Cheapo Groovo

Couch Potato Cash

Here are my multiple income streams. This is my philosophy of diversification. Not bet the farm on one profession for the rest of your life!

I've ordered them from highest paying to lowest paying.

1. Own stocks which pay large dividends. Dividend payouts vary month to month, but are rarely under $300/month. Ticker symbols SFL, MINT, and SMHD.
   
2. Selling calls and puts. This income also varies month to month, but rarely below $130/month. Currently selling out of the money covered calls on GROW and NUGT. Selling out of the money puts on KOLD.
   
3. Swagbucks  Search the Internet. Get the daily code.  Move on to the passive playlist videos.   $9/month Amazon Gift Card.
4. App Trailers Use this smartphone app to do the daily free scratch off.  Also run the videos at the top (5 points but they run w/o user intervention).  $6/month PayPal.

If you don't like leveraged funds, you can substitute ticker PHK for SMHD.

I buy and sell my high dividend stocks using  Automatic Investment Management

Here is an example of a covered call trade.

Covered Call Income using the Gold Miners (ticker symbol NUGT)

$110.96 so far for December plus I have 2 more calls I can sell.

Can You Eat Healthy and Save Money?

Natural Grocers is the way to go. A local grocery store offering:

Digital Coupons

Clip to load directly to your account. Just present your phone number each time you shop for instant savings!

Two easy ways to clip coupons to your account:

1. The {N}power dashboard
2. Personalized email offers

Coupons are available to use immediately once selected. Automatically applied with the next applicable purchase.

Personalized Offers

Deals that make sense for you, straight to your inbox.

You will occasionally receive personalized offers from {N}power via email. These offers may contain instant dollars off, free items or select manufacturer coupons based on your interests.

Stash Your Cash!!! Avoid the Crash!!!

MINT aims to put your cash to work by earning you interest but still keeping risks relatively low. Made up of short-term bonds, it's likely to be steadier than most investments.

Here is a screen shot of my transactions/dividend.

So come January 6 ish, I should receive $9.20 in income and I'll buy another 10 shares.

 

Late November Dividend + Option Income

Grow is my "lottery ticket" stock and URA is the Uranium miners. Did u know Japan has 54 nuclear reactors and China has 44.

11/26/18 U S Global Investors Inc Cash Div On 1200 Shs      $3.00

11/27/2018 Sold 1 URA Dec 21 2018 12.0 Put @ 0.2                $12.29

November Dividend from SMHD

11/20/2018

Interest Income - Securities~SMHD

$208.32

 

There is a US Dollar Shortage! Have some currency and coin stashed away.

Mainstream media as well as the alternative media keep talking about the endless money printing by central banks. But that is simply adding zeroes to accounting software. With fractional reserve banking, electronic payments, direct deposits, and the like, we are lacking what is technically called the M0 money supply.  M0 = the level of notes and coins in circulation.

Going SHORT Natural Gas but not until May 2019

Nat gas has topped 4 year highs. It has been on a straight up tear due to low inventories and colder than normal fall weather.

The natural gas futures curve is usually in contango = today's price is lower than future prices. That means you lose money when you use the natural gas long exchange traded products such as UNG, UGAZ, BOIL.

The winter forecast is for El Nino and injection season starts in April. I'll take a shot at prices normalizing by then.

Give me your examples of Price Gouging

 

 

Unique Investment Strategy Worth Studying

Trading Market Downturns ~ Buy Puts When the VIX Spikes

Use ticker symbol UVXY. Be patient. The term structure of volatility futures is almost always in contango (where you make your money)

$413 for me in this recent trade!

 

Covered Call Strategy using the Gold Miners (ticker symbol NUGT)

$332 for November. Stock must move about $2.50 before my shares get called away.

Alternatice Income Streams Jan - Oct 2018

Results below do not include dividend income or option income.

• Steemit   $294
• Swagbucks  $64 worth of Amazon Gift Cards
• AppTrailers   $34

Steemitis a big pain in the ass for two reasons. First, you have to convert to another crypto currency, then sell that to get US dollars, then transfer that to your bank. Second, it is too complicated. People just want to earn from their content, not learn all the intricacies of the platform!

 

People who owe me cryptos

My October Dividends Were > $2500

I am now trading credit spreads. You know exactly your maximum gain and maximum loss.

 

YouTube tutorial

 

Heebie Jeebie Freebies

I use free stuff sites. Nothing better than an email coupon or a free sample arriving via USPS. Here are my favorites:

Freestufftimes

GimmeFreebies

Eat Drink Deals

Alternatives to Trumpcare and Obamacare

Get insurance out of health care altogether, except for catastrophic, unanticipated injuries. After all, insurance is about managing risk. You wouldn’t have your car insurance pay for routine oil changes, or your homeowners insurance pay for a new coat of exterior paint on your house. The very idea is absurd from an economics perspective, cost-prohibitive, and goes against the very definition and purpose of insurance. Having one’s insurance pay for a routine tooth cleaning or simple physical checkup makes no more sense than having insurance pay for a new tires or a home termite inspection.

General Insurance Coverage:
Join a health care sharing ministry. These are voluntary, charitable membership organizations that agree to share medical bills among the membership. Samaritan Ministries, Christian Healthcare Ministries, and Christian Care Ministry. They operate entirely outside of Obamacare’s regulations, and typically offer benefits for about half the cost of similar health insurance. Members are also exempt from having to pay the tax for being uninsured.

Critical Illness Coverage:
Acts like an insurance policy if you have kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, etc. I'd get the highest benefit amount possible.http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/critical-illness-insurance

Accident Coverage:
You should max out your medical and uninsured/under-insured driver coverage amounts
under your auto insurance policy, which can pay medical bills if you are hurt in a car accident.

Concierge Medicine
Contact local doctors and see if they offer services for a monthly fee. In my area, $60 gets 24/7 access.

Automatic Investment Management – AIM

AIM is an investment method devised by the late Robert Lichello. This method is a proven way to take advantage of the inevitable market swings to enable us to ‘Buy Low / Sell High’.

Groundrules of how the AIM Strategy works:

1. When starting with a lump sum, only invest 50% from the start.  If establishing a monthly investment plan, also split this allocation to 50% invested (after all, there’s a 50/50 chance the market will go up OR down tomorrow!)
2. Utilize a cash account to maintain your investment reserves / gains, awaiting further investment (starting with the second 50% of your lump sum, and then including the proceeds from sales as well as 50% of any subsequent monthly investment.)
3. Be prepared to sell a portion of the gains you have realized and deposit them into your cash account, per the AIM algorithm.
4. Be prepared to buy some back with your reserved cash account when the stock declines.
5. Set a routine period of time in which to analyze the markets direction, and take action.
6. The algorithm is relatively simple.  It involves several key points:
   1. Portfolio Control:  Running total of your stock purchases (total initial purchase plus 1/2 of follow on purchases; however it is never deducted from in a sale) in order to keep a basis of where the portfolio should ‘aim’ to be.  This is the ‘governor’ of the system – it drives the initial assessments about buy and sell decisions. 
   2. Buy/Sell Advice:  Based upon the current Stock Amount (currently owned shares times current price) compared to the Portfolio Control figure.  When the Portfolio Control amount is larger than your current Stock Value, you will look to buying (the Market is down.)  When your current Stock Value is higher than your Portfolio Control, you will look to selling (the Market is up.)
   3. SAFE (Stock Adjustment Factor Equalizer):  10% of the Stock Amount – After you do the analysis in [b] above, you compare the results to your SAFE amount – you only pull the trigger on a sale or purchase for the amount of Buy/Sell Advice less SAFE; this controls you from selling or buying too prematurely.

TIP ME and I will email you the spreadsheet and a help file!

60+ Frugal Tips

• Don't use the canned air method to clean keyboards - it's expensive. Plug in your hairdryer and blast away.
• Candles last longer if you freeze them prior to burning.
• Got an itchy mosquito bite, try rubbing soap on it.
• Use scotch tape to pull out a splinter.
• Wrap celery in aluminum foil then refrigerate. It will last for weeks.
• Cut you S.O.S. pads in half – no more rusty, smelly pads.
• To get a little more life out of worn out soles, try filling in the cracks and holes with hot glue.
• Covering a pot with a lid reduces cooking time and energy use. For extra energy savings, be sure to match the pot size to the burner size.
• If you’re shopping for appliances, check with the salesperson to see if there are any back room bargains. Sometimes a stove has a slight dent or a washing machine is scratched.
• Use GoDaddy to register a domain name (web site).
• Buy a battery tester and test “dead” batteries before tossing – lots of times its just one “dead” battery causing the trouble.
• When your printer says your ink is low, pull out your cartridge and shake it to get another few days out of it.
• White vinegar is a great cleaner.
• Drying your disposable razors (blades) extends their life – just use a towel.
• Why keep a porch light on for hours when you can buy a battery powered push light  and use rechargeable batteries?
• Use a Faraday flashlight. The ones you shake to light up.
• Increasing the deductibles on auto and home insurance can save hundreds of dollars on premiums.
• Buy prescription eyeglasses at zennioptical.
• To make your own miniature greenhouse, take an old egg carton; fill the individual sections with soil and seeds. Cover the top with a piece of plastic wrap. Before you know it, you will have the makings of a beautiful garden.
• Wad up some tinfoil and use it in your dryer instead of chemical coated sheets to get rid of static cling.
• "Feeder goldfish" cost less than 10 cents. Their food is around a $1 and lasts many months. One can use any type of glass bowl or antique canning jar to keep them in.
• Use honey for lip balm before you go to bed.
• Bring your own water bottle everywhere. Refill the water bottle at water fountains.
• Camping Cooler - buy bottled water and freeze enough to fill your cooler. You won’t have to buy ice until four or five days into the event (when everyone else is making almost daily ice runs).
• Take produce into your office and have a "Take Some and Leave a Quarter" cup next to them. Use proceeds to buy plants for next year.
• If the A/C goes out in your car, try the $20 can of recharge from an auto parts.
• Clean your windshield wipers with vinegar to extend the life of them.
• Always stop at a local pawnshop when considering a new tool purchase, bicycles, vacuum cleaners, etc.
• Slip those plastic grocery bags over your shoes when entering your garden, tie at the ankle. Keeps shoes nice and clean.
• Bigger isn’t always better, buy only what you need if it is a perishable product.
• Don’t bring the children shopping. You will accomplish the task quicker; you’ll avoid spending extra on stuff “seen on TV”.
• Shop secondhand stores for toys.
• Some fifteen states offer tax-free days or tax-free weekends, with most coming in August. That’s an automatic savings of at least five percent in most cases, so plan accordingly.
• Consolidate your student loan.
• Don’t use another bank’s ATM.
• Kick the (fill in the blank) habit. If you stop using alcohol, tobacco, and junk food, you’ll save thousands your lifetime and probably live longer and healthier!
• For cash gifts, consider a payment plan like 10 checks for $10 with each dated a different month.
• Ask you dentist, doctor, and hair stylist for their old magazines – read recipes, cut out coupons – then recycle them.
• Buy used eyeglass frames at thrift shops and then have new lenses made for you prescription.
• Have your kids make a homemade kite.
• Use local police auctions to get bikes, jewelry, cars, etc.
• For urban dwellers taking public transportation, ask your employer for a transit check, a subsidy employers get for alleviating gridlock.
• Use Styrofoam peanuts to re-fill a beanbag chair.
• Place wanted signs (instead of for sale signs) on bulletin boards for furniture, cars, and other big ticket items.
• Turn empty matchbooks into a portable sewing kit.
• Your bed mattress will last longer if you “spin in the spring, flip in the fall”.
• Bread tabs can be used to mark electrical cords at the outlet/power strip.
• Remove shelves from a dead refrigerator and mount shelves in the garage/basement.
• Use a wine cork to replace missing pot handles – attach with a screw.
• A broccoli style rubber band makes a great jar opener.
• Bubble wrap is great cushioning for people who must stand while on the job
• Use garlic powder to keep the varmints out, It’s a wonderful natural plant protector.
• Ask elderly relatives and neighbors who are unable to drive if they need a lift to the supermarket – they’ll offer to pay for your gas.
• Check rent – to – own stores for cosmetically damaged or otherwise non rent-able items.
• Call area attractions and ask if they have any “free to the public” events scheduled or regular “free admittance” times.
• If you re a senior citizen, always ask about senior discount everywhere you travel, shop, eat, or lodge!
• Check with local high schools that have shop classes. Often they sell wood scraps left over from student projects.
• Inquire with dry cleaners about left items for sale.
• Use mesh bags (the kind turkeys/onions/potatoes are packed in) as scouring pads.
• To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge, add an empty paper towel roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
• Cut old bread bags in half and use the bottom half as sandwich bags.
• Old hangers make good pegboard hooks.
• If an envelope is over one ounce but under 2, you don’t need 2 first class stamps, have it weighed for exact postage.
• Your dog will love “dead tennis balls” left at public tennis courts.
• Serrated edges from aluminum foil boxes (or a wax paper boxes) can be made into picture frame hangers.
• Save you old pickle jars and the liquid inside. Slice up cucumbers and re-pack. In four days – pickles!
• Put a teaspoon or two of baking soda into the shoes before you wear them. Great odor eliminator
• Use 100% cornstarch instead of Baby Powder

Easy Estate Planning

The need for a will is becoming less and less. And going thru the probate process may become a thing of the past. Here is what you need to check on:

Brokerage Account:  Transfer on Death (TOD)
A way of designating beneficiaries to receive your assets at the time of your death without having to go through probate. This designation also allows you to specify the percentage of assets each person or entity (your "TOD beneficiary") will receive. Your assets will then be automatically transferred to the designated beneficiaries upon your death.

Bank Account: Payable on Death (POD)
An arrangement between a bank or credit union and a client that designates beneficiaries to receive all the client's assets. The immediate transfer of assets is triggered by the death of the client.

Real Estate: Transfer on Death Deed
When the homeowner dies, title to the real estate passes to the beneficiary or beneficiaries, named in the Transfer-on-Death Deed, similar to how title passes in a Joint Tenancy Deed. This Deed avoids Capital Gains Taxes to be paid by the Beneficiaries at time of sale. Not all states allow them.
If you want to pass property to family members, look into a Quitclaim deed

The cheapest way to invest in metals

Junk silver and copper pennies are the easiest way. U are betting the metal price is worth more than the face value coin price. U can do this w/o having a lot of money to begin with!

The Frigging Fracking Fallacy

I'm not a geologist, but from the alternative articles I've read, natural gas will explode sometime between now and 2022.

• The popping of the shale gas bubble
• Natural Gas: The fracking fallacy

Skip to 37:30 for natural gas analysis.

 

Cook Without Gas or Electricity

Check out solar cookers. To do-it yourself, here is a great site with lots of plans. For folks who want to purchase one, try Google or look on Amazon for one!

Halving To Save Money

Often we use too much of some cleanser - thinking that's how much we need. Examples include dish soap, shampoo, shaving cream (you get the picture).

Try using half as much, if that works, try halving it again. Ultimately you'll find just the right amount to do the job but not be wasteful!

Free Education Sites ~ Don't Pay For College

I'm going to save you from $30,000 to $100,000 on this one.

The Internet is full of free learning tools - from online videos, to wikibooks, to PDF documents. 

1. Khan Academy
2. Goodwill is providing free education
3. Listen to thousands of lectures from the world’s top scholars at Academic Earth
4. 10 Sites to Learn Something New in 10 Minutes a Day
5. Free Yale University Courses
6. Instructables
7. MERLOT
8. How Stuff Works
9. eHow
10. Learn to Speed Read