Sunset
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Thanks for your honest story, and best of luck and the remaining time with your wife.
Another advantage of index investing vs. purchasing individual stocks - misery loves company.I wonder if one's "maximum tolerable loss" is different when the herd is also losing money.
That is, if the entire market was down 40% and all the Target Retirement funds were down and all the forum members were posting about how they were losing money, then that would be a little bit different than if one was the only one who was 40% down and everyone else was slightly up or even.
It seems you are still too focused on the loss. Thanks for doing a public service by discussing this and maybe a few here will avoid making similar mistakes.....
I stay positive because my wife's time is short and I don't want the time she has left to be spoiled by my being miserable or unhappy. But I will never forgive myself for losing money that we could have used to make her remaining time more enjoyable. I know I can make back the amount I lost but not in the time she has left. It's a hard reality to face as a husband.
....
Another advantage of index investing vs. purchasing individual stocks - misery loves company.
My sincere thanks to you (along with VaCollector and dixonge) for your openness and candor.
I really do think it will help other people who read it.
I can only say that I hope you forgive yourself, and unburden both of you from the stress of money concerns. Far easier said than done, I know. But so trivial given what both of you face.
Please don't continue to punish yourself for what many, many other less brave and less forthcoming folks have done.
You should concentrate on helping her at this moment. A bit more than 3 years ago, I was faced with my own sudden serious health risk. I never thought of myself as an immortal or a potential centenarian, yet still got shaken up quite a bit.
I too have made investing mistakes. I think we all have at one time or another. But we carry on.
Thank you for sharing your story. I hope your wife is doing well, as that's far more important than the money stuff.
There were times I was yelling at myself in the car on the way to work "ERD50, you stupid ^%@$^%$(!!!!! What were you thinking??!!". I got out of some of my position at a big loss, finally managed to recover most of it though.
So sorry for your wife's illness. I too wish you the best going forward.
Many of us discovered our Maximum Tolerable Loss back in 2008-2009......But after going through all that, I realized I'm only cut out to be a conservative investor. See signature.
Thanks for your honest story, and best of luck and the remaining time with your wife.
SW,
Thanks very much for sharing this painful story. You can bet it will save a few people from going down a similar road. Look, almost 1000 views of this thread already, it's certain that you've helped some of us.
DW and I are considering a move that would up our WR a bit. You're experience of having life suddenly take a turn for the worse is convincing me that, yeah we ought to do this while we can.
I wonder if one's "maximum tolerable loss" is different when the herd is also losing money.
It seems you are still too focused on the loss.
And happy Father's Day.
Great post. MANY people will benefit from you sharing your experience. MANY. Thank you for sharing and best of luck with everything.
Interesting story and I hope that you fare well. I have had similar experiences with the stocks.
That is precisely why index funds are in most recommended portfolios. You can buy individual stocks, but the odds of you getting it right on the way up and down, is slim.