S fund

[Octjan2]

S fund up .42% today. Of course we can never accurately predict a major downturn, but buying the dips in this fund has beat the market for me over the past 2 years. I think we will be okay until interest rates begin to rise substantially.

[apachejim]

Been in C a while. Staying put for now.

[Juliemom]

This is exactly what I do! I was making very good returns (near the 30% mark) but when Trump took office I have found it much more difficult to determine when to get in and out. The stock market seems like it has become very unpredictable. My strategy is that while I am in the G fund I wait for S fund share prices to go down one dollar. Move to S fund. Wait for share prices to go up one dollar then move back to G. It worked well for me for several years but now I just can't seem to get it right. Have you still been successful with this strategy since Trump took office? What is your strategy?

[12ozCurls]

The stock market seems like it has become very unpredictable.

So this just started with Trump???

[Juliemom]

NO! I just find it more difficult to gauge when to make a move. It used to be almost cut and dry but the market is so much more unpredictable now.

My system is to move to G fund when S fund is up a dollar and move to S fund when prices are down a dollar. This has worked well for me for years but I probably need to adjust my signal to 50 or 75 cents. The dollar swings are harder to do now. The best part about doing it this way is that you sell X amount of shares for X amount of dollars. When you buy back you have more shares than when you started. If you just hold what you've got, the only way you increase shares is by your payroll percentage. There is more money in the future because more shares are growing.

[Dow100k]

You should try the fantasy game. It might help to get a better understanding of this new environment.

[JohnnyD]

The stock market seems like it has become very unpredictable.

So this just started with Trump???

Yea I think that unpredictable thing started long before Trump. LOL.

Otherwise we would all be rich now.

[Val]

Wow what a jump on the S today.

[kdfwr310]

If Trump schedules a speech about tax reform, she goes up! If my figures are right, 1.75% in two days. Does she have much more left in the short term? I'm enjoying the ride, it's always fun when you're winning.

[Juliemom]

I think the word unpredictable was not entirely the way I meant to convey this idea. I set a goal of moving to the G fund when the S fund is up $1.00 per share. I move back into the S when shares go down $1 per share. Pre Trump it went up and down. I never had to wait long. Since Trump I move and after my $1 change and I might have to wait 2 months before it moves the other direction enough to move again. Before I wished I could make more trades per month, now I am doing good if I make a trade each month. My system has been harder since Trump. A side note, I always wait it out. I never buy high or sell low. Moving into the G locks in those profits. BTW, I moved from S to G last Thursday. I was up 1.13 per share. It went up more on Friday but that's ok. I don't try to hit the highest day. I just try to hit my $1 mark. It went down over 200 today. I'll look at the share prices tonight and if there isn't much change tomorrow by noon I will move back into the S. If it is still going down tomorrow even better.

[WhyMe]

And down she went. Holy cow!

[Octjan2]

I think the word unpredictable was not entirely the way I meant to convey this idea. I set a goal of moving to the G fund when the S fund is up $1.00 per share. I move back into the S when shares go down $1 per share. Pre Trump it went up and down. I never had to wait long. Since Trump I move and after my $1 change and I might have to wait 2 months before it moves the other direction enough to move again. Before I wished I could make more trades per month, now I am doing good if I make a trade each month. My system has been harder since Trump. A side note, I always wait it out. I never buy high or sell low. Moving into the G locks in those profits. BTW, I moved from S to G last Thursday. I was up 1.13 per share. It went up more on Friday but that's ok. I don't try to hit the highest day. I just try to hit my $1 mark. It went down over 200 today. I'll look at the share prices tonight and if there isn't much change tomorrow by noon I will move back into the S. If it is still going down tomorrow even better.

I'm staying in the S fund until tax reform is passed. I'm guessing we can get a 5% gain out of it. Keep in mind the S fund already had about a 4% drop in August, so hopefully we won't see that again, but who knows. I may jump on the daily seasonal after that. It's hard to ignore the outstanding gains the daily strategies have had this century, even during a financial crisis.

[Juliemom]

The best part about moving them back and forth like I do is that I have more shares each time I trade. If I just stayed in the S I would still have the same amount of shares. Regardless whether the market goes up or down. It's still the same number of shares. Let's say I have 100 shares of S fund. The price goes up 10% per share which is great my total balance went up but I still have 100 shares. I didn't gain any shares. Let's say I moved my 100 shares to the G and waited for the S fund price to go down then moved back into the S fund. Because I bought S fund for less than I sold it for I am able to buy more shares than I had before. Now I have 110 shares. Next time I do this I have 125 shares. The time after that 150 shares. (I'm just throwing out arbitrary numbers to illustrate a point.). By buying low and selling high you are increasing the number of shares you own. By just holding long term the stock price may go up but your gains are only on the 100 shares. You still only have 100 shares.

[WhyMe]

I'm stick with c fund a while longer. Hoping she swings upward soon.

[Mindy]

It is inevitable at some point. But overall the new strategies seem worht a good look for sure.