Canada has lost a total of 110,000 jobs over the past two months, including 68,000 in September. Canada's unemployment rate also jumped to 6.5%. Not the be a bummer but Canada has gotten the worse of the trade war since it started. Something needs to give.
$SOFI hit a 52 week low today at $13.92. The company is a long term buy. Why you may ask. Well 1 year ago they were at $28 at 63 forward PE, now the company is at $14 at 19 forward PE. Did SOFI get worse? Nope, 40% revenue growth YOY and operating income growing very rapidly. The reason they are performing bad is because of short term tension, but long term you are buying a rapidly growing profitable business at a very low, reasonable valuation. I believe it might fall more, but that just means it becomes a better buy :). Thanks for reading.
โ ๏ธ Warning: This post was vetted through AI. You may want to look away now. ๐ After experiencing the uninformed and unwelcome opinions of people shaming the use of AI, and, even more frustratingly, misrepresenting my financial situation, I decided to reread The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck*. It reminded me of something I already knew: Not every opinion deserves my attention. Fundamentally, I donโt participate in negativity, harassment or hate. I donโt need to convince everyone that my choices are right, and I certainly donโt need the approval of people who have decided they know my financial situation better than I do. But I did feel that the developing culture of AI shaming deserved my attention, not because I want to argue with the naysayers, but because I think thereโs an opportunity to have a more positive, productive and inclusive conversation about it. I genuinely enjoy sharing my financial growth, milestones, lessons and journey here on Blossom. Itโs one of the fun parts of this app for me. Iโm excited about what Iโm building, and I enjoy sharing the process with people who are interested in learning, growing and having conversations about money. And just to be clear: I donโt use AI because Iโm illiterate, incapable or unintelligent. I was a professor in a dental department at a post-secondary institution. I know how to think, research, question information and form my own conclusions. Using AI doesnโt equal incompetence. Itโs a tool. A tool that helps me organize my thoughts, be more productive, communicate ideas and accomplish my goals. And I actually think thereโs something beautiful about that. Technology can make participation more accessible. It can help someone find the words they struggle to find, organize thoughts that feel overwhelming, communicate in a language theyโre still learning, or simply make it possible to participate when life is busy. That feels more inclusive to me, not less. Of course, AI isnโt perfect. It can be wrong. It can misunderstand context. It can produce information that needs to be checked. Thatโs why I believe in using it responsibly: question it, fact-check it, protect your privacy and ultimately take responsibility for what you choose to publish. That isnโt giving up your intelligence. Thatโs using your intelligence to use a tool well. AI is here. Itโs ubiquitous. And honestly, it has barely begun. We donโt shame calculators because people used to do long division. We donโt shame spreadsheets because people once balanced books by hand. So why are we suddenly treating the use of a new tool as a character flaw? Telling someone to stop using AI because itโs โnot realโ is about as logical as trading your laptop for a pen and paper, your smartphone for a corded home phone, and your GPS for a paper map. Technology changes. We adapt. And perhaps the most important part of all of this: The people who have reached out privately, with thoughtful messages, encouragement, curiosity and kindness, far outweigh the toxic noise. Those are the people I choose to give my energy to. AI isnโt going away. Neither am I. And Iโm not going to spend my time arguing with people who are determined to misunderstand me. Iโd rather keep learning, keep questioning, keep investing and keep moving forward. You donโt have to use AI. You donโt have to like AI. But you also donโt get to decide what tools someone else is allowed to use to build their life. And yesโฆAI helped me write this. ๐ Iโm okay with that.read more
High beta stocks get hammered $SOFI$ASTS$APP hit 52-week Lows While energy continues to surge $DINO$VLO$XOM hit 52-week Highs A lot of my holdings cracked today under pressure and lost their tested floorโฆ My own portfolio deserves a โtimberrrrrrrโ today -8% in a single day ๐ ๐ ๐ read more
I've been really MIA on Blossom since the passing of my sister... It's given me a lot of time to reflect on things. I still enjoy everything about finance and check my portfolio often, but I really want to stress the importance of realizing why we are doing this. What is the end goal of all of this? Seeing a loved one go in their early 30s is difficult, and it's made me realize that the time we have on this planet is really, really short. I have come to the realization that staring at numbers and watching them grow isn't as important as spending some of that time with loved ones. I want to start taking the kiddos on more vacations, buy the van that the wife wants, and try to see my parents more. The key for me will still be to be responsible with my finances, but instead of waiting for that next portfolio goal, waiting for the kids to grow older, or waiting to retire... why not live now? The whole point of becoming wealthy is to USE THE WEALTH, not to stash more and more so we can become so rich that we never actually enjoy the short time we are given on Earth. When the drunk driver went head on with her Uber vehicle, I truly believe she had no clue, could've just been chilling on her phone in the back then dead the next second...goes to show our life could end at any second and we might not even realize it. This post isn't saying we shouldn't be financially responsible, but that we should also enjoy life today... Tell your loved ones you love them, and use your finances to better your life. Willread more
๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ I finally reach my 100 $KRKNF / $PNG goal! Now I'll just ride the Kraken and see where it takes me. ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ
I am currently 47 years old. Unfortunately in that time frame I have lost a lot of family members. Some (most) were accidents, some to age, some to cancer, and one to suicide. Thatโs 11 deaths total. Only 1 person out of 11 had a will. When you are grieving the last thing you want to do is close an estate up. Itโs even harder if nothing has been prepared in advance. After the initial shock of the death settles (the phase where everyone is usually nice), greed comes through in a most alarming manner. Iโve watched people turn into monsters. Make sure you have a will!!!! or people will fight. I know most people hate thinking about their death or their spouses death but honestly itโs just a fact of life. Iโve personally been the executor of 2 estates now. This is my advice: 1. If your young get life insurance. If youโre retired itโs not worth it. 2. Make sure you have a will. 3. Make sure you have a personal directive. 4. Make sure you have a power of attorney set up. 5. If your married make your spouse the beneficiary of your TFSA and RRSP(has to be done through the account not the will), they will roll into the spouses account without taxation. 6. If youโre married, and you own a house, make sure both names are on the title, joint tenant, NOT tenant in common. This activates right of survivorship on property and doesnโt have to go through the estate. 7. If youโre married, both people should have their name on all the vehicles, joint, otherwise itโs a headache after death. 8. Buy a file folding system. I have a plastic one that has a clasp and handle. 9. Put EVERYTHING in this file folder that would be needed if you died tomorrow. a) all land titles B) information on house insurance so it can either be eventually canceled or name changed over. C) your will (or the location of your will), power of attorney, and personal directive D) the information for your car, car insurance, and registration on vehicles. E) information on life insurance. F) all current year papers needed for filing your taxes. Because the survivor will have to do it and will need that information. G) where your household bills are. ALL OF THEM, electricity, gas, Netflix, magazine, subscriptions everything you can think of that is in their name. Because you are going to have to cancel them. H) their credit card information where to contact to cancel the cards I) birth certificate, SIN numbers, marriage, license, etc. J) information on all your investments accounts, bank accounts, etc. K) anything else you can think of for your situation If youโre married, Iโd have one box per person. When you die, the funeral home will issue many death certificates. And your lawyer will give you copies of the will. These will be needed to change over any accounts. Everything else goes through the estate which is taxed and the lawyers take their fees so Iโd avoid this as much as possible especially if youโre married. This is why having property in both peopleโs names is so important because it doesnโt have to go through probate. I am widowed now and I have my black file folder and my two remaining children know if something happens to me, all they have to do is grab the folder. Everything they need to take care of my estate will be located in this folder. At the beginning of every year, I open this file up and go through everything to make sure itโs up-to-date. If you are young and do not own much or canโt afford a will, you can draft one up but it must be handwritten to be classified as a legal document. You cannot type it out!! If youโre not worth much, everything will most likely be sold to pay your bills and cover your funeral expenses. But you can state who your executor will be in your handwritten will. Disclaimer Iโm not a lawyer or an accountant and this is not legal advice. Talk to a lawyer and talk to an accountant. Make sure everything is set up for you and your situation. These are situations that I personally ran into. Good luck Also Iโll add in. IF you have a lot of assets make an appointment with your accountant first. They will tell you how to properly set things up. Then take that information to your lawyer. read more
Today, Iโm taking a moment to appreciate how far God has brought me. This car means a lot to me because I know the work, patience, and sacrifices that go into building the life you want. It hasnโt always been easy, but Iโve learned to keep going, trust God, and stay focused on my goals. Iโve also learned that you canโt please everybody. Some people will celebrate your progress, while others will question your decisions. Thatโs life. At the end of the day, you know what youโve worked for and what it took to get here. Iโm grateful for how far Iโve come, and I pray God continues to give me the wisdom to keep growing. Never forget where you started, and donโt be afraid to appreciate how far youโve made it. โค๏ธ๐ All thanks and glory to God for this blessing, and special thanks to $SPCX for last weekโs trade with my trading community. Iโm grateful for the opportunities, the lessons, and everyone whoโs been part of the journey. ๐ ECCLESIASTES 3:12โ13 โI know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.โ To me, this verse is a reminder that itโs okay to enjoy what you work hard for. Sometimes weโre so busy chasing the next goal that we forget to appreciate what God has already blessed us with. Not everybody will understand your choices, and thatโs okay. Iโm just thankful for what God has allowed me to accomplish. All glory belongs to Him. ๐ ๐ MY PRAYER FOR EVERYONE READING THIS โค๏ธ Heavenly Father, I pray for everyone reading this post. You know what each person is going through, even the things they donโt share with anybody. You know their worries, their struggles, and the things theyโve been praying for. Lord, please give them strength when life gets hard, peace when their minds are troubled, and hope when things donโt go as planned. Bless their families, provide for their needs, and open doors of opportunity for them. For those who have been working hard and waiting for their prayers to be answered, please give them the patience to keep going and the faith to trust in You. Father, guide their steps, protect their homes, and surround them with people who genuinely want to see them do well. Remind them not to give up just because things are taking longer than they expected. Help them appreciate the little blessings along the way and give You thanks through both the good days and the difficult ones. My prayer is that everyone reading this finds a reason to smile, receives good news, and sees better days ahead. May God bless you and your family, provide for your needs, and give you the strength to keep moving forward. In Jesusโ mighty name, AMEN! ๐โค๏ธ read more
The greatest loss in 2026 is common sense. I dont like elon. Thats plain to see, but if I had to put a reason to it I would say it is because he is a salesmen first. Just a reminder that powerful people will say what is in there best interest first. We should do what is in our best interest first.
As I said last month on Blossom, I pivoted from $RKLB to $PL for one of these reasons. The previous target date for Neutronโs first launch wasnโt realistic, which would imply yet another delay. (Not the only reason for the switch, I also got more bullish on in space data centres and believe $PL will have a huge role) Testing campaign hasnโt even begun, so first quarter of 2027 would have been tight. $RKLB is now targeting 2027 for the inaugural launch of Neutron, with no further estimates on the month or quarter. The stock is down 10% in after-hours trading. Hereโs the company update: https://youtu.be/2wAcXQSgbS0 https://investors.rocketlabcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/rocket-lab-provides-update-neutron-development-and-adjustsread more
President Trump says Russia will supply millions of tons of diesel to U.S. and global markets. ๐ Key Highlights: โฝ U.S. diesel prices hit around $6.28 per gallon. ๐ค Trump reached a supply agreement with Vladimir Putin. ๐ The goal: Increase supply and bring fuel prices down. โ ๏ธ The U.S. temporarily eased sanctions on certain Russian diesel shipments. ๐ BUT THERE'S A CATCH! Analysts question whether the deal will significantly lower prices, while Ukraine criticizes the move. ๐ Could this change the global energy market? ๐ฌ What do you think? Smart move or risky decision ?read more
Expect Downside Volatility In Growth and Tech I believe this is the best way to thrive as a investor in these sectors. They are more volatile. They also have much more upside potential. Those two attributes cannot be separated. Plan for the volatility and mitigate the downside as much as possible while trying to keep the upside potential fully on the table. This is why strive to: 1) Invest Only in Profitable Companies 2) Concentrate in Large Cap 3) Focus on the Highest Growth Sectors 4) Prioritize Low Valuation Metrics High Growth, low valuation, profitable, large cap, low marginal cost. That's my secret sauce. Not financial advice! https://youtu.be/J9imuMxVizI?si=Qihgcu-CwT93XsKsread more
Personally, growing up, life wasnโt so easy for me. There were zero handouts. There was an ugly divorce between my parents that shattered us further financially. And by no means would there ever be a trust fund. But hereโs the deal, I am forever grateful for all of it. Why? It built me into a machine. By 31, I hit coast FIRE and now I spend most of the year traveling and living what I call my rich life. Iโm sharing this with you all because it wasnโt ever and will never be about the money. Yesterday evening, I walked into a restaurant here in Montenegro overlooking the sunset. The waiter asked me what I wanted upon entering the restaurant as he held a menu up. My reply: โgive me your best, no menu needed.โ I had fresh sea bass paired with a tasty Greek salad and a glass of local wine. Investors, please do yourself a favor and stop living for money. Live life and experience it all. Money is merely a tool to allow you to experience. Now Iโm here to just document my journey to $1M and share how I will be 100% work optional by 35: https://www.instagram.com/ari.gutman?xtok=MTZlYW1ldjNqaHM2bA%3D%3D&utm_source=qrread more
๐ Bank earnings kicked off the season and memory chips sold off. The Dow fell 0.35%, the Nasdaq slipped 0.15% and the S&P 500 finished near flat at 0.02% lower. The Dow was up more than 460 points at its high. ๐ฆ JPMorgan Chase ($JPM) closed 0.9% lower after missing on both lines, though it raised 2026 net interest income guidance. Wells Fargo ($WFC) shed 3% on mixed results and Goldman Sachs ($GS) slipped 0.2% despite a revenue beat. ๐ Bumble ($BMBL) soared 56% on news it will be acquired by Ithaca Holdings in an all-cash deal valuing the dating app at $1.3 billion. ๐พ Memory names fell after South Koreaโs Kospi dropped 5.5% to its lowest since July 31 on valuation worries and Chinese competition. CXMT says it will release a more powerful chip by year-end. Micron ($MU) declined more than 3%, Western Digital ($WDC) fell 1.6% and the Roundhill Memory ETF slid more than 3%. ๐ Meta Platforms ($META) climbed more than 2% for a second day on its Muse Wonder AI model rollout. Truist raised its target to $1,000 from $763. ๐ป Paul Tudor Jones told CNBC heโll be short the market all of 2027, comparing conditions to the run-up to the dot-com bust and pointing to debt-financed AI capex and sovereign debt levels. He also sees oil climbing $20 to $25 from here. ๐จ๐ปโ๐ป Researched and written daily by @timeminoread more
Here are my top 9 most favorite books on the topics of money, investing, and the psychology related to it. ๐ I have also shared my short takeaways from each of these books: โ Reboot Your Portfolio (Dan Bortolotti): By simply "owning the market" through globally diversified index funds, you will almost certainly enjoy better performance than the vast majority of investors who buy actively managed funds or try to pick their own stocks. Over the long term, index funds offer the highest probability of achieving your investment goals. โ Atomic Habits (James Clear): If you can get 1% better each day for one year, youโll end up thirty-seven times better by the time youโre done. Focus on making tiny adjustments to your behavior, as small changes lead to lasting improvements. โ Die with Zero (Bill Perkins): Maximize meaningful and memorable experiences in your lifetime when you are healthy and have the capacity to do so. Invest in experiences that yield long-lasting memories and pay you regular "memory dividends". โ The Simple Path to Wealth (JL Collins): Build a financial cushion (F-You Money) to give you a choice, and invest through low cost, broad-market, diversified index funds. โ Rich Dad, Poor Dad (Robert Kiyosaki): Use your money to acquire assets instead of liabilities. โ Choose FI (Chris Mamula, Brad Barrett, Jonathan Mendonsa): Achieving Financial Independence requires a plan, much like building a house, but it is not a one-size-fits-all approach and you can tailor it based on your own journey. โ Quit Like A Millionaire (Kristy Shen, Bryce Leung, JL Collins): Spend your money on experiences that last a lifetime that on material stuff and consumer debt. โ The Psychology of Money (Morgan Housel): Managing your emotional impulses and learning how to behave in face of challenging money decisions, play a crucial role in your financial success. โ I will teach you to be rich (Ramit Sethi): Develop a "Conscious Spending Plan" that aligns with your values and financial goals. ๐ Learn More: https://youtu.be/KIXOYvKgtnw โก๏ธ What are your favorite money/investing/self-development book recommendations?read more
Tony retired in 2024 in his 30s with a portfolio size of just over $850,000. Can Income Investing Fund Early Retirement?! In this interview I talk to him to better understand what it took for him and his wife to walk away from their job in their 30s and live off their investments. We'll see hportfolio built around covered-call ETFs and investment income actually sustain early retirement? Tony, better known as @onemadtony on YouTube and Blossom, is a Vancouver-area investor who left the workforce in 2024 with approximately $850,000 invested. His portfolio has since grown to around $1.23 million, even after withdrawing more than $100,000 over roughly two and a half years. Tony shares his unconventional journey from early trading and dividend investing to covered-call ETFs, income investing, and financial independence in his late 30s. We explore how he structures his portfolio, manages retirement withdrawals, and balances investment income with long-term growth. In this interview, we discuss: ๐ฃHow Tony's upbringing shaped his relationship with money and investing. ๐ฃ Why his mother's cancer diagnosis changed his perspective on work, retirement, and time with family. ๐ฃHow he and his wife decided they could afford to leave their jobs. ๐ฃ His three-part portfolio strategy: living expenses, long-term core holdings, and a more flexible investing account. ๐ฃ Covered-call ETFs, distributions, and why a high yield doesn't automatically mean a sustainable return. ๐ฃ His real-life experiment comparing his income portfolio against $XEQT , $VFV , $QQC , and $HYLD under the same withdrawals. ๐ฃ Retiring with an approximate 5โ7% annual withdrawal rate, keeping a cash reserve, and managing risk. ๐ฃ The psychological appeal of investment income versus selling shares to fund retirement. ๐ฃ Why understanding the risks of income investing is just as important as understanding its benefits. ๐ฃ What financial independence has taught Tony about enjoying the journey instead of waiting until you reach your goal. One of Tony's biggest takeaways is that financial independence isn't just about reaching a portfolio target. It's about having the freedom and flexibility to spend time with loved ones when it matters most. Tony also offers a thoughtful perspective on the income-investing debate: the strategy that works best on paper isn't necessarily the one that helps you feel comfortable enough to stick with it. But before relying on high-distribution ETFs to fund retirement, it's essential to understand where the distributions come from, the potential trade-offs, and what could go wrong. ๐ฟFun Facts: Tony shares how @mr.financial is one of his most favorite Blossomers with his detailed, in-depth videos/posts which create good engagement. ๐ Also similar to @karyungtom, he plays and is a big fan of Magic: The Gathering! ๐ฌ I'd love to hear from you: If you were financially independent today, would you prefer to live off investment distributions or sell a small percentage of your portfolio each year? Why? ... For me personally, I am comfortable enough to sell a small portion of my portfolio, as that way I could have more control over how much money I can withdraw and could potentially lower tax implication based on a more optimized drawdown strategy. https://youtu.be/GmRSZ-v4BO8read more
๐ Stocks split ahead of a heavy week of bank earnings and inflation data. The Dow rose 0.38% for a third straight gain, the S&P 500 slipped 0.06% and the Nasdaq fell 0.44%. ๐พ Micron ($MU) dropped 3.9% to drag on the Nasdaq as investors weighed rising competition from China's CXMT, which reported progress on a new chip structure. โ๏ธ Salesforce ($CRM) rose 2% to lead the Dow higher after Bank of America double upgraded the stock. ๐ฐ๏ธ AST SpaceMobile ($ASTS) climbed around 5% after Deutsche Bank upgraded it to buy and kept its $93 target, implying 82% upside. The stock fell 10% Friday on SpaceX's spectrum purchase and is down more than 26% this year. ๐ฆ Morgan Stanley cut Ally Financial ($ALLY) to equal weight. Analyst Jeffrey Adelson sees less earnings upside with higher rates and a softer credit backdrop, though he isn't calling for margin contraction or worsening auto credit. ๐ข๏ธ Oil climbed after Trump announced an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, which Zelenskyy said Moscow had already violated. WTI rose 2.06% to $93.74 and Brent gained 1.84% to $106.65. The energy sector ETF XLE touched an intraday record, its first in more than a month. ๐จ๐ปโ๐ป Researched and written daily by @timeminoread more
Here are ๐ฉ3 big flags๐ฉthat signal a company might not be a good investment, and I'll walk you through how to check for each one. (Free Stock Checklist at the end) --- 1๏ธโฃ Declining Revenue or Earnings๐ ๐ Why itโs a red flag:A company with falling revenue or earnings may be losing market share, dealing rising costs, or the overall industry is shrinking. โ How to Check for This: A) Look at the Income Statement๐ - Find the companyโs total revenue and net income in its latest financial report. Top-line & bottom-line, respectively. - Compare revenue and net income across multiple quarters/years. 3 years or 12 quarters is more than enough to indicate a trend - If both are consistently declining, itโs a warning sign. B) Check Earnings Reports๐๏ธ - Look at the companyโs quarterly earnings reports to see if theyโve missed expectations multiple times. C) Compare to Competitors๐ - Is the entire industry struggling, or just this company? ๐Website for financial reports: https://www.marketwatch.com/ --- 2๏ธโฃ High Debt Levels ๐ Why itโs a red flag:Companies with a capital structure heavily debt-reliant are more vulnerable in economic downturns and might struggle to repay obligations. โ How to Check for This: A) Find the Debt-to-Equity Ratio (D/E)๐ - Go to the companyโs Balance Sheetin its latest report. - Find Total Debt and Total Equityand calculate: Debt-to-Equity Ratio = Total Debt รท Total Equity** - A D/E ratio above 2.0 (varies by industry) is usually risky. B) Check Interest Coverage Ratio๐ - Look at the Income Statement for EBIT (Earnings Before Interest & Taxes). - Find Interest Expense and calculate:Interest Coverage Ratio = EBIT รท Interest Expense - If this ratio is below 1.5, the company may struggle to pay interest. ๐ Resources: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/debtratio.asp#:~:text=Key%20Takeaways&text=A%20company's%20debt%20ratio%20can,has%20more%20assets%20than%20debt --- 3๏ธโฃ Poor Cash Flow ๐ Why itโs a red flag:A company can be profitable on paper but still run out of cash to fund operations. โ How to Check for This: A) Find the Cash Flow Statement๐ - Look at Operating Cash FlowOCF). - If OCF is negative for multiple quarters, the company may be in trouble. B) Check Free Cash Flow (FCF)๐ฐ - Free Cash Flow = Operating Cash Flow - Capital Expenditures - A company with negative FCF canโt reinvest in growth without taking on debt. ๐ Read more about Cash flow: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/stocks/07/easycashflow.asp ___________________________________________ Thanks for reading, I am open to engage in friendly conversations so I encourage you to leave a comment!๐ฌ Access my free stock checklist at the link belowโฌ๏ธ https://investingwithcole.gumroad.com/l/stockchecklist read more
After nearly 21 years of picking individual dividend growth stocks, I finally reached a point where I had to ask myself the big question.... Do I want to spend the next 40 or 50 YEARS doing this???? When I started investing, I LOVED stock picking. I enjoyed reading quarterly reports, going through investor presentations, comparing valuations and trying to figure out which company in my portfolio was the best place to put my next dollar. And .... I still enjoy it!!! However, after nearly 21 years of doing it, I started looking at the amount of time I was spending versus what I was actually getting in return.... There is a pretty important distinction between being good at researching companies and actually being able to consistently OURPERFORM a broad market index AFTER fees, taxes, mistakes and all the other things that come with trying to beat the market AND add in the time you spent that could have been spent elsewhere, like at my day job. And the empirical data wasn't exactly making me feel better about my odds... it had been glaringly obvious for years.ย So I did something I never thought I would do as a lifelong stock picker..... I sold EVERY. SINGLE. STOCK. in my TFSA. And then I moved into 7 broad market ETFs 3 of which factor tilt.ย I still kept some factor tilting because apparently I wasn't quite ready to give up my active investing addiction entirely ๐คช The biggest change for me wasn't actually my portfolio.....It was my LIFE. I was spending easily 10 plus hours a week researching, monitoring and thinking about my investments. And even when I wasn't sitting at my computer, there was always that little part of my brain wondering whether I should be doing something differently. Now?.... My portfolio requires a fraction of the time. I've gained back more than 10 hours a week that I can spend with my wife, working on the things I actually care about or frankly just existing without thinking about whether some company I own is going to miss its earnings estimate by 3 cents and start to crash.. You can put any of the billion scenarios into that sentence and I was thinking of it (ADHD brain). The reduction in stress has been even more valuable than the time. I didn't even REALIZE I was carrying that market stress around... but my wife sure noticed! I'm no longer constantly asking myself whether I picked the right stock, whether I should sell something, whether I'm missing an opportunity or whether I'm doing enough to outperform the market. The funniest thing is.... well not really funny, kind of sad, after almost 21 years of trying to become a better stock picker, I ended up realizing that maybe the better decision was to stop trying so hard to be one. There was still one question I couldn't answer until enough time had passed.... Did I actually make the right decision? It's now been 10 months since I made the change. It's still a very short period of time... but enough to short out my feelings on things. I've just finished my latest portfolio update, where I go through all 7 ETFs, exactly how I've structured the portfolio, how I'm using factor tilts, and most importantly... What actually happened over those 10 months.... and how did the portfolio perform compared to my benchmark and the S&P 500. https://youtu.be/3khfZJ7SY0g I'm not going to spoil the results here..... watch to see whether I regret walking away from over two decades of stock picking.read more
One of the best parts about the Blossom community is how open everyone is sharing knowledge and experiences. To make things easier for anyone just starting their investing journey, hereโs a simple glossary to help understand and simplify various terms. Common Terms: Dividend: A share of a companyโs profits paid to shareholders, usually quarterly. Ex-Dividend Date: The cutoff date by which you must own a stock to receive its next dividend. ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund): A fund that holds multiple stocks or bonds, traded like a single stock. Covered Call ETF: An ETF that owns stocks and sells call options to generate extra income (higher yield, limited / capped upside). Earnings Report: A companyโs quarterly financial performance summary. EPS (Earnings Per Share): A companyโs profit divided by its number of shares. Market Cap: A companyโs total value (share price ร number of shares). ACB: The total amount youโve paid for an investment, including the purchase price plus any fees or commissions. Book Value: The value of a company according to its financial statements (assets minus liabilities). Yield: Annual dividend as a percentage of the stock/ETF price. Liquidity: How easily an asset can be bought or sold without impacting its price. Volatility: The degree of price fluctuations in a stock or market. Index: A benchmark of stocks (e.g., S&P 500, Nasdaq, TSX). Bull Market: A period of rising stock prices and optimism. Bear Market: A period of declining stock prices and pessimism. False Breakout: When a stockโs price moves above (or below) a key level, making it look like a new trend is starting, but then quickly reverses back. P/E Ratio: Price-to-earnings ratio (stock price รท EPS), used to assess valuation. Blue Chip: Well-established, financially strong companies with a track record of stability. Diversification: Spreading investments across assets to reduce risk. Broker: A platform or firm that facilitates buying and selling investments. Limit Order: An order to buy/sell a stock at a specific price or better. Market Order: An order to buy/sell a stock immediately at the current market price. Bid/Ask Spread: The difference between the highest price buyers offer and the lowest price sellers accept. Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA): Investing a fixed amount regularly to reduce the impact of market swings. Capital Gain/Loss: Profit or loss from selling an investment for more/less than its purchase price. IPO: When a company first sells shares to the public. Index Fund: A fund designed to mirror the performance of a market index. Short Selling: Selling borrowed shares, hoping to buy them back cheaper. Margin: Borrowing money from a broker to buy investments, which amplifies gains and losses. Margin Requirement: The minimum amount of your own money (equity) you must maintain in a margin account to open or keep a leveraged investment position. Margin Call: A demand from your broker to deposit more funds or sell assets because your account equity has fallen below the required margin level. Time Horizon: The length of time you plan to hold an investment before needing the money. Short horizons = more risk-sensitive, long horizons = more room to ride out volatility. Stock Split / Reverse Split: A split increases the number of shares (e.g., 2-for-1) while lowering the price per share. A reverse split reduces the number of shares (e.g., 1-for-10) while raising the price per share. Your overall value doesnโt change just the math. Long (Being Long): Buying a stock or asset because you expect the price to go up. Short (Being Short): Selling a stock you donโt own because you expect the price to go down, so you can buy it back cheaper later. TER: The total yearly cost of owning a fund, including the management fee plus other costs like administration, audits, and legal fees. MER: The annual cost that a fund charges for management (includes any leverage costs if used). Management Fee: A portion of the MER that goes directly to the fund managers for running the fund. Withholding Tax: A tax deducted on dividends/distributions from foreign investments (e.g., U.S. dividends to Canadian investors face a 15% withholding in TFSA/Non-Registered accounts). Total Returns: The full picture of an investmentโs performance, including both price gains and dividends/distributions. CAGR: The average yearly growth of an investment over time. NAV: The price of one share of a fund (stock or etf) NAV Depreciation: When the fundโs share price goes down over time. Mutual Fund: A pool of money from many investors used to buy a mix of stocks, bonds, or other assets. Bond: A loan you give to a company or government, and they pay you back with interest. Asset: Anything valuable you own that can generate money. Portfolio: Your collection of investments. Option: A contract that gives you the right (but not the obligation) to buy or sell a stock at a set price. Future: A contract to buy or sell something at a set price on a future date. REIT: A company that owns real estate and pays investors income from rent. Alpha: A measure of how much better (or worse) an investment did compared to the market. Beta: A measure of how much an investment moves compared to the market. Sharpe Ratio: A way to see if returns are worth the risk taken. Hedging: Protecting your investments from risk. Rebalancing: Adjusting your portfolio back to your target mix of assets. FCF: Free Cash Flow Understanding these terms makes investing far less intimidating. If anyone feels other terms should be included, please share in the comments. Iโll update this post so we can build a complete beginner-friendly resource together! *Sorry tagged a few etfs for reach ๐ซฃread more
Whatโs the most important thing you look for when researching a stock and finding a winner? What are the things that a stock must have in order for you to own it? Let me know below, iโm super curious!
