Mid-Day Reassessment of Buy the Dip Stocks

I'm feeling pretty good about my picks at this time.

Here's my reassessment of the stocks I bought on the dip last week.  The stocks are all positive mid-day, Woohoo!  Hopefully, they continue to stay positive.

The ones in black are yesterday's assessment.  Green is the new assessment.

                                     Index ETF Keepers:   VOO, MGK

                              Holds for higher returns:   MSFT, TSLA, 

Possible Holds but scale out on the way up:   NOW, CRM, HUBS, NFLX, ADBE, ACN

                            Hoping to get some gains:   HUBS, NFLX, ADBE, TEAM

                                         Praying not a loss:   UNH, TEAM, ACN

Of course, the results and status can change quickly in this market.   

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This is not financial. stock picking nor investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Cash Basis Creates A Realistic Budget

Budgeting seems like a lot of extra planning and detailed work.  My simple solution to budgeting was to live on a cash basis initially.

After graduating from college, I lived on a cash basis for a couple years.  It was very empowering financially.  I learned quickly how to live within my means.   In my first month of employment, I ran of out money three days before my monthly paycheck.  

Fortunately, I was paid on the last business day of the month via direct deposit.   Thus, I had funds to pay my rent on the 1st.   However, it was a good learning experience for me.  I managed my finances so I didn't run of out money again.  I lived on a cash basis, i.e. no credit cards, until I took out a loan for my first new car a couple year later.

I started managing my spending to have a little left over by next monthly payday.  I considered that my savings.  I did this for many years.

If I did it over again, I would use the 50/20/30 rule:  50% necessities, 20% savings, 30% wants.  I wrote about how to do this in Be One's Own CFO for Personal Finances.

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This is not financial budgeting, nor spending advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Tomorrow's Stock Trading Thoughts

Pretty wild in the stock market today.  My beaten down dip buys did OK overall.  Tonight, I a pre-thinking my trading for tomorrow. 

                                     Index ETF Keepers:   VOO, MGK

                              Holds for higher returns:   MSFT, TSLA, 

Possible Holds but scale out on the way up:   NOW, CRM

                            Hoping to get some gains:   HUBS, NFLX, ADBE

                                         Praying not a loss:   UNH, TEAM, ACN

The above is my starting point.  As the day evolves, the stock category may change and I will treat the position accordingly.

For more on Strategies and Plans, check back every Monday for a new segment.

This is not financial, stock picking nor investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Individual Stock Prices Seem Too Schizophrenic

Down, up, or sideways erratically is how stocks seem to move nowadays.

Here's how my last week buy the dip stocks went today.  Down at the open, up after an hour, rising through mid-day, faded into the close and was mostly positive.   ACN and TEAM are still down.  UNH, NFLX, HUBS and ADBE went from down almost break even.  NOW and CRM went from down to up.  MSFT and TSLA advanced further.  The index ETFs, VOO and MGK, were stable and remained up.

I'm still down a little from buying the dip.   However, the emotions were a roller coaster as the individual stocks look like they might decline further before reversing.   Too much anxiety/excitement for me.  I definitely enjoyed the results confirming my choice to buy the dip, but who knows what tomorrow, next week or next month will bring.  I will scaling out of these individual stock over the next few days, weeks, or months and taking the profit.  

Based on this experience so far, I don't expect I will be trading individual stocks for short term profits on a regular or substantial basis. I may occasionally trade up to 10 stocks that I track which allows me to better anticipate short term price movements.   Other that that, I will stay invested in the current previously managed accounts and add broad market index ETFs, such as VOO and MGK, on the future dips.

For more on Strategies and Plans, check back every Monday for a new segment.

This is not financial, stock, nor investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Evaluation for Buying on This Dip

It looks like I bought the beaten down stock too soon.   ADBE, ACN, TEAM, NFLX, HUBS, and UNH dropped further early in trading.  MSFT and TSLA rose.  NOW and CRM are even.  The index ETFs, VOO and MGK, are up.

For now, I may try to add to couple positions, such as HUBS and TEAM, but not planning to buy much otherwise.   I will wait a few days before considering making more purchases. 

Overall, this decline occurrence of individual stocks versus rising index ETFs is supporting my move out of individual stock selection and into market index ETFs/mutual funds.  Less attention needed and less volatility stress.

Hopefully, the day will end better for the individual stocks.

For more on Strategies and Plans, check back every Monday  for a new segment.

This is not financial, stock, nor investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

How to Thrive in Retirement

I thought this was a good article about managing retirement finances:

How to actually thrive in retirement with the simple plan almost everyone ignores

Here were the key points from the article:

• The overlooked foundation: knowing your real spending
• The simple plan almost everyone ignores: separate short‑term and long‑term money
• Designing a cash buffer that lets you sleep at night
• Turning a nest egg into a paycheck: withdrawal rules that actually work
• Aligning money with meaning: values, expectations, and regret
• Health costs, tax moves, and other unglamorous levers
• Social Security as a risk‑management tool, not just a benefit
• Clarity and discipline: the behavioral edge most retirees miss
• Putting it all together into a life you actually enjoy

Disclosure:  No compensation was received for reposting this article.

For more on Strategies and Plans, check back every Monday for a new segment.

This is not financial nor retirement advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Trading Thoughts

This weekend I realized the many of the stocks I bought last week have fallen be cause the are SAAS (Software as a Service) stocks.   The current expectation is that AI may obsolete some of the software offered by these companies, since AI will do it for much lower cost.

I'm not sure if the market will continue to rebound or reverse to fall again.   If it continues to rebound, I will consider whether sell some positions I bought last week for a small profit, or risk that it will be a bull trap and wait.   If the market reverses, I will hold the positions I have and be ready to buy some more VOO which is the S&P index ETF.

I expect this week will be volatile which may create unexpected/unwanted excitement.  I don't plan to sell any of the diversified stock, ETF, or mutual fund positions that I am holding.   I only plan to sell individual stocks that have been bought on speculation that a rebound will happen.

For more on New Beginnings, check back every Sunday for a new segment.

This is not financial, investment nor trading advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Correction Over?

It looks the correction of February 2-5.  2026 may be over😎  The stock market apparently only goes in one direction, UP.     However, that isn't true for individual stocks, some of which are down over 50% from their 52 week high: e.g. HUBS, TEAM, and NOW.  For fun, I am trading small positions on these stocks hoping to make some short term profits.   As the market (hopefully) rebounds, I will be scaling out of these positions at profits targeting 15% or more.

I think the best approach to buying the dip may be to buy the market index funds and I started buying last week.  The two I am purchasing are VOO (S&P 500) and MGK (Large Cap Growth).    I plan to continue scaling into these to ETFs over the next week or more, as the market recovers from the dip.

Disclosure:  I bought HUBS, TEAM,  NOW, VOO, and MGK last week.

For more on New Beginnings, check back every Sunday for a new segment.

This is not financial, stock, nor investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

Real Estate Crash May Be Coming

Is this story an indication of the decline for real estate prices?

Chicago Office Tower Sells at an 87% Discount to Pre-Covid Price

I'm assuming the owner decided it was better to take the loss than to wait for a recovery and just tossed the keys to the lender.

For more on Reflections and Musings, check back every Saturday for a new segment.

This is not financial, real estate nor investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

The Dip Bottomed Today - For Now

The stock market had a massive rebound with the Dow index closing at an all time high.  Many of the stock that I purchased this past week, but only a few have gained past the purchase price.   Still I bought most at a significant discount (30-50%) from their 52 week highs.  

Most rose today, with a couple falling further.  I was able to sell one of the TSLA shares I purchased yesterday at a 3.5% profit.   At this point, I expect the rebound to continue next week, but I don't know for sure.   I decided to buy some MGK and VOO in case the rally continues in next week

I feel good right now from buying.  Hoping for the rebound to continue.🙏

For more on Reaping the Rewards , check back every Friday for a new segment.

This is not financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2026 Achievement Catalyst, LLC