stillkicking
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This is something I feel needs to be said... so here goes.
Next month, I'll be 65. Been lucky in life. Ran a small business from the time a graduated college. I still run it. That's something right there. Some 45 years and still going albeit way less than my heydays, for sure.
Never married, no children. My biggest regret in life. Always felt there was time. I was wrong. Don't you make that mistake.
Tried my hand at trading back in 1999 during the great "day trading" boom. Lost $18,000 in a matter of weeks. Vowed never to do that again and for 19 years, I never did.
Then, last December, I opened an Ameritrade account with money from a small life insurance policy I sold. Figured I made it this far and have no dependents, none that need my money, anyway. Was only going to buy a few stocks for long term holding but got the itch to try trading once more. It's a hard habit to break. Once in your blood, that is.
Tried some swing trading and made out fairly well. Was up about $1700 for December. To be honest, almost as much as I made in my business. Like I said, sales are not what they used to be. This month, January, is even better. Still two days to go and I'm up over $4100, after commissions. That's fantastic and will likely only get better as I learn the market more and more each day I trade.
When I do start collecting Social Security in a few years (I plan to hold off as long as I can to get the extra 8% per year) I'll only get around $1750/month. That may not sound like a lot, and in today's economy it really isn't, but it is more than what the average person my age will get. Most are lucky to get back $1400 and many get a lot less. Once you start collecting SS, that amount never changes until the day you die save for a small increase for inflation and even that does not come every year. You also need to consider how much less that amount will cover as time goes on. Inflation is a killer, my friends.
For you younger folks reading this, it will likely get even worse. In fact, you may not have it at all.
I also have some savings in my mutual funds so I'll still be OK... as long as my health holds out. Health care and the associated medical costs can be the biggest factor to how well you will live out your senior years. I've done a lot if research, so I know what I'm talking about. Things start to get scary at this point in ones life.
Then, along comes stock trading... Part 2. This time, I'm older and I'm wiser and maybe just a bit more careful... who can say. This time, I make it work. I make money on most every trade. Better than most can claim. Not bragging.. just stating the facts.
I have come to the realization that I will now never have to worry about paying my bills or losing my home. It's a beautiful thing and a most wonderful gift to be able to claim that at 65 years of age.
I read articles all the time about how hard so many seniors have it. Whether to buy their meds or buy food to eat. They often don't have enough money to do both. That is not the way it's supposed to be in this country. They lose their home and their self esteem along with it. A downward spiral from which they can never recover.
I've been truly blessed. I'm not any smarter than anyone else. Maybe determined is a better way to describe me. The tortoise vs the hare kind of thing. I may have taken longer to get here but in the end, I got here.
It bothers me that this can lift up so many lives and no one really cares enough to give others this gift. If each of us mentored just one other person to trade, think of the change you could make in that person's life.
A very wise man once said "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day... teach him to fish and you feed him for life"
Pay it forward, I think they call it.
Next month, I'll be 65. Been lucky in life. Ran a small business from the time a graduated college. I still run it. That's something right there. Some 45 years and still going albeit way less than my heydays, for sure.
Never married, no children. My biggest regret in life. Always felt there was time. I was wrong. Don't you make that mistake.
Tried my hand at trading back in 1999 during the great "day trading" boom. Lost $18,000 in a matter of weeks. Vowed never to do that again and for 19 years, I never did.
Then, last December, I opened an Ameritrade account with money from a small life insurance policy I sold. Figured I made it this far and have no dependents, none that need my money, anyway. Was only going to buy a few stocks for long term holding but got the itch to try trading once more. It's a hard habit to break. Once in your blood, that is.
Tried some swing trading and made out fairly well. Was up about $1700 for December. To be honest, almost as much as I made in my business. Like I said, sales are not what they used to be. This month, January, is even better. Still two days to go and I'm up over $4100, after commissions. That's fantastic and will likely only get better as I learn the market more and more each day I trade.
When I do start collecting Social Security in a few years (I plan to hold off as long as I can to get the extra 8% per year) I'll only get around $1750/month. That may not sound like a lot, and in today's economy it really isn't, but it is more than what the average person my age will get. Most are lucky to get back $1400 and many get a lot less. Once you start collecting SS, that amount never changes until the day you die save for a small increase for inflation and even that does not come every year. You also need to consider how much less that amount will cover as time goes on. Inflation is a killer, my friends.
For you younger folks reading this, it will likely get even worse. In fact, you may not have it at all.
I also have some savings in my mutual funds so I'll still be OK... as long as my health holds out. Health care and the associated medical costs can be the biggest factor to how well you will live out your senior years. I've done a lot if research, so I know what I'm talking about. Things start to get scary at this point in ones life.
Then, along comes stock trading... Part 2. This time, I'm older and I'm wiser and maybe just a bit more careful... who can say. This time, I make it work. I make money on most every trade. Better than most can claim. Not bragging.. just stating the facts.
I have come to the realization that I will now never have to worry about paying my bills or losing my home. It's a beautiful thing and a most wonderful gift to be able to claim that at 65 years of age.
I read articles all the time about how hard so many seniors have it. Whether to buy their meds or buy food to eat. They often don't have enough money to do both. That is not the way it's supposed to be in this country. They lose their home and their self esteem along with it. A downward spiral from which they can never recover.
I've been truly blessed. I'm not any smarter than anyone else. Maybe determined is a better way to describe me. The tortoise vs the hare kind of thing. I may have taken longer to get here but in the end, I got here.
It bothers me that this can lift up so many lives and no one really cares enough to give others this gift. If each of us mentored just one other person to trade, think of the change you could make in that person's life.
A very wise man once said "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day... teach him to fish and you feed him for life"
Pay it forward, I think they call it.
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