Where to Put Money When the Market Feels Risky with Dave and Friends
The Investing for Beginners Podcast - Your Path to Financial Freedom
Insurance companies as defensive financials
Dave and Brandon recommend insurance businesses for defensive financial exposure and mention Berkshire's holdings.
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In this episode, the Pitch Team (Tyler, Brandon, and Constantin) gets into a practical conversation about what to do when your portfolio feels “too hot” and you’re worried about a downturn. The group talks through how risk tolerance, time horizon, and having an actual exit plan matter more than trying to time the market.
They also dig into what “defensive” really means in real life—comparing sectors like real estate, healthcare, utilities, energy, insurance, and banks—and why even “safe” areas can still drop when the overall market sells off.
Key Topics Covered
Reducing concentration risk and thinking in portfolio allocation terms
“Don’t fiddle” vs making smart adjustments as your timeline shortens
Defensive sectors
Dividend thinking
Comparing “defensive” companies
Timestamps:
00:00:58 – Retirement portfolio feels overexposed
00:03:01 – “Climbing the wall of worry”
00:04:51 – The real question: if you sell and the market keeps going up, how will you feel?
00:05:10 – Brandon trims QQQM and reallocates
00:10:36 – “Have an exit plan”
00:14:00 – Conservative mindset & Buffett rules (“don’t lose money”)
00:15:04 – Time horizon matters
00:16:28 – “Don’t fiddle”
00:19:08 – Defensive sectors
00:23:34 – Real estate & REIT framing
00:26:52 – Walmart vs Amazon as “defensive” plays
00:30:31 – Costco enters the debate
00:36:21 – PayPal as a dividend payer
00:38:35 – Regulation risk
00:41:18 – DRIP vs conviction
00:44:01 – UnitedHealth: “too big to fail?”
00:47:05 – Are banks defensive? Exposure matters!
00:53:04 – PayPal vs Nubank
01:03:29 – “Bet the house”
Resources Mentioned
The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/
Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at equity@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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