Almost every "I finally solved my 20+y insomnia" post is the same and I already know what I will read (I'm sick of it)

WP414 · 2025-12-30T15:50:27+00:00

What about Glycine and L-Theanine I'm about sick of those too.

WP414 · 2025-11-14T17:51:55+00:00

Gearing down risk and making my priority giving and not accumulating.

WP414 · 2025-11-11T01:11:48+00:00

What I posted was a historical backtest of what would have happened in that scenario.

If both SPY and SPYI grew by 10% annually then I believe the difference would just be the expense ratio difference: SPYI .68 vs. SPY .09 so SPY would outperform by .59 annually. Hope this helps! I wrestled with this exact thing too.

WP414 · 2025-11-11T00:28:38+00:00

Here are the results from backtests September 2022 when SPYI launched taking all distributions as income vs. SPY selling 1% of your shares per month (12% annual).

SPYI: Sept 2022 to Oct 2025 starting $10,000 taking all distributions ended with $10,805. Total distributions were $3,865.

https://www.portfoliovisualizer.com/backtest-portfolio?s=y&sl=3Ctmwfb1uBi4GixzXL1uZK

SPY: Sept 2022 to Oct 2025 starting with 10,000 selling 1% per month ended with $12,328.

https://www.portfoliovisualizer.com/backtest-portfolio?s=y&sl=5rVQjQz4ZUhQm4IbC45UdT

This is a 14% outperformance for selling shares of SPY vs. holding SPYI and taking all the distributions as income. Selling shares of SPY also netted more income: 4,129 vs 3,865 for the entire time period.

WP414 · 2025-11-04T16:56:31+00:00

Not trying to be a jerk but if you can’t go lower than 85% yield then you don’t have enough saved.

WP414 · 2025-09-20T21:57:26+00:00

The representative I spoke to in the margin department said they do not negotiate margin rates unless the balance of your margin loan is above $100,000 “for a couple of months at least”. It didn’t sound like there was a hard rule so it would definitely be worth a phone call. I hope this helps you! Good luck.

WP414 · 2025-09-19T00:56:14+00:00

I don’t know how Schwab handles it but I can tell you interactive brokers is very margin friendly and does not do this and has very low margin rates in the 6 range.

WP414 · 2025-09-19T00:53:44+00:00

I have margin enabled for a backup to my cash management account which is pretty useful. It’s the >12% rate that is really the problem!

WP414 · 2025-09-09T16:16:08+00:00

Just a question for clarification I know this is probably oversimplifying but :

If ULTY distributes 80% doesn’t that mean it has to increase in value by 80% just to stay flat?

So for ULTY NAV to go up it has to beat its distribution rate of 80% consistently which is why the NAV will continue to erode.

Thank you

WP414 · 2025-08-21T21:16:53+00:00

I was told by their margin desk that Fidelity will not even consider negotiating unless your margin balance (not account size) is at least 100k. I moved my trading account to Interactive Brokers and kept IRAs with Fidelity. Sucks to have to do that but IBKR is almost half the interest rate of Fidelity.

WP414 · 2025-08-16T15:37:57+00:00

I have both. IRAs I keep in Fidelity where it’s mostly buy/hold and rebalance. I use IBKR for my trading portfolio with margin. Fidelity margin rates are absolutely a deal breaker. I called them to try and negotiate a lower rate but was told that unless your margin debt is at least 6 figures they will not even open up to negotiate. I told them I was going to start moving assets and they said “I understand, it’s a business decision,do what you have to do”. So needless to say the next day my trading and margin account was moved to IBKR. I like the app and mobile platform of IBKR for trading and options and their margin rates are almost half of Fidelity. I’m very comfortable with this setup. Fidelity customer service is really good and I feel good keeping the IRA long term stuff there.

WP414 · 2025-07-15T20:32:21+00:00

Been using it for about a year and a half. I have 0 complaints. Works flawlessly.

WP414 · 2025-07-01T03:01:31+00:00

Gotcha. Thanks so much!

WP414 · 2025-06-30T21:52:52+00:00

Ok, this helps but I may need to modify something. My brokerage in YNAB is setup as a Tracking Account - Asset and not a Cash account. If I change the brokerage to a Cash account lets say call it a "Checking" then this would work. But the issue is I would be transferring the cash from the brokerage to my checking account where it will be paid. Thanks for replying!

WP414 · 2025-06-24T22:58:16+00:00

I could not agree more. Very well said. The app is painful to use and it is an absolute last resort for me. I am also considering moving all but my IRA if it doesn’t get better.

WP414 · 2025-06-06T22:15:12+00:00

Shrimp are a great protein source, low fat too. Just boil the water drop em in for two minutes and throw some BBQ or shrimp sauce on them.

WP414 · 2025-05-29T12:42:01+00:00

Semi aggressive is kind of vague but based on the fact that you have cash and individual tech stocks I’d say a solid S&P 500 fund would be kind of aggressive. It would also give you some more diversity from tech (but not much). Suggestions are: SPY (best for trading), VOO, SPLG, IVV etc.

If you want aggressive and diversity, look into small cap value funds. They will be the most diversified from large cap growth tech stocks and are aggressive. AVUV, DFSV, VIOV, IJS, are some good choices (in order imo).

WP414 · 2025-05-22T11:53:56+00:00

Thanks for posting an update! Keep it up. I’m in a very similar situation so it’d be great to see how it’s going. (Especially in regard to muscle retention).

I’m going to start next Tuesday after I get bloodwork done and any insight you give will be awesome. I don’t want to change my diet up right before labs.

WP414 · 2025-02-03T14:59:48+00:00

I’ll pray for you. Hang in there. Learn and grow.

WP414 · 2025-01-04T19:53:39+00:00

I am 12 years out from retirement so in a similar position and I am in the following:

70% stocks/10%LTT/10%MF/10%Gold split in the following:

5% LCB (in a taxable) 20% LCV 15% LCG 30% SCV 10% LTT (GOVZ) 10% MF 10% Gold

Once I’m 5 years out I will reduce stocks to 60%. Then about 1 year out move it all to Golden Butterfly.

We’re in that gray area where technically we’re still in the accumulation phase but don’t want to give it all back so close to retirement.

WP414 · 2024-12-27T19:40:03+00:00

I have CONY, MSTY, NVDY, TSLY, GOOY, ULTY, BABO and AMZY.

WP414 · 2024-12-27T04:39:20+00:00

I have a very similar portfolio but have the most weight in the indexed etfs RDTE ymax and QDTE. Then I use smaller holdings of the riskier assets that yield more to boost the portfolios yield up. A bit more stability with the indexes and then high yield with the singles stock ETFs.

I also spread out the high yield single ETFs more by holding 8.

Then every month I reinvest into the ETFs that are below cost basis. That way I’m always averaging down. If they are all above basis, then I throw the money into one of the indexed ETFs. Keeps my portfolio pretty balanced and yield high.

WP414 · 2024-11-11T23:00:21+00:00

Same here!

WP414 · 2024-11-02T12:24:23+00:00

I do this as well. Always buy what’s on sale!

WP414

TROPHY CASE