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i just want from you to have 5 minutes from your time to read my story .. please
Donate if you can
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Please contact this blog if you can contribute. I can not financially and if you can't either reblog. Thank you for your time!
It’s a trip to me that I used to be on tumblr long ago.. and here I am back. Pretty cool how updated and accessible it is to use now.
It’s Sunday, just woke up 10:46am but I think I might go back to sleep. 3 day weekend yet I don’t have anything planned. I can’t do much either… Don’t have money to do anything. I find that money is very needed to do this. I wonder if I’ll ever get out of this area because mentally being here for 2 months has been exhausting.
A new month is approaching and I’m trying to switch the perspective. I shouldn’t bring or carry what the past months have done into it but it lingers. Aside from financial struggling, dealing with my aunt having breast cancer has been rough.
Last Friday started to look good because the entire week had a very bad vibe. She didn’t look good at all… but Friday seemed to be the shift. Hoping we just continue moving up. I pray she stays with us longer. HOPING
Anyways I’ll cut this first post at that. I hope everyone has a blessed Sunday and enjoy their 3 day weekend.
With Love,
8008❤️
FSM Smart
Online trading scam broker called FSM Smart is part of an incredibly large scam group, rarely spoken of or systematically exposed, due to many illegal unconnected brands and quite complicated and fluid network of shells, off-shores, PSPs and BPOs worldwide. Indeed smartly put, the name serves them well. At the time, the Fintelegram did a good job in exposing some parts and initiating the public attention, that was previously restricted to warnings to particular brands and occasional info scattered across many different forums. Apparently, they had problems because of it. However, the full story is yet to be told. We hope to bring more clarity and tie the missing parts. For sure it will not be a complete report, but joint efforts bear fruits, eventually. The full story should be revealed by the Law, not us or others. So far, the representatives of the law have done very little, mainly due to scheme’s multi jurisdictional and transnational nature.
The beneficial owner(s) are well hidden and this vast group obviously has no intention to stop. We shall try to do our best to unmask this ‘giant’ as much as possible. For the purpose of clarity, we shall generically call them ‘’the FSM scheme’’ since its brand FSM Smart is probably the biggest and longest standing one. This thread will be quite long and posted in successive parts, due to the size on info we aim to display on FPA, so you are warned that it will take patience and attention to follow. No shortcuts here or easy solutions.
The named ‘FSM scheme’ is comprised of (up to now known) following scam brands/trading styles: 1. MTI Markets www.mtimarkets.com 2. TradingBanks www.grizzly-ltd.com also t/a www.tradingbanks.com (own trade platform+TradingBanks) 3. MX Trade www.mxtrade.com 4. Trade12 www.trade12.com 5. HQBroker www.hqbroker.com (up to this thread, probably never associated to FSM Smart brand before) 6. FSM Smart www.fsmsmart.com, www.fsmsmarts.com, www.it.fsmsmart.net, www.fsmsmart-ltd.com
We are positive that more brands are involved or were a part of this. This organization is truly like an Octopus. But as any other such group, made the same mistakes when registering various companies and using 3rd parties providers, leaving traces behind. Now days, scammers are much more cautious, in general, as there is more focus on scams, narrowing down their operating boundaries. First brand operator of MX Trade scam appeared to be a 2014 est.&CySEC regulated/FCA-passport company R Capital Solutions Ltd, FCA, CySEC, CY registrar. Owner was a Romanian citizen residing in Cyprus, Mr. Victor Florin Safta, who had another linked company in the UK, F Capital Solutions LtdCompanies House Reg. CySEC regulated R Capital Solutions claimed they never operated MX Trade by issuing a public statement:
n offshore leaks, Shlomo Matan Shalom Avshalom, linked to Philippines and Israel residency addresses, is the director and legal/judicial representative of Malta based Quick Solutions Ltd (2014) and Grizzly Ltd (2015), with his registered address (another company): BSD Trading Service Corp, Office O5M, Berthaphil Compound, Jose Abad Santos Avenue, Angeles, Pampanga, Philippines. Quick Solutions is owned by Belize IBC called High Moon International Inc, while Grizzly Ltd is owned by Belize IBC Lau Global Service Corp. Both Grizzly and Quick solutions have the identical Malta address registered
Back to business. Following the trail of the lawyer and the Philippines address, we land at Pampanga, PH. A well-known place for numerous call-centers, as well as India for example, again industry-wide known facts. Truly a lot of customer care offices for hundreds of different businesses, an army of cheap multilingual workforce. Over the years, we all witnessed even some police raids to scam call centers, over there they even announce it on TV, with full press conference and detained agent’s close-ups on national frequencies. As for our story, the address in offshore leaks revealed Mr. Avshalom’s Pampanga address for BSD Trade Services Corp or rather, BSD Trading Services Corp. BSD Trading/Trade Serv. Corp is actually a Philippines BPO, a call-center, however incorporated in Singapore: link and maybe Hong Kong
The Toxic Boomer Money Advice You Need To Unlearn
If you were looking for a prosperity reading...
Okay so I have to say this because I just saw the most ridiculous ridiculous statement anyone has ever had the audacity to put on my dashboard:
"You're the moral evil and part of the problem if you spend your disposable income on fanfiction instead of giving it to people in need."
This is the literal ideology of the billionaires and boomers who tell you to stop buying Starbucks if you want to afford a house.
If I earned this income by spending 40+ hours of my week at a job, earning money to afford basic survival, I'm the only one who gets to dictate what happens to the little I have that doesn't determine whether I eat tonight or not.
My brother in christ, half the time those fanfiction authors are the people in need. There's not a day that goes by that I don't see some form of 'I need financial aid so I'm offering commissions' posts. Fanfiction authors aren't just rich trust fund teens lounging at home with nothing better to do. I paid part of my dog's vet bills with commission money.
You are making a huge assumption about someone(s) you know literally nothing about. Likewise, you're acting as if financial aid is the absolute of all charity. You're condemning a complete stranger online with no insight into what charitable efforts they may be making regardless of if they do or do not pay $2 towards someone's rent or surgery. They could be doing volunteer work. Housing in-need relatives. Feeding stray animals. Creating or curating resources for people both tangible and online. They could be working in aid or relief. And you're really going to tell them they're reprehensible because they spent money on something that they enjoy? When paying for fanfiction is no different to buying a book in a store?
Again: Paying for fanfiction is no different to buying a book in a store. You're paying for words/a story written by someone else. Their time, effort and skill. You ae paying for a product/service. In the case of AO3, you are paying for a safe, regulated, convenient platform in order to access said skills and efforts. The way you'd pay for a library card or an Audible subscription.
In a lot of cases the people responsible for statements like this are either the people who think mural crusading and justice touting online is a form of activism, or they're people who's own aid requests haven't met expectations and are thus resentful of income they feel they are entitled to by default of need.
While the latter is, to an extend, understandable it is still neither morally superior nor 'right' to condemn people for spending their own money in ways which harm nobody and benefit both parties. Someone spending their money on fanfiction, mutual benefit aside, is no different to someone buying a Funko Pop or a candy bar or a collectible shoe.
Fanfiction and people paying for it are not the issue. They are not the magical solve-all of poverty. Just like people not buying a $6 coffee won't solve their inability to qualify for a mortgage or first-buyer's scheme. You are assigning blame to the individual instead of the authoritative persons who are responsible. Attempting to use a moral compass as a means to guilt-trip or harass people into funding you is no less than bullying. It is immoral in and of itself.
To ensure you fully understand how ridiculous you sound, I challenge you, the maker of these statements, to go into town and tell the people buying coffee, cigarettes, books, snack foods, makeup, ect that they are the scum of the earth for not instead donating that sum.
I don’t know who this will help but if you’re working for money/chasing money and you’re not satisfied…I have often noticed that those who are in service to others, volunteering, helping others for free with no expectations… money ends up flowing to them. Enough for more than survival. Do good :) Spread love. Be kind.
Simon never knew when and how, but he knew he loved you, so it started with that flirty sloppy shoot-a-shot smile at the bar. One glass down and he was kissing you like there was nobody else in the room, one smoke by the alley and the next you were sucking him off in his car, maybe it should've ended there, Simon wasn't the one who liked taking girls home but something sparked and he thought, you deserved a nice comfy mattress if he was going to fuck you and okay, he did, he took you home and absolutely devoured you, he made a real mess out of you, pounding inside you like a feral werewolf, pistoning in and out like he would never get a second chance.
And it should've ended there but it didn't, you should've gone by the morning because the good ones never stayed but instead you were perched on the counter, swinging your legs, your body sore from last night and face blotchy with sleep and unwashed make-up and he was making eggs. He was making you breakfast as you rambled how Nicky stole your jacket, he had no idea who was Nicky but oh boy wouldn't he got war to get back you jacket, because he will. You really should've been gone by afternoon but instead you were panting on the couch while his face was buried deep in your cunt, humming in your sweetness and sucking every bit nector you had for him. Simon didn't mind when you decided you wanted to make ravioli by the time evening drowned in the sky, from scratch and when you should be finding your clothes and leaving for once and for all, but instead Simon was putting the ingredients you called from your phone screen into the cart, walkin behind you. Two days later, you were putting in your dresses in his lonely-colourless wardrobe along with your favourite jacket, four days later, you were laughing because Simon never watched star wars, one week gone and he was braiding your hair and oiling your scalp, two weeks snapped and Simon was chasing you around the house while you ran with the cute Polaroid you had clicked while he was sleeping, Three weeks and Simon thought this is where you belonged, with him, he didn't know how and when but he did knew it was you, it could only be you.
Two years later and he's massaging your baby bump with cocoa butter, his eyes twinkling at you.
“I love you.” He says, just like that as you blink up from your tacos.
“I love you too sweetheart.” You cupped his cheek and watched him melt into your touch.
“I don't say it enough.” no, he's been constantly chanting it, sometimes whispering it in his sleep.
“You say it just fine.” You pulled his cheek, leaning back because you just little Riley baby moving inside.
“I am so blessed.” he looked solemnly, like he was replaying some memory in his mind, before kissing your tummy. So blessed.
Masterlist
Survival of the Fittest
(Original Handmade Book Art Collage: 10 Elements)
Robinhood Crypto is splitting up a $250K cash pie! Sign up with my link, trade crypto, and we'll both get a piece 🤝 https://join.robinhood.com/timotha712?crypto_promo=1
Hey, normally this isn't something I would do since no one usually focuses on financial fields like this, but as an investor and someone who is a fanatic of financial education, thought it'll help those who seek financial and investment opportunities to try this out and see for themselves of the crypto investment shares here
Please try and assist this person if you can?
Hi! This is an URGENT REQUEST as I cannot go a day without insulin. Currently I am unemployed through no fault of my own. I do not have insurance so I will have to use GoodRx. My insulin is called Afrezza. It costs around $450-$490 depending on the pharmacy I go to. I’m calling for community aid to help me get insulin because the healthcare system failed me.
I hope to raise the full amount today so I can administer my insulin as time is running out.
[boost]
On leaving home for the first time:
Leaving Home before 18: A Practical Guide for Cast-Offs, Runaways, and Everybody in Between
Ask the Bitches: “I Just Turned 18 and My Parents Are Kicking Me Out. How Do I Brace Myself?”
Ask the Bitches: I Want to Move Out, but I Can’t Afford It. How Bad Would It Be to Take out Student Loans to Cover It?
How To Start at Rock Bottom: Welfare Programs and the Social Safety Net
Advice I Wish My Parents Gave Me When I Was 16
Ask the Bitches: How Can I Make Myself Financially Secure Before Age 30?
You Won’t Regret Your Frugal 20s
Master the Logistics and Etiquette of Moving Out
Season 2, Episode 5: “What Do I Need to Know about Moving into My First Apartment?”
On basic finance:
How the Hell Does One Open a Bank Account? Asking for a Friend.
How Do You Write and Cash Checks? Asking for a Friend.
Budgets Don’t Work for Everyone—Try the Spending Tracker System Instead
You Must Be This Big to Be an Emergency Fund
A Hand-Holding Guide to Getting Your First Credit Card
How to File Your Taxes FOR FREE: Simple Instructions for the Stressed-Out Taxpayer
Dafuq Is Credit and How Do You Bend It to Your Will?
How to Save for Retirement When You Make Less Than $30,000 a Year
Dafuq Is Interest and How Does It Work for the Forces of Darkness?
What’s the Difference Between Savings and Checking Accounts, and How Should I Be Using Them?
Dafuq Is a Down Payment? And Why Do You Need One to Buy Stuff?
Dafuq Is Insurance and Why Do You Even Need It?
Investing Deathmatch: Investing in the Stock Market vs. Just… Not
Dafuq Is a Retirement Plan and Why Do You Need One?
Do NOT Make This Disastrous Beginner Mistake With Your Retirement Funds
On managing your household:
How the Hell Does One Laundry? Asking for a Friend.
How the Hell Does One Wash Dishes? Asking for a Friend.
Ask the Bitches: Why Are Painted Mason Jars the Internet’s Only Solution to My Tiny Apartment Woes?
9 Essential Tools for Apartment-Dwellers (and 6 That Are Kinda Useless)
Ask the Bitches: How Can I Survive in an Apartment with No Heat?
How to Save Money on Your Beloved Pets
Bullshit Reasons Not to Buy a House: Refuted
How To Maintain Your Car When You’re Barely Driving It
25 Tricks to Stay Cool WITHOUT Air Conditioning
On feeding and caring for yourself:
You Should Learn To Cook. Here’s Why.
How to Shop for Groceries like a Boss
If You Don’t Eat Leftovers I Don’t Even Want to Know You
I Think I Need to Go the Emergency Room?
Ask the Bitches: Ugh, How Do I Build the Habit of Taking Meds?
On maintaining relationships:
Season 1, Episode 8: “My Mother Demands Information About My One-Night Stands.”
Season 1, Episode 3: “My Parents Have Bad Credit. Should I Help by Co-signing Their Mortgage?”
Ask the Bitches: How Do I Say “No” When a Loved One Asks for Money… Again?
Ask the Bitches: My Dad Sucks with Money. How Do I Make Him Change?
You Need to Talk to Your Parents About Their Retirement Plan
Season 2, Episode 1: “I’m Financially Stable, but My Friends Aren’t. The Guilt Is Crushing!”
On starting your career:
22-Year-Olds Don’t Belong in Grad School
High School Students Have No Way of Knowing What Career to Choose. Why Do We Make Them Do It Anyway?
The Actually Helpful, Nuanced, Non-Bullshit Way to Choose a Future Career
Your College Major May Not Prepare You for Your Job—but It Can Prepare You for Life
The Ugly Truth About Unpaid Internships
Your School or Workplace Benefits Might Include Cool Free Stuff
Abled Person: Hey man, can you hold this wad of $2,000 and this one penny for me while I open my wallet?
Disabled Person: YOU COMPLETE AND UTTER FOOL!
The United States Government:
(Watch how many people don’t get this.)
Takeaways from my mentor
I meet with my mentor as and when he’s available. He manages my family’s money and he’s very good at what he does - his firm manages about $5 billion, and I have great conversations with him.
I don’t want to talk too much about him, but he came from a lower middle class background and today is wealthy beyond comprehension. He could buy a plane or two in the middle of the night if he wanted.
Today we focused a lot of personal growth in my career.
He gave me two books - The Inheritors by Sonu Bhasin and Fortune’s Children by Arthur Vanderbilt.
Here are some brief takeaways:
Work backwards from the outcome you want.
Define the outcome of where you want to be and plan it backwards to your current position.
2. Eliminate, eliminate, eliminate.
Life is all about elimination. Don’t focus on your weaknesses, focus on your strengths. Eliminate all the things you know you’re not good at, you have no interest in and that make you depressed.
3. Intellectual honesty.
Be honest with yourself about things you are good at and are not. The easiest person to fool is yourself.
4. Read one business biography a week.
Everything you’re going in life, there’s a 99% chance someone else has gone through it and come out of it victorious. He also mentioned this article.
5. Outline 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses.
6. (In business/ corporate careers) You’re either primarily an investor (you’d rather fund companies and start ups than start them), an operator (you’d rather build something hands on), or a manager (you’d rather periodically manage something hands off. Like for instance you could have your own franchise bakery chain where you don’t need to exercise minute control over every franchise but you still ensure that there’s some managing done from your part).
7. Do not have extreme ideologies at this age.
Not when it comes to religion, politics, etc.
8. Emotions, money and your time are something you need to be ruthless about. Absolutely ruthless.
Be careful about the friends you have and the influence they have on you.
Easiest way to increase your income? Flip your money.
It’s a simple concept. Buy something at a lower value than it’s worth, quickly sell it for profit. The best part about this method, anyone can do it with any budget! Let’s go more in depth ⬇️
The most common flip you’ve probably heard of or seen on tv is house flipping. It’s when people buy a home at a lower price than it’s worth, fix it up, and sell it for profit. This idea is great, but not ideal if you have little to no money. It requires a lot of money for contractors, plumbing and electrical fixes. It also requires a shit ton of knowledge about the real estate market. I’m not trying to discourage you so if this is something you want to get into, GO FOR IT. I just want you to know that if you don’t have thousands of dollars to start then consider flipping other things like like cars, furniture, art, etc to start.
Two years ago, my boyfriend (now husband) and I used to flip furniture together. We would a buy side tables, dressers, coffee tables, etc at garage sales or flea markets for less than $10. Then clean it up, paint if needed, and sell it for 5x the price on apps like Offer Up and LetGo. The first time we started, we took $25 to the flea market and flipped it into $225 in three days. No joke! We only started for fun and as a hobby, but this quickly turned into a lucrative business. Why? Because the art of flipping is that you buy an item, sell it for more, then reinvest the profits back into inventory.
Unlike a traditional e-commerce business or brick and mortar store, flipping doesn’t require a large initial investment because you only buy more inventory, after you sell the first one. So you’re never sitting on product, hoping you can sell it. The idea of flipping isn’t anything new. I have a friend that’s been buying used cars, and selling it for 3-5x the price. This is his only job and he makes a decent living. Here’s how you can get started:
Knowledge - have a specialized knowledge in the field you’re looking to flip in. If you want to flip cars, you have to know about cars, parts, and their value. If you want to sell furniture, you have to know what pieces are profitable and why. If you want to sell clothes, you have to understand fashion and consumer trends. Lucky for you, if you already have something you’re passion about, you can focus on that because you can literally flip anything! Ive seen it all from kids toys and sports equipment to art and kitchen appliances.
Learn where to find your items for a low price - before starting, you obviously need to be able to find your item for the lowest price. When it comes to flipping, chose resources that are easily accessible to you but not your customer. For example, you can buy resale items from the flea market, Dollar store, LetGo, OfferUp, and Craigslist. These are places that your ideal consumer wouldn’t look because it seems sketchy and requires you to do research or look for a long time. Avoid shopping at places like AliExpress. AliExpress is great if you’re looking to start a legit business, but not good for flipping due to the shipping costs and long wait time it takes to receive an order. You should be able to easily access your inventory so that once you sell, you can reup as soon as possible. Keep in mind, if you want to flip items high in value like art, iPhones, limited edition shoes, and cars then stay away from sketchy websites and sellers. Always look for authentication badges and do a lot of research before spending money or going to pick up an item. The more high value an item is, the harder it is to come by but the profits are well worth the effort.
Know your buyers - before getting into any business, the most important person is the one buying from you. If you have no buyers, you have no money. It’s important when doing research, you know how people will find and buy from you. Weather you plan on using flea markets, Facebook Market place, or Facebook groups, know how you’re going to sell before buying the item. This is so important because the last thing you want to do when flipping is sit on inventory. The fun part about flipping is that it’s lucrative and fast, but if you have no way of reaching potential buyers then you’re shit out of luck. Another good thing about flipping is you don’t need a fancy website. You can simply sell to your buyers wherever they are. If you plan on flipping cars, join “cars for sell” Facebook groups. If you plan on flipping clothes, join Poshmark.
Understanding money - flipping helps you understand money & business. If you’re someone who is new to business or maybe had a business previously, but it wasn’t successful, flipping is one of the greatest teachers. You learn about consumer trends, profit & loss, and the basic concepts of selling.
Tips:
One tip I want to leave you all with is always reinvest the profits back into the business. This is how you begin to scale and grow. If you’re goal is to turn $50 into $500, then you need to reinvest your profits back into the business in order for that to happen. Let’s say you flip shoes, and buy a pair of limited edition sneakers for $150, then sell it online for $350. Just know that you did not make $350!!! You only made $200. Income ($350) - expenses ($150) = profit ($200). Mistaking your income for profit is one of the easiest ways to fail at flipping. Instead of stopping after you made your first profit, take the $200 profit and buy another pair of sneakers, then sell that for double.
Another tip, as your money grows, buy items that are better in value and higher quality. It’s easy to get comfortable selling the same item, but if you want to scale, invest into items that are higher in quality so that when you flip it, the profits are higher. This doesn’t mean you have to change your niche. For instance, if you sell cars, buy your first car for $2000 then eventually work your way up to buying a high quality $10,000 SUV that you can flip. Why? Because the profit you’ll make from selling a $10k suv will be way more than the profit you made from the $2k car because your customers will pay more for better quality.
Last tip is never tie all of your money up at once. For the sneaker example I gave you (tip #1), did you notice I only told you to reinvest the profit ($200) and not all the money you had ($350) into buying more shoes? You never want all your money tied up. If something was to happen like the shoes were lost in the mail or you had to pay unexpected costs, you wouldn’t be able to because you spent all your money. Always have just enough money to spend on inventory, and keep extra on the side for unexpected costs or if the item doesn’t sell. These are just basic concepts in business that flipping could teach you.
If you decide to do this, let me know! I’d be interested in hearing what you decided to flip. Flipping is such a fun experience and I had a blast flipping furniture. I really enjoyed understanding consumers, what made people want to buy, and what interior design trends influenced people’s decisions. Find a niche you’re passionate about, and give it a try. If you enjoy my blog and finance tips, check out my business. I run a bookkeeping and accounting firm for bad ass, empowered women 😜✨. We offer bookkeeping, accounting and financial advice.
✨ HOW TO BECOME A WEALTHY MIDDLE AGED MAN✨
PT.2: Overview to understanding different saving/retirement methods, investments, and forms of income
Pt. 2.2 Overview of Investments
Welcome lovelies to (what I hope will be) a helpful series on gaining wealth and becoming financially literate and independent!
Disclaimer: Check other posts. It’s too long to keep typing out.
Now comes (what I believe) is the fun part of money. Making it grow.
Investments are defined as “an asset or item acquired with the goal of generating income or appreciation.” Essentially, anything you purchase with the belief that in time it will be worth more. This includes the entire stock market, cryptocurrencies, art, real estate, jewelry, vintage coins, designer bags, etc. Of course, some of these take more time and each comes with some amount of risk. These variables change according to your strategy as an investor.
✨THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND✨
Begin as a Beginner
Do not overwhelm yourself during your financial literacy journey by trying to learn everything, all at once, while also trying it all out. The thing that creates the most confusion when learning is believing the lie that you can multitask well. Yes, start with a brief overview of the systems and institutions (what we are currently doing in the series) but literally all you need to start is definitions and a gist so that you can comprehend how they connect later on. Learning an entire world that has never been taught to you is going to take time, and I’m talking years. And then, when you think you have something down your going to mess up or read an article about how the stock you saw yesterday for $6 is now $1000 and you’re going to be frustrated (this happens a lot). But, If you want to learn about the stock market, focus on the stock market. Retirement still scares you, focus on that until you master it and have a plan. And for Christ’s (or whatever deity/person/universe you believe in) if you do not have a steady stream of income do not put your last pennies trying to get into crypto (or any investing truly). This is something to start after you have income, a savings, a retirement, and have paid off at least most debts.
Recommended sources to learn more:
Netflix has a great series called “Explained” where (you guessed it) they explain things. While I recommend every episode because you can never learn too much, there are ones specifically dedicated to the stock market, cryptocurrencies, and billionaires each that helps to uncomplicate the history and purpose of each of these things.
✨Let’s get started✨
The Stock Market
“Stock markets are real and electronic exchanges that enable the buying and selling of securities. The most popular include the NYSE, Nasdaq MarketSite, and Tokyo Stock Exchange.” Let me, let you, in on a little secret-the stock market is essentially fantasy football (sorry, my American is showing) but with companies. When you buy a security, you are betting that (in the long run or short run, depending on your strategy) that a certain company will perform well and gain profits, which in turn will gain you money on what you bet. There are two categories of players in the market which include the assets (the football players) and the investors (the betting public). Of the assets you can categorize further by what position they play on the field…
Stocks
Most well-known, but the riskiest. The “star” player that everyone hypes up and takes all the credit. Stocks are fractional pieces of publicly traded companies, and by buying a stock you own a relative size of that company. They are either “paying you” through growth (when their stock price rises) or through dividends (when they send you a piece of their profits directly).
Mutual Funds
Less known but a safer bet than single stocks. Popular among those in middle age. “Mutual funds are baskets of stocks or bonds. They come in all different shapes and sizes, from covering broad stock market indexes to focusing on specific sectors.” When you buy a mutual fund, you are saying that you believe on average that pile of stocks/bonds are going to do well, instead of betting on a single player. Usually they are actively managed by people who are trying to “beat” the market for you. Statistically good for the short term, long term are less effective than ETFs.
Index Funds: a subset of mutual funds that are passively managed and track indexes like an ETF but trade like a mutual fund (once at the end of the day and without reliance of supply and demand)
ETFs
Exchange traded funds. The up-and-coming underdog that’s gaining popularity. These are passively managed baskets of stocks and bonds that track over a specific index like the S&P 500. They work like stocks, being traded throughout the day, relying on supply and demand, while giving a lot of the advantages that mutual funds do. They also come with their own set of disadvantages but are still a great way to diversify a portfolio inexpensively.
Bonds
The reliable bench players you know you can put in to save a game. Great safe bets that can generate a steady income. Bonds work like a loan for a regular person, except for a company. You can loan your money to a company which will pay you a principal plus a fixed interest back every specified period. There are different types which come with different advantages and strategies, so make sure to read the fine print.
Commodities
Tangible goods that go into manufacturing-Gold, oil, metals, corn, soybeans, etc. A good defensive team to have in the game for a hedge against inflation or economic troubles. They trade in a commodity exchange. You can still access them through most brokers.
Source to look into for deeper understanding and questions: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/investment.asp
Easy way to get started quickly:
1. Create a brokerage account: There are lots of accounts to choose from, but I would go for accounts that have zero fees and no minimum, this is starting to become the norm but once upon a time you had to give a minimum investment of $5000 to get started. I personally use Charles Schwab and Robinhood. I love all of the tools and accounts Schwab has and Robinhood is just easy to use.
2. Sign up: this may take a day or two to finalize, especially with banks but it shouldn’t be a big deal
3. Connect a card or account to transfer funds
4. Buy your first security: I would start off with simply looking up beginner investments on google. I recommend either an ETF, index fund, or choose a company that you have an interest in because you will be more likely to keep up on their news
5. Tip: think long term as a beginner. Sure, once you start learning and understanding you can change your strategy to gain more in a shorter time, but this comes with much more risk. Do not be an idiot and sell all of your stock when you see your investment plummet nor sell as soon as you see it go up a little. The best advice for a beginner: Buy a stock and leave it alone (for YEARS)
Property/Real Estate
There are many ways to invest in real estate-you can buy a property, you can invest in a property fund, you can become a landlord,or you can flip a property. Again, depending on the strategy, will change the risk and reward you have taken on. All of these options are usually on the more cash heavy side but can reap a lot of rewards if done right.
Source to look into:
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/5-ways-to-invest-in-real-estate
Easy way to get started quickly:
1. Buy a real estate ETF or fund, you can just look this up on google or through your brokerage
2. OR you could look into buying a property near you and renting it out if you have that much cash (Make sure to do your research, this can get pretty complicated)
Art
Also considered property but until recently it was incredibly hard to invest in art without significant cash and contacts available. Now, there are platforms like Masterworks where you can buy a fraction of a piece like a stock of Monet and you get the rise in appreciation. However, it still is for those with money already available, I believe you have to invest a minimum of $2500 to get started on MW.
Sources to look into: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/fine-art.asp
Crypto
Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that are not backed by real or tangible assets or goods, but on the trust and value of the people that use them, and supply and demand. They can be traded like stocks on an exchange and are tracked with a digital ledger on the blockchain. The first cryptocurrency was Bitcoin and the rest that have followed are categorized as altcoins (alternative coins).
The stage of cryptocurrencies we are in is likened to the early 90s with the internet. Not a lot people truly understand the blockchain (the vast ledger space which contains every transaction made securely in encrypted “blocks” that are then “chained” together so that if one block is compromised the whole chain shuts it down.) It is decentralized and written simultaneously on thousands of super computers. The beauty of it is that if one ledger on one computer is somehow hacked or wrong the rest of the computers storing the ledger interrupt and either fix it or shut it down. A way to understand it is blockchain is to the internet as bitcoin is to a website, but the internet runs off people trusting the system, blockchain runs off trusting no one.
The currencies that run on blockchain can have a multitude of purposes, but bitcoin was really just the starting solution to fix the problem of trust on the internet. People wanted a secure, anonymous, untraceable way to spend money online, like cash is in the real world. And while for the most part it is just that, it isn’t completely anonymous. Like in the real world if you buy something from Mcd*nalds with cash that transaction is still recorded in their system and through a receipt. Your crypto transactions are recorded in the blockchain, but most people don’t even know how to access the ledger so for now any ill*cit purchases you make are pretty safe.
I HIGHLY recommend looking into a cryptocurrency course or training just because there is so much that goes into it and lots of details that can help you. This investment is incredibly risky and volatile! I only would suggest investing an amount you are completely comfortable to lose ALL of.
Sources to learn more:
https://www.investopedia.com/cryptocurrency-4427699
Easy to get started quickly (Please dear lord do your research first):
1. Sign up on a crypto exchange like Coinbase or Binance, some brokers (like Robinhood) also allow you to trade crypto but it’s a very limited selection
2. Do lots of research!! (I’m going to say it until you get it, and I don’t think you get it yet)
3. Think of it like stocks, if you read up on the coin and its purpose, and think that it’s going to be useful soon or in the future, then invest
4. Tip: the crypto market moves MUCH faster than the stock market and is much more sensitive. In just these last few days (literally hours) bitcoin was trading at $40,000+, the following day, for whatever reason (people got scared, people wanted to sell to get profits, etc.) it will barely hold $33,000. So, invest wisely!
This is very brief list of the main investments. There is still a lot of depth each of these goes into and especially with things like crypto, information changes 24/7. I hope you have learned by now that you should be continually learning as well. Instead of spending your morning looking at your Instagram feed of bum friends, dusty men, and “models” spend it reading the paper and catching up on the market. Follow investors and billionaires like you follow celebrities and see how much smarter you become. At the end of the day winners focus on winning, losers focus on winners.
With love,
O
✨ HOW TO BECOME A WEALTHY MIDDLE AGED MAN✨
PT.2: Overview to understanding different saving/retirement methods, investments, and forms of income
Pt. 2.2 Overview of Investments
Welcome lovelies to (what I hope will be) a helpful series on gaining wealth and becoming financially literate and independent!
Disclaimer: Check other posts. It’s too long to keep typing out.
Now comes (what I believe) is the fun part of money. Making it grow.
Investments are defined as “an asset or item acquired with the goal of generating income or appreciation.” Essentially, anything you purchase with the belief that in time it will be worth more. This includes the entire stock market, cryptocurrencies, art, real estate, jewelry, vintage coins, designer bags, etc. Of course, some of these take more time and each comes with some amount of risk. These variables change according to your strategy as an investor.
✨THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND✨
Begin as a Beginner
Do not overwhelm yourself during your financial literacy journey by trying to learn everything, all at once, while also trying it all out. The thing that creates the most confusion when learning is believing the lie that you can multitask well. Yes, start with a brief overview of the systems and institutions (what we are currently doing in the series) but literally all you need to start is definitions and a gist so that you can comprehend how they connect later on. Learning an entire world that has never been taught to you is going to take time, and I’m talking years. And then, when you think you have something down your going to mess up or read an article about how the stock you saw yesterday for $6 is now $1000 and you’re going to be frustrated (this happens a lot). But, If you want to learn about the stock market, focus on the stock market. Retirement still scares you, focus on that until you master it and have a plan. And for Christ’s (or whatever deity/person/universe you believe in) if you do not have a steady stream of income do not put your last pennies trying to get into crypto (or any investing truly). This is something to start after you have income, a savings, a retirement, and have paid off at least most debts.
Recommended sources to learn more:
Netflix has a great series called “Explained” where (you guessed it) they explain things. While I recommend every episode because you can never learn too much, there are ones specifically dedicated to the stock market, cryptocurrencies, and billionaires each that helps to uncomplicate the history and purpose of each of these things.
✨Let’s get started✨
The Stock Market
“Stock markets are real and electronic exchanges that enable the buying and selling of securities. The most popular include the NYSE, Nasdaq MarketSite, and Tokyo Stock Exchange.” Let me, let you, in on a little secret-the stock market is essentially fantasy football (sorry, my American is showing) but with companies. When you buy a security, you are betting that (in the long run or short run, depending on your strategy) that a certain company will perform well and gain profits, which in turn will gain you money on what you bet. There are two categories of players in the market which include the assets (the football players) and the investors (the betting public). Of the assets you can categorize further by what position they play on the field…
Stocks
Most well-known, but the riskiest. The “star” player that everyone hypes up and takes all the credit. Stocks are fractional pieces of publicly traded companies, and by buying a stock you own a relative size of that company. They are either “paying you” through growth (when their stock price rises) or through dividends (when they send you a piece of their profits directly).
Mutual Funds
Less known but a safer bet than single stocks. Popular among those in middle age. “Mutual funds are baskets of stocks or bonds. They come in all different shapes and sizes, from covering broad stock market indexes to focusing on specific sectors.” When you buy a mutual fund, you are saying that you believe on average that pile of stocks/bonds are going to do well, instead of betting on a single player. Usually they are actively managed by people who are trying to “beat” the market for you. Statistically good for the short term, long term are less effective than ETFs.
Index Funds: a subset of mutual funds that are passively managed and track indexes like an ETF but trade like a mutual fund (once at the end of the day and without reliance of supply and demand)
ETFs
Exchange traded funds. The up-and-coming underdog that’s gaining popularity. These are passively managed baskets of stocks and bonds that track over a specific index like the S&P 500. They work like stocks, being traded throughout the day, relying on supply and demand, while giving a lot of the advantages that mutual funds do. They also come with their own set of disadvantages but are still a great way to diversify a portfolio inexpensively.
Bonds
The reliable bench players you know you can put in to save a game. Great safe bets that can generate a steady income. Bonds work like a loan for a regular person, except for a company. You can loan your money to a company which will pay you a principal plus a fixed interest back every specified period. There are different types which come with different advantages and strategies, so make sure to read the fine print.
Commodities
Tangible goods that go into manufacturing-Gold, oil, metals, corn, soybeans, etc. A good defensive team to have in the game for a hedge against inflation or economic troubles. They trade in a commodity exchange. You can still access them through most brokers.
Source to look into for deeper understanding and questions: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/investment.asp
Easy way to get started quickly:
1. Create a brokerage account: There are lots of accounts to choose from, but I would go for accounts that have zero fees and no minimum, this is starting to become the norm but once upon a time you had to give a minimum investment of $5000 to get started. I personally use Charles Schwab and Robinhood. I love all of the tools and accounts Schwab has and Robinhood is just easy to use.
2. Sign up: this may take a day or two to finalize, especially with banks but it shouldn’t be a big deal
3. Connect a card or account to transfer funds
4. Buy your first security: I would start off with simply looking up beginner investments on google. I recommend either an ETF, index fund, or choose a company that you have an interest in because you will be more likely to keep up on their news
5. Tip: think long term as a beginner. Sure, once you start learning and understanding you can change your strategy to gain more in a shorter time, but this comes with much more risk. Do not be an idiot and sell all of your stock when you see your investment plummet nor sell as soon as you see it go up a little. The best advice for a beginner: Buy a stock and leave it alone (for YEARS)
Property/Real Estate
There are many ways to invest in real estate-you can buy a property, you can invest in a property fund, you can become a landlord,or you can flip a property. Again, depending on the strategy, will change the risk and reward you have taken on. All of these options are usually on the more cash heavy side but can reap a lot of rewards if done right.
Source to look into:
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/5-ways-to-invest-in-real-estate
Easy way to get started quickly:
1. Buy a real estate ETF or fund, you can just look this up on google or through your brokerage
2. OR you could look into buying a property near you and renting it out if you have that much cash (Make sure to do your research, this can get pretty complicated)
Art
Also considered property but until recently it was incredibly hard to invest in art without significant cash and contacts available. Now, there are platforms like Masterworks where you can buy a fraction of a piece like a stock of Monet and you get the rise in appreciation. However, it still is for those with money already available, I believe you have to invest a minimum of $2500 to get started on MW.
Sources to look into: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/fine-art.asp
Crypto
Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that are not backed by real or tangible assets or goods, but on the trust and value of the people that use them, and supply and demand. They can be traded like stocks on an exchange and are tracked with a digital ledger on the blockchain. The first cryptocurrency was Bitcoin and the rest that have followed are categorized as altcoins (alternative coins).
The stage of cryptocurrencies we are in is likened to the early 90s with the internet. Not a lot people truly understand the blockchain (the vast ledger space which contains every transaction made securely in encrypted “blocks” that are then “chained” together so that if one block is compromised the whole chain shuts it down.) It is decentralized and written simultaneously on thousands of super computers. The beauty of it is that if one ledger on one computer is somehow hacked or wrong the rest of the computers storing the ledger interrupt and either fix it or shut it down. A way to understand it is blockchain is to the internet as bitcoin is to a website, but the internet runs off people trusting the system, blockchain runs off trusting no one.
The currencies that run on blockchain can have a multitude of purposes, but bitcoin was really just the starting solution to fix the problem of trust on the internet. People wanted a secure, anonymous, untraceable way to spend money online, like cash is in the real world. And while for the most part it is just that, it isn’t completely anonymous. Like in the real world if you buy something from Mcd*nalds with cash that transaction is still recorded in their system and through a receipt. Your crypto transactions are recorded in the blockchain, but most people don’t even know how to access the ledger so for now any ill*cit purchases you make are pretty safe.
I HIGHLY recommend looking into a cryptocurrency course or training just because there is so much that goes into it and lots of details that can help you. This investment is incredibly risky and volatile! I only would suggest investing an amount you are completely comfortable to lose ALL of.
Sources to learn more:
https://www.investopedia.com/cryptocurrency-4427699
Easy to get started quickly (Please dear lord do your research first):
1. Sign up on a crypto exchange like Coinbase or Binance, some brokers (like Robinhood) also allow you to trade crypto but it’s a very limited selection
2. Do lots of research!! (I’m going to say it until you get it, and I don’t think you get it yet)
3. Think of it like stocks, if you read up on the coin and its purpose, and think that it’s going to be useful soon or in the future, then invest
4. Tip: the crypto market moves MUCH faster than the stock market and is much more sensitive. In just these last few days (literally hours) bitcoin was trading at $40,000+, the following day, for whatever reason (people got scared, people wanted to sell to get profits, etc.) it will barely hold $33,000. So, invest wisely!
This is very brief list of the main investments. There is still a lot of depth each of these goes into and especially with things like crypto, information changes 24/7. I hope you have learned by now that you should be continually learning as well. Instead of spending your morning looking at your Instagram feed of bum friends, dusty men, and “models” spend it reading the paper and catching up on the market. Follow investors and billionaires like you follow celebrities and see how much smarter you become. At the end of the day winners focus on winning, losers focus on winners.
With love,
O