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Technology Stocks : Dell Technologies Inc. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: freeus who wrote (66313)	9/20/1998 4:44:00 PM
From: Sig	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 176387

Freeus: >>> At what point in your history of holding DELL did you learn more about the company?>>> May 1997 when I first signed up for the web access (Be-a-geek) and found SI and Dell thread. Both of those investments were the bestI have ever made, $19.95/mo full access and I guess SI cost $45 then. >>> At what point in your history of holding DELL did you begin to experiment with options?>>> June of 1997 after taking William's course in Options 101. I'm just kidding but he does know options and I appreciate his sharing that info. I started with 2 WDC, 2 QNTM calls at a few $ each. Lost 67% in a matter of days (hehe). But learned a bit there (gotta buy them cheap, don't keep them forever, etc). My goal was to learn how to handle them, set up with broker etc, so I could soon risk buying the expensive Dell options costing $1000's. <<<< Would you say over the long haul you have made enough on options for it to be worth the "playing"? (I assume you lost sometimes too?) Freeus>>>> Is $100k/year worth playing for ??? I left 40 shares Dell at a full-service broker in 1995. That has become 640 shares and provides margin (which I seldom use) for my option deals. The broker tells me the option account is up by $84k for the year. Considering the present state of the DOW and Dow stocks, he is most impressed and is buying Dell and his boss is buying Dell. I owe JBN(Three) a big thanks for mentioning Leaps at the July 1997 stockholders meeting, We both bought and they are absolute killers as I once mentioned. No worries, no hassles in when to sell, less taxes. For example, the LDZAW. Jan 2000, strike 17.5 cost $7.30 is now worth $42.60 one year later. Of course the original strike was $70 and the cost was $29.20 before the splits but you now own 4 rather than one. July 1997 Cost= $2920, today is $17,040 Losing money on short term options???. Yes indeed, very painful, that was Nov and Dec of 1997 and perhaps march of this year. Must allow for losing everything sometimes. Selling 1/2 the options when they double in price has some saving grace. Worth considering. Works very good for me on stocks other than Dell. It is no longer necessary for me to buy short term options except for fun and excitement, am more inclined each day to spread out the strikes and go longer. I have only the Nov 52.5, Jan 27.5,Jan 35, Feb 50's, but may buy more of the Nov calls to cover the next earnings period. Most effort will go into buying more leaps ( long term options a year or more out) because of the tax advantage of long term gains. Too many ways to play short term options to say much useful, but I will be looking at the Nov 60's.Or Feb70's. Need to verify (guess) the market direction first though. Regards Sig