February 15th, 2023 paycheck

Created:

I had cash in the settlement account after the previous check. The multi-factor fund was up the previous day, I placed the following limit orders:

  1. market price; executed.
  2. 2 cents over; executed.
  3. 1 percent down; executed.

This day was interesting. Of course, the market price order executed, partial shares are a thing at Vanguard. The price per share of the fund dropped slowly throughout the day. Then, as soon as the 1 percent down order was executed, the price per share shot back up over the market price I paid.

Vanguard is also opening up the margin game for those using their platforms. Leveraged investing goes against my financial character. So, I won’t be taking advantage of that. Good to see Vanguard increasing feature parity with other platforms while maintaining the spirit with which the company was founded; at least my understanding of it.

I updated the investment policy to reflect the order strategy I’ve been iterating on over the last few paychecks that I’m appreciating greatly.

When I received my paycheck the multi-factor fund was down, and I placed the following limit orders:

  1. 2 cents over; didn’t execute.
  2. 1 percent down; didn’t execute.
  3. 2 percent down; didn’t execute.

Will try again Monday.

The multi-factor fund was up, and I placed the following limit orders:

  1. Market price (fractional shares); executed.
  2. 2 cents over; executed.
  3. 1 percent down; did not execute.

The interesting part here is that the market price executed at a price lower than 2 cents over, but the 2 cents over executed at 2 cents over. I wonder if this is part of the limit order? In other words, will it always execute at the limit price or will it possibly execute at less. I think I’ve seen an order execute at a lower price than I set. We’ll see I guess.

The fund was up the previous day and there was still enough cash in the settlement fund to do 3 limit orders. I did the following:

  1. Market price (fractional shares); executed.
  2. 2 cents over; executed.
  3. 1 percent down; did not execute.

The S&P 500 fund was down, but all the others were up. Again, I’m appreciating the choice of funds (more below). There was enough left in the settlement account to place more limit orders, which were as follows:

  1. Market price (fractional shares); executed.
  2. 2 cents over; executed.
  3. 1 percent down; executed.

Correlation-based diversification

Section titled Correlation-based diversification

I’m appreciating the funds chosen as I watch the price per share move. The S&P 500, total stock market, and extended market funds are all closely correlated; if one is going down, they all tend to. However, on multiple occasions the multi-factor fund has been stable or going up while the other three go down; not dramatically, but still. Further, the extended market has also been down while the others have been up.

These differences in fluctuations affirm the slight correlation-based diversification between the funds. The total market and S&P 500 funds are 100 percent correlated. The extended market fund is roughly 95 percent correlated with those two and the multi-factor fund. And the multi-factor fund is roughly 95 percent correlated with the other three.

A good example of this diversification presented itself come Monday. All funds were up, accept the extended market fund, which was down.

Toenails are weird

Section titled Toenails are weird

It’s been a minute since the last major update on my feet.

It’s been a little over a month since I last took colchicine or allopurinol. For the most part I’ve felt okay. Every once in a while I feel a slight pain in my right big toe, but it doesn’t go beyond a dull pain.

I get annual checks for STIs and I’m hoping to add the uric acid test to this one.

I’m still doing various stretches, movements, and exercises to strengthen my glutes. I’ve also added an anti fungal spray for my shoes to my routine.

And, I’m still very aware of my toes.

Every weekday I apply lotion to my feet along with a nail mycosis solution. Initially I was doing the mail mycosis solution twice a day every day, including weekends; now it’s only once a day during the regular week.

I guess it’s working, maybe.

The big toenail on my right foot has these two lateral steps at the moment. I’m presuming this is because the new nail growing in isn’t separated by anything that’s not supposed to be there. The toenail is also reestablishing the grooves on either side of the toenail, which is mildly painful.

On my left foot, the second toenail is in a similar boat with a noticeable lateral step into a thinner nail.

Then there’s the second toenail on my right foot which seems like it’s just falling apart. It has a lateral step. It also has shed layers of the mail at the tip that is getting caught on my socks. I’m hoping this temporary.

This got me thinking about how many folks might believe they have “think toenails” and the reason is actually because there’s something between the layers pushing them apart.