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The 100 Most Inspirational Personal Finance Turnaround Stories Online

I just received notification that I was included on the Top 100 Most Inspirational Personal Finance Turnaround Stories Online List.  That’s a mouthful.  This is the second time that I have been included in a top 100 list.  It is always exciting to be recognized in any manner.  It means that you are making a difference in whatever endeavor you are pursuing. 

 I was included in the entrepreneur section:

Entrepreneurs are a different breed. Often unwilling to toil away in a cube farm, they decide that they want something bigger. Unfortunately, something bigger usually involves huge risks. These people took the troubles in stride and have all become successful entrepreneurs.

BTW, they mentioned in my write up that “he realized that financial freedom is not about being rich, it’s about getting by.”  Getting by is definitely one approach, but not my preference.  Since it is imperative to generate more income than expenses, one can either cut expenses to meet your income (getting by) or increase your income to meet your expenses.  I choose the latter.  More on that in a later post.

Top 100 List

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The New ‘Four Horseman’ of Technology: Cramer Likes My Stock Picks

I am sure that many of you watch or have watched CNBC’s Mad Money with Jim Cramer.  Personally I think the screaming and boo-yaas are a little much, but I do watch it on occasion.  I like Fast Money much better – it comes on a couple hours later.  I am quite honored, because it looks like old Cramer has been sniffing around my blog looking for ideas 🙂

Back in the glory days Intel (INTC), Cisco (CSCO), Dell (DELL) and Microsoft (MSFT) were known as the four horseman.  They were the “go to” stocks.  Owning them were like having your own money tree.  However, they have all taken it on the chin since then –  Intel and Cisco are down 71% and 67% respectively from their high points in 2000, while Dell and Microsoft are down 54% and 49% respectively since 1999.

Last week Cramer announced his new “four horsemen” of technology: Apple (AAPL), Research in Motion (RIMM), Google (GOOG) and Amazon (AMZN).  Two of those names, Apple and Research in Motion, are the members of my recently formed The Big Spend portfolio.  Interestingly Cramer and I converged on those names using two completely different approaches, but our conclusions are the same.  These stocks have the potential to significantly outperform the market and are in the midst of secular (long term) moves.  It’s time to get on board.

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Introducing The Big Spend Portfolio

As an entrepreneur, I am constantly thinking in terms of opportunities.  A little over a year ago my mother, who lives in Florida, had a car accident.  She had a visiting nurse come in for a few weeks and I thought what a great business this would be.  With an aging population, especially in Florida, there would be a tremendous demand for such services.  Other services such as a personal shopper popped into my head.  When I came back to Boston, that idea would fade and would be replaced with others. 

Reading a report “Five Key trends in Chinese economy: Merrill Lynch,” about a month ago and a television commercial put my opportunistic mind in gear.  I had been thinking about creating another BBO like basket.  I am sure by now you know that the BBO is a basket of stocks based on the industrialization of the emerging markets.  It leverages the infrastructure boom as the emerging markets build railways, airports, highways, etc.  This is actually #2 on the Merrill Lynch list.  I have investing in this theme for the last three years.

Their #1 trend has captured my attention: Continue reading “Introducing The Big Spend Portfolio”

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Dirty Clothes are Big Business

Long regarded as the world’s growth engine the U.S. economy is currently experiencing a rough patch. This was highlighted by first quarter GDP of 1.3% down from an annualized rate of 2.5% in fourth quarter 2006.  Anticipating the slow down, Wall Street analysts lowered first quarter S&P 500 earnings from 8.7% in January to 3.3% by the first of April.  However, after all is said and done it appears as though Wall Street’s concerns were for naught.  Earnings will be closer to 9%, better than the historic average.  How could this be?

Continue reading “Dirty Clothes are Big Business”

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Mining Merger Mania: Say It Three Times Fast

I was shocked last week when I read a report from Merrill Lynch stating that BHP Billiton could possibly be a target of a private equity bid.  BHP Billiton is the largest mining company in the world.  I have always envisioned it as the acquirer not the acquiree.  However, with so much money at stake – anything is possible.

According to Forbes, “China is moving at a pace that amounts to building a city the size of Houston every month. There are more sky cranes in the city of Shanghai alone than in the rest of the world. They are pouring a lot of concrete, stringing a lot of wire, plumbing a lot of pipe and pounding a lot of nails.” China is not alone in its thirst for industrialization.  “India’s year-on-year growth rate could well hit double figures at some point in 2007, and the country may even grow faster than China for at least one quarter,” per the Economist.  In BHP’s most recent half-year report, it reported revenue of $22 billion an increase of 22% over 2006.  Supplying resources to the emerging markets is clearly a high-stakes game.

Continue reading “Mining Merger Mania: Say It Three Times Fast”