How to Invest ?

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

Well, we are considering dumping some gold. The street price seems to be about a grand an ounce, individuals don't sell directly into themarket with physical gold on hand. There is almost 60 pounds of gold and almost 40 pounds of sterling....anyone interested....LOL

Invest, invest in plastics my friend, plastics, that's where the future is....hmmm, that was another time, another musical.

Now, raise chickens,the future is in chickens, eggs and chickens, cost of inventory is just chicken feed, sell the droppings to survivalists for fertilizer and power needs for their gold. Sell some eggs too when they find out they can't eat the gold. Sell the feathers to keep these survival types warm in the winter since they cam't burn the gold effeciently for heat. There is a future for real chicken kings across the country too. It was the staple of the last great depression for those who could afford meat or for the really smart ones who grew them.

You can boil, broil, fry, grill, deep fry and even bake chicken. Pick anyway you like and sell the prepared meat for more gold. Then trade your gold for land so you can raise more chickens. After awhile, use some of the land you acquire to build chicken eating places, sell it by the bucket, yes, for more gold.

In a short time with the economy in the dumps and skirmishes breaking out, you'll have enough gold to buy a private lake. You can go sailing and always have water, but you may need to purify it. You can do that through very large tubes full of clean chicken feathers, then through a sand filter, then carbon and that should be good enough.

Chickens, that's the future for the self reliant. Become a chicken king, with a string of resturants, private land, a never ending food supply, gold and a private lake to sail. If you play your cards right, you could have a private clothing label, South Face Chicken Feathers!

Good luck,

My investment strategy has been dart throwing and it has worked as well as any other, IMO.

I really do want to go with your advice........

But I'm chicken!!!

[tropicalescape]

Invest in ones self and if you have a positive mind set and a good woman to stand behind you you will do well...worked for me once or twice...DVC

[Victory49]

If only could get an alchemist to convert my lead keel to gold....

Gold would make great ballast!

Like anything, gold is worth what people value it , but if not for the security blanket value it would be getting cheaper over time. At various price points extraction and mining of low levels of gold become feasible, and the gold mining business is booming now. Even seawater hAs gold in it.....

The gold bubble will pop, once people realize the economy is not actually going to explode. The gold emperor has no clothes.

That said, I agree we could hit 3000 an ounce or more before the bubble bursts.

Buying gold now is like buying real estate 5 years ago, It may be a terrific investment..

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Victory49

If only could get an alchemist to convert my lead keel to gold....

Ah! a chance to get in one of my favorite one liners.
- - Everybody knows you cannot change lead into gold, you use plastic. Put it into a machine and out pops "gold" (money).

[capngeo]

The only gold I own is in my mouth in the form of a crown!

I don’t know much about stocks and the market. I have all my money in property... and before you laugh, I have consistently averaged 10-15% return. The “bubble” didn’t affect me as I didn’t BUY squat during it... I sold. The properties I held, I rent and do well in keeping them occupied. I figure the real estate market will bottom in the next 12-24 months and it will be time to buy again... I sure will be happy to get the lumps out of my mattress!

[tropicalescape]

dont laugh, but how about US treasure bonds...In a world(kennel) full of dogs we are still the best looking dog in the show!!Just ask Japan,England,China... they are still buying, even after the down grade by S&P DVC

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

dont laugh, but how about US treasure bonds...In a world(kennel) full of dogs we are still the best looking dog in the show!!Just ask Japan,England,China... they are still buying, even after the down grade by S&P DVC

Yes and with 2% yield on a 10 year T note that's better than any savings account right now.

There are also mutual funds that invest in the same things - just more convenient.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Dan_78

Not so much for investment reasons, I did get some loose stones. During a trip (ok maybe a few) to Colombia, I went to a well known shop for emeralds people I worked with went to. This shop has a good reputation for quality. Over a few trips, I got a few stones. The largest I got is a 2.95 carat emerald in the shape of a heart. I payed around $600. Got back to the states and an appraisal was at $2500-3000.
Like I said, it wasn't for investment but it's not something I'm going to sell anytime soon either.

did you pay for the appraisal? if so add to the cost of the rock then try to get the appraisal price and if it works go buy some more .. sounds like my buddy who put 5000.oo worth of furniture in a storage building @ 175.00 a month for two years and then sold the furniture for 450.00 after all was said and done .I never understand it when people tell me that they invested 1000.00 and now its worth 4000.oo..I tell them if thats the case take the profit and let the principal ride ,they most often say no i'm in for the long run...all I can think is there is something wrong with this picture..why not take the profit if its such a good deal...dan I know you said its not an investment but so many people tell me that what they are doing is and for the life of me I cant figure it out...is it our culture of greed?..DVC

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Dan_78

Not so much for investment reasons, I did get some loose stones. During a trip (ok maybe a few) to Colombia, I went to a well known shop for emeralds people I worked with went to. This shop has a good reputation for quality. Over a few trips, I got a few stones. The largest I got is a 2.95 carat emerald in the shape of a heart. I payed around $600. Got back to the states and an appraisal was at $2500-3000.
Like I said, it wasn't for investment but it's not something I'm going to sell anytime soon either.

Back in the day (don't you love that term) when I ran a used vehicle department for a major dealership, we had a saying, "A car is worth what someone will write a check for".

Appraisals are best guesses, usually for insurance purposes and usually at retail.

Try selling a stone in the open market... a $2000 appraised stone may bring you $750-900.

[TugTubPaul]

If you want to invest, find some friends that need money to start or grow a business, and work with them. Put your money in places that you can make a sound decision on the capabilities of the people taking your money. Would you rather trust your friends with your hard earned money or a bunch of guys that need to make a mortgage payment on their home in the hamptons.

Outside of that take a look at peer to peer lending. I use lending club and get an 8% return on my deposits.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by avb3

Try selling a stone in the open market... a $2000 appraised stone may bring you $750-900.

Where's a shingle beach when you need it?

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by TugTubPaul

If you want to invest, find some friends that need money to start or grow a business, and work with them. Put your money in places that you can make a sound decision on the capabilities of the people taking your money. Would you rather trust your friends with your hard earned money or a bunch of guys that need to make a mortgage payment on their home in the hamptons.

Outside of that take a look at peer to peer lending. I use lending club and get an 8% return on my deposits.

Peer to peer lending is an interesting idea. However, going into business with friends is a very good way to reduce your number of friends, IMHO.

[stillbuilding]

I am not qualified to argue gold as investment one way or other BUT I think it is a particularly insular view to think that individuals do not freely trade gold for cash. Throughout Asia, including HK where I live, gold is freely traded by local housewives. Every village has a gold trader.

[pteron]

With QE1 QE2 and the highly likely QE3, there is a huge amount of money waiting to work its way through the system. There *will* be asset inflation but who knows which assets will inflate?

House prices are being artificially held high by the extremely low interest rates. I don't see those rates going up much in the near future as the biggest borrower (the US government) would then have to pay even more.

Politicians have mortgaged the future to buy votes and protect their funding sources.

My money's on gold and defensive stocks.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by pteron

House prices are being artificially held high by the extremely low interest rates. I don't see those rates going up much in the near future as the biggest borrower (the US government) would then have to pay even more.

The national US housing index price is now the same as in 2003. Obviously there are significant regional differences.

On a constant value basis, if your house was 125K in 2003, it would need to bring 151K now to break even, due to inflation.

The question becomes, is that house 150K house going to decline to a value that is less then it was in 2003?

My suspicion is that there are significant values in real estate right now that can be taken advantage of. The gain will probably be made on income (rentals) as much or more then capital gain.

Gold is alluring, but one only can look for capital gain (or loss), and no income.

It's a thought that bears looking at.