Is it possible to get rich on investments: Lifehacker's harsh experiment with money and a beard

What's happening?

Alexey Ponomar and Rodion Scriabin decided to check which of them would better cope with the role of an investor, and invested 100,000 rubles each. The beard is at stake: whoever earns less will go to the barber to shave it off.

Alexey and Rodion invested money in May last year as part of investment challenge Lifehacker and Tinkoff. Every month they tell readers where they lost and where they made money. And in the middle of the month, they share their forecasts for the next two weeks.

In January, Rodion was involved in the reshuffling of existing assets and started the Eternal Portfolio. And Alexey spent a month on vacation and took a break from investments.

Let's see what has changed in the portfolios of the challenge participants and what they plan to do in the remaining weeks of February. And if you are also thinking of starting to make money on investments, read to the end: you are waiting for the answers of the Tinkoff expert to the most important questions for beginners.

Interview with heroes

How did February start? What is happening to your account right now and what do you think about it?

Rodion Scriabin

Alibaba started growing on February 1st and it's a holiday! Everything is ok with me, the score is growing, I am in the green zone and I am very happy about it. In general, I behave like a sexton - I do nothing.

Alexey Ponomar

February started off quite well for my assets. Despite the coronavirus, everything is doing pretty well.

Question for Rodion. At the beginning of the month, you thought about selling part of VISA assets, what happened in the end?

Rodion Scriabin

Maybe this is a stupid strategy, but I think to wait for the moment when both Alibaba and VISA grow, and arrange a "garage sale" - to sell part of the shares to lock in profits.

A question for Alexey. After the vacation, you said that you were not ready for action. Have you changed your mind?

Alexey Ponomar

I really didn’t do anything, I just continued to observe, and as long as I was happy with everything, I didn’t change my mind. Until the end of February, I remain with the assets that I have already bought. I don't compare myself to a colleague, because I adhere to a certain strategy and think about long-term prospects. So far, growth in January and February is good and stable.

What did you do in February? Did you do something unexpected? Or stuck with the plan?

Rodion Scriabin

Received dividends from ITNT - as much as 73 cents. And I did nothing else.

Alexey Ponomar

There were several days of panic, but nothing serious happened.

Have there been any sudden drops or cosmic growth during these two weeks?

Rodion Scriabin

I have only 4 shares. Alibaba is trying to recover, and the rest are just growing steadily.

Alexey Ponomar

IT companies such as ETF and Yandex showed good growth. Contrary to forecasts, the oil sector is growing, despite the drop in oil and other bad news. Baidu is showing very strong growth despite the virus situation.

What's your forecast for the next two weeks?

Rodion Scriabin

I don’t know what about the forecast, I’m not an investment analyst. But the hope that Trump will embrace China and they will start dancing the jig is definitely there.

Alexey Ponomar

It is difficult, of course, to make any predictions. But I want to hope that everything will remain at about the same level. It is comfortable for me to climb the level of 118,000 rubles. Now I have 119,000 rubles in my account. Most of the stocks I have invested in are showing slow but steady growth. So I just take my time and keep watching.

Two and a half months left before the final of the challenge. Who will win?

Rodion Scriabin

I. Because my beard suits me very well.

Alexey Ponomar

May will show who will win. It is interesting to see who has how much money will remain in their hands after we take everything from investment accounts and put it next to each other.

Investment FAQ for beginners

Once a month, Tinkoff expert Kirill Komarov shares his wisdom and answers a new batch of questions about investments. Use his tips! They will help you avoid mistakes and finally start making money on deposits.

Is it possible to invest money for a month or two, make a profit, and then withdraw it? Or is there a minimum term for which you need to invest?

Of course you can, but investing is a long-term business. In two months, the potential of the shares may not be realized at all. It is worth taking a course for at least a few years. For example, famous investors such as Templeton or Neff advise aiming at 3-5 years.

What is better to choose for the first investment: shares of a stable company or Eternal Portfolio? And why?

It depends on what goals you are pursuing. Eternal Portfolio brings low returns, but with minimal risk. Stocks may have more upside potential.

Is there a winning investment strategy that works in all cases? If so, which one? If not, how do you develop the right action plan?

Yes, here are the main rules: diversify your portfolio, approach investments as a long-term project, do not try to outplay the market, do not trade very often. As some studies show, the most successful portfolios over the long term are those with less than 10% of the portfolio turnover per year.

Does the timing of the transaction matter? For example, is it better to buy assets in the morning or in the evening?

From a fundamental point of view, it does not.

How to diversify assets correctly?

Standard diversification: 60% stocks and 40% bonds. Stocks can be diversified by industry. There is no point in chasing exact percentages.

For even more tips for novice investors, check out the other challenge materials. Until then, place your bets! Who will be left without money and without a beard?

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