Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Catch-and-Release Strategy

There's something new to learn from everyone, particularly when it comes to hunting down the best deals in anything: stocks, funds, shoes, software or sweaters. My sister has a unique style that has saved her thousands over the years: catch-and-release shopping.

How does it work? Working the market is no different than working the mall: we're all looking for a deal. We're looking for greater value than price.

Sometimes in the glitz and glitter of all those fluorescent lights and mirrors, or catching a surge in volume in after-hours trading and thinking you've hooked a big one, you pull in a trout and not that monster Ahi. Only you don't realize it until you get home and find that that killer white T-shirt is the identical twin of the one in the closet. Or that your buy order just got you over-allocated in tech.

Time to release the little fella'. Save your receipts; take it back to the store (make sure you understand the return policy and time limits.) Set your price to sell and dump it. Just because you caught a minnow doesn't mean you need to keep it.

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