While I have always believed in dividend growth investing, and previously made it my core strategy, I have recently grown an interest towards ETF investing as well. ETFsRock.com is the result of my extensive research on the topic.
This site is all about the vast world of ETF investing. It will provide you with a strong base to start with; but keep in mind this is just the beginning. Your investing journey will not stop here. This brings me back to the original question that must be addressed: why ETFs? A part of the answer can be found here:
As you can see, index investing, or passive investing, is picking-up speed since 2008. During the 2008 crisis, many actively managed mutual funds showed vulnerability against protecting investor’s money during periods of high volatility. When everybody is making money, nobody looks closely at their portfolio. However, when things go sour, we start looking at how our portfolio is invested. This is when we discover that we are paying high fees, that professional managers haven’t delivered and that our advisor has failed us.
We then start asking question such as:
- Why am I paying high MERs for underperforming mutual funds?
- Has my financial advisor done anything for me?
- Is there a way I can invest on my own?
- How can ETFs help me achieve my goals?
At first, ETFs gained many investors because they were cheaper, more flexible and easier to use than mutual funds. The most popular ETFs will replicate the return of major indexes such as the S&P 500, the Dow Jones or the TSX 60 for Canadian investors. Why do you need a professional portfolio manager who fails 95% of the time to beat its index, when you can buy the index itself and be 100% sure to stick to its return? The answer is: you don’t.
This is why you should consider ETF investing; because it is possibly the best investment vehicle you can get. However, as is the case with any kind of investment product, you can easily lose yourself in the ocean of information available. Off course, the bulk of this information is created by ETFs manufacturers… This site will give you an unbiased view of the world of ETFs.
Where to Start?
If you haven’t done this already, you should start by downloading your free Ebook. This book covers ETF basics with a broad viewpoint. It is also a good portfolio building guide.
Once you have read the book, there is a lot to discover:
Build Your ETF Portfolio is a section dedicated to investors willing to work on their own investment portfolio using ETFs. You will discover how to build revenue portfolios, index portfolios and momentum portfolios.
Market Commentary is a section where we follow the stock market and give insights about potential trades to be made.
Learn More About ETFs is an extended section following the introductory article “ETF Basics”. You will find educational content here, to improve your knowledge.
A little about me
First things first; you rock! I want to personally thank you for taking out the time to read my work. If you are reading this section of the site, it means we will most likely share a part of your investing journey together.
In 2016, I decided to take a leap of faith and leave everything behind to travel across North America and Central America with my family. This was an eye-opening adventure that led me, in 2017, to quit my job in the financial industry and pursue my dream: helping others with their personal finance through my investing websites. I hope it will help you start on the right foot as a beginner investor or improve your investing skills if you have experience as an investor.
My name is Mike McNeil and I am the author of ETFs Rock & The Dividend Guy Blog along with being the owner and portfolio manager over at Dividend Stocks Rock. Since 2010, I have been known across the investing blog community for my passion for dividend investing.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing, and own a CFP title along with an MBA in financial services. I have worked in the financial industry for 13 years, mainly with clients in wealth management. I began my investing journey in 2003, where I used the proceeds of my successful trading strategy to buy my first home just 3 years later. Besides being a passionate investor, I am happily married with three beautiful children. I launched my online venture to educate people about investing and to be able to spend more time with my family.
If you have any questions, please email me at thefinancialblogger@gmail.com. I will be thrilled to discuss investment strategies with you!
Cheers,
Mike