On January 15, 2021, I posted about how I used a short straddle with a deep in-the-money put. From the questions that I’ve received so far, I realized that this method can be difficult to follow. Therefore, I’ve decided to show a real example trade as I do it. This post is that example. It…
Below is something that I wrote in March 2015. I’m reposting it here to illustrate that always living below your means and investing the excess will build up wealth. As you earn more, it’s important not to spend all those extra earnings. I graduated from college in 1992 and started working as an intern two…
Imagine being able to make important life choices without money being a major factor. Imagine being able to spend your time how you choose as opposed to having your time allocation dictated to you by someone else. Think about your life and how you spend your time. How much of it is truly spent how…
In 2020, options trading contributed 9.2% of my 2020 portfolio gains. The options tactic that I utilized the most was selling a weekly at-the-money (ATM) straddle combined with a weekly or semi-weekly short deep in-the-money (ITM) put. This post describes the what, when, and how of this technique. As always, I’m just sharing the method I used…
THE PANDEMIC BREEDS A NEW HOBBY This year was the most unusual in my lifetime. The coronavirus pandemic changed so many aspects of life, and, being one of the most, if not the most, cautious person I know about ensuring that I don’t get infected, I spent a lot of time indoors alone. I’ve always spent a significant…
The year 2020 was unlike any other. Certainly within my lifetime, this past year was the most disruptive. The number of deaths and personal turmoil felt by millions around the world were and continue to be tragic. Fortunately, we can all look to a better and brighter future in that respect. While things are currently…
Those who have followed my writing on investing over the years know that I use options as part of my investing approach. There are various kinds of options and many ways options can be applied depending on what an investor or trader is trying to achieve. The question that I receive most regarding options is…
There are only 17 ½ more trading days left in 2020. What a year. The dichotomy between the portfolio returns and the hardships experienced by tens of millions of people around the world seems almost unbelievable and it makes me feel very grateful and fortunate. I always try to look at things in a positive…
PORTFOLIO PERFORMANCE DATE GR Portfolio (YTD) S&P500 Total Return (YTD) Jan +25.7% 0.0% Feb +27.7% -8.3% Mar -2.9% -19.6% Apr +16.7% -9.3% May +64.7% -5.0% Jun +110.3% -3.1% Jul +144.7% +2.4% Aug +144.3% +9.7% Sep +187.0% +5.6% Oct +172.6% +2.8% Overall, the portfolio is down 5.0% in the month of October, but as you will…
This year is now ¾ of the way through. I did not post an August portfolio update so this update includes the period between Aug 7 and Sept 30. DATE GR Portfolio (YTD) S&P500 Total Return (YTD) Jan +25.7% 0.0% Feb +27.7% -8.3% Mar -2.9% -19.6% Apr +16.7% -9.3% May +64.7% -5.0% Jun +110.3% -3.1%…