One thing thing is sure, 2014 haven't been an easy year for investor. Lately, my non-registered portfolio hit as low as the 128k mark. On its highest ever, I hike almost 145k, also in 2014... That's very concrete volatility! Now at $130 176.91, I am doing a bit better, but its still shitty. I am all Christmas ready now, I am only missing my bus ticket and the only damn thing I really need now is a rough stock market.
Its hard to get inspired to write so I am just doing to stop here.
You are not alone. I heard that the blogger The Youngest Snowbird (from BC) has lost 50% of her income and is pulling the plug on her early retirement.
ReplyDeleteI'm down over 100k myself in 6 weeks. Doesn't look good for most Canadian bloggers who were invested in Alberta.
Diversification is the key. Why would you want to only invest in Canada when there's so many other companies available throughout the world. Save yourself the trouble of investing in individual companies and invest in ETF's or a mutual fund like Mawer Balanced fund. The Mawer fund is up 10.6% for the year and is up 1% in the last 6 weeks (You read right, UP 1%). Why because it invest in safe, boring companies that continue to make money in good or bad markets.
ReplyDeleteWow, 130k, that's almost the same amount you had in Dec 2013. That means you haven't made any money in 2014. Actually, it means you lost some as your portfolio should be higher with just the new money you invested in 2014. You need a portfolio overhaul. You should write Globe Investor for advice for portfolio make over. I'm sure they would love to analyse the dividend girl portfolio and put you on the right track. You are losing good market years that you can never get back. The last 5 years have been good years for investing. For example, the US dollar itself is up 10% this year so if you would have US investments, you would have made 10% even though the stock didn't go up. I am up 16% with my US investments this year.
ReplyDeleteJust stay the coarse!!!! Keep investing now that stocks are on "sale".... Unless you were retiring in dec2014 you are not screwed. If you were retiring this month your investment strategy would have been tuned to handle a more volatile market... I'm thinking the good news is fuel is cheap which puts more disposable money in my pocket and bus and airline tickets should be adjusting in the next few months... I myself have started to get serious about investing in the last 2 years going from 30k to 100k adding 20k a year to my portfolio. I JUST FOUND THIS BLOG and didn't realize there is a community of us Canadians who want to sacrifice to become wealthy at an execrated rate. It's so different from what all my neighbours and friends are doing with their money!!!! Love the blog and am looking to read more post and follow you on your journey.... I have to remind myself every day for the last 2 weeks "STAY THE COARSE". -Gerard 37 Saskatchewan
ReplyDeletewhere you here that? she doesn't really do portfolio updates.
ReplyDeleteTSX is up over 10% YTD. You must be doing something wrong.
ReplyDeleteReally? My portfolio is doing well. I'm up in 2014. My RRSP is up, my TFSA is up and my non-reg account as well.
ReplyDeleteMy energy stocks did take a beating but were made up by other blue chips (banks, telecoms, usa stocks).
Dividend income also allowed me to make new purchases. I'm in it for the dividend income but the capital gains don't hurt.
Keep at it and stick with dividend growers. that's my plan now.