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your best investments


shootingstar

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I can't totally say that buying home was the super best investment. It's not as if I made a ton of money so far. 

However these other things in life below, I spent $ gave back to me more (my parents contribution was very small to my education, I had earn it + apply for grants):

  • my education-  could people in be in my line of work do it, without the degrees?  Sure, I've met people who at least have university degree or college diploma, in something else. But they stayed in same job/same employer. That's ok, they did well,  However, not have to my degree, wouldn't have helped me in choice of jobs/variety of employers since would not be as mobile nor  moved upward. Yes several jobs  I held, asked for the degree--> salary.  There are enough folks with same qualifications as I, who apply also. So it is competitive matter and this continues to be very real re job market and me knowing, who in fact is interested in my job. So I can't slack off. 
  • 4 bikes- gave back in so many great ways.  $ investment so small compared to my health/fitness, unique trips, de-stressing commutes and time well spent with dearie. 
  • 3 fitness courses each approx. 6-8 wks. long- 2 tai chi, 1 pilate-basic yoga.  Other than those, I've never had a fitness club membership. Gave me some simple stretching exercises that I still use, to prevent pain, remain abit more agile, etc.
  • learning cooking techniques from my mother....through osmosis and her requests to listen/watch her as a teen.  She gave a gift of healthy cooking to me which I use. I probably have a saved some money with her techniques because she cooks primarily from scratch.
  • my art courses- engages my brain /senses in totally different way. It's not just doing art (which have been a lazy for past few yrs.),  helps me appreciate art better when going into any gallery...especially on foreign country visits where time is short. 
  • sewing  machine was a gift. I sewed 80% of my wardrobe until cycling passion overtook my time. I still save money on alterations.
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My cottage has tripled in value over the past 7 years. 

My primary residence and investment houses are up 7 fold over their 18 year ownership. 

The REIT I am invested in grows 20% per year.

My last stock is up 22 times the original investment so, I guess it has done the best but I won't complain about any of it. 

I don't consider money spent on hobbies and sports to be an investment because if times got tough, they would be axed. :) 

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38 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

My last stock is up 22 times the original investment so, I guess it has done the best but I won't complain about any of it. 

I don't consider money spent on hobbies and sports to be an investment because if times got tough, they would be axed. :) 

Now, I don't consider my bikes a "hobby". They literally ARE my transportation since I don't have a car and they were for dearie for 30 yrs of his life because he never bought /owned any car after his divorce.  Bikes were my health/fitness investment also like....healthy food.

If my bike was stolen...it's actually a serious matter for me. Major.

Sewing was not a hobby. It was partially cost-saving fashion survival to be well-dressed at a lower cost/but better fitted clothing.. it was for my teen years (my family was poor) and right through initial years of working post university.

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1 hour ago, Wilbur said:

My last stock is up 22 times the original investment so, I guess it has done the best but I won't complain about any of it. 

 

Got a Canadian stock darling that severely skews everything...in past 5 yrs. it increased market value across everything by 3,400%. increase.  The other day, I took it away (as a theoretical, but real pic exercise) to get a more accurate pic of growth:  22% increase in market value for other instruments in past few yrs. So the baby gives positively misleading drug high pic.

My home in prairie city has dropped by thousands $$$ because of faltering local economy in last few yrs. Oh well. Have a roof over head, etc. I like my neighbourhood.

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33 minutes ago, Allen said:

Yeah, I don’t regret studying art. Pretty much been one of the cornerstones of my life. 

It also seems someone else in your family may have inspired you early in life. 

I've only rented 1 audiotape which such services are offered at major museums and art galleries. Otherwise, I just walk in, enjoy and examine also from a technique perspective. For sure, the art info. plaques might not be in English.  That's ok:  art is to be interpreted in the eyes of the viewer...regardless of what the artist intended.  

 If I didn't have this natural interest/ability, I'm certain I would be seen as more "robotic" in how I think/approach the world. Probably has helped in terms flexing my brain in a totally different way. 

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1 hour ago, Kirby said:

All but one of my pets has been a stray that found me, and the other was adopted from a shelter for a nominal fee.  I didn't spend much to get them, but have spent a lot on medical care, prescription foods, toys and related items over the years.  But they've brought a lot of joy into my life  and have "returned" far more than they cost.

 

We underestimate what keeps /helps us remain well-adjusted.  

I know that my writing, (public) blogging, art and "creative" dabblings seem so small.....I think it helped propel my eldest niece to switch from engineering ...to novel writing.  She knew there was another (older) family member who would intrinsically understand why she made that choice and morally would support her.  I'm very happy to serve my own crazy passions and abilities as way to encourage for next generation in family. So a person doesn't feel "alone" to pursue something that they enjoy and earn some money even though it won't make them king/queen of the bank.

I can't even begin to stress...how important all of this for a person's mental health and happiness. One of my closest friend's hubby, his mother was an art therapist and quite successful.  She used to be a social worker....then raised family for 15 yrs. before returning to paid workforce. (She took additional courses to pursue this specialty.)

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10 hours ago, shootingstar said:

We underestimate what keeps /helps us remain well-adjusted.  

I know that my writing, (public) blogging, art and "creative" dabblings seem so small.....I think it helped propel my eldest niece to switch from engineering ...to novel writing.  She knew there was another (older) family member who would intrinsically understand why she made that choice and morally would support her.  I'm very happy to serve my own crazy passions and abilities as way to encourage for next generation in family. So a person doesn't feel "alone" to pursue something that they enjoy and earn some money even though it won't make them king/queen of the bank.

I can't even begin to stress...how important all of this for a person's mental health and happiness. One of my closest friend's hubby, his mother was an art therapist and quite successful.  She used to be a social worker....then raised family for 15 yrs. before returning to paid workforce. (She took additional courses to pursue this specialty.)

Art has long been a treatment for mental health during convalescence.  I have a painting by a great grandfather while recovering from the last Anglo-Afghan war.  My grandfather took up leather craft recovering from mustard gas poisoning in Dieppe after WW1. 

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1 hour ago, Wilbur said:

Art has long been a treatment for mental health during convalescence.  I have a painting by a great grandfather while recovering from the last Anglo-Afghan war.  My grandfather took up leather craft recovering from mustard gas poisoning in Dieppe after WW1. 

Did he ever fully recover?

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5 hours ago, Wilbur said:

Art has long been a treatment for mental health during convalescence.  I have a painting by a great grandfather while recovering from the last Anglo-Afghan war.  My grandfather took up leather craft recovering from mustard gas poisoning in Dieppe after WW1. 

For niece this is a job....she pays someone else to do her book covers, to do final copy-editing, etc. She has her lst contract with an established publisher for a book. She works out her own marketing campaign for other books that are self-published.  She has 10 published books... 

This is her investment not just for building on what she wants, it has to be seen as a business investment.

A good friend is set to have a publisher release her 2nd book..she's gone through a whole strange merry go round on book cover design, etc. She's had to hire a lawyer to ensure the contract will give her the royalties now and ...after death (eventually).

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1 hour ago, Wilbur said:

No. He saw my birth in 59 but that was it.  He was bed ridden most of his post war life with respiratory and kidney failure caused by the gas. 

My grandfather caught some mustard gas in WWI.  Apparently he pretty much recovered.  He died about the time I was born.

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18 hours ago, Kirby said:

All but one of my pets has been a stray that found me, and the other was adopted from a shelter for a nominal fee.  I didn't spend much to get them, but have spent a lot on medical care, prescription foods, toys and related items over the years.  But they've brought a lot of joy into my life  and have "returned" far more than they cost.

Wow... that sounds very familiar. 

 WoBG and I have had 7 dogs, that includes the 2 we have now.    The last 3 were rescued from our local veterinarian. Two before that were stray dogs that found us and wandered to our home.  Or daughter moved once, and the new apartment didn't allow pets.  Only our first dog was purchased. 

Yeah....  they've brought a lot of joy into our live and have "returned" far more than they cost.  

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My education was my best investment. It didn't make me rich but meant I always had a better-than-avg, paying job, that doctors would explain things in greater detail to me because I was a scientist and listen to my complaints or suggestions more seriously, and the other doors opened for me because of my education.  It's also been a source of self-confidence that, despite coming from a very poor family, I was able to complete grad school in chemistry at IIT.  If I want it bad enough, sure I can do it!

Next was taking a teaching job, even though it meant a cut in pay from industrial research chemist (too much contact with chemicals), turned out to be a great investment because of the nice pension, which I began collecting at age 56, and 75% subsidized, near-Cadillac, BCBS Insurance (became Medicare Supplemental at 65) plus great prescription insurance, vision insurance, and dental insurance.  I mentally pat my younger self on the back every day for switching careers.

My house is my next best investment.  People think owning a house isn't such a great investment but is because you have to consider the net hundreds of thousands more you would have paid in rent through retirement than you did for the house, mortgage, taxes, and maintenance.  And you still end up with a big financial asset.

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28 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

Next was taking a teaching job, even though it meant a cut in pay from industrial research chemist (too much contact with chemicals), turned out to be a great investment because of the nice pension, which I began collecting at age 56, and 75% subsidized, near-Cadillac, BCBS Insurance (became Medicare Supplemental at 65) plus great prescription insurance, vision insurance, and dental insurance.  I mentally pat my younger self on the back every day for switching careers.

My house is my next best investment.  People think owning a house isn't such a great investment but is because you have to consider the net hundreds of thousands more you would have paid in rent through retirement than you did for the house, mortgage, taxes, and maintenance.  And you still end up with a big financial asset.

And you're healthier for becoming a teacher...that research job sounded terrible...if you could taste the chemicals.  You extended your lifespan because of a good choice back then.

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Best investment......motorcycles and racing motorcycles. I think of all the friend that we've made from the racing community are like no other. After a day of racing we have sat in the pits swapping stories we some of the best that ever thrown a leg over a motorcycle.

Just a few on the long list. 

Dave Ropper 

Tripp Nobles

Chris Carr 

Aaron Yates 

Jay Springsteen 

Larry Coleman 

And a long list racers who had fantastic careers in pro racing but never became famous. 

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On 9/5/2021 at 8:55 PM, ChrisL said:

About $600K right side on our home so I’d say that.  Not sure if we’ll ever sell it though so it might be our kids money.

Personally, probably the biggest investment was enlisting in the military. It laid the foundation for who I am. It also paid for my education.

Well said.

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Yeah I’ve thought about that. Our company is a big player in fossil fuels. Potentially even a bigger player with cleaner fuels and if the transition is to Hydrogen the sky is the limit. Time will tell. I’m well aware that many Enron employees put 100% of their retirement investments in Enron stock. Huge mistake. 

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31 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

Yeah I’ve thought about that. Our company is a big player in fossil fuels. Potentially even a bigger player with cleaner fuels and if the transition is to Hydrogen the sky is the limit. Time will tell. I’m well aware that many Enron employees put 100% of their retirement investments in Enron stock. Huge mistake. 

Oh. I haven't bought any fossil fuel company stock at all. I live in a city just super affected by oil-gas economy.  However, maybe 1-2 ETF funds have some fossil fuel firms mixed in with other industries.  Ok, for moi.

Last week, a local chamber of commerce leader said to the media in response to this recent rise from fallen-in-the-dumps oil prices:  "We got to get off this rise and crash cycle". What he meant was that Alberta has to clearly get out of fossil fuels long-term. So some of the major firms have some smaller cleaner fuel  projects on the side.  

BuffJim, downtown Calgary has 30% unleased commercial/office space where fossil fuel and some gas firms laid off thousands of staff and shutdown some offices. Over 1 million sq. ft. just sitting dormant. :(  It was sliding like this 3 yrs. before covid...came on.  

I have little bunches in: renewables, solar, wind, hydroelectric, natural gas and probably hydrogen. The firms I have, own several different types of clean energy facilities. Getting off topic, the areas are: transportation (rail, transcontinental trucking/delivery, tiny in aerospace simulation, car manufacturing parts with focus growing on electric vehicles.... all boring, but necessary), etc.

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45 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

Oh. I haven't bought any fossil fuel company stock at all. I live in a city just super affected by oil-gas economy.  However, maybe 1-2 ETF funds have some fossil fuel firms mixed in with other industries.  Ok, for moi.

Last week, a local chamber of commerce leader said to the media in response to this recent rise from fallen-in-the-dumps oil prices:  "We got to get off this rise and crash cycle". What he meant was that Alberta has to clearly get out of fossil fuels long-term. So some of the major firms have some smaller cleaner fuel  projects on the side.  

BuffJim, downtown Calgary has 30% unleased commercial/office space where fossil fuel and some gas firms laid off thousands of staff and shutdown some offices. Over 1 million sq. ft. just sitting dormant. :(  It was sliding like this 3 yrs. before covid...came on.  

I have little bunches in: renewables, solar, wind, hydroelectric, natural gas and probably hydrogen. The firms I have, own several different types of clean energy facilities. Getting off topic, the areas are: transportation (rail, transcontinental trucking/delivery, tiny in aerospace simulation, car manufacturing parts with focus growing on electric vehicles.... all boring, but necessary), etc.

Political mismanagement is responsible for Alberta’s woes in a wildly profitable industry. Oil and gas is boom bust, the last 7 years have been boom. Stunning that Alberta is struggling. 

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About 30 years ago I purchased some shares of a local business that is not traded publicly from a family member. Uncle Ed bought the stock in 1954 and he was about 80 years old when at a family gathering he said.....your the only family member who is interested in going out there so would you want to buy me out? I thought about it for a total of 23 seconds and said ....YES!!!

The shares sold for $100 per share in 1954 and now worth a small. I plan on giving them to my son in the future and if he plans on selling them that would be his decision.

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1 hour ago, BuffJim said:

Political mismanagement is responsible for Alberta’s woes in a wildly profitable industry. Oil and gas is boom bust, the last 7 years have been boom. Stunning that Alberta is struggling. 

It's important to understand alot of the Calgary/Alberta companies, especially big players are partially foreign owned...which include American owned. So when head office cuts, it will be Canada lst..the "branch".

 

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18 hours ago, BR46 said:

The shares sold for $100 per share in 1954 and now worth a small. I plan on giving them to my son in the future and if he plans on selling them that would be his decision.

Be sure to talk to a CPA or tax lawyer before you do - both to understand capital gain implications (if he's not planning to sell, he might get a step up in basis by inheriting someday instead of being gifted the stock) as well as make sure  any necessary unified estate tax credit forms are filed.  Not filing the right forms could result in gift tax liability to you.

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12 minutes ago, Kirby said:

Be sure to talk to a CPA or tax lawyer before you do - both to understand capital gain implications (if he's not planning to sell, he might get a step up in basis by inheriting someday instead of being gifted the stock) as well as make sure  any necessary unified estate tax credit forms are filed.  Not filing the right forms could result in gift tax liability to you.

We don't make major moves with out talking to them first. 

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2 hours ago, BuffJim said:

Well @shootingstar I took your advice. Just sold 25% of my company stock. Still have 75% left, and 20% of my new contributions go to Company stock.  If it goes badly, I may come looking for restitution. 

My best wishes, BJ! 

How does restitution work in the U.S. or this is at annual tax filing time, to deal with capital losses?  I'm using Canadian tax law jargon and our common tax law mechanism for handling Canadian stocks sold at a loss.

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1 hour ago, shootingstar said:

How does restitution work in the U.S. or this is at annual tax filing time, to deal with capital losses?  I'm using Canadian tax law jargon and our common tax law mechanism for handling Canadian stocks sold at a loss.

They can generally be used to offset capital gains, and  to offfset a limited amount of ordinary income.  This Fidelity article discusses it a bit.

Quote

An investment loss can be used for 2 different things:

  • The losses can be used to offset investment gains
  • The losses can offset $3,000 of income on a joint tax return in one year

Unused losses can be carried forward indefinitely

 

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2 hours ago, shootingstar said:

My best wishes, BJ! 

How does restitution work in the U.S. or this is at annual tax filing time, to deal with capital losses?  I'm using Canadian tax law jargon and our common tax law mechanism for handling Canadian stocks sold at a loss.

Different rules for investments within a retirement plan. In a plan like mine, you never pay taxes on the income that goes into it. When you withdraw, it’s taxed pretty much like regular earnings. So a loss just means that you have less income to pay tax on. Kirby’s scenario is for investments held outside a tax advantaged retirement plan. 
 

Restitution is when I show up at your door looking for money I lost based on your investment advice 💰💰💰😜😜😜

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25 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

Different rules for investments within a retirement plan. In a plan like mine, you never pay taxes on the income that goes into it. When you withdraw, it’s taxed pretty much like regular earnings. So a loss just means that you have less income to pay tax on. Kirby’s scenario is for investments held outside a tax advantaged retirement plan. 
 

Restitution is when I show up at your door looking for money I lost based on your investment advice 💰💰💰😜😜😜

In Canada for your lst 2 sentences, that would be the RRSP. 

Wow, your paragraph sounds like justifiably grumpy employee looking for payback.

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3 hours ago, BuffJim said:

Different rules for investments within a retirement plan. In a plan like mine, you never pay taxes on the income that goes into it. When you withdraw, it’s taxed pretty much like regular earnings. So a loss just means that you have less income to pay tax on. Kirby’s scenario is for investments held outside a tax advantaged retirement plan. 
 

Restitution is when I show up at your door looking for money I lost based on your investment advice 💰💰💰😜😜😜

I'm going to look into doing a Roth conversion 

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