I retired in July of 2015. At the time we were mainly invested in index funds simply because I could not beat them on a consistent basis. If we were still in the index 500 our total return from mid July 2015 to this morning would be about 11.8%. Not per year, total for 5 years. In late 2015 I stumbled upon Saul’s Investing Discussion board. Read the knowledge base several times and slowly started buying high growth stocks and low and behold we started consistently out preforming the index 500. Our total returns since I retired are considerably better than if we had stayed in the index 500.
Lessons Learned:
As of a month ago I still felt the need to have dividend payers in our portfolio. I took comfort from the idea that the dividends could fund our spending needs. Also like the idea of being diversified, you know don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Well the current bear market proved to me wrong. We would have been much, much better off putting those investment dollars in high growth stocks. Now I plan to now keep several years of spending needs in cash and invest the rest. I know, I know, Saul said that years ago, guess I needed to see it for myself.
Over the last 5 years we have been though a couple of corrections and are presently in a bear market. Only once did high growth stocks under preform. About a year ago or so I believe, ever other time high growth out preformed, just as they are right now.
Thank you to Saul and all who made this board what it is, words are not adequate to express my gratitude
Kindest Regards,
Steve