OT: Investing - Stocks/Mutual Funds/Bonds/Crypto

[MickeyDavis]

I put a dummy phone number into stuff like that and create a throw away email address. If I decide to proceed I can provide real info.

[REDDzone]

Yes, absolutely! You can easily get 3.25% with no costs right now. Take a higher rate and even get cash back if you want. I've refi'd probably 4 times in the past 2 years. Getting pretty good at it

No closing costs is key - then it's essentially a free lower payment. I just went on lending tree for craps and giggles and saw 3.125% with no closing fees from a company called Lower. Also - never sign up on lending tree, I've received 4 calls in less than 5 minutes lol

I have 3.25% mortgage but thinking about grabbing $25k for home improvements. If I can get a slightly lower rate and extra cash, this should make sense right (versus HEL)? Any suggestions- Still recommend lending tree?

I did an "experiment" with lending club a few years back and regret it so much. YMMV but I've been in the negative every year while the stock market has soared. Plus, I don't do a lot of investing outside of retirement, so just that one stupid investment makes my tax returns more complicated every year. So many charge-offs.

Can't wait for it to be over with, I pull every dollar out as soon as it's available.

[Kerb Hohl]

No closing costs is key - then it's essentially a free lower payment. I just went on lending tree for craps and giggles and saw 3.125% with no closing fees from a company called Lower. Also - never sign up on lending tree, I've received 4 calls in less than 5 minutes lol

I have 3.25% mortgage but thinking about grabbing $25k for home improvements. If I can get a slightly lower rate and extra cash, this should make sense right (versus HEL)? Any suggestions- Still recommend lending tree?

I did an "experiment" with lending club a few years back and regret it so much. YMMV but I've been in the negative every year while the stock market has soared. Plus, I don't do a lot of investing outside of retirement, so just that one stupid investment makes my tax returns more complicated every year. So many charge-offs.

Can't wait for it to be over with, I pull every dollar out as soon as it's available.

LendingTree/LendingClub somewhat different things here.

LendingClub and others (like Prosper) are personal loan shark things as you've done. You either invest in giving loans to people or you can take one out yourself there.

This option may be available with LendingTree but I think he's talking about it from a home mortgage standpoint where reputable banks and lenders give you percentages to get a mortgage or refinance your mortgage.

[REDDzone]

Oops sorry I get it now. I thought the context of the post was a little weird to throw in a question about LendingTree lol.

[DigitalFool]

I have 3.25% mortgage but thinking about grabbing $25k for home improvements. If I can get a slightly lower rate and extra cash, this should make sense right (versus HEL)? Any suggestions- Still recommend lending tree?

If you're in the Greater Milwaukee area, I'd look at First Bank Financial. Their site has rates if you have all the top credit etc. and they are at 3.25 no cost for a 30yr. Why I liked them for my cash out refi is that they go up to 90% LTV vs a lot of them are 85% at best (say no to a HELOC). So I took out max money, finished by basement, refinanced again and have a lower payment than I started with and cash left over. My last refi was with Better.com only because AMEX offered me $2500 after close and no appraisal fee (that deal is still running if you have an AMEX). Rates hit 3.125 with no cost, I'm back to refinancing again.

[JEIS]

Lot of discounts out there. Wish pay day was this week.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Lot of discounts out there. Wish pay day was this week.

Pretty sure my 401k contribution hit Monday morning....

[chonestown]

Huh, I thought it was Down Jones. Feel kinda foolish tbqh

[MickeyDavis]

Decent "rebound" near the end. "Only" down about 350 today.

[Stannis]

Stocks have usually been green during extended trading hours, but go down in the morning, back up mid day, and down again towards the end. At least that's what I've been seeing. With the exception of tonight.

I think it will be a sea of red again Monday after investors watch the news all weekend and see how international markets are doing. Plus, there is nothing (so far) that shows that the virus is shrinking. Things are only getting worse.

It's a unique situation. Economy is doing great and people have a lot of money they want to invest, but there's still market fear. So things have been very volatile

[DrWood]

anyone need to be talked off the ledge?
I've lost more money in the last few days than I ever earned from a job during a full year.

[DrWood]

Stocks have usually been green during extended trading hours, but go down in the morning, back up mid day, and down again towards the end. At least that's what I've been seeing. With the exception of tonight.

I think it will be a sea of red again Monday after investors watch the news all weekend and see how international markets are doing. Plus, there is nothing (so far) that shows that the virus is shrinking. Things are only getting worse.

It's a unique situation. Economy is doing great and people have a lot of money they want to invest, but there's still market fear. So things have been very volatile

The reaction of the stocks is NOT to what has happened, but more about the fear about what will happen. As soon as the risk is stabilized, the stocks will bounce back.

[midranger]

anyone need to be talked off the ledge?
I've lost more money in the last few days than I ever earned from a job during a full year.

Don’t look. Never look. Buy if you have money.

[JEIS]

anyone need to be talked off the ledge?
I've lost more money in the last few days than I ever earned from a job during a full year.

Same. My personal investments are pretty volatile on the daily though, so it feels semi-normal.


Just think if the Bucks still sucked and we had to deal with this. I think people have a short memory and it will rebound quickly. This is like having the flu. The 1 to 2 % of people dying are the elderly with weak immune systems and those with predisposed conditions. If it were just taking out everyday healthy people, I would be afraid the economy would tank.. It helps that online shopping is a thing now... that can keep things going.


Anybody with extra cash could make a pretty penny on this dip.

[DigitalFool]

Over 70? No? You’re fine!

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Stocks have usually been green during extended trading hours, but go down in the morning, back up mid day, and down again towards the end. At least that's what I've been seeing. With the exception of tonight.

I think it will be a sea of red again Monday after investors watch the news all weekend and see how international markets are doing. Plus, there is nothing (so far) that shows that the virus is shrinking. Things are only getting worse.

It's a unique situation. Economy is doing great and people have a lot of money they want to invest, but there's still market fear. So things have been very volatile

Are you sure? Active cases appeared to have peaked in mid February at around 50k. I just don't see this affecting the majority of Americans. Im going to Europe next week so I've been monitoring the graph below to see movement and there's been one person sick in Belgium all week. That's the distance between here and Nashville in terms of distance from northern Italy. Be smart and practice good hygiene I do think this will die down in the next month. (by that I mean a gradual decline in active cases)
https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[Finn]

I don't want to make this a coronavirus thread but I hope you're right.

"In addition, more than 50 residents and staff at the facility have shown symptoms of a respiratory illness..."

Washington State Is Investigating Potential Outbreak at Facility

[MickeyDavis]

Although this has affected the market let's keep this thread market focused.

[sidney lanier]

anyone need to be talked off the ledge?
I've lost more money in the last few days than I ever earned from a job during a full year.

Don’t look. Never look. Buy if you have money.

I find it's helpful to put on the "lions and tigers and bears, oh my" scene from The Wizard of Oz and recite "it's only a loss if you sell, oh my" in time with the music.

Or just drink heavily.

Just kidding. This 10% or so drop has probably been more painful because of the duration. I remember talking to a friend who I used to talk stocks with a lot on Black Monday in 1987, when the market dropped >20% in one day. That was such a gut punch you just sort of sat on the canvas, dazed. This one is more of a combination of punches.

Don't throw in the towel.

[paulpressey25]

Robin Hood has been down for trading evidently all day. Just a note, that many times you get what you pay for.

Evidently they didn't spend enough on back up IT.