I received this heartwarming email just this morning, and am posting it (very slightly edited) anonymously (with permission). It’s messages like this that make all the hard work we do on the board worth while.
Saul
Dear Saul, Sorry in advance, this is going to be a long winded, appreciative message.
I am a single mom in my late 20s. About 3 years ago I was divorced, in large amounts of medical debt and credit card debt. I had been in a marriage where my ex husband was in control of the finances but he had a spending problem. After we separated, I worked 60+ hours a week as a full time mom of a 6 month old in order to get out of debt and build a nest egg. I was exhausted but determined. I started reading… budgeting/financial books to help me learn how to use my money wisely. Once I was out of debt and had my nest egg, I kept reading up on finances, it had become such an interest to me. I was determined to change my situation and not have to work 60+ hours forever! And besides advancing my career (I do have a good degree in Biochemistry, but there aren’t a lot of job opportunities here for that), the only other way to get ahead of the grueling hours seemed to be investing. So I made a decision about two years ago to learn how to invest. I started reading books by people like Jim Cramer, Warren Buffett, Robert Kiyosaki, Tony Robbins. Then I came across your board about a year and a half ago. After reading the boards and your articles for a few months, I adopted your methods for investing, as they made the most sense to me.
I started my first positions in August of last year, which was EXACTLY the same week that it seemed all the SAAS stocks at the time went down dramatically. It was terrifying, and I felt like I was failing. But I believed in it, stuck it out, and kept learning.
2020 has been a very tough year in a different way. Right before Covid hit I moved money to cash in my individual account, because I was needing money for a down payment on a house. Then when prices went down, I bought back some of the high confidence stocks at a low price. Then investing took a back seat while I dealt with two major surgeries, and for over 6 months I didn’t pay hardly any attention to my stocks. I have recently gotten back into it, and at first I was very scared (“wow, this could have turned out really bad just ignoring my stocks like that!”) And I was upset about all the opportunities I missed out on! I had been looking into ZM, PTON, TDOC, LVGO, and others, but never pulled the trigger on them… I felt like I had too much going on in my life to really pay attention. all these stocks that did so well since March! And I was feeling upset with myself that I didn’t get a 250% portfolio increase like you and other seasoned investors on the board. But you know what? I’ve still had 136% profit this year! And to me, with everything that’s happened this year, I am very grateful!
I’ve taken your advice on getting a membership with some of the services. I’ve started with stock advisor, and I plan to do MF Rule breakers and Ticker soon too. That way I can start finding good stocks and do my own research on them even before they’re introduced on your board. But I am SO grateful for you and all the other seasoned contributors on your board. You all have been so incredibly life changingly helpful!
One of the most helpful tools beyond the knowledge base articles, is the monthly portfolio updates, from you and the others. Reading through those every month, seeing your reasoning behind your decisions, has really helped me learn how to make decisions for my own portfolio. I still have SO much to learn, but I look back from a year and a half ago, and can see that I’ve grown so much as an investor.
I just want to express my gratitude for all the knowledge you all have provided freely on this board. Your knowledge and insight have helped this mom and her daughter gain the tools necessary for our path to financial independence. I feel confident now that I am able to change my story. And eventually I’ll be able to pass down my knowledge to my daughter, for her to live a life of financial freedom.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!