Let’s cut the corporate fluff. The ads are done. The “commitment” statements can rot. What matters is the money. Specifically, the kind you need when the paycheck stops.
As we age, the engine that built the wealth doesn’t necessarily drive it home safely. Speed kills. Stability buys dinner. GOBankingRates talked to Michael B. He is 67. Retired. Tired of the noise.
He scrubbed three things from his portfolio. He did it for sleep. You might want to look at what he kept, but first, let’s see what he left behind.
The Heart Attack Stocks
Individual growth stocks. The thrill. The spike. The crash. Michael loved them early on. They built the pile. But they also built anxiety.
Some days the account jumped thousands. Others, it plummeted.
He stopped caring about the gains when the stress outpaced them. Did he really want to check CNBC at 8 a.m.? No. He didn’t want to live on the Fed’s schedule. He sold. All of them.
“I didn’t want to spend my retirement… stressing over what the Fed might next do.”
He swapped that volatility for index funds and ETFs. Boring? Yes. Predictable? Absolutely.
The Casino Tickets
Bitcoin. Ethereum. The rest. Michael allocated 3%. Just a nibble. FOMO is real. Who hasn’t peeked?
But crypto doesn’t care if you have gray hair. It swings wildly.
Michael got straight with himself.
He values stability now. Potential is nice but stability pays the heating bill. He liquidated. Took that money, that digital gamble, and parked it in safer assets. Income generators. Things that print checks, not hype.
The Expensive Disappointment
Actively managed mutual funds. The fee traps. Michael paid above 1% in expenses for these. He paid a premium. Did the market manager beat the market? No. They usually lag.
It is simple math. He was paying more. He earned less. Or at least, nothing extra to justify the cost.
Why fund someone else’s salary when the market average is free to track? It didn’t make sense. He fired them.
What’s next for Michael? He is sleeping. The portfolio is quieter. The fees are lower. The stress is gone.
Will it be as exciting as the crypto runs of ’21? No. Does that matter now?
You tell me.
