The whole world is watching the ongoing financial carnage resulting from the FTX collapse, and every revelation is truly a sight to behold. I’m definitely working on my own article discussing the situation, but an extended writeup about greed, corruption, and downright stupidity just seems painfully out of place during the week of Thanksgiving. To highlight the worst in the world completely misses the point.
So in honor of my favorite holiday, let’s take a moment to turn off the inflammatory news and appreciate the good things in life. You only get one, so don’t waste it being angry or disappointed.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Good questions
What other Portfolio Charts readers are asking
Hey Portfolio Charts – wonderful tool you’ve built. Thanks for sharing it. If I’d like to replicate any of these analyses using specific ETFs that are not generated from the FundFinder or even a customized baskets of stocks, what would be the best way to do that? Thanks!
It’s my pleasure! I like to think of Portfolio Charts as the tool I wish I had access to when I was first learning about investing, and the most rewarding part of sharing it is when I hear about people putting the information to productive use.
The best way to model specific ETF data not found on the site is to use the standalone spreadsheets for sale in the Products section. Even if you don’t own Microsoft Excel, you can still use them with a free Office account. Just plug in the annual returns for your fund, fill in the older gaps using other data sources, and be sure to adjust the numbers for inflation. You can generate every chart on the site in no time using any data you can find.
In fact, as part of the usual Black Friday excitement I’m offering the full My Portfolio Bundle for 20% off through the end of the month. I hope you find it useful!
Have a question? 🙋♂️
I’m NOT a financial adviser, but I’m always happy to help.
What I’m reading
Insightful market discussion worth sharing
Exemplars: Why stories of fraud should not lead to excessive pessimism — The Rational Walk
“It is more productive, pleasant, and uplifting to invert our mindset and consider the opposite of the Sam Bankman-Frieds of the world. The nature of the news cycle is that sensational stories usually focus on dishonorable cretins rather than exemplars.”
As a mechanical engineer I am very familiar with Fastenal, but I had no idea that its founder Bob Kierlin was such a remarkable man. Perhaps if we focused our attention on the modest people who do great things rather than the arrogant people who tear it all down, the global perception of what it means to run a company would be much more constructive.
The Charmed Life of a Thankful Investor — Portfolio Charts
“But this Thanksgiving week I challenge you to set aside the stress, fear, and greed that may motivate your financial decisions today and to picture the financial life you really want to live.”
Yeah, it’s my own work. But even though it’s a simple post that I wrote years ago I still come back to it all the time. Investing is so much more enjoyable with the right mindset.
Being Frugal vs. Cheap — The Sensible Steward
“We would do well to remember that money should only be treated as a means to an end, not an end in itself.”
In a time of year that quickly shifts to the giving season, the concepts of “frugal” and “cheap” are especially important. Give generously, but spend wisely. If you think of Christmas shopping not as a consumerist rush but the opportunity to make the greatest impact with your hard-earned dollars, the experience gains a productive new focus.
In case you missed it
New features and updates at Portfolio Charts
In addition to sprucing up the Products section with a nice new look and updating a dedicated Support Portfolio Charts page that I link to throughout the site, I also added several new items to the store. They’re focused on the affordable end of the spectrum and would be great stocking stuffers for the investor in the family. Including you. 🙂
Black Friday special
20% Off the My Portfolio Bundle
If you’ve been thinking about taking the dive into modeling your own data, there’s never been a better time to get started! The My Portfolio Bundle is 20% off through November 30th. If you’re not familiar with what it can do, you have a week to play with the online version, read the walkthrough, and try the free sample before taking the dive. There’s no better way to make a long-term difference to your financial confidence than to give the gift of good data.
If you’re thankful for what I do, there are multiple ways to help.