A lot have already said - CD’s you can get 5.75 - 6% max. Hi-yield savings 5.00 - 5.25%. I‘ve been buying Barrier Auto Call notes from 9.00 to 13.00% for the last 5 yrs. They’re 5 yr notes but they can be called at any time. They typically last about 2.5 yrs before a call. You’re then paid accrued interest from point of purchase to point of call. I’ve been told by more than one guy “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”. I’ve been in the contract and money business my whole adult life. We make an agreement with a blue chip bank I.e. Citigroup, JP Morgan, HSBC, BOA, RBC etc, etc. They provide the terms, I pay consideration - That forms a contract. I’ve shown statements of purchase and statements of call where I’m paid per the agreement. I have a ladder of these in play now. I ask my friend “Where’s the free lunch”. He just repeats the same mantra. I buy him lunch and say “There’s your free lunch”…….. If the global financial system collapsed yes I’d probably lose what I’m currently in for, absent that I’ll keep collecting. If you research the title of these notes - they’ll describe what I just did with the notable exception of “the at risk factor”. These particular notes carry little to none. The key is what they’re tied to. I probably wouldn’t believe it myself if I hadn’t been involved for 5+yrs and never missed a payday. I came upon them thru a childhood friend that I’ve known all my life - He’s fairly wealthy, some by inheritance and some thru his own hard work. He’s less sophisticated in this arena than I may be. We got talking about investments - I was looking for someone I could trust and have someone close to me that would vouch for whomever. We talked at length about his guy and then connected the dots. I still wasn’t convinced so I piece—mealed for a few years Until it was right for me. In 2020 I decided it was time to pull the trigger after 40 hrs on my own. I no longer had any confidence in where things were going or in my ability to navigate the stormy seas sure to rise.
That‘s all I can tell you other than you need a heavy weight broker w/an international WM arm. Once I roll out of this current ladder which has 3-5 year call dates where most will be called much sooner - I’m done. Won’t need them anymore and I don’t feel it necessary to continue to accumulate. I intend to spend, give away and bequeath. I’ve no children or heirs save my wife - which I will ensure is well taken care of when I take the dirt nap. I don’t aspire to climb higher on the wealth ladder - I don’t think it’s good for the soul. And in my case w/o heirs I‘ve no responsibility in that way so what would be the point? I’m Almost embarrassed to have what I have when so many others have so little. But I’ll tell you one thing no one ever gave me a nickel towards where I am. Heck even as a kid if I wanted a bicycle I had to scrape and save my tips from the paper route to buy one. I went to Catholic high school - One year. I had to pay my own way from the savings off my earnings from the paper route - I never saw a dime except in the savings book my father kept for me to pay for school, a bike etc. He taught us value that way. I’ve traveled a lot to many poor God forsaken forsaken countries - those that gave me the most are those that thought they had nothing to give. How wrong They were.
I seek to find target giving to those I speak of. No big name charities, no well endowed universities, no big projects - just simple high impact targeted pinpoint giving to those and that in need. Whatever I do I don’t even want anyone to know I did it. That’s the Lords way and I seek to honor his name.…