Posted on 06/16/2004 9:17:49 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Can I ask you something? You don't use a Betamax to watch movies at home, do you? And your car isn't outfitted with an 8-track tape player, right? And I'm guessing the chances of you using a rotary phone are about as good as Ben Affleck having a hit flick these days.
In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if many of you under 30 are wondering what the hell I'm talking about.
Yet while you wouldn't be caught dead with any sort of equipment from the Disco Era (circa late 70s, for all you youngsters), I bet you haven't thought twice about sticking with old-school mutual funds. And that makes me sorta nuts. Mutual funds have been around for a couple of generations - and there are indeed still some good reasons to use funds - but folks, if you rely solely on mutual funds you are woefully out of touch. And you could be losing a lot of money by not staying au courant.
ETFs: Mutual Funds for the 21st Century
Let's fast-forward through the "pro" argument for mutual funds, since we can all recite the reasons in our sleep: instant diversification across dozens of stocks in a variety of sectors, professional money management, low investment minimums, cheap fees if you know how to pick right.
Now that we've dispensed with the obvious, let's spend a few minutes understanding one of the biggest problems with mutual funds. And I'm not even referring to the lingering mutual fund scandal where some fund managers screwed over their shareholders by giving preferential treatment to a few big shots who market-timed and late-traded the funds. more...
Fund Facts While it's obvious to see why I like ETFs, I don't want to give the impression that I think all mutual funds are a waste. I realize many of you are invested in funds through your 401(k) or 403(b), and that funds are the only option you have. That's fine. Funds are not necessarily a bad investment. My point is that they may not be the best investment. And hey, bug your Human Resources department to add ETFs to your 401(k) plan. If enough folks make a fuss, you just might get your company to listen. more...
Phone : RING !!!!!!
Me : Hello ?
Phone : Can I ask you something?
Me : Are you a telemarketer ?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.