Author Topic: Spring Clean... Your Portfolio!  (Read 2372 times)

daverobev

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Spring Clean... Your Portfolio!
« on: April 13, 2017, 10:05:14 AM »
If you're anything like me, you've got some impulse buys in your portfolio. Last night I looked at mine and just went "ugh".

So this morning I sold a load of stuff, and bought the stuff I should've bought in the first place.

Well.. mostly. Still not 'perfect' as there are a couple of 'this is undervalued, really' stocks in there, but most of the sector ETFs and things like that have gone. No more REIT ETF, I think I got rid of all emerging markets (because, honestly, the stuff I do have has plenty of EM exposure). I've probably got rid of 1/3 of holdings in my main account.

And I actually bought some bonds! Short term ones. It seems somewhat sensible to buy them as I'm not entirely sure what the next couple of years will hold.

Who's with me?

Heckler

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Re: Spring Clean... Your Portfolio!
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2017, 10:35:24 AM »
So the bonds were in your investment policy statement but underallocated?

daverobev

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Re: Spring Clean... Your Portfolio!
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2017, 11:05:05 AM »
My IPS is very confused. Unlike many, I have no clue where I'm going over the next 15, 20 years. As in, if I will have a job, which continent I will live on, etc. So changes in that stuff (probabilities) prompted me to shift some allocation from stock to bonds (previously 100% equity, no cash, no bonds).

Dollar Slice

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Re: Spring Clean... Your Portfolio!
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2017, 11:10:43 AM »
I've been doing this lately. For some reason I'm resistant to just doing it all at once, but every couple of weeks I'll sell one of the niche funds and move it to VTSAX or VTIAX. I did quite well with most of them, but they are riskier - so I'm taking the profits and settling in to a simple four-fund portfolio. (Maybe three. Haven't totally made up my mind.) I'm down to 5 funds right now. I think I maxed out at 8 or 9 funds plus a handful of stocks.

Heckler

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Re: Spring Clean... Your Portfolio!
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2017, 11:48:40 AM »
Its interesting that you're replacing impulse buys with impulse buys.  No, I'm not with you although I am buying VAB as soon as the funds show up in the RSP account. 

FIreDrill

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Re: Spring Clean... Your Portfolio!
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2017, 11:55:21 AM »
I'm 100% VTSAX.  Not much to clean up there. Lol

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daverobev

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Re: Spring Clean... Your Portfolio!
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2017, 01:20:00 PM »
Its interesting that you're replacing impulse buys with impulse buys.  No, I'm not with you although I am buying VAB as soon as the funds show up in the RSP account.

Um what AA would you suggest for someone that doesn't know if they're going to work for 2 years, 20 years, or stop next week?

The point was that I'm coming round to a more reasonable allocation based on what I do know, and clearing out some crap (sector stuff, individual stocks) that I really have no business buying at all.

My portfolio is not ideal. It is better, however, than it was two weeks ago.

Heckler

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Re: Spring Clean... Your Portfolio!
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2017, 02:23:18 PM »
AA is up to you. I'm just suggesting you decide what it is so you know where the dustpan is needed.

daverobev

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Re: Spring Clean... Your Portfolio!
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2017, 03:41:56 PM »
AA is up to you. I'm just suggesting you decide what it is so you know where the dustpan is needed.

Fair enough. That was the point of the thread. Clean out any impulse/"seems like a good idea" stuff and replace with your AA. In my case, my AA got updated to include some bonds in this time of uncertainty for me.

I guess most people here are doing a better job or are at a different place than I am.. which is a good thing.

VoteCthulu

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Re: Spring Clean... Your Portfolio!
« Reply #9 on: April 19, 2017, 10:12:04 AM »
I don't think your exact AA matters nearly as much as the act of thinking it through and documenting your reasons for the choices you make. Then future changes can be made based on new circumstances or better understanding rather than bonds/REIT/Apple/etc. is hot right now.