Are you a Long or a Short? Stocks that is.

Long or short?  What do you mean, you ask?

When you buy stocks you have to figure if you are the type to make a quick profit (within a few days or a couple of months) or if you want a nice stable stock that pays you decent dividends and you hold them for years.

I figure I am both - in the past year of trading I see myself as more of a shorter term player.   I love choosing stocks like apple or financials to buy and make a few hundred dollars as they have such high trading volume.  But the problem with that is you have to have a good cash flow and we usually don't.

My husband tends to be the longer term - so I think we balance each other out well.  As he calms my "trigger" finger and I let him see how we can quickly make a few.  Granted that quick few can go to losses also.  So always see what the analysis say.  A great website is Americanbulls.com.  It is a great way to see where your stock is heading.

The larger questions is always - when to sell your stocks.   Decide on a price in your mind - be it $ or %.  Most people will tell you if you make between 7-15% return on a stock that is fantastic, but sometimes when you are in lower dollar stocks that only comes out to be a $100 or so.  Plus you have to remember to deduct your commission fees from that.  So sometimes it is better to hold a stock longer than you planned.

You have to think of what you are willing to lose.  Of course, none of us want to lose anything, but be wise.  If you are not comfortable with it... don't do it.  What works for some, may not work for you.

For now I am watching my apple stock (bought at $312.80).  It has hit a year high of $321.30 and with the dollar on par you can make a nice profit.

It has been an interesting week with all that has been going on the US.  The markets seem to be holding nicely.  Though today is more of a red day than late.

***I have a question to those that read... Are you more interested in the family life or financial life(more infor)? or both?

I have been indecisive on which direction I should be taking this blog.  That is why my posts seem to be inconsistent.  I am never sure what I should write about.

Anyways, I hope all of you have opened up your own Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSA) if you have taken anything from this blog.

Had a Blast!

We are back from Disney World!  It was awesome.  I am so thankful that we stayed the extra week.  The first week was so busy trying to fit in all the parks - it was go, go, go!  It was so HOT.  The temperature stayed around 26/86 and the last day we were at the water park and we hit a new record there of 33/92!  It was so nice.  Hard to come back to cold weather.  At least there was no snow.

Second week we rented a house and of course spent more than planned as we decided to go to the water parks and Universal (weather helped with the decision).  It was worth it but WOW, I never realized how expensive everything was.  But we figured we would probably never be back again anytime soon and didn't want to regret not doing some things.  We would make a sack full of sandwiches and snacks to bring with us so we didn't have to buy anything at the parks.  But the admission to these places are unbelievable - especially for a family of eight!

So this week I am having to sell off some stocks.  I hate having to do it but when we first opened up our TFSA one of the plans we had for it was so that we could save money in it (yes, and make MORE) so that when we did this holiday we would have to money to pay for it.  Still it is hard to sell off the stocks (one of them is my gold stocks GBG) that has finally been doing well.  But my attitude is "at least I have it to sell".

Of course when it rains it pours.  Hubby's car needed some expensive repairs and 3rd daughter found out she has some major issues with her teeth and ortho needs to be done ASAP.  *SIGH* tis life.  Just makes me so thankful that we have a plan in place.

So for now, I am searching for some new high dividend stocks for our RRSP account since we sold our SNC stock.  Will have to do some research this week/month.

For now playing catch up...on everything.