Tag: caseyresearch.com

The Five Criteria for Every Investment

Posted on by The INO.com Team

A recent reader question is from Alex L, who is a member of my Super Sports Roadster club, a “collaborator-friend,” and big help in getting the Miller’s Money Forever project started:

“Dennis, you started actively managing your portfolio when your CDs got called in and you were sitting on cash. What do you suggest for people who already have a portfolio but might want to rearrange it a bit?”

It’s a good question, and one that I’ve been asked frequently. Let me reinforce one critical point. Do not do what I did and start reading newsletters and buying into investments because they sound like winners. There is a good chance you’ll just compound any problems in your portfolio. (I have an article from my Miller’s Money Weekly service titled “Getting the Most from Your Investment Newsletters” that explains how to use investment research from investment newsletters and make sure it fits into your strategy.)

A major component of my business career was consulting for small businesses. This was usually a three-step endeavor. First, the client recognized they had a problem and usually had a pretty good idea of what they needed to do to solve it. Second, they asked for help because they didn’t know how to implement their solution. And that’s where I stepped in: putting the solution into action. Continue reading "The Five Criteria for Every Investment" →

Why TIPS Won't Protect You from Inflation... and Other Government Lies

Posted on by The INO.com Team

If the "World Snake Oil Salesperson Society" had a hall of fame, good old Uncle Sam would be a charter member. When it comes to smooth-talking folks into buying debt instruments, he's the slickest around.

And Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) are one of his slickest gimmicks.

Here's how the federal government describes TIPS:

Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) are marketable securities whose principal is adjusted by changes in the Consumer Price Index. With inflation (a rise in the index), the principal increases. With deflation (a drop in the index), the principal decreases. Continue reading "Why TIPS Won't Protect You from Inflation... and Other Government Lies" →

Doug Casey on the Morality of Money

Posted on by The INO.com Team

Editor's note: Doug Casey is known around the world for many very good reasons. Among investors, he's well known for being a very successful speculator and author. More broadly, his unwavering support of human liberty and his criticism of institutions based on coercion as well as those who support them have made Doug a hero to many... and perhaps public enemy number one to some of those whom he criticizes.

Whether one agrees with him or not, Doug almost always has a singular take on issues and ideas, making his essays and talks highly stimulating. As we approach the end of the year – a time when people often reflect on their progress or lack thereof over the past year across all areas of life – this February 2011 interview of Doug Casey by Louis James on the morality of money seems especially trenchant. We hope it helps you reflect on your relationship with money and investing, and brings a renewed sense of clarity and purpose to your financial activities in 2013. Continue reading "Doug Casey on the Morality of Money" →

When to Pay Off Your Mortgage

Posted on by The INO.com Team

My good friend Rob recently paraphrased Warren Buffett as saying, “If he knew where he was going to live for the next decade, he’d buy a house with a long-term mortgage.” Buffett thought a mortgage was a good hedge against inflation, because the homeowner would pay off the mortgage with cheaper dollars down the road.

My own mortgage caused great conflict between the emotional and logical sides of my brain. When I was contemplating paying it off, I spoke with a financial counselor and explained that I was self-employed and my mortgage was my largest monthly payment. I suggested paying it off to eliminate stress. He pooh-poohed that idea, and insisted that I could easily earn more after taxes than the cost of a first mortgage.

I asked if his mortgage was paid off. He looked at me and said, “Oh hell yes!” I was flabbergasted. How could he advise me to do one thing when he’d done the exact opposite? He explained that his wife was from Germany – the old school where you pay your bills and keep out of debt. Were it not for her, he’d gladly have a mortgage. Continue reading "When to Pay Off Your Mortgage" →

Fear vs. Fundamentals in the Platinum Market

Posted on by The INO.com Team

In October of last year, we published a platinum-market overview in the Casey International Speculator and concluded by saying: "We recommend avoiding South Africa, and in this context it means staying away from platinum producers located there. If the energy situation spins out of control, miners' strikes continue, and the local trouble puts an indefinite halt to a significant portion of platinum production, some speculative opportunities may appear in the physical-metal market or platinum-backed investment tools. If we see signs of that happening, we may speculate on the results."

Although some of the events that we expected did occur this year, the "indefinite halt" has not. The nationwide wildcat strikes that ended in mid-November suggested that that scenario was possible, but the bubbling pot simmered down. We were asked by our readers to share our view on the implications of those actions on the price of platinum.

So, what is the outlook for the platinum market now, and is it time to buy? Continue reading "Fear vs. Fundamentals in the Platinum Market" →