Entered the market in 1Q 2006.....
I entered the market in early '82 (last century
).
I'm following the same "advice" in the current market that I gave myself many years ago (through many, many "downturns") -
that is, do nothing.
Remember, you are purchasing shares, not the current value of those shares. Assuming you have not sold anything, you still have those shares (and even more, if you've reinvested any gains). When the share price recovers, you will see that "buying on the way down" is more important than "buying on the way up". However, it takes a bit of "courage" to know/understand that concept, and stick with a plan.
If you are "well off" (financially) and don't care if you buy a product at full price (in other words, you never go to K/Wallmart
), then feel free to sell at a "loss". However, if you like to buy at a discount (in otherwords, "on sale") this market is made for you.
As for me (being in retirement, pre-SS, and drawing the majority of my monthly income from my rollover IRA) the structure of my funds (with a good size "cash bucket") I'll just sit back and wait till the "tide comes back in". It always does. When it does, I'll sell my gains and restock my cash bucket for the next time the "tide goes out" (as I have in the past).
- Ron