Alfred E. Newman

What! Me worry?

Many of you remember the cover of MAD magazine. It was one of my favorites. Alfred's only worry was about his front tooth. You and I have other problems.

The one big problem we all have is enough income to support our life style. Those who are approaching retirement or are retired will have to have enough cash or income from investments or pension plans to make it. We all know you can't live on Social Security alone.

Your broker, financial planner, banker, whoever you rely upon for financial advice will advise you to start saving and to make some sound and safe investments. Most of them will recommend stocks, mutual funds and bonds as well as having your home free and clear by the time you are ready to quit. All of that makes good sense. The only thing is what stocks, which bonds and whose mutual funds should you buy? That answer is very simple. Ones that go up, pay good dividends and don't go down. The latter is not so easy so you might have something to worry about.

Unlike Alfred, you can't sit back and not worry. So which ones? This is one you won't hear on Wall Street: It doesn't make any difference what you buy. Buying does not take too much brain power. The hard part is selling. The financial mavens don't tell you that the key to success in the stock market is selling. If you own a stock or fund that is not going up or is trending down it MUST be sold or you will lose your cash.

Recently dear old Mother Hubbard AT&T, the widows and orphans choice, has been put on the sell list by some of the big Wall Street brokerage companies. Momma Tel was trading at $100 and now is about $20, an 80% loss. Investors say, "I can't sell Telephone because my Mother, Grand Dad, someone left it to them they said it was a 'good' stock and they should keep it forever". Care to look at some of the "good" stocks you have in your portfolio that have lost a huge percentage of their value? People become emotionally attached to stocks that are failing miserably. The only thing worse that than a bad stock investment is a bad marriage. With a poor stock you can sell it and be rid of that sick feeling and all those worries.

Having been an exchange member and floor trader for 17 years I know that every professional trader will tell you that you must cut your losses short and let your profits run. Very few brokers will ever tell you to sell because they have not been taught how to protect investment money.

You don't have to be smarter than Alfred E. to get out of a loser. The simplest protection for your funds is a stop-loss order of about 10%. When your stock or mutual fund drops 10% or more from its highest price you should sell it and find a better more profitable place for your money.

What! Me worry? Yes, I think now is a good time to start.

Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.

whole house cleaning Deerfield ..

In The News:

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Alfred E. Newman

Stocks & Mutual Fund