Thank You Bob Brinker
In 1986, I remember spending a weekend trying to decrease the heavy workload I was under as a struggling doctoral student. As I was intermittently changing the radio station I came upon a seemingly informed voice, Bob Brinker's, analyzing various issues of the day as it related to economics, finance, investing, speculating, and trading. It was obvious after listening to the radio for a couple of hours that this person had an unusual grasp of the complex topics being discussed and that his advice was worth heeding. My total financial assets that year consisted of one bank money market account totaling $12,500.
I grew up in one of the most depressed areas of the nation and my parents, who worked hard and did their best, had little money. My parents' idea of financial diversification was certificates of deposit and savings bonds, they never owned one share of stock, and I cannot remember them ever going on vacation. I wanted my financial future to be better than that, I did not want to struggle as they had, and I was seeking a better life financially.
As I tuned into the program week after week, it became apparent to me if I was going to accumulate any amount of money I would have to invest in equities. I immediately started dollar cost averaging into the equity markets. little did I know that I would be investing in the midst of one of the greatest bull moves in the history of the stock market.
As the weeks became months and the months became years, I graduated, started working, got married and started a family; I kept listening to the program and became a Marketimer subscriber. I followed BB's advice closely: invest in high quality no load mutual funds, fully maximize your IRA and 401k contributions, pay yourself first, stay out of debt, purchase a home to increase your quality of life, respect the financial risk you are taking, never be complacent, read the important financial publications, i.e. the Wall Street Journal and Barron's, read financial books that matter and the list goes on. As a Marketimer subscriber I started to invest in the recommended no load funds BB was recommending and started investing in the individual equities BB was recommending and still do to this day.
As a result of listening and subscribing, and more importantly following the advice to the letter, I have accomplished the following:
1. I was able to finance a home in one of the most expensive areas of the nation
2. I can pay for my infant's college education today, in cold cash, if I had to
3. I go on two high quality vacations with my family for 4 weeks a year-one domestically and one internationally-and have done so for the past ten years plus...this year it is Paris here we come for the second time in ten years come the fall
4. I have been able to finance more numerous and significant charitable contributions
5. I don't order from the right hand side of the menu at the finer restaurants anymore
6. I can easily meet all my monthly bills
7. An early retirement is assured, if I so choose
Even more important than the material is the fact that I have, and feel I have financial piece of mind. Financially, I have more options open to me, and I am much happier, more relaxed and secure knowing I have some amount of financial security.
Today, Friday, March 13th, 1998, twelve years after I started listening, subscribing, and taking action, my account totals $700,000 plus.
I have no doubt I will be a millionaire in the near future.
All I can say is thank you, Bob Brinker |
