Ravenscraft Investments 2013

Ravenscraft Investments 2013

As I adjust to the year year, it's time to do a little house cleaning with social media.
I am going to be de-linking some of my connections soon.
For those of you that would like to keep checking in with me on investing and business, keep coming here:  http://ravenscraftinvestments.blogspot.com/
and on Twitter here:  https://twitter.com/mrravenscraft

For Raven's Holistic Massage click here; https://www.facebook.com/RavensHolisticMassage

For my Facebook friends I will be stopping my twitter feed so friend me there if you haven't yet.



Ok now lets move on and check in with the markets......

Here is a 16 March 2012 snapshot vs                  11 Jan 2013

NYSE      13,233                                                  13,488
Nasdaq     3,055                                                      3,126
S&P500    1,404                                                     1,472
Oil            $107.16                                                 $93.77
Gold         $1,661oz                                              $1,662oz


Well it looks pretty cut and dry that with the exception of oil we are flat with next to no gain in these markets. This does not take into consideration the wild market fluctuations during this time-frame that are the new norm in the world on investing.

If you look at cycles the stock-market is overdue for a normal correction. Add the end of the QE program this year and the fact that we are printing money like crazy, and you have a pretty negative mix for the stock-markets. 


Of the choices above I am long Gold and Oil, and short the markets. I still feel the only stocks for me if any would be dividend paying stocks of 4% or higher.


My advise would be caution and to do your research this month.Decide what you should change if anything. This is not a bad time to keep a nice cash stash to pick up good deals throughout the year.

And for any trades or positions you take make sure to hedge and buy yourself some insurance. (Ex. if you go long oil or gold buy a put option to protect yourself from a down market)


To get that leverage play on any direction look into options. The positions I take in options, the most I can loose is the initial investment. This is more conservative, but you still get to take advantage of that leverage.

1 Options of stock (100 shares)
1 Options of commodities (specific to futures, Ex. gold is 100oz) 

DISCLAIMER: Options Trading Is RISKY.  Only speculative
money should be used as losing is a real possibility.  Further,
Past Performance is NOT necessarily an indication of future
results!

Raven's Holistic Massage

Raven's Holistic Massage
(Bringing massage to you)

Now available appointment only on Saturday's.
Since 2003 I have been Licensed in Maine as a Massage Therapist #MT1913.

I learned the trade at Spa-tech Institute completing the Holistic Massage course in 2003
This course  combines energy work(Polarity Therapy, Cranial Sacral therapy, and Reflexology) and many modalities of massage(Swedish, Deep tissue, Shaitsu, Chair, Pre-natal,Hot-stone)  To give you the tools for a wonderful session that covers the body mind and spirit of each person.

For five season's I built the demand for massage and spa services at the Bluenose Inn in Bar Harbor Maine. Stop by and book a session at the Eden Day spa if you make it down that way.

Now I am pleased to say I am back in Bangor. For now sessions are available on Saturdays by appointment only. Most of the time Raven's Holistic Massage will be bringing the sessions to you, generally traveling within 30 miles of Bangor.
Each session is designed for the individual at that moment in time.
Stop by our Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/RavensHolisticMassage

Raven's Holistic Massage

Raven's Holistic Massage

Now available appointment only on Saturday's.
Since 2003 I have been Licensed in Maine as a Massage Therapist #MT1913.

I learned the trade at Spa-tech Institute completing the Holistic Massage course in 2003
This course  combines energy work(Polarity Therapy, Cranial Sacral therapy, and Reflexology) and many modalities of massage(Swedish, Deep tissue, Shaitsu, Chair, Pre-natal,Hot-stone)  To give you the tools for a wonderful session that covers the body mind and spirit of each person.

For five season's I built the demand for massage and spa services at the Bluenose Inn in Bar Harbor Me. Stop by and book a session at the Eden Day spa if you make it down that way.

Now I am pleased to say I am back in Bangor. For now sessions are available on Saturdays by appointment only. Most of the time Raven's Holistic Massage will be bringing the sessions to you, generally traveling within 30 miles of Bangor.
Each session is designed for the individual at that moment in time.
Stop by our Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/RavensHolisticMassage

Market update

Wow here are flashback stats from Aug 2011.    Compared to  16 Mar 2012

NYSE      11,444                                                  13,233
Nasdaq     2,532                                                      3,055
S&P500    1,999                                                     1,404
Oil 87.26                                                                107.16
Gold  at 1,663oz                                                    1,661oz


The top 4 seem a little top heavy. Where gold is in the same spot it was then.
I think oil may trade  b/t 104 and 109 short term.
Stocks will be getting a correction at some point and where do you think gold will head at that point?






*I would like to note that I will tell folks what direction I think the trend of markets is in or is headed.
Most of my positions are straddles so both sides of the position are covered. Whether the move heads up or down.
Movement is the key.
The markets of today move a lot.  
Make sure you are protected.

Happy trading

Shawn Ravenscraft

Investing is risky. Not investing is risky.

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

GlamorFox.com. Great deals on jewelry and fashion accessories.

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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

GlamorFox is finally here. High-quality fashion and costume jewelry

http://stores.ebay.com/Glamorfox 

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 

http://stores.ebay.com/Glamorfox