots of apologies. I called back again today, on hold for 30 minutes, and guess what no tracking number. She promised that mine would be sent today, and I will have a tracking number tomorrow (will update). + +The reason??? Today I was told they are overwhelmed with international investors for GME. It has surged over the past week, and just keeps getting busier. + +The DRS train is picking up steam, the International Apes are here! +Bitcoin is tiny. Bitcoin is so small that its daily transaction volume could be excused as round off error at most major banks. + +Bitcoin is so tiny, it is so obscure, it is so volatile, and it is so irrelevant, that not only should MasterCard not be worried about it, neither should payday loans companies either. + +It is a fact that bitcoin is obscure, difficult, volatile and tiny. + +Given these facts, you have to wonder why companies like MasterCard, as well as major world governments, attack it with such ferocity? + +Let me tell you why. Because when the human population recognizes that what unit of currency they choose to invest with value is both arbitrary and based entirely on their own personal belief, then it can change in instant. + +Many people, most people in fact, who have led their lives being hypnotized by money, are completely bamboozled to believe that only governments can create currency and give it value. + +However, occasionally, when a government currency collapses before our very eyes the veil is lifted for a moment and we realize that governments don't give a currency value, we do. + +The reason governments and banks are frightened of bitcoin, even though it is very tiny, is because some of them know that the whole thing is a house of cards that can collapse in a moment. + +Think about it for a second. How come when someone hands you a sheet of paper with the #100 printed on it you will give them a 100 times more stuff then if they give you the same sheet of paper but with ink printing #1 instead? The answer is within. It is because of what you personally believe. Have you ever had someone refuse to accept a $100 bill, and remember how angry that made you because you knew, in your heart, that 'it was money too'? You couldn't enforce your will on that merchant and neither could the government. As soon as that person decided your $100 bill wasn't 'money' then it wasn't any more and it reverted back to being a sheet of paper with ink on it. All money derives its strength based purely on a shared belief within a community. + +If you don't believe this to be true then I have a one trillion dollar bill I want to sell you... + +The reason huge corporations and governments are afraid of bitcoin, even though it is tiny and inconsequential, is simply because they recognize that at any point, at any time, through sheer belief alone, the hypnotized people of the world can wake up and, with a snap of our fingers, use something else. +So I posted about seeing the GME1230 Futures about a month ago. The main thing that stuck out is that the price of the future was slightly higher and didnt 1:1 match what was on NYSE... [https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/y9vdw2/what\_is\_this\_ftx\_gme1230\_futures/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/y9vdw2/what_is_this_ftx_gme1230_futures/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +Edit: REMINDER THAT FTX LAUNCHED THEIR TOKENIZED STOCK FOR $GME NOGHT BEFORE THE SNEEZE ON 1/27/21!!! Highly sus af. + +&#x200B; + +**Edit:** [**habitualpotatoes**](https://www.reddit.com/user/habitualpotatoes/) **pointed this out in a comment below that these tokenized securities are fractional stocks/swaps with FTX Switzerland - as you can also see in the bottom right: "These services are provided by Canco GmbH (FTX Switzerland)"... You can read more about it here in the link he provided:** [**https://ftx.com/equities\_terms/tokenized-equities-tos.pdf**](https://ftx.com/equities_terms/tokenized-equities-tos.pdf) + +&#x200B; + +Also, it seems GME on FTX is having some crazy volume on the bid/ask in the orderbook that also doesnt make sense... + +&#x200B; + +[GME orderbook looks sus af](https://preview.redd.it/jgbn9bjzvcz91.png?width=1588&format=png&auto=webp&s=39b803a744e0c07752678ff26588ad99efdefada) + +But back to the futures... + +This morning some of the 1230 futures are exploding (and basically since 11/9/22 if you see other 1230 futures) . What the fuck is going on with these - does anyone know? + +Credit to notsteve1914 on twitter for pointing it out this morning: [https://twitter.com/notsteve1914/status/1591078929825034240?s=20&t=A2WcUZbKvzKLeGmeLc6R-g](https://twitter.com/notsteve1914/status/1591078929825034240?s=20&t=A2WcUZbKvzKLeGmeLc6R-g) + +Take a look at the uu es bee 1230 futures: + +https://preview.redd.it/20kfwyy7lcz91.png?width=1595&format=png&auto=webp&s=eb99cde042581d7e9733db568afd785a203b1501 + +As you can see, GME is included in this: + +https://preview.redd.it/6rd51d5bucz91.png?width=389&format=png&auto=webp&s=104951ab2a725cb680a38c5ac61fbccfe8973928 + +NOK 1230 Futures: + +[https:\/\/ftx.com\/intl\/trade\/NOK-1230](https://preview.redd.it/ok9xkeu9lcz91.png?width=1602&format=png&auto=webp&s=dfa7e1257da390bcb90bfefef409341aa5d09639) + +USO 1230 Futures: + +[https:\/\/ftx.com\/intl\/trade\/USO-1230](https://preview.redd.it/54ga7xvalcz91.png?width=1596&format=png&auto=webp&s=12c710ba3862979a62b3c120c7d873d48ad4f59a) + +In addition to the dramatic spikes - the bids/volume/orderbook doesnt make any sense either. + +&#x200B; + +So it seems all of these futures opened up on 9/15... thankfully the FTX website has a presser but doesnt really include many details: + +[https:\/\/help.ftx.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/9290554161556-FTX-will-list-1230-0331-quarterly-futures](https://preview.redd.it/tcenttyclcz91.png?width=890&format=png&auto=webp&s=adb8130be708c24f8cacdfdcd786e032e71c5f22) + +&#x200B; + +On 9/14/22 they released something called the Backstop Liquidity Provider Program... 🤯 + +[https:\/\/help.ftx.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360024479392-Backstop-Liquidity-Provider-Program](https://preview.redd.it/csvgg59elcz91.png?width=880&format=png&auto=webp&s=d6e9c0fdfaefc9c04ad41780e4ab7e6177163a17) + +Is this how they potentially manipulate collateral? The BLP system is automatically kicking in as explained in the example: + +https://preview.redd.it/13usthoflcz91.png?width=887&format=png&auto=webp&s=6c152efa1b7c5189de84e128e6b7aab970edbd75 + +Edit: Another nugget I saw elsewhere on twitter... the FTX COO, prior to working there, worked on risk controls in Credit Suisse. + +&#x200B; + +ANOTHER TID BIT SWITZERLAND RELATED… reminder that the FED just lent the Swiss National Bank $9B earlier this month… https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-news-today-2022-10-14/card/swiss-banks-reap-dollar-gains-M5BnUdv34PalhIgYbtga + +And final reminder… Debit Suisse had the mega sus 500k put contracts that ‘glitched’ on Bloomberg terminal for one day last year then disappeared: https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/ovaorq/credit_suisse_put_options_540k_gone_in_bloomberg/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf + +Wut doin Switzerland???? + +I'll edit this post if I see anything else - or if someone provides info in the comments. + +💎🖐🚀 + [https://stockmarketnews.today/2019/10/14/trade-deal-china-wants-more-talks-before-signing/](https://stockmarketnews.today/2019/10/14/trade-deal-china-wants-more-talks-before-signing/) +#**Can someone remind me or explain to me just HOW gamestop isn't absolutely DESTINED to moon?**: + +--- +- + +*"Gamestop doesn't have the talent to succeed"* + +#**A list of top-gun, ex-Amazon, ex-Chewy, ex-Zulily new hires**. + +-**Alan Attal** is a successful e-commerce executive and entrepreneur with more than two decades of experience building and managing businesses. From 2017 through 2018, Mr. Attal served as the Chief Marketing Officer of Chewy Inc. and oversaw an annual acquisition budget of more than $300 million, which was allocated to broadcast, direct mail and digital advertising and engagement initiatives. From 2011 through early 2017, he served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer and oversaw its expansion from three people to more than 10,000 employees and $3 billion in revenues. + +- **Jim Grube** is a successful business and finance executive with more than two decades of corporate experience. He was most recently the Chief Financial Officer of Vacasa, North America's leading vacation rental management company. He previously served as the Chief Financial Officer of Chewy, Inc. from 2015 through 2018. He was formerly the Senior Vice President of Finance at Hilton from 2009 through 2015 and a Director of Finance at Amazon from 2007 through 2009. He began his career working at other leading companies across the technology and transportation sectors. + + +- **Kelli Durkin**, Senior Vice President of Customer Care – Ms. Durkin, who previously served as Chewy’s Vice President of Customer Service, has a start date of March 1, 2021. She helped establish the world-class customer service operation that positioned Chewy to achieve a Net Promoter Score of 86 in 2018. In her new role, Ms. Durkin will oversee all customer service and engagement initiatives at GameStop. + +- **Josh Krueger**, Vice President of Fulfillment – Mr. Krueger, who previously held senior fulfillment roles at Amazon, Walmart, and QVC, has a start date of March 1, 2021. In his new role, Mr. Krueger will oversee the management of e-commerce fulfillment centers. + +- **Neda Pacifico**, Senior Vice President of E-Commerce – Ms. Pacifico, who previously served as Chewy’s Vice President of E-Commerce, has a start date of March 29, 2021. She spent nearly four-and-a-half years at Amazon in a variety of customer insights and marketing roles prior to joining Chewy. In her new role, Ms. Pacifico will lead initiatives in areas that include analytics, UI/UX and product design. + + +- **Ken Suzuki**, Vice President of Supply Chain Systems – Mr. Suzuki, who previously served as Zulily’s Vice President of Supply Chain Technology, has a start date of March 29, 2021. He has more than two decades of experience in the e-commerce, informational technology and software engineering areas. In his new role, Mr. Suzuki will be responsible for all systems and software related to GameStop’s supply chain, including order management systems (OMS) and warehouse management systems (WMS) + +- **Andrea Wolfe**, Vice President of Brand Development – Ms. Wolfe, who previously served as Chewy’s Vice President of Marketing, started March 29, 2021. She has held executive and director-level marketing roles at companies such as Outdoorsy, Spreetrail and Whole Foods. In her new role, Ms. Wolfe will help drive branding, content, social media strategy and other digital initiatives. + + +- **Tom Petersen**, Vice President of Merchandising – Mr. Petersen, who previously served as Chewy’s Vice President of Merchandising, started March 29, 2021. He has also held senior marketing and merchandising roles at specialty retailers such as Artenza and Corro. In his new role, Mr. Petersen will help drive vendor relations, product management and related merchandising initiatives. + + +- **Mr. Matt Furlong** (BOARD, Previously CEO) - Mr. Furlong is a veteran e-commerce leader with significant experience implementing growth strategies across global geographies and product categories. Most recently, he was a Country Leader and oversaw Amazon’s Australia business during a period of substantial growth. He was previously a Technical Advisor to the head of Amazon’s North America Consumer business. Throughout his nearly nine years at Amazon, he also ran a variety of product categories and oversaw strong market share expansion. Mr. Furlong began his career at Procter & Gamble, where he was an executive focused on brand, marketing and sales strategies. + +- **Mr. Mike Recupero** (CFO) - Mr. Recupero is a seasoned technology industry finance executive, who spent more than 17 years at Amazon supporting growth across global geographies and product categories. He most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of the North American Consumer business after serving as Chief Financial Officer of Prime Video. He previously served as the Chief Financial Officer of the European Consumer business. He began his career at Amazon, holding Analyst, Manager and Director roles of increasing responsibility. + +- **Marr Francis** - Mr. Francis to the newly created role of chief technology officer, effective Feb. 15. Francis was most recently an engineering leader at Amazon.com Inc.'s AMZN, +0.11% Amazon Web Services cloud business + +- **Mr. Elliott Wilke** - (Chief Growth Officer) - Mr. Wilke, former Amazon Excecutive, has been appointed to the role of chief growth officer effective April 5. Wilke has held a range of roles at Amazon in branding, consumer goods and e-commerce, in segments including Amazon Fresh, Prime Pantry and Worldwide Private Brands. He also spent more than a decade at consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble PG. + +- **Ryan Cohen** (CHAIR) is the manager of RC Ventures and a sizable stockholder of GameStop Corp. Mr. Cohen previously founded and served as the Chief Executive Officer of Chewy Inc. (NYSE: CHWY), where he oversaw the company’s growth and ascension to market leadership in the pet industry. Mr. Cohen led the company through its successful sale to PetSmart Inc. for more than $3.3 billion prior to stepping down in 2018. The company is now listed on the New York Stock Exchange with an equity market capitalization of approximately $40 billion. Mr. Cohen has extensive experience in retail, technology and e-commerce. + +--- + +*"What is Gamestop going to do? They have no working capital. The company is basically broke."* + +#**Gamestop raises 1.677 Billion dollars via ATM offerings**: + +GameStop disclosed on April 5, 2021 that it had filed a prospectus supplement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to offer and sell up to a maximum of 3,500,000 shares of its common stock from time to time through the ATM Offering. The Company ultimately sold 3,500,000 shares of common stock and generated aggregate gross proceeds before commissions and offering expenses of approximately $551,000,000. Net proceeds will be used to continue accelerating GameStop’s transformation as well as for general corporate purposes and further strengthening the Company’s balance sheet. + +GameStop disclosed on June 9, 2021 that it filed a prospectus supplement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to offer and sell up to a maximum of 5,000,000 shares of its common stock from time to time through the ATM Offering. The Company ultimately sold 5,000,000 shares of common stock and generated aggregate gross proceeds before commissions and offering expenses of approximately $1,126,000,000. + +#**Total working capital = 1.677 BILLION DOLLARS** + +--- + +*"How will gamestop possibly do same-day deliveries? Their stores are too small"* + +#**Gamestop acquires 2 fulfillment centers totaling 1.2 million square feet in warehouse space** + +Company’s Fulfillment Network Will Span Both Coasts of Continental U.S. +GRAPEVINE, Texas, July 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME) (“GameStop” or the “Company”) today announced the continued expansion of its North American fulfillment network and entry into a lease of a 530,000 square foot facility in Reno, Nevada, which is expected to be operational in 2022. The Company’s new presence in Reno, Nevada will position it to grow product offerings and expedite shipping across the west coast. This expansion follows GameStop’s entry into a lease of a 700,000 square foot facility in York, Pennsylvania. + +--- + +- + +*"Gamestop wants to be the next Amazon? Good luck beating Prime delivery times"* + +#**Gamestop offers SAME DAY DELIVERY, often beating Amazon prime delivery times** + +- With GameStop’s new Same Day Delivery, you can get your order delivered in just a few hours from your local GameStop store. We’ve partnered with multiple delivery couriers who utilize Contactless Delivery to quickly pickup and deliver your order, safely. + +--- + +# **GameStop is building an NFT platform as part of an ambitious plan to transform itself into the Amazon of gaming** + +GameStop launched a website this week that says it's hiring a team to build a platform for nonfungible tokens, or NFTs. The website includes a message inviting engineers, designers, gamers, marketers, and community leaders to join the video-game retailer's team.It also posted a link to an ethereum address, suggesting it would base its platform on the blockchain technology. NFTs, a type of digital asset, exploded in popularity during the pandemic as enthusiasts and investors scrambled to spend enormous sums of money on items that exist only online. + +Gaming is a natural fit for NFTs, given that gamers are already accustomed to buying in-game virtual assets like skins, currency and more to up the ante. The most popular NFTs have been known to sell for tens of millions of dollars. A GameStop NFT could generate some excitement both in the blockchain industry and among traditional gamers, which has the potential to spill over into the stock to give it a much-needed jolt. + +--- + + + +*"Shorts covered/closed back in January. The stock is clearly spiraling back down to $50 / share"* + +#**If shorts covered/closed, then why do they continue to short the stock DAILY?** + +After months of almost zero movement, who the fuck decides to wake up and sell the stock after fortuitous, bullish news? + +The answer is ABSOLUTELY NO ONE + +Ask yourselves this: If the shorts covered/closed in January, then why the fuck are they still shorting the stock? + +--- + + +#**Block out the FUD while we wait for the next big piece of news** + +Anyone that tells you that Gamestop isn't going anywhere or is a worthless "meme" stock literally has no idea what they are talking about. + +What will the next piece of news be? Who will be the next new hire? What will be the next catalyst? Even without a catalyst, based on the hires and business direction/model, this stock is soaring higher than anything we've seen before. You and your grandma better buckle the fuck up. +Joined last week. I have a very small account. 500$ only. Till last week I was always in red, after joining, made a profit of 50$. + +Might not seem much for a lot of people, but for a student struggling with rent and tution, earning minimum wage, the profit means groceries for a couple weeks. + +So thank you everyone, who share their trade plays here. I do my own research ofcourse, but I learned quite a lot in the process. +Joined last week. I have a very small account. 500$ only. Till last week I was always in red, after joining, made a profit of 50$. + +Might not seem much for a lot of people, but for a student struggling with rent and tution, earning minimum wage, the profit means groceries for a couple weeks. + +So thank you everyone, who share their trade plays here. I do my own research ofcourse, but I learned quite a lot in the process. +The billionaires and hedge funds screwed up big time and they know they're fucked. The autists of wallstreetbets here are battle hardened vets that have been through wars. A lot of us have lost 99% before. These dips are when we buy more. We're in a historic moment here. The hedge funds know they're fucked. + +Theoretically each share could be worth an infinite amount of dollars. If no one sells, that's the price they'll have to pay. I think it's time these hedge funds billionaires lost their yachts and mansions and have to live in a normal house like the rest us. This is a moment where we're taking back what they took. + +Realistically we can probably get $35,000 a share on average. This would put GameStop roughly around the same market cap as Apple. It could go up to $50,000 a share. Anything is possible. + +This is not investment advice and is for entertainment purposes only. +I see about five different WhAt tHe hEcK things going on tonight. And I get the ominous feeling that SOMETHING happened in the world that everyone but me knows about. I've been cruising SStonk but I don't see anything big other than voting and circles (WORTHY THINGS, I assure you!) + +&#x200B; + +What's got me questioning my life today?? Posts like these: + +https://preview.redd.it/71olbuif96v81.png?width=501&format=png&auto=webp&s=219c220b340d0c8b505525bb95a211dcace1433e + +https://preview.redd.it/ig1yeovk96v81.png?width=487&format=png&auto=webp&s=6979d771c3768ef366497c39c4c844c5670ea675 + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/fl01dqhm96v81.png?width=496&format=png&auto=webp&s=8a0c9e3a9e1bfb0498354eb264f58851dbfc9905 + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/u58embqw96v81.png?width=491&format=png&auto=webp&s=c8f5a3f2d0bab3a10db257baa2e34927f777f7ab + +&#x200B; + +Not to mention RC's unusual Tweet-via-replies and such lately. I admit that I spent my day heads-down at the Day Job ™, so I'm out of touch most days until I catch up on SStonk... but today feels even MORE SO THAN USUAL. + +Of course, Gabe re-booting hints that OTHER "big funds" may need to find creative ways to wiggle... but again... we knew that. And the DD is done..... they are stuck, and they know it. + +Our beloved stock closed down on a Friday (no surprise there), but volume and other indicators have been low or freakishly silent over the past few days. And when I look at the rest of the market.... um, really, really red doesn't even begin to describe it. But we've all seen this kind of red before.... right? Or .. is there something I'm missing?????? + +It very well could be that the world is limping forward as best it can and each of these people are in their own worlds tweeting about their own things and thus each of them is completely unrelated to each other. Maybe I'm just out of sorts tonight. But if there's a connection, I'd be interested to know what it is. I've apparently missed it. + +&#x200B; + +EDIT:I did find a few other articles that lean toward big movements, but nothing "definitive" yet. I'll screen cap some of them below: + +https://preview.redd.it/fbi5xvumg6v81.png?width=1016&format=png&auto=webp&s=9a063ff3cc940a897d0a43ab0b9aaa66ea1c10cb + +And BBBY trading was halted as it spiked. Again... we knew halts are not only plausible, but EXPECTED as this thing is going to take off. It's part of the SAFETY system built in to the markets (I know people are going to poo-poo this comment, but it REALLY is a good thing!... if the markets REALLY WERE FAIR, then such an action would be a SURE SIGN that someone was mucking with the fairness, and we would WANT such a feature in place.) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/yozvjo57j6v81.png?width=483&format=png&auto=webp&s=11a435910db46a35c8c3fe909ffd2cf84ecb6aa8 + +&#x200B; + +u/StacksMahoney mentioned in the comments about a Wells Fargo layoff, with other lenders possibly riding the same thin line.... There may be something to it. + +https://preview.redd.it/37gbn93go6v81.png?width=720&format=png&auto=webp&s=4f621c0f785cd264595cc225611ce621076f273e + +And CNBC turning on Gabe and saying how this is akin to "moving to a new city, changing your name, and defrauding others"..... There's blood in the water, and the sharks are stirring. + +https://preview.redd.it/wc1nylkkp6v81.png?width=649&format=png&auto=webp&s=a58b897dd2ec2913cdec8bfee7f9a13a2498fb64 + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; +In the previous crypto winter, there was a real sentiment of Bitcoin never being able to recover again. It will be this kind of disbelief that signals to me we are somewhere near the bottom. I’m still seeing waaay too many positive comments and naive posts with some variation of “BTC is about to snap back!”, “This moving average suggests all the world’s problems are over”, “if you haven’t bought in, you missed your chance at discount crypto!!”. Pfffft. We are NOWHERE near the bottom. It’s going to look like a cold winter’s night, the trees will look dead, snow will cover the entire expanse and there will be a fear that it will be impossible for Bitcoin to ever reach the highs it once had. Until then, buckle up, this failed “inflation hedge” idea isn’t hedging anybody from shit. I’m looking at next year and 2024 as the new bloom. Now we are in the entertainment phase, watching shitcoins and scammy exchanges get rekt, because all they were selling were hopes and dreams. +Hi all, + +I am moving to San Diego from Indianapolis area for a job and my girlfriend has decided to make the move with me. She is a medtech, she has a 4 year degree with quite a bit of experience now. During the phone screen they told her the salary range is $28-30hr. + +During her main interview the hiring manager mentioned several times how expensive of an area San Diego is, my GF explained that she was aware and that she was following me there because of my job. + +They just called and extended an offer to her for $27.50, she asked if she could get it higher but the HR manager told her it was the max for her experience level. She is excited and wants to accept. I told her I think she should at least try to get the $28 she was told during the screen. She seems worried they will be upset since she already asked but to me this would be unacceptable. + +Anyone else here have thoughts? +This is the worst dip we’ve seen yet this cycle, but we’ve seen lots worse in previous cycles and bitcoin still came back to rally when the time came. Be patient. one bad thing happens and everyone seems to forget the long game. This is exactly how they want you to react so they can have your bitcoin. Quit feeding the FUD HODL +This is the worst dip we’ve seen yet this cycle, but we’ve seen lots worse in previous cycles and bitcoin still came back to rally when the time came. Be patient. one bad thing happens and everyone seems to forget the long game. This is exactly how they want you to react so they can have your bitcoin. Quit feeding the FUD HODL +First off, check this article out talking about Kiraverse, what it is, how it works, and most importantly - alpha now and beta in Q4. [https://cointelegraph.com/press-releases/kiraverse-brings-bored-apes-cryptopunks-and-doodles-to-life](https://cointelegraph.com/press-releases/kiraverse-brings-bored-apes-cryptopunks-and-doodles-to-life) + +>[*Kiraverse*](https://kiraverse.game/) *is an NFT-integrated MMO battle royale game that allows users to play traditional battle royale with an epic twist. Players are able to wager on matches with the chance of winning prize pools of Ether (*[*ETH*](https://cointelegraph.com/ethereum-price)*), Tether (*[*USDT*](https://cointelegraph.com/tether-price-index)*) and more. Users will also have the option to rent, sell or trade their NFTs through the Kira marketplace, providing digital ownership to all. The alpha version is releasing this quarter, and with 11,000 people in their Discord and a long waitlist for the NFT integration, the community is only growing stronger.*  + +Next, take a look at Kiraverse and Cyber Crew flirting today: + + + +[Kiraverse giving CC regards ](https://preview.redd.it/fubt13hdjbp91.png?width=593&format=png&auto=webp&s=cef173bbe75ea53fb891fd49e0d028b185318105) + +Then today: + +&#x200B; + +[Tits](https://preview.redd.it/02br745njbp91.png?width=584&format=png&auto=webp&s=aca017143582d178eb73a1775e075b00d51e69d2) + +Then Kiraverse published a video confirming they are building on Immutable! + +[Video link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xceD0gN7nnU) + +Then today Kiraverse also confirmed Metaboys are going to be in their game: + +&#x200B; + +[I will still shoot it ](https://preview.redd.it/icktvs2bkbp91.png?width=602&format=png&auto=webp&s=68606a30ad320a920b9553dd5c4a26f0688fcaad) + +And Kiraverse roadmap: + +&#x200B; + +[https:\/\/kiraverse.game\/](https://preview.redd.it/m7gxx3gtkbp91.png?width=1898&format=png&auto=webp&s=e91b78dce0d51359846d20cf9088d1bc302d8f41) + +[https://kiraverse.game/](https://kiraverse.game/) + +And look at these fucking partners!!! + +&#x200B; + +[Wonder what that top left one is](https://preview.redd.it/3aohot40lbp91.png?width=1197&format=png&auto=webp&s=5eb074d463fa2682d25fcff724a3e912fb9a40a4) + +&#x200B; + +And the team/team experience: + +&#x200B; + +[Some big names right therr ](https://preview.redd.it/zsbaf0k5lbp91.png?width=1227&format=png&auto=webp&s=03be7ee674117986bda05a141a59781099ae9d31) + +&#x200B; + +So jack your fucking tits. The only question now is, + +# WEN? + +Also if this isn't meeting the grade for possible DD, feel free to change it to discussion or hype. I really don't care. Jack your fucking tits. +Based on u/Isthiswittyenough92's [earlier post](https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/kr98ym/gme_gang_we_need_to_complain_about_naked_short/), I just delivered a similar message via Tor/SecureDrop to several news agencies' tip line: The New York Times, WSJ, Financial Times, Reuters, Forbes, Bloomberg, and...BuzzFeed. + +I made it clear in the message that the SEC adopted the rules on naked short selling after the GFC of 2008, hopefully to get some journalist wet with click-baity anticipation, drawing a direct line of Wall Street incompetence from then to now. I'll either edit this post or create a new one if I get any replies back (depends on the reply). Will it makes a difference? I dunno, but I had to try. + +If we see any of these news sites posting something about this...you're welcome. + +Edit 1: no one has replied to my hot tips on illegal activity yet :/ +Wondering what people's goals are and reasons for trading currency. Whether you do it full time or for fun or to try and earn towards something. That sort of shit. +I’ve been messing around with a demo account on meta trader and haven’t gotten to using stop loss yet, but I have one question. One of my trades had gone all the way down to -1,200 but overnight it eventually went back up to give me profit, but that’s with 100,000 in the demo account , so my question is if I set a trade to no stop loss with 1,000 in my real account, would it eventually be closed automatically if it reached a certain negative number? +Hi I’m still kind of new to this and I’ve opened up a demo account to try and get to grips with not panic buying and waiting for the right moment to open a trade, I’m seeing mostly profits so far for the 3ish weeks I’ve been doing this, but I’m seeing lots of posts about risk management. Could someone please explain what exactly this involves and different strategies for different scenarios or trading types such as day trading or scalpers, etc. Thanks. +It is most likely that Federal Reserve will increase the interest rate this week. However, do not expect any sort of a rally. We've seen investors ditch their long dollar position in USDJPY (December) and short in EURUSD (November). Traders who were long USD are long already with more traders moving to the sideline as the big day nears. + +Feds are committed for the rate hike however, I think it will be accompanied by dovish statement about the economy and they will emphasize not to expect any more rate hikes for the most of 2016. Most traders will be focused on what Ms. Yellen has to say and if she will be hawkish or dovish. If she goes on a tangent and starts talking about another rate hike in the first quarter, for example, then we could see dollar rally post FOMC. + +As for me, I'm staying on the sidelines. What are you thoughts? Thanks +I think I know what I need to do/cover to get better at trading and building my system, but I just can't find the time between work, a relationship and family/friends. + +Where did you find the time? Pushed at work or afterhours? +Looks like PBOC just devalue the CNY peg by another 1.6% in addition to the 1.9% yesterday. So much for the "one time thing" touted yesterday. + +AUD and NZD slammed. EM currencies slides. + +[Story here](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-12/offshore-yuan-tumbles-more-than-2-after-pboc-weakens-fixing-id83h6kt) +What are all of your thoughts regarding the future movement of EUR/ +USD over the next 3-6 months? + +I have thought about this quite a bit this week with QE3, and I think open ended asset purchases are going to wipe out the downside of the Euro given their monetary troubles. In short, I think we might be headed back to 1.40. + +I am looking for differing opinions and thoughts on this pair specifically. What do you think? +Hi everyone, I will tell you what happened this month. +I developed a Trading Strategy with six majors pairs. Pure price action. 2% risk on every trade. Minimum RRR of 1:2. +I backtested it a lot of times and it started to make me profitable. +Despite of this, I've lost more than 60% of my 10k account this month. I know it's because my psychology (probably FOMO). Have you ever experienced something like this? +I have traded FX in the last one year and after testing varied strategies because profitable in the last 3 months of 2021. My strategy is indicator based, therefore very mechanical. However I am still looking for a good exist indicator. Please, is there any suggestions I could use. At the moment I use REX oscillator as exit but this is not so good. Thanks in advance. My entry indicator does not do this job very well. +I'll use this post to also just say hello to everyone in the subreddit. Pleasure to meet you all. + +As for my question, I'm currently getting some 1 on 1 mentoring to start my journey into Forex Trading and I must say my interest in trading has peaked even more since I've started. Tonight, I felt like doing some reasearch of my own as I wait for our next training session with a simple question. + +When I do finally have my strategies set out and am able to analysis charts and news to get my information, what would be a good starting amount for an actual brooker account? In case it's needed, the broker I've been suggested to use is HotForex and I use SmartTrader and the HotForex Program as well as Metatrader 4 on my phone for my graphs and trades. + +Any info you all have would be greatly appreciated. + +Edit 5/23/20: I'm genuinely surprised by the many replies I've gotten in the past few hours. I really appreciate each and everyone you guys left me. They're all filled with such wise and interesting advice. I've made sure to take it all into account. + +As for my question above, I've decided to go with $200 for my live account when I start for two main reasons. The first being that all responses have fallen between $100 - $300 and secondly, it's an amount that I am comfortably ok with lossing as I go through the process of learning. + +Should anyone like to provide me with any other advice though, I'd be more than appreciative. Thank you all and I wish you all the best of luck in your own trading endevours. +My dad and I are both trading the GJ on my recommendation. I set a Buy Limit at 140.9 and advised he do the same. I'm in Europe with fxpro, and he's in the States with tradersway. How the hell is this possible? (I lost, he won) + +http://imgur.com/a/XJhDw + +http://imgur.com/a/5jPNu + +Edit: here's an update to this story - https://www.reddit.com/r/Forex/comments/6x2h4e/tradersway_screws_everyone_over/ +Any website that explain what drives currency pair , how money policies impact pricing . Or any website that just summarize everything and give a bullish or a bearish "bias" for each currency. +I feel I should advice new traders because I have seen countless number of people do things the wrong way... + +As I always say "not trading is another form of trading" so it's not every time you make an order.. watch the market..jump on your technicals and fundamentals.. understand the trading sessions..judge your analysis, weigh it..before you think of making an order..and don't forget TREND IS KING!! .. can we upvote this for beginners to see? +I started trading over a year ago deposited some money. + +I have a working system that I put countless hours into it. + +But the thing is, I've just blown up my 5th and last account. I'm a student that just graduated, I'm out of savings now, due to uncontrollable revenge or random trading, I don't know why the fuck I keep entering random trades in hope that it'd give me quick profits or get back my previous lost trades $$ by leveraging it max, and if the trade goes wrong, I keep doing this until the account blows. I fucking suck. I still want to be successful in trading though. + +Bash me with anything, but I don't know what to do.. I'm sorry for begging for help. But the feeling of having lost so much money and feels impossible to make it back sucks.. +Like most people on this sub, I mainly use TA but of course, fundamental analysis can't be ignored as it directly affects the markets. My question is how much and how specifically do you guys utilize fundamental analysis in comparison to Technical? +Hello guys, +Let me just mention at first that im kinda new to this but not unfamiliar, ive been dealing forex up and down, but on the last month ive taken it seriously like its my only job to do. +Just wanted to share my analysis on nzdusdi m1 chart and wanted your idea on this. +Also could you share what startegy some of you are using on 30m, h1 and day charts. +Still trying to make myself comfortable with the tools and a proper tactic of using them side by side. +Thanks in advance. + +[as i said, i know im using mt4 dont come at me xd](https://preview.redd.it/ljzyrg27fm381.png?width=1603&format=png&auto=webp&s=38b7906a52b8ea6a1b065fc97123660638116b85) +I feel amazing, knowing exactly how I want to trade and not doing anything else. I just wanted to share the joy I'm having. The current trade I'm in will either stop me out at around a 35% gain, or it'll keep going higher. +So yeh this post will likely get some hate and I'm new(ish) certainly around these parts anyway. + +So let's say I have £1000 to trade and I want to go on a higher end of risk management and use 5% of my account size. + +What if I'm only aiming for a 10% gain per day. + +£100 day one +£110 day two +£121 day three + +You get it... + +If I grow my lot size in accordance with my 5% rule and set stop loss at 30 pips a trade and take profits at 100 pips a trade, what's to stop me growing my account fast? + +Genuine thoughts and opinions please. + +I've already banked 60 pips for the day +They were fined repeatedly and they are still doing it. Maybe increase the fines ten-fold? + +http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-23/currency-spoofing-is-said-to-be-new-york-s-latest-target +I tend to look at the bigger picture, like say weekly or monthly charts to assess Supply and Demand zones to see where the market is actually heading. I find that Forex does trade with the news but most of the time the price will correct to follow the supply and demand zones. Who here agrees with me? + +Note: I'm not giving advice or analysis! I'm basically just asking if anyone uses it +Hi everyone, I have been trading for a while now and am profitable. I’ve noticed that since starting, my use of indicators has definitely gone down. When I first started I was the poster child for analysis paralysis (at one point I think I had 3 different graphs for MACD alone). Since then, I still use indicators but have drastically cut down on them and only use the ones I consider essential (TTM squeeze, 2 HMAs, and ADX). Obviously my being profitable was not a result of limiting my indicator use instead it was my experience and increased knowledge, which probably led me to decrease my use of indicators. I'm curious how many indicators other experienced and profitable traders use and if you've also had the same experience with decreasing indicator use as you get better (would appreciate specifics on which indicators you still use) +Overall I did pretty well. Happy with $400 for 2 hours of work trading only 1 contract in the NQ futures. Excited to see what the future brings! + +http://imgur.com/a/OFjCK + + + + +I've been demo trading for close to a year now, and I've found that the style that suits me best is somewhere between swing / position trading, holding anywhere from a couple of days to a month or two if I catch a strong trend. I trade primarily on the daily chart, using the weekly to gauge trends, and the 4H to fine tune entry. In doing so, I've found that the strategy tends to have a pretty high average R:R ratio - somewhere on the order of 4:1 since it involves allowing winners to run wild. The best trade I've seen had a 13:1 RR. Moreover, many of the candlestick / chart patterns I see on the daily time-frame seem to be very reliable compared to lower timeframes. + +This brings me to an important question: do these higher probability trades with larger RR ratios justify larger risk? So far I've been sticking to the 1% rule - but since I'm very picky about trades, would 2% or even 3% be justified? What are your guys' opinions? +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. +I have never posted on reddit before and I don’t even know if this is the correct subreddit but I am feeling completely alone. I’m a 22 F currently full time in college working 30-40 hours a week and am having trouble breaking even. + +Whenever I try to go to any of my friends or family about it they go “well that’s what they were talking about when they said college kids eat ramen noodles every day.” Or “well all college kids are poor.” + +Are all college students having to apply for food stamps because they have to choose between gas to get to work and feeding themselves? Are they working 30-40 hour overnights to be able to afford rent and gas and a car to put that gas in, while also being enrolled in 17 credits? + +I grew up slightly above the poverty line and my family struggled with bills and paying for food for all of us. I took time off of school after high school to save up to be able to afford a car and an apartment (sharing it with 3 strangers) in a city an hour away from my home town. + +I haven’t stopped working since I was 15 years old and could begin working. I am currently working at an emotionally exhausting emergency veterinary hospital anywhere from 2-4 nights a week. I usually work Saturdays and Sundays so I can go to class during the week and focus on school. I have had to pick 1-2 extra shifts up at work during the week because I cannot afford my bills without it and my grades see it. + +I feel like I am drowning and there is no escape. I budgeted and I still don’t have enough money monthly. I canceled any subscriptions I had, I’ve been trying to shop at cheaper grocery stores like Aldi and have stopped spending any extra money on fast food or useless things. I don’t know what else I can do. I cant afford to work full time while being in school but it’s looking like I might have to. + +I’m so afraid I’m not going to be able to achieve my dream of going to vet school because I had to worry about whether or not I could afford to feed myself during undergrad. + +I don’t know how to stop feeling bad about myself being poor and to stop being angry at others who have more than I. + +Any advice appreciated. +He has never had any experience with cryptocurrencies and barely understands what Bitcoin is. I am now looking for the most inspirational story to write on his birthday card telling Bitcoin's story and forecasting it's bright future. So, what's the most exciting way to do it. :) +The inflation rate is cooling off from the impact of interest rate hikes. It takes 9-12 months for rate hikes to be felt and 12-18 months for the maximum effect. The CPI report, interest rate hikes, house prices and rents, wage growth, job openings, unemployment rate, international conflicts and trade wars all play a significant role in guiding the market's macroenvironment. This hopefully plays a significant role in helping the market to jumpstart. https://www.bls.gov/cpi/ +If you are like me, a large majority of your shares are in an IRA and you are not willing to directly register them now out of fear that you could trigger a taxable event that would also incur a penalty. This brilliant ape, u/[youniversawme](https://www.reddit.com/user/youniversawme/) , [seems to have found a way to DRS your IRA shares with the possibility of not incurring taxes or penalties](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qe6wfu/drs_my_ira_shares_yes_i_believe_i_did/). While I would love to do the same, I am not yet confident enough to take the risk of being wrong on that, but that may change soon...like if I became wealthy. + +This is my strategy as to how I will use my IRA to make sure that the least amount of fuckery is going on with the shares that I have purchased in my IRA. + +There has been a lot of debate on whether we should DRS all of our brokerage (non-IRA) shares, or only the ones that we want to be part of the "infinity pool." I paid good money for my shares so I want as many as possible directly registered in my name so they cannot be rehypothecated, etc. + +"BUT YOU CAN'T SELL FROM COMPUTERSHARE RIGHT?" Of course you *can*. + +"BUT YOU SHOULDN'T BECAUSE THEN THE HEDGIES WILL GET THOSE REAL SHARES, SO I WILL ONLY SELL THE ONES THAT I HAVE KEPT WITH MY BROKER(s)." Okay, let's discuss this logic. Side note-- I am completely open to the possibility that I am missing something so I am here to listen. But here is the way I look at it.... + +Think of it like a GaME. Every share we DRS is a point for the good guys. So the inverse of that has to be that every "share" we leave in the DTC is a point for the bad guys. Every point scored gets us that much closer to locking the float and stopping the fuckery. This *is* a zero sum game in this context. So, how is it worse to score points that you may later give back to them *after* you are already kicking the shit out of them than to never score those points in the first place? For example, if we are playing basketball to 21 and the score is 19-19, giving you any points could cost me the game, but if I am up 36 to 2, I can spare a couple points without any risk of losing since I have already won. + +The only argument that I see is that once MOASS is triggered, every share sold from Computershare necessarily unlocks the float since Computershare can only register 100% max of the float. I get that. So, here is where the IRA's can really make a difference. + +When I am selling my brokerage shares from Computershare for millions, the risk of having to pay taxes and penalties on my IRA shares that I directly register will become an increasingly acceptable risk to take. In other words, for every brokerage share I sell, I can DRS at least as many from my IRA following u/ [youniversawme](https://www.reddit.com/user/youniversawme/)'s method. I will DRS as many as they will let me, therefore doing my part to keep the entire float in the hands of the true shareholders. This is the equivalent of having a hose in the pool and turning it on every time the water level drops to get it full again. + +If I am not the only one with this strategy, then there is no need for thinking that Computershare should only be for "infinity pool" shares. + +Sure, it would be great if we could lock the float by only DRS'ing a portion of our shares, but who knows if that is possible, especially given the fact that the bystander effect will always be at play. The most efficient way to deprive the SHF's of their means to naked short is to DRS as much as we can. + +Edit: Ask yourself this...does Kenny want us DRSing 100% of our shares or just the ones we plan to keep forever? + +TLDR: DRS'ing now and later selling from Computershare is better than only DRS'ing just your "infinity pool" shares. During MOASS, it will be okay to sell from Computershare because there will still be a supply of shares in the queue to be DRS'd from IRA's. + +This is not financial advice. I am dum AF and people who know me best would never take advice from me. This is just me ranting about what I want to do. +Wanted to post probably the best trade I’ve made. I started with ~12k last year and was able to get to >300k about a week and a half ago before nearly blowing up my account to 40k thanks to my greed and bad risk management. But thankfully I decided to go in on Spotify and save my account to hopefully be smarter about in the future. + +Proof of my account balance: https://imgur.com/a/xr7myeb + +Proof of Spotify Trade: https://imgur.com/a/H7M1sYo + +Current positions in case anyone is curious: https://imgur.com/a/x56tBzT +The US economy is growing, personal income is up, and unemployment is low. + +[https://www.bea.gov/news/glance](https://www.bea.gov/news/glance) + +Since its obvious the US economy is doing fine, why wont the fed raise interest rates back to 5% like used to be? +This stock is up 25% since last earning. Earnings have been terrible btw. They missed the subscriber numbers for past 2 earnings, lowered guidance and barely beat the revenue estimate. + +Lets ignore the earnings for a second, and talk about growth. I am trying to understand who has been buying up NFLX for past month that the stock has been on constant ATH run. There hasn't been any catalyst beside their yearly TUDUM showing. Streaming space is already too crowded, and there doesn't seem to be that much upside potential left. So what have they done to justify this huge runup? + +Basically i am trying to find out what I am missing. whoever is buyer of NFLX at these levels what are the reason to buy it? or is this classic pump and dump after the earnings? +BAML’s ‘Bull & Bear’ gauge, which takes the temperature of markets, is now flashing overheating warning signals at 7.9, just under the 8 level that BAML recommends selling. + +It is the indicator’s highest since March 2013. It has given 11 sell signals since 2002 with a 100 percent hit ratio, BAML said. Average equity peak-to-trough drops in the following 3 months after the signal have been 12 percent they added. + +https://www.reuters.com/article/us-markets-flows-baml/record-stocks-buying-but-correction-in-coming-months-likely-baml-idUSKBN1FF1JJ + + +I don't want to be stuck paying for all the payroll taxes, especially when he's a giant dick and tried to screw me over when I moved half way across the country for this job(I quit because it was so bad). + +Edit: Wow this blew up. I only asked what my options were. I absolutely did not intend for some ridiculous discussion regarding my work ethic and "proof" that my ex-employer was a douche. I'm amazed that someone would question my "proof" considering I didn't even offer any, and am not inclined to do so. +So, after an emergency visit to the hospital, my dad has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. However, he is also undocumented and uninsured. He has no car, no house, practically nothing to his name besides his family. + +The doctors explained everything. His only chance of treatment is chemotherapy. However, cancer is not considered an emergency, so the hospitals will be unable to treat him as an inpatient. He has lived paycheck to paycheck most his life working in landscaping and maintenence, but he will now stop working due to his health condition. He has no viable way to pay for treatment, and is unable to get any welfare due to being undocumented. We currently reside in Nevada. + +I've recently graduated college, which I could not have done without his support. I did work jobs here and there, enough to pay $400ish worth bills every month. Whatever money I did had left over, I spent thinking it's better to enjoy life young than when older. I've accepted a job offer that will not start until mid-August where I will be paid a $60,000 salary. Unfortunately, the job will be in a different city, but once I start I'm willing to give as much as I possibly can. I have not ironed out any details, so I'm unsure how much spare money I could possibly have. + +I'd be really appreciative if anyone could help point me in the right direction. Are there lower cost forms of chemotherapy treatment? Oncology locations which would allow for payment plans? Would it even be possible to get him an insurance plan given his immigration status? I've heard about pre-existing conditions when buying health insurance, so is there nothing that can be done? I'm pretty uninformed, and also overloaded with emotion to do research at the moment. But I'm wondering if anyone here would have some advice, or at least be able to help point me in the right direction. Thank you to all who read this, and feel free to let me know if this isn't the type of posts which belong to here. + +Edit: It is getting a bit hard to respond to everyone, but I really appreciate the support and love from all of you. I'm trying not to overreact, and hope that my family and I can get all the answers soon. To all those wishing me luck and the best, I really appreciate all of you and I can't say how much I appreciate the kind words from everyone. Thank you + +I've started my investigation of possible routes we can take, so I don't think I'll have much time to respond to everyone, at least for the time being. If you bring up and important point that I need did further clarification on, I will respond. Otherwise, I am reading every comment and taking all the advice I can. To all those wish my dad and family the best, I want to thank you. It might not seem like much, but all your words help me have the strength to push forward and try to find a solution instead of rolling over and crying. Thank you everyone, it is all truly appreciated. +1. Intel Corp lost $91 billion one day in September 2000. +2. Exxon Mobil Corp lost $53 billion one October day in 2008. +3. Apple had a loss of $60 billion on January 24, 2013. + +Whereas on Wednesday, Facebook ended the after-hours session down 20 percent at $173.50, a loss of $126 billion. +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. +My thesis has several layers which provides a margin of safety ; + +1. Fed policy: Currently the fed is tapering and has said that if inflation persist they may increase the speed they taper. If you look at history every single time the fed tapered the market corrects (20+%). The same can be said when they Fed announces they are increasing QE, the market reverses a downtrend and continues on a bull run. This has proven to be 100% accurate in the US. The market is forward looking and sees this coming, IMO the market has already topped. Of course the Fed could reverse there decision and decide to continue QE for longer, if this occurs I will cover my short. +2. Stocks under pressure: ARKK ETF and the vast majority of speculative stocks are down 50-70%, these are the first to be hit when we extend to the end of a bull run, and the stock market participants are looking for a safe, cash flowing companies to ride into the end, that is essentially a flight to safety in anticipation of tapering and an increase in the funds rate. +3. Fed announced Taper: On November 3rd the fed announced the taper, since then we've seen stocks get smashed on any miss earnings and just the way the market is reacting to news has drastically changed. Most recent example is the new C19 variant, any potential bad news the market is no longer just brushing off, participants are confused and see the market as being irrational for no reason, where in fact the real reason is because of the TAPER. We will continue to see large draw downs on any negative news. +4. Valuation: The FAANG stocks is holding up this market, as they are seen as the safest and best companies the world. This has pushed there valuations to ALL time highs. MSFT is trading at a 37 PE and 14 PS, not seen since the Dot Com bubble. Normal MSFT or AAPL trade at a PE of 12-18 and that was during the last decade where they had a massive run rate of growth ahead of them. +5. Shift to small cap from large cap?: I have thought about the possibility of a shift away from large cap, allowing them to correct while small cap coming back into favour, keep the market propped up, however EVERY SINGLE time MSFT has corrected or crashed the market does the same. So unless this is the first time we ever see this happen, It just isn't probable. +6. Forward guidance: AAPLE is only expected to grow at 4% in 2022, and MSFT 15ish%. Demand has been pulled forward and we are going to see a reset in their valuations based on forward looking guidance, currently it is completely unsustainable and they have no way to grow into there valuations. +7. Economic outlook: Inflation is rising which will put pressure on companies margins if they don't have pricing power. On top of this I expect we see a much weaker consumer in 2022/2023. The cost of living is rising significantly in every aspect of people's lives, leaving them with less disposable income to spend on non essentials. Any correction in the stock market or housing market would further pressure consumer confidence making them think twice about going on that vacation or buying a new Macbook etc.. +8. China: The Chinese economy is on the brink of collapse, the real estate giants such as Evergrande are barely meeting payments on interest. Evergrande has 300 billion in debt and is selling assets to meet interest obligations. Real estate sales are down 30% in October! The Chinese see the inevitable real estate crash as these giant companies fail, which will cause the economy to collapse and will have a ripple affect on the world. China is the #1 purchaser of commodities from countries around the world, as their economy slows they will purchase less ,which will put pressure on other countries GDP, we have already seen a massive slow down in China doing just this! +9. Market is currently crashing: The Russel 2000 peaked a couple weeks ago on November 8th and is already down 10%. In nearly ever case small cap lead a crash (not including black swan events) and the S&P follow behind within a matter of weeks. Also; technical analysis on the FAANG stocks all show they were extremely over extended and have peaked, which would be very consistent with the Russell leading the crash and 2 weeks later (now) the FAANG beginning their crash. Thank you for reading. Please poke holes in this thesis and invest at your own risk. Don't fight the FED, adapt to their policy. + +My trade is on the following; + +\-SARK (Inverse ARKK ETF) + +\-SPXU (3X Leverage inverse S&P ETF) + +\-TZA (3X leverage inverse Russell 2000 ETF) + +[History of QE Cycle](https://preview.redd.it/pxgqhdzopn281.png?width=2880&format=png&auto=webp&s=748b383ecb5fd59498b8c0d7ce8ef7a632452273) +Hi all, + +Curious what others do with extra savings they cant put in a 401k or IRA? + +I.e., once you’ve maxed out your tax free options, do you just park your excess earnings in a taxable brokerage accounts and eat the taxes on dividends and/or gains? + +401k annual limit is nothing to sneeze at but not that generous from a big picture perspective. I can’t do IRAs because of income phase outs. Just recently realized index funds can have capital gains and pass those on to you even if you don’t sell any stocks yourself.. same with taxation of dividends income. + +I’ve read through the wiki on r/personalfinance and a bunch of articles but they all stop short of telling you what to do, and what are the pitfalls of investing after you’ve exceeded the tax free allowances. +For those who own real estate in multiple countries (not necessarily same country where you live), how do you handle it without going crazy getting into the weeds of all details? + +For context, I own about multiple properties in my home country, another one in my SO's home country. Those are all rentals. I am considering buying in another country for occasional use from us and extended family and/or friends. + +SO thinks it's a nightmare to handle this and prefer renting vs buying. I tend to think it's ok as long as you hire local help. My feeling is that having a place to go back to over and over again and create some connections would be good. + +I don't really want to get into the rent vs buy but get some advice on handling/maintaining/etc of such setup. How do you make it work in case you've done it? Is it a lot of hassle? +My wife and I just had our first child and opened a custodial account in her name. We put enough in that by the time she's 45 or so, she would have a very comfortable FatFIRE life. + +My question: for parents who have done the same, when did you inform your child that a significant amount of money would he theirs? Legally it will be hers at 18, did anyone hide that until kids were older? + +EDIT: Thank you all for the thoughts, it sounds like a trust should have been the move (and will be for additional children). I will work with an estate attorney on this, but is anyone able to share a quick line or two on converting an UTMA to a Trust? Possible or too late at this point? This is getting a bit far from FatFIRE, so happy to cut the conversation here if need be. +https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/11/bny-mellon-to-offer-bitcoin-services-a-validation-of-crypto-from-a-key-bank-in-the-financial-system.html + +Bank of New York Mellon, the nation’s oldest bank, said Thursday that it will begin financing bitcoin and other digital currencies. + +The custody bank will eventually allow digital currencies to pass through the same financial network it currently uses for more traditional holdings like U.S. Treasury bonds and equities after months of analysis of its prototype digital asset framework. + +“BNY Mellon is proud to be the first global bank to announce plans to provide an integrated service for digital assets,” Roman Regelman, CEO of asset servicing and head of digital at BNY Mellon, said in a press release. + +“Growing client demand for digital assets, maturity of advanced solutions, and improving regulatory clarity present a tremendous opportunity for us to extend our current service offerings to this emerging field,” he added. + +The BNY Mellon executive added that, pending product analysis and approvals, the bank should begin offering the services to its customers later this year. The Wall Street Journal first reported the bank’s cryptocurrency announcement. +If you can't tell, I'm new to investing and am just flirting with this idea. I used the search function and see that this question has been asked twice before with the consensus being NOT to invest the money, which frankly I don't understand. It seems like a win in the long term, as I've found the consensus on this sub to be that given enough time, index mutual funds reliably produce returns. I'll be given 5 years to pay off the loan, but already have a decent amount of savings and could do so in 18-24 months. If I invest that money and let it grow for decades, can't I expect >3% return? If that's the case, wouldn't this just be "free" money? I appreciate if someone could explain to me why this is/isn't a good idea. +http://www.businessinsider.com/top-brands-for-millennial-parents-2015-5 + + +http://www.cbsnews.com/news/now-making-babies-millennials-disrupting-more-business/ + +Brands such as LEGO, Carter's (CRI), Hasbro (HAS), Netflix (NFLX), Whole Foods Market (WFM), Starbucks (SBUX), Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), Blue Apron, Zulily (ZUL), Etsy (ETSY) and Amazon.com (AMZN) are well positioned to serve millennials; companies at risk, include McDonald's (MCD), Kellogg (K), Campbell Soup (CPB), Coca-Cola (KO), Mattel (MAT), The Children's Place (PLCE), Toys 'R' Us, J.C. Penney (JCP) and Kohl's (KSS). + +Throwaway unfortunately because of my situation and potential for others to connect the dots... + +I’ve been working in downstream manufacturing in the oil & gas industry for the past ten years, working my way up through the company from entry-level unit Operator to a departmental manager. I do not have a degree (neither do most of my peers as it’s typically a 15-20 year experience position), and up until very recently I’ve been successful for this company. + +Long story short, my family and I (single parent to three children) were displaced by Hurricane Harvey, having to be rescued from our home by boat and removed from the area for approximately two weeks (due to lack of access as all roadways into or out of the area were closed by state DOT). As if that wasn’t enough, we took approximately 50K worth of damage excluding furniture and personal effects that will come out of pocket. While this is ongoing my facility attempted to continue operating through the storm, eventually being required to shut down as well. Upon my return to work, I find out the following: + +“You have been relieved from duty due to not fulfilling job responsibilities” prior to the event for approximately a year and “it’s highly suggested that I find another organization to work for” by the end of the year. + +I’ve never, ever been coached, counseled, written up, talked to by HR, my manager, or anything. Further, two weeks before being displaced I was told that “the sky was the limit” and that I was a top performer in my skill pool. Further, I was awarded numerous cash incentives to retain me as an employee, paying out 45K over three years (first 15K was to pay out 1/1/18). Also, I was told three times during the conversation that “your removal had nothing to do with the flood event”... + +Finally, I was in contact with my manager every day while displaced and informed them of the situation, where we were and what my next steps were going to be. This can be verified by text message records throughout the event and the manager’s acknowledgment of my situation. + +I feel as though I am about to lose my income stream, my house (repaired or not) and my children. As if there wasn’t enough going on with all the destruction in my community this has to stack on top of it all. Can anyone offer some advice, insight, etc. as to what I should/could do from here? + + + + +We all started somewhere and the concept can often be difficult to grasp for newbies. Instead of saying use the search function and then downvote, provide a link or an explanation. Takes a little time but is quite helpful to them. + +Newbies, read the sidebar and links, try to ask questions that you don't understand after reading. + +Edit: feel free to ask any stupid questions +Europe. + +I am looking at a bunch of cars that I am interested in, and year old models are quite literally the same price, and many even 5 year old models with like 60k km's on them still retain like 80-90% of the original sale value.. which is ridiculous since so many new features get added to those cars, that the decrease in price would be unreasonably low even if the car was at 0km and top condition.... On top of that you obviously do not get to decide on the color and extras on your own, and you're taking the risk that the vehicle was neglected or badly driven.... + +It doesn't seem to make any sense.... and supply doesn't seem to be an issue here as manufacturers have been giving incentives to buy new cars (not enough demand) meaning you could for example get a CH-R cheaper new than used... + +The only time it seems to be worth it is if you want to completely circumvent new vehicles and go for pre 2009 cars. + +I heard so many people say that the car losses 20% of it's value the moment you drive out the lot... yeah... right... it doesn't seem to loose any value even after you've driven it cross Europe 5 times over the course of 2 years. + +For example, a new 2021 Korando goes for 16k, but on autoscout24, the cheapest current gen that I can see is a 2019 one, with 80 000 kilometers on it.... for 17.8k. I mean sure, the chosen options do play a part here but it's 3 years and 80k fucking kilometers, it ain't no Toyota.... guy is probably selling it because it's dying already. Besides I don't really need/want any of those options either. + +And that's the CHEAPEAST, there are offers for 27k for also 2019 models with 20k kilometers on them, even the highest spec 2021 model doesn't cost 27 fucking thousand. + +It's the same for other vehicles I looked at... Duster, Panda Cross + +Edit: I would say 6\* comments repeating the same joke is about the ideal number of joke repetitions lads :D + + + +Edit: Damn, I guess the typo paid off... Left the thread when there were 0 upvotes, didn't really expect any more comments.... Woke up to it being locked, wonder what the cat comment count is now. + what were your original plans in life? How did you hear about trading? What was the most appealing part of this profession for you? When you decided this was what you wanted to do, where did you begin? Was there any specific books you read or what did you do to learn about this. I have winter break coming up in about a month and I don't know if this is what I want to do or if I'm even capable of it, but I really want to spend that 2 weeks going hard and trying to learn as much as possible about this. I read How To Daytrade For a Living last year but God damn I used to be a stupid mf. Even though it was pretty informative, I didn't retain jack shit. All I remember is he would talk a lot about daytrafing communities and discord chats. Is that part BS, or is finding one of those groups actually pretty helpful? Sorry for all of these stupid questions, and I know some of them were out of line and overly personal. If you're willing to answer them, but would prefer PM, that would be so appreciated. Anyone who reads this, tysm for your time! +I managed to trade up to a very nice balance around December... made a mistake on the 10th January and lost way too much then I should've done due to a noob mistake... literally been losing money since and cannot get my mojo back to the point I'm beginning to wonder if I'm able to even trade anymore. +On a good day how much is a “good” profit? For example, if you start the day with $100 and make 2% or $2 is that considered an average good day? +Is an average good day less or more than that? About how much in percentages would be considered an average good day? +I found an amazing deal on a rental house. There was huge interest in the property (when we went to take a look at it, there were at least 50 other people there to look at it too). To try to beat out the competition, I offered to pay a year's lease up front. We got the house. I paid it and the security deposit and signed the lease. We're set to move in soon. After the fact though, I've been thinking about this, and realized that there is nothing in the lease about what happens to this money if either we have to break the lease, or the landlord breaks the lease. I'm less concerned about us, as we plan to rent long term, but what if something happens and the landlord needs to sell the house or something else during the terms of our lease? Do they keep the money? Would they have to prorate and give the remainder back to us? I'm worried because I have always rented in big apartment complexes with rock solid leases. This is my first time renting from an individual with a standard state lease agreement (we're in California in case it helps). +https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/22/uber-co-founder-travis-kalanick-is-on-pace-to-sell-his-entire-stake.html + +The ex-Uber CEO has sold more than $2.5 billion worth of shares since a lockup period expired last month, leaving him with less than 10% of his holdings left, according to public filings. + +Kalanick has been systematically selling shares since Nov. 6 at a pace that indicates he’ll be completely divested from Uber within days. + +He dumped another $383 million in shares last week and his remaining stake is worth about $250 million. +I can not believe that one and a half green days has got some of you talking about "the dip" in past tense. + +That some how this isnt over and we are heading back to 69k tomorrow especially since all the macro economic issues that are causing this haven't been resolved at all + +Let us not forget the inflation bubble that will pop eventually like 2008. + +This is not fud. We holders will make excellent money if we seize the opportunity of this bubble pop. Shilling lethal doses of hopium is good but not realistic ❤ + +Be realistic, this IS NOT OVER YET. + +Edit: all I'm saying is to keep your wits about you and don't make foolish choices. When In doubt DCA. The 2008 reference is worst case. Not saying it will happen this year but it will happen eventually + +Second edit: thanks for all the love and the hate bur I do have to say this AGED PERFECTLY LIKE FINE WINE. +FTB currently looking at flats and I can afford a 1 bed in an area I would be happy to live in or a 2 bed in a still okay area, but slightly further away from where I want. + +On a personal level, I feel like I'd rather be in an area I like but as I work from home, the second bedroom is tempting. The one bed would probably be slightly cheaper (around 10k or so). + +I'm trying to work out which makes more sense financially and it's hard to work out which property would increase more over time. +Natural selection, or the process of how nature selects organisms of the best fitness, is the same reason why shorting GME will not work in the future. + +An example of natural selection in nature is the creation of superbugs, or bacteria with insane resistance to antibotics. They are created by first exposing bacteria to antibiotics, wiping off maybe 99.99% of bacteria, but for the 0.0001% of the bacteria, they are able to survive because they have genetic mutations that make them immune to those antibiotics. Give them enough time to grow and multiply, then you soon have a entire population of bacteria resistant to that antibiotic. + +Now what does that have to do with you, me, and GME? Everything. + +GME first rocketed up with everyone buying in to GME. Some because they did their due diligence, some because they liked the stock, some because they jumped on the bandwagon without any knowledge. And as we all know, during that time, we have experienced so much FUD and misinformation from HFs / Wallstreet. We also suffered from short selling driving the prices down. + +All these events just serve to get rid of weak paper hands. Their shares could partially be scooped up by institutions / HFs, maybe to cover. But some are also picked up by diamond hands, and diamond hand portfolio continues to grow. + +As time passes, more and more paper hands will be shaken out, and those shares will be in the hands of diamond hands. These people who diamond hand at this stage are much more knowledgeable and have a much stronger conviction than the holders of GME when this whole thing first started. It'll be even harder for the HFs to shake GME out of us. + +And with people like that holding GME, all shorting will do is just lower the price and allow us to continue averaging down, and buying and holding. I'm sure those actively investing all have jobs and paychecks. What's 1 or 2 shares of GME per paycheck to us? Nothing. + +So long story short, don't lose hope, GME holders are the strongest they've ever been. Our situation is the best it's ever been. Global recognition of GME short situation, global support for retail investors / hatred for wallstreet, media spotlighting (or at least... starting to) the problems with shorting and wallstreet, terrific due diligence from our communities, us getting out of RH and being smarter with our investments, all having been battle trained for a month by short attacks and HF FUD, HFs doubling down on their short positions and making the short squeeze that much more violent. + +It's a happy time to be GME diamond hands. This is not financial advice, I'm just a dumb ape who likes GME. 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 GME to andromeda. +I am 17 years old, I will be 18 in august of next year. My parents have already told me that I will not be welcome in their house the day after my birthday. + +My birthday is 8 months away, that’s usually enough time to save up some money before I get kicked out. Unfortunately due to the COVID pandemic my parents are refusing to let me work. My parents both have co-morbidity issues, and I spend a lot of time caring for my grandparents (87 and 84). They are worried I will bring the virus home to them. + +Right before the pandemic hit I had a really nice job lined up at a daycare center, paying a full dollar above Florida’s minimum wage. It was supposed to start in may last year because daycares are busier during the day in the summer. I have worked in the past babysitting, temporarily at the daycare center, filing for my mother’s company, in a grocery store. None of that money that I made is mine. All of that money (~$2500) is in a bank account with my mothers name on it, not mine. I have a debit card from that account, but it doesn’t have my name on it. + +I do have a vehicle, but it’s not really mine. A few months after my 16th birthday I bought a $1,200 Ford Ranger (with my own money) from a nice old man who gave me a very good price. Unfortunately, my mothers name is on the title. She doesn’t refer to it as my truck anymore, but as my little brothers. Her plan is go give it to him in 3 years when he turns 16. + +I really want to go to college, the community college where I live is incredibly cheap. I would get my AS in nursing and get an RN certification. That’s probably a goal for me a few years from now, I need to have a place to stay first. + +You probably gathered enough from this to guess that my family situation is a dumpster fire. If you did you’d be right. My mother is an alcoholic that enjoys hydrocodone and ‘medical’ marijuana. My father is out of work for a completely shattered wrist (he’s a mechanic). Here I am no money, nothing to my name, and a crap ton of time on my hands. I am still in high school and I do that from home. + +As far as I’m concerned, I have a few housing options when I turn 18 + +-Move in with my boyfriend, we’ve been dating for two years and I really like his family. Even though it seems great, I really don’t want to do that. That’s a lot of commitment that I don’t feel ready for. + +-Crash with a friend? This isn’t too much of an option, I am no joking when I say I don’t have any friends. My parents don’t really make having friends easy. + +-I could sleep on the couch with my grandparents. This is my least favorite option, they live next door to my parents and as selfish as it is, I’m sick of being their main caretaker. + +-There is a youth homeless shelter 70 miles away from where I live. It does have places nearby where I could work. This is probably my best option. It pisses me off relentlessly that I will be homeless the day after I become an adult. + +I live in Jackson County, Florida if that helps any. I need a plan. I don’t know what to do and everyday is pretty hellish for me here. Even with my home life as awful as it is, I wouldn’t want to move out the day after my 18th birthday. I am completely unprepared. My parents are kicking me out onto the streets in the worst economy since 2008. Any advice is greatly appreciated, I’m trying to keep myself composed. +TL;DR: Planning to close positions before expiration (taking profits early) affects the Probability of Profit (POP). I’ve made a free calculator website that uses a complex algorithm to calculate POP for this situation. The Mobile UI needs more work but you can try it on desktop here: [https://thetapopper.com/](https://thetapopper.com/). You do need to make an account though (this is to prevent spam). + +*Disclaimer*: The website doesn't offer financial advice. Please inform yourself on how the algorithm works and its limitations on the site. + +Hello Everyone, + +Like myself, there are many traders here that stick with the philosophy of 'taking profits early', meaning we close our positions once we hit some specific target profit like 50% of maximum profit or a multiple of the debit paid. Some even choose to close their positions at some specific date like 21 DTE, regardless of whether they make or lose money, to avoid gamma and assignment risk. Some do both where they'll close their position once they hit the target profit, ***or*** close it at 21 DTE, whichever comes first. Intuitively, we know that both of these things affect our Probability of Profit (POP) for the following reasons: + +1. The lower your target profit, the higher your POP since your threshold for making a profit is lowered. +2. The earlier you close your positions, regardless of whether you make or lose money, the lower your POP. This is because you're giving your position less time to become profitable. + +So how do we calculate the POP then? Popular POP calculators like **OptionStrat** and **optionsprofitcalculator** do not take this into account; they assume that you will hold your position till expiration which some traders like myself rarely ever do. This is what inspired me to make a more advanced POP calculator website that can do the work. Simply specify your target profit (e.g. 65% of Max Profit) and a closing date (e.g. 21 DTE). The calculator will then tell you the probability of hitting this target profit **at, or before,** the closing date! You can also add **multiple** combinations of target profits and closing dates! + +How does it work? A detailed explanation of the algorithm and its limitations can be found [here](https://thetapopper.com/how-it-works). Essentially, the website uses Monte Carlo Simulations to run thousands of individual stock price simulations, finds the number of 'successful' simulations meeting the above requirements, and averages out a POP number. Sound familiar? This algorithm is similar to what TastyWorks uses for their P50 number! However, P50 only gives you the probability of reaching 50% of max profit at, or before, expiration. My calculator lets you choose **any** target profit at **any** closing date, plus **multiple** combinations of them! + +Here’s a short video of how it works (on desktop): + +https://reddit.com/link/pyog6p/video/46hm6hblznq71/player + +You do need to make an account to access the site. This is just to prevent people from spamming the server/API which handles the calculations. An API rate limit of 5 calls/minute is also there to prevent spamming, but this could change in the future. + +Features + improvements I’d like to add in the future (given enough demand): + +1. Add more strategies. +2. Add live/delayed options data. Data is pricey though so might have to add some sort of subscription service to support this. +3. Being able to share and save trades. +4. Python module for accessing the API.