Paper Trades

[dirtymoose]

Hey all,

I'll make this quick. I can't gamble anymore, like a human being at least. I was betting horses but have no self control. So I'd like to try the stock market. I'd like to start with paper trading. Or a stock market simulator. I have zero knowledge, so I'm not jumping into real money trading.

Could you guys recommend a place or website for simulation and paper trading?

Thanks, Matt

 

[brucefan]

The think or swim platform from ameritrade

 

[PatsFan1283]

Honestly if your personality is that addictive and you have trouble handling the ups and downs of sports betting then trading isn't really going to be much different. Sure it is less of a sucker bet as long as you aren't using leverage or anything too risky but it still involves you having to put emotions aside and manage your roll.

You would probably be better off just index investing on a regular basis but just my 2 cents

 

[dirtymoose]

Honestly if your personality is that addictive and you have trouble handling the ups and downs of sports betting then trading isn't really going to be much different. Sure it is less of a sucker bet as long as you aren't using leverage or anything too risky but it still involves you having to put emotions aside and manage your roll.

You would probably be better off just index investing on a regular basis but just my 2 cents

Well you are right on the money. I did you research and it would seems that stocks take up a large amount of time which I don't have during the week. So I see a lot of people saying exactly what you just said.

Here a question for you, I started reading about EFT's and spiders. Here is what I don't quite understand. How do they mimic the actual index find? If they can be traded like anything else, can't the S&P 500 have a great day and the SPDR have a bad day? This was something I'm not understanding yet.

But for now indexes will be the way to go. This is where all of my IRA money is already, so it would be nice to have a separate portfolio to touch before age 70 or whatever the IRA age is.

Matt

 

[PatsFan1283]

There is a longer answer to that question but short answer is it is a highly liquid market with constant trading with pretty much no deviation from the S&P 500. 99.99% of the time it will straight mimic it besides a few minor inefficiencies related to stuff like HFT which really is of no concern to a buy and hold investor.

A few other things:
IRA withdrawal can begin at 59.5
Use low cost funds because mutual fund fees are a joke. Recommend Vanguard

 

[dirtymoose]

Well that good to hear. I recently was fired and rehired from the same company, in that 4 month period I rolled over my 401k to a vanguard IRA. So now Ihave that and I've restarted the 401k as well. Is that overkill?

Now I'd like to add a separate group of investments which can be touched before 59.5. I'm only 30.

I think I'm heading in the right direction. Right?

Matt

 

[PatsFan1283]

Can't really answer the overkill question because don't know you personally. But with savings usually the more the better as long as you aren't giving up too much. Obviously gotta find that right balance that everyone has to figure out what works for them individually.

Other than that sounds like you've got a good plan.

 

[dirtymoose]

Yea you're right. But I don't think you can ever do too much saving. Going to have to find that good middle ground of 401k and a personal portfolio. It's really nice to save for the extra long term. But it's also nice to invest for the next 5-10 years. And hopefully turn that into a profit.

 

[PatsFan1283]

https://finance.yahoo.com/tumblr/blog-vanguards-stock-funds-outcompete-86-of-peers-202511171.html

New study detailing some of what I've talked about in this thread and a few other threads on here

 

[PatsFan1283]

http://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Principles_of_tax-efficient_fund_placement#General_strategy

This is really good too if you are planning on having multiple accounts. Obviously don't gotta digest it all in one sitting but definitely worth bookmarking

 

[dirtymoose]

Thanks Pats, I will be reading over some turkey.

 

[dirtymoose]

https://finance.yahoo.com/tumblr/blog-vanguards-stock-funds-outcompete-86-of-peers-202511171.html

New study detailing some of what I've talked about in this thread and a few other threads on here

Is this talking about one specific mutual fund or index?

 

[dirtymoose]

I like that the chart at the bottom, and it breaks it down into categories. But for example, the money market funds have out preformed for 10 years. What specific fund is this they speak of?

 

[smartmoneyfollower]

I always thought money market funds were characterized as being low risk low reward , in the last 10 year the market has rocketed inspite of the 2008 crash.

 

[PatsFan1283]

I always thought money market funds were characterized as being low risk low reward , in the last 10 year the market has rocketed inspite of the 2008 crash.

Hmm, think you might not know what a money market fund is.


@DirtyMoose The VanGuard MM funds just mean they offer a few higher basis pts in interest than other MM funds, its pretty moot and has little to do with investing.

Don't understand your question about the "one specific mutual fund or index" The chart is based on all vanguard funds vs all funds in their category based on what asset category Lipper puts the fund in.

 

[CHOPTALK]

Hey all,

I'll make this quick. I can't gamble anymore, like a human being at least. I was betting horses but have no self control. So I'd like to try the stock market. I'd like to start with paper trading. Or a stock market simulator. I have zero knowledge, so I'm not jumping into real money trading.

Could you guys recommend a place or website for simulation and paper trading?

Thanks, Matt

You our could lose more money trying to make a quick buck on stocks then you can on horses.
But at least you will be able to write off the loses better with stocks.

 

[CHOPTALK]

Well that good to hear. I recently was fired and rehired from the same company, in that 4 month period I rolled over my 401k to a vanguard IRA. So now Ihave that and I've restarted the 401k as well. Is that overkill?

Now I'd like to add a separate group of investments which can be touched before 59.5. I'm only 30.

I think I'm heading in the right direction. Right?

Matt

That was a smart move moving that 401k to the Ira

 

[dirtymoose]

Hmmmm I'm wondering if I should just contribute to the IRA and not the 401k? I won't be able to contribute as much tho.

 

[dirtymoose]

I stumbled upon this, https://investor.vanguard.com/mutual-funds/vanguard-fund-options and this https://personal.vanguard.com/us/funds/etf

Looks like a good place to start, yes? Gonna call them and check it out.

 

[dirtymoose]

They want $3000 minimum grand to start up a brokerage account.