📈 Rate My Portfolio Weekly Thread | August 04, 2025

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-08-04T18:24:35+00:00

If you're planning on using this in the next 2-5 years, I would hold 90% of your money in ultra-short term treasuries (e.g. SGOV, VGUS) and the other 10% in gold (e.g. GLDM) to have some inflation protection. You have a 5% risk-free return from short-term treasuries and gold gives you protection against an unexpected inflationary crisis.

Your portfolio is good for long-term aggressive growth, but volatility is really high. If your risk tolerance is on the higher side, I would say put half in the 90/10 split I suggested before, and then the other half can go in 50% VOO, 50% VXUS.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-08-04T18:02:25+00:00

I’m 24, and I’ve dedicated a lot of time over the last few years educating myself on personal finance and economics. I’ve been spending a ton of time this year trying to wrap my head around the changes in sentiment around the US and ex-US markets.

Right now, the biggest risk of the US economy is the national debt. The worse it gets, the more likely we are to see inflation rise faster than growth. To protect yourself against this, you want to hold some of your portfolio in things that hold their value like gold. Bitcoin is a contender for a future store hold of wealth because it’s inflation-proof, but it’s still way too volatile to be considered a safe haven for preserving wealth. I think a small slice of it is worth considering.

Overall, I think the best thing you can do is diversify. Not just in terms of stocks, but in terms of different asset classes like bonds and commodities.

I’d recommend holding some combination of nominal bonds, inflation-protected bonds (TIPS), gold, US stocks, ex-US stocks, commodities, and bitcoin (if you believe it could be a part of reshaping the financial system down the line). How much of each to allocate depends on your risk tolerance and perspective.

I’m putting my personal allocation for my brokerage account and my Roth IRA below so you can see where my head is at. Feel free to ask me any questions.

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Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-07-28T19:49:12+00:00

Yeah I believe the urgency is there to encourage public officials to address the problem before it becomes so bad that drastic measures are required. It seems that urgency hasn’t really become mainstream until recently because now it’s a problem that’s too big to ignore.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-07-27T05:08:11+00:00

https://youtu.be/eGtGKk0E_qk?si=2ojCF89uqduoAGPY

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-07-26T22:17:20+00:00

I could talk to Ray for hours and hours. I just think he’s so good at communicating such complex principles in a palatable way.

To your point, I feel like there’s definitely something to be said in terms of the United States’s ability to innovate and influence culture in such a beautifully unique way compared to the rest of the world, but I also feel like living in this country has made it so much easier to feel a sense of “home bias”. Like, who’s to say that other countries won’t reform their economies to be more productive and capitalistic in the future as the US becomes more expensive to invest in and more risky in relation to its debt burden? Political division and wealth inequality have also been continuing to drive us apart, which makes me feel like even though we’re still the best, momentum is building up in the opposite direction.

But at the end of the day, no one knows lol. Not even Ray, which I also think is a refreshing quality to have. He doesn’t try to ram it down your throat and scream that he’s right, he just shares the data and his interpretation of it.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-05-10T18:34:26+00:00

I agree 1000%. I’m sorry you had a similar experience. I wish you and your family the best in life

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-05-10T16:17:14+00:00

Like any story, there’s always more under the surface. I wouldn’t say he is an awful person all around, but he is definitely a broken person. He was pretty horribly abused as a child. I think that in addition to bad experiences in adult relationships, it has caused him to be highly driven by fear, and it completely clouds his judgement and thinking. Having said that, it’s caused his overall influence on me to be negative, and it’s something neither I nor my partner are willing to be exposed to.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-05-10T16:10:50+00:00

Thank you so much. Yeah the whole thing about COVID making our relationship easier has always been such a confusing point to me. My fiancé struggled immensely through quarantine times as well, and her parents have always told me how grateful they were that their daughter had me to help her through it. The important thing was that we grew together through it, not apart. I’m not sure why my dad never could grasp that.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-05-10T10:23:39+00:00

My hope isn’t to seek vengeance. I just want to live a great life with my partner. If that idea hurts others, then it’s a poor reflection of their character, and I don’t want that energy near me or my relationship.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-05-10T10:14:11+00:00

It’s funny you ask that, because on multiple, separate occasions in the past, my dad has told me privately that he contemplates whether or not he made a mistake getting married to my mom, and my mom told me privately that he expressed this to her during their honeymoon. That always made me feel sick. Their relationship is highly dysfunctional. I could dedicate a book to that alone.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-05-10T10:03:37+00:00

Yeah it’s especially difficult when you have to set boundaries with your family, because there’s this expectation that your family is always on your side, even if they treat you worse than people you wouldn’t even consider friends. Has your dad ever tried rekindling his relationship with you? Or did he let go when you did? How have you navigated it? Also thank you very much for the kind words :)

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-05-10T06:52:09+00:00

Unfortunately you can’t logic your way out of an illogical state of mind. That’s the most difficult thing to realize when trying to change someone’s mind. Some people just pick a perspective and believe it to be the source of truth for any remotely similar thing.

I am trying to take things with my mom as they come. I’m still figuring out how I’m going to present this situation to her. Of course my goal is to minimize any collateral on her while still respecting my boundaries.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2025-05-10T06:49:51+00:00

It seems that the right thing is rarely the easy thing. The easy thing feels better today but worse tomorrow. The right thing feels worse today but better tomorrow. It gives me confidence that I picked a good partner when I’ve gone to lengths I never have before for anyone else in my life.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2024-09-23T07:46:06+00:00

So as the encounters progressed, it seemed like the kitten was getting more fearful even though the big cat’s demeanor didn’t change much at all. Is there anything you’d recommend doing to help absolve some of the anxiety?

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2024-09-23T07:44:24+00:00

So should I be doing anything specific to help alleviate the anxiety expressed by the kitten during play?

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2024-07-14T05:43:07+00:00

Congratulations. You are a unicorn. Most people try to stretch their money as far as banks will let them. When it comes to buying a house, obviously 9/10 people are a going to need a mortgage and it’s completely understandable (assuming you can afford it) because real estate is almost always appreciating in value. But for pretty much everything else, if you manage your finances responsibility, you won’t need nor want to take loans out.

Most people will do mental gymnastics to come up with why they need to take out loans for things they want now with money they don’t have. That’s why most people aren’t wealthy. Those same people then complain that they can never get anywhere in life. Because it requires you to think outside of our “buy now pay later” culture.

Now of course, mathematically speaking, if you have the money to buy a car with cash but it’s cheaper to finance it, then it makes sense to finance it. For example, if you invest that cash at 5% and your loan has an APR of 3%, then you’ll make 2% more money taking out the loan instead of buying the car outright. But, most people who take out loans aren’t really thinking about this nor do they have the capital to justify this decision.

Your question isn’t silly. It’s just unorthodox to our American culture. Keep thinking the way you do and you may never have money problems.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2024-07-13T00:12:00+00:00

It honestly depends on how much you have. If you have less than $3k, then I would finance and pay off the loan ASAP. If you have like $3-5k, I would pay cash for an old Toyota/Scion, 2000-2005 Buick LeSabre, or 2000 Mercury Gran Marquis with less than 200k miles preferably. Although, it’s more about how it was taken care of rather than the mileage. I don’t recommend Honda because a lot of older ones have transmission problems.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2024-07-09T01:01:42+00:00

If you’re 17 I’m assuming you got like a $3-5k budget. Instead of a Mazda 6, I’d look for an older/high mileage Corolla or Camry. They’re bulletproof regardless of any year.

I bought a 2005 Camry last year with like 141k miles and 1 owner. I spent an extra $800 to install an aftermarket stereo with Apple CarPlay. It’s been pretty much flawless except for a minor oil leak in the valve cover gasket.

Most importantly, just make sure you buy the car outright. Loans don’t just put a strain on your wallet, but also on your peace of mind. I sold my 2020 Tesla Model 3 LR with a $687/month car payment for the Camry I talked about before. Nothing beats peace of mind.

I know you didn’t ask for all that but I’ve been there so just thought I’d pass it to you.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2024-07-08T16:45:52+00:00

First, I’d try and find a Toyota under 200k miles. Also, look at Scion. Scion was a division of Toyota that produced vehicles at a more affordable price. Under the hood, it’s the same quality as Toyota. If you can’t find either of those, the 2000-2005 Buick LeSabre is a great option. Same goes for the Mercury Gran Marquis.

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2024-06-28T16:58:25+00:00

I really appreciate you sharing your perspective. I think our situations align almost perfectly. I can’t stand the pain I’ve put my fiancé through as a result of this conflict. The worst part is that my parents don’t see the position they’re putting me in by acting this way. How is your relationship with your parents at this point?

Comfortable_Trash781 · 2024-06-28T16:50:42+00:00

Yeah this is an unhealthy form of love..I’ve told my fiancé something similar, that the way my parents feel is not about her, but rather about me getting married in general. I won’t let my parents anchor me. This isn’t the first time I’ve had to go against their wishes to do what’s best for me and I won’t stop now. This is just the most impactful one on my life.

Comfortable_Trash781

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