My experience with Kirk’s newsletter is as follows. Both my wife and myself have a large percentage of our combined portfolio (managed as one total portfolio) in our 401(k) accounts. This we use as the core of index funds across the Total Stock market (VTSMX) and Total International Index (VGTSX) plus all our bond holdings since we are still in wealth accumulation mode. Many allocation moves are made here to save commissions.

I use our IRA and Roth IRA accounts for the explore portion using some of the stocks Kirk follows. These accounts still have some index funds too. I also have two stocks in a taxable brokerage account that are on Kirk’s list. Those two are not actively traded for tax reasons. It has become easier now that we can each contribute more than $2000 per year in the IRA/Roth IRA accounts to make effective use of Kirk’s techniques. At first when I signed on with Kirk there were few dollars to devote so the early returns were good but had little effect on the total portfolio. Things are much improved now with higher contribution levels. As the explore portion increases it has a larger impact on your total returns, assuming I do better than the broad market.

As more new funds become available for the explore portion and by following Kirk’s buy and sell targets I’ve accumulated what I consider to be impressive numbers of shares in nine different stocks. All either with a very favorable cost basis or on the house money. I didn’t get to this point overnight. It’s taken more than six years. My current portfolio is about 10% explore and has about 1.5% in cash waiting for stocks to buy when they hit the price targets Kirk suggests.

I don’t want to leave you with the impression every single stock Kirk picks is a run away winner. I’ve had one clinker and lost about 90% of that. Fortunately it was in the highest risk section of my allocation and amounted to about a $900 loss. On the opposite end of the spectrum is one I bought at .18, yes 18 cents. I sold some along the way for nice gains. My last sale was $9.14 for a gain on those shares in excess of 5000%. That one sale alone will more than justify a lifetime subscription to Kirk’s Newsletter.


By following a strict asset allocation plan and Kirk’s picks I’ve done better than many since 2000. 2000 was up slightly while 2001 & 2002 were down slightly. 2003 was about market return. 2004 was up 11.25% and 2005 up 8.44%. I just checked today and am up 6.5% Year to date for 2006. If my better than average returns continue I’ll be able to retire at a higher standard of living and sooner than I originally thought. Kirk’s newsletter for me has been a true life changing event.

Steve Thompson