Search found 3338 matches

by Cortopassi
Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:44 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: When is it time to load up on bonds.
Replies: 40
Views: 33728

Re: When is it time to load up on bonds.

I don’t disagree, PS, but if 2000 and 2008 taught me anything, it’s that whatever plans are hoped for will deviate, probably significantly, and sooner than ever anticipated, and I’d rather be early and get my 100 year 6% coupons. But if we end 2023 and FFR is at 6% or something, I will be gnashing m...
by Cortopassi
Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:14 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: When is it time to load up on bonds.
Replies: 40
Views: 33728

Re: When is it time to load up on bonds.

I hope I, and you, are right, PS. On a related note, since moving into bonds full bore, I have also tuned out a variety of generally bearish financial websites I used to read, going on three weeks now. Helps. I look at my accounts and see the underlying bond values in total go up a few thousand ever...
by Cortopassi
Thu Jan 12, 2023 8:15 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Would you buy an even longer bond?
Replies: 13
Views: 5230

Re: Would you buy an even longer bond?

I have recently bought a number of 40 to 100 year make whole bonds, for retirement income purposes. Duration is not much different than 30 year treasuries, I assume because of the higher coupon. Each are a maximum of 1% of my net worth, and I'm trying to diversify sectors. In the end I hope to hold ...
by Cortopassi
Thu Jan 12, 2023 8:04 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: When is it time to load up on bonds.
Replies: 40
Views: 33728

Re: When is it time to load up on bonds.

I have also started getting back into bonds, but with a twist, since I am ~4 years from at least a semi-retirement. I am taking advantage of higher long term (30+ years) investment grade individual corporate bonds as I am moving toward wanting known income in retirement. My plan over the next few mo...
by Cortopassi
Fri Nov 04, 2022 3:35 pm
Forum: Politics
Topic: The Fourth Branch of Government
Replies: 42
Views: 9285

Re: The Fourth Branch of Government

flyingpylon wrote:
Fri Nov 04, 2022 3:16 pm
Holy thread drift, Batman!
Yeah. For whatever reason I got an email note on this thread about a new post (I've not looked at it ever prior) and it brought me to the top of page two. Without me seeing it was a completely different starting point!
by Cortopassi
Fri Nov 04, 2022 1:01 pm
Forum: Politics
Topic: The Fourth Branch of Government
Replies: 42
Views: 9285

Re: The Fourth Branch of Government

The Democrats are hitting hard on the abortion front which has weirdly allowed their ads to take the position of their party being the party of "freedom" and "bodily autonomy" not even a year after most of them believed people who declined vaccinations should lose their jobs. The whole my body, my ...
by Cortopassi
Wed Nov 02, 2022 11:05 am
Forum: Politics
Topic: The Fourth Branch of Government
Replies: 42
Views: 9285

Re: The Fourth Branch of Government

Sounds about right...good for advertisers though. Can't wait till these ads are over. Seems, here in IL, the major focus is abortion. If you go by the ads, all Dems are willing to rip the baby out and kill it a day before normal delivery, and all Republicans want every baby born, regardless of who ...
by Cortopassi
Wed Nov 02, 2022 10:51 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Peanut Butter
Replies: 51
Views: 14455

Re: Peanut Butter

My grocery store has a peanut butter maker that you can go and put peanuts in (available nearby). It grinds them up into peanut butter and puts it in a container that you go and pay for at checkout. Do you guys not have something like that? The ones by me already have peanuts in the machine, and I ...
by Cortopassi
Wed Nov 02, 2022 9:52 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Peanut Butter
Replies: 51
Views: 14455

Re: Peanut Butter

Ok folks...convince me that (on Amazon) a $28.55 16oz jar of Teddie peanut butter is THAT good. I can get 12 16.3 oz jars of Skippy Super Chunk for $31.44 (on Amazon) 12x better??? No, not that good! Probably a tie, if not better in taste than Teddies (but I am lazy...) is blending these Costco pea...
by Cortopassi
Mon Oct 31, 2022 3:35 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Peanut Butter
Replies: 51
Views: 14455

Re: Peanut Butter

vnatale wrote:
Mon Oct 31, 2022 3:27 pm

A can of unsweetened pineapple
Ok, that to me sounds disgusting, but now I have to try it to see if it works.
by Cortopassi
Mon Oct 31, 2022 3:11 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Peanut Butter
Replies: 51
Views: 14455

Re: Peanut Butter

Seriously, why even bother with the apples. The only thing I ever add to my peanut butter is chocolate chips. :)
by Cortopassi
Mon Oct 31, 2022 8:10 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Peanut Butter
Replies: 51
Views: 14455

Re: Peanut Butter

Yep, stir it up and refrigerate. Then eat by the spoonful.
by Cortopassi
Sun Oct 30, 2022 9:48 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Peanut Butter
Replies: 51
Views: 14455

Re: Peanut Butter

Just in case, I was kidding! But good to know.
by Cortopassi
Sun Oct 30, 2022 2:04 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Peanut Butter
Replies: 51
Views: 14455

Re: Peanut Butter

Not that I ever did, but I'm not buying empty jars on Craigslist anymore!
by Cortopassi
Sat Oct 29, 2022 4:57 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Peanut Butter
Replies: 51
Views: 14455

Peanut Butter

Vinny, Shopping at Woodman's near my house a few days ago. My normal peanut butter is Smuckers natural chunky. But they were out of it and I saw a brand called Teddies. Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember somebody talking about it and it was you. Anyway, it is the best peanut butter I've eve...
by Cortopassi
Fri Oct 28, 2022 9:53 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Corporate Bonds
Replies: 17
Views: 2834

Re: Corporate Bonds

Thanks. I do want the low ulcer index type for sure!

I am happy with my current allocation for the time being, the 79.1% "cash" type holdings are getting an average of 4.73%.

Image
by Cortopassi
Fri Oct 28, 2022 9:36 am
Forum: Gold
Topic: Selling Covered Calls on gold
Replies: 2
Views: 762

Re: Selling Covered Calls on gold

I sold a lot of CCs on GLD earlier this year, not so much lately because I am only holding 100 shares of GLD (rest is physical), other than trying to pull measly amounts on weekly options a day or two before expiration with very low deltas. It works, sure. GLD has better rates because more option vo...
by Cortopassi
Thu Oct 27, 2022 8:19 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Corporate Bonds
Replies: 17
Views: 2834

Re: Corporate Bonds

My mental ranking was risk of complete loss of capital. My thoughts: --Individual common stock (Bankruptcy) --Preferred stock (Bankruptcy) --Stock ETFs/funds (This should probably be lower on the list because it is a basket of multiple companies and all won't disappear) --Corp bonds (Bankruptcy, but...
by Cortopassi
Thu Oct 27, 2022 8:36 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Corporate Bonds
Replies: 17
Views: 2834

Re: Corporate Bonds

Because these higher yielding corporate bonds tend to default more frequently, isn't it better (or at least less nerve wracking) to just stick with investments backed by the people with the printing press? I mean, those higher yields are there for a reason, right? If a bond portfolio of near junk c...
by Cortopassi
Wed Oct 26, 2022 3:33 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Corporate Bonds
Replies: 17
Views: 2834

Re: Corporate Bonds

dualstow wrote:
Wed Oct 26, 2022 12:21 pm
Cortopassi wrote:
Tue Oct 25, 2022 8:12 pm
Is there room in a portfolio for some risk on corporate bonds? 100k in Amgen at 8.125% is $8125 a year, for the next 75 years....for example.
You also want to check if there’s a survivor option.
Do you mean some sort of corporate level survivor option if the company gets bought?
by Cortopassi
Wed Oct 26, 2022 12:06 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Corporate Bonds
Replies: 17
Views: 2834

Re: Corporate Bonds

I don't think these make much sense for an individual investor unless they are doing so as a speculative venture. I was just intrigued by the durations that were available. I had no idea so many were around with >30 year durations. As for the speculation part, part of me is definitely interested in...
by Cortopassi
Tue Oct 25, 2022 9:48 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Corporate Bonds
Replies: 17
Views: 2834

Re: Corporate Bonds

Definitely something to think about!
by Cortopassi
Tue Oct 25, 2022 8:12 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: Corporate Bonds
Replies: 17
Views: 2834

Corporate Bonds

Taking the other topic on TIPs to corporate bonds, I would be interested in thoughts about whether you'd invest in a Make Whole bond of durations from 37 to 75 years (!!) on companies like Amgen, Waly Disney and Altria. These are paying coupon rates from 6.2 to 8.125% and YTM of 6.2 to 7.3%. These a...
by Cortopassi
Tue Oct 25, 2022 6:31 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: A viable alternative to the PP - or any other conservative portfolio?
Replies: 8
Views: 1712

Re: A viable alternative to the PP - or any other conservative portfolio?

I am 55, want to be done working, at least having to work, by 60. Plan on SS at 70, wife starting it at 65, then at 70 she takes the spousal benefit, that's the optimum arrangement according to a couple calculator websites. I plan on that being most of my "inflation" protected income. Between 60 and...
by Cortopassi
Tue Oct 25, 2022 5:17 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: A viable alternative to the PP - or any other conservative portfolio?
Replies: 8
Views: 1712

Re: A viable alternative to the PP - or any other conservative portfolio?

I am not at all saying it is a bad idea, I just read it (and downloaded and played with the spreadsheet a bit) and it is still not 100% clear to me if there is any value left after 30 years, or he will be spending down principal as well? "While this strategy isn’t perfect, it produced a safe 4.3% an...