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In this episode of the IFB podcast, Dave and Andrew answer a thoughtful set of questions from listener Bruno about building confidence as a long-term investor, using ETFs like the S&P 500 and a quantum-themed ETF, and whether it ever makes sense to leverage an investment portfolio when buying a home.

Dave and Andrew share practical ways to narrow the universe of stocks using simple filters like the price-to-earnings ratio, plus how checklists and focusing on a single industry can make decisions easier and less overwhelming.

They discuss why knowing “what’s under the hood” is critical, how position sizing matters, and why most investors are better off treating thematic ETFs as small, speculative slices of a portfolio.

Finally, they address Bruno’s question about using an investment portfolio as collateral for a home loan, sharing their concerns about leverage, black swan risks, and why this is usually a high-net-worth, advisor-level conversation.

Key Topics Covered:

How to build confidence reading fundamentals and financial reports

How investing checklists help you avoid blind spots and repeatable mistakes

Focusing on one industry at a time to compare a small set of competitors

Pros and cons of broad ETFs like the S&P 500 for long-term investors

The risks of using your portfolio as collateral for a home loan

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro and Bruno’s email with three big questions

01:00 Struggling to trust your own analysis and fundamentals

06:00 Decision overload, restaurant menus, and narrowing your choices

09:30 How a checklist can build trust in your process

18:00 Question 2: Thoughts on ETFs like the S&P 500 and a quantum ETF

20:00 Why broad S&P ETFs are a “set it and forget it” core holding

22:30 Looking under the hood of a quantum ETF and its holdings

28:00 Question 3: Using your portfolio to help buy a home

37:00 Final thoughts on planning, margin of safety, and Bruno’s questions

Resources Mentioned: The Vale Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/

At Any Rate with Evan Raidt

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1KSDP3QV8VnLLL9Bz03Hi7?si=a1aa66569c2b4148

Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at newsletter@einvestingforbeginners.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast!

Remember, invest with a margin of safety—emphasis on the safety. Have a great week, and we’ll talk to you next time.

Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening.

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