Couch Potato Investors - What does YOUR portfolio look like?

[Belguy]

Well, he writes enough books and articles on the subject of investing and so maybe he just runs out of new ideas. How many times can you repeat the same tired old thoughts over and over again!! One might better diversify their sources of information rather on relying on the opinions of a few.

Two book recommendations from Ellen Roseman in today's Toronto Star are Peter Lynch's 'One Up on Wall Street: How to Use What You Already Know to Make Money in the Market' with co-writer, John Rothchild and 'Millionaire Teacher' by Andrew Hallam about passive investing tactics.

Has anyone read either book?

A useful website which focuses on dividend growth using stocks and exchange-traded funds can be found at Canadian Investor Tips www.investortips.ca

[KLR650]

One investment guru's opinion on Couch Potato/Index Investing:

http://opinion.financialpost.com/201...to-portfolios/

Any thoughts?

As with many opinions, Pape's is biased due to self interest: http://www.gordonpape.com/. The more people indexing, the fewer who will pay for investment advice.

Can't say I blame him--we all have to make a living somehow. You just always have to consider that a person's advice may be biased.

[crazyjackcsa]

My couch potato is far less complex: TD e-funds. 20% each in Bonds, Canadian Index, U.S. Index and International Index. Another 20 in GICs or cash.

[Belguy]

My couch potato is far less complex: TD e-funds. 20% each in Bonds, Canadian Index, U.S. Index and International Index. Another 20 in GICs or cash.

How long have you held your portfolio and how has it performed over the long term? I am looking for some evidence that the 'Couch Potato' approach still works given current market conditions.

[crazyjackcsa]

It's my childrens' RESP and I can't give you concrete numbers. I've held it for about 8 years now. We contribute quarterly. What I can tell you is that it's outperformed my work pension every year for the last 3 years(that sits in a moderate mutual fund) It's also done better than my wife's pension which is a little more aggressive.

I'm not talking about huge returns here, but it is doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing, tracking the indexes and providing stability. Bonds have been really good the last few years, the Canadian Equity is doing okay, and the U.S. and International isn't doing so hot.

[Belguy]

More evidence that index investing is one of the best ways to go:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rticle4583575/

[Argonaut]

Someone once posted an item in the forum, opining that "a dividend isn't something magical, it's just a dividend". I think that applies here. An index isn't something magical, it's just an index.

[Kaitlyn]

I started off index investing (eFunds) but after a while got kinda bored of it, for lack of a better term. I still contribute to it because I believe in it, but I have been also putting money towards stocks.

Overall I've made more money in stocks this year than I've made in total from my couch potato (i know they have different time horizons/goals/etc... but ya). So I'm wondering, for those of you that are couch potato investors: Are you 100% couch potato?

[GoldStone]

Someone once posted an item in the forum, opining that "a dividend isn't something magical, it's just a dividend". I think that applies here. An index isn't something magical, it's just an index.

An X isn't something magical, it's just an X. Statements like this don't add much to the discussion.

So I'm wondering, for those of you that are couch potato investors: Are you 100% couch potato?

I have about 10% of portfolio in play money. Currently invested in *cough* one *cough* small-cap stock. The remaining 90% are plain vanilla couch potato.

[Belguy]

While I couldn't profess to be 100% Couch Potato, I do not own any individual stocks aside from a few shares of 3M which I have owned for years now. I am also still invested in the odd managed fund including the PH&N Bond Fund, MacKenzie Cundill Recovery Fund, and the RBC Cdn. Equity Income Fund. The vast majority of my investments however are ETF's which I am slowly converting to the lowest fee, broadest based variety. I also hold a 10 per cent cash allocation in a HISA.