Comments on: Simplifying Investing: Ignore the Ads http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/simplifying-investing-ignore-the-ads/ Index Investing: The Oblivious Investor Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:37:44 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Caleb Nelson http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/simplifying-investing-ignore-the-ads/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Caleb Nelson Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:34:32 +0000 http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/?p=209#comment-28 Yeah, the mid-20s crowd, unfortunately isn't saturated with folks interested in investing. And those that are interested, probably don't have allot of capitol to utilize, so the profit margin for a trading company is smaller among us young professionals. Luckily, those advertisements aren't the only items on the menu. Visiting websites, you can get a better idea of what those companies actually offer the mid-20s crowd. Caleb www.mefinanciallyfree.blogspot.com Yeah, the mid-20s crowd, unfortunately isn’t saturated with folks interested in investing. And those that are interested, probably don’t have allot of capitol to utilize, so the profit margin for a trading company is smaller among us young professionals. Luckily, those advertisements aren’t the only items on the menu. Visiting websites, you can get a better idea of what those companies actually offer the mid-20s crowd.

Caleb
http://www.mefinanciallyfree.blogspot.com

]]> By: Paul Williams @ Crackerjack Greenback http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/simplifying-investing-ignore-the-ads/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Paul Williams @ Crackerjack Greenback Thu, 06 Nov 2008 20:38:32 +0000 http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/?p=209#comment-22 Mike, I love it! Great article and you really hit the issue head on. We need to realize that the media and financial companies aren't necessarily out for <em>our</em> best interests. They're out to sell us products (newspapers/magazines or some financial product). The TV should not be your investment adviser. @Kathy (and Mike's response): This is very true. The financial industry has little focus on young responsible people who need some good advice to get started on the right track. Their target is mostly just the high net worth people, and you're not usually in that category in your 20's and 30's. That's why I want to start my own financial planning firm that works on an hourly basis. I won't have to go after high net worth people because won't be basing my compensation on how much they invest with me. (There are more reasons why I have issues with the assets under management model.) I don't think <em>everyone</em> needs a financial planner, either. Most of it you can do on your own, but it's also an issue of the best use of your time. If it takes you 10 hours to learn about asset allocation and index investing, would you rather spend that 10 hours to learn it yourself or come to me and pay $100 for an hour to discuss what your portfolio should look like and get some education at the same time. I've already done the research, so if you value your time at more than $10/hour it's probably not a bad idea to use a fee-only, hourly financial planner. Mike,

I love it! Great article and you really hit the issue head on. We need to realize that the media and financial companies aren’t necessarily out for our best interests. They’re out to sell us products (newspapers/magazines or some financial product). The TV should not be your investment adviser.

@Kathy (and Mike’s response):

This is very true. The financial industry has little focus on young responsible people who need some good advice to get started on the right track. Their target is mostly just the high net worth people, and you’re not usually in that category in your 20’s and 30’s. That’s why I want to start my own financial planning firm that works on an hourly basis. I won’t have to go after high net worth people because won’t be basing my compensation on how much they invest with me. (There are more reasons why I have issues with the assets under management model.)

I don’t think everyone needs a financial planner, either. Most of it you can do on your own, but it’s also an issue of the best use of your time. If it takes you 10 hours to learn about asset allocation and index investing, would you rather spend that 10 hours to learn it yourself or come to me and pay $100 for an hour to discuss what your portfolio should look like and get some education at the same time. I’ve already done the research, so if you value your time at more than $10/hour it’s probably not a bad idea to use a fee-only, hourly financial planner.

]]> By: Mike http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/simplifying-investing-ignore-the-ads/comment-page-1/#comment-21 Mike Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:00:15 +0000 http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/?p=209#comment-21 Heh, depressing indeed. But after all, that's what every single one of us 20-somethings is doing, right? We're *all* just racking up credit card debt, aren't we? ;) There really are plenty of young people who are responsible with their finances. You're not alone! The reality though is that we're not of much value to the investment firms. Even if we're doing everything right, we don't yet have hundreds of thousands of dollars in a 401k somewhere just waiting to be rolled into an IRA with their firm. The upside: It's easier to ignore the ads when they're not targetted at you anyway. :) Heh, depressing indeed.

But after all, that’s what every single one of us 20-somethings is doing, right? We’re *all* just racking up credit card debt, aren’t we? ;)

There really are plenty of young people who are responsible with their finances. You’re not alone!

The reality though is that we’re not of much value to the investment firms. Even if we’re doing everything right, we don’t yet have hundreds of thousands of dollars in a 401k somewhere just waiting to be rolled into an IRA with their firm.

The upside: It’s easier to ignore the ads when they’re not targetted at you anyway. :)

]]> By: Kathy http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/simplifying-investing-ignore-the-ads/comment-page-1/#comment-20 Kathy Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:50:02 +0000 http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/?p=209#comment-20 Interesting question! I just looked through a few issues of Money magazine to check out the ads. It turns out that NONE of the investing ads even seem to have me as a target market. Most of them are clearly aimed at retirement-age people. The only ads that target my demographic (recently married, starting a family, in my 20s) are for insurance and credit cards. How depressing! Interesting question!

I just looked through a few issues of Money magazine to check out the ads.

It turns out that NONE of the investing ads even seem to have me as a target market. Most of them are clearly aimed at retirement-age people.

The only ads that target my demographic (recently married, starting a family, in my 20s) are for insurance and credit cards. How depressing!

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