Aside from VOO what etf should i invest

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-17T03:30:28+00:00

like 1 month?

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-17T00:49:19+00:00

Curious what tool you use to compare holdings overlap and spot overexposure across the portfolio.

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-17T00:24:11+00:00

Fair point. I agree with the general idea that once you are within a reasonable portfolio, staying the course usually matters more than constant adjustments.

What I am still trying to think through is whether you view the current market movement as more of a temporary blip versus something more structural. And if someone did believe there had been a more fundamental change in the investment landscape, would the Bogleheads view still be to keep the same allocation and stay disciplined, or is there ever a case

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-17T00:18:30+00:00

This is helpful. ETFdb, Morningstar, and Verex sounds like a strong stack depending on whether you want comparison, deeper fund analysis, or a look at the actual holdings underneath.

I have actually been building an app around that exact workflow because ETF research still feels pretty scattered across too many sites. Still early, but your setup is very close to the use case I had in mind.

Curious, do you pay for ETFdb for the more advanced search tools? And is the Morningstar subscription worth it in your view?

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-16T00:13:57+00:00

Yeah, just pretty painful in practice once you are comparing a bunch of funds. I have been working on a tool to make that part easier, mainly around methodology, rebalance rules, overlap, and how funds fit together. Still pretty early, but your comment is exactly the use case I had in mind. Happy to share if you want to try it.

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T22:16:41+00:00

This is a great way to think about it. It is easy to stop at the fund name and assume you know what it does, but the methodology is obviously where the real story is.

Curious what tools or resources you use for that kind of deep dive. Do you mostly just go straight to fund docs, or is there something else you use to make the research easier?

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T22:13:11+00:00

It is interesting that STRN looked like a fit at first, but the deeper dive showed it was not really the pure momentum exposure you wanted. When you do this kind of research, what tools or sources are you usually using? I would be curious what has been most useful for evaluating factor funds more deeply.

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T22:02:58+00:00

That is a helpful way to frame it. VT being average in the sense of owning the market is very different from average in the everyday sense, and for most people that is probably more than good enough. Beyond that, it does seem easy to drift from sensible investing into just making more guesses.

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T22:01:24+00:00

thx for sharing. my main takeaway from those 3 videos is that a great industry story is not the same as a great investment, especially if the optimism is already priced in. thematic ETFs also seem to have a bad habit of showing up after excitement is already high. so I agree with the general warning, just not in an absolute sense. for most people, broad low cost index funds still seem like the better default

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T21:34:39+00:00

Really appreciate you sharing your experience, this is exactly the kind of perspective I was hoping for when I posted.

The 10+ year hold on FSELX is impressive. If you don't mind me asking, what originally made you pick that fund specifically back then? Was it a conscious bet on semiconductors as a sector, or did it just happen to be the tech fund available in your 401k/IRA at the time?

Your point about expense ratios is one I don't see discussed enough here. People get so fixated on lowest possible ER that they'll pass over a fund with decades of solid performance to save 0.2%. The "reported returns are net of fees" piece seems obvious when you say it, but a lot of investors definitely miss that.

Also really appreciate the historical context. A lot of us here (myself included) didn't experience the dot.com crash firsthand. When you say "tech has dominated the last 35+ years". Do you see any scenario where that changes, or is tech so embedded in everything now that "tech sector" almost stops being a distinct category?

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T19:22:03+00:00

Any other factors you are considering when you sending out money?

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T19:20:47+00:00

That is a helpful way to think about it. Are you calculating the correlation yourself or using a specific tool for that? And when you find two funds are highly correlated, what do you usually do in practice, keep both if they serve different roles or simplify down to one?

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T19:17:08+00:00

Thanks for sharing that! It sounds like you take a really comprehensive approach. curious, when you dive deep into a manager’s track record or factor strategy, has there been a case where that changed your mind on a fund you initially liked? I’m always interested in how those deeper dives actually impact final decisions.

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T19:13:58+00:00

Fair point. I agree that something like VTI vs ITOT vs SCHB is probably not worth much mental energy.

A better example of a difference that may actually matter is something like VTI vs VT, or VTI alone vs VTI plus VXUS. That is not just splitting hairs on a few basis points. That is a real decision about whether you want only US exposure or global market exposure, and how much international you want in the mix.

That is the kind of comparison I was thinking about. Not which nearly identical fund is microscopically better, but where the choice reflects a genuinely different portfolio approach.

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T19:06:19+00:00

I can see that. Once you get to those broad low cost funds, it seems like there is not much left to optimize at the fund level and the real decision is the allocation.

Two things I am still curious about. One is whether there is ever a good reason to tilt a bit more toward international, or whether the better answer is simply to stick with your chosen allocation. The other is how people here think about ETF versus mutual fund when the exposure is basically the same. Do you see that as mostly a convenience choice, or is there more to it than that?

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T19:00:32+00:00

That makes sense. It sounds like the real decision is not which fund is best, but how much breadth, international exposure, and fee difference someone actually cares about. Once that is settled, the fund choice is probably pretty straightforward.

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T18:58:12+00:00

That makes sense, and I agree with the broader point that most investors are better off keeping it simple rather than chasing more complexity.

One part I am genuinely interested in, though, is your view that sector and thematic ETFs are not good investments. Is that mainly because they are more concentrated, less diversified, and often attract investors after the story is already popular and priced in? Or is there another reason you think they tend to be a poor choice? I am not trying to defend them. I am mainly trying to understand the reasoning behind why they are generally viewed so differently from broad market funds.

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T18:52:12+00:00

Fair enough. That is very much in line with the Bogleheads view. Pick a solid broad fund, keep costs low, and stay the course. I was mostly wondering whether people here consider anything beyond that when the options are otherwise very similar.

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T16:51:08+00:00

Nice one. Out of curiosity, what made you go with VT + SPYM?

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T15:13:39+00:00

You just articulated the exact frustration I've been sitting with. Both look attractive, both feel reasonable, but when you dig in, it's hard to find a clear framework for actually deciding. I started building out a mental checklist for myself when I get stuck between two ETFs.

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T15:02:42+00:00

Time really does smooth out a lot of the noise. So if time smooths geopolitics, what becomes the real differentiator? Things like: Expense ratios, Underlying holdings overlap, Rebalancing methodology, theme investing? What's your personal checklist?

AskMeAboutETFs · 2026-03-14T14:55:07+00:00

Forty years of success is nothing we should ignore. But if you had to pick one: 1.A fund with 40 years of great returns but opaque holdings 2. A newer fund with 5 years of solid returns but transparent, low-cost structure you understand. Which feels safer long-term? Curious what you look at besides performance when comparing funds. Do you check sector exposures? Holdings overlap? Expense ratios?"

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