If my new personal blog is proving anything, it’s that this is indeed a GLOBAL crisis, and folks from all over the globe are on my blog weighing in on yesterday’s “Question of the Day!”
So far, we’ve heard from A. Wilkinson, John and others in England … John in Ireland … Johannes and Christiane in Germany … Aurthur and Harry in Australia … Gerald in Canada … Lookman from Nigeria … and many other readers from every continent.
Plus, there’s one more thing my blog is demonstrating beyond the shadow of a doubt: Our readers include some of the brightest, most focused investors I’ve ever seen!
Take yesterday, for instance: Our Question of the Day was …
“What knowledge or skills might help you make better investment choices?”
The #1 answer? Bennie, RM, Arthur, Tony and Lauren all say it’s “knowing how to TIME my investment moves better!”
A. Desrosiers says, “This is a trader’s market, and I find that technical analysis helps. The old buy-and-hold ideas seem dangerous to me.”
Ken agrees: “Getting in and out of issues at the right time. Inevitably I enter at the wrong time, get nervous and pull out before a rebound.”
”Timing,” says Pat, “is EVERYTHING!”
So what does it take to do a better job of buying and selling at the right time?
Bill says it’s all about learning how to trade: “Become well educated in trading techniques designed to make profits in an up and down market,” he says.
Tony says there’s no excuse not to make money in this bear market now that we have ETFs, Forex and other contrarian investments. “All you need, says Tony, “is a signal to confirm a bottom or top of each: Technical plus fundamental study. Simple.”
Steve says learning technical analysis is the answer: “Knowing how to read a chart. Some good basic instructions for using charts would be helpful.”
But many readers say they don’t have the time to learn or apply the technical tools that could help them better time their investment decisions …
Hahl says, “My biggest problem is, I don’t have time. I have to be available 24/7 caring for my clients.”
Kathie agrees: “We just don’t have the time to do all the necessary research.”
And Ian Lewis wants us to help him with the heavy lifting: “I would like a Martin Weiss service where short-term buying and selling opportunities are tracked and recommended.”
Thank you so much for your answers! Rest assured that my entire team and I are already brainstorming ways to help make your investment timing decisions easier and more reliable!
Today’s Question of the Day
Today, I think it would be helpful for all of us to change our focus a bit. Instead of staring at this crisis like deer in the headlights of an on-coming tractor trailor …
Let’s inspire each other by reminding ourselves that with crisis comes opportunity.
So here’s the question I’d like to get your feedback on today …
Do you know, or have you heard,
stories about investors who became rich
when the climate was as serious
or even worse than today’s?
What did THEY do right that so many
investors seem to be doing wrong today?
Thousands of investors all over the world desperately need hope right now. So your thoughts and comments will be warmly welcomed. Just click this link and help them see the silver lining in any crisis.
Good luck and God bless,
Martin
P.S. Once again, you’ve touched me with your posts thanking us for helping you through this challenging time. Here’s one of my favorites from yesterday …
“Back in July 2007, I had my bank’s personal wealth division, my financial advisors, and other so-called professional investment advisers insisting that it was the right time to invest in the market.
“It was only you and your team who cautioned against this timing, it was you and your team who gave me an insight into what was about to unfold.
“And it is due to you and your team that the capital it took me 30 years to make has NOT been decimated by 50%. So I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”
— I. Lewis, London, England
Thank YOU!
{ 185 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t know anyone personally who benefited from a climate like today’s but I’ve read stories. Such like the Rockefellers and the Kennedys who benefited from the Great Depression. They did their own research, learned to discount the talking heads in the media and government, and had the cash reserves to buy investments at rock bottom prices. Their families never suffered for want since then.
Jim Sinclair bought gold and gold stocks and made a fortune .
Hedge more portfolio with inflationary investments such as gold. Look for stocks within sectors which have demostrated through chart strong technicals, such as higher highs and higher lows; these stocks I try to hold longer. Reinvest dividends in blue chip stocks which have been beaten down. I was guilty of not selling GE when I first started losing confidence; at this point I might as well reinvest as long as the dividend holds. I hope this is a good move? I too an keeping a much larger portion of my portfolio in cash so I can take advantage of opportunities when presented. These are all ideas picked up through groups like Weiss, reading and watching our financial stations. I looked forward to reading those blogs from the experts.
i am holding on to my silver @ gold @canadian gas unites for now
Understanding fundamentals is key but one must have some technical knowledge also. Since most of us don’t have the time to understand technicals and apply that knowledge, we must pick out good advisors and trust them insofar as possible to guide us. Martin Weiss et al fill that need. I have evaluated many so called gurus and have come away disappointed. Final thought: DISCIPLINE.
Martin,
I surely would like to be one of them - mnaking a lot of money during these times of opportunity. I believ e though that I am on the right path - with your support and all.
Don’t know anybody who succeeded to become rich during a market / financial crisis
Karl
They got into the right stock when everyone else was getting out. That takes lots of research & lots of guts.
Just hang on and the market will come back. How many times have we heard that? Don’t believe it!
Yes Martin I have heard stories of George Soros and Jim Rogers shorting the British pound in 1992. The men made a lot of money. These men were great market timers. Irvin Weiss shorting stocks during the great depression. SUccess can occur in both up and down markets. yours truly Anthony
It seems that those who do things right take a step back and can see the forest and not just the trees. They can see the causes and the effects of the things happening around them and then can narrow there focus and can make accurate decisions. They do not just look at the present circumstances that are around them. This gives them perspective which few people seem to have. It gives them confidence to make decisions and stick with them knowing the outcome in the long term even when all the short term signals are telling everyone the opposite.
about profits in distressed times.
Sure - Bernard Barouch (sp?) Kennedy the elder - your own father - lots of folks made fortunes during the depression. I think most critical is analysis at macro level of the total picture - political-economy - One MUST recognize that a narrow view of economics won’t do. I think your own analysis from 2004 on was based on this kind of total approach. The people who made money in the 1930’s had a good understanding of the interplay between economic forces and government actions. My thought is that the world changed from a century if inflation (the depression was but a blip) into a period (unknowable length) of deflation circa 1998-2000. But governments of course are fighting deflation with every tool they can find. David Fischer’s book - The Great Wave: Price revolutions and the rhythm of history - in 1996 described the coming change. As investors we are in the middle so to speak between world historical change and government efforts to block it.
best wishes
john sloan
The great Jesse Livermore shorted stocks and held them for many months. He earned a fortune. I personnally try to hold onto uptrending stocks with rising simple moving averages of 20 and 50 days. I especially look for a good volume sustaining the uptrend.
I personnally think that when you have New 52 week-high stocks with a new product, good volume, and together with main indexes trending up, then it is worth being long.
As for now I only see Gold Bullion as a shelter as well as inversed Treasuries funds
The most famous person i know of was Bernard Baruch, who sold just before the ‘29 crash. He obviously had enough money to live well during the thirties depression. I do not know when (or if ) he got back in the market. I believe we are faced with two opposing monetary forces - inflation vs. depression. Thus, timing is the answer. Will Weiss be able to develop a tool (or tools) to confront this dilemma and get it to subscribers in a timely manner? Eugene Gladston.
Few of us have the close knowledge of the late 20’s & 30’s as some of our parents where just kids & did not realize what their parents were doing or not doing to survive or prosper. The key to some good incite is finding an elder with an active mind. I knew a Family that gathered 51 % of Sears & did very well.
Martin, Yes. Irving Weiss. Best wishes. George.
Most of us know how richly rewarded Joe Kennedy became by shorting stocks in the 1930’s. I’ve grown and learned from futures and options traders who profit by being correct no matter which way the market goes. The key is being on the right side. My best trading days were leading up to and most especially the Crash of 1987 by being on the short side. Those trades were much better defined than these markets of today, though I still believe the final curtain in this wave will be a Dow at 1000 or less.
During past recessions I have had acquaintances who purchased hard assets (land and single or multi-family real estate) who fared well in later years. Of course timing was all important. This time around may be considerably different and much more risky. My personal belief this time around one should limit their investments in hard assets to gold, silver and good farmland.
Thanks for your continued efforts to protect our assets.
David
The only person I’ve heard of making money in such a serious climate as this is your father, Martin. I believe he most likely did it by following his own gut instinct of what was going on around him rather than simply believing what others TOLD him. Trusting my gut instinct is HUGE!! Even if I hadn’t read your book “Crash Profits” which tuned me into signs that the housing market was in a major bubble, it just didn’t make sense to me how average people were affording these big houses and expensive cars. My husband and I are both in IT, make better money than average, and we could not afford these things. Rather, we didn’t feel comfortable overextending ourselves to afford these things!! Instinct told me that major consequences were soon to follow for all this debt.
Even so, gut instinct only goes so far. The rest would be knowing what data to look at, trends to watch for, charts to analyze. I am quite a reader, but sometimes don’t know how to put all that I read together to help me “time” my investments. And, I am a novice with investing in anything other than a 401K.
Make no mistake, nothing will stop me from getting the knowledge I need to thrive in the current environment. My family will not starve as long as there is breathe in my body (Scarlett O’Hara?)! I would simply like help getting there faster and with fewer mistakes than I will make all on my own.
I am indeed grateful to you and your team, and to now have this blog. Part of my frustration since finding your services is not being able to ask questions directly of you and your team. Thank you so much.
I think we can all learn a lesson from the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. In that movie a “run of the banks” was depicted. Miserly (and wealthy) Mr. Potter was buying what he could cheap. Do you remember George Bailey’s (Jimmy Stewart) response to his scared savings and loans’ customers? He said, Potter’s not selling, he’s buying. And why? Because we’re panicking and he’s not”.
Food for thought?
John
Mayer rhotschild JPM W. Buffet BUY at bottom when “blood is in streets” .
Hi Martin,
I believe to find out what strategy can be sucessfull in the current climate we have to go back to the last similar period in world history which was the early 1930’s. One type of stock which did well throughout that period was gold and silver mining stocks and I believe the same applies today. This can be done by both short term and long term investors as they both could operate sucessfully in what will be the only bull market for the next while.
For me time is a problem. My job requires 10 hours a day. Like most Company’s we are working with a reduced staff due to the existing economic crisis being felt around the world. also I have a two hour commute per day and as an add on I am an octogenarian.
Presently over 85% of my principal is in 30 day Treasuries as per your advice. The balance is used for in fast and out fast trading. Profit target is 12% to 15%, stop loss is 10% to 12% and because of the lack of time I’m very selective in my trades.I’m making a little profit each month, certainly not making big money in a down market . But i’m not losing principal thanks to advice from the Weiss Group of Professionals. Frank
Sure, in the past, investors became wealthy (overtime) by inventing, producing, or investing in others. So will it be this time. What, when, where to invest is the key question. As for me, right now I’m holding my money ’safe’ until the fog of fear, and instability lifts a bit more. Today, RIGHT NOW, no one is certain where to invest.
I want to be able to invest ‘for the long term’ not making quick in-and-out moves which is far more like gambling, than investing. Oh, I should spent that $1 on a Lotto ticket, better odds than the S&P rising tomorrow (maybe).
I have heard of people getting rich quickly in the market. but I don’t know any of them. I am a new investor, so to speak ,on my on, because I have always invested through a financial advisor-4 of them. I don’t know squat about investing but from the information I have been getting from youall I am making a start over. I would like to get information that even a novice can understand and follow. There is a lot of verbage I receive on these sites that is maybe theoretical and technical but is really useless to me. I know there are a lot of new investors that probably feel the same way. There is no reason to ramble on about something that no one uses. Cut to the meat of the information and you will be better received. Thanks
I had a great uncle that made several million in real estate in the 1930’s. He went into the depression with cash and towards the bottom bought real estate for pennies on the dollar. Can I go that far back?
I think it was Rothschild who said “the time to buy is when there is blood in the streets”, or something like that. I don’t think anyone can come close to the Rothschilds’ success in taking advantage of turmoil to make big profits. Remember, they were the lenders to kings of nations.
I appreciate the recent advice from Larry who said that although history may repeat itslef, it is rarely ever duplicated. I think that is important to note. Let’s not foprget that during the crash of 1929, the fed was still bound by a gold standard, whereas today, no such restraints exist on their money printing. I think Larry is right about a strong possibility of a coming hyper-inflationary economy. That would dictate that you should shore up on gold and silver hedges. Although I realize Martin has more of a deflationary opinion and advocates shoring up on cash. I’m just worried that all of that cash will ultimately become seriously worthless.
Dear Martin,
So many Thanks with all of your help, not only for me but especial children in the world who are suffering with no food. You help not direct but indirectly with your advice. I make good money and give 50% of the provit to those hungry children. Last year only I could help 15,000 children for daily food. I their name Thank-you, you do a wonder full job. With blessing from heaven.
Dr. Hoekman.
Access to Market information analysis not sold to you by a broker who needs you to trade so he can eat. History lessons that you can’t analize yourself.
Models that make common sense and have a reasonable hope and so you can understand the risks.
Understanding the big economic picture.
Understanding currency risk before you enter foreign markets.
Quite simply, be sovereign.
Buy Dog stocks…
The way to profit from a bear market is to buy when
no one else wants to buy a stock. You need to have
stochastics that show the momentum is at its nadir
and the institutions are beginning to buy — before you
buy.
Secondly, you need to know the stock’s resistance
and support to know when to get out.
##
Martin-
I have seen people make money in tough times. It actually creates volatility to have the longs out of the market. Volatility is good for multiple trading cycles and options. Also, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to play a sector-like gold miners. Before it was all about picking the “right stock.” Now it’s picking the right sector at the right time.
Jessee Livermore.
…certainly, Martin’s father was one who turned a borrowed sum into tighty fortune.
In the early 90’s, I believe George Soros made a cool billion in the currency market, betting against the British Pound.
I have’nt known anyone personally. I have heard of Martin Weiss’s dad. I am sure that when there is money and someone is losing, there is a winner as well somewhere.
Raghu
Sure, there are stories everywhere. During the last couple of recessions some friends of mine saw the bottom coming, invested securely in Blue Chips and did very well on their retracement.
I suppose one of the secrets is to know when the bottom is approaching or is already there, and if you have enough money, start investing in the longer term like they did.
Rick
Hi Martin and gang,
I too am thankful for your sound advice over the years since I read your books “The Ultimate Safe Money Guide (2202) and Crash Profits (2003)” and started my subscription for Money and Markets. However, I would point out to some of your readers that there are lots of other pundits, who also got it right a long time ago. One of the earliest was Bob Prechter in “Conquer the Crash (2002)” and his Elliottwave Int. website, Robert Schiller, Bill Bonner, Gary Shilling, and in Canada, Eric Sprott and in Hong Kong, Marc Faber to mention only a few that I am familiar with. I am sure there are others as well.
Keep up the good work!!
Cheers, Mervyn Olson, Galiano Island, BC, Canada
By gold.
Your Dad is one…………..but he was “in the business” as you are and he felt confident to risk (and sometimes seat as you said) investing in futures - which I don’t think we need to do today to make a reasonable return
THIS IS WHAT I BELEIVE:
STAY CALM
BE RELAXED
LISTEN
EVALUATE WHAT YOU HEAR AND WHAT YOU SEE
SORT “GOOD FROM BAD”
LOOK FOR POSITIVE CHANGE OR ACTION
THE TOOLS, THE MECHANISMS AND THE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS ARE ALL IN PLACE
PICK WHAT YOU TRUST AND GO FOR IT!!!!
AND DO’T BE AFRAID TO TAKE A CHANCE
BAD TIMES OR GOOD TIMES YOU CAN MAKE GOOD PROFITS. MY DAD SUMMED IT UP WITH AN OLD PHRASE: “LET THE TREND BE YOUR FRIEND”. OK, SO REAL ESTATE AND BANKS STINK, AND THEY WERE REALLY STINKY IN OCTOBER 2008. AND THEY STINK NOW. BUYER CONFIDENCE IS VERY LOW AND GOING LOWER. THE LOWER IT GOES THE HIGHER SOME STOCKS & EFT”S GO UP. INTER-DAY TRADING IN SOME BANK AND REAL-ESTATE REVERSE EFT’S HAS BEEN 20-30%, IN ONE DAY! IT IS A WILD RIDE. ATTENTION IS IMPORTANT. THE REVERSE OF THE ABOVE (UP TREND) IS ALSO TRUE. ACTIVITY, WEATHER UP OR DOWN CAN BE PROFITABLE.
Martin
I personally dont know any one that was succesful in investing. But I do know a few who made it by hard work and waying everything carefully before spending their hard earned money whether in bussines or in the home.
Thank you
Vernon
I don’t know any brokers but of all the wealthy individuals I know they have lost
about a third or more of their net worth.
In a secular bear market it is said the winner is the man who loses least which I think is true for the great majority of investors. It is extremely difficult to make money trading and it is not possible without substantial risk to one’s capital. If one expects to make substantial gains (and if not why bother?) one must put substantial sums at risk.
It is also said “the time to buy is when there is blood in the streets”, which is a time proven maxim, so for me I choose to sit with a Treasury money market fund and wait until Martin says, “buy now”.
People who’ve made it rich have always invested in things everyone will still need. Shelter, food, water & warmth. So in a nutshell, whatever makes these things available to all are things we should be investing in.
Most people I know that have gained great wealth have had the courage of their convictions. Second, they developed a better way to make or do something which became adopted as the new way of doing things. (software, Pixar, NetFlix, Dish Network) What investors want is a new way of investing, not a broker, not a mutual fund, not a biased analyst, not a hedgefund, not a banker, not another newsletter. That is the old way of doing things, I want solid diversified recomendations for the bulk of my savings and I want a way to trade with someone looking over my shoulder, and taking over if I go on a trip or I’m in meeting. I want to pay for results, not a percentage of what I invested. I want it to start low have someone show me how to make 10K 20K and 20K 50k and as you increase my money I pay more and probably invest more. Perhaps there are three entry levels of the trading fund $10K, $50K and $100K and you (Money and Markets) charge according to how well the advice you give and the timing produces results. I want to pay once for the best ideas you can put together I don’t want to be pitched a new newsletter every time the writer gets a good idea. Alternatively, I would pay x per reco.
It looks to me like you could get 5000 people at $10K to start or $50 million, if you can’t get 5000, I’ll help you get 5000. Then maybe you get x% for y increase and 2x for Z results etc, everyone agrees upfront. I think you could make a lot of money if you’re right. Everyone is looking for someone they can trust, someone who will put their money where their mouth is.
Do a virtual bank, or find a solid bank we can work with. How about USAA Savings Bank, trades are just $5.
I believe many of the successful investors were contrarian thinkers who were willing to
take the risk of swimming against the tide. They were individuals not influenced by the
herd of popular opinion. I’ve known many people that had access to a lot of info and
advice but did not act on it because of the risk factor. (risk not, lose alot)
I don’t know anyone personally, but if we have a similar decline to what occurred in the great depression I think it would be possible to duplicate the extraordinary today. Credit conditions are far worse today. I’m not sure how the fed can inflate if no one will want to borrow, unless they hand out money and don’t expect repayment. Let’s say we are in a bear for the next 3 years where the percent decline closely matches that from 1929, it seems there would be plenty of opportunities for great returns with inverse etfs and puts and also opportunities during the bear market rallies. However, I am curious if these returns can be achieved without excessive risk. I don’t want to feel like I’m gambling by going all in and mistiming. Without taking excessive risk I don’t know how many times could one expect to “double” their capital over this time period. I would be nice to hear some anecdotal details.
Problem: I’ve lost a LOT of money betting, at various times, on “fundamentally” sound propositions, e.g. the dollar ought to fall, gold ought to go up, gold mining stocks ought to out perform, the S&P ought to fall etc. etc. The temptation is to get into these “fundamentally” correct positions when the risk/reward level is too high.
SO: i’ve started looking at a more conservative approach: never investing until both the risk and reward a less dramatic, usually never more than at 3-5% risk. exemplars of this approach are Jack Chan and Chris the “gold and oil guy”.
This approach is a LOT safer but misses big moves.
Do you think the Weiss organization could put together a service that uses your strength (your take on the fundamental issues) combined with a market timing approach that lays out very clearly the risk/reward issues?
There are a lot of us who are quite willing to “groom” our positions several times a week, are willing to adjust stops etc, but do not want to pay the cost of one your expensive services. Do you think you could put out a product like this for $300 to $400 per year? I’d certainly buy it.
jack berger
the great mr. templeton bought stocks around a buck or less with low PE’s and in a good business in the 1930’s and made a fortune. if you have a passion for investing, never stop learning your craft. learn how money, economies, and governments work. how money flows. capital has to be somewhere. if you see a bubble like i see now in bonds, when that bubble bursts, where is that capital going to go. some will go into stocks and i think we may see a nice stock rally because of it but the better bang for the buck is commodities. i think gold and even oil will easily double from here. macro fundamentals for the long term trend and know your technicals to take advantage of reversals. stick with it. rome wasnt built in a day. it will all start to make sense and confidence in your decesions will follow. happy investing.
Many analysists report that their clients are making hundreds of thousands by following their recommendations and this may be true, however I wonder how much they are investing and how many losses they are not mentioning.
Gamblers will always tell about their wins but never mention the losses they have had.
I would prefer to read reports from your staff and make my own decisions.
I personally need more current easily available information which will lead to building confidence in selecting possible opportunities. Your dad’s exposure to the workings of the everyday transactions in the stock exchange provided him with a secure foundation for his ’shorting’ of the market and it turned out well for him. Not everyone is knowledgeable or confident enough to make important decisions like that and many investors like myself want easy answers. There are none without study of the facts, communicating with other investors excluding most brokers, talking with business and government leaders, and then doing your own detailed research to confirm an opportunity is real.
They were able to figure out what asset class(es) the money was going to flow into next. And they were able to figure this out before the masses figured it out.
Dan
Dear Mr Weiss,
Have you ever considered a service that would interpret charted market moves and advise when to get in and out of a short list of quality stocks?
RJK
First, they had to have extreme confidence in what they were doing to act in a manner that was contrarian to the rest and be willing to take a significant risk in times of uncertainty. Second, they had to have the capital. Third, they either had to have the time to do the necessary research or the condition that was working in their favor had to remain constant for a long period of time.
I’ve listened to your team for a number of years now and as a result have come out of this downturn (so far) very well. Gold and bear market funds have done well. However, I’ve passed on your advise to friends and family with no luck at all. Most have told me to stop forwarding the “bad news.” This while they’ve lost 30-50%.
thanks martin for your fathers stories about shorting the thirties market. the key is and has been tto find the two or three minds that are competent and objective. to ignore the majority of “EXPERTS” is crucial but difficult. kudos martin and keep up the good work.’
No, Martin. I am sorry I do not know of anyone who has profited when the climate was as serious or even worse than today. It is most likely due to the fact I do not know anyone within the financial community. But, that does not mean I cannot try to profit in this environment!
On a separate note, please let me know what I should do. I bought UPP at $26.11, SEF at $93.75 and EUM at $81.30 per share. I’m down slightly. Should I hold on to these? Or sell them at a slight loss? I’m worried the markets are going to rally when Obama signs the stimulus plan tomorrow. But who knows what these clowns in Washington are going to do.
- No, sorry, Martin. I know of no one who has profitted
Hi Martin,
I can remember when my father put his money in a cream can and stored it
in a dark dry place and my Uncle put his silver dollars witch were several buckets
in the same place. This was in the 30’s when I remember they sat and talked about what to do. I remember when they talked about if the table would hold the dollars.
Not a good thing now? I don’t ever remember getting hungry.
I guess i’ll put my mutul funds in the bank until I hear what to do.
Thank You, Mr Superman
I bought your newsletter about a year ago. I’ve been burned by every advisor/ broker I’ve met and lost several million to my former trusting ways. I bought Mikes ETF advisory service 3 months ago, but have been too wary to invest yet. My “free”trial expires 2/13/09, tomorrow. I’m going nuts because I just don’t know who to trust anymore. I’m stuck at home disabled, I must find a way to start a new income or lose my home in about a year. I need clear, layman oriented instructions on what type of investment to pursue.
Thanks, Dave
Yes.. ME!
I stayed short when 99% was declaring a bottom…
that helped!
regards
I have read of such investors in old market books but
have never met one personally. The key is apparently
more in the emotional profile than in pure
intellect. My sense is it requires the combination of
being able to oppose crowd psychology, and having
good judgment. Many investors have one but not both.
How do I know when to sell a stock? It’s the ability to limit losses that helps to maintain high quality assets and net worth.
Hello Martin,
Your shared information to your investors has helped me a great deal also.
Like so many, I do not have the time or the knowledge to manage my
funds for income which I need. I am a widow with social security income,about $150,000 in 3 month Treasury Bills and 3 CDs at my local bank,
Sterling Bank, Houston, for the total of $90,000 in 3, 6, and 9 month
maturities @3.70%. The Treasuries used to pay a decent interest for
income. Now they do not. These are the liquid funds that I have and I
must hold on to for my future. I am 76, in good health, retired. I
think that you are very experienced in your field and mean well. I
feel that I can trust your advice.
Can you help me? Do you have a department in your company that can
manage this money for income? Please let me know. I bought some SCC
when you suggested, but now I do not see you recommending it anymore? Should I sell it and buy another?
What to do?
God bless,
Marianne Webb
I love the question! I open retail stores. I have found that it is times like this that I can afford to expand. There will be deals to be had. Keep your eyes open. It about postive cash flow. Anyone can sell but it takes experence to buy. I am excited over the great opportunities that’s just about to become available. Remember soon it will get better before it gets worse. Window is going to open for a short time.
Dr. Weiss,
You know you always hit the nail on the head! Thank you for all your good advice over the year since I found you . I have learned a lot from you and your team,and the info will help me to become an independent investor.I have been in training with a firm, and I agree with the people who tout Technical analysis. Its only with understanding the chart s and be able to do top down analysis,that we all will attempt to survive in these uncertain times. Again thank you and your team,my Alum is the best!!
CHEERS
Alvarene
Hi,
Yes, a family of mom,dad and five children here in Australia got educated last July 08. They started with 45000.00 US$ to invest in USA options buying puts on banking sector and homebuilding sector. So far (December 08) they have turned it over 900000.00 US $
Not bad just researching the banks and builders that are exposed to this weakness. The puts are usually out six months but position is often closed within days.
There is still plenty of opportunities for this if one is dedicated to check fundamentals.
I could recommend the educational firm who is responsible for this but I think it would be consider advertising. I am a student of this firm as well. Brilliant :-)
Cheers,
Jaana
Cheers,
Jaana
I agree that opportunities exist. Not everything wins. Be prepared to take momentary losses if you want to play this field. But if you can stay smart and quick, we all can minimize over all loss, or even profit. The alert newsletters, like “Crisis Opportunity” seems to be what people are asking for (using options to hedge overall portfolio positioning. Is there a chance for your team to get into options on futures, or futures themselves. This is something I would like to learn more about.
rockefellers in new york. they used oil as a profit center and had insight to buy oil during the bad days of the twenties and thirties.
there are many investors/traders who are doing quite well in these markets. up -down-sideways, it doesn’t matter . there is always opportunities in the market place. Don’t just blindly follow the advice of brokers and so-called gurus on television etc.. study the markets, learn to read a chart.etc. If you can manage your trade and stay diciplined and work your plan, you should do well. Forget about the “easy” money that can make you rich beyond your dreams investing in this or that!! It just isn’t reality!! I know because I was one of those dummys that fell for the promise of great wealth in just days!! My hard work and dedication to the markets have paid off. If I can do it anybody can… Good Luck
Simple. You buy a service with one of Martin’s associates. My interest is in currencies now and I have done very well because of the guidance I have received from currency currents.
Simple. You buy a service with one of Martin’s associates. My interest is in currencies now and I have done very well because of the guidance I have received from currency currents.
I do not personally know anyone that fared exceptionally well during a downturn, however, I have read about a number of them, including your father’s success, Martin. As mentioned by someone previously, it is now less about owning the right stock for any length of time, but rather being in the right sector, with a few choice stocks within that sector, and knowing when to get in and out. Easier than in the past with ETFs and the likes, yet fundamentals and technical analysis are still the vital part, which is where your services come in. You are to be commanded for the simplicity or “Laman” terms of your newsletters and blogs, whether it be Martin, Larry, Jack or Mike. The seemingly diversity of opinions, with intelligent and clear data to support such, has allowed me to reach conclusions and apply your team’s analysis expertise, experience and understanding with good success. I thank you for that! The overall sense I received from my reading of financial success stories during economic upheaval was in that person’s ability to analyse, understand and focus on one or two aspects, how those fit into the present dynamics and what made them tick, and stick to a sound game plan. Unfortunately, the only part I can contribute is the stick-to-it part, so I rely on you and your team to fill in the larger front load portion!
Well, first, they had cash reserves, stashed away with the foresight that a market downturn was coming. Along with that wisdom was the understanding that the world was not going to end, and that while it is hard to predict cycle times, this was indeed a cycle that they needed to ride through.
Of course what they also had, which I would like right now, is the knowledge to know where to act and when, because we all know that supply and demand will continue - globally!
So Martin, tell us what you see in that crystal ball!
Thanks for doing an excellent job on educating us through different web-seminars and other types of print like safe money. For your readers maybe you can host a weekly web “tidbits” section for those who are encountering fear to help ease some of the pain many are feeling out there. You and your staff have a way of explaining things well to your views. That’s why I subscribe to the service.
First: Thank God for send us people like Martin, Larry and all the team M&M and other like Jim Sinclair (www.jsmineset.com), Colin Campbell (www.peakoil.net) and few others for explain to us (the citizens) that really is happening in the world. They are the uniques (and few others) that have the corage, knowledge and understanding for explain openly what is happening in all the world (from a economics and financial point of view)
I am totally (98%) secure that: no minister nor goberment nor “expert” knows really what is really happening, like we are witness from the media and essays.
Pablo from Chile, Sud America
hi martin,
I have been a subscriber to your service for well over three years. My only wish is that i had the courage to listen to your service rather than all the so called experts—if I had, I would have been able to retire today. Rather than running around like a chicken–wondering whether. i should close out — all my brokerage accounts and accept the approximately Three to Four Hundrred thousand dollars in losses …
Thanks,
Jerry
When there is panic in the street (Wall Street) that’s the time to buy . When every one is buying that’s the time to sell. That saying is true today as it was in your father’s day. So please tell us when it is time to buy and what to buy. I am a novice and rely on your judement to get me through this and repair my porfolio. I am 79 and working full time. I want to retire and was about to when the financial world collapsed. I have followed your Safe Money Report for the last two years and I must say “thank you” for saving my retirement nestegg. I suffered some loss but not like my friends and family. I think, with your help, I can retire soon.
God Bless!
Martin,
Inverse ETF’s and High Grade bond ETF’s are a godsend for the investor in times like these, especially for those whose funds are mostly in IRA’s and can not short stocks. Also, most people are not aware that buying options (including buying and selling naked puts) are allowed in many IRA custodial accounts.
I think many of us would appreciate it if you added some wise option recommedations to your Safe Money Report.
Thank you for the independence and global view of your guidance.
Hello Martin,
I read in the Financial Times that China would continue to buy US bonds despite all of the goings on in the US economy. Does this change your outlook for the bond market, or do you believe that the bond market is still headed lower?
Thank You
My husband has been through many economic ups and downs in his lifetime. He has ALWAYS worked smart and hard. He is not the sheep following everyone else. He saw opportunity in real estate and business that no one else saw at the time. Prioritized his daily duties to work profitably.
Be positive, talk and spend time with your family and cut expenses where you can so you have more in the future.
They bought low and sold high. Isn’t that how your father did it? But understanding options — that’s something you have to speak to me about VERY slowly.
If you are doing what everybody else is doing, you can be certain it is the wrong thing to do. Those that keep their assets liquid will be winners; cash is a good thing right now because most investments will fall in value. Keep your powder dry and safe.
Those investors worked hard studying charts, analyze the stocks, doing their due diligence, spread their portfolio and made their selection based on solid technicals.. They were patient and waited until just the right time and then made their investments.
I heard a story about a man in St Louis who sold fur coats during the Great Depression and made a lot of money. He knew where the money was and focused there…not where the money was not. If you know your market and fill a need, money is there. I also question the phrase “13 trillion dollars of wealth has vanished”. Nothing vanishes…it just traded hands. This whole crisis is wealth consolidation…back to the old, old money in the BOE and Fed Reserve.
I have friends who are trading the spiders and diamonds, buying at the Dow 8000 level and below, and selling at 8500 and above. They claim they are making money doing this but I have not seen objective information on those claims. Also during the 1970’s, a similar market to this one, I had friends who made good money in gold mining shares, but the trick was to get out at the right time. The high in gold prices was a quick, steep up, and then down for a long time. Other friends are heavily into limited partnerships, mostly pipelines while they wait this out. Hope this helps.
Wanted to know best advice if can sell current home, what do you think one should do. Buy smaller, rent?
thank you
I really don’t know how to do trading in this market. I’m getting lockjaw.
I’m getting lockjaw.
If your office had a fund that managed the buying and selling so as to releave us from the timing of purchases and selling, I think that would solve many of our problems. Pat
Dear Martin.
I really enjoy reading your insightful comments on the markets. I have never seen so many bargains, stocks with low P/E’s and dividends above 10 percent. I fully expect to see Treasuries above twelve percent within two years. I continue to hold my rental properties since they were paid for more than fifteen years ago. I don’t advise anyone in California to put anything in a safe deposit box because the bank has to seal them upon your death. Thanks again for all your help. Paul C Twentynine Palms, California
Martin, I’ve heard of one man that made a lot of money while most others were going broke — your Dad. What was his secret to timing the markets? Dana
Nathan Rothchild ,after the battle of Watterloo. Advance information[pigeons] cunning , influencing markets a la “Smoking Joe “.
I’ve been subscribing Safe Money Repor over 4 years and I can say it is worth every penny I spent.
I am considering the Leveraged Short Long term treasury ETF RRPIX. Does anyone know what’s the downside if the treasury yield stays low for a very long time, say more than 5 years? Some one told me since the ETF is leveraged, the fund has to borrow the money at around 5%. So if the yield were to stay low for a long time, you can lose 5% + the fee each year. Is this true? What kind of underlying instrument is used to set up this fund?
Thank you.
Dear Martin,
The most inspiring stories about someone who became rich when the climate was as serious as today, that I’ve heard about, are about your father, and some of the notes you’ve passed on to us. They’ve given me hope. I would appreciate hearing even more about what he did. I wish I’d heard about your group sooner than I did. I could have saved even more of my family’s wealth. But at least you helped me save most of it, and that’s what counts. For that, I am so grateful to you!!!!
I met a guy who was almost broke during the early 1980’s when inflation was going crazy and the economy was in a tailspin, who learned about one idea
(how to sell a call) from his broker. This fasinated him. He did it over and over and learned all he could in the process about how to do it better. He did not try to do a dozen different things, just this one technique, but he got better and better at winning when the did it. Within less than ten years he was a millionaire. The moral of the story is that we can each DO SOMETHING. We don’t have to do everything..just one thing right,and do it over and over. Learn all you can, help others get better too. Together we can win for ourselves and help others win too, but the secret is to DO something, not just talk about it. Be cautious, but when you are prepared, pull the trigger.
While I wouldn’t call him rich, my grandfather kept his head in the Depression. When buying opportunities arose he doubled the size of his farm. To keep a good cash flow going he kept his family flush by having laying hens. A dozen eggs went for $0.60 during the Depression and the hens produced 100-dozen a day. Great income at the time. Remember, not all investments are financial instruments or precious metals - investing in yourself, your business or your passion is never a bad idea.
This is a more complex question. There is a stock graph that has to be closely watched. To put it very shortly, the rule of thumb is:
When the stock reaches a rock bottom price and there is a high volume, the insiders are buying than, you buy. When the stock makes a retracement of about 50% on the upside or, there is a high volume somwhere in the higer prices, the isiders are selling than, you sell.
Yes your dad became wealthy by understanding the fundementals and then waited patiently to enter the short side….
So this market has the same potential to create wealth.
How do I invest in T-bills with my IRA?
Almost everyone overcomplicates things, charts, whingdings, the latest craze. A great newsletter. The winner is always the one that can think for themselves…newsletters can help focus the mind, give foundation to a thought or direction. In the end, the world is quite simple, what….do you see…right now..how…do you process that information…..is it logical….does it explain the world to you? Can you make sense of it??? If you cannot do this simple task..cannot discipline yourself…you will always look for guru’s who will do it for you. There is no one simple way to success….however you define it…but a discipline…is never out of the mind of the succesful investor…I will say with confidance, if you listen to others..it is a good thing, you are then able to learn, if you act just on what a guru may say..you are a fool. Because we are all prisms. Viewing and seeing the world the same..yet differant..one must take it all in. And then have a viewpoint that is unique to the individual..there is no success in the mimic of others, rather a slavery only you can know. You will only buy when others are buying. and sell when others are selling, your mind has trapped you. Pay for nothing you can not get out of, cheat when you cannot win. Lie when you must..forgive me my honesty.
Martin,
I have been a believer before I started reading you commments! Despite the fact that you are trying to sell you program,…. What do you really think the dow will fall to?
EB
Let me quote the wonderful mind of Jack Crooks….A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because….it has a song. Quote..a chinese proverb
Money and Markets…..forgive me…I am the most honest and deceitful of all your guests here.. But I forget myself sometimes, my humanity, at times overwhelms me. I am ashamed of this weakness.
All the pros play a con game. Give me 1% a year and well do the rest. Trouble is 1% a year is not really 1%. You invest $1,000 and pay 10 bucks. Sounds like a good deal. BUT YOU KEEP PAYING 1% ON THIS MONEY EACH YEAR, SO AFTER 30 YEARS YOU HAVE PAID $300 ON THIS $1000. IF YOU ADD ANOTHER $1,000 EACH YEAR THEN YOU WOULD PAY $290 ON THE 2ND 1,000, 280 0N THE 3RD 1,000 AND SO ON.
JUST TRY TO BEAT THESE ODDS. You can’t even beat the INTEREST CHARGED.
Then why do you play their game!
Because you have no game of your own…Is it not so easy to strike out against those who have won? Have they won forever…..that…must be the question. will you tommorrow buy………lets see…the thing today is Gold and Silver…..and if you follow the herd….you may will win……the smart money however…is now playing you.
Open a roth account with Optionsxpress and trade options. Use the 4 threes. Thats what I do. Goes like this. Wait until expiration week (week 3), wait until the market sector and stock are all making a major move. Some months nothing happens (YOU MAKE NO TRADES), other months the slot machine pays big. Five trades a year is all you need to do, maybe only two. PATENICE IS HOW YOU WIN. Paper trading is good to to sharpen your skills.
Martin…you are…well..playing your game very well…..please take my blog on your blog from the public spotlight………Oh….but you will not!!!!!! You big risk taker you!!
Good advice from Rick….If you are of the technical type…..know this..if you do not know who you are or how you think…….do not get in the market…
Hi Martin,
I have followed your concerns with the US and global economy since 2007. Thanks to your insights that were well ahead of the market reactions, I’ve been able to capitalize substantially on those accurate views. I’m particularly touched by your genuine concern for peoples financial well being.
Thank you very much.
Val.
Hope…….the last frontier!
I am from Alaska, I have been thru, much of what you fear. Hunger, weakness, desperation, isolation. Strange as it must seem, the times of my greatest trials, are now the best memories that I have. My wife and newborn child lived on a small island in the middle of a river our first winter here. Safe to say, we did not know shit…….oooppps from shinola……our transportation was a foldaboat..which is a canoe meant to be dismantled and stowed on an airplane in a bag. Not the sturdiest contrievance ever invented. We had many trials and tribulations, many times death was our companion for breakfast, I did’nt like breakfast that much after that. We gave most of our food to our young son. Grew weaker by the day, and then, I changed. To this day I do not know what happened. I just changed, Knew what I had to do, did it. And I live today. UNASHAMED
I remember during 1998 crash, Russia’s stock market tanked by almost 70-80%. I have invested in US Global Investor Eastern European fund. Before crisis, fund was trading at $10. It plunged to almost $4. Instead of panicking, I increased my holdings by almost 5 times. Result, it really paid off. The same fund was trading at $60 ten year later, almost more than 1500%.
I think we are getting same opportunity again in China, India, Russia and even in US.
Even late John Templeton made killing investing during Great Depression.
My conclusion: you should invest when there is blood in street and you should run when your taxi-driver give you stock tips.
I don’t know anybody who makes money, only Jack Crooks from what I hear. Can we get an 3month subscription ?
THE ANSWER IS YES,I HAVE KNOWN PEOPLE WHO MADE ALOT OF MONEY FROM PERIODS OF DOWNTURNS OVER THE LAST 60 OR 70 YEARS,HOWEVER ALOT OF THE PEOPLE HAVE PASSED AWAY AND DID NOT PASS THIS NFORMATION ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION WHICH IS SAD. MY DAD DID AND I WAS FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH HM FOR ALMOST THIRTY YEARS AND FRIENDS OF HIS WHO ALSO DID WELL.I AM ALSO GUILTY OF PASSING ON MY KNOWLEDGE TO MY CHILREN AND GRANDCHILREN THOUGH I BELIEVE I’VE DONE BETTER THAN MY PARENTS. THIS I BELIEVE IS ONE OF OUR COLLECTIVE-BIGGEST MISTAKES THAT HAS HURT US MORE THAN ANYTHING- BECAUSE THE KNOWEDGE WE OLDER INDIVIDUALS HAVE IS NOT GETTING FORWARDED TO THE NEXT GENERATION AND THE SCHOOLS SURE ARE NOT TEACHING ANYTHING ON ECONOMICS SO MAYBE THIS DEPRESSION WILL MAKE THE YOUNGER GENERATION LEARN SOMETHING! THE HARD WAY. IT IS TIME TO LEARN ABOUT THRIFT AGAIN. JOE BURKE
I want to thank you for saving my bacon in oct when my financial advisor tried to keep me in failing segregated funds when she new that I need a income. I am 47 disabaled and cant do fisical labor any more.she lost one third of my life savings .I had to take my self out.
is there any system that can make money without having to study all the charts and indicators?
Martin,
Yes I’ve heard of some of these investors - but there are not many of them!
They were people who were firstly able to ascertain the degree of risk in any investment. They could handle risk. They understood the necessity to preserve their capital. They recognised the effects of a deflationary environment.
They were also able free thinkers who could see opportunities in the dynamic non-linear markets - there are not many of these around either! They understood cylical markets.
They were ‘get rich slowly’ advocates. Application of self-discipline was paramount. They thoroughly appreciated the importance of the timing of puchasing and selling.
Scotsman Andrew Carnegie who emegrated to America was one of these exponents and he accumulated great wealth during economic hard times.
Nick Todd 25 Dovedale Road Leicester England UK
P.S. Georges Santayana said that if we cannot learn from history then we are condemned to repeat it. May be analysis of previous ‘bear traders’ and successful businessmen operating in depressions can give clues to opportunities for us in this latest downturn?
Martin,
Yes I’ve heard of some of these investors - but there are not many of them!
They were people who were firstly able to ascertain the degree of risk in any investment. They could handle risk. They understood the necessity to preserve their capital. They recognised the effects of a deflationary environment.
They were also able free thinkers who could see opportunities in the dynamic non-linear markets - there are not many of these around either! They understood cylical markets.
They were ‘get rich slowly’ advocates. Application of self-discipline was paramount. They thoroughly appreciated the importance of the timing of puchasing and selling.
Scotsman Andrew Carnegie who emegrated to America was one of these exponents and he accumulated great wealth during economic hard times.
I think the most important thing to do in todays market is if you believe in what your investment advisor is tell you (Safe Money Report, Etc.) and stay the course and wait for a signal from them to BUY or SELL. You have been right most of the time. I did OK by following your advise but could have done much better if I did not get nervous and jump the ship on ocassion in 2008.
The people I know who became rich taught themselves to
trade without preconceived notions on market direction.
I live in Ireland and with the current situation of our banks, I wonder have you any recommendations where I could deposit money to have peace of mind.
Regards
Mick
Hi Martin,
I have greatly appreciated your analysis and although I am a newer reader I have gone back to analyze your predictions and find them very reliable. I am puzzled by this: you and several of your advisors say the dollar is gaining strength due to the worsening of other economies and the effect on their currencies and the fact that it is the world’s reserve currency. Then yesterday Larry Edelson said that the dollar would weaken and lose it’s status as the reserve currency? How can both be right and what does this portend for the Personal Money Machine Program?
Sincerely,
Scott
Martin, there are rumors about a coming global monetary unit and currency? Is there any truth to this? If so when could this occur and what would happen to the FOREX? Thank you for a response.
I think George Soros, back in the early ’90’s (?), made over a $billion shorting the British Pound. Again, time & skills required.
Keep up the great work!
Yes I have heard of people who have made money in these conditions, however I am confident that they would have been very familiar with short selling,options,money management,technicals, and they would have had a reasonably large capital base to work from. They of course would need a good background of fundamental analysis as well as a real feel for trading markets as well as the emotional feeling that traders experience. DOUG
No. the majority of people sit & wait on the brokers advice “the market will come back”. It will but how long will it take.
MARTIN….. MY COMPLIMENTS TO YOU FOR THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX….. A FORUM SUCH AS THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED… SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO MARSHALL THE TROOPS TO SAY… WE’VE GOT A GREAT COUNTRY… WITH GREAT PEOPLE SKILLS…. THE CROOKS (i.e. - congress.. wall street… and the banks) ARE DRIVING THE BOAT AND SOMEHOW WE NEED TO BRING A LITTLE STABILITY TO THE ARENA… AND WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER TO WORK AS A TEAM NOT AS INDIVIDULAS OR POLITICIANS TRYING TO GET ELECTED AGAIN…. IT TRUELY IS A WORLD PROBLEM THAT CAN ONLY BE RESOLVED BY DIALOGUE… TRUST… AND A PLAN…
Dear Dr. Weiss,
Thanks to your your advice throughout several years and your father’s teachings about the the depression and market crash, I’ve learned a lot and protected my nest egg.
Below is an article by Jim Sinclair on the Gold ETFs where he questions whether they are holding real gold, or paper promises. I would appreciate your view on this.
http://rense.com/general85/ets.htm
Formula for success…No debt…. Cash in the Bank…. Investment in Companies that build a necessary and profitable product….i.e. - Locomotives and/or Jet Engines built by GE…
they took big risks , calculated risks some would say but calulated or not they are still risks. If it was that easy to make money we would all be rich and famous. The so called analysts recommend 100 differents avenues and brag forever after that about their 2% or so of winning recos. And to make a fortune you have to risk a lot of money and who has that kind of money to risk right now? There are more preys that predators in the investing world of ours and the very few predators have never enough and usually do not leave any survivors, they don t take prisoners. Good luck in your quest !
They took a risk and invested in foreign currency options.
My uncle bought rural land during the depression by planting wheat and grazing on abandoned or repossesed land first, Then after selling the wheat and cattle, took the proceeds and purchased the land for fifty cents per acre from the county or frustrated absentee banks. Then he never sold anything again, he died the richest republican here!
His main key to sucess during the depression was. He was the youngest of eleven children and lived with and cared for his widowed mother. One brother had a grocery store, one had a gas station, one had a dairy, one was the sheriff, one was a railroad engineer, one had a hardware store, a sister had a clothing store, another sister was a teacher.
Anyone can be rich if you follow these rules: Don’t get married, don’t have children,
charge your groceries, gas, milk, clothes and hardware needs to family, then don’t pay them because it is their share of taking care of mom, have someone in law enforcement keep you informed of neighbors failings, pickup the loose coal left along the railroad track, and provide room and board for students in exchange for work during the summer that you know will work without pay!
And never trust a bank or an attorney!
Use every dime to you save to buy only UNWANTED land!
I’m confused, most all information for the last few months have said “BUY GOLD”,
however Feb. Safe Money said not to buy gold because we are in deflation. Which
is your recommendation?
Hi Martin,
I have heard of many people making money, and lots of it, during periods like this. I don’t really know exactly how they did it, but I’m sure one advantage they had is that they didn’t panick. Instead, they stayed cool and were able to objectively assess the situation. I believe that they surpassed by selling short, which I don’t understand how to do and am afraid to attempt. (At least, that’s how he saved the family in the movie “My Man Godfrey”).
Thanks for all you do. I do thank God that the ETF’s I have that you recommended are at least keeping us even.
Anthony
There is no sure bet! But ,I think if you study the economy , seek good advice (Money and Markets), and pay attention to the emotions of the masses ;you can buy stocks and tangibles when others are afraid to.If you are careful You will do pretty well!
As a really novice investor, could you recommend something to help learn the technical aspects of investing as you were talking about in the article, I want so much to do this but I really dont know where to start….FB
Yes - they worked hard for many many hours-days-even months or years perparing and studying—-Placing the trade is only 1 % out of 100%—- leaving you 99 % of the time for study and trade preperation. Those of you who dont have the time to study the markets , place your own trades and manage your own money take the huge risk associated with letting letting the “experts” do it. If you can find an honest advisor stick with em. I still question why the “EXPERTS” did not tell all of thier clients to exit @ 12,500 ? BE YOUR OWN EPERT–Martin your blog screams for help. Martin,when are you going to have a 2 day chart reading seminar? -you can hold it in PB-We can all have lunch at Too Jays!—-Wishing all who read this well M.
You and your time are a Godsend. We are on the downhill side of our 60s and we still have our investment capital intact and actually grown over the past three years. Regardless of what all the gurus were saying, what you all said just plain made sense. We were totally out of the U.S. market by 1998 and still out ———- thanks, we can remain retired and still travel while many of our friends are trying to find someway to make a buck. We had breakfast yesterday and the gentleman next to us said, “my God my wife and I have lost 40% and now just to get even we need 80%. Where in this economy are you going to make 80%?” Before we left we gave him the address for your newsletter. God bless and thanks again. Bill & Darlene
I have very little money and I would like to invest them smart…..what advice are you give me in this case.
Thank you very much
Viorica
I would like to start investing - after following your emails for months. Do I need a
special account which a broker can draw from? How do I get the money from my bank to the investment?
How does money get transferred from my bank to the investment/
Dear Dr Weiss,
Well, I made $2,000 this week cashing in 100 SRS and day trading 50 SKF. I had never heard of ETF’s before I joined your service last April.
My brother told me I should know everything there is to know about my stocks (inherited from my dear mother) and that no one cares about your money except you.
I think the Weiss organisation is different. And what I like most about it is that you explain your positions and back it with data. My broker doesn’t. I have made and saved money following your advice on about half my portfolio and my broker has lost me about 50% of the part of my portfolio he manages. ( I didn’t have enough nerve to take it all away from him)
Best regards
Celia
PS I see from some of your replies, that I am not the only international person who follows your advice. Can you please give more international advice and specific on British banks like HSBC. I recently sold a property (on your advice) here in Bermuda and have about $1 million to place in a ultra safe place. Unforturnately your Weiss Capital Management won’t handle investments for non US residents. I don’t see why not if compliance and disclosure requirements can be met!
Yes you can make money during this down cycle if thats what you want to call it. From what I have learned from talking to interesting men and women who went through the 1930’s the biggest thing one can do is position yourself, meaning no credit card debt, position part of your wealth in Gold. If you own a IRA you can set up a account with Goldstar trust and do a direct IRA rollover without penilties. I was told that gold and cash was the best position. The stock market was the last place you wanted to be. With your wealth repositioned your ready to buy property when its at its lowest. The business that did well during the 30’s were service related to alcohol, tabaco, second hand stores, jobs that didn’t suffer much utilities,federal,state and local goverment, teachers and law inforcement etc so if your lucky enough to be in one of these fields your in a better position to act when you think we have hit the bottom.
Yes - book recommendations, on-line courses.sites - or other info on where to become a better tech reader of the charts , etc would be helpful.
Many successful investors that I have read about or listened to over the years say that they have “bought low and sold high”. I believe that this is the key to making good returns in the stock market. Many others I have heard say to “stay in for the long haul” or buy and hold. We are now seeing that this simple approach does not work. Anyone who buys into the market at the bottom of this mess we are currently experiencing will probably do quite well.
I do have this book that has been somewhat helpful : ‘Using Technical Analysis’ by Clifford Pistolese - Published by McGraw-Hill.
I don’t know anyone making money in hard times but in my little world I try to help this happen to my friends when I share what you send me with my friends and family. Those that have money have the opportunity to do well. At 74, I may die poor in money but rich in knowing maybe I have helped someone get ahead.
Scott Holcomb makes a good point in regards to the
conflicting viewpoints expressed by your affiliated staff. Do you have an explanation for this? It’s hard to jump in when the same voices are indicating different directions.
Hi Martin -
Those who do well in down markets understand the ideas of the classical economists and macro/mirco economics. They do not run with the herd; they know market sectors, entry points and departure points as well. They are measured in their risk
calculus and they take each day as a new opportunity. They read. They understand world events as they occur and the impact those events may have on markets. Most of all they choose not to get rich quick but rather use time (read patience), not timing, as their best friend.
Hello, Martin and team.
Re: “Do you know, or have you heard, stories about investors who became rich
when the climate was as serious or even worse than today’s?”
Yeah, heard stories, and took “mental notes”. The key is the newsletter’s line:
“Instead of staring at this crisis like deer in the headlights…” Moral: get busy, take action. Those who are paralyzed will only lose more than they have already. Cut losses! That’s what folks who profit from a bad situation do. They can’t always anticipate a downturn (and in past times, nothing like Weiss services were offered), but they put themselves in a position to move–to “get in the game”. Four critical actions to play the “Profit-In-Bad times” Game:
1. Minimize or pay off debts. That provides flexibility later.
2. I.E.: turn present investments (almost any investments) into cash. More flex.
3. Allocate some cash to “crisis dollars”–hey, the layoffs can strike anyone. Be ready to be out of work for 3-6 months (paying off debts before that day helps).
4. Look for opportunities to buy into investments (a wide range) at a fraction of
their high value (and today’s value will be higher than “tomorrow”s).
Our personal plan:
Wife Shirley and I have activated a 4 part plan.
Part 1: Pay off the mortgage on our house. We did it in January.
Part 2: sell the house at the profit. We managed to do it 2 weeks ago. We had to come down $60,000, but we still managed a small profit–and we bought the place just 3 years ago! We KNOW it’ll be worth less than the buyer paid for it by the end of this month. His problem, not ours. Incidentally, we also avoided $50,000+ in renovation costs that were looming on our home-owners’ horizon.
Part 3: rent a newer house at a fraction of the cost 1-2 yrs. ago, during our boom town’s rental “crisis”–how things change!! We expect to close a rent deal tomorrow night. (Incidentally, if you want to hear tales of horror and distress, talk to amateur speculators desperate to rent their (2nd, 3rd!) home. Ugly–but not ugly enough for some to lower their rents. We know why–they are strapped; DESPERATE to cover off debts. Their problem, not ours.
Part 4: Hunker down, wait it out and look for opportunities to re-enter the housing market (and other markets) in a year or two.
We sometimes have one perverse fear: that the coming economic downturn won’t be nearly as severe as we want it to be!! But we have faith that most people will do the wrong thing at the wrong time. Based on what we’ve seen in the past week or so, our faith is strong…
Joe Kennedy made alot of money during bad times. As noted TIMING is everything and Joe Kennedy had connections. Hence auditing investment and tax records of our government officials and Federal Reserve employees should be a top priority.
Wow. It seems you have many readers that are in need of a success story or two.
What kind of returns have you personally made in this enviroment.
Best regards, Rick
Hello from Wisconsin, I have a question I have been pondering for the last few months. Is now the time to Sell, Buy or hold on to my coin collection Mostly all pre 1964 coins?? The Deflation, Inflation question is making me hesitant to do either Buys or Sells. Thanks very much for this opportunity. Dennis M.
i have the same question but i have noticed its turning into a sellers market for lowwer grade coins.i visit heritage auctions alot and the lower grade coins i used to have trouble finding,i would see 2 or 3 per auction,now you might see 15 or more in ms64 or lowwer .However the best of the best never seem to have trouble,I guess people that buy those have millions anyway so they dont worry about the cost.I’m to sell some but lower grades you take a beating when you sell in good or bad times.good luck.
I don’t know of any investor story of making a fortune in the bear market conditions. However, it is a common knowledge that bear market funds do well in the bear markets, because they short the stocks. So the question goes back to the same old issue of how to determine to buy a stock or short a stock and for how long to remain in the position or getting out of the position.
My conclusion after studying several self-made millionaires who have defied seemingly impossible odds is as follows.
Success requires freedom, and success in every single case involved surrender….
Surrender to the biggest, most challenging thing each one of them wanted to do. In other words, they refused to be slaves of whatever “oppressive conditions” they lived under.
Every single one of them chose freedom.
In choosing freedom to follow their individual dreams, every single one of them found success!
Many people are dissatisfied, gloomy and failing because of one simple reason.
They have FAILED to…. SELECT a ….TARGET ..
towards which they can sacrificially concentrate the bulk of their energies.
Most people, who are standing still in life, aren’t going any place for a simple reason.
They have NOT SELECTED a place to go.
They are spreading themselves, their energy, their talents aiming at …..NOTHING!
And when you aim at nothing, you …..HIT….. NOTHING.
I distinctly remember a young man I met years ago, who had just landed his first job.
Instead of putting money into buying a new car, etc…(like most normal people do), he continued driving his “shit” colored old bomb, and put a deposit (money that he did not spend) on a small house. He took in 2 boarders, and negative geared his housing costs (with his new found regular income).
He also started buying a few blue chipped shares and every month, he set aside a set aside a small amount for buying reinvestment shares.
Every few years, he also upgraded his housing quarters. He sold and bought a slightly more expensive property in a better location each time.
Although times have become tougher, this man still wants to “break the cycle of poverty in his family line”.
Being a man, his body will show signs of wear and tear, and times will very likely become more difficult, but this man’s dream will more than likely carry him through any thing which the world might care to throw at him
The real question is:
What are you willing to sacrifice for what you want?
(Do you even know what you really want in the first place)”
yes you are a very brilliant writter and i enjoy reading your comments. however, i am 90 years old and lost over 120,000. last year so i am ticked off. i am just stitting here ho[ing it will come back enough that i can get out completely. i enjoy reading your letters but i am afraid it is a little late for me. thanks. md
I been trading for a decade now and still don’t have it down to a sience. Back when I first started trading I made more money in six months than I made in my in years being a contractor. I now own many properties such as rentals and industrial and now,believe me I wished I had sold most all them,. Sad to see them lose there value and so MUCH. I’m really old 71 now so I might not have enough time to see this turn around. I just joined money and markets in the past should have knowing it long ago I might have saved a million or more. I thank the lord ever day for all the Knowledge I have. I,m still trading ever day and making money , its not like the past and could use a lot of help, hopeing Mr. Marten and his gang can help me more. God bless and take care Chuck
I’m in much better financial condition then alot of people I know. I stayed in a city home in a depressed neighborhood in the NE USA, because it’s been paid for for many years. I have no credit card debt and I divested in precious metals. I have an SEPIRA as I”m self employed, which at this point I’m only down about 20%; but I don’t know what to do with the money that’s remaining in my retirement accounts.
I’ve followed Martin pretty closely; but I must say that at this point I’m really confised. It doesn’t seem as if anything is really safe! Even banks
Yes, your fathers wisdom!
How do I protect my IRA? I don’t believe that I can invest in T-bills for the cash portion of my IRA. I know I cannot take possession of any T-bills purchased in an IRA.
Martin,
Thank you so very much for your wise and dependable reports. I have painfully learned not to trust Kramer and the other media gurus although some information if sorted properly can be helpful.
I am new to the game since last summer. I watched you and team predict the Dow going to 7500, recommend the appreciation of gold and ETF. I never heard of ETF then hence did not act. Months later, which is recently the media gurus are now tooting gold and ETF.
So you offered advance intelligence ahead of the media gurus that the average person relies on. However it does take about 6 months of reading your reports before one could develop a trust in your intention to avoid the destruction of greed motivation.
From reading the response on your blog and being a business person for many years, motivated to make honest money, I concluded you need two strategy, one for the working person who will depend on you heavily for trade alerts and reports and the other who wants to educated and become an investor. I fall in the latter and apart from the trade alerts and reports, if you develop a 30 mins webinar program, say at 8am every morning or evening for us to tune into. We learn how to trade, read reports, chartology, decipher market news and trades in various areas…almost establishing an education and hands on center. This program would sustain your subscribers (certain ones) and help someone like me, where I have confidence that your program looks out for both of us, rather than be driven by the persecution of greed and me becoming the victim of this plot.
I don’t know of any investor who became rich by investing in times as serious as now–except for Mr. Weiss Sr. I would like to hear about more because it would be up-lifting and inspiring. Also, some knowledge on what to buy and timing is needed.
Living in Canada, I check the Asian and European market scene every morning and enter my stop orders if I happen to be concerned about a significant change.
I also look for any news indicating futures directions. And, most importantly, I look for any advice or flash alerts from Martin.
My feeling is that Martin genuinely cares that people do well in the market. I appreciate his explanations of the economic events and their effect on the market. His newsletters are user friendly and informative without being patronizing.
Thank you; Safe Money Report is worth every cent I pay.
Joyce Bickerdike
I didnt wait until a few months ago to heed your advice about the market. I converted to
cash 3 or 4 years ago. Why I believed you is because you had the facts in your email.
Also I grew up with little or nothing and my dad told me about the depression when neighbors would milk the cow for a portion. We had one pair of socks and washed them out at night and hung them over the wood heated stove for the next morning. I didnt have much but
I knew what comes also goes eventually. Two years ago I was on the advisory board of a small credit union which had a Freddie Mac Bond, and due to you I advised selling it. Just lucky for others the government is supposedly buying out their problems. You also have said the Dow will get somewhere around 6000 to bottom. So far you are right and am waiting to invest.
I wish I had subscribed to your option service. Madison, Mississippi
During the 90s dot.com bubble I managed to get in on 3 initial tech issues which tripled in value before i sold them. When, a few years later, those same issues began to drop as the dot.com bubble collapsed I sold 2 of those stocks short and made about 10X my cost to cover. Shorting during the collapse of the bubble gave me a much bigger return than the buying during the bull.
I think Sarah’s comments about sacrifice, above, are right on. These are the first steps any savers should use.
An investor is one with cash or savings he is trying to grow.
I’ve read a 100 investor books but a few ideas hold strength for me in this market that I feel work and make sense repeating. I use a bit of all of these ideas from time to time but none are fool proof and are such that I can put them into context in this blog for anyone to use.
I am a momentum technical trader and what has been working for me is to buy or sell the opposite of most investors. This is a technical method and there are lots of tools too difficult to describe in this note but these must be used to understand when to invest/trade. I believe this market is simply a traders market and should not be attempted by anyone else. I’m a momentum trader but I couldn’t possibly suggest this for anyone without a lifetime of study and experience in this market environment.
Here is your baby:
Cash is growing spending power by 30% a year!!!!! Anyone losing money while trading or in any investment should get out and HOLD CASH or short term treasuries as Weiss has laid out. 30% a year is probably your best ever return anyone has ever made and its working so why mess. The difficulty with cash is it doesn’t appear to be increasing but you have to admit your spending power is increasing drastically. If you are holding cash you are getting rich fast. You primary effort should be put into making sure you don’t lose your cash i.e. don’t get into failing banks or governments or municipalities.
However don’t count on it forever!!!!
We should all be watching for clues cash isn’t working and then we must find out what is working. Maybe forums like this can help those interested in discerning what is going on. Clearly right now its cash and the dollar moving up and Jack Crooks has painted the logical picture of why. So far it makes perfect sense. If you aren’t a trader or don’t have time then sit in cash until a better idea proves out.
Martin, you have mentioned your father and his investment of $500. numerous times. However, you have never given us the specific strategy to do the same in the very same economic conditions we have now. What’s up with that? I would love to hear that recommendation on when we can do the same thing…when do we get in and when we get out….I was always hoping also that you would have sold a subscription to those of us who believed the dow, s&p and nasdaq would fall even lower than it is now. If we took positions when dow was at 13,000 and shorted the market by selling high and then buying low we would have made a lot of money. I didn’t know enough of that strategy and still don’t to play it but I hoped I would find the expert to help me and never did. So, Martin, how about at least helping us now that we are getting very close to the bottom of all of this to how your father did it with the $500. ???? how about the specifics on that? Thank you and I hope you will…
Martin,
How will the banks come out of this debt quagmire? Will BB&T be nationalized? What about small regionals such as Park Sterling Bank? My concern is the term “nationalized”.
Will it happen to all banks, or just those borrowing from the Federal gov’t? Will it be legislated by Congress or based on each bank’s financial position?
Chris
One that I think of immediately is Warren Buffett, who instinctly knows when to buy low and sell high. I wish I had that knowledge, or better sense of the market to be able to do this.
Dear Martin,
As a critic of the past administration’s Bailout and President Obama’s bailout plan I applaud your criticism of those purported to know the cause and cure of our recession and attempt to cure it by spending almost a trillion dollars on the idea of the Trickle down Theory. My thoughts are in your camp. I believe in the Trickle Up Theory this time. Every home sale eliminates a foreclosure and maybe a bankruptcy. Each time a home sells the banks get paid so bad loans turn good. Each time a home sells the seller is afforded an opportunity to buy a lower priced home he can afford in addition to new appliances, furniture, carpet etc. etc. etc. So I believe we should use the bailout money to subsidize sales and allow the . natural laws of commerce to occur. 900 billion dollars allows the US to subsidize 900,000 home sales of 100,000 each but actually more since the subsidy would depend on the sale price which would have a maximum amount and which could be put in place at say 30% for thirty days, 20% for thirty days and 10% for thirty days with closings within 4 months. Within 6 months we would have normal inventory levels, a sense of urgency by buyers not to miss out on this opportunity and normal commerce taking place. I probably have simplified this program but I am confident that you have the skills to refine it to a workable program. Should you have any interest in discussing this further I am at your disposal
Martin, you quit promoting your Personal Money Machine. I couldn’t get my money together fast enough to sign up. Are you still offering it? Do you still recommend it in these times? Thanks Kim
Martin,
Thank you for starting this focus on you readers needs and helping us sort out all the advice that’s being given by your other investment advice writers and the general financial media. I think it is important for you to realize that you have my trust. I hope you will be able to advise me (us) on what to do to make money and survive these times with my retirement savings. Since I am retired and do not want to spend my life focused on “what to do”, I have chosen You as the funnel and the final filter that (we all hope) will produce the correct path for our investments. I know you are in business to make money (and rightly so) and I hope you can provide the correct information at an affordable price.
Thank you and good luck,
John
I am 3 to 4 years from retirement. I am in a managed account. I am not sure if my next move be. I am about to add a substantial sum to my funds from a bonus. Ian wondering what the right mix of investments in this and my 401k and pentions should be. I am concerned that the “stimulus” is going to end in inflation and dilute my retire
Ent funds. I look forward to your comments.
I’ve been in cash for a while now. Got burned 1 too many times and I’m gun shy right now. I know I can’t sit with my hands tied forever I need to take action. My only debt is my mortgage. I’m aware that things will change and being in cash will be a bad idea. Of the following what should I do:
A) Use some of it to pay off mortgage and be free and clear.
B) Refi at todays low rates and go to a 30yr fixed and have a very low monthly nut.
C) Refi, take out equity and hopefully, set me and my family up.
With cash being so cheap right now, I could be conservative and still get a decent return once inflation kicks in.
As I’m sure there are other alternatives and I’m all ears.
Thanks ,
Kevin
Yes, I have heard of folks making money in an impossible environment. It seems that they had exceptional knowledge and insight and WERE WILLING TO RISK their money based on well thought out hunches suported by knowledge and insight.
While most folks were paralyzed by fear, they were bold. However, bold does not mean “stupid”. It also helped that they knew what instruments were available to them to make their moves.
I read a LOT of articles and get a feel for what is coming down the pike… only to find that the government seems to be just ahead of my investment and blows it out of the water … like one of those land mines and suicide bombers that we read about. It’s very discouraging to be constantly “victimized”.
I have been a long time subscriber to your newsletter and read your books, daily Money & Markets, tried other products and appreciate your help. Thank you.
When You give your next webcast please give me a rough idea of how long the deflationary period will last before we start seeing inflation. Do you still think a Banking Holiday is a possibility? If so what can I do about my money that my brokerage keeps in banks when it is not invested?
Hi Martin,
I can’t say how much I enjoy your commentaries..they are just astounding, putting in words exactly how I feel about all this economic mayhem. I spend hours and hours learning and reading many commentators, especially Jim Sinclair’s mineset.com and many, many others.
I do believe that with the power of the internet, a truly global portal for my fellow “non people”, whatever the little I have managed to save of my investing lifetime, now mainly in cash, thank God, I would be pleased, as Mark Twain said: “I would rather be concerned more about the return OF my money, then the return ON my money!”
This sums it up. And with this in mind, I wonder how valid it is to buy gold on E-bay? There appear to be many bids etc, but how one can assay this before committing to a buy is a problem. Any advice on how to get hold of bullion in small quanties, coins etc?
Best wishes, and looking forward to your webcast…diary is marked! SA time around 7pm 26th
Martin—-how about fundamentals classes for us amatuer’s. wkly would be nice.
MARTIN…IN A LOT OF WAYS, I FEEL LIKE A FOOL. FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, I HAVE READ YOUR REPORT WITH MY GUT TELLING ME I’D BETTER LISTEN AND DO SOMETHING BUT MY HEAD PULLED ME TOWARD LISTENING TO MY FINANCIAL PLANNER SO I WOUND UP LOSING CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. MY QUESTION IS…SHOULD I ASSUME THIS “STIM. PKG’ is going to cause a move up in the DOW and wait to move the majority of whats left to t-bills or do it now?…I’d appreciate your thoughts.. my thanks, terry
I live in Ontario Canada and am wondering what I can do to protect my savings and house etc.
What different instruments should I be investing in?
thanks
Stewart
I’ve watched your one hour video twice and bought 2 copies of your book, one that I am half way through reading, the other to lend to friends. I’m in Australia, and am wondering how I can take your information and make an informed decision about what is going to happen over here. I’m not sure where to go to get true figures about what is happening in Australia now, and as we all know the news can’t be trusted. Today it was reported that the deficit that our government has built up in the past 18 months will take until 2016 to turn around.
We have not seen the huge declines in property values here yet, we haven’t had huge numbers of foreclosures,our interest rates are not rock bottom, etc. Is it just a matter of time?
Thanks for your insights and expertise. You make complex things easy to understand.
Elspeth Taimre
Terry, a fellow Aussie here, who is also greatly concerned about our anticipated deficit. I was a full time Gann technical trader up until Dec 2007, once I saw the SPI fall from November (an incredably scarey pressure date, I had been waiting for) I knew that I would not wish to risk trading until 2012 (the most likely bottom, according to my analysis). Whilst I moved my cash to gold and got more traditional work, I was not too concerned about Australia’s ability to survive a depression (which by defanition is just a prolonged ressession) due to the fact that we have tighter banking regulations here. But once our new government discovered the global ecconomic situation they felt the need to take action in order to prevent the inevitable. I am not an ecconomist, but I do belief that we will be in for a rough decade. Things were tough for a few years after the markets bottomed out in the Great Depression.
For whatever reasons Australia seems to be around a year behind in joining global recessions, perhaps it is our ’she’ll be right mentality’ that slows consumer responses to the markets. Who knows.
MH
Should we be placing stop loss orders on our investments?
Thank you Claus. You made me feel much more confident in this portfolio.