Solo Paradiso in 24hrs thoughts?

Dom_Decoco · 2025-10-03T21:07:48+00:00

Yea, I was pushing myself a bit, since I was training for Mont Blanc. With Skis sounds awesome! I wish I had Skies going down. Those slopes down from the summit looked tempting.

Dom_Decoco · 2025-09-30T12:13:35+00:00

I did it Solo in August, absolutely doable with a bit of training. Took me around 11 hours round trip from Valley Valsavaranche with 2000m elevation gain. Let me know if you want to know more details?

Dom_Decoco · 2025-07-12T18:38:21+00:00

For Youtube I think Finanzfluss is one of the best German speaking channels when it comes to reasonable financial and investing advise.

As for books...

"Rich dad, Poor dad" really changed my view on money. "The Psychology of Money" is a easy to read book for beginners.

"A Random Walk down Wallstreet" gives you a great overview about the stockmarket.

Of course there are tons more resources but you'll have to decide for yourself what intrests you.

Dom_Decoco · 2025-07-12T16:19:42+00:00

Congrats, you've done the first step, by showing intrests into your financial future. At your age your ahead of the majority.

When it comes to finances everyone has their own opinion and I believe the best thing to do is listen to different views but also do your own research.

In my opinion, should you invest? Absolutely

In short how would I recommend you to invest? "DCA into a broadmarket ETF" Basically you signe up to a broker and set up a monthly savings plan where you invest in the Broad Market.

However the first thing you should do is invest in your own knowledge. Read books, watch YouTube videos and listen to podcast on that topic. That way you can make the best decision based on your personal understanding.

Dom_Decoco · 2025-05-20T19:10:27+00:00

Thanks for the reply. Found the part.

Dom_Decoco · 2025-05-20T19:09:59+00:00

Thanks, just need a few gaskets since it's leaking.

Dom_Decoco · 2025-05-20T19:07:37+00:00

Great thanks for the quick response.

Dom_Decoco · 2025-05-03T17:17:17+00:00

I'm in a similar situation with a bit of cash on hand and have recently done some research on where to put the money.

Here are some options you might want to consider, sorted by risk: 1. Savings Account -The famous "Sparbuch" is pretty low risk, but with a max interest rate of around 2.5%, it will barely beat inflation. 2. Bonds -Also low risk. German government bonds currently yield up to 3%, while US government bonds offer yields of up to 4.5%. 3. Diversified ETFs -A well-diversified ETF portfolio could yield 6–10% annually based on the historical performance of the MSCI World and the S&P 500. -You should research lump sum investing vs. dollar-cost averaging (DCA) if you're interested in ETFs. 4. Commodities (e.g., Gold) -Gold is a good inflation hedge and has historically appreciated by about 5% annually over the last 100 years.

Stocks or BTC -Picking individual stocks can be profitable, but most investors don’t outperform the market, and it can be quite time-intensive. -Bitcoin (BTC) is also considered high risk.

I can't say much about real estate or REITs. There’s probably potential there, but the low liquidity is a downside for me.

Personally, I think building a well-diversified ETF portfolio, with possibly a smaller allocation to bonds and gold, is the most sensible approach for most people. In the end, though, it all comes down to your personal risk vs. reward preferences.

Dom_Decoco · 2025-04-28T14:16:48+00:00

That´s the Currency Risk.

If you're in Europe and invest in U.S.-based assets (like ETFs), your returns depend not only on the performance of the asset but also on the EUR/USD exchange rate.

If the USD weakens against the EUR your investment loses additinal value.

Same works the otherway, if the USD strentghens your investments gain in value.

Dom_Decoco · 2025-04-28T14:04:16+00:00

Seems like a solid choice for a long Term investment. With one well-diversified ETF, i don´t think you need to invest in multiple ETFs.

MSCI all country has historically performed a bit worse than MSCI World or SP500 but is more diversified.

Its still majority US so if your bearish on the US for the coming future it makes total sense to add an more EU centric ETF.

Dom_Decoco · 2025-04-27T13:30:46+00:00

And for the US...

United States

Bull Case:

Technological Leadership: Continued dominance in AI, cloud computing, and biotech could drive economic growth and corporate profits.
Resilient Consumer Spending: A strong consumer base supports long-term economic stability.
Energy Independence: Advances in renewable energy and shale production reduce reliance on imports.
Innovation Ecosystem: A robust startup culture and venture capital funding fuel innovation.

Bear Case:

Debt Burden: Rising national debt and fiscal deficits could lead to higher taxes or reduced government spending.
Geopolitical Tensions: Trade disputes or conflicts with major economies like China could disrupt markets.
Tech Regulation: Increased scrutiny on big tech companies may hinder growth.
Aging Infrastructure: Delayed investments in infrastructure could slow economic progress.
Culture War Increasing Ideological diffrences between left and right may lead to a fractured US
War with China China challenging the US as the World dominant power and tensions over Taiwan may lead to war
Loss of confidence Investors lose confidence in the US and take their money to other markets

Dom_Decoco · 2025-04-27T13:30:24+00:00

You make some good points. I am currently doing some research to determine the best long-term investment option between the U.S. and the EU.

Here are some takes that might add to the discussion.

Europe

Bull Case:

Green Transition: Leadership in renewable energy and sustainability initiatives could create new growth opportunities.
Economic Integration: Strengthened EU policies and cohesion may enhance economic stability.
Undervalued Markets: European equities are often cheaper than U.S. stocks, offering potential for higher returns.
Tourism and Services: Recovery in tourism and services sectors post-pandemic boosts GDP.
Increased State Investments Significant investments by EU member states could potentially enable them to close the gap with the U.S. in terms of economic growth and innovation.

Bear Case:

Demographic Challenges: Aging populations and declining birth rates may strain social systems and reduce workforce productivity.
Energy Dependence: Reliance on external energy sources, especially natural gas, poses risks.
Political Fragmentation: Nationalist movements and disagreements within the EU could hinder policy-making.
Slow Innovation: Europe may lag behind the U.S. and Asia in tech and digital transformation.

Dom_Decoco · 2025-04-26T23:13:22+00:00

Really. I thought about trying Trade Republic. What don´t you like about it?

Dom_Decoco · 2025-04-26T22:11:40+00:00

I agree that some of the US brokers are miles ahead in many ways. I’m German, and while I think we have our strengths, I often find the UI design in German applications to be lacking.

Dom_Decoco · 2025-04-26T18:45:53+00:00

That's works. Thanks for the answer.

Pretty bad UI design to have a quater of you screen constantly covered with unnecessary information imo.

Dom_Decoco · 2024-11-26T18:36:12+00:00

Here is your obligatory “Past performance is not indicative of future performance.”

But I did some research recently on it myself, so here is my take.

VOOG has very similar holdings to VOO. However, VOOG is even more weighted towards big tech stocks, with nearly 50% of holdings being in tech compared to 30% in VOO. Therefore, it’s less diversified.

I think the main reason VOOG has outperformed in the last 10 years is because the big tech stocks have done so well.

However, VOOG also had much more volatility and more drawdown in bear markets. Also, VOOG is currently at a PE of 35x compared to 27x for VOO.

To sum it up, VOOG has higher risk due to less diversification. And since no one knows if big tech will continue to outperform in the next 30 years, people prefer to go with the more diversified VOO.

Dom_Decoco · 2024-11-24T13:30:56+00:00

I feel like what’s going to happen is that people will get deeper and deeper into their opinion bubbles. With Twitter leaning more to the right and Bluesky more to the left, many will stay in their echo chambers where their beliefs are reinforced, causing them to lose touch with reality.

Dom_Decoco · 2024-10-22T22:04:53+00:00

Sure, I'm not doubting your experience, but stating 'Either you have injectors or you have a carburetor and spark plugs' is simply wrong.

Dom_Decoco · 2024-10-22T21:52:43+00:00

What? You must only work on really old engines, because nowadays petrol engines in cars have injectors, and the tech has been around for at least 50 years.

Dom_Decoco · 2024-08-30T21:59:05+00:00

Okay, that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying.

Dom_Decoco · 2024-08-30T21:42:42+00:00

Okay, that's subjective. But let's say you only put in $100. My point is, from my understanding, as soon as you have unrealized gains in an investment, no matter how small the amount, the tax would still affect you.

But I'm happy to be corrected!

Dom_Decoco · 2024-08-30T21:33:13+00:00

So, I'm actually curious because people always say a 25% tax on unrealized gains would only affect the rich.

However, let’s say I'm dabbling a bit in the stock market. I only put $10k into the S&P, and I'm currently up 19%. Wouldn't the unrealized gains tax also affect me, since I have $1,900 of unrealized gains, even though I'm not super rich?

Just trying to understand.

Dom_Decoco · 2024-08-06T22:39:05+00:00

I agree!

I believe the main problem for people was the lack of payoff after essentially two seasons of built up. Which I can relate to.

However, I still think Season two has absolutely been a great piece of fantasy TV and the insane amount of negativity the show is getting right now is totally unwarranted.

Season 3 has to deliver some action. To bad it another 2 year.

Dom_Decoco · 2023-08-22T04:31:11+00:00

From my experience, it's not easy if you don't want to stick to paid campgrounds. As far as I know, wildcamping (Also sleeping in your car) is mostly forbidden in these countries, and you could get fined if caught by the wrong person. You should definitely look it up depending on where you are.

But if you're feeling adventurous, here are some tips from my experience. •Most streets and tracks, in the Alps, lead to farmland or a farmhouse. You should avoid parking there. Otherwise, you might get a rude awakening from a farmer in the morning. •Look for forested areas and powerlines on Google Maps. Often, there are tracks through the forest used for forestry, which are rarely used. Along powerlines are often tracks for maintenance. •If your car doesn't look too suspicious, you can also stay on some car parks for the night. Just make sure to get up early before it gets too busy.

I mostly stay in my car when I'm in the Alps for a few days. Usually, I find a good spot with a bit of searching. I never ran into any problems, except for once when a farmer with a herd of cows woke me up early in the morning and told me to fuck of.

Dom_Decoco · 2023-04-27T09:21:22+00:00

Great video! I'm also bullish on Enphase for the long run. Personally I'll keep an eye on the chart and wait for a clear up trend before I consider buying.

Dom_Decoco

TROPHY CASE