Search found 72 matches

by christina
Wed Sep 25, 2013 9:26 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Kudos for the PP
Replies: 71
Views: 29441

Re: Kudos for the PP

Well, if we know that historically the PP asset that is declining will usually be in the process of losing 40-80% of its value from its prior high and the asset that is in the process of increasing will usually be increasing by between 200% and 1000% (or more) from its prior low, do you see how you...
by christina
Tue Sep 24, 2013 8:28 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Kudos for the PP
Replies: 71
Views: 29441

Re: Kudos for the PP

Well, if we know that historically the PP asset that is declining will usually be in the process of losing 40-80% of its value from its prior high and the asset that is in the process of increasing will usually be increasing by between 200% and 1000% (or more) from its prior low, do you see how you...
by christina
Tue Sep 17, 2013 3:03 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Investing in the PP - Why Do I Feel Like My Head is in the Sand?
Replies: 60
Views: 24807

Re: Investing in the PP - Why Do I Feel Like My Head is in the Sand?

No, i meant 6% per year, not over inflation. I'm not quite sure how to arrive at a savings target based on a moving compound interest target of 4.5% over inflation. To get to my target, I need my savings to compound at 5-6% per year. How I arrived at my target was to take my salary and multiply it b...
by christina
Tue Sep 17, 2013 2:02 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Investing in the PP - Why Do I Feel Like My Head is in the Sand?
Replies: 60
Views: 24807

Re: Investing in the PP - Why Do I Feel Like My Head is in the Sand?

Gumby wrote: So, when the Dollar gets weaker, the Permanent Portfolio goes up. When the dollar gets stronger, the Permanent Portfolio goes down.
So, when the dollar gets stronger --- maybe that's the signal to get out of the PP and into something else (not sure what)?
by christina
Tue Sep 17, 2013 10:20 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Investing in the PP - Why Do I Feel Like My Head is in the Sand?
Replies: 60
Views: 24807

Re: Investing in the PP - Why Do I Feel Like My Head is in the Sand?

I'm not someone who benchmarks the PP against the stock market. All I need is about 6% gain per year to achieve my retirement goals. For the past 2 years, I have not had 6% a year with the PP (it's the Canadian PP). So that is my problem with the PP now. Perhaps 2 years is not a long enough time to ...
by christina
Tue Jul 09, 2013 1:51 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Watching the PP work. Thanks Harry
Replies: 32
Views: 13678

Re: Watching the PP work. Thanks Harry

Year todate I have the PP down 6%. SHY flat,TLT down 11%,and gold(IAU) down 27%. Neat how it all works together. Who knows when this bleeding stops. I started my PP in January and I knew the risk of buying into an extended rally. Only regret is not finding the concept years ago. I assumed the last ...
by christina
Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:44 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: PP investors--stay the course
Replies: 282
Views: 124092

Re: PP investors--stay the course

I feel very fortunate to have lived through 2008 in the prime of my investing career.  I experienced it fully and completely.  The trauma was comprehensive.  You can't read about that kind of stuff and understand it.  You must live through it. Yes, I agree that you must live through the bad times t...
by christina
Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:54 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Canadian PP down -5.29% since October 2012
Replies: 11
Views: 5702

Re: Canadian PP down -5.29% since October 2012

I don't understand why you say that world stocks "counteract" gold for Canadians.
I understand that gold acts an alternative currency for Canadians, and is useful to us in times of inflation. Are world stocks also supposed to act as a foreign currency, and be useful in times of inflation?
by christina
Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:47 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Canadian PP down -5.29% since October 2012
Replies: 11
Views: 5702

Re: Canadian PP down -5.29% since October 2012

Hi - I've felt more comfortable using 20% and 30% boundaries, so that's what I've been doing. I did end up buying gold yesterday. If the PP strategy hadn't been there telling me that it was time to buy, I never would have bought it. We'll see what happens, and I feel good knowing it's only 25%. I st...
by christina
Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:53 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Canadian PP down -5.29% since October 2012
Replies: 11
Views: 5702

Canadian PP down -5.29% since October 2012

I started my Canadian PP in October 2011. By October 2012, it had gained 5.39%. Since October 2012, it has lost 5.29%, and would have lost more had I not invested in the S&P500 in December-ish timeframe. My Gold yesterday got to <20% of my portfolio so I'm going to have to buy some more. It's hard. ...
by christina
Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:40 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Difficult Times
Replies: 124
Views: 41753

Re: Difficult Times

I'm always rooting for my stocks.

It actually doesn't bother me to see stocks doing better than the PP, in the same way that it doesn't bother me when I see bonds doing better than the PP, or gold. One of those assets is ALWAYS going to be doing better than the PP :-) so get used to it, Budd!! :-)
by christina
Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:02 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Canada Life International Funds
Replies: 1
Views: 2124

Re: Canada Life International Funds

My employer lets me pull out all the money that I put in (not the company match) once a year, without penalty. Have you looked into such an option? Are you getting a good match that makes up for these incredibly high fees?
by christina
Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:26 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Asset Class Correlations
Replies: 6
Views: 4207

Re: Asset Class Correlations

right, so you mention that the PP relies on causation, which is what I like about the portfolio too. However, I was wondering about the situation in Japan. Somebody recently posted that Japan was posting billions in government surpluses. So that would indicate that Japan's economy is doing well. So ...
by christina
Fri Jan 11, 2013 10:14 am
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: How much can you afford to lose?
Replies: 21
Views: 8302

Re: How much can you afford to lose?

0% to VP.
I buy discretionary items with the money I can afford to lose.
by christina
Tue Jan 08, 2013 8:24 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Canadian PP Performance?
Replies: 28
Views: 12789

Re: Canadian PP Performance?

It doesn't make sense to have almost no info tech stocks (except for RIMM >:(), health care, or consumer staples/discretionary.  Our stock market is dominated by banks and global miners, which is a large part of our economy, but not 75% of it. I guess I always assumed that owning the Canadian stock...
by christina
Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:27 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Canadian PP Performance?
Replies: 28
Views: 12789

Re: Canadian PP Performance?

Agreed, I was under the impression that the Canadian PP was up for the year. However I am in the same boat in that I started deploying the strategy after most of the gains so I am down since inception; albeit less than 1%. For the most part the 4 asset classes track similar to the US PP and I agree...
by christina
Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:32 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Most Appealing Aspect of PP Strategy
Replies: 27
Views: 14849

Re: Most Appealing Aspect of PP Strategy

as an imperfect person who becomes very discouraged when she loses money, I like the low volatility of the portfolio the best.

But I love the stock market, and it was very hard for me to choose the PP over dividend-paying stocks.
by christina
Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:20 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Canadian PP Performance?
Replies: 28
Views: 12789

Re: Canadian PP Performance?

Hey -
I started my Canadian PP in October 2011. From then until October 2012, it returned 5.4% for me (with a rebalance from cash into all four other assets sometime in the summer).

Since then, my PP has lost a percentage or so.
by christina
Thu Dec 20, 2012 10:05 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: clarifying gold for non US-pp
Replies: 11
Views: 6847

Re: clarifying gold for non US-pp

Is this the article you were referring to: http://business.financialpost.com/2012/12/13/gold-analysts-ignoring-40-of-the-market/ It seems they are focused mainly on supply and demand.  Gold isn't affected by this as much as other commodities since there is a large stockpile of gold already availabl...
by christina
Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:08 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Long bonds and a new, well off investor
Replies: 20
Views: 9934

Re: Long bonds and a new, well off investor

Does he understand that a STT/LTT barbell is very similar to a 10 year bond.  Both have a duration of around 8.5 years.  If that is still too risky for him then I'd put him into something with a duration of around 5 years (1-10 year ladder or IEI).  That will give most of the same protection as the...
by christina
Wed Dec 19, 2012 12:57 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: clarifying gold for non US-pp
Replies: 11
Views: 6847

clarifying gold for non US-pp

Could you let me know if the following statement is accurate: statement:  For non-US PP folk, gold acts as an alternative currency. If your own currency (say the canadian dollar) is suffering from inflation, then gold will be doing very well (gold now being worth way more canadian dollars than befor...
by christina
Thu Oct 18, 2012 9:26 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Boglehead arguing against the PP
Replies: 16
Views: 8475

Re: Boglehead arguing against the PP

funny that Clive, a regular here, would say something like that. You're right MediumTex, I think your book will help Harry Browne's widow more than it will hinder her. anyway, I wanted to comment on the bogglehead thread. The feeling I get from posts on Boggleheads is that the core difference betwee...
by christina
Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:33 am
Forum: Cash
Topic: Use Canada Savings Bonds for PP b/c they're now 3 years + cashable at any time ?
Replies: 1
Views: 2355

Use Canada Savings Bonds for PP b/c they're now 3 years + cashable at any time ?

The gov't changed the Canada savings bonds, and I'm wondering whether they'd be suitable for the cash portion of the PP. Web site for more info: http://www.csb.gc.ca/8086/canada-savings-bonds-program-changes-effective-october-2012/ Excerpts from above web site: "Beginning with the fall 2012 campaign...
by christina
Wed Jun 06, 2012 3:00 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: The 50-50 Solution
Replies: 28
Views: 17259

Re: The 50-50 Solution

I also think the "bond" portion of way too many portfolios tends to be 1) too short in duration (even when they ARE long duration, they're callable so it's pointless), and 2) too risky (mortgages, munis, corporates, foreign, etc). I think the fact that the 50% bond portion is longer in duration and...