[joeltrout]

I didn't qualify for my company's 401k till Jan 2007. So I didn't have the big run-up that many people did because of the bull markets prior to this correction. Yes correction.

Therefore I haven't lost much and thankfully I pulled much of my 401k out of stocks and put into the money market before last October. Don't know why... I just felt like the economy was getting scary. Lucky guess.

My allocation now is:
65% in S&P 500 fund
25% in International fund
10% in money market fund drawing 5.25% until Jan 2009

I know most will disagree... but I think this is a great time to be putting money in the market.

joeltrout

[joeltrout]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('roccman', '
')Just a "correction" I am sure...

[Heineken]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('joeltrout', 'I') didn't qualify for my company's 401k till Jan 2007. So I didn't have the big run-up that many people did because of the bull markets prior to this correction. Yes correction.

Therefore I haven't lost much and thankfully I pulled much of my 401k out of stocks and put into the money market before last October. Don't know why... I just felt like the economy was getting scary. Lucky guess.

My allocation now is:
65% in S&P 500 fund
25% in International fund
10% in money market fund drawing 5.25% until Jan 2009

I know most will disagree... but I think this is a great time to be putting money in the market.

joeltrout

[Tyler_JC]

You know the old adage, "buy when there's blood in the streets".

The markets will eventually recover from the current downturn so assuming your horizon is long term enough, now could be a good time to buy.

Personally, I'm waiting till later this year (August/September) for the bottom but I think it's within reach.

I have a bond coming up in August and there's no way I'll be able to find an interest rate anywhere close to what that bond was paying.

I'm considering plowing that money into a mutual fund. I'm young and I can afford to look at the long term.

But if you're reaching retirement age, it makes sense to keep your investments more conservative in this time of uncertainty.

[SchroedingersCat]

Mine is up about 37% over the last 3 years. Year to date this year is about 3%. I'm still happy because it's outperforming the stockmarket by about 15%.

Of course, my PMs have a much better return.

[sicophiliac]

I am down a little over 4% this year, however its the money my employer contributed and none of it was mine. I am seriously considering cashing it out (around 3 grand) paying my penalties and buying some gold. Or hell maybe an HDTV or put the money into my car lol. Why not enjoy it while i still can right? Aside from my 401k I have some stocks of my own, my oil service sector stocks are both up 10-15% since I bought them last summer so I guess I'm not doing to bad (aside from dollar devaluation) My biodiesel stock has gotten hammered and is down hard though, but its a speculative buy that I am in for the long haul on, given diesel is over 4 bucks a gallon things look good for them.

[gollum]

about the same as a year ago, no losses when averaged over 12 monthes. However I am in overseas funds so the decline of the dollar probably helped me.

[Heineken]

The stock market has so far largely escaped the impact of the economic downturn. Just how long this can continue is a matter of conjecture.

Since we are in the early transition stage from a long era of economic growth to a long era of economic contraction, stocks are not where you want to be. It's really that simple.

There may be a few individual winners along the way, but you'll have to be very lucky to be in one of them at the right time. As for mutual funds, they'll get creamed.

Notions like "stocks always rise over the long term" and "home values always rise over the long term" are deeply imbedded in our psyches, especially among those of us who have come of age during the long economic boom. So, many of us will have to learn that it ain't necessarily so, the hard way.

[vision-master]

Stockbroker's creed: A man is a client until proven broke.

[frankthetank]

Don't have one cent in the market. Have thought about moving money out of a couple of money market accounts, for fear they close up shop.

If what has happened even since Jan 1 08 is any indication, then can you imagine what its going to look like Jan 1 12 or Jan 1 2020? I just don't see a anything positive to look forward too. As long as the population continues to grow and the rich keep getting richer, we are fucked.

Good investment would have been buying a couple thousand gallons of unleaded at $2 in Feb 07... or buying diesel. 50% return!

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('frankthetank', 'D')on't have one cent in the market. Have thought about moving money out of a couple of money market accounts, for fear they close up shop.

If what has happened even since Jan 1 08 is any indication, then can you imagine what its going to look like Jan 1 12 or Jan 1 2020? I just don't see a anything positive to look forward too. As long as the population continues to grow and the rich keep getting richer, we are fucked.

Good investment would have been buying a couple thousand gallons of unleaded at $2 in Feb 07... or buying diesel. 50% return!

[jlw61]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vision-master', 'S')tockbroker's creed: A man is a client until proven broke.

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jlw61', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vision-master', 'S')tockbroker's creed: A man is a client until proven broke.

[Specop_007]

"Personal Rate of Return from 01/01/2008 to 04/10/2008 is -8.0%"

Depending on what you believe the long term outlook as to what you should do.

If you think PO is a "bump in the road" type of situation, such that life will continue on mostly as it has, then this should be considered a great time to buy and hold for the long term.

If you think PO represents the end of civilization as we currently know it today, then I'd cash out while you have cash.

I'm of the former opinion, so frankly my current rate of return doesnt bother me as I consider this a great time to buy buy buy!

That said, I do have some plans in place should my bet be wrong and the second horse wins the race......

[joeltrout]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', ' ')I'm young and I can afford to look at the long term.

[BigTex]

1/1/2008 - 4/10/2008 is -5.3%

That doesn't bother me too much.

Many 401(k) plans have energy funds in them, and those are great.

I have a 401(k) balance at a previous employer and I have half in an energy fund and half in a fixed income fund and the return there is great.

[Revi]

Mine is down quite a bit since the beginning of the year, but it's coming up a bit now. I don't want to cash out yet. I want it to grow some. I have very little faith in paper assets. It will probably come around, or it won't...

[BigTex]

For anyone interested in doing a conversion of a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, the VERY best time to do it is when your account is down in value--fewer dollars to pay tax on.

One of the opportunities created by a crappy market.

[joeltrout]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BigTex', 'F')or anyone interested in doing a conversion of a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, the VERY best time to do it is when your account is down in value--fewer dollars to pay tax on.

One of the opportunities created by a crappy market.

[drew]

YOY I am up just under 2% which kind of shows you how 'good' my trading has been this past year. (it has certainly been unlike the home run years I had when the markets were doing well) Bought some stuff I shouldn't have, held some when i shouldn't have, and sold early on the good stuff.

So it goes.

(at least I'm in the black)


Drew