Alright, I'm looking into some options with what I should do with my money to maximize returns on a timeline of 3-5 years. I'm in the midst of trying to decide if a home purchase is justified but I'm also trying to get some alternatives for my stocks and investments since I haven't been getting the best return and wanted some more feedback. As of today this is the value of my life, for lack of a better term:
Apple stock (AAPL)- 56.6954 shares ($30,898) with a cost basis of $540.34 per share bought about a year ago. The shares are currently at $544.99 so up by 0.86% and yield about 3% dividends. I'm honestly really disappointed in how they have performed the past year as almost the entire time they were below my cost basis and I am seriously considering cashing out to break even ahead by just the dividend payouts. However every time it reaches cost basis there is reason for optimism and a chance I will see that magical 10% gain where I will sell. Need some serious advice about what to do here.
Gold (SPDR Gold Trust ETF)- 28 shares ($3,539) with a cost basis of $173.90. Shares are currently at $126.41 so I've lost a whopping 27.31% or $1,329.59. Held onto these for more than a year and every month it costs about a $1 or so in expenses. Some part of me keeps on wishing gold will make a come back. I just don't know.
Citibank (C)- 129 shares ($6,489) with an average cost basic of $45.23. Shares are currently at $50.30 so I'm ahead 11.20% or $654. Interestingly enough I think I bought $1,000 pre stock split about 5-6 years ago and then some more post stock split about $5000. I'm not sure what to do as financials are on the up swing and there is talk of possible dividends. I figure I'll keep it around until I need it for something else.
Bank of American (BAC)- 36 shares ($620) with a cost basis of $116.23. Mmm you might be questioning this because BAC was never $116 dollars. So this purchase is all that is left from about $4000 I spent in my first stock trade purchasing Countrywide over 6 years ago. I'm currently at a loss of $3,564. I think I may sell it sometime this year for the write off or to offset other capital gains but again there is that optimism about financials and dividends...
Cold hard cash ($)- $33,000 yielding 0.75%, I know I can get more but it's in the same place that my main brokerage accounts are so it's convenient to use if I need to make a purchase.
401K- About $33,000 about half in a cookie cutter diversified plan for target retirement date of 2050 which is the closest to my retirement. About 25% in emerging market bond fund I believe it is an ETF, 15% in housing REITs and 10% in commodities. I have a wide variety of other options so open to suggestions. Company offers 100% match up to 6% of earnings and an additional 1% bonus. About $30,000 of these funds are in a Roth 401K. The match contributions must be in a traditional 401K.
I need to make this work better than it is. All an all my investments have been very hit or miss and over the past 6 years or so I may have only come out ahead a couple thousand. However keep in mind a good chunk of this money was earned rather recently within past 1-3 years. I'm 26 make about $54,000 gross and currently have 10% allocated every pay check to my Roth 401K. I estimate I save about $25,000-$30,000 of that.