Investing Principles Made Simple

By C.P.Billows

You do not need to be an accountant or a financial wizard to handle your investments. There are some basic principles to follow, known as the KISS principle. KISS is generally know to stand for "Keep It Short & Simple" but I think the acronym can also apply to investing:

K - Keep invested

I - Invest in stocks

S - Self-direct your investments

S - Small investments possess an advantage

K - Keep invested and don't become discouraged

There are lots of people who enter the stock market, get burned, drop out, and then hand their finances over to a broker or mutual fund seller. That is the wrong thing to do. Losing money in the stock market is all a part of learning how to invest.

I have lost thousands on bad investments but I have also made more thousands on good investments. I still come out ahead because the good investments are that much better and I have invested wisely. The worst thing I could do is become discouraged and drop out of the market.

Investing is like any skill. It takes practice and knowledge to master. You need to keep investing and learning. The trick is to start small and increase your investments as your mastery develops.

Consistent contributions are critical especially if you are depositing into a retirement account. Every contribution will help reduce your taxes payable and all of your gains are allowed to grow tax-free.

I - Invest in stocks and instruments related to stocks

The best place to park your money is in stocks. There are thousands to choose from but for long term planning it is best to pick sold big capital stocks that are the basis of your long term plan.

You can invest in mutual funds but be prepared to get poorer results. Diversification is taken to the negative extreme in these financial instruments and the fund has to overcome its own hefty management fees before it can even turn a profit for you. You can find better results by investing in a few sold companies and in Exchange Traded Funds.

Stocks come in five basic varieties. You want to avoid the last one and invest in the others depending on your investing philosophy.

a) Blue-Chip Stock - Solid companies whose steady profits allow it to pays out dividends. These should make up a majority of your stock portfolio.

b) Growth Stock - Typically technology or biotechnology companies that grow and expand. Rarely do they pay out dividends because they plow their profits back into the expansion.

c) Value Stocks - Companies that the market has undervalued. The market is not always rational and sometimes these companies make great buy-out opportunities for other firms.

d) Mad Money Stocks - Very speculative stocks that are not making any profits but have a product you believe in. Depending on your investing constitution, set aside 0-10% of your portfolio for some speculative fun.

e) The Dregs - Companies that are losing money, revenue, and leadership. Avoid these unless you are interested in betting against their decline in what is called 'shorting'.

Some investment firms will value stocks by the size of the company in stock value. That is useful to tell you how big a company is, but it would be like valuing the denomination of dollar bills - a $100 is always worth more that a $20 bill - so what? Two companies might trade for $100 but in actual fact the worth of the company behind the stock price is like a $100 bill in US money and a $100 bill in Mexican money. They are not worth the same amount.

General Motors is one of the largest publicly traded companies but should not be considered a blue-chip. GM has had declining revenues, has debt problems, and faces very stiff competition from the Asian automakers.

S - Self-directed accounts ensures lower trading costs and control

Get a self-directed/discount brokerage account. Do not go with a stock broker if you have every intention of taking control of your financial future. Some options are

This allows you to both save money and act in contrarian ways when the rest of the market is panicking. It is possible to double your money on stocks that everyone has given up on. The fact is most investors operate on fear and emotion. You can win in the stock market if you are one of those people who blink last.

S - Smallness can be an advantage in the investing world

Not having millions of dollars is an advantage you can leverage to your benefit. Large institutional investors like pension plans and mutual funds cannot enter the market without hurting some of their investments. You on the other hand, can purchase stocks at great prices without driving up the price. You can also get out of a stock investment without worrying about driving down the price.

Having millions of dollars to invest has its own set of headaches, one you likely want to experience, but until then, you should take advantage of your smaller size as an investor. Nimbleness has distinct advantages in the stock market. Enjoy it while you are still small.

There you have it: the KISS principle for the investing world. Hopefully, you will be inspired to take control over your investments with these principles. - 23159

About the Author:

C.P.Billows is the publisher of In The Money, the Stock Options Trading Course, a 60 page eBook available at www.mandalainvesting.com. The eBook has given hundreds of people the investing edge they need to keep ahead of inflation and taxes. Click here to submit article.

Government Auctions Tax Lien Sales and How to Profit From Them

By Jane McIntrye

Every time someone defaults on their property taxes, the government can foreclose on their home. It's a common practice, and by the way things are going, they'll be listing foreclosures even more in the future. It goes without saying that this is a terrible ordeal for any homeowner, but there is a bright spot in the form of a tax lien auction as outlined in this article. In fact, a tax lien can help a homeowner prevent foreclosure while providing an a good investment, so it can actually turn out to be a win-win situation!

A public property tax sale, also known as 'property tax liens', are auctions organized by local government councils in an effort to dispose of tax debt. What occurs is that the public bids on the debt owed by the property owner. For argument sake say you are the winning bidder. That means you are paying off the tax debt on behalf of the property owner by buying a tax lien certificate which establishes you as the new lender to the property owner. The property owner has to pay you back with interest before the expiration of the redemption period as predefined by the government. This redemption period can be any time between 6 months to 4 years.

The homeowner must then pay the winner back all their money plus interest by a specific date. The date will be determined and agreed upon by both parties. The lender is allowed to raise the interest anytime the homeowner fails to make a payment. If the homeowner continues to fail on the payments, the winning bidder will then be permitted to take over the home and the title. Either by profiting on the interest or by receiving the title to the home, the lender wins both ways.

Obviously, a savvy business person would like the homeowner to be unable to pay back the loan or default on the loan terms, so that they can receive title on the property themselves. It's in the homeowner's best interest to pay their dues on the home and home tax loan, but if their financial situation was bad in the first place, there's is a chance it may not improve anytime soon in this economy. In many cases, all odds are against the homeowner.

A tax deed sale is different then a tax lien sale. The main detail the two hold in common is that they're both sold at local municipal government auctions. At a tax deed sale the municipality sells the actual property with title, with the top bid winning the rights to the property immediately. The current homeowners do not have an option to pay a new lender in an effort to maintain the property. Any outstanding liens and or penalities may or may not have to be honored as declared by the local or state governments. You can find which is the case beforehand by contacting these offices toavoid encountering any unexpected costs.

These government auction tax sale opportunities may be the best investments one can make because you actually have a house and/or property that either you own or have as collateral should your lien interest payments not be made. Just reflect on the amount of money you can make by purchasing a tax lien and charging high interest rates, or paying the defaulted taxes, receiving the house and either renting it for a monthly income or reselling it for a healthy profit. - 23159

About the Author:

To find websites with the best tax lien and tax deed opportunities and receive a free Government Tax Liens Report visit property tax sales or to visit the sites's main page page click government auctions.