The last time I really invested was back in 1999, around the time of the tech bubble.
My investing methods were scattershot if anything, and I was using a broker's advice at $50 a transaction. He didn't know any more than I did the way the markets were going; he just enjoyed making minimal chit-chat and pocketing cash that could easily have gone toward more shares of stock.
I had been lucky with one tip, INVT, whose stock name itself (InvestAmerica) whipped up enough hype to bring it from $1 to $9 overnight and bring my portfolio to over $10,000.
Other stocks, like SONE and EAG, grew steadily for a while, to the point I was making $350 a week in my underwear. It was a great time, and I ignored the daily stories that came out, like "Is Dot-Com Bubble About to Burst?"
My weekly income slowed at that point, dropped to zero in a few days, and then crashed in a series of margin calls. INVT dropped through $8, $7, $5, $3, $1, and then virtually nothing. By the time it was all over, I'd cashed out completely, with nothing but a bad taste for investing and a string of receipts for $50 commissions.
Working-class life called for a few years, leaving me few if any options to get back into the market.
Finally, after doing some research and getting married to a wonderful lady, I've been able to get back into the market, bit by bit, and start to accumulate some momentum.
This is the story of my portfolio from week to week. I'm sure there will be times it will lose money, but one thing is certain: this time around will be more careful, more proactive, and much less impulsive.
If you're an experienced investor and have advice to offer in a comment, I'd be very happy to hear it, positive or negative. It's my hope to turn my portfolio into a long-term winner and enjoy learning along the way.
Thanks for visiting,
Lionel
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