October shaping up to be pretty crappy

[soupcxan]

Investments continue their downward trek from September...not a huge decline but enough to annoy me. Plus my discretionary spending is up this month...overall it makes for a pretty weak showing at the monthly balance sheet review.

 

[wildcat]

Hey hey you're 23.  I'm 27.  No problems  8)

Sure, I would love to see my accounts increase in value every day of the year but it's just not possible.  I have tried to stay away from the Vanguard website & statement.  I also try to view it as a chance to buy stocks cheaper.

 

[Gone4Good]

I also try to view it as a chance to buy stocks cheaper.

Yup - put some more $ to work on Friday (missed the bottom tick from Thursday but what can you do?)

 

[soupcxan]

Hey hey you're 23.  I'm 27. 

Yeah, but I'll be 24 before the end of the month. I'm getting old, damnit.

 

[HFWR]

I can assure you guys/gals that are twenty-something that if you are even THINKING about investing and such that you are WAY ahead of the curve...

 

[Nords]

Investments continue their downward trek from September...not a huge decline but enough to annoy me. Plus my discretionary spending is up this month...overall it makes for a pretty weak showing at the monthly balance sheet review.

"When the price of hamburger drops, we cheer. When the price of hamburger rises, we weep." -- Warren Buffett

I hope you're putting more of your money into these cheaper hamburgers. From your Young Dreamer perspective the best thing that could happen now is a repeat of 2001-02!

Here's another way to look at it. In a few years from now the swings in the value of your retirement portfolio could easily be greater than the value of your paychecks. How will you feel then?

 

[MJ]

I'm getting old, damnit.

every nanosecond of our lifes.
just a private reminder for myself.
.
.
you can ease drop.

 

[saluki9]

"When the price of hamburger drops, we cheer. When the price of hamburger rises, we weep." -- Warren Buffett

I hope you're putting more of your money into these cheaper hamburgers. From your Young Dreamer perspective the best thing that could happen now is a repeat of 2001-02!

Here's another way to look at it. In a few years from now the swings in the value of your retirement portfolio could easily be greater than the value of your paychecks. How will you feel then?

Yeah, Berstein said something pretty similar in The Intelligent Asset Allocator. I beleive his comment was that if you're in your 20's, get down and pray for a crash.

 

[Cut-Throat]

Yeah, but I'll be 24 before the end of the month. I'm getting old, damnit.

This is exactly what you worker bees want. Prices drop! - You can buy stocks cheap!

For Us folks that are retired, we should be worried, but we're not because:

1.) We've seen much bigger drops in the past!

2.) And when you get older you have much more serious problems to worry about than money.

 

[wabmester]

I beleive his comment was that if you're in your 20's, get down and pray for a crash.

Would somebody please tell the Japanese to stop praying already?

 

[fire5soon]

Those who are in their 20's and already have built up a good chunk of assets would prefer a flat period rather than a huge drop, thank you very much!

 

[Cut-Throat]

Those who are in their 20's and already have built up a good chunk of assets would prefer a flat period rather than a huge drop, thank you very much!

Only if they'd prefer a smaller portfolio when they retired.

 

[bpp]

I beleive his comment was that if you're in your 20's, get down and pray for a crash.

Would somebody please tell the Japanese to stop praying already?

Actually, my Japanese stocks are slightly up for the month of October, and have had a sizeable run-up since the beginning of the year.

It may be the young Americans who are praying too much at the moment. Though I am far enough away from retirement that I would like to encourage them to continue in their religious fervor.

Bpp

Added:
However, one Japanese person who may be praying too much is Prime Minister Koizumi, who just visited Yasukuni Shrine about an hour ago. Mightily pissing off one's Asian trading partners cannot be a smart move...

 

[wabmester]

Actually, my Japanese stocks are slightly up for the month of October, and have had a sizeable run-up since the beginning of the year.

Mine too. But some people seem to think a crash is a great buying opportunity. Those Japanese stocks that are up in the last couple years are still at or below the level they were 20 years ago. That hurts, no matter what your age.

 

[bpp]

Hi Wab,

Mine too. But some people seem to think a crash is a great buying opportunity. Those Japanese stocks that are up in the last couple years are still at or below the level they were 20 years ago. That hurts, no matter what your age.

Not if you didn't buy them 20 years ago. I only started investing at the end of 2000, just in time to ride the cost-averaging roller coaster through the first big dip. I hope that wasn't the last of the bargain sales.

Bpp