Tuesday 6 July 2021

Timing the Market versus Time in the Market

 

As a stay-at-home bum son during weekdays, I'm the man Friday when it comes to the heavy lifting.

And one such task is to hang out our "United Nations" laundry using the bamboo poles at the rear of the kitchen. 

Now that quite a lot of you are working from home, I believe most can appreciate what I have to say...


Have you noticed the weather these few weeks can get very temperamental? 

I see dark clouds approaching so I bring the laundry in. Then nothing happens... The sky turns all sunny on me.... Hey! What happened to the dark clouds? Making me look like a fool...


The next time I switched to just-in-time. See dark clouds? Ignore. Tell myself when it actually rains, then I'll bring my laundry in. I smart or what? Plan was sound; execution sucks... 

Instead of drizzling lightly first, the sky just opened up and jumped to torrent mode from the get go!? By the time I managed to bring my laundry in... they were all drenched...

I'm so angry with myself! Laundry almost dried... Now they're completely drenched again! 


Then there were times I managed to pull just-in-time perfectly! Happy. But the drizzle instead of turning into a downpour, just fizzled out... 

I mean when I finally get it right, it turned out to be false alarm.  $@@#%&&^!!!

So I hang out the laundry again. Go out.

Yup, you've guessed it! 

It pours when I not at home...


I'm so tempted to give up. 

No need to bring the laundry in when dark clouds approaches. Even when it pours, let the laundry be wet. 

Look, the rain will stop right? If not today, tomorrow. If not tomorrow, the day after. 

So if my laundry is already out, it will catch the sun again right?

What's the point of me bringing my laundry in and out based on the weather outside?



P.S.   This post draws its inspiration from CW's post and Spur's comment at:


Time in the Market > Timing the Market???



Noticed something interesting?

3 people.

One use visual aids.

One use numbers.

One use words.

All 3 tell the same story ;)



 


18 comments:

  1. Smol,

    Unlike investments, I've long gave up on laundry-timing.

    Whether it's blazing 35 degrees outside or thunderstorm 24 degrees, no care.

    Use "good for indoor drying" detergent & hang all my tek-kohs inside.

    Yup, when it comes to laundry, I'm all buy-and-hold LOL.

    Worst case use backup ... dryer. Or just use it for finishing touch.

    That's like having some long-dated puts for when weather insists on raining non-stop for 2-3 days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Spur,

      Using dryer or hanging laundry indoors to some readers may resonate like putting money in CPF ;)

      The trade off is our money will not smell like sunshine; but at least they're never wet!

      LOL!


      Jokes aside, I see your "unlike investments" ;)

      Craftsmanship is hard; its more intellectually stimulating though.

      Better this than to have 1st year investment experience times 30 using buy-and-hold! Ouch!

      Delete
    2. Ya lor :P

      When it comes to no-fun stuff like housework, I'd rather seek the laziest buy-and-hold method or just cut-loss, much to the Wife's annoyance. Kekeke

      Delete
  2. I knew it was the right choice to buy a dryer ten years ago!

    Kind of like an automatic rebalancing robo-advisor, huh? It takes some fees (electricity bills) but I'll live heh.

    Kevin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kevin,

      I've noticed most young couples at my weekend sales gig will default buying a dryer with a washer. Must be a generation gap thing...

      Buying a dryer is "foreign" to me, especially for someone who grew up with bamboo poles and the smell of sunshine on my clothes.

      I've used a dryer in Shanghai but didn't like it...

      I shall miss my bamboo poles. New BTO have another system. Must start getting used to laundry in the shade!?

      Delete
  3. Use weather forecast + observation.

    Not hundred percent, but definitely better than "tikam" and leave laundry outside while not at home!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe intuition plays a role too. :P
      https://createwealth8888.blogspot.com/2009/04/wise-words-series-part-3_25.html

      Delete
    2. Rainbow girl,

      Experienced fishermen of course will use new technology like weather forecasts, but they will not ignore their 6th sense or intuition horned from years of experience surviving the waves...

      Better let others insult them as "lazy" or "scaredy cat", than to be a dead fisherman!


      Delete
  4. Nowadays, we have 24x7 Laundry DIY outlets in our HDB neighborhood centre or shophouses HDB block; if sky continues to be dark and wet by evening; just bring them to the dryer and put $1 coin for 5 min spin dry. Settled!

    Timing the Market first (Sunny days) to avoid service fee. If wrong, then pays for the service!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CW,

      Yes, we see ang moh styled laundromats popping up everywhere in HDB estates.

      You've used then?

      For me, my "dryer" is my trusty iron. When it rains for days on end, ironing my laundry how I dry my clothes ;)

      It seems not only I'm an IT dinosaur, I'm a dinosaur when it comes to laundry too!

      LOL!

      Delete
    2. Electricity + labor to iron < $1 + walking energy

      OK. Electricity + labor to iron - walking energy < $1!

      :-)

      Delete
    3. CW,

      I don't think you iron your own clothes or do your own laundry ;)

      Iron to dry = pressed shirts and pants :)

      Use dryer clothes become dry and super crumbled. Try ironing them!

      Must use a lot of steam or spray water to iron!!!

      Doing laundry is easy; ironing clothes the boring part :(

      Delete
  5. When I am doing care giving, dryer is cool. Wash my clothes with my machine. Bring all down, with dad.

    4 dollars 24 min. Have a nice dinner with dad. Then after dinner collect and go ...

    My MIL never wanted dryer. Unless raining for days or weeks. Say dryer dirty, even if personal dryer, says will spoilt the clothes.

    Sorry... I talking literally.

    Personally I like chop chop, just get it dry. I am guy. No need smell fragrance or have silky feel of cloth brushing on my skin.

    So odds higher if after heavy rains and sun come out, then bring clothes out?

    If can get dry in the end, doesn't matter la. Even got rain smell.

    I more scare no clothes wear. All my clothes on bamboo and the rain won't stop .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sillyinvestor,

      I am guessing you and your dad don't iron your laundry ;)

      I prefer sunshine or during rainy days, use iron to "dry" the laundry - two in one - dried and pressed!


      This is another example of different people; different mindsets!

      I focus on the majority of weeks in the year we got sunshine :) Call me optimist!

      I guess some prefer to focus on those few weeks in the year where the rain never stops...

      Its hard to sell me extended warranties or those extra riders for critical illnesses and what not that can go wrong in life!

      LOL!

      Delete
  6. Also maybe dun change so much clothes so that won't need to wash clothes so often ??
    Underwear clip over and wear again? Lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ew...

      Then again, that's in hot and humid Singapore.

      You'll be surprised for those countries with 4 seasons, especially during their dark winters and the cooler autumn months, how often they wash their clothes...

      Those who worked or studied overseas will know. There's such a thing called laundry day - and its once a week!

      And let's just say no matter how cold, I need to shower every day with hot water even in the coldest nights of winter.

      Try telling a Singaporean no need to shower every day in winter!

      Delete
  7. Smol,

    You can hang the clothes at the window grilles to dry. Or use a clothes-drying rack.

    https://pyxis.nymag.com/v1/imgs/cd3/d5b/9bd210c1f551c8d016e97192aa8fb8c7f8-dring-rack-lede.rhorizontal.w700.jpg

    Dry your clothes indoors so you don't need to worry about rain.

    When I was working overseas, I dried my clothes by hanging them from a rod in the toilet. Don't need to worry about rain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hyom,

      I'm not worried about rain; Singapore has more sunny days than rainy days ;)

      I just love the smell of sunshine on my clothes :)

      That's why I so happy my laundry yard to faces the setting sun.

      Most of the day its drying in the shade... But from 3-6pm, at least got some sun shining in. Some better than none!


      I guess its a sign of progress...

      Now more affluent, we are shy and embarrassed with drying our laundry the United Nations way with bamboo poles in the open!?

      LOL!





      Delete

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