2021 Quarterly check in

[rennigade]

Awesome. How long have you held the Wellesley fund? Any particular reason you picked this fund, instead of putting it all in a whole bond fund to balance the total stock market fund? I know bonds haven't done well recently but just curious to know why you picked this particular fund?
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Ive had it around 10 years now. I think I picked it due to a mix of stocks/bonds. Its around 40/60. Im not really sure why I didnt just pick a bond fund, but I have been happy with it over the years.

And, I just saw that I could covert it to admiral shares. So now the fund is vwiax. Expense ration went from .23% to .16%, which isnt the greatest for vanguard either way.

[disneysteve]

Come on, Steve. Which stocks, mutual funds and dividend yield funds? Do tell!

The 3 funds that accounted for the bulk of the recent gain were VTIAX, JNRFX, (two growth funds) and VYM (the dividend fund). My 401K was also up 6K for the first half of the month, though part of that was new money. That's all in RLBGX, a 60/40 balanced fund.

We currently own a total of 11 funds. That's a lot, but 6 months ago we owned 16 I think. I've really been working on consolidating our portfolio.

[Scallywag]

Vtsax, vwinx and fidelity's total stock market fund. Sadly, nothing too excited. If or when the marker takes a nose dive, we'll feel it.

Awesome. How long have you held the Wellesley fund? Any particular reason you picked this fund, instead of putting it all in a whole bond fund to balance the total stock market fund? I know bonds haven't done well recently but just curious to know why you picked this particular fund?

Vtsax, vwinx and fidelity's total stock market fund. Sadly, nothing too excited. If or when the marker takes a nose dive, we'll feel it.

Come on, Steve. Which stocks, mutual funds and dividend yield funds? Do tell!

Aside from TSLA and FVRR, all of our investments are in the 2 fund portfolio (no bonds). While TSLA bumped up our networth last year it has come down since January of 2021.

[disneysteve]

What are you both invested in?! Do tell!

We have a well-diversified portfolio that's about 66% stock, 24% bond, and 10% cash.

I just compared the 4/3 sheet to the 4/16 sheet to see where most of that gain came from. About 26K of the 45K came in 2 growth mutual funds and 1 high dividend yield fund. The rest of the gain was spread among numerous other holdings and a little bit came from new contributions.

[rennigade]

What are you both invested in?! Do tell!

I'm actually down, after TSLA got slapped down quite a bit in late January.

Vtsax, vwinx and fidelity's total stock market fund. Sadly, nothing too excited. If or when the marker takes a nose dive, we'll feel it.

[Scallywag]

Whoa...just checked again. on 4/1, I was up $41k for the year. 17 days later, up $80k...so a $39k increase in 17 days.

Wife and I just added up our totals, we're at $1,498,328. We'll see what the rest of the year brings.

Has anyone checked their numbers in the past day or two? I don't usually update that often but I've been doing some work on our portfolio and tweaking my spreadsheet so I've got up to date figures.

Wow! On 4/3, I reported that YTD we were up about $96,000. Today, just 13 days later, we're now up $141,000 for the year. That's insane. $45,000 gained in 13 days. It really makes you wonder how much higher it can go before things start turning the other way. I'm not a market timer by any means but it's hard not to get a little nervous when things are shooting up so rapidly.

What are you both invested in?! Do tell!

I'm actually down, after TSLA got slapped down quite a bit in late January.

[disneysteve]

I believe i am down a lot!

Really? In what investments?

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I believe i am down a lot!

[rennigade]

Whoa...just checked again. on 4/1, I was up $41k for the year. 17 days later, up $80k...so a $39k increase in 17 days.

Wife and I just added up our totals, we're at $1,498,328. We'll see what the rest of the year brings.

[srblanco7]

Has anyone checked their numbers in the past day or two? I don't usually update that often but I've been doing some work on our portfolio and tweaking my spreadsheet so I've got up to date figures.

Wow! On 4/3, I reported that YTD we were up about $96,000. Today, just 13 days later, we're now up $141,000 for the year. That's insane. $45,000 gained in 13 days. It really makes you wonder how much higher it can go before things start turning the other way. I'm not a market timer by any means but it's hard not to get a little nervous when things are shooting up so rapidly.

I review my numbers weekly (mild OCD perhaps). We hit our "number" on March 27 and since then are up an additional $190k. Not that I'll take any action with our investments, but wondering about the outcome of market drivers such as an economy that seems ready to boom and the likelihood that inflationary pressures may drive higher interest rates. It's always a fun ride!

[disneysteve]

Has anyone checked their numbers in the past day or two? I don't usually update that often but I've been doing some work on our portfolio and tweaking my spreadsheet so I've got up to date figures.

Wow! On 4/3, I reported that YTD we were up about $96,000. Today, just 13 days later, we're now up $141,000 for the year. That's insane. $45,000 gained in 13 days. It really makes you wonder how much higher it can go before things start turning the other way. I'm not a market timer by any means but it's hard not to get a little nervous when things are shooting up so rapidly.

[terri77]

I updated my blog. Up $64,242 of which $6,000 was contributions, so gains were $58,242 for Q1. And yes, it’s way more than I am earning in that time frame.

[disneysteve]

Last couple of years I got this type of growth over a year and thought it was crazy. Now I got it in a quarter. This is getting to be unbelievable money growth now.

Agreed. In both 2019 and 2020, our portfolio grew by more than my gross annual income. If the current trend continues (which I fully realize is not assured), the same would be true for 2021.

[bennkar]

Year to date my investments are up $135,000, although that includes $18,500 of contributions. Holy moly, that is more than my yearly gross income, not even mentioning it is multiples of my normal take home after taxes, investment contributions, insurance, etc.... Percentage-wise its about a 9% growth.

Last couple of years I got this type of growth over a year and thought it was crazy. Now I got it in a quarter. This is getting to be unbelievable money growth now.

[disneysteve]

I didn't update our numbers last night so I don't have an exact figure but I think we're up 70-75K YTD. I'm good with that. Let's hope it continues.

I just updated my spreadsheet. It is April 3 but the market was closed yesterday so this just includes April 1, one day more than the quarter.

I was way off in a good way. YTD our portfolio is up $95,938.15! I'm quite shocked by that number.