Comments on: The Biggest Stumbling Block to Your Investment Success: YOU! http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/ A personal finance blog dedicated to discussing such topics as budgeting, asset allocation, 401K, IRA, cash flow, insurance, financial planning, portfolio management, and other areas in personal finance. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:00:57 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: JLP http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/comment-page-1/#comment-98289 JLP Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:47:32 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/#comment-98289 Phil, Yes, you have to take fees into consideration when dollar-cost-averaging. As "ciwood" says, look for low-cost funds like Vanguard, Fidelity, or T. Rowe Price. Some of them allow you to start with a small amount and won't charge you an arm and a leg as long as you sign up for their automatic plan. If there is an initial minimum to meet, consider saving your money in an account at ING Direct or GMACBank. Phil,

Yes, you have to take fees into consideration when dollar-cost-averaging. As “ciwood” says, look for low-cost funds like Vanguard, Fidelity, or T. Rowe Price. Some of them allow you to start with a small amount and won’t charge you an arm and a leg as long as you sign up for their automatic plan. If there is an initial minimum to meet, consider saving your money in an account at ING Direct or GMACBank.

]]> By: ciwood http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/comment-page-1/#comment-98288 ciwood Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:38:12 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/#comment-98288 Dollar cost averaging works best with no load mutual funds where there is no investment fee. Choose Vanguard, Fidelity or T.Rowe Price brokerage and you get their funds at no transaction cost and many other funds with a low or declining back end load. Dollar cost averaging works best with no load mutual funds where there is no investment fee. Choose Vanguard, Fidelity or T.Rowe Price brokerage and you get their funds at no transaction cost and many other funds with a low or declining back end load.

]]> By: Phil http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/comment-page-1/#comment-98267 Phil Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:58:24 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/#comment-98267 A question about dollar cost averaging: I agree with the idea, but with the exception of the 401k, don't you need to take broker costs into account? - what do you suggest would be the minimum amount to invest assuming discount broker costs will be paid? - or what maximum percentage of the investment can be eaten by broker costs and at what frequency of investing do you suggest to take advantage of dollar cost averaging? A question about dollar cost averaging: I agree with the idea, but with the exception of the 401k, don’t you need to take broker costs into account? – what do you suggest would be the minimum amount to invest assuming discount broker costs will be paid? – or what maximum percentage of the investment can be eaten by broker costs and at what frequency of investing do you suggest to take advantage of dollar cost averaging?

]]> By: Bryan C. Fleming http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/comment-page-1/#comment-98207 Bryan C. Fleming Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:23:35 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/#comment-98207 I like the idea of rebalancing every couple years. I'll have to try that one. - Bryan I like the idea of rebalancing every couple years. I’ll have to try that one.

- Bryan

]]> By: Zachary http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/comment-page-1/#comment-98183 Zachary Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:24:52 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/#comment-98183 Great run-down of the stumbling blocks we erect for ourselves as people and as investors. Focusing on the long-term will solve most of these problems! Great run-down of the stumbling blocks we erect for ourselves as people and as investors. Focusing on the long-term will solve most of these problems!

]]> By: Miguel http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/comment-page-1/#comment-98172 Miguel Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:17:35 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/#comment-98172 I think I've made most of those mistakes at one time or another. Fortunately, thru the lessons of my mistakes, I eventually, settled on a system much as one you described. I think I’ve made most of those mistakes at one time or another. Fortunately, thru the lessons of my mistakes, I eventually, settled on a system much as one you described.

]]> By: Dylan http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/comment-page-1/#comment-98171 Dylan Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:06:18 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/#comment-98171 Great post! My three guiding principles of investing are diversify, minimize costs, and GET OUT OF THE WAY. Great post! My three guiding principles of investing are diversify, minimize costs, and GET OUT OF THE WAY.

]]> By: JLP http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/comment-page-1/#comment-98153 JLP Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:12:47 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/#comment-98153 Rob, Good point. It definitely works both ways. Rob,

Good point. It definitely works both ways.

]]> By: Rob http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/comment-page-1/#comment-98152 Rob Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:11:02 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/04/17/the-biggest-stumbling-block-to-your-investment-success-you/#comment-98152 Excellent post. I would only point out that we must remember that short-sightedness works both ways. Just as peopel thought the market would always go up during the internet bubble, there were lots of people who got out of the market at the bottom in 2002 thinking it would never go up again. These are the same types of people who are now renting instead of buying because they think that the housing market is doomed and will never recover, and will probably buy again after the rebound has already occurred. Excellent post. I would only point out that we must remember that short-sightedness works both ways. Just as peopel thought the market would always go up during the internet bubble, there were lots of people who got out of the market at the bottom in 2002 thinking it would never go up again. These are the same types of people who are now renting instead of buying because they think that the housing market is doomed and will never recover, and will probably buy again after the rebound has already occurred.

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