me <ha[at]look.nospam> wrote in message news:<6462g0thuub9dp9to3annmrgo2nggo8gbo[at]4ax.com> ...

- quote -

What is the ticker for this fund?

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 12:52:53 CST, Sagittaria
<sagittaria[at]gmail.com.nospam> wrote:

- quote -

AGF has a fund called "common sense" which has averaged about 10%
return for the last 3 years. You might want to look at something like
that.

On 19 Jul 2004 12:15:06 GMT, "JS Rodewald" <basil[at]nycap.rr.com> wrote:

- quote -

I feel the same way each time I see that some financial services
outfit was hit with a multi-million dollar fine. My concern is not
that they were naughty, but how and from whom the financial services
outfit got that kind of money in the first place!


-HW "Skip" Weldon
Columbia, SC

I agree whole-heartedly. Unfortunately, since so many people don't
understand the basics of finance there is a lot of opportunity for abuse out
there. I try to get others to ask themselves who do they think is paying for
the TV ads? Its illustrative at times.

-JSR

In article <LOUJc.19108$ve2.470[at]okepread05> , Brent D. Gardner, ChFC
<bgardner20[at]cox.net> wrote:

- quote -

But if you really want to be taken to the cleaners, it takes a pro.
Just look at all the so-call financial planners that have been
busted over the past years. Just the other day, it was MBNA. They
got caught selling VUL to retired school teachers, replacing
rock solid garanteed investments with highly speculative junk bonds,
many of which lost everything. Another classic was the Prudential
scandal, where the company used high pressure sales to con thousands
of elderly people. And today, agents out there selling annuities
into IRA's is done like shooting fish in a barrel.

The bottom line is that nobody cares about your money like you
do. Never, ever trust it to someone else. Learn about it,
understand it, and do the best you can. But for heavens sake,
never give your money to someone who has a degree or license
that proves they know the best way to shake you down. You'll
be paying for thier boat and mansion until it is all gone.

-john-

--
================================================== ==================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john[at]johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ==================

"Jimmy Smith" <nospam[at]pleaseno.more> wrote in message
news:QEZIc.2706$uU4.534[at]bignews3.bellsouth.net...
- quote -

Jimmy,

You're absolutely right!

Welcome to the internet, where amateurs can help other amateurs destroy
their finances faster than ever before -- it is a group effort, you see.
SNAFU

A decade ago, when dealing with the perpetually confused, an advisor's
competition for ideas was their neighbors, family, friends and co-workers.
Today, add a virtually unlimited number of anonymous bozos from the
internet. Many hold theirself out as experts, when they are often late on
their own housepayments, but how can one tell the difference?

In many ways, forums like these post a serious danger to the uninitiated.
They were formed for professionals to kibitz about the craft of advice, but
have been polluted with amateurs giving advice to people in serious need of
professional help. Millions of people will suffer financially, as a direct
result. That's the downside of these forums. Color them TARFU.

The upside is that business has never been better for those who know what
they are doing. Doing things right the first time produces average margins
for those in the advisor channel. On the other hand, FIXING self-created
problems of those who have progressed to the FUBAR stages of financial
self-help is VERY profitable. This is why sub-prime mortgages, special
financing (read: high risk lending), credit counseling, credit
consolidation, rent-to-own, lease-to-own, pre-paid and guaranteed-to-issue
credit cards, et al., are BOOMING businesses.

Anybody with a computer and internet access can give advice these days. The
advice is FREE. The neat thing is the people that listen to amateurs get
exactly what they pay for, in terms of consideration in exchange for value,
right back to SNAFU.

TANSTAAFL

Brent D. Gardner, ChFC
Chartered Financial Consultant
http://members.cox.net/brentdgardner1378/

"Be ever questioning. Ignorance is not bliss. It is oblivion. You don't go
to heaven if you die dumb. Become better informed. Learn from other's
mistakes. You could not live long enough to make them all yourself." - Hyman
George Rickover (1900-86), Admiral, US Navy, advocated development of
nuclear subs & ships

The Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant
(ChFC), designations owned and exclusively offered by The American College,
signify the highest standards of academic study and professional excellence
in the financial services industry.

In article <QEZIc.2706$uU4.534[at]bignews3.bellsouth.net> , Jimmy Smith
<nospam[at]pleaseno.more> wrote:

- quote -

Why? If you read my reply closely, you will see that I gave "ideas",
not advice. The questions were pretty straight forward. What more
would you need to know?

-john-

--
================================================== ==================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john[at]johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ==================

To provide any advice to someone, like this, who provides so little
background information is ludicrous.

Jimmy

"Sagittaria" <sagittaria[at]gmail.com.nospam> wrote in message
news:Xns952276E5C2D4Dsagittaria[at]216.168.3.44...
- quote -

In article <Xns952276E5C2D4Dsagittaria[at]216.168.3.44> , Sagittaria
<sagittaria[at]gmail.com.nospam> wrote:

- quote -

If you need the money in 2 to 3 years, you cannot be taking much risk
with the principal. The money market account isn't all that bad since
it is easy to get to when you need it, and there are no fees.

There are a few ideas for doing better. First off, if you have any
debt, pay off the debt. That will give you a much better rate of
return. This gives you 2 to 3 years to save it up again, or to
reborrow it. Paying off a credit card would be a big win since you
will save tons of interest, fees, and you can just charge back the
money when you need it...assuming you cannot save it up again.

Another idea is getting a CD. If you know about when you need the
money, get a CD that comes due just before that time period. Your
stock broker can sometimes get brokered CD's that have better returns
than what your local bank has.

A final idea is checking with your broker on a corporate bond that
comes due about when you need the money. You take just a bit more
risk, but you can somewhat control the risk by going only with the
top investment grade of bonds. This really does lock you in since
you take a bath selling bonds early.

- quote -

I would look at a money market account. Most money market accounts
have limits on check size, such as a $100 minimum. What you can do
is write all your checks for the week or month from your regular
checking account, then cover the checks with a check from your
money market account. This lets you earn the money market rate
of return while having the flexibility of a regular checking account.

To get even more tricky, every time you get an extra $1000 in your
working capital account above what you think you will need, put it
into a CD to get a better rate of return. You can ladder these CD's
by buying a 1 year, 2 year, etc through 5 year. Once you build your
ladder, then buy 5 year CD's after that. This lets you earn the better
rate of return of a 5 year CD, yet having the money come due every
year like a 1 year CD. You can also do this with 90 day increments
rather than 1 year increments if that makes you more comfortable.
What it means is if you get in cash flow trouble in your working
account, your CD money is only 90 days away worst case.

-john-

--
================================================== ==================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john[at]johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ==================

What's the best place to put 3-4 thousand dollars that won't be needed
for 2-3 years, to get a little return during that time? Currently it's
in a money market account earning 2.5%. And what about working funds of
a few thousand dollars - currently in a checking account earning no
interest. Is there any way to earn a return on that? Any ideas would be
appreciated.


--
----> Sagittaria<----