tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245531.post7776235617911292047..comments2023-11-18T01:21:55.631-05:00Comments on My Open Wallet: Crazy DaysMadame Xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11536189690094235926noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245531.post-51276952063368615142008-03-22T12:52:00.000-04:002008-03-22T12:52:00.000-04:00Hah,I'm in the same boat as you - the small boat i...Hah,<BR/><BR/>I'm in the same boat as you - the small boat in the choppy sea. My company is doing great, and I feel pretty secure at my job. But with the falling dollar, trying to sell a house in a down market, inflation... it's easy to get down about how things are right now.<BR/><BR/>Just going to keep paying off debt, investing, and continue in the belief that eventually everything will come around.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245531.post-89903832548909496832008-03-19T23:10:00.000-04:002008-03-19T23:10:00.000-04:00our company's 401k even doesn't have a money marke...our company's 401k even doesn't have a money market. So I feel double pain when "see(ing) your hard-earned contributions completely negated by market losses for several months in a row." and I could do nothing about it but keep investing in poor performance stock and bond funds. I have suggested openly in an office email to all that we should have more fund choices. But I am not sure it would really happen as a miracle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245531.post-531370800862768782008-03-19T09:55:00.000-04:002008-03-19T09:55:00.000-04:00Effing New York Times!But did I read somewhere tha...Effing New York Times!<BR/><BR/>But did I read somewhere that these sorts of downward cycles rarely last more than a year? I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing with regular, automated investing and will hope for the best!Escape Brooklynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02619558338660997233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245531.post-88136743913531878912008-03-19T01:53:00.000-04:002008-03-19T01:53:00.000-04:00On the Jewish calendar, we recently finished readi...On the Jewish calendar, we recently finished reading one of the books of the Torah. When you do that, you mark the event by saying,"Chazak, chazak, v'nitchazeik!" -- "Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen each other." (Loose translation alert...) <BR/><BR/>Hang tough, everyone; don't panic, don't change a good investment strategy or a give up sensible financial behavior just because there's a (substantial) bump in the road. Things are bound to improve at some point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245531.post-43239230012114194312008-03-18T22:43:00.000-04:002008-03-18T22:43:00.000-04:00Apparently the NYTimes has a better demographic th...Apparently the NYTimes has a better demographic than the rest of the newspapers in the country.<BR/><BR/>Frankly, there are the rich, the ruling elite (rich by default) and then there are the rest of us.<BR/><BR/>While some are worried about where to get the best hired help, the rest of us are worried about becoming the hired help.<BR/><BR/>I'm with you MadameX. I have a good job, am not overly worried about losing my job, but still feel the stress of a wavering economy. The fact that our national debt has gone beyond absurd, the dollar is at historic lows, housing is in the crapper and...... okay, I'll stop. Yeah, I think I'm with you. No wonder I love reading your blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245531.post-5793532666625926512008-03-18T22:40:00.000-04:002008-03-18T22:40:00.000-04:00Holy cow. I thought you were exaggerating about t...Holy cow. I thought you were exaggerating about the NYT article. Amazing! Now I've had a crash course on being wealthy in case it ever sneaks up on me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245531.post-50764342079421793222008-03-18T18:38:00.000-04:002008-03-18T18:38:00.000-04:00Well I guess for all those loosing their jobs the ...Well I guess for all those loosing their jobs the NY Times says that its time for some to hire an Upstairs, Downstairs, and above the garage help. I have to agree the NY Times had a very poorly timed feature."Future Millionaire"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17738830586803774903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245531.post-73490368106989597832008-03-18T17:57:00.000-04:002008-03-18T17:57:00.000-04:00I think it's ironic and sad that one of the famili...I think it's ironic and sad that one of the families profiled in the "dealing with inheritance" slideshow runs a collection agency.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245531.post-58579584773768405552008-03-18T17:09:00.000-04:002008-03-18T17:09:00.000-04:00Thanks Andrew-- I do try to think that way, and te...Thanks Andrew-- I do try to think that way, and tell myself it's a great opportunity to be buying shares at bargain prices... but then you see companies like Bear Steans this far from bankruptcy and it's scary to think that any number of shares could become worthless! overly paranoid thinking when dealing with mutual funds, I know!Madame Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11536189690094235926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245531.post-6989561334370247852008-03-18T17:00:00.000-04:002008-03-18T17:00:00.000-04:00Very important to realize that your contributions ...Very important to realize that your contributions are <I>not</I> negated by market downturns. You own more shares than you did before because of your contributions. All that has been negated is the <I>market value</I> of those shares. Since you don't plan on selling for several more years, pay no attention to what they're selling for now.<BR/><BR/>I'm sure you know this. Now's a good time to remind yourself.Andrew Stevenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13453328821252013152noreply@blogger.com