What is Rule 1 investing principles?
Welcome to the Rule #1 Strategy, where we delve into the essence of successful investing through the principle of Rule #1: Avoid losing money.
Warren Buffett once said, “The first rule of an investment is don't lose [money]. And the second rule of an investment is don't forget the first rule. And that's all the rules there are.”
Buffett, there are only two rules to investing: Rule #1: Don't lose money, and Rule #2: Don't forget rule #1. In the book, "Rule #1" (2006, Crown Publishers), author Phil Town lays out an investment strategy that attempts to follow Mr. Buffett's rules.
Remember this: a company's stock price doesn't determine it's valuation. The key to successful investing is purchasing companies way below their actual value - then capitalizing when the market realizes the mistake.
Multiply the purchase price of the property plus any necessary repairs by 1% to determine a base level of monthly rent. Ideally, an investor should seek a mortgage loan with monthly payments of less than the 1% figure.
They are: (1) Use specialist products; (2) Diversify manager research risk; (3) Diversify investment styles; and, (4) Rebalance to asset mix policy. All boringly straightforward and logical.
Rule #1 investors only invest in businesses if all five of the Big Five numbers are equal to or greater than 10 percent per year for the last 10 years.
- High-yield savings accounts.
- Money market funds.
- Short-term certificates of deposit.
- Series I savings bonds.
- Treasury bills, notes, bonds and TIPS.
- Corporate bonds.
- Dividend-paying stocks.
- Preferred stocks.
Therefore, for both funders and founders, focus on these 5 M's in evaluating any successful entrepreneurial investment: (1) Management, (2) Momentum, (3) Model, (4) Motivation and (5) Market. As an active angel investor, I consider these 5 concepts on a regular basis when evaluating entrepreneurs for investments.
2.1 First Golden Rule: 'Buy what's worth owning forever'
This rule tells you that when you are selecting which stock to buy, you should think as if you will co-own the company forever.
What are the best value stocks to buy now?
| Name | Price | Analyst Price Target |
|---|---|---|
| T AT&T | $16.81 | $20.88 (24.21% Upside) |
| INTC Intel | $34.50 | $44.00 (27.54% Upside) |
| MU Micron | $111.78 | $132.00 (18.09% Upside) |
| CSCO Cisco Systems | $48.35 | $53.67 (11.00% Upside) |
In investing, the 80-20 rule generally holds that 20% of the holdings in a portfolio are responsible for 80% of the portfolio's growth. On the flip side, 20% of a portfolio's holdings could be responsible for 80% of its losses.
The Bottom Line
Equities and real estate generally subject investors to more risks than do bonds and money markets. They also provide the chance for better returns, requiring investors to perform a cost-benefit analysis to determine where their money is best held.
The 90/10 rule in investing is a comment made by Warren Buffett regarding asset allocation. The rule stipulates investing 90% of one's investment capital toward low-cost stock-based index funds and the remainder 10% to short-term government bonds.
He is known for making long-term investments, holding onto companies for years or even decades, and avoiding frequent trading. This approach allows him to take advantage of the power of compound interest and gives the companies he invests in time to grow and generate substantial returns.
One simple rule of thumb I tend to adopt is going by the 4-3-2-1 ratios to budgeting. This ratio allocates 40% of your income towards expenses, 30% towards housing, 20% towards savings and investments and 10% towards insurance.
Understanding the 10-5-3 Rule
The 10-5-3 rule is a simple rule of thumb in the world of investment that suggests average annual returns on different asset classes: stocks, bonds, and cash. According to this rule, stocks can potentially return 10% annually, bonds 5%, and cash 3%.
Action Alerts Plus portfolio manager and TheStreet's founder Jim Cramer says that if you don't do your stock homework you should not be investing your own money.
It dates back to 1943 and states that commissions, markups, and markdowns of more than 5% are prohibited on standard trades, including over-the-counter and stock exchange listings, cash sales, and riskless transactions. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
The 5% rule says as an investor, you should not invest more than 5% of your total portfolio in any one option alone. This simple technique will ensure you have a balanced portfolio.
What does rule number 1 never lose money rule number 2 never forget rule number 1 mean?
1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget rule No. 1," he emphasizes the importance of preserving capital and avoiding significant losses in investment.
If you're 70, you'd look at sticking to 40% stocks. Of course, there's wiggle room with this formula, and it's really just a way to get started. And for many older investors, a 50-50 split of stocks and bonds is what's preferred throughout retirement, and that's fine, too.
- Invest in stocks and stock funds.
- Consider indexed annuities.
- Leverage T-bills, bonds and savings accounts.
- Take advantage of 401(k) and IRA catch-up provisions.
- Extend your retirement age.
High-yield savings accounts
A high-yield savings account is the safest investment you can find that still offers a modest return. A savings account is basically just like a bank account, except with a higher interest rate. Many banks and financial institutions offer these types of accounts.
A lazy portfolio is a collection of investments that more or less runs on autopilot. Lazy portfolios are designed to weather changing market conditions without requiring investors to make significant changes to their asset allocation or goals.
