What You’ll Get Here…
Welcome to my website. I’m Camille Gaines.
On this site and in my work, I share what I’ve learned while personally investing for 40 years in “almost everything”, including individual stocks, bonds, funds of all types, real estate, commodities, small business and my own online businesses.
I’m a writer, YouTuber, financial coach and an Accredited Financial Counselor® and…
…I help investors figure out how to increase wealth and live off their assets for life.
How am I different?
In addition to actually investing and doing the things I write and talk aboout, I don’t manage wealth for others, meaning I don’t invest other people’s money for a management fee.
Over the years, I’ve personally interviewed, hired and worked with several financial advisors, however.
So I do know how to help my financial coaching clients who work with advisors, or want to do so, as is often the case with women who have inherited money or divorced, I’ve noticed in my work.
Nowadays…
I personally invest my own diversified low cost portfolio. I strongly encourage everyone do what works best for them, however, based on their own desired lifestyle and financial goals since everyone is very different in what they like to do and also what they need to do financially.
This often overlooked principle gives me a disdain for cookie cutter solutions, and is at the core of all my work.
Life is rich when we’re doing what we like to do and when we can pay for the life we want.
What else is different here?
.A core portfolio of stocks and bonds can provide an excellent highly liquid asset but there can be much more to building wealth or those who choose.
The reality is that earning 6% to 10% on a stock/bond portfolio over time won’t get you wealthy unless you already are or you have decades to save and invest during favorable markets and economic environments.
Dave Ramsey got wealthy after an absolutely brilliant idea to teach debt reduction at churches resulting in a highly successful business empire after reportedly going broke from real estate….
Warren Buffett got wealthy from taking large positions in undervalued companies and helping them make more money…
…not from passive investing based on an asset allocation template, which they now recommend along with almost everyone else.
In other words, for most investors a core investment account may not provide the ultimate goal of investing, aka funds for life, when needed for many reasons including inflation, low interest rates, inconsistent returns, other factors completely outside our control, life longevity, and insufficient savings.
Years ago, this awareness led me to create multiple income streams as part of my own investment process after the epiphany that a $1,700 monthly income stream outside our core portfolio is like saving another half million dollars for someone planning a traditonal 4% retirement withdrawal…
…and a $1,700 income stream is quicker and easier than saving a half million $$$ (at least I think it so, do you agree?)
There are many options to accomplish this now, unlike decades prior to the 2000’s. We live in an incredible time for individuals to build wealth besides or in addition to stocks.
What you’ll get…
So what you’ll get from my work are ideas, solutions, and strategies that:
- Are a little outside the box
- Encourage you to do what works for you based on your own situation and desires
- Encompass both stock/bond portfolios as well as alternative wealth and income srategies
Because everyone is different.
Therefore wildly popular cookie cutter investing solutions can’t possibly work for everyone.
This is what you’ll get based on my experiences and work so if this interests you, stick around.
A word about women and wealth
My humble goal is ending the investing education gap between men and women in my lifetime. (I’m honestly starting to get nervous about accomplishing this when I see how many more men than women embrace investing so I really, really need your help:)
While I first learned about investing from Dad, growing up in the 1960’s, the unspoken discouragement of women to embrace business and investing has certainly impacted my own confidence and success.
This realization fueled my passion for investing and caring for the wealth we are disciplined and fortunate enough to accumulate along the way.
Investing is incredibly worthy of our highest care and attention yet it is often a low priority or avoided due to feeling overwhelmed, confused, or even unworthy.
All it takes to become a successful and confident investor is the decision to do so; there’s magic in deciding.
Therefore, decide to embrace investing if you’re not already.
Then, together, let’s make investing a “normal”, if not a wildly passionate and over exuberant activity for ourselves and the next generation of women because…
…having “extra” money is, well, darn nice….
…and so is being a confident investor, try it out:)
So, that’s it.
Thanks for visiting my original financial website resulting from a never ending and somewhat annoying little voice in my head to make a website about women and investing.
I have lots of unbiased free financial education and tools on my sister website RetireCertain.com, and on my Retire Certain YouTube channel.
Please help me promote financial education for women by sharing on social media anything that you find helpful here with a link back to my article or video.
Get Started Now with ….
One (or all) of the gifts I’ve created here.
If you want Financial Coaching with me, click here.
My Own Investing, Life and Money Related Education and Experiences (a.k.a. painful but powerful learning experiences)
Always ask why you should listen to anyone before actually listening to them and acting on their advice. Ask what has prepared them to help you. Officially, I’m an Accredited Financial Counselor®, which requires experience, testing, code of ethics, and continuing education. But here’s some of what I’ve actually done that I believe has prepared me to help other women invest smarter and create income streams, from the 1980’s through early 2022, sort of in order, but I’ve done several things, like investing, for decades now…
5 Years Accounting for Commodities Trading at an NYSE firm
Bought my first home based on a 2 year plan and implementation (mid 20’s)
Invested in my first mutual fund (age 22)
Began investing in the stock market (age 22)
Invested in stock market through retirement plan; made enough to leave corporate accounting job (hooray!) and work for self in commercial real estate (mid 20’s)
Bought, set up and leased my own first residential rental property (20’s)
Late 1980’s – Became the family investor. Began avidly reading Forbes®, Barron’s®, Value Line® about a hundred books on investing and became passionate on the topic after discovering the importance of this role while also raising a family and living overseas (Barron’s® and the beach…heavenly!)
Structured, invested and managed multiple diversified portfolios in stocks, bonds and funds (late 1980’s to present)
Invested in small acreage on Lake Austin in Austin, Texas (early 1990’s)
Researched, interviewed, hired, and monitored various money managers and financial advisors (beginning early 1990’s)
Evaluated and invested with hedge funds, partnerships, oil and gas funds
Hired and worked closely with CPA’s and attorneys for estate planning, real estate, small business, and taxes
Took the Federal Income Tax college course twice in 1980 and 1996 which provided a great foundation
After my dad’s sudden death, helped my mother navigate through individual stock and bond portfolio management, estate issues, taxes, and grief. (mid 1990’s)
Realized that earning 6% in balanced stock and bond markets alone would not reach my financial goals so became passionate about learning alternative wealth strategies, including oil and gas, real estate, conservative option strategies, and small business ownership – mid 2000’s aha!
Survived the 2000-2002 technology bust AND the 2008 stock market devastation but it sure did hurt, as most powerful lessons do
Began studying securities technical analysis avidly to better understand market cycles to lessen probability of buying near the tops and selling near the lows (mid 2000’s)
2005 Bought fourplex outside Austin (anticipating growth in that direction) which generated income (and appreciation) during and following recession; currently own and manage
2006 Wrote my first covered call and have since sold over a thousand covered calls.
2009 to Current – Researched and began investing with low cost ETF portfolios that include defensive assets such as gold and TIPs. Also, sold call options on ETF portfolios for extra income while reducing risk.
Wrote my first book, Earn Grow, Give, and made Amazon best-seller status (2011)
Spoke at Texas Conference for Women, and emceed for David Bach at conference (2012)
Received a JV Publishing offer from a Venture Capitalist to expand Financial Woman (2012)
Coached investors on reaching their financial goals in group and private programs (2007-current)
Conducted virtual and live workshops motivating and inspiring women to reach their financial and life goals for financial advisors and other groups
Launched a profitbale private label company with products I had manufactured and imported; business had a charity element for children in the USA based on the Give principle in my book (2015)
Hire and oversee small global outsourced team to manage all these endeavors with balance
2016 – 2020 Researched and bought high yield securities, sold covered calls on many for additional income
2022 Bought a mostly passive profitable website in the pet niche (given high yield and PE vs stocks)
Programs I’ve Completed So Far:
University of Mississippi – BA Business Administration
Accredited Financial Counselor (Current as of 2022; obtained 2014)
Texas State RampCorp (Small Business Startup Program for Women) 2012 and 2013
Digital Marketer Certified Funnel Consultant 2014
Digital Marketer “War Room” Mastermind Program with Ryan Diess and Perry Belcher 2013 and 2014
Loral Langemier’s Round Table – 2007
Texas Real Estate Broker’s License (Current and Inactive)
EPIC Program on SMall Business Acquisition (2021)
1998 to Present – Over a hundred money management, investing, and income generation programs
Read/listened to 377 books on business, money and investing…and counting.
Many, many mentors, authors and experts…
Biggest Takeaway’s ….
Mindset is everything; this is why almost all lottery winners (and many celebrities) lose their millions
Deciding what you want runs a close second to believing you can have it as being a top priority
Taking deliberate actions, often outside of your comfort zone, is essential for both wealth expansion, as well as personal growth
Capitalizing on trends expedites wealth accumulation
Earning 6% a year on an investment account won’t get you wealthy unless you already are. Increasing income, small business and capitalizing on trends boosts wealth
Wealth building merits and demands your time and attention; this takes discipline, but it’s quickly worth the reward as the results multiply
Hindsight is 20/20, but foresight, and taking action on that foresight, is where you can actually get positive results for the rich life that you want
Weird and Fun Things about Me…
Survived 9 months in a body cast following major surgery in the Houston heat (Anyone else have scoliosis?)
Scuba dived in the South China Sea after being dropped off in the middle of a harbor from a tiny (tiny!!!) boat
Went on African photo safari; flew in hot air balloon over lions in the Serengeti Plains
Learned tons about parenting, love, and Asperger’s Syndrome when I birthed and raised 2 sons (or did they raise me?)
Lived an incredible lifestyle abroad on the ocean for 13 years (Huge life experience!!!)
Asked “What is the S&P 500?” at an international cocktail party (1986) and have been learning about it ever since
Served on vestry, finance committee, and as warden at St Michael’s Episcopal church
Eating the right foods for my body and doing Barre exercises changed my life & health (seriously:)
Began greying at age 14; gave up on coloring at age 40 (last year – LOL!)
I’m a bit of a nerd; money is my hobby. Also love walking in the woods, kayaking, my labrador, Blanco, and finding opportunities in anything; an estate diamond, a piece of real estate or an undervalued stock!
