OT: Dam stock market....

[George M]

I am in heavy into the market...mid to aggressive mutual funds mostly in different investments to spread the risk out so I ride the S&P like a roller coaster. I rode it down after 9-11 when some of my friends got cold feet and bailed and then rode it back up and was doing pretty well until a month or so ago. Man...I sure hate to see it slide back down with all the uncertainty and interest rates being raised.
I don't rant much but this is about as close as I get.

George
Know what you Dem's are gonna say...no it won't help...but may not hurt...lol.

[Martin in Bellevue]

George, if the investments are relatively sound business', remember to treat them as long term holdings. Instead of bailing, shovel a little more into 'em. Try not to turn potential loss into 'realized' loss by dumping. Penny stocks, futures, & personal loansharking aren't included in this; try to think long term wealth.

It is hard to sell when things are high & it is too damn easy to sell when low.

[George M]

with you buddy...only venting. I am in it to the biiiiiiiter end...no dumping per moi. One of the biggest ironies of investing is when you should invest...when things are down and a bit cheaper, few have the stomach for it.
George

[George M]

of course knowin when to fold 'em has some relevance. I know a number of 30 something's that went big into tech stocks and loss their a$$'s in the Nasdaq which didn't came back.
George

[Martin in Bellevue]

You might believe what the we lost to the market a few years ago, by not dumping.

of course knowin when to fold 'em has some relevance. I know a number of 30 something's that went big into tech stocks and loss their a$$'s in the Nasdaq which didn't came back.
George

[Hector]

(homeland threats, oil, government...) that plagues us today, the stock market is pretty much like a Pandora's box. It's hard to make a judicious choice to find that happy medium between stocks and bonds. As a rule of thumb, low interest rates equates to stable bonds and volatile stocks. High interest rates equates to unstable bonds and less volatile stocks. Experts suggest invest 2/3 bonds and 1/3 stocks. This might be somewhat overboard at the low end but at least it's safer than the alternate.

From the continuing and contradictory crap I read from business week and so on, I think we should be looking at total returns between 8 to 10% in the next few years. We will see.

The 529 College Plans I have for my 2 boys, I have selected an investment porfolio that is from conservative to mildly aggressive. Investors say invest for the long term. Ride the ups and downs and you will eventually come out ahead in the long run. That maybe the case but considering what I said in my openning remarks, I don't have much faith on returns that are labeled "long term returns" but this is my personal opinion.