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Money panel

BOB CHAMBERS: 55, retired, Largo

By Times Staff Writer
Published March 6, 2005

How did you get started in investing?

I started in the early '90s. I started investing online. Basically been online ever since.

What is your best investment so far?

Probably the best investment is Tech Data, riding it up from a price in the mid 20s to the 40s.

What is your worst investment so far?

I would have to say I hung on to a REIT too long.

What have you learned about investing that you think all investors should know?

You have to have some discipline on the down side as to what you're going to lose before you say, "Gee, that was a bad choice," before riding it all the way down. Figure that out and then put stop orders and not get emotional about it at that point.

How would you describe your approach to investing?

I guess I tend to be focused on growth. I'm probably more focused on technology. On the retirement portfolio side, I'm a little on the aggressive side.

What do you find the most difficult about investing?

When you see a stock you think has dropped in price for a reason that doesn't make sense, and potentially will go back up, trying to decide what is the right point to get into that stock.

How are you invested now?

Right now, it's probably 70 percent tech, 30 percent in dividend stocks, primarily REITs.

What changes, if any, have you made in your investments in the past year?

Not really in the past year. In the past two years, I've gotten more disciplined with the stop orders and capturing things to preserve the capital I've got in the portfolio.

Do you think now is a good time to invest?

Yeah. I think there's always opportunities out there. You have to do a fair amount of research into what you think is going to be the next big deal.

What is your goal for investing?

Since I'm trying to manage my way to the 591/2 point in time to where I can start tapping my IRAs, I'm trying to squeeze as much income and growth as I can to help me get there.

What is your biggest money concern right now?

Health insurance is a huge concern. I look at it as a concern for the country as well.

Where do you get your investment tips?

I tend to watch CNBC quite a bit, and I'll usually pick up on something there that I'll then research on the Internet. If it's for my retirement portfolio, then I'll bring it up with my financial adviser.

[Last modified March 6, 2005, 00:13:18]