VERY conservative asset allocation

[Koolau]

There is a sense of freedom when you can detach yourself from what the market does. It feels good to not have to depend on something unknowable, like stocks returning x pct the next 10 years.
I actually feel a sense of pride that I won the game with no help from the market.

Full disclosure: The market - or more precisely, my Megacorp stock was a big factor in taking me to Financial Independence at age 51. It had been in the doldrums for quite some time (all the while, I was socking it away due to Megacorp "giving" it to me as my 401(k) match) and then it "exploded" shortly before my pension/health insurance vested. I've often said - and actually kind of believe it - it's better to be lucky than good - especially when it comes to investments.

I do still participate in the market but at much lower levels than most here (30 to 35% most of the time.) YMMV

 

[Koolau]

I do it because I don't think the risk is as high as people fear.

And it makes life interesting to stay engaged.

Of course, I do not go gunho like the youngsters who put it all on a few stocks. One has to choose the right level of risk/reward for himself.

Heh, heh, if I want "interesting" I could go skydiving. Think I'll stay inside the perfectly good airplane and keep my AA at 35% for a while. No criticism of anyone else's AA, but mine seems to work well for me though YMMV.