Friday, July 30, 2010
It's been a long time.....
I have been busy and not gotten to the other photos from the Oregon Coast trip. I will try to get to them before too much longer.
One thing that I've been up to is moving my small stock portfolio from a full service broker to one of the discount brokerage places. Since then (at the end of June) I have been having fun making some small trades and a couple of somewhat larger ones that I have wanted to do but was unwilling to pay the high broker fees to sell and buy more.
Another thing that I wanted was to have the dividends paid to me buy more shares of stock rather than paying to me in cash. The place where my former broker was when I started with him did allow that but then he changed companies and the new one allowed that only on mutual funds. The new place allows that at to happen with most securities as I understand. So far only one of them has paid a dividend since I changed (at least that didn't still go to the other place as it was my brokerage on the day they based the dividend on) and that one did buy more shares. It pays monthly, as does a new one I bought in my IRA that will pay its first dividend to me next Tuesday, so I'll find out then if it will also buy more shares. This is kind of play money that I don't need to live on so I'd rather have them buy more shares, which helps the portfolio grow quicker.
Anyway, I have been having fun with it now and am learning more about how to track investments. I also have my Honda moped scooter listed for sale on Craig's List. I have had it almost five years and it still has less than 800 miles so is not even really broken in yet. I have the electric bike which I have been storing in the sun room but Pat would rather I get it out into the garage, so the scooter needs to go. When it does sell I will probably move that money into the stock market. With the much smaller cost of making purchases with the discount broker, I can do that.
Our Old Coots did get together again this summer in Spokane (WA) and Pat agreed to go even though it was in July. She doesn't like hot weather and all three days we were there the daily temps were over 90. It was fun. The Old Coots is a group of us who went to school together in Spokane many years ago. In fact, it is so many years ago that next year we will celebrate our 50th high school graduation reunion. I definitely want to go to that. Since we no longer have the RV, we drove the Prius over and stayed in a motel. The car averaged right at 50 miles per gallon of fuel use so it is running right about where it is supposed to.
I will try to post a little more often and get around to reading those I like to read but I just don't seem as motivated to blog as I used to be. No promises.
One thing that I've been up to is moving my small stock portfolio from a full service broker to one of the discount brokerage places. Since then (at the end of June) I have been having fun making some small trades and a couple of somewhat larger ones that I have wanted to do but was unwilling to pay the high broker fees to sell and buy more.
Another thing that I wanted was to have the dividends paid to me buy more shares of stock rather than paying to me in cash. The place where my former broker was when I started with him did allow that but then he changed companies and the new one allowed that only on mutual funds. The new place allows that at to happen with most securities as I understand. So far only one of them has paid a dividend since I changed (at least that didn't still go to the other place as it was my brokerage on the day they based the dividend on) and that one did buy more shares. It pays monthly, as does a new one I bought in my IRA that will pay its first dividend to me next Tuesday, so I'll find out then if it will also buy more shares. This is kind of play money that I don't need to live on so I'd rather have them buy more shares, which helps the portfolio grow quicker.
Anyway, I have been having fun with it now and am learning more about how to track investments. I also have my Honda moped scooter listed for sale on Craig's List. I have had it almost five years and it still has less than 800 miles so is not even really broken in yet. I have the electric bike which I have been storing in the sun room but Pat would rather I get it out into the garage, so the scooter needs to go. When it does sell I will probably move that money into the stock market. With the much smaller cost of making purchases with the discount broker, I can do that.
Our Old Coots did get together again this summer in Spokane (WA) and Pat agreed to go even though it was in July. She doesn't like hot weather and all three days we were there the daily temps were over 90. It was fun. The Old Coots is a group of us who went to school together in Spokane many years ago. In fact, it is so many years ago that next year we will celebrate our 50th high school graduation reunion. I definitely want to go to that. Since we no longer have the RV, we drove the Prius over and stayed in a motel. The car averaged right at 50 miles per gallon of fuel use so it is running right about where it is supposed to.
I will try to post a little more often and get around to reading those I like to read but I just don't seem as motivated to blog as I used to be. No promises.
Labels: Cars, Events, Friends, Reminiscing, Weather
Comments:
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Investing is complex and interesting to hear what you are doing with it. As for the blogging, people should do what they enjoy. Blogging should not be an obligation in my opinion. When you want it, you'll do it again. It's not going anywhere. Some do quit and that's fine too. I think of it as a creative outlet but one that should be enjoyable, not a task.
I agree with Rain. And we'll still be here whenever you feel the desire to blog and let us know what's happening in your life Dick. Who says blogging must be done daily, or weekly? :-)
Sometimes bloggers run out of things to chat about so they turn it into more or less a photography blog..... and seeing as you love photography (and we like seeing your pictures) that might be another thought. Regardless, we'll be here whenever you post something!
Your 50th. reunion should be a blast, I'll bet you are really looking forward to that one!
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Sometimes bloggers run out of things to chat about so they turn it into more or less a photography blog..... and seeing as you love photography (and we like seeing your pictures) that might be another thought. Regardless, we'll be here whenever you post something!
Your 50th. reunion should be a blast, I'll bet you are really looking forward to that one!
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