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Self-Directed Approach

This approach is best for the person who wants to take complete control of his or her accounts, and does not mind the process of analyzing the trading indexes and other weekly data. This is the original approach envisioned when the system was conceived. As applied now, you should first decide on whether you want to use an aggressive, moderate, or conservative method, based on personal preference and/or a score on a suggested risk tolerance quiz. You then look at  the trading indexes and other information provided each week and interpret this according to the rules outlined in the book, the tutorial, and the "Explanation" section of the web site (provided to paid system subscribers). You make decisions on fund holdings according to the system guidelines and make the trades accordingly.

You have the freedom to select funds other than those at the top of the weekly lists, perhaps excluding those with redemption fees, and otherwise tailoring the choices to personal preferences. You are in complete control of your account, including all decisions and making the trades. Self discipline is required in following the system each week and in making the trades.

Guided Approach

This approach is for people who want to spend limited time interpreting data.  Funds held and to be traded are listed each week for each portfolio. The user follows our weekly reports, and can simply use the same funds cited.  Or, the reports can be used as guides for learning how to use the self-directed approach (recommended) -- sort of a weekly tutorial.  The user must make the trades at the appropriate time. Self discipline must be applied in consulting the weekly FTI reports and making the trades, but not so much in interpreting the weekly data.

If one or more of the funds we are holding in this approach are not available in your brokerage account, choices must be made from funds having similar trading indexes, risk factors, and fund styles. Therefore, some interpretation of the weekly data may be required. The main advantages of this approach are that a minimum of data interpretation is required and someone else is doing much of the decision-making.

Choosing an Approach

Aside from the monetary costs, other costs are personal time-costs required to follow the trading indexes and make the trades in the self-directed approach, and to look at the weekly reports and make the trades in the guided approach.

A few dollars or percent difference either way may not be the best consideration for making a decision among the two approaches. The decision probably ought to depend more on how strong your desire is or how much time you have or want to take to manage your own accounts, the freedom your weekly schedule allows you regarding looking at trading indexes and making trades, how easily you can interpret the TI and other data, how disciplined you are in resisting temptations to deviate from the system or procrastinate regarding following it and reading weekly reports and newsletters, and how much you tend to fret and become anxious when involved with decisions related to your investments.

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