Here, I'm NOT talking about: 1) Your cash safety net (you should have one!) 2) Using cash/ST bonds vs. low-yielding LT bonds for asset allocation purposes
I'm talking about excess cash you're purposely holding instead of investing it in the stock market
2/10
The opportunity cost is the same whether you think of excess cash as "dry powder" (waiting for opportunistic deals) or "market timing" (waiting for a market dip to buy).
3/10
Since there's scant evidence anyone can time the market over the long term (vs. getting lucky), our best approximation of opportunity cost is the difference between the market's historical return (~10%) and cash's return (<1%).
4/10
We can think of that 9% yearly delta as an interest rate we're being charged by the market for the safety of cash.
That's a HIGH hurdle!
5/10
Three examples of when it may be worth it to forego 9% to hold cash...
6/10
1) When a little cash helps us stay invested in the stock market with the rest.
E.g. Holding 5% of dry powder is a GREAT investment regardless of outcome if it mentally allows us to keep the other 95% of our stock-market-eligible money perma-invested.
7/10
2) If you're such an amazing AND disciplined investor that you can overcome the 9% vig with opportunistic stock buys.
Seth Klarman and Warren Buffett fall into this bucket.
VERY hard to execute. People often hold cash until FOMO gets the best of them and they buy high.
8/10
3) When we come into a large lump sum, it can make sense to add it to the market over time...essentially dollar-cost averaging as many of us do with biweekly paychecks into a 401k.
9/10
Outside of these specific examples, holding stock market money as cash is just gambling on market timing.
The old phrase "Time IN the market, not timing the market" holds true.
10/10
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First, the personality quirks my system has to manage: 1) Fortunately, I get nervous if I'm spending more than I'm making. No problems saving vs. spending "bonus" money. 2) I hate the constraints of a constant daily budget. 3) I get excited for sprints, tired of marathons.
2/6
On my wife's side, she basically doesn't want to think about money. She might not be able to tell you our net worth within 50%.
That means I manage all the finances and am the "no" person.
On the other side, I have close to full freedom in our investment allocations.
3/6
Thought experiment: What would you do if you had to double your current annual savings?
(My answer threaded)
1/10
We're (family of four) already pretty strong savers, so doubling would mean considering pretty big things.
1) Moving to a lower-cost city/area...we live in the DC area, so most cities are cheaper (I could move to a few different cities and still keep my current job).
2/10
2) Leave a job I love for one that I'd like less if it paid more.
I'm pretty good with money but awful with desserts.
To save me, cookies need to be (in order of effectiveness): 1) At 7-11 instead of the house, so I'll be too lazy to get them 2) Hidden by my wife 3) In a cupboard vs. counter
Here are three similar money tactics...
1) Hide the password if you shouldn't touch it
A friend once gave me his brokerage password and told me to change it.
When he wanted to do something ill-advised, he'd have to sheepishly ask me for it.
Not generally advisable unless it's a spouse. But maybe a safe deposit box?