market roulette - the paper version

Hmm.

Please Read This First

Disclaimer: This is not in any way financial advice or a replacement for financial advice. Or like, anything like that whatsoever. I'm not a professional; I did terribly at economics in college and I took two semesters of it. I'm an amateur in every sense of the word. My retirement account is handled professionally through a state contractor who takes my money and gives me a very short list of mutual funds to choose from. I only do this with my entertainment budget and because at that point in my life when I started, I was fairly desperate and it was disaster or disaster + entertainment value and to be honest, I was very bored. At this point in my life, it's the only way I can keep a working savings account, because believe it or not, if money is entertaining me, I don't have to spend it to entertain myself.

Now This

That said: is anyone interested in me writing a tutorial about how I use Sharebuilder for stock trading? This is not in any way to encourage anyone to do so or to like, leap into it--if you need to see why, check my finances tag in LJ, my adventures are all there--but use of the website Sharebuilder itself only will be offered, basically an entry detailing how I tutored my mother and my sister and Madelyn through it. Please, please keep in mind that it's very volatile right now and has been the last two years, and it's only after two years that I'm getting what volatile really means. And a lot of how it worked for me was a.) blind luck and b.) volatility meant I could make some unusual choices that I'm not sure work for everyone. I also read a lot--and I do mean a lot--both online and in actual books. I mean, I read a lot while I was doing it and I still read up and I keep a very detailed spreadsheet. I don't trade on margin and I'm obsessive about keeping notes on what I do and don't do and why.

Literally, I can walk you through the site and what it does and does not do and how it's used, but only if you were already interested in doing that. There are also some great sites out there for this already, if you would like a better one. There are also tons of other self-service brokerage firms that you can work with if you're going that direction anyway.

I can't emphasize enough--since this is money and it's a recession--my experiences are unique to me and let's face it, I'm not exactly the postergirl for cautious financial responsibility.

Market Roulette - Paper Version

If anyone wants to play market roulette just on paper (or a spreadsheet), leave a comment and I think it would be fun to play. There are at least a couple of sites that do simulations (if you happen to know where one is, tell me, I lost my bookmarks), but I think we could do it with excel if enough people are interested in playing paper-only, no money involved whatsoever. If you have never invested or did anything markety, this is for you! There will be a complete explanation, but honestly, with paper only, it'll be very easy to do.

If so, I can set up a basic rulesheet and a model spreadsheet for it and January first we can start a year of adventure. If enough people want to play, I'll set up a comm just for this. The paper version will be a lot easier than the real version, but will require you to consult your financial website of choice to get prices, and I'll list some places you can look to get stock quotes and how to read them, it'll be like, yahoo and cnn and google. And we'll do check-ins and FAQs and oh, this sounds really fun!

Again, the paper-only will be paper-only, no money exchanged whatsoever, though if I'm running it, I could do a prize at the end of the year? Oh, I like that. Though in that case, I'll excuse myself from eligibility, of course, but then I get to pick a prize! Maybe several if enough people play. *thoughtful*

Yeah, you can actually see me bouncing, can't you?

ETA: Okay, fine, I just finished putting the individual spreadsheet together. HOWEVER, during this--if we do this--I will keep a separate spreadsheet myself for each person plus a master for comparison, so if the idea of having to depend on your own spreadsheet is the problem, don't worry! You'll be able to access the one I'm keeping for each player that will be used for all totals. This is going to be fun, not stressful. Well, no more so than the market makes us, that is.

Comments

[dreamatdrew]

I... I think I are in?

[seperis]

*BOUNCES*

[calligrafiti]

Market roulette sounds like loads of fun. If you end up doing this, I'd love to play, please.

Thanks!

[seperis]

You have no idea how stupid excited I am if people will play! I am looking at Excel now to see what a model spreadsheet would need to have (though if people want to make their own, that would work, too).

*bounces*

[out_there]

*does not look first*

*leaps*

Okay, I'm in. At least it's only paper. That makes it virtually impossible to backrupt myself.

[seperis]

Just emailed you with a copy of what the individual spreadsheet will look like, but yeah, I'll also keep one for each player so there's no confusion.

[judas_river]

My father has wanted to get me involved in the stock market for years, but it's always seemed rather boring. So this's perfect! Entertainment plus education... Oh yeah, I'm definitely in. ;)

[seperis]

NP! I just, er, designed the spreadsheet adn started a rules list? It'll be as simple or complex as people want to play it. *g*

[abbylee]

Hmmm, the stock market scares me, but this is a good excuse to learn it. <3

[seperis]

*gleee* Oh my God I am excited now!

[aella_irene]

I'm in!

(I have capital invested in funds. I pretty much turned around to my father and asked him what to invest in. They're solid, but not exciting, and I'd like to learn!)

[seperis]

Yay! THIS IS SERIOUSLY MAKING ME STUPID HAPPY. God.

[aivilo_18]

I'm in. I've thought about this for a while now.

I started up RSP contributions about two years ago, and I've just recently opened a TFSA through my bank. A year of practice might be a good next step instead of just taking a blind, running leap into the stock market fray without knowing what the fuck I was doing.

Awesome idea.

[seperis]

*bounces* I AM EXCITED YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

[dhara]

...I will totally play. This sounds like such a fun way to introduce myself to all of that Weird Financial Shit, and without losing real money! Woo!

[seperis]

*bounces* Fantastic!

[sami]

... Sure, I'd play.

I'd kind of like to have more of an understanding of what the hell that's all about. (Certainly before I were to try actually doing it...)

[seperis]

Working with paper, this will be fun. Seriously.

[via_ostiense]

Investing in stocks has been on my list of "Things You Should Do, You'll Regret Not Doing It, You Know You Will, GODDAMNIT JUST GET OFF YOUR ASS ALREADY!" In other words, I'm in! Anything to make stocks fun!

[seperis]

Just finished adding you!

[drunkoffthestars]

\o/ I am totally in! I am super into the paper version of this, because real stocks make me nervous.

[seperis]

Invite sent!

[caorann]

I'm interested in playing. Can I get an invite? Thanks!

[seperis]

Invite sent!

[nafs]

As long as it's on paper I'd definitely be interested in playing. While am in control of some parts of my own investments everything's in mutual funds and index funds and GICs (I think CDs are the US equivalent?) and I've always wanted to play with the stock market but a) never really understood how to get into it without paying what seemed like a lot of money and also obsessing sort of a lot over information I didn't really understand and b) I have *plans* for the real money and IT IS NOT ALLOWED TO GO AWAY OMG. *breathes* *is fine, really* Hi. Can I play? *bats eyelashes*

[burnishedvictory]

This sounds awesome! I love reading your experiments with the stock market and would love to learn more without using real money. (All my investments are in sensible things, so it will be nice to choose stocks because I like the company's name. :)

[pouncer]

I think I have enough spare cash to make a real go of it, and as a game suits me fine. (This week has been crazy -- I had the tab open until now, but no time to respond). What do I need to do?

[seperis]

Just sent you an invite. If you don't see it in email, go here: http://www.dreamwidth.org/manage/invites

It should show up there. In case it doesn't, go here and click join and I'll approve you! http://market-roulette.dreamwidth.org/profile

[jamafanta.livejournal.com]

I've just set up an RRSP because my work will match my contributions (up to 2% of my income, so nothing to be excited over really AT ALL but hey free money!) and I have the sensation of it being a whole new world that's all of a sudden interesting and relevant.

Long run on sentence to say: yes, interested in all the above!

[seperis.livejournal.com]

*glee*

The paper-only version has me excited if enough people want to participate. Possibly being able to give prizes puts me in a good mood? IDK.

I've just set up an RRSP because my work will match my contributions (up to 2% of my income, so nothing to be excited over really AT ALL but hey free money!) and I have the sensation of it being a whole new world that's all of a sudden interesting and relevant.

Free money yay! THIS IS ALWAYS AWESOME.

My 457 (like a 401K but not) isn't matched, but I have a separate retirement pension through teh state as well as teh option to invest in a 401 or 457. Sometimes, I stare at my adulthood in shock and awe.

[spn-girl.livejournal.com]

does it matter if we are not in the US? I'm in Australia, so most of the time your market is actually live I would be sleeping and not able to make decisions as the market moves. I'm not sure how one plays Market Roulette (dont even know how to play actual roulette to be honest!) so I dunno if its all fast choices and buying and selling as the market goes up and down, or more long term where it doesn't matter if the market is closed when I'm looking at it?
If my timezone issues are not a problem then I'll play :)

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I don't think they will. The market is open everywhere, so that shouldn't be an issue. I was thinking about international, and as long as the stock is available in all markets, it will work.

(And the stocks I'm thinking we'll use are universal.)

[thexpuzzler.livejournal.com]

I'd be interested in playing, but as spn_girl, I'm not quite sure how it would work, and I am also in another timezone (European) :)

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Doesn't matter. You'll just invest when your markets are open. The stocks we'll use will all be stocks available anywhere.

[(Anonymous)]

Interested, yes. Reading your posts over, at least the last year, have been eye opening. Know anything about, pretty much zilch. But I'm willing to make a go of it :) even to the point of starting an actual LJ/openID.

brambles

[seperis.livejournal.com]

I have an extra DW invite if you want? I think OpenID works as well if you'd rather use that. I just started the comm, so when you have a name, email me at seperis and I'll send an invite!

[clairshadows.livejournal.com]

I'm clairshadows over at DW and I am also an Australian with absolutely no experience, but plenty of interest in a paper version of the stock market.

[psi-neko.livejournal.com]

I would also be interested in the paper version. I am psi-neko on dreamwidth too.

[miriad.livejournal.com]

I would love to play! Please add me to the list!