Positive action in response to economic pain

[Mr. Bloom]

Amen.

I've started keeping a file of POSITIVE articles from the newspaper.

Personally, while the world remains a volatile place, financially, I think the worst has passed (although it will be a while before markets return to where they were...)

Remember, it's darkest before dawn...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I think it's good to be positive. But in order to effectively do positive things that make a difference, we have to stay informed of the bad things that are happening.
I have friends who have told me "Oh I don't even watch the news or keep up with the world anymore because it's always bad news and it just depresses me."
Well I believe if too many people do that, it just allows greedy cruel rotten people to do whatever they like because no one puts up a fuss about it. I don't believe the world will get better by merely thinking good thoughts. I think people need to get depressed and they need to get angry enough to challenge what's been going on in the world. People have become too passive and complacent, sitting home watching mindless tv shows, thinking no further than their living room couch.....and we now see the result. All indications are that things will get way worse before they get better.

So my view is to YES spread positiveness and love....not only by committing acts of kindness, but by staying informed and by making/demanding changes for the better, changes both large and small, global and local. By getting fed up and by challenging the wrongs in our world we change our world. Make things more positive by taking positive action.

[emily_in_nc]

I have friends who have told me "Oh I don't even watch the news or keep up with the world anymore because it's always bad news and it just depresses me."

That's my mother-in-law to a "t". I call it putting your head in the sand. Only by knowing what is going on can we hope of doing anything to change things that aren't right. I agree with all you said here, Lisa.

[Possegal]

I wasn't feeling too negative, until I went into my retirement account to move things to less 'risky' funds, and saw that I lost $50,000 in the last few months. That kinda took the wind out of my 'not too negative' sail. But, not much I can do about that now, and at least retirement is a couple decades away (that's my positive spin, it needs some work).

When I was in Paris last week with my sisters, it was all over the TV there too, to the point that my one sister said she had a nightmare the one night about it. Such a thing as too much news too.

[Trek420]

I wasn't feeling too negative, until I went into my retirement account to move things to less 'risky' funds, and saw that I lost $50,000 in the last few months. That kinda took the wind out of my 'not too negative' sail. But, not much I can do about that now, and at least retirement is a couple decades away (that's my positive spin, it needs some work).

Is there a banker in the house? Paging Mr. Silver?

You didn't "loose it" except on paper. But especially if you're young, a ways away from retirement keep plugging away at that pre-tax 401k is my entirely unedumicated untrained unlearned don't quote me on this opinion.

Buy low sell high, right? What goes down must go up? Right?

While stock values are down you are buying more stock. That $X00.00 a week pre tax that used to buy X stocks valued at $50.00 each now buys twice as many shares at $25.00 each. Don't look at the monetary value THAT'S depressing, instead look at the number of stocks you buy each pay period.

Give those stocks a few years to bounce back and now you have bought twice as many and they are worth $50 again. It's like walking into a store and whooopeeee, it's a BOGO sale.

Yes you need to be diverse, yes you should have some bonds I think (don't quote me) but this is not a time to run screaming from the room and sell it all. If you're thinking long term this could be a good time for you.

I feel very sad for our retirees who need the income and they are hurting. But if you're working and your company has a 401k and you've been thinking of getting out or not enrolling .... in my humble, untrained, uneducated, don't know nothing about stocks, don't quote me .... this is a time to get in and stay in and even increase your deduction to a company retirement plan or your own investments.

[Mr. Bloom]

Amen. I'm with T420...Steady as she goes...

I was talking with my best friend (and financial advisor) yesterday and he told me of a client who couldn't take it anymore...sold over $1MM in stocks taking a $200,000 loss...the next day, the market jumped back 10%.

If you took gains before the drop, now may be the time to get back in. If you rode the market down, now's not the time to sell.

Not a prediction, but my personal opinion is that the market will bounce up and down in a defined range for a long time. I personally don't believe this will be a time for "index funds" which is what a lot of retirement plans offer. The election will not make a difference...everyone already knows who will win. JMHO

But, we all have to do what enables us to sleep better at night - and I respect that this is different for all of us.

[Crankin]

I so agree with all that's been said. I think that these doom and gloom stories should stop being read on the news! Half the panic comes after another thing is broadcast.
Now, I just took my retirement money from the state pension fund from when I was teaching and set up a 401K . But, I won't be touching it for ten years, so I'm just forgetting about it. It's a cycle and I just try to remember that when we bought our first house, the interest rate was 15%.
I am sort of glad I'm in school now, because I feel that in 3 years, things will be quite different. Not that my job would have been in trouble, but the atmosphere gets so touchy when money is tight in a school system.
I also don't plan to be selling my house for another 8-10 years. Since I live in a town that is sort of stable in terms of real estate, and I don't look at my house as a source of money, I am fine.

[Red Rock]

I totally agree with all that has been said. Recently, I laid myself off due to stress, errors, and other matters from where I was working. Turns out it was probably a good choice. Due to the stress, I noticed that I was having irregular heartbeats (after I left work). So now I'm looking for a better work/life balance where I will not be so totally consumed by work.

I felt like I never saw my husband. We could never do anything together. Things like that. I hope to be able to get back on my bike again on a more regular basis. I used to do a 30 mile ride everyday! I think now that an 8 hour day would be great. Of course, work is always work and is a means to an end.

This is the first time that I have not been working and not been totally stressed out about it all. For me that is a postive thing. I have really tried to be postive throughout all of this financial mess and my situation.

So onward and upward to a better tomarrow!! Think postive and smile for you have today.

Red Rock