How I invest my money

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of tracking performance in managing a concentrated stock portfolio, suggesting that understanding the portfolio's composition is crucial for effective management [3][4] - The author shares the performance of their family's retirement savings, which yielded a total return of 16.71% in 2025, slightly below the S&P 500's return of 17.88% and significantly below the S&P/TSX Composite Index's return of 31.68% [5] - The article discusses the long-term performance of the S&P/TSX Composite Index, which has underperformed the S&P 500 over the last two decades, with compound total returns of 10.95% versus 14.81% [6] Portfolio Management - The portfolio has been consistently allocated 100% to common stocks for the past 24 years, with minimal turnover [8] - The asset mix has shifted to include roughly 10% more Canadian stocks compared to U.S. stocks, reversing a previous trend where U.S. stocks made up 66% of the portfolio [13] Performance Metrics - The total compounded return on the family's retirement savings since January 1, 1973, is 13.35%, outperforming the S&P 500's 10.93% over the same period [5] - The average CPI inflation rate in the U.S. over this period was 3.88% [5] Sector Performance - The S&P/TSX Composite Index's strong performance in 2025 was largely attributed to the heavy weighting of gold and precious metals stocks, which contributed approximately 30% to the index's return [5] - The financial sector, which constitutes around 33% of the index, rose by approximately 40% in 2025 [5] Investment Philosophy - The author advocates for a value investing approach, emphasizing that investing should always seek value sufficient to justify the amount paid [12] - The portfolio consists of stocks purchased for long-term growth, with a focus on buying at prices well below intrinsic value, following the principles of Ben Graham and Warren Buffett [12] Company Holdings - The portfolio includes significant U.S. holdings such as Amazon.com Inc (9.93% of total holdings) and Salesforce Inc (9.80%), both of which have been held for over five years [15][19] - Canadian holdings include CCL Industries Inc (4.98%) and Colliers International Group Inc (9.12%), with both companies demonstrating solid growth and strong management [25][26] Conclusion - The portfolio is managed according to the principles discussed in the article, with a focus on self-directed investment strategies and a behavioral edge over professional investors [35]