http://www.masterachievement.com Master Secrets to Success Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:22:19 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim is now worth $53.5 billion according to the new Forbes Richest Persons in the World list.  That puts him above Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, but unlike his US rivals, he remains relatively unknown outside of his native Latin America.  There, he controls more than 200 ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/03/carlos-slim-and-warren-buffet-share-investing-philosopy/  Get Master Achievement on Kindle  If you havn't already evaluated where your business stands in this tough economy, now is a good time to get started.  To get started, rreview how and what has changed within your business over the last few quarters.  How has sales changed?  Are expenses still in line ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/03/five-ways-to-recession-proof-your-business/ Get Master Achievement on Kindle This another heart warming story of a lady who purchased stock in 1935 and let if grow into a $7 million fortune over a 75 year period.  Of course, she lived a very simple life and saved her money over this time period.  If you have ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/03/secret-millionaire-gives-fortune-away/ Master Achievement on Kindle If you really want to achieve financial independence or to retire from the rat race, you must have some type of income to sustain your lifestyle.  This is were you transition from active income from employment to passive income from investments.   The idea behind passive income is ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/03/how-to-create-passive-income/ In today's society, I would define rich as someone who makes a million dollars per year.  If you want to be super-rich, you should be making at least a million per month or more.  If you have lower standards and shoot for merely by wealthy, you would need to make ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/02/how-to-think-like-the-rich/ The S&P 500 settled with a weekly loss of 0.4%.  Despite that slip, the stock market finished February with a 2.8% monthly gain.  Not bad concidering the talk at the beginning of February was a market correction was coming.  While the markets ended February with a slight gain, we are ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/02/market-update-fof-portfolio-update-for-march-2010/ Standard & Poor's said Monday that Helmerich & Payne Inc. will replace IMS Health Inc. in the S&P 500 Index on Friday as IMS is bought in a deal expected to close on or near the end of the week.   Affiliates of TPG Capital LP and the Canada Pension Plan ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/02/new-addition-to-sp-500/ Back in December, the talk of the market was all about gold.  The U.S. Dollar was on the verge of collapse and gold would replace it as the world currency.  I am sure you heard the talk as well.  One evening, my wife came home and asked me if she ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/02/time-to-get-back-into-gold-stocks/ Here is the Forex Currency Strategy updated for the end of January 2010.  The picture below shows each currency vs. the US Dollar by monthly return as of January 28.  You must keep in mind that this is a contrarian trade.  The monthly trade to go long those currency’s rank near the ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/02/forex-currency-strategy-update/ The equity markets try to move up only to fall back down.  There is still an air of caution about the current correction.  The biggest worry is debt of Euopean countries.  This is not just about Greece but what is unknown about the rest of Europe.  The GDP of Greece is ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/02/market-update/ What's up with the winter storms?  We are running out of places to put the snow until it melts as a second snow storm hits the east coast.  Now, the rest of the story.   With the market correction, you expect most stocks to take a decline along with the broad markets.  ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/02/dividend-stocks-that-are-holding-up-in-downturn/ The start of 2010 began with an upside move to the markets but this was unsustainable.  While many political issues spooked the market with talk of increasing taxes on banks and excuses throughout the State of the Union address.  The economy seemed to be a scrapegoat for portfolio managers to ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/01/fund-of-funds-portfolio-update-february-2010/ U.S. investor Warren Buffett holds just over 3 percent of leading reinsurer Munich Re AG, the German company said Tuesday.  An ad hoc statement from the company said that Buffett has informed it he now has 3.045 percent of the voting rights in Munich Re. The statement attributed the holding ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/01/warren-buffett-buys-more-stock-in-munich-re/ Once you have made the transaction of entering a trade, you have no say in what happens next.  For example, once you purchase 100 shares of Google, the market and company management will determine what happens to your stock.  Investing boils down to one assessment that you can control: the ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/01/the-most-important-decision-in-investing/ In managing my investment accounts, I have spent a considerable amount of time evaluating various strategies.  What I have come to appreciate in managing my 401 account is what I call the Fund of Funds Portfolio.  This is an easy to manage system that will get you into the best ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/01/how-to-create-a-fund-of-funds-portfolio/ Two weeks ago, Exxon announced it would purchase XTO Energy for $41 billion.  XTO Energy is a giant natural gas company. It's the second-largest producer of natural gas in America, and Exxon's biggest acquisition since it bought Mobil 10 years ago.  Natural gas is cheap, abundant, and produces 60% less ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2010/01/how-to-play-natural-gas-following-exxonmobil/ Have you heard the adage of, "Having your cake and eating it too?"  I seem to remember this from some time back as the adage relates to getting something special in addition to what your wanted.  This is like having a cherry on top.  As investors, we want to own ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2009/12/having-your-cake-and-eating-it-too/ Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit at home, reading by the pool, living off dividend checks that arrive regularly through the mail?  Some self-proclaimed gurus such as Ramit Sethi, author of the best selling "I Will Teach You to be Rich," has listed passive income ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2009/12/passive-income-from-dividends-in-2010/ The bears continue to say the U.S. Dollar will crash.  And they may be right someday.  But when you look at 2010, the U.S. dollar will not crash.  Why? There are too many buyers of U.S. Treasuries so this will keep interest rates low throughout 2010.  China depends on the ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2009/12/buy-the-usd-and-sell-the-euro-in-2010/ If I was starting an NFL team today, my mascot would be the condor.  It would be a ferocious bird with an awesome wingspan wearing iron armour.  Legendary Coach Vince Lombardi said he never lost a football game, he just ran out of time.  If trading the iron condor was ... http://www.masterachievement.com/2009/12/how-to-trade-the-iron-condor/