| Bolinger Bands, Candlesticks, Doji... etc. Help |
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wyclef
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| Bolinger Bands, Candlesticks, Doji... etc. Help |
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Can someone explain to me how to use these things to tell when to buy and sell? There is a lot of info online but I'm not a financial guy and would like a basic idea to get going. Are there good applications for mac or pc that people reccomend to look at this stuff? I was using yahoo finances interactive chart.
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Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:13 pm |
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oldguy
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The "theory" of stock picking is very complex - and when reduced to "practice" it is deceptively simple.
As you say - there are bollinger bands, channelling formations, stocastics, elliot waves, fibonacci series, fibonacci ratio, candle stocks, chart formations, cup & saucer, head & shoulders, break outs - yada. There are 100's of books on how to beat the market. And they are all based on history of the market. Unfortunately, stocks don't follow history, every day is new - and tomorrow's market will move based on the unknown events that happen tonight - and you can't guess what they will be. If the market COULD be predicted it would fit into one small book, the other 100's of books wouldn't be needed. But the stock traders never give up, they are always one secret away from hitting that next home run. Ultimately, it is liberating to understand that stocks cannot be predicted - then you are free to simply invest and not mess with predicting the future.
IMO, you were way closer to wealth when you were choosing VGSTX vs. VWELX vs. VTSMX. Becoming wealthy takes time and patience, kinda boring. 
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Wed Feb 25, 2015 6:00 pm |
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wyclef
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Cash: $ 18.22
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that makes sense. do you even bother using charting software?
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Thu Feb 26, 2015 3:38 pm |
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oldguy
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Cash: $ 751.85
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Location: arizona
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No, I avoid it on purpose, lol. And I consider the advice of stock analysts on TV to be "entertainment only".
Disclosure: Back in the 1960s, 70's, before 401ks were invented, before discount brokers, before online brokers, before index funds, before ETFs - I traded options, 'puts', wrote covered calls, various derivatives, shorted stocks on margin, and traded corn futures. So you could say that I paid my dues. And after I QUIT all that, I became wealthy in the Market.
VGSTX vs. VWELX vs. VTSMX - - If you put $800/m into any one of those, it should be slightly over $2M in 30 yrs. Anyone of the 3 is fine, the longterm average returns of the 3 are almost the same. As for investing in a taxable account, a pretax account (401k), or a posttax account (roth) - that only affects the tax treatment, not the money. Ie, $2M is $2M, no matter what accounts you keep it in. In all 3 accounts, you pay the tax - the roth is often said to be "tax-free" - but no, you pay the tax upfront before you invest the money. And with a 401k, you invest per-tax money but you pay the tax when you sell.
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Thu Feb 26, 2015 4:27 pm |
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