Search found 339 matches

by 6 Iron
Sat Jun 26, 2010 1:15 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: Cash level and the accumulation phase
Replies: 2
Views: 4893

Cash level and the accumulation phase

When I add to my permanent portfolio, it goes into the cash component initially, regardless of the account (retirement, taxable, etc). When my cash component exceeds 25%, I use the surplus to buy the most lagging component, but do not allow my cash component to drop much below 25%, allowing for mino...
by 6 Iron
Sat Jun 19, 2010 9:42 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Rebalance how often?
Replies: 10
Views: 8834

Re: Rebalance how often?

Clive wrote: .....rebalancing yearly to rebalancing at 15/35 bands using MIDWAY rebalancing.
Clive, could you clarify what you mean by midway rebalancing? Thanks.
by 6 Iron
Sat Jun 05, 2010 11:36 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: Gold leasing
Replies: 4
Views: 4806

Re: Gold leasing

Being the only reply to your own thread is probably the social equivalent of taking your mom to the prom. Still, this topic intrigues me because I read of some investors that do not trust GLD, or IAU, and speak of market manipulation. The concept of gold leasing struck me as mysterious. I can see re...
by 6 Iron
Sat Jun 05, 2010 11:20 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Vanguard as IRA Custodian for USian HBPP via ETFs
Replies: 15
Views: 12235

Re: Vanguard as IRA Custodian for USian HBPP via ETFs

The recent changes in the Vanguard fee structure for trading make holding ETF's more attractive. At present, my Vanguard holdings are in funds (except for TLT and a little SGOL). But this brings to mind a question regarding maximizing returns on volatility. With ETF's it would be possible to place s...
by 6 Iron
Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:41 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: Gold leasing
Replies: 4
Views: 4806

Gold leasing

What,if any, thoughts do my fellow posters have on gold leasing by the central banks, and, its potential impact on the performance of the permanent portfolio? I have thought of this as I think of the weather; interesting to talk about, but beyond my sphere of influence beyond wardrobe and activity s...
by 6 Iron
Thu May 27, 2010 10:11 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Rebalance how often?
Replies: 10
Views: 8834

Re: Rebalance how often?

I like the idea of absolute standards taking the guesswork out of a rebalance trigger. That said, I am more comfortable with a 20-30% trigger band than a 15-35% band. It would push me out of my comfort zone to be sitting on 34.6% exposure to long bonds, or 15.3% exposure to stocks, and say, "let it ...
by 6 Iron
Tue May 25, 2010 10:50 pm
Forum: Stocks
Topic: Ok to use VT (world ETF)"
Replies: 13
Views: 38453

Re: Ok to use VT (world ETF)"

A Permanent Portfolio, however, already has very strong currency insurance from the gold allocation.  Adding international stocks seems redundant to me.  Adding international stocks to the mix increases expenses and complexity, neither of which is a good thing. None other than Harry Browne would ag...
by 6 Iron
Tue May 25, 2010 6:40 pm
Forum: Stocks
Topic: Ok to use VT (world ETF)"
Replies: 13
Views: 38453

Re: Ok to use VT (world ETF)"

I'm just starting out. I plan to put $25,000 in GTU, VGSH, VGLT and VT. I'm a Vanguard fan and I also believe I need "world" exposure. Fred, with VT, well over 50% of your equity exposure will be outside of the US. That is more than I personally want, and I have opted for a blend of 80% in VTI, and...
by 6 Iron
Sat May 22, 2010 3:32 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: What causes the Permanent Portfolio to go down?
Replies: 42
Views: 25507

Re: What causes the Permanent Portfolio to go down?

Hey, I'm still only on p.55 at bogleheads...  ;D Thanks for the link. I'm now in the stage of thinking it might be a high-point to buy in but leaning to DCA in; waivering on a low-point is not really an issue to me, as I'd use money outside of the PP. Would be nice if we had data going all the way ...
by 6 Iron
Sat May 22, 2010 12:28 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: What causes the Permanent Portfolio to go down?
Replies: 42
Views: 25507

Re: What causes the Permanent Portfolio to go down?

Craig, you seem a very level-headed skeptic about this all, so can I ask what you, being intimately versed in the subject, see as the shortcomings or weakest side of the PP beyond simply a restrained upside? What are the devil's arguments out there against the PP? stylo~, I believe the greatest ris...
by 6 Iron
Fri May 21, 2010 10:42 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Favorite place you have been.
Replies: 4
Views: 5697

Re: Favorite place you have been.

For winters Canary Islands (Tenerife), particularly in February to catch the Santa Cruz carnival.  Tenerife has one of the lowest temperature swings between summer and winter (ranging between something like 15 and 25 degree's Celsius). Well done, Clive. Your Canary Island destination intrigues me t...
by 6 Iron
Wed May 19, 2010 9:26 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Favorite place you have been.
Replies: 4
Views: 5697

Favorite place you have been.

As a member of the permanent portfolio family, I enjoy learning from you, and value your opinions. On this, the "other" page, I thought it might be interesting to hear of the favorite (or for Clive, favourite) vacation/place that you have been. For me, it was a Grand Canyon rim to rim hike with this...
by 6 Iron
Tue May 18, 2010 6:36 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: feedback on implementing US PP in IRA via ETFs, using Wellstrade as custodian
Replies: 4
Views: 4828

Re: limit order question

If I were to buy VEA with a limit order, would I enter a price of $30.35?  Or is it prudent to "give 1 (or more) penny" to increase the chance of the order actually executing, such as a price of $30.36 (or when selling, do the opposite & enter a price of $30.34)? In a limit order, you will specify ...
by 6 Iron
Mon May 17, 2010 9:31 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: feedback on implementing US PP in IRA via ETFs, using Wellstrade as custodian
Replies: 4
Views: 4828

Re: feedback on implementing US PP in IRA via ETFs, using Wellstrade as custodian

QUESTIONS 1. Any reason to believe, given my profile, there is a better low-cost option than the aforementioned ETFs implemented at Wells Trade? 2. If you use a Wells Trade IRA to implement your HBPP, what has been your customer feedback?  Any bad customer service issues at Wellstrade, such as 2a. ...
by 6 Iron
Sun May 16, 2010 11:56 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Rebalancing
Replies: 15
Views: 10394

Re: Rebalancing

I honestly can usually rebalance by changing my contribution rates to different slices of the portfolio rather than selling anything down.  But I'm weird, I can set things in a spreadsheet and resolve myself to hit that number and not give a crud about what else is going on in the world. I've notic...
by 6 Iron
Fri May 14, 2010 11:24 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Rebalancing
Replies: 15
Views: 10394

Rebalancing

As I am still in the accumulation phase, and started my transition to the permanent portfolio in late October, 2009, I have yet to reach a rebalancing that required me to sell one of the volatile assets. I am curious, from longer holders, how it felt to sell an asset that was "carrying the water", i...
by 6 Iron
Tue May 11, 2010 12:03 am
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Stock volatility today???
Replies: 10
Views: 8323

Re: Stock volatility today???

I'm sure that was painful for many people to be sold out minutes before the snap back. My wife's partner was relieved of his holdings in Apple Computer last week. When I think of investing in individual equities and market timing, I am reminded of this gambling quote: "Listen, here's the thing. If ...
by 6 Iron
Mon May 10, 2010 11:44 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Greece: Going to go bust or not?
Replies: 16
Views: 13546

Re: Greece: Going to go bust or not?

I never cease to be amazed at the market. A nearly 1 trillion dollar bailout package to shore up the Euro, and the PIIGS, with money that does not exist beyond the creation of debt obligations, is greeted by Wall Street with a 400 point, nearly 4% increase in the Dow. This is why I have a permanent ...
by 6 Iron
Sat May 08, 2010 4:56 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Permanent Portfolio and the male:female ratio
Replies: 10
Views: 7891

Re: Permanent Portfolio and the male:female ratio

 Believe it or not, I feel much less fearful trading commodities futures than I do sitting back and letting the 4x25 do its thing because, in the former instance, I'm in control (or at least have the illusion of it.)   I think this is, or was true for many of us (well, maybe not options trading, bu...
by 6 Iron
Thu May 06, 2010 11:24 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Permanent Portfolio and the male:female ratio
Replies: 10
Views: 7891

Re: Permanent Portfolio and the male:female ratio

.... but any finance-type blog and the ratio of M/F would be skewed. There may be some truth to that. My exposure to finance forums is limited to the bogleheads, and while I have seen female representation, it does not appear proportionate. I suspect that I come into it with a biased assumption tha...
by 6 Iron
Thu May 06, 2010 5:13 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Permanent Portfolio and the male:female ratio
Replies: 10
Views: 7891

Permanent Portfolio and the male:female ratio

I enjoy looking at the statistics on this board, and noticed the male to female ratio at 1:0. I suspect that, like me, many people did not enter a gender. There may be multiple women on this board, and I am making a faulty assumption. But here goes: why the limited appeal of the permanent portfolio ...
by 6 Iron
Tue May 04, 2010 4:07 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Bonds are Putting on a Nice Permanent Portfolio Stress Test Demo
Replies: 6
Views: 7849

Re: Bonds are Putting on a Nice PP Stress Test Demo

For those who are doing PP tire kicking, right now is a good time to study bond movements in relation to the rest of the PP and as an example of how following market predictions is a truly pointless activity. Note that this is the same bond market that people said was about to see dramatically high...
by 6 Iron
Sun May 02, 2010 2:22 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: ETF's as Gold? or ETF's as anything for that matter?
Replies: 17
Views: 14556

Re: ETF's as Gold? or ETF's as anything for that matter?

I am still thinking about this as I've never owned a closed end fund before. The premium over NAV is something I'm not used to seeing and still trying to get my head around. Do others equate this with basically the dealer mark-up of physical bullion? Is that the best way to value whether the premiu...
by 6 Iron
Sat May 01, 2010 12:03 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: A perspective on retirement
Replies: 16
Views: 14581

A perspective on retirement

I found this article quite interesting: http://www.efficientfrontier.com/ef/103/hell4.htm In an era when a small number of people lived past sixty-five, society could easily support them for the very few years they survived beyond that point. Now that citizens are routinely living two decades longer...
by 6 Iron
Fri Apr 30, 2010 11:34 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: 401K Contributions
Replies: 1
Views: 4152

Re: 401K Contributions

My question is what should I do with my monthly 401K contributions?  Pkg Man, Harry Browne advocated in his book, Fail-Safe Investing, putting it into cash, and then rebalancing when you hit your selected rebalancing band (he recommended 10%). With new contributions in my tax deferred plan (a 401k ...