Any Savvy Investors?

[CLTPanther]

Been holding a lot of cash in my 401k for about 2 months now to avoid volatility except for high yeild US corp bonds, which are returing about 9%. I have a brokerage option in my 401k, so I can buy individual stocks, bonds, overseas stuff, ETFs, whatever. I have a lot of cash sitting in the VBO, but I can't decide how to put it to work. Rather than lose purchasing power, I'd rather get it yielding something, but I'm not going to bother with anything less than 5%. On that front, the only thing really yielding that high are muni bonds from CA and TX, but I don't trust munis much. CD's are returning about as bad as US treasuries, so I don't want either one, plus US's are over valued. I was in an emerging market ETF, but it seems that has already played itself out. I could do a short ETF, but I'm worried about compounded loses on a market bounce. I could buy TIPS, but it doesn't seem rates will rise until later in 2011. What are you guys doing with your 401k's? Hopefully you are at least paying attention to them and not letting them sit in a single fund trading sideways.

[TheSaint]

Bluehorseshoe loves Gold and rare earth minerals

[g5jamz]

I'd say Apple is a buy.

Especially with Christmas coming and newer iTouch and obviously the iPad.

[FuzzyPanther]

Why, I ask myself, am I so poor and living paycheck to paycheck?

Been holding a lot of cash in my 401k for about 2 months now to avoid volatility except for high yeild US corp bonds, which are returing about 9%. I have a brokerage option in my 401k, so I can buy individual stocks, bonds, overseas stuff, ETFs, whatever. I have a lot of cash sitting in the VBO, but I can't decide how to put it to work. Rather than lose purchasing power, I'd rather get it yielding something, but I'm not going to bother with anything less than 5%. On that front, the only thing really yielding that high are muni bonds from CA and TX, but I don't trust munis much. CD's are returning about as bad as US treasuries, so I don't want either one, plus US's are over valued. I was in an emerging market ETF, but it seems that has already played itself out. I could do a short ETF, but I'm worried about compounded loses on a market bounce. I could buy TIPS, but it doesn't seem rates will rise until later in 2011. What are you guys doing with your 401k's? Hopefully you are at least paying attention to them and not letting them sit in a single fund trading sideways.

Because I have absolutely no idea what he's talking about.

[CLTPanther]

AAPL is already a done play. Their outlook was revised down, so I don't see much growth until maybe next year. I was thinking sandisk, they report Thursday based on the apple play, but tech is all over the place right now. I guess I could buy AAPL, sell some puts to cover the downside.

[Happy Panther]

Depends on what you think the economy is going to do over the next 3-5 years.

If it is going to muddle along and rates are not going to move then stick with bonds. My bond fund has done great over the past 2 years. Also large safe dividend paying stocks. look into preferred shares. Maybe utilities.

However if you think the recovery is coming sooner look for cheap growth stocks (non-dividend) as that is where the money will go when things are improving. Technology, Pharma, basically all the stuff that used to be sexy

[Jase]

I say wait. Not a good time to go long. Not a terrible time to go short, though. Keep a reasonably tight stop whatever you do.

I've also heard the hype on rare earth metals, but today's price action on the dollar, if confirmed, could nip any movement in rare earth metals right in the bud.

[CLTPanther]

I've been buying silver bars for APMEX for my kids college and it has gone up about 30% since I bought them. I'd like to buy more, but I'm hesitant after such a large run.

[charlotte49er]

Bluehorseshoe loves Gold and rare earth minerals

I agree a 100%! 2 years ago a Market Fund Manager told my real estate boss to invest in Gold and precious metals. Just like a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) there are Gold and Silver trusts. (This means you don't actually have to store Gold or Silver)

I can post an article, if I still have it, that some analysts believe Gold will reach $8,000/ounce by 2012-2015! Even Bennake (sp) said that the world is in trouble if this "recession" last much longer. The worst thing that was done to the US Dollar was taking it off the Gold Standard!

China and India just changed their laws to allow the average person to buy Gold. (Before it was limited to just industrial use. Jewelry, electronics, etc.) The Chinese are buying Gold at an alarming rate!

This, while our President O'bama, is trying to everything he can to limit US citizens from buying Gold and Silver! He's trying to drive people back into the Stock Market. (Precious Metal Trusts don't count, because you don't actually own the metal, the trust does. However, since they own the metals, it may effect the fees they charge.) Next year, precious metal sellers will have to issue a 1099 to anyone who spend $600 or more a year in precious metals! (Since Gold is at almost $1300 an ounce that's not hard at all to do!) This means when you get a 1099, you will have to pay taxes on that money! Money you've earned and have already paid taxes on! O'bama also wants to put limits on how much Gold and Silver an average person can own!

Bottom line is, investing in precious metals is very good. It's one of the easiest things to cash out if you need the funds as well!

[TarPanther9180]

Go with DMI.

[TheSaint]

i know a guy (much smarter than me) who just turned $25k into $100k+ with gold stocks and REMs.

[JakeFlake]

I would love to find new ways to earn some more money. But there is so much information I don't know what to believe.

[venom]

I agree a 100%! 2 years ago a Market Fund Manager told my real estate boss to invest in Gold and precious metals. Just like a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) there are Gold and Silver trusts. (This means you don't actually have to store Gold or Silver)

I can post an article, if I still have it, that some analysts believe Gold will reach $8,000/ounce by 2012-2015! Even Bennake (sp) said that the world is in trouble if this "recession" last much longer. The worst thing that was done to the US Dollar was taking it off the Gold Standard!

China and India just changed their laws to allow the average person to buy Gold. (Before it was limited to just industrial use. Jewelry, electronics, etc.) The Chinese are buying Gold at an alarming rate!

This, while our President O'bama, is trying to everything he can to limit US citizens from buying Gold and Silver! He's trying to drive people back into the Stock Market. (Precious Metal Trusts don't count, because you don't actually own the metal, the trust does. However, since they own the metals, it may effect the fees they charge.) Next year, precious metal sellers will have to issue a 1099 to anyone who spend $600 or more a year in precious metals! (Since Gold is at almost $1300 an ounce that's not hard at all to do!) This means when you get a 1099, you will have to pay taxes on that money! Money you've earned and have already paid taxes on! O'bama also wants to put limits on how much Gold and Silver an average person can own!

Bottom line is, investing in precious metals is very good. It's one of the easiest things to cash out if you need the funds as well!

This. Precious metals are the only thing worth investing in imo. The dollar is quickly losing its value. May take a hard hit by the end of the year as gold is expected to hit anywhere from $1,600 to $2,000 an ounce.

[CLTPanther]

Yes, but it is completely dependant on the dollar. If there were any kind of surprises, such as another soverign debt fear, the dollar will take off and metals will get hammered. In the long term, I definately think they will go up, I just think there will be a better buying opp in the next 6 months, especially with the massive rally in the last 3 months. What I do is buy a 5 ounce Silvertown Bar from APMEX every paycheck and put it in a safe for the kids college fund. APMEX is one of the best places to buy if you want to hold physical metals. Last I checked you could get silver at .99 over spot and gold for $89 over spot. I just want to choose my entry point for a large purchase carefully. Buy low and sell high.