InsaneZane1
02-10-2013, 11:15 PM
Hello everybody! I'm new to this site (well, sort of). I thought I signed up on this site a while back but if I even did, my account probably got deleted due to non-use. I decided to get back on this site since I've finally decided to get smart about taking up the hobby of investing. I'm an ART at March ARB. I got hired as an ART in November 2000. I've been contributing a modest amount the entire time but between taking out loans against my TSP account and just not paying regular attention to it, I never gave it a chance to really do a lot in the past.
I decided last year to resurrect my stock market account, but only after dumb decisions and ignorance caused my original investment of $2000 to eventually drop all the way down to $56. I finally had a good year last year, both with stocks and my TSP account. I still have quite a way to go with the stocks but I think I'm now well on my way to starting some great strides with my TSP account. I just discovered today that my TSP account appreciated 21.58% in value in 2012. I don't know if I calculated my numbers the same way that this site does, but I basically took my balance at the end of 2011 and added my total 2012 contributions to that number. I subtracted that number from my total balance at the end of 2012. To be honest, I think I got lucky. I kept at least some money in almost every fund throughout the year, but the largest portion of it was in the C, S and I funds much of the year. I have figured out that there were a couple of months where I actually lost money, which means my account most likely would have done even better if I'd bothered to pay better attention to - and manage it - throughout the year.
I've learned so much in the last 9-10 months. I really wish I knew 10 years ago what I know now. But living is learning. I'm still going to consider myself an ignorant peon compared to what a lot of you on here have knowledge and experience with. But this time I plan to stick around, learn what I can from the rest of you, and maybe help some people here and there as well.
I decided last year to resurrect my stock market account, but only after dumb decisions and ignorance caused my original investment of $2000 to eventually drop all the way down to $56. I finally had a good year last year, both with stocks and my TSP account. I still have quite a way to go with the stocks but I think I'm now well on my way to starting some great strides with my TSP account. I just discovered today that my TSP account appreciated 21.58% in value in 2012. I don't know if I calculated my numbers the same way that this site does, but I basically took my balance at the end of 2011 and added my total 2012 contributions to that number. I subtracted that number from my total balance at the end of 2012. To be honest, I think I got lucky. I kept at least some money in almost every fund throughout the year, but the largest portion of it was in the C, S and I funds much of the year. I have figured out that there were a couple of months where I actually lost money, which means my account most likely would have done even better if I'd bothered to pay better attention to - and manage it - throughout the year.
I've learned so much in the last 9-10 months. I really wish I knew 10 years ago what I know now. But living is learning. I'm still going to consider myself an ignorant peon compared to what a lot of you on here have knowledge and experience with. But this time I plan to stick around, learn what I can from the rest of you, and maybe help some people here and there as well.