# ETF's - What Are You Invested In?



## SlowandSteady60 (Feb 19, 2012)

I haven't found a good thread on here about ETF's so I throw this out to everyone. What ETF's are you invested in, what ETF's are doing well and how do new people get started in ETF's when you have been stuck in mutual funds for so long? Any advantages/disadvantages to investors?


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## leoc2 (Dec 28, 2010)

Here is a good starting point
http://canadiancouchpotato.com/model-portfolios/

http://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads_Investment_Philosophy


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## rassmy (May 7, 2010)

My RRSP portfolio has mainly etfs with average fees of 0.28%

Cdn equities XIU and VCE
US Eqty VIG, VUS
International VEF
Bonds XBB, VSB


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## SlowandSteady60 (Feb 19, 2012)

Sorry leoc2, I should have been clearer. I am not looking for advice for myself, I already have established ETF's and am well aware of the Couch Potato portfolios. What I was looking for was a thread for newbies to refer to and for people in general to share what ETF's are working for them or that they have had good success in. Last year I went with XIU and XEG. Too soon to tell how they are doing but should be okay. Hope this clears up what I was looking for.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

I like combination of XRE and ZRE, as there are too many good REITs and those 2 give me exposure to almost all of them.
I like ZQQ and VTI.

I'm dissapointed from DBA, I was expecting (and many professional "analysts") soft commodities to perform much better.

Also I was disappointed in covered call ETFs, every months last half year they were cutting distributions with huge %, I sold ZWB and HEX this month and start buying individual stocks. The only covered call ETF I still hold - HEE


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## DanFo (Apr 9, 2011)

I have some money in FIE, XUT, and a little in CYH...the bulk (70%) of my money is currently in e-series funds


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## Belguy (May 24, 2010)

XSP would be my top choice for the moment. Just pick the lowest-fee, broadest-based ETF's. The new Vanguard Canada offerings would be a good place for new investors to start.


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## larry81 (Nov 22, 2010)

Belguy said:


> XSP would be my top choice for the moment. Just pick the lowest-fee, broadest-based ETF's. The new Vanguard Canada offerings would be a good place for new investors to start.


SP 500 is not what i call broadest and 0.24% mer is not the lowest fee

If you want that, you go with VTI


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## Belguy (May 24, 2010)

I am going to gradually shift my U.S. equity exposure to VUS:

https://www.vanguardcanada.ca/documents/literature/F9321EN.pdf


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## fatcat (Nov 11, 2009)

i have been using different ETF's to target different sectors like ZEB,ZEO,ZUT for banks energy and utilities and trying to pick up better dividends than broad indexes like XIU
in the states i have QQQ,DIA,VWO and VDC
i also have bond funds

i am conflicted, on the one hand i like the idea of good dividend payers
on the other i don't like paying high mer's when vanguard offers such cheap alternatives like VCE
occasionally i think about just doing a basket of 10 good dividend payers like a lot of others on the forum


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## larry81 (Nov 22, 2010)

VTI
XIC/VCE
VXUS
XSB/XBB

are the essentials


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## doc987 (Nov 23, 2011)

I'm a big fan of etfs for RRSP. I like DGS/DEM if you're looking for high yield EM in USD. What concerns me is the US currency risk and the fact you can't DRIP these! We don't have good alternatives in Canada with yield >3%. Ahh the pros and cons.


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## Soils4Peace (Mar 14, 2010)

Low cost mutual funds: TDB900 thru 911.
Low cost ETFs: VCE, VAB and other ETFs from Vanguard Canada. USA: QQQ, VTI
FTSE RAFI: CRQ, CIE, PRF, PRFZ
Emerging: VWO, DGS
Developed Small: SCZ

My favourites: VCE gives 100 stocks for pennies a year. PRFZ beats all the small and mid cap Vanguard ETFs with very reasonable MER (for a non-Vanguard ETF).


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## SlowandSteady60 (Feb 19, 2012)

Just thought I'd throw this back into the mix. Curious to see what ETF's are the People's Choice these days and what percenatge of your portfolio are you dedicating to this. Is anyone winning with the Potato strategy right now? I am 30% Cdn, 25% US and 25% Foreign 10% Bonds and 10% Stocks. Works okay so far


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## sam (Mar 16, 2012)

Xre , zut , xtr


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## Murph (Sep 9, 2009)

Eseries, VNQ, recently opened positions in FEZ, DWX, EDIV, and DFE, has payed off well so far, valuations are looking pretty interesting in the euro zone and emerging markets.


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## leoc2 (Dec 28, 2010)

You say...


> I am 30% Cdn, 25% US and 25% Foreign 10% Bonds and 10% Stocks.


Is not 10% stocks part of Cdn, US and Foreign allotment?


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## Navigate Sensibly (Oct 24, 2011)

leoc2 said:


> You say...
> 
> 
> Is not 10% stocks part of Cdn, US and Foreign allotment?


He means 10% individual stocks rather than ETF's I think.


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## GoldStone (Mar 6, 2011)

SlowandSteady60 said:


> Is anyone winning with the Potato strategy right now?


Winning with the Potato strategy right now??? That's an oxymoron.

I think you need a refresher on what Couch Potato is all about. The whole premise of the strategy is to accept average market returns.


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## Navigate Sensibly (Oct 24, 2011)

GoldStone said:


> Winning with the Potato strategy right now??? That's an oxymoron.
> 
> I think you need a refresher on what Couch Potato is all about. The whole premise of the strategy is to accept average market returns.


LOL, yes GoldStone! Good reply. the other irony is that the nickname is `SlowandSteady60`and yet the question is for `right now`, which is not what the couch potato is about. I guess he meant right now as in from at least 10 years ago up until now; only then does it make sense to look at the returns.


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## SlowandSteady60 (Feb 19, 2012)

Ouch, Tough crowd. First off, the 10% stocks was just playmoney invested in individual stocks rather than Canadian equities in an ETF. Secondly, I don't need a refresher course on what the Couch Potato strategy is all about and I understand it fully. There are many different ways to set up the strategy depending on your stomach (ie Conservative vs Aggressive) and the reason for my question was to see how most people are doing with the strategy whether it be over 10 years or 10 months. I have heard some people say it doesn't work for them and my curiousity wonders why.I guess I should watch how I word these comments so I don't get attacked by the CMF vultures again. Thanks for those who spoke up. Hope to see more comments


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## Belguy (May 24, 2010)

Buy-and-holders generally outperform active traders over the long term.

Buy and hold the lowest fee, broadest based, most largely held ETF's and then resist the temptation to outsmart yourself by getting into sector specific ETF's and other more specialized products.

Never underestimate the ability of the financial services industry to separate you from your money.

K.I.S.S.!!!!!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/glob...l-funds-and-not-in-a-good-way/article4567353/


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## Belguy (May 24, 2010)

"My ETF portfolio has not been performing any better than my old mutual fund portfolio."

Could the problem be lack of diversification?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/glob...ng-well-what-am-i-doing-wrong/article4586458/


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## Sampson (Apr 3, 2009)

Belguy said:


> "My ETF portfolio has not been performing any better than my old mutual fund portfolio."
> 
> Could the problem be lack of diversification?


No!

Diversification does not provide better returns. Diversification CAN provide better risk-adjusted returns, but not necessarily better nominal returns.


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