Investment Club??

**Timer** · 11-12-2004, 07:28 PM

I am giving some thought to starting an investment club at work. Of course, I would not dispense advice but we could all benefit if we pooled what we know. I would start by telling people about this site and TSPMoney.com.

I am picturing an informal group that shares information about investing in general but the main emphasis would be the TSP. We could hand out assignments also. For example, someone could compare strategy A against B and C and report every couple of weeks. Maybe a small committee couldcould research some of the pay sites (Pilot etc.)

If the only thing they got out of it was to come to this site, that would be worth it. Anybody ever try anything like this at work?

= Timer

**Show-me** · 11-12-2004, 08:36 PM

Who's got time, I'm WORKING! lol :P

11-13-2004, 12:40 AM

Timer,

That is a great idea. I know many people at work who have been in the G fund since 9/11 or there short after. They are afraid to lose their principal after the last bear market.It is a great idea and I would go for it if I were you. Maybe you could design a model for one that would start a trend, who knows? I work at a hospital of over 3000 people (Tampa VAMC) I'm sure it would not be hard to get 4 more people or so to get this thing going. It would attract more people to this sight as well. Go For it.

Joel

**Timer** · 11-16-2004, 04:50 AM

Thanks for the support Joel.
I floated the idea at work with a four people I thought would be interested... I'll try to spare you too much detailbut I think the idea is a non-starter.The people I talked to are smart enough to venture out of the G but they got their strategy set in the 90's and they're still trying to make that work. I mentioned that I was doing fine till 2004 when the market went into this down trending cyclical pattern blah blah.... No one thought it was a good idea to turn to the Internet for ideas. One guy said he would have retired already but lost a lot of money in the C fund in the bear markets after the 90's. I mentioned the F fund and he said a financial advisor told him to never invest in the F. Staying away from F isnot abad idea in bull years.... anyway, it seems people I thought were smart and open minded have their thinkinglockeddown where investing is concerned.I don't believe anyoneI talked to had a plan that was really working for thembut they didn't want to change what they were doing. Ever meet anybody like that?

11-16-2004, 05:04 AM

Timer, I had some exposure to those who were not open to better managing their TSP account. I thought it was related to being in CSRS vs. FERS. Can you draw any similar conclusions from the conversations you had with your coworkers?

**ou81200** · 11-16-2004, 09:49 AM

Timer---

I'm with an investment club at work. We've had one for two years now and it's done well.

You don't have to put alot of money into it to get started. We have twenty members who pay 25 dollars a month. Let me know if your interested. My address is cwhitebuffolo@comcast.net

**Mike** · 11-16-2004, 02:23 PM

Strangely, a couple of coworkers asked meabout investing. I'm sure we'll end up discussing it more frequently as time goes on (sometimes there's just not that much to do on overnight shifts).

**Timer** · 11-16-2004, 10:27 PM

I think the people I was talking to are all in TSP. I think part of it is they are a lot closer to retirement than I am. I might tolerate less risk close to retirement as well, or at least I understand it. Actually, I will probably be making strategic adjustments to my TSP 'til the end'. I get a lot of enjoyment out of doing it well. Until 2004, I didn't even think I needed help [that's why I'm here

]. I might float the idea with some other folks that have 'younger' portfolios. I'm not a day trader or a buy and holder, I'm a buy and watcher (Suzy Ormond calls it this). I think most people here can be described that way. It seems like people don't know about anything but the first two options.

**Timer** · 11-16-2004, 10:28 PM

Timer wrote:

I think the people I was talking to are all in TSP.

This message was in reply to WW's comment by the way.

**Timer** · 11-16-2004, 10:30 PM

ou81200 wrote:

Let me know if your interested. My address is cwhitebuffolo@comcast.net

Thanks ou, I might take you up on that offer. Actually I wasn't thinking of a classical investment club as you describe but more of an information sharing forum. But what you describe sounds like a good option also. :^

11-16-2004, 11:19 PM

Timer wrote:

I think the people I was talking to are all in TSP.

This message was in reply to WW's comment by the way.

I meant those in TSP also. All CSRS employees have had the ability to participate in TSP for several years now and will soon have unlimited ability to contribute, subject to IRS limitations, as FERS employees will have. The only difference is no agency matching for CSRS employees.

**Rolo** · 11-19-2004, 12:12 PM

ou81200 wrote:

I'm with an investment club at work. We've had one for two years now and it's done well.

You don't have to put alot of money into it to get started. We have twenty members who pay 25 dollars a month. Let me know if your interested. My address is cwhitebuffolo@comcast.net

I've thought of this, too, and looked into starting one on the base where I work...but base rules..blah..blah..blah...prohibit it from happening. I am moving soon and will revisit the idea once I meet like-minded people there.

I figure something like 4+ people +~$1K initial each + ~$100/mo. = gets this party started.

hmmmmm....a geographically separated club?