$$$ Money $$$

Lately it feels like I've been spending money faster than I can make it. After my new computer, a brake job on my truck, and an auto insurance bill all at the same time, I don't seem to hear anything jingling in my pockets. I've done some re-evaluating and I've concluded that all of this is in my head. I'm good at planning out my finances and I really can't complain about my position.

My assets that I have invested in the stock market are doing better than ever even after recent market declines. I have 2 accounts, one that my broker handles and another that I handle on my own. I pretty much let my broker buy and sell whenever and whatever he recommends. My account that is more under my direct control, I have with OptionsXpress. In the past my broker has burned me on a few stocks...Worldcom comes to mind, but we've made progress on a few others. I've burned myself on a few stocks too but I've made up the difference and more. These charts show 2 of my recent successes, Sunpower and Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold. I like to stare at them sometimes. (Click on them for the full-size chart.)

Sunpower was my broker's idea. This one wasn't on my radar at all. I got in at 38.18 last November so that puts me up almost 30 points if I sell it now.

Freeport McMoran was my idea. I found this one using my online stockpicking tool. I got in at 68.51 and in again at 75.12 on a little pullback this June.

Although it is very tempting, I don't spend any of my gains I just reinvest them. Yesterday was a real sweet market day for my stocks. I made more money in my OptionsXpress portofolio than I do in 8 hours of work. I wish that happened everyday.

I've heard Jim Cramer pushing FCX which can't hurt either. I watch his show on CNBC sometimes. He's more entertaining than anything else. I get some ideas on stocks from the show. Some investments he recommends I wouldn't touch, while others are genuinely good buys. I think the intro and bumper music for the TV show sounds a lot like a riff from the Led Zeppelin song, "How Many More Times". It's not exactly the same but there's a few bars in common in there. It's not as close to the same as Queen's, "Under Pressure" and Vanilla Ice's, "Ice, Ice Baby", but it's not so dissimilar that it wouldn't be noticeable to anyone familiar with the first Led Zeppelin album. There's a good chance too that it was someone else's riff before Led Zeppelin used in on that album. At the moment, Cramer likes Haliburton. I don't own it but I've been looking at it. I'm leaning more toward XTO which I've owned in the past.