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There is certainly luck involved. Put it into the oil service sector as it was shooting up at the time. I'm persuaded by the peak oil scenario, so barring demand destruction from world wide recession, the energy sector will continue in a long term up trend. (Take a look at the returns from energy sector mutual funds - something big has happened in the past 4 years). So I've been overweight in this sector (25-30%).

These stocks get knocked around a lot with the price of oil. I play a portion of my positions around the movements in the price of oil. If oil price goes to < $70, I'll pick up some more RIG, DO, MRO, MDR, OXY, CVX, FTO, HAL, NE, NOV, TSO, VLO, WNR, etc. Gets back up to $80 or so, I'll take some profits. That strategy has worked pretty good over the years. I might buy or sell too early in the cycle, but the oil price excursions have been trending very much up. I invite my FRiends to join the party! The mutual specialty energy funds have done very well for 4 years now too.

I only once went over 20% margin, with cash buyouts in the portfolio, usually stay less than 5%.

The $50K 0% CC offer was simply an offer I could not refuse. It replaced some of my 8.5% margin debt at the time. I put the minimum monthly payment on autopay with the CC company to eliminate the chance of going to the default usury rate. It worked out fine.