I don't have a lot of debt or expenses, so my income keeps piling up in my checking account. Unfortunately, I don't know much about finance or investment. I want to make sure that I don't lose money year over year because of inflation, but pretty much all the CDs and savings accounts I've seen have an APY lower than the inflation rate (which is >= 1.5% according to various websites). I don't care about playing the stock market; all I want is to avoid losing my money through inaction. How do people in this situation keep up with inflation while at the same time minimizing their financial risk?
posted by archagon
on May 16, 2013 -
15 answers
Hi all,
I own one third (i.e. approx. 33.3%) of a UK company for which I am also a director. The remainder of the company belongs to a single shareholder. I'm worried that the financial structure of this company means that the company could effectively be 'sold' to a third party without me getting a cent.
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posted by Zen_is_Lev
on May 7, 2013 -
7 answers
I have been getting started with Vanguard, but spoke with an investment adviser today, and it all just seemed so much easier. I've spent hours trying to figure out what kinds of accounts to open, which offer tax deductions, what kind of investments to make, etc. It seems really tempting to just let someone handle this all for me, but I feel like I've never heard from people who are satisfied doing it that way. Countless articles I have read on the subject always make it sounds like someone is a sucker for paying higher management fees.
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posted by imabanana
on Apr 5, 2013 -
11 answers
Supposing one wanted to cash in on the growing popularity of hot sauce, chiles, hot peppers etc...where should one look to invest? Which companies selling peppers, hot sauces and other fiery foods are publicly traded? Aside from stocks, how else might one invest in the pepper market?
posted by mds35
on Mar 26, 2013 -
8 answers
My wife and I are going to dip our toes in the stock market. For the foreseeable future, I see us doing nothing other than buying (hopefully) reliable dividend-paying stock and holding it for the long- long-term (like 30 years or more potentially). We won't be doing options or even active trading other than occasional additional purchases. Who of the cheap online brokerages should we use?
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posted by AgentRocket
on Mar 13, 2013 -
14 answers
I've been trying to find what should be simple: intraday data on a large market index (such as the S&P 500). I'm willing to pay, but most sites seem to be interested in selling me collections of N stocks (where N is 12, 50, 100...), often by year, and at that rate, I'd end up paying $100s to get 11+ useless chunks of data, and one useful one (because for my purposes, I really only want to look at a single index).
What are some economical sources for what I want? And, FWIW, I already know how to extract intraday (minute-wise) data from Yahoo and Google, but that's only good for about the last 90 days or so.
posted by IAmBroom
on Mar 10, 2013 -
4 answers
A website that uses Buffetology to assess the "real" value of stocks
Years ago, I remember stumbling across a website that took the methods of a book called Buffettology (written by an ex-member of the Buffett family) and allowed you to evaluate any type of stock using the techniques of that book. Basically, you input a stock and it did a bunch of calculations according to the formulas provided in that book and gave you a list of bunch values. I am still looking for this website and wondering if anybody has ever come across it. To give an example, you type in a stock's name and some information about the stock and it would give you an output in csv format about all the values that stock might have. Or you could have downloaded it to EXCEL. If you don't know of this particular website, do you know of anything similar? Thanks
posted by RapcityinBlue
on Mar 5, 2013 -
3 answers
I'm looking to invest 1000 GBP in shares. I expect the profits to not reach the threshold for capital gains tax. Do I need to sign up to a Stocks and shares ISA in order to not pay tax?
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posted by fry
on Mar 4, 2013 -
1 answer
Should I hire a CPA for my taxes this year? 1. I relocated for my job this year and received multiple relocation benefits. 2. I sold off stocks that were gifted to me and I do not have any cost bases for them because they were purchased so long ago.
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posted by 6spd
on Feb 2, 2013 -
2 answers
Hello. I'm interested in mutual fund timing, but most fund families (Pro Funds and Direxion notwithstanding) hate the idea and throw up all sorts of limits to prevent one from doing this. Are there any reasonably tolerant fund families out there? I'm looking specifically for minimal "minimum time held" and the ability to bounce back and forth between funds, especially between a money market fund and bond funds. I know this is a bit of a Hail Mary, so thanks for any info.
posted by mrhappy
on Jan 27, 2013 -
10 answers
I know timing the market is stupid. My previous attempts at it have never worked out in my favor. My 401K is all index funds. However, with the possibility of Congress going over the 'Fiscal Cliff," it is a horrible idea to go all cash until they get it sorted out?
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posted by COD
on Dec 4, 2012 -
23 answers
Do you know of any good resources providing data on how industrialization, urban expansion and / or hunting affects wildlife populations and ecosystems in the United States? Also interested in how conservation efforts do or do not produce a stabilizing effect.
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posted by jnnla
on Nov 14, 2012 -
6 answers
Thinking of stepping foot into Stock Options trading while in college full-time. Any advice on where to start?
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posted by Parh6512
on Oct 3, 2012 -
11 answers
I've just accepted a job at a large Wall St bank. I have a large amount of cash to allocate at the moment and don't want to leave it in the bank earning zero interest. However, I am designated a "sensitive person" for compliance purposes in the new job and am subject to very severe restrictions on personal trading. How do people in similar situations manage their personal finances?
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posted by kramer1975
on Aug 5, 2012 -
7 answers
What specific kind of financial investing would give the greatest return based on a $2,500,000 investment? Stocks, bonds, mutual fund, etc?
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posted by lorebella
on Jul 31, 2012 -
22 answers
I'm a young person with no debt and a pile of money to invest. The catch: I'm not real confident about the long-term health of the US economy.
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posted by anonymous
on Jul 24, 2012 -
25 answers
My wife and I are buying a house in Austin, Texas ( Steiner Ranch ). We are trying to figure out how we want to finance it. We have the means to pay for the house with cash. We are being offered a mortgage at 3.6%. The cost of the house would represent about 50% of our net worth. The other 50% is fairly liquid, with an even spread between 401k, index funds, 529's, and cash. Should we do it?
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posted by jasondigitized
on Jul 11, 2012 -
25 answers
How can I get a copy of Netscape's last prospectus prior to its Aug. 9, 1995, IPO, as quickly and cheaply as possible?
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posted by croutonsupafreak
on May 28, 2012 -
3 answers
A crooked stockbroker sends newsletters to 1000 people; half the newsletters say stock A will go up, half say it goes down. Stock A goes down. He sends 500 new newsletters to the people who got a correct prediction about stock A; half of the new newsletters say stock B is going up, half say it's going down. He then sends 250 more newsletters... etc. Eventually there's a handful of people who've gotten eight straight correct picks from him, and those suckers invest their life savings. Has this scam ever been carried out in real life, or is it just a story?
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posted by escabeche
on May 25, 2012 -
18 answers
What motivates financial analysts following stocks to give out their recommendations for free? These recommendations are then shared by sites like Yahoo Finance, morning star etc. Also, most of these sites say analyst recommendation. Is there a way to see which analyst is making the recommendation? Which site would you recommend for researching analyst recommendations for stocks? I am curious because financial analysts don't seem like people who would give away information for free. I am curious about what motivates them to share such valuable info. Also, it would really help to know a reliable site that collects and shres these recommendations
posted by r2d2
on May 13, 2012 -
17 answers
Looking for forums where I can get investment advice. Can you recommend a few active ones?
Also, how would you invest $1000/ month if you knew you were likely to pull out most of the money in approximately 4 years to pay a down payment for say a house? Banks probably give around 2%-3% max. So I imagine the goal here is to get more than 2.5% return. Please don't recommend the type of financial instrument such as mutual funds or index funds. I am looking for something more specific. Like a fund name etc
posted by r2d2
on Apr 30, 2012 -
15 answers
What is the best platform for trading stocks and receiving alerts? I am using Thinkorswim right now and dissatisfied.
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posted by locussst
on Mar 2, 2012 -
3 answers
So I completely understand that prices of stocks, like anything in a market, arise from supply and demand. But at the end of the day, why does demand for a stock increase when a company's earnings increase? How does holding the stock of a company whose earnings have increased since purchase benefit a stockholder? It can't
purely be that I care about earnings because I know everyone else cares about earnings because they know everyone else cares about earnings... can it? What is the ultimate source of this caring about earnings? If dividends were more common, I could understand all this as a jockeying for a good deal on a dividend. But as it is, it sounds no different than betting on a never-ending horse race with earnings arbitrarily picked as the indicator of which horse is in the lead.
posted by the jam
on Feb 26, 2012 -
24 answers
China Valves Technology (ticker: CVVT) has plummeted this year largely due to suspicion of fraudulent activity and reporting practices. I have read generic accusations on various websites, but have not seen anything specific. Then I ran across this article supposedly "redeeming" them. http://seekingalpha.com/article/294624-china-valves-technology-online-due-diligence-indicates-legitimate-structure?source=marketwatch So I thought I would ask the metafilter community if they had any knowledge involving this company. Do you believe that this is a legitimate investment or is it just another Chinese fraud? Thank you for your time and expertise. Have a great day.
posted by gibbsjd77
on Oct 30, 2011 -
11 answers
What's the best place for an American to invest around US$50,000 at this time?
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posted by 5ean
on Oct 1, 2011 -
34 answers
Single-user programming API for stock and option screening, back trading, paper trading, and ultimately fully automated trading?
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posted by anonymous
on Aug 22, 2011 -
4 answers
When all is settled from a deceased family member's estate (though this may take a while), I will be inheriting a substantial amount of money - including about 150k from sold stocks (after taxes). The vast majority of what I'll be inheriting was earned from fairly ethical means, but most of what will come from the stocks are from corporations that I consider pretty shitty and abhorrent. What's the best way to do something positive and helpful to communities and people with this money? Simple donation to organizations and charities with solid reputations? Setting up a charitable trust? Please help me with some ideas.
posted by anonymous
on Aug 14, 2011 -
16 answers
How can I find a list of stocks that have fallen a given percentage in value? Is there a website where I can screen historical stock prices according to a criteria I define?
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posted by sitecoach
on May 30, 2011 -
4 answers
There are lots of stock-related iPhone apps available, but either I haven't found the one that does the simple thing I want, or I haven't conquered the learning curves of the ones I've tried to see that they already do it. Very simple requirements inside.
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posted by sourwookie
on May 18, 2011 -
1 answer
How can I use my money to make even more money? Investments? Stocks? Bonds? Mutual funds?
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posted by ascetic
on May 17, 2011 -
13 answers
Should a teacher with summers off and a little bit of savings mess with the Day Trading system to try and make some extra bones?
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posted by anonymous
on May 15, 2011 -
33 answers
I am subscribed to too many financial daily newspapers and need to switch to 3-4 weekly magazines. Which should I read to get a complete (but not excessively detailed) picture?
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posted by AlbatrossJones
on Feb 15, 2011 -
8 answers
Should I go with the stock market? Or perhaps something less risky such as a CD? How much knowledge do I need to thrive in the stock market? Halp!
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posted by RaDeuX
on Feb 5, 2011 -
24 answers
I need help cashing a stock certificate through a Stock Transfer Company. I have the physical certificate in my hand, but the Stock Transfer Company says my account balance is zero. Can I get my money? How?
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posted by tk
on Jan 31, 2011 -
9 answers
Can anyone recommend an Android app that displays a stock portfolio rather than just some share prices?
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posted by twine42
on Jan 14, 2011 -
5 answers
Direct me to the best Bear case on MannKind's (NASDAQ: MNKD) Afrezza prior to their expected PDUFA, 12/29/10.
posted by wallstreet1929
on Dec 21, 2010 -
3 answers
Nontraditional Investments: I've heard claims that purchasing solar cells can provide a better return on your investment than stocks. Assuming that's actually the case, what are some other investments that might warrant your money more than investing in the stock market?
posted by sdis
on Dec 5, 2010 -
7 answers
I was watching The Social Network yesterday when I realised that I don't know a thing about how economics work. What is stock dilution? What's a subprime? What are they selling in the stock market? Where can I find a simple, for-dummies guide to understanding modern economics?
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posted by Senza Volto
on Oct 29, 2010 -
18 answers
I have $1000 to invest and I'd like to do it wisely. One problem: I have never invested any amount of money in anything. Ever. Where should I start?
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posted by Kitteh
on Aug 21, 2010 -
21 answers
How can I passively invest in China, Brazil, and India for the long-term? 10-30 years. Help me understand the risks associated with these emerging markets. Should I simply dump my cash into iShares like
EWZ or
FXI and let it sit? Should I invest in individual companies? Index funds like the
Vanguard Emerging Markets? Any thoughts on these investments for the long term? I am a passive investor that usually dumps money into Vanguard index funds. Isn't investing in China and India over the long term kind of a no-brainer? Help me understand what is involved in emerging markets and how I can get better returns than my
Electric Orange account.
posted by jasondigitized
on Aug 17, 2010 -
7 answers
I am about to buy 2-4 shares in a company that I would like to support. This company may not last this long, but they plan to pay dividends in two years.
What do I need to know, having never invested before?
Are there any good tutorials on what I can expect from my stock?
What about paying taxes/getting deductions if I lose money?
Basically, I would be happy breaking even, but am not sure that will happen. However, I strongly support the company and wish to see it succeed. How can I minimize the losses I might face if the company goes belly up?
posted by idyllhands
on Aug 16, 2010 -
9 answers
Financial moron w/kids and no investments needs to think about the future. Help needed, I don't know where to start! (mess described inside).
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posted by Ponderance
on Jul 28, 2010 -
18 answers
Excel guru filter: I want to change this formula every week, and have the change cascade across 20 tabs of independent data.
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posted by deludingmyself
on Jul 3, 2010 -
7 answers
I have lists, in Excel spreadsheets, that contain perhaps 500 rows of data in three columns: Date, Time and Stock Ticker Symbol. I need a method to correlate those three things with unusual stock activity.
In other words, if column 1 is March 10, 2010, and column 2 is 10 a.m., and column three is INTC, I need to know if something unusual happened - high volume or big price movement - for INTC around 10 a.m. March 10.
Anyone know a program that'll do this?
posted by Flunoid
on Jun 17, 2010 -
11 answers
