Geoff Noble's Blog, page 4
January 28, 2017
Why Forget the Noise?
Last week, I wrote about schools and expensive math classes. The previous week, I wrote about using uber as opposed to owning a car. I wrote these not to create a stir but so we learn to question conventional wisdom. This is what Forget the Noise is about. It is more than an investing book. Yes, it is an investing book that tells the story that you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to create an investment portfolio. It encourages you to build your own investment “business” instead of paying...
January 24, 2017
Munger and sitting on your ass
“Investing is where you find a few great companies and then sit on your ass.”
While Forget the Noise isn’t about sitting on your ass and investing, it is a great approach for a time-poor professional. You need only spend a couple of hours a month (or week, you choose) on your investment portfolio. Why pay well over 1% per year to someone else when you can do it yourself?
More on Charlie (source: Wikipedia):
Charlie Munger is an American investor, businessman, and philanthropist. He is vice ch...
January 21, 2017
Expensive math classes
It is January which means school has just started. It is fashionable for the press to publish the 20 most expensive schools in South Africa list. I had a near heart-attack when I read the list. When I calmed down, I had a think about it all and came up with some questions and/or opinions. Please note, this is my opinion and personal view. Some people seem to get really emotional when it comes to schools. You are entitled to your view and me to mine.
Let’s start with the number 1 school at a...
January 18, 2017
Bogle on witchcraft
“The mutual fund industry has been built, in a sense, on witchcraft.”
We continue our John Bogle quotes season. Each week he gets more scathing on the financial services industry. Here, he takes aim at mutual funds (or unit trusts). I think he is talking about all the “inventive” investment strategies that are floating around.
More on Bogle: John Bogle is the founder of Vanguard. He is also seen as the father of passive investing. He has written many books on investing. “The Clash of the Cult...
January 15, 2017
Uber investing
I sold my car a couple of months ago. I have been using uber every day to travel to work. Otherwise, my wife and I use her car to get around on the weekend. I am amazed at how many people tell me that this is a mistake and that it is cheaper to get around with your own car. What amazes me, further, is that these people haven’t crunched one number. Yes, not one number. They base their beliefs on preconceived ideas and not evidence.
Well, I crunched the numbers and in my personal circumstances,...
January 10, 2017
Bogle on the failings of the industry
“The multiple failings of our flawed financial sector are jeopardizing, not only the retirement security of our nation’s savers but the economy in which our entire society participates.”
It is no secret that Mr Bogle is not a fan of the financial services industry. With Forget the Noise you learn to take your financial future into your own hands and avoid falling victim to the financial industry.
More on Bogle: John Bogle is the founder of Vanguard. He is also seen as the father of passive in...
January 8, 2017
A new year
Happy new year to all of you. If you don’t have an investment portfolio, 2017 is a great year to start. In fact, it has never been easier to start one. Interested? Follow these steps:
Open an account on #EasyEquities here(full disclosure: this is a referral/affiliate link. If you’d prefer not to use it, you can use this link www.easyequities.co.za) Read a copy of Forget the Noise (available for free here or on Amazon for a small highly-appreciated fee
January 4, 2017
Bogle on value destruction
“On balance, the financial system subtracts value from society”
In the next few weeks, I will be sharing quotes from John Bogle. John Bogle is the founder of Vanguard. He is also seen as the father of passive investing. He has written many books on investing. “The Clash of the Cultures: Investment vs. Speculation” is among my favourite investment books of all time.
This week, Mr Bogle appears a bit cynical but anyone who has dealt with the financial services industry knows that he speaks the...
January 3, 2017
How to sell a book
You won’t find “Forget the Noise” on a best-sellers list. I am no celebrity fund manager, that’s for sure. Nor do I make bold calls. “Forget the Noise” is boring and not fun. I am, perhaps, a stereotypical salesman’s worst nightmare. There is no “special” story.
I’ll never write a book that is called “10 steps to master XYZ”, “The easy way to financial freedom” (free tip: there is no easy way), “Trade binary options for fun” etc.
I write about the way I invest money because I think most peopl...
December 27, 2016
A new coat of paint
2017 will see some changes introduced to Forget the Noise. I hope to have a second edition of the book out during the course of 2017. It will include a bit more content on indexing and some of the more detailed company-specific equations will be removed. Until then I am posting a PDF copy of Forget the Noise on the website. There is a little catch, though… you need to sign up to mailing list
