Project Life Mastery

Beginner Stock Investing Portfolio (Best Stocks For Beginners)

Stefan James — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 15:00:14 +0000

Do you want to build a stock investing portfolio, but don't know how to start?

I've built a multi-million dollar investment portfolio. In this blog, I break down the best investments and stocks that I invest in.

Furthermore, I share exactly what I would invest in if I was starting my investment journey over again.

At the end of the day, you have to decide where you are going to invest your money.

However, I am confident what I'm going to share with you will yield you great returns for many decades.

If you're ready to invest your way towards financial freedom, read this!

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”https://stream.redcircle.com/episodes/bf9a5d95-e28b-401a-9478-ef004e059793/stream.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Are you ready to start managing your money so you have more to invest? CLICK HERE to get instant access to my FREE financial tracking video and spreadsheet!

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefitted from personally. Thank you for your support!

This is the stock investing portfolio that I would start with.

It's fairly conservative, but it does have a certain level of risk. This portfolio is primarily made up of index funds, individual stocks, and companies.

Before I dive into this blog, you must know that I'm not a financial advisor. I am not here to give you investment advice. Whatever I buy or trade is based on my opinion and experience as an investor. You have to do your research and due diligence and understand the risks involved when it comes to investing in the stock market.

I'm sharing a long-term investment portfolio with you. Why? Well, the stock market is volatile. During the pandemic, there was a big stock market crash. Those who panicked and sold their stocks lost a lot of money. Conversely, those who waited it out recovered. Typically, there is a correction every year in the market.

This is when the market drops up to 10%. If you're a long-term investor, you won't be worried because you will know that things will recover. You may even be excited because it's an opportunity for you to buy more of the positions that you have at a cheaper price.

I understand that each of you is in a different financial position.

The earlier that you start investing, the more money you will make, long-term. If you're older, you may not be able to afford to take on as much risk. Where you are, age-wise and financially, will help you determine where to invest your money.

Watch the video above where I share my computer screen and walk you through the best stocks for beginners!

Index Funds

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)

This is a stock that tracks the S&P 500, which is the top 500 companies in the U.S. This stock trades on the U.S. stock exchange in U.S. currency. The U.S. is the world's largest economy. It yields the greatest returns of any country or economy, and it consists of the biggest companies in the world.

The greatest investor of all time, Warren Buffett, has said that investing in the S&P 500 index is the best investment that a beginner investor can make. When he passes away, he plans to invest 90% of his fortune into the S&P 500 index.

The S&P 500 gives you diversification across all of the biggest large-cap companies in the U.S. Historically, the S&P 500 returns about 10% per year. That's a great return. It does pay a dividend as well.

Currently, this stock is trading at $409. The net assets are 753 billion dollars, with a dividend yield of 1.34% and an expense ratio of 0.03%.

This is a great investment to get started with. It's a staple of my portfolio. I am always adding more to it whenever there is a correction or a crash.

Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund (VT)

This index fund gives you exposure to the U.S. and the biggest companies in the world, like China, Europe, South America, and Taiwan. The one downside of the S&P 500 index ETF is that it's more weighted in the U.S. economy.

The U.S. economy will give you the greatest returns of any other economy in the world, but it's also smart to be diversified outside of the U.S.

Currently, this stock is trading at $105. The net assets are 30 billion dollars, with a dividend yield of 1.65% and an expense ratio of 0.08%.

Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund (VNQ)

If you want dividends, the first place that I would look is in real estate. This index fund invests in real estate investment trusts (REITs). These are companies that hold real estate. I think we can all agree that real estate is a great long-term investment.

Real estate performs differently from a stock market. Currently, this stock is trading at $106. The net asset is 77 billion dollars, with a dividend yield of 2.34% and an expense ratio of .12%.

When it comes to dividends, you've got to weigh growth over income. When you have more time on your side, you want growth.

Usually, companies that are paying out high dividends are paying out a lot of their profits. However, they aren't reinvesting that money to grow the company. This index fund holds a lot of REITs that pay high dividends, but are also growing as real estate grows.

Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund (VYM)

This index fund is holding a lot of dividend-paying stocks and stocks that are growing. In fact, a lot of the companies that are in this index fund are dividend aristocrats. These are large-cap companies on the S&P 500.

Currently, this stock is trading at $107. The net asset is 48 billion dollars, with a dividend yield of 2.79% and an expense ratio of 0.06%.

Individual Companies

At this point in your investment portfolio, you may decide that you want to add some individual companies to your portfolio. You have to understand that there is a higher risk associated with doing this. You're not just buying a sector.

Rather, you're choosing individual companies out of some of the companies in these indexes. If something happens to a company, you are at risk to lose money. At the same time, you can get greater growth than 10% per year.

When it comes to investing in individual companies, I would recommend investing in large-cap or mega large-cap companies. These are the biggest companies in the world.

If you want growth, invest in tech companies.

Some of my favorite diversified tech companies that I've made the most money from are the following:

Yes, these companies are overvalued and overpriced, but there is so much upside to them. You've got to do your research to determine which tech company you want to invest in and hold long-term. However, I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.

If you don't feel comfortable with the risk of investing in individual companies you can look for indexes that invest in that sector. For example, one of them would be Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund (VGT).

You could also consider adding more dividends to your portfolio. Dividends are great if you want income. My favorite way to get dividends is in the financial sector.

I like bank stocks.

I'm very familiar with the Canadian banking system since I used to live in Canada. We have some awesome Canadian banks. They all pay incredible dividends, some of them up to 5%. If you live in the U.S., you can buy these companies on the New York Stock Exchange:

Alternatively, if you would prefer to stick to the U.S., there are some great banks in the U.S. like Bank of America Corporation (BAC) or JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM).

If you want to take greater risks, decide on a certain percentage of your portfolio that you're going to allocate to that.

I think that a good allocation would be 50-75% in index funds, 25-50% in individual companies, and 20% in higher-risk investments.

For the average person, index funds are the way to go. Set it, forget it, and hold it over the long term.

However, as an investor, it's also important to continue adding to your portfolio over the long term. Decide on a certain amount of your money that you're prepared to invest to get started and have some positions.

These are the BEST stocks for beginners.

If you're ready to start investing, you'll want to open a stock brokerage account, like WeBull. This will allow you to buy and sell different types of investments.

Lastly, if you're going to be an investor, you must learn how to manage your existing money.

Doing so will ensure that you have disposable income available to build your investment portfolio. This is how you'll be able to grow your portfolio over the long term.

Investing in your future is one of the best investments that you'll ever make. The earlier that you start investing, the sooner you will be able to create financial freedom. On that note, happy investing!

Are you ready to start managing your money so you have more to invest? CLICK HERE to get instant access to my FREE financial tracking video and spreadsheet!

The post Beginner Stock Investing Portfolio (Best Stocks For Beginners) appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

If I Could Only Buy 1 Stock, This Would Be It

Stefan James — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 15:00:49 +0000

If I could only buy 1 stock, this would be it.

Before I tell you what my choice would be, did you know that there are roughly 3,600 stocks listed on U.S. exchanges?

Thus, choosing just 1 stock is not an easy decision to make. As a result, I'm going to give you two different responses.

Keep in mind that I am not an investment expert or a financial advisor. I merely want to share with you my investing knowledge and experience.

With that being said, keep reading to find out the 1 stock that I would buy!

Watch the video below:

(Click Here To Watch On YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”https://stream.redcircle.com/episodes/0929e9f8-3685-45cd-9e70-e089c5cb3622/stream.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Are you ready to start trading stocks? CLICK HERE to get 2 FREE stocks (valued up to $1,600) on WeBull when you deposit $100!

The best time to buy stocks is right now.

If you are ready to start investing in the stock market but you don't know the best stock to invest in, you've come to the right place. I've been investing in stocks for over a decade now.

I've learned A LOT along my investment journey. Today, I have a multi-million dollar investment portfolio. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned investor, the information that I am going to share with you today will set you up for financial success. Let's dive in!

The ETF I'd Invest In

I think that investing in ETFs is the best investment that you can make, long-term. It's in alignment with my long-term investment philosophy. The best ETF stock that I would buy would be the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO).

This is an index fund that holds the top 500 companies in the United States. Vanguard is great because they have the lowest fees, compared to other ETFs. Historically, the S&p 500 has returned 9-10% every year.

The billionaire investor Warren Buffett suggests that the average investor should invest their money into the S&P 500 index fund.

He even instructed the trustee who will be in charge of his estate to invest 90% of his money into these assets for his wife when he dies. Warren Buffett plans on investing the remaining 10% in short-term government bonds. Even he knows the market will outperform any investor long-term!

Individual Stock Examples

Picking one individual stock is more tricky because there are so many great companies. There is a lot of speculation involved with individual stock picking. You don't know how individual stocks are going to perform, 10-50 years from now.

A lot of the tech companies that I like are relatively new. It's always risky to invest in a company long-term that doesn't have a lot of history. Nevertheless, here are a few of my favorites.

1. Amazon

Amazon dominates the online retail market. However, they also have Amazon Web Services, which is a huge contributor to their revenue. No company is quite like Amazon, which keeps its competition low.

Warren Buffett suggests that you invest in businesses that have a wide economic moat around them. A big moat that Amazon has is its Prime feature. When customers sign up for Amazon Prime, they get access to Amazon Prime Videos.

This means that Amazon is now competing with Netflix, HBO, and Disney. As part of a Prime membership, customers also get access to the Amazon Prime Music streaming service.

A company that can get into video streaming, music, and podcasts has a huge advantage that other companies can't compete with. Eventually, I think that Amazon isn't going to need shipping companies like FedEx and UPS. They can build their own delivery system.

On top of all of this, the global expansion of Amazon is insurmountable to any other company in the world. Even though big companies like Walmart have an online platform, they are only in the U.S.

I think that Amazon will continue to grow, long-term, in many different sectors.

Some people would argue that there is a risk involved with investing in Amazon because Jeff Bezos has stepped down as CEO. However, the Founders of Apple and Microsoft stepped down as well. When Steve Jobs stepped down from Apple and Tim Cook took over, they went on to become a trillion-dollar company. The same thing happened with Microsoft when Bill Gates stepped down.

2. Tesla

Elon Musk is an incredible entrepreneur and innovator. I love that he is willing to take risks and get into different markets. His ideas are very progressive. I think Tesla has an amazing brand and a cool factor, similar to Apple.

Tesla is the leading EV manufacturer in the world. They have the best technology and their business is diversified. However, competition is coming.

For example, I was at a Jaguar dealership the other day. The CEO of Jaguar said that by 2025, they will switch everything to EV. It's only a matter of time before other automakers catch up. Thus, Tesla will have to continue to find ways to diversify.

The reason why Tesla is over-valued is that investors factor in the growth of the company years in advance. For example, the one challenge that Tesla has is its delivery service.

In fact, recently I was looking to buy the Tesla Model X in Vancouver. However, they don't have any in their inventory. They don't even have demo cars! If I want to order one, I have to wait until January or February to get it.

I'm looking at other vehicles now because I don't want to wait that long. Investors factor this in, which is why Tesla is priced the way it is right now. Once they get that sorted and keep up with the demand, their revenue will explode.

3. Apple

Apple has an amazing balance sheet. During last year's holiday quarter, Apple reported all-time record revenue of $111 billion. These numbers prove that, as a company, they are well-positioned for growth and scale.

Warren Buffett has been quoted as saying that “Apple is probably the best business I know in the world.” However, Apple does have competition like Samsung and Android.

This is why I love Amazon over Apple — because it isn't as vulnerable to competition.

4. Shopify

As someone who has an eCommerce business, I can say without a doubt that there isn't anyone close to competing with Shopify. If you are an eCommerce seller, Shopify is the best path that you can take.

However, Shopify isn't as diversified yet. I would have to wait to see if it diversified before I invested in, long-term. A company has to be able to pivot as changes occur in the market.

They have to have a Parthenon that has multiple pillars or parts of their business. When a Parthenon structure is in place, even if challenges arise and one pillar gets removed, the foundation of the business will remain strong.

If I could only buy 1 stock it would be the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF.

Choosing which stock to invest in can feel overwhelming, especially given the fact that there are so many options. That being said, I would go with a low-cost index fund and diversify your portfolio over time.

If you are ready to start investing, I encourage you to open up a brokerage account. Doing so will allow you to freely buy and sell stocks. Decide what your investment goals are, determine your level of risk, and just get started!

Are you ready to start trading stocks? CLICK HERE to get 2 FREE stocks (valued up to $1,600) on WeBull when you deposit $100!

The post If I Could Only Buy 1 Stock, This Would Be It appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

How I Invest My Money (And How You Can Too!)

Stefan James — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 16:00:14 +0000

I want to give you my most up-to-date strategy on how I invest my money.

In particular, I'm going to share with you how I've been investing thus far in the stock market, and what I plan on doing moving forward.

In addition, I'm also going to talk about what I'm doing with the cash that I already have.

While we cannot predict what will happen to the stock market, we can make moves to take control of the money that we already have and make it work for us.

If you're ready to invest in your financial future, you'll want to keep reading…

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”https://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/6370576-plm-823-how-i-invest-my-money-and-how-you-can-too.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Are you ready to open a stock brokerage account? CLICK HERE to get 3 FREE stocks on WeBull when you deposit $100!

Should you be investing amidst the Coronavirus pandemic?

This is a great time to build your investment portfolio. I've been taking advantage of the volatility in the stock market due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In the investment world, the word, ‘volatility' is used a lot.

It acts as a barometer of financial risk or uncertainty surrounding investments in financial assets. If you strategically diversify your investments, volatility can play to your advantage and help you build a successful portfolio over the long-term. A huge part of being a smart investor is knowing what your tolerance for risk is.

If you're a beginner to the investing world, I want to show you what is possible and how you can grow your money the smart way. First and foremost, let's talk about cash flow. I have an online business that provides me with a lot of cash flow which is great. It allows me to have a lot of cash that I can hold and deploy over time into the stock market.

I like to spread that money out over time. When it comes to cash, I buy bond ETFs on the stock exchanges. These are fixed-income investments, meaning that they don't go up and down that much.

I like to buy U.S. government and corporate bonds because they are the safest.

My main purpose for buying and owning bonds is that I can get some money back from my investments. There are also junk bonds, which I stay away from. These are companies that have more debt or uncertainty. Hence, they aren't as secure.

I am a long-term investor, meaning that I make conservative investment decisions. I'm patient when it comes to taking advantage of buying opportunities. For me, this is usually during a dip in the market. When companies dip, I go in and buy stocks at a cheaper price.

When it comes to my investment strategy, I focus on exchange-traded funds (ETFs). ETFs are a basket of great, blue-chip companies that help to broaden my diversification. Indexing is more passive investing, meaning that you don't have to actively manage your portfolio. I build those stocks up the most because they are the ones that I want to hold, long-term.

Below is a list of the safest stocks that I currently buy that provide dividends for me.

Watch the video above where I do a screen share of my computer and talk about each bond in greater detail!

When it comes to buying individual companies, I like to buy a variety of different stocks. However, I only do this once I've built up the ETFs. Some of the individual stocks that I like are in the tech sector, some of which include Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Shopify, & Tesla.

I also invest in SalesForce, Oracle, IBM, and Intel. These four companies were hit harder and have dipped, which is why I got in early and bought more of those stocks. I've benefitted massively from the growth of all of these companies.

I invest in financial stocks as well, in particular the big banks in Canada and the U.S. When it comes to dividend-paying stocks, my brokerage account is on a drip, which is a dividend reinvestment plan.

Every dividend that gets paid out repurchases shares of that company so that I can accumulate more shares. In turn, this increases the dividends. Over time, that money compounds.

I'm a big fan of investing in real estate, but I don't buy a lot of these stocks right now.

One of the greatest benefits of buying real estate is being able to borrow money from the bank, especially when interest rates are low. You can leverage the bank's money to buy some great properties and have those grow and appreciate over time.

However, keep in mind that investing in real estate is a longer-term investment. If you are just trying to buy and sell in one year you won't make much money. There are a lot of fees and expenses involved in closing a real estate deal.

When it comes to cryptocurrency, I own some Bitcoin Cash, Etherium, and Litecoin. However, I haven't bought any as of late. I believe that there are better investment opportunities available. The money that I invest in cryptocurrency is money that I'm not afraid to lose. I call it my vegas money.

INVESTING RESOURCES FOR BEGINNERS:

This is how I invest my money, and how you can do it too!

One of the best ways to achieve financial freedom is through investing. If you're a beginner investor, do your due diligence, know your tolerance for risk, and be smart with your money. When you adopt a long-term investing mindset, there is no limit to how much wealth you can accumulate.

Are you ready to open a stock brokerage account and make your money accumulate? CLICK HERE to get 3 FREE stocks on WeBull when you deposit $100!

The post How I Invest My Money (And How You Can Too!) appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

How To Invest In Stock Dividends For Passive Income

Stefan James — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 15:00:20 +0000

I am going to show you how to invest in stock dividends for passive income.

Dividend stocks are well-established companies with a track record of distributing earnings back to shareholders.

There are a lot of great companies that are currently trading on the stock exchanges that will incentivize you to invest in their company by offering you a dividend.

Most often, they will pay out that dividend every quarter, every month, or every year. If you are someone who is interested in following a long-term investment strategy, dividend stocks are the way to go.

Keep reading to discover the smart way to invest in stock dividends!

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”https://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/5672302-plm-814-how-to-invest-in-stock-dividends-for-passive-income.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Are you ready to open a stock brokerage account? CLICK HERE to get 3 FREE stocks (valued up to $1,600) on WeBull when you deposit $100!

Investing in the stock market is a smart move.

There are two ways to make money in the stock market. One way is to invest in shares of a company and hold it. The other way is to invest in dividend-paying stocks. With these types of stocks, you benefit from the appreciation of a company over a period of time. You also benefit from the dividends that a company pays out to you.

As you get older, you want to hold more dividend-paying stocks or bonds. You will need that income for your retirement. When you're younger, you don't need dividends as much because you are still making money from your job or business. In my case, I already have cashflow that I generate from other sources so I don't need the dividends from my investments.

I reinvest the money that I make to buy more shares. This is a great strategy to adopt if you're a long-term investor like myself. Those dividends get paid out, but they are automatically on what is called a drip. This is a dividend reinvestment plan. You can enroll your stock brokerage account in this type of plan.

This means that every time a company pays out a dividend, it automatically buys more shares of that company. When you have more shares, you receive more dividends over time. In turn, these dividends compound to create more wealth for you. However, there is a place for non-dividend paying stocks, especially if you're younger.

Growth companies; like Amazon, Facebook, Tesla, and Google; don't want to stifle their growth by paying out dividends to shareholders. They would much rather reinvest their money back into their business so that they can grow faster and compete with everyone else in their sector.

With dividends, you can either take the money and live on it or reinvest the money.

I am a big believer in dividend reinvestment. This is one of the easiest ways to grow your investment portfolio once you have stopped working and are enjoying retirement. How much money can you make from a dividend investment portfolio? Roughly 3%.

As an example, if you have $100,000 invested in stocks that pay a 3% dividend every year, you would make $3,000 per year. If you had $1 million invested in dividend stocks that pay a 3% dividend every year, that's $30,000 per year. If time is on your side and you start saving now, by the time you're 70 years old, you could become a millionaire.

Watch the video above where I share my computer screen and show you how to invest in dividend-paying stocks!

I go to Yahoo Finance when I want to do research and evaluate different companies. Yahoo Finance is one of the Dividend Aristocrats. The Dividend Aristocrats is a list of companies that have increased their dividends every single year, for at least 25 years. These are stable, blue-chip company stocks, like Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Target, and Coca Cola, to name a few.

If you're trying to find individual stocks to invest in, I recommend you check out this list. When it comes to evaluating dividend stocks, pay attention to the following factors:

The Annual Dividend Rate – the total of the dividends payments expected.
Dividend Payout Ratio – the total amount of dividends paid out to shareholders.

When it comes to investing in dividend-paying stocks, you can choose individual companies, like AT&T, Coca Cola, or Pepsi. However, this is still fairly risky, especially if you're a new investor. I don't recommend doing stock picking. Rather, you should have a percentage of your portfolio in ETFs. These are exchange-traded funds that have a certain objective. There are two ETFs that I really like:

If you're a beginner investor, you will need to get a stock brokerage account. I suggest WeBull. This is a commission-free app, meaning that you don't have to pay any fees to buy and sell stocks. They have a great promotion going on right now where you get 3 FREE stocks valued at up to $1,600 by setting up an account with them. Check out the link below to learn more!

INVESTING RESOURCES FOR BEGINNERS:

This is how to invest in stock dividends for passive income.

If you want to become a successful investor, make sure that you have a solid long-term investment strategy. More importantly, get clear on what your investment goals are and what your risk threshold is.

The sooner you start investing, the sooner your investments will compound over a long period of time. If you don't believe me, take it from the world's most successful investor, Warren Buffett, who said, “Investing is laying out money now to get more money back in the future.” No matter how you look at it, investing is a win-win situation.

Are you ready to open a stock brokerage account? CLICK HERE to get 3 FREE stocks (valued up to $1,600) on WeBull when you deposit $100!

The post How To Invest In Stock Dividends For Passive Income appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

How To Open A Stock Brokerage Account (And Receive 3 Free Stocks!)

Stefan James — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 15:00:19 +0000

Does it feel like choosing the right brokerage account is a difficult process?

I'm going to show you the easy way to open a stock brokerage account so that you can freely buy and sell stocks.

The information that I share with you will be geared towards those who live with in the U.S. However, I do understand that some of you live internationally.

The good news is that there are a lot of stock brokerage accounts in the U.S. that allow international brokers to set up accounts with them, like the one I'm about to show you.

If you want to know the best stock brokerage options that will set you up to win, keep reading!

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

Are you ready to open a stock brokerage account? CLICK HERE to get 3 FREE stocks (valued up to $1,600) on WeBull when you deposit $100!

This is your step-by-step guide to opening a stock brokerage account.

If you're a beginner investor, you may be wondering whether or not it's the best time to invest in the stock market. The Coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a global recession. This has created a lot of panic amongst investors. Whenever there is a dip in the market, people tend to sell their stocks out of fear.

This presents a golden opportunity to invest in stocks, by buying high-quality stocks and getting the benefits of low prices. In the words of Warren Buffett, “Be fearful when others are greedy, be greedy when others are fearful”. This is the investment approach that I take.

Now that you know it's a good time to invest in the stock market, let's talk about what a stock brokerage account is and how it works. A stock brokerage account is a specialized financial account that lets you buy and sell different types of investments. While all accounts serve the same purpose, there are some things that you need to be aware of when deciding which one is best for you.

Here are 11 factors that you should consider when choosing a stock brokerage account.

1. Government Regulation

Firstly, make sure that the stock brokerage account you choose is regulated by the government. In the U.S. you need to register the account with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). I also recommend that you ensure the account with the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). This way, if anything happens to the stock brokerage company, your money will still be protected.

2. Investment Goals

Secondly, figure out what your investment goals are. Do you want to invest to plan for your retirement? Are you investing and holding over the long-term? Are you day trading? Do you want to trade options, futures, foreign exchange, or cryptocurrency? There are many different types of investments.

Some brokerage accounts may be more beneficial than others, based on what you want to achieve. Don't wait too long to decide what your investment goals are, as this will create complications down the road concerning the investment decisions you make.

3. Commission and Fees

Most accounts have zero commission so you don't have to pay anything for buying or selling a stock. However, there are some accounts that have fees. One of them is called Interactive Brokers. I pay a fee ($1) for every trade that I make. It's not a lot of money, but it can add up over time.

You may be wondering, “How do these brokerage accounts make money?” The backend. Oftentimes, a brokerage account acts as a bank. Brokers make a lot of their revenue by investing or loaning out money to clients. In fact, some brokerage accounts act as a savings account. You can make interest on the cash that you invest in an account.

4. Paper Trading

You want to determine whether or not a stock brokerage account allows paper trading. This gives you an opportunity to practice buying and selling stocks with imaginary money before using real money. Most accounts allow this, but this is something that you want to look into.

5. Minimum Investment

Explore what the minimum investment is to open a brokerage account. For most accounts, the investment is zero. However, there are a few that require a minimum investment fee, like M1 Finance.

6. Research Capabilities

Each stock brokerage account provides a different level of research. As an investor, you want to research companies before you invest in them because some are better than others. I go to Yahoo Finance to do my research on brokerage companies.

7. Fractional Share Option

Some accounts, like M1 Finance, allow you to buy fractional shares. This means that you can buy a fraction of a share, rather than the full price of a share of a company. For example, Amazon is currently trading at over $3,000. A lot of people don't have that kind of money to invest. Having 30% of your portfolio in one stock is risky and may result in anti-diversification.

8. Foreign Trading

Trading internationally opens up a world of investment opportunities. Leveraging a variety of different currencies puts you in a great position to diversify your portfolio. I hold both U.S. and Canadian currency. I trade on the U.S. markets and exchanges, as well as those in Canada which I highly recommend.

Keep in mind that I've been investing for a long time now. Start small, but know that this is an option down the road.

9. Margin trading

Some brokerage accounts allow you to open up a margin account. This means that you can borrow money and take out a loan from the account. You do have to pay that money back and there is an interest rate on that. If you're a beginner, I wouldn't recommend doing margin trading because it's risky. However, if you're a more advanced investor, this is a great option.

10. User Experience

Every brokerage account has a different user interface. Your experience of an account will be determined by the overall layout of a platform. Some platforms are more advanced, like Interactive Brokers. This platform can be intimidating and hard to understand, especially if you're new to the world of investing. To be honest, it's not the most user-friendly platform.

If you're a beginner, I encourage you to start with a simpler platform, one that has zero fees and commissions. WeBull is a great beginner-friendly platform. Keep in mind that if you want to move to a different account over time, you can transfer all your positions over. There is a fee for doing this, but it's possible.

11. Customer Support

The biggest platform accounts, like Fidelity, TD Ameritrade, and Charles Schwab have great customer support. It all depends on what your preference is. If you want someone to hold your hand through the process, you definitely want to take advantage of customer support.

Watch the video above where I do a screen share and walk you through a step-by-step process of how to open a stock brokerage account using WeBull!

BEST STOCK BROKERAGE ACCOUNTS:

WeBull is a commission-free stock trading app that is offering 3 FREE STOCKS for new signups
Robinhood
Vanguard
Interactive Brokers (U.S. and non-U.S. residents)
Invest for FREE with M1 Finance
TD Ameritrade
Charles Schwab
Fidelity
ETrade

INVESTING RESOURCES FOR BEGINNERS:

This is how to open a stock brokerage account!

If you're interested in learning more about how to invest in stocks, I encourage you to check out my Money and Investing Mastery playlist on YouTube. Inside my videos, I talk in-depth about how the stock market works and how you can diversify your income. Investing is the best way to grow your wealth over the long-term and secure your financial future.

Are you ready to open a stock brokerage account? CLICK HERE to get 3 FREE stocks (valued up to $1,600) on WeBull when you deposit $100!

The post How To Open A Stock Brokerage Account (And Receive 3 Free Stocks!) appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

My Top 5 Best Performing Stock Investments

Stefan James — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 16:14:24 +0000

I want to give you access to my top 5 best performing stock investments of 2022.

It's fair to say that 2020 was a crazy year. The COVID-19 pandemic created a lot of global financial instability, resulting in a recession.

Unfortunately, economics fear that the probability of another recession this year is 50%, even if there is an effective vaccine for Covid-19 by the middle of 2022.

I've been investing for many years now and have been able to build a multi-million dollar investment portfolio. During these volatile times, I've been able to leverage the stock market to my advantage.

If you want a sneak peek inside my stock brokerage account to find out the top 5 stocks I own that are performing the best right now, keep reading!

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

Are you ready to start trading stocks? CLICK HERE to get 3 FREE stocks (valued up to $1,600) on WeBull when you deposit $100!

Investing in stocks is an investment in the future.

The earlier that you start investing, the sooner you will be able to create financial freedom. If you're a newbie investor and want to get into the investment game, I want to show you what is possible by investing in the stock market. Although I've been able to build a 7-figure investment portfolio, that doesn't mean that everything that I've invested in has done well.

Part of being an investor is knowing what your tolerance for risk is when you're investing in certain companies. I have a very diversified portfolio. As the market has recovered, I've done well. Why? I was able to invest a lot of money into stocks when the market crashed back in March.

That being said, there are some investments that I own that haven't recovered yet due to the recession. However, as a long-term investor, I'm not rattled in the short-term. I follow the investment advice of Warren Buffett, who is one of the most successful investors in the world. He says that if you're not willing to own a stock for at least 10 years, then don't even think about owning it for 10 minutes.

All that matters is that you win more than you lose.

I'm going to share with you my top 5 best performing stock investments of 2022. Keep in mind that the price of these stocks can change at any moment. I'm not concerned about what the value of these stocks is right now because I'm holding them over the long-term.

I encourage you to explore these investments in greater depth. However, before you do you need to understand what your investment goals are and how much cash flow you have to work with. In no, way, shape or form am I giving you investment advice. Just because I share investing information with you doesn't mean that you should go out and buy the companies that I invest in. You need to do your research and your due diligence.

If you want to expand your knowledge of investing, I encourage you to check out some of my other YouTube videos that dive into my mindset and philosophy towards investing:

Now let's talk about my 5 best performing stock investments!

1. Tesla

This is an electronic vehicle manufacturing company. They are currently trading at over $1,000. This is over-inflated, which is one of the challenges of being a fundamental value investor. A lot of technology companies are overpriced. Especially since Tesla has blown up over the last year.

Either way, this investment has done really well for me. I've invested $26,000 into Tesla. The average price of what I've invested is $333.29. I own 78 shares and the total market value is $117,739. Thus, my $26,000 investment has gone up by $92,000. I believe that it will continue to go up because I'm a long-term investor. However, there may be a correction in the near term. I think it will be worth $3,000 per share in the next 10 years.

2. Shopify

This a well-managed Canadian company that I am fairly familiar with. I've sold on this eCommerce platform before, I use it for my business, and I educate my followers on how to sell using Shopify. I know where eCommerce is going long-term and the opportunities that it provides.

I own stocks in this company in two different markets – the U.S. and the Toronto Stock Exchange. Shopify is currently trading at over $900. I've invested $46,800 and the average price I've spent is $362. I have 129 shares and the current market value of my investment is $125,273.

As an investor, I could sell what I've put in so that I can get my initial investment back. However, in my case, I don't need the money so I'm happy to leave it in. Again, this company is overvalued in terms of what it's trading at, but this is what you can expect with technology stocks.

3. Amazon

This is one of the biggest companies in the world. I believe in this company, I sell on its platform, and I educate my followers on how to build a successful Amazon business. The founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, is an incredible entrepreneur. He was once the richest man in the world.

However, he lost half of his net worth to his wife after going through a divorce last year. Since then, he's bounced back to being the richest man in the world yet again. Today, he's worth something like $180 billion and counting. Amazon has grown massively during the pandemic, on a global scale.

Since a lot of traditional retail stores have closed due to COVID-19, more and more people have been buying online. Amazon is currently trading at over $3,000 per share. Thus far, I've invested $113,000, making this my top investment. The average price I've bought at is $1,796.64, I have 63 shares, and the current market value of my investment is $193,820.

4. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

I love Vanguard because they have some of the lowest fees for index funds, at roughly 0.1%. An ETF is known as an exchange-traded fund. If you're brand new to investing, I recommend investing in ETFs first. Doing so allows you to invest in a group of stocks, thereby providing diversification and minimization of risk. The S&P 500 represents the top 500 companies in the U.S.

By owning one ETF I get to own a small piece of each of the top 500 companies in the U.S. This provides broad diversification because I get to own many different sectors, like healthcare, technology, financials, consumer goods, retail, etc. Thus, if one company goes bankrupt, my investment will still be good.

This is known as owning the market. With ETFs, you can own the biggest companies in the entire world or you can own the total market, including small and medium cap stocks. S&P 500 are large-cap stocks, meaning anything that has a value of over $10 billion.

With Vanguard, I've invested $246,000. The average price I've bought is $256 and the current value of this investment is $281,000. What I love about this investment is that I get a dividend from it, while the other companies I've shared with you don't.

5. Alphabet

This company owns Google, YouTube, and many other companies in the tech space. I use Google and YouTube in my business. Long-term I love this company, especially with what they are doing with artificial intelligence. They are currently trading at over $1,500 per share. The cost-basis of what I've invested thus far is $97,000. The average price I've bought is $1,157.49.

My current market value of this company is $128,000. Alphabet got hit hard with the recession, but now they are at an all-time high. I believe that this company will continue to go up and do well. I've also made around $30,000 in profit by investing in Facebook. They've had a lot of privacy issues as of late due to the racial tensions in the U.S. However, over the long run, they will continue to be successful.

These are my top 5 best performing stock investments of 2022.

If you're considering investing in the stock market, the knowledge that I've shared with you will help ensure that you make smart investment decisions. Investing in your future is one of the most important things that you can do, especially during these volatile times we are living in.

In the words of Warren Buffett, “Investing is laying out money now to get more money back in the future.” Are you ready to take control of your finances?

Are you ready to start trading stocks? CLICK HERE to get 3 FREE stocks (valued up to $1,600) on WeBull when you deposit $100!

The post My Top 5 Best Performing Stock Investments appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

The Best Stock Investing Advice For Beginners (HOW TO GET STARTED)

Stefan James — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 15:00:29 +0000

If you're a beginner investor, Tatiana and I have the best stock investing advice for you.

I believe that investing in the stock market is one of the best ways to gain investment experience.

However, it's important that you invest your money wisely so that you don't make bad investment decisions.

I've been investing for many years now. I've built a $3.5 million dollar investment portfolio personally. If you want to know how to get started investing so that you can secure your financial future, keep reading!

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”https://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/4001354-plm-791-the-best-stock-investing-advice-for-beginners-how-to-get-started.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Do you want to know how to invest your money wisely? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program where I teach you how to build a beginner stock investment portfolio!

Investing is a long-term game.

I am a long-term investor, meaning that I make conservative investment decisions. I believe that anyone can build a multi-million dollar portfolio if they adopt a long-term approach to investing. The earlier you start investing, the sooner you can create financial freedom.

My fiancée Tatiana has been investing for a few years now as well. She wanted to pick my brain about investing for beginners and share that knowledge with her audience on her YouTube channel. If you have the desire to build an investment portfolio, I hope that my stock investing advice will help you get started. Below are the questions she asked me and my answers. Let's dive in!

At what point should people start to consider seriously investing?

I'm not an expert investor or a financial advisor but I will share my investing experiences. There is still a lot that I don't know or understand. I would call myself an intermediate investor. It's important that you understand the risks involved with investing. At the end of the day, you're responsible for your investment decisions.

First, you need to know what your goals are with regards to investing. Are you investing for your retirement? If that's your goal, you will have a different strategy and mindset behind your investment decisions, versus if you're investing for the short-term.

Second, you need to know what your threshold for risk is. Are you more conservative with your money or are you someone who is younger and willing to take more risks? This will determine what kind of investment vehicle you will pursue, whether that's real estate, stocks, or bonds. You also want to make sure that you have money put aside to invest, otherwise known as a cash reserve.

When it comes to investing, don't invest your life savings.

That's not intelligent. The worst position to be in is when you need money to pay your rent or mortgage and you have to sell your investments to get that money. This is why I recommend saving 3-6 months' worth of your monthly expenses. This is money that you never touch or invest in.

I make my money primarily through my business, which provides me with cash flow to support myself and invest over the long-term. If you're an eCommerce entrepreneur, you don't want all of your money to be in your business. This is a big mistake that people make.

Yes, you want to reinvest money back into your business, but you also want to pay yourself. I don't worry when the market drops. There is always a correction in the market, where it drops to 10-20%. This provides an excellent opportunity to buy more stocks at a cheaper price. When you're a long-term investor, you don't worry about a correction.

What are the different types of investments?

First, there is real estate. You can't ever go wrong with investing in real estate. Over the long-term, any land will always appreciate in value. However, more of your money will be tied up in one or more properties. Hence, it's a lot harder to liquidate that.

On the other hand, you can buy stocks. These are any public companies that are listed on the stock exchange. All of their financials are public information. Thus, you can look at their balance sheets and see what their profits are before you invest in them.

You don't have to be a genius to invest in stocks.

Rather, you can just invest in a Jeff Bezos or an Elon Musk. What I love about investing in stocks is that I can diversify a lot easier than I can with real estate. I can own a variety of companies across many different sectors, whether that's technology, consumer goods, retail or financial companies.

Beyond stocks and real estate, there are government, corporate, and junk bonds. Government bonds are known as fixed-income investments. They are not as risky as buying individual stocks. Junk bonds are similar to startup companies. There is a higher risk associated with them, but you can make more money from them.

Index funds are similar to mutual funds, but they are not actively managed. Rather, they're more of a passive investment. The S&P 500 consists of the top 500 companies in the U.S. You can buy individual stocks, but there's more risk involved. This is why people invest in index funds.

You can buy one stock that owns the top 500 companies in the U.S. Thus if one of those companies suffers, your investment will be fine because you will still own a broad array of industries. I love Vanguard, which is a type of ETF, or exchange-traded fund. They have the lowest fees.

STOCK BROKERAGE ACCOUNTS I RECOMMEND:

WeBull is a commission-free stock trading app that is offering 3 FREE STOCKS when you deposit $100
Invest for FREE With M1 Finance
Interactive Brokers (US and non-US residents)

INVESTING RESOURCES FOR BEGINNERS:

This is the best stock investing advice for beginners.

Now is the best time to start taking control of your future. The rewards of investing in your future are far-reaching. If you take advantage of any of the investment vehicles that I spoke about above, you will put yourself in a great position to create financial security and become the master of your money.

What will your first investment be?

Do you want to know how to invest your money wisely? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program where I teach you how to build a beginner stock investment portfolio!

The post The Best Stock Investing Advice For Beginners (HOW TO GET STARTED) appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

How To Buy Stocks For Beginners (Watch Me Invest $10,000)

Stefan James — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 15:00:17 +0000

Now is the best time to buy stocks.

The Coronavirus outbreak has caused a lot of fears amongst investors.

Last week, both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrials fell 10%. This was the worst day for stocks in more than 32 years.

However, from a historical perspective, a decline in the stock market is usually an ideal investment opportunity.

If you want to know how to invest and buy stocks during this difficult economic time, keep reading.

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

The market crash has created a stock-buying opportunity.

Before I dive into this blog, it's important that you know that I'm not a financial advisor. Whatever I buy or trade is based on my opinion and experience as an investor. Hence, it doesn't make it right or wrong. At the end of the day, you have to do your own research and due diligence. Don't buy something just because I tell you to do so.

Also, it's very important that you understand the risks that are involved in investing. Always remember that you are responsible for your own money and investment decisions. I love investing in stocks because I can diversify amongst many different sectors, industries and companies. I can even invest in bonds and real estate. This helps mitigate my risk.

Thus, I don't have to put all of my eggs in one basket. Furthermore, if I wanted to, I can liquidate my stocks very easily. All I need to do is log into a brokerage account or an app on my phone.

When it comes to investing, I'm not trying to get-rich-quick. I'm a long-term investor, meaning that I like to buy great companies and hold them over the long-term. A lot of people like to day trade, but this isn't how I invest. Stocks can be pretty volatile in the short-term. If you are a beginner investor, I don't recommend adopting this investment strategy.

I make my money through 7 online businesses models. In turn, I am in control of how much money I want to make. The more money that I put into it, the more that I get out of it. I take the money that I make from my businesses and I invest it. With that being said, the number one goal that I have when it comes to investing is to not lose money. This is why I'm a conservative investor.

I don't buy anything that is too high risk.

I'm not investing in penny stocks or anything that is too volatile. Rather, I'm investing in companies that I believe will be around for the next 5 to 40 years. You only lose money in the stock market when you sell. However, if you hold, it's highly likely that your investments will recover, rebound and go up.

The first thing that you need is a brokerage account. This is like an online bank account. You can transfer money from your bank account to an online brokerage account and buy and sell stocks through it. A brokerage account takes a commission on every trade that you make.

However, there are some accounts that have zero fees. I've provided links to some of these account examples below. For the most part, most of the brokerage accounts do the same thing. They all show you the stock name and exchange, symbol, price, chart, and market data.

Oftentimes, you can customize your brokerage account dashboard. For example, you can add more metrics or data to evaluate a certain company. When it comes to deciding which brokerage account to choose, the best strategy is to do your research and find one that is based in the country where you live.

If you're a beginner to investing, I recommend that you get experience buying and selling stocks without using your real money. This is something that I did. It's called paper trading. A paper trade is simulated trading which allows investors to practice buying and selling securities without risking real money. The best advice that I can give you is to familiarize yourself with trading before you start investing real money.

Watch the video above for a sneak peek inside my brokerage account where I show you how to buy stocks. Also, you will be able to watch me invest $10,000!

STOCK BROKERAGE ACCOUNTS I RECOMMEND:

WeBull is a commission-free stock trading app that is offering 3 FREE STOCKS when you deposit $100
First Trade (International Brokerage Account)
Interactive Brokers (U.S. and non-U.S. residents)
Invest for FREE with M1 Finance

INVESTING RESOURCES FOR BEGINNERS:

This is how to buy stocks while the stock market is in a Bear market.

A lot of people are selling stocks right now in light of the market's downturn. If you have a long-term investment mentality, this is a great time to buy stocks. Even though we are in a bear market, there are still good investments to be had. Don't forget that there is no perfect brokerage account. Pick one, get started and remember that investing is a journey. You will learn as you go.

Which stocks will you buy?

The post How To Buy Stocks For Beginners (Watch Me Invest $10,000) appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

Here’s My Stock Portfolio. Now Learn How To Build Your Own

Stefan James — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 15:02:18 +0000

I am going to pull aside the curtain and show you my entire stock investment portfolio.

I will log into my brokerage accounts and show you the value of everything – what I own, what I buy, the dividends that I receive on a monthly basis, and my overall investment mindset.

My intention in sharing this information isn't to impress you. Rather, I only want to educate you.

Are you ready to learn how I generate $8,000 per month passive income from stocks alone? In the words of Warren Buffett, “If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.”

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

Are you ready to learn which online business model is right for you? CLICK HERE to take my free online quiz!

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefitted from personally. Thank you for your support!

If you want to create wealth, build an investment portfolio.

One of the most common questions I get from people is how to invest money. Everyone wants to make more money, but not everyone knows how to do it. Statistics show that if you do not start saving until 45, you will need to save three times as much as if you start at 25. Shocking, right? There is no better time than today to start investing.

Two years ago, I shared my $1 million dollar stock investment portfolio, which received over 163,000 views on YouTube. I’ve had a lot of people ask me for an investment update. Since filming that video in June of 2016, I've been able to grow my stock investment portfolio to over $3.5 million Canadian dollars.

Before I dive into my investment portfolio, let's talk about the mindset that I have adopted when it comes to investing. When it comes to my investment mindset, I'm a long-term, conservative investor. I got into the investment game when I was 18 years old.

I read investment books like, The Wealthy Barber: Updated 3rd Edition: Everyone's Commonsense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent, that emphasized the importance of paying oneself first. This is a technique that people use for saving and investing more money.

The idea is that no matter how much money that you make, you always take 10% of it and invest it. If you do that, over time, that money compounds. When you have time on your side, whether it's 10, 20 or 50 years, a small amount of money can turn into a significant amount.

I've always believed in that investment philosophy, and I still practice it to this day. As Paul Samuelson once said, “Investing should be more like watching paint dry or watching grass grow. If you want excitement, take $800 and go to Las Vegas.”

The question is, “How did I turn a $1 million investment portfolio into a $3.5 million one in less than two years?”

In the video above, I share my computer screen with you and take you through my personal brokerage accounts.

This jump didn't happen due to capital appreciation or gains. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. I've been earning more money in my businesses, I've been investing more into different stocks, I've been getting a great return from my investments, and I receive dividend payments from my investments on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.

Online businesses are the easiest and fastest way to generate a large amount of money. I use the businesses that I have in order to generate cash flow. With that money, I invest it into my conservative investment vehicles that can grow and compound over a period of time. I do have some risky investments, but for the most part, 90% of what I do is conservative.

I believe in creating an investment portfolio that is diverse. This is why I invest in things like cryptocurrencies, stocks, real estate, and mutual funds. That being said, the majority of my wealth is invested in different stocks. The reason why I like stocks so much is that you can achieve a lot of diversity from them.

A lot of people think that all stocks are risky, but that's not true. I like to invest in blue-chip and bank stocks because they are stable. For example, The Bank of Montreal in Canada hasn't missed a dividend payment in over one hundred years. I don't need to worry about losing everything by owning a bank stock. I can also own index funds, where I own a stock that is diversified in a certain market.

I like owning real estate, but I don't like managing real estate.

If I want to be involved in the real estate market, but not be involved in the management side, I can own stocks that are known as real estate investment trusts (REIT). This allows me to own commercial or residential real estate and different things in different marketplaces. It's also more liquid, in that I don't have to sell the rental property one day. This allows me to have the option of liquidating my assets. The beautiful thing about stocks is that you don't have to be an entrepreneur in order to invest in them.

I don't have to be Jeff Bezos. Rather, I can invest in Amazon and benefit from Jeff Bezos' expertise and genius, without building a billion-dollar online business. You can make it in business, but it's hard to make long-term passive income from that business.

When you own a business, you need to actively manage it and be involved in all of the decisions. When it comes to stocks, I don't have to manage them, especially with my long-term investment philosophy. I can set it and forget it, and benefit from the dividends. Keep in mind that there are a lot of model investment portfolios out there.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to investing.

If you are a newbie investor, I don't want my portfolio to intimidate you. I believe that anyone can build a multi-million dollar portfolio if they take a long-term approach to it.

The reason why I have a holding company is that the majority of my wealth comes from my businesses. You don't want to invest out of your operating business. In the event that anyone were to sue me, they could go after my assets that are within my company. In order to prevent this, I built a holding company, which owns my operating company.

This is what a lot of wealthy people do so that they can own other businesses, buy stocks and real estate, etc. There is no liability with doing this, or at least a lot less. The reason why they won't take the money from their company, pay themselves, and then invest is that they will get double taxed, on both the corporate and personal level. This is why a lot of business owners leave their money in a holding company and invest out of that.

Creating an investment portfolio can take years.

However, trust me when I say that the payoff is worth it in the long-term. My ultimate goal is to continue to build my portfolio to the point where it takes care of my entire lifestyle. In my eyes, a thriving investment portfolio is the purest form of financial freedom.

If you haven't done so already, I hope that my investment approach has inspired you to create an investment portfolio of your own! Start small with whatever money that you have and build it up over time. As you start to accumulate larger sums of money, you can invest more money into your portfolio.

However, before you even think of doing any of this, listen to the words of Robert Kiyosaki who said – “Before you invest in something, invest the time to understand it.”

Are you ready to learn which online business model is right for you? CLICK HERE to take my free online quiz!

The post Here’s My Stock Portfolio. Now Learn How To Build Your Own appeared first on Project Life Mastery.