BACK TO WORK AFTER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND

It was a rough start to the work week for me, half our opening staff called in, so I was overloaded with work all morning.  Had to take a nitro tablet to get rid of chest pains, so I decided it was best not to work an extended shift.  It's really hard to read my employers' response to my health problems since the heart attack.  On the one hand, if I just do my job, I work circles around most of the other workers, but on the other hand I'm not quite as capable of doing all the extra work I used to do.  So I'm never really sure where I stand with them, even though they are currently short on help and my medical problems hasn't cost them anything, since I'm not covered under their insurance program.  I sometimes get the feeling they would just as soon be rid of me all the same.  You'd think my boss would be a little more sensitive given that her husband suffered a heart attack around the same time I did.  But who knows???

Anyway, the stock market ended its' 5 day rally, closing down today.  So maybe I'll still have a chance to pick up some bargains over the summer.  Just have to wait and see what happens with the jobs report later this week.  If the numbers are good I'd expect to see more upward movement in the market.

I read an article yesterday about a money management company who moved their clients out of stocks entirely, thinking that the efforts to forestall default in Greece is simply a stall tactic.  While cash isn't a bad thing, I'm not so sure I'd expect the bond market to perform much better than stocks for the remainder of the year.  With interest rates so low and governments scrambling to come up with the money to pay their debts, I'm thinking it's just as iffy a proposition either way.  I'd prefer to stick to dividend stocks myself.  Still no guarantees there, but I'd choose a well managed corporation paying out dividends to government bonds any day.  I figure anything politicians have their hand in is not a very safe place for your money. 

BONDS VS DIVIDEND STOCKS

Just finished reading an interesting article about investing in bonds versus dividend stock investing.  It made some great points about the current state of the bond market.  Not the least of which is the fact that with current bond rates at all time lows, the bond market yields have nowhere to go but up.  As yields rise, bond prices move lower, eating away any gain from the coupon.


On the other hand, dividend stocks make quarterly or annual cash payments similar to bond payouts, but also have unlimited potential for capital appreciation.  They satisfy the two main concerns of most investors by giving them cash to help with rent, groceries and other expenses, while increasing in value over time, helping to raise the value of your portfolio in the process.

What I found most interesting about the article was, of the five dividend stocks recommended for stability and long term gains, I already hold positions in four of the corporations.  The remaining was an energy limited partnership which I do not own shares in, but I do still have shares in 3 other energy partnerships, so it all works out in the end.

Investors this year have pulled billions of dollars out of the stock market and poured their hard earned cash in to bonds.  With the uncertainty in the market, this is certainly an understandable response.  But I firmly believe that the only way for most of us to achieve a secure and comfortable retirement, is to invest in individual stocks. 

While you won't get rich over night, diverting a good portion of your investment portfolio toward dividend paying stocks, will go a long way towards building wealth and helping you sleep better at night.  

THE SMALL INVESTOR BY JIM GARD

I've been reading a great book for people who are new to investing. It's not a new book, but it does a great job of covering all the basics of investing in stocks, bonds and mutual funds. It is very well written and easy for anyone to understand. The book is titled, "The Small Investor" and is written by author Jim Gard. I'm reading the second edition which I picked up at a used book store, but I'm sure it's still available through Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Along with covering all the basics of investing, the book also explains why the small investor actually has an advantage in some ways in the marketplace. It tells you how to work with professionals such as investment counselors, brokers, money managers, and others whose services you may or may not need. It's not a get rich quick scheme, but it can help you make a personal plan that gives you your best shot at a reliable return on your investments, with manageable risks.

I highly recommend the book for beginning investors.