Why I Won’t Share My Recession Stock Wishlist (And Why You Shouldn’t Want Me To)

In 2008, I wrote down a little wishlist of some stocks I wanted to buy during the recession. I was 23 years old and knew enough to know there were opportunities to be had. 

I frequently talk about this video. I get a few repeat comments: What stocks were on the list and what stocks are on my NEW wish list?

For starters, what was on the list, outside of sheer curiosity, is irrelevant. 2008 was almost 20 years ago. The stocks I wanted back then are very different from the stocks I’d want to buy today. For example, in 2008, Chipotle was at the beginning of its growth phase. It ended up trading at $3,000+ before their epic stock split. 

But I understand the line of questioning: What was on your mind in 2008 during the recession? So, let’s talk about what was on the list and their stock price in November ‘08: 

Bank of America: $12.45

I wanted BAC because I thought if any bank would survive, it would be BAC. 

Starbucks: $7.74 

I thought SBUX would get hit hard due to their designer, luxury drinks. People wouldn’t buy expensive coffees if there was a recession. But I believed Starbies was big enough to survive a short downturn. 

Coach (now TPR): $14.52 

Same line of thinking with Starbucks. Nobody would buy Coach products during a recession, which would drop the price. But once the recession was over and people wanted luxury items again, they’d come back to COH. 

Town Sports International: $2.13

I only put this on the list because I was working at their gym and wanted to keep an eye on the stock. Gyms are notoriously bad investments. 

Chipotle: $38

Again, people might stop eating expensive burritos if there was a recession, but they’d come back to their favorite burrito chain once the recession was over. Alternatively, people might like the affordable option for a huge burrito (Chipotle used to be affordable). 

Goldman Sachs: $55

Same as BAC. 

Home Depot: $19

HD is the sorta stock that always does well. In recessions, people keep their appliances and just fix stuff as it breaks. In strong economies, people renovate their homes or upgrade appliances.

Toyota: $59

People want reliable, fuel efficient cars, especially during a recession. Even if people stopped temporarily buying cars, TM was one of the most popular brands and I didn’t think they’d go out of business. 

McDonald’s: $55 

McDonald’s is like Home Depot - it’s always gonna be popular, but especially during a recession when people are looking for affordable food. 

Honda: $19.50

Same as Toyota. 

Now, people want to know what’s on my list TODAY, and the answer is, I’m not gonna tell you, and here’s why: 

People keep asking for my recession wishlist, but that honestly helps no one. My TikTok account exists to help you build your own list—based on your risk tolerance, time horizon, goals, and interests. Copy trading isn’t investing. It’s guessing with someone else’s dice. I’d rather teach you how to assemble your OWN wishlist.

A good starting point is to begin with a solid foundation of ETFs. One S&P 500 (SPLG/VOO/SPY), one tech ETF (FTEC/XLK/VGT) and one dividend ETF (SCHD/SPHD/SPYD). If you no nothing else, you know that you have a very solid foundation.

The options above are all very similar and you only need one of each. If you have a Roth IRA and an individual account, one option to consider is to max out your Roth IRA with the technology fund and then put the S&P 500 and dividend fund into your individual account. The whole goal of the Roth IRA is to avoid the biggest tax bill possible. That usually comes from tech.

Individual stocks could also go in your individual account.