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Times Staff WriterROLAND WATKINS: 70, retired, Oldsmar
Q. How did you get started in investing?
I started with stock option money in 1985. I did quite a bit with a brokerage.
Q. What is your best investment so far?
I think some of the Internet companies, like Cisco Systems, and Chrysler. I never invested heavily in anything.
Q. What is your worst investment so far?
I try to forget them. I haven't been investing individually for about six years.
Q. What have you learned about investing that you think other investors should know?
I would get a good finance guy. You can't know enough about what's going on.
Q. How would you describe your approach to investing?
Cautious, now that I'm old. I don't want to lose what I've got.
Q. How are you invested?
Sixty percent in variable annuities - about 70 percent of those are in stocks; the other 40 percent in bonds. I'm happy to make the interest the variable annuities offer after 10 years with the guarantee I won't lose capital.
Q. What do you find the most difficult about investing?
Trust. I don't think anyone knows (what's going on).
Q. Do you think now is a good time to invest?
Yes, because the stock market is low. It's still got a long way to go up.
Q. Do you have a goal for your investing?
To hold onto my capital. When I changed financial advisers, I hammered that into them.