Assessment

I'm using sharebuilder for my IRA and my test of a ETF version of one of the coffeehouse invester set ups.

I heard of sharebuilder from my wife about the time I needed to roll my old 401K into something. Poking around a bit and I decided to give it a try. I used its PortfolioBuilder.

It suggested the following for me:

WD RUSSELL 1000 VALUE 45%
IWF RUSSELL 1000 GROWTH 30%
EFA EURO-ASIA INDX 15%
AGG LEHMAN AGG BOND FUND 5%
TIP LEH US TREAS INF FD 5%

My return for the past year is a wee bit over 10%

The ETF version of the coffeehouse invester set up didn't do so well in my taxable account.

AGG LEHMAN AGG BOND FUND 40%
VNQ VANGUARD REIT ETF 10%
VTV VANGUARD VALUE ETF 10%
EFA EURO-ASIA INDX 10%
RSP S&P EQUAL WEIGHT INDEX 10%
VBR VANGUARD SMALL-CAP VALUE ETF 10%
VB VANGUARD SMALL-CAP ETF 10%

Return on that was a little over 6%.

Looking at things a bit more I thought to repoint my taxable account and get rid of the overlap with the IRA and focus on sectors. Specifically, equal ratio of the following: financial services, natural resources, utilities, real estate, and telecom.

ICF COHEN & STEERS REALTY
IDU UTILITIES INDX
IXG S&P GLBL FINL SECTOR
IXP ISHARES S&P GLBL TELECOMM SE
IYE ENERGY INDX
VAW VANGUARD MATERIALS ETF

Past data indicates this will return over 10%. If so, I will pursue it aggressively.


Future project --- some form of trading (stocks, commodities, forex, something) where fees and taxes don't eat up the majority of a given 3, 6, 9, or 12 months profit.

ETFs don't appear to lend themselves to short term trading and only forex (at this time) looks to allow investors to live test on the cheap.

Veterans Day

Been slacking as usual.

In observation of Veterans Day 2006:

Happy Veterans Day

Veteran's Day: "In the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month"

Yea Me Day!

Veteran's Day, 2006

Warfare Class

I'm Sitting Here on Veteran's Day

Veterans Day - Generations of Valor

Proud

Hangin’ Out With the Boys


Project Valour-IT

How To Support The Troops