It’s amazing how time flies.
July this year marks the 9th year of Portfolio Charts, and so much has changed since my first meager posts ages ago. Not only has the site grown quite a bit, but so have my own skills and knowledge in the process. I appreciate each and every one of you for providing great feedback, supporting the effort, and helping to spread the word.
You’re truly the best.
In honor of the anniversary, I thought I’d try something new to show my continued thanks to the members who make everything possible. Starting today, there’s a new perk available that I hope you’ll enjoy. It’s called the Chart of the Month, and here’s how it works.
Free Downloads for Members
The Chart of the Month is a free Excel spreadsheet download available to members only. It’s a special version of the Toolkit that has full asset and portfolio functionality but focuses on one chart at a time. As a quick example, the inaugural Chart of the Month is the Heat Map. I chose that partly because it truly is heating up this time of year, but mostly because it’s one of my personal favorites.
If you’ve ever played with the Free Toolkit Sample, there are two differences here. First, the Chart of the Month only displays one chart and not all of them. But to offset that restriction, the Asset sheet is fully unlocked just like the full Tooklit. So you have complete control not only over the portfolio percentages but also over every asset input.
The idea is simple: Collect as much asset data as you can find*, and you can create a chart for any combination of assets that you can imagine. Every month there will be a new spreadsheet available to active members with a new chart to study. I’ve also put a lot of work into the asset and portfolio interfaces so that you can easily copy/paste your entire data collection from spreadsheet to spreadsheet. So no worries about having to start over every time with painful data entry.
(*) To get started with your data collection, I highly recommend downloading the free Simba Spreadsheet from the Bogleheads forum. It contains a huge amount of reliable data that you can copy/paste directly into the Portfolio Charts tools.
To use the Chart of the Month, you’ll need to have the most recent version of Microsoft Excel. But even if you don’t pay for Microsoft 365, there’s still a way to use the tools online with a free Microsoft account. Follow these instructions, and you’ll be making new charts in no time.
I like to think of the Chart of the Month as a fun new way to engage with investing data on an ongoing basis by getting your hands dirty with chart creation. Enjoy your membership for a while, and you can not only learn a lot here on the main site but also collect quite the toolbox to experiment with.
If you want to skip ahead and start modeling every chart at once, that’s what the Toolkit is for. But there’s no pressure, and with this new member perk I’m excited to offer some low-key options to get your feet wet.
A Special Thanks
The reason I like sharing charts is actually quite personal. Similar spreadsheets are how I finally made the jump from floundering between investments to settling on a true portfolio to trust. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for tools that tell an educational story and the supporters who share my passion for good data.
This is my way of connecting the two.
So if you’re a Portfolio Charts member, thank you! Go grab your Chart of the Month and give it a try. If you’re a previous member who signed up for a while but is currently being careful with your hard-earned money, I appreciate you, too. You’re always welcome to renew for a month when your favorite chart pops up for download.
And for anyone else who finds the Portfolio Charts content helpful, perhaps take a moment to think about becoming a member. Not only can it help you collect some great tools, but it also helps me keep the site running completely ad-free. Win-win.
No matter what you choose, just know that I understand what it’s like to be on the search for investing guidance. It’s a process — I’ve been at this for 9 years and have no plans to stop any time soon. Hopefully Portfolio Charts can be one important landmark on your own road to discovery.
Try the Chart of the Month, and maybe you’ll be inspired, too.
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