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phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
8,345
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ETFs are just exchange traded funds... you buy and sell them like a stock but they are just mutual funds. And truthfully they usually return a hair better than mutual funds with lower fees and no commissions. I've played with them on occasion when I don't know what to buy and reading the economic indicators have a good idea that the market is going to rise (or fall...they have short trading ETFs too)

And since I've been laid up due to my legs and quarantines...it's kept me busy and out of trouble.

I think what put's me off ETF's is that I would only be buying a contract. Therefore no underlying asset. That's the part my brain struggles with lol. Anyhow I know plenty of people like them and have made money with them.

I pray your legs get better (y)
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,713
5,623
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If you look at Morningstar they have a lot of research on ETFs...most are by well known investment houses. It's a low cost journal that can really help you understand what you might want to put your money into....they have the worst stock advice...so ignore them on individual stocks. Their stock analysts are pretty much either promoting what an investment bank is paying them to OR degrading a rival stock to ridiculous low levels. But for the ETFs and managed funds they have a reputation to uphold.
Now this is REALLY interesting.

I always see the phrase, "Morningstar Rated..." But in your experience, their ratings are worth much unless it's an ETF or managed fund?
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,713
5,623
113
I think what put's me off ETF's is that I would only be buying a contract. Therefore no underlying asset. That's the part my brain struggles with lol. Anyhow I know plenty of people like them and have made money with them.

I pray your legs get better (y)

I want to thank everyone who is taking their precious time and input to answer questions about these subjects.

I understand ETF's to be a computer-managed mutual fund (but as John said, even the mechanically-run funds need some management.)

I look at it like this -- think of a McDonald's Happy Meal. You have the burger, fries, drink, and a toy. If you think of those things as individual stocks, you could buy them one by one if you wanted. But a mutual fund/ETF is a company that buys into all four things, thereby acquiring access to the whole meal, then offers to sell you a share of their holdings, which is also a small part of the entire meal.

So as a shareholder in the mutual fund/ETF, you essentially own a piece of the entire Happy Meal with all four components, instead of just having to buy them individually yourself.

The stocks/funds that the mutual fund/ETF own ARE, in and of themselves, the underlying assets.

But perhaps my understanding of this is way out of whack? As you can tell, I like to break things down as simply as possible. :) I find it makes it a lot easier to talk to other people about them this way.

Please feel to correct any misconceptions I'm presenting.

What an awesome way to help educate each other! :)
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,713
5,623
113
Now this is REALLY interesting.

I always see the phrase, "Morningstar Rated..." But in your experience, their ratings are worth much unless it's an ETF or managed fund?
Sorry... I meant to say, "their ratings AREN'T worth much unless it's an ETF of managed fund?"
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
6,281
2,561
113
Yes, I've been interested in mutual funds that have a FAANG portfolio (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google) because of course, who can afford to buy them individually (with Amazon being over $3200 per share today.) :rolleyes:

But of course, an ETF that has a lower maintenance fee and no commission sounds even better.

I think you've mentioned day trading... May I ask, do you have to have any special kind of license or permit to do so?

And is it hard to keep your returns above water when considering any commissions/trading fees, and short-term capital gains taxes?

Also, prayers over you that your legs will get better. :)

Thanks very much -- it's so nice, and very unique (to me at least,) to have other Christians to talk to and ask honest questions about this without being told how the love of money is the root of all evil and that I'll turn into the camel who can't get through the eye of a needle. :cautious:

As you have said in other posts, some of us are just trying to support our families.
True day trading has been limited to those who have margin accounts (allowed to borrow money) that are larger than $25,000. (Smaller accounts doing so were made illegal by the nanny state in the '90s). I went to college to learn how in the 80's...and got a rude awakening when I found my broker using this term as if it were a bad label.

But essentially it's a very risky type of trading that should be reserved for those who know exactly what they are doing. (Usually buying and selling a stock on the same day) Most people who try this without really being trained lose most of their money. Swing Trading is easier and slower over a week or so usually...but can last for a month... maybe 3 months at the most.

And it isn't for the faint of heart either. Again lots of training and swallowing lots of information are needed to make successful trading.

Then there's investing...very much like buying a mutual fund but for longer periods of time. Monthly trades are not common. Usually in the "growth and income" stocks... meaning that they pay a dividend that you re-invest into the stock itself. Like buying Energy Transfer Ltd....they pay a great dividend quarterly and are undervalued. So I bought when it was under $9/share and then this coming winter I'll have 2% more stock and capital gains of 40%... totally gaining around 50% returns total.

I get better returns for the tons of research, reading, understanding and risk than a mutual fund will return. (Currently I'm up about 10-12%) It's not easy or free money...I worked hard for the investment money and then worked hard pouring over boring reading materials to understand what I was buying and when to sell.

It's not luck...it's work.
 

phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
8,345
2,159
113
I want to thank everyone who is taking their precious time and input to answer questions about these subjects.

I understand ETF's to be a computer-managed mutual fund (but as John said, even the mechanically-run funds need some management.)

I look at it like this -- think of a McDonald's Happy Meal. You have the burger, fries, drink, and a toy. If you think of those things as individual stocks, you could buy them one by one if you wanted. But a mutual fund/ETF is a company that buys into all four things, thereby acquiring access to the whole meal, then offers to sell you a share of their holdings, which is also a small part of the entire meal.

So as a shareholder in the mutual fund/ETF, you essentially own a piece of the entire Happy Meal with all four components, instead of just having to buy them individually yourself.

The stocks/funds that the mutual fund/ETF own ARE, in and of themselves, the underlying assets.

But perhaps my understanding of this is way out of whack? As you can tell, I like to break things down as simply as possible. :) I find it makes it a lot easier to talk to other people about them this way.

Please feel to correct any misconceptions I'm presenting.

What an awesome way to help educate each other! :)

Well, I'm not educated in it. But that's how I see it as well.

An index fund in stocks will buy a representative amount of stocks in each category like textiles, mining,financials etc. I'm sure ETF's will be the same only it's the contracts of future sales (I think??). So when I buy a unit in the index fund I own a a share of the whole happy meal.
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
6,281
2,561
113
The stocks/funds that the mutual fund/ETF own ARE, in and of themselves, the underlying assets.
An ETF does have the underlying asset of the stock same as any mutual fund does. A few (not all) just use borrowed money to buy them. And when you buy an ETF it's exactly the same as buying a mutual fund... except no nicely dressed salesman fills out paperwork for it.
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
6,281
2,561
113
Generally speaking and not specifically your retirement at work...your 401K is purchasing commissioned mutual funds. You just don't get to meet the salesman. You are purchasing "B" or "C" shares of a mutual fund. "A" shares pay the commission up front....the others do so as well but on a different basis.
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
6,281
2,561
113
I pray your legs get better (y)
I'm going to try to go back to work next month...we shall see how it goes. I've been going to the gym to try get into shape...it's been unpleasant to say the least about it. But I'm enjoying my headphones...it's been putting the worst earworms in my head. LOL.

But my pants are fitting better.
 

phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
8,345
2,159
113
I'm going to try to go back to work next month...we shall see how it goes. I've been going to the gym to try get into shape...it's been unpleasant to say the least about it. But I'm enjoying my headphones...it's been putting the worst earworms in my head. LOL.

But my pants are fitting better.

Sitting around can certainly pile the weight on lol.. Hope all goes well with going back to work (y)
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
6,281
2,561
113
Well, I'm not educated in it. But that's how I see it as well.

An index fund in stocks will buy a representative amount of stocks in each category like textiles, mining,financials etc. I'm sure ETF's will be the same only it's the contracts of future sales (I think??). So when I buy a unit in the index fund I own a a share of the whole happy meal.
It's not contracts on futures usually...there aren't many of those...I've bought into one like you have erroneously stated and it is NOT something I recommend for others to do. Mine is based on coffee futures... again high risk for most people.

But index fund ETFs are just as safe as any mutual fund.
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
6,281
2,561
113
Sitting around can certainly pile the weight on lol.. Hope all goes well with going back to work (y)
Well I've trained a solid 20% of the electricians in this town...many of these former thugs are all going to be wanting to "partner up" with me...so I'll let them unless the foreman gets other ideas...or unless I'm the foreman...(kids don't mind that either)
I make them work hard and don't play games...and they respect that.
 
Aug 2, 2009
24,653
4,316
113
I want to thank everyone who is taking their precious time and input to answer questions about these subjects.

I understand ETF's to be a computer-managed mutual fund (but as John said, even the mechanically-run funds need some management.)

I look at it like this -- think of a McDonald's Happy Meal. You have the burger, fries, drink, and a toy. If you think of those things as individual stocks, you could buy them one by one if you wanted. But a mutual fund/ETF is a company that buys into all four things, thereby acquiring access to the whole meal, then offers to sell you a share of their holdings, which is also a small part of the entire meal.

So as a shareholder in the mutual fund/ETF, you essentially own a piece of the entire Happy Meal with all four components, instead of just having to buy them individually yourself.

The stocks/funds that the mutual fund/ETF own ARE, in and of themselves, the underlying assets.

But perhaps my understanding of this is way out of whack? As you can tell, I like to break things down as simply as possible. :) I find it makes it a lot easier to talk to other people about them this way.

Please feel to correct any misconceptions I'm presenting.

What an awesome way to help educate each other! :)
Yes, that's pretty much it. All you really have to know is that it's a stock that mirrors the index or sector it represents. If the price of a happy meal goes up, the price of your happy meal ETF shares go up. You can think of a happy meal as a "mcdonald's food index".
 

Aldg19

Well-known member
May 11, 2021
579
309
63
Maddie and tae are the sweetest coolest girls In the entire world
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
6,281
2,561
113
Yes, that's pretty much it. All you really have to know is that it's a stock that mirrors the index or sector it represents. If the price of a happy meal goes up, the price of your happy meal ETF shares go up. You can think of a happy meal as a "mcdonald's food index".
Winner...
For most people....that means 80% of the traders and Investors I meet really should just buy ETFs and mutual funds...they really shouldn't be trading stocks. Most of them are losing their retirement savings playing around with options and other trades.
Or they are barely breaking even.

The 80/20 rule firmly in place...80% of people trading stocks have no clue and lose their money. 20% of the people trading stocks make 80% of the money that is traded.

It's not for everyone...and just because you read some forums and watched some YouTube videos you really shouldn't be trading. You might think that you should...but that would make you part of the 80%.
 

Aldg19

Well-known member
May 11, 2021
579
309
63
Hi guys ,
I’m leaving this wonderful beautiful amazing community because I don’t fit in I get hate fro. Many people I need to go because I don’t belong here I love you and can’t wait to see you and meet you in heaven. Thanks for all of the wonderful love.
 

Aldg19

Well-known member
May 11, 2021
579
309
63
It’s nice to talk to you and meet you on here I need to get focused on my life and I pray that you will understand why that I’m leaving it’s best for me and my Heath to get my life started I have a dream to get my Country music dream started now I’m moving to Nashville and I’m so excited about starting my own journey I have dreamed about this my entire life,