The basic background:
- This blog series is an ongoing experiment into what the small-time investors should be doing with their money.
- Specifically, considering fees.
- The first few weeks were just tables. The portfolios have now morphed into their own personalities (see this post: The Investor Diaries: Investor Profiles).
Also, this would have been the week that everyone received their statements, along with billings for their quarterly fees (beginning of April, don’t you know?). The fees would have been apportioned for the short quarter – so there was a slight flurry of units being sold to settle fees.
In their own words…
The Contented Pragmatist
This week, I discovered that I’d been quoting the Satrix share price all wrong. Turns out that I’d bought 374 units, not 3.74 units. And the unit price was R9.33, not R933. Doesn’t change anything on my return front, obvs – but still, shameful. As in, literally, full of shame.
And then the JSE decides to let its bad week turn into two bad weeks, mainly after the gold price took a tumble yesterday. You want to know what irony is? Irony is trying not to invest in gold AT ALL, and then realising that your equity shares are influenced by the gold price because you live in South Africa and the South African stock market is almost entirely mining houses and the industries that have built up around them.
On the upside, I haven’t lost any money yet (although that’s slightly false, as I definitely lost out from last week). And I’m doing better than the fixed deposit guy.
Note to self: remind self regularly that it’s all about the long-term.
Signed
Less Contented
The Recent Finance Graduate
Yoh, Naspers, yoh.
I keep watching that Tencent share price drop in Hong Kong before trading opens in Joburg, and you can’t flipping do anything about it because the minute that trading floor opens, boom. Naspers bombs. I’ve lost almost a fifth of my initial investment to these clowns!
But dude – I saw that only R20 come off my account for FNB share saver fees. It’s like sacrificing a Castle Lite to be able to trade like a real finance kid. Schweeeet!
FNB rocks.
*likes FNB on Facebook*
The Goldbug
“With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasuries” ~ Ezekiel 28:4
I am being sore-tested this week. The Lord has seen fit to afflict me with guilt for my avaricious ways, and the gold price did plunge yesterday after a week where I rejoiced in its rise.
The Daredevil
Guy – I don’t even know where to find the price of that unit trust. I just asked my FA to find me something that was as high risk as possible, and he said that one and I said fine.
It’s doing the best? Hectic. But it’s not even up by half a percent? As in – all I’ve made so far is R16.81? Geezlike. That’s not exactly a lot.
The South African Bear
This week has been nothing but Oscar weeping and Nkandla Nkandla Nkandla. I’d like someone to just build a pool for me by mistake, instead of having a power-cut for THREE HOURS on Sunday morning, and nearly hitting that new pothole on Bryanston Drive. Actually, let’s call it what it is: a sinkhole. Bloody hazard.
And I see that the Rand is bloody weakening again. Honestly, this country.
The Art Enthusiast
Tried to read the Keynes. Got nowhere. There’s some mould on it. Mould can be pretty sometimes. But I’m concerned that it might infect the other books in my bookcase. Tried to do some research on the internet. Found a photography website instead belonging to this guy called Mustafa Seven. I totally want his book. I wonder how much his original prints would be worth?
The Honourable Jeffrey
Well of course my investment is making a return. It’s guaranteed by the bank.
The Circumspect Whore
?
I’m getting the same as everyone else, on average. That’s all the really matters, right? I mean, it all balances out in the end.
The Scrooge
TWENTY RAND?
TWENTY RAND IN FEES FOR A SIMPLE GOVERNMENT-BOND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUND?!
I DON’T CARE IF I COULD ALSO INVEST IN SHARES.
Until next week.
