Tpoppa

This is my fist time playing in a league. Started out as a 4 and stayed there for several weeks. Drank too much and played like crap one week, got dropped to a 3...2 weeks after that I'm a 5. I'm guessing it will stabilize after more matches. The skill levels seem pretty inconsistent so far. I've seen some 5s that were really good players, and some that average bar players at best.

Any idea how skill levels are determined in in APA? I am curious what determines if you're a 3, 4, 5...8.

That's gotta be a joke. Edit: It's a one off made by a dealer. Fail. Idle hands are the devil's playground.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickferri/2012/10/11/indexes-beat-active-funds-again-in-sp-study/ One thing this article assumes is staying with the same fund(s) for 5-10 years. If that is your plan, I do see how index funds would win out in the long term (about 80% of the time according to the article). No doubt sectors and individual funds & stocks will go hot and cold over that period. I use a different strategy. I reevaluate about ever six months, and change sectors when necessary or to enter one that is gaining momentum. FWIW: since 5/08/12 with regular contributions I've made a combined 25.16% gain using just this one fund. For sake of comparison, I've made about 47% over that same period using a mix of 4 sector funds with high Lipper scores (actual growth, not counting contributions). Granted, I am taking advantage of favorable market conditions (as is 25% for an index fund). Furthermore, those numbers just aren't sustainable long term unless you happen to be a Senator. I do see favorable market conditions continuing for several more years. If that changes then it's time to adjust accordingly. I think the name of the game is finding an investment strategy you are comfortable with. That answer is going to be different for everyone, and it's going to change over time...

^^ As I said before, I think that an interesting strategy. And well thought out. I still see it as a more conservative fund. That's why it lost less during the economic downturn, and why it gained less during the recovery. In the OP I mentioned that I am betting on a decent run up over the next few years. Today, I have pretty large tolerance for risk. 10 years from now I won't. I think I'll add it to my watch list. The point of this thread is to look for investment ideas and strategies that I haven't considered. Yours qualifies

I've not looked into FFNOX before today, but it seems like a fairly conservative fund. It seem like a great way to diversify, but by being that diverse it almost (by rule) has to have ''average'' returns because it includes above and below average investments (stocks and bonds). FBSOX, for example, has consistently out performed it for 1, 3, 5 & 10 year returns (admittedly with higher risk). http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/fund/fbsox $10k invested in 1999 would be worth $32k today http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/fund/ffnox $10k invested in 1999 would be worth $17k today The Lipper numbers seem to bear that out also.

That's an interesting approach. I sort of do the same thing, but I look for sector funds not total market. I look for sectors (like Bio-Tech, Healthcare, Retail, and Tech) that I think will outperform others for the short to medium term.

^^ Our HR ditched some underperforming funds last year and added some better ones. Employer offerings tend to have more safe investments & avoid high risk/reward options. The last thing they want is a bunch of calls from pissed off employees who lost money.

MC, Are you saying the 401k choices your employer offers aren't that attractive? If so, I would talk to HR about adding some better ones. Also, you may be able to rollover your $$ into a Fidelity 401k. That way you can invest in just about anything, while taking advantage of 401k pre-tax dollars.

This sounds interesting. I will be researching further.

It MAY be a good idea to pay extra, not always. I'm not saying don't do it, just saying think twice...it's not a no brainer. It's a good position to be in either way Lets say your mortgage is 4% and you are in a 25% tax bracket. Paying extra is saving you 4% minus the interest tax deduction of 25%. 4% minus that 25% deduction = 3% which is your actual savings from paying extra. Instead of paying extra, can you invest that money and reliably return more than 3% after taxes? Probably.

He said max out 401k. I agree with that. Maxing out is $17,500 for 2013.

Paying extra on a house isn't always a good idea. I paid off my last house early, but I did it when the market was crappy. At that time the math made sense to pay off the house. I bought a new house last year when mortgages were really low...I won't be paying an extra penny unless the market craps out again. If you bought or refinanced when the rates were low, I would think twice about paying extra on it. Why pay extra on a 3.5-5% mortgage, when the market is easily returning 15%.

I had a professionally managed Fidelity account. I was unhappy with the performance, so I took it over. I still use Fidelity, but I manage it myself. It's done much better since I took it over, AND now I understand how my $$ are being invested. The market is huge. I just try to understand certain types of investments that I am comfortable with. For me, sector funds make the most sense.

Very wise to sock away as much as you can in your twenties. Depending on your risk tolerance and mix, 20% is solid in this market. I am leaning toward more risk and (hopefully) more reward over the next 3-5 years. Then I plan to get a bit more conservative.

Allow me to provide a summary of this entire thread

It seems like the market is poised for a decent run up over the next few years. I'm always looking for a good funds add the retirement account. What are your favorite investments and why? I'll start. FBSOX - Fidelity Select IT Services Strong returns, some of the best is the IT sector. It also holds value pretty well during short term drops in the market. http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/fund/fbsox

Personally, I only consider a rebuilt title if it's a really good deal. There is risk with anything that's been crashed, whether 2 or 4 wheels. This was a salvage, but it was a theft recovery not a crash.

I don't care what she looks like. She is super obnoxious.

^^ Can't stand her.

Anyone interested in buying a like new McDermott stick with G-Core shaft for $200? 19oz, 12.5mm tip. I bought a few different sticks to try. This one was played for about 2 hrs then put into a case. It's this exact stick: http://www.mcdermottcue.com/g214c-1211.php

Damn, I was looking for a .40. But I don't want some crayoned-up Hi Point.

Be careful not to fall down when you're back-peddling that quickly.

Ahhhh...here is the pathetic attempt to take the argument in another direction...if you don't believe in Magdor's chauvinistic double standards...you are some kind of 'woman beater'...perhaps the result of poor parenting. Weak. Try again.

When his arguments lack facts or substance (frequently), he attempts to gain traction by taking them to extremes. It's a futile attempt to try to appear knowledgeable on a topic where he has little to no understanding. The lack of ability to admit when he is wrong is a much deeper issue that I am not qualified to properly diagnose.