Pam finds the guidance needed to use her patient cash savings well
Investors hold patient cash, and that willingness to patiently accumulate cash distinguishes the winning investors who consistently outperform indexes. However, as soon as an opportunity presents itself, these investors move fast! But when Pam was ready to invest the savings she had patiently accumulated, she needed guidance. She wanted to know how to quickly find the best investments so she could take advantage of investment opportunities. On the other hand, Pam was concerned that buying before doing thorough research would hurt her investment performance and portfolio value. She needed to learn how investors deal with uncertainty and misinformation and avoid following the herd while using patience and doing good research.
“One of the best rules anybody can learn about investing is to do nothing, absolutely nothing,
unless there is something to do.”
Jim Rogers
Investor, Jim Rogers
More on Jim Rogers here
What Pam learned from this lesson, investors hold patient cash
The investors hold patient cash lesson emphasizes that successful long-term investors are patient and do their homework before investing. That patience is a characteristic of no-worry investors who lower their risks through research and a long-term approach to investing. But when conditions are right, winning investors move fast to put cash to work. They patiently listen to and watch markets for clear direction without expecting specific market moves. Links at the end of the lesson give access to related lessons. This lesson teaches:
How Pam developed her patient cash strategy
Pam was excited to start building her portfolio to get the most out of her money but felt a little overwhelmed. She knew there were many different investing strategies but needed to figure out which strategy would work best for her.
After researching, she found White Top Investor and the no-worry investment process. Investors who held on to their cash and researched before investing could consistently outperform indexes. This approach appealed to Pam as it seemed like the smart thing to do - after all, investing without knowing what you're getting into is risky!
But her inexperience left her feeling stuck between two extremes – act quickly and buy without fully understanding the investment, or endlessly research only to do nothing.
At last, Pam realized the key was balance – patience and timely action. To succeed as an investor, she needed both an understanding of how markets operated and confidence in herself so that when an opportunity was presented, she wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of it. Pam soon became known among her friends and colleagues for achieving steady investment success through sensible stock market investments!
Pam realized that taking a more patient approach before investing was the way to build a long-term winning portfolio. Still, everyone around her seemed to be jumping in, buying stocks without doing any research or waiting for the perfect opportunity; what if she missed out? What if, by being too careful, she would lose out on potential gains?
Pam knew that some investors consistently outperformed indexes because they took their time and thoroughly researched before investing. But how could Pam do this without missing opportunities?
After contemplation, Pam realized that patience and due diligence were vital for successful investing. By not blindly following trends but instead taking deliberate steps towards informed decisions, Pam could ensure better long-term returns for herself.
Even when an opportunity presented itself, Pam learned to do her homework first. Soon her experience confirmed that thorough research would consistently lead her to avoid money-losing investments!
By patiently holding cash while researching before investing (and moving fast when appropriate), Pam looked forward to becoming an investor who can beat the market indexes!
FAQs Pam and other investors have about holding or using patient cash
The following frequently asked questions and answers about holding or using cash have overlapping answers which help investors better understand stock markets, investing, and money-making and how these issues are interrelated.
Should I hold cash or quickly invest?
Hold cash until you know how to use it to your advantage. Although there is no one-size-fits-all strategy, many investors hold 5% cash as their "dry powder," or opportunity money.
Wise investors patiently hold while researching how to make that cash work for their goal-oriented investment plan that considers their risk tolerance.
They research to identify and select their best investment option.
That stops them from following the herd while finding opportunities to outperform markets. Doing that well takes time and effort but consistently produces good results for No-Worry Investors.
What do investors do with cash?
After paying debts and filling emergency fund needs, cash is a vital portfolio position. Investors need a cash management strategy that allows them to make quick decisions when needed.
Cash can act as a shock absorber for any market surprises while investors research ways to make it work, to grow and increase investment flexibility and opportunities.
Finally, cash allows investors to take advantage of the market's timely opportunities.
Why do investors hold cash?
Investors holding cash have several advantages.
Cash is liquid and can be used immediately without having to wait for the sale of other assets.
Cash has no stock market exposure, which helps stabilize a portfolio with no negative return impact.
Cash protects against potential losses in adverse markets.
Cash offers the opportunity to take advantage of favorable market movements or seize short-term investment opportunities.
Cash has little risk, minimal volatility, and is easy to manage.
Should cash be a portfolio position?
For savvy investors, cash is both safe and the opportunity position in an investment portfolio.
Investors should have a cash management strategy that combines their goals, investment plan, and risk tolerance. On the positive side, cash offers liquidity and flexibility, but the downside includes inflationary value erosion.
The cash management strategy should consider if it should be held in a liquid position or be used to earn interest, other income, or capital gains.
Cash lets investors move fast to capitalize on any opportunities the market presents.
What is patient investment cash?
Patient cash waits while the investor searches for productive investment opportunities that immediately produce good returns.
However, when a productive opportunity knocks, these investors quickly put their cash to work.
The no-worry investor's patience is revealed in how they hold investment positions for the long term. They patiently watch and wait for clear market direction without expecting the market to do anything specific.
All the while, they continually research to find the most productive investment opportunities.
When and why should an investor hold cash?
Managing cash well is an integral part of building wealth.
The valuable asset of liquid cash gives investors flexibility and the option to seize market opportunities.
Cash can also buffer against market volatility or unpredictable events, offering peace of mind that ensures investors can immediately buy an investment opportunity.
The ability to move quickly can improve portfolio returns.
So smart investors should hold the opportunity asset, cash, for enhanced investment returns.
How much cash should an investor hold?
Investors should hold cash in their investment portfolio separate from their emergency fund that covers six months of living expenses.
Portfolio cash cushions against market downturns and serves as an opportunity asset that offers the ability to take advantage of favorable investment circumstances.
To be worthwhile, the minimum acquisition must be at least five percent of the portfolio. That means five percent cash is the minimum amount of cash to hold.
But a cash position can be up to twenty percent of a portfolio.
Still, all acquisitions must meet the individual investor's risk tolerance, goals, and financial security needs.
Is patient cash the same as patient capital?
Patient cash is not patient capital.
While patient cash seeks to invest in productive investments, patient capital seeks long-term opportunities by investing in pre-productive and early-stage ventures.
As a result, patient cash immediately earns returns when it buys a productive investment asset. In contrast, patient capital is content to hold without current returns and wait until a significant business transformation vastly increases the investment value.
The two leading characteristics of winning investors
Cash - willing to hold
Patient - willing to wait
Cash is good
You do not have to invest in the market all the time. At times, before completing the research, the best investment is 100% cash. And in tumultuous times, cash is king! Cash in abundance always comes in very handy.
Cash at market bottoms positions investors to seize buying opportunities. Every market bottom produces such opportunities with no exceptions, ever!
Buying low is the critical part of buy low, sell high
However, opportunities are still available once markets move well off the bottom. Still, nothing beats the profit-making potential of buying well. So when markets trend down, be ready for the best buying opportunity once the market rises from the bottom.
Market cycles are long and generally up. Still, when there is a downturn, we must not hesitate to go to cash. That preserves our precious capital and gains. It also sets us up for winning the next cycle.
Cash positions us best for the bottom. We can then immediately move in and quickly enjoy being among the winners. Remember, a willingness to hold cash and patience distinguishes winning investors. Join that exclusive and small happy crowd.
Best yet, it puts you in a very profitable group! We win the most by being on the up or bull side as soon as possible in any new market advance.
Being paralyzed by panic, refusing or hesitating to go to cash in a downturn can evaporate more portfolio value than any other single mistake an investor can make.
Cash is an investment. It is the most conservative holding in a downturn. Go there as soon as you know a downturn is underway and patiently wait for the opportunities to present themselves.
Another investor holds patient cash while researching investment opportunities.
Patience
Activity is good for the body but bad for your portfolio. Patiently riding a portfolio that is well positioned holding rising stocks consistently outperforms the results produced by traders. Patience pays big dividends.
Activity and exercise are good for our health, but little or no trading activity delivers the best investment portfolio health. No-worry investors are not continually active in the market.
No portfolio exercise needed
Go for a walk or to the gym for exercise but don't exercise your portfolio.
Patience is a distinguishing characteristic of no-worry investors. It certainly does not suggest any lack of aggression. Be aggressive and move fast when an opportunity presents itself. Be mindful that even the most effective predators spend a lot of time quietly waiting.
They don't chase opportunities that are not there. Wishing or imagining does not work. Just as we cannot push the tide, we cannot drive the market. It will do what it does. As no-worry investors, we watch and are ready to act when needed.
We learn by observing what the market does and responding to that when the market tells us the time is right.
When the market is trending up, the time is right. Then we quickly and aggressively move in.
Direction or trend changes catch most speculators well offside. It also devastates most traders. There is no room in the turmoil of a falling market for any but the most experienced players.
When the bear arrives, hide under your cash!
When the bear shows up, quickly take your capital out. That is the best response. Take the cash and sit on it. The willingness to go to cash and the patience to wait for direction will put you ahead. It will distinguish you as a winning investor.
There are alternative strategies for playing downturns and bear markets. We can discuss them in other conversations. Simply going to cash is easy, low risk, and works.
In bear markets we can hide under our cash.
Under such circumstances, go to cash until you become a more experienced investor. Even then, remember, a willingness to hold cash and patience distinguishes winning investors. Be a winning investor.
Lesson takeaway for investors hold patient cash
Pam and other successful investors hold patient cash as part of a long-term investment strategy. While patiently holding they do their homework before investing. Like all no-worry investors they lower their risks with thorough research and long-term investment thinking. But in the right circumstances when opportunities present themselves, winning investors quickly put cash to work. They listen to and watch markets for clear market direction without expecting any specific moves. This lesson covered the following points:
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Learn more.Managing Investment Market Risks, lesson links:
Introduction to Managing Investing Market Risks Lesson 1
Dangerous dividend warning signs Lesson 2
Investor retirement saving dangers Lesson 3
Exotic ETFs blow-up portfolios Lesson 4
Stock scam awareness defense Lesson 5
Best stock scam tips Lesson 6
Bitcoin fraud trust and psychology Lesson 7
Investors hold patient cash Lesson 8
3 Risk or opportunity signals Lesson 9
Option risks, dangers and opportunities Lesson 10
Cautious look at options Lesson 11
Selling low destroys wealth Lesson 12
FAQ about investment market risks Lesson 13
Next lesson 9: 3 Risk or opportunity signals
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