To invest or not to invest that is the question.
In today's blog I have 2 goals. The first to show you why you should invest. The second is to educate you on types of investments.
As a quote from Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad.
You have two sides of this equation, or two basic mindsets.
1. You think that investing is risky
2. You think not investing is risky
It is an individual comfort level, but it is also different financial IQ's when it comes to money and investing.
Ravenscraft Investments are in camp 2. Not investing is risky. The money you earn and hold loses value every day. You also have to factor in inflation. Your job and earned income is most likely your highest taxed money. If you can have some sort of investment going like paper assets. From 2008-2011 Earned income tax rate 35%, Short term capitol gains 35%, Long term capitol gains 15%. You can see that if you move money from the 35% to the 15%, you save or gain 20%. And this is just one type of investment, paper assets. So if you can hold stocks long term you save on taxes. If you buy a stock that pays a dividend than you get paid 3%-5% or something close to this range. Think of these as bonus returns. Remember this is only one type of investment in our toolbox.
Here are the top markets or popular markets: The first three are paper investments, the last two are physical Commodities.
NYSE 11,444
Nasdac 2,532
S&P500 1,999
Oil 87.26
Gold at 1,663oz
Commodities are split taxed. 60% is taxed as Long term capitol gains and 40% is taxed as short term capitol gains.(so 15% and 35%) The FOREX market is also taxed in this way....Moving on.
Here is what the investment markets look like to me:
1.FOREX
2.Commodities
3.The Stock Markets
4.Real Estate
5.Business
I would consider each category it's own type of investment. It is critical that you have investments in 2 or 3 of the above options. You also have active investments, and passive investments (long term)
And you should pay attention to both.
I started this blog thinking of how the stock-market has tanked these last two weeks and how discouraged people might be. It made me think of the people that only have their long term 401,Mutual fund, or IRA to watch as the markets move. I say watch because that is all they can do. It is a process to get-out of any of these long term investments, and in most cases you get penalty charges for doing so. The 90% of us just watch and are happy when the markets go up, and sad when they go down. This brings me to a key point...Liquidity. Long term investments in a 401.403,IRA, Mutual fund are not very liquid.
This is what most of us are in the dark about. So what is liquidity and why do you have to have it.
Definition of Liquidity on Investopedia - 1. The degree to which an asset or security can be bought or sold in the market without affecting the asset's price.
It really means how fast can you get in and out of an investment. How fast can you close a position.
Years of research has shown me that liquidity is the key, you have to be able to get in and out fast.
With most stocks you can exit a trade in minutes or hours it all depends on having one person on the other side of your investment.
Commodities are about the same. The other big plus is that they are tied to physical items oil/gold/sugar/corn and so on, so they will always have some value. When it comes to options you can sell them for a profit even if they never hit the strike price. Not true for stock options, they have to go above the strike price before you can sell them.
FOREX is the most liquid investment out there.(Real Estate may be the only exception here)
Over 2 trillion a day trades hands through the FOREX markets of the world. They represent cash prices the now, not the future price like the futures markets. You can get in and out of these markets in seconds.
I will have more to say on each of these investments in future posts.
For now I want to leave you with this. How many of the above numbered investments do you have?
The truth is the more of these numbers you invest in the less things like the last two weeks of the stock markets cliff diving. If you are in only one than you may be in trouble.
Keep learning and make your money work for you.
Shawn Ravenscraft Ravenscraft investments
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
GlamorFox.com. Great deals on jewelry and fashion accessories.
Welcome Savvy Jewelry Shoppers!
Welcome to GlamorFox.com, a site and business built around the idea that amazing jewelry doesn’t have to be priced for the stars. If you have ever looked at one of the glossy big designer jewelry catalogs (you know the ones, usually seen at house parties) and wondered why the prices were so astronomical, then GlamorFox.com is the place for you!
We use our wholesale buying power to bring beautiful, glamorous jewelry direct to you at amazing prices. We also present valuable fashion-related posts and tidbits to help give you ideas on current trends, and how to best make use of some of our products.
So check out our site and store at www.glamorfox.com
And yes we are still on ebay at http://stores.ebay.com/Glamorfox
Enjoy these great deals and may the best of fashion be yours!
The GlamorFox Team
Thursday, March 10, 2011
GlamorFox is finally here. High-quality fashion and costume jewelry
Copy this link and come back often. This is the beginning of GlamorFox. I have been waiting for weeks to be able and write this blog update. I am so excited, and if you have a wife, girlfriend, sister, mother, or really any lady friends you should be excited too! The ladies love jewelry, and I have yet to find one who doesn't (although I am sure one or two are out there). What is this Glamorfox business? Well I am glad you asked.
Glamorfox offers high-quality fashion and costume jewelry at incredibly low prices. Our inventory includes rings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, earrings & more. We offer a 100% Money-Back guarantee and Worldwide Shipping. If you have been looking for great designer jewelry, but haven't wanted to pay the high prices that you see in the shiny catalogs, then glamorfox has the deals for you! If for any reason you are not pleased with your purchase, we have a robust 7-day return policy and money-back guarantee - including the shipping cost. We do not consider any deal to be complete until you have received the product and are happy with it!
Buy with confidence, knowing that your item will ship from the United States via US Postal Service First Class Mail, and that we stand behind our products 100%! Don't take risks buying direct from overseas - the prices may look good, but you never know when (or if) your item will show up, or what shape it will be in when (or if) it does!
We are always adding new pieces and give you the option to mix and match sets.
I welcome any questions or comments you may have.
Shawn Ravenscraft
Monday, February 21, 2011
It's Time...Working With David Bach
It's time
I hope you've enjoyed the emails I've sent the last couple days with information about our new Automatic Millionaire® International program, which is designed to help YOU finish rich.
As you probably know by now, David Bach stresses the importance of laying of a proper foundation.
See what I mean here...
http://getami.com/mrraven/prelaunch?t=launchemail3
Well, today I want to tell you a quick story about how David got here and why he believes he is qualified to help you handle your money.
In David's Words...
I wasn't always an author.
As a financial advisor, Sr. Vice President at Morgan Stanley and a partner of the Bach Group (which, during my tenure from 1993 to 2001, managed more than half a billion dollars for individual investors), my top clients paid me upwards of $25,000 a year to manage their money and receive my financial advice.
Since then, some of the largest financial service companies in North America have paid me more than a quarter million dollars a DAY to consult with them on their programs.
I founded Finish Rich Media with the sole mission to inspire and empower as many people as possible to live and finish rich.
In the last ten years my programs have inspired millions around the world and I have written 11 consecutive national bestselling books, with over 7 books in print worldwide translated into over 15 languages.
Over a million people have attended my Finish Rich® Seminars taught by thousands of financial advisors throughout North America.
Why do I share this?
Well, it's not to attempt to impress you but to impress upon you the value and significance of the program I am about to unveil.
I also want you to understand the significance of the timing of my advice. In 2009, while most experts were doom and gloom, I dropped everything I was doing to write a book for 2010 called "Start Over Finish Rich".
On page 10 in this book I made a bold, and controversial, statement: "a recession is a terrible thing to waste ... recessions create millionaires."
In the book, I predicted that history would repeat itself and that all BUSTS lead to BOOMS.
What has happened since my prediction? Well, try this on for size: the stock market has reached a high and has nearly doubled in less than two years. Average mutual funds last year alone were up nearly 20%, with many of them up 50%, 60%, 70%, and even 100%.
And the boom hasn't just been in the stock market. Bond markets have been producing 10% or more annually and commodities, including gold and silver, have skyrocketed.
So what about real estate?
While the mainstream media has been talking about the negative real estate market and mass foreclosures, my readers who bought a low cost no load real estate mutual fund I recommended on page 140 have seen their investment increase over 30%. That's an increase of over 30% in just over a year in an investment category - real estate - that most people think is doing horribly. This is no joke. This is real money.
My point is this: while millions of people are buying into doom and gloom about the recession, others with the right information are building, or rebuilding their wealth at a record pace!
The last two years have been the best two consecutive years to build wealth in the stock market since 1936. And yet, most people have missed this opportunity.
Fortunately, even if you missed the last two years, I believe it's still not too late. We are just in the beginning stages of this recovery and the opportunities coming in the next 12 to 18 months are simply incredible. Opportunities like this come along once, maybe twice, in a lifetime.
~David
The timing of the Automatic Millionaire® International launch is no coincidence. David has spent the last 12 months putting together the pieces and the cornerstones to create the financial foundation EVERY person requires to properly capitalize on this opportunity and position themselves for long term wealth.
We have taken everything that we know about building real, long-term sustainable wealth, and created a simple step-by-step program that anyone can follow, regardless of their current circumstances.
Like any good foundation, it starts with the basics. The fundamentals.
Automatic Millionaire® Foundation is the first step in the program and it's a requirement for every person who wants to become an Automatic Millionaire®.
It's not even an option ... you've got to have a proper foundation in place before you can build real wealth. Period. There is no point in spending years building on anything but a solid foundation.
Check out this video to learn more about the Foundation and the special introductory pricing for the first week.
http://getami.com/mrraven/prelaunch?t=launchemail3
Very best,
Shawn Ravenscraft
I hope you've enjoyed the emails I've sent the last couple days with information about our new Automatic Millionaire® International program, which is designed to help YOU finish rich.
As you probably know by now, David Bach stresses the importance of laying of a proper foundation.
See what I mean here...
http://getami.com/mrraven/prelaunch?t=launchemail3
Well, today I want to tell you a quick story about how David got here and why he believes he is qualified to help you handle your money.
In David's Words...
I wasn't always an author.
As a financial advisor, Sr. Vice President at Morgan Stanley and a partner of the Bach Group (which, during my tenure from 1993 to 2001, managed more than half a billion dollars for individual investors), my top clients paid me upwards of $25,000 a year to manage their money and receive my financial advice.
Since then, some of the largest financial service companies in North America have paid me more than a quarter million dollars a DAY to consult with them on their programs.
I founded Finish Rich Media with the sole mission to inspire and empower as many people as possible to live and finish rich.
In the last ten years my programs have inspired millions around the world and I have written 11 consecutive national bestselling books, with over 7 books in print worldwide translated into over 15 languages.
Over a million people have attended my Finish Rich® Seminars taught by thousands of financial advisors throughout North America.
Why do I share this?
Well, it's not to attempt to impress you but to impress upon you the value and significance of the program I am about to unveil.
I also want you to understand the significance of the timing of my advice. In 2009, while most experts were doom and gloom, I dropped everything I was doing to write a book for 2010 called "Start Over Finish Rich".
On page 10 in this book I made a bold, and controversial, statement: "a recession is a terrible thing to waste ... recessions create millionaires."
In the book, I predicted that history would repeat itself and that all BUSTS lead to BOOMS.
What has happened since my prediction? Well, try this on for size: the stock market has reached a high and has nearly doubled in less than two years. Average mutual funds last year alone were up nearly 20%, with many of them up 50%, 60%, 70%, and even 100%.
And the boom hasn't just been in the stock market. Bond markets have been producing 10% or more annually and commodities, including gold and silver, have skyrocketed.
So what about real estate?
While the mainstream media has been talking about the negative real estate market and mass foreclosures, my readers who bought a low cost no load real estate mutual fund I recommended on page 140 have seen their investment increase over 30%. That's an increase of over 30% in just over a year in an investment category - real estate - that most people think is doing horribly. This is no joke. This is real money.
My point is this: while millions of people are buying into doom and gloom about the recession, others with the right information are building, or rebuilding their wealth at a record pace!
The last two years have been the best two consecutive years to build wealth in the stock market since 1936. And yet, most people have missed this opportunity.
Fortunately, even if you missed the last two years, I believe it's still not too late. We are just in the beginning stages of this recovery and the opportunities coming in the next 12 to 18 months are simply incredible. Opportunities like this come along once, maybe twice, in a lifetime.
~David
The timing of the Automatic Millionaire® International launch is no coincidence. David has spent the last 12 months putting together the pieces and the cornerstones to create the financial foundation EVERY person requires to properly capitalize on this opportunity and position themselves for long term wealth.
We have taken everything that we know about building real, long-term sustainable wealth, and created a simple step-by-step program that anyone can follow, regardless of their current circumstances.
Like any good foundation, it starts with the basics. The fundamentals.
Automatic Millionaire® Foundation is the first step in the program and it's a requirement for every person who wants to become an Automatic Millionaire®.
It's not even an option ... you've got to have a proper foundation in place before you can build real wealth. Period. There is no point in spending years building on anything but a solid foundation.
Check out this video to learn more about the Foundation and the special introductory pricing for the first week.
http://getami.com/mrraven/prelaunch?t=launchemail3
Very best,
Shawn Ravenscraft
Working With David Bach
Since 2004, tens of thousands of you have reached out to David Bach asking him if there is a way to work closer with him ... a way to get personal coaching and advice.
Until now, aside from a very select group of students, the answer has, unfortunately, been "no".
In fact, in the last ten years he has only been able to personally coach about 300 people. He has simply not had the time, infrastructure, or personal bandwidth to work directly with more people.
And this has always frustrated him.
Click the link below to see what he has finally been able to do about it!
http://getami.com/mrraven/prelaunch?t=launchemail1
A Message From David ...
While my books have helped millions, it has always bothered me that your requests for my personal help have gone unanswered, at least at the level I have wanted.
Many of you who have read my books have come to me and said, "I already pay myself first, I am making progress and I know my Latte Factor ... but I need to step it up. This is taking too long."
So for years I asked myself these three questions over and over again:
How can we help more people?
How can we help you get results faster?"
And, most importantly, how can we do this in such a way that's affordable for people who want help, to get help?
I am happy to announce that today I believe we have the answers as well as a tangible solution.
"What's the solution?" you ask. "How can David work directly with me to answer my financial questions and mentor me to improve my financial life?"
The solution is my brand new AUTOMATIC MILLIONAIRE CLUB.
It's called Automatic Millionaire® International and I've put together a presentation to show you exactly what I've been working on!
I am so excited and I really think you're going to love what we've put together for you.
Our membership-based program starts with something we call the Automatic Millionaire® Foundation...
Click here to learn more...
http://getami.com/mrraven/prelaunch?t=launchemail1
Very best,
Shawn Ravenscraft
Until now, aside from a very select group of students, the answer has, unfortunately, been "no".
In fact, in the last ten years he has only been able to personally coach about 300 people. He has simply not had the time, infrastructure, or personal bandwidth to work directly with more people.
And this has always frustrated him.
Click the link below to see what he has finally been able to do about it!
http://getami.com/mrraven/prelaunch?t=launchemail1
A Message From David ...
While my books have helped millions, it has always bothered me that your requests for my personal help have gone unanswered, at least at the level I have wanted.
Many of you who have read my books have come to me and said, "I already pay myself first, I am making progress and I know my Latte Factor ... but I need to step it up. This is taking too long."
So for years I asked myself these three questions over and over again:
How can we help more people?
How can we help you get results faster?"
And, most importantly, how can we do this in such a way that's affordable for people who want help, to get help?
I am happy to announce that today I believe we have the answers as well as a tangible solution.
"What's the solution?" you ask. "How can David work directly with me to answer my financial questions and mentor me to improve my financial life?"
The solution is my brand new AUTOMATIC MILLIONAIRE CLUB.
It's called Automatic Millionaire® International and I've put together a presentation to show you exactly what I've been working on!
I am so excited and I really think you're going to love what we've put together for you.
Our membership-based program starts with something we call the Automatic Millionaire® Foundation...
Click here to learn more...
http://getami.com/mrraven/prelaunch?t=launchemail1
Very best,
Shawn Ravenscraft
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
What is all of the online fuss? You need to know.
If you have read my previous blogs you have seen information on the power of the internet and hopefully earmarked many of the links I have provided. Today I am here to focus on one of my internet businesses: http://ONLINEMONEYPROS.COM
http://onlinemoneypros.com/?site=Brick
Standard online business-
http://onlinemoneypros.com
Free Training- Here is your introduction to PRO and a chance to register for our 9pm EST Master Marketer Monday training calls. http://myccmarketing.com/mMarketing/system.php#tabs-system
Free DVD (A $49.99 value)To Access This FREE Video That Has Sold Over 100,000 Copies Worldwide, Enter Your Name And Email whe prompted. http://onlinemoneypros.com/?funnel=FreeDVD
Find the links that interest you and cut/paste them into your browser.
Automatic Millionaire international- David Bach- world leader in personal finance and #1 New York Times best selling author of The Automatic Millionaire has empowered millions of people around the world with ordinary incomes to Live and Finish Rich.
http://getami.com/mrraven
The internet is where you nead to be. If you do not have a presence online you will be left behind. The time is now and you need to promote your business if you expect it to grow. It takes time, motivation, work, and money. The middle class is disappearing, and depending on your job to make ends meet is an industrial age concept. How many people do you know that have worked for the same company for 30 plus years these days? Job security where is it? All you need to do is check the unemployment rate to realize that it is no longer there. I don't say this to scare you, I say this to awaken you. Ravenscraft Investment's mission is to empower you to take control of your finaicail future. Find the tools and use them.
I hope you find this information useful.
Shawn Ravenscraft
Take a second and type that into your search bar. You reach a landing page inviting you into a Community of Entrepreneurs leading the way in support and training to harness the awesome power of the internet.
Now it is time to delve even deeper into these great opportunities and find the areas and links that benifits you the most. What's in here for you, and how do you find it? Here is your answer. The following are links that are tailored to specific types of business. Find where you fit in and click away.
It really is that simple.
Brick and Morter-(traditional business with a physical location)http://onlinemoneypros.com/?site=Brick
Standard online business-
http://onlinemoneypros.com
Free Training- Here is your introduction to PRO and a chance to register for our 9pm EST Master Marketer Monday training calls. http://myccmarketing.com/mMarketing/system.php#tabs-system
Free DVD (A $49.99 value)To Access This FREE Video That Has Sold Over 100,000 Copies Worldwide, Enter Your Name And Email whe prompted. http://onlinemoneypros.com/?funnel=FreeDVD
Find the links that interest you and cut/paste them into your browser.
Automatic Millionaire international- David Bach- world leader in personal finance and #1 New York Times best selling author of The Automatic Millionaire has empowered millions of people around the world with ordinary incomes to Live and Finish Rich.
http://getami.com/mrraven
The internet is where you nead to be. If you do not have a presence online you will be left behind. The time is now and you need to promote your business if you expect it to grow. It takes time, motivation, work, and money. The middle class is disappearing, and depending on your job to make ends meet is an industrial age concept. How many people do you know that have worked for the same company for 30 plus years these days? Job security where is it? All you need to do is check the unemployment rate to realize that it is no longer there. I don't say this to scare you, I say this to awaken you. Ravenscraft Investment's mission is to empower you to take control of your finaicail future. Find the tools and use them.
I hope you find this information useful.
Shawn Ravenscraft
Friday, February 11, 2011
David Bach #1 New York Times best selling author
Subject: How Almost Anyone Can Become an Automatic Millionaire®..?
Dear Friends,
I know you get a lot of emails, but this is one is important. Over the next few days I will be sending you a few emails about a brand new program by David Bach, #1 new York Times best selling author of The Automatic Millionaire®. This book as sold over 3 million copies.
Anyway, I think you will like what you see. Check it out here now, http://getami.com/mrraven or wait for the email later today or tomorrow:)
Best,
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Onlinemoneypros
Onlinemoneypros is the internet branch of Ravenscraft Investments
Our mission is to provide an internet marketing education that allows you to market anything
to anyone anywhere in the world.
The internet has BILLIONS of users, and is literally touching everyone's lives.
If you are not using the internet for your business now, you will be left behind.
Onlinemoneypros invites you into an Education Platform & Community for Entrepreneurs.
Your business will not grow without constant advertising and promotion.
We offer Internet marketers the instruction and education required to quickly develop a strong, lasting Internet business. The opportunities available via the Internet are growing at an exponential rate. If learning how to use the internet is of interest to you, you are at the right place at the right time.
http://onlinemoneypros.com
Our mission is to provide an internet marketing education that allows you to market anything
to anyone anywhere in the world.
The internet has BILLIONS of users, and is literally touching everyone's lives.
If you are not using the internet for your business now, you will be left behind.
Onlinemoneypros invites you into an Education Platform & Community for Entrepreneurs.
Your business will not grow without constant advertising and promotion.
We offer Internet marketers the instruction and education required to quickly develop a strong, lasting Internet business. The opportunities available via the Internet are growing at an exponential rate. If learning how to use the internet is of interest to you, you are at the right place at the right time.
http://onlinemoneypros.com
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Investing Time and Money in You
Invest time and money in you (you are worth it)
Get comfy this is a long one
Beware of free advice!I hear this statement time and time again, most recently from Robert Kiyosaki(from Rich Dad) and Dean Graziosi ( Real Estate Expert). Be aware of who is giving you advice. Does this person have a vested interest in you? Do they have something to gain from the advice they give you? When talking investments like stocks, FOREX, Real Estate, and so on what is their experience? Are they currently invested?
These are just a few of the questions you might want to ask these "guru's" and yourself. So you are giving me some tax advice, are you an accountant or a lawyer? So you think buying Real Estate is a bad idea. Do you own any property? Have you owned property in the past?
Sometimes this free advice can end up being costly to you. Maybe you are talked out of a trade that takes off and makes mad money, maybe you are talked into a trade that bombs and looses all or worse more than your initial investment. When you talk to that friend, family member, or co-worker all they can say is whoops. They do not have to take any responsibility. They don't have to give you due diligence you are not a client. Due diligence that is a key word to remember. You do the back-round checking and research. You must do the fact finding and number crunching. Almost every type of investing I do is self-directed. This includes trading stocks, forex, and commodities. I have just one person to blame or congratulate, me. Because of this I am always investing time and money in my financial education. You can always learn more.
I feel that quality learning involves an exchange. You trade some of your money for knowledge. This transaction really has more value. I know that when I pay for a book, course, class, seminar, etc I pay more attention. My focus is sharper and my desire to learn is greater. One of the best things about knowledge is once you learn something it can never be taken away from you. That is real value. Even if you spend just one dollar that will change your mindset verses something that is free. You will find on the internet and everywhere in the marketing world that information that starts off as free will 99% of the time lead you to a product to buy. I don't like sticker shock, and I don't like this bait and switch technique. You can see on my blog the items I promote have an up front price tag. Take a look at some of these offers and find one that matches your comfort level of spending. A wonderful habit I have is to upgrade my training by using profits to purchase said training. That is a win win, and a great feeling. To give you a specific example way back in 1998 a bought a Ken Roberts Commodities trading course for $250. This gave me the knowledge and education to be comfortable getting into the commodities market. I then funded my trading account with $3,000 to start trading options. Once I made a profit on a few trades I re-invested in an upgrade training course from Ken Roberts called The Round Table which cost me $600. Then took another position with the initial investment. In essence I bought more knowledge with the houses money. This is different than getting something for free. I paid for the education. Used this information to make an investment, made some profits, and paid for more education. This is a process I continue to repeat. This is also a great investment strategy which I will get into at a later time.
If you are reading this blog you are someone who is an active investor. Keep learning and keep investing in your financial education...No one wants your money to make more money than you do!
Shawn Ravenscraft
Get comfy this is a long one
Beware of free advice!I hear this statement time and time again, most recently from Robert Kiyosaki(from Rich Dad) and Dean Graziosi ( Real Estate Expert). Be aware of who is giving you advice. Does this person have a vested interest in you? Do they have something to gain from the advice they give you? When talking investments like stocks, FOREX, Real Estate, and so on what is their experience? Are they currently invested?
These are just a few of the questions you might want to ask these "guru's" and yourself. So you are giving me some tax advice, are you an accountant or a lawyer? So you think buying Real Estate is a bad idea. Do you own any property? Have you owned property in the past?
Sometimes this free advice can end up being costly to you. Maybe you are talked out of a trade that takes off and makes mad money, maybe you are talked into a trade that bombs and looses all or worse more than your initial investment. When you talk to that friend, family member, or co-worker all they can say is whoops. They do not have to take any responsibility. They don't have to give you due diligence you are not a client. Due diligence that is a key word to remember. You do the back-round checking and research. You must do the fact finding and number crunching. Almost every type of investing I do is self-directed. This includes trading stocks, forex, and commodities. I have just one person to blame or congratulate, me. Because of this I am always investing time and money in my financial education. You can always learn more.
I feel that quality learning involves an exchange. You trade some of your money for knowledge. This transaction really has more value. I know that when I pay for a book, course, class, seminar, etc I pay more attention. My focus is sharper and my desire to learn is greater. One of the best things about knowledge is once you learn something it can never be taken away from you. That is real value. Even if you spend just one dollar that will change your mindset verses something that is free. You will find on the internet and everywhere in the marketing world that information that starts off as free will 99% of the time lead you to a product to buy. I don't like sticker shock, and I don't like this bait and switch technique. You can see on my blog the items I promote have an up front price tag. Take a look at some of these offers and find one that matches your comfort level of spending. A wonderful habit I have is to upgrade my training by using profits to purchase said training. That is a win win, and a great feeling. To give you a specific example way back in 1998 a bought a Ken Roberts Commodities trading course for $250. This gave me the knowledge and education to be comfortable getting into the commodities market. I then funded my trading account with $3,000 to start trading options. Once I made a profit on a few trades I re-invested in an upgrade training course from Ken Roberts called The Round Table which cost me $600. Then took another position with the initial investment. In essence I bought more knowledge with the houses money. This is different than getting something for free. I paid for the education. Used this information to make an investment, made some profits, and paid for more education. This is a process I continue to repeat. This is also a great investment strategy which I will get into at a later time.
If you are reading this blog you are someone who is an active investor. Keep learning and keep investing in your financial education...No one wants your money to make more money than you do!
Shawn Ravenscraft
Monday, January 17, 2011
Internet Marketing
With over 1.5 Billion internet users it makes sense to figure out a way to take advantage of this market. It is red hot and primed to continue it's explosive sales growth. Like many other types of investing it is all about setting up a system where your money works for you. You can only work so many hours in a day, but the entrepreneur wants his or her money to work 24/7. The market is out there, and it takes some time and effort to find where your business will fit in. A word of caution. We are bombarded with spam that are filled with get rich quick internet marketing schemes. It is easy to get suckered into parting with your hard earned cash with the promise of it making untold wealth. The only problem is most of the time that wealth is going from your pocket into a SCAM artists bank account. I consider myself pretty smart and investment savvy, but have been taken for a couple of rides. It is easy for these companies to take your money, but very difficult and time consuming to get your refunds. I will have more on the last company that SCAMMED me. I will name names and give you details.
From the street of learning the hard way, take some advise from someone who has already made a few costly mistakes signing on with the wrong company. DO YOUR RESEARCH! When you find what seems like a good opportunity take these two steps for piece of mind:
1. Look up that company through the Better Business Bureau
http://www.bbb.org/us/Find-Business-Review.
2. Google search said business and see what is on the first page. Look for the SCAM headings .
Good luck and keep investing
V/R
Shawn Ravenscraft
From the street of learning the hard way, take some advise from someone who has already made a few costly mistakes signing on with the wrong company. DO YOUR RESEARCH! When you find what seems like a good opportunity take these two steps for piece of mind:
1. Look up that company through the Better Business Bureau
http://www.bbb.org/us/Find-Business-Review.
2. Google search said business and see what is on the first page. Look for the SCAM headings .
Good luck and keep investing
V/R
Shawn Ravenscraft
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Why Invest?
Why should you invest? Which is riskier to invest or not to invest? My answer like many others is that not investing is much riskier. The average inflation rate is more in the 2-3% range, so this is what you need to make just to break even. Most savings will give you a 1-1.25% return. A 5 yr CD goes for around 2.02%.
So even a conservative investor can see that you really need to have your money make more money for you. Those dollars have to be your employees going out getting you various returns. In this highly volatile markets people are buying notes at negative returns for the safety of parking their money.
Most money managers, planners, investors, and so on will tell you these truth's:
1.You should have a retirement fund 401/IRA etc.
2. You should have 6 months plus worth of savings for emergency's
3. You should set up a portfolio that caters to your needs, time frame, and risk tolerance
It is true that with stocks, bonds, and cash you can weather many financial storms.
Using other investment options like forex trading and options trading with stocks or commodities is where you go for more aggressive returns.
So make sure you cover #1 and #2. When you get to #3 you should be using all risk capitol. Money that can go away and not interfere with you life and all of the wonderful recurring monthly bills that come with it.
Where ever you chose to put your risk capitol, make sure you are comfortable with those markets, and have an entry and exist strategy for every move. For me any area that has liquidity, and you can put exact limits on loss or profits is where you want to be. I am a big fan of making initail investments and knowing that or less is the most I can loose.
So even a conservative investor can see that you really need to have your money make more money for you. Those dollars have to be your employees going out getting you various returns. In this highly volatile markets people are buying notes at negative returns for the safety of parking their money.
Most money managers, planners, investors, and so on will tell you these truth's:
1.You should have a retirement fund 401/IRA etc.
2. You should have 6 months plus worth of savings for emergency's
3. You should set up a portfolio that caters to your needs, time frame, and risk tolerance
It is true that with stocks, bonds, and cash you can weather many financial storms.
Using other investment options like forex trading and options trading with stocks or commodities is where you go for more aggressive returns.
So make sure you cover #1 and #2. When you get to #3 you should be using all risk capitol. Money that can go away and not interfere with you life and all of the wonderful recurring monthly bills that come with it.
Where ever you chose to put your risk capitol, make sure you are comfortable with those markets, and have an entry and exist strategy for every move. For me any area that has liquidity, and you can put exact limits on loss or profits is where you want to be. I am a big fan of making initail investments and knowing that or less is the most I can loose.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Links to check the markets
I am always checking the markets. Constantly flipping between cnbc and bloomberg on cable. I also wanted to share web sites I visit to get my quotes. Information is key. Some of these sites give you specifics like stock, forex, and option quotes, and some just give you "talking heads" market commentary. Even though most of the time I do not follow the masses, I still need to know what they are doing..
https://www.google.com/bookmarks/l#!threadID=GuOzAv_2xIVQ%2FBDQ-dZQoQjfiQxdYl
Just copy and paste this into your browser..
Happy trading,
Shawn Ravenscraft
https://www.google.com/bookmarks/l#!threadID=GuOzAv_2xIVQ%2FBDQ-dZQoQjfiQxdYl
Just copy and paste this into your browser..
Happy trading,
Shawn Ravenscraft
Friday, January 7, 2011
Commodities
I love commodities and have been trading them since 2000. When I first started the only way you could buy commodities was by owning a futures contract or to purchase an option. I assume we all know what commodities are but here is a list of the ones that I watch and trade the most:
Coffee
Sugar
Corn
Oil
Gold
Cotton
Orange Juice
Wheat
Most of the time I simply trade options. You can make it complicated or simple, and I prefer simple. I don't get into selling puts or calls. If I think the market is going up I will buy a call option. If I think it is going down I will buy a put option. This way I can never loose more than my initial investment. Most times I will pick up a option on the other side for insurance in case the market moves the other direction. A caution with options. You want to exit your positions around 30 days before they expire. Otherwise if they are out of the money they end up worthless. Remember options are time sensitive. Like all investments you must have a game plan which includes an entry and exit strategy.
Now we have another option to trade these markets with out actually leveraging the physical commodity. You can by ETF's (exchange traded funds) These trade just like stocks on the NYSE exchange. Here is a list of a few of them.
Coffee
Sugar
Corn
Oil
Gold
Cotton
Orange Juice
Wheat
Most of the time I simply trade options. You can make it complicated or simple, and I prefer simple. I don't get into selling puts or calls. If I think the market is going up I will buy a call option. If I think it is going down I will buy a put option. This way I can never loose more than my initial investment. Most times I will pick up a option on the other side for insurance in case the market moves the other direction. A caution with options. You want to exit your positions around 30 days before they expire. Otherwise if they are out of the money they end up worthless. Remember options are time sensitive. Like all investments you must have a game plan which includes an entry and exit strategy.
Now we have another option to trade these markets with out actually leveraging the physical commodity. You can by ETF's (exchange traded funds) These trade just like stocks on the NYSE exchange. Here is a list of a few of them.
- Natural Gas (NYSE: UNG)
- SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD)
- iShares Silver Trust Fund (NYSE: SLV)
- PowerShares DB Agriculture Fund (NYSE: DBA)
- iPath Dow Jones-UBS Copper Fund (NYSE: JJC)
- iPath Dow Jones-UBS Sugar Fund (NYSE: SGG)
Welcome to Ravenscraft Investments
INTERNET MARKETING AND SALES
The Internet is amazing. We all use it. More of us are getting comfortable buying off of it. Some of us are profiting from it. I know most of us have ebay-ed an item or sold an item on amazon. stay tuned for links to download-able e-books and other products I have for sale. Modern technology at it's finest. Great products and great deals. Give them a click and take a look. We live in a world of instant gratification. When we want something we want it now. I am no different. With these e-books, you find one that interests you, pay for it and download it. It's instant and yours! You don't have to wait for the mail or even for an auction to end. Can it get any better than that? Don't worry I still will have drop ship items so you can go old school and have items mailed to you. It is all about the consumer and what he/she wants. If you can find that and provide great value than you have e-commerce. If you are on the business side you have created residual income.
One of my main investment arm's is Real Estate, which is another way to create residual income. You will find that when it comes to investing you need Passive (real estate) income and Portfolio (stocks bonds FOREX, etc) income to truly diversify. Buying different types of stocks IE oil stocks, tech stocks, consumer stocks, financial s, etc is NOT diversified. It's all paper. When the stock market goes down your paper goes down, so it is really one basket of investments. You aren't the Easter bunny do not put all of your eggs in one basket! You need to make your money make more money for you. You need to have multiple investment streams in different areas. Investing is a lifestyle not one specific thing. When you get attached to a type of investment you get into trouble.
Please leave some comments. I take investment topic requests, plus I like to hear what other people are interested in. More to come......
Welcome to Ravenscraft Investments
Well, I finally had to make a blog spot to make a one stop option that will contain and provide links to all of the happenings for Ravenscraft Investments. I am always moving, always active, and always posting.
So where to start? How about a rundown of areas of investment interest, and then a list of the areas I am currently invested in;
FOREX
COMMODITIES
STOCKS
REAL ESTATE
EBAY
CASH
BONDS
INTERNET MARKETING
Have I caught any one's attention yet? When it comes to investing their are two types of people. Those who are active and interested in investing, and those who want to have someone invest their money for them. Which is your preference? As to blogs keep flowing you will find that I cater to both......
So where to start? How about a rundown of areas of investment interest, and then a list of the areas I am currently invested in;
FOREX
COMMODITIES
STOCKS
REAL ESTATE
EBAY
CASH
BONDS
INTERNET MARKETING
Have I caught any one's attention yet? When it comes to investing their are two types of people. Those who are active and interested in investing, and those who want to have someone invest their money for them. Which is your preference? As to blogs keep flowing you will find that I cater to both......
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