Hello everyone,

At the end of the year I will receive some additional capital which I had not expected and I will divide it up - a large part will go to my son's portfolio and I have an experiment planned with part of it which I would like to document here if there is any interest.

The idea is simple: I take €1,000 of real money (in a separate gambling account) and leave the decisions entirely to an AI, in this case the new Gemini Pro version.

Important in advanceI have already mentally written off the €1,000. It is pure 'play money' for me. A total loss is therefore fully factored in and won't hurt me financially at all. That's exactly why I want to see what's possible when you replace emotions with algorithms.

The framework conditions:

Starting capital: €1,000

Start: 01.01.2026

Broker: Finanzen.net Zero

AI: Gemini 3 Pro

Target: Maximum return by the end of 2026 (high risk / high reward).

Strategy: Everything is allowed - active trades, crypto, turnaround bets.

The rule: I don't argue. If the AI says "Buy XY", then I press the button. (Unless it's not technically possible).

I have my normal portfolio for retirement provision, but here I want to know: Can the AI beat the market through active management or am I burning the €1,000?

Would you be interested in following this? I would post regular updates on the trades and performance (including screenshots). I was thinking of a 4 week cycle.

What do you think: Will this be a total loss or the way to the moon?

Disclaimer: The whole thing is purely for entertainment and as an experiment. This is expressly not investment advice and not an invitation to imitate. Please do not blindly burn your money.

Yesterday I caught my 23-year-old nephew staring nervously at his cell phone.

He was using one of those dubious "neobroker" apps.

I asked sternly what he was up to.

"I'm saving an ETF on the S&P 500," he said quietly.

My wholemeal spelt roll almost fell out of my hand.

I had to sit down.

The boy is investing his hard-earned money in American companies with no physical presence in Castrop-Rauxel?

That's literally gambling.

I asked him: "What do you do when the stock market is closed for two days? Or when Elon Musk tweets?"

He had no answer.

Pure recklessness.

I immediately took the phone away from him and deleted the app.

We then drove to the savings bank together.

We had a 2-hour consultation about a solid building society savings contract.

Closing fee only 1.6% of the building society sum.

Guaranteed interest rate of 0.25% until allotment in 18 years.

He started crying and babbled something about "inflation" and "opportunity costs".

I put a fatherly hand on his shoulder.

"Listen to me," I said gently.

"Wealth doesn't come from having more money."

"True wealth is the warm feeling that your money is safe from American turbo-capitalism in a German current account and slowly losing value."

"But it can be planned."

He finally understood.

I've never been prouder of the financial education in this country.

The dead live longer! Here are the key facts:

(from Thomas Soltau via LinkedIn)

🚀 The game changer in old-age provision is coming!

The draft bill for the reform of private pension provision is now officially available. After years of discussion, this is a decisive step: something is moving - and in the right direction. The draft bill has finally been published. I have summarized the most important key points for you.

💡 The key contents of the planned retirement savings scheme:

👉 Introduction from 01.01.2027

👉 ETFs, funds and bonds are permitted

👉 Capital gains tax-free in the savings phase

👉 Up to €1,200 deposit: 30% subsidy

👉 From €1,201 to €1,800: 20 % subsidy

➡️ A total of up to € 480 state subsidy possible per year

👉 Child allowance: 25% per child - max. €300 per child/year

👉 Minimum deposit for eligibility: €120 per year

👉 Special premium for young professionals under 25: one-off €200

👉 Flexible payout phase freely selectable between 65 and 70

👉 Payout via payout plan until at least the age of 85

👉 No guarantee obligation, no obligation to annuitize until the end of life 👉 Capital withdrawal for home ownership possible without premiums

👉 Inheritance possible - without premiums in a pension contract of the heirs or alternatively as a payout without premiums

👉 Capital available at any time - but at the expense of premiums (repayment of allowances, repayment of any tax benefits, subsequent taxation of profits)

👉 Provider change possible at any time - a regime change is also possible at any time - e.g. from Riester to the new retirement savings account

👉 Applies exclusively to persons compulsorily insured under the statutory pension insurance scheme

The draft is to be approved by the cabinet the week after next. There may still be minor adjustments before then - but the direction is clear and no further significant changes are to be expected.

Germany now has the chance to take the big step. As I said last year: this is the game changer! A pension model that is simple, return-oriented and cost-efficient - and motivates people to make long-term provisions for old age on the capital market.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thomas-soltau-49a384b1_der-gamechanger-in-der-altersvorsorge-share-7402717722880524288-zhNV?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAAGF4MqwByQR7B2BPxJQWNzI0f4PWL_Ekgsg)

"You can't change the wind, but you can change the sails."

This is my first contribution to the community. I would like to use this opportunity to introduce my career.

The most important thing about me is that I am 32 years old and male. I have a vocational baccalaureate and am building my professional career on a specialist training course in healthcare plus additional studies in business administration. In the second half of my twenties, I had a consumer debt of €30,000 on a net income of around €2,200-2,400 (depending on allowances). I also had health problems.

One winter evening in 2019, driven by shame and remorse about my personal financial situation, I decided to end my life, but fortunately I didn't succeed.

But I did manage to change my mind that night. That the problem wasn't me, but what I should be.

So I ended my long-term partnership, moved out of the apartment we shared and quit my job.

Emergency reset button.

I applied to countless companies for a job in sales. When I finally had the choice between three offers, I didn't choose the best one in terms of money, but the one that felt best for me.

I have since been promoted twice in this company and am still deeply grateful and happy.

I paid off my debts with my first commissions and at the same time built up a monthly deposit via savings plans.

I cracked the €100,000 mark this year, and what was still a life goal for me a few years ago is suddenly just the first stage towards the real goal: the million. But not because I think everything will be better then. No. Because I know that I already lack nothing materially compared to many people out there and, as a competitive athlete, I love to see the journey as the goal.

Without a goal in mind, I might drift off again. The goal of being a millionaire one day keeps me on track between humility and courage.

I am not a stock market god or an investor king. I'm just a person with a story, like everyone here.

I'm learning every day and 2025 was the first year in which I was able to generate a small, solid return. So the lion's share of my portfolio came from cash deposits.

I am grateful every day that something has kept me alive. And if it can inspire anyone here to keep their head above water in difficult times, then this first post has already more than fulfilled its purpose.

On to new lands.

Your Marco Polo

Good morning, my dears,

I have only really felt what the "getquin community" is all about in the last week.

For the very great and warm words I would like to thank all thank you very much.

I would like to motivate the silent readers even more to write a post, to comment and also to 👍. Because this👍is the recognition and motivation for me and everyone else who invests their free time in research and work for you to continue.

But don't be afraid to create a post yourself. Nothing is wrong, and most of us are not professionals or experts. Just put your questions or thoughts in the post.

It can only be positive for the community and connect even more.

Another thought from me is that, fortunately, more and more young people on this portal.

It gives me so much pleasure to see how here young and old can benefit from each other. The older ones can perhaps use their experience to help the younger ones avoid making mistakes. But the older ones can also learn so much from the youngsters. What I notice again and again in the very well-researched posts.

You have a completely different view of future technologies and that's why you are an absolute asset.

Whether you are young or old, male or female, it makes absolutely no difference.

I don't want to get too political now, because unfortunately politics is becoming more and more divisive and I miss constructive discussions more and more.

And here, in the pension discussion, people are also trying a little young and old against each other.

And that's why I would just like to give you young people my thoughts to think about.

I envy you for the knowledge and information that is made available to you on portals such as getquin. You have a huge bouquet of flowers, no, a forest at your disposal to inform yourselves.

AI takes investing to a whole new level.

In my day there was very little, a bit of Telebörse and 3sat Börse where you picked your mushrooms in the stock market game. Or every week you tried to get hold of various specialist magazines as quickly as possible. Prices were only available via teletext.

And it was even more difficult to get key figures.

The Internet had not yet been born or was still in its infancy.

Therefore, buying and selling was only possible by telephone or a visit to the bank.

Dear young people, you have completely different opportunities to build up a fortune, crypto and ETFs didn't exist in our time either.

What's more, even the last of you should now be aware that "pensions are not secure".

Because the elderly were constantly lied to with the words "Pensions are safe".

Therefore, dear young people, I would also ask you for a little understanding for the elderly.

The poverty in old age has to be financed in the same way in the end. But this should probably not be in our interest.

Thank you for reading.

And, as always, I look forward to a constructive discussion.

Successful together.

Your Tenbagger