All Topics / Opinionated! / greatest asset – your job????

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  • Profile photo of Michael WhyteMichael Whyte
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    Inez and Obiwan,

    I like your style and tend to agree with both points of view. I’ve reached the same sobering conclusion that AussieRogue has, and that is that both shares and property are not looking like a good haven for my money right now. Rental yields have even dropped below share dividends and the median price is well above its long term trend.

    I’m in to balance as Steven Covey and others advocate. So, I wouldn’t recommending ditching the job or education to risk it all in investments. I’m fortunate in that I have a Uni degree and have almost finished my MBA. I’m on a secure 6-figure salary with a global manufacturing company and love my work. At the same time I’m heavily in to investments and am not into wanton consumerism.

    I just think that a good education and a good job are looking more and more like a great asset at the moment. My wife and I earn $200K a year on nothong down! Not many other asset categories can give you this. [biggrin]

    Cheers,
    Michael.

    Profile photo of wezwazwezwaz
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    Going back a bit in the post…

    Credible economist? LOL…don’t, you’re killing me with laughter. That’s the best joke I’ve heard in a while! They are the sort of people who say, “we expect the All Ordinaries Index to be 4356 by the end of the year.” Recently I read an article where a “credible economist” was mapping out the next few years. Wow, I don’t need to do anything other than follow his advice, right? I think not, somehow.

    Scaremongering about the future is a great pastime for many, but we can’t take it as Gospel because nobody knows the future. All we can say is that unexpected things will happen at some point, for sure. There will always be changes too.

    I am essentially self-sufficient. I hated my job, so I thought I needed to do everything I could to become financially free. I’m not quite there, but investing money is my career and the only career that motivates me. At the moment I do a few months contract work year-to-year to supplement my investments. My view is you only work if you have to, or really want to. There are many other activities to occupy your time. Maybe you love your work – great! I didn’t and am doing what I can to escape the ratrace for good. I hadn’t worked in paid employment for over four years, until the short contract I am doing now. The freedom to make my own choices is brilliant.

    To me, your greatest asset is if you can think of a way to escape your job for good. It’s too restrictive.

    Wes.

    Profile photo of aussierogueaussierogue
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    wes – like it or not economists are a part of life and dismissing them totally is ridiculous. what yr saying is true – no one can say what the future holds for sure but you can have a bloody good guess. ive made (for my company) over 10 million usd profit this on the back of what economists have been telling me (commodity market). sometime its a matter of knowing which economists to listen too….

    Profile photo of wezwazwezwaz
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    aussierogue

    Yes, you do have to sort the wheat from the chaff. The thing is they are always so convincing and rarely concede there are other possibilities. I feel many people like to be proven right. It is important to them and gives them a warm, fuzzy feeling. In the markets it is unwise to try to prove you are right. It’s akin to trying to control the markets. Can’t be done. Much better to take what the markets give and not look too far into the crystal ball.

    By the way, can you let me know some good economists then? Maybe they are in print and I can read their commentaries regularly.

    Wes.

    Profile photo of Michael WhyteMichael Whyte
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    Aussieogue,

    I hope you’re on a good commission! Or maybe by “my company” you actually mean “MY company” in which case its 100% commission… [biggrin]

    Cheers,
    Michael.

    Profile photo of aussierogueaussierogue
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    Michael – unfortunatley my company means the company i work for LOL. have bonus time coming up (chinese new year)…which is pretty generous. my job is salary based but the bonus’s are good in the GOOD years..

    Wes – the economists i listen to are industry econmists. those more specialised in certain trades. i always find that the best mixture is an economist who is also a trader or has daily access to traders. the market doesnt always make sense (economic reason) and has has alot to do with sentiment and other fluffy things which traders are better at guaging. i agree they are hard to find….especially in realestae which is an imperfect market (more than most)

    ps – i am both an economist (by education) and a trader (by vocation)…

    Profile photo of wayneLwayneL
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    Originally posted by aussierogue:

    Michael – unfortunatley my company means the company i work for LOL. have bonus time coming up (chinese new year)…which is pretty generous. my job is salary based but the bonus’s are good in the GOOD years..

    Wes – the economists i listen to are industry econmists. those more specialised in certain trades. i always find that the best mixture is an economist who is also a trader or has daily access to traders. the market doesnt always make sense (economic reason) and has has alot to do with sentiment and other fluffy things which traders are better at guaging. i agree they are hard to find….especially in realestae which is an imperfect market (more than most)

    ps – i am both an economist (by education) and a trader (by vocation)…

    I like traders, and economists that trade. Especially ones that have been around a bit. Totally agree with what you say about gauging sentiment and other fluffy things.

    I think we traders, as a group, know just about everything about anything….except of course, exactly what is going to happen next![biggrin]

    Cheers

    Profile photo of gatsbygatsby
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    I suppose the post about a job as an asset is very subjective to each individuals story. And everyone has a story. I remember when I was living overseas and I had to work for a pension (pronounced penseeon) in Turkey. I suppose it was a bit like bird dogging in a way except, instead of sourcing properties for buyers, I was sourcing accommodation for German tourists (Germany has quite a very high contingency migration of Turks). I enjoyed the work for a month but the pay was crap and I thought my boss’ concept of accommodation was really exploiting some of the tourists so I then felt I was just as guilty (which I was). I then thought stuff it! “My bed was like a womb this morning, you’re lucky I showed up!” Then my boss would say “Adrian why aren’t you working?” I’d tell him that there’s no Germans on the beach in Cirali. His reply would be, “Well you pretend like your working!”, in a very stern tone. By this stage I thought “well f$&*# it, why don’t YOU pretend like I’m working! In fact if you’re going to fantasize I’ll pretend that your pension is full and we can close for the day! It’s such a different mind set when your goal is what determines the level of importance you place on your job. It’s a bit like John Lennon when he sung ‘life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.’ It’s a bit of a juggling act really depending upon one’s situation. Sorry for the elaborated deep and meaningful, but it just came to mind while reading this post.
    Cheers,
    Gatsby!

    Profile photo of 50mill50mill
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    Well I really hate my job – In some ways it has caused me to have low self esteeme, its starting to take its toll on my body physically and now emotionally. Im trapped until the end of my contract(sep 05 yay!!) but ’till then I have to knuckle down aswell as put up with the immaturity, minor adultry?, minimal violence, a tiny bit of racism (we’re only joking?), alcohol overuse/dependency and other types of s..t.
    All this self sacrifice to become financially independant/free. Is it worth it?[angry2][confused2][cigar][cigar]

    Profile photo of pelicanpelican
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    Just a thought……

    For some people maybe their job is a Liability ?? i.e. it’s keeping them from going on to much better things ?????

    That whole inaction thing again ???

    Profile photo of 50mill50mill
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    I agree, however in my situation some character flaws have been discovered on my part – laziness, procrastination to name a couple. I really have to address these as I’ve had oppertunities pass me by due to my inequities??!!..

    Profile photo of wezwazwezwaz
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    loanwolf

    Let’s use some logic. You hate your job. Doesn’t that say, either find something you like doing or escape the ratrace, i.e. become financially independent? That is exactly the choice I had to make. I decided to become financially independent as quickly as I could, so I don’t have the burden of going to a workplace I can’t stand just to survive in this world. That is what motivates me everyday.

    Profile photo of aussierogueaussierogue
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    wayne – too true. i also think the more we think we know the more we realise we know very little. if that makes sense.

    loanwolf – you have described perfectly various organisations ive worked for. they can be horrible places to function normally..

    i reckon you are too hard on yrself also..

    we all have strengths and weaknesses. its about doing things, finding a job etc that shows off your strenghts rather than shows off your weaknesses.

    in some parts of my life i am lazy – so i take measure to avoid this being a problem. i hate tasks – im more big picture person – so the wife hates it that the lawn only gets mowed when she nags me. so now i get jims mowing to do it and at the same time i dont get this negative feedback about my personality (every month or so).

    cheers

    Profile photo of wilandelwilandel
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    Hi Aussie & all,

    Basically I agree with you…

    I don’t like that so many people attend one of Steve’s Seminars or something and they feel that they have to quit their jobs on Monday morning, to do “property fulltime”….[baaa]

    People need to plan to “scale down”, not “shut down” in this kind of economic market.

    Of course there are exceptions, and some people can make a real go of “property”, but many can’t.[confused2]
    For many this “freedom” of quitting a job, will just cause hardship and disappointment.[blush2]

    There is always time to do your “day job” and to be a “property investor” at the same time.

    When you have a million or so, in REAL equity, then perhaps look at quitting.

    Just my thoughts.[buz2]

    Del

    Profile photo of wayneLwayneL
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    Originally posted by wilandel:

    Hi Aussie & all,

    Basically I agree with you…

    I don’t like that so many people attend one of Steve’s Seminars or something and they feel that they have to quit their jobs on Monday morning, to do “property fulltime”….[baaa]

    People need to plan to “scale down”, not “shut down” in this kind of economic market.

    Of course there are exceptions, and some people can make a real go of “property”, but many can’t.[confused2]
    For many this “freedom” of quitting a job, will just cause hardship and disappointment.[blush2]

    There is always time to do your “day job” and to be a “property investor” at the same time.

    When you have a million or so, in REAL equity, then perhaps look at quitting.

    Just my thoughts.[buz2]

    Del

    Wise words Del,

    We see it also with traders who quit their jobs tooooooo soon, before quite enough staedy cashflow is generated in all market conditions. It creates a desperado mentality and causes big mistakes.

    Fulltime investors must have correct psychology…and stress/lack of cash destroys that very effectively.

    Cheers
    Wayne

    Profile photo of wezwazwezwaz
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    Yes, very much agree with the last two posts. You must learn the art of investing by putting in the hard yards. There ain’t no shortcuts. Never underestimate the capital required to make either property or share investing a success. The idea you can quit your job and start with nothing is crap and misleading to novice investors. With share investing, don’t think you can come to the game with $20,000 even and make a living. It won’t happen.

    Profile photo of RipstarRipstar
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    Originally posted by Robert B:

    Your BRAIN is your greatest asset. You can still make money if you don’t have a job – eg: self employed, invent something, etc.

    well said!

    as long as you have the ability to think, to learn, then you are bound by nothing. losing your job (as asset i believe it is not… j.o.b. = just over broke?) ‘could’ just be the best thing that ever happens to you. i know thats how it was for my family. also, the founder of Aussie Home Loans has done alright since losing his job.

    adding to Rob B’s point of view… “your mind creates your reality”.

    Profile photo of wezwazwezwaz
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    Invent something. Yes, sounds simple when you say it, but how many people do you reckon make it with their inventions? Many of us have grand notions of becoming a best-selling author, inventing something that captures a huge market or becoming a celebrity with our untapped talent.

    No-one should be discouraged from trying to achieve great things beyond the ordinary. However, I am suggesting you need something to fall back on, or you could be in for much hardship and disappointment. Some people really do make it big, but that’s not reality for most of us. I’m sure J K Rowling didn’t set out to create a monster with Harry Potter, but the right time, right place, luck and many other elements came together to catapult her into the big time. If you think you can achieve on a similar scale, go for it, but you might wish to think about the chance it won’t happen.

    Having said that, I do believe if you are in a dead-end job, it is in your interests to ultimately get out of it and find something better. That’s what I did.

    Wes.

    Profile photo of vtxdevovtxdevo
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    There have been a lot of good discussions here. But really I think a job is something to pay the bills while you work on something else on the side. Once your side job brings in more income than your job, then you can reduce your job to just a part-time thing. Imagine only having to work 3 days per week, just to bring in the beer money. Well I can tell you all. People have done it. And so can you.

    ……………………………………………………….
    For those truly looking for that extra income source ..
    http://www.2nd-income-stream.biz/
    if prompted … access code 4164
    ……………………………………………………….

Viewing 19 posts - 21 through 39 (of 39 total)

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