Tag: long-term investing

  • How to Create a 100 or More ETF Portfolio

    How to Create a 100 or More ETF Portfolio

    Because Why Settle for Just a Few When You Can Own the Entire Financial Universe

    Let’s be real — when most people talk about ETF investing, they’re thinking of three or four funds. Maybe a spicy fifth if they’re feeling adventurous. But you? You’re different. You’re not just here to play the game. You’re here to own the damn board.

    If you’ve ever dreamed of waking up and saying, “I own a piece of everything — from Chilean lithium miners to Swedish vegan mayonnaise startups,” welcome to your new obsession: The 100+ ETF Portfolio. It’s bold, it’s overkill, and it might be the most beautifully ridiculous thing you ever do with your brokerage account. Let’s go.


    Why 100+ ETFs?

    Because Diversification is Sexy

    Let’s break this down. A typical ETF is already diversified — it’s like a burrito stuffed with dozens or hundreds of ingredients (stocks). So why eat just one burrito when you can run an entire Mexican buffet?

    With 100+ ETFs, you’re spreading risk, capturing different global trends, and flexing so hard on diversification that even Vanguard starts sweating.

    Oh, and let’s not forget: the flex factor. “Yeah bro, I’m in 147 ETFs,” you casually drop at parties as people slowly back away in fear or admiration. Worth it.


    Where to Begin: Pick Your Platform

    Robinhood or Charles Schwab — Choose Your Weapon

    Robinhood:

    • Sleek, mobile-friendly, commission-free
    • Fractional shares (perfect for buying 1/1000th of that Taiwan Semiconductor ETF)
    • Downsides? No retirement accounts and a somewhat… meme-y reputation

    Charles Schwab:

    • Commission-free trades, better research tools
    • Access to retirement accounts, automatic reinvestment, more grown-up vibes
    • Excellent ETF screener tools, if you’re into that “thinking before buying” thing

    Either one works, so long as it lets you hoard ETFs like a doomsday prepper with canned beans.

    Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission—at no additional cost to you.


    Categories to Conquer

    Because Your Portfolio Deserves a Little Bit of Everything (Like a Vegas Buffet)

    If you want 100+ ETFs, you can’t just load up on 100 copies of SPY. That’s not diversification — that’s laziness. Here’s how to spice it up:

    🗺️ Geographic ETFs

    • VT (Total World Stock ETF)
    • EWJ (Japan)
    • EEM (Emerging Markets)
    • VEU (All-World ex-US)

    💼 Sector ETFs

    • XLV (Healthcare)
    • XLF (Financials)
    • XLE (Energy)
    • ARKG (Biotech with a sci-fi flavor)

    🏡 REIT ETFs

    • VNQ (U.S. Real Estate)
    • SCHH (Cheap and cheerful)
    • REM (Mortgage REITs aka real estate roulette)
    • REET (International real estate — yeah, you fancy now)

    ⚙️ Thematic ETFs

    • BOTZ (Robotics and AI)
    • LIT (Lithium — because EVs aren’t going away)
    • FIVG (5G Technology)
    • UFO (Yes, a space ETF exists and yes, you should probably own it)

    💰 Dividend & Income ETFs

    • VYM (High Dividend Yield)
    • SCHD (Dividend cult favorite)
    • JEPI (Option-income wizardry)
    • QYLD (Overhyped but fun to say out loud)

    🥷 Defensive Plays

    • GLD (Gold)
    • TLT (Long-term bonds, yawn but safe)
    • USFR (Floating rate treasury, your boring uncle would approve)

    🌍 ESG and SRI

    • ESGU (Sustainable investing with corporate sugar-coating)
    • SUSA (Socially conscious and smug about it)

    You get the idea — if there’s a niche, there’s probably an ETF. There’s even an ETF that shorts Cathie Wood’s ARK funds. Petty? Maybe. Beautiful? Absolutely.


    Portfolio Construction: The Chaos Method

    How to Not Totally Lose Your Mind

    Step 1: Decide Your Budget

    You don’t need a million bucks. Thanks to fractional shares, even $1,000 can get you started. Just don’t expect your portfolio to look like Warren Buffett’s right away. Or ever.

    Step 2: Use a Spreadsheet or ETF Screener

    Create a giant Google Sheet, color-code the hell out of it, and track:

    • Ticker
    • Category
    • Expense ratio (keep it low, you cheap genius)
    • Dividend yield
    • Strategy or niche

    Step 3: Allocate Broadly

    Start with 10–15% in broad market ETFs (VT, VTI, etc.) to give your portfolio a solid base. Then scatter the rest like a madman at a yard sale.

    Step 4: Avoid Duplication

    Don’t buy five ETFs that all do the exact same thing. (Yes, I’m talking to you, guy who bought SPY, IVV, and VOO.)

    Step 5: Automate & Rebalance

    Use automatic reinvestment and set calendar reminders to rebalance quarterly or annually. Or whenever Mercury is in retrograde, your call.


    Common Mistakes to Dodge Like Neo in The Matrix

    • Overlapping Holdings: If 10 of your ETFs all hold Apple, congratulations — you’ve made your own personal Apple ETF.
    • Chasing Hype: Just because there’s a Metaverse ETF doesn’t mean you need to buy it. (But maybe you do. Because YOLO.)
    • Neglecting Fees: That 0.75% expense ratio might not sound like a lot, but over time, it can eat more than Godzilla at an all-you-can-eat buffet.
    • Forgetting the Taxman: Dividend income? Short-term gains? Uncle Sam is lurking. Be tax-aware.

    Final Thoughts: The Madness is the Method

    Creating a 100+ ETF portfolio is like assembling your own Avengers team — except instead of superheroes, you’ve got a bunch of ticker symbols that may or may not beat the market.

    Sure, it’s excessive. Maybe even a little unhinged. But it’s also educational, empowering, and — let’s face it — kinda fun.

    With tools like Robinhood and Schwab at your fingertips, you can start small and build up over time. Just keep learning, diversifying, and avoiding putting all your chips on an ETF called “YOLO” (yes, that was real).

    Remember: In the ETF world, more isn’t always better — but it’s definitely more fun.


    Now go forth, portfolio Jedi. The ticker force is with you.

    Disclaimer: This content is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always do your own research and consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

  • 25 Safest REITs to Buy & Hold

    25 Safest REITs to Buy & Hold

    Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. It’s entertainment, baby. Consult a licensed financial advisor unless you enjoy reckless decisions.


    Intro: Real Estate… Without the Tenants, Toilets, or Tantrums

    Ah, real estate—the land of clogged toilets, screaming tenants, and endless “emergency” calls about light bulbs. But what if I told you there’s a magical way to invest in real estate without ever stepping foot in a Home Depot?

    Enter stage left: REITs—Real Estate Investment Trusts. These beautiful, dividend-spitting unicorns let you own slices of commercial real estate without being cursed to a lifetime of plumber negotiation. And if you’re tired of YOLOing into meme stocks or praying for Bitcoin to go to Valhalla, it’s time to consider the safe side of REITs. We’re talking “grandma-approved,” pillow-soft, balance-sheet-fortified REITs.

    Let’s dive into 25 of the safest REITs to buy and hold… because who has the time for constant rebalancing when there are episodes of Succession to binge?


    🏢 1. Realty Income Corp (O)

    Known as “The Monthly Dividend Company,” because yes, they literally trademarked that. Think of them as the Beyoncé of REITs—solid, dependable, and loved by everyone. 650+ tenants, 50 states, no nonsense.


    🏥 2. Welltower Inc. (WELL)

    Senior housing + healthcare properties = aging population tailwind. Bonus points if you think Boomers will continue to dominate civilization until 2099.


    🛒 3. Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT)

    They’ve paid and raised dividends since 1967. FRT is so stable, it might be anchoring the Earth’s rotation.


    🏨 4. Public Storage (PSA)

    Storage units: the physical manifestation of American hoarding habits. Recession-resistant. Divorce-resistant. Emotionally-repressed-millennial-resistant.


    🏬 5. Prologis (PLD)

    Amazon warehouses, e-commerce logistics centers. If you’re betting people won’t suddenly stop online shopping in 2025… you want PLD.

    Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission—at no additional cost to you.


    🏠 6. AvalonBay Communities (AVB)

    Fancy apartments for bougie city dwellers who can’t afford to buy a house because… well, avocado toast and mortgage rates.


    🏢 7. Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE)

    They lease to biotech and life sciences firms. If you’re bullish on scientists playing God, this one’s for you.


    📦 8. Extra Space Storage (EXR)

    Second-largest self-storage company. Basically PSA’s sibling, but a little more extroverted and aggressive.


    🛏️ 9. Ventas Inc. (VTR)

    Healthcare REIT with a mix of senior housing, life sciences, and medical offices. Sort of like a diversified basket of human maintenance buildings.


    🏢 10. Digital Realty Trust (DLR)

    Data centers. They own the physical side of the cloud—yes, the cloud is actually a warehouse with blinking lights. This REIT is what powers your endless doomscrolling.


    🛒 11. Kimco Realty (KIM)

    They focus on grocery-anchored shopping centers, which means they profit from your midnight Cheez-It runs.


    💊 12. Medical Properties Trust (MPW)

    Despite recent drama, they’ve weathered some storms. Keep an eye on them like you’d watch a reality TV contestant: shaky, but entertaining and possibly redeemable.


    🏥 13. Healthcare Realty Trust (HR)

    Medical office buildings. Doctors gotta doctor. HR’s properties are filled with folks poking, prodding, and prescribing.


    🏦 14. WP Carey (WPC)

    Diversified into industrial, warehouse, retail, and office. A good pick for indecisive investors who want everything in one REIT-y sandwich.


    🏗️ 15. Duke Realty (Now part of Prologis)

    Before its merger, Duke Realty was one of the top industrial REITs. If you liked it, you’ll love Prologis now that it swallowed Duke like a capitalist Pac-Man.


    🛏️ 16. Mid-America Apartment Communities (MAA)

    Apartments across the Sun Belt. Think Texas, Florida, and other places where people are running away from high taxes and high rent.


    🏢 17. UDR Inc. (UDR)

    High-quality apartment REIT with exposure to millennial renters and urban professionals who believe homeownership is a myth invented by the Illuminati.


    🧪 18. Iron Mountain (IRM)

    Where your grandma’s dental records and random company archives live forever. It’s a niche REIT with shockingly consistent revenue.


    🏨 19. Host Hotels & Resorts (HST)

    Luxury hotels REIT. Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, etc. A bet on travel and conferences being “a thing” again.


    🏘️ 20. Camden Property Trust (CPT)

    Multifamily properties in hot housing markets. If you believe young professionals will keep paying for rooftop pools and tiny gyms, CPT’s your guy.


    🏬 21. National Retail Properties (NNN)

    Single-tenant retail with long-term leases. Think gas stations, convenience stores, and more… they’re not flashy, but boy are they consistent.


    🏫 22. American Campus Communities (ACC)

    If you believe college kids will never stop partying… I mean, studying… this student housing REIT is a solid pick.


    📡 23. American Tower Corp (AMT)

    Cell towers = the backbone of your TikTok addiction. As long as humans can’t go 5 minutes without checking their phones, AMT is golden.


    📶 24. Crown Castle (CCI)

    Another telecom REIT. More towers, more connectivity, more passive income. It’s like AMT’s less glamorous, slightly more introverted cousin.


    🛢️ 25. VICI Properties (VICI)

    Owns casinos, resorts, and entertainment properties. When people say “diversify,” they don’t usually mean blackjack tables—but here we are. It’s surprisingly stable.


    Final Thoughts: REITs, the Couch Potato’s Real Estate Empire

    There you have it—25 REITs that let you sleep easy at night, knowing your money is busy working in malls, hospitals, towers, and storage units full of Beanie Babies and broken dreams. They offer passive income, decent yields, and none of the landlord headaches.

    So instead of chasing the next meme stonk or debating whether Bitcoin is going to zero or to Mars, maybe chill, collect some dividends, and let these REITs do the heavy lifting.

    Just remember: this is not financial advice. I don’t have a Series 7 license—just a keyboard and a crippling addiction to investing spreadsheets.


    Now go forth and diversify, you glorious REIT overlord.


    If you enjoyed this article, share it, mock your crypto bro friend with it, or just save it for when you need help falling asleep. Either way, your portfolio (and possibly your blood pressure) will thank you.

  • How to Invest in Stocks, Bonds, and Commodities Like a Rich Millennial (Not Like a Broke One)

    How to Invest in Stocks, Bonds, and Commodities Like a Rich Millennial (Not Like a Broke One)

    There’s a reason some millennials are building wealth while others stay stuck. It’s not just income — it’s mindset and strategy. If you want to play the markets like a Rich Millennial, this guide will show you how to intelligently allocate capital into stocks, bonds, and commodities — with confidence, not chaos.


    📈 Stock Investing Like a Rich Millennial

    • Buy Index Funds, Then Layer Smart Growth
      Start with core ETFs like VTI (total market) or VOO (S&P 500). Once that’s solid, layer in growth ETFs like QQQ or individual tech stocks with strong fundamentals.
    • Use IRAs, HSAs, and Taxable Accounts Strategically
      Max out your Roth IRA or 401(k) for tax advantages. Use your HSA as a stealth investment account if eligible.
    • Follow the Market, Not the Mob
      Rich Millennials don’t buy based on TikTok hype — they read earnings reports, study companies, and invest for decades, not days.

    💰 Bond Investing Like a Rich Millennial

    • Diversify Across Duration and Risk Levels
      Mix short-term bond ETFs (like SHV) with total bond market funds (BND) and even international bonds for currency diversity.
    • Ladder Your Bond Portfolio
      Use a bond ladder strategy to protect against rising interest rates. Rich Millennials understand interest rate risk and plan for it.
    • Buy I-Bonds or Munis for Tax-Efficiency
      Consider I-Bonds for inflation protection or municipal bonds for tax-free interest, especially in higher tax brackets.

    🪙 Commodities: The Smart Hedge

    • Own Gold (the Smart Way)
      Allocate 5–10% into gold ETFs like GLDM or IAU. Don’t hoard physical gold — Rich Millennials understand liquidity.
    • Diversify with Broad Commodity Funds
      Invest in diversified commodity ETFs like DBC or COMT for exposure to energy, metals, and agriculture.
    • Use Commodities to Hedge, Not Speculate
      Commodities aren’t for moonshots — they’re for stability and inflation protection. Rich Millennials use them to reduce portfolio risk.

    🧠 Pro Tips for Rich Millennial Investing

    • Invest Based on Your Goals, Not Emotions
      Rich Millennials automate their strategy and check their emotions at the brokerage login screen.
    • Rebalance Like a CFO
      They rebalance their portfolio once or twice a year — not every time the market sneezes.
    • They Track Net Worth and Asset Allocation
      Using tools like Personal Capital or Google Sheets, they track what matters and ignore what doesn’t.

    Final Thought:

    Don’t just invest like a Rich Millennial — become one. Build a solid foundation, avoid dumb risks, and let compound interest do the heavy lifting. Wealth isn’t about flashy trades — it’s about smart decisions stacked over time.


    Disclaimer:
    This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always consult a certified financial advisor before making investment decisions.