Mr. Gates has the bucks to buy anything. I didn't some forty plus years ago when I graduated, got married and had little spare cash. But, I asked myself and spouse what does everyone need, is regulated so it is profitable no matter what. Answer: utilites. So I bought into five local ones over a decade. Still have them. Reinvested earnings to speed compounding.

Now we are retired, have very significant assets, zero debt for decades.
We put money that used to be house payments into tax free fund and it is our emergency backstop.

It is possible to be well off as long as one spends less than income after taxes.

duke

The #1 rule to building wealth- (SPEND LESS THEN YOU EARN) and put money to work not on a suicide mission! that high flying technology company you invest in today may be out done by a new company tomorrow!
Buffett will not invest in technology because he can`t predict where that company will be in ten years!
on the other hand he will buy coca cola stock knowing a certain percentage of the population drinks soda and the population is projected to grow at x percent and he can estimate what his holdings will be worth in ten years!

Most seniors that did NOT invest wisely or had some reversals, ill health etc., are cash poor. Most of their money is tied up in their home. I suggest they investigate Reverse Mortgages to free up their savings. They can borrow a large percentage of their equity and DON'T HAVE TO PAY IT BACK!

How does a poor mom of two working with a $22,000.00 salary a year invest for her future besides the 401K

Fortunately for Mr. Gates, but unfortunately for the majority of investors, Mr. Gates has the money to lose in these stocks, as well as wait out any possible gains.

If he buys Six Flags, Inc., and that stock tanks after three years-----he can write it off as an entertainment expense. I would still suggest to future investors that they do their own homework. Too often we see the "play stocks" of the rich---those stocks that, even if they go belly-up, will not mean anything to the mega-rich, except a good time; much like those who spend $200 or $300 in the Wheel of Fortune slot machines.

Sure Bill Gates did the right thing with his investments, but not everyone has the knowledge or the finances to do what he did. We were lucky. We invested in the right things and now we are very comfortable in retirement.

I think that if one has the resources to play...why not.I really don't think one has to explain himself when your sitting on top of the pile of cash that he has. I would like to see indiviuals invest in small businesses like the one I own. We have a family business that has been around for 34 yrs...and the last 14 yrs we have had a hard time making it. I would like to see some help so we could stay in business and provide the service we do very well. Anyone willing to help out the small business man...email me....catusmoon@aol.com

Why not like Paul Allen---buy yourself your own town--Allentown--created within the confines of Seattle.

I think it is fascinating reading about how the richest invest. That is not to say you should make the same investments they do, but to use it as an indicator of which sectors his interests lie, and as a possible comparison with your personal investments.

mike whats your propasition contact me
jc

A 22 year old that is investing in a 401K is very smart! The next investment is "buy a home". One has to live some where and buying a home is a great way to invest money. Bill Gates was not always wealthy but had an entrepreneur spirit and had vision.

Reading about the wealthy and their investments is a great insight into the wealthy investment strategy. Like the mom and her 401 plan, I had four children, two college, I kept my home, and leveraged it 5 times to pay for payment on other real estate, colleges, and buy out a ex spouse. The money I have had in the stok market has gone up very little compared to the house. The house enabled me to buy real estate, and to invest in my children's future. Real Estate is what I say, and although it is great to see what the rich did with stock, I will bet they have a ton of real estate...they know futures!

Utilities aren't glamorous, fun or sexy, but the basics of life. A very clever investor made it crystal clear to me.... He said invest in utilities. Everytime someone flushes the toilet, you make money. Get it?

Diane, Good point about the house but I think you got one thing wrong: Bill gates WAS always wealthy. It's fun to romanticise otherwise and I don't take anything anway from his Entrep. spirit but he was a trust fund kid who droppped out of Harvard.
Not to worry though, it is still possible to go from rags to riches in this country.

Speaking from experience: I am 73 now, and when I was young I lived a life style that wouldn't take me past 40. I didn't care, didn't invest, just had fun. If anybody 40 and below reads this, just pay yourself (in investments or whatever) - and not much is necessary - the first of every month, and in your twilight years you'll be comfortable.

My savings went mostly to four of my five children.One child was profoundly autistic.
Three graduated with BS, the first child Graduated
phD at Ohio State. She stayed with autism mostly for
over 20 years.
I graduated from the"UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE
ACADEMY,1949.
Was a Commander U.S.N.R.(Ret), General Electric 19.years.Left GE because of my autistic daughter and
my my sister* years older then me(GE wanted me to move back to Schenectady.NOW I leave near my dayghter
in Ohio.

Yeah, in correspondance with the comment from Mark -- 'Most of us have to be hard working to make our dough', unless you're Bill Gates of Course!

Yep. He just looks for the little companies barely making it and the large too -- (to Play God, BUT OUR God is kind hearted and GOOD!) to run over with the big bucks he has and all the TRUE assets he owns that God himself only knows about...

When more than 2/3rds of the country and World for that matter starve to death and die soooo... OFTEN!

How anyone rich -- can live with themselves when 'they' have the RESOURCES to SAVE THE POOR from their luck, instead their mentality is:(the top richest people in this country) who can I screw I mean get more assets from TODAY! SAD... :(

I would like to invest in the stock market, but I really don't understand how it all works. I have some stock in Verizon as a former employee, along with a rolled over 401K which is now an IRA account with Fidelity. I know they are reputable, so I feel my money is safe, but I'm not sure whether or not I have my money disbursed properly. When I discuss it with a representative, I get more confused and unsure about what to do, so I leave the accounts as is. Does anyone have any advice for me on how to gain more knowledge? I guess I need it explained to me "like I'm a 2 year old". I'm not an unintelligent person, I just seem to have a mental block when it comes to investing. I have the same problem with allgebra! but please, let's not go there. lol

I WILL NEVER GIVE UP THE SHIP.I WILL KEEP TRYING.

WHAT EVER I SAID I BELIEVED.