One of the interesting gadgets I've found in the blog universe is a service offered by statcounter that tracks incoming/outgoing traffic and information on where, when & how visitors have found the site.
Now 5,000 hits might not appear very large in comparison with other blog sites (some do this easily in a month), but for someone who posts passively when time allows and intended for this site to be a collection of thoughts & strategies on my investing style over time; I've found the information collected by statcounter to be interesting for a number of reasons.
Although approximately 20% of the traffic coming into the site is generated by google searches on keywords searched over the internet, a large contingent of the traffic is generated by individuals visiting the site on a regular basis (partly why I added the RSS feeder).
A favour I'd like to ask for those who frequent the blog on a regular basis would be to introduce yourself (by name or alias) with a brief description of your interests, demographics and thoughts on the blog (something similar to this). This will also help me to focus on posts that might interest readers that I might otherwise be reluctant to share due to my perceived lack of interest on the topic.
Profits On The Horizon
16 hours ago
14 comments:
Not sure why you felt the need to publish people's companies and locations.... but anyways....
Age: 30s
Career: IT
Investment history: 7 years
Investing style: value\contrarian\dividend\DRIP
Some current holdings: NBD, KEYN, RET.A, BCE, PD.UN, CM
Blogs I read: Financial Jungle, ControlledGreed.com, MoneyGardener, MiddleClass Millionaire
Longterm investment goals: Create a portfolio (outside of my RRSP) of Dividend Growth stocks that will provide a growing stream of dividend income in retirement. Within my RRSP, hold value/deep value investments and other longterm holdings.
Comments on blog: I read your blog primarily for perspectives on dividend achiever-type stocks and contrarian picks. Thanks for you time and effort.
Thanks for contributing Porpoise,
I considered your comments regarding the publishing of corporate link sources and edited as appropriate. I was simply interested due to the content and frequency of visits from those earlier mentioned locations and was curious for the reasoning.
Profile:
Age: 35
Career: IT
Investments Exp: 5 yrs
Style: Discovering indexing with value tilt
Goal: Long term capital growth
I read your blog through RSS and like your value analysis and try to learn from it.
thanks.
I have a job where I find myself with a lot of free time (although that will be changing) so consequently, I do a lot of pf reading at work.
Haven't posted much here, but lurk constantly and appreciate the information.
Name: Susan
Age: 60, though feel like 60 is the new 50 especially when having a blast tearing around after grandkids.
I'm a retired Grade One teacher, though have also worked in retail, lectured at the University level, and now volunteer where I can learn new skills.
Investing: Core portfolio of rising-dividend paying stocks built up over last 5 years and currently dripping(BMO, BNS, ENB, MFC, PWF, RY, SLF, CNR, GE). Took 5 years before that to figure out what type of investor I am, fortunately it wasn't a horrendously expensive lesson, just very expensive. Have a few growth stocks (FTT, ECA,PCA TOC). Also, dabbled with some play money in small caps, but got frustrated when, after researching them as much as possible and buying those with good balance sheets, only to watch them tumble.
I work with an advisor who helps me a lot with information and focussing (when I most need it). One thing I enjoy doing, is to help friends and family clarify their knowledge of their investments, which sometimes means going with them to their advisors and helping them ask questions about suitability and costs.
Comments on blog: My biggest weakness is not being able to see the "big picture". After immersing myself in an annual report, I run around for days saying "but what does it mean?" It amazes me that you see the bigger view so clearly. I also appreciate you comments on individual stocks and on the markets.
Thanks for your comments Willfly & Susan,
Susan - The bigger view or "big picture" comes with some amount of experience and following a specific discipline of what I look for (Value Rules) that helps to eliminate a lot of the noise. I'll try to incorporate all this into a future post when I return from Europe and lay out the process I use in a longer post than individual Value specific posts
Hey Brad, happy 1 year.
Paul aka augustabound from Newmarket, born and raised in Hamilton.
Started here after seeing your posts on FWF and CB, they're always well though out and interesting and I find your blog the same. I was intrigued by your "Foster effect" post, he definitely has a following of the newbies who take his word as gospel. If only I could retire on 30000..........anyway back to reality.
I specifically like your health care focus. For some reason I'm drawn to those stocks, not sure why. I'm a blue chip type of guy(JNJ,GE,MO,BNS,BRK.b,)with a small focus on smaller stocks and health stocks seem to pique my interest. Buy the blue chips when they go on sale, collect the dividend etc. I haven't quite set my allocation but I would probably keep 50-60% in the big names and mix up the rest.
I'm 34, newly married and we own our home, mortgaged not outright. We have the two sweetest, most loyal Greyhounds on earth. I'm a general contractor, took Architecture in University and a Warren Buffett fan. (See my posts on CB thread "Best quotes and one liners") lol
I visit CB, FWF, gurufocus and billytickets forums. Other blogs I subscribe to moneygardener, million dollar journey,all blogs that start with dividend in the title, Joe Ponzio's Fwallstreet, reflections on value investing among about 10 others.
I love the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame stadium in the fall maybe one day I'll get there, the Jays(wish their hitting and pitching would be on at the same time, Chicago Bears wish their draft picks would last more than one year, LA Lakers in spite of Kobe, he ran Shaq out of town and the Edmonton Oilers, we were one game from glory last year.
Age: 35
Career: IT (web developer)
Investment history: savings account before (or, nothing at all LOL)
No holdings
RRSP
Mortgage
Mutual Funds
As you could see on my description above, I don't know a lot about investing. I've been living in Canada for 5 years and being an immigrant is hard, specially if you need to learn new terms that I've never heard before.
I knew I had to do something to my career and plan for my retirement. So, I started to read blogs about PF. I found some from USA (Wise Bread, Get Rich Slowly, Millionaire Mommy Next Door) until I found the 1st Canadian: Million Dollar Journey. After that, I discovered a lot of blogs focused in Canada (yours, four pillars, the money gardener, thicken my wallet, where does all my money go, Canadian capitalist).
As you can see, I am still learning. From the sources listed above I subscribed to Money Sense and bought 2 books (Derek Foster) and got one from Preet. Now, I am frequently going to the library and reading books about personal finance. Now, I know Warren Buffet and Peter Lynch. Now I know what couch potato portfolio is and the 2 best options for investors DYI: TD e-series and QuesTrade. (Didn’t start investing yet because I am afraid to make mistakes). But I know this is the way to go.
It is still confusing for me to learn in a small period of time a lot of information. That's why I am here. I am always reading what you have to say, what's behind the curtain (specially from Foster's books).
Thanks for your help and sorry I didn't comment a lot.
Congratulations for your 1st year.
All the best
Gean
I have visited your blog several times from home, and I must say it is really interesting. The investment texts are helping me a lot.
Lucas Grijander.
pito.pocho@hispavista.com
Alicehunter2000
New to the site and to investing and find it informative.
Age 45
Male
BS Environmental Science
MBA specializing in Management
Located in Florida
In family owned Liquor Business (5 stores/2 lounges)
New to active investing but have dabbled a bit in Mutual Funds and now single stocks.
Age: 32
Location: Manitoba
Career/Industry: Agriculture
Current Years DIY Investing: Just starting
Goals in short term: To analyze my situation and start my own DIY plan
Goals in long term: To build my own portfolio
Best Advice: Find a good mentor, time goes too fast - start planning and doing today!
Worst Mistake: Being ignorant of my actual situation, I thought I knew, but I didn't
As a person that is just starting out I have found this site and personal help from Brad to be the best thing to happen to me since compound interest :). Thanks!
From all the blogs I have come across, you seem the most knowledgeable. Here's my bio:
Age: 34
Location: London,ON (howdy neighbour)
Career: Not much of a career guy
Years of DIY Investing: 17
Portfolio: I like dividend growth stocks too. In fact - I'm a junkie. Own about 30 commons and 5 trusts in Cda and US.
Goals: Just keep on truckin. House is paid and the passive income has just crest 5 figures annually.
Best advice: Don't over analyze. Focus on FCF, debt levels and leaders in their industry.
Worst Mistake: BAC - watch them buy Countrywide (stupid move but liveable) and then ML (thanks US Fed) and rode the train down. With that mistake purged comes a new rule - no more US banks. Can't trust the government.
age:21
location: Cambridge/London
years investing: 3
Thank you very much for the help over the months, and guidance in these difficult and "crazy" times. Your blog and stock analyses have proved to be very informative and very well researched. Keep up the good work!!
, B
age:61yrs
location:Alberta
career:health sector
years of DIY investing:<1yr
portfolio:I only invest in dividend paying stocks(banks,insurance,utilities, oil&gas in Canada and healthcare, consumer staples and discretionary and industrial in USA) Have pushed dividend income into the 5 figure and hoping to do better. Your blog and that of others based on DIY have been invaluable as well as FWF, these times have been trying, to say the least. Keep going!
vince2
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